Cricket - Int News
National T20: Central Punjab beat Sindh by 12 runs on DLS method
ABDULLAH ASJAD
Rawalpindi (October 2, 2021):-Shoaib Malik produced a stunning assault in the death overs of the Home City Central Punjab innings to spearhead his side’s 12-run win via the DLS method against GFS Sindh in the 16th match of the National T20 tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday night.
Set a 169-run target following Shoaib’s brilliant batting effort, Sindh stuttered to 110 for six in 14.4 overs when rain arrived for the second consecutive night. Sindh were 12 runs short of the par score at that stage of their innings, a ball before the rain interruption in a repeat of last night’s match, a wicket was lost.
Anwar Ali holed out to Wahab Riaz off Sameen Gul as Sindh searched for quick runs with the mounting asking rate.
Sindh openers Sharjeel Khan (36) and Khurram Manzoor (14) had provided the side a brisk 48-run opening stand. After Khurram’s dismissal, Sindh lost Shan Masood (12) to Wahab Riaz with the score at 76 in 7.2 overs.
From 76 to one, Sindh crashed to 110 for six, off-spinner Qasim Akram took three wickets for 20 runs in a match winning four-over spell. Sameen took two while Wahab took one wicket. This was Central Punjab’s third win in five games and their first ever against Sindh in the revamped six-team National T20 tournament which is in its third year.
Earlier, a sensational unbeaten 85 by Shoaib helped Central Punjab recover from 105 for six to a 168 for eight total. Central Punjab had lost wickets at regular intervals to stutter to a poor position before Shoaib rescued the side with an audacious batting display.
The seasoned Shoaib posted the 67th half-century of his T20 career and went into the top gear in the last two overs of the innings as Mohammad Hasnain conceded 22 and Rumman Raees gave away 14 runs off the 20th over.
The right-hander hit eight fours and five sixes in his 47-ball innings. Shoaib added 42 for the third-wicket with Ahmed Shehzad who contributed a run-a-ball 35 (three fours, one six). The two had come together after the early loss of captain Babar Azam (12) and Muhammad Akhlaq (7).
For Sindh, Rumman collected the second four-wicket haul of his T20 career. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed took three crucial wickets despite conceding 39 runs in his four overs.
Scores in Brief:
Home City Central Punjab beat GFS Sindh by 12 runs on DLS method.
Home City Central Punjab 168 for 8, 20 overs (Shoaib Malik 85 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 35; Rumman Raees 4-33, Abrar Ahmed 3-39)
GFS Sindh 110 for 6, 14.4 overs (Sharjeel Khan 36; Qasim Akram 3-20, Sameen Gul 2-15)
Player of the match: Shoaib Malik
Sunday’s matches:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Northern -3pm
ATF Southern Punjab vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm
National T20: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Balochistan by 55 runs
SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT
Rawalpindi (October 2, 2021):-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered their fifth win of the National T20 as they outclassed Balochistan by 55 runs in the 15th match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday evening.
Set a 203 run target (most for the ongoing tournament), Balochistan limped to 147 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Sohail Akhtar was the only one to give a decent fight to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers as the right-hander hit five sixes and two fours in his 61 off 43 balls.
Opener Abdullah Shafique with 24, Haris Sohail and Umaid Asif with 17 runs each were the only other batters to reach double figures.
Balochistan had crashed to 83 for seven in their chase before Sohail brought some late-order fight to narrow the defeat margin for his side.
All-rounder Asif Afridi (player of the match) took three wickets for only eight runs from his wily left-arm-spin. Fast bowler Arshad Iqbal took three wickets for 16 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets for 30 runs.
Earlier, Balochistan’s makeshift captain Bismillah Khan won the toss and opted to field. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa openers Israrullah and Mohammad Rizwan cut loose after a cautious start. Israrullah was dismissed by Amad Butt for 19 with the wicket falling at 43.
Rizwan added 37 with Sahibzada Farhan before falling to Kashif Bhatti for 40 (34 balls, five fours, one six). Asif who was promoted as a pinch-hitter scored 16 off four balls (two sixes, one four).
Iftikhar Ahmed carried the momentum with a blazing 36 off 18 balls (four fours, two sixes). Farhan top-scored for the side with 43 off 31 balls (five fours, one six).
Musadiq Ahmed and Adil Amin added 42 for the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership to propel KP past the 200-run mark. Musadiq remained unbeaten on 17 while Adil scored 26 off 13 (three fours, one six).
Kashif Bhatti took two wickets for Balochistan.
Scores in Brief:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Balochistan by 55 runs.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 202 for 5, 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 43, Mohammad Rizwan 40, Iftikhar Ahmed 36; Kashif Bhatti 2-34)
Balochistan 147 for 9, 20 overs (Sohail Akhtar 61 not out, Abdullah Shafique 24; Asif Afridi 3-8, Arshad Iqbal 3-16)
Player of the match: Asif Afridi
Sunday’s matches:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Northern -3pm
ATF Southern Punjab vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm
PCB names Pakistan A squad for Sri Lanka tour
SPORTS REPORTER
Lahore (October 2, 2021):-Left-handed top-order batter Saud Shakeel will captain future Pakistan hopefuls on the tour of Sri Lanka, which will consist of two four-day fixtures and three 50-over matches in Kandy and Colombo from 28 October to 14 November.
Saud played in three One-Day Internationals against England earlier this summer, while other internationals named in the 19-player squad include Abdullah Shafique (T20I), Arshad Iqbal (T20I), Haider Ali (ODI, T20I), Naseem Shah (Test), Usman Salahuddin (Test and ODI) and Zahid Mahmood (T20I).
To maintain consistency in selection, the selectors have also retained players who have recently been part of the national side but have been unable to break into the playing line-up. These include Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris.
With an eye on next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, the selectors have included in the squad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s teenage wicketkeeper Salman Khan and top-order batter Qasim Akram of Central Punjab.
Opportunities have also been awarded to exciting talents, such as Sindh’s 22-year-old mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah (34 wickets and 245 runs in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2020-21), Irfanullah Shah (23 wickets in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2020-21) and left-arm fast bowler Akif Javed, who is returning to competitive cricket this season after missing the last season due to an injury.
Chief selector Mohammad Wasim: “The objective and purpose of such tours is to reward, encourage, motivate and prepare high-performing cricketers for future challenges, while also developing and strengthening our bench-strength.
“The average age of this squad is under 22 and includes players who have either been part of the national squads or are knocking at the doors of international cricket. The Sri Lanka tour will help these talented cricketers to further hone and polish their skills so that they are ready to perform at the international level.”
Pakistan Shaheens squad (in alphabetical order):
Saud Shakeel (captain) (Sindh) (both formats)
Haider Ali (vice-captain) (Northern) (both formats)
Abbas Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (50-over)
Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) (both formats)
Abrar Ahmed (Sindh) (both formats)
Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Central Punjab) (four-day)
Akif Javed (Balochistan) (50-over)
Arshad Iqbal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
Irfanullah Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
Khurram Shahzad (Balochistan) (both formats)
Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab) (both formats)
Omair Bin Yousuf (Sindh) (four-day)
Qasim Akram (Central Punjab) (both formats)
Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) (both formats)
Salman Khan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats)
Usman Salahuddin (Southern Punjab) (four-day)
Zahid Mahmood (Sindh) (both formats)
Player Support Personnel: Ijaz Ahmed (head coach and team manager), Rao Iftikhar (Assistant coach), Mohtashim Rashid (fielding coach), Mohammad Javed (trainer), Faisal Rai (analyst) and Hafiz Naeem (physiotherapist).
Tour schedule:
21 Oct – departure for Kandy
28-31 Oct – 1st four-day match, Kandy
4-7 Nov – 2nd four-day match, Kandy
10 Nov – 1st 50-over match, Colombo
12 Nov – 2nd 50-over match, Colombo
14 Nov – 3rd 50-over match, Colombo
Sri Lankan team to spend only one day in quarantine in Oman
BIPIN DANI
The Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lankan team leaving for Oman on Sunday will need to spend only one day in strict quarantine, it is learnt.
"The team is already in bio-bubble in Sri Lanka and is not required to be spending more days in the hotel rooms but can begin practice sessions immediately thereafter if the PCR tests are negative", one of the SLC sources said.
The 23-member team with the support staff had a final practice match on Friday. Saturday has been reserved for the photo sessions and the players are given an off-day and no outside training is scheduled.
The last PCR tests prior to their 72-hour departure were conducted on Friday.
The men's T20 World Cup 2021 will kick off on October 17, with the first round (qualifying) matches featuring, among others, two-time beaten finalists Sri Lanka. Tour teams from that group of eight will move into the main competition, where they will join the top-eight teams, which have qualified for the event directly.
It is not known whether the team leaving for the World Cup will have a thread ceremony by the monk. "It has been a regular practice but because of the current pandemic situation it may not be there this time around", the source added.
Complaining on the captain is a childish act
BIPIN DANI
Sunil Subramanium, who was an Indian team manager and has been knowing captain Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin well, has defended the recent controversies involving both players.
Speaking exclusively over the telephone, he says, "I can't believe that Ashwin had complained to the BCCI about Virat Kohli. It is a very stupid and childish calcuation for Ashwin to have approached the Indian cricket board and complain about his team captain".
This media speculation about Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane complaining about Kohli's captaincy have also been refuted by the BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, though it could have either been from the BCCI secretary or the media unit. But that has not been the practice in Indian cricket.
"Forget about the Kohli, I have been the team manager for this team for about two years and the atmosphere in the dressing room has always been vibrant and positive. This current lot of players are hardworking and the toughest. There is a lot of mutual professional respect for each other".
"I don't know how such rubbish and childish talks are coming out in the media. I don't think there exists any such enmity. I don't know whose agenda it is to demoralise the team atmosphere".
The ex-manager was also in pain to hear that the KKR captain Eoin Morgan called Ashwin a disgrace for taking an overthrow when the ball was deflected off Rishabh Pant's body.
The incident that happened in the 19th over of Delhi Capitals' match against Knight Riders caused an on-field confrontation between Ashwin and Knight Riders' Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan.
"I find it peculiar if such words are being used. Look at the laws of the game. If the ball is in play even if it has been deflected from the fielders (or umpire) the batsman is entitled to run. Where is the question of losing the spirit of the game ?"
There isn't a clause in the playing conditions that stops a team from running overthrows off of deflections off the stumps, the batters, or their equipment.
"If you are not satisfied with the laws, change the laws or the playing conditions and nullify the runs. The matter ends there", he signed off.
Raja shares his vision with First Board officials
SPORTS REPORTER
Lahore (October 2, 2021):-Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja on Friday met the Chairpersons and Chief Executives of the First Boards at the National High Performance Centre in which he shared his vision that revolved around grassroots cricket.
Ramiz Raja emphasised on the quick resumption of schools and club activities as well as infrastructure upgradation so that the youngsters received the best playing facilities and environment to display and demonstrate their talent.
PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “The grassroots cricket level tier deserves attention as it has been a neglected field for years, resulting in marginalising our growth canvas. Under my watch, cricket nurseries will have a permanent importance.
“I acknowledge and appreciate the good work done at the provincial level by the First Boards and look forward to continuing to work collectively to bring a change to the Pakistan cricket landscape.”
National T20: Sindh defeat Northern on DLS method
ABDULLAH ASJAD
Rawalpindi (October 1, 2021):-GFS Sindh retained their top position on the points table in the National T20 2021-22 with a three-run win via the DLS method against Northern in the 14th match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Friday night.
Heavy rain brought a halt with Northern 62 for three (7.3 overs) in their 177-run chase. After the rain ended, a wet outfield forced the match to be abandoned.
The ball before the rain interruption earned Sindh Nasir Nawaz’s wicket that turned the DLS equation in their favour. Northern needed to be 66 for three to earn victory on the DLS method at that stage of the match. Nasir was caught attempting a big shot off Danish Aziz.
Nasir top-scored for Northern with 27 off 19 balls (three fours, one six). Haider Ali scored 11 while Imad Wasim was batting on 13 when the rain arrived.
Sindh now have eight points from five games while Northern have accumulated six from five matches.
Earlier, Northern won the toss and opted to bowl. Sindh lost Shan Masood for one in the second over of the innings. Sharjeel Khan took the attack to the Northern bowlers in a 52-run stand for the second-wicket with Khurram Manzoor (15).
After Khurram’s departure, Sharjeel continued his onslaught, the left-hander played a series of attacking shots and only a superb diving catch at the mid-wicket fence by Haris ended his 64-run innings. Sharjeel faced 43 balls and hit 10 fours and two sixes.
Saud Shakeel made another useful contribution before being dismissed by Salman Irshad for 28. Salman then got rid of Anwar Ali (13) with another slower ball. Captain Sarfaraz Ahmed chipped in with a useful 26 off 18 balls (two fours).
Rumman Raees ended the Sindh innings on a high with two big sixes (one each in the penultimate and the final over). For Northern Salman, Shadab Khan and Musa Khan took two wickets apiece. Haris who bowled a fiery opening spell gave away only 22 runs in his four overs.
Scores in Brief:
GFS Sindh beat Northern by three runs on DLS method
GFS Sindh 176-7, 20 overs (Sharjeel Khan 64, Saud Shakeel 28, Sarfaraz Ahmed 26; Shadab Khan 2-33, Salman Irshad 2-36, Musa Khan 2-48)
Northern 62-3, 7.3 overs (Nasir Nawaz 27; Danish Aziz 1-1, Shahnawaz Dahani 1-9)
Player of the match: Sharjeel Khan
Saturday’s matches:
Balochistan vs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -3pm
GFS Sindh vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm
National T20: Balochistan overcome Southern Punjab by eight wickets
ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL
Islamabad (October 1, 2021):- Balochistan overcame ATF Southern Punjab by eight wickets in the National T20 Cricket Cup fixture, as they achieved their 175 runs target after lossing only two wickets,as 8 balls were sapre at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi on Friday.
It was ATF Southern Punjab’s fifth defeat in a row, as the winners of the day Balochistan kept their hopes alive to get the berth in top-four stage of the perstigious national T20 showpiece.
As the target was 175-run in 20 overs, Balochistan reach home in 18.4 overs for the loss of two wickets only. Openers Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (player of the match) and Abdullah Shafique added 84 runs. Abdullah’s 44 included five fours and one six, the right-hander faced 28 balls.
Abdul Wahid posted the second T20 half-century of his young career, the right-hander had scored a fifty against the same side in their earlier clash that Balochistan had won by seven wickets.
Abdul Wahid’s 50 came off 42 balls and the right-hander hit seven exquisite fours before he was dismissed lbw by Aamer Yamin.
Haris Sohail remained undefeated on 47 off 35 balls. The left-hander hit six fours in his innings, Haris finished the match in the company of Sohail Akhtar who remained not out on 16, the two added 41 runs for the unfinished third-wicket stand.
Aamer and Umar Khan took a wicket apiece for Southern Punjab. This was Balochistan’s second victory in the tournament.
Earlier, Balochistan won the toss and opted to bowl. Southern Punjab lost their first three wickets with only 28 runs on the board. Sohaib Maqsood who handed over the captaincy reins to Aamer top-scored for his side with 54 off 34 balls (six fours, two sixes). Sohaib added 71 runs for the fourth-wicket with Hassan Khan. This was Sohaib’s second successive fifty plus score in the tournament.
Hassan who scored 28 off 22 (three sixes) fell to Umaid Asif who dismissed Sohaib in the same over. Southern Punjab lost their third wicket for the addition of a mere four runs as Azam Khan (2) was dismissed lbw by Haris Sohail.
Aamer scored a quickfire 25 off 12 balls while Khushdil Shah contributed 25 off 22 while tail-enders Umar (12) and Naseem Shah (11) not out helped Southern Punjab reach 174 for nine.
Junaid Khan took three wickets for 29 runs while Umaid who also took two catches in the field including a splendid diving effort to dismiss Aamer, took three for 30 runs.
Scores in Brief:
Balochistan beat ATF Southern Punjab by eight wickets.
ATF Southern Punjab 174-9, 20 overs (Sohaib Maqsood 54, Hassan Khan 28, Aamer Yamin 25, Khushdil Shah 25; Junaid Khan 3-29, Umaid Asif 3-30)
Balochistan 176-2, 18.4 overs (Abdul Wahid Bangalzai 50, Haris Sohail 47 not out, Abdullah Shafique 44; Aamer Yamin 1-28)
Player of the match: Abdul Wahid Bangalzai
Saturday’s matches:
Balochistan vs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa -3pm
GFS Sindh vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm
Gavaskar backs Rohit Sharma for India captaincy
BIPIN DANI
All's not well in the Indian team. The reports coming from the UAE, where the IPL teams are playing, not only R. Ashwin but two more senior players are reported to have had reservations over Virat Kohli's captaincy.
First, Ashwin's name came as he had revolted against Virat Kohli and had complained to the BCCI secretary (Jay Shah) about feeling insecure. Ashwin was not included in the final eleven in any of the four Test matches in England.
Kohli had a fallout with the selectors for the inclusion of Ashwin in the T20 World Cup squad as the Indian captain wanted leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the mega event.
Kohli had reportedly accused the player of not showing enough intent in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in June this year.
Now, it is also being reported in the media that Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are not happy with Kohli in the team.
Pujara was dealing with some harsh criticism for his slow batting, India's Test deputy-skipper Ajinkya Rahane was struggling to score runs in the longest format. Both were treated very harshly by the skipper in the dressing room.
Interestingly, the coach Ravi Shastri has failed to pacify the situation and Kohli has announced to quit the captaincy after the World Cup.
Now, we hear that the BCCI treasurer has denied the controversy, but there can't be a smoke without fire. There can't be any evidence of the complaints, and even if the evidence is there, can anyone believe that the BCCI would revealt it?
Adding fuel to the controversy, legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar has voiced his opinion to change the captain for next month's T-20 World Cup in the UAE.
“I think (of) Rohit Sharma (as captain) for the next two World Cups,” Gavaskar said on the Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
“You could say they (World Cups) are back-to-back, one starting in a month and another exactly a year from now. So clearly, yes, you don’t want to change too many captains at this particular stage.
“Rohit Sharma would definitely be my choice for captaincy of the Indian team for both these T20 World Cups,” Gavaskar said.
National T20: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat GFS Sindh by six wickets
ABDULLAH ASJAD
Rawalpindi:-GFS Sindh suffered their first defeat in the National T20 (2021-22) as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a comfortable six-wicket victory in the 12th match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Thursday night.
Set a 151-run target, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa completed the chase in 17.4 overs with six wickets left. Opener Fakhar Zaman led the charge for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a typically aggressive 49 off 32 balls (four fours, four sixes). The left-hander hit pacer Mohammad Hasnain for three sixes and a four in the second over the innings as Hasnain conceded 28 runs –most in an over in the tournament so far.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa batters didn’t let the early loss of their prolific captain Mohammad Rizwan affect the chase as Sahibzada Farhan, Adil Amin and Musadiq Ahmed took the side past the target.
Farhan scored 45 off 30 balls with the help of three fours and as many sixes. The right-hander added 58 runs for the third-wicket with Adil who scored 26 off 19 balls (three fours.)
Rumman Raees, Anwar Ali, Danish Aziz and Zahid Mahmood took a wicket each. This was Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s third win in four matches, Sindh too have three wins from four games.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa opted to bowl after winning the toss. Sharjeel Khan hit three fours in the opening over of the match bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi. The left-hander was however pegged back by the bowlers and was eventually dismissed by Arshad Iqbal for 25.
Sindh lost Shan Masood (13) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (0) in one Asif Afridi over to crash to 41 for three (7.3 overs).
Khurram Manzoor and Saud Shakeel did the repair work by adding 56 for the fourth-wicket. The left-handed Saud was dismissed for 32 by Imran Khan Snr who then got rid of Danish Aziz the next ball.
Imran narrowly failed to take a hat-trick as Shaheen spilled a difficult chance in the slips with Anwar Ali the batter.
Anwar hit a last ball six off Mohammad Wasim Jnr as Sindh finished with what looked like an under par score midway. Asif took two wickets for 20 runs while Imran returned figures of 4-0-24-2.
Scores in Brief:
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat GFS Sindh by six wickets.
GFS Sindh 150 for 7, 20 overs (Khurram Manzoor 54, Saud Shakeel 32; Asif Afridi 2-20, Imran Khan Snr 2-24)
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 156 for 4, 17.4 overs (Fakhar Zaman 49, Sahibzada Farhan 45; Rumman Raees 1-10, Anwar Ali 1-11)
Player of the Match: Fakhar Zaman
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