Pakistan News World

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday that physical ticket sales for the Pakistan-Australia ODI series will begin on May 22. Online tickets will also go on sale the same day via pcb.tcs.com.pk from 1pm onwards. The ODI series will begin on Saturday, May 30, with the opening match scheduled at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second and third ODIs will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on June 2 and 4, respectively. All matches will start at 4:30pm local time. Physical tickets will be available at 16 TCS Express Centres across three cities: eight in Lahore, five in Rawalpindi, and three in Islamabad. The PCB aims to ensure maximum fan attendance by keeping ticket prices affordable across all categories. General enclosure tickets will be priced at Rs200, first-class enclosures at Rs300, premium tickets at Rs400, and VIP tickets at Rs500. For the Rawalpindi fixture, VIP gallery seats will be available at Rs1,500. At Gaddafi Stadium, VIP enclosures at th...

Pakistan secured a record 153-run victory over Zimbabwe following Ayesha Zafar's unbeaten century and Fatima Sana's three wickets during the first T20I at Karachi's National Bank Stadium on Tuesday. Set to chase a daunting 238-run target, the touring side could accumulate 84 before getting bowled out in 18.2 overs and thus registered their third-lowest total in the format. Right-handed batter Natasha Mtomba remained the top-scorer for Zimbabwe with her 20-ball 24, while Adel Zimunu (18) and Beloved Biza (10) were the only other batters to breach double figures against the disciplined Pakistan bowling attack. Captain Fatima spearheaded Pakistan's bowling charge with economical figures of 3/7 in her three overs, followed by Sadia Iqbal and Natalia Pervaiz with two scalps each, while Rameen Shamim chipped in with one. Opting to bat first, the home side piled up 237/5 in their 20 overs, which was their highest in the format, surpassing the previous best of 181/4, which ...

Bangladesh beat Pakistan by 104 runs in the first match of the two-Test series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, on Tuesday. Resuming the final session at 116-3, Pakistan were bowled out for 163 in 52.5 overs while chasing Bangladesh's 268-run target courtesy of an exceptional five-wicket haul by Nahid Rana. The visitors suffered an early setback when Taskin Ahmed struck in the opening over, removing Imam-ul-Haq for just two runs off five deliveries. Despite the early blow, Azan Awais and Abdullah Fazal steadied the innings with a crucial 50-run partnership for the second wicket, easing pressure and rebuilding momentum. However, the stand ended at 54 when Azan was dismissed for 15 off 33 balls after striking one boundary off Mehidy Hasan Miraz, leaving Pakistan struggling at 57-2 in 12.1 overs. The situation worsened soon after when Nahid Rana removed skipper Shan Masood cheaply for two runs off five balls. Taijul Islam struck early and got rid o...

Star batter Babar Azam is unavailable for Pakistan's opening Test against Bangladesh due to an injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Thursday. According to the cricket board, the 31-year-old suffered an injury to his left knee and thus will not be available for the series opener, scheduled to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka, from May 8 to 12. The PCB further shared that the team's medical panel was currently assessing the batter's condition, with further updates regarding his fitness will be shared in due course. "Pakistan batter Babar Azam will not be available for the first Test match against Bangladesh due to an injury in his left knee," the PCB said in a statement. "The team's medical panel is currently assessing his condition. Further updates will be shared in due course," it added. Babar's unavailability for the upcoming fixture serves as a major blow for the touring side, as the right-h...

Australian cricket star David Warner will "accept responsibility" for drink-driving, his lawyer told reporters on Thursday after a Sydney court hearing. The 39-year-old faces a "middle-range" drink-driving charge, court documents showed, after allegedly being more than twice the legal limit in Sydney in April. Warner — one of Australia's best-known sportsmen — is accused of being at the wheel of a van and stopping short of a random testing site, before being breath-tested, arrested and taken to a police station. "I can indicate that David will be accepting responsibility for drink-driving," defence lawyer Bobby Hill told reporters outside court, according to public broadcaster ABC. "So many of us make those poor decisions. I think what's important is accepting and being accountable for those poor decisions," he said. Warner's lawyer argued that the case showed the risk people take when trying to assess whether they have drunk too...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday announced the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Team of the Tournament, naming Babar Azam skipper after a title-winning campaign. The Team of the Tournament comprises three players each from Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen, two apiece from Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United, and one player each from Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators. The selection was made by a five-member panel drawn from the commentary team. The jury also finalised the Emerging Team of the Tournament, recognising the standout young performers of the season. A total of 44 matches were played from March 26 to May 3 across Lahore and Karachi. Babar Azam, who lifted his third PSL title as a player and first as captain, finished as the leading run-scorer with 588 runs. Opening the innings, he also claimed the Hanif Mohammad Cap and equalled the record for most runs in a single PSL season, matching Fakhar Zaman’s tally from 2022. His campaign featured two centuries ...

Aaron Hardie backed his four-wicket haul with a blistering half-century to lead Peshawar Zalmi to a five-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in an enthralling Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. The high-reward victory helped Zalmi clinch their second PSL title, ending a nine-year wait as they first got their hands on the prestigious silverware in 2017 under the leadership of West Indies great Darren Sammy. It also marked the first-ever major trophy for star batter Babar Azam as the captain. Set to chase a modest 130-run target, Zalmi eventually knocked the winning runs comfortably for the loss of five wickets and 28 balls to spare. The former champions, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost Mohammad Haris (six) and captain Babar Azam (duck) in the pulsating first over, bowled by Mohammad Ali. After the departure of both openers, all-rounder Aaron Hardie and in-form Kusal Mendis (nine) attempted to anchor the run...

Hyderabad Kingsmen advanced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final after defeating Islamabad United by two runs in the thrilling second eliminator at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. The victory propelled the debutants into the final, where they will lock horns with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, while it drew curtains on the United's campaign at the eight-team tournament. The United got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost Sameer Minhas (six) and Mohsin Riaz (five) inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board. Skipper Shadab Khan then joined Devon Conway in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 42 runs for the second wicket until Saim Ayub dismissed the left-handed opener in the eighth over, who made a 25-ball 30 with the help of three fours and a six. Shadab was then involved in a brief 11-run partnership for the fourth wicket until eventually falling victim to Hassan Khan on the first delivery of...