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.
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.
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 2026 week one review: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma & Vaibhav Sooryavanshi shine
Five games into IPL 2026, a clear trend has emerged: chasing sides have won all five matches.
The superstars - Virat Kohli (69 vs SRH) and Rohit Sharma (78 vs KKR) - wasted no time stamping authority.
But the breakout story belongs to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
The 15-year-old sensation lit up the opening week with a sensational joint third-fastest half-century in IPL history, giving us a glimpse of what lies ahead.
Here’s Sports News Blitz cricket writer Himanshu Sharma’s team-by-team review after the opening round of matches.
IPL betting tips: Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Sunrisers Hyderabad preview
Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, March 28 to kick off the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
RCB, eyeing back-to-back titles, head into the tournament as one of the frontrunners in the outright winner market.
However, this shouldn’t be a comfortable opener for them against a power-packed Sunrisers Hyderabad, and offers potential early value for bettors.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma previews the opening fixture of the tournament and offers his best betting tips.
IPL 2026 preview: Team-by-team analysis, winner odds and predictions
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) returns on March 28, 2026.
In the lead-up to the IPL 2026, Sports News Blitz cricket writer Himanshu Sharma previews all 10 teams with a look at how the season could unfold.
The guide also looks at tournament winner odds, along with key stats and facts from previous IPL editions.
Cricket opinion: Top five uncapped Indians to watch out for in the 2026 IPL
With the 2026 IPL on the horizon, a lot of the focus will be on the many uncapped Indian players who garnered a lot of attention in the IPL auction.
Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal previews the top five uncapped Indians to watch out for in this IPL.
New Zealand vs South Africa 1st T20I betting tips - Back Black Caps to pip inexperienced SA
The dust has barely settled on the T20 World Cup 2026, and now the T20I internationals resume. New Zealand and South Africa are back in action in a bilateral series that may not carry the weight of a mega ICC event but still offers plenty of intrigue.
Here, Sports News Blitz cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma previews the fixture and offers his best betting tips.
T20 World Cup betting tips: India vs England – Two-time winners eye third title
The second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2026 pits India against England.
Having won two titles each, India and England now chase history as they look to become the first team to win three T20 World Cups.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma previews India vs England in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup.
Cricket analysis: Harry Brook’s coming-of-age innings for England
Promoted to No.3 for the first time, England’s captain played a blistering innings, sprinkled with a hint of newfound maturity.
If you want it done, do it yourself. Harry Brook took matters into his own hands by promoting himself to No.3 and smashing a 50-ball century to pull a sloppy England past an even sloppier Pakistan to become the first team to reach the semi-finals.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Sai Raghav Balakrishnan discusses Brook’s first T20I 100 against Pakistan in the Super 8’s.
T20 World Cup betting tips: India vs Zimbabwe - What to expect and players primed to shine
The T20 World Cup 2026 co-hosts India face Zimbabwe in a Super 8 fixture that feels like a knockout.
The Men in Blue are in a ‘no-slip zone’, while Zimbabwe arrive believing they can cause more chaos, writes Sports News Blitz’s cricket betting writer Himanshu Sharma.
Cricket news: Brilliant Brook takes England into the semi-finals after incredible century
England defeated Pakistan by two wickets on Tuesday, February 24, to seal a semi-final spot in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup.
Sports News Blitz writer Dejan Johal reviews the match and what this result now means for both teams.
Cricket opinion: Five players to look out for in England’s ODI series against Sri Lanka
With the 2025/26 Ashes series wrapped up, England’s attention has turned to the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the competition, the white-ball side led by Harry Brook will play three ODIs and three T20s against Sri Lanka, so which players are eyeing up a big tour?
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Jacob Howson looks at five potential key performers for England against Sri Lanka.
Cricket news: Time for change? Evaluating Brendon McCullum as England head coach
England’s rapid Ashes defeat in Australia has reignited debate over Brendon McCullum’s leadership and whether Bazball is delivering enough results at the highest level.
The ‘Bazball’ approach has undoubtedly transformed English cricket, bringing an exciting and aggressive brand of play. The question now is whether it has delivered the results many expected.
Sports News Blitz writer Jacob Howson offers his thoughts.
IPL 2026: Which players were sold for the highest fees in the 2026 auction for cricket's biggest franchise league
The Indian Premier League is gearing up for another blockbuster season of action in 2026, and the franchise has been spending big to prepare for the league’s start in March.
So, who were the players who sold for the biggest money at this year's auction? Sports News Blitz writer Joseph Ould takes a look.
From trailblazer to mentor: Roland Butcher on changing the face of English cricket
Roland Butcher’s story is one of resilience, trailblazing achievement, and deep love for the game. A former England international and Middlesex legend, he made history as the first black player to represent his country - a moment that changed English cricket forever.
Today, as a respected cricket speaker, Roland shares the lessons learned from a lifetime in professional sport, from overcoming barriers to building winning teams and nurturing future talent.
His insights reach far beyond the boundary, resonating with leaders, athletes, and audiences alike.
In this exclusive interview with the High Performance Speakers Agency, Roland reflects on his journey through cricket, the importance of representation, and what it truly means to perform at the highest level.
Cricket news: The arrival of the sport’s fourth format - Test Twenty
A bold new era begins as cricket introduces its fourth official format: Test Twenty - a dynamic fusion of Test cricket's depth with the energy of T20.
Unveiled today by sports entrepreneur Gaurav Bahirvani alongside icons of the game, Test Twenty is more than a format - it's a global platform and movement redefining the future of cricket.
Sports News Blitz looks at all the dynamics and impact of cricket’s newest inclusion.
England women’s cricket World Cup campaign marked by spin dominance and batting inconsistency
England’s women have had a topsy-turvy start to the women's cricket World Cup.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Oliver Shorland looks at three key talking points from the campaign so far.
ICC Women’s World Cup analysis: England Women chase fifth World Cup triumph; hotly contested opener against South Africa Women
England Women will look to bring home the ICC Women’s World Cup trophy for the fifth time this autumn as Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side kick off their campaign against South Africa Women on Friday, October 3.
The tournament is set to be a closely contested one, with plenty of challenging encounters that lie ahead.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Oliver Shorland analyses the England Women’s potential trajectory to a World Cup triumph and the key performers that will help them achieve it.