Category: Sports

Former Pakistan captain and U19 team manager Sarfaraz Ahmed has hailed the inclusion of two new teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) ahead of the landmark 11th season.

Sarfaraz took to his X account and extended congratulations to the new team owners and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“Well done, PCB and PSL, on a successful auction. Congratulations to KingsmenCricket and OZGroupOfficial on their bids,” he wrote.

“Great to see the league expand to 8 teams—welcome Hyderabad and Sialkot. Pakistan Zindabad,” he added.

Earlier today, PSL officially expanded ahead of season 11, with Hyderabad and Sialkot confirmed as the two new franchises following a high-stakes auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

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The two teams will make their debut in PSL season 11, joining the existing six franchises, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United, and Multan Sultans.

The official names of the Hyderabad and Sialkot teams will be announced at a later stage.

The auction saw intense competition among qualified bidders, with aggressive bids reflecting the league’s growing commercial value.

The Hyderabad franchise was secured by the FKS Group, owned by Fawad Sarwar, after a successful bid of Rs 1.75 billion.

Later, OZ Developers, owned by Hamza Majeed, clinched the Sialkot franchise with a record-breaking bid of Rs1.85 billion, the highest figure of the auction.

PSL Teams Auction LIVE HERE

As per PSL auction rules, successful bidders were given the option to choose their home cities from a PCB-approved list that included Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit.

Hyderabad and Sialkot ultimately emerged as the preferred choices.

With the addition of two new teams, PSL 11 is set to be the biggest edition of the tournament to date. The upcoming season is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.

READ: Hyderabad, Sialkot join PSL ahead of landmark season 11

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) officially expanded on Thursday ahead of season 11 as Hyderabad and Sialkot were confirmed as the two new franchises following a high-stakes auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre.

The two teams will make their debut in PSL season 11, joining the existing six franchises, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United and Multan Sultans.

The official names of the Hyderabad and Sialkot teams will be announced at a later stage.

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The auction witnessed intense competition among qualified bidders, with aggressive offers reflecting the growing commercial value of the league.

The Hyderabad franchise was secured by the FKS Group, owned by Fawad Sarwar, after a successful bid of Rs 1.75 billion.

Later, OZ Developers, owned by Hamza Majeed, clinched the Sialkot franchise with a record-breaking bid of Rs1.85 billion, the highest figure of the auction.

PSL Teams Auction LIVE HERE

As per PSL auction rules, successful bidders were given the option to choose their home cities from a PCB-approved list that included Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.

Hyderabad and Sialkot ultimately emerged as the preferred choices.

With the addition of two new teams, PSL 11 is set to be the biggest edition of the tournament to date. The upcoming season is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3.

READ: ICC reveals Men’s Player of the Month nominees for December

MELBOURNE: Melbourne Stars skipper Marcus Stoinis did not mince words before trapping Sydney Sixers opener Babar Azam in the 27th match of the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 here at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday.

Sixers chased down a partly target of 129, losing four wickets in the process with 17 balls to spare.

Josh Philippe remained the top scorer with 35 from 25 balls, striking two fours and the same number of sixes.

For Melbourne Stars, Haris Rauf picked up one wicket, whereas Stoinis scalped two wickets in his quota of four overs.

However, their star overseas batter Babar faltered again as he managed to score 14 off 17 balls with the help of a single boundary.

 

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Interestingly, he was trapped lbw by pacer Marcus Stoinis on the third ball of the sixth over.

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The right-arm pacer bowled a full and straight delivery on the stumps as Babar closed the face of the bat early and missed the line and length.

Following the conclusion of the match, Stoinis revealed his words to Babar Azam before getting him trapped on the crease.

“It’s good to know those stump mics are on,” Stoinis said in a light-hearted manner after the match.

Nonetheless, Babar’s struggle continued in BBL 15, as he is yet to make his mark.

The right-hander has so far scored 145 runs in seven matches at an average of 24.16 with the help of two half-centuries.

READ: Ali Tareen reveals reason for not participating in PSL teams auction

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday revealed the men’s player of the month nominees for the month of December 2025, including Australia ace pacer Mitchell Starc.

Besides Starc, West Indies Justin Greaves and New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy are among the shortlisted players.

Starc was inducted into the list on the back of his stellar Ashes series. The left-arm pacer picked up 16 wickets in the month of Dec alongside scoring 139 runs in first three Tests.

The tall left-arm quick was named player of the match in second Ashes Test for taking eight wickets and scoring 77 runs which set up Australia’s win.

Overall, Starc remained instrumental in Australia’s 4-1 success over England as  picked up 31 wickets in five matches and scored 156 runs.

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Meanwhile, Justin Greaves displayed his batting prowess in the Test series against New Zealand, amassing 283 runs at an average of 56.60 in three matches.

The right-hander was at his best during the opening match of the series at Christchurch where he scored an unbeaten 202 in the fourth innings, salvaging a memorable draw for his side.

Apart from batting, he also took five wickets in a time when West Indies needed most.

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy had a stellar 2025 where he remained BlackCaps leading wicket-taker across formats — 81 wickets, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s record of 79 set in 1985.

He remained the leading wicket taker in the home series agianst the West Indies, scalping 23 wickets at a moutwatering average of 15.43 in three matches.

The 31-year-old was pivotal in New Zealands’ 2-0 series victory, earning him the Player of the Series award.

READ: Ali Tareen reveals reason for not participating in PSL teams auction

ISLAMABAD: In a much-anticipated auction for the Pakistan Super League (PSL), FKS and OZ Developers bought the two new franchise teams for season 11, held at the Jinnah Convention Centre.

06:30 PM – Eighth team name confirmed

OZ Developers owner Hamza Majeed, after buying the eighth team for a record Rs 1.85 billion, confirmed that his franchise will be representing the city of Sialkot.

05:50 PM – Auction for eighth PSL team begins

Base Price for Team 8: PKR 1,700,000,000

• Aim Next Inc. counters PKR 1,710,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,720,000,000
• Aim Next Inc. counters PKR 1,730,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,750,000,000
• Aim Next Inc. counters PKR 1,760,000,000
• OZ Developers counters PKR 1,780,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,800,000,000
• OZ Developers counters PKR 1,810,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,820,000,000
• OZ Developers makes the final PKR 1,850,000,000

05:30 PM – Seventh team name confirmed

FKS owner Fawad Sarwar, after buying the seventh team for a record Rs 1.75 billion, confirmed that his franchise will be representing the city of Hyderabad.

05:00 PM – Auction Begins
The PSL franchise auction for the two new teams has officially started. Ten bidders are competing to secure the rights for the latest additions to the league.

Base Price for Team 7: PKR 1,100,000,000

• Inverex Solar Energy counters PKR 1,110,000,000
• Walee counters PKR 1,150,000,000
• Prism Estate & Builders counters PKR 1,170,000,000
• OZ Developers counters PKR 1,190,000,000
• Walee counters PKR 1,230,000,000
• OZ Developers counters PKR 1,250,000,000
• FKS counters PKR 1,400,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,420,000,000
• FKS counters PKR 1,540,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,550,000,000
• FKS counters PKR 1,680,000,000
• i2c counters PKR 1,700,000,000
• FKS makes final bid PKR 1,750,000,000

Auction Rules

All bids shall be quoted in Pakistani Rupees (PKR).

The minimum incremental bid from the base price announced by PCB shall be PKR 10,000,000 (rupees ten million only).

No bid increase of less than the minimum incremental bid shall be accepted.

Bidders may choose to make a bid in excess of the minimum incremental bid. No limit.

Each bidder shall have the right to exercise one (1) strategic timeout of up to five (5) minutes, only once during each round of the auction.

During this strategic timeout, bidders may consult with their representatives before deciding their future course of action in the auction, but shall not be permitted to communicate with other bidders.

A bidding round shall be declared closed when the highest incremental bid in excess of the base price is not surpassed by any other bidder despite a final call by the auctioneer.

Upon closure of the bidding round, the highest valid bid in excess of the base price shall be provisionally declared the winning bid.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed a list of 10 qualified bidders who will vie for the rights to own the latest additions to the marquee league, promising an intense and closely watched bidding battle.

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The qualified bidders are:

Aim Next inc – Mr. Umar Mushtaq and Mr. Ali Mushtaq

Deharki Sugar Mills – Mr. Makhdoom Syed Ali Mahmud

FKS – Mr. Fawad Sarwar

Inverex – Mr. Muhammad Zakir Ali

i2c – Mr. Amir Wain

Jazz – Mr. Amir Ibrahim

OZ Developers – Mr. Hamza Majeed

Prism Developers – CEO Mr. Masood Alvi

VGO TEL – Mr. Naveed Gaba

Walee Technologies – Mr. Ahsan Tahir

Successful bidders will also be granted the right to select a home city from a PCB-approved list, which includes Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit.

READ: Ali Tareen reveals reason for not participating in PSL teams auction

Former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has opened up about his decision to sit out the auction for two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises ahead of season 11, which is scheduled to take place today at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

Tareen, whose group was notably absent from the list of 10 qualified bidders, took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the move, emphasizing the emotional connection his family shared with the Multan Sultans franchise.

“After careful consideration, my family and I have decided not to participate in today’s PSL franchise auction,” Tareen wrote.

“Our time with Multan Sultans was never just about owning a cricket team. It was about South Punjab. About giving a voice to a region that had been overlooked for too long. That’s what drove everything we built.”

He further stressed that any potential return to the PSL would have to honor the same purpose.

“If I come back to PSL, it has to be for the same reason. South Punjab is where my heart is. It is home,” he added.

While Tareen confirmed he will be cheering from the stands this season, he left the door open for acquiring the Multan franchise in the future.

“This year, I’ll be in the stands. Cheering for players on and celebrating with the fans. And when the Multan team is being sold, we’ll be ready,” he said.

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Ali Tareen concluded his message by wishing the best to all the bidders: “Wishing all the bidders the best. May the most outspoken owner win.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled all 10 qualified bidders ahead of the auction, starting with Inverex Solar Energy, followed by OZ Group of Companies, VGO TEL Mobile, Jazz, DSM, i2c, Prism Estate & Builders, Walee, and finally, USA-based Aim Next Inc. and Southeast Asian holding company FKS.

Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans franchise will be run by the PCB during the PSL 11.

WATCH: Usman Khawaja performs ‘sujud’ in farewell Test

SYDNEY: Usman Khawaja, Australia’s first Muslim and Pakistan-born Test cricketer, brought down the curtain on his international career with a ‘sujud’ at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday during the fifth Ashes Test against England.

Khawaja’s final innings, though brief, was a deeply emotional moment for fans and family alike.

Opening with a graceful flick for four off Will Jacks, his fairytale ending was cut short when he chopped on to Josh Tongue, finishing with 17 runs.

Despite the early dismissal, the retiring opener received a standing ovation as he walked off the field, culminating in a touching gesture.

Usman Khawaja knelt, kissed the turf, and offered his farewell to the ground that had witnessed much of his cricketing journey.

 

The moment resonated beyond the boundary ropes as Khawaja’s wife, Rachel, was seen shedding tears in the stands.

Reflecting on his final innings, Khawaja shared, “A little bit of annoyance because I chopped on. You don’t always get the fairy tale ending where you score the runs, and I kind of like that in some respect.”

“When it happened, I got over it after a few seconds. I looked over and saw Rachel. My family was up there, I gave them kisses and all my love.”

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He added, “Without her, I wouldn’t be here today. She’s been my biggest support over the years, mental, emotional, everything. She’s the only one I really open up to. And coming out here at the end, that was my final way to say thank you.”

Usman Khawaja concludes his Test career with 6,229 runs at an average of 43.25, placing him 14th on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list.

Across 88 Tests, he amassed 16 centuries while also representing Australia in 40 ODIs and nine T20 internationals.

READ: ICC announces match officials for Men’s U19 World Cup 2026

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the panel of match officials for the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2026, which is set to get underway on January 15.

A total of 21 officials, comprising 17 umpires and four match referees, have been appointed from the ICC’s Emirates International Panels of Umpires and Referees.

The officiating group reflects the global nature of the tournament, with representatives drawn from 13 different countries.

Zimbabwe, the host nation, will be represented by two umpires in the panel. Former international cricketer Forster Mutizwa, who featured in 21 international matches for Zimbabwe, has been appointed alongside compatriot Iknow Chabi.

Their inclusion adds local experience and familiarity with conditions to the officiating team.

The umpiring panel also includes several well-known and seasoned officials, notably former West Indies international Deighton Butler and England’s Graham Lloyd, who continues the officiating legacy of his father, David Lloyd, a former elite umpire and renowned broadcaster.

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In addition to the umpires, the ICC has named four experienced match referees to oversee the tournament.

Dean Cosker of England, Prakash Bhatt of India, Graeme Labrooy of Sri Lanka and Neeyamur Rahul of Bangladesh will handle referee duties across the event.

Speaking on the announcement, ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sanjog Gupta highlighted the importance of the Under-19 World Cup not only for young cricketers but also for emerging officials aiming to progress at the international level.

“The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is a tremendous opportunity for rising stars in the game to shine,” Gupta said.

“It is also an invaluable platform for up-and-coming match officials. We hope this tournament will serve as a springboard for their careers as they progress in their officiating journeys.”

Umpires for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026:

Ahmad Shah Durrani (Afghanistan), Aidan Seaver (Ireland), Cory Black (New Zealand), Deighton Butler (West Indies), Faisal Afridi (Pakistan), Forster Mutizwa (Zimbabwe), Graham Lloyd (England), Iknow Chabi (Zimbabwe), Lubabalo Gcuma (South Africa), Masudur Mukul (Bangladesh), Nitin Bathi (Netherlands), Phillip Gillespie (Australia), Prageeth Rambukwella (Sri Lanka), Russell Warren (England), Shaun Haig (New Zealand), Shawn Craig (Australia), Virender Sharma (India) and Zahid Bassarath (West Indies).

Match Referees:

Dean Cosker (England), Graeme Labrooy (Sri Lanka), Neeyamur Rahul (Bangladesh) and Prakash Bhatt (India).

READ: England cricket board launches immediate review into Ashes debacle

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said it had launched an immediate and “thorough” review following the tourists’ defeat in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Thursday.

England’s preparations, coaching and off-field behaviour all came under the microscope during a demoralising series in Australia, which they lost 4-1.

As soon as the series was over, ECB chief executive Richard Gould released a statement calling the team’s failure to regain the Ashes “deeply disappointing”.

Gould said there were “moments of strong performance and resilience”, notably victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, which saved England from a humiliating series whitewash.

But he said, “We were not consistent enough across all conditions and phases of the contest, and Australia ultimately deserved to retain the Ashes.

“We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027. A thorough review of the campaign is already underway.

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“This will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours, and our ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require.”

While captain Ben Stokes appears safe from the axe, the roles of head of cricket Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum are set to come under the microscope.

British media, including the BBC, have reported that Key and McCullum are likely to survive to show they can make improvements to the England set-up.

“We will implement the necessary changes over the coming months,” Gould added.

England’s next Test assignment is not until June, at home to New Zealand.

Coming up fast is the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka next month, when McCullum will expect to be in charge of the squad, which will be captained by Harry Brook.

READ: Ashes heroes Mitchell Starc, Steve Smith to join Babar Azam at Sydney Sixers

Fresh off a dominant 4-1 Ashes triumph over England, Australian stars Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith are set to shift their focus to the Big Bash League (BBL), where they will join Pakistan superstar Babar Azam at the Sydney Sixers.

Both Starc and Smith confirmed their availability for the Sixers during Australia’s post-match press conference following the fifth Ashes Test, with several other Ashes-winning players also expected to feature in the ongoing Big Bash season.

For Starc, the return carries added significance as it will mark his first appearance for the Sixers since BBL 04, having featured in overall ten matches across four seasons.

Smith, meanwhile, is set to feature in his fourth consecutive Big Bash campaign, having delivered memorable performances in recent seasons, including an unbeaten 121 against the Perth Scorchers last year.

Starc capped off a sensational Ashes series by claiming the Compton-Miller Medal as Player of the Series, courtesy of 31 wickets and a vital 156 runs across five Tests.

Speaking after the series, the left-arm quick made it clear that the Big Bash is now his immediate priority.

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“I’m certainly not looking two years down the road just yet,” Mitchell Starc said when asked about the 2027 Ashes in England.

“I’ll pull on the magenta with the man [Smith] next to me. We’ll see if we can help the Sixers get to another final. Other than the BBL, I haven’t got too many plans other than a bit of golf.”

Starc, who retired from T20Is in October to manage his workload and extend his Test career, could make his Sixers return as early as Sunday, January 11, when Sydney face the Hobart Hurricanes at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The timing of their arrival could prove crucial for the Sixers, who currently sit fourth on the BBL 15 points table with three wins and three losses.

Despite securing the services of global star Babar Azam, the Sixers are yet to fully hit top gear this season.

They most recently edged past Brisbane Heat in a low-scoring thriller at Coffs Harbour, chasing down just 115 to stay in the top-four hunt.

READ: Shaheen Afridi fires warning to India ahead of T20 World Cup clash