Latest updates from the cricket world
After several matches in the Vitality T20 Blast cricket competition, eight teams, including Surrey, Northants, Durham, Somerset, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire (who did not play), Kent, and Sussex, have maintained perfect unbeaten records. Surrey secured a six-wicket win over Middlesex, highlighted by Sam Curran's unbeaten 71 and a unusual dismissal involving his brother Tom. Somerset's James Rew scored 93 against Warwickshire, aiding his team's seven-wicket victory. Yorkshire chased down 195 against Derbyshire with Moeen Ali's half-century and a vital late partnership. Durham won comfortably against Leicestershire, with Graham Clark scoring 62. Northants dominated Worcestershire by 100 runs, keeping their perfect start intact. Upcoming fixtures include Kent versus Sussex and Lancashire against Notts.
In the second women's T20 international cricket match at Canterbury, England's bowlers Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith significantly disrupted New Zealand's top batting order. England quickly reduced New Zealand to three wickets down with only five runs scored. The match is currently available to UK viewers with live updates provided. This performance highlights England's strong bowling attack in the series against New Zealand.
In the final match of the women's T20 series at Hove, England defeated New Zealand by seven wickets to claim the series 2-1. New Zealand was bowled out for a low total of 80 runs, with standout bowling performances from Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean. England chased down the target comfortably, with contributions from Maia Bouchier and Heather Knight. Stand-in captain Charlie Dean praised the team's ruthless bowling strategy, while New Zealand captain Amelia Kerr acknowledged the need for improvement in starting well during the PowerPlay phase. Linsey Smith was named Player of the Series for her economical bowling, taking six wickets at an average of 8.33. England is set to play India next in the T20 series from Chelmsford and will also host the upcoming home world cup.
The IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 match will feature Royal Challengers Bengaluru facing Gujarat Titans on 26 May 2026 at 7:30 PM IST in Dharamsala. Both teams finished the league stage with equal wins against each other (4-4 in their history) and equal points, making it a closely contested playoff. Key players include Jos Buttler and Virat Kohli as captaincy picks, while Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal are important top performers. The pitch is batting-friendly with a temperature of 23°C and a partly cloudy forecast. The match preview highlights that RCB leads the league with a slightly better net run rate, while GT is coming off a strong win against Chennai Super Kings. Suggested Dream11 teams feature balanced combinations from both sides with specialists like Rashid Khan and Rajat Patidar as budget picks. Overall, RCB is slightly favored to win based on squad balance.
Ambati Rayudu has backed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) over Rajasthan Royals (RR) to win the IPL 2026 Eliminator, which will be played on May 27 at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. SRH finished third on the points table with 18 points, while RR were fourth with 16 points. Rayudu highlighted that the New Chandigarh ground's larger side boundaries favor SRH's bowling style more than RR's. Historically, SRH has defeated RR in both matches they played in IPL 2026, with notable innings from players like Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma contributing to those wins. The winner of the Eliminator will proceed to Qualifier 2, ending the IPL campaign of the loser.
Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has expressed confidence that Mumbai Indians' pacer Jasprit Bumrah will recover from his disappointing IPL 2026 season and contend for the Purple Cap in 2027. Bumrah, who struggled to take wickets in IPL 2026, finished with just 4 wickets in 13 matches at an unusually high bowling average of 102.50, the worst for any bowler in a single T20 tournament with a minimum of 40 overs bowled. Steyn pointed to Bumrah's strong performance in the recent T20 World Cup as evidence that he will bounce back. Additionally, AB de Villiers praised Bumrah as one of the world's best bowlers and expected him to regain form despite his IPL 2026 challenges. Mumbai Indians ended ninth in IPL 2026, missing the playoffs for the third time in five years.
After Kolkata Knight Riders' exit from IPL 2026 following a 40-run loss to Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens, captain Ajinkya Rahane highlighted positives from the season. He praised young players Kartik Tyagi and Anukul Roy, noting Tyagi's impressive 18 wickets and consistent performances, and Roy's valuable contributions with both ball and bat. Rahane emphasized both players' readiness, talent, and mindset, predicting promising futures and potential for representing India at the highest level. The KKR management had trusted Roy for regular opportunities based on his strong domestic form, while Tyagi impressed from pre-season matches with his pace and confidence.
Dale Steyn, former South African fast bowler, strongly criticized Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya after the poor performances by their teams, Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians, in IPL 2026. Both teams finished poorly in the league stage: Mumbai Indians in ninth place and Lucknow Super Giants at the bottom of the points table despite having strong squads. Steyn accused the captains of masking their frustration with smiles and called for more visible leadership and accountability, emphasizing the need for a tougher and more aggressive captain at Lucknow Super Giants. He suggested that Pant should be replaced after three disappointing seasons as captain, highlighting the significant investment franchises make and the expectation for strong performances.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his surprise and concerns over Yashasvi Jaiswal's performance in the IPL 2026 season. Despite being a key player and occasional captain for the Rajasthan Royals, Jaiswal has struggled with consistency, possibly feeling overshadowed by the explosive batting of teammate Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Ashwin compared their dynamics to the Sehwag-Chopra opening pair, noting that Sooryavanshi's aggressiveness might have unsettled Jaiswal. Ashwin advocated for support and encouragement towards Jaiswal, who has scored 397 runs in 14 matches with three half-centuries this season, as RR prepares for the IPL playoffs against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 27, 2026.
Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a rising batting talent playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, aspires to surpass Chris Gayle's record for the highest individual T20 score by scoring a double century. Sooryavanshi has impressed with 583 runs in 14 matches at an average of 41.64 and a strike rate of 232.27. He expressed his ambition during an interview with Kevin Pietersen, stating his goal to become the first player to reach 200 runs in a T20 innings. Gayle's current record is an unbeaten 175 runs set in IPL 2013. Sooryavanshi has demonstrated explosive batting in youth cricket, including a 143-run innings against England Under-19 and 175 runs in the Under-19 World Cup final. He will next play in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 27, 2026.
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag revealed he was not physically fit to play during their crucial IPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians, which they won by 30 runs to secure a playoff berth. Parag had missed the previous game due to a hamstring injury but chose to play in the do-or-die fixture, scoring 14 runs off 8 balls despite his discomfort. He confirmed he wasn't supposed to play and expressed his determination to participate in the upcoming Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Parag also praised teammates Jofra Archer for his all-round performance and young bowlers Yash Raj Punja and Brijesh Sharma for their significant contributions in the win. The captain acknowledged the team's rough patch earlier in the season but hopes they learn from past mistakes for the next matches.
In the final group stage game of IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 40 runs at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, despite both teams being already eliminated. KL Rahul scored 60 runs to help DC post 203/5, while KKR collapsed in the middle overs and were bowled out for 163. After the match, DC captain Axar Patel expressed pride in his team's effort and predicted Sunrisers Hyderabad will win their second IPL trophy, citing their strong batting top order. He emphasized learning from mistakes and staying positive despite results.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar defended Virat Kohli following a controversy where Kohli did not shake hands with Travis Head after a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026. The incident stemmed from an on-field spat, with Head reportedly making comments about Kohli's batting and Venkatesh Iyer. Gavaskar compared this to a much more severe incident during his own career against Australia when he walked off the ground out of frustration, stating Kohli and Head's situation is incomparable. He also remarked that with modern stump mics and social media, such incidents are exposed to the public more quickly, and that snapping in the heat of the moment can happen to anyone playing passionately for their country.
