Injury-hit Australia limp into the T20 World Cup without leading fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, but Nathan Ellis says the team’s depleted attack can still carry the nation to glory.

Cummins pulled out with a back injury and Hazlewood lost a race to be fit after sustaining Achilles and hamstring injuries.

With Mitchell Starc having quit the format, Australia will be without all three of their top quicks for the first World Cup in over a decade.

Ellis, the default leader of a pace attack featuring Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis, said the new trio would be able to cover for the loss of their more experienced teammates.

“We’ve had 18-24 months of cricket together where the big three haven’t been playing and have had big workloads in the test arena,” he told reporters on Monday.

“I actually think we work together really, really well.

“We’ve all got different skill-sets and can gel together on the night in different phases of the game.

“A squad without ‘Hoff’ (Hazlewood) and Cummo (Cummins) is a strong squad obviously, but without them I feel like we’re just as well placed to go deep.”

Ellis will go into Australia’s opener against Ireland in Colombo on Wednesday without any recent match practice, having suffered a hamstring strain bowling for the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.

In his absence, Australia were whitewashed 3-0 in a warm-up series against Pakistan.

Ellis has been used more as a specialist death bowler than a powerplay enforcer, but conceded his role might need to change in the absence of Hazlewood.

“Obviously, you have to take each game, conditions as they come. But losing one of the better white ball bowlers in the world in Hoff, things are always going to have to change,” he said.

“My role will try to be adaptable as much as I can.”

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KARACHI: A series of spectacular goals provided the highlights as the group stage of the National Challenge Cup concluded on Sunday, with Mamsons, Pakistan Air Force, Wapda, Pakistan Army and SA Gardens securing places in the quarter-finals.

The standout moments came from Wapda’s Ali Raza, who struck an acrobatic overhead kick, and Pakistan Army’s Mohammad Rafay, whose first-time volley from a corner drew applause.

In Group ‘A’, Mamsons held Pakistan Navy to a goalless draw at the KPT Stadium to finish top of the group. Navy, needing a win to qualify, dominated possession and forced Mamsons goalkeeper Usman Ali into two early saves but failed to convert their chances. Mamsons defended resolutely in the second half to deny Navy the breakthrough.

Mamsons will face Group ‘B’ runners-up Khan Research Laboratories in the quarter-finals.

Wapda topped Group ‘B’ with a commanding 5-0 win over Hazara Coal at the KMC Stadium. Ali Raza scored a hat-trick, netting twice inside the opening six minutes before producing a stunning overhead kick from a corner. Mohammad Adeel added a third just before the interval, Ahmed Faheem struck after the restart, and Ali completed his treble in the 53rd minute. Wapda will meet Pakistan Air Force in the last eight.

Pakistan Army finished top of Group ‘C’ after defeating International Supply Company at the KPT Stadium. Rafay opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a well-taken volley. Army missed a chance to double their lead when Afzaal’s penalty was saved by Akhtar Ali, but Subhan Karim sealed the win with a breakaway goal in the 61st minute. Army now face Nimso.

In Group ‘D’, 10-man SA Gardens edged Nimso 1-0 at the KMC Stadium to claim top spot. Despite Ali Khan Niazi’s early dismissal, Shahzeb Nawaz headed home the winner in the 53rd minute. SA Gardens will take on International Supply Company in the quarter-finals.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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LIVERPOOL: Manchester City’s Erling Haaland converted a stoppage-time penalty to give his side a 2-1 victory at Liverpool on Sunday, narrowing the gap with Premier League leaders Arsenal to six points and breathing new life into the title race.

The Norwegian’s 21st league goal of the season capped a thrilling comeback after Dominik Szobo­szlai’s stunning free kick put Liverpool ahead in the 74th minute, only for Bernardo Silva to equalise late before Haaland’s decisive spot-kick.

City were staring at a nine-point deficit, but the victory keeps Pep Guardiola’s side in contention while Liverpool slumped to sixth place, now 11 points behind City, while Szoboszlai also saw red for denying Haaland a late goal-scoring opportunity.

The visitors dominated the early possession to silence the Anfield crowd, with Haaland nearly opening the scoring in the second minute when Silva played him through, but goalkeeper Alisson sprinted off his line to smother the attempt.

City’s January signing Marc Guehi received a hostile reception from the Liverpool crowd, with boos ringing out when he touched the ball — a pointed reminder of his failed summer transfer move to Anfield from Crystal Palace.

But the England defender kept his composure, snuffing out dangerous chances for Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike as Liverpool failed to get a shot on target in the first half.

Towards the end of the opening period, Salah screamed for a penalty after Silva tugged at him during a set piece as the Egyptian fell over attempting a shot.

However, neither the referee nor VAR spotted a foul, leaving the teams deadlocked at the break.

Having been second-best in the first half, Liverpool emerged transformed after the restart, firing four shots in 11 minutes as the Anfield crowd found their voice.

Ekitike missed two chances while Szoboszlai tested City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, before the Hungarian midfielder’s moment of magic arrived with a swerving free kick that sailed past the Italian, who could only watch as it found the net.

But City’s response was swift as they equalised 10 minutes later when Haaland headed a cross over the defence for Silva to score from the edge of the six-yard box.

The decisive moment came in added time when Matheus Nunes was brought down in the penalty area by Alisson after being put through on the right flank, allowing Haaland to step up and silence the crowd with his first goal at Anfield.

In a chaotic finale, Rayan Cherki appeared to score from the halfway line after Alisson ventured upfield, with Haaland and Szoboszlai sprinting and tussling with each other as the ball crept over the line.

VAR disallowed the goal, however, while Szoboszlai was sent off for tugging Haaland’s shirt, with Cherki blasting the resulting free-kick into the crowd before the final whistle.

In a late game on Saturday, Brentford’s Dango Ouattara struck in the 85th-minute for a 3-2

victory at Newcastle United in a see-saw contest, with the win moving Keith Andrews’ side up to seventh.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026

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