Franchise Cricket

Batter Rajat Patidar has been named captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the 2025 Indian Premier League.

South Africa batter Faf du Plessis has been RCB captain for the past two seasons but was not retained at last year's mega auction.

Virat Kohli, RCB skipper from 2013 to 2021, was considered to retake the role but the team's management announced Patidar’s appointment on Thursday.

"I know that the fans would have probably leant towards Virat in the first instance," said team director Mo Bobat.

"My point on Virat would be that Virat doesn't need a captaincy title to lead. I think leadership, as we've all seen, is one of his strongest instincts. I think it just comes naturally to him. He leads regardless.

"For us, even last year with Faf as captain, we saw every bit of that."

Patidar, 31, has played for RCB for three seasons. He has played three Tests and one one-day international for India.

He also captains his state Madhya Pradesh in white-ball cricket but has not previously taken charge in the IPL.

Image source, Getty Images

The India-based Women's Premier League (WPL) returns on Friday, 14 February for its third edition.

The tournament is the women's equivalent of the men's Indian Premier League (IPL) and attracts the world's biggest names.

The five teams are: Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Three - Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru - are associated with teams from the IPL.

They form one table and each side plays the other four twice.

The opening match sees defending champions RCB face Gujarat Giants. All matches start at 14:00 GMT.

The group stage runs until 11 March - there are some days with no fixtures - before the eliminator (second and third in the group stage) on 13 March.

The winners of the eliminator play the side who topped the group stage in the final on 15 March.

Four venues will be used in the tournament: The new BCA Stadium in Vadodara (six games between 14-19 Feb), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru (eight games between 21 Feb-1 March), EKA Arena in Lucknow (four games between 3-8 March) and Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai (four games between 10-15 March).

• WPL fixtures

Image source, Getty Images

Six England players are set to play in the third edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL) in India.

All-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt will return to Mumbai Indians for the third successive season, while left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, who is the number one-ranked T20 bowler in the world, will be back at UP Warriorz.

Alice Capsey returns to Delhi Capitals are impressing in their run to back-to-back finals.

Danni Wyatt-Hodge has joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from UP Warriorz, where she failed to play a game last season.

She's joined by off-spinner Charlie Dean, who will play in the tournament for the first time as an injury replacement for Australia's Sophie Molineux.

Seam-bowling all-rounder Dani Gibson is also involved for the first time after being signed by Gujarat Giants.

Seamer Kate Cross has pulled out of her contract at RCB as she recovers from a back injury, while captain Heather Knight was among the players not picked up at the auction.

Image source, Getty Images

A host of the world's best players are set to feature in the third edition of the Women's Premier League - the Indian T20 franchise tournament.

Australia players have again been popular with their five-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Meg Lanning retained by Delhi Capitals.

She's joined by all-rounder Annabel Sutherland and Big Bash player of the tournament Jess Jonassen.

All-rounder Ash Gardner will captain Gujarat Giants and is joined by batters Beth Mooney and Phoebe Litchfield.

Ellyse Perry, Kim Garth, Georgia Wareham and Heather Graham are all at defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), while Tahlia McGrath and Grace Harris play for UP Warriorz.

New Zealand all-rounder Melie Kerr, who was named player of the tournament in October's T20 World Cup, is back at Mumbai Indians alongside West Indies star Hayley Matthews and former South Africa quick Shabnim Ismail.

South Africa's Marizanne Kapp is also back at Delhi, while West Indies' Deandra Dottin has joined Gujarat.

The tournament has all of India's best players featuring with captain Harmanpreet Kaur at Mumbai, Smriti Mandhana at RCB and Shafali Verma at Delhi.

Image source, International League T20

England all-rounder Sam Curran has been named as the most valuable player at the International League T20.

Curran's Desert Vipers side topped the group table but were beaten in the final by Dubai Capitals.

He was the fifth-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 387 runs at an average of 55.28 and strike-rate of 134.37.

The left-armer struggled a little with the ball but claimed seven wickets at an average of 54.28. His economy rate was 8.44.

He also took six catches throughout the tournament.

Fellow England bowler Chris Jordan won the award in the inaugural season before Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza won it last year.

Image source, International League T20

The 2025 International League T20 is over with Dubai Capitals winning the tournament for the first time.

The final saw David Warner's side chase down 190 in the final over to beat table-toppers Desert Vipers.

Here is who starred with bat and ball in the third edition of the United Arab Emirates T20 tournament.

Top run-scorers in ILT20 2025

1. Shai Hope (Dubai Capitals) - 527 runs

2. Tom Banton (MI Emirates) - 493

3. Alex Hales (Desert Vipers) - 405

4. Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Sharjah Warriorz) - 388

5. Sam Curran (Desert Vipers) - 387

Top wicket-takers in ILT20 2025

1. Fazalhaq Farooqi (MI Emirates) - 21 wickets

2. Jason Holder (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) - 17

=3. Blessing Muzarabani (Gulf Giants) & Alzarri Joseph (MI Emirates) - 16

=5. Mohammad Amir (Desert Vipers) & Adam Milne (Gulf Giants) - 14

David Payne was the most successful English bowler with 10 wickets for Desert Vipers.

Image source, International League T20

Dubai Capitals beat table-topping Desert Vipers by four wickets to win the final of the 2025 International League T20.

Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza blazed 34 from 12 balls, including a six and four to finish the match, as the Capitals took their maiden title.

Having been set 190 to win, Capitals lost three of their top-order for single figures, including veteran David Warner, bowled by England seamer David Payne for four, and captain Sam Billings for six.

Shai Hope hit 43 from the top of the order before he was caught by Dan Lawrence off the bowling of Sam Curran, then West Indies team-mate Rovman Powell took over, blasting 63 from 38.

Powell was the last Capitals wicket to fall, hitting Nathan Sowter's delivery to Payne at the end of the 18th over, but Raza finished the match in style.

Vipers were put into bat by their opponents and lost big-hitting openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Alex Hales for five runs apiece, while Lawrence was dismissed for 10 to leave his side 75-3 in the 10th over.

Middlesex batter Max Holden struck 76 from 51, adding 47 with Sam Curran, their partnership ending when Holden was caught by Scott Kuggeleijn off Raza's delivery.

Curran pushed on, hitting an unbeaten 62 off 33 as he and Azam Khan made a stand of 67, but his efforts proved not to be enough.

Vipers have now lost two of the tournament's three finals, while Capitals take the trophy after losing last year's final to MI Emirates.

Meanwhile Warner and Billings take winners medals having been defeated in the final of the Big Bash with Sydney Thunder two weeks ago.

Image source, SA20

South Africa all-rounder Marco Jansen was named player of the tournament in the third edition of the SA20.

Jansen, 24, was part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape side that was beaten by MI Cape Town in the final as they looked to win a third successive title.

The left-armer was also named the tournament's best bowler after finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 19 at an average of 18.42. His economy rate was only 7.14 too.

He scored 204 runs in the middle order and often dug Sunrisers out of trouble.

Paarl Royals opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius was named the tournament's best batter after finishing as the top run-scorer with 397 runs at an average of 33.08 and an impressive strike-rate of 166.81.

The 18-year-old was playing in the tournament for the first time and was part of a formidable opening partnership alongside Joe Root, before he left for England's tour of India.

MI Cape Town batter Dewald Brevis was named rising star of the season after scoring 291 runs at an average of 48.5 and strike-rate of 184.18.

Jansen's South Africa team-mates Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klassen are the two previous winners of the player of the tournament award.

Image source, SA20

The 2025 SA20 is over with MI Cape Town winning the tournament for the first time.

The final saw Kagiso Rabada take 4-25 as Sunrisers Eastern Cape were unable to win a third successive title.

Here is who starred with bat and ball in the third edition of the South Africa T20 tournament.

Top run-scorers in SA20 2025

1. Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Paarl Royals) - 397 runs

2. Rassie van der Dussen (MI Cape Town) - 393

3. Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape) - 340

4. Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town) - 336

5. Rubin Hermann (Paarl Royals) - 333

Joe Root was the highest English run-scorer, making 279 runs at an average of 55.8 in eight group-stage games for Paarl Royals.

Top wicket-takers in SA20 2025

1. Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape) - 19 wickets

=2. Hardus Viljoen (Joburg Super Kings), Liam Dawson & Richard Gleeson (both Sunrisers Eastern Cape) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Paarl Royals) - 14

Image source, Getty Images

Former England batter Dawid Malan won the Bangladesh Premier League as defending champions Fortune Barishal beat Chittagong Kings by three wickets in the final.

Malan, 37, made just one but Barishal chased 195 with three balls to spare in Mirpur.

Former Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal (54) and Towhid Hridoy (32) shared 76 for the first wicket but they slipped to 96-3 with the pair and Malan dismissed.

West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers (46) shared 34 with Mushfiqur Rahim and 42 with Mahmudullah but Barishal needed 22 from 13 balls when the latter was dismissed in the 18th over.

However, spinner Rishad Hossain came in and crashed 18 from six balls to give Barishal their second title.

The Kings posted 194-3 with Parvez Hossain Emon making 78 not out, Khawaja Nafay 66 and Durham's Graham Clark 44 off 23 balls.

Clark finished as the tournament's third highest run-scorer with 431, while Malan was 12th with 316, but at an average of 63.20.

Image source, International League T20

Alex Hales and Sam Curran blasted Desert Vipers into the final of the International League T20 courtesy of a comfortable seven-wicket win over Sharjah Warriorz.

Set 163 for victory by the Warriorz, Hales spearheaded the Vipers chase with 47 off 29 balls as he and Max Holden put on 71 for the second wicket in 7.1 overs.

Vipers skipper Curran then whacked an unbeaten 34 off just 15 balls as he Dan Lawrence, who finished 28 not out off 18, reached the target with 20 balls to spare.

Earlier, Jason Roy had provided the bulk of the Warriorz total of 162-7 after he clubbed a 56-ball 73.

David Payne finished with 2-28 with the ball for the Vipers while Nathan Sowter and Khuzaima Tanveer also snaffled two wickets apiece.

Vipers' victory in the Qualifier 2 match means they will face Dubai Capitals in Sunday's final (14:00 GMT).

"We have a very strong batting line-up so, if we can use our change-ups well, we have a good chance in the final," Hales said.

Image source, SA20

Two-time champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape progressed to the final of the 2025 SA20 with an eight-wicket win over Paarl Royals at Centurion.

Chasing a target of 176, Tony de Zorzi and Jordan Hermann put on 111 for the second wicket to put the Sunrisers in control.

De Zorzi was caught off the bowling of Dunith Wellalage for 78, but Hermann pushed on alongside captain Aiden Markram (11*), finishing unbeaten on 69 as his side reached their target with four balls to spare.

Having won the toss and chosen to bat, the Royals also had a large second-wicket partnership, with Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Ruben Hermann, the brother of Jordan, adding 99.

Ruben outscored his younger sibling, striking 81 not out off 53 balls, while Pretorius hit 59 off 41.

Andile Phehlukwayo arrived to hit 22 from 11 as the Royals finished on 175-4, a total they were unable to defend.

Sunrisers will now target three titles from three editions of the tournament when they face table-toppers MI Cape Town in the final at Johannesburg on Saturday (15:30 GMT).

Image source, International League T20

Tim Seifert scored an unbeaten 40 from 20 balls to take Sharjah Warriorz to a six-wicket win over MI Emirates in the International League T20 eliminator.

Chasing MI Emirates' 146-8 in Abu Dhabi, the Warriorz were in control throughout and got over the line with seven balls to spare.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore made a run-a-ball 40 and put on 52 with fellow Englishman Jason Roy (26 off 24) before New Zealander Seifert finished the job.

The Warriorz will now play Desert Vipers in Qualifier 2 on Friday for the right to face Dubai Capitals in Sunday's final.

After putting MI Emirates in to bat, Warriorz captain Tim Southee was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2-24 from his four overs.

West Indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran played the standout innings for MI Emirates, hitting six fours and a six in his 42 from 22 balls.

Tom Banton (29 off 25) and Will Jacks (18 off 17) provided support early in the innings.

In the chase, left-armer seamer Muhammad Rohid took 3-32 for MI Emirates, including two in three balls to remove Roy and Matthew Wade, but by that stage Warriorz were 101-3 and well on their way to victory.

Seifert came in and ensured the job was done with time to spare.

Image source, International League T20

Former England opener Alex Hales became the second-highest run-scorer in T20 history but was on the losing side as Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers to reach the final of the International League T20.

Hales, 36, made 67 from 32 balls as he moved ahead of Pakistan's Shoaib Malik and West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard.

The right-hander has scored 13,558 runs and is now only behind West Indies opener Chris Gayle, who has 14,562 runs.

Hales averages 30.06 across 488 innings and 2,074 of his runs came for England, including 212 in their 2022 T20 World Cup-winning campaign in Australia.

He was supported by Dan Lawrence (36 off 26), Max Holden (35 off 25) and Sam Curran (24 off 21) as Vipers, who topped the group stage table, posted 189-7.

Capitals openers Adam Rossington and Shai Hope shared 51 for the first wicket but the key innings were played by Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib (62 off 39) and Sam Billings (38 off 16).

They needed 12 from the final over and Gulbadin reduced that to one off two balls before being dismissed by Lockie Ferguson.

But Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza hit a four off the final ball to seal a five-wicket win and a place in Sunday's final.

Vipers will have another chance in Friday's qualifier against the winner of Thursday's eliminator between MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz.

Image source, BBC Sport/International League T20

Image source, SA20

Skipper Aiden Markram blasted an unbeaten 40-ball 62 to help Sunrisers Eastern Cape keep alive their hopes of a third successive SA20 title with a 32-run win over Joburg Super Kings in the eliminator.

South Africa batter Markram's knock helped the Sunrisers post 184-6 as opener David Bedingham chipped in 27 and wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs made 26.

Veteran spinner Imran Tahir finished the pick of the Super Kings' attack with 2-21 while Hardus Viljoen claimed 2-37.

Devon Conway and Faf du Plessis put on 40 for the first wicket in 4.2 overs in response for the Super Kings, but after they slipped to 91-5 in the 13th over it became an uphill struggle.

Jonny Bairstow briefly threatened to turn the tables during a 17-ball 37 but when he was bowled by Liam Dawson the result became a formality.

Dawson collected 2-35 while Craig Overton was standout bowler for the Sunrisers with 2-20.

Sunrisers will now meet Paarl Royals in Thursday's second qualifier.

The winner of that match will play MI Cape Town in the final on Sunday.

Image source, Getty Images

Australia all-rounder Ash Gardner has been named Gujarat Giants captain for the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) following her stellar performances in the Women's Ashes.

Gardner, 27, took nine wickets with her off-spin and scored 190 runs at 63.33 as Australia beat England 16-0 in a series clean sweep.

She replaces Australia team-mate Beth Mooney, who had led Gujarat in the first two WPL seasons.

Gardner has stood for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash but her appointment at Gujarat will be her most significant captaincy role to date.

Gujarat play Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the opening match of the 2025 WPL on 14 February.

• WPL fixtures

Image source, SA20

Rashid Khan became the leading all-time T20 wicket-taker as MI Cape Town beat Paarl Royals to reach the SA20 final.

The Afghanistan spinner claimed 2-33 to move to 633 wickets - two clear of retired West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

The 26-year-old has taken 161 wickets in T20 internationals and 472 in domestic and franchise tournaments, including for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash and Sussex Sharks and Trent Rockets in England.

He has reached landmark in 461 games and at an average of 18.07. Bravo's 631 wickets came in 582 matches and at average of 24.40.

"I never thought about it ten years back. Being from Afghanistan, it's a great feeling at the top of the table," said Rashid.

"You know, DJ is one of the best T20 bowlers, so it's a great honour and I am looking forward to continuing it."

Rashid's two wickets helped MI Cape Town bowl Royals out for 160 and claim a 39-run victory in Gqeberha.

Cape Town, who topped the group stage, had earlier posted 199-4, and will now play in the final on 8 February.

Royals will have a second chance to reach the final on Thursday when they face the winner of Wednesday's eliminator between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings.

Image source, SA20/BBC Sport