Mandhana breaks Mithali’s run record; India U-19 ban for Rohit Yadav; Sri Lanka hit — cricket digest 04 Sep 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Mandhana’s 124 sends India into Asia Cup semis and past Mithali’s run mark

Smriti Mandhana struck 124 off 64 balls against Hong Kong in Dubai to book India’s place in the Women’s Asia Cup semi-finals and become the leading run-scorer in women’s internationals, moving past Mithali Raj’s previous record. The innings also took Mandhana to a record 18 international hundreds, ahead of Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt, and she said the milestone felt like “just the start”.

India made 193 for 5 and then bowled Hong Kong out for 56 to win by 137 runs, though Mandhana acknowledged the conditions were testing and India’s middle order still has work to do. India next play Pakistan on Saturday, ahead of the semi-finals on September 10 and 11.

Bengal age checks lead to two-year ban for Rohit Yadav; Ravi Kumar among 64 others barred

Legspinner Rohit Yadav has been banned for two years after the Cricket Association of Bengal’s pre-season documentation drive found an age discrepancy of 27 months. The ban takes effect immediately, with all BCCI-affiliated state units notified, and Rohit has been withdrawn from India’s Under-19 squad for this month’s series against Australia Under-19.

The CAB also barred 64 others for similar discrepancies, including former India Under-19 World Cup winner Ravi Kumar. Cricinfo understands Kumar’s discrepancy is over 40 months, and his age-group records from his debut through the 2025-26 season will be deemed invalid.

Sri Lanka lose Mendis and Binura for England T20Is; Asalanka to captain

Sri Lanka will be without Kusal Mendis and Binura Fernando for the upcoming T20I series in England, with SLC saying both are still rehabilitating injuries picked up during the 2026 Lanka Premier League. Charith Asalanka, recently restored as vice-captain, will lead the side in the T20Is, with Mendis not yet ruled out of the ODI leg.

Pavan Rathnayake has been drafted in as Mendis’ replacement for the T20Is, while fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka comes in for Binura. The T20Is are scheduled for September 15 (Southampton), 17 (Cardiff) and 19 (Manchester), followed by ODIs on September 22 (Chester-le-Street), 24 (Leeds) and 27 (The Oval).

BCCI looks to ease workload as injury list grows after England and Ireland tours

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board is “trying to find out some ways” to curb frequent injuries among Indian players, pointing to the volume of cricket and the toll of back-to-back commitments such as the IPL followed by overseas series. The comments came after a meeting in Mumbai involving head coach Gautam Gambhir, CoE director VVS Laxman, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer and ODI captain Shubman Gill.

India were unable to field full-strength XIs across the England T20I and ODI legs, with players including Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy injured, and Saikia said the next Future Tours Programme would be shaped to allow better rest, recovery and acclimatisation. India begin a T20I series against Afghanistan on September 13, with four of the 15 players named subject to fitness clearance and Hardik Pandya still missing.

Keightley takes Cricket Australia development post while WPL future with Mumbai Indians looks uncertain

Lisa Keightley has been appointed Cricket Australia’s national development lead, tasked with strengthening pathways in the women’s game. Keightley will continue as Sydney Thunder coach after signing a two-year extension in June, alongside the new CA role.

It is understood she is likely to relinquish her position with Mumbai Indians in the WPL, while her role with MI London in the Hundred is still to be determined. Keightley joined MI last year after Charlotte Edwards became England head coach, with the franchise finishing fourth last season.

In brief

  • Dasun Shanaka smashed a 39-ball century as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots thrashed St Lucia Kings by 137 runs in Basseterre, with Jeremiah Louis taking 5 for 10 and Tim Seifert top-scoring for the Kings with 50.
  • The numbers behind the Patriots’ rout of St Lucia Kings highlighted Shanaka’s fastest CPL hundred and Louis’ 5 for 10, which became the third-best figures in CPL history.
  • Issy Wong’s maiden international five-for set up England’s six-wicket win over Ireland in Derby to go 2-0 up in the ODI series, with contributions in the chase from Maia Bouchier, Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp.
  • At The Oval, Surrey and Yorkshire were both bowled out for under 100 in a chaotic 23-wicket day, leaving Surrey needing 158 more to beat Yorkshire.
  • Henry Crocombe claimed his second hat-trick in eight days as Sussex took control against Essex at Chelmsford, with Sussex leading by 188 after Essex were dismissed for 177.
  • Jack Haynes’ 159 and Liam Patterson-White’s unbeaten 111 helped Nottinghamshire stay on course against Leicestershire, who were 23 for 2 in reply to 451 for 8 declared.
  • Somerset built a strong position against Glamorgan at Taunton after Tom Lammonby made 95 in a total of 441, leaving Glamorgan 217 behind with nine wickets in hand.
  • Warwickshire strengthened their hand against Hampshire as Rob Yates’ first century of the season underpinned 398, before Hampshire slumped to 74 for 6 in reply.
  • Middlesex extended their advantage over Lancashire at Merchant Taylors’ School, leading by 212 with eight wickets in hand after Max Holden reached an unbeaten 50.
  • Sam Northeast’s unbeaten 96 guided Kent into a 218-run lead over Worcestershire at Canterbury, with Zak Crawley also passing fifty in Kent’s second innings.
  • Debutant Muhammed Naeem’s 71 kept Derbyshire in charge against Gloucestershire at Bristol, after James Bracey’s 113 and Brett Randell’s 5 for 41 shaped the first-innings exchanges.
  • Northamptonshire edged ahead of Division Two leaders Durham at Northampton thanks to half-centuries from James Sales and Saif Zaib, after Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 for 36 to limit Durham to 205.
  • Peter Siddle has joined New South Wales as bowling coach for 2026-27, with Johan Botha set to act as a temporary spin consultant ahead of Brad Haddin’s first season in charge.
  • ESPNcricinfo outlined Smart Stats Total Impact, a context-based metric that combines batting and bowling ratings to measure a player’s influence on a match.
  • A feature on Saud Shakeel examined his approach to honing his game amid change around Pakistan’s set-up during their tour of England.
  • A statistical round-up confirmed Mandhana’s new record of 10,880 runs in women’s internationals, set during her 124 against Hong Kong, and her move to the top of the international century list.
  • Mandhana’s record T20I hundred powered India to 193 for 5 before Hong Kong were bowled out for 56, sealing a 137-run win in the Women’s Asia Cup.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo