HBL PSL X: Karachi Kings secure playoff spot alongside Islamabad United
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Karachi Kings secured a 23-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi to qualify for the playoffs of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) X, joining defending champions Islamabad United.
Chasing a daunting target of 238, Zalmi could only manage 214/5 in their allotted 20 overs, falling short despite a valiant effort.
This win — the Kings' fifth of the tournament — confirms their progression to the next stage. It also seals Islamabad United's qualification, who sit third on the points table with 10 points.
Read more: HBL PSL X: Karachi Kings edge past Zalmi despite Babar's heroics
With Quetta Gladiators already qualified, only one playoff berth remains — to be claimed by either Lahore Qalandars or Peshawar Zalmi.
Despite the defeat, Zalmi are not entirely out of contention. With eight points on the board, they can still make the playoffs — but only if they defeat Lahore Qalandars in their final group-stage match today.
Qalandars currently occupy fourth place with nine points, just one ahead of Zalmi. The upcoming clash between the two sides now effectively serves as a virtual knockout — the winner will claim the last playoff spot.
However, if the match is abandoned or washed out for any reason, Lahore Qalandars will qualify due to their higher points total.
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Express Tribune
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Business Recorder
5 days ago
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Haris, Hasan register fastest and second fastest T20I centuries
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Haris, meanwhile, has racked up 370 runs across 17 T20I outings at a strike rate of 152 hitting 33 fours and 21 sixes. What stands out in these numbers is their prodigious ball-striking ability and record-breaking tons early in their careers. With the domestic 2024-25 and the home international season coming to an end, it is pertinent to trace the build-up towards Hasan and Haris' spectacular showings with the bat for Pakistan in T20Is. The 24-year-old Haris got off the mark in his T20I career with a straight six off England's Richard Gleeson at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore in September 2022. Nearly three years later, he fittingly brought up his first international century at the scene of his T20I debut. Haris, who has featured in six ODIs for Pakistan, boasts 16 dismissals behind the stumps in 11 of his 23 outings in white-ball cricket. 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Hasan's first appearance in the career-defining 2024-25 domestic season began with two appearances for Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in semi-final and final of President's Cup Grade-I where he scored 46 off 43 (4x4s, 3x6s) and 40 off 50 (2x4s, 2x6s), respectively. In the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024-25 in October and November he accumulated 273 runs for Islamabad Region in five outings. It also included a career-best 169 where he spent 406 minutes on the crease against Larkana Region striking 21 fours and one six as only one other batter crossed 50-run mark from his side. The Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup in December saw Hasan delivering consistently for Nurpur Lions and stamp his authority, finishing as the second-leading run-scorer with 312 runs in nine outings with the help of two half-centuries. He struck 30 fours and 17 sixes, displaying his power-hitting skills, and subsequently became Quetta Gladiators' Emerging category pick in the HBL PSL X draft on 13 January. Hasan was also part of the 16-day Pakistan Strike Force camp at the National Cricket Academy in January, under the tutelage of former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, where a total of 25 emerging and top-performing domestic batters were invited to hone their hard-hitting skills. Hasan took the HBL PSL X by storm with his middle-order heroics, managing 399 runs in 12 matches with one century and three half-centuries striking at 162 – the second-highest among eight batters to score over 300 runs in the season. The 22-year-old was not only declared player of the tournament for his high-pressure knocks but was also named Best Batter, plotting a remarkable comeback after 28 runs in three appearances for Islamabad United in 2023. While the 2024-25 season was highly fruitful for Hasan, it is important to note that he also made the most of opportunities in the previous season playing non-first-class Hanif Mohammad Trophy and 50-over Hanif Mohammad Cup (non-List A) for Islamabad Region. In the four-day tournament in September and October 2023, he topped the run-charts with 530 runs in seven matches at an average of 53 and a strike rate of 72.11 – the best among the top 20 batters. In the 50-over iteration of the tournament in November 2023 he finished with 229 runs six matches at a strike rate of 90. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
31-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Babar, Rizwan should only play Tests: Kamran Akmal
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has backed the decision to drop star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from the national T20I setup, suggesting the duo is better suited to the longer formats of the game. Speaking on a recent podcast, Akmal addressed reports that Babar and Rizwan are being permanently sidelined from T20 internationals. "That's absolutely the right decision," Akmal said. "I believe this should happen because these players are more suited for the longer format of the game. In my opinion, they should now be kept on only for Test matches. Maybe after another six months, they should only be considered for Test cricket, both Babar and Rizwan," he added. The former wicketkeeper batter went a step further, expressing doubts about the duo's continued role in One Day Internationals as well. "After another six months, they should be sidelined from ODIs, too, because Pakistan hardly plays Test matches these days. No one is even talking about Test cricket. But if any real players are made, they are made through playing Test cricket," he remarked. The 43-year-old the foundational value of red-ball cricket, asserting that proficiency in Tests enhances performance across all formats. "You can't just play T20 and expect to be great at Test cricket too. If someone plays Test matches, they can handle ODIs and T20s as well," he said. For the unversed, Babar Azamwho captained Pakistan in three consecutive ICC Men's T20 World Cups (2021, 2022, and 2024)last featured in a T20I in December 2023. Since then, he has been out of favor, missing the home series against New Zealand in March and the ongoing three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, which kicked off on May 28 in Lahore. Babar, who has been under scrutiny for a lean run in T20Is, hasn't scored a half-century since his 75-run knock against Ireland in May 2023. He has played 128 T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, including three centuries and 36 fifties. Earlier this year, both Babar and Rizwan were omitted from the five-match T20I series in New Zealand as selectors opted to test younger players. The pair has not returned to the T20I squad since. In another significant development, Mohammad Rizwan was recently removed from the T20I captaincy after leading in just two series. Salman Ali Agha has been appointed as the new skipper. Babar's father responds to Kamran's remarks Father of star Pakistan batter Babar Azam, Azam Siddique, has issued a fiery response following Kamran Akmal's controversial comments suggesting that Babar and Mohammad Rizwan should be limited to playing only Test cricket in the future. In his Instagram post, Siddique shared an old photo featuring himself, Babar Azam, and Kamran Akmal, with a caption indirectly addressing Akmal's remarks. He reminded the former wicketkeeper, "This child (Babar) never played under your captaincy, but you did play under his captaincy and got out for zero while he scored a century that day. Talking behind the backs of successful people is a compulsion of those who have failed."
