Category: Sports

LAHORE: Fast bowler Hunain Shah reflected on his execution in the final over after guiding Hyderabad Kingsmen to a thrilling victory and a place in the Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) final.

Put in to bat in PSL 11 Eliminator 2 clash, Hyderabad Kingsmen recovered from an early setback to post 186/5 in their 20 overs.

Usman remained unbeaten on 61 off just 30 deliveries, striking 10 boundaries, while Perera smashed 37 off 21 balls, including four fours and two sixes.

In reply, United were limited to 184 in 20 overs, thanks to an outstanding over from Hunain Shah. The right-arm pacer brought his side back on the brink of elimination and sealed an emphatic win.

With six required off the final over, Hunain Shah produced exceptional death bowling, conceding only three runs to secure a dramatic two-run victory for Hyderabad Kingsmen.

Speaking after the match, Hunain said he wanted to maintain confidence in his skillset.

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“[I] wanted to keep belief in my abilities, thought if we got Faheem out, the job would be easier for us. Focus was on execution,” he said.

He also revealed the strategy discussed with skipper Marnus Labuschagne before bowling the final over.

“When I came to bowl the last over, I told Marnus we don’t have a margin, I would bowl six yorkers, and went with the plan. Feeling really good, thanks to God,” he said.

The 22-year-old credited the team’s performance, highlighting each individual’s contributions.

“Different players have stepped up and won Player of the Match and that has been the reason for our success,” he concluded.

Hyderabad Kingsmen will face Peshawar Zalmi in the final of the PSL 11 at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

READ: Sajid Khan, Noman Ali shine in scenario-based practice match

KARACHI: Pakistan spin duo Sajid Khan and Noman Ali weaved spin magic on day four of the national team’s preparatory camp held at the National Bank Stadium ahead of the Bangladesh Tests. 

On the fourth day of the training camp, Pakistan players took part in a scenario-based match at the Oval Ground, where batters and bowlers fine-tuned their preparations.

During the morning session, Mohamamd Abbas and Hasan Ali bowled a couple of overs in hot conditions. The latter went off the field after delivering the first ball of his fourth over.

Among the batters, Ghazi Ghouri remained the top-scorer with 31 runs before being retired out.

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In bowling, Noman Ali and Sajid Khan picked up two wickets each.

Meanwhile, after enduring the heat during the scenario match, vice-captain Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan were seen in the nets practicing alongside batting coach Asad Shafiq.

The training camp will continue until tommorow, after which the team will depart for Bangladesh.

Ace batter Babar Azam and fast bowler Khurram Shehzad will join the squad after the conclusion of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, with their team, Peshawar Zalmi, set to feature in the final.

For the unversed, the first of the two matches – part of the ICC World Test Championship will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test, which will be played from 16 to 20 May.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: Umar Gul reveals fast bowlers plan for Bangladesh Tests

KARACHI: Pakistan Test team bowling coach Umar Gul has outlined a detailed program for fast bowlers returning from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 ahead of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. 

The pacers include Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, and Amad Butt, who are currently participating in a four-day-long training camp for the series.

The first Test will be held on May 8 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka.

The newly appointed bowling coach revealed the workload plan for bowlers returning to the Pakistan squad after playing in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

“For Shaheen [Shaheen Afridi], Hasan Ali, and other players who have been playing T20 cricket, we have prepared a workload plan for their return to Test cricket,” he told reporters in a media talk.

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“In this workload, they have to do one-and-a-half days of fielding, which amounts to 140 overs. Each bowler has been given a target to bowl around 15 to 20 overs,” he explained.

“Transitioning from T20 to Test cricket can be difficult at the start, and it was important for the players to prepare for the longer format,” the bowling coach continued.

He also emphasized the conditions in Bangladesh, urging the players to adapt to them as much as possible.

“Preparations for the Bangladesh tour are underway. Weather conditions in Karachi and Bangladesh are quite similar, and players have been encouraged to spend as much time on the field as possible to adapt to the heat,” Umar said.

“We have options of both pacers and spinners in our squad. It is also encouraging to see Babar Azam back in form,” Umar Gul concluded.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: Pakistan move up in latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings

LAHORE: Hunain Shah delivered an exceptional over under pressure to seal an emphatic win for Hyderabad Kingsmen, helping them qualify for the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Hyderabad sealed a close win over Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 under lights at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Chasing 187 in this high-pressure PSL 2026 knockout, Islamabad United stumbled early, losing Sameer Minhas (6) and Mohsin Riaz (5) inside three overs.

Devon Conway (30) and Shadab Khan (22) attempted to rebuild, but regular wickets kept the chase in check. Mark Chapman then led the fightback with a quickfire 43 off 26 balls, while Haider Ali added 31 off 16 deliveries in a crucial 64-run partnership.

Despite Chapman’s dismissal in the 18th over, Islamabad United surged back into contention when Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green smashed 22 runs in the penultimate over, leaving just six required off the final over.

With the match on the line, Hunain Shah produced exceptional death bowling, conceding only three runs to secure a dramatic two-run victory for Hyderabad Kingsmen.

Hunain and Mohammad Ali claimed two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan, and Saim Ayub chipped in with one apiece.

The narrow win confirmed Hyderabad Kingsmen’s place in the PSL 11 final against Peshawar Zalmi, marking a remarkable run for the tournament debutants.

Earlier, Marnus Labuschagne made a crafty 40 off 32 balls before Usman Khan’s quickfire helped Hyderabad Kingsmen finish strongly

Put into bat first, Kingsmen piled up 186-5 in 20 overs.

Kingsmen suffered a big blow in the first over as Maaz Sadaqat was caught off a short bouncer from Richard Gleeson without scoring.

With the scoreboard reading 1-1, out of form Saim Ayub arrived at the crease. He formed a vital partnership with skipper Marnus Labuschagne to steady the innings.

Both batters pounced on anything loose, finishing the powerplay strongly on 54-1.

After the fielding restrictions were lifted, United spinners — Shadab Khan and Chris Green squeezed the runs flow with a couple of tight overs. The pressure resulted in Saim’s wicket, who batted well, scoring 38 off 27 balls, hitting seven fours.

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It was Imad Wasim’s 11th over that put Kingsmen on the back foot as the veteran spinner struck twice in an over. The left-armer first got set batter Labuschagne (39 off 32 balls) and then the big scalp of Glenn Maxwell (3).

As a result, they were reduced to 85-4 in 11.4 overs.

With momentum slipping, Usman Khan and Sri Lankan batter Kusal Perera orchestrated a dramatic turnaround. The pair added an unbroken 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket, lifting Hyderabad Kingsmen to a formidable total in this Pakistan Super League 2025 Eliminator.

Usman Khan led the charge with a fluent 61 not out off just 30 deliveries, striking 10 boundaries, while Perera provided strong support with 37 off 21 balls, including four fours and two sixes. Their counter-attacking stand ensured the Kingsmen finished strongly after a mid-innings wobble.

For Islamabad United, Imad Wasim was the standout bowler, returning economical figures of 2/16 in his two overs. Gleeson, Faheem Ashraf, and Chris Green claimed one wicket each but were unable to prevent the late surge.

READ: Salman Naseer provides update on PSL 11 closing ceremony

LAHORE: Pakistan Super League (PSL) Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer has confirmed that preparations for the league’s closing ceremony are underway.

Salman provided the update in an interview on PCB Digital, urging fans to arrive at the earliest possible.

“We will ask fans to arrive at the stadium by 6:30pm for the final,” Salman Naseer said.

He hailed passionate fans who turned in large numbers during the qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United.

“The passion and enthusiasm of the fans during the qualifier in Karachi was very encouraging. At one point during the Karachi qualifier, we had to close the gates due to the huge crowd,” he observed.

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It is worth mentioning that PSL 11 started without spectators due to government-imposed restrictions aimed at conserving resources amid a broader fuel crisis. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved public attendance for all three playoff matches of the tournament.

For the unversed, PSL 11 is nearing its conclusion, with the Eliminator 2 between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Islamabad United.

Kingsmen booked their spot with a win over Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1, while Islamabad United enteer the clash after a defeat to Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier.

Peshawar Zalmi have already advanced to the final and will meet the winner of Eliminator 2 in Sunday’s title decider.

READ: Hansi Flick happy for Raphinha return with title in sight

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick celebrated the return of winger Raphinha from injury on Friday as the Catalans close in on the Spanish title.

Flick’s team are 11 points clear of second-place Real Madrid and can win a second successive La Liga title this weekend if they beat Osasuna on Saturday and Los Blancos drop points at out of form Espanyol the following day.

Raphinha suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Brazil in March, which left him sidelined as Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Barca face Real Madrid on May 10 in a Clasico which could seal their title defence if they do not clinch it this weekend, and are still in with a chance of matching the all-time record of 100 points in a Spanish league campaign.

“Rapha is a player who always gives us 100 percent, when he’s on the pitch or in training,” Flick told reporters.

“His mentality, his attitude, is always 100 percent and that helps us a lot. This season he has… had to suffer (from injury) so for us it’s important to have him back.

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“He will also travel with us and we’ll see what happens tomorrow… I think also for the team it’s great to have him back, because he’s one of our captains, he’s positive and can give us these things that we need.”

Barca are without injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, with Flick saying the 18-year-old is recovering well from the hamstring problem which will keep him out until the end of the season.

“He’s doing good, so the evolution is good, I think we will see him in the World Cup,” said Flick.

“He has time, more time, to recover, to come back. And this is what he wants.”

If Barca win their remaining five league matches they will reach the 100-point record first set by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in 2012 and then matched by Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona side in 2013.

“We are only focussed on the next match, (but) of course we want to win every game between now and the end of the season,” said Flick.

“For me it would be perfect when we can win every game, but also we have tough opponents. Our job is, in every match, to play on our best level, to learn from the game for the next game and for our training.

“So this is our philosophy, our attitude, our mentality.”

READ: Pakistan move up in latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings

LAHORE: Islamabad United won the toss and opted to bowl first against Hyderabad Kingsmen in the Eliminator 2 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

Head to Head

United and Kingsmen have met twice in the marquee league, each securing one victory, keeping their head-to-head record tied.

Playing XIs

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

Islamabad United: Salman Mirza, Devon Conway (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mark Chapman, Chris Green, Mohsin Riaz, Sameen Minhas, Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Shadab Khan (c)

READ: Pakistan move up in latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings

DUBAI: Pakistan has climbed to sixth position in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings following an annual update released on Friday.

Australia sit at the top of the rankings with an overall total of 131 points, followed by South Africa — the current World Test Champions stay in second place with 119 points.

India rose to third with 104 points, moving ahead of England, which dropped to fourth with 102 points.

England’s decline follows the exclusion of matches played before 30 April 2023 from the weighted calculation. This includes significant home series victories against New Zealand and South Africa, as well as a 3-0 away series win in Pakistan.

The Blackcaps are currently in fifth place, while Pakistan Test ranking has improved to sixth with a rating of 89 points, surpassing Sri Lanka, which has 86 points in the latest update.

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The change occurs after England’s 3-0 series victory over Pakistan, which falls outside the full-weightage period, and also following the halving of Pakistan’s 2-0 series defeat against Bangladesh in 2024.

The West Indies, Bangladesh, and Ireland are in eighth, ninth, and 10th position, respectively.

For the unversed, Shan Masood-led Pakistan Test team will travel to Bangladesh for a two-match Test series, which is part of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle.

The series will begin with the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from May 8. The second Test is scheduled to take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium from May 1`6.

READ: New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner sidelined for ‘at least a month’

LAHORE: Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana has rejoined the Peshawar Zalmi squad ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final, scheduled to be played at Gaddafi Stadium here on Sunday.

The 23-year-old pacer has received a fresh No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), citing the importance of exposure to high-pressure franchise cricket.

The young fast bowler had initially been given NOC only until April 13, after which he returned home alongside other Bangladesh players for the series against New Zealand.

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

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However, following a reassessment, the BCB granted him permission to feature in the PSL final.

Rana’s return comes as a timely boost for Zalmi, who have secured their place in the final after defeating Islamabad United in the Qualifier.

They will now face the winner of the second Eliminator, to be contested between Islamabad United and Hyderabad Kingsmen later today.

It’s worth noting that during his brief PSL stint, Rana made a strong impression, picking up seven wickets at an average of 10.85 in four matches at an economy rate of 5.42 for Zalmi.

Peshawar Zalmi squad

Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit

READ: New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner sidelined for ‘at least a month’

New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner has been ruled out for at least a month after scans confirmed a grade three ACL injury in his left shoulder, dealing a significant blow to the Black Caps ahead of a busy red-ball schedule.

The 34-year-old sustained the injury while fielding for the Mumbai Indians during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on April 23.

Santner was forced off the field during the match and was later replaced, with subsequent assessments confirming the extent of the injury.

He has since returned to New Zealand, where a specialist advised a period of rest and rehabilitation of at least one month.

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The recovery timeline effectively rules him out of the one-off Test against Ireland scheduled for May 27, as well as the opening Test of the three-match series against England at Lord’s starting June 4.

“The 34-year-old returned home to New Zealand this week and saw a specialist this morning who confirmed a rest and rehabilitation period of at least one month,” New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a statement.

“The diagnosis means Santner is unavailable for the one-off Test against Ireland [in late May] and the first Test against England [at Lord’s in early June], with his availability for the second and third Tests to be evaluated at a later date.”

New Zealand currently occupy second place in the World Test Championship (WTC) standings and will be aiming to maintain their strong position in the ongoing cycle despite the setback.

READ: Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi invites Daren Sammy to PSL 11 final