Category: Top News

Peshawar Zalmi has signed fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, set to begin on March 26.

The signing was announced on the franchise’s social media accounts with an animated image.

“Fresh pace, right-arm variety, and plenty of promise. ShahnawazDahani
is set to electrify the #YellowStorm with his signature celebration,” the caption wrote.

“Welcome to your new home,” it added.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Peshawar Zalmi (@peshawarzalmipk)

Shahnawaz Dahani went unsold at the PSL Player Auction on February 10 at the Expo Centre Lahore.

The right-arm pacer was listed for a base price of 1.1 crore. However, none of the eight teams showed interest in bidding for the pacer.

Dahani has previously represented Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans, now rebranded as Rawalpindi. In 27 matches between 2021 and 2024, the pacer has claimed 39 wickets at an average of 20.84.

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Overall, he has played 62 T20s and has scalped 81 wickets, including a five-wicket haul.

With the addition of Dahani, the Peshawar Zalmi squad has now expanded to 16 members.

The squad includes notable players, with ace batter Babar Azam leading the side in PSL 11.

For the unversed, the auction was the first of its kind in the league’s history, replacing the draft—a player selection process—that had been used for the first 10 editions since it started in 2016.

The change to the player selection model followed the expansion, which added two new franchises: Sialkot Stallionz and Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen.

Peshawar Zalmi Squad for PSL 11

Babar Azam, Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, James Vince, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Shahnawaz Dahani and Mirza Tahir Baig.

READ: Former spinner urges India to play Usman Tariq cautiously

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised Pakistan mystery bowler Usman Tariq, saying that the off-spinner could play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the much-awaited India-Pakistan clash in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The high-octane clash between India and Pakistan will be played on Sunday, February 15, at the RPS Stadium, Colombo.

Speaking to the media ahead of the clash, Harbhajan backed India to win but admitted that Tariq could pose a serious threat to the Indian batters.

“India will win the match. Pakistan has a spinner, he is a good spinner, we have to play him safe…,” he said.

“The Indian team is capable; it’s a very good team. We hope they play the way they have always played, play without any pressure and wave the flag of victory,” Harbhajan remarked.

Tariq has been in impressive form in the ongoing tournament, claiming five wickets in two matches so far.

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Overall, he has picked up 11 wickets in four T20Is, maintaining an outstanding average of 7.90 and an economy of 5.93.

The spinner has also caught eyebrows due to his unorthodox bowling action, which has troubled most of the batters he has bowled to.

During Australia’s recent T20I series tour of Pakistan, Australian batter Cameron Green was seen making a gesture that many interpreted as questioning Tariq’s action.

This was not the first time Tariq’s bowling has been scrutinised. Tariq was previously reported during PSL 9 and PSL 10, but his action was officially cleared on both occasions.

Addressing the scrutiny last year, Tariq explained that the natural bend in his elbows often creates confusion.

“There are two corners on my elbow that make it hard for me to straighten,” he said in an interview last year.

“I gave two tests at labs in Pakistan, and my action was cleared within a week. I didn’t get told to change anything. I was confident because I knew I was not throwing.”

READ: USA rout Netherlands to secure first win of T20 World Cup 2026

CHENNAI: Saiteja Mukkamalla’s 79 and Harmeet Singh’s four-wicket haul powered USA to a big 93-run win over the Netherlands here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the 21st fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Set a daunting 197, the Netherlands were skittled for 103 in 15.5 overs.

Michael Levitt was dismissed early in a big chase as the Netherlands were 9-1 in 1.1 overs.

After an early wicket, Max O’Dowd and Bas de Leede added 32 run partnership to put the chase back on track.

O’Dowd made 13 from 11 before getting caught, a wicket that sparked a collapse that the Netherlands could not recover from.

The Netherlands innings quickly unraveled as they slumped from 45-3 to 75-6 in 10 overs.

The wickets continued to tumbled and they were eventually bowled out before completing their overs.

Bas de Leede was the top-scorer with 23 off 17, hitting a six and four.

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For USA, it was Shadley van Schalkwyk among the wickets again as he picked up a three wicket haul. Beside him, Harmeet Singh was the other bowler who impressed with his wickets.

Earlier, asked to bat first, USA racked up 196-6 in their 20 overs.

Shayan Jahangir and skipper Monank Patel were off to a flyer with 27 on the board in 2.5 overs.

Kyle Klein provided the Dutch first breakthrough in the form of Jahangir’s wicket, who made 20 off 14, striking two sixes and a boundary.

With the Netherlands 27 for one, Saiteja Mukkamalla arrived at the crease and forged 55 run partnership with Patel to drive USA’s innings.

The pair batted briskly, bringing the team’s total to 82 in nine overs. However, the stand was eventually broken with Patel’s wicket, who made 36 from 22 balls, including a six and three fours.

After his wicket, Saiteja Mukkamalla anchored the chase. The right-hand top-scored for USA with 79 from 51 balls, striking four sixes and four boundaries.

The other notable contribution was from Shubham Ranjane, who made a quick-fire 48 off 24, including two sixes and three fours.

For the Netherlands, Bas de Leede returned with the figures of 3/37 in his four overs.

Playing XIs

Netherlands: Michael Levitt, Max ODowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (w/c), Zach Lion-Cachet, Logan van Beek, Aryan Dutt, Roelof van der Merwe, Kyle Klein and Fred Klaassen.

USA: Monank Patel(w/c), Shayan Jahangir, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Nosthush Kenjige and Ali Khan.

READ: UAE seal comeback win over Canada in T20 World Cup clash

LAHORE: The National T20 Cup Qualifier 2025-26 is set to commence on Saturday, 14 February here at the Gaddafi Stadium.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), 10 regional teams will compete for a place in the 10-team main event.

“A total of 10 regional teams have been divided into two groups of five, while the table toppers from each group will qualify for the 10-team main event scheduled in late February and March,” the press release wrote.

“The final of the tournament, between the top two teams from each group, will take place on 24 February at the Gaddafi Stadium. The 10 teams will play a total of 21 matches, including the final,” it added.

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Group A comprises Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Larkana, and Quetta, while Group B consists of Bahawalpur, Dera Murad Jamali, FATA, Hyderabad, and Rawalpindi. Each team will play four group matches each.

All the matches will be live-streamed on Tapmad in Pakistan and on the PCB YouTube channel outside Pakistan.

All days from 14 to 23 February will see double-headers.

The matches taking place before Ramzan are set to begin at 4pm and 8.30pm, while the matches afterwards will start at 7pm and 11.15pm.

Pool A – Karachi Blues, Quetta, Larkana, Islamabad, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Pool B – FATA, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Dera Murad Jamal,i and Bahawalpur

Squads:

Azad Jammu and Kashmir: Hasan Raza (captain), Adil Azad, Amir Nazir (wk), Aqib Liaqat, Arslan Mahzood, Awais Akram, Faizan Saleem, Hasnain Shamir, Husnain Nadeem, Jawad Imtiaz, Nadeem Khalil, Saad Asif, Umer Hayat, Usman Yousuf, and Zaman Khan

Bahawalpur: Mohammad Imran (captain), Ali Afzal, Ali Hamza, Ali Shabbir, Faizan Zafar, Khaqan Basheer, Mohammad Sudais, Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Ammar, Muhammad Azab, Muhammad Basit, Muhammad Faizan, Muhammad Junaid, Muhammad Umair, and Shahid Mirani

Dera Murad Jamali: Fahad Hussain (captain), Basit Ali, Dawood Khan, Farhan Ullah, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Shahid, Nasir Khan, Rasool Baksh, Sajjad Ahmed, Sajjad Ali, Saleem Mal, Shoaib Ahmed, Taimur Ali and Tariq Jameel

FATA: Asif Afridi (captain), Afaq Afridi, Azaz Khan, Khubaib Khalil, Khushdil Shah, Maaz Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Sarwar, Muhammad Waseem Khan, Rehan Afridi, Salman Khan, Sameen Gul, Samiullah Jnr and Sirajuddin

Hyderabad: Sharjeel Khan (captain), Akbar Khan, Asad Malik, Daniyal Rajput, Haris Khanzada, Jawad Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Meesam, Mustafa Nasir, Noman Ali, Rizwan Mehmood, Shehryar Baloch, Suleman Khan, Ubaidullah Rahupoto, and Zain-ul-Abedeen

Islamabad: Umair Riaz (captain), Arsal Sheikh, Farhan Ali, Farman Ullah, Hammad Siddique, Hamza Waheed, Haris Rauf, Kaleem Dil, Rizwan Ali, Musa Khan, Naseerullah, Shahbaz Khan, Shayan Sheikh, Umair and Umar Nawaz

Karachi Blues: Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (captain), Aarish Ali Khan, Ahsan Ali, Fahad Amin, Jahanzaib Sultan, Maaz Khurram Amin, Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Raza Chandio, Muhammad Taha, Muhammad Usman Rahim, Rameez Aziz, Rehman Ghani, Syed Shah Raza, Wahaj Riaz, and Zeeshan Zameer

Larkana: Zahid Mehmood (captain), Aamir Ali Taheem, Ali Asghar, Asif Chandio, Ghulam Raza, Malhar Rasool, Mohsin Raza, Muhammad Aqeel Danish, Muhammad Huzaifa, Mushtaq Ahmed, Sabit Ali Siyal, Saqlain Nawaz Rajput, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shahzaib Aziz, and Zahid Hussain

Quetta: Jalat Khan (captain), Abdul Hameed, Abdul Hanan, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Bismillah Khan, Bohair Aman, Haseebullah, Jahangir Shah, Khalil Ahmed, Muhammad Ibrahim, Muhammad Idrees, Muhammad Junaid, Najeed Ullah, Salahuddin, and Yasir Khan

Rawalpindi: Haider Ali (captain), Abdul Faseeh, Abdul Qadir, Ali Husnain, Jahandad Khan, Kashif Ali, M Faizan, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Nabeel, Nasir Nawaz, Shahbaz Tabrez, Taimur Khan, Yasir Khan, and Zeeshan Malik

READ: UAE seal comeback win over Canada in T20 World Cup clash

Half-centuries from Aryansh Sharma and Sohaib Khan rescued United Arab Emirates from a slippery chase to post a thrilling five-wicket over Canada in the T20 World Cup on Friday.

Chasing 151, the UAE looked in trouble at 66-4 in the 13th over.

But Sharma, who made an unbeaten 74, and Soahib (51) put on 84 to help them achieve their target with two balls to spare in New Delhi.

Sharma played the anchor while Sohaib took on the opposition attack with four fours and four sixes to deny Canada and hand UAE their first win in two matches in Group D.

Sohaib raised his fifty off 28 balls but fell in the last over to leave Muhammad Arfan to hit the winning run to trigger joyous celebrations.

Pace bowler Junaid Siddique set up the win with figures of 5-35 in his four overs to limit Canada to 150-7 and was named player of the match.

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“In the first innings, we thought they might be going for 160 or 170,” said Siddique.

“We bowled very well in the last few overs and knew that 150 was a chaseable total.”

Canada spinner Saad Bin Zafar impressed with 3-14 in his four overs to rattle the opposition top order.

But Sharma and Sohaib turned the chase on its head to make UAE jump to third in the group ahead of winless Afghanistan.

New Zealand and South Africa head the group with two wins from two.

They clash in Ahmedabad on Saturday, where the winner will be the first team assured of a place in the Super Eights.

READ: T20 World Cup: Raza reacts after thrilling win over Australia

COLOMBO: Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza lavished praise on his side after sealing an emphatic 20-run victory over Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The result marked one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far, as Zimbabwe outplayed the former champions in all departments to continue their impressive run.

Opting to bat first, Zimbabwe produced a confident batting effort to post a competitive 169-2.

Opener Brian Bennett anchored the innings with a steady 64 off 56 deliveries, striking seven boundaries. Meanwhile, captain Sikandar Raza added late impetus with an unbeaten 25 off just 13 balls.

For Australia, only Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis managed to pick up wickets as Zimbabwe built a strong foundation.

Zimbabwe inflicted a poor start on Australia as they were reduced to 29-4 inside five overs.

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A fighting 77-run stand between Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw briefly revived the chase, but the rising required rate kept mounting pressure.

Australia were eventually bowled out for 146.

Sikandar Raza took to X and praised his team for defeating a strong Australian side.

“This team. No words to describe what we all feeling today but we are aware what lies ahead and in sha Allah we remain committed and focused,” he wrote.

“Keep praying for us and in sha Allah we keep going,” Raza added.

Interestingly, this was only the second T20 World Cup meeting between the two sides, with Zimbabwe now holding a perfect 2-0 record after also defeating Australia in the inaugural 2007 edition.

With back-to-back wins, including their earlier victory over Oman, Zimbabwe have strengthened their chances of progressing to the next round. They are set to face Ireland and Sri Lanka in their remaining group fixtures.

Australia, meanwhile, must win both of their remaining matches against Sri Lanka and Oman to keep their Super Eight hopes alive.

READ: Driven by Dhoni, Pakistan’s X-factor tweaker Tariq targets India

Pakistan’s Usman Tariq left his cricket ambitions back home to start a salesman’s job in Dubai, before a biopic about India’s great Mahendra Singh Dhoni changed his life.

The unusual bowling action of the double-jointed spinner has created plenty of chatter in his first T20 World Cup, and now he goes into Sunday’s revived clash against India as one of Pakistan’s main weapons.

His inspiration was born in India, and Tariq admits that if he had not watched the 2016 Bollywood movie “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story,” he might not be playing cricket today.

Based on the life of India’s World Cup-winning captain, the movie told a tale of grit, rejection, and eventual glory — and made Tariq believe it was never too late to chase his ambition.

Tariq, now 30, left Dubai and roamed around the world to mature as a mystery spinner.

Pakistan skipper Salman Agha insisted Tariq will be a special weapon when his side face their arch-rivals, after being cleared to play after an Islamabad government U-turn after initially ordering a boycott of the India match.

“Tariq is our X-factor and a key weapon,” Agha said ahead of the tournament after Pakistan had used him sparingly to protect his unique action.

Since making his international debut just three months ago, Tariq has taken 11 wickets in four T20 internationals, including a hat-trick against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi.

He grabbed a match-defining 3-27 against USA in Colombo on his World Cup debut this week.

The 28-year-old’s bizarre bowling action was reported as illegal twice in the last two years, but was cleared by the International Cricket Council laboratory.

His action carries an element of mystery as he pauses exaggeratedly before releasing the ball in a slingshot manner.

England’s Tom Banton questioned Tariq’s action in the United Arab Emirates T20 League last year.

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green mimicked Tariq’s round-arm during the T20 series before the World Cup in Lahore, raising renewed doubts.

But India player Ravichandran Ashwin, himself a great spinner, and umpire Anil Chaudhary declared Tariq’s bowling action to be within the rules.

“I believe that it is entirely legal,” Ashwin wrote on X, by explaining several factors of the action.

Tariq is unperturbed by the doubters.

“I have two corners of my bowling arm elbow, which is rare,” Tariq told AFP.

“I have been cleared twice so I am confident that it’s legal.

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“I have struggled this far and am not worried about such baseless questions.”

After Tariq left Dubai a friend introduced him to Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman who took him to a local coach in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, his hometown.

“Zaman brought this young and determined boy to me,” Wajahatullah Wasti, a former Pakistan player, told AFP.

“I watched him bowl with amazement as he looked very unique and I advised him to bowl a little quicker. Today he has made a name for himself.”

Tariq talked about the Dhoni biopic that changed everything.

“I had left behind thinking of making a name in cricket, but one day I watched this film and it convinced me that I can also do the same,” Tariq told AFP.

Tariq progressed by leaps and bounds.

He finished with 20 wickets in the Caribbean Premier League last year, forcing his way into the Pakistan team.

“My coach informed me about my selection in the Pakistan team while I was busy with my wedding last year and initially I thought it was a prank,” said Tariq.

“But it was true so I think my wife brought luck for me.”

From a salesman in Dubai to Pakistan’s potential trump card against India, Tariq’s script is still being written.

READ: Mohammad Amir labels Abhishek Sharma “just a slogger”

COLOMBO: A disciplined bowling display led by Blessing Muzarabani and a composed half-century from Brian Bennett steered Zimbabwe to a memorable 23-run victory over Australia in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday.

The result marked one of the biggest upsets of the tournament so far, as Zimbabwe outplayed the former champions in all departments to continue their impressive run.

Opting to bat first, Zimbabwe produced a confident batting effort to post a competitive 169-2.

Opener Brian Bennett anchored the innings with a steady 64 off 56 deliveries, striking seven boundaries.

He found solid support from Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl, who contributed 35 runs apiece, while captain Sikandar Raza added late impetus with an unbeaten 25 off just 13 balls.

For Australia, only Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis managed to pick up wickets as Zimbabwe built a strong foundation.

Australia’s chase began on a disastrous note as Muzarabani and Brad Evans struck early, sharing four wickets to leave Australia struggling at 29-4 inside five overs.

A fighting 77-run stand between Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw briefly revived the chase, but the rising required rate kept mounting pressure.

Maxwell scored 31 off 32 before being clean bowled by Ryan Burl, while Renshaw’s determined 65 off 44 ended when Muzarabani struck again, effectively sealing the contest. Australia were eventually bowled out for 146.

Muzarabani finished with four wickets, while Evans claimed three. Wellington Masakadza and Ryan Burl chipped in with one wicket each to complete a clinical bowling performance.

Interestingly, this was only the second T20 World Cup meeting between the two sides, with Zimbabwe now holding a perfect 2-0 record after also defeating Australia in the inaugural 2007 edition.

With back-to-back wins, including their earlier victory over Oman, Zimbabwe have strengthened their chances of progressing to the next round. They are set to face Ireland and Sri Lanka in their remaining group fixtures.

Australia, meanwhile, must win both of their remaining matches against Sri Lanka and Oman to keep their Super Eight hopes alive.

READ: Mohammad Amir labels Abhishek Sharma “just a slogger”

Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has delivered a blunt assessment of India’s explosive opener Abhishek Sharma ahead of the much-anticipated clash between the arch-rivals in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday.

Speaking during a local TV show, Amir offered an unfiltered critique of the left-hander’s batting approach, questioning both his technique and consistency at the highest level.

“From what I’ve seen, if I’m being completely honest, he looks like a slogger to me,” Amir said. “He tries to hit every ball. If it connects, it connects, but most of the time the chances of failure are higher.”

The former left-arm pacer pointed to the high-risk nature of Sharma’s game, highlighting fluctuating returns with the bat.

“You must have noticed that he might play eight innings and score in only one of them, while in the others he gets 10, 15, 0, 20,” he said.

“The way he swings the bat, there doesn’t seem to be much technique; it’s more like, ‘Just give me the ball, and I’ll swing.’ Technically, I haven’t found him very sound.”

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Mohammad Amir, however, acknowledged the danger Sharma poses on his day.

“When it comes off, it really comes off, and he can hurt any team,” he said, while noting that the batter still appears vulnerable against quality variations, particularly slower deliveries and subtle swing.

He added that he would consider Sharma a complete batter only when he consistently handles movement and demonstrates stronger technical control.

Despite the criticism, Sharma’s numbers in T20 internationals remain impressive.

The explosive opener has scored 1,297 runs in 39 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 194.95, including two centuries and eight half-centuries.

Against Pakistan, he has accumulated 110 runs in three games at a strike rate close to 190, registering one fifty.

However, his impact in the ongoing tournament has been limited. Sharma was dismissed for a first-ball duck against the USA and missed the Namibia fixture due to illness, leaving his availability for the Pakistan encounter uncertain.

READ: Will Abhishek Sharma be available for India-Pakistan clash?

Arsenal missed the chance to extend their Premier League lead to six points as Brentford rattled the Gunners in a 1-1 draw on Thursday to give Manchester City hope in the title race.

Noni Madueke headed the leaders in front on the hour mark, but the Bees were well worthy of at least a point and levelled through Keane Lewis-Potter.

Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table now stands at four points as they aim for a first league title in 22 years.

But Mikel Arteta’s men still have to travel to second-placed City in the remaining 12 games of the season.

A point boosted Brentford’s bid to qualify for European football for the first time as they remain in seventh.

Keith Andrews’ side have only been beaten twice at home all season, and Arsenal can count themselves fortunate not to have suffered just a fourth league defeat of the campaign.

David Raya foiled his former club with a stunning save to claw away Igor Thiago’s powerful header with the best chance of the first half.

Arsenal were missing William Saliba and Kai Havertz through illness and injury, respectively, but were boosted by the return of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka on the bench.

Arteta sent for Odegaard at half-time to turn the tide, and the visitors started the second period with far more intent.

Arsenal’s pressure had its reward when Madueke rose highest at the back post to head Piero Hincapie’s cross back across Caoimhin Kelleher.

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However, the visitors were guilty of trying to hold onto their advantage rather than continuing to take the game to Brentford.

Thiago stung the palms of Raya once more as the home side grew in confidence.

Lewis Potter should have levelled earlier when he headed wide from a corner when completely unmarked.

Arsenal’s strength from set-pieces has played a huge role in putting them in pole position for the title.

But they struggled to cope with Brentford’s own prowess from dead balls.

The equaliser arrived from one of Michael Kayode’s long-throws propellled into the box, Sepp van den Berg won the flick-on, and Lewis Potter stole in ahead of Odegaard to head in.

Brentford were the far more likely winners in the final 20 minutes.

Cristhian Mosquera made a vital last-ditch tackle to deny Thiago.

The Brazilian’s best chance for an 18th Premier League goal of the season came in stoppage time, but he smashed inches over.

But Arsenal also had a chance to snatch victory at the death when Kelleher raced off his line to save from Gabriel Martinelli.

READ: Atletico Madrid rout Barcelona in Copa del Rey semi-final first leg