Sports Bulletin

SPORTS REPORT: ISLAMABAD (September 27, 2020):-Central Punjab and Sindh will be hoping for change of fortunes when the razzmatazz of the T20 version commences on 30 September in Multan, the City of Saints, with the PKR9million National T20 Cup First XI tournament. Despite carrying star-studded line-ups in the last edition of the tournament, the two teams made early exits from Faisalabad, failing to reach the knockout stage. The two rivals, nonetheless, lightened up the tournament from day one with one of the most exciting matches of the edition. Under the Iqbal Stadium floodlights, Sindh chased down a 189-run total on the penultimate ball with only three wickets to spare. With the Pakistan Cricket Board’s focus on providing more white-ball opportunities keeping in mind the two ICC Men’s T20 World Cups in the next two years, this year’s National T20 Cup will be played on a double league basis. As such, the fans will be treated with two match-ups between the rivals, which, as all the other matches of the tournament, will be broadcasted by PTV Sports. Central Punjab will be looking to avenge their last year’s defeat when they take on Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men on 2 October at the Multan Cricket Stadium and 10 October at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Central Punjab Central Punjab boast a glittering line-up led by Pakistan men’s limited overs captain Babar Azam, whose meteoric rise with the bat continues to impress the followers of the game. The 25-year-old had an impressive tour of England with the men’s national team. In his subsequent run in the England T20 competition, Babar smashed a career-best 114 not out, hitting nine fours and five sixes in his 62-ball innings. Babar was one of the only two batsmen to record a century in the previous edition of the National T20 Cup. The other batsman was also from his team, Ahmed Shehzad who misses out this year’s tournament due to a hand injury. Babar will join Central Punjab in the second leg, which commences in Rawalpindi from 9 October. Until then, all-rounder Saad Nasim will lead Central Punjab. Kamran Akmal, another established T20 batsman, further strengthens Central Punjab’s batting department and he will be looking to display a better show than his outing in the last season’s National T20 Cup. Kamran is the leading run scorer in the history of the HBL Pakistan Super League, one of the most competitive T20 tournaments around the world, with 1,537 runs at a strike rate of over 138. The Peshawar Zalmi wicketkeeper-batsman has three centuries in the tournament, the last one of which was recorded in the fourth fixture of the 2020 edition during a 149-run chase against Quetta Gladiators at Karachi’s National Stadium. Abid Ali, the only batsman to record a century on his maiden ODI and Test appearances, and 24-year-old Rizwan Hussain, another top-order batsman who brings skill and exuberance in the side, will support these two batsmen. Twenty-year-old Abdullah Shafiq will be another batsman to look out. The right-handed batsman recorded a century on his first-class debut in the first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2019-20 tournament and has a brilliant opportunity to learn from the star performers around him. The presence of all-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Saad and Zafar Gohar not only lengthens Central Punjab’s batting line-up but also increases their bowling options. Seventeen-year-old pacer Naseem Shah, who has won admirers all over the world with his raw pace and exceptional skill of moving the ball both in the air and off the surface, is expected to spearhead their bowling attack. Naseem will have the experienced lanky right-arm pacer Ehsan Adil as his potential fast bowling pair. Along with strong batting and pace bowling units, Central Punjab have a dynamic and versatile spin bowling attack. The spin bowling unit will be led by Pakistan Test spinner Bilal Asif, whose off-spin has accounted for 16 scalps in five Tests. While Bilal will bring the ball into the right-handed batsmen, Usman Qadir and Zafar will spin the ball away from their hitting arc with their wrist and finger spin, respectively. Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Saad Nasim (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafiq, Abid Ali, Ahmed Bashir, Bilal Asif, Ehsan Adil, Faheem Ashraf, Irfan Khan Niazi, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Naseem Shah, Qasim Akram, Rizwan Hussain, Sohaibullah, Usman Qadir and Zafar Gohar. Player Support Personnel – Azhar Zaidi (manager), Shahid Anwar (head coach), Samiullah Niazi (assistant coach), Mohammad Asad (physio), Yasir Mahmood (trainer) and Sajid Yasin (analyst) Sindh A line-up full of T20 specialists, Sindh are another side in the tournament who have their all bases covered. They are captained by former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has an impressive youngster, Saud Shakeel, as his deputy. Sharjeel Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Ahsan Ali, Azam Khan and Asad Shafiq form the core of their dynamic batting unit, which has the potential to not only post but also surmount daunting totals. Openers Sharjeel and Khurram have made a big impression for themselves with their ability to score runs at a brisk rate. Sharjeel, the left-handed batsman, scored 199 runs at an impressive strike-rate of 144.20 in the HBL PSL 2020. He took Karachi Kings’ arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars by storm with an unbeaten 59-ball 74 – hitting five fours and five sixes – as he partnered with Babar Azam (69 not out from 46 balls) to secure a 10-wicket win at his side’s home ground, Karachi’s National Stadium. Khurram is the leading run-scorer in the history of the National T20 Cup with 2,235 runs in 75 innings at an average of 30.20. He would aim to improve on his last year’s National T20 numbers of 136 runs at 27.20 and provide Sharjeel solid support at the other end. Twenty-two-year-old Azam Khan left a mark in this year’s HBL PSL 2020 for his ability of hitting big sixes. The wicketkeeper-batsman accumulated 150 runs at a strike rate of over 130. Ahsan Ali, the 26-year-old, is another batsman who adds to Sindh’s firepower. He made his Pakistan debut in January this year at the Gaddafi Stadium, in a T20I against Bangladesh. In the lower order, Sindh can bank on all-rounder Anwar Ali and Sarfaraz to provide them strong finishes in the death overs. Amongst these batsmen who can hit the ball at will, Test batsman Asad Shafiq will be expected to anchor and hold Sindh’s innings together. Sindh’s bowling unit is equally impressive. It possesses young gun Mohammad Hasnain who not only has the ability to clock 150kph but also to hit yorker length in the death overs to deny batsmen any scoring opportunities. The right-arm pacer who represents Quetta Gladiators is currently leading the wicket-takers charts in the HBL PSL 2020 with 15 scalps to his name at an average of 19.13 In the last year’s National T20 Cup, Hasnain had the most wickets – nine at 18.22 – for Sindh. Right-arm pacer Sohail Khan will spearhead Sindh’s bowling attack and is expected to take the new ball. The 36-year-old has taken 117 wickets in the shortest format. Test pacer Mir Hamza is another bowler to watch out. The left-arm pacer has 21 T20 wickets under his belt. Sindh’s coach Basit Ali has picked Mohammad Asghar, a left-arm orthodox who will look to make the most of the assistance available from the surfaces in Multan and Rawalpindi. The 21-year-old has 57 wickets in the format and bowls at an economy of 7.21. Squad: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain, wicketkeeper), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Ahsan Ali, Anwar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azam Khan, Danish Aziz, Hassan Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Taha, Sharjeel Khan and Sohail Khan. Player Support Personnel - Rashid Khan (manager), Basit Ali (head coach), Iqbal Imam (assistant coach), Imran Khalil (trainer), Imtiaz Khan (physio) and Mohammad Asim Hussain (analyst).

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (September 26, 2020):-When country’s best 20-over players assemble in Multan and Rawalpindi for the PKR9million 33-match National T20 Cup from 30 September to 18 October, PTV Sports will be the fans’ go-to platform for live action after the participants’ health and safety forced the Pakistan Cricket Board to stage the tournament behind closed doors. The PCB, in a ground breaking agreement worth $200million, signed a three-year deal with PTV Sports and I-Media Communications Services with the PCB retaining the production rights. This arrangement is not only aimed at increasing the eyeballs or boosting revenues that can be reinvested into cricket or adding greater value to domestic competitions, but also to contribute in the capacity building of one of Pakistan’s oldest, respected and most prestigious institutions. Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam admitted cricket without fans was incomplete but felt this can be a blessing in disguise. Babar Azam: “The game is all about the fans, they are the ones who inspire and motivate us with their presence and support during good and bad days. But the flip side in these challenging times is cricket is taking place and PTV Sports, the channel I grew up watching, will be relaying live pictures in every TV lounge to keep the fans connected and involved with the tournament that will feature country’s best players in the shortest format. “Backed up by the PCB’s own digital assets, this competition should get the following, recognition and acknowledgement that it deserves even though nothing can replace in-stadia presence of the cricket followers and fans. “All I can request the fans on behalf of all competitors is to continue to support this tournament online and show the world through their positive engagement that we are one of the biggest sporting nations that loves its cricket and will back and support its players no matter what. “It is also a great opportunity for PTV Sports to maximise its viewers. PTV Sports has a strong archive of old and classic matches but by becoming a partner of the PCB, it can further strengthen itself as one of the premier sport channels through excellent and quality content.” Haider Ali, who became the first Pakistan batsman to hit a half-century on his T20I debut, said: “As a teenager, I have seen a number of games with my friends, family and colleagues from the stands. I know and understand the buzz and excitement of the spectators when they become part of the action. “But these are unprecedented times where we all have to make small sacrifices to keep the sport alive and healthy. We will miss the fans and the fans will miss live action, but the coverage plan put in place provides great opportunities to all die-hard supporters to follow and support their favourite players and teams. “We all look forward to the fans’ support through various online platforms that will inspire us to produce our best performances.” Haris Rauf, Northern’s fast bowler, said: “Fast bowlers, in particular, enjoy the crowds more as their voice and noise when they run into bowl motivates them to bowl faster. I will miss that part in the National T20 Cup, but hopefully their backing in the lead up matches through positive and supportive social media activations will give me that extra energy that will help me to contribute in my side’s title defence. “I am keenly looking forward to this competition as it will allow me to catch-up with my old mates whom I have not met for a long time due to Covid-19 restrictions. There is a lot to talk and listen, and I look forward to spending valuable time outside cricket with them.” Sarfaraz Ahmed, captain of Sindh, said: “We will badly miss the fans but at the same time I have complete faith that they will support the players and the event offsite so that they can continue to play their pivotal role in cricket promotion. “When I will walk on to the field, besides the task in hand, I will like to remember days when I played matches before full houses and the fans right behind me. This will be my motivation as I can never detach myself from the fans who have contributed in what I am today. “I want the younger generation especially to follow the tournament but not at the cost of their education as academic institutions have just opened after a long closure and at no stage they should sacrifice their studies. Cricket and education can co-exist; it is all about striking the right balance.” Shan Masood, who will lead Southern Punjab, said: “The best part about cricket coming back home was to play in front of our supportive and knowledgeable people, but sadly with the Covid-19 situation that won’t be the case for the National T20 Cup and we are going to miss their lively presence. “The fans’ backing is always invaluable to us and although they can’t be physically present at the venues, mainly due to their health and safety, I urge them to keep supporting all the competitors and the event by following the proceedings through television, live-streaming, mainstream media or the social media. “As always, the fans’ support and backing is much appreciated.”

SPORTS REPORT: MULTAN (September 26, 2020):-Last year’s champions Northern enter the National T20 Cup First XI tournament with a star-studded squad, capable of defending their title. The team consists of some of the leading T20 performers in the country, including exciting young cricketers. Northern will be in action from the first game of the much-awaited tournament as they face Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 30 September at Multan Cricket Stadium. The defending champions are likely to face stiff competition from last year’s finalist Balochistan, who will be eager to make the most of the opportunities that come their way this season and have their eyes set on the coveted trophy and a lucrative winning prize money of PKR5million. The two finalists of the last edition of the National T20 Cup will face-off on 6 October at the Multan Cricket Stadium and 15 October at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Northern: Led by Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim, Northern have a side full of all-round talent, skill and capability. Imad will join his team for the second-leg of the tournament – to be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium from 9-18 October – as he is currently representing Nottinghamshire in the England T20 competition. In Imad’s absence Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan will lead Northern. Shadab has made a big impact with the bat recently scoring 263 runs at 37.57 for Islamabad United in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 at a hugely impressive strike rate of 159.39 to earn recognition as a ‘genuine all-rounder.’ Northern’s batting will be reliant on the dashing top-order batsman Haider Ali, who became the first Pakistan batsman to score a half-century on a T20I debut by smashing 54 off 33 balls earlier this month. Besides Haider, Northern have in their ranks the promising right-handed batsman Zeeshan Malik, richly experienced left-hander Umar Amin (second highest run-getter in National T20 Cup 2019, 266 runs at 38) Ali Imran, Hammad Azam, big-hitting Sohail Akhtar and Asif Ali, who will be playing the tournament after representing Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League. The batting will be complimented by the presence of Mohammad Nawaz and Sohail Tanvir who will lend further balance to the side with their all-round skills. Tanvir was the leading tournament wicket-taker last year as he collected 14 wickets in seven games. Pakistan U19 captain Rohail Nazir will be Northern’s wicketkeeper. Squad: Imad Wasim (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Ali Imran, Asif Ali, Farzan Raja, Haider Ali, Hammad Azam, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Nawaz, Musa Khan, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sohail Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Amin and Zeeshan Malik Player Support Personnel – Afaq Rahim (manager), Mohammad Wasim (head coach), Mohammad Masroor (assistant coach), Ali Sufyan (physio), Mohammad Aslam (trainer) and Mohammad Ahsan Ehsan (analyst) Balochistan: Balochistan went down by 52 runs in last year’s final against Northern at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. This time around, they will be determined to go a step ahead under Haris Sohail, who makes a return to competitive cricket after missing Pakistan’s tour of England. Balochistan have batting fire power in the shape of Awais Zia, Imam-ul-Haq, Haris, Imran Butt and the veteran Imran Farhat. Awais was the leading run scorer in last year’s edition as he accumulated 276 runs at 39.42 with the help of two half-centuries. Left-hander Imam-ul-Haq will be aiming to provide a flying start to the team along with Awais; Imam scored 191 runs in seven innings in last year’s edition at 27.28 and a strike-rate of 136.42 Haris and the two Imrans will be the middle-order batting spearheads backed by Akbar-ur-Rehman and wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan. Rising all-rounder Ammad Butt will be providing both big-hitting prowess in the lower-order along with his fast-medium bowling. Balochistan on paper have a potent bowling attack led by Umar Gul, a former Pakistan Test fast bowler who made a big reputation as a T2oI bowling exponent. The 36-year-old Umar, who collected 85 wickets in 60 T20Is, will be sharing his expertise and experience as the bowling spearhead. Balochistan also have in their ranks another experienced pace bowler in Umaid Asif, who took six wickets in as many games for Karachi Kings in this year’s HBL PSL. Upcoming pacer Khurram Shehzad will be providing back-up to the two senior pace bowlers. Left-armer Akif Javed who represented Islamabad United in this year’s HBL PSL would be aiming to build his growing reputation further as a fast bowler of immense potential. The presence of Yasir Shah, an established Test leg-spinner, further boosts Balochistan’s bowling stocks and he is joined by Usama Mir, an exciting young leg-spinner. Squad: Haris Sohail (captain), Bismillah Khan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Akbar-ur-Rehman, Akif Javed, Ammad Butt, Awais Zia, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Butt, Imran Farhat, Kashif Bhatti, Khurram Shahzad, Taimur Khan, Umaid Asif, Umar Gul, Usama Mir and Yasir Shah Player support personnel – Khuda Bux Silaci (manager), Faisal Iqbal (head coach), Wasim Haider (assistant coach), Ajab Gul Khan (trainer), Arif Shah (physio) and Shakir Khilji (analyst)

SALAMAN KHAN: MULTAN (September 25, 2020):-Twenty-one members of the men’s national team who toured England for three Tests and as many T20Is joined their respective First XI sides in Multan today after they returned second negative Covid-19 tests. These 21 players are Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Snr, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Sohail Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari and Yasir Shah. The results of the second Covid-19 tests of Sarfaraz Ahmed, captain Sindh, and Kamran Akmal, Central Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman, are expected tomorrow. Sarfaraz had his test earlier today, while Kamran will undergo his second test later in the day. The two will join their sides after they return negative results. Sohail Tanvir, who took part in the Caribbean Premier League, joined Northern after clearing his both Covid-19 tests. An individual, belonging to a First XI squad, who was isolated after his first test came out positive has cleared his second test. He will be eligible to join his team after clearing his third test, which will take place on 30 September. Meanwhile, Fawad Alam, who also toured England with the national squad and is leading Sindh Second XI, has joined his side in Lahore after returning his second negative test for Covid-19. The National T20 Cup First XI tournament, curtain-raiser for the domestic season 2020-21, will commence on Wednesday, 30 September in Multan, before it shifts to Rawalpindi on 9 October. The National T20 Cup for the Second XI teams will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from 1-8 October.

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (September 25, 2020):-Former Pakistan stars have expressed their excitement ahead of the National T20 First XI tournament that begins at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, 30 September. Northern will be defending the title they won last year when they outplayed Balochistan in the final at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad. The tournament is being played on a double-league basis for the first time which means all six teams will play each other twice before the top-four secure semi-final berths at the end of the league stage. The second-half of the tournament will be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, where the final will be held on Sunday, 18 October. The tournament will see the cream of Pakistan T20 stars in action, former cricketers Abdur Rehman, Bazid Khan, Imran Nazir, Moin Khan, Ramiz Raja, Rashid Latif, Saeed Ajmal and Younis Khan have expressed their keen interest in the event especially with the prospects of richly entertaining cricket at the start of the domestic season. While Rehman, Imran and Bazid are backing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rashid and Moin are looking forward to the quality of cricket that is expected in the latest edition of the coveted T20 event. Ramiz and Ajmal think Northern have the firepower to defend their title, whereas Younis terms Balochistan his favourite side in the tournament. Ramiz Raja, former Test captain and a renowned cricket voice, said: “Excitement is in the air, and we can almost feel it. The National T20 tournament is just round the corner, and it is going to get bigger and better this year. The spread is massive; we are going to see some special talent, lock horns and vie for the top spot. I expect the fans will also participate in it, pick their best teams and keep an eye on their favourite players. “I feel the Northern side will again be a strong side, and it will be difficult to beat them because their captain Imad Wasim is good. They have Shadab Khan, as vice-captain who is progressing very well in the white ball cricket. Similarly, they have a stock in young talent, but I will have my eye on Haider Ali. He is becoming my favourite player because of his fearless batting, and I think he will emerge as a unique star in this tournament. “Haris Rauf is in the side and he has bowled really fast recently. Farzan Raja hasn’t played much but seems to be a quality leg spinner. Pakistan is in need of spinners so one must keep an eye on him.” Younis Khan, the captain of the Pakistan team that won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009, said: “I am supporting Balochistan cricket team. This team consists of senior and young exciting players, and I hope under Yasir Shah and star player Bismillah Khan; the team will give very good performances. My best wishes are with the team in the tournament. “Overall there is lot to see in the tournament. There will be many competitions within the tournament, which features both present and future stars. They will have their own competition going on. So I expect the fans to see matches from home as much as they can.” Moin Khan, who featured for Karachi Dolphins and scored first century of the tournament in 2005 against Lahore Lions, said: “I want to wish all the teams best of luck for the upcoming season. The National T20 Cup is about to begin, I have seen the six squads and I feel it will be a really exciting event; this tournament provides an opportunity for young players to make an impression and get selected for the HBL Pakistan Super League and the Pakistan men’s T20I squad. “Players should not let go of this opportunity, they should avail the opportunity and serve Pakistan.” Rashid Latif, former Pakistan Test captain, said: “Defending champions Northern have Mohammad Wasim as coach, Imad Wasim as captain while they also have Mohammad Amir. Haider Ali is a very exciting addition to the squad. If we talk about Khyber Pakhtunkhwa they have Abdul Razzaq as the new coach, they have Mohammad Rizwan as captain. Junaid Khan is an experienced bowler and Mohammad Hafeez is in great batting form. They also have Wahab Riaz and Shoaib Malik which makes them a richly experienced side; it would be interesting to see how they strategise with an eye on the tournament trophy. “Sindh coached by Basit Ali have Sarfaraz Ahmed as their captain with experienced players like Asad Shafiq and Khurram Manzoor. Shan Masood leads the Southern Punjab side, which is coached by Abdul Rehman, while Haris Sohail is captaining Balochistan. “Central Punjab have the world’s top player Babar Azam in their midst while they have players like Faheem Ashraf, Abdullah Shafiq, who is a quality young player, and Kamran Akmal, a proven performer. “I am hoping to see some young players make their name while spinners like Shadab Khan can regain form along with Mohammad Nawaz and Mohammad Asghar. Kashif Bhatti would appear for Balochistan. I really see this is a quality event and we all should support the tournament and make it a success.” Saeed Ajmal, who has the most wickets (89) in tournament’s history and was adjudicated player of the match in the final of the inaugural edition in 2005, said: “I am backing Northern as they have a very exciting side. In Imad, Shadab Khan and Mohammad Amir they have rich experience and quality. They also have some experienced players both in their batting and bowling departments who understand well the demands of T20 cricket. “What makes them a formidable unit is the presence of promising youngsters like Haider Ali and Rohail Nazir who have both progressed remarkably well in the last year. Haider has made a wonderful start to his career with his explosive half-century on T20I debut against England. Of course, he would be full of confidence going into the tournament.” Abdur Rehman, part of the Sialkot Stallions winning squad in year 2006,2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, said: “My favourite team for the National T20 Cup is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. T20 cricket is based on all-rounders and the team’s head coach Abdul Razzaq is one of the best all-rounders produced by Pakistan. There are a lot of all-rounders in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa side including Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez while they also have Wahab Riaz. “They also have Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Rizwan which makes them a very balanced team.” Bazid Khan, who has featured in 20 T20 matches and is now a cricket expert, said: “Exciting times as the domestic season is about to begin with the National T20 Cup. In my view, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are the favourites because of the fact they have match winners in bowling. Wahab Riaz is a match winner, Shaheen Shah Afridi is a match winner and Junaid Khan, on his day, is a match winner as well. They are a very good T20 attack, one should not underestimate [spin all-rounder] Zohaib Khan who is also a very capable all-rounder. “Meanwhile in batting, the nature of the tournament is that there will be a lot of double-headers played on the same ground so experienced batsmen would need to gauge what is a good score for a particular game. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have the experience with Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed all very experienced especially in the T20 format. They would know what will be a good score to set and defend. “Rizwan as captain is also a boost for the side especially after his recent performances. The only weakness they might have is the spin department as they don’t have a proven frontline spinner who might come in handy at the backend of the tournament. However, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can rely on Iftikhar, Shoaib and Hafeez as all three are quality spinners. I am backing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and they are my favourites.”  Imran Nazir, part of Sialkot Stallions winning squad in year 2006-07, 2009, 2010 and 2012, said: “National T20 Cup is taking place and I am supporting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The side has Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman. The team will be coached by our legend Abdul Razzaq. I hope the way Razzaq used to perform for the team, he will take out the same performance from his team players. My best wishes are with the team.”

By BIPIN DANI Former Australia batsman Dean Jones died on Thursday noon after a massive heart attack in his hotel room in Mumbai. He was 59. Jones was in India as a commentator for the IPL. "We could not believe it", former India all rounder Irfan Pathan, who is also on the commentary panel and staying in the same hotel in South Mumbai, said to this reporter. "He was fine yesterday. He also did a TV show with us. Today he is no more..". "Even today morning he had breakfast and was doing his usual walk and training. Suddenly the news came to us and we are shocked", he added.  Dean Jones was certain to remain present during the Lanka Premier League in Sri Lanka. He was a mentor to Anil Mohan, Founder & CEO IPG Group, the company which will be hosting the LPL. "He had hand holded me throughout my professional life. Still remember meeting him for the first time in Sri Lanka. We have worked together for over 18 years across multiple international series all over the world", Anil Mohan, speaking exclusively over telephone from Dubai, said. "He was one of the best cricketing commentators that I have ever seen and an even better human being. He was on IPG’s advisory board and was instrumental in every success of IPG. The world of Cricket has lost an Icon today and it is an irreplaceable void", he further added. Jones was a member of the Tied Test against India. "I very well remember his 200 and odd runs he scored despite being ill on the first day", Vikram Raju, the umpire of the Tie Test said from Bangalore. "He is a regular visitor at the IPL and the KPL. I met him last year when he was in Bangalore. He was a very decent nice man", Raju added.

SALAMAN KHAN MULTAN (September 24, 2020):-Asif Afridi, member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa First XI squad for the National T20 Cup, has been quarantined after he was found to have breached the bio-secure protocols, it was announced today. The 33-year-old violated the social distancing protocols during a meeting with his friend in the team hotel lobby and, as such, he will now undergo an isolation as well as a Covid-19 test, the cost of which he will have to bear. After testing negative, Asif will re-integrate with his side. Asif Afridi said: “I sincerely apologise for my actions. These protocols have been designed for the safety of all participants and it is mandatory on everyone to abide by them to ensure health of everyone involved in the competition. In this case, I have let myself down but will be extremely careful in future.” The tournament will commence in Multan on 30 September, before it moves to Rawalpindi for second round action from 9-18 October.

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL ISLAMABAD (September 24, 2020):-Duo of top national umpires Ashan Raza and Asif Yaqoob will supervise the final of National T-20 Cricket Cup 2020 on October 18 at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi.  Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday has announced the officials of the tournament that will be kicked off from September 30 at Multan. The 6 match referees and 14 umpires from the PCB Elite Panel of Match Officials will officiate in the First XI matches to be held in Multan till 6 October, before action moves to Rawalpindi where the second round and knock-out games will be played from 9-18 October. Iqbal Sheikh will lead the playing control team in the 30 September National T20 Cup opener between Northern and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Faisal Khan Afridi and Zameer Haider will perform on-field duties. Qaiser Waheed and Aftab Gillani will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively. Prof. Mohammad Javed Malik will be the match referee for the 18 October final, which will be umpired by Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob. Rashid Riaz will be in the third umpire’s box and Shozab Raza will perform fourth umpire’s duties. The six-member PCB Elite Panel of Match Referees includes Ali Naqvi (Lahore), Iftikhar Ahmed (Karachi), Mohammad Anees (Lahore), Mohammad Iqbal Sheikh (Hyderabad), Nadeem Arshad (Faisalabad) and Prof. Mohammad Javed Malik (Multan). The 14-member PCB Elite Panel of Umpires is: Ahsan Raza (Lahore), Aftab Hussain Gillani (Bahawalpur), Asif Yaqoob (Islamabad), Faisal Khan Afridi (Sargodha), Ghaffar Kazmi (Lahore), Imran Javed (Karachi), Nasir Hussain Snr (Lahore), Qaiser Waheed (Lahore), Rashid Riaz Waqar (Lahore), Saqib Khan (Abbottabad), Shozab Raza (Lahore), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (Karachi), Waleed Yaqub (Lahore) and Zameer Haider (Lahore). Bilal Qureshi, Manager, Umpires and Referees: “The match officials appointed for the National T20 are the best we have in the country and this event is an ideal opportunity for them to display their skills and make a mark. There has been no match referee in the ICC elite panel from Pakistan since 2004, while the last umpire to make a Test debut was Nadeem Ghauri 15 years ago. The PCB is keen to develop and groom its match officials so that there is Pakistan’s representation in the ICC’s elite panel and, in this relation, will be providing maximum matches to these elite officials to showcase their skills in the 2020-21 season. “As the matches will be televised live by PTV Sports and participated by our best 20-over players, this is an excellent opportunity for these match officials to display their decision-making as well as man-management skills, which will form the basis of their promotions to the next level.” Meanwhile, match referees and umpires from the PCB Supplementary Panel of Match Referees and the PCB Supplementary Panel of Umpires, both categories introduced for the first time to set a pathway to the apex panels, will officiate the National T20 Cup Second XI matches, which will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Pakistan’s home of cricket, from 1-8 October. First XI appointments (30 Sept-6 Oct, all matches at Multan Cricket Stadium; 9-18 Oct, all matches at Pindi Cricket Stadium: 30 Sept – Northern v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Faisal Khan Afridi and Zameer Haider (on-field umpires), Qaiser Waheed (third umpire), Aftab Gillani (fourth umpire); Iqbal Sheikh (match referee). Central Punjab v Southern Punjab - Qaiser Waheed and Waleed Yaqub (on-field umpires), Nasir Hussain Snr (third umpire), Aftab Gillani (fourth umpire); Iftikhar Ahmed (match referee) 1 Oct – Balochistan v Sindh - Aftab Gillani and Qaiser Waheed (on-field umpires), Zameer Haider (third umpire), Waleed Yaqub (fourth umpire); Iqbal Sheikh (match referee). Northern v Southern Punjab - Faisal Khan Afridi and Zameer Haider (on-field umpires), Nasir Hussain Snr (third umpire), Waleed Yaqub (fourth umpire); Iftikhar Ahmed (match referee) 2 Oct – Balochistan v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Waleed Yaqub and Zameer Haider (on-field umpires), Aftab Gillani (third umpire), Nasir Hussain Snr (fourth umpire); Iftikhar Ahmed (match referee). Central Punjab v Sindh - Qaiser Waheed and Nasir Hussain Snr (on-field umpires), Faisal Khan Afridi (third umpire), Zameer Haider (fourth umpire); Iqbal Sheikh (match referee) 3 Oct – Northern v Central Punjab - Aftab Gillani and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field umpires), Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Nasir Hussain Snr (fourth umpire); Iftikhar Ahmed (match referee). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab - Nasir Hussain Snr and Zameer Haider (on-field umpires), Qaiser Waheed (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire); Iqbal Sheikh (match referee) 4 Oct – Balochistan v Southern Punjab - Qaiser Waheed and Waleed Yaqub (on-field umpires), Aftab Gillani (third umpire), Nasir Hussain Snr (fourth umpire); Iqbal Sheikh (match referee). Northern v Sindh - Faisal Khan Afridi and Nasir Hussain Snr (on-field umpires), Zameer Haider (third umpire), Qaiser Waheed (fourth umpire); Iftikhar Ahmed (match referee) 5 Oct – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Sindh - Aftab Gillani and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field umpires), Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zameer Haider (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee). Balochistan v Central Punjab - Nasir Hussain Snr and Zameer Haider (on-field umpires), Faisal Khan Afridi (third umpire), Qaiser Waheed (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee). 6 Oct – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Central Punjab - Aftab Gillani and Faisal Khan Afridi (on-field umpires), Waleed Yaqub (third umpire), Zameer Haider (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee). Balochistan v Northern - Qaiser Waheed and Waleed Yaqub (on-field umpires), Aftab Gillani (third umpire), Faisal Khan Afridi (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee) 9 Oct – Northern v Central Punjab - Ahsan Raza and Imran Javed (on-field umpires), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee). Sindh v Southern Punjab - Ghaffar Kazmi and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee) 10 Oct – Balochistan v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Ahsan Raza and Imtiaz Iqbal (on-field umpires), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Imran Javed (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee). Central Punjab v Sindh - Asif Yaqoob and Saqib Khan (on-field umpires), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Ghaffar Kazmi (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee) 11 Oct – Northern v Southern Punjab - Imran Javed and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Imtiaz Iqbal (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee). Balochistan v Sindh - Ahsan Raza and Saqib Khan (on-field umpires), Ghaffar Kazmi (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee) 12 Oct – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab - Saqib Khan and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Ahsan Raza (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee). Balochistan v Central Punjab - Imtiaz Iqbal and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Imran Javed (third umpire), Ghaffar Kazmi (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee) 13 Oct – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Sindh – Imran Jawed and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee). Central Punjab v Southern Punjab – Asif Yaqoob and Imtiaz Iqbal (on-field umpires), Ghaffar Kazmi (third umpire), Shozab Raza (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee) 14 Oct – Northern v Sindh - Imtiaz Iqbal and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Imran Javed (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Central Punjab -  Ahsan Raza and Ghaffar Kazmi (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee) 15 Oct – Balochistan v Northern - Saqib Khan and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Ahsan Raza (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee). Sindh v Southern Punjab - Asif Yaqoob and Ghaffar Kazmi (on-field umpires), Imtiaz Iqbal (third umpire), Imran Javed (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee) 16 Oct – Northern v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Imran Javed and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Saqib Khan (third umpire), Asif Yaqoob (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee); Balochistan v Southern Punjab -  Ghaffar Kazmi and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee) 17 Oct – First semi-final (Team no.1 v Team no.4) - Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Imtiaz Iqbal (third umpire), Imran Javed (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee); Second semi-final (Team no.2 v Team no.3) - Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza (on-field umpires), Ghaffar Kazmi (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Ali Naqvi (match referee) 18 Oct – Final (Winner of first semi-final v Winner of second semi-final) - Ahsan Raza and Asif Yaqoob (on-field umpires), Rashid Riaz (third umpire), Shozab Raza (fourth umpire); Mohammad Javed (match referee)

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (September 24, 2020):-Pakistan Cricket Board has withdrawn Balochistan First XI head coach Faisal Iqbal from the National T20 Cup after the former Test batsman confirmed his employers Pakistan International Airlines were looking into a matter, which he hoped would be resolved soon. The PCB said it would be unfair on Faisal Iqbal as well on his side and the tournament if he competed in a major domestic tournament until he had resolved and settled the matter with his parent organisation. The PCB added Faisal Iqbal would be reintegrated with his domestic side as soon as PIA gave him a clean chit along with a No Objective Certificate (NOC). Until such time, Wasim Haider will act as the Balochistan cricket team’s interim head coach.

SALMAN KHAN MULTAN (September 23, 2020):-An action-packed domestic cricket season 2020-21 is set to commence with the National T20 Cup for First XIs at the Multan Cricket Stadium in a week’s time. The tournament promises to provide rich entertainment to cricket fans with the presence of the cream of Pakistan T20 stars. Besides the established names of the shortest format of the game, the tournament also includes some exciting young talent in each of the six teams. The youngsters featuring for their respective teams can use the platform to stake a claim in the men’s national team for the limited overs series against Zimbabwe and impress franchise owners ahead of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021 Player Draft, which will be held in November. Head coaches of the six participating teams – Balochistan, Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern, Sindh and Southern Punjab – have each named one player from their side with the potential of making a big impact in the tournament, which will be played in double-league format for the first time. Balochistan – Akif Javed: Balochistan Head Coach Faisal Iqbal has named left-arm fast bowler Akif Javed as a player with immense potential who has the opportunity to further build his growing reputation. The Kohat-born pacer represented Islamabad United in the HBL PSL 2020 and played for Balochistan in last year’s National T20 Cup First XI tournament. The 19-year-old has picked 13 wickets in as many T20 games with a best return of three for 16. Faisal Iqbal: “Akif is an exceptional talent and we want to provide him a real opportunity of expressing his skills for which the management will fully back him. We will have a strategy in place for him and utilise his services accordingly. Akif can learn a lot in the entire season starting with the National T20 Cup in the company of two seasoned fast bowlers Umar Gul and Umaid Asif who can surely mentor him and help him further his skills which can in turn help his growth as a future prospect.” Central Punjab – Qasim Akram: Central Punjab Head Coach Shahid Anwar has backed the young and upcoming all-rounder Qasim Akram who left an impression with his all-round abilities and exceptional fielding in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020, which was played in South Africa. The 17-year-old provided a glimpse of his potential by scoring 54 off 50 to rescue Pakistan U19 from a difficult position against Zimbabwe in an U19 World Cup group match and took two wickets with his off-spin bowling in a miserly 10-over spell which took Pakistan to victory. Shahid made the call to select Qasim in the Central Punjab squad for the National T20 Cup and he feels that the youngster has a very bright future ahead of him. Shahid Anwar: “Qasim is an extremely talented cricketer. I picked him in the side based on his impressive performances in the U19 World Cup and the recommendations of the Pakistan U19 head coach Ijaz Ahmed. I feel he can turn into a future star if he continues to make progress and adds more skills to his game. The T20 format is not easy to cope with as it brings a lot of pressure on the players but at the same time it provides great learning experiences and opportunities which someone like Qasim can grab on. “I will be backing Qasim to play his natural game and not take any unnecessary pressure in the tournament.” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Mohammad Mohsin: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Head Coach Abdul Razzaq is backing leg-spinner Mohammad Mohsin as one of the players to watch out at the National T20 Cup. The 24-year-old Mohsin has already represented Pakistan Emerging team and is widely tipped as a bright prospect. In 15 T20 matches, Mohsin who is representing Peshawar Zalmi in the HBL PSL 2020, has 14 wickets besides 120 runs with the bat which includes a best of 35 not out. Razzaq wants Mohsin to develop all-round batting skills and has been working on his batting in the lead-up to the tournament. Abdul Razzaq: “Mohsin is a talented cricketer and besides his leg-spin, batting comes naturally to him. I have been working hard with him in the nets and want to help him develop into an all-rounder with the ability to hit big. His height is a massive advantage for him as a leg-spinner and Mushtaq Ahmed has been helping him to develop his game. I would like to see Mohsin make it big in his career and represent Pakistan, for which the National T20 Cup provides him the perfect opportunity.” Northern – Zeeshan Malik: Northern Head Coach Mohammad Wasim is backing top-order batsman Zeeshan Malik to leave a mark in the six-team tournament. The 23-year-old Zeeshan has graduated from the Northern Second XI side and he possesses all the skills and shots to thrive at this level. Zeeshan hit a blazing 216 for Northern in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class event last season and Wasim believes the stroke maker can turn it on in T20 cricket as well. Mohammad Wasim: “Zeeshan is a very impressive batsman; he is one of those players who are a treat to watch when in full flow. His strength is his cut shot. Last year, he was unfortunate to miss out on representing us in the National T20 Cup but this year he has the opportunity to impress when he takes the field. Since the tournament is being played on a double-league format, Zeeshan should get the opportunities to express his talent and make a name in the shortest format of the game. I really hope he can make them count and further develop as a player with a bright future ahead of him.” Sindh – Azam Khan: Sindh Head Coach Basit Ali is backing the big-hitting potential of Azam Khan who made a real impact in the HBL PSL 2020 for Quetta Gladiators. The right-hander played two match winning innings for his franchise in the tournament, scoring 59 off 33 balls in the tournament opener against Islamabad United at the National Stadium Karachi before taking apart the home side Karachi Kings at the same venue with a dashing 46 off 30 balls. Basit feels Azam is a match winner with enormous potential and he would be backing him to deliver the goods for Sindh at the National T20 Cup. Basit Ali: “I saw him bat in the nets during our training session and I am really impressed by his talent. Azam has the ability to turn a game at any juncture with his big-hitting prowess. My aim would be to offer Azam a platform where he can deliver with an uncluttered mind while focusing on performing to the best of his ability. As a coach, I would be thoroughly backing him since I feel he has a bright future ahead of him and this tournament provides him the opportunity to further improve his game.” Southern Punjab – Zeeshan Ashraf: Southern Punjab Head Coach Abdur Rehman has named left-handed opener and wicketkeeper Zeeshan Ashraf as a player who can make a big impact for his side at the National T20 Cup. The 28-year-old Zeeshan was the top-scorer in last year’s National T20 Cup for Second XIs where his big hitting abilities were noticed by the First XI team management. Zeeshan graduated to first-class cricket where his impressive showing earned him a place in the Multan Sultans’ HBL PSL 2020 squad. He scored two half-centuries for Sultans and ahead of the Play-Off round of the tournament (to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in November); Zeeshan has the perfect opportunity to warm-up for the task. Abdur Rehman: “Zeeshan has all the skills and talent that constitute a good player. After playing for Sultans in the HBL PSL 2020, he has progressed further and has learned so much more about the requirements at the top-level. He would be high on confidence and I really hope he takes that confidence in the National T20 Cup. In the past year, he has made remarkable progress and has proven to be a genuine product of the system. This tournament can be another important milestone in his development as a player and the Southern Punjab management would be providing him the backing he needs.”