'Rizwan, Fakhar can replace Babar'

Former Captain Younis Khan lauds coach Gillespie's efforts to uplift team's morale

Former Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan on Thursday proposed the names of wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan and dashing batsman Fakhar Zaman as the two main candidates who could replace Babar Azam as the national team white-ball captain.

He also endorsed Babar's decision to quit captaincy and said it would benefit his career.

"Stepping away from the captaincy will be beneficial for Babar Azam. In our culture, we often make the biggest player the captain, which I believe is a mistake. Either Mohammad Rizwan or Fakhar Zaman should be considered for the role," he concluded.

Reflecting on his experiences, the 46-year-old noted the efforts of Jason Gillespie, who is working diligently to enhance the performance of the Pakistan team. However, he stressed the importance of improved decision-making in team selections.

"I have played cricket with Jason Gillespie; he is working hard to improve the Pakistan team. However, there needs to be better decision-making when it comes to selection," he said

Earlier, Younis received a warm welcome during his visit to the Adelaide Oval.

The legendary batter, who arrived in Australia this morning, was presented with the official South Australia Redbacks cap by Mark Cosgrove, a former Australian cricketer and the current High-Performance Coach of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA).

The former Pakistan skipper notably represented the Redbacks during the 2008-09 season.

"I hope the Pakistan men's cricket team performs well in Australia. The current squad includes young players, and there are certainly some issues with team selection that need to be addressed," Younis said.

As part of his ongoing involvement in cricket, Khan is set to participate in the upcoming Australian Summer Cricket Festival, scheduled for October 5 in Melbourne. He will join top Australian cricketers, including Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk, in this highly anticipated event, which aims to celebrate the sport and bring together cricketing talent.

Relief for PCB as Pak-Eng series broadcasting rights secured

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that a consortium comprising TransGroup and ARY has secured the international broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match Test series between England and Pakistan. The much-anticipated series, which starts next week, will be played in Multan and Rawalpindi.

The broadcast rights were awarded following a transparent and competitive tender process. Cricket fans around the world will be able to enjoy the series through cutting-edge broadcasting, featuring 28 High-Definition cameras, including innovative drone and buggy cams, along with a complete Hawk-Eye review system.

In addition to the broadcast, the PCB has announced a stellar commentary team for the series, which begins on 7 October at Multan Cricket Stadium. Former England captains David Gower, Michael Atherton, and Nasser Hussain will return as commentators, having previously covered Pakistan's Test series against England in December 2022. They will be joined by fellow English commentator Ian Ward. On the Pakistani side, former captains Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja, Test cricketer Bazid Khan, and former Pakistan women's captain Urooj Mumtaz will provide expert analysis. Zainab Abbas will serve as the presenter for the series.

The series will be broadcast in Pakistan on A-Sports, Ten Sports, and PTV Sports, while the Tamasha platform will offer live streaming. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports will handle the broadcast, and BBC Sport will provide radio coverage. Broadcast details for other regions will be shared soon.

In addition, the PCB's PitchSide Studio, hosted by Zainab Abbas, will offer pre- and post-match analysis, giving fans in-depth insights into the action.