Sports Bulletin

Markhors hunt Nupur Lions by 4 wickets, Stallions overcome Panthers by 35 runsAbdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: UMT Markhors and ABL Stallions posted victories after beating Nupur Lions by 4 wickets and Panthers by 35 runs respectively in the first and second match of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup that commenced here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.The two matches saw a number of talented players displaying their talent, with the 19-year-old local boy Saad Masood playing a man-of-the-match role in UMT Markhors’ win over Nurpur Lions in the opening game. The highlight of day one was a superlative century by experienced international all-rounder Hussain Talat who smashed an unbeaten 50-ball 101 for ABL Stallions, his maiden T20 century. In the first match UMT Markhors’ Masood finished with 2-20 and was ably supported by Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (2-11) and Nisar Ahmed (2-21) to keep Lions down to 150-7. For Lions Mohammad Awais Zafar top-scored with a 34-ball 40 with five boundaries. Hasan Nawaz hit a rapid 13-ball 22 with one six and three boundaries.Markhors’ chase was anchored by opener Fakhar Zaman who scored a 25-ball 28 with a six and three fours before skipper Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten 34-ball 42 with two sixes and a boundary crossed the line in company of Masood, sharing an unbroken 50-run stand for the seventh wicket.In the Allied Bank Stallions win, Talat and Haris shared a rampaging 128-run third wicket stand after Lake City Panthers sent them into bat. Talat cracked a dozen boundaries and three maximums. Opener Yasir Khan gave Stallions a brisk start with a 15-ball 27 inclusive of two sixes and three boundaries.The chase for Lake City Panthers started on a wrong note when their skipper Shadab Khan was ruled out and could not bat due to back pain. Haider Ali (26-ball 54) smashed four towering sixes and five boundaries in his 26-ball cracker and during his third wicket stand of 40 with Mubasir Khan (19-ball 29 with three fours and a six) it looked like their team would succeed in the chase. But spinner Usman Tariq, who took 3-25, removed Haider to halt the progress. In the end City Lake Panthers managed 181 in 19.1 overs. Pacer Mohammad Ali also bagged three wickets in his four overs giving away 33 runs. Scores in brief:Match 1 - UMT Markhors beat Nurpur Lions by four wickets, Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumNurpur Lions 150-7, 20 overs (Muhammad Awais Zafar 40 not out, Hasan Nawaz 22; Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 2-11, Saad Masood 2-20, Nisar Ahmed 2-21)UMT Markhors 154-6, 19 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 42 not out, Fakhar Zaman 28, Saad Masood 26 not out; Mohammad Salman 3-21, Shahid Aziz 2-27)Player of the match – Saad Masood (UMT Markhors)Match 2 - ABL Stallions beat Lake City Panthers by 35 runs, Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumABL Stallions 216-3, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 101 not out, Mohammad Haris 55, Yasir Khan 27; Mohammad Ibtisam 2-36)Lake City Panthers 181 all out, 19.1 overs (Haider Ali 54, Mubasir Khan 29, Umar Siddiq 24, Amad Butt 23; Usman Tariq 3-25, Mohammad Ali 3-33, Tahir Hussain 2-41)Sunday’s Fixture:Lake City Panthers vs Engro Dolphins, 12pm.

PCB ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan men’s selection committee has announced the squads for the upcoming South Africa tour, scheduled from 10 December to 7 January. The tour comprises three T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests.Babar Azam has been named in all three squads along with Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha, while Naseem Shah has been selected for the Tests and ODIs. Shaheen Shah Afridi, who also missed the last two Tests against England, has been picked for the white-ball matches as part of his workload management so that he is in his best fitness and form for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.Also returning to the Test side is fast bowler Mohammad Abbas, who last played in Jamaica in August 2021. Abbas, who has taken 90 wickets in 25 Tests, had a stellar Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, claiming 31 wickets in five matches. Naseem Shah has also been named in the four-man pace attack after missing the last two Tests against England. The 21-year-old, who has played 19 Tests since making his debut in November 2019, has taken four wickets to date for Lahore Whites against Peshawar in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match in Abbottabad.Fast bowler Khurram Shahzad has also been named in the Test side after claiming 15 wickets for Pakistan Shaheens against Sri Lanka ‘A’ last month. Mir Hamza is the fourth fast bowler in the 15-man Test squad and is presently playing for Peshawar against Lahore Whites in Abbottabad.However, off-spinner Sajid Khan has missed out on selection despite his 19 wickets against England. The selectors, after taking into consideration the Centurion and Newlands conditions as well as South Africa as the opposition, have opted for only one specialist spinner in Noman Ali, who took 20 wickets against England and has 67 wickets in 17 Tests.Also earning the selectors nod for the first time in ODIs is Sufyan Moqim, the left-arm wrist spinner who has taken eight wickets in two T20Is, including five wickets for three runs in the second T20I.The T20I squad will depart for South Africa on Friday, 6 December, after Thursday’s third T20I against Zimbabwe, while the ODI and Test players will depart for Johannesburg on 13 December. Pakistan men’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie will also arrive in Johannesburg on 13 December to supervise the pre-Test series camp.Names of selected players for South Africa tour:Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub and Salman Ali AghaODIs: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)T20Is: Mohammad Rizwan (captain & wk), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan (wk)Aqib Javed, member selection committee and interim white-ball head coach said: “We have adopted a horses for courses policy to ensure all three squads are well-balanced and capable of performing strongly in South Africa. Leaving out Sajid Khan, despite his stellar performances against England, was an extremely tough and difficult decision. However, considering the pace-friendly conditions at Centurion and in Cape Town, we opted for Mohammad Abbas instead, who is an outstanding exponent of seam bowling. Shaheen Shah Afridi’s exclusion from the Test squad is a strategic decision to ensure he remains physically and mentally fresh for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Similarly, Fakhar Zaman was not considered as he is yet to regain form and match fitness. Our aim is to maintain consistency in ODI selections as part of our ICC Champions Trophy 2025 preparations, while also giving emerging talent opportunities in T20Is alongside experienced players. For Tests, we have focused on assembling a squad that can adapt to challenging conditions and consistently compete at the highest level. The Test series against South Africa will be highly competitive, but we are confident in our team’s ability to secure a historic series win. Our focus in ODIs is to continue building momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy, while the T20I series provides a platform to blend experience with emerging talent.”The series will begin with the first T20I in Durban on 10 December, followed by the first ODI in Paarl on 17 December. The Test matches will be hosted at Centurion and in Cape Town on 26 December and 3 January, respectively.Tour schedule:10 Dec – First T20I, Durban13 Dec – Second T20I, Centurion14 Dec – Third T20I, Johannesburg17 Dec – First ODI, Paarl19 Dec – Second ODI, Cape Town22 Dec – Third ODI, Johannesburg26-30 Dec – First Test, Centurion3-7 Jan – Second Test, Cape Town.

Islamabad (Sports Desk): Another closely fought match in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) saw Lahore Qalandars defeat Victoria by 10 runs in Providence.The Australian outfit had looked the side to beat after they won their first two matches in style but they were undone by an impressive Qalandars display with bat and ball with Tabraiz Shamsi's spell the difference between the two sides.Victoria won the toss and captain Corey Anderson chose to insert the opposition. Mirza Baig played an anchoring role from the top of the order, accumulating 39 from 36 balls to set the foundation for a decent total.Anderson shuffled his pack and used a total of seven bowlers, it proved an effective tactic as the Qalandars batting card never managed to pull away, Mohammad Faizan was run out for 25 off 21, Tom Abell and Mohammad Akhlaq made 17 and 26 respectively and were the only other contributions of note.Qalandars captain Carlos Brathwaite fell for a golden duck after seeing his stumps splattered by Jackson Smith, Smith picked up three scalps and was joined in the wickets by the impressive Dominic Drakes. Drakes also collected a trio of wickets whilst stitching together 14 dot balls in his four overs to finish with a frugal economy rate to boot.Victoria needed 140 runs to win after dismissing the Qalandars for 139 but after a confident opening stand of 67 between Blake Macdonald and Joe Clarke they then lost regular wickets over their remaining overs.Tabraiz Shamsi was the pick of the bowlers for Qalandars, the slow left arm wrist spinner proved nigh on unplayable on the night, taking 3-11 off four overs that included an unbelievable 16 dot balls and not a single boundary being hit off him in a well deserved Player of the Match performance.Karima Gore provided resistance for Victoria but when he fell for 25 off 22 at the start of the 19th over it meant his side were down to their last pair. 12 runs played one wicket in the final over, Faheem Ashraf sealed the win by cleaning up Jackson Smith with his third delivery.The result sees things tighten up in the GSL table with Qalandars, Victoria and Guyana Amazon Warriors all on four points with two wins and a loss apiece. The next round of matches will prove crucial in deciding who makes the final. 

ISLAMABAD (Sports Desk): England and Warwickshire batter Jacob Bethell has been awarded an England Men’s Central Contract upgrade. The 21-year-old, who made his Test debut last week during England’s first Test victory over New Zealand in Christchurch, has signed a two-year contract running until September 2026. This follows his recent development contract, awarded just last month.Bethell made an impressive start to his Test career, scoring a maiden half-century in the second innings to help secure England’s win at Hagley Oval. In addition, three of England’s prominent seamers – Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Matthew Potts – have all extended their contracts until September 2026.England Men Centrally Contracted Players 2024/2025 (2 years): Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Matthew Potts (Durham), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham)England One-Year Central Contracts: Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)England Development contracts: Josh Hull (Leicestershire), John Turner (Hampshire).

Green Shirts outclass Bangladesh by 10 wickets in the final; Nisar Ali wins "player of the match" awardSports Bulletin ReportMultan (December 3, 2024): Pakistan's blind cricket team defeated Bangladesh to clinch the title of the 4th T20 Blind Cricket World Cup. In the final held at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Pakistan secured a commanding 10-wicket victory, remaining undefeated throughout the tournament and winning the T20 Blind Cricket World Cup for the first time.Bangladesh, batting first after winning the toss, set a target of 140 runs, scoring 139 for 7 in their 20 overs. Arif Hussain scored 54 off 52 balls, while Mohammad Salman added 31 off 35 balls. Pakistan's Babar Ali took two wickets for 24 runs in his 4 overs.In reply, Pakistan chased down the target in just 10.2 overs without losing a wicket. Captain Nisar Ali led the charge with an unbeaten 72, while Mohammad Safdar contributed 47 runs.During the prize distribution ceremony, World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) President Syed Sultan Shah, alongside WBCC Director of Global Development Raymond Moxley, presented the winning trophy and a cash prize of PKR 1 million to Pakistan's captain Nisar Ali. Bangladesh's captain Ariful Islam received the runner-up trophy and a cash prize of PKR 500,000.Nisar Ali was named Player of the Match for the final, while Bangladesh's Arif Hussain was recognized as the Emerging Player of the tournament. In the individual categories, Bangladesh's Azmat Hussain was named the Best Player in the B1 category, Pakistan's Nematullah in the B2 category, and Sri Lanka's Dumat Sandruwan in the B3 category.

Multan (SBR): Syed Sultan Shah, Chairman of Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, has been re-elected as the President of World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) for the upcoming two-year term. Rajanish Henry from India was successfully elected as the Secretary General. The 26th General Council meeting of the World Blind Cricket Council took place at a local hotel in Multan, with representatives from the cricket boards of Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Afghanistan in attendance. Officials from India, England, and New Zealand participated online. Other elected officials include Nepal's Pawan Ghimire as First Vice President, South Africa's Isaac Bidla as Second Vice President, Australia's Raymond Moxley as Global Development Director, Pakistan's Tahir Mehmood Butt as Technical Director, and India's Chandrashekhar as Finance Director. South Africa’s Michael De Silva was elected as Assistant Secretary, Sri Lanka’s Sudesh Tharanga as Director of Public Relations, and the Regional Development Directors include Bangladesh’s Moin Iqbal for Asia and South Africa’s Ndumiso Nyawose for the African region.The members approved the minutes of the previous meeting. After being re-elected as the President of WBCC, Syed Sultan Shah thanked the cricket boards of all blind cricket-playing nations for re-electing him to the position. He expressed plans to introduce new reforms in blind cricket and take steps to promote the sport in countries like the United States and Kenya. New dark glasses for B1 players have been introduced. Syed Sultan Shah mentioned that Pakistan and India are among the top teams in world blind cricket and that both countries have a great working relationship. However, due to visa issues, the teams have not been able to play against each other. Therefore, it was decided that future World Cups and other international events would be held at neutral venues, allowing both countries to compete. The re-elected WBCC President also praised the services of former WBCC Secretary General Raymond Moxley for blind cricket. It was decided at the meeting that, going forward, no player can participate in international competitions without obtaining a site classification certificate from the International Blind Sports Association. 

Sports Bulletin ReportCenturion (South Africa): England Women recorded a nine-wicket victory against South Africa in their final IT20 match of the series at SuperSport Park, Centurion.Heather Knight’s side headed into the match having sealed a series win after taking a 2-0 lead earlier this week. The tourists raced to their target of 125 with 51 balls to spare, opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge finishing unbeaten on 53 and Sophia Dunkley on 24 not out.Opener Maia Bouchier was England's only dismissal, caught by Nondumiso Shangase for 35 from 21 balls, after a quick 56 in 5.4 overs.England won the toss and chose to bowl. Anneke Bosch and Faye Tunnicliffe were dismissed by Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell respectively in the first two overs.The Proteas were 45-5 but Nadine de Klerk and Nondumiso Shangase hit a combined half century which proved a huge contribution to the total.Charlie Dean took 3-26 and a run out while Bell took two; Filer, Freya Kemp and Sophie Ecclestone with a wicket each. The two sides now contest a three-match ODI series, starting in Kimberley on Wednesday 4 December.T20i series:Sunday, 24 November: South Africa vs England – Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium, East London – England won by four wicketsWednesday, 27 November: South Africa vs England – Willowmoore Park, Benoni – England won by 36 runsSaturday, 30 November: South Africa vs England – SuperSport Park, Centurion – England won by nine wicketsODI series:Wednesday, 4 December: South Africa vs England – Kimberley Oval, KimberleySunday, 8 December: South Africa vs England – Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, DurbanWednesday, 11 December: South Africa vs England – JB Marks Oval, PotchefstroomTest match:15-18 December: South Africa v England - Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Multan (SBR): Pakistan and Bangladesh have stormed into the final of the 4th T20 Blind Cricket World Cup, while Sri Lanka and Nepal were eliminated from the race. The highlight of the semifinals included a record-breaking knock by Pakistan’s Kamran Akhtar, who smashed the fastest fifty in T20 Blind Cricket World Cup history. In the first semifinal at Multan Cricket Stadium, Pakistan won the toss and invited Nepal to bat first. Nepal managed 94 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs, with Durga Datta top-scoring with 40 off 42 balls and Ramesh contributing 17 not out off 30 deliveries. Pakistan's Matiullah bowled brilliantly, taking three wickets for just five runs in his four overs. Pakistan's openers made short work of the target, reaching 95 runs without losing a wicket in just 5.3 overs. Kamran Akhtar showcased blistering form, scoring an unbeaten 63 off 21 balls, including one six and 12 boundaries. His half-century came off just 14 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty in T20 Blind Cricket World Cup history. Babar Ali supported him with an unbeaten 32. Kamran Akhtar was named player of the match, with the award presented by World Blind Cricket Council Secretary General Raymond Moxley alongside PBCC Chairman Syed Sultan Shah. The second semifinal saw Bangladesh edge past Sri Lanka in a nail-biting contest. Batting first, Bangladesh put up a formidable 244/6 in their 20 overs, with an additional six penalty runs awarded for a slow over rate by Sri Lanka. Mohammad Salman played a stunning innings, scoring 97 runs off 49 balls with 14 boundaries, while Arif Hussain contributed 81 runs off 56 balls, hitting 10 fours. In response, Sri Lanka fought valiantly, posting 238/4 in their 20 overs. Chandana led the charge with a brilliant 86 off 54 balls, and Dinesh added 35 off 28 balls. However, their efforts fell short by six runs. Mohammad Salman was declared player of the match for his match-winning performance. The final between Pakistan and Bangladesh is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, at 11:00 am at Multan Cricket Stadium.

Sports Bulletin ReportMULTAN: The lineup for the semifinals of the 4th T20 Blind Cricket World Cup is complete, with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal advancing to the knockout stage. Pakistan will clash with Nepal in the first semifinal, while Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka in the second semifinal. Both matches are scheduled for December 1 at Multan Cricket Stadium. In the final round of group matches, Pakistan delivered a commanding performance, defeating Afghanistan by seven wickets to secure the top spot in the group. Electing to field first, Pakistan bowled out Afghanistan for a mere 94 runs in 19.2 overs, with Fakhar Abbas claiming 3 wickets for just 4 runs in 2.2 overs. Chasing the modest target, Pakistan achieved victory in 9.5 overs, led by Talha Iqbal's quickfire 32 off 15 balls. Fakhar Abbas was named Player of the Match for his exceptional bowling performance. Meanwhile, in another group match at DHA Ground, Bangladesh overpowered South Africa with a dominant 10-wicket win. South Africa set a target of 150 runs, scoring 149/8 in 20 overs. Bangladesh's openers, Mohammad Salman (73 off 44 balls) and Arif Hussain (55 off 39 balls), comfortably chased down the target in 12.5 overs. The semifinals promise thrilling encounters, with the Pakistan-Nepal match scheduled for 9:00 am and the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka showdown set for 1:00 pm at the Multan Cricket Stadium. 

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Opener Shahzaib Khan stroked a superlative 159 as Pakistan U19 convincingly defeated India U19 by 43 runs in a Group-A ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.Shahzaib’s 147-ball knock, featuring five fours and 10 sixes, propelled Pakistan to a total of 281 for seven in their allotted 50 overs. In reply, India U19 were bowled out for 238 in 47.1 overs after slipping to 81 for four and then 190 for nine. Promising fast bowler Ali Raza starred with the ball, claiming three wickets for 36 runs.The Mansehra-born Shahzaib laid a solid foundation with fellow opener Usman Khan, sharing a 160-run stand in 30.4 overs. Usman contributed a steady 94-ball 60, including six boundaries. Both openers came into this match in fine form, having scored 330 and 314 runs, respectively in a recent tri-series involving Afghanistan and hosts UAE.For the third wicket, Shahzaib added 71 runs with Muhammad Riazullah (27). Pakistan batters accelerated towards the end, adding 74 runs in the last 10 overs after reaching 207 for two in 40 overs. Captain Saad Baig’s decision to bat first proved fruitful as his side posted a challenging total of 281.Fast bowler Samarth Nagaraj was the standout performer for India, taking three wickets for 45 runs, while Ayush Mhatre chipped in with two for 30. India began their chase positively but suffered early blows. Abdul Subhan dismissed Mhatre (20) at 28 in 3.4 overs before Ali Raza removed Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the next over. Usman Khan and Faham-ul-Haq added to India’s woes, reducing them to 81 for four.A 53-run fifth-wicket partnership between Nikhil Kumar and Kiran Chormale briefly revived India. However, Faham broke the stand by dismissing Chormale (20). Kumar, who top-scored with a 77-ball 67, added 40 runs with wicketkeeper-batter Harvansh Pangalia (26) before falling to off-spinner Naveed Ahmed Khan at 174 in the 36th over.The innings finally wrapped when No.10 Mohamed Enaam was run-out for 30 with the India scorecard showing 238 in 47.1 overs. For Pakistan, Ali Raza’s figures of 9-1-36-3 stood out, while Abdul Subhan (2-45) and Faham-ul-Haq (2-41) provided excellent support. Pakistan's next match is against the UAE on 2 December at the same venue.Scores in brief (Pakistan U19 beat India U19 by 43 runs, Dubai International Cricket Stadium):Pakistan U19 281-7, 50 overs (Shahzaib Khan 159, Usman Khan 60, Muhammad Riazullah 27; Samarth Nagaraj 3-45, Ayush Mhatre 2-30)India U19 238 all-out, 47.1 overs (Nikhil Kumar 67, Mohamed Enaan 30, Harvansh Pangalia 26, Kiran Chormale 20, Ayush Mhatre 20; Ali Raza 3-36, Abdul Subhan 2-45, Faham-ul-Haq 41)Player of the match – Shahzaib Khan (Pakistan U19)