Cricket

Zimbabwe has announced its ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming series against Pakistan, featuring a blend of experienced and uncapped players.ODI Squad:The ODI squad includes three uncapped players: Trevor Gwandu, Tashinga Musekiwa, and Tinotenda Maposa. Gwandu and Musekiwa have represented Zimbabwe in T20Is, while Maposa, a 21-year-old fast bowler, is yet to make his international debut.Seasoned players like Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, and Sean Williams provide stability to the squad. Youngsters Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers, and the uncapped trio bring energy and potential.T20I Squad:Zimbabwe has retained the same T20I squad that won the men's T20 World Cup 2026 sub-regional qualifier in Kenya. The team broke the record for the highest T20I total during that tournament.Sikandar Raza will captain the T20I side, which includes Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, and Richard Ngarava.Series Schedule:The white-ball series against Pakistan will commence with the first ODI on November 24 and conclude on December 5. Bulawayo will host all six matches, including three ODIs and three T20Is.

England Test Captain Ben Stokes' Home Burgled During Pakistan TourEngland Test captain Ben Stokes' home in County Durham, northeast England, was burgled on the evening of October 17 while he was on tour in Pakistan. The incident occurred while Stokes' wife and two young children were present in the house.According to Stokes, the burglars were "masked" and stole several valuables, including a medal he received after being recognized in the 2020 New Year Honours list for his role in England's World Cup victory the previous year. Other stolen items included a Christian Dior handbag, a gold ring with England cricket insignia, and bracelets.Durham Police have arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of burglary. He has since been bailed.Stokes expressed his concern about the emotional and mental impact the incident has had on his family. "By far the worst thing about this crime is that it was carried out whilst my wife and two young children were in the house," he wrote on his personal Instagram account. "Thankfully, none of my family came to any physical harm. Understandably, however, the experience has had an impact on their emotional and mental state.""All we can think about is how much worse this situation could have been," Stokes added.The burglary occurred while Stokes was in Pakistan for a Test series, which England lost 2-1.

England's coach, Brendon McCullum, has expressed concern over Ben Stokes' struggles in Pakistan, but remains confident in his captain's ability to bounce back in New Zealand. Stokes, who returned from a hamstring injury, failed to make a significant impact in the 2-1 series defeat.McCullum attributed Stokes' performance to the lingering effects of his injury, which he believes may have affected his decision-making as both a batter and captain. He emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences and ensuring that Stokes remains clear-headed in future situations.Despite the series loss, McCullum praised Stokes' resilience and determination. He acknowledged that Stokes is disappointed but believes he will return stronger. The coach emphasized the need for the team to support Stokes and ensure that their messaging remains consistent.McCullum also acknowledged England's struggles in Asia, having lost six of their eight Tests this year. He stated that the team needs to improve their approach in spin-friendly conditions. He emphasized the importance of creating a confident and clear environment where the messaging is simple.The coach expressed optimism about the upcoming series in New Zealand, seeing it as an opportunity for England to learn from their mistakes and bounce back. He highlighted the need for a quick turnaround and the importance of applying the lessons learned in Pakistan.

Jack Leach's omission from England's Test squad during the home summer proved to be a catalyst for his rediscovery of his love for cricket. A timely phone call from Ben Stokes after a Test win reinforced his belief in his abilities.Leach, now England's leading wicket-taker in Pakistan with 14, had played only two Tests in the 18 months prior to the tour. Despite regaining fitness after knee surgery, he was overlooked for Shoaib Bashir in England's first Test of the summer.However, Stokes' call reassured Leach that his performances had not gone unnoticed. "He just wanted to tell me how great I was," Leach recalled. "That gave me confidence I still had something to offer the team."Leach admitted to initial fears about his England career, but praised the communication from management. He also received a call from Brendon McCullum, further bolstering his confidence.After a slow start to the season, Leach rediscovered his form with Somerset, taking 36 wickets at 15.86 in five matches. He attributed his success to embracing his strengths and enjoying the game."I just felt like I needed to rediscover that kid-like mentality of why you play the game," Leach said. "I've discovered that again: just being myself, and actually really enjoying that."In Pakistan, Leach has outbowled Bashir, but insists that reclaiming his status as first-choice spinner is not his priority. "For me, it's all about the team," he said.The series decider in Rawalpindi presents another opportunity for Leach to shine on a turning pitch. Two years ago, he played a pivotal role in England's famous victory at the same venue."That's probably my favorite wicket," Leach said. "It was just such a good game to be part of." England will hope for a similar performance from Leach as they aim to secure a 2-1 series win.

Olly Stone, the English fast bowler, will depart from England's tour of Pakistan on Wednesday to attend his wedding this weekend. His return date remains uncertain, making his availability for the second Test doubtful.Stone's departure was initially planned for after the first Test, but he has been granted an early release due to his wedding on Saturday. The 29-year-old has been a key member of England's Test squad since his return to the side in the summer, taking seven wickets in two Tests against Sri Lanka.However, Brydon Carse was preferred as England's high-pace option for the first Test in Multan, which began on Monday. This has allowed Stone to return home earlier than expected.The date of Stone's return is unclear and will depend on the fitness of England's other fast bowlers after the first Test. With a tight turnaround between his wedding and the second Test on Tuesday, it is unlikely that he will be available for selection.Carse, Gus Atkinson, and Chris Woakes are the three seamers selected for the first Test, with Matthew Potts as the reserve fast bowler.England's management has expressed their support for Stone's decision to leave Pakistan, considering that he was not included in the latest batch of central contracts and that his wedding was planned before his recall.Stone had previously discussed his wedding plans with England's managing director, Rob Key, and coach, Brendon McCullum, who agreed to his request to attend his wedding."We booked the wedding on the basis of me only playing for Notts at the time," Stone told the BBC. "Jess said she was happy to move the wedding, but I was adamant on keeping it where it was if possible. For what she has given up and sacrificed for me, I thought the least I could do was to try and make it work."In the past, players have made significant sacrifices to prioritize their cricket careers. Tony Pigott postponed his wedding to play his only Test for England in 1984. More recently, contracted players have rescheduled weddings due to clashes. Joe Root, England's Test captain, revealed that he and his wife, Carrie, had rearranged their wedding three times due to tours.Root expressed his support for Stone's decision, saying, "It's a special time in anyone's life. I'm really excited for him. I'm sure he is all over the place with everything that's going on, but it'll be very special for him - and his wife - starting a different chapter in his life. We'll all be raising a cold water to him at some point, celebrating."

Chris Woakes, once known for his humble-brag about his impressive home record, now finds himself leading England's bowling attack in Pakistan. Despite his previous struggles overseas, Woakes has been recalled due to injuries and retirements.Woakes' selection is based on his strong performance in England's home summer and the belief that he has become a more complete bowler. His ability to open the bowling and bat at No. 7 provides balance to the team.England's coach, Brendon McCullum, believes Woakes can replicate James Anderson's control, which was crucial to England's success in Pakistan two years ago. Woakes' experience and leadership qualities also make him a valuable asset.Ollie Pope, who will captain in Ben Stokes' absence, expects Woakes to use his reverse swing and movement off the pitch to challenge Pakistan's batters. The conditions in Multan are expected to be different from England's previous tour, with higher temperatures and a grass-covered pitch.Woakes acknowledges that his overseas record is not flattering, but he is determined to prove his worth. If he succeeds, this tour could mark a late-career resurgence and lead to a place in next winter's Ashes squad.

Joe Root, England's batting maestro, has set his sights on surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs, but his primary focus remains on contributing to his team's success.Root, who is on the verge of becoming England's leading Test run-scorer, is just 71 runs away from eclipsing Alastair Cook's tally of 12,472. With a few more years of playing time, Root could potentially challenge Tendulkar's elusive mark of 15,921 Test runs.However, personal milestones are not Root's driving force. He is solely focused on producing performances that help England win matches. "I think you judge yourself on how many games you can affect and how many games you can help win," Root said. "That's a big driver for me."Root's mindset is to succeed in any conditions, which he believes is enough motivation to keep him going. "I enjoy it at the moment," he added.For Root, achieving a milestone and then retiring is not something he considers. He is determined to enjoy the game and use that as a driving force to continue playing Test cricket. "I see myself playing Test cricket for a lot longer," Root said. "I just want to keep enjoying the game and keep playing."England are currently in Pakistan for a three-match Test series, which begins in Multan on Monday. The visitors will be without their regular captain, Ben Stokes, in the opening Test due to a hamstring injury. Ollie Pope will serve as the stand-in skipper for the Multan Test.

Ben Stokes' participation in the first Test of England's tour to Pakistan remains uncertain, while Zak Crawley has declared himself fit to play. Stokes, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, batted and bowled briefly in the nets on Friday but his inclusion in the team is not guaranteed.If Stokes is ruled out, Ollie Pope will continue as England's captain after leading them to a 2-1 win against Sri Lanka. Chris Woakes could also be in contention to play his first overseas Test in two-and-a-half years, providing balance to the side from No. 7.Crawley, who missed the Sri Lanka series with a broken finger, believes England have the depth to cope with Stokes' potential absence. "We've got a really deep squad, with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well," he said.England are expected to name their XI two days before the first Test, and Crawley suggested a late call would be made on Stokes' inclusion. "He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury," he said. "We don't know just yet. I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff."Crawley himself has not played competitively since England's third Test against West Indies in July. He fractured his little finger while dropping a catch in the slips and his absence highlighted his importance to the side.England trained for the first time in Multan on Friday, the venue for the first two Tests of the series. Crawley said he felt "brand new" and ready to play, despite not fielding in the slips."The finger is all right," Crawley said. "It's as good as it could be at this stage. I've recovered well from it. It was a nasty break at the time, but I've recovered well and I don't feel it at all while I'm batting."Crawley set the tone for England's clean sweep on their most recent tour to Pakistan with an 86-ball hundred on the first day of the series in Rawalpindi. He believes he has become a more adaptable player since then."You've got to read the conditions," he said. "That's something I've thought about in the past couple of months, being more adaptable, playing the right shots, still being very aggressive - that's always going to be me - but just playing the right shots."

Mark Taylor's tenure as Australia's Test captain began with an unfortunate milestone during the 1994 tour of Pakistan. In the first Test of the series, held in Karachi, Taylor etched his name in the wrong kind of record books by becoming the first player to bag a pair (dismissed for zero in both innings) in his debut match as captain. This unexpected failure underlined the difficulty of leading from the front, especially on subcontinental pitches that have historically troubled foreign batsmen. Karachi, notorious for its challenging conditions, proved to be a harsh initiation for the newly appointed Australian skipper.In the first innings, Taylor was caught and bowled by the king of swing Wasim Akram and then departed for a duck after being dismissed by Waqar Younis in the second. However, this disappointing start in Pakistan didn't define Taylor's career. In fact, Pakistan would later become one of his happiest hunting grounds. Four years later, during the 1998 series, Taylor returned to the subcontinent as a more seasoned leader and batsman. In the second Test in Peshawar, Taylor played one of the most iconic innings in Australian cricket history, scoring a magnificent 334 not out.With this innings, he equaled Sir Don Bradman's then-Australian Test record for the highest individual score. Yet, in a remarkable show of sportsmanship and humility, Taylor declared the innings while still at the crease, leaving Brian Lara's then-record of 375 within reach but unchallenged.Taylor's 334 not out was a testament to his resilience and determination. It was also a defining moment in his captaincy, as it showed that he was not afraid to take risks and back his players. Taylor's leadership would eventually lead Australia to a golden era of cricket, with the team winning the World Cup in 1999 and retaining the Ashes in 2001.