Shakib, Rajapaksa join Lahore Qalandars for remainder of PSL 10
Lahore Qalandars have bolstered their squad for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League season 10 with the inclusion of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
Shakib, who joins on May 17 in Islamabad, will replace New Zealand's Daryl Mitchell, ruled out due to a hand injury sustained on May 4. With over 7,400 T20 runs and 492 wickets, Shakib brings vast experience and all-round strength as Qalandars eye the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Rajapaksa will replace England's Tom Curran, who has returned home following an ankle injury.
Foreign players likely to rejoin remaining matches of HBL-PSL-X
Known for his power-hitting and a T20 strike rate above 140, Rajapaksa is expected to add middle-order firepower. His wicketkeeping skills offer added depth to the squad.
Team Director Sameen Rana welcomed both additions, calling them 'impact players' with the potential to lift Qalandars' performance in the crucial phase of the tournament.
Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza also rejoined the team last night. Further updates to the squad will be shared in due course.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Aus confirm Pakistan tour in 2026
Cricket Australia (CA) is gearing up for a white-ball series tour to Pakistan, scheduled for early next year, signaling a positive step towards strengthening cricketing ties between the two nations. During an online press conference, CA CEO Todd Greenberg conveyed his positive outlook on the upcoming tour, emphasising the significance of the series against Pakistan and the ongoing collaboration between the two cricket boards. "I believe it will be another good tour of Pakistan. The series against Pakistan is an important part of our schedule. There has been good communication between Pakistan and Australia regarding both red-ball and white-ball series," Greenberg said. "We need to look for more opportunities for series, which we will definitely do," he added. Looking back on the 2022 tour, Greenberg expressed enthusiasm about future matches in Pakistan. "We would like to play a series in Pakistan. In 2022, we toured Pakistan after a long gap, and the tour was very successful. The Australian team received a warm welcome. It would be great if such series continue to happen." Greenberg emphasised the league's commitment to bringing in talent from Pakistan, recognising the popularity of Pakistani players among fans, and explained the mutual benefits of such participation. "There is no doubt that Pakistani players are very popular within the community. Our effort is to attract players from all over the world for the BBL," he said. "If leading Pakistani players come, they will definitely enjoy it here. The league will benefit greatly from these top players for their teams and franchises," he added. Regarding player participation, Greenberg confirmed, "I hope we will definitely attract some players for the next edition of the BBL." It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan last toured Australia in November 2024 for a white-ball series. Under Mohammad Rizwan's captaincy, the Men in Green secured a historic 2-1 victory in the ODI series - their first series win in Australia since 2002. However, Australia bounced back strongly, winning the subsequent T20I series 3-0. For the unversed, according to the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 202527, Australia are expected to tour Pakistan for a white-ball series featuring three ODIs and three T20Is in FebruaryMarch. White-ball camp The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has summoned 22 top white-ball performers for a camp, including the senior trio of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi on Monday. According to the details, the shortlisted 22 players will report for the camp here in three groups, scheduled to be held on June 3, 4 and 5 respectively. During the camp, the PCB will inform the players about the future course of action, while their fitness and respective performances will also be analysed. Sources further suggested that senior players will participate in all three training sessions, which will also feature the top performers of the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10. Furthermore, Pakistan's white-ball head coach Mike Hesson will meet with top performers and will update them regarding the future course of action. Players called up for training camp: Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shahid Aziz, Abbas Afridi, Salman Mirza, Mir Hamza, Abdullah Shafique, Khawaja Nafay, Haider Ali, Ahmed Daniyal, Mehran Mumtaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Rizwan, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Nawaz, Aamir Jamal, Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, Ali Raza and Tayyab Tahir. For the unversed, Pakistan's white-ball entered a new era under the leadership of former New Zealand head coach Hesson. The 50-year-old had an ideal start to his tenure as the green shirts registered a 3-0 T20I series whitewash against Bangladesh, which also marked their first series triumph at home since December 2021. Following the drought-ending series victory over Bangladesh, Pakistan are scheduled for a brief break before touring back to Bangladesh next month for a potential three-match T20I series.
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan opt to bat first against Bangladesh in second T20I
Listen to article Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first against Bangladesh in the second T20 International at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. The hosts made one change to their line-up, bringing in Sahibzada Farhan in place of Fakhar Zaman. Farhan was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL), amassing 449 runs. Pakistan lead the three-match series 1-0 after defeating Bangladesh by 37 runs in the opening T20I on Wednesday. Pakistan XI: Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Hasan Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Khushdil Shah, Faheem Ashraf, Hassan Ali, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed. Bangladesh XI: Litton Das (Captain & wk), Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tawhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali Anik, Shamim Hossain Patwary, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Hasan Mahmud, Shoriful Islam
Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Express Tribune
Salman Agha praises 'team effort' in win over BD
Pak T20 skipper Salman Ali Agha has been getting better with every game since taking over team's reins last year. PHOTO: AFP Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha credited team effort for their comprehensive 37-run victory over Bangladesh in the first T20I of the three-match series here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. Reflecting on the victory, Agha lauded the batting unit's collective effort to breach the 200-run barrier despite the dismal start before emphasising that a complete all-round performance is what he craves from his team. "After being 5/2, it was great to see everyone contribute to reach 200-plus," said Agha. "That's exactly the team effort we want - performing well in all three departments. We encourage players to back themselves and take the initiative," he added. Agha specifically praised Ali for his five-wicket haul, revealing that people are saying that he was bowling like he used to in 2017, the year Pakistan won the ICC Men's Champions Trophy. "Hasan Ali has been phenomenal — people are saying he's bowling like it's 2017 again. His hard work is paying off, first in the PSL and now tonight," Agha stated. While responding to a question regarding plenty of all-rounders in the team, Agha, an all-rounder himself, termed it a real luxury, asserting that it provides him with a handful of quality options. "Our all-rounders are a real luxury. Even Saim Ayub can bowl his full four overs. With so many quality all-round options, we're in a great position. We'll rest tomorrow and regroup for the second game." Mohammad Amir roped in by Essex for T20 Blast Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir has been drafted to the Essex County Cricket Club for the Vitality Blast, scheduled to commence on Thursday. The announcement was made by the club on its social media handles as it shared the pacer's pictures donning its jersey. Amir, in a video statement, shared his excitement upon the signing and urged the fans for their support. "Great to be back here and I am really happy and looking forward to seeing you all. I need your support. Please come and support us. See you all soon," the pacer stated. The Essex will kick off their T20 Blast 2025 campaign against Hampshire in a night fixture, scheduled to be played at The Rose Bowl in Southampton on Friday. Mohammad Amir recently participated in this year's Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 and finished as the joint-fifth leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps in nine matches.
