Wellington Firebirds sign Samit Patel for Twenty20 season

The Wellington Firebirds have announced the signing of former England international Samit Patel for the upcoming Twenty20 season.

The 32-year-old, who was in impressive form for Nottinghamshire earlier this season, and named the Professional Cricketers' Association's player of the year after leading the Notts to success in all formats.

Wellington head-coach Bruce Edgar pleased to Patel's quality. He said, "Our aim is simple: we're looking to play entertaining, positive cricket. As we saw last year, that recipe leads to success when it's well-executed."

"For the upcoming campaign, we identified a need to complement our squad with a quality all-rounder. With a career featuring more than 200 T20 matches, including 18 internationals, and impressive strike rates with both bat and ball, we're excited to have Samit joining the team to fill that role."

Very excited to play for @wgtnfirebirds in the super smash this year hopefully we can win it again boys 👊

— Samit Patel (@Samitpatel21) November 23, 2017

Patel will join the Wellington Firebirds once the Bangladesh Premier League gets over where he will be playing for Rajshahi Kings.

Wellington to play their first match against Northern Districts on December 15 at Seddon Park.

Yasir Shah signs for Brisbane Heat

Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been signed up as a replacement player by Brisbane Heat for the upcoming season of the Big Bash League.

It will be Yasir's first involvement with the BBL, having previously played T20 in Pakistan and West Indies.

The 31-year-old is the 2nd Pakistan leg-spinner the Heat have secured this year, having also signed the teenager Shadab Khan.

Double Pakistan 🇵🇰 delight for the Brisbane Heat with leg-spinner @Shah64Y joining us for #BBL07! Story https://t.co/WNF9Zd8FFy. #TurnUpTheHeat pic.twitter.com/6gB1uANE3P

— Brisbane Heat (@HeatBBL) 15 November 2017

However, Pakistan's tour of New Zealand later this year, which means Shadab may not be available for the Big Bash League for a significant chunk of the season.

Brisbane Heat will play their first match of the season against Melbourne Stars at the Gabba on Wednesday 20 December .

Ashes 2017: Tom Curran to replace injured Steven Finn

The uncapped seamer Tom Curran has been called up to England's Ashes 2017-18 squad.

Surrey all-rounder will travel to Australia in the next 24 hours as a replacement for injured Steven Finn, after the 28-year-old has been ruled out of the Ashes tour due to a torn left knee cartilage.

The Middlesex seamer was ruled out of the entirety of the Ashes tour in Australia on Tuesday morning due to a knee injury.

England have quickly called up another option, with Curran is yet to earn his first Test cap but his ODI form has impressed enough for the management to fly him out to Down Under.

The 22-year-old has earned plenty of praise from coach Trevor Bayliss in the recent, following impressive showings in Twenty20 and one-day international games earlier this year.

Curran is expected to terminate his deal with the Big Bash League outfit Hobart Hurricanes, who he was due to play for in this year tournament.

England's first Test gets underway in Brisbane on November 23.

England appoint Chris Silverwood as fast bowling coach

The England and Wales Cricket board have announced that Essex head coach Chris Silverwood will take over as England fast bowling coach early next year.

The former England seamer, who led Essex to their first County Championship for 25 years last season, has been appointed as the Lions' fast-bowling coach.

The 42-year-old will become the full-time replacement for Ottis Gibson, who left to become South Africa head coach.

Silverwood will begin his coaching stint early next year on the limited overs series at the tour to Australia.

Bangladesh name T20 squad against South Africa

Bangladesh have announced their 14-man squad for the two-match T20 series against South Africa, starting October 26.

The 30-year-old Shakib is set to begin a new stint as team captain after Mashrafe Mortaza had retired from T20Is back in April.

Squad:

Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Liton Das, Nasir Hossain, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin

India name squad for ODIs against New Zealand

India have recalled wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik and a left-handed opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan for the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting later this month.

Karthik, 32, who was left out for the recent series against Australia, he had a prolific season in the Duleep Trophy where he scored two centuries in three matches.

Meanwhile, Dhawan, 31, also returns to the One Day International squad in the place of Lokesh Rahul, who had a poor performance in the ODI series in Sri Lanka.

Indian selectors have also retained the spin trio Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel while the 31-year-old all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin continues to remain on the sidelines.

The three-match ODI series against the Black Caps to be played between 22nd and 29th October.

India squad:

Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur.

Twitter reacts to Ashish Nehra's retirement decision

India's veteran speedster Ashish Nehra has decided to hangs up his boots from international cricket after the first Twenty20 match against New Zealand on November 1.

The 38-year-old left-arm fast bowler intimated his decision to coach Ravi Shastri and team's captain Virat Kohli.

Nehra made his international debut against Sri Lanka in 1999, has claimed 44 Tests wickets, 157 in ODIs and 34 in T20s.

The Delhi-born pacer, who was part of the ODI World Cup winning squad in 2011, has played 17 Tests, 120 ODIs and 26 T20I for India.

As soon as Nehra decided to retire, here’s a look how Twitter reacted to the news.

No more IPL as well, confirmed that Ashish Nehra will retire from all Cricket after the first T20 vs New Zealand on November 1 in Delhi

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) 11 October 2017

We'll miss you and your airplane celebration, #NehraJi!

— asif khan (@_asif) 11 October 2017

Nehraji has some unbelievable comebacks...a true player. a gifted cricketer. #Nehraji with Respect.

— Jeet Chakraborty (@jeetcc) 11 October 2017

235 international wickets in a career of almost 2 decades "Ashish Nehra" will retire from all Cricket on November 1 in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/0mgGxW0BMn

— Tabish Husain (@tabishh_husain) 11 October 2017

"Ashish Nehra" served our country with distinction & selflessly.On his retirement we should wish him best of life from the core of our heart pic.twitter.com/H0fty7MfUb

— Raj Mohan Khurana (@RajThebookman) 11 October 2017

All the best, #Nehra ji! pic.twitter.com/L20lPsvYr5

— Tareque Laskar (@tarequelaskar) 11 October 2017

Shall miss you #Nehraji, my last bit of 90s is gone :( #Ashishnehra #nehra

— Amritomoy Chatterjee (@TheBeingMan) 11 October 2017

One cannot make a comeback at the age of 40 unless he is #Nehraji will be missed#Ashishnehra

— Divyansh Sharma (@divyansh471) 11 October 2017

Ashish Nehra retires from International cricket.

End of Anehra!#NehraJi #nehra

— Naresh Gaur (@nareshgaur11) 12 October 2017