Category: Top Picks

PERTH: The England team management on Wednesday named a 12-member squad for the first Test of the Ashes against Australia, scheduled to be played here from 21 November.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was named in the squad alongside four frontline pace bowlers, keeping their options open for the first Ashes Test.

There was no room for speedster Josh Tongue, with Brydon Carse preferred, while Ollie Pope kept his place at number three ahead of Jacob Bethell.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Veteran pace ace Mark Wood unleashed a fiery spell in the nets on Tuesday after an injury scare last week to prove his fitness. But selectors are likely waiting until the last minute to make a call on whether he plays.

If England opt for an all-out pace attack on what is expected to be a lively wicket, he will line up alongside Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Carse, all of whom are capable of reaching 90mph.

Not since a bowling line-up led by John Snow and Bob Willis helped England to a 1970-71 series win have they had such an array of genuine quicks in Australia.

England squad  for first Ashes Test: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Mark Wood

READ: Babar Azam, Rizwan shine as Pakistan stars climb ICC ODI Rankings

DUBAI: Pakistan’s batting duo, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, have made significant leaps in the latest ICC ODI rankings following their stellar performances in the 3-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka.

Rizwan impressed with back-to-back unbeaten half-centuries in the second and third ODIs, jumping five spots to 23rd, while Babar, ending a two-year century drought, climbed to sixth with 722 points.

Fakhar Zaman also enjoyed a boost, moving up five places to 26th after scoring consecutive fifties. On the contrary, young opener Saim Ayub slipped three spots to 39th, while Salman Ali Agha retained his 16th position.

At the top, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell claimed the number one ODI batter spot, dethroning former Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran, along with Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli, hold the third, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively.

Pakistan’s bowlers also made waves in the ICC ODI rankings. Spinner Abrar Ahmed entered the top 10, moving up 11 spots to ninth.

Haris Rauf rose five places to 23rd, and Mohammad Wasim Jr made a huge jump of 20 spots to 64th.

Meanwhile, captain Shaheen Afridi slipped five places to 21st, Naseem Shah dropped three spots, and spinner Mohammad Nawaz fell seven places to 71st.

Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan continues to dominate the bowling charts, followed by England’s Jofra Archer and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj.

READ: Glenn McGrath removed from Ashes commentary team for THIS reason

Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath has been removed from the commentary panel for the much-anticipated Ashes series, just days ahead of the first Test in Perth.

Former cricketer Tom Moody has been confirmed as his replacement, according to reports from The Age.

The unexpected change is linked to McGrath’s commercial association with bet365, featuring him alongside fellow cricket great Ricky Ponting in a promotional campaign.

The 55-year-old, a familiar voice on ABC cricket broadcasts in recent years, had informed ABC about the partnership roughly a month before the series.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

An ABC spokesperson confirmed the split in a brief statement: “The ABC and Glenn McGrath have mutually parted ways for this Ashes series. We look forward to seeing Glenn around the grounds throughout the series and would welcome working with him in the future.”

While McGrath’s team declined to comment further, the broadcaster reassured fans that their commentary lineup remains strong, led by Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas, and supplemented by former players Darren Lehmann, Jason Gillespie, and Stuart Clark.

The Ashes series, which also forms part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, will kick off at Perth Stadium from 21–25 November, before moving to Gabba, Adelaide Oval, MCG, and SCG for the remaining Tests through early January.

READ: Ricky Ponting names his Australia Playing XI for Ashes opener

Former Australia captain and ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has revealed his ideal playing XI for the opening Ashes Test against England, offering a glimpse of how he would navigate a team riddled with injuries.

Speaking on The ICC Review with Sanjana Ganesan, Ponting backed Jake Weatherald for a Test debut at the top of the order and suggested Brendan Doggett as a key reinforcement to Australia’s depleted pace attack.

The visitors face a major blow with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ruled out of the Perth Test, while back-up pacer Sean Abbott is also unavailable.

Ponting’s XI reflects a reshuffled bowling unit and fresh batting options to mitigate the impact of these absences.

Ponting’s proposed lineup features Jake Weatherald and Usman Khawaja as openers, Marnus Labuschagne at three, Steve Smith at four, Travis Head at five, Cameron Green at six, Alex Carey at seven, followed by Scott Boland, Mitchell Starc, Brendan Doggett, and Nathan Lyon.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

He praised Weatherald’s recent domestic form, stating: “He’s done absolutely everything asked of him over the last month, scoring runs consistently and making a strong case for that No.3 spot.”

Ponting also highlighted Cameron Green’s all-round capabilities, noting that under normal circumstances, he could comfortably bowl eight to twelve overs per innings.

The former captain acknowledged the shifting selection landscape caused by Hazlewood’s hamstring injury, saying: “If you had asked me a week ago, my views might have been different. Now, with Doggett and Neser added, options have expanded.”

He also suggested Beau Webster could be considered to bolster all-around depth after an impressive Sheffield Shield showing for Tasmania.

READ: Babar Azam surpasses Shahid Afridi’s unwanted record in T20I cricket

Haiti football team will make a long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup after 52 years, booking their spot in the 2026 edition set to be hosted by the United States of America (USA), Mexico, and Canada.

The Caribbean nation sealed their qualification with a 2-0 victory over Nicaragua in Curacao, where they have been forced to host home qualifiers due to ongoing unrest at home.

Goals from Louicius Don Deedson and Ruben Providence ensured a decisive win, sparking celebrations for the team and fans alike.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Haiti’s triumph, combined with Honduras’ 0-0 draw against Costa Rica, saw them finish top of Group C with 11 points from six matches, narrowly ahead of Honduras, who ended with nine points and missed out on the inter-continental playoffs on goal difference against Suriname.

This marks only the second time Haiti has qualified for the World Cup, the first being in 1974 when they were eliminated in the group stage after losses to Italy, Poland, and Argentina.

Haiti’s remarkable qualification campaign is a testament to the resilience and determination of the team, overcoming both competitive and logistical challenges to return to football’s biggest stage after more than half a century.

READ: Curacao become smallest nation to qualify for football World Cup

The tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao became the smallest country ever to qualify for the football World Cup, as they sealed their place in the 2026 edition on Tuesday after battling to a 0-0 draw against Jamaica in Kingston.

Curacao, with a population of just 156,000 people, fought off a furious second-half onslaught from the Reggae Boyz to grab the draw they needed to clinch their ticket to the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Curacao, whose veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat was forced to miss the game due to a family issue in the Netherlands, were left celebrating a historic result.

The result capped a fairytale qualification campaign for the team known as the ‘Blue Wave’, who finished top of Group B with 12 points from six games, one point clear of Jamaica.

Curacao are by far the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams next year for the first time.

The previous smallest country to qualify for the tournament was Iceland in 2018, with a population of around 350,000.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Curacao finally booked their place after an extraordinary finale at Kingston’s National Stadium, where Jamaica, coached by former England manager Steve McClaren, launched a furious onslaught as they chased the win which would guarantee them a World Cup place at their opponent’s expense.

The Jamaicans hit the woodwork three times in the second half, with substitute Bailey-Tye Cadamarteri going agonizingly close with a header that crashed off the post in the 87th minute.

There was more drama in store in stoppage time, when Jamaica were awarded a penalty after substitute Jeremy Antonisse’s sliding tackle brought down Dujuan Richards in the area.

Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton pointed to the spot to leave Curacao facing the prospect of a heartbreaking defeat.

But as Curacao’s players protested, the decision went to VAR and was dramatically overturned to leave the Caribbean islanders on course for the World Cup.

READ: Babar Azam surpasses Shahid Afridi’s unwanted record in T20I cricket

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam has surpassed the former captain Shahid Afridi to achieve an unwanted record in T20I cricket during the tri-series match against Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The right-handed batter, who had recently starred with a match-winning half-century in the T20I series decider against South Africa, was caught off guard by Brad Evans’ length delivery, which sharply nipped back after pitching and struck his back knee, sending him back to the pavilion without scoring.

This recent three-ball duck saw him overtake Shahid Afridi on Pakistan’s unwanted T20I ducks leaderboard.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With this, Babar now has nine ducks in 132 T20I matches, surpassing Afridi’s eight and placing him third on Pakistan’s list of most T20I ducks, behind Umar Akmal and Saim Ayub, who each have 10.

Most Ducks for Pakistan in T20Is

• Umar Akmal – 10 ducks in 84 matches
• Saim Ayub – 10 ducks in 52* matches
• Babar Azam – 9 ducks in 132* matches
• Shahid Afridi – 8 ducks in 98 matches
• Kamran Akmal – 7 ducks in 58 matches
• Mohammad Hafeez – 7 ducks in 119 matches

Despite Babar’s duck, Pakistan chased down the 148-run target against Zimbabwe in 19.2 overs after losing five wickets.

Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan stitched a vital 61-run stand after the Green Shirts were reduced to 54-4 in 9.3 overs.

Fakhar played a 32-ball 44, which included two sixes and two fours; meanwhile, Usman remained unbeaten after a gutsy 37 off 28 with the help of three boundaries.

READ: “We need to be ruthless in powerplay,” says Agha after Zimbabwe win

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has urged the need to show intent in the opening six overs after his side secured a five-wicket victory against Zimbabwe.

Pakistan chased down the 148-run target in 19.2 overs, losing five wickets in the process in the opening match of the tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan played a vital role after the Green Shirts were reduced to 54-4 in 9.3 overs.

The duo stitched a vital 61-run stand. Fakhar’s 32-ball 44 included two sixes and two fours, while Usman Khan’s gutsy 37 from 28 featured three fours.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Agha emphasized a better start and hailed the spinners’ role in the team’s victory.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“It was a close game, we didn’t start well bowling and bat, and when you don’t start well, it tends to get close,” he said.

“The spinners have been doing well for that last 4-5 months, whoever comes, and they’re the ones that put us back in the game,” Agha maintained.

He noted that the pitch was on the low-scoring side, and his side was pleased with the bowling in the second half of Zimbabwe’s innings.

“When we came last night and saw the pitch, I knew it wasn’t going to be very high scoring, lately it’s not been in Pindi. It’s a 160-180 kind of a pitch, but we bowled really well. Was very happy to chase 147,” the skipper revealed.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here

Salman Ali Agha stressed the need to capitalize on the first six overs of the game.

“We need to start well, bowling or batting. The powerplay we need to be ruthless. That’s what I’m going to talk about,” he concluded.

READ: Tri-Series: Nawaz reflects on Pakistan’s victory over Zimbabwe

Iraq scored a penalty in the 17th minute of injury time to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2-1 in the second leg of their 2026 World Cup qualifying tie on Tuesday and secure a place in the inter-confederation play-offs.

Substitute Mohanad Ali, who plays in the UAE for Dibba, and Amir Al-Ammari scored in Basra as Graham Arnold’s men came from behind to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory after last week’s 1-1 first-leg draw.

Iraq, whose only appearance at a World Cup was a group-stage exit in Mexico in 1986, progressed to the six-team play-offs where the last two tickets to the finals will be decided.

The UAE broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute, as Yahia Nader slipped the ball through for Brazilian-born forward Caio Lucas to fire the ball past Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hachim.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

But Iraq hit back midway through the second half when Mohanad Ali headed home Al-Ammari’s free-kick.

The home side piled on the pressure late on, with Mohanad Ali missing two good chances to score a winner.

But VAR awarded Iraq the latest of penalties for a handball, and Al-Ammari stepped up to net the spot-kick and keep alive his nation’s hopes of ending their 40-year wait to play in a World Cup.

Bolivia, New Caledonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also booked their places at the inter-confederation play-offs.

The other two play-off spots will be decided by the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers later Tuesday, with Jamaica and Panama currently in position to qualify for the mini-tournament.

READ: Asjad Iqbal shocks India’s Advani to reach Snooker World Cup semis

MUSCAT: Pakistan cueist Asjad Iqbal stunned three-time IBSF World Champion Pankaj Advani in the quarter-final of the IBSF Snooker World Cup here at the Active Oman Sports and Entertainment Hub in Muscat on Tuesday.

Asjad romped to a lopsided (4-0) victory as he started with an outstanding break of 81 and clinched the opening frame with a remarkable scoreline of 100-0.

The seasoned cueist followed the opening break with another 45 to take a 2-0 lead. Asjad then secured the third frame with a scoreline of 68 and 49 and advanced into the semi-final.

Asjad Iqbal will now face France’s Nicolas Mortreux in the semi-final.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Earlier, Asjad also defeated another Indian opponent, Hussain Khan, with a frame score of 3-0, 53(53)-44, 90-41, 93(84)-9 in the round of 32.

Meanwhile, Mina Awad from Egypt outplayed Pakistan’s Muhammad Hasnain with a frame score of 3-1 (92(60)-13, 131(131)-0, 0-71, 61-29).

In another match, Muhammad Asif recorded a frame score of  3-2 (71(70)-77, 17-70(54), 77-74, 61(51)-45, 84-38) to beat UAE’s Khalid Kamali.

Notably, Asjad Iqbal remained the only Pakistani to reach the Quarters of the event. He also had the highest break of (142) in the tournament to his name, which he had recorded on day three of the World Cup.

For the unversed, the 2025 IBSF Snooker World Cup is currently taking place in Muscat, Oman, running from November 15 to 23, 2025.

The event features both men’s singles and men’s team competitions, with a total prize fund of $60,000

READ: Tri-Series: Nawaz reflects on Pakistan’s victory over Zimbabwe