Sports Bulletin

ABDULLAH ASJAD Rawalpindi (October 3, 2021):-ATF Southern Punjab suffered their sixth successive defeat in the National T20 2021-22 as Home City Central Punjab romped home by seven wickets in the 18th and last match of the Rawalpindi-leg of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. Central Punjab comfortably chased down the 120-run target with their captain and ace batter Babar Azam scoring his 59th T20 half-century. During the course of his unbeaten innings, Babar broke the record for the fastest 7000 runs in the T20 format. Babar reached the milestone in a mere 187 innings going past former West Indies captain Chris Gayle who reached the landmark in 192 innings. Central Punjab completed the chase in 17.2 overs with Babar remaining undefeated on 59 off 49 balls. The right-hander hit five fours and two sixes in his innings. Kamran Akmal scored 28 off 26 balls (three fours), batting at number three, Kamran added 64 runs for the second-wicket with Babar. The two had come together after the early loss of Ahmed Shehzad (9). Qasim Akram who was promoted to number four fell for 10 while Hussain Talat (10 not out) finished the game with Babar on the other end. Hassan Khan took two wickets for Southern Punjab. Central Punjab meanwhile are now at number three on the table behind GFS Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, all three sides have eight points. Southern Punjab who are languishing at the bottom of the table are on the cusp of elimination, they would need to win all of their remaining four matches in the Lahore-leg which commences on Wednesday, 6 October to have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. Earlier, Southern Punjab lost their last eight wickets for a mere 34 runs as they were bowled out in 18.4 overs. The bottom-placed team in the points table had a shocking start as Faheem Ashraf (player of the match) accounted for Zeeshan Ashraf and Sohaib Maqsood for ducks in the first over of the match. Salman Ali Agha and Azam Khan brought their team right back in the hunt with an attacking 84-run partnership for the third-wicket. Both Salman and Azam looked set for big scores, however both were dismissed in quick succession to trigger the Southern Punjab collapse. Southern Punjab slipped from 85 for two to 119 all out with Hasan Ali doing the damage in the middle and death overs. Salman who was the first to go (caught by Sameen off Hasan), scored 40 off 29 balls (five fours). Azam who hit a couple of towering sixes in his 45 was run out by a direct hit from Ahmed Shehzad. The right-hander faced 41 balls and hit three fours and as many sixes. No other Southern Punjab batter could reach double figures as the Central Punjab bowlers maintained their stranglehold by making regular inroads. Hasan finished with four wickets for 24 runs in 3.4 overs while Faheem took three for 14 in his four. Scores in Brief: Home City Central Punjab beat ATF Southern Punjab by seven wickets. ATF Southern Punjab 119 all out, 18.4 overs (Azam Khan 45, Salman Ali Agha 40; Hasan Ali 4-24, Faheem Ashraf 3-14) Home City Central Punjab 123 for 3, 17.2 overs (Babar Azam 59 not out, Kamran Akmal 28; Hassan Khan 2-15) Player of the match:  Faheem Ashraf Wednesday’s matches (Lahore): Home City Central Punjab vs GFS Sindh -3pm Balochistan vs Northern -7:30pm

SPORTS DESK Islamabad (October 3, 2021):-Cricket fans from across the world are invited to Oman and the UAE to ‘Live the Game’ at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, with tickets for every one of the 45 matches going on sale today. Tickets are available to fans to watch the top 16 T20 teams in the world vying for the ultimate prize in the shortest format, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup starting in Muscat on 17 October and concluding in the UAE on 14 November. With prices starting at just 10 OMR and 30 AED in Oman and UAE respectively, the event is accessible to all cricket fans. Tickets are available to purchase on https://www.t20worldcup.com/tickets . In the UAE all venues will be operating at approximately 70% of maximum seated capacity, whilst Abu Dhabi has also introduced new socially distanced ‘pods’ of a maximum of 4 spectators on their east and west grass mounds. The Oman Cricket Academy has had a temporary infrastructure built to welcome 3,000 fans. The ICC and event hosts BCCI have worked closely with host authorities to ensure fans can be welcomed in a safe environment and COVID 19 protocols will apply at all venues. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 is the largest sporting event to be held in the region and it will be the biggest global cricket event since the pandemic with fans in stadia. The schedule offers a host of key rivalry fixtures and mouth-watering match ups.  The tournament kicks off with the Round 1 match between Oman and Papua New Guinea in Muscat.  Whilst, Australia and South Africa play the first match of Super 12s on 23 October in Abu Dhabi followed by the replay of the 2016 final between England and West Indies also on 23 October in Dubai. One of cricket’s biggest rivalries, India and Pakistan, will take place on 24 October in Dubai. Geoff Allardice, ICC Acting CEO said: "We are delighted to be welcoming fans back to international cricket in both Oman and the UAE to enjoy the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Our thanks to our hosts BCCI, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and Oman Cricket as well as the local governments in these regions for their support in ensuring fans could attend in a safe environment. "The biggest sporting spectacle to have ever taken place in the region deserved to be played out in front of passionate cricket fans from all 16 nations competing and we are doing everything possible to keep it safe for all. It has been five years since the last Men’s T20 World Cup and we can’t wait for the world’s best players to arrive in Oman and the UAE and showcase the very best of T20 cricket." Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary BCCI, said: “I am delighted that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be played in front of cheering fans both in the UAE and Oman. My sincere thanks to the government of the UAE and Oman for paving the way for fans to return in cricket grounds. The anticipation for the World Cup, which is taking place after five years, is building with each passing day. I am sure we will have fans coming from different parts of the world to support their team. The vibe they will create will boost the performances on the field. “The ticket sales have started, and I urge everyone to stay safe and follow the health advisories and savour the experience.” In addition to the top quality cricket, fans will also get to enjoy a host of entertainment choices, including DJs, fan zones and various other exciting activations around each venue, offering families and the young plenty of fun. Among full member nations Bangladesh, Ireland and 2014 winners Sri Lanka, there are also Namibia, Netherlands, Oman, Papua New Guinea, and Scotland all battling to qualify for the Super 12 stage.  There are four available places joining Afghanistan, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, and West Indies in the Super 12 stage. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup promises to be a spectacle featuring cricket’s global superstars, among them Virat Kohli, Eoin Morgan, Kieron Pollard, and Babar Azam.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi (October 3, 2021):-All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz delivered both with bat and ball to spearhead Northern’s exciting 14-run win over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 17th match of the National T20 tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Sunday evening. Set a 182-run target, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa finished their 20 overs at 167 for eight as Iftikhar Ahmed’s fighting half-century went in vain. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stared their chase briskly with Israrullah and captain Mohammad Rizwan hitting some delightful shots in the power play overs. Israrullah (25) was the first to go with Haris Rauf taking his wicket. Rizwan was dismissed for 17 by Salman Irshad. Sahibzada Farhan (13) and Asif Afridi (21) were dismissed in the hunt of quick runs against the mounting asking rate. Iftikhar took the fight to the Northern attack with a series of big shots. The right-hander scored the 16th half-century of his T20 career, he was eventually dismissed by Haris for 58 off 34 balls. The middle-order batter hit two fours and five sixes in his innings. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa challenge subsided after Iftikhar’s dismissal, the win was Northern’s fourth win in six games; Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also won four and lost two matches. Earlier Northern recovered from a sensational opening over by Shaheen Shah Afridi to post their formidable total. Shaheen removed right-handers Ali Imran and Haider Ali with inswinging deliveries to jolt Northern. Both batters were dismissed for ducks in the space of three balls. Nasir Nawaz (24) and Umar Amin (27) fought back for their side with a 52-run third-wicket partnership which ended with Umar’s dismissal to Asif Afridi. Northern stuttered to 55 for four when Nasir fell to Israrullah. The in-form Mohammad Nawaz joined hands with his captain Shadab Khan as the two carved out an 89-run stand for the fifth-wicket. Shadab scored 46 off 27 balls (six fours, two sixes). Nawaz completed his second half-century in the tournament, he was run out in the last over for 51 (34 balls, one four, three sixes). Northern continued the attack in the death overs as 98 runs were added in the last seven overs. Asif Ali contributed an invaluable 21 off 11 balls (one four, two sixes) to push his side past the 180-run mark. Shaheen took two while Israrullah, Asif and Imran Khan Snr took a wicket apiece. Scores in Brief: Northern beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 14 runs Northern 181 for 7, 20 overs (Mohammad Nawaz 51, Shadab Khan 46, Umar Amin 27; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-30, Israrullah 1-9) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 167 for 8, 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 58, Israrullah 25; Haris Rauf 3-31, Mohammad Nawaz 2-26) Player of the match:  Mohammad Nawaz Wednesday’s matches (Lahore): Home City Central Punjab vs GFS Sindh -3pm Balochistan vs Northern -7:30pm

BIPIN DANI On the opening day of the four-day D/N pink ball Test against Australia, India's Smriti Mandhana was unbeaten on 80 runs. Any player would have a sleepless night with anxiety on scoring a hundred the next morning.  Her childhood coach and mentor Anant Tambvekar sent her a text message on WhatsApp, which read: Go for big daddy hundred with an emoji sign. Within minutes, Smriti replied Yes and two emoji signs. The coach further chatted and motivated saying, '' you must score a hundred, '' to which Smriti replied: '' Haan, Mai bhi serious hu (Yes, I am also serious (on putting up a hundred)". Smriti did so on Friday. The first Indian batter to face a pink ball in Test became the first Indian centurion and that too on Australian soil. "First Test hundred is always special for any player and if it is in the pink ball Test it is definitely a proud moment for all of us", the coach and mentor Tambvekar, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Nagpur, where he is a coach of the Goa team playing, said. "I am sure Smriti would have had a sound sleep (when she was unbeaten on 80 on the previous day). She had for sure. She is mentally very strong". Apart from Smriti's hundred, it was Punam Raut’s walking off the field when the umpire had ruled not out that stood out on the second day of the day-night Test. Raut’s decision to walk, that too in the absence of the DRS in the Test match,  reignited the debate over the ‘spirit of cricket’, triggered by India player Ravichandran Ashwin. Australian opener Beth Mooney said that there was “no chance” she would have done the same when asked by one of the commentators. The incident happened in the 81st over of India’s innings when Raut, batting on 36, decided to “walk” without any hesitation after believing to have nicked Sophie Molineux behind to ’keeper Alyssa Healy. As umpire Phillip Gillespie shook his head signalling not out, Raut simply walked off all the way to the pavilion without looking back, rediscovering the long-lost art of walking in Test cricket.

ABDULLAH ASJAD Rawalpindi (October 2, 2021):-Shoaib Malik produced a stunning assault in the death overs of the Home City Central Punjab innings to spearhead his side’s 12-run win via the DLS method against GFS Sindh in the 16th match of the National T20 tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday night. Set a 169-run target following Shoaib’s brilliant batting effort, Sindh stuttered to 110 for six in 14.4 overs when rain arrived for the second consecutive night. Sindh were 12 runs short of the par score at that stage of their innings, a ball before the rain interruption in a repeat of last night’s match, a wicket was lost. Anwar Ali holed out to Wahab Riaz off Sameen Gul as Sindh searched for quick runs with the mounting asking rate. Sindh openers Sharjeel Khan (36) and Khurram Manzoor (14) had provided the side a brisk 48-run opening stand. After Khurram’s dismissal, Sindh lost Shan Masood (12) to Wahab Riaz with the score at 76 in 7.2 overs. From 76 to one, Sindh crashed to 110 for six, off-spinner Qasim Akram took three wickets for 20 runs in a match winning four-over spell. Sameen took two while Wahab took one wicket. This was Central Punjab’s third win in five games and their first ever against Sindh in the revamped six-team National T20 tournament which is in its third year. Earlier, a sensational unbeaten 85 by Shoaib helped Central Punjab recover from 105 for six to a 168 for eight total. Central Punjab had lost wickets at regular intervals to stutter to a poor position before Shoaib rescued the side with an audacious batting display. The seasoned Shoaib posted the 67th half-century of his T20 career and went into the top gear in the last two overs of the innings as Mohammad Hasnain conceded 22 and Rumman Raees gave away 14 runs off the 20th over. The right-hander hit eight fours and five sixes in his 47-ball innings. Shoaib added 42 for the third-wicket with Ahmed Shehzad who contributed a run-a-ball 35 (three fours, one six). The two had come together after the early loss of captain Babar Azam (12) and Muhammad Akhlaq (7). For Sindh, Rumman collected the second four-wicket haul of his T20 career. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed took three crucial wickets despite conceding 39 runs in his four overs. Scores in Brief: Home City Central Punjab beat GFS Sindh by 12 runs on DLS method. Home City Central Punjab 168 for 8, 20 overs (Shoaib Malik 85 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 35; Rumman Raees 4-33, Abrar Ahmed 3-39) GFS Sindh 110 for 6, 14.4 overs (Sharjeel Khan 36; Qasim Akram 3-20, Sameen Gul 2-15) Player of the match:  Shoaib Malik Sunday’s matches: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Northern -3pm ATF Southern Punjab vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Rawalpindi (October 2, 2021):-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered their fifth win of the National T20 as they outclassed Balochistan by 55 runs in the 15th match of the tournament played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday evening. Set a 203 run target (most for the ongoing tournament), Balochistan limped to 147 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Sohail Akhtar was the only one to give a decent fight to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa bowlers as the right-hander hit five sixes and two fours in his 61 off 43 balls. Opener Abdullah Shafique with 24, Haris Sohail and Umaid Asif with 17 runs each were the only other batters to reach double figures. Balochistan had crashed to 83 for seven in their chase before Sohail brought some late-order fight to narrow the defeat margin for his side. All-rounder Asif Afridi (player of the match) took three wickets for only eight runs from his wily left-arm-spin. Fast bowler Arshad Iqbal took three wickets for 16 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi took two wickets for 30 runs. Earlier, Balochistan’s makeshift captain Bismillah Khan won the toss and opted to field. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa openers Israrullah and Mohammad Rizwan cut loose after a cautious start. Israrullah was dismissed by Amad Butt for 19 with the wicket falling at 43. Rizwan added 37 with Sahibzada Farhan before falling to Kashif Bhatti for 40 (34 balls, five fours, one six). Asif who was promoted as a pinch-hitter scored 16 off four balls (two sixes, one four). Iftikhar Ahmed carried the momentum with a blazing 36 off 18 balls (four fours, two sixes). Farhan top-scored for the side with 43 off 31 balls (five fours, one six). Musadiq Ahmed and Adil Amin added 42 for the unbroken sixth-wicket partnership to propel KP past the 200-run mark. Musadiq remained unbeaten on 17 while Adil scored 26 off 13 (three fours, one six). Kashif Bhatti took two wickets for Balochistan. Scores in Brief: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa beat Balochistan by 55 runs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 202 for 5, 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 43, Mohammad Rizwan 40, Iftikhar Ahmed 36; Kashif Bhatti 2-34) Balochistan 147 for 9, 20 overs (Sohail Akhtar 61 not out, Abdullah Shafique 24; Asif Afridi 3-8, Arshad Iqbal 3-16) Player of the match:  Asif Afridi Sunday’s matches: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vs Northern -3pm ATF Southern Punjab vs Home City Central Punjab -7:30pm

SPORTS REPORTER Lahore (October 2, 2021):-Left-handed top-order batter Saud Shakeel will captain future Pakistan hopefuls on the tour of Sri Lanka, which will consist of two four-day fixtures and three 50-over matches in Kandy and Colombo from 28 October to 14 November. Saud played in three One-Day Internationals against England earlier this summer, while other internationals named in the 19-player squad include Abdullah Shafique (T20I), Arshad Iqbal (T20I), Haider Ali (ODI, T20I), Naseem Shah (Test), Usman Salahuddin (Test and ODI) and Zahid Mahmood (T20I). To maintain consistency in selection, the selectors have also retained players who have recently been part of the national side but have been unable to break into the playing line-up. These include Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Haris. With an eye on next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2022 in the West Indies, the selectors have included in the squad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s teenage wicketkeeper Salman Khan and top-order batter Qasim Akram of Central Punjab. Opportunities have also been awarded to exciting talents, such as Sindh’s 22-year-old mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah (34 wickets and 245 runs in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2020-21), Irfanullah Shah (23 wickets in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2020-21) and left-arm fast bowler Akif Javed, who is returning to competitive cricket this season after missing the last season due to an injury. Chief selector Mohammad Wasim: “The objective and purpose of such tours is to reward, encourage, motivate and prepare high-performing cricketers for future challenges, while also developing and strengthening our bench-strength. “The average age of this squad is under 22 and includes players who have either been part of the national squads or are knocking at the doors of international cricket. The Sri Lanka tour will help these talented cricketers to further hone and polish their skills so that they are ready to perform at the international level.” Pakistan Shaheens squad (in alphabetical order): Saud Shakeel (captain) (Sindh) (both formats) Haider Ali (vice-captain) (Northern) (both formats) Abbas Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (50-over) Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) (both formats) Abrar Ahmed (Sindh) (both formats) Ahmed Safi Abdullah (Central Punjab) (four-day) Akif Javed (Balochistan) (50-over) Arshad Iqbal (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats) Irfanullah Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats) Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats) Khurram Shahzad (Balochistan) (both formats) Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats) Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab) (both formats) Omair Bin Yousuf (Sindh) (four-day) Qasim Akram (Central Punjab) (both formats) Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) (both formats) Salman Khan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) (both formats) Usman Salahuddin (Southern Punjab) (four-day) Zahid Mahmood (Sindh) (both formats) Player Support Personnel: Ijaz Ahmed (head coach and team manager), Rao Iftikhar  (Assistant coach), Mohtashim Rashid (fielding coach), Mohammad Javed (trainer), Faisal Rai (analyst) and Hafiz Naeem (physiotherapist). Tour schedule: 21 Oct – departure for Kandy 28-31 Oct – 1st four-day match, Kandy 4-7 Nov – 2nd four-day match, Kandy 10 Nov – 1st 50-over match, Colombo 12 Nov – 2nd 50-over match, Colombo 14 Nov – 3rd 50-over match, Colombo

BIPIN DANI The Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lankan team leaving for Oman on Sunday will need to spend only one day in strict quarantine, it is learnt. "The team is already in bio-bubble in Sri Lanka and is not required to be spending more days in the hotel rooms but can begin practice sessions immediately thereafter if the PCR tests are negative", one of the SLC sources said. The 23-member team with the support staff had a final practice match on Friday. Saturday has been reserved for the photo sessions and the players are given an off-day and no outside training is scheduled. The last PCR tests prior to their 72-hour departure were conducted on Friday. The men's T20 World Cup 2021 will kick off on October 17, with the first round (qualifying) matches featuring, among others, two-time beaten finalists Sri Lanka. Tour teams from that group of eight will move into the main competition, where they will join the top-eight teams, which have qualified for the event directly. It is not known whether the team leaving for the World Cup will have a thread ceremony by the monk. "It has been a regular practice but because of the current pandemic situation it may not be there this time around", the source added.

BIPIN DANI Sunil Subramanium, who was an Indian team manager and has been knowing captain Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin well, has defended the recent controversies involving both players. Speaking exclusively over the telephone, he says, "I can't believe that Ashwin had complained to the BCCI about Virat Kohli. It is a very stupid and childish calcuation for Ashwin to have approached the Indian cricket board and complain about his team captain". This media speculation about Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane complaining about Kohli's captaincy have also been refuted by the BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, though it could have either been from the BCCI secretary or the media unit. But that has not been the practice in Indian cricket. "Forget about the Kohli, I have been the team manager for this team for about two years and the atmosphere in the dressing room has always been vibrant and positive. This current lot of players are hardworking and the toughest. There is a lot of mutual professional respect for each other".     "I don't know how such rubbish and childish talks are coming out in the media. I don't think there exists any such enmity. I don't know whose agenda it is to demoralise the team atmosphere".  The ex-manager was also in pain to hear that the KKR captain Eoin Morgan called Ashwin a disgrace for taking an overthrow when the ball was deflected off Rishabh Pant's body. The incident that happened in the 19th over of Delhi Capitals' match against Knight Riders caused an on-field confrontation between Ashwin and Knight Riders' Tim Southee and Eoin Morgan. "I find it peculiar if such words are being used. Look at the laws of the game. If the ball is in play even if it has been deflected from the fielders (or umpire) the batsman is entitled to run. Where is the question of losing the spirit of the game ?" There isn't a clause in the playing conditions that stops a team from running overthrows off of deflections off the stumps, the batters, or their equipment. "If you are not satisfied with the laws, change the laws or the playing conditions and nullify the runs. The matter ends there", he signed off. 

SPORTS REPORTER Lahore (October 2, 2021):-Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja on Friday met the Chairpersons and Chief Executives of the First Boards at the National High Performance Centre in which he shared his vision that revolved around grassroots cricket. Ramiz Raja emphasised on the quick resumption of schools and club activities as well as infrastructure upgradation so that the youngsters received the best playing facilities and environment to display and demonstrate their talent. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “The grassroots cricket level tier deserves attention as it has been a neglected field for years, resulting in marginalising our growth canvas. Under my watch, cricket nurseries will have a permanent importance. “I acknowledge and appreciate the good work done at the provincial level by the First Boards and look forward to continuing to work collectively to bring a change to the Pakistan cricket landscape.”