Sports Bulletin

Special Report LAHORE (December 31, 2021):-A year that commenced with a demoralising innings defeat at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch finished on a high with a 3-0 T20I series win over two-time former T20 world champions West Indies in Karachi. According to media department of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Between the two series in a 12-month period, Pakistan won three Test series and drew one, and also reached the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup where the penultimate over swung the match in Australia’s favour who went on to win their maiden T20 world title in Dubai. Overall, in the 2021 calendar year, Pakistan won seven of their nine Tests, lost four of the six ODIs and ended up on the winning side in 20 off the 29 T20Is. In the preceding calendar year, which was marred by Covid-19 pandemic, Pakistan had won one out of five Tests, two out of three ODIs and seven off the 11 T20Is. The matches that left everlasting memories in the minds of the fans came in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup where Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets as well as New Zealand and Afghanistan by five wickets apiece. These wins were followed by 45 runs and 72 runs victories over Namibia and Scotland, respectively. The performances rejuvenated the fans as the entire nation got behind the boys in greens, by cheering and backing them throughout the competition. In the match against India on 24 October at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India, opting to bat first, were decimated by Shaheen Shah Afridi who finished with figures of three for 31 as the traditional rivals finished at 151 for seven. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were in their brilliant best, scoring 68 not out and 79 not out as Pakistan achieved victory with more than two overs to spare. This victory followed a five-wicket win over New Zealand that saw Haris Rauf grabbing four for 22 and Mohammad Rizwan (33), Shoaib Malik (26 not out) and Asif Ali (27) making valuable contributions. The match against Afghanistan, Pakistan’s third in six days, will always be remembered for Asif Ali’s four sixes in the penultimate over that earned the 2009 champions a five-wicket win. Babar Azam was the other notable scorer in a 148-run chase, scoring 51. The interim set-up of Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Matthew Hayden (batting consultant) and Vernon Philander (bowling coach) contributed in the complete turnaround of the Pakistan side, which looked for relax, composed, determined and resilient. Of course, Babar Azam also had a lion’s share in the success of the side has he showed great leadership and lead by example and with performance. Victory over Bangladesh in the second Test at Sher-e-Bangla was by no means less entertaining, thrilling and exciting as Pakistan romped to victory by an innings and eight runs in the final session of the match in which only 63.2 overs were bowled in the first two days and third day’s play was washed out. Pakistan’s 95 runs victory over South Africa in Rawalpindi was equally sweet. Not only Hasan Ali took a 10-for in his comeback series after a career-threatening back injury, Mohammad Rizwan stroked an unbeaten 115 in the second innings to lift Pakistan from a precarious 143 for seven in the second innings to 298 all-out that set the visitors a 370-run target. While there were heart-warming wins, there were, at least, a couple of heartbreaks as well. Pakistan narrowly lost the Jamaica Test against the West Indies by one-wicket in August that ultimately denied Pakistan a second successive series victory in the Caribbean. Then, on 11 November in Dubai, the ghost of 2010 T20 World Cup came back to haunt Pakistan when Matthew Wade struck Shaheen Shah Afridi for three successive sixes in the penultimate over to earn a five-wicket victory for Australia, who had needed 37 off the last three overs and 22 from the final 12 deliveries. From a player perspective in the ODIs, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman deserved to end up on the winning sides for their breathtaking innings, but that wasn’t to be. Babar’s 139-ball 158 against England in Birmingham went in vain as England triumphed by three wickets to win the series 3-0, while Fakhar Zaman’s 193 from 155 balls with 18 fours and 10 sixes failed to help Pakistan cross the line at Centurion where South Africa won by 17 runs. Pakistan won the series 2-1. In Test cricket, Abid Ali finished as the pick of Pakistan batters with 695 runs in nine Tests. He was followed by Fawad Alam (571), Azhar Ali (549), Mohammad Rizwan (455) and Babar Azam (416 runs). Amongst the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi took 47 wickets, followed by Hasan Ali (41), Nauman Ali (19), Sajid Khan (18) and Faheem Ashraf (10). In the six ODIs, No.1 ranked Babar Azam topped the batting chart with 405 runs, followed by Fakhar Zaman (365), Imam-ul-Haq (189) and Mohammad Rizwan (134). Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler with 13 wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi bagged eight wickets. No.3-ranked Mohammad Rizwan stole the T20I batting honours by amassing 1,326 runs in 29 matches with one century and 12 half-centuries, including a 52-ball 67 against Australia in Dubai after spending 30 hours in a hospital due to a chest infection prior to the match. Babar Azam, who finished as the second-ranked batter, contributed 939 runs whereas Fakhar Zaman contributed 415 runs. Haris Rauf established his credentials as a successful white-ball bowler by finishing at the top with Hasan Ali on 25 wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi was once again amongst wickets with 23. Shadab Khan took 20 wickets. These numbers could have been more impressive had the three ODIs and five T20Is against New Zealand, two T20Is against England in September/October and three ODIs against the West Indies gone ahead as planned. However, New Zealand abandoned the tour on the day of the series opener citing security concerns and England followed suit. Both the boards later agreed to tour Pakistan in 2022 along with the West Indies, who had to return home following a Covid-19 outbreak in their ranks that left them depleted and under-strength for the ICC World Cup Super League ODIs. With Australia already scheduled to tour Pakistan for three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I in March/April 2022, Pakistan braces for one of the busiest and heaviest home international cricket calendar year with as many as eight Tests, 11 ODIs and 13 T20Is lined-up. Separately, Pakistan will tour Sri Lanka for Tests, ODI and the ACC T20 Cup, before they participate in October’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Contrary to the men’s side, the national women’s side had a forgettable calendar year, winning only three of their 13 ODIs and one of their six T20Is. However, more importantly, they qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2022 as well as the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. At the pathways level, Pakistan Shaheens welcomed 2021 with two consecutive victories against New Zealand A then toured Sri Lanka in October/November. In both the four-day matches, Sri Lanka A held their nerves to hold them to draws, while in the only completed 50-over match, Shaheens won by six wickets. Pakistan U19 then played in the ACC U19 Asia Cup in which they defeated Afghanistan, India and UAE in group matches but lost to Sri Lanka in the semi-final. In a year when a number of international sport events continued to be affected by Covid-19, HBL Pakistan Super League 6 was no different. After 14 matches in February/March in Karachi, the remaining 20 matches had to be played in Abu Dhabi in June where Multan Sultans clinched their maiden title when they defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs. Apart from the HBL PSL 6, the PCB organised nine other domestic tournaments in which 267 matches were played across Pakistan. Away from on-field action, Pakistan achieved two major successes when they were awarded hosting rights of the ACC 50-over Asia Cup in 2023 as well as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan last staged an ACC event in 2008, while the last ICC event was in 1996, which they co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. The awarding of the two events was a testament of Pakistan security agencies successes as the world eventually recognised security is no more an issue. Legendary Abdul Qadir and Fazal Mahmood were inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame where they will join Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Zaheer Abbas, who were the initial inductees by virtue of being part of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. There was also a change of guard in the second half of 2021 when Ehsan Mani completed his three-year term and was succeeded by former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja. After Chief Executive Wasim Khan also decided to step down from his role in September, the PCB, through a robust recruitment process, appointed experienced finance and sports administrator Faisal Hasnain as the new Chief Executive.

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-From 2010 onwards, a trend developed at the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup as two sides dominated. Between them, India and Australia claimed three of the six titles, while finishing as losing finalists four times between them. Pakistan were the only other team to make it to more than one final in the decade, twice coming up short in the big game, but there were also some new names on the trophy as South Africa, the West Indies and Bangladesh all won the title for the first time. 2010 Having won two of the first four ICC U19 Men’s CWCs, Australia then went six years without reaching the final until the event in New Zealand. Spearheaded by the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood, they knocked out the hosts in the quarter-finals, Sri Lanka in the semis, and then Hazlewood’s four for 30 saw them to a 25-run win over Pakistan in the final. South Africa’s Dominic Hendricks was the star of the tournament, however, racking up 391 runs in just six innings at an average just a shade under 100 for a side that finished fifth, losing only to Sri Lanka at the quarter-final stage. England also went out at the quarter-final stage, despite a team featuring Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. 2012 Two years on from lifting the trophy for a third time, Australia hosted a second tournament, getting all the way to the final before falling to India. India did not do it the easy way, scraping past a Pakistan side captained by Babar Azam by one wicket in the quarter-final as Harmeet Singh and Sandeep Sharma saw them home before the same duo helped set up a nine-run win over New Zealand in the semi-final. They then powered to a six-wicket win over Australia in the final, skipper Unmukt Chand making an unbeaten 111 to get the better of the hosts despite Will Bosisto’s 87 not out. Bosisto finished the tournament with 276 runs and was dismissed just once. Among others to shine were Bangladesh’s Anamul Haque who topped the run charts with 365, while Reece Topley was the top wicket-taker with 19 at an average of 9.10 for an England team that finished fifth. 2014 A new name appeared on the trophy in 2014 as South Africa emerged victorious in the UAE, led by captain and Player of the Series Aiden Markram. With 370 runs in six innings including a pair of centuries and an unbeaten 66 in the final, Markram was exceptional for a South Africa side that also featured Kagiso Rabada. They won every game emphatically, with Rabada’s six for 25 the pick of the performances in an 80-run win over Australia in the semi-final. Pakistan were their opponents in the final, with Imam-ul-Haq outstanding for them, but Rabada got him for 12 in the final and a total of 131 was never close to being enough. 2016 South Africa went from champions to being knocked in the first round as the 2016 edition provided shocks aplenty, none more so than Namibia beating their neighbours in the group stage. New Zealand were the other team upset in the groups in Bangladesh, beaten by Nepal, to set up some intriguing quarter-finals. In the end it was the West Indies and India who made it to the final, with Shimron Hetmyer captaining the former to their first title. Along the way they knocked out hosts Bangladesh in the semi-finals, despite 60 from Mehedy Hasan Miraz, the Player of the Tournament, and it was fast bowler Alzarri Joseph who was the key man for the side from the Caribbean with 13 wickets. 2018 India claimed a fourth title in 2018 thanks in large part to a dominant top order. Captained by opener Prithvi Shaw and with Shubman Gill coming in at three, it is no surprise that India thrived in New Zealand. They won every game convincingly, Australia’s eight-wicket defeat in the final as close as anyone came to troubling them. Gill was the star, with 372 runs, while Shaw made 264 and his opening partner Manjot Kalra joined the party with an unbeaten 101 in the final. As well as the Indian batters, this tournament also saw the emergence of Shaheen Shah Afridi, who took 12 wickets in just five matches for Pakistan, while Afghanistan produced their best result in an ICC U19 Men’s CWC as they got to the semi-finals before losing to Australia. 2020 The last edition of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC saw another team win the title for the first time as Bangladesh got the better of India in the final. Shoriful Islam, who has since received full international honours, and 2022 skipper Rakibul Hasan starred with the ball for Bangladesh as they knocked off South Africa and then New Zealand to reach the final. They faced an India team who had won every game with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal outstanding throughout. He top-scored for India in every game on his way to 400 runs and the Player of the Tournament award, but his 88 in the final was not enough in a three-wicket loss for the four-time champions. Others to shine were Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi who took 17 wickets including four in the final to finish as the top wicket-taker, while Jayden Seales, who has since gone onto star at Test level for the West Indies, earned a spot in the Team of the Tournament for his fast bowling. The event also saw Japan and Nigeria make their debuts in their first ICC World Cups.

Ali Ahmed LAHORE (December 30, 2021):-Although Covid-19 pandemic continued to affect sport events around the globe, the Pakistan Cricket Board successfully delivered 267 matches in 10 tournaments in the 2021 calendar year. These include Pakistan Cup 2021, HBL PSL 6, Cricket Associations T20, National T20, Cricket Associations Championship, National U19 Championship, National U19 Cup, Cricket Associations Challenge, Pakistan Women’s Cup and the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had a stellar calendar year when they swept the Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy titles. Sindh dominated the Cricket Association tournaments by winning the 50-over, T20 and three-day tournaments, while Southern Punjab U19 Whites and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U19 Blues shared the pathway event titles. Multan Sultans lifted the glittering HBL Pakistan Super League trophy in Abu Dhabi, whereas PCB Challengers retained the PCB Pakistan Women’s Cup crown. At the start of the year in January, the 33-match Pakistan Cup was held across three Karachi venues. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lifted the trophy with a seven-wicket win over Central Punjab at the State Bank Stadium. Central Punjab’s Tayyab Tahir was the top run-getter, scoring 666 from 12 matches at 60.55. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Asif Afridi topped the bowling charts with 25 scalps from 12 outings in the tournament. PCB marquee event, the HBL Pakistan Super League, commenced in Karachi but was postponed after 14 matches before the remaining 20 matches were held in Abu Dhabi. Multan Sultans, led by Mohammad Rizwan, won their maiden title, beating Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs. Pakistan’s all-format captain and Karachi Kings’ linchpin Babar Azam topped the batting charts, scoring 554 runs from 11 matches at 69.25. Young sensation right-arm fast bowler Shahnawaz Dahani representing Multan Sultans took 20 wickets from 11 matches. Quetta’s Bugti Stadium hosted the 15-match Cricket Associations T20 tournament from 15 September to 22 September. Sindh, with four wins in five matches, won the competition. Right-handed batter Aamer Azmat representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa scored 242 runs from four matches and remained the top run-getter in the tournament. The 20-year old Zaman Khan from Northern topped the bowling charts, taking nine wickets from three matches. The National T20 was held in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 23 September to 13 October. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa defeated Central Punjab by seven wickets at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to lift the trophy. The right-handed batter Sahibzada Farhan representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the top run-getter, scoring 447 from 12 matches at 40.64. In the bowling charts, Imran Khan Snr from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa topped the table with 16 wickets from 12 matches. Cricket Associations Championship (three-day event) was held across different venues of Punjab from 29 September to 14 November. The 30-match tournament was won by Sindh after topping the points table with 34 points. Balochistan’s right-handed batter Muhammad Azeem Ghumman topped the batting charts, scoring 890 runs from 10 matches. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Zohaib Khan took 30 wickets from nine matches, registering two five-wicket hauls in an innings. The 15-match Cricket Associations Challenge was held in three Punjab cities and was won by Sindh. In the batting department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Aamer Azmat was the top run-getter with 335 runs from five matches at 67. In the bowling department, Central Punjab’s Mohammad Irfan Jnr took nine wickets from five outings and remained top wicket-taker in the tournament. In pathway cricket, 12-team National U19 Championship (three-day event) was held from 10 October to 19 November in different parts of the country. The four-day final, which was staged at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, was won by Southern Punjab U19 Whites, who defeated Central Punjab U19 Blues by two wickets. Southern Punjab Whites’ Mohammad Shehzad topped the batting charts, scoring 829 from six matches at 92.11. Right-arm off-spinner Arham Nawab representing Central Punjab U19 Blues grabbed 30 wickets from six matches. The National U19 Cup was held from 14 October to 14 November at different parts of the country. The final was staged at the Pindi Cricket Stadium and was won by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U19 Blues who defeated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa U19 Whites by 43 runs. Central Punjab U19 Whites’ Azan Awais remained top run-getter, scoring 313 from five matches at 78.25. Sindh U19 Blues’ Khawaja Mohammad Hafeez bagged 16 wickets from five outings in the tournament, with one five-wicket haul in an innings. The Pakistan Women’s Cup was staged from 9 September to 21 September in Karachi. The day-night final was won by PCB Challengers who defeated PCB Blasters by 68 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi. Aliya Riaz representing PCB Dynamites scored 364 from seven matches at 60.67. The right-arm off-spinner Nida Dar from PCB Blasters topped the bowling charts, taking 14 wickets from seven outings. The 31-match Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 was hosted in different parts of the country from 20 October to 29 December. The pink-ball final, held at the National Stadium in Karachi, was won by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who defeated Northern by 169 runs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s captain Iftikhar Ahmed for his all-round performance (102 and 25, two wickets) was declared the player of the match. In the batting charts, Northern’s Mohammad Huraira was the top run-getter, scoring 986 from 11 matches at 58. In the bowling charts, Southern Punjab’s left-arm spinner Ali Usman picked 43 wickets from nine matches, registering two five-wicket hauls in an innings.

Karachi (Sports Report):-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have one hand on the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Trophy after a commanding performance on day-four of the five-day, day-night final of the 2021-22 edition at the National Stadium, Karachi on Tuesday. After winning the first innings points race besides a 118-run lead, the Iftikhar Ahmed-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reached 152 for five at close of play in their second innings, an overall advantage of 270 runs with five second wickets in hand. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were in a spot of bother at dinner at 69 for four. In the final session of play, they lost the wicket of Asif Afridi after a dogged 60-ball 15. But an unbroken 49-run sixth-wicket stand between captain Iftikhar Ahmed (20 not out) and wicketkeeper Rehan Afridi (42 not out, 61 balls, five fours, one six) took Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to a formidable position by close of play. Earlier, eleven wickets fell in the first two sessions on Tuesday. After losing four wickets in relatively quick succession before the tea break, Northern lost three more in a jiffy after the break, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lost their first four till the dinner break with Fakhar Zaman blazing away with 50 off 53 balls (nine fours, one six) before falling to pacer Musa Khan minutes before the end of the session. Northern took tea at 255 for seven after resuming their first innings at 184 for three. Despite losing Sarmad Bhatti for 57 (157 balls, three fours) Northern were well placed at 220 for three before a sensational spell on the eve of the tea break by Mohammad Wasim Jnr turned the match on its head. The Waziristan-born pacer took three wickets in the space of 10 balls to leave Northern reeling, Wasim dismissed Faizan Riaz (30) and Mubasir Khan (0) in the same over before getting rid of Rohail Nazir courtesy an outstanding catch in the slips by Kamran Ghulam. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s stunning afternoon continued post tea-break as Northern folded for an addition of a mere one-run. They were bowled out for 256 in 83.2 overs handing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a 118-run first innings lead and more importantly four bowling points. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collected a total of seven first innings points while Northern had to settle for four, if the match ends in a draw on day-five (tomorrow), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be declared winners due to their higher first innings points tally. Northern need an outright win to secure the trophy. Scores in brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 374 all out, 118.2 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 102, Kamran Ghulam 72, Asif Afridi 68; Mubasir Khan 4-52, Waqas Ahmed 3-94) and 152 for 5, 54 overs (Fakhar Zaman 50, Rehan Afridi 42 not out; Musa Khan 2-37) Northern 256 all out, 83.2 overs (Haider Ali 81, Sarmad Bhatti 57, Mohammad Huraira 51; Sajid Khan 4-54, Mohammad Wasim Jnr 4-65) First innings points: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Seven. Northern – Four.

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-Eoin Morgan is best known for leading England to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 glory but after scoring a hatful of runs when representing Ireland, he is the leading run scorer in ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Eoin Morgan is best known for leading England to ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 glory but after scoring a hatful of runs when representing Ireland, he is the leading run scorer in ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Morgan would become Ireland’s youngest ever senior international but before that he starred in both the 2004 and 2006 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. Morgan’s first World Cup game came against the West Indies and batting at No.3 he managed just five runs from 16 balls as Ireland came agonisingly close to an upset. The men in green were six runs short of chasing down the West Indies’ 265 for eight with Kevin O’Brien’s 95 not enough to get them over the line. Morgan fared little better next time out, scoring 12 in a heavy eight-wicket defeat to Pakistan before misfiring against Papua New Guinea, as he was trapped lbw for 11 off 18, albeit in a winning cause. He cashed in against Uganda, notching a century and finishing with 117 off 129 balls as Ireland’s 329 for nine proved to be far too many for their African opponents. Morgan showcased his all-round ability against Canada, first making 44 off 57 balls as Ireland posted 265 for nine. He was then named player of the match after taking three catches and two for 26 from ten overs with his right arm medium bowling – something he would leave behind as he headed into the senior ranks. Morgan was run out for 14 against Bangladesh as his side were bowled out for 141 and went on to lose by eight wickets. But he rounded off his first tournament with 65 from 69 balls against Australia in the plate semi-final, top scoring for Ireland as they went down by 49 runs to a side captained by Tim Paine. Morgan finished with 268 runs from seven innings with an average of 38.28 but would kick on to greater heights when he returned to the international stage two years later as Ireland captain. It was an unlucky 13 for Morgan to start with at the 2006 edition in Sri Lanka as Ireland collapsed to 97 all out in reply to Zimbabwe’s 215 for seven in their opener. Three days later and Morgan chipped in with 28 but was unable to prevent his side losing a nail biter by four runs against an England side led by Moeen Ali. Morgan hit his straps with 86 off 107 against Nepal the following day but his side were still beaten by 60 runs having conceded 234. A century followed against New Zealand on Valentine’s Day as his Ireland side crossed the 300-barrier but despite Morgan’s 124 off 126 balls, his side lost by three wickets. After bowling out Namibia for 115, Ireland won by six wickets with Morgan contributing 27 before he made 60 not out to steer his side to another victory by the same margin as they chased down 166 to beat Uganda to round off the campaign. Morgan’s tally of 338 runs from six matches made him the second highest run scorer of the tournament, only 11 behind India’s Cheteshwar Pujara, and his combined haul of 606 runs across the two tournaments makes him the most prolific youngster with the bat. Morgan may have shown his prowess with the ball as a teenager, but it is Zimbabwe’s Wesley Madhevere who is the leading wicket-taker at ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cups. The off spinner is no slouch with the bat, often opening the innings for his country, making him a prolific all-rounder. A prodigious talent, Madhevere featured at the 2016 ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup aged just 15. And in keeping with the phrase, ‘if you are good enough, you’re old enough’, Madhevere kicked off his tournament by taking five for 24 to help dismiss Fiji for 81. Madhevere took another wicket in the 129-run defeat to England next up, recording impressive figures of one for 53 from his ten overs given his opponents racked up 288 for four from their innings. He was back in the wickets with two for 48 in the narrow two-run defeat against the West Indies before chipping in with one for 40 in the six-wicket win over Canada. Another wicket came in the heavy victory over South Africa before he capped a fine tournament at such a young age with a miserly spell of none for 24 off ten overs in the five-wicket defeat to Afghanistan. With ten wickets from his first tournament at 21.20, Madhevere returned in 2018 and again started with a bang. He bagged the player of the match award after taking three for 19 to help bowl Papua New Guinea out for 90 before smashing 53 not out from 44 balls to deliver a ten-wicket triumph. Madhevere chipped in with another wicket in the defeat to Australia before the ten-wicket reverse to India was followed by figures of two for 11 from six overs with the ball and 47 with the bat in the win over Namibia. He missed out with both bat and ball against Sri Lanka before bouncing back in phenomenal style, taking four for 24 and smashing 93 in the 138-run win over Canada to round off the tournament. Madhevere was named as the ICC’s rising star of the tournament after taking ten wickets at 12.80 and returned for his third consecutive U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2020. However, it took him until the third game against Scotland to pick up his first wicket, with one more coming in a win over Canada before he came to the fore in the defeat to England with four for 42 from ten overs. Madhevere finished off with two for 18 against Scotland in the 11th place play-off to take his tally to 28 and leave him as the man to beat when it comes to the world’s best young bowlers.

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (December 28, 2021):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the 2021 edition of the ICC Awards, celebrating and rewarding the top performances across men’s and women’s international cricket throughout the year. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the 2021 edition of the ICC Awards, celebrating and rewarding the top performances across men’s and women’s international cricket throughout the year. The ICC Awards 2021 recognise the outstanding performers following a year that comprised major international events such as the ICC World Test Championship Final and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, alongside numerous bilateral series in which records were broken. This year’s awards will comprise a total of 13 individual awards in all, as well as five Team of the Year announcements for each format across men’s and women’s cricket.  The individual award categories are as follows: Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year ICC Spirit of Cricket Award ICC Umpire of the Year The first seven categories listed above will feature a shortlist of four names, and these will be announced from 28 December to 31 December across all of ICC’s digital and social media channels. The shortlisted categories will recognize those players who have had the most impactful performances in the period under consideration – 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021. The names shortlisted for these awards will be decided by a specialist ICC Awards panel, comprising prominent cricket journalists and broadcasters from across the globe along with ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice. The ICC Voting Academy, comprising a wider selection of global cricket journalists and broadcasters, will vote for their first, second and third choices, while global cricket fans will also be invited to vote for their top performers via ICC’s digital channels. The result of the ICC Voting Academy selections and the fans’ vote will be combined to determine the winner in each of these categories. The Emerging and Associate categories listed above will not feature shortlists and will be determined solely by the Voting Academy. The ICC Spirit of Cricket Award honours an action, moment, gesture, or decision on the field of play in international cricket during the year which best reflects the Spirit of Cricket, and this will be determined by the ICC, while the ICC Umpire of the Year Award is determined by votes collected from the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and Full Member men’s and women’s captains. The five ICC Teams of the Year will be also decided by the ICC Voting Academy via an online survey – with each voter selecting their teams in the batting order and nominating a captain for each format. The winners for each category will be announced in January 2022. The five official ICC Teams of the Year are set to be announced on 17 and 18 January, whereas the individual awards pertaining to women’s cricket will be announced on 23 January. The men’s awards, as well as the ICC Spirit of Cricket and ICC Umpire of the Year award, will be announced on 24 January.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE (December 28, 2021):-Pakistan’s top-order women batter Bismah Maroof has confirmed her availability for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 and will participate in warm-up matches to be held in Karachi as part of the side’s selection and preparation for the New Zealand event that will take place from 4 March to 3 April 2022. Bismah, who has played 108 ODIs and T20Is each in a career that started in 2006, commenced her maternity leave in December 2020 and gave birth to a baby girl in August 2021. Bismah has already been re-integrated into cricketing activities and has resumed fitness sessions as part of her post-childbirth rehabilitation at the National High Performance Centre. She will soon commence net practice after overcoming a thumb injury. Bismah Maroof: “The past few months have been the best of my life. Becoming a mother and spending time with my daughter has given me immense pleasure, but it is now time to return to my passion of representing Pakistan at an international stage. “The maternity leave helped me realise the significance of navigating the balance of raising a child and maintaining my professional cricketing career as I missed being on the field each time I saw the girls in action. But thanks to the PCB Parental Support Policy, which has greatly facilitated my return to cricket, I can now resume my ambitions and aspirations of playing for Pakistan and hope to make a useful contribution in our target of doing well in New Zealand.” Under the policy, if Bismah is selected, she will be allowed to be accompanied by her dependent child and one support person of her choice. Bismah will be one of the 36 probables who will feature in a seven-match tri-series at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre from 10-19 January. The women players will be split into two squads and will be joined by a local boys’ side with the New Zealand-bound squad to be named on 25 January. Meanwhile, the PCB has confirmed Urooj Mumtaz has stepped down as Chair of Women’s Selection Committee to focus on her professional commitments as well as to pursue other opportunities within the game. Asmavia Iqbal has been named as the new head of the selection panel and will be assisted by junior selection committee members Saleem Jaffar and Taufeeq Umar. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja: “I want to thank Urooj Mumtaz for her contributions as Chair of the Pakistan Women’s Selection Committee. You worked diligently in your role for which the PCB is grateful and indebted. We wish you best for your future endeavours.” Urooj Mumtaz: “It has been a wonderful experience to head the selection committee and contribute in the growth and progression of women’s cricket. I am grateful for the opportunity and thank all my colleagues, while wishing the team the very best in the 2022 international commitments and beyond.” Urooj was appointed Chair of the selection committee in March 2019. Probables for practice matches: Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Anoosha Nasir, Ayesha Bilal, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Nahida Khan, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fareeha Mehmood, Fatima Sana Khan, Ghulam Fatima (subject to fitness), Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Javeria Rauf, Javeria Khan, Kainat Hafeez, Kainat Imtiaz (subject to fitness), Maham Tariq, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Ramin Shameem, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Saima Malik, Sidra Ameen, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani

Bipin Dani Sri Lanka's Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne will greet the New Year (2022) in the USA (United State of America). The 33-year-old opening batsman has been holidaying in the USA. Once the LPL (Lanka Premier League) began in Sri Lanka, the Test captain, who is not a part of the shortest format of the game left for New York. Confirming the news, his manager, Ravi de Silva speaking exclusively over the phone from Colombo, said, "He is on a private visit to enjoy some R&R (Rest & Recreation) in The Big Apple NYC in particular". "He is enjoying the nice weather there. Nice time away from all the fuss & holiday season in Sri Lanka". "Cool & Calm as always “Mr. Amiable” ala DK is enjoying some peace & tranquility - Ironically in a place where it never stops 24-7-365. He enjoys "Waking up in a City that Never Sleeps“. The Test captain visited the important spots- Dumbo Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Greenport etc. during his NY trip. Interestingly, the national chief selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe is also on a private visit to the Caribbean Islands. "He is on a personal trip there and will return to Sri Lanka on January 3", one of the sources in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board said.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI (December 27, 2021):-An all-round performance from skipper Qasim Akram led Pakistan Under-9 to a 21-run win over UAE U19 at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai on Monday. The victory was Pakistan’s third win in a row and also confirmed their semi-final spot in the tournament. After opting to bat first, half-century by right-handed Qasim, followed by a 21-ball unbeaten 34 cameo by Ahmed Khan helped them post 219 for eight in 50 overs. Qasim top-scored with 50 off 67, hitting five fours. Haseebullah scored a 48-ball 39, which included two fours. Ahmed coming to bat at number-eight struck two fours and one six. For UAE, Aayan Afzal Khan picked three wickets for 44, while Nilansh Keswani bagged two for 32. In turn, UAE managed to score 198 for nine with wicketkeeper-batter Kai Smith and number-eight batter Aayan scoring 38 runs each. For Pakistan, Qasim with his right-arm off-spin grabbed three for 52. Maaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz and Mohammad Zeeshan bagged two wickets apiece. The semifinals will be played on 30 December with ICC Cricket Ground, Dubai hosting the first semi-final, while Sharjah Cricket Stadium to host second semi-final. Scores in brief Pakistan U19 beat UAE U19 by 21 runs Pakistan U19 219-8, 50 overs (Qasim Akram 50, Haseebullah 39, Ahmed Khan 34 not out; Aayan Afzal Khan 3-44, Nilansh Keswani 2-33) UAE U19 198-9, 50 overs (Aayan Afzal Khan 38, Kai Smith 38, Alishan Sharafu 35; Qasim Akram 3-52, Maaz Sadaqat 2-21, Mohammad Zeeshan 2-34, Mehran Mumtaz 2-35)

Bipin Dani More than 25 candidates have applied for the various coaching assignments in Sri Lanka, it is learnt. According to the information gathered from the reliable source in Sri Lanka, 20 people are local, who have responded to the advertisement which the SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket) board had advertised for the various coaching positions. Most of them were recently involved in the franchise teams coaching in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). There have been other 7-8 foreigners who too have shown interest, not necessarily all of them have applied for the senior men team's head coaching but even for the other teams. "Will begin the interview process next week or immediately in the New Year", Aravinda de Silva, the head of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, said on Sunday morning.  "Two members from our committee, who are available on the day/days of interviews will join Mahela Jayawardene in the process", he added. "Will also seek Tom Moody's views", the chairman added. Tom Moody has a contract with the SLC as Cricket Director.  Aravinda didn't specify it but it is believed that Mahela is likely to favor Sri Lankan coaches. Only the head coach for the senior men's team may be a foreigner.