Category: Featured

LAHORE: Pakistan ace batter Babar Azam is set to play for Lahore Whites in the country’s premier first-class tournament, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, ahead of the two-match Test series against South Africa.

This will be Babar’s first appearance in the tournament since the 2019 final between Northern and Central Punjab.

At that time, Babar was the captain of Central Punjab and led his team to a title with an innings and 16-run victory.

His inclusion came at a time when Pakistan is set to play two Test matches against South Africa, which will begin on October 12 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

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Notably, Wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Ali, and Sajid Khan are also set to represent their respective regions in the tournament on the directives of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan will represent Peshawar Region in the 10-team tournament, while Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Ali will play for Sialkot and Lahore Whites, respectively.

The opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy ends on October 9, two days before the Test series begins at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The 10-team tournament will be played across four cities: Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.

Lahore Whites

Saad Naseem (captain), Abid Ali, Ahmad Bashir, Ali Zaryab Asif, Attyab Ahmed, Haseeb-ur-Rehman, Hussain Talat, Junaid Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rameez Jnr, Mohammad Salman, Naseem Shah, Tayyab Tahir, Ubaid Shah (U21) and Umar Siddiq (Guest Player)

National Duty: Aamir Jamal, Babar Azam, and Salman Ali Agha

Quaid Azam Trophy Teams

Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot.

Hanif Mohammad Trophy Qualifying Teams

FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, Multan

First round fixtures

6-9 October

Abbottabad v Bahawalpur at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Lahore Whites v Islamabad at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Peshawar v Sialkot at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar

FATA v Multan at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Faisalabad v Karachi Blues at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

READ: Ahmed Shehzad urges Saim Ayub to learn ‘art of batting’ amid poor form

COLOMBO: Pakistan women’s team skipper Fatima Sana expressed confidence in her side ahead of the clash against arch-rivals India in ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, set to be played on Sunday here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.

Fatima Sana remained confident despite Pakistan trailing India 0-11 in the head-to-head record in women’s ODIs.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Sana stated that they can win against any side if they play good cricket.

“Records are meant to be broken. It is not true that we will never win against India. We can beat any team by playing good cricket,” she said. “We have good memories of playing against India in the past.”

Reflecting on the defeat against Bangladesh in the opener, the 23-year-old highlighted upcoming matches and aimed for improved performances.

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“Coaches told me to believe in myself. Losing one match doesn’t matter; the whole tournament is still ahead. We don’t think about outside distractions,” she said.

The all-rounder also lavished praise on Diana Baig and mentioned the importance of senior players’ support.

“Diana Baig is a very good player, and she supports the youngsters. Hopefully, we will deliver better performances in the coming matches. Muneeba Ali has performed in the past; you can’t drop a player after just one or two matches. Senior players’ support is very important for me.”

She aimed to repeat the Qualifiers performance, held earlier this year in which Pakistan demonstrated impressive performance and emerged victorious.

“We played well in the Qualifiers; we need to repeat that performance. We have the power to beat any team,” she concluded.

Pakistan Squad for Women’s World Cup 2025

Fatima Sana (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper), and Syeda Aroob Shah.

READ: Jadeja stars as India crush West Indies inside three days

MUMBAI: The dawn of a new era in Indian cricket has arrived with Test skipper Shubman Gill stepping into Rohit Sharma’s shoes as leader of the One Day Internationals (ODI) side following India’s squad announcement for the Australia tour.

More to follow…

The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) on Saturday announced the 15-member squad for the three-match series against Australia, which is set to begin on October 19.

The squad includes veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who will be representing India for the first time since their Champions Trophy triumph in 2025.

The reason behind the captaincy change, it is learned, was that the selectors wanted Gill to settle down well before the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

In total, Rohit Sharma led India in 56 ODIs and boasted an excellent record, with 42 wins, 11 losses, one match ending in a tie, and one with no result. The right-handed batter was also instrumental in India’s 2025 Champions Trophy win.

Apart from the Champions Trophy, India won the 2018 and 2023 Asia Cups under his captaincy, whereas the Men in Blue also reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final.

While Shubman Gill, who was tipped as the next leader, has now held in India’s all formats. He took over Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement ahead of the England tour. He is also India’s vice-captain in T20Is.

For context, after the three-match series against Australia will be followed by a T20I series comprised of five matches.

Indian ODI squad for Australia tour

Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

India’s T20I squad

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.

READ: Rashid Khan dismisses ‘second-best in Asia’ tag, stresses hunger to improve

LAHORE: Wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan is among the four players from Pakistan’s 18-member squad who are set to feature in the opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT) ahead of the first Test against South Africa.

According to the reports, the four players are being provided with the opportunity to sharpen their skills by featuring in the opening round of the country’s premier first-class tournament.

Besides Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Ali, and Sajid Khan are the other players who will represent their regions in the tournament on the directives of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

As per the reports, Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan will represent Peshawar Region in the 10-team tournament, while Salman Ali Agha and Hasan Ali will play for Sialkot and Lahore Whites, respectively.

The opening round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy ends on October 9, two days before the Test series begins at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The 10-team tournament will be played across four cities: Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.

Quaid Azam Trophy Teams

Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot.

Hanif Mohammad Trophy Qualifying Teams

FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, Multan

First round fixtures

6-9 October

Abbottabad v Bahawalpur at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium

Lahore Whites v Islamabad at Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Peshawar v Sialkot at Imran Khan Stadium, Peshawar

FATA v Multan at Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Faisalabad v Karachi Blues at Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

READ: Rashid Khan dismisses ‘second-best in Asia’ tag, stresses hunger to improve

COLOMBO: Clinical Bangladesh thumped Pakistan to start their ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 on a winning note here at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Set a partly 130-run target, Bangladesh hit the winning runs with ease on the loss of only three wickets with 19 overs to spare.

In defense of a below-par total, Pakistan removed Bangladesh’s Fargana Hoque in the third over. She departed after scoring two runs. Rubya Haider held one end firm with the second wicket falling on the last ball of the 11th over.

Rameen Shamim trapped Sharmin Akhter lbw to give Pakistan a glimmer of hope. As a result, Bangladesh were reduced to 35-2.

However, skipper Nigar Sultana and Rubya Haider forged a 62-run stand on the third wicket, which never allowed Pakistan to make a comeback into the match.

The partnership eventually ended with Sultana’s wicket, who made 23 from 44 balls.

Meanwhile, Rubya kept on scoring and reached her half-century in the process. She crafted another stand off 34* runs, which saw Bangladesh reach home.

Rubya Haider remained unbeaten on 54 from 77 balls, striking eight fours, whereas Sobhana Mostary struck six boundaries on her way to 24 from 19.

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For Pakistan, like batting, there weren’t major contributions. Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, and Fatima Sana picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter’s bowling spells helped Bangladesh bowl Pakistan for a modest total.

Pakistan could not capitalize on the decision to bat first at R. Premedasa Stadium, Colombo, and were bowled out for 129 runs in 38.3 overs.

Marufa Akter piled up a miserable start for Green Shirts as Omaima Sohail and inform Sidra Amin were sent packing for nought in the first over.

Following the early hiccup, Muneeba Ali and Rameen Shamim put on a brief 42-run stand, which gave their team some respite.

However, Nahida Akter struck in the 11th and 13th over to remove both batters, which put Bangladesh on top. Muneeba scored 17 from 35 deliveries, whereas Rameen struck two fours in her 23 from 39 balls.

As a result, Pakistan slumped to 47-4 in 13.4 overs, and Bangladesh continued to put pressure with regular wickets.

It was a day of collapses for Pakistan as they lost wickets one after another in quick succession.

For Bangladesh, Shorna Akter picked up three wickets. Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter were clinical with the ball and scored two apiece.

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

HARARE: JJ Smit’s all-round heroics powered Namibia to a victory over Tanzania, securing a spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be held in India and Sri Lanka. 

Namibia’s victory in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional qualifiers marked the fourth consecutive time they have qualified for the mega event. Their previous appearances came in the 2021, 2022, and 2024 World Cups.

After being put into bat, Namibia scored 174 on the loss of six wickets in their 20 overs.

Namibia were in trouble with 41-4 in 4.4 overs, when skipper Gerhard Erasmus and JJ Smit paired up at the crease. The duo added 88 runs for the fifth wicket partnership, which helped them out of trouble.

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Gerhard Erasmus made 55 from 41 balls with the aid of six fours, whereas JJ Smit remained unbeaten with 61 from 43 balls, striking four sixes and a boundary.

For Tanzania, Ally Kimote and Khalidy Juma picked up two wickets each.

Set 175, Tanzania mustered only 111-8 in their 20 overs, courtesy of clinical bowling.

Abhik Patwa remained the top-scorer with 31 from 31 balls with the aid of three fours and a six; however, it was not enough as Namibia chipped in with wickets at regular intervals.

After shining with the bat, JJ Smit was excellent with the ball as well and picked up three crucial wickets to help his team seal a memorable win. Ben Shikongo supported him well from the other end, managing to bag three wickets in his quota of four overs.

In the second semi-final, Kenya will face Zimbabwe in a bid to qualify for the marquee event. South Africa is the third African team to qualify directly for the World Cup.

READ: BCCI official says ‘no assurance’ of handshake in India–Pakistan Women’s WC clash

DUBAI: Pakistan top-order batter Saim Ayub has dethroned India’s Hardik Pandya to become the No. 1 all-rounder in the latest ICC T20I rankings, announced on Wednesday.

The southpaw who had a horror run with the bat in the recently concluded Asia Cup climbed the ladder after an impressive showing with the ball.

Saim only managed to score 37 runs in seven innings with four ducks to his name. On the contrary, he stood up with the ball when Pakistan needed him the most, picking up eight scalps in the same number of matches.

The 23-year-old climbed four spots to reach the summit position and now has 241 rating points, whereas Hardik Pandya, who missed the Asia Cup final due to fitness concerns, is now in second position with 233 points.

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In batting, India’s Abhishek Sharma is in the top spot and now has the all-time highest ranking points. The southpaw who was named as the player of the tournament for his stellar run in the continental tournament has 931 rating points.

He has surpassed England’s David Malan, who achieved the best rating of 919 in 2020.

Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan has made massive strides and jumped 11 places to secure the 13th spot. The 29-year-old notched up two half-centuries against India and remained crucial in helping his team in reaching the final.

In the bowlers’ ranking, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi moved 12 spots to 13th place, while Faheem Ashraf has made a significant leap, moving up 26 places to 93rd position with 418 points.

India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy continues to hold the No.1 spot with 803 points.

READ: BCCI chief demands Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi: sources

LAHORE: Pakistan have announced an 18-member expanded squad for the forthcoming two-Test series at home against South Africa, set to begin on October 12 here at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

The uncapped players in the squad are 38-year-old Asif Afridi, wicket-keeper batter Rohail Nazir, and left-arm wrist spinner Faisal Akram. Notably, the expanded squad will be trimmed ahead of the first Test.

Shan Masood will continue to lead the side, while the players who participated in the Asia Cup will join the training camp, which will run under the supervision of red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood and NCA coaches.

The camp will begin today and conclude on October 8, with the Asia Cup returnees Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Salman Agha and Shaheen Shah Afridi, will joining on October 4.

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Among the notable omissions is fast bowler Naseem Shah. The fast bowling lineup comprises Khurram Shehzad, Shaheen Afridi, Aamir Jamal, and Hasan Ali.

In batting lineup, Pakistan will rely on regulars, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, alongside captain Shan Masood.

The second Test will commence in Rawalpindi from October 20, followed by three T20Is and three ODIs.

The Pakistan cricket team has announced the donation of ACC Men’s Asia Cup final match fees to the families of the ‘innocent victims’ martyred in the May 7 attack.

The Pakistan cricket team has pledged to donate their match fees from the ACC Men’s Asia Cup final to the families of the victims martyred in the May 7 attack in India, which resulted in the loss of several innocent civilian lives.

The announcement came via the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) social media handle.

“The Pakistan Cricket Team has dedicated its Asia Cup final match fees to the innocent victims martyred in the May 7 attack… Our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” the post read on X.

Similarly, India captain Suryakumar Yadav has also announced that he will donate his match fees to India’s armed forces and the victims of the Pahalgam attack.

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For context, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Asia Cup final. Tilak Varma and Kuldeep Yadav starred for the champions, with both players playing a vital role with the bat and ball, respectively.

It is pertinent to mention that the drama began from the tournament’s onset, as two arch-rivals faced each other for the first time after a military confrontation that happened in May this year.

This continued in the final as well, as the post-match presentation started an hour after the scheduled time.

The delay was due to India’s refusal to accept the silverware from Mohsin Naqvi, who is the chairman of both the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the PCB.

Following the trophy fiasco, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, Devajit Saikia, also confirmed to the Indian news agency ANI that the team had declined to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi.

READ: India refuse Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

DUBAI: A rare sight unfolded at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday as India celebrated their ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 triumph without the trophy.

The unusual celebrations came after the Indian team refused to accept the silverware during the delayed presentation ceremony, since it was to be presented by the Asia Cricket Council (ACC) president and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi.

Alongside Naqvi, the president of the Bangladesh Cricket Council, the vice president of the Emirates Cricket Board, and representatives from the tournament sponsors were present on the stage.

The Men in Blue were seen celebrating their victory on the stage without the silverware. Skipper Suryakumar playfully mimicked, and the rest of the side held up an imaginary trophy as part of their celebrations.

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Earlier, India defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch the Asia Cup 2025 title. Tilak Verma stood up with the bat, scoring a vital 69* from 53 balls.

The champions started their chase on a shaky note as Pakistan’s pacers ripped through their top order.

Dangerous Abhishek Sharma was the first to go holing out to mid on, whereas Skipper Suryakumar Yadav, in poor form, perished courtesy of an excellent catch from Salman Ali Agha.

The Men in Blue were pegged back with Shubman Gill’s wicket, who was caught on mid-on after scoring 12. As a result, India were reduced to 20-3.

However, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma arrested the slide and batted with calm and composure. The pair added 58 runs for the third wicket, which put India back on course in the chase.

Sanju’s dismissal opened a brief door for Pakistan; however, Varma remained composed and guided India towards the target.

Eventually, India aced the chase with Rinku Singh— playing his first game of the tournament, hitting the ball over mid wicket for four to seal an emphatic win for his side.

Pakistan got off to a strong start after being asked to bat first. Openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman looked in fine touch, stitching together a solid 84-run partnership.

Their positive intent laid the perfect platform for a big total, but once the stand was broken, Pakistan’s innings unraveled quickly.

The middle order failed to capitalize on the strong foundation, and wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.

READ: Agha ‘proud’ of Pakistan fight despite Asia Cup 2025 final loss