Shahbaz Ahmed's career-best 167 and Sudip Kumar Gharami's 146 helped East Zone secure a commanding innings-and-210-run victory over North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy quarter-final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 2 in Bengaluru. After being bowled out for 111 in their first innings, North East Zone were dismissed for 146 in their second innings after being forced to follow on. The result sent East Zone into the semi-finals, where they will face defending champions Central Zone from August 30. North East Zone had made a promising start to the contest, reducing East Zone to 25 for 2 and later 128 for 5. However, Shahbaz and Gharami turned the game decisively in East's favour with a massive partnership, taking their side's total to 467. Shahbaz's 167 was the standout innings, while Gharami contributed a composed 146. With the bat, East Zone established a lead of 356 runs, putting enormous pressure on their opponents. North East Zone's first innings quickly unravelled. After reaching 78 for 3, they lost their remaining wickets rapidly and were bowled out for 111. Abhijit Sarkar was the chief destroyer, finishing with five wickets for 20 runs, while Shahbaz also made an impact with 3 for 20. Forced to bat again, North East Zone lost Arpit Bhatewara, their top scorer from the first innings, to Mukesh Kumar early on the third morning. Mohammed Shami then produced a testing spell in overcast conditions, repeatedly beating the outside edges without finding a wicket. East's spinners subsequently took control. Shahbaz removed Joseph Lalthankhuma before captain Rongsen Jonathan was caught behind by Ishan Kishan. Kangabam Priyojit was then dismissed by Anukul Roy, who had been relatively quiet in the first innings. Roy was almost unplayable during his second spell. Bowling from around the wicket, he maintained a tight wicket-to-wicket line and mixed his arm ball with subtle changes of pace to keep the batters under constant pressure. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added to North East's troubles by taking two wickets in an over. He first induced Kishan Lyngdoh into a miscue over the covers before drawing an outside edge from Imliwati Lemtur, with Kishan completing the catch. Akash Chaudhary and Pheiroijam Jotin briefly delayed the inevitable with a 39-run stand for the ninth wicket. Roy, however, returned to finish the innings and complete his five-wicket haul. He first bowled Choudhary before dismissing Jotin, with Kishan completing a leg-side stumping. North East Zone were bowled out for 146 shortly after lunch, giving East Zone a comprehensive innings victory. East Zone will now take on Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-final beginning on August 30.

Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya has been officially reprimanded and handed one demerit point for hitting the boundary wedges with his bat after his dismissal during the second day of the ongoing second Test against India in Colombo. Jayasuriya, who was playing the role of nightwatchman and batting at No. 3, was dismissed leg before wicket by India's Manav Suthar with what proved to be the final delivery of the day's play. As he made his way back to the pavilion, Jayasuriya struck the boundary wedges with his bat. Television footage also showed him throwing his gloves after reaching the dressing room. The incident was deemed a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. The relevant provision covers the abuse of cricket equipment, clothing, ground equipment, fixtures or fittings during an international match. The demerit point is Jayasuriya's first in a 24-month period. He is the third player to face disciplinary action during the Colombo Test after India's Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka's Asitha Fernando were sanctioned following an incident on the opening day. Both Jaiswal and Fernando were fined 25% of their match fees and received one demerit point for inappropriate physical contact. The confrontation occurred after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal off the final ball of the 17th over on the first morning. Jaiswal, who was walking back towards the dressing room, appeared to change direction and approach Fernando following words exchanged during Sri Lanka's celebration. According to the ICC, the two players exchanged words before Fernando moved his head towards Jaiswal. Jaiswal then leaned forward, resulting in their heads making contact. Video footage, however, indicated that Jaiswal initiated the physical contact by turning back towards Fernando and moving towards him. Fernando also took a small step forward, after which Jaiswal leaned his helmeted head towards the Sri Lankan fast bowler. India entered the Colombo Test with a 1-0 lead in the two-match series after securing a 165-run victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test in Galle. The disciplinary incidents have added an off-field subplot to a closely contested series as both teams continue their battle in Colombo.

Cricket Australia (CA) is set to encourage domestic curators to prepare more batter-friendly pitches for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season as concerns grow over the quality of Australian surfaces and their impact on the development of Test cricketers. Australian pitches have come under increasing scrutiny following another two-day Test in Mackay, the third such occurrence in Australia's last seven home Tests. Despite the match ending inside two days, the Mackay pitch had only 3.5mm of grass and is expected to receive a favourable rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC), similar to the two-day Perth Test during last season's Ashes. CA's operations and scheduling chief Peter Roach discussed pitch preparation with curators from Australia's first-class venues during an annual conference in July. State men's coaches also held discussions with CA's high-performance staff, including national coach Andrew McDonald, head of national teams Ben Oliver and head of cricket James Allsopp. The quality of pitches in both Test and Sheffield Shield cricket was a major topic of discussion. One of CA's concerns is Australia's declining home batting numbers. Four of the country's last 20 home Tests have failed to reach a third day, while batting and bowling averages have generally moved in a less favourable direction. The issue has prompted debate over whether Australia's batting problems are primarily the result of declining techniques and temperament, modern batting styles influenced by limited-overs cricket, changes to the Kookaburra ball or increasingly bowler-friendly pitches. Roach said CA's message to curators has changed after years of encouraging a stronger emphasis on bowling-friendly conditions. "Our previous language, probably for the best part of a decade, has been that we do want to see a balance between bat and ball," Roach said. "But over the last decade, that's probably been a 'when in doubt lean towards the bowler'." He explained that CA now wants curators to adopt a different approach. "Our language is we still want the balance, but if in doubt lean towards the batter." According to Roach, the change does not mean CA will instruct curators to produce flat pitches. Instead, the emphasis will be on making small adjustments during pitch preparation, such as reducing the amount of grass, taking a little more off the surface or giving the pitch an additional roll. "We still want to see results in our games. We don't want long, laborious draws," Roach said. "But the language that we [now want] to get across to our curators is that 'if in doubt, favour the batter.'" The move comes amid concerns about the standard of Shield batting. Last season, the highest batting average among the competition's top 10 run-scorers was only 36.41. Former players have increasingly described the situation as a batting crisis, while Australia's batters have also pointed to the changing nature of the Kookaburra ball. The ball was modified in 2019 with a second layer of lacquer and additional reinforcement to the seam, making it harder and allowing it to retain its characteristics for longer. Australia batter Steven Smith has previously acknowledged that batting has become more difficult since the change. Smith averaged 77.25 in 29 home Tests between 2010 and 2019, scoring 13 centuries in 50 innings. Since the ball change, he has averaged 45.53 in 35 home Tests, with six centuries in 61 innings. During Australia's 2024-25 series against India, Smith said the combination of greener pitches and the harder Kookaburra ball had made batting particularly challenging. Roach agreed that several factors have contributed to the changing conditions and said curators would need to continue adapting. "It's been a combination of things, and our curators, as always, will need to adjust, as they always have, to try and get the best balance in each game of cricket they have," he said. Sheffield Shield Session Timings Changed CA has also made a minor change to session timings for the upcoming Sheffield Shield season. Previously, the first two sessions lasted two hours each, while the final session could be extended to two-and-a-half hours. Under the new arrangement, an additional 15 minutes will be added to the second session, meaning the second and third sessions will each last two hours and 15 minutes when the full extra hour is required. The change follows feedback that the final session had become too long, particularly because slow over-rates frequently resulted in an extended final session and two drinks breaks. The adjustment could also create more opportunities for spin bowling during the middle session, an area that has declined in the Shield in recent seasons. "This was in response to a submission," Roach said. "There might be an opportunity here to look at things a different way and get a marginal gain in terms of it being a bit easier to bat at a certain time of day, and maybe a few more opportunities for the spinners." CA will also retain the injury substitution rule for the upcoming Shield season after its successful introduction last summer. However, there are currently no plans to alter the competition's bonus-point system or toss rules. Roach acknowledged that 22 of 31 Shield matches last season saw teams choose to bowl first, but said CA had no immediate plans to make changes. The broader pitch strategy, meanwhile, represents a significant shift in emphasis as Australian cricket looks to improve the balance between bat and ball and ensure the domestic game continues to produce Test-ready batters.

Pakistan have taken an unconventional approach to their preparations for the Women's T20 Asia Cup, playing competitive T20 matches against the men's side of the Abdul Qadir Cricket Academy during their pre-tournament camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. With the Asia Cup scheduled to begin in Dubai on August 28, Pakistan are hoping the matches against teenage and senior male cricketers will help them improve their decision-making and ability to handle pressure in crucial moments. Rather than using the games as scenario-based training exercises, Pakistan played full 20-over matches to recreate the pressure and uncertainty of competitive cricket. The tougher opposition also provided the players with a chance to test themselves against higher levels of skill and fitness. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana believes the approach has strengthened the team's preparations. "We are well prepared for the tournament," Sana said. "We have played competitive matches against boys in which we were put under pressure. These learnings will help us adapt to the challenges of the competition." Pakistan have struggled to close out tight matches in recent T20Is, with a lack of attention to detail and inconsistent performances under pressure becoming recurring concerns. At this year's T20 World Cup, Pakistan managed just one victory from five matches, defeating the Netherlands. They were criticised after letting opportunities slip against South Africa and Bangladesh, while their fielding and performances against stronger opponents India and Australia also raised concerns. Sana was one of the few standout performers for Pakistan during the tournament. The allrounder finished with 11 wickets, the joint second-highest tally overall and the most by a fast bowler. She also scored an unbeaten 55 off 38 balls against South Africa, finishing the tournament with a batting average of 21.25 and a strike rate of 110.38. The Pakistan captain said the recent training matches were specifically designed to address the team's struggles in high-pressure situations. "We needed to understand how to handle the pressure better, and that is something which is highlighted whenever there is a big tournament," Sana said. "These matches have helped us on that front, and the difference will be visible. It is very important to stay calm in pressure situations rather than pressing the panic button. We have told the girls to stay calm in the crunch moments, and stay in control by trusting their hard work and executing the plans." Sana returns to Pakistan's T20I side after missing the three-match series in Sri Lanka in July and August, which Pakistan lost 2-1. She had opted to play in the Hundred instead, representing Birmingham Phoenix after being selected in the replacement draft. Her stint in England also made history, as she became the first Pakistan women's cricketer to play in the Hundred. Sana took three wickets at 37.66 and scored 57 runs at an average of 19 for Phoenix. "It was exciting to play in the Hundred as all eyes were on me because I was the first ever woman cricketer [from Pakistan] to play in the competition," she said. "It is always a great honour to represent Pakistan. I wanted to do my best, and thankfully, I was able to do good, which I hope will open the doors for more women in the competition." Pakistan will enter the Asia Cup looking to improve on their recent record in the tournament. They last reached the final a decade ago, while in the previous edition they were eliminated in the semi-final by eventual champions Sri Lanka. The Women's Asia Cup will be played in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. Pakistan have been drawn in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, Thailand and Hong Kong. They will begin their campaign against Thailand on September 1 before facing India on September 5. Their final group-stage match will be against Hong Kong on September 7. Sana believes Pakistan's familiarity with conditions in Dubai could also work in their favour. "Definitely the conditions [in Dubai] are similar [to Pakistan], and we are well-aware about how we have to play in them," she said. With their intensive preparations complete, Pakistan will now look to translate the lessons from their matches against the men's side into performances under pressure when their Asia Cup campaign gets underway.

Melbourne Stars have appointed former Yorkshire allrounder Richard Pyrah as their new head coach for the upcoming Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) season. Pyrah, 43, will take over from Andy Christie, who has moved back into an assistant coaching role after guiding the Stars to the WBBL Knockout last season. The Stars were eliminated by Perth Scorchers at that stage. Christie's move back to an assistant role was announced in July as he prepares to concentrate on his responsibilities as head coach of Victoria's women's team in the Women's National Cricket League (WNCL). Pyrah is currently in his third season as Yorkshire women's coach. He also worked as an assistant with Sunrisers Leeds during this season's women's Hundred, where he worked closely with Melbourne Stars captain Annabel Sutherland. Sutherland enjoyed an outstanding campaign, winning the Player of the Season award as Sunrisers Leeds reached the final before losing to Trent Rockets. Pyrah also has previous experience in Australian domestic cricket, having worked as a consultant with Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers between 2015 and 2017. Melbourne Stars general manager James Rosengarten welcomed Pyrah's appointment and highlighted his experience across both men's and women's cricket. "He is an experienced coach across both women's and men's programs and will bring a diverse skillset to the team," Rosengarten said. "This move is all about strengthening our club." Rosengarten also praised Christie's contribution last season and said retaining him within the coaching structure would provide valuable continuity. "Andy did a sensational job last season guiding our team to the WBBL finals, and having him remain a part of the program was important to us," he said. "He already coaches a number of our players across the Victorian women's team, so to have that continuity leading into the WBBL season will be an asset for us." Pyrah's appointment comes amid a reshaping of coaching staff across Melbourne's WBBL teams. Melbourne Renegades recently appointed Australia women's assistant coach Gavan Twining as their new WBBL head coach. Twining replaces Simon Helmot, who left the Renegades after leading them to the WBBL title and has since taken up a coaching role with Gulf Giants in the ILT20. With Pyrah now at the helm, the Stars will look to build on last season's finals appearance and push further in the upcoming WBBL campaign.

Sri Lanka have replaced injured allrounder Dewmi Vihanga with left-arm spinner Nimasha Meepage in their squad for the Women's T20 Asia Cup in the UAE. Vihanga was ruled out after suffering a right-knee injury during a practice match before the team travelled to the UAE. The injury means the young allrounder will have to wait for her T20 International debut. Meepage, who made her T20I debut in December 2025, has been called up as her replacement. She has represented Sri Lanka 14 times across formats and has taken six wickets in nine T20I innings at an average of 38.33, with an economy rate of 7.66. The remainder of Sri Lanka's squad remains unchanged, with Chamari Athapaththu continuing as captain and Harshitha Samarawickrama serving as vice-captain. Kaushini Nuthyangana is the only wicketkeeper in the 15-member squad. The defending champions have been placed in Group B alongside Bangladesh, Indonesia and the UAE. Sri Lanka will begin their title defence against hosts UAE on August 29. Sri Lanka are the reigning Asia Cup champions after defeating India in the final in Dambulla in 2024. They will be aiming to retain the title with a squad led by the experienced Athapaththu. Sri Lanka squad for the Women's T20 Asia Cup Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Imesha Dulani, Sanjana Kavindi, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama (vice-captain), Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Hasini Perera, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, Chethana Vimukthi, Kawya Kavindi, Mithali Ayodhya, Nimasha Meepage

Melbourne Stars have appointed former Yorkshire allrounder Richard Pyrah as their new head coach for the upcoming Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) season. The 43-year-old Englishman will take charge of the Stars after spending the past three seasons as head coach of Yorkshire Women. Last season’s coach, Andy Christie, will return to an assistant coaching role as he focuses on his responsibilities as head coach of Victoria’s women’s team in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL). Christie guided the Stars to the WBBL Knockout last season, where they were eliminated by the Perth Scorchers. The club announced in July that he would step back into an assistant role while continuing his work with Victoria. Pyrah brings extensive experience across both men’s and women’s cricket. He was also an assistant coach with Sunrisers Leeds in this season’s Women’s Hundred, where he worked alongside Stars captain Annabel Sutherland. Sutherland enjoyed an outstanding campaign, earning Player of the Season honours as Sunrisers reached the final before losing to Trent Rockets. The former Yorkshire allrounder also has previous experience in the Big Bash League, having worked as a consultant with Melbourne Renegades and Adelaide Strikers between 2015 and 2017. “Richard is an experienced coach across both women's and men's programs and will bring a diverse skillset to the team,” Stars general manager James Rosengarten said. “This move is all about strengthening our club. Andy did a sensational job last season guiding our team to the WBBL finals, and having him remain a part of the program was important to us.” Rosengarten also highlighted the continuity provided by Christie’s existing role with Victoria, where he coaches several Stars players. “He already coaches a number of our players across the Victorian women's team, so to have that continuity leading into the WBBL season will be an asset for us,” he added. Pyrah’s appointment comes amid a wider reshaping of coaching roles in the WBBL. Melbourne Renegades recently appointed Gavan Twining, an assistant coach with the Australia women’s team, as their new head coach after Simon Helmot left the club to take charge of Gulf Giants in the ILT20. With Pyrah now at the helm and Christie continuing as an assistant, the Stars will look to build on last season’s finals appearance and push for a stronger WBBL campaign.

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.