Author: A Sports

WINDHOEK: Sri Lanka’s Viran Chamuditha delivered a record-shattering performance on Saturday, scripting history in the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026 during his side’s opening fixture against Japan at the Namibia Cricket Ground.

The left-hander produced a monumental innings of 192 from 143 deliveries, the highest individual score ever recorded in the tournament’s history.

His knock, studded with 26 boundaries and a six, saw him surpass the previous record of fellow Sri Lankan Hasith Boyagoda, who had scored 191 against Kenya in the 2018 edition.

Highest individual scores in U19 World Cup

Chamuditha’s innings laid the foundation for a commanding Sri Lankan total and only came to an end when he was dismissed by Timothy Moore, by which time the damage had already been done.

The record-breaking display was complemented by another landmark achievement, as Chamuditha and opening partner Dimantha Mahavitana stitched together a colossal 328-run stand.

The partnership is now the highest for any wicket in the history of the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup.

Highest partnerships in U19 World Cup

Powered by the mammoth opening stand, Sri Lanka posted an imposing target of 388 runs for Japan in their first outing of the 2026 tournament, underlining their intent early in the competition.

READ: U19 World Cup: India, Bangladesh captains skip handshake

BULAWAYO: The Group B clash in the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup at Queens Sports Club on Saturday began on an unusually sour note, as India captain Ayush Mhatre and Bangladesh vice-captain Zawad Abrar avoided the customary handshake after the toss.

Abrar, standing in for Bangladesh captain Md Azizul Hakim Tamim, who missed the match due to illness, won the toss and opted to field, citing the damp conditions following rain.

However, the absence of the traditional pre-match greeting between the two leaders was the key talking point, coming amid escalating tensions between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).

The strain between the two boards has intensified after the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad, citing directives from the BCCI.

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The decision triggered a strong response from the BCB, which subsequently announced that Bangladesh’s national men’s team would not travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, citing security concerns.

The BCB then took the matter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), formally requesting a change of venue for Bangladesh’s matches. The board has insisted that its team should play in Sri Lanka, the co-host nation, instead of India.

Adding to the diplomatic fallout, the Bangladesh government announced a ban on coverage of the IPL in the country, further deepening the rift between the two cricketing nations.

As of now, the ICC has not made a final decision regarding Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup fixtures.

The governing body has offered to shift venues, but only within India, citing logistical challenges that make a move outside the country difficult.

READ: Finn Allen seals top spot for Perth Scorchers with Melbourne Stars win

PERTH: Finn Allen continued his red-hot form as Perth Scorchers secured a six-wicket win over Melbourne Stars to finish atop the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 standings on Saturday.

The top-of-the-table clash in Perth was set up with both teams on 12 points, with a chance to end the group stage at the summit.

Scorchers made the most of the opportunity, finishing with 14 points and leaving Melbourne Stars behind on 12, while Hobart Hurricanes sit second with 13 points.

The fourth playoff spot will be decided on Sunday when the Sydney Sixers take on the Brisbane Heat.

Scorchers won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that paid immediate dividends.

Melbourne Stars struggled against a disciplined Perth attack and were bundled out for 130 in 18.2 overs.

Jhye Richardson led the charge with a four-wicket haul, supported by David Payne and Cooper Connolly, who took two wickets each.

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The Stars’ batting lineup failed to fire, with only captain Marcus Stoinis offering resistance.

Stoinis produced a valiant 55 off 39 balls, including five fours and two sixes, but lacked support from the rest of the lineup.

Campbell Kellaway (19) and Hilton Cartwright (13) were the only other batters to reach double figures.

Chasing 131, Scorchers lost early momentum as Haris Rauf ran through the top order, picking up three wickets and reducing Perth to 26-3 in 4.1 overs.

But Finn Allen held his nerve and steadied the innings. He found a strong partner in Aaron Hardie, and the duo stitched a crucial 94-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Allen led the chase with a 39-ball 69, smashing seven sixes and two fours, before falling to Peter Siddle with just 11 runs required.

Hardie then took charge, remaining unbeaten on 41 off 37 balls, guiding Scorchers to victory with plenty of time to spare.

READ: BPL 2026: Malan, Hridoy power Rangpur Riders to win over Dhaka Capitals

MIRPUR: Half-centuries from Dawid Malan and Towhid Hridoy laid the foundation for a comprehensive Rangpur Riders victory over Dhaka Capitals in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 clash at the Shere Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, the Riders made full use of the conditions as Malan and Hridoy stitched together a dominant 126-run opening partnership, putting Dhaka under pressure from the outset.

Malan set the tone with an authoritative 78 off 49 deliveries, striking eight fours and four sixes before Taskin Ahmed finally broke the stand.

Hridoy ensured the momentum was not lost, anchoring the innings with a well-paced 62 from 46 balls, decorated with five boundaries and four maximums, before falling to Maruf Mridha.

Kyle Mayers provided late impetus with a brisk 24 off 16, helping Rangpur post a competitive 181 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs.

Dhaka Capitals’ chase never quite settled. Faheem Ashraf struck early, removing both openers inside the first four overs to leave the hosts struggling at 36.

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The pressure intensified when Nahid Rana dismissed Saif Hassan and Sabbir Rahman in quick succession, reducing Dhaka to 53 for 4.

A brief revival came through Mohammad Saifuddin and Imad Wasim, who added 48 runs for the seventh wicket to keep the contest alive.

However, Mustafizur Rahman’s timely breakthrough ended Wasim’s knock of 20 and halted the comeback.

Saifuddin fought on valiantly, finishing unbeaten on 58 off just 30 balls, including three fours and five sixes, but the target proved out of reach.

Dhaka Capitals closed on 170 for 7, falling 11 runs short.

Nahid Rana led Rangpur’s bowling effort with three wickets, while Faheem Ashraf chipped in with two, sealing a convincing all-round performance for the Riders.

READ: PTV stun SNGPL to break 232-year-old first-class cricket record

ADELAIDE: Adelaide Strikers wrapped up their Big Bash League (BBL) 15 campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing Melbourne Renegades by eight wickets after bowling them out for a paltry 99 at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

In their final group-stage fixture, the Strikers opted to field after winning the toss, a decision that paid immediate dividends.

Jerrssis Wadia struck with the first two balls of the innings, removing Tim Seifert and Jake Fraser-McGurk for golden ducks to leave the Renegades in early disarray.

Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan attempted to steady the innings with 17 runs apiece, while Caleb Jewell chipped in with 14. However, wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, denying the Renegades any momentum.

Skipper Will Sutherland offered brief resistance, top-scoring with 38 off 28 deliveries, but found little support from the other end.

South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi ripped through the lower order, finishing with four wickets, including the key scalp of Sutherland.

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Wadia and Lloyd Pope provided solid support, claiming two wickets each as Melbourne were bundled out for 99 in just 16.5 overs.

Chasing a modest target, the Strikers never looked under pressure.

Alex Carey got them off to a brisk start with 22 off 15 balls, while captain Matthew Short played a fluent knock of 30 from 22 deliveries before departing with the result all but sealed.

Chris Lynn (27) and Liam Scott (18) then completed the chase in quick time, guiding Adelaide home with 49 balls to spare to cap off a comprehensive victory.

Despite the convincing win, the Strikers finished the BBL 15 season in sixth place on the points table, while the Renegades ended their campaign in seventh, concluding a disappointing outing for the Melbourne-based side.

READ: Smith explains denying ‘unhappy’ Babar Azam a single in BBL

MIRPUR: Fast bowler Ripon Mondol picked up a four-wicket haul to seal a narrow five-run victory for Rajshahi Warriors in the 26th fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26.

Set a challenging 148, Sylhet Titans fell short in the final over, ending their innings on 142 for 9.

With this win, Titans are now at the top position on the points table with seven victories out of nine games.

After losing two wickets inside the first three overs, Mominul Haque and Parvez Hossain Emon put the chase back on track with a gritty 49-run partnership.

Parvez Hossain Emon top-scored with 41 off 30, striking four sixes and a boundary.

Despite the wicket, Titans were kept afloat by Mominul Haque and Afif Hossain, who stitched another partnership of 32 runs.

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The pair brought the score to 96 before Ripon Mondol sparked a collapse that the Titans could not recover from.

As a result, Sylhet Titans slumped to 111-6 from 94-4 in 16.1 overs. Moeen Ali showed some resistance with 27 from 12 balls, hitting three sixes and a boundary.

However, Binura Fernando held his nerve and defended 11 in the final over to seal victory for his side.

For Rajshahi Warriors, Ripon Mondol starred with the ball, scalping four wickets, while Binura Fernando supported him well with two wickets.

Earlier, put into bat first, Rajshahi Warriors made 147-8 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.

Mushfiqur Rahim remained the top-scorer with 40 to his name from 30 balls, laced with four boundaries and a six.

Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was the other notable batter, who hit five fours and a boundary in his 34 from 21 balls.

The pair added a crucial 56-run stand for the third wicket, which remained the cornerstone in the Warriors’ winning total.

For Sylhet Titans, Nasum Ahmed and Shohidul Islam scalped two wickets each.

READ: Smith explains denying ‘unhappy’ Babar Azam a single in BBL

SYDNEY: Star batter Steve Smith opened up about denying a single to Babar Azam before the ‘Power Surge’ over during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 clash between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder.

Babar made 47 from 39 deliveries, hitting seven boundaries before getting cleaned up by Nathan McAndrew.

The wicket left Babar fuming, who was seen striking the boundary cushion with his bat.

The incident unfolded when Steve Smith denied Babar a single after the former had faced three consecutive dot balls.

In the very next over, Steve Smith completely capitalized on Power Surge — a strategic, two-over period the batting team chooses after the 10th over, where fielding restrictions are eased with only two fielders allowed outside the inner circle, hitting 32 runs in the over.

Speaking after the match, Smith revealed the reason behind his refusal to give Babar Azam a strike.

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“We spoke at the ten-over mark, and they [the captain and coach] said take the surge straightaway,” Smith told Channel 7.

“I was like, ‘Nah, give it one over. I want to hit to the short boundary. I don’t want to screw up the first over. I’ll try to get 30 off that over’. [I] think we got 32, so it was a good result. Not sure Babar was too happy with me knocking back that single,” he remarked.

Nonetheless, Sydney Sixers cruised to a five-wicket victory while chasing a 190-run target.

Steve Smith starred with the bat, scoring a sublime 100 off 42 balls, striking nine sixes and five fours.

The emphatic win lifted the Sixers to fourth place on the BBL 15 points table, putting them firmly on course for a playoff berth.

They will now face fifth-placed Brisbane Heat in their final group-stage fixture on Sunday, with the result set to determine the last team to qualify for the playoffs.

READ: Afghanistan edge South Africa to kickstart U19 World Cup

LAHORE: Player retention rules and the proposed ‘drauction’ system were among the key issues discussed during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Governing Council meeting held at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) on Friday.

Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chaired the meeting, which was also attended by representatives from all eight PSL franchises, along with the officials.

“Chairman PCB and the HBL PSL team were also congratulated on the successful conduct of the New Teams Auction, which reflected growth and evolution of the league,” the board said in a press release.

“During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on various matters, including the schedule of the HBL PSL 11, player retentions, adoption of the player auction or a unique combination of auction and draft termed as ‘drauction’, and the option of opening direct signings,” it added.

Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated on the successful conduct of the new teams auction, highlighting the league’s growth.

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During the meeting, it was also decided that PSL 11 will kick off on Thursday, 26 March.

The meeting was adjourned with the constitution of a working group to meet on Saturday to deliberate further on agenda items, where, after the Governing council meeting, will be reconvened immediately as necessary.

READ: Clinical England outplay Pakistan in U19 World Cup

WINDHOEK: Faisal Shinozada’s 81 backed by an all-round performance helped Afghanistan ease past South Africa by 28 runs in the sixth match of the U19 World Cup here at the High Performance Oval on Friday.

Set 267, South Africa U19 batting lineup faltered in the chase as they were bowled out for 238 in 47.4 overs.

After losing the first three wickets in 13.3 overs, Jason Rowles and Armaan Manack held the innings together with a 60-run partnership.

The duo’s batting, particularly Jason Rowles, who accounted for most of the runs, put South Africa’s chase back on track.

The pair took the score from 49-3 to 109 in 27.2 overs before Manack, after scoring 15 from 37 balls.

Despite the wicket, Rowles continued on and added another stand of 46 runs alongside Paul James, which brought the score over 150 run mark.

However, with the required run rate creeping up, James, who only scored 4, was caught. The wicket followed Jason Rowles, who top scored with 98 from 93 balls, hitting three sixes and nine fours.

Despite the wicket, Corne Botha and Daniel Bosman kept their side in the hunt, adding 45 for the eighth wicket stand.

Yet, South Africa lost their way as they lost their last three wickets on the score of 237 and 239.

For Afghanistan, Khatir Stanikzai and Abdul Aziz picked up two wickets each.

Earlier,  put into bat first, Afghanistan U19 managed to rack up 266-8 in their allotted 50 overs.

Faisal Shinozada and Khalid Ahmadzai starred with the bat, both scoring 81 and 74 runs respectively.

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The pair was instrumental in the team’s strong foundation, putting on a 152-run partnership for the second wicket.

With the pair keeping South Africa bowlers at bay till 35 overs, the Proteas made a strong comeback and picked up wickets in quick succession.

Despite the wickets tumbling around, Uzairullah Niazai struck a crucial half-century, which took them to a strong total.

For South Africa, Bayanda Majola and Corne Botha shared six wickets between them.

In another fixture, Australia romped to an eight-wicket victory over Ireland, courtesy of an all-round performance.

After opting to field first, Australia limited Ireland to 235-7 in 50 overs.

Rob O’Brien remained the top-scorer for Ireland with 79 off 98 balls laced with nine boundaries.

For Australia, Charles Lachmund was the standout bowler with three wickets to his name.

In reply, Australia reached the target without any major hiccups, with Steven Hogan scoring 115 off 111 balls.

Nitesh Samuel was the other notable contributor, scoring an unbeaten 77 from 101 deliveries, interestingly without hitting a single boundary.

For Ireland, Luke Murray and Reuben Wilson scalped one wicket apiece.

READ: Clinical England outplay Pakistan in U19 World Cup

HARARE: Caleb Falconer’s gutsy half-century and a clinical bowling performance powered England to a victory over Pakistan in the fourth fixture of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup 2026 here at the Takashinga Sports Club, Highfield on Friday.

Set to chase a stiff 211 on a slow pitch, Pakistan U19 were bowled out for 173 in 46.3 overs.

England applied pressure on Pakistan right from the onset as inform batter Sameer Minhas (10) was caught in the third over. Mohammad Shayan was the second one to go after managing just seven, followed by Usman Khan, who made six.

Consequently, Pakistan were in early trouble with 28-3 in 8.2 overs.

Following early wickets, skipper Farhan Yousaf and Ahmed Hussain joined hands at the crease, launching a brief recovery with a 26-run partnership.

However, Farhan Ahmed trapped Hussain lbw for 12 to put Pakistan into further trouble. The next two wickets of Huzaifa Ahsan and Hamza Zahoor also came in quick time, which derailed Pakistan’s chase.

The Green Shirts were reduced to 85-6 in 25.4 overs with captain Yousaf at the fore. The skipper tried to arrest the slide with a 48-run partnership with Abdul Subhan to steady the innings.

The pair somehow provided their side respite as the scorecard read 133 in 37.2 overs, and with less than 100 runs required to win.

But Ralphie Albert provied England the much-needed breakthrough in the form of Subhan’s wicket, who scored 14.

Despite the wickets tumbling around him, Farhan Yousaf kept his team in the hunt and scored a half-century. However, his wicket in the 40th over dashed Pakistan’s hope for a victory.

The right-hander was caught after scoring 65 from 86 balls with the aid of four sixes and three fours.

Eventually, Pakistan fell 37 runs short of the total with the last wicket of Ali Raza, who was run out.

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For England, Alex Green, James Mint,o and Ralphie Albert picked up two wickets each

Earlier, put into bat first, England U19 were bowled out for 210 in 46.5 overs, courtesy of a clinical bowling performance from Pakistan.

Openers Ben Dawkins and Joseph Moores provided a solid start, adding 33 in the first seven overs.

Moores made six before getting caught off Ali Raza’s who provided Pakistan the first breakthrough of the innings.

The second wicket fell in the 11th over when set batter Ben Dawkins was caught behind for 33. He hit four boundaries and a six in his knock.

The Green Shirts continued to mount pressure with clinical bowling and wickets at regular intervals as Ben Mayes was the third one to go, caught at thirdman after scoring 14.

England were 67-3 in 15.1 overs at this stage of the innings with skipper Thomas Rew at the helm alongside Caleb Falconer.

The pair tried to steady the innings with a brief 23-run stand, but the Three Lions were dealt a major blow when their skipper Thomas Rew was caught at point, courtesy of a wonderful catch from Ahmed Hussain. Rew made 14 from 21 balls.

With England in a bit of bother, Caleb Falconer and Ralphie Albert stitched a crucial partnership of 80 runs that took their side out of trouble.

The pair brought the score to 170 from 90 in 33.2 overs with Falconer scoring an impressive half-century.

However, Pakistan bowlers quickly shifted the momentum in their favor with quick strikes.

Spinner Ahmed Hussain was behind England’s lower-order collapse as he removed Albert (25 from 37 balls) to give Pakistan a vital breakthrough.

Soon after, Caleb Falconer followed him after top-scoring with 66 off 73, hitting two sixes and three fours.

England’s slide continued as they slumped to 170-5 to 210 all out in 46.5 overs

For Pakistan, Ahmed Hussain starred with the ball, picking up three wickets in his quota of 10 overs. Abdul Subhan, Ali Raza, and Momin Qamar were equally good as they shared six wickets between them.

READ: WATCH: Babar Azam reacts angrily after dismissal