Sports Bulletin

SB News POTCHEFSTROOM (January 21, 2020)Pakistan U19 will be targeting to build on their strong and impressive performance in their ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 opener against Scotland when they take on Zimbabwe at the Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom on Wednesday. Pakistan had given Scotland a cricket lesson on Sunday when they raced to the 76-run target inside 12 overs for the loss of three wickets. A victory against Zimbabwe will strengthen their chances of qualifying for the Super League, which will be played between the two sides from each of the four Groups. In contrast, Zimbabwe lost to Bangladesh, the fourth side in Pool C, by nine wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method in a rain shortened match. Pakistan’s last Pool match against Bangladesh will be played on Friday, the day when their men’s senior will go head to head in the first of the three T20Is at the Gaddafi Stadium. Pakistan have featured in all the 13 ICC U19 Cricket World Cups to date and have always qualified for the Super League phase. In 11 events to date, they have finished fifth or better, while appearing in five finals, while the only time they ended up outside the top-five was in 1998 and 2012 when they achieved seventh and eighth positions, respectively. On Sunday, Mohammad Waseem from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the star of Pakistan’s seven-wicket victory. The right-arm pace bowler justified his selection after Naseem Shah was withdrawn due to national duties by returning figures of 7.5-2-12-5. Waseem was very well supported by left-armer Tahir Hussain, who rocked the top order and finished with figures of 9-2-23-3, including two wickets in the opening over of the match. Tahir’s new-ball partner Abbas Afridi bagged two for 32 as Pakistan fast bowlers shared all the 10 wickets between them. In run-chase, highly-rated Rohail Nazir and Irfan Khan got some batting practice when they scored 27 and 38 not out, though openers Hadier Ali and Mohammad Shahzad’s failures will be a bit of bother for the Pakistan team management. Middle-order batsman Mohammad Haris didn’t get a chance to show his mettle on Sunday but looks forward to contributing in the team’s success in future matches. Haris said: “ICC U19 Cricket World Cup provides a big platform for young players to graduate to the senior level and represent their country. The entire Pakistan squad is focused on delivering the goods in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. “Jos Butler is my favourite player and I want to play like him in the middle-order. I was into cricket from a young age. I first started playing when I was nine. My professional cricket journey began at 15 in Peshawar when I started playing club cricket. “I feel really lucky that I got full support from my mother. I used to anxiously wait for Sunday as we used to play a match every Sunday, sometimes for the entire day.” Left-arm spinner Arish Ali Khan was not in the starting line-up on Sunday, but is likely to feature at some stage in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020. On his early days and cricketing ambition, Arish told PCB digital: “I still remember Mohammad Amir’s devastating new-ball spell against India in the Asia Cup T20 2016 in which he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina. That spell inspired me to pursue cricket seriously. Representing Pakistan U16 and that too as captain against Australia was a dream come true moment for me. “I want to become the best spinner in the world, at present my and the team’s focus is on the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Our coach Ijaz Ahmed and spin bowling consultant Mushtaq Ahmed have worked hard with us and given us important advice.” Pakistan ICC U19 Cricket World Cup squad: Rohail Nazir (captain and wicketkeeper), Abbas Afridi (Peshawar), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Amir Ali (Larkana), Amir Khan (Peshawar), Arish Ali Khan (Karachi), Fahad Munir (Lahore),  Haider Ali (vice-captain), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mohammad Irfan Khan (Lahore),  Mohammad Shehzad (Multan), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (North Waziristan), Tahir Hussain (Multan) Team management – Ijaz Ahmed (head coach-cum-manager), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (assistant coach), Saboor Ahmad (trainer), Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rasul (physiotherapist), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media manager) and Col (retd) Usman Riffat Anwari (security manager).  

SB News LAHORE (January 20, 2020):-With only three days left in the first match of the T20I series against Bangladesh, Ahsan Ali and Amad Butt are optimistic to leave a mark at the international level. The two were among three uncapped players named in the 15-player line-up for the three home T20Is, which will be played in Lahore on 24, 25 and 27 January. Talking to Test cricketer Shan Masood in an exclusive interview, the pair reflected on how it will look to take inspiration from the performances in the domestic events. Ahsan impressed in the last edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League in 2018 as he scored 178 runs in eight matches batting at the top of the order for Quetta Gladiators. The 26-year-old scored 131 runs at a strike rate of just under 149 in the National T20 Cup in October, which pressed his case further for selection. In the same tournament, Amad, who turned out for Balochistan, the eventual finalists, scored 80 runs at a strike-rate of 170 and took 10 wickets at an economy-rate of 7.62. The 24-year-old was part of Pakistan’s squad that won the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh in November. When Shan asked which performances, in particular, they would take inspiration from, Ahsan said: “Our qualifier against Peshawar Zalmi [in the last season] is a memorable contest for me. I played a crucial role in my side’s win by scoring 46 [his highest score that tournament] over the course of a crucial [111-run] partnership with Shane Watson. I had not played the last two matches so I was under a lot of pressure.” Amad recalled the semi-final of the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup against the archrivals, India. “At one stage in our match against India, we were almost out of the game. Then suddenly our fielding clicked and we got a run-out. I had to defend eight off the last over and their main batsman was at the crease. You know, matches against India are full of pressure as people take a keen interest in them. I am glad that I was able to deliver in it.” Speaking about his fitness regime ahead of his selection in the national side, Ahsan told Shan, his teammate in the Pakistan Cricket Club and National Bank of Pakistan sides, he had given up on his favourite dish Biryani along with rice, roti and sweet dishes to meet the desired fitness levels. “There has been a significant change in the past 31 days since I have been at the NCA. I used to eat Biryani a lot, but I have given up on it. I have also stopped eating rice, roti, and sweet dishes as we have to take light diets.” Recalling the moment when he was informed about his selection for the Pakistan national men’s team, Ahsan said: “No matter how much I emphasis on it, I won’t be able to put my happiness in words. Every player wants to play for Pakistan. I am blessed that I have gotten the opportunity to play alongside those players whom I once used to desire to meet.” Amad told Shan: “I was in Mardan when I got to know. To know that I am about to achieve my goal of playing for Pakistan was an extraordinary feeling, which cannot be explained. It adds extra responsibility because you want to do something for your country. I am praying to God to help me play a role in my country’s win in the upcoming matches, even if it is by scoring a single.” The first ball of the first T20I on Friday is scheduled to be delivered at 2pm (PST).    

  By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 20, 2020):-With one month to go before the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) returns to Pakistani soil,  the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced ticket prices and purchase details. For the first time in its young history, all 34 matches of the HBL Pakistan Super League will be played across four Pakistan venues with Karachi to stage nine matches, Lahore fourteen matches, Multan three matches and Rawalpindi eight matches from 20 February to 22  March. The first batch of tickets will be available for purchase starting 8 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time tonight through www.yayvo.com. General sale of tickets will commence on Tuesday, 28 January through dedicated TCS Express Centers across 38 cities of the country. Each customer can purchase up to seven tickets per match on one national ID card.            For the 20 February grand opening ceremony and opening match in Karachi, tickets have been priced between PKR1,000 to PKR6,000. Ticket price range for the final match in Lahore will be between PKR500 to PKR5,000 for the 22 March final. For the 17 March Qualifier in Karachi, the minimum denomination of the ticket is PKR500 and goes up to PKR4,000, while minimum ticket price for the two Eliminators that will take place in Lahore on 18 and 20 March, has been set at PKR500 with the most expensive ticket locked at PKR4,000. Ticket prices for HBL PSL 2020 were locked after an extensive review process factoring in start times, working and weekend games, and affordability for fans. PCB Director – Commercial, Babar Hamid said: “We promised focusing on fan experience for HBL PSL 2020 and I am delighted that we are launching a streamlined ticketing process with almost one month to go in the tournament. We are keen to offer our hospitality to the world and will encourage our fans form across the world to avail this opportunity and plan in advance.           “HBL PSL has always received a phenomenal response from passionate Pakistani cricket fans and we expect them to turn up in big numbers this year as well. This will also be a great time for us to show to the world Pakistan’s passion and love for this great game.”

SB Report ISLAMABAD (January 20, 2020):-Pakistan national women’s selection committee Monday announced a 15-player squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia from 21 February to 8 March. The selectors have recalled Muneeba Ali and Aimen Anwar, while they have named uncapped Ayesha Naseem in the squad. The trio have replaced Nahida Khan, Ayesha Zafar and Rameen Shamim in the T20I squad, which lost 3-0 to England in Kuala Lumpur last month. The average age of the side is 24.8, which also indicates the selectors’ vision and future planning. As part of event preparation, Pakistan women will depart for Australia on 31 January and will play three warm-up matches against the West Indies on 7, 9 and 11 February. Prior to their departure, the team will have an eight-day camp from 23-30 January at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre, Karachi. Squad (in alphabetical order): 1.       Bismah Maroof (captain) 2.       Aimen Anwar 3.       Aliya Riaz 4.       Anam Amin 5.       Ayesha Naseem 6.       Diana Baig 7.       Fatima Sana 8.      Iram Javed 9.       Javeria Khan 10.   Muneeba Ali 11.    Nida Dar 12.    Omaima Sohail 13.    Sadia Iqbal 14.    Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper) 15.    Syeda Aroob Shah   Muneeba, who last turned out for Pakistan in November 2018, has been recalled at the back of a prolific National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, in which she scored 292 runs at a staggering average of 58.40. In the five innings of the just-concluded tournament, the left-handed opener scored a century in three half-centuries.   Ayesha has been inducted in the line-up for her hard-hitting abilities at the top of the order. The 15-year-old right-handed batter from Abbottabad scored 64 runs at a strike-rate of over 206.   Aimen, the right-arm medium-fast, took four wickets in five matches, bowling at an economy rate of 7.68, comes in as a new ball specialist to complement pacer Diana Baig and left-arm spinner Anam Amin in the Powerplay overs. She last played a T20I in February 2019 against the West Indies women in Karachi.   Urooj Mumtaz, the chair of the national women’s selection committee, said: “Jotting down the squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was a tough task as many players had staked a claim in the side.   “Though the players who have been left out will be disappointed and heart-broken, this, however, should act as a motivation for them to comeback more strongly. On the other side of the coin, the selection of 15-year-old Ayesha and 16-year-old Aroob Shah should be a motivation and message for all the budding youngsters.   “Furthermore, the selectors have also valued our domestic competition, while also taking into consideration the players who have been regularly part of the side since the Bangladesh series.   “The team has been selected keeping in mind the current form and performances along with the conditions in Australia and, at the same moment, we have come up with the right balance of youth and experience which will complement each other in the mega event.   “Though Sana Mir doesn’t feature in the 15-player line-up, I believe we still have the desired experience in the squad. Sana has been a phenomenal servant of Pakistan cricket while being an inspiration to many girls out there. Unfortunately, her recent performances in the T20 format were not on her side.   “The Pakistan women’s national team’s performance graph has been on the rise and this tournament serves a perfect opportunity to this evolving unit to showcase its talent as we aim to continue to move women’s cricket forward and look towards the future.”   Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof said: “I am pleased that we have come forward with the best possible line-up which has the potential to have an impressive run at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.   “We have tried to strike the right balance of youth and senior players. While selecting the squad we considered the recent performances in the international and domestic events.   “It was a tough decision to leave out Sana Mir. I wanted to have her in the squad over which I, along with the selection committee, had deep deliberations. We had to decide between her and the emerging players who had been impressing on all the stages.   “I respect and support the decision of the major group and hope she will continue to serve Pakistan women’s cricket in future with the same passion and energy.”   Pakistan are drawn with England, South Africa, Thailand and the West Indies in Group B.   The Bismah Maroof-led unit begin their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 journey on 26 February against the West Indies Women. The take on England Women on February 28 after which they play South Africa Women and Thailand Women on 1 and 3 March.   Officials: Syed Iqbal Imam (head coach), Saleem Jaffer (bowling coach), Amir Iqbal (fielding coach), Gemaal Hussain (strength & conditioning coach), Dr Riffat Asghar Gill (physio), Aisha Jalil (team manager) and Zubair Ahmed (analyst).    

SB News Potchefstroom (January 19, 2020):-Fast bowlers Mohammad Waseem and Tahir Hussain blew away Scotland Under-19 as Pakistan teenagers got off to the perfect start in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 with a seven-wicket win at the North West University Oval, Potchefstroom on Sunday. Scotland, who won the toss and opted to bat first, lost both openers in the opening over of the match as Tahir Hussain, playing his first match for Pakistan, sent the stumps of Angus Guy and Ben Davidson flying. Tahir then added the wicket of Tomas Mackintosh, who top-scored for Scotland with 20 runs, to his tally. Waseem, who had replaced Naseem Shah in the squad, took over from there. The right-arm pacer’s first wicket was of Jasper Davidson as he made full use of the opportunity with a probing spell of pace bowling.  Abbas Afridi took two quick wickets before Waseem polished off the tail taking the last four wickets as Scotland were sent packing for 75 in 23.5 overs. Waseem took five wickets for mere 12 runs in 7.5 overs. Tahir took three for 23 in nine overs, while Abbas took two for 32 in six overs. It took only 11.4 overs for Pakistan to chase down the target. Their run-chase was off to a shaky start as openers Haider Ali (four) and Mohammad Shehzad (0) were back in the pavilion in the first eight balls. Captain Rohail Nazir and Irfan Khan weathered the storm with a 47-run stand for the second-wicket. Rohail scored 27 off 23 balls, which included two fours a six, while Irfan returned not out with 38 runs to his name. The right-handed batsman faced 37 balls, of which six were dispatched for fours.  Pakistan take on Zimbabwe U19 in their second group match on 22 January.  Scores in brief:  Scotland U19 75 all out, 23.5 overs (Uzzair Shah 20, Tomas Mackintosh 17; Mohammad Waseem 5-12, Tahir Hussain 3-23, Abbas Afridi 2-32)  Pakistan U19 77-3, 11.4 overs (Irfan Khan 38 not out, Rohail Nazir 27)  Result Pakistan U19 win by seven wickets  Upcoming fixtures:  22 Jan – v Zimbabwe, Potchefstroom  24 Jan – v Bangladesh, Potchefstroom

BY Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 19, 2020):-The National Selection Committee (NSC) for men on Sunday invited 19 players for a training camp at the National Cricket Academy, Lahore, as the camp will be kicked off from Monday (January 20) aiming to prepare the good combination for the upcoming first International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship fixture against Bangladesh, which will be played at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi from 7-11 February 2020. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are part of the Pakistan side for the three T20Is against Bangladesh and will join the camp following the conclusion series on 28 January. Bilal Asif, Faheem Ashraf and Musa Khan have been added to the 16 players who were named for the two ICC World Test Championship fixtures against Sri Lanka. Bilal has been invited after he finished as the second most successful bowler with 42 wickets in the just-concluded four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament, while Central Punjab’s Faheem has been named as an all-rounder after he regained complete fitness and took five for 54 and one for 59 in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final against Northern. Musa was not a part of the Test squad against Sri Lanka, but he had remained with the side and trained under bowling coach Waqar Younis. The squad for the Rawalpindi Test will be announced after the T20I series Players invited for the camp are: 1.        Azhar Ali (captain) (Central Punjab) 2.       Abid Ali (Sindh) 3.       Asad Shafiq (Sindh) 4.       Babar Azam (Central Punjab) 5.       Bilal Asif (Central Punjab) 6.       Fawad Alam (Sindh) 7.       Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab) 8.      Haris Sohail (Balochistan) 9.       Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan) 10.   Imran Khan Snr (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 11.     Kashif Bhatti (Sindh) 12.    Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab) 13.    Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) 14.    Musa Khan (Northern) 15.    Naseem Shah (Central Punjab) 16.    Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern) 17.    Shan Masood (Southern Punjab) 18.    Yasir Shah (Balochistan) 19.    Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

By Our Special Correspondent ISLAMABAD (January 18, 2020):-Pakistan, who won their second and last ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 14 years ago, will launch their Group C campaign in the 2020 edition when they will take on Scotland in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Sunday, 19 January. They will then take on Zimbabwe and Bangladesh on 22 and 24 January, respectively. If Pakistan tops Group C, they will take on runners-up from Group D in the third Super League quarter-final in Potchefstroom on 30 January. In the scenario of Pakistan finishing runners-up in Group C, they will take on the winner of Group D in the last quarter-final on 31 January in Benoni. The Super League semi-finals will be held on 4 and 6 February in Potchefstroom with the final on 9 February at the same venue. Pakistan have returned to familiar territory for the most prestigious age-group competition. When they had toured South Africa in June-July last year as part of their event preparations, they had thumbed the hosts 7-0. In the two World Cup warm-up matches against Nigeria and Sri Lanka in Pretoria, Pakistan have recorded impressive nine-wicket and four-wicket victories, respectively. To further supplement their recent record, Pakistan are the third most successful side in the history of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup after India, who have won the event four times, and Australia, the three-time championship. Pakistan also have the third best success percentage of 71.62, after India (76.31) and Australia (76.05). Pakistan is captained by the highly-rated Rohail Nazir, the wicketkeeper-batsman who scored a century on his first-class debut in the previous season. He had maintained his impressive form in the away series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, as well as with the Pakistan Emerging side in Bangladesh. Haider Ali, Rohail’s deputy, scored 317 runs in Pakistan’s 7-0 win over South Africa and then followed up with 214 runs in Pakistan’s 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka. In the ACC Emerging Cup, he scored 218 runs in five matches, while he scored 645 runs in seven first-class matches this season. The side is coached by Ijaz Ahmed, who played 60 Tests and 250 ODIs between 1986 and 2001, scoring 3,315 and 6,564 runs, respectively. Looking ahead to the competition, Rohail Nazir said: “We all are very excited as we have been preparing for this tournament for more than eight months. We are fully prepared to take on Scotland in our opener in less than 24 hours. “Of course, there are a few butterflies in the stomach because it is such a massive event and opportunity for all of us, but I am sure we’ll settle down once we will step on to the field. I think this is where Ijaz Ahmed becomes so critical for our match preparations because he has seen and felt all this. His pep talks have already calmed down lots of nerves and we are completely focused, motivated and determined to perform strongly. “We are an extremely fortunate bunch of cricketers who are about to taste international cricket. Apart from learning the rigours and demands of international cricket in an ICC-organised event, the World Cup will provide us the additional opportunity to meet cricketers from other sides and then build on those relationships for future. “I firmly believe we are best prepared for the World Cup and have all the tools to produce the desired results. But we are not the only side which has come here fully prepared. I think all other 15 sides have arrived in South Africa firmly believing they can win the tournament. “We all know stakes are high in this tournament and if we can achieve strong results, then we edge closer to our dreams of representing Pakistan at the highest level. At this level, this incentive is greater and bigger than anything and will shadow us in this tournament. “We have won the tournaments in 2004 and 2006, and I am confident we will win the tournament in 2020.” Pakistan’s group fixtures: 19 Jan – v Scotland, Potchefstroom 22 Jan – v Zimbabwe, Potchefstroom 24 Jan – v Bangladesh, Potchefstroom ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 Groups: Group A – India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Japan Group B – Australia, England, West Indies and Nigeria Group C – Pakistan, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Scotland Group D – Afghanistan, South Africa, UAE and Canada About the players (in alphabetical order): Rohail Nazir (captain) - This will be his second ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. After scoring a century on his first-class debut last year, he was appointed U19 captain last year for the ACC U19 Asia Cup. He was one of the most impressive players in the bilateral series against Sri Lanka and South Africa, and then carried his form into the ACC Emerging Cup. In six first-class matches last  year, he has scored 320  runs. In the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, Rohail scored twin-fifties. Haider Ali (vice-captain) – Scored 317 runs in Pakistan’s 7-0 win over South Africa in June/July and then followed up with 214 runs in Pakistan’s 3-2 series win over Sri Lanka. In last month’s ACC Emerging Cup, he scored 218 runs in five matches. In seven first-class matches last year, he has scored 645 runs, including a century in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Aamir Khan – The 18-year-old took 18 wickets in five matches in the PCB U19 three-day tournament after bagging one wicket in two PCB U19 one-day tournament. In the three-day non first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament, he took five wickets in three matches. Abbas Afridi – Took 17 wickets and scored 129 runs in 13 matches in Sri Lanka, South Africa and in the Asia Cup. Didn’t play in this year’s PCB U19 events after having already competed in three previous U19 events Abdul Wahid Bangalzai – The 16 -year-old was the fifth leading run-getter in the PCB U19 One-Day Tournament with 246 runs, while in the three-day competition with 276 runs. He also played in the ACC U19 Asia Cup. Amir Ali – The 17 -year-old left-arm spinner made his first-class debut this season and took one wicket. Prior to that, he toured South Africa and returned as the most successful bowler with 13 wickets. In the ACC Asia Cup, he took four wickets in three matches, while he picked up seven and 28 wickets, respectively in the PCB U19 One-Day and Three-Day competition, respectively. Arish Ali Khan – The left-arm spinner was the leading wicket-taker in the PCB U19 One-Day Tournament with 15 wickets, while in the three-day tournament, he was the second leading wicket-taker with 30 wickets. He has been selected for the first time in the Pakistan U19 squad. Fahad Munir – 17-year-old all-rounder scored 170 runs and took five wickets on the last year’s South African tour.He scored 50 runs and took three wickets in the ACC U19 Asia Cup. Didn’t play in this year’s PCB U19 events after having already competed in three previous U19 events Mohammad Haris – The 18 -year-old middle-order batsman from Peshawar toured South Africa and also featured in the ACC Asia Cup, scoring 275 runs in seven matches and 96 runs in three matches, respectively. In the non first-class three-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament, he scored 31 runs in three matches. Didn’t play in this year’s PCB U19 events after having already competed in three previous U19 events Mohammad Huraira – The 17 -year-old right-handed batsman was the top-scorer in the PCB U19 One-Day Tournament with 342 runs and then followed up with 358 runs in the three-day event –third most in the event. Mohammad Irfan Khan – Scored 83 runs in the ACC U19 Asia Cup, third most by a Pakistan batsman. Prior to that, he had scored 208 runs in South Africa, while he scored 475 runs in 10 three-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches. Didn’t play in this year’s PCB U19 events after having already competed in three previous U19 events Mohammad Shehzad – The 15 -year-old opener played in away and home series against Bangladesh U16. In the away series, he scored 26 runs in three 50-over matchesIn the home series, he scored 72 runs in two 50-over matches. In the ongoing PCB U16 three-day tournament, he has scored 175 runs in two matches at an average of 67. He has also taken six wickets. Mohammad Wasim Jnr – The 18 -year-old from North Waziristan took three wickets each in the ACC Asia Cup and on the tour of South Africa, while he bagged seven wickets on the tour of Sri Lanka. On the domestic circuit, he played one U19 one-day match in which he bagged three wickets, while he snapped up seven wickets in three U19 three-day matches. Tahir Hussain;– The left-arm fast-bowler took six wickets in four PCB Under-19 One-Day Tournament, while in three matches of PCB U19 three-day event, he bagged three wickets. Qasim Akram – The 17-year-old all-rounder scored 296 runs and took three wickets, and scored 260 runs and took 15 wickets in the PCB U19 One-Day and Three-Day Tournaments, respectively. In the Asia Cup, he scored 30 runs and claimed four wickets, while he scored 77 runs and 124 runs in South Africa and Sri Lanka, respectively.

SB Report ISLAMABAD (January 18, 2020):-Shafiqullah Ghafari claimed career-best figures of six for 15 as Afghanistan sealed a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over hosts South Africa in the opening match of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Shafiqullah Ghafari of Afghanistan pictured with the 'Player of the Match' award and match ball during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Group D match between South Africa and Afghanistan at De Beers Diamond Oval on January 17, 2020. The spinner shone to help dismiss the host nation for 129 before Imran Mir (57) and Ibrahim Zadran (52) struck impressive half-centuries to make light work of the chase in Kimberley. After winning the toss and batting at the Diamond Oval, the Junior Proteas were rocked by two early wickets from Fazal Haq (two for 43). It was then up to the South African captain Bryce Parsons (40) and Luke Beaufort (25), who teamed up for a 55-run stand for the third wicket. The home side were then pegged back once again as the spinners came into the attack to pick up the remaining eight wickets in the Group D contest. Noor Ahmad (two for 44) and Ghafari combined to lethal effect as the former picked up the crucial scalps of Parsons and Beaufort before Ghafari cleaned up the middle and lower orders, the last eight wickets falling for 67 runs. In reply and despite losing the early wicket of captain Farhan Zakhail (11), Afghanistan never looked troubled in pursuit of the low score, with the experienced Zadran and Mir putting on a match-winning 80-run partnership. Achille Cloete of South Africa celebrates the wicket of Farhan Zakhail of Afghanistan during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Group D match between South Africa and Afghanistan at De Beers Diamond Oval on January 17, 2020 in Kimberley, South Africa. Achille Cloete of South Africa celebrates the wicket of Farhan Zakhail of Afghanistan during the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup Group D match between South Africa and Afghanistan at De Beers Diamond Oval on January 17, 2020 in Kimberley, South Africa. South Africa’s Achille Cloete (two for 20) and Tiaan van Vuuren (one for 14) made inroads but it was not enough as the subcontinent outfit cantered to victory with 25 overs remaining. Ghafari’s figures were the seventh-best ever recorded in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup, with the likes of Jeevan Mendis, Trent Boult and Shaheen Shah Afridi the few names above him in the list. “Six wickets in the first match of the World Cup gives me a lot of confidence and I believed in my strengths as a bowler,” said the man of the match. “I thought if I could bowl in the right areas, I was sure the result would go my way.” Saturday will see four games of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup take place, with the remaining three groups seeing action take place for the first time. Tournament debutants Japan will be in action against New Zealand in Group A, while Group B’s opener will see two former champions go head-to-head as Australia face West Indies in Kimberley. Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will lock horns in the Group C curtain-raiser while Group D’s remaining nations, UAE and Canada, will face each other in Bloemfontein. Scores in Brief Afghanistan Under 19s beat South Africa Under 19s by seven wickets, Diamond Oval, Kimberley South Africa 129 all out, 29.1 overs (Bryce Parsons 40; Shafiqullah Ghafari 6-15; Fazal Haq 2-43) Afghanistan 130-3, 25 overs (Imran Mir 57, Ibrahim Zadran 52; Achille Cloete 2-20) Scorecard ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 Fixtures Group A Fixtures: 18 January: New Zealand v Japan – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 19 January: India v Sri Lanka – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 21 January: India v Japan – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 22 January: New Zealand v Sri Lanka – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 24 January: India v New Zealand – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 25 January: Sri Lanka v Japan – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom Group B Fixtures: 18 January: Australia v West Indies – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 20 January: England v West Indies – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 20 January: Australia v Nigeria – Country Club B Field, Kimberley; 23 January: Australia v England – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 23 January: West Indies v Nigeria – Country B Club Field, Kimberley; 25 January: England v Nigeria – Diamond Oval, Kimberley Group C fixtures: 18 January: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 19 January: Pakistan v Scotland – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 21 January: Bangladesh v Scotland – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom; 22 January: Pakistan v Zimbabwe – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom; 24 January: Pakistan v Bangladesh – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 25 January: Zimbabwe v Scotland – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom Group D fixtures: 18 January: United Arab Emirates v Canada – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 22 January: Afghanistan v United Arab Emirates – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 22 January: South Africa v Canada – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 24 January: Afghanistan v Canada – Ibbies Oval, Potchefstroom; 25 January: South Africa v United Arab Emirates – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

SB Report ISLAMABAD (January 17, 2020):-Twenty-six Junior Under-13 players have been invited at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Cricket Centre in Multan for a two-week-long coaching programme, which commences Monday. The players have been selected by the national junior selection committee, headed by Saleem Jaffer, on the basis of their performances in the PCB U13 Catch em Young National One-Day Tournament 2019-20. Over the course of programme, the players will be given basic knowledge regarding different aspects of the game namely batting, bowling, fielding, wicketkeeping and physical fitness. Names of players: Adil Waleed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ahmed Hussain (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ali Ashfaq (Northern), Ali Hasnain Badsha (Southern Punjab), Ali Hassan Baloch (Central Punjab), Azzan Kabir (Northern), Fahad Kashif (Southern Punjab), Hamza Zahoor (Central Punjab), Hasan Ijaz (Northern), Hazrat Ali (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Huzaifa Ahsan (Sindh), M.  Sheharyar (Southern Punjab), M. Ali Abdullah (Southern Punjab), M. Rameez (Sindh), Mohammad Ali (Balochistan), Naveed Ul Hasan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Noor Habib (Sindh), Saad Nadeem  (Central Punjab), Safi Ullah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sameer Ahmed (Southern Punjab), Tayyab Hussain (Central Punjab), Usman Ghani (Balochistan), Usman Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Waleed Zahid (Central Punjab), Yayah Shah (Sindh) and Zeeshan Fareed (Northern).    

SB News ISLAMABAD:-South Africa and Afghanistan kick off the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup on Friday, as the next generation of global stars strut their stuff on the world stage. Sixteen teams will contest 48 matches during the next three weeks before the final at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Sunday February 9. South Africa are hoping to become the first team to lift the title on home soil since Australia won the inaugural Youth Cricket World Cup in 1988. But to do that they must overcome a handful of contenders, including defending champions India - who are on a mission to become the first to win back-to-back World Cups since Pakistan triumphed in 2004 and 2006. South Africa are in Group D along with Afghanistan, Canada and United Arab Emirates. The young Proteas are strong favourites to emerge from their pool and will be aiming for their second title, after winning in 2014. Former U17 Cricketer of the Year Bryce Parsons has the honour of captaining his country on home soil and has been described as a ‘natural leader’ by head coach Lawrence Mahatlane. “There is a lot of flexibility with some special talent around, I am personally excited about this group and I am sure they will make the nation proud,” said head coach Mahatlane. South Africa look in fine fettle following an eight-wicket warm-up win against Nigeria on Tuesday, which saw five bowlers take two wickets each as they dismissed their African rivals for just 61 runs. They will aim to do the same to Afghanistan, but they will be no pushovers in Kimberley. This is their sixth successive appearance at the U19 World Cup having made their breakthrough in 2010, while they beat England by 21 runs in their warm-up match. Reigning champions India begin their campaign on Sunday against Group A rivals Sri Lanka, as they begin their bid for a record-extending fifth crown. Paras Mhambrey’s men were an all-conquering force in 2019, winning the Under-19 Asia Cup in September and a Tri-Nations tournament with England and Bangladesh held on English soil. They have not lost a bilateral series since the 2017 U19 World Cup, beating South Africa, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan away from home, while they beat Zimbabwe in their warm-up match by 23 runs thanks to half-centuries from Tilak Varma and captain Priyam Garg. Sri Lanka and New Zealand are yet to win the tournament, although the Black Caps did finish runners-up in 1998 and have hosted the event three times, including in 2018. Japan cannot be ruled out in a tight group. Eleven of their squad will be eligible for the 2022 U19 World Cup and their players will doubtless soak up plenty of experience from competing against established Test nations. The team, coached by Dhugal Bedingfield and captained by Marcus Thurgate, will hope to pack a punch with off-spinner Yugandhar Retharekar capable of breaking up batting line-ups. Group B is perhaps the one to watch with three former champions in Australia, England and West Indies converging. The three nations – whose senior sides have all won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup – are joined by Nigeria on their U19 World Cup debut. Nigeria face Australia in their first match, while the highly-anticipated clash between Australia and England is set for January 23 at Diamond Oval in Kimberley. Pakistan are in Group C with Bangladesh, who will look to bring their fine form over recent years to the big stage of the U19 Cricket World Cup. They will be led by captain Akbar Ali who has already declared his side can not only progress from a group that also contains Scotland and Zimbabwe but go on to win the entire tournament. In three weeks’ time, we will see who does just that. ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2020 Fixtures: Group A Fixtures: 18 January: New Zealand v Japan – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 19 January: India v Sri Lanka – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 21 January: India v Japan – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 22 January: New Zealand v Sri Lanka – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 24 January: India v New Zealand – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 25 January: Sri Lanka v Japan – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom Group B Fixtures: 18 January: Australia v West Indies – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 20 January: England v West Indies – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 20 January: Australia v Nigeria – Country Club B Field, Kimberley; 23 January: Australia v England – Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 23 January: West Indies v Nigeria – Country B Club Field, Kimberley; 25 January: England v Nigeria – Diamond Oval, Kimberley Group C fixtures: 18 January: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 19 January: Pakistan v Scotland – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 21 January: Bangladesh v Scotland – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom; 22 January: Pakistan v Zimbabwe – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom; 24 January: Pakistan v Bangladesh – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 25 January: Zimbabwe v Scotland – Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom Group D fixtures: 17 January: South Africa v Afghanistan – De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley; 18 January: United Arab Emirates v Canada – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein; 22 January: Afghanistan v United Arab Emirates – North West University Oval, Potchefstroom; 22 January: South Africa v Canada – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom; 24 January: Afghanistan v Canada – Ibbies Oval, Potchefstroom; 25 January: South Africa v United Arab Emirates – Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein