Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Pakistan cricket selectors today announced 16 players and five reserves for the three Tests against Australia, which will be played in Rawalpindi (4-8 March), Karachi (12-16 March) and Lahore (21-25 March). From the series against Bangladesh, three changes have been made in the national squad. Haris Rauf, who was in the side for the South Africa and Zimbabwe Tests in 2021, has returned to replace off-spinner Bilal Asif, while Shan Masood, who last played in New Zealand in the 2020-21 season, has taken over from Abid Ali, who is completing his rehabilitation after being diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome. Yasir Shah has been added to the reserve pool. Test players who are not involved in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2022 will assemble in Karachi on Wednesday, 16 February, for a training camp that will be held at the National Stadium. Names of players: Babar Azam (Captain-Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Balochistan), Zahid Mahmood (Sindh) Names of Reserves: Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Yasir Shah (Balochistan). Chief selector Mohammad Wasim said: “We have opted for consistency for the important home series against Australia and changes have only been made where absolutely necessary. This is to give the boys confidence, reward them for their impressive performances in the longer version of the game in 2021 and continue to build the side for the future. “These are the best available, most talented and in-form players in the domestic circuit. I am confident they will put up an impressive performance against a formidable Australia side.” Players' Support Personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Shaun Tait (bowling coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saaiman (trainer/strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media and digital manager), Col (retd) Usman Anwari (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-Australia’s Ellyse Perry is back at the top of the list of all-rounders in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine show in the second ODI of their three-match series against England. The 31-year-old scored a steady 64-ball 40 and took three for 12 in seven overs to win the Player of the Match award in Melbourne. The performance helped her move 47 rating points ahead of England’s Nat Sciver to the number one position. Perry had conceded the top spot to Sciver after holding the top spot for 1,535 days from 12 July 2017 to 24 September 2021 and has not been out of the top two in terms of all-rounders in ODI cricket since November 2014. In the latest weekly update that considers the first two matches of the Australia-England series as well as the third and fourth South Africa versus West Indies matches and comes less than a month ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand, Australia batter Beth Mooney and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone too have made significant gains. Mooney’s innings of 73 in the first ODI has helped her up into the top three for the first time in her six-year career. She started the series in eighth place and is now in the top three in both ODI and T20I cricket as she is placed second in T20Is, just two points behind India opener Shafali Verma. Ecclestone is another player featuring in the top three in both lists. Despite England losing the first two ODIs, the left-arm spinner bowled economically and is now up to third with a career-best 717 rating points. She currently tops the T20I rankings with 761 points, 39 clear of team-mate Sarah Glenn.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI-UAE:-The nominees for ICC Players of the Month for men’s and women’s international cricket have been announced here. Featuring in the men’s category are Under-19 future star Dewald Brevis from South Africa, Ebadot Hossain from Bangladesh, and Keegan Petersen from South Africa. The women’s category, features captain of the Sri Lankan T20I squad, Chamari Athapaththu, West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin, and captain of the England squad Heather Knight. Dewald Brevis - South Africa Nicknamed Baby AB, South Africa’s Dewald Brewis left a mark in the recently concluded ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup. In the course of the tournament, Brewis made a magnificent 65 against India, followed by a century against Uganda, a 96 against Ireland, a 97 against England and a sublime 138 against Bangladesh to round his tournament. With a total of 506 runs in the tournament, he finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament at an average of 84.33 and now holds the record for the most runs in a single edition of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup. He was also adjudged as the Player of the Tournament.   Ebadot Hossain – Bangladesh Eleven Tests, 18 wickets and a career-best of 6 for 46, made Ebadot Hossain the newest sensation of Bangladesh cricket. The 27-year old’s maiden five-wicket haul helped Bangladesh inflict a huge historic eight wicket win over the ICC World Test champions New Zealand in the first Test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui last month. Ebadot Hossain came into the Test match with 11 wickets in 10 games after making his international debut against the Kiwis in 2019. In the first innings, Hossain picked just one wicket for 75 runs but when the Kiwis batted for a second time, Ebadot Hossain delivered his career best performance, as the right-arm pacer dismissed Will Young, Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell within a space of 11 balls to put Bangladesh on top at stumps on Day 4. Keegan Petersen – South Africa Keegan Petersen steered South Africa to a stunning Test series win over India last month. Petersen scored a superb 82 as South Africa completed a seven-wicket victory in the third Test and a 2-1 series win over India on a spiteful Newlands pitch having chased down their challenging target of 212. Petersen, who was the leading scorer in the series with 276 runs, was the anchor for the home side on a difficult wicket for batting and was also adjudged the Player of the Series. Chamari Athapaththu – Sri Lanka In the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifiers held in Malaysia last month, captain Chamari Athapaththu struck 57 off just 29 balls to lead Sri Lanka to a nine-wicket win on day three of the tournament earning her also the title of the Player of the Match. Athapaththu was also the leading run-scorer in the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier in Malaysia as Sri Lanka won all four of their matches. Deandra Dottin – West Indies Deandra Dottin smashed her career best ODI score of 150 from just 158 balls – a superb innings with 18 fours and four sixes. In doing so, she set West Indies women up in the opening ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg. Her 186-run third wicket stand with Hayley Mathews took the team past 200. Mathews fell after her half-century, but Dottin carried on pushing West Indies to 234 for 3 in the 46th over before rain intervened. The second ODI between West Indies Women and South Africa ended in a pulsating tie and a Super Over was played to decide the winner. Opener Deandra Dottin scored a quickfire 37 off 31 balls at the top of the order, whilst Chedean Nation helped herself to 35. And a super over was played to break the tie and decide the winner. Off the first delivery of the Super Over, Dottin scored a couple. The second delivery was bowled on off stump, and Dottin played the scoop as the ball went past short fine leg for four. The right-hander smashed the third delivery over the bowler’s head and the ball sped away to the boundary. Then came a massive six over Long On. The bowler, Shabnam Ismail bowled a slower delivery, but Dottin had spotted it early and sent the ball soaring into the stands earning her instant praise from the global cricket community. Heather Knight – England Last month Knight played a single Test against Australia as part of the Women’s Ashes Tour. An unbeaten hundred from Heather Knight, her second test century had helped England stay afloat on day two of the only Women's Ashes Test at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Having lost openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Tammy Beaumont early, England were 23/2 when Heather Knight and Nat Sciver looked to put on some resistance and bring some stability to the innings. In between several dismissals, Knight continued to score runs, finding boundaries including a slog sweep for six. At tea, England were still at risk, needing 67 more runs to avoid a follow-on. While Charlotte Dean resisted for a bit, putting on a 30-run stand with Knight, Australia struck twice in six overs before Knight and Ecclestone joined hands and revived the innings a bit with a half-century stand. By the time Anya Shrubsole was dismissed, Knight had gone into the nineties. With Ecclestone appearing more at ease than the rest of the batters, Knight grew in confidence and attained her second Test century.

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON:-England Men's selection panel, consisting of Sir Andrew Strauss (interim managing director of England Men's Cricket), interim head coach Paul Collingwood and head scout James Taylor, have named a 16-strong squad for the three-match Test tour of the Caribbean starting next month. Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes returns to the squad for the first time in under a year when he played the fourth Test in Ahmedabad last March against India. Eight players – James Anderson, Dom Bess, Sam Billings, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed and Dawid Malan - who featured in the recent Ashes series, have missed out on selection. Andrew Strauss said: "With the start of a new cycle, it has allowed the selection panel to refresh the Test squad with a particular focus on competing away from home. "We felt that it was time to draw a line after the Ashes defeat, look forward and give some impetus with an influx of new players. "In respect of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, I want to emphasise this does not mean the end for them as England players. We feel that it is important to look at some exciting new bowling potential and give some added responsibility to other players who have featured previously. No one doubts the quality and experience that James and Stuart bring to the England set-up. It will be up to the new managing director and permanent head coach to decide on whether they will be involved this summer and beyond. "This selection of this squad is the start of a process and a journey to get England Test cricket back to where it needs to be, and the hard work starts now." The three-match Test series forms part of the ICC World Test Championship. Joe Root's team will be looking to climb the rankings after a disappointing start to the second edition of the Championship. At the end of the two-year cycle, the top two teams will compete in the ICC World Test Championship Final due to be staged in 2023. Names of selected players: Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain, Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Alex Lees (Durham), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham). Durham opener Alex Lees and Yorkshire seamer Matthew Fisher are called-up for the first time.  Schedule: March 1-4 – Four-day warm-up match at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua March 8-12 – 1st Test, West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua March 16-20 – 2nd Test, West Indies v England at Kensington Oval, Barbados March 24-28 – 3rd Test, West Indies v England at National Cricket Stadium, Grenada

Sports Bulletin Report Canberra, Australia:-Excitement is building for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, with General Ticket allocations for two match-days sold out on the first day of going on sale to the public (Monday, February 7). General Ticket allocations have all been sold for India v Pakistan at the MCG on 23 October and the double-header that features South Africa v Bangladesh and India v Group A runner-up at the SCG on 27 October. This comes after 200,000 tickets were sold during the pre-sale period across the 45 matches being played in Australia from 16 October – 13 November later this year. Such was the demand to see one of world cricket’s biggest rivalries, the allocations for the India v Pakistan match were sold within five minutes of going on sale. Over 800,000 fans are expected to attend the global showcase for men’s T20 cricket when it comes to Australia for the first time, and there is still plenty of opportunity for fans to secure seats to all other fixtures in the general public sale. The top five selling matches are:  1. India v Pakistan, Sunday 23 October (MCG)  2. The Final, Sunday 13 November at the (MCG)  3. South Africa v Bangladesh & India v Group A runner-up, Thursday 27 October (SCG)  4. Australia v New Zealand, Saturday 22 October (SCG)  5. Australia v England & Afghanistan v Group B runner-up, Friday 28 October (MCG)

Jamil Siraj Canberra, Australia:-The National Selection Panel (NSP) of Cricket Australia named an 18-player Test squad for the tour of Pakistan, which will start at the end of this month February 2022. Pat Cummins led Australian team will visit Pakistan for the first time since 1998 for three Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and one T20 International. The Test playing contingent and staff are due to depart for Pakistan later this month while white ball players, to be announced separately, will join mid-tour for the One-Day Internationals and T20 International. Names of players: Pat Cummins (C),Ashton Agar,Scott Boland,Alex Carey,Cameron Green,Marcus Harris,Josh Hazlewood,Travis Head,Josh Inglis,Usman Khawaja,Marnus Labuschagne,Nathan Lyon,Mitchell Marsh,Michael Neser,Steve Smith,Mitchell Starc,Mitchell Swepson and David Warner.

Bipin Dani Sri Lanka's World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga can't forget his first meeting with India’s Nightingale, Lata Mangeshkar, who at the age of 92, passed away in Mumbai on Sunday. Recalling the incident, the ex-captain said, "It was our great pleasure to have played the Charity match to raise funds for her Pune's cancer hospital in 2003. The BCCI's late president Raj Singh Dungarpaur, who had been my friend and an admirer of Lanka cricket had invited us to play the match in Mumbai and we participated". Arjuna Ranatunga had reached the ground in a helicopter from a nearby destination.   "It was the best of things we could do for an ever-enterprising lady. When I informed her that my mother (Nandani) is her great fan and has watched many Indian films in which Lata ji has sung songs, she immediately gave me a set of CDs signed by her and my mother, who is 84 now, still has been listening to her voice". "I am very sad to hear about her passing away. She was not only an icon for India, but internationally famed. Her music touched the hearts of millions of people around the world, and her legacy will live on for many more years through her music", Ranatunga added.

H Shah MANCHESTER:-England Men's Assistant Coach Paul Collingwood has been appointed Interim Head Coach for next month's three-match Test tour of the Caribbean. Collingwood, who took charge of England's T20 tour of the West Indies last month, is currently taking a break in Barbados before joining the touring party when they arrive in Antigua on 25 February, said: "I am genuinely excited to be leading the Test team for the tour of the Caribbean. I can't wait to get started. "Having a challenging Test series against the West Indies straight off the back of the Ashes disappointment gives us a chance from now to reset and rebuild. "Playing Test matches for England is the highest accolade in the game. My objective is to give players clarity, direction and encouragement for them to start building something special. "I have spoken to Joe Root and Ben Stokes, and both are excited and passionate to take the team forward in this new cycle. Although they know it won't be easy, they have the desire and bravery to do things differently to ensure the team can prosper. "We have an opportunity to get back on track." The touring party will be announced on Tuesday afternoon and departs the UK on Thursday 24 February. March 1-4 – Four-day warm-up match at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua March 8-12 – 1st Test, West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua March 16-20 – 2nd Test, West Indies v England at Kensington Oval, Barbados March 24-28 – 3rd Test: West Indies v England at National Cricket Stadium, Grenada

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-Tickets to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 go on sale to the general public, giving fans the opportunity to secure their seats to see the world’s best players from 16 international teams fight for the ultimate prize across Australia from October 16 – November 13. Tickets will go on sale at t20worldcup.com from 1200 Midday (AEDT) on Monday 7 February for all 45 T20 World Cup matches, including the Final, which will be played at the MCG on 13 November 2022. Children’s tickets are available for every First Round and Super 12 match from $5, with adult tickets available at selected matches at each venue from $20. To mark the occasion of tickets going on sale, a new campaign ‘This is the Big Time’ was launched featuring some of the giants of international T20 cricket to showcase the unmissable nature of the most vibrant and action-packed global event Australia will host in 2022.  The larger-than-life concept features stars of the game peering into skyscrapers, emerging from iconic waterways and making the city streets tremble with their imposing size. Australia’s big-hitting Glenn Maxwell, New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and India’s rising star wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, feature in the three-part TVC campaign, with Williamson’s released today (February 7) and the Maxwell and Pant versions to be aired later this month. It’s the first time that Australia will host T20 cricket’s global showpiece for men, with matches to be played in Adelaide, Brisbane, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. The fixture for the event was recently announced with the First Round to get underway in Geelong and Hobart featuring former champions West Indies and Sri Lanka, before hosts and defending champions Australia take on New Zealand in the opening match of the Super 12 at the SCG on Saturday 22 October in a re-match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Final. Australian Men’s Captain Aaron Finch said: “The ICC T20 Men’s World Cup is going to be a great spectacle and a huge honour for us to defend the trophy in front of our home fans. “There are so many great sides with the very best players in the world coming to Australia. It’s an amazing opportunity for Australian fans to see the world’s best. “We've felt the power of home crowd support at the 2015 One-Day Cricket World Cup and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup last year. “It will be great to have the whole country behind us and make it another World Cup to remember.” ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 Local Organising Committee CEO Michelle Enright said: “We’ve worked really hard to make families and communities a priority in ensuring the T20 World Cup is accessibly priced, so a family of two adults and two kids will be able to see World Cup cricket in all our host cities from just $50. “There’s nothing bigger in cricket than a World Cup and the T20 format is such a fun, energetic, vibrant celebration of cricket and culture – it really is the big time and that’s exactly what the campaign we are launching today is all about. “To see stars of the game towering over our host cities and making their presence felt through sheer size and entertainment speaks to the impact we want to make with fans. I really hope it puts smiles on faces and gets Australia excited to witness the best players go head-to-head in our own backyard.”

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-The Upstox Most Valuable Team of the Tournament has been named with victorious captain Yash Dhull chosen to skipper a line-up of future stars. Overall, eight nations are represented in the 12-strong line up as champions India lead the way with three players included. Pace is provided by the likes of Josh Boyden, Awais Ali and Ripon Mondol with all-rounders Tom Prest and Dunith Wellalage the spin options alongside Vicky Ostwal. South Africa’s Dewald Brevis was announced as the Player of the Tournament for the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in West Indies for his record-breaking run haul. The side was pulled together by a selection panel including commentators Samuel Badree, Natalie Germanos, ICC Match Referee Graeme Labrooy and journalist Sandipan Banerjee. The team of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 (in batting order) is: Haseebullah Khan (WK, Pakistan) Teague Wyllie (Australia) Dewald Brevis (South Africa) Yash Dhull (Captain, India) Tom Prest (England) Dunith Wellalage (Sri Lanka) Raj Bawa (India) Vicky Ostwal (India) Ripon Mondol (Bangladesh) Awais Ali (Pakistan) Josh Boyden (England) Noor Ahmad (Afghanistan)