Noor Ahmad ruled out of CPL, Wolvaardt names new-look SA tour squad, Desai exits Canada — cricket digest 20 Aug 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Kings lose Noor Ahmad after ACB revokes NOC; Seifert drafted in for CPL run-in

St Lucia Kings will be without Noor Ahmad for the remainder of CPL 2026 after the Afghanistan Cricket Board revoked his no-objection certificate, the franchise confirmed. It is understood the left-arm wristspinner did not travel to the West Indies.

The Kings have moved quickly to bolster their top order, with New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert set to link up with the squad. St Lucia have won two of their first five matches and sit fourth on the table.

Wolvaardt to captain new-look South Africa women on first Zimbabwe tour

South Africa have named a significantly changed women’s squad for their first tour of Zimbabwe, a five-match T20I series in Bulawayo from September 11 to 19. Laura Wolvaardt will lead a group featuring ten changes from the squad that played at the T20 World Cup in England earlier this year.

Fast bowlers Caitlin Wyngaard and Nthabiseng Nini and offspinner Luyanda Nzuza are the uncapped inclusions, with a host of senior players rested including Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk, Dane van Niekerk, Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon and Nonkululekho Mlaba. Wolvaardt, who had the option to sit out, will play and lead the younger group.

Monty Desai leaves Canada head coach role as Cricket Canada seeks applicants

Monty Desai has stepped down as head coach of Canada’s men, with his departure effective last weekend. Cricket Canada has opened applications for the post, with a deadline of August 28.

Desai, appointed in May, oversaw two Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series (one at home, one in Scotland). Canada sit sixth on the League 2 table with four matches left, with their next fixtures scheduled from October 9 in Oman against Oman and Nepal, amid ongoing turbulence for the board following ICC suspension and anti-corruption investigations linked to the T20 World Cup.

Root’s seam-heavy England strike early against Pakistan at Headingley

England captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to bowl first against Pakistan at Headingley, citing overhead conditions and a touch of moisture in the surface. England went in with an all-seam attack.

Ollie Robinson’s return has been a major feature of England’s summer, and he again made an immediate impact with the new ball as England looked to press for a much-needed home win after their 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand.

Ireland recall Dempsey, McBride and Tector for England ODIs; injuries rule out trio

Georgina Dempsey, Lara McBride and Alice Tector are back in Ireland’s 14-player squad for next month’s three-match ODI series against England, with Gaby Lewis continuing as captain. Arlene Kerry also returns after injury.

Alana Dalzell, Sarah Forbes and Aimee Maguire miss out through injury. Ireland warm up against an ECB Development XI in Leicester on August 29 before ODIs on September 1 (Leicester), 3 (Derby) and 6 (Worcester), in their second series of the new Women’s Championship cycle.

In brief

  • Guyana Amazon Warriors beat St Lucia Kings by seven wickets in the CPL after Dwaine Pretorius and Shamar Joseph shared five wickets and Guyana chased 152.
  • India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test in Galle, with Manav Suthar taking ten wickets in the match.
  • Sri Lanka will be without Kusal Mendis and Dinesh Chandimal for the second Test against India in Colombo, with Pathum Nissanka also unlikely to be fit.
  • KL Rahul praised Devdutt Padikkal’s match-shaping hundred and Manav Suthar’s variations after India’s win over Sri Lanka in Galle.
  • Matt Renshaw is in line to return to Australia’s Test XI for the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, with Alex Carey backing his all-conditions game.
  • Cameron Green’s first home Test century was a rare positive for Australia after their heavy defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin.
  • Pakistan’s President’s Cup, a departmental List A tournament, has been postponed to December after being due to start in two days.
  • Warwickshire have signed Australia opener Jake Weatherald for the early part of the 2027 County Championship season.
  • Glamorgan wicketkeeper-batter Chris Cooke will retire at the end of the 2026 season, with Mir Hamza and Raymond Toole also signed.
  • Hundreds from Kathryn Bryce and Georgia Elwiss powered The Blaze past Durham by 59 runs (DLS) in the Women’s One-Day Cup after the Blaze posted 356 for 4.
  • Meg Austin’s 94 and Em Arlott’s 3 for 24 set up a Warwickshire win over Yorkshire by 57 runs (DLS) in the Women’s One-Day Cup at Edgbaston.
  • Somerset chased down Essex’s 266 with 10.3 overs to spare, winning by eight wickets as Bex Odgers and Sophie Luff both made centuries.
  • Georgia Adams marked a new two-year deal with 115 and three wickets as Hampshire beat Surrey by four wickets in the Women’s One-Day Cup at Guildford.
  • The MCC said Phoebe Litchfield’s dismissal in the Hundred final should have been called dead ball because of Georgia Adams’ movement before delivery; Sunrisers Leeds lost the final to Trent Rockets.
  • At Headingley, England won the toss and bowled first against Pakistan, with Joe Root pointing to the overheads and early moisture as key factors.
  • India’s win in Galle was their 600th men’s Test, and they have now won their 300th, 400th, 500th and 600th Tests.
  • In Galle, Niroshan Dickwella was out for 12 shortly after exchanging words with Yashasvi Jaiswal, falling to Prasidh Krishna during Sri Lanka’s chase.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo