Sam Konstas, Steve Smith, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, Sean Abbott and Mitchell Starc of Australia pose for a photo (Photo: Getty Images)

Cricket Australia has revealed its international schedule for the 2026-27 season, outlining a demanding calendar that leaves minimal recovery time ahead of the high-profile Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, likely to start in mid or late January.The five-match Test tour of India is expected to be a defining stretch for an experienced Australian side led by Pat Cummins, with several senior players facing one of the toughest assignments of their careers.In total, Australia are scheduled to play 10 Tests within a 14-week span from December to March, making it one of the most intense periods in the team’s history.The home summer begins in August 2026 with a two-Test series against Bangladesh and runs through to March 2027, ending with a landmark day-night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to celebrate the 150th anniversary Test against England national cricket team.A four-Test home series against New Zealand national cricket team has been squeezed into just over a month, adding further pressure to an already tight schedule. Before that, Australia will tour South Africa national cricket team for a three-Test series that runs until the end of October, followed by an eight-match white-ball series against England in November.According to CA, the India tour represents a significant challenge for senior players such as Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, all of whom are yet to win a Test series in India.“That Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour, a final frontier for the likes of Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, who have never won a series in India, will also be a quick-fire campaign given CA’s anniversary Test begins back in Melbourne on March 11,” CA said in a statement.The board also indicated a cautious approach to workload management, pointing out that the decision to rest key fast bowlers like Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood for the early stages of the Indian Premier League reflects concerns over sustaining them through the packed season.“The call to hold back all three of Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood from at least the first few rounds of the soon-to-begin IPL shows CA is wary of getting their trio to the finishing line of the intense 2026-27 run,” the statement added.Australia’s packed Test itinerary includes:August: Two Tests vs Bangladesh (home)October: Three Tests vs South Africa (away)December-January: Four Tests vs New Zealand (home)January-March: Five Tests vs India (away)March 11-15: 150th anniversary Test vs England (home)Looking further ahead, Australia could feature in the World Test Championship final in June if they qualify, before embarking on a five-Test tour of England between June and August.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi (AP Photo)

The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that the early phase of the Pakistan Super League 2026 will be played behind closed doors due to the tense regional situation stemming from the Iran–USA–Israel conflict. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday that, despite the circumstances, the tournament will go ahead as scheduled from March 26, but without spectators in attendance. He also revealed that the competition has been scaled down to just two venues — Karachi and Lahore — instead of the originally planned six cities. “The PSL is an international brand and our pride. So, the league will be held on schedule from 26th March but no spectators will be allowed,” Naqvi said during a press conference, where he was joined by PSL CEO Salman Naseer. Naqvi stressed that the decision was not driven by security fears but rather by austerity measures introduced by the government in light of the ongoing crisis. “These decisions were taken because of the austerity measures announced by the government due to the situation in the region. I can tell you overseas players will start reaching Pakistan from tonight,” he added. The PCB has also scrapped the tournament’s opening ceremony in Lahore as part of cost-cutting steps. While the initial matches will be played without crowds, Naqvi indicated that spectators could return later in the tournament if the situation improves, saying the timeline depends on how long the crisis lasts. The broader impact of the West Asia conflict, including disruptions to oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, has led to a fuel crunch in Pakistan. As a result, the government has urged citizens to limit travel, with measures such as school closures, work-from-home policies, and extended Eid holidays already in place. Naqvi acknowledged the financial hit for franchises due to empty stadiums and said the board would compensate all eight teams by covering the expected gate revenue. Refunds will also be issued to fans who had already purchased tickets. He further explained that matches were removed from cities like Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, and Multan to avoid unnecessary travel and resource usage. However, he assured that these venues would be considered again in future editions. On the player front, Naqvi confirmed that the PCB’s legal team would take action against cricketers who withdrew from the PSL to join the Indian Premier League. “We will take action against those players according to the rules. There was a case last year too, and the same thing will happen this time,” he said. Despite the withdrawals, Naqvi maintained that the league continues to attract quality talent. “But you can see how top List A players are joining the PSL and that shows the growth of our league,” he added. The PSL 2026 season is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.

Punjab Kings (Getty Images)

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes the Punjab Kings are finally “moving in the right direction” after making smart and bold decisions at the auction table, raising hopes of ending their long wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title.Speaking on IPL Today Live, Pathan highlighted how the franchise has shown renewed clarity in both leadership and squad-building. Punjab Kings finished as runners-up last season, narrowly losing the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Clear Leadership Driving Punjab’s Turnaround

“Leadership has played a huge role in Punjab’s turnaround. You win half the IPL at the auction table. Big purses don’t necessarily mean you will always get what you want, but they did, and they reached the final,” he said.Smart auction moves key to Punjab’s rise Pathan pointed out that the franchise has not shied away from taking tough calls, including releasing underperforming players such as Glenn Maxwell, while also strengthening their bench. “They took bold but important calls… and now you see all-rounders like Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen and Marcus Stoinis, along with a young Indian batting core. They also went all-out for Shreyas Iyer after deciding he would be the captain. There is clarity of thought, and I feel Punjab have started to move in the right direction,” he said.

Punjab Kings in IPL 2025

The Punjab Kings enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in IPL 2025, emerging as one of the most consistent teams of the season. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, they topped the league stage and advanced to the final, marking their first title clash after 2014. The team displayed remarkable balance, with Iyer leading from the front with the bat where he finished 604 runs, while Arshdeep Singh spearheaded the bowling attack finishing with 21 wickets. Punjab’s journey included a memorable win in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians after failing in Qualifier 1 from RCB to secure a place in the final, but they ultimately fell short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in finals. Despite the loss, the 2025 season signaled a major turnaround for the franchise, establishing them as genuine contenders and laying a strong foundation for future success.

Indian opener Prithvi Shaw made an emotional return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium as he rejoined the Delhi Capitals (DC) camp ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, set to begin on March 28.Shaw’s long-standing association with Delhi Capitals came to an end after seven seasons when the franchise released him ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. The 26-year-old endured a difficult phase, going unsold as Delhi chose not to re-sign him. His wait for another opportunity continued into the IPL 2026 auction, where he was initially overlooked in the main rounds. However, fortunes turned during the accelerated phase, as Shaw was among the final set of players picked, securing a Rs 75 lakh deal with his former franchise.

“Delhi, Your Boy is Home”

Delhi Capitals marked Shaw’s return with an emotional video on social media, captioned “Our Boy is back home.”In the video, Shaw reflected on his bond with the franchise and the stadium:“You don’t forget a place like Kotla. Not the noise. Not the silence. Not what it made you. Some stories don’t end. They come back. Delhi, your boy is home.”

Shaw’s Journey with Delhi Capitals

Shaw was originally signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.2 crore following India’s triumph in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, where he captained the side. Over seven seasons, he featured in 79 matches, scoring 1,892 runs at an average of 23.5, including 14 half-centuries. Delhi Capitals narrowly missed out on a playoff spot last season, finishing fifth with seven wins in 14 matches. Still chasing their maiden IPL title, the franchise will be eager to turn things around in the upcoming edition.As per the schedule, Delhi Capitals will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 1. Delhi Capitals Squad: Axar Patel(C), KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Mitchell Starc, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Abhishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Dar, Nitish Rana, T. Natrajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Lungisani Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav.