Cricket
Strong measures introduced to ensure transparency in age-group cricket
Sports Bulletin Report
LAHORE:-To provide a level playing field to all teenage cricketers, the Pakistan Cricket Board conducted age verification tests on as many as 2,976 players with the help of latest scientific techniques ahead of the City Cricket Association U19 50-over tournament, which begins on 21 May.
Top radiologists in the country were consulted and scientifically validated methods were used to radiologically estimate ages. In these tests – on which PKR 10million were spent – x-rays were conducted on multiple body joints to increase accuracy. These were then reviewed by leading radiologists. This was different from previous practice where only wrist x-ray were assessed.
It has been observed in the previous seasons that players have manipulated their ages to gain unfair advantage in the age-group competitions, which has not only hurt the spirit of the game but also put deserving teenage cricketers at a position of disadvantage, hampering their growth and development.
This initiative is part of PCB’s efforts to encourage teenage cricketers to declare correct biological ages when participating in the age-group tournaments, and follows an extensive activity it undertook in January to determine correct ages of the participants ahead of the U13 and U16 Cricket Association tournaments.
Director – High Performance, Nadeem Khan:
“The participation of overage players in age-group cricket is a menace and has proved to be detrimental in the growth and development of cricketers at young level.
“It was extremely important we took this profound step to inculcate transparency in the upcoming season. We have borne a significant cost for this extensive exercise as we remain committed to ensure credibility of our pathways cricket to produce Pakistan future stars.”
The PCB has also introduced lower age limit for the first time to discourage players from reducing their ages on the official documents. Players born on or after 1 September 2003 or before 1 September 2007 are eligible for the upcoming CCA Under-19 tournament, which will run from 21 May to 4 June.
NBP T-20 Blind Cricket Trophy starts from May 12 in Islamabad
Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD:-As many as 8 teams will take part in the 12th National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) T-20 Blind Cricket Trophy Grade-1 will start from May 12, 2022 at two different venues in the capital city Islamabad.
According to an official of Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), the premier national tournament of Blind Cricket the 12th edition of the NBP T-20 Blind Cricket Trophy Grade-1 will be taken place from May 12 to 16, 2022 at Islamabad. The matches will be played at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground and PAF Cricket Ground E-9.
Eight (8) top Teams across the country will be battling for this Grade-1 prime title during the 5-day national blind cricket fixture. Teams are divided into two following pools, as the top two teams will be qualify for semifinals and the final will be played on May 16 at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground G-7 Markaz Islamabad.
The inauguration ceremony of the said event will take place on Thursday (May 12, 2022) at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Sittara Market G-7 Islamabad. Abbottabad won the Grade-2 Trophy last year (2021) so got the place in this year’s Grade-1 event and Attock stood last in the Grade-1 Trophy last year (2021) so relegated to Grade-2.
Pool (A):
Islamabad, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Abbottabad
Pool (B):
Peshawar, Lahore, AJK, Okara
Schedule of NBP T-20 Trophy 2022:
12-05-22 Islamabad Vs Gujranwala at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground
12-05-22 Peshawar Vs AJK at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad
12-05-22 Abbottabad Vs Bahawalpur at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
12-05-22 Lahore Vs Okara at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad.
13-05-22 AJK Vs Okara at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
13-05-22 Abbottabad Vs Islamabad at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad.
13-05-22 Peshawar Vs Lahore at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
13-05-22 Gujranwala Vs Bahawalpur at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad.
14-05-22 Bahawalpur Vs Islamabad at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
14-05-22 Gujranwala Vs Abbottabad at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad.
14-05-22 Lahore Vs AJK at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
14-05-22 Peshawar Vs Okara at PAF Cricket Ground, E-9, Islamabad.
15-05-22 1st Semi-Final (1AVs 2B) at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
15-05-22 2nd Semi-Final (1B Vs 2A) at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad
16-05-22 Final at Bhutto Shaheed Cricket Ground, Islamabad.
Match officials for Pakistan-Sri Lanka women series announced
Sports Reporter
KARACHI:-The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed the match officials appointments for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka women T2oI and ODI series which will be played at the Southend Club, Karachi from Tuesday, 24 May.
The Sri Lankan team arrives in Karachi on 19th May, the two teams will engage in a three-match T20I series with matches scheduled for 24, 26 and 28 May. The three ODI matches which are a part of the ICC Women’s Championship will be played on 1, 3 and 5 June.
Umpires Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi, Imtiaz Iqbal and Imran Jawed will share the on-field and reserve umpire duties. Ali Naqvi will be the match referee for the T20Is while Mohammad Javed Malik will perform the refereeing duties for the ODIs.
Umpire and match referee appointments:
24 May – 1st T20I, Karachi. Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi (on-field), Imtiaz Iqbal (reserve umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)
26 May – 2nd T20I, Karachi. Faisal Afridi and Imran Jawed (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (reserve umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)
28 May – 3rd T20I, Karachi. Asif Yaqoob and Imtiaz Iqbal (on-field), Imran Jawed (reserve umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee)
1 June – 1st ODI, Karachi. Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi (on-field), Imran Jawed (reserve umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
3 June – 2nd ODI, Karachi. Faisal Afridi and Imran Jawed (on-field), Imtiaz Iqbal (reserve umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
5 June – 3rd ODI, Karachi. Asif Yaqoob and Imtiaz Iqbal (on-field), Faisal Afridi (reserve umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)
Adani Group acquires franchise in the new cricket league
Sports Bulletin Report
UAE, Dubai (UAE):-Adani Sportsline, a part of the diversified Adani Group, has made a landmark foray into franchise cricket by acquiring the rights to own and operate a franchise in UAE’s flagship T20 league.
Licensed by Emirates Cricket Board, the UAE T20 League is an annual event that will feature six franchise teams competing in a 34-match event. Top players from all the cricket playing countries are expected to be in the line-up of different teams. The league will be providing a platform and exposure to upcoming young cricketers. This will be the first major move overseas by the Adani Sportsline that will connect and engage with global fans from across the cricketing nations.
Khalid Al Zarooni, UAE’s T20 League Chairman said;
“It is a proud moment for us to announce the Adani Group’s association with the UAE’s T20 League as a Franchise team owner. This acquisition fits perfectly in the group of corporates who have already acquired franchise team rights in the League. The trust shown by the Adani Group augurs well for the League and we look forward to benefitting from their business acumen and working together to make our League successful.”
“We are excited to be part of the UAE T20 league,” said Pranav Adani. “The UAE is an amazing amalgamation of several cricket loving nations. It provides an excellent platform for enhancing the visibility of cricket as the sport goes increasingly global. Our presence here is also a great base for the Adani brand that is contributing significantly to the sports ecosystem in India through leagues such as boxing and kabaddi, and nurturing sporting talent at the grassroots level through the Garv Hai initiative.”
Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board said;
“We are extremely pleased to have one of Asia’s leading corporates as our franchise team owner. This is a resounding thumbs up to the unique opportunity that the UAE T20 league offers to experienced and established business owners. We are confident that this association will be mutually beneficial for both the Adani Group and the League. UAE’s T20 League will attract some of the biggest names in world cricket while also giving a platform and international exposure to local and upcoming players”.
Adani Sportsline is promoted by the Adani Group whose diverse businesses include port management, electric power generation and transmission, renewable energy, mining, airport operations, natural gas, food processing and infrastructure. The group has annual revenues of over US$20 billion with operations at 70 locations in 50 countries and a market cap of over $222 billion.
CRICKET - 10 May, 2022
Aamir Ali Janjua
Dubai (UEA):-Australia superstar Alyssa Healy and South Africa spin wizard Keshav Maharaj have been voted as the ICC Women’s and Men’s Players of the Month for April 2022.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that Australia’s star of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final Alyssa Healy, and South Africa’s spin wizard Keshav Maharaj have been voted the ICC Women’s and Men’s Players of the Month for April 2022.
Healy was selected the standout female player in April following her match-winning innings of 170 in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final in Christchurch, setting a record for the highest score ever made in any World Cup Final in the process. Tormenting England’s bowlers from the outset and scoring at a strike rate of 123.18, her blistering showcase at the crease steered Australia to a formidable total of 356 for 5, and with England falling short in reply, helped her side claim their seventh ODI crown.
In being selected the ICC Player of the Month for April, Healy becomes the second female to win the accolade on two separate occasions after securing her first award back in April 2021. Healy was selected ahead of fellow nominees Janet Mbabazi (Uganda) and Nat Sciver (England).
On being named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month, Healy responded “I am very humbled to win this month’s award ahead of two outstanding players. It was great to see Janet Mbabazi’s name in the mix after a stellar tri-series for Uganda. I’m looking forward to seeing her name in contention for more ICC Awards over the years to come. Thanks to all the fans for voting and supporting the women’s game. It’s been a great start to 2022 for our sport and I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year holds.”
JP Duminy, the former South Africa international and ICC Player of the Month voting panel member remarked, “Alyssa’s performance has certainly taken the world by storm and to do it in a Final says a lot about the character of this woman. She is a pioneer in the women's game and has set the bar extremely high.”
South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj is named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month after enjoying a prolific spell with the ball during their recent ICC World Test Championship series victory over Bangladesh on home soil. The spinner proved a constant threat to the tourists, taking 16 wickets at an average of 12.12, celebrating two seven-wicket hauls in the second innings of both Tests. His wickets were significant catalysts for his side’s 2-0 series triumph, winning comfortably on both occasions - by 220 runs in Durban, and 332 runs in Gqeberha.
In securing this month’s award, Maharaj overcomes fellow nominees in compatriot Simon Harmer - with whom Maharaj shared lengthy spells in tandem on their way to victory - and Jatinder Singh (Oman).
Acknowledging his award, Maharaj responded “I’m honoured and privileged to receive the ICC Player of the Month award for April and I want to thank my teammates for helping me win this award. I’m really happy with how the team has performed this past season and I hope we can build on this to reach greater heights as a unit.”
Speaking about Maharaj’s excellent performances in April, member of the voting panel and ICC Hall of Famer Lisa Sthalekar said, “Keshav was key to South Africa’s success in the series. The amount of wickets he claimed at crucial times was exceptional and his valuable runs were among the main reasons they defeated Bangladesh.”
Sri Lanka Cricket board wants change in venue for first practice game in Bangladesh
BIPIN DANI
Sri Lanka's touring cricket team which was supposed to play its first two-day practice match in Chattogram will now play in Dhaka.
The visiting team was scheduled to play the inaugural tour game on May 11 & 12 at MA Aziz Stadium, (the first Test match is to be played in Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) but the same has been shifted to the BKSP (Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan) ground in Dhaka.
The home team to play the practice match against Sri Lanka will be known as the BCB XI and will be led by Md. Mithun.
"The request to change the venue was received from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)", one of the sources in the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said exclusively over the telephone from Dhaka on Sunday. "No specific reason was given for this change", the source further added.
The Lankan squad comprising 18 players and 12 support staff including the tour selector Pramodya Wickramsinghe reached Bangladesh on Sunday morning will stay in Dhaka till the training and the practice game are over. Whereas, the home team was scheduled to reach the first Test venue on Sunday, i.e. a week before the Test, which is to begin on May 15.
"Maintaining the protocol, there was no thread ceremony held at the SLC office", the source in Colombo confirmed.
The opener Dimuth Karunaratne, who, on Saturday scored 36 runs in his last match (of the first half season) for Yorkshire is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh immediately after the Sunday match. He is believed to have had chats with the coaching staff.
PCB reveals women team training & media activities
Sports Reporter
KARACHI:-The national women’s team’s training camp for the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka formally begins on Monday (tomorrow). The camp will be staged at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre, National Stadium Karachi and will finish on 18 May.
During the camp, the 26 camp participants will engage in three 50-overs (11, 14 and 17 May) and two T20 practice matches (12 and 15 May).
On the remaining days of the camp, the participants will prepare for the series with extensive practice through nets and fielding sessions.
Friday, 13 May and Monday, 16 May will be rest days.
Media talk opportunities schedule is below.
Monday, 9 May:
Training session 9:30am to 12:45pm
Head coach David Hemp’s media talk – Hanif Mohammad HPC, 12:30pm
Thursday, 12 May:
T20 practice match 11:00am to 2:30pm
All-rounder Nida Dar’s media talk – Hanif Mohammad HPC, 12:30pm
Wednesday, 18 May:
Training session 9:30am to 12:45pm
Batter Sidra Amin media talk – Hanif Mohammad HPC, 12:30pm
Camp participants (players):
Aiman Anwar, Anam Amin, Anoosha Nasir, Ayesha Bilal, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Ghulam Fatima, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Najiha Alvi, Natalia Pervaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shams, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umme Hani, Waheeda Akhtar and Yusra Amir.
Support personnel:
David Hemp (Head coach), Saleem Jaffer (Bowling coach), Waqar Orakzai (Assistant coach), Saboor Ahmad (Strength and Conditioning coach), Rifat Asghar Gill (Physiotherapist), Dr Muhammad Khurram (Doctor), Zubair Ahmed (Analyst).
Series itinerary (training and matches at Karachi’s Southend Club)
19 May – Sri Lanka arrival in Karachi
21-23 May – Training
24 May – First T20I
26 May – Second T20I
28 May – Third T20I
1 Jun – First ODI
3 Jun – Second ODI
5 Jun – Third ODI
Chamari Athapaththu gets busy to steer Falcons with blistering knock
Bipin Dani
Earlier this week, Sri Lanka's national women's team captain Chamari Athapaththu, playing for Falcons team against Warriors made a brilliant knock of unbeaten 107 runs, which included 13 fours and five sixes.
The 32-year-old all rounder was playing the first D/N match in the FairBreak Invitational Tournament.
Interestingly, the 90 players from 35 countries participating in this tournament have no display of numbers on their shirts.
No numbers, flags only
"Yes, the players' shirts have names and country flags instead of numbers", R. Venkatesh, the Tournament Director, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Dubai, said.
"This showcases the names of countries participating and also shows the players as individuals. This shows the global footprint of the tournament", he added.
The players' kits are made of recyclable plastic or black hemp. "These two are sustainable materials. This is consistent with our policy of being conscious about wastage and degradation issues and ensuring that we promote sustainability", Venkatesh signed off.
Roshan Mahanama keeps his promise of meeting a boy in Mumbai
BIPIN DANI
Former Sri Lanka captain and ICC Elite Panel Match Referee Roshan Mahanama met a young cricket enthusiast Arsalaan Akhtar at his home in Mumbai recently and shared with him the experience as a cricketer and in life as well.
This was revealed by Arsalaan's father Talha Mohsin.
"My 11-year-old son, Arsalaan Akhtar, is a budding cricketer and his only dream is to play for India. The last two years were really tough for him as his cricket academy was shut due to Covid. He was extremely tense and worried as he was losing out on all the training", the father explains.
During his father's recent visit to Sri Lanka, he met the 1996 World Cup winning team member Mahanama.
"I told him about my Arsalaan and asked him if he could record a video message for him. He promised me that whenever he’s down in India next, he’ll meet him personally instead of just recording a 10-15 second video message. He told me that it would be far more motivational".
"I thought such a big man would naturally forget about it, especially when he’s busy helping people of Sri Lanka during a state of great disturbance, confusion, and uncertainty. But I was wrong. Now, something I never expected happened. I got a call from Roshan Sir to inform me that he’s in India for some important work but he will try to take out time to meet my son. We met and he spent a good 2 hours talking about cricket with my son. He shared his childhood stories. The lessons he got from his coach. The sacrifices he made to become an International Cricket player. He also spoke about how important proper cricketing shots are and it’s not just about playing the ball in the air".
Father adds, "It was like a master-class on cricket and also on how to be a better person. From the basics of cricket to leadership skills and from the importance of discipline to passion. He heard all his questions patiently and answered each one of them. Not only my son, even I learned a lot in those 2 hours".
In the end, when we were saying goodbye, my son told him how he still can’t believe that he got so many lessons from a World Champion like Roshan Mahanama. To this, Roshan Sir said, “This is one more leadership lesson, son. Always stay true to your word. I promised your father so I had to fulfill it.”
"My son is feeling extremely pumped up after meeting a great man and an even better human being. He’s practicing even more, all thanks to Roshan Sir!", the father concluded.
Playing in IPL will benefit my son to become a successful captain, says Sr. Pooran
BIPIN DANI
Nicholas Pooran who has been appointed new white ball captain for the West Indies team will benefit from playing in India now. This was opined by his father Lawrence Pooran.
The 26-year-Nicholas Pooran has been playing the IPL in India for the SunRisers Hyderabad team.
"Definitely, Playing in the world's biggest men's league will immensely help him to succeed", his father Lawrence, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Trinidad said on Wednesday morning.
"My son is playing the IPL with and against world's leading cricketers and the experience he has been getting there will help him in long run. Only the renowned cricketers from Caribbean islands and other foreign countries are selected to play in the IPL".
The father was not surprised with the decision of the West Indies selectors to promote him as a new captain.
"He was already the vice captain of the team and we are not surprised with his elevation", he added.
Kraigg Brathwaite will continue to lead the West Indies team in red ball format, confirms Ricky Skerrit.
"The Test captain was changed a year ago from Jason Holder to Kraig Brathwaite. Only change is white ball to replace Pollard who has retired representing the West Indies", Skerrit said.
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