Sports Bulletin

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (July 1, 2020):-Following testing negative for Covid-19, the Pakistan men’s national cricket team has begun training in Worcester ahead of their three Tests and three T2oIs against England in August-September. The following is the side’s training schedule from Thursday 2nd July: 2 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will hold two three-hour-long training sessions at 10am and 2pm (local time). The PCB will provide photographs and videos of the sessions. 3 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will hold two three-hour-long training sessions at 10am and 2pm (local time). The PCB will provide photographs and videos of the sessions. 5-6 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will play a two-day inter-squad match, which will commence at 11am (local time). 7 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will hold a three-hour-long training session, which will commence at 2pm (local time). 8 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will hold two three-hour-long training sessions at 10am and 2pm (local time). The PCB will provide photographs and videos of the sessions. 9 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will hold two three-hour-long training sessions at 10am and 2pm (local time). The PCB will provide photographs and videos of the sessions. 10 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will have an optional training session from 10am-1pm (local time). The PCB will provide photographs and videos of the sessions 11-12 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will play a two-day inter-squad match, which will commence at 10.30am (local time). 13 July: The Pakistan men’s national cricket team will travel to Derby.

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (June 27, 2020):-The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday confirmed 20 players and 11 player support personnel will travel on a chartered flight to Manchester on Sunday morning for a three-Test and three T20I series to be played in August and September. Upon arrival in Manchester, the squad will be transported to Worcestershire where they will undergo the England and Wales Cricket Board testing before completing their 14-day isolation period, during which they will be allowed to train and practice. The side will move to Derbyshire on 13 July. It is pertinent to mention that all 18 players and 11 player support personnel, who had tested negative for Covid-19 in the first round of tests on Monday, have again returned negative in Thursday’s retests. Besides the 29 members, tests of fast bowler Musa Khan and Pakistan U19 captain and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir, along with three other reserve players, were also conducted on Thursday and they have also returned negative. Names of players: Azhar Ali (captain), Babar Azam (vice-captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmad, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, and Yasir Shah. Zafar Gohar, the left-arm spinner who played an ODI in 2015, will join the side from England and will only be involved in pre-match preparations. Player support personnel – Mansoor Rana (manager), Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach), Younis Khan (batting coach), Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Talha Butt (team analyst), Yasir Malik (strength and conditioning coach), Dr Sohail Saleem (team doctor), Lt Col (Retd) Usman Riffat (security manager) and Raza Kitchlew (media and digital content manager). Cliffe Deacon and Waqar Younis will join the side directly from South Africa and Australia, respectively, while Shoaib Malik will be there July 24. Following advice from leading sports science experts and as per the UK government regulations, players who have tested positive during the PCB testing process will be unable to travel on Sunday. However, they will be sent to England as soon as their two tests return negative. Amongst the four reserves players, who were tested on Wednesday, only Imran Butt has tested positive, while the tests of Bilal Asif, Mohammad Nawaz and Musa Khan were negative. Out of the 10 players and one official, who had earlier tested positive during the PCB testing programme, six players have tested negative in the retests. They are: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan and Wahab Riaz. Players who have again tested positive are: Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Kashif Bhatti and Imran Khan, along with Malang Ali (masseur). The six players who have now tested negative will undergo third round of testing at some stage next week and if their tests remain negative, then the PCB will make arrangements to send them to England. The five players and the masseur, who have are positive, have been advised by the PCB medical panel to observe strict quarantine to protect their families and friends from the contagion. As in the past, the PCB medical panel will provide them complete support and continue to monitor their progress. These players will undergo tests following the completion of the quarantine period and will be sent to England following two negative tests. PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan: “This was a challenging and unprecedented process that we have conducted and I am pleased that following a second round of testing, we are able to confirm 20 players and 11 player support personnel will travel to Manchester on Sunday. “Due to the increasing number of national cases and availability of testing labs in some players’ hometowns, I think the PCB medical panel have done a good job to get us through this process. Based on the national spread of players, there were always going to be some logistical challenges; we have taken a number of learnings from the process that we will take forward with us. “With the Test series being played first in August, Misbah is satisfied with the group of players that are traveling on Sunday as the focus will be on red-ball preparation. Misbah understands that flexibility and adaptability will be needed with his training and practice schedule while operating under various guidelines.’ “I want to reassure the players and the official left behind that the PCB will provide them best support and look after them during the quarantine period. It needs to be remembered that these players were asymptomatic, which means their chances of regaining complete fitness are higher and brighter than most. As soon as these players test negative twice through the PCB testing process they will be flown to England to join the squad. “I am aware Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz took personal tests outside of our process prior to the second PCB testing. While their results came up negative, as per the PCB testing programme, they are deemed to have one negative test following a positive test. Therefore, once they are retested and receive a second negative result under the PCB testing programme, they will be available to join the squad in England. “Lastly, on behalf of the PCB, I want to once again urge the Pakistan cricket fans and followers to support the government in their fight against coronavirus by strictly following its instructions. Only through taking personal responsibility can we begin to eradicate this virus.”

SPORT REPORT ISLAMABAD (June 26, 2020):-The Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday morning held their second meeting of the year, 58th overall, via a videoconference under the chairmanship of Ehsan Mani. The following are the key decisions taken by the PCB’s supreme body: 2020-21 budget The BoG approved a PKR7.76billion operating expenditure budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year, which is a 10 per cent reduction from the 2019-20 budget as part of the PCB’s austerity, robust financial management and belt-tightening exercise. Without compromising and reducing any activities from the 2019-20 activities, the PCB has allocated 71.2 per cent of the overall budget for cricket-related activities. This is to ensure that despite tough financial situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cricket remains unaffected and the PCB continues to invest in the future. The allocated 71.2 per cent cricket budget includes 25.2 per cent for domestic cricket (events and players/match officials/player support personnel contracts and High Performance Centre costs), 19.3 per cent for international cricket (home/away series and player contracts), 5.5 per cent for women’s cricket (home/away cricket and player contracts), 19.7 per cent for HBL PSL 2021 and 1.5 per cent for Medical and Sport Sciences. While forecasting shortfall in revenues due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left the fate of revenues from international events hanging in balance and may also affect PCB’s commercial programme, the BoG has agreed to continue investment on infrastructure development by approving a PKR1.22billion budget for capital expenditure, a reduction of approximately PKR800million from 2019-20. PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani: “We have followed a strict cost-benefit and value for money policy while preparing this budget taking into consideration the economic situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The budget caters for all critical business of cricket activities, while the nice-to-have activities have been set aside as part of our cost-cutting measures and to protect our reserves for the future. “I am also grateful to the BoG for approving the capital expenditure budget, which is aimed at enhancing and improving our infrastructure so that we can provide better experience and facilities to our fans and cricketers, and also develop and upgrade our high performance centres across the country. This will be an important investment as we have submitted an expression of interest for some ICC Events in the 2023-31 cycle and quality cricket infrastructure will be one of the key factors that will determine if we are successful in earning hosting rights of any of the events. “Over the next 12 months, we will continue to ensure strict financial management and controls, and I remain confident that we will deliver all our objectives as per our five-year strategy and within budget.” Domestic player contracts for 2020-21 PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan briefed the BoG on the new 12-month merit-based domestic player contracts for the 2020-21 season. The new contracts will come into effect from 1 August 2020. According to the new monthly retainer structure, the PCB will again offer 192 leading domestic players (32 from each of the six Cricket Associations) performance-based contracts, but instead of paying a flat monthly retainer of PKR50,000 to all players, this season slab-wise payments will be made. The new monthly retainer structure is: ·         Category A+ = 10 players, PKR150,000 per month ·         Category A = 38 players, PKR85,000 per month ·         Category B = 48 players, PKR75,000 per month ·         Category C = 72 players, PKR65,000 per month ·         Category D = 24 players, PKR40,000 per month Wasim Khan: “The PCB had repeatedly spoken about improving domestic retainers year-on-year which we are committed to doing and have backed up this year. We very much see this as the start. “Overall, we have increased our investment by 46 per cent in our domestic contract retainers, as compared to last year. We have also created a category based retainer system that will better reward and incentivise the high-performing cricketers. “The PCB is optimistic this model will further enhance competitiveness amongst the players, which, in turn, will contribute in the overall uplifting of our domestic cricket. “We are likely to have all the six Cricket Association sides in place by mid-August but will continue to keep an eye on the Covid-19 situation. We will only start our 2020-21 season when the Covid-19 curve of cases starts going in the downward direction and we have the necessary permissions and SOPs in place to ensure health and safety of all concerned.” PCB Code of Ethics In line with Article 44(d) of the PCB Constitution 2019 and with an aim to safeguard the integrity and the reputation of the PCB as the custodian of the game in Pakistan, the BoG approved the PCB Code of Ethics, which deals with matters such as conflict of interest, declaration of interests and confidentiality. All BoG Members, Committee Members and PCB Staff Members will now be bound and required to comply by the Code, which will also be enforced at the Cricket Association level. PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer: “The main objective of the PCB Code of Ethics is to establish highest ethical standards to govern the activities and regulate the conduct of key stakeholders in Pakistan cricket, strengthen PCB’s authority to deal with corruption and unethical behaviour and foster confidence in the PCB in line with its Strategic Plan.” HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 The BoG congratulated the PCB management for the successful staging of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 until it was postponed on 17 March due to Covid-19 pandemic. The 30 completed matches were played over four venues with more than 500,000 spectators crossing turnstiles to watch live action. The BoG was informed that the PCB was planning to stage the remaining four matches later in the year, while it plans to add a fifth venue in Peshawar for the 2021 edition, which is scheduled to be held in February and March 2021. The BoG approved to set-up a dedicated HBL PSL Department by separating it from the PCB’s Commercial Department. PSL Project Executive Shoaib Naveed will head the department as part of the PCB’s drive to improve stakeholder relationship and deliver top-quality event. There will also be an oversight group, which will comprise the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Director Commercial. The PSL General Council meeting is scheduled in the first week of July with more details to follow in due course. Other matters The BoG approved the model constitution for Cricket Clubs, which is in line with the PCB Constitution 2019 and Model Constitutions for Cricket and City Cricket Associations, as well as the Club affiliation and operation rules, details of which will be released on Sunday morning. PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani briefed the BoG on matters relating to the ICC and the ACC. Mr Mani confirmed that he had been approached by some ICC Directors for the ICC Chairman’s role, but reiterated his commitment to Pakistan cricket. Mr Mani also said he has raised the visa issues for Pakistan cricket teams for the upcoming ICC Events in India. On the ACC, Mr Mani confirmed the PCB has offered Sri Lanka Cricket to swap the ACC T20 Cup, with the ACC Board expected to make the decision in due course. The PCB Chairman updated the BoG on his meeting with the PCB Patron, including discussions around legislation on criminalising corruption in sports. In this relation, Mr Mani submitted to the Patron a draft proposal, which provides a short background on the menace of corruption and its impact on the integrity of sports; reviews the existing legislation enacted within Pakistan whilst noting that the same fail to adequately target and address corruption/illegal manipulation in sports; recommends the inclusion of certain provisions which, specifically target criminalisation of corruption in sports pertaining to corruption, illegal manipulation, betting, match and spot-fixing as well as aiding and abetting such conduct; and proposes the penalties to be imposed on individuals found guilty of engaging in such offences. The BoG expressed satisfaction on the steps taken and processes followed prior to sending the Pakistan men’s national cricket team to England, but expressed concerns on the number of positive tests. On the basis the Covid-19 and cricket is likely to co-exist in the foreseeable future, the BoG advised the PCB to put in place stricter measures to ensure health and safety of all its elite cricketers.

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (June 21, 2020):-The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will hold online fitness assessment of Under-19 women cricketers from Monday. The assessment is designed to keep the up and coming cricketers focused and motivated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has put a halt on outdoor physical activities. The players will take tests from 22-26 June in which their hand-eye coordination, body balance, core muscle and lower body strength along with upper body endurance will be gauged. The investment on this group of emerging players is in line with PCB’s strategy of enhancing the pool of women cricketers by creating an U19 pathway programme. These players were picked on the basis of their performances in the Skills2Shine U18 Women T20 Championship, a four-team tournament which was held in Lahore in November last year. Following the tournament, the players underwent a 14-day-long training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi. Urooj Mumtaz, chair of the national women’s selection committee, said: “Physical fitness is one of the key elements for any cricketer in order to be successful and thrive in this day and age. It is important that the players are made aware of these requirements right from the moment they enter the system. “With the aim to create a fitness-centric environment, these players have been engaged in training programmes provided by the strength and conditioning coach over the past two months. The testing battery has been designed keeping in mind the challenges of training indoors in these unprecedented times. The basic purpose behind this assessment is to gauge the baseline fitness of this group along with keeping them involved and motivated. “The investment in women cricketers at the emerging and age group level is of great significance for the PCB as they are the future of the game and it is important that the board regularly engages with these players and assists them in understanding the essential attributes of modern day cricket. The PCB through its Skills2Shine and Cric4us initiatives has undertaken various programmes to broaden the pool of women cricketers.” List of players who will undergo fitness assessment: Anoosha Nasir (Karachi), Arijah Haseeb (Karachi), Fajar Naveed (Islamabad), Fatima Khan (Lahore), Gul Rukh (Lahore), Gul Uswa (Multan), Hamna Bilal (Islamabad), Hania Ahmar (Karachi), Khushbakht Waseem (Lahore), Laiba Fatima (Karachi), Laraib Malik (Lahore), Laveeza Munir (Lahore), Momina Riasat Khan (Abbottabad), Nazish Rafique (Lahore), Rida Aslam (Islamabad), Saima Malik (Quetta), Shawal Zulfiqar (Lahore), Yusra Amir (Karachi) and Zaib-un-Nisa (Charsadda).

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (June 20, 2020):-The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given special dispensation to Shoaib Malik by allowing him to join the men’s national cricket team in England on 24 July after spending time with his immediate family, whom he has not seen for nearly five months. According to media department of PCB, Shoaib’s wife, Sania Mirza, and one-year-old son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, have been in India, while Shoaib has been in Sialkot since the imposition of international travel ban due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to the travel ban, Shoaib was involved for Peshawar Zalmi in the HBL Pakistan Super League, which commenced on 20 February before it was suspended on 17 March. PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan: “Unlike the rest of us, Shoaib Malik has not seen his immediate family for nearly five months due to his commitments and the subsequent international travel bans following the Covid-19 pandemic. As travel restrictions are now slowly easing out and there is an opportunity for a family reunion, it is appropriate that at a human level we show compassion as part of our duty of care and respect Shoaib’s request. “We have spoken with the England and Wales Cricket Board who understand the situation and have agreed to make an exception by helping Shoaib enter the country on 24 July. Of course, Shoaib will follow the UK government’s policies on visitors entering the country before integrating with the side.” The team will depart on 28 June for Manchester, before driving to Derbyshire for their 14-day quarantine period during which they will be allowed to train and practice. Apart from training and practicing, there will be intra-squad matches to compensate for the lack of practice matches due to non-availability of local teams as the ECB is yet to commence its domestic season.

SPORT REPORT ISLAMABAD (June 18, 2020):-On Thursday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that the contracts of all domestic players and coaches would be extended, expiring on 30 June, till 31 July before the new 12-month contracts will come into effect from 1 August. The decision has been made by the High Performance Department, which is presently busy carrying out a 360 degree appraisal of all its coaches. The process is expected to conclude early next month with the six Cricket Association sides to be confirmed by the end of July. In the 2019-20 season, the PCB had offered 192 contracts to the domestic cricketers of which 186 cricketers had accepted the contracts. Director – High Performance, Nadeem Khan: “As part of a comprehensive and extensive review process, we are conducting appraisals of all coaches, which is a three-phase process including self-assessment, interviews and feedback from players and fellow coaches. “This is the modern 360 degree way of appraising professionals as we remain committed to put in place the best available coaches who can provide best coaching and training to the players, which, in turn, will contribute to further enhance the quality of our domestic cricket. “Once the appraisal of the coaches is concluded, the six Cricket Association coaches will be involved in the team selection process. We hope to conclude the entire exercise by end July with 12-month contracts coming into effect from 1 August 2020. “It is premature to predict when we will be able to start our 2020-21 domestic cricket season due to the evolving Covid-19 situation. But, internally, we need to be ready to start the season at a short notice.”

SPORTS REPORT ISLAMABAD (June 15, 2020):-With the vision of becoming one of the top-performing and most credible cricket boards in the world, the Pakistan Cricket board today released its five-year strategic plan, which has been approved by the Board of Governors. Captioned under Five-Year Plan to Inspire and Unify Our Nation, the document lays down strategic and corporate objectives, sets a straightforward course of action for the progress and enhancement of the national men’s, women’s and age-group teams and presents a clear pathway and structure for grassroots development. Underpinning the objectives will be a tracking system that will ensure that progress is robustly monitored on a monthly basis throughout the duration of the plan.    The work on the strategy commenced last year and already a number of significant strides have been made against the objectives set out. e strategy has been put together with a key focus on the stakeholders of the game and bringing the fans closer to the game, with accountability, transparency, ethics and professionalism remaining at its core. The six salient features of the strategy are: ·         Sustainable Corporate Governance – will be underpinned by timely and effective planning and allocation of resources. ·         Deliver World Class International Teams - ongoing investment into a merit-based domestic system and a focus on excellence in High-Performance Centres will help transform our international teams into consistent top class performers. ·         Grassroots and Pathways Framework - providing opportunities and supporting the   seamless transition of young and aspiring cricketers into the mainstream game. ·         Inspire Generations Through our Women’s Game - we will maintain a key focus on diversity and invest in our future cricketers to develop cricket champions across the nation. ·         Grow and Diversify Commercial Revenue Streams - we will set strategic, innovative and targeted commercial plans that will support the sustainability of the PCB and the Cricket Associations. ·         Enhance the Global Image of Pakistan - we will showcase Pakistan through the promotion of the HBL Pakistan Super League, sustainable home international cricket and by maintaining ongoing and close dialogue with other cricket boards around the world. Each of the aforementioned strategies is divided into clear objectives and tactics.  A senior manager will own one of the six strategic priorities and will be responsible for its execution, while a robust monitoring system with clear delivery timelines will track monthly progress. Unveiling the strategy, PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “We developed the five-year plan in 2019 and awaited sign-off by the Board of Governors. We are delighted that we received official sign-off in February this year and are now in a position to formally announce it. Delivery against key priorities for the 2019-2023 plan began last year and I am delighted to see the progress that we have already made across a number of areas. “It was highly important that we developed a clear, exciting and achievable roadmap that provided   clarity on our direction of travel, not only for all PCB staff but also the fans and its stakeholders. “Strategic plans on paper achieve little unless individuals buy-into the vision, take ownership of the strategy and are held accountable for delivering.  Our robust monitoring system will track progress in a timely way so as to ensure we remain focused on what we want to achieve. “From 2019, the PCB has embarked on a thought through reform and transformation programme both on and off the field. Having clarity of purpose and being bold in your decision making are necessary in any change programme and we firmly believe that the strategic plan has already provided us with the impetus to move Pakistan cricket forward. “The PCB has the potential and drive to be amongst the very top cricket boards in the world. This aspiration, with a commitment to action, will drive us on so that we can become consistently successful on the field and highly competent off it. It is exciting to think where we can be as a cricketing nation when we deliver this; over the last 12 months significant progress has already been made from where we started.” Some key achievements since February 2019: ·         Implementation of PCB Constitution 2019; development of Cricket Associations and City Cricket Associations constitutions and their subsequent approvals by the Board of Governors ·         Restructuring of the domestic structure ·         Appointment of high-quality experts and coaches with the Pakistan national men’s team ·         Whole of the HBL PSL in Pakistan, MCC tour to Pakistan after 48 years and the return of Test cricket after 10 years ·         Development of high performance system and restructuring of the PCB departments ·         Appointment of Ehsan Mani as Chairman of the ICC’s influential F&CA, Wasim Khan as member of the ICC Women’s Committee, Salman Naseer as member of the ICC Safeguarding Panel, Sana Mir as member of the ICC Women’s Committee

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (June 12, 2020):-Haider Ali, the Pakistan Under-19 batsman and one of the players to watch-out for, has been named in a 29-player squad for three Tests and three T20Is against England to be played in August-September. An extended squad, including white-ball specialists, is being sent to England as the players, in accordance with series SOPs in the wake of Covid-19, will remain in England from start to finish. Haider had an outstanding 2019-20 season, following which he earned an emerging contract for the 2020-21 season. He was Pakistan U19’s second most successful batsman with 317 runs against South Africa U19 in June, fifth leading run-getter with 218 runs in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh, aggregated 645 runs – including a century in the final –  at just under 50 in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, finished as Pakistan’s third-best batsman with 107 runs in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 before contributing 239 runs in nine matches at a strike-rate of over 158 for Peshawar Zalmi in the unfinished HBL Pakistan Super League 2020. Besides Haider, Sindh’s Kashif Bhatti is the other uncapped player in the side. Kashif was in the Test squad against Australia and Sri Lanka but did not play and was also named in the probables for the Rawalpindi Test against Bangladesh. Returning to the national colours is fast bowler Sohail Khan, whose ninth and last Test for Pakistan was the 2016 Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20, he took 22 wickets in nine matches, while he grabbed seven wickets in eight HBL PSL 2020 matches for Quetta Gladiators. Apart from Haider, Kashif, Sohail and the other centrally contracted players, excluding Haris Sohail, the selectors have named Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Imran Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz. The selectors have also named four reserves in Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz as a cover in case any of the players fail pre-tour Covid-19 testing, which will be carried out on 20 and 25 June. Fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Mohammad Amir, and middle-order batsman Haris were not available for selection. Hasan is suffering from a back injury, Amir withdrew so that he can be at the birth of his second child in August while Haris took the option of pulling out of the tour due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The breakdown of the 29-player squad is: Openers (4) – Abid Ali (Sindh, Lahore Qalandars), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi) and Shan Masood (Southern Punjab, Multan Sultans) Middle-order batsmen (9) – Azhar Ali (captain) (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (Test vice-captain and T20I captain) (Central Punjab, Karachi Kings), Asad Shafiq (Sindh, Multan Sultans), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haider Ali (Northern, Peshawar Zalmi), Iftikhar Ahmad (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings), Khushdil Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Multan Sultans), Mohammad Hafeez (Southern Punjab, Lahore Qalandars), and Shoaib Malik (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi) Wicketkeepers (2) - Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Karachi Kings) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators) Fast bowlers (10) – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab, Islamabad United), Haris Rauf (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Imran Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab, Quetta Gladiators), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern, Lahore Qalandars), Sohail Khan (Sindh, Quetta Gladiators), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Qalandars) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab, Peshawar Zalmi) Spinners (4) – Imad Wasim (Northern, Karachi Kings), Kashif Bhatti (Sindh), Shadab Khan (Northern, Islamabad United) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan, Peshawar Zalmi). Commenting on the squad, chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said: “The selectors have picked a squad which gives us the best chance of success in England. It was a challenging process as the players have not played for an extended period of time, but nevertheless, with the month that we will have in England and the intense training we will undergo, we are confident we will get the players up to the mark to be ready for the three Tests. “But the main focus of the selectors has been red-ball cricket, which we will play for nearly two months with the T20Is to be played at the backend of the ICC World Test Championship fixtures. “The series against England will be challenging as our players have not played any competitive cricket since March, while the home team will come following a series against the West Indies. This means we will have to hit the ground running as soon as we land in England and make the best use of the training sessions and match practice before we enter the first Test. “The players have also been selected with one eye on the future. I want these players to acquire as much cricket knowledge as possible from the additional backroom staff of Mushtaq Ahmed and Younis Khan that can help them post the England tour. “Sohail Khan has been recalled to further strengthen our fast bowling department. He had two five-fors when he last played in England in 2016. The selectors also felt he bowled much better in the 2019-20 domestic season than his figures reflected.” Officials: Misbah-ul-Haq (Head Coach), Shahid Aslam (Assistant to Head Coach), Waqar Younis (Bowling Coach), Abdul Majeed (Fielding Coach), Yasir Malik (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Talha Butt (Team Analyst), Cliffe Deacon (Physiotherapist), Malang Ali (Masseur), Mansoor Rana (Team Manager), Col (Retd) Usman Riffat Anwari (Team Security Manager), Raza Rashid (Team Media Manager) Additional team management: Younis Khan (Batting Coach), Mushtaq Ahmed (Spin bowling coach), Dr Sohail Saleem (Team Doctor).

SPORTS REPORT ISLAMABAD (June 11, 2020):-Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and middle-order batsman Haris Sohail have pulled out of the upcoming England tour due to personal reasons, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed today. Amir has withdrawn so that he can be at the birth of his second child in August, while Haris will miss the tour because of family reasons. Pakistan will send 28 players and 14 player support personnel for three Tests and three T20Is to be played in August and September. The squad as well as pre-series and series schedule will be announced in due course.

ABDUL JABBRA FAISAL ISLAMABAD (June 11, 2020):-Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan have been at the forefront of some of Pakistan’s most historic and memorable Test matches since the former took over the Pakistan men’s national team’s captaincy in 2010 during one of their most difficult periods. The duo now reunites for the much-awaited and anticipated tour of England in August-September as they aim to put the side back on road to victory. While batting together, Misbah and Younis scored 3,213 runs in 53 Tests innings at an average just under 70. On 15 occasions, they stitched century stands, while the number of their half-century stands was seven. Misbah and Younis signed off on their careers in Dominica in style after inspiring Pakistan to a 101 runs victory over the West Indies, which gave Pakistan their maiden series win the Caribbean. As Younis, who for the first time takes up the batting coach role in a backroom staff led by Misbah, the PCB takes a look at some of their memorable performances between 2010 and 2017 with Misbah the captain and Younis his batting mainstay. Pakistan v South Africa, 1st Test, Dubai 2010 (Drawn): In his debut Test as captain, Misbah-ul-Haq bailed the team out of trouble to secure a draw on the fifth and final day, courtesy an unbroken 186-run fourth wicket partnership with Younis. Coming together at 157 for three in pursuit of a 451-run target, the two batted together for 57 overs to ensure a draw. Younis scored an unbeaten 131 off 230 balls (nine fours, four sixes), while Misbah was not out on 76, coming from 185 balls, which included eight fours and a six. Pakistan v England, 3rd Test, Dubai 2012 (Pakistan won by 71 runs): Younis scored a masterful 127 in the second innings, while Misbah grafted for useful 31 as Pakistan completed a famous 3-0 whitewash against England, who were then the number-one ranked Test side in the world. Pakistan had made a remarkable comeback after being dismissed for 99 in the first innings on the opening day of the Test. Younis had looked slightly off-colour in the opening two matches of the series while Misbah scored 52 in the first innings of the first Test. Younis finished the series in style in a match winning 216-run partnership with Azhar Ali (157) as Pakistan celebrated a historic series sweep by securing a 71-run win. Zimbabwe v Pakistan, 1st Test, Harare 2013 (Pakistan won by 221 runs): Younis scored a memorable second innings double-century (200 not out, 404 balls, 15 fours, three sixes), while Misbah contributed 52 off 157 balls – his second half-century of the match – in Pakistan’s convincing 221-run win in the first of the two-Test series. Younis added 116 runs for the fourth wicket with Misbah to steady the tourists after they were left reeling at 23 for three, after trailing by 78 runs on the first innings. Once the foundations were laid of a comeback, courtesy the partnership between the two senior batsmen, Younis went onto play a central part in Pakistan’s rearguard which was well supported by the bowlers who blew away the hosts for 120 runs in the second innings in Zimbabwe’s 342-run chase. Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi 2013-14 (Match Drawn): A 218-run partnership between Misbah and Younis helped Pakistan post 383 in the first innings after Sri Lanka were bowled out for 204. Once again, the pair had come together with Pakistan in a sticky spot. This time the scorecard read 83 for three. Both completed their centuries with Younis scoring 136 off 198 balls (19 fours and a six) and Misbah registering 135 off 306 balls (16 fours and a six). The high scoring match ended in a draw. Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd Test, Sharjah 2014 (Pakistan won by five wickets): Pakistan salvaged a sensational last-day win to secure a 1-1 result in the three-match series. Set 302 runs to win in the final two sessions of the match, Pakistan went past the target in 57.3 overs. Misbah batted with his usual composure and rotated the strike brilliantly in his unbeaten 68 off 72 balls – his second half-century in the match – while Younis contributed 29 off 42 balls. Misbah added 109 runs for the fifth wicket with Azhar (103) to secure a famous win for Pakistan in fading light at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Pakistan v Australia, 1st Test, Dubai 2014 (Pakistan won by 221 runs): That Pakistan registered a convincing victory over Australia was due to one man, Younis Khan. The run-machine produced two scintillating centuries – 106 off 223 in the first innings and an unbeaten 103 off 152 in the second innings. Pakistan  posted an imposing 454 all-out in the first innings of the match, thanks to Younis whose fourth wicket partnership with Misbah (69 off 182 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) was worth 83 runs, before Sarfaraz Ahmed scored 109 off 105 balls. After Pakistan bowlers restricted Michael Clarke’s men to 303 all-out in their reply, Pakistan, rode to 286 for two declared, on the back of Younis’ second ton of the match, which paved the path for the 221-run win. Pakistan v Australia, 2nd Test, Abu Dhabi 2014 (Pakistan won by 356 runs): The incredible pair powered Pakistan to their first series win over Australia in 20 years by topping their batting performances from the Dubai Test. Younis scored a magnificent 213 off 349 balls (15 fours, two sixes) while Misbah scored two centuries, the second one equalling the then record for the fastest in the format. In the first innings of the match, Younis and Misbah, who scored 101 off 168 (10 fours and a six), combined for a 181-run partnership to set a mammoth 570 for six declared. With a 309-run first innings lead, the Pakistan captain stunned the world with a belligerent 101 not out off 57 balls (11 fours, 5 sixes) in the second innings to level the fastest Test hundred record (56 balls) in an unbeaten 141-run stand with Azhar Ali, who made 100 not out from 174 balls. With 603-run target to surmount, Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack provided no respite to Australia team as the visitors were bowled out for 246. Misbah was named man-of-the-match while, Younis snapped the man-of-the–series award. Pakistan v New Zealand, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi 2014 (Pakistan won by 248 runs): Pakistan continued to post massive totals as this time the hosts made 566 for three – after opting to bat – on their way to a convincing victory. The Younis-Misbah pair scored unbeaten centuries in an unbroken 193-run first innings stand. Younis scored 100 off 141 balls (10 fours) while Misbah scored 102 off 162 balls (nine fours and a six). Left 480 to chase, the Black Caps managed 231 all-out as Pakistan began the three-match series with a dominating win; New Zealand won the final Test in Sharjah to secure a 1-1 result. Bangladesh v Pakistan, 2nd Test, Dhaka 2015 (Pakistan won by 328 runs): Following a high-scoring draw in Khulna, Pakistan, in the second and final Test, thumped the hosts to win the series. Azhar Ali scored an impressive double-century in a 250-run third wicket stand with Younis, who added yet another century to his tally with a 195-ball 148 (11 fours and three sixes). With Bangladesh’s batting faltering and Pakistan securing a solid 354-run first innings lead, Misbah smashed 82 runs – on the back of nine fours and three sixes – at a strike-rate of over 113 to set an imposing 550-run target. Bangladesh were dismissed for 221 in their chase to hand the tourists an impressive win. Sri Lanka v Pakistan, 3rd Test, Pallekele 2015 (Pakistan won by seven wickets): Record books were rewritten in July 2015 as Misbah launched Jehan Mubarak for a six over long-on to secure Pakistan’s highest successful run chase (382 for three) in the format. Fittingly, both Misbah and Younis were at the crease at the iconic moment as Pakistan secured their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2006 by beating the hosts 2-1 to jump to third spot in the ICC Test rankings. Younis, unbeaten on 171, was the central figure in the run-chase as he rescued Pakistan from 13 for two with a 242-run third wicket partnership with Shan Masood, who registered his maiden Test century, before taking Pakistan over the line in Misbah’s company. Misbah remained not out on 59. England v Pakistan, 1st Test, Lord’s 2016 (Pakistan won by 75 runs): The iconic images of Misbah, was push-ups following his first Test century at the home of cricket and Younis marshalling the troops for the salutes after the historic win were not mere feel-good moments. They embodied how the two men had carried the young Test side in the past six years. Pakistan, batting first, posted 339 all-out. Misbah’s 114 was the highlight of the innings as the Pakistan captain struck 18 fours in his 199-ball stay. Yasir Shah’s magical wrist spin limited the hosts to 272 all-out as the leggie accounted for six scalps. Yasir picked up four more wickets to derail England’s 283-run chase and returned figures of 10 for 141 as Pakistan won the first of the four-match series. England v Pakistan, 4th Test, The Oval 2016 (Pakistan won by 10 wickets): The 69th Independence Day will always be associated with the picture of Misbah’s men posing with the national flag on the lush The Oval outfield after a resounding 10-wicket win over England. Coming into the match after back-to-back defeats, Younis took upon himself to make his and Misbah’s last tour of England a memorable one as the champion batsman scored a double-century in Pakistan’s first innings, after England had posted 328 all-out. Younis embellished the Pakistan innings with his 218 in which he struck as many as 31 fours and four sixes and racked up a 150-run stand with Asad Shafiq, who made 109 off 179 balls (12 fours and two sixes). Younis’ master class leaned the match so heavily in Pakistan’s favour that they needed only 40 runs to win after England struggled their way to 253 all-out in their second innings. Pakistan strolled to the target with ease and grace as Younis was declared man-of-the-match and Misbah man-of-the-series for scoring a century and two half-centuries. Following the win, Pakistan became the number one ranked Test side for the first time since the official rankings were introduced in 2003. Australia v Pakistan, 1st Test, day/night Brisbane 2016 (Australia won by 39 runs): Pakistan displayed a gritty performance before going down by 39 runs in the pink ball Test. Chasing a near impossible 490-run target, Pakistan started proceedings on the final morning at the score of 382 for eight, needing another 108 for victory. The side was eventually dismissed for 450 – Pakistan’s highest fourth innings total and overall fourth highest – but not before giving the home side a run for their money. Asad Shafiq scored 137, Azhar Ali 71 and Younis Khan 65 were well assisted by Mohammad Amir (48), Yasir Shah (33), Wahab Riaz (30) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (24). Younis’s 65 came after his first-ball duck in the first innings, while Misbah had a double failure, scoring four and five. Australia subsequently won the Melbourne and Sydney Tests by an innings and 18 runs, and 220 runs respectively, with Younis scoring 175 not out and 13 in Sydney. West Indies v Pakistan, 3rd Test, Dominica 2017 (Pakistan won by 101 runs): In their final Test series, Misbah immortalised himself in the history of the game as he became the first Pakistan captain to conquer the unchartered Caribbean territory while also finishing as the most successful Test captain, while Younis joined the royalty of Test batting by surpassing 10,000 Test runs, the first player from Pakistan to achieve the feat. The pictures of Younis Khan, standing in slip-cordon, gesturing to Yasir under a darkening sky before what turned out to be the final delivery of the series are now engraved in Pakistan’s Test history. The images underscored how Misbah and Younis complimented and supplemented each other, while also carrying a young and inexperienced side. After winning the Jamaica Test by seven wickets, the West Indies bounced back to level the series with victory in Barbados by 106 runs. With the three-match series hanging in balance, Pakistan made 376 all-out at the back of Azhar’s century and half-centuries by Babar Azam, Sarfaraz and Misbah. Pakistan secured a 129-run first innings lead with Mohammad Abbas, in his debut series, and Yasir claiming five and three wickets respectively. Pakistan declared their second innings at 174 for eight in the last session of the fourth day to set a 304-run target for the hosts. With maiden Test series win insight, Pakistan needed four wickets in the last session with Roston Chase, who remained not out for 101, and Jason Holder batting. The nail-biting session stretched till the last ball of the penultimate over before Yasir – who took five wickets in the innings bowled Shannon Gabriel and completed a memorable win that sparked wild celebrations in the Pakistan camp.