Stumped

BBC World Service
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Jan 29, 2026 • 37min

Men's T20 World Cup: Bangladesh replaced by Scotland

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta are joined by Bangladesh cricket journalist Tawhid Qureshi who reflects on The Tigers decision to withdraw from the tournament after the ICC rejected a request to move their games from India to co-hosts Sri Lanka. Bangladesh had cited safety concerns amid growing tensions between the countries. The ICC refused, saying there was an "absence of any credible security threat". Scotland have replaced Bangladesh so we hear about their preparations from Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade.A baggy green cap worn by Don Bradman has been sold for 460,000 Australian dollars. It is the highest price for a cap worn by Bradman. So the team discuss if they have any cricket memorabilia.Photo: Players of Bangladesh cut dejected figures following the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between South Africa and Bangladesh at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 10, 2024 in New York, New York. (Credit: Getty Images)
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Jan 22, 2026 • 38min

Steve Waugh on investing in a new European T20 Premier League

A new European T20 League has been launched which will be owned by some of the sport's biggest stars. Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma are joined by one of the owners, former Australia captain Steve Waugh who tells us why he has decided to get involved in franchise cricket. Plus, the co-founder of the league, Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan says he hopes it will become 'the largest T20 league in the world".The men’s T20 World Cup begins on the 7th of February in Sri Lanka and India with the build up being marred by political tensions and injuries. We assess how the tournament is shaping up and debate if India could defend their title with a very different squad to 2024.Photo: Steve Smith of Australia and Steve Waugh, Former Australian Test Captain and current Australian Team Mentor, pose at stumps after Smith scored his second century for the test during day four of the 1st Specsavers Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston on August 04, 2019 in Birmingham, England. Steve Smith is the first Australian to score two centuries in the same test in England since Steve Waugh in 1997. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
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Jan 15, 2026 • 38min

Alyssa Healy to retire: Elyse Villani on her Australia teammates legacy

Nikesh Rughani, Jim Maxwell and Sunil Gupta reflect on the career of Australia great Alyssa Healy after she announced that she will retire from all formats of the game in March. We are joined by her former teammate and fellow World Cup winner Elyse Villani who shares what she believes Healy’s legacy is and her captaincy style. Villani also tells us how she transitioned from player to commentator and why she made her decision to retire from playing in the Women's Big Bash League.The fourth edition of the Women’s Premier League is underway, and we have already seen a hattrick and final ball thrillers. We discuss the tournament so far and go behind the scenes with Mumbai Indians player Milly Illingworth. Plus, we celebrate another milestone for India's Virat Kohli and Jim tells us his thoughts on the 150th anniversary Test, which will be a pink ball Test at the MCG.Photo: Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani of Australia celebrate winning game two of the Women's International Twenty20 series between Australia and New Zealand at Allan Border Field on October 1, 2018 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
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Jan 8, 2026 • 36min

The Ashes: Matthew Hayden on what's next for England and Australia?

Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma are joined by former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden for our post-Ashes debrief. He tells us if Travis Head should continue opening for Australia, why Steve Smith is so prolific in the Ashes and if he can see England captain Ben Stokes return to Australia in four years' time. Plus, the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League begins on the 9th January, so we assess how the five teams are shaping up, the impact of the tournament on cricket in India and if Mumbai Indians can win a third title in four years with their new coach Lisa Keightley.Photo: Australian players celebrate with the Ashes Waterford Crystal trophy after winning the Ashes series 4-1 during day five of the Fifth Test in the 2025/26 Ashes Series between Australia and England at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 08, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Jan 1, 2026 • 27min

The Ashes: The epic 125-day journey from England to Australia

Back in September we spoke to 18-year-old Tommy Lamb who was travelling from England to Australia to watch the Ashes without using an aeroplane. He has made it and witnessed the bonkers boxing day Test in Melbourne. He gives us his thoughts on if the 125-day journey was worth it to see a two-day Test match. Australia are 3-1 up in the Ashes, but the final Test in Sydney could be pivotal for both sides in terms of looking to the future. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma assess what could be the key battles and how significant the final match will be for both sides. And the Stumped team make their New Years resolutions and tell us what aspects of cricket they would like to change.Photo: 18 year old Tommy Lamb travelling from England to Australia. Credit: Tommy Lamb
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Dec 25, 2025 • 38min

The Best of Stumped in 2025

We look back at the best of Stumped in 2025 which gives you a chance to listen to some of the standout moments from the last twelve months, including our trip to India. We hear from former India captain Anjum Chopra on what it meant to her to witness history being made, when India women won their first ever Cricket World Cup. Plus when Alison Mitchell was in Guwahati, she spoke to the Secretary of the BCCI, Devajit Saikia, who told her how the Women's Premier League has been integral in growing women's cricket in the country.Back in July, cricket was somewhat divided after South Africa's Wiaan Mulder remarkably passed up the opportunity to break Brian Lara's record for the highest individual score in a Test innings. Mulder, captaining South Africa for the first time, was 367 not out at lunch on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo when he declared in their first innings. Mulder was just 33 runs short of Lara’s record 400 that he scored for West Indies against England in Antigua in 2004. Alison Mitchell, Jim Maxwell and Charu Sharma debate if Mulder made the correct decision.Former India International Cheteshwar Pujara and his wife Puja Pabari joined the Stumped podcast to share how they navigate life in the public eye. They have written a book and told us how the process came about and reveal what Cheteshwar is like behind closed doors.And we hear from Tommy Lamb who has been travelling from England to Australia for the Ashes without using a plane.Photo: Harmanpreet Kaur of India celebrates after taking the catch to dismiss Nadine De Klerk of South Africa and lead the teams out her team to victory in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup India 2025 Final match between India and South Africa at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy on November 02, 2025 in Navi Mumbai, India. (Photo by Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
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Dec 18, 2025 • 33min

IPL auction, WBBL review and Ashes controversy

Millions of dollars have been spent as the IPL 2026 mini auction was completed. It was the uncapped Indian players who stole the spotlight with franchises spending large amounts of money on raw potential, so the team debate raw talent versus experience and why all-rounders are so sought after. This comes after Australian Cameron Green has become the most expensive overseas player in the history of the IPL after Kolkata Knight Riders bought the all-rounder for approximately US$2.8 million.The Women’s Big Bash has a new name on the trophy. Hobart Hurricanes are the champions, so we looked back at the tournament as a whole with the ABC’s Brett Sprigg. And with the controversy surrounding Snicko in the Ashes, the team debate whether technology still has a place in modern cricket.Photo: Cameron Green gestures during an IPL match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 6, 2024. (Credit: AFP via Getty Images)Photo:
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Dec 11, 2025 • 35min

Ashes 2025: Matt Prior on Wood, wicketkeeping and winning down under

It is all about the Ashes as Alison Mitchell, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma assess where it went wrong for England in the second Test match at Brisbane and ask how that performance will impact Adelaide and the rest of the series. We are joined by three-time Ashes winner and former England wicketkeeper Matt Prior. He reacts to Brendon McCullum’s comments that England were ‘overprepared’, tells us how the Ashes winning team he was involved in back in 2010/11 prepared and compares the wicketkeeping of Jamie Smith and Alex Carey. He also tells us what the England team will miss the most about Mark Wood after he has been ruled out of the series after a reoccurrence of his knee injury. Plus, we ask what is the best/quirkiest cricket T-shirt? Photo: Matt Prior of England poses with a flag after winning the Ashes series during day five of the Fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 7, 2011 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
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Dec 4, 2025 • 35min

Ashes 2025: What makes the pink ball special?

With the ongoing day-night Test match between Australia and England, Nikesh Rughani, Clint Wheeldon and Charu Sharma debate the success of the format and ask if it could be seen as a gimmick if more countries don't start playing them? We hear from Aaron Briggs, who is a data analyst for the ECB and did a PHD on the aerodynamics of swing bowling at Cambridge. He tells us what makes the pink balls so different.With the five Women's Premier League teams locked in for the new season, we look at the major signings and snubs at the mega auction and hear the story of Mumbai Indians new signing Millie Illingworth. Plus, with the India and South Africa ODI series level on 1-1, we discuss if Virat Kohli is back to his best after hitting two back to back centuries.Photo: Ollie Pope of England is bowled by Mitchell Starc of Australia during day one of the Second 2025/26 Ashes Series Test Match between Australia and England at The Gabba on December 04, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
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Nov 27, 2025 • 33min

Ashes 2025: Gillespie on Bazball, bowling and Brisbane

After the first two-day Ashes Test match since 1921 and an Australian victory to leave the hosts 1-0 up in the series, Alison Mitchell, Corbin Middlemas and Charu Sharma are joined by former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie. He shares where he thinks it went wrong for England, if they should be playing against the President’s XI, if Travis Head should be the new permanent opener for Australia and the proficiency of the hosts in pink ball Tests.Plus, South Africa beat India by 408 runs to win their two match Test series away from home 2-0. It is India’s heaviest loss and Temba Bavuma’s eleventh win out of twelve as captain of the Proteas. Charu Sharma assesses the mood in India and tells us where the future lies for head coach Gautam Gambhir.And India have now won their second cricket World Cup in the space of a month. India cricket journalist Annesha Ghosh tells us more about the inaugural Blind Women’s T20 World Cup and how the victory can change the perception of disability sport in the country.Photo: Travis Head of Australia raises his bat after scoring 100 runs during day two of the First 2025/26 Ashes Series Test Match between Australia and England at Perth Stadium on November 22, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Photo:

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