Pakistan’s legendary batter Babar Azam made a heartwarming social media post wishing former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed success in the upcoming chapters of his life. This story was posted on his Instagram handle after the former Champions Trophy-winning skipper announced his retirement.

Pakistan cricket has been undergoing massive changes, and to better the results, changes would not only be needed in the players but also in the coaching staff, since they have been equally inefficient. These changes might be forced due to Pakistan’s poor run in ICC tournaments as well as their humiliating form in red-ball cricket.

Pakistan’s limited Test cricket success came against England in the last WTC cycle under Jason Gillespie, but then he left the role after some altercations with the PCB. Pakistan have just made a start to their WTC 2025-27 campaign and are level with a win and a loss in two games.

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Babar Azam wishes Sarfaraz Ahmed on his international retirement

As of 15th March 2026, Sarfaraz Ahmed, the last Pakistan captain to have won an ICC tournament for them, has announced his retirement from international cricket. The 38-year-old played some glorious years for Pakistan and led them to their maiden Champions Trophy title in 2017.

Veteran batter Babar Azam was part of the Champions Trophy-winning squad under Sarfaraz Ahmed. On his retirement, he pens an inspiring goodbye to the former captain, wishing him luck for the upcoming chapters in his life.

Babar Azam’s Instagram Story read, “Saifi Bhai, playing under your leadership was a privilege. Thank you for your guidance, belief and the memories you gave Pakistan cricket. Wishing you success and peace in this new chapter of life.”

Babar Azam’s Instagram story for Sarfaraz Ahmed. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5vcK9E9Feu

— Salman. (@TsMeSalman) March 15, 2026

Sarfaraz Ahmed is likely to take charge as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach

As per reliable media sources, it has almost been a fact that Pakistan’s former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed will be appointed the next red ball coach for the national side, replacing Interim coach Azhar Mahmood, who took charge after Jason Gillespie’s departure.

Though the official confirmation is yet to come, the news seems to be true as well as reliable. However, Sarfaraz announced his retirement and was seen serving as a member of the selection committee.

He is most likely to take charge of Pakistan’s tour to Bangladesh. The two-match Test series will be part of their ICC World Test Championship schedule and is scheduled to be played in May.

Babar Azam had replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan’s captain

Back in 2019, when Sarfaraz Ahmed had started to struggle with form in the T20Is and the Test sides, the PCB decided to sack him from captaincy and instead brought back Azhar Ali as the captain of the red ball side and announced young Babar Azam as the T20I skipper.

Babar eventually took charge as an all-format skipper for Pakistan, leading them on several occasions. However, Babar’s stats as a captain, especially in ICC tournaments, seem awful, except for the fact that under his leadership, Pakistan won their only ICC T20 World Cup match against India.

His best tournament came in the 2022 T20 World Cup, when Pakistan reached the finals but fell short of the title after losing to England.

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US President Donald Trump is preparing to announce the formation of an international coalition to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions with Iran escalate.US officials told the Wall Street Journal that the White House’s announcement could come as soon as this week. It is not yet clear whether the escort missions will begin before a possible agreement between the Trump administration and Iran ends the ongoing conflict, which has claimed the life of Iran’s supreme leader, caused thousands of Iranian casualties, and resulted in the deaths of 13 US service members.Members of the administration have said the US Navy will support commercial vessels navigating the strait, a strategic waterway off Iran’s coast. Iran has restricted passage using sea mines and small vessels, a move that has put pressure on oil markets. Approximately 20 percent of the world’s daily oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.In an earlier post on Saturday, Trump called on other nations to help, saying, “Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted closure of the Hormuz Strait, will be sending War Ships, in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe.” He added that he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain, and others would send ships to the area.His appeal to nations, however, brought no commitments.Later on Saturday, Trump posted again, urging, “The countries of the World that receive Oil through the Hormuz Strait must take care of that passage, and we will help — A LOT!” He added, “The US will also coordinate with those Countries so that everything goes quickly, smoothly, and well.”Since US operations began two weeks ago, global oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel, and US gas prices have risen by more than 70 cents per gallon. Republicans in Congress have urged the White House to act to prevent a short-term economic shock at the start of an election year.Despite these pressures, Trump and some party members have resisted calls to end the war quickly, aiming to avoid longer-lasting supply issues.

Ashish Limaye (TOI Photo)

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines. The awards recognise performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, honouring standout displays at global championships and major international competitions. Featuring more than 45 categories, TOISA highlights both established champions and emerging talents who brought pride to the nation through exceptional performances during the year.The winners will be selected by a distinguished jury comprising some of India’s most celebrated sporting icons. Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, former cricket team captain Mithali Raj, Paralympic great Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis icon Leander Paes will evaluate the nominees across categories, ensuring a credible and expert assessment of excellence in Indian sport.The equestrian nominees reflect India’s growing strength in the discipline on the continental stage. Ashish Limaye made history by winning individual gold in eventing at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships — India’s first-ever individual gold at the event — and also helped the country secure team silver. Veteran rider Shruti Vora enjoyed an outstanding campaign with three silver medals in dressage disciplines, while Divyakriti Singh played a key role in India’s team dressage silver and continued to rank among Asia’s top riders. Together, their performances highlighted a memorable year for Indian equestrian sport.Here are the nominees for Equestrian at TOISA 2025:Ashish LimayeDate of Birth: November 22, 1993Place of Birth: Pune, MaharashtraSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Gold (Indivual – Eventing), Silver (Team – Eventing)Ashish Limaye spearheaded India’s success in eventing with a landmark performance at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships, clinching the individual gold medal and etching his name in history as the country’s first-ever individual gold medallist at the event. He also played a pivotal role in guiding India to team silver in eventing, combining forces with Shashank Singh Kataria and Shashank Kanmuri to secure a memorable podium finish for the nation.Shruti VoraDate of Birth: January 6, 1971Place of Birth: Kolkata, West BengalSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Three silver medals (Individual – Dressage; Dressage Intermediate Freestyle-I; Team Dressage)Shruti Vora enjoyed a standout 2025 season, highlighted by an impressive medal haul at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships in Pattaya, Thailand. Competing in dressage, the veteran 55-year-old secured three silver medals — one in the individual event, another in the Intermediate Freestyle-I, and a third in the team competition. Vora combined with Divyakriti Singh and Gaurav Pundir to power India to a podium finish in the team event, capping off a memorable continental campaign.Divyakriti SinghDate of Birth: October 22, 1999Place of Birth: Jaipur, RajasthanSport: EquestrianMajor Achievements in 2025:FEI Asian Equestrian Championships: Silver (Team Dressage)Divyakriti Singh played a pivotal role in India’s silver-medal finish in Team Dressage at the FEI Asian Equestrian Championships, further cementing her place among the country’s most accomplished riders. With this podium finish, she became the only Indian equestrian to have won medals at both the Asian Games and the Asian Championships. Earlier in May 2025, Divyakriti reclaimed the No. 1 ranking in Asia in the Global Dressage Rankings for 2024–25, published by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI), the sport’s global governing body.

Israel has dismissed social media claims suggesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been assassinated, calling the reports “fake news” as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.The rumours began circulating online amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, responding to a question about the claims, the office said the reports were completely false.

“These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine,” the office told Anadolu News when asked about posts claiming Netanyahu had been killed in retaliation for recent Israeli and US strikes on Iran.The speculation emerged during a period of heightened regional conflict that began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes on Iranian targets. The attacks reportedly killed more than 1,200 people, including Iran’s then supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has since retaliated with waves of drone and missile strikes across the region, targeting Israel and several neighbouring countries including Jordan, Iraq and Gulf states. Tehran has said the attacks are aimed at “US military assets” in the region.Amid the escalating hostilities, Netanyahu has also issued a direct warning to Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the son and successor of Ali Khamenei. Asked whether Israel might attempt to target him in the same way it has targeted other leaders allied with Iran, Netanyahu declined to rule out such a move.Also read: ‘Just for fun’- Trump signals fresh US strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island“I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organisations,” he said. “This is their patron of terrorism. And I don’t intend to provide an exact report here about what we are planning or what we are going to do.”Netanyahu described Mojtaba Khamenei as a “puppet” of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps who “cannot show his face in public”.The Israeli leader also suggested that the latest developments have significantly altered the strategic balance in the region. “This is no longer the same Iran. This is no longer the same Middle East. And this is also not the same Israel,” he said.“We are not waiting, we are initiating, we are attacking. And we are doing so with a force the like of which has not been seen before.”Netanyahu also referred to the possibility that Israel’s military actions could create conditions for political change inside Iran, though he acknowledged that such an outcome would ultimately depend on the Iranian people themselves.“I have added another goal: to create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow this terrible tyrannical regime. To create conditions doesn’t guarantee that it will happen… It’s up to you,” he said.“You can lead someone to water, but you can’t make them drink,” Netanyahu added, referring to the possibility of a popular uprising against Iran’s ruling establishment.

Just ahead of the start of IPL 2026, KKR would be relieved to witness their star all-rounder Cameron Green hitting some good form in his signing-off game in the Sheffield Shield. This marked his first red-ball century since May 2025 and his first across any format since August 2025.

Western Australia took on New South Wales for the last round of the Sheffield Shield, and Australian all-rounder Cameron Green put big stakes at risk as he played the match ahead of his big-money arrival in the IPL for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Green started his IPL journey with the Mumbai Indians and then played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore the very next season after being traded off to the Red Devils. He missed the 2025 season due to injuries and is all set to return with a third franchise in 2026.

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Cameron Green returns to form with a terrific century ahead of IPL 2026

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was bought for a massive amount of money in the IPL by the Kolkata Knight Riders. They broke the record for the highest amount of money spent on an overseas cricketer. However, Green’s continuous dip in form added to KKR’s concerns.

Cameron Green missed out on a single 50+ score through the Ashes series against England and then could not pull out anything special as Australia crashed out of the ICC T20 World Cup Group stages following defeats against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

However, in the final game of the Sheffield Shield season for him, Green manifested something special. He managed to score a century off 167 balls, after having made a slow start, getting his first runs after 21 balls.

He then smashed the New South Wales bowlers all around the park and whacked them for some big ones, as his unbeaten 130 on Day 2 saw Western Australia take a promising lead over New South Wales.

This Sheffield Shield century might help Green retain his Australia team spot in red-ball cricket

The KKR all-rounder’s last century came back in August when he scored a quickfire century in an ODI match against South Africa. His last red-ball century came in English County cricket back in May for Gloucestershire.

Despite his lack of form, the Australian selectors backed him over Beau Webster, the Tasmanian all-rounder who finally played his only Ashes game in the final Test at the SCG. Webster also contributed magnificently with both the bat and ball, unlike Green.

However, this Shield hundred could get him to retain his spot in the Australian middle order when he returns to play Test cricket in August. Australia’s Test schedule mentions their upcoming fixtures against Bangladesh in August, followed by three in South Africa and four more at home against New Zealand.

Will KKR expect Cameron Green to bowl in IPL 2026?

KKR would have had high hopes picking Cameron Green. Green’s first season for the Mumbai Indians saw him performing with great class as he scored 400+ runs and picked 10+ wickets in his first season. The following season for RCB was a little low with the bat, as he was pushed down the order, but his bowling came in handy for them as well.

However, KKR would surely give him the desired role at no. 3, as they have been in the quest for one such player. KKR paid him 25.20 crore in the IPL mini-auction, the most to any overseas cricketer, surpassing teammate Mitchell Starc‘s record in the IPL.

This much money was probably given with KKR idealizing him to bowl some overs. Though he had registered as a specialist batter, KKR management saw him bowl in the T20 World Cup and might bring his seam bowling to use, especially with so many of their frontline bowlers being ruled out.

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