The International Cricket Council (ICC) is mourning the tragic loss to the game following the news of the passing of the international umpire, Bismillah Jan Shinwari. He was a member of the ICC International Panel of Umpires. Shinwari officiated in 25 ODIs and 21 T20Is, making his debut in the game during the 50-over fixture between Afghanistan and Ireland in Sharjah in December 2017. 

Shinwari was a respected figure on both the domestic and international stages of the game. He passed away at the age of just 41, due to an illness. Born in 1984 in Afghanistan, Bismillah Jan Shinwari developed a deep love for the game where sport was not the first option. There are limited details of his early life, but his dedication towards the game was incredible as he pursued umpiring, a role that requires commitment to the sport.

SEE ALSO: WATCH: Yograj Singh drops huge remark on media after India's victory against England in second Test

“ACB’s leadership, staff, and entire Afghan Atalan family are deeply shocked and saddened by the demise of Bismillah Jan Shinwari, a respected member of Afghanistan’s elite umpiring panel. It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of Mr. Shinwari’s demise following an illness. "Bismillah Jan was a great servant of Afghan cricket.” The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) posted its tribute to the umpire on Tuesday.

ICC mourns passing away of Afghanistan umpire

Bismillah officiated in numerous high-profile games across formats. According to the ACB, he was part of 34 ODIs, 26 T20Is, 31 first-class, 51 List-A, and 96 domestic T20 fixtures in his career. His portfolio reflects his versatile and reliable character as an umpire. Due to his calm and decision-making character, he was also a favorite among the players.

Jay Shah, the ICC chairman, mourned Bismillah’s death and expressed condolences to his family. His contributions to Afghanistan cricket extend beyond the umpiring record. He also played a pivotal role in the promotion of the game where cricket later became a national pride with the success of the national side and their players. His work also helps in narrowing the gap between domestic and international cricket, bringing them to the global standard.

Shinwari’s legacy will remain an inspiration. Afghanistan continues to grow as a cricketing nation. His untimely passing has left a void, but his contributions will be remembered among the Afghanistan cricket and beyond for years to come.

The ICC announced the nominees for the ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2025, with three of the game's longest-format stars. Two South African stars from their record-breaking ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 victory and one reliable Sri Lankan opener lead the shortlist.

Aiden Markram (South Africa)

South African opener Aiden Markram was the fulcrum of his team's WTC Final triumph at Lord's, delivering when it mattered. First, he did so with the ball, bowling out Steve Smith with his sixth ball after the Australian had settled in during a handy partnership with Beau Webster.

Markram made a forgettable batting debut in the first innings, bowled without a run by Mitchell Starc. But Markram left his stamp of class in the second innings. South Africa was chasing a tall 282 at that time, and Markram took the stage after the early fall of Ryan Rickelton. He formed crucial partnerships with Wiaan Mulder and captain Temba Bavuma, who was nursing an injury. Markram even comforted Bavuma in the dressing room, exhibiting calm leadership under pressure.

He continued to score a regal 136, leading South Africa to their five-wicket victory and first ICC senior men's title in 27 years. Markram also removed the last wicket of Australia's second innings, having Josh Hazlewood out to seal the deal with both bat and ball.

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

Rabada spearheaded South Africa's pace group with customary aggression and accuracy in the WTC Final. In a swing-friendly Day 1 at Lord's, he got the ball rolling by dismissing Usman Khawaja and then went on to take his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests. His 33.4 overs through the air for the match returned nine wickets for only 110 runs.

ALSO SEE: Prithvi Shaw joins new team for the upcoming domestic season

He became almost unplayable at times, sending away important batsmen such as Cameron Green, Alex Carey, and Nathan Lyon in the second innings. Rabada's work ensured that Australia never got away with the game. He finished the Test fourth on South Africa's list of all-time Test wicket-takers with 336 wickets, having gone past Allan Donald.

Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka’s dependable opener Pathum Nissanka had a phenomenal start to the new WTC cycle, notching back-to-back centuries in the home Test series against Bangladesh. After Bangladesh posted 495 in Galle, Nissanka responded with a career-best 187, which included 24 boundaries and a six. His effort helped Sri Lanka come within 10 runs of the total.

Following a difficult 32-over phase towards the end of the game, Nissanka's grit secured 24 in a tense second innings, securing a draw. In the second Test, he complemented it with another brilliant knock of 158, studded with 19 fours. His brilliant batting helped Sri Lanka post a 211-run lead, setting the stage for a crucial innings-and-78-run win and a 1-0 series win.

In June, all the nominees performed game-altering pieces of work, either through series-defining consistency or under extremely tight final situations. The ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2025 is now open to vote for by fans.

A part of cricket fans are curious about the future of Jay Shah at the International Cricket Council (ICC) as Sanjog Gupta got a brand new appointment letter and is ready to take a new role at the ICC, which left the question, 'Is Jay Shah set to leave the ICC?' across social media platforms. 

As per the latest developments, Sanjog Gupta will take over as the seventh CEO of the ICC on July 7, 2025, as the Chief Executive Officer of the council. Gupta's predecessor, Geoff Allardice, stepped down from the role in January this year after having taken over in an interim capacity in 2020 and then on a full-time basis in 2021. Now, Sanjog Gupta will take over the prestigious job to take ICC forward. 

Is Jay Shah leaving the International Cricket Council? 

The recent rumors about Shah's future spread across the social media platforms are completely baseless. Shah is the chairman of the International Cricket Council, and Gupta is appointed as the CEO of the cricket governing body. So, Shah remains effective in his ICC duties. 

ICC appoints India's Sanjog Gupta as its new Chief Executive. #ICC pic.twitter.com/H41dvAfaaz

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 7, 2025

Read More: ICC Men's T20 World Cup Europe Qualifiers 2025: Guernsey vs Jersey Live Streaming

Who is Sanjog Gupta? 

Sanjog Gupta has a very strong curriculum vitae and years of experience in this sector of sports. Previously, Gupta worked as the CEO of sports and live experiences at JioStar. The appointment of Gupta marked ICC's global recruitment process. Jay Shah is pleased to announce the recruitment in the office. 

"I am pleased to announce that Sanjog Gupta has been appointed as the CEO of the ICC. Sanjog brings extensive experience in sports strategy and commercialization, which will be invaluable for the ICC," ICC chairman Jay said in an official statement. 

In a historic announcement on Monday (July 7, 2025), the International Cricket Council (ICC) has selected Indian sports and media executive Sanjog Gupta as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). An experienced hand in the world of broadcasting and sports business, Gupta takes over with immediate effect and will be the seventh CEO in ICC's history.

As the CEO of Sports & Live Experiences at JioStar, where he played a crucial part in transforming how sports are watched in India, Gupta has a wide range of experience. The hiring comes after the ICC conducted a comprehensive global search in March 2025 and received over 2,500 applications from 25 countries.

A New Era for Cricket Leadership

ICC Chairman Jay Shah had greeted the appointment with optimism, citing Gupta's "extensive understanding of international sports and M&E (media & entertainment) landscape" as being of key importance to cricket's future.

"Sanjog has huge experience in sports strategy and commercialization that will be hugely beneficial to the ICC," Shah stated. "His enthusiasm for technology and fan experience will prove to be crucial as we seek to expand cricket beyond its current strongholds."

The appointment of Gupta was unanimously approved by the ICC Nominations Committee, which is made up of Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, ECB Chairman Richard Thompson, SLC President Shammi Silva, and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia. Having been approved by Jay Shah, the appointment was confirmed by the entire ICC Board.

From Journalist to Global Cricket Executive

Sanjog Gupta's career first started in journalism, before moving to Star India (now JioStar) in 2010. He had a number of significant leadership positions spanning content strategy, programming, and sports broadcasting, finally becoming the Head of Sports at Disney-Star India in 2020.

He was instrumental in increasing the viewership and commercial size of flagship cricket assets such as the IPL and ICC properties and also drove multi-language, digital-first, and women's sports programming.

ALSO SEE: 'He was zoning in... ' - Ben Stokes heap praises Akash Deep after his memorable performance in ENG vs IND 2nd Test

In November 2024, Gupta became the CEO of JioStar Sports after the Viacom18-Disney Star merger, where he emphasized innovation-led expansion and fan-first broadcasting models.

New ICC CEO Sees Fan-Focused, Olympic-Ready Cricket Future

In response to his appointment, Gupta was upbeat and committed to growing the global popularity of cricket. "It is an honor to take charge of the ICC when cricket is on the brink of historic growth," he stated. "With close to 2 billion ardent supporters, mega international events, women's cricket on the upswing, and Olympic entry in Los Angeles 2028, the game is on the threshold of change."

Gupta underscored his ambitions of improving fan engagement, strengthening cricket's roots in core markets, and taking the game into new geographies through innovation, collaborations, and digital technology.

The appointment of Gupta is a sign of the trend towards modernizing cricket's international operations, with a focus on data-driven decision-making, immersive fan engagement, and increased game commercialisation through digital media. His background in starting leagues like the Indian Super League (ISL) and Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) will be used to introduce fresh ideas for cricket administration.

Gupta's media-savvy leadership may prove to be a pivotal element as cricket strives to expand its presence in the Americas, Africa, and Asia-Pacific and looks to be included in the upcoming Olympics.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is on the verge of being left out of the inaugural World Clubs T20 Championship, a highly anticipated global tournament set to launch next year with backing from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its chairman Jay Shah. The exclusion has sparked widespread criticism, with many blaming the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a major oversight.

According to inside sources, the PSL champions likely contenders such as Lahore Qalandars or Multan Sultans will not be invited to participate in the event after PCB failed to attend a key planning meeting held on the sidelines of the Cricket Connect Summit in London. The meeting was hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and included CEOs of major T20 leagues like the BBL, SA20, CPL, The Hundred, ILT20, and MLC.

“The PCB was invited to send the CEO of PSL to the meeting, but no one showed up,” a source revealed. This absence reportedly hurt Pakistan’s position in discussions surrounding the event's format, schedule, and long-term vision. The inaugural edition is expected to feature five teams excluding IPL franchises for now, despite the BCCI’s backing, and mirror the model of the defunct Champions League T20.

ALSO SEE: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Fixtures, Venues, and Key Clashes Announced

PSL Faces Global Exclusion Amid Saudi League Pressure

While Saudi Arabia’s proposed $400 million cricket league looms large in the background, the World Clubs Championship appears to be a counter-move, fast-tracked to establish a unified global franchise competition before Saudi plans materialize.

In the meantime, Pakistan is experiencing internal strife. Ali Tareen, the owner of the Multan Sultans, has publicly criticized the PCB for making "misleading" statements regarding PSL 10, pointing to problems with viewership, attendance, and poor management.

With the global T20 schedule changing quickly and Pakistan's cricket ecosystem coming under more scrutiny, this latest omission could be a serious blow to the PSL's reputation abroad.

The countdown has officially commenced for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, with the complete fixture for the milestone tournament revealed today. To be staged over seven iconic stadiums in England, the 10th installment of the Women's T20 World Cup will get underway on Friday, 12 June 2026, and end with the final of the grand affair at Lord's Cricket Ground on Sunday, 5 July.

The month-long extravaganza will begin with hosts England facing Sri Lanka under lights at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in what is set to be an enthralling curtain-raiser. The tournament has 12 countries, grouped into two pools of six, with 33 matches to be played across 24 days.

Venues Befitting Champions

The seven host venues are:

• Lord's Cricket Ground (London – Final)
• The Oval (London – Semi-finals)
• Edgbaston (Birmingham)
• Old Trafford Cricket Ground (Manchester)
• Headingley (Leeds)
• Hampshire Bowl (Southampton)
• Bristol County Ground (Bristol)

Tournament Format

Two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, both of which will be staged at The Oval, with Group 1 champion vs Group 2 runner-up and vice versa. The final confrontation will take place at the home of cricket, Lord's, guaranteeing a historic conclusion.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group Stage

Full Fixtures – ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

ALSO SEE: Top 5 Most Popular Sports in the World

Blockbuster Clashes Await

Fans can look forward to high-voltage rivalries, including:

• India vs Pakistan – June 14 at Edgbaston
• Australia vs South Africa – June 13 at Old Trafford
• West Indies vs New Zealand – June 13 at Hampshire Bowl
• England vs New Zealand – June 27 at The Oval
• Australia vs India – June 28 at Lord’s

Growing Global Representation

Four places will be taken by the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier 2025, and eight teams are already qualified. The 2026 tournament is expected to bring women's cricket to unheard-of heights of expansion and prominence as cricket superpowers and emerging nations meet.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt called the upcoming World Cup "game-changing," and Beth Barrett-Wild, the tournament director, emphasized how it will revolutionize the image of women's sport.

Tickets and Fan Access

Overwhelming demand was evidenced by the first lot of priority tickets for the Lord's final selling out within one day. Supporters can now buy tickets for all matches and pre-register at womens.t20worldcup.com.

Wisden has revealed its current World Test XI based on performances since the start of the 2023–25 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The side, selected on the basis of stats, match impact, and consistency across conditions, features players from five different nations, including four Indians, three Englishmen, two Australians, and one each from New Zealand and South Africa.

Leading the opening combination is India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has had a dream start to his Test career. With 1,903 runs in 20 matches at an average of 52.86, including five centuries, Jaiswal has proven his class in all conditions. Partnering him is England’s aggressive opener Ben Duckett, who has scored 1,821 runs at a strike rate of 85.05, the highest among regular top-order batters.

At No.3 is Australian stalwart Steve Smith, followed by England’s Joe Root at No.4. Root, with 2,083 runs at an average of 54.81, is currently the top-ranked Test batter in the world. Young gun Harry Brook, also from England, occupies the No.5 spot thanks to his average of over 50 and consistent performances since his debut.

ALSO SEE: 'My Instinct Told Me...' - Former India player opens up on his India exit after Ishan Kishan’s double century

Pant, Jadeja, Bumrah Headline Bowling-Dominant Lower Order in Wisden’s Test XI

India’s Rishabh Pant takes the gloves and the No.6 spot. With 929 runs in just 11 matches, including two centuries at Headingley alone, Pant’s explosive ability and wicketkeeping prowess make him a clear choice. Ravindra Jadeja, also from India, slots in at No.7 as the all-rounder, with 700 runs and 56 wickets since 2023.

The bowling attack is led by New Zealand’s Matt Henry, whose 48 wickets in just nine Tests at an average under 19 make him an automatic pick. South African speedster Kagiso Rabada, India's Jasprit Bumrah with a staggering 82 wickets at 15.87, and Australia’s off-spinner Nathan Lyon complete the XI.

Wisden’s current World Test XI:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett, Steve Smith, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Matt Henry, Kagiso Rabada, Jasprit Bumrah, Nathan Lyon.

In an important day for global cricket, the ICC's new one-ball rule for One Day Internationals took effect in earnest during the first ODI between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on July 2 at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. As per the revised playing conditions, teams will now use only one ball from the 35th over onwards, with the fielding captain choosing which of the two previously used balls will continue. This marks the end of the decade-long two-new-ball era that had heavily tilted the game in favour of batters.

Until now, ODIs were played with two new balls, one from each end, throughout the 50 overs. Nevertheless, the two-ball system will continue to operate just for the first 34 overs. From the 35th over onwards, only one of them will be employed for the rest of the innings. This was witnessed live during the match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, when Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was requested by the umpire to choose one ball after the 34th over, marking the first official use of the new rule.

ALSO SEE: PCB share surprising numbers about viewership of PSL X

ICC's One-Ball Rule Brings Back Balance Between Bat and Ball

The introduction is part of a wider overhaul of ICC playing conditions brought in during July 2025. The objective is to rebuild a fairer contest between bat and ball, which has diminished over the years. The employment of two new hard balls had rendered conditions more batter-friendly, drastically cutting down the possibility of reverse swing and leaving middle-overs bowlers disadvantaged. By re-implementing the practice of using a lone, vintage ball from the 35th over, the ICC attempts to restore late-game unpredictability and assist bowlers in gaining control over the death overs.

This change has been universally accepted by ex-players and pundits who believe that it will challenge a tactical re-think for coaches and captains alike. Lower middle-order hitters, more so than anyone else, are set to find the going more difficult, particularly on subcontinental surfaces. With the 2027 World Cup looming, teams will now have to rethink their plans in order to make themselves ready to play in what many consider to be a much-needed readjustment of the balance of power in ODI cricket.

Rishabh Pant has climbed to sixth in the latest ICC Test Batting Rankings after his twin centuries in the Headingley Test against England. The dynamic Indian wicketkeeper-batter struck 134 and 118 in a memorable performance, becoming only the second gloveman to score two centuries in a single Test. His career-best rating of 801 points now places him just one spot behind his all-time high of No. 5, achieved in 2022.

Pant is now only 88 points shy of the top-ranked Joe Root, who retained his No. 1 position after scoring 28 and 53* in England’s record chase of 371. Root’s teammate Harry Brook remains second, followed by Kane Williamson in third.

Yashasvi Jaiswal held firm at No. 4, continuing as India’s highest-ranked batter, while Shubman Gill slipped to 21st. England’s Ben Duckett surged to a career-best No. 8 following his unbeaten 149, while Australia’s Travis Head re-entered the top 10.

ICC Test Batting Rankings (Top 10)

ALSO SEE: Champions League T20 To return in 2026 after previous edition's success: Know all about it

In the bowling charts, Jasprit Bumrah continued his reign at No. 1 after claiming five wickets in the Headingley Test. With 907 points, he remains ahead of Kagiso Rabada and Pat Cummins. Josh Hazlewood moved to No. 4 following his 5 for 43 in Barbados.

ICC Test Bowling Rankings (Top 5)

Among all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja retained the No. 1 ranking despite a quiet outing. He leads Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Marco Jansen in the list. As the Test season progresses, India will hope Pant’s form and Bumrah’s dominance continue to drive their success on the global stage.

Another proud moment for Indian cricket. Jay Shah, the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has been named in the list of Open Minds 2025 under the Public Square category. In the list, Shah is one of the youngest candidates to be named. 

On June 27, 2025, 'Open' issued their 16th anniversary edition, where they listed multiple successful personalities from various fields. Jay Shah, in this edition, is labeled as the 'Master of the Game.' Jay Shah's career as a cricket board official started with the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA). After being an executive board member of the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad, starting in 2009, Shah became the joint secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) in September 2013.

From there, he marked his footprint in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and then in the ICC. Shah has come a long way. In 2015, he became a member of the finance and marketing committees of BCCI. In 2019, he was elected as the secretary of BCCI, the youngest of the five office bearers. In January 2021 (ACC), the Asian Cricket Council appointed Shah as the president. 

Read More: PLO vs TRK Dream11 Prediction Today Match 1 ECS T10 Bulgaria, 2025

Here's the piece about the journey of Jay Shah 

"As Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2019 to 2024, Jay Shah had a superlative innings that included the successful hosting of the One Day International World Cup in India, raising the pay of women cricket­ers, steering Indian cricket through Covid, boosting financial revenues, and more. He then took over as the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman in December 2024 and has brought in the same efficiency," the article stated this about Jay Shah.

"The ICC Champions Trophy was executed to wide viewership. When the Indian team was apprehensive about security for a match against Pakistan in that country, the venue was shifted to the UAE quickly. And high on Shah’s agenda is the globalization of cricket and overseeing the sport becoming part of the next Olympics in 2028."