Category: Top Picks

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that tickets for the upcoming T20I tri-series, featuring the hosts, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, will be available for purchase online from 2 pm today (Friday).

Fans can secure their seats through pcb.tcs.com.pk, while physical tickets will reach TCS Express Centres from 3pm on Saturday, 15 November. Details regarding ECP enclosures will be shared separately.

The week-long tri-series will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 18 to 29 November, with all seven matches scheduled for 6pm local time.

This marks an important home assignment for Pakistan, bringing three teams together under lights in Rawalpindi.

The PCB has kept ticket prices accessible for most enclosures, with General enclosure seats, Miran Bakhsh and Sohail Tanvir, priced at PKR 200 for all group matches and PKR 300 for the final.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Tickets for the First-Class enclosures (Shoaib Akhtar, Yasir Arafat) will be priced at PKR 300 for all matches except the final, which will be available at PKR 400.

Fans wishing to watch the action from the Premium enclosures (Azhar Mahmood, Javed Miandad) can purchase tickets at PKR 400 for the first, second, fifth and sixth T20Is.

For the third and fourth fixtures, tickets will be priced at PKR 500, while premium tickets for the final will be available at PKR 600.

Tickets for the VIP enclosures (Imran Khan, Javed Akhtar) will be priced at PKR 500 for the first two T20Is and for the fixtures on 25 and 27 November.

For the contests on 22 and 23 November, tickets will be priced at PKR 600, while tickets for the final will cost PKR 700.

Seats in the PCB Gallery (Main Building) will be priced at PKR 1,000 for the first two T20Is and for the fixtures on 25 and 27 November.

For the 22 and 23 November matches, Gallery tickets will be available at PKR 1,200, while the final will be priced at PKR 1,500.

Platinum Box seats will be priced at PKR 8,000 for matches on 18, 20, 25 and 27 November, while for the matches on 22 and 23 November, they will be available at PKR 10,000.

Far-End Box seats will cost PKR 7,000 for matches on 18, 20, 25 and 27 November, while tickets for the 22 and 23 November fixtures will be priced at PKR 8,000. For the final, Far-End Box seats will be available at PKR 10,000.

Hospitality boxes for the series are also available for sale. For more information, fans can contact the PCB head office.

Catch Pakistan Tri-Series news updates here!

The PCB also recently confirmed a revised schedule for the tournament. Pakistan and Zimbabwe will open the series on 18 November, followed by Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe on 20 November.

Pakistan will face Sri Lanka on 22 November, then take on Zimbabwe again on 23 November.

The remaining group matches, Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (25 November) and Pakistan vs Sri Lanka (27 November), will set the stage for the tri-series final on 29 November.

Revised 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: Kylian Mbappe hits brace as France seal spot at World Cup 2026

PARIS: Kylian Mbappe hit a brace while Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike also scored as France beat Ukraine 4-0 on Thursday at Parc des Princes to secure World Cup 2026 qualification.

Captain Mbappe coolly chipped in from the spot 10 minutes into the second half, and the impressive Olise doubled their lead on 76 minutes.

Mbappe then struck again, and Ekitike swept in a first goal for his country as France got the win they required to clinch their spot at the 2026 finals in North America.

A minute’s silence was impeccably observed ahead of kick-off by the 41,000 spectators as France marked the 10th anniversary of the attacks in and around Paris on Friday, November 13, 2015.

Most of the 130 people killed in the attacks lost their lives at the Bataclan concert hall in the capital.

But one person died near the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where multiple explosions took place as suicide bombers attempted to enter the ground during a friendly between Les Bleus and Germany.

Didier Deschamps was the coach then and remains in charge now, with the approaching World Cup to be his final tournament before stepping down.

With one game still to come in Azerbaijan on Sunday, France have an unassailable six-point lead over both Iceland and Ukraine at the top of European qualifying Group D.

Winners of the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, France maintain their record of having made it to every edition of the tournament since missing out on a place in the United States in 1994.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

While France can now look forward to the draw for the finals, which takes place in Washington, DC, on December 5, Ukraine and Iceland meet each other on Sunday in a shoot-out to decide who continues on into the play-offs next March.

France’s only slip-up in qualifying came in a draw in Iceland last month, although they have rarely found their fluid best during a low-key campaign.

Mbappe and Olise were in fine fettle here at Paris Saint-Germain’s home ground, though, while Bradley Barcola came closest to scoring in the first half with a curling effort from outside the area that was tipped onto the woodwork and behind for a corner.

Real Madrid superstar Mbappe then chipped in from the spot to open the scoring early in the second half after Olise had been fouled inside the area.

Olise, of Bayern Munich, really came into his own after being shifted from the right to a more central role.

It was shortly after setting up Ekitike to hit the post that Olise turned and fired in France’s second goal, and Ukraine caved in towards the end.

Mbappe scored from close range in the 83rd minute after Ekitike had been denied, taking him to 55 goals for his country and to within two of all-time top marksman Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57.

Liverpool’s Ekitike then rounded off a fine move to wrap up the victory with his first senior international goal.

READ: England edge Serbia to maintain perfect World Cup 2026 qualifying run

LONDON: Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze helped England extend their flawless record on the road to the FIFA World Cup 2026, but Jude Bellingham was reduced to a cameo role in Thursday’s 2-0 win against Serbia at Wembley Stadium.

Saka struck in the first half before his Arsenal team-mate Eze netted in the closing stages to ensure England, who had already qualified for the World Cup, made it seven successive Group K victories without conceding a goal.

After scoring 13 times in their previous three matches, this was a more prosaic England display, with Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave Bellingham out of his starting line-up capturing most of the attention.

Tuchel opted to select Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers instead of Bellingham before sending on the Real Madrid star with 26 minutes left.

Bellingham had missed England’s previous four matches, with a shoulder injury sidelining him in September before Tuchel left him out in October.

Rogers excelled in the number 10 role while deputising for Bellingham during England’s wins over Wales and Latvia in October.

And Tuchel this week warned Bellingham that he would have to fight for his place in the starting line-up at the World Cup.

There have been reports that Bellingham has sometimes been a polarising figure among the England squad, and Tuchel was forced to apologise to the 22-year-old earlier this season after revealing his mother found the fiery star’s on-pitch behaviour “repulsive”.

After England travel to Albania for their last qualifier on Sunday, Tuchel has only two friendlies remaining in March before he has to name his World Cup squad.

The Germans’ handling of Bellingham will likely be the main topic from now until the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico next year.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

England’s 5-0 win in Serbia in September was the first sign that Tuchel was starting to stamp his mark on the team after a slow start to his reign.

England have been revitalised since that impressive victory, securing their World Cup berth by crushing Latvia in October.

Tuchel has now won eight of his nine matches, including seven World Cup qualifiers without conceding a single goal.

Tuchel had urged Saka to score more often for England after a meagre run in front of goal, and the Arsenal forward responded in the 28th minute.

Serbia keeper Predrag Rajkovic punched Declan Rice’s free-kick to Nico O’Reilly, and when his shot was blocked towards Saka, the 24-year-old guided a composed volley into the far corner from an acute angle.

Saka’s 14th goal in 47 England appearances gave his side a lift and O’Reilly’s deflected cross smacked the post before Harry Kane headed wide from close range.

Rogers nearly doubled the lead with a flicked header that flashed wide just before half-time.

Dusan Vlahovic should have punished England for their profligacy, but the striker back-heeled wide from close range after the interval.

As well as introducing Bellingham, Tuchel sent on Phil Foden — who had been absent from the previous three squads — to play as England’s central striker in place of Kane.

Bellingham and Foden combined with fellow substitute Eze to wrap up England’s win in the 90th minute.

Bellingham found Foden and the Manchester City playmaker teed up Eze for a superb finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.

WATCH: Pakistan players, fans give warm welcome to Sri Lanka team

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan cricket team players and fans extended a warm welcome to the Sri Lanka team here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the second One Day International (ODI).

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) uploaded a video on its social media handles, showing players and kids showering the visiting team with flowers on their arrival to the stadium.

“Friendship not out. Pakistan players and fans come together to welcome the Sri Lankan team,” the caption read.

This comes after several players of the visiting team reportedly sought an early exit, citing safety concerns. Following this, the uncertainty loomed over the tour.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) assured its players that all safety measures were being implemented in close coordination with the PCB and local authorities.

Due to this reason, the second ODI, originally scheduled for Thursday, 13 November, will now be played on Friday, 14 November, while the final fixture is set for Sunday, 16 November.

Catch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka news updates here!

Furthermore, the upcoming T20I tri-nation series, involving hosts Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe, was also rescheduled, with all matches to be played in Rawalpindi instead of Lahore.

According to the updated itinerary, the tri-series will now begin on November 18, a day later than originally planned, with the final set for November 29.

Revised 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:WATCH: PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi meets touring Sri Lanka team

DHAKA: Pakistan outplayed Bangladesh 8-2 in the opening game of the three-match series here at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

The series serves as a platform for a spot in the FIH 2026 Hockey World Cup Qualifiers.

The Green Shirts started strong as captain Ammad Butt pierced one through the nets in the fourth minute of the game, courtesy of a penalty corner.

However, the hosts made a comeback at the stroke of the first quarter, with Hozifa Hossain scoring the equalizer.

Pakistan showcased its dominance and replied with another goal in four minutes to take the lead. This time, it was Nadeem Ahmed who struck through the nets.

The visitors continued to dominate and ended the second quarter with a 4-1 lead.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Pakistan effectively controlled possession, enabling them to add four more goals to their tally. Ghazanfar Ali, Waheed Ashraf Rana, and Hannan Shahid each contributed one goal, while Nadeem scored his second.

Bangladesh found the back of the net in the 58th minute with a goal from Amirul Islam. However, they were unable to close the gap, and Pakistan secured a comfortable victory in the match.

It is noteworthy to mention that the series was initiated by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) after Pakistan was unable to travel to India for the Asia Cup in August and September due to strained political relations between the two neighboring countries.

The second fixture of the series will be played tomorrow, whereas the final match is scheduled for Sunday.

Squad:

Ammad Shakeel Butt (captain), Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muneeb-ur-Rehman, Mohammad Sufyan, Mohammad Abdullah, Hammad-ud-Din, Abdul Manan, Moeen Shakeel, Zakraya Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Ghazanfar Ali, Rana Abdul Waheed, Afraz, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Abdul Rahman, Rana Mohammad Walid, Ahmad Nadeem, and Junaid Manzoor.

READ: WATCH: PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi meets touring Sri Lanka team

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met visiting Sri Lanka team players here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Fred Sri Weeratne and Minister of State Talal Chaudhry were also present during the visit.

Naqvi inspected the security arrangements and met with the officers on duty. He urged the personnel of law enforcement agencies to perform their duties with dedication and commitment.

The PCB chairman also met with the Sri Lankan cricket team players, who were present for practice, and personally thanked them for continuing the tour.

“Your security is our responsibility.” “Your continued visit to Pakistan is a victory for peace and a defeat for terrorism,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The entire nation of Pakistan will always remain indebted to your love and sincerity.” “This beautiful chapter of friendship between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will always be remembered by the Pakistani nation,” he maintained.

Fred Sri Weeratne also shared his views on this occasion, calling Pakistan his second home.

“I have served in different countries, but I consider Pakistan my second home.”
“We are fully satisfied with the security arrangements,” the envoy remarked.

The Chief Commissioner of Islamabad, the Commissioner of Rawalpindi, the IG Islamabad Police, and senior officials from law enforcement agencies were also present on the occasion.

For the unversed, uncertainty loomed over the ongoing Sri Lanka tour of Pakistan after several of their players reportedly sought an early exit, citing safety concerns.

However, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) assured its players that all safety measures were being implemented in close coordination with the PCB and local authorities.

Due to this reason, the second ODI, originally scheduled for Thursday, 13 November, will now be played on Friday, 14 November, while the final fixture is set for Sunday, 16 November.

READ: Aqib Javed breaks silence on Babar Azam’s T20I exclusion

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Director of High Performance and national selector Aqib Javed has shared his thoughts on the exclusion of ace batter Babar Azam from the national T20I side.

Speaking in an interview with Crickwick, Aqib responded to the question regarding Babar’s exclusion from the T20I team after the tour of South Africa in December 2024.

Babar Azam was dropped from the Pakistan team following the 2024 tour of South Africa. The right-handed batter was reportedly sidelined from the shorter format amid criticism of his strike rate, which was deemed below modern-day standards.

However, the 31-year-old recently made his comeback in the limited-overs format during the series against South Africa.

“Look, these are just common opinions people have — everyone has their own views. One thing a person must understand is that when you’re working in a certain position, criticism will come with it,” he said regarding his role.

He discussed praise and criticism when an individual is in a managerial role, noting that the scrutiny for players depends on their performance.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Credit always goes to the players, while criticism comes to the management — and I’m well aware of that.

I always tell players that their praise or criticism depends entirely on their own performance. If you perform well, no one will criticize you; if you perform poorly, people will. That’s how it is,” the 52-year-old explained.

Aqib clarified that dropping Babar was a collective decision and it was not his decision.

“As for Babar, why would it matter to us whether we target one player or another? People say that since someone [Babar] was dropped from the T20 side, I must have a personal issue with him — but if that’s the case, then am I being personal with Babar only in one format?” he questioned.

“For instance, I may not have any issue with him in Tests, only in T20s. And by the way, who am I, as an individual, to select or drop anyone? These are collective decisions — made by the entire selection committee.

I’m not at the level where I can favor or go against any player on a personal basis,” he concluded.

READ: Pakistan sanctioned for slow over-rate in first Sri Lanka ODI

The five-team National Women’s One-Day Cup is set to commence on Friday, 14 November in Faisalabad.

The tournament will be played in a double-league format, with each team facing each other twice, culminating in the top two teams squaring off in the final.

The 21-match event will be live-streamed, with Stars entering the field as the defending champions, having defeated Conquerors by five wickets in the final of the previous season’s One-Day Tournament.

The other three teams are Challengers, Invincibles, and Strikers.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The 20-member squads of the teams will train at the Iqbal Stadium and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) High Performance Center Ground before being trimmed to 15 members.

A total of PKR 3.55 million has been announced, with the winner and runner-up pocketing PKR 1.5 million and PKR 1 million, respectively. The Player of the match in each game will get PKR 25,000, while the player of the tournament will take away PKR 200,000.

All matches will be played at the Iqbal Stadium and PCB High-Performance Centre Ground, except for one fixture between Challengers and Strikers on 22 November, which will be held at the Jawad Club Cricket Ground.

Squads:

Conquerors: Fatima Sana (captain), Aleena Masood, Amber Kainat, Aqsa Bibi, Ayesha Bilal, Eisha Naeem, Esha Rahupoto, Farzana Farooq (wicketkeeper), Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Lubna Behram, Maheen Irfan, Maham Anees, Muqadas Bukhari, Sabiha Noor, Saima Malik, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper), Umm-e-Hani, and Zunash Abdul Sattar.

Strikers: Nashra Sundhu (captain), Aliya Riaz, Aliza Sabir, Amna Bibi, Areesha Noor, Ghulam Fatima, Humna Bilal, Javeria Siddique, Laiba Fatima, Laiba Nasir, Mahnoor Aftab, Najiha Alvi (wicketkeeper), Noreen Yaqoob, Rabia Rani, Rehmat Noreen, Saiqa Riaz, Samina Aftab, Sania Rasheed (wicketkeeper), Shawaal Zulfiqar, and Zaib-un-Nisa Niaz.

Challengers: Rameen Shamim (captain), Aleena Shah, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Fatima Shahid, Haleema Dua, Huraina Sajjad, Jannat Rasheed, Maham Manzoor, Memoona Tipu, Neha Sharmin Nadeem, Quratulain, Ramama Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sana Talib, Tania Saeed, Tayyaba Imdad, Waheeda Akhtar, Wasifa Hussain (wicketkeeper), and Yusra Amir (wicketkeeper).

Invincibles: Muneeba Ali (captain, wicketkeeper), Ayesha Rehman, Bakhtawar Asad, Dua Majid, Fatima Khan, Hafsa Khalid, Khadija Chishti, Laiba Mansoor, Minhail Javaid, Momina Riasat, Nayab (wicketkeeper), Natalia Parvaiz, Neelam Mushtaq, Rida Aslam, Saba Sher, Samiya Afsar, Sana Urooj, Subica Shahzadi, Tasmia Rubab, and Tuba Hassan.

Stars: Omaima Sohail (captain), Anam Amin, Anosha Nasir, Arijah Haseeb, Diana Baig, Fatima Zahra, Gull Rukh, Haniah Ahmer, Kaynat Hafeez, Manahil Rafiq, Noor-ul-Iman, Seema Gul, Shabnam Hayat (wicketkeeper), Sidra Amin, Soha Fatima (wicketkeeper), Syeda Aroob Shah, Syeda Masooma, Syeda Taskyn Fatima, Warda Yousaf, and Yusra Ehtesham

READ: Pakistan sanctioned for slow over-rate in first Sri Lanka ODI

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Thursday, reprimanded the Pakistan men’s cricket team for maintaining a slow over-rate during the first ODI of their three-match series against Sri Lanka.

According to the ICC, match referee Ali Naqvi from the Elite Panel imposed the sanction after Pakistan fell four overs short of the required target, even after considering time allowances.

Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, players are fined five per cent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Green Shirts have been handed a 20 per cent fine of the match fees.

Pakistan’s captain, Shaheen Afridi, accepted the charges and penalties, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.

Catch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka news updates here!

Nonetheless, Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the opening ODI by a narrow margin of six runs. Salman Ali Agha and Haris Rauf starred for Green Shirts, with the former scoring an unbeaten century, whereas the latter picked up a four-wicket haul.

Chasing down a 300-run target, Sri Lanka managed to score 293 runs in their 50 overs, courtesy of Wanindu Hasaranga’s spirited half-century in the last phase of the innings.

It is pertinent to mention that the three-match ODI series faced uncertainty after several Sri Lankan players reportedly requested to return home on November 12, a day after the first ODI in Rawalpindi.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In response, SLC assured its players that all safety measures were being implemented in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and local authorities.

Notably, the second ODI, originally scheduled for Thursday, 13 November, will now be played on Friday, 14 November, while the final fixture is set for Sunday, 16 November.

READ: Pakistan cricketers thank Sri Lanka for continuing white-ball tour

Pakistan cricketers have expressed their gratitude to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the touring team for continuing their tour despite several players raising safety concerns.

The series faced uncertainty after several Sri Lankan players reportedly requested to return home on November 12, a day after the first ODI in Rawalpindi.

In response, SLC assured its players that all safety measures were being implemented in close coordination with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and local authorities.

The board instructed players and support staff to continue the tour, clarifying that anyone choosing to leave would be immediately replaced to ensure the series proceeded without disruption.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar praised Sri Lanka’s decision, posting on X: “Thank you Sri Lanka Team for standing with cricket and defeating terrorism.”

Similarly, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja said: “After a turbulent day, I am so pleased to know that the Sri Lanka tour is on!”

“A collective effort from all of us will help address such manic behaviour and brutality! A big thank you to the Sri Lankan Board, the players, and our Cricket Board for their efforts to ensure that cricket emerges as the true winner!”

Current Pakistan stars also voiced their appreciation.

Catch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka news updates here!

Salman Ali Agha thanked the Sri Lankan board and players for supporting Pakistan during a difficult time, urging fans to fill the stadium for the remaining ODIs.

Meanwhile, Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi requested fans to attend the November 14 and 16 fixtures in large numbers, while Haris Rauf emphasized that Sri Lanka’s decision was a win for cricket itself.

Notably, the second ODI, originally scheduled for Thursday, 13 November, will now be played on Friday, 14 November, while the final fixture is set for Sunday, 16 November.

READ: Portugal’s Ronaldo expects Ireland fans’ boos ahead of World Cup Qualifier