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England white-ball veteran Jos Buttler has dismissed retirement talks following a forgettable T20 World Cup 2026 in the sub-continent. Although he continues to be ambitious about representing England, with 18 months left on his contract (and an India ODI, T20I series scheduled later), Buttler rejected donning the captain’s hat once again. The right-hander managed only 87 runs from eight outings in the tournament, averaging fewer than 10 and an embarrassing strike-rate of just 116.&nbsp;England backed its former skipper throughout amid his sleek run with the bat. In his last outing against India in the second semifinal in Mumbai, Buttler scored 25 while chasing 254, with England narrowly losing the match by seven runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2026-ishan-kishan-to-captain-srh-in-pat-cummins-absence-abhishek-sharma-named-vice-captain-1773840405754">IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan to captain SRH in Cummins’ absence, Abhishek named his deputy</a> &nbsp;"I hope so," Buttler said of his England future on ‘For the Love of Cricket’ podcast. "I don't know. Obviously, I had a poor tournament, which is disappointing, but I've been playing some of the best cricket of my career in recent years, so hopefully, I can get back to playing my best.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I certainly have ambitions [to continue playing for England], but no longer being a captain, I'm not a selector and whatever, so what will be will be. Yeah, we will see," he continued. &nbsp;Once a batting giant and now a pale shadow of himself, Buttler wanted to rush away from cricket and take some time off, which he did after the T20 World Cup. Residing up in the mountains somewhere in France for a week helped him collect himself after a demotivating ICC event, which he believes could also be his last, as the ball is now in the selectors’ court.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I couldn't have been further away from cricket, which for me at the time was just perfect. It's exactly what I needed," Buttler said. "It was really refreshing - I really enjoyed it, a complete sort of release. And slowly but surely, I'd say at the start of this week, [I am] just starting to reflect a bit and have a few thoughts about what's important to me and my cricket, and why it probably didn't go quite as I would've liked,” he continued. &nbsp;Buttler will now return to India to link up with the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad for IPL 2026, with the 19th edition starting on March 28.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, considering England’s next marquee white-ball assignment is against India in July this year, including five T20Is and three ODIs, it remains to be seen if selectors will bestow their trust in Buttler or not.&nbsp;

Buttler breaks his silence on retirement rumours following a disappointing T20 World Cup 2026. From his mental reset in the French mountains to joining the Gujarat Titans for IPL 2026, the veteran opener discusses his fight to reclaim his England spot ahead of the July series against India.

England white-ball veteran Jos Buttler has dismissed retirement talks following a forgettable T20 World Cup 2026 in the sub-continent. Although he continues to be ambitious about representing England, with 18 months left on his contract (and an India ODI, T20I series scheduled later), Buttler rejected donning the captain’s hat once again. The right-hander managed only 87 runs from eight outings in the tournament, averaging fewer than 10 and an embarrassing strike-rate of just 116. England backed its former skipper throughout amid his sleek run with the bat. In his last outing against India in the second semifinal in Mumbai, Buttler scored 25 while chasing 254, with England narrowly losing the match by seven runs. Also read | IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan to captain SRH in Cummins’ absence, Abhishek named his deputy "I hope so," Buttler said of his England future on ‘For the Love of Cricket’ podcast. "I don't know. Obviously, I had a poor tournament, which is disappointing, but I've been playing some of the best cricket of my career in recent years, so hopefully, I can get back to playing my best. "I certainly have ambitions [to continue playing for England], but no longer being a captain, I'm not a selector and whatever, so what will be will be. Yeah, we will see," he continued. Once a batting giant and now a pale shadow of himself, Buttler wanted to rush away from cricket and take some time off, which he did after the T20 World Cup. Residing up in the mountains somewhere in France for a week helped him collect himself after a demotivating ICC event, which he believes could also be his last, as the ball is now in the selectors’ court. "I couldn't have been further away from cricket, which for me at the time was just perfect. It's exactly what I needed," Buttler said. "It was really refreshing - I really enjoyed it, a complete sort of release. And slowly but surely, I'd say at the start of this week, [I am] just starting to reflect a bit and have a few thoughts about what's important to me and my cricket, and why it probably didn't go quite as I would've liked,” he continued. Buttler will now return to India to link up with the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad for IPL 2026, with the 19th edition starting on March 28. Meanwhile, considering England’s next marquee white-ball assignment is against India in July this year, including five T20Is and three ODIs, it remains to be seen if selectors will bestow their trust in Buttler or not.

Buttler breaks his silence on retirement rumours following a disappointing T20 World Cup 2026. From his mental reset in the French mountains to joining the Gujarat Titans for IPL 2026, the veteran opener discusses his fight to reclaim his England spot ahead of the July series against India.

Jos Buttler dismisses retirement talk; eyes India series in July despite T20 World Cup slump

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) has announced Ishan Kishan as their new standby captain for a few games early for IPL 2026 until regular skipper Pat Cummins attains full fitness and remains available for selection. Kishan will lead the star-studded SRH team in the tournament opener against the defending champions (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy on March 28. The newly-crowned T20 World Cup winner, Kishan, will have the emerging superstar Abhishek Sharma as his deputy.&nbsp;Cummins would link up with the SRH squad on March 23, five days before the curtain-raiser, after Cricket Australia (CA) clears him to travel for the cash-rich league.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/call-me-lalit-modi-cryptic-x-post-for-sunrisers-leeds-owner-kavya-maran-amid-abrar-ahmed-signing-backlash-the-hundred-auction-india-pakistan-1773837182002">'Call Me': Lalit Modi’s cryptic X post for SunRisers Leeds owner Kavya Maran amid Abrar signing backlash</a> &nbsp;Pat Cummins’ lumbar stress issue forced him to miss all international cricket since the away West Indies tour in July last summer, barring the Adelaide Test in the Ashes, including the remaining four Tests against England and Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where they failed to advance to the second round. Although there is no expected date for Cummins' return to the playing XI, his absence, however, has led to an incidental instance of all 10 IPL teams having Indian captains for the first time in 19 years.<h3>Indian stars to lead SRH</h3>For the first time since Cummins’ appointment as SRH’s captain in 2024, the two Indian youngsters will be at the helm of things at the franchise come this season. Bought for INR 11.25 crore ahead of the 2025 season, Kishan slammed his maiden IPL hundred for his new franchise in his first game, hitting an unbeaten 106 against Rajasthan Royals. He finished the season with just over 350 runs at a strike rate of 152.58.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, his appointment as the standby captain has come on the back of a terrific run with the bat, both in domestic and international cricket. After leading Jharkhand to its maiden SMAT title last year, while also topping the runs chart, Kishan returned to the Indian squad for the T20 WCs dress-rehearsal five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home. &nbsp;Kishan later opened with SRH’s new vice-captain Abhishek Sharma in the T20 World Cup before Sanju Samson reclaimed his opener’s slot during the Super 8 stage and made the tournament about himself. Team India's record third T20 World Cup crown also saw Kishan promoted as a standby captain for his IPL franchise.

Huge leadership shift at SRH! Ishan Kishan is named the standby captain for IPL 2026 as Pat Cummins recovers from a back injury. With Abhishek Sharma as his deputy, the T20 World Cup hero leads the Orange Army against RCB on March 28.

SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) has announced Ishan Kishan as their new standby captain for a few games early for IPL 2026 until regular skipper Pat Cummins attains full fitness and remains available for selection. Kishan will lead the star-studded SRH team in the tournament opener against the defending champions (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy on March 28. The newly-crowned T20 World Cup winner, Kishan, will have the emerging superstar Abhishek Sharma as his deputy. Cummins would link up with the SRH squad on March 23, five days before the curtain-raiser, after Cricket Australia (CA) clears him to travel for the cash-rich league. Also read | 'Call Me': Lalit Modi’s cryptic X post for SunRisers Leeds owner Kavya Maran amid Abrar signing backlash Pat Cummins’ lumbar stress issue forced him to miss all international cricket since the away West Indies tour in July last summer, barring the Adelaide Test in the Ashes, including the remaining four Tests against England and Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where they failed to advance to the second round. Although there is no expected date for Cummins' return to the playing XI, his absence, however, has led to an incidental instance of all 10 IPL teams having Indian captains for the first time in 19 years. Indian stars to lead SRH For the first time since Cummins’ appointment as SRH’s captain in 2024, the two Indian youngsters will be at the helm of things at the franchise come this season. Bought for INR 11.25 crore ahead of the 2025 season, Kishan slammed his maiden IPL hundred for his new franchise in his first game, hitting an unbeaten 106 against Rajasthan Royals. He finished the season with just over 350 runs at a strike rate of 152.58. Meanwhile, his appointment as the standby captain has come on the back of a terrific run with the bat, both in domestic and international cricket. After leading Jharkhand to its maiden SMAT title last year, while also topping the runs chart, Kishan returned to the Indian squad for the T20 WCs dress-rehearsal five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home. Kishan later opened with SRH’s new vice-captain Abhishek Sharma in the T20 World Cup before Sanju Samson reclaimed his opener’s slot during the Super 8 stage and made the tournament about himself. Team India's record third T20 World Cup crown also saw Kishan promoted as a standby captain for his IPL franchise.

Huge leadership shift at SRH! Ishan Kishan is named the standby captain for IPL 2026 as Pat Cummins recovers from a back injury. With Abhishek Sharma as his deputy, the T20 World Cup hero leads the Orange Army against RCB on March 28.

IPL 2026: Ishan Kishan to captain SRH in Cummins’ absence, Abhishek named his deputy

IPL founder Lalit Modi has sparked buzz over the ongoing controversy surrounding the signing of Pakistani off-spinner Abrar Ahmed by Kavya Maran’s SunRisers Leeds in The Hundred, who is also the owner of the IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad, by posting a cryptic message on his X handle. Taking to his social media, Modi indirectly, without naming anyone, asked the ‘concerned party’, Kavya’s The Hundred franchise here, to ‘call him’ up, as he knows a thing or two about managing optics and building empires.&nbsp;Lalit Modi has been making headlines ever since inaugurating the cash-rich league in 2008, for good, bad and ugly reasons. While he now stays abroad and has cut all ties with the IPL, Modi has often been vocal about the whereabouts relating to the Indian Premier League; in this case, where the SRH owner and the franchise’s parent company have come under scrutiny over Abrar’s signing, Modi decided to intervene.&nbsp; &nbsp;During the Hundred’s maiden auction, Kavya Maran, the CEO of Sun’s Group, which also owns the IPL franchise SRH, bought Pakistani spinner Abrar for £190,000 (approx. INR 2.34 crore), receiving massive backlash over this. The franchise’s X handle has not only been temporarily suspended over the matter, but has also caught Lalit Modi’s attention. &nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/private-jets-on-standby-pcb-details-evacuation-plan-for-foreign-players-in-psl-2026-amid-pakistan-afghanistan-war-iran-israel-west-asia-conflict-1773761382319">‘Private jets on standby,’ PCB details evacuation plan for players in PSL 2026 amid PAK-AFG war</a> &nbsp;“Investing 2.34 crore on a Pakistani player when the fans are already on edge? I know a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Call me,” Lalit Modi’s cryptic social media post read.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Controversy over <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/players?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#players</a> has hit <a href="https://twitter.com/thehundred?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thehundred</a> with the <a href="https://twitter.com/sunrisersleeds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sunrisersleeds</a> <a href="https://t.co/xBgnmwcgf4">pic.twitter.com/xBgnmwcgf4</a>&mdash; Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) <a href="https://twitter.com/LalitKModi/status/2033608148154536243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, following the 26/11 attacks on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai and considering the countless fallout on the diplomatic fronts afterwards, the BCCI has banned Pakistani players in the IPL despite them featuring in the maiden edition in 2008. Although Pakistan toured India for a short white-ball series in 2012/13, the two countries have also cut all bilateral ties since, only playing in the ICC and ACC events. &nbsp;Abrar’s signing, however, sparked quite an outrage back home, with cricket veteran Sunil Gavaskar tearing into the franchise’s decision to pick a Pakistani player. Gavaskar criticised this move by calling it an indirect way of funding Pakistan’s military, which drew sharp reaction across the cricket community. &nbsp;On the other hand, telecomasia.net reports that the sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claim that Abrar is unfazed by such a backlash, whereas the franchise’s team coach Daniel Vettori also sounded content with the off-spinner’s signing.&nbsp; &nbsp;“The noise on Abrar’s signing is not unexpected, but he is not losing sleep over the uproar,” sources close to the Pakistan Cricket Board said. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Vettori remarked, “Very pleased to get him.”

Lalit Modi sends a cryptic warning to Kavya Maran after SunRisers Leeds’ controversial £190,000 signing of Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed. As Sunil Gavaskar slams the move and fans trigger a social media meltdown, Modi claims he knows a "thing or two" about managing optics.

IPL founder Lalit Modi has sparked buzz over the ongoing controversy surrounding the signing of Pakistani off-spinner Abrar Ahmed by Kavya Maran’s SunRisers Leeds in The Hundred, who is also the owner of the IPL franchise SunRisers Hyderabad, by posting a cryptic message on his X handle. Taking to his social media, Modi indirectly, without naming anyone, asked the ‘concerned party’, Kavya’s The Hundred franchise here, to ‘call him’ up, as he knows a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Lalit Modi has been making headlines ever since inaugurating the cash-rich league in 2008, for good, bad and ugly reasons. While he now stays abroad and has cut all ties with the IPL, Modi has often been vocal about the whereabouts relating to the Indian Premier League; in this case, where the SRH owner and the franchise’s parent company have come under scrutiny over Abrar’s signing, Modi decided to intervene. During the Hundred’s maiden auction, Kavya Maran, the CEO of Sun’s Group, which also owns the IPL franchise SRH, bought Pakistani spinner Abrar for £190,000 (approx. INR 2.34 crore), receiving massive backlash over this. The franchise’s X handle has not only been temporarily suspended over the matter, but has also caught Lalit Modi’s attention. Also read | ‘Private jets on standby,’ PCB details evacuation plan for players in PSL 2026 amid PAK-AFG war “Investing 2.34 crore on a Pakistani player when the fans are already on edge? I know a thing or two about managing optics and building empires. Call me,” Lalit Modi’s cryptic social media post read.

Lalit Modi sends a cryptic warning to Kavya Maran after SunRisers Leeds’ controversial £190,000 signing of Pakistani spinner Abrar Ahmed. As Sunil Gavaskar slams the move and fans trigger a social media meltdown, Modi claims he knows a "thing or two" about managing optics.

'Call Me': Lalit Modi’s cryptic X post for SunRisers Leeds owner Kavya Maran amid Abrar signing backlash

From Chris Gayle's record-shattering 59 sixes to Abhishek Sharma's historic 2024 run, discover the batters who hit the most sixes in a single IPL season. Check out the top 5 elite power-hitters and the rising Indian stars ahead of IPL 2026.

From Chris Gayle's record-shattering 59 sixes to Abhishek Sharma's historic 2024 run, discover the batters who hit the most sixes in a single IPL season. Check out the top 5 elite power-hitters and the rising Indian stars ahead of IPL 2026.

Meet 5 Batters to Hit Most Sixes in an IPL season

After a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan suffered another setback with an ODI series loss to Bangladesh. In the final match, Pakistan opted to bowl first. Bangladesh posted 290/5 in their 50 overs and despite a fighting century from Salman Agha, Pakistan could only manage 279 runs while chasing the target. Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal strongly criticized the team, questioning their decision to bowl first on a good batting pitch and said they should have chosen to bat. He also noted that Bangladesh could have scored even more, around 350 runs, but were restricted as Litton Das slowed the scoring rate towards the end.&nbsp;“You have lost the match. What experiments are you doing? It was a good pitch. Why did you choose to bowl? Why didn’t you bat? They would have scored 350. Litton Das was slow in the end, that’s why Bangladesh got restricted to 290. It was a series decider. When you do not win the series against teams, how will you progress. Do you plan to steal the ICC trophy?,” said Akmal.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/private-jets-on-standby-pcb-details-evacuation-plan-for-foreign-players-in-psl-2026-amid-pakistan-afghanistan-war-iran-israel-west-asia-conflict-1773761382319">‘Private jets on standby,’ PCB details evacuation plan for players in PSL 2026 amid PAK-AFG war</a>&nbsp;He added that the team’s performance has dropped badly and warned that even smaller teams might start believing that they can beat Pakistan. According to him, the players are not showing enough responsibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;“For god’s sake, think about Pakistan cricket. Just see the levels we have gone down to. The Netherlands must be thinking that if they get to play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, they can attain Test status, as they can also beat us. You have made a mockery of your cricket. You people just don’t care,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/all-we-wanted-was-to-win-ollie-pope-defends-england-dressing-room-culture-noosa-excessive-drinking-after-ashes-drubbing-australia-down-under-1773756718817">‘All we wanted was to win’: Pope defends ENG’s culture after 1-4 Ashes drubbing</a>&nbsp;After the final match, Pakistan's captain Shaheen Shah Afridi also had a view, saying that the team is improving and highlighted that many young players are new to international cricket. He stressed the need for hard work, better fitness and development in all areas of the game. He also said the team will continue to support these young players.&nbsp;

During the ODI series against Bangladesh, Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat in the first match, bounced back in the second, but failed to maintain the momentum in the final ODI.

After a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan suffered another setback with an ODI series loss to Bangladesh. In the final match, Pakistan opted to bowl first. Bangladesh posted 290/5 in their 50 overs and despite a fighting century from Salman Agha, Pakistan could only manage 279 runs while chasing the target. Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal strongly criticized the team, questioning their decision to bowl first on a good batting pitch and said they should have chosen to bat. He also noted that Bangladesh could have scored even more, around 350 runs, but were restricted as Litton Das slowed the scoring rate towards the end. “You have lost the match. What experiments are you doing? It was a good pitch. Why did you choose to bowl? Why didn’t you bat? They would have scored 350. Litton Das was slow in the end, that’s why Bangladesh got restricted to 290. It was a series decider. When you do not win the series against teams, how will you progress. Do you plan to steal the ICC trophy?,” said Akmal. Also Read - ‘Private jets on standby,’ PCB details evacuation plan for players in PSL 2026 amid PAK-AFG war He added that the team’s performance has dropped badly and warned that even smaller teams might start believing that they can beat Pakistan. According to him, the players are not showing enough responsibility. “For god’s sake, think about Pakistan cricket. Just see the levels we have gone down to. The Netherlands must be thinking that if they get to play a three-match ODI series against Pakistan, they can attain Test status, as they can also beat us. You have made a mockery of your cricket. You people just don’t care,” he added. Also Read - ‘All we wanted was to win’: Pope defends ENG’s culture after 1-4 Ashes drubbing After the final match, Pakistan's captain Shaheen Shah Afridi also had a view, saying that the team is improving and highlighted that many young players are new to international cricket. He stressed the need for hard work, better fitness and development in all areas of the game. He also said the team will continue to support these young players.

During the ODI series against Bangladesh, Pakistan suffered a heavy defeat in the first match, bounced back in the second, but failed to maintain the momentum in the final ODI.

'Plan to steal ICC trophy': Kamran Akmal criticises Pakistan Team after series defeat to Bangladesh

The Pakistan-Afghanistan war has reached its boiling point following the Kabul hospital airstrike that killed 400 innocents. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has laid out contingency plans for all players, including foreigners, should the situation escalate midway through PSL 2026. With the growing fear among touring players, mainly from Australia, including David Warner and Steve Smith, and the Australian government classifying Peshawar ‘do not travel’ zone due to security concerns, the PCB has reportedly promised immediate evacuation via private jets, which are to be on standby at all times.&nbsp;Considering that the flights in and out of the region have already been affected, adding to the uncertainty, Warner and Smith are among the marquee overseas players contemplating their participation in PSL 2026. With all eight teams continuing to prepare for the upcoming edition, and some Australian players also expected to arrive in the country sooner, the current situation has left a few professionals working on honouring franchise commitments.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/afg-speedster-naveen-ul-haq-compares-pakistan-with-israel-after-kabul-airstrike-that-killed-over-400-1773746255741">AFG speedster Naveen-ul-Haq compares Pakistan with Israel after Kabul airstrike that killed over 400</a> &nbsp;Also, Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium, now renamed Imran Khan Stadium, which is located roughly 40 to 50 kilometres away from the Afghanistan border, will host two PSL games for the first time on Saturday (Mar 28). &nbsp;Among the Australian players travelling to Pakistan for PSL 2026 are Smith, Warner, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle, Aaron Hardie, Marnus Labuschagne, Ashton Turner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Philippe, Riley Meredith and Ben McDermott, among others. &nbsp;Meanwhile, a PCB source close to the information has dismissed all reports of Australia being dicey over sending its players to Pakistan for PSL 2026 over raging West Asia conflict and one involving against Afghanistan, saying, "All travel arrangements and plans are in place, and we will have all the Australian players who have signed for the PSL 11 start arriving from next week.” &nbsp;PSL 2026 will take place from March 26 to May 3.

The PCB details emergency evacuation plans for PSL 2026 as the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict intensifies. With 400 dead in a Kabul airstrike and Australia issuing a 'Do Not Travel' alert for Peshawar, find out how the board plans to protect stars like Steve Smith and David Warner."

The Pakistan-Afghanistan war has reached its boiling point following the Kabul hospital airstrike that killed 400 innocents. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has laid out contingency plans for all players, including foreigners, should the situation escalate midway through PSL 2026. With the growing fear among touring players, mainly from Australia, including David Warner and Steve Smith, and the Australian government classifying Peshawar ‘do not travel’ zone due to security concerns, the PCB has reportedly promised immediate evacuation via private jets, which are to be on standby at all times. Considering that the flights in and out of the region have already been affected, adding to the uncertainty, Warner and Smith are among the marquee overseas players contemplating their participation in PSL 2026. With all eight teams continuing to prepare for the upcoming edition, and some Australian players also expected to arrive in the country sooner, the current situation has left a few professionals working on honouring franchise commitments. Also read | AFG speedster Naveen-ul-Haq compares Pakistan with Israel after Kabul airstrike that killed over 400 Also, Peshawar’s Arbab Niaz Stadium, now renamed Imran Khan Stadium, which is located roughly 40 to 50 kilometres away from the Afghanistan border, will host two PSL games for the first time on Saturday (Mar 28). Among the Australian players travelling to Pakistan for PSL 2026 are Smith, Warner, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle, Aaron Hardie, Marnus Labuschagne, Ashton Turner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Philippe, Riley Meredith and Ben McDermott, among others. Meanwhile, a PCB source close to the information has dismissed all reports of Australia being dicey over sending its players to Pakistan for PSL 2026 over raging West Asia conflict and one involving against Afghanistan, saying, "All travel arrangements and plans are in place, and we will have all the Australian players who have signed for the PSL 11 start arriving from next week.” PSL 2026 will take place from March 26 to May 3.

The PCB details emergency evacuation plans for PSL 2026 as the Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict intensifies. With 400 dead in a Kabul airstrike and Australia issuing a 'Do Not Travel' alert for Peshawar, find out how the board plans to protect stars like Steve Smith and David Warner."

‘Private jets on standby,’ PCB details evacuation plan for players in PSL 2026 amid PAK-AFG war

England Test number three, Ollie Pope, addressed the elephant in the room during Surrey’s pre-season media day. Months after England conceded the away Ashes (1-4) to Australia, Pope detailed the ‘misconception’ of his team’s lack of will to perform and win, doubled up with several allegations that made it tough for everyone to comprehend. England lost the Ashes Down Under, with the ECB taking stern steps, including launching a review, scrutinising planning, preparation, individual performances and player conduct.&nbsp;In addition to the embarrassing scoreline, concerns about the dressing room culture during the Noosa break, where reports of excessive drinking by players made headlines. The shocking revelation of the team vice-captain, Harry Brook, being involved in an altercation outside the Wellington pub earlier, made things worse. &nbsp;Pope, however, insists England were fully focused on regaining the Ashes and might have been more successful had they cemented an encouraging start to the first Test in Perth.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/very-different-to-anything-else-liam-livingstone-eyes-ipl-2026-with-srh-fallen-relationship-england-coaches-robert-key-brendon-mccullum-1773674089865">‘Very different to anything else’: Liam Livingstone eyes ‘blockbuster’ IPL 2026 with SRH</a>&nbsp;"Going into that series, there was a lot spoken about the preparation of it," Pope told reporters on Tuesday (Mar 17). "As a team, the misconception might be that we weren't as fussed as it came across."&nbsp;The 28-year-old, speaking at county side Surrey's media day, added: "The tough thing for everyone in that first game (Test) was the nature of it. Had we won that, and we'd done slightly better on day two, the idea is different.&nbsp;"Of course, we want to be a well-liked team, on and off the pitch, and unfortunately, our performance didn't allow that to happen in Australia.<h3>‘Take the pressure off’</h3>"I can understand why people felt that way, but at the same time, the perception that we weren't fussed was probably the hard thing. All we wanted to do was go and win the Ashes...All anyone wanted to do was to win.&nbsp;"And for us at times it was just trying to, in our minds, take the pressure off the actual Test match."&nbsp;Even before the trip started, questions were raised about a lack of preparation in Australian conditions, which consisted of a three-day match against the second-string England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth.&nbsp;"As we've done over the previous years, we tried to treat it like a normal series to get the best out of ourselves," said Pope. “Unfortunately, it didn't quite go to plan.” He added, “I know what I need to be as ready as I can be. From a personal point, I felt as ready as I could have been for that first Test.”&nbsp;Pope was dropped after the third Test after averaging only 20.83 runs across the first three games, with replacement Jacob Bethell going on to score a century in the fifth Test at Sydney. But Pope insisted he was determined to regain his England place, saying: “I still feel like my best batting years are to come.” The Surrey batsman was speaking after the England and Wales Cricket Board went back on a plan to stop its Ashes players speaking to the media ahead of the new county season while it conducts its review.&nbsp;(With inputs from AFP)

Ollie Pope breaks his silence on England’s disastrous 1-4 Ashes loss, hitting back at claims the squad "wasn't fussed" about the result. Speaking at Surrey’s media day, the batter defends the team's culture amidst the Noosa drinking controversy and an ongoing ECB review.

England Test number three, Ollie Pope, addressed the elephant in the room during Surrey’s pre-season media day. Months after England conceded the away Ashes (1-4) to Australia, Pope detailed the ‘misconception’ of his team’s lack of will to perform and win, doubled up with several allegations that made it tough for everyone to comprehend. England lost the Ashes Down Under, with the ECB taking stern steps, including launching a review, scrutinising planning, preparation, individual performances and player conduct. In addition to the embarrassing scoreline, concerns about the dressing room culture during the Noosa break, where reports of excessive drinking by players made headlines. The shocking revelation of the team vice-captain, Harry Brook, being involved in an altercation outside the Wellington pub earlier, made things worse. Pope, however, insists England were fully focused on regaining the Ashes and might have been more successful had they cemented an encouraging start to the first Test in Perth. Also read | ‘Very different to anything else’: Liam Livingstone eyes ‘blockbuster’ IPL 2026 with SRH "Going into that series, there was a lot spoken about the preparation of it," Pope told reporters on Tuesday (Mar 17). "As a team, the misconception might be that we weren't as fussed as it came across." The 28-year-old, speaking at county side Surrey's media day, added: "The tough thing for everyone in that first game (Test) was the nature of it. Had we won that, and we'd done slightly better on day two, the idea is different. "Of course, we want to be a well-liked team, on and off the pitch, and unfortunately, our performance didn't allow that to happen in Australia. ‘Take the pressure off’ "I can understand why people felt that way, but at the same time, the perception that we weren't fussed was probably the hard thing. All we wanted to do was go and win the Ashes...All anyone wanted to do was to win. "And for us at times it was just trying to, in our minds, take the pressure off the actual Test match." Even before the trip started, questions were raised about a lack of preparation in Australian conditions, which consisted of a three-day match against the second-string England Lions at Lilac Hill in Perth. "As we've done over the previous years, we tried to treat it like a normal series to get the best out of ourselves," said Pope. “Unfortunately, it didn't quite go to plan.” He added, “I know what I need to be as ready as I can be. From a personal point, I felt as ready as I could have been for that first Test.” Pope was dropped after the third Test after averaging only 20.83 runs across the first three games, with replacement Jacob Bethell going on to score a century in the fifth Test at Sydney. But Pope insisted he was determined to regain his England place, saying: “I still feel like my best batting years are to come.” The Surrey batsman was speaking after the England and Wales Cricket Board went back on a plan to stop its Ashes players speaking to the media ahead of the new county season while it conducts its review. (With inputs from AFP)

Ollie Pope breaks his silence on England’s disastrous 1-4 Ashes loss, hitting back at claims the squad "wasn't fussed" about the result. Speaking at Surrey’s media day, the batter defends the team's culture amidst the Noosa drinking controversy and an ongoing ECB review.

‘All we wanted was to win’: Ollie Pope defends England’s culture after 1-4 Ashes drubbing

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has climbed to seventh place in the latest women’s ODI batting rankings announced on Tuesday (Mar 17) and her teammate and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana continues to stay at number one. Harmanpreet moved up after New Zealand’s Sophie Devine dropped two spots to ninth, while middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues remains unchanged at 12th position. New Zealand batter Maddy Green improved her ranking after scoring 94 runs in the final match of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Zimbabwe and her quick 73-ball innings in Dunedin helped her team win by 200 runs and complete a 3-0 series sweep. This performance moved her up five places to 17th among batters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/afg-speedster-naveen-ul-haq-compares-pakistan-with-israel-after-kabul-airstrike-that-killed-over-400-1773746255741">AFG speedster Naveen-ul-Haq compares Pakistan with Israel after Kabul airstrike that killed over 400</a>&nbsp;All-rounder Amelia Kerr also made progress and moved from 21st to joint-19th in the rankings. In the final ODI, she scored 80 runs and took five wickets for 22 runs, earning the Player of the Match award.&nbsp;&nbsp;Isabelle Gaze (up three places to 61st) is another New Zealander moving up the batting rankings, while seam bowlers Rosemary Mair (up seven places to 58th) and Bree Illing (up five places to 79th) made progress in the bowling rankings.&nbsp;In T20 Internationals batting rankings, Kerr reached her best-ever rating of 694 points (eight) after scoring 78 runs off 44 balls against South Africa in Mount Maunganui. She also kept her eighth place in the bowling rankings.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/is-ms-dhoni-role-in-csk-unjustified-ab-de-villiers-sparks-debate-as-pujara-backs-thala-to-turn-games-around-in-ipl-2026-news-chennai-super-kings-1773752490757">Is Dhoni’s CSK role ‘unjustified’? ABD sparks debate as Pujara backs 'Thala' to turn games around in IPL 2026</a>&nbsp;In the bowling rankings, Jess Kerr’s figures of two for 13 helped her climb 11 places to 23rd, while Sophie Devine’s career-best four for 12 advanced her from 104th to 79th position.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

The Indian captain gained a spot in the batter rankings after New Zealand’s Sophie Devine slipped two places to ninth.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has climbed to seventh place in the latest women’s ODI batting rankings announced on Tuesday (Mar 17) and her teammate and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana continues to stay at number one. Harmanpreet moved up after New Zealand’s Sophie Devine dropped two spots to ninth, while middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues remains unchanged at 12th position. New Zealand batter Maddy Green improved her ranking after scoring 94 runs in the final match of the ICC Women’s Championship series against Zimbabwe and her quick 73-ball innings in Dunedin helped her team win by 200 runs and complete a 3-0 series sweep. This performance moved her up five places to 17th among batters. Also Read - AFG speedster Naveen-ul-Haq compares Pakistan with Israel after Kabul airstrike that killed over 400 All-rounder Amelia Kerr also made progress and moved from 21st to joint-19th in the rankings. In the final ODI, she scored 80 runs and took five wickets for 22 runs, earning the Player of the Match award. Isabelle Gaze (up three places to 61st) is another New Zealander moving up the batting rankings, while seam bowlers Rosemary Mair (up seven places to 58th) and Bree Illing (up five places to 79th) made progress in the bowling rankings. In T20 Internationals batting rankings, Kerr reached her best-ever rating of 694 points (eight) after scoring 78 runs off 44 balls against South Africa in Mount Maunganui. She also kept her eighth place in the bowling rankings. Also Read - Is Dhoni’s CSK role ‘unjustified’? ABD sparks debate as Pujara backs 'Thala' to turn games around in IPL 2026 In the bowling rankings, Jess Kerr’s figures of two for 13 helped her climb 11 places to 23rd, while Sophie Devine’s career-best four for 12 advanced her from 104th to 79th position. With inputs from agencies

The Indian captain gained a spot in the batter rankings after New Zealand’s Sophie Devine slipped two places to ninth.

ICC Women’s ODI Rankings: Harmanpreet climbs to seventh, Mandhana stays at top

MS Dhoni is a CSK veteran, a five-time IPL-winning captain, let alone considering his countless accolades as batter, skipper and wicketkeeper. However, as time and life have it, good things come to an end, and sooner or later, his decorated IPL career would also. But as long as he is around, he is untouchable in the team. Or is he? Former cricket giants AB de Villiers and Cheteshwar Pujara shared alternative views on Dhoni’s role in the current CSK setup. While ABD calls it wrong on Dhoni’s part to not contribute enough with the bat, Pujara hails ‘Thala’ for still having it in him to change the game’s course in IPL 2026.&nbsp;Since signing Sanju Samson ahead of this season, CSK has invested in Dhoni’s potential replacement for seasons to come, with the recently-crowned T20 World Cup winner ticking all the boxes the management was seeking.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/suryakumar-yadav-credits-his-wife-devisha-for-career-turnaround-reveals-one-chat-that-changed-everything-t20-world-cup-2026-ipl-journey-kkr-to-mi-1773748224041">‘Wife is always right!’ SKY credits partner for career turnaround; reveals 'one chat' that changed everything</a> &nbsp;As Samson is sure to open from this edition onwards, questions are raised around MS Dhoni’s role in the team. Although he remains the first-choice wicketkeeper and an unsaid leader of the pack on the field, choosing to come at number eight or even nine sometimes, as he has done earlier, diminishes his x-factor as a batter. &nbsp; &nbsp;“If he is going to play the role of batting at No. 8 or No. 9, and not really captaining, then I just feel it’s almost making up a spot and just almost there for the wrong reasons. It’s not the individual that goes on to win a trophy; it ultimately ends up being a team performance. I do feel that Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju are the perfect players to take over from MS,” AB de Villiers said during a Star Sports chat.<h3>Pujara differs, backs Mahi to deliver with bat</h3>Cheteshwar Pujara, however, partially differed with de Villiers’ opinion. While he echoed similar worries (around Dhoni’s batting position), Pujara believes that with the potential that he has, Dhoni can change the course of a game single-handedly.&nbsp; &nbsp;“I don’t see a point in MS Dhoni batting at No. 8 or 9, because he has the potential to turn games around single-handedly, something no other batter in the CSK team can do. If he bats for only five or ten balls, imagine what Mahi bhai can do if he plays 25 or 30 balls,” Pujara said on JioStar. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK will open its campaign against Rajasthan Royals in an away clash on Sunday (Mar 29) in Guwahati.&nbsp;

"Is MS Dhoni just 'making up a spot'?" AB de Villiers questions Thala’s role at CSK following the blockbuster arrival of Sanju Samson. While ABD calls his No. 8 position "unjustified," Cheteshwar Pujara insists Mahi can still turn games on his head. Inside the debate of IPL 2026.

MS Dhoni is a CSK veteran, a five-time IPL-winning captain, let alone considering his countless accolades as batter, skipper and wicketkeeper. However, as time and life have it, good things come to an end, and sooner or later, his decorated IPL career would also. But as long as he is around, he is untouchable in the team. Or is he? Former cricket giants AB de Villiers and Cheteshwar Pujara shared alternative views on Dhoni’s role in the current CSK setup. While ABD calls it wrong on Dhoni’s part to not contribute enough with the bat, Pujara hails ‘Thala’ for still having it in him to change the game’s course in IPL 2026. Since signing Sanju Samson ahead of this season, CSK has invested in Dhoni’s potential replacement for seasons to come, with the recently-crowned T20 World Cup winner ticking all the boxes the management was seeking. Also read | ‘Wife is always right!’ SKY credits partner for career turnaround; reveals 'one chat' that changed everything As Samson is sure to open from this edition onwards, questions are raised around MS Dhoni’s role in the team. Although he remains the first-choice wicketkeeper and an unsaid leader of the pack on the field, choosing to come at number eight or even nine sometimes, as he has done earlier, diminishes his x-factor as a batter. “If he is going to play the role of batting at No. 8 or No. 9, and not really captaining, then I just feel it’s almost making up a spot and just almost there for the wrong reasons. It’s not the individual that goes on to win a trophy; it ultimately ends up being a team performance. I do feel that Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju are the perfect players to take over from MS,” AB de Villiers said during a Star Sports chat. Pujara differs, backs Mahi to deliver with bat Cheteshwar Pujara, however, partially differed with de Villiers’ opinion. While he echoed similar worries (around Dhoni’s batting position), Pujara believes that with the potential that he has, Dhoni can change the course of a game single-handedly. “I don’t see a point in MS Dhoni batting at No. 8 or 9, because he has the potential to turn games around single-handedly, something no other batter in the CSK team can do. If he bats for only five or ten balls, imagine what Mahi bhai can do if he plays 25 or 30 balls,” Pujara said on JioStar. Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK will open its campaign against Rajasthan Royals in an away clash on Sunday (Mar 29) in Guwahati.

"Is MS Dhoni just 'making up a spot'?" AB de Villiers questions Thala’s role at CSK following the blockbuster arrival of Sanju Samson. While ABD calls his No. 8 position "unjustified," Cheteshwar Pujara insists Mahi can still turn games on his head. Inside the debate of IPL 2026.

Is Dhoni’s CSK role ‘unjustified’? ABD sparks debate as Pujara backs 'Thala' to turn games around in IPL 2026

Wife is always right! Most readers would agree, and those who don’t are either not married or enjoy disagreeing for fun. Even Team India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav says so, let alone just agreeing to it. For someone who emerged late on the international scene, 11 years after his domestic debut, precisely, his partner’s role played a massive hand in shaping who he is today. A genuine team player and a likeable leader, SKY credits his wife, Devisha, 100% for her advice, not on cricket, but about life, which SKY is grateful for, especially after winning back-to-back T20 World Cups.&nbsp;India lifted its third T20 World Cup by beating New Zealand in a one-sided final in Ahmedabad early this month, and the winning captain, Suryakumar, was among several players who won it successively. Having earlier tasted success under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in 2024 in the Americas, SKY repeated the heroics, with a younger and more passionate side.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-honours-tilak-varma-following-t20-world-cup-triumph-1773733250053">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy honours Tilak Varma following T20 World Cup triumph</a> &nbsp;When asked about the difference between the two victorious teams, SKY explained, "There were just minor differences between the two teams. That was an experienced team, and very committed. This team is passionate. This year, I can say that we had less experience but more enthusiasm. All the guys are 25 to 27 years old [actually, ten of the 15 players in the side that won the tournament were over 27, and nine were over 30]. &nbsp;"It was necessary to explain to them how it feels to win a World Cup in India, when people will cheer so much for you, 50,000 people, a lakh people, in the stadium,” SKY said in a chat with PTI.<h3>Wife’s role in his success</h3>A credible T20 batter, a two-time T20 World Cup winner and having as many IPL titles to his name (with the Mumbai Indians since switching teams in 2018), SKY has a decorated career in cricket, let alone considering his T20 milestones across franchise leagues and for India. &nbsp;Although SKY's coaches, teammates and everyone in the setup pushed him to succeed on the field, his wife kept him motivated. During the chat, he revealed that one conversation he had with his wife that flipped his career for good.&nbsp; &nbsp;"We got married in 2016 when I was still playing for KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL]. Everything was going very smooth. I was playing well, enjoying, and she looked at my journey and my routines till 2018 when I joined the Mumbai Indians [MI]," Suryakumar said. "I think we started doing things a little differently [after that]. She told me that all those who played with you in the age group, a lot of them are now playing for India. What do you have in mind? I said I wanted to play for India too. 'How do you plan to do it?' she asked.&nbsp; &nbsp;"It was a nice little conversation with her, not an argument but a discussion. But yes, it was a discussion about how can you take one extra step forward in your endeavour. If I want to play for India and want to win games for India, how do I do it?"&nbsp; &nbsp;Crediting his wife for his success today, SKY said, "She [Devisha] has been a big influence behind the scenes in telling me honest things. If it is your partner, she will always be honest because all she would want is your growth, because if you want to grow together, conversations have to be honest. At times, it has been brutal, too, but then it has been good. If I am where I am today, those conversations have gone a long way.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I give her 100% credit because it is not that she gave me cricketing advice, but she told me a lot of things related to life. What do I do? How to approach a certain situation? How do I carry myself?” he added. &nbsp;Meanwhile, SKY will be in action for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, starting March 28.

"Wife is always right!" India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav opens up about the "brutal" but life-changing conversation with his wife, Devisha, that flipped his career. From KKR's struggles to back-to-back World Cup glory, discover the secret behind SKY's rise.

Wife is always right! Most readers would agree, and those who don’t are either not married or enjoy disagreeing for fun. Even Team India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav says so, let alone just agreeing to it. For someone who emerged late on the international scene, 11 years after his domestic debut, precisely, his partner’s role played a massive hand in shaping who he is today. A genuine team player and a likeable leader, SKY credits his wife, Devisha, 100% for her advice, not on cricket, but about life, which SKY is grateful for, especially after winning back-to-back T20 World Cups. India lifted its third T20 World Cup by beating New Zealand in a one-sided final in Ahmedabad early this month, and the winning captain, Suryakumar, was among several players who won it successively. Having earlier tasted success under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in 2024 in the Americas, SKY repeated the heroics, with a younger and more passionate side. Also read | Telangana CM Revanth Reddy honours Tilak Varma following T20 World Cup triumph When asked about the difference between the two victorious teams, SKY explained, "There were just minor differences between the two teams. That was an experienced team, and very committed. This team is passionate. This year, I can say that we had less experience but more enthusiasm. All the guys are 25 to 27 years old [actually, ten of the 15 players in the side that won the tournament were over 27, and nine were over 30]. "It was necessary to explain to them how it feels to win a World Cup in India, when people will cheer so much for you, 50,000 people, a lakh people, in the stadium,” SKY said in a chat with PTI. Wife’s role in his success A credible T20 batter, a two-time T20 World Cup winner and having as many IPL titles to his name (with the Mumbai Indians since switching teams in 2018), SKY has a decorated career in cricket, let alone considering his T20 milestones across franchise leagues and for India. Although SKY's coaches, teammates and everyone in the setup pushed him to succeed on the field, his wife kept him motivated. During the chat, he revealed that one conversation he had with his wife that flipped his career for good. "We got married in 2016 when I was still playing for KKR [Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL]. Everything was going very smooth. I was playing well, enjoying, and she looked at my journey and my routines till 2018 when I joined the Mumbai Indians [MI]," Suryakumar said. "I think we started doing things a little differently [after that]. She told me that all those who played with you in the age group, a lot of them are now playing for India. What do you have in mind? I said I wanted to play for India too. 'How do you plan to do it?' she asked. "It was a nice little conversation with her, not an argument but a discussion. But yes, it was a discussion about how can you take one extra step forward in your endeavour. If I want to play for India and want to win games for India, how do I do it?" Crediting his wife for his success today, SKY said, "She [Devisha] has been a big influence behind the scenes in telling me honest things. If it is your partner, she will always be honest because all she would want is your growth, because if you want to grow together, conversations have to be honest. At times, it has been brutal, too, but then it has been good. If I am where I am today, those conversations have gone a long way. "I give her 100% credit because it is not that she gave me cricketing advice, but she told me a lot of things related to life. What do I do? How to approach a certain situation? How do I carry myself?” he added. Meanwhile, SKY will be in action for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2026, starting March 28.

"Wife is always right!" India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav opens up about the "brutal" but life-changing conversation with his wife, Devisha, that flipped his career. From KKR's struggles to back-to-back World Cup glory, discover the secret behind SKY's rise.

‘Wife is always right!’ SKY credits partner for career turnaround; reveals 'one chat' that changed everything

New Zealand opener Devon Conway smashed a fifty in the first innings, with handy contributions from seamers Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson guiding the Kiwis to a thumping 68-run win over South Africa in the second T20I on Tuesday (Mar 17). After being sent out to bat first, New Zealand hammered 175 for six, thanks to a gritty 60 off 49 from Conway, and a late blitz from the lower order at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. The quicks dismissed the Proteas for 107 inside 16 overs, with Sears and Ferguson returning with three wickets each.&nbsp;Earlier, South Africa won game one in Mount Maunganui on Sunday by seven wickets.&nbsp;The two teams are fielding their second-string line-ups, choosing to rest their first-team players following a month-long T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-no-one-cares-about-you-england-all-rounder-livingstone-drops-bombshell-review-of-mccullum-era-1773719325523">'No one cares about you': England all-rounder Livingstone drops bombshell review of McCullum era</a>&nbsp;Meanwhile, Conway produced the most important innings of the game easily, smashing five fours and two sixes. The South African-born left-hander played with controlled aggression as wickets fell around him to reach his 13th half-century in the format. Conway was delighted to contribute after being an unused squad member throughout the World Cup.&nbsp;"It has been a very quiet couple of months for me, going over to India and not featuring at the World Cup," he said. "It's been nice to come back and play and be able to contribute for the boys and the group."&nbsp;Josh Clarkson raced to 26 not out at the death while allrounder Wiaan Mulder took 2-14.&nbsp;Mulder's addition was the only change to South Africa's team from the previous match, replacing Jordan Hermann, who was ruled out for the remainder of the series with a hamstring injury.&nbsp;The tourists never recovered from 31-3, and four wickets fell for three runs late in the chase, before George Linde added some respectability by top-scoring with 33.&nbsp;The third T20I between New Zealand and South Africa will take place in Auckland on Friday.&nbsp;(With inputs from AFP)

Devon Conway’s gritty 60 and a dominant bowling display from Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson led New Zealand to a 68-run victory over South Africa at Seddon Park. The series is levelled 1-1 heading into the Auckland decider. Read the full match report here.

New Zealand opener Devon Conway smashed a fifty in the first innings, with handy contributions from seamers Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson guiding the Kiwis to a thumping 68-run win over South Africa in the second T20I on Tuesday (Mar 17). After being sent out to bat first, New Zealand hammered 175 for six, thanks to a gritty 60 off 49 from Conway, and a late blitz from the lower order at Hamilton’s Seddon Park. The quicks dismissed the Proteas for 107 inside 16 overs, with Sears and Ferguson returning with three wickets each. Earlier, South Africa won game one in Mount Maunganui on Sunday by seven wickets. The two teams are fielding their second-string line-ups, choosing to rest their first-team players following a month-long T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Also read | 'No one cares about you': England all-rounder Livingstone drops bombshell review of McCullum era Meanwhile, Conway produced the most important innings of the game easily, smashing five fours and two sixes. The South African-born left-hander played with controlled aggression as wickets fell around him to reach his 13th half-century in the format. Conway was delighted to contribute after being an unused squad member throughout the World Cup. "It has been a very quiet couple of months for me, going over to India and not featuring at the World Cup," he said. "It's been nice to come back and play and be able to contribute for the boys and the group." Josh Clarkson raced to 26 not out at the death while allrounder Wiaan Mulder took 2-14. Mulder's addition was the only change to South Africa's team from the previous match, replacing Jordan Hermann, who was ruled out for the remainder of the series with a hamstring injury. The tourists never recovered from 31-3, and four wickets fell for three runs late in the chase, before George Linde added some respectability by top-scoring with 33. The third T20I between New Zealand and South Africa will take place in Auckland on Friday. (With inputs from AFP)

Devon Conway’s gritty 60 and a dominant bowling display from Ben Sears and Lockie Ferguson led New Zealand to a 68-run victory over South Africa at Seddon Park. The series is levelled 1-1 heading into the Auckland decider. Read the full match report here.

Conway comes good with bat as New Zealand crush Proteas to level T20I series

Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are set to miss the start of the 2026 Indian Premier League as they continue to recover from injuries, according to Code Sports. Hazlewood, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is struggling with hamstring and Achilles tendon issues. The 35-year-old is expected to miss at least the team’s first two matches, having not played competitive cricket for nearly five months since his last Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales.&nbsp;RCB acquired Hazlewood for INR 12.5 crore in the 2025 auction and he made a strong impact last season, claiming 22 wickets in 12 matches to help the team secure their first IPL title.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/telangana-cm-revanth-reddy-honours-tilak-varma-following-t20-world-cup-triumph-1773733250053">Telangana CM Revanth Reddy honours Tilak Varma following T20 World Cup triumph</a>&nbsp;On the other hand, Cummins, who leads Sunrisers Hyderabad, is recovering from a back injury. He will miss their first match against RCB on Mar 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Since it’s not clear when he will return, Ishan Kishan or Abhishek Sharma could captain SRH in their earlier matches, as both have leadership experience in domestic cricket.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the Indian Premier League, Cummins has featured in 72 matches and picked up 79 wickets. Across the last two seasons with SRH, he has picked up 34 wickets in 30 games.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-trying-to-pull-a-pakistan-in-fifa-world-cup-2026-middle-eastern-country-negotiating-to-move-matches-outside-usa-1773727139996">Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA</a>&nbsp;In Hazlewood’s absence, bowlers like Jacob Duffy or Nuwan Thushara may lead RCB’s pace attack. For Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cummins could be replaced by Brydon Carse or Ehsan Malinga in the first few matches.

Josh Hazlewood played a key role in helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru win their first IPL title last season, while Pat Cummins has guided Sunrisers Hyderabad as they set new standards in power-hitting in the league.

Australian pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are set to miss the start of the 2026 Indian Premier League as they continue to recover from injuries, according to Code Sports. Hazlewood, representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is struggling with hamstring and Achilles tendon issues. The 35-year-old is expected to miss at least the team’s first two matches, having not played competitive cricket for nearly five months since his last Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales. RCB acquired Hazlewood for INR 12.5 crore in the 2025 auction and he made a strong impact last season, claiming 22 wickets in 12 matches to help the team secure their first IPL title. Also Read - Telangana CM Revanth Reddy honours Tilak Varma following T20 World Cup triumph On the other hand, Cummins, who leads Sunrisers Hyderabad, is recovering from a back injury. He will miss their first match against RCB on Mar 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Since it’s not clear when he will return, Ishan Kishan or Abhishek Sharma could captain SRH in their earlier matches, as both have leadership experience in domestic cricket. In the Indian Premier League, Cummins has featured in 72 matches and picked up 79 wickets. Across the last two seasons with SRH, he has picked up 34 wickets in 30 games. Also Read - Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA In Hazlewood’s absence, bowlers like Jacob Duffy or Nuwan Thushara may lead RCB’s pace attack. For Sunrisers Hyderabad, Cummins could be replaced by Brydon Carse or Ehsan Malinga in the first few matches.

Josh Hazlewood played a key role in helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru win their first IPL title last season, while Pat Cummins has guided Sunrisers Hyderabad as they set new standards in power-hitting in the league.

IPL 2026: Major setback for RCB and SRH as Aussie duo to miss early matches

India batter Tilak Varma was felicitated by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 victory. The ceremony took place in Hyderabad following the team’s historic title defence, making India the first side to win back-to-back T20 World Cups. Tilak scored 207 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 154.47, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Sharing the moment on social media, Revanth Reddy praised Tilak and appreciated his efforts for the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;“On the occasion of the Indian team winning the T20 World Cup 2026 and arriving in Hyderabad, Team India player Shri Tilak Varma paid a courtesy visit,” Reddy wrote.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-trying-to-pull-a-pakistan-in-fifa-world-cup-2026-middle-eastern-country-negotiating-to-move-matches-outside-usa-1773727139996">Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA</a>&nbsp;“On this occasion, I felicitated and congratulated Tilak. In this program, ministers Shri Vakiti Srihari and Shri Azharuddin, Rajya Sabha member Shri Vem Narendra Reddy, SATG Chairman Shri Shivasena Reddy, and others participated,” he added.&nbsp;Looking ahead, Tilak Varma will now turn his focus to the IPL 2026 season, where he will represent Mumbai Indians alongside stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma. The franchise will begin their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 29 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/f1-2026-mercedes-boss-wolff-blames-horrendous-to-drive-car-for-verstappen-s-horror-show-1773733178567">F1 2026: Mercedes boss Wolff blames 'horrendous to drive' car for Verstappen's horror show</a>&nbsp;After his impressive World Cup performance, Tilak will aim to carry his momentum into the IPL and continue his growth in international cricket.

After his impressive World Cup performance, Tilak will aim to carry his momentum into the IPL and continue his growth in international cricket.

India batter Tilak Varma was felicitated by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 victory. The ceremony took place in Hyderabad following the team’s historic title defence, making India the first side to win back-to-back T20 World Cups. Tilak scored 207 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 154.47, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Sharing the moment on social media, Revanth Reddy praised Tilak and appreciated his efforts for the country. “On the occasion of the Indian team winning the T20 World Cup 2026 and arriving in Hyderabad, Team India player Shri Tilak Varma paid a courtesy visit,” Reddy wrote. Also Read - Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA “On this occasion, I felicitated and congratulated Tilak. In this program, ministers Shri Vakiti Srihari and Shri Azharuddin, Rajya Sabha member Shri Vem Narendra Reddy, SATG Chairman Shri Shivasena Reddy, and others participated,” he added. Looking ahead, Tilak Varma will now turn his focus to the IPL 2026 season, where he will represent Mumbai Indians alongside stars like Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma. The franchise will begin their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 29 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Also Read - F1 2026: Mercedes boss Wolff blames 'horrendous to drive' car for Verstappen's horror show After his impressive World Cup performance, Tilak will aim to carry his momentum into the IPL and continue his growth in international cricket.

After his impressive World Cup performance, Tilak will aim to carry his momentum into the IPL and continue his growth in international cricket.

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy honours Tilak Varma following T20 World Cup triumph

Mumbai Indians star batter Rohit Sharma has sparked excitement among fans after a training video went viral before IPL 2026. In the clip, the former India captain is seen batting aggressively during a practice match in the nets. In one instance, Rohit tried a strong pull shot, but the ball took the top edge and went high in the air before being caught by a fielder, drawing reactions from teammates.&nbsp;The five-time champions started their IPL 2026 pre-season training on Monday, marking their first session ahead of the tournament. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene led the session, alongside bowling coaches Paras Mhambrey and Lasith Malinga, while fielding coach Carl Hopkinson was also present.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/iran-trying-to-pull-a-pakistan-in-fifa-world-cup-2026-middle-eastern-country-negotiating-to-move-matches-outside-usa-1773727139996">Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA</a><h2>Watch the viral video</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Rohit Sharma played a brilliant shot, but it hit the top edge so the ball went up and the fielder took the catch during the match simulation practice with Mumbai Indians yesterday. bRO is practicing with full intent and dedication before the IPL.💪🔥 <a href="https://t.co/M2XspGPFQX">pic.twitter.com/M2XspGPFQX</a>&mdash; 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) <a href="https://twitter.com/rushiii_12/status/2033581909906002008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The first group of players to report to the camp included Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, Allah Ghazanfar, Naman Dhir, Raja Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Danish Malewar, Mohammad Izhar and Ashwani Kumar. The rest of the squad is expected to join the training camp over the next few days.&nbsp;Mumbai Indians will play their first match of IPL 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 29 at the Wankhede Stadium.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-aussie-no-1-tennis-player-matosevic-calls-itia-corrupt-gets-four-year-ban-six-weeks-later-on-doping-charges-1773723987196">Ex-Aussie no. 1 tennis player calls ITIA corrupt, gets banned for 4 years</a>&nbsp;In IPL 2025, Rohit Sharma played a key role as Mumbai Indians reached the playoffs. After stepping down as captain, he played under Hardik Pandya and was often used as an Impact Player. He finished the season with 418 runs in 15 matches.&nbsp;Rohit also reached a big milestone by becoming only the second player to score 6,000 runs in the IPL. Fans now hope that he continues this form in IPL 2026.

Mumbai Indians will play their first match of IPL 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 29 at the Wankhede Stadium.

Mumbai Indians star batter Rohit Sharma has sparked excitement among fans after a training video went viral before IPL 2026. In the clip, the former India captain is seen batting aggressively during a practice match in the nets. In one instance, Rohit tried a strong pull shot, but the ball took the top edge and went high in the air before being caught by a fielder, drawing reactions from teammates. The five-time champions started their IPL 2026 pre-season training on Monday, marking their first session ahead of the tournament. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene led the session, alongside bowling coaches Paras Mhambrey and Lasith Malinga, while fielding coach Carl Hopkinson was also present. Also Read - Iran trying to pull a Pakistan in FIFA World Cup 2026? Middle Eastern country 'negotiating' to move matches outside USA Watch the viral video

Mumbai Indians will play their first match of IPL 2026 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Mar 29 at the Wankhede Stadium.

WATCH: Rohit Sharma gears up in nets ahead of IPL 2026

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has hit at the Brendon McCullum-Robery Key regime which saw him not playing for the country in over an year. Livingstone, in a recent interview with the ESPNCricinfo, has accused the McCullum-Key (England coach-ECB director) of 'not caring' about the players who are not in the squad or the team. Livingstone's comments, however, can be seen as disappointment from an out-of-favour player who was dropped from the central contracts for 2025-26 season. The batter was also asked about the recent T20 World Cup 202 and he said that he 'didn't miss being in the team one bit."<h2>Why Livingstone is not happy with McCullum-Key England era?</h2>Livingstone outlined the lack of communication from head coach McCullum after being dropped in May last year and said: “I don’t think it (call) would have reached a minute. I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Brooky [Harry Brook] sent me a text."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-contributing-to-indian-casualties-gavaskar-hits-out-at-srh-owners-signing-pak-s-abrar-in-england-s-hundred-1773715297570">'Contributing to Indian casualties': Gavaskar hits out at SRH owners signing Pak's Abrar in England's Hundred</a>The 32-year-old also revealed his conversation with ECB director Robert Key and said: "Keysy said nothing, [he] said I’ll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough and then I didn’t hear from him until the end of September."That probably sums that group up as a collective. That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not in, no one cares about you. That put my mind at ease that my cricket was going to be more enjoyable going forward."I was asking for help and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit."<h2>Does LIvingstone play IPL?</h2>Yes, Livingstone has been integral in the IPL over the past few years, including winning the trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 final. For the upcoming IPL, he's been contracted with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for $1.3 million. In addition, he was also picked up by the London Spirit in the recent Hundred draft for $465,000. &nbsp;

Livingstone's comments, however, can be seen as disappointment from an out-of-favour player who was dropped from the central contracts for 2025-26 season. The batter was also asked about the recent T20 World Cup 202 and he said that he 'didn't miss being in the team one bit."

England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has hit at the Brendon McCullum-Robery Key regime which saw him not playing for the country in over an year. Livingstone, in a recent interview with the ESPNCricinfo, has accused the McCullum-Key (England coach-ECB director) of 'not caring' about the players who are not in the squad or the team. Livingstone's comments, however, can be seen as disappointment from an out-of-favour player who was dropped from the central contracts for 2025-26 season. The batter was also asked about the recent T20 World Cup 202 and he said that he 'didn't miss being in the team one bit." Why Livingstone is not happy with McCullum-Key England era? Livingstone outlined the lack of communication from head coach McCullum after being dropped in May last year and said: “I don’t think it (call) would have reached a minute. I asked why; they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Brooky [Harry Brook] sent me a text." Also Read - 'Contributing to Indian casualties': Gavaskar hits out at SRH owners signing Pak's Abrar in England's Hundred The 32-year-old also revealed his conversation with ECB director Robert Key and said: "Keysy said nothing, [he] said I’ll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough and then I didn’t hear from him until the end of September. "That probably sums that group up as a collective. That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you’re in, you’re in, and if you’re not in, no one cares about you. That put my mind at ease that my cricket was going to be more enjoyable going forward. "I was asking for help and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit." Does LIvingstone play IPL? Yes, Livingstone has been integral in the IPL over the past few years, including winning the trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 final. For the upcoming IPL, he's been contracted with SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) for $1.3 million. In addition, he was also picked up by the London Spirit in the recent Hundred draft for $465,000.

Livingstone's comments, however, can be seen as disappointment from an out-of-favour player who was dropped from the central contracts for 2025-26 season. The batter was also asked about the recent T20 World Cup 202 and he said that he 'didn't miss being in the team one bit."

'No one cares about you': England all-rounder Livingstone drops bombshell review of McCullum era

Former India skipper and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has hit out at Pakistan player Abrar Ahmed's signing by SunRisers Hyderabad group-owned Sunrisers Leeds in England's Hundred. The signing came amid the fears of Pakistan players being sidelined by four IPL-linked franchises in the Hundred. Gavaskar, in his column for Mumbai-based news outlet Mid-day wrote that the owners signing Pakistan players are responsible for the "Indian casualties." The Sunrisers Leeds owner Sun Group, which also own SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) IPL, faced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-sunrisers-leeds-x-account-got-suspended-is-it-because-they-signed-pak-s-abrar-ahmed-1773379640529">social media backlash</a> in India for the action while the BCCI said that the signing of a Pakistan player in Hundred is beyond their jurisdiction.<h2>Why Gavaskar is not happy with SRH-owned Sunrisers Leeds buying Pak's Abrar in Hundred?</h2>Ever since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists, the IPL franchises are not allowed to sign the Pakistan players. Last year, the two countries were involved in a four-day millitary conflict following India's precision strike on Pakistan's terrorist camps under Operation Sindoor. The strike came after Pak-based terrorists killed tourists in India's Jammu and Kashmir in April. Since then, the tensions between the tour nations has been at all-time high.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcb-asks-bangladesh-government-to-close-invesitgation-of-election-rigging-allegations-1773710809559">BCB asks Bangladesh government 'to close' invesitgation of election rigging allegations</a>The two neighbours also do not play bilateral series since 2007 and now do not travel to each other's country even for ICC events as visible in 2025 Champions Trophy which India played in UAE and T20 World Cup 2026 which Pakistan played in Sri Lanka.Gavaskar's point of contention is that by signing a Pakistan player, the Indian onwer is responsible for the Indian casualties, directly or indireclty."Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It's as simple as that," he wrote in his column.<h2>What is Gavaskar's logic behind criticism of Sunrisers Leeds for signing up Pak's Abrar Ahmed?</h2>"The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising," Gavaskar wrote."Ever since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Indian franchise owners have simply ignored Pakistani players for the IPL."Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons."&nbsp;

Pakistan player Abrar Ahmed's was signed up by SunRisers Hyderabad group-owned Sunrisers Leeds in England's Hundred. Gavaskar's point of contention is that by signing a Pakistan player, the Indian onwer is responsible for the Indian casualties, directly or indireclty. 

Former India skipper and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has hit out at Pakistan player Abrar Ahmed's signing by SunRisers Hyderabad group-owned Sunrisers Leeds in England's Hundred. The signing came amid the fears of Pakistan players being sidelined by four IPL-linked franchises in the Hundred. Gavaskar, in his column for Mumbai-based news outlet Mid-day wrote that the owners signing Pakistan players are responsible for the "Indian casualties." The Sunrisers Leeds owner Sun Group, which also own SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) IPL, faced social media backlash in India for the action while the BCCI said that the signing of a Pakistan player in Hundred is beyond their jurisdiction. Why Gavaskar is not happy with SRH-owned Sunrisers Leeds buying Pak's Abrar in Hundred? Ever since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists, the IPL franchises are not allowed to sign the Pakistan players. Last year, the two countries were involved in a four-day millitary conflict following India's precision strike on Pakistan's terrorist camps under Operation Sindoor. The strike came after Pak-based terrorists killed tourists in India's Jammu and Kashmir in April. Since then, the tensions between the tour nations has been at all-time high. Also Read - BCB asks Bangladesh government 'to close' invesitgation of election rigging allegations The two neighbours also do not play bilateral series since 2007 and now do not travel to each other's country even for ICC events as visible in 2025 Champions Trophy which India played in UAE and T20 World Cup 2026 which Pakistan played in Sri Lanka. Gavaskar's point of contention is that by signing a Pakistan player, the Indian onwer is responsible for the Indian casualties, directly or indireclty. "Whether it is an Indian entity or an overseas subsidiary of the entity that is making the payment, if the owner is Indian then he or she is contributing to the Indian casualties. It's as simple as that," he wrote in his column. What is Gavaskar's logic behind criticism of Sunrisers Leeds for signing up Pak's Abrar Ahmed? "The furore created by the acquisition of a Pakistani player by the Indian owner of a franchise in The Hundred is hardly surprising," Gavaskar wrote. "Ever since the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, Indian franchise owners have simply ignored Pakistani players for the IPL. "Although belated, the realisation that the fees that they pay to a Pakistani player, who then pays income tax to his government which buys arms and weapons, indirectly contributes to the deaths of Indian soldiers and civilians is making Indian entities refrain from even considering having Pakistani artistes and sportspersons."

Pakistan player Abrar Ahmed's was signed up by SunRisers Hyderabad group-owned Sunrisers Leeds in England's Hundred. Gavaskar's point of contention is that by signing a Pakistan player, the Indian onwer is responsible for the Indian casualties, directly or indireclty.&nbsp;

'Contributing to Indian casualties': Gavaskar hits out at SRH owners signing Pak's Abrar in England's Hundred

The Bangaldesh Cricket Board (BCB) has warned the national goverment against interferrence in the internal matter of the board. This comes as Bangladesh government has made a committee to look into the alleged malpractice in last year's elections. The BCB's warning comes based on the previous instances where the International Cricket Council (ICC) - the apex cricket body - has suspended the national cricket board for governement interferrence, for instance Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, has given the formed committee 15 days from March 11 to look into "irregularities, manipulation and abuse of power" allegations during the BCB election which saw Aminul Islam being reelected as the president.<h2>Why Bangladesh government is investing BCB elections?</h2>The BCB elections, held in October 2025, saw Animul Islam being reelected as the chief but not without allegations of rigging the election process. At the forefront of the allegations was former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal who was also in the race before withdrawing his name on October 1 - four days before the elections. Tamim, in the weeks leading to the elections, had asked the sports ministry in a signed letter to change councillors from certain districts. The former skipper also alleged that the BCB had extedned the deadline for filing the nominations twice.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ishan-kishan-to-captain-srh-against-rcb-in-ipl-2026-opener-as-pat-cummins-continues-to-recover-report-abhishek-sharma-back-injury-m-chinnaswamy-1773678549805">Ishan Kishan to captain SRH against RCB in IPL 2026 opener as Cummins continues to recover – Report</a><h2>What BCB has said to the national government about investigative committee?</h2>"The matter has been informally referenced in discussions with senior representatives of the ICC leadership," the BCB statement said. "It was indicated that developments which could be interpreted as interference in the affairs of a democratically elected cricket board may raise governance concerns within the international cricket framework.""Accordingly, the BCB has requested the National Sports Council to close this matter in a manner that safeguards the stability, independence, and continued progress of Bangladesh cricket, while also ensuring that the country's standing within the international cricket community remains fully protected," the statement added.

The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, has given the formed committee 15 days from March 11 to look into "irregularities, manipulation and abuse of power" allegations during the BCB election which saw Aminul Islam being reelected as the president.

The Bangaldesh Cricket Board (BCB) has warned the national goverment against interferrence in the internal matter of the board. This comes as Bangladesh government has made a committee to look into the alleged malpractice in last year's elections. The BCB's warning comes based on the previous instances where the International Cricket Council (ICC) - the apex cricket body - has suspended the national cricket board for governement interferrence, for instance Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, has given the formed committee 15 days from March 11 to look into "irregularities, manipulation and abuse of power" allegations during the BCB election which saw Aminul Islam being reelected as the president. Why Bangladesh government is investing BCB elections? The BCB elections, held in October 2025, saw Animul Islam being reelected as the chief but not without allegations of rigging the election process. At the forefront of the allegations was former Bangladesh skipper Tamim Iqbal who was also in the race before withdrawing his name on October 1 - four days before the elections. Tamim, in the weeks leading to the elections, had asked the sports ministry in a signed letter to change councillors from certain districts. The former skipper also alleged that the BCB had extedned the deadline for filing the nominations twice. Also Read - Ishan Kishan to captain SRH against RCB in IPL 2026 opener as Cummins continues to recover – Report What BCB has said to the national government about investigative committee? "The matter has been informally referenced in discussions with senior representatives of the ICC leadership," the BCB statement said. "It was indicated that developments which could be interpreted as interference in the affairs of a democratically elected cricket board may raise governance concerns within the international cricket framework." "Accordingly, the BCB has requested the National Sports Council to close this matter in a manner that safeguards the stability, independence, and continued progress of Bangladesh cricket, while also ensuring that the country's standing within the international cricket community remains fully protected," the statement added.

The Bangladesh government, meanwhile, has given the formed committee 15 days from March 11 to look into "irregularities, manipulation and abuse of power" allegations during the BCB election which saw Aminul Islam being reelected as the president.

BCB asks Bangladesh government 'to close' investigation of election rigging allegations

In a massive development surrounding the IPL 2026 opener, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) regular captain Pat Cummins could be out for the first few matches as he continues to recover from his injury, opening doors for star batter and recently crowned T20 World Cup winner, Ishan Kishan, to fill in as the stand-in skipper. With <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bengaluru-m-chinnaswamy-stadium-cleared-to-host-ipl-2026-matches-after-expert-committee-approval-karnataka-government-ksca-safety-measures-1773660270558">SRH facing the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy</a> on March 28, Kishan could walk wearing the captain’s hat, per the latest report.&nbsp;Cummins is recovering from a persistent back injury (lumbar bone stress) that forced him to sit out of four of the five Ashes Tests at home and also the recently concluded T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. While he remains on the sidelines with SRH coaches working on his fitness, reports suggest that he could potentially miss the tournament opener and a few more games.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/very-different-to-anything-else-liam-livingstone-eyes-ipl-2026-with-srh-fallen-relationship-england-coaches-robert-key-brendon-mccullum-1773674089865">‘Very different to anything else’: Liam Livingstone eyes ‘blockbuster’ IPL 2026 with SRH</a> &nbsp;A Times of India (TOI) report claims that the SRH management is aware of Cummins’ potential absence, identifying Ishan Kishan as the potential candidate to fill his shoes. &nbsp;Cummins' absence could hurt SRH’s bowling, which was dependent on the seasoned campaigner to lead the attack and bail them out whenever needed. His absence would leave Sri Lanka’s Eshan Malinga the only overseas pacer available for SRH for the opening game.<h3>Ishan Kishan all the way!</h3>Since returning to the Indian side following a blockbuster domestic home season, Ishan Kishan has just made headlines. After cementing his place at the top with blistering knocks against New Zealand just before the T20 World Cup, the attacking left-hander made the showpiece event about himself. &nbsp;Following his match-winning knock against Pakistan in the group stage, Ishan slammed two more fifties in India’s triumphant campaign, including in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. He finished with 317 runs in his second T20 World Cup, helping India create history with its record third T20 crown. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Kishan moved to SRH (from MI) last season, slamming 354 runs in 13 innings, including a match-winning 106* in the opener. Besides, several reports of Abhishek Sharma leading the race to captain SRH in Cummins’ absence are also circulating on the internet. But the franchise hasn’t made anything official yet.

Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to lead SRH in the IPL 2026 opener against RCB as Pat Cummins recovers from a back injury. Get the latest on the captaincy race and Ishan’s stellar form!

In a massive development surrounding the IPL 2026 opener, SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) regular captain Pat Cummins could be out for the first few matches as he continues to recover from his injury, opening doors for star batter and recently crowned T20 World Cup winner, Ishan Kishan, to fill in as the stand-in skipper. With SRH facing the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy on March 28, Kishan could walk wearing the captain’s hat, per the latest report. Cummins is recovering from a persistent back injury (lumbar bone stress) that forced him to sit out of four of the five Ashes Tests at home and also the recently concluded T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. While he remains on the sidelines with SRH coaches working on his fitness, reports suggest that he could potentially miss the tournament opener and a few more games. Also read | ‘Very different to anything else’: Liam Livingstone eyes ‘blockbuster’ IPL 2026 with SRH A Times of India (TOI) report claims that the SRH management is aware of Cummins’ potential absence, identifying Ishan Kishan as the potential candidate to fill his shoes. Cummins' absence could hurt SRH’s bowling, which was dependent on the seasoned campaigner to lead the attack and bail them out whenever needed. His absence would leave Sri Lanka’s Eshan Malinga the only overseas pacer available for SRH for the opening game. Ishan Kishan all the way! Since returning to the Indian side following a blockbuster domestic home season, Ishan Kishan has just made headlines. After cementing his place at the top with blistering knocks against New Zealand just before the T20 World Cup, the attacking left-hander made the showpiece event about himself. Following his match-winning knock against Pakistan in the group stage, Ishan slammed two more fifties in India’s triumphant campaign, including in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. He finished with 317 runs in his second T20 World Cup, helping India create history with its record third T20 crown. Meanwhile, Kishan moved to SRH (from MI) last season, slamming 354 runs in 13 innings, including a match-winning 106* in the opener. Besides, several reports of Abhishek Sharma leading the race to captain SRH in Cummins’ absence are also circulating on the internet. But the franchise hasn’t made anything official yet.

Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to lead SRH in the IPL 2026 opener against RCB as Pat Cummins recovers from a back injury. Get the latest on the captaincy race and Ishan’s stellar form!

Ishan Kishan to captain SRH against RCB in IPL 2026 opener as Cummins continues to recover – Report

SunRisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) latest recruit, and perhaps their most attacking one, Liam Livingstone, cannot wait to wear the team jersey and go about his business in IPL 2026. Out of the England cricket circuit for over a year now, Livingstone aims to have a blockbuster IPL 2026, somewhat similar to his maiden season with Punjab Kings (PBKS), while eyeing an improbable comeback to the national side.&nbsp;In an exclusive chat with ESPNcricinfo, Livingstone dropped a bombshell on his fallen relationship with England’s current coaching regime, and how challenging it is for him to make a comeback as long as those in charge are holding their respective positions. However, his only chance is through performances, and he seeks IPL 2026 as the perfect opportunity to make a return to England’s white-ball teams, with the 2027 ODI World Cup looming. &nbsp;Speaking highly of the cash-rich league, where he was part of the title-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last year, and bought by SRH for $1.4m (INR 13 crore) ahead of this season, Livingstone labels IPL a very different experience to anything else across the year.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Hopefully, I can have a season like the season I had in my first year at Punjab [Kings, in 2022], where I felt like I was playing really well and won loads of games from No. 4.&nbsp; &nbsp;“[The IPL] is a very different experience to anything else throughout the year - it's a long time away from home - but if you give it everything you've got, it can repay you very nicely,” Livingstone said. &nbsp;SRH will play the tournament opener this time against the defending champions at the M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bengaluru-m-chinnaswamy-stadium-cleared-to-host-ipl-2026-matches-after-expert-committee-approval-karnataka-government-ksca-safety-measures-1773660270558">Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy cleared to host IPL 2026 matches after expert committee approval</a><h3>‘Fallen relationship with ENG coaches’</h3>Livingstone last featured for England during their forgettable Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, himself calling it ‘the worst experience of his career’.&nbsp; &nbsp;Detailing more on his fallen relationship with England's head coach and other top brass members, Liam reveals that when he asked them about assisting him with his form, they told him that he cares too much and that he needs to chill a bit. &nbsp;"I was asking for help, and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit, and everything will take care of itself," Liam said.&nbsp; &nbsp;That’s not even it. &nbsp;After England dropped him from their white-ball teams last summer, Livingstone approached ECB Director Robert Key and even McCullum, with his phone calls with the two lasting less than a minute.&nbsp; &nbsp;"I don't think it [the call] would have reached a minute. I asked why (dropping Liam for ENG’s home series against WI in May last year), they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Wrighty [outgoing selector Luke Wright] didn't reach out, and Brooky [captain Harry Brook] sent me a text.&nbsp; &nbsp;"That probably sums that group up as a collective. Keysy said nothing - [he] said I'll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough. And then I didn't hear off him until the end of September. &nbsp;"That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you're in, you're in, and if you're not in, no one cares about you. That put my mind at ease that my cricket was going to be more enjoyable going forward,” he revealed.&nbsp;

"It's a very different experience." Liam Livingstone eyes a blockbuster IPL 2026 with SRH after exposing a "fallen relationship" with England's coaching regime.

SunRisers Hyderabad’s (SRH) latest recruit, and perhaps their most attacking one, Liam Livingstone, cannot wait to wear the team jersey and go about his business in IPL 2026. Out of the England cricket circuit for over a year now, Livingstone aims to have a blockbuster IPL 2026, somewhat similar to his maiden season with Punjab Kings (PBKS), while eyeing an improbable comeback to the national side. In an exclusive chat with ESPNcricinfo, Livingstone dropped a bombshell on his fallen relationship with England’s current coaching regime, and how challenging it is for him to make a comeback as long as those in charge are holding their respective positions. However, his only chance is through performances, and he seeks IPL 2026 as the perfect opportunity to make a return to England’s white-ball teams, with the 2027 ODI World Cup looming. Speaking highly of the cash-rich league, where he was part of the title-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last year, and bought by SRH for $1.4m (INR 13 crore) ahead of this season, Livingstone labels IPL a very different experience to anything else across the year. "Hopefully, I can have a season like the season I had in my first year at Punjab [Kings, in 2022], where I felt like I was playing really well and won loads of games from No. 4. “[The IPL] is a very different experience to anything else throughout the year - it's a long time away from home - but if you give it everything you've got, it can repay you very nicely,” Livingstone said. SRH will play the tournament opener this time against the defending champions at the M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru. Also read | Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy cleared to host IPL 2026 matches after expert committee approval ‘Fallen relationship with ENG coaches’ Livingstone last featured for England during their forgettable Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, himself calling it ‘the worst experience of his career’. Detailing more on his fallen relationship with England's head coach and other top brass members, Liam reveals that when he asked them about assisting him with his form, they told him that he cares too much and that he needs to chill a bit. "I was asking for help, and pretty much all I got was that I care too much and I need to chill out a little bit, and everything will take care of itself," Liam said. That’s not even it. After England dropped him from their white-ball teams last summer, Livingstone approached ECB Director Robert Key and even McCullum, with his phone calls with the two lasting less than a minute. "I don't think it [the call] would have reached a minute. I asked why (dropping Liam for ENG’s home series against WI in May last year), they said they wanted to try someone else. That was off Baz. Wrighty [outgoing selector Luke Wright] didn't reach out, and Brooky [captain Harry Brook] sent me a text. "That probably sums that group up as a collective. Keysy said nothing - [he] said I'll speak to you in the summer. I actually rang him one day, and he said he was busy at a Test camp at Loughborough. And then I didn't hear off him until the end of September. "That was a bit of an eye-opening experience about the group and the regime: if you're in, you're in, and if you're not in, no one cares about you. That put my mind at ease that my cricket was going to be more enjoyable going forward,” he revealed.

"It's a very different experience." Liam Livingstone eyes a blockbuster IPL 2026 with SRH after exposing a "fallen relationship" with England's coaching regime.

‘Very different to anything else’: Liam Livingstone eyes ‘blockbuster’ IPL 2026 with SRH

IPL 2026 is 12 sleeps away, and plenty continues to happen on the sidelines. In the latest development surrounding two former champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has named former England keeper James Foster as their new fielding coach, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have decided against replacing the injured pace duo of Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana for the upcoming season.&nbsp;Foster has joined CSK’s coaching staff and will work under the head coach, Stephen Fleming. A seasoned coach in the franchise T20 circuit, Foster will bring his experience to the CSK camp, which plays their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an away clash on Sunday (Mar 29). &nbsp;Having represented England 23 times during 2001 and 2009, Foster took up a coaching post after his retirement in 2018. Foster helped Desert Vipers lift the ILT20 title last year as the head coach. Recently, Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred appointed him as the assistant coach, while Foster has also worked with both England and New Zealand on an international scale. &nbsp;Foster is, however, not new to IPL coaching, having previously worked as a fielding and assistant coach with the KKR for several seasons. At CSK, Foster will work closely with Michael Hussey (CSK’s batting coach) and Eric Simmons (CSK’s bowling coach).

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Say Yellove to our fielding coach James Foster! 💛💪🏻 Former England wicketkeeper and a coach with experience across teams worldwide, he now kicks off this new chapter with the Pride. 🦁<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dencoming?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dencoming</a> <a href="https://t.co/hXkWDBiqEX">pic.twitter.com/hXkWDBiqEX</a>&mdash; Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/2033527695653445934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h3>No need for replacements</h3>On the other hand, the 2024 IPL champions, KKR, decided against replacing the two injured first-team quicks in Rana and Pathirana. Rana, who withdrew his name from India’s T20 World Cup squad at the last minute due to a knee injury, will remain unavailable for KKR this season, as he needs time to recover after undergoing surgery.&nbsp; &nbsp;The KKR management, however, believes they have enough Indian bowlers in the squad, including Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi and Akash Deep, and find no reason to replace Rana. &nbsp;Pathirana was also part of Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup campaign, but was ruled out midway through the tournament with an injury. Bought for INR 18 crore at the last IPL auction, Pathirana is likely unavailable for the first half of IPL 2026.&nbsp; &nbsp;KKR, however, expects him to attain full fitness and announce his availability at some point during this edition; as a result, they ruled out replacing him with an overseas quick. &nbsp;IPL 2026 begins on March 28. <a href="Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy cleared to host IPL 2026 matches after expert committee approval">RCB will host SRH in the tournament opener at the M Chinnaswamy</a>.&nbsp;

CSK appoints James Foster as fielding coach for IPL 2026, while KKR decides against replacing injured stars Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana. Get the latest details!

IPL 2026 is 12 sleeps away, and plenty continues to happen on the sidelines. In the latest development surrounding two former champions, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has named former England keeper James Foster as their new fielding coach, and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have decided against replacing the injured pace duo of Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana for the upcoming season. Foster has joined CSK’s coaching staff and will work under the head coach, Stephen Fleming. A seasoned coach in the franchise T20 circuit, Foster will bring his experience to the CSK camp, which plays their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an away clash on Sunday (Mar 29). Having represented England 23 times during 2001 and 2009, Foster took up a coaching post after his retirement in 2018. Foster helped Desert Vipers lift the ILT20 title last year as the head coach. Recently, Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred appointed him as the assistant coach, while Foster has also worked with both England and New Zealand on an international scale. Foster is, however, not new to IPL coaching, having previously worked as a fielding and assistant coach with the KKR for several seasons. At CSK, Foster will work closely with Michael Hussey (CSK’s batting coach) and Eric Simmons (CSK’s bowling coach).

CSK appoints James Foster as fielding coach for IPL 2026, while KKR decides against replacing injured stars Harshit Rana and Matheesha Pathirana. Get the latest details!

IPL 2026: CSK name James Foster as fielding coach; KKR opt against replacing injured Rana, Pathirana

Virat Kohli is a cricket giant, perhaps the best of his time for India and his IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with whom he won his maiden league title in 2025. Having played for just one team across 18 editions, Kohli has rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of world cricket. Upon being asked to name his all-time RCB XI, Kohli recalled each of the top stars he shared the dressing room with in the IPL, picking the obvious ones – Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, but missed out on a title-winner, Josh Hazlewood and ex-RCB teammate and close pal, Mohammed Siraj.&nbsp;In a video released by the franchise on Monday (Mar 16), Kohli named his all-time RCB XI.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Top-order 💀💀💀 Middle-order 👊👊👊👊 Pace attack ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 Spin-twins 🌪🌪 Find out who breaks into King Kohli’s all-time RCB XI 👀 This is <a href="https://twitter.com/bigbasket_com?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bigbasket_com</a> presents RCB Bold Diaries. 📹 PS: This video was recorded at the start of the IPL 2025 season. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/6uVeCFjegR">pic.twitter.com/6uVeCFjegR</a>&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/2033385264693805325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The veteran opener started with the legendary Gayle and himself at the top, with his dear friend and RCB legend AB de Villiers at three. Kohli wasted no time in filling his overseas quota first by naming the remaining two foreign players. Without thinking twice, he first named Mitchell Starc, who played only one season for the RCB and cricket bowling great Dale Steyn.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bengaluru-m-chinnaswamy-stadium-cleared-to-host-ipl-2026-matches-after-expert-committee-approval-karnataka-government-ksca-safety-measures-1773660270558">Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy cleared to host IPL 2026 matches after expert committee approval</a> &nbsp;With four foreign players sorted, he went back to the drawing board and began picking players for the remaining positions.&nbsp; &nbsp;“AB, Chris, Mitchell Starc, because he played for us…I think Dale, because I would like the bowling to be even stronger in that XI. So yeah, you got two seamers. You got Chris, myself and AB,” Kohli said before progressing. &nbsp;Choosing batters for the middle and lower order, Kohli picked his former RCB teammate KL Rahul to bat at number four, followed by RCB’s IPL-winning captain Rajat Patidar, whom Virat picked because he plays spin better than others. At six, Kohli was quick in naming his keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik.&nbsp; &nbsp;“At four, I would have KL. He had an amazing season, I think, batting at four for us. Five, I would say…give five to Rajat, maybe, because he plays spin amazingly well, and he’s one of the best Indian talents that we’ve had. Six would be Dinesh, for sure.” &nbsp;With three spots remaining, Kohli went for two leg-spinners and a pace-bowling all-rounder. After jokingly explaining Yuzvendra Chahal’s inclusion (at number 11 for his batting), Kohli next picked veteran Anil Kumble, while naming Harshal Patel to fill in at number seven.<h3>Virat Kohli’s All-Time RCB XI –</h3>Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, KL Rahul, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Anil Kumble, Harshal Patel, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn and Yuzvendra Chahal

Virat Kohli reveals his star-studded all-time RCB XI. While icons Chris Gayle and ABD lead the charge, 2025 title-winner Josh Hazlewood and close pal Mohammed Siraj miss out. See the full list!

Virat Kohli is a cricket giant, perhaps the best of his time for India and his IPL franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with whom he won his maiden league title in 2025. Having played for just one team across 18 editions, Kohli has rubbed shoulders with the who’s who of world cricket. Upon being asked to name his all-time RCB XI, Kohli recalled each of the top stars he shared the dressing room with in the IPL, picking the obvious ones – Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, but missed out on a title-winner, Josh Hazlewood and ex-RCB teammate and close pal, Mohammed Siraj. In a video released by the franchise on Monday (Mar 16), Kohli named his all-time RCB XI.

Virat Kohli reveals his star-studded all-time RCB XI. While icons Chris Gayle and ABD lead the charge, 2025 title-winner Josh Hazlewood and close pal Mohammed Siraj miss out. See the full list!

Virat Kohli picks his all-time RCB XI: Gayle, De Villiers in, but no place for title-winner Hazlewood

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium will host IPL 2026 matches, including the tournament opener against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28, one of the playoff matches and the final, maintaining the tradition of defending IPL champions hosting the title match. A state government-appointed expert committee approved the venue for use for the upcoming season on Monday (Mar 16).&nbsp;Formed by Karnataka's Home Minister, G Parameshwara, the committee conducted a thorough review of the stadium premises last week. The day-long audit involved several checks for structural compliance, alongside desired measures taken to improve crowd control around the stadium. The expert committee gave a green signal on Monday, allowing M Chinnaswamy to host IPL matches amid venue cancellation over last year’s stampede episode that killed 11 fans.&nbsp;See Pics | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ruturaj-gaikwad-to-michael-hussey-top-5-batters-with-most-runs-for-csk-in-a-single-ipl-season-chennai-super-kings-1773654479989">Gaikwad to Hussey: Top 5 batters with most runs for CSK in a single IPL season</a> &nbsp;While the M Chinnaswamy will host five RCB home matches in IPL 2026, Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Stadium will stage their remaining two home games, as per a pre-arranged agreement between the IPL franchise and the Chhattisgarh government.<h3>What are the safety measures?</h3>The IPL franchise has committed its engagement with the state association to roll out digital QR-coded tickets as part of several measures taken to avoid overcrowding around the venue. RCB, however, has also partnered with the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) to ensure hassle-free travel for the travelling fans.&nbsp;&nbsp;The metro services on match days will be extended until 1 am, while all parties concerned are currently working on the ticketing formalities. It’s also likely that ticket pass holders could be allowed to travel free of cost on the match days, with the BMRCL likely to increase the frequency of metro trains on all routes to prevent overcrowding. &nbsp;On structural measures, the KSCA have increased the entry points by constructing six new gates around the stadium, while also widening existing entry gates.&nbsp; &nbsp;Moreover, the state police and the association are also working to ensure that the Cubbon Road, which runs alongside the venue’s main entrance, will be cleared for vehicular movement at specific intervals during match days. &nbsp;Meanwhile, the BCCI announced the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule on March 12, with Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy scheduled to host the opener and the marquee clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday (Apr 5). The board will announce the second leg of the IPL schedule in the meantime.&nbsp;

The decks are cleared for IPL 2026 in Bengaluru. Following a high-level review on March 16, the Karnataka government has formally approved M Chinnaswamy Stadium to host RCB's home games and the season opener.

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium will host IPL 2026 matches, including the tournament opener against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28, one of the playoff matches and the final, maintaining the tradition of defending IPL champions hosting the title match. A state government-appointed expert committee approved the venue for use for the upcoming season on Monday (Mar 16). Formed by Karnataka's Home Minister, G Parameshwara, the committee conducted a thorough review of the stadium premises last week. The day-long audit involved several checks for structural compliance, alongside desired measures taken to improve crowd control around the stadium. The expert committee gave a green signal on Monday, allowing M Chinnaswamy to host IPL matches amid venue cancellation over last year’s stampede episode that killed 11 fans. See Pics | Gaikwad to Hussey: Top 5 batters with most runs for CSK in a single IPL season While the M Chinnaswamy will host five RCB home matches in IPL 2026, Raipur’s Shaheed Veer Narayan Stadium will stage their remaining two home games, as per a pre-arranged agreement between the IPL franchise and the Chhattisgarh government. What are the safety measures? The IPL franchise has committed its engagement with the state association to roll out digital QR-coded tickets as part of several measures taken to avoid overcrowding around the venue. RCB, however, has also partnered with the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) to ensure hassle-free travel for the travelling fans. The metro services on match days will be extended until 1 am, while all parties concerned are currently working on the ticketing formalities. It’s also likely that ticket pass holders could be allowed to travel free of cost on the match days, with the BMRCL likely to increase the frequency of metro trains on all routes to prevent overcrowding. On structural measures, the KSCA have increased the entry points by constructing six new gates around the stadium, while also widening existing entry gates. Moreover, the state police and the association are also working to ensure that the Cubbon Road, which runs alongside the venue’s main entrance, will be cleared for vehicular movement at specific intervals during match days. Meanwhile, the BCCI announced the first phase of the IPL 2026 schedule on March 12, with Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy scheduled to host the opener and the marquee clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday (Apr 5). The board will announce the second leg of the IPL schedule in the meantime.

The decks are cleared for IPL 2026 in Bengaluru. Following a high-level review on March 16, the Karnataka government has formally approved M Chinnaswamy Stadium to host RCB's home games and the season opener.

Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy cleared to host IPL 2026 matches after expert committee approval

After being out of the team for more than two years, Ishan Kishan made a strong comeback to the India squad following his impressive performances for Jharkhand in the 2025 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was selected ahead of Jitesh Sharma for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Jan 2026 and also for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Many people were surprised by this choice because Jitesh had been part of India’s title-winning team in the Asia Cup the previous year. However, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav said the decision was on his gut feeling.&nbsp;In an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI), Surya said it was a difficult call because Jitesh had been with the team for about a year and a half and had been playing regularly. He admitted he felt bad about leaving him out.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/people-are-treating-pakistan-like-zimbabwe-ahmed-shehzad-tears-into-men-in-green-for-bangladesh-drubbing-odi-series-loss-shaheen-mike-hesson-1773651636067">‘People are treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe’: Shehzad on ODI series loss to BAN</a>&nbsp;“It (Ishan’s selection) was completely on gut and a little bit on data as well because it was very harsh on Jitesh Sharma at that time because he was with the team for the last 1-1.5 years and he was playing as well. It’s not like he was not playing. If he was not playing, the story would have been different. I was very sad when we had to pick Ishan over Jitesh. But then if we had to bring some firepower in the top, if we had to do the openers left-right or if we had to pick the top two wicketkeepers, someone had to miss out," Surya said.&nbsp;Surya also shared that he personally called Ishan and asked him if he could help India win the World Cup and Ishan replied that Surya should trust him and the captain agreed. Surya later said that Ishan’s performances proved that the decision was right.&nbsp;&nbsp;“So, I just called him (Ishan) and asked, “will you win the World Cup?, so he just replied, ‘just trust me.’ I said, "okay, I trust you, and the way he played – it was amazing," he added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/afc-general-secretary-iran-still-slated-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-participation-despite-withdrawal-rumors-us-president-donald-trump-iran-israel-war-usa-1773648150617">AFC: Iran still slated for World Cup participation despite withdrawal rumours</a>&nbsp;According to Surya, he always believed Ishan could bring something special to the team. After being dropped earlier, Ishan returned home, thought about what went wrong and worked hard in domestic cricket. He played practice matches across India, performed well in domestic tournaments and the IPL and eventually earned his place back in the team. &nbsp;&nbsp;“I mean, the way he started from the bilaterals (five-match T20I series against New Zealand), I always knew that he was bringing an X-factor to the side because he had no baggage. When he went out of the team 1-1.5 years ago, he went back home; I think he must have sat, analysed what had happened to him, and gone on to play domestic cricket. He told me his entire journey, where all he went to play; he played practice matches in every corner of India. And then the way he played domestic cricket, he performed in the IPL; I think he deserved that spot completely," Surya said.

After being picked ahead of Jitesh Sharma for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Ishan Kishan delivered strong performances, scoring 317 runs in nine matches.

After being out of the team for more than two years, Ishan Kishan made a strong comeback to the India squad following his impressive performances for Jharkhand in the 2025 edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was selected ahead of Jitesh Sharma for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Jan 2026 and also for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Many people were surprised by this choice because Jitesh had been part of India’s title-winning team in the Asia Cup the previous year. However, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav said the decision was on his gut feeling. In an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI), Surya said it was a difficult call because Jitesh had been with the team for about a year and a half and had been playing regularly. He admitted he felt bad about leaving him out. Also Read - ‘People are treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe’: Shehzad on ODI series loss to BAN “It (Ishan’s selection) was completely on gut and a little bit on data as well because it was very harsh on Jitesh Sharma at that time because he was with the team for the last 1-1.5 years and he was playing as well. It’s not like he was not playing. If he was not playing, the story would have been different. I was very sad when we had to pick Ishan over Jitesh. But then if we had to bring some firepower in the top, if we had to do the openers left-right or if we had to pick the top two wicketkeepers, someone had to miss out," Surya said. Surya also shared that he personally called Ishan and asked him if he could help India win the World Cup and Ishan replied that Surya should trust him and the captain agreed. Surya later said that Ishan’s performances proved that the decision was right. “So, I just called him (Ishan) and asked, “will you win the World Cup?, so he just replied, ‘just trust me.’ I said, "okay, I trust you, and the way he played – it was amazing," he added. Also Read - AFC: Iran still slated for World Cup participation despite withdrawal rumours According to Surya, he always believed Ishan could bring something special to the team. After being dropped earlier, Ishan returned home, thought about what went wrong and worked hard in domestic cricket. He played practice matches across India, performed well in domestic tournaments and the IPL and eventually earned his place back in the team. “I mean, the way he started from the bilaterals (five-match T20I series against New Zealand), I always knew that he was bringing an X-factor to the side because he had no baggage. When he went out of the team 1-1.5 years ago, he went back home; I think he must have sat, analysed what had happened to him, and gone on to play domestic cricket. He told me his entire journey, where all he went to play; he played practice matches in every corner of India. And then the way he played domestic cricket, he performed in the IPL; I think he deserved that spot completely," Surya said.

After being picked ahead of Jitesh Sharma for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, Ishan Kishan delivered strong performances, scoring 317 runs in nine matches.

'It was completely on gut...': Suryakumar Yadav on selecting Ishan Kishan over Jitesh Sharma

Who holds the record for most runs in a single IPL season for CSK? From Michael Hussey’s 733 runs to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captain’s knock, see the top 5 list here.

Who holds the record for most runs in a single IPL season for CSK? From Michael Hussey’s 733 runs to Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captain’s knock, see the top 5 list here.

Gaikwad to Hussey: Top 5 batters with most runs for CSK in a single IPL season

Following a shattering T20 World Cup campaign, where they failed to reach the semis despite favourable playing conditions, Pakistan just lost an away ODI series to Bangladesh, their second overall and a new low in their cricket history. Failing to chase a mammoth 292 in the deciding ODI in Dhaka on Sunday (Mar 15), Pakistan narrowly fell shy of the target by 11 runs, conceding the One-Day series to a lower-ranked Bangladeshi side. Former Pakistan cricketer, Ahmed Shehzad, tore into the team’s tactics, captain’s ploy and management’s decision-making, saying people now consider Pakistan to be at Zimbabwe’s level in the One-Dayers.&nbsp;Although with no offence to Zimbabwe, who raised their levels over the years and recently made headlines for beating star-studded Sri Lanka and Australia in their T20 World Cup group stage, they are placed 11th in the 50-over team rankings, with Pakistan sitting in fourth place. While they continue to find their mojo in the ODIs, Pakistan has lost theirs, and Shehzad was in no need to keep it subtle in his assessment on his YouTube channel after the 3rd match.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-pehla-hi-uda-denge-sanju-samson-reveals-vaibhav-sooryavanshi-s-chat-with-rahul-dravid-1773640779103">‘Pehla hi uda denge’: Sanju Samson reveals Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s chat with Rahul Dravid</a> &nbsp;“After the pathetic T20 World Cup campaign, you did not make any changes. You brought youngsters out of nowhere. Now you have lost the series, and you are giving excuses of having youngsters in the playing XI,” Shehzad said on his YouTube channel. “When you don’t accept your mistakes, you will never move ahead in life.” &nbsp;Pakistan was without their star batters, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, for the Bangladesh ODIs. While team skipper Shaheen Afridi claimed that neither got dropped and rather rested for this away tour, Aaqib Javed, the chief selector, made contrary statements, saying the duo missed this series due to injuries sustained during the T20 World Cup. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Shehzad questioned the team’s tactics, asking why you (Shaheen) would bowl first after winning the toss. Bangladesh hammered a match-winning 290 for five batting first, later reducing Pakistan to 17 for three in the second innings. Although T20I captain Salman Ali slammed a gritty 106 off 96 balls, he failed to guide his team past the winning line.&nbsp; &nbsp;“When you won the toss, why did you decide to bowl? It was a good pitch. You should have batted and put runs on the board, then bowled under lights,” Shehzad said. “When your senior players behave like this, what do you expect from the youngsters?”&nbsp; &nbsp;Wrapping up on the harshest note for his team, Shehzad said, “You are becoming an associate team. People are now treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe. And then you say we crashed out of the World Cup due to the run rate. Have some shame.”

Ahmed Shehzad slams "Associate-level" Pakistan after a historic ODI series loss to Bangladesh. From tactical blunders to Zimbabwe comparisons, read the full fallout here.

Following a shattering T20 World Cup campaign, where they failed to reach the semis despite favourable playing conditions, Pakistan just lost an away ODI series to Bangladesh, their second overall and a new low in their cricket history. Failing to chase a mammoth 292 in the deciding ODI in Dhaka on Sunday (Mar 15), Pakistan narrowly fell shy of the target by 11 runs, conceding the One-Day series to a lower-ranked Bangladeshi side. Former Pakistan cricketer, Ahmed Shehzad, tore into the team’s tactics, captain’s ploy and management’s decision-making, saying people now consider Pakistan to be at Zimbabwe’s level in the One-Dayers. Although with no offence to Zimbabwe, who raised their levels over the years and recently made headlines for beating star-studded Sri Lanka and Australia in their T20 World Cup group stage, they are placed 11th in the 50-over team rankings, with Pakistan sitting in fourth place. While they continue to find their mojo in the ODIs, Pakistan has lost theirs, and Shehzad was in no need to keep it subtle in his assessment on his YouTube channel after the 3rd match. Also read | ‘Pehla hi uda denge’: Sanju Samson reveals Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s chat with Rahul Dravid “After the pathetic T20 World Cup campaign, you did not make any changes. You brought youngsters out of nowhere. Now you have lost the series, and you are giving excuses of having youngsters in the playing XI,” Shehzad said on his YouTube channel. “When you don’t accept your mistakes, you will never move ahead in life.” Pakistan was without their star batters, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, for the Bangladesh ODIs. While team skipper Shaheen Afridi claimed that neither got dropped and rather rested for this away tour, Aaqib Javed, the chief selector, made contrary statements, saying the duo missed this series due to injuries sustained during the T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, Shehzad questioned the team’s tactics, asking why you (Shaheen) would bowl first after winning the toss. Bangladesh hammered a match-winning 290 for five batting first, later reducing Pakistan to 17 for three in the second innings. Although T20I captain Salman Ali slammed a gritty 106 off 96 balls, he failed to guide his team past the winning line. “When you won the toss, why did you decide to bowl? It was a good pitch. You should have batted and put runs on the board, then bowled under lights,” Shehzad said. “When your senior players behave like this, what do you expect from the youngsters?” Wrapping up on the harshest note for his team, Shehzad said, “You are becoming an associate team. People are now treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe. And then you say we crashed out of the World Cup due to the run rate. Have some shame.”

Ahmed Shehzad slams "Associate-level" Pakistan after a historic ODI series loss to Bangladesh. From tactical blunders to Zimbabwe comparisons, read the full fallout here.

‘People are treating Pakistan like Zimbabwe’: Shehzad tears into Men in Green for BAN drubbing

India's star opener Sanju Samson shared a story about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s conversation with coach Rahul Dravid during the Indian Premier League 2025. Last year, in an match against Lucknow Super Giants, Sooryavanshi created history by becoming the youngest player to debut in the IPL at just 14 years and 23 days, representing Rajasthan Royals.&nbsp;Samson said Dravid called the young batter for a discussion before the game and wanted to guide him because he was so young. During the meeting, Dravid asked Sooryavanshi about his plan for the match and the youngster replied very casually, saying he would just play his natural game. He added that if the first ball came in his hitting area, he would try to hit it in the air.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/-great-opportunity-for-us-shubman-gill-opens-up-on-india-s-plans-for-2027-odi-world-cup-1773638797980">‘Great opportunity for us’: Shubman Gill opens up on India’s plans for 2027 ODI World Cup</a>&nbsp;Samson explained that Sooryavanshi seemed completely relaxed and confident, almost as if he was playing a video game in his own world. Dravid had asked him about his game plan, but the teenager simply said he would play his shots and not think too much.&nbsp;“I meant I was there in the meeting. So, Rahul Sir invited him to the room. Sir said, ‘Sanju, we need to talk to him. He’s a very young kid; we have to tell him how to go about it’,” Samson said at the Naman Awards in New Delhi.&nbsp;“So, Rahul Sir asked him, ‘Vaibhav, what’s the plan?’ Vaibhav said, “There’s nothing special, Sir. I’ll play, that’s it”. Dravid asked ‘What’s your game plan?’&nbsp;“Vaibhav said, “if I get the first ball in my zone, I’ll take the aerial route”. That’s exactly what he did actually. He’s playing a video game of his own,” Samson added.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-vs-pak-3rd-odi-salman-ali-agha-s-106-in-vain-as-bangladesh-defeat-pakistan-by-11-runs-win-series-2-1-1773594553242">Salman Ali Agha’s 106 in vain as BAN defeat PAK by 11 runs, win series 2-1</a><h3>Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s performance in IPL 2025&nbsp;</h3>Sooryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 1.10 crore when he was only 13. During the 2025 season, Sooryavanshi played seven matches, scoring 252 runs at an average of 36 and an impressive strike rate of 206.55, with a highest score of 101. His performances quickly marked him as one of the most promising young talents in world cricket.&nbsp;The left-handed batter also made history by scoring 101 off just 38 balls against Gujarat Titans at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. This knock became the fastest IPL century by an Indian and the second-fastest overall in the league.

Sooryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 1.10 crore when he was only 13. During the 2025 season, he played seven matches and scored 252 runs at an average of 36 and an impressive strike rate of 206.55.

India's star opener Sanju Samson shared a story about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s conversation with coach Rahul Dravid during the Indian Premier League 2025. Last year, in an match against Lucknow Super Giants, Sooryavanshi created history by becoming the youngest player to debut in the IPL at just 14 years and 23 days, representing Rajasthan Royals. Samson said Dravid called the young batter for a discussion before the game and wanted to guide him because he was so young. During the meeting, Dravid asked Sooryavanshi about his plan for the match and the youngster replied very casually, saying he would just play his natural game. He added that if the first ball came in his hitting area, he would try to hit it in the air. Also Read - ‘Great opportunity for us’: Shubman Gill opens up on India’s plans for 2027 ODI World Cup Samson explained that Sooryavanshi seemed completely relaxed and confident, almost as if he was playing a video game in his own world. Dravid had asked him about his game plan, but the teenager simply said he would play his shots and not think too much. “I meant I was there in the meeting. So, Rahul Sir invited him to the room. Sir said, ‘Sanju, we need to talk to him. He’s a very young kid; we have to tell him how to go about it’,” Samson said at the Naman Awards in New Delhi. “So, Rahul Sir asked him, ‘Vaibhav, what’s the plan?’ Vaibhav said, “There’s nothing special, Sir. I’ll play, that’s it”. Dravid asked ‘What’s your game plan?’ “Vaibhav said, “if I get the first ball in my zone, I’ll take the aerial route”. That’s exactly what he did actually. He’s playing a video game of his own,” Samson added. Also Read - Salman Ali Agha’s 106 in vain as BAN defeat PAK by 11 runs, win series 2-1 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s performance in IPL 2025 Sooryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 1.10 crore when he was only 13. During the 2025 season, Sooryavanshi played seven matches, scoring 252 runs at an average of 36 and an impressive strike rate of 206.55, with a highest score of 101. His performances quickly marked him as one of the most promising young talents in world cricket. The left-handed batter also made history by scoring 101 off just 38 balls against Gujarat Titans at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. This knock became the fastest IPL century by an Indian and the second-fastest overall in the league.

Sooryavanshi was bought by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 1.10 crore when he was only 13. During the 2025 season, he played seven matches and scored 252 runs at an average of 36 and an impressive strike rate of 206.55.

‘I’ll take the aerial route’: Sanju Samson reveals Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s chat with Rahul Dravid

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