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Australia captain Mitchell Marsh ruled out of ODI series against Pakistan

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Australia suffered a big blow ahead of the upcoming three-match one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan as captain Mitchell Marsh was ruled out with an ankle injury. Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will lead the Australian side in Pakistan in the absence of Marsh. Marsh, who also missed the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season with Lucknow Super Giants, will remain in Perth for treatment and further medical assessment. Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed that a decision on his availability for the upcoming Bangladesh white-ball tour will be made at a later stage. The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia is scheduled from May 30 to June 4. The opening fixture will be played in Rawalpindi, while the remaining two matches will take place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. In a further development, Australia are expected to hand an international debut to emerging pacer Ollie Peake as they adjust their squad in Marsh’s absence. This series marks Au...
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Babar returns as Pakistan name squad for Australia ODIs

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named a 16-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled from 30 May to 4 June in Rawalpindi and Lahore. The national selection committee confirmed that the squad will be led by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, with Salman Ali Agha serving as vice-captain. Star batter Babar Azam and pacers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah have been recalled after missing the previous away series against Bangladesh. Mohammad Rizwan has been left out, with wicketkeeping options now including Muhammad Ghazi Ghori and uncapped Rohail Nazir. Besides Nazir, the squad includes two more uncapped players, Ahmed Daniyal and Arafat Minhas. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub remain unavailable due to injuries and are undergoing rehabilitation under the PCB medical panel, according to the PCB. The 16-member squad will assemble in Islamabad later tonight and will train under the coaching staff from Saturday, 23 May. The media advisory regarding the camp will...
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Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub ruled out of Pakistan vs Australia ODI series

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Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been ruled out of Pakistan’s upcoming one-day international (ODI) series against Australia, the cricket board said on Wednesday. In a statement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the opening batters “will not be available for selection for the upcoming three-match ODI series […] scheduled to begin on 30 May during Australia’s tour of Pakistan”. The board further noted that both players are currently recovering from injuries and have been advised to continue their rehabilitation programmes under the supervision of the PCB medical panel. “Consequently, they have been ruled out of selection for the ODI series. The PCB wishes both players a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing them return to competitive cricket at the earliest opportunity.” Further updates regarding the squad and player fitness, as mentioned in the statement, will be shared in due course. The ODI series will begin on Saturday, May 30, with the opening match sched...
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Bangladesh complete 2-0 Test series whitewash over Pakistan

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Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 78 runs in the second Test at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday to clinch the two-match series 2-0. Chasing a mammoth 437, Pakistan were bowled out for 358, handing the hosts a comprehensive victory and a series whitewash. After resuming on day five following a brief rain interruption, Mohammad Rizwan and Sajid Khan added valuable runs in quick time, putting together a key 50-plus stand that pushed the total beyond 350. The partnership was eventually ended by Taijul Islam, who removed Sajid Khan for 28 off 36 balls, a brisk innings featuring five fours. Soon after, Pakistan lost another wicket when Shoriful Islam dismissed Mohammad Rizwan for a superb 94 off 166 deliveries, an innings decorated with 10 boundaries. Taijul Islam then completed his six-wicket haul by cleaning up Khurram Shahzad for a duck, bringing the innings and the match to a close. The Green Shirts had a shaky start to the chase as both openers were removed for 41 runs...
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Taijul puts Bangladesh on brink of Test series win over Pakistan

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Bangladesh are three wickets away from a famous Test series win at home after spinner Taijul Islam took 4-113 to rattle Pakistan despite a rearguard by the opposition batters on Tuesday. Pakistan ended day four on 316-7, needing another 121 runs for victory in what would be a record chase of 437 on the fifth and final day in Sylhet. Mohammad Rizwan, on 75, and Sajid Khan, on eight, were unbeaten at the close of play. Left-arm spinner Taijul struck key blows, including Babar Azam for 47 and Salman Agha on 71, to keep Bangladesh in the hunt for their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan at home. Bangladesh, who won the opener of the two-match series, also closed in on back-to-back Test series victories over Pakistan —having whitewashed them 2-0 on Pakistani soil in 2024. Pakistan slumped to 162-5 and were heading towards a tame defeat before Rizwan and Agha put on 134 runs to raise hopes of Test cricket’s highest chase. Indies currently hold the record for the 418 they scored t...
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Govt slashes petrol, diesel prices by Rs5 per litre for next week

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The government on Friday slashed the price of petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs5 per litre each for the next week. In a notification issued on Friday, the Petroleum Division said new fuel rates will come into effect from May 16. Following the decrease, the price of petrol stands at Rs409.78 per litre and HSD at Rs409.58. In the previous weekly review, the government raised the price of petrol by Rs14.92 per litre and HSD by Rs15. The government has been reviewing petroleum prices on a weekly basis since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran on February 28. The conflict also triggered a global fuel crunch after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route through which around one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies pass during peacetime. Global oil prices gained more than 3% on Friday, climbing more than $3 a barrel, after comments by US President Donald Trump and Iran's foreign minister further dented hopes of a deal to end ship attacks and seizures around the St...
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PCB set for 'major overhaul' in central contracts ahead of new cycle

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Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expected to make major changes to national cricketers’ central contracts ahead of the new contract cycle beginning from July 1. According to the sources, the current financial model for central contracts will expire on June 30. The three-year financial structure was introduced in 2023 during former PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf’s tenure and has remained unchanged under current chairman, Mohsin Naqvi. The sources said preliminary discussions regarding new central contracts are underway, while the final decision on the financial model will be taken by PCB Chairman Naqvi. Last year, the PCB awarded central contracts to 30 cricketers, with no player included in Category A for the first time. The new contracts are expected to feature large-scale changes based on players’ fitness and performances, with several cricketers likely to face promotion or demotion in categories. The sources added that the chances of Mohammad Nawaz, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, H...
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