Pete Merrell

@AzzurriLFC For pulling out of the IPL? So the players pulling out of PSL for IPL is fine, Thakur pulling out of County Championship yesterday for IPL, again that’s fine? Pot and kettle and all that. Always to BCCI’s agenda…

England players are unprofessional, end of story. A majority of them anyway.

@CricketCentrl They are fully aware, they know that’s an outcome, and still do it. They don’t care. The IPL is just a payday, players are thinking more about their international careers than franchise cricket. No humbling there.

🚨 BCCI HUMBLED BEN DUCKETT 🚨 Ben Duckett thought he could just walk away like players do in the PSL. But the BCCI humbled him real quick, reminding him this isn't the PSL—withdrawing here gets you banned. Now, the BCCI has slapped Duckett with a 3-year ban.

@sarkarstix Pot and kettle comes to mind…

Ben Duckett’s last-minute withdrawal from the IPL is not just a “difficult personal decision,” it’s a serious breach of professional commitment that undermines the very structure of franchise cricket. When a player enters the IPL auction and is picked by a franchise like Delhi Capitals, it sets off months of planning, strategy, and resource allocation. Pulling out at the eleventh hour disrupts team balance, forces last-minute scrambling, and disrespects both the franchise and its fanbase. Yes, international cricket is important but that cannot become a convenient excuse to walk away from signed contracts whenever it suits individual priorities. If players are allowed to opt in and out of the IPL at will, it sets a dangerous precedent that weakens the league’s credibility and operational integrity. The IPL and BCCI must take a firm, uncompromising stance here. This isn’t just about one player, it’s about protecting the sanctity of the tournament. A strong deterrent is essential: a multi-year ban from the IPL, and serious consideration of restricting participation in bilateral series involving India, must be on the table. Professional sport runs on accountability. You cannot enjoy the benefits of the IPL ecosystem and then abandon your obligations without facing consequences. If the league wants to maintain its global stature, such actions cannot go unpunished.

@BBCWiltshire Won’t solve all the problems, but why is there some congestion past Stonehenge? People slowing down to look or take pics of Stonehenge. Why not construct a fence tall enough to prevent drivers from seeing it? I’m sure that’s a fraction of the cost…

Planning consent revoked for Stonehenge tunnel bbc.in/4rGMOQC

@TheBarmyArmy Test is best. Next question.

A straight up question for a Tuesday morning. What is best - T20, ODI or Test?

@bhogleharsha Because they can’t bat like this outside of India?

Truly, India is the home of the modern T20 game.

Anyone prefer to have watched some @CountyChamp instead of the farce that is this #T20WorldCup2026final? Bring on the new season! Can’t wait to get to a number of county grounds this summer.

@MichaelVaughan They are fairly unbeatable at home (NZ in recent bilateral series…) but yes would like to see them play on neutral wickets where they can’t tell the ground staff what kind of pitch to produce…

India are the best T20 team by a good distance .. Plus the best 50 over team by a good distance .. they will take some stopping in white ball cricket .. but you can get them in Test cricket .. 👍

@awaicc_17 Because it’s unacceptable for India to not win a home tournament…so naturally they have to fix the pitches

Before the SA defeat: 5M → 1 score above 200 After that loss: •199 in 19 •253 •254 •Today: almost 270 What exactly happened? Please, someone explain me how does a team struggle to score 200, then suddenly smash 250+ against every top team like it’s nothing?

@IndiaExplained More commentators need to call out the ICC and BCCI for what they are. ICC tournaments are dull. India didn’t like pitches for group stage, plus lost to SA, so had to talk to the curators to get pitches they could win comfortably on. I’d like to see India dominate outside India.

Nasser Hussain is one of the few cricket commentators with the spine to criticize the ICC. The others are toadies like Gavaskar and Bhogle who have opinions on everything but mum on the ICC to keep getting their cheques.

@Alasdair333 As always, it’s a farce of a tournament when India are hosting. If it was any WC final that didn’t have India playing, I’d happily watch the final. Not interested watching India. It’s just a show of how much money they have, or here’s how sore losers we are, so fix the pitches

Absolutely pointless T20 World Cup final again, normal Indian monopoly ruling over the world of cricket, one challenging pitch and the USA give them the scare of their life to its flat pitches and boring cricket for the rest of the tournament, boring and pointless 👍

@BoothCricket @rs_3702 They’re not called the Indian Cricket Council for nothing!

Can India be "offered" a pitch in a tournament run by the ICC? And, yes, I'll cry more.

@mroller98 It seems you hit a nerve there Matt with some of a certain fanbase…🤣

One of the world's most lucrative sports leagues starts in a month and the schedule hasn't been published. This sort of thing is so commonplace in cricket that it is easy to ignore just how mad it is.

@MILondonCricket Well that woke all the Indian keyboard warriors up! 🙄 Yes, I know India generate a lot of revenue for world cricket, I’m not that naive; but to think that world cricket will cease without Indian involvement is equally naive…but continue thinking you’re the centre of everything!

MI London is committed to ensuring The Hundred is a competition that it is inclusive, welcoming and open to all. Players must not be excluded on the grounds of their nationality. Alongside the other seven teams, we commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team. #MILondon 💙💚

@AjayJadeja171 British company therefore follows British employment law. In short - it’s illegal. They can do what they want in India, not in the UK.

Why should the ECB act on this? Franchise owners own the franchise - therefore, they are entitled to select whichever players they want 👍 BTW, everyone saw the performances of Pakistani players in BBL 2025-26, they literally played like Tuk-tuk 😅

@bbctms If only there were British laws against that from happening… 🤔think the courts should get involved with this one…

A number of sources have told the BBC that Pakistan cricketers are not being considered by Indian-owned sides for next month's Hundred auction. Players from Pakistan have not featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 because of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Four of The Hundred's eight franchises - Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave and Sunrisers Leeds - are now at least part-owned by companies that control IPL teams. None of the four teams or ownership groups in question responded to requests for comment. Read more: bbc.in/3OA7c7U

@ClinkWrites The hell is wrong with people? Well done (some) India fans…bunch of jokers 🙄🤦‍♂️

Max O'Dowd on his dropped catch: “Should have taken it, but some stick, some don’t. Was quickly forgotten” He even deleted his social media, “Lot of things were said that shouldn’t have been. Obv, Indian fans were quite angry.” (Malhar Hathi) Stay strong, Maxi, love you! 😢🧡

@ragav_x And the stands look very empty…

Whether it was BCCI’s 1080p cameras or ICC’s 4K cameras, nothing could survive Delhi’s pollution. The broadcast looking very hazy :(

So…India can only fill stadiums when India are playing when hosting world tournaments? Goodness me, I am shocked at this very new development…they must not have many @ICC tournaments scheduled to host? Oh… 😬

Fix your own dumpster fire 🇮🇳 before barking at 🇵🇰 #INDvPAK