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Charlotte Edwards has been appointed England Women’s head coach. Edwards, the former England captain who represented her country over 300 times, takes over from Jon Lewis, who was sacked following England’s 16-0 thrashing at the hands of Australia in the Women’s Ashes in January.”I am so delighted to once again be part of the leadership of the England Women’s cricket team, and I cannot wait to take this team forward and drive us to success,” Edwards said in a statement released by the ECB on Tuesday. “It means the world to me to have the three lions on my chest once again. Leading England as captain was my life for 10 years and I will forever be passionate about this team and our legacy. We have such a talented group of players, and I am excited about working with them and improving them both as individuals and as a team.”During her 20-year playing career, Edwards won two World Cups and the Ashes five times. Since retiring in 2017, she has enjoyed a decorated coaching career, including two titles in three seasons with Mumbai Indians in the WPL and five titles with Southern Vipers, including two in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, the domestic T20 competition named in her honour.She has also coached Southern Brave to three Women’s Hundred finals, winning the competition in 2023, and led Sydney Sixers to the WBBL final in her first season in charge in 2022-23. Edwards will now leave her role with Sixers.Related

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Her first competitive task with England Women will be a home series against West Indies in May followed by India, ahead of the World Cup in India later this year and a home T20 World Cup in 2026.Before that, she must repair team morale after not only the Ashes whitewashing but a surprise group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in the UAE last October. Speaking last month, Kate Cross, the senior England seam bowler who was part of the Ashes touring party but didn’t play due to a back injury, said the team had work to do to make cultural changes after their humbling in Australia.The Ashes defeat was the final straw that prompted an ECB review, announced by Clare Connor, the ECB’s deputy CEO and managing director of England Women’s cricket, in the immediate aftermath of that tour result, which also cost Heather Knight her job as England captain.Connor described Edwards as a “proven winner”.”She has the experience, passion and expertise to lead this team to success,” Connor said. “The results she has achieved as a head coach in multiple environments, since retiring as one of the greatest ever England players, is testament to her relentless drive and the standards she sets for those around her. She possesses a deep knowledge of the game, both in England and across the world, and she understands the importance of creating an environment that is both challenging and supportive.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Edwards’ appointment means she will leave her post as Hampshire Women’s head coach ahead of the start of the season, the first under the ECB’s new three-tier structure for women’s cricket.Edwards moved to Hampshire in 2017 having previously played for Kent, and became director of women’s cricket at the club in 2018 before taking over as Southern Vipers’ head coach in 2020.”I’ve had an amazing eight years at the club and am so grateful for the support I have received from the players, staff and supporters,” Edwards said. “It has been a truly special time, and it will be very difficult to leave the place that has become my home. I’m sure that Hampshire will continue to enjoy success on and off the field and look forward to returning to Utilita Bowl with the England team.”Knight will continue to play for England, while her successor as captain is yet to be announced.Nat Sciver-Brunt, whose wife Katherine has just given birth to their first child, a son named Theodore Michael, is favourite to be promoted from her role as vice-captain.Edwards and Connor will address the media at Lord’s on Wednesday, where their plans for taking the England team forward will be discussed.Fielding proved key to England’s downfall at the T20 World Cup, where a rash of errors compounded the loss of Knight to injury while batting during their decisive defeat to West Indies.England’s fitness levels were called into question following that loss, with former spinner turned commentator Alex Hartley suggesting that a handful of players were “letting the team down” in that respect. The issue reared its head again in Australia when the hosts proved superior in all departments during the multi-format Ashes, winning three white-ball games by more than 50 runs and the Test by an innings.

Josh Little, Ireland’s left-arm seamer, is set to follow in the footsteps of his former international team-mate Tim Murtagh, after signing for Middlesex for the 2025 season.Little, 25, is likely to feature primarily in the Vitality Blast, but will be available for other formats, subject to his international and Irish domestic commitments. The final details of his deal remain subject to Cricket Ireland issuing a No Objection Certificate.To date, Little has claimed 139 international wickets across both white-ball formats, including 4 for 45 on debut against England in Dublin in 2019. His best figures of 6 for 36 came in an ODI against Zimbabwe in Harare in December 2023.He brings with him a wealth of experience on the T20 franchise circuit, including a stint with Gujarat Titans in the IPL, whom he helped reach the final in 2023. He has also featured in the Caribbean Premier League, the SA20, the ILT20, Major League Cricket, and the Lanka Premier League, and the Hundred, with a pair of stints with Manchester Originals and Welsh Fire.”It’s an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to be part of Middlesex, one of the most prestigious cricket clubs in our game,” Little said. “I can’t wait to meet everyone, see some familiar faces, and put in the hard yards both on and off the field.”I’d like to thank Middlesex for putting their trust in me, and I’m thoroughly looking forward to what’s to come. The opportunity to play at Lord’s is hugely exciting and I can’t wait to get going.”Little’s unveiling follows last week’s news that Kane Williamson had signed a joint deal to play for Middlesex and London Spirit in the 2025 season.Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s director of cricket, added: “To secure a player of Josh’s T20 experience and proven ability is huge for us, as he has performed at the highest level of white-ball cricket around the world for the last few years.”He brings something different to our attack. He’s got genuine pace, is a left-armer, which in itself poses problems for batters, has a fierce short ball, and has skills that make him perfect for bowling both at the top and in the death overs of an innings.”We can’t wait to welcome Josh to the Club and look forward to unleashing him on the Blast this summer.

Nat Sciver-Brunt put on an exceptional all-round show to propel Mumbai Indians to the top of the table with an eight-wicket win over UP Warriorz in Bengaluru. She took three wickets and followed it up with an impressive unbeaten 75 off 44 balls to chase down the target of 143 with 18 balls remaining.Warriorz initially rode on Grace Harris’ quickfire 45 and Vrinda Dinesh’s solid 33 but lost eight wickets for 54 runs to eventually end with a below-par total.Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews stitched together a solid 133-run stand for the second wicket and made the chase look easy. Though Matthews struggled her way to a 50-ball 59 after getting a life early on, Sciver-Brunt’s boundary-laden knock made sure MI raced to their third win in four games. Warriorz are fourth on the points table now with two wins after five games.With 254 runs from four matches, Sciver-Brunt is now the leading run-scorer of this WPL, overtaking Ellyse Perry’s 235.

Another Sciver-Brunt show

Sciver-Brunt came in early when MI were 6 for 1 in the fourth over, with Matthews struggling to get her timing and rhythm right. Chinelle Henry was swinging the ball both ways, making it difficult to score off her. But Sciver-Brunt took only five balls to change things around.She welcomed Saima Thakor with a hat-trick of fours in the sixth over – hitting to long-on, deep square-leg and deep cover – staying deep in the crease, and putting her bottom hand to good use and effortlessly manoeuvring the ball to both sides of the pitch.When there was width on offer, she cut fiercely, and when the length was short, she pulled behind and in front of square and toyed with the Warriorz bowlers. She brought up her fifty off 29 balls with nine fours, bringing the equation down to 54 off 47 balls. This included a hat-trick of fours off Henry as well, in the 11th over.From there, it was a cakewalk for MI as Matthews also found her range and started hitting boundaries. Overall, Sciver-Brunt struck 13 fours in her 44-ball stay.Grace Harris gave UP Warriorz a blazing start•BCCI

Harris moves up, Vrinda moves down

After four matches, Warriorz took a cue from the WBBL and the Hundred and promoted Harris to open for the first time in WPL after her struggles in the middle order. The move felt just right as she looked in her element from the start.With Kiran Navgire falling in the first over, it was up to Harris and Vrinda to steady the innings on a pitch that was holding up a bit, and the two shared 79 runs off 52 balls to give Warriorz solidity.Harris began with a scoop against Sciver-Brunt and punished Shabnim Ismail for three fours on the bounce in the second over. She kept attacking and smashed 6, 4, 4, 6 off Matthews in the fourth. She swept and pulled towards square leg, muscled the ball to long-on, and rolled her wrists to bisect the gap between mid-on and midwicket.On the other hand, Vrinda – who had scored only 40 in the previous four matches – looked in much better touch and played second fiddle to Harris well. She played a lofted cover drive elegantly to start the third over and followed it with a hook in the same over. Unlike Harris, Vrinda found boundaries on the off side with classy cover drives in her 30-ball 33.The first two partnerships gave Warriorz 81, the most for them in this WPL so far.

Middle overs remain a problem for Warriorz

It was something the Warriorz captain Deepti Sharma had admitted recently, that they needed to do better in the middle overs. But they couldn’t, squandering a strong start by losing wickets in clumps, again, to lose the plot. From 81 for 1, they collapsed to 123 for 7, losing five of those wickets in the middle overs for 30 runs.It began when Amelia Kerr removed Harris in the tenth over after the batter was dropped on 44 by Ismail off Jintimani Kalita. Offspinner Sanskriti Gupta then bowled a momentum-changing 11th over when she dismissed both Vrinda and Tahlia McGrath in the space of four balls. Warriorz slowed down and did not quite recover after that.Overall, they have lost the most wickets (24) in the middle overs (7 to 16) in this WPL so far and have been the slowest (6.72) in that phase too.

Michael Bevan has been elevated to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame after a tweak to the criteria governing selection.Bevan, one of Australia’s greatest white-ball players, scored 6912 runs at 53.58 from 232 ODIs while routinely steering his side to victory in chases. The batter’s last-ball four, to secure a one-wicket win at the SCG on New Year’s Day in 1996, ranks highly among the sport’s most iconic moments.Other famous moments include making 102 off 95 balls against New Zealand at the MCG in 2002, to lead Australia to victory after they had been 82 for 6, and his unbeaten 74 against England at the 2003 World Cup.Bevan, who featured in both the 1999 and 2003 World Cup wins, has been eligible for elevation for 15 years. But, until last month, the Hall of Fame’s rules penalised him for a relatively-modest Test career that spanned 18 matches.”It was Michael’s exceptional playing record and public standing that pushed the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee to review its selection criteria,” Hall of Fame chairman Peter King explained.”To ensure players who excelled in one-day or Twenty20 Internationals were equally recognised as those who shone in the Test format. Michael without a doubt revolutionised white-ball cricket and became a household name for his masterful batting, amazing athleticism and ability to chase down runs.”Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley described Bevan as an “icon and a pioneer”.”He was a favourite among fans with his incredible temperament and ability to deliver in pressure situations,” Hockley said. He is a two-time World Cup winner and finished his career with one of best records in 50-over cricket. He was also one of the most prolific run-scorers in the Sheffield Shield during what was one of the strongest eras in Australian cricket.”Representing Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, Yorkshire, Sussex, Leicestershire and Kent, Bevan played 237 first-class matches making 19,147 runs at 57.32 including 68 centuries and 81 half centuries with a top score of 216.Bevan follows this season’s previous inductees, Michael Clarke and Christina Matthews.

If there were loyalty cards in Test cricket, Matt Henry would be in line for a free Zak Crawley.Henry bagged Crawley for the sixth time this series – and eighth overall – late on day three in Hamilton, as England went to stumps on 18 for 2, chasing a ridiculous 658.An earlier lbw dismissal off the fifth ball of England’s second innings was overturned successfully on height, after Crawley had made strides down the ground. Henry then pinned Crawley in front with his last delivery of the day. Umpire Adrian Holdstock’s finger went up again and Crawley called for DRS once more, only this time umpire’s call had leg stump clipped by a whisker.Crawley’s walk back was perhaps the first time the torment endured over the last few weeks spilled over on the field. There were a few choice words for Holdstock and a meeting with match referee David Boon could round off what has been a dispiriting tour for the opener.Related

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His series ends with just 52 runs from six innings at an average of 8.66. No England opener has batted as many times in a single series and averaged so little. Factor in 139 runs at 27.80 on the tour of Pakistan and it has been an unhelpful winter for Crawley’s career average. Having moved past 33 after the first West Indies Test in the summer, following strong showings in the 2023 Ashes (480 runs at 53.33) and away series in India at the start of 2024 (407 at 40), it has dropped to 30.51.England’s management has long insulated Crawley from criticism, citing steadfast belief he is capable of other worldly innings against the best teams in the world. His output against Australia last year, along with striking the first ball of the series for four off Pat Cummins, and a domineering 189 in the fourth Test as one of three fifty-plus scores, vindicated their stance.It is a stance that remains, particularly with India and Australia on the schedule for 2025. Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick reiterated their support of Crawley, while also empathising with his struggles as a former opening batter.”It’s always tough when someone gets something over you, and you find it really challenging and you’ve got to come up with plans,” Trescothick said. “I had similar situations in my time when I was playing against other oppositions.”You go away when you’ve got the opportunity, which he has now, to try and think about it before next time they come up against each other.”I think the important part of this is to remember we’re very much focussed on him being the opening batter for a good period to come. We’ve seen the damage that he does and how he goes about it.”I don’t want to give you too much about how he goes about it in the changing room because it’s the private area of what we have… but he’s a strong character. Although it’s challenging when it’s like this, when someone gets you under the pump, it’s tough, but he’ll find a way. And we’ll help him find a way to get back to that point.”Trescothick also confirmed Crawley’s poor form had nothing to do with the fractured finger sustained in the third Test against West Indies which ruled him out of the Sri Lanka series at the end of the summer. Nevertheless, he has scored just 191 runs across 11 innings since.England do not play Test cricket again until May, with a one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, in which time they believe Crawley will emerge from his slump. He will return home after this tour and then head out to South Africa for a stint with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20, which begins on January 9. Free spirited white-ball cricket may be what he needs to emerge out of his funk.

Marcus Harris boosted his chances of a Test recall with a gritty 74, while Prasidh Krishna continued his impressive tour with four wickets and KL Rahul failed again as wickets continued to tumble on a second day dominated by Australia A at the MCG.Harris held Australia A’s innings together through two rain delays before valuable contributions from Jimmy Peirson, Nathan McAndrew and Corey Rocchiccioli helped them post a crucial 62-run first innings lead despite Prasidh taking 4 for 50 and Mukesh Kumar bagging 3 for 41 in impressive spells.India A then lost five wickets for 73, to lead by just 11 at stumps, with McAndrew and Beau Webster doing the damage in the absence of Michael Neser who has flown home to rehabilitate his strained left hamstring. Rahul survived against the quicks but fell in bizarre fashion for just 10 to the offspin of Rocchiccioli as he tried to pad away a ball going down leg and was bowled off his inner thigh.Harris’ innings became more and more impressive the longer the day went. The 32-year-old has been arguably the leading candidate for Australia’s vacant Test opener’s spot but had not been able to solidify his case following a series of starts in his previous four innings after scoring 143 and 52 in the first Sheffield Shield game of the summer.But on a difficult MCG pitch, where only one other player in the game has passed 35 so far, Harris showed why he remains highly regarded by Australia’s selectors with a patient 74 to give Australia A a vital first innings lead. The innings was reminiscent of his last Test half-century in December 2021, when he made a match-winning 76 in a game where one other player passed 38 and Scott Boland took 6 for 7.Prasidh Krishna celebrates the wicket of Marcus Harris•Getty Images

Having begun the day unbeaten on 26 after seeing fellow Test contender Nathan McSweeney and Cameron Bancroft fall cheaply on the opening night, Harris watched from the non-striker’s end as Sam Konstas, Ollie Davies and Webster all fell cheaply.Left-armer Khaleel Ahmed pinned Konstas plumb lbw from around the wicket. Davies came and went for a brisk 13, gifting his wicket to Krishna by holing out to midwicket, trying to heave him over wide on from a good length.Webster nicked Mukesh to second slip to leave Australia A in deep trouble at 84 for 5. But Harris remained resolute alongside Peirson. The pair had to sit through two lengthy rain delays that had the potential to break their concentration.Harris was compact, playing well under his eyeline with control. He did not try and over-hit the ball and only scored one boundary on the second day, having struck four on the opening night.He did have plenty of good fortune. After nicking one on the first evening that landed short of wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, he survived a huge appeal off Tanush Kotian. Bowling from around the wicket, the offspinner pitched one outside leg and Harris closed the face to try and work it leg side. The ball deflected to slip and India A were convinced it came off the bat but umpire Michael Graham-Smith remained unmoved. The umpire believed it deflected off pad only and Harris gestured as much when the India A players stood around him bewildered by the decision.He picked up his scoring shortly after reaching 50, with Nitish Kumar Reddy not quite as frugal as the other three quicks with his lengths and lines.Peirson also played with positivity, striking five boundaries in his 30 including a brilliant reverse sweep against the offspinner. But Krishna returned to break the partnership and continue his impressive tour. He had Peirson caught behind off the bottom edge as he tried to pull a back of a length ball from outside off.Shortly after, Harris sparred at one he shouldn’t have, pushing well away from his body to edge behind. His detractors will note it was another example of his propensity for making starts without kicking onto big scores but undoubtedly the selectors will hold this 74 as worthy of a three-figure score giving how difficult batting has been.Krishna was on a hat-trick when Boland nicked the next ball to slip to leave Australia A eight down with a lead of just six runs and without Neser able to bat after injuring his hamstring on day one.But Rocchiccioli and McAndrew produced a brilliant and entertaining 56-run last wicket stand in less than nine overs that could prove the difference in the game.Rocchiccioli, clearly stung by batting below Boland in the line-up, played some outrageous shots in his 28-ball 35. He shovelled a ball over the keeper’s head and he launched two massive sixes off Krishna and Kotian. McAndrew played nicely too, adding an unbeaten 26 before Rocchiccioli finally nicked one to hand Mukesh his third for the innings.India A’s second started solidly against the new ball despite the pitch still offering plenty for the seamers. They reached 25 without loss before Abhimanyu Easwaran sliced a catch to the gully off McAndrew. That set in motion a collapse where India A lost 5 for 31.Sai Sudharsan edged Webster to second slip where Bancroft held an excellent low catch. Ruturaj Gaikwad looked in good touch before missing a delivery from McAndrew that nipped in and thundered into his pad. The umpire gave him lbw. The line was not an issue but Gaikwad might have wondered about the height as he paused before departing.Rahul had no one to blame but himself. Rocchiccioli’s first ball of the day was an innocuous off break that was going down leg. There was a short leg in place which caused Rahul to withdraw from playing a shot. But he did not have his pads together as he tried to kick it away. It sneaked through the small gap in his thighs and ricocheted onto the stumps. Rahul’s returns of 4 and 10 for the match were not what India’s selectors would have hoped for having sent him to play in this game ahead of a possible recall in the first Test in Perth as a replacement for Rohit Sharma.Webster struck again in the shadows as Devdutt Padikkal’s 19-ball stay ended with just one run when he nicked the allrounder to first slip.It was left to Jurel again to hold the innings together as he and Reddy saw India A to stumps.

Ricky Ponting has been appointed head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) from IPL 2025, a little over two months after he and Delhi Capitals parted ways ending his seven-year tenure at the franchise.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Ponting has signed a four-year contract with Kings, a franchise with multiple owners. Ponting, it is understood, will take the final call on the rest of the coaching staff. There is no clarity yet on who remains on the books from the coaching unit from last year: Trevor Bayliss (head coach), Sanjay Bangar (head of cricket development), Charl Langeveldt (fast-bowling coach), Sunil Joshi (spin-bowling coach).”I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new head coach,” Ponting said. “I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward.”Ponting will be the third head coach in four seasons at Kings, who finished ninth in the 2024 season. They have not qualified for the IPL playoffs since 2014, when they finished runners-up. Ponting’s first challenge would be shortlisting players who could be potentially retained for the next season even as the franchises wait for the IPL to finalise the retention rules.Related

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Harshal Patel, who won the purple cap for the second time in IPL 2024, along with the uncapped Indian pair of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma were among the key performers for Kings last season. Kings also have India left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, legspinner Rahul Chahar in their squad along with a healthy bunch of overseas players, including the England trio of Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow and South Africa quick Kagiso Rabada.With Shikhar Dhawan retiring recently, Kings will also be keen to identify a new captain.Ponting has been part of the IPL set-up since the inaugural season in 2008, first as a player at Kolkata Knight Riders followed by Mumbai Indians where he stepped down as captain midway through the 2013 season, paving way for Rohit Sharma to take over. Mumbai won the title the same year, with Ponting continuing in an advisory role in 2014 and then serving as head coach for two seasons in 2015 and 2016.In 2018, Ponting took charge as head coach of Capitals who made the playoffs for three successive seasons between 2019 and 2021, during which period they qualified for the first IPL final in 2020. After ending his association with Capitals in July, Ponting was head coach during Washington Freedom’s title-winning campaign in the 2024 season of Major League Cricket (MLC).

Partnerships were the name of the game as New Zealand strung together several of significance to come within 50 runs of Sri Lanka’s first-innings total of 305 at stumps on day two in Galle.There were breezy fifties from Tom Latham and Kane Williamson, and Rachin Ravindra also put forward an aggressive cameo. By the time an extended final session ended 15 minutes early due to bad light, there were more names on that list, as Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell had put together an unbeaten stand of 59 off 105. Theirs was the fourth 50-plus stand of the innings on a day that belonged almost in totality to the visitors.All this happened despite a rain-curtailed morning session during which only 15 minutes of play were possible. But that was all it took for New Zealand to pick up the remaining three Sri Lanka wickets.Related

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Sri Lanka’s best moments of the day were just that – moments – as their bowlers struggled to put together any periods of concerted pressure. Despite the surface offering turn, none of the four spinners used by the hosts were able to find consistent lines and lengths – either due to the strong breeze across the stadium or the New Zealand batters’ proactiveness in using their feet as well as a variety of sweeps.The hosts were also unable to build on any of the wickets to fall, with each new batter settling in quickly. Only a burst from Dhananjaya de Silva, when he dismissed Williamson and Ravindra in the space of two overs, offered a glimmer of Sri Lankan dominance, but that hope was snuffed out quickly by Mitchell and Blundell.Kusal Mendis took an excellent catch to send back Kane Williamson•Associated Press

The rest of the spinners’ figures told a story. Prabath Jayasuriya toiled for 31 overs for figures of 99 for 1, easily his worst in Galle thus far, while Ramesh Mendis’ 17 overs went for 69 and brought a solitary scalp. Kamindu Mendis was used only for one over that went for eight.Earlier in the day, it was Latham and Williamson who proved to be Sri Lanka’s tormentors. Latham, in particular, provided the blueprint during his 111-ball 70, both with his footwork and, more potently, prolific use of the sweep and reverse sweep.While Devon Conway never really looked anywhere close to his flowing best, labouring his way to 17 off 59 deliveries, Latham was more than making up for it at the other end. This ensured a solid opening stand of 63, one brought to an end against the run of play – and upon review – with Conway missing one from Ramesh Mendis that straightened after pitching.Instead of bringing Sri Lanka back into proceedings, the wicket only hastened New Zealand’s advancement as Williamson easily matched Latham’s urgency. Within his first 14 deliveries, the former captain had cut, pulled and lofted two boundaries and a six, and while that rate of scoring was never going to be maintained, the Sri Lanka spinners’ wayward lines allied with expert manoeuvring from both Williamson and Latham meant dot balls were rarely strung together.Daryl Mitchell attempts a reverse sweep, a shot New Zealand’s batters used quite often against spin•Associated Press

That Sri Lanka eventually broke the 73-run stand, which took only 120 balls, was down to the batter’s error more than the bowlers’ effectiveness, as Latham’s most potent weapon – the sweep – became his undoing, when he top-edged to backward square leg off Jayasuriya at the stroke of tea.There was no respite for Sri Lanka in the final session either, as Ravindra managed to further up the ante over the course of a 48-ball 39. His expert use of the depth of the crease also meant any error in length was punished square of the wicket on either side.The Williamson-Ravindra stand of 51 took just 84 deliveries, and were it not for a piece of brilliance from wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis – leaping forward past the stumps to hold on to a leading edge of Williamson – it was hard to see where a breakthrough might have come from. Ravindra himself fell shortly after, leaving an arm ball that clattered into his off stump and punching his bat in disgust on the way back to the dressing room. But Sri Lanka’s joy was short-lived as Mitchell and Blundell negotiated safely whatever was thrown at them, including a period of short-ball barrages from Asitha Fernando.During the heavily rain-affected morning session, William O’Rourke starred once more, adding two further wickets to his overnight tally, to end with figures of 5 for 55 as Sri Lanka were bowled out adding just three runs to their overnight total.

A Test that seemed destined for a draw is set for a thrilling final day, weather-permitting, after South Africa grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck on the fourth evening. Despite having only two hours of play on Saturday, South Africa took a 124-run first-innings lead after they bowled West Indies out for 233 and then scored 30 runs in five overs to put themselves in a position to push for a win.Rain has affected every day of this Test so far. It seemed as if play wouldn’t get underway today as more than 50mm of rain in some areas of the island had raised a yellow-level alert. But, after a six hour delay, play did start at Queen’s Park Oval and South Africa took control. They forced a West Indian collapse of 6 for 60 in 16.1 overs to ensure they were batting again by the end of the day.Given the amount of time lost overall, and particularly on the first and fourth days, that this much has happened is impressive enough. Only 15 overs were possible on day one and 30 were scheduled for day four and though the action was truncated, it was absorbing.Rain has affected every day of this Test so far•AFP/Getty Images

Matters resumed with South Africa 13 overs away from the second new ball, and they restarted with spin from both ends, which meant Aiden Markram had to begin the day’s proceedings. Jason Holder immediately took the opportunity to put pressure on South Africa’s white-ball captain by creaming the first ball through the covers for four. He went on to hit Markram over mid-off and toward deep midwicket, but Markram won the mini-battle when he flattened Holder’s off stump in his tenth over. Three balls later, Keshav Maharaj had Joshua da Silva caught at mid-on to claim his fourth wicket of the innings.Maharaj would have had five in his next over when Kemar Roach, on 0, popped a chance up in the direction of David Bedingham at silly point. It needed quick reactions and a bit of luck to stick, but the ball just evaded Bedingham’s outstretched right hand.The new ball was taken as soon as it became available but South Africa stuck with the spinners. Markram went on to bowl an eight-over spell before being replaced by Kagiso Rabada, who took his 292nd Test wicket with this fourth ball. Bedingham made no mistake at first-slip and took the catch to dismiss Kavem Hodge. Rabada’s discipline continued to dismantle West Indies’ lower order. Gudakesh Motie met a full delivery by closing the face of the bat too early and edged to Markram at second slip, and Roach was struck just under the knee-roll on the front pad to be given out lbw. He reviewed only to see three reds from ball-tracking on the replay.Jomel Warrican made an unbeaten 35 off 32 balls•AFP/Getty Images

At the other end, Maharaj kept going and only ran into trouble when Jomel Warrican took him on. Warrican hit Maharaj over his head for six at the start of his 38th over – and he bowled all 38 in succession – and then over long-on for six more two balls later.Jayden Seales also showed some positive intent and ended Maharaj’s 39th over by hitting him over midwicket for four. Maharaj was denied the opportunity to get his tenth Test five-for by Lungi Ngidi, who replaced Rabada and bowled Seales to take his first wicket of the match. Maharaj bowled 40 overs in total, unchanged – from the Media Centre end – across two days.With more rain expected on Sunday, South Africa were in a hurry to score as many runs as possible. So, Markram and de Zorzi went out with intent. They were busy at the crease and quick between the wickets. Markram showed his class with back-to-back cover drives off Roach’s second over. In the last over of the day, de Zorzi hit Seales in the air through point for four. Two balls later, he reached for a wide ball and got a thick outside edge. Hodge, at first slip, hesitated for a millisecond and ended up getting both hands to the ball but dropped it to end a disappointing day for West Indies.

India will host the next edition of the Men’s Asia Cup cricket tournament in the T20 format in 2025 as a precursor to the T20 World Cup scheduled in the country in 2026, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) stated in its Invitation for Expression of Interest (IEOI).Since 2016, when the tournament was first played as a T20 event, the Asia Cup has been used as a dress rehearsal for the global event and played in the format in which the World Cup will be held.The 2023 edition, hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was held in a ‘Hybrid Model’ as India refused to travel to the neighbouring country and played their matches in Sri Lanka.The 2027 Asia Cup will be held in the ODI format in Bangladesh as the 50-over World Cup is scheduled in South Africa in the same year.The T20 Asia Cup in India and the 50-over continental event in Bangladesh in 2027 will comprise 13 games each as there are 26 matches allocated in the said period.”‘Men’s Asia Cup Tournament’ means the biennial senior men’s cricket tournament organised and administered by the ACC involving designated Members, and shall include participation by the teams from Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and one Non Test playing Member of ACC selected through qualifying events,” the ACC stated in its IEOI statement.India are the defending Asia Cup champions, and have won three of the last four editions of the tournament. They beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final of last year’s 50-overs edition in Colombo.