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].”

Miller has been a mainstay in South Africa's white-ball teams across the majority of his career and was part of the team that narrowly lost the most recent T20 World Cup final to India in Barbados.

"Really flat for him. A couple of setbacks that we didn't see coming," McDonald said.

Despite being Bangladesh's most prolific scorer in T20Is over the course of the last 12 months, the jury is still out on Tanzid Hasan Tamim as an impactful performer.

With holders Sylhet drawing against Barishal and Mymensingh needing an improbable 201 runs with one wicket in hand against Rajshahi, Rangpur are all but certain to claim the four-day title for the first time since 2022–23.

Azizul Hakim Tamim will once lead Bangladesh in their bid to retain the ACC Men’s U-19 Asia Cup title, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Monday announced a 15-member squad for the tournament, scheduled to be held in Dubai from December 12 to 21.

"I want us to win the 2026 T20 World Cup and then the 2027 ODI World Cup. Winning both World Cups is my dream; if it happens, I will be very happy,” said Salman, Pakistan’s T20I captain, on a podcast for the Pakistan Cricket Board.

Top-order batter Shubman Gill and all-rounder Hardik Pandya are fit and available for Tuesday's T20 series opener against South Africa, India captain Suryakumar Yadav said on the eve of the match.

Tanzid used McCullum’s comment to explain his own approach: “Everything depends on how satisfied you are with your practice session."

Bangladesh will be touring Australia next year for a Test series for the first time since 2003, when Darwin and Cairns hosted matches in Australia’s 2–0 win.