Category: Sports

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took swift action after the national team’s poor performances at the T20 World Cup, fining every player five million rupees, a news report has said. 

Quoting its sources,an English daily reported that the message was delivered to the team right after the loss to India.

Officials told the squad that rewards would now depend strictly on results. Financial incentives, they said, would follow performances on the field, not reputation, Express Tribune reported.

Pakistan’s campaign never gathered momentum. The team narrowly escaped defeat against the Netherlands in the opening match before beating the USA. With experience in Sri Lankan conditions and a strong spin attack, expectations rose for the clash against India, but the side repeated mistakes seen earlier in the Asia Cup and fell short again.

A win over Namibia helped Pakistan reach the Super 8 stage. Rain washed out the match against New Zealand, and defeat to England left Pakistan dependent on other results. England’s win over New Zealand briefly reopened the door, but a narrow victory against Sri Lanka failed to lift Pakistan’s net run rate enough.

New Zealand progressed to the semifinals, and Pakistan’s tournament ended there.

Board officials shared the disappointment felt by fans. They imposed the fines to underline accountability and reminded players that penalties would accompany poor performances, just as bonuses follow strong ones.

Under the current central contracts running from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, no player features in the A category. A-category players earn 4.5 million rupees per month along with an ICC revenue share of 2.07 million rupees. B-category players receive three million rupees monthly and 1.5525 million rupees as ICC share. C-category players earn one million rupees per month plus 1.035 million rupees from ICC revenue, while D-category players receive 750,000 rupees monthly and 517,500 rupees as ICC share. Match fees come separately.

The PCB had earlier introduced an auction model in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to secure players financially.

On the field, Farhan finished the tournament as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer with 383 runs. Other senior batters struggled. Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Babar Azam and Usman Khan failed to reach 100 runs individually across the event. Among bowlers, spinner Usman Tariq stood out with 10 wickets, while the rest delivered only average returns.

The team’s direction has also drawn scrutiny. Head coach Mike Hesson holds strong influence within the setup. Captain Salman Ali Agha has led on the field, while Shadab Khan has remained involved in decision-making through his close working relationship with Hesson at Islamabad United, Express Tribune reported.

The report added that the team management informed Fakhar Zaman before the tournament that he would not feature in the early matches. When he finally opened against Sri Lanka, he struck 84 at a strike rate of 200, underlining what Pakistan had missed earlier. By then, the damage had already been done.

Babar Azam failed to meet expectations, Salman Ali Agha struggled with the bat, and questions surfaced about his leadership. 

With the World Cup over, officials are now expected to review performances closely and take tougher decisions in the days ahead.

Sri Lanka have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial Super Eight match against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with their experienced wicketkeeper-batter ruled out due to injury.

According to media reports, Kusal Mendis has sustained a hamstring injury and will not be playing cricket for at least a month. He had returned to the playing XI after passing a fitness test before the match against New Zealand, but the injury flared up again and forced him out of the Pakistan encounter.

In his absence, Kamil Mishara is expected to take over wicket keeping duties.

The setback comes at a difficult time for Sri Lanka, as the right-hander stood among their most consistent performers in the ongoing tournament. He scored 197 runs in six matches at an average of 39.40, making his unavailability a significant blow to the batting unit.

Sri Lanka already faced injury concerns in the competition after losing key spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, who was ruled out of the event earlier, adding further pressure on the squad.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka face off today in a decisive Super Eight match, with the semi-final race still wide open. Pakistan remain in contention after England edged past New Zealand in a thrilling last-over finish on Friday night.

That result brought New Zealand’s net run rate down to +1.39, although it still remains well ahead of Pakistan’s -0.46. To finish second in the group and qualify for the semi-finals, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka with a substantial margin.

If Pakistan bat first, they need a win by at least 64 runs. If they bat second, they must chase the target within 13.1 overs. For instance, a total of 200 would require Sri Lanka to be restricted to 136, while any chase would need to be completed in 79 balls.

Pakistan batter Umar Akmal has issued a clarification after his Instagram story sparked controversy for seemingly comparing his performance with Babar Azam.

In a statement shared on social media platform X, Umar Akmal said his intention was never to compare himself with Babar Azam and stressed that the post was misunderstood.

“I want to clarify that my aim was never to compare myself with Babar Azam. He is currently one of the top batters in the world, and I have great respect for his achievements,” Umar wrote. “My intention was only to highlight that he is not naturally a middle-order batter in T20 cricket, as that position doesn’t fully suit his batting style. There was no comparison, just a point about role suitability in the format.”

Umar also explained that the image circulating online was originally shared by a fan.

The screenshot showed a statistical contrast between the two players. Babar Azam scored 25 runs off 24 balls against England before getting out, while Umar Akmal had earlier played a blistering innings of 94 runs off 24 balls against Australia. 

The visual comparison triggered criticism from fans, with many accusing Umar of promoting himself at Babar’s expense.

The clarification comes at a time when Pakistan’s campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup has failed to meet expectations. 

England have already secured a semi-final spot, while New Zealand has three points and Pakistan has one, with one match remaining for each side.

Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka on February 28 while hoping that New Zealand loses to England, to stay in contention. If both Pakistan and New Zealand finish on three points, net run rate will decide the final semi-final berth.

French goalkeeper Anthony Lopes drew widespread attention after an incident during FC Nantes’ Ligue 1 match against Le Havre AC, where he appeared to use a stoppage in play to allow his Muslim teammates to break their Ramadan fast.

The moment came in the 74th minute of Nantes’ crucial 2-0 home victory on Sunday. Video footage shared widely on social media shows Lopes collapsing to the ground while the ball was out of play, seemingly clutching his left hamstring.

As medical staff came onto the pitch to check on the 35-year-old former Portugal international, several Nantes players moved towards the touchline and quickly consumed dates and water. 

It is worth noting that French football authorities do not allow official breaks for religious observance, making such moments rare during matches.

Lopes stayed on the turf for an extended period while receiving treatment, creating the opportunity for teammates to consume dates and water at the touchline. 

He then stood up slowly, further extending the pause before play resumed.

The incident took place after the ball went out for a throw-in near the halfway line, with no contact involved in Lopes’ fall. 

Under football regulations, outfield players who receive medical treatment must usually leave the pitch so the game can continue. Goalkeepers, however, are exempt from this requirement, allowing play to stop while they are treated.

Nantes’ win carried major importance in the relegation battle in Ligue 1. The club sit 17th in the 18-team table, level on points with 16th-placed Auxerre but inside the relegation zone due to an inferior goal difference. 

The bottom two teams face automatic relegation at the end of the season.

Former Pakistan cricketer Sikander Bakht has strongly criticised ex-players who comment on the national team while having close relatives in the current squad, saying such behaviour damages credibility and raises questions about biases.

Speaking during a recent TV discussion, Sikander said, “I would request and appeal to all former cricketers to seriously think about this: if any of your relatives, very close relatives, are playing, then please do not comment. When you speak, it becomes very obvious. I think you understand what I mean.”

SIKANDAR BAKHT TAKING A DIG AT SAQLAIN MUSHTAQ❗

– Sikandar Bakht ️: If any cricketer has a close relative playing, he should keep his mouth shut and not give advice❕ pic.twitter.com/e745iyH605

— SheR•ALI (@Sher__Ali) February 26, 2026

Although Bakht did not name anyone directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to figures such as Shahid Afridi, whose son-in-law Shaheen Afridi is part of the national team, and Saqlain Mushtaq, whose son-in-law Shadab Khan also represents Pakistan.

Bakht went further and questioned the ethics of defending relatives on television and in public forums.

“My point is that you should feel ashamed of yourselves. You should not do this. If your son-in-law, your son, your nephew is playing there and you are defending him blindly, it feels very bad,” he said.

He added that such situations leave viewers uncomfortable and undermine honest discussions about cricket. 

“When I see this, I am honestly shocked. I mean, what should I even say?” he asked. 

Saqlain Mushtaq currently appears regularly on a sports panel during the Men’s T20 World Cup, where he analyses player roles and team decisions. He was also seen defending certain players in recent discussions. 

Shahid Afridi, meanwhile, continues to publicly share his views on Pakistan cricket, including Shaheen Afridi’s performance.

Bakht’s comments come at a time when Pakistan’s performance in the tournament has fallen below expectations. 

The team’s qualification hopes now depend on multiple results. England have already secured a semi-final place, while New Zealand sit on three points and Pakistan on one, with one match left for both sides.

If New Zealand lose to England, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka on February 28 to stay in contention. Should both Pakistan and New Zealand finish with three points, the final semi-final spot will be decided on net run rate.

English cricketers Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid have shared blunt views on why Pakistan cricket continues to struggle, pointing to strict No Objection Certificate (NOC) policies and an unhealthy attitude towards players.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Moeen Ali criticised how Pakistani players are denied NOCs even when they are not part of the national team. He questioned the logic behind stopping players from gaining experience in overseas leagues and county cricket.

“They have issues getting NOC’s. They’re only allowed two NOC’s or whatever. Even when guys are not playing for Pakistan, they don’t get NOC’s,” Moeen said. “I’m like, why would you not? So, Samir, I think it was, he wasn’t playing for Pakistan. They had no duty but not allowed NOC to go and play county cricket, 100 whatever it was.”

Moeen said allowing players to compete abroad would only benefit Pakistan cricket. He stressed that fast bowlers need managed workloads, but when there are no international matches, players should be encouraged to play elsewhere.

“When there’s no Pakistan games on, you should go and allow these guys to go and play and experience, play with other people and learn from other guys more,” he added.

During the discussion, Moeen also said that comparisons being drawn by former players reflected a deeper issue in Pakistan’s cricket culture. While it wasn’t directly mentioned, graphics on the screen, at the same time, showed an Instagram story shared by Umar Akmal wherein he compared himself to Babar Azam. 

“And that’s why I say I feel sorry for them to a certain extent because in Pakistan there’s still people who are like, we did this and we did that. Your time is done,” Moeen said.

Umar Akmal has remained active on social media in recent months, regularly posting videos of himself practising in the nets. However, he has not featured in domestic cricket, which has led to criticism from fans and former players. 

Many have pointed out that strong performances in domestic competitions are the only pathway back into national selection, and net practice alone holds no value without match results.

Former Pakistani cricketer Abdur Rauf has raised serious concerns about the state of Pakistan’s fast bowling, saying none of the bowlers can play even five consecutive first-class matches.

Rauf, while speaking on a TV programme alongside Mohammad Amir and Ahmed Shehzad, emphasised the importance of regular first-class cricket and criticised the national side’s fast bowlers for their lack of consistency.

“You see, this fast bowler, after returning from injury, hasn’t been able to play regular first-class cricket. You cannot consider him a class player until he consistently plays first-class matches throughout the season,” he said.

Rauf added that injuries and biomechanical issues have prevented Pakistani bowlers from sustaining long spells of competitive cricket. “Not even a single bowler in the team can play five consecutive first-class matches. On the other hand, Mitchell Starc has played five Tests in Australia continuously.”

Once known as the land of fast bowlers, Pakistan is currently struggling to produce talents like Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

Pakistan’s performance in the ongoing T20 World Cup has also been below expectations.

Its hopes of reaching the semi-finals now depends on several conditions. In Group B, England has already secured a semi-final spot, while New Zealand has three points and Pakistan has one, with one match remaining for both teams.

If New Zealand loses to England tomorrow, Pakistan must beat Sri Lanka on February 28. If both Pakistan and New Zealand end up with three points each, the semi-final spot will be decided on Net Run Rate (NRR).