Australia batter Travis Head will miss the first half of the ODI World Cup 2023 in India with his participation in the rest of the tournament also uncertain. A short delivery from Proteas seamer Gerald Coetzee struck on the left glove in the fourth ODI against South Africa last week. Head coach Andrew McDonald revealed that Head will miss the three-match ODI series against India beginning on Friday. He doesn't require surgery but the Australian selectors need to decide whether to carry him until his return or not.

Read Also: Most Wickets in Asia Cup 2023

Head's injury leaves the door for Labuschagne, who did not make Australia's 15-member provisional squad. However, the Test star put up a tremendous display in the ODIs against South Africa, finishing as the leading run-scorer.

Head Coach Andrew McDonald explained Head's injury and the solution ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023

"The timeframe is still a bit loose at the moment but the good news is he doesn't require surgery as it sits at the moment. There will be an extended period of time out and we've just got to weigh up whether that time (out) falls with an option to carry him through the front half of the World Cup," McDonald said.

"There's no doubt he won't be available for the front half, so that's a decision we'll have to make for the final 15. But I can't give you an exact time frame." The ODI World Cup 2023 will start from October 5.

"I can't talk on behalf of the selection panel and lock him away in the World Cup 15 but it's no doubt looking likely," McDonald added.

"We know Marnus is a quality player and he probably didn't have the 12-18 months in one-day cricket that he would have liked. But he's no doubt taken that opportunity with both hands and there's no doubt he'll be front and centre when it comes to that 15-man squad down the track," he further added.

In Head's absence, Mitchell Marsh is likely to open for the Aussies. Australia will take on India in Chennai on October 8 in their World Cup opener. The last date to make changes to the squad is September 28.

Cricket has always been a bridge across cultures, a phenomenon that connects players with fans from all around the world. Situations often force people to migrate from one country to the other. There have been instances when cricketers were born in different nations but ultimately played for a different country.

Let's take a look at the cricket facts of cricketers who didn't play for their country.

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Cricket Facts | Cricketers who didn't play for their country

5. Glenn Phillips (South Africa-born)

New Zealand cricket all-rounder Glenn Philips moved from East London, South Africa to New Zealand at the age of five. He pursued his education in New Zealand, where he began his cricket journey. Having made his domestic debut with Auckland, he signed with Otago to play alongside his brother, Dale Phillips, in 2022. Interestingly, he made his international debut against South Africa, the country where he was born.

4. Ish Sodhi (India-born)

Inderbir Singh 'Ish' Sodhi was born in Ludhiana, India, on October 31, 1992, and spent his early years in New Zealand. He made his New Zealand debut as a leg-spinner in 2013, and since then, he has been a reliable performer in limited-overs forms, contributing significantly to the country's T20 World Cup campaigns.

3. Devon Conway (South Africa-born)

After playing for Gauteng and the Highveld Lions, Devon Conway moved to New Zealand in 2017 and made an immediate impact. He was the leading run-scorer in both the 2018-19 Plunket Shield (659) and 2018-19 Super Smash (363). Conway became eligible to play for New Zealand in August 2020 and has since become a key player for them across all formats. He averages 36.72 after 27 Tests and has also made 36 ODI and 50 T20I appearances.

2. Marnus Labuschagne (South Africa-born)

Marnus Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp, in South Africa. His family moved to Australia when he was 10. Labuschagne made his Australia debut in Tests in 2018, after Steve Smith suffered an injury during the Ashes tour. Since then the prolific batter has emulated the batting prowess of his best friend and has not looked back. 

Speaking of his impressive international cricket career for Australia, Marnus Labuschagne has played 57 Tests, scoring 4396 runs with 11 centuries, and played 63 ODIs, scoring 1869 runs with two centuries. He has also played one T20I match.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

1. Ben Stokes (New Zealand-born)

Ben Stokes was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June 1991. His family moved to Cumbria when Stokes was 12 years old after his father was appointed head coach at Workington Town Rugby League Club.

Stokes has played for England in all three formats. Stokes is regarded as one of England's greatest all-rounders in the history of the sport. In domestic cricket, he represents Durham and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues around the world. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.

After the Champions Trophy 2025, India's target in ODI cricket will be the ODI World Cup 2027. In such a situation, know what is Team India's ODI schedule till the World Cup 2027. The Men in Blue have to play a total of 9 series in the next ICC ODI tournament, which includes 27 matches.

Apart from this, some more ODI matches can be scheduled near the tournament. So, know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till 2027 and when India will face which team.

Also Read: The Kohli Effect: Will Indian fans lose interest in Test cricket after Virat Kohli's retirement?

The ODI World Cup2027 will be held around October to December. Before this, the Indian team is going to play a lot of matches. India have to play 3-match ODI series against 8 teams. They will play series twice against one country.

India will play New Zealand twice

India will play Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka once each in the upcoming ODI series, while it will play New Zealand twice. Out of the nine series, India will play six series at home, while the rest will be held outside the country.

It will start with the tour of Bangladesh in August, which will be played this year. In October-November 2025, India has to play a three-match ODI series on its tour of Australia. South Africa's team will tour India in November-December.

India will host Sri Lankan team in December 2026

In January 2026, the New Zealand team will play an ODI series in India. After this, India has to play a three-match series against Afghanistan in June. In July 2026, Team India will have to play the same number of ODI series on its tour of England.

The West Indies team is scheduled to tour India in September-October. There will be an ODI series against New Zealand at home in October-November. India will host the Sri Lankan team for an ODI series in December 2026.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

Some IPL innings leave you speechless. The talented players in this tournament have taken the stage to another level with their explosive batting over the years.

Check out the entire article to know some names that will definitely shock you.

10. Suresh Raina (2014) | 16 balls

Suresh Raina is one of the players to score the fastest half-century in the early seasons of IPL. He took only 16 balls to reach his fifty, making it look super easy for the fans.

Raina was the opening batter for CSK and scored this in a match against PBKS in IPL 2024. The endless boundaries that came off his bat in this inning is hard to forget!

Other players who scored a century from 16 balls:

• Ishan Kishan (MI) - 2021
• Abhishek Sharma (SRH) - 2024
• Travis Head (SRH)- 2024

9 & 8. Jake Fraser-McGurk (2024) | 15 balls

Jake Fraser-McGurk, who played for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, stunned the spectators with his back-to-back fastest fifties in 2 matches. He scored both the fifties off 15 balls which is quite astonishing as it was his debut season.

McGurk’s consecutive fifties secured both the 9th and 8th position in top 10 fastest fifties in IPL history.

He proved to be highly impactful for DC and these half centuries against MI and SRH made him more impressive. Moreover, he smashed 330 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate above 200.

Read Also: Most IPL Finals: Teams with most final appearances in IPL history

7. Nicholas Pooran (2023) | 15 balls

The West Indies power-hitter, Nicholas Pooran, put up a shower of boundaries during his fastest fifty of IPL career from just 15 balls. He scored 62 runs (off 19 balls) in his knock, hitting 7 sixes and 4 fours.

Pooran had a strike rate of 326.32 which says a lot about the kind of mindset and form he was in during the match of LSG vs RCB. 

6. Sunil Narine (2017) | 15 balls

This superstar from the West Indies has never failed to amaze us, be it with the ball or bat. Sunil Narine showcased his exceptional batting skills with this 15-ball half century in IPL 2017.

Narine has played several crucial knocks for KKR in the history of IPL, but with this one, he proved how he is equally capable with the bat and can do wonders.

5. Yusuf Pathan (2014) | 15 balls

Yusuf Pathan scored a sensational fifty against SRH off 15 balls in IPL 2014. He single-handedly took the game home for KKR with his 72 runs off just 22 balls in this inning, with a strike rate above 300.

It shows that KKR indeed had some fearless power-hitters in their team throughout IPL history. 

Read Also: IPL Facts: Fastest Century in IPL History

4. Romario Shepherd (2025) | 14 balls

Romario Shepherd became the only batter in IPL 2025 to score a fifty so fast that could make its way to the top 10 fastest fifties in IPL. He helped RCB reach a 200+ total during the first inning against CSK, which was enough to be a defendable total.

Shepherd hit 6 sixes and 4 fours to score 53* off 14 balls. He was also given player of the match award for his spectacular knock.

3. Pat Cummins (2022) | 14 balls

Here comes a surprising half-century from the Australian all-rounder, Pat Cummins, who scored 50 off 14 balls for KKR in IPL 2022. He helped to seal the victory for his team against MI by 5 wickets (24 balls left). 

Cummins unveiled his boundary-hitting capabilities with 4 fours and 6 sixes, leaving the fans shocked. It is considered to be one of the finest knocks in IPL where he truly showcased his batting skills when needed.

2. KL Rahul (2018) | 14 balls

KL Rahul, who is now known for his calm and composed batting style, holds the second position in the list of top 10 fastest fifties in IPL history. Quite shocking, isn't it?

This was back in IPL 2018 when Rahul showed no mercy to the bowlers of Delhi Capitals with his magnificent fifty off just 14 balls.

He was the opening batter of PBKS, who kept the fans on the edge of their seats from the beginning of the inning.

Read Also: IPL Records: Youngest Half-centurions in IPL History

Yashasvi Jaiswal (2023) | 13 balls

An all-time shocker of an innings from Yashasvi Jaiswal, which remains unmatched till date! He scored fifty off 13 balls, making it the fastest half-century in IPL history.

Jaiswal scored a total of 98 runs (from 47 balls) in this match against KKR and led Rajasthan Royals to victory. He hit the ball out of the boundary line in every direction possible, and was barely seen running between the wickets.

This performance goes down the history of unbelievable knocks in IPL.

The ICC has officially announced that the Final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5th July. The news was shared during a special launch event at Lord’s on 1st May.

Alongside this major reveal, it was confirmed that the matches will also be played at other popular venues across England, including Edgbaston, the Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and the Bristol County Ground.

The tournament is set to kick off on 12th June and will run for 24 days, featuring a total of 33 matches leading up to the highly anticipated final at Lord’s. The complete match schedule is expected to be released soon.

Featuring a record 12 teams, the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be the biggest edition in the tournament’s history. With two more teams than the previous edition, fans can expect fierce competition as the world’s top sides battle it out for the title.

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Qualified Teams for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Four additional teams will join them through the Qualifier scheduled next year.

The 12 teams will be split into two groups of six for the group stage, followed by the knockout rounds and finals.

Official Statement

ICC Chairman Jay Shah opened up about the tournament, saying, "The confirmation of venues represents a defining moment as we build towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026"

"The sell-out Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women’s game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final."

"As we turn our focus to preparing for the tournament, we are excited by the promise of thrilling T20 action that will not only captivate fans here but also serve as a showcase for cricket’s return on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles 2028."

Legacy

Moving on from the most recent edition, hosted by Bangladesh in the UAE in 2024, saw New Zealand claim their first-ever title, defeating South Africa by 32 runs in the final.

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will mark the milestone 10th edition of the tournament, which began in 2009.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a 14-year-old prodigy from Rajasthan Royals, scored his maiden IPL century and the fastest IPL century by an Indian in just 35 balls against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. He now sits behind only Chris Gayle in the list of fastest century in IPL. Rajasthan Royals debutant batsman Vaibhav also became the youngest batsman to score an IPL century at the age of 14 years and 32 days.

Here's a list of the eight quickest centuries in the competition over the years.

Also Read: IPL records: Most consecutive away wins in IPL history

Fastest Century in IPL

8. Will Jacks | 41 Balls

Will Jacks, playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, smashed a rapid century in just 41 balls against Gujarat Titans in 2024. He hammered five fours and 10 sixes during his knock. With RCB needing one run to win with 25 balls remaining, Jacks hammered Rashid Khan for a six to bring up his maiden IPL hundred and seal his team’s nine-wicket win.

Jacks plundered 29 runs off Rashid in that over, the 16th of the innings, hammering the leg-spinner for four sixes and a four in five balls. With the 201-run chase ending in exactly 16 overs, RCB completed the fastest successful 200-plus chase in the history of the league.

7. Abhishek Sharma | 40 Balls

Abhishek Sharma etched his name in IPL history by scoring the seventh fastest century in IPL in just 40 balls in the 13th over of SRH's chase of 246, while playing against Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. The 24-year-old scored 141 off 55 balls, hitting 14 fours and 10 sixes. 

Abhishek started by hitting four fours off the first five balls he faced. He had a slice of luck on 32; he was caught at deep-backward point but the bowler, Yash Thakur, had overstepped. Abhishek rubbed it in by launching the next ball for a six. He brought up his fifty in 19 balls and comfortably outscored Travis Head in an opening stand of 171 in 12.2 overs. 

6. Priyansh Arya | 39 Balls

Nineteen-year-old Priyansh Arya of Punjab Kings has made a sensational entry into the IPL record books with a blistering 39-ball century against Chennai Super Kings at Mullanpur. The fearless youngster's 103 off 42 balls now stands as the joint-fifth fastest century in IPL history and the second-fastest by an Indian, surpassing legends like Virat Kohli and Murali Vijay on both overall and Indian lists.

Priyansh began the innings with a first-ball six and didn't let the fall of wickets at the other end disrupt his intent. He later smacked Matheesha Pathirana for three consecutive sixes and a four to bring up a stunning maiden IPL century in just the 13th over of the innings.

Also Read: IPL facts: Most wickets for Mumbai Indians

5. Travis Head | 39 Balls

Travis Head, known for his aggressive batting, scored a 39-ball hundred for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2024 season. His innings, filled with powerful strokes, helped Hyderabad post a massive total.

SRH and Head had already signaled their intent with a 277-run blitz earlier in the season. In Bengaluru, they went one better. Head had set the tone with a powerplay assault that saw SRH race to 76 for 0, bringing up his fifty along the way. By the time he was dismissed in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102, SRH had rocketed to 165. They eventually finished on 287 - the highest total in IPL history.

4. David Miller | 38 Balls

David Miller’s match-winning century off 38 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 is one of the IPL’s most iconic chases. Playing for Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS), Miller walked in when his team was struggling but launched an extraordinary counterattack, with 99 runs coming in the last five overs.  

It began with a flurry of boundaries off Vinay Kumar before he tore into RP Singh for 26 in a single over. With three runs needed and Miller on 95, he launched a length ball straight over the sightscreen to bring up his century in style. Miller hit seven fours and eight sixes to guide his side to victory in Mohali.

3. Yusuf Pathan | 37 Balls

Yusuf Pathan's 37-ball century for Rajasthan Royals against Mumbai Indians in 2010 remains third fastest century in IPL history. Known for his brutal hitting, Pathan turned the game around single-handedly, smashing bowlers all over the Wankhede Stadium. His knock included eight sixes and nine fours, but despite his efforts, Rajasthan fell short of the target.

Pathan teed off when Rajasthan Royals (RR) needed 143 off 57 balls to chase down MI's 212. He hit 54 off his next 11 deliveries, including three successive sixes off Ali Murtaza and 24 in the following over from R Sathish. The carnage continued as he brought up what was then the fastest century in the IPL with a towering six. He was run out the very next ball, leaving RR with 40 to get from 17 balls - a bridge too far in the end.

2. Vaibhav Suryavanshi | 35 Balls

Vaibhav Suryavanshi has rewritten IPL history by becoming the youngest-ever centurion at just 14 years and 23 days old, scoring a blistering 101* off 36 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Gujarat Titans. His century came in just 35 balls—the fastest by a player under 18 in IPL history.

Walking out to open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in Rajasthan Royals' (RR) chase of 210, Vaibhav hammered a bowling attack comprising Rashid Khan, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna to bring up the second-fastest century in the IPL. By the time Prasidh dislodged him with a yorker, he had hit 11 sixes and seven fours and set RR needing 44 off 49 deliveries. 

In a phenomenal display of batting, Suryavanshi took 26 off an Ishant over on the way to a 17-ball half-century, and then hit three sixes and three fours off Karim Janat's first over in the IPL. He reached his century with a six off Rashid, no less.

Also Read: Exclusive: "Do not call him a 'baccha', he will play T20s for India in two years," says Bihar head coach after Vaibhav Suryavanshi's historical IPL tonipl-ton

1. Chris Gayle | 30 Balls

Chris Gayle holds the record for the fastest century in IPL history, scoring a 30-ball hundred against Pune Warriors in 2013. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gayle’s explosive innings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium included 13 fours and 17 sixes, making it one of the most destructive T20 innings ever. He ended with 175* runs, the highest individual score in IPL history.

After a watchful first over, Gayle took 21 off Ishwar Pandey and 28 off Mitchell Marsh to bring up a 17-ball fifty. Aaron Finch's 29-run over only added to the charge and Gayle brought up his century in the ninth over. Of his first 103 runs, 98 came in boundaries.