The cricketing world bid farewell to one of its greatest icons this week with the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers, just days before his 90th birthday.
The sixth of seven children, Sobers was born in Barbados to a seaman father. Tragedy struck early when his father was killed at sea after the Germans torpedoed his ship during World War II in 1942, leaving his mother to raise the family from the time Gary was just five years old. He was born with six fingers on each hand, an extra digit that was surgically removed in childhood
There was virtually nothing Sir Gary could not do on a cricket field. He could open the bowling with pace, switch effortlessly to left-arm orthodox or wrist spin, and bat anywhere in the order. Compared to modern day all-rounders, Sobers’ numbers remain astonishing. He would have walked into any side either as a specialist batter or as a specialist bowler. It was for that very reason that Sir Donald Bradman famously described him as the greatest cricketer the game had ever seen.
Sobers played 98 Test matches, captaining the West Indies in 39 of them. He was an adventurous leader, never afraid to gamble, even if those bold declarations occasionally backfired. At Port of Spain in 1968, he declared twice against England, only to lose both the Test and the series. The decision became the subject of endless jokes. When Sobers later arrived at Heathrow to begin his county stint with Nottinghamshire, an immigration officer greeted him with a cheeky, “Mr Sobers, have you got anything to declare?” Such was his humility that he simply laughed along.
England complete ODI series win over India
After the struggles of their Test side, England’s white-ball team restored some pride by clinching the ODI series against India, having already whitewashed them 4-0 in the T20Is.
India won the opening ODI, but England bounced back impressively to take the final two games and seal the series.
Joe Root masterminded England’s series levelling victory in the second ODI, only to be left stranded on 99. In the decider at Lord’s, Ben Duckett’s superb 141 and Sam Curran’s four wicket haul proved decisive.
There had been speculation that veteran Rohit Sharma would retire from ODI cricket after the series following a prolonged lean patch. Although he answered his critics with a century, the 2027 World Cup is still some way off and Rohit will be 40 by then. All indications suggest he may not be part of India’s plans for South Africa.
Lanka Premier League gets underway
The Lanka Premier League has begun amid hopes that Sri Lanka Cricket can secure longer term commitments from franchise owners.
The tournament has unearthed exciting local talent, including Maheesh Theekshana and Janith Liyanage, while producing some entertaining cricket over the years. But inconsistency has hampered its growth. The competition was not held last year after several owners pulled out and most franchises have struggled to stay beyond a single season. SLC has pledged to address the issue.
The latest edition has attracted several international stars, with Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi the marquee overseas signing.
The five team tournament began at the SSC in Colombo before moving to Dambulla for the second leg. Kandy will host the remaining league matches before the competition returns to Colombo for the playoffs and the final.
Mohammad Nawaz suspended for three months
Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been suspended for three months after committing an anti-doping violation, the International Cricket Council announced.
The ICC confirmed that the prohibited substance was not used for performance enhancement.
T20 World Cup to feature eliminators
The 2028 T20 World Cup will introduce an eliminator stage before the semi-finals in a move designed to make the tournament more competitive.
The event, to be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, will feature 20 teams divided into five groups of four. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 10 stage, replacing the previous Super Eight format.
The Super 10 will consist of two groups of five teams each. The winners of each group will advance directly to the semi-finals, while the teams finishing second and third will contest crossover eliminators, with the winners claiming the remaining semi-final berths.
The number of participating teams remains unchanged at 20, a welcome boost for Associate nations, who impressed at the previous tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. India are the defending champions.
More teams for 50-over World Cup
After two successive 10 team editions, the 50 over World Cup will expand to 14 teams.
Instead of simply splitting the teams into two groups of seven, the sides qualifying 12th, 13th and 14th will first contest a preliminary round, with only one progressing.
That team will join the top 11 qualifiers in the main competition, which will feature two groups of six. The top three teams from each group, along with the next best ranked side overall, will then advance to a Super Seven stage.
The top four teams from the Super Seven will qualify for the semi-finals.
South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will jointly host the next World Cup.
Search for England head coach intensifies
With former England coach Andy Flower withdrawing from the race to return, the ECB has stepped up its search for Brendon McCullum’s successor.
Jonathan Trott, Stephen Fleming, Kumar Sangakkara and Rahul Dravid remain among the leading contenders, while former Australia coaches Darren Lehmann and Justin Langer are also believed to be in the running.
The ECB is unlikely to appoint a permanent coach before the end of the English summer, with assistant coach Marcus Trescothick expected to continue in an interim role for the Pakistan series.
A permanent appointment, however, is expected before England embark on their winter tours
