Cricket News Today: Abhishek Sharma No. 1, India Women Sweep, WPL Auction

India Women Sweep Zimbabwe Series 3-0 Behind Vaishnavi Sharma's Five-Wicket Haul

India Women sealed a 3-0 ODI series sweep over Zimbabwe Women with an eight-wicket win in Vadodara. Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, aged twenty, claimed 5 for 39 to bundle Zimbabwe out for 131. The performance made her the second-youngest Indian woman to take an ODI five-wicket haul.

Chasing 132 for victory at the BCA Stadium, India reached the target in 17 overs. Unbeaten half-centuries from Pratika Rawal, who scored 59, and Shafali Verma, who made 51, comfortably guided the hosts across the finish line.

Why it matters: It highlights India's dominant bench strength and showcases young talent like Vaishnavi Sharma in the 50-over format.

Sophie Molineux Headlines Signings at WPL 2027 Mini-Auction in Kochi

The Women's Premier League 2027 player mini-auction at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi saw five franchises fill 25 of 27 vacant spots with a total spend of ₹6.25 crore. Australian captain Sophie Molineux topped the bidding, moving to UP Warriorz for ₹1.1 crore after a tussle with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Among other major signings, Delhi Capitals bought India batter Kiran Navgire for ₹75 lakh. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen for ₹40 lakh, while Mumbai Indians acquired six domestic players to round out their squad.

Why it matters: It sets the squad compositions and major player combinations for the upcoming 2027 Women's Premier League.

Abhishek Sharma Reclaims ICC Men's T20I No. 1 Ranking and Breaks Sixes Record

Abhishek Sharma has regained the world No. 1 position among men's T20I batters in the latest ICC rankings, securing 897 rating points. His batting display against New Zealand helped him climb back up and displace his India teammate Ishan Kishan, who slipped down to third place after being sidelined by injury.

Along with reclaiming the top spot, Sharma established a new international milestone by reaching 85 sixes in 2026. This took him past Rohit Sharma's previous Full Member record of 80 sixes in a single calendar year following his recent blitz against New Zealand.

“The innings was enough to see the left-hander displace teammate Ishan Kishan and move back into the No.1 spot for T20I batters”

ICC

Why it matters: It confirms Abhishek Sharma's status as the world's leading T20I batter and a record-breaking power-hitter for India.

Prasidh Krishna Ruled Out of New Zealand ODIs with Hamstring Injury

Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out of India's five-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on November 4. Krishna is presently rehabilitating from a left hamstring injury at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.

Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi is in line to take Krishna's spot in the 50-over squad. The national selection committee and team management have opted to prioritize Krishna's full recovery so that he is ready for the upcoming two-match Test series.

Why it matters: India must adjust their pace attack for the New Zealand ODIs while managing Krishna's fitness for the Test series.

Yastika Bhatia Joins Brisbane Heat as WBBL|12 Replacement for Jess Jonassen

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has joined the Brisbane Heat for the full WBBL|12 campaign. She comes into the squad as a direct replacement for Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen, who was ruled out of the competition because of a hip injury.

Bhatia, who previously played for Melbourne Stars in WBBL|10, is the only Indian player competing in the tournament this season. She will miss Brisbane Heat's tournament opener to complete India's ODI series against Zimbabwe before traveling to Sydney to join her new teammates.

“Being able to sign such a quality, experienced international player so close to the tournament is a great boost for us.”

Mark Sorell

Why it matters: It provides Yastika Bhatia with overseas league experience as the sole Indian representative in WBBL|12.

Marco Jansen Displaces Ravindra Jadeja and Mitchell Starc in ICC Test Rankings

South Africa's Marco Jansen has risen to the top of the ICC Test all-rounder rankings, ending Ravindra Jadeja's four-year reign at No. 1. Jansen also replaced Australia's Mitchell Starc to become the world's top-ranked bowler in Test cricket following his recent performance in Gqeberha.

In the T20I batting rankings, India opener Abhishek Sharma climbed back to the world No. 1 position after scoring a 35-ball century against New Zealand in Wellington. He overtook teammate Ishan Kishan, who dropped down the list.

Why it matters: The changes end Jadeja's multi-year streak atop the Test all-rounder table and highlight Jansen's dual rise in Test cricket.

Chennai Super Kings Decide Against Appointing Batting Coach for IPL 2027

Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed that the franchise will not hire a dedicated batting coach for the IPL 2027 tournament. The move follows a broader restructuring of the backroom staff under incoming head coach Zaheer Khan, who has replaced Stephen Fleming.

Newly appointed assistant coach Gareth Batty is being considered to take on dual responsibilities as a batting mentor. The change comes after the departures of longtime batting coach Michael Hussey, bowling coach Eric Simons, and fielding coach Rajiv Kumar from the coaching staff.

“Our coaching staff is complete. Whoever we announced yesterday will form our backroom team; we will not have a batting coach.”

Kasi Viswanathan

Why it matters: It signals a tactical and coaching shift for CSK ahead of IPL 2027 under new head coach Zaheer Khan.

Australia Edge Ahead of South Africa on Day 2 of Deciding Cape Town Test

Australia closed Day 2 of the third and deciding Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town at 330 for 4, taking a one-run first-innings lead. Earlier in the day, the hosts were bowled out for 329, with South Africa's Marco Jansen securing his 100th Test wicket.

Australia recovered through half-centuries from Matt Renshaw, who made 74, and Cameron Green, who scored 65. Josh Inglis with an unbeaten 85 and Alex Carey with 51 not out then shared an unbroken 145-run partnership to guide Australia past South Africa's total before stumps.

Why it matters: The hard-fought lead sets Australia up well in the series-deciding Test match in Cape Town.

ICC Fines Haris Rauf Match Fee for Code of Conduct Breach Against England

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf received a 20 percent match fee fine and one demerit point from the International Cricket Council for an incident during an ODI against England in Lahore. Rauf was found guilty of breaching Article 2.2 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

The sanction occurred after Rauf disputed an umpire's wide decision and moved aggressively toward England all-rounder Will Jacks while raising his bat. Rauf admitted to the breach and accepted the sanction handed down by match referee Jeff Crowe, avoiding a formal hearing.

Why it matters: It highlights ICC disciplinary actions for on-field confrontations and dissent during international matches.

Ranji Trophy Day 3: Musheer Khan Hits Rare Double as Tamil Nadu Claim Outright Win

Round 3 of the 2026–27 Ranji Trophy saw Mumbai all-rounder Musheer Khan register a century on Day 1 and follow it with a six-wicket haul against Haryana on Day 3. He became the sixth Mumbai cricketer to record a hundred and take five wickets in an innings in the same first-class match.

Elsewhere, Tamil Nadu wrapped up a five-wicket outright victory over Railways. Mohammed Shami helped Bengal bowl out Kerala for 141 to establish a 209-run first-innings lead, while a maiden century from Aneeshwar Gautam put Karnataka in command against Tripura.

Why it matters: It tracks key performances and domestic milestones across India's premier first-class championship.