Sports Bulletin

Bipin Dani Former Pakistani batsman Zaheer Abbas turned 75 on Sunday. The news of his 75th Birthday was conveyed to him by his India-born wife Rita Luthra (known as Samina Abbas after marriage in 1988), in Hammersmith Hospital on Sunday. The Asian Bradman, as he is being called, was hospitalized for his heart-related and covid issues, but now being treated for kidney related complications. "Zaheer is still in the hospital and recovering. Yes, he is recovering but recovery is longer than expected but is much better now", she said over the telephone. "He is not in the ICU but has been shifted to the ward. Visitors are not allowed. I usually stay with him during the day", she added. "He is very humbled and touched". Later, speaking to this Reporter, his Dubai-based daughter Roshana said, "With everybody's prayers, dad is on the road to recovery. However, it will take time for his full recovery".  "We will celebrate his 75 years properly once he is discharged from the hospital. We thank for the support and prayers from his fans and well-wishers". 

Sports Bulletin Report Galle (Sri Lanka):-Sri Lanka made solid progress on day-one of the second ICC World Test Championship match against Pakistan as they scored 315 for six at close of play on Sunday at the Galle International Stadium. Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Oshada Fernando provided the side a flying start of 92 runs. Fernando carried his form from the first Test where he scored a fifty in the second innings with an enterprising 50 (70 balls, four fours, three sixes). The right-hander’s dominant innings was brought to an end by an excellent spinning delivery from Mohammad Nawaz that took the outside edge, Mohammad Rizwan took a sharp catch behind the stumps to end the partnership. On the eve of the lunch break, Salman Ali Agha ran out Kusal Mendis when he intercepted a straight drive from Karunaratne in his follow through and deflected it on the stumps catching Mendis millimetres short of the crease at the non-striker’s end. Sri Lanka took lunch at 96 for two. After lunch, Karunaratne was dismissed for 40 when his attempted cut shot was caught by a diving Naseem Shah in the point region off Yasir Shah. Seasoned middle-order batter Angelo Mathews who is appearing in his 100th Test consolidated his side’s position with a 75-run fourth-wicket stand with the in-form Dinesh Chandimal. Mathews who was dropped by Babar Azam shortly before the tea interval fell to Nauman Ali soon after tea with Rizwan taking another sharp catch. Mathews scored 42 off 106 balls (five fours). Chandimal registered his third consecutive half-century following contributions of 76 and 94 not out in the first Test. The right-hander once again missed out on a century when he skied a catch to Fawad Alam off Nawaz. Chandimal scored 80 off 137 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes, he added 63 for the fifth-wicket with Dhananjaya de Silva. Naseem dismissed de Silva (33) with a pacy inswinger (fifth ball with the new-ball) that removed the middle-stump, Sri Lanka were 290 for six at this stage. The hosts did not lose any further wicket as play stopped due to bad light with four overs of the 90-over quota remaining.  At stumps, wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella was unbeaten on 42 while debutant Dunith Wellalage was six not out.  Scores in brief: Sri Lanka 315 for 6, 86 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 80, Oshada Fernando 50, Niroshan Dickwella 42 not out; Mohammad Nawaz 2-71)

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE):-Imran Khwaja, Pankaj Khimji and Neil Speight have been elected as ICC Associate Member Directors following an election process at the ICC Annual Conference in Birmingham, UK. In line with the Associate Members’ Meeting Terms of Reference, the voting was conducted at the Formal Associate Members meeting by way of a weighted secret ballot in which all voters (each Voting Associate Member and each Regional Representative) have three votes. Imran Khwaja and Neil Speight have both been re-elected as Associate Member representatives on the Board, with Pankaj Khimji replacing Mahinda Vallipuram. Khimji is the Chairman of the Oman Cricket Board and is a Vice President of the Asian Cricket Council. ICC Chair Greg Barclay commented on the election: “I would like to welcome the elected Associate Member Directors onto the Board for the next term. I look forward to working with Imran, Pankaj and Neil to continue to push the sport forward by delivering the strategy and growing the game so that more people can enjoy cricket across the world.”

Bipin Dani Sri Lankan women's team captain Chamari Athapaththu, who was practising  with the other team members at the stadium got a very special gift from one of her fans.  She was presented with a special art work picture in a photo frame. It was prepared by an artist Hasanka Fernando.  Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, the 26-year-old artist, who is also a banker by profession said, "As my hobbies I like to draw, create various artworks, sing songs and play cricket".  "I also play cricket for my bank team". "This is the art of woodwork. I made this computer artwork of Chamari holding the bat in her two hands. I spent more than an hour for the initial drawing but then giving a final touch and framing needed to be made in a presentable form".  In return, Chamari gave her 58 number limited over game jersey to the artist.  "I have also done similar art work for our men's team all-rounder Wanindu Hasarange".  "Chamari and Wanindu are my favourite players and when I met one of my idols at the R. Pramada Stadium, she was pleasantly surprised. I wished her good luck as the team is preparing for the Commonwealth Games to be played in England later this month", the artist, who went in as a Sri Lankan player jersey  further added.   

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI:-Adelaide Oval’s chief curator Damien Hough inspected the National Stadium Karachi outfield and square today (Friday) and interacted with the curator and ground staff as part of his tour of Pakistan. Karachi is the third venue that Hough has visited after his visits to Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore and the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Hough would be spending the weekend in Karachi. Besides the NSK square and outfield, Hough will also take a close look and provide his recommendation and feedback on the two Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre grounds that are located inside the NSK perimeter. Like Lahore and Rawalpindi, Hough will also deliver lectures on pitch and outfield preparation for all formats of the game. In addition to the NSK and the high performance centre ground staff and curator, the lectures will be attended by Sindh Cricket Association coaches as part of Pakistan Cricket Board’s plan of improving the knowledge and skillset of its coaches at different tiers across the country. Hough meanwhile has praised the passion and commitment of the ground staff in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi and has stressed on the importance of his visit which for him is all about collaboration, learning and sharing of ideas. “This is the third Test centre that I am visiting and so far, I have really been impressed by the passion and commitment of ground staff in Pakistan and the team in Karachi is no different. For me, the trip is a lot about exchanging ideas, collaboration and figuring out how things are done in Pakistan and how they compare to Adelaide and Australia. “A lot of credit goes to the PCB for initiating this exchange, I am very impressed by their commitment to improving the pitches and grounds. This pitch relaying project in Lahore and Karachi is a testament of the willingness that the PCB has shown and I am sure it will go a long way in developing quality pitches.” Hough who has been associated with the Adelaide Oval for more than 10 years and is widely regarded as one of the world’s best curators with 26 years’ experience in the field. According to Hough, a good cricket pitch is one that offers a good balance between bat and ball. For long format games, 300 runs and 10 wickets is an indicator of sorts of a good cricket pitch. “A good wicket is one that provides opportunities to both batters and bowlers. Back home we have an indicator of sorts of 300 runs and 10 wickets in a day for a long format pitch.” Hough also expressed his excitement on the PCB’s experiment of using Australian soil for pitches in Karachi and Lahore. The soil is set to reach Karachi in a week’s time. A pitch each at the NSK, Naya Nazimabad Cricket Ground (Karachi), GSL and National High Performance Centre (Lahore) will be prepared with the imported Australian soil. “I believe it is an exciting initiative and an experiment that is worth having a close look at. The pitches prepared with the Australian soil will provide a great opportunity to Pakistan players before a tour of Australia in terms of their preparations for the pitches there. Once again, the PCB deserves credit for this initiative, I feel that there will be a lot to learn and observe once the pitches are laid and are ready for cricket.”

Bipin Dani Apparently Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has allowed the wives of the married players to join the team hotel during the ongoing Tests series against Pakistan. Of course, the players having small kids have not joined. It is in contrast to the Pakistan players, none of them or their support staff have brought family on this tour. Sri Lankan spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and his wife missed each other most on their wedding anniversary on Thursday. "Thursday marks our 4th wedding Anniversary and the 2nd time we are not celebrating it together. Last year also, because of the Covid at its peak, I was not with him", his wife, Rsmisha Mirando, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo said.  "I really miss him on this day and wish he could be here at least for few hours. But unfortunately due to the current situation here in SL we cannot do that. But anyway I am truly happy and honored to be his wife and really proud on his recent achievements. That’s the best gift we got for our anniversary", she, the housewife and a mother of a 3-year-old daughter added. Prabath has grabbed 21 wickets in his first four Test innings. "I am looking forward to the best in coming years from him", she signed off.

Sports Bulletin Report Galle (Sri Lanka):-Due to a knee injury sustained on the fourth day of the first Test, Shaheen Afridi will miss the second Test, which will be played in Galle from 24 July. According to an official of Pakistan team, He (Afridi) will stay with the Test side in Sri Lanka, where his initial rehabilitation and management will continue under the supervision of the team’s medical staff.

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE):-South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen has attained a career-best third position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after his superb century in the first ODI against England at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. The 33-year-old has gained three slots after smashing 134 off 117 balls against England, for which he was named Player of the Match. Van der Dussen has also been in the top five in T20Is, ranked fourth in June last year. Aiden Markram, who also played an important part in the 62-run win for South Africa, has moved up 15 slots to 61st after his knock of 77 while opener Janneman Malan is up one place to joint-35th with a score of 57. David Miller’s 24 runs see him move up three places to 24th. Fast bowler Anrich Nortje has reached 61st position, his haul of four for 53 lifting him 18 slots. For England, Jason Roy has moved up one slot to 16th position among batters after scoring 43 against South Africa and 41 in the last match of the series against India. His team-mate David Willey has moved up two slots to 35th among bowlers. India’s architects of an impressive five-wicket win in Manchester that helped clinch the series against England, have surged up the rankings too. Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 125 off 113 balls has lifted him 25 places to 52nd while Hardik Pandya has progressed from 50th to 42nd after his 55-ball 71. Pandya is also up 25 places to 70th among bowlers for his haul of four 24 while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has advanced four places to reach 16th position after grabbing three for 60. Others to move up the ODI rankings for batters this week include Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal (up two places to 17th) and Liton Das (up two places to 30th), West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran (up four places to joint-35th), Scotland’s Calum MacLeod (up three places to 48th) and Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus (up 21 places to 86th). The list of bowlers sees Jasprit Bumrah cede top place to New Zealand’s Trent Boult after missing the last match, while Matt Henry has moved up one place to seventh. West Indies fast bowler Alazarri Joseph (up three places to 18th), New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner (up two places to 23rd), Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane (up six places to 33rd) and Scotland seamer Safyaan Sharif (up four places to 56th) are others to progress. In the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips has advanced five places to reach 30th position after his Player of the Match effort of 69 not out in the first match of their series against Ireland while fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has progressed 25 slots to 40th with a haul of four for 14.

Sports Bulletin Report Galle (Sri Lanka):-Featuring in only the sixth Test of his career, opener Abdullah Shafique produced an innings for the ages to spearhead Pakistan’s record setting 342-run chase as the Babar Azam-led side completed a four wicket victory on the fifth and final day of the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship match against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium on Wednesday. Pakistan comfortably beat the previous highest chase at Galle - Sri Lanka’s 268 (2019) against New Zealand to set a new venue record of 344. Pakistan have now chased down four 300 plus scores in their Test history, three of the chases have been against Sri Lanka with the 377 for three at Pallekele in 2015, the highest. Abdullah’s heroic knock is now the second highest for Pakistan in a fourth innings chase behind Younis Khan’s 171 not out at Pallekele. Resuming at the overnight score of 222 for three, the pair of Abdullah and Mohammad Rizwan survived some anxious moments in the first hour of play. Both batters were challenged by the wearing pitch, probing bowling and enthusiastic Sri Lankan bowlers and fielders who were ready to appeal whenever the ball hit the pad or was caught by a close-in fielder. Sri Lanka burned their two remaining reviews in their desperate search of a wicket. Both batters however kept chipping away at the target with smart rotation of strike and the odd boundary. Pakistan progressed to 276 when Rizwan was eventually dislodged by Jayasuria for a resolute 40 off 74 balls (two fours). Rizwan and Abdullah added 71 vital runs for the fourth-wicket. Debutant Salman Ali Agha perished on the stroke of lunch for 12 with Pakistan placed at 298 for five, 44 runs shy of the target. Abdullah was joined by Hasan Ali post-lunch as Pakistan pursued quick runs, Hasan (5) though fell to Dhananjaya de Silva while attempting a big hit, Pakistan were then 39 runs short of the target. Mohammad Nawaz (19 not out) provided solid support to Abdullah who benefited from a dropped chance by Kasun Rajitha at mid-wicket shortly after crossing the 150-mark. With victory in sight, the Abdullah-Nawaz pair’s progress was interrupted by nearly an hour long rain break. Pakistan were 11 runs away from victory at that stage. When play resumed, Abdullah and Nawaz completed the task with ease with Abdullah hitting the winning boundary through the covers. Abdullah’s monumental innings which will go down in Test history as one of the best-ever in the fourth innings, was compiled of 408 balls and included seven fours and one six. The second Test will be played at the same venue from Sunday, 24 July.  Summarized Score Card (Day-5): Sri Lanka Batting (1st innings): 222 all out in 66.1 overs Dinesh Chandimal 76 runs (Balls 115, 4X10, 6X1), Maheesh Theekshana 38 runs (Balls 65, 4X4, 6X1), Oshada Fernando 35 runs (Balls 49, 4X5, 6X0), Kusal Mendis 21 runs (Balls 35, 4X3, 6X0) Pakistan Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi (4 for 58), Hasan Ali (2 for 23), Yasir Shah (2 for 66), Mohammad Nawaz (1 for 18), Naseem Shah (1 for 53) Pakistan Batting (1st inning): 218 all out in 90.5 overs Babar Azam 119 runs (Balls 244, 4X11, 6X2), Mohammad Rizwan 19 runs (Balls 35, 4X3, 6X0), Yasir Shah 18 runs (Balls 56, 4x1, 6X0), Hasan Ali 17 runs (Balls 21, 4x0, 6x2), Abdullah Shafiq 13 runs (Balls 47, 4X2, 6X0) Sri Lanka Bowling: Prabath Jayasuriya (5 for 82), Ramesh Mendis (2 for 18), Maheesh Theekshana (2 for 68), Kasun Rajitha (1for 42) Sri Lanka Batting (2nd innings): 337 all out in 100 overs (Target 342) Dinesh Chandimal 94 runs not out (Balls 139, 4X5, 6X2), Kusal Mendis 76 runs (Balls 126, 4x9, 6x0), Oshada Fernando 64 runs (Balls 125, 4X6, 6X1), Ramesh Mendis 22 runs (Balls 32, 4X2, 6x0) Pakistan Bowling: Mohammad Nawaz (5 for 88), Yasir Shah (3 for 122), Hasan Ali (1 for 19), Naseem Shah (1 for 24) Pakistan Batting (2nd innings) 344 for 4 in 127.2 overs Abdullah Shafique 160 not out, Babar Azam 55, Mohammad Rizwan 40; Prabath Jayasuria 4-135) Sri Lanka Bowling: Prabath Jayasuriya (4 for 118), Ramesh Mendis (1 for 96) Toss: Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first Sri Lanka (Playing XIs) Oshada Fernando, Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella, Ramesh Mendis, Maheesh Theekshana, Kasun Rajitha, Prabath Jayasuriya Pakistan (Playing XIs): Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Naseem Shah, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali

BIPIN DANI Team India's wicket keeper-batter Rishabh Pant received a bottle of champagne for his heroic performance against England, which won him the Player of the Match award in the 3rd and the final ODI on Sunday. "We have not seen him taking a drink", says one of his childhood coaches, Devendra Sharma. Pant did gift this to former India coach Ravi Shastri, whose drinking love is well known. Pant, however, could have refused to accept the bottle, according to the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) official.  "A bottle of champagne is given to the player of the match and player of the series for all international matches. If someone does not drink, he can refuse to take it. For example, if they abstain from accepting and drinking alcohol", Danny Reuben the Head of Elite Communications - England Men’s Teams, said exclusively. "A bottle of champagne as part of the MoM/MoS award has been going for decades, and as far as I know it's only ever been done in England - presumably a deal with the sponsors", Michael Jones, a cricket historian tells us. "I would hope that they show sensitivity towards players' beliefs and have an alternative available if there's a chance that the award might be won by a Muslim (or by someone who doesn't drink for any other reason)". "They would also have needed an alternative at Old Trafford in 1990, where the award winner was under 18 so anyone handing him a bottle of champagne could have faced criminal charges for supplying alcohol to a minor", Jones further added.