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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.

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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.

Australia’s dynamic batter Travis Head has admitted that his 69-ball century in the first Ashes Test provoked England’s fiery fast bowlers.

Head, the makeshift opener, made a mockery of England’s attack in the first Test with a whirlwind century that not only helped his side chase down a 205-run target but also flattened the Three Lions’ attack on a pitch that had very little for batters.

The southpaw made 123 from just 83 balls at Optus Stadium, Perth, striking four sixes and 16 fours.

Speaking during a radio program, Head revealed insights into his knock and said how his assault on the quicks, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, unraveled.

“I’m also very realistic as well that they had two blokes bowling 150 clicks,” Head told Triple M in Adelaide.

“I accidentally hit Jofra [Archer] back over his head for six at one point and calmly walked back and marked centre and was like, ‘Oh my god, why did I just do that?’ he revealed.

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He further talked about his chat with batting partner Marnus Labuschagne, who also hit a half-century in pursuit of the target.

“And Marnus came down and was like, ‘I know you’re trying to act cool, but that’s unbelievable’ and he’s yelling and screaming, and he’s hoo hah-ing, and I’m like, ‘Mate, get back to the other end, at any moment they can put a hole through me, they bowl 150 clicks’,” Head explained.

The 31-year-old acknowledged the fact that his early charge on fast bowlers could entice them for the rest of the series.

“I don’t want to get on the bad side of them, especially [in] the first Test. I don’t want to get on the wrong side of these blokes, I just want to go about my business,” Head said.

The second Ashes Test will be played under lights at the Gabba from 4 December.

READ: Gavaskar wants ‘post-mortem’ after India’s whitewash

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the sixth fixture of the T20I tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have faced each other in 25 T20I matches, with the Green Shirts having a slight edge with 15 victories, while the Islanders have secured 10 wins.

Matches 25, Pakistan 15, Sri Lanka 10

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

Pakistan have already booked its spot in the final of the tri-series and is undefeated with three wins out of three games.

On the contrary, Sri Lanka heads into a must-win encounter to seal a berth in the final, having won just one of their three games.

They have suffered a thumping defeat against Pakistan in their previous encounter and have also won one game against Zimbabwe.

READ: Gavaskar wants ‘post-mortem’ after India’s whitewash

Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has urged the need for a ‘post-mortem’ of the India Test team following the whitewash against South Africa.

A day earlier, South Africa handed India a 408-run thrashing, a record Test defeat for them, to clinch the series 2-0.

It was India’s fifth defeat in their last seven home Test matches, dating back a little over a year to New Zealand’s 3-0 series victory.

“You need to do a thorough post-mortem as to areas that you need to strengthen at the Test level,” Gavaskar said. “Bring in an outside perspective.”

He stressed the need for a discussion with former greats of Indian cricket to devise a strategy for the upcoming years.

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“Take Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid — your two earlier coaches. Take Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly, and Sachin Tendulkar. Sit with them and formulate for the next five years what Indian cricket should be doing,” he said.

The 76-year-old backed Gautam Gambhir, who is under severe scrutiny after India’s dismal show. Gavaskar said that Gambhir also deserves credit for bringing several laurels in recent times, if he is to be put in the spotlight for recent losses.

“He’s a coach,” said Gavaskar. “The coach can prepare a team. But it’s out there in the middle that the players have to deliver,” Gavaskar said on Gambhir.

“If you’re not prepared to give him credit for the Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup win, then please tell me why you want to blame him for the team out there on that 22-yard strip not doing well,” Gavaskar continued.

For the unversed, India’s batting flopped in the series, with their first innings total of 201 in Guwahati, their best against an inspired South Africa spin attack led by Simon Harmer.

The hosts lost the opening Test inside three days in Kolkata and in the second match mustered only 140, chasing a mammoth 549 target on day five.

READ: New Zealand to launch NZ20 league in 2027: report

New Zealand is preparing to enter the franchise-based T20 league market with plans to launch the NZ20 tournament in January 2027, ESPNcricinfo reported.

The proposed league is expected to feature six privately owned teams and will operate independently of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), following a model similar to the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

According to the report, the league has yet to secure NZC approval, but if cleared, NZ20 will replace the current Super Smash competition, which has been run by local cricket associations for more than two decades.

The existing six-team tournament, featuring Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury, and Otago, has increasingly served as a developmental platform, while NZ20 aims to deliver a more fan-centric and commercially-driven competition.

Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, told ESPNcricinfo that the concept was born out of discussions with former New Zealand players, including Stephen Fleming, and consultations with the New Zealand Players Association.

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“We are looking at a short, high-quality tournament in the peak of summer, ideally at our holiday venues and iconic grounds. The focus is on entertaining fans, featuring the best New Zealand players, and ideally some internationals,” MacKinnon said.

The report adds that private investment will allow NZ20 to innovate in ways not possible in the Super Smash, including enhanced fan experiences both at stadiums and online.

Interest from investors is reportedly strong, including from India and other international markets, although no confirmation has been made regarding IPL franchise involvement.

The planned schedule calls for a men’s tournament in January 2027, followed by a women’s league in December 2027.

Scheduling will need to account for overlaps with other global T20 leagues, including the Big Bash League, SA20, and ILT20.

READ: Pakistan’s T20I Tour of Sri Lanka Confirmed, Schedule Revealed: Reports

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are set to lock horns in a three-match T20I series in January, with both boards reportedly finalising the schedule as part of their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The series is expected to be played from January 8 to 12, with all three matches scheduled at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium.

The upcoming World Cup will be held from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka, with Pakistan set to play all their matches on Sri Lankan soil under the Hybrid Model.

This arrangement ensures that Pakistan and India do not tour each other during ICC events and instead compete at neutral venues.

Sources close to the development have revealed that officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) were in constant discussions over the short series, which has now reportedly been confirmed.

The series will provide Pakistan crucial match practice in local conditions just weeks ahead of the global event, allowing the team to fine-tune combinations and acclimatise to pitches similar to those they will encounter during the World Cup.

The decision to stage all three matches in Dambulla has been taken due to ongoing upgradation work at both the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in preparation for the mega event.

Due to similar reasons, SLC was also forced to postpone the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), which was originally scheduled for the November-December window.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka are currently touring Pakistan for the ongoing T20I tri-series, where they are engaged in a tight qualification race for the final.

Pakistan have already secured their place in the final, while Sri Lanka must win their final group match by a big margin to stay alive in the competition.

Zimbabwe currently sit second on the points table with one win from four games and a net run rate of -0.522, while Sri Lanka remain third with a net run rate of -1.324.

Tentative schedule of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka

• 1st T20I – 8 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
• 2nd T20I – 10 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
• 3rd T20I – 12 January 2026, Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium

READ: ICC gives highest rating to Perth pitch after two-day Ashes Test

LONDON: Arsenal thumped Bayern Munich 3-1 in a clash of the English and German league leaders on Wednesday at Emirates Stadium to maintain their perfect record in the Champions League this season.

The Gunners dominated the second half after Bayern’s 17-year-old midfielder Lennart Karl cancelled out Jurrien Timber’s opener in the opening period.

Noni Madueke opened his goalscoring account for the Premier League frontrunners to restore their lead, and fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli took advantage of a huge blunder from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

England captain Harry Kane, a former Tottenham player, had a miserable return to London, largely a peripheral figure despite his astonishing goalscoring record for the six-time European champions.

“Look at Bayern Munich this season, they have been the best team in Europe,” Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice told TNT Sports.

“This was probably the toughest game tactically we have played this season. The way they work it is so, so good.”

The England man said this season feels different from the previous campaign, when Arsenal again came up short, finishing second in the Premier League for a third straight season.

“There are so many leaders in the team,” Rice added. “We are just taking it one game at a time. There is a hunger and desire to win every game. There is a long way to go — let’s not get carried away.”

Bayern started the match at the Emirates top of the Champions League table, just above the Gunners, with both teams having won four games out of four.

The game took time to come alive, but the Gunners went ahead in the 22nd minute when Timber headed home a Bukayo Saka corner, with a flailing Neuer unable to intercept.

The goal underlined Arsenal’s relentless brilliance from set-pieces.

Eberechi Eze, who scored a hat-trick in Sunday’s 4-1 win against Tottenham, had a glorious chance to double the Gunners’ lead but scuffed his shot wide.

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Arsenal had looked relatively comfortable, but Bayern were back in the game in the blink of an eye in the 32nd minute, courtesy of Karl’s goal.

Joshua Kimmich played a superb diagonal ball that was laid off first time by former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry, and Karl finished confidently past David Raya.

Arsenal were quickly on the front foot in the second half, with Neuer pushing a fierce Saka shot over the bar.

Karl then surged down the right and into the home side’s penalty box, but his weak shot was easily collected by Raya.

As the intensity built, Arsenal’s Mikel Merino failed to connect properly with another dangerous corner before Neuer saved a Cristhian Mosquera header from point-blank range.

Now it was all Arsenal.

Neuer was called into action again, saving with his legs as Rice bore down on him, with Saka unable to turn in the loose ball.

But the pressure finally paid off with just over 20 minutes to go, when Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano played a stray ball that was picked up by substitute Riccardo Calafiori on the left.

He crossed, and fellow substitute Madueke turned the ball home.

There was worse to come for Bayern when Eze sent a long ball over the top, with Neuer well outside his area.

Martinelli’s first touch took him past the stranded goalkeeper, and he had a free run at goal, maintaining his nerve to slot home.

The delirious Arsenal fans taunted Kane with a chant of “Harry, Harry, what’s the score” as they revelled in his misery.

READ: Kylian Mbappe hits four as Real Madrid edge Olympiacos in thriller

PIREAS: Kylian Mbappe scored all four goals as Real Madrid hung on to beat Olympiacos 4-3 in their Champions League clash at Karaiskakis Stadium on Wednesday and end a three-match winless run in all competitions.

Chiquinho fired home from 20 yards to finish off a neat move as Olympiacos took an early lead in Greece, but Mbappe stole the show and took over as the competition’s leading scorer this season.

“It was very important to get back to winning ways, we know that three matches without that is a lot for us,” Mbappe told Movistar.

“(The team) looks good to me, of course, there are things to improve. At a club like Real Madrid (it’s normal) that people talk.”

The France captain drilled through the legs of Olympiacos goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis to bring Madrid level on 22 minutes after racing onto a sublime ball in behind the defence from Vinicius Junior.

Mbappe struck again two minutes later when he planted a header low into the corner from an Arda Guler cross.

The forward completed the second fastest Champions League hat-trick ever as he ran clear and steered beyond Tzolakis again, his three goals coming in the space of six minutes and 42 seconds.

Only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, against Rangers in 2022, has scored a quicker hat-trick in the competition.

Substitute Mehdi Taremi, who replaced the injured Chiquinho in the first half, hauled Olympiacos back into the match with an emphatic header past stand-in Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin on 52 minutes.

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The Ukraine international was filling in for Thibaut Courtois, who missed the trip due to illness. Madrid were also without Dean Huijsen, his absence adding to those of Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger in an injury-ravaged defence.

Madrid had never won away to Greek opponents on seven previous visits but Mbappe ensured the Spanish giants put an end to that sequence, turning in his fourth of the night after excellent work by Vinicius down the left.

That took Mbappe to nine goals in five Champions League matches this term, sending him three clear of Victor Osimhen at the top of the scoring charts.

“I’m very happy, it’s always a pleasure to score goals. My teammates are giving me quality passes. I’m very lucky to play in this team, with these teammates,” said Mbappe.

Ayoub El Kaabi halved the deficit with nine minutes left, but Madrid clung on to earn their fourth win in five Champions League matches, bouncing back from a loss at Liverpool in their last European outing.

“The important thing today was to break up, a little bit, the dynamic we were coming from, and to get back that (winning) feeling,” said Madrid coach Xabi Alonso.

The record 15-time European champions moved up to fifth in the standings with games still to come against Manchester City, Monaco and Benfica.

“We need everyone, and it’s clear that today Kylian stands out with the goals, but today it was very important to change the dynamic… and that’s why the players were celebrating,” said Alonso.

READ: ICC gives highest rating to Perth pitch after two-day Ashes Test

The Perth Stadium pitch that hosted the first Ashes Test was rated “very good” by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday, despite the game finishing in just two days.

Under the governing body’s four-tier rating system, “very good” is the highest possible, characterising a pitch with “good carry, limited seam movement, and consistent bounce early in the match”.

This, the ICC said, allowed “for a balanced contest between batters and bowlers”.

Australia took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series with an eight-wicket win in a frantic Test that saw 19 wickets fall on day one.

England were skittled for 172 with Mitchell Starc taking 7-58 before Australia collapsed to 121-9 at stumps.

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Day two saw another flurry of wickets as England were bowled out for 164 before Travis Head’s incredible 123 off 83 balls guided Australia to victory.

Cricket Australia’s head of cricket, James Allsopp, said the rating justified “our belief Perth Stadium produced a pitch that provided a fair balance between bat and ball”.

“The dominance of some brilliant pace bowling from both sides and the frenetic nature of the contest meant the match lasted only two days,” he added.

“This was disappointing for fans holding tickets for days three and four, but we saw some incredible moments which captivated huge viewing audiences and will inspire even more kids to pick up a bat and ball this summer.”

The day-night second Test begins in Brisbane on December 4, with the wicket at the Gabba also traditionally fast and bouncy.

READ: Akif Javed’s three-fer sets up easy win for Ajman Titans in Abu Dhabi T10

ABU DHABI: Ajman Titans left-arm pacer Akif Javed delivered an outstanding spell to power his side to a 21-run victory over Deccan Gladiators in the 21st fixture of the Abu Dhabi T10 here on Wednesday.

Akif took three for five in his two overs, which restricted Gladiators to 88-7 in pursuit of a 110-run target.

Andre Russell (13) departed in the second over, caught by Alex Hales off Akif’s bowling. The towering pacer then castled Marcus Stoinis on the very next ball for a duck to put his side in a position of strength.

However, skipper Nicholas Pooran and Tom Kohler Cadmore stitched a 41-run stand, bringing the scorecard to 61 in 5.2 overs.

But it was Akif again, who removed dangerous Pooran, putting the Titans firmly on course for the victory.

Pooran hit two sixes and two fours in his 24 from 15, while Cadmore 32 from 23 deliveries was laced with three fours and a six.

After the solid stand, Gladiators lost wickets in quick succession, eventually resulting in a loss that puts them in second spot on the points table.

Akif Javed was named the player of the match for his outstanding performance.

Earlier, after being put into bat first, Ajman Titans racked up 109-6 at the end of their 10 overs.

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Skipper Moeen Ali led the charge with a brisk 31 off just 12, studded with three sixes and two fours. Alex Hales and Aneurin Donald also contributed with the bat, scoring 24 and 25 runs respectively.

In the 22nd fixture of the tournament, Aspin Stallions defeated Royal Champs by a narrow seven-run margin.

Chasing 135, Champs managed to score 127-2 in their allotted 10 overs, courtesy of Brandon McMullen’s quick-fire 59* off 28 balls, laced with four sixes and an equal number of boundaries.

For Stallions, Binura Fernando and Karim Janat picked up one wicket each.

Aspin Stallions capitalized on the decision to bat first and amassed 134-5 in their allotted overs.

It was an all-round effort from Aspin Stallions, with each batter chipping in with vital contributions. Captain Rahmanullah Gurbaz remained the top scorer, hitting 30 off 12 with the aid of three sixes and a four.

For Royal Champs, Haider Razzaq managed to scalp two wickets.

Meanwhile, Northern Warriors also cruised to a 35-run victory over UAE Bulls in the opening fixture of the day.

Warriors set a massive total of 140 in their 10 overs, courtesy of Colin Munro’s whirlwind 77* from 35 deliveries. The soutpaw hit seven fours and half a dozen maximums in his knock.

In reply, the Bulls fell way short and were only able to muster 103-7 at the end of their innings.

Tim David remained the silver lining in the batting lineup, making 30 from 13 with the help of three fours and two sixes.

Shahnawaz Dahani, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Shahid Bhutta starred with the ball, with each taking two wickets in their two overs.

READ: Maaz Sadaqat signs with Janakpur Bolts for Nepal Premier League