Author: A Sports

Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka has broken his silence after being handed a one-year ban from the Pakistan Super League (PSL), admitting regret over his decision to withdraw from the tournament and apologising to fans and stakeholders.

The 34-year-old was sanctioned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for breaching his contract with Lahore Qalandars during the ongoing PSL 11 season.

Shanaka had been signed by the defending champions for PKR 7.5 million but later pulled out of the league before joining the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a replacement for injured England all-rounder Sam Curran.

Following a detailed review, the PCB ruled that Shanaka’s withdrawal constituted a violation of the league’s player registration terms and the tripartite agreement, subsequently declaring him ineligible for PSL 12 in 2027.

Responding to the decision, Shanaka expressed remorse over the episode and acknowledged the disappointment caused by his actions.

“I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” he said.

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“The HBL PSL is a prestigious tournament, and I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions.”

The Sri Lankan all-rounder also extended a direct apology to Lahore Qalandars supporters, admitting he had let them down at a crucial stage of the competition.

“To the loyal fans of Lahore Qalandars, I am truly sorry for letting you down,” he added.

Dasun Shanaka further clarified that he had no prior intention of participating in another league at the time of his withdrawal, while reiterating his admiration for cricket in Pakistan.

“I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the HBL PSL, I had no intention of joining any other tournament,” he stated.

“I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan. I hope to return to the HBL PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.”

READ: Blessing Muzarabani reacts after two-year PSL ban

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a one-year ban on Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka after ruling that his withdrawal from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 constituted a breach of contract with Lahore Qalandars.

Shanaka, 34, had been signed by the defending champions for PKR 7.5 million for the ongoing edition. However, he pulled out of the tournament to link up with the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran.

In an official statement, the PCB confirmed that a detailed review of the matter found Shanaka’s unilateral withdrawal to be in violation of both the Player Registration terms and the tripartite agreement governing PSL contracts.

“Following a comprehensive review of the recent contractual developments involving Dasun Shanaka and the Lahore Qalandars, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued its final determination regarding the player’s eligibility for future editions of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL),” the board stated.

As a result, Shanaka has been declared ineligible for the next edition of the PSL, effectively ruling him out of PSL 12, scheduled for 2027.

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“The review concluded that the player’s unilateral withdrawal from the tournament on March 21, 2026, constituted a clear breach of both the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement,” the statement added.

“The findings indicated that the withdrawal was made on grounds not recognised within the existing contractual framework.

“Effective immediately, Dasun Shanaka has been declared ineligible to participate in the next edition of the Pakistan Super League (HBL PSL 12), scheduled for 2027.”

While accepting the decision, the Sri Lankan all-rounder issued a public apology, expressing remorse over his actions and the disappointment caused to fans and stakeholders.

“I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” Shanaka said.

READ: Rashid Khan reveals he rejected citizenship offers from India, Australia

Afghanistan’s premier leg-spinner, Rashid Khan, has made a remarkable revelation about his career, sharing that he turned down offers of citizenship and the chance to represent both India and Australia in international cricket.

The disclosure comes through his autobiography, Rashid Khan: From Streets to Stardom, where the 27-year-old sheds light on a defining moment that underlined his unwavering commitment to Afghanistan cricket.

According to Rashid, one such approach came during the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he was representing the Gujarat Titans. He revealed that he was told that a senior figure in Indian cricket wanted to meet him

“I went over and greeted him. We started talking, and he said: The situation in your country is very bad. Come stay in India. We will give you Indian documents, live here, play cricket here,” Rashid revealed.

The star spinner admitted the conversation caught him off guard, but his response was immediate and firm.

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“I was surprised by what he was saying and didn’t know how to respond. But I smiled and said, Thank you very much. I am playing for my country, Afghanistan,” he wrote.

Rashid Khan further disclosed that India were not the only ones to express interest. Australia had also explored the possibility of bringing him into their cricketing system, a testament to his stature in world cricket.

“I received such offers from both Australia and India. But I told them, ‘If I don’t play for my country, I won’t play for any other country either,’” he stated.

The leg-spinner’s decision reflects not just personal loyalty, but also his role as a symbol of Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket. Emerging from a war-affected nation, Rashid has become one of the most recognisable figures in the sport.

Since his debut, he has represented Afghanistan across all formats, featuring in 6 Tests, 117 ODIs and 115 T20Is, while picking up a combined 448 wickets. With the bat, he has contributed over 2,000 runs, further highlighting his all-round value.

READ: Pakistan’s Test selections raise more questions than answers

LAS VEGAS: The former WWE and UFC champion Brock Lesnar has left fans guessing as he sparked retirement speculation on Sunday night following a surprising loss at WrestleMania 42 against Oba Femi.

In what was billed as a clash between eras, Lesnar faced rising powerhouse Oba Femi on night two of the marquee event. However, the contest turned into a stunning upset, with Femi overcoming Lesnar in under five minutes.

The turning point came when Lesnar delivered his trademark F5, only for Femi to quickly recover, an uncommon sight against the dominant veteran.

Moments later, Femi responded with a powerful slam followed by a decisive powerbomb to secure the pinfall victory, handing Lesnar a rare and emphatic defeat.

What followed inside the ring added further weight to retirement rumours. Lesnar remained in the ring after the match, soaking in the atmosphere before removing his gloves and boots, gestures traditionally associated with a wrestler signalling the end of their career.

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Longtime advocate Paul Heyman joined him in the ring, sharing an emotional embrace as the crowd erupted in “Thank You Brock” chants.

Lesnar acknowledged the fans, saluted the arena, and even took time to personally thank those at ringside before exiting.

In a final symbolic act, he kissed the ring canvas, an image that many interpreted as a farewell moment for one of the industry’s most dominant figures.

Lesnar’s legacy spans over two decades, during which he established himself as a once-in-a-generation athlete. A multiple-time world champion in WWE, he also enjoyed success in mixed martial arts, becoming a UFC heavyweight champion.

His accolades include seven WWE Championship reigns, three Universal titles, a King of the Ring (2002) triumph, a Money in the Bank (2019) win, and two Royal Rumble victories in 2003 and 2022.

READ: Blessing Muzarabani reacts after two-year PSL ban

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam reflected on his batting approach after scoring a brilliant century against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday night.

Babar scored an unbeaten century from 52 balls, propelling his side to a record total of 255-3 in 20 overs.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Babar described his 12th T20 century as a memorable moment, adding that it came with a tense finish.

“Reaching a milestone like this is an incredible feeling, but it was a bit of a roller coaster at the end. When I put in that dive, I genuinely thought I had fallen short of the crease. It wasn’t until my partner told me I’d made it that the emotions really hit me,” he said.

Babar was involved in a 135-run partnership with Kusal Mendis, who made 83 from 43 balls. The right-hander revealed the key behind the successful stand, noting that both batters continuously assessed conditions to set a competitive total.

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“Out in the middle, constant communication is key. Mendis and I were continuously assessing the conditions to gauge what a competitive score would be on this specific track,” Babar revealed.

“In the early stages of our partnership, he was hitting the ball so cleanly that my primary focus was simply getting him on strike. Once he departed, I knew I had to shift gears, step up, and take on that scoring responsibility to maintain the momentum he had built,” he continued.

The 31-year-old credited bowlers for showing determination and praised the players warming the bench.

“A huge amount of credit must go to our young bowlers for how they’ve stepped up. I also want to acknowledge the players on the sidelines; even those not currently in the XI due to team combinations have been working incredibly hard and pushing the group forward.”

He further noted that the team made full use of an eight-day break to prepare specific plans, which were executed effectively under pressure.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

“We utilized our eight-day break to prepare meticulously, and it’s very rewarding to see the players execute those specific plans so well under pressure,” the skipper maintained.

“As for the remaining games, we’ll take some time to assess where we stand. We want to maintain our winning rhythm, but we will certainly look at whether there’s an opportunity to test our bench strength and give others a chance to contribute before the tournament progresses further,” he concluded.

READ: PSL 11: Babar Azam breaks multiple records against Quetta Gladiators

KARACHI: Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani has responded through his agent after being handed a two-year ban by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from participating in the next two editions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

On April 14, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)  slapped a two-year ban on Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani for breaching his Pakistan Super League (PSL) contract with Islamabad United.

The PCB said that professionalism in franchise leagues demands transparency and consistency, adding that taking part in a conflicting engagement while an existing binding agreement remains in place falls short of the game’s expected standards.

The 29-year-old pacer was bought by three-time champions United for PKR 1.1 crore for the 11th edition of the PSL; however, he later withdrew to join the IPL franchise KKR as a replacement for Bangladesh left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman.

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However, in a statement on the agency’s X account, Rob Humphries, the agent, denied that a binding agreement was reached between the league and the player before Muzarabani decided to sign with KKR in the IPL.

“We’ve remained quiet publicly over the last six weeks because we did not wish to create or cause anymore animosity for the Pakistan Super League/Pakistan Cricket Board than they had already created for themselves,” the statement read.

“[On] 13 February, Blessing [was] approached by Islamabad United about a playing opportunity for the 2026 PSL. The deal [was] agreed subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket. An NOC cannot be obtained without a contract from the PSL. Islamabad United/PSL announced the signing to the world via social media,” it further added.

The statement also notes that, two weeks later, on February 27, no official contract had been received yet. By that time, KKR had contacted Muzarabani with an offer, and the agreement was finalized.

READ: PSL 11: Babar Azam breaks multiple records against Quetta Gladiators

KARACHI: Babar Azam’s unbeaten century, Kusal Mendis’s gutsy 83, and a disciplined bowling effort powered Peshawar Zalmi to a massive 118-run victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 29th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing 257, Quetta Gladiators were bowled out for 137 in 18.1 overs.

Quetta Gladiators were in trouble right from the onset as Peshawar Zalmi removed their three batters inside the powerplay. Saud Shakeel (12), Rilee Rossouw (0), and Hassan Nawaz (5), all three batters, were dismissed cheaply.

The fourth batter to fall was Shamyl Hussain after the power play. The left-hander made 21 from 18 balls.

With 45-4, Dinesh Chandimal and Bevon Jacobs tried to stop the slide, adding a brief 29 run for the fifth wicket.

However, following Chamdimal’s dismissal, Quetta Gladiators’ innings unraveled quickly as they slumped to 82-7 at the halfway mark.

Bevon Jacobs remained the top-scorer for them, hitting three sixes in his 34 from 27 balls, while Alzarri Joseph remained unbeaten on 19 from 15 deliveries.

For Peshawar Zalmi, Ali Raza and Mohammad Basit shared six wickets between them.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Earlier, Babar Azam’s sublime century guided Peshawar Zalmi to their highest total against.

Put into bat first, Peshawar Zalmi ended their innings on a massive 255-3 in 20 overs — the third highest total of PSL history.

The foundation for a big total was laid in the first over by Mohammad Haris, who accumulated 23 from Jahandad Khan’s opening over.

In the very next over, Alzarri Joseph sent back dangerous Haris, who made 16 from six balls.

The wicket, the highest run getter of this season, Kusal Mendis, was brought to the crease, who forged a mammoth 135-run partnership from 75 balls. The pair made a mockery of the Quetta Gladiators’ bowling attack.

Both batters notched up half-centuries with Peshawar Zalmi reaching 165 in 14.1 overs. The stand eventually culminated with Mendis’ wicket, who was caught after scoring 83 from 44 balls, striking three sixes and 10 fours.

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Meanwhile, Babar continued on his merry way, first adding a brief 24-run partnership with Farhan Yousaf, who made 19 from eight balls.

Peshawar Zalmi were well placed at 189-3 in 16.2 overs with Aaron Hardies providing the innings with a late impetus. The Australian batter scored 26* off 10, hitting three sixes.

Meanwhile, Babar completed his 12th century in T20 cricket on the final ball of the innings. He made 100* from 52 balls, striking four sixes and six boundaries.

For Quetta Gladiators, Alzarri Joseph, Usman Tariq, and Abrar Ahmed took one wicket each.

READ: Hasan Ali confident of Karachi Kings’ comeback in PSL 11

KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi in the 29th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Head to Head

Both teams have faced each other 27 times. Peshawar Zalmi lead with 14 victories while Gladiators managed to win 12 out of those games.

Playing XIs

Peshawar Zalmi XI: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousaf, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Aaron Hardie, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Basit Ali, Ali Raza

Quetta Gladiators XI: Shamyl Hussain, Saud Shakeel (capt), Rilee Rossouw, Hasan Nawaz, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Jahandad Khan, Saqib Khan, Alzarri Joseph, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq

READ: Mohammad Rizwan admits ‘failure’ after Rawalpindiz seventh loss

KARACHI: Arafat Minhas starred with a three-wicket haul as Multan Sultans edged past Karachi Kings by 11 runs in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Chasing a daunting 208 here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday, Karachi Kings were bowled out for 196 in 19.4 overs.

Jason Roy and Saad Baig started positively in pursuit of the chase, adding 29 in 2.2 overs before Arafat Minhas struck twice to reduce them to 41-2 at the end of four overs.

Roy made 16 from nine while Salman Ali Agha was cleaned up for two runs. The Kings were pegged back further with the dismissal of Baig, who hit four boundaries before getting caught on 21.

As a result, Karachi Kings were in dire straits at 47-3 at the end of the powerplay.

With the side in deep trouble, Reeza Hendricks and Moeen Ali launched a recovery with a 67-run partnership. The pair managed to pull things back, with the scorecard reading 114 in 12.5 overs.

However, Hendricks was caught just one shy of a half-century. He top-scored with 49 from 32, hitting two sixes and five fours.

Following his dismissal, the Kings’ batting lineup wobbled until Abbas Afridi’s cameo, which provided them a glimmer of hope. The right-hander hit 34 from 16, including two sixes and three fours.

He was caught in the penultimate over, which dashed the Kings’ hope. With 18 required off the final over, Mohammad Wasim kept his nerve and gave nothing away.

For Multan Sultans, Arafat Minhas picked up three wickets.

Earlier, Shan Masood’s 46 from 25 balls and Imran Randhawa’s 26 from eight balls at the back end of the innings propelled Multan Sultans to a massive total.

Asked to bat first, Multan Sultans racked up 207-7 in 20 overs.

Sultans were jolted with an early blow in the shape of Steve Smith, who was caught without scoring. The early wicket brought Josh Philippe to the crease, who added a 66-run partnership with Awais Zafar.

The pair batted briskly, bringing the team’s total to 77 in 7.2 overs. Philippe made 44 from 23 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

Despite the wicket, runs continued to flow from Multan Sultans batters as Awais Zafar was involved in another 44-run stand with Shan Masood.

However, Karachi Kings bowlers made a comeback in the second half of the innings as Awais and Shan fell in successive overs. At this stage, the scorecard read 135-4 in 13.2 overs. The former hit five fours and a six in his 36 off 27, whereas the latter struck three fours and three sixes in his knock.

Karachi Kings bowlers squeezed the run flow and took wickets at regular intervals, and reduced Sultans to 174-7 in 18.2 overs, until Imran Randhawa’s late onslaught.

The right-hander scored 21 off Hasan Ali’s final over to take the total to over 200 runs.

For Karachi Kings, Khushdil Shah remained the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets in his quota of four overs.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan admits ‘failure’ after Rawalpindiz seventh loss

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted personal failure after his side’s seventh successive loss in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Earlier, Lahore Qalandars won by 32 runs over Rawalpindi, handing them their seventh straight loss in the tournament.

Talking to the media after the match, Rizwan highlighted the shortcomings, noting that he should have performed better.

“My performance hasn’t been good, but I am also a human being,” he told reporters.

He also revealed the reason for not keeping wickets, saying he had outlined a plan for the youngsters.

“We had planned for young players, and you can see I did not keep wickets because of fast bowler Razaullah, because I wanted to be alongside him to help him out,” he added.

Regarding positives, he tipped some players he believes have the potential to become future stars.

“I highly rate Abdullah Fazal, while Saad Masood is a positive player. We have no backup of Shadab Khan, but you can still see a spark in them, which is a player I believe for future,” Rizwan explained.

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“I personally believe a leader should not be judged only on individual performances but on overall contribution.”

Recalling his Big Bash experience and break from T20 cricket, he expressed confidence in his abilities to bounce back and perform well.

“When I went to the Big Bash, I told myself that I didn’t deserve a place in the team with this performance. I will come back with more hard work. This time the effort was less, so the result is like this.”

“We are humans. My performance is not up to the mark, but it does not mean I should quit cricket. I have said before as well that when my performance is not good, someone else should be given the opportunity,” the skipper concluded.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash