Author: A Sports

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

San Francisco Unicorns became the fifth and final team to complete the Global Super League (GSL) 2026 lineup, which features top teams from around the globe, including Lahore Qalandars.

The tournament is set to run from July 23 to August 1 in Guyana.

The inclusion of Unicorns will mark the first time a team from Major League Cricket (MLC) will compete in the GSL.

The 2025 champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Lahore Qalandars, are also set to take their brand of cricket to the global stage once again, with the franchise confirming participation in the GSL.

The upcoming edition will mark the Qalandars’ second appearance in the competition, having previously featured in the inaugural 2024 season, where they finished fourth in a five-team contest.

Besides Qalandars and Unicorns, Guyana Amazon Warriors from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Desert Vipers from the ILT20, and Perth Scorchers from the Big Bash League (BBL) will also feature in the upcoming edition.

Last year’s winner, Amazon Warriors, are the only franchise to feature in all three editions of the tournament.

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“We are delighted to have the San Francisco Unicorns join the Guyana Global Super League,” GSL chairman and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd said in a statement.

“Their inclusion reflects the growing global footprint of the game and the strength of franchise cricket in the United States. We look forward to seeing them compete and contribute to what promises to be an outstanding tournament,” he added.

For the unversed, the tournament will comprise eleven games over ten days, with each team playing the other once before the top two advance to the final.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars batter Asif Ali on Saturday completed 100 sixes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 during the clash against Rawalpindiz. 

Asif reached the milestone in the final over of Lahore Qalandars’ innings, finishing with back-to-back sixes off the last two deliveries to propel his side to a strong total of 210. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 14 from six balls.

With this achievement, he now sits second on the list of the highest six-hitters in PSL history, behind Fakhar Zaman.

Fakhar has hit 130 sixes in 102 matches since the tournament began in 2016, while Asif has reached 100 sixes in 97 matches.

Most sixes in PSL History

Fakhar Zaman 130 in 103 matches

Asif Ali 100 in 97 matches

Rilee Rossouw  95 in 101 matches

Overall, Asif has played 97 matches in PSL, amassing 1289 runs at a strike rate of 156.43 with the aid of three half-centuries.

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Nonetheless, Lahore Qalandars posted a strong total of 210 in 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from the opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq.

The duo forged a 121-run partnership in 10.5 overs, laying a strong foundation for the defending champions. Mohammad Farooq remained the core aggressor while Fakhar Zaman played the second fiddle.

Farooq made 63 off 41 balls, laced with five sixes and five fours, while Fakhar emerged as the top-scorer. The left-hander hit 84 off 54 balls, including 11 fours and a maximum.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir and Razaullah picked up two wickets.

Playing XIs

Rawalpindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Shahzaib Khan, Yasir Khan, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Dian Forrester, Saad Masood, Cole McConchie, Razaullah Khan, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir

Lahore Qalandars: M. Farooq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Charith Asalanka, Haseebullah (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Daniel Sams, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Haris Rauf

READ: Former pacer questions Ghazi Ghori’s selection for Bangladesh series

KARACHI: Fakhar Zaman’s gutsy half-century and an all-round bowling effort sealed a comprehensive 32-run win for Lahore Qalandars over Rawalpindiz in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Set a daunting 211, Rawalpindiz finished on 178-9, courtesy of valiant half-centuries from Yasir Khan and Saad Masood.

With their seventh straight loss, Rawalpindiz are officially out of the PSL 11 playoffs race.

After losing 17-2 in the first two overs, Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan stabilized the innings, putting the team back on course with a 71-run partnership. The pair took advantage of the fielding restriction and propelled the team’s score to 88 in 9.2 overs.

The momentum was with Rawalpindiz but Haris Rauf took wickets on successive deliveries to halt their progress.

Yasir, who remained the core aggressor, made 58 from 29, including three sixes and six fours. Mitchell hit one boundary in his sluggish 11 from 15 balls.

After quick wickets, Rawalpindiz batting lineup faltered and slumped to 134-8 in 16.4 overs. With the game done and dusted, Saad Masood hit a quick-fire fifty to help his side finish on a respectable total.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Saad hit nine fours and six on his way to 54 from 26 balls before Haris castled him.

For Lahore Qalandars, Haris Rauf was the top-wicket taker, scalping three wickets. Usama Mir and Shaheen Afridi also took two wickets.

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq’s gutsy half-centuries powered Lahore Qalandars to a commanding total

After opting to bat first, Lahore Qalandars racked up 210-4 in 20 overs, largely due to a big opening partnership between Zaman and Farooq.

The duo forged a 121-run partnership in 10.5 overs, laying a strong foundation for the defending champions. Mohammad Farooq remained the core aggressor while Fakhar Zaman played the second fiddle.

Farooq was eventually caught for 63 off 41 balls, laced with five sixes and five fours, while Fakhar continued on.

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The left-hander stitched another partnership of 70 runs with Abdullah Shafique, bringing the team’s total to 191 in 17.5 overs. Shafique scored 26 from 18, striking two sixes and a four.

Fakhar remained the top-scorer with 84 off 54, peppered with 11 fours and a maximum.

Rawalpindiz bowlers did well to curtail the run flow in the final overs, as Qalandars scored 45 from the last five.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir and Razaullah picked up two wickets.

READ: Former pacer questions Ghazi Ghori’s selection for Bangladesh series

Former Pakistan pacer Tanveer Ahmed has slammed wicket-keeper batter Ghazi Ghori’s selection for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad for the Test series, including four uncapped players — Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.

The first of the two matches, part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), will be played in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test from 16 to 20 May.

Following the announcement, Tanveer, who played five Tests for Pakistan, highlighted Saad Baig’s omission.

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“Saad Baig’s current season performance: 10 matches, 1000 runs, ranked No. 1 — yet his name was not included in the Test squad against Bangladesh,” he said.

“Ghazi Ghori — whose recommendation is he on? Zero performance, has played only one match this season, yet he has been named in the Test team. Shame on such selection,” he added.

It is worth mentioning that Ghazi Ghori made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in the recently concluded series. He has played 26 first-class matches, scoring 1692 runs at an average of 41.26, including three hundreds and 10 fifties.

The 23-year-old was also the second-highest run getter in the President’s Trophy Grade-I, 2025/26, finishing on 531 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.27.

Meanwhile, Saad Baig was the leading run scorer in the country’s premier domestic competition — Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26. He made 1000 runs in 10 matches, including four centuries and three fifties.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: PSL 11: Islamabad United name Dipendra Singh Airee’s replacement