Category: Sports

LAHORE: Blistering half-centuries from David Warner and Azam Khan propelled Karachi Kings to a hard-fought five-wicket victory over Rawalpindiz in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing a challenging 198-run target, the Kings crossed the finish line with four balls to spare, registering their third consecutive win in the tournament.

The run chase saw an early setback when Muhammad Waseem departed for 23 in the third over with 27 runs on the board.

However, Salman Ali Agha steadied the innings alongside Warner, adding a crucial 43-run stand before falling for 29.

The turning point came when Azam joined Warner in the middle, as the duo stitched a decisive 76-run partnership for the third wicket, shifting the momentum firmly in Karachi’s favour.

Warner played an anchoring yet fluent knock of 50 off 36 deliveries, laced with six fours and a six, before being dismissed by Daryl Mitchell in the 16th over.

Azam, meanwhile, took charge with an aggressive approach, smashing 74 off just 34 balls, including six fours and six towering sixes. His innings brought the Kings within touching distance before he fell to Mohammad Amir in the penultimate over.

With the equation down to the final over, Abbas Afridi sealed the win in emphatic fashion, launching a six early in the over to take Karachi Kings home.

Earlier, Rawalpindiz posted a competitive 197-6 after being put into bat, recovering strongly from early setbacks.

Hasan Ali struck early to remove skipper Mohammad Rizwan (21), while Khushdil Shah dented the top order further by dismissing Yasir Khan (8) and Kamran Ghulam (10), reducing them to 55-3.

The innings was then revived by a superb 120-run partnership between Mitchell and Sam Billings, both of whom registered half-centuries. Billings scored 58 off 35 deliveries, while Mitchell top-scored with 65 off 41 balls.

Hasan eventually broke the stand in the death overs, finishing as the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Khushdil claimed two and Mir Hamza chipped in with one.

READ: Fakhar Zaman’s appeal rejected as PSL committee upholds two-match ban

LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) Technical Committee has upheld the two-match suspension of Fakhar Zaman, dismissing the Lahore Qalandars opener’s appeal against the sanction imposed earlier this week.

Fakhar was penalised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after being found guilty of a Level 3 breach of the tournament’s Code of Conduct, relating to ball-tampering during Lahore Qalandars’ clash against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The left-handed batter had denied the charge and opted for a full disciplinary hearing, which was conducted by match referee Roshan Mahanama. Following a review of the evidence and Fakhar’s defence, the referee imposed a two-match suspension, the maximum penalty for a first Level 3 offence.

In response, Fakhar Zaman lodged a formal appeal, seeking a reassessment of the decision.

The matter was then revisited by the PSL Technical Committee, which conducted a fresh review before arriving at the same conclusion.

According to the PCB, the committee, comprising Professor Javed Malik, Dr Mumraiz Naqshband, and Syed Ali Naqi, carried out a de novo inquiry, examining all available evidence and hearing submissions from relevant parties before dismissing the appeal.

“Pursuant to conducting a de novo inquiry, reviewing all evidence, and hearing submissions from relevant individuals, the Committee has dismissed the appeal and upheld the two-match ban imposed by Match Referee Roshan Mahanama,” the cricket board stated.

The board confirmed that the original sanction would stand, meaning Fakhar will now miss Lahore Qalandars’ upcoming fixtures, including their match against Multan Sultans on April 3 at Gaddafi Stadium, followed by an away game against Islamabad United on April 9.

READ: Minhas, Shadab star as Islamabad United secure first win in PSL 11

LAHORE: A sensational unbeaten partnership between Sameer Minhas and captain Shadab Khan powered Islamabad United to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing a challenging 184-run target, United made light work of the total, reaching the finish line in the 19th over with eight wickets in hand, courtesy of a dominant batting display led by their in-form duo.

The innings began on a positive note as Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas put together a brisk 44-run opening stand, with the latter taking the aggressive route.

However, Abrar Ahmed struck twice in quick succession to remove Conway (18) and Andries Gous (2), leaving United at 61-2 inside seven overs.

From there on, it was all about Minhas and Shadab, who combined to produce a match-winning, unbeaten 128-run partnership. The pair blended composure with calculated aggression, ensuring there were no further hiccups in the chase.

Minhas led the charge with a superb 82 not out off 48 deliveries, striking eight fours and three sixes, while Shadab complemented him with an equally impressive unbeaten 69 off 39 balls, decorated with five fours and four sixes.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators posted a competitive 183-5 after opting to bat first, thanks to strong contributions from both their top and middle order.

Openers Shamyl Hussain and skipper Saud Shakeel provided a solid platform with a 50-run stand before Salman Irshad dismissed Hussain for 21.

Shadab then made an impact with the ball, removing Shakeel for a brisk 42, followed by quick strikes that left the Gladiators reeling at 93-5. Imad Wasim also chipped in with a crucial wicket during the middle overs.

A late recovery was orchestrated by Hassan Nawaz and Tom Curran, who stitched together an unbeaten 90-run partnership. Nawaz remained not out on a fluent 64 off 35 balls, while Curran added a steady 29 to push the total to 183-5.

READ: Saad Baig lauds David Warner’s leadership at Karachi Kings

READ: Rumman Raees urges Babar Azam to consider T20 retirement

LAHORE: Sahibzada Farhan smashed an unbeaten century to guide Multan Sultans to a commanding six-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in a high-scoring encounter of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Chasing a daunting 226-run target, the Sultans produced a clinical batting display, reaching the target with eight balls to spare and four wickets in hand.

Farhan was the architect of the remarkable chase, remaining unbeaten on a scintillating 106 off just 57 deliveries. His innings, laced with eight sixes and seven fours, ensured the Sultans stayed ahead throughout the run-chase.

He found solid support at the top from Steve Smith, who scored a fluent 46, while vice-captain Shan Masood added a valuable 29.

Farhan then stitched an unbroken 37-run stand with Arafat Minhas, who played a quickfire cameo of 26 off 11 balls to seal the win in style

Earlier, Hyderabad Kingsmen posted an imposing 225-5 after being put into bat, riding on aggressive contributions from their top order.

The opening pair of Saim Ayub and Maaz Sadaqat provided a flying start, adding 59 runs in the first five overs before Peter Siddle broke the stand by dismissing the former for 27.

Sadaqat continued his impressive form, hammering a rapid 62 off 26 deliveries, striking five fours and five sixes, before falling to Mohammad Nawaz.

Veteran Sharjeel Khan then anchored the latter half of the innings with an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, ensuring the Kingsmen posted a formidable total.

Notably, this was the third defeat for the Hyderabad Kingsmen, whereas Multan Sultans are sitting at the top of the PSL 11 points table with two victories in as many games.

READ: Rumman Raees urges Babar Azam to consider T20 retirement

Pakistan pacer Rumman Raees has offered a candid piece of advice to star batter Babar Azam, suggesting that the latter consider retiring from T20 cricket to refocus on the longer formats.

Speaking during a podcast appearance alongside Fawad Alam, Raees described his remarks as a “friendly suggestion,” emphasising that Babar’s dip in form in the shortest format could have a broader impact on his overall game.

“There is no doubt about his class or his batting,” Raees said. “But in T20 cricket, I feel he should respectfully consider retirement and focus on ODI and Test formats.”

The left-arm pacer, who represented Pakistan between 2016 and 2018, argued that struggles in one format can often spill over into others, particularly given the fast-paced and high-pressure nature of T20 cricket.

“When performance drops in one format, it can affect the others as well. T20 is short and sharp, but its impact reflects on your overall game,” he added.

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Babar Azam, widely regarded as one of the finest batters of his generation, has come under increasing scrutiny over his recent performances in T20 internationals.

Despite being among the leading run-scorers in the format globally, his returns in recent tournaments have failed to match expectations.

He was notably left out of Pakistan’s T20I plans in late 2024 and remained on the sidelines for a significant part of 2025, including the ACC Men’s Asia Cup.

Although he made a return later that year and featured in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, his campaign did little to silence critics. Babar managed just 91 runs in six matches during the tournament, averaging 22.75, with a highest score of 46.

READ: Maaz Sadaqat blazes into record books with 19-ball half-century

LAHORE: Maaz Sadaqat produced a sensational display of power-hitting to register one of the fastest half-centuries in Pakistan Super League (PSL) history during Hyderabad Kingsmen’s clash against Multan Sultans at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

The young top-order batter brought up his second PSL fifty in just 19 deliveries, equalling the joint third-fastest half-century in the league’s history alongside Luke Ronchi and Sam Billings.

The record for the fastest PSL fifty remains jointly held by Kamran Akmal, Asif Ali, Hazratullah Zazai and Rilee Rossouw, all of whom reached the landmark in 17 balls.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Fastest half-centuries in PSL

• 17 balls – Kamran Akmal (2018), Asif Ali (2019), Hazratullah Zazai (2021), Rilee Rossouw (2023)
• 18 balls – Paul Stirling (2022), Tim David (2022), Mohammad Haris (2022)
• 19 balls – Luke Ronchi (2018), Sam Billings (2025), Maaz Sadaqat (2026)

Sadaqat signalled his intent from the outset, launching the innings with a towering six off Shehzad Gul and maintaining an aggressive tempo throughout his stay at the crease. Mixing clean hitting with calculated strokeplay, he raced to his fifty with a single off Sultans skipper Ashton Turner.

The 20-year-old eventually fell after a scintillating 62 off just 26 deliveries, an innings decorated with 10 boundaries, including five sixes, before being dismissed by Mohammad Nawaz.

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His explosive knock laid the foundation for a commanding total, as Hyderabad Kingsmen piled up an imposing 225-5 in their 20 overs.

Veteran batter Sharjeel Khan provided the finishing touch with an unbeaten 51 off 26 balls, while Saim Ayub (27) and Usman Khan (25) chipped in with valuable contributions.

READ: Saim Ayub achieves THIS milestone during Multan Sultans clash

New Zealand batter Devon Conway has dismissed a viral social media post attributed to him regarding the Indian Premier League (IPL), clarifying that the statement was shared by an impersonator and not from any official account.

The controversy emerged earlier this week when a verified X (formerly Twitter) account, posing as the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, reacted to the Chennai Super Kings’ defeat against the Rajasthan Royals.

The post suggested Conway was frustrated at missing out on IPL action while being committed to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where he is representing Islamabad United.

“Hard to sit this one out… Watching CSK lose to Rajasthan Royals hurts. Right now I’m locked in with PSL duties, but revenge at Chepauk will always be on my mind,” the post stated.

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The message quickly gained traction, particularly given Conway’s association with Chennai in previous IPL seasons, sparking debate among fans over whether players should publicly comment on rival leagues while they are under ongoing commitments.

However, Devon Conway moved swiftly to set the record straight. Taking to Instagram, he urged fans to disregard the circulating post and clarified that he does not maintain a presence on X or Facebook.

“Please ignore this X account impersonating me. I am not on X/Facebook, and this account is not affiliated with me in any way,” Conway stated.

He also confirmed that he has reported the impersonating account and expressed hope that it would be taken down promptly.

“I have reported it, and hopefully it can be taken down as soon as possible,” he added.

READ: Saim Ayub achieves THIS milestone during Multan Sultans clash

LAHORE: Saim Ayub achieved a significant personal milestone on Wednesday as he crossed 1,000 runs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) during Hyderabad Kingsmen’s clash against Multan Sultans.

The left-handed opener brought up the landmark in style, dispatching the very first delivery of the innings, bowled by Shehzad Gul, to the boundary, becoming the 28th batter to enter the elite 1,000-run club in the tournament’s history.

Ayub now joins an illustrious list of Pakistani T20 performers, including Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shoaib Malik and Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Despite representing his third franchise in the PSL, Ayub has built the bulk of his tally during his time with Peshawar Zalmi, where he scored 860 runs across three seasons between 2023 and 2025.

He had earlier made his debut for Quetta Gladiators in the 2021 edition, enduring a modest start to his career with 114 runs in seven innings.

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In addition to his contributions with the bat, the 23-year-old has also chipped in as a bowler, claiming 14 wickets in the league at a respectable average of 30.42 and an economy rate of 7.88.

However, the landmark moment did not translate into a substantial innings in the ongoing fixture, as Ayub was dismissed for a short-lived 27 off 20 deliveries.

READ: Adam Zampa reveals why he opted for PSL instead of IPL