Sports Bulletin

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

Sports ReportISLAMABAD: Shifa International Hospitals Islamabad beat 5 Pillars Cricket Club Rawalpindi by 7 wickets in the friendly T-20 Cricket match here at Ghouri Cricket Ground Islamabad.Shifa International Captain won the toss and invited to bat first 5 Pillars, 5 Pillars hit up 125 for loss of nine wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Waseem (20), Sohiab (17) and Abdul Wahdi (16) were the key contributors. Shifa International Syed Mudassar Bukhari (2 for 12), Imtiaz Alam (2 for15) and Tahir Akhtar (2 for 36) were the other main wicket-takers. In reply, Shifa International achieved the target in the 17th over for the loss of three wickets. Tahir Akhtar and Captain Qutab Uddin Qureshi contributed 93 runs in 3rd wicket partnership. Allrounder Tahir Akhtar 44 not out runs 42 balls with 8 Fours, Master Blaster Captain 43 runs 41 balls with 8 fours, while Khateeb 12 not out and Imtiaz Alam 10 were their leading run-getters. 

Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): New York Superstar Strikers proudly announce the signing of cricket legend Yuvraj Singh as the captain and icon player for the upcoming Legends Cricket Trophy Season 2, marking a significant milestone in the team's journey towards sporting excellence. Yuvraj's addition enriches the squad with a depth of expertise, skill, and leadership, fortifying New York Superstar Strikers' readiness to lead in the upcoming edition of the tournament The announcement of Yuvraj Singh's leadership role has elevated the excitement surrounding New York Superstar Strikers' participation in the Legends Cricket Trophy Season 2, igniting enthusiasm among fans and cricket enthusiasts worldwide. With a skilled roster comprising Babar Azam, Rashid Khan, Keiron Pollard Imam Ul Haq, Naseem Shah, Matheesha Pathirana, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Asif Ali, and Mohammad Amir, New York Strikers not only emerge as formidable contenders but also demonstrate the team's dedication to ongoing improvement and triumph.Sagar Khanna expressing his enthusiasm about Yuvraj joining the team, shares, "We are thrilled to have Yuvraj Singh on board as our captain and icon player. His unparalleled talent and proven leadership will undoubtedly elevate the performance of the team." 

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Afghanistan player Mohammad Nabi has ended Shakib Al Hasan’s long tenure as the number one all-rounder in the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings after smashing a fine century in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.Nabi, who has been the number one T20I all-rounder in the past, moved up to the top position in ODIs after his fighting 136 helped him become the oldest player to top the ICC ODI all-rounders’ table at the age of 39 years and one month. Sri Lanka’s Tillkaratne Dilshan held the previous record at 38 years and eight months when he was number one in June 2015.Shakib had been at the top for 1,739 days (since 7 May 2019), which is the longest unbroken stretch anyone has had at the top of the ODI Rankings. His total reign has been for a record 4,276 days, which equates to more than 11 ½ years. Kapil Dev comes next with 3,816 days which includes two stints of 1,376 and 1,375 days.

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: HBL Pakistan Super League has a rich history of providing platform to the finest young talent the country has to offer. HBL PSL 9 is set to feature an exciting new batch of talented players. From lethal fast bowlers and dexterous spinners to skillful batters, all players will look to prove themselves at the big stage. Mohammad Zeeshan (Peshawar Zalmi):Mohammad Zeeshan is a formidable pace prospect, having shown his promise in the Pakistan U19 team. Aided by his towering height of 6 feet 8 inches, the right-arm fast bowler extracts extra bounce, spelling trouble for the opposition.Zeeshan reflected on his addition to Peshawar Zalmi, saying: “Being picked for Peshawar Zalmi was a big moment for me as HBL PSL is amongst the best leagues in the world. I will be sharing the dressing room with and playing alongside Babar Azam, the best batter in the world, which I am really excited about.“T20 cricket allows limited room for the bowlers as the batters are always looking to charge. I think that’s where variations come into play; you need command over your slower balls, bouncers and yorkers to succeed.”Saad Baig (Karachi Kings):Born and bred in Karachi, Pakistan U19 captain Saad Baig will be representing his home city in the ninth edition of HBL PSL. The wicketkeeper-batter led Pakistan U19 to semi-finals of ICC U19 World Cup 2024. The previous year, he led Pakistan U19 to the semi-finals of ACC U19 Asia Cup.Saad, while talking about getting picked by Karachi Kings, said: “For any youngster, getting to play this league is a dream come true. I consider getting picked by Karachi Kings an achievement for myself so it was a big moment for me.“I will be part of a very experienced dressing room and I will try to improve my game as much as I can. I will ask seniors like Shoaib Malik and Keiron Pollard about their work ethic. They have played a lot of T20 cricket across the world so learning from them would be good for my future as well.”Ubaid Shah (Islamabad United):Right-arm pacer Ubaid Shah will be joining his brothers, Test cricketer Naseem Shah and first-class player Hunain Shah, at Islamabad United to strengthen the franchise’s pace battery. Since his debut for Pakistan U19, the pacer has become an indispensable asset to the side.“When I got to know that Islamabad United had picked me, I could not believe it. It is very important to me that Islamabad United put their trust in me, and I hope to reciprocate their trust by performing to the best of my ability.“It is very exciting that I am in the same team as both my brothers. And it is an honour to play under Shadab [Khan] Bhai’s captaincy. I look forward to learning from him. HBL PSL is big tournament with some very experienced names.”Shamyl Hussain (Islamabad United):Shamyl Hussain, set to represent Islamabad United at HBL PSL 9, is a top-order batter known for impressive strokeplay. The young left-handed batter, an avid fan of Brian Lara, says he has modelled his technique and shots after the West Indies batting legend.Reflecting on his addition to the team, Shamyl said: “I had been following the draft and when I did not get picked in the emerging category, I felt my heart drop so I turned my phone off for a while. When I turned it back on, I saw my coach’s message congratulating me. I could not believe I had been selected. To see my hard work pay off was the best feeling.“My style of play aligns with that of Islamabad United; I like to play attacking cricket and put pressure on the bowlers. I will be surrounded by senior players so my goal is to gain as much experience as I can during the tournament.”Syed Faridoun (Lahore Qalandars):Syed Faridoun is a left-arm wrist spinner who will be representing Lahore Qalandars in HBL PSL 9. As part of their Player Development Program, the franchise had sent Faridoun to represent Melbourne Stars at the Big Bash League in 2021.Although Faridoun was a part of the Qalandars squad back in 2022, he did not get to feature in a game. The young spinner, who is hoping to play his debut game in the upcoming season, said: “I want to fulfill the expectations the team and management have from me, whenever I am given a chance. Top players from around the world come to play in this league and I aspire to compete against them.“Your economy rate matters a lot in T20 cricket, so I always aim to restrict the flow of runs. I have gotten to share the dressing room with Rashid Khan in the past two years so I have learnt a lot from him.”Faisal Akram (Multan Sultans):Faisal Akram, another left-arm wrist spinner, is set to represent Multan Sultans in the ninth edition of the HBL PSL. Faisal was earlier picked by Karachi Kings in 2022, but warmed the bench in the previous two seasons. This year – on the back of a successful domestic season – Faisal is hoping to make his HBL PSL debut.“Multan is my home so it feels great that I have been picked to represent the city. If I get the chance to play, I will give my 100 per cent on the field. I am looking to end the season as the best emerging player of the season.“Multan Sultans have a great team this year. I am especially looking forward to learning from our captain Mohammad Rizwan, and foreign players like Reeza Hendricks and Dawid Malan.”Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (Quetta Gladiators):Khawaja Mohammad Nafay is a right-handed batter who was picked by Quetta Gladiators for the upcoming season of HBL PSL. Nafay already has experience of participating in franchise-based leagues.“My coach was with me when I got the news that I had been picked by Quetta. It made the moment really special because he has worked hard with me. It is a big deal for me, because performing in this league paves way for your selection to the national side.“I am really excited to share space with Jason Roy, Mohammad Amir and Sarfaraz Ahmed. I will have much to learn from these seasoned campaigners.”

Owais Autos overcome CWC XIs by 20 runs in the final, Asharf gets honourSports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Owais Autos team defeated CWC XIs by 20 runs in the final of the Solidarity Kashmir Cricket Cup at Moin Khan Academy.Captain of the Owais Autos Talha Ahmed Butt won the first toss and decided to bat first, as the batter managed 164 for 8 runs in 20 overs per innings fixture. A brilliant game was shown by Ashraf Khan, Alam Zeib, and Mohammad Sufyan. CWC XIs could score 144 runs.Chief guest presented trophies to Owais Autos team's best captain and best bowler Talha Ahmed Butt, best batsman Alamzeb and man of the match Ashraf Khan along with winner and runner-up trophies. 

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Future stars hailing from five different nations including newly-crowned champions Australia comprise the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 Team of the Tournament, announced today by the International Cricket Council.Australia captain Hugh Weibgen is given the honour of leading out the star-studded lineup, chosen by an esteemed panel of media, broadcast and ICC representatives.India enjoyed a resounding campaign leading up to Sunday’s final, and mark their impressive tournament with four names in the team. Champions Australia have three players included, South Africa have two names – including the Player of the Tournament Kwena Maphaka – while the West Indies and Pakistan each have one player feature.The selection panel consisted of commentary representatives Ian Bishop, Melinda Farrell and Abhinav Mukund, media representative Telford Vice, and ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley.Names of players:Lhuan-dre Pretorius (SA) (wk) - 287 runs at 57.40Harry Dixon (AUS) - 309 runs at 44.14Musheer Khan (IND) – 360 runs at 60.00Hugh Weibgen (AUS) (captain) - 304 runs at 50.66Uday Saharan (IND) – 397 runs at 56.71Sachin Dhas (IND) – 303 runs at 60.60Nathan Edward (WI) – 101 runs at 50.50 and 11 wickets at 17.81Callum Vidler (AUS) – 14 wickets at 11.71Ubaid Shah (PAK) – 18 wickets at 12.38Kwena Maphaka (SA) – 21 wickets at 9.71Saumy Pandey (IND) – 18 wickets at 10.27Jamie Dunk (SCO) – 263 runs at 65.75

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: A brilliant ton by Bilawal Bhatti and 9 wickets a piece by Shahnawaz Dahani led SNGPL to a massive 519-run win over WAPDA in the final of the President’s Trophy Grade-I here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Sunday.The match ended inside third day of the five-day final. SNGPL not only won the trophy, but also took away prize money of PKR three million. WAPDA had to settle for the runners-up trophy and prize money of PKR 1.5 million.Resuming their second innings at the overnight score of 121 for five in 36 overs, SNGPL declared their innings at 346 for eight in 82 overs, courtesy century by Bilawal Bhatti (101, 114b, 14x4s, 2x6s) and 91 from Mubasir Khan. The pair knitted a 108-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Mubasir’s innings included 14 fours and a six.For WAPDA, Asif Afridi was the most successful bowler, taking five wickets for 149 runs.In turn, chasing 686 to win, WAPDA were dismissed for 166 for nine in 32 overs. Ayaz Tasawar, coming to bat at number six, top-scored for his side with a 30-ball 51, smashing seven fours and three sixes. Test batter Umar Akmal, who scored 28 runs in the first innings, didn’t come to bat in the second innings as he was ill.Right-arm fast Shahnawaz Dahani, who bagged seven wickets in the first innings, managed to get two scalps in the second innings, and ended up with match figures of 94 runs for nine wickets. Left-arm pacer Mir Hamza was the most successful bowler in the second innings, grabbing three wickets for 50 runs in nine overs.Dahani and Sahibzada Farhan were declared joint player of the match. KRL’s Abdul Faseeh and Ghani Glass’ Mohammad Rameez Jnr were declared joint player of the tournament.Scores in brief:SNGPL 479-7, 80 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 161, Saud Shakeel 123 not out, Kamran Ghulam 101, Mubasir Khan 44; Tahir Hussain 2-78, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-105) and 346-8 decl, 82 overs (Bilawal Bhatti 101, Mubasir Khan 91, Abid Ali 38, Saud Shakeel 34, Kamran Ghulam 28; Asif Afridi 5-149, Ali Shafique 2-53)WAPDA 140 all out, 34.4 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 52, Umar Akmal 28; Shahnawaz Dahani 7-42, Mir Hamza 2-30) and 166-9, 32 overs (Ayaz Tasawar 51, Umar Abid Kayani 40; Mir Hamza 3-50, Bilawal Bhatti 2-29, Shahnawaz Dahani 2-52)Player of the match: Shahnawaz Dahani and Sahibzada Farhan (SNGPL) PKR 100,000Players of the tournament: Abdul Faseeh (KRL, 637 runs from six matches, 3x100s, 1x50) and Mohammad Rameez Jnr (Ghani Glass, 42 wickets from five matches, five five-wicket hauls) PKR 100,000Best batter of the tournament: Abdul Faseeh (KRL) PKR 100,000Best bowler of the tournament: Mohammad Rameez Jnr (Ghani Glass) PKR 100,000Best wicket-keeper of the tournament: Shahbaz Javed (Ghani Glass, 26 dismissals) PKR 100,000