Stokes tipped to open for Strikers, Pakistan turmoil deepens, England chase 282 — cricket digest 02 Sep 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Adelaide line up Stokes as BBL opener after landing full-season deal

Ben Stokes has been earmarked to open the batting for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash after the club moved quickly to secure him on a one-year contract. Coach Tim Paine said the Strikers pursued Stokes “aggressively” amid interest from other teams and expects him to be available for the entire season.

Paine backed Stokes to influence matches across disciplines, pointing to his power, range and leadership, and suggested Australia’s quicker, bouncier wickets should suit him. The plan is likely to reshape last season’s opening combination of Matt Short and Chris Lynn, with Lynn currently off contract, and Paine also confirmed Adelaide intend to add two more overseas players under the new direct-signings model.

Pakistan upheaval escalates as Aaqib targets Imam and Misbah quits selection panel

Pakistan’s post-Lord’s reset took another turn when PCB high-performance director Aaqib Javed publicly criticised opener Imam-ul-Haq for not batting in either innings of the Test and said an inquiry would follow. Aaqib said he was “deeply disappointed” and questioned how a low-grade calf tear could rule Imam out of batting altogether.

The comments came in the wake of sweeping mid-tour changes after the heavy defeat at Lord’s, with seven players and members of the coaching staff sent home. Misbah-ul-Haq then resigned from the national selection committee and also stepped down as batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy, while Aaqib framed the overhaul as a message to players and a response to what he viewed as flawed selection decisions by the team management.

CPL win for Patriots overshadowed by Charles no-ball controversy

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots beat Barbados Tridents by six wickets in Basseterre, but the match turned on a flashpoint early in the chase involving Johnson Charles. Charles was initially given out caught off a high full-toss, walked off, and was then recalled after the third umpire overturned the decision and ruled it a no-ball.

Tridents captain Chris Green said the incident was “very messy” and criticised the lack of communication, while Patriots skipper Jason Holder also urged umpires to be firmer and more decisive. Charles went on to make 78 off 45 balls and the subsequent free hit was struck for six, adding to Tridents’ frustration.

Bouchier century drives England Women to record ODI chase against Ireland

Maia Bouchier’s 104 powered England to their highest successful ODI run-chase as they overhauled 282 to beat Ireland by six wickets in Leicester in the first match of the series. Sophia Dunkley added 73 and Alice Capsey finished unbeaten on 41 as England reached 283 for 4.

Ireland had put up 281 for 5 with Gaby Lewis making 69, Amy Hunter 62 and Rebecca Stokell 51 not out, but England’s top order kept pace throughout to seal the opener.

Australia weigh ODI World Cup build-up as Stanlake enters Test conversation

Australia’s selectors described the upcoming ODI tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa as a key step towards their World Cup defence, with chair George Bailey noting the limited 50-over opportunities before the tournament in those host nations. There is a chance Australia field a near full-strength ODI XI in South Africa, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh potentially appearing together for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final, though workloads will be managed and the captaincy shared between Cummins and Marsh in the lead-up.

Bailey also confirmed Australia are monitoring Billy Stanlake as a possible Test option if pace resources are stretched across a heavy schedule. Stanlake, 31, has returned to the international set-up this year and is in squads for the upcoming Zimbabwe and South Africa tour, with Bailey saying selectors are interested in exploring whether his skillset could translate to red-ball cricket despite his limited first-class record and injury history.

In brief

  • St Kitts and Nevis Patriots chased 218 to beat Barbados Tridents by six wickets in Basseterre, with Johnson Charles (78), Andre Fletcher and Wanindu Hasaranga starring in a match that featured 32 sixes.
  • Lhuan-dre Pretorius’ career-best 94 set up South Africa’s 43-run win over Zimbabwe in Windhoek, before Bjorn Fortuin and Duan Jansen shared seven wickets as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 142.
  • Pretorius said a chat with Heinrich Klaasen helped reset his mindset after a lean run, before he produced his highest T20I score against Zimbabwe.
  • Zimbabwe brought in Nqabayomzi Peter for Tony de Zorzi as South Africa batted in Windhoek, while Kundai Matigimu made his debut for Zimbabwe and Innocent Kaia returned.
  • England chose to bowl first against Ireland in Leicester, with Bouchier opening for the hosts and Paul Stirling’s side recalling Harry Tector and Josh Little.
  • Pakistan captain Fatima Sana elected to bat first against Thailand in Dubai in their Women’s T20 Asia Cup opener, selecting four spinners on a slow surface.
  • Jasprit Bumrah was named in India’s squad for this month’s home T20Is against Afghanistan, alongside Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, all subject to fitness clearance.
  • East Zone reached the Duleep Trophy final after beating Central Zone by four wickets, with Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Shami sharing the key wickets and Sooryavanshi top-scoring with 92 in the first innings.
  • Siddhesh Lad will captain Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy this season in place of Shardul Thakur, while Shreyas Iyer or Suryakumar Yadav will lead in white-ball tournaments depending on availability.
  • Marnus Labuschagne was left out of Australia’s ODI squad for the Zimbabwe and South Africa series, with Joel Davies and Ollie Peake included and Spencer Johnson and Billy Stanlake also named.
  • The Japan Cricket Association said teams at the upcoming Asian Games can arrange their own hotels following concerns about the accommodation options provided.
  • Bangladesh’s integrity unit charged three individuals, including former board director Rahman, as part of its ongoing corruption investigation into recent Bangladesh Premier League seasons.
  • Queen’s Park Oval has renamed the former Trini Posse Stand in honour of Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine during Trinidad and Tobago’s Independence Day celebrations.
  • Curtis Heaphy’s rise from rugby to cricket has put him on New Zealand’s radar, with his domestic and New Zealand A form strengthening his case for a future call-up.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo