Category: Sports

Former Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Sana Mir has made history as the first female cricketer from the country to be inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame.

As per the details, Mir was among the seven new inductees unveiled by West Indies legend Ian Bishop at a ceremony ahead of the World Test Championship final. She was inducted alongside India’s MS Dhoni, England’s Sarah Taylor, South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, Australia’s Matthew Hayden and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori.

The former off-spinning all-rounder, who represented Pakistan for around 15 years from 2005-2019, set numerous records during her career, and has now joined an elite group of just 14 women and a total of eight Pakistanis who have received the honour.

She remains Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in women’s ODIs with 151 scalps and was the first Asian woman to play 100 T20 internationals. As captain for eight years, Mir led Pakistan to two Asian Games gold medals (2010 and 2014) and guided the team in five T20 World Cups and two ODI World Cups.

Her leadership produced landmark moments including Pakistan’s first ODI victory against South Africa and qualification for the 2017 World Cup Super Sixes where her 5/14 against Scotland proved decisive. Mir retired as one of Pakistan’s most decorated athletes in 2019.

“From dreaming as a little girl that one day there would even be a women’s team in our country to now standing here, inducted among the very legends I idolised long before I ever held a bat or a ball — this is a moment I couldn’t have dared to imagine,” ICC quoted her as saying.

“I am incredibly grateful for this honour and hope to give back to the sport in any way I can. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my teammates, coaches and family for all their support over the years,” she said.

It may be noted that the seven other Pakistani cricketers in the Hall of Fame are Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Zaheer Abbas, Waqar Younis and Hanif Mohammad.

Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist has praised Pakistani cricketers for something not often discussed on cricket shows or post-match presentations: their hair.

Speaking on the podcast “Club Prairie Fire” with former England captain Michael Vaughan, Gilchrist said that Pakistani players have always had the best hair in cricket history.

“I mean this with the utmost respect. The Pakistan players, in a general statement, have the best hair. Beautiful hair. They clearly shampoo and condition,” Gilchrist said.

The conversation took a more humorous turn when Vaughan shared a personal memory involving former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, recalling his days in the commentary box. “I stroke Ramiz’s hair… it’s a thing of beauty. Soft. Very soft.”

When asked if Ramiz was okay with it, Vaughan added, “Yeah, he didn’t mind. He gets the old stroke.”

The discussion started during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season, where English batter James Vince was at the centre of an amusing incident. After scoring a century, Vince was named Player of the Match, but instead of receiving a trophy or cash prize, he was given a hair dryer by his coach inside the team dressing room.

“I remember the first time ever a hair dryer for a player,” Gilchrist laughed, recalling the incident. “What happens if he’s bald? Might blow it away.”

Gilchrist and Vaughan joked about what might be the next unusual prize, wondering if it would be curling tongs.

The Uzbekistan football team created history on Thursday after qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time ever. A 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) secured them a spot in the 2026 tournament, which will be held in North America.

Playing in Abu Dhabi, Uzbekistan’s goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made several key saves in the second half to deny the UAE and secure a goalless draw. The UAE needed a win to remain in contention for automatic qualification, but the result means they will now progress to the next round of qualifiers. Uzbekistan’s qualification is particularly historic, marking their first since gaining independence in 1991.

In Group C, Australia took a big step toward qualification with a 1-0 win over Japan in Perth. Aziz Behich scored the winning goal in the 90th minute. Even though Japan had already qualified, Australia needed the victory to stay ahead of Saudi Arabia, who also won 2-0 against Bahrain with goals from Musab Al-Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al-Obud.

Australia are now three points ahead of Saudi Arabia. The two teams will play on Tuesday in Jeddah. Australia, however, have an advantage in goal difference, which means they can afford to lose by as many as four goals and still qualify as runners-up behind Japan.

In Group B, Jordan moved close to qualification with a 3-0 victory over Oman after a hat-trick by Ali Olwan. The team now awaits for the result of the South Korea vs Iraq match to confirm their qualification status.

Meanwhile, Indonesia also kept their World Cup hopes alive. A 1-0 win over China guaranteed their place in the fourth round of qualifying. Ole Romeny scored the only goal with a penalty just before halftime in Jakarta. The loss ended China’s chances to succeed.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formed an oversight committee to monitor player selection and other related matters, according to media reports on Thursday.

Former Pakistan cricketers Sikandar Bakht and Sarfaraz Ahmed will reportedly lead the committee, which will also review and address issues within the domestic cricket circuit.

Meanwhile, changes in the national team leadership are under discussion. According to sources, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is likely to be removed as Pakistan’s ODI captain. A final decision on the matter is expected in the coming days.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has already begun consultations regarding a potential change in captaincy. Among the possible candidates, current T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha is being considered a strong contender to take over the 50-over format as well. Along with the new captain, Hesson is also expected to name a new vice-captain.

Earlier, there were reports that all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will soon be named Pakistan’s Test captain.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), former cricketer Basit Ali shared a picture of Salman and captioned it, “Congratulations on the red-ball captaincy too, one captain for all three formats.”

Salman recently led Pakistan to a clean sweep over Bangladesh in a home T20I series, boosting his chances as a candidate for the Test captaincy. Reports suggest he could replace current Test captain Saud Shakeel in the red-ball format.

Salman is already the vice-captain of the Test team and is currently leading Pakistan in T20Is. Basit’s statement has triggered discussions in cricket circles, although the PCB has yet to make any official announcement.

Sources indicate that two names are being considered for the Test captaincy: Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha, with Salman emerging as the favourite.

In November 2023, opener Shan Masood was appointed as Test captain, but Pakistan managed only three wins out of 12 Tests under his leadership, losing nine. Their disappointing run in the ICC World Test Championship, where they ended at the bottom of the table, has added pressure on the board to make a leadership change.

Currently, Pakistan is ranked ninth in the WTC standings and has suffered a whitewash series of defeats against Australia, Bangladesh, and South Africa.

A statue of legendary Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram, recently installed outside the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad, has sparked a wave of memes online. The statue, intended to honour the “Sultan of Swing,” is being mocked by fans for its unrealistic resemblance to the former cricketer.

The sculpture shows Wasim Akram in his iconic left-arm bowling action, wearing the Pakistan jersey from the 1999 World Cup. Although it was officially unveiled in April 2025, a picture of the statue only began circulating on social media today, causing a storm of reactions.

Cricket fans expressed their disappointment over the execution of the statue, with many saying it fails to do justice to Wasim Akram’s greatness. Some even compared it to poorly-made wax figures or amateur fan art.

One user joked that the statue looks like Wasim Akram during his struggling days trying to make it into the national team. Another dubbed it the “Temu version” of the legendary bowler.

A fan sarcastically suggested that Wasim Akram should “get it updated himself from somewhere,” highlighting the lack of finesse in the statue’s features.

Wasim Akram, who represented Pakistan from 1984 to 2003, remains one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, with 414 Test wickets and 502 ODI wickets to his name. His legacy continues to inspire generations, making the statue’s quality a point of disappointment for many.

Here are some reactions from Twitter:

As the national cricket team gears up for upcoming assignments, including a T20I series in Bangladesh next month, Pakistan’s newly-appointed head coach Mike Hesson has started holding one-on-one meetings with key players during the ongoing training camp in Lahore 

According to reports, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem are likely to make a comeback for the tour that would feature three T20Is and will take place in Bangladesh next month.

During the camp, Hesson met with former captain Babar Azam and assured him that he remained part of the team’s long-term plans. The coach clarified that the doors of the national team were not closed on Babar, and he will be given opportunities when needed. Hesson also sought Babar’s input on improving team performance and asked which format he enjoyed playing the most.

Afridi also had a detailed discussion with the coach and conveyed that he was fully available for both red-ball and white-ball cricket.

However, reports indicate that the chances of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan being included in the squad for the Bangladesh series are slim. Team management believes that young players have already impressed during the home series and deserve more chances moving forward.

Cricket Australia has announced its Best XI of the Championship cycle ahead of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2023–25, with Pakistan spinner Noman Ali not excluded.

The WTC Final will be played between defending champions Australia and South Africa at Lord’s from 11 June. But before the title clash, Cricket Australia revealed its team of top performers from the championship cycle.

Despite Pakistan finishing at the bottom of the points table and delivering a disappointing overall performance, Noman Ali stood out individually with his exceptional bowling.

Noman played just six matches in the WTC cycle but took an impressive 46 wickets, outperforming many top bowlers around the world. His consistent form also earned him the ICC Player of the Month award for October.

During this short span, Noman twice took 10 wickets in a match and recorded five five-wicket hauls in individual innings, proving his impact and reliability as a red-ball bowler.

Cricket Australia’s selected XI includes three Australians, two each from New Zealand, England, and India, and one each from Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Surprisingly, South Africa’s captain, Temba Bavuma, despite leading his side to the final, was named only as the 12th man.

Australia’s Pat Cummins leads the team, with the reserves featuring Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey (Australia), Kane Williamson and Matt Henry (New Zealand), Jasprit Bumrah and Yashasvi Jaiswal (India), Joe Root and Harry Brook (England), Noman Ali (Pakistan), Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka), and Temba Bavuma (South Africa).

Former cricketer Basit Ali has predicted that all-rounder Salman Ali Agha will soon be named Pakistan’s Test captain.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Basit Ali shared a picture of Salman Ali Agha and captioned it, “Congratulations on the red-ball captaincy too, one captain for all three formats.”

Salman recently led Pakistan to a clean sweep against Bangladesh in a home T20I series, further strengthening his case as a strong contender for the Test captaincy. Reports suggest he could replace current captain Saud Shakeel in the red-ball format.

Salman is currently serving as the vice-captain of the Test side and has already been appointed T20I captain. Basit Ali’s post has sparked discussions in cricketing circles, although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not issued any official statement on the matter.

According to sources, two names are under consideration for the Test captaincy: Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha, with Salman being the front-runner.

In November 2023, opener Shan Masood was named Test captain, but under his leadership, Pakistan managed to win only 3 out of 12 Test matches. The team’s poor run in the ICC World Test Championship, where they finished at the bottom, has intensified calls for a leadership change.

Currently, Pakistan’s Test team is ranked ninth on the points table and has suffered whitewashes in series against Australia, Bangladesh and South Africa.

Mohammad Haris stole the spotlight after an incredible performance in Pakistan’s 3-0 T20I series win over Bangladesh. He jumped a massive 210 places to reach No.30 in the ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings after a stunning century in the final match.

Haris was named Player of the Series after scoring an unbeaten 107 off just 46 balls in the third T20I. He had already played solid knocks of 41 and 31 in the first two matches, finishing as the series’ top scorer with 167 runs at a blazing strike rate of 201.12.

Hasan Nawaz also delivered a strong performance in the series, scoring 121 runs at a strike rate of 198.36. He climbed 57 spots to reach a career-best joint 45th position in the T20I batting rankings.

On the bowling side, Abbas Afridi impressed with figures of 2 for 26 in the final match. This effort moved him up 18 places to No.19 in the ICC T20I Bowlers Rankings, where he now shares the spot with Anrich Nortje and Haris Rauf.

All-rounder Shadab Khan also had a good series, scoring 55 runs and taking four wickets. His contributions earned him a jump of 10 places to reach No.14 in the ICC T20I All-rounder Rankings.