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RAWALPINDI: Mohammad Nawaz opened up after his all-round brilliance guided Pakistan to 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.

With Green Shirts requiring 33 from 24 balls, Mohammad Nawaz walked in and forged a 36-run partnership alongside Usman that helped his side cross the finishing line.

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Nawaz hit two fours and a six in his 21 from only 12 balls, while Usman Khan’s gutsy 37 from 28 featured three fours.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Nawaz reflected on his performance, calling the win a confidence booster for the team.

“I am feeling good, and starting the series well gives you good confidence as a team,” he said.

Regarding the conditions, he highlighted the role of pitch and his game plan.

Zimbabwe were off to a flyer as they posted 71 in just eight overs. However, things started to turn in Pakistan’s favour when the spinners came to bowl. It was Nawaz’s four overs that turned the momentum in the home side’s favor.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

“Can be a little difficult sometimes, still, as a bowler, I was just trying to stick to my plan. And the pitch was helping a little as well,” he said. [The pitch ] was a little different. Rawalpindi is my home ground, and usually high scoring. But today it played different,” he continued.

The 31-year-old said he is confident in his game but also emphasized adaptability in T20 cricket.

“I feel I’m at the top of my game, but T20 cricket momentum can change in one or two overs, so you have to be on top all the time and keep reading the situation of the game. That’s what we did well today, I think. I also want to dedicate this award to my family and kids,” he concluded.

READ: Nafay leads Quetta Qavalry to winning start in Abu Dhabi T10 league

ABU DHABI: Khawaja Nafay’s 45* from only 12 balls powered Quetta Qavalry to a big win against Northern Warriors in the opening match of the Abu Dhabi T10 here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Set 134, Northern Warriors could only manage to score 82-2 at the end of their 10 overs.

Hazratullah Zazai remained unbeaten with 31 from 28 while Colin Munro hit three sixes and three fours in his 44 from 28 balls.

For Qavalry, Ali Majid and Jason Holder picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, after being put into bat, Quetta Qavalry piled up  133-5 in their 10 overs.

Evin Lewis was sent back in the second over, whereas Andries Gous followed him in the third over. As a result, they were 20-2 as skipper Liam Livingstone walked into bat and made 24 from 10 balls with the help of two sixes and two fours.

However, the Warriors tightened the screws with clinical bowling and removed Livingstone,  Fabian Allen (8), and Muhammad Waseem (15) in quick succession.

As a result, Qavalry were in dire straits with 65-5 in 6.3 overs. However, it was Nafay’s arrival that powered them to a winning total.

The right-hander hit five sixes and two fours on his knock, which took the total to 133 at the end of their innings. Jason Holder also batted well for his 24 from 10 balls with the aid of two sixes and a four.

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For Northern Warriors, Trent Boult picked up two wickets. Odean Smith, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Thisara Perera also managed to pick one apiece.

In the second fixture, Deccan Gladiators defeated UAE Bulls by a narrow margin of six runs, courtesy of Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s fiery half-century.

Kohler-Cadmore hit 78* from just 29 balls, laced with seven sixes and six fours that powered Gladiators to 141-2 in their 10 overs.

In reply, UAE Bulls fell short by a narrow margin as they scored 135-5 in their allotted 10 overs.

Tim David remained the top scorer, smashing two sixes and nine fours on his way to 59 from 29 balls.

For Gladiators, Luke Wood picked up two wickets in his two overs while giving away just 14.

READ: Dominant Pakistan crush UAE in Asia Cup Rising Stars

DOHA: Pakistan Shaheen’s Maaz Sadaqat continued his brilliant run in the tournament, leading his side to a comprehensive victory over UAE in the ninth match of the Asia Cup Rising Stars here at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

With only 60 required to chase in 20 overs, Pakistan eased past the opponents in only 5.1 overs, losing just one wicket in the process.

Mohammad Naeem was the solitary wicket to fall for Shaheens after managing to score just six from five deliveries.

However, Maaz and Ghazi Gori added a 54-run partnership for the second wicket to take their team home.

Maaz Sadaqat showcased his batting prowess again and hit 37* from just 15 balls. The left-handers’ knock featured four boundaries and three sixes. Ghazi, who was promoted to the order, made 16 from 12 with the help of three fours.

For UAE, fast bowler Muhammad Rohid picked up one wicket.

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Earlier, UAE could not capitalize on the decision to bat first as their innings folded for just 59 in 18 overs.

Shaheens remained dominant from the start and picked up four wickets in the powerplay, which reduced UAE to 24-4.

It was an abysmal performance from UAE batters as Syed Haider remained the top-scored with 20 from 19 balls.

For Pakistan, Sufiyan Muqeem stood out among the bowlers, scalping three wickets in his quota of four overs. Maaz Sadaqat and Ahmed Daniyal picked up two apiece, while Arafat Minhas, Shahid Aziz, and Muhammad Shahzad also took one each.

With this win, semi-final-bound Pakistan Shaheens maintained their unbeaten run in the tournament.

The first semi-final of the tournament will be played on Friday, 21 November.

READ: Pakistan suffer injury blow ahead of T20I tri-series opener

RAWALPINDI: Fakhar Zaman and Usman Khan’s calculated knocks led Pakistan to a win against Zimbabwe in the opening match of the T20I tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a stiff 148, Pakistan hit the winning runs on the loss of five wickets with four balls to spare.

Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub started well in pursuit of the chase, adding 27 in 4.1 overs. The stand broke with Farhan’s wicket, who made 16 from 15 balls.

The hosts were pegged back with two more wickets in quick succession, which reduced them to 30-3 in 5.4 overs. Babar Azam was trapped lbw for a duck, while Salman Agha could only manage to score one.

With wickets tumbling, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman tried to arrest the slide and stitched a brief 24-run partnership. The stand brought the total to 50-run runs at the end of nine overs.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

However, Zimbabwe mounted further pressure through Saim’s wicket, who scored 22 from 26, striking four fours and a six.

Yet Pakistan thrived, courtesy of Fakhar Zaman’s and Usman Khan’s match-winning partnership of 61 runs. The duo batted responsibility and helped the home side cross the 100-run mark at the end of the 15th over.

Fakhar’s 32-ball 44 included two sixes and two fours. With Green Shirts requiring 33 from 24 balls, Mohammad Nawaz walked in and forged a 36-run partnership that helped his side cross the finishing line.

Nawaz hit two fours and a six in his 21 from only 12 balls, while Usman Khan’s gutsy 37 from 28 featured three fours.

For Zimbabwe, Brad Evans remained the standout bowler and picked up two wickets.

Earlier, Pakistan spinners bowled economical spells to restrict Zimbabwe from scoring a formidable total.

Put into bat first, Zimbabwe managed to score 147-8 at the end of their 20 overs despite a solid start.

Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani put on a 72-run partnership in just eight overs. Both players batted briskly in the power play, amassing 13 from skipper Shaheen Afridi’s opening over.

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The duo took on fast bowlers and took advantage of the fielding restrictions, scoring 11 and 17 from Saim Ayub’s fifth and Abrar Ahmed’s sixth over.

As a result, the visitors were 59 at the end of the power play.

However, it was Mohammad Nawaz who not only halted the scoring but also broke the partnership with Marumani’s wicket. He hit three fours and a six in his 30 from 22 balls.

Brendan Taylor was the second wicket to fall, courtesy of a run that sparked a collapse and halted Zimbabwe’s progress. Taylor departed after scoring run a ball 14. Consequently, they were reduced to 91-2 in 11 overs.

After 10 overs, the Green Shirts put on brakes on the visitors’ scoring rate and never allowed them to recover. Brian Bennett remained the top scorer with 49 from 36, laced with eight fours.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Nawaz picked up two wickets, whereas Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub scalped one apiece.

READ: Babar Azam fined for ICC Code of Conduct breach in third Sri Lanka ODI

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tri-series here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Playing XIs

Pakistan XI: 1 Sahibzada Farhan (wk), 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Salman Ali Agha (capt), 5 Usman Khan (wk), 6 Fakhar Zaman, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Faheem Ashraf, 9 Shaheen Shah Afridi, 10 Mohammad Salman Mirza, 11 Abrar Ahmed

Zimbabwe XI: 1 Brian Bennett, 2 Ryan Burl, 3 Sikandar Raza (capt.), 4 Bradley Evans, 5 Brendan Taylor (wk), 6 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 7 Tashinga Musekiwa, 8 Tony Munyonga, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Tinotenda Maposa, 11 Richard Ngarava

Head-to-Head Record

Pakistan and Zimbabwe have faced each other 21 times in T20I cricket, with Green Shirts emerging victorious on 18 occasions.

READ: Will Mohammad Amir lead Quetta Qavalry in Abu Dhabi T10 opener?

Spain’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz will miss the Davis Cup Final 8 tournament in Italy this week due to injury, the two-time Wimbledon champion announced on X on Tuesday.

“I am very sorry to announce that I will not be able to play with Spain in the Davis Cup in Bologna. I have swelling in my right hamstring, and the medical advice is not to play,” the 22-year-old six-time Grand Slam winner said.

“I’ve always said that playing for Spain is the greatest thing there is, and I was really looking forward to helping the team fight for the Davis Cup trophy.”

Alcaraz’s announcement comes two days after he was beaten by his arch-rival Jannik Sinner, the Italian world number two, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 in the ATP Finals title-decider in Turin.

While both Sinner and Alcaraz breezed into the final, the championship game was an attritional affair, with each player rock-solid on serve until an enthralling tie-break at the end of the first set.

Sinner took the lead thanks to a brilliant lob which set up a set point, and he made no mistake with a missile of a serve which Alcaraz could only limply send wide.

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But Sinner immediately handed Alcaraz the advantage in the second set with two double-faults, which helped hand his opponent a break of serve at the start of the frame.

Sinner hadn’t dropped a service game in the whole tournament up to that point, but he broke back in game six to put the crowd on their feet.

And Sinner collapsed to the ground in joy when Alcaraz sent a backhand wide on the first championship point, before heading into the stands to share his joy with his family amid the roars of the crowd.

Notably, Sinner had already announced he would miss the Davis Cup Final 8 tournament, with hosts Italy aiming for a third title in a row.

Italy’s second-highest-ranked player, Lorenzo Musetti, has also pulled out of Italy’s defence.

Austria, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Argentina and Germany are the other countries vying for victory in Bologna.

READ: Pakistan suffer injury blow ahead of T20I tri-series opener

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s explosive batter Abdul Samad has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I tri-series on Monday due to an injury sustained during a fielding drill at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Samad suffered a split-wound on the little finger of his left hand and subsequently required a medical procedure.

The injury will keep him out of action for nearly four weeks, ruling him out of the tri-series.

In response, the selectors have drafted in Hassan Nawaz as the replacement for Abdul Samad. The young batter is expected to join the squad on November 19.

Samad, 27, has featured in five T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 66 runs at a strike rate of 113.79. His last appearance in national colours came earlier this year against New Zealand in March.

Pakistan Squad for the T20I Tri-Series

Salman Ali Agha (c), Hassan Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.

T20I Tri-Series Schedule:

• November 18: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe
• November 20: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
• November 22: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
• November 23: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe
• November 25: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
• November 27: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka
• November 29: Final

READ: Will Mohammad Amir lead Quetta Qavalry in Abu Dhabi T10 opener?

Quetta Qavalry confirmed that their star pacer and captain, Mohammad Amir, will miss the team’s opening match of the Abu Dhabi T10 League 2025 against Northern Warriors on Tuesday due to unforeseen visa-related delays.

In an official statement, the franchise reassured fans that all formalities are underway and Amir will join the squad as soon as his visa is processed.

“Due to an unexpected delay in the visa processing, Mohammad Amir will not be available for today’s first game,” the statement read.

“All formalities are currently in progress, and he will join the squad and take charge as soon as his visa arrives. We appreciate your patience and continued support for the Qavalry.”

 

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Amir’s absence was felt during the captains’ conference and the trophy unveiling ceremony, where England all-rounder Liam Livingstone stepped in as Qavalry’s representative.

The Qavalry squad for their maiden Abu Dhabi T10 League features a mix of experienced internationals and local talent, including Liam Livingstone, Jason Holder, Azam Khan, Imran Tahir, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, and Muhammad Waseem, among others.

Quetta Qavalry squad for Abu Dhabi T10 League:

Liam Livingstone, Mohammad Amir, Jason Holder, Azam Khan (wk), Andries Gous, Muhammad Waseem, Imran Tahir, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Gudakesh Motie, Ali Naseer, Khuzaima Bin Tanvir, Abdul Ghaffar, Abbas Afridi, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Arafat Minhas, Umer Zeeshan Lohya and George Scrimshaw.

READ: Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali resigns from PCB roles: sources

ISLAMABAD: Syria football team reinforced their dominance over Pakistan with a comprehensive 5-0 victory in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifying clash at Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Mohammad Al-Hallaq opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, capitalising on an assist from Zakaria Hannan, putting Syria ahead early in a game that had no bearing on the Group E standings.

The visitors, having already secured qualification to the next round with four straight wins, rotated their squad to give new players valuable international experience.

The second half saw Syria take complete control. Al-Hallaq doubled the lead in the 48th minute, followed by Yassin Samiah’s strike in the 79th minute, assisted by Mahmoud Al Mawas.

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In injury time, Alaa Al Dali and Samiah added two more goals, with assists from Hasan Dahan and Anas Dahhan respectively, sealing a crushing 5-0 win.

Syria had previously defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the first leg back in March, maintaining their upper hand over the South Asian side.

For Pakistan, the loss highlighted ongoing challenges in Group E, where they sit at the bottom behind Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The 2027 AFC Asian Cup, Asia’s 19th edition of its premier men’s football tournament, will be held in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, featuring 24 national teams after the 2019 expansion.

READ: Kylian Mbappe, PSG face off in multi-million lawsuit

The long-running dispute between Kylian Mbappe and his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) moved to the French labour court on Monday, with both sides presenting staggering financial claims.

Mbappe, now a Real Madrid player, is seeking €263 million ($304m) from PSG, while the club is demanding €440 million in return, citing lost transfer revenue, reputational damage, and an alleged breach of a post-transfer agreement.

The conflict traces back to June 2023, when PSG attempted to transfer Mbappe to Saudi club Al Hilal for €300 million, a move the striker refused.

Mbappe subsequently left Paris on a free transfer when his contract expired the following summer.

PSG lawyer Renaud Semerdjian confirmed the club’s claim, explaining that the €440 million figure reflects both financial losses and damage to PSG’s image.

Mbappe, who did not attend Monday’s hearing, denies ever agreeing to waive any payments from the club and has challenged the classification of his contract under French labour law.

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The dispute also stems from Mbappe’s treatment at PSG during the 2023-24 season.

According to the France captain, he was sidelined, forced to train with players PSG were looking to offload, and excluded from the club’s pre-season tour of Asia.

The striker initially filed a complaint in June over what he described as unfair treatment by the Qatari-owned club.

Mbappe spent seven seasons at PSG, scoring 256 goals in 308 appearances, but left just before the club captured their first Champions League title. He now earns a reported €30 million annually at Real Madrid.

The tribunal is expected to take several weeks before delivering a verdict, with a decision anticipated on December 16.

READ: Donald Trump unveils fast-track visas for World Cup 2026 ticket holders