Author: shahzad.malik

LAHORE: Rajeev Shukla, the vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), shared his views on the bilateral cricket series between the Pakistan and India teams during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final here at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

While speaking to the media during the match between New Zealand and South Africa, Shukla emphasized that BCCI’s policy regarding bilateral series remains unchanged and that the Indian government will decide whether the team will travel to Pakistan.

“India and Pakistan will only play bilateral series in their respective countries, not at neutral venues. It is Indian board’s policy that bilateral series will be played on home soils,” he said.

Rajeev Shukla further praised Pakistan’s arrangement for the ICC Champions Trophy and expressed his delight at visiting Lahore.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“It feels great to be here. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made very good arrangements to organize the tournament,” he remarked.

Shukla mentioned that the current status of the Asia Cup remains unchanged while admitting that different countries want to host India-Pakistan matches and they have offered to stage them.

“World wants to host India-Pakistan matches. Multiple countries had offered to stage them,” said Shukla.

It is important to note that Pakistan and India last played a bilateral series in 2012-2013. During the successful tour of India, green shirts won the ODI series 2-1, while the T20I series ended in a 1-1 tie.

For the unversed, the full implications of the India’s refusal to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan were laid bare on Sunday as Australia and South Africa waited to find out whether they will play their semi-finals in Lahore or Dubai this week.

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Political tensions between the neighbours mean India has not played a cricket match in Pakistan since 2008 and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were not inclined to change the policy for the Champions Trophy, citing government advice over security issues.

As a result, although the rest of the tournament is taking place in Pakistan, India played all their group matches in Dubai and will play the final on 9 March at the Dubai International cricket stadium.

Read: Champions Trophy: Williamson, Ravindra’s centuries power NZ to 362 against SA in semi-final

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf was appointed as the batting coach of the national men’s team on Tuesday ahead of the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

The series between Pakistan and New Zealand will run from 16 March 16 to 5 April, featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.

Yousuf has replaced Shahid Aslam as the batting coach, while Aqib Javed will continue as interim head coach for the New Zealand tour.

It’s worth noting that Aqib’s original term was until the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, but he has been asked to extend his tenure while the search for a permanent head coach begins.

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The T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand will kick off in Christchurch on 16 March, while the second match is scheduled to be played in Dunedin on 18 March.

The third match will be played in Auckland on 21 March, while the subsequent games are scheduled in Mount Maunganui and Wellington on 23 and 26 March, respectively.

Following the T20I series, the teams will travel to Napier for the first ODI, scheduled for 29 March. The second ODI will be played on 2 April in Hamilton, while Mount Maunganui will host the final ODI on 5 April.

Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan (wk)

Player Support Personnel: Naveed Akram Cheema (team manager), Aqib Javed (interim head coach), Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Mohammad Masroor (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saiman (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Butt (analyst), Irtiza Komail (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media and digital manager) and Sergio Basil Mullins (masseur).

READ: New T20I captain named as Pakistan announce white-ball squads for New Zealand tour

LAHORE: Salman Ali Agha has been named the T20I captain as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced two separate white-ball squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, returning all-rounder Shadab Khan will serve as vice-captain for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand from 16-26 March.

“The decision to appoint Salman and Shadab as T20I captain and vice-captain, respectively, has been made with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments – the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (February/March 2026),” the PCB stated in a press release.

“As part of preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan is set to play a minimum of five T20Is in the ACC Asia Cup 2025 and three T20Is each against West Indies (away, July), Afghanistan (home, August), Ireland (home, September), South Africa (home, September/October), Sri Lanka (home, November) and Australia (home, January 2026).”

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan will continue as ODI captain, with Salman serving as his deputy for the three 50-over matches scheduled at the backend of the tour from 29 March to 5 April.

In the T20I squad, there are three uncapped players – Abdul Samad, Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Ali – while Akif Javed and Mohammad Ali are the two players who have yet to debut in ODIs.

The four players have been rewarded for their impressive performances in the Champions One-Day and T20 Cups.

In the Champions T20 Cup, Abdul Samad scored 115 runs at a strike-rate of 166.67 after aggregating 145 runs at a strike-rate of 122.88 in the Champions One-Day Cup.

Likewise, Hasan Nawaz had a staller Champions T20 Cup, finishing as the second leading run-getter with 312 runs at a strike-rate of 142.47.

Mohammad Ali, with 22 wickets, was the leading wicket-taker in the Champions T20 Cup, while he took three wickets in the Champions One-Day Cup.

Akif Javed has been selected in the ODI side after his seven wickets in five Champions One-Day Cup matches, while he took 15 wickets in the Champions T20 Cup.

Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for either format on medical advice.

Fakhar suffered a left lower intercostal muscle sprain during Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand, while Saim is recovering from a right ankle fracture sustained on the first day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa in January.

The series between Pakistan and New Zealand will run from 16 March 16 to 5 April, featuring five T20Is and three ODIs. The T20I series will kick off in Christchurch on 16 March, while the second match is scheduled to be played in Dunedin on 18 March.

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The third match will be played in Auckland on 21 March, while the subsequent games are scheduled in Mount Maunganui and Wellington on 23 and 26 March, respectively.

Following the T20I series, the teams will travel to Napier for the first ODI, scheduled for 29 March. The second ODI will be played on 2 April in Hamilton, while Mount Maunganui will host the final ODI on 5 April.

Pakistan squads for New Zealand tour

ODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Akif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr., Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Tayyab Tahir.

T20Is: Salman Ali Agha (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan (wk)

READ: PCB announces free Iftar for fans at Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a heartwarming gesture for cricket fans observing Ramadan, announced a free Iftar for spectators attending the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final at Gaddafi Stadium here on March 5.

Fans watching the high-stakes clash between New Zealand and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium will be treated to a complimentary Iftar box.

By simply presenting their match ticket, spectators can receive a package including dates, juice, and a mini pizza—a thoughtful initiative ensuring they don’t miss out on their fast while enjoying the game.

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Beyond the free Iftar, fans will also have the option to purchase a variety of food and beverages from stalls inside the stadium during the second semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

With the match set to begin at 2 PM and Iftar scheduled for 6:05 PM, PCB’s initiative is a commendable effort to enhance the matchday experience, making it not just about cricket but also about community and togetherness during the holy month.

It’s worth noting that the 2025 edition marks the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year break, with the last tournament being held in 2017, where Pakistan defeated their arch-rivals India in the final.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches over 19 days, taking place in Pakistan and Dubai.

The teams are divided into two groups for the initial stage. Each team will play three group-stage matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Group A consists of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand, while Group B includes Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

READ: Mohammad Amir questions Mohammad Rizwan’s decision-making capability

LAHORE: England captain Jos Buttler has emphasized the importance of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) experience ahead of their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Australia.

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Buttler expressed confidence in his side while acknowledging the challenges posed by local conditions.

“We had a few practice sessions in Lahore, which have been quite beneficial,” he said. “Our top three batters are in great form, and we’ll be looking to step onto the field with a solid combination.”

With England set to face tough competition, Jos Buttler highlighted the significance of putting runs on the board.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

“We will try to score as many runs as possible to put pressure on the opposition,” he added.

He recognized the challenges his team faced during their time in India, where the conditions proved difficult and unfavourable.

Nevertheless, he expressed optimism that the valuable experience his teammates gained while competing in the PSL would serve as a crucial advantage.

“The conditions here in Pakistan will be different from India,” he stated. “However, we have players in our squad who have played in the PSL, and they are sharing their experience with us, which is proving to be valuable.”

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England will kick off their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign on February 22 against arch-rivals Australia at Lahore’s newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium.

The second group match will be against Afghanistan on February 26, also at Gaddafi Stadium, while their final group stage encounter is scheduled for March 1 against South Africa at the National Stadium in Karachi.

It’s worth noting that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on 20 February revealed their Playing XI for the match against Australia.

England Playing XI for Australia clash: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood.

READ: Former Pakistan captain offers valuable advice to Imam-ul-Haq ahead of India clash

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has emphasized the need to back the national squad in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, while also addressing the absence of young batting sensation Saim Ayub.

For the unversed, Saim suffered a right ankle fracture while fielding on the first day of the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa in early January. The injury ruled him out for 10 weeks, forcing him to miss the Champions Trophy 2025.

Shahid Afridi, while speaking to the media on Tuesday, acknowledged that Saim’s injury is a setback but urged everyone to move forward and back the current squad.

“Yes, Saim Ayub’s absence will be felt, but now it’s time to forget that and support the entire squad,” Afridi stated.

“There’s no point in repeatedly mentioning Saim Ayub now. We need to focus on the players who are part of the squad and back them wholeheartedly.”

Shahid Afridi, known for his straightforward views, admitted that he had reservations about the inclusion of one or two players in the Champions Trophy squad but refrained from naming them.

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“I do have some objections to a couple of selections, but I won’t take names. What’s more important now is to support the team,” he said.

Afridi also commented on the much-anticipated clash with India, expressing his disappointment over India’s decision not to play in Pakistan.

“India should have come to Pakistan and played here. But since they will play in Dubai, Pakistan’s focus should be on beating them, wherever the match is,” Afridi remarked.

For the unversed, the defending champions and hosts Pakistan will begin their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with a game against New Zealand on February 19.

They will then travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the much-awaited clash against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on February 23. Pakistan will then return home to face Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on February 27.

Pakistan squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha (vc), Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: ICC Champions Trophy 2025 commentary panel unveiled

LAHORE: The Australia cricket team has arrived in Pakistan in two groups to participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to commence on 19 February.

The first group, featuring head coach, captain Steve Smith and support staff, reached Lahore from Colombo via Dubai.

Soon after, the second group, consisting of 15 players, including the likes of Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa, along with two additional staff members, also landed in Lahore.

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It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

Meanwhile, Australia will begin their campaign against arch-rivals England on February 22 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Their second match is scheduled for February 25 against South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the Aussies will play their final group stage match against Afghanistan on February 28 in Lahore.

Australia squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.

Travelling reserve: Cooper Connolly.

READ: Shahid Afridi predicts leading wicket-taker for India-Pakistan Champions Trophy clash

LAHORE: The Afghanistan squad reached here on Wednesday to participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to commence on 19 February.

The squad will take a rest to freshen up today before hitting the nets tomorrow to fine-tune their preparation for their maiden Champions Trophy campaign.

It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

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Afghanistan will kick off their campaign with a clash against South Africa at Karachi’s newly renovated National Bank Stadium on February 21, before they face England and Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

For the unversed, Afghanistan’s performance in white-ball cricket has been strong recently — finishing sixth in the ICC ODI World Cup in 2023 and reaching the semi-final in last year’s T20 World Cup.

Afghanistan beat England and Pakistan in the ODI World Cup and Australia and New Zealand in the T20 World Cup.

Afghanistan squad for Champions Trophy 2025

Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah (vc), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveed Zadran and Farid Ahmad Malik.

READ: Key player withdraws from Champions Trophy as Australia name revamped squad

England Men have called up Somerset batter Tom Banton as cover for the third ODI against India in Ahmedabad, which starts on Wednesday.

Warwickshire batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who featured in the first ODI defeat in Nagpur, has sustained a left hamstring injury. The injury will be assessed further when the team arrive in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Tom Banton, who last played for England in an ODI in August 2020, has been in outstanding form in T20 franchise cricket. He is currently the leading run-scorer in the UAE ILT20 competition, where he has amassed 493 runs from 11 innings at an average of 54.77, including two centuries.

Banton is set to arrive in India tomorrow (Monday) with a chance to reignite his international career.

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Bethell’s injury also leaves England with a dilemma ahead of their opening match in the ICC Champions Trophy against Australia in less than two weeks, with wicket-keeper Jamie Smith still recovering from an injury.

For the unversed, Bethell scored a half-century and took one wicket in the first match. The 21-year-old all-rounder had a successful tour of New Zealand at the end of 2024, scoring three half-centuries at an average of 52.

It is pertinent to mention here, that after hammering England in the five-match T20I series, India registered a commanding win in the first ODI by four wickets courtesy of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer’s batting.

Chasing 249, Gill scored 87 while Iyer stood firm with his 59 runs which left England in a hole after the visitors opted to bat first.

England squad for India ODIs and Champions Trophy

Jos Buttler (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood.

READ: WATCH: Rachin Ravindra takes nasty blow to the head in scary incident

LAHORE: Former Pakistan all-rounder and newly appointed South Africa bowling consultant Yasir Arafat on Saturday expressed optimism about the Proteas’ chances despite several key players missing from the squad for the tri-nation ODI series.

Speaking to the media after joining the South African camp, Yasir acknowledged the absence of major players but expressed confidence in the squad’s depth and potential.

“South Africa’s key players are not part of this series due to injuries or other reasons, but despite that, this is still a very strong team,” he said.

Recognizing the impact of missing experienced names, Yasir emphasized the opportunity for young players to step up.

“Of course, not having big names is a disadvantage, but it also gives new players a chance to learn and prove themselves,” he added.

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Yasir Arafat, who joined the coaching staff of South Africa as a bowling consultant, praised the team environment and the culture of learning within the squad.

“I have only been with the team for two hours, but I can already see how good the team atmosphere is. South African players get a great chance to learn from each other,” Yasir Arafat remarked.

“They considered the conditions before bringing me in, and I will give my best to help the team,” he further added.

Yasir also lauded Pakistan’s recent coverage of Gaddafi Stadium’s renovation, acknowledging its significance in hosting major events.

“I have been following all the updates from England, and the way you covered Gaddafi Stadium’s transformation deserves appreciation,” he noted.

READ: PM Shehbaz Sharif shares piece of advice for Shaheen Afridi ahead of Champions Trophy