India booked their place in the final of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after defeating England in a high-scoring semi-final. Meanwhile, Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi announced his retirement from international cricket, and the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) revealed the squads for the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
Here is a look at five major cricket developments from Thursday, March 5.
Pakistan Retains Leadership Core Until 2027 World Cup: Report
According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to keep the current leadership structure in place until the 2027 ODI World Cup. As part of this decision, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi will continue as Pakistan’s ODI captain through the tournament scheduled to be held in South Africa.
Agha Salman will remain the T20I captain despite Pakistan’s disappointing performance at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. Mike Hesson is set to continue as the team’s white-ball head coach, while Sarfaraz Ahmed has been appointed as the national team’s Test coach.
West Indies Cleared to Return Home, Says Coach Sammy
The West Indies team, who had been stranded in India following their exit from the T20 World Cup amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, have now received clearance to travel home.
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According to a report, the squad is expected to leave on a direct charter flight to Antigua within the coming days.
Mohammad Nabi Announces International Retirement
Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi has reportedly confirmed his retirement from international cricket.
The 41-year-old, who made his international debut in April 2009, is Afghanistan’s most capped player. Over his career he featured in three Tests, 176 ODIs and 152 T20Is.
Although he recently represented Afghanistan in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Nabi is expected to conclude his international career after the team’s upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka in the UAE later this month. He has been included in Afghanistan’s ODI and T20I squads for that series.
Ibrahim Zadran Named Afghanistan’s T20I Captain
The Afghanistan Cricket Board has appointed Ibrahim Zadran as the new T20I captain. He will replace Rashid Khan for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka after Afghanistan’s group-stage exit from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will continue to lead the side in ODIs as the ACB confirmed the 15-player squads for both formats ahead of the Sri Lanka series in the UAE.
India Beat England to Reach Final
India secured a narrow seven-run victory over England in the second semi-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup in Mumbai.
Batting first, India posted 253/7 in their 20 overs, powered by Sanju Samson’s 42-ball 89 and valuable contributions from Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma.
England’s response was led by Jacob Bethell, who struck 105 from 48 deliveries, but the team finished on 246/7. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah delivered key spells as India sealed the win.
The hosts will now face New Zealand in the final later this weekend in Ahmedabad.
