Cricket
Babar takes over captaincy of Pakistan's ODI, and T20 teams
Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Right-handed batter, Babar Azam has become the captain of Pakistan’s One Day International (ODA), and Twenty 20, as the Pakistan Cricket Team confirmed that following a unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed him for new job of captaincy.Babar Azam has replaced Shaheen Shah Afridi as T20 captain. 'King Babar' also became ODI skipper after a hiatus of five months. Babar Azam was removed as ODI captain after the defeat of World Cup 2023. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a press conference on Sunday, at the headquarters of Pakistan Cricket, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Naqvi announced that the selection committee was reorganized. Four members of the new selections committee – namely, Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq – were also present at the press conference.
Bilal Majeed Super League Cricket: Abdullah Lions Punjab win title
KARACHI (PR): Abdullah Lions Punjab have won the title of the All Pakistan Bilal Majeed Super League (BSL) Cricket Tournament, as the 4th edition concluded here on Sunday.In the final played at Golden Ground Korangi, Abdullah Lions won the toss and elected to bat first. Abdullah Lions scored one hundred and thirty-seven runs for the loss of three wickets in the allotted six overs. Taimur Mirza played an aggressive innings of sixty-five runs with the help of eight sixes off thirteen balls. Osama Sialkoti scored 30 runs and Khurram Chakwal scored 18 runs. In response, the Wasif Sports Karachi team failed to chase the target and scored ninety runs for five wickets. Captain Taimur Mirza was named Man of the Match. Osama Sialkoti was declared the best batsman and Qadir Kashmiri was declared the best bowler. The winning team, Abdullah Lions, was given eight lakh rupees and a trophy. While the runner-up team Wasif Sports was entitled to four lakh rupees.The winning captain Taimur Mirza said that he was very happy on this victory in BSL season four. Success is the result of hard work. He also thanked Khurram Majeed for organizing the wonderful tournament and Korangi fans for their immense support. Host Khurram Majeed said that he tried to organize the best event in which he succeeded. Next year, the scope of the league will be further expanded
Indian physio Prasanth Panchada leaves Afghanistan team
BIPIN DANIIndian physio Prasanth Panchada, who was attached with the Afghanistan national team for some years has left his job, it is learnt here. According to highly placed sources in Kabul, the renowned physio sent his resignation letter a week ago. "I would like to express my gratitude to the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB). It has been a remarkable journey, witnessing the highs and lows in the development of the Afghanistan team. I am concluding my journey with this wonderful team with immediate effect", he has said in his e-mail, the copy of which was seen by this Reporter. Later, speaking to this reporter, Prasanth Panchada confirmed the news without elaborating more. "I have left the job for personal reasons", he said, adding, "Overall the team has always been a fit team and injury free". Recalling the most challenging job, he said, "Rashid getting back to competitive cricket is more satisfying". The 25-year-old bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan has been playing competitive games now, meaning he has now fully recovered from the back injury and subsequent surgery that has kept him out of action since the 2023 World Cup.The physio has already been attached with the KKR team in the ongoing IPL. He is also attached with the other league of the same franchise.
SPNI set to become the home to New Zealand Cricket for 7 years
Dubai (UAE): Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has acquired the television and digital rights to broadcast and stream all New Zealand-based BLACKCAPS and WHITE FERNS matches in the India and associated territories for the next seven years.The landmark deal, from 1 May 2024 to 30 April 2031, will include India’s tours of New Zealand in the 2026-27 and 2030-31 summers, as well as all other bilateral Tests, ODIs, and T20Is played in New Zealand during the designated period. All matches will be telecast and streamed live across SPNI’s sports channels and will be livestreamed on Sony LIV, respectively, adding to an SPNI portfolio, which already includes agreements with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).NP Singh, Managing Director and CEO of SPNI said: "We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with New Zealand Cricket. New Zealand is renowned for its exceptional sportsmanship and strength; it’s one of the most respected cricket teams globally. It is our privilege to deepen and nurture the bond between this esteemed team and its passionate fan base in India."Diana Puketapu-Lyndon, Chair of New Zealand Cricket, said: "With world-class sporting tournaments in their portfolio, Sony Pictures Networks India is one of the premiere sports content providers in India and we look forward to our association.”Rajesh Kaul, SPNI’s Chief Revenue Officer said: “Our constant endeavour has been to add marquee properties to our sports portfolio making us a global muti-sporting arena for audiences in India. Our partnership with NZC is an important addition to our sports portfolio as the BLACKCAPS have won the hearts of cricket fans through their fierce competitive spirit and impeccable sporting behavior.”“We’re looking forward to showcasing some terrific cricket through our seven year partnership which includes three crucial bilateral series against England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2024-25 as well two bilateral series featuring the Indian men’s team in 2026-27 and 2030-31 respectively.” New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Scott Weenink said: “Sony Pictures Networks India is an aspirational, innovative and forward-focussed business that prides itself on being efficient and sustainable in a rapidly changing world”, said Weenink. “It puts its consumers first and seeks to be the very best it can be – values NZC relates to very strongly.” (Press Release).
Fixtures announced for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier
Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The fixtures for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024 supported by Dream11 to be hosted in Abu Dhabi, UAE from 25 April to 7 May have been announced, where 10 teams will be battling it out for two Women’s T20 World Cup spots to be held in Bangladesh later this year.Ten teams, divided into two groups of five each, will compete in the Qualifier in two Abu Dhabi venues from 25 April. The two table-toppers from the two groups will feature in the semi-finals on 5 May with the winners booking their tickets to Bangladesh and joining the hosts, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in September and October.Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda and the United States of America (USA) feature in Group A, while Ireland, Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Vanuatu and Zimbabwe make up Group B.The event features eight teams from the five ICC Global Development Regions, as well as Ireland and Sri Lanka, who did not find a place in the top six of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa and therefore missed out on automatic qualification for this year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.The Qualifier will be staged at Zayed Cricket Stadium and Tolerance Oval, both form part of the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub. Mohan Oval, also located in the same vicinity, will host two warm-up matches on 21 and 23 April.ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “We are looking forward to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier as it is going to be a highly competitive and exciting event with 10 teams battling it out for two World Cup spots in Bangladesh later this year. Following the success of last year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa and with more fans engaged with the women’s game than ever before it will be an exciting few months building up to the World Cup. Teams are certain to have a great experience in UAE. We are grateful to the Emirates Cricket Board for their support in staging this event and I’m certain they will prove again what excellent hosts they are.”General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board, Mubashshir Usmani said: “We are delighted to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi. The venue has delivered some world-class events in the past including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.The participating teams will surely enjoy the facilities there. The 10 teams including the hosts UAE have all to play for in the Qualifier with the two T20 World Cup spots up for grabs. I want to wish the participants the very best as we look forward to some thrilling cricket over the course of the event.”Group A: Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda and USA.Group B: Ireland, Netherlands, UAE, Vanuatu and ZimbabweSunday, 21 AprilSri Lanka vs Netherlands, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Thailand vs UAE, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Zimbabwe vs USA, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Ireland vs Scotland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Uganda vs Vanuatu, Mohan Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Tuesday, 23 AprilUganda vs UAE, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Sri Lanka vs Vanuatu, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Thailand vs Netherlands, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Zimbabwe vs Scotland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Ireland vs USA, Mohan Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00
Pakistan v New Zealand T20I series tickets to go on sale from Friday
LAHORE (PR): The tickets for the five-match T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand will go on sale from Friday, 29 March, as the series will be played in Rawalpindi (18, 20 and 21 April) and Lahore (25 and 27 April). The matches are set to begin at 730pm.In the first phase, the pre-booking of the online tickets will start on Friday at 5pm at pcb.tcs.com.pk. The sale of physical tickets along with outlet addresses will be announced in due course. The tickets for Rawalpindi-leg will be available at a minimum cost of PKR 500 (Premium) and the maximum available at PKR 7,500 (VVIP Gallery). Additionally, the hospitality seats will be available at a maximum amount of PKR 15,000 except for the first T20I where the hospitality seats will be available for PKR 12,000.For the Lahore leg, ticket prices start at PKR 300 for General seating and the maximum at PKR 6,000 for the fourth T20I while PKR 7,000 for the fifth T20I (VVIP Gallery). Also, hospitality boxes located at the Far-End building will be available for purchase in Lahore. The hospitality box for Thursday’s (25 April) encounter will be available at PKR 600,000, while the box for Saturday’s (27 April) match will be available at PKR 700,000.
Gardner gains big in ICC Women's ODI Player Rankings
Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner has moved up all three lists in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine run with both bat and bowl in the first two matches of their ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh in Mirpur.Gardner, who scored 52 runs and grabbed five wickets in the two matches, has moved up five spots to 17th in the batting rankings, entered the top five in the bowling rankings and advanced from sixth to second position in the rankings for all-rounders.In other notable movements, fast bowler Megan Schutt has inched up to second position among bowlers, left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux has re-entered the bowling rankings in joint-69th position after her match-winning three-wicket haul in the second ODI and Alana King has moved up 19 spots to 58th among batters after smashing an unbeaten 46 in the first match.Annabel Sutherland (up five places to 38th among batters) and Ellyse Perry (up six places to joint-52nd among bowlers) have also gained in the latest weekly update.Bangladesh left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who returned figures of two for 27 in the first match, has entered the top 10 for the first time. Her previous best was 12th position, which she had attained in December last year. Nahida is presently ranked 25th in T20Is but had a career-high third position in July 2018.Off-spinner Sultana Khatun has moved up six places to be joint-52nd with Perry after finishing with three wickets in the two matches. The two wins have helped Australia consolidate their position at the top of the Women’s Championship points table. They are now on 26 points from 17 matches while South Africa are second with 20 points from 15 matches. The full standings are available here.Meanwhile, in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings, England captain Heather Knight has moved up five slots to 23rd position among batters after scoring 129 runs in the first three matches of the ongoing series against New Zealand, which England lead 2-1.Maia Bouchier’s 126 runs in the three matches have lifted her 43 places to 53rd position while New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr is up three places to 11th. In the bowling rankings, Sarah Glenn (up two places to second), Charlotte Dean (up eight places to 11th) and Lauren Bell (up 15 places to 18th) have all progressed.
Pakistan and India cricket women to meet on July 21 in Asia Cup
Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Traditional rival Pakistan and India cricket women set to meet on July 21 in the Asia Cup 2024 fixture in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the schedule of the prestigious regional cricket showpiece. Joining the cricketing powerhouses of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will be the semi-finalists of the Women's Premier Cup 2024 - UAE, Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand. The increased participation promises to make this tournament even more competitive and thrilling for cricket fans across the region.In line with the ACC's vision for inclusivity and equality in cricket, the Women's Asia Cup2024 will continue the tradition of having all female referees and umpires, following the successful implementation of the same in the previous edition.ACC President, Jay Shah said: "The Women's Asia Cup 2024 underscores the ACC's commitment to promoting women's cricket in the region. We are excited to see the increased participation and competitiveness among the teams, reflecting the growing popularity and importance of women's cricket. This expansion, from six teams in 2018 to seven in 2022, and now eight, is a testament to our commitment to the women’s game and the burgeoning talent pool in Asian cricket. We anticipate an exciting tournament that will inspire both players and fans."The Women's Asia Cup has become a significant event in the ACC calendar, providing a platform for women cricketers to showcase their skills and passion for the sport. The ACC remains steadfast in its efforts to advance women's cricket and create more opportunities for women to excel internationally.Pools: Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, NepalGroup B: Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, MalaysiaSchedule (ACC Women's Asia Cup, Dambulla):Friday 19-Jul Pakistan vs Nepal, India vs UAESaturday 20-Jul Malaysia vs Thailand, Sri Lanka vs BangladeshSunday 21-Jul Nepal vs UAE, India vs PakistanMonday 22-Jul Sri Lanka vs Malaysia, Bangladesh vs ThailandTuesday 23-Jul Pakistan vs UAE, India vs NepalWednesday 24-Jul Bangladesh vs Malaysia, Sri Lanka vs ThailandFriday 26-Jul SF1 (Group A 1st) vs (Group B 2nd)SF2 (Group B 1st) vs (Group A 2nd)Sunday 28-Jul Final
Pakistan to tour Australia for white-ball series in November
Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan are set to visit Australia for a white-ball series scheduled for November this year. The tour, which will mark the start for Australia’s white ball schedule for the summer of 2024-25, will comprise six games in total – three ODIs and as many T20Is – to be played across six venues from 4 to 18 November 2024.Pakistan will be returning to Australia after a gap of nearly 11 months, after having competed in the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, which comprised three Test matches played across Perth, Sydney and Melbourne in December 2023-January 2024. The three-match Dettol Men’s ODI series will begin on 4 November at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistan and Australia will then play in Adelaide and Perth on 8 and 10 November, respectively. Pakistan last played an ODI series on Australian soil back in 2016, which saw the home-side come out on top.Subsequently, Pakistan and Australia will face one another in the three-match Dettol Men’s T20I Series. Pakistan’s last T20I outing on Australian soil was back in 2022, wherein the men in green appeared in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.The series will start at The Gabba in Brisbane. Action will then move to the Sydney Cricket Ground; Pakistan’s last T20I at the venue saw them beat New Zealand at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final. Hobart will be the last stop on the tour, where the final T20I will be played on 18 November.ODI SeriesNovember 4, 2024: MCG, Melbourne November 8, 2024: Adelaide Oval, AdelaideNovember 10, 2024: Perth Stadium, Perth T20I SeriesNovember 14, 2024: The Gabba, BrisbaneNovember 16, 2024: SCG, SydneyNovember 18, 2024: Bellerive Oval, Hobart
PCB announces 20 women for West Indies home series
Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The women’s national selection committee led by Saleem Jaffar has named 20 probables for the forthcoming white-ball series against West Indies women scheduled to take place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 18 April to 3 May. The series includes three ODIs – part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and five T20Is.Ayesha Zafar (29 ODIs, 20 T20Is), Gul Feroza (2 ODIs), Rameen Shamim (3 ODIs, 4T20Is), Sidra Nawaz (67 ODIs, 56 T20Is) and Tuba Hassan (1 ODI, 21 T20Is) are the players making a comeback. Omaima Sohail and Shawaal Zulfiqar (recovering from shoulder injury), who were part of the 17-member squad that was named for the last bilateral series against New Zealand women’s team, have been omitted from the camp probables.Names of players:Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Gul Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda AkhtarPlayer support personnel: Saira Iftikhar (manager), Mauhtashim Rashid (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Mohammad Javed (strength and conditioning coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst), and Nadia Arif (masseuse)Chief Selector Saleem Jaffar said: “The selection committee has chosen 20 probable players based on their performances in both domestic and international circuits. Ayesha Zafar, Gul Feroza, Rameen Shamim, Sidra Nawaz, and Tuba Hassan have been added to the probables camp following their performances in the last domestic event, as we aim to broaden our pool of players.“The upcoming series against West Indies, which includes ICC Women’s Championship matches, is of utmost importance as we strive to earn maximum points to strengthen our claim for direct qualification in the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup.”Series schedule:18 Apr – First ODI at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)21 Apr – Second ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)23 Apr – Third ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)26 Apr – First T20I at NBS (730pm local time)28 Apr – Second T20I at NBS (730pm local time)30 Apr – Third T20I at NBS (730pm local time)2 May – Fourth T20I at NBS (730pm local time)3 May – Fifth T20I at NBS (730pm local time).
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