Category: Top News

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

SYLHET: Sahibzada Farhan’s gutsy knock and Ripon Mondol’s late heroics with the ball sealed a thrilling Super Over victory for Rajshahi Warriors over Rangpur Riders in the eighth fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26.

The Warriors eased past Riders on the third ball of the Super Over with seven to chase as Tanzid Hasan scored 10* from three balls.

Ripon bowled a tight over under pressure, taking one wicket and limiting Riders to only six.

Earlier, the match was tied after Rangpur Riders managed to score 159-6 at the end of their 20 overs.

David Malan remained the notable contributor with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 63 off 50 balls, laced with half a dozen boundaries and two sixes.

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Rangpur Riders lost Litton Das for 16 in the third over, which brought Towhid Hridoy to the crease.

David Malan and Hridoy put on a century stand, which at one stage made the contest a one-sided affair.

However, SM Meherob, the latter, for 53 to give his side an opening, which was followed by a middle-order collapse, putting Riders on the brink.

It was all down to the final over with Ripon Mondol delivering under the pressure while defending seven. He picked up two wickets in the final over and a run out to make it a Super Over contest.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, Rajshahi Warriors managed to score 159-8 at the end of their innings.

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Sahibzada Farhan remained the notable contributor with 65 from 46 balls with the aid of eight fours and two sixes. Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto made 41 off 30 balls, striking five fours and a six.

The pair’s 93-run partnership for the second wicket was instrumental in setting the tone for his side before a middle-order collapse left them reeling at the end of their 20 overs.

For Rangpur Riders, Faheem Ashraf remained the standout bowler with three wickets to his name.

READ: All-round Omarzai fires Sylhet Titans to victory

Wicket-keeper batter Usman Khan says Pakistan are ‘well prepared’ to lift the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

Speaking in an interview with Cricinfo on the sidelines of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Usman expressed confidence in lifting the T20 World Cup under the coaching of Mike Hesson.

The 30-year-old UAE cricketer, who switched to play for Pakistan in 2024, is currently playing for Dhaka Capitals.

“Our coach Mike Hesson has prepared us very well ahead of the World Cup,” he said.

“We will play Sri Lanka and Australia in the coming month as part of our preparation. We have a great combination in the team, and we are confident about our chances in the World Cup,” he continued.

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He emphasizes the conditions in Sri Lanka, where he will be playing for the first time, although Pakistan has yet to name its T20 World Cup squa

“I am heading to Sri Lanka for the first time. Playing in Dambulla will give us a good opportunity to understand the wickets ahead of the World Cup,” Usman said.

“The conditions are similar to what we faced in the recent tri-series. I am preparing for those wickets and focusing on handling fast bowling. We aim to win the series in Sri Lanka,” he concluded.

For those unware, Pakistan will play a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka which will be followed by home fixtures against Australia in a bid to fine tune their prepartations for the mega event.

As per the hybrid model, the Green Shirts will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka, which will start on 7 February, an event jointly hosted by India.

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Pakistan will open the World Cup campaign with the match against the Netherlands, which will be followed by a clash against USA on 10 February.

The highly anticipated match of the event between defending champions India and Pakistan will be played on 15 February.

READ: All-round Omarzai fires Sylhet Titans to victory

Enzo Maresca has left his role as Chelsea head coach after 18 months in charge, the Premier League club announced Thursday.

“Chelsea Football Club and head coach Enzo Maresca have parted company,” said a club statement.

The Italian’s exit from Stamford Bridge comes with the club fifth in the Premier League table — 15 points adrift of leaders and London rivals Arsenal — with one win in their last seven top-flight games.

Speculation about Maresca’s position increased during Chelsea’s poor run of recent results amid reports of a worsening relationship between the coach and the club’s hierarchy.

“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” said the club statement.

Maresca did not attend the post-match press conference following a frantic 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday, although his absence was attributed to illness.

Maresca’s decision to substitute Cole Palmer just after the hour mark during the Bournemouth game was booed by Chelsea fans.

The draw meant Chelsea had dropped 13 points at home from winning positions this season — the bulk of the 15-point deficit between the Blues and Arsenal.

Maresca has stood by comments made on December 13 after a league win at home to Everton when he said many people at Chelsea “didn’t support me and the team”.

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He repeatedly refused to clarify the comments, although he insisted they were not an attack on the club’s supporters.

The 45-year-old said the days leading up to the 2-0 victory over Everton were “the worst 48 hours” of his time at Chelsea.

Maresca’s stock at Chelsea was high after the Blues beat Barcelona 3-0 in the Champions League in November.

But damaging defeats by Leeds, Atalanta and Villa increased the pressure on the Blues boss.

Maresca’s contract had been due to run until the summer of 2029, with a club option of a further year.

The former Leicester manager was appointed as successor to Mauricio Pochettino in June 2024.

Chelsea won the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup in 2025 and Maresca also led them back into the Champions League via a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League.

The Blues return to action on Sunday away to Manchester City, the first of nine fixtures across four competitions during a congested January schedule.

Liam Rosenior — the head coach of French club Strasbourg, owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo, a consortium headed up by US billionaire businessman Todd Boehly — is a candidate to replace Maresca even though the Englishman is a relatively young manager at 41 and lacks Premier League experience.

Former Barcelona head coach Xavi, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola are other potential contenders to succeed Maresca at Stamford Bridge.

READ: All-round Omarzai fires Sylhet Titans to victory

SYLHET: Azmatullah Omarzai showcased his all-round prowess to lead Sylhet Titans to a narrow six-run victory over Dhaka Capitals, who fell short despite Shamim Hossain’s spirited knock in the seventh fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025.

Set stiff 174, Capitals scored 167 for 8 at the end of their 20 overs.

Mohammad Amir removed opener Zubaid Akbari in the second over to give Titans a strong start, before Nasum Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Omarzai left them reeling at 43-5 in 7.3 overs.

Usman was cleaned up for 21, while Saif Hassan followed him after for nine, and skipper Mohammad Mithun could not open his account.

They were put in dire straits Nasir Hossain was trapped lbw for five.

With half of Capitals’ side back in the hutch, Shamim Hossain and Sabbir Rahman tried to arrest the slide with a 46-run partnership.

The duo partnership brought the score to 89 before Sabbir was removed for 23 off 19.

With wickets tumbling around, it was Shamim’s lone hand that brought the team near the target. He single-handedly brought Capitals back into the match, thanks to a ninth-wicket partnership of 52* with Taskin Ahmed.

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But in the end, it proved too much for his side as Shamim Hossain remained unbeaten on 81 from 43 with the aid of nine fours and three sixes.

For Sylhet Titans, Azmatullah Omarzai delivered with the ball and picked up three wickets. Nasum Ahmed and Mohammad Amir also chipped in with two wickets each.

Earlier, Dhaka Capitals invited Sylhet Titans to bat first as they managed to put 173-5 in their allotted 20 overs.

Saim Ayub and Rony Talukdar put on 16 in 2.2 overs before the latter was dismissed for 11.

Skipper Mehidy Hasan Miraz could not trouble the scorers and only scored six. With 22-2 in 3.4 overs, Saim and Parvez Hossain Emon forged a 64-run partnership.

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Saim was dismissed for 29 off 34 balls with the help of a boundary.

However, it was Azmatullah Omarzai’s and Parvez Hossain Emon’s decisive 51* run partnership off just 20 balls that shifted the momentum in Titans’ favor.

Emon’s 44 from 32 included two fours and two sixes, while Omarzai hit three sixes and five fours in his half-century off just 24 balls.

Salman Mirza picked up two wickets in his quota of four overs for Dhaka Capitals.

READ: Mitchell Marsh hits ton as Perth Scorchers defeat Hobart Hurricanes

HOBART: A blistering century from Mitchell Marsh, backed by a ruthless unbeaten knock from Aaron Hardie, powered Perth Scorchers to a commanding 40-run victory over Hobart Hurricanes in their Big Bash League (BBL) 15 clash at Bellerive Oval on Thursday.

Put in to bat first, the Scorchers piled on a daunting 229 for 3, riding on an explosive third-wicket partnership that completely shifted the momentum in their favour.

Marsh and Hardie came together with the score at 53 for 2 inside the powerplay and went on to dismantle the Hurricanes’ bowling attack with authority.

The duo added 164 runs off just 84 balls, combining clean hitting with smart placement to keep the scoreboard racing.

Marsh led the charge with a commanding 102 off 58 deliveries, peppering the boundary with 11 fours and launching five sixes before falling in the final over.

Hardie, meanwhile, remained unbeaten on 94 from 43 balls, striking nine fours and five sixes in a brutal finishing act that left Hobart chasing a near-impossible target.

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Nathan Ellis eventually broke the stand, but the damage had already been done as Perth surged to one of the highest totals of the season.

In reply, Hobart Hurricanes showed intent but never truly threatened the target, finishing on 189 for 9 from their 20 overs.

Nikhil Chaudhary provided late resistance with a quick 31 off 15 balls, while Matthew Wade (29) and Tim Ward (27) were the other notable contributors.

Perth’s bowling effort was led by captain Ashton Agar, who set the tone with a three-wicket haul.

Joel Paris and Hardie chipped in with two wickets each, while Cooper Connolly and Brody Couch claimed one apiece to ensure the Hurricanes were kept in check.

Despite the loss, Hobart Hurricanes remain second on the BBL 15 points table, with Perth Scorchers close behind in third, keeping the race for the top spots finely poised.

READ: Babar Azam levels Jos Buttler’s T20 record during BBL 15 clash

MELBOURNE: Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam etched his name alongside former England captain Jos Buttler in the record books after producing a decisive knock during the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 encounter at Docklands Stadium on Thursday.

Representing Sydney Sixers against Melbourne Renegades, Babar anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 58 off 46 deliveries, an innings laced with four boundaries and a six.

The knock not only guided the Sixers to a six-wicket win but also marked Babar’s 97th half-century in T20 cricket.

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With that effort, the former Pakistan skipper drew level with Buttler for the joint third-most fifties in the history of the shortest format.

Notably, Babar reached the milestone in just his 333rd T20 appearance, scoring 11 centuries along the way, while Buttler took 476 matches to get the same tally, with eight hundreds.

The all-time record for most T20 half-centuries remains with Australian great David Warner, who has amassed 113 fifties, followed by India’s Virat Kohli with 105.

Most T20 fifties:

• David Warner – 113
• Virat Kohli – 105
• Babar Azam – 97
• Jos Buttler – 97
• Alex Hales – 92

Babar’s latest innings also took his overall tally of 50-plus scores in T20 cricket to 108, comprising 97 half-centuries and 11 hundreds.

He is currently fourth on the all-time list for most 50+ scores in the format, behind Warner (121), Kohli (114) and Chris Gayle (110).

Babar’s knock proved the difference as Sydney Sixers sealed their second win of the BBL 15 campaign, climbing to fifth on the points table.

Melbourne Renegades, meanwhile, remain seventh with just one victory, sitting above only Sydney Thunder.

READ: Why Enzo Maresca is facing growing pressure at Chelsea?

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is facing the possibility of an early exit following a dramatic deterioration in his relationship with the Premier League club, sources have told local media.

Chelsea are understood to be holding emergency internal discussions regarding Maresca’s position after weeks of growing uncertainty, both on and off the pitch.

A separation is now considered increasingly likely, with indications that Maresca may not be in charge for Sunday’s away fixture against Manchester City.

The pressure intensified after Chelsea were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, a result that extended their poor league run to just one win in seven matches.

Enzo Maresca was booed by sections of the home crowd, underlining the frustration among supporters amid the team’s continued struggles.

Sources suggest Maresca himself has grown disillusioned and may be open to leaving the club, although it remains unclear whether he would do so without a compensation package.

The former Leicester City manager is under contract until 2029, with an option for an additional year.

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Chelsea’s hierarchy is believed to be increasingly concerned not only by on-field results, including the team dropping 15 points from winning positions this season, but also by Maresca’s conduct away from matches.

Tensions reportedly escalated following cryptic comments made by the coach after a win over Everton on December 13, when he referred to experiencing his “worst 48 hours” at the club.

Those remarks reportedly left senior figures confused, especially as Maresca later declined to clarify his comments despite repeated questions.

Further eyebrows were raised after Enzo Maresca opted out of post-match media duties following the Bournemouth draw, with assistant coach Willy Caballero stepping in instead.

While the club attributed Maresca’s absence to illness, reports later suggested the coach had chosen not to speak publicly as he weighed his future amid dissatisfaction with aspects of the club’s long-term project.

Chelsea’s owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, are said to be cautious about making another mid-season managerial change, mindful of the turbulence that followed the dismissals of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter during their first year in charge.

However, should Maresca depart, Chelsea would be forced into appointing their fifth permanent manager since the takeover in 2022.

READ: Babar Azam guides Sixers past Rizwan’s Renegades in BBL clash

MELBOURNE: Pakistan star Babar Azam produced a composed unbeaten half-century to lead Sydney Sixers to a six-wicket victory over Melbourne Renegades in a Big Bash League (BBL) season 15 encounter at Docklands Stadium on Thursday.

In a much-anticipated Babar Azam versus Mohammad Rizwan contest, the Sixers opted to field first after winning the toss.

Renegades lost early momentum when Jack Edwards dismissed Tim Seifert for eight, leaving the hosts 10 for 1 inside the first two overs.

Rizwan then partnered with Josh Brown in a brief counter-attack, though the second-wicket stand was largely driven by Brown’s aggressive approach.

The right-hander smashed 43 off just 19 balls, including three fours and four sixes, before Hayden Kerr broke the 44-run partnership. Rizwan struggled for fluency and was dismissed soon after, scoring six from ten deliveries.

Jake Fraser-McGurk steadied the innings with a 29-ball 38, featuring four boundaries, before falling to Sean Abbott after pushing the Renegades past the 100-run mark.

Hassan Khan provided late resistance with a quick 39, hitting three sixes and a four, but his dismissal in the final over curtailed the Renegades’ momentum as they finished on 164 for 9.

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Abbott was the pick of the Sixers’ bowlers with three wickets, while Edwards, Ben Dwarshuis and Kerr claimed two apiece.

In reply, the Sixers made a solid start through Daniel Hughes and Babar, adding 46 for the opening wicket.

Gurinder Sandhu removed Hughes for 30 off 23 balls, but Babar anchored the chase calmly. Josh Philippe chipped in with 16, while captain Moises Henriques added a brisk 23 to keep the innings on track.

After the fall of the fourth wicket, Babar Azam found a reliable partner in Joel Davies. The duo stitched together an unbeaten 51-run stand to take the Sixers home in 19.1 overs.

Babar finished on 58 not out from 46 balls, striking four fours and a six, while Davies sealed the chase with an unbeaten 34 off 15, including three fours and two sixes.

For Renegades, Sandhu picked up two wickets, while Will Sutherland and Matthew Spoors claimed one each.

The win marked Sydney Sixers’ second victory of the season, lifting them to fifth on the BBL points table. Melbourne Renegades, meanwhile, remain seventh with just one win, sitting above only Sydney Thunder.

READ: BPL drops Chattogram as venue for remainder of 2025-26 season