Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Asia's cricket giants prepare for face off ahead of World Cup

Fiery rivals India and Pakistan could clash as many as three times if they go all the way in the six-nation continental championship

Asia's cricket giants prepare for face off ahead of World Cup

Asia's cricket giants India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will get a final chance to size each other up before October's 50-over World Cup when the Asia Cup begins on Wednesday.

Fiery rivals India and Pakistan could clash as many as three times if they go all the way in the six-nation continental championship.


Pakistan and Sri Lanka are co-hosts, a hybrid model agreed after World Cup hosts India refused to tour Pakistan, with the final on September 17 in Colombo.

Babar Azam's Pakistan, who became the world's top-ranked ODI team after last week's 3-0 series sweep against Afghanistan, open their campaign at home on Wednesday against Asia Cup debutants Nepal in Multan.

Azam, who scored 113 runs in the Afghanistan series, leads a side containing a triple-pronged fast bowling attack in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.

World Cup hosts India, led by Rohit Sharma, will open their campaign against Pakistan in a hotly anticipated clash on Saturday in Pallekele.

India and Pakistan, who only play against each other in international tournaments due to the countries' long-standing political tensions, are expected to meet again in the Super Four stage and could face off for a third time in the final.

"It's not just Pakistan, there are other teams," Rohit said of the hype surrounding the Pakistan clashes, with the rivals also scheduled to meet in the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 14.

"Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last year. So there are other teams who are playing good cricket and will challenge us."

Rohit said the Asia Cup was the perfect place to "test ourselves, try and put ourselves under pressure and respond to that pressure."

India's batting has been boosted by the return of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer alongside Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Rohit.

The 50-over World Cup begins on October 5 in India.

Sri Lanka, who won the Asia Cup last year in Dubai when it was played as a Twenty20 tournament, have been hit by injuries ahead of their opener against Bangladesh in Kandy on Thursday .

Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera is all but out of the tournament with a shoulder injury and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is doubtful for at least the group matches having missed the Lanka Premier League final eight days ago with a thigh strain.

Bangladesh have had a difficult build-up with Tamim Iqbal stepping down as captain and missing the tournament with a back injury as he tries to get fit for the World Cup.

Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been reappointed captain through to the end of the World Cup. He previously led Bangladesh for 50 one-day internationals between 2009 and 2017.

Afghanistan, despite their recent loss to Pakistan, can pose problems with their potent spin attack of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi.

They also have in-form batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz who smashed 151 in a losing cause in the second game against Pakistan.

Minnows Nepal could be in for a baptism of fire having been clubbed with India and Pakistan in Group A. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan make up Group B.

The top two teams from each group advance to the Super Four with the leading two in the standings contesting the final. (AFP)

More For You

Rajasthan Royals lose coach Dravid ahead of 2026 IPL season

Rahul Dravid (PTI photo)

Rajasthan Royals lose coach Dravid ahead of 2026 IPL season

INDIA batting great Rahul Dravid has stepped down as head coach of Indian Premier League team Rajasthan Royals after just one season with them, the franchise said on Saturday (30).

Dravid, 52, was offered a "broader position" after a structural review of the team set-up but the former Indian captain declined the offer, the franchise said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hasaranga Asia Cup squad

Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates after taking the wicket of Bangladesh's captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the first one-day international (ODI) cricket match at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo on July 2, 2025. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Getty Images

Sri Lanka recall fit-again Hasaranga for Asia Cup

SRI LANKA have picked Wanindu Hasaranga in their Twenty20 squad for the Asia Cup next month though the all-rounder has been ruled out of the tour of Zimbabwe as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Hasaranga sustained the injury during the home series against Bangladesh in July and the injury will keep him out of Sri Lanka's limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe beginning on Friday (29).

Keep ReadingShow less
India and England unveil Women’s World Cup squads with shock calls

Harmanpreet Kaur

India and England unveil Women’s World Cup squads with shock calls

INDIA and England have named their squads for the upcoming Women’s World Cup, with several surprise selections and omissions, highlighting the competitive nature of the tournament.

India’s squad announcement brought disappointment for explosive opener Shafali Verma, who was left out after a poor run of form. The 21-year-old, who last played a oneday international in October 2024, has managed just one half-century in six innings for India A.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Gukesh

Gukesh, as the reigning world champion, is not in the Candidates race, and his participation will be for prize money and rating points.

Getty Images

Chess World Cup 2025 to be held in Goa

GOA will host the Chess World Cup from October 30 to November 27. The FIDE World Cup 2025 carries a prize fund of USD 2 million and offers three qualifying spots for next year’s Candidates tournament.

The 206-player field includes world champion D Gukesh, Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana and R Praggnanandhaa. However, Gukesh, as the reigning world champion, is not in the Candidates race, and his participation will be for prize money and rating points.

Keep ReadingShow less
CWG-2010-Getty

India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. (Photo credit: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Modi cabinet clears Ahmedabad bid for Commonwealth Games 2030

INDIA on Wednesday said Ahmedabad would be an "ideal" venue for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, as the country seeks to strengthen its case to host the 2036 Olympics.

Ahmedabad, the main city in prime minister Narendra Modi's home state Gujarat, has a 130,000-capacity stadium, the largest cricket arena in the world, named after him.

Keep ReadingShow less