The five-day tournament runs from January 12 to 16 and is being hosted in Western Australia, with matches played across Perth and Mandurah.

The Australian all-rounder was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹25.2 crore (about A$4.2 million) after a spirited bidding contest with Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

Afridi, playing his first BBL game, conceded 0-45 from just 2.4 overs before the umpires deemed him a danger to the batsmen.

Mitchell Starc’s world-record wicket tally may headline the Ashes, but the story behind the story begins years earlier in a suburban schoolyard, where a teenage keeper met the Indian heritage coach Neil D'Costa who changed his life.

As the series moves south, the equation is simple: one more win secures the urn. After Brisbane, it is hard to argue that Australia aren’t already halfway there.

“Sport can be used to address social issues such as family violence, discrimination and social cohesion,” particularly for diverse communities.

The Commonwealth Games are among the world’s largest multi-sport competitions, seen as one of the biggest after the Olympics and the Asian Games.

The team delivered a composed and disciplined performance in the final, defeating Taiwan 35–28.

The two countries already share strong sporting ties, especially in cricket and hockey, and have used major tours and series as high-profile platforms for the relationship.

Cricket Wellington confirmed it was investigating the incident which involved players from both sides allegedly striking each other with what appear to be cricket bats and stumps as chaos unfolded on the boundary.