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Karakoram Plus, Islamabad (2025)

11/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Pakistan men’s cricket team have slipped one place to fifth in the latest ICC Men’s One Day International (ODI) rankings, released on Monday. The Green Shirts, who now have 3,465 points, were overtaken by Sri Lanka, who climbed to fourth with 4,009 points. The West Indies also made notable progress, moving up to ninth place, which caused Bangladesh to drop to tenth. India continue to lead the ODI standings with 4,471 points, followed by New Zealand with 4,160 and Australia with 3,473. South Africa are placed sixth with 2,775 points, while Afghanistan remain seventh on 2,279. Pakistan’s recent struggles in ODI cricket are reflected in their current position. They failed to advance beyond the group stage at the ICC World Cup 2023, which included a shock first-ever ODI defeat to Afghanistan. This loss contributed to Babar Azam’s removal as captain, with Mohammad Rizwan taking over the leadership role. Under Rizwan, Pakistan enjoyed a strong start, securing away series wins against Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. However, their form dipped as they lost the home tri-nation final to New Zealand, which also featured South Africa. They then faced another setback by exiting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in the first round and losing an away series to New Zealand. Currently, the team is touring the West Indies for a three-match series, which is tied 1-1 after two games.

10/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Muneeba Ali became the first wicketkeeper-batter to score two centuries in Women’s T20Is after smashing a brilliant hundred against Ireland in the third and final match of the series, setting a new record.

10/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Pakistan women defeated Ireland by eight wickets in the third T20I, but Ireland had already secured the series 2-1 by winning the first two matches. Muneeba Ali’s brilliant century powered Pakistan to victory in the final game.

10/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been ranked as the world’s second most entertaining men’s franchise cricket tournament by BBC Sport, placing just behind the Indian Premier League (IPL) in global rankings. The BBC Sport report, released earlier this week in collaboration with cricket analytics company CricViz, analysed major T20 and short-format franchise competitions, including the IPL, PSL, SA20 in South Africa, Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the UAE’s International League T20 (ILT20), and The Hundred in England. The study measured a variety of performance and entertainment metrics, such as the average number of fours and sixes per match, batting strike rates, the proportion of games decided in the final over or ball, home advantage trends, wicket-taking patterns, and the average number of international caps among starting XIs. Findings revealed that the PSL led all leagues in average first-innings scores with 180 runs per match, narrowly edging the IPL’s 179. In terms of close finishes, 27.5% of PSL games were decided in the final over, second only to the IPL’s 28.9%. The PSL also ranked second in boundaries per game, again trailing only the IPL. When it came to player quality, measured by international experience, the PSL averaged 351 international caps across its starting XIs — the second-highest among all leagues surveyed — with the ILT20 topping the category at 423 caps due to its higher allowance for overseas players. The BBC report praised the PSL for delivering quality, excitement, and high scoring, noting that it consistently produces competitive matches and attracts top international cricketers. In the “Entertainment Index,” which combined all measured metrics, the IPL topped the chart with a score of 4.53 out of five, followed by the PSL at 3.90. The ILT20 came in third with 2.44, followed by The Hundred in fourth, the CPL in fifth, and the SA20 in sixth, while the BBL finished last. Since its launch in 2016, the PSL has rapidly grown into one of the most prominent franchise leagues in cricket, featuring six city-based teams and earning a reputation for thrilling contests, fast scoring rates, and providing a platform for emerging Pakistani talent to compete alongside and against some of the sport’s biggest stars.

10/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Australia extended their T20I match-winning streak to a record nine games and achieved their lowest successful defence against South Africa, despite a major early collapse that saw them lose six wickets inside the first eight overs. After a blistering start, they stumbled to 75 for 6 before Tim David’s brilliantly constructed 83 off 52 balls and a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 59 with Ben Dwarshuis lifted them to a match-winning total. Mitchell Marsh has now secured 22 wins from 25 matches as T20I captain. While Australia’s ultra-aggressive approach put South Africa on the back foot, the visitors had themselves to blame for letting the hosts off the hook. They dropped four catches, including David on 56, and although they bowled Australia out for the first time in 26 T20I meetings, it wasn’t enough to restrict them to a chaseable score. The brightest spark for South Africa was the performance of 19-year-old left-arm quick Kwena Maphaka, who became the youngest bowler from a Full Member nation to take a T20I four-wicket haul. South Africa’s downfall came from their lack of power hitting, managing only two sixes compared to Australia’s 13, eight of which came from David alone. They appeared to be one specialist batter short, and by the time George Linde arrived at No. 6, 59 runs were needed from 33 balls. Josh Hazlewood broke the 72-run stand between Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs and also dismissed Linde to finish with 3 for 26. Adam Zampa then struck twice in two balls, triggering a collapse of four wickets for three runs in 10 deliveries. Rickelton battled until the last over, but when South Africa required 21 runs to win, Glenn Maxwell took a stunning catch on the boundary to remove him. Dwarshuis also claimed three wickets as South Africa finished 17 runs short. Batting first for the first time in seven matches, Australia started with intent as Marsh smashed Lungi Ngidi for six off the first ball, only the second time they have opened with such a shot. Ngidi’s first over went for 14, but Kagiso Rabada responded with a tight spell, conceding just one run off his first four balls and removing Travis Head after a drop at point. Josh Inglis fell for a duck to George Linde, and Marsh was caught off Rabada before David counter-attacked. Corbin Bosch’s opening over proved costly, and despite Ngidi striking late in the powerplay, Australia reached 71 – their second-highest powerplay total against South Africa. Maphaka slowed things down after the powerplay, dismissing Mitchell Owen and conceding only four runs in his first over. Left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy also kept things tight, removing Maxwell for 1 for 24 in his four overs. At 75 for 6, Australia were in danger of falling short, but David’s six-hitting – particularly against the short ball – changed the game. After being dropped on 56, he punished South Africa with massive sixes, scoring 27 more runs before being dismissed with 10 balls left. Maxwell, batting at No. 7, made a key impact with the ball and in the field. He bowled his full four overs for 1 for 29, troubled the left-handers, and took two vital catches. Hazlewood, back in the side after missing the West Indies series, made the breakthrough in the 15th over when South Africa still had a chance. He dismissed Stubbs and Linde in the same over, and in the final moments, Maxwell’s brilliant relay catch at long-on to remove Rickelton sealed the 17-run win.

09/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus New Zealand secured their biggest win in Test cricket with an emphatic innings and 359-run triumph over Zimbabwe, sealing a 2-0 series victory in Bulawayo on Saturday. Zimbabwe, who endured their heaviest Test defeat, were dismissed for just 117 in their second innings after New Zealand had declared overnight on 601-3, powered by centuries from Devon Conway (153), Rachin Ravindra (165 not out) and Henry Nicholls (150 not out). Nick Welch offered the only real resistance for the hosts with an unbeaten 47, while captain Craig Ervine managed 17. Extras, with 16 runs, ended up as their third-highest scorer. “It’s been a great series,” said New Zealand seamer Matt Henry. “We knew we needed to capitalise on the new ball and ask questions early. The skillset we have as a group allows us to complement each other, and it’s been awesome to see the guys backing themselves.” Facing a deficit of 476 runs after the first innings, Zimbabwe were always unlikely to force their visitors to bat again, but they would have hoped to last longer than the 28.1 overs they managed. Brian Bennett fell for a duck in the first over, followed by Brendan Taylor (7), who was making his return after a three-and-a-half-year ICC suspension, with Henry (2-16) removing both openers. Sikandar Raza’s dismissal for 4 left Zimbabwe reeling at 54-5 before Foulkes wrapped up the tail. “It’s obviously been disappointing, especially the way we finished today,” Ervine admitted. “We faced a very tough, high-skilled opposition, and it shows where we stand as a team in the Test circuit.”

09/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Hassan Nawaz has struck the most sixes in T20Is in 2025 among full member teams, smashing 27 sixes in 14 matches so far this year with a strike rate of 175.

09/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus Ireland clinched a thrilling four-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second T20I at the Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin, securing an unassailable lead in the three-match series. Chasing 169, the hosts sealed the win on the very last ball when Jane Maguire struck a six off Sadia Iqbal. Orla Prendergast’s half-century, Laura Delany’s 42, and Rebecca Stokell’s unbeaten 34 off 16 balls proved crucial in Ireland’s successful chase. The final match of the series will take place at the same venue on Sunday, 10 August, with the first ball scheduled for 4pm local time. Ireland needed 22 runs from the last two overs with Delany and Stokell at the crease. Fatima Sana removed Delany on the final ball of the penultimate over after the pair had collected 13 runs from the first five deliveries. With nine required from the last over, Sadia Iqbal conceded only five runs in the first four balls and dismissed Ava Canning for four, but Stokell’s composed hitting took the game to the last delivery, which Maguire sent over the ropes to secure the win. Earlier in the chase, Pakistan had struck early when Amy Hunter was run out with 13 on the board. Rameen Shamim then took two wickets in the sixth over, reducing Ireland to 35 for 5 by the end of the Powerplay. Prendergast and Delany steadied the innings with a 76-run partnership lasting 9.2 overs. Rameen dismissed the half-centurion in the 16th over, but Delany and Stokell then added a quick-fire 49 runs off 23 balls to swing the momentum back in Ireland’s favour. Rameen finished with figures of 3 for 36, while Sadia Iqbal and Fatima Sana claimed a wicket each. Batting first, Pakistan had made a strong start with Shawaal Zulfiqar and Muneeba Ali putting on 62 runs in eight overs before both fell on consecutive deliveries. Eyman Fatima contributed 23 off 16 balls with two fours and a six, while Natalia Parvaiz struck a quick 31 off 17 balls with five boundaries. Their 43-run stand was followed by Fatima Sana’s 16-ball 23, including a six and a four, and Tuba Hassan’s unbeaten 10, helping Pakistan post their fourth-highest T20I total. Cara Murray and Lara McBride took two wickets apiece for Ireland.

09/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus An unbeaten 104-run partnership between debutant Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Talat, playing only his second game, helped a nervous Pakistan recover from a mid-innings stumble to chase down 281 in the penultimate over, securing a five-wicket win and a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. West Indies had earlier posted 280 on the back of three half-centuries, but Pakistan’s spinners kept them in check before Shaheen Shah Afridi (4 for 51) and Naseem Shah (3 for 55) wrapped up the innings at the death. Pakistan’s chase was far from smooth, with the innings lacking fluency early on. Babar Azam (47) and Mohammad Rizwan (53) both got starts but fell before they could see the game through. With 101 still needed when Rizwan was dismissed, West Indies sensed an opening, but Nawaz, after a slow and shaky start, and Talat, who scored a brisk unbeaten 41 off 37 balls, took charge. Nawaz survived a couple of dropped chances, including one by Shai Hope, and found his rhythm just in time to turn the match around. The 39th over, aided by dew making the ball harder to grip, proved pivotal as Talat struck two boundaries off Roston Chase before a wayward over from Shamar Joseph leaked 17 runs, swinging the momentum decisively in Pakistan’s favour. Even when Nawaz was dropped again on 49 by Gudakesh Motie, the pressure had eased, and Talat’s attacking strokes in the closing overs ensured victory with seven balls to spare. Earlier, West Indies, sent in to bat under uncertain conditions, recovered from the early loss of a wicket through a 77-run partnership between Evin Lewis and Keacy Carty. Shaheen and Naseem found little assistance with the new ball, prompting Rizwan to turn to spin in the eighth over. The combination of Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, and Sufiyan Muqim bowled 27 consecutive overs of spin, restricting the scoring rate and picking up regular wickets. Lewis reached his half-century with a flurry against Faheem Ashraf but perished soon after attempting to take on Ayub. Rutherford’s struggle ended when he chipped Agha to cover-point, and though Chase (53) and Hope (55) tried to rebuild, their 64-run stand came too slowly to threaten a big total. Once Shaheen and Naseem returned with reverse swing, the West Indies middle and lower order unraveled. Chase fell soon after reaching fifty, and the tail offered little resistance against pinpoint yorkers. Some fortune allowed a few stray runs, including a ball deflecting off stump-mic padding for four byes, but the last three wickets fell quickly. West Indies were bowled out with an over left, and Pakistan, despite their batting wobble, completed the chase thanks to Nawaz and Talat’s calm finish.

09/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reprimanded Pakistan captain Fatima Sana for a Level 1 breach of its Code of Conduct during the first T20I of the three-match series against Ireland in Dublin. According to the ICC, the all-rounder was found guilty of breaching Article 2.8 of the Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which deals with “showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during an international match.” As a consequence, one demerit point has been added to Fatima Sana’s disciplinary record. This marks her first offence in the past 24 months. The incident took place in the 13th over of Pakistan’s innings, when Fatima was given out caught behind but remained at the crease for a while before slowly walking back, an action interpreted as dissent towards the umpire's decision. Fatima admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Graham McCrea of the ICC Elite Panel, which meant there was no need for a formal hearing. The charge was brought forward by on-field umpires Roland Black and Gareth Morrison, along with third umpire Aidan Seaver. Level 1 breaches can result in penalties ranging from an official reprimand to a fine of up to 50 percent of the match fee, along with one or two demerit points. Meanwhile, Pakistan lost the match by 11 runs. Ireland, after being put into bat, posted a total of 142 before being bowled out in the final over. Amy Hunter led the scoring with a 30-ball 37, while Orla Prendergast added 29 runs from 26 deliveries. Fatima Sana was the standout performer with the ball for Pakistan, claiming four wickets. In response, Pakistan managed only 131 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their 20 overs. Natalia Pervaiz top-scored with 29 off 23 balls, and Rameen Shamim contributed 27 from 20 deliveries. Orla Prendergast also starred with the ball for Ireland, taking three wickets for 28 runs in her four overs.

07/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus The Sharjah authorities have taken major steps to ensure peace and order ahead of the highly anticipated Pakistan-Afghanistan clash in the upcoming tri-nation T20I series, which is scheduled to begin later this month. Given the history of tensions whenever these two sides meet on the cricket field, officials are keen to prevent any repeat of crowd unrest seen in previous encounters.
To enhance security and maintain crowd control, separate stands and entry points will be allocated for Pakistani and Afghan fans at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. This move follows previous incidents involving clashes between supporters from both nations, as cricketing rivalry between Pakistan and Afghanistan continues to intensify. With full-capacity crowds expected, the decision aims to ensure safety, comfort, and a smooth experience for all attendees. Organisers have also confirmed that ticket sales will be restricted based on nationality, with fans being assigned specific seating zones throughout the tournament. The stadium, which holds up to 16,000 spectators, is gearing up to host a significant turnout of both Pakistani and Afghan supporters. So far, Pakistan and Afghanistan have played seven T20 internationals, with Pakistan winning four and Afghanistan winning three. The upcoming series, now a tri-nation event featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE), will run from August 29 to September 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Originally planned as a bilateral series between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) proposed turning it into a tri-nation tournament. The expansion aims to provide valuable match practice for all three sides ahead of the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28. The tri-series will open with a high-profile game between Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday, August 29 at 7:00 PM local time. Each team will face the others twice, with the top two teams progressing to the final on September 7. The full schedule includes: Afghanistan vs Pakistan on August 29, UAE vs Pakistan on August 30, UAE vs Afghanistan on September 1, Pakistan vs Afghanistan on September 2, Pakistan vs UAE on September 4, Afghanistan vs UAE on September 5, and the final on September 7.

07/08/2025

Follow Karakoram Plus The media rights for Asian cricket in Pakistan have been secured by the state television network for $5.2 million (approximately PKR 1.5 billion), covering two upcoming men’s Asia Cups. The tournament is scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28, featuring 19 matches. If both Pakistan and India reach the final, fans could witness up to three Pakistan-India clashes. Last year, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) signed an eight-year media rights deal with Sony India, spanning from 2024 to 2031, for a total of $170 million (around PKR 47.26 billion). This comprehensive agreement includes broadcasting rights for four men’s and four women’s Asia Cups, as well as emerging team tournaments, totaling 119 matches. Sony India initially asked for $12 million to sell the broadcasting rights for the two men’s Asia Cups in Pakistan. However, none of the three interested Pakistani TV channels agreed to the price, citing that the current market climate does not support such a high investment with guaranteed returns. Talks of forming a consortium among the broadcasters were also held but did not materialize. A breakthrough occurred recently when Pakistan’s state broadcaster acquired the rights for the 2025 to 2027 cycle at a significantly lower price. Meanwhile, Sony India remains in negotiations with two private Pakistani channels, who might still opt to jointly acquire partial rights. The Indian broadcaster is reportedly aiming to earn an additional $5 million from the Pakistani market through this deal. The digital media rights in Pakistan have already been finalized separately. Notably, Pakistan is entitled to about 25% of the total ACC media rights revenue—approximately $42.5 million. A major portion of the revenue, roughly 65%, originates from India.

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