Rachin Ravindra says returning home to New Zealand after an early exit from the IPL has provided the perfect mental and physical reset before the national team’s upcoming Test tour of Ireland and England. The New Zealand all-rounder left his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders before the end of the 2026 season after spending most of the campaign on the sidelines. Ravindra revealed the decision was made in consultation with the franchise management and coaching staff. “KKR were very understanding of the situation,” Ravindra said before departing for Ireland. “The way things were going, I wasn’t playing, so we discussed the possibility of going home for a refresh before joining the team in Ireland.” The 26-year-old explained that with New Zealand’s packed international schedule ahead, he would otherwise not have returned home until late August. “Even four or five days at home is fantastic,” he said. “We spend so much time away from home, so it was a great little refresh.” Despite not featuring regularly in the IPL, Ravindra believes the experience still helped him prepare for red-ball cricket. “I don’t feel too out of match practice,” he said. “Training in the IPL environment and speaking with experienced players has been hugely valuable.” Ravindra highlighted conversations with senior international cricketers including Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, as well as guidance from batting coach Shane Watson and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. “Being in the IPL is more than just T20 cricket,” Ravindra said. “You get to learn from players who have succeeded in England and overseas conditions.” New Zealand are set to travel with a pace-heavy squad for the UK tour, with towering fast bowlers Kyle Jamieson and Will O'Rourke expected to play key roles alongside Matt Henry, Ben Sears and Blair Tickner. Ravindra expressed excitement about the depth in New Zealand’s fast-bowling department, praising O’Rourke’s recent performances against England and Zimbabwe. “Truly exciting times for New Zealand cricket,” he said. “We’ve got so much depth.” With no specialist spinner included in the squad, Ravindra is also prepared to contribute with his left-arm spin alongside Glenn Phillips. Ravindra enjoyed a successful campaign with the ball during New Zealand’s run to the 2026 T20 World Cup final, finishing as the team’s leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets. “Test cricket is a different challenge,” he admitted. “You have to be more consistent with the red ball, but I’m definitely working on my bowling more.” Before beginning their three-Test series against England cricket team, New Zealand will face Ireland cricket team in a one-off four-day Test from May 27 to May 30. Although the match is outside the World Test Championship cycle and Ireland are dealing with injuries to key players, Ravindra insisted New Zealand would not underestimate their opponents. “You can’t take any team lightly,” he said. “Ireland are a Test-playing nation with quality cricketers, and it will be a great lead-in to the England series.”

Defending champions Somerset County Cricket Club launched their Vitality Blast campaign in dominant fashion with a convincing seven-wicket win over Hampshire Hawks under the floodlights at Taunton. A sparkling innings from opener Will Smeed set the tone for Somerset’s successful chase of 159, as the hosts reached 160 for 3 with 22 balls remaining. Smeed blasted 59 off just 29 deliveries, hammering six fours and four sixes in a breathtaking display of clean hitting. The 24-year-old shared a rapid 90-run opening partnership with Tom Banton, who contributed 30 from 23 balls. After the departure of both openers, brothers James Rew and Thomas Rew calmly guided Somerset home with an unbeaten 52-run stand for the fourth wicket. James Rew finished on 47 not out from 29 balls. Earlier, Somerset’s bowlers laid the foundation for victory after captain Lewis Gregory elected to field first. Seamers Craig Overton and Jake Ball claimed three wickets each as Hampshire were bowled out for 158 in 19.4 overs. Hampshire skipper James Vince was the standout performer for the visitors, scoring a fluent 58 from 34 deliveries, including four boundaries and three sixes. However, he received little support from the rest of the batting lineup. The visitors started brightly, with Vince and Toby Albert adding quick runs in the powerplay. But Somerset struck regularly through disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. Overton removed Albert for 23, while spinner Lewis Goldsworthy dismissed Hilton Cartwright at a crucial stage. Once Vince fell in the 13th over, Hampshire’s innings collapsed dramatically, losing their final five wickets for just 25 runs. Ball and Daniel Sams cleaned up the lower order to restrict the visitors below the 160-mark. Somerset’s chase began explosively as Smeed dominated the powerplay, particularly targeting teenage debutant Manny Lumsden. Smeed brought up his half-century in only 22 balls, thrilling a packed Taunton crowd with fearless strokeplay. Although Hampshire briefly fought back through Liam Dawson and Scott Currie, Somerset never lost control of the chase. The victory marked an ideal start to Somerset’s title defence, while Hampshire’s difficult run of form continued across formats.

The race for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap in IPL 2026 has intensified as the league stage nears its conclusion, with several players making significant moves after the clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Despite no change at the top, Heinrich Klaasen surged to third place in the Orange Cap standings after a blistering 51 off 24 balls against RCB. The explosive SRH batter now has 606 runs from 14 innings this season. The leaderboard continues to be headed by B Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat Titans, who has accumulated 638 runs, while teammate and captain Shubman Gill remains second with 616 runs. Young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of Rajasthan Royals occupies fourth position with 579 runs. Another SRH batter, Ishan Kishan, moved into the top five after his match-winning 79 off 46 deliveries against RCB. Kishan now has 569 runs in the tournament and continues to enjoy his best-ever IPL season. Purple Cap Battle Tightens In the Purple Cap standings, Bhuvneshwar Kumar of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans remain tied at the top with 24 wickets each. Bhuvneshwar, however, continues to hold the Purple Cap due to his superior economy rate of 8.07, compared to Rabada’s 9.18. The RCB pacer went wicketless in Friday’s game but retained his position at the summit. Anshul Kamboj of Chennai Super Kings is next on the list with 21 wickets. GT spinner Rashid Khan sits fourth with 19 wickets, narrowly ahead of SRH pacer Eshan Malinga, who also has 19 wickets after registering figures of 2 for 33 against RCB. Rashid remains ahead because of his better economy rate of 8.71, while Malinga’s economy stands at 9.27. With the playoffs approaching, both the batting and bowling charts remain closely contested, setting up an exciting finish to the IPL 2026 league stage.

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes that leaving the star-studded environment of Mumbai Indians has played a major role in the growth and maturity of Ishan Kishan, who is enjoying the best season of his IPL career with Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. Kishan, who spent seven seasons with Mumbai Indians before being picked up by Sunrisers Hyderabad at the 2025 IPL auction, has been one of the standout performers this season. The left-hander currently sits fifth in the Orange Cap standings, having scored 569 runs in 14 matches at an impressive average of 40.64 and a strike rate of 178.36. His latest match-winning knock — a fluent 79 off 46 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday — earned him the Player-of-the-Match award and marked his sixth score of 50 or more this season. Notably, Kishan had never crossed three 50-plus scores in any previous IPL season. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show, Rayudu reflected on the challenges young cricketers face while sharing dressing rooms with established superstars at franchises like Mumbai Indians. “Growing up in a franchise like Mumbai, he wanted to be a superstar. He is a superstar in his own right now, but back then competing against all the stars around him would have been very tough,” Rayudu said. Rayudu, who himself represented Mumbai Indians from 2009 to 2017, added that experienced players often know how to manage the mental demands of the game, something younger players struggle with initially. “Those guys know when to switch on in terms of their game and when to switch off. But a lot of young boys don’t know how to handle that balance. That’s a big challenge, and I’m sure he has learnt it the hard way,” he added. Rayudu also credited Kishan’s stint as captain of Jharkhand for bringing greater maturity and clarity to his batting. “His shot selection has improved big time. Earlier, we saw him making some poor decisions, but this season he has mostly made the right calls,” Rayudu noted. “I think captaincy for Jharkhand made him realise a lot about his own game. Sometimes leadership transforms players into better batsmen, and he is one of those who has massively improved in terms of clarity,” he said. With Sunrisers Hyderabad pushing for a strong finish this season, Kishan’s consistency and fearless batting have emerged as one of the biggest positives for the franchise.

A brief moment involving Virat Kohli and Travis Head grabbed attention after the IPL 2026 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Hyderabad on Friday, as Kohli appeared to ignore Head during the customary post-match handshake line. As players from both teams lined up after the match, Kohli was seen shaking hands with SRH captain Pat Cummins and opener Abhishek Sharma. However, when Head extended his hand to greet him, Kohli walked past without acknowledging the gesture and moved on to the next player. The incident quickly drew attention among fans and on social media, though there was no immediate explanation from either player regarding the exchange. Earlier in the match, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a massive 255 for 4, putting Royal Challengers Bengaluru under pressure in a crucial league-stage encounter. RCB needed at least 166 runs to secure a top-two finish and 178 to finish at the top of the table. Prioritising net run rate despite the difficult chase, RCB ended on 200 for 4. Opening the innings, Kohli managed 15 runs off 11 balls before being dismissed by Sakib Hussain in the final over of the powerplay. Despite the defeat, RCB finished among the top two teams and will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala on May 26. Sunrisers Hyderabad secured a third-place finish and will play the Eliminator in New Chandigarh on May 27. Meanwhile, the race for the final playoff spot remains open, with Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals still in contention with three league matches remaining.

Indian allrounder Vijay Shankar has announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an end to a career that spanned more than a decade across formats. The 35-year-old seam-bowling allrounder’s decision will now allow him to participate in overseas franchise leagues around the world. Successful Domestic Career Comes to an End Vijay Shankar enjoyed a distinguished domestic career, primarily representing Tamil Nadu, where he established himself as one of the state’s most dependable allrounders. He played a key role in leading Tamil Nadu to titles in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Deodhar Trophy before moving to Tripura ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. His final first-class appearance proved memorable, as he smashed an unbeaten 151 against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy in February, earning the Player-of-the-Match award in a winning cause. Over the course of his domestic career, Vijay Shankar scored: 4,253 runs in first-class cricket at an average of 46.73 2,790 List A runs at 34.87 2,583 T20 runs at a strike rate of 128.37 He also contributed significantly with the ball, claiming 154 wickets across all formats. India Career and the “3D Cricketer” Tag Vijay Shankar represented India in 21 white-ball internationals between 2018 and 2019, playing 12 ODIs and nine T20Is. He scored 223 ODI runs at an average of 31.85 and added 101 runs in T20 internationals at a strike rate of 138.35. The allrounder gained national attention ahead of the 2019 ODI World Cup when India were searching for a reliable No. 4 batter. His ability to contribute in multiple departments made him a preferred choice for the selectors. Former chief selector MSK Prasad famously described Vijay Shankar as a “three-dimensional” player because of his batting, bowling and fielding abilities, a comment that sparked widespread debate after Ambati Rayudu was overlooked for the World Cup squad. Rayudu had responded sarcastically on social media at the time, saying he had ordered “3D glasses” to watch the World Cup. Vijay Shankar later embraced the label himself and signed off his retirement post on Instagram with the words: “Your 3D cricketer.” Brief but Memorable World Cup Campaign Although his 2019 World Cup journey was cut short, Vijay Shankar produced one of the highlights of his international career during India’s victory over Pakistan at Old Trafford. He claimed two wickets in the match, including a wicket with the very first ball he bowled in World Cup cricket. However, his campaign ended prematurely after he suffered a broken toe while facing Jasprit Bumrah in the nets during the tournament. IPL Journey Across Four Franchises Vijay Shankar also enjoyed a long IPL career from 2014 to 2025, representing four franchises: Chennai Super Kings Sunrisers Hyderabad Delhi Capitals Gujarat Titans He played 78 IPL matches overall and was known for his versatility as a middle-order batter and medium-pace option. At the most recent IPL auction in December, Vijay Shankar went unsold after registering as an uncapped player, with more than five years having passed since his last appearance for India. With domestic cricket and the IPL now behind him, Vijay Shankar is expected to continue his career in overseas T20 franchise leagues.

Pakistan have recalled star batter Babar Azam for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, beginning on May 30, while also handing maiden call-ups to uncapped trio Rohail Nazir, Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 16-member squad on Friday, with Shaheen Shah Afridi continuing as captain and Salman Ali Agha appointed vice-captain. The most notable omission from the squad is wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. Experienced Core Returns Alongside Babar Azam, Pakistan have also brought back experienced campaigners Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah. Babar and Naseem were both part of Pakistan’s last home ODI series against Sri Lanka in November 2025, where Pakistan secured a 3-0 clean sweep. For Shadab, however, this marks his return to the ODI setup for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Naseem’s comeback is particularly significant after an injury-hit PSL 2026 campaign. The fast bowler played only three matches before being sidelined by a back injury and later suffered another setback after limping off following a diving effort on the field. Fresh Faces Earn Opportunities The selectors have rewarded several young performers with opportunities in the ODI squad. Wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir receives his first ODI call-up after consistent domestic performances, while left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas and pacer Ahmed Daniyal also earn maiden selections. Daniyal returns after recovering from a hamstring injury that limited him to only four appearances during PSL 2026. Another notable inclusion is left-arm wristspinner Sufyan Moqim, who enjoyed a breakthrough PSL season with Peshawar Zalmi. Moqim claimed 22 wickets in the tournament and was named Player of the Series. His last ODI appearance came against West Indies in August 2025. Rizwan Omitted, Injuries Continue to Hurt Pakistan Mohammad Rizwan’s absence from the ODI squad is the biggest surprise in the announcement. The PCB did not provide a detailed explanation regarding his omission. Pakistan will also be without key top-order batters Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman due to injuries, while Usman Khan has been ruled out because of illness. All three players had also missed Pakistan’s recent ODI tour of Bangladesh in March. In their absence, Pakistan have retained youngsters Sahibzada Farhan, Maaz Sadaqat and Shamyl Hussain, all of whom made their ODI debuts during the Bangladesh series. Bangladesh Tour Led to Major Changes Pakistan’s most recent ODI assignment came against Bangladesh earlier this year, where the team experimented heavily with new players and handed debuts to six cricketers across the three-match series. However, the strategy failed to produce the desired results as Pakistan lost the series 2-1. Several players from that squad — including Faisal Akram, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Saad Masood — have now been dropped for the Australia series. Pakistan ODI Squad vs Australia Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Maaz Sadaqat, Ghazi Ghori (wk), Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Shadab Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Sufyan Moqim.

Gujarat Titans (GT) star spinner Rashid Khan believes handling failure is just as important as enjoying success, a mindset he says has helped him rediscover his best form during IPL 2026. Fresh from GT’s commanding 89-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) that confirmed a top-two finish for the franchise, Rashid signed off his post-match media interaction with a cheerful Gujarati phrase — “Ekdum majama” (absolutely fine) — a reflection of both his team’s dominant season and his own return to form. Rashid Returns to His Best Rashid produced another match-winning spell against CSK, dismantling the lower middle order with figures of 3 for 18 in just two overs. The performance lifted him to fourth place in the Purple Cap standings with 19 wickets this season. After enduring two underwhelming IPL campaigns in 2024 and 2025, Rashid has bounced back strongly in 2026. He has not only improved his wicket tally but also tightened his economy rate, showing signs of the bowler who has dominated T20 cricket for nearly a decade. Against CSK, however, his spell did not begin smoothly. Introduced in the 11th over with CSK struggling at 109 for 5 while chasing 230, Rashid was immediately attacked. Shivam Dube smashed him for six off a full delivery, but the Afghanistan spinner responded instantly. Dube fell on the next ball thanks to a brilliant running catch from GT captain Shubman Gill. Rashid was hit for another six by Anshul Kamboj later in the over but recovered superbly to finish with three wickets. “In a game where you are defending 230, you are going to go for runs,” Rashid said after the match. “The batters have no option but to attack you. As a bowler, the challenge is to make it as difficult as possible for them to hit boundaries.” He admitted his first delivery to Dube was too easy to hit and said he quickly adjusted his line and length to force the batter into riskier shots. Learning From Failure Rashid credited his comeback to mental resilience and his ability to remain consistent even during difficult phases. “You have good days and bad days, and the way you manage yourself on good days, you must manage yourself similarly on bad days,” he explained. “Whenever I had a bad day, I never let it stay too much in my mind. Bad days teach you a lot, and that is how you improve.” The 27-year-old reflected on one of the toughest moments of his career — conceding 110 runs in nine overs against England during the 2019 ODI World Cup. “That game taught me a lot,” he said. “You cannot suddenly change your action or pace. The one thing you can control is hitting the right areas consistently.” Rashid revealed that despite results, his practice routines remain unchanged. After every game, he studies his bowling pitch maps closely with the team analyst to assess where he landed most of his deliveries and identify areas for improvement. “What matters most to me is where I pitch the ball,” he said. “If I miss my line or length, I want to understand why. I focus on that rather than the result.” Strong Season for GT Rashid’s improved form has mirrored Gujarat Titans’ resurgence this season. After winning the IPL title in their debut season in 2022 and finishing runners-up in 2023, GT slipped to eighth place in 2024. They reached the playoffs in 2025 largely due to the batting brilliance of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler, while Rashid struggled for consistency. This season, however, both GT’s batting and bowling units have clicked together. Rashid has already taken 19 wickets at a much-improved economy rate of 8.72 compared to his difficult 2025 campaign, where he managed only nine wickets in 15 games. GT have also continued to establish themselves as one of the IPL’s most successful modern franchises. Since joining the tournament in 2022, they possess the best win-loss ratio in the league at 1.642, ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 1.433. “Winning nine games out of 14 is a great feeling,” Rashid said. “We are not thinking too much about finishing top two or top four. The focus is simply on keeping things simple, and the results will follow.

Former India batter Abhinav Mukund has delivered a blunt assessment of Chennai Super Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign, calling it a “very average season” and questioning whether the five-time champions ever truly looked like playoff contenders. CSK’s season ended with a heavy defeat to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, leaving them on 12 points and seventh place on the table, although their final position could still change depending on other results. Speaking after the match, Mukund said CSK failed to establish dominance against the tournament’s strongest teams and struggled to identify their core strengths, especially at home. “They Never Shifted the Needle” Mukund pointed out that while CSK briefly revived their campaign with six wins in eight matches, those victories largely came against teams outside the top bracket. “As much as it looks like they had a decent season with 12 points, they beat Delhi Capitals twice, Mumbai Indians twice, Lucknow Super Giants once and Kolkata Knight Riders once,” Mukund said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “They haven’t managed to even shift the needle in terms of the top-three or top-four sides. That tells you the difference between teams competing for the playoffs and teams still some distance away.” He also highlighted CSK’s struggles at their traditionally dominant home venue, saying the franchise never fully understood its best combination throughout the season. “The seasons they’ve done well in, they know exactly the team they want to play at home and how they want to operate away from home. This season, they never really found that clarity,” he added. Injuries Disrupted CSK’s Campaign CSK bowling coach Eric Simons admitted the side endured a difficult season because of repeated injury setbacks, particularly to key players. MS Dhoni missed the entire campaign due to a calf injury, while pace spearhead Nathan Ellis was ruled out before the tournament even began with a hamstring issue. During the season, CSK also lost Ayush Mhatre, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Khaleel Ahmed and Jamie Overton at different stages. Simons described Overton’s absence as especially damaging because of the all-round balance he brought to the side. “Just as we were getting some momentum, we lost someone like Jamie Overton, who was such a balancing factor for us,” Simons said. “He was crucial to our middle-overs bowling and could also contribute with the bat at the end of the innings. Losing him forced us into changes we didn’t necessarily want to make.” Despite the disappointing finish, Simons believes CSK gained valuable insights into their squad composition and young players. “We’ve learnt a lot about ourselves as a unit and as individuals. Someone like Kartik Sharma came through magnificently this season, and we now understand much better what several players can and can’t do,” he said. Questions Over Overseas Recruitment Ahead of IPL 2026, CSK made major squad changes after finishing bottom of the table in IPL 2025. The franchise traded for Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, while also investing heavily in youngsters Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma. Mukund praised the Samson trade, saying it successfully addressed CSK’s top-order concerns, but he criticised the franchise’s overseas recruitment strategy. He questioned whether backup options such as Matt Henry, Matt Short, Zak Foulkes and Dian Forrester were suitable replacements for players like Nathan Ellis and Jamie Overton. “Nathan Ellis’ back-up is not Matt Henry because they play significantly different roles,” Mukund explained. “I felt there was a disconnect in the replacements and backup options they picked at the auction.” However, Mukund remained optimistic about CSK’s Indian core, saying the franchise still possesses strong domestic talent with room to improve. “The Indian talent is really good. There’s still a ceiling for them and their best performances are yet to come. But they must seriously rethink their overseas setup before next season,” he concluded.

The Gujarat Titans (GT) continued their dominant IPL 2026 campaign with a crushing 89-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on Thursday, a result that not only strengthened their playoff momentum but also reshaped both the Orange Cap and Purple Cap leaderboards. Sai Sudharsan Reclaims Orange Cap The race for the Orange Cap witnessed another dramatic twist, with GT opener B Sai Sudharsan reclaiming the top spot after a superb innings of 84 off 53 balls. His knock took his tally to 638 runs for the season, pushing teammate and captain Shubman Gill back to second place. Gill had briefly overtaken Sai Sudharsan during their magnificent 125-run opening partnership. Entering the match with 552 runs, Gill smashed 64 off just 37 deliveries to move to 616 runs and temporarily claim the Orange Cap before Sai Sudharsan’s bigger score restored his lead. The Titans now occupy the top two spots in the batting charts, underlining their dominance this season. Rajasthan Royals youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sits third with 579 runs, while Lucknow Super Giants’ Mitchell Marsh follows with 563. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Heinrich Klaasen rounds out the top five with 555 runs. The race, however, remains wide open ahead of Friday’s clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Klaasen will have another opportunity to climb higher, while Virat Kohli, currently sixth with 542 runs, could also close the gap. SRH batters Abhishek Sharma (507 runs) and Ishan Kishan (490 runs) remain within striking distance as well. Rabada Joins Bhuvneshwar at the Top The Purple Cap standings also saw major movement after GT’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada delivered a match-winning spell of 3 for 32 against CSK. Rabada’s performance lifted him to 24 wickets for the season, level with Royal Challengers Bengaluru seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the top of the wicket-taking charts. However, Bhuvneshwar retains the Purple Cap due to his superior economy rate of 7.70 compared to Rabada’s 9.18. GT’s bowlers dominated throughout the evening. Mohammed Siraj struck early with three wickets inside the powerplay, helping reduce CSK to 63 for 5 in seven overs. Although Siraj has not been among the leading wicket-takers this season, his three-wicket haul pushed him to 17 wickets and seventh place on the leaderboard. CSK pacer Anshul Kamboj also climbed the rankings after dismissing Sai Sudharsan, moving to third place with 21 wickets. GT spinner Rashid Khan added another impressive performance with a three-wicket haul of his own, taking his season tally to 19 wickets and fourth place overall. Rajasthan Royals speedster Jofra Archer and Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Kartik Tyagi are tied on 18 wickets each, keeping the race for the Purple Cap highly competitive heading into the final phase of the tournament. With Gujarat Titans players dominating both batting and bowling charts, IPL 2026 is increasingly becoming a season to remember for the Ahmedabad franchise.

Cricket South Africa has apologised for poor communication regarding ticket availability for the New Year’s Test against England cricket team at Newlands Cricket Ground in January 2027, following widespread criticism from fans on social media. The controversy erupted after tickets for the highly anticipated Test match went on sale earlier this week and sold out within minutes. Fans were left frustrated after learning that less than 1,600 tickets per day had been made available to the general public. Out of the stadium’s 17,544 general-access seats, more than half were reserved for travel packages, hospitality, and complimentary allocations. According to CSA, 39% of tickets were allocated to local and international tour operators, while 21% were reserved for hospitality and complimentary purposes. Another 19% went to sponsors, stakeholders, and team contingents, leaving only 13% for public sale. Of that 13%, only 9% of tickets were initially released, with CSA confirming that the remaining 4% — along with any unused tickets from reserved allocations — will be sold closer to the match date. In a statement released on Thursday, CSA admitted it “did not provide the clarity supporters expected” before tickets went on sale and apologised for the confusion caused. The organisation also warned fans against purchasing tickets from unauthorised resale platforms, where prices have surged dramatically. While official ticket prices range between R250 and R400 (US$15 to US$25), some resale websites have listed tickets for as much as R3,500 (US$211). “CSA maintains a strict prohibition on ticket scalping and unauthorised resale,” the statement read. “Fans are urged not to buy tickets from unauthorised resellers to avoid being denied entry into the stadium.” This season marks the first time CSA has partnered with a travel company, Tourvest, to offer all-inclusive travel packages that include accommodation, transport, and meals. The move has sparked concern among local supporters, many of whom fear the majority of seats could be occupied by overseas fans, including groups such as the Barmy Army. CSA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki defended the allocation strategy but acknowledged supporters’ frustrations. “We remain committed to ensuring that ticket access is managed fairly, transparently and in a way that balances supporter demand with the operational requirements of hosting a major international sporting event,” Moseki said. CSA also confirmed that future ticket-sale announcements would be communicated more clearly and in advance. The next batch of tickets is expected to be priced slightly higher, ranging from R420 to R500.

Mohammad Ali will join Nottinghamshire ahead of the upcoming Vitality T20 Blast after the county extended his contract following the unavailability of veteran Australian seamer Peter Siddle. The 33-year-old Pakistan fast bowler was initially signed for Nottinghamshire’s One-Day Cup and County Championship campaigns during August and September. However, the club has now confirmed that Ali will also feature in the T20 Blast squad. Ali arrives in England after an impressive season in the Pakistan Super League, where he represented Hyderabad Kingsmen. The right-arm pacer claimed 20 wickets during the tournament, playing a major role in helping the franchise reach the final and earning recognition in ESPNcricinfo’s Team of the Tournament. Speaking about the opportunity, Ali expressed his excitement about playing at Trent Bridge and featuring in English domestic cricket. “I am really pleased to get the opportunity to come to Trent Bridge earlier than expected, and I am really looking forward to the Vitality Blast,” Ali said. “I have heard a lot about how good Trent Bridge is to play at, and I can’t wait to meet the team and play in front of the brilliant fans.” Ali has represented Pakistan national cricket team in eight international matches across formats, with his most recent appearance coming in March 2025. Nottinghamshire were forced to revise their overseas plans after Siddle became ineligible for the Blast due to his participation in the World Legends Pro T20 League in Goa, a tournament categorized as “disapproved cricket.” Head coach Peter Moores welcomed the signing and praised Ali’s recent performances and experience. “When it became clear last month that we'd have to find another overseas player for this year's Vitality Blast, Mohammad was the obvious choice,” Moores said. “With his recent performances in the PSL, I’m really excited by what he can bring to our group.” Nottinghamshire begin their Vitality Blast campaign on Friday against Yorkshire in the North Group. Alongside Ali, the club will also feature South African spinner George Linde as one of their overseas players.