Sanjay Govil, an American tech billionaire, is ambitious. That’s probably not surprising given his business success, which has trickled into his passion of cricket where he is building a portfolio of T20 franchise teams that may expand into Australia down the track.

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Emerging batter Oliver Peake, touted as a future captain for Australia, will play in this season’s Major League Cricket after signing with San Francisco Unicorns.

Underlining the 19-year-old’s rapid rise and interest from abroad, it will mark Peake’s first foray into overseas T20 franchise cricket. Hyped for some time as a future star across formats, Peake captained Australia at the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year where he finished the tournament with consecutive centuries.

He last played in last month’s Sheffield Shield final where Victoria - who have a high performance partnership with the Unicorns - lost to South Australia. Peake’s fledgling career is most widely known for his last-ball heroics for Melbourne Renegades against eventual champions Perth Scorchers in a thrilling Big Bash League game in January.

Showcasing his ice-cool temperament amid a febrile Scorchers crowd, the left-handed batter skipped to the off side and lifted a full delivery from seamer Aaron Hardie - who ironically has also recently signed with Unicorns - into the terraces to ensure an upset victory for lowly Renegades.

Peake is tipped to make his international debut in the near future, most likely blooded in the T20 format at some stage.

“Through my time with the Victoria set-up, I’m well aware of the MLC’s growth and the Unicorns’ ambitions,” Peake said. “They’ve built a consistently strong roster with aggressive openers, classy middle-order batting, and world-class bowling attacks.

“I’m excited to be a part of a successful tournament this summer, as we aim to land our first championship at the Oakland Coliseum.”

Peake is the latest signing for Unicorns, who recently unveiled Indian legend Ravichandran Ashwin as the franchise transitions under new head coach Cameron White.

“Bringing in a player of Ollie’s potential to the Unicorns is a huge boost to our championship hopes for this season,” said White who has replaced Australian compatriot Shane Watson in the role.

“His form and experience as Australia’s age-grade captain and in the last BBL shows he has what it takes in terms of building an innings and boundary-hitting prowess.

“I look forward to working with him in the coming months.”

The Unicorns open their campaign in the MLC’s fourth edition against Los Angeles Knight Riders on June 19 in Dallas.

Cricket Canada have enlisted the star power of Indian movie star Sonu Sood and singer Mika Singh to help boost the sport’s profile in North America, each of them having become co-owners of a GT20 cricket team.

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Confidence is building over England ending a long drought and touring Zimbabwe ahead of next year’s World Cup in southern Africa, with Test and One Day Internationals hoped to be part of the schedule.

The countries have not contested a bilateral series in Zimbabwe since 2004. Their relationship has long proved thorny due to strained political ties during the latter years of the reign of Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe.

But relations have improved and they ended a 22-year Test hiatus last year with a four-day match at Trent Bridge. England and Zimbabwe have played just seven Test matches against each other, with only two in Zimbabwe - a 0-0 drawn series in December 1996.

There have been discussions over a possible bilateral series in Zimbabwe for some time between powerbrokers from both countries. Cricket Financial Journal understands there is a focus on a tour being organised ahead of the World Cup in October-November of 2027 which Zimbabwe will co-host with South Africa and Namibia.

If the tour does go ahead, an ODI series seems likely but there is a push for a Test match - probably a one-off match - to also be part of the tour. The likely venue for this historic match would be at Victoria Falls, named the Fale Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium.

There had been hope that England would visit for a one-off Test match as an extension of their tour to South Africa in late 2026-early ‘27. But England’s busy schedule before and after this tour makes it difficult to shoehorn.

There might be more incentive for England to play Zimbabwe in Test cricket if the World Test Championship expands to 12 teams for the next cycle beginning in July 2027.

Zimbabwe, along with Afghanistan and Ireland, would be added to the WTC if the proposal gets passed by the ICC board, which may happen this month as CFJ first reported recently.

Zimbabwe officials have been actively trying to encourage countries to stopover en route to neighbouring South Africa, with Australia to tour for a three-match ODI series in September.

Zimbabwe have a big season ahead with powerhouse India to visit for a T20I series, as first reported by CFJ.

Next year’s World Cup is providing a carrot for countries to organise bilateral series in Zimbabwe, with teams hoping to acclimatise to conditions. It comes at a time where Zimbabwe is growing a reputation as a major destination for cricket, both on-and-off the field.

A proposed reciprocal partnership between Cricket West Indies, the only Full Member nation in the Americas, and National Cricket League Canada (NCL) is hoped to help strengthen cricket’s footprint in an increasingly exciting region for the bat and ball sport.

CWI and NCL, the operators of the rejuvenated T20 domestic league in Canada, represent two of the biggest and most influential powerbrokers in valuable terrain for cricket, where the sport will make its triumphant Olympic return at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The collaboration includes advanced plans to formalise a strategic partnership focused on the development and growth of the Global T20 tournament in Canada, where CWI would take an ownership stake in the league and acquire a franchise if it all comes together.

Included in the discussions is the proposed integration of the CWI High Performance Centre to be constructed in Antigua, which would provide opportunities for Canadian player development, training and high performance support within the Global T20 structure.

Arun Agarwal, Chairman of NCL GT20 Canada, emphasised the broader impact in a market where immigrant communities, youth participation, and a rising professional scene have positioned the country as the sport’s next great frontier.

“Cricket’s growth in North America is no longer theoretical, it’s happening,” he said. “By creating opportunities for enhanced competition, opening access to high-performance training in the Caribbean, and building a true development pipeline, we are giving young players something that hasn’t existed here before, a clear, credible path from learning the game to playing it professionally.

“That’s how you build a sport that lasts.”

There is also the possibility of Canadian teams being part of future CWI tournaments. As the only Full Member - granted to 12 top nations who receive more funds, playing opportunities and power - in the Americas, the West Indies have an important role in developing cricket in a region highlighted by the US , the No.1 target market for the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“This is a pivotal and forward looking moment for West Indies and Canadian cricket. As the only ICC Full Member nation in the hemisphere, this collaboration promises tremendous mutual potential,” CWI president and ICC board director Kishore Shallow said.

“For Cricket Canada, it could very well be a defining moment for their cricket development. Equally important, Canada represents to CWI the kind of market that could have a significant impact on our commercial growth.”

Brijesh Patel, Commissioner of NCL GT20, said the “future of cricket in North America runs through partnerships like this one”.

“When you connect Canadian talent with West Indies expertise and enhance the competitive opportunities, you’re not just growing a league, you’re building a genuine development pipeline,” he said.

“That’s what turns a growth story into a lasting one.”

Discussions are set to continue.

A prospective investor in a potentially privatised Big Bash League has warned against radically transforming teams through renaming and rebranding as anticipation heightens over a decision that could dramatically alter the Australian cricket summer.

A decision on whether the BBL proceeds with privatisation is imminent, with an announcement expected this week.

While the future of Australia’s T20 domestic competition has been heavily debated by the state-based bodies, with some reservations being expressed, privatisation is expected in some form.

What exactly the model looks like - with perhaps a couple of franchises sold outright while others only partially - remains to be seen but the Australian cricket community has been bracing for change.

While a major focus for administrators has been on the financial distribution of privatisation, fans of the hugely popular BBL have been pondering whether their teams are about to dramatically transform and become almost unrecognisable.

Bedding down roots over the inaugural 15 seasons of the competition, the BBL’s six teams have distinct brands and become some of the country’s most identifiable sporting clubs.

But would privatisation force a rebrand? The Hundred in the UK, after a near billion-pound sale last year, might just be instructive with prominent changes including the Oval Invincibles transforming into MI London after Reliance Industries (Mumbai Indians) secured a 49 per cent stake.

Could BBL franchises similarly change names and team colours? Could a team be called the MI Sydney or Melbourne, for instance? Any such measures would undoubtedly cause widespread outrage. While it’s not usually wise to gauge sentiment over social media, there has been nonetheless considerable backlash from fans voicing those fears.

Prospective owners will have much to contemplate. But American tech entrepreneur Sanjay Govil, who is “100 per cent” monitoring the BBL developments, has no plans on rocking the boat if he becomes part of a new-look competition.

Montreal-born Govil is the owner of MLC’s Washington Freedom, which has a strategic partnership with Cricket New South Wales, and secured a 50 per cent stake in Welsh Fire as part of the Hundred sale.

“Not in my case,” Govil told Cricket Financial Journal in response to whether he would rebrand a BBL team. “There is a brand which has been built. People relate to that. We would want to maintain the culture and not just change it for the sake of it.

“Like in the NFL when teams are sold, the names and uniforms don’t usually change.

“It’s a historic thing. People associate themselves with the team and associate themselves with the past, right? And so for me personally, it’s critical that we maintain that fabric.”

Govil, who grew up in India before making his fortune in the US, has been monitoring the BBL developments with interest. A privatised BBL, especially appealing with Australia a traditional powerhouse in the sport, looms as a golden opportunity for cricket franchise owners to spread their footprint and build global brands.

“We’re very excited about the process and to see what happens,” Govil said. “Like what we’ve done with Wales, it’s important to have some local ownership, and to keep the local fabric and local culture. That’s very critical.

“If we were to be able to get a team in Australia, we want the same thing.”

Sweden clinched a resounding 7-1 series victory over Indonesia after a hard-fought 18-run win in the Bali Bash T20I finale.

Superbly defending their total of 166 for 8, Sweden bowled out the home side for 148 in the penultimate over to put the finishing touches on a dominant series. The triumph was made more significant because this was Sweden’s first tour outside of Europe and its first tour in Indonesia.

After winning the toss, Sweden elected to bat in the hopes of stemming Indonesia’s confidence following the home side’s breakthrough victory in game seven.

Stalwart Imal Zuwak and dangerman Ajay Mundra started fast but Sweden’s top-order was rocked by an invigorated Indonesian bowling attack. Mundra, Awais Amad, Zuwak and Wynand Boshoff trudged off within the first two overs courtesy of pumped-up seamers Ferdinando Banunaek and Gaurav Tiwari.

This left Zaid Ahmad and Yatharth Chauhan to claw the visitors back from near-total collapse, contributing two and three boundaries before the former was dismissed by Tiwari in the sixth over.

With Indonesia on a roll, Sweden briefly changed tack and opted for a more cautious approach but still managed to occasionally pepper the boundary.

Despite this, Chauhan was caught in the 12th over, giving replacement Saeed Ahmed a chance to rack up the runs with partner Avait Dhabe.

After steady batting, Dhabe was caught by Gede Arta off a delivery by Kadek Gramantika. The same thing happened to Ahmed two overs later, this time by Gede Priandana off a delivery by Danilson Howoe.

Sweden recovered in the backend thanks to a cavalier partnership by Zain Muzzafar and Zabiullah Zahid, contributing three sixes and a boundary to lift the visitors to a solid total by the end of their 20 overs.

In reply, opener Dharma Kusuma started with a flurry as Indonesia stormed out of the blocks. But he could not go on with it and fell in the third over to Avait Dhabe, who also dismissed Kavin Chadda for a golden duck with a terrific delivery that rattled the stumps.

Indonesia reverted to the defensive with Gede Arta and Gede Priandana holding firm, but they importantly struck big hits to restore their side’s hope.

Sweden’s bowlers kept piling on the pressure, which bore fruit in the ninth over with the exit of Arta.

His replacement Apriliandi Rahayu briefly rallied Indonesia, contributing two sixes and a boundary in the 10th over and giving Priandana space to bat steadily until he was caught by Wynand Bishoff two overs later.

Rahayu suffered a similar fate at the hands of Ajay Mundra off a delivery by Awaid Ahmad.

This left Twari and Sampath Kharvi to shoulder the burden of getting the home side over the line, which was made difficult after the latter was caught by Imal Zuwak in the 16th over.

Sweden’s accurate bowling at the death proved too much for Indonesia, who could only muster a single boundary and risky singles.

Indonesia’s brave chase and bid to finish a tough series on a high effectively ended when Zahid claimed Tiwari and Ketut Artawan in the 18th over.

Zain in the next over ensured Sweden’s brilliant tour was capped in fitting style after dismissing Gamantika and Banunaek, triggering scenes of jubilation for the 46th ranked team in T20I cricket.

Gallant Indonesia seemed to have finally found their rhythm in game five of the Bali Bash but it was not enough as the hosts crashed to a five-wicket defeat against Sweden, who chased down the 166-run target with an over to spare.

After once again showing off their prowess at chasing, Sweden clinched the eight-match T20I series after moving to a commanding 5-0 lead.

This victory was not easy, however, against a rejuvenated Indonesia desperate to break their drought. Indonesian opening batsmen Gede Priandana and Gaurav Tiwari proved to be a winning combination for the host team, setting the pace by scoring regular runs and easily finding the boundary.

Local fans could be forgiven for thinking that this was a different team from the despondent side of the previous matches, as Indonesia looked more relaxed and confident at the crease and stared down Sweden’s bowling attack.

Their steady performance came to an end in the 8th over, with Priandana caught by Imal Zuwak off Zaid Ahmad after contributing five boundaries to Indonesia’s tally.

Tiwari, now paired with Gede Arta, took their team to new heights, putting the pressure on the visitors with steady runs on the board and confident big hits which found their intended mark.

Sweden’s ever-alert fielding buckled under the pressure which gave Indonesia an even further lead, characterised by frequent wide balls and a drop catch in the 12th over.

Arta and Tiwari continued their hard-hitting campaign, which peaked in the 15th over with the former hitting three sixes.

Desperate to halt the attack, Sweden called on Zain to work his magic. He was successful and claimed Arta’s scalp in the 16th over.

Tiwari, proving to be the anchor of Indonesia’s batting, soon joined Arta in the next over.

Captain Danilson Howoe and Sudhakar Jegannathan had big shoes to fill but kept up the pace until two rapid-fire wickets by Zain Muzaffar in the 19th over had Howoe exiting the crease and his replacement Artawan was then bowled for a duck.

Jegannathan and Kadek Gamantika had the duty of seeing out the final over with Indonesia’s efforts tallying up to 165 for 5 after 20 overs.

Sensing the danger, Swedish opening batsmen Ajay Mundra and captain Imal Zuwak went on the offensive, finding the boundary with ease and giving their side a massive head start.

The cavalier partnership was highlighted by Mundra notching his half-century in the 6th over.

But all this came to an end in the 7th over after Zuwak was bowled by Dharma Kesuma off a superb delivery by Sudhakar Jegannathan.

However, Mundra’s attack continued with new partner Zahid Ahmad as Sweden reached one run shy of 100 at the halfway mark.

Seeing the game slipping with dangerman Mundra still in the middle, Indonesia stepped up its bowling which paid dividends in the 11th over after Ahmad was caught by Kesuma.

An injury scare for Mundra in the 13th over could have done what the Indonesian bowlers were hoping to do but instead Saeed Ahmed was dismissed for just 3.

Powering through determined Indonesian bowling, Mundra was finally caught by Gede Art in the next over but only after contributing a hefty 74 runs for the Swedes.

Yatharth Chauhan and Wynand Boshoff picked up where Mundra left off and continued to smash boundaries as Sweden closed in on victory.

Indonesia’s bowlers stepped up the pressure yet again, this time with Chauhan being run out by Kadek Gamantika in the 18th over as the batsmen tried to sneak another run into their scorecard.

With Swedish victory in sight, Indonesian captain Danilson Hawoe sought to limit the visitors but it was too little too late.

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Sweden have comfortably won the third Bali Bash T20 International match today by five wickets over Indonesia, motoring down the 136-run target with eight balls to spare.

After successfully chasing for the third straight game, the visitors now enjoy a commanding 3-0 lead in the eight-match T20I series.

Perhaps haunted by their losses in the first and second matches, Indonesia started their innings cautiously and characterized by defensive plays against probing Swedish bowling.

Indonesian opening batsmen Gede Priandana and Ketut Tember stood their ground a little too well, ensuring they toughed it out at the crease against dogged bowling but free-flowing strokes proved difficult.

The pressure was on the home side after Swedish bowler Zain Muzzafar delivered a maiden in the third over and continued to limit the batsmen’s ability to free the arms.

However, their cautious approach ended in the fifth over with Priandana stepping up and scoring a total of five runs and Tember sneaking in a single and topping it off with a morale-boosting six.

Sweden responded with increased pressure which claimed Tember’s scalp two overs later.

Kavid Chadda stepped up to the crease, giving Priandana another chance to boost Indonesia’s score which included two sixes and a boundary until he was caught by bowler Advait Dhabe.

Chadda’s hard-hitting contributions to this partnership included two boundaries and a six.

Priandana’s replacement Gede Arta only managed a single run before he too was dismissed by Dhabe in textbook fashion.

Chadda continued the charge with new partner Kadek Gramantika, who hit a six and a boundary in the 16th over before being caught by Zaid Ahmad off the hardworking Dhabe.

Indonesian captain Danilson Howoe had a short but memorable three-ball cameo, hitting a six before being caught by Yatharth Chauhan off the golden arm of Dhabe, who claimed his fourth wicket.

Chadda and new partner Ketut Artawan held firm until he too was caught by Chauhan, while his replacement Sampath Kharvi was out for a duck with Zaid Ahmad claiming his third wicket.

All that was left for Indonesia was to go the distance, which they achieved with Artawan and Anjar Tadarus lifting them to a total of 135 for 7.

But that score appeared inadequate, with Sweden starting their chase in aggressive fashion with Ajay Mundra hitting four sixes and a boundary within four overs.

Indonesian bowlers Gede Arta, Dhanesh Shetty and Ketut Artawan tried to halt their progress with mixed success, but finally got opening batsman and captain Iman Zuwak caught by Ferdinando Banuaek off Arta.

Zuwak’s replacement Darshan Lakhani fared no better, bowled by the rampant Arta two balls later.

Hungry to dismiss Swedens’s remaining opener, Indonesia switched to Anjar Tadarus to make it happen. But Kadek Gramantika claimed the vital breakthrough, with Mundra exiting the field after a considerable 60 off 32 balls.

However, Sweden continued their steady pace for the next six overs which got them in striking distance to the target until Banuaek caught Saeed Ahmed off the bowling of Gramantika.

The final wicket for Indonesia was batsman Yarthath Chauhan, who was caught by Danesh Shetty.

But it was only a matter of time before the in-form visitors continued their winning form as they gained a stranglehold of the series.

An expanded 12-team World Test Championship (WTC) and the Olympic qualification proposals may be endorsed this month with the International Cricket Council board potentially reconvening in person for its rescheduled meetings.

The ICC’s first quarterly meetings of 2026 were supposed to finalise a couple of big ticket issues that would have major ramifications for the sport.

But with the Iran war raging, the ICC board and Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC) meetings slated for March 25-27 in Doha were postponed. In its place were online meetings, but according to sources, they were mostly informal and did not touch on the pressing items that dominated discussions late last year.

As I first reported at the time, plans are afoot for an expanded 12-team WTC in one division after contentious plans to split nations into two tiers failed to gain widespread support.

Cricket Financial Journal understands there remains widespread support for the proposal, which would see Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland added to the current nine-team league for the next cycle starting in July 2027.

It is believed that the CEC has given approval, although there is still uncertainty over the sentiments of a couple of the more influential cricket countries.

Countries for some time have been discussing bilateral fixtures for the next Future Tours Programme (FTP). Teams will be expected to play a minimum number of Tests during the next WTC cycle, with one-off Tests likely to be added in a bid to incentivise bigger nations to play smaller countries.

A prime example is the push from Zimbabwe to entice nations to make a stopover when they tour neighbouring South Africa, with Australia doing so later this year albeit only for an ODI series.

A working group led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose had provided the recommendations after many smaller Full Member nations opposed a two-tier system, which has been a thorny topic for a long time.

While discussions over that issue are still set to be thrashed out at the next board meeting, the qualification process for the six-team men’s and women’s competitions at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics has all but been agreed upon.

As I first reported last year, the cricket competitions will comprise the top team in the regional rankings - Asia, Oceania, Europe and Africa - along with host nation United States, who would represent the Americas.

The final spot will be determined by a single global qualifier likely to be held in 2027 and feature the highest ranked eight teams who did not automatically qualify. Specific details will be shared at the next meetings.

Initially, the upcoming T20 World Cup was to determine the women’s Olympic spots but is now set to follow the same criteria as the men. The United States - ranked 16th in the men’s and 24th in women’s in T20Is - are likely to gain automatic spots amid debate over whether their women’s team would be competitive enough.

These decisions are hoped to be made before July’s annual conference in Edinburgh - a return to the Scotland capital after a decade. Final decisions are rarely made at AGMs, where the bigwigs from all over the cricket world rub shoulders but the whole thing feels more like a networking opportunity than where hard calls on weighty matters are made.

The Middle East conflict has caused logistical headaches with key ICC staff based in Dubai. In-person ICC board meetings are hoped to be rescheduled for later this month, with Bangkok touted as a potential location.

Sweden have secured a hard-fought four-wicket victory in a final over thriller against Indonesia in the first Bali Bash International match today, chasing down the 120-run target with three balls to spare.

In a dramatic opener of the eight-match T20I series, the visitors initially opted to field which gave Indonesia the apparent home ground advantage to rack up a big tally and they set the pace early in their innings.

Opening batsmen Gede Priandana and Ketut Tember sought an aggressive start to their partnership, however over-eagerness to hit hard and fast proved to be their downfall.

Both players were sent off the field before the end of the first over, the latter courtesy of Swedish bowler Zain Muzaffar on the third ball, while the former was run out by Wynand Boshoff on the fifth ball.

With the risk of an early collapse for Indonesia hanging in the air, batsmen Kavin Neeraj and Sudhakar Jegannathan changed tact, playing defensively and clawing back lost opportunities.

Swedish bowler Samiullah Rahmani put a stop to the successful duo, claiming Neeraj in the 11th over. He also made short work of his replacement Gede Arta, bowling him on the very next ball.

Indonesian captain Danilson Hawoe sought to keep his team’s hopes alive when he stepped out into the middle, but alas he too was no match for Rahmani’s prowess with the ball.

The risk of collapse was in the air again but was checked by the partnership of Sampath Kharvi and Jegannathan, the latter proving to be the anchor for Indonesian’s batting efforts.

Although Kharvi was caught by bowler Imal Zuwak in the 14th over, his batting replacement Ketut Artawan continued the fight alongside Jegannathan.

After a steady run of boundaries, singles and twos, Jegannathan’s number was up, caught by Sweden’s Yatharth Chauhan.

Next in the batting lineup was Anjar Tadarus, who did not even have a chance to make an impact, run out by Boshoff.

Despite a final rally, Indonesia’s remaining batting order quickly fell as Ferdinando Banunaek and Ketut Artawan both holed out as the home side was bowled out for 119 after 17.5 overs.

Chasing 120 to draw first blood in the series, Sweden decided on a more conservative approach to their innings with captain Imal Zuwak and Ajay Mundra opening for the visitors.

A steady accumulation of singles and a handful of boundaries helped the Swedes find their groove on the tricky pitch, but Mundra’s exit after a catch by Banunaek showed the dangers of getting too comfortable at the crease.

Awais Ahmad continued the partnership with his compatriot until he too was shown the door after solid fielding from the plucky Indonesian side.

Bowlers Danesh Shetty and Anwar Tardus kept Ahmad and Zuwak from scoring big until it was time for Indonesian captain Danilson Hawoe to try his luck in toppling his counterpart.

In a ‘captain versus captain’ 8th over, Zuwak pierced the field for two before smashing a boundary but his cameo ended when he was caught by Kharvi.

Sweden kept their cool for the rest of the innings, embodying the phrase ‘ slow and steady wins the race’ by continuing to score singles and twos, and only breaking out into boundaries when the opportunity was right.

Indonesia’s fielding continued to be solid and responsive, however it was not enough to halt the visitors from achieving their win with a huge blow for six off what turned out to be the final ball of an engrossing opening match.

A T20 cricket tournament for African nations is in the works, with a planned tri-series this year involving continental powers South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia set to launch the concept.

Cricket Financial Journal understands the proposal was part of discussions at the recent ICC Africa Regional Conference in Namibia. The vision is for a six-team ‘Africa Cup’ tournament involving the continent’s three best nations - Full Members South Africa and Zimbabwe along with Namibia, who are currently ranked 15th on the T20I rankings.

A qualifier would then determine the other three teams for an event hoped to eventually be held biennially. There had been talk of up to 10 teams competing, but six is likely to be deemed the ideal number. The first edition of an expanded Africa Cup is unlikely to be held this year.

Instead, a tri-series between South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia - the trio of countries who will host next year’s ODI World Cup - is hoped to be something of a soft launch. It is likely to be staged in August in Namibia, with the tri-series hoped to become an annual tournament.

The participation of Full Members Zimbabwe and, especially, South Africa, is seen as integral for the financial viability of an Africa Cup.

African powerbrokers have long tried to find ways to commercialise the sport with the focus centered on creating a marquee continental T20 event featuring South Africa and Zimbabwe.

There was a T20 Africa Cup played from 2022-24, but only involved Associate members before being paused due to sponsorship and financial challenges. African chiefs have looked on enviously at the money-spinning Asia Cup, a biennial tournament interchanging between the white-ball formats and underpinned by the highly lucrative contest between India and Pakistan.

Associate nations such as Oman and UAE have greatly benefited from playing in the Asia Cup and competing against Full Members on the big stage.

Other continents are trying to replicate the model with a tournament for European nations mooted albeit the England and Wales Cricket Board are reportedly reticent.

The focus in Africa is on establishing its own continental tournament after plans for a revival of the Afro-Asia Cup have stalled. As I first reported in 2022, there had been a push to reboot the cross-continental concept that was first played in 2005 and 2007 and saw Pakistan and India players teaming up for an Asian XI against an African XI.

But given cricket’s increasingly cramped calendar, especially for powerhouse India, finding space has proven difficult.

There is hope that a one-off match can at least be staged in the next few years. But it does appear unlikely, at least any time soon, given the tensions between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

It is hard to imagine players from those countries teaming up, but African chiefs are still keeping the proposal up their sleeve.

Cricket Canada will continue its successful Super 60 League for 2026 after positive feedback from fans and players during its inaugural event last year.

Teams play a turbo-charged T10 format where each side has 60 balls available to them instead of 120 balls under the more globally popular T20 format. The 2026 season will run from September 29-October 4, with matches being played at BC Palace Stadium in Vancouver, a hub for cricket in the Associate nation.

League partner Yuvraj Singh said he is keen to see the league grown and expand in North America. “After the success of last year’s season... we are even more eager to establish Canada Super 60 as a marquee event in the global cricket calendar,” said Yuvraj, the India cricket legend.

“It is a league that not only entertains but also creates meaningful opportunities for young cricketers, both men and women, from Canada to rub shoulders with some of the game’s greats.”

Cricket Canada president Amjad Bajwa said initiatives like the Super 60 league play a vital role in developing the next generation of Canadian cricketers. “The league is not only about world class competition but also creating pathways and opportunities for Canadian players to gain exposure at the highest level,” he said.

“It is equally important that communities across British Colombia and the west coast get the opportunity to witness some of the biggest names in cricket right here in their backyard.”

International participants who played in the 2025 event included the likes of Suresh Raina (India), Moeen Ali (England), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), Nick Hobson (Australia) and Imran Tahir (South Africa). The women’s teams included the star-power of Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia) and Sterre Kalis (Netherlands) in their ranks.

BC Place general manager Chris May said hosting the Super 60 for a second season showcases the venue’s ability to accommodate a growing number of sports in its facilities.

“The return on Super 60 reinforces BC Place’s growing role as a home for Canada’s cricketing community and its rich, joyful culture,” he said. “If last year is any indication, we can once again expect days of an electric atmosphere celebrating this global sport.”

The fastball is the single most effective tool in baseball and is responsible for more strikeouts than any other in the pitcher’s armoury. In volleyball it’s the spike, that downward hit executed with power and might, designed to prevent any kind of adequate response from opponents.

The three-pointer is basketball’s prime scoring shot nowadays. Many teams live and die by it and it is no coincidence that the team with the most championship rings in recent years - Golden State Warriors - has Steph Curry as its star player, the man regarded as the greatest three-point shooter in history.

In tennis it’s the serve that most players build their game around, and it is the serve that is considered most potent weapon in tennis.

In cricket it’s the outswinger. “Keep bowling those outswingers, Fred, and you’ll be all right. That’s the one that gets the great batsmen out.” Fred was the great England fast bowler and one-time record holder for the most wicket in Tests - Fred Trueman. The person addressing him was former England batter Maurice Leyland.

Leyland’s observation that the outswinger was the most challenging delivery a batter could face - the one most likely to get the “great” ones out - was not without foundation. Caught is, by far, the most popular method of dismissal in Test cricket.

According to the Howstat website, catches to the wicketkeeper (17.25%) and in the field (41.78%) account for almost 60% of the game’s dismissals. Of the catches taken by outfielders it is a safe wager that a significant number are taken off edges to slips and gully fielders.

Add that to those caught by the keeper and we can conclude that catches off the outside edge are the most common type of dismissal in Test cricket. And since the delivery which most facilitates this mode of dismissal is the outswinger, we can reasonably assume that the outswinger is the most effective delivery in the game.

It’s not difficult to appreciate the potency of the delivery from the fast bowler that seeks the outside edge of the batter’s blade. The delivery that deviates the other way and hits the inside edge has a more difficult task getting the batter out because there are a few obstacles in play.

“The ball swinging away from the bat,” according to Nathan Leamon and Ben Jones in Hitting Against The Spin: How Cricket Really Works, “is more dangerous than the ball swinging into the bat because the batsman’s pads offer a second line of defence to being caught or bowled when the ball takes or beats the inside edge.”

Leamon and Jones also inform us that “the ball that goes straight averages 29 against all batsmen in our sample. The ball that swings from right to left (as the bowler looks at it) averages 25 with one degree of swing. 21 with two degrees of swing, before rising a little with more swing.

“In contrast, the ball that swings a little from left to right averages 31.4, slightly more than a straight ball, then falls to 24 degrees with two degrees of swing.”

As Leyland pronounced, the outswinger is particularly useful in capturing top order wickets with the new ball. Jimmy Anderson has taken 708 Test wickets, more than any other fast bowler in the game’s history. In his autobiography - Bowl. Sleep. Repeat. - he tells us that “my stock delivery is an outswinger. I’m looking to swing the ball, as late as possible, away from the right-handed batsman.

“The later it moves the better chance of the batsman misjudging the ball and playing down a slightly wrong line. I’m trying to get batsmen out caught behind in general, either by the wicketkeeper or in the slips or from leading edges into the off-side if they are playing more expansively.

“The outswinger is the ball I’ve relied on the most to take those early innings wickets, but it also becomes the foil that every other ball is a variation and deception on.”

A decade or so ago a revolution in cricket was set in motion when a number of right-handed fast bowlers decided to attack left-handed batters from round the wicket. The left hander had a distinct advantage when facing the right-hand fast bowler, partially because most pacers, as we said, move the new ball away from the right-handed batter.

The left hander, up till then, mostly avoided the challenge that delivery posed because the ball from the right-hander is normally slanted across them. This means that left-handed batters hardly had to contend with the outswinger. But by going round the wicket the bowler is largely mimicking the right-hander bowling to the right-handed batter, in that they will often angle the ball in before shifting it away.

Bowlers like Stuart Broad and Kemar Roach profited enormously from this new tactic. The 2019 Ashes series, for example, saw Broad snatching David Warner’s wicket six times in eight innings. Previously, it was Warner who lorded over the pacer. Before the series, the batsman averaged over 65 against Broad. During the tour he reached double figures only once. That was, therefore, a new situation, a marked turnaround.

Left-handers had an easier ride for a long time. That good fortune was only halted when they were made to face more outswing. “God gave me the outswinger,” said Kapil Dev, the legendary India allrounder and one-time record holder for most Test wickets. “I had to develop the rest.”

Dale Steyn’s apparently got that gift as well. “Did you at any stage worry about losing your outswinger?” the South African was asked in an interview with The Cricket Monthly. “No, never,” he replied. “That is the biggest thing I have got: my away-swinger. Hopefully, it never goes. I don’t think about fast bowling a lot. I just do it.”

Steyn took 439 wickets from 93 Tests with an average of 22.95 and striking at 42.39. Of the bowlers with 200 Test wickets or more, only Glenn McGrath, Richard Hadlee, Curtly Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Imran Khan, Allan Donald, Fred Trueman, Pat Cummins, Joel Garner, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada have slightly lower averages.

Of that group only Rabada’s strike rate of 39.53 is lower that Steyn’s. Simply put, Steyn could arguably be, in the words of Trueman, referring to himself, “the finest fast bowler who ever drew breath.”

At his best, Steyn had an outswinger from hell. It didn’t veer a great deal. It swerved enough, however, to find the edge or to make batters thank their lucky stars that they missed it.

Outfitted with a new ball, and bowling to a righthander, Steyn could be darn near unplayable. It mattered not one jot if it were Tendulkar or Dravid or Ponting at the receiving end. They’d be aware they were in for a trying time, and that it’d require a sizeable portion of good fortune to survive.

The unfortunate batter knew what was coming: the ball would be fairly full; would mostly be lined on or about off-stump; and would curve away apparently very late in its flight. But knowing what was coming was one thing; playing it was quite another.

The length and direction were demanding on their own. The deviation often made playing it quite impossible.

Former Indian swing bowling master, Zaheer Khan recalled, on Cricbuzz Live, a conversation he had with Steyn. “Imagine you bowling just outswingers, can you just work out inswinger as well?”

Steyn unexpectedly replied that “he doesn’t have to because he wanted to protect the shape of his outswinger and he felt that if he works on his wrist position and somehow loses his outswing, then all the sting in his bowling is gonna go away.”

Steyn’s response was instructive. What he was saying was that he knew his outswinger was an invaluable asset and would do nothing to jeopardize its efficacy.

There have been some remarkable spells of outswing bowling that have embedded themselves in the memory. One was Matthew Hoggard’s spell against South Africa in the fourth Test at Johannesburg during their 2015 visit.

The England fast bowler often conjured up a devilish outswinger and in that game he put on a masterclass on the last day to bowl England to a stunning victory capturing 7/61 after snapping up 5/144 in the first innings.

The parabolic curve that all swinging deliveries make, according to former NASA scientist and aerodynamics expert Rabi Mehta, was beautiful to witness but problematic for the batters to negotiate.

It was a great exhibition. So too was West Indian pacer Franklyn Rose’s 7/84 vs South Africa in the third Test in Durban during the 1998-99 series. The hosts won the game comfortably, but Rose showed everyone what a force he could be if he could find his outswinger consistently. He bowled beautifully that second day.

There was one memorable delivery to mark Boucher: it touched down on a good length on or around middle and off stumps, only to shift past his defensive prod and uproot his off stump.

“It was,” Rose said afterwards, “the best ball of my career.” “There is simply no better ball to bowl at a new batsman,” wrote the late Bob Woolmer in Art and Science of Cricket, “than a fast outswinging yorker, or perhaps an outswinging half-volley on off-stump. This is a delivery that should be mastered by any bowler who wants to succeed in the game.”

And yet, as the cricket ecosystem changes and Test cricket fades while the game’s briefest format surges to the fore, we should probably expect to see less outswing bowling. As we have discussed, the outswinger is a wicket-taking delivery, and wickets are not as important in the T20 game where the main aim is limiting run scoring.

Furthermore, the bowler hoping to graze the outside edge of the bat will normally want to give the ball time to do its business by pitching it up.

Yet the pitched-up delivery is risky and is often smashed in the shortened game if it does nothing out of the ordinary. The outswinger, therefore, will likely not be the focus of opening bowlers, which means that its future as cricket’s most valuable delivery is uncertain.

Its demise will be sad for this great game.

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Fresh off a stirring run at the T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe are set for a bumper home season with powerhouses India and Australia to visit for white-ball series.

Cricket Financial Journal understands that reigning two-time T20 World Cup champions India will play three T20Is in Zimbabwe, possibly in late July. The series will see the teams lock horns once again following India’s must-win 72-run victory at the T20 World Cup, a comprehensive result that lit a fuse under their campaign.

Albeit a different format, the tour will be important preparation for India ahead of the next 50-over World Cup in 2027 which will be played in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia.

India have a busy schedule after the Indian Premier League with a one-off Test and three ODIs at home against Afghanistan in June followed by a white-ball tour of England and Ireland.

It will be India’s third visit to Zimbabwe in the last four years after a trio of ODIs in 2022 and a five-match T20I series in 2024. The countries, however, have not played Test cricket against each other since September 2005. It is believed there were no discussions between the boards over adding the Test format to the upcoming tour.

Zimbabwe will also tour India for three ODIs in January, their first for a bilateral series in the country since 2002.

The homestand looms as a financial windfall for Zimbabwe, a smaller Full Member nation, with Australia set to also tour for three ODIs in September. The ODI series will end an eight-year absence for Australia in Zimbabwe. Australia were part of a T20 tri-series, also involving Pakistan, in 2018 while they last played the 50-over format there in 2014.

CFJ understands that the Zimbabwe board pushed for a one-off Test to be included in the tour, but the request was rebuffed with Australia set to play around 20 Test matches in a 12-month span starting in August. Zimbabwe and Australia have only played three Tests against each other with the last two being in October 2003 and the only one in Zimbabwe was in 1999.

Australia will journey to Zimbabwe ahead of their Test and ODI tour of South Africa. In a bid to lure the power nations, Zimbabwe powerbrokers in recent years have been actively trying to encourage countries to stopover en route to neighbouring South Africa.

There is hope that England will visit for a one-off Test match as an extension of their tour to South Africa in late 2026-early ‘27. Fast becoming a destination for major cricket events, Zimbabwe officials hope that the country will play the trio of powers in Test cricket during the next World Test Championship cycle from 2027-29.

“It is a big boost for Zimbabwean cricket every time we play India, Australia and England,” Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told CFJ. “If we can play them in Test cricket, it will be a great opportunity for the players who can only improve when playing against the best and also rewards us for our efforts to keep playing Test cricket.”