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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced the match officials for the upcoming three-match One-Day International (ODI) series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Ali Naqvi from Pakistan will serve as the match referee. Meanwhile, International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel of Umpires member, and England’s Alexander Wharf, will be officiating as an on-field umpire in the ODI series opener.

He will share the duties alongside Asif Yaqoob (ICC Emerging Panel of Umpires). Bangladesh’s Saikat Sharfuddoula, also part of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will be the third umpire. Rashid Riaz will serve as the fourth umpire.

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“For the second ODI on 13 November, Saikat Sharfuddoula will be joined by Faisal Afridi (ICC International Panel of Umpires) as on-field umpires. Alexander Wharf will act as the third umpire, while Asif Yaqoob will perform the duties of the fourth umpire,” the board said in a statement.

“The third ODI on 15 November will see Alexander Wharf and Rashid Riaz officiating as on-field umpires, with Saikat Sharfuddoula and Faisal Afridi serving as third and fourth umpires, respectively,” it added.

For context, the first game of the three-match ODI series will take place on 11 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, followed by the next two matches on 11 and 15 November at the same venue.

Updated 15-member T20I squad:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicket-keeper), Usman Tariq

Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan

11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

READ: Jamieson holds nerves in final over to seal victory for New Zealand

Seamer Kyle Jamieson held his nerve in the final over for a second straight game to seal a nine-run victory for New Zealand over the West Indies in a tense finale to the third T20 international on Sunday.

The visitors threatened to surpass New Zealand’s 177-9 in Nelson but were dismissed for 168 when Romario Shepherd was caught in the deep off the penultimate ball for a career-best 49.

New Zealand took a 2-1 lead in the five-game series, following a match that emulated the pattern of the first two, with the chasing team falling just short.

West Indies’ hopes appeared dashed at 88-8 in the 13th over before Shepherd and fellow seamer Shamar Springer began striking the ball cleanly to the boundary.

The pair combined for 78 off just 6.3 overs before Springer was splendidly caught and bowled by Jacob Duffy for 39 with an over remaining.

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Needing 12 to win, the final pair could only score two off Jamieson’s first four deliveries before the towering pace bowler removed Shepherd to spark victory celebrations.

Jamieson had also been effective when New Zealand levelled the series in Auckland on Thursday, conceding 12 in the final over of a nerve-jangling three-run victory.

New Zealand lost their way after opener Devon Conway was run out for 56 off 34 balls, with Daryl Mitchell the most effective of the middle order with a lively 41.

Alick Athanaze, with 31, and Ackeem Auguste, who scored 24, provided a steady start to the West Indies chase, but the loss of six wickets for 35 runs stunted their hopes.

Duffy took 3-36 and Ish Sodhi 3-34, which moved the leg-spinner to third on the all-time list of T20 international wicket-takers with 156.

Sodhi is behind only the 182 victims of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and the 164 of fellow New Zealander Tim Southee.

The fourth T20 will also be played in Nelson on Monday.

READ: PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi hails Pakistan’s Hong Kong Sixes title win

Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th, and set up compatriot Allende’s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami’s triumph.

Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first-round series 2-1 to advance to a second-round match against FC Cincinnati, which defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.

In the night’s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second-round match against Sunday’s winner between Portland and San Diego.

Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week’s loss at Nashville.

MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box, and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.

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Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.

Allende’s first goal was from point-blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.

At Cincinnati, Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.

At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.

Seattle equalized at 3-3 on a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.

Minnesota’s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right, and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball, but stayed in the match.

Morris hit the crossbar in the second round, and in sudden-death rounds, Thomas made two saves, but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post, and Osaze De Rosario’s shot being saved by Minnesota’s Dayne St. Clair.

MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, St. Clair scored in the 10th round, and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

READ: Yamal set for Spain return in World Cup qualifiers

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated the national team on clinching the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 title.

Naqvi took to the social media platform X to share his thoughts on the team’s victory, marking their record sixth win in the tournament’s history.

“Congratulations to the Pakistan Cricket Team and the entire nation on winning the Hong Kong Super Sixes title,” he wrote.

“A fantastic display of skill, passion, and teamwork truly showcasing Pakistan’s cricketing spirit at its best.”

For the unversed, Pakistan displayed a dominant performance with the bat and ball in the final against Kuwait, hence securing a comfortable 44-run victory at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok on Sunday.

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Opting to bat first, Pakistan racked up a mammoth 135 for 3 in their allotted six overs.

Captain Abbas Afridi spearheaded the team’s efforts with an outstanding performance, scoring 52 runs off a mere 11 balls and launching seven colossal sixes before leaving the field due to injury.

Abdul Samad also made a significant impact with 42 runs from 13 balls, while Khawaja Nafay chipped in with a brisk 22 runs off just six deliveries, as Pakistan’s top order dominated the Kuwaiti bowling lineup.

Despite Meet Bhavsar’s three-wicket haul, the Kuwaiti bowlers found it challenging to keep pace with Pakistan’s explosive batting, which recorded an exceptional run rate of 22.5 runs per over.

Kuwait fought valiantly in response but could only score 92 runs in five overs. Bhavsar finished the innings not out with 33 runs, and Adnan Idrees added a quick 30 runs.

For Pakistan, Maaz Sadaqat stood out with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 29 runs, while Abbas Afridi and Muhammad Shahzad each claimed one wicket.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan triumphed over Australia in a nail-biting semi-final, winning by only a single run.

Khawaja Nafay was instrumental in this victory, scoring an impressive 50 runs off just 14 balls, helping Pakistan post a total of 121 for 2.

READ: Pakistan crush Kuwait to win Hong Kong Sixes 2025 title

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday released the middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz from the national squad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka and the T20I tri-nation series involving Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.

According to the cricket board, the right-hander has been released from the squad to participate in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with Fakhar Zaman replacing him in the team for the shorter format.

“Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman will replace Hasan in the T20I squad, while no player will be added to the ODI squad as Hasan’s replacement,” the board said in a statement.

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“Hasan has been released to participate in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy – the country’s premier first-class tournament. The seventh round of the competition commences from 11 November,” it added.

For context, the first game of the three-match ODI series will take place on 11 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, followed by the next two matches on 11 and 15 November at the same venue.

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

Updated 15-member T20I squad:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wicket-keeper), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wicket-keeper), Usman Tariq

Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan

11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

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: Babar Azam becomes fifth Pakistani player to achieve THIS landmark

MONG KOK: Dominant Pakistan outplayed Kuwait by 44 runs to secure the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 title here at Mission Road Ground on Sunday.

Opting to bat first, Pakistan racked up a mammoth 135 for 3 in their allotted six overs.

Captain Abbas Afridi spearheaded the team’s efforts with an outstanding performance, scoring 52 runs off a mere 11 balls and launching seven colossal sixes before leaving the field due to injury.

Abdul Samad also made a significant impact with 42 runs from 13 balls, while Khawaja Nafay chipped in with a brisk 22 runs off just six deliveries, as Pakistan’s top order dominated the Kuwaiti bowling lineup.

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Though Meet Bhavsar delivered an impressive three-wicket haul, the Kuwaiti bowlers found it challenging to keep pace with Pakistan’s explosive batting, which recorded an exceptional run rate of 22.5 runs per over.

Kuwait fought valiantly in response but could only score 92 runs in five overs. Bhavsar finished the innings not out with 33 runs, and Adnan Idrees added a quick 30 runs.

For Pakistan, Maaz Sadaqat stood out with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 29 runs, while Abbas Afridi and Muhammad Shahzad each claimed one wicket.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan triumphed over Australia in a nail-biting semi-final, winning by only a single run.

Khawaja Nafay was instrumental in this victory, scoring an impressive 50 runs off just 14 balls, helping Pakistan post a total of 121 for 2.

Pakistan ended on the winning side, courtesy of their tight bowling in the last overs, which secured the win and advanced them to the final.

READ: Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub seal ODI series win for Pakistan

FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam reached yet another career milestone on Saturday, becoming only the fifth player from the country to surpass 15,000 runs in international cricket.

The 31-year-old achieved the feat during the ongoing third and final ODI against South Africa at Iqbal Stadium, working a single off Bjorn Fortuin to move to 23.

The shot not only brought applause from the crowd but also took his overall tally to 15,000 international runs, an achievement that places him among Pakistan’s batting greats.

With this, Babar joins an illustrious list featuring Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, and Javed Miandad, the only other Pakistan batters to have reached the landmark.

Among them, Inzamam leads the charts with 20,541 runs across formats, followed by Younis (17,790), Yousuf (17,134), and Miandad (16,213).

Most international runs for Pakistan

• Inzamam-ul-Haq – 20541 runs in 547 innings

• Younis Khan – 17790 runs in 491 innings

• Mohammad Yousuf – 17134 runs in 426 innings

• Javed Miandad – 16213 in 407 innings

• Babar Azam – 15004 runs in 370 innings

Babar, having reached 15,004 runs in just 370 innings, has achieved this milestone faster than most of his predecessors, further underscoring his consistency across formats.

Babar’s milestone, however, came in a bittersweet moment as his innings was cut short on 27 off 32 balls. His knock included five boundaries.

When this report was filed, Pakistan were 120-2 in 22 overs, with opener Saim Ayub (74*) and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan (17*) steering the chase.

READ: Abrar Ahmed leads spin charge as Pakistan dismantle South Africa

FAISALABAD: Abrar Ahmed took a four-wicket haul and Saim Ayub struck a fluent half-century to power Pakistan to a dominant seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the third ODI at Iqbal Stadium on Saturday, sealing the series 2-1.

Chasing a modest 144-run target, Pakistan wrapped up the game in just 25.1 overs, cruising to victory with 149 balls to spare.

The start, however, was anything but ideal for the hosts as Fakhar Zaman departed for a two-ball duck, undone by Nandre Burger.

But Saim Ayub and Babar Azam joined hands to steady the innings with a fluent 65-run partnership that swung the momentum Pakistan’s way. Babar looked set before a mix-up cost him his wicket, run out for 27 off 32 balls.

Saim was joined by Mohammad Rizwan, and they stitched another 65-run stand that virtually ended South Africa’s hopes.

Saim played a sparkling 77-run knock from 70 balls, laced with eleven boundaries and a towering six. He eventually fell to Bjorn Fortuin with Pakistan just 14 runs away from the target.

Rizwan remained unbeaten on 32, while Salman Ali Agha’s brief cameo (5* off 2) wrapped up the chase.

Earlier, South Africa’s decision to bat first backfired despite a promising start, as the visitors were bundled for 143 in 37.5 overs against Pakistan’s attack.

Openers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Quinton de Kock laid the platform with a 72-run stand, punishing the new ball early on.

Pretorius looked in fine touch before Salman Ali Agha provided the breakthrough, dismissing him for a well-made 39 off 45 balls, decorated with four boundaries and a six.

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De Kock held firm to notch up a composed 53 off 70 deliveries, but found little support from the middle order.

Once Mohammad Nawaz removed the South African wicketkeeper-batter in the 25th over, the innings unravelled dramatically.

From 106 for two, the Proteas collapsed in stunning fashion, losing their last eight wickets for just 37 runs.

Catch Pakistan vs South Africa news updates here!

Besides the openers, only captain Matthew Breetzke (16) and Nqabayomzi Peter (16) managed double figures for the visitors.

Abrar Ahmed was the chief destroyer, spinning a web around the opposition to claim 4 for 27 in his 10-over spell, his best figures in ODIs.

Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Ali Agha, and Mohammad Nawaz chipped in with two wickets apiece.

READ: Hong Kong Sixes 2025: Pakistan thrash South Africa to reach semi-finals

MONG KOK: Pakistan booked their spot in the semifinals of the Hong Kong Sixes 2025 with a dominant display against South Africa, chasing down a challenging target of 103 runs in just 3.5 overs at Mission Road Ground on Saturday.

In a thrilling high-scoring affair, Abdul Samad stole the show with a jaw-dropping 50 off just 10 balls, smashing eight sixes to dismantle South Africa’s bowling attack.

Supporting him at the other end, Khawaja Nafay played a blistering hand of 36 off 13 deliveries, including four towering sixes and two boundaries.

Captain Abbas Afridi finished the chase in style, hammering 12 runs off the only two balls he faced to seal a five-wicket victory for Pakistan.

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Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers set the tone as Muhammad Shahzad produced a sensational over, grabbing three wickets for just 11 runs to restrict South Africa to a below-par total of 102.

With this emphatic win, Pakistan advanced to the semifinals, where they will face Australia in what promises to be a thrilling contest.

The Abbas Afridi-led side has looked in commanding form throughout the tournament, with their only defeat coming in a rain-affected clash against India.

Ironically, India did not qualify for the knockout stage after suffering a surprising defeat to Kuwait.

READ: ‘Ice Broken’: Mohsin Naqvi, BCCI hold informal talks over Asia Cup trophy row

MONG KOK: A spirited Kuwait side handed a shock 27-run defeat to India, ending the Men in Blue’s campaign in Hong Kong Sixes 2025 at the Mission Road Ground on Saturday.

Batting first, Kuwait posted a challenging 106-4, powered by skipper Yasin Patel’s explosive 58 off just 14 balls, featuring eight sixes and two fours.

While chasing 107 runs, India’s innings collapsed dramatically, and once again, Yasin Patel was at the center stage.

Robin Uthappa fell on the very first ball, and captain Dinesh Karthik (8) was dismissed in the same over, falling victim to Patel. Stuart Binny (2) also departed cheaply, leaving India reeling at 12-3.

Abhimanyu Mithun (26) and Priyank Panchal (17) tried to stabilize the innings, but India was bowled out for just 79 runs.

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The defeat ended India’s hopes of reaching the quarter-finals; however, they still had a chance to stay alive in the Bowl finals, a consolation route for eliminated teams.

Unfortunately, India’s performance did not improve in the Bowl stage either.

India narrowly lost to the UAE despite a valiant 42-run partnership between Mithun (5) and Karthik (42*), allowing the UAE to chase 111-2 in just 5.5 overs.

Following that, Team India faced a humiliating defeat, losing by 92 runs to Nepal. Sundeep Jora contributed an unbeaten 47 runs off just 12 balls, while Rashid Khan scored 55 runs off 17 balls before retiring.

India managed just 45 runs in reply, with Bharat Chipli and Panchal the top scorers at 12 apiece. Rashid Khan also contributed with the ball, taking three wickets in a single over.

READ: India clinch T20I series against Australia after fifth match abandoned