Sports Bulletin

SPORTS NEWS CARDIFF (July 7, 2021):-Babar Azam-led Pakistan men’s cricket team can replace England at the top of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League by winning the three-match ODI series starting from tomorrow 8 July at Sophia Gardens Cardiff. The second ODI will be played on 10 July at Lord’s while third and final ODI of the series will be played on 13 July at Edgbaston. The three-match series is a part of ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League where England is leading with 65 points from 12 matches, England have won six matches and lost five while one match was abandoned due to rain. Bangladesh are on second position with five wins and four losses from nine matches has and have 50 points. Pakistan, who has won four matches (two each against Zimbabwe and South Africa) and lost two from six matches are on third position with 40 points. In the forthcoming three-match series, the winning team will earn 10 points for each win. If Pakistan win all three matches they will gain 30 points and will rise to the top position with 70 points at the end of the series. Meanwhile, if England win any of three-match series, they will further consolidate their position at the top spot. Pakistan will also be aiming to improve their record of playing against England at their own backyard. Since their inaugural ODI series in England in 1974, Pakistan have lost nine out of the 11 series with their only series win coming in the 1974 series. England on the other hand have won nine series, one series ended in a draw. Babar, who is the number one ranked batsman in the ICC ODI rankings will be eager to maintain his top position. Babar is third on the run scorers list in the ICC Super League matches. The right-handed batter has scored 449 runs at 89.80 in the six ICC Super League matches with the help of two centuries and as many half-centuries at a strike rate of 102.98. Pakistan players to watch out for: Besides Babar, Fakhar Zaman has played four ICC Super League matches. The left-hander has scored 304 runs at 76 with two hundreds to his name. He enjoys a strike rate of 111.35 and has hit 28 fours and 13 sixes. Fakhar will be eyeing to score big in the three-match series and playing a pivotal role for the Pakistan team. Fakhar’s opening partner Imam-ul-Haq is another player who enjoys playing in England. In 12 ODIs in England, Imam has scored 539 at 53.90 with two centuries and one half-centuries. His career best 151 off 131 was also scored against England at County Ground in Bristol in 2019. The left-handed batsman has featured in six matches of the ICC Super League scoring 243 runs at 40.50. He has a strike rate of 80.46 with three half-centuries to his name. Imam also holds the record for youngest Pakistani to score a World Cup hundred – 100 off 100 against Bangladesh at Lord’s in 2019. Mohammad Rizwan, wicketkeeper-batsman who recently helped his side Multan Sultans to their maiden HBL Pakistan Super League title will be looking to transform his form in the ODI cricket. Since 1 May 2020, the wicketkeeper-batsman has featured in 33 international matches across all formats, scoring a staggering 1320 runs at 50.76, with two hundreds and 11 half-centuries. Rizwan’s run-tally in the ongoing year is only 12 runs behind his captain Babar who has scored 1332 runs at 45.93 from 29 international matches. Shaheen Shah Afridi will spearhead the bowling department, the left-arm pacer has 11 wickets to his name from six ICC Super League matches. His best figures of five for 49 came against Zimbabwe at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi last year which helped his side to a 26-run win. The fast bowler like Imam enjoys playing in England. He has his career best figures of six for 35 against Bangladesh at Lord’s in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Hasan Ali is another fast bowler the tourists will be relying on to make an impact in the series. The right-arm pacer has made a remarkable comeback in the national team. Hasan has featured in 11 international matches this year where he has taken 40 wickets with four five wickets in an innings and one ten-wicket haul in a match. He is also the top wicket-taker in this year with India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on second spot with 38 wickets.

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (July 6, 2021):-England Men announce new squad for Royal London Series against Pakistan England Men have named an 18-strong group for the Royal London Series against Pakistan. The announcement comes after the news that three members of the initial playing group and four members of the management staff had tested positive for COVID-19, and consequently the entire squad initially selected was required to isolate. Ben Stokes will return to the squad to captain the side and Chris Silverwood, who had been due to take some time away during the white-ball series, is back as Head Coach. In total, there are nine uncapped players in the squad. Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, Ashley Giles, said: "It's a great opportunity to play on the biggest stage, and for most of the players selected it's not necessarily something they would have been expecting 24 hours ago. "It's an exciting group of players, with some young talent and some players who have impressed at domestic level over a long period of time. "We're in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and I'm very proud of how everyone has come together in order to get it done - both those within the ECB and from the county game. "Ben hasn't captained our ODI side before so it's a huge honour for him. We all wish him well and it's a role I'm sure he'll thrive in. "I'd like to also put on record the thanks of the ECB to the PCB for their support and understanding during this time." Names of players: Ben Stokes (Durham, captain) Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire) Danny Briggs (Warwickshire) Brydon Carse (Durham) Zak Crawley (Kent) Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire) Lewis Gregory (Somerset) Tom Helm (Middlesex) Will Jacks (Surrey) Dan Lawrence (Essex) Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire) Dawid Malan (Yorkshire) Craig Overton (Somerset) Matt Parkinson (Lancashire) David Payne (Gloucestershire) Phil Salt (Sussex) John Simpson (Middlesex) James Vince (Hampshire)

SPORTS REPORT LAHORE (July 6, 2021):-Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has a in close contact with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) regarding concerns about the health and safety of its players since the news of Covid-19 outbreak in the England camp was shared with it on late Monday evening. According to the media department PCB, Pakistan Cricket Board is satisfied by the assurances and guarantees provided by the ECB on the behalf of its medical panel, and feels comfortable with the existing protocols that have been put in place to ensure all the Pakistan players and player support staff remain safe and secure throughout the duration of the series, which commences on Thursday, 8 July, in Cardiff. The PCB has also been in touch with its team management and has advised them to exercise extra caution while in the hotel or at the match venue.

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (July 5, 2021):-Sanath Jayasundara, a former performance analyst at Sri Lanka Cricket, has been banned from all cricket for seven years after the ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal found him guilty of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. The ban is backdated to 11 May 2019, when he was provisionally suspended. Following a full hearing and presentation of written and oral argument, the Tribunal found Jayasundara guilty of: Article 2.1.3 – offering a bribe or other Reward to the Sri Lankan Sports Minister to contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of an International Match Article 2.4.7 – obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation into possible corrupt conduct under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit, said: Jayasundara’s attempt to bribe a Minister is a grave transgression while the efforts to cover up his tracks and the lack of remorse are hugely disappointing. “We won’t tolerate corrupt conduct in our sport and my team will be relentless in preventing such behaviour. This ban should serve as a deterrent for anyone who may be tempted along the wrong path.”

SPORTS REPORT KARACHI (July 5, 2021):-West Indies-bound Pakistan national team’s Test players will attend a 10-day training and conditioning camp under bio-secure protocols at the National Stadium in Karachi from Wednesday, 7 July. The camp will conclude on 17 July, while the players will enter the bio-secure in a Lahore hotel on 21 July before departing for Barbados on 26 July. The camp will be supervised by National High Performance Centre coaches, headed by Saqlain Mushtaq (head of player development), and also include Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling coach), Umar Rashid (coach), Atiq-uz-Zaman (fielding coach), Imtiaz Ahmed (physiotherapist), Saboor Ahmed (strength and conditioning coach) and Imran Sultan (masseur). In addition to the 11 Test players, including Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah and Zahid Mahmood, the selectors have also invited six additional players. They are: Akif Javed, Irfanullah Shah, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Hassan, Mohammad Umar and Saifullah Bangash. The 25 players and player support personnel, along with five essential staff, on Sunday underwent Covid-19 testing and all have returned negative. As such, 30-member contingent will assemble in Karachi on Tuesday where they will undergo second testing before the camp resumes on Wednesday. Schedule of the camp: 7 July – Training session (1400-1700) 8 July – Day 1 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1730) 9 July – Day 2 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1300) 10 July – Day 3 of 4 of scenario match (1300-1700) 11 July – Day 4 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1730) 12-13 July – Rest days 14 July - Day 1 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1730) 15 July - Day 2 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1300) 16 July - Day 3 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1300) 17 July - Day 4 of 4 of scenario match (0930-1300)

SPORTS REPORT DERBY (July 5, 2021):-Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail is still feeling slight pain in his right leg and, as such, he will not take part in next two practice sessions  scheduled on 5 and 6 July in Derby. Haris had also missed the intra-squad practice matches due to the same injury last week. The left-handed batsman has already started his rehabilitation and will undergo an MRI scan on 6 July in Cardiff, following which decision on his availability for the 8 July ODI against England will be made. The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and England which is also part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League will commence from Cardiff on 8 July. Pakistan team is scheduled to travel to Cardiff on 6 July.  

By BIPIN DANI All five teams in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) will have at least 1 or 2 Under-19 players and the management of these teams will have to ensure that they play "almost" every match.  This was revealed by Charith Senanayake, the new chairman of the technical committee.  Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, the former left-handed opener said, "it is one of my suggestions and the management have agreed in principle to implement".  "With the U-19 World Cup in sight, I have included this in my suggestion-list".  Senanayake's other suggestions are : 1) To increase the number of players a franchise can retain from 2 -6 with a certain criteria and categories. (2) Not to restrict the number of players in the draft and give maximum opportunity to domestic players "Hopefully, these will be accommodated along with the rules and conditions already in place. Will do what’s best as the league gets underway shortly", Senanayake, who also served the Sri Lankan team as manager in the past, added.  When asked about the appointment and his role as technical committee chairman Senanayake was first thankful to SLC for the opportunity but mentioned that the format of the tournament and the rules were already formulated and in place by the time of his appointment. However, upon discussing a few technical points, Tournament Director Mr. Ravin Wickramaratne agreed to consider the possibility of adopting the following favorably.  The other members of the Technical Committee are : Shane Fernando, Vinothan John and Tyron Hirantha Wijewardena.  

SPORTS REPORT SAINT JOHN'S:-West Indies Women beat Pakistan Women by six wickets in the third and final T20I to complete a 3-0 series win at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan’s defense of 102 was off to a solid start thanks to Diana Baig’s athleticism and excellent bowling. Diana took a scintillating catch in the second over off Anam Amin’s bowling as she dived to her right to send Hayley Matthews back to the pavilion. She followed up that effort with an incredible caught and bowled in the next over. Deandra Dottin looked in promising touch having struck Diana for a six and a four earlier in the over, but the right-arm pacer had the last laugh as she cleanly caught a strong punch off the frontfoot to end Dottin’s stay at the crease on the penultimate ball. On the last ball of the third over, Diana pitched the white kookaburra on the good length which induced an edge of Kyshona Knight’s bat to be safely caught by Sidra Nawaz. West Indies were now three down for 17. Diana ended-up with match figures of two for 17 in four overs. An unbeaten 48-run partnership between Stafanie Taylor (43 not out, 41 balls, 4x4s) and Kycia Knight (24 not out, 27 balls, 2x4s) helped hosts chase down the target with five balls spare. West Indies captain Taylor recorded a hat-trick in the last over of the Pakistan innings as the tourists were bowled out for 102, after opting to bat first. Taylor accounted for Aliya Riaz, who top-scored for Pakistan with 29 off 34, Diana (5 off 10) and Anam Amin (0 off 1), and finished with four for 17 from 3.4 overs. Pakistan lost their openers – Javeria Khan (six off eight) and Muneeba Ali (18 off 15) – in 4.4 overs and had their half of the batters back in the hut by 12.5 overs with 66 runs on board. It was a 22-run partnership between Aliya and Diana that ensured Pakistan crossed the 100-run mark after Anisa Mohammed, the most successful bowler in women’s T20Is, dismissed Sidra Nawaz and Ayesha Naseem in successive overs. Her first wicket was Nida Dar, who got bowled after scoring 17 off 19, in the 11th over. Pakistan were provided a 21-run start – with Muneeba playing a lead role in the partnership with her 18 off 15 at the back of three boundaries. It was Shamilia Connell who accounted for both openers. The right-arm pacer dismissed Javeria in the third over and picked up the wicket of Muneeba in the fifth. West Indies’ Mohammed and Connell finished with three for 24 and two for 24. Scores in brief: West Indies Women beat Pakistan Women by six wickets Pakistan Women 102 all out, 19.4 overs (Aliya Riaz 29; Stafaine Taylor 4-17, Anisa Mohammed 3-24, Shamilia Connell 2-24) West Indies Women 106-4, 19.1 overs (Stafanie Taylor 43 not out, Kycia Knight 24 not out; Diana Baig 2-17) Player of the match – Stafanie Taylor (West Indies) Player of the tournament – Shamilia Connell (West Indies)  

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (July 5, 2021):-An impressive bowling performance followed by Ayesha Zafar’s unbeaten 53 set an eight-wicket win for Pakistan Women ‘A’ in the third and final T20 against West Indies Women ‘A’ at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday. With the victory, the national women’s ‘A’ team won the three-match series 3-0. Pakistan chased down 100 with ease and comfort with eight balls to spare as right-handed opener Ayesha struck three fours and a six from 57 balls. She also become the highest run-getter of the series with 93 runs from three matches.  Pakistan bowlers, once again, bowled with discipline after Rameen Shamim elected to bowl. They bowled a total of 61 dots, with pacer Maham Tariq delivering the most – 18. Maham gave Pakistan their first breakthrough in the fifth over with the wicket of Rashada Williams, who was caught at cover. Aroob Shah picked up the wickets of Qiana Joseph and Sheneta Grimmond. The 17-year-old leg-spinner finished with two for 13 from three overs. West Indies captain Reniece Boyce top-scored with 42 off 44 balls. She struck four fours. The T20 series is followed by three-match one-day series, which kicks off on 10 July. The first one-day match will be played at Sri Vivian Richards Stadium. The last two matches will be played at Coolidge Cricket Ground on 13 and 16 July. Scores in brief: Pakistan Women ‘A’ beat West Indies Women ‘A’ by eight wickets West Indies Women ‘A’ 99-6, 20 overs (Reniece Boyce 42; Aroob Shah 2-13) Pakistan Women ‘A’ 100-2, 18.4 overs (Ayesha Zafar 53 not out, Kainat Imtiaz 19 not out)  

By BIPIN DANI In the opening match of the series against the West Indies (at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua), Nida Dar became the first bowler, male or female, to take 100 wickets in the shortest format of the game for Pakistan on Wednesday. She is Asia's first and world's 5th woman cricketer to achieve this feat. The other four women bowlers to have crossed the 100-wicket mark in the format are West Indie's Anisa Mohammed (120), Australia's Ellyse Perry (115), South Africa's Shabnum Ismail (110) and England's Anya Shrubsole (102). From the Asian teams, India’s Poonam Yadav, with 95 wickets is closest to her. "That's a tremendous achievement and we as a family and myself particularly are jubilant since I being a sportsman and film writer myself always gave confidence in her abilities", her brother, Hammad Hassan, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Gujranwala, said on Thursday. Among cricketing circles, she is known as Little Boom Boom. The original nickname is attached with Shahid Afridi. "Nida is a big hitter and she proved herself being the biggest hitter and somehow caught Shahid Afridi's style and therefore being called the little boom boom". Interestingly, her father, Rashid Hassan, who is admitted in the hospital now, was also a First-Class cricketer before being a teacher. "Our father is bed ridden. He survived covid but now has an obstruction in colon. He was hospitalized after Nida reached Caribbean island. My sister wanted to quit the series and return home. We persuaded her to play there for the country. She is very close to our father and my dad also wanted her to achieve 100 wickets", the brother added.  "Unfortunately, we just had glimpses of the match since our uncle died yesterday in another city and our father is in the hospital, but yeah we knew she would do it, anxious we were all but I was confident and she did it". "We are from a well-known family of Pakistan. Our father's first cousin K. H Khurshid was secretary to Jinnah and remained president of Azad Kashmir back in 1956", the brother concluded.