The Lord’s Test has turned into a real thriller. India need just 134 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the series, while England require 6 wickets. Both teams will take the field on Monday for the final day in this highly intense situation.

Sunday, the fourth day, was full of drama. India bowled England out for just 192 runs in their second innings. England had resumed their second innings at 2 runs without loss, but Washington Sundar’s spin and the pace attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Nitish Kumar Reddy bundled them out in 62.1 overs.

Joe Root top-scored with 40 runs, Ben Stokes made 33, Harry Brook 23, and Zak Crawley 22.

That set a target of 193 runs for Shubman Gill and his team. Although the target seemed simple at first, India’s top order collapsed against England’s pace attack — losing 4 wickets for just 58 runs!

India’s chase began with early setbacks. Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck with the score on just 5. Then one by one, Karun Nair (14), captain Shubman Gill (6), and nightwatchman Akash Deep (1) also fell.

India ended the day on 58 for 4 in 17.4 overs after losing Akash Deep’s wicket late in the day.

After a seven-wicket loss in the first T20, Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka today in the second match of the series. The match will begin at 7:30 PM in Dambulla.

Sri Lanka already leads the three-match series 1-0. For Bangladesh, there is no alternative but to win today’s match—if Liton Kumar Das’s team loses again, they will lose the series with one match still to go.

Previously, Bangladesh lost both the Test and ODI series against Sri Lanka. If they fail to win the T20 series as well, the Tigers will return home empty-handed.

In the first T20, Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan Tamim gave Bangladesh a brilliant start. However, Liton, Towhid Hridoy, and others lost their rhythm shortly after.

As a result, the red-and-green team couldn’t post a big total. Today, the batters will carry the responsibility of keeping the series hopes alive. Bangladesh is currently on the back foot — winning this match is a must to stay in the series.

This is Bangladesh’s first full tour of Sri Lanka since 2017. During this one-month tour, players have also been allowed to stay with their families, so mental pressure or homesickness can’t be used as excuses. Yet, their lackluster performance on the field is evident. Despite the change in format, Bangladesh’s performance graph remains unchanged. After losing the Test and ODI series, fans now fear whether the T20 series will slip away too.

Ahead of the second T20, Sri Lanka’s fielding coach Upul Chandana made his team’s intentions clear in a press conference. He said they are aiming for an even better performance than in the first match. Chandana also expressed optimism about the Dambulla pitch, expecting it to be as good as the one in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka is confident, while Bangladesh is under pressure — this is the equation both teams will carry into today’s match. Meanwhile, the pressure on the field has spilled into the Tigers’ dressing room. How well things will normalize depends on Liton and his team.

Italy has made history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup. They secured their spot in the 2026 T20 World Cup alongside the Netherlands through the Europe regional qualifiers. This means the European team will appear on the World Cup stage for the very first time.

Italy created the possibility by defeating Scotland, and it was confirmed in their final qualifying match. They just needed to avoid a heavy defeat against the Netherlands to seal the coveted World Cup ticket. Despite losing the match by 9 wickets, Italy maintained a superior net run rate, ensuring their place in the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

They became the 15th team to confirm their spot in the tournament. Five more slots remain open from the Africa and Asia regions. These will be finalized in September-October.

The official dates for the 10th edition of the 20-team T20 World Cup have not been announced yet. Bangladesh, who finished among the top seven in the last edition, has already qualified for the main event without having to go through the qualifiers

Was it on a day like this that Shakib had to storm through with bat and ball? While the Bangladesh national team is struggling in Sri Lanka, far away in Guyana, Shakib is single-handedly carrying Dubai Capitals. With the bat, he hits a four off the very first ball with a reverse sweep; with the ball, he takes a wicket with his first delivery.

After an unbeaten 58 with the bat, he grabs 4 wickets with the ball! As if to declare — at 38, there’s still no one in Bangladesh who matches my caliber.

When Shakib came to bat, Dubai Capitals had lost 3 wickets for 58 runs. He immediately collected 4 runs from a reverse sweep on the first ball. As wickets started tumbling at the other end, he played the role of the anchor. But it didn’t take long for him to shift gears.

Shakib’s batting may no longer have the same sparkle as before. And on Guyana’s slow pitch, fluent batting is tough. But Shakib’s experience, his cricketing intellect, knows exactly how to bat here. His unbeaten 58 came off 37 balls with 7 fours and a six — a strike rate of nearly 157. He guided the team to 165 runs.

Then came the “Shakib Show” with the ball. It was expected, really. No matter how long he stays away from cricket, Shakib rarely loses his bowling edge. The pitch also offered assistance to spinners. And of course, Shakib was going to weave his magic.

A wicket off the first ball. A double-wicket maiden in the very first over. His bowling figures at the end of the match? 4 overs, 1 maiden, 13 runs, 4 wickets. With both bat and ball, he led the team to a 22-run victory.

And after such a performance — do we even need to ask who was the Man of the Match?

The equation for Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s team to qualify for the World Cup is becoming increasingly difficult. The 2027 ODI World Cup will feature 14 teams.

As host nations, South Africa and Zimbabwe are already confirmed participants. Among the remaining 12 teams, the top eight will directly qualify for the main tournament. The other four teams will have to go through a qualifying round to secure their spots.

Following the ODI series loss against Sri Lanka, it has become a major challenge for Bangladesh to finish in the top eight of the points table. So far, the Tigers’ position is concerning. If they fail to perform well in the upcoming series, securing a World Cup ticket will be extremely difficult for Mehidy Hasan Miraz and his team.

Bangladesh’s crucial mission begins this October, with a three-match ODI series at home against the West Indies. In November, they will face Ireland in another series. Then in April next year, Bangladesh is scheduled to play three ODIs against Pakistan on Pakistani soil.

After that, there are also plans to play ODIs against New Zealand. A series against Australia is likely to take place in June. Altogether, Bangladesh is set to face a series of important matches against strong teams.

However, the biggest opportunity seems to be the potential five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe in July next year. As Zimbabwe is a relatively weaker opponent, a big series win could help Bangladesh climb the rankings significantly. Additionally, Bangladesh is planning to play against Ireland and South Africa as well.

But if they fail to perform well in these upcoming series, the Tigers may have to take the qualifier route to reach the 2027 World Cup. To qualify directly, a team must be among the top eight in the ODI Super League or equivalent rankings by March 31, 2027. Therefore, Miraz and his team must improve their standing within this timeframe.

The upcoming series are not just regular bilateral series anymore—each match is becoming a battle for a World Cup ticket. Bangladesh’s fight for qualification begins with the series against the West Indies.