Australia board to keep hands off pitches despite Ashes debacle

March 25, 2026 10:55 AM

Australia board to keep hands off pitches despite Ashes debacle

Australia's cricket board will resist calls to exert greater control over the nation's test wickets despite a pair of two-day matches during the Ashes that cost the local game millions of dollars. The first Ashes test against England at Perth Stadium and the fourth at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) were decided in two days, prompting widespread criticism of the pitches' preparation. While the Perth wicket was rated highly by the International Cricket Council's match referee, the MCG pitch ...

Afghanistan approve three-foreign-league annual cap for top players

January 15, 2026 10:44 PM

Afghanistan approve three-foreign-league annual cap for top players

Top Afghanistan players such as Rashid Khan can play a maximum of three franchise leagues abroad per year, alongside mandatory availability for a rebooted domestic competition, according to a new policy approved by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). The decision was taken at the board's annual general meeting in Kabul on Wednesday "to protect player fitness and mental well-being," the ACB said in a statement. "This measure aims to manage workload and ensure peak performance for national duti...