Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 8, 2022):-Group C of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup pits a two-time champion against one of the rising forces in the game, with a couple of potential dark horses looking to spring a surprise. Pakistan are the only team to have defended the title, doing so back in 2006 after a first crown two years earlier, and will be looking to make it to the final for the sixth time in the West Indies. Their biggest rivals in the group could be Afghanistan, whose best result came four years ago when they reached the semi-finals. Joining the sub-continental duo are Zimbabwe, who have made it out of the first round on three occasions, and Papua New Guinea, back in the competition after failing to qualify in 2020. Afghanistan (7th appearance) Afghanistan’s rise in the senior game has been mirrored at Under 19 level, with the side having reached the quarter-finals in three of the last four editions of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC. Since first qualifying in 2010, Afghanistan have made it to every tournament since, with the highlight coming in 2018 when a team featuring the likes of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman helped them reach the semi-finals before losing to Australia. This time around, it will be up to spinner Noor Ahmad to provide the experience, as the only survivor from the 2020 squad. The 17-year-old has been involved in both the Big Bash and the PSL and should provide plenty of support to skipper Suliman Safi. Pakistan (14th appearance) Only India have reached the ICC U19 Men’s CWC final more often than Pakistan, who have done so on five occasions in total. The glory years came back in 2004 and 2006, with back-to-back titles in squads featuring the likes of future skipper Sarfraz Ahmed, as well as Wahab Riaz and Imad Wasim. More recently, Shaheen Shah Afridi first caught the eye in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC, so the conveyor belt of talent has shown no signs of slowing down. In the West Indies, all-rounder Qasim Akram will captain the side that is coached by Pakistan legend Ijaz Ahmed. Qasim will be joined by top-order batter Mohammad Shehzad who is also back for his second appearances in the tournament. Papua New Guinea (9th appearance) After Papua New Guinea’s senior men’s team competed at the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the Under 19 team will make their ninth appearance in the ICC U19 Men’s CWC in the West Indies. PNG are yet to make it out of the first round of the tournament but of their three previous victories, two have come against Group C opponents. In 2010, PNG got the better of Afghanistan while two years later they got the better of Zimbabwe. All-rounder Barnabas Maha will lead the side in the West Indies, having also captained the side during qualification for the 2020 ICC U19 Men’s CWC. Zimbabwe (13th appearance) Zimbabwe have been remarkably consistent in recent editions, finishing either 10th or 11th in each of the last four ICC U19 Men’s CWCs. The best of those campaigns came in 2016 when a team featuring then 15-year-old Wesley Madhevere lost by just two runs to eventual champions West Indies to miss out on qualification for the quarter-finals before going on to beat South Africa by eight wickets in the play-offs. A record of three wins and three losses in each of those tournaments shows that Zimbabwe should not be taken lightly by any opponent, and they will be keen to spring a surprise of the sub-continental pair who are favourites to get out of the group. Emmanuel Bawa, who scored a century against Canada at the 2020 edition, captains the side this year and is the only remaining member of that squad. He will be supported by vice-captain Brian Bennett in a side that is coached by former Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya.

ISLAMABAD (SB Report):-An in-match penalty for slow over rates in men’s and women’s Twenty20 Internationals comes into effect this month, with the updated playing conditions also providing for an optional drinks interval midway through the innings in bilateral T20 international cricket. The over rate regulations are captured in clause 13.8 of the playing conditions (here), which stipulate that a fielding side must be in position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the end of the innings. If they are not in such a position, one fewer fielder will be permitted outside of the 30-yard circle for the remaining overs of the innings. The change was recommended by the ICC Cricket Committee, which regularly discusses ways to improve the pace of play in all formats, after considering reports on the effectiveness of a similar regulation that was included in the playing conditions for the Hundred competition conducted by the ECB. The in-match penalties are in addition to the sanctions for slow over rate outlined in Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. In another change, an optional drinks break of two minutes and thirty seconds may be taken at the mid-point of each innings subject to agreement between Members at the start of each series. The first men’s match to be played under the new playing conditions will be the one-off tie between the West Indies and Ireland at the Sabina Park in Jamaica on 16 January while the first T20I of the three-match series between South Africa and the West Indies in Centurion on 18 January will be the first women’s match played under the new playing conditions.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Johannesburg (South Africa):-Hosts South Africa defeated India by 7 wickets to level the three-match series 1-1 at Wanderers Cricket Stadium, Johannesburg South Africa on Thursday. An unbeaten innings by Dean Elgar helped hosts to get the target of 240 runs on the last day of Test match. First Test was won by the India. It was first-ever defeat to India in Johannesburg. The victory also meant South Africa kept the three-match series alive, going into the final Test in Cape Town. South Africa 229 (Petersen 62, Bavuma 51, Thakur 7-61) and 243 for 3 (Elgar 96*, van der Dussen 40, Ashwin 1-26) beat India 202 (Rahul 50, Ashwin 46, Jansen 4-31, Rabada 3-64, Olivier 3-64) and 266 (Rahane 58, Ngidi 3-43, Jansen 3-67) by seven wickets  

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 6, 2022):-No country has won more ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cups than India and their quest for a fifth title will begin in Group B. Beaten finalists two years ago, India are looking to go one better this time around and replicate the achievements of the class of 2018, who swept all before them in New Zealand led by current internationals Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill. Coming up against them in the group stage are 2014 champions South Africa, competition regulars Ireland and a Uganda side making their first appearance at this tournament for 16 years. Group B begins in Guyana before moving to Trinidad & Tobago, where one match will take place at Queen’s Park Oval and three at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. India (14th appearance) India have only once failed to make it past the group stage at an ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup – at the opening edition in 1988 – and enter among the favourites to go all the way. Lifting the 2021 Asia Cup served as perfect preparation, with spinners Vicky Ostwal and Kaushal Tambe shining as India defeated Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the final on New Year’s Eve. The spin twins therefore head to the Caribbean full of confidence, as do the Asia Cup’s leading run scorers Harnoor Singh and Shaik Rasheed, and India’s strength with bat and ball will again make them formidable opponents. Yash Dhull captains the side and will hope to join an illustrious list of names – including Mohammad Kaif, Virat Kohli and Shaw – to have led India to victory in this competition. Ireland (9th appearance) Ireland qualified for their ninth ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in style, skittling Scotland for 66 in a one-sided final of the Europe qualifier last September. Matthew Humphreys was the star in La Manga, taking 5-25, and the slow left-arm spinner from Lisburn will be eager to take that form into the big occasion. Ireland warmed up by taking on Zimbabwe in Barbados over the New Year and though they went down 3-1 in the series, a 117-run win in the final match showed what the side captained by Tim Tector are capable of on their day. Tenth place in 2010 is Ireland’s best performance in their eight outings to date but they won three of their six matches last time they qualified in 2018, including a memorable four-run victory over Afghanistan. South Africa (13th appearance) South Africa’s chances of success on home soil were ended at the quarter-final stage by eventual winners Bangladesh two years ago but a talented squad will hope to challenge for honours in the Caribbean. All-rounder Dewald Brevis impressed for the Proteas youngsters in the CSA Provincial T20 Knockout competition in October – his batting style drawing comparisons with AB de Villiers – while his leg-spin caused West Indies plenty of problems in a recent warm-up series against the home nation. Left-arm spinner Asakhe Tsaka and captain George van Heerden will also hope to make names for themselves in the coming weeks as South Africa look for a second ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup trophy. Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada were the stars of a memorable triumph eight years ago and the current crop will be confident of following in their footsteps. Uganda (3rd appearance) Having narrowly missed out on appearing in 2016 and 2018, Uganda came out on the right side of a nail-biting qualification group to book a place at their third ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Uganda needed a big net run rate swing in their favour going into the final matches in the Africa qualifier and they duly achieved it, dismissing Tanzania for 51 and losing just two wickets in reply to advance at Namibia’s expense. In Cyrus Kakuru and Joseph Baguma, Uganda possessed the leading run scorer and joint leading wicket taker of the Africa qualifier while captain Pascal Murungi claimed 4-9 in the decisive win over Tanzania. The Baby Cricket Cranes have won one match on each of their previous outings at this competition, in 2004 and 2006, and will be eager to show what they can do on their return to the global stage.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE (January 6, 2022):-Mohammad Rizwan has won the PCB’s Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year award following a stellar 2021 in which he scored 455 Test, 134 ODI and 1,326 T20I runs, besides accounting for 56 batsmen behind the wickets across all formats. For the Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year award, Rizwan beat the challenge of Babar Azam, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who also had an impressive and outstanding year, which is reflected through Pakistan’s overall performance in 2021. Mohammad Rizwan: “I feel humbled and honoured to have been adjudged Pakistan’s Most Valuable Cricketer of 2021. This is the PCB’s most prestigious award and to be recognised for my contributions in the team’s superlative performances across all formats in 2021 in such a way gives me tremendous satisfaction and happiness. “I thought I had an exceptional year in the shortest format of the game when I was able to hit a century early in the year against South Africa and then carry that confidence and momentum for the rest of the year. I give a lot of credit to our bowlers who bowled their hearts out and didn’t let the pressure get onto the batters by maintaining sustained pressure on the opponents throughout the year.” Hasan Ali won the Test Cricketer of the Year for his 41 wickets in nine Tests, including a 10-for and five, five-fors as well as two player of the match and one player of the series awards. Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam bagged the ODI Cricketer of the Year award for accumulating 405 runs in six ODIs with two centuries and a half-century. Hasan Ali: “Test cricket is the pinnacle format of the game and to be adjudged as the Test Cricketer of the Year is a proud moment for me. Last year was sort of a comeback year for me after I had missed international cricket in 2020 due to an injury. I was not only able to make a successful return to international cricket but also played my part in the team’s overall success in 2021. “Taking 10 wickets against South Africa in Rawalpindi in my second Test in nearly two years and helping Pakistan win the series 2-0 was one of my highlights of the year and a very happy moment that set the stage for the remaining part of the year.” Shaheen Shah Afridi’s three for 31 against India on 24 October in Dubai in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 won him the Impactful Performance of the Year award. This performance changed the outlook of the side as it not only defeated India by 10 wickets but remained unbeaten in the league matches until they lost a heart-breaking match to Australia in the semi-final. Subsequent to the T20 World Cup, Pakistan remained unbeaten in Bangladesh as well as in the home T20I series against the West Indies. Shaheen Shah Afridi: “I am extremely happy that my performance against our traditional rivals in a global event has been chosen as the Impactful Performance of the Year. For the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the team wanted an aggressive, fearless and convincing start to set the tone for the rest of the event and I am delighted that I was able to provide exactly that.” Mohammad Wasim Junior bagged the Emerging Cricketer of the Year for his 45 wickets in 2021, including 15 wickets in his first year of international cricket, while Nida Dar was named as the Women’s Cricketer of the Year after aggregating 604 runs and taking 25 wickets. Sahibzada Farhan won the Domestic Cricketer of the Year following his 487 runs in the Pakistan Cup, 447 runs in the National T20 and 935 runs in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. For the second successive year, PCB’s elite match officials voted Asif Yaqoob as the Umpire of the Year. Pakistan cricket team’s visit to the Namibia dressing room following their 45 runs victory to congratulate and appreciate them on their qualification for their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and reaching the Super-12 stage won them the Spirit of Cricket award. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja: “On behalf of the PCB, I want to congratulate each award winner. They deserve all the applause and accolades for their tremendous consistency across all formats in difficult times that inspired their sides to outstanding performances throughout 2021, which have been widely acknowledged by the Pakistan cricket fans.” PCB Awards 2021 winners: Impactful performance of the year - Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-31 v Ind, T20 World Cup) Emerging Cricketer of the Year  - Mohammad Wasim Jnr (15 international wickets, seven Pakistan Cup wickets, 12 HBL PSL 2021 wickets, five National T20 wickets and six Quaid-e-Azam Trophy wickets) ODI Cricketer of the Year - Babar Azam (6 ODIs, 405 runs) Women’s Cricketer of the Year - Nida Dar (10 ODIs, 363 runs and 6 wickets; 6 T20Is, 95 runs and 5   wickets; 146 runs and 14 wickets in Pakistan Women’s Cup) Test Cricketer of the Year - Hasan Ali (9 Tests, 41 wickets, 5 five-fors, 1 10-for, best match figures 10-114) T20I Cricketer of the Year - M Rizwan (29 T20Is, 1,326 runs) Spirit of Cricket – Pakistan cricket team’s visit to the Namibia cricket team’s dressing room following their 45 runs victory to congratulate the Namibia side for qualifying for their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and then progressing to the Super-12 Stage Umpire of the Year – Asif Yaqoob (selected by the PCB’s elite match officials) Domestic Cricketer of the Year - Sahibzada Farhan (1,869 runs in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy) Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (9 Tests, 455 runs; 6 ODIs, 134 runs; 29 T20Is, 1,326 runs; total dismissal 56)

Bipin Dani Not only Sri Lanka's top order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa has announced his retirement but all rounder Angelo Perera too has tendered his retirement letter to the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board.   Unlike in Rajapaksahe case, whose retirement is accepted by the SLC, the SLC is yet to release a statement on Perera's letter. "Yes, my son has submitted the letter on Tuesday and it is confirmed that he has decided to retire from international cricket", his father, Nalin Perera, speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo, said on Wednesday afternoon. "We have absolutely no regrets. Zero regrets for the decision", the father added. Rajapaksa, in his letter of resignation has cited family obligations as the reason for his retirement. However, Angelo Perera is leaving Sri Lanka for different reasons. "The economy in this country is not so good and he will be leaving for some other country", one of the close sources explained. "His wife is also expecting the first child in the month of April and he wants to leave Sri Lanka before that", the source further added. "It is true. He is planning to settle overseas", the dad confirmed. "He may continue to play in the country he travels to. Yes, he is aware that he would require a cooling off period before being eligible to play for the national team in that country but will play local cricket till then".

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD: South African Blind Cricket Team will visit Pakistan this year 2022 to play a series including three One Day Internationals and three Twenty 20 internationals, which will be taken place from February 26 to March 9, 2022. According to an official of Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), ODIs series will be played in Karachi while the T20s will take place in Lahore or Faisalabad, as the final decision will be made regarding the T20 venue in few days. A 20-member South African team including officials would be visiting Pakistan. Pakistan team will be announced for the series in the first week of February. We have shortlisted a pool of 25 to 30 players out of which the final line-up will be selected.

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UEA):-Rahul, whose best in the format is eighth position that he attained in November 2017, struck 123 in the first innings and was associated in an important 117-run opening partnership with Mayank Agrawal (60) as India became the first Asian team to win a Test match at the venue while gaining important points in the WTC points table powered by MRF Tyres. Agarwal has gained one place for his contribution while Ajinkya Rahane is up two places to 25th in the latest update that is carried out on Wednesdays and includes all matches that are completed by Tuesday each week. Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami are other Indians to move up the rankings. Bumrah is up three spots to ninth after finishing with five wickets in the match while Shami’s eight wickets, including a five-for in the first innings, see him move up two places to 17th. For South Africa, captain and opener Dean Elgar has progressed two spots to 14th after a fighting 77 in the second innings while Temba Bavuma is up 16 places to 39th for his scores of 52 and 35 not out. Kagiso Rabada, who grabbed seven scalps, has advanced one place to sixth position while his fellow fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has gained 16 slots and is 30th on the list after finishing with eight wickets in the match. Debutant left-arm fast bowler Marco Jensen entered the rankings in 97th position.

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD (January 6, 2022):-The West Indies plays host to the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time in 2022 and Group A will provide a first look at the defending champions. Bangladesh sprung a surprise two years ago in South Africa as a team featuring the likes of Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shoriful Islam – both part of the side that claimed an historic Test victory for the senior team in New Zealand this month – won the title. They face ever-presents England, looking to secure a second title after the one they won back in 1998, as well as Canada and the United Arab Emirates. All the games will take place in St Kitts and Nevis, which previously hosted games at the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. Bangladesh (13th appearance) Over the last eight editions of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC, Bangladesh have come through the first round on six occasions, culminating in the memorable overall victory two years ago in South Africa. On that occasion, they beat India in the final, the team who have caused them the most problems at Under-19 level. Prior to 2020, their previous best performance came in 2016 when a team captained by Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished third overall on home soil. Captaining the side this time around is Rakibul Hasan, part of the winning team in South Africa and the left-arm spinner will be key to the team building on a strong recent record. Canada (8th appearance) Canada head to the West Indies to take part in a fifth successive ICC U19 Men’s CWC, and an eighth overall. The North Americans will be hoping to improve on a best previous result of 11th place, which came in 2010. They have never made it past the first round and into the quarter-finals, and will be up against it here with the defending champions Bangladesh and England in the group. Skipper Mihir Patel was part of the team in South Africa, including scoring 90 against fellow Group A outfit UAE in a first-round defeat that was later avenged in the play-offs. England (14th appearance) It has now been 24 years since England’s sole ICC U19 Men’s CWC victory, but the team did reach the semi-finals on the way to third place back in 2014. Last time out, England failed to get through the first round, edged out in a group also featuring Australia and the West Indies before going on to finish ninth with three wins in the play-offs. This year, Hampshire batter and skipper Tom Prest will be hopeful of a stronger showing for a completely new-look side coached by Richard Dawson. The team also features Barbados-born spinner Jacob Bethell, who will hope to impress on his return to the Caribbean, as well as fellow spinner Archie Lenham, who featured regularly for Sussex across all three formats in 2021 at the age of just 17. United Arab Emirates (3rd appearance) The United Arab Emirates have qualified for the ICC U19 Men’s CWC for the second edition running, and third overall having hosted the event in 2014. Last time around, the UAE got the better of Canada in the first round, but then fell to the same opponent in the 13th-place play-off, so they will be a familiar rival. Full international Alishan Sharafu, a batting all-rounder, will captain the side, having been part of the squad two years ago. He has since gone on to represent the UAE at T20I and ODI level and will bring plenty of experience to the side as one of two returning players, along with 17-year-old wicket-keeper and opener Kai Smith, who was just 15 when he played in this event in South Africa. Group A fixtures 15 January - Canada v UAE, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis 16 January - Bangladesh v England, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis 18 January - England v Canada, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis 20 January - England v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis; 20 January - Bangladesh v Canada, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis 22 January - Bangladesh v UAE, Warner Park Cricket Stadium, St Kitts and Nevis

Bipin Dani Things seem to have turned around for Virat Kohli very fast. As if off-the-field issues with the BCCI weren’t enough, he now has to deal with an upper back spasm too. The back problem not only ruled him out of the second Test against South Africa but also will have him waiting for a few more weeks to play his 100th Test. This is not the first time Kohli is having a back problem. “I’ve had disc issues since 2011,” he’d once said. In fact, Kohli’s back pain has troubled him more in the last three years, due to which he’s even had to miss a few matches. Ramji Srinivasan, a trainer who’s worked with the Indian team for several years, thinks Kohli needs to train smart rather than train hard. He then elaborates on what he calls ‘smart training’. “Smart training is basically an understanding of the mind and body, and to sync your workout with your biorhythm and work on how you feel on a particular day. It depends on the physical and mental sync on a particular session and how you manipulate the program according to the need of the day,” states Ramji. “So, rather than doing the same routine repeatedly, which is hard training, you focus on how you train, what you train on, why you train, when you train, etc.” The long and short of back pains The short-term solution for lower back pain in sportspersons is rest. However, according to leading strength and conditioning specialist Deckline Leitão, strengthening and observation/management of overall cricket and fitness load is the long-term solution. Deckline has worked with several Olympic athletes including Badminton World Championship bronze-medallist Lakshya Sen, who also used to suffer from lower back pain. “As cricketers and sportspersons grow older, they have to focus on being physically sound by focusing on recovery, avoiding overtraining and fancy fitness exercises, and knowing that peaking at the right time for competition is the key,” says Deckline. In fact, lower back pain is one of the prime reasons for players’ reduced performance and them missing matches. “Appropriate diagnosis by a good orthopaedic spine surgeon, basic initial rehabilitation with a physiotherapist, long-term balanced strengthening with specialists and managing overall cricket practice/competition load is the way forward,” adds Deckline. “Erratic and unplanned training for older athletes and players can stifle their playing as they don’t recover as quickly. Older players must remember that their bodies have already undergone great wear and tear over the years.” Clearly, exercise can make or break your body. Balance is the key.