It's time for another IPL champion to be crowned, and for once it's not the usual suspects in Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Could this have been forever-bridesmaids RCB's year? Sidharth Monga thought all the signs pointed to it, but it wasn't to be. And as the T20 blasts kick off in England, in its 20th year, can it compete with the Hundred? Get a lowdown on all the action from the week in our round-up.
Asitha, Mathews, Chandimal star in Sri Lanka's series win
A 272-run partnership in the first innings between Mushfiqur Rahman and Litton Das proved not enough, and a defiant 103 in the second between Shakib Al Hasan and Litton could only stave off an innings defeat for the hosts after Asitha Fernando triggered a collapse that saw Bangladesh's last five wickets fall for 13 runs.
IPL teams in review
How did the teams that were knocked out fare this season? For CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders, this was a season of injury and instability. The two teams, with a combined six trophies in their cabinet, won a total of just ten games between them. Five-time IPL champions Mumbai had to deal with an out-of-form captain in a year when nothing fell in place for them, while Delhi Capitals were hit by injury, illness and inconsistency. Punjab Kings went in with a high-risk approach that failed to click, while Sunrisers' dull season had a few highlights.
Four games that defined the IPL's top four
Whether through luck or tactical ingenuity, Titans, LSG, RR and RCB have all had to overcome adversity to reach the playoffs. Karthik Krishnaswamy looks at the four games that shaped the teams that made the playoffs.
Road to the T20 World Cup, via IPL 2022: Contenders for India's 15
There are various roles to account for but the selectors have options for each of them. Gaurav Sundararaman does a run-through with an IPL lens for context. Meanwhile India's squad for the postponed Test against England is announced, and, surprise, Cheteshwar Pujara is in it on the back of his stupendous County Championship form.
Dhoni fan Kiran Navgire hopes to be a big hit in the Women's T20 Challenge
The Women's T20 Challenge has produced exciting games, and shone a light on notable new talent. Navgire, the leading run scorer in India's domestic T20s, came into her first outing in the big leagues excited about the challenge. And the bowler who caught everyone's eye this season, legspinner Maya Sonawane is the Paul Adams clone you've got to see to believe. Annesha Ghosh profiles them.
How English T20 cricket settled for functionality after missing its own boat
Andrew Miller on how the T20 Blast's 20th season arrives in England with a sense of déjà vu and regret in equal measure. Matt Roller wonders if the tournament can survive in the world of the more glamourous Hundred - the dual system has worked elsewhere - but David Lloyd believes the Blast is still the best T20 competition in the world.
Let us now praise the great fielders
Ian Chappell looks back the many agile, quick practitioners of the art from the top teams of the past.
Ollie Pope: 'I've always seen myself as a top-order batter. I know I've got the game to succeed'
The England batter is excited by his promotion to No. 3, and is focused on decision-making, not technique.
Against which team did Brian Lara make his 501 not out in first-class cricket?
And who holds the first-class record for the highest score by a debutant? Test your first-class cricket knowledge in this week's quiz.
Cam Fletcher: 'It took me a long time to figure out the kind of player I wanted to be'
The Canterbury wicketkeeper-batter has ground it out for close to a decade in domestic cricket and believes he's finally ready for his Test cap on his second call-up to the New Zealand squad for their tour of England.
Simon Taufel: 'People think that the way to solve the odd grey area in cricket is to replace it with technology'
The much-awarded former ICC umpire talks to Nagraj Gollapudi about why taking every marginal decision in the game to the third umpire isn't workable.
What is the highest opening partnership in all T20 cricket?
And how many players have made 199 and a duck in the same Test? All your cricket questions answered in this week's Ask Steven.