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Noman Ali eight-for seals Pakistan’s first home win since 2021

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Noman Ali leads the celebrations as Joe Root falls [Cricinfo]

It had been a long time coming for Pakistan, but the conclusion was swift Noman Ali and Sajid Khan combined for the second time in the match to bowl out England and seal Pakistan’s first win in a home Test since 2021. Eight wickets fell in less than two hours as England went down in a flurry of sweeps and reverse-sweeps.

Noman claimed seven of them himself to finish with 8 for 46 and 11 for 147 in the match, both career-bests. With Sajid, who took 7 for 111 in the first innings, picking up the other two, they became the first pair to take all 20 wickets in a Test since Dennis Lillee and Bob Massie in 1972.

A crushing result, achieved within three-and-a-bit days on a re-used surface that Pakistan had hoped would help their spinners, means the series is level at 1-1 ahead of the third Test in Rawalpindi. It also provided Shan Masood with his first victory since taking over as captain, after a horror run of six consecutive defeats.

Their success was all the more remarkable given the changes made in response to last week’s crushing innings loss, with Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah dropped and Pakistan selecting a three-man spin attack that had never played together before. In the end, Zahid Mahmood was only required to bowl six overs as Sajid and Noman, playing his first Test since July 2023, dismantled England in tandem.

This was day four of the second Test, but the ninth day of action for the Multan pitch – with three days in between for a quick spritz up – and it was by now offering consistent turn. England’s not-out batters, Ollie Pope and Joe Root, had been practising their sweeps before the start of play and it quickly became clear what the plan of attack was in their attempts to score a further 261 for victory. “Basically getting your broom out,” as Ben Stokes put it afterwards.

Pope, however, didn’t play a shot in anger before becoming the first wicket to fall, poking Sajid’s second ball straight back into the bowler’s hands. Harry Brook attempted to sweep his first ball, Root did likewise and the battle lines were drawn.

Not that such clarity of purpose did England much good. Root and Brook had amassed a record fourth-wicket stand of 454 in the first Test on this pitch but the turnaround in control and composure was stark. Root faced eight balls, attempting to sweep seven of them before being hit on the hip as he stretched out on off stump and played over the ball to be given lbw – a decision confirmed as umpire’s call on review.

Brook got one reverse away to the boundary but his frenetic approach was not built to last and he went back to his 21st delivery, the ball staying a touch low as Noman delivered from round the wicket, to be pinned in front of leg stump swinging across the line. England were 78 for 5, the top order back in the dressing room and the game as good as done.

It was soon 88 for 6, as Jamie Smith top-edged a slog sweep to mid-on three balls after dispatching Noman for four with the same shot. Stokes barely played a straight-bat shot and had the most success, reaching 37 at quicker than a run a ball before he was lured down the pitch by Noman. His swing across the line saw the bat end up somewhere near midwicket as Mohammad Rizwan completed the stumping – a fitting metaphor for England losing their grip.

That was pretty much that, beyond a brief sally from Brydon Carse, who survived being given out lbw to Sajid via the DRS, and subsequently smashed the offspinner for three towering sixes before the guile of Noman induced another swipe and a thin edge to slip. In his next over, Noman plucked out Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir with consecutive deliveries and Pakistan’s makeshift Multan masterplan had delivered.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 366 (Kamran Ghulam 118, Saim Ayub 77; Jack Leach 4-114, Brydon Carse 3-50) and 221 (Salman Agha 63;  Shoaib Bashir 4-66, Jack Leach 3-67) beat England 291 (Ben Duckett 114;  Sajid Khan  7-111, Noman Ali 3-101) and144 (Ben Stokes 37, Noman Ali 8-46, Sajid Khan 2-93) by 152 runs

[Cricinfo]



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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district.

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
at 3.30 p.m. on 20 April 2026, valid for 21 April 2026

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and Southern provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.

Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.

Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.

Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.

Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

 

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Dasun Shanaka handed one-year PSL ban

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Shanaka withdrew from PSL on March 21 this year and was signed a day later by the Rajasthan Royals [Cricbuzz]
Dasun Shanaka has received a one-year ban from participating in the Pakistan Super League [PSL] following a review of his contract breach with the league and the Lahore Qalandars franchise, which had signed the Sri Lanka all-rounder for PKR 75 lakh to feature in the ongoing PSL 2026 season.

Shanaka, 34, withdrew from the tournament on March 21 this year and was signed a day later by the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League as a replacement player for Sam Curran.

“The review concluded that the player’s unilateral withdrawal from the tournament constituted a clear breach of both the Player Registration terms and the Tripartite Agreement. The findings indicated that the withdrawal was made on grounds not recognized within the existing contractual framework,” a PCB review stated. “While the Board has taken note of the player’s expressions of regret and his stated passion for playing in Pakistan during the formal hearing, the severity of the contractual violations necessitates regulatory action to maintain the integrity and exclusivity of the League.”

Shanaka, who captained Sri Lanka in the recent T20 World Cup, expressed regret for his actions in the same media release. “I deeply regret my decision to withdraw from the HBL PSL and offer my sincere apologies to the people of Pakistan, the fans of HBL PSL, and the wider cricket community,” the release quoted him as saying.

“The HBL PSL is a prestigious tournament, and I fully understand the disappointment caused by my actions. To the loyal fans of Lahore Qalandars, I am truly sorry for letting you down. I must clarify that at the time I withdrew from the HBL PSL I had no intention of joining any other tournament. I have the greatest respect for Pakistani Fans and have always enjoyed my time in Pakistan. I hope to return to the HBL PSL in the future with renewed dedication and the trust of the fans.”

With the PSL operating in the same window as the IPL over the last couple of seasons, there has been a spike in the number of players defecting to the cash-rich Indian league when an opportunity has presented itself. Last year, Corbin Bosch spurned a Peshawar Zalmi gig to join the Mumbai Indians. This year, Blessing Muzarabani and Spencer Johnson also jumped ship from the PSL to the IPL, with the former receiving a two year ban from featuring in the PSL.

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Nahid, Tanzid help Bangladesh level New Zealand series

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Nahid Rana ran through the New Zealand top order [BCB]

Nahid Rana’s five-wicket haul followed by Tanzid Hasan’s  fiery half-century got Bangladesh a six-wicket win against New Zealand. The home side leveled the ODI series, setting up the decider in Chattogram on Thursday.

It was a much-needed contribution from the Bangladesh batters, who were criticised for losing the first game by 26 runs. This time, the bowlers blew a hole through New Zealand’s top and middle orders, with Rana taking 5 for 32, his second five-for in ODIs, before the batters got them home in 35.3 overs.

Bangladesh’s chase, however, began with uncertainty once again. Nathan Smith burst through Saif Hassan with an excellent inswinger in the first over. Soumya Sarkar, drafted into the playing XI to replace Afif Hossain, fell after making eight runs. He struck Will O’Rourke for a six but New Zealand captain Tom Latham kept the three slips as he urged O’Rourke to keep bowling bouncers.

Soumya fell into the trap, when his attempted glide with a vertical bat, only reached Dean Foxcroft at third slip. Tanzid retaliated almost immediately, hitting Smith for two sixes in the fifth over. The first was over long-on, the next over midwicket with a lovely flick.

Tanzid reached his fifty with his third six, slog sweeping Foxcroft over midwicket in the 15th over. He took just 33 balls to reach his sixth half-century in ODIs.

Najimul Hossain Shanto,  who made a golden duck in the first game, was more of his dominant self, complementing Tanzid’s efforts in their third-wicket partnership. Shanto struck Foxcroft’s half-tracker for six in the 17th over, before launching Jayden Lennox over long-off for a similar result.

Tanzid was racing towards a big score, hammering Lennox for his fourth six in the 23rd over. But the left-arm spinner had the last laugh the very next ball as Tanzid top-edged a hoick across the line for Henry Nicholls to take a steepling catch tracking back at cover. It ended a 120-run third wicket stand.

Litton Das, playing his 100th ODI, couldn’t add much to the total, when Lennox had him caught off a slog in his next over. Shanto hobbled off the field after completing his fifty due to cramps.

Towhid Hridoy and Mehidy Hasan Miraz added 32 to complete the chase. Hridoy made an unbeaten 30 off 31 balls with five fours, while Mehidy struck the winning run in the 36th over.

Rana had earlier dominated the New Zealand batting line-up whenever captain Mehidy handed him the ball. He took the first two wickets: Henry Nicholls, New Zealand’s top scorer from the first game, trapped lbw, before a 146kph bouncer got Will Young. Rana got the ball to rear into the No 3 batter, who could only guide it to gully where Soumya took an easy catch.

Nick Kelly found Muhammad Abbas as a willing ally, as the pair rebuild the New Zealand innings in the middle overs. Abbas broke the boundary drought of 33 balls, when he edged Soumya to deep third in the 20th over. Kelly struck another bookended the over with another four before driving Mehidy Hasan Miraz through cover in the following over.

Kelly then laid into Taskin Ahmed, driving him down the ground and clipping him over midwicket among his three fours in the 25th over. Kelly soon reached his fifty in the 27th over, before Rana, brought back into the attack, removed Abbas. Wicketkeeper Litton ran quite a distance towards fine-leg, where he dived to complete a brilliant catch. Litton had earlier taken a fine tumbling catch to remove Tom Latham, the New Zealand captain, off Soumya’s bowling

Kelly started to apply himself as a more aggressive batter. He moved a lot around the crease, even getting hit on his visor when he tried to hook Shoriful Islam’s length ball in the 35th over. He fell to the same bowler in his next over, caught at midwicket for 83.

Bangladesh’s fielders contributed to their good showing. Towhid Hridoy took three catches including a superb effort at long-on to end the New Zealand innings.

Rana added two more to his kitty in the death overs, removing Dean Foxcroft for 15, before yorking Jayden Lennox for a duck. Rana’s five wickets apart, Shoriful Islam took two wickets while Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed and Soumya took a wicket each.

Brief scores:
Bangladesh 199 for 4 in 35.3 overs (Tanzid Hasan 76, Najmul Hossain Shanto 50 retd, Towhid Hridoy 30*; Jayden Lennox 2-36) beat New Zealand 198 in 48.4 overs (Nick Kelly 83;  Nahid Rana 5-32,  Shoriful Islam 2-32) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]

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