Nepal and Oman have officially sealed their spots for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, confirming their qualification even before their Super Six meeting in Al Amerat. The two Asian sides became the 18th and 19th teams to book their tickets for the global event, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 6 to March 7, 2026.

Their qualification was confirmed after the UAE defeated Samoa by 77 runs earlier in the day, a result that ensured Nepal and Oman would finish as the top two teams in the Asia-East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifier. Both sides sit level on points, separated only by net run rate, while UAE remain third and will face Japan next in a must-win fixture for the final available spot.

Nepal’s campaign has been driven by their star wristspinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who has claimed ten wickets in four matches at an impressive average of 9.40 and an economy rate under six. His match-winning spell of 5 for 18 against Qatar was crucial in defending a modest total of 148. Nepal have shown remarkable consistency and composure, winning close contests against UAE and Qatar to remain unbeaten through the group and Super Six stages.

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Nepal and Oman seal historic qualification for 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka

Oman, on the other hand, continued their fine form from previous ICC events. Led by strong performances from left-arm seamer Jiten Ramanandi, who has taken seven wickets at an economy of 5.90, Oman overcame both Qatar and UAE in tight finishes to seal qualification. The Gulf nation has now qualified for its third T20 World Cup after appearances in 2016 and 2024.

For Nepal, this marks a third qualification as well, following their earlier entries in 2014 and 2024. Both teams made first-round exits in the 2024 edition but will now look to build on that experience heading into 2026.

With one spot still up for grabs, UAE, Japan, and Qatar remain in contention. However, for Nepal and Oman, the focus now shifts to preparing for the main event, where they’ll once again share the world stage with cricket’s biggest names.

Last month, USA Cricket experienced a very serious blow when the ICC suspended them for numerous and continued breaches of membership obligations under the ICC's constitution. USA Cricket calls the suspension one of the most difficult moments in its history, emphasizing the disappointment such an event has caused throughout the expanding cricket community in the United States.

The suspension followed a detailed ICC review of USA Cricket’s operations, along with consultations with multiple stakeholders over the past year. On October 11, USA Cricket broke their silence through an official statement addressing the matter. “The recent suspension of USA Cricket by the International Cricket Council has been one of the most difficult moments in our history. It has caused uncertainty and disappointment for players, members, volunteers, and supporters. Yet this moment must not be mistaken for dysfunction. It is the result of difficult but necessary decisions taken to protect the game, the organisation, and the future of cricket in the United States,” the statement read.

Previously, USA Cricket had been warned during the ICC's 2024 Annual General Meeting for failing to meet membership compliance requirements. The organisation’s inability to conduct free and fair elections ultimately led to the suspension, though the ICC confirmed that USA’s national teams will still be allowed to participate in ICC events, including preparations for cricket’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games.

ICC Oversight and Path to Reinstatement

An ICC Normalisation Committee has now been appointed to reduce the requirements for USA Cricket to reacquire membership. This process will require verifiable and specific reforms in governance, operations and management, and reinstatement will be subject to full compliance.

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At the same time, the USA’s national teams will continue to operate under the oversight of the ICC, and representatives will oversee their operations to ensure operations continue to run smoothly. Despite the suspension, the event will continue to receive ICC support to ensure participation in international events as reforms are implemented by the event to improve cricket's administration in the United States.

Mohammed Siraj has improved a lot since the days when he struggled with his bowling. Now, he is one of India’s top bowlers and helps the team win matches. In the recent five-match Test series against England, he took 23 wickets and played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2.

Mohammed Siraj’s Journey from Struggles to Success

But there was a time when things were tough for him. He used to leak runs and faced criticism and trolling on social media. “I was trolled when I didn’t bowl well in the IPL. If I performed, people praised me. If I didn’t, they would say, ‘Go ride the auto with your father,’” Siraj said.

Mohammed Siraj said, "when I joined the team, MS Dhoni told me, 'Don’t pay attention to what others say. When you are performing well the fans and the world will be with you and say there is no bowler like Siraj. In the next game, if you don’t perform, they will say go, ride the… pic.twitter.com/cQSKgDCB7U

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 6, 2025

He says MS Dhoni helped him deal with the pressure. “When I joined the Indian team, Dhoni told me not to worry about what people say. If you do well, everyone supports you. If you fail, some will abuse you,” he recalled. Dhoni’s advice stayed with him. “I realized that I don’t need outside praise. What matters are the opinions of my teammates and family.”

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Siraj’s journey is even more inspiring considering his family background. His father was an auto-rickshaw driver, and his mother worked hard to make ends meet. “I never thought I would play for India. We didn’t have much money. I used to give the money I earned from tennis-ball cricket to my parents,” he shared. Today, he credits his success to hard work, God, and the blessings of his parents.

The September month was full of the shortest formats around the globe. Zimbabwe hosted Sri Lanka in the ODI and T20I series before the start of the T20 Asia Cup 2025 in the United Arab Emirates. India, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, went through a successful and unbeaten campaign to lift the title by beating Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

India’s opening batter, Abhishek Sharma, has continued to go through a breakout year with explosive run as he was named the Player of the Tournament. The southpaw creamed 314 runs in seven T20I innings at a strike rate of 200 with the help of three half-centuries. His aggressive play at the top of the order helped them dominate throughout the event.

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Abhishek also reached the highest batting rating ever recorded in men’s T20I history with 931 points. He continued to go through the rapid rise on the international stage. The Punjab-born will look to hold the same form and rhythm against Australia in the T20I series down under.

Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav nominated for ICC Men’s Player of September awards

The left-arm wrist spinner of the Blue Brigade, Kuldeep Yadav, has produced a dream run with the ball as it emerged as the leading wicket-taker at the T20 Asia Cup 2025 with 17 wickets at an economy rate of just over six. He began the competition with stunning figures of 4/7 against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and finished with another four-fer against Pakistan.

Kuldeep picked up at least one wicket in all of India’s games as his ability to strike in the middle overs played a crucial role in their success. The third and last player of the list is Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett. He was in exceptional touch in September to nail 497 runs at a strike rate of 165.66 with an average of 55.22.

After topping the charts against Sri Lanka and Namibia, Brian carried the same form into the Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional final where he clubbed 72, 65, and 111 in the first three innings. Zimbabwe has also secured spot for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

Several star players of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 have been rewarded big ratings in the latest ICC Women’s ODI player rankings. India’s southpaw opener, Smriti Mandhana still remains at the top of the batting ranking with a healthy advantage but a host of players have made ground during the early stages of the eight-team tournament.

In-form South African batter, Tanzim Brits, also showed her superb run with a century against the White Ferns and rose two places to fourth overall. On the other hand, fellow centurion, Ash Gardner, of Australia, has also got seven spots to rise to the fifth position as both players achieve their new career-high ratings.

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Rankings for Women’s ODI batters

 Sophie Devine and Ashleigh Gardner earn heavy reward in ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 ranking

New Zealand veteran, Sophie Devine, has gone up by seven posts to the eighth rank while the Pakistan left-handed batter, Sidra Amin, has rung up three ranks to equal 10^th, which are their bet ratings after their strong beginning to the Women’s World Cup. The South Africa all-rounder, Marizanne Kapp has reached to the fifth position while Australia’s leg spinner, Alana King, has made to the seventh rank as the pair gave gained one spot each.

There is some change outside the top 10 though, with the Protea spinner, Nonkululeko Mlaba, has gone up six spots to 13^th and Australia pacer, Annabel Sutherland has rung up nine places to 14^th after a handful of encounter in India and Sri Lanka.

Teammate, Kim Garth, also excelled in the clash against New Zealand as she rises four places to 18^th on the same list for the all-rounders of the 50-over format. Devine jumps one spot to the ninth spot after her hot beginning with the bat at the World Cup.

Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja showed once again why he is one of India’s finest all-rounders as he scored his sixth Test hundred in the opening match against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. With this knock, Jadeja entered a very special club. He became only the sixth cricketer in history to have both six or more Test centuries and over 300 wickets to his name. The legendary list includes Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, Imran Khan, Daniel Vettori, and Ravi Ashwin.

Ravindra Jadeja Joins Elite Club With Sixth Test Century in Ahmedabad

Jadeja brought up his century off 169 balls, reaching the milestone with a single against Jomel Warrican. He celebrated in trademark style with his sword celebration, bringing the home crowd to its feet. Interestingly, Washington Sundar was at the other end, just like the last time Jadeja got a Test hundred in Manchester against England.

This time though, it was not about saving the match but stamping India’s dominance. At the time of his century, India had already crossed 437/5, with their lead stretching well past 270 runs. India ended Day 2 at 448/5, ahead by 286 runs.

🚨 6TH TEST HUNDREDS FOR SIR RAVINDRA JADEJA 🚨

- The No.1 Test Allrounder in the World. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/zmhFws4LmD

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) October 3, 2025

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Jadeja’s innings was built on a brilliant 206-run stand with Dhruv Jurel, who scored his maiden Test hundred (125 off 210 balls). Earlier in the day, KL Rahul also scored a century his first on home soil in over 3,200 days. Jadeja now stands just 10 runs away from another rare record joining Kapil Dev, Ian Botham, and Daniel Vettori as the only players with 4000 Test runs and 300-plus wickets. With every milestone, Jadeja is proving why he is one of the greatest all-rounders in this generation.

After a tough 2-2 series in England, India are back home to continue their ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 campaign. Shubman Gill will lead a young Indian side in a two-Test series against the West Indies, starting in Ahmedabad on Thursday (October 2).

This series is a big chance for the team to settle and grow after the retirements of legends like Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and former captain Rohit Sharma. It’s also India’s first home series since the disappointing 3-0 loss to New Zealand last November. Gill and his players will now look to start fresh and build their own strong record at home, just like the teams before them.

Pitch Report – Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

The red-soil pitch in Ahmedabad is expected to have a healthy green cover. The curator has left grass that will likely be trimmed to about 4–5mm before the toss. Fast bowlers should find help early on with seam movement and bounce from the new ball. As the game progresses, the surface may wear down, giving spinners more of a role.

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India vs West Indies 1st Test – Match Details

How to Watch India vs West Indies 1st Test in India

The cricketing community is gearing up for one of this year's biggest matches, the Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, but right before the highly-anticipated match, off-field controversy appears to steal its interrupts the attention.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lodged a complaint to the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Arshdeep Singh, India’s left-arm fast-bowler, for allegedly gesturing inappropriately during the Super Four match between the two rival nations.

What Occurred?

According to reports, the alleged incident occurred on September 21, following India’s Super Four victory over Pakistan. Video of Arshdeep possibly gesturing into the crowd was shared on social media and subsequently led to outrage across the border.

The PCB claimed in their complaint how Arshdeep’s actions were “unsportsmanlike, inappropriate and in breach of the ICC Code of Conduct,” and they implored the ICC to pursue strict disciplinary action, as the bowler’s actions undermined the ‘spirit of cricket’.

Although the ICC has not formally announced any publication of the complaint, some reports state that there has improved apprehension of an outcome for the action that Arshdeep is alleged to been done. 

A Tournament Plagued by Issues

The Asia Cup has not been free from controversy. Earlier in the tournament:

• Haris Rauf was penalized with a 30% fine on his match fee for making an incendiary gesture to fans after a complaint by the BCCI. The PCB has confirmed it will be appealing the penalty.
• Suryakumar Yadav, who was captain of India, was also fined 30% of his match fee for dedicating India’s group-stage win to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, which the PCB deemed to be “politically charged.” Although the BCCI defended Surya’s comments as patriotic, the ICC upheld the fine and warned him about political comments in the future.

These incidents signal how high-stakes this Asia Cup was becoming, losing temper on and off the field.

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Mind Games or Legitimate Complaints?

Cricket experts continue to remain divided on whether or not the PCB’s complaint against Arshdeep is legitimate discipline or an attempt to play mind games and unsettle India before the final.

Former Pakistani cricketers have also supported the assertion, arguing that the standard of player behaviour should always be top-notch in matches of such significance. The Indian commentators view it as "psychological warfare", as if the PCB is trying to divert the attention away from the first two matches in a row that Pakistan had lost to India in this tournament.

The Final Awaits

Despite the commotion, the cricket is still the story for tonight. India will look to complete a hat-trick of wins over Pakistan in the Asia Cup, with some help from Jasprit Bumrah returning to the side, and Abhishek Sharma exploiting a good run of form. Pakistan will be desperate for revenge and redemption.

With the Dubai International Stadium fully sold out and millions of fans tuning in from across the globe, the conditions could not be better. When the two giants of Asian cricket take to the field tonight, the controversy will only add another incendiary element into a rivalry that has been capturing the attention of the world since the tournament commenced.

The tension between India and Pakistan remains in the Asia Cup 2025. Ahead of the final of the tournament, there are some more updates around the India and Pakistan cricket teams. So far, in the ongoing contest, India vs Pakistan was held on two occasions—first, during the group stage, and second, during the Super Four phase.

In both matches, there were controversies. ICC match referee Richie Richardson heard both of the sides. Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been punished by the ICC for his "abusive language and aggressive gestures" during the Super 4 clash against India, while opener Sahibzada Farhan had to present in front of the match referee for his "gun-fire" gesture after scoring a fifty in the same match.

Gestures from both of the players were under scrutiny. According to media reports, Richardson conducted disciplinary hearings at the Pakistan team hotel and heard statements from those two Pakistani players, along with their team manager, Naveed Akram Cheema. After the hearing, Rauf was fined 30% of his match fees for violating the ICC Code of Conduct, and Farhan received a warning for his controversial celebration. Suryakumar Yadav was also fined 30% of his match fees for his comments.

Read More: [WATCH]: Smriti Mandhana replies to Shubman Gill's message ahead of ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025

ICC to take strict step against Pakistan cricket team? 

As of now, updates regarding the hearings came through various media reports, not from any official statement. In the Asia Cup 2025 final, there will be another India vs. Pakistan match. It is highly believed that the International Cricket Council may not be going to release any official statement before the high-octane clash.

After the final, a possible official statement from ICC is expected to come. India is set to take on Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 28. It will be the first time when these two arch rivals will meet in the Asia Cup final. 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has taken matters into his own hands to pay the fine levied against fast bowler Haris Rauf by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The fine was issued to Rauf after he was found guilty of inappropriate language during the high-profile Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours match against India. According to Pakistan media outlet Samaa TV, Naqvi has decided to bear the cost himself.

The ICC fined Rauf 30% of his match fee for the offence, amounting to 125,575 PKR, which equals approximately 39,000 INR. Based on Cricket Resolved’s report, Rauf earns 418,584 PKR per T20I, meaning the penalty cut into nearly a third of his earnings from the game. By choosing to pay the fine personally, Naqvi ensured his player was not financially burdened, even posting a light-hearted Cristiano Ronaldo meme referencing the controversial “6-0 jet” gesture that contributed to Rauf’s penalty.

Meanwhile, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was also sanctioned by the ICC for breaching the code of conduct. He was fined an identical 30% of his match fee after making remarks about the Pahalgam terror attack, comments the Pakistan Cricket Board argued had politicised the sport. The ICC confirmed that Suryakumar pleaded not guilty, but match referee Richie Richardson rejected his defence.

Complaints and ICC Sanctions

The heated encounter saw multiple disciplinary flashpoints. Apart from Rauf’s exchange with Indian batters and his boundary-line gesture, teammate Sahibzada Farhan also drew attention for celebrating his half-century with a gun-shot gesture, which earned him an official warning from the referee.

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According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged a complaint against both Rauf and Farhan for what it termed unacceptable on-field conduct. On the other hand, the PCB filed two separate complaints against Suryakumar Yadav, even demanding a harsher Level 4 sanction reserved for the most serious breaches. While the ICC stopped short of that, both sides left the fixture with fines and disciplinary marks, underlining the high-pressure nature of the India–Pakistan rivalry.