Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report RAWALPINDI:-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued their excellent run in the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup 2022-23 recording their fourth straight win when they defeated Southern Punjab by seven wickets at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in a contest reduced to five overs because of wet outfield. In the second match of the day, Hussain Talat’s three for 17 pipped Sohail Tanvir’s highest T20 score (74 not out) in Balochistan’s third win of the tournament. Following the completion of the 12th match, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are perched at the top of the table and are followed by Balochistan, who have six points from three wins. With four points – coming from two wins – Southern Punjab and Sindh are placed at third and fourth. Northern are fifth with one win, while winless Central Punjab are placed at the bottom. Mohammad Imran’s guile too good for Southern Punjab batters Left-arm pacer Mohammad Imran made the most of the variations in his arsenal and denied any scoring opportunities to Southern Punjab batters as his 12 balls leaked only 13 runs and accounted for Hassan Khan. Southern Punjab, asked to bat, could muster 41 runs for the loss of four wickets in five overs, which, in the end, proved to be a cakewalk for defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Aamer Azmat, unbeaten on 14 off 10, dragged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over the line with three balls spare and seven wickets in hand. Right-arm pacer, Mohammad Ilyas, accounted for Sahibzada Farhan and Sarwar Afridi and was the only bowler in the match to take two wickets. Hussain bowls Balochistan to 19-run win Hussain Talat dismissed Rohail Nazir and Umar Amin in the sixth over and sent Hasan Nawaz packing in the eighth over in an extraordinary batting collapse that formed the basis of Balochistan’s third win of the tournament. Sohail Tanvir registered his highest T20 score with 74 off 42 and hit six sixes and three fours, but such was the magnitude of the top order collapse that it couldn’t save Northern. Aamir Jamal with 35 off 21 was the other batter to show some resistance but all Northern could manage was 162 for seven. Hussain returned three for 17, while his fellow pacer Khurram Shahzad picked up two wickets for 28. It was a solid half-century at the top of the order from Haseebullah and blistering knocks from Shan Masood (45 not out at a strike rate of 155) and Haris Sohail (34 at a strike rate of 179) that lifted Balochistan to 181 for three after they were asked to bat. Haseebullah and Asad Shafiq (34 off 28) added 62 runs for the first wicket in 8.4 overs. Young Haseebullah continued to play the anchor’s role till he was dismissed by Sohail Tanvir on the first ball of the 15th over. Balochistan were 109 at that point. Shan and Haris made their experience count and added 72 runs at a run rate of over 11. Shan hit six fours in his 29-ball knock and Haris’ 19-ball innings was studded with four fours and a six. Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Southern Punjab by 7 wickets Southern Punjab 41-4, 5 overs (Mohammad Ilyas 13 not out; Imran Khan Snr 1-12, Mohammad Imran 1-13) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 44-3, 4.3 overs (Aamer Azmat 14 not out; Mohammad Ilyas 2-14; Sameen Gul 1-15) Player of the match – Mohammad Imran (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Balochistan beat Northern by 19 runs Balochistan 181-3, 20 overs (Haseebullah 52, Shan Masood 45 not out, Haris Sohail 34 not out, Asad Shafiq 34) Northern 162-7, 20 overs (Sohail Tanvir 74 not out, Aamir Jamal 35, Hasan Nawaz 24; Hussain Talat 3-17, Khurram Shahzad 2-28) Player of the match – Haseebullah (Balochistan) and Sohail Tanvir (Northern)   Points table     Teams P W L Points NRR 1 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 4 4 0 8 0.633 2 Balochistan 4 3 1 6 0.132 3 Southern Punjab 4 2 2 4 0.906 4 Sindh 4 2 2 4 0.365 5 Northern 4 1 3 2 -0.368 6 Central Punjab 4 0 4 0 -1.434  

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE):-Australia’s Commonwealth Games gold medallists Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney are shortlisted following their triumph in Birmingham alongside India’s Jemimah Rodrigues. Multi-format heroics are honoured in the men’s shortlist, where all-rounders Sikandar Raza, Mitchell Santner and Ben Stokes are in contention for the award. Heroes from Australia’s gold medal winning Commonwealth Games performance are honoured in the shortlist for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for August 2022. Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney starred with bat and ball on the way to winning the inaugural edition of women’s cricket on the event programme of Birmingham ‘22. India’s Jemimah Rodrigues is the third name shortlisted for the award following notable contributions at the crease in her side’s surge to the landmark final at Edgbaston. The nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award pay tribute to some of memorable performances registered across all three formats in August. Sikandar Raza becomes the first Zimbabwe player to be nominated since Sean Williams back in March 2021, thanks to a series of outstanding contributions with the bat against Bangladesh and India. New Zealand all-rounder Mitchell Santner demonstrated his multi-format capabilities with bat and ball in August during his side’s series against Netherlands and West Indies, while Ben Stokes completes the lineup following his heroics at Old Trafford in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) second Test which saw the England skipper restore parity for his side against South Africa. ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for August: Tahlia McGrath (AUS) McGrath was a key member of Australia’s gold medal winning team, taking five wickets at an average of 13.40 and scoring 114 runs throughout August. Despite a quiet showing in the final itself, her star performance came in the victory over Pakistan, where she scored 78 not out, took three wickets and registered a run out. This run of performances also helped her reach her career-high ranking of 12th among all-rounders in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings. Beth Mooney (AUS) Mooney is a player for the big occasion, and her nomination for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award is no surprise following an outstanding array of performances to secure her side’s gold medal. She registered a remarkable 167 runs in her three T20Is during August, and followed up her half-century in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Final victory back in April with a match-winning score of 62 against India in the final of the Commonwealth Games. Jemimah Rodrigues (IND) August was a prolific month for India’s young batter, and despite falling agonizingly short at the final hurdle, Rodrigues played a crucial role in helping her side celebrate silver medal success at Birmingham ’22. Her score of 33 in the final got her side within touching distance of the top prize, but it was perhaps her vital contribution of 44 not out against England in the semi-final which was most important during the tournament, ensuring India took to the field in the first-ever appearance of women’s cricket at the Commonwealth Games. ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for August: Sikandar Raza (Zim) Zimbabwe’s star all-rounder has enjoyed a sensational 2022 so far and continued his magnificent form in August during his side’s contests against Bangladesh and India. Raza was instrumental in claiming the ODI series victory for his side against Bangladesh thanks to unbeaten scores of 135 and 117 which came during two superb run-chases. He followed this up with a fine 115 against India in the final ODI in Harare albeit in a losing cause. In addition to his batting feats, he took seven key wickets during August, cementing his growing all-round credentials and seeing him rise to a career-high position of fourth in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings. Mitchell Santner (NZ) So often known for his bowling prowess in the shorter formats, Santner finds himself on the shortlist for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for the first time after solid performances during his side’s recent series in Netherlands and West Indies. A fine 77 not out in the Netherlands saw his side claim victory in the second T20I before he was unleashed on the West Indies batters in the ODI and T20I series that followed. Bowling superbly throughout, Santner finished the month having taken seven wickets at an average of 17 in T20Is, with a further four wickets across ODIs at an average of 21. Ben Stokes (ENG) Following a humbling defeat in the first Test, England’s talismanic skipper produced another memorable performance to help his side level the series in the WTC battle against visiting South Africa. Amassing 143 runs throughout the month and claiming seven wickets including the prized scalps of Rassie van der Dussen, Keegan Petersen and Aiden Markram, his most notable contribution came with his commanding century at Old Trafford, securing a comfortable victory and ensuring the series is in the balance ahead of the final showdown at the Oval this week.

BIPIN DANI Sri Lankan computer analyst Prad Navaratnam was seen sending coded messages to his team captain Dasun Shanaka during the two recent crucial Asia Cup matches against Bangladesh on Thursday and Afghanistan on Saturday. The codes read 2D, D5, A2, C4, D etc. Apparently, the codes were sent in consultation with the head coach Chris Silverwood, who was sitting next to him in the dugout.   Sri Lanka seemed to have followed England, who also used real-time coded signals from the dressing room in the T20 series in South Africa in 2020. It was for communicating with the then skipper Eoin Morgan on the field. Silverwood, who was a coach with the English team then was criticised by former England captain Michael Vaughan. Lance Klussner, who was a head coach with the Afghanistan team till recently, does not see value in it. "No, I don't like this system (of sending coded signals to the captain). I never used it (during my time with the Afghanistan coaching)", he said over the telephone from Australia, where he is a batting coach with the Zimbabwe team, which won the third ODI against the hosts on Saturday. "It may sound interesting, but it's not new and personally I don't see value in it. The coach can easily send the messages to the fielding side during over-breaks or drinks interval", he added. "If you trust your captain while fielding and your batsman while batting to make the correct decisions there is no need for this messaging", he concluded. There's nothing wrong in this, and no rocket science, believe Mickey Arthur and Grant Flower, who were recently the Head Coach and the batting coach with the islanders. "Those are signals that keep and give the captain options, that's all. You remind the captain of potential matchups and give him an option. It is then upto the captain whether he wants to use them or not '', Arthur, speaking exclusively, said.   "It is only done when the team is fielding". "I am not sure how their system works but I imagine that it is a signal telling them which bowler to bowl and when. Then it's up to the captain to make a call", Flower said. Arthur, during his stint with the Sri Lankan team didn't use this tactic.

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (UAE):-A superlative half-century by Mohammad Rizwan and a 20-ball cameo by Mohammad Nawaz earned Pakistan a clinical and methodical five wickets victory over India in the Super-4 match of the ACC T20 Asia Cup here on Sunday night. Rizwan overcame a knee injury, which he sustained while keeping wickets, to top-score with a 51-ball 71 and Nawaz slapped six fours and two sixes in a swashbuckling 42 as Pakistan achieved the 182-run target with five wickets and one ball to spare. In the Group A match last week, India had defeated Pakistan by five wickets with two balls remaining. Babar Azam was dismissed early when he fell for a 10-ball 14 and Fakhar Zaman’s uneasy stay ended with an 18-ball 15, but Rizwan and Nawaz put on 73 runs for the third wicket to ensure Pakistan stayed in contention and ultimately romped home with calculated and precise scoring and hitting. Although Rizwan and Nawaz departed in a space of 11 runs, and Asif Ali fell with two runs required in two balls for victory, Iftikhar Ahmed hit Arshdeep Singh over his head for two runs to seal a memorable victory for Pakistan – only their third in 11 meetings. Asif Ali, who survived a caught behind appeal and then was dropped the very next ball by Singh in the 18th over, did his job by scoring 16 off eight balls that included a six and a four in the penultimate over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, which yielded 19 runs after Pakistan had required 26 runs in the last two overs. Khushdil Shah finished with an 11-ball 14 not out, while Iftikhar scored the winning two runs. Rizwan was simply magnificent with the bat, demonstrating his wide range of shots to all parts of the park. Despite struggling with a bad knee, Rizwan was as quick as a hare, converting ones into twos and twos into three. He was caught at long-off off Hardik Pandiya when Pakistan needed 35 runs in 19 balls. Nawaz proved his promotion was a masterstroke by the team management when he took on the bowlers with precise shot-selection and found the boundary at regular intervals. The left-hander was caught at long-off off Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the 16th over when Pakistan needed 46 runs for victory. Earlier, Pakistan burst the bubble of India’s highly-rated middle-order when they conceded 88 runs in the last 10 overs and picked up four wickets to restrict the defending champions to 181 for seven, which, at one stage was looking over 200 after the Men in Blue had sprinted to 62 for one in the PowerPlay overs and then reached 93 for three at the halfway stage. The shrewd Pakistan bowlers, led by spinners Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan and well supported by the quicks, held the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya and Deepak Hooda by the scruff of their necks in the middle overs to allow them to collectively score 43 runs from 38 balls. Had Fakhar Zaman not showed butter fingers in the last two deliveries and given away two boundaries when it should have been a run and a wicket, Pakistan could have limited India to inside 175. Yadav (13) was caught attempting to sweep outside the off-stumps, Pant (14) felt to an over-adventurous reverse sweep, Pandya (0) was surprised by Mohammad Hasnain’s pace and was caught at short mid-wicket and Hooda (16) tried to hit Naseem Shah outside the venue only to be brilliantly caught by Nawaz at mid-wicket. Nonetheless, India was able to absorb the failure of its over-rated middle-order after Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul had provided their side a flying 54-run start in five overs and then Kohli anchored the innings until he was run-out in the final over of the innings. Sharma struck three fours and two sixes in a 16-ball 28, while Rahul struck a four and two sixes in his 20-ball 28. Kohli played a typical Kohli innings, which was full of confidence, excellent shot-selection and quick running between the wickets. The champion batter scored 60 runs off 44 balls, which also included four eloquent boundaries and a six off Naseem that brought his 32nd half-century. Kohli was run-out by a direct throw from Asif Ali from fine-leg, a dismissal Pakistan retrospectively may regret after Fakhar Zaman conceded two boundaries off the final two balls from Ravi Bishnoi’s willow. Pakistan bowlers bounced back strongly after being on the receiving end in the first half of the innings. Nawaz was outstanding, finishing with figures of 4-0-25-1, Shadab Khan was crafty while recording figures of 4-0-31-2, while Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain bowled their hearts out and returned identical figures of 4-0-38-1. Naseem Shah had a forgettable match after an impressive debut against the same opposition and at the same venue last week as he went for 45 off his four overs. Pakistan will now play Afghanistan in Sharjah on Wednesday, while their last Super-4 match will be against Sri Lanka in Dubai on Friday. Scores in brief: India 181-7, 20 overs (Virat Kohli 60, KL Rahul 28, Rohit Sharma 28; Shadab Khan 2-31, Mohammad Nawaz 1-25) Pakistan 182-5, 19.5 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 71, Mohammad Nawaz 42, Asif Ali 16, Fakhar Zaman 15, Khushdil Shah 14 not out, Babar Azam 14) Player of the match – Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan)

BIPIN DANI It is a "fresh" Asia Cup tournament now, Salman Hanif, the co-director of the event said. Speaking exclusively, he said, "First round points and NRR (Net Run Rates) will not be considered in the Super 4 round. All four qualified teams in the second tour (Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan) have started with zero points". The Super Four stage is following a format where all four teams battle it out against each other once. Thus, each team gets to play three matches. The top two teams at the end of this stage will see each other in the summit clash. Dubai Sports City, which includes the Dubai International Stadium and the ICC Academy, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium are the potential venues for the glitzy Asia Cup T20 tournament.  

Sports Bulletin Report RAWALPINDI:-Northern recorded their first win of the Kingdom Valley National T20 Cup 2022-23 – thanks to Ali Imran’s superb half-century. They defeated Central Punjab by three runs at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in a rain-reduced match on Sunday. In the second match of the day, Adil Amin’s quickfire 40 not out helped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to third consecutive win as they defeated Sindh by six wickets. Central Punjab fall agonisingly short; lose fourth in a row Tayyab Tahir’s third half-century of the tournament – the most for any batter – went in vain as Central Punjab lost to Northern by three runs. The Central Punjab opener scored 53 off 39 (six fours and a six) and stitched a crucial 82-run second wicket partnership with Abdullah Shafiq (33 off 23, five fours) in a contest curtailed to 16 overs because of rain. Northern’s Ali Imran – later named player of the match – smashed 56 at a strike rate of over 164 after Central Punjab captain Qasim Akram elected to bowl. Ali struck three sixes and as many fours in his 34-ball knock before he was dismissed by Mohammad Ali – who returned three for 33 – in the penultimate over. He added 39 runs with opener Hasan Nawaz (24 off 23) and 47 with Mubasir Khan (18 off 17) in what was an extraordinary rearguard after Northern were reduced to 10 for two in nine balls. Sohail Tanvir made his experience count down the order spanking 20 runs off eight deliveries (two fours and a six). Adil Amin leads Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to third straight win It was Adil Amin’s sparkling 40 n0t out off 24 that helped Khyber Pakhtunkhwa surmount 152-run target with eight balls spare. Player of the match Adil smashed three four and two sixes as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa crossed the line with six wickets in hand. Adil was provided a solid platform for the run chase by openers Sahibzada Farhan (45 off 34) and Mohammad Haris (37 off 29) as they added 82 for the first wicket. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had a scare in the 11th over when both were dismissed by leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood. Sind’s Saad Khan top-scored with 40 off 36 and wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed made 27 not out off 24 after captain Saud Shakeel elected to bat. The other notable batters in Sindh’s innings were opener Saim Ayub (23 off 20), Saud (20 off 15) and Danish Aziz (21 not ouf off 15). Scores in brief: Northern beat Central Punjab by 3 runs Northern 146-7, 16 overs (Ali Imran 56, Hasan Nawaz 24, Sohail Tanvir 20 not out; Mohammad Ali 3-33, Ali Asfand 2-24, Aamer Yamin 2-30) Central Punjab 143-5, 16 overs (Tayyab Tahir 53, Abdullah Shafique 33; Salman Irshad 2-27) Player of the match – Ali Imran (Northern) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Sindh by 6 wickets Sindh 151-4, 20 overs (Saad Khan 40, Sarfaraz Ahmed 27 not out, Saim Ayub 23, Danish Aziz 21 not out, Saud Shakeel 20; Mohammad Imran 2-30) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 154-4, 18.4 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 45, Adil Amin 40 not out, Mohammad Haris 37; Zahid Mehmood 2-32) Player of the match – Adil Amin (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Monday’s fixtures Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab at 0930 Balochistan v Northern at 1345

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE):-Shahnawaz Dahani will not be available for Sunday’s ACC T20 Asia Cup Super-4 match against India due to a suspected side strain. The injury happened while bowling in the match against Hong Kong in Sharjah on Friday. As is the case with any suspected side strain injury, the medical team will monitor him for the next 48-72 hours, following which they will make decisions, including carrying out a scan and further participation in the tournament

BIPIN DANI Sri Lankan wicket-keeper and batter Kusal Perera has successfully undergone shoulder surgery in England. The surgery was performed by Dr. Andrerw Wallace, who is a specialist in Sports injuries, shoulder arthroscopy, rotator cuff tears and arthritis. "Yes, the surgery was performed at King Edward VII's hospital", Dr. Wallace, who has treated several cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar for his shoulder elbow, said over the telephone from London. The 32-year-old Kusal Perera who has been carrying right shoulder injury for quite sometime and was last seen in action during the LPL last year and missed a lot of international cricket due to this injury. "He went to London on Monday and the surgery was done on Wednesday", his manager, Ravi De Silva, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, said. "He was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and his rehabilitation and recuperating process began yesterday (Friday). He has been given a 14-day chart for rehabilitation and will again be examined by the doctor on 14th September '', the manager further added.  "He is relaxing in the hospital and fine. Hope he recovers soon". Perera's participation in the upcoming World Cup can only be determined by Dr. Wallace, once he sees him but at present it looks highly unlikely.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Power-hitting coach Julian Wood and fast bowling coach Gordon Parsons have started their stints at the National High Performance Centre, Lahore for the Engro Cricket Coaching Project under the PCB Pathway Programme. The two seasoned specialist coaches arrived at the NHPC this week to work with the U13, U16 and U19 players selected for specialised training in the PCB Pathway Programme. A total of 107 players are involved in the first batch of the programme that is aimed at providing world-class coaching, training, education and development of life skills of the future stars of Pakistan. Wood and Parsons are working with the players at the NHPC’s indoor and outdoor nets besides delivering lectures in their respective areas of expertise. The players will also play practice and scenario-based matches in the upcoming days at the LCCA Ground and the Gaddafi Stadium. In addition to the foreign coaches, some of the top-ranked local coaches including former Pakistan stars Arshad Khan, Rao Iftikhar and Ijaz Ahmed Jnr are also working with the players. Fast bowling coach Gordon Parsons: “I have received a rousing welcome here and have almost felt like royalty with the affection and hospitality offered by the players, coaches and the staff. The NHPC is a coach’s paradise, the facilities are absolutely top-class, and my aim would be to contribute further to the rich heritage of Pakistan fast bowlers. “The PCB Pathway Programme which has involved 100-odd players in their early to mid-teens is a fantastic concept that will surely benefit the future generation of Pakistan stars. As a fast bowling coach, I am delighted to see the talent of the bowlers who have converged here and their willingness to learn. “For a fast bowler, 17 t0 18 years of age is an ideal time of development, the mechanics of an action and run-up go in tandem with the development of a bowler’s body while assessing potential injury risks. My aim would be to work on all these aspects to ensure these bowlers get the best out of this camp. Fast bowling is perhaps still the most exciting thing in cricket and there is nothing like a bowler bowling at 150kph regardless of the format.” Power-hitting coach Julian Wood: “I have had an amazing time so far since arriving at the NHPC, the facilities are excellent and I am really excited to see the talent in the batters here. Most of the batters have solid technique, and their fundamentals are in place. “We have some impressive young batting talent here with strong basics, technique and the desire to learn. As a specialised coach, I would endeavour to teach these players the ways and means of maximising their talent. “The buzzwords these days are power-hitting, ball access speed, hand-speed, launch angles and creating angles while batting. In the shorter formats, the time is short, so everything needs to be done quicker but there is so much more to the concept and you need to have a touch game, a skill game and a power game and one thing I have noticed is that these young Pakistan players have all of it.” The remaining three foreign coaches (Julian Fountain, Toby Radford and Nicholas Webb) part of the Engro Cricket Coaching Project are expected to reach Lahore in the next seven to 10 days. After the completion of the pathway camp, the players selected for the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Junior League will join their respective sides in the lead-up to the tournament that starts in the first week of October at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

BIPIN DANI After two successive defeats against India and Pakistan, the Hong Kong is elimiated from the ongoing Asia Cup but won the hearts of the fans and spectators to what HK players showed gesture to Team India's out of form Virat Kohli. "Virat, Thank you for inspiring a Generation. We stand with you. There are many incredible days ahead. With strength, with love : Team Hong Kong". The message displayed on a jersey was presented to Virat Kohli. It is hoped that this combined wish of players will bring luck to Kohli, who last scored an international hundred more than 1000 days ago. "It was one of the players' ideas and all agreed to do it as a "Thank You" gesture to Virat Kohli for being an idol to youngsters and motivation", Smita Chhetri, who is the only woman team manager in the Asia Cup, said exclusively. "It's a HK shirt-Scott's shirt, our team jersey. We used our wicketkeeper Scott McKechnie's shirt", Ravi Nagdev, the General Manager : Cricket Hong Kong revealed. Virat had spent an hour with every young player of the Hong Kong team. "Our players have not faced the bowling of 145 plus speed but they have got good experience playing with the senior players of other leading teams", Ravi Nagdev, the General Manager, Cricket Hong Kong, said.  "The members of the HK team will be spending three days in hotel quarantine on their return. The hotel expenses for the team will be borne by the government as we represent HK. They will also undergo a 4-day self monitoring quarantine". "Kinchit Shah who recently proposed to a girl in the stadium will head to India for a while for a break", Nagdev added.