Category: Sports

Pakistan defeated Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the second ODI match played at Queens Sports Club Ground in Bulawayo.

Pakistan easily achieved the target of 146 runs in the 19th over without losing a wicket. Saim Ayub scored the first century of his ODI career and scored 113 runs, while Abdullah Shafiq remained unbeaten on 32 runs.

Earlier, Zimbabwe had given Pakistan a target of 146 runs to win, and the host team returned to the pavilion after scoring 145 runs in 32.3 overs.

Debutant Abrar Ahmed took four wickets, Salman Ali Agha took three wickets, and Saim Ayub and Faisal Akram took one wicket each, while one batter was run out.

Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan.

In this match being played in Bulawayo, two players from Pakistan, Abrar Ahmed and Tayyab Tahir, are playing an ODI for Pakistan for the first time.

It should be noted that in the rain-affected first match, Zimbabwe won by 80 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method and took a one-nil lead in the three-match series.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected an Indian offer of hefty compensation for adopting the hybrid model for Champions Trophy 2025, a private media outlet has claimed.

According to reports, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offered Pakistan a huge amount for adopting the hybrid model and hosting Indian matches of the upcoming tournament in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The same was, however, rejected by the PCB.

While Pakistan is still adamant on hosting the entire tournament at home and has written to the International Cricket Council (ICC) in this regard, the cricket watchdog has not yet responded to PCB’s letter in writing.

Despite the passage of several weeks, PCB is standing by its decision to host the tournament under a hybrid model and is insisting that India’s group matches and knockout matches — if they qualify — be played in Lahore.

Pakistan is due to host the tournament in February-March 2025 but the refusal by the Indian government and the cricketing board to send their team to Pakistan has troubled the ICC. The deadline given by broadcasters for the schedule has also passed.

The Indian board, citing security issues, is adamant on holding all their matches in Dubai.

The final answer on whether Pakistan gets to host the event or not may come today. It is expected that the matter will be resolved through voting, in which Pakistan could lag behind.

Earlier, there were reports that PCB is taking a tough stance on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision not to send its team to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan: considering a ‘minus-India’ formula in response.

The PCB has decided to use the examples from the 1996 and 2003 World Cup in its initial stance to adopt a tough stance against India.

In 1996, Australia and West Indies refused to play in Sri Lanka, while in 2003, New Zealand refused to play in Kenya and England refused to play in Zimbabwe. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded points to the teams that were present on the ground for the scheduled matches, putting the teams that refused to participate at a disadvantage.

Geo reports that based on these examples, the PCB will assert that the ICC has never changed a venue in the past when teams failed to show up, and as a result, Pakistan will adopt a firm stance.

Pakistan may also propose a ‘minus India’ Champions Trophy on this basis, as India has not yet spoken about the Champions Trophy in writing. PCB will insist to the ICC that India submits all its positions in writing, sources have claimed.

Earlier, it was also reported that Pakistan would write a letter to the ICC in light of the government guidelines in the next day or two, for which the Board had also completed a legal consultation.

Earlier, the PCB denied all claims about the Indian team refusing to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025.

PCB source told The Current, “All speculations about Indian cricket board’s letter to PCB or India not coming to Pakistan are baseless. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi’s press conference in Gaddafi Stadium on November 8 is the latest update on this issue.”

Mohsin Naqvi said that there should be no politics in the game and assured that the Board will continue preparations despite India not coming.

On the other hand, reports claimed that the government of Pakistan is likely to make tough decisions regarding India’s refusal to come to the Champions Trophy.

The government is considering that if India does not participate at the agreed venues, Pakistan will not play any future matches with India, and until relations with India improve, they will not play any game with India in any tournament.

They are of the view that Pakistan always makes goodwill gestures, but India is always involved in politics.

 
If India does not participate in matches in Pakistan and the host country doesn’t agree on the hybrid model, then there is a strong chance that Sri Lanka will replace India.

The management of the Pakistan cricket team  has announced the names of playing eleven for the second ODI against Zimbabwe.

The second ODI between Pakistan and Zimbabwe will be played tomorrow in Bulawayo, for which two changes have been made to the national team.

Tayyab Tahir has been included in the team in place of Haseebullah, and Abrar Ahmed in place of Muhammad Hasnain.

Abrar Ahmed and Tayyab Tahir will play an ODI for Pakistan for the first time.

The Pakistan team for the second ODI includes Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Kamran Ghulam, Muhammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Irfan Niazi, Amir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Faisal Akram and Abrar Ahmed. 

Zimbabwe won the rain-hit first mat h by 80 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

First ODI 

In the first ODI of the three-match ODI series, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The first match of the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was played in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in which the host team set a target of 206 runs for Pakistan to win.

In pursuit of Zimbabwe’s target of 206 runs, Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled, and six players on the national team were out for 60 runs. After 21 overs of the match, the match had to be stopped due to rain, and the game had to be ended due to continuous rain.

Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl against Zimbabwe; Faisal Akram made his debut for Pakistan.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 205 runs in 40.2 overs, with debutants Faisal Akram and Salman Ali Agha taking three wickets each.

Haris Rauf dismissed one player while Abdullah Shafiq ran out a batter. In addition, Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Hasnain returned one player to the pavilion.

Chasing a target of 206 runs, the national team had a disappointing start. Openers Saim Ayub scored 11, and Abdullah Shafiq returned to the pavilion after scoring one run. Kamran Ghulam could score 17 runs, while Salman Agha was out after scoring four runs.

Pakistan’s fifth wicket fell for 49 runs, and the fifth player to be dismissed from the national team was Haseebullah, who was out for a duck.

Pakistan’s sixth wicket fell for 58 runs, while Irfan Khan was bowled for seven runs. After that, after adding two more runs, the match had to be stopped due to rain. Captain Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 19 runs, while Aamir Jamal was present at the wicket with him but could not score any runs.

Pakistan’s final XI included Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haseebullah, Salman Agha and Irfan Khan. In addition, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain and Faisal Akram were also part of the final XI.

13-year-old Indian cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the youngest player to become a part of Indian Premier League (IPL).

The two-day player bidding ceremony for IPL season 2025 began in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Monday.  Franchises bought the best players for crores of rupees for their teams.

While most franchises made big names part of their team, a 13-year-old Indian cricketer, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, also became a part of the IPL for the first time when Rajasthan Royals bought Suryavanshi for 11 million Indian rupees.

Suryavanshi became the youngest player to be bought by any team in the history of the IPL.

On the other hand, Lucknow Supergiants bought Rishabh Pant for 27 crore Indian rupees, after which Pant became the most expensive player in the history of IPL.

IPL 2025 will be the 18th edition of this tournament, scheduled to be played between March and May next year.

Who is Vaibhav?

Vaibhav was born on 27 March 2011 in the village of Tajpur in the state of Bihar. He started his cricketing journey at the age of just four, and then at the age of 9, his father got him admitted to a cricket academy in a nearby town.

Vaibhav made his first-class debut for the state of Bihar in January 2024 at the age of just 13 in a Ranji Trophy Elite Group B match against Mumbai.

Vaibhav Suryavinshi also scored a brilliant century against the Australia U-19 team while representing the India U-19 team at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the Youth Test.

The young player played a brilliant innings of 104 runs off 62 balls and became the youngest player to score a century in the Youth Test format.

Suryavinshi also became the second fastest century scorer in the Youth Test format and the fastest Indian player to score a century in this format.

Indian star batsman and former captain Virat Kohli’s new post on social media has left fans worried.

As per the details, Kohli’s November 20 post on the micro-blogging website X (formerly Twitter), left fans confused as to whether it was about divorce or retirement.

“Looking back, we’ve always been a bit different. We never fitted into any box they tried putting us in. Two misfits, who just clicked. We’ve changed over the years, but always done things our way. Some called us crazy; others didn’t get it. But honestly? We didn’t care.,” he wrote.

“We were busy figuring out who we were. Ten years of ups and downs, and even the pandemic couldn’t shake us. If anything, it reminded us being different is our strength. So, here’s to ten years of doing it our way- the Wrogn way. Here’s to being Wrogn. And here’s to the next ten! Wrogn, for the right kind of man [sic],” he added.

With the post coming after Indian singer and composer A. R. Rahman and his wife Saira Banu’s separation, netizens started speculating if Kohli was also hinting at divorce.

However, it turned out to be a promotional post for a brand.

Virat’s association with this brand

Sporting Beyond is a new company that helps athletes with their business. It’s like a team that takes care of everything from sponsorships to charity work.

Recently, a big cricket star, Virat Kohli, joined Sporting Beyond. He said he’s excited to work with this team because they share his love for sports and his values.

Sporting Beyond is still new, but it’s already making a big impact. It’s helping athletes focus on their sport while they handle the business side of things.

Indian left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has created history in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, becoming the most expensive player. The auction of the best-performing cricketers in the first phase of the IPL was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Lucknow Super Giants bought the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman for 270 million Indian rupees in the auction, which is more than 88 crore Pakistani rupees.

The successful bid for Rishabh Pant also surpassed the 260 million Indian rupees paid by Punjab Kings for Shreyas Iyer a few minutes earlier.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals had offered 207.5 million Indian rupees under the Right to Match Card (RTM) to retain Rishabh Pant, but the huge offer of 270 million Indian rupees from Lucknow Supergiants forced Delhi Capitals to withdraw from the auction.

Rishabh Pant has been a part of Delhi Capitals since 2016, but after this auction, he has now joined Lucknow Supergiants. Delhi Capitals had also given him the captaincy after Shreyas Iyer was injured during the 2021 session and was also retained as captain in the 2022 IPL.

Pant made a comeback in the 2024 IPL after being seriously injured in a car accident in December 2022.

Delhi Capitals retained him as captain, and in the 2024 season, he scored 446 runs for his team.

Earlier, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc was the most expensive player in the IPL auction held on December 19, 2023. He was made a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team for 247.5 million Indian rupees.

Prior to Mitchell Starc, Australian player Pat Cummins was the most expensive player, whom Sunrisers Hyderabad added to their fleet for 200 million Indian rupees. Similarly, preceding Cummins was England all-rounder Sam Curran, who joined the Punjab Kings for 18.50 crore and became the most expensive player.

Rishabh gave scooters to the locals who rescued him in a car accident

In 2022, Rishabh Pant’s car met with an accident while going from Uttarakhand to Delhi, in which the cricketer sustained serious injuries, while two locals rescued him and shifted him to the hospital in time.

The cricketer was treated in the hospital and returned to the field after about a year and a half.

Now, Rishabh has gifted scooters to locals named Rajat Kumar and Neshu Kumar. The cricketer thanked them and said that this would remain a favour to him for the rest of his life, which he will never forget.

He said that I was not able to thank everyone individually, but I was indebted to the two heroes, Rajat Kumar and Neshu Kumar, who tried their best to save my life after the accident.

Former Pakistan national cricket team all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has opened up about his past love, revealing that he had once fallen in love with a former stage actress and dancer, Deedar.

In an interview, he recalled, “I had true love with actress Deedar; we had a very good friendship, and I wanted to marry her. I asked her to leave the stage and gave her 6 months to decide. I wanted her to leave the film industry and theatre dance because my family did not accept it, but Deedar refused to leave the stage, on which we preferred to end the relationship because it was difficult to adjust like this.”

Former actress Deedar has also spoken about this, saying, “I was engaged to Abdul Razaq, but he did not want me to act. I wanted to work because I had started my career at that time. At that time, I was 15 years old, and he was 21 years old; our relationship did not work out, so we separated, but even today, whenever they meet at any event, we meet with respect,” she disclosed, 

Deedar, born Sonia Idrees, is a Pakistani stand-up comedian, actress and former stage dancer. She is famous for her work in Punjabi dramas. Abdul Razzaq is a Pakistani former cricketer who played all formats of the game and is known as a gifted all-rounder.

In the first ODI of the three-match ODI series, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The first match of the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was played in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in which the host team set a target of 206 runs for Pakistan to win.

In pursuit of Zimbabwe’s target of 206 runs, Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled, and six players on the national team were out for 60 runs. After 21 overs of the match, the match had to be stopped due to rain, and the game had to be ended due to continuous rain.

Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl against Zimbabwe; Faisal Akram made his debut for Pakistan.

Zimbabwe were bowled out for 205 runs in 40.2 overs, with debutants Faisal Akram and Salman Ali Agha taking three wickets each.

Haris Rauf dismissed one player while Abdullah Shafiq ran out a batter. In addition, Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Hasnain returned one player to the pavilion.

Chasing a target of 206 runs, the national team had a disappointing start. Openers Saim Ayub scored 11, and Abdullah Shafiq returned to the pavilion after scoring one run. Kamran Ghulam could score 17 runs, while Salman Agha was out after scoring four runs.

Pakistan’s fifth wicket fell for 49 runs, and the fifth player to be dismissed from the national team was Haseebullah, who was out for a duck.

Pakistan’s sixth wicket fell for 58 runs, while Irfan Khan was bowled for seven runs. After that, after adding two more runs, the match had to be stopped due to rain. Captain Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 19 runs, while Aamir Jamal was present at the wicket with him but could not score any runs.

Pakistan’s final XI included Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haseebullah, Salman Agha and Irfan Khan. In addition, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain and Faisal Akram were also part of the final XI.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has given a bold recommendation amid the escalating dispute between Pakistan and India over hosting the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

Rashid Latif has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to strip both countries of their hosting rights for all global events in the upcoming cycle if they fail to resolve their long-standing differences.

Rashid Latif expressed his disappointment over the current impasse while speaking to a private news channel and said, “My suggestion is that the ICC should strip India and Pakistan of all global event hosting rights for the 2024-2025 cycle. The ICC should ask these boards first to resolve all the issues and then give them hosting rights.”

Stressing the need for a strong approach, Rashid Latif further explained, “Pakistan is going to host two ICC events, and India will have four or five events in this period. If these two teams do not want to play in each other’s countries, then take away the hosting rights until they sort out their differences.”

The standoff is centred on India’s refusal to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected a proposed hybrid model under which India would play its matches at a neutral venue and has insisted on hosting the tournament entirely in Pakistan.

The PCB has formally sought clarification from the ICC, challenging the BCCI’s stand and demanding that the pre-agreed hosting conditions be adhered to.

Rashid Latif dismissed the hybrid model as unworkable, saying, “PCB is only hosting the event as per the ICC agreement. There is nothing concrete about the hybrid model. Everything has to be as per ICC rules. It is not about bilateral series or ACC tournaments.”

The cricket rivalry between Pakistan and India has been limited to ICC events and the Asia Cup since the bilateral series between the two countries ended in 2012-13. Despite strained relations, Pakistan has honoured ICC commitments by touring India for the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The situation has put the ICC in an uncertain position, with broadcasters pressing for clarity due to the financial implications of the tournament not happening. The absence of a clash between Pakistan and India could have commercial repercussions.

With less than three months left until the Champions Trophy begins, the cricketing world is watching closely as the fate of the tournament and cricket diplomacy hang in the balance.

India and Australia are playing their first Test match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 at Optus Stadium in Perth. India chose to bat first after winning the toss; however, the team did not sail smoothly.

Debutant Nitish Reddy managed to score 41 runs, but the team was all out for 150 runs in 49.4 overs, with the Australian bowlers doing a great job of keeping the score low.

For Australia, Josh Hazlewood took four wickets, while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Marsh took two wickets each.

Australia, however, also faced difficulties when they began their innings.

The team is currently struggling to chase down 150 runs. They are at 67 runs for seven wickets in 27 overs. The Indian bowlers, especially Jasprit Bumrah, have been impressive, taking four wickets so far.

Apart from this, Muhammad Siraj took two wickets, while Harshit Rana took one wicket for India.

 

Playing XI for the Match:

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Lokesh Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.