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DAMBULLA: Dasun Shanaka’s late blitz and Wanindu Hasaranga’s four-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in the rain-affected third T20I here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Set a daunting 161, Pakistan ended up on 146/8 in a match reduced to 12 overs due to rain.

With this, the Islanders levelled the three-match T20I series 1-1, with one game washed out.

Pakistan were dealt with an early blow in the form of opener Sahibzada Farhan, who was cleaned up for nine in the second over.

With Green Shirts, 9-1, skipper Salman Ali Agha arrived and provided the innings the impetus with quick fire 45 from just 12 balls.

The right-hander hit three sixes and five fours in a partnership of 51 runs alongside Saim Ayub.

At this stage, Pakistan’s scorecard read 60 in 3.4 overs.

But things quickly turned in the home side’s favor after Salman’s dismissal, who was caught on fine leg.

Saim (6) and Usman Khan (1) followed him after leaving Pakistan 67-5 in 4.5 overs.

With the side in deep trouble, debutant Khawaja Nafay and Mohammad Nawaz provided hope with 49 run partnership.

The pair managed to control the required run rate, but Wanindu Hasaranga’s spin wizardry shut the door on Pakistan.

He removed Nafay and Shadab in quick time to turn the game on its head. The target proved too much with 20 required in the last over. Eshan Malinga bowled a tight over, giving only five and picking up one wicket to seal a much-needed win for Sri Lanka.

Wanindu Hasaranga delivered a match winnig spell of four overs, scalping four wickets in his three overs.

Earlier, Kusal Mendis’ 30 off 16 and Dasun Shanaka’s 34 from just nine balls took Sri Lanka to an imposing 160-6.

Pathum Nissanka was caught in the first over for a duck, whereas Kamil Mishara raced to 20 off just eight balls before getting caught behind.

As a result, Sri Lanka were reduced to 22-2 in 1.5 overs.

However, Kusal Mendis put together a couple of partnerships that steadied the home side’s innings.

The right-hander first stitched a 32-run stand with Dhananjaya de Silva (21) and with Charith Aslanka (21 from 13 balls) off 46 runs to take the score to the 100-run mark.

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With Sri Lanka 100-4 in 8.5 overs, Mendis’ knock ended, which included two sixes and two fours.

On the very next ball, Asalanka was also sent back to put Pakistan back in the game.

However, it was Shanaka’s partnership of 52 off just 15 with Janith Liyanage that lifted them towards a commanding total.

The Islanders capitalized in the last three overs, accumulating 51 runs as Shanaka tonked five sixes in his brisk knock. Liyanage, meanwhile, also smashed three fours and a maximum in his 22 from eight balls.

For Pakistan, Mohammad Wasim, although he picked up three wickets, but he remained on the expensive side, giving away 54 in three overs.

Naseem Shah, Faheem Ashraf, and Mohammad Nawaz managed to pick one wicket apiece.

READ: Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs

VADODARA: India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli on Sunday added another feather to his cap after shattering Sachin Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket during the ODI series opener against New Zealand.

The right-hander recorded the feat in 624 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of 644 innings and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakara’s (666) innings.

In doing so, he also overtook Sangakara’s tally of 28,016 runs in international cricket and now trails only Tendulkar’s 34,357 runs.

Before coming into the fixture, Kohli required 25 runs to reach the milestone, and he did it in style, hitting a four during the 12th over of the game.

Later on, he went past Sanagakara on the last ball of the 18th over with a single off Michael Bracewell’s bowling.

Fastest to 28,000 international runs

624 innings* = Virat Kohli*
644 innings – Sachin Tendulkar
666 innings – Kumar Sangakkara

Put into bat first, New Zealand piled up 300-8 at the end of their 50 overs with Daryll Mitchell top-scoring with 84.

In reply, India started strongly with Rohit Sharma and returning Shubman Gill stitching a 39-run partnership.

After Rohit’s dismissal for 26, Kohli came to the fore and steadied India’s ship with a monumental partnership of 118 with Gill.

Gill made 56 from 71 balls while Virat Kohli continued to dominate until the first ball of the 39th over.

The right-handed batter was caught after nearly missing his 54th ODI century. He hit eight fours and a six on his way to 93 from 91 deliveries.

Eventually, India cruised to a four-wicket win over the BlackCaps in the last over, with KL Rahul remaining unbeaten on 29.

READ: Nabi, Eisakhil make T20 history as father-son duo

SYLHET: Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and his son Hassan Eisakhil on Sunday became the first father-son duo to bat together in a T20 match.

The pair recorded the feat during the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025-26 fixture between Noakhali Express and Dhaka Capitals.

Eisakhil, 19, made his BPL debut, receiving the cap from his father, Nabi, ahead of the 22nd fixture of the tournament.

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Hassan Eisakhil opened the innings for Express and remained the top-scorer for his side with 92 from 60 balls, laced with five sixes and seven fours.

Due to Eisakhil’s knock, Noakhali Express racked up 184-7 at the end of their 20 overs.

The historic moment came when Habibur Rahman Sohan was dismissed in the 13th over, bringing Mohammad Nabi to the crease.

At this stage, Noakhali Express scorecard read 119-3.

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This marked the first occasion when a father-son duo batted together in a T20 match.

The pair stitched a 53-run partnership, bringing the score to 172 at the end of 18 overs. Eisakhil did the bulk of the scoring, whereas Nabi was dismissed for 17 from 13 with the help of two fours.

Earlier, the duo had squared off in a match during the Afghanistan Shpageeza Cricket League final, with Mohammad Nabi facing his son Hassan Eisakhil.

In November 2025, Timor-Leste’s Suhail Sattar and Yahya Suhail made history as the first father-and-son duo to play together in an international match.

The pair recorded the unique feat in Timor-Leste’s first international match against Indonesia in Bali on November 6, 2025.

Although parent-child duos featuring in a match together are rare, it has happened before.

Switzerland’s women’s team featured a mother-daughter duo — Metty Fernandes and Naina Metty Saju — who played six T20Is together in 2025.

Similarly, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and his son Tagenarine played 11 first-class matches for Guyana, with Shivnarine even captaining his son in a game against Windward Islands at Providence Stadium in March 2014.

READ: PCB plans to sell Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 11: report

DAMBULLA: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Sri Lanka in a match reduced to 12 overs per side due to rain here at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Pakistan have made two changes to their playing XI with wicket-keeper batter Khawaja Nafay making his debut, whereas pacer Naseem Shah is included in place of Salman Mirza.

The visitors are 1-0 up in the series, having secured the victory in the opening T20I with a dominant performance. While the second match was washed out due to rain.

The Green Shirts were clinical with the bat and ball as returning Shadab Khan delivered an all-round performance.

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The three-match T20I series serves as a preparatory platform for the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which will begin on 7 February in Sri Lanka and India.

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasum Shanaka (capt) Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Eshan Malinga, Maheesh Theekshana, Maheesh Pathirana

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (capt), Usman Khan, Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed

READ: PCB plans to sell Multan Sultans ahead of PSL 11: report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) aims to sell Multan Sultans ahead of the start of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11, Cricinfo reported on Sunday.

A month earlier, the PCB had said that it would take charge of the franchise for the upcoming season and auction it after the tournament.

“As soon as the PSL ends, we will auction the franchise off, and in the next eight to ten days, we will appoint an acting head to run the franchise,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated.

The decision was taken after the former owner of the Multan Sultans, Ali Tareen, decided not to renew the franchise agreement for the next decade.

However, according to the report, the board is considering selling the outfit as soon as possible.

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“The PCB is in active discussions to sell off the franchise as soon as legally possible. The proposal has the support of senior officials at the PCB and the PSL, with a final sign-off required by chairman Mohsin Naqvi,” the report quoted.

The decision is likely to be driven by record bids received during the historic auction for two new franchises — Hyderabad and Sialkot.

Following the conclusion of the auction, Naqvi vowed to run Sultans amid financial speculations.

“I took a challenge, and that is that there were a lot of claims on social media that the team was in losses. So I, and all of the team, decided that we will show you how much profit this business offers, publish the numbers before going for the auction,” Naqvi stated.

“The pressure has started to be built up on me to sell out the team,” he said in a light-hearted manner while referring to Naseer.

It is worth noting that Sultans were first acquired by the Dubai-based Schon Group in 2017 under an eight-year contract worth $5.2 million.

However, the deal was terminated after a year due to the franchisee’s inability to meet its financial obligations under the agreement.

READ: PSL 11 players draft: tentative date revealed

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 players’ draft is expected to take place on January 30, with preparations already underway ahead of the expanded edition of the tournament, sources told on Saturday.

According to insiders, PSL management is working to complete all procedural and administrative matters well in advance to ensure a smooth and timely draft process.

While the venue and final date are yet to be announced officially, sources revealed that the event has been tentatively scheduled during a one-day gap in the Pakistan-Australia T20I series, i.e., January 30.

Notably, PSL has officially expanded ahead of season 11 in a historic auction, with Hyderabad and Sialkot confirmed as the two new franchises following a high-stakes auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre in Islamabad.

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The two teams will make their debut in PSL season 11, joining the existing six franchises: Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United, and Multan Sultans.

FKS Group acquired the Sialkot franchise for Rs1.75 billion, while OZ Developers secured the Hyderabad team for Rs1.85 billion. The official names of the Hyderabad and Sialkot teams will be announced at a later stage.

The 11th edition of the PSL is scheduled to run from March 26 to May 3, 2026.

READ: Shubman Gill breaks silence on T20 World Cup 2026 exclusion

VADODARA: India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill addressed his surprising omission from the national squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting Sunday.

The 26-year-old batter, who scored just 291 runs in his last 15 T20Is at an average of 24.25, was left out of the 15-member squad as selectors opted for a more attacking top order for the mega-event.

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan were preferred for India’s top three slots in the shortest format.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gill described the decision as part of “destiny” and said he respected the selectors’ call.

“Firstly, it is my belief that in my life, I am where I am supposed to be. Whatever is written in my destiny, I will have it,” Gill said.

“As a player, you have a belief that if you play the World Cup, you will win for your team, you will win for your country.

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“But having said that, I respected the selectors’ decision, whichever decision they took, wishing the T20 team all the very best and I really, really hope that they win the [T20] World Cup for us.”

India, defending champions of the T20 World Cup, will look to continue their dominance despite Gill’s absence. Notably, the marquee event will be played across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.

Turning his focus to the ODI series, Shubman Gill acknowledged the presence of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the squad as major support.

The duo, who retired from T20Is after leading India to glory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados and subsequently stepped away from Tests in 2025, now play only in the ODI format.

“Definitely, when you have these two people in your team, it makes your life a lot easier,” Gill said.

“And whenever you are in a tough situation, they always have been in those kinds of situations and conditions many times in their life, so you can always go to them and see how they are thinking or what they would do, and that piece of information is very valuable for any captain.”

READ: Usman Khawaja shines on BBL return as Heat cruise past Thunder

Carlos Alcaraz beat his great rival Jannik Sinner in a light-hearted sell-out exhibition match in South Korea on Saturday ahead of the Australian Open.

Eight days before the Melbourne Grand Slam and in their first appearances this year, the Spanish world number one won 7-5, 7-6 (8/6) in front of an enthusiastic 12,000 crowd in Incheon.

Neither will play competitively until the Australian Open, where Italy’s world number two Sinner is the defending two-time champion.

South Korean organisers have not said how much the two players earned, but reports in Italy suggest each could pocket more than $2 million for the match that lasted one hour and 47 minutes.

It was not always entirely serious; the smiling duo treated a packed house to some trick shots between their legs, drawing cheers, and reacting to calls from the crowd by making heart gestures.

“Jannik, we finished the season playing together. We started the season playing together,” Alcaraz said on court afterwards.

“So hopefully this season is going to be such a good one like last year. You deserve the best.”

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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken a stranglehold on men’s tennis over the past two years, splitting all four Grand Slam titles between them in 2024 and 2025.

“It was a close match, so a little bit of tension also,” said Sinner.

“We were just happy to be here for the first time, seeing something new. It made us feel at home, and we felt it on the court.”

Arch competitors on the court but good friends off it, Alcaraz has the upper hand in their rivalry and came into the exhibition boasting a 10-6 head-to-head record.

They will be the favourites when the Australian Open starts in Melbourne on January 18, when the serious work begins.

Alcaraz, who at 22 is two years younger than Sinner, has never gone beyond the quarter-finals at the first Grand Slam of the year, and it is the only major he has failed to win.

READ: Harper, Rogers power Stars past Renegades in Melbourne derby

Sam Harper and Thomas Rogers struck commanding half-centuries as Melbourne Stars cruised to a dominant win over the Renegades in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 derby at Docklands Stadium on Saturday.

Stars captain Marcus Stoinis won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that paid dividends early when Tom Curran removed in-form opener Tim Seifert for three in the second over.

Josh Brown attempted to anchor the Renegades innings and kept the scoreboard ticking despite wickets falling at regular intervals.

Hassan Khan and Mohammad Rizwan offered brief resistance with 23 and 21, respectively, but Brown remained the lone bright spot before he was trapped lbw by Peter Siddle in the 18th over.

Brown top-scored with a fighting 80 off 50 balls, which included seven fours and four sixes, as the Renegades posted 166-7 in their 20 overs.

Stoinis led the bowling effort with three wickets, while Haris Rauf claimed two. Curran and Siddle chipped in with one apiece to keep the Renegades in check.

In reply, the Stars made a flying start through Harper and Rogers, who added 84 runs in just 45 balls for the opening wicket.

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Rogers played the aggressor, smashing a rapid 53 off 24 deliveries, featuring four fours and four sixes, before a mix-up led to his dismissal.

Campbell Kellaway’s stay was short-lived, and his departure brought Glenn Maxwell to the crease.

Maxwell combined with Harper in an unbroken 78-run partnership that took the game away from the Renegades.

Harper anchored the chase with an unbeaten 84 off 51 balls, striking eight fours and four sixes, as the Stars sealed an eight-wicket victory with 25 balls to spare.

The result lifted Melbourne Stars from third to second place on the BBL 15 points table, strengthening their push for a playoff berth.

The Renegades, meanwhile, remained seventh despite suffering defeat after back-to-back wins. While their position leaves little margin for error, they are still mathematically in contention heading into their remaining fixtures.

READ: Final squads announced for ICC U19 World Cup 2026

BERLIN: Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes on Friday night to win the Undisputed WWE Championship in a brutal Three Stages of Hell match on SmackDown at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany.

The highly anticipated clash was the culmination of a rivalry that had been simmering for months.

McIntyre had last challenged Rhodes for the title on the November 1 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, where the champion retained after pinning the Scottish Warrior with a DDT on the title belt, followed by a Cross Rhodes.

Following continued attacks on the champion, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis suspended McIntyre indefinitely.

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The former champion, however, made a dramatic return by interfering in Rhodes’ match against Oba Femi on the December 13 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event, reigniting the feud.

Tensions escalated further when Rhodes attacked McIntyre at his home, setting the stage for Friday’s title showdown. As part of the stipulation, McIntyre was allowed to choose the stipulation for the match, and he chose the Three Stages of Hell match.

The opening fall was contested under standard rules. Drew McIntyre capitalised on a referee distraction, caused after exposing the top turnbuckle, to deliver a low blow, followed by a Claymore, to take the first fall.

Cody Rhodes responded in the second stage, a Falls Count Anywhere match that descended into chaos across the arena.

McIntyre put the champion through a table early, while Rhodes fought back with a daring frog splash from the crowd barrier. The champion eventually levelled the match by hitting a Cross Rhodes on the announce desk to secure the pinfall.

With the score tied 1-1, the steel cage was lowered for the decisive third stage. Both men, visibly exhausted, pushed themselves to the limit in a tense final stretch.

As McIntyre attempted to escape through the cage door, he was confronted by a hooded figure, revealed to be Jacob Fatu, who made a surprise return after being mysteriously attacked backstage in October.

Fatu entered the cage and attacked McIntyre before turning his attention to Rhodes. Amid the chaos, Drew McIntyre seized the opportunity to crawl out of the cage, securing the victory and the Undisputed WWE Championship.

READ: Usman Khawaja shines on BBL return as Heat cruise past Thunder