India rejects Ben Stokes' draw offer: Test ends in tense draw
In a tense end to the Manchester Test, India refused Ben Stokes’ offer to end the match early with a draw. With 15 overs left, England’s captain approached India to call it off. But Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, both close to centuries, said no. They wanted to keep playing and reach their milestones.
At the time, India stood at 386/4, leading by 75 runs. A result was unlikely, but India’s batters chose to stay at the crease. Stokes walked away, shaking his head. Tensions rose further when England’s Zak Crawley and Harry Brook exchanged words with Jadeja. The handshake between teams didn’t happen.
Commentator Sanjay Manjrekar said India made the right call, pointing out the batters’ effort and the context. He added that England may have done the same if roles were reversed.
Shubman Gill scored 103 and KL Rahul made 90 to rescue India after a rough start. Jadeja and Sundar later hit centuries and ended the match with an unbeaten stand of over 170 runs.
England brought on part-time bowler Harry Brook, who bowled loose deliveries, likely to force a quick end. The match ended in a draw. England still leads the series 2-1 as the teams head to London.
Injured Rishabh Pant hits gritty 54, breaks wicketkeeper record in England series
Rishabh Pant showed true grit by batting through a foot injury on day two of India’s fourth Test against England. After being hit on the boot by Chris Woakes and unable to walk the day before, the 27-year-old resumed on 37 and scored 54 before Jofra Archer bowled him.
Fans gave him a warm cheer as he walked in and another loud applause when he left, limping. He even hit a six off Archer, showing glimpses of his usual aggressive style despite clearly being in pain.
Due to the injury, Pant will not keep wicket for the rest of the match. Instead, substitute fielder Dhruv Jurel, who had replaced him at Lord’s, will take over behind the stumps.
India hasn’t shared many details about the injury, and it’s still unclear if Pant will play in the rest of the series. He may still bat again if needed.
Pant has been one of the best performers in the series. His latest half-century took his total runs to 479 — the most by any wicketkeeper in a single Test series in England, breaking a record held by Alec Stewart.
Durham fall to Somerset in two days as Leach strikes again
Jack Leach took 6 for 63 as Somerset beat Durham by five wickets in just two days at the Cooper Associates County Ground. The left-arm spinner struck fast, with support from Archie Vaughan, who picked up 4 for 85, as Durham were bowled out for 190 in their second innings.
Durham had begun the day at 5 for 2, still 100 runs behind, but Emilio Gay and Ben Raine showed resistance. Leach and Vaughan then tore through the line-up. Leach claimed his second six-wicket haul in a row, while Vaughan maintained pressure with key strikes.
Set just 86 to win, Somerset chased the target in 19.2 overs, but not without a few scares. Callum Parkinson took 4 for 39, and wickets fell fast, leaving Somerset at 58 for 5. But Tom Banton stayed calm, hitting an unbeaten 33 to seal the win.
The match ended swiftly with plenty of overs left in the day, as Somerset closed out a sharp and complete team performance. Leach’s spell turned the game and kept Somerset strong in the Division One race.
Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq joins Yorkshire after Ruturaj Gaikwad withdraws
Pakistan opening batter Imam-ul-Haq has joined Yorkshire as an overseas player for the rest of the season after India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad withdrew for personal reasons. Imam will be available for the Championship match against Surrey, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, and the culmination in September.
In a statement, Yorkshire's general manager, Gavin Hamilton, said, ‘We're delighted that Imam has joined us and will be available immediately.’ The manager also said they were ‘naturally disappointed’ about Ruturaj’s withdrawal; however, he and the team understood his decision.
Despite the upset, Yorkshire also looks forward to working with Imam-ul-Haq due to his impressive feats as a cricket player. ‘Imam has an impressive record and is already familiar with domestic cricket in this country which will stand us in good stead for a crucial block of fixtures.’ Hamilton stated.
Imam-ul-Haq as a cricket player
Imam-ul-Haq is the nephew of Pakistan legend Inzamam-ul-Haq. Because of this, he started taking an interest in the sport and wanted to follow in the footsteps of his legendary uncle.
Now, he has scored three centuries in 24 Tests and nine in 75 ODIs. He also played for Somerset in the 2022 County Championship and was part of Pakistan Television's win in the President's Cup last March.
Team India faces injury setbacks ahead of the Manchester Test
Adding to India’s previously two injured players, cricket star Nitish Kumar Reddy, is now also suffering from an injury. Reddy injured his knee during a training session at the gym. After a trip to the hospital, the injury was revealed to be a torn ligament.
Due to the gravity of the situation, he cannot play the rest of the matches. This is a massive blow against his team as they prepare for the Manchester Test on July 23, 2025.
Two more players are injured during training, namely Arshdeep Singh and Akash Deep. Both players are also doubtful whether they’ll be able to play in the Test.
On Sunday, the team met with the Manchester United football players at their training facility for a friendly visit. India's vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant presented a signed bat to Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. Also, Mohammed Siraj was spotted bowling to defender Harry Maguire. Reddy, however, was notably absent.
However, Anshul Kamboj was with the team, and it was later confirmed that he would be the replacement for the injured star.
With the series on the line, India now faces selection challenges and fitness concerns ahead of the Manchester clash.
Sharma shines as India beats England in first women's ODI
India Women sealed a strong four-wicket win over England Women in the first women’s ODI held at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Tuesday, July 15. Chasing 259, the Women in Blue pushed further to reach the target with 10 more balls to spare.
England has started well, with Sophia Dunkley hitting 83 and Alice Davidson-Richards pitching in a swift 53. The hosts posted 258 for 6 in their 50 overs. With that high of a score, the team thought they’d set it hard for India to beat.
However, the Women in Blue stood strong to prove them wrong. Facing early trouble at 97 for 4, Deepti Sharma posted an unbeaten 62 off 64 balls. She worked side by side with Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 48.
Sharma was named Player of the Match for her all-around effort and steady knock. This win gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. The second match is set on Saturday, July 19, at Lord’s.
CWI invites Lloyd, Lara, and Richards to rescue West Indies cricket
After losing all three Test matches to Australia, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is asking for help from its biggest cricket heroes. President Kishore Shallow said that Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Vivian Richards, and Brian Lara have been asked to join a new advisory group. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ian Bradshaw and Desmond Haynes are already a part of the key members.
Australia won the series with a strong 176-run win in the third Test. They bowled out West Indies for just 27 runs in their second innings, the lowest total in West Indies Test history, and the joint-third lowest in the history of Test cricket overall. Mitchell Starc took 6 wickets for only 9 runs while Scott Boland ended the match with a hat-trick.
Shallow said this is a 'rebuilding phase’ and asked fans, players, and leaders to work together. He said the bowlers show promise, but the batters need serious help right away.
CWI has also called for an emergency board meeting to review the whole series, especially the shocking last game. 'Progress is rarely straightforward,' Shallow said. 'Now is the time to stand even closer as a people'.
ENG spinner Bashir to miss final tests vs IND due to injury
England spinner Shoaib Bashir has been ruled out of the rest of the squad’s Test series against India after suffering a finger fracture. The 21-year-old injured the little finger on his left hand during the third Test at Lord’s. Despite the injury, Bashir still managed to bowl and claim the final wicket that sealed England’s win.
Bashir’s exit is a blow to England’s bowling line-up, especially after his strong form during the series. All-rounder, Ben Stokes, shared that it was ‘very disappointing’ for both the team and Bashir himself.
He also commended the spinner for putting in effort, ‘He's got a very badly broken finger…To even walk out there and bat. He didn't even ask, he got his pads on, and got his finger strapped up.’
The England side confirmed that Bashir will undergo surgery and won’t be around for the final two matches. No replacement is named yet, but a new spinner is to be called before the next game. The fourth Test starts on Wednesday, July 23, at Old Trafford.
Jaiswal out for 0 as Archer rattles India at Lord’s
India’s run-chase in the third Test at Lord’s got off to a bad start when Yashasvi Jaiswal was out for a duck after facing just seven balls. He was once again beaten by the speed of Jofra Archer.
Archer, who returned to Test cricket after a long break, got Jaiswal out in both innings, first for 13 runs, then for 0. The left-handed batter seemed off his game. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said, 'He didn’t look comfortable, he didn’t look watchable'.
In the fourth innings, Archer bowled a short ball at 141kph that Jaiswal hit high in the air. It went straight to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Earlier in the match, Jaiswal also got out while trying to hit a ball with extra bounce, stepping back. Both teams scored 387 runs in their first innings. Then, England made 192 in their second innings and gave India a target of 193 runs to win.
By the end of Day 4, India was in trouble at 58 for 4. Team captain Shubman Gill made only 6 runs, and Karun Nair got out for 14. Nightwatchman Akash Deep was bowled by Ben Stokes for just 1 run. India now faces a hard task on the last day.
Guernsey exit T20 World Cup qualifier after Dutch loss
Guernsey’s run in the T20 World Cup Europe Qualifier came to a close with a 73-run loss to hosts Netherlands at Voorburg Cricket Club. The Dutch hit 172 for 1 in 20 overs, led by Max O’Dowd’s 92 not out, his best in the event. He and skipper Scott Edwards, who made 48 not out, built a strong 116-run stand.
In reply, Guernsey only reached 99 for 9, with Bradley top scoring on 26. He also took the only Dutch wicket, ending with 1 for 28. Michael Levitt grabbed 3 for 11, cutting through the middle order. The win puts the Dutch in second place behind Italy, who beat Scotland. The top two will clash on Friday for a spot in the 2026 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Guernsey lost all three games played and are out of the race. Their match with Scotland was called off due to rain.
