Cricket - Icc
ICC Statement on ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
The ICC notes the statement that the government of Pakistan has made regarding the decision to instruct its national team to selectively participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.While the ICC awaits official communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), this position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule.ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions.While the ICC respects the roles of governments in matters of national policy, this decision is not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.The ICC hopes that the PCB will consider the significant and long-term implications for cricket in its own country as this is likely to impact the global cricket ecosystem, which it is itself a member and beneficiary of.The ICC's priority remains the successful delivery of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup which should also be the responsibility of all its members including the PCB. It expects the PCB to explore a mutually acceptable resolution, which protects the interests of all stakeholders. (Media Release).
India U19 beat Pakistan U19 by 58 runs in ICC World Cup 2026
Bulawayo (Sports News):India U19 beat Pakistan U19 by 58 runs in their Super Six Group 2 fixture of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.Chasing a target of 253, Pakistan were bowled out for 194 in 46.2 overs despite fighting contributions from Usman Khan and Hamza Zahoor.Earlier, India were bowled out for 252 in 49.5 overs after being asked to bat first, with Vedant Trivedi top-scoring with 68. Pakistan bowlers kept things tight in the middle overs, as Abdul Subhan returned impressive figures of three for 33, while Mohammad Sayyam picked up two wickets.Pakistan’s reply began steadily as wicketkeeper-batter Hamza struck an aggressive 42 off 49 balls, including eight boundaries. After an early setback, Usman held the innings together with a composed 66 off 92 deliveries, sharing a crucial 63-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Farhan Yousaf, who scored 38 off 39 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.However, regular wickets in the middle phase stalled Pakistan’s chase, as India’s spinners Ayush Mhatre and Khilan Patel took three wickets apiece.Following today’s defeat, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-final stage. During the 16-team tournament, Pakistan played five matches, winning three and losing two. Pakistan will return home from Harare via Dubai on Monday evening.Scores in brief:India U19 252 all out, 49.5 overs (Vedant Trivedi 68, Kanishk Chouhan 35; Abdul Subhan 3-33, Mohammad Sayyam 2-69)Pakistan 194 all out, 46.2 overs (Usman Khan 66, Hamza Zahoor 42, Farhan Yousaf 38; Ayush Mhatre 3-21, Khilan Patel 3-35)Player of the match - Kanishk Chouhan (India U19).
ACB Chairman Praises the Under-19 National Team Performance in World Cup
Islamabad (Sports Desk): The Chairman of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, Mirwais Ashraf, during an online meeting today, congratulated the Under-19 national team, along with their coaches and supporting staff, on the team’s recent successes and praised their efforts and performances for qualifying to the world cup semifinals.He said I feel proud that the team has reached the World Cup semi-finals for the third time in a few years. He added that he was pleased to see the results of the players’ hard work, especially following the preparation camps held inside the country and the series played against Bangladesh and India. He also praised the efforts of the coaching staff and the management team, saying that every time they have trusted domestic coaches, they have achieved positive results.The Chairman advised the young players not to dwell on defeats and to always move forward with a positive mindset. He assured them of continued support and said that the board will address all their needs.Raees Ahmadzai, the team head coach also praised the players’ performances, saying that although the team fought until the final over in the Asia Cup matches, they still faced defeat. He expressed his happiness that the players were mentally and physically prepared again in a short time, enabling them to believe in themselves and achieve success in such important matches. He thanked the administration for its constant support and praised the efforts of all supporting staff, including coaches, the manager, trainer, doctor, and video analyst, noting that their role was crucial in the team’s success.In the final part of the meeting, team captain Mahboob Taskeen, speaking on behalf of the players, expressed gratitude to the administration and coaches for preparing the team in the best possible way for the World Cup. He added that their journey is not over yet and that they will give their full effort to win the semi-final and, upon reaching the final, bring the honor of World Cup championship to Afghanistan.
Pakistan U19 to take on India U19 in decisive Super Six fixture on Sunday
Bulawayo (Sports News): Pakistan U19 will be aiming to repeat their ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup heroics when they take on India U19 in the Super Six fixture of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday. The match is scheduled to begin at 9.30am local time, with the toss taking place at 9am.Ahead of Sunday’s encounter, Pakistan trained at the Queens Sports Club on Saturday where the players, besides taking part in fielding drills, also had net sessions under the supervision of the coaching staff led by head coach Shahid Anwar.Pakistan, who currently have four points and are placed third in Group 2 of the Super Six stage, need to defeat India by a healthy margin to secure a place in the semi-finals. England sit at the top of the table with eight points and have already secured a semi-final berth in the ongoing mega event. From Group 1 of the Super Six stage, Afghanistan and Australia have already qualified for the semi-finals.In head-to-head encounters at the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, both sides have faced each other 10 times, with Pakistan and India winning five matches apiece. Outside the ICC event, in the last five meetings between the two teams, Pakistan U19 have emerged victorious on four occasions, while India U19 have managed to win once.At the conclusion of today’s training session, Pakistan U19 captain Farhan Yousaf and batter Sameer Minhas in a conversation hosted by Daniyal Ali Khan shared their thoughts on the upcoming contest.Farhan Yousaf said:“Our preparations have been very good. I had an enjoyable and productive net session today. Over the last few games, I have tried to play positive cricket, learn from my mistakes and carry forward the good things into the next match.“The morale of the squad is very high. Not only for this match, but over the last few games as well, the players have shown great intensity and we are confident of putting in a strong performance.”Sameer Minhas said:“We played a scenario-based match yesterday on a challenging surface, which helped us understand how to survive, score runs and bowl in difficult situations.“Today we trained at the Queens Sports Club, where the match will be played. Along with focused net sessions, we also had fielding drills and games, which helped with team bonding. The environment in the squad is very positive.“The team has been performing well in recent matches and we are looking to carry the momentum forward and take confidence into the next game.”Updated squad:Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas and Umar Zaib.
T20 World Cup: ICC appoints Match Official for group stage
Islamabad (Sports News):Kumar Dharmasena and Wayne Knights will be the on-field umpires for the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 between Pakistan and the Netherlands to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground on 7 February.Dharmasena, an off-spinner who was a member of the Sri Lankan team that won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 1996, has overseen 37 matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup including the finals of 2016 and 2022, putting him fourth on the all-time list.New Zealander Knights, in contrast, is at his first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and will reach the landmark of 50 T20Is as on-field umpire in the Group A match in Colombo.The complete match-day appointments for the group stage of the 20-team tournament were announced today while the appointments for the Super Eight and knockout stages will be confirmed in due course.Elsewhere on the opening day, Nitin Menon and Sam Nogajski will be in the middle for the Group C clash between Scotland and the West Indies. Menon was part of the on-field team for the first semi-final at the 2024 World Cup, between Afghanistan and South Africa, while Nogajski’s four group matches last time out included India’s clash with the United States of America.Those two teams meet again this year, rounding off a triple-header on 7 February, and this time Paul Reiffel and Rod Tucker will be the on-field duo.Tucker leads the way for matches officiated in this competition, on 46, and will bring up his half-century during the tournament. The Australian will also be in charge of the England versus Nepal, India against Namibia and the South Africa against the United Arab Emirates fixtures.Chris Gaffaney and Richard Illingworth stood alongside for the 2024 final and reunite for the Group B clash between Australia and Ireland on 11 February.Illingworth will also be in the middle, alongside Dharmasena, for the crunch clash between rivals India and Pakistan in Colombo on 15 February.In all, 24 officials will be on-field umpires during the group stage, with Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Langton Rusere and Adrian Holdstock among the other returnees.Match Referees: Dean Cosker, David Gilbert, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft, Richie Richardson and Javagal Srinath.Umpires: Roland Black, Chris Brown, Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Wayne Knights, Donovan Koch, Jayaraman Madanagopal, Nitin Menon, Sam Nogajski, KNA Padmanabhan, Allahuddien Paleker, Ahsan Raza, Leslie Reifer, Paul Reiffel, Langton Rusere, Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid, Gazi Sohel, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Raveendra Wimalasiri and Asif Yaqoob.
Pakistan U19 beat New Zealand U19 by eight wickets
Harare (Sports News):A four-wicket haul by Abdul Subhan, followed by a fluent unbeaten 76 from Sameer Minhas guided Pakistan U19 to a comprehensive eight-wicket win over New Zealand U19 in their Super Six Group 2 fixture of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup at the Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe on Tuesday.After winning the toss and opting to field, Pakistan bowled New Zealand out for 110 in 28.3 overs, an effort that included five maiden overs – three by Subhan and two by Ali Raza. Right-arm fast bowler Subhan returned impressive figures of four for 11 to earn the player of the match award, while Ali Raza (3-36) provided solid support as Pakistan’s bowlers applied sustained pressure throughout the innings.New Zealand’s resistance came mainly through Hugo Bogue, who scored 39 off 27 balls. However, regular wickets meant New Zealand side never gained momentum, slipping from 59 for one to 67 for seven as Pakistan tightened the screws in the middle overs.In turn, Pakistan achieved the modest target in just 17.1 overs, losing only two wickets and with 197 balls to spare. Opening batter Sameer anchored the innings with yet another half-century. His unbeaten 76 came off 59 balls which included 10 fours and two sixes. He shared key partnerships, first steadying the innings after the early loss of wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor (8, 11b, two fours) and then adding 67 runs with Usman Khan (15, 24b, one four) for the second wicket.Following today’s win, Pakistan U19 will travel to Bulawayo on Wednesday to take on India in their second Super Six fixture at the Queens Sports Club on Sunday, 1 February. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 9.30am local time.Scores in brief:New Zealand U19 110 all out, 28.3 overs (Hugo Bogue 39; Abdul Subhan 4-11, Ali Raza 3-36)Pakistan 112-2, 17.1 overs (Sameer Minhas 76 not out)Player of the match – Abdul Subhan (Pakistan U19).
Pakistan announce squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
Lahore ( Sports News): The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, where they are placed in Group A and scheduled to face Netherlands in their opening game on 7 February in Colombo.The names were unveiled during a press conference addressed by the PCB Director High Performance and member men’s national selection committee Aqib Javed, Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha and white-ball head coach Michael James Hesson at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sunday morning.Among the players, skipper Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan and Usman Tariq have received their maiden mega-event call-ups to the Pakistan squad.Meanwhile, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Usman Khan have played in at least one or more editions of the tournament since 2021. In the 20-team tournament, each team is set to play four group games before the Super Eight and Knockout Stage, all between 7 February and 8 March.Pakistan are also set to face Australia in a three-match T20I series at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on 29, 31 January and 1 February with the preparation camp starting today.15-member squad:Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq
ICC appoints Match Official for Namibia Super 6 stage of U19 World Cup
Islamabad (Sports News):The Emirates ICC International Panels of Umpires and Referees have been announced for the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 Super Six stage matches taking place in Namibia.Faisal Afridi and Nitin Bathi will be the on-field umpires for Australia’s clash with South Africa at the Namibia Cricket Ground, with Cory Black in place as TV Umpire and Forster Mutizwa as Fourth Umpire.Afridi was in the middle for South Africa’s group stage defeat against Afghanistan, while Bathi oversaw the Proteas’ victory over Tanzania.Also on January 25, Shaun Haig and Iknow Chabi will be the on-field duo as the West Indies take on Ireland. They will be supported by TV Umpire Graham Lloyd and Fourth Umpire Virender Sharma.It will be Haig’s third match as an on-field umpire involving the West Indies, as he also took charge of their defeat against Afghanistan and victory over South Africa in the group stage.The following day, Afghanistan take on Sri Lanka, with Cory Black and Forster Mutizwa in the middle. Haig will be the TV Umpire, with Chabi in place as Fourth Umpire.Black and Mutizwa will also be the on-field team for the 13th-16th place play-off match between Japan and Tanzania at the High Performance Oval.The Match Officials for the Super Six matches in Zimbabwe will be announced once those match ups are confirmed.24 January – Japan v Tanzania – High Performance Oval, WindhoekOn-field: Cory Black and Forster MutizwaTV: Graham LloydFourth: Deighton ButlerReferee: Prakash Bhatt25 January – Australia v South Africa – Namibia Cricket Ground, WindhoekOn-field: Faisal Afridi and Nitin BathiTV: Cory BlackFourth: Forster MutizwaReferee: Prakash Bhatt25 January – West Indies v Ireland – High Performance Oval, WindhoekOn-field: Shaun Haig and Iknow ChabiTV: Graham LloydFourth: Virender SharmaReferee: Neeyamur Rahul26 January – Afghanistan v Sri Lanka – Namibia Cricket Ground, WindhoekOn-field: Cory Black and Forster MutizwaTV: Shaun HaigFourth: Iknow ChabiReferee: Neeyamur Rahul
Pakistan U19 beat Zimbabwe U19 by eight wickets to reach Super 6 stage
Islamabad (Sports News): An unbeaten half-century by Sameer Minhas and a three-wicket haul from Ali Raza helped Pakistan U19 register an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe U19 in their Group ‘C’ fixture of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare on Thursday afternoon. The win also confirmed Pakistan’s qualification for the super six stage of the tournament.After opting to field, Pakistan bowlers put Zimbabwe on the back foot early. Wicket-keeper Hamza Zahoor was sharp behind the stumps, taking a fine diving catch to his right to dismiss Kian Blignaut off Ali Raza’s bowling. Captain Farhan Yousaf then produced a moment of brilliance by diving to his right to take a superb catch off Momin Qamar’s bowling to remove Zimbabwe’s top run-getter Nathaniel Hlabangana, who scored 59 off 85 balls, including seven fours and one six.Right-arm fast bowler Ali, who had taken four wickets in the previous match against Scotland, led the bowling attack with figures of three for 16 in eight overs. He struck early to remove Kupakwashe Muradzi and Kian Blignaut and later dismissed Brandon Senzere.Fast bowlers Abdul Subhan and Mohammad Sayyam, along with left-arm spinner Momin, picked up two wickets apiece as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 128 in 35.5 overs.In reply, Pakistan achieved the target comfortably in 26.2 overs. Sameer anchored the innings with an unbeaten 74 off 75 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes. He was well supported by Usman Khan, who scored a brisk 26, as the pair added 49 runs for the second wicket.Ahmed Hussain remained not out on 24 as Pakistan reached the target with 142 balls to spare.The convincing win earned Pakistan two valuable points and secured their place in the super six stage, which will commence later this week.Pakistan, who finished second in Group ‘C’ (C2), will face B3 in the super six stage at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday, 27 January, before taking on B1 at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, on Sunday, 1 February. Sameer Minhas said:“Qualifying for the super six stage is a big achievement for us as a team. After getting out early in my previous innings, my focus today was to spend time at the crease, keep things simple and trust my basics, which helped me build my innings and gain confidence.“Our fielding and bowling were very encouraging. Our fielding was a big positive. All the players put in a lot of effort and it is the result of the hard work we have done in training. The fielding coach has worked extensively with us and it showed on the field.“The super six stage will be challenging with quality teams and two crucial matches. Our aim will be to win with a healthy net run-rate, which will be vital heading into the semi-finals.”Scores in brief:Zimbabwe 128 all out, 35.5 overs (Nathaniel Hlabangana 59; Ali Raza 3-16, Abdul Subhan 2-14, Mohammad Sayyam 2-36, Momin Qamar 2-39)Pakistan 132-2, 26.2 overs (Sameer Minhas 74 not out, Usman Khan 26, Ahmed Hussain 24 not out)Player of the match: Sameer Minhas
Pakistan to play Zimbabwe in last group match of ICC U19 Men’s CWC
Harare (Sports News):Pakistan U19 will be aiming to end their group-stage fixtures of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup on a winning note when they take on Zimbabwe U19 at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare on Thursday, 22 January.The Asian champions, who are part of Group ‘C’ in the ongoing mega event, defeated Scotland by six wickets on Monday, while they suffered a 37-run defeat against England on Friday, 16 January.Farhan Yousaf-led Pakistan side, who recently won the tri-series in Zimbabwe by beating the hosts by nine wickets in the final, will be expecting their players to replicate those performances in tomorrow’s important encounter.The first ball of the match will be bowled at 9.30am local time, with the toss scheduled at 9am. The match will be broadcast live on PTV Sports and Geo Super in Pakistan, while live streaming will be available on Myco, Tamasha, ARY ZAP and Tapmad across the country.In head-to-head contests, Pakistan U19 and Zimbabwe U19 have faced each other 18 times, with Pakistan winning 15 matches. Zimbabwe have won once, while two matches ended with no result due to rain.As per the format of the 16-team, four-group tournament, the top three sides from each group will qualify for the Super Six stage. The top three teams from Group ‘B’ will join the three qualifiers from Group ‘C’ to form one Super Six group. Similarly, the top three teams from Group ‘A’ will combine with the three qualifiers from Group ‘D’ in the other group.Pakistan, who are currently placed second in Group ‘C’ (C2), are likely to face B3 at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday, 27 January, before taking on B1 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday, 1 February.The top two teams from each Super Six group will qualify for the semi-finals, scheduled to be played on 3 and 4 February, respectively. The final of the tournament will be played at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Friday, 6 February.Earlier, Pakistan U19 team took part in a training session in the afternoon at the Old Hararians under the supervision of the coaching staff led by Shahid Anwar. The session lasted for over two hours, with batters and bowlers engaging in net sessions, followed by fielding drills.At the conclusion of the session, right-arm fast bowler Abdul Subhan, said:“We are well prepared for the upcoming match and put in a lot of work during practice. I have been spending extra time working on my batting in the nets and the coaches have been guiding me throughout the process, which has helped me generate more power and fluency in my batting.“The team’s momentum is good. Tomorrow’s match is very important for us. A win will give us a lot of confidence and help us going into the next stage of the tournament.”15-member squad:Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas and Umar ZaibICC U19 World Cup Pakistan fixtures:16 January – England beat Pakistan by 37 runs at Takashinga Sports Club, Harare19 January – Pakistan beat Scotland by six wickets at Takashinga Sports Club, Harare22 January – Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Takashinga Sports Club, Harare24 January to 1 February – Super 6 matches3 February – First semi-final, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo4 February – Second semi-final, Harare Sports Club, Harare6 February – Final, Harare Sports Club, Harare
Most Popular
