Category: Top Picks

MUMBAI: Ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned to the India T20I side as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced a 15-member squad for a five-match series against South Africa.

The notable omissions from the squad are left-handed batter Rinku Singh and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who featured in the T20I series against Australia.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in the shorter format, Shubman Gill, has also been named in the team; however, his participation will be subject to fitness.

Gill suffered a neck injury during the first Test against South Africa, which eventually ruled him out of the Test and ODI series.

Pandya last played a match in the Asia Cup and was added to the squad after recovering from the injury. The all-rounder has showcased glimpses of form during India’s domestic T20I competition- Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The Men in Blues’ pace attack will comprise Jasprit Bumrah, who is currently not part of the ODI series. Arshdeep Singh will partner with him alongside Harshit Rana.

On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy.

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Suryaykumar will continue to lead the side, with the five-match series commencing on December 9 in Cuttack.

The second T20I and remaining fixtures will be played on 11, 14, 17, and 19 in New Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad, respectively.

South Africa won the two-Test series 2-0, and India led the ODI series 1-0 when the T20I squad was announced during the second ODI in Raipur on Wednesday.

India squad for T20I series against South Africa:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar

READ: WATCH: BBL showcases Babar Azam in Cricket 26 game

SYDNEY: Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam is set to make his debut in the popular Cricket 26 video game after the Sydney Sixers unveiled his in-game appearance through a special reveal video shared on social media.

The franchise posted a clip on Instagram showing Babar batting alongside Steve Smith and celebrating a century at the SCG, with the caption: “Babar & Smudge making tons at the SCG. You can give that a go on Cricket 26, out now.”

The game officially launched on November 19.

 

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The reveal comes as excitement builds ahead of the 15th season of the Big Bash League (BBL), with the full fixture list now confirmed.

A total of 44 matches will be played between December 14 and January 25, 2026, with most games scheduled in the evening. The league will only break for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The tournament will open with a high-profile clash between two of the most successful teams in BBL history, Perth Scorchers and Sydney Sixers, at Perth Stadium.

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Other than Babar Azam, several other Pakistani stars will also be part of the upcoming BBL campaign.

Shaheen Afridi has been snapped up by Brisbane Heat as their first overseas and platinum pick, while Mohammad Rizwan will feature for the Melbourne Renegades.

Haris Rauf is set to play for the Melbourne Stars, former Pakistan Under-19 all-rounder Hassan Khan returns to the Renegades, Shadab Khan joins the Sydney Thunder, and pacer Hasan Ali will represent the Adelaide Strikers.

READ: QEAT Final: Fazal’s ton put Karachi Blues on top against Sialkot

LAHORE: Saqib Khan’s four-fer and Abdullah Fazal’s sublime century put Karachi Blues in a commanding position against the defending champions Sialkot on day three of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final here at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium.

Karachi ended the day’s play at 202 for 1 in 64 overs in their second innings and are leading by 276 runs.

After losing Saad Baig for 31, Abdullah Fazal and Haroon Arhsad forged a 149-run stand for the second wicket, bringing the score from 53 to over 200-run runs.

The duo kept the experienced pace trio- Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Ali, at bay with a calm and commanding batting display.

Fazal, who scored his second first-class century, remained unbeaten with 104* off 200 balls, laced with 11 fours, whereas Haroon hit four boundaries in his 55 from 145 deliveries.

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For Sialkot, Mohammad Hasnain remained the solitary wicket-taker.

Earlier, Karachi Blues fast bowlers skittled Sialkot’s lower order in the first 11 overs of the opening session, to take a big 74-run lead.

The pair of Hasan Ali and Hamza Nazar only added 10 runs to their overnight score of 235, with Mohammad Umar scalping the prized wicket of the latter, who departed after scoring 64 from 126 balls.

Soon after, Saqib dismissed Hasan for 41 to put his side in a commanding position. Eventually, Sialkot were bundled out for 266 in their first innings, handing Karachi a big lead in the all-important final.

READ: Virat Kohli inches closer to top-ranked Rohit Sharma in ODI Batting Rankings

DUBAI: Indian batting stalwart Virat Kohli has closed the gap with fellow countryman Rohit Sharma in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings.

Kohli slammed 135 runs off just 120 balls in the first ODI against South Africa, which was his 83rd century in international cricket.

This knock propelled him up one spot to fourth in the latest rankings with 751 rating points, just 32 shy of Rohit Sharma, who continues to hold the top position.

New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell sits second with 766 points, while Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran occupies third place with 764.

Once the No.1 ranked ODI batter for over three years, Kohli has not held the top spot since Babar Azam overtook him in April 2021. Meanwhile, Indian captain Shubman Gill, sidelined due to injury, has slipped to fifth in the rankings.

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In the ICC Men’s ODI Bowling Rankings, India’s experienced left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved up a spot to sixth.

South Africa players also enjoyed significant gains following their 2-0 Test series sweep over India.

Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen emerged as the biggest beneficiary, climbing five places to fifth among Test bowlers and reaching a career-high second in the Test all-rounders’ rankings.

His teammate Simon Harmer, the Player of the Series, jumped 13 spots to 11th in the Test bowling rankings after taking 17 wickets across two matches.

Other South African batters made notable progress as well: Kyle Verreynne rose three spots to 38th, Ryan Rickelton advanced five places to 39th, and Tristan Stubbs soared 16 positions to 47th in the Test batting rankings.

READ: Saim Ayub regains top spot in ICC T20I All-Rounder Rankings

DUBAI: Pakistan opening batter Saim Ayub has reclaimed the number one spot in the latest ICC T20I all-rounder rankings, following the team’s impressive performance in the home tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

The 23-year-old, who scored 118 runs across five innings at a strike rate of 114.56 and picked up three wickets in four games, delivered strong performances in the final two matches, scoring 27 and 36 while taking a wicket in each.

These contributions, particularly in the decisive games, helped Ayub overtake Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza to reclaim the top spot with 295 rating points.

Raza, who briefly held the top ranking, is now second with 289 points.

Another standout performer for Pakistan was Mohammad Nawaz, whose all-round brilliance earned him both the Player of the Series and Player of the Match in the final.

Nawaz finished as the leading wicket-taker of the series with 10 scalps in five matches at an exceptional average of 10.20.

With the bat, he added 52 runs at a strike rate of 162.50, propelling him three places up to fourth in the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings.

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Nawaz also climbed two spots to 11th in the ICC T20I bowling rankings, while teammate Abrar Ahmed, who picked up six wickets in four matches, jumped four places to fourth.

Shaheen Afridi retained his 18th spot, Sufiyan Muqeem slipped four places to 32nd, and Salman Mirza advanced four places to 34th.

Saim Ayub made a significant leap in the bowling rankings as well, rising 12 places to 39th.

In the batting charts, Sahibzada Farhan, the highest run-scorer of the series with 191 runs at a 146.92 strike rate, dropped two spots to sixth after managing only 32 runs in the last two matches.

Babar Azam slipped one place to 30th, while Saim Ayub climbed two places to 35th.

Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha saw the biggest rise, jumping 11 spots to 52nd, whereas Mohammad Rizwan, currently absent from the T20I side, dropped eight places to 55th.

READ: Steve Smith confirms wearing ‘eye blacks’ in pink-ball Ashes Test

BRISBANE: Australia’s Steve Smith has confirmed he will be wearing ‘eye blacks’ during the upcoming day-night Ashes Test against England at The Gabba, starting December 4, after noticing a clear improvement during training under lights.

Smith, who is expected to lead Australia again as stand-in captain, revealed that the decision was influenced by advice from former West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

For the unversed, the ‘eye blacks’ are small, black, adhesive strips worn on the cheekbone that are designed to reduce the glare from floodlights by absorbing the light that would otherwise reflect off the skin.

These anti-glare strips are commonplace in several American sports; however, in cricket, Chanderpaul is the most prominent cricketer to have used them.

“I actually messaged Shivnarine Chanderpaul and asked him what his thoughts were, whether he wore the chalk or the strips,” Smith said.

“He said the strips, and he thinks it blocks out 65% of the glare. He also told me I was wearing them the wrong way. So yesterday I put them on the right way… and yeah, I’ll be wearing them.”

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Smith admitted he felt a noticeable positive difference after correcting how he wore them.

Despite his stature as one of modern cricket’s greatest batters, Smith has not been at ease in day-night Tests. His average drops to 37.04 under lights, compared to a dominant 58.31 in traditional red-ball matches.

“It’s hard to bat all the time,” he said while discussing the challenges of twilight and full darkness.

“The ball reacts differently to a red one. At times, it can start moving randomly. You’ve got to be ready to shift your plans, whether that means attacking or just trying to survive that period.”

Steve Smith also reflected on the nature of the Gabba surface and how it impacts the pink ball, referencing Australia’s previous night Test at the venue, where West Indies stunned the hosts earlier in 2024.

“Adelaide’s wicket has more grass, so the ball stays harder for longer,” Smith explained.

“Here it’s a hard, fast wicket, and at times the ball can get soft quickly. You do see batters comfortable in patches, so it’s something we’ll have to assess as the game goes on.”

READ: Jacob Duffy puts New Zealand on top against West Indies

CHRISTCHURCH: A five-wicket haul by Jacob Duffy gave New Zealand a 64-run first-innings lead over the West Indies after the tourists were all out for 167 in the first Test on Wednesday.

At stumps on day two in Christchurch, New Zealand, were 32-0 in their second innings to be 96 ahead. Devon Conway was 15 not out with Tom Latham on 14.

Once the forgotten man of New Zealand domestic cricket, Duffy found himself the enforcer in only his second Test.

In 16 deliveries following a rain break in the final session, Duffy removed the last four West Indian batters while conceding only two runs off his bowling.

The fast bowler had earlier dismissed the West Indies top scorer, Shai Hope, for 56 to finish with career-best figures of 5-34 off 17.4 overs.

Half-centuries from Hope and Tagenarine Chanderpaul provided the backbone of the West Indies innings in a 90-run stand for the third wicket.

Hope, wearing sunglasses under heavily overcast skies because of an eye infection, went to the crease with the West Indies in early trouble at 10-2.

Despite being affected by conjunctivitis and needing breaks to be treated with eye drops, he produced a near-chanceless sixth Test half-century.

But on 56, he allowed a short ball from Duffy to brush his gloves on its way to wicketkeeper Latham and was gone.

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Matt Henry struck twice with a double-wicket maiden, having Roston Chase and Justin Greaves caught behind by Latham as the West Indies slumped from 100-2 to 106-5.

Chanderpaul battled his way to 52 from 169 deliveries before he was undone by Zak Foulkes as the floodlights came on under murky skies after the tea break.

The West Indies opener had been dropped twice, on five and 24, by Conway at leg slip.

But Conway, leaping to his left, pouched the third chance sent his way at midwicket.

After a 30-minute rain interruption, Duffy removed Tevin Imlach (14), Johann Layne (0), Jayden Seales (2) and Ojay Shields (0).

The West Indies took just three balls to end the New Zealand first innings at the start of the day, without an addition to the overnight score of 231.

Foulkes, the last man out, was then immediately in the action with the ball, removing John Campbell for one with his first delivery.

Will Young completed the dismissal with a smart one-handed catch to his left at third slip, but then dropped a regulation chance when Alick Athanaze, on four, edged Henry.

However, the scoreboard had not moved before Henry bowled Athanaze in his following over with a ball that nipped back sharply.

READ: Former South Africa pacer tips Maaz Sadaqat as Pakistan’s ‘next superstar’

Former South Africa fast bowler Wayne Parnell has hailed Pakistan’s rising all-rounder Maaz Sadaqat as the country’s “next superstar” following his impressive performances in the ongoing Nepal Premier League.

Maaz is currently representing Janakpur Bolts, who are being led by Parnell in the tournament. The 20-year-old Pakistani has made an immediate impact in his debut stint, underlining his value as a genuine all-rounder.

In three appearances so far, Maaz has scored 95 runs at an average of 31.66, striking at a breathtaking rate of 179.24.

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His contribution with the ball has been equally notable, as he has claimed three wickets at an average of 26 while maintaining an economy rate of 6.50.

Parnell, clearly impressed by the youngster’s composure and match awareness, publicly praised Maaz on social media.

Taking to Instagram, the Proteas veteran shared a mirror selfie with the Pakistani all-rounder and captioned it: “Pakistan’s next superstar, Maaz Sadaqat.”

Only last month, Maaz Sadaqat played a central role in Pakistan Shaheens’ title run at the Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship, where his all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

Batting with exceptional consistency, Maaz finished the eight-team competition as the leading run-scorer with 258 runs in five innings at a staggering average of 129, including two unbeaten half-centuries.

With the ball, he remained just as lethal, snaring seven wickets at a superb average of 7.42 and an economy rate of 4.33.

READ: Ben Stokes opens up on e-scooter controversy in Brisbane

BRISBANE: England captain Ben Stokes has urged his players to continue enjoying their time off without being distracted by media attention, following the controversy involving e-scooter rides during the ongoing Ashes tour of Australia.

England arrived in Brisbane last week after suffering a crushing defeat in the opening Test in Perth, a match that ended inside two days and created a long gap before the second Test at The Gabba, scheduled for December 4.

During the break, Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith were spotted riding e-scooters in the city without helmets, a move that breaches Queensland road safety laws and could attract fines.

Under local regulations, riding without protective headgear can attract a fine of up to 166 Australian dollars. Smith’s scooter was reportedly fitted with a helmet, but it was not being worn.

Despite the backlash and risk of police action, Ben Stokes played down the incident and backed his players’ right to unwind away from cricket, stressing the importance of mental freedom on long and demanding tours.

“If the media think it’s going to stop us enjoying this country when we have time off, then it’s not going to do that,” Stokes said at the pre-match press conference.

“One of the most important things on tour, especially when you’re under pressure, is to go out, free your mind and enjoy yourself.”

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The England skipper also addressed the heightened scrutiny surrounding the team’s movements, noting that players are being followed closely at public venues across Brisbane.

“They’re going to be there and film us, so the message to the group is not to make decisions based on the fear of being caught on camera,” he added.

“We are human. We need to enjoy countries when we get the opportunity.”

Ben Stokes further defended the idea of players stepping away from the game between matches, saying he saw nothing wrong with spending downtime on leisure activities.

“I don’t see anything wrong with going out and spending your time off on a golf course or having coffee or lunch, riding on a scooter,” he said.

“It’s fine if they [the media] want to keep doing it; they are all polite and don’t intrude on our personal space. We have a job to do, they have a job to do.”

England trail 1-0 in the five-Test series and will be desperate to level the contest under lights in the second Test

READ: Ollie Pope reacts to England players’ e-scooter incident

Bayer Leverkusen knocked Borussia Dortmund out in the last 16 of the German Cup, Ibrahim Maza scoring the only goal in a 1-0 away win on Tuesday.

Maza’s 34th-minute strike put the 2024 cup winners on track for victory and exact instant revenge on Dortmund, who beat them 2-1 in their own backyard in the Bundesliga three days ago.

The goal was: “a bit of instinct and a bit of luck too, but that’s part of it — that’s normal in football,” Maza told Sky Germany.

Leverkusen will be joined in the quarter-finals by RB Leipzig, who beat Magdeburg 3-1 at home, along with Hertha Berlin and St Pauli, who won earlier on Tuesday.

Forlorn Dortmund defender Waldemar Anton told Sky Germany his side would “need a day or two to process” the “incredibly brutal” defeat, adding “we set ourselves high goals and we wanted to win this competition.”

Bundesliga heavyweights Dortmund and Leverkusen had met 109 times in all competitions dating back to the early 1950s, but had never faced off in the German Cup.

Dortmund had an early penalty shout waved away when former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah held Carney Chukwuemeka inside the box.

A goalscorer in Leverkusen’s shock 2-0 Champions League win at Manchester City, the 20-year-old Maza danced through some sleepy Dortmund defence to blast his side in front.

Leverkusen netted again on the hour mark through Martin Terrier in a move started by Maza, but the strike was chalked off for a narrow offside.

Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi had a chance to level deep into stoppage time, but he headed inches wide of the post.

Elsewhere, Christoph Baumgartner scored twice as RB Leipzig came from a goal down to beat lowly Magdeburg.

Magdeburg, sitting dead last in the second division, took an early lead through a Silas Gnaka penalty.

Leipzig hit back with a long-range rocket from Antonio Nusa and led 2-1 at halftime after Baumgartner scored.

Assisted by Nusa, Baumgartner scored again early in the second half to see the two-time cup winners through.

Earlier on Tuesday, St Pauli broke out of their recent Bundesliga funk to win 2-1 at three-time winners Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Pauli had lost their last nine league matches, but goals from Martijn Kaars and Louis Oppie, either side of a header from Gladbach’s Haris Tabakovic, had the Hamburg-based side marching into the final eight.

In the German capital, Hertha Berlin thumped 2024 finalists Kaiserslautern 6-1, with 16-year-old Kennet Eichhorn becoming the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history.

Bayern Munich, winners a record 20 times, play at Union Berlin on Wednesday, while holders Stuttgart are away at Bochum.

READ: Barcelona make Atletico Madrid comeback to extend La Liga lead