Category: Featured

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the shortlisted players for the Men’s Player of the Month award for November 2025, including Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz.

According to the ICC press release, the trio also features South Africa off-spinner Simon Harmer and Bangladesh’s leading Test wicket-taker, Taijul Islam.

“A trio of standout performers from South Africa, Bangladesh and Pakistan have been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award in November,” the cricket governing body wrote.

Harmer is shortlisted on the back of his outstanding performance in the Test series against India, where he scalped 17 wickets at a mouthwatering average of only 8.94.

His heroics played a vital role in the Proteas’ first 2-0 series win against India, marking South Africa’s first in India since 2000.

The 36-year-old Harmer broke the back of India’s batting lineup with eight wickets in the opening Test, followed by nine in the second to seal a historic series win, hence earning him the Player of the Series award.

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The second contender on the list is Taijul Islam, who starred in the two-Test home series against Ireland.

The left-arm spinner scalped 13 wickets at an average of 26.30 and finished the series as the leading wicket-taker.

The third nominee on the list is Mohammad Nawaz, who had a dream run in Pakistan’s home season across white-ball formats.

The all-rounder played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s success during the tri-series victory over Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

With the bat, he managed to score 104 ODI runs at 52 with an impressive strike rate of 114.28, alongside picking up four wickets.

In T20Is, he scored 52 runs and bagged 11 wickets at just 12.72. His decisive 3 for 17 in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka earned him the Player of the Series award.

READ: Sunil Narine enters elite T20 list with landmark feat

Several Pakistan cricketers are unlikely to be available for the full duration of the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season 12 due to overlapping international commitments, sources revealed on Thursday.

A strong group of Pakistan players has been picked by various franchises for the new BPL season, including Saim Ayub, Khawaja Nafay, Sufiyan Muqeem, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz, Jahandad Khan, Ihsanullah, Haider Ali, Usman Khan, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Amir.

However, their extended stay in the tournament now appears uncertain.

According to sources, it is “highly unlikely” that centrally contracted players will be cleared for the entire BPL window.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also weighing the option of restricting No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players who are permanent members of Pakistan’s T20I setup.

While all requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, sources emphasized that the board has not yet issued any outright refusals.

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The BPL is scheduled to run from December 26, 2025, to January 23, 2026, a period that directly clashes with Pakistan’s international calendar.

During the same window, Pakistan are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series, followed by a home T20I series against Australia later in January.

Franchises participating in the BPL have already been informed of the potential uncertainty regarding the availability of Pakistan players and may consider backup options accordingly.

Sources noted that players such as Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Khan and Abrar Ahmed are now considered regular members of Pakistan’s T20I core, further complicating their chances of featuring throughout the tournament.

Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka is scheduled for January 7, 9 and 11 in Dambulla and will form a key part of preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India from February 7 to March 8.

Following the Sri Lanka tour, Australia are set to arrive in Pakistan for a three-match T20I series at the end of January.

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LAHORE: The star-studded lineup for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) landmark roadshow at Lord’s Cricket Ground has been revealed, with ace batter Babar Azam and former captain Wasim Akram headlining the event.

A day earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the PSL is set to host a road show at the Home of Cricket — highlighting the league’s growth over the years.

“The HBL PSL has rapidly evolved into one of the world’s most exciting and commercially robust T20 leagues.

As the league prepares for expansion with the addition of two new teams, it has already received significant interest from potential ownership groups across the United Kingdom – a testament to HBL PSL’s rising global profile and its strong connection with UK-based cricket stakeholders,” the board had said in a press release.

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The lineup for the event was released on the PSL social media handles with an animated poster.

 

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“London Roadshow brings cricket’s biggest names to the Home of Cricket. Join us for an exclusive evening with Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Sahibzada Farhan, Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja & Ali Zafar,” the caption of the post read.

Ace batter Babar Azam, former captain Wasim Akram, and opener Sahibzada Farhan will feature in the event, whereas pacer Haris Rauf, commentator Ramiz Raja, and singer Ali Zafar will also add to the lineup of the mega event.

It is pertinent to mention that PSL, which began in 2016 with five outfits, is set to expand with the addition of two new teams.

Notably, the league expanded to five teams in 2018 with the addition of Multan Sultans.

With the addition of two new teams, the league will undergo its first major restructuring in seven years, taking the total to eight teams.

READ: India pacer announces retirement from international cricket

DUBAI: Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub has reclaimed the number one spot in the latest ICC T20I all-rounder rankings, following the team’s impressive performance in the home tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

The 23-year-old, who scored 118 runs across five innings at a strike rate of 114.56 and picked up three wickets in four games, delivered strong performances in the final two matches, scoring 27 and 36 while taking a wicket in each.

These contributions, particularly in the decisive games, helped Ayub overtake Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza to reclaim the top spot with 295 rating points.

Raza, who briefly held the top ranking, is now second with 289 points.

Another standout performer for Pakistan was Mohammad Nawaz, whose all-round brilliance earned him both the Player of the Series and Player of the Match in the final.

Nawaz finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 10 scalps in five matches at an exceptional average of 10.20.

With the bat, he added 52 runs at a strike rate of 162.50, propelling him three places up to fourth in the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings.

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Nawaz also climbed two spots to 11th in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, while teammate Abrar Ahmed, who picked up six wickets in four matches, jumped four places to fourth.

Shaheen Afridi retained his 18th spot, Sufiyan Muqeem slipped four places to 32nd, and Salman Mirza advanced four places to 34th.

Saim Ayub made a significant leap in the bowling rankings as well, rising 12 places to 39th.

In the batting charts, Sahibzada Farhan, the highest run-scorer of the series with 191 runs at a 146.92 strike rate, dropped two spots to sixth after managing only 32 runs in the last two matches.

Babar Azam slipped one place to 30th, while Saim Ayub climbed two places to 35th.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha saw the biggest rise, jumping 11 spots to 52nd, whereas Mohammad Rizwan, currently absent from the T20I side, dropped eight places to 55th.

READ: Steve Smith confirms wearing ‘eye blacks’ in pink-ball Ashes Test

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday confirmed the men’s team’s tour of Sri Lanka, where they will play a three-match T20I series in January 2026.

“Pakistan men’s T20I squad will travel to Sri Lanka next month to feature in a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka as part of their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026,” the cricket board said in a press release.

The series will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS) in Dambulla on 7, 9 and 11 January.

The upcoming World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan set to play all their matches on Sri Lankan soil under the Hybrid Model.

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This arrangement ensures that Pakistan and India do not tour each other during ICC events and instead compete at neutral venues.

Sources close to the development have revealed that officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) were in constant discussions over the short series, which has now reportedly been confirmed.

The T20I series in Sri Lanka will provide Pakistan with crucial match practice in local conditions just weeks ahead of the global event, allowing the team to fine-tune combinations and acclimatise to pitches similar to those they will encounter during the World Cup.

The decision to stage all three matches in Dambulla has been taken due to ongoing upgradation work at both the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in preparation for the mega event.

Tentative schedule of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka

• 1st T20I – 7 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
• 2nd T20I – 9 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
• 3rd T20I – 11 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

READ: New Zealand struggle as West Indies exploit pace-friendly wicket

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named a 15-member squad for the upcoming ACC Under-19 Asia Cup 2025, with Farhan Yousaf entrusted with the captaincy for the tournament set to be staged in Dubai from December 12 to 21.

The eight-team, 50-over competition will see Pakistan placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 3, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Qualifier 2.

The event holds added significance as it will serve as a build-up to the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia early next year.

Pakistan will open their campaign on December 12 against Qualifier 3 at The Sevens Stadium before locking horns with India in a blockbuster group match on December 14 at the ICC Academy Ground.

Their final group fixture will be played on December 16 against Qualifier 1 at the same venue.

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The semi-finals are slated for December 19, while the final will be contested on December 21.

18-year-old Farhan, who also featured in last year’s edition, comes in on the back of an impressive domestic campaign where he led Lahore Region Whites in the National Men’s Under-19 Cup, amassing 369 runs in seven matches, including a century and two half-centuries.

Usman Khan has been appointed vice-captain after a prolific season with the bat, where he scored 429 runs for FATA, highlighted by two hundreds and a fifty.

The selected squad is set to assemble in Karachi for a preparatory camp before departing for Dubai later this month.

Pakistan were knocked out at the semi-final stage by Bangladesh in the previous edition and will now be aiming for a stronger run under Farhan’s leadership.

Pakistan U19 Squad: Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hassan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq and Sameer Minhas

Non-travelling reserve players: Abdul Qadir, Hasnain Dar, Mohammad Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar and Umar Zaib

Support staff: Sarfaraz Ahmed (manager/mentor), Shahid Anwar (head coach/batting coach), Rao Iftikhar (bowling coach), Mansoor Amjad (fielding coach), Abrar Ahmed (trainer), Ubaidullah (physio), Ali Hamza (analyst)

READ: Key pacer sidelined as England unveil playing XI for second Ashes Test

Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali is also set to feature in the upcoming edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he announced on Monday.

Moeen, 38, expressed his excitement at joining the PSL, noting that the league has earned a reputation for hosting top-level cricket.

“I’m really excited to be joining HBL PSL in its New Era. The league has earned a reputation for top-level T20 cricket, with high-quality competition and world-class talent across every team,” he wrote on his Instagram handle.

He further mentioned his experience of playing in Pakistan and praised the crowds for passionately supporting their favorite teams.

“Playing in Pakistan is always incredible; the quality of cricket is outstanding, and the passion and intensity from the crowd push you to bring your best.

 

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I’m looking forward to being part of it all and creating some great memories along the way. Ready for another special experience, Insha’Allah!,” Moeen Ali said.

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The Birmingham-born Moeen has extensive experience and has been a regular on the global T20 circuit.

Notably, Moeen had previously featured in the league, playing nine games for Multan Sultans from 2019 to 2021.

Besides the PSL, he has been a regular in the IPL in recent years, having featured in every edition of the IPL since 2018 for three different teams.

For the unversed, Moeen Ali will be the second high-profile player after Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, to announce his participation in the PSL.

Two days ago, the star batter announced that he would enter a new chapter after ending his 14-year IPL journey.

“As one chapter closes, another one opens. I’m excited to share that I’ll be joining the PSL next season. I can’t wait to be part of the energy and talent of this league,” Faf du Plessis wrote in a post on X.

READ: Hesson returns to New Zealand as Pakistan’s home season concludes

White-ball head coach Mike Hesson headed back to New Zealand on Sunday after overseeing a successful home season with the Pakistan men’s cricket team.

The Green Shirts ‘ packed home season ended with a T20I tri-series triumph over Sri Lanka on Saturday.

During the home season, Pakistan played a complete series against South Africa, which included two Test matches, three ODIs, and same number of T20Is.

The Test series ended in a 1-1 stalemate, with Green Shirts emerging victorious in both the ODI and T20I series.

They then faced Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series, completing a 3-0 before taking on the Islanders and Zimbabwe in the T20I tri-series.

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Notably, Pakistan lost only three matches – one ODI and two T20Is – and won each of the four series.

Nonetheless, Mike Hesson originally hailing from New Zealand, expressed his joy over the Pakistan team’s successful home season in a social media post.

“This is the face of a tired but happy man. Tonight I start my long journey home back to New Zealand for a few weeks’ break. Missing my family and some warm summer weather,” Hesson wrote.

“So delighted to have finished the season with a win, well played boys,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention that the Pakistan cricket team will tour Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series in January.

The series is expected to be played from January 8 to 12, with all three matches scheduled at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

The upcoming World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan set to play all their matches on Sri Lankan soil under the Hybrid Model.

Tentative schedule of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka

1st T20I – 8 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

2nd T20I – 10 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

3rd T20I – 12 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

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RANCHI: India talismanic batter Rohit Sharma etched his name into the history books, shattering former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s record for most sixes in ODIs during the clash against South Africa.

The right-handed batter entered the fixture requiring three sixes to become the leading six-hitter in ODIs and achieved the landmark in his 277th match.

Rohit surpassed Afridi’s record in style with a trademark hook off  Marco Jansen, clearing long leg on the fourth ball of the 19th over. Earlier, he had struck spinner Subrayen for back-to-back sixes on the first two deliveries of the 14th over.

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The right-handed batter entered the fixture needing three sixes to become the leading six-hitter in ODIs. The 38-year-old reached the landmark in his 277th match.

Most Sixes in ODIs

RG Sharma (IND): 2007–2025 — 269 inns, 11,420 runs, 352 sixes

Shahid Afridi (PAK): 1996–2015 — 369 inns, 8,064 runs, 351 sixes

Chris Gayle (WI): 1999–2019 — 294 inns, 10,480 runs, 331 sixes

Sanath Jayasuriya (SL): 1989–2011 — 433 inns, 13,430 runs, 270 sixes

MS Dhoni (IND): 2004–2019 — 297 inns, 10,773 runs, 229 sixes

Eventually, he departed after scoring 57 off 51 balls with the help of five boundaries and three fours.

At the time of filing this story, India were cruising at 183-2 in 26 overs with Virat Kohli batting on 85*, as Ruturaj Gaiwad was out after scoring eight of 12 balls.

Playing XIs

India: Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Washington Sundar, KL Rahul (C), Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Ryan Rickelton, Quinton de Kock, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Prenelan Subrayen, Nandre Burger, Ottneil Baartman.

READ: Tri-Series Final: Pakistan, Sri Lanka to observe silence for cyclone victims

RAWALPINDI: A composed all-round performance powered Pakistan to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final of the T20I tri-series at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing a modest target of 115, Pakistan completed the task in 18.4 overs despite a brief middle-order delay.

Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan provided a steady base with a 46-run partnership. Farhan looked fluent during his stay before falling for 23 off 22 balls, while Saim continued to anchor the chase.

Babar Azam joined Saim and ensured Pakistan crossed the 50-run mark safely. Saim eventually departed for 36 off 33 deliveries, but by then, Pakistan had full control.

Skipper Salman Ali Agha added 14 runs before a minor wobble saw two quick wickets fall late in the innings.

However, Babar held firm till the end, remaining unbeaten on 37 off 34 balls to guide Pakistan home with over eight balls to spare.

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Earlier, Sri Lanka struggled to build momentum after being put into bat. Their top order was jolted early when opener Pathum Nissanka (11) fell cheaply.

A lone resistance came through Kamil Mishara, who registered his third T20I half-century with a fluent 59, but lacked support at the other end as wickets fell regularly.

Once Mishara was dismissed, Sri Lanka’s innings fell apart dramatically. The visitors lost their final five wickets for just 10 runs, collapsing for 114 in 19.1 overs after looking set for a slightly more competitive total at one stage.

Pakistan’s bowling attack delivered with discipline and intent, led by Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz, who claimed three wickets each.

Abrar Ahmed chipped in with two crucial breakthroughs to seal the contest firmly in Pakistan’s favour.

READ: Tri-Series Final: Pakistan, Sri Lanka to observe silence for cyclone victims