Former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja believes the hasty departure of Gary Kirsten could impact Pakistan’s ability to attract high-profile international coaching candidates in the future.Pakistan cricket descended into familiar tumult when Kirsten on Monday resigned as the head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I sides. He was six months into a two-year contract and departed on the eve of Pakistan’s white-ball tour of Australia.Kirsten, who was at the helm of India’s triumph at the 2011 World Cup, leaves his role without having coached Pakistan in a single ODI.Even by PCB standards, the public struggles have been messy and threaten to deter prospective international coaches. Prominent candidates Shane Watson and Darren Sammy had previously been sounded out earlier this year before turning down offers to coach the national team.”When you search for international coaches, with the kind of backlash that you will probably get from Gary Kirsten’s resignation…it’s not going to be an easy, straightforward job for Pakistan to hire international talent,” Ramiz told reporters in a media interaction ahead of the Australia tour.”What you need to do is to make sure that once you involve and engage somebody, you’ve got to give them clarity regarding the role.”I don’t know whether that clarity was given to Gary Kirsten or how he wanted to get Pakistan into this one-day phase, what he wanted to achieve. I’m not privy to that.”It’s not great news [Kirsten’s departure] because Pakistan needed an experienced hand. From a distance, it doesn’t look great just before a tour.”A rift had developed between Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s newly-minted Test coach, and the PCB since the board decided to strip them of selection powers after Pakistan’s first Test defeat against England.ESPNcricinfo understands that Gillespie, who will fill the shoes of Kirsten on the tour of Australia, has also been left thoroughly unimpressed by the recent changes. A new selection panel – a third in three months – was formed and, in an unusual development, included umpire Aleem Dar.”I don’t know about an umpire being a selector, so the jury is still out,” Ramiz said. “I still believe there’s a strong role for a leader in cricket. You can’t run cricket from the sidelines. The leader has to be made accountable and the only way to make him accountable is to give him some powers.”Pakistan will arrive in Australia with not only a fresh white-ball coach in Gillespie, but also with Mohammad Rizwan taking the captaincy reins following Babar Azam’s recent resignation.It looms as a tough initiation for Rizwan, who will lead a relatively inexperienced squad for a trio of ODIs and T20Is against Australia.”He’s got his chance and what he needs to do is to stamp his authority and maybe get the players that he wants,” Ramiz said of Rizwan. “Right now, there’s a little bit of hodgepodge where the selection committee is nominating the playing XI. I’m not too sure it happens anywhere else in the world.”I just hope Rizwan gets his playing XI that he feels comfortable with.”Having been widely lambasted for antagonising Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood during a television interview following the England series, Ramiz called for “quiet and calm” within Pakistan cricket.”I think it’s important for all the stakeholders to understand the value of a non controversial start to what appears to be an extremely heavyweight calendar,” he said.”I just hope things are on the mend. I think Pakistan clearly were on a desperate mode against England, and thankfully the series was won. I just hope they carry this momentum forward even though it’s a different format.”But it’s [Pakistan cricket] a difficult terrain, it’s a difficult area to govern because things happen very quickly.”

Allrounder was reported to be struggling with a finger niggle during the first Test in Chennai

Alagappan Muthu25-Sep-20242:18

Manjrekar: Mushfiqur, Shakib must be mentally tougher in marquee series

There has been uncertainty around Shakib Al Hasan’s participation in the second Test between India and Bangladesh starting on Friday, but the head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe dispelled them as he confirmed the allrounder is “eligible for selection”.Shakib was at Bangladesh’s training session in Kanpur on Wednesday although his stint didn’t last too long. His performance was noticeably below par in the first Test in Chennai, where he did not bowl until the 53rd over of India’s first innings and was uncharacteristically expensive. While it was mentioned on the broadcast that Shakib may have been struggling with a finger injury, Bangladesh’s batting coach David Hemp said he was unaware of that in Chennai and Hathurusinghe reiterated that stance in Kanpur.”I haven’t heard anything officially or any complaints (about Shakib),” he said. “There is no doubt about that at the moment. I haven’t heard from my physio or from anyone. He’s still eligible for selection.”Shakib had figures of 0 for 50 in eight overs and 0 for 79 in 13 overs in Chennai, and scored 32 and 25 in Bangladesh’s 280-run defeat. When asked whether Shakib’s performance had upset him, Hathurisinghe replied, “I’m not. I’m upset not about his performance but our overall performance, we could have done better. I’m sure that he also thinks that he can perform better. We all know what he’s capable of. I think he batted really well in the second innings. He couldn’t go on. Not because of lack of pride. It’s sheer quality of the opposition.”Trailing the two-match series 0-1, Bangladesh are in need of a better batting performance, particularly in the first innings. Conditions in Kanpur may help, with the pitch expected to be less lively than the one in Chennai.Hathurisinghe said the players had talked about their shortcomings and it was about “whether we’re able to do that in the middle. We have our KPIs, what we want, and we normally talk about if you make a start, make it big. That’s the biggest concern, because some of the guys got 30 balls (and then got out). In cricket, it’s the hardest thing to get in. But then, this team, India, has been posing different challenges, so we know that as well. So we have to be better for longer.”Bangladesh had their left-hand heavy top-order picked apart by India’s quicks in Chennai. They have the option of bring in the right-hander Mahmudul Hasan Joy but that decision will not be a knee-jerk one.”Just because of the left-handers, right-handers, is not the thing that we will take into consideration. If we are making a change, whether that batsman, whether Mahmudul Joy or whoever is coming in, what he can bring and who will miss out, and we look at it holistically like that, rather than left or right.”

Rangers, under new owners the 49ers Enterprises, look set for a busy summer transfer window after appointing Russell Martin as their new manager.

The Gers have already kickstarted their business on an incoming front, announcing midfielder Lyall Cameron as a new Rangers player after he signed a pre-contract agreement earlier in the year.

More new signings could be on the way, and X’s AI tool Grok has already predicted who Rangers could sign this summer, with a £6m star potentially in line to return to Glasgow.

£6m star returns to Ibrox: AI predicts who Rangers will sign this summer

It could be a busy few months for the 49ers.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 14, 2025

But who could be on the way out? Well, we’ve asked Grok to predict who Rangers and the 49ers could sell ahead of Martin’s first season at Ibrox.

AI predicts 5 players Rangers will sell this summer 1 Nicolas Raskin (£25m)

The biggest sale of the summer at Rangers according to AI could be midfielder Nicolas Raskin. It is stated that ‘his recent performances have boosted his profile, making him a valuable asset’ to those in Scotland.

The Belgium international has been linked with numerous clubs in Europe such as Marseille, Fiorentina, and FC Porto.

Grok says an exit is a ‘high likelihood’ and that this summer ‘is a prime window to cash in before his value risks depreciating’, citing a fee in the region of £25m.

2 Cyriel Dessers (£6m)

Next on the list is forward Cyriel Dessers, and an Ibrox departure wouldn’t shock many Rangers supporters given what has been said in the media in recent weeks.

There have been claims that Dessers, who won the Scottish Premiership Golden Boot award in 2024/25, has already agreed a £30,000-a-week contract with Greek side AEK Athens.

Grok says his exit is also a ‘high likelihood’ and that ‘his sale could fund a younger striker’. A £6m fee has been mooted for Dessers to leave.

3 Mohamed Diomande (£10m)

Next on the list who has a ‘potential’ chance of leaving according to Grok is midfielder Mohamed Diomande, who was only signed by Rangers last year.

They say Diomande ‘showed promise but had an inconsistent 2024/25’ and that ‘interest from other clubs exists, and a £10m bid could see him sold’.

The Ivory Coast international is still under contract at Ibrox until 2028 and was a regular in his first season in Scotland.

4 Robin Propper (£3m)

Defender Robin Propper has been linked with an Ibrox exit and a return to FC Twente just 12 months after leaving the Dutch side for Rangers.

There were reports that Propper had agreed a three-year deal to re-join FC Twente and claims that Martin didn’t want the 31-year-old.

However, a move is yet to go through and Grok say that the chances of Propper leaving Rangers are ‘moderate’ and that his exit for £3m ‘could free up wages and squad space’.

5 James Tavernier (£5m)

The last player on the list who could depart Rangers this summer is club captain James Tavernier, who has regularly been linked with an Ibrox exit over the last 12 months.

Games

513

Goals

130

Assists

142

Minutes played

45,296

Trophies won

5

The 33-year-old is into the last year of his Gers deal and Grok states the 49ers ‘may see his sale as part of a huge rebuild’.

Although AI says the chances of the right-back leaving are ‘low to moderate’, it is added that a £5m bid could tempt Rangers into a sale.

The Melbourne Stars allrounder caused a scare in the opening game of the BBL season

AAP27-Dec-2024

Hilton Cartwright has revealed he had fears of being left paralysed while laying prone on the Optus Stadium turf in the BBL season opener.Cartwright sent a scare through Australian cricket last week, after falling awkwardly in the field in Melbourne Stars’ season-opening loss to Perth Scorchers.He was taken from the field in a neck brace and medicab, before being quickly cleared of any serious damage in hospital and being released back to Melbourne. Incredibly, the former Test representative returned to play for the Stars just three days later against Brisbane Heat, and has not missed a game yet this season.Related

Cartwright cleared of serious injury after fielding mishap

Vince's classy century leads Sydney Sixers to record chase

Speaking for the first time since the injury, Cartwright admitted his mind had spiralled quickly while laying on the turf with what was ultimately a case of whiplash.”It was an extraordinary series of events. It looked worse because there was no information surrounding it,” Cartwright said.  “My neck pain had subsided quite a lot by the time I was on the sidelines, it was all on one side. Needless to say the doctors did a great job with how they handled it.”But my mind spun to the worst-case scenario about being paralysed, or strokes. My mind was completely spinning. But thankfully I was home that night and I haven’t had any serious repercussions from it.”After diving for a ball in the outfield, Cartwright’s neck snapped back quickly and he was left to lay on the ground for close to five minutes while receiving medical attention. Adding to the concern was that the 32-year-old became a father for the second time in October, with another toddler also at home.”As soon as all that pain subsided I started thinking around all the short-term side effects,” he said. “Am I going to be in a neck brace for a couple of months whilst we have a newborn? It would not only be tough on me, but tough on my partner. Thankfully everything got cleared and there were no issues. So far so good.”Cartwright said he had been able to class the incident as a “freak” accident, helping it not play on his mind while in the field since.His comments came as Stars slumped to a fourth straight loss to start the season, with Sydney Sixers chasing down 195 against them with 11 balls and two wickets to spare at the SCG.Stars will now likely need to win at least five of their last six to have any hope of making the finals, beginning with Saturday night against the Sydney Thunder. Otherwise, they risk missing for a fifth straight season.”If we’re being true to ourselves we want to win all six games to give ourselves a chance,” Cartwright said.

Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes has been a player who has thrived at Old Trafford over recent years, undoubtedly being the shining light in the first team squad.

The Portuguese international managed to register 37 combined goals and assists in the 2024/25 campaign, by far and away the highest tally in Ruben Amorim’s side.

Since his arrival back in January of 2020, the 30-year-old has notched 98 goals and 83 assists, averaging a contribution every 1.15 games he’s featured in – a simply staggering feat for a midfielder.

However, there’s only so much the former Sporting CP talent can do alone, desperately needing added reinforcements if the side are to rise up the Premier League table next campaign.

Work is already underway behind the scenes, as evidenced by the addition of Matheus Cunha, but further signings are expected between now and the end of the transfer window.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Over the last couple of days, midfielder Douglas Luiz has reemerged as a potential addition, with a move away from Juventus expected after starting three league games last season.

He’s not the only Juventus star on their radar, with striker Dušan Vlahović also a player in their sights, with the Serbian available at a cut-price of just £15m this summer.

However, work has also been done elsewhere, resulting in progress being made on a deal to secure Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that the Red Devils are set to make a bid for the Spanish U21 this week, after he made 36 LaLiga appearances throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

It also states that the 22-year-old could be available for as little as £20m this summer, but numerous sides such as AC Milan are also in the race for his signature.

Why United’s £20m target could be perfect for Bruno & Mbeumo

After Cunha’s subsequent transfer to join United, fellow Premier League attacker Bryan Mbeumo has been a player hugely linked with a move to Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old has been the subject of two separate offers from Amorim’s side this window, but no agreement has yet been reached for the Cameroonian’s signature.

Mbeumo has already stated his desire to join the Red Devils, but no deal can progress if a fee isn’t agreed with Keith Andrews’ side, who are demanding a package totalling £65m.

However, his tally of 20 league goals last season showcases the threat he possesses within the final third, undoubtedly handing Amorim the talent he needs within attacking areas.

Should he complete any move, a deal for Guerra would also aid the forward, whilst also being perfect for Bruno and bolstering the ranks at the Theatre of Dreams.

The Spaniard’s arrival would allow the club captain to operate in his more natural number 10 role, having more of an impact in such a position as seen by his tallies from 2024/25.

He also has the tools to provide Mbeumo with the tools to thrive, as seen by his tally of 4.8 progressive passes and 4.2 passes into the final third per 90.

Games played

36

Goals & assists

6

Progressive passes

4.8

Passes into final third

4.2

Take-ons attempted

2.7

Carries into final third

1.5

Tackles won

1.7

Guerra, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist Zach Lowy, also attempted 2.7 take-ons per 90, along with 1.5 carries into the final third – showcasing his ability to get the ball into the opposition’s defensive third.

Out of possession, the youngster had also won 1.7 tackles per 90, winning 46% of the tackles he entered, having the ball-winning capability that the heart of the side has been lacking in recent months.

The £20m fee touted for the LaLiga star would be an excellent piece of business, having the potential to build on his early success in the professional game, given his tender age.

Should he carry his skillset over to England, he would be a phenomenal signing, having the ability to allow Bruno and fellow pending addition Mbeumo to thrive in the process.

Mbeumo's dream CF: Man Utd make enquiry to sign "the next Mbappe"

Manchester United need to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 9, 2025

Ireland name their squads for the series, with Morgan Topping and Gavin Hoey making it to the red-ball unit

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jan-2025Zimbabwe are set to host Ireland for an all-format tour consisting of seven matches in February, the board announced on Friday. The tour will begin with a one-off Test match from February 6 to 10 in Bulawayo, before the white-ball leg in Harare. The teams will play three ODIs on February 14, 16 and 18 and as many T20Is on February 22, 23 and 25. Originally, this series was pencilled in for two Tests along with six white-ball games in the ICC men’s Future Tours Programme (FTP).Zimbabwe are currently in the final leg of their multi-format home series against Afghanistan, where they lost both T20I and ODI series 2-1 and 2-0 respectively and secured a draw in the high-scoring, rain-affected first Test. The tour concludes with the ongoing second Test, on January 6.Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni stressed on the significance of hosting back-to-back full tours.”We are delighted to welcome Ireland for what promises to be an exciting and competitive tour,” he said. “Hosting two full tours in quick succession is a testament to our commitment to providing our players with regular international cricket and to our efforts in growing the game in Zimbabwe.”

Ireland tour of Zimbabwe

• One-off Test: Feb 6-10, Bulawayo

• 1st ODI: Feb 14

• 2nd ODI: Feb 16

• 3rd ODI: Feb 18

• 1st T20I: Feb 22

• 2nd T20I: Feb 23

• 3rd T20I: Feb 25

(Both ODIs and T20Is in Harare)

Zimbabwe and Ireland have played only Test against each other, in July 2024 in Belfast. The hosts Ireland won the match by four wickets. Zimbabwe last hosted Ireland in late 2023 for six white-ball fixtures. They lost the T20Is 2-1 and the ODIs 2-0.

Topping earns maiden Test call-up for Ireland

Morgan Topping has earned a maiden call-up to the Test and ODI squads for this tour for Ireland. The right-hand batter represents Northern Knights and plays in the top order in domestic cricket.*Legspinner Gavin Hoey, after making his international debut against South Africa last October, has retained his place in the ODI squad and is also in line for a Test debut. Topping and Hoey are the only non-capped players in the Test squad.Fast bowlers Barry McCarthy, whose last international appearance was the Test against Zimbabwe last July, and Gareth Delany – who last played in a T20I in June last year – have returned from injuries. While McCarthy features in all the squads, Delany is included in the T20I squad.Andrew White, national men’s selector, said: “After a break since the series against South Africa in Abu Dhabi, it will be great to see us get back into action in a few weeks’ time. Since 2007, there has been some wonderful contests against Zimbabwe and this should be no different – and it’s exciting to have all three formats on this tour.”Morgan Topping gains his first international call up at senior level having recovered from injury which prevented him making his debut against South Africa last year. He has demonstrated key attributes needed to perform at international level over recent Wolves and Academy fixtures and we wish him well.”It’s going to be exciting to see our two young spinners and the likes of Ross Adair again in action alongside the experienced players and we do, of course, have the return of Josh Little who had a big impact the last time we were in Zimbabwe.”We also have Gareth Delany and Barry McCarthy returning from injury, while Craig Young misses out in the T20 format on this occasion.”It promises to be a very busy cycle ahead – from 2026 to 2028 we will see three white-ball World Cups, however, we have 2025 free from ICC events to build towards this key period.”Ireland Test squad: Andrew Balbirnie (capt), Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Andrew McBrine , Barry McCarthy, Peter Moor, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Morgan Topping, Lorcan Tucker, Craig Young.Ireland ODI squad: Paul Stirling (capt), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gavin Hoey, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Andrew McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Harry Tector, Morgan Topping, Lorcan Tucker, Craig YoungIreland T20I squad: Paul Stirling (capt), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White*

حسم 16 ناديًا تأهلهما بشكل رسمي إلي دور المجموعات من منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للموسم الحالي 2025-2026.

تأهل النادي الأهلي، ممثل الكرة المصرية، إلي دور المجموعات بعد فوز على إيجل نوار البوروندي، بنتيجة 2-0 في مجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب.

كما صعد الهلال السوداني إلى دور المجموعات بعد الفوز ذهابًا على البوليس الكيني 1-0، في حين انتصر أيضًا في مباراة الإياب بنتيجة 3-1، ليصعد بمجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب بنتيجة 4-1.

طالع | الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور المجموعات من الكونفدرالية

وتأهل فريق سانت إيلوي لوبوبو من الكونغو الديمقراطية، إلي دور المجموعات من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة الأولي في تاريخه، على حساب فريق أورلاندو بايرتس الجنوب إفريقي، في مفاجأة كبري، من البطولة القارية للموسم الحالي، ذلك بركلات الترجيح 5-4، بعد التعادل في مجموع المباراتين 3-3.

وتمكن بيراميدز من التأهل على حساب التأمين الإثيوبي، واكتمل العقد بعد فوز نهضة بركان على حساب الأهلي الليبي.

ومن المنتظر أن يجري الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، قرعة دور المجموعات، يوم الإثنين الموافق 3 نوفمبر 2025 في مدينة جوهانسبورج في جنوب إفريقيا. الفرق المتأهلة إلى مجموعات دوري أبطال إفريقيا

– باور ديناموز الزامبي

– الهلال السوداني.

–  سانت إيلوي لوبوبو من الكونغو الديمقراطية.

– يانج أفريكانز التنزاني.

– ريفرز يونايتد النيجيري.

– بترو أتليتكو الأنجولي.

– الأهلي المصري.

– شبيبة القبائل الجزائري.

– الجيش الملكي المغربي.

– سيمبا التنزاني.

– صن داونز الجنوب أفريقي.

– الترجي التونسي

-الملعب المالي.

– مولودية الجزائر

– بيراميدز 

– نهضة بركان.

Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to be drawn into another Ballon d'Or debate, branding the prestigious accolade "fictitious".

CR7 has five Golden Balls to his nameEternal rival Messi has moved on to eightClass of 2025 dreaming to notable winFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese superstar has lifted the iconic Golden Ball aloft on five occasions over the course of his record-shattering career. The last of those successes came in 2017 while on the books of Real Madrid.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Said triumph drew Ronaldo level with eternal rival Lionel Messi, but the Argentine legend has gone on to savour three more triumphs and now dominates the long-running GOAT debate in the eyes of many.

DID YOU KNOW?

The class of 2025 are daring to dream of adding their own name to the list of Ballon d’Or winners, with three of Ronaldo’s international colleagues – Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes of Paris Saint-Germain – among the contenders.

GettyWHAT RONALDO SAID

Ronaldo is reluctant to discuss their claims to the title of best player on the planet, with the evergreen Al-Nassr striker telling reporters from "that’s fictitious to me" when asked about the Ballon d’Or.

The Pakistan side has toured the world more than any other since the pandemic began, hoping for reciprocity – which has not materialised

Osman Samiuddin22-Sep-2021Here is a list. It is of cricketers who have played the most international games away from home in the time of the pandemic.Eight of the top ten are Pakistan players. Pakistan might not be the biggest draw in cricket, though they are enough of one in England to have been invited for bilateral contests in five of the last six years, and enough of one for games with India to regularly feature in ICC press releases about being the most-watched ever.Two of the top three in that list – and arguably all three of Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan – would walk into any national side’s squad. Into any T20 league too, including, if it was allowed, the IPL. Babar and Afridi, especially, are bona fide superstars. They are players you’d pay to watch.Related

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In the 18 months or so since Covid hit in a big way, these three have toured England twice, played a full tour in New Zealand, played a white-ball series in South Africa, Tests and T20Is in Zimbabwe, and then Tests and T20Is in the West Indies. If the world had corners, they would have been to all of them.At a time when, for much of the world, air travel has represented a serious health threat, they have flown on commercial planes, on chartered planes, through large, busy airports. They have then lived through some of the strictest periods of isolation; for ten days in England last year; for 14 days in New Zealand, when the only time they could open their hotel-room doors was to pick up a tray of food; for ten days in England again this summer.The intensity of those periods of isolation has since eased. In each of South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies, for instance, they had to undergo three days of isolation before they could get out. But it adds up quickly, and New Zealand apart – where there were no restrictions once isolation was over – they have had to live in biosecure bubbles of varying stringency over six tours. On some of these tours they have not even been allowed out of their hotels.They have gone through it in silence. Part of it is because Pakistani players don’t talk about mental health, and so, though we know it must have had an impact, we have no idea of the extent of it. Shan Masood did talk a little but he’s an exception. Pakistan’s players have also gone through it all out of compulsion because there is no players’ body to articulate and represent their views, and more importantly, to protect their right to air those views. The PCB agrees to a tour, the players have little choice but to agree, because, to its enduring shame, Pakistan cricket remains an insecure place of employment for a player. Speaking out about bubble fatigue, or voicing concerns about well-being and acting on those concerns means risking a place in the side.ESPNcricinfo LtdQuite a few of them have contracted Covid in this time, yet they have continued, selling their labour here, there and everywhere. They are never paid especially well for it, yet off the back of that very labour other boards have also profited.These players helped save a summer last year in England. They not only did not ditch South Africa when their original tour, in September-October 2020, was postponed because of the pandemic, they made sure to return to fulfil that obligation in six months. And they tacked on an extra T20I, recognising that CSA had been hit by England’s abrupt departure earlier that season.They played Zimbabwe, one of the three most neglected Full Members, in not one but two series. They would have played the other two – Ireland and Afghanistan – as well, had it not been impossible for the ECB to find space in their calendar to allow use of their grounds, or had the Taliban not taken over Afghanistan.In this time, Pakistan have been the most frequent contributors to ensuring that cricket continues around the world. They didn’t do it solely out of the goodness of their hearts, or out of a sense of wider responsibility to the game. They expected reciprocity. They expected that their sacrifices would pave the way for the final step of the return to international cricket to Pakistan: the visit of teams such as England, New Zealand and Australia.Instead, what they have got from the ECB and its players is not just a withdrawal from a tour and an apology, but the middle finger. The fans and the PCB, of course, but most of all, a finger to those at the very front end of this: Babar, Afridi and the players, because it is their mental and physical health that has been at most risk in all those days of travel and competition.For all the days spent in isolation, away from their families, from their homes, for all the admonishment in New Zealand, for all the accommodation made in England this year in the wake of the Covid outbreak within the England camp, a middle finger, right back at them.What they have got is a reminder that the Big Three’s real mistake in 2014 was to put out a position paper and attempt to formalise the new order. All they needed to do was simply start playing as if the new order existed.Pakistan have toured England twice since the pandemic hit, last playing to packed stadiums in July this year•Getty ImagesFor example, let’s be generous and give Cricket Australia’s cancellation of their Test against Afghanistan its moment. But the pandemic has hit their scheduling with a – help me out here – pattern? They have toured England, and not hosted the T20 World Cup but hosted India. They pulled out of a tour to South Africa because they were worried about the health of their players during what was the second wave of the pandemic there, but the day after that decision, were happy to issue NOCs for players to go to the IPL in India (where a second wave was beginning) based on the biosecurity protocols of the previous IPL, held in a different country, during a different phase of the pandemic.England have pulled out of tours to Bangladesh and Pakistan but have squeezed in eight Tests against India this year and are smarting from not playing one more; and are willing to field an under-strength side and risk a player boycott to get to a country that has shut its borders harder than any other save New Zealand for three more Tests this year.Officially, the Big Three was disbanded back in February 2017. Since then, nearly half of all Australia’s international matches have been against England and India; a third of England’s have been against the other two; and 35% of India’s have been against the other two.What Pakistan have got is the irony of a Big Three board cancelling a bilateral series, while still being a Big Three board that wants more bilateral cricket in the next calendar at the expense of an extra ICC event (with the support of the ICC chair, by the way). An extra ICC event that offers a majority of Full Members a more reliable guarantee of revenue than the currently empty promises of bilateral cricket the Big Three make to those teams, because what the Big Three really mean by more bilateral cricket is bilateral cricket among themselves.What Babar, Afridi and Pakistan cricket have got, above all else, is a reminder of how broken international cricket already was before the pandemic broke it further. This is the epiphany that struck Ramiz Raja, the PCB chairman, on Tuesday, when he responded to a question about what the PCB could do next: “Withdrawal doesn’t have an answer, frankly speaking.”Pakistan has no real recourse to recouping the losses incurred by these two withdrawals other than to bear it. They cannot go to the ICC because, hello, there is no such thing really as the ICC, not beyond, as senior Australian journalist Gideon Haigh has often put it, an event-management company. Instead the real governors of the game are the very same ones whose middle finger Pakistan, along with the rest of cricket, are staring at.

That Sana Mir hasn’t been at her best of late is clear, but is there more to her omission than that?

Umar Farooq21-Jan-2020You’d expect Sana Mir to be an automatic choice in most Pakistan women’s squads. But when the 15-member squad for the women’s T20 World Cup was announced on Monday, there was no place in it for the former captain, and chief selector Urooj Mumtaz justified the decision by pointing to the 34-year-old’s loss of form.The numbers: Mir has averaged 27.81 with 22 wickets in 27 T20Is over the last two years. As a straight comparison, fellow spinner Anam Amin has had a much more productive time in this period, averaging 18.04 in 20 T20Is. In the recent domestic T20 Women’s Championship, Anam was the leading wicket-taker with seven strikes at 13.71, while Mir managed four wickets at 30.25. Anam also picked up five wickets at 9.40 against Bangladesh late last year.”Unfortunately, Sana’s present form in T20 cricket hasn’t been great and we have taken into consideration two internationals series and domestic tournaments,” Mumtaz said. “There can be no doubt about her achievements, and the fact that she has been an inspiration in the sport. Her experience is unmatched but now we have an expanding pool of players and we have to pick players who are performing consistently.”We’ve never had such a rich pool, so we have to look towards younger players. The average age of this side is 24, and that’s very exciting. The team has been selected keeping in mind current form and performances along with the conditions in Australia. Women cricketers have limited opportunities as compared to men to exhibit their form and Sana in the last series against Bangladesh hasn’t done a great deal, and later missed the England series. All we had was the domestic tournament in which she almost had an economy of ten in the first two games.”Last year, Mir skipped a chunk of the home series against Bangladesh, instead going to America on a personal visit. She returned to play the second T20I, and conceded 35 runs in four overs, before being left out of the last game. She played two ODIs against Bangladesh in Lahore and then took a surprise break from the all-important series against England in Malaysia, saying that she wanted to “reset her future objectives and targets”.Shortly before the squad was announced on Monday, Mir posted a cryptic tweet: “Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.” Make of that what you will.It’s true that while Mir’s exclusion might have been a surprise to casual followers of the game, relations between her and the Pakistan management haven’t been especially cordial of late.She was removed from the captaincy in 2017 and the then women’s general manger Shamsa Hashmi had said that she had been trying to control Mir’s “manoeuvring and hegemony by counselling”. Her captaincy was severely criticised by Shamsa, who accused her of taking “shocking on-field decisions”.Then, later, Pakistan’s winless 2017 World Cup campaign ended with head coach Sabih Azhar accusing Mir of adopting a “negative approach” and being “completely self-obsessed”.After this latest development, one wonders whether Mir, now 34, will be able to add to her 106 T20I and 120 ODI appearances.