Sports Bulletin

Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam retained captain, coach until ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD:-Bismah Maroof has been retained as captain and Iqbal Imam has been appointed as the head coach of Pakistan national women’s team until next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia from 21 February to 8 March.  Prior to the Australia event in December, the Pakistan national women’s cricket team will take on England in Kuala Lumpur in the seventh round of ICC Women’s Championship. The three ODIs will be followed by three T20Is.  Bismah, the 28-year-old veteran of 105 ODIs and 103 T20Is, was first appointed as Pakistan captain in the T20I format in 2016 for the tour of England, before taking over as ODI captain post-ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. To date, she has led Pakistan in 15 ODIs and 33 T20Is.  Iqbal Imam played 147 first-class matches from 1989 to 2005 during which he scored 6,249 runs and took 136 wickets. He was named as the batting coach in April and was made interim head coach for the recent home series against Bangladesh after Mark Coles resigned from the position.  Bismah Maroof, reflecting on her appointment, said: “It is truly an honour for me to be continuing as Pakistan’s captain and I look forward to leading the side in the next year’s T20 World Cup. “The team is in good shape and has produced some good performances recently. There’s a great deal of talent and passion in the girls and I look forward to carrying the momentum to the World Cup.”  Urooj Mumtaz, Chair of selectors for the Pakistan national women’s team, said: “I congratulate Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam on their appointments. “It is the dream of every cricketer to lead their nation in a world event and I am certain that Bismah is a good fit for the job. She has been at the helm for some years and she has grown as a leader.  “There has been a significant improvement in the performances of the women’s side of-late and her vast experience of international cricket is certainly going to benefit the team.” Iqbal Imam, expressing his delight at the announcement, said: “It is certainly an honour for me to be appointed as a head coach for the women’s side. “Women’s cricket in Pakistan is improving day-by-day and we have a lot of talented girls emerging. Our team has gotten off to a decent start this season by beat Bangladesh in T20I series and levelling the ODI series. “There’s a great potential in the side to do wonders and I aim to bring the best out of them.”  PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam have put in the hard yards to be where they are today and I am very confident that the national women’s team will thrive under them. “Iqbal has been with the team since April and he understands the demands of the job. He has the desired skillset and was right up there amongst the candidates who applied for the job. “The Pakistan team showed improvements in their T20I and ODI series against Bangladesh under him and I hope that he will be able to carry forward the momentum gained from them.” The team’s performance will be reviewed after the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Australia 2020 before future decisions are made as the Pakistan national women’s cricket team has no scheduled Future Tours Programme or ICC commitments until the ICC Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2021, which will be held from 30 January to 20 February. Pakistan national women’s cricket team’s upcoming matches: Versus England in Malaysia 9 Dec – First ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 12 Dec – Second ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 14 Dec – Third ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 17 Dec – First T20I, Kinrara Oval 19 Dec – Second T20I, Kinrara Oval 20 Dec – Third T20I, Kinrara Oval ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Australia 2020 26 Feb – v West Indies, Manuka Oval, Canberra 28 Feb – v England, Manuka Oval, Canberra 1 Mar – v South Africa, Sydney Showground, Sydney 3 Mar – v Thailand, Sydney Showground, Sydney

HBL PSL 2020 attracts some of the world’s very best By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-A fascinating duel between World No.1 Babar Azam and one of the modern day greats Dale Steyn is on the cards for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 as the South African speedster is among the 28 international crowd-pullers to have registered to date in the Platinum category for one of the premier and most-watched leagues on the planet. The registration window for the foreign players is still open and closes on 21 November following which an updated list will be released.  The battle between Babar and Steyn made global headlines when the Pakistan batsman struck the South African pace ace for 10 boundaries in a span of just 31 balls in the Centurion Test late last year. He then followed up with five boundaries in 29 balls in the Cape Town Test to belt Steyn for a total of 16 fours off just 66 balls.  If the two end up in opposite camps when the player draft takes place in the first week of December, then the local and foreign fans are up for the resumption of an engrossing contest between a present day star and one of the all-time supreme fast bowlers.  This is the first time Steyn has registered for the HBL PSL, which reflects the popularity of the competition and the brand it has become since its inception in 2016. If picked, Steyn’s next year’s visit to Pakistan will also be his first since the 2007 tour when he played Tests in Karachi and Lahore.  Steyn was excited to be part of the draft pool, when he said: “Cricket means the world to Pakistani fans and I am excited that I will get to be a part of the HBL Pakistan Super League draft pool.”  Steyn’s longtime South Africa team-mate Hashim Amla and England’s World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are the other international players in the preliminary list of 28 cricketers who have registered in the Platinum category for the HBL PSL 2020.  Amla also toured Pakistan in 2007 before returning in 2017 with the ICC World XI for a three-match T20I series, while for Ali and Rashid, next year’s trips will be their maiden cricket tours, if picked.  Moeen Ali said: “I am very excited that I am going to be a part of such an incredible pool of players for the HBL PSL Player Draft. On the circuit, players talk about the quality cricket that they have experienced playing in the HBL PSL and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”  Apart from Ali and Rashid, Jason Roy is the other World Cup winner to have registered for HBL PSL 2020. Roy, who has previously represented Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, said: “Pakistan cricket always offers unique and exciting stuff and this tournament is no different. They have some of the most passionate fans in the world and it is extremely heartening to experience this passion. I have had brief but memorable stints at the HBL PSL and it's great to be back in the pool.”  Roy’s compatriot Alex Hales and West Indies’ star Kieron Pollard are familiar faces in the HBL PSL. Alex Hales, who was picked by Islamabad United in 2018, said: “I had a great experience playing in Karachi last year and I can’t forget the love that I received from Pakistani fans. HBL PSL has grown so much in such little time and it is definitely an exciting tournament to be a part of.”  Kieron Pollard, who played for Peshawar Zalmi in the 2019 event, said: “Last year, I truly experienced what cricket means to Pakistani fans as I played in front of jam-packed crowds. It was definitely a highlight in my career and I hope that the HBL PSL festivity continues this season as well.”  Overall, the 28 players come from eight cricket-playing nations, with England boasting seven, South Africa six and the West Indies five, Afghanistan and Australia three each, Sri Lanka two and Nepal, and New Zealand one each.  While the PCB will announce additions to the list by or before 21 November, it will share to date Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging lists later this week.  List of international players who have registered in Platinum category to date:  ·         Afghanistan – Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Rashid Khan ·         Australia – Dan Christian, Ben Cutting and Chris Lynn ·         England – Moeen Ali, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid and Jason Roy ·         Nepal - Sandeep Lamichhane ·         New Zealand – Colin Munro ·         South Africa – Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir ·         Sri Lanka – Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera ·         West Indies – Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard  

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Imran Butt, Aizaz Cheema star on day two SB Report ISLAMABAD:-Imran Butt’s eighth first-class century and two early wickets by Taj Wali and Mohammad Asghar put Balochistan ahead of Central Punjab on day two of their four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy seventh-round fixture at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Balochistan scored a mammoth 450 all-out on the back of Butt’s 137 and reduced the hosts to 28 for two before the play had to be called-off due to fading light. Twenty-three-year-old Butt continued his impressive form after resuming his innings on 77 and cracked his second 100-plus score in the tournament. He knitted a solid 167-run partnership for the third-wicket with Balochistan’s captain Imran Farhat - who scored 87 off 155 balls, hitting 11 fours - and smashed 16 fours in his 225-ball stay at the crease before he was removed by Aizaz Cheema, who returned his 37th five in first-class cricket. The 40-year-old right-arm medium-fast took five wickets for 100 runs in 31.1 overs, providing crucial breakthroughs to hosts over the course of his spells. Other notable performance with the ball came from right-arm medium-fast Mohammad Ali who picked up two more wickets on Tuesday and returned three for 72. For crossing the 400-run mark in 110 overs, Balochistan bagged maximum (5) batting points, while Central Punjab took two points for removing six or more batsmen. Only eight overs were possible in Central Punjab’s innings and Taj (2-0-5-1) and Asghar (2-0-7-1) made the most of the twilights hours by picking up the wickets of opener Rizwan Hussain (six) and night-watchman Ehsan Adil (seven). Salman Butt (15) and Central Punjab captain Ahmed Shehzad (0) will resume the innings for the hosts on Wednesday. Scores in brief: Balochistan 450 all-out, 124.1 overs (Imran Butt 137, Imran Farhat 87, Azeem Ghumman 72, Awais Zia 44, Taimur Khan 37, Hussain Talat 24; Aizaz Cheema 5-100, Mohammad Ali 3-72) Central Punjab 28-2, 8 overs (Salman Butt 15; Taj Wali 1-5, Mohammad Asghar 1-7)

Aamir Ali guides Sindh to National Under-19 three-day title SB Report ISLAMABAD[November,11,2019]:-A six from left-arm spinner Aamir Ali helped Sindh Under-19 win the final of National Under-19 Three-Day Tournament against Northern U19 at Rana Naveed Cricket Academy in Sheikhupura on Monday. Sindh who recently won the National U19 One-Day tournament took another trophy home, defeating Northern by seven wickets. Resuming their second innings on 102 for six, Northern were bundled out for 131 in 49.2 overs. Captain Zaid Khan top-scored with a 98-ball 64, he hit nine fours and a six. For Sindh, left-arm spinner Aamir Ali took six wickets for 54 runs in 23.2 overs. He ended-up with match figures of 11 for 133. Arish Ali Khan and Mohammad Makki grabbed two wickets apiece for 40 and 20 runs, respectively. Chasing 148 to win, Sindh lost two wickets in quick succession with only 22 runs on the board, but a 109-run partnership for the third wicket between Mohammad Taha (61 not-out) and Saim Ayub 62 guided the team to victory. Taha’s unbeaten knock included 10 fours and a six, while Saim hit 11 fours in an innings lasting 94 balls. Aamir for his 11 wickets was named player-of-the-match, while Mehran Mumtaz who has scored 166 runs and took 24 wickets for Northern was named player-of-the-tournament. Sindh defeated Balochistan by 123 runs to lift the National U19 One-Day tournament at the same venue on 6 November. Scores in brief: Northern U19 v Sindh U19, Rana Naveed Academy, Sheikhupura Northern U19 220 all-out, 77.2 overs (Mehran Mumtaz 43, Abdul Fasih 34; Arish Ali Khan 5-85, Aamir Ali 5-79) and 131 all-out, 49.2 overs (Ziad Khan 64; Aamir Ali 6-54, Arish Ali Khan 2-40, Mohammad Makki 2-20) Sindh U19 204 all-out, 63.2 overs (Mubashir Nawaz 63, Mohammad Usman 56; Mehran Mumtaz 4-47, Shiraz Khan 3-44) and 152-3, 32.3 overs (Saim Ayub 62, Mohammad Taha 61 not-out) Result: Sindh U19 win by seven wickets Player of the match – Aamir Ali (Sindh) Player of the tournament – Mehran Mumtaz, Northern U19 (166 runs and 24 wickets in six matches

Ali Shafiq fined 20 percent match fee SB Report ISLAMABAD[November,11,2019]:-Balochistan bowler Ali Shafiq has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee for a level 1 offence relating to using language, action or gesture which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his dismissal during a match during his side’s three-day non first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi. According to media department of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the incident happened on Sunday when Ali dismissed Mehran Ibrahim in the 21st over of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first innings. The right-arm medium-fast was charged by on-field umpires Imtiaz Iqbal and Mohammad Sajid at the end of second day’s play for violating article 2.5 of the PCB Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Ali pleaded guilty and accepted the fine imposed on him by match referee Nadeem Arshad

Akif Javed’s need for speed SB Report ISLAMABAD[November,11,2019]:-Karak-born left-arm pacer Akif Javed has made a big impression already in a very short domestic career. Akif, a discovery of the NCA Remote Areas Programme has made his way to the Pakistan team set to take part in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup that will be played in Bangladesh later this month. The 19-year-old Akif was born in Karak which is a remote town some 130 kilometres away from Peshawar. Cricket, like the rest of the country is the most popular sport here and youngsters are seen playing cricket on large fields and grounds across the area. Akif, started playing like most of the boys in the area, his talent, skill, persistence and determination provided him rich rewards in the shape of his selection for the Remote Areas camp that was staged at the prestigious National Cricket Academy in Lahore. Akif had some big challenges to overcome; he had to help his father as a shopkeeper in order to make ends meet for his family. Akif used to work at the shop yet pursued his dream of becoming a cricket star in his spare time. As a kid and then as a teenager he played tape-ball cricket with his friends on the streets and grounds of Karak. His life changed last year when on the insistence of his friends, he started playing with the cricket ball. Akif made a big impression in the recently concluded National T20 tournament in Faisalabad where he accounted for some big scalps; overall he took nine wickets in seven games including figures of three for 16 in one game for Balochistan. His side narrowly lost the tournament final to Northern. Akif Javed on his early days, National T20, selection and favourites: “I was inspired by Shoaib Akhtar and started playing cricket as I wanted to emulate his feats. I entered the National T20 with the aim of becoming the fastest bowler in the world, I am happy with my performance in the event. My most memorable wicket of the tournament was Mohammad Hafeez’s. “My mother informed me of my selection in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup squad; she like the rest of my family is very happy and is praying for my success. Among the present lot, Mohammad Amir is my favourite bowler; I want to swing the ball like he does at a good pace.”Akif impressed the coaches at the NCA, while training under the Remote Areas Programme. He gained speed, accuracy and learned the nuances of bowling at the highest level under the NCA coaches.  Akif praised the coaching staff at the NCA for their contribution in his growth as a player as well as his improved fitness. Akif on NCA coaches: “The coaches at NCA worked really hard with me. I was taught about the basics of bowling and that helped me immensely in my performances in the National T20. I was also told about the importance of fitness and the training that I did at the academy has been of great benefit. The Remote Areas camp helped many youngsters like me and we might see many other stars emerge from these activities in the future.” Akif has made rapid strides in a very short time, not long ago his family used to dislike his interest in cricket but his performances in the National T20 and his selection in the Pakistan team for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup has changed their perception, he now has their backing and prayers as he begins the pursuit of what promises to be a hugely rewarding career. Pakistan’s squad for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup has a strong pace bowling attack which besides Akif includes Mohammad Hasnain, Sameen Gul and Amad Butt. Pakistan Squad: Saud Shakeel (captain), Rohail Nazir (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Akif Javed, Amad Butt, Haider  Ali,   Hasan Mohsin, Imran Rafiq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Asad, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Mohsin, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saif Badar, Sameen Gul, Umar Khan. Reserves: Aamir Ali, Adil Amin, Hussain Talat and Muhammad Haris.   Team management: Ijaz Ahmed (Manager-cum-head coach), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (assistant coach), Hafiz Mohammad Naeem Ul Rasul (physiotherapist), Saboor  Ahmad (trainer), Usman  Hashmi (analyst) and Muhammad Younas Butt (security manager) Pakistan’s schedule: 14 November – v Afghanistan, Cox’s Bazar 16 November – v Sri Lanka, Cox’s Bazar 18 November – v Oman, Cox’s Bazar 20 November – Semi-final 1 (winner Group A v runner-up Group B), Mirpur 21 November - Semi-final 2 (winner Group B v runner-up Group A), Mirpur 23 November - Final, Mirpur

Azeem Ghumman, Imran Butt hit half-centuries on Day-1 SB Report ISLAMABAD[November,11,2019]:-Half-centuries by Azeem Ghumman and Imran Butt had Balochistan at 232 for 2 on the first day of their four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy seventh-round fixture against Central Punjab at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium before play had to be called-off due to bad light. Opener Azeem and one-drop Butt stitched a 92-run partnership for the second-wicket for the visitors after Balochistan were asked to bat by Central Punjab captain Ahmed Shehzad. Azeem scored a solid 140-ball 72 – his 20th half-century in first-class cricket – which also included a 71-run opening-partnership with Awais Zia (44). The 28-year-old right-handed batsman cracked 10 boundaries in his 200-minute stay at the crease. After Awais was dismissed, Butt ensured Balochistan’s innings stayed on track as he scored 77 not out from 119 balls. The 23-year-old had smashed 11 fours and was joined by his side’s captain Imran Farhat (30 not out) when stumps were drawn. For Central Punjab, right-arm medium-fast bowlers Mohammad Ali and Ehsan Adil took a wicket each for 42 and 57 runs. Only 60.2 overs were bowled on day one. Scores in brief: Balochistan 232-2, 60.2 overs (Imran Butt 77 not out, Azeem Ghumman 72, Awais Zia 44, Imran Farhat 30 not out; Mohammad Ali 1-42, Ehsan Adil 1-57) v Central Punjab

National Stadium ready to welcome Quaid-e-Azam Trophy  Abdullah Asjad Islamabad (November 9, 2019):-Karachi’s National Stadium will stage its opening Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture this season when Sindh will host Northern in the seventh-round action of the four-day first-class tournament on Monday. Sindh and Northern are placed fifth and sixth, respectively on the points table and will be aiming to collect maximum points to stay alive in the tournament. The fact that this fixture will also be live-streamed on the PCB’s YouTube channel, adds further spice to the contest. Sindh are yet to record their maiden first-class win and the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led unit will look to make the most of their home conditions to achieve it. Looking ahead to the fixture, Sindh captain Sarfaraz Ahmed said: “Our team is in good shape. It is just we haven’t been able to register a win in the tournament yet. Two of our matches were affected by rain and ended as draws so we are eyeing victories in the remaining matches to consolidate our position on the points table.” Northern, the only team to have suffered two defeats to date, will hope that traveling to the port-city will bring a change in their fortunes. In the last round, Northern suffered a heavy 204-run defeat at the hands of table-toppers Central Punjab at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium in a contest which was dominated by the spinners.  For Northern, Nauman Ali starred with 11 wickets in the contest. The left-arm spinner went on to record the best innings figures for this tournament with eight for 71.  Nauman Ali, who has 27 scalps in five matches, said: “I am enjoying bowling with the Kookaburras as it allows spinners to bowl longer spells. I have been putting in a lot effort in my bowling and aim to finish as the highest wicket-taker.”  “It is easier to grip Kookaburra when it is new and provides bounce to the spinners. But as it gets older, a lot of effort has to be exerted with the finger. With this ball, you have to adapt with the changing conditions which will prove to be beneficial for the spinners to prepare for Test cricket.”  Central Punjab v Balochistan  After consolidating their position at the top of the points table with a win over Northern, Central Punjab host Balochistan at Gaddafi Stadium as red-ball action returns to Pakistan’s home of cricket. This will be the second meeting of the season between the two sides. Balochistan hosted Central Punjab in the third-round of the ongoing tournament at Quetta’s Bugti Stadium in which the tourists recorded a thumping win with a margin of an innings and 12 runs.  Balochistan, thanks to young all-rounder Hussain Talat, edged out in securing a draw from a precarious situation in their last round match against Southern Punjab at Bugti Stadium  After being asked to follow-on by Southern Punjab, Balochistan had half of their batting line-up back in the pavilion with just 44 runs on board with a 163-run trail to surmount.  Hussain scored a valiant 167-ball 136 – his maiden century in first-class cricket – to save his side from a certain defeat. He had fallen 11 runs short of a hundred in the previous innings.  Reflecting on the match, Hussain Talat said: “I am feeling very happy after scoring my first century in first-class cricket. I was a bit disappointed to have missed out on it in the first innings.  “As a player you have to keep going. The pitch was a bit difficult, but my plan was to bat till the end and punish bad deliveries. I had a decent National T20 Cup and this innings has provided me confidence. I aim to build on this innings in the remaining matches and end the first-class season on a high note.”  Central Punjab’s Zafar Gohar is the other in-form spinner and left a mark in the Faisalabad match. The left-arm spinner took 11 wickets, which included a seven for 79 in the second innings. The 24-year-old now has the most wickets in the tournament with 28 scalps at 25.50 runs a piece in six matches.  Zafar Gohar said: “There was pressure on me to win the match with my bowling as the pitch was providing assistance to the spinners. So, when I got the ball in my hand, I bowled challenging lines and lengths which brought me wickets.  “It is certainly a great feeling to be leading the wicket-takers’ chart as it underscores the efforts one has put in during the off-season. My ultimate objective is to finish the tournament as the highest wicket-taker. I have broken it down into smaller goals. I am taking one match at a moment and playing according to the situation and conditions on offer.”  Khyber Pakhtunkwa v Southern Punjab  Third positioned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will hope rain doesn’t play spoilsport in their upcoming fixture against Southern Punjab, who are second on the points table and are the only other side than Central Punjab to have won a match this season, at the picturesque Abbottabad Cricket Stadium.  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa head coach Kabir Khan said: “We got into strong positions in three out of six of our matches. But, where we have not won any match yet, it is a good sign that we haven’t lost any either.  “The tournament is in a critical stage now and the teams who control their nerves will succeed as every point has become crucial. We are looking to bag maximum points even if our next game ends in another draw. So, we get a boost when we win.  “The weather has gotten cold in Abbottabad and the pitch has gotten greener. So, the conditions are conducive to fast-bowling. We will be relying on our pace duo of Usman Shinwari and Junaid Khan to get us wickets as winning first-class matches demand bagging all 20 wickets.”  Abdul Rehman, the head coach of Southern Punjab, said: “It is going to be a good contest against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as they have young cricketers who have done well in all departments. “We were on the verge of securing a win in our last match against Balochistan. We dominated the contest for three days but made a few mistakes on the last day. We will make sure that those mistakes are not repeated again and win the upcoming match so we further consolidate our position and secure a berth in the final.”  Seventh round fixtures (11-14 November)  Central Punjab v Balochistan, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore  Sindh v Northern, National Stadium, Karachi  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Southern Punjab, Abbottabad Cricket Stadium  

  Pakistan Under-16 overcome post 7 runs victory against Bangladesh Under-16 By Abdul Jabbar Faisal RAWAPINDI:-Pakistan Under-16 beat Bangladesh Under-16 by seven runs on DLS method in the third 50-over match to win three match 50-over series 2-0 at the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Friday. The second 50-over match of the series was abandoned due to rain, while Pakistan won the first 50-over match by 99 runs at the same venue. Bangladesh after opting to bat first were dismissed for 165 in 30.3 overs. The match had a delayed start due to wet outfield and was restricted to 31 overs a side. Nayeem Ahmed, the visiting team captain top-scored with 45 off 52 balls, he hit four fours. Arafat Islam (22), Minhajul Hasan (21), Radowan Hossan (22) and Tawhidul Islam (24) were the only batsmen that went into the double figures. For Pakistan, left arm spinner Ali Asfand continued to shine with the ball as he took three wickets for 38 runs. Ahmad Khan, Ismail Khan and Mohammad Shehzad took two wickets apiece. In return, chasing 166 to win the match, the openers provided a solid start to the innings. Ali Hasan (24) was the first wicket to fall on 61, leg-spinner Shamsul Islam dismissed him. Mohammad Shehzad (32) was the next to go, he fell on the same score. His innings included three fours and two sixes. Later, Rizwan Mehmood and Ibrar Afzal provided a valuable 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rizwan scored 34 off 38 balls, he hit four fours. Ibrar remained unbeaten on 34 off 37 balls laced with three fours. The match was stopped due to bad light in the 28th over when the home team had posted 148 runs for the loss of six wickets. The match didn’t resume afterwards and Pakistan U16 was declared winners by seven runs on DLS method as they were seven runs ahead of the DLS target at the time of the interruption. For Bangladesh, Amir Hossain and Shamsul Islam took two wickets apiece for 24 and 25 runs, respectively. Earlier, Pakistan won the two three-day match series 1-0, that series was also played at the KRL Stadium in Rawalpindi. Scores in brief: Bangladesh U16 165 all-out, 30.3 overs (Nayeem Ahmed 45; Ali Asfand 3-38, Ahmad Khan 2-20, Ismail 2-31, Mohammad Shehzad 2-36) Pakistan U16 148-6, 27.3 overs (Ibrar Afzal 34 not out, Rizwan Mehmood 34, Mohammad Shehzad 32; Amir Hossain 2-24, Shamsul Islam 2-25) Result: Pakistan U16 won by seven runs (DLS)  

Hussain Talat’s 136 rescues Balochistan SB Report Lahore, {November7 2019}:A valiant century by Hussain Talat helped Balochistan secure a draw against Southern Punjab in four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy sixth-round fixture at Quetta’s Bugti Stadium. At 30 for two while following-on and still a 177-run trail remaining,were in a precarious situation when play resumed on Thursday morning. Their problems amplified as they lost two wickets for 14 runs and were reduced to 44 for five. But, Hussain, with his solid technique denied Southern Punjab bowlers any further inroads and stitched a 167-run partnership for the sixth-wicket with wicketkeeper-batsman Bismillah Khan - who scored 50 runs from 102 balls, hitting six fours and a six. Bismillah’s dismissal, which left Balochistan at 211 for six, opened up the possibility for Southern Punjab to secure their second win of the tournament. Hussain, however, kept pushing the opposition bowlers back and scored a remarkable 136 off 167. The all-rounder cracked 17 fours and four sixes in his 240-minute stay at the crease, before he was removed by Rahat Ali, who recorded his career’s 12th five-fer. The left-arm medium-fast took five for 49 in 24 overs. Mohammad Irfan jnr was the other notable bowler as his right-arm medium-fast accounted for three Balochistan’s wickets for 64 runs. Balochistan were all-out for 295 in the evening session, setting an 89-run target in 13 overs for Southern Punjab to win the match. The two captains shook hands 2.3 overs into the final innings of the match, with the scorecard reading 11 without the loss of any wicket and Sami Aslam and Umar Siddique batting at six and two. Southern Punjab travel to Abbottabad to take on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while Balochistan play Central Punjab at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Sindh, Abbottabad Cricket Stadium Play was not possible for the second consecutive day at the Abbottabad Cricket Stadium due to heavy rains. Sindh had scored 147 for three in 36 overs by the close of play on Tuesday in their reply of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s first innings 288 all-out. As happened in the third round action where first innings between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Southern Punjab, and Northern and Sindh remained incomplete due to weather and batting and bowling points were awarded on the basis of where the matches concluded, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa received two batting points for scoring 288 and one point for taking three wickets, while Sindh received three bowling point for bowling-out Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sindh host Northern at National Stadium in Karachi. Scores in brief Southern Punjab v Balochistan, Bugti Stadium, Quetta Southern Punjab 502 all-out, 129.3 overs (Sami Aslam 168, Umar Siddique 130, Adnan Akmal 80, Abdul Rehman Muzamil 41, Sohaib Maqsood 36, Mohammad Irfan 23; Mohammad Asghar 5-130; Amad Butt 4-103) and 11-0, 2.3 overs (Sami Aslam 6 not out, Umar Siddique 2 not out) Balochistan 295 all-out, overs 79.3 overs (Hussain Talat 89, Imran Farhat 65, Bismillah Khan 36, Amad Butt 32, Imran Butt 23; Umaid 5-57, Mohammad Irfan jnr 2-53, Zahid Mahmood 2-57) and after follow-on 295 all-out, 89.4 overs (Hussain Talat 136, Bismillah Khan 50; Rahat Ali 5-49, Mohammad Irfan jnr 3-64) Result: Match Drawn Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Sindh, Abbottabad Cricket Stadium Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 288 all-out, 106 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 88, Rehan Afridi 57 not out, Sajid Khan 39, Israrullah 36, Zohaib Khan 28; Sohail Khan 4-62, Hassan Khan 2-37, Mir Hamza 2-65) Sindh 147-3, 36 overs (Omair Bin Yousaf 56, Saud Shakeel 35 not out, Fawad Alam 29 not out; Junaid Khan 2-49)