Category: Sports

LAHORE: Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has defended the team’s pitch preparation strategy following their 2-1 series victory over Australia, saying home conditions are routinely tailored to maximise advantage.

Pakistan opted for slow, turning surfaces across Rawalpindi and Lahore during the three-match series, where spinners played a decisive role.

The approach has triggered debate among analysts and former cricketers, but Afridi backed the team management’s decision after the tense final ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Addressing concerns over the nature of the pitches, the Pakistan skipper said teams around the world adopt similar strategies when playing at home.

“Every team prepares pitches that suit them when they play in their backyard to win,” Afridi said.

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He stressed that modern cricket requires both long-term planning and the ability to adapt to varying conditions, pointing out that Pakistan themselves have experienced contrasting surfaces during overseas tours.

Afridi referenced the team’s recent tour of Australia, highlighting that Pakistan played on pace-friendly wickets and still managed success under Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy.

“We have Test series [in the West Indies and England coming up] in which some of these players will play, and they can use them to prepare themselves [for the World Cup]… We played on green and bouncy pitches when we went to Australia under [Mohammad] Rizwan’s captaincy, and we won that series. You cannot offer them green wickets when they come here because we have to win,” he added.

The Pakistan captain further clarified that the challenging nature of the pitches used in the Australia ODI series was deliberate, aimed at testing the squad’s ability to handle pressure situations and difficult batting conditions.

“These were tough wickets, and scoring runs or spending time on them was not easy. We have time on our hands before the World Cup, and we will prepare pitches of different characteristics as well in the build-up,” Afridi stated.

READ: Hafeez labels spin-friendly formula a ‘failed’ approach for ICC events

The Las Vegas Grand Prix has secured its place on the Formula One calendar at least until 2037 with a new 10-year contract extension.

The deal was announced on Thursday in the run-up to the Monaco Grand Prix.

The first race in the US gambling and entertainment capital was held in 2023 and has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors every November.

It has generated more than $3 billion in economic impact for southern Nevada over its three editions, and images of single-seat racecars tearing down the neon-lit Las Vegas Strip have become iconic.

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“We are thrilled that Formula One will continue racing in Las Vegas for many years to come,” F1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali said in a statement.

“We always believed that Las Vegas would become a cornerstone of our presence in the United States, and this extension, together with the success of recent years, reinforces our long-term commitment to this important market.”

Max Verstappen has won two of the three Vegas Grands Prix, in 2023 and 2025. George Russell won a scintillating 2024 edition that still saw Verstappen secure his fourth straight world driver’s championship.

The fourth edition is scheduled for November 19-21 and will be the 20th of 22 rounds of the 2026 season.

READ: Sohaib Maqsood backs Shan Masood for No. 4 in ODIs

Former Pakistan batter Sohaib Maqsood has called for Shan Masood to be permanently assigned the No.4 position in the ODI side ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Maqsood made the suggestion on the social media platform X, stressing the need for consistency in selection and continuity in the batting order.

According to Maqsood, Shan Masood’s recent form in white-ball cricket, along with his domestic and franchise performances, makes him a strong candidate to settle into a key middle-order role.

“Shan Masood has to be your number four till the World Cup. Can’t understand why he is in such red-hot white-ball form. He has been brilliant in the PSL in the middle order, and his List A record speaks for itself,” Maqsood wrote.

Masood has so far featured in nine ODI matches for Pakistan, scoring 163 runs with one half-century. His last appearance in the format came against New Zealand in 2023.

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However, his domestic record in List A cricket paints a much stronger picture, with 6,413 runs in 142 matches at an average of 53.00, including 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries.

Sohaib Maqsood also highlighted other selection and conditions-related concerns, suggesting that Pakistan’s current approach to pitches and batting roles could make it difficult to properly assess players in international cricket.

He specifically mentioned that some batters deserve opportunities in the middle order but questioned whether current conditions are suitable for fair evaluation.

“Hassan Nawaz needs to get a gig in the middle order as well, but if you are going to prepare these kinds of pitches, then all those batters not selected are better off lol. #PakvsAus And please don’t judge Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat on these conditions. Hope they get a series on proper ODI tracks,” he added.

READ: Liverpool appoint Andoni Iraola as new manager

Liverpool named Andoni Iraola as their new manager on Thursday after sacking Arne Slot following a calamitous Premier League title defence.

Iraola quickly emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, whose two-year reign came to a shock end when he was dismissed last Saturday.

Liverpool gave no indication as to the length of the 43-year-old Spaniard’s contract, but British media have reported that he has signed a two-year deal.

“Really excited, really excited, because obviously you know about Liverpool, you know that it’s a big club, a massive club, one of the biggest in the world,” Iraola, who called time on his impressive spell with Bournemouth at the end of this season, said on Liverpool’s official website.

“But feeling inside and understanding a little bit more of this club, I always thought it’s a special club.

“You don’t need a lot of things to get attracted by Liverpool. Liverpool is Liverpool.

“But obviously, the atmosphere, the supporters, the club, the players, the chance for me to coach top-level players, the chance to fight for titles.

“I think it cannot be more attractive than this. It’s difficult to find it. So, really excited to start.”

After criticism of Liverpool’s lacklustre performances in Slot’s second season at Anfield, Iraola is expected to deliver a more urgent, aggressive style of football, which characterised the team under beloved former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Iraola earned rave reviews for Bournemouth’s sixth-place finish in the Premier League this season, which secured the club’s first qualification for Europe in the Europa League.

He arrived at the South Coast Club from Raya Vallecano in 2023, having previously managed Mirandes and AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

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Bournemouth improved each year under Iraola, finishing 12th, ninth and sixth.

The former defender was praised for his astute tactics and development of youngsters, including Eli Junior Kroupi and Alex Scott.

Born in Spain’s Basque Country, Iraola played more than 500 games for Athletic Bilbao before a stint in Major League Soccer with New York City, where he teamed up with Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo.

He will arrive on Merseyside with Liverpool at a crossroads after Slot failed to maintain the club’s position at the summit of English football.

Slot had the tough task of replacing Klopp, who left in 2024 after winning the Premier League and Champions League during a golden nine-year spell at Anfield.

The former Feyenoord boss made a strong start, leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title in his debut season, spearheaded by Salah’s 29 goals.

But Slot was unable to halt Liverpool’s slide in the 2025/26 season as the Reds collapsed from late September, finishing a turbulent season without a trophy.

The death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota in a car crash last July had an immeasurable impact on the squad, while the club’s £450 million ($605 million) splurge on new signings failed to pay off.

Slot’s relationship with Salah also deteriorated, while Liverpool fans turned on the manager due to his team’s lifeless displays and poor results.

The club limped to a fifth-place finish, 25 points behind champions Arsenal, which at least guaranteed qualification for next season’s Champions League.

READ: Benfica say Real Madrid must pay 15m euros to sign Jose Mourinho

Portuguese giants Benfica confirmed on Thursday that Spanish club Real Madrid would have to pay 15 million euros to prise away their coach, Jose Mourinho.

Real president Florentino Perez has vowed to bring back Mourinho to the Bernabeu, 13 years after he left the club in 2013, as he seeks re-election this weekend.

Benfica released a statement saying that Perez had told them of his “firm intention to recruit” Mourinho, while stipulating that the Portuguese boss’s release clause was worth 15 million euros ($17.4m).

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica announces that, as part of his campaign for the Real Madrid CF presidency, President Florentino Pérez has stated his firm intention to appoint José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix as manager should he win the club’s presidential election, scheduled for 7 June 2026,” the Benfica statement shared with Portugal’s financial regulator, the CMVM, said.

“Should this scenario arise, the appointment will be made for a fee of €15,000,000, corresponding to the termination clause in the current sports employment contract.”

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Previous media reports had suggested that it could cost the Spanish giants as little as three million euros.

Mourinho has already appeared in a video on Perez’s Instagram account, affirming that he was ready to return to the club he first joined in 2010.

During his tenure, he won one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.

Appointing the divisive Mourinho would be a gamble on the part of Perez after Los Blancos finished without a major trophy for a second consecutive season.

But Perez sees Mourinho as the man to bring some discipline to a divided dressing room in which player power is rumoured to have got out of control.

Mourinho joined Benfica in September 2025 and led them to an unbeaten league season, although they only finished third. He has one year left on his contract.

READ: Hafeez labels spin-friendly formula a ‘failed’ approach for ICC events

LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has criticised the strategy of preparing spin-friendly pitches for bilateral series, arguing that the approach has repeatedly failed to translate into success at major ICC tournaments.

Hafeez shared his views on social media amid Pakistan’s 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia, a contest played entirely on slow surfaces that heavily favoured spin bowling.

The three-match series began in Rawalpindi before moving to Lahore for the remaining fixtures, with spinners playing a decisive role throughout.

Reacting to the conditions, Hafeez suggested that winning home bilateral contests on turning tracks does little to prepare teams for the challenges of global tournaments.

“Winning bilateral white ball series on spin conducive conditions is tested & failed formula for ICC events,” Mohammad Hafeez wrote on X.

The former all-rounder further added the hashtag “#Bangladesh”, a reference many interpreted as a comparison with Bangladesh’s long-standing strategy of producing spin-friendly home surfaces.

While the Tigers have often enjoyed success in home bilateral cricket, they have struggled to replicate those performances consistently at ICC events.

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Mohammad Hafeez’s remarks come amid an ongoing debate regarding Pakistan’s preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Several former cricketers and analysts questioned whether spin-dominated pitches were the right preparation for a tournament expected to feature a variety of conditions, particularly in South Africa.

Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, however, defended the team’s approach and rejected the criticism after the series opener against Australia in Rawalpindi.

Responding to concerns, the former New Zealand coach pointed out that the World Cup will not be played exclusively in South Africa and noted that spin is likely to be a significant factor at some venues in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

“Firstly the World Cup is jointly hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Zimbabwe and Namibia have venues where spin is a big factor and we will be playing matches in those countries,” Hesson stated.

He also challenged the perception that South African conditions are universally fast and bouncy.

“The myth of all pitches in South Africa being quick and bouncy are just not true, there are definitely some which are but they also vary throughout the country,” he explained.

READ: Shreyas Iyer set to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India T20I captain

India are set for a major leadership change in T20I cricket, with Shreyas Iyer emerging as the frontrunner to replace Suryakumar Yadav as captain.

According to reports, India’s selectors and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are considering a fresh direction in the shortest format despite Suryakumar guiding the team to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 title earlier this year.

The proposed change comes as India begin planning for the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2028, while also preparing for cricket’s return to the Olympics at the Los Angeles Games the same year.

Suryakumar’s position came under scrutiny following a mixed run of form. Although India lifted the T20 World Cup trophy under his leadership, the experienced batter scored 242 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 136.72 during the tournament.

His struggles continued in IPL 2026, where he managed 270 runs from 13 innings at an average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 147.54.

Reports suggest the 35-year-old could even be left out of India’s upcoming T20I squad as the selectors look to build a younger core for future tournaments.

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Shreyas Iyer, meanwhile, has strengthened his case through consistent performances and impressive leadership credentials in franchise cricket. The right-handed batter captained Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title in 2024 and previously led Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings to IPL finals in 2020 and 2025, respectively.

Despite not featuring in a T20I since December 2023, Iyer has remained among the most productive batters in the IPL. He amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07 during the 2025 season before following it up with 498 runs at a strike rate of 168.81 in IPL 2026.

The potential leadership switch would continue a recent trend in Indian cricket. Last year, Rohit Sharma was replaced as ODI captain shortly after leading India to the Champions Trophy 2025 title, although he retained his place in the squad as a player.

India are expected to announce their squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of Ireland and England on Saturday, with teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also set to earn his maiden international call-up.

The 15-year-old enjoyed a record-breaking IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 776 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 237.30. If selected, he would become the youngest player named in an Indian men’s squad since Sachin Tendulkar’s emergence in international cricket during the late 1980s.

India’s tour begins with two T20Is against Ireland in Belfast on June 26 and 28 before a five-match T20I series against England, scheduled from July 1 to 11.

READ: Shaheen Afridi reflects on series victory over Australia

England pacer Ollie Robinson marked his first Test for more than two years with four wickets, including three in a sensational opening over, as New Zealand slumped to 61-6 before bad light cut short the first day’s play at Lord’s on Thursday.

This is the 150th Test at Lord’s and rarely in the long history of the London ground can the first day have been quite so dramatic, with 16 wickets in total falling before stumps.

Recalled Sussex seamer Robinson had remarkable figures of four wickets for 10 runs in just six overs at the close.

England led by 79 runs at stumps despite being dismissed for just 140 themselves after losing the toss.

Batsmen on both sides struggled in the overcast, bowler-friendly conditions, with even New Zealand great Kane Williamson, blessed with one of the best defensive techniques of his generation, falling for nought to Robinson.

Robinson, bowling the second over of the innings, took three wickets for no runs in four balls to leave New Zealand reeling at 2-3, with the normally reserved Lord’s crowd chanting his name.

The 32-year-old had Devon Conway lbw with his third ball and then removed Williamson and Rachin Ravindra for ducks with the last two balls of his first over.

Williamson, in what could be the 35-year-old’s last appearance at Lord’s, was caught off bat and pad as the ball lobbed gently to short leg.

Ravindra was then lbw to Robinson, after being hit on the back leg.

His review failed to overturn the decision of Australian umpire Rod Tucker, who was standing in his 100th Test. Robinson’s previous 20 Tests had yielded 76 wickets at an impressive average of under 23 apiece.

But doubts about his stamina and attitude, if not his skill, meant that this was his first Test since February 2024.

Gus Atkinson then had New Zealand captain Tom Latham lbw.

Robinson struck again, bowling Daryl Mitchell for 12.

Fast bowler Josh Tongue bowled Tom Blundell to leave New Zealand reeling at 29-6 in just 13 overs.

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Glenn Phillips (31 not out) and Nathan Smith prevented further collapse before bad light curtailed play despite the floodlights being switched on.

Earlier, New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson took 5-62 in 14 overs — the sixth five-wicket haul of the towering 31-year-old fast bowler’s 20-Test career.

Harry Brook, with 56, was the lone England batter to offer meaningful resistance and he was dropped twice during an otherwise impressive New Zealand fielding display.

New Zealand’s pacemen made England suffer, even though Matt Henry, who was passed fit following a hamstring strain, only managed four overs before leaving the field.

Debutant opener Emilio Gay was out for eight, while Joe Root and Jamie Smith both scored just one run apiece in England’s first Test since their woeful 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia concluded in January.

Gay, who was playing in place of dropped batter Zak Crawley, emulated England great David Gower by hitting his first ball in Test cricket for four before edging Jamieson to Mitchell in the slips.

Will O’Rourke (3-38) captured the key wicket of Root before Smith was bowled playing no shot by a Jamieson ball that cut back and knocked out his off stump.

England captain Ben Stokes, on his 35th birthday, fell for 12 when an edge off Jamieson was superbly caught low and one-handed by Williamson, diving in front of first slip.

Brook, who was dropped early in his innings had another reprieve, on 45, when Ravindra floored a straightforward catch at midwicket

The batter completed a 64-ball fifty but holed out soon afterwards before a last-wicket partnership of 22 between Tongue and Shoaib Bashir boosted England’s total.

READ: Shaheen Afridi reflects on series victory over Australia

LAHORE: Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi praised the team’s performance after the series win over Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday night. 

Shaheen Afridi starred with the ball, scalping three wickets to fold Australia for 157 in 42 overs.

In reply, Pakistan aced a tricky chase with contributions from Babar Azam, top-scoring with 40 off 84 balls. Shadab Khan and Abdul Samad forged an unbeaten 49* run stand that propelled the home side to victory.

Shaheen Afridi was awarded the player of the match for his impressive bowling.

With this, the Green Shirts sealed the ODI series 2-1 against Australia.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Shaheen lauded the team’s performance in challenging conditions.

“I think it was a complete team effort throughout the series. The conditions were tough for the batters, but every run counted, and the players put in a great effort,” he said.

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He also highlighted the importance of home advantage while recalling the conditions in Australia.

“Whenever you’re playing in your own conditions, you try to make the most of them. When we went to Australia and won the series there, the conditions suited fast bowling,” he added.

The skipper particularly praised fast bowler Haris Rauf, revealing the bowlers’ game plan in the series decider.

“I think our batters contributed well, and throughout the series, the bowlers consistently hit the right areas. Haris Rauf deserves a lot of credit; he had an excellent series. A couple of partnerships did develop for Australia during the series but our plan was to create as many dot balls as possible and build pressure.”

“All of our bowlers executed their plans well and the credit goes to them. I will keep trying to do whatever I can to help my team improve, and God willing, I will continue to do so in the future,” he concluded.

READ: Indian cricketer calls time on international career

DUBLIN: West Indies women’s team clinched the T20I tri-series after the final fixture between Pakistan and Ireland was washed out due to persistent rain on Thursday.

Although Pakistan had already been eliminated following their washout against West Indies at the same venue on Wednesday, Ireland was still in contention since they needed to win that match to claim the tri-series title.

Heavy rain prevented any play, denying Ireland the chance to win the series on home soil.

They finished second with 10 points from four matches, behind West Indies, who also ended with 10 points but had a better net run rate.

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The abandoned fixture meant Pakistan ended the series without any wins, finishing last with four points after losing to West Indies by 25 runs and to Ireland by seven wickets.

Pakistan will now fly to England to compete in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled from June 12 to July 5.

In Group 1, they will finalize preparations with two warm-up matches against Sri Lanka and Scotland in Derby on June 6 and 9.

Their World Cup campaign officially begins on June 14 when they face India at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

READ: Indian cricketer calls time on international career