Australia’s preparation for the next Men’s T20 World Cup has taken a tactical approach, as it is expected that fast bowler Pat Cummins will miss the first part of the tournament due to an ongoing lower-back stress fracture injury. Nevertheless, Cricket Australia has included Cummins as part of its 15-player provisional squad, a move that indicates a tactical investment looking for the maximum benefit of the player in the pivotal stages leading up to the knockout finals compared to the group phase.

Selectors believe that even though Cummins will not be available for early games, if they are able to hold on to him and make it through to the later parts of the tournament with him, then he will provide value to their success. They see him as an impactful player in matches where experience and a high level of performance will greatly affect the outcome of a championship. As far as the group stage matches are concerned, they believe that the other bowlers, along with the spin options, will suffice against oppositions that are relative to lower-tier teams.

Cummins will return for his primary assessment of his status through a medical scan in late October to help determine his physical recovery timeline. There is still uncertainty around his participation in the initial phases of the tournament; however, with confidence, the selectors will have a limited rehabilitation window to develop Craig's physical capabilities, allowing him to be ready for the Super-8s and knockout rounds, where pressure and experience will generally determine the success of winning championships.

Also Read: SA20 2025: PR vs MICT Dream11 Prediction 10th Match

Repeating the Strategy of Selecting Head-Like Players in World Cups

Selectors emulate this strategy by maintaining players who they believe possess a significant amount of skill but are unfit for the entire tournament, just as Australia did in 2023 when Travis Head was included in the Australian ODI World Cup team even though he broke his arm and could not perform for half of the tournament. Travis Head was able to come back midway through the World Cup and ultimately performed the necessary tasks to help win the World Series.

The chief selector of Australia, George Bailey, and the head coach of Australia, Andrew McDonald, have vocally supported this type of approach and continue to use it; they believe it is essential to play at your best at this time of the year when preparing for global tournaments. The selections of Travis Head and others are one example of this type of strategy.

There are potential risks associated with this type of selection strategy, as other players on the team may also be dealing with fitness problems. Therefore, it is possible that Australia could enter the World Cup without many available options if their players are all at the same level or limited in flexibility. However, there is confidence in the team's belief that a partially fit Pat Cummins late in the tournament could be the difference between an early exit and winning another World Cup.

Jammu police took in for questioning a South Kashmiri cricketer, who was wearing a helmet printed with the Palestinian flag in a recent cricket match. The match took place during a privately organized tournament on the outskirts of Jammu, and a video taken of this incident has made its way to social media. 

According to sources close to the situation, this cricketer, Furqan Bhat, was part of the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League (a local, largely private tournament) at a private cricket ground, where he was representing team JK11 after batting in the fourth over against the Jammu Trailblazers; the helmet Bhat was wearing during his innings prominently displayed the image of the Palestinian flag.

As soon as the video began to circulate on the internet, authorities in the area contacted the police in Jammu, who had invited the cricketer to come to the Domana Police Station for questioning. The statement made by senior officers of Jammu Police does not indicate that they have made an investigative statement, but sources have indicated that the cricketer was questioned to determine what exactly happened during the incident and to investigate the incident that took place.

See Also: Rajasthan Royals to get this ground as new venue for IPL 2026

🚨 CRICKETER WITH PALESTINE FLAG ARRESTED IN INDIA 🚨

Cricketer Furqan Bhat has been summoned by J&K police after he played a match in Jammu, India - wearing a Palestine 🇵🇸 flag on his helmet during the J&K Champions League 😲

- What's your take 🤔 pic.twitter.com/OsVkpjC44x

— Richard Kettleborough (@RichKettle07) January 2, 2026

Event Organisers Questioned in Ongoing Inquiry

The tournament organizer, as well as the cricketer, is being questioned by the police. Reports indicate that the tournament organizer is Sajid Bhat, who is from the Kashmir region and managed to host the tournament using only local players. Sources say that there was no association with any recognized cricket body to host the tournament, and therefore, all arrangements for the tournament were made independently by Sajid Bhat and his group.

Brigadier Anil Gupta, who oversees all official activities of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), stated that the JKCA had no connection with the tournament. In addition, he stated that the tournament was not sanctioned or supervised by the JKCA. He went on to say that the tournament had been organized privately and that spectators reportedly were not allowed to attend the matches.

According to Brigadier Anil Gupta, "The JKCA does not have anything to do with this tournament. This was a privately organized tournament and is being treated by local authorities, since it is outside our jurisdiction." There has not been any announcement of additional action taken by authorities, and an inquiry is still underway.

Before the end of 2025, Rohit Sharma with his family visited the Radha Krishna Temple in Jamnagar. His wife, Ritika, and children, Sammy and Ahaan, were with him during the holy visit. The moment of the Sharma family's visit to the temple was captured on camera and is now gaining attention from his fans. 

After playing a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 (VHT 2025-26) matches for Mumbai, Rohit Sharma gets some free time to spend with his family as well as some days to prepare for the upcoming India vs. New Zealand limited-overs series. The Men in Blue will begin their journey in the year 2026 with a three-match ODI series against New Zealand. The ODI series will be followed by a five-match T20I series against the Black Caps as well. 

The ODI series will witness the world's No. 1 and 2 ODI batters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, in action again for team India, who have also made their mark in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Both of the batters have registered a century each in the tournament for their respective state teams. 

Read More: Top 5 ODI performances by Indian batters in 2025 ft. Virat Kohli

Rohit Sharma visited the Radha Krishna Temple in Jamnagar with Ritika bhabhi, Sammy, and Ahaan for darshan.❤️🪬 pic.twitter.com/hhW4H2yX2q

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) December 30, 2025

For the series vs. New Zealand, BCCI has already announced the squad for the T20I format but has yet to announce the team for the ODI series. According to media reports, board selectors may announce the squad for the ODI series on either January 3 or 4.  

Full squads: 

India’s squad for the T20I series against NZ was announced & ICC Men’s T20 World Cup: 1. Suryakumar Yadav (C), 2. Abhishek Sharma, 3. Sanju Samson (WK), 4. Tilak Varma, 5. Hardik Pandya, 6. Shivam Dube, 7. Axar Patel (VC), 8. Rinku Singh, 9. Jasprit Bumrah, 10. Harshit Rana, 11. Arshdeep Singh, 12. Kuldeep Yadav, 13. Varun Chakaravarthy, 14. Washington Sundar, 15. Ishan Kishan (WK).

New Zealand T20I squad: 1. Mitchell Santner (captain) 2. Mitchell Bracewell 3. Mark Chapman 4. Devon Conway 5. Jacob Tuffey 6. Jack Foakes 7. Matt Henry 8. Kyle Jamieson 9. Bevon Jacobs 10. Daryl Mitchell 11. James Neesham 12. Glenn Phillips 13. Rachin Ravindra 14. Tim Robinson 15. Ish Sodhi.

New Zealand ODI squad: 1. Mitchell Bracewell (captain) 2. Eddie Ashok 3. Christian Clarke 4. Josh Clarkson 5. Devon Conway 6. Jack Foakes 7. Mitch Hay 8. Kyle Jamieson 9. Nick Kelly 10. Jayden Lennox 11. Daryl Mitchell 12. Henry Nicholls 13. Glenn Phillips 14. Mitchell Starc 15. Will Young. 

Match No. 30 of the WBBL 2025 between the Adelaide Strikers Women (AS-W) and Brisbane Heat Women (BH-W) takes place on November 30 at North Sydney Oval in Sydney. Both teams have struggled this season, making this an important match for confidence and points.

Adelaide Strikers Women have won two out of their seven matches so far. Both of their wins came while chasing. In their previous match, the Strikers were involved in a controversial finish, where the game was called off even though Sydney Thunder were almost past their target. They will now focus on bouncing back and improving their position on the table.

Brisbane Heat Women have had an even tougher season. They are winless in six completed matches and sit at the bottom of the standings. Their only break came when their match against the Sydney Sixers was washed out without a ball being bowled. The Jess Jonassen-led team will be desperately hoping to get their first win of the campaign.

BH-W vs AS-W: Head-to-Head Record in T20s

• Matches Played: 26
  
• Adelaide Strikers Women Won: 11
  
• Brisbane Heat Women Won: 14
  
• No Result: 0
  
• Tied: 1

BH-W vs AS-W: Pitch Report

The pitch at North Sydney Oval has generally been difficult for batting this season. Except for the massive 219/4 total by Melbourne Stars Women, most matches have seen low or moderate scores. The fast bowlers will be able to obtain some assistance from the surface, at least in the early parts of the game. The batsmen will need to take some time in the middle to get a feel of the pace and bounce before playing the big shots.

See Also: WBBL 2025 Match 31: SS-W vs ST-W head-to-head, pitch report & predicted playing XIs

BH-W vs AS-W: Predicted Playing XIs

Brisbane Heat Women (BH-W):

Charli Knott, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Jess Jonassen (C), Georgia Redmayne (WK), Nadine de Klerk, Chinelle Henry, Mikayla Wrigley, Annie O'Neil, Sianna Ginger, Nicola Hancock, Lucy Hamilton.

Adelaide Strikers Women (AS-W):

Laura Wolvaardt, Tammy Beaumont, Madeline Penna, Tahlia McGrath (C), Bridget Patterson (WK), Ellie Johnston, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Sophie Ecclestone, Jemma Barsby, Tabatha Saville, Darcie Brown.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) fans can take a breath of relief as their respective key players have performed well in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT 2025) tournament. With the confident batting from Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai got an easy win over Railways on November 26 at Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground. 

Mumbai went to play the match against Railways with their full force. Batters of the Railways cricket team tried their best to score a good amount of runs to challenge the star-studded opposition. Ashutosh Sharma played for Railways and played an attacking 30-ball, 61-run innings. His innings was laced with seven boundaries and three over-boundaries. Mohammad Saif was another Railways batter who performed strongly against Mumbai's bowling attack, which contained well-known names like Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, and Shivam Dube. Thakur was absolutely on fire with the new ball in hand. 

Mumbai got two wickets early in the match, but Railways endured the early blows and registered 158 for India in 20 overs mostly because of Sharma's 61 and Saif's 48-run innings. 

Read More: List of India's biggest loss in Test Cricket by run margin

Confident batting by Ajinkya Rahane and Suryakumar Yadav ahead of IPL 2025

The 159-run target was not hard enough for Mumbai to chase down. With limited quality bowling options, Railways could barely set any hurdle in front of Mumbai's strong batting line-up. Ayush Mhatre's early departure was soon covered up nicely by Rahane and then Yadav. Ajinkya Rahane, who will play IPL 2026 for Kolkata Knight Riders, scored 62 off 33. Interestingly, he hit five over boundaries and only one boundary to make the knock effective. Yadav joined him in the middle with some extra fireworks. The Mumbai Indians star got 47 off 30 with five 4s and two 6s. MI fans are definitely happy to see their star middle-order batter gaining momentum ahead of IPL 2026, as his recent individual performances with Team India were below average. 

In 15.5 overs, Mumbai defeated Railways in the SMAT 2025 today with 7 wickets in hand. Rahane was named Man of the Match for his batting performance. 

On Sunday, November 16, New Zealand and the West Indies kicked off their three-match ODI series at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. After winning the toss, the visitors, the Windies, opted to field first hoping for some early breakthroughs in what appeared to be helpful scenes. New Zealand went on to score a sound 269/7 in their 50 overs, with Jaydon Seales giving the best performance, ending with three valuable wickets. Nevertheless, not everything was going perfectly for the West Indies, as one of their key players would suffer an unfortunate injury during the innings.

Romario Shepherd, a key part of the Windies white-ball setup, would only bowl four overs before leaving the field with discomfort to the thigh area. The way the all-rounder hobbled out created an immediate cause for concern for teammates, and fans alike. A short time later the West Indies team management confirmed that Shepherd had pain in his left hamstring, and he would not be returning to the field for the New Zealand innings. 

The update also confirmed that though Shepherd was unfit to continue bowling, he was still available to bat should it be required. In an official statement, West Indies Cricket said he would be monitored closely and indicated that management did not want to take any chances with one of their leading all-rounders. This precautionary measure is meant to lessen the risk of Jenkins aggravating the injury as there are still two ODIs to be played.

See Also: Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained and released players list ahead of IPL 2026 auction

RCB Camp Concerned as IPL Star Faces Fitness Scare

Shepherd's injury has also caused a strong reaction from fans in India, particularly Royal Challengers Bengaluru supporters. The 30-year-old was a critical part of RCB's historic title win in 2025, which ended a lengthy trophy drought and his historic final quarter played an essential role in the franchise's ascendance to significant success. Given his all-area contributions throughout RCB's successful campaign, the franchise considers him an integral part of their future planning.

Just a day before the match, on November 15, RCB revealed their retention list for IPL 2026, with Shepherd highlighting the names expected to maintain the roster prevailing under Rajat Patidar's leadership. Since IPL is just a couple of months away, any injury concern surrounding the Caribbean behemoth will cause worry for the franchise. For now, the club and RCB faithful will hope that Shepherd's hamstring issue is minor, and that he is fully recovered in-time for a crucial season, built on the notion of defending the championship in Bengaluru.

In what could perhaps become one of the most highlighted trades in IPL history, Ravindra Jadeja is said to be in line to be traded to Rajasthan Royals (RR) from Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a major player-for-player trade that could potentially see Sanju Samson going back the other way. Reports indicate that Jadeja is reportedly interested in taking the captaincy position for RR should the trade occur which would see him not only get traded, but also be a major twist to the leadership scheme in the IPL.

For the Royals, the departure of Sanju Samson, who has been a fabulous leader for the franchise over the last decade plus would leave a gaping hole in leadership. Although young prospects Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal has shown some promise, the team is believed to prefer an experienced hand. More than ever, with Jadeja's 10 plus years IPL experience, could bring an immediate stability and aggression to the Royals as it pertains to their rebuild post split from their identity.

Notably, this would provide Jadeja with a chance to return to where it all began as he launched his IPL playing career at Rajasthan Royals (RR) under the guidance of the late Shane Warne. Warne often called him “Rockstar,” a moniker that Jadeja has maintained throughout his career. If Jadeja returns as captain of RR, it would be a symbolic mix of his returning past while facing a new leadership challenge as he enters the final stage of his career.

See Also: Watch: Steve Smith takes stunning catch for New South Wales during Sheffield Shield 2025-26 clash

From CSK to RR - a legacy of love and a leadership test

While reports indicate that Jadeja would lead RR, it is important to acknowledge his legacy at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) that has been substantial. Over 186 matches for CSK, Jadeja was an instrumental part of the franchise's success story as he always came through in clutch situations with bat or ball while earning the undying fandom behind him and MS Dhoni.

Although Jadeja had a short stint as captain last season in 2022 for CSK, it did not work out as well as both parties hoped with only two wins in eight matches. However, RR is possibly looking to Jadeja as a captain and he has a wonderful chance to redeem himself - to show the league and fans that he can captain, while mentoring and leading a group of young and dynamic players as RR embarks on a new chapter of dominance in the IPL.

The craze for Babar Azam was clearly visible at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Spectators in the gallery were eagerly waiting to see him bat as soon as possible. When Shan Masood, Pakistan's Test team captain, lost his wicket unexpectedly, it was celebrated loudly by the crowd as Babar was the man to bat next. 

On the turning pitch of Gaddafi Stadium, the home team batted with pure confidence on Day 1 of the first test of the Pakistan vs South Africa 2-match Test series. After the early dismissal of Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq and Masood drove the innings nicely. Even on Day 1, spinners were getting a lot of turns from the crease, so batting was not easy enough. Patiently, they built a 161-run partnership together. 

But the crowd perhaps did not have that amount of patience. A part of the crowd came to see the match live from the ground only for Babar Azam. They showed their support for the batter through posters while Masood, the captain of team Pakistan, was batting. The scene was new for former South Africa international Shaun Pollock. During the commentary work, he said on air, "I can't believe that they (crowd) want the captain of Pakistan to get out just to see Babar Azam at the crease."

Read More: IND-W vs AUS-W ICC Women's World Cup 2025: India vs Australia Toss Update and Playing XIs

Pakistan's own fans cheering for captain's wicket

You won't see this any where.

He earned that with so many performances ♥️pic.twitter.com/SadhdkS11F

— Hassan Abbasian (@HassanAbbasian) October 12, 2025

The crowd cheered the moment when Prenelan Subrayen took Masood's wicket. The experienced batter took a review, but that did not work in favor of him, and he had to make way for the next batsman, Babar Azam. Masood departed after a well-made 76 off 147 deliveries with nine boundaries and one six. 

For Babar Azam, it was another disappointing knock. He started well but again could not convert the momentum for a big inning. Babar lost his scalp for only 23 runs against 48 balls. As soon as Babar lost his wicket, a part of the crowd left the gallery.

Could the run-out of Yashasvi Jaiswal be avoided? Did Captain Shubman Gill make a wrong decision by not running between the stumps when his batting partner was on 175 individual runs? 

These kinds of questions are roaming around the corners of social media platforms after the young opener got run out during the India vs West Indies 2nd Test match in Delhi. Former India cricketer and now cricket expert Sanjay Bangar has analyzed the run-out of Yashasvi Jaiswal. Bangar thinks that the run-out of Jaiswal could be avoided if Gill desired to put in a little bit more effort. 

Jaiswal was batting on 175, only 25 runs away from a well-deserving double hundred. On the second ball of the 92nd over, he decided to snatch a quick single. He pushed the delivery from Jayden Seales on the off side and started to run for one run. Shubman Gill, on the non-striker's end, started to run as well but soon turned back. By the time Jaiswal was down the half line of the pitch. An easy run out for the West Indies. Jaiswal had to return after scoring 175 runs against 258 runs with 22 boundaries. 

Read More: [WATCH] Rohit Sharma loses cool at security guard during net session ahead of Australia ODIs

Sanjay Bangar's straight opinion: Gill's fault

Showing the highlights of the run-out, Sanjay described that Shubman Gill started to run but soon decided to return to his crease. The ball travelled fast to the fielders. Gill perhaps kept one eye on the fielder and another eye on Jaiswal's momentum. Watching the pace of the ball on the ground, Gill stepped back. By then, Jaiswal had already covered a fair amount of the pitch. 

After describing the scenario, the former cricketer opined that as the call was from the striker's end, Gill should have provided Jaiswal more support instead of moving back. "For me, it was a fault from Shubman Gill," Sanjay Bangar said.  

🚨 Sanjay Bangar blamed Gill for Jaiswal's run out on 175 pic.twitter.com/PCrm59HnR0

— ADITYA 🇮🇹 (@Wxtreme10) October 11, 2025

September 20, 1998- birthday of Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, who made his international debut for his nation at the age of only 17 and became one of the most prolific spinners in international cricket.

Now, he is 26, captain of Afghanistan, and is considered the legend of Afghanistan cricket. He is one of the first few Afghan cricketers who gained the superstar status. He is someone who can produce a huge amount of spin; his ability to generate pace on the air often proved enough to trouble the batters, accompanied by his venomous googly.

Rashid was just 17 when he made his ODI debut on Afghanistan's tour of Zimbabwe in October 2015. Three years later, in 2018, he became the youngest cricketer to top the ODI bowling rankings, the youngest man to captain an international side, and the fastest to 100 ODI wickets. Afghanistan quickly climbed up the international cricket rankings and became a Test-playing nation.

Read More: Devdutt Padikkal scores 150 runs during IND A vs AUS A 1st unofficial Test in Lucknow

In every format, Rashid Khan left his mark

During their first Test victory against Afghanistan, Khan took five second-innings wickets. When they defeated Bangladesh in a Test match, Rashid again played a pivotal role behind the infamous win. He scored a fifty and took a total of 11 wickets to secure the win. As of now, in 6 tests, the ace spinner has 45 wickets in his bag. In One Day International cricket, the spinner claimed 199 scalps in 114 wickets at an economy rate of 4.24.

And in T20 Internationals, the star Afghan cricketer took 173 wickets in 103 matches at an amazing economy rate of 6.12. Because of his exceptional skills, Rashid became a top pick for multiple franchises of various T20 leagues. So far, he has taken part in 12 different T20 leagues across the globe, including the Indian Premier League.