Pakistan cricket has been marred by controversy after the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup exit. The poor performance in the Super Four stage of the tournament has led to a dramatic turn of events, with Alam Dar, a member of the national cricket selection committee, announcing his resignation.
According to close sources, Alam Dar’s decision to step down is a direct result of the extraordinary involvement of coach Michael Haysman in selection matters and the silence of influential selection committee member Aaqib Javed. Alam Dar has expressed his concerns that selectors announce the best 20 players for Pakistan, only for the captain and coach to make incorrect selections, resulting in a flawed playing eleven. The selectors, he feels, are only there for criticism.
In the aftermath of Pakistan’s poor performance in the ICC T20 World Cup, Alam Dar had expressed reservations about the squad selection, particularly the inclusion of Babar Azam and Shadab Khan without any performance. However, captain Salman Ali Agha, whose inclusion in the squad was a subject of debate, and Aaqib Javed failed to raise any objections, while coach Michael Haysman took the lead in selection matters.
Alam Dar had suggested that Mohammad Rizwan be included in the playing eleven at number six, replacing Usman Khan. He felt that if Shadab and Babar could be included without any performance, then Rizwan should be given another chance. With the current situation, Alam Dar has made a principled decision to step down, believing that he has been blessed with great respect for cricket and does not want to be a puppet.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has secured their third consecutive World Cup Qualifier victory, defeating Austria in the process. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the schedule and squads for the National T20 Cup. The tournament will feature New Zealand and South Africa, who have already qualified for the semifinals.
In other news, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has announced that its 11th edition will commence on March 26 in Lahore. The PCB has also announced that the Pakistan team will tour Bangladesh in April.
In a separate incident, the Indian cricket team has delayed their practice due to a lunar eclipse, with some team members linking it to evil omens. The Pakistan team is set to tour Bangladesh in May for a two-Test series, which will be part of the World Test Championship 2027.
The first semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup will be played between South Africa and New Zealand in Kolkata today. The match will be broadcast live on Geo Super and the digital app Mico.
In other news, the name of the team “Sialkot Stallions” has been changed to “Multan Sultans” for the PSL. Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer announced the change, stating that Shadab Khan is the backbone of the Pakistan team.
The private jet of 41-year-old Ronaldo took off from Riyadh at 8 pm and landed in Madrid at 1 am. According to sources, the Indian team’s weaknesses are evident.
In a separate incident, a Turkish town has reported that a missile that was shot down has crashed into the Mediterranean Sea. The incident has not resulted in any casualties, according to the Turkish Ministry of Defense.
Three US officials have spoken to the British news agency, stating that the US military had targeted an Iranian warship near Sri Lanka. The Iranian news agency has reported that the country’s intelligence agency has expressed willingness to negotiate with the CIA for a ceasefire.
A recent report by The New York Times has stated that Iranian intelligence officials have expressed willingness to negotiate with the CIA for a ceasefire. The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense and the Navy have reported that the Iranian ship, Aries, was targeted in the attack.
US President Donald Trump has stated that he is not concerned about Iran participating in the 2026 World Cup. However, the Iranian news agency has reported that the date of the memorial service for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei will be announced later, due to administrative issues.
