Author: Zahid Noor

In a surprising turn of events, no cricketer from Pakistan managed to attract franchises, as they all went unsold during The Hundred 2025 draft, held on Wednesday.

Despite 45 Pakistani players registering for the draft — a mix of seasoned stars and emerging talents — none of the eight franchises showed interest in them.

Pace sensation Naseem Shah entered The Hundred 2025 draft with the highest reserve price among Pakistan players—£120,000. Meanwhile, all-rounder Imad Wasim and explosive left-hander Saim Ayub had set their base price at £78,500.

The list also included Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Hasnain, each carrying a £63,000 reserve price, while Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan’s base price was £52,000.

This outcome highlights concerns about the inconsistent performances of Pakistani players in recent months, which may have influenced the franchises’ decisions.

Meanwhile, David Warner, Georgia Voll and Jamie Overton were three of the biggest names to be selected in The Hundred 2025 Draft.

Australia’s Georgia Voll was the first pick in the women’s competition, while big-hitting England all-rounder Jamie Overton went first in the men’s competition.

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Legendary Australian opener David Warner will join Overton and Justin Langer in calling Lord’s their new home. England all-rounder Paige Scholfield enjoyed The Hundred Draft, returning to Oval Invincibles in the top bracket at £65k.

Overton and Warner will both be involved in the competition opener, alongside Kane Williamson, a local derby against Oval Invincibles on Tuesday, 5 August.

Voll, fresh off the back of an unbeaten 99 in the Women’s Premier League and a stellar year that’s seen her make her international debut, will join fellow Australians Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt at Edgbaston.

Other names to be picked up included Heather Knight, Rachin Ravindra, David Willey, Deandra Dottin, Noor Ahmad and Sophia Dunkley.

They join a host of international and England superstars already selected for the competition, including Steve Smith, Hayley Matthews, Kane Williamson, Beth Mooney, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Jos Buttler.

In total, 66 players were selected in The Hundred Draft, with the 16 men’s and women’s squads now almost finalised.

All teams will have a further chance to add to their group at the Vitality Wildcard Draft in May, rewarding form in the Vitality Blast men’s and women’s competitions.

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LONDON: The sons of former England cricketers Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan, along with veteran pacer James Anderson, have registered for The Hundred 2025 draft scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 12.

England men’s legendary cricketer James Anderson is among the notable names registering their name in the shorter version of the game. The former pacer will aim to play short-form cricket for the first time in a decade.

The draft also features the sons of two former England cricketers: Archie Vaughan and Rocky Flintoff.

Rocky Flintoff, a promising talent for the England Lions, and Archie Vaughan lead a group of emerging players eager to attract attention in The Hundred draft.

In addition to these young talents, notable overseas men’s and women players in the 100- ball tournament include Glenn Maxwell, Deandra Dottin, David Warner, Alyssa Healy, and Andre Russell, all of whom are participating in draft.

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These prominent international stars are joined by a group of top-class domestic players also vying to be picked ahead of the competition’s fifth year, including Jamie Overton, Sophia Dunkley, Issy Wong, Rehan Ahmed, and Reece Topley.

The sixteen men’s and women’s teams have already retained several players from last year’s squads and will now fill the remainder of their available spots through The Hundred Draft.

London Spirit will have the first pick in the men’s competition, while Birmingham Phoenix will pick first in the women’s competition.

The Hundred returns for its fifth year at Lord’s on 5 August, with a London derby between London Spirit and Oval Invincibles kicking off another year of world-class cricket and blockbuster entertainment.

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Manchester United have introduced a new multi-faith room at Old Trafford to be used by fans of all religions during football matches.

Manchester United has announced the opening of a multi-faith room inside Old Trafford stadium, providing a dedicated space for fans of all religions to practice their religious rituals during matches and events.

The new multi-faith prayer room is located between the Stretford End and the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.

The room can hold up to 20 fans at any time and will be open 30 minutes before kick-off, throughout the match, and 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Open to those of all faiths, the room was created in partnership between the Premier League side and the Muslim Supporters Club (MUMSC) – the club’s first official supporters group for Muslim fans, introduced this season.

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The MUMSC has provided prayer mats for those accessing the space, and with Ramadan having started just last week, those participating in the holy month will feel reassured knowing they can practice their daily prayers while continuing to attend live football matches.

This is an important step in football becoming a more inclusive space for those from all backgrounds.

The addition of the multi-faith room will mean fans won’t need to choose between their faith and football. Respect to Manchester United for working with their fans to ensure football can be a game for all.

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LONDON: Australia star batter Steve Smith and Afghanistan spin wizard Rashid Khan are among the marquee players set to feature in The Hundred 2025.

Smith, along with Australian women’s cricketers Meg Lanning and Megan Schutt, will feature in the upcoming 100 ball tournament, set to be played in August later this year.

Afghanistan’s spinner Rashid Khan is also among the players set to feature in the tournament through direct signings.

Australian run machine Smith will join the Welsh Fire for the tournament. This marks the first time in the tournament history that the teams have been permitted to sign one player directly ahead of the draft on 12 March.

Twelve Direct Signings have been confirmed on Deadline Day in The Hundred, with the eight teams finalizing their retentions and forming their squads ahead of The Hundred Draft.

Apart from Smith and Rashid, numerous international stars have joined the competition. The notable names are Marcus Stoinis, New Zealand’s Trent Boult, South African David Miller, Faf du Plessis, and Heinrich Klaasen.

New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr, Kane Williamson, and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt had already been confirmed.

The above-mentioned players join a list of domestic and overseas retentions that includes England superstars Jos Buttler, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Adil Rashid, plus Australia’s Beth Mooney, West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, New Zealand’s Tim Southee, and Australia’s Ellyse Perry.

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‘The Hundred’ fifth edition will begin with a London derby between London Spirit and Oval Invincibles on Tuesday 5 August.

The Hundred 2025 Squad Retentions

Birmingham Phoenix Women: Ellyse Perry, Amy Jones, Emily Arlott, Megan Schutt, Hannah Baker, Charis Pavely, Sterre Kalis, Ailsa Lister

Birmingham Phoenix Men: Liam Livingstone, Ben Duckett, Trent Boult, Jacob Bethell, Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dan Mousley, Tim Southee, Will Smeed, Chris Wood, Aneurin Donald

London Spirit Women: Grace Harris, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Deepti Sharma, Georgia Redmayne, Eva Gray, Cordelia Griffith, Tara Norris, Sophie Munro

London Spirit Men: Liam Dawson, Daniel Worrall, Kane Williamson, Richard Gleeson, Olly Stone, Ollie Pope, Keaton Jennings

Manchester Originals Women: Amelia Kerr, Sophie Ecclestone, Beth Mooney, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Evelyn Jones, Kathryn Bryce, Fi Morris, Danielle Gregory

Manchester Originals Men: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Heinrich Klaasen, Matthew Hurst, Scott Currie, Josh Tongue, Tom Hartley, Sonny Baker, Tom Aspinwall

Northern Superchargers Women: Phoebe Litchfield, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Bess Heath, Linsey Smith, Hollie Armitage, Alice Davidson-Richards, Grace Ballinger, Davina Perrin

Northern Superchargers Men: Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, David Miller, Mitchell Santner, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Ben Dwarshuis, Graham Clark, Pat Brown, Tom Lawes

Oval Invincibles Women: Marizanne Kapp, Alice Capsey, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Meg Lanning, Tash Farrant, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Sophia Smale, Jo Gardner, Rachel Slater

Oval Invincibles Men: Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Tom Curran, Jordan Cox, Rashid Khan, Saqib Mahmood, Sam Billings, Gus Atkinson, Nathan Sowter, Donovan Ferreira, Tawanda Muyeye

Southern Brave Women: Laura Wolvaardt, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Maia Bouchier, Lauren Bell, Freya Kemp, Georgia Adams, Tilly Corteen-Coleman, Rhianna Southby

Southern Brave Men: James Vince, Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills, Chris Jordan, Faf du Plessis, Leus Du Plooy, Craig Overton, Laurie Evans, Finn Allen, Danny Briggs, James Coles

Trent Rockets Women: Ash Gardner, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Alana King, Heather Graham, Bryony Smith, Grace Scrivens, Kirstie Gordon, Alexa Stonehouse, Natasha Wraith, Cassidy McCarthy

Trent Rockets Men: Joe Root, Marcus Stoinis, Tom Banton, John Turner, Sam Cook, Sam Hain, Tom Alsop, Calvin Harrison

Welsh Fire Women: Hayley Matthews, Tammy Beaumont, Jessica Jonassen, Shabnim Ismail, Sarah Bryce, Georgia Elwiss, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis, Emily Windsor, Beth Langston

Welsh Fire Men: Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, Luke Wells, Stephen Eskinazi

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LAHORE: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), on Thursday, announced England’s playing XI for their opening match against Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The skipper Jos Buttler-led side is coming off a disastrous tour of India with an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to India earlier in the month.

England’s team will be eager to perform better in the marquee tournament following their dismal performances at the recently held ICC events.

After failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup semi-final and T20 World Cup final, Jos Butler was under huge pressure, and there were reports that he might be axed as captain.

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England’s team will take on Australia, which has yet to win a game in the ICC Champions Trophy after 2009, here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

The English squad welcomes the return of Jamie Smith, who had been injured during the recently concluded ODI series against India.

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Smith will bat at No.3 and take over as wicketkeeper. Jofra Archer will lead the pace attack alongside fellow seamers Brydon Carse and Mark Wood.

England Playing XI against Australia :

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.

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LAHORE: The England cricket team, led by captain Jos Buttler, has arrived in Pakistan to participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to commence on 19 February.

The 31-member touring party, including players, coaching staff, and management officials, reached Lahore via Dubai. Head coach Brendon McCullum and England’s managing director Robert Key also accompanied the team.

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.

The eight-team tournament will consist of 15 matches over 19 days and will take place in Pakistan and Dubai.

In Pakistan, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi will be the three venues to host tournament play. Each Pakistan venue will feature three group games apiece, with Lahore hosting the second semi-final.

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Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days.

The three group matches involving India, as well as the first semi-final, will be played in Dubai.

England are placed in Group B featuring the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 champions Australia, alongside Afghanistan and South Africa. They will play its group-stage matches in Lahore and Karachi.

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.

England Squad for Champions Trophy 2025

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

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MELBOURNE: Australia crushed England by an innings and 122 runs in the one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the Women’s Ashes to complete a 16-0 whitewash here on Sunday.

Australia were all-out for 440 in their first innings after England impressed to take the last five wickets for nine runs in the morning session of day three, but still faced a deficit of 270.

Sophie Ecclestone became the first English woman to have her name on the Melbourne Cricket Ground honours board after completing her five-wicket haul.

Maia Bouchier was dismissed early but Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont batted comfortably and added 73 runs for the second wicket after Phoebe Litchfield’s sharp catch removed Knight for 32.

England’s poor show with the bat continued as Nat Sciver-Brunt (18), Tammy Beaumont (47) and Sophia Dunkley (4) were dismissed, the latter through a fine Alana King ball who piled on misery with the ball on visitors.

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King and fellow spinner Ash Gardner took five and four wickets respectively.

The lower order of visitors comprising Ecclestone, Ryana Macdonald-Gay, Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell showed some resistance before King sealed her side’s victory.

The victory resulted in Australia’s whitewash of visitors who were outfoxed by 16-0 in the Women’s Ashes series.

Australia was dominant in every department of the game in the whole series. They won all three ODIs, three T20s and the sole Test against England that comprised the multi-format Ashes, which has been points-based since 2013.

Australia, who reclaimed the Ashes series on English soil in 2015, has maintained a solid hold on the trophy ever since. Notably, This was the first time either team had scored a whitewash.

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LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has revealed the schedule of the upcoming fifth edition of The Hundred, set to commence on 5 August 2025.

The opener in the capital will see the London Spirit women’s team and Oval Invincibles men’s side begin the defence of their trophies.

They’ll hope to be back at Lord’s for The Hundred Final on Sunday 31 August, the culmination of 34 matchdays across 27 days of high-quality sport and compelling drama.

Saturday 30 August will see The Kia Oval host The Hundred Eliminator, in which second- and third-placed teams compete for a place in The Hundred Final.

This season, for the first time, direct signings have been permitted in The Hundred. Teams in the men’s and women’s competitions will be able to sign one new overseas player by Deadline Day on 24 February.

Laura Wolvaardt and Amelia Kerr have been confirmed as The Hundred’s first-ever direct signings, joining Southern Brave and Manchester Originals respectively.

Jos Buttler, Charlie Dean, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Marizanne Kapp, Tymal Mills, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Hayley Matthews have all been retained by their teams.

“August is fast becoming one of the best months of the summer,” said England Women’s Charlie Dean, who lifted the trophy as part of London Spirit’s team in 2024.

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“The Hundred has developed into an excellent competition, we play in front of fantastic crowds and even from the middle you get a sense of how the crowd is so full of families and young people.

“The cricket itself is high quality, the format is accessible and quick, and we’re all really looking forward to getting back to it and hopefully defending our title.”

Meanwhile, Oval Invincibles’ Sam Billings, also seeking to defend the title, said: “It will be great to kick off The Hundred with a sold-out derby at Lord’s.”

“From our point of view, we’re looking to start strongly as we have done the last couple of years to set the tone for another positive year. No doubt it will be a brilliant atmosphere at Lord’s.

“It was another fantastic tournament last year, we’ve worked hard at the Invincibles to build a really strong core and there’s no reason why we can’t have another great year.

“The Kia Oval is undoubtedly one of the best places in world cricket to play, our home support is special. We all hope we can build on the last couple of years and keep the trophy in South London.”

The Hundred 2025 Schedule: (all games men’s and women’s double-headers)

• August 5: London Spirit vs Oval Invincibles, Lord’s
• August 6: Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 7: Northern Superchargers vs Welsh Fire, Headingley
• August 8: Birmingham Phoenix vs Trent Rockets, Edgbaston
• August 9: Oval Invincibles vs Manchester Originals, Kia Oval
• August 9: Welsh Fire vs London Spirit, Sophia Gardens
• August 10: Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix, Utilita Bowl
• August 10: Trent Rockets vs Northern Superchargers, Trent Bridge
• August 11: Manchester Originals vs London Spirit, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 12: Birmingham Phoenix vs Oval Invincibles, Edgbaston
• August 13: Southern Brave vs Northern Superchargers, Utilita Bowl
• August 13: Welsh Fire vs Manchester Originals, Sophia Gardens
• August 14: London Spirit vs Trent Rockets, Lord’s
• August 15: Northern Superchargers vs Birmingham Phoenix, Headingley
• August 16: Trent Rockets vs Southern Brave, Trent Bridge
• August 16: Oval Invincibles vs Welsh Fire, Kia Oval
• August 17: Manchester Originals vs Northern Superchargers, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 17: Birmingham Phoenix vs London Spirit, Edgbaston
• August 18: Southern Brave vs Oval Invincibles, Utilita Bowl
• August 19: Trent Rockets vs Manchester Originals, Trent Bridge
• August 20: Welsh Fire vs Southern Brave, Sophia Gardens
• August 20: London Spirit vs Northern Superchargers, Lord’s
• August 21: Oval Invincibles vs Trent Rockets, Kia Oval
• August 22: Birmingham Phoenix vs Welsh Fire, Edgbaston
• August 23: Northern Superchargers vs Oval Invincibles, Headingley
• August 23: London Spirit vs Southern Brave, Lord’s
• August 24: Welsh Fire vs Trent Rockets, Sophia Gardens
• August 24: Manchester Originals vs Birmingham Phoenix, Emirates Old Trafford
• August 25: Oval Invincibles vs London Spirit, Kia Oval
• August 26: Northern Superchargers vs Manchester Originals, Headingley
• August 27: Trent Rockets vs Birmingham Phoenix, Trent Bridge
• August 28: Southern Brave vs Welsh Fire, Utilita Bowl
• August 30: The Hundred Eliminator, Kia Oval
• August 31: The Hundred Final, Lord’s

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SYDNEY: Australia retained the Women’s Ashes with a 57-run victory over England in the first T20 at the Sydney Cricket Ground here on Monday.

Australia were without their regular captain and keeper Alyssa Healy, who was ruled out with a foot injury. Meanwhile, Ashleigh Gardner, the star of their 3-0 ODI series sweep, was also out of action due to a calf strain.

It was the first time Australia had played a T20I without both Healy and Gardner in their XI in 12 years and the first international match both had missed since an ODI in February 2016.

However, their absence did not make any difference as Beth Mooney gave Australia a brilliant start with a 75-run knock from 51 balls to set up a total of 198-7.

Debutant Georgia Voll scored 21 off 11, while Phoebe Litchfield’s 20-ball 25, and Tahlia McGrath’s quick-fire 26 off nine helped Australia set a massive total.

For England, Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell took two wickets each, while Freya Kemp and Charlie Dean bagged one each.

In response, the England women’s team bundled for 141 in 16 overs, courtesy of a combined effort by Australian bowlers.

England lost openers Maia Bouchier and Danni Wyatt-Hodge with four runs on the board before Sophia Dunkley scored 59 runs from 30 balls to keep the team in the hunt.

However, Dunkley could not find enough support from the other end as England lost the last seven wickets for 45 runs, bundling for 141 runs.

Alana King and Georgia Wareham took two and three wickets respectively for Australia women’s team.

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Pakistani adventurer Samar Khan has achieved a remarkable feat by successfully scaling Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, towering at 6,961 meters (22,837 feet).

Samar began her ascent at 4:15 AM (local time) on January 14, accompanied by a team of nine female climbers. After a gruelling climb, she reached the summit at 2:00 PM.

“The journey was full of challenges, with one of the biggest being the extreme cold and harsh winds of the Andes,” she said.

“But with Allah’s help and the prayers of my people, I overcame these challenges and reached the top.”

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Mount Aconcagua, located in Argentina’s Andes mountain range, holds the title of the tallest mountain outside Asia and is a part of the prestigious Seven Summits – the highest peaks on each continent.

While considered one of the more accessible summits among the Seven, it presents its own set of challenges, especially for those unfamiliar with the extreme weather conditions of the Andes.

Samar Khan is renowned for her passion for both cycling and mountaineering. Her latest triumph places her among an elite group of Pakistani climbers who have conquered international peaks, including Abdul Joshi, Saad Munawar, Asad Ali Memon, Abdul Jabbar Bhatti, Samina Baig, and Mirza Ali Baig.

Having returned to Mendoza after her successful expedition, Samar plans to arrive in Islamabad on January 19.

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