Category: Top Picks

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has expressed serious doubts over the national team’s chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 final, following a crushing 0-2 series defeat to South Africa.

The Proteas sealed the series in Guwahati with a commanding 408-run victory, ending a 25-year wait for a Test series win on Indian soil and leaving India reeling on the points table.

The back-to-back defeats mark India’s fourth loss in the current WTC cycle, dropping them to fifth place with a points percentage of 48.15.

With just nine Tests remaining in the cycle, India are not scheduled to play another Test until they tour Sri Lanka in August 2026.

Their remaining fixtures include an away series in New Zealand and a five-Test home series against Australia in 2027.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra admitted that India’s qualification scenario looks bleak.

He highlighted the improbability of a 5-0 home sweep against Australia, which would be necessary to significantly boost India’s points tally.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“We’re currently fifth in the WTC standings, and I don’t believe we’ll make it to the final. If we qualify, it will be a miracle,” Chopra said.

“We have an upcoming series against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, New Zealand in New Zealand, and then five Tests against Australia at home.

“Winning all five matches against Australia seems almost impossible. With less than 50 percent of the points, it’s not looking great for us.”

South Africa’s series triumph propelled them to second place with a points percentage of 75, while Australia continue to lead the table with a perfect 100 percent, having won all four of their matches.

Sri Lanka occupy third with 66.67 percent, followed by Pakistan at 50 percent.

India now face a steep challenge, needing to win the majority of their remaining fixtures just to have a realistic chance of making the WTC final in 2027.

READ: Salman Agha, Shan Masood, Shoaib Malik sign up for BPL 2026 auction

Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, Test captain Shan Masood, and veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik are among the 42 Pakistan cricketers registered for the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 auction.

The BPL players’ auction is set for November 30, with 245 overseas players already categorised for the event.

Meanwhile, the tournament is scheduled to be played from 26 December 2025 and will conclude on 23 January 2026.

The BPL 2026 will see a reduction in teams from seven to five. Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders remain, while Chattogram Royals, Rajshahi Warriors, and Sylhet Titans enter under new ownership after Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi, and Sylhet Strikers exited.

Defending champions Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers will not participate this season.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the participating teams but has yet to release details regarding the new ownership structures.

The auction will feature 245 overseas players across five categories, A, B, C, D, and E, from which franchises will select talent for the season.

Ahead of the auction, several players have already been directly signed by franchises.

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed joins the newly rebranded Chattogram Royals, while opening batter Saim Ayub has been secured by Sylhet Titans, alongside Moeen Ali, Mohammad Amir, and Azmatullah Omarzai.

International stars have also been pre-signed, including England’s Alex Hales and Pakistan’s Usman Khan by Dhaka Capitals, and Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis by Noakhali Express.

Pakistan players registered for BPL 2026 auction

Category A

• Abdul Samad – Batter
• Zaman Khan – Bowler
• Mohammad Hasnain – Bowler
• Usama Mir – Bowler
• Shoaib Malik – Allrounder
• Shan Masood – Batter
• Salman Ali Agha – Allrounder
• Mohammad Wasim – Allrounder
• Mohammad Haris – Wicketkeeper
• Aamer Jamal – Allrounder

Category B

• Asif Ali – Batter
• Salman Mirza – Bowler
• Saud Shakeel – Batter

Category C

• Ali Raza – Bowler
• Jahandad Khan – Allrounder
• Haider Ali – Batter
• Khurram Shahzad – Bowler
• Abdullah Shafique – Batter
• Zafar Gohar – Allrounder
• Bilawal Bhatti – Allrounder

Category D

• Mehran Mumtaz – Allrounder
• Usman Qadir – Bowler
• Mir Hamza – Bowler
• Muhammad Ali Dazy – Bowler
• Irfan Khan Niazi – Batter
• Arif Yaqoob – Bowler
• Ahmed Daniyal – Allrounder

Category E

• Asad Raza – Bowler
• Tayyab Abbas – Bowler
• Ammad Butt – Allrounder
• Ammad Alam – Batter
• Yasir Khan – Batter
• Muhammad Akhlaq – Wicketkeeper
• Mohammad Zeeshan – Bowler
• Mohammad Imran Jr – Bowler
• Zia ul Hasan – Allrounder
• Mamoon Imtiaz – Bowler
• Rumman Raees – Bowler
• Saad Baig – Wicketkeeper
• Arafat Minhas – Allrounder
• Tayyab Tahir – Batter
• Salman Fayyaz – Bowler

READ: Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub among pre-auction picks for BPL 2026

Pakistan’s spinner Abrar Ahmed and opening batter Saim Ayub are among the first players to be directly signed by franchises ahead of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2026 auction.

The BPL players’ auction is set for November 30, with 245 overseas players already categorised for the event.

Meanwhile, the tournament is scheduled to be played from 26 December 2025 and will conclude on 23 January 2026.

The BPL 2026 will see a reduction in teams from seven to five. Dhaka Capitals and Rangpur Riders remain, while Chattogram Royals, Rajshahi Warriors, and Sylhet Titans enter under new ownership after Chittagong Kings, Durbar Rajshahi, and Sylhet Strikers exited.

Defending champions Fortune Barishal and Khulna Tigers will not participate this season.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the participating teams but has yet to release details regarding the new ownership structures.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Abrar Ahmed has been picked up by the newly rebranded Chattogram Royals, marking a return to the BPL for the Pakistan spinner, who played a solitary match for Comilla Victorians in the 2023 edition.

Saim Ayub, meanwhile, has joined Sylhet Titans, who have also signed England’s Moeen Ali, veteran pacer Mohammad Amir, and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai.

Mohammad Amir, a veteran left-arm pacer, brings extensive experience, having taken 52 wickets in 36 BPL matches at an economy rate of 6.36 over four seasons.

Among other marquee pre-auction signings, Dhaka Capitals have secured England’s Alex Hales and Pakistan’s Usman Khan, while Noakhali Express have picked up Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Kusal Mendis.

Usman Khan boasts an impressive BPL record, scoring 581 runs in 19 matches across two seasons at a strike rate of 148.97, including three fifties and two centuries.

READ: Australia announce squad for pink-ball Ashes Test

BRISBANE: Skipper Pat Cummins was left out of an unchanged Australia squad named on Friday for the day-night second Ashes Test against England, set to commence on 4 December.

The Australian skipper continues his battle against injury; meanwhile, under-pressure opener Usman Khawaja managed to keep his place in the line-up for the pink-ball Test.

Star paceman Josh Hazlewood was also absent, as expected, as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem.

Cummins has not played since picking up a lower back injury against the West Indies four months ago.

He missed the rapid-fire opening Test in Perth that Australia won by eight wickets inside two days, but has been at full pace in the nets in recent weeks and said last weekend he was “half a chance” to play in Brisbane.

But selectors are clearly taking no chances with the 32-year-old, who will now be targeting the third Test in Adelaide on December 17.

It means Steve Smith will remain captain while Brendan Doggett is set to once more lead the attack with Perth 10-wicket hero Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, on what is expected to be another fast track.

The Gabba Test gets underway on December 4 with Australia looking to ram home their advantage and take a 2-0 lead in the five-Test series.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Despite missing out, Cummins will travel to Brisbane to continue his preparations, Cricket Australia said.

Khawaja made the squad amid mounting calls for the veteran to be dumped.

The 38-year-old, who has not made a Test hundred on home soil since January 2023, failed to open in either innings in Perth because of back spasms.

He was replaced at the top alongside Jake Weatherald initially by Marnus Labuschagne, and then by Travis Head in the second innings.

Head, who usually comes in at five but opens in white-ball cricket, seized the opportunity with all guns blazing, slamming an incredible 123 from just 83 balls to drive Australia to victory.

Whether Khawaja keeps his spot in the XI remains to be seen, with Australia not expected to finalise their starting side until the eve of the clash.

Should selectors stick with Head and axe Khawaja, it could open the door to in-form allrounder Beau Webster and a handy extra bowling option.

Australia squad for second Ashes Test

Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

READ: Arshad Nadeem sets sights on Asian, Commonwealth Games

LAHORE: Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has shifted his focus to the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the Diamond League after clinching gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games earlier this month.

Arshad lit the torch for the 35th National Games in the Punjab Stadium on Wednesday.

During the event, he spoke to the media and expressed gratitude for the support he has received and outlined his major international targets for the upcoming season.

“I am thankful to Allah for winning a medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games,” Arshad said, adding that being part of the torch relay ceremony was a moment of pride for him.

He also acknowledged the role of the Sports Board Punjab for providing training facilities and continuous backing throughout his journey.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Arshad’s latest triumph came on November 19 at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium, where he dominated the men’s javelin final with a best throw of 83.05 metres on his second attempt.

After a modest 74.00m opening throw, the Pakistani ace crossed the 80-metre mark with authority and never looked back. His series also included efforts of 77.06m, a foul on the fifth attempt, and a final throw of 77.98m.

Pakistan enjoyed a one-two finish in the event as Muhammad Yasir Sultan claimed the silver medal with a throw of 74.43m, while Nigeria’s Samuel Kure settled for bronze with a 75.46m effort.

Notably, Arshad was the only athlete in the competition to cross the 80-metre barrier, underlining his dominance on the day.

READ: Quetta Qavalry seal playoff berth with super-over victory in Abu Dhabi T10

ABU DHABI: Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Waseem starred in Quetta Qavalry victory over Vista Riders in a thrilling over in the 23rd match of the Abu Dhabi T10 here on Thursday.

With six victories out of six games unbeaten, Qavalary have sealed the Playoffs berth and are in the top position in the points table.

Set 105, Riders ended their innings in a tie, courtesy of Ben McDermott’s 44 from 27, laced with two sixes and four boundaries.

With this, the match entered a super over, with Qavalary’s skipper Mohammad Amir deciding to bowl the over.

The seasoned pacer conceded 12 runs against the likes of Faf du Plessis and McDermott, who only managed to score nine and three.

In reply, Qavalary aced the target on the second last ball despite losing in-form Khawaja Nafay for a golden duck on the second ball of the super over.

Waseem, who bagged the player of the match award, started with a boundary before Liam Livingstone took a double and hit a six to finish it in style.

Earlier, Quetta Qavalry made 104-4 in their allotted 10 overs, thanks to Muhammad Waseem’s 41* from only 14, featuring three sixes and the same number of fours.

For Riders, Dwaine Pretorius, Dhananjaya Lakshan, Andrew Tye, and Matthew Forde took one wicket apiece.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, Royal Champs and Aspin Stallions also secured wins in the 24th and 25th fixtures of the tournament, respectively.

Champs defeated Northern Warriors by seven wickets, with Daniel Sams starring with the ball.

The left-arm seamer picked up three wickets, which restricted Northern Warriors to a mere 80-run total.

In reply, Royal Champs hit the winning runs on the fourth ball of the eighth over as Aaron Jones top-scored with 20* off 11, striking a boundary and a six.

For the Warriors, Shahnawaz Dahani, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Shahid Bhutta picked up one wicket each.

In the opening fixture of the day, Aspin Stallions chased down a stiff 120-run target against UAE Bulls, losing four wickets in the process.

Ben Cutting starred with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 39* from 18, studded with four sixes and three fours.

Karim Janat, who earned the player of the match award, bowled an impressive spell and picked up two wickets.

For UAE Bulls, Phil Salt remained the top-scorer with 44 off 17, which powered them to 119-5 at the end of their 10 overs.

The tournament’s Playoffs will be played on Saturday, 29 November.

READ: Agha rues powerplay wickets after loss to Sri Lanka

Arne Slot vowed Thursday to “keep fighting”, saying his conversations with Liverpool’s owners have not changed despite his team’s deep slump.

The Premier League champions were hammered 4-1 at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday — their ninth defeat in their past 12 matches in all competitions.

The stands emptied as frustrated fans quit the ground in droves in the latter stages of the match.

Now Liverpool face a trip to rejuvenated West Ham on Sunday, desperate to improve on their position of 12th place in the Premier League table.

Slot, who led Liverpool to the Premier League title last season in his first campaign in charge, said in the aftermath of Wednesday’s defeat, he was confident his job was safe.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He held a press conference on Thursday, previewing his team’s match at West Ham, who look a different side under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Dutchman was asked at the start of the press conference whether he has spoken to the club’s owners since the PSV game.

“We’ve had the same conversations since I’ve been here,” he said.

“We fight on. And we try to improve, that’s what we all try. But the conversations have been the same as they’ve been for the past one and a half years.”

Slot admitted Liverpool’s standards had slipped, but insisted he did not feel let down by his players.

“We think we can play better than we do,” he said. “But last season, when we did really well, there was a lot of focus on certain individuals, and I always said it should be about the team, and the team makes the individuals look very good.

“And if the opposite is happening, we should also look at the team and not at the individuals.”

READ: Babar Azam equals Umar Akmal’s unwanted T20I record

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha lamented powerplay wickets after the loss against Sri Lanka in the sixth match of the T20I tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Set a strong 185-run target, Pakistan wobbled early in the chase, courtesy of Dushmanta Chameera’s outstanding opening spell.

However, Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan arrested the slide and built a 56-run stand. Usman’s blitz (33 off 23) took the score to 99 in 12.2 overs before another crucial 70-run stand between Agha and Mohammad Nawaz lifted the home side’s hopes.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Nonetheless, the equation went down to 10 from the final over, with Chameera having the ball in his hands.

The pacer bowled a superb over under pressure and gave only three, including the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, while Salman, who took a single on the second ball of the over, looked diminished at the other end.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here

Speaking after the match, Salman highlighted the shortcomings and rued wickets upfront as the main reason behind the loss.

“Where we came from, 40 for 4 – you don’t often come back and chase it down, but we went (close),” he said.

“I think it was gettable with the dew coming in, but we lost too many wickets in the powerplay and gave away too many runs in the powerplay,” Agha explained.

He mentioned his own form, noting that he would have liked to finish the game. The right-handed batter top-scored with 63* from 44, striking three sixes and four boundaries.

“If you give too many runs in the powerplay, you’ll always be chasing the game. (On personal form) I would have been happier if I had finished the game, but it was good to spend some time out in the middle,” Agha concluded.

The final of the T20I tri-series will be played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Saturday, 29 November at the same venue.

READ: Babar Azam equals Umar Akmal’s unwanted T20I record

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has equalled the unwanted record of Umar Akmal in T20I cricket during the tri-series match against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Babar was trapped by Dushmanta Chameera’s length delivery, which sharply nipped back after pitching and struck his back knee, sending him back to the pavilion for a second-ball duck.

His duck saw him equal with Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub on Pakistan’s unwanted T20I ducks leaderboard.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With this, Babar now has 10 ducks in 135 T20I matches and is now placed with Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub in third position.

Most Ducks for Pakistan in T20Is

• Umar Akmal – 10 ducks in 84 matches
• Saim Ayub – 10 ducks in 55* matches
• Babar Azam – 10 ducks in 135* matches
• Shahid Afridi – 8 ducks in 98 matches
• Kamran Akmal – 7 ducks in 58 matches
• Mohammad Hafeez – 7 ducks in 119 matchesAt the time of filing this story, Pakistan were reeling at 44-4 in six overs while chasing a mammoth 185-run target.Earlier, opening batter Kamil Mishara’s 76 off 48 propelled Sri Lanka to a strong total in a must-win T20I tri-series encounter.

Playing XIs

READ: Head admits ‘fear’ after swashbuckling century in Ashes opener

RAWALPINDI: Dushmanta Chameera bowled a dream spell and held his nerve in the final over to propel his side into the T20I tri-series final after securing a six-run victory over Pakistan here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

With this victory, Zimbabwe crashed out of the series after winning only one of three games.

Set a stiff 185, Pakistan fell short in the final over, scoring 178-7 at the end of their innings.

It was Chameera who tormented Pakistan’s top order with three wickets upfront and gave only three. As a result, Pakistan were 43-4 in 5.2 overs.

The right-arm pacer first removed Sahibzada Farhan, who was caught on nine, followed by Babar Azam’s wicket in the same over, who was sent packing for a duck.

From the other end, Eshan Malinga castled Saim Ayub, who was looking good. The left-hander made 27 off 18 with the aid of four boundaries and a six.

It was a cherry on top for the Islanders when Chameera dismissed Fakhar Zaman for one, leaving the home side tottering.

However, Salman Ali Agha and Usman Khan arrested the slide and built a 56-run stand. The duo batted at a brisk rate, particularly Usman, who took Wanindu Hasaranga to the cleaners and belted him for a couple of sixes before getting caught.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here

Usman’s blitz (33 off 23) took the score to 99 in 12.2 overs before another crucial 70-run stand between Agha and Mohammad Nawaz lifted the home side’s hopes.

The pair managed to bring down the required rate with Salman Ali Agha scoring a half-century in the process.

Eventually, the equation went down to 10 from the final over, with Chameera having the ball in his hands.

The pacer bowled a superb over under pressure and gave only three, including the wicket of Faheem Ashraf, while Salman, who took a single on the second ball of the over, looked diminished at the other end.

Salman top-scored with 63* from 44, striking three sixes and four boundaries.

Chameera finished with four wickets to his name in four overs, whereas Eshan Malinga, who gave 54, also managed to scalp two wickets.

The final of the T20I tri-series will be played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on Saturday, 29 November at the same venue.

Earlier, opening batter Kamil Mishara’s 76 off 48 propelled Sri Lanka to a strong total in a must-win T20I tri-series encounter.

Put into bat first, Sri Lanka put on 184-4 on the board in their allotted 20 overs.

After losing Pathum Nissanka (8) only in the second over, Kamil Mishara and Kusal Mendis stitched a 66-run partnership, bringing the score to 82 in 8.1 overs.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Mendis departed after scoring 40 from just 23 balls, laced with six fours and a maximum.

The duo batted with freedom and capitalized on the fielding restrictions in the opening six overs. Consequently, the Islanders were cruising on 58 at the end of the power play.

Mishara, meanwhile, continued on despite the removal of Kusal Perara, who made six from eight deliveries. At this stage, the scorecard read 96-3 in 10.4 overs.

However, incoming Janith Liyanage partnered with Mishara and put on a 57-run stand, which laid a foundation for a strong finish.

But it was Abrar Ahmed’s clinical bowling spell that put the brakes on the visitors’ charge and restricted them from reaching the 200-run mark, which was looking possible at one stage of the innings.

Abrar also took the crucial wicket of Mishara, who was caught after hitting three sixes and six fours. Janith Liyanage hit an unbeaten 24 off 24 with the aid of two boundaries.

For Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed picked up two wickets in his quota of four overs while giving away only 28.