Agha and Usman get test recall for Pakistan's two matches against Sri Lanka

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has recalled batter Salman Ali Agha and left-arm spinner Ali Usman for its two home test matches against Sri Lanka in November.

Agha and Usman were among seven cricketers flown back home during a chaotic tour of England after Pakistan lost the second test at Lord’s in August. England swept the series 3-0.

Agha has been scoring prolifically since his return to Pakistan and followed his triple century in a domestic first-class match with a century against Sri Lanka in the ongoing ODI tri-series.

Opening batter Imam-ul-Haq and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, who were also recalled midway through the England tour, won't play in the two tests against Sri Lanka.

The games will be held at Rawalpindi from Nov. 9 and at Lahore from Nov. 17, and are part of the World Test Championship cycle.

Babar Azam will continue as skipper.

The 14-member squad includes three uncapped players -- Mohammad Taha, Sameer Minhas and Mohammad Suleman -- following their impressive batting in the recent President’s Trophy Grade I domestic tournament.

The 26-year-old Taha leads the batting charts with 730 runs across seven games, including three centuries. Suleman also scored three centuries in the same tournament and has made 625 runs while Minhas scored 405 runs in his maiden first-class season.

Pakistan is at the bottom of the nine-team World Test Championship with just two wins and seven defeats.

Pakistan is also scheduled to host New Zealand at home early next year for two test matches to wrap up its disappointing WTC cycle.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Ghazi Ghori, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud Shakeel.

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Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha reacts as he walks off the field after his dismissal during the tri-series one-day international cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

ATLANTA (AP) — The Golden State Valkyries are still confident.

Trailing 2-1 in the best-of-seven WNBA Finals against Atlanta, they know a win on Saturday will give them back home-court advantage with a trip to “Ballhalla” awaiting.

“It would be silly to overreact right now,” Valkyries guard Veronica Burton said. “We continue to point out the things where we lack discipline and where we lack maybe paying attention to their personnel. We address that and not overreact but also understand that there is a major sense of urgency, and we can’t necessarily wait for anything to change.”

Still, the Valkyries can ill afford to lose Game 4 after getting routed in Game 3. While it's only the second year that the WNBA has played a best-of-seven championship series, history in the NBA isn't on the side of teams trailing 3-1. Only the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals.

For the Valkyries to have any chance, they'll need to find a way to contain Angel Reese.

Reese, who was traded to Atlanta from Chicago in the offseason, has made the most of her first postseason appearance since coming into the league three years ago. She became only the second player in finals history with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games, joining A’ja Wilson.

At 24 years old, she also became the youngest with three straight double-doubles in the finals.

Reese has a really talented group around her in Jordin Canada, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, who has been dealing with a hand injury suffered in the semifinals.

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Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese (5) talks with Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray (15) during the first half of Game 3 of the WNBA basketball finals on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)