Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The match officials for the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 have been announced as India take on Australia and South Africa face New Zealand.New Zealander Chris Gaffaney and England’s Richard Illingworth will take charge of the first semi-final in Dubai between India and Australia, with Michael Gough serving as third umpire and Andy Pycroft on match referee duties.Illingworth continues in Dubai having overseen India’s Group A clash with New Zealand, while Gaffaney had been due to umpire Australia’s meeting with South Africa in Group B before the weather intervened.Then in the second semi-final in Lahore, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Dharmasena will work alongside Australia’s Paul Reiffel as the on-field umpires for the clash between the Proteas and the Black Caps.Joel Wilson will be the third umpire, while Ranjan Madugalle is the match referee for this encounter.Dharmasena took charge of New Zealand’s win over Bangladesh in Group A, while Reiffel was in the middle when India beat Pakistan.Semi-Final 1: Dubai, India v AustraliaOn-field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney & Richard IllingworthThird Umpire: Michael GoughFourth Umpire: Adrian HoldstockMatch Referee: Andy PycroftSemi-Final 2: Lahore, South Africa v New ZealandOn-field Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Paul ReiffelThird Umpire: Joel WilsonFourth Umpire: Ahsan RazaMatch Referee: Ranjan Madugalle

Abdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: New Zeeland posted a comprehensive triumph by 5 wickets against Bangladesh to confirm their berth in the top-four stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. Result of the Group match disappointed hosts Pakistan, as they were officially ousted from title race.This was a game that Najmul Hossain Shanto's team had to win to stay alive. But they batted like that was just too much trouble. Bangladesh started at nearly a run a ball. But 10 of the next 15 overs went for three runs or fewer. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell from the pressure created in this period. A combined 511 matches' worth of experience was only good for 6 runs in a do-or-die game. Their wickets left Shanto with no way forward. He kept having to readjust to a new partner, to a new match situation and in the end produced a staccato innings of 77 off 110. He could've done better. The others should've done better.Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana raised Bangladesh's hopes with a fiery opening spell, rattling Will Young's stumps in the first over and snaring Williamson for a rare single-digit score. The infield was richly populated at that point. The whole atmosphere was buzzing, the crowd also getting in the act. Into this walked Ravindra. One of the best things about his batting is his touch. It's so pure. Down at No. 4 - he was brought into the XI to replace an ill Daryl Mitchell - there was possibly a risk that he wouldn't be able to take full toll of that. But as luck would have it, he began his innings within the field restrictions and that meant he could profit from his timing. His first five fours were all about finding the gap because his timing always took care of the rest.Ravindra had to wait 11 overs since the field spread to find his next boundary but that didn't mean he was stagnant. His first 23 runs came off 21 balls with five fours. His next 28 runs came off 29 balls with one four. There was one chance in between all that. A mix-up with his Wellington team-mate Devon Conway could have resulted in him being run-out had Tanzid Hasan been able to get a direct hit in the 12th over.Bangladesh weren't able to take their chances. New Zealand did. Williamson did have a hand in proceedings here, picking up smart catches at short midwicket and cover. Michael Bracewell, after wrapping up an uninterrupted 10-over spell, ran 30 yards to his right to pick up a diving catch that probably wasn't even his. But he decided to take charge and it worked.Bracewell contributed 43 of 178 dot balls that plagued Bangladesh. You have to go back to 2012 to find an innings they'd paced quite so poorly. Rotating strike was a struggle and the avenues they chose to get out of that weren't ideal. Perhaps the pitch was too slow in the afternoon to be able to work the ball into gaps. Mushfiqur made a play against Bracewell but he couldn't clear the long boundary with his slog sweep. Bangladesh were 106 for 4 in the 23rd over. At a time when consolidation was actually needed, Mahmudullah made an ill-advised trip down the track and skewed a leading edge to cover.Bracewell contributed to his success by slowing his pace down. Bangladesh contributed considerably more. They exit the tournament having faced more than 50 overs of dot balls. Their decision-making left them so short on batting resources that they had Taskin on strike for the 45th over and it ended up as a maiden. The Black Caps had pulled off another flex, earlier when they had only three fielders, instead of the five allowed, on the boundary in the 40th over.New Zealand went into the chase knowing all they needed were a couple of partnerships and New Zealand got them. Ravindra put on 57 runs with Conway and then 129 with Tom Latham, who is so good at that middle-order crisis manage role. You can totally imagine him side-kicking whoever leads the earth's remaining population at the end of a zombie apocalypse. First things first though, there's an ICC trophy up for grabs.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): India beat Pakistan by six wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening to qualify for the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy. Tonight was Pakistan’s second defeat in as many matches in the tournament after they went down to New Zealand in the opening match by 60 runs.After opting to bat first, Pakistan were dismissed for 241 in 49.4 overs. Saud Shakeel coming to bat at number three top-scored for the side with a 76-ball 62, which included five boundaries. Captain Mohammad Rizwan was other notable run-getter, scoring 46 off 108 balls, hitting three fours. For India, left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets, while Hardik Pandya bagged two wickets.In turn, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century led India to a six-wicket win with 45 balls to spare. Kohli’s innings included seven fours, which came off 111 balls faced. Shreyas Iyer (56, 67b, 5x4s, 1x6) and Shubman Gill (46, 52b, 7x4s) were other contributors with the bat. For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed two wickets, while Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah snapped a wicket each.Pakistan will now play Bangladesh in their final group match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, 27 February.Scores in brief:India beat Pakistan by six wicketsPakistan 241 all out, 49.4 overs (Saud Shakeel 62, Mohammad Rizwan 46, Khushdil Shah 38; Kuldeep Yadav 3-40, Hardik Pandya 2-31)India 244-4, 42.3 overs (Virat Kohli 100 not out, Shreyas Iyer 56, Shubman Gill 46; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-74)Player of the match – Virat Kohli (India)  

Our CorrespondentLAHORE: England Men have confirmed their XI for their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy against Australia on Saturday in Lahore.Jamie Smith returns to the side, batting at No.3 and taking the gloves as wicketkeeper. Jofra Archer is selected alongside fellow seamers Brydon Carse and Mark Wood.England XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (WK), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (C), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

Islamabad (Sports Desk): Pakistan players Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel and Kamran Ghulam have been fined for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during their tri-nation series match against South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday.Shaheen was fined 25 per cent of his match fee after he was found to have breached Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”The incident occurred in the 28th over of South Africa’s innings, when Shaheen deliberately got in the way of batter Matthew Breetzke as he ran a single, causing an inappropriate physical contact that also resulted in an argument.Saud and substitute fielder Kamran were fined 10 per cent each of their match fee as they celebrated too close to batter Temba Bavuma after he was run out in the 29th over of South Africa’s innings.Saud and Kamran were found to have breached Article 2.5 of the Code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match.”

Fakhar Zaman travelled to the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 without a single ODI appearance to his name. By the time he returned to Pakistan as a match-winner in the final, people were travelling hundreds of kilometres just to take a picture with him.The left-handed opening batter will make his return to the Pakistan team on home soil when the competition returns later this month, looking to recreate the heroics of eight years ago. In that tournament, he started out of the team, earned a one-day debut and went onto form the foundation of a final victory over India in one of the greatest days in Pakistani cricketing history. Even so, he was taken aback by the response when he landed back home.“It was special back in Pakistan,” he recalled. “I didn’t expect anything like that and I have never seen anything like that in my whole life. People were waiting for us. I was alone on the Peshawar flight, most of the guys were flying to Lahore or Karachi. There were thousands of people waiting at the airport. It took three to four hours to get out of the airport.“Then there were people waiting on the streets and on the roads. When I got to my hometown, the whole street was full of people. In our villages, we have a guest house and the whole guest house was full of people.“For many weeks, people from 500km or more away would come to take a picture. It was unbelievable and it was something special. The way we made people feel at that time, I wish I could do more things like that.”Fakhar did not feature in the first meeting between Pakistan and India, which India won by 124 runs, but was handed a debut in the second encounter against South Africa.He scored 31 off just 23 in that game as Pakistan stayed alive in the tournament with a 19-run victory at Edgbaston, a knock that is still right up there among his favourite in the format.He said: “In my head, I thought I would go and play positive cricket in that game and if something went wrong, then I would see for the next game against Sri Lanka if I changed. I scored 31 runs and it is still one of my favourite innings in my ODI career.“I didn’t feel that much pressure in the South Africa game. I felt more pressure in the Sri Lanka game. The first one was my first game and I wasn’t aware of what to expect. There were so many things going through my head, but I didn’t feel that much pressure.“There was more pressure game by game as we progressed.”While Fakhar went into the tournament with limited expectations, the Pakistan management and senior players never lacked confidence.And after they beat Sri Lanka by three wickets to reach the semi-finals, that belief started to filter through to the rest of the team that they were capable of going all the way.“Myself and Sarfaraz (Ahmed, the captain) played club cricket together in Karachi. We had a big tournament happening in Karachi just after the group stages. After the first game against India, I went to Sarfaraz and said ‘we will be playing in Pakistan’ and he said ‘what are you saying?’. He said ‘bro, we will go to Pakistan, but with the Champions Trophy’.“I was thinking looking at this man, he’s lost his senses, what is he saying? But the confidence of our leadership, Sarfaraz and Mickey Arthur, I didn’t think we would win but they would tell us every time that we would win, that we had to win.“The confidence in the leadership group, even after losing the first game, they were 100% confident that we would bring home the trophy. When we played Sri Lanka, the way luck was with us that day, Sri Lankan players dropped catches, and the way Sarfaraz played in that game, we knew that something great was coming.”Up against hosts England in the semi-finals, Pakistan’s bowlers were outstanding in Cardiff, shutting down the previously unstoppable English batters to set up an eight-wicket victory.That set up a final clash with India, the dream match-up for fans, but a meeting that Fakhar almost missed.“I was not well the day before the game,” he said. “I even talked to Mickey and said I won’t be able to play the game. He said you go out there and get a duck first ball, it doesn’t matter, you have to play that game. I managed to play but I remember that I didn’t sleep well that night and he forced me to play. I’m pleased he did!”Pakistan batted first at The Oval, and even though Fakhar did not feel like he was at his most fluent, he smashed a brilliant century, making 114 off 106 balls to set Pakistan on their way to 338 for four in 50 overs.That came after he had been given a reprieve when he was on three, caught off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah, with a no-ball saving him.He said: “I had been talking to Shadab (Khan) and somebody got out on a no-ball when we were watching a game. I said ‘I’d love to get out to a no-ball’. I just said it randomly because whenever you get out, I always look to the umpire hoping they will say ‘wait while we check the no-ball’ and nothing happens and I end up back in the dressing room.“The same thing happened in that game, I got out to a no-ball. Kumar Dharmasena was the third umpire and I was going out. From the boundary, he said ‘wait there’. I was halfway back and when I saw that, I was 100% sure it was a no-ball. After that, I thought maybe it’s my day.”It certainly turned out that way, with Fakhar earning Player of the Match honours as Pakistan ended up winning by 180 runs, Mohammad Amir doing the damage with the ball as he tore through the dangerous Indian top order.That day is one that he will never forget, as he prepares to embark on his second Champions Trophy. And beyond the excitement of the day and the celebrations afterwards, it is the way the team came together in England and Wales that stands out.He concluded: “There are too many memories. The best memory for me was the way the team gelled, to become friends with Shadab, Faheem (Ashraf), Hasan Ali, we became really close.” (PR).

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the players in contention for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for January, highlighting the top performers from a busy month of international cricket. Three talented spinners comprise the shortlist of candidates for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month, after all enjoyed a prolific start to 2025 in both long and short formats.Noman Ali seeks to win his second ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after wicket-taking feats and a historic hattrick in Pakistan’s World Test Championship series against the West Indies. First-time nominee Jomel Warrican topped the bowling charts in that series and led the tourists to their first Test win in the Pakistan for 34 years. Varun Chakravarthy completes the trio, after a string of stellar displays in India’s T20I triumph over England.ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for January:Noman Ali (Pakistan): Having won his maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month award back in October 2024, Noman continues his impressive run in Pakistan’s Test bowling attack with another fruitful series against a spirited West Indies side in Multan. 16 Wickets fell to the left-armer across two matches, culminating in a ten-wicket performance in the second Test that included figures of six for 41 in the first innings and a brilliant hattrick – the first by a Pakistan spinner in Test cricket.Varun Chakravarthy (India): Another player who continues to enjoy fine form in international cricket, Chakravarthy was a threatening presence in India’s decisive T20I series against England in January. His four matches during the calendar month heralded 12 wickets at a startling average of 9.41, highlighted by a superb five for 24 in Rajkot – his best return in a home T20I – and has since seen him propel up the ICC Men’s T20I Bowler rankings to joint second position.Jomel Warrican (West Indies): Nominated for the very first time, the 32-year old celebrated a triumphant return to Test action in January with 19 wickets across both Tests in Pakistan. Awarded the Player of the Series for his efforts, Warrican took ten wickets in the first Test including a career-best seven for 32 in the second innings, before inspiring a landmark victory in the second encounter. Chipping in with valuable runs in the lower order, the left-arm spinner claimed five for 27 in the second innings to secure the 120-run win.ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for January:Beth Mooney (Australia): As Australia stormed to an Ashes sweep over England, Mooney was an ever-present force in the ODI and T20I encounters. A subdued start to the series by her standards came to an end with a battling half-century in the third ODI in Hobart, and from there her series came to life. Saving her best performances for the 20-over contests, the opener notched 213 runs at a blistering strike rate of 146.89, with scores of 75 and 44 preceding a stunning 94 not out in Adelaide in just 63 balls. These performances helped Mooney consolidate her position atop the Women’s T20I Batter rankings and sees her nominated for the first time since January 2024.Karishma Ramharack (West Indies): Ramharack celebrates her maiden nomination for the Player of the Month award, and features among the trio of contenders thanks to impressive performances in the West Indies’ ODI series against Bangladesh. With the hosts having won the opening match, the off-spinner recorded her first four-wicket haul in the format with four for 33, albeit in a losing cause in Basseterre. Her good form continued in the decider, where she went one better and recorded career-best figures of four for 12 to seal a comfortable eight-wicket victory and the Player of the Series prize.Gongadi Trisha (India): The 19-year-old was the toast of Malaysia at the recently concluded U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025, starring in India’s surge to the silverware with a record-breaking campaign. With 265 runs and 4 wickets coming in January’s contests, she hit the headlines with an inspired performance against Scotland; striking the first century in U19 Women’s T20 World Cup history with 110 not out off 59 balls before taking three wickets for six runs. As the tournament progressed, Trisha then capped a sterling campaign with a Player of the Match performance in the final that saw her named the outstanding player at the event.

Lahore (PCB Report): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to welcome cricket fans with a spectacular opening ceremony on 7 February, ahead of the Pakistan versus New Zealand match on 8 February. The tri-nation ODI series will be followed by the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on 19 February.Fans can look forward to a series of colourful events, including live singing, stunning fireworks and a unique light show. Renowned singers Ali Zafar, Arif Lohar and Aima Baig will grace the stage with electrifying performances, followed by a dazzling drum and firework display. The opening ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, will be free for the public from 5.30 pm, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.Under the leadership of PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB has transformed the stadium into a modern cricketing venue in a record 117 days. The stadium now features brighter LED lights, two new larger score screens and comfortable imported seating in all enclosures, ensuring an unparalleled viewing experience for fans.Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has personally overseen the reconstruction process, making frequent day and night visits to monitor progress. His dedication has resulted in world-class facilities, including newly built hospitality boxes and upgraded amenities for both players and spectators.PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi: “Our venues are now on par with international standards and we are proud to offer cricket fans the best possible experience. The transformation of this stadium in such a short time is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.“First of all, I thank the workers who made the impossible task possible. The combined efforts of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), NESPAK, the contractors and PCB teams have turned this dream into reality. Despite criticism, our team remained committed and Allah Ta’ala made our path easy.”The stadium’s enhancements ensure that fans will enjoy a world-class cricketing experience, with improved seating arrangements, exceptional viewing angles and a festive atmosphere. The PCB remains steadfast in its mission to provide top-tier cricketing events and showcase Pakistan as a premier host for international matches.With preparations complete, the PCB is ready to deliver a grand spectacle with the tri-nation ODI series, setting the stage for an exciting ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Left-arm spinners Noman Ali and Jomel Warrican have attained career best positions in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings after outstanding performances in the second Test between Pakistan and the West Indies in Multan.Noman, who became the first Pakistani spinner to take a Test hat-trick in a match haul of 10 for 121, has gained four spots to reach fifth position with 806 rating points. He is only the 12th Pakistani bowler to go past the 800-point mark in Tests and the only one from his country in the top 20 right now.Warrican won the Player of the Match award after finishing with nine for 70 in the second Test, moving up 16 places to 25th position. He has progressed a total of 28 places in the two Tests with a return of 19 wickets, that also won him the Player of the Series award.Kemar Roach (up one place to 18th) and Gudakesh Motie (up six places to 58th) are the West Indian bowlers to move up the rankings while Sajid Khan (up two places to 21st) and Abrar Ahmed (up two places to 50th) are the Pakistan players to move up the list.West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s second innings half-century at the top of the order that contributed in a 120-run win, has lifted him eight places to 44th position while Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has moved back towards the top10, advancing from 17th to 15th position.Varma eyes Babar’s record: In the Men’s T20I Rankings, Tilak Varma has reached a career-best second position after an unbeaten 71 in the second T20I against England. His 832 rating points are the fourth-best by an India batter in the format after Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.Varma, who is 22 years and 82 days at the time of reaching second position, is only 23 rating points behind top-ranked Travis Ahead and with a good chance of becoming the youngest to top the T20I batting rankings. The mark is currently held by Babar Azam, who was 23 years, 105 days when he went top for the first time in January 2018.In the bowling rankings, England’s wrist-spinner Adil Rashid has ended Akeal Hosein’s 44-day stay at the top after taking one for 14 and one for 15 in the second and third matches of the series, completing his four overs each time to help England narrow the lead to 2-1.It is the second time the England leggie has topped the table, having occupied top spot for a year from December 2023 to December 2024.Liam Livingstone (up five places to 32nd) and Abhishek Sharma (up 59 places to 40th) are other batters to gain after the series while Varun Chakravarthy (up 25 places to a career-best fifth position), Joffra Archer (up 13 places to sixth), Axar Patel (up five places to 11th) and Hardik Pandya (up eight places to 43rd) have moved up the bowling list.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Australia fast bowler Scott Boland has broken into the top 10 of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings for the first time after helping his team defeat India by six wickets in Sydney to win their ICC World Test Championship series 3-1.The 35-year-old, who finished with a haul of 10 for 86 in the fifth Test match, has progressed 29 slots and is ranked joint-ninth along with India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Boland’s previous best was 36th position that he had attained in June 2023 after picking five wickets in the ICC World Test Championship Final against India.Jasprit Bumrah remains at the top of the list adding one rating point and going up to 908 (improving on the record for Indian bowlers) even as Australia captain Pat Cummins and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada have inched up a slot each to reach second and third positions, respectively.In the latest weekly rankings that also take into consideration the second Test between South Africa and Pakistan in Cape Town and the second Test between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan in Bulawayo, South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj has advanced two places to 17th position after taking five wickets in Cape Town while Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe (up five places to 43rd) and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan (re-entered at 54th position) are others to gain.Huge gains for South Africa batters: South Africa batters have made huge inroads after their 10-wicket victory over Pakistan. Ryan Rickelton’s match-winning 259 has lifted him 48 places to 55th position while captain Temba Bavuma (up three places to a career-best-equalling sixth position) and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne (up four places to 24th) have also advanced after notching centuries.Rishabh Pant of India is back in the top 10, while Pakistan’s Baba Azam (up five places to 12th) and Shan Masood (up 12 places to 45th), Afghanistan’s Rahmad Shah (up 26 places to 26th) and Zimbabwe’s Craig Ervine (up 10 places to 37th) are among others to move the batting rankings.South Africa’s Marco Jansen, named Player of the Series after finishing with 10 wickets and 80 runs, has moved up two slots to second among all-rounders.In the Men’s ODI Rankings, Will Young (up nine places to joint-13th) and Rachin Ravindra (up six places to joint-50th) in batting and Matt Henry (up six places to 12th) in bowling have gained after the first match of their series against Sri Lanka in Wellington.Kusal Perera (up 26 places to 10th) of Sri Lanka and Daryl Mitchell (up five places to 41st) of New Zealand have moved up the T20I batting list after the last match of a preceding T20I series while Nuwan Thushara (up nine places to 26th) and Henry (up four places to 38th) are among the bowlers to progress.