Rashid Khan’s absence from Afghanistan’s one-off Test against India has once again raised questions about whether the star leg spinner will play red-ball cricket again. However, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi refused to give any clarity on Rashid’s long-term Test future ahead of the match.

Rashid, one of Afghanistan’s greatest cricketers, was rested for the Test against India under a workload management plan aimed at protecting his long-term white-ball career. The leg spinner has significantly reduced his appearances in the longest format in recent years due to repeated emergence of back and shoulder problems.

In the pre-match press conference, Shahidi said that it is for Rashid and the selectors to decide on this matter.

Shahidi said, “Rashid has performed well in whatever Tests he has played. Personally, I have not spoken to Rashid about whether he will play Tests again or not. He has discussed it with the selectors and I do not want to talk about it.”

The comments make Rashid’s red-ball future uncertain despite his impressive record in the format. The 26-year-old has played only six Tests for Afghanistan but has already taken 45 wickets at an average of over 21, underlining the impact he can have whenever he is available.

Rashid also played a key role in some of Afghanistan’s most memorable moments in Test cricket, including their first Test win against Ireland and the famous win over Bangladesh in 2019, where he captained the side and produced stellar performances with both bat and ball.

Why has Rashid Khan stopped playing Test regularly?

Rashid’s reduced involvement in Test cricket is largely due to concerns over his physical fitness and workload.

The leg spinner has repeatedly battled back and shoulder injuries over the past few years, with medical experts reportedly advising him to carefully manage the bowling load associated with red-ball cricket. During previous Test matches, Rashid had to bowl more than 55 overs in an innings and more than 60 overs in a match, which put a lot of pressure on his body.

As a result, Afghanistan Cricket Board officials and the player have taken a cautious approach, with Rashid effectively limiting himself to approximately one Test appearance per year whenever possible.

The decision also ties in with his wider commitments in international white-ball cricket and franchise T20 leagues around the world. Rashid remains one of the most sought-after players in global T20 cricket and is seen as a key figure in Afghanistan’s ODI and T20I plans.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Rashid, Shahidi believes Afghanistan’s bigger challenge lies elsewhere.

Afghanistan wants more test cricket

While Afghanistan achieved Test status in 2017 and played their first Test against India in 2018, opportunities in the format remain limited.

Shahidi acknowledged that the lack of regular red-ball cricket continues to hinder Afghanistan’s development as a Test-playing nation.

“We played India in 2018. We have more experience now but we need to play more to build our Test team. When it comes to domestic cricket, we play six to seven red-ball games, but in Tests, we get only one or two games in a year,” he said.

The Afghanistan captain also refuted suggestions that the country’s best players are preferring franchise T20 cricket over the traditional format.

“Everyone knows that our guys perform very well in the franchise league and if you see, we have had good white-ball performances. But still, we have a lot of talent in Afghanistan waiting for their chance,” Shahidi said.

At the moment, Rashid’s Test future remains unanswered. However, it is clear that Afghanistan still see him as one of their most important cricketers, even if his sightings in white are becoming increasingly rare.

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England players wearing black armbands (screengrab)

England players were seen wearing black armbands on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, a special tribute to former cricketers who have passed away since the team’s last home international.Before the start of the game on Thursday, a moment of silence was observed before the national anthem, with players from both sides joining in to pay their respects. The black armband was worn in memory of several former England cricketers, including Kane Shuttleworth, John Jamieson, Barry Knight, Robin Smith, Hugh Morris, Norman Gifford, Eric Russell, Tony Piggott and MJK Smith.The emotional pre-match ceremony also included a tribute to New Zealand great Martin Crowe, marking 10 years since his death. Crowe is one of the most influential figures in New Zealand Cricket History, and the Lord’s multitudes, warmly accepted his legacy. His daughter Emma Crowe rang the traditional five-minute bell before the start of the Test, to applause around the ground.Once the commemorations were over, the focus turned to cricket as New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the toss and elected to bowl in partly cloudy conditions.The visitors fielded a strong pace attack led by Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke. Jamieson and O’Rourke, both fast bowlers standing at least 1.97 metres, are playing together in a Test for the first time after recovering from long-term back injuries. Nathan Smith, who impressed with eight wickets against Ireland in the recent warm-up match, completed the seam-heavy attack, while Glenn Phillips was preferred over Mitchell Santner.England handed a debut to Durham opening batsman Emilio Gay, who recently represented Italy in T20 Internationals. The hosts also missed Ollie Robinson, whose last Test appearance came in 2024. Robinson joins captain Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue in the pace department.The Lord’s Test is England’s first red-ball outing since the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia earlier this year, adding extra significance to the start of the series.

The World Cup season is upon us and the superstars of the game are all set to entertain the world on the biggest stage. As always, All attention has turned to Lionel Messi and Cristiano RonaldoAnd fight between them for the ultimate prize.

But these two are not the only superstars of the game who will be in the mix this time. Players like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal will be players that teams will look to for that one moment of magic.

But with the pressure of the nation bearing down on them, the one thing these superstars cannot afford is to miss out on the grandest stage of them all.

We look at six superstars for whom World Cup failure is not an option and who need to keep their promise.

erling holland

If you start talking about Erling Haaland, chances are you’ll run out of adjectives. He remained a goalscoring machine for Manchester City during the 2025–26 campaign as he finished with 27 goals in the Premier League. With nine assists for the entire season, another eight were added in the Champions League.

But his real test will now be in the World Cup 2026. Norway are back in the tournament after a long wait of 28 years and they will need their talisman to make it a memorable one.

Haaland scored 21 goals in 14 World Cup qualifying games for his country and for him this tournament could cement his legacy as one of the greatest players of modern times.

kilian mbappe

This will be Mbappe’s second World Cup campaign and the first time he will captain France on the big stage. In 14 games at the World Cup, the Real Madrid forward has 12 goals to his name and will be aiming to leave Qatar 2022 in the dark.

Mbappe single-handedly changed the course of the final with a sensational hat-trick against Argentina, ultimately losing only two on penalties.

Since 2022, Mbappe has gone from strength to strength, but his last campaign with Real Madrid was marred by a lot of off-field controversy.

Despite scoring 42 goals in 44 matches for Los Blancos, he saw a petition signed calling for his exit from the club. But France has always been a safe haven for the 27-year-old.

And now, it’s time for him to step up.

Lamin Yamal

Lamine Yamal has been the golden boy of world football for some time now. At the age of 16, he announced himself on the big stage as he helped Spain win Euro 2024.

Two years later, he may still be young, but this time the expectations will be even higher. The Barcelona forward scored 24 goals and made 18 assists in a stellar campaign as the Blaugrana won the LaLiga title.

This will be their first taste of the World Cup and Spain will have a lot of the game looming over them. He is no longer a boy and will have the weight of the entire nation on him as they try to add another star to their peak.

harry kane

England and Thomas Tuchel faced a lot of slack for team selection, but the first name on the team sheet will be Harry Kane. The Three Lions would like their captain to step up and ensure the trophy comes home.

It was a record-breaking campaign for him at club level, scoring 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich. At times he even played as number 10 and always worked for better linkups with his teammates.

If England are to progress in the tournament, Kane will have to work hard in every way. He has 8 goals in the World Cup and was the Golden Boot winner in 2018.

Given the form he has been in in the World Cup, no one would bet on him winning the accolade once again.

bruno fernandes

This will be Bruno Fernandes’ third World Cup and he will be a creative force for Portugal. Expectations will be high from the 31-year-old after a record-breaking campaign with Manchester United in which he got 21 assists.

Fernandes appears to be at the peak of his powers at the moment. While Ronaldo will always be Portugal’s main man, Fernandes could be the force that creates a spark that can bring magic on the field.

The Euro 2016 champions come into the tournament as early favorites and aim to give Ronaldo the puzzle missing from his trophy cabinet.

If that is to happen, Fernandes will have to work hard and provide assists.

Vinicius Junior

It was an indifferent campaign for Vinicius Jr. with Real Madrid. Despite scoring 16 goals in 36 matches for Los Blancos in La Liga, His club campaign dominated by off-field drama. Now, they will need to step out in the colors of Brazil as they look for inspiration.

While Neymar is back for the World Cup, it remains to be seen whether he will be fully fit for the competition. This means Vinnie Jr. Will be an outlet on the left for goals and assists, something he will need to improve for the Seleção.

In 48 games, the forward has nine goals and nine assists and the World Cup could be the ideal platform for him to mount a sensational campaign on the grandest stage of them all.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (BCCI/IPL photo)

New Delhi: If the greatest innings of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign were to be ranked, his brilliant strike against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the eliminator would sit at the top. with Rajasthan Royals Facing a do-or-die contest, the 15-year-old batting sensation produced one of the most devastating innings in IPL history, scoring 97 runs off just 29 balls to take his team past Sunrisers Hyderabad and into Qualifier 2.Bihar-born Pratibha’s work was not yet complete. In Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans, Suryavanshi once again stole the show with a sensational 96. Although Rajasthan Royals ultimately lost by seven wickets and missed out on a place in the final, Kishore had already cemented his place as the standout performer of the tournament.During his stunning innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Suryavanshi hit 12 sixes, which surprised the players and fans. Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder was also among those who were surprised. liam livingstoneThe veteran of seven IPL seasons admitted that he had never seen anything like it.“I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ve been there; this year was my seventh IPL. And I’ve played with and against some very good players, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Livingstone said on the Stick to Cricket podcast.The England all-rounder was particularly impressed by Suryavanshi’s ability to develop over the course of the tournament and find answers to every challenge thrown by the bowlers.“He’s just the way he hits a ball, he hits the ball very cleanly, yes. He never hits a ball the wrong way, never hits a ball the wrong way the whole time. And wherever the ball is, the first time we got him out with a bouncer, the first ball he hit it straight. But then the evolution he made as a player from the beginning to the end of that tournament was like this… We were bowling bouncers and he was hitting it over third man, and then you’d bowl this side, he’d hit it there; You bowled the full ball, he hit it there; Throw a low full toss, he will flick it there. And you’re like, ‘Okay, wait a minute, where are we going to bowl?'” Livingstone said.Suryavanshi’s statistics in IPL 2026 were nothing short of extraordinary. The left-handed batsman finished as the leading run-scorer in the tournament with 776 runs in 16 innings at a whopping strike rate of 237.30.He rewrote the record books by hitting 72 sixes during the season, breaking the previous IPL record of 59 sixes held by West Indies great Chris Gayle. His remarkable campaign included a century and five half-centuries, earning him both the Orange Cap and the Most Valuable Player award.

Pakistan Women suffered a setback in their preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 after failing to reach the final of the Ireland tri-series, with their match against Hayley Matthews’ West Indies in Dublin on June 3 abandoned due to rain.

Pakistan started the series with a 25-run loss to the Caribbean team. Subsequently, Ireland chased down the target of 177 runs in 19.1 overs and defeated them by seven wickets. Fatima Sana’s team will look to end the series on a positive note when they take on Ireland on June 4.

Also read: Hype the entire Women’s T20 World Cup, not just IND vs PAK: Smriti Mandhana

On Wednesday, Pakistan women attempted competitive batting before rain disrupted play. Batting first at Castle Avenue, they reached 111 for seven in 16.5 overs, an innings repeatedly disrupted by wickets and pressure from the West Indies attack.

The innings started with intent and Gul Firoza scored 10 runs and hit two fours before being dismissed early. Ayesha Zafar added 17 runs in 15 balls, while Ramin Shamim scored 17 runs in 16 balls to help Pakistan revive after the early shocks.

Aliya Riaz anchored the middle order with 24, holding the innings in the middle overs and ensuring Pakistan maintained a competitive pace. Captain Fatima Sana remained unbeaten on 21, guiding the team in the closing stages and rotating the strike effectively.

The West Indies bowlers kept Pakistan in control throughout, with Chinelle Henry and Ashmini Munisar taking two wickets each and attacking at crucial moments to stem the momentum.

Just as the match was heading towards an interesting contest, rain came and the match was abandoned without any result, leaving both the teams sharing points and Pakistan missing out on qualification for the finals.

After a disappointing campaign in the Ireland tri-series, Pakistan Women will now turn their focus to an improved combination ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. They will play two official practice matches in the derby, facing Sri Lanka Women on 6 June and Scotland Women on 9 June.

They will begin their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals India on Sunday, June 14 at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Pakistan, placed in Group B, will also face Netherlands, Bangladesh, South Africa and Australia in the group stage.

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Arnav Paparkar’s stellar performance at the Roland Garros 2026 boys’ singles event ended in the third round, but not before the young Indian showed glimpses of real potential on one of the sport’s biggest junior stages.

The 18-year-old had impressed earlier in the tournament with his composed baseline game and ability to compete under pressure, but he faced a crucial set-up against fourth seed Jack Kennedy of the United States in the round of 16. On Court 11, Kennedy proved too strong in the key moments and won 7–5, 6–2 in a match that lasted 1 hour and 33 minutes.

Also read: Flavio Cobolli beats Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach Grand Slam semi-final for the first time

Paparkar struggled to establish rhythm throughout the match as Jack Kennedy applied constant pressure from the baseline and constantly targeted weaknesses in his serve and backhand. In the opening set, Paparkar showed brief resistance through some well-timed winners and extended rallies, but her overall game lacked consistency. The low percentage of first serves in key service games left him exposed repeatedly, allowing Kennedy to take control of points early.

Arnav Paparkar struggles under pressure

Paparkar’s unforced errors became a decisive issue, especially during crucial moments like deuce and break-point situations. Even after recovering from a 30-30 or advantage-down situation, he would often rush or hit a mistimed shot that would immediately turn the momentum back to Kennedy. Extended rallies further exposed his inconsistency, with shot selection breaking down under sustained pressure.

Although he managed to hold his serve on a few occasions, he was unable to build momentum or maintain pressure on his opponent, eventually losing the first set 7–5.

In the second set, Kennedy increased her intensity and immediately took advantage of Paparakar’s declining consistency. The Indian player’s serve once again lacked reliability and his backhand errors increased significantly. Kennedy dominated the return game, converting the break expertly and putting Papakar under constant pressure. Despite occasional holds, Paparkar was unable to stage a comeback as Kennedy closed out the set 6–2 and won in straight sets.

Paparkar’s performance in Paris is another encouraging sign for Indian tennis at the junior level. While the result against Kennedy highlighted the gap that still exists at the top end of the junior game, it also provided valuable experience against elite opposition in a Grand Slam environment.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Rajat Patidar (AP Photo)

Rajat Patidaremerged as one of the most influential figures in IPL Even in 2026, he led Royal Challengers Bangalore to their second consecutive title. The RCB skipper not only led the franchise from the front but also played a vital role with the bat, helping his team successfully defend the crown they won a year ago.Patidar enjoyed another excellent season in the middle order, scoring 501 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 192.69. Time and again, he has performed well in pressure situations, whether stabilizing the innings after early wickets fell or leading the counterattack when RCB needed quick runs.Despite those contributions, the former Australia captain michael clarke He believes that Patidar’s performances did not get the recognition they deserved.Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke described the RCB skipper as one of the most underrated players of IPL 2026, arguing that his presence Virat Kohli This often means that other key contributors are given less attention.Clarke said, “Patidar has been brilliant again in the tournament and he is my player. With Virat Kohli in the team, he will always be the most talked about player. But Patidar has done an extraordinary job with the way he has led and got the best out of all his players. His own performance while batting in a difficult middle order has been brilliant.”Patidar’s leadership skills have grown significantly in the last two seasons. Under his captaincy, RCB turned into a team that chased a title for years and has now won consecutive championships.For Clarke, those achievements should give the 31-year-old a firm place in the discussion about India’s T20 team.He said, “Although he is 31 years old, he deserves to be talked about in the Indian T20 team. I don’t know whether he will captain India or not, but he has leadership qualities. His middle-order batting has been amazing. Batting at No. 4 in T20 is the toughest position and he comes into this position and explodes.”The former Australian captain believes that Patidar’s importance goes beyond his batting. According to Clarke, captaining a team to consecutive IPL titles is an achievement that selectors cannot easily ignore.While competition for places in Indian cricket remains intense, Clarke feels Patidar has done enough to put himself at the forefront of white-ball opportunities.“There is a lot of talent in India at the moment, and many of them are fighting to get into the Indian team this IPL. But if you captain a team that consistently wins IPL tournaments, then the BCCI and the Indian selectors will definitely be talking about him. His name should be at the front of the queue in T20 and he can also be considered for ODI cricket,” Clarke said.With 501 runs, a strike rate close to 200 and another IPL trophy as captain, Patidar’s case has certainly become difficult to ignore. It remains to be seen whether this translates into an India comeback, but Clarke believes the RCB skipper has earned the right to be part of that conversation.

Amid criticism over the fast bowler’s absence from the first Test against New Zealand, England captain Ben Stokes has come out in support of Jofra Archer and insisted that the fast bowler’s commitment to England should not be questioned due to his IPL commitments.

Archer was allowed to remain with Rajasthan Royals for the IPL playoffs instead of joining the England squad before the start of the series at Lord’s.

The 31-year-old featured in Rajasthan’s defeat to Gujarat Titans in the qualifiers last week and is currently in Barbados, meaning he is unavailable for the first Test and could also miss the second match at the Oval.

His absence has been criticized by many former cricketers. Former England captain Michael Atherton described the situation as “incredibly disappointing” Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull called it “absolutely ridiculous”. Archer was not available for the start of the series.

Addressing the issue on the eve of the Lord’s Test, Stokes said the realities of modern cricket are very different from those faced by previous generations.

“I completely understand people’s frustration with this, but there’s another side to it,” Stokes told reporters.

“A lot of it has to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is at the moment.

“People are saying a lot of things around Joff and that situation related to the scenario when he was playing.

“But now it is completely different. There are opportunities for cricketers now which were not there 10, 15, 20 years ago.”

Stokes acknowledged that every captain would want his strongest team to be available for every match, but said that the congested cricket calendar often makes this impossible.

“Yes, in an ideal situation it would be incredibly nice to have everyone you want available to you at every opportunity.

“That’s not the way of cricket at the moment. There’s a lot out there for the players.”

The England captain quickly dismissed suggestions that Archer’s absence reflected a lack of commitment to the national team. The fast bowler is centrally contracted by England and has spent the last few years battling a number of injuries to revive his international career.

“There’s a situation where it could go wrong and if you handle it differently a player like Jofra may not be able to play for England again and that’s not good for anyone,” Stokes said.

“Jofra has shown that he is committed and loves playing for England. Just because he is not available for this first Test match, it will not change that.”

Archer’s absence has once again highlighted the challenges faced by international teams as franchise leagues continue to occupy a growing place in the cricket calendar.

ipl 2026 | ipl schedule | ipl points table | ipl player stats | purple cap | orange cap | ipl video | cricket news | live score

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi (ANI photo)

Royal Challengers Bangalore may have retained the IPL trophy, but according to former England captain and Gujarat Titans wicketkeeper-batsman jos buttlerOne teen eclipsed every other story in the tournament. Speaking on the YouTube podcast For the Love of Cricket, Buttler reflected on the recently concluded IPL 2026 season and had special praise for 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, whose remarkable campaign captured the imagination of cricket fans around the world. Discussing RCB’s successful title defense and their defeat to Gujarat Titans in the final, Buttler made it clear that Suryavanshi’s performance stands above everything else. “RCB won the trophy and they are the story of the IPL. But Vaibhav is almost the IPL this year. He is the story of the tournament. MVP, 700-plus runs and a faster strike rate than everyone else. It was amazing to watch,” he said. Although Rajasthan Royals were not involved in the title match, Suryavanshi was present at the Narendra Modi Stadium for the final on Sunday. The teenage sensation watched the match with ICC President Jay Shah before receiving five major individual awards for a season which saw several records. Their numbers reflect the scale of their dominance. Suryavanshi scored 776 runs at a whopping strike rate of 237.3 during the season and cleared the ropes 72 times. His performances earned him the Orange Cap, Most Valuable Player Award, Emerging Player Award, Super Striker Award and the distinction of finishing as the leading six-hitter of the tournament. Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad believes that the influence of this young player has extended far beyond the IPL. Broad suggested that Suryavanshi could be the first cricketer to achieve worldwide fame before earning an international cap. “I said in my last podcast that I have never seen a player become an international star without playing international cricket. In England, people are talking about him. They may not even be IPL fans, but they are saying, ‘Oh my God, have you seen Sooryavanshi? He is incredible.’ He has become a world star. “Not like Kohli or anything, but he is probably the first player to become a world star without playing international cricket,” Broad said. Butler also told how tremendous the popularity of Suryavanshi has become in India. Recalling the Rajasthan Royals match in Kolkata, he said it was impossible for the young player to ignore the crowd’s support. “His influence in India is huge. He is the guy everyone is talking about. I was talking to Manoj Badale, the former owner of Rajasthan Royals, who told me that in Kolkata, half the stadium had turned up to see Vaibhav and they were all wearing his RR jersey. “Imagine the pressure as a 15-year-old when you get off the bus and look, but he has soaked it all up. And when he bats, I don’t know whether Rajasthan Royals have done it or in the tournament, but there is a song for him, this Suryavanshi song, which plays when he is attacking you.” The former England captain then admitted that he would be keen to see the teenager join India’s squad for the five-match T20 series in England next month, even if England’s bowlers may not welcome that prospect. “I hope to see him in England. Well, maybe not for our bowlers. But it will be worthwhile because you can see it among the players and the support staff. Everyone is keen and I want to see this guy.” Whether that opportunity will come remains uncertain. Suryavanshi is set to feature in the upcoming India A ODI tri-series, a competition selectors are reportedly looking at as a key assessment before discussing a possible T20I debut during the England tour.