Category: Top News

SYLHET: Adam Rossington and Mohammad Naim produced a dominant opening partnership to steer Chattogram Royals to a comprehensive ten-wicket victory over Dhaka Capitals in the ninth match of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 here on Friday.

After opting to bowl first, the Royals delivered a clinical performance with the ball, dismissing the Dhaka Capitals for a modest 122 in 19.4 overs.

The Capitals never found momentum, with their batting line-up struggling against disciplined bowling and clever variations. Only three Dhaka batters managed to reach double figures.

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Mohammad Saifuddin top-scored with an unbeaten 33, while Usman Khan contributed a brisk 21 off 15 balls. Nasir Hossain laboured to 17 from 20 deliveries as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

Shoriful Islam and Tanvir Islam were the standout performers for Chattogram, claiming three wickets apiece to dismantle the middle order.

Mahedi Hasan provided valuable support with two wickets, while Aamir Jamal chipped in with one scalp.

In reply, the Royals made light work of the chase. Rossington and Naim came out with positive intent and never allowed the Capitals a way back into the contest.

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The pair put together an unbeaten opening stand of 123, sealing the target in just 12.4 overs.

Rossington led the charge with a fluent 60 off 36 balls, striking nine fours and two sixes. At the other end, Naim played the perfect supporting role, scoring 54 from 40 deliveries, which included seven boundaries and a six.

The emphatic win marked Chattogram Royals’ second victory in three matches, lifting them to second place on the BPL points table. Dhaka Capitals, meanwhile, remain fifth, having managed just one win from their opening three games.

READ: England make two changes to final Ashes Test squad

SYDNEY: Seamer Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir were included in a 12-man England squad on Friday for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia as the tourists look to finish the series on a high.

Potts is the only unused fast bowler from their original 16-man squad and gets his chance after Gus Atkinson limped off with a hamstring issue at the previous Test in Melbourne, which England won inside two days.

Fellow quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have similarly succumbed to injury.

Wood (knee) only played the first Test in Perth while Archer was ruled out after the third Test in Adelaide with a side strain.

Australia have already won the series and retained the urn.

Potts is expected to add to his 10 caps in Sydney on Sunday, having last played a Test in December 2024, as a direct replacement for Atkinson.

Bashir and Will Jacks will vie for the final spot.

Bashir was considered England’s top spinner when they arrived in Australia but has yet to play with all-rounder Jacks preferred.

Australia lead the five-Test series 3-1, but England gained confidence from their frantic, four-wicket Melbourne victory.

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Opener Zak Crawley said it would be a “pretty good series” if they managed to end it 3-2 down.

“I think there’s a big difference just internally in the group,” he said when asked the difference between losing 4-1 or 3-2.

“It just shows a lot about our group and how united we are if we can get a win.

“It might not go our way, but if we can put up a good performance this week, that says a lot about the group.”

The Sydney Cricket Ground’s head curator, Adam Lewis, is under pressure to produce a pitch that helps both bat and ball after the Melbourne wicket was heavily slanted in favour of the fast bowlers.

Batting on that track, which was labelled “unsatisfactory” by the International Cricket Council, was treacherous.

Lewis told reporters his ground staff were aiming for six millimetres of grass, compared to the 10 in Melbourne.

“The only thing we can’t control is the weather,” said Lewis, with rain showers expected on Sunday and Monday.

“We’re just trying to prepare a pitch that’s a great balance for bat and ball.”

England squad for fifth Ashes Test

Ben Stokes (c), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue

READ: Major update on hospitalised Australian great Damien Martyn

Seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams was handed a wildcard to the Australian Open aged 45 on Friday, becoming the oldest woman ever to play at the season-opening Grand Slam.

The American, who has played only a limited number of singles matches in recent years, will compete in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2021.

“I’m excited to be back in Australia and looking forward to competing during the Australian summer,” said Williams.

“I’ve had so many incredible memories there, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to a place that has meant so much to my career.”

Venus Williams is a five-time Wimbledon champion and has also won two US Opens.

She was an Australian Open singles finalist in 2003 and 2017.

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She will become the oldest woman to play at the Australian Open since Japan’s Kimiko Date, who was 44 when she lost in the first round in 2015.

Williams, a four-time Australian Open doubles champion, is set to begin her preparations for the January 18-Feb 1 tournament at the Auckland Classic next week, having returned to the circuit at the US Open last year after a 16-month break.

She will then head to the Hobart International immediately before Melbourne.

Two-time Grand Slam champion and fellow American Coco Gauff said it was “incredible” to see Williams still turning up for tournaments.

“She’s a legend of the sport, so it will be cool to see her back in action,” she said.

“It’s incredible the longevity of her career. She’s one of the people I looked up to, so looking forward to seeing her back on court.”

READ: Saim Ayub opens up on his evolution as all-rounder

Pakistan’s rising star Saim Ayub has traced his evolution from a specialist top-order batter to an all-rounder back to his time in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) with Peshawar Zalmi.

Ayub first announced himself on the national radar during PSL 2023, when he enjoyed a breakout season with the 2017 champions.

Operating primarily as a batter, the left-hander amassed 341 runs in 12 innings at an average of 28.41 and an impressive strike rate of 165.53, performances that fast-tracked his entry into Pakistan’s senior men’s team.

However, it was the following PSL season that marked a defining shift in Ayub’s career trajectory.

No longer limited to batting duties, the 23-year-old emerged as a genuine utility player for Zalmi, contributing decisively with the ball. He claimed eight wickets in nine innings at an outstanding average of 22.37.

Ayub’s growing confidence and skill with the ball earned him extended opportunities at the international level, where he has since developed into a dependable all-round option for Pakistan across formats.

To date, he has taken 34 international wickets, underlining his growing value beyond his batting credentials.

His most notable success has come in T20I, where he has picked up 21 wickets in 28 innings, maintaining an impressive average of 24.33 and an economy rate of just 6.90.

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Those numbers propelled him to the top of the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings in October last year, overtaking India’s Hardik Pandya.

Currently featuring for Sylhet Titans in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025–26, Saim Ayub reflected on his remarkable transition in an exclusive interview with an international cricket news website.

The young all-rounder credited both his PSL exposure and the faith shown by coaches at domestic and international levels.

“I used to do a little bit of bowling in club cricket as well, but since the PSL happened, Peshawar helped me a lot,” Ayub said.

“And then when I came into the Pakistan team, they showed belief in me and did a lot of technical and tactical work with me.”

Ayub admitted that even he did not foresee such rapid improvement in his bowling output at the highest level.

“To be honest, I was not expecting that I would see such good bowling figures,” he said. “But the credit goes to the coaches who worked so much, and I also put in full effort. If I can help the team, then why not?”

The spinner reserved special praise for Pakistan’s current bowling coach, Ashley Noffke, describing the Australian as instrumental in refining his bowling craft.

“The bowling coach we currently have in the Pakistan team has worked a lot on our bowling and has helped me a great deal,” Ayub said. “He’s Australian, and he’s a really good coach. I’ve learned a lot because of his bowling input.”

READ: Manchester City’s title bid dented by Sunderland stalemate

Manchester City suffered a major setback to their Premier League title challenge as they were held to a 0-0 draw against Sunderland on Thursday.

Pep Guardiola’s side would have closed within two points of leaders Arsenal with a win at the Stadium of Light. But in their first game of 2026, they delivered a spluttering display that left them four points adrift of the Gunners.

City’s New Year’s Day stalemate ruined their eight-match winning run in all competitions.

After Arsenal’s 4-1 rout of third-placed Aston Villa on Tuesday, second-placed City have surrendered the initiative at the halfway point of the title race.

City will look to bounce back at home to troubled Chelsea on Sunday after the Blues parted company with boss Enzo Maresca on Thursday.

Reportedly on the verge of signing Bournemouth’s Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, Guardiola could do with reinforcements in attack after his team were frustrated by Sunderland’s tenacious performance.

Manchester City beat Sunderland 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium on December 6, but Guardiola predicted a far more difficult encounter in the rematch and his fears proved well-founded.

Sunderland are unbeaten in their first 10 home league games this season and have held City and Arsenal to draws on Wearside.

On a freezing evening with a biting wind whipping off the North Sea, City made heavy weather of their attempt to close the gap on Arsenal.

They were denied a sixth-minute opener when Bernardo Silva’s close-range strike was ruled offside after Erling Haaland flicked on Rayan Cherki’s corner.

Brian Brobbey should have given Sunderland the lead after out-muscling Ruben Dias and racing into the penalty, but his shot was too close to City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

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Haaland found it difficult to shake off Sunderland’s imposing centre-back Nordi Mukiele in the first half.

The City striker finally escaped Mukiele’s attentions, only to shoot straight at Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs after Phil Foden’s pass found him 10 yards from goal.

Sunderland’s Trai Hume squandered a golden opportunity when the unmarked defender headed over from 12 yards on the stroke of half-time.

City’s two attempts were their joint-fewest in the first half of a league game this season.

Guardiola responded to City’s lethargy by sending on Rodri for the injury-plagued Spain midfielder’s first appearance since November 2, when he played for one minute against Bournemouth.

Savinho was guilty of a woeful miss when he fired wide from Cherki’s pass just after the interval, and the Brazilian fluffed his lines again moments later, failing to beat Roefs from close range.

Pep Guardiola hauled off Savinho after those blunders, sending on Belgian winger Jeremy Doku after four games out with a calf injury.

Manchester City had to ride their luck as Donnarumma saved Simon Adingra’s strike at his near post before making an even better stop to repel Eliezer Mayenda’s blast.

In a frantic finale, Josko Gvardiol couldn’t squeeze his header past Roefs.

Gvardiol also sent an audacious back-flick against the post and had a close-range shot blocked with the goal at his mercy, leaving Guardiola to count the cost of their toothless display.

READ: Major update on hospitalised Australian great Damien Martyn

Former Australian Test batter Damien Martyn is showing “positive signs” after being hospitalised in an induced coma with meningitis, ex-teammate Adam Gilchrist said.

The 54-year-old, who played 67 Tests between 1992 and 2006 and 208 one-day internationals, fell ill while lying down last week and was rushed to hospital.

He was diagnosed with meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

“Thank you, everyone, for the heartfelt love and wishes and care for Damien as he goes through a challenging time,” fellow Test great Gilchrist said during a Big Bash League (BBL) game broadcast on Thursday evening.

“He’s still in hospital. There’ll be more details coming out as they come to hand, but certainly in the last 24 hours, some positive signs are the indications coming out of the various tests he’s having.”

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A who’s who of cricket greats have posted messages of support, including former England skipper Michael Vaughan and Indian legends Ravichandran Ashwin and VVS Laxman.

Known as one of the game’s great strokemakers, Damien Martyn became a key figure in Steve Waugh’s all-powerful Australian side, hitting 13 centuries and averaging 46.37.

He was also part of the Australian team that won the 2003 ODI World Cup, cracking 88 not out in the final against India in a match-winning partnership with Ricky Ponting.

Martyn retired in 2006 during the Ashes series and had kept a low profile since.

READ: Usman Khawaja speaks out on ‘racial stereotyping’ ahead of final Test

SYDNEY: Australian opener Usman Khawaja has spoken candidly about the “racial stereotyping” he says followed him throughout his 15-year international career, as he announced his impending retirement from Test cricket.

Khawaja revealed on Friday, during a press conference, that the upcoming fifth Ashes Test in Sydney will be his final appearance in Australian colours.

The 39-year-old used the occasion to reflect on the challenges he faced as Australia’s first Muslim Test cricketer and one of the few players of South Asian heritage to represent the country at the highest level.

“I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. “I hope I have inspired people along the way.”

Born in Islamabad and raised in Australia from a young age, Khawaja said he was once told he would never represent Australia, let alone enjoy a long Test career.

“I’m a proud Muslim, coloured boy from Pakistan who was told that he would never play for the Australian cricket team,” he said. “Look at me now, and you can do the same.”

Usman Khawaja acknowledged that his willingness to speak out on social and political issues had often made him a target of criticism, but insisted that remaining silent was never an option.

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“I call myself the people’s champ, not because I think everyone loves me, but because I speak about things for the people that other people don’t want to speak about,” he said.

He also addressed the backlash he has faced when raising concerns about race, suggesting that discussions around discrimination are frequently dismissed or trivialised.

“I know why I get nailed a lot of the time. I understand that I’ve talked about certain issues outside of cricket, which leaves me exposed, and a lot of people don’t like it,” Khawaja said.

“I know I’m here talking about topics and people will say, ‘Uzzie’s here, he’s playing the race card again.’ Don’t gaslight me. This stuff happens all the time, we see it, and we just don’t talk about it.”

Usman Khawaja stressed that his aim was not to seek sympathy, but to make the path easier for future cricketers from diverse backgrounds.

“I didn’t want to talk about this, but I just want the journey for the next Usman Khawaja to be different,” he said. “I want him or her to be treated the same, not have racial stereotypes over who they might be.”

In 2023, Khawaja was charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for wearing a black armband during Australia’s first Test against Pakistan, a gesture he said was intended to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

READ: Confident Usman eyes World Cup glory under Mike Hesson

 

KARACHI: Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab has urged maximum participation from the citizens in the upcoming ‘Karachi Marathon’, calling the race vital in projecting the city’s positive image.

Speaking during a press conference earlier in the day, Murtaza Wahab said the marathon would project a positive image of the city.

“The marathon will bring out the positive image of the city,” he said.

“I wish to see next year’s marathon held inside the city, starting from Mazar-i-Quaid,” he added. “We will take the lead — the KMC will come forward, and so will the government.”

Meanwhile, the driving force behind the Karachi Marathon, Shoaib Nizami, while talking to a news outlet, shared his views on the event.

“We have already had our new routes approved; it is only a matter of time before we go into the city,” he said.

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“No one knew Barcelona before the [1992] Olympics, but it came onto the world map after that. Events like the Karachi Marathon will bring our city to the world map,” he remarked.

For the unversed, the 3rd Karachi Marathon—an event that promotes active living and unites runners from across the country and beyond will be held on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

The race recognised by World Athletics and certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS), will start and finish at the Nishan-e-Pakistan monument on Sea View Road.

According to reports, more than 2,000 runners have registered for the marathon events. Registrations for the 5K, meanwhile, remain open, with over 3,000 participants already signed up.

READ: Tareen among bidders in race for new PSL teams: reports

LAHORE: Ali Tareen, the previous owner of the Multan Sultans is among the bidders for the new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises after the completion of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) technical evaluation.

The auction for the league’s first major expansion will be held on 8 January at the Jinnah Convention Centre in the Federal Capital, Islamabad.

According to media reports, Tareen Group is also among the confirmed bidders in the race for new teams.

Previously, he acquired Multan Sultans in 2018, one of the PSL’s most expensive franchises.

However, due to strained relations with PCB over financial and renewal terms, Tareen decided not to renew the contract, resulting in the board taking over the Multan Sultans.

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At the end of 2025, Ali Tareen announced his intention to leave Multan Sultans, making him eligible to bid for one of the new outfits of the tournament.

As per reports, Inverex Group, Karachi-based VGO TEL, and the OZ Group are also among the bidders to buy the new teams in PSL.

Once successful bidders are confirmed, they will have the opportunity to select a home city from the PCB’s approved list, which includes Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, and Gilgit.

It is pertinent to mention that the Pakistan Super League, which began in 2016 with five outfits, is set to expand with the addition of two new teams.

Notably, the league expanded to five teams in 2018 with the addition of Multan Sultans. With the addition of two new franchises, the league will undergo its first major restructuring in seven years, taking the total to eight teams.

READ: Australia pacer admits frustration at bowling to Babar Azam

Australia pacer Sean Abbott has admitted his frustration at bowling to Babar Azam, calling the Pakistan star batter extremely hard to contain once he gets going.

Babar Azam is playing alongside Sean Abbott for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Speaking during a chat with fellow players, Abbott admitted that bowling to Babar Azam is a challenging task due to his skill and temperament.

“Babar hits you where Babar wants to, and I’m sick of bowling at him,” Abbott said.

“Whether it’s domestic cricket or international cricket, I don’t think I’ve ever got him out, and it feels a bit like a death by a thousand cuts sometimes because you look up the scoreboard and he is striking at 120 and you don’t feel like you are nowhere near getting him out,” he added.

He also praised Babar’s contributions to the Sixers, calling him a vital cog and a perfect fit for the team.

“So, a real asset to have, and he has been a hell of a fit for us so far. Really blessed that Babar [is] in the Sixers.”

Abbott described facing him as frustrating, saying it often feels like “death by a thousand cuts” as Babar maintains a high strike rate while rarely giving a chance for dismissal.

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Earlier today, Babar Azam and Sean Abbott combined to lead Sydney Sixers to a six-wicket victory over the Melbourne Renegades in BBL 15.

Babar finished on 58 not out from 46 balls, striking four fours and a six, while  Abbott was the pick of the Sixers’ bowlers with three wickets to his name.

Overall, Babar has scored 129 runs in five matches so far with the help of two half-centuries.

On the other hand, Sean Abbott is BBL’s all-time highest wicket-taker with 179 scalps in 126 matches.

READ: Confident Usman eyes World Cup glory under Mike Hesson