In a rather unfortunate development, Australian pitch curator Tony Hemming resigned as Chief Curator of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The board confirmed the news of his departure on Saturday.  Hemming resigns after serving for almost a year as a Chief Curator. The Australian curator was previously onboarded by the PCB on a two-year contract. 

While an official reason for his resignation is awaited, Hemming's departure will surely cause a few headaches for the cricket board as they will now need to scramble for a viable alternative who can add spark to their lifeless pitches. Hemming brought with him an incredible amount of expertise and innovation and worked extensively with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to revamp the quality of their outdated pitches. He received a fair bit of recognition for deploying his innovative “greenhouse concept” method, a method that involved making use of pitch covers with heaters to retain surface warmth to keep winter moisture at bay, especially in fog-heavy regions like Multan. 

📢Tony Hemming has resigned as the Chief Curator.

-He was appointed to the role in July 2024 on a two-year contract, during a period when Pakistan had spin friendly conditions. pic.twitter.com/YGZ9wYMMOQ

— junaiz (@dhillow_) August 9, 2025

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An overview of Hemming's demonstrated track record in pitch curation

Hemming has amassed nearly 40 years of experience as a pitch curator worldwide. He has been involved in pitch curation roles in countries like Australia, the UAE, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. Moreover, he was also associated with the ICC Academy and worked as a head curator for the Dubai International Stadium, playing a pivotal role in helping Pakistan stage their home games for nearly a decade. 

Throughout his long career, Hemming has been a part of pitch management programs with the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA), Optus Stadium in Perth, and Oman Cricket Academy. Furthermore, he has also supervised pitch-related operations in King Fahad International Stadium in Riyadh, which is a multi-purpose stadium that has been closed for reconstruction until further notice. 

Rumor has it that Hemming is presently engaged in a two-year contract with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), which commenced last July. Experts predict that the Australian curator's next likely move will be to join the BCB in the coming days. 

Pakistan’s upcoming young sensational batter, Haider Ali, has found himself under criminal investigation by the Greater Manchester Police. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has immediately suspended the batter pending the outcome of the inquiry. No details have been shared yet on the nature of the crime, as the reports have claimed that the batter is not currently in custody in the United Kingdom.

Pakistan’s board was made aware of the investigation as the incident had raised questions during the Green Brigade’s A-tour of England recently, which concluded on Monday. The PCB has confirmed that they would be providing legal support to the batter to protect his rights throughout this process.

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“The PCB has been made aware of a criminal investigation currently being conducted by the Greater Manchester Police involving cricketer Haider Ali. The investigation pertains to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens' recent tour of England.” The statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board revealed.

PCB suspends Haider Ali on charges of sexual molestation in England

Haider Ali, the 24-year-old, has featured in two ODIs for the national side, where he has thumped 42 runs, besides smashing 505 runs in 32 T20I innings at an average of nearly 18 and a strike rate of 124.69 with three half-centuries. In 42 FC innings, the right-handed batter has clubbed 1797 runs at an average of 47.28, scoring five centuries and eight fifties.

“The PCB fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of allowing the investigation to run its due course. Accordingly, the PCB has decided to place Haider Ali under provisional suspension, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation.” The Pakistan Cricket Board’s statement addressed.

 “Once the legal proceedings are concluded and all facts have been duly established, the PCB reserves the right to take appropriate action under its Code of Conduct, if necessary.” It added. Ali has also thumped 1996 runs in 57 List A innings at an average of around 38, with two centuries and 17 fifties at the best score of 118 runs.

In a dramatic turn for Pakistan’s national hockey team, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to step in and fund the country’s participation in the upcoming season of the FIH Pro League, according to a report by Telecom Asia. The move comes after New Zealand pulled out of the tournament, opening the door for Pakistan to re-enter the elite competition alongside India.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) was initially given until August 12 to confirm participation. However, following funding challenges, the PHF has secured an extension until August 20, while final decisions are pending government approval.

The financial demand is steep, approximately PKR 700 million (USD 2.5 million). With the PHF unable to raise the funds independently, the matter was escalated to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The breakthrough came when PCB reportedly agreed to shoulder all financial and administrative responsibilities, effectively taking control of Pakistan’s campaign.

“It’s confirmed. PCB will take care of all the financial and administrative aspects of it, with no interference from the PHF,” a source told Telecom Asia. “They will appoint their own personnel and possibly contract event organisers to execute the move.”

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Cricket Steps In: PCB’s Support Offers Lifeline to Pakistan Hockey

This funding is expected to come from government allocations designated for the PCB’s youth development programme, now redirected toward the national hockey team’s urgent needs. While PHF president Mir Tariq Hussain Bugti expressed hope in state support, he acknowledged the PCB’s involvement and confirmed ongoing talks with government officials. The development has also triggered internal rifts within the PHF, with a rival faction allegedly pushing to unseat the current leadership.

Pakistan finished as runners-up to New Zealand in the 2024 FIH Nations Cup, missing out on automatic qualification. But with New Zealand’s withdrawal, a rare second chance has emerged, one that Pakistan now appears ready to seize, with the backing of its powerful cricket board. If confirmed, this unprecedented cricket-hockey partnership could set a new precedent in Pakistan’s sports funding ecosystem.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) can announce their full squads for the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I series and the Asia Cup 2025 in the second week of August, as claimed by some media reports. As the team is now going through a transition phase, the board can keep the core of the squad unchanged.

The Pakistan cricket team recently featured against Bangladesh and the West Indies, which can remain almost the same for the upcoming assignments. The major concern, as of now, is the injury of left-handed opener Fakhar Zaman. The batter is currently doubtful for the Asia Cup and for the T20I Tri-Nation series.

The experienced cricketer sustained a hamstring injury during the T20I series against the West Indies. Due to the injury, he has already been ruled out of both the T20I and ODI matches against the Caribbean side. His future for the upcoming series can be decided after the latest updates about the injury. Though currently his chances of playing in the couple of series are under major concern. Reports claimed that if Zaman missed the series, then Babar Azam could join the T20I squad.

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A rehearsal before the prestigious tournament 

At present, the star batter is not a part of the Twenty20 format squad. The tri-series with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be the perfect stage for the teams to prepare for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025. The Asia Cup and the Tri-Nation series are both going to be held in the UAE. The three-nation tournament will be arranged from August 29 to September 7, and then the Asia Cup is scheduled to happen from September 9 to 28. A total of 8 teams will play for the glory. 

Teams are divided into two groups; each group holds 4 teams. Pakistan, India, UAE, and Oman are in Group A, while Group B features Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a total ban on its players competing in future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) on Sunday, 3 August 2025, stating "bias" for the organizers and a lack of sporting integrity. The decision came in the aftermath of India's forfeiture of both the group-stage match and semifinal clash against Pakistan, which the PCB claims were unjustly awarded in India’s favor. The board voiced its discontent following a virtual board of governors meeting chaired by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.

In its official statement, the PCB criticized the WCL for rewarding points to India despite its voluntary withdrawal, terming the decision "tainted with hypocrisy and bias." The statement further noted, “The PCB reviewed with considerable disappointment WCL's appalling conduct of awarding points to a willfully forfeiting team,” and expressed concern over press releases by the WCL that allegedly favored a "specific nationalistic narrative." The Indian squad comprising Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Harbhajan Singh had refused to play Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor.’

Pakistan, as a result of the forfeiture, advanced directly to the WCL final. However, the PCB declared that the tournament's decisions were driven not by cricketing merit but by political sentiment. “The cancellation was not based on cricketing merit but on appeasing a specific nationalistic narrative,” the board said. It warned that such bias “sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”

PCB slams “farcical” WCL apology, cites compromised neutrality

While the WCL organizers, co-owned by Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, issued a public apology, saying, “We sincerely apologize again for hurting the sentiments,” the PCB rejected the gesture outright. “The WCL's apology… whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit,” the PCB said. It argued that the decision to cancel the games reflected external political influence, cloaked in the name of sensitivity.

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The board concluded that it had no option but to implement a permanent ban, stating, “The PCB can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and unbiased administration are compromised.” Sources close to the matter revealed that WCL’s Indian promoters had already been contemplating dropping the Pakistan team from future editions.

The reports have revealed that the officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have rubbished the news of the International Cricket Council (ICC) backing the proposed two-tier system in the longest format. The new idea has been addressed to help the top-four sides, Australia, India, England, and South Africa, to face each other the most.

The media reports from Australia had also suggested the same, where these four sides will face each other the most. This has happened given how the love and interest for the five-day format has been erased from the small nations of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the West Indies, who were bundled out for 27 runs in the second innings at Sabina Park in Jamaica a few days ago.

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‘There is no truth in such reports. The issue was never even discussed at ICC meetings in South Africa, which is why I'm sure that such a thing is not taking place. The FTP (starting from 2012) will have an equal number of matches and series for all of us, including Pakistan, because the ICC has its principles and will ensure a fair deal for all of its members.’ Wasim Bari, PCB’s chief operating officer, expressed as per reports.

Pakistan voice against BCCI and ICC on proposed two-tier Test system

It’s the sad story of modern cricket. In the last few years, it has only been about the shortest format in most countries. The West Indies have not produced many red-ball players in the last few seasons, and that has been a huge concern. The WICB also called for an emergency meeting with the former players to look into the matter.

The fans and crowds only turn up for the Tests between the top-four nations. South Africa’s Test status was going down, but finally, they won the third edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 against Australia at Lord’s, which put life into their longest format.

Now the question will be whether the two-tier system will be accepted by certain sides. In that matter, they will have the chance to go up or prevent themselves from going down for a certain period, just like the promotion and demotion system in the County Championship in England.

Recently, the clash between India and Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) had been called off by the organizers after several Indian players pulled out of the encounter on the eve of the game, due to the recent political disturbances between the two neighboring nations. Pakistan’s former captain, Shahid Afridi, was critical of the opponent’s decision as he had found former opener Salman Butt to partner him in the controversy.

The Pakistan batter has thrown a challenge to the Indian side to maintain the same stance in high-profile events like the World Cups and the ICC events in the future. Salman made these comments on the YouTube channel as he questioned what the players wanted to prove by this decision.

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‘The whole world is talking about them - what message have they sent to cricket as a whole and to the fans? What are you trying to show? What are you trying to prove? Now don't play in the World Cup...don't play against us in any ICC tournament. Make this a promise. See, we understand that everything has its place.’ Salman expressed this during a video he posted on his YouTube channel.

Salman Butt challenges India to cancel World Cup events against Pakistan  

‘But now that you are interlinking, don't play against us at any level or tournament. Not even the Olympics. Please do that. I would love to see. The stakes would be high, and I'd see how much nationalism they can show at that level.’ The former opening batter of the Green Brigade addressed in the same video.

The decision came after icons like Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan announced their decision to pull out of the clash against Pakistan. Even though these seemed to be personal decisions, Butt reflected that a few put pressure on and influenced the other to skip the encounter.

‘What is this mindset? I just can't understand. Who is making this decision? Those 4-5 people who decided not to play, because of them, others, who probably had the mindset to play, felt pressured. Keep this intact, because we will keep reminding them of this.’ The former captain of the Pakistan side reiterated the challenge for the Blue Brigade.

Azam Khan is a Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman. Many people have said bad things about him because of his weight and poor performance in international cricket. Fans and old players think he is not fit enough to play in the T20 World Cup 2026.

But now, some news and social media posts say that Azam Khan has worked hard and lost a lot of weight. Some people say he lost 69 kg in just two months. If this is true, it is a big change and shows he is serious about his fitness. Back in 2021, reports said he lost 30 kg in one year by training hard to get into the national team.

The Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter is the son of former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, who was known for his athletic skills. Moin was also the coach of Quetta Gladiators, the PSL team where Azam got his first professional chance at the age of 20. This started a talk about nepotism.

Azam played only one match for them in the 2019 PSL season and scored 12 runs from 15 balls. People started saying that his poor form (he had scored only 53 runs in four List A innings at the start of the domestic season) was because of his weight. These comments and allegations hurt Azam deeply. He even wrote about them in his diary.

The 24-year-old Pakistani cricketer once said, "People will always judge me because my father played for Pakistan. But it’s not my fault I was born in his house. After I got my chance in the PSL, people criticised me for being overweight and said my body is not fit for top-level cricket."

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Did Azam Khan Really Lose 69kg in 2 Months?

According to several social media posts on Twitter, 26-year-old cricketer Azam Khan has lost 69 kg in just two months. However, it is still not clear if this news is true or not.

He spent the next year trying to become fitter. Some of that time was spent at Pakistan's National Cricket Academy, following a proper diet and workout plan. He also spent a lot of time in the gym, working on his fitness and stamina. In 12 months, Azam lost 30 kg.

🚨 Breaking News 🚨

Azam Khan lost 69kg weight in just 2 months 👏 pic.twitter.com/Layv4EnAaB

— Fakhar Bajwa 🏏 (@BajwaKehtaHaii) July 21, 2025

Ups and Downs in His Cricket Career

In the 2022 PSL, Azam finished 10th on the list of highest run-scorers. During this time, he also made his international debut. He was signed by the Barbados Royals in the CPL and later by Desert Vipers for the International League T20. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board did not allow players to take part in that league.

Earlier, Azam was selected for the 2021 T20 World Cup squad but was replaced by Sarfaraz Ahmed at the last moment. He was told it was due to “certain performance criteria,” though he did not explain further. He was not even considered for the 2022 tournament.

Last year, former cricketer Aqib Javed told ARY News that Azam should either “quit cricket or transform himself into a cricketer.” This comment clearly showed what some people think a cricketer should look like.

But Azam had a strong reply. He said, “It's not about being overweight. It's about performance. If a guy is scoring 400 runs and he is super-fit, and another guy is scoring 800 runs but not super-fit, I will choose the one who scored 800 runs. That’s my point of view.”

The plans for the 2025 Asia Cup T20 appear murky and uncertain, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expects to lose a huge amount of money from its coffers if it does not go ahead. India was set to host the tournament in September, and the poor political situation and subsequent Pahalgam events highlighted by the Pakistan Army led both governments to throw the tournament into uncertainty.

According to a PTI report, the PCB had budgeted an estimated revenue of 1.16 billion rupees (around ₹35 crore) from the Asia Cup alone. Overall, the board was expecting to earn roughly 7.7 billion rupees (₹664 crore) from its share of ICC revenue and an additional 7.7 million rupees from other international cricketing events. Adding to that, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was projected to bring in another 2.5 billion rupees (₹249 crore), forming a major chunk of the board's annual 18.8 billion rupees budget.

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ACC Meeting Looms as Political Tensions Threaten Asia Cup 2025 and PCB's Financial Stability

However, the financial plan is now under threat; PCB insiders are adamant that revenues from the ICC and the Asia Cup are essential to the board's financial well-being. With the Asia Cup now being cancelled or postponed, it could create a huge hole in the PCB's revenue stream.

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has called an urgent meeting in Dhaka on July 24 to decide the future of the tournament. But issues were already arising with BCCI's announcement that it won't participate unless there is a change of venue. Similar positions have been taken by Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Oman. Although PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi accepted a virtual invitation to the ICC AGM, CEO Sumair accepted an in-person invitation and didn't receive positive responses from the major boards.

Although there had been plans to shift the Asia Cup to a neutral venue such as the UAE, no concrete decision has emerged yet. With time running out, the financial and cricketing future of the PCB hinges on resolving this diplomatic impasse quickly.

We are less than 15 days away from the beginning of the white-ball series between the hosts West Indies and the visitors Pakistan. However, at this late moment before the tour begins, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly made a request to change the schedule, which has created chaos before Pakistan's tour commences.  

Starting from July 31, West Indies will host a three-match T20I series and another three-match ODI series against Pakistan. With the ODI series, the West Indies will conclude their 2025 home summer before traveling to India. While Central Broward Park (Lauderhill, Florida, United States) will host the T20I series, Brian Lara Cricket Academy (San Fernando, Trinidad) will host the ODI series. 

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Pakistan wants to convert ODI series to T20I series 

However, according to the latest Cricbuzz report, the PCB has requested that Cricket West Indies (CWI) convert the Trinidad leg, which has been scheduled for three ODIs, into all three T20Is. The report further added that the PCB may consider options if the CWI doesn't consider the rescheduling request. 

The report suggests that the PCB wants to provide more opportunities for the national team to get strong preparation before the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, which India and Sri Lanka will jointly host in February-March 2026. 

Meanwhile, the CWI is reportedly desperate to organise the home ODI series against Pakistan. The Caribbean board feels that the team can bring positive results in the home ODI series against Pakistan, which can significantly improve their present ICC ODI rankings.

CWI CEO Chris Dehring told Cricbuzz on this matter, "The schedule remains as it is, and we continue to engage with the PCB on the matter."

Why does the ODI series matter for West Indies?

South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia will jointly host the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 in late 2027. In the 14-team tournament, a total of 10 teams will directly qualify for the next ODI World Cup, where the Full Members hosts (South Africa and Zimbabwe) and the other top eight ICC ODI-ranked teams (as of March 31, 2027) will earn WC tickets directly. While West Indies' ODI rankings are jumping between 9 and 10 in recent times, and the 11th-ranked Zimbabwe have already secured their next ODI World Cup spot as the Full Member co-host, the 10th ranking will not be enough to earn the direct qualifying ticket for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027. So, understandably, the CWI is desperate to improve ODI rankings as soon as possible, and the board is confident enough about the potential success against Pakistan in the ODI series. 

The two-time ODI World Cup champions West Indies missed out on the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, as they failed to qualify in the 10-team tournament.