Author: Saleh Ayub

KARACHI: Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi shattered multiple records against Quetta Gladiators in the 29th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 played here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday night.

Put into bat first, Zalmi racked up 255 for the loss of three wickets in their 20 overs, largely due to a 135-run stand between Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis.

The total was the 2017 champions’ highest in PSL history and overall third in the tournament’s history. Earlier in the tournament, Zalmi had recorded 246-3 against Karachi Kings.

Highest totals in PSL history

Quetta Gladiators – 263/3 against Islamabad United in 2025
Multan Sultans – 262/3 against Quetta Gladiators in 2023
Peshawar Zalmi – 255/3 against Quetta Gladiators in 2026
Quetta Gladiators – 253/8 against Multan Sultans in 2023
Islamabad United – 251/5 against Karachi Kings in 2025

The foundation for a big total was laid by Babar, who scored an unbeaten 100 off only 52 balls, striking six fours and four sixes.

His 52-ball century, the fastest he has made in this prestigious league, allowed him to match the record for most PSL centuries, joining Kamran Akmal, Rilee Rossouw, and Usman Khan.

Additionally, Babar shared a 135-run partnership for the second wicket with Mendis, which also tied him with India’s Virat Kohli for the most century-plus stands in T20s.

Most 100 partnerships in T20 cricket

47 – Virat Kohli (India)
47 – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
46 – Chris Gayle (West Indies)
45 – David Warner (Australia)
40 – Faf du Plessis (South Africa)

Notably, Babar Azam only played one dot ball during his 52-ball innings. According to the ball-by-ball database, which includes over 3,000 innings of 50 or more balls in T20s worldwide, no batter has ever had as few as one dot ball in such an innings.

READ: PSL 11: Babar, Mendis and bowlers sink Quetta Gladiators

KARACHI: Fast bowler Hasan Ali vowed to bounce back following the Karachi Kings’ defeat against Multan Sultans in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The Kings fell short by 11 runs against the Sultans while chasing a formidable 208-run target here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Hasan Ali had a forgettable outing, returning with the figures of 1 for 51 in four overs, including 21 off the final over of the Multan Sultans innings.

The loss marked the Kings’ fourth in a row, and they now have to win their remaining three matches to stay in contention for the playoffs.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

After the match, Hasan spoke to the media and reflected on his side’s shortcomings against Multan Sultans.

“We have lost four matches in Karachi. We have failed in every department,” he told reporters.

Karachi Kings now need to win their remaining three matches to stay in contention for a place in the playoffs.

“Our team has shown good performances in Lahore. We will regroup and try to make a comeback in Lahore,” said the right-arm pacer.

He also responded to a question regarding the absence of regular captain David Warner.

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“He is a match-winner. For us, every player is important, just like David Warner. This is Karachi Kings’ team, not just David Warner’s team. Our team has players of every kind and skill set. We still have three matches left, and we will try to win them,” he continued.

The 31-year-old emphasized team combination, noting that perceptions change depending on results.

“A combination is always made well in every franchise. If a player is given chances but does not perform, then you have to look for options,” Hasan Ali concluded.

READ: Multan Sultans edge Karachi Kings in PSL 11 clash

KARACHI: Usman Tariq’s three wickets, backed by Rilee Rossouw’s unbeaten half-century, propelled Quetta Gladiators to a six-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in the 26th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Friday.

The Gladiators chased down 135 in 16.2 overs, losing only four wickets in the process.

Lahore Qalandars piled on a miserable start on Quetta Gladiators as they lost their openers in the first two overs. Shamyl Hussain was caught for a duck while Shakeel was run out for one.

With the side in deep trouble at 11-2, Hassan Nawaz and Rilee Rossouw launched a recovery, forging a 104-run partnership that took the game away from Qalandars.

The pair batted with great composure and took the score to 115 in 13.4 overs. Nawaz made 49 off 32, striking two sixes and six fours.

Meanwhile, Rossouw remained until the end, ensuring his team crossed the line. The left-handed batter struck five fours and two sixes in his 60* off 49 balls.

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For Lahore Qalandars, Sikandar Raza, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, a three-wicket haul from Usman Tariq bundled out Lahore Qalandars for a mere total. Qalandars could not capitalize on the decision to bat first as were bowled out for 134 on the final ball of the innings.

Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman added 20 for the opening wicket partnership before both batters fell in quick succession.

Naeem made four while Fakhar hit three boundaries in his 20 from 11 balls.

Quetta Gladiators continued to check Qalandars’ progress as they lost their third wicket in the powerplay. Charith Asalanka was caught for six as the defending champions were reduced to 36-3 in 4.4 overs.

The Qalandars continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, with none of their batters getting going. At the halfway mark of the innings, they were in dire straits with six down for 60 runs.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Haseebullah Khan top-scored with 33 off 37 balls, hitting four boundaries.

The pattern continued till the final over for Qalandars, but thanks to some lusty blows from Usama Mir, who took them to a fighting total. Mir scored 22 from seven with the aid of three sixes.

For Quetta Gladiators, Jahandad Khan and Usman Tariq took three wickets each.

READ: Shahid Afridi voices concern as Shapoor Zadran battles illness

KARACHI: Ace batter Babar Azam on Wednesday became the fourth player overall to complete 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. 

The Peshawar Zalmi skipper achieved the feat during his side’s clash against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

With this milestone, Babar joined Australia’s David Warner, India’s Virat Kohli, and England’s Jos Buttler.

Most half-centuries in men’s T20s

David Warner (Australia) – 116 in 435 innings
Virat Kohli (India) – 107 in 401 innings
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 100 in 341 innings
Jos Buttler (England) – 100 in 468 innings

Notably, Babar has been in fine form in PSL 11 and currently sits second on the run-scorers’ chart. The right-hander has amassed 301 runs in six matches at an average of 75.25 at a strike rate of 132.59.

Babar scored an unbeaten 71 off 51 balls in Zalmi’s dominant win over Gladiators, marking his 100th half-century in T20s.

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Chasing a modest target of 155, Zalmi got off to a strong start as Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam put together a brisk 75-run opening stand. Haris scored 35 off 28 balls before being dismissed, but the platform had already been set.

Babar, anchoring the innings, found support from Kusal Mendis, who contributed 21 runs during a steady 49-run partnership. After Mendis departed, Babar ensured there were no late hiccups.

The Zalmi captain remained unbeaten on 71 off 51 deliveries, striking 10 boundaries, and guided his side home comfortably with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, Zalmi’s decision to field first proved spot on as Quetta struggled to build momentum and were bowled out for 154 in 20 overs.

Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit starred with the ball, both taking wickets.

For his outstanding bowling performance, Muqeem bagged his second player of the match award.

READ: Babar Azam credits bowlers for dominant win against Quetta Gladitors

KARACHI: Stand-in captain Moeen Ali lamented Karachi Kings powerplay bowling after a four-wicket defeat against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash here at the National Bank Stadium.

Karachi Kings posted a strong total of 188 on the board, thanks to a composed half-century from Saad Baig.

The late impetus to the innings was provided by captain Moeen Ali, who hit five sixes in his 44 from 16 balls.

In reply, Kingsmen capitalized on a strong start and chased down the 189-run target on the first ball of the final over.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Speaking after the match, Moeen hailed the team’s fighting spirit while highlighting the shortcomings during the fixture.

“We did well to get that score. Our powerplay bowling was not great, starting with me. Positive for tonight was that we showed a fight which was missing last few games. You just go with your gut feel,” he said.

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Moeen said that such situations can happen, adding that winning three matches in a row does not automatically guarantee qualification.

He also cited a seven-day break as a possible factor that may not have worked in the team’s favour.

“It can happen. You win three in a row, which doesn’t automatically mean you’ll qualify. We had a break of 7 days, which probably wasn’t great for us,” the captain explained.

For the unversed, this was Karachi Kings second consecutive defeat after winning the first three games.

The 2020 champions will face Islamabad United on 16 April at the same venue.

READ: Saad Baig becomes first player to be retired out in PSL

Arsenal’s 2-1 home defeat by Bournemouth on Saturday blew the Premier League title race wide open, as Brentford and Everton missed the chance to close in on Champions League qualification after a 2-2 draw.

The Gunners could have opened up a 12-point lead at the top of the table, but a third defeat in four games for Mikel Arteta’s men has put the destiny of the title back in Manchester City’s hands.

City have two games in hand on the leaders, starting with Sunday’s trip to Chelsea, and host Arsenal next weekend.

Just a few weeks ago, Arsenal were dreaming of an unprecedented quadruple.

But after losing to City in the League Cup final and being dumped out the FA Cup by second-tier Southampton, a first league title in 22 years may also now be slipping away.

“We were very far from the standards that we’ve shown all season, so it’s a big punch in the face because we wanted to win this game so badly,” said Arteta.

“We didn’t cope with the situations when they didn’t go our way.”

Junior Kroupi reacted quickest to Adrien Truffert’s deflected cross to give Bournemouth an early lead.

Viktor Gyokeres levelled before the break from the penalty spot, but a lack of creative spark in the final third was again Arsenal’s undoing.

It is their defensive record that has put Arteta’s men in pole position for the title, but they were cut open with ease when Alex Scott finished off a fine team move for the winner on 74 minutes.

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The result was also huge in Bournemouth’s charge towards the European places as they move up to 10th on the back of an 11-game unbeaten run.

Five English sides will qualify directly for next season’s Champions League, and both Brentford and Everton missed the chance to move level on points with fifth-placed Liverpool.

Twice the Bees led through Igor Thiago, who took his tally for the season to 21 Premier League goals and within one of Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot.

Beto levelled midway through the first half for the visitors and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck in stoppage time to salvage a point.

Brighton are also well in the mix for their first ever taste of Champions League football.

Mats Wieffer scored twice as the Seagulls beat relegation-bound Burnley 2-0.

A fifth win in six games for Fabian Hurzeler’s men takes them up to ninth and within three points of the top five.

Liverpool can solidify their place in the top five when they host Fulham later at Anfield, looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Heavy defeats by Manchester City in the FA Cup and Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League have ramped up the pressure on Arne Slot’s position as Liverpool boss, less than a year he led the club to the Premier League title.

Mohamed Salah returns to the Liverpool starting line-up among five changes made by Slot from the chastening 2-0 loss to PSG in midweek.

READ: Saad Baig becomes first player to be retired out in PSL

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan has vowed to overcome shortcomings after suffering fifth consecutive defeat in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

Quetta Gladiators 61-run victory on Friday night kept Mohammad Rizwan’s side winless in the tournament.

The skipper highlighted the shortcomings in the post-match presentation, stating that his side is working on weaknesses

“We certainly recognize the need for change; it’s clear that adjustments are required to get us back on track. We’ve had our share of struggles, but we are actively working to overcome them,” he said.

“We brought in Ben Sears specifically to strengthen our death-bowling options and included Usman Khawaja to bolster the lineup. There have been ups and downs, and we are constantly trying to fix those gaps,” the skipper explained.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

He credited Hassan Nawaz and Jahandad Khan for their impressive batting that helped Quetta Gladiators reach a winning total.

“On this pitch, we felt we were restricting them well to around 140 or 150, but Hasan Nawaz and Jahandad deserve a lot of credit—they took the score from 150 to 180, which was a bit excessive for these conditions.”

The right-hander has struggled in the ongoing tournament with 83 runs in five matches at an average of 16.60.

“Regarding my personal form, I know how important it is to maintain self-belief. I realize that if I don’t lead from the front, the team will struggle, the 33-year-old maintained.

“I am working hard on my shortcomings and putting in the effort; I believe in showing courage and working hard, leaving the ultimate results in the hands of the Almighty. It is a tough period right now, but I am committed to fighting through it,” he continued.

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He expressed confidence despite losing five games on the trot, noting that they will bounce back in the upcoming games.

“The message in the dressing room is that in this sport, players are exposed to failure 60% of the time. We have to meet that reality with energy and bravery.”

“I truly believe that if we play the next five games to the best of our potential, the results will follow. It’s all about taking our courage to that next level and staying united as a group,” he concluded.

READ: Jahandad Khan reflects on all-round display against Rawalpindiz

Jannik Sinner brushed aside Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets on Friday to set up a Monte Carlo Masters semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

The Italian extended his winning run at Masters 1000 events to 20 matches by seeing off his Canadian opponent 6-3, 6-4.

“I feel like it was a step forwards today,” said Sinner, whose record streak of 36 consecutive sets won in Masters tournaments was snapped by Tomas Machac in the last 16.

“It was a very tough match. I knew I had to get better in certain areas. The serve is not there yet, where I would love it (to be), but all things considered I’m very happy…

“But in any case, very happy to be back in the semis.”

Sinner has never won one of the elite tournaments on clay but will be a strong favourite when he plays Zverev, who edged out Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca, after winning their last seven meetings.

The world number two, who completed the ‘Sunshine double’ with wins at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, is still on track for a possible first clash of the year with Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Sinner dropped just seven points on serve in a dominant opening set which he took courtesy of a break in the sixth game.

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The four-time Grand Slam champion also powered through the second set, wrapping up his fifth consecutive win over seventh-ranked Auger-Aliassime.

World number three Zverev sealed a battling 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3 victory over Fonseca to reach the semi-finals in Monaco for the third time.

Zverev is targeting his first ATP title since winning in Munich 12 months ago.

The German could also complete a career sweep of the clay-court Masters 1000 events, having previously won both the Italian Open and Madrid Open twice each.

Big-hitting 19-year-old Fonseca was playing in his first Masters quarter-final but pushed his opponent for long periods.

Three-time Grand Slam runner-up Zverev broke in the 11th game and then served out the opening set to love, before breaking again at the start of the second.

Fonseca reeled off four straight games from 3-1 down to tee up the chance to serve for the set, but he failed to take that opportunity.

The world number 40 found his rhythm in the tie-break, though, reeling off a string of magnificent groundstrokes to force a decider.

But Fonseca could not maintain that level as Zverev improved.

The 28-year-old broke in the sixth game and confidently served out victory, reaching his third straight Masters 1000 semi-final this year.

Later on Friday, world number one and reigning champion Alcaraz takes on Alexander Bublik, before Alex de Minaur plays Valentin Vacherot.

READ: WATCH: Fakhar Zaman responds to Mohsin Naqvi’s birthday wish

The historic Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 is set to begin on March 26, with several uncapped players to keep an eye on who may turn out to be game changers. 

5. Farhan Yousaf

Farhan Yousaf, who captained Pakistan in the U19 World Cup, remained unpicked in the PSL 11 auction. He finished with 132 runs in five matches at an average of 66.

But later, Peshawar Zalmi roped him in through a direct signing.

He managed 143 runs in the National T20 Cup from four matches at a strike rate of 143 with a highest score of 61*.

4. Shahzaib Khan

Remember the name, Shahzaib Khan? The left-hander came to the limelight during the Pakistan U19 World Cup campaign in 2024, where he emerged as the tournament’s top scorer for the national team.

However, since then, he has been scoring runs freely in Pakistan domestic cricket, awaiting a call to the national side.

Picked by RawalPINDIZ for a base price of PKR 60 lacs, Shahzaib Khan was in good form during the recently concluded National T20 Cup. He amassed 160 runs in five matches at an average of 40 at a strike rate of 158, including two half-centuries.

3. Abdullah Fazal

The 23-year-old Abdullah Fazal is another player to look out for in the tournament. His elegant stroke play caught the eye of RawalPINDIZ at the auction, and he was bought for PKR 67.5 lakh in the auction.

The left-handed batter has been consistent in domestic cricket, particularly in the National T20 Cups, amassing 420 runs in eight matches, with a strike rate of 160. The left-hander has already earned the player of the match award in the team’s important outings.

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In the recently concluded National T20 Cup, he played a blinder, scoring 88 from 41 balls in the semi-final against Sialkot.

Earlier, he also played a crucial knock in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, scoring 88 and 114, which helped Karachi Blues lift the trophy.

2. Saqib Khan

Hailing from Karachi, fast bowling all-rounder Saqib Khan has dedicated many years to cricket. He was bought by Quetta Gladiators for a base price of PKR 60 lakh in the auction.

His perseverance finally paid off in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26, where he finished as the second-highest wicket taker. Saqib took 47 wickets in nine matches for Karachi Blues, averaging 20.59, thereby playing a pivotal role in the team’s title glory.

Although he is 30, his seam and new ball bowling could trouble batters. Besides his bowling, Saqib could also come in handy with the bat, lower down the order.

1. Sameer Minhas

Sameer Minhas is tipped as the next big thing in Pakistan cricket. The right-hander was a hot pick in the PSL 11 auction and was eventually bought by Islamabad United for PKR 1.9 crore.

Sameer has already showcased his potential in the recently concluded ICC Men’s U19 World Cup, emerging as Pakistan’s leading run scorer.

He scored 197 runs in five games at an impressive strike rate of 105. Before heading to the U19 World Cup, Sameer blasted a record-breaking innings in the Asia Cup final against India.

The 19-year-old took only 42 balls to slam a ton, breaking India’s Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s record (52 balls) of the fastest youth hundred. Sameer Minhas blistering 172 from 113 took Pakistan to an imposing 347-run total against arch-rivals.

The total was enough to seal a memorable 191-run victory for the Green Shirts.

READ: PSL 11 squads locked in as trade window closes

Midfielder Idrissa Gueye said his Senegal side deserved to be the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, but he was ready to “hand back the medals” to Morocco if it eases tensions between the two countries.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in extra-time in the January final in Rabat, but CAF punished them last week for their 15-minute walk-off during the match, overturning the result and awarding a 3-0 win and the title to hosts Morocco.

“I personally commit to collecting the medals and maybe giving them back to Morocco if that can ease tensions between the two countries,” Gueye told Canal+ on Saturday after his Everton side’s 3-0 win over Chelsea in the Premier League.

“It’s just ridiculous… a football match is won on the pitch, that’s what we did in Morocco.

“We did what we had to do on the pitch, we won that match.

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“We deserve to be African champions. We are the African champions as far as we’re concerned. Titles are won on the pitch, not in offices.”

Idrissa Gueye, who captained Senegal in the AFCON final in place of the suspended Kalidou Koulibaly, took issue, however, with his federation’s decision to appeal CAF’s decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“If it were up to me, I would have told the federation not to appeal,” he said.

The continent’s showpiece football final on January 18 descended into chaos when Senegal players walked off in protest after the hosts were awarded a controversial penalty late in second-half stoppage time.

Play resumed after a quarter of an hour of confusion and tension, with Senegal supporters throwing objects and trying to invade the pitch.

Morocco’s Brahim Diaz missed his penalty before Senegal went on to win with a goal from Pape Gueye in extra-time.

READ: Spinners help South Africa level T20I series against New Zealand