Author: A Sports

LAHORE: Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has revealed that conditions played a major role behind Haris Rauf omission from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 squad.

While addressing the media on the occasion of the team announcement, Hesson revealed that Pakistan’s decision to take only three specialist seamers for World Cup were due to Sri Lanka conditions.

“When we decided to only take three seamers in Sri Lanka, there were obviously going to be some key seamers,” Hesson told reporters.

The head coach furhter elaborated that Haris Rauf was in contention but ultimately missed out due to limited slots.

“Wasim Jr, Ahmed Daniyal and Haris Rauf were certainly considered, but unfortunately there’s no spot. The three that are going — Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah and Salman Mirza — can all bowl in all three phases of the game, which is really important when you’re potentially going to play two in Sri Lanka,” he explained.

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Hesson mentioned the previous editions of the World Cup where conditions allowed an extra seamer, noting that Faheem Ahsraf provides an all-round option incase if a third pacer is required.

“In previous World Cups and previously, we have always taken an extra seamer there because conditions have dictated that, whereas in this situation we haven’t gone down that path,” he stated.

“We have only picked three frontline seamers, with Faheem Ashraf as the all-rounder if we decide to play three, so that was pretty straightforward, and some very good players missed out,” Hesson revealed.

For those unwared, Rauf’s last appearance for Pakistan in T20I cricket came during the Asia Cup final against India on September 28, 2025, a match in which he struggled, conceding 50 runs in 3.4 overs while defending 146.

The performance raised questions about his ability to handle pressure in big moments, and he has not featured in the national T20I team since.

He was also left out of the T20I squads for the away series against Sri Lanka and the upcoming home series against Australia.

Earlier, Pakistan revealed the squad for T20 World Cup 2026 with skipper Salman Ali Agha set to lead the side.

Pakistan T20 World Cup Squad

Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (WK), and Usman Tariq.

READ: Mohsin Naqvi breaks silence on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 participation

LAHORE: Pakistan have revealed their 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to begin on 7 February across Sri Lanka and India.

The squad was announced at a press conference attended by PCB Director of High Performance and member of the Men’s National Selection Committee Aqib Javed, Head Coach of the Pakistan white-ball team Mike Hesson, and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.

Salman Ali Agha will lead the side for the first time in an ICC event. The team also features Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan, and Usman Tariq, all of whom will play the World Cup for the first time.

 

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The squad also includes Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, and Usman Khan.

For the unversed, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will begin on 7 February with the opening match scheduled between Pakistan and the Netherlands.

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Pakistan are slotted in Group A alongside India, the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia. The Green Shirts will play all their matches in Sri Lanka under the Hybrid model.

Following the fixture against the Netherlands, Pakistan will then lock horns with USA on 10 February.

The high-voltage clash against arch-rivals India will be played on 15 February, whereas their final group-stage match is against Namibia on 18 February.

If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals and final, both knockout matches will be played in Colombo. Otherwise, the semi-final and final will be held in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, respectively.

Pakistan T20 World Cup Squad

Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (WK), and Usman Tariq.

Pakistan World Cup fixtures

Pakistan vs Netherlands: February 7, Colombo

Pakistan vs USA: February 10, Colombo

Pakistan vs India: February 15, Colombo

Pakistan vs Namibia: February 18, Colombo

READ: Mohsin Naqvi breaks silence on Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 participation

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to replace Bangladesh with Scotland at the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, following Bangladesh’s continued refusal to travel to India for the tournament, according to a report by Cricbuzz.

The report claims ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta formally informed board members on Saturday that Bangladesh were not complying with the governing body’s earlier decision to stick to the existing schedule.

With no breakthrough after weeks of discussions, the ICC moved to enforce its stance and extend a formal invitation to Scotland, who will now take Bangladesh’s place at the marquee event.

The decision brings an end to nearly three weeks of back-and-forth between the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the ICC.

The dispute centred on Bangladesh’s refusal to play their World Cup matches in India, citing security concerns, and their insistence on relocating fixtures to Sri Lanka.

According to the report, the ICC informed the BCB via email on Friday evening after Bangladesh conveyed that its government had not granted permission for the team to travel to India for the tournament, scheduled to begin on February 7.

The matter had escalated earlier this week when the ICC Board held an emergency video conference on Wednesday.

During the meeting, a majority of directors reportedly voted in favour of replacing Bangladesh should they continue to reject the agreed schedule.

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The BCB was given until Thursday to consult its government and confirm whether it would travel to India. However, both the Bangladesh government and the board reiterated their position.

Bangladesh were drawn in Group C and were set to play their first three matches in Kolkata, followed by a group-stage fixture in Mumbai.

Security concerns first surfaced earlier this month after the BCCI, on January 3, instructed Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 squad.

While no official reason was cited, the move came amid worsening diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.

A day later, the BCB formally wrote to the ICC, stating, after consultation with the government, that the national team would not travel to India for its World Cup matches, a stance it maintained despite multiple rounds of talks.

Scotland’s inclusion is understood to be based on their consistent performances in recent ICC tournaments and their current world ranking of 14.

They narrowly missed out on progression at the 2024 T20 World Cup and have registered notable wins in past editions, including victories over West Indies (2022) and Bangladesh (2021).

As per the revised arrangement, Scotland will slot into Group C, where they are scheduled to face West Indies, Italy and England in Kolkata, before travelling to Mumbai to play Nepal.

While the ICC has yet to issue an official public statement, sources quoted in the report insist the decision is final, effectively ending Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup 2026 and underlining the ICC’s firm position amid mounting geopolitical tensions.

READ: Anisimova ramps up Melbourne title bid with imperious win

Pacer Nathan Ellis became the latest addition to Australia’s growing injury concerns ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to begin next month across Sri Lanka and India next month.

Leading the Hobart Hurricanes in BBL 15, the right-arm pacer Ellis was a late withdrawal from the Challenger against Sydey Sixers, raising fears over his availability for the T20 World Cup.

The 31-year-old had also missed the Hurricanes knockout fixture against Melbourne Stars due to injury and was expected to play in Challenger. However, the pacer was unable to recover from the injury.

Ellis, who famously took hat-trick on his T20I debut, is the latest addition to Australia’s injury concerns, as the ace duo of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins are recovering from injuries to be fit for the mega event.

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Hazlewood, sidelined since November last year, is expected to be fully fit before the tournament, while Cummins is likely to rejoin the squad in the latter stages of the mega event.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis also faced setback as he suffered a blow to his hand and was forced to retire during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 fixture, subsequently requiring a scan.

Tim David is another player who pulled up his hamstring during the BBL fixture and is currently recovering ahead of the mega event.

It is worth mentioning that ahead of the T20 World Cup, Australia will tour Pakistan for a three-match T20I series, slated to commence on 29 January in Lahore.

Provisional Australia squad for T20 World Cup 2026:

Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa.

READ: Surya, Kishan help India chase down 209 against New Zealand

MIRPUR: Tanzid Hasan’s sublime century backed by a dominant bowling performance helped Rajshahi Warriors crush Chattogram Royals here at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Friday to claim their maiden BPL title.

Set stiff 175, Chattogram Royals were bowled out for 111 in 17.5 overs.

Binura Fernando who starred with the ball, provided Warriors their first breakthrough in the form of Mohammad Naim, who made nine.

Mahmudul Hasan Joy soon followed him after, gone without troubling the scorers to leave Royals in precarious position at 18-2 in 2.5 overs.

After early wickets Pakistani pair of Hasan Nawaz and Mirza Baig tried to stablize the innings with a brief 21-run partnership.

However, Hasan Murad picked up the crucial wicket of Nawaz to put his side on top in the BPL final. The right-hander made 11 from seven with the aid of six and a four.

As a result, Chattogram Royals were reduced to 39-3 in 5.4 overs.

Meanwhile, Mirza Baig held firm despite losing partners at the other end. Zahiduzzaman was the next batter to fall.

The wicket-keeper batter could not got going and was caught after sluggish 11 from 13 without hitting a single boundary.

Hasan Murad continued to turn on the screws as he snared skipper Mahedi Hasan for four to dent Royals further in the chase.

Consequently, Chattogram Royals were in dire straits 72-5 11.3 overs.

The arrival of Asif Ali provided his side a glimmer of hope as he tonked Tanzim Hasan Sakib for a huge maximum and four in the 12th over.

But the Royals slide continued as Baig resistance came to end in the 13th over. The right-hander made 39 from 36, striking two boundaries and a six.

After his dismissal, Royals innings quickly unraveled as Binura Fernando cut through the lower order.

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Eventually, the whole team was bunlded out, handing Rajshahi Warriors their maiden BPL trophy.

For Rajshahi Warriors, Binura Fernando was the pick of the bowler as he picked up four wickets for nine runs in three overs. Hasan Murad was the other bowler who scalped three to put his name on the honours board in big final.

Earlier, given the opportunity to bat first in final, Chattogram Royals put on a big total of 174-4 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to Tanzid Hasan’s century.

Sahibzada Farhan and Tanzid Hasan laid a solid foundation with an 83 run stand in 10.2 overs. Tanzid remained the core aggressor in the partnership while Farhan played the second fiddle.

Mukidul Islam provided Royals their first breakthrough in the shape of Farhan’s wicket who made 30 off 30 balls with the help of two fours and two sixes.

Despite the wicket, Chattogram Royals upped the anti as veteran batter Kane Williamson forged a 47-run partnership.

Williamson departed for well made 24 off 15 as hit two fours and a six.

Chattogram Royals did well at the back of the innings to slow down the scoring, yet Tanzid reached the triple figures in the 18th over.

The left-hander made 100 from 62 deliveries which included seven sixes and six fours.

For Chattogram Royals, Mukidul Islam and Shoriful Islam took two wicket each.

READ: U19 World Cup: Australia top Group C, Bangladesh advance to Super Six

WINDHOEK: Australia romped to a nine wicket win over Sri Lanka to top Group C, while Bangladesh secured a place in the Super Six stage of the ICC U19 World Cup with a seven-wicket win over USA on Friday.

In group A, Australia sealed a commanding win over Sri Lanka after bowling the Islanders for just 58.

The defending champions chased down the partly target in 12 overs, losing only wicket in the process.

Nitesh Samuel scored 19 from 40 and Steven Hogan hit three boundaries for his 28 from 27 deliveries.

For Sri Lanka, Rasith Nimsara was the solitary wicket taker.

With this victory, Australia topped the group with three wins out of three games.

Earlier, put into bat first, Will Byrom’s five wicket haul skittled Sri Lanka for 58 in 18.5 overs.

Australia pacer Charles Lachmund and Will Byrom inflicted a miserable start on Sri Lanka as they were reduced to 3-3 in 3.2 overs.

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The wickets continued to tumble for Sri Lanka as none of their batters could got going. Chamika Heenatigala top-scored for his side with 14 from 21` balls.

In Groub fixture, Bangladesh secured a comprehensive seven wicket win over USA to seal their Super Six spot.

Put into bat first, USA were bowled out for 199 in their 50 overs.

Adnit Jhamb remained the highest scorer for his side, managing 68 off 69 with the help of a six and three fours.

For Bangladesh, Iqbal Hossain Emon remained the standout bowler with three wickets. Al Fahad, Shahriar Ahmed and Rizan Hossan shared six wickets between them.

In reply, Bangladesh chased down the target in 41.3 overs, losing three wickets in the process.

Skipper Azizul Hakim top scored with 64 from 82, hittig two fours and same number of maximums. Zawad Abrar was the other notable contributor, striking three sixes and five fours in his knock of 47 from 42 balls.

For USA, Ritvik Appidi, Utkarsh Srivastava and Sahil Garg picked up one wicket each.

READ: Derbyshire rope in Sufiyan Muqeem for T20 Blast 2026

Derbyshire have roped in Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem for the 2026 T20 Blast campaign. 

The 26-year-old Muqeem will play the first half of the season — six matches before Afghanistan spin AM Ghazanfar replaces him.

Sufiyan has taken 27 wickets in T20Is and eight in ODIs across 23 international appearances for Pakistan.

Following the signing, Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur expressed his views and revealed the reason behind the signing of two spinners.

“Signing overseas players with so many tournaments overlapping can be difficult, so we’ve done well to sign two current international spinners to ensure we have balance in our squad through the whole campaign,” he said.

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Arthur called Muqeem a ‘gem’ and praise AM Ghazanfar exposure around the globe.

“Sufiyan is a rising star in T20 cricket, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with him before. I’ve seen his skill and resilience under pressure firsthand,” Arthur added.

 

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Meanwhile, Sufiyan expressed his excited on joining Derbyshire and working with Mickey Arthur again.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Falcons and working with Mickey again. He’s a fantastic coach, and I can’t wait to experience playing cricket in England,” Muqeem said.

For those unaware, the 18 team tournament will be played from 22 May to 18 July.

The teams have been divided into three groups of six and each county will play 12 matches, six at home and six away.

Derbyshire will play their opening T20 Blast game at home to Durham on 22 May.

READ: Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc propel Sixers into BBL 15 final

SYDNEY: Steve Smith’s half-century and a combined bowling effort led by Mitchell Starc propelled the Sydney Sixers into the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 final with a 57-run victory over defending champions Hobart Hurricanes in the challenger here at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday.

Chasing daunting 199, Hurricanes batting lineup crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for 141 in 17.2 overs.

After a 21 run opening partnership, openers Mitchell Owen and Tim Ward fell in quick time as Hurricanes were reduced to 29-2 in three overs.

Following the early hiccups, Beau Webster and skipper Ben McDermott stabilized the chase with a 48 run partnership. The pair brought the total to 77 in 9.5 overs before three wickets in quick succession in span of one over jolted their chase.

First well set batter, Webster was caught after scoring 40 from 26, striking three boundaries and a six.

Joel Davies took two wickets on successive deliveries, first removing Nikhil Chaudhary, who only managed four and the second one of dangerous Matthew Wade who was caught and bowled for a golden duck.

As a result, Hurricanes slumped to 91-6 in 12.3 overs, with Chris Jordan the next batter to fall after scoring only one.

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Hobart Hurricanes batting quickly unraveled after slump and were eventually bowled out at the end of the 17th over.

For Sydney Sixers, Ben Dwarshuis topped the wickets chart with three scalps in all-round bowling effort. Mitchell Starc, Sean Abbott and Joel Davies shared six wickets between them.

Earlier, put into bat first, Sydney Sixers put on a massive 198-8 at the end of their 20 overs.

After losing Daniel Hughes for 13, Steve Smith and Josh Philippe held the innings together with a 64 run stand.

Smith did the bulk of the scoring with Philippe adding 15 to the total with the aid of two fours.

There were some other brief contributions from the middle order with Joel Davies scoring 27 from 12, striking two fours and two sixes late down the order.

Lachlan Shaw also chipped in with the bat, hitting four boundaries on his way to 21 from 13 balls.

For Hobart Hurricanes, Riley Meredith scalped three wickets with Billy Stanlake and Rishad Hossain taking two wickets each.

The final of the tournament will be played on 25 January, Sunday between Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers at Perth Stadium.

Notably, this will be the sixth time that both teams will meet in BBL final.

READ: Haris Rauf breaks silence on his exclusion from Pakistan T20I squad

Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has finally addressed the growing speculation surrounding his potential omission from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, insisting that missing out would be disappointing but not the end of his career.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has yet to announce the final squad for the global event, but several reports have suggested that Rauf may be left out.

Rumours have also circulated that white-ball head coach Mike Hesson is not in favour of the pacer’s inclusion.

Rauf’s last appearance for Pakistan in T20I cricket came during the Asia Cup final against India on September 28, 2025, a match in which he struggled, conceding 50 runs in 3.4 overs while defending 146.

The performance raised questions about his ability to handle pressure in big moments, and he has not featured in the national T20I team since.

He was left out of the T20I squads for the away series against Sri Lanka and the upcoming home series against Australia.

Speaking in a recent interview, Haris Rauf acknowledged the possibility of being overlooked but made it clear that he will not allow the setback to define his future.

“If I am not included in the T20 World Cup, it would be disappointing, but it will not be the end of my career,” he said.

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Rauf also reiterated his commitment to improving his game, emphasising that he remains focused on refining his bowling and delivering his best whenever given the chance.

“I will give my best performance and continue to work on my bowling,” he added.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his World Cup prospects, Rauf extended his support to the national team ahead of the tournament, expressing his best wishes for Pakistan’s campaign.

“I have good wishes for the national team in the T20 World Cup,” he said.

Rauf also opened up about the challenges of maintaining consistency at the international level, especially when bowling in the death overs.

“Whenever I played for Pakistan, I always gave 100%. Bowling in the death overs is not easy,” he said.

It’s worth noting that despite his exclusion from the national side, his form in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 15 has been impressive.

He currently leads the tournament’s wicket charts with 20 wickets in 11 matches for the Melbourne Stars.

READ: Babar, Shaheen back as Pakistan unveil squad for Australia T20Is

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday named a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Australia, starting on 29 January.

The series will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, from 29 January to 1 February. The games will start at 4pm PKT with the coin toss set to take place at 3.30pm PST.

Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi have returned to the T20I squad after missing the three-match away series against Sri Lanka in January.

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Shadab Khan will continue to build on his comeback in the previous T20I series and will form part of a strong spin-bowling contingent along with Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq.

Pakistan squad and player support personnel are expected to convene in Lahore on Saturday, 24 January and will begin their preparations for the series the following day.

Australia are set to arrive in Pakistan on Wednesday, 28 February and will play just their second series in the format on Pakistan soil after a solitary T20I in April 2022 at Gaddafi Stadium.

Pakistan squad for Australia series

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq

Player support personnel: Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Shane McDermott (fielding coach), Hanif Malik (batting coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (performance analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmed (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Dr Raheel Karim (psychiatrist) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

READ: New Zealand fast bowler ruled out of T20 World Cup 2026