Cricket news: Ben Stokes under pressure - five contenders for the captain’s role
England men’s cricket captain Ben Stokes has been in the press for all the wrong reasons since Sunday night, alongside team-mate and bowler Gus Atkinson.
Following this, it remains unclear as to whether Stokes will continue as England captain.
He has been left out of the 15-man squad for the second Test against New Zealand at The Oval, with former captain Joe Root set to lead the side.
Without an obvious successor, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert takes a look at five candidates to take over as England captain if Stokes’ time comes to an end.
Cricket news: Who is Manav Suthar? The left-arm spinner who took seven wickets on debut for India
Shubman Gill’s India side dominated the recent contest with Afghanistan to win by an innings and 300 runs in Mullanpur, with the visitors’ return to Test cricket lasting a little less than three days.
When a youthful Afghan team played their first Test in India eight years ago, the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja completely destroyed them. Almost 10 years later, Afghanistan were defeated by spin once more, this time by a youthful Indian side led by debutant Manav Suthar, writes Sports News Blitz’s Varun Sarwate.
Test cricket analysis: Five talking points from England’s Test win over New Zealand
England wiped away their winter blues as they started the Test summer with a victory over New Zealand at Lord’s.
The Three Lions won by 115 runs across just four days, despite persistent weather delays, with less than 170 overs played in the match.
Performances from the likes of Emilio Gay, who top scored in the match with 57, plus Ollie Robinson and Gus Atkinson (both of whom getting 5-fers) led much of the conversation.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Hibbert looks at five talking points from the match which marked the start of the three match Test series.
Test cricket betting tips: Suggested bets for England vs New Zealand and India vs Afghanistan
With the IPL 2026 season done and dusted, attention turns back to Test cricket as England host New Zealand and India welcome Afghanistan.
With World Test Championship points back on the line, New Zealand will look to strengthen their position at the top, while India and England aim to move up in the standings.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value plays and key betting angles for the upcoming Tests.
Vitality Blast 2026: Betting odds, team stats, key facts & live streaming guide
The 2026 Vitality Blast, also known as the T20 Blast, gets underway on May 22, with 18 county teams batting for England’s premier domestic T20 title, writes Sports News Blitz’s Himanshu Sharma.
The competition is divided into three groups, with each county playing 12 group-stage matches, six home and six away fixtures.
IPL betting tips: Back Virat Kohli's RCB to win consecutive titles
The IPL 2026 playoffs are underway, and the race for the title is down to four teams.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru begin their quest for back-to-back trophies against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, while Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, value odds, and key match-ups for Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator.
IPL cricket review: What has happened to the Mumbai Indians this season?
After another disappointing defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have had a season to forget.
They sit ninth in the table, already eliminated and out of the running for qualification this season.
Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal reviews their season and analyses why the five-time champions have struggled so much this season.
IPL betting tips: Best bets and predictions for week nine with play-offs on the line
The IPL 2026 play-off race is heading for a blockbuster finish as we enter the final group-stage week. Only Royal Challengers Bengaluru have sealed qualification so far, with seven teams fighting for the remaining three play-off spots.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, odds values, and key angles for week nine.
IPL cricket review: Virat Kohli stars as Royal Challengers Bengaluru win and go top of the league
Virat Kohli stars once again with his ninth IPL century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeat the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Raipur to go back to the top of the league standings.
With RCB going top and KKR most likely now out of the running for qualification, Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal looks at the key takeaways from this match.
Cricket analysis: The race for England’s opening spot – Five players who could replace Zak Crawley
With the County Championship season now underway, competition for the opening spot in England’s top order is high.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Sai Raghav Balakrishnan explores the suitability of five candidates.
IPL betting tips: Royal Challengers Bengaluru lead the way – Best bets and predictions for week eight
IPL 2026 is now entering its decisive phase, where every result could impact the play-off equation.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, odds values, and key angles for week eight.
IPL betting tips: Best bets, odds and value plays as playoff race intensifies
IPL 2026 is nearing the business-end phase. Every game now directly impacts the playoff race.
Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting expert Himanshu Sharma breaks down the best bets, odds value, and key angles from Week Seven of the Indian Premier League.
IPL betting tips: Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings to lead the charge – Best bets, odds and value plays
IPL 2026 is getting bigger and better with each passing day, and we can’t wait for this week’s action.
Here’s a breakdown of the best bets from Week Six of the Indian Premier League, as Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting expert Himanshu Sharma picks the biggest fixtures.
Cricket news: England’s Jacob Bethell responds to Sir Alastair Cook’s criticism of his IPL participation
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook recently commented on Jacob Bethell’s lack of playing time for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, writes Sports News Blitz’s Darshan Kaur Gill.
Cook criticised the all-rounder for staying at RCB on The Overlap’s Stick to Cricket podcast, saying: “He’s sitting on his a**e in the IPL not doing anything, ideally he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England.”
Bethell achieved a century in England’s final Test against Australia in Sydney, and achieved 105 runs in the T20 World Cup semi-final against India earlier this year, cementing his status as a rising star in cricket.
IPL 2026: Will this be the year that the Punjab Kings finally lift the IPL trophy?
The Indian Premier League is well underway and with match 32 being played on Wednesday, we’re nearing the middle of the 2026 IPL season, writes Sports News Blitz’s Darshan Kaur Gill.
The IPL is a professional T20 cricket league based in India founded in 2008, by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
It contains 10 teams based across India and each team plays 14 matches in the regular season.
IPL betting tips: Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill lead the batting markets – Best bets, odds and value picks
The 2026 Indian Premier League has moved into a pivotal week five as teams begin their push to cement play-off berths.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket writer Himanshu Sharma picks out the key betting angles, including for the blockbuster clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.
Changing The Batting Order — Every child deserves the chance to play cricket
Accuracast and Bat For A Chance have partnered to launch Changing The Batting Order, a landmark initiative that will provide 1,000 free cricket starter kits to underserved schools and community groups across England, Wales and Scotland, helping break down the first barrier to entry that so many children still face in cricket.
Changing The Batting Order will create access to sport where it is most needed. Using a data-driven approach, digital partner Accuracast will use publicly available government data to identify and target the most deprived areas across England, Wales and Scotland, ensuring kits reach those communities that need them most.
IPL betting tips: Virat Kohli in focus, plus best odds and value picks for key matches
There is plenty to look forward to as the 2026 Indian Premier League moves into a crucial week four.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma picks out the best betting angles and value plays from the top upcoming clashes.
Best Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Matches of All Time
Relive the best Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad matches, including thrilling finishes, top performances, and memorable IPL moments.
IPL betting tips: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli headline Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
IPL 2026 is up and running, and early trends are taking shape as we head into an action-packed week three. This is the phase where teams amplify strengths and address weaknesses.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma picks out the best bets for upcoming marquee games, including the clash of the heavyweights – Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru.