Wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali will be in-charge of the T20I team after regular captain Fatima Sana left for England to take part in the The Hundred tournament following the ODI series. Muneeba, Pakistan’s first women’s T20I centurion and scorer of two hundreds in the format so far, has previously stood in for Fatima once each in T20Is and ODIs.

Muneeba led Pakistan against Australia during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai and against Zimbabwe in the third ODI of the series in May earlier this year.

Pakistan began the Sri Lanka tour with a win before the hosts came from behind to claim the three-match ODI series 2-1. The two teams moved from Hambantota to Dambulla on Wednesday and took part in a three-hour training session on Thursday.

A total of eight changes have been made to Pakistan’s T20I squad that featured in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. Eman Naseer, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees, Momina Riasat, Najiha Alvi, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar are the new inclusions to the squad. Right-handed batters Eman and Maham are uncapped in the format. Sri Lanka made three changes to their ODI squad by bringing in young guns Sanjana Kavindi, Chamudi Praboda and Rashmika Sewwandi.

In head-to-head fixtures, Pakistan have an edge over Sri Lanka with 11 wins out of 21 WT20I matches and one game ended as no result.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka women have only played three bilateral T20I series with Sri Lanka winning the inaugural one in Sharjah by 2-1 in January 2015.

In March 2018, Pakistan won by 2-1 in Colombo including a thrilling one-wicket victory, while in May 2022, Pakistan clean swept Sri Lanka 3-0 in Karachi.

Muneeba Ali, Pakistan women’s T20I captain said, “We look forward to competing hard in the T20I series here in Dambulla and the aim is to finish the tour on a high with series win. It is an honour for me to lead Pakistan at any given opportunity and I’ll do my best to contribute towards the development of youngsters and produce positive results for the team.

We have a number of young and up-and-coming players in the T20I squad and it will be exciting to see them ply their trade on the top level against some of the best players. We are aware of Sri Lanka’s capability to bounce back from any situation and we will look to take the field with the best preparation and planning possible.“

Tour schedule: 31st July – First T20I at Rangiri Dambulla International cricket stadium, Dambulla; 2nd August – Second T20I at Rangiri Dambulla International cricket stadium, Dambulla; 4th August – Third T20I at Rangiri Dambulla International cricket stadium, Dambulla.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

The announcements follow the sacking of Brendon McCullum as Test coach and the retirement of former skipper Ben Stokes from international cricket earlier this month.

Yorkshireman Root captained England in 64 Tests from 2017 to 2022 and took the role on an interim basis at the Oval during the recent series against New Zealand.

The 35-year-old is second behind India’s Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time Test scoring list, with more than 14,000 runs.

“It is a great honour and privilege to be asked to be England men’s Test captain again,” said Root.

“The Test captaincy is a difficult but hugely rewarding job and, after enjoying a brief taste of it again working with Baz McCullum last month, I am excited to lead this next generation of players forward.”

The batsman described Fleming as an “exceptional leader with a great knowledge of the game”.

England are next in action in a three-match series against Pakistan starting on August 19, with Marcus Trescothick acting as interim head coach ahead of Fleming’s arrival later this year.

The ECB said Fleming, who led Chennai Super Kings to five Indian Premier League titles, was one of the “most highly regarded coaches in world cricket”.

“The ambition is always to win now,” said Fleming. “But equally, it’s about ensuring the team is well placed for the medium and long-term future.”

The 53-year-old added: “I’m particularly looking forward to working with Joe Root as captain – a generational talent who has achieved so much already.

“There is still plenty more to come from him, and I’m excited to support him so he can enjoy and thrive in the role in what is a different context to his first stint.”

McCullum will remain in charge as England’s limited overs coach.

Managing director of England men’s cricket Rob Key, hailed Fleming as one of the most highly respected figures in cricket.

“I believe he is the best person to guide a team stacked full of potential and turn that talent into a world-class outfit that can not only achieve success but sustain it,” Key said.

Since its launch in 2008, the 10-team competition has consistently attracted cricket’s leading players, while building a commercial model that combines broadcast ​revenues, sponsorship, merchandising and franchise investment.

Ownership changes at its ​Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals franchises earlier this year ⁠further demonstrated the IPL’s appeal to major investors and the ​premium attached to established teams within the league.

A consortium comprising Blackstone, ​Bolt Ventures, Aditya Birla Group and Times of India Group said in March it would acquire the Bengaluru franchise for a league-record $1.78 billion. Separately, in May, ​the Mittal family and Adar Poonawalla said they would buy Rajasthan for $1.65 ​billion.

The increase reflected a second consecutive year of double-digit growth in the IPL’s ‌business ⁠value, Houlihan Lokey said in its ‘2026 IPL Brand Valuation Study’ on Wednesday.

“Franchise valuations have reached new highs, private capital participation has accelerated, and the league’s commercial ecosystem continues to diversify,” said Harsh ​Talikoti, a director ​in Houlihan Lokey’s ⁠Financial and Valuation Advisory business.

Indian steel magnate leads $1.65bn IPL Rajasthan Royals deal

“The IPL represents a unique convergence of sport, media, and consumer opportunity, ​underpinned by strong revenue visibility, disciplined cost structures, and ​an ⁠expanding global audience.”

“These latest transactions further demonstrate the confidence investors continue to place in the long-term value creation opportunity.”

The IPL’s stand-alone brand value ⁠rose ​10.3% over the past year to $4.3 billion. ​Reigning champions Bengaluru remain the league’s most valuable franchise, with a brand value of $312 ​million.

The Mumbai batter made his India debut in a Twenty20 International in 2011 but established himself in Test cricket as a resolute middle-order player, building his game on defence and patience.

“The reality of life is that everything has a beginning and everything has an end,” the 38-year-old said in a video on social media.

“When that time comes, you simply have to respect it and move forward. I’ve always relied on timing in my batting, and I’ve always understood its importance.

“Today, I feel the timing is right for me to move on and announce my retirement from international cricket and all formats.”

Rahane played the last of his 85 Tests in July 2023, before falling out of the side. He had not played white-ball cricket for India since 2018.

He scored 5,077 Test runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 hundreds.

As stand-in captain for Virat Kohli, Rahane led India to a memorable 2-1 series victory in Australia in 2020-21.

With Kohli on paternity leave and India reeling after being bowled out for 36 in the Adelaide opener, Rahane’s masterful hundred in Melbourne helped level the series and set the tone for a remarkable comeback.

Rahane also led India in tests against Australia, Afghanistan and New Zealand. India won four and drew two of the six tests under him, leaving him unbeaten as captain.

“I lived by one simple rule: always put my country and my team ahead of myself,” a visibly emotional Rahane said in the video.

“I played this game with complete honesty, and I always believe that if your intent is right, the game will always take care of you.”

Currently doing commentary for The Hundred in England, Rahane remains active in domestic franchise cricket.

Miraz’s captaincy exit comes after Bangladesh ODI series defeat against Zimbabwe earlier this month. Najmul Hossain Shanto will continue in his role as Test captain.

The appointment of Litton, who is already the T20 skipper, as the white-ball leader comes as Bangladesh’s move of split captaincy ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

“I and the board believe we should have two captains –  a white-ball and a red-ball captain,” Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Tamim Iqbal told reporters in Mirpur.

Tamim praised Miraz’s tenure, which included victories in four of his last five series in charge, but said his dip in batting form prompted the move.

“Miraz as a cricketer for Bangladesh is more important than anything else…probably the level we’re accustomed to, we’re probably not seeing that right now, especially with his batting,” Tamim said.

“I had a discussion with Miraz, (and) he understands the point.”

Miraz was handed the ODI captaincy on a 12-month basis in June last year, taking over from Shanto, who had briefly led the side across all formats.

Under Miraz, Bangladesh won 10 of 20 ODIs, following a difficult start that saw them lose five of their first six matches and drop two consecutive series.

The team later rallied with four straight series wins at home against the West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and Australia, before losing an away series to Zimbabwe.

Litton has previous captaincy experience, having led Bangladesh in seven ODIs, including a 2022 series win over India.

Tamim also addressed the uncertain status of Bangladesh’s proposed series against India in September at home.

“I am very hopeful that they will come. Bangladesh is an extremely safe country,” he said.

Tamim said talks with the BCCI had been “very positive” so far and clarity was expected “very soon”.

“Whatever steps need to be taken from our side, we are trying from our end,” he said.

“But one thing we all need to understand - I am BCB, and then I am the BCB president, and there is also a line that I should never cross.”

Under the previous board, Bangladesh refused to play in India at this year’s T20 World Cup, citing security concerns after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dumped by Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders.

“There are certain things that are beyond my control. They (government) also have to make a decision, I’m sure. Very soon, perhaps, we will find out whether the series is happening or not,” said Tamim.

After eking out a 29-run first-innings lead, West Indies made 181 in their second innings to set Pakistan a target of 211.

Seales (5-20) and his pace colleagues returned to produce a superb fast-bowling display at the Brian Lara Stadium, routing Pakistan for 120 in a little over 40 overs.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam made an unbeaten 58 and combined with No. 11 Mohammad Abbas (23) in a brief resistance, but West Indies’ victory appeared a formality after the tourists slumped to 71-9.

Pakistan No. 3 Shan Masood, who fractured his finger during his first-innings knock of 109, batted at No. 8 in the second innings. He made three before Seales dismissed him.

West Indies captain Roston Chase dedicated the victory to West Indies great Garry Sobers, who died earlier this month.

“We wanted to make him proud and had a chat about it before the match. I hope he is smiling down on us,” Chase said afterwards. “I love the direction this team is heading.

We’re not relying on one or two players; everyone is chipping in at crucial moments.“

Sajid and Abrar demolish West Indies in first Test win

Babar said Pakistan’s lack of partnerships proved costly. “Today, as a batting unit, we weren’t up to the mark.

We kept losing wickets back-to-back and the batting failed. That’s something we’re working on,“ he said.

The second and final Test in Port of Spain begins on Sunday.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also returns in a 15-player squad, but will need to be cleared to play after a fitness assessment, as will batsman Sai Sudharsan.

The first Test is in Galle from August 15-19 with the second in Colombo on August 23-27.

Left-arm spinner Jadeja suffered an elbow injury during the Indian Premier League and missed India’s one-off Test win against Afghanistan last month.

All-rounder Saransh Jain, who bowls offspin, has been handed a maiden call-up.

India rest Bumrah and Jadeja for one-off Afghanistan test

Shubman Gill will be captain in India’s first series in the current World Test Championship (WTC) since the 2-0 home defeat to South Africa in November.

India are fifth in the WTC standings, which are led by Australia, with Sri Lanka sixth.

India squad: Shubman Gill (capt), KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah*, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain

Cricket, absent from ‌the Olympics since 1900, offers the International Olympic Committee something no recent addition has: direct access to a fan base of more than 2 billion people and, crucially, the commercial power of the Indian market. As the Games seek a younger and broader audience, it may prove the most valuable sport added to the Olympic programme in decades.

Cricket has been one of the major global sports not to feature in the Olympics, IOC Sports Director Pierre Ducrey told Reuters in an interview.

“It is very strong in markets where maybe you could say the ​Olympic Games today may not have penetrated as much as they have in other markets,” he said.

Stadiums rise at Paris landmarks 100 days from Olympics

“Cricket will bring to the LA Games audiences that may not necessarily tune in regularly to watch the Olympic ​Games,” Ducrey added. “It’s a win-win compromise where we’ll give them more opportunities, and they will definitely strengthen our appeal in markets that are very strongly interested in cricket and ⁠sometimes mostly in cricket.”

Interest in broadcasting rights

The sport’s imminent return to the Olympics has already generated demand, with the IOC confirming “strong interest” in broadcasting rights for the Indian subcontinent for the 2028 Games.

That would amount to “a multiple” of the ​value of the 2024 Games contract, IOC Television and Marketing Services Managing Director Anne-Sophie Voumard told Indian media late last year. The Paris 2024 contract was estimated to be worth around $30 million.

“Regarding media rights for the LA28 Olympic Games in ​the Indian subcontinent, we are currently engaged in constructive discussions with a number of key players across the region,” an IOC spokesperson told Reuters.

“We can confirm that there has been strong interest from the market, reflecting both the momentum behind the LA28 Olympic Games and the addition of cricket to the sports programme.”

There are already close relationships between the Olympics and cricket in the region’s media market. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Indian broadcaster JioStar, formed from the Reliance Industries (RELI.NS), opens new tab and Walt Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab merger of their Indian media assets in 2024, owned the ​rights for the Paris 2024 Games and the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games, and also holds the rights to broadcast the Indian Premier League, the country’s top cricket league.

Ambani’s wife Nita is an IOC member and hosted the 2023 ​IOC session in Mumbai.

T20 rise

Cricket returned to the Olympic conversation after the IOC recognised the International Cricket Council in 2010, but the sport’s traditional five-day Tests and eight-hour one-day internationals remained impractical for the Games. The breakthrough came with the explosive rise of ‌Twenty20, a three-hour ⁠format whose popularity coincided with IOC reforms in 2014 allowing host cities to propose additional sports, paving the way for Los Angeles to bring cricket back in 2028.

Beyond its brevity, the high volatility and international reach of T20 made it tailor-made for the Olympics, said ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta, who was previously the CEO of sports and live experiences at JioStar.

“The jeopardy or the unpredictability that live sports benefit from is maximised in this format,” Gupta told Reuters. Unlike Test matches, which are restricted to the ICC’s 12 full members, T20 can claim to be cricket’s true global format.

“Avenues of participation have been expanded significantly to really position this format as cricket’s handshake with the world,” Gupta said. “It’s global, more ​accessible and representative. T20 ticks all the right boxes.”

Long process

LA28 ​will mark the end of a 21-year journey that ⁠started with cricket’s provisional recognition by the IOC back in 2007.

“The interests of some of the federations, the interests of the Olympic movement at large, sometimes converge, sometimes they don’t,” Ducrey said. “And it took some time for the interests of the International Cricket Council, of the sport of cricket at large, and those of the Olympic movement to align ​in a more significant way that led to the discussions around the 2028 program.”

“So a long journey, but I would say one that was consistently getting our movements ​and our sports, and our interests ⁠closer and closer.”

Cricket’s commercial rise has been fuelled by the Indian Premier League, which has transformed the sport over the past two decades, attracting the world’s leading players and becoming one of the most valuable sports competitions globally. The 10-team IPL is now valued at around $20 billion, with the 2026 season drawing 1.2 billion viewers across platforms.

Olympic future

Cricket is expected to remain in the Games beyond 2028. The 2032 Games will be held in Brisbane, Australia — another country with a strong cricketing tradition — and India ⁠is heavily pushing Ahmedabad ​to host the Games in 2036.

Beyond geographic expansion, cricket offers a highly coveted demographic.

According to ICC chief executive Gupta, nearly 50% of followers ​are under 35 and 35% are under 27, making cricket “future-ready”.

By including cricket, the Olympic movement is poised to reap a significant “demographic dividend”, said Gupta. “As the Olympic movement looks to the future of its own significance and relevance of sport in various markets, cricket can potentially play a huge role ​in driving that forward,” he said.

“Cricket is the fastest growing large-scale team sport in the world. It’s a massive opportunity for the Olympic movement to ride on.”

Sooryavanshi smashed an 18-ball half-century in the opening Twenty20 against Zimbabwe before scoring 81 on Sunday as India completed a 3-0 sweep of the hosts.

The 15-year-old, fast-tracked into international cricket following a breakthrough Indian Premier League season, was named Player of the Series after scoring two half-centuries in the three-match contest.

“Very mature. That’s what I really appreciate about Vaibhav,” Laxman told reporters.

“With every experience and every match, he understands, assesses and gets better. He reviews every practice session, not just matches. “His maturity, understanding and awareness over the last six months have skyrocketed. That’s why he’s been able to handle tough situations and perform under pressure against the best players.”

Sooryavanshi’s success in Zimbabwe came after a difficult start to his international career in England earlier this month.

The youngest player to represent India registered scores of 14, 13 and 15 in his first three T20 internationals before being left out of the fifth match.

Laxman, who has tracked Sooryavanshi’s progress from age-group cricket through the IPL and into the senior national side, said the teenager’s willingness to learn had been one of his greatest strengths, but managing his fitness remained an important area of development.

“The one area we want him to improve is his overall fitness,” Laxman said. “He’s a very young boy.

He himself wants to get better in every aspect of the game.

Even today, when he got injured (while attempting a diving catch running in from deep square leg), he still wanted to stay on the field.

“It was our physio who asked him to come off. That’s the eagerness and earnestness he has to contribute in every possible way to the team.”

Laxman said he was not concerned by the left-hander’s struggles in England and backed him to build on his strong start to international cricket.

“I’m sure he will progress and break all the records at the international level. He’s got all the potential and ability to do that,” he added.

India won the toss and posted 192-5 at Harare Sports Club, led by a quickfire 81 from Sooryavanshi. He faced 49 balls and his innings included four sixes and eight fours.

Zimbabwe, 10 places below second-placed India in the world T20I rankings, reached 157-7 in reply thanks mainly to an unbeaten 54 from lower-order batter Ryan Burl.

Victory marked an Indian turnaround after a 2-0 T20I series loss in Ireland, then a 4-0 drubbing in England. It was the second straight series loss for Zimbabwe after going down 2-1 to Bangladesh.

At 15, Sooryavanshi is the youngest cricketer to represent India. He has sparkled in southern Africa after debuting in the England series and amassing 42 runs over three innings.

Sooryavanshi has had a memorable tour of Zimbabwe. He scored his maiden T20I half-century off just 18 balls in the first match and followed it up with 20 off nine deliveries in the second.

He made his intentions clear from the first ball of final tour match. He launched the Indian innings with a four off Zimbabwe captain and all-rounder Sikandar Raza and reached 50 from 31 balls.

The teen fell off the final ball of the 14th over. Sooryavanshi was out off a Wessly Madhevere delivery when Brad Evans dashed from the ropes to long off and caught the ball.

Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan (29), a half centurion on Saturday, did best among the other Indian batters, slamming four fours before being bowled by Raza.

Zimbabwe slumped to 65-4 in reply with opener Brian Bennett and Raza both dismissed for golden ducks. The highlight of the innings was a 60-run fifth-wicket stand between Burl and Madhevere (28).

Brief scores

India 192-5 in 20 overs (V. Sooryavanshi 81, I. Kishan 29; B.Evans 2-41) v Zimbabwe 157-7 in 20 overs (R. Burl 54 not out; M. Yadav 3-28)

Result: India won by 35 runs

Series: India won 3-0

Toss: India

Left-handed batter Abdullah Fazal has been ruled out of the remainder of the West Indies series after sustaining an injury on the eve of the first Test.

The PCB has named right-handed batter Abdullah Shafique as his replacement, while experienced middle-order batter Saud Shakeel has also been added to the squad to strengthen the batting lineup.

Pakistan are currently touring the West Indies, where they are playing the opening Test of the two-match series.

Following the Caribbean tour, Pakistan will travel to England for a three-Test series scheduled from August 19 to September 13. All five Tests across the two tours will count towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27.

Wicketkeeper Kishan made 81 off 44 balls and unbeaten Varma 60 from 29 deliveries at Harare Sports Club as the tourists took an unassailable 2-0 lead. The final match is scheduled for Sunday.

A second victory in three days marked a turnaround for India who arrived in southern Africa after series losses in Ireland and England.

Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old batting prodigy who scored his maiden T20I half century on Thursday in Harare, scored 20 runs.

Put in to bat, India posted 219-5 with  whirlwind stands of Kishan and Varma tormenting the Zimbabwe bowlers. Zimbabwe were all out for 129 in reply.

Batting at No. 3, Kishan put on 66 runs for the third wicket with captain Shreyas Iyer (25) and 95 for the fourth with Varma.

Kishan struck two sixes and nine fours before slicing a Newman Nyamhuri delivery outside off stump. Brian Bennett darted forward from deep to pull off a superb catch.

Varma, like Kishan, part of the 2026 T20I World Cup-winning team, struck three sixes and five fours in his undefeated knock.

Sooryavanshi hit a six and three fours off nine balls before a sliced a pull off a Richard Ngarava delivery was caught by Blessing Muzarabani retreating from mid on.

Zimbabwe lie 10 places below India in the world T20I rankings and were always struggling with only opener Bennett (32) and wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani (24) enjoying some batting success.

Yash Thakur claimed his first T20I wicket by dismissing Bennett. His delivery outside off was lobbed behind the stumps and Kishan made a simple catch.

Left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma (3-17), another 2026 T20I World Cup winner, was the most successful Indian bowler.

Brief scores

India 219-5 in 20 overs (I. Kishan 81, T. Varma 60 not out) v Zimbabwe 129 in 17.5 overs (B. Bennett 32; A. Sharma 3-17)

Result: India won by 90 runs

Series: India have unassailable 2-0 lead before final match on Sunday

Toss: Zimbabwe

“My journey began with street cricket and playing at home with my brother. My father later enrolled us at an academy and that is where my serious cricketing journey started,” Sameer recalled in an interview.

Sameer revealed that he initially started as a leg-spinner and tried to copy Yasir Shah before developing into a batter. He also acknowledged the contribution of his long-time coach, Tahir Mehmood Faiz.

“My coach recognised my batting and fielding talent and encouraged me to take the game seriously. I have been working with him since 2013,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of fitness, Sameer said his father emphasised training and diet from an early age.

“If you want to play for a long time, training and diet are very important. I began training seriously after the U-16 level because I knew U-19 cricket was the next major step,” he added.

Sameer praised the age-group camps, saying exposure to different coaches and trainers helped players improve. “The camps were highly beneficial. The U-19 programme in Multan brought together leading performers from across the country, provided quality preparation and played an important role in forming the team,” he said.

Explaining his batting approach during the ACC U19 Men’s Asia Cup, Sameer said, “My plan was to look for at least one boundary in every over, particularly during the Powerplay and then rotate the strike. Against India, the coaches told us to play fearless and positive cricket without worrying about the result. We followed that message.”

Reflecting on his HBL PSL experience, Sameer thanked Islamabad United’s management and Luke Ronchi for giving him confidence.

“They told me not to worry whether I scored zero, 10 or 100, but to enjoy my batting and express myself. That support removed the pressure.”

Sameer said he wants to represent Pakistan across all three formats, adding that red-ball cricket develops patience and technique, while white-ball cricket demands calculated aggression.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

Defending champions India along with its seeded neighbours will start from the quarter-finals of the 10-team men’s competition starting September 24 in Nagoya.

The competition will begin with a preliminary round featuring Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Oman competing for the remaining quarter-final berths.

The draw was announced Thursday with Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal clubbed in Group A. Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman were placed in Group B.

Asian Games 2026: Pakistan announce 15-member squad led by Sahibzada Farhan

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage to join the four seeded sides.

In the women’s competition scheduled between September 17-22, holders India will face hosts Japan in the quarter-finals.

Bangladesh will take on China, Sri Lanka clash with Malaysia, and Pakistan play Thailand.

Both men’s and women’s competitions will be played in the Twenty20 format.

India swept the cricket gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

The second ODI will be played in Manchester on 19th May, while Leeds will host the third match of the series on 21st May. The fourth and fifth ODIs will be played in Chester-le-Street and Cardiff on 23rd and 26th May, respectively.

Pakistan, who is currently touring the West Indies for a two-match Test series, will travel to England next month for a three-match Test series scheduled to take place from 19th August to 13th September.

The five-match ODI series will provide both sides with valuable preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 4th October to 21st November.

Pakistan is currently ranked fifth in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, while England occupy seventh spot.

The last time Pakistan toured England for an ODI series was in 2021. Babar Azam was the leading run-scorer in the three-match ODI series, accumulating 177 runs in three matches, including an innings of 158 in the third ODI.

Series schedule: 15 May – First ODI, Southampton, 19 May – Second ODI, Manchester, 21 May – Third ODI, Leeds, 23 May – Fourth ODI, Chester-le-Street and 26 May – Fifth ODI, Cardiff.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

After Zimbabwe were sent in to bat, the home side managed 125 for seven in their 20 overs, a total that was never likely to trouble the tourists, who chased it down with 40 balls remaining.

The 15-year-old Sooryavanshi was at his destructive best as he hit four fours and four sixes on the large Harare Sports Club ground before being caught at deep third man off a top edge from the bowling of Richard Ngarava (1-30).

Sooryavanshi improved his previous best score of 15 after he debuted in England earlier this month but found the going tough.

“I think the boys were tremendous,” India captain Shreyas Iyer said. “Couldn’t have been happier with my first win (as captain). There was bounce from good length and it was also variable.

“We are going to play two more matches here, so today’s performance gives everyone some confidence. I think Vaibhav has played here, he got 175 in the under-19 World Cup final, so he knows the conditions.”

Iyer chipped in with an unbeaten 28 from 24 balls and Ishan Kishan managed 35 from 24 deliveries as India coasted home.

Sooryavanshi, 15, in line for maiden India call-up: report

Wessly Madhevere (39 runs from 34 balls) was the only Zimbabwe batter to post a score of substance.

Batter Ben Curran (10) and medium pacer Newman Nyamhuri (0-30) made their T20 debuts for the home side, with seamer Ashok Sharma (0-29) also appearing for the first time in international cricket for India.

The second match is scheduled for Saturday and the three-game series will conclude a day later. Both fixtures are in Harare.

Headingley in Leeds and Manchester’s Old Trafford have both staged some of the most dramatic clashes in the long history of Ashes cricket.

Don Bradman, arguably cricket’s greatest batsman, scored two triple centuries at Headingley during the 1930s.

Both grounds played host to remarkable individual feats by England hero Ian Botham during the 1981 Ashes series.

Headingley was also the venue for a remarkable unbeaten century by England’s Ben Stokes in a one-wicket win during the 2019 series.

But both grounds have been left off the schedule for the 2027 Ashes – a decision criticised by new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, then the mayor of Greater Manchester – when it was announced in 2023.

Former England captain Michael Atherton, responding to Thursday’s announcement by the England and Wales Cricket Board of the fixture list for next year’s Ashes, wrote in The Times: “What a time to be snubbing the north.

“Just as a professional northerner (Burnham) moves into No 10 (Downing Street), and promises to shift some of the machinery of government to the north, the ECB has announced that there will be no men’s Ashes Test match next year in the region,” added Atherton.

All five matches will be restricted to the Midlands and south of England.

Hampshire’s Rose Bowl, near Southampton, will stage its first Ashes Test from July 21 – the fourth of the series. It will become the 10th ground in the United Kingdom to stage a men’s Ashes Test.

The series will start at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on June 18, with Lord’s – as is traditional – staging the second Test on June 30 and Edgbaston in Birmingham the third on July 8.

The Ashes will conclude at the Oval in south London from July 29.

Old Trafford and Headingley are both set to stage Ashes Tests in 2031.

Australia triumphed 4-1 on home soil during the 2025/26 Ashes. The last Ashes series in England ended in a 2-2 draw in 2023.

England’s last Ashes series success was a 3-2 home victory in 2015.

England are also due to play a one-off Test against Bangladesh at Lord’s from May 28.

The 2027 World Test Championship final will be held at the Oval starting on June 9, the second time the venue has hosted the title match.

England will also play 10 one-day internationals – five each at home to New Zealand and Pakistan – as part of their preparations for the 2027 50-over World Cup in southern Africa.

The change in leadership comes after Hashmatullah Shahidi stepped down on Tuesday, ending a five-year stint during which Afghanistan finished sixth at the 2023 World Cup defeating former champions England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“The Afghanistan Cricket Board appreciates Hashmatullah Shahidi’s valuable service, dedication, and leadership during his tenure as captain and wishes him continued success in his future endeavours,” the board said in a statement.

“With extensive experience in international cricket, leadership, and the team’s overall structure, Rahmat Shah is well positioned to take on this important responsibility.”

Rahmat, who has served as Shahidi’s deputy since 2021, will begin his captaincy with a five-match ODI series in Ireland next month. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Pritha Sarkar)

South African ​wicketkeeper Donovan Ferreira will replace him ⁠as the Birmingham skipper in ​the domestic 100-ball tournament, which kicks ​off on Tuesday, while Bethell enters rehabilitation to try to recover for next month’s ​test series against Pakistan.

“The 22-year-old will ​continue his rehabilitation programme under the guidance ‌of ⁠the ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) medical team,” Birmingham said in a statement.

Bethell’s player-of-the-match performance turned the tide of the ​decisive third ​ODI ⁠on Sunday in England’s favour, as he scored 91 ​runs before dismissing centurion Rohit ​Sharma.

“It’s ⁠frustrating to miss out on The Hundred… unfortunately, I need to take ⁠the ​time to get back ​to full fitness,“ Bethell said.

Tsiga, 32, has played ​10 Tests for Zimbabwe but ​never before featured in limited-overs international ⁠cricket.

All-rounder Wessly Madhevere has earned a ​recall along with fast bowler Newman ​Nyamhuri after the latter recovered from injury, while the selection is captained by Pakistan-born ​Sikandar Raza.

Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa and ​Tashinga Musekiwa have been dropped from the squad ‌that ⁠defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in their recent T20 home series.

Australia welcome Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon back for Bangladesh Tests

The three fixtures will all take place at the ​Harare Sports ​Club on ⁠Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in a whistle-stop tour.

Zimbabwe squad: ​Sikandar Raza (captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan ​Burl, ⁠Tanaka Chivanga, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, ⁠Blessing ​Muzarabani, Dion Myers, ​Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Milton Shumba, Tafadzwa Tsiga.

The trio were named on Tuesday for matches in Darwin (Aug. 13-17) and Mackay (Aug. 22-26), which form part of the World Test Championship cycle, after playing only three Tests between them during the Ashes in the last home summer.

Australia’s “big four” of Cummins, Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Lyon have not bowled together since the West Indies tour a year ago due to various injuries but chief selector George Bailey said it was too early to confirm whether they would all turn out against Bangladesh, despite being fit.

“We won’t be locking in an 11 this far out,” Bailey told reporters in a video call on Tuesday.

“We do know that across this two-Test series, the depth is there.”

With 295 Test wickets at an average of 24.21, 35-year-old Hazlewood has been one of Australia’s most devastating bowlers but injuries have limited his output in recent years, including forcing him to miss the entire Ashes series with hamstring and Achilles problems.

In his absence, 37-year-old seamer Scott Boland took 20 wickets in an excellent series in the 4-1 defeat of England, and Bailey was frank about the competition Hazlewood faces from the Victoria quick.

“Scotty would never say it, but yeah, I think he’s mounting a strong case that when you use the words of big three (fast bowlers), that he could be one of those,” said Bailey.

Hazlewood’s recall means no place for Michael Neser despite the paceman’s fine Ashes campaign.

The squad is the first following opener Usman Khawaja’s retirement, potentially creating opportunity at the top of the order.

South Australia opener Jake Weatherald has been retained despite struggling during his debut test series in the Ashes when he averaged 22.33 across the five matches.

The pocket-sized lefthander has yet to convince but Bailey said selectors saw positives in the opening combination with Travis Head during the Ashes.

“Hopefully we do see some growth out of that (Ashes) and some understanding of what it takes for success at test level,” he said.

Cameron Green has also held onto his spot after a disappointing Ashes with bat and ball, and is one of two all-rounders in the squad with Beau Webster.

Josh Inglis was retained as a potential middle order batting option.

Australia sit top of the World Test Championship table midway through the cycle and will look to cement their place with a series win over fourth-placed Bangladesh ahead of a tough tour of South Africa in October.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.

McCullum was dismissed as Test boss following England’s 2-1 defeat by New Zealand in a series that culminated in the international retirement of red-ball captain Ben Stokes.

But McCullum remains in charge of England’s white-ball teams and oversaw a 4-0 T20 series whitewash of world champions India.

On Sunday, there was more success for McCullum’s team, with a 27-run win at Lord’s to seal England’s first one-day international series victory over India since 2018.

England posted 387-3 – the highest ODI total at Lord’s – thanks to Ben Duckett’s 141, with both Jacob Bethell and Joe Root contributing fifties.

But while England’s white-ball teams are making progress, the Test side are on a run of seven defeats in nine matches heading into a home series with Pakistan starting next month. 

Asked how he would work with a new Test coach in a potential awkward situation, McCullum said: “Collaboratively, I think. I think once the new coach is put in place, we’ll have a good conversation around everything.

“I think ultimately as long as everyone wants what is right for English cricket, there will be some give and take on certain things. That is the way it is.”

Andy Flower, a former England coach, has ruled himself out of succeeding McCullum as Test boss.

Jonathan Trott, an ex-England batsman, and former Australia coach Justin Langer are among the leading candidates to take over from McCullum.

Former New Zealand captain McCullum has been buoyed by England’s white-ball form ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup in southern Africa.

“I think we’ve seen some growth in the side over the last couple of series and there is some more growth to come, which is exciting and where my focus is on,” he said.

The 38-year-old’s comments came after he struck a blistering 138 off 110 balls in India’s unsuccessful chase in the third and final One-Day International against England on Sunday, amid reports that the match at Lord’s could be his last appearance in Indian colours.

The hundred ended a lean run in which Sharma had gone 11 ODIs without reaching three figures, a stretch that fuelled questions about his place ahead of next year’s World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. However, the opener retained the backing of the team management.

Lord’s ODI will not be Rohit’s last, says BCCI secretary

“My job is with the bat, come and play, represent my country, represent my team. That’s what I have been told to do since my debut so that’s what I am going to do,” Sharma said in an interview on the Indian cricket board’s website.

“The noise since I made my debut was there. And till the time I am going to stay here, it is always going to be there.

“So it doesn’t really matter too much. What matters is what I do on the field, try and contribute to the success of the team. That’s all my focus is right now. And let the noise be there. If there is no noise, there is no fun.”

Despite Sharma’s innings, India lost the match and conceded the ODI series 2-1.

India next travel to Zimbabwe for a three-match Twenty20 International series from July 23-26 before touring Sri Lanka for a test series next month.

India were without their premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya and his replacement Nitish Kumar Reddy also missed the tour of England with a quadriceps injury.

Seamer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Washington Sundar also picked up injuries at different stages of the tour while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah missed Sunday’s decider, which England won by 26 runs to seal a 2-1 series victory.

“If you look at the first squad, we had announced (for the series), from that minimum five players did not play this match,” Gill said after their loss at Lord’s.

“If one player is injured, you look at playing another combination, two players are injured you look at playing another combination, but if after every match some player is missing then somewhere we are missing a trick.

Duckett’s sublime century inspires England’s series-clinching win over India

“If you keep the World Cup as the goal where we have to play 11 matches in a row, here we have players not being able to finish a two-to-three-match series.

“So there is some limitation where our players are not being able to play continuously, they play one or two matches, they suffer a niggle and then we are forced to play a different combination which we originally did not plan to play … as a group we need improve our fitness.”

England racked up 387-3 against India’s depleted attack, while the tourists managed 360-7 in reply. “Our bowling is a little bit inexperienced,” Gill said.

“We were put under the pump in this match and we didn’t respond well. We didn’t start well in the powerplay. We gave away too many loose balls and then were always chasing the game trying to take wickets, create something which didn’t happen for us.”

The opener’s innings was the highest individual score in any men’s ODI at Lord’s beating West Indies great Vivian Richards’s 138 in the 1979 World Cup final against England.

On a day when the teams wore black armbands in memory of West Indies legend Garry Sobers – who died aged 89 earlier this week – both sides produced an array of attacking shots worthy of arguably cricket’s greatest all-rounder.

READ MORE: Root’s 99 not out sees England to ODI series-levelling win over India

England’s 50-over total of 387-3 was the highest in an ODI at Lord’s, surpassing their 334-4 against India in 60 overs back in the inaugural 1975 World Cup.

Duckett shared an opening partnership of 192 with Jacob Bethell (91), topping the 186 shared by Eoin Morgan and Joe Root at Headingley in 2018 as England’s highest for any wicket against India in ODI cricket.

England scored 82 runs in the last five overs as Joe Root and Jos Buttler followed Duckett and Bethell to demolish India’s wayward attack.

Root’s 74 not out was also his third unbeaten half-century of this series following his 76 not out in India’s six-wicket win in Birmingham and 99 not out in England’s four-wicket success in Cardiff.

Buttler, meanwhile, faced just 13 balls in his astonishing 41 not out.

Sublime Sharma

India had a chance of chasing down a huge target of 388 while opener Rohit Sharma was making a sublime 138 – the first ODI century by an Indian batsman at Lord’s.

He shared stands of 147 with skipper Shubman Gill (77) and 113 with fellow veteran batsman Virat Kohli (74).

But those slim hopes evaporated when Sharma was bowled by left-arm spinner Bethell to leave India 260-2.

Several batsmen holed out to Sam Curran (4-75) with a stiff run-rate against them before India, the world’s number one ranked ODI side, finished on 360-7.

India were without key fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah because of a knee injury, while all-rounder Washington Sundar was sidelined by hamstring trouble.

Their revamped attack of four seamers and spinner Axar Patel struggled for line and length after England captain Harry Brook won the toss.

Sharma, amid reports denied by India cricket chiefs that this could be his last ODI, struck trademark front-foot pulls for six off Josh Tongue and Curran.

Kohli walked out to huge cheers from India fans in what could be the 37-year-old star batsman’s final international innings in England.

Sharma went to his century when he slog-swept Adil Rashid to deep midwicket – his 11th four in an 86-ball innings also featuring four sixes.

After Sharma fell, Kohli reached fifty in style by driving spinner Will Jacks for six before he holed out off Curran.

Earlier, Bethell showed his class following scores of 14 and four in his first two matches as an opener at this level.

The big-hitting 22-year-old was denied a hundred when he holed out off Prasidh Krishna.

Duckett completed his fourth century in 37 ODIs with his 15th four in 108 balls, before he was caught and bowled by Prince Yadav.

Sundar injured his hamstring while batting during India’s four-wicket defeat in the second ODI in Cardiff on Thursday.

He made just two runs and did not field as England levelled the three-match series before Sunday’s finale at Lord’s.

“Washington sustained a right hamstring injury during the second ODI at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, and has been ruled out of the remainder of the series,” said a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“He will undergo scans and seek a specialist opinion for further management of his injury.”

While fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey has been added to the squad, India – the world’s number-one ranked side in ODI cricket – could consider playing left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav at Lord’s.

Yadav is among the top 10 wicket-takers for India in ODIs, with 194 from 121 games, but his lack of batting ability has often seen him left out of the side.

Root followed his unbeaten 76 in England’s defeat in the first ODI with a superbly-paced 99 not out as they won in Cardiff on Thursday to level the three-match series ahead of Sunday’s finale at Lord’s.

England’s victory in Cardiff followed a run of 16 defeats in their previous 20 ODIs.

That dismal sequence has raised questions about how competitive a team seemingly wedded to aggressive batting will be at next year’s 50-over World Cup in southern Africa.

The 35-year-old Root – who has scored 7,752 runs in 191 ODIs with 20 hundreds – said he sympathised with younger players coming into the England side as changes to the domestic schedule meant they do not have “the wealth of experience and understanding of 50-over cricket”.

But Brook, a Yorkshire team-mate of Root  insisted even the very best players are always looking to improve.

“I personally think you’re always learning,” Brook told reporters at Lord’s on Saturday.

“He (Root) has played nearly 200 ODIs, he’s still trying to learn, he’s still trying to get better as a player and he’s England’s greatest-ever batter.”

When it was suggested to Brook that England had become over-reliant on Root, he said: “Root has been such a good player for so many years and it’s awesome to have him on the side.

“We probably have depended on him quite a little bit in recent times in ODI cricket and Test cricket.

“Hopefully, the boys can learn from what he’s doing, myself included, and realise how easy he’s making batting look, to be able to just rotate the strike.

“If we can add a little bit of Joe Root into our batting as a collective team, then we’ll definitely be in some strong positions.”

England are searching for a new Test coach. Brendon McCullum, who is still in charge of their white-ball teams, was sacked from the role after a recent 2-1 series loss against New Zealand.

That reverse meant England had lost seven of their last nine Tests.

Asked what England needed from their new Test coach, Brook said: “That’s a good question. That’s up for the coach to decide.

“We want to put ourselves in strong positions as much as we possibly can to be able to dominate the game.

“Test cricket is a long game, five days, and we could probably be slightly more consistent than we have been over the last couple of years.”

Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 tests between 1954 and 1974, earning a reputation for his aggressive batting, versatility with both pace and spin bowling, and outstanding fielding.

“A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,” Cricket West Indies wrote.

Cricket West Indies President Kishore Shallow said Sobers would never be forgotten.

“Sir Garfield Sobers has completed his final innings, but his legacy will forever endure in the hearts of our region, and the story of the cricketing world,” he wrote in a statement shared by Cricket West Indies.

“On behalf of Cricket West Indies, I offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, the Government and people of Barbados and all those across the world who mourn his passing.”

Cricket West Indies CEO Chris Dehring said “Sobers will forever remain one of the greatest ambassadors” of the Caribbean.

“His legacy will endure wherever cricket is played, and his spirit will live on every time a young West Indian dreams of wearing the maroon with distinction,” Dehring added.

Lord’s ODI will not be Rohit’s last, says BCCI secretary

Roston Chase, Hayley Matthews and Shai Hope, the three captains of the West Indies, remembered Sobers for his “brilliance, humility, and commitment”, reflecting on an influence that extended far beyond the boundaries of the cricket field.

“Sir Garry’s journey from Barbados to becoming the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen remains one of the most inspiring stories in the history of our game,” the three skippers said in a joint statement.

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara paid tribute to Sobers, wishing strength to his family to bear the irreplaceable loss.

“Rest easy, legend. Your legacy will never be forgotten,” Lara said.

Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott described Sobers as a “once-in-a-lifetime” talent.

“He was a superstar and such an easy-natured guy. I never heard him complain or bad mouth other players. He had a good heart. He was generous with his time and advice,” Boycott wrote in a column for The Telegraph.

Sunil Gavaskar, the former India captain and a member of the country’s 1983 World Cup-winning team, said it was “probably the saddest day for the game of cricket”.

“The greatest cricketer to walk the earth has left us,” he said in a statement.

“No words can ever do justice to Sir Garfield Sobers the cricketer. He was everything we dream of becoming when we pick up the bat or the ball as kids.”

India batting great Sachin Tendulkar hailed Sobers as the “One and Only”.

“I’ve been looking back at the memories we shared over the years … He was always so exceptionally gracious,” Tendulkar said.

India veteran Virat Kohli said cricket has “lost one of its greatest”.

“Rest in peace, Sir Garfield Sobers. Your legacy will inspire generations,” Kohli wrote on social media.

Cricket boards around the world also paid tribute to the Barbadian, with the game’s administrators in Australia, England, India and Sri Lanka calling Sobers one of the greats of the game.

“His unparalleled achievements and enduring contribution to the game have inspired generations of cricketers across the globe,” International Cricket Council Chairman Jay Shah wrote on X.

At county level, Sobers enjoyed a distinguished career with Nottinghamshire, scoring 7,041 runs, including 18 centuries, and taking 281 wickets. He also played three seasons for South Australia, becoming the leading run scorer and wicket taker in the 1963-64 Sheffield Shield competition.

Sobers scored 26 test centuries during his international career. His unbeaten 365 against Pakistan in 1958 stood as the highest individual score in test cricket until Lara surpassed it in 1994.

(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, additional reporting by Suramya Kaushik; editing by Pritha Sarkar and Stephen Coates)

The 39-year-old managed a laboured 26 off 47 balls on Thursday as England won the second match in Cardiff to level the three-match series.

Rohit has now gone 11 ODIs without a hundred and his poor run of form raises questions about his place for next year’s World Cup, which South Africa will host along with Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Indian cricket board (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia, however, dispelled the rumours surrounding Rohit’s retirement and affirmed that he remains part of the team’s ODI plans.

“There are lot of speculations going on in media about Rohit Sharma’s future. I want to firmly assert that there has been no such discussion that Rohit will be playing his last match at Lord’s on Sunday,” Saikia told the Press Trust of India.

“Rohit is a regular member of the Indian ODI team and he will continue to represent the country as long as he is in the scheme of things. In other words, Lord’s ODI won’t be his last match.”

India back Rohit amid retirement speculation

The Indian Express newspaper earlier said the 39-year-old former India captain has been informed that the selectors have decided to “move on”.

Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, however, said white-ball stalwart Rohit was “too good” a player to feel any pressure.

“Yes, he didn’t get runs, but I don’t think that makes any difference,” Kotak told reporters after Thursday’s loss, dismissing suggestions that Rohit was struggling.

“On a particular day, many batters don’t get the momentum they are looking for, and that can happen. You might see a completely different innings from Rohit Sharma at Lord’s.”

“Rohit probably didn’t get balls in his areas and didn’t get going. That’s what I felt. So I wouldn’t say he was struggling.”

Rohit is the only batter to have scored three 200-plus scores in ODIs, including a 264 against Sri Lanka, which remains the highest score by a batter in this format.

He has already quit test cricket and T20 Internationals.

“A great innings has come to an end. In our hearts, now and forever, Sir Garfield Sobers,” West Indies Cricket posted on social media on Friday.

In a poll of 100 cricket experts in 1999, both Bradman and Sobers were chosen in Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the 20th Century with the West Indian all-rounder garnering 90 votes.

Bradman had an extraordinary 100 votes and yet before his own death in 2001, the Don paid the ultimate tribute to Sobers.

“He is, in my opinion, the greatest cricketer of all time,” said the Don.

That tribute is based not just on the statistics or on style — of which Sobers had plenty — but on the breathtaking breadth of his cricketing ability.

As a batsman Sobers scored 8,032 runs in his 93 Tests at an average of 57.78, numbers that on their own that would guarantee him a place in any pantheon.

On top of that, Sobers was a bowler, who took 235 wickets at 34.03 runs each.

Sometimes he would open with fast left-arm but, if the pitch was breaking up, he would switch to the left-arm spin — orthodox or wrist — that first brought him to the attention of the West Indian selectors as a teenager.

He was also a lightning fielder, taking 109 Test catches, often at slip but, as captain, he would place himself in the danger zone at short-leg when he brought off-spinner Lance Gibbs into the attack.

“The bloke could do just about anything on a cricket field except umpire,” Australian all-rounder Alan Davidson told The Cricket Monthly on the occasion of Sobers’ 80th birthday in 2016.

“He was a complete cricketer, magnificent fielder, bowled all types of bowling, and when in form, he absolutely decimated great bowling attacks.

“You could not set a field to him because he just had that innate ability to be able to score runs whenever he wanted to.”

Early promise

Garfield St Aubrun Sobers, who was known as both Gary and Garry, was born in Bridgetown, Barbados on July 28, 1936, the fifth of six children.

He was just six when his father Shamont, a merchant seaman, was killed when his ship CNS Lady Hawkins was struck by two torpedoes from a German U-boat off the North Carolina coast.

Sobers showed immense early promise in several sports. He made his debut for Barbados against the Indian tourists as a spinner in January 1953 aged just 16.

He played against the MCC tourists a year later and, after just two first-class games, was selected as a replacement for the ill Alf Valentine for a Test debut against England at Sabina Park in March 1954.

The tourists won by nine wickets but Sobers made an early impression, removing Trevor Bailey in his first over, and taking 4-75 in the tourist’s first innings.

Record breaker

Four years later he shifted himself on to another plane against Pakistan in Kingston, breaking a world record in the process.

Since 1938, Len Hutton’s 364 against Australia at the Oval had stood as the highest individual score in Test cricket. Sobers, in his maiden Test century, made 365 not out, setting a record that would last until another West Indian Brian Lara made 375 against England in 1994.

In the tied Test in Brisbane in 1960-61, he scored a blistering 132 which set the tone for a memorable series.

“It was absolutely one of the greatest innings I have ever seen in my life,” said Davidson.

“He didn’t just beat the field. He split the field. His placement was just incredible.”

Sobers succeeded Frank Worrell as West Indies captain for the 1964-65 series at home to Australia and led the hosts to their first ever series win against the Aussies.

Results were mixed under his captaincy, which lasted until 1972 when he handed over to Rohan Kanhai, but with Sobers’ hand on the tiller, West Indies cricket continued to develop and evolve into the dominant force of the late 1970s and 1980s.

As Sobers aged so his influence on the field waned but he still stroked 254 for the Rest of the World at the MCG in 1972 in what Bradman described as “probably the greatest exhibition of batting ever seen in Australia”.

Outside the international arena, Sobers helped South Australia win the Sheffield Shield and played for Nottinghamshire in England’s county championship.

In 1968, while facing Glamorgan bowler Malcolm Nash, he became the first player to hit six sixes in one over - a feat only equalled once since in first-class cricket by Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri in 1985.

Sobers retired from Test cricket in 1974 and was knighted a year later.

The International Cricket Council honoured him in 2004 when with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the annual world player of the year but it is the testament of Bradman which will mark him as one of the greatest cricketers.