Author: WebDesk

Pakistan have included 38-year-old Asif Afridi, along with Faisal Akram and Rohail Nazir, as three uncapped players in an expanded 18-man squad for the two-Test series at home against South Africa. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will trim the squad closer to the start of the first Test, which begins on 12 October in Lahore. Asif and Faisal will bolster the spin-bowling department, which already comprises Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Abrar Ahmed. While the others are finger-spin options, 22-year-old Faisal is a wrist-spinner. In the fast-bowling department, Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Khurram Shahzad, and Aamir Jamal have been included.…

A freak injury while batting in the nets has ruled Glenn Maxwell out of the upcoming three-match T20I series against New Zealand. Josh Philippe has been drafted into the squad as his replacement. Cricket Australia confirmed the development on 30 September. Maxwell was bowling to Mitch Owen during a training session in the nets at Mount Maunganui. Owen drove a powerful shot that struck Maxwell near the wrist. Having witnessed the incident from close range, Matthew Short recounted what happened: “I saw it out of the corner of my eye. We’re training under a marquee, so it’s really echoey and…

Chris Woakes has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, bringing the curtain down on a near 15-year career at the top level for England. Just days after being overlooked for England’s upcoming Ashes series in Australia, Woakes has decided to call time on his international career. The 36-year-old is nursing a shoulder injury, which ruled him out of selection contention. “The moment has come, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to retire from international cricket,” said Woakes in a statement on Monday. “Playing for England was something I aspired to do since I was…

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia has strongly condemned Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi for taking the Asia Cup trophy from the dais after India declined to receive it from him. In a thrilling encounter, India edged past Pakistan to win their ninth Asia Cup title. Following the match, the post-match rituals began; however, there was a long delay before the presentation ceremony commenced. When it finally began, the winning team was not handed the trophy, as they had refused to accept it from Mr Naqvi, who is also a minister in…

The hero of the nail-biting final, Tilak Varma, dedicated the win against Pakistan and the Asia Cup title to all Indians. Tilak’s remarks came after his 53-ball 69 helped India win their ninth Asia Cup trophy by defeating Pakistan in a last-over thriller by five wickets. “One of the most special knocks of my life. This is for all Indians,” said Tilak after winning the Player of the Match award. Having played most of his T20I innings at No. 3, Tilak was given a middle-order role in the Asia Cup. While he didn’t have a fixed batting position throughout the…

In a major setback for Bangladesh, T20I skipper Litton Das has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. Soumya Sarkar has been added to the squad, while Jaker Ali, who led Bangladesh in Litton’s absence in the last two matches, will captain the side. Ahead of the Super Four game against India, Litton sustained the injury during the team’s practice session at the ICC Academy ground on Monday. It was reported that he felt pain on the left side of his waist while attempting a square cut in the nets. After being examined by team physio Bayjedul…

Ahead of the big-ticket final against India, Pakistan T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha has given his players a free hand to be aggressive on the field. India dismantled Pakistan in a one-sided affair on 14 September. There were hardly any exchanges on the field during the game. Post-match, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sparked controversy by making a fuss over India’s no-handshake policy. In the Super Four game, tensions escalated, with altercations between players. Pakistan’s players, in particular, were overly aggressive on the field. Ahead of the third India–Pakistan clash, Salman has made his stance clear: players from both sides…

A day that will be written in glitter and gold in the history of Nepal cricket, 27 September saw them register their first win against a Test-playing nation by toppling the West Indies by 19 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series in Sharjah. Nepal had played 180 international matches before finally securing a breakthrough win against a Full Member nation. For the West Indies, however, it marks another unexpected defeat at the hands of an associate team. The two-time T20 World Cup champions were previously defeated by Scotland in 2022. Earlier, they suffered losses to Ireland in…

India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav heaped praise on Jemimah Rodrigues, saying that his team can learn a lot from Jemimah about performing in high-pressure matches. The ICC Women’s World Cup is set to begin on 30 September, with India facing Sri Lanka in Guwahati. It will mark Jemimah’s debut appearance at the tournament. Like Surya, she is known for her light-hearted and cheerful personality. “I think for Jemi, the best way to describe her is ‘chhota packet, bada dhamaka.’ One thing that stands out about her is that she always has a smile on her face. No matter the situation—whether…

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will appeal on behalf of Haris Rauf after the pacer was sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his on-field actions against India during the Super Four clash of the Asia Cup on Sunday. This development comes just a day before the big-ticket final between India and Pakistan on September 28. Rauf was reportedly fined 30 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of making inappropriate gestures towards Indian fans in the stands during the last Sunday’s clash in Dubai. His teammate, Sahibzada Farhan, was also involved in objectionable conduct on…