In a significant development, former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has come forward with serious allegations against the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), claiming that his salary remains unpaid following his tenure with the national side. Gillespie, a former Australian fast bowler and a respected figure in international cricket, expressed his frustration over what he described as a disappointing experience with the PCB's management.

Gillespie was appointed as the head coach of the Pakistan national team for a short-term role aimed at revamping team strategies and performance during a transitional phase. Despite stepping into the challenging role with optimism and professionalism, he now alleges that the financial commitments made to him during the appointment were not fulfilled.

In a recent interview, Gillespie stated, “It’s extremely disheartening to give your time, energy, and expertise to a cricket board, only to have basic financial commitments overlooked. I took the role with a clear understanding of the terms, and it’s disappointing that the agreed payments have not been made.” the former coach also expressed concern for other international professionals who might consider working with the PCB. “It’s not just about me; it’s about the message it sends to other professionals. 

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Gillespie’s salary dispute sparks new controversy for PCB

The PCB has yet to release an official statement in response to Gillespie’s claims. However, sources close to the board suggest that there may be administrative delays and that efforts are being made to resolve outstanding financial matters.

This incident is not the first time the PCB has faced criticism over financial or contractual disputes. Similar complaints have been raised in the past by both domestic and international professionals, highlighting a recurring issue that could harm the board’s credibility on the global stage. as the story develops, all eyes will be on the PCB’s next move. Will they address Gillespie’s allegations and make amends, or will this further strain their relations with international cricketing figures? for now, Gillespie’s words serve as a cautionary tale and a call for greater accountability and professionalism in cricket administration.

Pakistan's team has been in a drench of line, where after the failure of the Champions Trophy they headed over to the New Zealand tour where they were acquitted 5 T20 series matches match ODI series. Pakistan went with their young and experienced side for the series where they lost the T20 series 4-1 to a young New Zealand side which had a huge backlash against their fans. Pakistan's efforts were not that much efficient where young boys also couldn't do much
After a hefty loss in T20s it was turned in ODIs where fans expected there would be something turn around from the team. Pakistan team was captained by Mohammad Rizwan and the New Zealand team was captained by Bracewell both teams were equally balanced with all sets of quality. However, Pakistan couldn't do any big thing in the ODI series where they lost two matches which just dented the side's confidence completely. 

Pakistan's Last ODI Against New Zealand

In the last ODI against New Zealand they won the toss and chose to field first where Rhys Mariu, and Bracewell's collective effort made up the score of 264 runs with the loss of eight wickets, Pakistan had a nice chance to win the game for a consolidation win but rather than it had a different scenario which was other the part.Pakistan started the chase well but lost in the middle cut. 

Though Babar Azam's fifty and Rizwan's innings couldn't stature the desired result they wanted where they lost the plot completely and lost the match and lost the series too. After the hefty loss,  some Pakistan fans started to mock the team which just ended in an indulgent fight where Pakistan player Khusdil Shah had a heated exchange with fans which created a huge controversy all around. After the heavy loss of the team, their ex-cricketers have also lambasted the team. 

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Sikander Bakht On Pakistan Poor performance

Former Pakistan player and bowler after the whitewash in the ODI series just crunched the team speaking to Geo Super channel his words were "Is really Rizwan a captaincy material who just chats all around and does nothing he was so horrible in batting, the fielding changes and the rotation in bowling was so awful and what you expect me to say. If we had a professional cricket board, you would not have been there. Let me talk about your captaincy. You made horrible bowling changes. Faheem Ashraf was bowling at 120kmph. It was not a slower delivery; it was his actual speed. You are the captain, you removed the slip in the third over. Is this professionalism? What captaincy are you doing?"

He further added  "It is high time the current crop of senior players stepped up and helped the side win big tournaments like the Asia Cup and the World Cup. He said all the players should be demoted to D grade in central contracts, and their status should be elevated when performances speak for themselves".

As the competitive cricketer Sarfaraz Ahmed was building tense anticipation, he attempted to delay the reveal of a box the contestants were supposed to open on the Dabba Kholo segment. Watching Sarfaraz halt like that, Sana Javed interrupted and seamlessly said, ‘What is this? Just open the box immediately!’

Sarfaraz defended his approach, explaining. The game lasts for 45 minutes. We need to make it interesting for television. There is absolutely no way we can keep opening boxes one by one. The last time I made the final decision, people literally sent me messages from all over the world.

"Apne Miyaan Ke Saath...": Shoaib Malik's Wife Sana Javed Quarrels With Sarfaraz Ahmed On Game Show https://t.co/tXyd7B3G4m

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) March 22, 2025

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Sana also made it a day with a dry witt, “Looks like someone wound you up and now you have no intention of stopping him,” clearly suggesting his rant had disturbed her a lot. “We can all see how well you have performed in the previous round,” Sarfaraz replied to her and did not give much.

“Now it’s like, ‘I did not even see her playing well at all,’” and, ‘why is she acting like this?” This refers to when Sana lost to her husband cricketer Shoaib Malik. “And why do you care how I play with my husband? How about you worry about your game instead?” Immediately retaliated Sana Javed.

Within a few hours, people lost their minds over that exchange and it was extraordinarily easy to split them into two camps. In my opinion, it was crude, out of context, and very demeaning to Sarfaraz Ahmed – some people did not bother giving credits to Sana Javed. One commenter said, “This woman has no manners. The way she is disrespecting Sarfaraz Ahmed is unacceptable.” Another said, “Sana Javed should not be invited to the show anymore. Her attitude is getting worse by the day.”

However, Santos defended her, but they took the criticism too far. She explained that the fact of the matter is that they were just having fun. Most people thought the conversation was taken out of context and both celebrities were having a normal friendly rivalry.

Pakistan did what only Pakistan can surprise the world with brilliance at the very moment when you least expect it. After two disappointing showings in the first two T20Is of their five-match series against New Zealand, the visitors came back stunningly on Friday in Auckland, chasing down a record 205 in 16 overs to keep the series alive.

The overnight hero was 22-year-old Hasan Nawaz, who appeared in his third T20 International. Having scored ducks in his initial two games, the young batsman made a statement with his knock, hammering 105 from 45 deliveries to guide Pakistan's record-breaking chase. He achieved his hundred in a mere 44 deliveries, smashing Babar Azam's record for the quickest T20I hundred by a Pakistani batsman earlier 49 balls against South Africa in 2021.

- He's 22 Year old.
- He's playing debut series.
- Vs New Zealand in NZ.
- Chasing 205 runs.
- Smashed fastest T20I Hundred for PAK.
- He scored 105*(45).

HASAN NAWAZ - A SPECIAL TALENT FOR PAKISTAN. ⭐ pic.twitter.com/Lefb94GhxG

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) March 21, 2025

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Pakistan reached the target with nine wickets in hand, producing one of their most comprehensive performances in recent times. Skipper Salman Ali Agha played the ideal supporting role, staying unbeaten on 51 off 31 balls.

The 205 chase is now Pakistan's second-highest successful T20I run chase and the joint-highest overseas an assertive reaction from a side under pressure following consecutive losses.

With the series currently standing at 2-1 in favor of New Zealand, Pakistan will hope that this nail-biting victory is the catalyst they need to bring the tide around.

Michael Bracewell will lead New Zealand in their five-match T20I series against Pakistan. He also captained the team during their tour of Pakistan last year, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Bracewell is stepping in as captain since Mitchell Santner, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Glenn Phillips, and Rachin Ravindra are all in India for the IPL.

Michael Bracewell will take over as captain for the Pakistan T20Is while Mitchell Santner is unavailable.

He played a big role in the Champions Trophy, where New Zealand finished as runners-up. In the final against India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, he scored a crucial half-century and took four wickets against Bangladesh. To manage the workload of fast bowlers, Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke will only play the first three matches. Matt Henry, who missed the final against India, will return for the last two games.  

“It’s a huge honor to captain my country. I really enjoyed leading the team in Pakistan last year, and it’s great to have many of the same players in this squad,” Bracewell said in a statement from New Zealand Cricket.  

New Zealand squad for Pakistan T20I series

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Ben Sears is back after recovering from a hamstring injury, while leg-spinner Ish Sodhi returns after missing the Sri Lanka series. Kane Williamson has decided to sit out and wasn’t considered for selection. Bevon Jacobs, who was in the squad for the recent T20I series against Sri Lanka, couldn’t play as he was busy with the IPL. The T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand begins on Sunday, March 16, at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Pakistan’s matches in the Champions Trophy 2025 campaign were a big disaster, Team is not performing well in the group stage after losing all three matches. In response, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made big changes to the squad for the upcoming T20I series in New Zealand.

The biggest shock was the exclusion of Babar Azam and captain Mohammad Rizwan from the T20I squad against Newzland. Babar, who has been under pressure for his inconsistent performances, scored just 126 runs in three games in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, including a slow 64 in a losing effort in the Touranment. His struggles led to heavy criticism, with former cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar even calling him a "fraud".

Babar Azam's father, Azam Siddique, reacts to his son's exclusion from Pakistan's T20I squad for the upcoming New Zealand series 🇵🇰🗣️#BabarAzam #T20Is #Pakistan #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/ncbwvfuW7r

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) March 6, 2025

Babar’s father, Azam Siddique, came to his defense, hitting back at the PCB and critics in a fiery social media post on Instagram.

"The boss is always right. He was named in the ICC’s T20I Team of the Year, yet he was still dropped. That’s okay. He will prove himself in National T20 and PSL. Insha Allah, he will make a strong comeback. Former players should think before they speak. If someone replies to them, they might not be able to handle it. They are the past, and that chapter is closed," he wrote. He also slammed those questioning his support for Babar, saying a father will always stand by his son.

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Babar Azam Dropped as PCB Shakes Up Squad for New Zealand Tour

Aaqib Javed, Pakistan’s interim head coach and selector, explained that the team wants to develop a new playing style for modern-day T20 cricket.

"Most top teams have 70% different squads for T20s. We are also working on that before the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup. We need players who play fearless cricket," Javed said in Lahore. With these changes, Pakistan is looking to rebuild and prepare for the big tournaments ahead like Asia Cup and T20 World Cup .

Pakistan will tour New Zealand for a T20I series, and the selection committee is likely to bring some new faces along with seasoned players. The team has a combination of all-rounders, pace bowlers, and hard-hitting batters.
The team has players such as Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem, along with new faces like Irfan Khan and Jahandad Khan. Following is the likely squad:

Likely Squad

🚨Pakistan's likely T20I squad for New Zealand tour.

- Shadab, Haris, Sufiyan, Arafat, Irfan Khan, Zaman Khan, Wasim Jr, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar, Omair Bin Yousuf, Khushdil, Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed and Khawaja Nafay. pic.twitter.com/gKNp0Uci1s

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 2, 2025

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This team represents Pakistan's plan to strike a balance between inexperience and experience. Having youth players included means that the management has the strategy of developing future stars well before big events.
Pakistan will be looking for a good outing against New Zealand, and people cannot wait to witness how this team fares

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to include new-found talents in the March-April T20I series against New Zealand. This is being done after Pakistan's humiliating Champions Trophy exit when they became the first team to be knocked out despite being the host country. Based on reports, emerging talents from national cricket have been summoned to Lahore to attend a meeting with board officials during the selection process. The effort goes with Pakistan's vision for the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

🚨Mohammad Rizwan has been removed from T20I captaincy after today's meeting with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. [Ejaz Wasim Bukhari]

- Shadab Khan is likely to lead the Pakistan T20I squad for New Zealand tour. pic.twitter.com/yKrZsTU7y5

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 1, 2025

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Meanwhile, ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif came up with a list of youth players to be considered for the next series. His suggestions are Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, and Muhammad Nafay. Besides, he thinks all-rounder Shadab Khan is the best choice to be the captain of the T20I team.
The wicketkeeper batter further shared some more names for the likely squad which are Muhammad Haris, Sufyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Omair Bin Yousuf and Khushdil Shah.
The Pakistani team will leave for New Zealand on March 12, and the five-match T20I series will start on March 16. Besides the T20Is, Pakistan will also feature in three ODIs, and the tour will last until April 5. Meanwhile, there are reports that some of the senior players are considering a break from international cricket after their dismal performances in the Champions Trophy.
Major players like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Babar Azam are said to be in the discussion in the selection meetings with some thinking of pulling out from the tour to prevent themselves from being dropped.

Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar shared his thoughts on India and Pakistan playing cricket again, saying that peace at the borders should come first. Speaking on the show Dressing Room, he said that political tensions and security concerns are the biggest reasons why the two teams haven’t played a series in years.

Gavaskar said that, "It all starts with peace at the borders. If there are no problems or tensions, both governments might finally say, 'Things have been calm, so let’s at least start talking.'"

India and Pakistan haven’t played a series against each other since 2012-13 because of security reasons, and India last visited Pakistan in 2005-06 for series. The BCCI has also decided not to send the team to Pakistan for big tournaments like the 2023 Asia Cup and the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Instead, they have chosen to play matches at neutral venues.

🚨 PAKISTANI ANCHOR : How can we get India and Pakistan to play bilateral cricket?

SUNIL GAVASKAR 🔥🔥 : By frankly having peace at the borders.

It's very simple. If there's peace at the borders, then I think both Govts will certainly say, 'Look, okay, we've had no incidents,… pic.twitter.com/4kbDNLRvTI

— Times Algebra (@TimesAlgebraIND) February 28, 2025

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Gavaskar said that there might be secret talks happening behind the scenes but said that real peace is what matters. "I’m sure some quiet discussions are going on, but what’s important is what’s happening on the ground. We still hear about issues at the border, and that’s why the Indian government feels that until those stop, there’s no point in even talking about cricket,"

Meanwhile, India once again dominated Pakistan in ICC tournament 2025, winning their Champions Trophy group-stage match by six wickets. Pakistan had a tough time in the ICC tournament 2025 losing both of their completed matches and failing to make it to the semifinals.

Pakistan had a disappointing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, getting knocked out early in the group stage in the ICC Champions Trophy. It was their first time hosting an ICC event in 29 years, but instead of a memorable tournament, it added to the country’s struggles with politics, security, and financial issues in Pakistan. Pakistan lost a tri-series, Pakistan started their ICC Champions Trophy first match with a defeat against New Zealand in their first match.

Pakistan's second match against India was a must-win match, but another loss made it even harder for them to reach the semi-finals. Their hopes were completely crushed the next day when New Zealand defeated Bangladesh, confirming Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. Their final group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out by rain, ending in a no-result. With just one point from three matches and a poor net run rate (NRR) of -1.087, Pakistan finished at the bottom of Group A.

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Rain plays spoilsport as #PAKvBAN is called-off in Rawalpindi ⛈️

More ➡️ https://t.co/sH1r63WCCD pic.twitter.com/hFe6ETayTG

— ICC (@ICC) February 27, 2025

The ICC Champions Trophy is back after eight years, with a total prize pool of $6.9 million 53% more than in 2017. The winning team will get $2.24 million, while the runner-up will take home $1.12 million. Semi-finalists who don’t make it to the final will receive $560,000 each. Teams finishing in seventh and eighth place will get $140,000. Every team is guaranteed at least $125,000 just for participating in the ICC Champions Trophy.

With their early exit, Pakistan will collect a total of $265,000 (approximately 2.3 crore INR) from ICC.

Teams finishing seventh and eighth will receive $140,000, and all eight participating teams are guaranteed a base amount of $125,000.#ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/E6rwUj47d9

— The Gorilla (News & Updates) (@iGorilla19) February 27, 2025

After their early exit from ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan will take home $265,000 for participating and finishing last in Group A. Hosting the tournament was a big moment for them, but their performance fell short of expectations and disappointment from fans and team officials of Pakistan, on before future ICC events.