PCB fines Pakistan team for poor T20 World Cup performance
All of the squad members of Pakistan cricket team from the T20 World Cup have been fined PKR 5 million (US$ 18,000 approx.) each by the PCB following their poor campaign. Reportedly, they have been fined not for disciplinary reasons, but for the poor performance.
As per ESPNcricinfo, the fines were imposed following Pakistan’s match against India and could have been waived off if Pakistan reached the semifinal stage of the tournament. However, Pakistan were eliminated from the T20 World Cup following the Super Eight stage. They missed out on the semi-final of an ICC men’s event for the fourth successive time.
Afghanistan to tour India in June
Afghanistan will tour India for a one-off Test followed by three ODIs in June. This will be the second Test between two sides, after India won the first one, played in 2018. The series will begin just six days after the conclusion of the IPL as the Test will be played from June 6 in New Chandigarh with the three ODIs hosted by Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai on June 14, 17, 20 respectively.
The Test will not be a part of the ongoing World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. On the other hand, the series will be the first bilateral ODI series between India and Afghanistan. Across formats, the teams had last met at a Super Eights game at the T20 World Cup in 2024.
McGrath worries about future of Australia’s quicks
Australia legend Glenn McGrath believes that it would not be easy to find the next generation of quicks for Australia. In the absence of Mitchell Starc, and the injured Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, Australia were eliminated from group stage in the T20 World Cup 2026.
McGrath said, “We’ve seen Ellis and Beardman. They’ve had a little bit of experience in the white-ball format. But to replace Cummins, Starc, who carried the Australian attack against England and Hazlewood…those three have been around for a while. Scotty Boland has done a great job, but I think Australia’s biggest challenge moving forward is how the next generation are going to take over from this one. We saw in the T20 format of the World Cup, it didn’t go too well. But we’ll see what the future holds.”
ECB cancels women’s team camp in Abu Dhabi
The ECB has cancelled England Lions’ ongoing tour of the UAE following US-Israeli air strikes on Iran. The Lions were playing white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens. Now the board is try to get players and staff back to the UK at the soonest. Reportedly, the England women’s team is also not going for the scheduled training camp in Abu Dhabi as part of their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
An ECB statement said: “The remainder of the England Men’s Lions’ tour has been cancelled, and we are working to get everyone home as soon as possible.” It added, “We have ruled out the possibility of England Women’s T20 World Cup camp taking place in Abu Dhabi given the instability across the Gulf.”
