Sports
Why Doesn’t the King Rule in Australia? | The Express Tribune
Former Pakistan Captain and Star batter Babar Azam. Photo: X
KARACHI:
It is never easy to step out of your comfort zone. You don’t really know how talented you might be until you bring change within yourself or explore new paths. Perhaps you could achieve greater success but there’s a certain fear that holds you back: What if I fail? You fear losing even what you already have. So, many people choose to settle for what they’ve got.
Maybe that’s why the growth of some talented individuals eventually stops. Of course, financial or personal factors make taking risks even harder. But if we look at the most successful people, most of them are those who did step out of their comfort zones, discovered their true selves, and changed their ways.
If we talk about cricket, the difference between the past and the present eras is like night and day. In the old days, there was only Test cricket, and it was considered the crown jewel of the sport. Then came One-Day Internationals money began to flow in, and players’ focus shifted toward it. Now, it’s the era of T20 cricket.
The new generation gives T20’s explosive players the same legendary status that fans of the past gave to Don Bradman. The only difference is the real Bradman is still remembered decades later, whereas the “Bradmans” of T20 fade from memory after a short while.
Today, players prefer to earn huge sums from a few hours of T20 rather than grind through long Test matches. Test cricket has fallen to the point where even a major cricketing nation like Pakistan plays only four or five matches a year.
Very few cricketers remain who can perform in all three formats, and even among those, many try to use their stardom to make themselves indispensable often to the detriment of their teams.
In the past, players used to say, “We play for the country and the nation.” Now, even that courtesy is gone. Today’s players happily abandon international cricket to earn dollars from leagues. Their justification is that international careers are short. If that’s really the case, then they shouldn’t use their national teams as a stepping stone they should sign with leagues from the start. But of course, that’s not possible.
Leagues have also become a way to shatter many superstars’ egos. At home, you’re treated like a hero and if competition isn’t strong, you can stay in the team for years even when out of form. But leagues are different. Franchises spend millions to hire the world’s best talent, and they expect performance in every match. If you don’t meet those expectations, you face situations you could never imagine in your home team.
That hurts your ego and sometimes, you react in ways no one expects.
Something like this happened in the Big Bash League (BBL). Usually, in the last over of an innings, a batter will refuse a single to protect the tail-ender and take the strike himself for the next over. Babar Azam has done that many times. But he probably never imagined someone would do the same to him.
Playing for the Sydney Sixers, he opened alongside Steve Smith who hadn’t played a T20 international for two years. On the last ball of the 11th over, Babar played a shot that offered a single, but Smith refused it. Babar looked visibly annoyed. In the next over, Smith smashed 32 runs proving his decision right. Babar, on the other hand, got out on 47 and, while walking off, hit his bat against the boundary rope in frustration.
Fans were stunned, and commentators found his reaction unexpected.
Babar scored 47 off 39 balls, while Smith reached a century off just three balls more a striking contrast between the two innings. Could anyone in the Pakistan team ever dare to act that way with Babar? Of course not.
Earlier, Melbourne Renegades’ captain had even called Mohammad Rizwan back from batting for playing too slowly.
We might find such treatment of our stars unacceptable, but let’s be honest does their batting really suit modern T20 cricket? Are our complaints justified?
Among all batters in the Big Bash, the lowest strike rates belong to these two.
Franchise cricket doesn’t tolerate this they pay you huge sums and expect results. The “king’s reign” works only at home; abroad, your ego doesn’t get the same royal treatment.
This is cricket but the same rule applies in life. At home, we still don’t have enough quality batters to replace Babar, so he’s back in T20s.
At home, you can talk however you like to your parents, but can you speak that way to your boss at work? Of course not.
Those who fail to adapt with time get left behind. Just look at the descendants of past emperors in India today their condition says it all.
We must look at the present, not live in the past. It’s wiser to leave your stardom and ego at home and focus on your work.
The real question is whether Babar still suits modern T20 cricket or whether he should now focus only on Tests and ODIs. The upcoming World Cup will give us the answer.
As for Rizwan, his T20 career seems practically over. Both have done great service for Pakistan, but they have always been criticized for slow batting in T20s and they didn’t make much effort to change themselves. They took things for granted.
Now, facing the world’s best in franchise leagues, their weaknesses are being exposed.
The Bangladesh league is so low in quality that even Haider Ali captains there. Some argue that if Babar and Rizwan had played there, they would’ve continued scoring runs against weak bowling and flat pitches. But in Australia, with world-class bowling and bouncy tracks, they’ve struggled.
Maybe they shouldn’t have gone to the Big Bash — but I don’t agree with that. Both are world-class batters and capable of performing anywhere.
The issue isn’t who they are it’s whether they can focus on what they can become.
There are still matches left they can still show their talent.
Just stop hitting your bat on the boundary rope and start hitting the ball. Only then will your team get runs, and your ego will find true satisfaction.
Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell has committed to Duke, he told ESPN on Tuesday.
Blackwell, who visited Duke on Monday, was the best guard to enter the transfer portal this spring.
“It just felt right,” Blackwell told ESPN. “It felt like the right situation for me. I just connected with Coach [Jon Scheyer] on a different level. We built a connection in these past weeks of just talking to him and him selling why Duke is the right spot for me. Me taking this visit was just confirmation on why I should be at Duke.”
Blackwell, a 6-foot-4 guard, earned third-team All-Big Ten honors this past season after averaging a career-high 19.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists, shooting nearly 39% from 3-point range.
He was at his best in the postseason. Blackwell had 34 points and 10 rebounds in the third round of the Big Ten tournament against Washington, following it with 31 points on 9-for-17 shooting in an overtime win over Illinois. While Wisconsin was upset by 12-seed High Point in the first round of the men’s NCAA tournament, Blackwell finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Panthers.
Blackwell, who is represented by Todd Ramasar and Alexis Liatsos at Life Sports Agency, will have the opportunity to carry that momentum over to Duke.
“Their pitch to me was, come here, have freedom,” Blackwell said. “You can come here and be a draft pick, and that’s always my dream. Come here and help us win a national championship. Those are just things I love to hear. I love the campus, I love the people surrounding Duke. That’s why I made my choice to be a Blue Devil.”
Blackwell, who is still going through the NBA draft process, is joining a backcourt that includes returnees Caleb Foster (8.3 PPG) and Cayden Boozer (7.7 PPG), as well as five-star recruit Deron Rippey Jr. The junior guard said when he entered the portal that he wants to show more on-ball responsibility, meaning Scheyer will have plenty of options as playmakers next season.
“They have four PGs. I would consider myself a point guard,” Blackwell said. “We’re just going to push each other everyday. [When you] have a deep backcourt like we’re going to have, it’s going to be a matchup nightmare for teams. I’m just so excited to play with those guys and challenge those guys. And they challenge me every single day.”
Scheyer has been reloading his roster since last month’s Elite Eight loss to UConn. Projected top-five pick Cameron Boozer is out the door, with projected first-rounder Isaiah Evans expected to follow. Maliq Brown is out of eligibility and freshman Nikolas Khamenia entered the portal and transferred to UConn.
But Duke received positive news on Monday with the return of honorable mention All-ACC big man Patrick Ngongba II, while Cayden Boozer, Foster and potentially Dame Sarr are also likely to return to Durham.
The Blue Devils are also bringing in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, led by three top-25 seniors, and added Belmont transfer Drew Scharnowski this past weekend.
But Scheyer desperately needed a high-level scorer to round out his roster, an experienced bucket-getter to lead the offense. And he landed the best one on the market in Blackwell.
“Their track record with producing pros definitely played a part in it,” he said. “Not so much with them producing pros, but them developing pros. I don’t think at any other school, there’s only a few, where you can get that certain level of development. That’s major for me.”
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Shortly after the maize and blue confetti fell in celebration of Michigan’s win over UConn in the national championship game, college basketball’s transfer portal was officially opened.
According to reports, over 2,000 Division I men’s basketball players have already entered their names into the portal, which will be open for two weeks, from April 7 to April 21.
It’s a deep and talented pool of transfers who will have a significant impact on the outcome of the 2026-27 college basketball season.
We ranked the top 20 transfers to keep an eye on over the next two weeks as transfer decisions unfold.
Burton is a dual-threat scoring guard. He led the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game as a sophomore and then followed that up by averaging 18.5 points per game during his junior year at Notre Dame. After three seasons with the Fighting Irish, Burton enters the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.
Update: Burton has committed to play for Indiana.
Freeman is a budding star who can score at all three levels. He plays with a smoothness to his game, averaging 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game en route to earning honorable mention All-ACC honors. He was a former five-star recruit in the 2024 high school class, but he has battled injuries throughout his first two seasons at Syracuse. Freeman has two years of eligibility remaining.
Update: Freeman has committed to play for St. John’s
Sherrell is a physical presence with a strong motor on the glass. He averaged 11.1 points and 6.2 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game as a sophomore at Alabama. In a system that emphasized high-volume 3-point shooting, his full skill set wasn’t on display. With two years of eligibility remaining, he could emerge as a do-it-all forward in a different role.
Update: Sherrell has committed to play for Indiana.
Diop is an athletic big man, and at 7-foot-1, he’s a rim-protecting presence and a capable lob threat. He averaged 13.6 points and 2.1 blocks per game in his freshman season at Arizona State. He was born in Senegal and came to the United States from Spain before last season. At 21 years old, he has more experience than most rising sophomores.
Lewis is a dynamic guard whose game is built on getting into the lane and creating for himself and his teammates. One of the best finishers in the nation, he averaged 12.2 points and 5.3 assists per game while leading Villanova to the NCAA Tournament. Lewis has three years of eligibility remaining but has also entered his name into NBA Draft consideration and the transfer portal.
Update: Lewis has committed to play for Miami.
Cyril is an imposing paint presence on both sides of the ball. He’s an elite rim-protector and efficient pick-and-roll partner. He averaged 9.3 points and 2.2 blocks per game during his sophomore season at Georgia, while only playing 21.2 minutes per game. There’s room for a breakout if the playing time increases, and Cyril has two years of eligibility remaining to prove that.
Update: Cyril has committed to play for Miami (Fla.).
Nik Khamenia was one of five freshman who played heavy minutes for Duke this past season. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Khamenia is a versatile wing and former top-20 recruit whose role was limited on a loaded Duke roster as a freshman. He averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game. With expanded opportunity, he’s a strong candidate to make a major leap as a sophomore.
Update: Khamenia has committed to play for UConn.
Hill is another elite-level shot maker, overcoming his 6-foot-3 stature with a decisive dribble and high-arcing release. He left his mark on the 2026 NCAA Tournament, knocking down a game-winning shot to lift No. 11 seed VCU over No. 6 seed North Carolina in the first round. Hill averaged 15.0 points per game, shooting 37% from 3-point range en route to earning A-10 Sixth Man of the Year honors. He provided an offensive punch off the bench for the Rams but is certainly a starting caliber player at the high-major level with two years of eligibility remaining.
Update: Hill has committed to play for Tennessee.
Byrd is a standout on both ends of the floor. He withdrew his name from the NBA Draft last year and returned to San Diego State, where he averaged 10.4 points and 4.7 assists per game along with 1.2 blocks and 1.9 steals per contest. He was one of the top defenders in the nation this past season, earning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Update: Byrd has committed to play for Providence.
Johnson is another go-to scoring guard. He separates himself with his ability to facilitate and initiate. He averaged 16.9 points and 3.0 assists per game, leading Colorado in scoring as a freshman while coming off the bench for the first half of the season. With three years of eligibility remaining, Johnson could emerge as the face of a program and the focal point offensively.
Update: Johnson has committed to play for Texas.
Moustapha Thiam was a significant part of Cincinnati’s late-season surge, averaging 17.7 points over the final nine games. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
Thiam is a crafty big man with a traditional back-to-the-basket game. He’s also an athletically-gifted defender, averaging a Big 12-best 2.6 blocks per game as a freshman at UCF and later helped Cincinnati finish 10th nationally in KenPom defensive efficiency. Entering his junior year, he’s a candidate to break out at his third program.
Vaaks is an elite perimeter shooter with good size, standing at 6-foot-7, which will allow him to consistently get his shot off no matter what level he plays at. He averaged 15.8 points per game while shooting 35% from 3-point range as a freshman at Providence. He started 14 of the final 15 games of the season, increasing his numbers to 18.0 points per game.
Update: Vaaks has committed to play for Illinois.
Shelstad is an offensive engine, creating for himself at all three levels while also facilitating for his teammates. His endless range, blinding speed and timely decision-making makes up for his size (6-foot). He earned All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore but only played 12 games during his junior year at Oregon before sustaining a season-ending hand injury. He averaged 15.6 points and 4.9 assists per game for the Ducks.
Update: Shelstad has committed to play for Louisville.
Murauskas is a three-level scorer. He uses his height to score inside, but is also a talented perimeter shooter both off the catch and dribble. He averaged 18.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in his junior season at Saint Mary’s. Murauskas started his college career at Arizona, then played two seasons with the Gaels, entering the portal after head coach Randy Bennett left for Arizona State.
Haggerty is a high-level shot taker and maker, averaging 23.6 points per game on 48.9% shooting at Kansas State this past season. He previously led the American Conference in scoring at Memphis in 2024–25.
Update: Haggerty has committed to play for Texas A&M.
Robert Wright III has led two programs to the NCAA Tournament, and will seek a third school in the NCAA transfer portal. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
Wright plays a downhill, attacking style, always looking to penetrate the lane with his dribble to create for himself and his teammates. He averaged 18.1 points and 4.6 assists per game for BYU during his sophomore season. He also improved as a shooter, increasing his 3-point percentage from 35.2% to 41.0%. It will be Wright’s second consecutive offseason entering the transfer portal, as he went from Baylor to BYU and now will play for a third school in three years.
Update: Wright has returned to play for BYU.
Punch is a steady interior presence on both sides of the ball, with an especially-high IQ on offense. At 6-foot-7, 245 pounds, and without a 3-point shot in his arsenal, he’s undersized and might not fit every system. However, he averaged 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in his sophomore season at TCU.
Update: Punch has committed to play for Texas.
Harris averaged 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game during his sophomore season at Wake Forest. He thrives in the mid-range, shooting 55.5% from inside the arc, but still has room to improve from the outside. Harris can be the lead scorer on a high-major team with two years of eligibility remaining.
Blackwell averaged 19.1 points per game during his junior season at Wisconsin. In his three seasons in Madison, the Badgers were unable to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, so Blackwell is seeking a place to compete for his final season of eligibility.
Flory Bidunga won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season at Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Bidunga averaged 13.3 points and 2.6 blocks per game during his sophomore season at Kansas. His rim-protection prowess earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the all-conference team. Bidunga entered his name into the NBA Draft, while keeping his portal options open.
Update: Bidunga has committed to play for Louisville.
FIFA is putting more World Cup tickets on sale after angering some fans by adding new, more expensive categories.
Soccer’s governing body announced Tuesday it will make more tickets available at 11 a.m. ET Wednesday for all 104 games in Categories 1, 2 and 3 plus the new “front category” pricing it added this month.
The new category sparked online complaints from fans who said they thought the better seats in the categories they had bought tickets for were withheld and they were assigned less favorable locations.
FIFA in December put tickets on sale at prices ranging from $140 for Category 3 in the first round to $8,680 for the final, then raised prices to as much as $10,990 when sales reopened on April 1.
FIFA did not respond to an April 9 request for comment about the new ticket categories it added.
Also Tuesday, The Athletic reported that tickets sales are lagging for the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12 at Inglewood, California. It said a document distributed to local organizers dated April 10 said 40,934 tickets had been purchased for the U.S.-Paraguay game and 50,661 for the Iran-New Zealand contest on April 15. FIFA projects SoFi’s World Cup capacity at about 69,650, noting it may change.
FIFA’s December sale priced U.S.-Paraguay tickets at $1,120, $1,940 and $2,735, and Iran-New Zealand seats at $140, $380 and $450.
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