CRICKETOMANIACS

Where all nine teams stand in the 2025-27 World Test Championship.

Australia lead the table with eight wins from ten Tests and a points percentage of 80.00. Reigning champions South Africa are second on 75.00 from only four Tests, with New Zealand just behind on 72.22.

Bangladesh have climbed to fourth on 55.56, ahead of India on 51.52. England, despite playing 16 Tests, are sixth on 38.54.

Only the top two reach the final, so New Zealand and India need wins in their remaining series. Teams are ranked by the percentage of available points won, which is why South Africa sit so high after so few matches.

Key facts

India: 11 Tests, 5 won, 4 lost, 2 drawn

Top two qualify for the final

Ranked by points percentage (PCT)

The BCCI has set the calendar for the fifth edition of the Women’s Premier League.

The fifth WPL season will be played from 14 January to 7 February 2027, the BCCI announced. Franchises had until 28 September to submit retentions, and the player auction will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi on 28 October.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru go in as defending champions. Mumbai Indians remain the most successful side, with titles in 2023 and 2025.

Unlike last year’s event, the BCCI has not described the 2027 auction as a mega auction. The format stays the same: each team plays the others twice, the table-toppers go straight to the final, and second and third meet in the Eliminator.

Key facts

• Season: 14 Jan – 7 Feb 2027
• Retention deadline: 28 Sep 2026
• Auction: 28 Oct 2026, Grand Hyatt Kochi
• Defending champions: RCB

India make a change in the pace department for Saturday’s day-night finale before a five-match T20I series begins in Lucknow.

Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out of the third and final ODI against West Indies through injury, and Anshul Kamboj comes into the squad as his replacement. Prasidh had picked up two wickets in the series opener in Thiruvananthapuram.

With the series already sealed at 2-0, Saturday’s day-night game in New Chandigarh is a chance for India to look at their bench. Shubman Gill leads the ODI side, while Shreyas Iyer takes charge of the T20I team for the five-match series that follows.

After the West Indies tour, India fly to New Zealand for three T20Is starting in Christchurch on 22 October.

Key Facts

• 3rd ODI: Sat 3 Oct, New Chandigarh (day/night)
• T20Is: Lucknow 6 Oct · Ranchi 9 Oct · Indore 11 Oct · Hyderabad 14 Oct · Bengaluru 17 Oct
• NZ T20Is: Christchurch 22 & 24 Oct · Wellington 27 Oct
• Head coach: Gautam Gambhir