Tag: World Cup 2027

KARACHI: Pakistan T20I captain Salman Ali Agha has indicated that he could step away from the shorter format for a period as he looks to manage his workload and refocus on long-term goals, particularly the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2027.

Speaking after Karachi Kings’ clash against Islamabad United in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11, the Pakistan T20I captain opened up about his recent struggles and evolving priorities across formats.

Agha admitted that his performances in both franchise and international cricket have not met expectations, prompting him to reassess his approach moving forward.

“There is a lot of concern. I have been thinking that my T20 World Cup did not go the way I wanted, and my PSL has also not been as good as I expected,” he said during the post-match press conference.

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The right-handed batter highlighted that Pakistan do not have a packed T20I calendar in the coming months, which could allow him the flexibility to shift focus towards red-ball and 50-over cricket after the PSL concludes.

“I think the World Cup 2027 is still far away. And we don’t have T20Is until December, so after this PSL, the focus will naturally move towards ODIs and Test matches,” he added.

“If I feel that taking a break from T20s will help me prepare better for the ODI World Cup, then I will definitely consider it.”

Salman Ali Agha underlined the significance of the 50-over World Cup in shaping his career ambitions, making it clear that he is prepared to make tough decisions if it enhances his chances of performing on the global stage.

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“The 50-over World Cup is always very special for any player, and it will be special for me as well. If I have to do anything, I will do it to perform well,” he stated.

The upcoming 2027 edition of the tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, with 14 teams set to compete across multiple venues.

Currently featuring in his first PSL season for Karachi Kings, Agha has endured a modest run, scoring 84 runs in six matches at an average of 14.00, while also picking up three wickets. His struggles were also evident during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where he managed just 60 runs in six innings.

READ: PSL 11: Glenn Maxwell creates history with rare T20 milestone

India’s premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya has set his sights on a return to the ODI setup as he looks to secure a place in the squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, according to a report by the Times of India.

Pandya, who has not featured in an ODI since the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final against New Zealand, is understood to have communicated his intentions to the selectors and team management.

The 32-year-old has reportedly been working over the past few months to rebuild his bowling fitness, which remains the key factor in his comeback bid.

During the Champions Trophy campaign, Pandya’s bowling workload was carefully managed as he delivered just 24.3 overs across five matches and did not complete his full quota in any game.

Concerns over his ability to consistently bowl 10 overs have since influenced selection decisions.

Earlier this year, Pandya was omitted from India’s ODI squad for the home series against New Zealand, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirming that he had not yet been cleared by the Centre of Excellence to handle a full bowling workload.

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However, with the World Cup 2027 set to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, where conditions traditionally favour seam bowling, the team management sees Hardik Pandya as a potentially crucial asset if he can meet fitness expectations.

“He can lend the perfect balance, but he has to convince the selectors and the team management that he will be available to bowl 10 overs,” a BCCI source told TOI.

“He may not be required to do so in every match. The captain may end up bowling him for 6-7 overs in most matches. But he should be available if the captain needs more from him.”

Notably, Hardik Pandya has reportedly intensified his preparations, focusing on increasing his bowling workload and refining his skillset. He has also worked on adding variations, including developing an inswinger, while maintaining his pace.

“Hardik has been increasing his workload. He has worked on his action to bowl in-swingers as well without compromising on pace,” the source further added.

“He feels his body is ready to cope with the rigours of bowling 10 overs in ODIs. He understands his body well enough and is working towards staying fit to bowl 10 overs.”

Since making his ODI debut in 2016, Pandya has played 94 matches, scoring 1904 runs and picking up 91 wickets, underlining his value as a genuine all-rounder when fully fit.

READ: Virat Kohli comments on being called RCB’s ‘overseas player’ in IPL 2026

Quetta Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel has set his sights firmly on securing a place in Pakistan’s ODI World Cup 2027 squad, stating that the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 presents a crucial opportunity to impress selectors.

Shakeel has been a mainstay in Pakistan’s Test team; however, he failed to cement a regular place in the ODI format.

He has represented Pakistan in 19 ODI games since his debut in 2021, featuring in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

He has been out of the ODI team since the Champions Trophy match against arch-rivals India in February 2025.

Speaking ahead of the PSL 11, the left-handed batter made it clear that his performances in the league could play a defining role in shaping his international future.

“This season is very important for me. The ODI World Cup is coming up [next year], and I will aim to perform well to get the selectors’ attention,” Shakeel said.

Quetta Gladiators, who finished as runners-up in the previous edition after losing the final to Lahore Qalandars, will begin their campaign against Karachi Kings on March 27 in Lahore.

Under Shakeel’s leadership, the franchise will be looking to build on last season’s momentum while navigating a more competitive format.

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“We had a good performance in the last edition, but now we are starting afresh. Our effort will be to once again play a good brand of cricket,” he said.

Notably, preparations for the marquee event have taken a significant turn, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revising its initial plans.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, on Sunday, confirmed that the tournament will now be held across just two venues, Karachi and Lahore, and will be played behind closed doors without spectators.

Despite the absence of crowds, Shakeel remains optimistic about maintaining intensity and delivering quality cricket.

“Our passion and energy come from the fans. Unfortunately, they won’t be able to attend, but we would request them to watch from home and support us,” he said.

The upcoming edition marks a significant shift in the league’s structure, with eight teams participating for the first time, including debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz.

“Our aim will be to play a strong brand of cricket again. The competition will be tougher this time with more teams, but we are ready for the challenge,” he added.

With a relatively new pace attack in place, the Gladiators’ skipper also emphasised the importance of finding the right combination early in the tournament.

Quetta Gladiators will begin their PSL 11 campaign against Karachi Kings on March 27 in Lahore, as they aim to go one step further this time and clinch the title.

Quetta Gladiators squad for PSL 11

Saud Shakeel (c), Usman Tariq, Hasan Nawaz, Shamyl Hussain, Alzarri Joseph, Rilee Rossouw, Ahmed Daniyal, Jahanzaib Sultan, Jahandad Khan, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Wasim Akram Jnr, Khan Zeb, Bismillah Khan, Saqib Khan, Brett Hampton, Sam Harper, Bevon Jacobs, Abrar Ahmed, Ben McDermott and Tom Curran.

READ: T20 World Cup 2026 smashed viewing figures: ICC

For more than a decade, the cricketing world has lived with one irresistible desire: that one day, Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli might break legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s iconic record of 100 international centuries.

Kohli’s recent resurgence, back-to-back hundreds against South Africa, taking his tally to 84, has reignited the conversation, but it hasn’t changed the hard mathematics.

As much as fans want the chase to continue, the reality is hard to ignore: Kohli now plays only one format, having retired from the other two.

Kohli, who turned 37 last month, finished his Test career on 30 hundreds, signed off from T20Is with one, and continues to dominate the ODI format with 53 centuries, the most in the world.

However, to reach Tendulkar’s 100, he still needs 16 more. In isolation, 16 might not sound impossible. In context, it looks highly improbable.

It’s worth noting that Tendulkar had a 24-year-long international career, playing 664 matches before retiring at 40.

Kohli, in contrast, retired from two formats even before turning 37 and now features only in ODIs, with an eye on the ICC ODI World Cup in 2027.

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It is widely expected that he will retire from professional cricket after the World Cup, leaving him limited time to chase the milestone.

Assuming India reach the World Cup final, Kohli’s upcoming schedule offers roughly 41 matches: 18 ODIs across six three-match series in 2026, a possible six-match Asia Cup, 11 World Cup matches, and a couple of preparatory bilateral series.

Forty-one games to score sixteen hundreds means a century every 2.56 innings, a rate beyond even Kohli’s peak performance.

Interestingly, Kohli has a career ODI century rate of one every 5.54 innings. But, in his last 42 ODIs, the rate improves to one every 4.66 matches, commendable, yet insufficient for the 100-century target.

At this pace, Kohli might finish somewhere between 91 and 93 centuries, a legendary tally, historic, yet shy of the round number that the cricketing world obsesses over.

There’s another hurdle that Virat Kohli may not feature in every series leading up to 2027, especially against weaker teams, where younger players are given opportunities. This could further reduce his chances.

While retirement timing is never certain, he might extend his playing career beyond the World Cup; however, Kohli’s abrupt exits from Test and T20 cricket suggest that he would not do that.

READ: Struggling England suffer major blow ahead of third Ashes Test

India captain Rohit Sharma has put an end to speculation about his retirement from ODI cricket, making it clear that he is keeping all options open for the 2027 World Cup.

A day after leading India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the veteran batter dismissed reports of him stepping away from the 50-over format, stating that he would assess his form and fitness before making any decisions about his future.

“It’s very hard to say that right now, but I’m keeping all my options open. I want to see how well I’m playing,” Rohit Sharma said when asked about his participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup.

“Right now, I’m playing really, really well, and I’m enjoying everything I’m doing with this team. The team is enjoying my company as well, which is nice.

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“I can’t really say about 2027 because it’s too far, but I’m keeping all my options open.”

Following India’s Champions Trophy triumph, Rohit was quick to shut down rumors of an imminent retirement, reiterating his passion for the game and commitment to the team.

“As long as I’m enjoying the sport, as long as I’m happy playing and contributing to this team, I will continue. There’s a lot of pride involved, and with the way this team is performing, I don’t want to leave just yet,” he said.

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