Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam have been captains of the Pakistan National Cricket Team at one point in their careers. Thus, they are some of the biggest figures in Pakistan cricket, but their story takes a tragic turn in 2025. Both are now under controversy with a public outcry calling for the termination of their contracts.

Former professional cricketer, Sikander Bakht, is the most vocal figure on this topic. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have also been stern with both cricketers but have not responded to the request for their termination. 

Do Rizwan and Azam deserve to be sacked for recent events? Here are different angles to ponder about the topic:

‘They are employees of the PCB�- Sikander Bakht

Sikander Bakht is vocal in his distaste for Rizwan and Azam’s decision to opt out of the National T20 Cup. It is the biggest domestic T20 cricket league where all professional cricketers with contracts with the PCB are expected to participate. However, Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were completely absent from training at their respective clubs.

Therefore, these two star cricketers are disrespecting the PCB, according to Bakht in his interview with Geo Super in March 2025. The former professional cricketer called PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to be strict about this matter. Bakht stressed that the punishment should be the cancellation of Rizwan and Azam’s contract. 

What was going on with Rizwan and Azam?

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam weren’t always under fire. They were once celebrated athletes in the country, even becoming captains of the national team. However, they performed poorly in the 2025 ICC Champions Cup that they were not included in the T20I squad against New Zealand as of writing.

Azam is in a better situation of the two for his captaincy showcased positive results in the past. He may be blamed for the 2023 ODI World Cup disaster, but he had a good run from 2021 to 2023.

However, Azam had an inconsistent performance in the domestic league in 2024/25. His decision to withdraw was due to his decreasing performance and desire to rest and reserve his strength for more important international appearances. No matter his reason, he is still skipping an important competition where he’s expected to play under the PCB contract.

Mohammad Rizwan, on the other hand, experienced a humiliating season as the T20I captain in 2024/25. He was blamed for Pakistan’s winless campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy, which prompted the PCB to drop him as T20I captain. Following this decision, he announced that he wouldn’t play at the National T20 Cup as well. 

Should PCB cancel their contract?

Bakht firmly believes that Mohsin Naqvi should terminate both Rizwan and Azam. In his point of view, these are two employees with significant salaries, so their deliberate absence is disrespectful to the PCB. 

Fans are rightfully critical of Rizwan and Azam after their wavering performances. However, these are not grounds for termination. Plus, both players are still in the Pakistan Squad for the ODI Series against New Zealand. Thus, terminating them now is letting go of valuable assets in international events. 

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Former captain of Pakistan's One-Day International (ODI) team, Mohammad Rizwan, made a controversial decision to step down from the National T20 Cup 2025. Instead, he has chosen to play club cricket following his disastrous tenure in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) already dropped him from captaincy after Pakistan finished at the bottom of Group A. Most expected him to return at least to his domestic team, the Comilla Victorians, but he decided to step down entirely. Rizwan returned home to perform Umrah, where he will also play at a club cricket level. 

Mohammad Rizwan's decision sparked reactions online

Pakistani cricket fans shared strong reactions over Rizwan’s shocking decision on social media like Facebook. A few wished him well but most were mocking him, saying that it’s where he belongs. More photos of Mohammad Rizwan are shared online, notably X (formerly Twitter) where he’s playing at a club cricket match. 

Who is the new Pakistan national team captain?

The PCB dropped Rizwan following their early exit from the Champions Trophy. They have elected Salman Ali Agha as the new T20I captain. He will also serve as the team's vice-captain for ODI matches. You can see him in action at the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.

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During the February 10 match against New Zealand in Lahore, South African batter Matthew Breetzke managed to make history by being the first batter to score 150 runs in men’s ODI. 

Considering this is the batter's first appearance in the tri-nation series, the feat that topped West Indiesâ€?top batter Desmond Hayne’s record of 148 in 1978 shook the cricket sporting industry.  

The 26-year-old opener successfully took 148 balls in his 150-run innings, making him history’s first debut batter to do so. 

The opening batting by Breetzke started cautiously, and with the help of skipper Temba Bavuma, they managed to assess the game and started pouring runs. With efforts from another teammate, Jason Smith, they managed to hold on to the game and kept the scores flowing to their side. 

Despite hard work, New Zealand ironed a six-wicket win against South Africa and advanced to the tri-nation series finals.

Breetzke also became South Africa’s highest ODI debut scorer. The title was previously held by Colin Ingram, who scored a total of 124 runs in his debut ODI innings against Zimbabwe in 2010. 

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At the final ODI of the ongoing tri-series between India and England, former captain Virat Kohli, along with other players, called on cricket fans to join ICC’s initiative, ‘Donate Organs, Save Lives�Campaign. The event will be at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah took to X (former Twitter) the initial announcement of the campaign launch. ‘Sport has the power to inspire, unite, and create lasting impact beyond the field…One pledge, one decision, can save multiple livesâ€? he wrote. 

The official governing body also shared a video of Indian star players. It contains messages of encouragement for people to join the initiative. Aside from Virat Kohli, some of the cricket stars who will be joining are KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Axar Patel. 

Team IND’s ODI vs ENG

India is currently leading the series at 2-0 after winning the first two ODIs held in Nagpur and Cuttack, respectively. Kohli missed playing in the 1st ODI due to a knee injury but made his return for the 2nd match, scoring 5 runs off 8.

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Steve Smith has officially entered Test cricket’s exclusive 10,000-run club on the 29th of January 2025, becoming the fourth Australian player after Allan Border, Steve Waugh, and Ricky Ponting. He reached the milestone in style, scoring his 35th century in the first Test series against Sri Lanka.

Smith is the 15th player in history to achieve this feat. Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar leads the club with 15,921 runs, followed by Ponting (13,378) and Jacques Kallis (13,289). Smith reached the 10,000-run mark in just 205 innings, making him the fifth-fastest to accomplish the feat.

Can Smith surpass the greats?

Despite his success, surpassing Tendulkar’s record seems unlikely for Smith. At 35, Smith faces the physical and mental challenges of modern cricket, which has seen many players�careers cut short. His 2018 suspension also cost him a year of valuable playing time.

However, Smith has a chance to retire with the highest batting average in the 10K club. His current average of 56.74 is just behind Kumar Sangakkara’s 57.4. With his recent strong performances, Smith’s legacy as one of the game’s greatest batsmen is already secure.

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MI Cape Town clinched their first-ever SA20 title in a thrilling final of the tournament’s third season. They defeated two-time defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape by 76 runs in front of a packed crowd at Wanderers Stadium.

The team’s aggressive batting, led by Dewald Brevis (38 off 18), Ryan Rickelton (33 off 15), and Connor Esterhuizen (39 off 26), posted a challenging total of 181 for 8. MI Cape Town hogged the first six overs of both innings. 

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (4/25) delivered a standout performance, while Trent Boult (2/9) and George Linde (2/20) complemented his efforts. Together, they bowled out the Sunrisers for just 105 runs as the opposition struggled to match MI’s high-scoring pace.

Following MI Cape Town’s successful championship at the SA20 2025 finals, the MI franchise has now ticked off title wins in every T20 tournament. 

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Rovman Powell and Sikandar Raza powered the Dubai Capitals to their first ILT20 title in a gripping final against the Desert Vipers. In a match held on February 9, 2025, the Capitals chased down a target of 190 to secure victory by four wickets.

The Capitals faced early trouble, slipping to 31 for 3. However, a key moment came when a no-ball decision granted Powell a second chance. He made the most of it, scoring 63 runs off 38 balls. Raza also played a crucial role, finishing with an impressive 34 not out. Shai Hope contributed 43 runs to guide the Capitals in their successful chase.

Desert Vipers set a challenging total

The Desert Vipers set a challenging total, led by Max Holden’s 76 and Sam Curran’s rapid 62 runs. Despite their efforts, the Vipers couldn’t defend their score as the Capitals regrouped and fought back in a thrilling chase.

In the final overs, Raza sealed the win, hitting a six and a four to ensure the Capitals crossed the line. This victory is significant for the Capitals, highlighting their determination throughout the tournament.

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Ireland is close to winning the one-off Test against Zimbabwe. They need only three more wickets on the final day. Zimbabwe, led by Wessly Madhevere’s unbeaten 61, still needs 109 runs to win. Rain delays have already affected play and could impact the final result.

Ireland struck early, removing nightwatchman Trevor Gwandu in the first over of the day. Madhevere and Brian Bennett tried to fight back, hitting a few boundaries. However, rain stopped play for several hours, delaying lunch and tea breaks.

Humphreys takes key wickets

After a long rain delay, play continued with Madhevere and Bennett batting well. However, Matthew Humphreys broke their partnership by dismissing Bennett. This put Zimbabwe in trouble.

Madhevere then found a new partner in Jonathan Campbell. Together, they added 56 runs, giving Zimbabwe some hope. 

Before the day ended, Humphreys took another wicket, pushing Ireland closer to victory. Now, Zimbabwe needs rain to delay the match.

Match scores

Zimbabwe scored 267 runs in their first innings but struggled in the second, reaching 183/7. Wessly Madhevere stayed unbeaten with 61 runs, while Brian Bennett added 45. 

Ireland made 260 runs in their first innings and improved in the second with 298. They now need just three more wickets to win the match.

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Matthew Humphreys led the way for Ireland with a stunning four-wicket performance, helping them take a strong position against Zimbabwe in their ongoing Test match. Zimbabwe is now chasing 109 runs with only three wickets remaining, while their top player Wessly Madhevere remains unbeaten at 61.

The match faced several problems due to bad weather, but Ireland took advantage of their chances by securing wickets. Humphreys bowled 18 impressive overs, showing his skills and making timely dismissals that placed Ireland in control. He dismissed key players, like Johnathan Campbell and Nyasha Mayavo, boosting his team's confidence in a challenging match.

Despite Ireland's strong position, Zimbabwe's lower order has shown grit and determination, adding runs when needed. Barry McCarthy also contributed with an early wicket on day four, putting pressure on the Zimbabwean batsmen. The Zimbabwean team will need to stay focused to pull off a surprise victory. Every run will count as they battle against Ireland’s spin attack. The coming day promises to be intense, with both teams eager to claim victory.

As day five approaches, Zimbabwe's hopes hinge on their ability to regroup and chase down the target. Yet, dark clouds threaten further play, leaving the match outcome pending.

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As one of India’s best cricketers in modern history, Rohit Sharma already had an illustrious career. Since making his debut in 2007, Sharma has continued to cement himself in the record books. His latest milestone is becoming the second-highest six-hitter in ODI history, with 338 sixes.

Sharma reached this feat during India’s ODI match against England, delivering an excellent batting performance. He surpassed former West Indies superstar Chris Gayle who had 331 sixes. However, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi remains the record-holder with 351 ODI sixes.

Sharma’s focus on getting the win

Before the ODI fixture against England, Sharma was in a batting drought. This led to him getting criticised for his productivity, but he silenced his critics with his performance against the Three Lions. The target was 305 runs, and India won it 308/6.

‘I said after the last match as well, we want to get better as a team and as players. As long guys are clear what they are supposed to do and whatever the captain and coach is saying, if they execute it then there's not much to think aboutâ€? he said. 

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