TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: Sahibzada Farhan has rarely been out of the news. From making a documentary after hitting Jasprit Bumrah for three sixes during the Asia Cup, to picking Ahmad Shehzad over legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, or his gunshot celebration after scoring a fifty against India, Farhan has never shied away from expressing himself.Having gone unsold in the Pakistan Super League, he finished as the leading run scorer in domestic cricket. He’s also challenged Pakistan cricket management over the lack of opportunities at the top of the order. On Wednesday, the 29-year-old completed a remarkable full circle at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo, becoming only the second Pakistani batter to score a century in T20 World Cup history, after his idol Ahmad Shehzad.Ahmad Shehzad was among the first to applaud Farhan’s outstanding knock. He wrote on X: “A historic century in the T20 World Cup and now the second Pakistani ever to achieve this milestone. I always believed in you and you proved your class to the world. Congratulations, champion. So happy for your achievement.”

Farhan produced a memorable hundred to steer Pakistan to a commanding 199 for 3 against Namibia. It was an uphill chase for Namibia, and the fall of wickets at regular intervals also didn’t help their case, as they skittled for 97 runs. Pakistan defeated Namibia by 102 runs and with this convincing win the Salman Ali Agha-led team cemented their place in the Super Eight.

Scratchy start

Opting to bat first, Pakistan made two changes from their heavy defeat against India, leaving out Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed. Khawaja Nafay and Salman Mirza were brought in, with Afridi’s omission following a poor outing against India.The start was cautious. JJ Smit delivered an excellent opening over, keeping Saim Ayub on the back foot with movement into the batter before finishing with an outswinger. Just three runs came from it. Farhan opened his account with a boundary off Gerhard Erasmus, courtesy of a misfield at cover, but Namibia kept things tight early.Ayub showed flashes of intent against Ruben Trumpelmann with a swivel off his pads, though he rode his luck as a thick outside edge flew past a diving Zane Green. That over yielded 12 runs and allowed Pakistan some breathing space.Jack Brassell’s introduction unsettled Farhan initially with his back of a length bowling, but the opener finally broke free when a delivery flew over the keeper for four, his first authoritative stroke after 24 balls. Confidence followed quickly as Farhan struck back to back boundaries off Trumpelmann.Ayub’s stay ended in the fifth over. A harmless wide delivery tempted him into a loose poke and he edged behind for 14. Captain Salman Ali Agha then joined Farhan and immediately injected momentum with a crisp cut past the point.Pakistan reached 47 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, but the middle overs brought pressure. Spinners Willem Myburgh and Bernard Scholtz bowled with discipline, conceding little and choking strike rotation.

Finding his groove

The release came when Salman danced down the track to loft Myburgh straight for the first six of the match. Farhan followed three balls later, clearing mid wicket twice as Myburgh’s second over went for 22. Farhan was visibly struggling with cramps but refused to slow down.At the halfway stage, Pakistan were 85 for 1. Salman continued to attack, swiping Smit over fine leg and lifting Scholtz for another six. Farhan reached his fifty off 37 balls, scratchy but effective, built on perseverance rather than fluency.The 67-run stand ended when Brassell induced a mistimed loft from Salman, who departed for a brisk 38. Salman had also played a key role in helping Farhan refine his technique against short-pitched bowling.“Salman gave me valuable tips that helped improve my balance and on-side play. Now I’m scoring more freely in that area,” Farhan had told Geo Super during PSL 2025.Khawaja Nafay was sent ahead of Babar Azam and struck a boundary first ball, but his stay was brief as Erasmus removed him with a well-judged catch.Shadab Khan walked in next, and Pakistan’s intent was clear. Farhan, now in full flow despite severe cramps, accessed his fourth gear. He hammered Smit over long off, forcing a ball change, and greeted the new ball with another boundary. Brassell was then taken apart for a six and a four as Farhan closed in on history.On his knees between deliveries, Farhan finally reached his century off 57 balls, raising his arm in celebration. He became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup hundred. The knock was built on resolve, muscle and perfect timing, and was studded with eleven fours and four sixes. His fifty came off 37 balls, and he raced to the next fifty in just 20.Shadab provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 36 off 22 balls as Pakistan posted 199 for 3, powered by a defining innings from Sahibzada Farhan.

The rocky journey

Farhan made his international debut in 2018. His career began in bizarre fashion, stumped without facing a ball off a Glenn Maxwell wide. In his next game against Australia, he opened with Babar Azam and scored 39 off 38 balls. He played nine matches for Pakistan, batting at multiple positions, before being pushed down the order and fading from the setup.In 2024, while captaining Pakistan A, he publicly criticised the management for unfair treatment and challenged the opening slots of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. “I did not get proper chances as an opener. I have the right to play as an opener for Pakistan,” he said then.Despite aggregating 605 runs in the 2025 National T20 Cup – the most in a single season – Farhan initially went unsold at the PSL 2025 auction. Islamabad United later picked him in the supplementary category, and he repaid the faith by finishing as the tournament’s leading run scorer with 449 runs in 12 innings.Farhan once dreamed of becoming a fast bowler. “I started as a fast bowler in tape-ball cricket, but after a disastrous over, my coach asked me to focus on batting,” he had told Cricfrenzy during the BPL.After a long and rocky journey, the explosive opener has found his groove. Since 2025, he is the only batter in the world to score five T20 centuries. If Pakistan are to go deep in the tournament, much will depend on how Farhan bats at the top.Cricket careers rarely move in straight lines, and Farhan’s has been anything but smooth. Yet on a humid Colombo afternoon, the opener who once waited on the fringes, questioned, doubted and overlooked, answered every question the only way that truly matters in cricket – with runs.Brief Scores Pakistan: 199 for 4 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 100 not out, Salman Agha 38, Shadab Khan 36 not out; Jack Brassell 2/48)Namibia: (Louren Steenkamp 23, Alexander Busing-Volschenk 20; Shadab Khan 3/19, Usman Tariq 4/16)

NEW DELHI: India opener Abhishek Sharma retained his position at the top of the ICC T20I batter rankings despite recent struggles, while wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan broke into the top 10 in the latest update.Abhishek has endured a difficult T20 World Cup campaign so far. He began with a golden duck against USA in India’s opening match and was later hospitalised in New Delhi due to a stomach infection, which ruled him out of the clash against Namibia. On his return against Pakistan, he was dismissed for another duck.

Despite the lean patch, the young left-hander continues to hold on to the No. 1 ranking.Ishan, meanwhile, surged 17 places to eighth overall after scoring his second successive half-century of the tournament. His blistering 77 off just 40 balls earned him the Player of the Match award and significantly boosted his ranking.Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka climbed three spots to third among T20I batters following his outstanding century against Australia in Kandy.There were notable gains elsewhere as well. South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton jumped 22 places to 11th, while Aiden Markram moved up six spots to joint 15th. USA batter Saiteja Mukkamalla rose 16 places to 21st, and England youngster Jacob Bethell advanced 22 spots to 32nd after impressive outings at the T20 World Cup.The race for the No. 1 T20I all-rounder ranking remains intense, with Pakistan’s Saim Ayub reclaiming the top spot in the updated list. Ayub overtook Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza after his three-wicket haul against India in Colombo.Raza slipped to second, while Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee (up two places) and Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai (up four) are joint fourth following consistent performances.The battle is equally close in the bowling rankings. Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan moved up one place to second and is closing in on India’s Varun Chakravarthy at the summit.Zimbabwe pacer Brad Evans leapt 10 spots to fifth after back-to-back three-wicket hauls at the T20 World Cup. India’s Axar Patel (up four places to 14th) and Jasprit Bumrah (up six to 15th), along with Ireland spinner Matthew Humphreys (up 23 to 23rd), also registered significant gains.

Namibia: Gerhard Erasmus (c), Jan Balt, Jack Brassell, Alexander Busing-Volschenk, Jan Frylinck, Zane Green (wk), Max Heingo, Malan Kruger, Dylan Leicher, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, JJ Smit, Louren Steenkamp, Ruben Trumpelmann.

Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq.

NEW DELHI: Australia’s disastrous group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup 2026 has triggered sharp criticism from former great Glenn McGrath, who openly questioned the selectors’ decision to back Cameron Green over veteran batter Steve Smith.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Green, picked for his all-round abilities, endured a miserable campaign with the bat, scoring just 24 runs in three matches. His returns included 21 in the opener but disappointing scores of zero and three in the team’s biggest games. More significantly, he bowled only seven deliveries across the tournament, raising serious doubts about his role and value in the XI.

“If he’s not bowling, then what the selectors are saying is that he’s a better player than Steve Smith. If he’s not bowling, I just can’t see how he justifies a spot in that side,” McGrath told the Sunday Morning Herald.Australia entered the tournament among the favourites but never lived up to expectations. After opening with a win over Ireland, they slumped to consecutive defeats against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, ultimately crashing out of the T20 World Cup 2026 in humiliating fashion.McGrath said the result reflected a deeper decline in Australia’s dominance. “We said at the start of this World Cup that we were concerned about Australia. All of a sudden, the aura of that Australian team is no longer there when other teams play it. Unfortunately, it’s not surprising,” he said.Former pacer Jason Gillespie also criticised the continued backing of underperforming youngsters, including Cooper Connolly.“Cooper Connolly, and I think to a lesser extent Cameron Green, they’re just not repaying the absolute faith that has been given,” Gillespie said.Australia will now look to salvage some pride when they face Oman in their final fixture at the Pallekele International Stadium on Friday.

South Africa vs United Arab Emirates Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026: South Africa head into their final Group D fixture against the United Arab Emirates with their Super Eights qualification already secured, but the match presents an important chance for Dewald Brevis to rediscover his touch. The Proteas have enjoyed a perfect group stage so far, highlighted by a dramatic double Super Over win over Afghanistan and a dominant victory against New Zealand, putting them in a strong position ahead of the knockout phase.

T20 World Cup: Schedule | Points Table

Despite the team’s success, Brevis has struggled to convert his starts, registering only 6, 23 and 21. Nicknamed after AB de Villiers for his exciting strokeplay, the youngster will be eager to deliver a defining performance on a batting-friendly surface at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground. With senior players such as Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton already among the runs, South Africa’s batting remains formidable.

The match could also see strategic rotation, with frontline pacers like Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi likely to be rested, allowing others to gain match practice. For UAE, it will be a valuable learning experience against elite opposition. Their batting hopes rest heavily on in-form Sohaib Khan, skipper Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu, who will aim to challenge a powerful South African side and end their campaign on a positive note.

PLAYING XIs

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (w), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, Jason Smith, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka

United Arab Emirates XI: Aryansh Sharma (w), Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Farooq, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah

NEW DELHI: In 2017, Joji Varghese packed his luggage, left Thiruvananthapuram forever, and flew to Canada. He had obtained a Canadian PR — a challenging but necessary step to secure a bright future for his children. His wife had been working as a nurse in Italy, but language barriers made settling there difficult. A long-term vision, his children’s future, and a decent life — these were all in Joji’s mind, and hence he chose Canada. While applying for PR, he needed a profession to qualify and chose a six-month massage therapy course. The course eventually helped him secure permanent residency in Canada.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!He moved to Canada and started living in Brampton, near Toronto.He had achieved all his dreams by then except one — meeting his favourite cricketer, Sanju Samson, whom he had watched play from afar at the same college where he worked as a physical education teacher.

Fate, it seems, had its own plans. Destiny served that dream on a platter to Joji, and he became emotional.Over time, Joji made a name for himself as a skilled massage therapist in Canada and later got an opportunity to work with Cricket Canada. Now, he is travelling with the Canadian team for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India. Wearing the Canada jersey, he moves from one corner of a cricket ground to another, meeting cricketers from all over the world and cherishing every moment of his homecoming.Interestingly, his long-cherished dream was fulfilled when India and Canada were scheduled to practice at the Arun Jaitley Stadium recently in different time slots, and Joji got to meet his hero — Sanju Samson.“I was destined to meet him. It’s nothing short of a dream story for me. Finally meeting Sanju was truly a dream come true,” Joji told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview. “Back when he was a college student, I would often see him on campus because we were in the same college. He was at Mar Baselios Engineering College in Thiruvananthapuram for his bachelor’s degree, and I was in the Sports Department in the same campus.“

“When I learned that Canada and India were sharing the same practice session, I was really excited. And when I finally saw him on the ground, it became one of the most memorable moments of my life that I will cherish forever. Our conversation took place after his warm-up session when he came to the dressing room. Sanju was extremely humble, approachable, and down-to-earth. When I told him I was from Kerala, he immediately smiled, addressed me as ‘Chetta,’ and asked, ‘Sugamano?’—instantly creating a personal and emotional connection. Despite being such a big international star, he interacted with great simplicity and respect,” he said.“We spoke about Canadian cricket and our journeys. Sanju also has a massive fan following in Canada. The Indian community there, as well as many members of the Canadian team, admire him deeply for his batting consistency and calm leadership. Among young cricketers and fans of Kerala origin, his popularity continues to grow. Every weekend, people form teams and play cricket, and Sanju is a big inspiration for them,” Joji added.Joji has also worked with several international cricketers including Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorius, Moeen Ali, Shane Bond, Tim Southee, Yuvraj Singh and Mark Chapman.

JOJI’S JOURNEY: KERALA TO CANADAWith his wife working in Italy, Joji managed both children while continuing his job in Thiruvananthapuram.Both Joji and his wife applied for Canadian PR, and once they received it, they didn’t look back. The decision was emotional, but considering the future of their children, they took this bold step.“My daughter missed her mother a lot. We needed money at that time, so my wife had to leave. In Italy, you need to know Italian if you apply for PR. That’s why we chose an English-speaking country, and we chose Canada. My wife is in the medical field, so she easily got PR, and I did a sports massage therapist course. Because of the demand, I got an opportunity too,” he said.“Now, I have four kids. My daughter is 16, my second child, a son, is 13, and I have twin boys who are six years old,” he added.“I worked in a private company and then got the opportunity with the Global T20 Canada tournament. That was a big opportunity for me. Later, I got an offer with Cricket Canada, and with the help of the cricket board, I am now travelling to India,” he said.“Currently, it’s minus 30 degrees in Canada. Cricketers need extra attention in such conditions. We came in the first week of January to Sri Lanka for a practice session to adapt to the climate. We trained there for a whole month,” he added.

As the afternoon flight to Chennai from Colombo was about to take off, there were a lot of Pakistan fans waiting in the queue. Two flights — one to Lahore and the other to Karachi — were scheduled around the same time and you could over-hear their conversations. It was mostly about Pakistan’s chances and how good India are. When TOI asked a few of them what they felt about a rematch with India later in the tournament, a couple of them said, “Inshallah, ho jayega… we will come again if that happens.”Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!That’s the cautious optimism of the fans. But for that to happen again, Pakistan have to do a lot of things right, starting with winning their game against Namibia on Wednesday in Colombo. If they win, or even if there is a washout, they go through to the Super 8s and take on a formidable lineup of New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England. But if they lose, they are out and the USA, who already have a better net run-rate than Pakistan, will go through along with India.

Despite the sense of gloom that engulfed the Pakistan contingent on Sunday after the loss to India, there was a silver lining. It was the performance of the two spinners, Usman Tariq and Saim Ayub, who bowl a little bit of everything. Left-arm spinner Mohammed Nawaz was also pretty decent, even though Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed were below par.There’s nothing in the Namibia side that should bother Pakistan. But then, given Pakistan’s ability to self-destruct, you can’t take anything for granted.Tariq, who was Pakistan’s best bowler against India, tried to be as positive as possible. “It’s difficult when you don’t work on your mistakes. We just had a conversation about the areas where we had lapses. We’ll work on those and look for-ward to the next matches so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes,” Tariq said on the eve of their game at the SSC.It’s a 3 pm match, the pitch is a slow-turner and the best thing for Pakistan would be to bat first if they win the toss. In a pres-sure game, it will be important for them to have the runs on the board and pressurise the opposition with the spinners.Even though the Pakistan batting is no great shakes, they should manage things against Namibia with some amount of application. The real worry though for the 2009 champions is the form of their best pacer, Shaheen Afridi. He was immensely disappointing against India and the Namibia game can be the right platform for Pakistan to try either Naseem Shah or Salman Mirza, if not both.Tariq, though, defended Afridi, saying that the pacer isn’t under “any special pressure”. “We were just trying to execute our plans. Performances depend on the day. If the bowling unit missed their lines, we’ll focus on those things and work to improve in the next match,” Tariq said. It’s absolutely mandatory that Tariq’s colleagues do that on Wednesday and keep themselves alive in this World Cup.