Former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad tore into Mohammad Rizwan for his flop show in the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, where the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led side went down 1-2. The Green Shirts lost the series decider by 11 runs in Dhaka on Sunday, and as a result, Bangladesh registered just their second ODI series win over Pakistan. The latest result marks a new low for Pakistan after their T20 World Cup debacle, when the side failed to reach the semi-finals, crashing out in the Super 8s stage. Rizwan, who was dropped for the World Cup, made it into the ODI squad; however, he failed to live up to his billing as a senior player.

Throughout the entire series, Rizwan’s game was woefully exposed as he struggled against the raw pace of Nahid Rana. In the three matches, he scored 58 runs, with his highest score being 44, which came in the second ODI.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shehzad said that glaring gaps in Rizwan’s technique have been there for a long timeand that the former ODI captain has failed to address them, despite having a lengthy break before the contest against Bangladesh.

“You just keep on talking. You are getting money for playing on the ground, we are here to keep on talking. The people who are selecting you are just not learning. Perform on the ground, don’t talk. There is a huge gap between the bat and the ball. Why aren’t you coming in line? The ball won’t come into your range. Play with a big heart. Ask yourself, are you coming in line with the ball?,” he added.

“What improvement have you made? You weren’t even there in the T20 World Cup squad; you got so much rest. What did you do? Your job was to score centuries against Bangladesh and take the team over the line. You could have shown the selector what mistake they made by keeping you out,” said Shehzad.

“You are dancing in the middle, your feet are not going anywhere. You just focus on talking. You will keep learning if this keeps going on,” he added.

The series between Pakistan and Bangladesh saw the latter winning the first and last ODIs. Shaheen’s side did stage a comeback in the second ODI after losing the opener; however, the decider once again saw Pakistan buckling under pressure.

Rahul Dravid and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)

As the Indian Premier League 2026 approaches, young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again grabbed attention after Sanju Samson revealed an amusing behind-the-scenes story from the teenager’s debut season with Rajasthan Royals. The moment was shared during the BCCI Naman Awards ceremony, where several Indian players gathered to celebrate the country’s recent cricketing achievements.

Samson recalled a conversation between Sooryavanshi and former India head coach Rahul Dravid on the eve of the youngster’s IPL debut.

Fearless response before IPL debut

According to Samson, RR coach Rahul Dravid had called the teenage batter for a meeting before his first IPL match to discuss how he should approach the game. Dravid wanted to guide the youngster and asked him about his plans for the match. However, Sooryavanshi’s response surprised everyone in the room.“I was actually there in the meeting,” Samson said. “Rahul Sir called him into the room and told me, ‘Sanju, we need to talk to him. He’s a very young kid; we have to explain how to go about it’ he added. “So Rahul Sir asked him, ‘Vaibhav, what’s the plan?’ Vaibhav replied, ‘Kuch nahi Sir, hum to khelenge (Nothing special, Sir. I’ll just play).’ Rahul Sir asked again, ‘What’s your game plan?’”“Vaibhav said, ‘Agar hume pehla ball mila to hum pehla hi uda denge’ (If the first ball is in my zone, I’ll hit it in the air). And that’s exactly what he did. He’s playing a video game of his own,” Samson added.

Youngest player to debut in IPL

Sooryavanshi created history in IPL 2025 when he became the youngest player ever to debut in the tournament after being signed by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.1 crore. His debut came against Lucknow Super Giants, and he made an immediate impact. Facing experienced India all-rounder Shardul Thakur on the very first delivery of his IPL career, the youngster smashed a six.

A big dream for IPL 2026

Sooryavanshi, who shared the stage at the awards ceremony with players, also spoke about his ambitions for the upcoming IPL season.“The goal is to win the trophy for the team this season. If we win the trophy, it benefits the entire franchise as well as my own performance,” he said. “My aim is to contribute as much as I can to help the team lift the trophy.” Sooryavanshi Said

India’s triumphant 2026 T20 World Cup campaign has already thrown up its share of defining moments, but at the BCCI awards night, Varun Chakaravarthy shared one of the most memorable lines of the celebrations. The mystery spinner, reflecting on the title run, turned to a popular internet joke to explain Sanju Samson’s impact on the side.

“There’s a meme that’s gotten popular. It says, “If there’s a Mallu involved in a World Cup, we never lose.’ It’s true. The masterstroke was getting him back into the XI,” Chakaravarthy said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

It instantly stood out because it combined humour, fandom, and cricketing truth in a single breath. India’s campaign did not begin as a smooth procession, and Samson himself was not central to the side from the start. But once he returned to the XI, the shape of India’s tournament changed. In the knockout phase, India’s batting found greater fluence, greater assurance and, crucially, the kind of momentum that turns a good side into a champion one.

“If someone had asked me where we would be in next 5 years, you wouldn’t imagine this,” he said. “Now I’d like to win more World Cups. Way things are, next 3-4 years cycle, we should dominate.”

The spinner also linked that confidence to the strength of India’s cricket system. “It just shows the amount of talent we are producing, and credit to BCCI’s domestic structure. And Syed Mushtaq Ali,” Varun Chakaravarthy said.

Also Read: CSK passed on Varun Chakaravarthy in 2018 despite strong recommendation: ‘Told management to pick him straightaway’

For Chakarvarthy, the title had a personal edge too. After falling out of the side and then forcing his way back into the World Cup setup, he described the turnaround in emotional terms. “Last year, we had won. The hangover of that World Cup was still there. But winning back-to-back World Cups was exceptional. For me, it was a miracle. It wasn’t the team, but was called up and played the next day, and won the World Cup,” he said.

Mohammed Siraj, too, pointed to Samson’s role in shifting India’s campaign. “West Indies was crucial because we had lost to South Africa with a big margin. Sanju came into the team, and he found himself suddenly in Knockout matches. But it was a script written for God’s favourite child,” Siraj said.

Together, the two reactions painted a clear picture of how Sanju Samson’s return was viewed inside the Indian camp. The statements from Siraj and Chakaravarthy made the point that India’s campaign changed course when Samson came back into the XI.