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‘Didn’t expect to be back this early’: Tilak Varma's comeback lifts India's T20 WC mood

Tilak Varma made a remarkable comeback from injury, scoring a quickfire 45 off 19 balls in India's T20 World Cup warm-up win against South Africa. Expressing gratitude for his accelerated recovery, Varma credited the BCCI and CoE, feeling immense support from the crowd. The team's aggressive batting energy inspired his free-flowing play, signaling readiness for the World Cup opener.

17 minutes ago

Chris Lynn set for Northamptonshire return for next T20 Blast season

Chris Lynn set for Northamptonshire return for next T20 Blast season. (SOurce:T20 Blast) Seasoned batter Chris Lynn is set to return to Northamptonshire for the upcoming T20 Blast season, just a year after his blistering unbeaten century for Hampshire ended Northants’ Finals Day hopes. The Australian batter will rejoin the club in 2026, marking a familiar reunion at Wantage Road. Lynn previously spent two seasons with Northamptonshire in 2022 and 2023, during which he struck three T20 centuries and established himself as one of the most destructive overseas batters in the competition. Head coach Darren Lehmann had attempted to bring him back late in last season’s group stage, but Lynn had already committed to Hampshire. That decision came back to haunt Northants when Lynn smashed 108 not out against his former side in the semi-finals on Finals Day, knocking them out of the tournament. Hampshire would go on to reach the final, where they were beaten by Somerset. Lehmann has now completed Lynn’s return ahead of the 2026 campaign, with Northamptonshire confirming that South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke will no longer be available this summer due to IPL duties and international commitments. “It has been decided that having an overseas player with full availability in the T20 Blast will be more beneficial to the team as we look to push towards another Finals Day appearance,” the club said in a statement as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. Lehmann admitted the decision was driven by continuity and squad balance across the tournament. The Northants head coach believes Lynn’s return could be a major boost to their title ambitions. “We would've loved to have seen Matt back, but being able to have an overseas player with us throughout the whole tournament will hopefully help us keep a good rhythm and settled squad. We're all wishing him the best for the rest of the year,” Lehmann said. “We all know the class that Lynny will bring to the side. He's had a lot of success here, and we're hoping for more of the same this summer. His power and ball-striking is second to none, and he has the ability to take control of games very quickly," he added. Northamptonshire have been active in strengthening their squad ahead of the new season. In October, the club announced the high-profile signing of Nathan McSweeney in an all-format commitment. Louis Kimber has joined from Leicestershire, while Calvin Harrison’s loan move from Nottinghamshire has been converted into a permanent deal. Former Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple has also been added to the coaching setup as Lehmann’s assistant. Meanwhile, Ravi Bopara’s future at the club remains uncertain. The veteran all-rounder, who produced a standout century against Surrey in last season’s quarter-final, is yet to decide on another stint at Northamptonshire after his one-year contract expired.

39 minutes ago