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Showing posts with the label Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune

HBL PSL may resume after ceasefire reached, PCB looking at options: sources

HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 may resume in Rawalpindi after the recent ceasefire between Pakistan and India, with league administration now working to assemble all six teams in Islamabad. According to sources, the PSL administration has contacted all franchises, instructing them to keep their foreign players stationed in Dubai while asking local players to prepare for the league’s potential resumption. The move follows Friday’s indefinite postponement of the tournament by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which cited the deteriorating regional security situation after heightened hostilities at the Line of Control. The PCB responded to the escalating tensions by suspending the remaining eight matches of the season, expressing solidarity with the armed forces and the families affected by the violence. Before the cease-fire was reached, it was reported that PCB might switch all remaining games to UAE. Sources now suggest that, with the ceasefire announced, PCB is looking at opti...

HBL PSL X points table update: Quetta Gladiators secure second spot after dominant win

Quetta Gladiators delivered a commanding performance in the 18th match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, crushing Multan Sultans by 10 wickets at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. With this emphatic victory, their fourth in six matches, the Gladiators climbed to second place on the points table. The Gladiators, led by a dominant all-round display, chased down a modest target of 90 in under seven overs, reinforcing their credentials as serious title contenders this season. Meanwhile, Islamabad United sitting firmly at the top of the PSL 10 standings with five wins from five matches. The defending champions boast a perfect 10 points and a formidable net run rate (NRR) of 2.342, the highest in the tournament so far. Quetta Gladiators follow with 8 points and an NRR of 1.034 from six matches. Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings are locked at 6 points each, though Lahore edge ahead in fourth place due to a better NRR of 0.543. Peshawar Zalmi remain in fifth with four points and a n...

PCB reschedules two HBL PSL X matches due to heatwave

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday rescheduled two matches of the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, adding an extra fixture to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and shifting the date of another in Multan. In a press release, the PCB confirmed that the May 1 clash between Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings, originally scheduled at the Multan Cricket Stadium, will now be played in Lahore. The match will begin at 3:00 pm. This change creates a double header at Gaddafi Stadium on May 1, which coincides with the Labour Day public holiday. Later in the evening, the stadium will host the originally scheduled match between Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators at 8:00 pm.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Pakistan Super League (@thepsl) Additionally, the final Multan-leg fixture between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators, initially set for the afternoon of May 1...

14-year old Indian Cicketer becomes youngest ever IPL player

Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history at just 14 years old, making an eye-catching debut for Rajasthan Royals in their narrow two-run defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Saturday. In doing so, he also became one of the youngest ever to play a T20 match at 14 years of age. Opening the batting in Rajasthan’s chase of 181, the left-handed Suryavanshi made an immediate impact by launching his first ball for six off India international Shardul Thakur.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) He followed up with another maximum and three boundaries in a 20-ball innings worth 34 runs. Suryavanshi, who turned 14 only last month, broke the previous record held by spinner Prayas Rai Burman, who debuted aged 16 in 2019. The teenager shared an 85-run opening stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal, setting a...

Passion, pressure, potential and PSL X

In Pakistan, cricket isn’t just a sport — it’s a heartbeat. The passion runs deep, stitched into the fabric of everyday life. Streets go silent during key matches, televisions blare in barber shops and tea stalls, and victories are celebrated like Eid. But the country’s relationship with cricket has always hinged on one thing: the national team’s performance. When the team is doing well, there’s a buzz — stadiums fill up, social media lights up, and even the most casual fans join the chorus. But when things go south, the excitement fades just as quickly. That love-hate pendulum swings over to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) too. Now 10 editions in, the PSL has grown — no doubt about it. It’s brought international attention, produced local heroes, and added some polish to the domestic cricket scene. But its popularity still rides the highs and lows of the national team. A strong showing by the boys in green gives the league a lift. A string of poor performances, and suddenly the enthusi...

Hardik Pandya makes IPL history, breaks Anil Kumble's 16-year-old record

Hardik Pandya made history on Friday, becoming the first captain in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to take a five-wicket haul. Leading Mumbai Indians (MI) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. With his impressive figures of 4-0-36-5, Pandya surpassed Anil Kumble’s long-standing record for the best bowling figures by an IPL captain. Kumble’s 16-year-old record had stood since May 2009 when he took 4-0-16-4 for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) against Deccan Chargers in Johannesburg. Pandya’s remarkable performance also broke his own record for best figures by a Mumbai Indians captain, previously set at 4-0-31-3 in 2024 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The milestone places Pandya second in the list of most wickets by an IPL captain, with 30 wickets. He trails Shane Warne, who tops the chart with 57 wickets. Other notable IPL captains with significant wicket tallies include Kumble (30 wickets), Ravichandr...

Ayaz, Shamyl, Mohsin shine in President's Trophy

Ayaz Tasawar of Wapda, Shamyl Husain of PTV, and Muhammad Mohsin Khan of HEC are the three top-scorers in the recently-concluded President's Trophy season 2024/25. Taswar (867 from 15 innings), Shamyl (663 from 12 innings) and Mohsin (653 from 16 innings) dominate the runs table. On the Strike Rate table, of the three, Shamyl stands as number one with 72.94, way ahead of Taswar 58.46 and Mohsin 68.95. Significantly, Ayaz's heroics couldn't bring Wapda up in the final rankings nor could Mohsin save HEC from being demoted to grade II on account being at the bottom of the rankings. Shamyl's double hundred (229 on 274 balls, 29x4s, 4x6s, the fastest of the tournament's total four) against Ghani Glass and his audacious 137-ball 143 not out (14x4s, 4x6s) against Eshaal Asst got PTV two crucial victories to make it to the number one slot, jumping over heavy hitters like SNGPL, Ghani Glass, OGDCL. PTV had no media hyped names and except for one match where Imam ul Haq made ...

New Zealand makes history with 3rd straight win on Pakistani soil

New Zealand vs Pakistan at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 created history, but not in a way Pakistani fans would like it. The Kiwis ran away with a 60-run victory over Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 opener at National Bank stadium in Karachi.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by ICC (@icc) Thus, New Zealand has now secured their 3rd consecutive win on Pakistani soil, for the first time ever.   A Record-Breaking Streak in just 11 days Prior to the Champions Trophy opener, New Zealand had never won 3 straight against the green shirts on a Pakistani pitch. This was true across all ICC international formats. They have now achieved this historic feat in just 11 days: February 8 – Tri-Series 2nd ODI: New Zealand won by 7 wickets, chasing 211 with 69 balls to spare. February 14 – Tri-Series Final: New Zealand won by 5 wickets, chasing 285...

Rizwan opens up after NZ defeat

Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, addressing a post-match press conference, acknowledged that it wasn't impossible to beat New Zealand on Saturday after early wickets had fallen, but Glenn Philips took the game away with a dazzling hundred. Pakistan suffered a 78-run loss to New Zealand in the opening match of the tri-nation ODI series at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Rizwan highlighted that the pitch looked challenging when Pakistan was bowling, but praised Glenn Phillips for his outstanding batting performance. "When we were bowling, the wicket looked a bit difficult. But the way Phillips batted was outstanding," he said. Reflecting on his team's performance, Rizwan emphasized the importance of focusing on areas of improvement, especially fielding. "When we focus on what we need to improve on, we need to work on our fielding," Rizwan pointed out, underlining that good fielding could have made a difference in the game. Regarding the team's all-rounders, ...

Former PCB chairpersons praise Gaddafi stadium’s rapid transformation

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairpersons, Najam Sethi and Zaka Ashraf, have both praised the remarkable transformation of Lahore’s iconic Gaddafi Stadium, highlighting its swift development in a short period. Speaking on the significant makeover, both leaders lauded the efforts behind the renovation, describing the pace and scope of the project as extraordinary. "I have witnessed firsthand how the stadium has evolved, and this transformation in record time is a testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved within a year," said Najam Sethi, acknowledging the outstanding improvements that have significantly enhanced the venue. Zaka Ashraf echoed Sethi’s sentiments, calling the transformation a prime example of how sports infrastructure can be revitalised efficiently. “The Gaddafi Stadium now stands as a modern facility, and the speed with which this was achieved is commendable,” Ashraf remarked.         View this post on Instagram    ...

Eng down Ind to keep T20 series alive

Disciplined bowling and a quick-fire 51 by Ben Duckett helped England bounce back to win the third T20 international against India on Tuesday and keep the series alive. Duckett's 28-ball knock set up England to make 171-9 despite a collapse triggered by Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who returned figures of 5-24 in Rajkot. England's bowlers then combined to limit India to 145-9, sealing a 26-run win in a five-match series now only led 2-1 by India. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid impressed with figures of 1-15 from an excellent four-over spell, while England's fast bowlers struck regularly. Jamie Overton took three wickets while Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse claimed two each. "The guys bowled really well, was nice to show-off their skills," England skipper Jos Buttler said. "Not about how fast they can bowl, but how well they can adapt to the wicket." Buttler praised Rashid as the "most important player" in the team. Hardik Pandya stuttered to 40 o...

Sri Lanka name squad for Test series against Australia

Sri Lanka have named 24-year-old left-arm spinning allrounder Sonal Dinusha in their squad for the two-match Test series against Australia, starting on January 29 in Galle. This marks Dinusha's first inclusion in the squad, following an impressive domestic season. Dinusha has been in fine form recently, scoring two first-class centuries in the past month for Colombo Cricket Club. With a first-class batting average of 40.08 and a bowling average of 24.06 after 44 matches, his all-round skills have caught the selectors' attention. Opening batter Lahiru Udara also makes the squad, potentially as a replacement for Pathum Nissanka, who is recovering from a groin strain sustained during the third ODI against New Zealand on January 11. Udara, an experienced domestic player with 97 first-class matches, has been in good form, recording scores of 142 and 65 in his last five innings. Sri Lanka's captain, Dhananjaya de Silva, is racing against time to recover from a side strain he sust...

England's Buttler rejects boycott of Afghanistan match in Champions Trophy

England men's cricket team captain, Jos Buttler, has rejected the idea of boycotting their scheduled Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan. Buttler stated that boycotting the Afghan team would not resolve any issues and insisted that the political situation should be addressed through dialogue, not by excluding teams from competition, Express News reported. Earlier this month, over 160 British politicians called on the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to boycott the upcoming match against Afghanistan, scheduled for February 26 in Lahore. The request stems from the political climate in Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, which has resulted in restrictions on women’s participation in sports. Buttler reflected on a similar situation during the 2003 Cricket World Cup, when England faced criticism for refusing to play Zimbabwe under the leadership of Robert Mugabe. He emphasised that while political figures might view the matter differently, the ro...

Champions Trophy 2025: National Stadium Karachi renovation enters final phase

The renovation and upgrade of National Stadium Karachi for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have entered the final phase, with the completion deadline extended for the third time. The deadline for completion has been extended for the third time, with a firm commitment to complete the work by January 31. Arshad Khan, General Manager of the National Stadium, and Project Manager Mohammad Bilal Chohan assured the media that the construction work would be finished on time for the mega event, Express News reported. Initially, the first phase of the upgrade, which was scheduled to be completed by December 15 and later extended to December 31, was then pushed to January 25. However, it has now been confirmed that all finishing work will be completed by January 31, making the stadium ready to host the event. The renovation project, which started on October 22 after approval from the PCB's governing board under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi, is set to meet its target with the help of the inv...

PSL Draft 2025 to take place today

The HBL Pakistan Super League Player Draft 2025 will take place at the Huzoori Bagh in Lahore Fort on Monday, 13 January 2025. The drafts were originally planned to take place in Gwadar on January 12, but due to logistical issues, the event has been moved to Lahore. The complete list of players registered in Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging categories have already been revealed. Some of the biggest names of world cricket such as Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, David Warner, Shakib Al Hasan, Alex Hales, Alex Carey and others are available for selection in the draft today. All six franchises, Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, Islamabad United, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi have also revealed their retention list. Apart from Williamson and Southee, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Finn Allen, Jimmy Neesham, Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell are other Kiwi players, who will interest the six HBL PSL franchises on Monday. The most number of overseas Platinum categ...

Tom Moody praises Pak players in Desert Vipers squad

Tom Moody, the Director of Cricket for the Desert Vipers in the UAE's DP World ILT20, spoke highly of the Pakistani players in his squad during an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan. Moody, who previously coached the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, emphasized the value of having talented cricketers like Fakhar Zaman, Azam Khan, and Muhammad Amir in the team. When asked about Shaheen Afridi, Moody confirmed that the star pacer would not be joining the Vipers this year. However, he shifted focus to Fakhar Zaman, acknowledging the left-handed opener's recent statement about using the ILT20 as preparation for the Champions Trophy. "At the end of the day, as long as he's delivering for the Desert Vipers, that's a real bonus for us," Moody remarked. "We know he's an exciting player and what he can bring to the table. That's why we embraced the opportunity to have him as part of our squad. There's no question about his capabi...

Australia beat India by six wickets at SCG to reach WTC final

Australia ended a decade-long wait to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, defeating India by six wickets in the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. The victory not only sealed the series for Australia but also secured their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s in June.         View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) Chasing a fourth-innings target of 162 on a tricky SCG surface, Australia wrapped up the match in just three days. Debutant Beau Webster played a composed knock of 39* to guide his team to victory after Usman Khawaja provided a steady foundation with 41. Scott Boland was the star of the match, claiming a career-best 10-wicket haul. His second-innings figures of 6-45 complemented his 4-31 in the first innings, marking a stunning performance. Boland’s relentless accuracy and ability to ext...

'Brave' Afghanistan can beat anyone, says Hashmatullah

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi said Sunday his side have the potential to challenge the world's top teams, but will need more exposure in Test cricket. Shahidi's team host New Zealand in a one-off Test starting Monday at their adopted home ground in India, near New Delhi, without key players including spin king Rashid Khan. Afghanistan suffered a bruising introduction to Test cricket in 2018 when they lost to India inside two days, but have improved since. Afghanistan hammered New Zealand in this year's T20 World Cup, but they have won just three Tests out of the nine they have played. "If you look at Test cricket, we are new in this format -- we need more experience," Shahidi told reporters at the Greater Noida ground. "As a team and as a country, we are brave people and we accept challenges," he added. "In the future, if we get more chances we will improve, and show that we are the best team." Afghanistan will miss leg-spinner Rashi...

A sea of green at Edgbaston

My saintly other half, who is forever on the hunt to plan outings that will jazz up our lives, one day announced, 'Exciting news! I've booked us all tickets to watch Pakistan play England in Birmingham!' My interest in cricket died a brutal death with the downfall of the short-lived (but thrilling) Lime Green Era circa 1999-2004. So the other half's exciting news was not met with the enthusiasm he had expected. However, he got the requisite enthusiasm some moments later when I realised that a two-hour one-way trip to Birmingham, followed by T-20 match would mean no cooking for the day. Perhaps we stop for nihari on the way back! Yes! All was falling into place. The day arrived, and we all donned our Pakistan cricket shirts (in a burst of patriotism, I also dug out my neon green earrings). off we went, procuring 2 backpacks’ worth of junk food along the way. Even the rain held off. The prospects were - literally - bright.  A sea of green  At Edgbas...