While Gwandu and Musekiwa have both played T20I cricket for Zimbabwe, quick bowler Maposa, 21, is uncapped in international cricket. He has played just three List A matches so far, picking up four wickets at an economy rate of 6.29. Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava will continue to lead the seam attacks in both ODIs and T20Is.
“The series against Pakistan is an important platform for Zimbabwe, and we believe the ODI squad we have selected is well-rounded,” David Mutendera, Zimbabwe’s convener of selectors, said in a statement. “The presence of seasoned players like Craig [Ervine], Sikandar [Raza] and Sean [Williams] provides stability, while young players like Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers and the uncapped trio bring energy and the potential for game-changing moments.”
Sean Williams, who had missed the white-ball series in Sri Lanka earlier this year because of an injury, returned to the ODI side, but was omitted from the T20I squad. ODI captain Craig Ervine was also left out of the T20I side. Williams last played an ODI in July 2023.
Zimbabwe retained the same T20I squad that had won the men’s T20 World Cup 2026 sub-regional qualifier in Kenya last month. During that tournament, Zimbabwe had broken the record for the highest T20I total.
“We felt it was essential to maintain the same T20I squad that excelled in Kenya,” Mutendera said. “This continuity allows the team to build on the cohesion and confidence that drove their outstanding performance.”
The white-ball series against Pakistan will begin with the first ODI on November 24 and will run until December 5, with Bulawayo set to host all the games – three ODIs and three T20Is.
Zimbabwe ODI squad for series against Pakistan
Craig Ervine (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams
Zimbabwe T20I squad for series against Pakistan
Sikandar Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava
Batting first, Rajshahi were bowled out for 112 runs. Fahad took five wickets while Ashraful Hasan and Ifran Hossain took two each.
Chattogram made 252 in reply, with Shamim Hossain top-scoring with an unbeaten 84. He struck four sixes and two fours in his 128-ball knock. Legspinner Wasi Siddiquee and medium pacer Sabbir Hossain took three wickets each.
Selection headaches await for England, but they won’t be for Marcus Trescothick. With his time as interim head coach over, Trescothick is clearing the way for England’s new, new white-ball era to begin under Brendon McCullum.
“We’re waiting for the finalised side of what happens from January onwards,” Trescothick said of when the ultimate call will be made on what the coaching set-up will look like. “I think when Brendan and Rob [Key] get together, they’ll finalise that probably during New Zealand.”
Trescothick has been in charge for England’s series against Australia in September and now their tour of the Caribbean, the latter of which he described as “perfect” and leaving the team in the best place possible to be taken over by McCullum.
“If you look at the end result,” Trescothick said, “we’ve won one of the two series and we’ve won various games in both series that we’ve played and we’ve seen more players. So you sit back and you look at it on paper and go: perfect.”
Because of the crammed schedule, England had taken several young players out to West Indies, with four making debuts across the tour. The balance, Trescothick argued, was to blend winning with learning – an objective that was achieved.
“Of course, you always want to win. But I think if we’d have had one objective on this trip, more than anything else that was to see the players we’ve seen and see whether they’re going to be good enough next week, next month, next year, or for three years’ time.”
The shiniest new toy that awaits McCullum is Jacob Bethell. The Bajan-born left-hander looks the real deal. During the ODI series, he became the third youngest half-centurion for England in the format’s history, and across the four T20s, he made two fifties, averaged 127 and struck at 173.97. Job done.
McCullum will be able to get to know Bethell sooner rather than later, with the 21-year-old set to be the reserve batter on England’s tour of New Zealand. That despite a meagre first-class record where he has zero centuries in 20 appearances.
“All the attributes are there,” Trescothick argued in favour of Bethell’s chances of transferring his white-ball ability across. “If you had markers to be able to go, right, you need to do this, this and this, he’d be knocking on the door for that.
“There’s no reason why he can’t break through and succeed, because he’s flourished in both formats that we’ve seen in the recent period of time. You could almost see him being the next youngster after Harry Brook, the real exciting one coming through for the next journey this group will take.”
Saqib Mahmood was also singled out for his “superb” performances and was arguably the only player already established within the England set-up to cement his spot moving forward. His nine wickets across four matches earned him the Player-of-the-Series award.
McCullum’s appointment will also present captain Jos Buttler with the first real opportunity to mould a team in his image. Since taking over in 2022, Buttler has largely ridden the momentum of the Eoin Morgan era – which carried them to their T20 World Cup victory – before attempting to get the band back together for one last ODI dance in 2023, only for it to all fall apart.
Now, however, as Buttler targets the final years of his career as potentially the most “rewarding”, he has the chance to start afresh with a new group of players.
After four months out, Buttler returned to form almost immediately, with 83 in his second innings and captaining with a smile on his face throughout. His fields were inventive and often hyper-aggressive, with two slips and a short-leg in position thanks to Mahmood and Jofra Archer taking early wickets in the powerplay.
“You can sort of see it falling back into place for him almost,” Trescothick said of Buttler. “A little bit where it’s hopefully some more enjoyable times coming forward with the growth of the team, but also with other other players coming back in and a bit more settled structure with the coaching as well.”
The question of ODI returns for Ben Stokes and Joe Root will be the ultimate litmus test. Both are still fantastic players, but arguably represent a step backwards if, after pursuing a policy of youth, you return to two men who have been absent since the 2023 World Cup.
That, however, is also easier said than done. The ODI side was desperately lacking experience, with the absence of a Root or Shai Hope-style player from England’s line-up glaring across the series.
“I don’t know exactly,” Buttler said of whether the pair will be back in February. “It’s conversations for the next few weeks with the guys in charge. The guys here have played really well. Some of the young players have done themselves no harm at all. There are people who aren’t here who will have aspirations to be in the white-ball side as well. It’s really exciting.”
Whatever happens next, the latest new era is set to begin.
Cameron Ponsonby is a freelance cricket writer in London. @cameronponsonby
Jos Buttler has said that Ben Stokes and Joe Root are not guaranteed to return to England’s white-ball set-up for the Champions Trophy, but hopes the pair retain ambitions in white-ball cricket.
Neither Stokes nor Root have represented England in ODI cricket since their disastrous World Cup defence in 2023, with the Champions Trophy set to begin in exactly three months’ time.
Stokes has previously said that the answer would “definitely be yes” if Brendon McCullum, who takes over the white-ball side in January, asked him to return, but added that: “I’m not going to be too disappointed if I don’t.”
In August, England selector Luke Wright said that there was “no reason” why Root couldn’t come straight into a major tournament, although Root himself hasn’t spoken publicly about his own desire to return to the format.
“I don’t know exactly,” Buttler said of whether Root and Stokes will be back in February. “Obviously Brendon McCullum is coming in full-time and he’ll be in touch with the guys.”
England have a white-ball tour to India in January that includes three ODIs, which are the only 50-over matches they have before the Champions Trophy begins.
Asked whether the pair are guaranteed to come back in if they are available, Buttler added: “It’s conversations for the next few weeks with the guys in charge. The guys here have played really well. Some of the young players have done themselves no harm at all. There are people who aren’t here who will have aspirations to be in the white-ball side as well. It’s really exciting.”
Root is arguably England’s greatest ODI batter, with more than 6500 runs and 16 hundreds in 171 matches since 2013. However, he has struggled over the past three years in the few 50-over matches he has played. Since July 2021, he averages 22.94 in the format across 20 matches. His last ODI century came during the 2019 World Cup.
Similarly, Stokes has played just 19 ODIs in the last five years. However, in that time, he has averaged 43.38. Across the 2023 World Cup, he scored 539 runs at an average of 59.88.
“I can’t speak for them individually but I hope they have white-ball aspirations,” Buttler said of the pair. “They’re two great players.
“Naturally the teams will become closer in terms of personnel now the overall messaging will be coming from one man who is in charge of England cricket now. The guys who play all three formats, they won’t feel it’s red or white as much anymore.
“Maybe you’ll see the same faces and the same guy in charge, no matter what colour the ball is. It’s certainly going to give more consistency.”
Buttler was speaking in the moments after a washout in St Lucia had secured England a 3-1 series win over West Indies, the T20I side’s first away series win in over two years.
“To come and beat the West Indies here is a great effort. We’ve had some close series against them over the last few years which has been good. I’m really pleased for everyone in the dressing room who put in the performances we did to get the results we got.”
In particular, Buttler singled out the performance of Saqib Mahmood, whose nine wickets across four matches led to him being named as Player of the Series, after two years in which the fast bowler had been plagued by injuries.
“It’s a great piece of work,” Buttler said. “Having just gone through an injury recently – nothing as serious as Saqi – you realise how much hard work it is. It’s an eye-opener for how much resilience and hard work and all the rehab that the guys who have had these back injuries and long-term injuries must go through.
“More than anything he showed great skill with the ball and he got the results he deserved.”
Buttler himself returned this series after four months off with a calf injury, but was able to come through the series unscathed. On this trip, he opted not to keep wicket to gain experience of captaining from the field.
“I don’t know exactly but I’ve enjoyed it,” Buttler said, when asked if he will give up the gloves for good. “It’s been good for me to take one less thing off my plate. Tres has been great at doing that as well, he’s really led the side and really helped me and pushed me towards those kinds of things. Change is good sometimes. I’ve enjoyed being closer to the bowlers.”
Cameron Ponsonby is a freelance cricket writer in London. @cameronponsonby
It remains to be seen whether Australia will play any bilateral cricket against Afghanistan in the future after signing a partnership agreement with global children’s charity UNICEF Australia to promote the foundation’s ‘Until Every Girl Can Play’ campaign aimed at gender equality.
CA will hold fundraisers for UNICEF Australia at the upcoming Perth Test and the women’s Ashes Test at the MCG in January having been particularly vocal on not scheduling men’s bilateral cricket against Afghanistan outside of World Cups due to the Taliban government’s stance on women’s rights. CA has cancelled three bilateral series with Afghanistan in recent years.
According to the Future Tours Programme Australia is due to host Afghanistan in a men’s Test and three T20Is in July 2026. Whether that goes ahead remains to be seen.
Hockley said CA is continuing to support a group of Afghanistan female cricketers who live and play in Australia. The group have asked the ICC to assist them in setting up a refugee team based in Australia in the absence of a national side.
“Certainly over the last three years, they’ve been extremely well supported by really every level of the cricketing community, from clubs, state associations,” Hockley said at the MCG on Tuesday at the unveiling of the UNICEF partnership.
“We’ve certainly sought support in the background. I’ve had the real privilege to meet and spend some time with the players, and certainly we are working behind the scenes on ways we can continue to support.”
UNICEF Australia CEO Tony Stuart was asked whether CA should even play Afghanistan’s men in world events.
“I keep out of the politics of this, because what has made UNICEF, I think, good at what it does, is it works with every country, 200 countries in the world, and to do that, you have to be neutral,” Stuart said.
“We are the Red Cross of children, and what we do encourage, wherever we are in the world, is participation. We will continue to encourage that in Afghanistan. And I have to say, living in Australia, I’m so pleased to see so many of the Afghan women here in Australia and I hope in the future, they get the opportunity in some way to participate in the game.”
Sharmin had missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year and had last played international cricket during the ODI series at home against India in July 2023. The 28-year-old has played 35 ODIs and 16 T20Is since she made her international debut in 2011. As for Jahanara, she is among the three Bangladesh players who have played at least 50 women’s ODIs. Jahanara has picked up 48 wickets in 52 matches at an average of 30.39.
Middle-order batter Taj made her international debut in the Women’s T20 World Cup in October, while left-arm spinner Sanjida has played 18 WT20Is.
This is Bangladesh’s first ODI series since the Australia series in April this year. From that squad, the selectors have excluded Farzana Akter, Sumaiya Akter, Disha Biswas and Nishita Akter.
Bangladesh have won three out of six ODIs against Ireland. They won the last bilateral series between the two sides, back in 2016.
This time, they will play the three ODIs in Dhaka on November 27 and 30 and December 2. They will also play three T20Is in Sylhet on December 5, 7 and 9.
This is Bangladesh’s first international series since the Women’s T20 World Cup held in UAE in October.
Rahul had opened the batting in the second four-day game between India A and Australia A, and also in the simulated training game among the Indian players at the WACA in the lead up to the series opener at the Optus Stadium. After scoring 4 and 10 against Australia A at the MCG, Rahul was struck on his right elbow by a rising delivery from the tall quick Prasidh Krishna on Friday. He did not bat again that day but returned to the nets on Sunday.
Aaqib Javed has been named interim head coach of Pakistan’s men’s national white-ball teams till the end of the 2025 Champions Trophy, of which Pakistan are the hosts.
Former Pakistan quick and UAE men’s head coach Aaqib will continue to serve as a senior member of the Pakistan men’s selection committee, and “will be assigned additional responsibilities following the conclusion” of the Champions Trophy, the PCB said in a statement on Monday.
The PCB added that it “will initiate the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach” with the aim of completing the appointment by the end of the Champions Trophy, which is set to run from February 19 to March 9.
Speaking at a press meet at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday, Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, said, “We have temporarily asked Aaqib Javed to take over as coach until Champions Trophy. We don’t want to act too hastily in bringing in another coach who isn’t right. So this three-month gap, Aaqib will work [in that position]. He definitely wants to work on other things but we requested him to work for three months as head coach and after that we will see about the other stuff he wants to do.
Aaqib continuing to be on the selection committee puts the PCB’s coaching set-up in the unusual position of the interim white-ball coach having a say in selection across formats, while the full-time red-ball coach does not have a say in selection for the Test side
“It is only for [Aaqib to be only] white-ball [coach] and only [in an] interim [capacity]. We will begin the process of looking for a head coach in the next 10-15 days so we can search and find a good head coach.”
Jason Gillespie, meanwhile, will continue to helm the Test side, and will join the touring party for the two-Test series in South Africa, which starts on December 26 after a T20I and ODI series. Last week, Gillespie was sounded out to perform white-ball duties until the Champions Trophy, without a change in his current contract – in effect, to take on two additional formats without being paid more for the increased scope of his role. Gillespie turned that offer down.
Aaqib continuing to be on the selection committee puts the PCB’s coaching set-up in the unusual position, where the interim white-ball coach does have a say in selection across formats, while the full-time red-ball coach does not have a say in selection for the Test side.
The decision to hand Aaqib white-ball coaching duties at such a critical phase of white-ball cricket for Pakistan underscores how swift the speed of Aaqib’s ascent has been. Until a few weeks ago, he was Lahore Qalandars’ long-term coach and director of cricket operations, where he had a mixed record; he led the side to consecutive PSL titles, but also saw several bottom-place finishes, including earlier this season.
When appointed a member of the selection committee, he was viewed by the PCB’s top brass as the mastermind behind the implementation of spin-friendly pitches against England to turn that series. He quit his role at Qalandars to focus on the PCB, where he was initially viewed as the favourite to be appointed director at the National Cricket Academy. He served a stint as Sri Lanka’s bowling coach earlier this year, but now begins his highest profile challenge.
Pakistan haven’t had a full-time white-ball coach since Gary Kirsten resigned in late October. Gillespie had been given additional responsibilities for the ongoing white-ball tour of Australia.
The tour of Australia, where Pakistan won the ODI series but lost the T20Is, ends today, and Pakistan are next slotted to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Zimbabwe (November 24 to December 5) before travelling to South Africa. In South Africa, they will first play three T20Is (December 10 to 14) and then three ODIs (December 17 to 22) before the two Tests. Pakistan then play a two-Test series at home against West Indies (January 16 to 28) before hosting New Zealand and South Africa in a short ODI tri-series just before the Champions Trophy.
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
The PCB had to curtail the National Women’s Championship in Karachi on Monday after five players had a close shave following a fire incident in the team hotel.
“Fortunately, no players were injured, as the PCB promptly evacuated the five players in the hotel at the time of the incident and relocated them safely to the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre,” the PCB said in a statement.
The PCB tried to find an alternate accommodation for the teams but because of the Ideas Defence Exhibition being held in Karachi, they could not find a hotel. The board said the decision to truncate the tournament was taken keeping in mind the health and safety of the players.
“Additionally, the unavailability of alternative accommodations to meet the approximately 100 rooms of the required standards contributed to this outcome,” said the PCB statement. “To determine the tournament winner, the PCB has decided that the Invincibles and the Stars – the top-two teams after four matches each – will face off in the final. The date and venue for the final will be announced in due course.”
