HBL PSL X: Islamabad United bat first against struggling Peshawar Zalmi
Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bat first against Peshawar Zalmi in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) clash on Friday in Lahore.
Table-toppers Islamabad United will be aiming to return to winning ways after a setback in their previous outing against Lahore Qalandars.
Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi,struggling with just two wins from their first six matches, will also be eager to bounce back and keep their playoff hopes alive.
Islamabad United XI: Shadab Khan (Captain), Kyle Mayers, Sahibzada Farhan, Colin Munro, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Saad Masood, Ben Dwarshuis, Naseem Shah, Riley Meredith.
Peshawar Zalmi XI: Babar Azam (Captain), Mitch Owen, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Hussain Talat, Max Bryant, Maaz Sadaqat, Luke Wood, Alzari Joseph, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Ali.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Express Tribune
'Excited to have Shaheen in Brisbane'
The likes of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf will be seen playing against each other during the Australian summer and thus, it is safe to say that a lot of people from Pakistan would be excited for the BBL 2025/26. As Brisbane Heat managed to pick Afridi, their head coach, Johan Botha, seemed very pleased to have the star pacer in his side. The former South African captain himself has been a part of various T20 leagues including the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and has an impressive CV as a T20 player. As a matter of fact, he has coached several franchises across the globe too. During an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan during the BBL 15 Draft in Melbourne, Johan Botha expressed his excitement about getting Shaheen, and spoke about the fans and support he'll be getting along with him. The former Proteas all-rounder drew light on the prospect of all the Pakistani players playing against one another, and the amount of fan following they have. Botha stated that it was a big tick for the BBL in terms of popularising the tournament. "We've very excited (to get Shaheen Afridi). You know, I think the whole BBL now! With Babar going to Sydney, Shadab is back, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan.....I think that's a big tick for the Big Bash. "I think it'll bring a lot of interest, and especially when you have those guys play against each other, I think that will you know get crowds in through the gates and that's ultimately what it is. "It's entertainment and we're look into those match-ups. You know I've been at PSL quite a lot and it's exciting to see the best players going against each other," said Johan Botha. Shaheen Afridi has grabbed the cricketing headlines in Australia as Brisbane Heat managed to acquire his services during the recently-concluded KFC Big Bash League 15 Draft. Brisbane Heat were quick to get the pacer as he was their first pick on June 19. Post which, several other star cricketers from Pakistan were picked by various teams during the BBL 15 overseas player draft. Further on, the 43-year-old also spoke about South Africa winning the World Test Championship 2025. As a former South African cricketer and skipper himself, Botha felt that the "Rainbow Nation" winning their second ICC tournament was massive for the cricketing world. He also spoke about how some of the Proteas players still rate Test cricket very highly and want to continue playing the longest format of the game. The Temba Bavuma-led side had beaten Australia at Lord's during the WTC 2025 Final with Aiden Markram hitting a scintillating century in the fourth innings to deny the Pat Cunmins-led side their second WTC title. "South Africa winning is massive. You know, following that over the last few days obviously. A huge win for South Africa. Their rugby has done so well for a long time and it's nice to finally see the cricket guys get over the line and it's huge for cricket. "Even those guys in the team speaking about important Test cricket still is. You know when I was there and playing, you always felt that guys want to play One-day cricket to playing franchise cricket, but it's great to hear that top players still speak so highly of Test cricket and yeah, it's exciting and hopefully that you know those young guys can come through and play Test cricket for South Africa," he said.
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Express Tribune
PSL11 likely to clash with IPL again
Like the 10th edition, the HBL Pakistan Super League season 11 is also likely to take place alongside the Indian Premier League in April-May next year. In that case, the home series against Zimbabwe will have to be rescheduled. Given the limited time, the proposal to hold the tournament this December seems highly difficult to implement. According to details, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is traditionally held in February-March, but this year, due to the ICC Champions Trophy being hosted in Pakistan, the event was pushed to April and May, overlapping with the IPL schedule. Next year, the ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled for February-March, forcing Pakistan to find new dates for its league. A proposal was made to hold the PSL in December-January, but due to unresolved key issues, organizing it that early seems unlikely. During this window, the PCB may instead hold the domestic Pentangular Cup, involving top star cricketers. Earlier this year, it was announced that PSL would be made into a separate company, and Salman Naseer has started working as its CEO. However, no major appointments have been made in other departments yet. With 10 editions now completed, the valuation of the existing six franchise teams will be carried out, following which a 25% increase in franchise fees is expected. Last December, all teams had confirmed in writing their intent to retain ownership. However, Multan Sultans' owner, Ali Tareen, repeatedly voiced concerns about financial losses. He has been silent recently, so it remains unclear whether he will keep the team or go for rebidding. Notably, this team currently pays over one billion rupees annually in fees, making it the most expensive franchise. Similarly, the board had announced the inclusion of two new teams starting from the 11th edition, but no progress has been made on that front either. Sources revealed that the 10-year title sponsorship agreement also needs to be renewed. There will be separate contracts for ground sponsorship in 810 categories, and for both local and international broadcasting. A new deal for live streaming will also be required. Currently, PCB earns about PKR 900 million annually from the title sponsorship. Last year, live streaming rights for Pakistan were sold for approximately PKR 1.8 billion. Local broadcast rights generated around PKR 6.3 billion, while international rights brought in $4.6 million. Ground rights were sold for around PKR 2 billion for two years. For TV production, PCB signed a two-year deal worth $2.25 million annually. Tenders will be issued for all these agreements, followed by lengthy processes. If the current format continues With the inclusion of two new teams, the number of PSL matches will rise from 34 to 54. Consequently, the value of all associated deals is expected to increase by about 30%. However, it is yet to be decided whether the new teams will follow the current financial model or if a new approach will be adopted. Franchise sources confirmed that the board has not yet discussed new teams with them, let alone any financial models. The final dates for PSL 11 have not yet been confirmed, though holding the tournament in April-May next year seems likely. A joint email was sent by franchises requesting a meeting of the PSL Governing Council to discuss key matters of the league. A response is expected in coming days. It's worth noting that the Pakistan team has a home series against Sri Lanka in November, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is. December and January have been kept open for domestic events. In February, Australia is scheduled to visit for three T20Is, and the T20 World Cup will follow in February-March. In March, Australia will return for three ODIs, and at the end of March and in April, Pakistan is set to tour Bangladesh for two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. Zimbabwe's team is scheduled to tour Pakistan in April-May for three ODIs and three T20Is. To hold the PSL during this window, the PCB will have to reschedule the Zimbabwe series. Sources added that franchises' concerns about scheduling clashes with the IPL have decreased after the 10th edition. However, broadcasters and rights holders still have differing views. Holding PSL alongside IPL in April-May next year is a possibility, but a final decision will be made later.
Express Tribune
07-06-2025
- Express Tribune
Pak to make two changes for BD tour
The Pakistan team is expected to have two new additions for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series, which is likely to take place in July. According to reports, left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi and spinner Sufiyan Muqeem are likely to return to the national side. Shaheen last featured in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in March this year, where his performance was below expectations — taking just two wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 10.23. Sufiyan, who also played in the same series, appeared in only one match but impressed with two wickets at a remarkable economy rate of just 3.00. Meanwhile, the door remains open for star batter Babar Azam regarding his inclusion in the national squad, as he has reportedly been assured of future opportunities. The preliminary schedule for Pakistan's T20I tour of Bangladesh has been finalised, with the team expected to arrive in Dhaka on July 18, sources confirmed on June 1. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has drafted the initial itinerary and shared it with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The T20I series will commence on July 20, followed by the second and third matches on July 22 and 24, respectively. All three matches are scheduled to be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. This tour is not part of the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP). The series was arranged following discussions between senior officials of the PCB and BCB on the sidelines of the ICC Champions Trophy preparations, which Pakistan is set to host later this year. For context, Pakistan's white-ball team recently entered a new chapter under the leadership of Mike Hesson, the former New Zealand coach. The 50-year-old made an immediate impact, guiding the team to a 3-0 T20I series whitewash over Bangladesh - Pakistan's first home series victory since December 2021. Hesson holds in-depth discussion with Shaheen The second day of the national training camp in Lahore saw seven players participate in the Wednesday morning session, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Mehran Mumtaz, Khurram Shehzad, Haider Ali, Khawaja Nafi, and Ahmad Daniyal. Additional training also took place during the afternoon session, under the supervision of head coach Mike Hesson and the coaching staff specialising in bowling, batting, and fielding. According to sources, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi did not participate in ground drills. Having returned from abroad after the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Afridi arrived in Lahore on Wednesday morning, specifically to meet head coach Mike Hesson. The two held an in-depth discussion regarding future plans for the team. In a social media post, Mike Hesson expressed his satisfaction with the session at the National Cricket Academy, calling it an important opportunity for both coaches and players to familiarize themselves with one another. He shared images from the training session, emphasising its significance in building rapport within the squad. Babar Azam had attended the opening day of the camp, while Mohammad Rizwan will join on the final day. The three-day camp, involving 22 of Pakistan's top white-ball cricketers, commenced at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday. Players were divided into three groups, reporting to camp on June 3, 4 and 5, respectively. The first groupcomprising Babar Azam, Abbas Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Mirza, Shahid Aziz, and Usman Khantook part in various sessions on Tuesday under the guidance of the national team management, led by Hesson. According to sources, the PCB is using the camp to inform players about the team's future direction, while also assessing their fitness levels and recent performances. Furthermore, head coach Hesson is scheduled to meet with top-performing players individually to discuss the roadmap ahead for Pakistan's white-ball squad. Pakistan's white-ball team recently entered a new chapter under the leadership of Hesson, the former New Zealand coach. The 50-year-old made an immediate impact, guiding the team to a 3-0 T20I series whitewash against Bangladesh — Pakistan's first home series victory since December 2021. Following this series win, the team is expected to take a brief break before potentially returning to Bangladesh next month for another T20I series.
