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Matches at LPL 2024 will feature two additional powerplay overs at the death. The two “power-blast overs”, which will be the 16th and 17th overs of each completed innings, will have a maximum of four fielders outside the 30-yard circle. This is in addition to the usual powerplay in the first six, where only two fielders are allowed outside the circle.The new feature is designed to create “a more aggressive and thrilling phase of the game”, according to a LPL statement. “We decided to bring this innovation in order to create further excitement for the league, which is growing year by year,” Samantha Dodanwela, the LPL’s tournament director, said in the statement. “This new introduction is sure to generate a lot of excitement among the fans, and the teams will need to strategise effectively to make the most of this period.”Outside of the two sets of power overs, a maximum of five fielders, as per normal, can be in the outfield.LPL 2024 will run from July 1 to 21, clashing in large part with the USA’s Major League Cricket. The latter will feature more high-profile overseas names; the LPL has traditionally struggled to attract foreign talent, given the money on offer, but enjoys some popularity among local fans.The 2024 season, the fifth edition of the tournament, will comprise 20 league matches between five franchises, followed by three playoffs and the final. Each team will play each other twice in the league stage, before four of the five teams make the playoffs.Among the teams is Dambulla’s new franchise, Dambulla Sixers. The Dambulla team’s change in ownership was announced earlier this month, after Sri Lanka Cricket was forced to terminate the previous franchise because one of the co-owners – Tamim Rahman – was arrested by Sri Lanka police under the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act.

Michael Jones has given an indication of Scotland’s relaxed state of mind as they prepare for their crucial Group B showdown in Antigua on Sunday, as he welcomed Josh Hazlewood’s suggestion that Australia might go easy on his team in a bid to engineer an early elimination for their arch-rivals England.Speaking after Australia’s emphatic victory over Namibia on Tuesday – a result that secured their progression to the Super Eights – Hazlewood had indicated that his team might be willing to “drag it out” if they got into a winning position against Scotland, in order to preserve their opponents’ net run-rate – albeit such a tactic could run the risk of a suspension for their captain, Mitchell Marsh, if Australia were deemed to have contravened Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct.Matthew Mott, England’s coach, subsequently dismissed Hazlewood’s suggestion as an example of his “very good sense of humour”, and Jones also saw the funny side of the remarks, as he joked he’d like to see David Warner open the bowling at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday.”I was watching it live actually, laughing to myself,” Jones told the Press Association, adding that he had also enjoyed the view of Tim Paine, Australia’s former Test captain, who told ESPNcricinfo’s Around The Wicket show that Australia’s players should “go on holiday … and England can pack their bags”.”I watched that interview and I watched Tim Paine when he was saying they should field half a side. I’m not particularly close to them, I don’t know any of the Australian players, but it would be good if we could have a little word and sort something out.”The rivalry between England and Australia is massive. If they want to play that way then happy days. We won’t be complaining. If they want to let David Warner open the bowling or something like that it would be pretty funny.”More realistically, however, Jones is braced for the full Australia experience when the two teams meet on Sunday, and after two impressive victories over Oman and Namibia, to go alongside a spirited display in the washout against England, he admitted he and his team-mates were relishing the prospect of testing themselves against one of the best sides in the tournament.Related

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“At the end of the day our team wants the best result we can get, but on a personal level you want to challenge yourself against the best,” he said.”To have the opportunity to bat against Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, then Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, that’s the best in the world. Those are the opportunities we crave as Scotland teams. You want to challenge yourself and see how far you go against those guys.”The Australians are renowned for being extremely diligent and extremely professional. I’m absolutely certain they will come out all guns blazing like they do for every game at every tournament.”I almost hope they do go full strength on Saturday and we can show the cricket world we’re up to the challenge. I’m absolutely certain they will come out all guns blazing like they do for every game at every tournament.”

Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan has replaced England allrounder Jordan Thompson in the MI Emirates squad for the ongoing ILT20 2025-26. Thompson has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury.Rashid, 27, is no stranger to the MI franchise. He is the captain of MI Cape Town in SA20 and led them to their maiden title earlier this year against Sunrisers Eastern Cape. He has also played for MI New York in Major League Cricket (MLC) in 2023 and 2024, but opted out this season. Rashid played two games for MI Emirates back in 2023, where he took four wickets.It has been learnt that Rashid will not be available for the entire ILT20, which runs till January 4, 2026 and is likely to be around until December 20 before travelling to South Africa for SA20 2025-26, where MI Cape Town play the season opener against Durban’s Super Giants on December 26.MI Emirates, the ILT20 2024 champions, will start this season against Gulf Giants in Dubai on December 4. Led by Kieron Pollard this season, they have reached the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons.The current season began on December 2, with Desert Vipers beating last year’s champions Dubai Capitals.

Travis Head will miss the final two matches of the T20I series against India as he switches to Ashes preparation with an appearance for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.Head will be available to face Tasmania in Hobart next week in what will be his first first-class match since the tour of West Indies in July. He has had a relatively lean run in white-ball cricket over the last month with a top score of 31 in eight innings across T20Is and ODIs after making 142 against South Africa in August.Related

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Head shapes as a crucial cog in Australia’s Test line-up where he will slot in at No. 5 with the ability to change games with his counterattacking approach. It’s understood that it was largely left for Head to decide whether he wanted a four-day game before facing England.His appearance for South Australia will add to a star-studded round of Sheffield Shield ahead of the first Test with most, if not all, of the squad – which will be named later this week – expected to appear.Josh Hazlewood, who departed the T20I series after the second game in Melbourne, and Mitchell Starc are set to play for New South Wales against Victoria in an attack that will feature Nathan Lyon. Sean Abbott, who will also leave the T20I squad following the Hobart game, is also available for NSW. Steven Smith will play the second of his two matches after making 118 against Queensland at the Gabba.Victoria are expected to have Scott Boland for his third Shield outing of the season after he was rested for the match against Tasmania in Melbourne.Cameron Green will feature for Western Australia against Queensland in a game that should see him return to bowling for the first time since the opening match of the season.Marnus Labuschagne will likely be keen for another outing before the Test series, where he is certain to earn a recall, while Matt Renshaw has been in the opening conversation.Beau Webster will play for Tasmania against South Australia who will have Alex Carey available alongside Head. Brendan Doggett, who could have been named among the back-up quicks by then, is also due to play for SA.Meanwhile, legspinner Tanveer Sangha has been released from the T20I squad to play for NSW in the One-Day Cup match against Queensland in Sydney on Monday. He has been providing cover for Adam Zampa who is awaiting the birth of his second child.As previously announced, left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis will come into the squad for the final two matches on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane having overcome a calf injury.The T20I series is level at 1-1 following India’s five-wicket victory in Hobart.

No result Pakistan 92 for 5 (Riaz 28*, Tahuhu 2-20, Carson 1-7) vs New ZealandColombo handed a second washout in four days to Pakistan at the Women’s World Cup 2025, leaving their chances of progressing to the knockouts hanging by a thread. As Pakistan and New Zealand shared points, South Africa became the second team to progress to the semi-finals, after Australia, as even a finish on eight points in the league stage will take them through.If two or more teams finish on the same points, it will first be seen who has more wins, and South Africa will progress with four wins already from five games.With Saturday’s washout, Pakistan continue to remain winless in the tournament while New Zealand keep themselves in the running for the knockouts, still placed fifth with just one win and two abandoned games so far. Their next two matches, against India and England, will now decide their fate.Related

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A fired-up New Zealand side laid the foundation after winning the toss in overcast conditions on Saturday. While their experienced quick Lea Tahuhu returned to the XI to strike twice in her first spell, the Kerr sisters and Eden Carson picked up a wicket apiece to leave Pakistan reeling at 92 for 5 before the second rain break sealed the outcome of the match.Tahuhu was the first to strike and she did it in her first over when Omaima Sohail, who had crawled to 3 off 14, was trapped lbw before two sharp catches dented Pakistan further. Muneeba Ali had dispatched a few boundaries and had been handed a life on 8 when wicketkeeper Isabella Gaze put down a low chance off Jess Kerr. But when Muneeba pulled a short delivery off the same bowler on 22, Suzie Bates threw herself to her left at midwicket to take a stunner. No. 3 Sidra Amin then saw a similar effort from Carson at point when she scythed a short ball from Tahuhu, and Pakistan were 52 for 3. It had been drizzling then for a few minutes, and as soon as Amin walked back after 12.2 overs it got heavier for a break.Pakistan now have two washouts in five games•ICC/Getty Images

Play resumed after 95 minutes in what was shortened to a 46-overs-a-side contest as Natalia Pervaiz joined Aliya Riaz. The more experienced Riaz soon charged down to crash Tahuhu to the square-leg boundary even as Pervaiz lived dangerously against Melie Kerr’s variations. Pervaiz even got a life on 9 when Sophie Devine put down a sharp catch at slip off Melie Kerr but lasted only five more balls by holing out off Carson for the simplest of catches to Devine at long-on.Melie Kerr then foxed the new batter – captain Fatima Sana – with a wrong’un which rattled the stumps to leave Pakistan on 80 for 5. Rain interrupted again after five overs and the players walked off with the score on 92 for 5 after 25 overs.It stopped raining within an hour with some lightning also around, and the game was soon reduced to 36 overs per innings. But the drizzle soon returned, turned into a heavy shower to make the ground staff cover the whole field, and the game was eventually called off.

Kane Williamson will miss the upcoming T20I series against Australia but is committed to playing in the T20 World Cup after signing a casual playing agreement with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) alongside Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Tim Seifert.The five players were not among the 20 centrally contracted New Zealand players announced in June for the 2025-26 season but have signed casual agreements in order to have some flexibility between playing for New Zealand, remaining within the high-performance system, and taking up franchise opportunities overseas.Allen, Seifert and Ferguson have existing BBL contracts that will see them play in Australia while the New Zealand Super Smash is taking place. New Zealand women’s captain Sophie Devine has signed a similar agreement for 2025-26 as she intends to retire from ODI cricket after the upcoming World Cup in India but remains available for T20Is.Related

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Williamson did not play in New Zealand’s most recent Test series against Zimbabwe and also missed the T20I tri-series that preceded it. Instead he played in the T20 Blast for Middlesex, and two County Championship games, as well as the Hundred for London Spirit.NZC stated that to be eligible for the casual playing agreement, players were required to commit themselves to the T20 World Cup campaign which included home series against Australia, England and the West Indies ahead of the tournament in India and Sri Lanka in February and March. It had previously been confirmed that Allen would miss the Australia matches, to be played from October 1-4 in Mount Maunganui, after undergoing foot surgery.An exception has been made for Williamson who has made himself unavailable for the series.NZC CEO Scott Weenink said the casual agreements were sensible arrangements in a T20 World Cup year.”With such a pinnacle event on the horizon we wanted to ensure our best T20 players were ready and available to push for inclusion,” he said. “The casual agreements are a commitment from the players to NZC and the Black Caps, and in return NZC will offer our full support to these players as part of our high-performance system.”The message from the players is that playing for the Black Caps is hugely important to them and I’m pleased we’ve been able to agree terms to have them casually contracted for the coming season.”Rob [Walter] and the team have a massive period of cricket ahead, home and away, and I know myself along with all of our fans can’t wait to follow and support.”New Zealand’s squad to face Australia will be named later this week.

Nicholas Pooran has been named Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) captain ahead of CPL 2025. He will take over from Kieron Pollard, who has led the team since 2019, when he replaced Dwayne Bravo in the role.”It means a lot, first and foremost, to represent Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a privilege that I’m getting the opportunity to lead this franchise,” Pooran said. “I want to give it my best shot, and hopefully make as many correct decisions as I can. It’s a responsibility that has been passed on from Bravo to Pollard, and now to me.”For me, the most satisfying thing is that Pollard is still playing; Sunil [Narine] and Andre [Russell] are here too. That’s a lot of experience I can bank on. To lead them on the field – it means a lot to me.”Related

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Pooran, who is one of the most sought-after players on the T20 circuit, made his debut in the format as a 17-year-old in the inaugural season of the CPL for TKR, who were then known as Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel. He switched to Barbados Royals (BR) and Guyana Amazon Warriors before returning to TKR in 2022. He’s played in all the CPL seasons so far except for 2015, when he was out injured due to an accident. Overall in the CPL, Pooran has 2447 runs at a strike rate of 152.27 in 114 matches. At present, he is also the captain of MI New York in the MLC and MI Emirates in the ILT20.Under Pollard’s leadership, TKR not only won their fourth CPL title in 2020 but had a record unbeaten season – with 12 out of 12 wins – before making two more playoff appearances. In 2024, they lost the Eliminator to BR. Bravo was named head coach this season after he retired last year.”I believe grooming the next generation is very important,” Pollard said. “With Bravo coming on board this year as the new head coach, we felt this is the right time to get a new captain in. Pooran is homegrown, and I think this is the right opportunity for him. We’ve actually been preparing him for this over the years.”I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be playing for, but I’m happy for the opportunity to still be on the field and help Nicholas ease into this role. He’s someone who we’ve seen grow in front of us and he understands our values and principles. He understands how we want to play cricket, he understands the winning culture that we want to create, and he shares a lot of respect with a lot of players around the world. So for me, it was an easy decision to hand over the captaincy to Pooran.”TKR start their CPL 2025 campaign against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on August 17.