Abbas Afridi leads Pakistan’s young guns to Hong Kong Sixes 2025 as fans eye redemption after two runner-up finishes.

Abbas Afridi Leads Pakistan Squad to Hong Kong Sixes 2025

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has cancelled the ongoing white-ball series between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens in the UAE. The decision has been taken due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, which is becoming increasingly volatile with each passing hour.

After calling off the Sunday game between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens, the ECB has taken a final decision to shelve the whole tour due to the deteriorating situation of the Middle East. They have also cancelled the departure of the England Women&rsquo;s team, who were earlier scheduled to travel to Abu Dhabi to take part in a preparatory camp ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.

&quot;The remainder of the England Men&#39;s Lions&#39; tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible.&rdquo; said the ECB statement.

&quot;We have ruled out the possibility of England Women&#39;s T20 World Cup camp taking place in Abu Dhabi given the instability across the Gulf.&rdquo; added the ECB statement.

The board has now started to work on alternative options where England Women can train and join the camp to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. The updates related to this will be soon made public once the next venue is finalized by the ECB.

&quot;Over the weekend we started work on alternative options that will enable England Women to achieve the same outcomes, and we&#39;ll keep you informed as soon as we finalize a new plan.&quot; said the ECB statement.

The ongoing conflict between the US, Israel and Iran has disrupted travel plans across the Gulf region. It is also becoming a serious concern for the ICC, which is closely monitoring the situation to prepare contingency plans for teams that are currently participating in the Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The ECB announced recently that all white-ball matches between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens have been cancelled due to rising Middle East tensions.

ECB Cancels White-Ball Series Between England Lions and Pakistan Shaheens

Alyssa Healy fully understands the unpredictability of cricket, as she has seen many ups and downs in her storied international career. This is why she hasn&rsquo;t celebrated different milestones, as she always aims to perform better without dwelling on past performances.

Healy reflected these thoughts after playing a remarkable knock of 158 in her last ODI match. It gave Australia a huge victory over India, a result that made the farewell match of Alyssa Healy quite special.

&quot;What a ridiculous sport that we play, that it can kick you down so many times and then give you opportunities like it has today.&rdquo; said <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/alyssa-healy-farewell-odi-australia-vs-india-3rd-odi-report/4030-5-0">Alyssa Healy</a>.

&ldquo;I&#39;ve hated every milestone match, so today was just an opportunity to go out and enjoy it. It was one of the more enjoyable experiences I&#39;ve had, so thanks to the cricket gods for that, it was a nice way to sign off in the yellow.&quot; added Alyssa Healy.

Healy then spoke about her final outing, saying it felt very special to her, considering how her entire career had unfolded with remarkable achievements.

&quot;I was honestly fine this morning and then when I was writing it [the speech] all down and realizing probably what it means to debut and get that cap made me realize how special and how lucky I&#39;ve been over the last 15 years to have done it as many times as I&#39;ve had. So that was a really special experience.&quot; said Alyssa Healy.

Alyssa Healy will play her last international match on Friday in WACA. She is looking forward to make that special as well by performing strongly for the Australian team.

&quot;The WACA wicket has done some interesting things for us in Test cricket and white-ball cricket over the last few years, so I&#39;m looking forward to seeing what conditions present, but any time this group gets to wear the baggy green is extra special so we&#39;re looking forward to doing that.&quot; said Alyssa Healy.

Alyssa Healy believes cricket is an unpredictable sport that does not guarantee positive results every time.

Healy Explains Cricket Unpredictability After Her Last ODI Match

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes West Indies needed a harder push to beat India in the recent T20 World Cup clash. He thinks West Indies had a weak bowling lineup, so their batters needed to raise their performance to cover that gap and challenge India at Eden Gardens.

&quot;When we look at West Indies, we spoke about them little bit lacking in the bowling department. So if you, as a team, know that&#39;s where you are slightly off, and then we&#39;re talking now at the highest level - they don&#39;t have a bad bowling attack, it&#39;s just you comparing the attack to India.&rdquo; said Faf du Plessis.

&quot;When your strength lies in your batting, you know that you&#39;re going to have to out-bat the opposition. Therefore, when you&#39;re in a position where you can pull the trigger on making sure you push that score a little bit more, you have to. It&#39;s just almost like a non-negotiable in order to be a team that wins the World Cup for them. They have to score 220-230, so that the bowling adds more pressure.&rdquo; added Faf du Plessis.

Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble also endorsed the opinion of Faf du Plessis, saying that West Indies should have played more proactively in the first innings to post a bigger total on the board.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve always believed that in a T20 format, you need to use your resources if you&#39;re batting first, irrespective of who&#39;s in your batting lineup. You&#39;re better off scoring 196 for 9 than being 195 for 4. I understand that the powerplay didn&#39;t go the skipper&#39;s [Shai Hope] way; he was struggling a bit, but the team score was going at a fast pace.&rdquo; said Anil Kumble.

&quot;Beyond that, once you know that you have ten wickets in hand after the powerplay, only 14 overs, and some serious hitting power still in your dugout, you need to go harder, even if you lose a couple of wickets.&quot; added Anil Kumble.

Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble believe West Indies needed to bat more aggressively to outclass India in the last T20 World Cup clash.

Du Plessis, Kumble Said WI Needed More to Outclass India

Pakistan&#39;s hockey team showcased another dominant performance against Malaysia to reach the semi-finals of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026. They defeated the spirited Malaysian team by 5-3, exhibiting their strong form in the ongoing tournament.

Malaysia made the initial breakthrough in the match when Abdul Rauf scored the first goal in the 11th minute. However, this lead didn&rsquo;t last long, as Pakistan&rsquo;s Rana Waheed responded with a sharp goal in the very next minute.

Malaysia then scored again in the last minute of the first quarter to take the lead, putting pressure on Pakistan to come up with a renewed plan in the second quarter.

Analyzing the gaps in the Malaysian defence, the Pakistan team started the second quarter on a high note, as Hayat Zikriya struck the second goal and levelled the scoreline. The third quarter was very competitive, as Malaysia scored their third goal in the 39th minute before Pakistan&rsquo;s Ahmed Nadeem came up with an equalizer in the 44th minute.

The green shirts then took a big lead in the last quarter, as Sufyan Khan and Muhammad Ammad scored consecutive goals to dent the hopes of the Malaysian team. It eventually allowed Pakistan to win the match by 5-3, and secure a confirmed place in the semi-finals of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026.

Talking about the qualification scenario, the top four teams from the ongoing tournament will get confirmed spots in the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup that will be hosted by Belgium and Netherlands. Therefore, the green shirts are aiming to perform strongly in the current tournament, as it will strengthen their case for the upcoming marquee event.

Pakistan’s hockey team secured a place in the semi-final of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026 by defeating Malaysia in the recent clash.

Pakistan Through to FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers Semi-Final Stage

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Sanju Samson for playing a match-winning knock against West Indies. He said the team always backed Sanju in tough times, as they knew how special he would be in the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-teams-live-streaming/3203-2-0">ICC T20 World Cup 2026</a>.

&quot;He&#39;s a world class player, we all know how good a player Sanju is. It was all about backing him. When the team needed him the most, obviously today was the day, he showed his full potential.&quot; said Gautam Gambhir while talking to the reporters.

Gambhir then applauded the batting prowess of the Indian opener, saying he played simple cricketing shots without taking any pressure or trying to muscle the ball uselessly.

&quot;I actually felt that he never accelerated the innings. It was just very normal cricketing shots and I never saw him muscling the ball as well. That is the kind of talent he has.&rdquo; said Gautam Gambhir.

&quot;Obviously he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it&#39;s important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he&#39;ll come and deliver it for us.&quot; added Gautam Gambhir.

The Indian head coach then shed some light on the bowling performance, saying the team started off well and did a great job towards the end as well.

&quot;I thought we started off really well, especially when you play this kind of a game of this magnitude. You&#39;ve got to start off really well with the new ball, which Arshdeep and Hardik did.&rdquo; said Gautam Gambhir.

&quot;I think the way they started off in the first three overs was really good and then Axar bowled two overs in the powerplay, which was again a great job done by him. It&#39;s never easy on this wicket on their ground to bowl two overs in a powerplay, but Axar did that really well.&rdquo; added Gautam Gambhir.

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir praised the performance of Sanju Samson, saying he played well when the team needed him the most.

Sanju Samson Came Through at the Perfect Time, Says Gambhir

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes Aiden Markram has evolved into a better T20 player after his IPL stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He said the fast pace of batting in the IPL helped Markram develop a range of attacking shots, which we are now witnessing in the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-teams-live-streaming/3203-2-0">ICC T20 World Cup 2026</a>.

&quot;I think what was really good in terms of his own game is the [IPL 2025] season where he opened for LSG and the IPL almost demanded that you needed to play in that way in order for you to keep your place. It was obviously the Impact-Sub [rule] and the way the game was moving. As an opener, you couldn&#39;t play the old-school way anymore.&rdquo; said Faf du Plessis.

&quot;So, if you were in that first six [overs] and you didn&#39;t do your job by going after the ball, they would get someone else.&quot; added Faf du Plessis.

He then explained how different franchise teams around the world continuously look for players who are flexible in the batting order. According to Du Plessis, Markram evolved after understanding this very fact.

&quot;Team managements around T20 circuits around the world and the IPLs, you&#39;re looking for versatility around what a guy can do. Can he open? Can he bat 4? So it gives you more options from a selection point of view. But that jump from 4 to 1 or 2 has been great for him because the strike rate is there.&quot; said Faf du Plessis.

&quot;The game demands it from you, and if you don&#39;t evolve with the game, then you get left behind. So with Aiden, naturally the game has moved that way.&rdquo; added Faf du Plessis.

The former South African captain is confident that Markram will play a key role for the Proteas in the upcoming matches. He believes the team will bank on his experience to perform well, as his current form in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is remarkable.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Faf du Plessis said the IPL stint helped Aiden Markram to develop his T20 batting. He expects the batter to play a key role for the Proteas in the upcoming matches.

Faf du Plessis Credits LSG Stint for Markram’s T20 Progress

New Zealand&rsquo;s middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell is ecstatic after recently overtaking Virat Kohli in the ICC ODI batting rankings. He believes the Black Caps have played quality cricket over the past decade, which has also allowed him to contribute effectively to the team&rsquo;s success.

&ldquo;It&#39;s cool. If you look at the last decade, as a team we have been in some pretty cool matches and at some pointy ends of tournaments, so yeah, it&#39;s nice to get that recognition of how I&#39;ve gone about my business over the last few years.&rdquo; said Daryl Mitchell on his recent achievement in ICC rankings.

&ldquo;But it&#39;s not something I think about every day. It&#39;s obviously nice to have some success in the game and recognition for doing it over a long period of time. So very proud to represent our country and help us win.&rdquo; added Daryl Mitchell.

Talking about what he has done to keep himself highly competitive at the international stage, Mitchell said that he has always stuck to his basics, which has allowed him to perform to the best of his ability.

&ldquo;It took me a while to get to international cricket, and I look at that as almost a blessing in disguise. That I was able to learn my game over a period of time in domestic cricket, understand not only what kind of cricketer I want to be, but what kind of person I want to be as well.&rdquo; said Daryl Mitchell.

&ldquo;Once I got to the international stage, it allowed me to just be myself. I&#39;m a competitor. That&#39;s what drives me. I want to be part of moments and help us win moments. And if I can do that more often than not, then you are going to have some personal success along the way as well. It&#39;s just a matter of being present in that moment and getting stuck into it for our country.&rdquo; added Daryl Mitchell.

Mitchell is equally confident about the Black Caps chances to lift the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026-schedule-teams-live-streaming/3203-2-0">ICC T20 World Cup</a> trophy, as he believes the team has the potential to perform strongly in the upcoming knockout matches.

Daryl Mitchell has become a mainstay of New Zealand’s middle order batting lineup. Here’s how he prepares to perform that role for the Kiwis.

Daryl Mitchell Talks About His Preparation Method for International Cricket

Following Pakistan&rsquo;s early exit from the T20 World Cup, Aleem Dar, 57, has opted to resign from his position on the Pakistan Cricket Board&rsquo;s selection committee. Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Dar decided to step down due to the national team&rsquo;s underwhelming campaign in the tournament, marking a notable Aleem Dar resignation.

Dar, a legendary figure in cricket officiating, had been appointed to the selection panel on October 11, 2024, alongside former pacer Aqib Javed, ex-Test captain Azhar Ali, and analyst Hasan Cheema. During his illustrious umpiring career, Aleem Dar officiated in a record 435 men&rsquo;s Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, including four World Cup finals, before retiring from active duty.

<h2>Players Face Fines After Poor World Cup Showing</h2>

In addition to Dar&rsquo;s resignation, the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/is-pcb-fining-players-after-pakistan-t20-world-cup-exit/4034-5-0">PCB</a> has reportedly slapped a Rs5 million fine on each player following Pakistan&rsquo;s disappointing performance, highlighting the consequences of the Pakistan T20 World Cup exit. Sources noted that the board made it clear that all future financial rewards would now be strictly linked to on-field performance.

Pakistan&rsquo;s campaign ended in the Super Eights stage, narrowly missing out on the semi-finals. Their final fixture saw a five-run win over Sri Lanka, but New Zealand advanced due to a superior run rate, ending Pakistan&rsquo;s hopes.

<h2>Tournament Journey Recap</h2>

The Green Shirts started their T20 World Cup with a shaky win over the Netherlands, then convincingly defeated the USA. A heavy 61-run loss to India dented their momentum. They recovered from a defeat to Namibia to reach the Super Eights, but a <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/pak-vs-nz-match-abandoned-rain-ruins-super-8-opener-in-colombo/3806-5-0">washout</a> against New Zealand and a subsequent defeat to England left their semi-final ambitions unfulfilled.

This sequence of mixed results highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s inconsistency throughout the tournament, prompting both administrative changes and stricter performance policies.

Aleem Dar resigns from PCB selection committee after Pakistan’s T20 World Cup exit. Players face Rs5m fines as performance-linked rewards are introduced.

Aleem Dar Quits PCB Selection Committee After T20 World Cup Exit

The tour will begin with a one-off Test in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10. It will be only the second Test between the teams, following their first encounter in 2018 when India secured victory by an innings and 262 runs. Notably, the upcoming fixture will not count towards the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/icc-world-test-championship-2025-2027-state-of-play/2199-2-0">World Test Championship</a> 2025-27 cycle.

Interestingly, this will just be the second Test ever staged in India during the month of June. The previous instance also came against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, underlining how uncommon early summer Tests are in the country.

<h2>ODI Series Across Three Venues</h2>

After the red-ball contest, attention will shift to the 50-over format. The three ODIs are scheduled for June 14 in Dharamsala, June 17 in Lucknow and June 20 in Chennai.

This will be the first bilateral ODI series between the two nations. Until now, their meetings in this format have been limited to global tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the World Cup. Their most recent clash across formats came during a <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/super-eights-points-table-updated-after-south-africa-and-england-qualify/3945-2-0">Super Eights</a> match at the T20 World Cup in 2024.

<h2>Packed International Calendar</h2>

The Afghanistan tour of India 2026 begins shortly after the IPL final, which is set to be played on May 31. India will head into the series as their first assignment following the ongoing T20 World Cup.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, will remain busy on the international circuit. After the World Cup concludes, they are due to host Sri Lanka in the UAE for three T20Is and three ODIs before travelling to India.

For India, the home series will be the start of a demanding stretch. The team is scheduled to tour England from July 1 to 19 for five T20Is and three ODIs, ensuring that the June fixtures serve as a crucial build-up phase before another major overseas challenge.

India will welcome Afghanistan for a one-off Test in New Chandigarh and three ODIs across Dharamsala, Lucknow and Chennai in June 2026.

India to Host Afghanistan for One Test and Three ODIs in June 2026

<a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/iftikhar-ahmed-blames-haris-rauf-pakistan-vs-india-t20-world-cup-2022/3834-5-0">Haris Rauf</a> is among the 10 marquee players whose names will be called first when the men&rsquo;s auction takes place on March 12 in London. The overseas marquee group also includes Aiden Markram, David Miller, Sunil Narine and Daryl Mitchell, while the domestic list features Jonny Bairstow, Adil Rashid, James Vince, Jordan Cox and Joe Root.

The ECB and the eight franchises recently issued a joint statement stressing that selection would be based on &quot;performance, availability, and the needs of each team&quot;. The clarification followed a BBC report suggesting that IPL-linked franchises might enforce a &quot;shadow ban&quot; on Pakistani cricketers for geopolitical reasons.

<h2>Pakistan Presence Trimmed to 14</h2>

Initially, 63 Pakistan players were part of the 710-man registration pool. After franchises shortlisted around 75 to 100 preferred names each, the list was reduced to 243 players. Fourteen Pakistan players remain, including Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Tariq, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir, Imad Wasim, Akif Javed and Salman Mirza alongside Rauf.

Rauf brings valuable Hundred experience into the <a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/the-hundred-auction-tension-grows-over-pakistan-stars/3832-5-0">Men&rsquo;s Hundred auction</a>, having taken 16 wickets across two seasons with Welsh Fire. He also finished as the leading wicket-taker in the recent Big Bash League while playing under Peter Moores at Melbourne Stars, boosting his credentials ahead of the bidding.

<h2>Notable Absences and Schedule Watch</h2>

<a href="https://www.tapmad.com/blog/sl-vs-pak-super-8-live-farhan-hits-4th-fifty-in-t20-world-cup-2026/3985-5-0">Sahibzada Farhan</a>, currently the leading run-scorer at the ongoing T20 World Cup with centuries against Namibia and Sri Lanka, is missing from the final list. Farhan had earlier said he was &quot;hopeful&quot; of being picked up at the auction.

Pakistan&rsquo;s Test tour of the Caribbean overlaps with the Hundred window from July 21 to August 16, though white-ball players are expected to be available subject to No-Objection Certificates.

The involvement of IPL-linked teams such as MI London, Sunrisers Leeds and Manchester Super Giants, along with Southern Brave, will remain under scrutiny during the bidding process.

Haris Rauf headlines the men’s Hundred auction with 14 Pakistan players on the trimmed longlist as franchises prepare for bids ahead of the 2025 season.

Abbas Afridi Leads Pakistan Squad to Hong Kong Sixes 2025

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