Sawyer departs White Ferns role, England clinch Sri Lanka T20I series, Ngidi injured — cricket digest 18 Sep 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

New Zealand move on from Ben Sawyer as White Ferns coach after high-performance review

Ben Sawyer has left his post as head coach of the New Zealand women’s team, with his deal—due to run until December 2026—not renewed following a review of the women’s high-performance structure. Sawyer had been in charge since June 2022.

Melie Kerr, who became captain during Sawyer’s tenure, paid tribute to his preparation and impact. New Zealand Cricket said an interim head coach and team manager will travel to Australia next month for the T20I series, with the squad to be named in early October and the search for a full-time successor set to begin shortly.

England seal T20I series against Sri Lanka as Banton guides chase at Sophia Gardens

Tom Banton’s unbeaten 52 steered England to a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Sophia Gardens, giving them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. Liam Dawson took three wickets as Sri Lanka were restricted to 145 for 9.

England’s chase was supported by Jos Buttler’s 30, as they made it two comfortable wins in three days to wrap up the series with a match to spare.

Gambhir urges patience with Hardik as India juggle squads across a packed schedule

Gautam Gambhir said India will not rush Hardik Pandya back into international cricket until he has proved his match fitness, noting he is not yet ready to bowl ten overs. Hardik has been named in the India A squad for the one-day matches against Australia A as he returns to action for the first time since IPL 2026.

Nitish Kumar Reddy has been shifted from India’s Asian Games T20I squad to the ODI squad for the West Indies series instead, after finishing the Afghanistan T20Is as the leading wicket-taker across both teams. Gambhir also pointed to the opportunity created by multiple India and India A sides being in action, with newcomers such as Naman Dhir and Auqib Nabi included for the West Indies ODIs.

South Africa lose Ngidi to hamstring injury ahead of Australia ODIs; Mokoena drafted in

Lungi Ngidi has been withdrawn from South Africa’s ODI squad for the three-match series against Australia after suffering a right hamstring injury in last week’s domestic first-class opener. Scans confirmed he will need rehabilitation, making him the third seamer ruled out of the series after Kagiso Rabada and Ottneil Baartman.

Twenty-year-old quick Nqobani Mokoena comes in as replacement, with Marco Jansen set to lead the pace group alongside options including Duan Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee and Kwena Maphaka. A call on Ngidi’s availability for the Test series against Australia, starting October 9, will be made closer to the contest.

Hazlewood returns as Australia tweak attack for second Zimbabwe ODI; Raza opts to bowl

Josh Hazlewood returned to Australia’s ODI XI for the second match against Zimbabwe in Harare, his first appearance in the format since October last year, as Australia made two changes to the side that won the opener. Billy Stanlake also came in, with Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson making way.

Zimbabwe, unchanged, chose to bowl first on a different surface to the series opener, with Sikandar Raza hoping early moisture would aid the new-ball bowlers. Cameron Green remains unavailable with shoulder soreness but is expected to be back for the third ODI on Sunday.

In brief

  • Abhishek Sharma smashed 108 off 34 balls as India made 221 for 7 and then bowled Afghanistan out for 94 in Delhi to complete a 3-0 T20I clean sweep, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi taking three wickets apiece.
  • At Sophia Gardens, England chose to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the second T20I, bringing in Jofra Archer, while Sri Lanka handed a debut to Tharindu Ratnayake and made two changes.
  • Shree Charani and Shafali Verma helped India beat Japan by eight wickets in Nisshin to reach the Asian Games women’s semi-finals, where they will face Bangladesh on September 20.
  • Chamari Athapaththu’s 63 and Kavisha Dilhari’s unbeaten 44 took Sri Lanka to an 86-run win over Malaysia in the Asian Games women’s quarter-final.
  • Chedean Nation and Chloe Tryon finished off a two-wicket win over Trinbago Knight Riders in Bridgetown as Guyana Amazon Warriors claimed their first Women’s Caribbean Premier League title.
  • Antigua and Barbuda Falcons thrashed Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets in the CPL first qualifier after Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim shared eight wickets to bowl them out for 76; the Warriors will meet Jamaica Kingsmen in the second qualifier on September 18.
  • Australia A Women completed a 3-0 T20 series sweep of India A in New Chandigarh, winning the third match by seven runs after half-centuries from Anika Learoyd and Courtney Webb.
  • Sussex’s Ari Karvelas took 4 for 34 to leave Nottinghamshire 149 for 7 in their second innings at Trent Bridge, with Notts leading by 31 after Sussex made 358 in reply to 240.
  • Mason Crane struck a career-best 114 not out as Glamorgan piled up 594 to set Surrey a target of 549 at The Oval, with Ollie Pope and Sai Sudharsan Patel making an unbeaten start in the chase.
  • At Uptonsteel County Ground, Leicestershire reached 156 for 3 in their second innings, needing 177 more to beat Hampshire after Nick Gubbins’ 133 helped the visitors to 363.
  • Somerset closed day three at 73 for 3 at Headingley, needing 214 more to beat Yorkshire after George Hill’s 89 and Dom Bess’ 77 lifted the hosts to 275 in their second innings.
  • Sam Robson made 92 as Middlesex moved to 298 for 6 in their second innings at Bristol, stretching their lead over Gloucestershire to 328.
  • Derbyshire’s Nick Potts and Martin Andersson hit maiden half-centuries at Wantage Road to leave Northamptonshire needing 312 more runs on the final day for victory in their promotion push.
  • Worcestershire’s seamers cut through Durham to leave them 161 for 6 in the second innings, with Durham leading by 178 after Adam Hose’s hundred helped Worcestershire reach first-innings parity despite Ben Stokes’ 6 for 94.
  • Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges said he will lean on Mike Hussey and IPL know-how as the BBL season opens with a one-off match against Melbourne Renegades in Chennai on December 12.
  • Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been appointed ICC deputy chair through to November 2027, with Zimbabwe set to co-host the 2027 ODI World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia.
  • A feature on Abhishek Sharma explored his stripped-back, “keep it simple” approach and how it underpins his new-generation batting.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo