T20I THRILLER: SOUTH AFRICA OUTCLASS PAKISTAN TO GO 1-0 UP
South Africa thrashed Pakistan by 55 runs in the 1st T20I in Rawalpindi. Reeza Hendricks' 60 and George Linde's all-round performance led the Proteas to a dominant 194/9, defending it comfortably.
South Africa Storm To 1-0 Lead After Humbling Pakistan - COURTESY/PHOTO
At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, South Africa crushed Pakistan by 55 runs in the opening match of the T20I series.
Pakistan was swept out for 139 in 18.1 overs after losing wickets at regular intervals while chasing a respectable 195-run goal for a win.
With 37 runs, Saim Ayub led the hosts in scoring, followed by Mohammad Nawaz with 36. Usman Khan made 12 contributions, and Sahibzada Farhan made 24. Other batters were unable to reach double figures.
Lungi Ngidi claimed one wicket, George Linde three, Lizaad Williams two, and Corbin Bosch four. The player of the match award went to George Linde.
South Africa reached 194/9 in their allotted 20 overs after Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha asked them to bat first.
With 60 from 40 balls, five fours, and one maximum, Reeza Hendricks was South Africa's top scorer.
With four fours and a massive six, Jorge Linde scored a vital 36 runs off 22 balls. Donovan Ferreira, the captain, made 10 off 12 balls, Quinton de Kock made 23 off 13 balls, and debutant Tony de Zorzi made 33 off 16 balls.
Saim Ayub and Muhammad Nawaz each claimed two wickets, while Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, and Shaheen Shah Afridi each claimed one. On the final ball of the inning, Lizaad Williams was run out.
Quinton de Kock (week), RR Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, D Brevis, MP Breetzke, D Ferreira (capt), George Linde, C Bosch, LB Williams, N Burger, and Lungi Ngidi are the players in South Africa's starting lineup.
Pakistan's starting lineup includes: Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Agha Salman (capt), Usman Khan (wk), and Saim Ayub.
After almost a year away, star batsman Babar Azam has returned to the team in the shortest format. He only needed nine runs to overtake Rohit Sharma of India as the T20Is' top run scorer.
Quinton de Kock, a wicketkeeper-batsman for South Africa, has also returned to action after a one-year hiatus. A year ago, he announced his retirement from international cricket.
RED BULL STAY CALM, COOL, AND CONFIDENT DESPITE MCLAREN MOMENTUM
Red Bull's Laurent Mekies denies their 2025 car focus is due to 2026 PU concerns, calling it a strategic choice to improve development tools. As Lando Norris retakes the title lead, the F1 championship battle intensifies.
Red Bull Unfazed by McLaren Rise - COURTESY/PHOTO
In Mexico, McLaren CEO Andrea Stella implied that Red Bull's choice to continue working on its 2025 vehicle was a reflection of a lack of clarity surrounding the upcoming Red Bull-Ford power unit.
However, that notion has been rejected by team manager Laurent Mekies and Dr. Helmut Marko.
Mekies stated it has nothing to do with 2026.
"We would have too many unanswered questions going into 2026 if we did not get the most out of this car by the end of the season. We made the decision to spend more money on this vehicle in order to fix its shortcomings and increase its speed.
It greatly increases our confidence in our 2026 tools, strategies, and techniques. Yes, the new project will require less time and effort, but it was a deliberate choice. Performance has nothing to do with it.
According to the Frenchman, the team's strategy is centered on comprehension rather than risk. "We think there will be a net benefit, so we are doing this. We can apply our methods to 2026 and are now verifying them. If it led to difficulties, we would not do it.
Yes, there is a cost, but we think it is worthwhile.
Red Bull's momentum was halted by Mexico as Norris resumed his winning ways, despite Verstappen's recent race surge. Despite replacing an unproductive Oscar Piastri as the championship leader, Verstappen actually cut his overall lead to 36 points.
Norris' resounding win was a welcome change for Stella. Verstappen is still a competitor, but we have the advantage in the next races, he stated.
We have demonstrated that we have a car that can win races and, in some situations, dominate, which has boosted confidence in the championship.
This is the most crucial element that permits Lando and Oscar to compete for the Drivers' Championship, the Italian engineer continued. It has to do with competitiveness, not mathematics. Although the previous races in Austin, Baku, Singapore, and Monza were challenging, we have now once again proven our strength.
In Mexico, Piastri's decline worsened, but Stella stayed positive. Oscar claimed that despite losing some points to Verstappen, he gained a lot of knowledge this past weekend. To make sure you are competitive in every situation during the last stretch, you make that kind of investment. We are stronger and more hopeful when we leave Mexico.
Marko of Red Bull concurred that the battle is still open. "It is no longer assured that one team dominates at a circuit, and there are still 116 points available," he remarked.
We still have a shot. Since Max is the center of attention, I hope the two McLarens stick to their fair play policy.
Verstappen's pace in Mexico, according to Marko, was more powerful than it seemed. In race trim, we knew we would perform better. Max compared himself to a hunting hound, saying that once he scents anything, all else vanishes and he attacks.
But at McLaren, the focus is already shifting from gearboxes to mentalities. Now at the top of the rankings, Norris is under increased scrutiny after the Mexican fans jeered him.
"The question now is whether Norris can take use of his second chance as title leader - or if things will turn unstable again," former Formula One driver Timo Glock told Sky Deutschland. Has he comprehended why the pressure was too severe for him earlier, why he couldn't drive freely back then?
The odds are on his side if he has and has figured out how to deal with it, Glock continued. It is easier said than done, though. It is a completely different picture once the helmet is on and the pressure increases.
JANNIK SINNER BREAKS SILENCE ON POSSIBLE DAVIS CUP REVERSAL
Jannik Sinner is standing firm on his decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup, showing frustration at repeated questions. The Italian star prioritises his off-season and 2026 Australian Open preparation over defending the title.
Jannik Sinner Addresses Buzz Around His Davis Cup Future - PHOTO: EPA
When Jannik Sinner's decision to skip the 2025 Davis Cup Finals next month was brought up again, he appeared a little miffed.
Top players commit to competing in the finals because of its scheduling, which runs from November 18 to November 23. They would only have a little more than a month off until 2026 starts if they played until late November.
During Team Italy's championship runs in 2023 and 2024, Sinner was their lucky charm. The nation's remarkable recent supremacy in the sport was established by the women's victories in the Billie Jean King Cup in 2024 and 2025.
Even if the 2025 finals will be placed in Bologna, Italy's chances of winning the Davis Cup for a third time in a row appear to be slim after Sinner declared he would not participate.
The four-time Grand Slam champion said he had previously won two Davis Cups with his Italian colleagues and that he planned to use the additional week to get ready for the Australian Open in 2026.
Nicola Pietrangeli, a fellow Italian legend and two-time French Open champion, was not pleased with Sinner's choice or his justification for it. He believes that modern players are more concerned with money than with patriotism and that it was disrespectful to their nation.
Sinner stated that while people have the right to their opinions, he did not wish to contribute anything further in reaction to the criticism. It is possible that the ATP world No. 2 assumed the topic would be abandoned at that point.
Rather, a reporter at the 2025 Paris Masters questioned Sinner about the possibility of changing his mind. It is still mathematically conceivable to finish as the year-end No. 1 because Sinner had stated that it would be impossible before Alcaraz's surprise defeat by Cameron Norrie in Paris.
Compared to his response to Pietrangeli's and others' criticism, Sinner's response was even more succinct and direct. The 24-year-old reiterated that he had nothing else to say and indicated the choice had been made.
"No, the choice has been made. However, I covered everything a few days ago.
Sinner's frustration with the inquiries surrounding his Davis Cup selection was evident. Even though it makes some sense, missing a home team event is an unavoidable consequence of being a top player.
Recently, Sinner criticised the four Grand Slams.
Sinner was irritated with the four Grand Slams in a different interview for not doing more to address concerns about prize money and other advantages, including healthcare and pensions, that were brought up by elite players earlier this year.
The Wimbledon champion this year expressed frustration that the major events wanted to address some other concerns before fully interacting with players and said that initially, encouraging conversations had not resulted in any follow-up steps.
Twenty elite athletes, 10 from the ATP and 10 from the WTA, wrote to the Grand Slams earlier this season to request a larger share of the money made to be distributed as prize money and other benefits.
It will be interesting to watch if the Grand Slams address those issues and make adjustments in 2026.