Category: Top Picks

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed the match officials for the upcoming T20I tri-series featuring the hosts, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.

The tri-series is slated to commence on November 17, with the final to be played on November 29 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Reon King, former West Indies fast bowler and a member of the ICC International Panel of Match Referees, will serve as the match referee for the entire seven-match series.

The opening T20I between Pakistan and Zimbabwe at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will be officiated by Asif Yaqoob from the ICC Emerging Panel and Rashid Riaz from the ICC International Panel of Umpires, with Faisal Afridi taking charge as third umpire and Tariq Rasheed serving as fourth.

In the second T20I between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz will stand on-field while Asif Yaqoob and Tariq Rasheed perform third and fourth umpire duties, respectively.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

As the series moves to Lahore, Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi will officiate on-field during the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka clash at the Gaddafi Stadium, with Rashid Riaz acting as third umpire and Tariq Rasheed as fourth.

The following day’s fixture between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will see Rashid Riaz and Faisal Afridi on-field, while Asif Yaqoob and Tariq Rasheed take charge of third and fourth umpiring responsibilities.

For the Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe match, Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz will be on-field umpires, with Ahsan Raza officiating as third umpire and Faisal Afridi as fourth.

In the penultimate game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Ahsan Raza and Faisal Afridi will take on on-field duties, while Rashid Riaz and Asif Yaqoob manage third and fourth umpire roles.

The final on November 29 will see Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob as on-field umpires, with Rashid Riaz serving as third umpire and Faisal Afridi as fourth.

T20I Tri-Series (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)

• 17 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
• 19 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
• 22 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 23 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 25 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 29 November –Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

READ: Pakistan make upward move in ICC Men’s ODI Rankings

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan climbed to fourth place in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings after edging out Sri Lanka by six runs in a thrilling series opener at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

The narrow win not only gave the Men in Green a 1-0 lead in the three-match series but also lifted them above Sri Lanka, who dropped to fifth following the result.

This upward movement marks encouraging progress for Pakistan, especially considering their current seventh-place ranking in both Tests and T20Is.

Catch Pakistan vs Sri Lanka news updates here!

After clinching both the ODI and T20I series against South Africa 2-1, Pakistan carried their momentum into the first ODI against Sri Lanka, delivering another gritty performance.

Batting first, Pakistan posted a competitive total of 299 for five, anchored by a sublime unbeaten 105 off 87 balls from Salman Ali Agha.

His innings, laced with fluent stroke play, earned him not only the Player of the Match award but also a significant 14-spot jump in the latest ICC ODI batting rankings, rising to 16th place with a career-best 639 rating points.

All-rounder Hussain Talat provided solid support with 62 off 63 balls, while Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with a valuable 36 to push Pakistan close to the 300-mark.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In response, Sri Lanka put up a spirited chase, led by Wanindu Hasaranga’s 59 off 52 balls and Sadeera Samarawickrama’s 39, but ultimately fell short, finishing on 293 for nine after 50 overs.

Fast bowler Haris Rauf starred with the ball, claiming 4 for 61, while Faheem Ashraf and Naseem Shah took two wickets apiece. Mohammad Nawaz also contributed with one scalp to seal the tense victory.

The two sides will now meet again at the same venue on Thursday for the second ODI, as Pakistan aim to secure back-to-back series wins.

READ: Salman Ali Agha soars, Babar Azam slips in ICC ODI Rankings

DUBAI: Pakistan all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has achieved a career-best ranking following his match-winning performance against Sri Lanka, while former captain Babar Azam continues to slide in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Rankings released on Wednesday.

Salman guided Pakistan to a thrilling six-run victory in the opening ODI at Rawalpindi on Tuesday with a magnificent unbeaten 105 off 87 balls.

Consequently, he jumped 14 places in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, climbing to 16th position with 639 rating points, his highest tally to date.

Meanwhile, Saim Ayub continued his upward trajectory, rising 18 places to joint 35th, thanks to back-to-back fifties against South Africa, despite managing only six runs against Sri Lanka.

On the other hand, senior players endured mixed fortunes. Babar Azam, who scored 29 runs in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, slipped two spots to seventh.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan fell four places to 27th after scoring just five runs, and Fakhar Zaman dropped five positions to 31st following his 55-ball 32.

Among bowlers, Haris Rauf made notable gains after his four-wicket haul against Sri Lanka, moving up three spots to 28th in the ICC Bowling Rankings.

Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, despite not featuring in the Rawalpindi ODI, surged 18 places to 20th, courtesy of his stellar 4-27 in the series-deciding win against South Africa, his best ODI performance yet.

Skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi dropped one place to 16th, while among all-rounders, Salman Ali Agha continued his rise, climbing seven spots to 11th, making him Pakistan’s highest-ranked all-rounder in ODIs.

In the same category, Naseem Shah improved three positions to 28th, Saim Ayub jumped 12 spots to 37th, while Shaheen Afridi slipped two places to 30th.

READ: Pakistan Shaheens reach Doha for ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025

DOHA: Pakistan Shaheens have landed here on Wednesday to partake in the ACC Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025, which kicks off on November 14 at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.

Led by middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan, the Shaheens will begin their campaign with a clash against Oman on the tournament’s opening day.

The team is scheduled to hold its first training session on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. local time to fine-tune preparations for the eight-nation T20 competition.

The Rising Stars Asia Cup features a promising lineup of emerging talent from across the continent, with Pakistan placed in Group B alongside Oman, India ‘A’, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Group A comprises Afghanistan ‘A’, Bangladesh ‘A’, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka ‘A’.

After their opener against Oman, the Shaheens will face arch-rivals India ‘A’ in what promises to be one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament on November 16, before concluding their group stage against UAE on November 18.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals on November 21, while the final is set to take place on November 23.

Before their departure to Qatar, the squad attended a four-day training camp at the Hanif Muhammad High Performance Centre in Karachi from November 8 to 11, where the players underwent extensive skill and fitness drills under the supervision of the coaching staff.

Pakistan Shaheens squad

Muhammad Irfan Khan (captain), Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Faiq, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Naeem, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Shahzad, Mubasir Khan, Saad Masood, Shahid Aziz, Sufiyan Moqim, Ubaid Shah and Yasir Khan.

READ: ICC shelves two-tier Test championship plan: report

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) much-debated proposal for a two-tier World Test Championship has been shelved after failing to secure sufficient backing from full-member nations, international media reported on Tuesday.

The idea, aimed at creating greater competitiveness and context in Test cricket, was discussed during the ICC’s quarterly meetings held in Dubai last week.

A special working group chaired by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose had been tasked with exploring the model and presenting recommendations to the ICC Board and Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC).

However, concerns over the financial implications of the system, as well as resistance from several full members, led to the proposal being dropped.

While the concept initially found some support among the “Big Three,” Australia, England, and India, the lack of consensus, particularly from Pakistan, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka, eventually scuttled the plan.

Under the suggested structure, the top division would have featured the leading Test-playing nations, while the lower tier would include emerging sides.

It was also proposed that the more established boards would provide financial and logistical support to those in the second division, an idea that ultimately failed to gain traction.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The shelving of the two-tier model means the ICC is now expected to expand the existing World Test Championship (WTC) instead.

According to reports, the next WTC cycle, starting in 2027, will likely feature 12 teams, with Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland set to join the competition for the first time.

The two-tier Test concept had been a talking point since early 2024, when discussions between Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reignited the idea during the women’s Ashes series.

CA had pushed strongly for a system that would allow the Big Three to play each other twice every three years, aiming to enhance both competitiveness and commercial value.

However, ECB chairman Richard Thompson later expressed deep reservations about the relegation-based approach, warning that it could jeopardize marquee series such as the Ashes if England were ever to drop to the lower division.

“We wouldn’t want, as England, if we go through a fallow period, to fall into Division Two and not play Australia or India. That simply couldn’t happen. Common sense needs to prevail,” Thompson told BBC’s Test Match Special earlier this year.

With the two-tier system now off the table, the ICC appears set to focus on expanding participation within the existing WTC format, a move that would not only give smaller nations more exposure to Test cricket but also preserve the sport’s traditional rivalries and commercial stability.

READ: Australia face double injury scare ahead of first Ashes Test

Australia suffered a double injury scare on Wednesday ahead of the first Ashes Test against England, with pacemen Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott both undergoing assessments, reportedly for hamstring issues.

Test spearhead Hazlewood and reserve quick Abbott both left the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) during New South Wales’s Sheffield Shield clash with Victoria.

Media reports said they were being assessed for hamstring niggles, although neither Cricket Australia nor Cricket NSW confirmed the specifics of the injury concerns.

Australia are already without injured captain Pat Cummins for at least the opening Test in Perth next week, and losing Hazlewood would be a serious blow.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Scott Boland is set to replace Cummins in the attack, which also contains left-armer Mitchell Starc.

Abbott, who took 4-18 against Victoria before leaving the field, was named in Australia’s 15-man squad for Perth as a replacement quick, with uncapped Brendon Doggett the other pace option.

Following Perth, the five-Test series moves to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

England drew 2-2 on home turf in the most recent Ashes series in 2023, but have not won in Australia since 2010-2011.

Australia squad for first Ashes Test

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

READ: Salman Ali Agha opens up after match-winning ton against Sri Lanka

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan middle-order batter Salman Ali Agha shared his thoughts after scoring an unbeaten century that propelled Pakistan to a winning total against Sri Lanka.

Pakistan sealed a narrow six-run victory over the visitors after amassing 299-5 in their 50 overs.

In reply, Sri Lanka fought till the last over, falling short with 293-9 on the board.

Salman Ali Agha and Hussain Talat starred with the bat, both scoring the bulk of the runs and lifting their team out of trouble with a mammoth 138-run stand on the fifth wicket.

Salman remained unbeaten with 105 from just 87 deliveries, peppered with nine fours, whereas Hussain Talat’s maiden made 62 from 63, striking half a dozen fours and a six.

For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga picked up three wickets, whereas Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana managed to scalp one apiece.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Agha highlighted the partnership and revealed how they batted in a pressure situation.

“I just wanted to be in the present and play on the ball’s merit. That worked. The partnership with Hussain set the tone. We were in a bit of a dig, so we wanted to take the game on,” he said.

“It was not easy to bat against the new ball, but we wanted to play our shots and also take our singles and twos. The running between us was the highlight of the partnership,” Agha explained.

He emphasized Pakistan’s deep batting lineup and said they aimed to amass 100 runs in the last ten overs.

“After 35 overs, Hussain and I were set so we wanted to take the game on. We knew if we take 7-8 per over till over 40, then we have Nawaz later, and Faheem after. So we knew we can score 100 in the last ten so we wanted to take it deep,” he concluded.

The second ODI between the two sides will be played on 13 November at the same venue.

READ: Babar Azam equals Virat Kohli’s unwanted record

Carlos Alcaraz battled to victory over Taylor Fritz at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, moving to within one win of securing the year-end number one ranking for the second time.

The five-time Grand Slam champion made it two wins from two in the Jimmy Connors Group with a comeback 6-7 (2/7), 7-5, 6-3 victory over last year’s runner-up Fritz in Turin.

He will qualify for the semi-finals if Alex de Minaur beats home hope Lorenzo Musetti in Tuesday’s second match.

“I’m really happy that I was able to come back, find my good tennis,” Alcaraz said.

“I just tried to make the most of the opportunities that he gave to me. I think we played great tennis, some great points.”

Alcaraz, who was replaced by rival Jannik Sinner as world number one following the Paris Masters earlier this month, will finish 2025 at the top of the rankings if he beats Musetti on Thursday.

Sinner has to successfully defend his Finals title, unbeaten, to have any chance of ending the season as number one for a second straight year.

Alcaraz now holds a 5-1 winning record against Fritz, whose only win against the Spaniard came at the Laver Cup in September.

The United States’ Fritz will face De Minaur in his last group contest.

Fritz swept aside Musetti in his opener on Monday with a dominant serving display.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Alcaraz immediately showed he would put up stronger resistance on return, but Fritz managed to hold in a lengthy first game, hitting three aces and saving two break points.

The Spaniard also had to dig deep to level at 1-1, staving off three break points himself.

He appeared to have made the most of that mistake as Fritz was broken for the first time in the tournament, but Alcaraz could not consolidate the break and dropped serve too.

Both players’ serves continued to be tested, with Alcaraz seeing off two more break points in the eighth game as the first set eventually went to a tie-break.

But Fritz powered through the breaker, sealing a one-set lead after 70 minutes with his sixth ace.

Some brutal hitting with his forehand brought up the first break point of the second set for Fritz in the fifth game, but Alcaraz came out on top in a dramatic rally to save it.

Alcaraz saw off a second break point with an ace and finally got out of the draining, 21-minute service game when Fritz fired long, celebrating as if he had won the match.

Fritz fought through a difficult game himself to make it 4-all after Alcaraz netted a return on a break point, as the second set edged towards another tie-break.

But the American buckled under the pressure in the 12th game, as two wild unforced errors helped bring up three set points for Alcaraz.

The 22-year-old took the second opportunity, with a rasping passing shot, forcing a deciding set.

Fritz managed to stay on serve early in the third set, but the momentum of the match had shifted, and Alcaraz grabbed the crucial break in the sixth game.

Sixth seed Fritz showed great resolve to save three match points in game eight, but Alcaraz successfully served it out to love, sealing the win as Fritz blasted a backhand wide.

READ: Spain reacts with surprise over Lamine Yamal’s injury

Lamine Yamal has been released from the Spain squad for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifying matches after undergoing treatment, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) announced Tuesday.

The federation’s medical team announced “their surprise and upset” after discovering on Monday that the 18-year-old “had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure to treat his pubic discomfort that same morning”, a statement Tuesday said.

Yamal had been due to report for international duty on Monday for the start of the Spain team’s training camp.

“This procedure was performed without prior notification to the national team’s medical staff, who only learned of the details through a report received… last night (Monday),” the statement added.

The recommended recovery time after such a procedure is seven to 10 days, according to the RFEF statement, with the federation deciding “to release the player from the current squad” to prioritise Yamal’s “health, safety and well-being”.

The Barcelona star has been suffering from a groin problem in recent weeks and was forced to miss Spain’s final round of qualifiers in October.

Spain top Group E with a 100 percent record after four outings, and can book their spot at the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico over the next two matchdays.

They take on Georgia on Saturday in Tbilisi, before welcoming Turkey to Seville on November 18.

READ: Ronaldo drops major hint about his future with Portugal

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s top-order batter Babar Azam joined India ace Virat Kohli in an unwanted century drought record during the ODI clash against Sri Lanka here on Tuesday.

Babar came when Pakistan were 14-1 in 4.1 overs and added 54 runs on the second wicket with Fakhar Zaman.

However, he was castled by Wanindu Hasanranga while batting on 29. Babar played 51 deliveries and struck three fours in his knock.

With his dismissal, he joined Kohli on the list of players who went through a long stretch without scoring a century in international cricket.

The innings marked  Babar’s 83rd international match without a century. The 31-year-old’s last century came against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup.

Similarly, Kohli, who had gone through a rough patch, scored a century in his 84th innings against Afghanistan in 2023.

Players No. of Innings Without Century

Sanath Jayasuriya 88 – innings
Virat Kohli 83 – innings
Babar Azam 83* – innings
Shivnarine Chanderpaul – 78 innings

Notably, former Sri Lanka opener and their current head coach, Sanath Jayasuriya, is at the top of the list of players who endured a rough patch and could not notch up a ton for a long time.

Put into bat first in the ODI series opener, the home side piled up 299-5 in their 50 overs despite being reduced to 95-4 at one stage of their innings.

Salman Ali Agha and Hussain Talat starred with the bat, both scoring the bulk of the runs and lifting their team out of trouble with a mammoth 138-run stand on the fifth wicket.

Salman remained unbeaten with 105 from just 87 deliveries, peppered with nine fours, whereas Hussain Talat’s maiden made 62 from 63, striking half a dozen fours and a six.

For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga picked up three wickets, whereas Asitha Fernando and Maheesh Theekshana managed to scalp one apiece.

READ: Agha’s century powers Pakistan to commanding total