Category: Top News

Australia’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have suffered a significant blow, with experienced fast bowler Josh Hazlewood officially ruled out of the tournament just days before their campaign begins.

The development comes only five days ahead of Australia’s opening fixture against Ireland, further complicating the team’s build-up to the global event.

Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed Hazlewood’s withdrawal, stating that a final decision regarding his replacement will be announced in due course.

His absence adds to Australia’s growing injury concerns, particularly after Pat Cummins was also sidelined earlier, leaving a noticeable gap in the team’s pace attack.

Hazlewood’s unavailability is a major setback considering the form he carried into 2026.

The right-arm pacer enjoyed an impressive 2025 season, playing a pivotal role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Indian Premier League (IPL) title-winning campaign and delivering strong performances in the T20I series against South Africa, New Zealand and India.

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Over the year, he picked up 12 wickets at an average of 16.58, maintaining an economy rate of 7.37, while proving especially effective in the powerplay with eight wickets at an economy of 6.72.

Among his standout performances were match-defining spells of 3 for 27 against South Africa in Darwin and 3 for 13 against India in Melbourne, underlining his value in high-pressure situations.

However, injuries have plagued Hazlewood’s recent months. He initially sustained a hamstring strain during the final Sheffield Shield match leading up to the Ashes and later encountered Achilles tendon issues during his recovery.

Despite aiming to regain full fitness in time for the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia revealed that the latest medical evaluations indicated he was still not ready for competitive cricket.

READ: Harry Brook predicts record 300-plus scores at T20 World Cup

England captain Harry Brook said on Thursday that he believes it could be a record-breaking T20 World Cup, with fans treated to a batting blitz and 300-plus scores in the 2026 edition.

Sri Lanka’s 260-6 in 2007 remains the highest total in the nine previous editions of the men’s tournament.

The T20 World Cup 2026 begins Saturday, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, and England will play all their Group C matches at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, both renowned as high-scoring venues.

“There are plenty of grounds in India where there could be a score of 300-plus,” Brook told reporters on the captain’s media day in Mumbai, when asked if he thought such lofty totals were possible.

“The wickets are quite good, with rapid outfields and fairly short boundaries.

“So, yeah, you’ve just got to go out there, be fearless, not worry about getting out and keep on trying to attack the ball.”

England come into the World Cup heartened by a 3-0 T20 series win in Sri Lanka this week.

In the preceding ODI series against the same opposition, the explosive Brook bludgeoned 136 off just 66 balls.

His team are expected to make the Super Eights from a Group C that also features two-time winners West Indies, debutants Italy, Nepal and Scotland.

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Brook would not be drawn when asked whether the 2010 and 2022 champions England, were among the favourites for the title ahead of their opening match, against Nepal at the Wankhede stadium on Sunday.

“We’ll take it game by game and see where we land in a couple of weeks,” said Brook, who has been under intense scrutiny after an incident with a nightclub bouncer in New Zealand last year.

“We are confident, we want to go all the way in the tournament,” added Brook, who is in charge at a global tournament for the first time since he replaced Jos Buttler as white-ball captain last year.

He did admit that he might try “to lose” a few tosses, as it could be a gamble in India and Sri Lanka as to whether batting first or bowling first would give the best advantage.

“Obviously, dew might play a factor in some different grounds,” said Brook.

“You’ve just got to try and assess the pitch, when you get there.

“Me and Baz (coach Brendon McCullum), we’ll be having chats here and there about it. We usually end up deciding that we don’t have a clue.

“So we’ll be trying to lose the odd toss, but no, you’ve got to try and factor in the dew, the opposition and what you think the pitch might do.”

READ: Former India spinner sees Pakistan as dark horses for T20 World Cup

Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Pakistan have a genuine chance to make a strong impact at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to be played across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Speaking during a recent squad analysis on his YouTube channel, Ashwin put cricketing logic above rivalry and openly backed Pakistan’s chances, stating that the team possesses the right balance to challenge the top sides in the tournament.

“Some people might not like this, but I’m going to talk about cricket. I feel that Pakistan has a really, really good shot in this World Cup,” Ashwin said.

The former Indian spinner highlighted Pakistan’s top-order combination as their biggest strength, particularly the expected opening partnership of Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub.

He praised Ayub’s aggressive powerplay batting and also pointed to Shaheen Shah Afridi’s ability to control the early overs with the ball.

“Their biggest strength is their opening pair. Babar Azam is not opening; it will be Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub,” he said.

“Saim Ayub has been impressive in the powerplay with the bat, and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s economy rate in the powerplay is excellent at 6.5.

“Abrar Ahmed and Nawaz are also strong, Nawaz with his control and Abrar with his novelty factor.”

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However, Ashwin also identified a few areas of concern in Pakistan’s setup.

He noted that Babar Azam’s role in the middle order could be a challenge, while the death bowling of Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah may need improvement.

He also pointed to Shadab Khan’s dip in all-round form, though he acknowledged the promise of emerging players within the squad.

“Their weakness is Babar Azam coming in at the middle order, and the death bowling from Naseem Shah and Shaheen isn’t very sharp,” Ashwin stated.

“Shadab’s batting and bowling form has dipped, while Usman Tariq brings a novelty factor with a 5.63 economy rate. Khawaja Nafay is striking at 174.”

Despite the concerns, Ashwin stressed that Pakistan remain a well-rounded side capable of competing with the best, especially with underrated contributors in the lineup.

“Overall, Pakistan has strengths and weaknesses, but they do have Salman Ali Agha, who often doesn’t get mentioned,” he concluded.

READ: Pakistan to seek government permission for potential India knockout clash

COLOMBO: Pakistan men’s cricket team will seek advice from their government if they meet arch-rivals India in the knockout phase of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, captain Salman Ali Agha said on Thursday.

The tournament has been marred by an acrimonious political build‑up after Bangladesh were kicked out and Pakistan refused to face co-hosts India in their Group A match.

However, a semi-final or final showdown between the uneasy South Asian neighbours is still a possibility.

“The India game is not in our control. It was the government’s decision, and if we have to play them in the semi-final or the final, we will go back to them and act on their advice,” Agha told reporters in Colombo.

Bangladesh refused to play in India, citing security concerns, as relations soured and were kicked out of Group C by the International Cricket Council (ICC), to be replaced by Scotland.

Pakistan backed Bangladesh’s plea to have their games moved to Sri Lanka.

The government in Islamabad cleared the national team to take part but ordered them not to play in the marquee group match against India on February 15.

“It’s sad Bangladesh are not here. They have a very good side. Hopefully, they will support us,” Agha said.

Pakistan and India have not played bilateral cricket for more than a decade, and meet only in multinational events.

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They will face Namibia, the Netherlands and the United States of America (USA) in the group stage.

“We’re excited to play in this tournament. We lost to the USA in the last World Cup, and we are determined to put that disappointment behind us and put a few things right,” Agha said.

Pakistan will not only lose two points for forfeiting their India match but will also take a big hit to their net run rate.

Even losing one of their group games to bad weather could make it difficult for Pakistan to qualify.

“We know the margin for error is small, but we can’t control the weather. We are here to play good cricket, and we’re not bothered about the conditions,” Agha said.

Pakistan, the 2009 champions, arrive after a 3-0 whitewash of Australia at home.

“We’ve been playing really good cricket. We haven’t lost a series since the Asia Cup last year. Everything is coming along nicely, and we’re confident of doing well,” Agha said.

All of Pakistan’s games will be played in Sri Lanka, where they toured in January.

“Very happy to play in Sri Lanka, it’s a second home for me. This is my sixth visit, we know the conditions, and we get a lot of support,” Agha said.

READ: Nasser Hussain slams ICC, backs Pakistan, Bangladesh in T20 World Cup dispute

Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will undergo surgery on his injured hamstring on Friday, his club Girona confirmed on Wednesday.

Ter Stegen injured his hamstring while playing for the La Liga club last weekend.

Girona posted on social media that the 33-year-old “will undergo surgery this Friday for the hamstring injury he sustained in his left thigh”.

Girona added that a recovery timeline will be determined after the operation.

Ter Stegen had moved to Girona from parent club Barcelona in January in hopes of additional game time in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, which gets underway in just over four months.

Spanish media reported that Girona were considering sending the injured goalkeeper back to Barcelona and were permitted to do so under the loan agreement.

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The news is the latest setback for Germany’s number one keeper, whose participation at the World Cup is in doubt.

Germany’s number one since the retirement of Manuel Neuer in 2024, Ter Stegen has suffered a series of injury setbacks.

On Tuesday, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann backed Ter Stegen after the “unbelievably cruel” injury.

“Right now all that matters is that he gets healthy in peace, without any additional pressure. We’re all behind him,” Nagelsmann said.

Nagelsmann confirmed Ter Stegen would be out until at least April, missing two Germany friendlies in March.

READ: Nasser Hussain slams ICC, backs Pakistan, Bangladesh in T20 World Cup dispute

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has strongly criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the T20 World Cup 2026, backing Pakistan and Bangladesh in their stand against what he described as inconsistent and biased decision-making by the global governing body.

The debate intensified after the Pakistan government announced on February 1 that the national team would boycott their group-stage clash against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the move a protest against the ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the tournament after they refused to play in India over security concerns.

Bangladesh were subsequently replaced by Scotland, a decision that sparked criticism from several quarters of the cricketing world.

Hussain, speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, questioned the ICC’s consistency and suggested that the governing body has shown preferential treatment towards India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“There has always been a link between sports and politics, but what used to be an exception now feels like the norm,” Hussain said.

“It’s very depressing, not shaking hands, not lifting trophies. Cricket used to unite countries; now it’s pushing people apart.”

He raised concerns over whether the ICC would apply the same strict stance if India were to make a similar request regarding venues in future tournaments.

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“If India, a month before a World Cup, said their government didn’t want them to play in a particular country, would the ICC really be so firm and say, ‘You know the rules, bad luck, you’re out’?” Hussain questioned.

The former skipper emphasised that consistency should be the guiding principle in dealing with politically influenced decisions by member boards.

“All sides ask for is consistency. You have to treat Bangladesh the same as Pakistan, and Pakistan the same as India,” he said.

Nasser Hussain also warned that repeatedly sidelining Pakistan and Bangladesh could have damaging consequences for the sport in those nations, ultimately affecting the competitiveness of major cricketing rivalries.

“With power comes responsibility. If you keep knocking Pakistan and Bangladesh into a corner, their cricket diminishes, and the great contests we’ve seen over the years risk becoming one-sided,” he added.

The 57-year-old further pointed to the growing influence of politics in franchise cricket, questioning whether teams with Indian ownership are willing to sign Pakistani or Bangladeshi players, while praising the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for ensuring inclusivity in The Hundred.

Highlighting the broader impact on the sport, Hussain applauded Bangladesh for standing by Mustafizur Rahman and Pakistan for showing solidarity, urging cricket’s powerbrokers to prioritise the game over politics.

“The game is shooting itself in the foot. At some point, someone had to say enough with the politics, can we just get back to playing cricket?” he concluded.

READ: Lahore Qalandars announce Mustafizur Rahman as direct signing for PSL 11

Manchester City will face Arsenal in the League Cup final after ending Newcastle’s reign as holders with a first-half blitz in their 3-1 victory on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were already in pole position after winning the semi-final first leg on Tyneside in January and they finished the job in ruthless fashion at the Etihad Stadium.

Omar Marmoush struck twice in the first half of the second leg before Tijjani Reijnders put the result beyond doubt.

Anthony Elanga reduced the deficit after the interval, but City’s 5-1 aggregate win sent them back to the League Cup showpiece for the first time since 2021.

City’s final date with Arsenal is set for March 22 at Wembley after the Premier League leaders knocked out Chelsea on Tuesday.

Reaching the final was a welcome tonic for Guardiola following the frustration of blowing a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Sunday that delivered a major blow to their title challenge.

With a crucial trip to Liverpool looming this weekend, City trail Arsenal by six points in the Premier League title race.

The League Cup was the first silverware of Guardiola’s City reign when they beat Arsenal in the 2018 final, with current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta then working as the Spaniard’s assistant.

City went on to win the competition for the following three years, but haven’t lifted the League Cup since 2021.

“We will travel to London again, they will wait for us there. They never travel to the north (for finals) but I am really happy to be back. Five (League Cup) finals in 10 years is a big milestone,” Guardiola said.

“It will be good. You have to live this experience. The first title we won here was in the League Cup.

“When you win something, it helps to win more. It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe and maybe the world.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe added: “Really annoyed with the first half display. We pride ourselves on being really organised and tactically we want to be able to handle any problem the opposition gives us.

“That first half we weren’t good enough individually and our duels were off and it gave us huge problems.”

Guardiola used sarcasm and statistics this week to defend City against claims the club’s success has been due to the financial muscle of their Abu Dhabi-based owners.

The City manager pointed out six English clubs have spent more than his side over the past five years, but he knows he will never win over the critics.

Guardiola’s only way to silence the outside noise — and mounting suggestions that City are a team in decline — is with silverware.

And after finishing last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years, Guardiola would love to end City’s barren spell at Arsenal’s expense.

Marmoush put City ahead with a stroke of luck in the seventh minute.

He raced into the Newcastle penalty area and when Dan Burn made a last-ditch tackle, the ball bounced off the Egypt forward and looped into the net.

James Trafford preserved City’s lead, saving from Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon in quick succession.

Marmoush struck for the second time in the 29th minute, heading home from virtually on the goal-line after Kieran Trippier made a hash of clearing Antoine Semenyo’s cross.

That was the culmination of an incisive City counter-attack and they pulled Newcastle apart again with another rapid raid in the 32nd minute.

Reijnders led the break, picking out Semenyo and racing into the area to finish the Ghanaian’s return pass with a clinical low drive from 12 yards.

City barely got out of first gear in the second half and Elanga got one back in the 62nd minute, curling into the far corner after slaloming through the defence.

READ: Pakistan PM Shehbaz reaffirms decision to boycott India clash

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s decision to boycott the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 fixture against India, scheduled to be played on February 15, insisting that politics must not interfere in sports.

While addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet, the premier backed the government’s stance of preventing the national team from taking the field against their arch-rivals, describing the move as a “carefully deliberated and appropriate decision” in response to what he termed the growing politicisation of cricket.

“We have taken a clear stand regarding the T20 World Cup that we will not play the match against India,” Sharif said, stressing that sports should remain free from political influence.

He added that the decision was made after thorough consultation at the highest level.

The prime minister also expressed support for Bangladesh in the ongoing controversy surrounding the tournament.

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Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the T20 World Cup after requesting their matches be shifted from India to Sri Lanka due to security concerns.

According to government sources, the development played a key role in Islamabad reassessing its participation in the 20-team global event.

Officials in Pakistan have perceived the ICC’s handling of the Bangladesh situation as biased, further straining confidence in the governing body.

The controversy intensified after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders, reportedly following directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The move, coupled with the ICC’s subsequent decision regarding Bangladesh’s participation, was viewed by Pakistani authorities as politically influenced.

READ: Karachi Kings announce Moeen Ali as direct signing for PSL 11

KARACHI: Karachi boys and girls teams secured the first place in the Sindh Inter-Division Ring Ball Championship 2026, held at the YMCA Sports Complex in Karachi.

Divisional teams from Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Benazirabad, Sukkur, and Larkana featured around 195 players, team officials, coaches, and technical officials.

All matches were played at the YMCA Sports Complex.

The opening ceremony was attended by Azim Aqili (CEO, SEZMC) as the chief guest, while Farid Ali (District Sports Officer, South Karachi), Imran Syedat (CEO, SIDAT IT Technology), and Madad Ali Shah (Secretary General, Pakistan Shooting Ball Federation) were among the guests of honour.

In the boys’ category, Karachi Division secured first position, followed by Sukkur Division in second place and Mirpurkhas Division finishing third.

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In the girls’ category, Karachi Division clinched first place while Sukkur Division finished second, and Hyderabad Division secured third position.

The closing ceremony of the boys’ event was graced by Dr Nauman Syed (CEO, SI Global Solution Ltd) as the chief guest, while the girls’ event featured Nabila Farhat Junejo (Convent of Jesus and Mary School, Clifton) as the chief guest.

Dr Nauman also assured full support for promoting ring ball in the province.

At the conclusion of the championship, the chief guests distributed prizes among the winning players and congratulated them on their performances.

Results:

Individual Awards (Girls):

Best Shooter: Yeshal Azim (Karachi Division)

Best Centre Player: Rose Maria (Karachi Division)

Best Defender: Hadiya Salman (Karachi Division)

Individual Awards (Boys):

Best Shooter: Saad Haider (Karachi Division)

Best Centre Player: Shehzad Augustine (Karachi Division)

Best Defender: Ahmed (Sukkur Division)

READ: India crush Afghanistan in record chase to reach U19 World Cup final

HARARE: Dominant India humbled Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second semi-final of the U19 World Cup 2026 to secure a place in the final for the record 10th time here at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

India breezed past Afghanistan to chase a 311-run target in 41.1 overs, losing only three wickets in the process.

This was also the highest target chased in the U19 Men’s World Cup’s history.

The foundation of chasing down a big total was laid by openers Aaron George and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, adding 90 in just 9.3 overs.

Sooryavanshi played the core aggressor role with a quick-fire 68 from just 33 balls, including four sixes and nine fours.

After his departure, Aaron George, alongside the skipper Ayush Mhatre, held the innings together with a mammoth 114 run parntership that took the game away from Afghanistan.

The pair brought the team’s total to 204 in 26.2 overs. The stand was eventually broken with Mhatre’s wicket, who made 62 off 59 with the help of four sixes and five fours.

Meanwhile, George continued on and went on to score a century. He was involved in another stand of 96 runs with Vihaan Malhotra that put them on the cusp of a victory.

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The right-hander was eventually dismissed when India’s scorecard read 300 in 39.3 overs. He made 115 from 104 balls peppered with 15 fours and two sixes.

Vihaan Malhotra remained unbeaten on 38 from 47, striking three fours that ensured India crossed the finishing line without a major hiccup.

For Afghanistan, Nooristani Omarzai picked up two wickets.

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Afghanistan racked up 310-4 in 50 overs.

Afghanistan’s openers provided a steady start with a 53-run partnership in 12.2 overs.

After the opening wicket, Faisal Shinozada put on a 64-run partnership with Khalid Ahmadzai, who made 31.

The highlight of the Afghanistan innings was 148 run stand between Uzairullah Niazai and Faisal Shinozada. The pair took the score from 117 to 265 in 45.5 overs.

Shinozada was cleaned bowled after scoring 110 from 93 with the aid of 15 fours.

Meanwhile, Uzairullah Niazai marched on, scoring an unbeaten century which put Afghanistan into a commanding position. Niazai scored 101 from 86, hitting 12 fours and two sixes.

For India, Kanishk Chouhan and Deepesh Devendran scalped two apiece.

READ: T20 World Cup: Pakistan-Ireland warm-up fixture washed out