Warwickshire clinch County Championship, Kohli targets 2027 swansong, SA-AUS pink day — cricket digest 27 Sep 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Warwickshire wrap up ninth County Championship title with innings win over Leicestershire

Warwickshire sealed the Rothesay County Championship with an innings-and-79-run victory over Leicestershire at Edgbaston, completing the job shortly after lunch on day three to land a ninth title.

Ethan Bamber and Chris Woakes led the bowling as Leicestershire were dismissed cheaply in both innings, with Tom Scriven top-scoring in the second dig.

Kohli sets sights on 2027 as his last World Cup; India weigh combinations against West Indies

Virat Kohli has said the 2027 ODI World Cup will be his last and described “unfinished business” after the 2023 final defeat, adding that his ideal sign-off would be a match-winning finishing knock in a World Cup final chase.

India begin their ODI series against West Indies with Sitanshu Kotak confirming Shubman Gill is fit after an elbow knock, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to continue waiting behind a settled top three. Kotak also said Ravindra Jadeja is “obviously in the mix” for next year’s World Cup plans, with India starting this phase without Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.

Pink Day in Johannesburg as South Africa shuffle XI; Australia bowl first again without Cummins

South Africa made four changes for the second ODI against Australia on the country’s Pink Day, with Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs returning after missing the opener for personal reasons and Ryan Rickelton given the day off. Duan Jansen came in to join twin brother Marco for their first international together, while Lizaad Williams replaced Gerald Coetzee and Corbin Bosch made way.

Australia chose to bowl first again, but remain without Pat Cummins, and rotated Mitchell Starc out with Xavier Bartlett included. Josh Inglis has been ruled out of the remaining ODIs with a fractured right index finger, leaving his availability for next month’s Tests in doubt; Alex Carey returns to keep wicket and is listed to bat at No. 4.

Cox in line to keep for England after Buttler hamstring injury ahead of Sri Lanka decider

Jordan Cox is poised to step in behind the stumps for England in the third ODI against Sri Lanka at The Oval after Jos Buttler was ruled out with a hamstring injury, a move that would bring Cox his first ODI appearance since 2024.

Cox said his last two years have helped him understand his game better, and he is keen to build on a summer that has already included Test chances and T20I involvement as England look to settle the series.

Hope embraces India test as West Indies use ODI tour as World Cup-qualifier build-up

Shai Hope says West Indies are looking forward to the challenge of playing India at home, calling it a key measure of where his side stands as they build towards February’s World Cup qualifiers after failing to qualify automatically for 2027.

Hope, who has a strong ODI record in India, said the tour is also about seeing how quickly less-experienced team-mates can adapt, with Vitel Lawes, Jewel Andrew and Amir Jangoo among those visiting India for the first time.

In brief

  • Somerset piled on 691 for 8 against Surrey at Taunton, with Tom Abell making 284* and Tom Lammonby 239 in a record fourth-wicket stand of 334.
  • Dean Elgar struck 108 in the final innings of his professional career as Essex, following on, reached 331 for 5 to trail Glamorgan by 45 after day three.
  • Yorkshire edged Nottinghamshire by one wicket, with Jonny Bairstow holding his nerve late after a tense chase.
  • Sussex beat Hampshire by 197 runs to guarantee a top-three finish, with Tom Haines’ century and Tom Price’s five-for key to the win.
  • Josh Bohannon’s unbeaten 125, his first century since June 2025, helped Lancashire reach 267 for 5 in reply to Durham’s 493 at Old Trafford.
  • Kent secured promotion to Division One by beating Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Canterbury, after Matt Milnes took five in the second innings.
  • Middlesex beat Northamptonshire by seven wickets, ending Northants’ promotion hopes despite Saif Zaib’s second-innings hundred.
  • Worcestershire finished with a 175-run win over Derbyshire at New Road, driven by Ben Allison’s match haul of 11 for 64.
  • The Asian Games men’s quarter-final line-up includes India vs Afghanistan, with Hong Kong to play Pakistan, Bangladesh to face Malaysia, and Nepal drawn against Sri Lanka.
  • Rain is a concern for India’s Asian Games quarter-final against Afghanistan, with India set to go through on higher seeding if the match is washed out.
  • Malaysia reached the Asian Games men’s quarter-finals after their match with Oman was abandoned, knocking Oman out.
  • Sophie Molineux reflected on a dramatic 12 months that took her from injury uncertainty to captaining Australia to World Cup glory, with bigger tests still ahead.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo