“He’s a legend,” Afridi said of Starc ahead of his first match in Australia's domestic Big Bash T20 competition.

Having bowled out West Indies for 205, New Zealand posted 278 before being all out in the final session on day two at Basin Reserve.

An injury during the NCL T20 nearly ended Mukidul Islam Mugdho's entire domestic season. But the pacer not only fought his way back to the field, but also played a pivotal role in Rangpur Division's title win in the red-ball NCL, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker with 29 scalps in just four matches and was adjudged the player-of-the-tournament.

At an age when most cricketers either step away from the game or begin planning for life beyond it, India’s evergreen greats Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are still rewriting what longevity can look like at the elite level. And now, they appear poised for a fascinating duel for the No.1 spot in the ICC ODI batting rankings.

The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) announced yet another deferment of the First Division League, which will now begin on December 14, the CCDM stated at a press conference at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

S Venkataraman, the head coach of the Cricket Association of Pondicherry’s (CAP) U-19 team in India, has been reportedly attacked by three local players after they were left out of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad.

New Zealand dismissed West Indies for 205 and reached 24 without loss in reply on the opening day of the second test on Wednesday, but their already ravaged bowling stocks were further depleted by a freak injury at Basin Reserve.

Cummins is the only addition to an otherwise unchanged squad from Brisbane, where Australia won by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

After a first-class career spanning nearly two decades, domestic stalwart Shamsur Rahman Shuvo has retired from red-ball cricket following the recently concluded 27th National Cricket League (NCL). Interestingly, he had not planned to step away this season, but a particular dismissal during the tournament offered unexpected clarity. Finishing with 9,602 first-class runs, Shamsur reflected on his journey, satisfaction, disappointments, his views on Bangladesh’s domestic system, and his future plans in an interview with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan. The excerpts are as follows:

Hardik Pandya struck an unbeaten 59 and took a key wicket as India thrashed South Africa by 101 runs in the first T20 international on Tuesday.

Winning any trophy is always special, but this time it was even sweeter for captain Akbar Ali due to the competitiveness of the tournament, which had often been questioned, and the quality of the wickets, which added further satisfaction.

The series-deciding third and final match will take place on Friday.

The under-construction National Cricket Ground in Purbachal has drawn attention for the wrong reasons after reports surfaced that a large quantity of soil meant for the stadium had gone missing.

Rangpur Division were crowned champions of the 2025–26 National Cricket League after Sylhet Division were held to a draw on the final day of their seventh and final-round match against Barishal Division.

It marked Rangpur’s first longer-version title since the 2022–23 season and underlined their growing dominance in Bangladesh’s domestic circuit.

Bangladesh won the last two tournaments in the Gulf, defeating UAE and India respectively in the finals in 2023 and 2024.

England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes following a recurrence of a left knee injury sustained during the first Test in Perth.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) auction will be held on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, with the BCCI finalising a list of 350 players -- both domestic and overseas. Seven Bangladeshi players have made the shortlist, with only left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman having prior experience in the tournament. All seven Bangladeshis are bowlers.

Injury-hit New Zealand will give a debut to wicketkeeper Mitch Hay in the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington after Tom Blundell was ruled out on Tuesday.

"You are a great cricketer, a trusted friend and an even finer human being. Best wishes for your next chapter, dost [friend].”