Josh Hazlewood

Australia rested Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan and Bangladesh to manage workloads ahead of future Tests and the T20 World Cup. Mitchell Marsh will captain a squad featuring several young players, including Ollie Peake and Liam Scott. Glenn Maxwell was dropped from the Bangladesh T20 squad as Australia continue testing fresh talent and squad depth.

Kolkata Knight Riders face a significant blow as star spinner Varun Chakaravarthy is ruled out of their IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to an injury sustained in the previous match. Uncapped pacer Saurabh Dubey makes his IPL debut as KKR navigates this crucial encounter without their key bowler, who has been instrumental in their recent resurgence.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without captain Rajat Patidar for their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings. Jitesh Sharma will lead the side in Patidar's absence, who missed travel and practice due to an undisclosed reason. Patidar is expected to return for RCB's final league game.

Virat Kohli achieved a significant IPL milestone, becoming the first player with 12 seasons of 400+ runs and the most capped player with 279 appearances. He silenced critics with a crucial ton against KKR, continuing his strong record against them. KKR posted 192/4, driven by Angkrish Raghuvanshi's career-best 71 and Rinku Singh's unbeaten 49.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru face a critical IPL 2026 encounter against Mumbai Indians in Raipur. RCB, third on the table, need a win to solidify playoff hopes, while MI, in near must-win territory, aim to disrupt stronger teams. Both sides grapple with batting inconsistencies and bowling vulnerabilities, making this a pivotal clash.

Pat Cummins has vehemently denied reports suggesting senior Australian cricketers might skip the home summer for lucrative overseas franchise leagues. While acknowledging the growing financial pull of T20 tournaments, Cummins stated that claims about SA20 NOCs and The Hundred offers are fabricated. He emphasized that current Australian players prioritize representing their country, though this commitment may not last indefinitely.

Punjab Kings opted to bowl against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala, with Jitesh Sharma captaining RCB in Rajat Patidar's absence. Shreyas Iyer marked his 100th captaincy game for PBKS. Both teams made changes, aiming for crucial playoff implications. RCB seeks to secure a playoff spot, while PBKS desperately needs a win to revive their qualification hopes.

AB de Villiers lauded Rajasthan Royals' 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's white-ball prowess, but cautioned that his long-term success hinges on adapting to multi-format cricket. While Sooryavanshi's IPL and U19 numbers are exceptional, de Villiers stressed the need for exposure to ODIs and Tests to truly test his mettle and uncover new layers of his game.

RCB, meanwhile, missed the chance to move to the top of the table.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru opted to bowl against Mumbai Indians, seeking to improve their playoff standing after recent losses. The return of Phil Salt offers a significant boost for RCB. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, struggling in ninth, face potential elimination. MI skipper Suryakumar Yadav expressed confidence in batting first, aiming to put pressure on the chasing side.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a playoff spot with a dominant 23-run victory over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. Virat Kohli's energetic performance, coupled with crucial knocks from Devdutt Padikkal and Venkatesh Iyer, propelled RCB to a commanding total. Bhuvneshwar Kumar's early wickets stifled Punjab's chase, highlighting RCB's championship mettle.

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn lauded Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood for their exceptional powerplay spell against Delhi Capitals, which saw them take 6 wickets for 13 runs. Steyn also highlighted Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer for instilling 'genuine fear' in batters with their consistent hard lengths, despite the high-scoring IPL season.

Australian cricketers will complete their Indian Premier League duties before joining the national squad for the upcoming ODI series in Pakistan. Despite the series overlapping with IPL playoffs, players like Pat Cummins and Mitchell Marsh will fulfill their franchise commitments. Cricket Australia is expected to adjust selections to accommodate these crucial IPL matches.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are without captain Rajat Patidar for their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings, with Jitesh Sharma leading the side. Patidar is recovering well and is expected to return for the next match in Hyderabad. RCB currently sits atop the IPL 2026 points table.

Punjab Kings face immense pressure after five consecutive IPL 2026 defeats, jeopardizing their playoff hopes. Despite a strong start, the team has lost momentum, with their batting prowess now overshadowed by fielding and bowling weaknesses. They now face a confident Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a crucial must-win encounter.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has equalled Yuzvendra Chahal's record for the most wickets against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL history, claiming his 33rd scalp. The veteran seamer achieved this milestone with a crucial powerplay wicket, continuing his impressive form for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite KKR posting a strong total, Bhuvneshwar's achievement marked a significant personal milestone in the tournament.

Kolkata Knight Riders made a surprise switch, bringing in left-arm pacer Saurabh Dubey for the injured Varun Chakravarthy in a crucial IPL 2026 match against RCB. Dubey, a domestic player for Vidarbha, gets his long-awaited IPL debut after previously being part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad without playing. This unexpected inclusion highlights KKR's strategic move under pressure.

Lucknow Super Giants batter Nicholas Pooran and Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya shared a brief on-field moment during a crucial IPL 2026 match. The interaction occurred after Pandya bowled a surprise bouncer to Pooran. Both players have a shared history at LSG. The match saw a high score from Mitchell Marsh.

Marsh reached the milestone in 49 balls, making it the fastest century by an LSG batter in IPL history. He went past Rishabh Pant’s 54-ball hundred against RCB at the same venue in IPL 2025.