Category: Sports

LAHORE: Karachi Kings batter Azam Khan rued injuries after the match against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Earlier in the day, Peshawar Zalmi registered a seven-wicket victory over the Kings.

For Karachi Kings, Jason Roy starred with the bat, scoring an impressive 85 from 51 balls. Azam Khan also chipped in with the bat, hitting three sixes and three fours in his crucial 35 on just 19 deliveries.

In reply, Peshawar Zalmi chased down the 183-run target in 18.5 overs, largely due to sublime knocks from Kusal Mendis and young batter Farhan Yousaf.

The pair put up an unbeaten 119-run partnership from 69 balls, taking their team over the line. Mendis scored 80* from 43, whereas Farhan hit 58 off 36 balls.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Azam highlighted the shortcomings in the fixture, noting that every player wants to contribute to the team’s success.

“Every player tries to help take their team forward. I am also trying to help take my team forward,” he told reporters.

The right-handed batter cited injuries as a setback for the team to build a cohesive strategy.

“We made a good start in the league, but faced difficulties due to injuries. Due to injuries, we struggled to build a strong combination,” he maintained.

The 27-year-old praised David Warner and Moeen Ali for their influence on emerging players.

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“Both Moeen Ali and David Warner are very beneficial for our team. All the young players, including myself, are learning a lot from both players,” he said

“I think our score was decent according to the pitch, but we could not bowl well enough,” Azam observed.

Karachi Kings will face Lahore Qalandars tomorrow at the same venue.

READ: David Warner backs Karachi Kings ahead of Lahore Qalandars clash

LAHORE: Karachi Kings captain David Warner remained hopeful ahead of the crucial clash against arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Kings endured a difficult outing against Peshawar Zalmi, losing the fixture by seven wickets.

With this loss, the Kings have to not only win both of their remaining matches but also rely on the other results going their way.

David Warner spoke about the pitch and the first innings total on the board while praising Ali Raza, who became the youngest Pakistan player to take a T20 hat-trick.

“I think the message back to the group was that 185 to 195 was probably the par total. It was hard, but underneath it was that sort of crumbly soil,” he revealed.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

“The guys said if you bash the length, you couldn’t really go under it. But look, the way that Raza bowled was outstanding; he showed all the senior players what length to hit,” the observed.

The 39-year-old emphasised momentum in the limited-overs format and said that being confident on abilities could turn things around

“That’s not tough at all [Gaining momentum in T20s]. It’s just about backing yourself. I think when things aren’t going well for your team, it’s about having confidence in yourself.”

“You see, with Zalmi at the moment, they are a quality lineup batting and backing themselves. You get totals of 200 plus comfortably when things are going your way. For us, it’s a couple of losses back-to-back now, and we have to try and keep the morale as high as we can coming here tomorrow.”

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He expressed confidence ahead of their key encounter against Lahore Qalandars, which could decide the Kings’ fate in the tournament.

“Yeah, look, it’s one of those things where you always want the ball to come onto the bat. You always feel when you haven’t had game time or when things aren’t going well, the bat feels a little bit heavier. But we’re all athletes; we do this day in, day out, and we have to rock back up tomorrow with a positive attitude,” Warner concluded.

Karachi Kings will face Lahore Qalandars tomorrow at the same venue.

READ: Peshawar Zalmi’s Ali Raza enters record books with PSL hat-trick

KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen win toss against Multan Sultans and have opted to field first in the 33rd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.

Head to Head

This will be just the second time both teams face each other. Sultans won their opening encounter against Kingsmen by six wickets.

Playing XIs

Hyderabad Kingsmen: Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khan (wk), Saim Ayub, Kusal Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Irfan Niazi, Hassan Khan, Hunain Shah, Mohammad Ali, Akif Javed

Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Arafat Nawaz, Muhammad Imran, Peter Siddle, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail

READ: Sameer Minhas targets Pakistan call-up after PSL 11 performance

KARACHI: Islamabad United opener Sameer Minhas eyes a Pakistan call-up after impactful performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

After shining bright for Pakistan U-19, Sameer has made an immediate impact in PSL, amassing 265 runs at an average of 53 in six matches. The right-hander has notched up three half-centuries at an impressive strike rate of 163.58.

In an interview on a private channel, he emphasised the team’s performance, noting that every player is chipping in with crucial contributions.

“The team is putting in a really good effort, and a lot of players are contributing well,” Sameer said.

“My target is simple: whenever I get an opportunity, I want to make the most of it and play impactful innings for my team,” he stated.

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“You learn a lot by being around senior players. From game awareness to improving your skills, there is so much you can pick up. I have spoken to many players and gained valuable insights,” he added.

“I don’t think too much about how beneficial it is, but yes, you definitely learn a lot here,” he said.

“Everyone’s goal is to play for Pakistan, serve the country for a long time, and win trophies. That is my aim as well. For now, I want to make the most of every opportunity so that when the time comes, I can perform for Pakistan,” he added.

He also reflected on his performances in the U-19 Asia Cup 2025, where he played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s memorable triumph over arch-rivals India.

“I never really thought about the spotlight. We were focused on winning for Pakistan. Winning the Asia Cup was a major goal for us, and we achieved that. Unfortunately, we could not go all the way in the World Cup, but our mindset was always to bring trophies for the country,” he recalled.

The 19-year-old outlined his long-term goal for Pakistan, stating that his aim is to bring laurels for his country.

“It is every player’s dream to perform for Pakistan at the top level. That is my mindset and, Insha’Allah, I will continue to work towards it,” he said.

“We regularly talk, train together in the nets, and point out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It helps us improve as players,” Sameer concluded.

READ: Mohammad Nawaz under PCB scrutiny after positive drug test: report

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi youngster Ali Raza etched his name into the record books with a stunning hat-trick against Karachi Kings during their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 encounter at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old pacer produced a remarkable final over to derail Karachi’s innings, claiming three wickets in as many deliveries to restrict them to 182-9.

Raza began his hat-trick with the dismissal of Khushdil Shah, who fell in unfortunate fashion via a hit-wicket. He then followed it up with two pinpoint yorkers to clean up Shahid Aziz and Hasan Ali.

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With this effort, Raza became only the seventh bowler in PSL history to register a hat-trick.

The milestone list is headlined by Mohammad Amir, who achieved the league’s first hat-trick in the inaugural 2016 edition, followed by notable names such as Junaid Khan and Imran Tahir.

Hat-tricks in Pakistan Super League (PSL)

• Mohammad Amir (KK) against Lahore Qalandars in 2016
• Junaid Khan (MS) against Lahore Qalandars in 2018
• Imran Tahir (MS) against Quetta Gladiators in 2018
• Mohammad Sami (IU) against Peshawar Zalmi in 2019
• Abbas Afridi (MS) against Quetta Gladiators in 2023
• Akeal Hosein (QG) against Peshawar Zalmi in 2024
• Ali Raza (PZ) against Karachi Kings in 2026

In addition to joining the elite list, Raza also set a new benchmark by becoming the youngest Pakistani to take a T20 hat-trick at just 18 years and 35 days.

The young pacer capped off an impressive outing with figures of 4-41, having earlier removed Karachi Kings captain David Warner during the powerplay.

READ: Rawalpindiz owner breaks silence on Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy

LAHORE: Kusal Mendis continued his rich vein of form as Peshawar Zalmi eased past Karachi Kings in Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 clash at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Unbeaten Zalmi chased down a stiff target of 183 inside 18 overs, losing only three wickets in the process.

The opening pair of James Vince and Babar Azam added 37  in the first five overs before both batters were sent back in successive overs.

Babar was caught after scoring 25 from 19, whereas Vince was caught behind on 16.  The wickets brought Aaron Hardie and Kusal Mendis on the crease. The pair tried to arrest the slide with a brief 22-run partnership. However, Hardie fell prey to Khusdil Shah, putting Karachi Kings in pole position.

At this stage, the scorecard read 67-3 in 7.4 overs with Farhan Yousaf joining Mendis. The pair launched a recovery and took their side out of trouble. Both batters batted briskly, soaking up all the pressure.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Mendis and Yousaf took the game away from Karachi Kings in the last five overs, taking the attack to the bowlers. The pair finished with an unbeaten 119-run partnership from 69 balls, propelling Zalmi to their eighth win on the trot.

Mendis — the leading run scorer of the tournament- struck four sixes and five fours in his 80* off 43 balls. Yousaf, on the other hand, scored his maiden half-century, hitting three sixes and five fours. He made 58 off 36 deliveries.

For Karachi Kings, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah and Hasan Ali picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi seamer Ali Raza produced a sensational hat-trick to derail Karachi Kings after an aggressive half-century by Jason Roy.

Batting first after winning the toss, Karachi Kings had a mixed outing despite a strong start from opener Jason Roy, who anchored the innings with a fluent 85 off 51 deliveries, striking 11 fours and two sixes.

Captain David Warner struggled at the top, managing just 11 off 13 balls before being bowled by Raza early in the innings.

Roy, however, kept the scoreboard moving and built short partnerships of 36 and 27 with Salman Ali Agha and Reeza Hendricks, respectively, maintaining Karachi’s momentum through the middle overs.

The real turning point came when Azam Khan joined Roy and counterattacked brilliantly. The Karachi Kings duo added 63 runs in just 32 deliveries, putting Peshawar Zalmi under pressure before Iftikhar Ahmed broke the stand by dismissing Azam for a quickfire 35 off 19 balls.

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Roy soon followed, falling to Mohammad Basit after completing a well-compiled knock that had kept Karachi in control for most of the innings.

From there, the innings collapsed dramatically as no batter managed to offer resistance. Karachi Kings managed to score 182-9 in their 20 overs.

Ali Raza returned in death overs to tear through the lower order, taking his first PSL hat-trick and finishing with four wickets in total. He was supported by Mohammad Basit, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Aaron Hardie, who claimed one wicket each.

READ: Will Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman return to PSL 11?

Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana is unlikely to return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11, while his fellow pacer Mustafizur Rahman is expected to rejoin the Lahore Qalandars squad for the remainder of the tournament.

The right-arm pacer, who was representing Peshawar Zalmi, had been cleared by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to feature in the league until April 13. He later returned home alongside other Bangladesh players after being called up for national duty during the ongoing white-ball series against New Zealand.

According to the latest reports, the right-arm pacer has not applied for an extension to rejoin PSL 11, effectively casting serious doubt over any comeback this season.

He was part of Bangladesh’s ODI squad against New Zealand but was not selected for the first two T20Is, with selectors reportedly prioritising workload management ahead of a busy Test calendar.

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Rana is expected to be rested with an eye on the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle. The series will begin on May 8 in Dhaka before moving to Sylhet for the second Test.

During his brief PSL stint, Rana made a strong impression, picking up seven wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 5.42 for Zalmi.

Meanwhile, Mustafizur Rahman is set to rejoin the Qalandars camp. He was initially granted clearance until April 12 and later received a second NOC from April 24 onwards, following international commitments.

READ: Mohammad Nawaz under PCB scrutiny after positive drug test: report

All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz is under investigation by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after testing positive for recreational drug use, ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old all-rounder, who is currently representing Multan Sultans in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, was reportedly flagged during testing conducted at the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

A PCB spokesperson confirmed that the matter has been formally taken up after communication from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“The International Cricket Council (ICC) has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) about this matter, and PCB has begun the due process. The results of this process will be communicated to the ICC today,” the spokesperson stated.

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While the ICC has refrained from commenting publicly, reports suggest the positive result stems from samples taken during the global tournament, where Nawaz featured in all seven matches for Pakistan.

He scored 15 runs and claimed seven wickets as the team exited at the Super Eight stage.

The development has also impacted Nawaz’s participation in the T20 Blast. His proposed stint with Surrey County Cricket Club for the upcoming season has been called off.

The left-arm spinner had earlier secured a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the PCB and was expected to feature throughout the competition, scheduled from late May to mid-July.

However, following the positive test, the deal has fallen through, with Surrey opting not to proceed with the signing. The English county has declined to comment on the matter.

READ: Rawalpindiz owner breaks silence on Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy

Notably, in the last outing between the two teams, Zalmi thumped Kings by a massive 159-run margin. The Babar Azam-led franchise set a 247-run target, courtesy of Kusal Mendis’ blistering century.

In response, Karachi Kings were bundled for a mere 87, with Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Sufiyan Muqeem claiming three wickets apiece.

READ: WATCH: Lahore Qalandars fulfil cancer-stricken child’s wish to meet Shaheen Afridi

Lahore Qalandars delivered a heartwarming moment during the Pakistan Super League season 11 by making a young cancer-stricken fan’s dream come true, arranging a special meeting with captain Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The fan, Farzan from Gujranwala’s Qila Didar Singh, has been battling a tumour for the past four years. His emotional video message, in which he expressed his wish to meet Afridi, quickly went viral and caught the attention of the franchise.

“My name is Farzan, and I am a huge fan of Lahore Qalandars. My greatest wish is to meet Shaheen Shah Afridi. Does he have time for me?” he said in the clip that resonated widely across social media.

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Touched by the request, the Qalandars invited Farzan to Lahore as a special guest. He watched the team’s clash against Quetta Gladiators at Gaddafi Stadium, where he finally met his idol and spent time with the players.

Afridi presented the young fan with a signed shirt and cap, while the franchise celebrated his courage, calling him a “special Qalandar” in their social media tribute.

“A very special Qalandar is in the house to support us today. Farzan, who has been fighting cancer for four years, wanted to meet his hero, Shaheen. Today, he got his wish fulfilled,” the post captioned.

 

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Farzan also enjoyed the match from the owners’ enclosure and witnessed Qalandars edge past the Gladiators in a closely fought contest. The franchise later described him as their “lucky charm,” sharing a video of his visit and interaction with the team.

 

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His father expressed gratitude to the management for the gesture and extended his best wishes to the franchise owners, acknowledging the effort made to lift his son’s spirits during a difficult time.

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