Sports Bulletin

Sports ReportISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Blind Cricket team players called on President Dr Arif Alvi at Aiwan-e-Sadar on Monday soon after arriving back from Dubai and losing three matches series against arch-rival India 1-2. President lauded them for bringing laurels to Pakistan besides highlighting globally the capabilities of differently-abled persons.He said that during the recent years, blind cricket got special attention and recognition in Pakistan. The active role of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Board in promoting and holding contests is welcoming, he added. Calling for the encouragement of the blind cricket team, the president also called for acknowledgement of the cricketers’ impressive role to highlight the team’s efforts and achievements.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (USA): India blind cricket team outclassed Pakistan by 8 wickets in the final T20 encounter of the three-match Tie and won the series 2-1 here at ICC Cricket Academy, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday. Ajay Reddy declared Man of the Match.Captain Nisar Ali, winning the toss for the third consecutive time, opted to bat first. Pakistan changed their opening pair, bringing in Badar Munir to maximize the power-play overs. However, Badar's early dismissal after scoring two boundaries set the stage for Muhammad Salman's splendid innings of 74 runs off 39 balls, with Muhammad Rashid contributing 32 off 22 balls. Pakistan posted 193 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 20 overs, with Durga Rao standing out among the bowlers, claiming three wickets, while Venkatesh took two.In response, India chased down the target in the penultimate over, scoring 196 runs in 18.4 overs, losing two wickets in the process. Ajay Reddy's brisk innings of 66 runs off 35 balls turned the game in India's favor, supported by Sunil Ramesh's impressive 64 off 53 balls. Mohammad Salman and Mohammad Idress claimed one wicket each for Pakistan.Pakistan lost the three-match series by 2-1. Syed Sultan Shah, President of World Blind Cricket Ltd, graced the occasion as the guest, accompanied by Ek Radha Krishnan, Chairman Organizing Committee, Shabana Abdul Razzak, Co-Chairperson of the event organizing committee, Rajnesh Henry, the first Vice President of World Blind Cricket Ltd, Sabeen Gul, Vice President/Wing Head CSR Department National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), and Junaib Iqbal, CSR Officer NBP. They distributed trophies and other prizes amongst the players.                

Sports Bulletin ReportMULTAN: Multan Sultans finished their home leg on a high after defeating Quetta Gladiators by 13 runs at Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening. After posting 180-4 in the first innings, the Mohammad Rizwan-led side restricted Quetta Gladiators to 167-9, courtesy of three-wicket hauls by Mohammad Ali and David Willey.Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to field first. Usman Khan, playing his first game of HBL PSL 9, started the innings with three boundaries in the first over. Abrar Ahmed provided the first breakthrough as Usman (14, 7b, 3x4s) was stumped in the third over. Reeza Hendricks joined Mohammad Rizwan in the middle and the two stitched a 79-run second-wicket partnership to bring momentum to Multan’s innings.Akeal Hosein broke the partnership in the 14th over as Rizwan holed one out to Saud Shakeel at deep midwicket. The Multan skipper had to walk back after scoring his 18th HBL PSL half-century that showcased two boundaries and four maximums.Subsequently, Tayyab Tahir – also playing his first game of HBL PSL 9 – partnered with Hendricks for a quickfire 77-run stand that helped Multan get to a satisfactory total. In the last five overs, Multan amassed 68 runs, with the 18th and 19th overs going for 17 runs each.By the time Hendricks was dismissed in the final over, the damage had been done as Multan ended at 180-4. With his knock that yielded 72 from 47, which included seven boundaries and four maximums, Hendricks overtook Lahore’s Sahibzada Farhan to become the tournament’s current leading run-scorer.Tayyab finished with an unbeaten 35 from 22, including four boundaries and a six. Mohammad Amir bagged two wickets while Abrar and Akeal picked up one each.In pursuit of 181, Quetta Gladiators lost both their opening batters inside the powerplay with Jason Roy falling on an exceptional delivery bowled by Mohammad Ali in the third over and Saud Shakeel getting caught at mid-on by Usama Mir off David Willey.Khawaja Nafay and captain Rilee Rossouw batted together to add 62 runs for the third-wicket partnership until debutant Aftab Ibrahim got hold of the latter on the last ball of the 12th over. Rossouw walked back for 30 off 18, on the back of a four and two sixes.Sajjad Ali, coming to bat as a concussion substitute for Sarfaraz Ahmed, could only make two off two before Rizwan stumped him off Usama Mir’s bowling. Trouble deepened for Quetta as Nafay (36, 31b, 2x4s, 2x6s) found Usama behind point, awarding Ali his second wicket of the day.Sherfane Rutherford contributed 21 from 14, including two maximums, before he was caught and bowled by Willey. In the same over, Mohammad Wasim Jnr also fell for just a run. Amir chipped in with 12 off eight, including two fours, before Ali rattled his stumps in the penultimate over. Aftab, bowling the final over, removed Abrar on the final ball to award Multan the game by 13 runs.Willey and Ali bagged three wickets while Aftab returned with two. Usama also dismissed one batter.

Badar Munir leads Green Shirts to win with a superb knock of 129 runs off 63 ballsSports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Pakistan Blinds Cricket team defeated arch-rival India by 5 wickets in the first contest of the 3-match Blinds Cricket T-20 bilateral series at International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Academy Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday.Captain Nisar Ali won the toss and opted to put India in to bat first. Pakistan's bowler Badar Munir made an early breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Sunil Ramesh in the third over. Despite this, India managed a competitive total of 213 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Indian captain Dargah Rao contributed with 61 runs off 42 balls, while Venkatesh Rao scored 49 runs off 37 balls. Pakistan's bowlers Badar Munir and Kamran Akhter claimed 2 wickets each.In response, Pakistan faced early setbacks, losing a couple of wickets, including Captain Nisar Ali, who scored 18 runs off 11 balls. However, Badar Munir took the charge with an exceptional innings, and guided Pakistan to chase down the target of 214 runs in the 20th over with 5 wickets in hand. Badar Munir's unbeaten knock of 129 runs off 63 balls, including 5 sixes and 18 fours, proved decisive. Indian bowlers Durga Rao Parsaad and Nakulabadanayak managed to take one wicket each.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The recently concluded DP World ILT20 Season 2 captured the attention of fans worldwide with its enthralling displays of athleticism and competitive cricket. However, beyond the fierce battles between international giants, this tournament provided a mega platform to unearth the burgeoning talent of UAE's own cricketers.Mohammad Waseem: The opening batter from the United Arab Emirates was the fourth highest run-getter this edition, with 321 runs in 12 matches at an impressive strike rate of 148. Providing an impetus at the top with his aggressive stroke play, Waseem’s exploits were crucial to the MI Emirates stellar campaign. The MI Emirates were the first team to secure their place in the play offs and subsequently went on to win the championship.Waseem’s stand out knock of the season came against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, where he struck an unbeaten 89 to ensure the MI Emirates would coast home with eight wickets in hand. Waseem’s tournament exploits earned him the Blue Belt which came with a cash purse of $15,000 for being the most outstanding UAE player, second time in a row.Alishan Sharafu: The top order batter for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders had a good season compiling 220 runs in the 11 innings he batted in, at a strike rate of 120. While his contributions played a significant role in his team’s qualification to the play-offs, his match winning knock of 82 not out from 47 deliveries against the Desert Vipers while chasing 155 was the fourth highest individual score in the tournament and also his best performance.Mohammad Jawadullah: Returning to his second season with the Sharjah Warriors, the left arm pacer was one of the leading wicket takers for the Sharjah Warriors this season with 10 wickets in 8 matches. Although the team had a forgettable season finishing in last place, the 24-year-old was consistent with his lines and lengths. His best performance of the tournament was against the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders where he picked up 3 wickets for only 5 runs with an economy rate of 2.5 runs per over.Zuhaib Zubair: The Gulf Giants’ Zuhaib Zubair was one of the best bowlers from the UAE this season. In eight matches, the leg-spinner picked up 11 wickets with his leg breaks at an average of 16. He also logged some of the best figures of the tournament when he finished with 4/22 to power the Giants to a mammoth 79 run victory against the Sharjah Warriors.Mohammad Rohid: The 21-year-old left arm quick from the MI Emirates impressed one and all with his bowling, picking up nine wickets in the 16 overs he’s bowled in the tournament. While he may not have been among the top wicket takers of the tournament, his bowling showed a lot of promise. His best performance came against the Desert Vipers where he picked three for 21 in three overs, accounting for the wickets of Alex Hales, Adam Hose and Azam Khan.

Salman KhanMULTAN: Multan Sultans defeated Islamabad United by five wickets in the HBL PSL 9 here at Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, as this was second back-to-back victory for Multan Sultans. Multan Sultans’ decision to field first paid dividends as Islamabad United lost two early wickets. Carrying on his form from the previous game, left-arm pacer David Willey once again provided the first breakthrough for Multan Sultans as he took out opening batter Alex Hales for just two runs in the third over. Drama ensued in the following over as Colin Munro was caught on the first ball but the bowler overstepped, awarding the Islamabad opening batter a second chance. Only three deliveries later, Ali redeemed himself as he rattled Munro’s (8, 13b, 1x4) stumps. The fourth batter in, Jordan Cox, took charge from the get-go as he announced himself on the crease with a maximum against Willey on just the fourth ball he faced. In the next over, he produced a boundary against Olly Stone to help Islamabad United end the powerplay at 32 for two. Salman Ali Agha and Cox led the recovery for Islamabad. The two took on right-arm pacer Abbas Afridi, amassing 26 runs off his first two overs, as runs started to flow for the team after the powerplay. Khushdil Shah’s misjudgment in the deep cost two catches – in the seventh and ninth overs – as the third-wicket partnership grew to mount pressure on the home team. Leg-spinner Usama Mir struck in the 12th over to cut short the third-wicket stand after he trapped Cox leg-before. The English batter, who had reviewed the on-field umpire’s decision, walked back for a 41 on 28 on the back of two boundaries and as many maximums after the DRS showed three reds. Azam Khan could only manage to produce 13 from 10, including a four and a six, before he was caught by Willey at long-on, awarding Usama his second wicket of the night. Imad Wasim bagged a three-ball duck to bring Islamabad United down to 105-5 in 14.4 overs. Skipper Shadab Khan joined Salman on the crease. The pair added 35 runs for the sixth-wicket stand before Shadab (11, 9b, 1x4) fell to Abbas. A ball later, Abbas got his third wicket of the night after Salman (52, 43b, 3x4s, 2x6s) was caught by Khushdil. Ali dismissed Faheem Ashraf and Ubaid Shah cheaply and Naseem Shah was run out in the final over as Islamabad United finished at 144 in 20 overs. Ali, bagging three wickets at the expense of just 19 runs, was awarded player of the match for his crucial bowling effort. Abbas too picked up three wickets, while Usama had two to his name. Willey returned with one scalp as well.Defending 145, Islamabad United got off to a strong start as Naseem shattered opening batter Dawid Malan’s middle stumps, who had to return for a two-ball duck. Reeza Hendricks joined Mohammad Rizwan in the center and the two successfully saw through Naseem’s incredible new ball spell. They stitched a solid partnership yielding 71 runs to bring stability to the innings, until Rizwan (43, 33b, 6x4s, 2x6s) fell to his counterpart who had brought himself into the attack in the 11th over. Yasir Khan made eight off 11 before he fell victim to Imad, courtesy of a magnificent relay catch by Cox and Hales at deep midwicket. Hendricks took on Shadab in the 17th over, smashing a six and two fours on three consecutive deliveries to complete his half-century whilst bringing his team closer to the target.Shortly after, Tymal Mills struck to remove Hendricks (58, 46b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Naseem got Khushdil for just three runs in the penultimate over. Iftikhar Ahmed (18 not out, 17b, 1x6) and Willey (7 not out, 6b, 1x4), facing Mills in the final over, completed the remaining four runs to finish the game for Multan Sultans, with one ball to spare. Naseem was the best bowler for Islamabad United, picking up two wickets for 27 runs in four overs. Shadab, Imad and Mills had a wicket each. 

LAHORE (Press Release): Lahore Qalandars have strengthened their squad by welcoming South African left-arm spinner, George Linde, into their ranks. Linde, who has just arrived in Multan, is now eligible for selection in the upcoming clash against Multan Sultans scheduled for February 21.New Zealand’s hard-hitting middle-order batter, Tom Bruce, is also on his way to join the squad and will be fully available on the bench from February 24 onward. With his addition, Lahore Qalandars’ roster with overseas player will be fully completed.Lahore Qalandars are without the services of Rashid Khan (recovering from a back injury), Dan Lawrence (missed out due to national selection for England), Shai Hopes (playing in BPL and partially available), and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (did not receive NOC).Lorcan Tucker, the Irish wicket-keeper who flew in for the opening game against Islamabad, will return after the Multan leg. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Quetta Gladiators registered their second win of HBL PSL 9 as they sealed the game against home team, Lahore Qalandars, by a margin of five wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday night.Khawaja Nafay, playing his second HBL PSL game, starred with a glitzy unbeaten half-century after walking into bat at number three. Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars succumbed to their second consecutive loss.In pursuit of a challenging 188-run target against the home team, Quetta Gladiators' opening batters once again gave the team a solid start. Saud flicked Shaheen Shah Afridi toward deep fine on the last ball of opening over to register his first boundary of the game.On the last ball of the third over, he hit Shaheen for an outrageous six over the keeper’s head. Jason Roy too joined him in the act as he hit Jahandad Khan for two boundaries in the fifth over. The duo brought up fifty-partnership in five overs while the powerplay yielded 61 runs.Saud (40, 23b, 7x4s, 1x6) was outfoxed by a Zaman Khan yorker on the fifth ball of the seventh over giving Lahore their first breakthrough. Three balls later Sikandar Raza hit Roy’s stumps as he departed for 19 ball 24 with the help of four boundaries. The 29-run third-wicket partnership between Rilee Rossouw (18, 13b, 3x4s) and Khawaja Nafay lasted for 19 balls before Haris Rauf got rid of Rossouw in the 11th over.On the first and fifth ball of the same over, Nafay let loose and hit Haris Rauf for two towering sixes injecting momentum into Quetta’s innings. The 22-year-old held his nerve through challenging times while living up to the hype that led to his arrival at the HBL PSL. Leg-spinner Salman Fayyaz struck in the 14th over to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed, leaving Quetta 130-4 with 58 runs required from 41 balls.Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with 14 off 12 balls before Shaheen Shah Afridi knocked him over in the 17th over. Nafay brought up his maiden HBL PSL fifty off 29 balls, by hitting Rauf over wide mid-off in the following over.Quetta chased the 188-run target with five balls to spare and winning runs coming off the bat off Nafay who returned undefeated on 60 off 31 balls, laced with four boundaries and three sixes.Earlier in the evening, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and opted to bat first. Akeal Hosein took the new ball for Quetta. Fakhar Zaman got an early reprieve on the second ball of the opening over as he chipped the ball to Mohammad Wasim Jnr in the covers who dropped an easy catch.Fakhar’s (6, 9b) struggle came to an end on the first ball of the third over as he handed a straight catch to Jason Roy at mid-on..Sahibzada Farhan and Rassie Van der Dussen upped the ante with a few boundaries in the powerplay despite a disciplined start by Quetta’s bowlers. Lahore finished the powerplay with 43 runs for the loss of one wicket.Abrar Ahmed was introduced to the attack in the seventh over of the innings and he tested Sahibzada with tight lines who replied with a four over extra cover and six over deep mid-wicket on the last two balls of the over.Abrar returned an over later to tilt the balance of the game in Quetta’s favour by removing Rassie van der Dussen, with a ball that pitched on good length slightly outside off-stump and deceived the batter with a bit of turn before crashing into the stumps.Sahibzada brought up his half-century off 39 balls, his second consecutive HBL PSL half-century. The fifth ball of the 13th over saw Sahibzada (62, 43b, 6x4s, 3x6s) removed by Hasnain, caught by Nafay, before hitting back-to-back sixes in the same over. Left-hand batter Jahandad was promoted up the order and he came out all guns blazing hitting the first ball for four, a harbinger of what was to follow.Abdullah (11, 10b, 1x6) departed in the 14th over after he was caught behind off the bowling off Hosein. Jahandad and Sikandar Raza got together to stitch a quick-fire partnership of 45 runs off just 21 balls. Jahandad amassed 23 runs off the 16th over against Abrar, where he hit three massive sixes, showcasing his pinch-hitting ability. The partnership was broken by Mohammad Amir who dismissed Raza (18, 12b, 1x4, 1x6) on the fourth ball of the 17th over.Lahore collected 34 runs off the last three overs as they ended on 187 for seven in their 20 overs. Skipper Shaheen chipped in with a cameo of 12 off eight balls, which included a first-ball six, while Jahandad finished 45 not out off just 17 balls, smashing three fours and four maximums.For Quetta, Hasnain and Hosein bagged two wickets apiece while Amir, Wasim Jnr and Abrar chipped in with one wicket each.

Shadab Khan (74 not out), Salman Ali Agha (64 not out) supermen of the gameSports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Islamabad United (IU) surprised Lahore Qalandars by 8 wickets in the opening match of the HBL PSL Season 9 here at Qaddafi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. Shadab Khan (74 not out), and Salman Ali Agha (64 not out, 31b, 7x4s, 3x6s) were the supermen of the game.In pursuit of 196 run target, United got off to a confident start, scoring 50 runs in the powerplay while only losing Colin Munro (5, 11b, 1x4) in the process. In the next over, skipper Shadab, coming in to bat at number three, welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries keeping the run flow intact.Requiring 44 off five overs, the 16th over went for 12 runs, while the next over went for 14 runs, with Shadab smashing Haris for two maximums in the over. The 18th over bowled by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was another expensive over for the home side, as United batter Salman dispatched the left-arm pacer for a four and a six and collected 15 runs in the over.With three runs required off the final two overs, Shadab finished off the game with a six over long-on as United won the game with 10 balls to spare. Shadab returned undefeated on 74 off 41 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes, while Salman scored 64 not out off 31 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.Earlier, after being put into bat first, Qalandars got off to a brisk start with the opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman adding 66 runs in the powerplay. The partnership was broken by Shadab, who took the prized scalp of Fakhar (13, 13b, 1x4) in the seventh over with 67 runs on the board for the home side.Right-hand batter Sahibzada Farhan was joined by Rassie van der Dussen and the pair could add only 22 runs to the total before Sahibzada (57, 36b, 8x4s, 1x6) fell to left-arm pacer Tymal Mills in the 11th over. Abdullah Shafique came into bat at number four and struck three towering sixes during his stay on the crease accumulating 28 off 22 balls.That the Qalandars were able to post 195 for five in their 20 overs was largely due to van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock of 71 off 41 balls, which included four fours and three sixes. The South African batter, who had featured for United in the last edition of HBL PSL, brought up his maiden HBL PSL half-century in today’s game off just 31 balls.For United, Naseem Shah, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of almost six months, returned with figures of 4-0-36-1. Leg-spinner Shadab, also returning from injury, gave away 24 runs bagging a solitary wicket in his quota of four overs. Mills was the most successful bowler for United, bagging two wickets for 45 runs in four overs.dars 195-5, 20 overs, (Rassie van der Dussen 71 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 57, Abdullah Shafique 28; Tymal Mills 2-45, Shadab Khan 1-24)Today’s Fixtures:Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (2pm)Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm)

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: The HBL PSL ninth edition is around the corner with some of the leading stars of limited-overs cricket raring to light up cricket grounds in Pakistan. With a new coach and captain, Karachi Kings enter HBL PSL 9 with oodles of optimism and they'll show faith in their local talent as well as global star power to rebound. Karachi Kings will get their campaign underway on 18 February against Multan Sultans at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium.They've snapped up West Indies superstar Kieron Pollard in their squad who will try to swing their fortunes with his all-round capabilities. They have also secured the services of Australia all-rounder Daniel Sams as well as retained seasoned campaigner Shoaib Malik. Pace bowling is further stacked with Mir Hamza and Anwar Ali who will provide squad depth given their vast domestic experience and international exposure as well.Karachi Kings managed to bag only three wins in the 2023 season and despite having the firepower in their ranks to spring more surprises, they could not coalesce as a unit.The team's ethos includes resilience and a fighting spirit, and they'll be aiming to rejuvenate this season and give Karachi fans a lot to cheer about. The 2020 HBL PSL champions are determined to hit the ground running early on as the highly-experienced Shoaib Malik will be looking to shine at the twilight of his career.Phil Simmons comes with a wealth of coaching experience. He coached West Indies and is at present the head coach of Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and LA Knight Riders in Major League Cricket (MLC).“The decision to bring in Phil Simmons as head coach was influenced by his impressive credentials, including being a T20 World Cup-winning coach. His experience in guiding teams to success at the highest level adds a valuable dimension to our coaching setup, and we look forward to harnessing his expertise for a successful campaign in the upcoming HBL PSL edition and to build a team for the future”, said Salman Iqbal, owner of Karachi Kings.Kings retained Shan Masood as their captain who currently leads the Pakistan Test team. Karachi Kings’ director Haider Azhar shed light on the decision to appoint Shan as skipper of the side. He said: “Securing Shan Masood for Karachi Kings was nothing short of a coup for us. His leadership qualities and captaincy feats are well-documented and we are proud to have a local boy from Karachi lead the team. On a personal note, having worked closely with Shan in the past, I believe he is the ideal captain for our team that will be undergoing a transitional phase and we expect him to be central to our project.”Karachi Kings fixtures for HBL PSL 918 February v Multan Sultans, Multan Cricket Stadium21 February v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore24 February v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore28 February v Islamabad United, National Bank Stadium, Karachi29 February v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium, Karachi3 March v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium, Karachi6 March v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi7 March v Islamabad United, Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi9 March v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Stadium, Karachi11 March v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Stadium, Karachi