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Pakistan underlined their credentials as serious contenders for the upcoming T20 World Cup with a commanding six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the opening match of the three-game series in Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday. Touted as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, which Sri Lanka will co-host with India, the series holds added significance for Pakistan, who will play all their tournament matches on the island owing to political tensions with their nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan ticked most boxes on the night, first bottling Sri Lanka up for a modest 128 and then knocking off the target with 20 deliveries to spare, barely breaking sweat. Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan plays a shot during the first Twenty20 international cricket match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla on January 7, 2026. Photo: AFP The game tilted decisively in Pakistan's favour early, with Shadab Khan ripping the heart out of the Sri ...

The Pakistan Cricket Board has clarified that no decision has been made yet regarding the captaincy of the national team for the upcoming One Day International series against South Africa. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release, head coach Mike Hesson has formally written to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, recommending that a joint meeting of the Selection Committee and the Advisory Committee be convened to finalize the captain for the series. Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has referred the letter to the selection and the advisory committees which will meet up on October 20, during which the final decision on the ODI captaincy is expected to be made. Earlier, rumors suggested that Mohammad Rizwan’s future as Pakistan’s ODI captain is uncertain ahead of the upcoming series against South Africa. Rizwan, appointed last year, led Pakistan to ODI series wins against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa but faced setbacks this year, including a Champions Trophy exit and a series loss...

Women's cricket is set to take a giant leap as the World Cup begins Tuesday, with stars from eight nations aiming to break new ground both on and off the field. The tournament opens in Guwahati with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka ushering in what many believe could be a transformative moment for the women's game. The 13th edition of the tournament will have Pakistan playing all their matches in Colombo as part of a compromise deal that allows both India and Pakistan to play at neutral venues in multi-nation tournaments. The 50-over showcase boasts an unprecedented total prize purse of $13.88 million, surpassing even the $10 million awarded in the men's World Cup two years earlier. "You do get the feeling this could be a seismic moment for the women's game," England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said on the International Cricket Council website. "I think we'll all look back on our careers when we're retired and mark the World Cup in India as a game-change...

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson called on his players to focus on cricket when they face India in the Asia Cup final on Sunday, after the previous two meetings between the sides caused tensions to run high. Pakistan set up a first-ever Asia Cup final against India with a hard-fought 11-run win over Bangladesh in a Super Four match in Dubai on Thursday. Hesson played down the bitterness that marred the past two India-Pakistan matches in this edition of the Asia Cup -- their first meetings since May's military conflict between the two countries. "Look, my message to the players is just focus on cricket and that certainly we will be doing. In terms of gestures there has always been passion in terms of high-pressure games," said New Zealander Hesson. India refused to shake hands with Pakistan after the first game and the two sides also did not shake hands after the second. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was accused of making a political statement after the first match, while...

 India captain Suryakumar Yadav played down the hype around the cricket rivalry with Pakistan after beating their bitter rivals by six wickets in the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday. India rode on a blazing 74 from opener Abhishek Sharma as they chased down a target of 172 in 18.5 overs in the Super Four clash, where they again refused to shake hands with their opponents. It was India's second win in the Twenty20 tournament over Pakistan in a week after their group stage clash. It was also their 12th in 15 T20 internationals. Asked if this dominance showed that the rivalry was waning, Suryakumar replied: "You guys should stop asking questions about the rivalry between India-Pakistan. "According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches, and if it is even, then it is a rivalry. 13-0, 10-1, I don't know what the stat is, but this is not a rivalry anymore." Pakistan's last of three T20 wins over India came in the Asia Cup in Dubai in 2022. India and Pakistan only play ...

“You bowl very well, please accept this cricket bat as a gift from me.” You must remember when Virat Kohli gave a bat to Mohammad Amir in 2016. And if you’ve forgotten that, then surely you recall Kohli and Mohammad Rizwan’s warm embrace after a match in 2021. In the past, whatever the state of Pakistan–India relations might have been, it never affected the cricketers on the field. But now things have reached a point where Indian cricketers have locked their dressing room doors just to avoid shaking hands with Pakistani players. After their defeat in the war, the Indians are frustrated, and they’re venting that anger on the cricket field. Otherwise, they wouldn’t act so foolishly.  I still give cricketers a little margin—perhaps the poison of hatred hasn’t completely seeped into their conscience yet—but they remain under the influence of their board and government.  After the captains’ press conferences, when Surya Kumar Yadav was criticized for shaking hands with Mohsin Naqvi...

A breathtaking 59-run match-winning partnership off just 37 balls between Kusal Perera and Sikandar Raza propelled Lahore Qalandars to a nail-biting six-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators and lifting the HBL PSL X title in front of a packed house of 34,000 fans at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday night. By virtue of their victory, the Qalandars became only the second team to achieve this milestone three times, emulating the feat of Islamabad United. In a thrilling chase of 202 runs, Lahore Qalandars began aggressively with Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman laying a strong foundation. The duo put together a 39-run opening partnership, setting the tone for the innings. However, the partnership was broken when Fakhar was dismissed by Abrar Ahmed after scoring just 11 runs off 10 balls, including two boundaries. Abdullah Shafique then joined Naeem at the crease, and the pair quickly accelerated, hitting boundaries and building a crucial second-wicket partnership. The 26-year-old was in...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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 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 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...

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 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    ...

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 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 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...