![Babar Azam and Shubman Gill [Source: @sujeetsuman1991, @CricCrazyJohns/x]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1769097758731_BabarAzamandShubmanGill.jpg?type=hq)
Babar Azam and Shubman Gill [Source: @sujeetsuman1991, @CricCrazyJohns/x]
Babar Azam has opted himself out of the BBL 2025-26 finals for Sydney Sixers to join the Pakistan team. Shubman Gill flopped with a duck on his return to domestic cricket for Punjab. In other news, the Bangladesh team has decided to boycott the 2026 T20 World Cup after the ICC refused to fulfil their demands.
Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Thursday, January 22.
Babar Azam opts out of BBL 2025-26 finals to join Pakistan
Senior Pakistan batter Babar Azam has opted himself out of the remainder of the BBL 2025-26 finals for the Sydney Sixers. The cricketer will now be travelling back to Pakistan to commence preparation for their upcoming international matches, which includes a T20I series against Australia and next month’s 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Babar Azam had an underwhelming BBL 2025-26 season for the Sydney Sixers. Playing his maiden BBL season, the legendary right-handed batter managed to aggregate just 202 runs in 11 innings at a below par average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06. He was also dismissed for a two-ball duck in this week’s qualifier match against Perth Scorchers.
Bangladesh boycotts T20 World Cup 2026 after ICC refusal
In a significant development, the Bangladesh government and the BCB have reportedly decided to boycott the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup overall after the ICC refused to relocate their matches to Sri Lanka from India.
Earlier, the BCB had refused to send the Bangladesh team to India for the tournament citing “security concerns”, making the sudden announcement after the BCCI urged the KKR franchise to expel senior fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad. With Bangladesh’s impending exit, the Scotland cricket team will be replacing them at the showpiece event.
Titas Sadhu out of WPL 2026, Giants name Kalita as replacement
Indian fast bowler Titas Sadhu has been ruled out of the remainder of the WPL 2026 season owing to an injury. The Gujarat Giants Women’s franchise has now named fast bowling all-rounder and former Mumbai Indians cricketer Jintimani Kalita as her replacement.
It is worth noting that Titas Sadhu did not feature in a single game for the Giants this season. She was roped in by the franchise for a sum of Rs. 30 lakhs at the WPL 2026 mega auction a couple of months ago.
CSA recall Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs for injured Zorzi, Ferreira
South Africa batters Tony de Zorzi and Donovan Ferreira have been officially ruled out of the upcoming three-match home T20I series against West Indies, and from next month’s 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Both cricketers were excluded from the squad owing to their respective injuries.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has now named Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs as their respective replacements. Senior batter David Miller has also been replaced by Rubin Hermann for the West Indies T20I series owing to his adductor muscle injury. However, Miller might play the T20 World Cup 2026 next month if he clears a fitness test in the coming days.
Shubman Gill flops on Punjab’s Ranji Trophy 2025-26 return
Indian Test captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for just a two-ball duck on his return to domestic cricket for Punjab. Batting at number five in Punjab’s penultimate Elite Group B match of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season in Saurashtra, the senior Indian cricketer got trapped plumb in front of stumps by Parth Bhut.
The match also marked Shubman Gill’s return to red-ball cricket after a gap of a couple of months, considering the skipper got injured on Day 2 of India’s series-opening Kolkata Test against South Africa last November.
