The Karachi Kings have secured the services of England batter Jason Roy as a replacement for the UAE’s Muhammad Waseem for the ongoing 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) season. 

Waseem, along with his compatriot Khuzaima bin Tanveer, have been called to the UAE squad for their upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 matches in Nepal.

Roy is no stranger to the PSL. The right-handed batter has played a total of six seasons, representing Lahore Qalandars in 2016 and the Quetta Gladiators from 2017 to 2024. He has gone on to score 1,260 runs from 28 games in his career in Pakistan at a strike-rate of 146.51. Roy has scored two hundreds in the tournament, including hitting an unbeaten 145 against Peshawar Zalmi in 2023, which is the highest individual score in PSL history. 

“Known for his fearless striking and vast experience in the T20 circuit, Roy is no stranger to the PSL, where he has consistently been one of the most destructive overseas batters. His arrival is set to bolster the Kings’ top order as the tournament enters its most critical phase,” the Karachi Kings statement read.

Waseem played five times for the Karachi Kings this season and went on to score just 86 runs at an average of 17.20 whilst striking at around 118. Roy, meanwhile, is a much more attack-minded batter and can easily replace the Emirati batter as an opener alongside South Africa’s Reeza Hendricks.

The Karachi Kings are currently fourth in the PSL standings after picking up six points from five matches. They won their first three games of the season before suffering two consecutive defeats. 

Roy last played professional cricket in the Middle East, representing the ILT20-winning Desert Vipers squad. The England batter, however, had a quiet tournament, scoring just 30 runs from four innings. 

The 35-year-old last represented the Three Lions in 2023 and has since lost his Central Contract. He is, however, still a regular in the Vitality Blast, representing Surrey and in The Hundred. He was most recently picked up by MI London in the first-ever Hundred auction for GBP 31,000.

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi was full of praise for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, stating that the young talent has the potential to become the face of Indian cricket in the future. Sooryavanshi has been in sensational form during the IPL 2026 season, playing a key role in helping Rajasthan Royals (RR) get off to an impressive start.

The youngster has already notched up two half-centuries and is striking the ball at an extraordinary rate of 263.16, showcasing his fearless approach and attacking mindset. Lalit Modi highlighted how rare it is to see such confidence and composure from a young player.

“Look at the young kid. Look at (Vaibhav) Sooryavanshi. I can tell you now that kid is going to go out there and be the new face of Indian cricket in the future. The confidence in the kid. Look at the confidence in the kid and his face. 14 years old! My son is 14 years old,” said Lalit in a podcast to Michael Vaughan.

Lalit also advised that managing a young talent like Sooryavanshi will be crucial, especially as he has gained fame at a very early stage of his career. He cautioned that handling success and attention properly is important, adding that he has seen several cricketers struggle or lose direction in similar situations if not guided well.

“This is going to be the next journey for cricketers is how we manage them, how we groom them and how we make sure that it’s not about the next watch and the next Ferrari and it’s happened to a lot of the players. You could see it in the IPL. It’s created lots of monsters but it has created some great players. The Sooryavanshi kid.  I saw this kid hit, [I thought] ‘Not possible, I am dreaming. It’s not possible that this kid is 14. Seriously?’ I am Googling it, I am calling out people, [asking], ‘Is this real or is somebody making this up?’ And I am getting these messages, and I tell them I am watching. Not once, not twice, this guy has outperformed everybody,” said Lalit.

The left-handed batter has scored 452 runs in 12 games for RR, including one century and three half-centuries. RR are currently placed second on the points table with four wins from five matches, accumulating eight points so far. They will next face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday, April 19 at the iconic Eden Gardens.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru registered a comfortable five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in Match 23 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Asked to bat first, LSG endured a tough outing with the bat and were bowled out for 146 in their 20 overs. Mitchell Marsh top-scored with 40 off 32 balls, while Ayush Badoni (38 off 24) and Mukul Choudhary (39 off 28) tried to revive the innings after early setbacks. However, regular wickets prevented them from building any sustained momentum.

RCB’s bowling unit put on a disciplined show, with Rasikh Salam Dar leading the charge with a brilliant four-wicket haul. Bhuvneshwar Kumar complemented him perfectly with three wickets, while Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.

In reply, RCB chased down the target with ease, reaching 149/5 in just 15.1 overs. Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a fluent 49 off 34 balls and was ably partnered by skipper Rajat Patidar, who made a thunderous 27. Jitesh Sharma (23 off 9) provided the final flourish, while Tim David and Romario Shepherd guided the hosts to their third consecutive victory at the venue this season. 

Talking Points

1. Josh Hazlewood makes stunning comeback

Josh Hazlewood made an impressive return to the XI, delivering a tight spell and picking up a key wicket. His control with the new ball and ability to hit hard lengths consistently put the LSG batters under pressure. More than just the wicket column, it was his discipline and experience that stood out, setting the tone for the rest of the bowling unit.

On a surface where assistance was minimal, he showcased his class by maintaining excellent lines and lengths, making life difficult for the opposition batters.

2. Impact player Virat Kohli makes an impact

Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains the backbone of RCB’s batting lineup. Coming in as the impact player, Kohli played a composed yet authoritative knock of 49, ensuring that the chase stayed firmly under control.Even though he fell just short of a half-century, Kohli’s contribution laid the foundation for a comfortable chase.

3. RCB go over the line, claim top spot

RCB’s clinical performance with both bat and ball ensured they crossed the finish line without any major hiccups. The middle and lower order stepped up after Kohli’s dismissal, with Tim David and Romario Shepherd finishing the job in style.With this convincing win, RCB climbed to the top of the points table, underlining their strong form this season. 

RCB vs LSG: Who Said What?

Rajat Patidar, RCB captain

“It was fantastic (on the bowling). I think the good thing was we won the toss. And the way the fast bowlers hit the deck was nice to watch. Even I don’t know what he’s going to bowl next but I would say he’s a very courageous bowler (on Krunal Pandya). And at the same time, Suyesh’s stump-to-stump bowling was tremendous to watch. (On the new-ball pair of Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood) Of course, for a captain, if you have specialist bowlers in T20 leagues, it makes the job easier because you don’t have to tell them what to do next. The experience and ideas are helping all the other bowlers as well. (On RCB’s fielding) The team has been working on fielding intensity since the start of the IPL. That was followed by (Phil) Salt and he usually takes those one-handed and flying catches. It was a great catch for him. No, it’s a long way to go (on the title hopes). Right now, we are just looking one game at a time.“

Nicholas Pooran, Stand-in LSG captain 

“It’s been a tough season for us, we’ve been below par with the bat. 175 would’ve been competitive. But it’s no secret we have been struggling with the bat the entire season and today we paid the price. It’s T20 cricket. It’s a tough game. It’s a tough game to stay consistent as well. But the guys have been really working hard and we’re ready for them. We’ll try to fight it out as well. And I just believe it’s a matter of time. Just stay patient, be ready for the opportunity, and take it on the team. (On his batting) I’m feeling really good and striking the ball nicely. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been going my way this time in the tournament. But that’s happened before. I’ve been in this position already, I know how to fight. And I believe I’ll get out of this.“

Josh Hazlewood, Player of the Match

“It’s been a bit of a long road the last few months, but yeah, got the rust out, I guess, last game against Rajasthan. Felt much better today and the rhythm feels in good shape. (On hitting the right length) A little bit of everything there. You’ve got to look at who you’re playing against, what players are at the other end and the conditions obviously play a part. It was quite a slow wicket today and it was a little bit up and down, so I just had to whack away that length and get the result. It was an all-round effort today. I thought all the bowlers bowled unbelievable. I’d like to have a few funky deliveries, but as a Test bowler, it’s quite hard to bowl good slower balls. always working on them. You always got to keep that into the armoury and keep moving forward.“

“So I think that’s a huge plus for us. (On Rasikh Salam Dar) Yeah, he obviously missed the first few games, but he’s been selected in the last couple and he’s been training the house down. He’s got some nice skills, and we’ve seen that in the last few games. Bowls the hard overs as well. It’s a big tournament for Rasikh. Will you play every game from now on?) The plan is to hopefully keep playing. Our schedule is pretty good from here on in, so fingers crossed I can keep playing.”