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Shami Ruled Out, Ashwin’s Replacement And PSL 2025 Draft – December 23 Cricket Highlights

Aakash Saini

Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin [Source: @alaskahive, @mufaddal_vohra/x]Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin [Source: @alaskahive, @mufaddal_vohra/x]

The Indian team management has named Ravichandran Ashwin’s replacement for the remainder of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test series in Australia. In Pakistan, the PCB announced a significant update regarding the player draft of the PSL 2025 season, while Markhors advanced into the final of the Pakistan Champions T20 Cup 2024.

Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest news that emerged out of Monday, December 23.

Renegades Pip Scorchers On Christmas-Eve BBL Party

Hosts Melbourne Renegades pipped the visiting Perth Scorchers at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne by two wickets. The match, marking the 10th of the BBL 2024-25 season and the last before the competition heads into a two-day Christmas cool-off period, saw the Scorchers hauling 143-8 from 20 overs courtesy of a fluent 66 from Cooper Connolly.

For the Renegades, 30-year-old fast bowler Tom Rogers picked up three wickets in the innings which included the prized-scalp of visiting captain Ashton Turner. In the run-chase, middle-order batters Tim Seifert (28 off 14), Jacob Bethell (30 off 22) and Laurie Evans (24 off 18) negotiated Jason Behrendorff and Ashton Agar’s bowling threat to steer the Renegades to a two-wicket win in 19 overs.

PCB Reveal Picking Order For PSL 2025 Draft

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the picking order for the player draft of the upcoming PSL 2025 season. The player draft itself is scheduled to be staged in Gwadar, Balochistan on January 11. As per the official release, Lahore Qalandars will make the first pick in the Platinum 1 category, and will be followed by Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators.

Each of the six competing franchises will get to select three players each from the platinum, diamond and gold categories of players at the drafts. The Islamabad United franchise, led by Shadab Khan, will enter the PSL 2025 edition as defending champions. The PSL 2025 season is slated to launch in mid-April, and is set to coincide with India-based IPL 2025.

Markhors To Face Stallions In Champions T20 Cup Final

The Iftikhar Ahmed-led Markhors team qualified for the final of the Pakistan Champions T20 Cup 2024 by defeating Imam-ul-Haq’s Lions in the qualifier. Batting first, the Markhors piled up 180-6, with Fakhar Zaman headlining the innings by scoring 89 runs from just 64 balls. Muhammad Abdul Samad also clobbered 41* from just 20 balls during the slog overs.

In the run-chase, the Lions managed to accrue just 151-9 to fall 29 runs short of their target. Akif Javed (3-22) and Nisar Ahmed (2-19) collectively picked up five wickets in the innings from their combined eight overs. The Markhors will now face table-toppers Stallions in the final at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on December 25.

Indian Team Management Announce Ashwin’s Replacement For AUS Tests

Mere days after the sudden retirement of legendary Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian team management has announced his replacement for the remainder of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test series in Australia.

Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian earned his maiden India call-up and is expected to fly to Australia ahead of the ‘Boxing Day’ Test at the MCG. Kotian, an off-spinner by profession, has picked up 101 wickets in just 33 first-class matches. Moreover, the 26-year-old also holds a handy batting average of 41.21 and has scored more than 1,500 runs with two centuries and 13 fifties.

Mohammed Shami Ruled Out Of BGT Tests

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the remainder of India’s ongoing five-match Test tour of Australia. While the speedster recently returned to competitive cricket through Bengal’s 2024-25 domestic Indian season after making his recovery, the 34-year-old has now exhibited minor swelling on his left knee owing to the increased joint loading from his bowling workload.

Th BCCI added that the board’s medical team will continue to work with Shami at the Centre of Excellence. His participation in Bengal’s remaining matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 season will largely depend on his recovery progress.