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If there is one thing Pakistan cricket fans can be certain of heading into major tournaments, it’s polarising squads.
Disappointments, last-gasp attempts to qualify or rare glories can come later, but it all begins with a squad no one can agree upon.
There are always a few picked out of turn, a few blue-eyed who get last-minute calls, a few deserving who get overlooked and a few others that are automatic choices.
What’s missing almost always is the fans’ say and a consensus.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, Dawn.com is letting the fans decide who they wanted to send to the Middle East to recapture the title their beloved team won only once, back in 2009.
Of the entire talent pool, (only) a few pick themselves. We’ve skipped those. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi form the quintet whose selection is not up for question. The rest, on whom the jury remains out, are up for selection.
Note: Sohaib Maqsood was left out of the poll since he is out injured.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1651790/what-would-be-your-squad-for-pakistans-t20-world-cup-campaign
If there is one thing Pakistan cricket fans can be certain of heading into major tournaments, it’s polarising squads.
Disappointments, last-gasp attempts to qualify or rare glories can come later, but it all begins with a squad no one can agree upon.
There are always a few picked out of turn, a few blue-eyed who get last-minute calls, a few deserving who get overlooked and a few others that are automatic choices.
What’s missing almost always is the fans’ say and a consensus.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, Dawn.com is letting the fans decide who they wanted to send to the Middle East to recapture the title their beloved team won only once, back in 2009.
Of the entire talent pool, (only) a few pick themselves. We’ve skipped those. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi form the quintet whose selection is not up for question. The rest, on whom the jury remains out, are up for selection.
Note: Sohaib Maqsood was left out of the poll since he is out injured.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1651790/what-would-be-your-squad-for-pakistans-t20-world-cup-campaign
If there is one thing Pakistan cricket fans can be certain of heading into major tournaments, it’s polarising squads.
Disappointments, last-gasp attempts to qualify or rare glories can come later, but it all begins with a squad no one can agree upon.
There are always a few picked out of turn, a few blue-eyed who get last-minute calls, a few deserving who get overlooked and a few others that are automatic choices.
What’s missing almost always is the fans’ say and a consensus.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021, Dawn.com is letting the fans decide who they wanted to send to the Middle East to recapture the title their beloved team won only once, back in 2009.
Of the entire talent pool, (only) a few pick themselves. We’ve skipped those. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi form the quintet whose selection is not up for question. The rest, on whom the jury remains out, are up for selection.
Note: Sohaib Maqsood was left out of the poll since he is out injured.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1651790/what-would-be-your-squad-for-pakistans-t20-world-cup-campaign
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja has stressed the need to revive Pakistan-India cricketing ties, saying the two boards should "create a cricketing bond" while politics must be kept away from the sport.
Raja, who was speaking to PCB Digital on Monday after his return from Dubai where he met the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials, said: "I met with BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah on the sidelines of the ACC (Asian Cricket Council) meetings. We need to create a cricketing bond, while I also believe that politics should stay away from the sport as much as possible and this has always been our stance."
The PCB chief added that "a lot of work needs to be done to revitalise Pakistan-India cricket but there needs to be some comfort level between the two boards and then we can see how far we can go."
"So overall, we had a good discussion,” he said.
Raja's remarks come ahead of a Pakistan-India fixture in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup as fans across the world gear up for what is set to be a high-octane game on Oct 24.
Pakistan versus India matches are hotly anticipated by cricket fans on both sides of the border as well as around the world. Given the two countries' frosty relations, the two teams have only been playing each other in major world tournaments.
'Collective stance through ACC'
Raja said the ACC had been established to "create a unified approach and collective stance so that we had one voice and if there was a situation, all stood together".
Referring to the recent withdrawal of New Zealand and England from Pakistan tour, he said he wanted "strong" relations with other boards and the ACC, so that "if there is an issue, like we had with the withdrawal of a couple of sides, a strong and joint statement could come out from the ACC platform".
“My message at the ACC was that we should not forget this philosophy and I am optimistic there will be better outcomes in future.”
Asia Cup 2023
Speaking about Aisa Cup 2023, Raja announced that the tournament, a 50-over competition, would be held in Pakistan in September.
“The ACC has agreed and approved that the 2023 event in Pakistan will be a 50-over competition and held in September. This aligns very nicely with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in October and November," the PCB Digital quoted him as saying.
He added, “we are looking forward to hosting this tournament in Pakistan and I am confident it will be a well-organised event because this is what the fans want."
Raja further said the ACC has also confirmed that the next year's Asia Cup would be a 20-over competition and held in Sri Lanka.
"[It] will be a prelude to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia from 16 October to 13 November,” he said.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652955/ramiz-raja-stresses-need-to-create-cricketing-bond-with-indias-bcci
LAHORE: National champion Aqeel Khan cruised through the first hurdle on te opening day of the Aitchison College Open National Tennis Championships at the Punjab Lawn Tennis Association courts here on Monday.
Top seed Aqeel, fresh from yet another title to his credit added last week on the same courts, powered his way to beat little-known Shakirullah 6-2, 6-1 in the first round.
Another seed Mohammad Abid also secured a facile 6-1, 6-1 win over Parbat Kumar.
Some of the remaining matches went to the distance in which Mahatir Mohammad, Huzaifa Abdul Rehman and Hamid Israr were given time by their respective opponents. Mahatir outlasted Sikandar Hayat 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 before Abdul Rehman ousted Heera Ashiq 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 and Hamid had to work hard to overpower Fayyaz Khan 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Results:
Men’s singles:
First round; Aqeel Khan bt Shakirullah 6-2, 6-1; Ahmed Kamil bt Usman Rafiq 7-6, 6-3; Mahatir Mohammad bt Sikandar Hayat 1-6, 6-2, 6-2; Mohammad Shoaib bt Faizan Fayyaz 6-0, 6-1; Ahmed Babar bt Saqib Hayat 6-1, 6-3; Huzaifa Abdul Rehman bt Heera Ashiq 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Imran Bhatti bt Shehzad Khan 2-0 — Shehzad retired; Abdullah Adnan bt Asadullah 6-1, 6-2; Zeeshan Sheikh bt Israr Gul 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Mohammad Abid bt Parbat Kumar 6-0, 6-1; Yousuf Khalil at Nalain Abbas 6-1,6-2; Hamid Israr beat Fayyaz Khan 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Barkatullah bt Jabir Ali 6-3, 6-2; Muzammil Murtaza bt Arham Atique Khan 6-2, 6-2.
Age-group qualifying round:
Boys’ under-18: Yahya Ahtraham bt Kashan Tariq 6-3; Ahmed Nawaz bt Muneeb Majeed 6-2; Hasnain Younis bt Syed Abdullah 6-1; Ghazi Ahmed bt Rehmat Ali 6-0; Rayan Munsif bt Hasnain Ali 6-2; Arman Kamran bt Mustafa Hamid 6-1.
Boys’ under-16: Ayyan Amjad bt Ahmad Masood 6-2; Ali Arif Khawaja bt Raja Mustafa 6-1; Rehmat Ali bt Azlan Faisal 6-3.
Boys’ under-14:: Abdullah Yousuf bt Mohammad Ayyan Umar 6-0; Harris Bajwa bt Mohammad Hassan Asad 6-2; Abdullah Sajjad bt Mohammad Talha Salman 6-0; Ayyan Amjad bt Mohammad Ibrahim Manj 6-0; Ibrahim Zaman bt Inam Bari 6-1; Mohammad Mustafa bt Mohammad Hamza 6-1; Asfandyar Azhar bt Momin Siddiq 6-2.
Boys’ under-12: Ibrahim Hassan bt Syed Rohail Shah 6-2; Momin Siddiq bt Mohammad Ayyan Zahid 6-2; Abdullah Mubeen bt Hamza Rehan 6-1.
Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2021
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652807/smooth-sailing-for-aqeel-khan
DUBAI: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has requested the support of other full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) ahead of next month’s crucial meeting where the game’s future in the South Asian country is likely to be decided.
The strife-torn nation’s remarkable rise has been cricket’s biggest fairytale story in recent times but Afghanistan risk isolation following the country’s Taliban takeover in August.
Cricket Australia (CA) has already threatened to scrap next month’s one-off Test in Hobart between the men’s teams if the new government in Kabul did not allow women to play the sport.
World governing body ICC had taken a wait-and-watch approach on whether Afghanistan can continue as a full member — allowing them to play Test matches — but will discuss the issue at a board meeting after the Twenty20 World Cup in the Middle East.
“ACB is committed to work for the development of cricket in the country and hope the ICC full members will provide their support,” Afghan board chairman Azizullah Fazli said.
Fazli said last month the ACB was committed to women’s cricket but was awaiting instructions from the Taliban government on its future.
Taliban officials have said they will not repeat the harsh rule of the previous Taliban government, which banned most girls’ education and forbade women from going out in public without a male guardian.
CA chief executive Nick Hockley has said the Hobart Test was likely to be postponed until there was more clarity on the impact of the Taliban takeover on sports in Afghanistan.
Fazli said he would meet CA officials on the sidelines of the Twenty20 World Cup and try to convince them to continue with the match as scheduled.
“We are in touch with the CA management regarding the test match, and soon we will meet CA leadership to discuss it and further the friendship of CA and ACB,” Fazli said in text messages.
The ACB chief added that the uncertainty would not affect the performance of the Afghanistan team under captain Mohammad Nabi.
Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2021
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652803/afghanistan-seek-support-ahead-of-crucial-icc-moot
ABU DHABI: Former T20 World Cup champions Sri Lanka survived an early batting collapse before blowing away debutants Namibia by seven wickets in their first Group ‘A’ fixture on Monday.
Sri Lanka lost three wickets within the batting Powerplay for 26 runs before avoiding further hiccups by reaching 100-3 in 13.3 overs after Namibia were blown away for 96 in 19.3 overs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) and leg-spinning all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga (2-24) shared the bulk of the Namibia wickets.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa, dropped on 18 at fine leg, went on to score an unbeaten 42 for Sri Lanka alongside Avishka Fernando, who was 30 not out. Both batters shared an unbeaten 74-run stand for the 2014 champions.
The left-handed Rajapaksa smashed four fours and two sixes in his 27-ball blitz.
Theekshana, adjudged player-of-the-match struck with his first ball in the Powerplay by removing Stephan Baard (7) and followed it up with the wicket of Zane Green (8), caught at mid-on in the sixth over.
Top-scorer Craig Williams (29) and skipper Gerhard Erasmus (20) added 39 runs but Namibia lost its last eight wickets for only 28 runs in a dramatic collapse.
Hard-hitting David Wiese, the all-rounder who also represented South Africa, couldn’t negotiate the slow pitch and scored just six off seven balls before he was out lbw to fast bowler Chamika Karunaratne in the 15th over.
But bowlers remained key to victory with quick Lahiru Kumara also chipping in with two wickets to bowl out Namibia cheaply after Sri Lanka chose to field first.
Sri Lanka, champions in the 2014 edition, top the group table ahead of Ireland, who thrashed the Netherlands in day’s earlier game.
The World Cup started on Sunday when Scotland upset Bangladesh by six runs in Group ‘B’ and co-hosts Oman thumped debutants Papua New Guinea by 10 wickets.\
Scoreboard
NAMIBIA:
S.J. Baard c Hasaranga b Theekshana 7
Z.E. Green c Shanaka b Theekshana 8
C.G. Williams lbw b Hasaranga 29
M.G. Erasmus c Hasaranga b Kumara 20
D. Wiese lbw b Karunaratne 6
J.J. Smit not out 12
J.N. Frylinck b Theekshana 2
J. Nicol Loftie-Eaton lbw b Hasaranga 3
R. Trumpelmann c Shanaka b Chameera 1
H.N. Ya France b Kumara 1
B.M. Scholtz run out 0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-4, NB-1) 7
TOTAL (all out, 19.3 overs) 96
FALL OF WKTS: 1-10, 2-29, 3-68, 4-73, 5-79, 6-84, 7-90, 8-93, 9-96.
BOWLING: Karunaratne 4-0-17-1 (1w); Chameera 4-0-19-1 (1w); Theekshana
4-0-25-3 (2w); Kumara 3.3-0-9-2; Hasaranga 4-0-24-2 (1nb).
SRI LANKA:
P. Nissanka lbw b Scholtz 5
M.D.K.J. Perera c Smit b Trumpelmann 11
L.D. Chandimal c Green b Smit 5
W.I.A. Fernando not out 30
P.B.B. Rajapaksa not out 42
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-3) 7
TOTAL (for three wkts, 13.3 overs) 100
FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-18, 3-26.
DID NOT BAT: M.D. Shanaka, W. Hasaranga, C. Karunaratne, P.V.D. Chameera, M.M. Theekshana, C.B.R.L.S. Kumara.
BOWLING: Wiese 2-0-11-0 (1w); Trumpelmann 3-0-27-1; Scholtz 3-0-16-1 (1w); Smit 1-0-7-1; Ya France 1-0-6-0; Loftie-Eaton 1-0-7-0; Frylinck 1.3-0-17-0; Erasmus 1-0-5-0 ((1w).
RESULT: Sri Lanka won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: P.R. Reiffel (Australia) and A.T. Holdstock (South Africa).
TV UMPIRE: R.J. Tucker (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: D.C. Boon (Australia).
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka).
Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2021
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652799/namibia-blown-away-by-sl-on-t20-world-cup-debut
DUBAI: Riding on fine knocks from captain Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s preparations for the eagerly-awaited T20 World Cup opener against old rivals India started with a crushing seven-wicket defeat of West Indies in their first warm-up fixture here on Monday.
After restricting the reigning champions to a modest 130-7 at the ICC Academy in Dubai, Pakistan cruised to victory in 15.3 overs. Babar led the chase by striking six fours and one six in a 41-ball knock of 50, while the left-handed Fakhar bludgeoned a quickfire 46 with his unbeaten 24-ball innings containing four fours and a brace of sixes.
Earlier electing to bat in the 15-a-side encounter after Kieron Pollard won the toss, West Indies struggled from the onset as they slipped to 63-4 when the big-hitting Chris Gayle was bowled by fast bowler Haris Rauf at the beginning of the 14th over for a 30-ball 20 (two boundaries).
Shimron Hetmyer hit up 28 off 24 deliveries (three fours) and Pollard blasted five boundaries in his 10-ball cameo of 23.
Hasan Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 2-21 while Haris claimed 2-32 and spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-41.
Pakistan’s second — and final — warm-up game will be against South Africa under lights at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Scores in brief:
WEST INDIES 130-7 in 20 overs (S.O. Hetmyer 28, K.A. Pollard 23, C.H. Gayle 20, L.M.P. Simmons 18; Hasan Ali 2-21, Haris Rauf 2-32, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-41);
PAKISTAN 131-3 in 15.3 overs (Babar Azam 50, Fakhar Zaman 46 not out, Shoaib Malik 14 not out; H.R, Walsh 2-41).
Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2021
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652798/babar-fakhar-shine-as-pakistan-crush-wi-in-warm-up-tie
When Shoaib Malik takes the field for Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup, the 39-year-old all-rounder could be forgiven for feeling his age.
When Malik made his international debut in 1999, current teammates such as pace spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Junior, and batsman Haider Ali were not even born.
Vice-captain Shadab Khan was just one while skipper Babar Azam and fellow all-rounder Hasan Ali had both just turned five.
Malik, still fighting fit, played his first one-day international against the West Indies at Sharjah in October 1999.
Legendary paceman Wasim Akram, who led Pakistan in Malik's first game, retired 18 years ago.
“I remember when Malik came into the Pakistan team in 1999,” Wasim Akram told AFP.
“I picked him up, he was a 16-17-year-old skinny guy and I initially picked him solely as a bowler and as a fielder and never knew that he can bat very well.”
Malik, however, is not the oldest player at the World Cup — Chris Gayle, 42, who made his ODI debut a month before Malik, will be looking to steer West Indies to a third T20 title.
'Life-saver for Pakistan'
“He (Malik) has turned out to be a life-saver for Pakistan in limited-overs cricket. Even now, when you talk about fitness, he is superb and trains so extensively,” added Wasim.
“I think young players should see him as a role model as he is still competing with them in domestic events and that shows how mentally strong he has been.
“He is looking good and that shows he wants to go on a high.”
Former teammate and captain Shahid Afridi also believes Malik can contribute as Pakistan go in search of a second T20 World Cup title.
“Good to see Shoaib Malik recalled for the T20 World Cup,” said Afridi.
“As a senior and experienced player, he can contribute big time for Pakistan.”
Babar Azam believes Malik will have a key role on and off the field in the United Arab Emirates.
“His experience will be an asset. He is still one of the fittest members of the squad,” Babar said on Sunday.
“We have to make a plan on including him in the playing XI.”
Malik, whose career has seen a series of ups and downs, led Pakistan to a runners-up finish in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007.
He was a member of the 2009 title-winning team and, after missing the 2010 event, featured in the last three editions.
Despite calls from fans for his inclusion for this year's showpiece, Malik was nowhere close to squad selection until last month.
His 225 runs in seven domestic matches of the National T20 Cup strengthened his case but it was only after top-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood was ruled out with a back problem that Malik sneaked into the squad at the last minute.
Malik retired from Test cricket in 2015 and ODIs after a miserable 2019 World Cup in England, where he fell for eight and two ducks.
He has already ruled out playing in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
“I want to play the World Cup and go out on a high,” he said.
Pakistan start their T20 World Cup campaign against old rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652755/skinny-guy-to-pakistan-life-saver-shoaib-malik-eyes-t20-world-cup-glory-with-last-hurrah
When Shoaib Malik takes the field for Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup, the 39-year-old all-rounder could be forgiven for feeling his age.
When Malik made his international debut in 1999, current teammates such as pace spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Wasim Junior, and batsman Haider Ali were not even born.
Vice-captain Shadab Khan was just one while skipper Babar Azam and fellow all-rounder Hasan Ali had both just turned five.
Malik, still fighting fit, played his first one-day international against the West Indies at Sharjah in October 1999.
Legendary paceman Wasim Akram, who led Pakistan in Malik's first game, retired 18 years ago.
“I remember when Malik came into the Pakistan team in 1999,” Wasim Akram told AFP.
“I picked him up, he was a 16-17-year-old skinny guy and I initially picked him solely as a bowler and as a fielder and never knew that he can bat very well.”
Malik, however, is not the oldest player at the World Cup — Chris Gayle, 42, who made his ODI debut a month before Malik, will be looking to steer West Indies to a third T20 title.
'Life-saver for Pakistan'
“He (Malik) has turned out to be a life-saver for Pakistan in limited-overs cricket. Even now, when you talk about fitness, he is superb and trains so extensively,” added Wasim.
“I think young players should see him as a role model as he is still competing with them in domestic events and that shows how mentally strong he has been.
“He is looking good and that shows he wants to go on a high.”
Former teammate and captain Shahid Afridi also believes Malik can contribute as Pakistan go in search of a second T20 World Cup title.
“Good to see Shoaib Malik recalled for the T20 World Cup,” said Afridi.
“As a senior and experienced player, he can contribute big time for Pakistan.”
Babar Azam believes Malik will have a key role on and off the field in the United Arab Emirates.
“His experience will be an asset. He is still one of the fittest members of the squad,” Babar said on Sunday.
“We have to make a plan on including him in the playing XI.”
Malik, whose career has seen a series of ups and downs, led Pakistan to a runners-up finish in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007.
He was a member of the 2009 title-winning team and, after missing the 2010 event, featured in the last three editions.
Despite calls from fans for his inclusion for this year's showpiece, Malik was nowhere close to squad selection until last month.
His 225 runs in seven domestic matches of the National T20 Cup strengthened his case but it was only after top-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood was ruled out with a back problem that Malik sneaked into the squad at the last minute.
Malik retired from Test cricket in 2015 and ODIs after a miserable 2019 World Cup in England, where he fell for eight and two ducks.
He has already ruled out playing in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
“I want to play the World Cup and go out on a high,” he said.
Pakistan start their T20 World Cup campaign against old rivals India in Dubai on Sunday.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1652755/skinny-guy-to-pakistan-life-saver-shoaib-malik-eyes-t20-world-cup-glory-with-last-hurrah
