20 h. ago Bangladesh boycott brings a sad reality to T20 World Cup countdown | Taha Hashim

Swirling force of subcontinental politics and a governing body lacking in credibility has led to a far from joyous situationThe R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo may be hosting a one-day international series at the moment, but the real show begins in less than two weeks. The venue has been dressed with branding for the upcoming men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India: a banner hangs out the front, an image of the trophy accompanied by a simple tagline: “Feel the thrill”.This, of course, is how it should be as you approach a global tournament, a real buzz as the world is welcomed on to an island. Spotted in the stadium during Sri Lanka’s second ODI against England on Saturday was a poster reading: “We will repeat 2014”, a nod to their tournament victory 12 years ago, a crowning moment for the departing Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. With Italy among the 20 teams competing, the upcoming showpiece looks like a genuinely global event unlike the more exclusive 50-ove...

Politics

41 h. ago Joe Root backs Harry Brook to do ‘wonderful things’ as England captain

Brook shared an 81-run stand with Root to help guide England towards a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Politics

41 h. ago ‘He’s taken his punishment’: Root lauds Brook after England’s win in Sri Lanka

Joe Root also praises Brendon McCullum’s coachingSri Lanka win was Brook’s first ODI win abroad as captainJoe Root has lavished praise on Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum after the pair celebrated their first one-day international victory abroad while in charge of England’s white-ball teams.Root’s 75 was the guiding hand in England’s five-wicket win against Sri Lanka on Saturday, ending a losing streak away from home that began in November 2024. McCullum began his reign as all-format head coach two months later in India before Brook ascended to the limited-overs captaincy in April. Both have been scrutinised in recent weeks: McCullum’s future has been questioned after England’s defeat in the Ashes while Brook has apologised for clashing with a nightclub bouncer on the eve of the third ODI against New Zealand at the start of the winter. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago Harry Brook happy as Joe Root and England put Sri Lanka in a spin

The tourists levelled the one-day series.

Politics

58 h. ago Joe Root inspires England to finally end dismal run of results in Sri Lanka

A five-wicket win in the second ODI was England’s first for 11 away one-day matches since Brendon McCullum took on the white-ball coaching role

Politics

59 h. ago Root and Rashid steer England past Sri Lanka in second ODI to end barren run

2nd ODI: Sri Lanka 219; England 223-5. Eng win five wktsRoot scores 75 as England end away losing streak in ODIsIt has been a rough few years for England’s 50-over side, but the glow of their World Cup victory has not completely disappeared. Joe Root and Adil Rashid, both part of the 2019 class, were the protagonists of the second one-day international against Sri Lanka, setting up a five-wicket victory to level the series.Rashid led the England attack on another turner, taking two for 34 as Harry Brook used a national ODI record 40.3 overs of spin, limiting Sri Lanka to 219. It was still a serious challenge, particularly in a must-win game for the tourists, their winless run away from home in ODIs having stretched to 11 on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

59 h. ago England beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in second men’s cricket ODI – live reaction

Root and Brook help to end run of 11 away ODI defeats Scotland in for Bangladesh at T20 World Cup | Mail Tanya3rd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) A decent maiden from Overton who beats a driving Mishara with one that jags away late off the seam. Bright sunshine beating down in Colombo, it looks a scorcher. If England have to chase leather for 50 overs they could be a bit cooked later on.2nd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Nissanka 4, Mishara 1) Sam Curran zips in from t’other end. He starts with a wide outside off and then is too straight, flicked off the hip by Mishara for a single. Continue reading...

Politics

59 h. ago Joe Root leads England to overdue away win to level Sri Lanka series

The five-wicket win was England’s first in 11 ODIs on their travels since Brendon McCullum took on the white-ball coaching role.

Politics

62 h. ago Another World Cup: Scotland to replace Bangladesh in men’s T20 cricket finals

Bangladesh have refused to travel to co-hosts IndiaScotland will face England in group-stage matchScotland have been handed a late call-up to the T20 World Cup after Bangladesh were removed following a refusal to play their matches in India over safety concerns.Amid increasing tensions with neighbouring India, Bangladesh repeatedly requested to move their group stage games next month – three in Kolkata, including one against England, and one in Mumbai – to co-hosts Sri Lanka. Continue reading...

Politics

62 h. ago Scotland get late T20 World Cup call up to replace Bangladesh

Bangladesh have refused to travel to co-hosts IndiaScotland will face England in group-stage matchScotland have been handed a late call-up to the T20 World Cup after Bangladesh were removed following a refusal to play their matches in India over safety concerns.Amid increasing tensions with neighbouring India, Bangladesh repeatedly requested to move their group stage games next month – three in Kolkata, including one against England, and one in Mumbai – to co-hosts Sri Lanka. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Curious case of Crawley opening in Sri Lanka sums up cracks in English cricket | Taha Hashim

Opener had not played 50-over cricket in more than two years, meaning the England selectors are going on instinctAnother continent, fresh pyjamas and, after the disappearance of spin in Australia, a contest dominated by the slow stuff. But it was natural at times to rewind to the Ashes during England’s series-opening defeat against Sri Lanka on Thursday, stretching their losing run away from home in one-day internationals to 11.The flashbacks hit immediately when Jamie Overton took the new ball for the first time in his ODI career, a middle-overs-man miscast, the same way Brydon Carse was when he opened in the Tests. Sri Lanka’s fielding late on in the chase – Dunith Wellalage’s hopscotch grab on the boundary to end Rehan Ahmed’s pyro-party, Dhananjaya de Silva’s swooper at backward point to get rid of Liam Dawson – was clinical, reminiscent of Australia. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Sam Curran says England’s players know they need to start winning 50

World Cup qualification is under threat if they do not improve on a record of 11 defeats in 16 one-day internationals.

Sport

4 d. ago England succumb to spinners in opening ODI defeat to Sri Lanka

Three Lions returned to white-ball format after Ashes thrashing

Politics

4 d. ago Harry Brook happy to ‘get back to day job’ despite England defeat

Sri Lanka won the first one-day international by 19 runs in Colombo.

Politics

4 d. ago England fall short as Harry Brook fails to fire in opening ODI defeat by Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (271-6) beat England (252 all out) by 19 runsKusal Mendis’s unbeaten knock of 93 proves vitalAfter a year in the job, it was on: a first one-day international victory away from home for Brendon McCullum as England’s head coach, a touch of joy in a troubling winter. With Ben Duckett and Joe Root hitting watchful half-centuries, the base was set on a turner, chasing a target of 272.But the discontent continued as 129 for one turned into 164 for six, Sri Lanka’s spinners ripping everything apart under lights in the first of three ODIs. The left-armer Dunith Wellalage combined his 12-ball 25 with two wickets in the collapse as the hosts, chasing their eighth consecutive ODI series win at home, triumphed by 19 runs. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago English cricket remains a metaphor for the country as travelling circus rolls on | Jonathan Liew

As Brendon McCullum and Rob Key limp on, perhaps it is worth retracing the steps that brought us hereThere will be consequences. There must be consequences. Perhaps there have already been consequences. Harry Brook is very sorry for getting punched by a bouncer in New Zealand. Rob Key is very sorry for overseeing an Ashes tour that in retrospect could probably have been an email. Brendon McCullum is not sorry, but has promised to “look at things over the next little while”, which is basically the same as an apology, so fine.In the meantime, the travelling circus of English cricket rolls on. There is a white-ball series in Sri Lanka starting on Thursday morning, for which – consequences, remember – McCullum remains as coach, Key remains as managing director and Brook remains as captain. In addition Zak Crawley returns to open the batting in the 50-over team, a fitting reward for not playing a single 50-over game in the whole of 2024 or 2025. Nature heals. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England bid to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – was brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, with thre...

Politics

5 d. ago From Ashes hangover to subcontinental scars as England aim to rewrite history

Harry Brook’s side begin Sri Lanka ODI series in poor form but confidence is needed ahead of crucial winter periodA subcontinental World Cup to close an Ashes winter? History tells us this does not end well for England. In 2014 a whitewash in Australia was followed by a group-stage exit at the World T20 with a 45-run defeat to the Netherlands in Chattogram. In 2011 the 50-over side – largely made up of Test regulars – were brutalised by Kevin O’Brien in Bengaluru before exiting with a 10-wicket quarter-final loss to Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Vic Marks, writing for the Observer, wondered beforehand if England had “anything left to give” after so many months on the road.And so to the Premadasa again, 15 years on, this time without the goodwill of a recent series victory in Australia. The first one-day international against Sri Lanka will begin just two weeks after Alex Carey struck the winning runs at the SCG, and open the second half of England’s winter, wit...

Politics

5 d. ago Harry Brook admits he is lucky to still be England captain after ‘terrible mistake’

Brook was involved in an altercation outside a nightclub the night before a one-day international in New Zealand

Events

6 d. ago Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed train with England in Sri Lanka after visa delays

The spin duo took to the field in Colombo for the first of two training sessions before the first ODI on Thursday.

Politics