Category: Sports

Abhishek Sharma has been dismissed for three consecutive ducks at the T20 World Cup 2026, and Indian fans are now agreeing with Mohammad Amir, who had called the opener a slogger a few days ago.

Sharma was dismissed for zero against the USA, then again for zero against Pakistan, and completed the unwanted hat-trick with another duck against the Netherlands in India’s final group stage match on Wednesday.

Amir had spared no diplomatic niceties when he assessed Sharma on a television show.

“From what I have seen of him so far, in my opinion, if I’m being completely honest, he looks like a slogger to me. He just tries to hit every ball. If it connects, it connects. But most of the time, the chances of failure are higher,” he said.

The left-arm pacer backed his claim by pointing to Sharma’s inconsistent scoring record.

“You must have noticed that he might play eight innings and score in only one of them, while in the others he gets 10, 15, 0, 20. The way he swings the bat, there doesn’t seem to be much technique. It’s more like, ‘Just give me the ball and I’ll swing.’ Technically, I haven’t found him very sound,” Amir added.

He did acknowledge that Sharma can be devastating on a good day, but argued that the risk far outweighs the reward.

“I’m giving an honest opinion. I’m also saying that on the day it comes off, it really comes off, and he can hurt any team. But his game is very high risk. Secondly, he even struggles against a good slower ball,” he said.

At the time, Indian cricket fans pushed back hard. Now, three ducks later, the tone has flipped entirely.

“Slogger nahi, Lucky Slogger. Laga toh chand tak, nahi toh raat tak,” one fan wrote.

Another, who had initially defended Amir against the backlash, said, “Obviously he was correct but some Indian fans attacked him. He’s a very good slogger.” Others were more blunt. “Amir was right to call him a blind slogger,” wrote one user, while another added, “India’s batting starts from 0/1, can’t rely on this blind slogger.”

One fan simply deferred to experience: “Experience bolta ha bhai.”

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan fired back at former cricketers who criticised the team following their defeat to India, saying that the legends of the past also fell short in World Cups and that his side’s focus remains firmly on lifting the trophy.

Speaking at a press conference in Colombo after Pakistan demolished Namibia by 102 runs to book their Super 8 spot, Shadab said, “Everyone has their own opinion and can say whatever they want. I’ve had an over that got a lot of criticism, but I’m not going to try and justify it. There are things I can control. Sometimes you have a bad day, a bad over. It’s T20 cricket. You can give away runs, you can get wickets. I don’t really think too much about these things.”

He acknowledged the stature of Pakistan’s former greats but pushed back firmly on their criticism. “Ex-cricketers have their own opinions. Obviously, they’ve done great things for Pakistan. But at the end of the day, even in the World Cup, they’ve had similar moments. We were the ones who actually beat India in the 2021 World Cup.” 

Since the history of cricket began, no team has really beaten India in the World Cup consistently. Obviously, those individual players were legends. But if we talk about the team as a whole, they didn’t do much in the World Cup either,” he added.

Shadab also addressed the noise surrounding the India defeat directly. “A lot is being said about one match. We should have won that match. But our focus is not on one match, it is on winning the World Cup,” he said, adding that Pakistan did not take the Namibia game lightly despite their dominant victory.

Looking ahead, Shadab said Pakistan stay committed to their process. “Sahibzada Farhan is in great form and we need to keep doing the good things we have been doing,” he said. 

He warned that the Super 8 stage will bring pressure-filled matches and demanding conditions, while noting that modern T20 cricket increasingly demands allrounders and that the team is not over-experimenting with combinations.

On the field, Farhan’s brilliant maiden T20I century powered Pakistan to 199, a total Namibia never threatened. They collapsed for 97, handing Pakistan a 102-run victory, their biggest win by runs in T20 World Cup history. Usman Tariq led the bowling with four wickets for 16 runs, while Shadab himself claimed three wickets for 19.

Pakistan has now advanced to the Super 8 stage, where they open against New Zealand on February 21.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has decided to sack the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s (PHF) team management, including President Mir Tariq Bugti and Secretary General Rana Mujahid, following an inquiry into the mismanagement that plagued the national hockey team’s tour of Australia.

According to reports, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) inquiry committee completed its investigation in a single day and submitted its report to PSB Director General Yasir Pirzada, who had ordered the inquiry after reports of poor living conditions for players in Australia surfaced publicly. 

The committee comprised Chief Financial Officer Hasnat Ahmed as chairman, along with members Saeed Ahmed Chaudhry and Rana Nasrullah.

The inquiry centered on the team’s troubled stay in Hobart, where the PHF arranged lodging for only seven days and housed players more than an hour and a half outside the city. 

Initial hotel bookings collapsed after the PHF failed to make payments, forcing management to arrange last-minute rooms through an online platform, with four to five players cramming into each room. 

The bookings did not even cover the full duration of the tour, and members of the local Pakistani community eventually stepped in to arrange alternative accommodation and meals for the squad.

Team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt on Tuesday spoke to the media at Lahore airport upon the squad’s return, directing his anger squarely at the management.

The Argentina Football Association (AFA) has officially welcomed Pakistan into its football community, sending fans into a frenzy after the announcement on social media.

The AFA posted the announcement on its Instagram account, writing, “Welcoming Pakistan into the AFA Football Community. The passion has always been here, now the connection is official and the journey begins.”

The announcement follows an earlier post on AFA’s X and Instagram accounts that had already sent Pakistani football fans buzzing. The post carried a simple but electrifying message directed at the country: “Salam Pakistan.”

Instagram Post

Pakistani fans flooded the comments section with excitement. “Such a great honour,” wrote one user. “My heart stopped for a min,” said another. Others could hardly believe what they were reading, with one fan simply writing, “Ok wait. What??” while another declared, “Messi to Karachi here we go.”

The AFA, founded in 1893, is one of the oldest and most decorated football governing bodies in the world. 

The AFA oversees Argentine football at all levels and manages the Argentine national team, which currently ranks among the best in the world under coach Lionel Scaloni.

Argentina won the FIFA World Cup in 2022 in Qatar, ending a 36-year wait for the title, and also claimed the Copa America in 2021 and 2024. 

The team counts global superstar Lionel Messi among its most celebrated players.

Former cricketer and 2017 Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has penned a message for the national cricket team ahead of their crucial final group stage match against Namibia in the Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

“Boys, leave whatever has happened behind. From now on, only look forward. Our strength is our unity. Trust your abilities, back each other, and give 100 percent on the ground. When we play as a team, nobody can stop us. Let’s go out, enjoy the game, and make Pakistan proud. All the best Team Pakistan!” he said amid a wave of criticism that grips social media since Pakistan’s crushing defeat against India on Sunday.

The team sits third in their group with four points after winning their opening matches against the Netherlands and the United States (US) and suffering a 61-run defeat to India.

A win against Namibia today will take Pakistan to six points and confirm their place in the Super 8 stage. Even if rain washes out the match, Pakistan will still advance with five points.

India lead the group having won all three of their matches, while the US sit second on four points having completed all four of their group fixtures.

The Super 8 stage starts February 21.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has added his voice to a growing chorus of cricket legends demanding proper medical care and dignified treatment for jailed former Pakistan prime minister and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.

“I hope his health recovers and I hope he gets the right treatment,” Ganguly told reporters. “He has taken Pakistan to the world map, being the captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team and then the PM of Pakistan. I am sure he must be looked after and respected.”

Sourav Ganguly on Imran Khan:

‘I hope his health recovers and I hope he gets the right treatment. He has taken Pakistan to the world map, being the captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team and then the PM of Pakistan. I am sure he must be looked after and respected’ pic.twitter.com/fELppx5Bxs

— Rizwan Ghilzai (Remembering Arshad Sharif) (@rizwanghilzai) February 18, 2026

Ganguly’s remarks follow a joint appeal by 14 former international captains from five Test-playing nations, who submitted a petition to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif demanding improved prison conditions and appropriate medical attention for Khan. 

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell initiated the petition, which The Age reported was delivered to Sharif. Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Kim Hughes, Mike Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Mike Brearley, David Gower, Clive Lloyd, and John Wright all put their names to it.

The former captains expressed “profound concern” over Khan’s deteriorating health, particularly a sharp decline in vision during his time at Adiala Prison in Rawalpindi, where he has spent over two years on corruption charges. 

They called for specialists of his choosing to provide medical care, regular family visits, and fair legal proceedings without further delay. Gavaskar described the situation as “terrible,” pointing to a long friendship with Khan that predates their on-field rivalry.

Former Pakistan cricket stars Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis, and Shahid Afridi have also spoken out publicly, pressing authorities to arrange urgent medical attention for Khan. 

Reports indicate Khan has lost 85 percent of the vision in his right eye and gets severely restricted access to family and personal doctors. He has been behind bars since August 2023.

However, the federal government’s constituted medical board reported an improvement in former prime minister Imran Khan’s right eye vision.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly holding discussions about shifting major future tournaments from India to Australia, as geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India continue to cast a shadow over the sport, Australian media has reported.

According to reports, the administrators have identified backup venues to prevent disruption to upcoming events, with Australia emerging as a potential alternative host for the ICC Champions Trophy 2029 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031, both of which India and Bangladesh are currently scheduled to host.

The report comes as the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, exposed the fragility of cricket’s biggest rivalries. 

Pakistan initially announced a boycott of its February 15 group-stage match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh, who were removed from the tournament after refusing to travel to India over security concerns. 

Pakistan ultimately reversed course after high-level deliberations involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ICC representatives and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). A key factor in the decision was avoiding a potential financial loss of $250 million in case Pakistan withdrew.

Friction between the two countries on the cricketing front predates the May 2025 military conflict, which ended after United States (US) led mediation.

In December 2024, the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed to a hybrid model for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, hosted by Pakistan, under which neither team would play ICC events on the other’s soil. Instead, their matches would be held at neutral venues throughout the 2024 to 2027 rights cycle. 

The last bilateral series between the two sides took place in 2012 to 2013, when Pakistan toured India, and New Delhi has since barred its team from touring Pakistan.

Tensions have remained visible on the field as well. During the Asia Cup 2025, the first major tournament since the two countries went to war, Indian players and their captain declined the customary post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts, a gesture repeated at the recent T20 World Cup fixture.

Australia has a strong track record of hosting Pakistan-India matches at high-profile events. 

The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup fixture at Adelaide Oval drew a crowd of 41,587, while the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground attracted 90,293 spectators, one of the largest crowds in the tournament’s history.

Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of mismanagement and irregularities surrounding the national men’s hockey team’s tour of Australia for the FIH Pro League, after videos circulating on social media showed players living in substandard conditions during the trip.

The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) confirmed that the federal government has launched a formal inquiry into the matter, directing authorities to identify those responsible and warning that anyone found guilty will face strict action. 

PM’s Advisor on Inter-provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah also ordered a separate inquiry into the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s conduct, saying the administrative failures had not only hurt the players but damaged Pakistan’s sporting reputation.

The controversy centers on the team’s stay in Hobart, where the PHF paid for only seven days of lodging and housed players more than an hour and a half outside the city in facilities. 

With initial hotel bookings cancelled due to non-payment, rooms were later arranged through an online platform with four to five players sharing each room and bookings that did not cover the full duration of the tour. 

Members of the local community eventually stepped in to help arrange alternative accommodation and meals.

Later, team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt, speaking to media at Lahore airport upon the squad’s return, was also unsparing in his criticism. “The team management told us many lies,” he said. “I cannot work with the current management at all.”

PSB Director General Noorish Sabah, who received the team at the airport, confirmed that the PSB had booked and paid for hotel accommodation in Australia, which the PHF subsequently cancelled. 

The tour results compounded the misery, with Pakistan losing all four matches in Australia, falling 3-2 and 3-0 to the hosts and 5-2 and 6-1 to Germany. 

The team’s next FIH Pro League fixtures are against Belgium on June 13 and Spain on June 14, with return fixtures on June 20. 

Pakistan then face India on June 23, England on June 24, and return legs against both sides on June 26 and June 27, respectively.

Pakistan hockey team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) and team management on Tuesday, accusing them of lying to players, suppressing their voices, and subjecting them to demeaning living conditions during the recent Australia tour.

Speaking to media at Lahore airport after the team’s return, Butt held nothing back. “The team management told us many lies,” he said. “I cannot work with the current management at all.”

Butt described conditions in Australia as humiliating. Players had to wake up each morning to clean kitchens, wash dishes, scrub washrooms, and do their own laundry before heading to the field. “If a player wakes up in the morning and cleans the kitchen and washes dishes, what will he play on the field?” he asked.

He also said players were threatened into silence. “We were told not to speak to the media or face a ban,” he said, adding that he rejects the PHF’s code of conduct entirely. “I am under no pressure.”

The captain pushed back against claims made by head coach Tahir Zaman and other officials, calling their statements “baseless and a pack of lies.” 

He said the PHF tried to split the squad by asking each player individually whether they stood with the federation or their captain. “The entire team is standing with me,” Butt said.

He stressed that finding sponsors is the PHF’s job, not his, and called for an urgent inquiry into how players were treated. He also said Pakistan desperately needs a foreign coach to put the team back on track.

Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Noorish Sabah, who received the team at the airport, backed the players’ account. 

She confirmed that the PSB had arranged and paid for hotel bookings in Australia, which the PHF later cancelled. “If food and accommodation are not in order, it directly affects players’ performance,” she said.

Sabah said that a full inquiry report would be sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has already taken note of the mismanagement.

Pakistani spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali have expressed disappointment after going unsold at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 auction, despite being two of the most in-form bowlers in Pakistan cricket over the past year.

Sajid Khan took to X to voice his frustration. “For 11 years, I have consistently delivered strong performances in domestic cricket and continue to perform at the highest level for both my region and department. Yet, I have not been given an opportunity in the PSL,” he wrote. 

“As a professional cricketer, that is naturally disappointing. Still, my focus remains on performance. I will continue to work hard and leave the rest to those entrusted with the decisions,” he added.

Noman Ali also took to X to write: “World number 1 spin bowler from Hyderabad; still no place in Hyderabad team. Allah is the best planner.”

Both spinners were among the 879 local and international players registered ahead of the auction held on February 11 at the Expo Centre. Noman’s base price was set at PKR 6 million and Sajid’s at PKR 11 million, yet none of the eight franchise teams placed a bid for either.

The auction marked a significant shift in how PSL selects its players, replacing the traditional draft system that had been in place since the league’s first edition in 2016. 

The snub is a curious one given the recent form of both spinners. Together, Sajid and Noman have been the driving force behind Pakistan’s Test success over the past year, taking all 20 England wickets between them in the second Test in Multan in October 2024, a feat achieved for the first time in 52 years. 

They went on to help Pakistan win the series and then dominated the West Indies at home in January 2025, where Noman became the first Pakistani spinner to take a hat-trick in a men’s Test match. Across four Tests in 2024, the duo claimed 70 wickets combined.

Sajid has taken 65 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 28.92, with a best of 8 for 42, and currently sits at number 29 in the ICC Test bowling rankings. Noman has been equally influential, with his career-best figures of 8 for 46 in the second innings against England in Multan standing as one of the finest individual bowling performances in recent Pakistan Test history. He has taken 97 wickets in 21 Test matches.

PSL 11 runs from March 26 to May 3.