Veteran spinner Graeme Cremer has been recalled to Zimbabwe's T20I squad for the upcoming tri-series against South Africa and Namibia, marking his first international appearance in the format since the T20 World Cup in February. The 39-year-old has recovered from a left-arm injury and has been named in Zimbabwe's 15-member squad, which will be led by allrounder Sikandar Raza. Fast bowler Richard Ngarava has been left out as he continues his recovery from a lower-back injury. Ngarava, who serves as Zimbabwe's Test and ODI captain, is being closely monitored ahead of the team's upcoming assignments. Tanaka Chivanga will also miss the tri-series after undergoing surgery for an Achilles tendon injury. Cremer made his return to international cricket at the T20 World Cup earlier this year after a seven-year absence from the Zimbabwe side. However, a left-arm injury ruled him out of selection following the tournament. His return provides Zimbabwe with experience and an additional spin option for the upcoming competition. Batter Brendan Taylor has also been omitted from the squad after failing to feature in Zimbabwe's T20I series against Bangladesh and India earlier this year. Taylor last played a T20I against Oman at the T20 World Cup but remains part of Zimbabwe's Test setup. He featured in the team's most recent Test, a one-off match against Bangladesh in June. Zimbabwe will begin their tri-series campaign against Namibia and South Africa on August 28 in Windhoek. The tournament will follow a double round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the final on September 6. Ngarava's recovery will remain an important focus for Zimbabwe, with the pacer expected to return to captain the team in their ODI series against Australia in September if he regains full fitness. Zimbabwe are also expected to travel to the UAE in November for a series against Afghanistan, comprising two Tests and three ODIs, following their Australia assignment. Zimbabwe squad for T20I tri-series Sikandar Raza (captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Kundai Matigimu, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Newman Nyamhuri, Tafadzwa Tsiga.

England fast bowler Brydon Carse has been withdrawn from the squad for the second Test against Pakistan at Lord’s after being arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby on Saturday night. Carse had been released from England duty to play for Durham in the County Championship after missing selection for the opening Test at Headingley. Durham defeated Derbyshire on Saturday, after which Carse celebrated with teammates. A video that emerged on Sunday showed Carse surrounded by police officers and being led away from a venue in Derby, widely reported to be Molly Malone’s Irish Tavern. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it would investigate the incident and referred the matter to the independent Cricket Regulator. The regulator has since confirmed that it will conduct its own investigation. With the investigation ongoing, Carse will not be available for selection for the second Test. Hampshire fast bowler Sonny Baker has been called up as his replacement. “Following a referral from the ECB, the Cricket Regulator have confirmed that they will investigate events on Saturday night in Derby,” the ECB said in a statement. “Brydon Carse will no longer be available for selection for the second men's Rothesay Test match while this investigation is ongoing and the full facts are obtained. Brydon will be replaced in the squad for this match by Sonny Baker.” A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary confirmed that a man in his 30s had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in Derby city centre on Saturday night. He was released shortly afterwards after agreeing to leave the area. The incident adds to a growing list of off-field controversies involving England players over the past year and is likely to reignite discussions surrounding alcohol and player behaviour within the England setup. England's recent disciplinary issues include Harry Brook's nightclub incident in Wellington last year, which resulted in a fine and questions over his position as white-ball captain. England's drinking culture also came under scrutiny during last winter's Ashes series in Australia. Earlier this summer, Test captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were suspended while the ECB investigated their involvement in celebrations following England's opening Test against New Zealand. Both were later cleared of involvement in violent conduct at a nightclub but received written warnings for breaching specific contractual obligations. England managing director Rob Key subsequently introduced updated guidance on alcohol consumption. However, the policy has since been relaxed, with Joe Root recently saying the team's midnight curfew had been eased and backing players to behave responsibly. Carse's latest controversy comes against the backdrop of his own previous disciplinary history. He made his Test debut in late 2024 after serving a ban for historic betting offences. Carse had placed 303 bets on various matches between 2017 and 2019, although he did not play in any of the matches involved. English cricketers are prohibited from betting on cricket under the sport's integrity regulations. England's squad is scheduled to assemble in London on Monday and will train twice at Lord's ahead of the second Test, which begins on Thursday. England currently lead the three-match series 1-0 after securing a dominant innings-and-103-run victory over Pakistan at Headingley inside three days.

Afghanistan have announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against India, with fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq making his return to international cricket after nearly two years. Naveen last represented Afghanistan in December 2024 and had subsequently missed a number of assignments because of a stress fracture in his right shoulder. The injury kept the fast bowler out of action for more than eight months. The series will also mark the beginning of Ibrahim Zadran's tenure as Afghanistan's T20I captain. He took over the leadership from Rashid Khan following Afghanistan's campaign at the T20 World Cup earlier this year. Rashid remains part of the squad as a player. Veteran allrounder Mohammad Nabi has also returned to the white-ball squad after missing Afghanistan's recent ODI series against Ireland because of his Caribbean Premier League commitments. Afghanistan won that ODI series 4-0. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor ul Rahman has been included as the second wicketkeeper behind Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Spinner Nangeyalia Kharote has also been brought back into the main squad after missing Afghanistan's T20 World Cup campaign. Shahidullah Kamal has been moved to the reserves, while wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq has been left out of the squad entirely. Gulbadin Naib, who was part of Afghanistan's T20 World Cup squad, has also retained his place. The series will be Afghanistan's first T20I assignment since the T20 World Cup in March, where they failed to qualify for the Super Eight stage. All three matches against India will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13, 15 and 17. Afghanistan squad for T20I series against India Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor ul Rahman, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Naveen-ul-Haq. Reserves: Ijaz Ahmadzai, Shahidullah Kamal, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

Namibia have announced a squad combining experienced campaigners and promising young talent for the upcoming T20I tri-series against South Africa and Zimbabwe on home soil. Captain Gerhard Erasmus will lead the side, which features established names including Jan Frylinck, JJ Smit, Jan-Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Ruben Trumpelmann and Bernard Scholtz. Former South Africa allrounder Justin Kemp, who was appointed Namibia's Director of Cricket in June, will work alongside head coach Craig Williams during the series. One of the major talking points will be the return of left-handed batter Michael van Lingen. Van Lingen retired from international cricket in 2024 but returned during Namibia's recent Cricket World Cup League 2 series in the Netherlands. He last played a T20I at the 2024 T20 World Cup and is expected to open the innings alongside highly rated youngster Junior Taanyanda. Taanyanda, 21, made his Namibia debut during the T20I tri-series against Hong Kong and Nigeria in June and emerged as the tournament's leading run-scorer, underlining his growing importance to the national team. Namibia have also included several young bowling prospects. Max Heingo and Waldo Smith, both only 18, have already gained valuable T20I experience, having played 10 and five matches respectively. Offspinner Jan Balt, Namibia's leading bowler in their most recent T20I series, is also part of the squad. Allrounder Alexander Busing-Volschenk, 21, will be another player to watch. He has impressed with an impressive T20I strike rate of 142 and provides Namibia with another explosive option in the middle order. The seven-match series is expected to serve as a precursor to the proposed Africa T20 Cup, which is scheduled to be launched next year. Proceeds from the series will go towards the Africa Cricket Association. It will also mark only the second occasion on which Namibia host South Africa. The Proteas travelled to Windhoek last October for the inauguration of the Namibia Cricket Ground and suffered defeat in a one-off match played before a packed crowd. South Africa will remain in Namibia after the T20I series to play three

India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando have each been fined 25% of their match fees following an on-field confrontation during the opening day of the second Test in Colombo on Sunday. Both players were also handed one demerit point for what the International Cricket Council (ICC) described as "inappropriate physical contact." The incident occurred after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal with the final delivery of the 17th over on the first morning. As Jaiswal began walking back towards the dressing room, he turned and moved towards Fernando, apparently reacting to words exchanged during Sri Lanka's celebratory huddle. According to the ICC, the two players exchanged words before Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. Jaiswal then leaned forward, resulting in contact between their heads. Television footage appeared to indicate that Jaiswal initiated the physical contact, having turned around and walked towards Fernando. The Sri Lankan bowler also took a step towards the dismissed batter but did not move away when Jaiswal leaned his helmeted head towards him. The ICC determined that both players had breached Article 2.12 of its Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to inappropriate physical contact with another player or match official. Neither Jaiswal nor Fernando had committed a similar offence resulting in a demerit point during the previous 24 months. As a Level 1 offence, the breach carries a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50% of the match fee, along with one or two demerit points. Jaiswal scored 45 off 53 deliveries before Fernando dismissed him with India on 66 for 2 after the visitors had elected to bat first. Fernando went on to play a key role in Sri Lanka's efforts, also dismissing Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja as India reached 300 for 5 by the close of play. India lead the two-Test series 1-0 after securing a 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the opening Test in Galle.

Pakistan have named batter Sadaf Shamas as the replacement for wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi in their squad for the Women's T20 Asia Cup after Alvi was ruled out with a knee injury. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Alvi experienced pain in the posterior region of her left knee. Scans subsequently indicated a possible sprain, and following an assessment by the PCB medical team, she will begin a rehabilitation programme immediately. Her recovery is expected to take up to four weeks. Shamas, who was initially included among Pakistan's reserves, has now been promoted to the main squad. The right-handed batter has represented Pakistan in 12 T20 internationals since making her debut in January 2023. Although Shamas has not played a T20I since October 2024, she has been in impressive form in ODI cricket this year. She has scored 488 runs in nine innings, including her maiden international century and four half-centuries. The Women's T20 Asia Cup will be played in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, Thailand and Hong Kong. Pakistan will begin their campaign against Thailand on September 1 before taking on India on September 5. They will complete their group-stage fixtures against Hong Kong on September 7. Pakistan Squad for Women's T20 Asia Cup Fatima Sana (captain) Ayesha Zafar Eman Naseer Eyman Fatima Gull Feroza Momina Riasat Muneeba Ali (wicketkeeper) Nashra Sandhu Sadia Iqbal Saira Jabeen Shawaal Zulfiqar Tuba Hassan Umm-e-Hani Waheeda Akhtar Sadaf Shamas Reserves: Tasmia Rubab, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees Shamas' inclusion provides Pakistan with an additional batting option as they prepare for the continental tournament, while Alvi will now focus on recovering from her knee injury.

Guyana Amazon Warriors continued their unbeaten start to CPL 2026 with a commanding seven-wicket victory over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on Sunday, maintaining their perfect record after three matches. Put in to bat first, the Falcons struggled against a disciplined Amazon Warriors bowling attack and were bowled out for just 116. Khary Pierre, Imran Tahir and Shamar Joseph were the chief destroyers, claiming seven wickets between them. Pierre made an immediate impact during the powerplay, dismissing Rahkeem Cornwall and Karima Gore to leave the Falcons at 49 for 2 after six overs. Tahir then struck in the middle overs, removing Hasan Nawaz, while Amir Jangoo, who top-scored with 37 from 29 balls, fell to Glenn Phillips. The Falcons' innings suffered further setbacks when Kusal Perera was run out following a mix-up. Shamar Joseph then dismantled the lower order, dismissing Joshua James before completing the tail-end collapse. Romario Shepherd also chipped in by removing Moeen Ali. Chasing 117, Amazon Warriors suffered an early wobble, slipping to 16 for 2 in the third over. However, Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope quickly took control of the chase with an explosive 99-run partnership for the third wicket. Hetmyer was particularly aggressive, smashing 49 from only 19 balls, including a four and six sixes. His dismissal came with Amazon Warriors just two runs short of victory. Quentin Sampson finished the contest in emphatic fashion, hitting Shamar Springer for a six off the first ball he faced. Hope remained unbeaten on 47 from 26 deliveries, striking two fours and four sixes. Amazon Warriors reached 121 for 3 to seal a comfortable seven-wicket victory with plenty to spare. The result takes the defending champions to three wins from three matches and keeps them at the top of the CPL 2026 points table. The Falcons remain third with three victories from six matches, while St Lucia Kings occupy second place. With their bowling attack firing and their batting lineup displaying plenty of firepower, Amazon Warriors have made a strong early statement in their title defence.

Jack Leach produced a superb display of left-arm spin as Somerset strengthened their push for a maiden Rothesay County Championship title with a convincing eight-wicket victory over Essex at the Cooper Associates Ground. The 35-year-old spinner claimed five wickets for 81 runs from 55.2 overs, maintaining a disciplined line and length on a deteriorating fourth-day pitch as Essex were bowled out for 412 in their second innings. Charlie Allison and Matt Critchley, who had frustrated Somerset on the third day, fell for 114 and 94 respectively. Leach finished with match figures of nine for 118, underlining his importance to Somerset's title challenge and potentially strengthening his case for a return to Test cricket. Somerset were left with a target of just 102 and reached it in 19.2 overs for the loss of two wickets. Tom Lammonby remained unbeaten on 39, while Josh Thomas contributed 31. The victory earned Somerset 22 points and moved them to within two points of Division One leaders Nottinghamshire. Essex took just two points from the match. Essex resumed the day on 314 for three, with Allison and Critchley continuing their remarkable partnership. The pair took the score to 339 before Leach finally broke through, finding Critchley's edge and allowing Tom Abell to complete a juggling catch at second slip. Critchley faced 236 deliveries and struck 11 fours in an innings built on patience and concentration. Leach then removed Allison for 114, with wicketkeeper James Rew taking a sharp catch to end the 21-year-old's 254-ball innings. Michael Pepper and Noah Thain also fell to Leach, leaving Essex seven wickets down for 367 and only 56 runs ahead. Somerset's Archie Vaughan then took centre stage after lunch. He bowled Shane Snater and Simon Harmer in quick succession before trapping Jamie Porter lbw to finish with three for 123. The final seven Essex wickets fell for just 73 runs as Somerset completed an impressive turnaround. In the chase, Thomas and Lammonby immediately attacked Essex's bowling, bringing up a fifty partnership in only 6.5 overs. Thomas eventually fell for 31 to Simon Harmer, followed by Lewis Goldsworthy, but Lammonby remained composed to guide Somerset home. The result was Somerset's first Championship victory without Craig Overton since September 2019. Overton missed the match following the birth of his baby daughter. With the Championship title race entering its decisive phase, Leach's outstanding performance could prove crucial as Somerset continue their pursuit of their first-ever County Championship crown.

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is expected to return to the crease in India's first innings after retiring hurt with a left-wrist injury on the opening day of the Test at the SSC. Pant was attempting to pull a 133kph short delivery from Sri Lanka pacer Lahiru Kumara over deep backward square leg when the ball struck the wrist of his bottom hand. Although he did not initially appear to be in significant pain, Pant received medical attention for several minutes before walking off unbeaten on 3 off 15 deliveries. The wicketkeeper was later seen in the dugout and dressing room and even padded up during the closing stages of the day's play. However, he was not required to return to the crease. India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak offered a positive update after play, saying Pant "should be fine" to continue. He also indicated that the 27-year-old remained among the batters India were expecting to rely on to push the innings forward on the second day. If Pant continues to experience discomfort, India have two alternative wicketkeeping options in the playing XI. Dhruv Jurel, who normally bats at No. 7, is the most likely candidate to take over behind the stumps. KL Rahul can also keep wicket, although India are unlikely to want to add to the workload of their opening batter. Kuldeep Yadav Missed Colombo Test Due to Viral Fever Kotak also confirmed that Kuldeep Yadav was unavailable for the Colombo Test because he was suffering from viral fever when he left Galle. Kuldeep's absence had sparked speculation that India had opted to leave him out because the conditions favoured finger spin. India handed a debut to offspin-bowling allrounder Saransh Jain and also stated that Kuldeep could be used as a concussion substitute if required. Kotak rejected suggestions that the illness was being used as an excuse to leave Kuldeep out of the XI. "When he left [Galle], he was genuinely having viral [fever]," Kotak said, stressing that there was no reason for India to "fake" an illness. He added that Kuldeep had recovered reasonably well and looked in good condition when they met in the evening, but the spinner was still unavailable for the Test. Sri Lanka's Left-Handers Influenced Selection According to Kotak, Kuldeep's unavailability, combined with Sri Lanka's batting line-up, played a role in India's decision to hand Jain his debut. Sri Lanka had four left-handers among their top seven, prompting India to consider the advantages of playing an offspinner. The management ultimately opted for three spinners rather than relying on an additional pace option. "He has recovered reasonably well. He looked good when I met him in the evening and, obviously, he wasn't available for the match," Kotak said. He added that, with Sri Lanka having four left-handers in their top seven, "probably it makes sense to play an off spinner." India will now monitor Pant's wrist ahead of the second day's play while hoping their first-choice wicketkeeper is fit enough to resume his innings.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto believes his team's historic Test victory over Australia in Darwin has shown the progress Bangladesh cricket has made, while the heavy defeat in Mackay has provided valuable lessons ahead of their upcoming tour of South Africa. Australia bounced back strongly in the second Test, defeating Bangladesh by an innings and 51 runs after suffering a nine-wicket defeat in the series opener in Darwin. Despite the setback, Shanto said Bangladesh could take pride in securing a landmark victory against Australia on their home soil. "I don't think anyone will forget what we have done in Darwin, but it is also true that we didn't play good cricket in this Test," Shanto said. "We won a good Test match in Darwin. It is a win to be proud of. We now have two wins of such magnitude. We have defeated New Zealand and Australia in their conditions." Bangladesh's victory in Darwin came less than five years after their memorable eight-wicket win over New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in January 2022. Shanto believes those victories demonstrate that Bangladesh are capable of competing with established Test teams in their own conditions. "I hope we do it in South Africa, which will only help our Test team," he said. Bangladesh are scheduled to tour South Africa in November for a two-Test series, with matches set to be played in Johannesburg and Centurion. The team currently sits sixth in the ICC Test rankings and fourth in the World Test Championship standings. Shanto admitted that Bangladesh may have carried some of the emotional momentum from their Darwin victory into the second Test. However, he insisted that the team had prepared well for the significantly different conditions in Mackay. "Emotion is always there, but as professional players we need to be very clear about the Test match," he said. "I believe the players were quite happy with their preparation and mindset. We just didn't play at our best." The Bangladesh captain acknowledged that his team struggled to adapt to the bounce and movement offered by the Mackay pitch. He also accepted responsibility for his own dismissal after getting set in the second innings. "My dismissal, after getting set, isn't acceptable, to be very honest," Shanto said. "I should have hung around for longer." Bangladesh's batting collapsed in both innings, with Tanzid Hasan, Mominul Haque and Shanto unable to reproduce the performances that helped the side in Darwin. Litton Das endured an especially difficult Test series, registering three ducks without scoring a run. However, Shanto backed Litton to return to form and defended his value to the Test side. "Litton has played some great knocks recently, so I am not really looking at these three zeroes," Shanto said. "I still feel his batting at No. 6 is effective for the team. We know his quality. I think he has huge impact in the Bangladesh Test team. I am hopeful that he will come back strongly in the next series." The contrasting results in Darwin and Mackay highlighted Bangladesh's continuing challenge of maintaining consistency after major victories. The team also struggled to build on their historic win in Mount Maunganui in 2022, suffering an innings defeat against New Zealand in Christchurch. Shanto, however, believes the experience gained from the Mackay defeat can help Bangladesh improve when they face similar conditions in the future. "We have to realise that we haven't played in these conditions, against this type of bowling attack before," he said. "I think it's important how we can use this experience in the future." With South Africa next on the Test schedule, Bangladesh will hope the lessons from Mackay can help them avoid another emotional and performance drop after a historic victory—and instead turn their recent overseas successes into a sign of sustained growth in Test cricket.

Veteran legspinner Karn Sharma has announced his retirement from international and Indian domestic cricket at the age of 38, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned nearly two decades. The Railways cricketer announced his decision on Saturday night following a UP T20 League match between Kanpur Superstars and Meerut Mavericks. He will play his final game during his team's last match of the Lucknow leg on August 25. "I now want to retire. I am extremely grateful to my family, BCCI, Railways, UPCA, Andhra, Vidarbha Cricket Association and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey," Karn said after making the announcement. "After this, I will be available for coaching and other responsibilities related to the game of cricket." Karn made his first-class, List A and T20 debuts during the 2007-08 domestic season and initially developed as an allrounder. He made an immediate impact, scoring a century on his Ranji Trophy debut. His breakthrough season came in 2012-13, when he claimed 21 wickets at an average of 19.04 in three Ranji Trophy matches. His performances earned him the BCCI's Best Under-25 Cricketer award and helped put him on the national selectors' radar. In 2014, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Karn for INR 3.75 crore at the IPL auction, making him the most expensive uncapped Indian player at the time. His performances soon earned him an international call-up for India's tour of England. Karn made his T20I debut on that tour and dismissed England batter Joe Root. He subsequently joined India's ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka and made his debut in the memorable match in which Rohit Sharma scored 264, still the highest individual score in men's ODI cricket. Karn played two ODIs in the series but did not take a wicket. Later that year, he was selected for India's Test tour of Australia and featured in the Adelaide Test, taking two wickets in each innings. That proved to be his final international appearance. Although he was selected for India's limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe in 2015, an injury ruled him out. He ultimately finished his international career with one Test, two ODIs and one T20I. Karn's biggest success came in the IPL. In 2018, he became the first player to win IPL titles with three different franchises, having lifted the trophy with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016, Mumbai Indians in 2017 and Chennai Super Kings in 2018. His journey also included stints with Vidarbha and Andhra before he returned to Railways. Karn last played in the IPL for Mumbai Indians in 2025 and remained part of the Railways setup across all three formats during the 2025-26 domestic season. Karn finishes his first-class career just three matches short of 100 appearances. Across 97 first-class matches, he claimed 270 wickets at an average of 27.60, including 14 five-wicket hauls. With the bat, he scored 2,866 runs in 138 innings, including two centuries and 14 half-centuries. In List A cricket, Karn took 153 wickets in 123 matches, including three five-wicket hauls, while also scoring a century and six fifties. His T20 career produced 168 wickets in 191 matches, with 87 of those coming in 90 IPL appearances. After years of competing across domestic cricket and the IPL, Karn Sharma now begins the next chapter of his career, with coaching and other cricket-related responsibilities set to be his focus following retirement.

Shadab Khan produced a stunning late-order assault to guide Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (ABF) to a five-wicket victory over Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), propelling the Falcons to the top of the CPL 2026 points table on Saturday night. Chasing 166, the Falcons appeared to be in serious trouble at 92 for 5 when Shadab walked in at No. 7. The Pakistan all-rounder, however, turned the match on its head with an unbeaten 52 off just 20 balls. Shadab combined with Kusal Perera, who remained unbeaten on 34, to put together an unbroken 76-run partnership from only 33 deliveries. Their explosive finish saw the Falcons reach the target with nine balls to spare. TKR had 37 runs to defend from the final three overs and looked well placed to force a close finish. But Nathan Edward's 18th over changed the complexion of the match. Shadab smashed three sixes in the first four balls, taking 27 runs from the over and shifting the momentum decisively in favour of the Falcons. With only 11 runs required from the final two overs, Shadab finished the contest in emphatic fashion, hitting Terrance Hinds for two more sixes to complete a remarkable comeback and earn the Player-of-the-Match award. The Falcons had started their chase aggressively, with Rahkeem Cornwall taking 14 runs from the opening over. However, he was run out from the first ball of the second over while attempting a quick single. Amir Jangoo provided some stability with 31 off 36 balls, while Evin Lewis scored 10 and Hasan Nawaz managed only one run from 10 deliveries. Moeen Ali became the fifth Falcons batter dismissed at the beginning of the 13th over, leaving the team needing 74 runs from 41 balls. Shadab and Perera then took control of the chase, initially rebuilding before launching a spectacular assault at the death. Earlier, TKR posted 165 for 6 after being put into bat. Colin Munro led the scoring with a brisk 46 off 33 balls, while Nicholas Pooran provided another burst of aggression with 43 from just 17 deliveries. The rest of the TKR batting lineup struggled to maintain the momentum. Cornwall dismissed Alex Hales for 2 and Matthew Breetzke for 2, while Joshua James removed Kieron Pollard for 9 off 16 balls. Sunil Narine, unbeaten on 19, and Hinds, unbeaten on 14, added 34 runs in an unbeaten stand from 3.5 overs to take TKR to 165. However, their late contribution ultimately proved insufficient as Shadab's extraordinary hitting powered the Falcons home. The victory not only completed a remarkable turnaround for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons but also lifted them to No. 1 on the CPL 2026 points table.