Tim Paine Archives

Sialkot Stallionz appoint Tim Paine head coach for PSL 11

The newly inducted Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Sialkot Stallionz has appointed former Australian captain Tim Paine as head coach ahead of the landmark season 11.

The announcement came via Stallionz social handles with an animated poster.

“We’re proud to announce Tim Paine as the Head Coach of 𝑺𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒌𝒐𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒛,” the captain of the post read.

“Former Australian captain. Proven leader at the highest level. A championship mindset to lead a new era. Welcome to the Stallionz family, Coach,” it added.

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Paine, who hanged up his boots from professional cricket in March 2023, represented Australia in 35 Tests and same number of ODIs and 12 T20Is.

Among his 35 Tests, 23 of them came as captain after taking the reins of the team following Sandpaper gate.

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The notable achievements under his leadership was retaining the Ashes in 2019 with a 2-2 draw in England.

Overall, Australia won 11 and lost eight Tests during his tenure as captain before stepping down from the role in 2021 before the Ashes.

Following his retirement, Paine took over coaching of the Adelaide Strikers and was subsequenlty appointed as Australia A coach for three series in the second half of 2025.

Paine was hired in a consultancy role that included working across Australia A men’s series as well as supporting the Australia women’s team while continuing his duties as Strikers coach.

For the unversed, the new PSL franchise was acquired by OZ Developers, owned by Hamza Majeed and Kamil Khan, during the historic PSL 2026 auction held at the Jinnah Convention Centre on January 8.

OZ Developers won the bid with a record price of Rs 1.85 billion, securing the rights to the Sialkot franchise.

The hsitoric eight-team PSL 11 will begin on 26 march 2026.

READ: Sri Lanka beefs up T20 World Cup security for India–Pakistan fixtures

SACA chief slams former Australia captain over Rabada drug ban comments

South Africa Cricketers’ Association (SACA) chief Andrew Breetzke has launched a scathing attack on former Australia captain Tim Paine for his remarks regarding fast bowler Kagiso Rabada’s drug ban.

Kagiso Rabada served a one-month ban for recreational drug use during the SA20 earlier this year. According to a report in the South African newspaper Rapport, traces of benzoylecgonine (BZE), a metabolite of cocaine, were found in his urine sample.

Rabada suddenly left the Indian Premier League (IPL) after playing only twice for the Gujarat Titans to return home last month. On his return, he completed an education and awareness programme to prevent further substance abuse

Later, the South African fast bowler apologized for the use of the drug while emphasizing that he would never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted.

“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down. I will never take the privilege of playing cricket for granted. This privilege is much larger than me. It goes beyond my personal aspirations,” he said in a statement.

A day earlier, Tim Paine expressed disappointment with Rabada’s comeback, following the ban. He said that when a professional athlete tests positive for recreational drugs during a tournament, it shouldn’t be label a personal issue.

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“It stinks.” “I don’t like this use around personal issues, and it is being used to hide stuff that isn’t a personal issue,” he said on a Radio show.”

“If you have a professional sportsman who’s tested for recreational drugs during a tournament in which he is playing, that doesn’t fall under personal issues for me. That falls under you having broken your contract. That is not a personal issue; that is something that is happening in your personal life,” he added.

Now, SACA CEO Breetzke slammed Paine for his remarks, calling it ‘naive’.

“The criticism that’s coming from Australia is somewhat naive and lacks understanding of how doping processes are managed,” he said.

“Effectively, he [Rabada] was notified on the first of April of the positive test, and we consulted with him on the 1st of April for the first time,” he added.

SACA chief also highlighted the process following a doping ban, stressing the rules while acknowledging Kagiso Rabada’s professionalism

“In accordance with the SAIDS and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules, there is a clear process that follows out of that, and we started that process immediately with him flying back to South Africa, getting the legal team together, the medical experts together and started the process relative to the rules,” explained Breetzke.

“We ticked off those boxes, and that’s how the process unfolded over the month of April. It was professionally dealt with, and KG [Rabada] was absolutely professional, open, and honest in the process, which is why we were able to do it within that time frame,” Breetzke concluded.

READ: Ravichandran Ashwin reflects on Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s Test retirement

Former Australia Test captain Paine retires from cricket

SYDNEY: Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine retired from cricket with little fanfare on Friday, bowing out after playing an inter-state match in Tasmania.

Paine led Australia between 2018 and 2021 after Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy in the wake of the “Sandpaper-gate” ball-tampering incident against South Africa.

He skippered the team in 23 Tests — winning 11, losing eight and drawing four — and was credited with helping rebuild Australian cricket’s reputation.

Paine was forced to stand down after it was revealed he had sent lewd messages to a female colleague in 2017.

As the scandal took its toll, he stepped away from cricket for the “foreseeable future”, returning to the game almost a year later in October 2022.

The wicketkeeper-batsman, 38, played his final first-class game for state side Tasmania in a domestic fixture against Queensland on Friday, walking off through a guard of honour formed by players.

“An inspiring captain, one of our finest glovesman and a legend of Tasmanian and Australian cricket,” the Tasmanian Tigers said in a statement.

“Congratulations Tim Paine on a truly wonderful career.”

Paine played 35 Tests for Australia, with a top score of 92 and an average of 32.63. He also played 35 ODIs.

Australia regained the Ashes in England in 2019 under Paine’s leadership, in what was otherwise a turbulent period for the Test side.

Current Test skipper Pat Cummins took over from Paine in November 2021, describing him at the time as a “well-loved and respected figure of our team”.

READ: India-Pakistan deadlock to take centre stage at ICC Board Meeting

Tim Paine steps down as Australia’s Test captain

HOBART: Tim Paine has resigned from Australi’s Test captaincy following an investigation by Cricket Australia (CA) for sending explicit messages to a female co-worker four years ago.

Paine, who resigned just before the Ashes, apologized to his teammates and Australian fans after the chats went out in public.

“Today, I’m announcing my decision to stand down as the captain of the Australian men’s test team. It’s an incredibly difficult decision, but the right one for me, my family, and cricket,” Paine said as he read out a statement in front of media here on Friday.

“As background on my decision, nearly four years ago, I was involved in a text exchange with a then-colleague. At the time, the exchange was the subject of a thorough CA Integrity Unit investigation, throughout which I fully participated in and openly participated in,

“That investigation and a Cricket Tasmania HR investigation at the same time found that there had been no breach of the Cricket Australia Code of Conduct. Although exonerated, I deeply regretted this incident at the time, and still do today. I spoke to my wife and family at the time and am enormously grateful for their forgiveness and support. We thought this incident was behind us and that I could focus entirely on the team, as I have done for the last three or four years,

“However, I recently became aware that this private text exchange was going to become public. On reflection, my actions in 2017 do not meet the standard of an Australian cricket captain, or the wider community. I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and pain that I have caused to my wife, my family, and to the other party. I’m sorry for any damage that this does to the reputation of our sport,” he added in a detailed statement.

READ: AB De Villiers retires from cricket

Australia skipper Paine says Ashes going ahead, with or without Root

Melbourne: Australia captain Tim Paine said the Ashes will go ahead regardless of some England players’ reluctance to deal with tough COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.

England skipper Joe Root and others on his team have expressed doubts about the tour due to ‘bubble fatigue’ and concerns their families will not be able to travel with them due to Australia’s strict protocols.

“The Ashes are going ahead. The first test is on Dec. 8 — whether Joe is here or not,” Paine told radio station SEN Hobart.

“It’ll be worked out above us and then they’ll have a choice whether to get on that plane or not.

“No one is forcing any England player to come. That’s the beauty of the world we live in — you have a choice. If you don’t want to come, don’t come.”

Cricket Australia is negotiating with authorities and England’s board over travel conditions and whether players’ families can come.

Australia has caps on international arrivals and there is a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine even for the fully vaccinated.

Former England batsman turned pundit Kevin Pietersen said England players should not travel if placed under any restrictions.

“There is NO WAY I would go to The Ashes this winter. ZERO chance!” he tweeted.

“Unless, the ridiculous quarantine rules were squashed and my family could travel with zero restrictions.”

Paine said Pietersen did not speak for the players and said he should leave the decision-making up to them.

“If you want to know anything on any topic in the world, you just ask Kevin Pietersen. He is an expert on everything,” added the captain dryly.

“We have not heard one England player come out and say they will not be coming. I think it‘s been beat up and people like Kevin like to get themselves a little bit of exposure in the media.”