PSL owners discuss January shift, India skittle Pakistan for 55, du Plooy set to leave — cricket digest 06 Sep 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

PSL owners and PCB explore January window, with BBL and SA20 clashes in view

The PCB and the eight PSL franchise owners have discussed bringing the PSL forward to January next year, with the proposal raised at the governing council meeting in London on September 1. The idea was floated by Walee Technologies, the league’s media-rights holder, amid concerns over limited advertising revenue in the April-May slot after Ramazan, and franchise worries about broadcast money being paid in full regardless of the window and the state of Walee’s ad budgets following underwhelming TV-rights returns.

A January move would also bring player-availability headaches back into focus, with the PSL likely to compete with the BBL and SA20 for overseas signings. The PCB would face logistical issues too, given harsh winter conditions in Punjab—home to Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi—where fog and low evening temperatures can disrupt play; one option discussed was starting in Karachi before shifting north as winter eases. The council also talked about expanding the league’s footprint beyond cricket, including exploring Esports, and considered the possibility of a mid-year tournament within the current rights framework as an extra revenue stream.

India’s spinners bowl Pakistan out for 55 as Asia Cup meeting turns one-sided

Pakistan’s decision to bat in their Women’s Asia Cup match in Dubai backfired as they were dismissed for 55, their lowest total in T20Is, with Shree Charani and Prema Rawat leading the squeeze. India then completed a seven-wicket win with 68 balls to spare despite an early wobble in the chase.

The game followed a toss where both sides had named unchanged XIs, with Pakistan playing their 200th T20I and Harmanpreet Kaur captaining India in her 150th T20I as skipper. Fatima Sana’s 3 for 17 was Pakistan’s main bright spot after the collapse, which included a spell in which six wickets fell for eight runs in 29 balls.

Middlesex captain Leus du Plooy to leave at season’s end to chase South Africa hopes

Leus du Plooy will leave Middlesex at the end of the season, despite having a year left on his contract, after deciding to recommit to South Africa in a bid to pursue international selection. The move means giving up his local status in county cricket, leaving Middlesex unable to keep him other than as an overseas player, with the club confirming his impending departure.

Du Plooy joined Middlesex ahead of 2024 after arriving in England on a Kolpak deal with Derbyshire in 2019 and later qualifying as a local via a Hungarian passport. He has 2795 Championship runs for Middlesex at 51.75 and could still oversee a promotion push, with the club fourth in Division Two, 38 points off second with three rounds remaining; he has also featured regularly in the Hundred and helped Manchester Super Giants to the title this summer.

In brief

  • Sussex beat Essex by 47 runs at Chelmsford despite Matt Critchley’s 96, with the visitors taking the last three wickets in 21 overs to finish the job.
  • Nottinghamshire’s title bid was checked as they drew with Leicestershire, a 106-run last-wicket stand between Tom Scriven and Josh Davey helping deny the follow-on and dropping the defending champions to second.
  • Kent climbed to second in Division Two after beating Worcestershire by 84 runs, overcoming Brett D’Oliveira’s unbeaten hundred in the chase.
  • Durham strengthened their Division Two lead by beating Northamptonshire by 153 runs, Callum Parkinson taking 6 for 20 as Northants were bundled out for 50.
  • Gloucestershire ended a six-match losing streak by thrashing Derbyshire by 213 runs, with R Sai Kishore’s 5 for 20 driving a fourth-innings collapse.
  • Guyana Amazon Warriors made it five CPL wins on the bounce by beating Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets, after Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s 54 set up the chase.
  • Trinbago Knight Riders beat Barbados Tridents by 35 runs in the CPL, Nicholas Pooran top-scoring with 59 before Sunil Narine’s 4 for 12 sealed a low-scoring win.
  • In the Women’s CPL opener, Trinbago Knight Riders beat Barbados Tridents by 21 runs after Laura Harris and Yastika Bhatia provided the platform and Shikha Pandey led the bowling.
  • Mohammed Siraj and Devdutt Padikkal have been added to the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone, while KL Rahul remains unavailable.
  • Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma said the quick switch from the Duleep Trophy final to the Afghanistan T20Is will be “slightly challenging”, with Kishan also pointing to Mohammed Shami’s motivation to return to the national side.
  • Pakistan’s overall Test win-loss ratio has dipped below 1.00 for the first time in nearly 40 years, following their defeat at Lord’s on the tour of England.
  • The expanded 2026 Women’s Caribbean Premier League has begun, with a tournament explainer outlining the new format and key overseas names.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo