Skipper Sikandar Raza feels that the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 is the perfect opportunity for Zimbabwe to regain its presence on the cricketing map. Zimbabwe has been placed in Group B along with Australia, Ireland, Oman, and Sri Lanka. "The World Cup is really crucial in every cricketer's life. I always think for Zimbabwe to gain more respect in world cricket, World Cups play a huge part," said Raza. He added that the Zimbabwe team will focus on displaying a good brand of cricket and make their countrymen proud. "So, we have the mindset to go there and try and do really well so that we can come back with our heads held high, and so that our people back home can have their heads high as well. Results are not in our hands and we don't worry about it too much. As long as we're playing a good brand of cricket and doing exactly what the game asks us to do, we'll have the result," stated Raza. Zimbabwe will play their group stage matches in Sri Lanka, where the pitches are expected to provide help to the spinners. Raza is confident that his team has the likes of spinners who can make the most out of the opportunities. "If the wickets turned out to be that (spin-friendly), then I think we have enough harmony in ourselves to have more hours of spin if we need," said the 39-year-old cricketer. Zimbabwe will open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Oman on February 9. The match is scheduled to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Sri Lanka. Despite being the most recognisable face of Zimbabwe cricket, Raza wanted to remain a silent catalyst of change in his country's cricketing fortunes. "To be honest with you, when cricket is done, I try to stay away from the limelight, from people. I just try to stay indoors. I don't like to hear or speak about myself, but if the conversations are happening, I feel very blessed. But having said that, hopefully, my actions will inspire (people) rather than hearing about what people think of me. All I'm looking at is trying to keep doing the things I'm doing to the best of my ability and, hopefully, my performances can inspire the other Sikandars in Zimbabwe and all over the world," he added. (With PTI Inputs)
05 January,2026 04:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid the ongoing tension between the two neighbours, the Bangladesh Government has ordered an indefinite ban on the telecast of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The development comes after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), amid reports of atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said that the apex cricket board had instructed the IPL franchise to release Bangladesh pacer Rahman "due to the recent developments". "Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad, and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement," Devaijit Saikia had told ANI. Earlier, the Kolkata-based franchise had acquired the skills of Bangladesh's pacer for Rs 9.2 crore during the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Additionally, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move the team's T20 World Cup 2026 matches from India to alternative venues. The Bengal Tigers are placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2026 along with England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies. The Bengal Tigers will open their campaign against the West Indies on February 7. According to the schedule, their first match is to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Meanwhile, the defending champions, Team India, will kick off the tournament by playing the first match against the United States of America on the same date at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Reacting to Bangladesh's request for change in venue, former Team India spin bowler Harbhajan Singh said, "Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. ICC needs to make a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they (Bangladesh) want to come here or not is their choice". (With ANI Inputs)
05 January,2026 04:24 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate all their matches from India to alternative venues, citing safety and security concerns. While speaking about it, the former cricketer stated that India welcomes all the teams, but whether Bangladesh want to travel or not is their decision. He also said that the ICC needs to make a decision on BCB's request. "Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. ICC needs to make a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they (Bangladesh) want to come here or not is their choice," Harbhajan said while speaking to ANI. The BCB’s request came after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad, following directions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amid atrocities against minorities in Bangladesh. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia's said that the apex cricket board had instructed the IPL franchise to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman "due to the recent developments". "Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad, and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement," Devaijit Saikia had told ANI. Earlier, the Kolkata-based franchise had acquired the skills of Bangladesh's pacer for Rs 9.20 crore during the IPL 2026 mini auction. Bangladesh is placed in Group C of T20 World Cup 2026 along with England, Italy, Nepal, and the West Indies. The Bengal Tigers will open their campaign against the West Indies on February 7. According to the current schedule, their first match is to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Meanwhile, the "Men in Blue" will kick off the tournament against the United States of America on the same date at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (With ANI Inputs)
05 January,2026 02:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentJoe Root and Harry Brook tamed Australia’s all-pace attack with an unbroken 154-run stand on Sunday to rescue England and give them the upper hand after a rain-hit day one of the fifth and final Ashes Test. Batting after skipper Ben Stokes won the toss at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, they steered the tourists to 211-3 when bad light forced the players from the field just before tea. Subsequent rain and the risk of lightning made no further play possible, with stumps called an hour early. Root was not out 72 and Brook on 78 after coming together with England tottering at 57-3 following the wickets of Ben Duckett (27), Zak Crawley (16) and Jacob Bethell (10) before lunch. Gritty half-tons The world’s top two-ranked batsmen set about counter-attacking on a decent batting pitch providing little movement for the bowlers. Both brought up hard-fought half-centuries and, with dark storm clouds looming, kept the scoreboard ticking over at a fast clip. Brook admitted he was learning to be more patient, with a frustrating Ashes tour teaching him when he needs to curb his all-out aggressive approach. The destructive 26-year-old said he toned down his natural instincts in Sydney. “I’ve just got to be a little bit more patient and take my ones here and there. And thankfully, I did that today,” he said. “I did that in a couple of the other innings as well. So that’s something I’ve got to think about going forward and put that into my game. “And absorb the pressure. Whether that’s taking my ones instead of trying to hit boundaries, then so be it.” While Brook slammed six fours and a six in his innings, he also took 35 singles in a 154-run stand with veteran Root. Their methodical approach was in stark contrast to the ultra-aggressive “Bazball” style of cricket England have pioneered over the past few years. “It’s been a frustrating series I’ve had,” Brook added. “I’ve been in double figures every innings, bar one, and that’s what I’ve done so well in my career, I’ve managed to go on and get big scores. ‘Not an easy place to tour’ “It just hasn’t happened this series... it’s all part of the learning curve. It’s not an easy place to come and tour. The surfaces do change every game and throughout the game. “So it’s been a good trip to be a part of, and obviously we’ve ended up on the wrong side of it, but hopefully there’ll be plenty more times to come over here,” he added. 154No. of runs put on by Joe Root and Harry Brook, the highest partnership for England in the ongoing Ashes 310Total runs scored by Brook so far in this Ashes series, the most by an England batter @ 44.28 This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:29 AM IST | Sydney | AFPFormer Australian skipper Meg Lanning was on Sunday named the captain of UP Warriorz ahead of the Women’s Premier League beginning on January 9. Lanning led Delhi Capitals for the first three editions, having led them to each of the summit clashes but finished on the losing end. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:26 AM IST | Mumbai | PTIAustralian cricket great Damien Martyn came out of an induced coma on Sunday and has been showing encouraging signs of improvement as he continues his recovery after being diagnosed with meningitis. Martyn, who represented Australia in 67 Test matches, fell ill on Boxing Day and was taken to hospital on the Gold Coast late last month, where he was placed in an induced coma. Martyn’s close friend and former Aussie wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has revealed that the 54-year-old former batter has made incredible progress in treatment and could be moved out of the ICU soon. “He is now able to talk and respond to treatment. He has responded extraordinarily well since coming out [of the coma] to the point where his family feels it’s like some sort of miracle,” Gilchrist told News Corp. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:25 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSThe Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday decided against sending its national team to India for the T20 World Cup next month citing security concerns and government advice, following IPL franchise KKR’s decision to release pacer Mustafizur Rahman on BCCI’s instruction. Although the BCCI did not explicitly cite the current relations between the two countries for its decision to seek Rahman’s release on Saturday, it did say that the move was triggered by what’s been happening all around. Rahman’s dramatic ouster from the IPL prompted the BCB to call an emergency meeting on Saturday night and a day later, the Board of Directors met again and decided that the national team will not travel to India for the T20 World Cup beginning February 7. “The Board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh National Team in matches scheduled to be played in India,” said the BCB in a statement. Meanwhile, BCB on Sunday announced a 15-member squad with Litton Das as captain for the T20 World Cup next month. Das stayed as captain while pacer Taskin Ahmed returned to the side after missing the recent Ireland series. Ahmed will team up with Rahman, who was expectedly named in the squad. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:12 AM IST | Dhaka | PTIFormer India all-rounder Irfan Pathan threw his support behind the experienced fast bowler Mohammed Shami after his omission from ODI squad despite his stellar performance in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Shami’s future has come under renewed scrutiny after the veteran pacer was again left out of India’s squad, this time for the ODI series against New Zealand, announced on Saturday. The omission marked another setback for the 35-year-old, who has not played for India since the Champions Trophy in 2025. “The biggest talking point is Mohammed Shami. What is his future? He’s not someone who came yesterday, played a few matches and left. He has taken 450-500 international wickets, which is a huge number. If you have taken more than 400 wickets and then you get dropped, and questions are raised about your fitness, that happens with everyone. As long as you play cricket, you have to keep proving yourself,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel. “Shami has already bowled 200 overs. After bowling 200 overs, if fitness is the question, it has already been demonstrated. What more improvement is needed? Only the selection committee knows what they are thinking. If I were him, I would play the IPL and create havoc,” he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:07 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSAustralia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori has defended the side’s decision to field an all-seam attack in the fifth Ashes Test, but insisted that spin bowling remains very important in the longer format. “It’s probably just a point in time. I don’t think it’s going to be something that’s going to continue for years on end. I think spin bowling is incredibly important to Test match cricket. I think people love watching it when it’s at its absolute best and when conditions can assist the spin bowler. “But we’re just in the stage now where that’s not the case,” Vettori told reporters at the end of play on Day One. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 08:02 AM IST | Sydney | IANSAustralia pulled a 138-year first Sunday by omitting a spinner for a Sydney Cricket Ground Test, with skipper Steve Smith saying he had been backed into a corner. Not since 1888 have the hosts neglected to play a frontline slow bowler at the storied venue, once considered the country’s spin haven. But with all-rounder Beau Webster selected for the fifth and final Ashes Test and Todd Murphy overlooked, the unprecedented run was broken. “Hate doing it,” said Smith. “But if we keep producing wickets that we don’t think are going to spin and seam is going to play a big part and cracks are going to play a big part, you kind of get pushed into a corner,” he said. It is becoming a trend in Australia with the home side overlooking veteran Nathan Lyon for the pink-ball second Test in Brisbane before his injury replacement Murphy’s non-selection in Melbourne and Sydney. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
05 January,2026 07:59 AM IST | Sydney | AFPShreyas Iyer’s much-anticipated comeback to competitive cricket will come with additional responsibility. The dashing batter is all set to lead Mumbai in their Vijay Hazare Trophy Elite Group C contest against Himachal Pradesh on January 6 at Jaipur. Iyer will lead the team after regular skipper Shardul Thakur injured his calf while bowling in the last game against Maharashtra. It is learnt, an MRI was conducted on Thakur. Iyer is also set to feature in Mumbai’s last group stage game against Punjab on January 8 before joining the Indian team for the New Zealand ODI series, starting January 11 at Vadodra. Iyer has been included in the Indian team subject to fitness clearance from BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE). Shardul Thakur. Pic/Satej Shinde Iyer has received the necessary clearance from the BCCI CoE, informed Mumbai Cricket Association secretary (MCA) Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar. “Shreyas Iyer will play Mumbai’s last two group games of the Vijay Hazare Trophy after clearing the BCCI fitness test. As far as [Iyer) leading the team is concerned, the team management will take that call mostly after the practice session,” Khanvilkar told mid-day on Sunday. Iyer suffered a freak injury while attempting a catch to dismiss Alex Carey during the third ODI against Australia at Sydney on October 25, 2025. Iyer’s laceration of the spleen required immediate hospitalisation. It kept him out of action for almost three months. Mumbai, who are tied on 16 points with Punjab, are placed second in Group C. Mumbai will be boosted with the presence of India T20 skipper Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounder Shivam Dube for the last two games. 49.60Shreyas Iyer’s average across 11 ODIs in 2025 325.00Shreyas Iyer’s average across five matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season 2No. of centuries scored by Shreyas Iyer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy last season
05 January,2026 07:55 AM IST | Mumbai | Harit N JoshiADVERTISEMENT
