India, Pakistan qualify for Asian Games semis after washouts
The Indian and Pakistani cricket teams have reached the semi-finals of the 2026 Asian Games. Remarkably, neither team has played a single match so far, yet they are just one win away from a medal. Based on their superior rankings, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh were granted direct entry into the quarter-finals of the Asian Games. Teams from other nations had to win group-stage matches to reach the quarter-finals, whereas these four teams secured their spots without playing any matches.
Subsequently, the match between Pakistan and Hong Kong was washed out by rain, allowing Pakistan to advance directly to the semi-finals. A few hours later, the same scenario unfolded for India; the match against Afghanistan was cancelled due to rain, and Team India advanced to the semi-finals.
Schedule for 2027 World Cup to be released on October 1
The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) will unveil the schedule for the 2027 World Cup in Cape Town on Thursday, marking the countdown to the tournament’s one-year opening. Tickets for the matches will also be released during this time. The World Cup will begin on October 2nd next year, Gandhi Jayanti. The tournament will conclude on November 21, 2027.
Ten of the 14 teams participating in the World Cup will be identified by September 30, the qualification cutoff date. These two will be hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, while the remaining eight teams will qualify based on the ICC ODI rankings. The remaining four teams will come through qualifiers and are listed in the schedule as Qualifiers 1, 2, 3, and 4. Namibia, along with South Africa and Zimbabwe, are also the host nation, but their qualification is not yet confirmed.
Najmul Hossain Shanto ruled out of Asian Games
Bad news has emerged for Bangladesh in the midst of Asian Games 2026. The team’s key batsman and test captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto has been ruled out of the tournament due to illness. Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) confirmed this on 28 September. 28-year-old Shanto has been suffering from fever for the past few days and will now return to Bangladesh on 29 September. Considering Shanto’s health, he was not allowed to play further in the Asian Games. BOA said in its statement that after assessment by Bangladesh team doctor, BCB physiotherapist and local medical team, Shanto was advised to be kept out of the games.
Ed Joyce returns to Ireland cricket as high-performance batting coach
Ireland Cricket has appointed former international cricketer Ed Joyce to improve the batting of its men’s team. Joyce, the former head coach of the Ireland women’s team, has now been appointed as the high-performance batting coach. He will work with the Ireland men’s senior team as well as nurture young talent. He will assume his new role with immediate effect.
Ed Joyce has a long and successful association with Irish cricket. He played 151 matches for Ireland in his international career, scoring 5552 runs at an average of 40.82, including 10 centuries and 29 half-centuries. Joyce also represented England in 19 matches. In 2019, nearly a year after retiring from cricket, Joyce was appointed head coach of the Ireland women’s team. During his tenure, the women’s team’s performance and player development saw significant progress.
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