Category: Cricket

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted personal failure after his side’s seventh successive loss in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Earlier, Lahore Qalandars won by 32 runs over Rawalpindi, handing them their seventh straight loss in the tournament.

Talking to the media after the match, Rizwan highlighted the shortcomings, noting that he should have performed better.

“My performance hasn’t been good, but I am also a human being,” he told reporters.

He also revealed the reason for not keeping wickets, saying he had outlined a plan for the youngsters.

“We had planned for young players, and you can see I did not keep wickets because of fast bowler Razaullah, because I wanted to be alongside him to help him out,” he added.

Regarding positives, he tipped some players he believes have the potential to become future stars.

“I highly rate Abdullah Fazal, while Saad Masood is a positive player. We have no backup of Shadab Khan, but you can still see a spark in them, which is a player I believe for future,” Rizwan explained.

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“I personally believe a leader should not be judged only on individual performances but on overall contribution.”

Recalling his Big Bash experience and break from T20 cricket, he expressed confidence in his abilities to bounce back and perform well.

“When I went to the Big Bash, I told myself that I didn’t deserve a place in the team with this performance. I will come back with more hard work. This time the effort was less, so the result is like this.”

“We are humans. My performance is not up to the mark, but it does not mean I should quit cricket. I have said before as well that when my performance is not good, someone else should be given the opportunity,” the skipper concluded.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash

San Francisco Unicorns became the fifth and final team to complete the Global Super League (GSL) 2026 lineup, which features top teams from around the globe, including Lahore Qalandars.

The tournament is set to run from July 23 to August 1 in Guyana.

The inclusion of Unicorns will mark the first time a team from Major League Cricket (MLC) will compete in the GSL.

The 2025 champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Lahore Qalandars, are also set to take their brand of cricket to the global stage once again, with the franchise confirming participation in the GSL.

The upcoming edition will mark the Qalandars’ second appearance in the competition, having previously featured in the inaugural 2024 season, where they finished fourth in a five-team contest.

Besides Qalandars and Unicorns, Guyana Amazon Warriors from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Desert Vipers from the ILT20, and Perth Scorchers from the Big Bash League (BBL) will also feature in the upcoming edition.

Last year’s winner, Amazon Warriors, are the only franchise to feature in all three editions of the tournament.

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“We are delighted to have the San Francisco Unicorns join the Guyana Global Super League,” GSL chairman and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd said in a statement.

“Their inclusion reflects the growing global footprint of the game and the strength of franchise cricket in the United States. We look forward to seeing them compete and contribute to what promises to be an outstanding tournament,” he added.

For the unversed, the tournament will comprise eleven games over ten days, with each team playing the other once before the top two advance to the final.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars batter Asif Ali on Saturday completed 100 sixes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 during the clash against Rawalpindiz. 

Asif reached the milestone in the final over of Lahore Qalandars’ innings, finishing with back-to-back sixes off the last two deliveries to propel his side to a strong total of 210. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 14 from six balls.

With this achievement, he now sits second on the list of the highest six-hitters in PSL history, behind Fakhar Zaman.

Fakhar has hit 130 sixes in 102 matches since the tournament began in 2016, while Asif has reached 100 sixes in 97 matches.

Most sixes in PSL History

Fakhar Zaman 130 in 103 matches

Asif Ali 100 in 97 matches

Rilee Rossouw  95 in 101 matches

Overall, Asif has played 97 matches in PSL, amassing 1289 runs at a strike rate of 156.43 with the aid of three half-centuries.

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Nonetheless, Lahore Qalandars posted a strong total of 210 in 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from the opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq.

The duo forged a 121-run partnership in 10.5 overs, laying a strong foundation for the defending champions. Mohammad Farooq remained the core aggressor while Fakhar Zaman played the second fiddle.

Farooq made 63 off 41 balls, laced with five sixes and five fours, while Fakhar emerged as the top-scorer. The left-hander hit 84 off 54 balls, including 11 fours and a maximum.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir and Razaullah picked up two wickets.

Playing XIs

Rawalpindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Shahzaib Khan, Yasir Khan, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Dian Forrester, Saad Masood, Cole McConchie, Razaullah Khan, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir

Lahore Qalandars: M. Farooq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Charith Asalanka, Haseebullah (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Daniel Sams, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Haris Rauf

READ: Former pacer questions Ghazi Ghori’s selection for Bangladesh series

KARACHI: Fakhar Zaman’s gutsy half-century and an all-round bowling effort sealed a comprehensive 32-run win for Lahore Qalandars over Rawalpindiz in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Set a daunting 211, Rawalpindiz finished on 178-9, courtesy of valiant half-centuries from Yasir Khan and Saad Masood.

With their seventh straight loss, Rawalpindiz are officially out of the PSL 11 playoffs race.

After losing 17-2 in the first two overs, Daryl Mitchell and Yasir Khan stabilized the innings, putting the team back on course with a 71-run partnership. The pair took advantage of the fielding restriction and propelled the team’s score to 88 in 9.2 overs.

The momentum was with Rawalpindiz but Haris Rauf took wickets on successive deliveries to halt their progress.

Yasir, who remained the core aggressor, made 58 from 29, including three sixes and six fours. Mitchell hit one boundary in his sluggish 11 from 15 balls.

After quick wickets, Rawalpindiz batting lineup faltered and slumped to 134-8 in 16.4 overs. With the game done and dusted, Saad Masood hit a quick-fire fifty to help his side finish on a respectable total.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Saad hit nine fours and six on his way to 54 from 26 balls before Haris castled him.

For Lahore Qalandars, Haris Rauf was the top-wicket taker, scalping three wickets. Usama Mir and Shaheen Afridi also took two wickets.

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq’s gutsy half-centuries powered Lahore Qalandars to a commanding total

After opting to bat first, Lahore Qalandars racked up 210-4 in 20 overs, largely due to a big opening partnership between Zaman and Farooq.

The duo forged a 121-run partnership in 10.5 overs, laying a strong foundation for the defending champions. Mohammad Farooq remained the core aggressor while Fakhar Zaman played the second fiddle.

Farooq was eventually caught for 63 off 41 balls, laced with five sixes and five fours, while Fakhar continued on.

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The left-hander stitched another partnership of 70 runs with Abdullah Shafique, bringing the team’s total to 191 in 17.5 overs. Shafique scored 26 from 18, striking two sixes and a four.

Fakhar remained the top-scorer with 84 off 54, peppered with 11 fours and a maximum.

Rawalpindiz bowlers did well to curtail the run flow in the final overs, as Qalandars scored 45 from the last five.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir and Razaullah picked up two wickets.

READ: Former pacer questions Ghazi Ghori’s selection for Bangladesh series

Former Pakistan pacer Tanveer Ahmed has slammed wicket-keeper batter Ghazi Ghori’s selection for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad for the Test series, including four uncapped players — Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.

The first of the two matches, part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), will be played in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test from 16 to 20 May.

Following the announcement, Tanveer, who played five Tests for Pakistan, highlighted Saad Baig’s omission.

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“Saad Baig’s current season performance: 10 matches, 1000 runs, ranked No. 1 — yet his name was not included in the Test squad against Bangladesh,” he said.

“Ghazi Ghori — whose recommendation is he on? Zero performance, has played only one match this season, yet he has been named in the Test team. Shame on such selection,” he added.

It is worth mentioning that Ghazi Ghori made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in the recently concluded series. He has played 26 first-class matches, scoring 1692 runs at an average of 41.26, including three hundreds and 10 fifties.

The 23-year-old was also the second-highest run getter in the President’s Trophy Grade-I, 2025/26, finishing on 531 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.27.

Meanwhile, Saad Baig was the leading run scorer in the country’s premier domestic competition — Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26. He made 1000 runs in 10 matches, including four centuries and three fifties.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: PSL 11: Islamabad United name Dipendra Singh Airee’s replacement

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars have won the toss and opted to bat first against Rawalpindiz in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.

This will the first time that both teams will be taking the field against each other as Rawalpindiz are playing for the first time in the tournament.

Playing XIs

Rawalpindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Shahzaib Khan, Yasir Khan, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Dian Forrester, Saad Masood, Cole McConchie, Razaullah Khan, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir

Lahore Qalandars: M. Farooq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Charith Asalanka, Haseebullah (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Daniel Sams, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Haris Rauf

READ: PSL 11: Islamabad United name Dipendra Singh Airee’s replacement

Islamabad United have confirmed the replacement of Nepal batter Dipendra Singh Airee for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

The outfit confirmed the signing through social handles.

“Pavan Rathnayake replaces Dipendra Singh Airee,” the caption of the post read.

Dipendra Singh Airee was bought for PKR 42 lac in the PSL 11 auction and had yet to play a match for the team. The right-hander was released from the squad to perform national duty.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has been roped in for PKR 18 lac. This will be the first time he will play in an overseas league.

 

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A post shared by Islamabad United (@islamabadunitedpsl)

Previously, he has represented Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The right-hander made his T20I debut on November 25 and has played 12 matches, amassing 266 runs with a strike rate of 146.96.

Overall, Pavan Rathnayake has played 44 T20s, scoring 512 runs with the aid of two half-centuries.

Following the signing, United head coach Luke Ronchi revealed the reason behind the signing of the Sri Lankan batter.

“It is important for us to have players who understand Asian conditions and can play spinners well,” said Luke Ronchi

“Rathnayake has the experience and expertise of spinners and Asian conditions. We welcome Pavan Rathnayake to Islamabad United,” he concluded.

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For the unversed, Islamabad United have won four out of seven games and are in second position on the PSL 11 points table.

They will face Rawalpindiz on April 23 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.

Islamabad United Updated Squad

Shadab Khan (captain), Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Chris Green, Mark Chapman, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Pavan Rathnayake , Mohammad Faiq, Mohsin Riaz, and Mohammad Salman Mirza.

READ: Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi seal PSL 11 playoff berth

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi, led by star batter Babar Azam, have officially secured their place in the playoffs of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The 2017 champions, currently sitting at the top of the eight-team points table with 13 points from seven matches, confirmed their qualification after Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by six wickets on Friday.

The result ensured that Zalmi’s tally can no longer be overtaken by any side outside the top four by the conclusion of the league phase.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Zalmi began their campaign with an impressive five-wicket win over debutants Rawalpindiz in a high-scoring encounter.

Their following match against Islamabad United was washed out due to rain, but that proved to be only a minor interruption in what has otherwise been a dominant run.

From there, Zalmi stitched together a series of victories, overcoming Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators in succession to strengthen their grip on the top spot.

With qualification secured, Peshawar Zalmi will now turn their focus towards maintaining form heading into the knockout stages.

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They are scheduled to face Quetta Gladiators next on Sunday before travelling to Lahore for their remaining league fixtures against Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars on April 22 and 25, respectively.

This marks Zalmi’s 10th appearance in the PSL playoffs, underlining their consistency as one of the league’s most competitive sides.

Their only group-stage exit came last season, while their best moment remains the title-winning campaign in 2017. They have also finished as runners-up on three occasions, in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

READ: PSL 11: Glenn Maxwell creates history with rare T20 milestone

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday officially appointed former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed as the head coach of the national Test side ahead of the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

Sarfaraz will begin his tenure during the two-match Test series, part of the current cycle of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

The opening Test is scheduled to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium from May 8 to 12, while the second fixture will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 16 to 20.

The appointment ends a prolonged vacancy in Pakistan’s red-ball coaching setup following the departure of Azhar Mahmood in October 2025.

Azhar had served as interim head coach since June last year, overseeing a home Test series against South Africa that ended in a 1-1 draw. With no red-ball fixtures scheduled until mid-2026, both parties mutually agreed to conclude his stint earlier than planned.

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Sarfaraz Ahmed recently guided Pakistan’s Under-19 side to the ACC U19 Asia Cup 2025 title and also served as mentor during the Pakistan Shaheens’ series against England Lions earlier this year.

During his playing career, Sarfaraz enjoyed notable success as captain, leading Pakistan to two ICC titles, the U19 World Cup in 2006 and the Champions Trophy in 2017.

The PCB also confirmed additions to the support staff, with Asad Shafiq appointed as batting coach and Umar Gul taking charge as bowling coach for the tour.

Asad featured in 147 international matches (77 Tests, 60 ODIs, 10 T20Is), scoring 6,188 runs, including 12 centuries and 36 half-centuries, while Umar featured in 237 international matches (47 Tests, 130 ODIs, 60 T20Is), taking 427 wickets.

Pakistan team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach) Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

READ: Four uncapped players named in Pakistan squad for Bangladesh Tests

LAHORE: Pakistan have announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming two-Test series in Bangladesh, set to begin from 8 May at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.

The first of the two matches, part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), will be played in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test from 16 to 20 May.

Shan Masood will continue as Test captain, while four uncapped players, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, are part of the squad.

Among the squad, five players, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan are currently taking part in the ongoing NCA Red-Ball Camp in Lahore.

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The players will undergo a camp in Karachi and will assemble on Monday, 27 April.  The camp will conclude on 1 May, with the players scheduled to fly to Bangladesh on 2 May.

Notably, the players who are currently taking part in PSL 11 will join the camp following the conclusion of their team’s campaign. Meanwhile, players whose teams qualify for the final will depart for Bangladesh after the conclusion of the tournament.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

Team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Sarfaraz Ahmed (head coach), Asad Shafiq (batting coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Abdul Saad (fielding coach) Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Lt. Col. (r) Usman Anwari (security manager), Dr Wajid Ali Rafai (team doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

READ: New Zealand edge Bangladesh in ODI series opener