Category: Cricket

Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the co-hosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the T20 World Cup on Thursday in Pallekele for their second win in Group B.

Sri Lanka piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9.

The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a fifty in T20 World Cups.

Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century.

It has been a bruising few months for the out-of-form Shanaka since reclaiming the captaincy late last year.

But on a batting-friendly pitch he smacked the Oman bowlers to all corners of the park, peppering the stands with five sixes and two fours.

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Before that, Pavan Rathnayake and Kusal Mendis laid the foundation as the pair each posted fluent half-centuries, stitching together a 94-run stand for the third wicket.

Once the platform was set, Kamindu Mendis applied the finishing touches.

Fresh from his match-turning cameo in the win over Ireland, the left-hander scored an unbeaten 19 off just seven deliveries, striking one four and two sixes.

Oman were never really in the game as they fell to a second defeat at the tournament.

Sri Lanka spinner Maheesh Theekshana shared the new ball with Dushmantha Chameera, and they accounted for two wickets apiece.

READ: PSL 11: Rawalpindi secure Jake Fraser-McGurk as direct signing

The renamed franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Rawalpindi has directly signed Australia opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for the landmark season 11, set to start on March 26. 

McGurk, 23, is a destructive top-order batter with his ability to hit the ball long and has been a prominent name around the globe in the T20 franchise circuit.

The right-handed batter has played eight T20Is for Australia.

The announcement was revealed following the historic PSL Player Auction held in Lahore on February 10.

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“From Down Under straight to streets of Rawalpindi. We’ve signed the most destructive young talent in the world as our Direct Signing,” the caption of the franchise, which is yet to be officially named, wrote.

“Jake Fraser-McGurk is officially a Pindi Boy,” it added.

He remained unpicked and failed to attract buyers in both the main and accelerated rounds of the auction, despite being listed at a base price of Rs 4.2 million.

However, his signing fee has not been disclosed yet.

For the unversed, Multan Sultans was bought by Walee Technologies with a record bid of PKR 2.45 billion, the highest in PSL history, and subsequently rebranded the team as Rawalpindi.

The franchise retained former Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan in the Platinum category for PKR 5.60 crore.

England’s hard-hitting batter Sam Billings was picked in the Diamond category for PKR 3.08 crore, while pacer Zaman Khan was placed in the Gold category for PKR 1.12 crore.

Young batter Yasir Khan completes the retained list in the Silver category for PKR 60 lakh.

Rawalpindi Squad for PSL 11

Mohammad Rizwan, Sam Billings, Zaman Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Dian Forrestor, Laurie Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Fawad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shahzaib Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk

READ: Imad Wasim shares emotional note after Islamabad United pick

Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim penned down an emotional note after being selected by Islamabad United in the unsold category of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Player Auction held in Lahore on February 10.

Imad took to X, noting that Islamabad United has picked him in the auction to reignite his desire and prove his worth.

“One team believed, thank you Islamabad United,” he wrote.

“This auction has sparked a fire in me. I’ve always proved my worth, and I will do so again. Every run, every wicket, every game… I’ll show on the field why I was worth the pick. Watch closely — the reminder is coming,” he added.

Initially, Wasim remained unpicked in the opening round of released players with a base price of PKR 4.2 crore.

Later on, the three-time PSL champion United picked him from the list of unsold players for PKR 2.2 crore.

Wasim, 37, has been a regular in T20 leagues around the globe since hanging up his boots from international cricket in December 2024.

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He has captained Karachi Kings and led them to title glory in 2020 before joining his hometown franchise, Islamabad United, in 2023.

In total, he has played 101 matches in PSL and has amassed 1293 runs at a strike rate of 136.97 with the aid of seven fifties. Besides his batting, he has also picked up 77 wickets with the ball.

For the unversed, following the auction, all eight teams have stacked their squads ahead of the landmark season 11, which kicks off in March across five cities in Pakistan.

The change to the player selection model followed the expansion, which added two new franchises: Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen.

READ: Ahmed Shehzad burst into tears on live TV after PSL snub

MUMBAI: Dominant Italy deflated Nepal’s bowling attack to seal a 10-wicket win over Nepal in the 17th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 played here at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.

Set mere 124, Italy made the target look so easy and chased it down in only 12.4 overs.

The first win in the mega event marked a historic moment in Italy’s cricketing landscape, as they overpowered opposition like Nepal, which had nearly pushed England to the brink in their previous fixture.

Justin Mosca and Anthony Mosca, both brothers, came out firing all cylinders with 68 on the board in the first six overs.

Italy’s openers not only took down the bowlers but also impressed with their range of shots.

The pair continued on their destructive batting after the Powerplay and reached the half-centuries in the process.

Anthony Mosca nudged for a single in the 12th over to seal a memorable win.

Justin Mosca struck three sixes and five fours in his 60* from 44, whereas Anthony Mosca scored 62 from 32 included six maximums and three fours.

Earlier, asked to bat first, Nepal’s shambolic batting display saw them 123 all out in 19.3 overs.

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Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed early for five with Aasif Sheikh and the skipper Rohit Paudel coming to the fore. The duo steadied the innings with a 41-run partnership.

The scorecard is 49 when Sri Lanka-born Crishan Kalugamage removed Paudel. The skipper managed 23 from 14 with the help of two sixes.

Italy snared another quick wicket to get hold of the proceedings before a 44-run stand between Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh propelled their score to 93 in 13.5 overs.

However, Airee’s wicket sparked a collapse that Nepal could not recover from. They slumped to 102-8 and 123 all out in 16.5 overs from 93-4.

Aarif Sheikh remained the top scorer with 27 off 24 balls, hitting three fours.

For Italy, Crishan Kalugamage stood out with three wickets to his name. Ben Manenti supported him well with two scalps.

READ: Ahmed Shehzad burst into tears on live TV after PSL snub

LAHORE: Former Pakistan opening batter Ahmed Shehzad broke down in tears during a live television show while speaking about not being selected in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Speaking on a private TV channel, Shehzad admitted that he became emotional after watching his former teammates take the field while he remained unpicked.

“I feel very sad. I still want to play,” he said.

The cricketer added that he often goes through self-reflection and accountability, questioning the reasons behind his exclusion. “After every auction, the days are particularly difficult for me,” he shared.

Shehzad said that, having spent 18 years in cricket, watching the PSL unfold without being part of it is painful.

“PSL started in front of my eyes. I have given 18 years to cricket, and suddenly everything feels gone. It hurts a lot. I miss it, and sometimes I cry,” he said.

He also expressed disappointment that no board official has approached him for clarification.

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“Why doesn’t someone come and talk to me and ask what happened? Let’s sort it out,” he said.

Shehzad revealed that there appears to be confusion among some franchise officials regarding his status.

“New teams are being added to the PSL. One team even thought I was banned or had retired from cricket. There is no clarity about me,” he explained.

Becoming visibly emotional during the show, Shehzad said the most painful part this time was his nine-year-old son’s wish to see him play.

“This time, what hurts most is that my nine-year-old son wanted me to play,” Shehzad said, as his eyes filled with tears.

The host embraced him to offer comfort, while fellow guest Mohammad Amir also consoled him.

“My son sleeps next to me and says, ‘Baba, I remember you used to play. But now I will remember you better.’ That is what makes me emotional,” he added.

For those unaware, Ahmed last played PSL in 2021 for Quetta Gladiators and endured a horror run, managing only 61 runs in seven matches at an average of 8.71

READ: PSL 11: Complete squad lists after Player Auction

LAHORE: All eight team squads for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 have been finalized following a historic player auction held on February 10 here in Expo Centre.

The auction was the first of its kind in the league’s history, replacing the draft—a player selection process—that had been used for the first 10 editions since it started in 2016.

The change to the player selection model followed the expansion, which added two new franchises: Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen.

List of Squads for PSL 11

Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Mohammad Naeem, Mustafizur Rahman, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir, Fakhar Zaman, Ubaid Shah, Haseebullah Khan, Mohammad Farooq, Dasun Shanaka, Parvez Hossain Emon, Asif Ali, Tayyab Tahir, and Gudakesh Motie.

Karachi Kings: Hasan Ali, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, David Warner, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Mohammad Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Johnson Charles, Muhammad Waseem, Ihsanullah and Rizwanullah.

Islamabad United: Shadab Khan, Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Max Bryant, Khurram Shahzad, Mark Chapman, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameer Minhas, Sameen Gul, Shamar Joseph, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain and Dipendra Singh Airee.

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, James Vince, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Mirza Tahir Baig.

Quetta Gladiators: Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Spencer Johnson, Rilee Rossouw, Faisal Akram, Arafat Minhas, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Wasim Akram Jnr, Khan Zaib, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Brett Hampton, Sam Harper, Bevon Jacobs, Saud Shakeel, Ben McDermott and Tom Curran.

Rawalpindi: Mohammad Rizwan, Sam Billings, Zaman Khan, Yasir Khan, Naseem Shah, Rishad Hossain, Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Amir, Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Dian Forrestor, Laurie Evans, Asif Afridi, Kamran Ghulam, Fawad Ali, Mohammad Amir Khan, Shahzaib Khan and Jake Fraser-McGurk

Sialkot Stallionz: Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Ahmed Daniyal, Saad Masood, Steve Smith, Jahanzaib Sultan, Sahibzada Farhan, Ashton Turner, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Phillippe, Shan Masood, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Arshad Iqbal and Nisar Khan

Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen: Saim Ayub, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khan, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Ottniel Baartman, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali and Tayyab Arif.

READ: Motie spins West Indies to victory over England at T20 World Cup

Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie tore the heart out of England’s much-vaunted middle order Wednesday as the West Indies won by 30 runs in their T20 World Cup clash in Mumbai.

The West Indies scored 196-6 largely thanks to Sherfane Rutherford’s brutal, unbeaten 76 and some late hitting from Jason Holder.

In reply England were all out for 166 in 19 overs.

They made a brisk start to the chase before Motie, who varies between left-arm orthodox and wrist spin, bamboozled Tom Banton, Jacob Bethel,l and captain Harry Brook in a brilliant spell of 3-33.

It pegged back England from a comfortable 85-2 in the eighth over to 131-5 in the 14th when Brook departed for 17.

Sam Curran kept them in the hunt with a brave unbeaten 43 off 30 balls before he ran out of partners.

It was the second win from two for the West Indies and puts them in pole position to qualify for the Super Eights from Group C.

England got off to the perfect start in their chase when opener Phil Salt carted Jason Holder’s first over for 24 with two sixes and three fours as they raced to 31-0 off 12 balls.

Salt fell for 30 in the fourth over, looping a catch to Rutherford when attempting another big hit, this time off Romario Shepherd.

England sped to 67-1 at the end of the six-over power play, with Jos Buttler on 15 and Bethell 20.

Buttler hit a six off Roston Chase but perished trying to repeat the damage, caught in the deep by Rovman Powell for 21.

Banton (2) was out cheaply for the second successive match, and when Bethell (33) followed soon after, both to Motie, England were in bother at 90-4.

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Motie then captured the prize wicket of Brook, caught and bowled for 17, in his final over to leave England 131-5 off 14, and the damage had been done.

For the West Indies, sixth-wicket pair Rutherford, who hit seven sixes and two fours, and Jason Holder (33, four sixes, one four) hammered 61 in 32 balls in the dying overs.

Jofra Archer had struck in the first over of the match when captain Shai Hope slapped him straight to Banton at cover.

It was soon 8-2 when Brandon King tried to smash Curran’s first ball but could only find Salt at deep cover.

Chase hit spinner Will Jacks for three fours and Shimron Hetmyer joined in with a colossal six as the fifth over was despatched for 19 runs.

Hetmyer, on 23, top-edged Overton to Curran at fine leg to leave the West Indies 55-3.

When Adil Rashid trapped Chase, on 34, for his 400th wicket in T20 internationals, the Caribbean side had slipped to 77-4 in the 10th over.

Powell and Rutherford put on 50 in just 26 balls as the West Indies raced to 127-4 after 14 overs.

Rashid’s reintroduction immediately bore fruit as Powell holed out to Overton at long-off.

Rutherford sailed on and brought up his fifty in 29 balls with a four and a six off Overton.

Curran, the last-gasp hero against Nepal, was pummelled for 20 off his third over, including three sixes by Holder.

Rashid was the pick of England’s bowlers, taking a superb 2-16 off his four overs.

READ: Karachi Kings add Charles and Waseem for PSL 11

DUBAI: Pakistan opener batter Sahibzada Farhan continued to shine as he moved up four spots in the latest ICC T20I rankings announced on Wednesday.

The right-hander, who played a match-winning knock of 74 against the USA in the T20 World Cup, climbed four spots and moved to fourth position with 769 rating points.

This is Farhan’s second highest-ranking in his career, having previously reached the spot with 776 rating points.

On the other hand, Fakhar Zaman jumped three places to 57th position while Salman Ali Agha dropped to 63rd position.

Meanwhile, India opener Abhishek Sharma continued to stamp his authority in the shorter format with a top position.

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In the T20I bowling rankings, spinner Abrar Ahmed remains at eighth position with 659 points, while Mohammad Nawaz made a huge leap, moving 14 places to 13th spot with 638 points.

The top position is held by Varun Chakravarthy, followed by New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy in second and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan.

Among the all-rounder rankings, Zimbabwe Sikandar Raza pipped Saim Ayub to move up to the top position.

Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf slipped to 35th and 59 positions respectively. On the contrary, Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Agha dropped to 69th place.

READ: Karachi Kings sign Adam Zampa in PSL 11 Player Auction

LAHORE: Karachi Kings continued to strengthen their squad at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Player Auction by signing Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa and left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza.

Mir Hamza, 33, was secured for PKR 2.4 crore, marking another chapter in his long association with the franchise.

The experienced pacer has been part of Karachi Kings for the past four seasons and has represented the side in five PSL editions overall, in addition to four appearances for Quetta Gladiators.

Across 29 PSL matches, Hamza has claimed 33 wickets at an impressive average of 23.57.

Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa is set for his maiden stint in the PSL, having never previously featured in the tournament.

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Currently representing Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Zampa was picked for PKR 4.5 crore.

One of the leading white-ball spinners in world cricket, he has taken 139 wickets in T20 Internationals at an average of 20.99, while his overall T20 record stands at 401 wickets in 323 matches at an average of 21.39.

Karachi Kings also added Aqib Ilyas to their roster for PKR 60 lakh, further enhancing the squad’s balance.

Earlier in the auction, the Kings bolstered their lineup with the signings of David Warner, Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, and wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan.

Warner returned to the franchise for PKR 7.9 crore after captaining the side in PSL 10, while Azam Khan was secured for PKR 3.25 crore and Salman Ali Agha for PKR 5.85 crore.

Prior to the PSL 11 Player Auction, Karachi Kings retained a strong core featuring Hasan Ali (Platinum), Mohammad Abbas Afridi (Diamond), Khushdil Shah (Gold), and Saad Baig (Emerging).

The franchise also strengthened its squad with the direct signing of England all-rounder Moeen Ali.

READ: Adam Zampa stars as Australia crush Ireland in statement win

COLOMBO: Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa’s four-wicket hauls skittled Ireland for a mere score as Australia started their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a 67-run win over Ireland in the 14th match here at the RPS Stadium on Wednesday.

Opting to bat first, Australia racked up 182-6 in their 20 overs, despite the absence of their regular skipper, Mitchell Marsh, who was ruled out due to injury.

After losing Travis Head early in the piece, Cameron Green and Josh Inglis stabilized the innings with a brisk 49-run partnership off 23 balls.

The scorecard read 56 when Green was dismissed after managing 21 from 11 with the help of two sixes.

Ireland bowlers quickly maintained their composure to leave Australia in a mess with four down for 88 in 9.3 overs.

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George Dockrell and Harry Tector combined to dismiss Josh Inglis (37 from 17) and Glenn Maxwell (9).

After quick wickets, Matt Renshaw and Marcus Stoinis launched a recovery with a 61 run parntership.

The pair propelled the scorecard to 149 runs in 16.5 overs. The stand eventually culminated with Renshaw’s wicket, who made 37 from 33 balls.

Marcus Stoinis, meanwhile, with his blitz, ensured that Australia finished strong.

In reply, Ireland were bowled out for 115 in 16.5 overs.

Ireland suffered an early blow as their captain, Paul Stirling, went back to the pavilion after retiring hurt.

Australia pacer Nathan Ellis tore through the top and middle order, picking up four wickets for just 12 runs.

The early blows never allowed Ireland’s batters to settle as they were reduced to 43-5 in 6.5 overs.

George Dockrell and Lorcan Tucker tried to arrest the slide with a 46-run partnership. The pair brought the total to 89 in 13.4 overs.

The stand ended with Tucker’s wicket, who made 24 from 27 balls.

Following the wicket, Ireland’s innings quickly unraveled with Ellis taking the last wicket.

Besides Ellis, Zampa also shone with the ball, taking four wickets in his quota of four overs.

READ: Stokes provides surgery update after freakish injury