Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report RAWALPINDI:-Pakistan and Australia will play the first of the three ICC World Test Championship Tests in Rawalpindi March 4 to 8, 2022. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has finalized for practice and media activities for the players of both teams till the end of first Test match on March 8 at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi. Sunday, 27 February 10.00am PKT/4.00pm AEDT: Pat Cummins arrival online presser 11:30am to 2:30pm – Pakistan practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (vision only) Monday, 28 February 9.30am PKT/3.30pm AEDT: Usman Khawaja online presser 11:30am to 2:30pm – Pakistan and Australia practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (vision only) Tuesday, 1 March 9.30am PKT/3.30pm AEDT: Steve Smith online presser 11.15amPKT/5.15pm AEDT: Pat Cummins and Pakistan captain Babar Azam will unveil the series trophy at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, a vision-only opportunity 11:30am to 2:30pm – Pakistan and Australia practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (vision only) Wednesday, 2 March 9.30am PKT/3.30pm AEDT: Nathan Lyon online presser 11:30am to 2:30pm – Pakistan and Australia practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (vision only) Thursday, 3 March 9.30am PKT/3.30pm AEDT: Pat Cummins pre-match online presser 10am PKT/4pm AEDT: Babar Azam pre-match online presser. 11:30am to 2:30pm – Pakistan and Australia practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium Friday, 4 March 8:30am PKT: PCB CEO Faisal Hasnain, ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, CA CEO Nick Hockley and ACA Todd Greenberg will address a media conference in the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium media conference room. Test match 4-8 March Post-play: Media opportunities with a player/coach from either side

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-After the HBL PSL 7, Pakistan Cup also provides a great opportunity to young and talented cricketers to showcase their skills to get a chance to represent Pakistan in white-ball series against Australia. Pakistan Cup is all set to commence from 2 March in four cities – Faisalabad, Islamabad, Lahore and Multan. The tournament will be held on a double-league basis from 2 March and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa led by Iftikhar Ahmed will look to defend the title when they take on Raza Ali Dar led Central Punjab at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad. Test leg-spinner Yasir Shah will lead Balochistan, while another leg-spinner and all-rounder Shadab Khan will lead Northern. Test fast bowler Mir Hamza will lead Sindh which will meet Salman Ali Agha’s Southern Punjab on the opening day at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The tournament carries nearly PKR10million in prize money. The tournament winners will bag PKR5million, while the runners-up will receive PKR2.5million. Balochistan: Yasir Shah (Captain), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Akif Javed, Ammad Butt, Asad Shafiq, Ayaz Tasawar, Azeem Ghumman, Bismillah Khan (WK), Haseebullah Khan (WK), Imran Butt, Jalat Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Saad, Mohammad Shahid and Taj Wali Central Punjab: Raza Ali Dar (Captain), Ahmed Shahzad, Awais Ali, Hussain Talat, Imran Dogar, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Jnr., Nisar Ahmed, Qasim Akram, Rizwan Hussain, Saad Nasim, Umar Akmal, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Zafar Gohar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Iftikhar Ahmed (Captain), Aamer Azmat, Adil Amin, Arshad Iqbal, Asif Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan Jnr., Imran Khan Snr, Irfanullah Shah, Khalid Usman, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Sarwar, Sahibzada Farhan, Sameen Gul, Waqar Ahmed and Wasim Jnr. Northern: Shadab Khan (Captain), Aamir Jamal, Ali Imran, Asif Ali, Ather Mehmood, Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Mohammad Huraira, Musa Khan, Nasir Nawaz, Rohail Nazir (WK), Salman Irshad, Umar Amin and Zaman Khan Sindh: Mir Hamza (Captain), Omair Bin Yousaf, Abrar Ahmed, Ahsan Ali, Ammad Alam, Asif Mehmood, Danish Aziz, Khurram Manzoor, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Hasan (WK), Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Umar, Saad Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sharjeel Khan and Sohail Khan Southern Punjab: Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Aamir Yamin, Abbas Afridi, Ali Majid, Azam Khan (WK), Faisal Akram, Hassan Khan, Imran Randhawa, Khushdil Shah, Rahat Ali, Sharoon Siraj, Sohaib Maqsood, Tayyab Tahir, Zain Abbas, Zeeshan Ashraf (WK) and Zia-ul-Haq.

Knight was speaking on the second day of the captains’ opening media conferences, with the skippers of New Zealand, India and Bangladesh also interacting with the media on Saturday. The 2017 winners will take on Australia in their opening match on March 5 in Hamilton and Knight believes it is Australia who head in as the team to beat. “I think five years is quite a long time in international cricket and obviously Australia have been the outstanding team throughout that period and naturally, deservedly they go in as favourites,” she said. “I don't think it [being defending champions] hangs heavy at all on our shoulders. I think the tournament we had in 2017 will give a lot of the players confidence that they can deal with the ebbs and flows of the tournament and know how to be successful in World Cups. “We'll be trying to take experience from that and we're not too worried about having the tag of obviously being reigning champions.” England will still be hoping to keep a hold of the trophy come the final in Christchurch on 3 April and have been working to be at their best for this tournament. Knight added: “Naturally the team evolves in World Cup cycles. I think the last couple of years with Lisa [Keightley, head coach] coming in, the changes we've made as a bowling unit. We've really tried to be a little bit more aggressive, a little bit more attacking, look to take wickets particularly up front and through that middle phase. “You're just trying to get your players together that are going to be successful during those five years preparing for a World Cup...In the last couple of years before a World Cup, you are trying to really build to peak at that time.” New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine is under a different sort of pressure as she leads her team at a home World Cup, including the opening match against the West Indies on 4 March. Devine and her WHITE FERNS teammates are inspired by the New Zealand teams of the past as they go in search of silverware. She said: “We know if we play a really exciting brand of cricket that we can get the whole country behind. That's going to leave a legacy. “I think it's something that the BLACKCAPS did particularly well in 2015. They really did have the whole country behind them and we're hoping we can do something similar in igniting the passion that so many Kiwis have for their sport and hopefully they can get behind us as well.” The last time New Zealand hosted a Women’s World Cup they came away champions, and Devine has fond memories of the 2000 triumph. “That was probably one of the first times I'd watched women's cricket on TV and it's not a bad one to watch,” Devine said. “There's a number of us players that were inspired by those players who played in that tournament and it's pretty incredible to think now here we are, some 20 odd years later, hosting our own World Cup tournament with the opportunity to hopefully replicate what they did back in 2000.” As India captain Mithali Raj prepares for a record sixth appearance at an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, she is looking to the future. Mithali Raj said: “The talent that we've got in the last year, we've tried some young talent in the squad, and most of them have shown that they have the ability to play at this level like Richa [Ghosh], Shafali [Verma], we have Meghna Singh in the seamers, Pooja Vastrakar. “They all have been given good game time and those series have really helped them and me as a captain to find out where they fit in into the composition of the team. “As far as me personally, I am happy with the way that I've been scoring runs, and I would love to continue the form into the World Cup.” With her vast experience at World Cups, the India captain has also been passing on her wisdom to those set to make their debut. “The young talent in the side today, I tell them that you don't have the experience of the past World Cups, so it's a clean slate for you, all you have to do is enjoy the big stage.,” she explained. “I did have a word with Yastika [Bhatia] the other day, I took her out for a coffee and we've spoken quite a bit, she’s a chatty kid and asked me a lot of questions. “The only advice I would tell the young players is enjoy the big stage because if you pile up the pressure you may not be playing the best that the team and you would want to do in the World Cup.” The whole of the Bangladesh side will make their debuts at a one-day World Cup as 2022 marks the country’s first appearance. For captain Nigar Sultana and her team, it is a chance to put their practice to good use. She said: “I think this is a big opportunity for all of us. We've been working so hard for this and this is our first ever World Cup. I think if we could do well here, it will be a great moment in Bangladesh cricket. We came a bit early just because we wanted to assess the wickets and the conditions because we have never played here in New Zealand conditions. “So, we have had a lot of quality practice sessions here, we are trying to assess the wicket and in the conditions, I think our girls have done very well.” Sultana has also been able to call on the knowledge of the Bangladesh men’s side, which played in New Zealand earlier this year. She revealed: “We do have some good relations with some of the players so they shared a lot of experience about the condition and how we're going to the play here. I think it is going to help us in the practice matches and the main matches as well.”

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Fazal Mahmood, Pakistan cricket’s first superstar, was formally inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame posthumously when PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain presented a commemoration cap to his daughter Shaista Mahmood and a plaque to his son Shahzad Mahmood in a ceremony that took place ahead of HBL Pakistan Super League 7 Eliminator 2 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. Fazal was the first Pakistan cricketer to be named in Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in 1955 following his heroics on the 1954 tour of England when he took 20 wickets in a four-Test series, including figures of six for 53 and six for 46 that helped Pakistan win The Oval Test by 24 runs. A couple of years earlier and on Pakistan’s first tour to India as a Test nation in 1952, Fazal had picked up five for 52 and seven for 42 that earned his side an innings and 43 runs victory in Lucknow. In the 1956 Test against Australia in Karachi, Fazal had figures of six for 34 and seven for 80 as Pakistan beat Ian Johnson’s Australia by nine wickets. Fazal’s varied swing and a mixture of leg-cutters were too much to handle for the West Indies as the maestro picked up 20 wickets in the 1957-58 series in the Caribbean and then followed up with 21 wickets in three Tests in the 1958-59 series at home. Fazal, who took 139 wickets in 34 Tests, was bestowed with the President’s Pride of Performance Award – the highest national literary award of Pakistan – in 1958. In 2012, he was posthumously awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz – the second highest civilian award – in recognition of his services to Pakistan cricket, seven years after his passing on 30 May 2005. PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain: “It is an honour for me to formally induct Fazal Mahmood into the PCB Hall of Fame on behalf of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Fazal’s contributions to Pakistan cricket are unmatched. He sacrificed his Test selection for India and when he represented Pakistan after partition, he put Pakistan firmly on the world cricket map by producing successive match-winning performances against the top sides of that time. “It was Fazal’s persona, personality and stardom that inspired and attracted the subsequent generation of cricketers who not only went on to become the legends of the game, but also earned Pakistan priceless victories and success. It all started with Fazal. “Fazal will always be remembered as an iconic cricketer who spearheaded Pakistan’s journey from a young Test playing nation into a world-beating side.” Fazal’s son Shahzad Mahmood: “Fazal Mahmood was the first real hero and star of Pakistan cricket. He always took pride in representing Pakistan in international cricket and fondly shared his memories from his playing days. Post retirement, he continued his association with Pakistan cricket and made meaningful contributions. “On behalf of my family, I thank the Pakistan Cricket Board for honouring him and inducting him into the PCB Hall of Fame.”

Sports Bulletin Report CHRISTCHURCH:-Teams at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 will be able to field a side with only nine players if their squad is affected by COVID-19, the International Cricket Council announced. The ICC has made arrangements to support teams and ensure the tournament can continue as normally as possible. Other announcements include an unlimited number of super overs to decide tied matches and strict protocols for teams. ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said at a media interaction in Christchurch: “From a COVID perspective, we need to be a little bit flexible, as far as the way in which we manage the game to take into account these unique circumstances. “So firstly, we have allowed squads to increase in size. Whilst the official playing 15 is still set at 15 as would always have been the case, we've allowed squads to bring additional traveling reserves so that they can replace on a temporary basis, if needs be because of COVID, players in and out of the squad during the event. “There's opportunity for players to contract COVID-19 but then to be able to come back. It's important that we do everything we can to try and maximise opportunities for the best players in the world to show their skills at a World Cup. “If it becomes necessary, we would allow a team to field nine players as an exception for this environment and if they had female substitutes from within their management team, we would enable two substitutes to play, non-batting, non-bowling, but to enable a game to take place.” The tournament begins on 4 March in Tauranga and will culminate with the final in Christchurch on 3 April with each team playing the other seven once to decide the top four who will advance to the semi-finals.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed ticket prices for the three-Test series match of which will be played in Rawalpindi (4-8 March), Karachi (12-16 March) and Lahore (21-25 March) respectively. For the Rawalpindi Test, only two enclosure categories are available. The PKR500 VIP enclosures comprise Imran Khan, Javed Akhtar, Javed Miandad and Azhar Mahmood, whereas Premium enclosures include Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Miran Bakhsh and Yasir Arafat, and the price per ticket has been fixed at PKR100. Four enclosure categories in Karachi and Lahore: General – PKR 100 each First Class – PKR 200 each Premium – PKR 350 each VIP – PKR 500 each Tickets are now available online at pcb.bookme.pk as well as from the nearest M&P Courier outlets from Friday 1100 PKT. All ticket-holders will also have to display their Covid immunisation certificates and CNIC at the time of entering the venues. In first phase, the PCB has released 50 per cent of tickets with further tickets to be made available online and nearest M&P Courier outlets after further guidance is received from the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). Enclosure categories: National Stadium, Karachi: Fazal Mahmood, Hanif Mohammad, Javed Miandad,  (VIP enclosure), Imran Khan, Quaid, Wasim Akram (Premium enclosure), Asif Iqbal, Intikhab Alam, Iqbal Qasim, Mohammad Brothers, Nasim-ul-Ghani (First-Class enclosures), and Majid Khan, Waqar Hasan, Wasim Bari, Zaheer Abbas (General enclosure) Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Fazal Mahmood, Imran Khan (VIP enclosure), Rajas and Saeed Anwar (Premium enclosure), Abdul Qadir, AH Kardar, Javed Miandad and Sarfraz Nawaz (First-Class enclosure) and Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Majid Khan, Nazars, Quaid, Saeed Ahmad, Zaheer Abbas (General enclosure).

Bipin Dani Sri Lanka's 24-year-old opening batsman Avishka Fernando may be out of competitive cricket for about 9 months, according to Dr. David Young, who performed the surgery on his right knee on Tuesday.  The surgery was performed at The Avenue Hospital in Melbourne. Dr. Young is very familiar among cricketers and has treated Lasith Malinga, Shoaib Akhtar and many other international players. "Avishka tore the anterior cruciate in his right knee in a training mishap on the 17 Feb at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He had an anterior cruciate reconstruction on the 22 Feb 2022", Dr. Young, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Melbourne said on Wednesday evening. "He is expected to return to cricket training in 6 months and when performing well return to competitive play probably in 9 months". "The surgery lasted over two hours", he added.  "The cricketer has been discharged from the hospital and will stay in Australia for a few more days. Dr. Young will see him again after a period of two weeks", another source in the hospital further added.

Darcie Brown – Australia Between March and September of 2021, Darcie Brown made her T20I, ODI and Test debut for Australia and also earned a whole host of fans, particularly in the 50-over format. In just four one-day matches, Brown has taken nine wickets at an incredible average of 15.11 with two four-wicket hauls. Her best figures came against India last autumn where she took four for 33 in a player-of-the-match performance. Fargana Hoque – Bangladesh Almost 11 years and 37 matches since making her ODI debut for Bangladesh, Fargana Hoque will make her first appearance at an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Prior to the pandemic shutting cricket down, Hoque made four scores over 20 in five innings, ending 2019 with a 67 against Pakistan. As Bangladesh re-emerged on the world stage against Zimbabwe last year, Hoque continued in the same form, contributing 53 not out in the second match of the series. The right-hander arrives in New Zealand having made 841 runs for Bangladesh and will be looking forward to notching her first at a World Cup. Kate Cross – England Kate Cross’s first appearance at a World Cup has been a long time coming, not making the squad for the 2017 edition inspired her to make certain she would be there in 2021. An injury in the warm-up at the T20 World Cup in 2020 put that in doubt before Covid intervened and since then Cross has thrived. The right-arm seamer took her first five-fer in ODIs against India last summer in a player-of-the-match performance. Since then, she has had only one wicketless ODI, but even in that she had an economy of 4.00, and in the first ODI of the women’s Ashes she was England’s best performing bowler with three for 33. Richa Ghosh – India Richa Ghosh had amassed 76 runs before she was dismissed in ODI cricket in her second game, and she did so against Australia as they reached the end of a 26-match unbeaten streak. In the next game where the streak was finally broken, Ghosh scored a duck but had already provided a vital contribution taking the catch to dismiss the dangerous Tahlia McGrath and bring about the collapse of Australia’s tail. Against New Zealand just prior to the World Cup, the wicket-keeper continued her fine run-scoring form including a 65 that was followed by a knock of 52 off 29 balls, the fastest fifty an Indian woman batter. Fran Jonas - New Zealand Fran Jonas won’t even be 18 by the time the World Cup ends but she has already got all the experience she needs to play at a home World Cup. Jonas has three ODI appearances to her name, and her first international wicket, and she is just following on from her impressive form in New Zealand’s domestic competition. In 2020, the left-arm finger spinner took three wickets in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield final as Auckland Hearts claimed the one-day title. The next season saw Jonas take 13 wickets as Auckland made the showpiece again and she has picked up six scalps in four matches before the White Ferns and a World Cup debut came calling. Ghulam Fatima - Pakistan  Ghulam Fatima made her debut during the qualifiers for the 2017 World Cup appearing three times but was not picked for the actual tournament and hasn’t played an ODI since. But she is back in the fold as Pakistan search for a first World Cup and despite not making it into the final squad for the 2017 edition, Fatima still impressed in green. The right-arm spinner took six wickets in three matches including best returns of three for 28 against Bangladesh. It would be fitting for Fatima to make her World Cup debut against South Africa, the same team Pakistan faced when her international career began. Tazmin Brits – South Africa South Africa would be forgiven for having Tazmin Brits in their squad as a specialist fielder, the 31-year-old was a Youth World Champion in javelin back in 2007. An injury in 2012 hampered her hopes of the Olympics but ten years later she will be reaching the pinnacle of another sport. And she is more than just an excellent thrower, Brits has made 177 runs in her seven ODI appearances for the Proteas including a high score of 48. Karishma Ramharack – West Indies Picked as a reserve for the qualifying tournament, Karishma Ramharack will make her World Cup debut as a full member of the West Indies squad. An economical right-arm off-spinner, Ramharack has made ten appearances in Maroon in one-day internationals. Across those games, she has taken eight wickets, with best figures of two for 18 against South Africa earlier this year, with the rain stopping her from getting any more. Ramharack backed that up with another two-wicket haul in the next game and will be hoping to continue the trend when the tournament begins on 4 March with the Windies taking on hosts New Zealand in Tauranga.

Sports Bulletin Report RAWALPINDI:-ICC Elite panelist Aleem Dar and PCB International panelist Ahsan Raza will be the on-field umpires in all three Tests of the Pakistan versus Australia series, while ICC Chief Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle will lead the Playing Control Team, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced. Madugalle, the former Sri Lanka captain, is the only match referee to break the 200-match mark as he has to date refereed in 201 Tests. Aleem Dar, the three-time ICC Umpire of the Year, leads the umpires’ pack with 136 matches. Asif Yaqoob, PCB Umpire of 2020 and 2021, will be the third umpire in the first and third Tests, while Rashid Riaz will be in the TV umpire’s box for the second Test. Ahsan Raza, Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz will share on-field umpires’ responsibilities, while Muhammad Javed Malik will be the match referee for the three ODIs, which will be played on 29 March, 31 March and 2 April in Rawalpindi. Aleem and Ahsan will reunite for the one-off 5 April T20I and Muhammad Javed Malik will be the match referee. Umpire and match referee appointments: 4-8 Mar – 1st Test, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee) 12-16 Mar – 2nd Test, Karachi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee) 21-25 Mar – 3rd Test, Lahore. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Ranjan Madugalle (match referee) 29 Mar – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi. Alem Dar and Asif Yaqoob (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Faisal Afridi (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee) 31 Mar – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi. Alem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee) 2 April – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi. Alem Dar and Rashid Riaz (on-field), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee) 5 Apr – one-off T20I, Rawalpindi. Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed Malik (match referee)

Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD:-Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) has finalized the national squad for home series against South Africa. Nasir Ali will lead the Pakistan team in the most important series of the year 2022. Mohammad Jameel will accompany the squad as a coach while Mohammad Niaz will perform the duty of manager during the series. Twenty 20 Series (Schedule): 1st T-20 on 5th March at Bagh e Jinnah Lahore 2nd T-20 on 7th March at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad 2nd T20 on 8th March at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Names of players: 1. Zafar Iqbal B1 2. Riasat Khan B1 3. Mohammad Shahzaib B1 4. Fakhar Abbas B1 5. Sajid Nawaz B1 6. Nisar Ali (Captain) B2 7. Badar Munir B2 8. Matiullah B2 9. Anees Javed B2 10. Moain Aslam B2 11. Mohammad Rashid B3 12. Faisal Mehmood B3 13. Sanaullah Marwat B3 14. Akmal Hayyat B3 15. Israr ul Hassan B3 Reserve 16. Mohammad Salman B1 17. Shahzaib Haider B2 18. Mohsin Khan B3 Team Officials 19. Mohammad Niaz Manager 20. Mohammad Jameel Coach 21. Tahir Mehmood Butt Trainer