Sports
‘Poor performance’: Hafeez questions Babar, Rizwan’s place in Pakistan cricket team
Former Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez has raised questions over the selection of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in the national cricket team, pointing to their continuous poor performance in recent years.
Speaking on a local YouTube channel, Hafeez clarified that key players are those who win matches and in recent years, both Rizwan and Babar have failed to deliver match winning performances.
“Calling them key players would be wrong and unfair. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not Pakistan cricket’s key players at the moment. Key players are those who win matches for Pakistan.
“If we look at the past year and a half to two years, the players showing consistent performance are Salman Ali Agha, Saeem Ayub and Hasan Nawaz. Why aren’t we talking about them? They are the current players winning matches for Pakistan,” he said.
Hafeez also questioned Babar and Rizwan’s place in the team, saying they need to justify their spots as players.
“I think Babar and Rizwan need to be concerned about their positions in the team. They need to prove themselves as good players first; key players come later. Both were good in the past, but now they are not delivering results,” he remarked.
He advised both to regain form and criticised the performances of Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi as well.
“Both need to be fully involved in the game, otherwise results won’t come. The same goes for Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, they are also not giving match winning performances for Pakistan,” he added.
Hafeez emphasised that Pakistan cricket does not need big names but players who can perform consistently for the next decade.
“We should focus on players who can contribute for the next 10–15 years. Our media criticises one or two players and hypes one or two others, which is wrong. We need to talk about those who are actually performing,” he noted.
He further criticised players for failing Pakistan cricket on the field while having strong PR campaigns on social media. Hafeez urged the PCB to take action.
“If we want to improve Pakistan cricket, those in the AC rooms and those executing plans on the ground must address these issues promptly,” he concluded.
A photo circulating on Indian social media claims to show Pakistan’s national women’s cricket team captain Fatima Sana kneeling and touching the feet of Indian player Smriti Mandhana during the India vs Pakistan match at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup on October 5.
The image was created using publicly available Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and is not real.
Claim
On October 6, a user on X, a platform formerly known as Twitter, shared an alleged image of Pakistan’s women’s cricket team captain bowing and touching the feet of Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana during a match in Sri Lanka.
The accompanying image was captioned: “Pakistan captain Fatima Sana Touch Feet of Smriti Mandhana after her loss vs India in World Cup.”
Similar claims were also shared on Facebook here, here, and here.
Fact
No such incident took place at the cricket match and the image being circulated online has been created using AI tools.
Geo Fact Check used two digital media forensics tools to verify the picture. Both Attestiv and Hive Moderation found the image to be highly likely to have been generated with Artificial Intelligence. Attestiv gave it a Tamper Score of 98, while Hive Moderation ranked it 77.3% likely created by AI.
Geo Fact Check also reviewed the full match of October 5 as well as its commentary. There was no mention of any incident involving Fatima Sana touching Smriti Mandhana’s feet.
Verdict: The image showing Fatima Sana bowing to Smriti Mandhana is AI-generated and does not depict a real event.
Follow us on @GeoFactCheck on X (Twitter) and @geo_factcheck on Instagram. If our readers detect any errors, we encourage them to contact us at [email protected]
The Queensland batter’s red-hot form has reignited his push for a return to Australia’s Test squad
Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has hit four centuries in five innings in the lead up to the Ashes. PHOTO: AFP
SYDNEY:
Run-hungry Marnus Labuschagne slammed his fourth century in five innings Thursday to make an emphatic case to be in Australia’s side for the opening Ashes Test against England.
The Queensland captain was dropped ahead of Australia’s mid-year Test tour of the West Indies after an extended lean spell.
But he has come roaring back to stake his claim to be part of the team that pads up in Perth on November 21.
Batting at three, he crunched 159 off 197 balls against South Australia, while Test opener Usman Khawaja hit a composed 46.
Labuschagne’s ton backed up the 160 he made in the opening Sheffield Shield round against Tasmania. He has also blitzed two 50-over centuries this season.
The 31-year-old opened with Khawaja in June’s losing World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s.
But a growing chorus of former greats, led by David Warner and Matthew Hayden, are adamant he should revert to his usual spot at number three.
That would mean all-rounder Cameron Green shifts back to six and Beau Webster misses out in Perth, with the question of who opens with Khawaja still to be resolved.
Incumbent opener Sam Konstas’s quest to retain his spot has not gone well.
After a forgettable West Indies series, the 20-year-old was dismissed for a four-ball duck playing for New South Wales against Victoria on Wednesday.
He made only four and 14 against Western Australia last week, leaving selectors with plenty to ponder.
The Toronto Blue Jays needed to bounce back — and that they did.
Toronto stormed back Wednesday night in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with a barrage of home runs that led to a dominant 13-4 victory over the Mariners, cutting Seattle’s series lead to 2-1 after the Blue Jays dropped the first two games at home.
How did Toronto win its first game of the ALCS? We’ve got you covered with the top moments, takeaways and a look at where the series goes from here.
Key links: How Vlad Jr., Jays bet on each other | LCS update | Bracket
Takeaways
Seattle leads series 2-1
It was over when … Even after the Blue Jays’ five-run outburst off George Kirby in the third inning, there was at least hope for a Seattle comeback. Then, George Springer delivered a two-out exclamation point in the fourth inning with a 431-foot home run to center field and followed by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. delivering a second exclamation point in the fifth inning with another blast to center. The Jays’ bats are back. — David Schoenfield
Game 3 star: After surrendering a two-run homer to Julio Rodriguez in the first inning, Blue Jays starter Shane Bieber simplified his pitch mix and leaned into his slider, shutting out the Mariners in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, as Toronto went on to build an insurmountable lead. — Buster Olney
The stat that defined Game 3: The Blue Jays are the third team in MLB history in a single postseason to score 10-plus runs in three games before the World Series, per ESPN Research.
What it means going for the rest of the series: When Rodriguez blistered his 112.2 mph home run in the first inning, it seemed like the Jays were on the verge of being wiped out in this series. But now they are back in the fight, with 41-year-old Max Scherzer lined up to make his 31st postseason appearance to face the Mariners’ Luis Castillo.
Top moments
Toronto gets much-needed Game 3 win behind home run barrage
The local boy – Addison Barger – homers in front of his family and friends! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/qiPWbGiquA
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 16, 2025
Seattle goes back-to-back in the 8th for first runs since 1st inning
Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh go back-to-back!
(MLB x @CitizenWatchUS) pic.twitter.com/sOzVyH0Cvo
— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025
It’s raining homers! Alejandro Kirk‘s 3-run mash makes it 12-2
KIRK’S TURN! #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/wv6UXOcHrU
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 16, 2025
Vlad Jr. adds home run as Jays pile on
VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR. WITH A BLAST OF HIS OWN! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/cSLgLywe1V
— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025
Daulton Varsho‘s 2-RBI double caps off 5-run inning for Toronto
Daulton Varsho makes it a 5-run inning for the @BlueJays! pic.twitter.com/lbrDBbr4ei
— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025
Blue Jays answer with their own blast — and now we’re tied
Andrés Giménez ties the game! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/drtdQh8gQ1
— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025
J-Rod hits 2-run home run to give M’s early lead
JULIO RODRÍGUEZ 2-RUN BLAST! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/olXcF7mzh4
— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025
Josh Naylor rocking a vintage KD jersey ahead of Game 3
Good luck @Mariners…good throwback Josh https://t.co/26FrDN4UNO
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) October 15, 2025
Spit On, Sworn At, and Undeterred: What It’s Like to Own a Cybertruck
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