Cricket - T20i
Former captain Moin Khan to join Kashmir Premier League
Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Former Test captain and wicketkeeper batter, Moin Khan has joined the Kashmir Premier League (KSL), as the preparations for the first edition of the prestigious T20 tournament are in full swing, the event will be played in Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi in May, June this year 2025. Moin joined the league as the Executive Director of Cricket Operations, the contract signing ceremony took place at a local hotel in Karachi, which was attended by former cricketers and KSL Chairman Masood Ahmed Khan among others. On this occasion, Moin Khan said: “Kashmir Premier League will make Super League a big brand. The league will be successful when the players get money, the players will not have any problem in this league. Big players like Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi are also associated with this league, which suggests that the league will be on a large scale, a talent hunt program will also be organized for the league.”The players from the league will also be included in the Quetta Gladiators team. Kashmir Supreme League Chairman Masood Ahmad Khan said in his speech, "Legendary players have been included in the league to make it successful. It will be very beneficial to have Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi and Moin Khan. The aim of the league is to bring forward the talented players. It is also to show the positive face of Kashmir to the world." At the end of the ceremony, the agreement for the sale of franchise Kotli Kings was also signed.
Gritty Gulf Giants get the better of MI Emirates in thrilling contest
Abu Dhabi (PR):The Gulf Giants were forced to dig deep, and they responded brilliantly, to defeat the MI Emirates by two wickets, in what was a nail-biter at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, in Season 3 of the DP World ILT20. The Gulf Giants looked down and out at one stage, before their lower order showed nerves of steel to guide the side over the finish line against the MI Emirates. The win helps the Gulf Giants move to fifth on the points table.TAsked to bat first, the MI Emirates had a slow start as they lost the openers Kusal Perera for four and Muhammad Waseem for 12, both to Daniel Worrall, in the powerplay. The in-form Tom Banton then began the job of rebuilding for the MI Emirates, and was looking for support from his skipper.However, Nicholas Pooran could only add eight to the cause while Dan Mousley added five more, before both were dismissed, leaving the MI Emirates in a spot of bother at 57/4. Banton was joined by Kieron Pollard, and they dug in. Banton and Pollard kept the scoreboard moving even when the big hits were tough to come by. Banton completed his fifty in the 15th over, and in the next Pollard took Aayan Khan to the cleaners, smashing three sixes in a 21-run over.The 17th over though saw Banton depart for 56, as a superb 66-run stand came to an end. The MI Emirates would need a strong finish and along with Pollard, who scored 34, Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd added a few lusty blows as well. While Hosein finished unbeaten on 20, Shepherd was not out on eight, the MI Emirates got 151/6 in their 20 overs. Incidentally, Banton’s half-century meant he took over the Green Belt for being the highest run-getter in the tournament.The Gulf Giants too could not get off to a fast start, as the captain James Vince was the first to fall for one. Soon after, Jordan Cox was packed off for nine, and the Gulf Giants were 20/2 in the fourth over. Tom Alsop was joined by Gerhard Erasmus, and they had to rebuild after the early scares.Shimron Hetmyer and Ibrahim Zadran tried to up the ante after that, but Joseph castled the West Indian southpaw for seven, which put further pressure on the Gulf Giants. Fazalhaq Farooqi cleaned up Zadran for 11 after that, but Tom Curran was soldiering on at the other end for the Giants, who had four wickets left. Curran and Mark Adair were picking some crucial boundaries at this point, and brought the Giants to within 17 runs of the target, with two overs to go.Farooqi accounted for Adair for 15 in the 19th over, and then Aayan Khan combined with Curran and Muhammad Zuhaib to clinch a thrilling win off the final delivery of the game. Aayan, who scored an unbeaten 11 of six deliveries, was instrumental in helping his side over the line.Brief ScoresGulf Giants beat MI Emirates by two wicketsMI Emirates 151/6 in 20 overs (Tom Banton – 56, Kieron Pollard – 34, Daniel Worral 2 for 19, Mark Adair – 1 for 24, Blessing Muzarabani – 1 for 16,)Gulf Giants 152/8 in 20 overs (Gerhard Erasmus – 37, Tom Alsop – 32, Tom Curran 16, Fazalhaq Farooqi – 3 for 34, Muhammad Rohid Khan – 2 for 15)Player of the Match: Mark Adair
ILT20 3: Sharjah Warriorz Banking on Match-Winners and Experience
Sports Bulletin ReportSharjah (UAE): Winning crucial moments and maximising the powerplay – these are a couple of aspects that the Sharjah Warriorz have their eyes on as they prepare for an entertaining Season 3 of the DP World ILT20. The Sharjah Warriorz, who will be captained by Tim Southee and has JP Duminy as the head coach, will commence their campaign at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium against the Gulf Giants on 12 January. Former South African cricketer JP Duminy wants his side to keep things relatively simple and take it one game at a time. He said, “It is crucial to keep things simple during the game. From a tactical point of view, understanding the different phases in the game is important and it is also crucial to be able to win them, so you give yourself the best chance.” “Everyone wants to win the DP World ILT20, but the critical piece will always be the how and that's something that we're going to discuss and understand as we progress in the tournament. It will depend on the conditions are we facing and that'll be an evolving conversation,” the South African explained. Leg-spinner Adil Rashid added, “The Sharjah Warriorz are not going to look too far ahead, and it’s about playing the game that’s in front of you, and executing the plans to perfection. It's a game of cricket and there are ups and downs, so we want to keep things really simple. Whatever challenges lie ahead of us we want to win that battle first and then move onto the next.” While it is a one-game at a time approach for the Sharjah Warriorz, the coach further spoke about the importance of consistency and experience. “Adil is a very experienced bowler, who understands how to impact the game, and is one of the match-winners for the Sharjah Warriorz. Along with that, I think the top order with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Johnson Charles and Jason Roy, if they can be consistent, it gives us a great chance to do well too,” the coach said. “Our captain, Tim Southee also brings a wealth of experience into the team and has always done well in the T20 format over the years, and we just hope we can execute our plans well. How do we give ourselves the best chance is the critical question, and how do we ensure we are prepared every single day in training and in matches is going to be the critical piece,” added JP Duminy. Adil Rashid, who has played more than 400 T20 matches in his career, spoke about how he prepares for matches. “For me, it is about playing to my strengths and working on my plans, and keeping things simple. What is my role in the team? I'm in the team to try create chances, and hopefully pick up wickets, so I work accordingly. I have been fortunate to play for 15-plus years, and knowing your game well definitely helps deal with situations during the game,” he said.
Global Super League: Tabraiz Shamsi inspires Lahore Qalanders victory
Islamabad (Sports Desk): Another closely fought match in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) saw Lahore Qalandars defeat Victoria by 10 runs in Providence.The Australian outfit had looked the side to beat after they won their first two matches in style but they were undone by an impressive Qalandars display with bat and ball with Tabraiz Shamsi's spell the difference between the two sides.Victoria won the toss and captain Corey Anderson chose to insert the opposition. Mirza Baig played an anchoring role from the top of the order, accumulating 39 from 36 balls to set the foundation for a decent total.Anderson shuffled his pack and used a total of seven bowlers, it proved an effective tactic as the Qalandars batting card never managed to pull away, Mohammad Faizan was run out for 25 off 21, Tom Abell and Mohammad Akhlaq made 17 and 26 respectively and were the only other contributions of note.Qalandars captain Carlos Brathwaite fell for a golden duck after seeing his stumps splattered by Jackson Smith, Smith picked up three scalps and was joined in the wickets by the impressive Dominic Drakes. Drakes also collected a trio of wickets whilst stitching together 14 dot balls in his four overs to finish with a frugal economy rate to boot.Victoria needed 140 runs to win after dismissing the Qalandars for 139 but after a confident opening stand of 67 between Blake Macdonald and Joe Clarke they then lost regular wickets over their remaining overs.Tabraiz Shamsi was the pick of the bowlers for Qalandars, the slow left arm wrist spinner proved nigh on unplayable on the night, taking 3-11 off four overs that included an unbelievable 16 dot balls and not a single boundary being hit off him in a well deserved Player of the Match performance.Karima Gore provided resistance for Victoria but when he fell for 25 off 22 at the start of the 19th over it meant his side were down to their last pair. 12 runs played one wicket in the final over, Faheem Ashraf sealed the win by cleaning up Jackson Smith with his third delivery.The result sees things tighten up in the GSL table with Qalandars, Victoria and Guyana Amazon Warriors all on four points with two wins and a loss apiece. The next round of matches will prove crucial in deciding who makes the final.
Lahore Qalandars Announce Squad for Guyana Global Super League
LAHORE (PR): Lahore Qalandars have unveiled their squad for the inaugural ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), featuring a balanced mix of international stars, seasoned local players, and promising emerging talent from the world-renowned Qalandars’ Player Development Program.Pakistan all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Akhlaq, Mirza Tahir Baig, and leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob form a strong Pakistani core for the tournament set to take place in Guyana from 26 November to 7 December 2024.The overseas contingent is headlined by South Africa’s left-arm wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, West Indies’ all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, and England’s Tom Abell, Luke Wells, and Adam Rossington. Canadian seamer Kaleem Sana adds further depth to the squad.The two-time PSL champions have named four players from the Qalandars’ Player Development Program in line with their vision to promote Pakistani talent on the international stage. These include fast bowlers Salman Mirza and Tayyab Abbas, top-order batter Mirza Tahir Baig, and all-rounder Mohammad Faizan.Sameen Rana, Team Owner Lahore Qalandars: "The Lahore Qalandars are thrilled to participate in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, and the announcement of our full squad marks another significant milestone in our GSL journey. We are excited about the opportunity to play cricket in the Caribbean and are determined to deliver performances that our fans around the world can be proud of. It’s especially gratifying to see so many graduates from our Player Development Program earning another chance to shine on the international stage.”Lahore Qalandars (14-am squad): Adam Rossington, Arif Yaqoob, Asif Afridi, Carlos Brathwaite, Faheem Ashraf, Kaleem Sana-ur-Rehman, Luke Wells, Mirza Tahir Baig, Mohammad Akhlaq, Mohammad Faizan, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tayyab Abbas, Tom AbellLahore Qalandars (team management): Amjad Ali (Batting Coach), Darren Gough (Head Coach), Farooq Anwar (Manager), Kashif Raza (Bowling Coach), Sameen Naeem Rana (Team Director), Simon (Masseur), Wasif Khalid (Performance Manager).
RANGPUR RIDERS CONFIRM SQUAD FOR 2024 GLOBAL SUPER LEAGUE
Islamabad (Sports Desk): The Rangpur Riders have confirmed their squad for the 2024 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) which will take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence from 26 November to 7 December.The Rangpur Riders squad will feature experienced Bangladesh internationals Nurul Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Afif Hossain and Mahedi Hasan. They will be joined by overseas players Matthew Forde from West Indies, Wayne Madsen and Zak Chappell from England and Harmeet Singh from the USA. Rangpur Riders squad: Nurul Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Mahedi Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Saif Hassan, Rishad Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Kamrul Islam, Mathew Forde (West Indies), Harmeet Singh (USA), Wayne Madsen (England), Zak Chappell (England).
International League T20: six franchises signed new stars for Season-3
Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): The DP World International League T20’s Season 3 is set to be full of high octane cricket as some of the biggest names in the game have joined the six franchises as new signings. The window to sign new players began in June and concluded on Sunday – 15 September. Season 3 will have international T20 stars like Jason Roy (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Shai Hope (Dubai Capitals), (Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants) and Romario Shepherd (MI Emirates) make their DP World ILT20 debuts and dazzle the crowds in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Meanwhile, the teams can add more players or replacements to their squads upon clearance from the ILT20 Technical Committee. Teams can also add additional UAE players to their squads via a Draft which will take place after the conclusion of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament next month. Details of the tournament will be shared in the coming days.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (New Signers): Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Hassan Khan, Roston Chase and Terrance Hinds. Retentions: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Ghous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper and Sunil Narine. Desert Vipers (New signees): Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Lockie Ferguson and Max Holden. Retentions: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Michael Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga. Dubai Capitals (New signees): Adam Rossington, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh, Gulbadin Naib, Jeffrey Vandersay, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherley, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Shai Hope.Retentions: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Oliver Stone. Gulf Giants (New signees): Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall, Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wahidullah Zadran.Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zuhaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, and Shimron Hetmyer. MI Emirates (New signees): Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Fareed Ahmad, Thomas Jack Draca, Ben Charlesworth.Retentions: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil. Sharjah Warriorz (New signees): Adam Milne, Adil Rashid (played for Warriorz in Season 2 as a Wildcard pick), Ashton Agar, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Daniel Sams, Gus Atkinson, Harmeet Singh, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Matthew Wade, Virandeep Singh and Tim Seifert.Retentions: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
T20: Usman Khan shines with bat as Shaheens register first win
Sports Bulletin ReportDarwin (August 10, 2024): Pakistan Shaheens registered a 17-run win over Perth Scorchers in their opening game of the Top End T20 series 2024 on Saturday at the DXC Arena in Darwin.In pursuit of the 189-run target, Scorchers’ batters, Teague Wyllie (4, 5b, 1x4) and Sam Fanning (13, 11b, 2x4s) departed in the third and fourth overs, respectively.Joel Curtis (17, 21b, 1x4) and Corey Wasley (54, 27b, 6x4s, 3x6s) threatened the Shaheens bowling attack with a 58-run fourth-wicket stand which was eventually broken by legspinner Arif Yaqoob in the 11th over.In the following over, Jahandad Khan dismissed the aggressive Wasley as well with Scorchers requiring 96 runs in 51 balls. Baxter Holt (24, 21b, 1x4, 1x6) and Keaton Critchell (24, 18b, 2x4s, 1x6) found the boundary on regular intervals for their 33-run fifth-wicket partnership before Holt was dismissed by Mohammad Abbas Afridi in the 16th over.Critchell departed for 24 off 18, hitting two fours and one six while Matthew Spoors, who remained unbeaten for 27 off 15 balls clubbing five fours, failed to make ends meet as Scorchers fell 17 runs short.Abbas and Jahandad picked up two wickets each while Mohammad Imran Jnr and Arif had one each to their name.Earlier, after opting to bat first, the Pakistan Shaheens posted a competitive total of 188-7 in the allotted 20 overs courtesy of 35-ball 57 from Usman Khan. Usman, batting at four, walked in to bat at the end of powerplay, struck four boundaries and three sixes in this outing keeping the Shaheens innings intact.Shaheens racked up 47 runs during the field restrictions, losing Haseebullah (12, 10b, 2x4s) and Tayyab Tahir (5, 11b, 1x4) in the course. Soon, Sahibzada Farhan too departed in the eighth over leaving Shaheens 58-3 in 7.3 overs.Skipper, Mohammad Haris (25, 19b, 3x4s) and Usman came together to put on 45-run fourth-wicket partnership off 28 balls before the former fell prey to Keaton Critchell in the 13th over.An over later, Mohammad Irfan Khan departed for a mere two off five balls, before Arafat Minhas played a powerful cameo of 31 runs facing 16 balls hitting three fours and one six.Usman and Arafat departed on consecutive deliveries before Mohammad Abbas Afridi (12 not out, 3b) belted two sixes in the last over to help Shaheens finish the innings with momentum. For Socrchers, Matthew Spoors bagged three wickets while Critchell, Luke Holt, Lucas Martin and Jhye Richardson picked up one each.Scores in brief (Pakistan Shaheens won by 17 runs):Pakistan Shaheens 188-7, 20 overs (Usman Khan 57, Sahibzada Farhan 36, Arafat Minhas 31, Mohammad Haris 25; Matthew Spoors 3-54)Perth Scorchers 171-6, 20 overs (Corey Wasley 54, Matthew Spoors 27, Keaton Critchell 24, Baxter Holt 24; Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-32, Jahandad Khan 2-42).
Match Officials named for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Semifinals
Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Richard Illingworth and Nitin Menon will be on the on-field umpires when Afghanistan make history by playing in their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final.An eight-run win against Bangladesh, via DLS, secured safe passage from the Super 8s at Australia’s expense. They will play South Africa in Trinidad on Wednesday June 26, with a place in Saturday’s final on the line. South Africa are looking to secure a maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final appearance. Richard Kettleborough will be the TV Umpire, with Ahsan Raza in place as Fourth Umpire.In the second match, Chris Gaffaney and Rodney Tucker will be in the middle as India and England meet for the second tournament running in the semi-finals. Reigning champions England booked their place in the final four with a 10-wicket win against co-hosts USA, while India put the finishing touches to a perfect Super 8s stage with a 24-run win over Australia. Joel Wilson will be the TV Umpire for a re-run of the 2022 semi-final, which saw England come out on top, with Paul Reiffel in place as the fourth umpire in Guyana on 27 June.Semi-finals – Match Official appointmentsJune 26: South Africa v Afghanistan (Trinidad)Referee: Richie RichardsonOn-field Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Nitin MenonTV Umpire: Richard KettleboroughFourth Umpire: Ahsan RazaJune 27: India v England (Guyana)Referee: Jeffrey CroweOn-field Umpires: Chris Gaffaney and Rodney TuckerTV Umpire: Joel WilsonFourth Umpire: Paul Reiffel
South Africa overcome USA by 18 runs in Men’s T20 World Cup
Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: South Africa trounced United States of America (USA) by 18 runs in the opening fixture of the Super-8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, North Sound in Antigua West Indies on Wednesday.Despite a power-packed partnership between Andries Gous (80*) and Harmeet Singh (38) the United States fell 18 runs short of the 194 posted by South Africa in Antigua during the Group 2 Super-8 T20 World Cup match. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada was the pick of the bowlers, snapping three wickets in his quota of four overs.Powered by Quinton de Kock (74) and Aiden Markram (46), South Africa posted 194/4 after 20 overs against USA. For the co-hosts, Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh struck twice. Earlier, United States won the toss and opted to bowl against South Africa.South Africa XI: Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi; United States XI: Shayan Jahangir, Steven Taylor, Andries Gous(w), Aaron Jones(c), Nitish Kumar, Corey Anderson, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar.
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