Ireland face Afghanistan in the fifth and final ODI looking to avoid a series whitewash. The Irish batting unit showed notable improvement in the fourth match, offering some encouragement ahead of the decider. Afghanistan, however, have dominated the series and will be aiming to complete a 4-0 sweep. The result will determine whether Ireland can salvage at least one consolation victory from the contest.
India and Sri Lanka are set to face each other in a Test series with both sides occupying mid-table positions in the World Test Championship standings. Neither team is currently in a strong position to qualify for the WTC Final, making the outcome of this series critically important. A 2-0 series sweep is the minimum requirement for either side to remain in realistic contention for a final berth. The series therefore carries significant pressure for both teams, transforming what might otherwise be a routine bilateral contest into a high-stakes qualification battle.
Indian captain Shubman Gill has emphasized the value of adequate preparation time ahead of upcoming matches. Gill noted that most players in the squad need sufficient time to acclimatize to local playing conditions. Speaking to the media, he stressed that extra preparation directly benefits the team's performance. His comments suggest the team is prioritizing thorough groundwork before competitive action begins.
Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva has defended the selection of wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella ahead of the first Test against India in Galle. De Silva acknowledged that there are other wicketkeeper-batters with stronger batting credentials than Dickwella. However, the captain insisted that Dickwella remains the best pure gloveman in Sri Lanka. De Silva made clear that in Galle, the priority is to field the wicketkeeper with the best keeping skills rather than the best batting ability.
Melbourne Renegades have named Twining as their new head coach for the Women's Big Bash League. Twining currently serves as an assistant coach with the Australian women's national cricket team. He will take up the Renegades role before returning to his duties with the national side after the WBBL concludes. The appointment signals the Renegades' intent to strengthen their coaching setup for the upcoming season.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors secured a convincing victory over the Jamaica Kingsmen in CPL 2026. Jamaica, asked to bat first, managed only 117 runs, a total that proved well below par. Mohammad Nabi was the standout bowler for the Warriors, claiming four wickets to dismantle the Kingsmen's innings. Shai Hope anchored the chase with an unbeaten 56, guiding his side comfortably to the target. The defeat leaves Jamaica winless after three matches in the tournament.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has expressed urgency over unresolved Big Bash League contracting discussions, stating that things need to move forward quickly. CA is currently in negotiations with the Australian Cricketers' Association over a pay deal that is yet to be finalised. Separately, CA is in talks with New South Wales and Queensland regarding the privatisation of their BBL franchises. Greenberg has indicated he hopes to see meaningful progress on both fronts by September.
Bangladesh continued their strong batting performance on the second morning of the Test match against Australia. The hosts made steady progress, with Tanzid playing a key role in pushing Bangladesh toward an innings lead. Australia's only breakthrough came when Mominul Haque edged a Josh Hazlewood delivery behind to be dismissed. Apart from that single wicket, Bangladesh largely dominated the session and kept the Australian bowlers at bay.
Pakistan's bowlers Mohammad Ali and Faisal Akram shared six wickets between them during a warm-up match ahead of their upcoming Test series against England. England opener Emilio Gay endured a difficult outing, falling for a duck off just 12 balls. Gay also dropped a catch in the field, compounding his troubles on a tough opening day. The warm-up fixture is designed to give both sides match practice before the main Test series gets underway.
Veteran fast bowler Vinay Kumar has been appointed as the head coach of the Karnataka cricket team. The former India international is a decorated domestic cricketer with a distinguished career in red-ball cricket. Vinay holds the record for the most wickets taken by a seam bowler in the Ranji Trophy, having claimed 442 strikes. His appointment marks a transition into a coaching role for one of Karnataka's most prominent cricketing figures.
Australian batter Steve Smith was convinced he had edged the ball behind the wicket early in his innings during the match against Bangladesh. Bangladesh players were equally certain a catch had been taken and expected Smith to walk off the field. However, the Decision Review System (DRS) intervened, with the audio and ball-tracking data showing a flat line that indicated no edge had been made. The DRS verdict cleared Smith, allowing him to continue his innings despite the widespread belief from both sides that he was out.
Sri Lanka have announced their squad for the Women's T20 Asia Cup with three changes from the side that recently faced Pakistan at home. Ayodhya has been recalled to the squad after being left out of the Pakistan series. Her return is one of the three alterations made to the T20I lineup. The squad adjustments reflect the team management's preparations for the continental tournament.
Cricket Australia has reaffirmed its support for allrounder Ashleigh Gardner's role as vice-captain of the women's national team. The governing body has updated its policies to address potential conflict-of-interest concerns following the public revelation of Gardner's relationship with teammate Georgia Voll. Gardner has spoken publicly for the first time since her marriage breakdown and the relationship became known. Cricket Australia stated the policy changes are designed to ensure transparency and proper team governance going forward.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel has stressed the importance of fast bowlers maintaining intensity across consecutive overs to be effective in Galle. Mohammed Siraj leads the pace attack as the most experienced quick in the squad. He is joined by Prasidh Krishna, along with uncapped debutants Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi. The spin-friendly Galle conditions traditionally offer limited assistance to fast bowlers, making their collective effort crucial. Morkel's emphasis suggests India are looking to their pacers to play a more active role in the upcoming Test.
The St Kitts and Nevis Patriots secured a comfortable victory over the St Lucia Kings in a Caribbean Premier League match. St Lucia Kings posted a below-par total of 156 for 5 in their allotted overs. Jason Holder and Saurabh Netravalkar were the standout bowlers for the Patriots, each claiming three wickets to restrict the Kings. Andre Fletcher then anchored the run chase with an unbeaten 48 off 41 balls, guiding the Patriots to their target with minimal fuss.
Amy Satterthwaite has been appointed as coach of the Canterbury Women's team for the upcoming New Zealand domestic season. The former New Zealand international will transition into a coaching role with her home province. Meanwhile, Brendon Donkers has been named head coach of the Canterbury men's side. The dual appointments mark a new coaching setup for both Canterbury teams heading into the domestic campaign.
Bangladesh's fast bowlers dominated the opening session on day one of the Test match against Australia. Hasan Mahmud was the pick of the bowlers, dismissing both Australian openers to make early inroads. Ebadot Hossain and Taskin Ahmed each chipped in with a wicket to compound the hosts' troubles. Australia were left in a precarious position at 74 for 4 when the players headed to the lunch break.
Australia won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening T20 match against Bangladesh in Darwin. Bangladesh named Ebadot Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Mahmud in their playing XI for the contest. The Darwin pitch is expected to offer some movement with the new ball, posing an early challenge for Australia's top order. The match marks the beginning of a T20 series between the two sides on Australian soil.
The Phoenix defeated MI London in a crucial match, knocking the rebranded defending champions out of the competition. The result simultaneously secured the Sunrisers' progression into the Eliminator round. MI London needed a victory by 59 runs to boost their Net Run Rate sufficiently to stay in contention, but fell short of that target. The defending champions, competing under a new identity this season, were unable to defend their title with the required margin. The Phoenix's win proved decisive in shaping the tournament's knockout stage lineup.
Afghanistan secured an ODI series victory over Ireland after centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz-opening partner Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran powered their side to a commanding total. Ireland's Andrew Balbirnie scored a century and Curtis Campher contributed a quickfire knock in response, but the efforts were ultimately insufficient. Ireland fell short in their chase of 344, unable to overcome the deficit despite the late flourish. The result confirms Afghanistan's dominance in the series, marking a significant win for the side.
