Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi will resume his rehabilitation under the national men’s team’s medical staff in Karachi from today. While providing Shaheen top-notch care, this move will allow the medical staff to track his progression and pave way for his smooth return to action. Meanwhile, the interim selection committee and team management have invited right-arm fast bowler Haris Rauf to be assessed by the team’s medical staff so a decision on his availability for the three One-Day Internationals against New Zealand - to be played next week - can be made.

Sports Bulletin Report KABUL: Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s Cricketing Wizard, has been appointed as AfghanAtalan’s Captain for the T20I format, replacing the senior all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, after he stepped down from the role post the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022. Mirwais Ashraf, the ACB Chairman, expressed his desire for the appointment of Rashid Khan as the captain of the Afghanistan National Team for the T20I format. “Rashid Khan is a massive name in Afghanistan Cricket. He has colossal experience of playing the format around the world which will help him take the team to a new level in the format”. Added Mirwais Ashraf. Ashraf further added: “Rashid Khan has the experience of leading AfghanAtalan in all three formats before and we are happy to have him as our skipper for the T20I format again. I am sure he will come out on top and will bring more glories to the nation”. Rashid Khan is also delighted to take the leadership role and considers this a massive honor for him to be granted such a big responsibility to lead Afghanistan's National Team in the T20Is. "Captaincy is a huge responsibility. I have the experience of leading my country before, there is a great bunch of guys with whom I have a good understanding and feel pretty comfortable. We will try to stick together, will work hard to put things on the right track and bring pride and joy to our country and nation". added Rashid Khan. Rashid Khan has so far represented Afghanistan in 74 T20I matches and has 122 scalps to his name in the format, which makes him the third leading wicket-taker in the format behind Tim Southee (134) and Shakib Al Hassan (128). He has also been in very high demand in franchise cricket, playing 361 T20 matches for 15 different teams around the globe from 2015 onwards and has bagged a mammoth 491 wickets which makes him the 2nd bowler behind Dwayne Bravo (614) with the most wickets in the format. Afghanistan National Team is set to tour UAE in February where they will take on the hosts in three T20Is, which will be Rashid Khan’s first tour as Afghanistan’s skipper after 2019.

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: Pakistan ended their four-match losing streak at home after brave and gutsy half-centuries by Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel and Sarfraz Ahmed denied New Zealand a chance to go 1-0 up in the two-Test series at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Friday. Resuming the fifth and last day at 77 for two and still needing 97 runs to make New Zealand bat again, Pakistan looked down and out when they slipped to 206 for seven (32 runs ahead) with 49 overs still remaining in the match. However, the eighth and ninth wicket partnerships between Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Wasim Junior, and Saud and Mir Hamza, respectively helped Pakistan to declare their second innings at 311 for eight. That set New Zealand a daunting but an achievable 138 runs target in 15 overs, and when both the teams shook hands due to a fading light, the visitors were 61 for one in 7.3 overs. New Zealand, who had last won a Test in Pakistan in Lahore in 1996, were on course to break the 26-year win drought when they left Saud Shakeel to battle out the remaining 49 overs in the day with the tail-enders. Saud had twice squandered the opportunity to help Pakistan win Tests against England earlier this month, but this time he was equal to the task when he returned undefeated on 55 from 138 minutes of watchful and laborious batting during which he received 108 balls and struck seven fours and a six. Saud not only conjured up his fifth half-century in fourth Test, he added 75 runs for the eighth wicket from 111 balls (71 minutes) with Mohammad Wasim Junior, while he put on 34 runs from 82 balls (50 minutes) for the unbroken ninth wicket with Mir Hamza. Wasim showed his batting exploits and skills at probably the best time in his early days as an international cricketer when he not only survived 57 balls but also scored 43 runs with five fours and a six. Mir Hamza kept New Zealand bowlers at bay for 34 balls while scoring three not out. Earlier, Pakistan starting the day at 77 for two, plunged into a crisis when nightwatchman Noman Ali (four) and captain Babar Azam (14) returned to the dressing room in a space of 34 balls to leave the home side in a bother at 100 for four and still needing 74 runs to make New Zealand bat again. Both the batters were adjudged leg before off Michael Bracewell and Ish Sodhi, respectively. At that stage, Imam and Sarfaraz got together in a rescue act and added 85 runs for the fifth wicket before crisis struck Pakistan again. Sarfaraz, immediately after reaching his second half-century of the match, paid the price for attempting a shot to a wide Sodhi delivery and was caught at the wicket, first innings centurion Salman Ali Agha missed a wrong-un from Sodhi and was bowled before Imam’s fighting knock ended when he was deceived by Sodhi to be smartly stumped by Tom Blundell. Sarfaraz’s 53 came off 76 balls and included seven fours, while Imam was unlucky to miss his fourth Test century when he was dismissed for 96. His 206-ball knock was laced with 10 fours and a six. New Zealand were brilliant in the field on the fifth day. Ish Sodhi recorded his maiden five-fer while finishing with career-best figures of 36.5-11-86-6, while wicketkeeper Tom Blundell accounted for three Pakistan batters in the second innings to finish with seven dismissals in the match. The second Test will commence at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Monday, 2 January. Scores in brief Pakistan (1st innings) 438, 130.5 overs (Babar Azam 161, Salman Ali Agha 103, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86, Imam-ul-Haq 24, Saud Shakeel 22; Tim Southee 3-69, Michael Bracewell 2-72, Ish Sodhi 2-87, Ajaz Patel 2-112) and 311-8d (Imam-ul-Haq 96, Saud Shakeel 55 not out, Sarfaraz Ahmed 53, Mohammad Wasim 43; Ish Sodhi 6-86, Michael Bracewell 2-82) New Zealand (1st innings) 612-9d, 194.5 overs (Kane Williamson 200 not out, Tom Latham 113, Devon Conway 92, Ish Sodhi 65; Abrar Ahmed 5-205, Noman Ali 3-185) and 61-1 (Tom Latham 35 not out) Player of the match – Kane Williamson (New Zealand) Result – Match drawn

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: Pakistan still face a deficit of 97 runs as the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand at National Bank Cricket Arena, Karachi heads into the final day. Trailing by 174 runs after the first innings, Pakistan finished the fourth day on 77-2, with Imam-ul-Haq unbeaten on 45 and nightwatchman Nauman Ali four not out. New Zealand were buoyed by two late strikes in the day and would be looking to push for victory on a surface that has not so far taken sharp turn. Opening batter Abdullah Shafique was the first wicket to fall for Pakistan after he stepped out of the crease to attempt an ill-fated lofted shot off spinner Michael Bracewell, and was caught at mid-on for 17. Later in the evening session, Shan Masood was adjudged leg before off Ish Sodhi for 10 and the ball was deemed to be clipping the leg-stump on umpire’s call after the former opted for a review. Kane Williamson headlined New Zealand’s batting surge earlier in the day with his fifth Test double century, taking him past Brendon McCullum for the most number of double tons for the Black Caps. His terrific innings, studded with 21 boundaries and one six, helped the tourists to declare their first innings on 612-9 -- a good 174-run lead over Pakistan's 438. Williamson’s 10-hour knock was not entirely chanceless as he had survived two stumpings off spinner Noman on 15 and 21. Resuming on the overnight score of 440-6, Williamson and Sodhi batted through the first session and took the team total to 595 before the seventh-wicket stand was finally broken by Abrar Ahmed. The 24-year-old spinner removed Sodhi for 65 after he had made his fourth Test half-century. Tim Southee and Neil Wagner did not disturb the scorers as New Zealand lost three wickets in the space of two runs, but last-man Ajaz Patel stuck around to help former skipper Williamson reach the milestone. "It's nice to be part of a number of partnerships that has given us a competitive total and put us in a reasonable position," said Williamson. But he still thought it would be tough to force a win. "We know there is a lot of hard work and patience going into tomorrow in trying to utilise the assistance of the surface as well as we can." Pakistan’s Abrar lamented the lack of assistance from the pitch as he registered his second five-wicket haul in five Test innings. "Whether you are a mystery spinner or whatever, you need at least some support from the pitch but when you are not getting any help then it's tough to get wickets," he said. Abrar finished with 5-205 while Noman managed 3-185. Scores in brief (Day-4): Pakistan (1st innings) 438, 130.5 overs (Babar Azam 161, Salman Ali Agha 103, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86, Imam-ul-Haq 24, Saud Shakeel 22; Tim Southee 3-69, Michael Bracewell 2-72, Ish Sodhi 2-87, Ajaz Patel 2-112) New Zealand (1st innings) 612-9d, 194.5 overs (Kane Williamson 200 not out, Tom Latham 113, Devon Conway 92, Ish Sodhi 65; Abrar Ahmed 5-205, Noman Ali 3-185) Pakistan (2nd innings) 77-2, 31 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 45 not out, Abdullah Shafique 17; Ish Sodhi 1-17, Mic hael Bracewell 1-23)

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: Salman Ali Agha stroked his maiden Test century in his sixth appearance before Pakistan were bowled out for 438 in their first innings against New Zealand in the first Test at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Tuesday. No.7 batter Salman, who was three overnight in Pakistan’s 317 for five, was the last batter dismissed after scoring 103 as the home side added 121 runs on the second day. New Zealand produced a strong reply, reaching 165 at stumps with openers Devon Conway batting on 82 and Tom Latham 78 not out. Conway’s 156-ball innings includes 12 fours, while Latham’s 126-ball innings is studded with eight fours as the visitors now trail the hosts by 273 runs. Conway, when 57, could have been dismissed off Noman Ali, but Aleem Dar failed to spot the inside edge and Pakistan also didn’t refer the decision to the third umpire, allowing the batter to consolidate his side’s position in the match. Earlier, Babar Azam failed to add to his last evening’s score of 161 when he became his opposite number Tim Southee’s second victim. Salman and Noman Ali then added 54 runs for the seventh wicket with the latter contributing only seven runs before becoming Neil Wagner’s only wicket of the innings. Mohammad Wasim Jnr departed three runs later as Pakistan slipped to 375 for eight, but Salman took control of the proceeding and added 63 priceless runs with the last two wickets of Mir Hamza and Abrar Ahmed, whose collective contribution was seven runs. Salman, whose first 50 runs came off 97 balls with seven fours, brought his second 50 runs from 49 balls with 10 fours. He eventually fell to Southee, who finished with figures of three for 69. Ish Sodhi, who was wicketless yesterday, picked up the scalps of Wasim and Mir Hamza to finish with two for 87. Scores in brief Pakistan (1st innings) (overnight 317-5) 438, 130.5 overs (Babar Azam 161, Salman Ali Agha 103, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86, Imam-ul-Haq 24, Saud Shakeel 22; Tim Southee 3-69, Michael Bracewell 2-72, Ish Sodhi 2-87, Ajaz Patel 2-112) New Zealand (1st innings) 165-0, 47 overs (Devon Conway 82 not out and Tom Latham 78 not out)

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON: England Men are scheduled to play three ODIs and three IT20s against Bangladesh in March 2023 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board confirmed the tour dates. The tourists will return to Bangladesh for the first time since 2016 and will play internationals in Dhaka and Chattogram. The tour will start with three ODIs, the first two matches taking place at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS), Dhaka on Wednesday 1 March and Friday 3 March. The final match of the series will take place on Monday 6 March at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS), Chattogram. The three-match IT20 series starts on Thursday 9 March at ZACS in Chattogram. The final two matches are on Sunday 12 March and Tuesday 14 March at SBNCS, Dhaka. The last time both teams played each other in 2016, England won the ODI series 2-1. The England party are expected to play two warm-up fixtures ahead of the ODIs. The warm-up schedule will be announced in due course. Clare Connor, ECB Interim Chief Executive Officer, said: “It is exciting that the England Men’s white-ball squad will return to Bangladesh for the first time since 2016. The atmosphere generated in Dhaka and Chattogram for this eagerly-anticipated tour will be fantastic. “There is a great passion for cricket across Bangladesh, and we expect a tough challenge against a side who have an excellent record in home conditions.” England Men’s white-ball tour of Bangladesh Schedule: Three-Match ODI Series 1st ODI: Bangladesh v England, 1 March, SBNCS, Dhaka 2nd ODI: Bangladesh v England, 3 March, SBNCS, Dhaka 3rd ODI: Bangladesh v England, 6 March, ZACS, Chattogram Three-Match IT20 Series 1st IT20: Bangladesh v England, 9 March, ZACS, Chattogram 2nd IT20: Bangladesh v England, 12 March, SBNCS, Dhaka 3rd IT20: Bangladesh v England, 14 March, SBNCS, Dhaka

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI (December 26, 2022): Pakistan recovered from a precarious 110 for four to finish the opening day’s play in the first Test against New Zealand at 317 for five at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Monday. Captain Babar Azam benefitted from a dropped catch at 12 to end the day at a sublime 161 not out, his third century in fifth Test in Karachi and ninth overall in 46 Tests, while former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, returning in whites for the first time since January 2019, was dismissed for 86 when five overs remained in the day. The 35-year-old former captain, playing his 50th Test and first at his home ground, struck nine fours in his 256 minutes of batting and added 196 runs for the fifth wicket with Babar Azam. It was this partnership that rescued Pakistan after New Zealand had made a dream start to their first Test here since 1990 and first in Pakistan in 20 years by reducing the home side to 48 for three in the first hour before the hosts, aiming to avoid fifth straight defeat in their backyard, reached 115 for four at lunch. Babar and Sarfaraz then added 109 runs in the second session as Pakistan went for tea at 224 for four, while the last session yielded 93 runs for the loss of the latter. Babar, whose previous scores in Karachi were 60, 100 not out (vs Sri Lanka), 7, 30 (vs South Africa), 36, 196 (vs Australia) and 78, 54 (vs England), has struck 15 fours and a six in his 363 minutes of batting. World No.2 ranked batter survived a nervous moment in the final over of the day when he was declared leg before off Ajaz Patel, but television replays confirmed the ball would have gone over the stumps. During this knock, Babar also became the highest run-scorer in Tests in 2022, beating England's Joe Root who ended the year with 1,098 in 15 matches. Babar, who now has 1,170 runs in nine Tests this year, also beat Mohammad Yousuf's aggregate of 2,435 in all three formats of the game in 2006 -- the most by a Pakistan batter. He now has 2,584 runs in three formats this year. Earlier, Babar Azam made the right call on the spin of coin, but New Zealand made the most of the first hour’s play with the new ball when left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel and off-spinner Michael Bracewell had Abdullah Shafique and Shan Masood stumped in a space of 16 balls as Pakistan slipped to 19 for two. This was the first time in the history of Test cricket when the first two batters on the opening day of the match had been stumped. New Zealand could have added the scalp of Babar at the score of 47 but Daryl Mitchell dropped a sitter in the first slip off Bracewell, who, one run later, had Imam-ul-Haq caught at mid-off by Tim Southee to leave Pakistan tottering at 48 for three. At that stage, Babar and local boy Saud Shakeel (22) put on 62 runs for the fourth wicket to take the score to 110. Saud wasted his wicket a stroke before lunch when he was caught at point by Henry Nicholls off Southee. However, the master and his disciple – Sarfaraz and Babar – held the innings together and played some delightful strokes to all parts of the field. Babar reached his half-century from 76 balls with seven fours, while he brought up his ninth Test century with his only six from 161 balls that also included nine fours. Sarfaraz completed his 19th half-century from 84 balls. Scores in brief: Pakistan (1st innings) 317-5, 90 overs (Babar Azam 161 not out, Sarfaraz Ahmed 86, Saud Shakeel 22; Michael Bracewell 2-61, Ajaz Patel 2-91)

BIPIN DANI Mirpur (Bangladesh): Team India is carrying the Killer Trophy (Indian sponsor company) to India after winning the second Test match and 2-0 series against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Stadium SBNS) on Sunday. "It is not a rotational trophy but was made by our sponsor for this bilateral series", Mohammed Jalal Yunus, the chairman of Cricket Operations Committee, said. Incidentally, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has a plan in future to have a rotational trophy between the two teams. "We have a good relationship with the Indian cricket board and will certainly plan a permanent trophy to play between the two teams", he reveals.  "India already have a Gavaskar-Border trophy, which is being shared with Cricket Australia and Sri Lanka-Australia have a Muralitharan-Shane Warne Trophy. We will also plan to share a similar trophy with India". "It will be named after two legendary cricketers of two countries. India has been playing Test cricket since 1932 and obviously they have produced many legends, whereas we started playing Test cricket only in 2000 and our board would decide on whose name the trophy to be made", the chairman added. Sharing award   Indian spinner R. Ashwin, who won the Player of the Match award has shared the same with Shreyas Iyer. "Shreyas batted beautifully, if he wasn't the player of the series, I'd have shared this with him", Ashwin declared at the presentation. The Player of the Series award went to Cheteshwar Pujara. Ashwin's gesture of sharing the award with his colleague (Shreyas Iyer) with whom Team India could clinch the match and the series was well lauded by Ashwin's wife Preethi. Speaking exclusively from India (she was not travelling with the team), she said, "it is an amazing gesture by Ash. Shreyas equally deserved this. They both saw that India could overcome the difficult situation on Sunday". "Yes, it was a tough call by two batters and at one point of time it looked difficult but still we had a ray of hope".

BIPIN DANI Mirpur (Bangladesh): Playing in his second Test match here the Indian pacer Jaydev Unadkat has made a special shoe in his shoe-pair having a hole at toe space in it. On the opening day of the Test match against Bangladesh, the TV cameraman spotted it and zoomed at it. He has especially done so to reduce pressure on the toe. This has been a practice many fast bowlers adopt, informs India's ex-fast bowler S. Sreesanth. Speaking exclusively, he said, a lot of bowlers who bowl yorkersand put a lot of effort (in bowling) take off a bit of part of his shoes, especially the landing leg. It is basically for the portion of big toe touching the soft leather of shoe to the hard surface of the ground and thereby chances of getting injured. To minimise this, the bowlers get the toe portion of the shoes removed".  Explaining the biomechanics, Australian expert, Mark Portus, who runs an Academy (called Pace Doctor), says, "It is relatively a common practice for the quicks, it helps relieve compaction of the big toe through the front foot contact phase. I am not aware of spinners doing it, not as much stress through the front foot for the spinners so probably not needed. The only disadvantage it can bring is to compromise the integrity of the shoe and it can break down quicker but most quicks will take this downside to reduce the trauma on the toe. It actually is quite painful". "Bowlers cut a hole in the cricket boots to relieve the pressure on the big toe. Sometimes the foot slips inside the boot and the big toe gets jammed on the end. So the hole cut out is to ease the pressure on the foot. The hole is cut from the upper part of the boot where the big toe is", says Ian Pont, who has been the fast bowling coach for several international and league teams and now works as a head of the National Fast Bowling academy in England.

BIPIN DANI Mirpur (Bangladesh): A cricket fan from Madaripur took everyone by surprise on the second day of the second Test between Bangladesh and India on Friday as he breached the security barrier of the Sher-E-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and entered the ground. "He has been arrested and will be produced before the Dhaka Court on Saturday", Md. Mostazirur Rahman, the Officer in Charge at Mirpur Model Police Station said. The incident took place in the 68th over of India's innings when Mehidy Hasan Miraz was bowling to Rishabh Pant. Play was stopped as a Shakib fan sitting in the north gallery climbed over the barbed wire fence and entered the ground. "He rushed to Shakib, knelt down and touched the captain's feet and greeted him. The security personnel who ran into the field from both sides, grabbed the pitch invader wearing the Bangladesh jersey and took him out". "During our preliminary investigation, it was found that this 16-year-old X standard student (Mohammad Arafat) is a die-hard fan of Shakib. He had no ill motives, no intention of drawing media or TV attention and also had no intention of hurting any players. He rushed to the ground out of his joy. Incidentally, this is the first time he has been to a cricket stadium". "In the court on Saturday, we will ask for some time to investigate him on whatever he has said. We will then submit our report to the court and the court will decide the further action. We cannot keep him in custody for more than 14 days", the Officer in Charge added.