Starting this 2026 thread about cricket.

You can discuss all things related to cricket from internationals to domestics.

The 5th and final Ashes Test begins tomorrow in Sydney and it'll be Usman Khawaja's last test too after announcing his retirement.

Stumps on Day 1 at Sydney sees England 211 for 3 after winning the toss and electing to bat. Rain has forced the days play to end early.

England all out for 384 (Root century)

Australia currently 7/504. Another Century to Travis Head taking him past 600 runs this series. Travesty if he doesn't win Man of the Series. Smith currently 128 N.O.

2 hours ago, Bleedin Heck said:

England all out for 384 (Root century)

Australia currently 7/504. Another Century to Travis Head taking him past 600 runs this series. Travesty if he doesn't win Man of the Series. Smith currently 128 N.O.

Definitely on the podium but I reckon Starc did it all to wrap it up in the first two tests

3 minutes ago, Dircadirca said:

Definitely on the podium but I reckon Starc did it all to wrap it up in the first two tests

Normally I would agree, just feel that Head's century and the way he went about it broke England in Perth, setting the tone for the whole series.

I think England has a lot to think about as Australia never really had anymore than their best 8 in any test this series and carried a few under performers also.

This test from here? 60% draw 40% Australian win. England wont be able to erase the deficit and build a competitive lead from here

Man of the Series is a two horse race between Starc and Head. I have Head just in front at the moment. If Starc picks up 5+ wickets in the second innings that could change though.

1 hour ago, Bleedin Heck said:

Normally I would agree, just feel that Head's century and the way he went about it broke England in Perth, setting the tone for the whole series.

I think England has a lot to think about as Australia never really had anymore than their best 8 in any test this series and carried a few under performers also.

This test from here? 60% draw 40% Australian win. England wont be able to erase the deficit and build a competitive lead from here

I feel the same can be said of both of them, right from the first innings at Perth, Starc just immediately demoralises England from the first over, and almost singlehandedly gets them all out in half a day's play. Then in Brisbane, England could be looking a bit better but he gets another 6 wickets in the first innings (3 ducks on his own) and when the middle order for Australia starts to slide and make England look a chance, he pulls out a cheeky 77 run effort from 9th to sink the morale once more.

I'll admit though I'm not sure how these things usually go, but do dead rubbers figure as strongly when thinking about this? I know for instance in the AFL Grand Final last year, there was a player who dominated in the last quarter (when the game was already decided) and only got 1 vote out of a possible 15 for best on ground. One of the voters later said on a podcast that they put more focus on performance when the game's in the balance.

With the Ashes over, time for the New Year

England Schedule

Sri Lanka v England ODI

Thursday Jan 22nd 9.00 am
Saturday Jan 24th. 9.00 am
Tuesday Jan 27th. 9.00 am

Sri Lanka v England T20

Friday Jan 30th. 1.30 pm
Sunday Feb 1st. 1.30pm
Tuesday Feb 3rd. 1.30 pm

T20 World Cup

Sunday Feb 8th England v Nepal 9.30am
Wednesday Feb 11th England v West Indies 1.30pm
Saturday Feb 14th England v Bangladesh 9.30am
Monday Feb 16th England v Italy 9.30am

Knockout Stage TBC



England v New Zealand

Thursday 4 June: 1st Rothesay Test – Lord’s, London, 11am
Wednesday 17 June: 2nd Rothesay Test – The Kia Oval, London, 11am
Thursday 25 June: 3rd Rothesay Test – Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 11am


England v India

Wednesday 1 July: 1st Vitality IT20 – Banks Homes Riverside, Durham, 6:30pm
Saturday 4 July: 2nd Vitality IT20 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, 2:30pm
Tuesday 7 July: 3rd Vitality IT20 – Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 6:30pm
Thursday 9 July: 4th Vitality IT20 – Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol, 6:30pm
Saturday 11 July: 5th Vitality IT20 – Utilita Bowl, Southampton, 6:30pm

Tuesday 14 July: 1st Metro Bank ODI – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 1pm
Thursday 16 July: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 1pm
Sunday 19 July: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – Lord’s, London, 11am


England v Pakistan

Wednesday 19 August: 1st Rothesay Test – Headingley, Leeds, 11am
Thursday 27 August: 2nd Rothesay Test – Lord’s, London, 11am
Wednesday 9 September: 3rd Rothesay Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham, 11am


England v Sri Lanka

Tuesday 15 September: 1st Vitality IT20 – Utilita Bowl, Southampton, 6:30pm
Thursday 17 September: 2nd Vitality IT20 – Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, 6:30pm
Saturday 19 September: 3rd Vitality IT20 – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, tbc

Tuesday 22 September: 1st Metro Bank ODI – Banks Homes Riverside, Durham, 12:30pm
Thursday 24 September: 2nd Metro Bank ODI – Headingley, Leeds, 12:30pm
Sunday 27 September: 3rd Metro Bank ODI – The Kia Oval, London, 10:30am

There may be other fixtures added but the above are what are confirmed at the moment

https://www.ecb.co.uk/england/men/fixtures

Men's Test Rankings:

1. Australia

2. South Africa

3. England

4. India

5. New Zealand

6. Sri Lanka

7. Pakistan

8. West Indies

9. Bangladesh

10. Ireland

11. Zimbabwe

12. Afghanistan

Men's ODI Rankings:

1. India

2. New Zealand

3. Australia

4. Pakistan

5. Sri Lanka

6. South Africa

7. Afghanistan

8. England

9. West Indies

10. Bangladesh

11. Zimbabwe

12. Ireland

13. Scotland

14. USA

15. Netherlands

16. Oman

17. Nepal

18. Namibia

19. Canada

20. UAE

Men's T20I Rankings:

1. India

2. Australia

3. England

4. New Zealand

5. South Africa

6. West Indies

7. Pakistan

8. Sri Lanka

9. Bangladesh

10. Afghanistan

11. Ireland

12. Zimbabwe

13. Netherlands

14. Scotland

15. Namibia

16. UAE

17. Nepal

18. USA

19. Canada

20. Oman

Women's ODI Rankings:

1. Australia

2. England

3. India

4. South Africa

5. New Zealand

6. Sri Lanka

7. Bangladesh

8. Pakistan

9. West Indies

10. Ireland

11. Thailand

12. Scotland

13. Netherlands

14. Zimbabwe

15. UAE

16. Papua New Guinea

Women's T20I Rankings:

1. Australia

2. England

3. India

4. New Zealand

5. South Africa

6. West Indies

7. Sri Lanka

8. Pakistan

9. Ireland

10. Bangladesh

11. Scotland

12. Thailand

13. Papua New Guinea

14. Netherlands

15. Zimbabwe

16. UAE

17. Uganda

18. Namibia

19. Tanzania

20. Indonesia

A couple of retirements within the women's game has occurred. The bowler Piepa Cleary (Australia) retired after just one game into her return. Absent for 2 years with injury. Over here, she played for Lancashire (Northwest Thunder) and Leicestershire (Lightning, now known as the Blaze) as well as the Welsh Fire in the Hundred.

Alyssa Healy (Australia women's captain) will retire from all forms of cricket after the international series against India finishes in March. She's married to Mitchell Starc and is the niece of former Australian international wicketkeeper Ian Healy.

In terms of the England women, there is a home series against New Zealand as well as a home world cup to look forward to.

India opener Abhishek Sharma's 14-ball 50 led the hosts to a T20 series win over New Zealand with a crushing eight-wicket victory in Guwahati.

Chasing 154 to win, the 25-year-old smashed an unbeaten 68 off 20 deliveries, while Suryakumar Yadav crashed 57 not out off 26 as the hosts passed their target with 10 overs to spare.

Victory gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series - an emphatic response to losing the preceding one-day international series against the Black Caps.

After being put into bat, New Zealand were restricted to 153-9 off their 20 overs, Glenn Phillips top scoring with 48 off 40 balls.

Tom Banton whacked an unbeaten half-century as England pulled off a brilliant DLS chase to beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the second T20 international.

The players had gone off for rain with England 57-2 off 7.2 overs - Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell the batters out - and when they returned the tourists were set a revised DLS target of 168 off 17 overs

Pakistan will take part in this month's men's T20 World Cup - but will not play their scheduled match against tournament co-hosts India.

The country had been considering boycotting the competition after Bangladesh withdrew citing safety fears over travelling to India.

Political tensions have meant Pakistan and India have not faced each other outside men's major tournaments since 2013, while India have not played in Pakistan since 2008.

The sides are scheduled to play in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in accordance with an agreement signed last year stating that the two countries will play at neutral venues whenever one of them hosts an ICC event.

In a statement, the Pakistan government said it "grants approval" to their team's participation, but added "[the] Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India".