Cricket

"Not rigid in my beliefs...": England coach after 4-1 Ashes loss

The ultra-attacking, positive, and results-oriented Bazball, shaped and performed over the last few years with the Australia Ashes tour in mind, was again exposed as England were massively outplayed by the Aussies during the Ashes series

2026-01-08T15:45:53.835435+00:00 IST

Sri Lanka Cricket appoints Vikram Rathour as batting coach

A statement from SLC said, "Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce the appointment of former India Batting Coach Vikram Rathour as the Batting Coach of the Sri Lanka National Team."

2026-01-08T15:02:44.041285+00:00 IST

Australia dominates England 4-1, sets record for highest run-rate

The Ashes 2026 concluded on Thursday with Australia retaining the trophy, winning the series 4-1. This series has made history by recording the highest run-rate in a Test series with a minimum of four matches, clocking in at 4.07.

2026-01-08T15:01:09.153252+00:00 IST

Mandhana speaks on Perry's absence ahead of WPL opener vs MI

It will be a clash of India's World Cup winning captain Harmanpreet and vice-captain Smriti as two-time champion MI takes on 2024 champions RCB in the WPL season four opener on Friday at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium.

2026-01-08T14:53:08.505271+00:00 IST

Gaikwad, Aquib, Hardik-Jadeja show stealers in VHT

Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh (24 and 20 points in Group A), UP and Vidarbha (28 and 20 points in Group B), Punjab and Mumbai (24 and 20 points in Group C) and Delhi and Saurashtra (24 and 20 points in Group D) hold the top two positions in their respective Elite-level groups.

2026-01-08T13:49:40.563368+00:00 IST

Jason Smith after his side's first victory of SA20 2026

Unseasonal rain could not prevent MI Cape Town from clinching a dramatic four-wicket (via Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) victory over Joburg Super Kings at Newlands. Smith dispatched his first ball, a low full toss, deep into the Newlands night sky to get his engine revving.

2026-01-08T13:46:06.997971+00:00 IST

Steve Smith lauds SCG pitch 

Smith finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in the Ashes series. The ace batter made 286 runs in four matches and eight innings at a superb average of 57.20. The right-handed batter notched up one fifty and as many centuries.

2026-01-08T12:54:23.845730+00:00 IST

Mithali Raj lauds Delhi Capitals' Laura Wolvaardt ahead of WPL

As the clock ticks before the start of the new season of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026, former Indian skipper Mithali Raj dissects the three-time finalists Delhi Capitals' (DC) squad and their crucial auction picks, including Laura Wolvaardt.

2026-01-08T12:54:19.464599+00:00 IST

ICC Women’s Player of the Month nominees named

India's star opening batter Shafali Verma and South Africa's star duo Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus have been nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Month for December 2025.

2026-01-08T12:53:55.965446+00:00 IST

Carey emulates Gilchrist, achieves a rare milestone

It was a memorable Ashes series for Alex Carey, both with the bat and wicketkeeping gloves as he joined legendary Adam Gilchrist to be the second wicketkeeper-batter with 300-plus runs and 25-plus dismissals within a single series

2026-01-08T12:53:33.210849+00:00 IST

Starc headlines ICC Player of the Month December 2025 nominees

The left-arm pacer was instrumental in sealing Australia's Ashes series win in December itself, taking 16 wickets and scoring 139 runs across the first three Tests at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. His dominant tenth-wicket haul in Perth set the tone for a largely Australian-dominant series and also posted useful fifties down the order, as per ICC.

2026-01-08T12:48:34.211616+00:00 IST

Catches win Ashes: Aussies outshine England in field efficiency

While Australia was not at their absolute best with the bat, they did make up for it with the ball, courtesy an all-time great series from left-armer pacer Mitchell Starc and some outstanding fielding, with plenty of standouts coming from Steve Smith (14 catches) and Marnus Labuschagne (10 catches) at slips.

2026-01-08T12:45:13.968660+00:00 IST

"Pretty much locked away at the top": Skipper Smith on Head

The left-handed batter had a series to remember, as he secured two 'Player of the Match' awards in the first and final Test, setting the tone for a dominant series with an 83-ball 123 at Perth and chasing down the 205-run target on the second day of the series opener. Head ended as the top run-getter with 629 runs in five matches and 10 innings at an average of 62.90 and a strike rate of 87.36, with three centuries. Among all the players to have scored 600-plus runs in a single Ashes series, he is the only one to do so with a strike rate of over 75.

2026-01-08T11:54:19.896232+00:00 IST

Stokes warns team of his "ruthless side" after Ashes series loss

England's quest for an Ashes series win Down Under had been finished at Adelaide itself. After snapping an 18-Test winless run in Australia at Melbourne, pride was all England had left to play for. Besides scintillating centuries from Joe Root and Jacob Bethell and a fine 84 in the first innings by Harry Brook, there were very few positives for England, especially with the ball at Sydney's New Year's Test. Despite putting up 384 runs on the board in the first innings and securing a well-fought 159-run lead after the second innings, England could not achieve the 2-3 scoreline that could have let them head back home with their heads high as they crashed to a 4-1 series loss, continuing their poor form in Australia since their 2010/11 Ashes triumph.

2026-01-08T11:31:30.890927+00:00 IST

Stokes expresses his commitment to lead England Test

Australia registered a comprehensive win by five wickets in the fifth and final Ashes Test against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday to square off the series 4-1.

2026-01-08T11:07:13.129392+00:00 IST

Stokes backs McCullum as England’s head coach after Ashes defeat 

Ben Stokes and McCullum revitalised England's Test cricket after taking charge as captain and head coach, respectively, in 2022, ushering in an aggressive, fearless brand of play. However, despite a below-par Ashes campaign, Stokes has thrown his full support behind McCullum.

2026-01-08T10:31:18.243535+00:00 IST

Match officials named for ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup 2026

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced the list of match officials for the upcoming ICC Men's U19 World Cup 2026, which starts on January 15.

2026-01-08T09:32:02.741186+00:00 IST

Australia's Steve Smith opens up on playing Ashes 2027

The Baggy Green wrapped up the Ashes 4-1 after they registered a comfortable five-wicket win in the fifth and final Test against the Ben Stokes-led England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Thursday.

2026-01-08T09:26:17.866469+00:00 IST

"Lack of execution": England captain Ben Stokes after Ashes loss

England captain Ben Stokes has admitted that his side hasn't delivered the quality cricket that is required to win Test matches, particularly in Australia. Stokes' comments came after the Three Lions suffered a humiliating 4-1 Ashes loss against the Steve Smith-led side on Thursday.

2026-01-08T08:58:27.503785+00:00 IST

“Not to think too far ahead”: Maharaj on his approach ahead WC

Pretoria Capitals captain Keshav Maharaj has revealed his approach ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, starting from February 7.

2026-01-08T08:42:34.795572+00:00 IST

“Hopefully I can get some form”: Chase ahead of T20 WC26

Pretoria Capitals spinner Roston Chase hopes to get some form ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka and India, starting from February 7.

2026-01-08T08:41:31.912708+00:00 IST