Category: Sports

England’s Joe Root has achieved a major milestone in Test cricket, becoming the first English player to score 13,000 runs in the longest format of the game.

The historic moment came on Thursday during the opening day of the Test match against Zimbabwe when Root reached the landmark by scoring his 28th run of the innings.

With this achievement, Root became only the fifth player in the world to cross 13,000 runs in Test cricket. More impressively, he now holds the record for being the fastest to reach this milestone, doing so in just his 153rd Test match.

Previously, the record for the quickest to 13,000 Test runs belonged to South Africa’s legendary all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who reached the mark in 159 matches. Other greats such as Rahul Dravid (160 matches), Ricky Ponting (162) and Sachin Tendulkar (163) took longer to achieve the same.

Tendulkar still holds the record for the most runs in Test history, with 15,921 runs in 200 matches.

Meanwhile, England dominated the first day of the Test against Zimbabwe, finishing at 498 for 3. Ben Duckett led the charge with a brilliant 140 while Zak Crawley contributed 124 runs. Root added 34 runs before being dismissed.

At the stumps, Ollie Pope remained not out on 169 and Harry Brook was not out on 9, setting the stage for a massive first-innings total.

Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has chosen not to respond to Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra’s recent comments about their relationship, saying that the current tense situation between Pakistan and India is not the right time to talk.

When asked about Chopra’s statement while speaking to the media on Wednesday, Nadeem said, “I don’t want to talk about it because of the situation between Pakistan and India. I always stand with the Pakistan Army.”

Chopra, in a recent interview, had said that while the two have always shown mutual respect, they were never close friends, adding that their equation is not the same anymore. “We were never really close friends or anything,” Chopra stated. “But because of this [recent issue], it will not be like before.”

Despite not commenting further, Nadeem praised Chopra’s performance, congratulating him for crossing the 90-metre mark for the first time in his career at the Diamond League in Doha, where Chopra won a silver medal.

The Pakistani javelin ace is now focused on the upcoming Asian Athletics Championship, which will be held in Korea from May 27 to 31. 

“I will try my best to perform well at the event,” he said. “My goal is to throw 100 meters. I’m working hard, and by the will of Allah, I’ll achieve it one day.”

After the Asian Championship, Nadeem shared that he plans to travel to England after Eid-ul-Adha to begin preparations for the World Athletics Championship. He will be training there alongside his coach Salman Butt.

At age 28, Nadeem continues to carry Pakistan’s hopes on the international stage and is working tirelessly to reach new milestones in his career.

Star English batter Alex Hales has parted ways with Islamabad United during the Pakistan Super League playoffs, leaving the team without a key player ahead of a must-win match.

Neither Islamabad United nor Hales officially mentioned the reason for his departure.

Hales was recalled to strengthen Islamabad’s chances in the final stages and made an immediate impact with a blistering 88 off 35 balls against Karachi Kings, helping United secure second place and a spot in the Qualifier against Quetta Gladiators.

However, his second outing didn’t go as planned; he was dismissed for a duck in the Qualifier at Gaddafi Stadium, where Islamabad lost to Quetta. Now, as United prepare for a do-or-die match to reach the final, they’ll be without Hales, who has exited the squad.

Taking to social media, Hales thanked Islamabad United and wished the team well for the remainder of the tournament.

Meanwhile, fellow overseas player Rassie van der Dussen remains with the team for the crucial fixtures ahead.

Quetta Outclass Islamabad in high-scoring qualifier

The first Qualifier was played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where Quetta Gladiators chose to bat first after winning the toss. Despite losing opener Saud Shakeel early, Quetta built strong partnerships throughout the innings.

Finn Allen played a quick knock of 41 runs, while Dinesh Chandimal (48 not out) and Faheem Ashraf (45) powered the team to a big total of 209 for 6 in 20 overs.

For Islamabad, Ben Dwarshuis and Salman Irshad picked up two wickets each.

Chasing 210 runs, Islamabad’s innings started on a poor note as Alex Hales was dismissed for zero. However, a steady 71-run partnership between Sahibzada Farhan (52) and Rassie van der Dussen (35) kept hopes alive. After both were dismissed, captain Shadab Khan added only 16 runs, and though Agha Salman fought hard with 44, Islamabad’s lower order crumbled.

The entire team was bowled out for 179 in the final over, falling 30 runs short of the target.

For Quetta, Usman Tariq was the pick of the bowlers with 3 wickets, while Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Faheem Ashraf grabbed 2 wickets each.

With this win, Quetta Gladiators have booked their place in the PSL 10 Final. Meanwhile, Islamabad United will get one more chance in Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings.

Sports journalist Qadir Khawaja has claimed a major disagreement between the selection committee and head coach Mike Hesson over the final squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh.

According to Khawaja, the differences emerged during their very first assignment together when the selection committee had finalised the team, but Hesson made last-minute changes, dropping three players and replacing them with his own picks.

Khawaja claims that the original squad included Abbas Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Haider Ali. However, head coach Mike Hesson opted for Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, and Naseem Shah instead. He added that Hesson insisted on retaining Naseem despite the selectors’ plan to rest both Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.

On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 16-member squad for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. Senior players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan, were notably left out.

All three matches will be played at the historic Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, with the full schedule expected to be released soon.

All-rounder Agha Salman has been appointed captain for the series, with experienced spinner Shadab Khan named vice-captain.

The squad features a mix of youth and experience, reflecting PCB’s strategy of grooming emerging talent for future international events while remaining competitive.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh T20I series:

Agha Salman (Captain), Shadab Khan (Vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Haris (Wicketkeeper), Muhammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub.

The PCB stated that the inclusion of younger players is part of a long-term vision to nurture fresh talent and provide them with opportunities on the international stage.

However, the board has not officially confirmed or denied these claims made by the journalist.

Paul Stirling has made history for Ireland by becoming the first-ever Irish cricketer to score 10,000 runs in international cricket.

The right-handed batter and opener reached this significant milestone when he crossed 37 runs during his innings in the first ODI against the West Indies. He went on to score 54 runs in the match, which was also his 57th fifty in international cricket. Stirling is now the 97th player in the world to score 10,000 international runs.

Stirling has been a key part of Ireland’s batting line-up for over a decade. He made his international debut in 2008 in an ODI against New Zealand. His T20I debut came in 2009, and he played his first Test match in 2018 against Pakistan. Over the years, Stirling has also scored 16 international centuries for Ireland.

Top Run-Scorers for Ireland (All formats combined):

10,000* – Paul Stirling
6,055* – Andrew Balbirnie
5,850 – Kevin O’Brien
5,480 – William Porterfield
3,732* – Harry Tector

Stirling is currently opening the innings alongside Andrew Balbirnie, who ranks second among Ireland’s top run-scorers. Kevin O’Brien, renowned for his World Cup century against England in 2011, is third. Former captain William Porterfield, considered one of Ireland’s finest, is fourth, while young Harry Tector is fifth and regarded as the future star of Irish cricket.

Pakistan’s new white-ball head coach, Mike Hesson, has asserted that senior players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will not be guaranteed spots in the T20 team based on reputation alone.

In an interview with a local sports platform, Hesson emphasised that selection would be based on specific roles and team strategy rather than past achievements. “Players won’t be picked based on experience or fame. Selection will depend on clearly defined roles, and everyone will have to perform according to the team’s plan,” he said.

Hesson explained that the goal is to build a modern, winning team that plays exciting cricket. “This is a golden opportunity. I’m excited about this role and confident that I can guide the team towards improvement. We want to play successful cricket that also wins the hearts of fans, but I know it’s a big challenge,” he added.

The recent squad announcement for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh already hints at a shift in leadership style. Big names like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi have been left out of the squad, possibly reflecting Hesson’s vision of redefining team roles.

Fast bowler Hasan Ali returns to the side for this series, having last played a T20I against Ireland in 2024. Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub also make a comeback after fitness issues kept them out of the 2025 Champions Trophy and the series against New Zealand.

Originally planned as a five-match series with games in Faisalabad, the T20I series has been reduced to three matches amid security and logistical concerns. All matches will now be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from May 28 to June 1.

The matches will begin at 8 PM local time. The first T20I is scheduled for May 28, the second on Friday, May 30, and the third and final game on Sunday, June 1. The Bangladesh team is set to arrive in Lahore on 25 May and will train on May 26 and 27 ahead of the series.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the 2025 Men’s Champions Trophy, hosted by Pakistan, has broken all previous viewership records to become the most-watched edition of the tournament.

According to official figures, this year’s tournament garnered a massive 368 billion global viewing minutes – a 19 per cent increase compared to the last Champions Trophy held in England and Wales in 2017. The event also set a new record for fan engagement, reaching 308 million viewing minutes per over, the highest ever for any ICC tournament.

While political tensions between India and Pakistan stirred pre-tournament controversy, the event proceeded smoothly. Owing to these tensions, India played all of its matches in Dubai instead of the host country, Pakistan, under a hybrid model that allowed the tournament to continue without disruption. While this arrangement was criticised, it did not affect the tournament’s popularity.

India won their third Champions Trophy title, adding to their previous victories in 2002 (shared with Sri Lanka) and 2013.

In the hybrid format, all the matches were hosted in Pakistan, except for the Indian team’s fixtures, which were held in the UAE due to political and security concerns.

Under this agreement, all upcoming global events scheduled to be hosted in Pakistan and India between 2024 and 2027, including the Women’s ODI World Cup in India (2025), and the Men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka (2026), are expected to follow a similar hybrid model.

Pakistan Super League (PSL) teams have dropped a staggering 124 catches ahead of the 10th edition playoffs, raising serious concerns over fielding standards in the tournament.

According to available statistics, Multan Sultans dropped the most catches, with 25 during the league stage. The team, nonetheless, managed to win only one of their 10 matches.

Quetta Gladiators followed with 22 dropped catches, while Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings each dropped 20.

Defending champions Islamabad United weren’t immune to fielding errors either, giving 19 advantages to batters by dropping catches.

Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, had the fewest dropped catches with 18, despite being eliminated in the second round.

This consistent fielding failure is not just a PSL issue, but could have serious implications for the Pakistan national team.

With many PSL players expected to feature in the Asia Cup and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, such poor fielding performances could harm Pakistan’s chances in major international tournaments if not addressed in time.

Former cricketer and analyst Basit Ali has made a strong statement about Shadab Khan, saying he would never select him for the national team based on Pakistan Super League (PSL) performances.

Speaking on ARY News’ show Har Lamha Purjosh with host Wasim Badami, Basit expressed strong disagreement with those supporting Shadab’s inclusion after PSL 10.

“As a selector, I would never include Shadab Khan in the team because he won’t make it just on PSL performance,” said Basit Ali.

He added, “When we have players like Abrar, Sufiyan, and Khushdil Shah, they deserve a place. And if senior players keep getting selected for the national team based on PSL performances, then where will the young players go?”

Former wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal, however, disagreed with Basit and supported Shadab’s inclusion. “Looking at his performance in the PSL, Shadab Khan deserves a place in the national team. Now it depends on what performances the selectors consider,” Akmal remarked.

On the same show, both Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal also discussed team strengths in the ongoing PSL 10.

Basit said, “In my opinion, the strongest team in PSL 10 right now is Islamabad United. And the second-best team is not Quetta, but Lahore Qalandars.”

Kamran Akmal agreed, saying Islamabad’s squad had improved with the inclusion of new and foreign players. “Especially with the inclusion of Alex Hales, the team has benefited a lot,” he added.

It merits mention that Shadab Khan is currently leading Islamabad United in PSL 10. He is also part of the squad announced for the Bangladesh T20I series.