Ojha to chair India selectors as Powar joins; Shafali reprimanded; Sutar hits 400* — cricket digest 20 Oct 2026

· Cricombo Editorial

Ojha takes over as India men’s selection chair as Powar fills West Zone vacancy

Pragyan Ojha has been appointed chair of India’s men’s senior selection committee, with Ramesh Powar brought in to fill the West Zone spot left vacant after Ajit Agarkar’s term ended on October 4. Powar was chosen by the BCCI’s cricket advisory committee of Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjape, ahead of Wasim Jaffer among others.

Ojha, who has been on the panel since September 2025, assumes the chair on seniority of international appearances, with Tests taking precedence. The committee now comprises Ojha (chair), Shiv Sunder Das, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra and Powar.

Only the second: Mizoram’s Chinmay Sutar blasts 400* in Ranji Trophy

Chinmay Sutar became only the second Indian batter to register a quadruple century in a first-class innings, finishing 400 not out for Mizoram against Nagaland in Sovima. In just his second first-class match, the 29-year-old went past Prithvi Shaw’s 379 to climb to second on the Ranji Trophy’s all-time list, and ended up 43 short of BB Nimbalkar’s long-standing record of 443* from 1948-49.

Mizoram declared on 581 for 9 after Sutar reached the landmark in the 155th over, having added an unbroken 189 for the tenth wicket with Lalrempunia Chhakchhuak. The 400* was the 12th score of 400 or more in first-class history, and the first time a player has turned a maiden first-class hundred into a quadruple ton.

Shafali Verma handed ICC reprimand and demerit point after equipment abuse breach

India opener Shafali Verma has received an official reprimand and one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second T20I against Zimbabwe. The offence related to Article 2.2, which covers abuse of cricket equipment or ground fixtures during an international match.

The incident occurred in the 12th over of Zimbabwe’s innings when Shafali threw the ball into the ground in frustration after dropping a catch at mid-off offered by Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano off Sree Charani. Shafali admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee GS Lakshmi, avoiding a formal hearing; it was her first offence in a 24-month period. India lead the three-match series 2-0, with the third T20I on Tuesday evening ahead of three ODIs in Vadodara from October 23.

WPL 2027 mini-auction: Dunkley and Molineux set top base price as 146 players register

Sophia Dunkley and Australia captain Sophie Molineux are the only two players to enter the WPL 2027 mini-auction at the maximum base price of INR 50 lakh. The auction, to be held in Kochi on October 28, has 146 players vying for 27 slots.

The pool includes 119 Indian players (22 capped, 97 uncapped) for 20 Indian slots, and 27 overseas players (14 capped, 13 uncapped) for seven overseas slots, including six from Associate teams. G Kamalini, Kiran Navgire, Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen are among those at INR 40 lakh, while Grace Harris, Chamari Athapaththu, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon are among the notable names at INR 30 lakh. Deandra Dottin, Alana King and Lizelle Lee are among the notable absentees after being released, while only two English players — Dunkley and Kira Chathli — have registered, with several others opting to skip next season.

In brief

  • Sediqullah Atal’s 102 and Rashid Khan’s 4 for 17 powered Afghanistan to a 158-run win over Zimbabwe in the UAE tri-nation series, after Zimbabwe were bowled out for 136 chasing 295.
  • In the same match, Atal’s century and Ibrahim Zadran’s 90 took Afghanistan to 294 before Zimbabwe hit back late, with Afghanistan losing five wickets in the last five overs.
  • Afghanistan chose to bat against Zimbabwe in Abu Dhabi, with Zimbabwe bringing in Ryan Burl and Ernest Masuku as injuries ruled out Craig Ervine and Newman Nyamhuri.
  • Scott Boland’s 4 for 31 left South Africa 97 for 5 against Australia in Gqeberha, with Temba Bavuma 41 not out after a 52-run stand with Ryan Rickelton.
  • Australia’s Scott Boland was again the standout in the rain-hit Gqeberha Test, making his limited time on the field count as Australia kept South Africa under pressure.
  • Chris Woakes said England’s ODI side under Harry Brook is “moving in the right direction” and could be contenders at next year’s 50-over World Cup if progress continues.
  • England and Pakistan were framed as familiar rivals in the ODI World Cup build-up, with England drawing confidence from recent 50-over improvements and Pakistan buoyed by a win over Sri Lanka.
  • Ben McDermott returned after retiring hurt to make 128 and haul Tasmania out of 45 for 7 to 241 against Victoria in the Sheffield Shield, after Harry Hoekstra took 5 for 46.
  • Kurtis Patterson’s unbeaten 117, with runs also for Ollie Davies and Sam Konstas, put New South Wales 345 for 4 against Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield.
  • Cameron Gannon’s 5 for 42 bowled South Australia out for 203 despite fifties from Jake Lehmann and Nathan McSweeney, with Queensland closing on 63 for 2 in reply.
  • Tamil Nadu No.3 Pradosh Ranjan Paul continued his prolific run-making in the Ranji Trophy as he targets a route back into the India A set-up.
  • Bengal captain Abhimanyu Easwaran said the dream of playing for India remains as he keeps piling up domestic runs, after making 56 against Services in the Ranji Trophy.
  • Uttarakhand allrounder Mayank Mishra reflected on missing out on the Duleep Trophy after taking 59 Ranji wickets last season, the second-highest haul overall.
  • Jonny Bairstow publicly criticised George Hill’s omission from England’s Lions white-ball tour to West Indies, as Yorkshire’s allrounder continues to push for higher honours.
  • Ibrahim Zadran’s 90 against Zimbabwe was held up as a snapshot of both his class and his habit of falling short of three figures, with another dismissal in the nineties.
  • A stats discussion looked at whether Matt Renshaw has the longest gap between Test hundreds, alongside other record-related queries.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo