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Big picture: Afghanistan’s chance to make it two in two

After the net run-rate-boosting win over Hong Kong on the first day of the Asia Cup, Afghanistan have the chance to go clear at the top of Group B on Tuesday. Bangladesh are up next, fresh from the hiding at the hands of Sri Lanka. Afghanistan are the more confident of the two sides, which gives them the advantage before the start of the game.Azmatullah Omarzai’s record-breaking half-century from No. 6 led them in their 94-run win against Hong Kong. He added 82 runs for the fifth wicket with Sediqullah Atal, who ended unbeaten on 73. Afghanistan’s bowling was true to their reputation, hardly allowing the hapless Hong Kong batters a whiff.Related

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• Afghanistan get their win but Trott wants improvement

Rashid Khan must have also been pleased with AM Ghazanfar and Noor Ahmad now taking more responsibility. Mohammad Nabi didn’t bowl against Hong Kong, but is likely to be back in the attack against Bangladesh, who have to take on an irrepressible spin attack, a particularly hard task given their own frailties and the conditions in the Emirates.Their batting was under pressure against Sri Lanka right from the start as they played out two wicket-maidens to begin with. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy couldn’t revive the innings, leaving the job to Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain. They have often done this well in the past, but couldn’t on the day.Bangladesh’s catching was below par. The bowlers also collapsed in the face of sensible and aggressive batting. Dropping Taskin Ahmed in favour of Shoriful Islam might have destabilised a side that looks up to Taskin for inspiration.They have to get their act together against Afghanistan, a side headed in the direction opposite to where Bangladesh are going. Bangladesh must lift themselves, otherwise their Asia Cup campaign could well be over before even taking off.1:14

Maharoof: Bangladesh have been lacking in major tournaments

Form guide

Afghanistan WLWWW
Bangladesh LWWLW

In the spotlight: Azmatullah Omarzai and Shamim Hossain

Azmatullah Omarzai is emerging as Afghanistan’s top pace-bowling-allrounder, who can bowl in pressure situations and bat effectively in the top six. His half-century against Hong Kong was Afghanistan’s fastest in the format. Omarzai struck five sixes and two fours in his 21-ball 53. He is more than useful with the ball too, often helping Afghanistan break partnerships. He would, however, like to improve his T20I batting record against Bangladesh, having scored just 88 runs in six outings so far.Shamim Hossain dug Bangladesh out of a hole against Sri Lanka, but his unbeaten 42 – and Jaker Ali’s unbeaten 41 – couldn’t quite get them to a winning position. Shamim and Jaker added 86 for the sixth wicket, both doing the sort of fire-fighting job they are asked to do often. The good part about Shamim’s innings was that he took the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers at the end of the innings, something that should give him confidence against Afghanistan.Taskin Ahmed should return to the Bangladesh XI•AFP/Getty Images

Team news

Afghanistan are likely to stick to the same XI that played against Hong Kong in the tournament opener.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Sediqullah Atal, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 3 Ibrahim Zadran, 4 Mohammad Nabi, 5 Gulbadin Naib, 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 AM Ghazanfar, 11 Fazalhaq FarooqiSaif Hassan and Nurul Hasan are top-order batting options Bangladesh could look at, while Taskin is likely to return into the playing XI.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Tanzim Hasan, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman

Pitch and conditions

Abu Dhabi has rewarded batters with intent in the Asia Cup so far, but the bowlers too have found help from the pitches. The forecast is for high temperatures.

Stats and trivia

• The two maiden overs Bangladesh played out at the start of their innings against Sri Lanka was only the second such instance in a men’s T20I match between two Full-Member teams. Zimbabwe did it against West Indies in 2010.
• Omarzai struck the fastest T20I fifty for Afghanistan in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong. His 20-ball half-century beat Nabi’s 21-ball effort against Ireland in 2017.

New Zealand knocked off a target of eight runs in 14 balls to complete a comprehensive win over a Zimbabwe side whose home form continues to suffer. Their only Test win this year was against Bangladesh in Chattogram in April, and they have now lost their last five Tests.The architects of New Zealand’s victory were their bowlers, headlined by Matt Henry’s second Test nine-for, which included three second-innings wickets. Although New Zealand were without Nathan Smith for the third day – he could not take the field to determine the severity of an abdominal strain – Will O’Rourke’s 3 for 28 and stand-in captain Mitchell Santner’s 4 for 27 meant Zimbabwe were bowled out for under 170 in both innings to leave major batting concerns.Despite a good mix of youthful talent and experience in their line-up, Zimbabwe are struggling to post big scores. Only Sean Williams’ 49 was noteworthy in this match, though wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga made a career-best 30 in the first innings and 27 in the second. His contribution forced New Zealand to bat again, and kept an innings defeat at bay.Zimbabwe only had one partnership over 50 in either innings, and it was the second-innings stand of 57 between Craig Ervine and Williams for the fifth wicket that they would have expected to stabilise them. The pair got together after New Zealand dismissed Nick Welch in the fifth over of the third morning, caught behind off a full ball from O’Rourke.Tafadzwa Tsiga frustrated New Zealand•Zimbabwe Cricket

Then New Zealand got nightwatcher Vincent Masekesa, who batted for 58 minutes and faced 40 balls for 2. Masekesa was undone by a surface that started to show signs of variable bounce and gloved a back of a length ball to Rachin Ravindra at short leg.Williams was on 14 off 12 balls at the time, and batting with good intensity. Though Zimbabwe were still 105 runs behind at the stage, the experience of Williams and Ervine calmed nerves, and could have set them up for something more. Ervine, in particular, navigated Henry’s line just outside off fairly well, and drove him for two excellently timed fours.The introduction of spin in the form of Michael Bracewell after the first hour posed challenges for Zimbabwe’s batters as Bracewell beat them in flight. Williams got the better of him when he brought out the reverse sweep, and worked his way into the 40s. But he fell when he tried to help a Santner delivery fine, and got a faint touch through to Tom Blundell.Two overs later, Ervine could do little about a full ball from Henry that nipped off the seam and moved away, taking the edge with it. He was caught behind for 22. Zimbabwe went to lunch on 114 for 6, still 44 runs behind.Henry could have had Tsiga in the third over after the break when he edged to second slip, but Bracewell could not hold on. Tsiga was on 1 at the time. Instead, Henry was rewarded with the wicket of Sikandar Raza, who, for the second time in the match, was dismissed trying to play a big shot. After trying to take on the short ball in the first innings, Raza looked to hit Henry over midwicket but only spliced it high for Ravindra to take a second catch.Mitchell Santner took 4 for 27 in the second innings•Zimbabwe Cricket

With Brendan Taylor in Zimbabwe’s squad for the second Test next week, Raza’s spot, especially after the way he played in this Test, might be most at risk.Raza’s wicket was Henry’s ninth in the match, and came in the seventh over of his spell, though the lunch break had given him some rest. He bowled another four as he went in search of a tenth, and could have got it when there was a sound when Newman Nyamhuri went after a ball that moved away. But it seemed that his bat had hit the pad. Nyamhuri was removed at the other end when he was bowled by Santner, who also had Blessing Muzarabani dropped at deep square leg on 1.Muzarabani and Tsiga’s partnership grew to 36, and Tsiga took Zimbabwe into the lead with a pinpoint four down the ground. But they would have known they needed plenty to make the match competitive. Muzarabani was tempted by flight, and hit Santner to cover. Meanwhile, Tsiga, batting with No.11 Tanaka Chivanga, top-edged a slog sweep, and was caught at point to end Zimbabwe’s innings on the stroke of tea.The break was taken despite the small number of runs New Zealand needed, and the game went into a third session. New Zealand were in a hurry to finish things as quickly as possible on resumption. Devon Conway hit the fifth ball of the innings for four but then came down the track to try and hit Nyamhuri over mid-off but played on.The wicket was as much joy as Zimbabwe got as Henry Nicholls hit the winning runs off Nyamhuri to give both sides the weekend off. The second Test starts next Thursday.

After India’s unbeaten run through the Champions Trophy, several of their star performers have moved up the ICC’s ODI rankings. They make up four of the top-eight batters in the world with Shubman Gill still at No. 1. Rohit Sharma, Player of the Final for his match-winning 76, has moved up two places to No. 3, and Virat Kohli, with 218 runs in the tournament, is at No. 5. Shreyas Iyer has retained his No. 8 spot.The side’s third Champions Trophy title was set up by their spinners and two of them have made it to the top ten on the bowlers’ rankings. Kuldeep Yadav, who began his spell in the final with a wicket, is up at third place, and in tenth is Ravindra Jadeja, who had a miserly economy rate of 4.35 in the tournament.

Full rankings tables

• Click here for the full team rankings

• Click here for the full player rankings

India’s next ODI assignment is away in Bangladesh in August, followed by ODIs in Australia in October-November. South Africa and New Zealand then tour India over December and January, and one question has been whether Rohit and Kohli continue playing the format with the 2027 ODI World Cup still quite far away.Ricky Ponting, though, believes Rohit certainly has some unfinished business in the ODI game. “I think probably the fact that they lost the last one [2023 World Cup in India] and he was captain, that might be the thing that’s playing on the back of his mind,” Ponting told . “Just have one more crack at trying to win the T20 World Cup, the Champions Trophy, and the ODI World Cup. I mean when you see him play like he played in the Champions Trophy final, you wouldn’t say that his time is up just yet.”

Santner, Bracewell, Ravindra zoom up

New Zealand’s players made significant gains as well after their team’s run to the final of the Champions Trophy. Captain Mitchell Santner is ranked second on the ODI bowlers’ list, moving up six places on the back of several eye-catching performances. Santner finished with nine wickets in the tournament with an economy rate of 4.80.Santner is also fourth on the ODI allrounders’ rankings with Michael Bracewell, who made a fifty in the final and was New Zealand’s second-highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy, in seventh place.The other standout New Zealand player, Rachin Ravindra, who was the highest-scorer of the competition, jumped 14 places to 14th on the ODI batters’ rankings and eight places up to eighth in the allrounders rankings.

Bangladesh’s sports ministry said on Monday that Durbar Rajshahi owner Shafiqur Rahman has vowed to clear the team’s dues to players by February 10. Rahman had earlier said that the dues would be cleared by February 2.On Saturday, Asif Mahmud, the government advisor on matters of sports and youth affairs, said that he had spoken to Rahman, warning him of the consequences if the dues were not cleared. The Bangladesh government has also formed a fact-finding committee to look into the non-payment of players.The ministry issuing a press statement on a matter of the BPL – a tournament organised by the BCB – is unprecedented.Related

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• Rajshahi's overseas players stuck in Dhaka hotel over BPL payment issues

• Bangladesh government forms a committee to look into player payment issue at BPL

“He [Rahman] accepted his fault and promised to clear all dues of the team in three instalments of 25 percent each on February 3, 7 and 10,” the release said. “He also assured that alongside the players, everyone involved with the team would also receive their payments in each instalment. Otherwise, whatever necessary legal actions will be taken against him.”Even as the franchise continued to miss payment deadlines, the team’s overseas players were left stranded in the team hotel in Dhaka. Mohammad Haris (Pakistan), Aftab Alam (Afghanistan), Mark Deyal (West Indies), Ryan Burl (Zimbabwe) and Miguel Cummins (West Indies) were all waiting for some portion of their payments to come in. A couple of them had been paid 25%, while some haven’t been paid at all. To make things worse for the players, the Rajshahi team bus driver has allegedly said in interviews that he was holding cricketers’ kit bags as ransom as he too hadn’t been paid.Burl was the first to get an air ticket and he left early on Monday. According to a message from the Rajshahi franchise, Haris is scheduled to leave on Monday afternoon while the others have flights scheduled in the next two days.Rajshahi have been dogged by financial problems from the start of this BPL season.Anamul Haque had first claimed that the local players hadn’t received any payments prior to the start of the tournament – they are usually played 25% before the tournament starts. They boycotted a training session in Chattogram last month, while the overseas players boycotted a match. Burl and Haris eventually made themselves available to play and helped them stay in contention for a playoff finish, but they fell short on net run-rate.

Completing a remarkable turnaround, India wrapped up a famous Test victory at Optus Stadium with a 295-run victory over Australia in a one-sided result set to cause aftershocks in the latest tussle for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.The result was essentially a formality throughout the fourth day despite counterattacking knocks from Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. India’s deserved victory was official just after tea when Harshit Rana knocked over Alex Carey as they drew first blood in the five-match series.Related

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It was a memorable performance from India, who drew on a heroic effort from stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah. He claimed eight wickets for the match, while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli produced outstanding centuries in India’s second innings to decimate a flagging Australia.India had largely been written off after an unprecedented 3-0 home whitewash against New Zealand. They entered the series-opener without having played an official match on tour and were shorthanded without captain Rohit Sharma and injured batter Shubman Gill.Under intense pressure, coach Gautam Gambhir made the right moves and the brave selection calls, which included veteran spinners R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja being left out, were vindicated.Bumrah, particularly, deserves a lot of credit for galvanising a new-look team and he led from the front with a mesmerising spell late on day one to haul India back into the match after they had been bundled out for 150 having won the toss.Usman Khawaja fell to a miscued hook•Getty Images

There is set to be recriminations for Australia, who underwhelmed in their first Test since March’s New Zealand tour. There will be questions raised over the limited preparations of a number of players.Australia’s misfiring top-order will be particularly under the spotlight, especially No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne who scored 5 runs in the match to continue a lengthy form slump.Having started so well on the opening day, Australia’s bowling wilted in India’s second innings with captain Pat Cummins enduring a rare off match. Cummins had not played a red-ball match since March, preferring his series build-up through three 50-over games in the lead-up, and he finished with the modest match figures of 3 for 153 from 40.4 overs.Australia appeared flummoxed with the changing conditions of the pitch, which was spicy on day one before flattening out for most of day two and three. Cracks did widen as the match wore on and created up-and-down bounce to make batting difficult on the fourth day.Resuming at 12 for 3, after a disastrous start amid the shadows late on day three, Australia confronted an India attack eyeing to finish things off quickly.Australia’s hopes of chasing down a record 534 runs were forlorn but they aimed to at least muster some spirit which had seemingly been broken over the last couple of days.After a golden duck in the first innings, having returned to his favoured No. 4 position, Steven Smith fronted up to his nemesis Bumrah, who on the first ball of the day’s play had a loud lbw appeal turned down although in an anti-climax it was a no-ball.Travis Head edged behind for an excellent 89•Getty Images

Smith was relieved when he got off the mark on his fourth delivery with a trademark drive through the covers. But Australia’s woes reared in the next over after opener Usman Khawaja fell off the first short ball of the day’s play when he top-edged quick Mohammed Siraj and was caught by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant running back.Having had lbw issues recently, Smith made a technical adjustment and his trigger movement was not as pronounced as in the first innings when Bumrah pinned him in front of the stumps. Smith still faced a battle and copped a painful blow in the ribs from debutant quick Rana that left him on his back and in agony.He bravely continued batting and combined well with Head, who backed his aggressive instincts and counterattacked as they produced Australia’s first half-century partnership of the match.India dried up the scoring for Smith with Bumrah packing the legside with fielders as pressure built. Smith’s 60-ball resistance ended when he nicked off a superb back of a length delivery from a pumped-up Siraj that straightened off the seam and caught the edge.After a tough return to bowling, where his modestly-paced seamers were treated with disdain on day three by India’s batters, Marsh hoped to finish his home Test match strongly.He was all at sea before the lunch break and hit on the gloves several times but managed to hang in. Marsh and Head, who both entered the match with a limited build-up having been on paternity leave, made batting look relatively easy after the interval in a time of day that had been the best for batting through the match.Head motored towards a century and as per usual attacked any width and continually flayed through the offside, while Marsh struck several lusty aerial blows in a speedy half-century partnership.But Bumrah returned and he produced a superb back of a length delivery that caught Head’s edge on 89 and prompted impassioned celebrations from Kohli.Marsh also missed a milestone when on 47 he chopped on to allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who capped an impressive debut with his first Test wicket.Mitchell Starc was sharply held at short leg, giving Washington Sundar his first wicket of the match, and it wasn’t long before India claimed a victory they will savour for some time as the pressure starts to intensify on Australia.

Amelia Kerr has made an immediate impact at Sydney Sixers, combining with Ellyse Perry for the match-winning WBBL partnership against Melbourne Stars.The star New Zealand allrounder was player of the match in her Sixers debut on Friday at Junction Oval as they beat the home side by six runs under the DLS method.Related

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Sixers’ chase started badly, when Kim Garth’s first delivery had Sarah Bryce caught by Meg Lanning at first slip in the second over for 1.That brought Kerr to the crease in her first game since tearing her right quad in the October 24 one-dayer against India. Kerr made 46 not out from 41 balls, including five fours, and Perry’s unbeaten 48 from 44 deliveries featured six boundaries as they took the game away from Stars.She also took two wickets, including Stars top-scorer Annabel Sutherland.There were concerns that Kerr, the player of the tournament in the T20 World Cup, might be sidelined for much of the WBBL. But she has recovered from her injury ahead of time. Kerr has signed with the Sixers for three seasons after five WBBL campaigns at the Brisbane Heat.Perry won the toss and Stars made a bright start, before she removed Ines McKeon in the fourth over. Stars stuttered from 32 for 1 to 50 for 3, before Sutherland gave some substance with her 42 from 36 balls, with two fours and two sixes.Kerr dismissed Sutherland in the final over and also claimed the wicket of Tess Flintoff two balls later to finish with 2 for 36 from four overs.English star Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the Sixers attack, claiming 3 for 19 from four overs.The result means the two Melbourne teams both carry losses into their Saturday derby at Junction Oval, while Sydney improve to a 3-2 record.

Zimbabwe have named the uncapped duo – allrounder Tashinga Musekiwa and fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa – for the T20 World Cup regional qualifiers to be played in Kenya this month, to try and earn a spot for the main tournament in 2026. The selectors also recalled fast bowler Trevor Gwandu in the 15-man squad which sees 11 players from the series against India in July.Zimbabwe go into the six-team T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B under new head coach Justin Sammons with a young squad with an average age of 26, a Zimbabwe Cricket release said. The team will be led by the experienced Sikandar Raza. The qualifier also includes Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Seychelles. The top two sides from these will progress to the regional final to be joined by Namibia and Uganda.Musekiwa, 24, has just 21 T20s to his name – apart from one first-class game and 29 one-dayers – for Mid West Rhinos. His T20 high score is an unbeaten 38 and his best figures are 3 for 24 out of his total wickets tally of 10. He most recently played for Zimbabwe Emerging against the South Africa Emerging side in two one-dayers, and scored an unbeaten 51 in the second.Maposa, 21, has featured in five first-class games for 14 wickets and is yet to play white-ball games in domestic cricket. His last series was the Logan Cup in which he played four red-ball games for Matabeleland Tuskers in January-February for 12 wickets with one five-for.”We have picked a young squad that is good enough to make us qualify and I am confident they will deliver in Kenya,” convener of selectors David Mutendera said in the release. “If you look at the direction we are taking, with the 2026 T20 World Cup and the future in mind, we have been blooding in youngsters who will definitely do the job like they did in winning single matches against Bangladesh and India in our last two series.”Raza is still there for now, but we had to start the process of building a younger team for the future.”Gwandu makes a return having last played for Zimbabwe in December 2023, against Ireland at home. After playing the domestic T20 competition for Southern Rocks in March this year, he too played for Zimbabwe Emerging, but in the African Games in Accra, Ghana, where Zimbabwe won the tournament.

Zimbabwe squad

Sikandar Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava

Kent’s Division One status is dangling by a thread after a dismal second day against Hampshire in the Vitality County Championship at Canterbury.The hosts slumped to 64 for 5 for in reply to Hampshire’s first innings total of 403, with Kyle Abbott claiming 3 for 23.What had looked like an even contest at the end of day one tilted drastically in Hampshire’s favour during the morning session. Tom Prest hit a majestic 102, and Brad Wheal chipped in with his highest first-class score of 61 as Hampshire were finally dismissed for 403. Kent could be relegated this week if they lose and results elsewhere go against them. They still trail by 339 at stumps.The visitors began day two on 213 for 7 and looked comfortable for the first hour until Joey Evison came on from the Nackington Road End and removed Abbott for 26, victim of a brilliant slip catch by Jack Leaning.Prest, who only had 15 at the start of play, responded by dumping Matt Parkinson into the Old Dover Road hedges to bring up his fifty and he took 21 from the over.He then reached his 100 from exactly 100 balls by dropping to one knee and smearing Charlie Stobo for six over deep midwicket before he finally fell to the same bowler after a juggling catch from Jas Singh on the deep midwicket boundary.Even the last wicket pair put on 71. Wheal twisted the knife with an aggressive cameo that included a pulled six off Singh, and it was 377 for 9 when rain ushered in the lunch break.Wheal was stuck on 49 for 15 balls before he nudged Parkinson for a single and he then clubbed Stobo for a six over square leg to take Hampshire past 400 before he was bowled playing on to Stobo.Kent’s response was all too predictable. Mohammad Abbas strangled Tawanda Muyeye, who was perhaps unfortunate to be given caught behind for five at the start of Kent’s sixth over.Abbott then took three wickets in five balls. Daniel Bell-Drummond went first in the 11th over, caught for ten by Fletcha Middleton, a ball after he’d been dropped by Prest. Jack Leaning and Joe Denly then both went for second-ball ducks, the former caught by Albert, the latter lbw to a ball that hit him above the knee roll.Joey Evison made 21 before Wheal had him caught behind but the hosts were spared further punishment when play was suspended at 4.34pm due to a combination of bad light and increasingly heavy rain, which persuaded the umpires there was no realistic chance of resuming.

England have announced their home fixtures for next season, with the men’s and women’s teams taking on India during concurrent series in the middle of summer. The ECB has also confirmed that Lord’s will host its first women’s Test when India return for a one-off game in 2026.The 2025 season will see a joint visit by West Indies men’s and women’s teams, while England Men will face Zimbabwe in a one-off Test before finishing the summer by hosting South Africa for ODI and T20I series.The international season commences at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury on May 21, with England Women playing West Indies in the first of three T20Is, to be followed by three ODIs.The men will begin with a four-day Test against Zimbabwe – their first international meeting since the 2007 World T20 – to be staged at Trent Bridge from May 22-25, before the white-ball teams play three ODIs and three T20Is against West Indies.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

England Men’s five-Test series against India will kick off at Headingley on June 20, before back-to-back games at Edgbaston and Lord’s, followed by Old Trafford and The Oval.At the same time, England Women will take on India in five T20Is, the first of which will be at Trent Bridge on June 28, followed by a three-match ODI series that will also see the teams play at Lord’s.With the Hundred likely to take up much of August, England Men’s international programme will conclude with six white-ball games against South Africa before travelling to Ireland for a three-match ODI series.”Staging England Men’s and England Women’s series alongside each other has been popular with fans and supported the continued growth of the women’s game, with both the Ashes last year and the Pakistan series earlier this year proving successful,” Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive officer, said.”I’m excited we’ll be doing the same again for the West Indies and India series next year. Cricket fans are in for a real treat, and I hope they’ll be out in force to support both men’s and women’s sides.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“India touring is always a big draw and a highlight of any cricket summer. The last men’s Test series here was a nailbiter and I’m sure next year’s clash will be just as exciting, while our women’s series are always fiercely competitive. I’m delighted we’ll also be welcoming both West Indies teams back again for white-ball series, following this year’s men’s Test series.”To be welcoming Zimbabwe back for a men’s Test Match will be a historic moment, more than 20 years since their last visit. Test cricket is so beloved in this country, and we know that we have an important role to play in supporting developing Test-cricketing nations so that this format of the game thrives long into the future.”I’m also delighted we can confirm that India Women will return in 2026 to take on England Women in the first-ever women’s Test match at Lord’s. It will be a truly special occasion, and one of real significance.”

England home international fixtures 2025

England Women vs West Indies Women
1st Vitality T20I – May 21, Canterbury
2nd Vitality T20I – May 23, Hove
3rd Vitality T20I – May 26, Chelmsford1st Metro Bank ODI – May 30, Derby
2nd Metro Bank ODI – June 4, Leicester
3rd Metro Bank ODI – June 7, TauntonEngland Men vs Zimbabwe Men
Only Rothesay Men’s Test – May 22-25, Trent BridgeEngland Men vs West Indies Men
1st Metro Bank ODI – May 29, Edgbaston
2nd Metro Bank ODI – June 1, Cardiff
3rd Metro Bank ODI – June 3, The Kia Oval1st Vitality T20I – June 6, Chester-le-Street
2nd Vitality T20I – June 8, Bristol
3rd Vitality T20I – June 10, SouthamptonEngland Men vs India Men
1st Rothesay Test – June 20-24, Headingley
2nd Rothesay Test – July 1-6, Edgbaston
3rd Rothesay Test – July 10-14, Lord’s
4th Rothesay Test – July 23-27, Emirates Old Trafford
5th Rothesay Test – July 31- August 4, The Kia OvalEngland Women vs India Women
1st Vitality T20I – June 28, Trent Bridge
2nd Vitality T20I – July 1, Bristol
3rd Vitality T20I – July 4, The Kia Oval
4th Vitality T20I – July 9, Emirates Old Trafford
5th Vitality T20I – July 12, Edgbaston1st Metro Bank ODI – July 16, Southampton
2nd Metro Bank ODI – July 19, Lord’s
3rd Metro Bank ODI – July 22, Chester-le-StreetEngland Men vs South Africa Men
1st Metro Bank ODI – September 2, Headingley
2nd Metro Bank ODI – September 4, Lord’s
3rd Metro Bank ODI – September 7, Utilita Bowl1st Vitality T20I – September 10, Cardiff
2nd Vitality T20I – September 12, Emirates Old Trafford
3rd Vitality T20I – September 14, Trent Bridge

Ben Slater took full advantage of Guildford’s short square boundaries to hit nine sixes and 12 fours in a brilliant List A best 164 off 119 balls as Notts Outlaws overpowered Surrey by 107 runs.And Rob Lord, a 23-year-old seamer making only his second senior appearance, was Notts’ star with the ball in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 2,000 at Woodbridge Road, impressing hugely with 5 for 45 as Surrey were bowled out for 271 in reply.The Outlaws’ third win in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup’s Group B boosts their hopes of reaching the 50-over competition’s later stages, while for Surrey it was sadly a fifth defeat in five matches.Only Dom Sibley, following up his 149 against Warwickshire two days’ previously with 72 off 81 balls, threatened with the bat for Surrey as Lord spearheaded an excellent Notts’ performance in the field.Tailender Conor McKerr did have some late fun with three sixes and eight fours in a violent 36-ball 71 – the fast bowler’s highest score in any senior cricket – but by then it was just damage limitation for Surrey.Opener Slater was joined by Jack Haynes, who struck two sixes and nine fours in a fluent 85-ball 86, in a superb partnership of 187 in 28 overs that is a List A second wicket record for Notts against Surrey. Both Slater and Haynes batted beautifully, with Notts’ eventual total also a record for List A games between these two counties.Haynes, like Slater, will certainly always remember the day with affection as he came into the game with four ducks from his previous four innings in the competition. Yet if Haynes was anxious about extending such a remarkable and unwanted run of noughts he did not show it after Freddie McCann had hit five fours in a bright 28 before mis-hitting Ryan Patel’s medium pace to mid off in the seventh over.Slater’s first six was pulled off McKerr, taking him to 22 and signalling more positive intent after a comparatively cautious start, but it was only once he had reached his eighth List A hundred – and seen Haynes cloth one to mid on the ball after thumping McKerr for a massive six – that the left-hander went into overdrive.An over from legspinner Cameron Steel cost 27 runs as Slater pulled and swept him for three sixes, adding two fours and a single for good measure, and time and again Slater flicked or bludgeoned the ball high over the legside ropes until, in the 46th over, he drove James Taylor straight to Ben Foakes at extra cover.By then the Notts total was 345, Haseeb Hameed and Lyndon James had both gone cheaply attempting to hit out, but Matthew Montgomery had also played a lovely cameo of 38 in 21 balls before lofting McKerr to long-off.Tom Moores, with a jaunty unbeaten 24, ensured that Notts reached the sort of challenging total that Slater’s heroics deserved, and Surrey’s response only really looked up to that challenge when Sibley and Patel were adding 66 in 11 overs for the first wicket and when Ben Geddes also played well for a 32-ball 34 at No. 3.Patel pulled and drove sixes in his 35, before hitting James to deep midwicket, and Geddes helped Sibley take Surrey on to 115 for 1 until a quite brilliant catch by keeper Moores proved to be a key moment in the game.Geddes flashed hard at Lord and the thick edge seemed to be flying away to the boundary, only for Moores to fling himself high to his right to clutch the ball in one glove.Rory Burns was then leg-before for a duck to slow left-armer Liam Patterson-White, another Notts bowler to impress even though Sibley did pull a rare short one from him over mid-wicket for one of his three sixes.Surrey’s slide continued when Foakes (10) chipped Lord to cover, off a leading edge, and Steel (7) nicked the bustling Lord through to Moores.Sibley’s departure, in the 31st over, left Surrey in an almost hopeless position – the opener held by bowler Lord when he skied an attempted pull – and, to his great joy, Lord’s fifth wicket arrived two overs later when Josh Blake (10) hooked straight to long leg.After that, McKerr enjoyed himself as the dominant partner in a 71-run stand for the eighth wicket with Nathan Barnwell (17), but after he perished to a catch at long on the end came quickly. Both James and Luke Fletcher finished with two wickets.