Lahore Qualandars have fined Shaheen Shah Afridi PKR 1 million (approx. USD 3600) following the incident that saw the Punjab police accuse him of violating security protocols at the team hotel. In a statement, Qalandars said they had imposed the fine on their captain to “maintain discipline and impose accountability”.

There will be no action taken against Qalandars player Sikandar Raza,  who was also accused by the police of violating the same protocols. At a press conference yesterday, Raza said he took responsibility for the incident and attempted to exonerate Afridi from blame.

News of the incident emerged after a letter from the Punjab police to PSL CEO Salman Naseer was made widely available on social media. It accused Qalandars, Afridi and Raza’s team, of violating security protocols, alleging that, despite being refused permission to receive visitors in Raza’s room by both the PCB’s security and anti-corruption manager as well as Naseer, Afridi and Raza took people up to the player’s room. Despite Raza saying they stayed in his room for 40 minutes, the letterclaims they spent approximately three hours there.

Qalandars accepted the broader details of the incident, but the statement said it had been “overstated in public discourse, amplified beyond its original context”, and was “unnecessarily escalated”.

“While underscoring that the matter arose from a misunderstanding rather than any deliberate attempt to violate established procedures, Lahore Qalandars reiterated its full respect for all security protocols,” the statement said.

“The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emphasised the importance of continued clarity and alignment in the communication of protocols to prevent similar situations in the future.”

[Cricinfo]

New IPL season, new-look team, but same-old batting troubles for Chennai Super Kings [CSK].

On Monday, their powerplay score of 41 for 4 against Rajasthan Royals [RR] was straight out of 2025, when they had finished rock bottom in the league, before they were eventually bowled out for 127. That total then looked next to nothing when 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooriyavanshi, who is four years younger than the IPL itself, clattered a 15-ball half-century. RR razed the target down with eight wickets and almost as many overs to spare.

The Guwahati pitch was trickier to bat on in the early exchanges – it had spent considerable time under covers both on match day and match eve – and RR made excellent use of the dampness after winning a crucial toss and opting to bowl. Both Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger bowled Test-match lengths to wreck CSK’s top order. Ravindra Jadeja then marked his return to RR after 17 years with a double-wicket first over. Sooryavanshi then ripped up CSK’s attack, and the IPL record books.

It was Burger who made the opening breakthrough when he knocked Sanju Samson over in the second over. Burger bowled a perfectly pitched delivery – neither full or short – on a good length, and got it to seam away from over the wicket. Samson, who was shaping up for an inswinger, was made to look silly by the left-arm quick.

Ruturaj Gaikwad then exposed all his stumps, only to be bowled by a 143.3kph delivery from Archer. Both the CSK openers fell for 6 each, and the revamped middle order could not stop the rot.

CSK’s title-winning sides of old used to navigate such Test-match style passages of play with their all-format experience. But the team management has now pivoted to youth who tried to hit their way out of trouble, and wound up collapsing spectacularly.

Ayush Mhatre dared to hook a head-high bouncer, and was caught behind for a golden duck. Matthew Short, who got an opportunity in place of the injured Dewald Brevis, chipped a slower ball from Sandeep Sharma to midwicket to leave CSK at 38 for 4 in the sixth over.

That soon became 57 for 6 after Jadeja’s double-strike in his first over. The first wicket of Sarfaraz Khan had Jadeja written all over it. He speared in a fast, flat dart that thudded into Sarfaraz’s pads, and trapped him lbw for 17 off 12 balls. Sarfaraz had come in as CSK’s Impact Sub in their bat-first XI that had Noor Ahmad slotted in at No. 8. Had CSK fared better with the bat, they may have had the option of strengthening their bowling with the potential inclusion of Gurjapneet Singh or allrounder Ramakrishna Ghosh.

Shivam Dube came out attacking as well, launching his first ball for six over wide long-on. But Jadeja quickly shifted his lines wide of off and had Dube slicing a catch to wide long-off. Jadeja bared his emotions and gave his former team-mate a send-off. He finished with 2 for 18 in his three overs and later said “pink looks good on me” with a big smile on his face during the innings break.

At one point, CSK were in danger of being bowled out for a sub-100 total, but Jamie Overton’s 43 off 36 balls – he was the only CSK batter to pass 20 on the day – dragged them to 127. Overton added 33 with Anshul Kamboj, the highest ever for the last wicket for CSK.

CSK could’ve dismissed Sooryavanshi for a golden duck had debutant Kartik Sharma not dropped him in the first over of the chase. Matt Henry drew a mis-hit over midwicket with a hard-length delivery, but Kartik, who usually keeps wicket for Rajasthan, missed a difficult catch and parried it away to the boundary. What happened next ball? Sooryavanshi swatted it over wide long-on for the first of his five sixes.

The pick of Sooryavanshi’s sixes was a scythed hit off a slower ball from Henry in the third over. Henry took pace off and bowled a slower cutter wide of off, but Sooryavanshi powered it over deep point, one of the two fielders in the outfield, with his incredible bat speed and bat swing. He pressed on to bring up his fifty off 15 balls. Only four other players – his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Pat Cummins and Romario Shepherd – have hit quicker fifties in the IPL.

CSK cut Sooryavanshi’s innings short on 52 off 17 balls when Sarfaraz pulled off a superb diving catch at sweeper cover off Kamboj in the seventh over. Kamboj struck again in his next over to remove Dhruv Jurel, but Jaiswal (38*) and captain Riyan Parag (14*) completed RR’s demolition of CSK.

Brief scores:
Rajasthan Royals 128 for 2 in 12.1 overs (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 52, Yashaswi Jaiswal 38*, Druv Jurel 18, Riyan Parag 14*; Anshul Kamboj 2-27) beat Chennai Super Kings 127 in 19.4 overs (Sarfaraz Khan 17, Kartik Sharma 18, Jamie Overton 43; Ravindra Jadeja 2-18, Jofra Archer 2-19, Nandre Burger 2-26, Brijesh Sharma 1-17, Sandeep Sharma 1-22, Ravi Bishnoi 1-16) by eight wickets

[Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka Cricket has drawn a hard line in the sand, vowing zero tolerance for players who fail fitness tests, with a clear message that those who don’t make the grade risk being left out in the cold when selections are made. While Sri Lanka’s campaign in the recent T20 World Cup, co-hosted with India, had its moments in the sun, fitness issues proved to be the Achilles’ heel.

The wheels began to come off midway through the tournament as key bowlers broke down, forcing the selectors to field a second-string unit. Across the board, fitness levels looked below the required standard.

In the immediate aftermath of the World Cup, the board tightened the screws, making it mandatory for players to clear fitness tests before being granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to feature in franchise leagues such as the IPL and PSL.

“The concerns about the fitness levels of players were flagged during the tournament and we are addressing it,” a board official told Telecom Asia Sport. “There has been non-stop cricket over the last 36 months, leaving very little time for players to work exclusively on fitness. But having said that, professional cricketers should be able to meet minimum standards.”

“In the past, we have fined players for failing fitness tests, but if that’s not yielding results, we will have to explore stronger measures. If it comes to a point where a player is deemed ineligible for selection due to failing fitness standards, we will have to take that call.”

Telecom Asia Sport understands that the numbers make for grim reading. Of the 46 players put through the fitness grind, only 12 managed to pass. Those who cleared the bar have secured NOCs and are plying their trade in India and Pakistan, while others, including Nuwan Thushara, have been benched after failing to meet the cut.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and tearaway quick Matheesha Pathirana are set to undergo their fitness tests after completing rehabilitation. If they come through unscathed, both are expected to be back in action from the second week of April.

SLC’s fitness regime is no walk in the park. It includes skinfold tests to monitor body fat, a two-kilometre run to assess endurance, a 20-metre sprint, agility drills and a counter-movement jump. The spotlight, however, falls heavily on skinfold measurements and endurance, with players given a second bite at the cherry before fines and now potentially harsher consequences come into play.

(telecomasia.net)