Category: Top News

DAMBULLA: Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha urged the need for a better performance with the ball during the final overs after a series-levelling defeat against Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I.

Sri Lanka levelled the three-match series 1-1 after defeating Pakistan by 14 runs in the rain-hit game, which was reduced to 12 overs per side.

Set 161, here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan fell short of the target despite Agha’s brisk 45 off just 12 balls.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Salman Ali Agha highlighted the shortcomings of the match, stating that they need to improve in some departments.

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“It was a great game. We gave away too many with the ball, but the batting was great,” he said.

“Fielding needs to be great. The way the batting unit went to it, the game could have gone either way,” he continued.

The skipper also talked about death bowling, where Pakistan leaked 51 runs in the last three overs, which shifted the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favor.

Dasun Shanaka played a blind cameo of 34 from nine, which included five sixes.

“With the ball, we need to be better in the death overs,” Salman Ali Agha concluded.

For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga delivered a match winnig spell of four overs, scalping four wickets in his three overs.

READ: Kamran Akmal slams ‘unfair’ treatment of Mustafizur Rahman

Virat Kohli hit 93 to help India chase down 301 in a tense four-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international on Sunday.

The in-form Kohli struck his 77th ODI half-century but missed out on a ton as India slipped from 234-2 to 242-5 before they reached their target with six balls to spare in Vadodara.

Skipper Shubman Gill made 56 in a 118-run second-wicket stand with Kohli, who shared another strong partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who made 49.

Late cameos by Harshit Rana (29) and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who made an unbeaten 29 including the winning six, secured an Indian lead in the three-match series 1-0.

New Zealand pace spearhead Kyle Jamieson stood out with figures of 4-41.

Kohli led the chase as he went past Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (28,016 runs) to become the second leading run-scorer in international cricket, behind fellow Indian Sachin Tendulkar (34,357).

The 37-year-old Kohli only plays the ODI format after he and fellow stalwart Rohit Sharma, 38, retired from T20 and Test cricket.

Rohit started strongly in his brisk 26 before he fell to New Zealand Jamieson.

The packed crowd welcomed Kohli with a huge roar as the star batter joined Gill at the crease to take the attack to the opposition.

He was ably supported by Gill, who has returned from an injury and a snub by the selectors from the T20 World Cup squad.

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Gill started slowly before he gained pace to raise his 16th ODI fift,y but soon fell to rookie leg-spinner Adithya Ashok.

Kohli was denied a ton by Jamieson, who got the batter caught out at extra cover. The former captain walked back to a standing ovation.

Jamieson dismissed Ravindra Jadeja, for four, in the same over and in the next bowled Iyer to raise New Zealand’s hopes of a turnaround.

India’s troubles increased with injury to Washington Sundar, who suffered a reported side strain while bowling his off-spin and came out to bat at number eight.

Earlier, New Zealand posted 300-8 after Daryl Mitchell hit 84 to defy the Indian bowlers after the hosts elected to field first.

Openers Devon Conway, who made 56, and Henry Nicholls (62) put on 117 but New Zealand suffered from a lack of major partnerships after their big opening stand.

Pace bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Rana and Praisdh Krishna took two wickets each.

The second match is on Wednesday in Rajkot.

The series will be followed by five T20s ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.

READ: Eisakhil, Ihsanullah shine as Noakhali Express beat Dhaka Capitals

SYLHET: Hassan Eisakhil’s sublime knock and an all-round bowling performance led by pacer Ihsanullah led Noakhali Express to an easy win over Dhaka Capitals here in the 22nd fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 on Sunday.

Set a challenging 185-run target, Capitals’ innings folded on 143 in 18.2 overs.

Ihsanullah and Hasan Mahmud inflicted a poor start on Capitals, reducing them to 19-4 in 4.2 overs.

Following the early hiccup, Mohammad Mithun and Shamim Hossain arrested the slide with a half-century stand.

Hossain departed after scoring 29 from 16 with the aid of four boundaries and a six.

Meanwhile, Mithun (33 from 31) was also sent back at the end of the 13th over, which sparked a collapse that Capitals could not recover from.

Eventually, the whole team was bundled out, which handed Noahkhali Express their second win of the season.

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For Noakhali Express, it was an all-round bowling performance with Mohammad Nabi and Ihsanullah picking up two wickets each.

Earlier, opting to bat first, Noakhali Express piled up 184/7 in their 20 overs.

Hassan Eisakhil starred with the bat, top-scoring with 92 from 60 balls with the help of five sixes and seven fours.

The highlight of the innings was the opening partnership, with Eisakhil and Soumya Sarkar adding 101 in 9.2 overs.

Shahadat Hossain also contributed with the bat, hitting seven fours and a six before getting caught behind for 48 from 25 balls.

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For Dhaka Capitals, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taijul Islam, and Abdullah Al Mamun scalped two wickets apiece.

Earlier in the day, Rajshahi Warriors eased past Rangpur Riders by seven wickets.

The Warriors chased down the 179-run target, losing four wickets in the process with five balls remaining.

Najmul Hossain Shanto and Muhammad Waseem  starred with the bat, both scoring 76 and 87, respectively.

READ: Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs

Former Pakistan cricketer Kamran Akmal has voiced concerns over the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) treatment of Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman.

Mustafizur was released by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the 2026 season on the BCCI’s instructions.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) responded strongly to the development, with the country’s youth and sports adviser Asif Nazrul stating that the board would seek an explanation over Mustafizur’s sudden exclusion from the IPL.

Speaking at the Pakistan Celebrity T10 League (PCCL) season 2 event, Akmal talked about Rahman, noting that it was unfair to the pacer.

“Until you maintain good relations with your neighbors, you cannot move forward,” Kamran Akmal said.

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“What happened with Mustafizur Rahman was completely wrong. If a single player could not be provided security, how could the entire team be guaranteed safety?” he questioned.

He urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to take difficult decisions.

“Even Pakistani players in other countries face visa issues. The same thing happened during the 2023 World Cup. ICC needs to understand these matters now.”

Meanwhile, former spinner Saeed Ajmal talked about the Indian team not visiting Pakistan.

“The whole world comes to Pakistan to play. Why is India so reluctant to come here? Ajmal questioned.

Former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq praised the inaugural PCCL event, calling the first edition a “great success.”

Razzaq highlighted that, for the first time in a long while, Pakistan’s Shaheens and Under-19 players have received so much cricket.

“The future of Pakistan cricket is bright. The performances of the Under-19s and Shaheens speak for themselves,” he said.

On the changing cricketing landscape, he observed that India’s actions are now visible to everyone, emphasizing that personal matters should not interfere with the game.

“We hope that these steps will contribute to the improvement of cricket. We have always seen that cricket sends a message of peace,” he added.

Responding to questions about players and interactions, Razzaq added that the decision not to shake hands was directed by the board.

READ: Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs

VADODARA: India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli on Sunday added another feather to his cap after shattering Sachin Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket during the ODI series opener against New Zealand.

The right-hander recorded the feat in 624 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of 644 innings and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakara’s (666) innings.

In doing so, he also overtook Sangakara’s tally of 28,016 runs in international cricket and now trails only Tendulkar’s 34,357 runs.

Before coming into the fixture, Kohli required 25 runs to reach the milestone, and he did it in style, hitting a four during the 12th over of the game.

Later on, he went past Sanagakara on the last ball of the 18th over with a single off Michael Bracewell’s bowling.

Fastest to 28,000 international runs

624 innings* = Virat Kohli*
644 innings – Sachin Tendulkar
666 innings – Kumar Sangakkara

Put into bat first, New Zealand piled up 300-8 at the end of their 50 overs with Daryll Mitchell top-scoring with 84.

In reply, India started strongly with Rohit Sharma and returning Shubman Gill stitching a 39-run partnership.

After Rohit’s dismissal for 26, Kohli came to the fore and steadied India’s ship with a monumental partnership of 118 with Gill.

Gill made 56 from 71 balls while Virat Kohli continued to dominate until the first ball of the 39th over.

The right-handed batter was caught after nearly missing his 54th ODI century. He hit eight fours and a six on his way to 93 from 91 deliveries.

Eventually, India cruised to a four-wicket win over the BlackCaps in the last over, with KL Rahul remaining unbeaten on 29.

READ: Nabi, Eisakhil make T20 history as father-son duo

SYLHET: Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and his son Hassan Eisakhil on Sunday became the first father-son duo to bat together in a T20 match.

The pair recorded the feat during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 fixture between Noakhali Express and Dhaka Capitals.

Eisakhil, 19, made his BPL debut, receiving the cap from his father, Nabi, ahead of the 22nd fixture of the tournament.

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Hassan Eisakhil opened the innings for Express and remained the top-scorer for his side with 92 from 60 balls, laced with five sixes and seven fours.

Due to Eisakhil’s knock, Noakhali Express racked up 184-7 at the end of their 20 overs.

The historic moment came when Habibur Rahman Sohan was dismissed in the 13th over, bringing Mohammad Nabi to the crease.

At this stage, Noakhali Express scorecard read 119-3.

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This marked the first occasion when a father-son duo batted together in a T20 match.

The pair stitched a 53-run partnership, bringing the score to 172 at the end of 18 overs. Eisakhil did the bulk of the scoring, whereas Nabi was dismissed for 17 from 13 with the help of two fours.

Earlier, the duo had squared off in a match during the Afghanistan Shpageeza Cricket League final, with Mohammad Nabi facing his son Hassan Eisakhil.

In November 2025, Timor-Leste’s Suhail Sattar and Yahya Suhail made history as the first father-and-son duo to play together in an international match.

The pair recorded the unique feat in Timor-Leste’s first international match against Indonesia in Bali on November 6, 2025.

Although parent-child duos featuring in a match together are rare, it has happened before.

Switzerland’s women’s team featured a mother-daughter duo — Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju — who played six T20Is together in 2025.

Similarly, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine played 11 first-class matches for Guyana, with Shivnarine even captaining his son in a game against Windward Islands at Providence Stadium in March 2014.

READ: PCB plans to sell Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 11: report

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 players’ draft is expected to take place on January 30, with preparations already underway ahead of the expanded edition of the tournament, sources told on Saturday.

According to insiders, PSL management is working to complete all procedural and administrative matters well in advance to ensure a smooth and timely draft process.

While the venue and final date are yet to be announced officially, sources revealed that the event has been tentatively scheduled during a one-day gap in the Pakistan-Australia T20I series, i.e., January 30.

Notably, PSL has officially expanded ahead of season 11 in a historic auction, 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.

FKS Group acquired the Sialkot franchise for Rs1.75 billion, while OZ Developers secured the Hyderabad team for Rs1.85 billion. The official names of the Hyderabad and Sialkot teams will be announced at a later stage.

The 11th edition of the PSL is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3, 2026.

READ: Shubman Gill breaks silence on T20 World Cup 2026 exclusion

VADODARA: India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill addressed his surprising omission from the national squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting Sunday.

The 26-year-old batter, who scored just 291 runs in his last 15 T20Is at an average of 24.25, was left out of the 15-member squad as selectors opted for a more attacking top order for the mega-event.

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan were preferred for India’s top three slots in the shortest format.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gill described the decision as part of “destiny” and said he respected the selectors’ call.

“Firstly, it is my belief that in my life, I am where I am supposed to be. Whatever is written in my destiny, I will have it,” Gill said.

“As a player, you have a belief that if you play the World Cup, you will win for your team, you will win for your country.

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“But having said that, I respected the selectors’ decision, whichever decision they took, wishing the T20 team all the very best and I really, really hope that they win the [T20] World Cup for us.”

India, defending champions of the T20 World Cup, will look to continue their dominance despite Gill’s absence. Notably, the marquee event will be played across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Turning his focus to the ODI series, Shubman Gill acknowledged the presence of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the squad as major support.

The duo, who retired from T20Is after leading India to glory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and subsequently stepped away from Tests in 2025, now play only in the ODI format.

“Definitely, when you have these two people in your team, it makes your life a lot easier,” Gill said.

“And whenever you are in a tough situation, they always have been in those kinds of situations and conditions many times in their life, so you can always go to them and see how they are thinking or what they would do, and that piece of information is very valuable for any captain.”

READ: Usman Khawaja shines on BBL return as Heat cruise past Thunder

Carlos Alcaraz beat his great rival Jannik Sinner in a light-hearted sell-out exhibition match in South Korea on Saturday ahead of the Australian Open.

Eight days before the Melbourne Grand Slam and in their first appearances this year, the Spanish world number one won 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) in front of an enthusiastic 12,000 crowd in Incheon.

Neither will play competitively until the Australian Open, where Italy’s world number two Sinner is the defending two-time champion.

South Korean organisers have not said how much the two players earned, but reports in Italy suggest each could pocket more than $2 million for the match that lasted one hour and 47 minutes.

It was not always entirely serious; the smiling duo treated a packed house to some trick shots between their legs, drawing cheers, and reacting to calls from the crowd by making heart gestures.

“Jannik, we finished the season playing together. We started the season playing together,” Alcaraz said on court afterwards.

“So hopefully this season is going to be such a good one like last year. You deserve the best.”

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken a stranglehold on men’s tennis over the past two years, splitting all four Grand Slam titles between them in 2024 and 2025.

“It was a close match, so a little bit of tension also,” said Sinner.

“We were just happy to be here for the first time, seeing something new. It made us feel at home, and we felt it on the court.”

Arch competitors on the court but good friends off it, Alcaraz has the upper hand in their rivalry and came into the exhibition boasting a 10-6 head-to-head record.

They will be the favourites when the Australian Open starts in Melbourne on January 18, when the serious work begins.

Alcaraz, who at 22 is two years younger than Sinner, has never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the first Grand Slam of the year, and it is the only major he has failed to win.

READ: Harper, Rogers power Stars past Renegades in Melbourne derby

Sam Harper and Thomas Rogers struck commanding half-centuries as Melbourne Stars cruised to a dominant win over the Renegades in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 derby at Docklands Stadium on Saturday.

Stars captain Marcus Stoinis won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that paid dividends early when Tom Curran removed in-form opener Tim Seifert for three in the second over.

Josh Brown attempted to anchor the Renegades innings and kept the scoreboard ticking despite wickets falling at regular intervals.

Hassan Khan and Mohammad Rizwan offered brief resistance with 23 and 21, respectively, but Brown remained the lone bright spot before he was trapped lbw by Peter Siddle in the 18th over.

Brown top-scored with a fighting 80 off 50 balls, which included seven fours and four sixes, as the Renegades posted 166-7 in their 20 overs.

Stoinis led the bowling effort with three wickets, while Haris Rauf claimed two. Curran and Siddle chipped in with one apiece to keep the Renegades in check.

In reply, the Stars made a flying start through Harper and Rogers, who added 84 runs in just 45 balls for the opening wicket.

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Rogers played the aggressor, smashing a rapid 53 off 24 deliveries, featuring four fours and four sixes, before a mix-up led to his dismissal.

Campbell Kellaway’s stay was short-lived, and his departure brought Glenn Maxwell to the crease.

Maxwell combined with Harper in an unbroken 78-run partnership that took the game away from the Renegades.

Harper anchored the chase with an unbeaten 84 off 51 balls, striking eight fours and four sixes, as the Stars sealed an eight-wicket victory with 25 balls to spare.

The result lifted Melbourne Stars from third to second place on the BBL 15 points table, strengthening their push for a playoff berth.

The Renegades, meanwhile, remained seventh despite suffering defeat after back-to-back wins. While their position leaves little margin for error, they are still mathematically in contention heading into their remaining fixtures.

READ: Final squads announced for ICC U19 World Cup 2026