Sports Bulletin

Bipin Dani The family members of the players and the support staff participating in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) will continue to be with them in Hambantota also. The second leg of the second edition of the LPL will begin in Hambantota from December 20. "Our policy for the family members will be the same at the second venue also", one of the sources in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board said on Tuesday morning. Few family members of almost all LPL franchise teams have joined the same bio-bubble. Even few foreign players have also brought their life-partners, it is learnt. The decision to allow them was taken by the medical panel. "Bubble life is very tough. We must not forget that the mental pressure on players is immense. Some had not seen their family members for months and hence this decision was taken". Prof. Arjuna de Silva, the chairman of the medical panel of the SLC, who is also the Medical Director for the LPL 2021, said over the phone.   "They (family members) travel separately to the ground and have been watching the matches from the special enclosure", he added. 

Colombo (SB Report):-Thisara Perera's Jaffna Kings continued their king-sized domination of the Lanka Premier League 2021 by demolishing Dambulla Giants by 7 wickets to pick up their fifth successive triumph on Monday at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka. With the win, the Jaffna Kings confirmed a spot in the playoffs.  After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Kings bundled out Dambulla Giants for 69 with Chaturanga de Silva coming to the party, picking up 4 wickets for 16 runs.   Perera's decision to bowl on a spinning track proved to be the correct one as off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana gave early blows to Dambulla Giants, dismissing Niroshan Dickwella and Sohaib Maqsood in the first over itself. In his next over, Theekshana dismissed Nuwanidu Fernando for 2 runs, forcing the Giants on the back-foot. Afterward, De Silva’s magical spell began, as he cleaned up the Giants' middle-order in quick succession. Philip Salt, who was the only one who showed a bit of resistance, was dismissed by star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for 23 runs as the Giants were bowled out in just 14.1 overs, setting up a meager total for the Kings to chase. In the chase, Jaffna Kings lost Upul Tharanga early on, but the side made a surprise call, promoting Wanindu Hasaranga to bat at No.3. The pinch-hitter rose to be the darling of the spectators as he bludgeoned an 18-ball 37 to set the tempo in that victory charge.  Upfront, Avishka Fernando infused the razor edge as he belted the bowling, scoring 22 runs in 17 balls with six and 2 fours in his innings, making a short work of the target. The game came to a close as hard-hitting opening batsman Fernando slammed the second delivery of the ninth over by Ramesh Mendis over mid-wicket for a six, finishing off the chase in style.

Special Report KARACHI (December 13, 2021):-Pakistan crushed West Indies by 63 runs in the first T20 International of three-match series at National Cricket Stadium Karachi on Monday night. While chasing 201 runs, West Indies all out on 137 runs in 19 overs. Earlier, Pakistan scored 200 for 6 runs in allotted 20 overs, as the major contributors were Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali and Mohammad Nawaz, who scored 78, 68 and 30 runs respectively. Summarized Scorecard: Toss: West Indies won and decided to field Pakistan Batting: (200 for 6 in 20 overs) Mohammad Rizwan 78 (52 balls, 4X10), Haider Ali 68 (39 balls, 4X6, 6X4) Mohammad Nawaz 30 (10 balls 4X3) West Indies Bowling: Romario Shapherd (2 for 43), Akeal Hosein (1 for 19), Oshena Thomas (1 for 38) West Indies batting: Shai Hopes 31 (26 balls 4X4), Odean Smith 24 (16 balls 4X2, 6X2) Rovman Powell 23 (15 balls 4X1, 6X2), Romario Shapherd 21 (10 balls 4X2, 6X1) Pakistan Bowling: Mohammad Wasim (4 for 40), Shadab Khan (3 for 17), Mohammad Nawaz (1 for 24) Results: Man of the Match: Pakistan (Playing XIs): Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi West Indies (Playing XIs): Nicholas Pooran (c), Shai Hope (Wicketkeeper), Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks, Devon Thomas, Rovman Powell, Odean Smith, Dominic Drakes, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Oshane Thomas Schedule: 13 Dec – The first T20I (Pakistan beat West Indies by 63 runs) 14 Dec – The second T20I will begin at 1800 16 Dec - The third and final T20I will begin at 1800 18 Dec – The first ODI will start at 1300 20 Dec – The second ODI will start at 1300 22 Dec – The third ODI will start at 1300.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI (December 13, 2021):-Australia opener David Warner and West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews have been adjudged the ICC Players of the Month for November after their superb performances during the voting period. Warner’s crucial efforts in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 helped him pip Pakistan opener Abid Ali and New Zealand seam bowler Tim Southee to grab the men’s award while Matthews’s all-round show in ODIs won her the women’s award ahead of left-arm spinners Anam Amin of Pakistan and Nahida Akter of Bangladesh. Warner won the award on his maiden nomination following his Player of the Tournament show at the T20 World Cup, in which he smashed 53 in the final against New Zealand after 49 in the semifinal against Pakistan. He was also named Player of the Match in an earlier Super 12s match against the West Indies for a blistering 89 not out off 56 balls. Warner aggregated 209 runs at an average of 69.66 and a strike rate of 151.44 in four T20Is during the period. Jury member Russel Arnold said about Warner: “David was back to his scintillating best during the T20 World Cup and his aggression at the top of the order was outstanding. His 209 runs at a strike rate of 151 in four innings simply tells the story. There was no recovering from the early onslaught by Warner and his stroke play was pleasing to the eye.” Matthews won the award on her second nomination. She was earlier nominated in July along with captain Stafanie Taylor, who was the winner then. Matthews scored 141 runs and grabbed nine wickets at an average of 13.11 during the period. She starred in a series win over Pakistan, scoring 57 runs and taking three for 31 in the first match before a four for 26 runs in the second. Jury member Irfan Pathan said about Matthews: “Hayley was the star, performing with both bat and ball. Her all-round performance was one of the reasons the West Indies won against Pakistan, and she deserves to be the women’s Player of the Month.”

SB Report COLOMBO (December 13, 2021):-Angelo Mathews returned from an injury to lead Colombo Stars to a much-needed 41-run win over Galle Gladiators with a 57-ball 73 in Lanka Premier League 2021 match on Sunday at the R. Premadasa Stadium Colombo, Sri Lanka. After electing to bat first, Colombo Stars captain Mathews opened the innings and helped his team in posting a solid total of 162/7 in the rain-curtailed 18-over match. He hit 8 boundaries and 3 sixes in his innings. Colombo Stars innings was also bolstered by Dinesh Chandimal who made 36 off 14, smashing 4 fours and 2 sixes in his innings. In reply, Galle Gladiators were bowled out for 121 in 16.5 overs with Stars pacer Naveen ul-Haq claiming 3 for 27, suffering their second successive defeat in two days. Kusal Mendis scored 64 runs in 39 balls, with 7 fours and a six in the chase. But he found no support from the remainder of the Galle Gladiators' batting order. Seekuge Prasanna, who took 2 for 23, and Ravi Rampaul, who picked 2 for 34, also contributed with the ball for Colombo Stars as they picked up only their second win of the season.    

Special Report Colombo, Sri Lanka (December 13, 2021):-Jaffna Kings fast bowler Wahab Riaz, who has already picked five wickets in three games at the ongoing Lanka Premier League 2021 season, went on to name his picks for top fast bowlers and batsmen in the world at the moment, and he included India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and opening batsman Rohit Sharma in the list. In a recent interaction, Riaz was asked to name some of the best fast bowlers in the world at the moment, and he went on to praise Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mitchell Starc. "They have a lot of capability. They read the game and execute their plans really well. If they require yorkers, or if they require slow ones, they would read the wicket and bowl accordingly," Riaz said. The Pakistan speedster was also asked to name the batsmen he finds difficult to bowl to and he picked AB de Villiers' and also explained the reasons behind the same. "There are a lot of such players like Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam who are hard to bowl to. But one player I have always been afraid to bowl to is AB de Villiers. He always knows what is coming next from me. He reads the game well, and always plays well against me," Riaz added. The Pakistan speedster further went on to describe his Jaffna Kings teammate Wanindu Hasaranga as the best leg-spinner in the world right now and credited him for the team's success this season so far. "If I am honest, Wanindu Hasaranga is one of the best leg-spinners right now in the world. Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana have been really good this season for our team. They really set the tones in the powerplay overs by taking wickets and restricting the opposition," Riaz said. Kings have won 4 out of 5 games so far in the season and are currently lying at the top of the table. The defending champions Kings had lost their first game against Galle Gladiators but have bounced back superbly since then. "We learned from the mistakes we made in our first match. Now we are trying to cover all those basics. Everybody is ticking every box and that's why we are winning as a team," Riaz said. Riaz further went on to praise the Kings management for packing up a stacked squad this season with plenty of options on the bench. "Hats off to Jaffna coach and captain who have selected this team knowing the conditions and what combinations this team needs. The good thing is that everybody is responding well to all of them," Riaz said. Speaking on the team's game plan to defend the title, Riaz said that they are making plans game by game and not thinking far ahead. "You have to play good cricket throughout the tournament. You cannot say you are the favourites in the tournament as that can put you on the back foot. I can see the hunger in boys to win. We are thinking about one game at a time. We are not thinking about championship or too far ahead," he said. The veteran pacer further went on to praise the Lanka Premier League tournament for giving a chance to youngsters to learn from some of the best cricketers in the world. "It's great exposure for youngsters as they will learn to play against some of the best players in the world. They will share the dressing room with senior players like Thisara Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, and gain experience. That is the exposure you require to make an impact at the international stage," he signed off.

Special Report KARACHI (December 13, 2021):-The first T20 International of three-match series between Pakistan and West Indies will start at 6:00 pm today at National Cricket Stadium Karachi. Babar Azam will lead Green Shirts and Nicholas Pooran will be the captain of West Indies team. Toss will be taken place at 5:00 pm at same venue. Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Usman Qadir West Indies Squad: Nicholas Pooran (c), Darren Bravo, Dominic Drakes, Shai Hope (Wicketkeeper), Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh, Roston Chase Schedule: 13 Dec – The first T20I will begin at 1800 14 Dec – The second T20I will begin at 1800 16 Dec - The third and final T20I will begin at 1800 18 Dec – The first ODI will start at 1300 20 Dec – The second ODI will start at 1300 22 Dec – The third ODI will start at 1300.

Lahore (Press Release):-The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced that, following a robust recruitment process, it has appointed Faisal Hasnain as its new Chief Executive. He will formally assume charge in January 2022. Faisal is a UK qualified Chartered Accountant and has had a professional career of over 35 years in high-profile finance and sports administration roles with some of the world’s leading blue chip organisations. This includes his role in Monaco and Dubai as the Chief Financial Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and as the Managing Director of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). As the ICC’s Chief Financial Officer, Faisal managed an overall financial portfolio of around $3billion and was also involved in the sale of the ICC’s commercial rights for the 2007-2015 and the 2016-2023 commercial cycles. With Zimbabwe Cricket, he was instrumental in the refinancing of their commercial debts, arriving at the financial arrangements between ZC and the ICC, securing ZC’s funding and status within the ICC and securing hosting rights for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 – Zimbabwe’s first global event in 15 years.  PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja: “I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Faisal Hasnain as the PCB’s Chief Executive and welcome him to Pakistan cricket family. “Faisal is a familiar figure in world cricket and is highly regarded, respected and trusted for his excellence in corporate governance, financial management and commercial acumen. With the plans I have for the PCB, Faisal will be a perfect fit as he can utilise his vast experience and knowledge to help us achieve our commercial and financial objectives of making Pakistan cricket bigger and stronger.” Faisal Hasnain: “I feel honoured and privileged to have been awarded with this once in a lifetime opportunity to serve Pakistan cricket and thank the PCB Chairman and the Board of Governors for having the confidence in my capabilities. “I am fully committed to playing my part in delivering the PCB Chairman’s vision for Pakistan cricket, fulfilling the expectations and dreams of millions of passionate Pakistan cricket fans and strengthening  the relationships with our existing commercial partners, the ICC and other Cricket Boards and developing new partnerships as we move forward. “These are highly exciting times in Pakistan cricket and I look forward to working very closely with my colleagues at the PCB so that we can collectively further enhance the image, reputation and profile of this great institution.” About Faisal Hasnain      •             Born on 10 May 1959 in Karachi •             Chartered Accountant (England & Wales) •             Chief Financial Officer, International Cricket Council, 2002-2008 & 2010-2017 •             Managing Director, Zimbabwe Cricket - 2017-2018 •             Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Golf - 2010-2010 •             Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Golf – 2009-2010 •             Chief Operating officer, Dubai Event Management Company – 2008-2008 •             Financial Controller, Citigroup/Saudi American Bank, London – 1992-2002 •             Manager, Ernst & Young, Riyadh – 1989-1992 •             Assistant Vice-President, Corporate Finance, Chase Manhattan, Karachi – 1986-1989 •             Senior Auditor, Westbury & Company, London – 1979-1985

Lahore (Sports Report):-Pakistan Cricket Board and Arif Habib Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the installation of drop-in pitches. This partnership is aligned to PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja’s vision of improving the quality of pitches, which, in turn, will help budding cricketers to improve their techniques and produce improved performances on overseas tours. The partnership was signed between the Arif Habib Group and the PCB during the HBL Pakistan Super League 7 draft. The Arif Habib Group, as part of their commitment to contribute to Pakistan Cricket by improving cricket facilities and infrastructure, will sponsor two drop-in pitches and has also offered the PCB access to its cricket stadium, which is located in the Naya Nazimabad area in Karachi. As per the agreement, Arif Habib Group will install drop-in pitches at Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium and one more at a location to be identified and confirmed by the PCB in due course. The process for the procurement of drop-in pitches is expected to be completed in 2022. Once the upgradation is complete, the PCB will host and organise domestic matches at the Naya Nazimabad Stadium including U19 and women’s matches while practice sessions and exhibition matches for the HBL Pakistan Super League franchises can also be staged at the stadium from the 2023 edition onwards. Chairman PCB Ramiz Raja: “The installation of drop-in pitches is surely going to benefit our players both at the domestic and international levels. Over the years, we have struggled to cope with the extra bounce and pace that some of the pitches in Australia and New Zealand provide. “Despite abundance of talent and ability, we are yet to win an away Test series in Australia while our record in New Zealand has also taken a beating in recent trips. I want to thank Mr Arif Habib for coming forward and helping us in this regard. “The Arif Habib Group has a keen interest in cricket which is apparent from the quality cricket facility that they are developing in Karachi. I am sure both PCB and Arif Habib Group will mutually benefit from this agreement in the years to come, as this deal has enormous potential that will come to fruition in due course.” Chairman Arif Habib Group, Arif Habib: “We are delighted to partner with the PCB for the exciting drop-in pitches plan which will help our present and future stars especially while preparing for the challenges of playing and performing abroad. “The Arif Habib Group is fully aligned with the PCB’s vision. Soon after taking charge Chairman Ramiz Raja met in Karachi and we were impressed with his vision for Pakistan cricket which made us commit to this initiative as we believe this is a new beginning for cricket and the cricket economy in the country. “We have already taken significant steps for the game of cricket as we know it is the passion point for the entire country; the Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium is a testament of our commitment to the cause. After this collaboration with the PCB, we will step-up our efforts to ensure that the stadium meets the requirements of top-cricket in terms of the pitches, outfield, infrastructure and spectator comfort so that the stadium can host exciting cricket games.”

Karachi (Sports Report):-Bowlers dominated day-one of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 round-nine matches which started across three Karachi venues today. The ninth-round is crucial for the top four teams Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern and Central Punjab who are fighting for the two December 25-29 final spots while fifth placed Southern Punjab still have an outside chance of snatching a final spot if they win their ninth and tenth round matches. On Monday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were rolled over for 116 after they were asked to bat first by Balochistan at the UBL Sports Complex. Balochistan bowlers Taj Wali and Kashif Bhatti ran through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa batting on a pitch that offered early help to the bowlers. The left-arm pacer Taj took four wickets for 19 while left-arm-spinner Kashif Bhatti grabbed four wickets for 20 runs. Kamran Ghulam top-scored with 35 while Sajid Khan who was adjudged the player of the match for Pakistan in the Dhaka Test last week, contributed 25 not out. Balochistan had to endure an even worse stint with the bat as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers shot them out for 100 in a mere 26 overs with pacer Arshad Iqbal taking four wickets. Asif Afridi, Sameen Gul and Imran Khan Snr took two wickets apiece. Despite their 116-run total Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collected a 16-run first innings lead. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had to endure another torrid start as they finished day-one at 17 for two in their second innings. Over at the State Bank of Pakistan Stadium in the match between Sindh and Central Punjab which is being live streamed on PCB’s YouTube channel, table-toppers Sindh were restricted to a first innings score of 155 for nine (declared) by Central Punjab who opted to bowl first in an uncontested toss. Fast bowler Sohail Khan lifted the side to some semblance of respectability with a fighting 65 off 91 balls (nine fours, two sixes). This was Sohail’s fifth first-class fifty, the right-hander helped his side get past the 150-run mark. Fawad Alam scored 32. Seamers Muhammad Ali and Muhammad Saad took three wickets apiece for Central Punjab. Central Punjab were 78 for three at close of play, they will be relying on in-form Abid Ali who was unbeaten on 45 when stumps were drawn for the day. Abid, was the player of the match in the Pakistan-Bangladesh Test series. Salman Ali Agha fought singlehandedly for Southern Punjab with a splendid 142 as the side was bowled out for 238 in their first innings at the National Bank of Pakistan Sports Complex against Northern.  Salman hit 23 fours and one six in his sterling 193-ball effort, this was the 10th first-class century of his career. The next best scorer for Southern Punjab was Zeeshan Ashraf with 24. Left-arm-spinner Nauman Ali who represented Pakistan in the Test series against Bangladesh took six wickets for 104 runs – 22nd five-wicket haul of his first-class career. Northern were off to a poor start in their first innings as they ended day-one at 54 for three. Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Balochistan –UBL Sports Complex, Karachi Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 116 all out, 41 overs (Kamran Ghulam 31, Sajid Khan 25 not out; Taj Wali 4-19, Kashif Bhatti 4-20) and 17 for 2, 8 overs. Balochistan 100 all out, 26 overs (Ayaz Tassawar 22; Arshad Iqbal 4-31, Asif Afridi 2-8) Points so far: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – six, Balochistan – six. Sindh vs Central Punjab - State Bank of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi Sindh 155 for 9 (declared), 52 overs (Sohail Khan 65, Fawad Alam 32; Mohammad Ali 3-20, Mohammad Saad 3-24) Central Punjab 78 for 3, 23.1 overs (Abid Ali 45 not out) Points so far: Sindh – one, Central Punjab –three Southern Punjab vs Northern - National Bank of Pakistan Stadium, Karachi Southern Punjab 238 all out, 69.5 overs (Salman Ali Agha 142; Nauman Ali 6-104; Mubasir Khan 2-34) Northern 54 for 3, 18 overs Points so far: Southern Punjab – six, Northern –one