Joe Root has confirmed he is not in the running to become England’s next white-ball captain following Jos Buttler’s resignation after the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The 34-year-old batter, who led England’s Test team from 2017 to 2022, stated that his time as captain is over.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Root said, “I think that ship has sailed. I’ve done my time as a captain in an England shirt. I’m sure whoever gets the opportunity will be extremely proud and do a brilliant job.”

While Root never captained England in limited-overs formats, he returned to the ODI side this year and finished as one of the top performers in the Champions Trophy. He was England’s leading batter in the tournament, finishing as the fourth-highest run-scorer overall, and nearly took his team over the line in their final match against Afghanistan with a gritty century.

Despite his personal success, England endured a disappointing campaign, failing to reach the semifinals. Jos Buttler stepped down as captain shortly before their final group game against South Africa. Since then, England has yet to announce a new leader for the ODI side.

Among the contenders, vice-captain Harry Brook is currently seen as the front-runner. However, managing director Rob Key has hinted that Ben Stokes could be considered for the white-ball captaincy, potentially uniting both red and white-ball leadership under one figure. Brendon McCullum has not ruled out the option of having separate captains for ODIs and T20Is.

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Root acknowledged England’s recent struggles but remains confident in the squad’s potential. “We didn’t play anywhere near what we’re capable of. But there’s so much talent and so much more to come. This is a good opportunity to reset and move forward as a group.”

Despite not being a regular in England’s T20I squad since 2019, Root's form in franchise cricket has drawn attention. He impressed in this year’s SA20 tournament with the Paarl Royals, scoring 279 runs at an average of 55.80 and a strike rate of 140.20.

Looking ahead, Root turned his focus to the upcoming Test summer, starting with a five-match series against India at home from June 20. The series will kick off the new cycle of the World Test Championship.

“India coming over means there’s no hiding place. It’s a long series, and we’ll need to deliver match-winning performances consistently,” Root said.

With Root stepping aside from the leadership conversation, England’s white-ball future now rests on the next generation to take the team forward.

The second T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played on March 26, 2025, at Sky Stadium, Wellington. Having dominated the 5TH T20I, New Zealand will seek to increase their lead, whereas Pakistan will hope to recover and tie the series

Match Details: NZ vs PAK 5th T20I

• Match Date: March 26, 2025
• Venue:  Sky Stadium, Wellington
• Match Time: 11:45 AM IST (Indian Standard Time)

Live Streaming & Broadcast Details

Cricket fans can watch the match live through various broadcasting platforms:

For Viewers in India

• TV Broadcast: Sony Sports Network
• Live Streaming: Sony LIV app and website, FanCode app and website

For Viewers in Pakistan

• TV Broadcast: PTV Sports
• Live Streaming: ARY ZAP and Tamasha app

For Viewers in New Zealand

• TV Broadcast: Sky Sport NZ
• Live Streaming: Sky Go and Spark Sport

ALSO READ:NZ vs PAK Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win 5th T20I, Preview & Analysis

NZ vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

PAK Playing XI

Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Haris, Usman Khan, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

NZ Playing XI

Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay/ Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Will O Rourkee, Ben Sears

The second T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played on March 23, 2025, at  Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. Having dominated the 4TH T20I, New Zealand will seek to increase their lead, whereas Pakistan will hope to recover and tie the series

Match Details: NZ vs PAK 4th T20I

• Match Date: March 23, 2025
• Venue:  Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
• Match Time: 11:45 AM IST (Indian Standard Time)

Live Streaming & Broadcast Details

Cricket fans can watch the match live through various broadcasting platforms:

For Viewers in India

• TV Broadcast: Sony Sports Network
• Live Streaming: Sony LIV app and website, FanCode app and website

For Viewers in Pakistan

• TV Broadcast: PTV Sports
• Live Streaming: ARY ZAP and Tamasha app

For Viewers in New Zealand

• TV Broadcast: Sky Sport NZ
• Live Streaming: Sky Go and Spark Sport

ALSO READ:NZ vs PAK Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | 4th T20I, Preview & Analysis

NZ vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

PAK Playing XI

Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Haris, Usman Khan, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

NZ Playing XI

Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay/ Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Will O Rourkee, Ben Sears

The second T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played on March 21, 2025, at  Eden Park, Auckland. Having dominated the first T20I, New Zealand will seek to increase their lead, whereas Pakistan will hope to recover and tie the series

Match Details: NZ vs PAK 2nd T20I

• Match Date: March 21, 2025
• Venue:  Eden Park, Auckland
• Match Time: 11:45 AM IST (Indian Standard Time)

Live Streaming & Broadcast Details

Cricket fans can watch the match live through various broadcasting platforms:

For Viewers in India

• TV Broadcast: Sony Sports Network
• Live Streaming: Sony LIV app and website, FanCode app and website

For Viewers in Pakistan

• TV Broadcast: PTV Sports
• Live Streaming: ARY ZAP and Tamasha app

For Viewers in New Zealand

• TV Broadcast: Sky Sport NZ
• Live Streaming: Sky Go and Spark Sport

ALSO READ:NZ VS PAK 2ND T20I Match Live Streaming: Where & How to Watch on the tv and mobile online

NZ vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

PAK Playing XI

Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Haris, Usman Khan, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

NZ Playing XI

Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay/ Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Will O Rourkee, Ben Sears

The second T20I between Pakistan and New Zealand will be played on March 18, 2025, at University Oval, Dunedin. Having dominated the first T20I, New Zealand will seek to increase their lead, whereas Pakistan will hope to recover and tie the series

Match Details: NZ vs PAK 2nd T20I

• Match Date: March 18, 2025
• Venue: University Oval, Dunedin
• Match Time: 6:45 AM IST (Indian Standard Time)

Live Streaming & Broadcast Details

Cricket fans can watch the match live through various broadcasting platforms:

For Viewers in India

• TV Broadcast: Sony Sports Network
• Live Streaming: Sony LIV app and website, FanCode app and website

For Viewers in Pakistan

• TV Broadcast: PTV Sports
• Live Streaming: ARY ZAP and Tamasha app

For Viewers in New Zealand

• TV Broadcast: Sky Sport NZ
• Live Streaming: Sky Go and Spark Sport

ALSO READ:NZ vs PAK Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | 2nd T20I, Preview & Analysis

NZ vs PAK Predicted Playing XI

PAK Playing XI

Hasan Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Mohammad Haris, Usman Khan, Agha Salman, Shadab Khan, Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem

NZ Playing XI

Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Hay/ Tim Seifert, Jimmy Neesham, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi, Will O Rourkee, Ben Sears

The second T20I of the Pakistan and New Zealand series will take place on Tuesday, with the match toss at 6:15 am (IST) and the game at 6:45 am (IST). The match will be played at the University Oval in Dunedin. The match will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network and will also be streamed live on the Sony LIV and Fancode website and apps.

Pakistan's Predicted Playing XI:

Mohammad Haris (Wicketkeeper), Hasan Nawaz, Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Irfan Khan Niazi, Shadab Khan (Vice-Captain), Abdul Samad, Khushdil Shah, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Abrar Ahmed.

There are also debutants such as Hasan Nawaz, who can be expected to open the batting with Mohammad Haris. Abdul Samad, who has aggressive batting skills, could take Khushdil Shah's place in the lower order.

New Zealand's Predicted Playing XI:

Tim Seifert (Wicketkeeper), Finn Allen, Tim Robinson, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Hay (Wicketkeeper),Michael Bracewell (Captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy.

New Zealand will probably have the same team that won the first game so convincingly

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Team Outlook:

New Zealand:  Following their comprehensive victory in the first game, New Zealand will look to take the series further in their favor. Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, and Michael Bracewell are likely to carry on with their impressive show.

Pakistan: Under pressure to even the series, Pakistan will most likely tinker with their lineup. Mohammad Haris, Hasan Nawaz, and Shadab Khan will have to rise to the challenge to take on the Black Caps.

The fans can expect a thrilling match as Pakistan looks to redeem themselves, while New Zealand hopes to continue their dominance in the series.

Pakistan will tour New Zealand for a T20I series, and the selection committee is likely to bring some new faces along with seasoned players. The team has a combination of all-rounders, pace bowlers, and hard-hitting batters.
The team has players such as Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, and Sufiyan Muqeem, along with new faces like Irfan Khan and Jahandad Khan. Following is the likely squad:

Likely Squad

🚨Pakistan's likely T20I squad for New Zealand tour.

- Shadab, Haris, Sufiyan, Arafat, Irfan Khan, Zaman Khan, Wasim Jr, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar, Omair Bin Yousuf, Khushdil, Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed and Khawaja Nafay. pic.twitter.com/gKNp0Uci1s

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 2, 2025

ALSO SEE: Shreyas Iyer vs Babar Azam in ICC Events:

This team represents Pakistan's plan to strike a balance between inexperience and experience. Having youth players included means that the management has the strategy of developing future stars well before big events.
Pakistan will be looking for a good outing against New Zealand, and people cannot wait to witness how this team fares

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is planning to include new-found talents in the March-April T20I series against New Zealand. This is being done after Pakistan's humiliating Champions Trophy exit when they became the first team to be knocked out despite being the host country. Based on reports, emerging talents from national cricket have been summoned to Lahore to attend a meeting with board officials during the selection process. The effort goes with Pakistan's vision for the 2026 T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka.

🚨Mohammad Rizwan has been removed from T20I captaincy after today's meeting with PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. [Ejaz Wasim Bukhari]

- Shadab Khan is likely to lead the Pakistan T20I squad for New Zealand tour. pic.twitter.com/yKrZsTU7y5

— Salman 🇵🇰 (@SalmanAsif2007) March 1, 2025

ALSO SEE: PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to Lead Asian Cricket Council Post Champions Trophy 2025

Meanwhile, ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif came up with a list of youth players to be considered for the next series. His suggestions are Hassan Nawaz, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad, Akif Javed, and Muhammad Nafay. Besides, he thinks all-rounder Shadab Khan is the best choice to be the captain of the T20I team.
The wicketkeeper batter further shared some more names for the likely squad which are Muhammad Haris, Sufyan Muqeem, Arafat Minhas, Irfan Khan Niazi, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Jahandad Khan, Agha Salman, Abrar Ahmed, Omair Bin Yousuf and Khushdil Shah.
The Pakistani team will leave for New Zealand on March 12, and the five-match T20I series will start on March 16. Besides the T20Is, Pakistan will also feature in three ODIs, and the tour will last until April 5. Meanwhile, there are reports that some of the senior players are considering a break from international cricket after their dismal performances in the Champions Trophy.
Major players like Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Babar Azam are said to be in the discussion in the selection meetings with some thinking of pulling out from the tour to prevent themselves from being dropped.

Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad Memorial T20 Tournament 2025

The Shaheed Chandrashekhar Azad Memorial T20 Tournament 2025 is set to be an exciting cricket event. The tournament began on February 7, 2025, and will continue until February 23, 2025, with matches 

This event features six competitive teams that will battle it out in a round-robin format, with the top four moving on to the semi-finals, leading to the final match on February 23, 2025.

Venues:Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula, Chandigarh.

Teams:

1. Manohar Mavericks (MMK)
2. Wild Woods Warriors (WWW)
3. Talanoa Tigers (TLT)
4. Hiims Hawks (HHK)
5. Punjab Panthers (PJP)
6. City Challengers (CTC)

Complete Squads 

1. Hiims Hawks (HHK)

• Captain: Shivam Bhambri
• Squad: Abhimanyu Kumar, Jagjit Singh, Mohit Soni, Nehal Pajni, Ajai Jain, Armaan Jakhar, Gaurav Gambhir, Nikhil Sharma, Ripudaman Godhan, Nikhil Thakur (Wk), Ritik Sandhu (Wk), Gurtaj Bains, Mandeep Singh, Prince Upadhyay, Rahul K Singh, Vivek Vashisht

2. Talanoa Tigers (TLT)

• Captain: To be confirmed
• Squad: A Azad, D Kaushik, D Kush, K Sandil, H Chowdhry, M Panchal, E Bawa, E Bhandari, S Arya, V Kashyap, A Rana, P Ahlawat, A Saini, K Singh, S Singh, T Singh

3. Manohar Mavericks (MMK)

• Captain: To be confirmed
• Squad: A Garg, A Singh, A Sharma, G Puri, D Thamman, L Siani, N Pandita, S Aaharan, A Singh, A Raghuvanshi, D Sharma, A Kumar, B Lather, Ishan, S Sharma, Y Singh

4. Wild Woods Warriors (WWW)

• Captain: To be confirmed
• Squad: K Mahajan, S Kumar, T Latka, A Sudan, C Singh, G Singh, N Shaliwal, P Kumar, R Yadav, A Bhandari, M Dahiya, T Joshi, A Sharma, N Sharda, R Bishnoi, R Pal Singh, T Rai

5. Punjab Panthers (PJP)

• Captain: Manan Vohra
• Squad: A Sikka, A Kumar, A Kaushik, A Banshal, M Vohra, N Birla, T Singh Saraon, A Kadian, J Beniwal, V Kumar, G Verma, P Yadav, C Sharma, H Singh, J Singh, J Mehra, R Dhanda

6. City Challengers (CTC)

• Captain: Arslan Khan
• Squad: A Khan, A Duggal, H Singh, S Saini, S Singh, A Lubana, A Singh, I Ranauta, K Singh, N Kumar, E Singh Salaria, M Sidhu, A Kanwar, A Singh Gill, G Singh, H Kapoor, S Punia

ALSO READ:India's Predicted Playing XI for 2nd ODI Against England.

 Schedule:

Live Streaming:

• India: FanCode App & Website
• International: YouTube Official Channel
• Regional: Check local sports networks for availability

Gambhir's Confident Approach Towards High-Scoring T20 Matches
T20 Cricket National Team head coach Gautam Gambhir made very clear what's in store regarding the approach adopted by the country's team concerning T20. He wishes them to aim towards big scores invariably, as most of the T20 matches to be achieved often at around the score of 250-260 runs. Indeed, it can be very inspiring, but as Gambhir would say, success in T20 cricket requires so.

High-Risk Cricket for Big Rewards
As Gambhir says, this is just the kind of team that will have to give up some low scores in order to achieve such high scores. He understands the point that sometimes it even came down to such low scores to get out for 120 or 130 runs. But this, he said is a natural part of playing aggressive, high-risk cricket. According to Gambhir, unless players take these risks, they won't be able to achieve the big rewards that are being brought through hitting big totals.
This high-risk approach is what characterizes T20 cricket, and Gambhir makes it very clear that it's the only thing that would get the team where it wants to be. Of course, this means that in some games the team would fold over in two overs, but that is just the price paid for looking to score big on other days.

Gambhir said "We want to try and get to 250-260 regularly - in trying to do that, there will be games where we will get bundled out for 120-130 and that is what T20 cricket is all about - unless and until you don't play that high-risk cricket, you won't get those big rewards as… pic.twitter.com/q8MTA0gZGt

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 3, 2025

ALSO READ:Not Abhishek Sharma these Players Smashed the fastest centuries in T20I

Fearlessness: A Key Element
The most important philosophy of Gambhir is fearlessness. He tells the team to play without any fear of failure. This fearless attitude was seen during India's recent series against England, where they won 4 out of 5 T20 matches. In these games, even when wickets fell early, the team continued to play aggressively, refusing to hold back.
Gambhir further believes that this kind of fearlessness is really important, especially in such high-pressure tournaments. He opines that the team should concentrate on playing its natural game, worrying nothing about losing. The words of his mouth reveal his confidence in his team: "We don't want to fear losing anything," he said, thereby reinforcing his opinion that the team should continue playing the same bold, fearless way.