Litton Das leads Bangladesh past Hong Kong in Asia Cup
Bangladesh started their Asia Cup campaign with a strong win, seven wickets, over Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.
Hong Kong batted first and reached 143-7 in 20 overs. Nizakat Khan scored 42 runs and tried to steady the innings, but Bangladesh’s bowlers never let them break free. Tanzim Hasan Sakib stood out with 2 for 21, while Taskin Ahmed and Rishad Hossain also took two wickets each.
Chasing 144, Bangladesh lost two early wickets, but Das kept his side on track. He hit 59 runs from 39 balls. With Towhid Hridoy, they built a 95-run stand for the third wicket.
The result gives Bangladesh a strong start in the tournament, showing both sharp bowling and steady batting. Hong Kong fought hard, with Nizakat their top scorer, but they could not match the power and skill of their rivals.
Rain hits on day three, Surrey stay ahead in County Clash
Rain spoiled day three at The Oval, with only 21.1 overs possible in Surrey’s match against Warwickshire. Despite limited play, Surrey added 95 runs to reach 276-2 in their second innings, taking a lead of 274.
Ben Foakes starred with 41 not out from 66 balls, hitting six fours. Dan Lawrence stayed unbeaten on 29 from 36 balls, with a six and three fours. Ollie Pope also shone, moving from 56 overnight to 78 before being bowled by Michael Booth. Dom Sibley retired hurt on 64 due to a groin issue.
Surrey, nine points clear of Nottinghamshire, aim for a fourth straight County title. With Notts chasing 136 at New Road, Surrey know a win here is key. The rain-hit day ended at 17:25, leaving Surrey set to score more runs and try to bowl out Warwickshire on the final day.
Afghanistan bounce back with a big win over Hong Kong
Afghanistan hit back fast in the Asia Cup after a tough loss to Pakistan in the tri-series final. They faced Hong Kong less than 48 hours later. Pakistan had five days to rest, but Afghanistan had to shake off defeat quickly. Any slip could have ended their run early in a group with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The beginning was tense. Just four balls in, Sediqullah Atal edged a Shukla delivery to slip. It echoed Afghanistan’s collapse, bowled out for 66 in their last game.
Luck shifted when captain Yasim Murtaza dropped a key catch, letting Atal seize control. He stayed unbeaten on 73 off 52 balls, driving Afghanistan to 188, with 34 runs above the ground’s usual first-innings mark.
Coach Jonathan Trott called the match pivotal, noting the team’s mixed play and some luck with dropped catches. He saw the win as positive amid a hectic schedule but stressed the team still fell short of its potential. Afghanistan now aims to sharpen their game for the remaining group matches.
Somerset faces weather challenges as Kohler-Cadmore hits 76
Somerset’s match against Yorkshire in a County Championship Division One cricket match at Taunton ended early after heavy rain forced players off the field. The storm hit in the afternoon, and only 42 overs occurred on the opening day.
Earlier in the day, Yorkshire won the toss and bowled first. George Hill struck twice in the first ten overs. He removed Archie Vaughan for 10 and bowled Tom Lammonby to leave Somerset at 20 for 2.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore led the fightback. He scored 76 runs from 110 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, James Rew gave steady support with 54 not out. The pair lifted Somerset to 155 for 3.
Jordan Thompson ended Kohler-Cadmore’s innings when he forced an edge to Hill at first slip. Tom Abell joined Rew but added only eight runs before the storm returned and halted play.
Somerset hopes for better weather so they can continue their fight in this crucial match.
England smashed South Africa on Sunday with a record win in the third one-day match at the Rose Bowl. The gap was 342 runs, the largest in one-day cricket. The result topped India’s 317-run win over Sri Lanka in 2023.
England, sent to bat first, stacked up 414-5 in 50 overs. Joe Root held the line with a steady 100. Young Jacob Bethell stole the show with 110 from 76 balls, his first ton.
His stand of 182 with Root drove the charge and made him England’s second-youngest one-day centurion after David Gower. Jos Buttler then struck hard, blasting 62 off 32 balls unbeaten, while Jamie Smith added a sharp 62.
Then, Jofra Archer ripped through South Africa’s top order with heat and bite, grabbing 4-18 in nine overs. The chase fell apart fast, as the visitors slumped to 7-4 and never found ground. They were skittled for 72 in just 20.5 overs. Brydon Carse and Adil Rashid wrapped it up, sharing five wickets to seal the rout.
Despite the heavy loss, South Africa had already won the series 2-1. Still, England’s huge win sent a bold note. The teams now turn to a three-match T20 run, starting September 10 in Cardiff. England will aim to ride their spark into the shorter game.
South Africa seals victory over England by five runs at Lord’s
South Africa beat England by five runs in the second ODI at Lord’s to win the series with one match left. It was their first ODI series win in England since 1998. Matthew Breetzke played a key role, scoring 85 on his return from injury. Alongside Tristan Stubbs, who made 58, he helped South Africa reach 330 for 8.
England had three players who made fifties, Joe Root (61), Jacob Bethell (58), and Jos Buttler (61), but none of them carried on to make a match-winning score. Buttler played bravely, even celebrating his 50 by looking to the sky after the recent passing of his father.
Needing six off the final ball to force a Super Over, Archer could only manage a single, leaving England stranded on 325 for 9. The victory gives South Africa an unassailable 2–0 series lead with one game to spare, ending a 27-year wait for an ODI series win in England.
South African cricketer Tony de Zorzi is ruled out due to injury
South Africa’s Tony de Zorzi will miss the rest of the three-match ODI series against England after sustaining a hamstring injury during the opening game in Leeds. De Zorzi dived to stop a Jos Buttler shot from reaching the rope. Although he successfully saved it, he was badly injured.
A replacement has not been named, as de Zorzi had only been drafted to cover Matthew Breetzke, who missed the last ODI in Australia and the first in England due to his own left hamstring issue. However, he has since recovered and is available for Thursday’s second ODI, where he is expected to slot back into the No. 4 role.
It was later confirmed that Tony de Zorzi would not return, and with South Africa chasing only 132, he was not required to bat anymore. He will now return home to assess the damage.
Overton sits out of Ashes, takes a break from red-ball cricket
England fast bowler Jamie Overton has ruled himself out of the upcoming Ashes series in November 2025. This follows his indefinite break from red-ball cricket. The 31-year-old shared that the demands of Test cricket have become too much for him to commit to.
In an X (Twitter) post, Jamie mentioned that the year-round schedule in all formats took a toll on both his body and mind. By stepping back from Tests, he aims to focus on white-ball cricket. ‘…I will continue to give everything to play at the highest level for as long as I can,’ he remarked.
His decision comes as a surprise, even to some of his England teammates. Captain Harry Brook shared, ‘It is a little bit of a shock to be honest…I thought he did well in the last Test match at The Oval.’
Though missing out on the Ashes, Jamie will still play in Australia with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.
Ankle injury rules Rabada out of South Africa's ODI vs England
South Africa is set to start their ODI series against England on Tuesday, September 2, without star fast bowler Kagiso Rabada. He has been ruled out of the opening match at Headingley due to an ankle injury he picked up from their recent tour of Australia.
Team captain Temba Bavuma confirmed Rabada’s absence. It seems the squad didn’t want to take risks with one of their key bowlers. The squad will also miss their opener, Matthew Breetzke. He currently has a hamstring strain and is resting as a precaution.
Playing without Rabada is a big blow for the Proteas, given his experience and strike power. Breetzke's injury also adds to the challenge. This leaves the squad without one of their key batters.
Adding to the list of absentees, young bowler Kwena Maphaka will also not play in the first ODI. He’s part of South Africa’s T20 and ODI squads, so the team looks to manage his workload carefully.
Meanwhile, veteran batter David Miller is also out of the ODI squad. Still, he remains part of the T20 setup. He will also stay as a part of South Africa’s 2027 World Cup squad.
Sharjah tri-series: Rashid Khan urges fans to stay calm
Sharjah hosts the first game of the Bank Alfalah T20I Tri-Series, featuring a big clash between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the UAE completing the three-team lineup.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan asked fans not to cause trouble, saying cricket 'brings people and nations together'. In 2022, Pakistan won against Afghanistan by only one wicket. The close game was exciting, but fights broke out among fans. The Pakistan Cricket Board complained, and local officials had to step in to control the situation.
Before the series, Rashid said Afghanistan would focus on delivering strong performances rather than worrying about form or momentum. He added that 'one or two players can change the whole game'. Afghanistan’s rise in T20 cricket, shown by their semi-final run in the recent World Cup, comes from a strong top order that performs well in key moments.
Led by new captain Salman Agha, Pakistan has a young team that is still learning. Yet, they also have some experienced players who know Sharjah well. Both teams see this series as useful practice for the Asia Cup next month. Afghanistan wants to play steady cricket, while Pakistan is giving young players a chance to learn how to handle pressure.
