Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin Report Perth (AUS): Zimbabwe recorded only their second victory over Pakistan in 18 T20Is, first in a World Cup, when they won a crucial Group 2 Super-12 fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 by one-run here on Thursday. Needing 11 runs in the final over, Pakistan scored eight runs off the first three balls but managed only one in the next three balls to finish at 129 for eight in reply to Zimbabwe’s 130 for eight. The turning point in the last over was the dismissal of Mohammad Nawaz (22) on the penultimate ball when he was caught at mid-off off Brad Evans. Shaheen Shah Afridi was able to connect the last delivery of the innings, but his effort was not enough to secure two runs that were needed for a Super Over as he was run-out by a distance despite a fumble by wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva. The result has left Pakistan winless after two matches, while India and South Africa have four and three points, respectively from as many matches. This makes Pakistan’s passage to the semifinals extremely difficult as even wins against The Netherlands (30 October in Perth), South Africa (3 November in Sydney) and Bangladesh (6 November in Adelaide) will not absolutely guarantee them a place in the last four. India’s remaining matches are against South Africa (30 October), Bangladesh (2 November) and Zimbabwe (6 November), while South Africa, after their 30 October and 3 November matches against India and Pakistan, respectively will play their last match against The Netherlands on 6 November. Pakistan, in their pursuit of the 131 runs target and despite losing Babar Azam (4), Mohammad Rizwan (14), Iftikhar Ahmed (5), Shadab Khan (17), Haider Ali (0) and Shan Masood (44), needed 37 runs from 29 balls. Though they were able to score 18 runs through boundaries (3x4, 1x6), the remaining 25 balls yielded only 17 runs, which in the end made all the difference between winning and losing. Shan top-scored with a 38-ball 44 with three fours, while Nawaz’s 18-ball 22 included a four and a six. Mohammad Wasim finished with a 13-ball 12 not out with two fours. For Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza picked up three wickets for 25 runs to walk away with the player of the match award. Brad Evans bagged two wickets for 25 runs. Earlier, Zimbabwe, electing to bat after winning the toss, were restricted to 130 for eight following a brisk 42-run first wicket stand in five overs. Haris Rauf accounted for Craig Ervine (19) and Mohammad Wasim dismissed Wessly Madhevere (17) as Zimbabwe slipped to 43 for two in the space of three balls before Pakistan picked up four wickets in six balls as Zimbabwe slipped from 95 for three to 95 for seven. At that stage, Ryan Burl (10 not out) and Brad Evans (19) put on 31 priceless runs for the eighth wicket to help Zimbabwe reach 130 for eight. Sean Williams was the batter who provided some resistance in the middle-order when he scored a 28-ball 31 before Shadab bowled him. For Pakistan, 21-year-old Wasim, who replaced Asif Ali in the playing eleven, produced his career-best figures of four for 24, while Shadab picked up three for 23. Scores in brief Match 24 – Zimbabwe beat Pakistan by one-run Zimbabwe 130-8, 20 overs (Sean Williams 31, Mohammad Wasim 4-24, Shadab Khan 3-23) Pakistan 129-8, 20 overs (Shan Masood 44, Mohammad Nawaz 22, Shadab Khan 17, Mohammad Rizwan 14, Mohammad Wasim 12 not out; Sikandar Raza 3-25, Brad Evans 2-25) Pakistan’s next match – vs The Netherlands, Sunday, 30 October (12pm PKT)

Sports Bulletin Report Melbourne (AUS): Pakistan's left-handed batter Shan Masood was struck on the right hand side of his head during a practice session at the MCG on Friday and officials took no risk with the 33-year-old as they took him straight to hospital for observation. The incident means Masood's place in Pakistan's XI for their T20 World Cup opener against India on Sunday is in doubt, pending tests, with fellow leftie Fakhar Zaman in contention to replace him. The latest update overnight from the PCB team in Australia is that Masood’s neurological observations are normal. The CT scan revealed a superficial bruising in the area where he struck, but he is currently asymptomatic. The batter will undergo a concussion re-test tomorrow. Masood was likely to come in after star duo Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and bat at No.3 for Pakistan during the T20 World Cup given he appeared in this position for much of the recent tri-series in New Zealand. The left-hander only managed 64 runs from four hits during the matches against Bangladesh and the Kiwis, but has been the preferred choice for that crucial top-order spot for Pakistan in recent times.

Sports Bulletin Report Melbourne (AUS): The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is well underway, with the Super-12 stage of the event starting on Saturday and Pakistan taking on India in their opener in Melbourne on Sunday. Last year’s beaten semi-finalists have an outstanding record in the Men’s T20 World Cup and find themselves right among the favourites again this time around in Australia. And ahead of their Super-12 opener against rivals India on Sunday – we look at the Pakistan team in focus. 2022 prospects Pakistan have been drawn in Group 2 of the Super-12, alongside India, South Africa, Bangladesh. They have also been joined by Zimbabwe and the Netherlands from the group stage. In order to back up last year’s efforts, where they suffered defeat to eventual winners Australia in the semi-final, they will need to finish in the top two of their group. They come into the tournament in form though, winning four of their five matches in the tri-series with New Zealand and Bangladesh. Prior to the series in Christchurch, they ultimately suffered a 4-3 defeat in the seven-match T20 series with England. There is no doubt that Pakistan will be among the front-runners and will be expecting to advance past the Super-12 and into the semi-finals once again – although clashes with South Africa and India will be tough. T20 World Cup history Pakistan’s Men’s T20 World Cup history is nothing short of outstanding, reaching the semi-finals in five of the seven editions. They reached the final of the inaugural competition in South Africa in 2007, losing by just five runs to India after Gautam Gambhir’s 75 inspired the Indian side to victory. Two years later, they were the side lifting the trophy, with Shahid Afridi’s unbeaten 54 and Abdul Razzaq’s three for 20 seeing Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at Lord’s. Despite their excellent record, that is the last time Pakistan reached the final, suffering back-to-back semi-final defeats in 2010 and 2012 against Australia and Sri Lanka, respectively. The 2014 World Cup saw Pakistan miss out on the semi-finals for the first time, and in 2016 they again missed out, meaning a long five-year wait until last year’s tournament in the UAE and Oman – in which they reached their first semi-final in nine years, but despite Mohammad Rizwan’s 67 and Shadab Khan’s four for 26, they endured yet another semi-final defeat at the hands of Australia. Best batters There are no prizes for guessing Pakistan’s best batter, as he is also the world’s best batter, with Rizwan sitting on top of the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings. Averaging a phenomenal 52.34, Rizwan has one hundred and 22 fifties from just 62 innings, with a recent 69 in the win over Bangladesh last week showcasing his form heading into the T20 World Cup. That bodes well for the Super-12, with Pakistan facing Bangladesh, while against their other key opponents in the Super-12, India and South Africa, Rizwan averages an outrageous 96.5 and 62.16 respectively. Rizwan has formed what is surely the best opening batting pairing in world cricket with Babar Azam, who himself sits third in the current ICC T20I Player Rankings. Pakistan’s captain averages 43.66, slightly less than Rizwan, but he has racked up two hundreds and 29 fifties and like Rizwan, comes into the World Cup in excellent form, scoring 55 in that victory over Bangladesh, while also scoring his second T20 international hundred against England, scoring 110 as Rizwan hit 88 not out in a ten-wicket victory. Best bowlers Pakistan may have two of the best batters on the planet, but they are not short of outstanding bowling as New Zealand and Bangladesh recently found out. Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan are two to really keep an eye on, but there is plenty of bowling in the Pakistan line-up, with Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz in particular on top form in recent weeks and Shaheen Shah Afridi coming back from injury for this tournament. Haris is a man who will strike fear into top order batters around the globe though, averaging just 23.03 and taking 64 wickets in his 50 matches, but he is joined by Pakistan’s extraordinary young all-rounder Shadab. Just 24, Shadab has already been a major part of the Pakistan team with both bat and ball for a number of years, taking 87 wickets at an average of 22.29 since his debut five years ago and he is once again going to be a key member of the side, with his leg breaks proving incredibly effective.

Sports Report Melbourne: Australia have made only one change to the squad that emerged victorious in 2021 and will aim to become the first team to retain the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. That brings Tim David into the fray, a burly Singapore-born batter who hit 16 of the 86 balls he faced in the IPL in 2022 for six. Finch has largely used him at six in the early days of his T20 international career, marking a subtle shift in orthodoxy that has seen power hitters traditionally placed high in the order. There is no place for all-rounder Cameron Green, a selection call that has raised eyebrows, with Australia placing faith in some of the world’s greatest multi-format players. They rightly sit among the favourites to win the whole thing with conditions suiting them down to the ground and home crowds squarely behind them. T20 World Cup history Australia didn’t start well at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. As reigning Men’s Cricket World Cup champions, their first game ended in five-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe. They recovered to make the semi-finals and their turbulent relationship with T20 continued with a group-stage exit in 2009. Australia were well beaten by rivals England in the 2010 final and reached the semi-finals in 2012, always in contention but never quite managing to produce the complete knockout performance. It looked like they had been left behind by the rest of the world when they failed to navigate the Super 10 in both 2014 and 2016 but a rousing run to the final last year wiped the slate clean. Best batters Why not start with David Warner, whose three half-centuries and 289 runs were pivotal to the 2021 triumph? This month Warner smacked 75 against West Indies and 73 against England to suggest he is rounding into form once again. The batting order is finely balanced between power and poise, with skipper Finch offering a steady hand on the tiller and Matthew Wade one of the finest finishers in the game. They will hope to see an upturn in fortunes for Glenn Maxwell and that David comes off on major event debut. Best bowlers Australia’s gun-pace attack has reinvented itself in the T20 format with the outstanding Pat Cummins capable of taking the ball in any given situation. Josh Hazelwood and Mitchell Starc combine to form a peerless battery that will make merry on fast, bouncy surfaces. Concerns remain over the spin bowling department and an over-reliance on Adam Zampa. Finch’s plans will be tested if teams manage to hit the leg-spinner out of the attack.

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 has approved Binura Fernando as a replacement for left arm fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka in the Sri Lanka squad. Fernando who has played nine T20Is, was named as a replacement after Madushanka was ruled out due to a torn quad muscle. Fernando will travel out from Sri Lanka and join the rest of the squad in Australia. The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad. The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 consists of Wasim Khan, ICC General Manager - Cricket (Chair); Chris Tetley, ICC Head of Events; Peter Roach, Cricket Australia, Shane Doyle, Men’s T20 World Cup Local Organising Committee; Shaun Pollock (Independent) and Ian Bishop (Independent).

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE: Pakistan have made one change in their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022 with Fakhar Zaman and Usman Qadir swapping places. Fakhar is included in the 15-player squad and Usman has moved to the traveling reserves. The change was necessary as Usman Qadir is yet to recover from a hairline fracture on his right thumb that he suffered during the 25 September T20I against England in Karachi. The leg-spinner will not be available for selection before 22 October. Fakhar will arrive in Brisbane from London along with Shaheen Shah Afridi on Saturday and will be available for selection in the two warm-up matches against England (17 October) and Afghanistan (19 October), during which the team management will assess the left-handed batter’s fitness. Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood. Traveling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir. Schedule of Pakistan’s matches: 23 October – vs India, Melbourne 27 October – vs winner Group B, Perth 30 October – vs runner-up Group A, Perth 3 November – vs South Africa, Sydney 6 November – vs Bangladesh, Adelaide

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT With the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup less than two weeks away, Australia legend Adam Gilchrist has chosen the first five players he would pick in a dream World T20I XI. A man who revolutionised the game with his work with both bat and wicket-keeping gloves, Gilchrist enjoyed a legendary white-ball career for Australia, winning three Cricket World Cup titles. In the T20 game, Gilchrist showed his qualities in the format's infancy, boasting a strike-rate of over 140. 1. David Warner (Australia) - ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 49th “He’s at the top of the order," Gilchrist said. “I think just his attacking attitude, the way he kick-starts innings at the top, and the confidence he’ll have from the previous T20 World Cup.” 2. Babar Azam (Pakistan) - ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 3th “His versatility across all formats, but also when it’s getting down to T20 cricket, just across all conditions, I think he can play all conditions really well," Gilchrist noted. 3. Hardik Pandya (India) - ICC T20I All-Rounder Ranking: 4th “Pandya is just an awesome figure straight across the board," Gilchrist said. “His ability to bat, bowl, field and entertain, he’s definitely in there.” 4. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) - ICC T20I Bowling Ranking: 4th “He’s just got to be there in any T20 team, doesn’t he?" Gilchrist said. “Cricketer of the year in this format across the world. Over the last decade, Rashid Khan is in there.” 5. Jos Buttler (England) - ICC T20I Batting Ranking: 21st “It’s a bit batting heavy I know, but Jos Buttler for me," Gilchrist added. “He is just dynamic, his power and his courage to take it on. Simply a stroke of brilliance from him and its game over."  

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Melbourne (Australia):-Five international players from all over the world are expected to perform well in the forthcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup, which will kick off from October 16, 2022 in Australia. Cricket lovers are eyeing on David Warner, Wanindu Hasaranga, Joe Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav and Mohammad Rizwan, who are capable to show sparking and notable performance in the World Cup. 1. David Warner (Australia) Only Pakistan captain Babar Azam scored more runs than Warner at last year's event and the Australia veteran is generally a much better player when playing on home soil. Warner hit three half centuries at last year's tournament and his 289 runs at an impressive strike rate of almost 150 was among the best for the leading players. His imperious form was a major reason why the all-conquering Australia side was able to hoist the trophy at Dubai International Stadium. 2. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) The Sri Lanka all-rounder has already shown his ability to save his best performances for the big occasion and you would have to think he could dominate for the island nation in Australia. Hasaranga lit up the 2021 event by claiming the most wickets (16) by any player and backed up that performance by finishing Sri Lanka's victorious Asia Cup campaign as the Player of the Tournament. The bigger grounds in Australia are sure to suit the 25-year-old and it's almost certain the star spinner will be among the leading wicket-takers again this year. 3. Jos Buttler (England) While the England captain is currently battling an ongoing calf injury, we expect him to recover in time to spearhead the assault for the 2010 winners. Over the last 12 months there has arguably been no one in the world in better form than Buttler, with the 32-year-old the only player to score a century at last year's event in the UAE and Oman. Buttler hit a brilliant unbeaten 101* against Sri Lanka in Sharjah and looked to be in even better touch during this year's edition of the IPL when he reached triple figures on four occasions and scored a massive 863 runs for Rajasthan Royals. His efforts during the home series against India and South Africa in July were not quite up to his lofty standards, but Buttler is sure to bounce back to his best in Australia. 4. Suryakumar Yadav (India) The emergence of Suryakumar Yadav in 2022 has been amazing, with the in-form right-hander now arguably the most important player in Rohit Sharma's dominant side. Yadav only managed to make four appearances for India at last year's edition of the T20 World Cup and his paltry return of 42 runs from three knocks barely ruffled any feathers in world cricketing circles. But since then the 32-year-old has been a model of consistency and has now found himself rated as the No.2 T20I batter in the world on the latest rankings list. 5. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) You will struggle to find a more consistent T20I batter than the experienced Pakistan opener and it should come as no surprise to see he is now rated as the No.1 T20I batter in the world. Rizwan's stability at the top of the order will be pivotal to Pakistan's chances of claiming the title in Australia and the 30-year-old will be out to replicate the excellent efforts he produced with the bat at last year's event. At the 2021 T20 World Cup Rizwan hit three half centuries and a total of 281 runs at an average of 70, with team-mate Babar Azam and Australia’s David Warner the only players to score more heavily than the right-hander for the tournament.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Kolkata:-Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against South Africa but the fate of his participation at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is still unknown. Jasprit Bumrah, a devastating bowler of India, might miss the T 20 World Cup scheduled to be held in October 16, 2022. With that he has also miss the South Africa series with India. Despite the news of his injury, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is not giving up on the possibility of Bumrah flying to Australia and playing in the T20 World Cup. In an interview, Ganguly said, “Bumrah is not out of the World Cup yet”. Before that on Friday, a BCCI media release confirmed that India’s ace quick had sustained a back injury and was being monitored by their medical team at the NCA. It is also known that, Bumrah had to undergo scans on his back but Ganguly said that he was keeping his fingers crossed and that a final decision could be taken in the "next two or three days". Just like Ganguly, the Indian fans will hope for Bumrah to be declared fit to play in Australia, which should bolster the team's chances of winning the tournament. The India squad will fly to Australia on October 6 and will play two practice matches against Australia and New Zealand on October 17 and 19. They start their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on October 23 in Melbourne.

SPORTS BULLETIN Kabul:-Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced its 15-member squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022, which will be played from 16th October to 13th November in Australia. From the 17 players who were part of the Afghanistan Squad for the recently concluded ACC Men's Asia Cup 2022, Samiullah Shinwari, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat and Noor Ahmad have missed out whereas the middle-order batter Darwish Rasooli, the leg-spinning allrounder Qais Ahmad and the right-arm quick Salim Safi have made it to the 15-member cut. In addition, Afsar Zazai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rahmat Shah and Gulbadin Naib have been added to the squad as reserves. Names of players: Mohammad Nabi (C), Najibullah Zadran (VC), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mujib ur Rahman, Naveen ul Haq, Qais Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Salim Safi Reserve players: Usman Ghani. Afsar Zazai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib Chief selector Noor Malikzai said: “The Asia Cup was a very good opportunity for the team to buildup things nicely for the much-important global event in Australia. Fortunately, Darwish Rasooli has recovered from injury (broken finger) and we are happy to have him available for the WT20, he has demonstrated good glimpses of him in the previously held Shpageeza Cricket League 2022 and offers an additional batting option to our middle order. Since the Australian conditions offer further support for the fast bowlers, so we have added Salim Safi, the tall right-arm quick to add further impetus to our bowling department. Overall we have picked our best available players for the event and we are hopeful of them to do well and better represent the country in the mega event.” ACB Chairman Mirwais Ashraf said: "The selection committee has named a strong squad for the WT20. The combination looks good which includes players from every category. I am sure that they will do well in the event and will make the nation proud.” ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 Group A – Sri Lanka, Namibia and Two Qualifiers Group B – West Indies, Scotland and Two Qualifiers Group 1 – Afghanistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, Winner of Group A and Runners of Group B Group 2 – India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Winner of Group B and Runners of Group A Afghanistan matches’ Schedule: 22 October – Afghanistan v England, Perth 26 October – Afghanistan v New Zealand, Melbourne 28 October – Afghanistan v TBA, Melbourne 01 November – Afghanistan v TBA, Brisbane 04 November – Afghanistan v Australia, Adelaide 09-10 November – Semi-Finals 13 November – Final