Category: Sports

Pakistan’s decision to play against India in the group stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup has reportedly saved the International Cricket Council (ICC) around $174 million (around PKR48 billion).

Media reports suggest that the estimated loss had been calculated in terms of broadcaster gate money and other sponsorship revenue. Following the announcement to restore the match, air ticket prices between Mumbai and Colombo saw a sharp increase.

According to reports, ticket prices initially rose by 10,000 to 60,000 rupees. The hotel industry in Colombo also welcomed the decision, with many establishments expecting increased bookings due to the high-profile match.

Earlier, after Pakistan announced a boycott, hotels were contacted for cancellations, and many cricket fans sought information regarding ticket refund policies for the Pakistan-India fixture.

Last night, the government of Pakistan allowed the national cricket team to play against India in the T20 World Cup 2026. In an official statement, the government confirmed that Pakistan will face India on February 15 as per the original schedule.

Previously, Pakistan had announced a boycott of the match against India in solidarity with Bangladesh.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has addressed questions surrounding the rebranding of Multan Sultans after the franchise was acquired by Walee Technologies in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) auction on Monday.

Walee Technologies secured the former Multan Sultans franchise for PKR 2.45 billion at an auction held at the Expo Center in Lahore. Five companies took part in the bidding process.

Following the auction, the new owner confirmed that the team will no longer operate as Multan Sultans. The franchise has been rebranded as Rawalpindi, making it the most expensive team in PSL history.

After the bidding concluded, Mohsin Naqvi was asked whether the name change was deliberately made due to past issues with former owner Ali Tareen. He was also questioned about whether such decisions could happen in international cricket formats like ODIs.

Naqvi rejected the idea that the decision was personal or politically motivated.

“First of all, I personally have a lot of love for Multan. When that team was taken away from me, my heart genuinely became very sad. It was our own brand, and now we will definitely think about what to do with that brand going forward,” he said.

He clarified that the PCB had no authority to dictate the name or identity of the franchise after the auction.

“As far as spending 2.45 billion rupees is concerned, I could not dictate whether the team should be called Multan Sultans or not. I had no control over that,” Naqvi explained.

The PCB chairman also revealed that the board initially planned to auction the franchise for just one year but later changed its decision.

“Our original plan was to keep it for one year only. Then we reconsidered because we felt the market environment was already active. We already had five or six teams in place, so we decided to link it with them and move forward with the auction plan,” he said.

It is worth noting that the PCB earlier sold two new PSL teams, Hyderabad for Rs1.75 billion and Sialkot for Rs1.85 billion.

Naqvi added that their were two viewpoints regarding the brand identity.

“One was that Multan Sultans is a very old and established brand. The other view was that the brand had been damaged. But for me, Multan remains just as dear, and we will think of something going forward, InshaAllah,” he elaborated. 

The franchise became available after former owner Ali Tareen decided not to renew his contract in November 2025 due to strained relations with the PCB. His company, Deharki Sugar Mills (DSM), appeared on the list of bidders but did not place any bids during the auction.

Multan Sultans remain one of the most successful teams in PSL history. They won their maiden title in 2021 under captain Mohammad Rizwan after defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final. The team then reached the final in the next three seasons, finishing as runners-up each time.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released details of its talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), confirming key decisions linked to the T20 World Cup 2026.

In a statement released last night, the ICC said it will not impose any fine on Bangladesh for its non-participation in the T20 World Cup 2026.

The council also confirmed that Bangladesh will host an ICC event prior to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2031, subject to the usual ICC hosting processes, timelines, and operational requirements.

Earlier, Indian media outlets and some prominent journalists reported that the PCB had sought a larger share of ICC revenue and bilateral series with India, but the ICC’s press release debunked these claims.

The ICC shared these details after high-level talks held in Lahore involving the ICC, PCB, and BCB. The discussions focused on the boycott of the Pakistan–India match in the T20 World Cup and related concerns raised by Bangladesh.

ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khawaja on Sunday held talks with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, while BCB President Aminul Islam also attended the meeting. 

As per details, the talks lasted more than five hours, with Naqvi placing strong emphasis on addressing what he described as unfair treatment of Bangladesh.

According to reports, the ICC and BCB exchanged proposals during the meeting, while the PCB acted as a facilitator between the two sides. The ICC responded positively to Bangladesh’s demands and prepared a formula to address its concerns.

Separately, Pakistan also decided to play India on February 15 in the T20 World Cup as per the schedule after a request from the President of Sri Lanka. The Bangladesh Cricket Board also urged Pakistan to play the match against India.

In a statement, the BCB thanked the PCB chairman for his support and requested Pakistan to go ahead with the India fixture.

Pakistan had earlier announced it would not play India in solidarity with Bangladesh. Bangladesh had requested the ICC to move its World Cup matches out of India due to security concerns. The ICC rejected the request and replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in the event, prompting Pakistan to refuse the scheduled match against India.

Reports indicate that the cancellation of a Pakistan–India match could have caused a $250 million loss to broadcasters.

Former Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting and renowned Indian commentator Ravi Shastri have voiced concerns over Pakistani star batter Babar Azam’s inconsistency at the T20 World Cup, sharing tips for the former Green Shirts captain to regain his form.

Babar managed just 15 runs off 18 balls in Pakistan’s tournament opener against the Netherlands, putting the middle order under pressure and raising questions about his ability to provide quick starts at the top of the lineup.

“If you’re 15 off 18 balls, you’re not just putting pressure on yourself, you’re putting pressure on the guy at the other end. The guy at the other end then knows that he’s got to be the one to take up the boundary scoring. Babar needs to hit boundaries early on. He needs to get off and going, he needs two boundaries in his first six balls, otherwise the whole momentum of the game is going to change every time he goes in,” Ponting said while speaking on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan.

Shastri said Babar’s reputation was adding even more pressure to the situation.

“When you are at that stage of your career, there’s baggage. There’s a weight of expectation. People expect you to go out there and deliver. Get out there [and] in your first five balls, I don’t care if you get out, but I want you to make an effort to hit a couple of boundaries. Choose your spot, get into good positions, anticipate what the bowler is doing. You will feel a lot better and things might change,” he said.

Ponting also expressed concern about Babar’s No. 4 batting position in the opener, which he believed increased the pressure. “It just to me looks like he’s lost a bit of his power, his ball striking ability, like taking that spinner on the way he did and not being able to even go close to clearing it.”

“I defended him at the start of the tournament… a big player with big events experience… you need [those players] on your side if you’re going to win. Pakistan need the best version of Babar Azam if they’re going to go further in this tournament,” Shastri added.

Ponting suggested returning Babar to his preferred No. 3 position to make the most of the powerplay fielding restrictions. 

“I would even think about batting him at No. 3 I think the earlier he goes in, if he can get some time inside the Powerplay with the field up, I think that’s going to help him because if he has just lost that little bit of power, then you need everything in your favour. So having only two fielders out would help him. The guys that [are] batting after him have got plenty of power anyway. They can take advantage of those middle overs with the spinners on and the fielders out. They’ve got a big decision to make whether he stays in or whether they leave him out.”

Shastri also spoke of Babar’s role in the team. “There will be questions asked. He’s a quality player… we know he’s got the experience to adjust very quickly, but he has to do it quickly because [the middle overs are] a very crucial period of play. In T20 cricket, you can’t give it that much time unless the conditions are really in favor of the bowlers,” he said.

Pakistan will face the United States next on February 11 in Colombo. Meanwhile, the February 15 clash against India remains uncertain following recent ICC and PCB discussions. 

Pakistan will close the group stage with a match against Namibia on February 18.

Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn offered his support to underdogs Nepal after their impressive performance against England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

Nepal came close to chasing 185, falling just five runs short, challenging England with a fiery display. Steyn, impressed by their effort, wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Nepal, I offer my services to you if you ever need ’em! Up, up and UP.”

Chasing 185, Nepal started aggressively. Openers Kushal Bhurtel and wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh put on a 37-run opening stand. Liam Dawson dismissed Sheikh for seven off nine balls.

In the final over of the powerplay, Bhurtel scored 29 off 17 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and a six, before losing his wicket. Nepal reached 42 for 2 in 5.2 overs. Rohit Paudel scored 39 off 34 balls, including two fours and two sixes, before getting out. Nepal stood at 126 for 4 in 15.3 overs.

Aarif Sheikh fell to Jofra Archer for 10 off eight balls, leaving Nepal five wickets down. Lokesh Bam struck consecutive sixes off Archer, bringing Nepal within reach with 24 runs needed from the last two overs.

Mark Wood gave away 14 runs in the 19th over but removed Gulsan Jha for one, leaving Nepal needing 10 runs from the final over. Sam Curran bowled the last over and conceded five runs. Nepal fell just short of the target.

Lokesh Bam shone for Nepal, scoring 39 off 20 balls with four boundaries and two sixes, showing the team’s fighting spirit and potential in the tournament.

In the first two days, three associate teams challenged major sides. Netherlands almost defeated Pakistan before Faheem Ashraf scored 24 runs in 19th over to secure the win. The USA challenged India, restricting them to 161. 

The USA had India struggling at 70 for 6, but Suryakumar Yadav scored 84 off 49 balls to help India post a competitive total. India won by 29 runs as the USA finished with 132.

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) sent Pakistani-born cricketer Mohammad Zohaib back to Dubai, citing violations of team discipline.

The board added that further details would be released at an appropriate time and said it did not wish to comment further at this stage.

However, Zohaib claimed that team management sent him home during the T20 World Cup because of his nationality.

He alleged that the entire UAE team management had links to India and that he was removed from the team for being Pakistani. He has demanded an inquiry into the matter.

In a video statement, Zohaib said, “I was called and told to declare myself unfit so I could be sent back to Dubai. When I refused, I was threatened that it would become difficult for me, just like what happened with players from Oman.”

He added, “Later, they told me to use my mother’s health as an excuse to go back. When I asked for a reason, they did not provide any and forcibly sent me back. These people want to bring their own players into the team.”

Zohaib also claimed that he was removed from the ground during practice and told, “You have a flight, go back to Dubai. If you do not go, we will cancel your hotel booking and you will have to stay at your own expense. This is India, anything can happen to you here.”

Filming from the airport, Zohaib appealed to the ECB and ICC, saying, “I have been treated unfairly. The team management sent me back without any reason. Our entire management is Indian. We represent UAE here. Pakistani or Indian nationality should not matter. This video might harm me, but I will speak out.”

The UAE team is currently in Chennai, India, for the T20 World Cup. Earlier, visas of several Pakistani-born cricketers from different countries were denied, and this latest incident has raised serious concerns about the integrity of sports.

Pakistanis have been trolling India after Indian media claimed the International Cricket Council (ICC) would punish Pakistan over its decision not to play against India in the T20 World Cup. Instead, ICC officials flew to Lahore for negotiations with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The Government of Pakistan had earlier instructed the PCB not to play against India in the World Cup. The match, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo, became controversial after the PCB accused the ICC of bias in decisions involving Bangladesh. 

Tensions escalated after Pakistan announces to boycott the clash against India at the T20 World Cup on Feb 15.

Following Pakistan’s stance, Indian media, including so called senior journalist Vikrant Gupta, claimed the ICC would punish Pakistan, remove it from the World Cup, or ban it from future events. However, ICC rules limit its authority, as the decision to skip the match came from the Pakistani government, not the PCB. The ICC can at most deduct points or fine Pakistan if it does not play. 

Pakistanis reminded critics that India has not visited Pakistan since 2008 and has repeatedly refused bilateral cricket under the instruction of Indian government.

Gupta also claimed that the PCB is trying to negotiate with the ICC, but the PCB categorically denied his claims, calling them, as usual, Indian media fictions.

Pakistani journalist Syed Yahya Husain responded to Indian media claims that Pakistan made a U-turn after the ICC visit. 

He said, “Agreed, right? Took the U-turn. I told you, didn’t I, that they will play on the 15th. These things are being talked about from the neighboring country, their media people, their ex-players, saying such things. I thought, if they are giving their narrative there, then we should also give our narrative here. It’s not about narrative; it’s about truth, it’s about principles, and it’s about rights. The decision was made by the government of Pakistan. Pakistan Cricket Board had nothing to do with it.”

He added, “Lahore has become the center of attention, and the world of cricket is focused here, where the Chairman of the PCB, Mohsin Naqvi, along with Mubashir Usmani and Imran Khawaja, are negotiating. The terminology ‘U-turn’ is being used in a negative way. Pakistan stands with Bangladesh in a principled fight, and a principled fight always carries the message of victory.”

Pakistan cricketer Fawad Alam also responded to U-turn claims, saying, “There was talk of a U-turn, that PCB always takes a U-turn. Where did the ICC guy come from, bro? He came to Lahore, so how can you say that PCB will take a U-turn? We did not go to meet India. They have come here, and that is why negotiations are happening.”

Senior ICC officials held nearly four hours of talks on Sunday night in Lahore with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. ICC Vice Chairman Imran Khawaja, who arrived on an emergency visit, led the mediation. 

BCB President Aminul Islam also met Naqvi and Khawaja, while Emirates Cricket Board official Mubashir Usmani joined via video link. Reports said Sri Lanka Cricket and the Emirates board urged Pakistan to reconsider its stance.

According to media reports, Pakistan has demanded an increase in its share of ICC revenue and progress on the restoration of bilateral cricket with India, which the two sides have not played since 2012–13. Pakistan also asked the ICC to ensure on-field protocols are followed, citing incidents from the Asia Cup 2025, including India not shaking hands before the toss and closing dressing room doors after winning. 

The ICC has responded positively to demands raised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board and prepared a formula to address the injustice done to Bangladesh.

Pakistan could still face India in the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup if the conditions the country has presented are accepted, with the final decision resting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Indian media, however, continues to rant that Pakistan took a U-turn and that its prime minister could not stand firm, while the ICC flying in to meet PCB Chairman clearly shows who actually made the U-turn and who is desperate for negotiations.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has said the team will pick players for the T20I World Cup playing XI based on what is best for the side, even if senior stars like Babar Azam or Fakhar Zaman do not fit into the combination. 

“We will try to field the best combination possible,” he said while addressing a pre-match press conference in Sri Lanka ahead of Pakistan’s opening match against the Netherlands.

The skipper added that if any senior player like Fakhar Zaman or Babar Azam doesn’t fit into said combination, they won’t be in the playing XI.

کنڈیشنز کو دیکھتے ہوئے اگر فخر زمان اور بابر اعظم پلیئنگ الیون میں فٹ نہیں بیٹھتے تو انہیں ڈراپ کرنے میں کوئی ہچکچاہٹ نہیں ہوگی، میں وہی فیصلہ کروں گا جو ٹیم کے مفاد میں ہوگا۔
سلمان علی آغا#icct20worldcup2026 pic.twitter.com/yWJ3r0CibA

— Au Rangzab Younis (@SardarAurangzab) February 6, 2026

“We will only select players who are best for the team. Fakhar has performed exceptionally for Pakistan over the past 10 years, and similarly, Babar has delivered outstanding performances. I fully support both of them, but we will choose the playing XI based on what is best for the team,” Agha added.

Pakistan will open its campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo at 10:30 am tomorrow, followed by matches against the United States (US) on February 10 and Namibia on February 18. 

The team will not play against India on February 15 after announcing a boycott of the match, citing the ICC’s bias over Bangladesh’s security concerns during the tournament.

Pakistan has named a 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, with Salman Ali Agha leading the side. 

The squad includes Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan and Usman Tariq.

Australia’s T20 World Cup preparations have taken a major hit after confirmation that fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the tournament in Sri Lanka and India with injury concerns.

According to reports, the 35-year-old has struggled to recover from persistent fitness issues and has not played competitive cricket since November. Hazlewood injured his hamstring during a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales against Victoria, before a problem with his Achilles tendon ruled him out of the entire Ashes series.

Despite the concerns, selectors named Hazlewood in Australia’s 15-man World Cup squad, and he travelled to Sri Lanka with the team. However, team management later decided he would not be fit in time to take part in the tournament.

Chief selector Tony Dodemaide said, “We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super 8 stage but the latest indications are that he is still some time away and accelerating his program will carry too much risk.”

Dodemaide added that Australia would delay naming a replacement. “We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time.”

Hazlewood’s absence further weakens Australia’s pace attack, with Test captain Pat Cummins also unavailable due to a back injury. Australia will begin the tournament with Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis as the only fully fit specialist fast bowlers in the squad.

However, Nathan Ellis is expected to return next week after recovering from a hamstring injury that cut short his Big Bash League (BBL) campaign. 

Sean Abbott has travelled with the squad as a reserve and remains an option if Australia decide to make changes.

Australia enter the tournament under pressure after a difficult build-up that included a string of injuries and a 3-0 series defeat to Pakistan last week.

Australia will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland on February 11.

Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup includes captain Mitch Marsh along with Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, while Sean Abbott has been named as the travelling reserve.