Sports Bulletin

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (April 13, 2021):-England and Sussex bowler Jofra Archer has been given the all-clear by his hand Consultant to resume training after his right hand continues to heal following his operation on Monday 29 March. He will return to light training this week, working closely with the Sussex and England men’s medical teams. It is hoped that he will be able to up his intensity with his bowling from next week. A further update on his elbow injury will be provided once he has returned to bowling to assess the effectiveness of his recent injection. No decision has been made as yet on when Archer is due to return to playing. Archer suffered a cut to his hand while cleaning at his home in January shortly before flying to India to prepare for the Test series. The ECB’s medical team managed the injury throughout the tour, and it did not impact his availability. A fragment of glass was removed during the operation to his middle finger on his right hand in March.

By Bipin Dani Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has hired the services of new doctor Chaminda Gunathilaka for the home series against Bangladesh, it is learnt here.  According to the highly placed sources in Colombo, Dr. KAP Kiriella, who travelled with the team on the West Indies tour will be rested.  Dr. Chaminda Gunathilakae, who is also associated with the sports ministry has worked with the cricketers. He was involved with the Kandy Tuskers team when the last Lanka Premier League (LPL) was held in Sri Lanka. "Dr. Chaminda will oversee the fitness of the players, regular PCR tests and facilitate the doping test arrangements whenever asked for", the source, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, said.       In the meantime, the national team has safely returned home on Monday.  "The players are put up in a city hotel in Colombo, where they are quarantined for three days. After that, they will go home and remain home quarantined for further four days", the source attached with the team management said.      

SPORTS REPORT PRETORIA (April 7, 2021):-Wrist spinner Zahid Mahmood has been named as Shadab Khan’s replacement for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which will be played from 21-25 April in Harare, while Fakhar Zaman will stay with the side for the T20Is in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Zahid was originally named in the two-Test squad against Zimbabwe, while Fakhar was initially named for the ODIs. Both the changes were approved by the national selection committee on the request of the team management.

By Bipin Dani Sri Lankan national players will be given the first dose of vaccination on next Sunday. This was revealed by Prof. Arjuna de Silva, the chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket (board) management committee. Speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, Prof. Arjuna, who took charge of the SLC on Tuesday, said, "the players will be called at the Health ministry campus on April 11 and the first dose of vaccination to them is scheduled on the same day".  "They will be given India-made AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine".  "We have also planned the second dose of vaccine after 2-3 months. The entire national squad (Test players and the Limited Over players) and the support staff will be given the vaccine", De Silva further added.   The national team returned to the Island on Monday. The Tissera-Sobers trophy was shared by both the teams following both the Tests produced no results. 

SPORTS REPORT LAHORE (April 6, 2021):-Pakistan Under-19 cricket team will now tour Bangladesh from Saturday 17 April instead of the original 11 April schedule. The tour has been delayed by six days due to the ongoing lockdown in Bangladesh. Over the course of the last two days, the Pakistan Cricket Board and Bangladesh Cricket Board worked out an alternate schedule for the tour to ensure the tour takes place in a safe and secure environment (bio-secure bubble). There has been no change in the number of matches. Pakistan U19 and Bangladesh U19 will play a four-day match in Sylhet from 23 April, followed by a series of five 50-over matches. The first three 50-over matches will be played in Sylhet followed by the last two matches in Dhaka. At the conclusion of the tour, Pakistan U19 will embark on their return journey on 10 May. Meanwhile, the final 17-member squad for the tour will be announced shortly. The squad will continue to train in Lahore till their departure. From 12 April, the camp that is presently taking place at the Gaddafi Stadium, will be shifted to the National High Performance Centre. Pakistan U19 squad for Bangladesh tour (revised schedule): Tour schedule: 17 April – Departure for Dhaka 23-26 April – Four-day match; SICS, Sylhet 30 April – 1st 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 2 May – 2nd 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 4 May – 3rd 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 7 May – 4th 50-over match; SBNCS, Dhaka 9 May – 5th 50-over match; SBNCS, Dhaka 10 May – Team return to Pakistan

SPORTS REPORT LAHORE (April 3, 2021):-Spin Bowling Consultant Mushtaq Ahmed feels Bangladesh-bound Pakistan Under-19 spinners are full of potential and have the talent to do big things for the country in the years ahead. He is working with the spinners in the 10-day training camp which is in progress at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.  Mushtaq, who also worked in the camp held for U19 players at the start of the year at the National High Performance Centre, will work with the teenage spinners until 11 April, when the final 17-member squad flies out to Dhaka for the one four-day and five 50-over matches. Following an impressive 2020-21 domestic season, Aaliyan Mehmood, Ali Asfand, Arham Nawab and Faisal Akram received call-ups in the 20-player probable squad and are honing their skills under the guidance of Mushtaq, whose leg-spin brought him 346 international wickets from 1989 till 2003. The four players also have the company of all-rounders Qasim Akram and Fahad Munir, who featured in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa last year. Mushtaq Ahmed: “It is always a real pleasure to work with youngsters. I think this bunch is full of potential and has a bright future. At this stage of their careers, it is important for them to work develop control. The Bangladesh tour will provide them an opportunity of playing a four-day match while I will also work with them in the three-day practice match that starts tomorrow. “The idea is to teach them the basics of both red and white ball cricket and the art of taking wickets. Among this lot, Faisal Akram is hugely promising and has great variations as a left-arm wrist spinner. Arham, Ali and Aaliyan are also very keen on making full use of this opportunity and my job is to impart the skills I learned as a player and coach in my career. “With these spinners, our future is bright indeed and it is important that they are groomed and give constant exposure. Spinners need to bowl long spells in nets and in matches. The more they bowl, the better they get.” The squad will play a three-day practice match from Sunday, which will be followed by two 50-over matches. Pakistan U19 squad for training camp –Bangladesh tour: Batsmen – Abbas Ali, Abdul Faseeh, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Fahad Munir, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Irfan Niazi, Mohammad Shehzad, Qasim Akram and Rizwan Mehmood Wicketkeepers – Haseebullah and Raza-ul-Mustafa Spinners – Aaliyan Mehmood, Ali Asfand, Arham Nawab and Faisal Akram Fast bowlers – Ahmed Khan, Asim Ali, Muneeb Wasif, Tahir Hussain and Zeeshan Zameer Players Support Personnel – Ijaz Ahmed (head coach and team manager), Imranullah (trainer) Rao Iftikhar (bowling coach), Mohtashim Rasheed (fielding coach), Hafiz Naeem (physiotherapist), Col (retd) Safdar Saeed (security manager), Faisal Rai (analyst) and Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media manager). Tour schedule: 11 April – Departure for Dhaka 16-18 April – Training, Sylhet 19-22 April – Four-day match; SICS, Sylhet 26 April – 1st 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 28 April – 2nd 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 30 April – 3rd 50-over match; SICS, Sylhet 3 May – 4th 50-over match; SBNCS, Dhaka 5 May – 5th 50-over match; SBNCS, Dhaka 6 May – Team return to Pakistan

SPORTS REPORT LAHORE (April 3, 2021):-Pakistan cricket selectors, as part of their strategy to keep all the leading performers involved in the system, have invited six additional players who will participate in the training camp for the Test players, which commences at the Gaddafi Stadium on 10 April. These six players are: Irfan Ullah Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Naseem Shah (Central Punjab), Rohail Nazir (Northern), Sameen Gul (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Taj Wali (Balochistan), Waqas Maqsood (Central Punjab). In the training camp held prior to the side’s departure for Johannesburg, the selectors had invited seven additional players so that the coaches would work on their development. Separately, a high performance training camp for 25 players not involved in the HBL Pakistan Super League 6, was held at the National High Performance Centre but it had to be closed due to a rise in Covid-19 cases. The Test players’ camp will run under a bio-secure environment from 11-20 April before the 11 players will depart for Harare on 21 April to join other members of the side. The two Tests will be played in Harare from 29 April-3 May and 7-11 May. The camp will be held under the supervision of National High Performance coaches, including Saqlain Mushtaq (head of player development), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Mushtaq Ahmed (spin bowling coach), Umer Rasheed (fast bowling coach) and Atiq-uz-Zaman (wicketkeeping/fielding coach), Javed Sheikh (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Tahir (Physiotherapist) and a masseur. Harare-bound Test players to attend camp are: Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Imran Butt (Balochistan), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab), Saud Shakeel (Sindh, subject to fitness), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh), Tabish Khan (Sindh) and Zahid Mahmood (Southern Punjab) Training programme (subject to last-minute changes): 11 April: Training at GSL from 1000-1300 12 April: Full day scenario match from 0930 13 April: Half-a-day scenario match from 0930 15 April: Full day scenario match from 0930 18 April: Full day scenario match from 0930 19 April: Half-a-day scenario match from 0930 20 April: Optional training or as advised by coaches 21 April: Departure for Harare

SPORTS REPORT DHAKA (April 3, 2021):-Pakistan Blind’s Cricket Team outclassed traditional foes India by 58 runs in the opening match of Triangular Blind Cricket Series at Bashundhara Sports Complex, Dhaka, Bangladesh  on Saturday. Pakistan will meet hosts Bangladesh in the next match on Sunday. Ajay Reddy Captain of the Indian Blind Cricket Team won the toss and elected to bowl first. The decision proved right; as Pakistani opener, Mohammad Rashid was bowled on the 2nd ball of the innings without scoring a run. Zafar Iqbal didn’t last long also, he made only 6 runs. Pakistan was hovering at 15 for 2, thereafter Nisar Ali and Moain Aslam knitted a partnership of 59 runs to put the innings back on track. Nisar and Moain were dismissed after scoring 33 and 30 runs respectively. Badar Munir was sent down the order to attack on opponent bowlers. He proved his class by scoring a fiery 50 off just 27 balls with the help of 4 big sixes. Pakistan finished the innings with 185 runs on the board for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs.  Reddy was the pick amongst the Indian bowlers, he picked 2 wickets for 24 runs. India started their chase well and kept the scoring rate well in their reach, but the wicket of Venkatesh opened the gate for Pakistan bowlers to run through Indian batting lineup.  Venkatesh was dismissed by Anees Javed after scoring 16 runs. The B1 bowlers (totally Blind Bowlers), who have to bowl minimum 40% of the overs (in T-20 minimum 8 overs) changed the course of the match in the favor of Pakistan team with economical bowling. The rookie, Mohammad Shahzaib, only 18 years old, who was playing his first match against India, took 2 wickets in his 4 overs spell by giving away only 13 runs. India made 127 runs in their 20 overs for the loss of 9 wickets. Badar Munir was declared man of the match. Tomorrow Pakistan will take on Bangladesh. The match will start at 2:00 PM local time.    

SPORTS REPORT LAHORE (April 1, 2021):-As many as 27 women cricketers will undergo skills and fitness training at the Moin Khan Academy in Karachi in the emerging women’s camp, which begins on 3 April. Over the course of the 14-day camp, these 27 players will train under the supervision of the coaching staff of the women’s national cricket team namely David Hemp, the head coach, Arshad Khan, the bowling coach, and Drikus Saaiman, the strength and condition coach, along with academy coaches Mohsin Kamal and Naveed Anjum. This camp will provide an opportunity to the national team coaches to observe up and coming cricketers and provide them awareness about the desired skills and fitness levels to thrive at the apex level. The camp will be held under strict bio-secure environment and the players and support staff will be stationed at a local hotel. In accordance with the PCB’s Covid-19 protocols, all those involved in the camp will undergo two tests before their integration in the bio-secure environment. Their first tests will be held at their residence on 31 March and those who return negative tests will undergo second testing on 3 April upon their arrival in Karachi. Player names: Aima Saleem Satti, Anoosha Nasir, Asma Amin, Arijah Haseeb, Ayesha Naseem, Bisma Amjad, Fajar Naveed, Fatima Khan, Fatima Zahra, Gul Rukh, Gul Uswa, Hamna Bilal, Hania Ahmar, Khushbakht Waseem, Laiba Fatima, Laraib Malik Aziz, Laveeza Munir, Momina Riasat Khan, Najiha Alvi, Nazish Rafique, Rida Aslam, Saima Malik, Shawal Zulfaqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Syeda Inshra Asad, Yusra Amir, Zaib un Nisa.

SPORTS DESK ISLAMABAD (April 1, 2021):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Committee, led by former Indian captain Anil Kumble, considered the current issues in the international game, and presented its recommendations which were approved. One of the issues discussed was the current approach to Umpire’s Call. Kumble said: “The Cricket Committee had an excellent discussion around Umpire’s Call and analysed its use extensively. The principle underpinning DRS was to correct clear errors in the game whilst ensuring the role of the umpire as the decision maker on the field of play was preserved, bearing in mind the element of prediction involved with the technology. Umpire’s Call allows that to happen, which is why it is important it remains.” In addition, three other changes to the DRS and 3rd Umpire protocols were approved. These are as follows: For LBW reviews, the height margin of the Wicket Zone will be lifted to the top of the stumps to ensure the same Umpire’s Call margin around the stumps for both height and width. A player will be able to ask the umpire whether a genuine attempt has been made to play the ball before deciding to review LBW decision. The 3rd Umpire will check a replay of any short run that has been called and correct any error prior to the next ball being bowled. The interim COVID-19 regulations that were introduced in 2020 to allow international cricket to resume as quickly and safely as possible will continue to be applied. These were as follows: The flexibility to be able to appoint home umpires where neutral umpires were previously required. The additional DRS review per team per innings in all formats. The ban on using saliva to polish the ball, and The availability of a COVID-19 replacement in Test matches. The committees noted the excellent performances by the home umpires over the past 9 months but encouraged the more widespread appointment of neutral Elite Panel umpires whenever circumstances allow. The recent introduction of replacement players for both concussion and COVID-19 prompted a discussion at the Cricket Committee on the more general use of replacement players in the international game. To better understand the implications of allowing players to be replaced during a match the definition of a First-Class Match will be changed to allow the unqualified use of replacement players. Two changes have been approved to the women’s ODI playing conditions; firstly, the discretionary 5-over batting powerplay has been removed and secondly, all tied matches will be decided by a Super Over. Mel Jones (Cricket Australia) and Catherine Campbell (New Zealand Cricket) have been appointed as the Full Member representatives on the ICC Women’s Committee. It was decided that Test and ODI status shall be permanently awarded to all Full Member women’s teams. Additionally, it was agreed that all matches at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games be classified as women’s T20 Internationals. ICC Events The Board received an update on the ongoing preparations around the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in India. This included an update from the BCCI on positive discussions with the Indian government around tax arrangements and visa guarantees. It is anticipated that both issues will be resolved over the next month. The Board agreed to postpone the inaugural ICC Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2021 which was due to be held in Bangladesh at the end of the year. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the establishment and subsequent development of the U19 programmes in many countries and teams would not be able prepare appropriately for a global event later this year. As such, the inaugural event will now take place in January 2023. Similarly, to allow teams the best possible preparation, the global qualifier for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, will also be postponed and will now be held in December 2021. The ICC Board agreed to allow Members to take up to seven additional players and / or support staff to accompany the squad of 23 to ICC senior events where a period of quarantine is required and / or teams are accommodated in a bio-secure bubble. Members The ICC Board agreed to set up a Member Support Fund for Cricket with USD 5 million being made available in grants to support the playing of international cricket. The fund will be made available in form of a “co-payment” contribution with a maximum grant of 50% being available for Members upon application.