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LAHORE: The second batch of the Pakistan T20I squad, including captain Salman Ali Agha, departed for Colombo on Monday for the three-match series against Sri Lanka starting January 7.

The travelling party also includes Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Abdul Samad and Khawaja Nafay.

Batting coach Mohammad Hanif and several members of the support staff are also part of the second batch.

پاکستان/سری لنکا ٹی ٹوئنٹی سیریز

قومی ٹی ٹوئنٹی سکواڈ کا دوسرا گروپ لاہور سے کولمبو کے لیے روانہ

دوسرے گروپ میں کپتان سلمان علی آغا ، محمد نواز ، صاحبزادہ فرحان ،عثمان خان ، صائم ایوب ، ابرار احمد ، عبدالصمد اور خواجہ نافع شامل

بیٹنگ کوچ محمد حنیف اور سپورٹ سٹاف کے دیگر… pic.twitter.com/gy1VGAJZFj

— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) January 5, 2026

Earlier in the day, the first contingent of the Pakistan team reached Sri Lanka, accompanied by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson.

The group featured all-rounders Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf, as well as pacers Mohammad Wasim Jr and Salman Mirza.

Bowling coach Ashley Noffke, the fielding coach and other support staff members also arrived in Colombo.

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Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to face each other in a three-match T20I series, scheduled for January 7, 9 and 11.

All matches will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium in Dambulla.

The series holds added significance for Pakistan as it serves as a key build-up assignment ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Pakistan will play all of their World Cup fixtures in Colombo.

Pakistan squad for Sri Lanka T20Is

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.

READ: Travis Head hits back for Australia after England post 384

SYDNEY: An imperious Joe Root hit a magnificent 160 to drive England to 384 in the fifth and final Ashes Test on Monday before Travis Head let rip to haul Australia back into the contest with a quick unbeaten 91.

Root’s superb innings, his 41st ton to match Ricky Ponting, was only ended courtesy of a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Michael Neser, who finished with 4-60.

Australia were left to negotiate the final session of day two at a sold-out Sydney Cricket Ground, which they did for the loss of Jake Weatherald (21) and Marnus Labuschagne (48).

By stumps, the hosts had raced to 166-2 with nightwatchman Neser on one alongside Head.

Weatherald, who needed a big score to stave off the critics, again failed to live up to expectations since making his debut at the first Test in Perth.

He was dropped twice in the space of three balls, by Root and then Ben Duckett, before Ben Stokes trapped him lbw.

But Head, who, like Root, has slammed two centuries in the ongoing Ashes, was in the zone.

He clattered three boundaries off the second over from Matthew Potts, in the side for the injured Gus Atkinson, and there was no let-up, blitzing a quickfire 50 off 55 balls.

Labuschagne was also in good touch, stroking seven boundaries before thick-edging Stokes to Jacob Bethell at gully.

Australia lead the series 3-1 and have already retained the Ashes, with England desperate for another win after victory at the previous Test in Melbourne.

England resumed at 211-3 but lost Harry Brook (84), Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) before lunch.

Will Jacks (27), Brydon Carse (1) and Josh Tongue (0), along with Root, departed in the second session.

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The day belonged to Root, who started on 72 and reached an almost chanceless century off 146 balls to reaffirm his status as an all-time great.

The 35-year-old had begun the series under pressure after failing to make a hundred in Australia over three previous Ashes tours.

He snapped the drought with an unbeaten 138 in the day-night Test at Brisbane, and his exploits in Sydney drew him level third with Australia’s Ponting on the all-time century-makers’ list, with 41.

Only India’s Sachin Tendulkar (51) and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) have scored more Test centuries.

Root and Brook came together with England in trouble at 57-3 on Sunday, with both eyeing big centuries on an ideal batting deck.

But Brook only lasted five balls on Monday, adding six to his overnight 78 before dabbing at a Scott Boland delivery and edging into the safe hands of Steve Smith at slip.

It ended a 169-run partnership, not just England’s best of the series but the biggest by either team, surpassing Head and Alex Carey’s 162 in Adelaide.

Stokes only survived 11 balls before getting the faintest of edges off Mitchell Starc to Carey.

Jamie Smith lived dangerously and was fortunate to survive after chipping Cameron Green to Labuschagne at cover on 22. He began walking off, but replays showed Green overstepped, and it was a no-ball.

He added another 24 before medium-pacer Labuschagne bagged him in his first over.

The run rate slowed significantly after lunch when the new ball was taken, but Root persisted, passing 150 for a 17th time, just one behind the legendary Don Bradman and three short of Tendulkar.

He and Jacks put on 52 for the seventh wicket until Jacks sent a leading edge to Green in the gully off Neser. Root was the ninth man out, and Tongue followed without any addition to the score.

READ: Joe Root equals Ricky Ponting’s record in fifth Ashes Test

SYDNEY: Joe Root added another landmark to his illustrious career on Monday, drawing level with Australia great Ricky Ponting on the all-time list of men’s Test centuries during the fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The former England captain brought up his 41st Test hundred with a composed knock that stood out in an otherwise challenging innings for the tourists, who entered the match trailing 3-1 in the five-Test contest.

Resuming on 72 on the second day after rain curtailed play on the opening day, Root batted with characteristic control despite increased intensity from the Australian bowlers and a surface that offered variable bounce.

He reached the three-figure mark with a push for two off Michael Neser, bringing up his 41st Test century in his 163rd Test.

At 35, Root now shares third place on the all-time Test century list with Ponting, with only South Africa’s Jacques Kallis (45) and India legend Sachin Tendulkar (51) ahead of him.

While wickets continued to tumble at the other end, with Harry Brook (84), Ben Stokes (0) and Jamie Smith (46) all departing, Joe Root remained unflustered.

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He went to lunch unbeaten on 138 before extending his innings further in the middle session, eventually passing the 150 mark.

Root’s resistance finally ended on 160 when Michael Neser produced an athletic caught-and-bowled effort to remove the England mainstay.

Notably, it marked Root’s second century of the tour, having failed to register a hundred in his previous 14 Test appearances in Australia before this Ashes series.

England were eventually dismissed for 384, with last man Josh Tongue falling in the same over as Root.

For Australia, Neser led the bowling effort with four wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland chipped in with two apiece.

READ: Australian great Martyn out of coma in ‘miracle’ recovery

Atletico Madrid could only manage a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad on Sunday, leaving them 11 points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Diego Simeone’s side pulled level with third-placed Villarreal on 38 points, but have played two more matches than them and lost more ground in the Spanish title race.

Alexander Sorloth headed Atletico ahead early in the second half, but Goncalo Guedes levelled five minutes later to secure Real Sociedad’s American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo a point in his first game at the helm.

Hosts Real Sociedad started well, with Mikel Oyarzabal firing narrowly wide from distance and Jan Oblak forced to tip away Brais Mendez’s drive.

Atletico, who have won just two of their last five league games, threatened sporadically, but the Basque side were on top and almost took the lead before half-time.

Rojiblancos striker Sorloth headed into his own net, but the goal was disallowed for offside against Mendez, who was standing in front of the Norwegian.

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Five minutes into the second half, Sorloth nodded into the same goal, this time to send his team ahead from Giuliano Simeone’s cross.

Conor Gallagher should have doubled Atletico’s lead but fired wide of the near post when through on goal and was soon punished for it.

Guedes levelled for Real Sociedad after Takefusa Kubo darted into the box and fired the ball across for the unmarked Portuguese winger to finish.

Oblak made a smart low save to thwart Kubo, and his opposite number, Alex Remiro, was also forced into action as Antoine Griezmann ran through but could only fire at the Spaniard from a tight angle.

Carlos Soler could have won it for La Real in stoppage time, but bent a shot agonisingly wide of the far post, leaving his team 15th.

READ: Brahim Diaz sends Morocco to AFCON quarter-finals

Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz maintained his goal-a-game record at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) by scoring to take Morocco into the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Tanzania in Rabat on Sunday.

Diaz scored once in each of three group matches, and his 64th-minute strike against the Tanzanians created history as he became the first Moroccan to find the net in four consecutive AFCON matches.

His celebrations included holding up a shirt belonging to midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, and he later dedicated the last-16 victory to his injured teammate.

Ounahi arrived at the stadium using crutches and wearing a medical boot on his left foot as Bilal El Khannouss took his place in midfield.

The goal came after Morocco squandered numerous scoring chances while stretching an unbeaten run in competitive and friendly matches to 23. Their last loss was to South Africa at the 2024 AFCON.

Morocco will face South Africa or Cameroon, who meet later on Sunday at a different Rabat venue, in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender Achraf Hakimi set up the last-16 winner for Diaz, while making his first start in the tournament after coming off the bench in a victory over Zambia last Monday.

The 2025 African player of the year suffered a serious ankle injury playing for PSG against Bayern Munich in the Champions League two months ago.

“The competition is growing in intensity, and we have just faced our toughest opposition so far in Tanzania,” said Diaz.

“Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately, we managed to secure our qualification. Now we will go back to work to be fully ready for the quarter-finals.”

Argentina-born Tanzania coach Miguel Gamondi said, “I am so proud of what my team produced. So proud of my players, both in their attitude and tactically.

“They showed that the gap between Morocco and us is not as big as people think. We will come back stronger, I am convinced of that.”

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Morocco were favourites for several reasons, including home advantage, the backing of close to 70,000 supporters, and lying 101 places above Tanzania in the world rankings.

However, it was Tanzania who had the first chance in the third minute, but Saimon Msuva misconnected with a Selemani Mwalimu cross.

Morocco had the ball in the net after 15 minutes as Ismael Saibari nodded a Abdessamad Ezzalzouli free-kick past goalkeeper Hussein Masaranga.

The assistant referee immediately raised his flag for offside, and a VAR review confirmed that the PSV striker had strayed too far forward.

Ayoub El Kaabi was the next Moroccan to come close, heading over before being injured in a collision with Masaranga. Both players resumed after treatment.

A Diaz shot was too high from the edge of the box, and El Kaabi headed wide as the host nation continued their pursuit of the opening goal, but the first half ended goalless.

In a lively start to the second period, Ezzalzouli and El Kaabi headed wide, then, in a rare Tanzanian raid, Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum fired over with only goalkeeper Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou to beat.

As Moroccan pressure mounted, Hakimi rifled a free-kick against the crossbar from just outside the box on the hour mark.

A goal seemed inevitable given the relentless pressure from the host nation, and it came thanks to Hakimi and Diaz.

The full-back passed to the forward, who beat Masaranga at his near post with an angled shot from close range.

Tanzania protested furiously in added time after El Khannouss appeared to push Tanzania substitute Iddy Nado in the area, but the referee waved play on.

READ: Manchester City title hopes hit by managerless Chelsea

Enzo Fernandez dealt a massive blow to Premier League title hopes of Manchester City with a 94th-minute equaliser to snatch a 1-1 draw for managerless Chelsea at the Etihad.

Tijjani Reijnders had blasted City into a deserved half-time lead, but they lost central defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to injury in the second half and then blew two points in the dying seconds when Fernandez prodded in at the back post.

A point is only good enough to edge City back above Aston Villa in second on goal difference, and leaves them six points adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea were under the caretaker charge of the club’s under-21 coach Calum McFarlane after parting ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday.

The Blues have won just once in their last eight league games to slip to fifth in the table, but got their reward for a spirited second-half display to close within three points of the top four.

City were able to welcome Rodri back for his first start since early October, and the Spaniard quickly showed why he was crowned the world’s best player before suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in September 2024.

Only wasteful finishing in a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Thursday cost Pep Guardiola’s men a ninth consecutive win, and they were again guilty of letting their opposition off the hook before the break.

After a sluggish opening 20 minutes, the chances began to flow for the home side as Phil Foden fired just wide before Bernardo Silva curled just over the bar.

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Filip Jorgensen made his first Premier League start of the season in the Chelsea goal due to an injury to Robert Sanchez and produced a brilliant save to tip Erling Haaland’s deflected effort behind.

Haaland was practically wheeling away in celebration moments later when his curling shot crashed off the inside of the post.

City’s pressure finally told three minutes before the break when Reijnders wriggled clear inside the box before blasting a powerful shot past Jorgensen at his near post.

Within seconds of the restart, City nearly threw all their good first-half work away.

An ankle injury to Gvardiol left Manchester City undermanned at the back as Chelsea broke forward, and Pedro Neto spooned over the bar from point-blank range.

Chelsea targeted Gvardiol’s replacement, Abdukodir Khusanov, in their search for an equaliser, and City needed Gianluigi Donnarumma to keep Liam Delap out from a narrow angle.

Donnarumma nearly saved his side again at the death with a remarkable stop from Fernandez, but the Argentine got to the rebound first to tap in.

Numerous City players fell to their knees in disappointment as Arsenal close in on their first league title for 22 years.

READ: Usman Tariq hits back at critics over ‘chucking’ allegations

DUBAI: Pakistan off-spinner Usman Tariq has hit back at critics over allegations of chucking, urging them to gain knowledge before commenting or sharing opinions about his action.

The tall right-arm spinner came in as a replacement for Desert Vipers in the International League T20 (ILT20) and made an immediate impact with the ball during the qualifier against MI Emirates.

His three-wicket haul, which also included the scalp of Tom Banton, helped Vipers cruise to the ILT20 final.

After he got Banton, the right-handed batter pointed to the umpire about his action, which sparked debate over Tariq’s action.

Speaking during an interview, Tariq shed light on his unorthodox action, noting that he had cleared his action twice before.

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“As you can see from history, whenever spinners faced allegations of chucking, they went to the lab, tried to modify their action, and worked on the correct degree of flexion. That sometimes confuses spectators,” he said.

“I have undergone two official tests in Pakistan, and my action was cleared. Unlike others, I didn’t have to change anything. I was confident because I know I am not throwing,” he continued.

The 28-year-old has faced chucking accusations in the past, which required him to undergo a bowling action test.

He urged people to first gain knowledge before commenting or sharing opinions without a proper understanding of the game.

“If you don’t understand cricket and still comment or share opinions, illiteracy can kill knowledge. It’s better to understand the game first,” he said.

READ: Khushdil, Mustafizur shine in last-over thriller for Rangpur Riders

Matheus Cunha saved Manchester United from a rare defeat against fierce rivals Leeds as the Brazilian’s equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw at Elland Road on Sunday.

Rubem Amorim’s side trailed to Brenden Aaronson’s second half strike before Cunha dragged them level moments later.

In a bitter rivalry keenly felt among two feuding fan-bases, Leeds have now gone eight matches without a win over United since an FA Cup triumph at Old Trafford in 2010.

United’s failure to take all three points cost them a chance to move into the Premier League’s top four.

Amorim’s men sit in fifth place after winning just one of their last five league games.

After a disappointing 1-1 draw against lowly Wolves on Tuesday, this was another frustrating result for United.

Daniel Farke’s team moved eight points clear of the relegation zone after extended their impressive unbeaten run to seven matches.

Still without injured captain Bruno Fernandes, Amorim sent United out in his preferred 3-4-2-1 shape after finally tinkering with his much-derided tactics for the recent win over Newcastle, then revering to type against Wolves.

Amorim’s chopping and changing is especially intriguing against the backdrop of his comment that he is starting to realise United’s sporting directors might give him the right players for his system.

On a bitterly cold afternoon in Yorkshire, Leeds thundered into a series of bone crunching tackles a bid to seize the momentum in the opening minutes.

Leeds hadn’t beaten United at Elland Road since 2002 and the urgency to end that drought meant there was little sign that they had 48 hours less than their opponents to recover from their previous match.

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Despite their attempts to rattle United, it was the visitors who took control amid the sound and fury in the stands.

Benjamin Sesko should have put United ahead from Casemiro’s pin-point pass, but the striker hesitated too long, allowing Pascal Struijk to make a vital block.

Diogo Dalot scuffed high over the bar from a good opportunity inside the Leeds area.

Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was inches away from breaking the deadlock with a glancing header that cannoned off the far post from Anton Stach’s cross.

Leny Yoro was denied by Lucas Perri’s superb save after the United defender nodded goal-wards from Casemiro’s header into the six-yard box.

United keeper Senne Lammens had to be alert to keep out Gabriel Gudmundsson’s low drive at the near post after the interval.

But teenage defender Ayden Heaven’s lack of experience was exposed when Leeds went in front after 62 minutes.

Heaven was far too casual when Leeds played a long ball over the centre-back and Aaronson took full advantage, accelerating into the United area before sweeping a clinical finish past Lammens.

Amorim responded by sending on Joshua Zirkzee, a move that proved inspired as he played a crucial role in United’s 65th minute equaliser.

Zirkzee slipped a perfectly weighted pass towards Cunha and the Brazilian stretched to poke past Perri from 12 yards.

It was Cunha’s third goal in his last five games as he finally emerges from a poor start to life with United after his summer move from Wolves.

Noah Okafor’s overhead kick was palmed away by Lammens before the out-of-form Sesko wasted a good chance at the other end.

Zirkzee’s cutback found the Slovenian just eight yards from goal but he shot narrowly wide.

Cunha’s curler clipped the post in the closing stages to leave United exasperated.

READ: Khushdil, Mustafizur shine in last-over thriller for Rangpur Riders

SYLHET: All-round Khushdil Shah and an impressive final over from pacer Mustafizur Rahman helped Rangpur Riders seal a thrilling five-run victory over Dhaka Capitals in the 12th fixture of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26.

Set 156, Capitals fell short by five runs at the end of their 20 overs, with 10 required on the last six balls.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Abdullah Al Mamun provided a solid start with 54 on the board in the first six overs.

However, Kyle Mayers and Khushdil Shah removed both batters in consecutive overs to put Dhaka Capitals back into the game.

Gurbaz made 31 from 22 with the aid of five fours and six, while Mamun hit four boundaries in his 20 off 18.

Despite the wickets, Mohammad Mithun and Saif Hassan were able to lift their side out of trouble as they added 51 for the third wicket partnership. The pair composed a batting partnership that brought the score to 111 in 15.1 overs.

Saif made 15 from 24 balls, an innings without a single boundary.

Meanwhile, Mithun managed to string a couple of partnerships, first wiht Shamim Hossain and then with Sabbir Rahman, that brought them near the target.

But it was an impressive final over from Mustafizur that turned the match on its head.

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With 10 required of six, Mustafizur started with a single, followed by two dots on the next two deliveries. The left-arm pacer gave nothing away in the next three balls as Sabbir and Mithun could only take three singles.

For Rangpur Riders, Khushdil Shah, Kyle Mayers, Mustafizur Rahman, and Al Islam picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, put into bat first, Rangpur Riders were limited to 155-5 in their 20 overs.

Dhaka Capitals bowlers put Riders in early trouble as they were reduced to 30-3 in 5.2 overs.

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But it was Dawid Malan’s and Mahmudullah’s 74-run stand that laid the foundation for a competitive total.

The stand eventually ended with Malan’s wicket, the scorecard reading 104-4 in 14.2 overs.

Mahmudullah, meanwhile, continued on and scored a half-century before getting caught in the 17th over. The right-handed batter made 51 off 41 balls with the help of seven boundaries.

Khushdil, on the other hand, provided Riders’ innings with a s late flourish, scoring a brisk 38* off 21, which included two sixes and four boundaries.

For Dhaka Capitals, Ziaur Rahman was the pick of the bowlers as he took two wickets in his quota of four overs.

READ: Tyson Fury comes out of retirement again

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury announced Sunday he will return to boxing in 2026.

Fury has not fought since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in a bout for three of the four major world titles in December 2024.

But the 37-year-old British star posted on Instagram on Sunday: “2026 is that year.

“Been away for a while but I’m back now, 37 years old and still punching. Nothing better to do than punch men in the face and get paid for it.”

Fury also said he was retiring from the sport after beating Dillian Whyte in April 2022, only to return later in the year.

Fury’s history of retirement followed by U-turns meant few believed his most recent claim to end a career that had brought 34 wins in 37 contests.

He was incensed at the judges’ decisions in a pair of defeats by Usyk, the only boxer to beat Fury, who said in last year’s retirement message: “I’m going to end with this: Dick Turpin wore a mask.”

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The self-styled “Gypsy King” fuelled speculation of another comeback over the festive period by posting several clips on his social media feeds of himself in training.

Despite insisting he had bowed out of the sport, Fury has been repeatedly linked with a long-awaited all-British bout against Anthony Joshua, another former two-time world heavyweight champion.

The pair agreed to a fight in August 2021 when they held all the major world titles between them, but that was scuppered when Fury was ordered to take on Deontay Wilder for a third time by an arbitration hearing.

Plans were in the pipeline for Joshua and Fury to have tune-ups in the early part of this year before finally facing off against each other, either in late summer or towards the back end of 2026.

However, the car crash in Nigeria on Monday, which left Joshua injured and led to the deaths of two close friends and team members, has likely put boxing on the back burner for the 36-year-old.

If Joshua is unavailable, Fury could seek a trilogy fight against WBC, WBA and IBF titlist Usyk or a contest with WBO champion Fabio Wardley.

A win over either would see Fury join Muhammad Ali as a three-time world heavyweight champion.

READ: Australian great Martyn out of coma in ‘miracle’ recovery