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London: New Zealand have turned to Will Young to fill the void left by Kane Williamson after the former captain brought down the curtain on his international career following the opening Test against England at Lord’s. The decision comes ahead of the second match of the series at The Oval, where the visitors will attempt to regroup after losing one of their most influential batters across formats.  The 33-year-old has been included in the squad with 23 Test appearances already to his name. He has accumulated 1215 runs in the format at an average of 31.97, including 11 half-centuries. His…

Dharamsala: India are without senior batter Virat Kohli against Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The 37-year-old has been ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered during the IPL 2026.  His absence stems from a distal semimembranosus tendon tear, sustained during the final against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. The injury involves damage to a hamstring tendon close to the knee and has been described as an unusual setback for a professional athlete. He had already been withdrawn from the three-match ODI series last week. Medical assessments indicated a relatively short recovery window of a few…

Dharamsala: India are without all-rounder Hardik Pandya for the opening ODI against Afghanistan at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. The star cricketer suffered a leg strain during training earlier this week. He was named in India's ODI squad for the three-match series, subject to receiving fitness clearance. However, the injury setback occurred while he was training at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, casting doubt over his availability before the series began. Although the BCCI did not initially specify the nature of the injury, board secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Pandya was undergoing rehabilitation at the…

Birmingham: India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has highlighted the heightened emotions surrounding the India-Pakistan rivalry ahead of their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener in Birmingham on Sunday. The youngster also addressed the external pressure that comes with the fixture and the cultural weight attached to it. She also recalled how expectations around the contest extend beyond the team environment and into everyday interactions. "I remember when I played my first India-Pakistan game. In the dressing room, Harman di actually spoke to us, saying, 'Let's not deny it. There is pressure from the outside because we know the history of India…

Dharamsala: India's preparations for the next ODI World Cup enter a significant phase as they take on Afghanistan in a three-match series. The first of the ODIs is being played in Dharamsala.  Meanwhile, the series arrives at a crucial stage for both teams, with the next global tournament in the ODI format just a little more than a year away.  For India, however, squad planning has been complicated by injuries and workload management concerns that have affected the availability of several frontline fast bowlers. Those circumstances have created opportunities for uncapped seamers Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav, both of whom…

Chattogram: Bangladesh cricket has been shaken by allegations made by spinner Nayeem Hasan, who has accused police officers in Chattogram of assaulting him during an incident late on Friday night, prompting an official demand for a full investigation. The matter has drawn swift attention from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which expressed serious concern over the episode and called for accountability.  The Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh also urged strict action, while senior figures within the cricketing community voiced strong condemnation. The 25-year-old said the incident occurred while he was travelling home after returning from Dhaka Airport following a Dhaka…

Dharamsala: The toss for the match between India and Afghanistan in Dharamsala has been delayed due to persistent rain at the venue. The weather conditions continue to cause concern ahead of the scheduled start as the live visuals from the ground showed steady rainfall, while a couple of supersoppers were seen operating despite rain continuing to fall.  The playing square remains fully covered after heavy rain throughout Friday and further showers on Saturday morning. The forecast is not encouraging either, with a 60-70 per cent chance of rain predicted during the day. Ground staff remain on standby, hoping for an…

KANSAS CITY (Missouri): The FIFA World Cup 2026 began in utter chaos with visa denials, security concerns and high-priced tickets. With the ball rolling onto the ground, these matters were expected to die down with time, but it somehow only gathered pace. Last evening, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey was denied a visa to Canada and will now miss their opening clash of the tournament and now, another major controversy has broken out.  England's training kit and other team equipment were stolen during their travel to Kansas City ahead of their opening FIFA World Cup game. The city police have already…