Marnus Labuschagne

Australia rested Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the upcoming white-ball tour of Pakistan and Bangladesh to manage workloads ahead of future Tests and the T20 World Cup. Mitchell Marsh will captain a squad featuring several young players, including Ollie Peake and Liam Scott. Glenn Maxwell was dropped from the Bangladesh T20 squad as Australia continue testing fresh talent and squad depth.

Babar Azam's resilient 68 guided Pakistan through a tough spot on Day 2 against Bangladesh, marking his return from injury. This crucial half-century propelled him past Ben Stokes in the ICC World Test Championship's most fifty-plus scores list, showcasing his consistent performance in the prestigious tournament.

Babar Azam captained Peshawar Zalmi to the PSL 2026 title, defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets. Azam emphatically declared his commitment to playing all three formats, silencing T20 relevance debates. He was the tournament's leading scorer with 588 runs. Aaron Hardie shone in the final with a stellar all-round performance, securing the victory for Zalmi.

Babar Azam captained Peshawar Zalmi to their maiden Pakistan Super League title, defeating Hyderabad Kingsmen by five wickets. Despite a golden duck in the final, Azam concluded the tournament as the leading run-scorer with an impressive 588 runs. Former cricketers congratulated him on this significant captaincy achievement.

The PSL 2026 season saw another bizarre moment as the match ball turned red during a Karachi Kings game due to dye from jerseys, repeating an earlier pink-ball incident. Marnus Labuschagne had said, "What's going on? The ball is red." Despite the controversy, David Warner (63*) and Khushdil Shah (44) led Karachi to a five-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars.

A symbolic dove release for peace at the PSL 2026 match between Peshawar Zalmi and Hyderabad Kingsmen drew significant online criticism. Critics labelled the 'Pakistan - The Peace Maker' initiative as forced and PR-driven, deeming it out of place during the cricket tournament amidst geopolitical tensions.

Cricket Australia has surprisingly dropped star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell from their 2026-27 contracted players list, prioritizing Test specialists for a demanding schedule. Youngster Sam Konstas and paceman Jhye Richardson also missed out, with veteran Jake Weatherald earning a contract. This move signals a strong focus on the longest format of the game.

Sahibzada Farhan smashed an unbeaten 106 to guide Multan Sultans to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen in the PSL. Chasing 226, Farhan's sensational century, supported by Steven Smith's quickfire 46, secured the fifth-highest successful chase in PSL history. This remarkable innings marked Farhan's ninth T20 century, placing him joint-fourth on the all-time list.

The Pakistan Super League's 2026 season kicked off with a bizarre incident where the white match ball turned pink due to color transfer from the Hyderabad Kingsmen's jerseys. Former cricketer Kamran Akmal heavily criticized the league over the poor-quality kits, while captain Marnus Labuschagne expressed his bewilderment at the unprecedented event.

Pakistan cricketer Naseem Shah faces a show-cause notice from the PCB for a social media post allegedly criticizing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. The tweet, quickly deleted with a hacking claim, was seen as a jab at her security escort during the PSL opener.

Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah courted controversy before PSL 2026 with a sarcastic X post about Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, questioning her VIP treatment. Though he later claimed his account was hacked and deleted the tweet, the incident went viral. Meanwhile, the PSL opener saw Hyderabad Kingsmen's jersey color inexplicably turn the ball pink and red.

The Pakistan Super League began its 2026 season with an unusual incident. During the opening match between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen, the white ball turned pink. Dye from the Hyderabad Kingsmen's jerseys rubbed off onto the ball. This unexpected color change caused concern and drew attention on social media. The match proceeded with the altered ball.

Lahore Qalandars kicked off the Pakistan Super League 2026 with a dominant win, but the match was overshadowed by a bizarre incident where the ball inexplicably turned pink. Despite the unusual occurrence and broadcast glitches, the focus remains on the cricket and the viral online buzz surrounding the unexpected colour change.

The Pakistan Cricket Board faces significant challenges ahead of the PSL due to contract breaches and player withdrawals for the more lucrative IPL. Several overseas players have opted out, prompting the PCB to consider strict actions like bans, though the pay disparity with the IPL remains a major hurdle.

Steve Smith and David Warner face uncertainty over joining the Pakistan Super League due to rising security concerns. Tensions, travel disruptions, and a “Do Not Travel” alert for Peshawar have raised alarms. While preparations continue, players are weighing safety risks, with contingency plans like emergency evacuation under consideration before final decisions are made.

The 11th edition of the PSL will bring together domestic and international players, with preparations underway as per schedule.

Australia batsman Marnus Labuschagne turned 26 on Monday and the International Cricket Council (ICC) wished him on his special day by sharing an interesting statistic on social media.

Marnus Labuschagne is determined to reclaim his spot in the Australian Test side for the Ashes series, even if it means opening the batting. After being dropped from the West Indies tour that concluded in late July, Labuschagne is using the setback as motivation. Despite modest scores in his previous Test outing as opener, he's willing to take on the role.

PSL 2026 kicks off March 26 with Lahore Qalandars facing Hyderabad Kingsmen, but without spectators due to regional issues and rising costs. The tournament will be broadcast-first, held in Lahore and Karachi. Despite the challenges, eight teams and international stars promise exciting cricket, with the opening match at 7:30 PM IST.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne joined an exclusive club while making 80 against England in the second innings of the third Ashes Test at Headingley on Saturday.