Firing the first salvo ahead of high profile Asia Cup clash against arch-rivals India, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson on Thursday termed left-arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz as the "best spinner in world cricket".
Kuldeep Yadav delivered a truly historic performance in the Asia Cup 2025 Final, shattering not one, but two major records to cement his legacy.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
According to Samaa TV, the Pakistan management claimed the TV umpire did not examine all available angles before announcing its decision. Pakistan's protest emphasised how the evidence was not "clear and conclusive" to justify ruling Fakhar out, and the umpire's call favoured the fielding side despite replays showing a margin of uncertainty.
No BCCI representatives travelled to Dubai. As reported by Dainik Jagran, the board was mindful of public sentiment and growing calls for a boycott, choosing to skip those matches out of respect for the prevailing national mood.
Pakistan have made four changes to the side for the second Test against England after resting senior cricketers including former captain Babar Azam from the rest of the series.
Pakistan on Sunday announced a boycott of its high-profile men's T20 World Cup group league match against India, a move that is likely to have repercussions, even as the government cleared the national team's participation in the rest of the global event, starting February 7.
Abhishek Sharma's recent struggles in the T20 World Cup have raised concerns, but experts believe his confidence remains intact and a strong comeback is imminent.
Temba Bavuma discusses the no-handshake policy in India-Pakistan cricket, South Africa's T20 World Cup chances, and Indian batters' struggles against spin.
The Pakistan cricket team left for Dubai for the marquee Champions Trophy clash against arch-rivals India without opener Fakhar Zaman, who suffered an injury during the opening match against New Zealand in Karachi on February 19. The left-handed batter has been replaced by Imam-ul-Haq in Pakistan's squad.
'Isn't it silly to call India-Pakistan cricket's greatest rivalry when Pakistan has won only once out of the last eight T20 World Cup encounters?'
On Sunday, in the crucible of Dubai, it all comes down to a single question: Who will seize their moment and become a hero for a nation?
The 22-year-old brought up his first ODI ton in 53 balls, as he hammered the ball to all corners and finished 113 not out.
Defending champions India look to do something they have never done in World Cups and retain the trophy.
Pakistan are currently in the second spot with two points, ahead of UAE (2 points) on net run rate.
'The atmosphere he has created in the team -- he has tried to infuse a culture of playing for the team and not focusing on personal milestones.'
The Men in Blue refused to take the Asia Cup 2025 trophy from Naqvi, who is also Pakistan Interior Minister.
Hesson wants Babar Azam and Rizwan back in T20 set up
India and Pakistan clash in a highly anticipated T20 World Cup match. India needs middle-order stability and a fit Abhishek Sharma, while Pakistan's spin attack poses a threat. The weather forecast predicts a high chance of rain.
Pakistan's batting crumbled against New Zealand's pace attack and they were all out for 91 in 18.4 overs. In reply, New Zealand easily chased down the total, getting to 92 for 1 in just 10.1 overs.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed match referee Andy Pycroft amid Pakistan's criticism in the post-match handshake controversy, saying the Zimbabwean official is not a "school teacher" and was only doing his job to avoid an unnecessary spectacle.
The tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan, and Rizwan expressed confidence in the enthusiastic reception the Indian team would receive from Pakistani fans.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said his side will not hold back on aggression in the high-voltage Asia Cup clash against Pakistan on September 14.
mulling action for multiple violations and misconduct
As India start their T20 World Cup title defence in less than 72 hours, one is tempted to look at Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir's working relationship which has been fantastic, at least so going by the results -- a whopping 31 wins in 39 games with a winning percentage of 79.48.
Despite the threat of a pull-out over the fiasco involving match-referee Andy Pycroft, it is understood that PCB is trying to work out a respectable solution by which Pycroft doesn't officiate in their matches.
The Indian men ruled white-ball cricket, while South Africa ended decades of hurt by winning the World Test Championship at Lord's. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their maiden IPL title, though the celebrations were dimmed by a deadly stampede. Above all, it was India's women who won a billion hearts by finally adding an ICC World Cup trophy to the cabinet.
Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas have been named in Pakistan's team for the first Test starting on Thursday in Centurion - the first red-ball assignment for newly-appointed interim coach Aqib Javed.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will depend heavily on his spin troika as India gear up for yet another demolition act of Pakistan in what promises to be an intense and tense Super 4 face-off of the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday.
Aiming for their second Cricket World Cup title, Pakistan will be led by Babar Azam and are armed with a strong batting unit that includes Fakhar Zaman, Imam-Ul-Haq, Mohammed Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Salman Agha.
Hasan Ali, who last played a Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July, has picked up 77 wickets in 21 Tests.
The tournament had been fraught with tension from the very start, and the animosity carried into the final, which India won by five wickets on a rather long Sunday night.
Noman collected a 10-wicket haul during Pakistan's 93-run triumph over South Africa in Lahore recently and moved up four places.
Pakistan's T20 captain, Salman Ali Agha, remains optimistic despite his team's 1-4 series loss to New Zealand, believing the new faces tried out in the matches will eventually come through.
'How can our cricket progress when there is a sword hanging constantly over the captain and coaches' heads.'
It has been reliably learnt that late on Tuesday evening, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent another mail to the ICC reiterating the demand to remove Pycroft from all its games but as of now, it hasn't been obliged by the world body.
I don't remember how I felt when Pakistan lost to India in New York: Saim Ayub
Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria has criticized Babar Azam for focusing on personal milestones over team success, expressing concerns about Pakistan's preparations ahead of their crucial Champions Trophy clash against India. He believes Pakistan's recent struggles, including a disappointing Tri-Nation Series campaign and a 1-1 draw against the West Indies in a home Test series, point to a lack of readiness for the India encounter.
West Indies were bowled out for 163 before they fought back to dismiss Pakistan for 154 shortly before the close of play.
