The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former players Umar Gul, and Saeed Ajmal as Pakistan's fast and spin bowling coaches, respectively, for the men's team.

Also Read: Babar Azam steps down from Pakistan Captaincy

Pakistan cricket is going through a phase of change these days. After the team's shameful performance in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023, everyone from coach to captain has been changed. In this sequence, new fast and spin bowling coaches has been announced. Umar Gul has been made the fast bowling coach and Saeed Ajmal has been made the spin bowling coach.

Recently, Shan Masood was made the Test captain and Shaheen Afridi was made the T20 captain. On the other hand, former cricketer Mohammad Hafeez has become the cricket director and Wahab Riaz has become the chief selector.

Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal are members of the Pakistani team that won the T20 World Cup in 2009. Gul will replace South Africa's Morne Morkel as fast bowling coach. He, along with Ajmal, will start working with the team before the Australia tour. Pakistan has to play three Test matches in Australia between December 14 and January 7. After that, they have to participate in the T20 series in New Zealand from 12 to 21 January.

Before this, Umar Gul had worked with the Pakistan team. He was the team's bowling coach during the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan and the home series against New Zealand. Gul has been the bowling coach of Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Apart from this, Gul was the bowling coach of Afghanistan during the 2022 T20 World Cup. He played his first international match for Pakistan in 2003. The former Pakistani cricketer participated in 47 Tests, 130 ODIs and 60 T20 matches. Gul has taken 163 wickets in Test, 179 in ODI and 85 in T20. He played his last match in 2016.

Also Read: PCB sacks entire selection committee after their disappointing ODI World Cup 2023 Campaign

Talking about Saeed Ajmal, he has been the number-1 bowler in ODIs. He played his first international match in 2008. Ajmal took a total of 447 wickets in 35 Tests, 113 ODIs and 64 T20 matches for Pakistan. He has been the spin bowling coach of Islamabad United in PSL.

After the Champions Trophy 2025, India's target in ODI cricket will be the ODI World Cup 2027. In such a situation, know what is Team India's ODI schedule till the World Cup 2027. The Men in Blue have to play a total of 9 series in the next ICC ODI tournament, which includes 27 matches.

Apart from this, some more ODI matches can be scheduled near the tournament. So, know what is the ODI schedule of Indian Cricket Team till 2027 and when India will face which team.

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The ODI World Cup2027 will be held around October to December. Before this, the Indian team is going to play a lot of matches. India have to play 3-match ODI series against 8 teams. They will play series twice against one country.

India will play New Zealand twice

India will play Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka once each in the upcoming ODI series, while it will play New Zealand twice. Out of the nine series, India will play six series at home, while the rest will be held outside the country.

It will start with the tour of Bangladesh in August, which will be played this year. In October-November 2025, India has to play a three-match ODI series on its tour of Australia. South Africa's team will tour India in November-December.

India will host Sri Lankan team in December 2026

In January 2026, the New Zealand team will play an ODI series in India. After this, India has to play a three-match series against Afghanistan in June. In July 2026, Team India will have to play the same number of ODI series on its tour of England.

The West Indies team is scheduled to tour India in September-October. There will be an ODI series against New Zealand at home in October-November. India will host the Sri Lankan team for an ODI series in December 2026.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

India's ODI schedule till World Cup 2027

In a dramatic turn of events, overseas players in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) faced harrowing experiences due to escalating military tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to the indefinite postponement of the tournament.

The crisis, sparked by India’s strategic response to a terror attack in Palalgam on May 7, 2025, which claimed 26 civilian lives, left players like New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell vowing never to return to Pakistan and England’s Tom Curran in tears after a close call at the airport.

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PSL Halted Amid Regional Tensions

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially planned to relocate the remaining PSL matches to the UAE after tensions escalated. However, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) rejected the proposal, leaving the PCB with no choice but to cancel the tournament.

The announcement came shortly after the BCCI postponed the IPL for a week due to the same geopolitical concerns.

Overseas players were swiftly evacuated to Dubai via charter flights, from where they caught connecting flights to their home countries. Bangladesh leg-spinner Rishad Hossain, part of the Lahore Qalandars squad, recounted the terrifying ordeal, revealing that the airport they departed from was struck by a missile just 20 minutes after their plane took off.

“After landing in Dubai, we heard that a missile struck the airport 20 minutes after we left. The news was scary and sorrowful, but we felt relieved to be safe in Dubai,” Rishad told Cricbuzz.

Read Also | Foreign players asked to return to their country as IPL 2025 postponed for a week due to India-Pakistan tension

Daryl Mitchell’s Vow and Tom Curran’s Distress

Rishad shared the palpable fear among foreign players, including Sam Billings, Daryl Mitchell, Kushal Perera, David Wiese, and Tom Curran.

“Landing in Dubai, Mitchell told me he would never go to Pakistan again, especially in this kind of scenario. They were all horrified,” Rishad said.

Recounting Tom Curran’s emotional breakdown, Rishad added, “Tom went to the airport, but heard it was closed. He started crying like a little child, and it took two or three people to console him.”

Read Also | India-Pakistan War: How Indian athletes reacted to it

Family Worries and Player Anxieties

Rishad also spoke about the anxiety his family felt during the crisis. “Whenever I play, my family worries about the situation. When they heard about the bomb blasts and missile strikes in Pakistan, they were naturally tense. I tried to console them and assure them I was safe,” he said.

PCB’s Failed Attempt to Salvage the Tournament

According to Rishad, the PCB chairman attempted to convince players to continue the tournament in Karachi, downplaying the severity of the situation.

“The chairman tried to hide that there were two drone attacks the day before, which we later learned about. Almost all foreign players agreed that Dubai was the only safe option,” Rishad revealed.

The PCB eventually facilitated the players’ safe evacuation to Dubai, a move Rishad credited to the board’s efforts. “Thanks to the PCB chairman and the Pakistan Cricket Board, we reached Dubai safely by the grace of Almighty Allah,” he said.

The ICC has officially announced that the Final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5th July. The news was shared during a special launch event at Lord’s on 1st May.

Alongside this major reveal, it was confirmed that the matches will also be played at other popular venues across England, including Edgbaston, the Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and the Bristol County Ground.

The tournament is set to kick off on 12th June and will run for 24 days, featuring a total of 33 matches leading up to the highly anticipated final at Lord’s. The complete match schedule is expected to be released soon.

Featuring a record 12 teams, the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be the biggest edition in the tournament’s history. With two more teams than the previous edition, fans can expect fierce competition as the world’s top sides battle it out for the title.

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Qualified Teams for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Four additional teams will join them through the Qualifier scheduled next year.

The 12 teams will be split into two groups of six for the group stage, followed by the knockout rounds and finals.

Official Statement

ICC Chairman Jay Shah opened up about the tournament, saying, "The confirmation of venues represents a defining moment as we build towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026"

"The sell-out Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women’s game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final."

"As we turn our focus to preparing for the tournament, we are excited by the promise of thrilling T20 action that will not only captivate fans here but also serve as a showcase for cricket’s return on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles 2028."

Legacy

Moving on from the most recent edition, hosted by Bangladesh in the UAE in 2024, saw New Zealand claim their first-ever title, defeating South Africa by 32 runs in the final.

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will mark the milestone 10th edition of the tournament, which began in 2009.

RCB star batter Virat Kohli has passed Chris Gayle with the second most fifty plus scores in T20s. Kohli achieved this milestone during the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. He came into the game tallying 110-fifties and struck another beautiful half-century with the bat-off just 32 balls, enabling his side to a grand start. Now at 111 fifty-plus scores, Kohli trails only David Warner, who scores a total of 117.

Let's take a look at the batters who have scored the most fifty plus scores in T20s.

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Most Fifty Plus Scores in T20s

4. Babar Azam | 102

Babar Azam is known as a model of consistency in T20 cricket. The brilliant right-hander has scored over 11,000 runs in his T20 career, including 91 fifties and 11 centuries, and has scored fifty plus runs a total of 102 times.

This remarkable record puts him fourth in the all-time list of most fifty plus scores in T20s, which shows his dominance and reliability in the shortest format for Pakistan in international cricket and other franchises around the world.

3. Chris Gayle | 110

The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, is one of the prominent names to have scored the most 50+ scores in the shortest format of cricket. Arguably the first global superstar of this format, Gayle's explosive batting has made a splash in many T20 games over the years.

With a record 22 T20 centuries and 88 fifties, his record of scoring 110 fifty plus scores ranks third in T20 cricket history.

2. Virat Kohli | 111

Virat Kohli, the reigning king of the cricket world, is now second in terms of all-time T20 fifty-plus scores after another brilliant half-century in the IPL 2025 match against Rajasthan Royals. With 111 fifty plus scores, Kohli continues to be the epitome of consistency.

From taking Team India to the T20 World Cup for years to being the heartbeat of RCB, Kohli has always performed well. Now that he is in the twilight of his career, the world is eagerly waiting to see what magic is still left in Kohli.

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1. David Warner | 117

David Warner tops the list of fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. He has 117 fifty plus scores in T20 cricket. Warner also scored most half centuries in T20 cricket, smashing 109 fifties. The explosive left-hander from Australia has been the epitome of consistency right from his early T20 days.

Warner is always hungry for runs, whether representing Australia or leading Sunrisers Hyderabad. He’s still going strong across various leagues, and we can expect him to add even more to this record.

Indian team's star batsman Virat Kohli scored a brilliant half-century in the match against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday. The former captain, who is in great form, became the first Indian to score 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. 

The Indian stalwart entered the exclusive club, which solely featured David Warner as its sole member. The former Australia star boasts a staggering 108 half-centuries in the T20 format.

Also Read: Most Wickets in 1st Over of IPL

Let's take a look at the batters with most gifties in T20 cricket.

Most Fifties in T20 Cricket

5. Jos Buttler | 86

The England batter Jos Buttler has a fantastic record in the shortest format and has featured in franchise cricket all around the world. Buttler is a part of the Gujarat Titans side in the ongoing IPL season. He has so far played 440 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 12,331 runs with 8 hundreds and the highest individual score of 124.

4. Chris Gayle | 88

The explosive West Indies batter Chris Gayle has played franchise cricket all around the world and has also featured a lot for the national side in the shortest format. Gayle has played 463 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a total of 14,562 runs with 22 centuries and the highest individual score 175*.

3. Babar Azam | 90

The Pakistan batter has not only played a lot of T20 cricket for the national side, but has also featured a lot in franchise cricket. Babar has so far played 311 matches in the format, scoring a total of 11,042 runs with 11 hundreds and the highest individual score of 122.

2. Virat Kohli | 100*

The India star batter Virat Kohli scored his 100th half-century in T20 cricket during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's clash against the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. Kohli has so far played 405 matches in the format, scoring a total of 13,134 runs with 9 centuries and the highest individual score of 122*.

Also Read: Most Fifties (and over) in IPL History

1. David Warner | 108

The former Australia batter David Warner has played a total of 400 matches in T20 cricket, scoring a massive 12,925 runs. Along with a humongous number of half-centuries, Warner also has 8 centuries under his name in the format with the highest individual score of 135*.