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LAHORE: Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha has shared the strategic reason for replacing Babar Azam at the No. 3 spot in the batting order ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

Agha took the No. 3 position from Babar Azam during the Sri Lanka series and played a blinder during the rain-hit third T20I.

The right-hander was on the verge of breaking Pakistan’s fastest fifty record, scoring 45 off just 12 balls, including three sixes and five fours.

In the first T20I against Australia played today at the Gaddafi Stadium, Salman also came to the fore when the home side lost Sahibzada Farhan for a duck on only the second ball of the innings.

The 32-year-old hit 39 from 27 deliveries, striking four sixes and a boundary.

Overall, Salman has batted at the this position in seven matches, accumulating 216 runs at a strike rate of 161.19 — a stark contrast to his overall T20 career strike rate which is 118.32.

After sealing a 22 run win over Australia in the first of three T20I matches, Agha emphasized batting and clinical bowling performance.

“It was a great game. We started well with the bat but couldn’t finish the way we wanted. It became challenging after the first ten overs as the ball stopped coming onto the bat, but I think we were outstanding with the ball,” he said.

The skipper said that he will be permanently taking up the one down position in a bid to capitalize on spin bowling with an eye on Sri Lanka conditions in T20 World Cup 2026.

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“Yes, I’ll be batting at number three. We expect to face a lot of spin, and I believe I can dominate spin during the powerplay. That’s why I moved up, and that is where I’ll stay,” he maintained.

Pakistan were once on course of scoring 200; however Australia curtailed their innings to 168 at the end of 20 overs.

“To be honest, I felt 170 was enough. Given how we were placed after ten overs, we probably could have scored 15 more, but I knew 170 would be plenty on this pitch because our spin bowling is outstanding,” Agha said regarding the team’s total.

Salman Ali Agha also lavished praised on spinners, particularly Abrar Ahmed and expressed confidence ahead of the mega event.

“Abrar has been outstanding since his debut. Since the Asia Cup, our spin bowling has been doing really well for us; they are winning us games day in and day out. Hopefully, they can continue this form through to the World Cup,” he concluded.

READ: Saim Ayub reveals game-plan after Australia victory

LAHORE: Pakistan all-rounder Saim Ayub explained his approach after delivering a match-winning performance against Australia in the T20I series opener played here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Set stiff 169, Australia fell short by 22 runs and could only muster 146-8 at the end of their 20 overs.

Saim delivered with bat and ball to seal a convincing win for the home side.

The 23-year-old scored 40 runs from 22 balls with the aid of a boundary at top of the order.

He then backed up his batting with a clinical three-over spell, taking two wickets while giving away only 29 runs. His scalps included Matthew Short and dangerous Travis Head.

The left-hander was looking good before getting caught after managing 23 from 13 balls with the help of two sixes and two fours.

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He then backed up his batting with a clinical three-over spell, taking two wickets for just 29 runs. His scalps included Matthew Short and Travis Head.

Speaking in the post-match presentation after receiving the player of the match award, Saim mentioned difficult conditions and revealed his plan in the opening over of Australian innings.

“I think the conditions were a bit challenging, but our plan was to dominate with the new ball as much as possible,” he said.

He furhter remarked on Pakistan’s strategy to keep the batters in check by bowling with precise lengths.

“The goal was to dominate sensibly by calculating the innings, watching the ball, and enjoying the process,” he added.

We knew that if we hit a good length consistently, it wouldn’t be easy for the batters to score. That was the strategy,” Saim Ayub concluded.

The second T20I will be played on 31 January at the same venue.

READ: Sialkot Stallionz appoint Tim Paine head coach for PSL 11

The newly inducted Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Sialkot Stallionz has appointed former Australian captain Tim Paine as head coach ahead of the landmark season 11.

The announcement came via Stallionz social handles with an animated poster.

“We’re proud to announce Tim Paine as the Head Coach of 𝑺𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒐𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒛,” the captain of the post read.

“Former Australian captain. Proven leader at the highest level. A championship mindset to lead a new era. Welcome to the Stallionz family, Coach,” it added.

 

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A post shared by Sialkot Stallionz (@sialkotstallionzpsl)

Paine, who hanged up his boots from professional cricket in March 2023, represented Australia in 35 Tests and same number of ODIs and 12 T20Is.

Among his 35 Tests, 23 of them came as captain after taking the reins of the team following Sandpaper gate.

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The notable achievements under his leadership was retaining the Ashes in 2019 with a 2-2 draw in England.

Overall, Australia won 11 and lost eight Tests during his tenure as captain before stepping down from the role in 2021 before the Ashes.

Following his retirement, Paine took over coaching of the Adelaide Strikers and was subsequenlty appointed as Australia A coach for three series in the second half of 2025.

Paine was hired in a consultancy role that included working across Australia A men’s series as well as supporting the Australia women’s team while continuing his duties as Strikers coach.

For the unversed, the new PSL franchise was acquired by OZ Developers, owned by Hamza Majeed and Kamil Khan, during the historic PSL 2026 auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre on January 8.

OZ Developers won the bid with a record price of Rs 1.85 billion, securing the rights to the Sialkot franchise.

The hsitoric eight-team PSL 11 will begin on 26 march 2026.

READ: Sri Lanka beefs up T20 World Cup security for India–Pakistan fixtures

Sri Lanka will deploy elite armed units to protect teams at next month’s T20 World Cup, part of enhanced security measures with a special emphasis on matches between perennial rivals India and Pakistan, officials have told AFP.

The island is co-hosting the biennial cricket tournament with India and will hold 20 games between February 7 and March 8.

The Indian and Pakistani teams will play each other at least once, in their Group A clash in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo on February 15.

Cricket matches have long been a stage for expressing political tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, which fought a four-day border conflict last year.

Sri Lanka has given the “highest priority” to ensuring the tournament runs smoothly and is “paying special attention to the India-Pakistan matches”, sports minister Sunil Kumara Gamage told AFP late Wednesday.

Elite commando units, usually assigned to guard visiting heads of state, will be deployed to protect all participating teams, police and security officials said.

“From the time they step out of the airport till they return to their aircraft, they will be protected by armed guards,” an official said, asking not to be named.

Pakistan refused to play their fixtures in India due to political hostilities, prompting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift their matches to neutral Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh also tried to have their matches moved out of India due to security fears, but the ICC rejected the request.

An angry Bangladesh then withdrew from the tournament, and Scotland were drafted in as their replacement.

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Pakistan has indicated that it may yet boycott the event in solidarity with Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka maintained a studious silence throughout the India-Bangladesh row.

Cricket Secretary Bandula Dissanayake told AFP Colombo wanted to avoid being drawn into regional disputes.

“In these disputes among India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, we are remaining neutral, all of these are friendly nations,” he said.

But he added that Sri Lanka would be willing to host future tournaments for any of the countries if asked.

Sri Lanka has also used the T20 World Cup as an opportunity to upgrade its international venues.

It has commissioned new floodlights at the Singhalese Sports Club, one of two stadiums in Colombo.

The Pallekele Stadium in Kandy was unaffected by a deadly cyclone that damaged buildings in the region in November, and will host a T20 international between Sri Lanka and England from Friday.

READ: No handshake as Sabalenka sets up repeat of 2023 Melbourne final

Belarusian world number one Aryna Sabalenka crushed Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in a politically charged Australian Open semi-final on Thursday and faces Elena Rybakina for a third Melbourne title.

There was no handshake after Sabalenka dismantled Svitolina 6-2, 6-3, before Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was also a straight-sets winner, over Jessica Pegula of the United States.

The ruthless Sabalenka will take some stopping as she pursues a third Melbourne crown in four years.

She is on an 11-match win streak this year, having come into the first major of 2026 on the back of claiming the title in Brisbane.

The hard-hitting 27-year-old is into her fourth Australian Open final in a row and yet to drop a set all year.

Sabalenka and Moscow-born fifth seed Rybakina have met 14 times, with the Belarusian winning eight of them.

That includes the Melbourne final in 2023, when Sabalenka fought back to win in three sets.

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Ahead of her semi-final clash with 12th seed Svitolina, an announcement was made at Rod Laver Arena that there would be no handshake afterwards, asking fans to “respect” that.

Like other players from Ukraine, Svitolina does not shake hands with opponents from Russia or Moscow’s ally Belarus because of the war.

Sabalenka and Svitolina also noticeably kept apart for the pre-match formalities and photos.

After a dominant victory, Sabalenka was close to tears as she reflected on the “dream” life she leads.

She had warm words for Svitolina, saying: “I’m super happy with the win, she’s a really tough opponent, she was playing really incredible tennis throughout the whole week.”

There was controversy at the start of the fourth game.

With the match on serve, Sabalenka was hit with a hindrance call from the umpire for grunting, triggering a long video review and boos.

A clearly irritated Sabalenka lost the point but recovered her poise and a break of serve early in the second set to surge home.

A reflective Svitolina said the plight of her homeland put the defeat into perspective.

“People are really living horrible and terrifying lives in Ukraine, so I should not be allowed to really be sad because I’m a very, very lucky person,” the 31-year-old said.

READ: Hyderabad owner Fawad Sarwar provides update on team name, logo reveal

Hyderabad franchise owner Fawad Sarwar has provided an update regarding the team’s name and logo reveal ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11.

Speaking to local media, Sarwar revealed that while the coaching staff has already been announced, the management had deliberately held back the public reveal of the team identity.

He confirmed that the team is planning a massive launch event around the PSL Player Auction on February 11.

“We’re planning a big event for the launch,” Sarwar said.

On the topic of team leadership, Sarwar made it clear that the captaincy will not be handed out based on seniority or reputation alone.

“No player, whether Pakistani or foreign, has any inherent right to leadership simply because he is a big name or senior player,” he explained.

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“We have our own selection process, and after due consultation, we’ll decide. A captain can be anyone; the key is to be a good leader. Whoever fits that profile will get the role.”

The Hyderabad owner also expressed admiration for former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, calling him his favourite cricketer and expressing a desire to have him in the squad if circumstances allow.

“Of course, every team would want him. For now, we haven’t thought about any other players. We’ll make decisions once we know which players have been retained by their current franchises,” Fawad Sarwar added.

The Hyderabad franchise, one of two new teams joining PSL 11 alongside the Sialkot Stallionz, was secured by Sarwar’s Kingsmen Group through the auction with a winning bid of Rs 1.75 billion ($6.25 million).

READ: U19 World Cup: Pakistan, India semi-final qualification scenario explained

LAHORE: Pakistan have won the toss and opted to bat first in the first T20I against Australia here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India, USA, the Netherlands and Namibia, while Australia will feature in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman.

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HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and Australia have played a total of 28 T20I matches. Australia have a slight edge with 14 victories while Pakistan have come out victorious in 13 games. One match ended without a result.

Matches 28, Pakistan 13, Australia 14, NR 1

READ: Grant Bradburn joins Jason Gillespie in Hyderabad coaching staff

Former Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn has become the latest addition to the coaching setup of Hyderabad, one of the newest franchises introduced ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11.

Bradburn will work as the fielding coach under newly-appointed head coach Jason Gillespie, as Hyderabad continue to build its coaching staff ahead of the historic 11th edition of the marquee league.

The franchise confirmed Bradburn’s appointment through the Kingsmen Cricket social media handle, sharing a graphic alongside an official statement.

“Leveling up every move. Hyderabad welcomes Grant Bradburn as Fielding Coach! From drills to practice, he brings world-class experience to every corner of the field,” the post read.

Hyderabad are one of the two new franchises added to the PSL roster ahead of season 11, with Sialkot Stallionz being the other new entrant.

The franchise is owned by Fawad Sarwar’s Kingsmen group and was secured through the PSL auction after the group placed the winning bid of Rs 1.75 billion ($6.25 million).

Bradburn brings significant experience to the role, having served Pakistan in multiple capacities in recent years.

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The former New Zealand cricketer was appointed head coach of the Pakistan men’s national team in 2023.

Before that, Bradburn also served as Pakistan’s fielding coach from 2018 to 2020, and later moved to the National Cricket Academy, where he worked on coach development.

He has also coached internationally, having previously worked as the head coach of Scotland’s men’s team.

READ: Australia name three debutants in Playing XI for first Pakistan T20I

LAHORE: Cricket Australia (CA) on Thursday announced their Playing XI for the opening T20I against Pakistan, set to be played later today at the Gaddafi Stadium, with three uncapped players included in the lineup.

Australia will be led by opener Travis Head, who is set to captain the side in the series opener as regular skipper Mitchell Marsh has been rested to manage his workload.

Marsh has been on the go for several months and recently played the entire Big Bash League (BBL) season for champions Perth Scorchers, before arriving late in Pakistan after playing the season finale.

Meanwhile, Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards are set to make their international debuts, while Matthew Renshaw will play his first-ever T20I for Australia.

The 29-year-old left-handed batter has already represented Australia in 14 Tests and three ODIs since making his international debut in 2016, but Thursday’s fixture will mark his first appearance in the shortest format at the international level.

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The remaining two matches of the three-game series will also be played at the same venue on January 31 and February 1, respectively.

The matches are scheduled to begin at 4:00pm PKT, with the toss taking place at 3:30pm PKT.

Notably, the series serves as key preparation for both sides ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Pakistan have been placed in Group A alongside India, USA, the Netherlands and Namibia, while Australia will feature in Group B with Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Oman.

Australia Playing XI vs Pakistan

Travis Head (c), Matt Short, Cameron Green, Matthew Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Jack Edwards, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Adam Zampa.

READ: Finch, Clarke stunned over Haris Rauf’s exclusion from Pakistan T20I squad