Sports Bulletin

Mohammad Rizwan to become 31st ODI Captain, Mohammad Irfan Khan and Saim Ayub to make debutMohammad IsmailMelbourne (Australia): Pakistan will face hosts Australia in the first One Day International of three-match rubber here at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on November 4, 2024 (Monday).Both sides last met in the 50-over format during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 20 where Australia defeated Pakistan by 62 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The last time both sides featured in a bilateral ODI series was in March/April 2022, when Australia visited Pakistan and the hosts won the series 2-1.Pakistan have also announced their playing XI for the first ODI, with Mohammad Irfan Khan and Saim Ayub making their debut. 21-year-old Irfan has already featured in three T20Is for Pakistan, while he has played 24 List-A matches, scoring one century and three half-centuries. Left-handed opening batter Saim has been a part of six Tests and 23 T20Is for Pakistan and has featured in 35 List-A matches accumulating 1,472 runs with the help of four centuries and seven half-centuries.Mohammad Rizwan said: “It is an honour to lead the Pakistan team and we are ready to take on Australia in their own backyard. We all know Australia are a very good side, and world champions, but we look forward to competing hard as we have a number of young and exciting players in our squad and it is their chance to grab the opportunities coming their way. We have had productive training sessions here in Melbourne since our arrival and with the support of Almighty, we look forward to produce positive results in the series. We are scheduled to play a good number of ODIs before the next year’s ICC Champions Trophy back in Pakistan. The forthcoming series beginning with Australia, then Zimbabwe, South Africa and the home Tri-nation tournament will help us assemble a right combination going into the mega event at home. We are expecting fans to come in good number to support us in this series, as they have been a huge support for the team wherever we have played in Australia.”Pat Cummins, Australia’s ODI captain: It’s always great to have such high intensity game which makes the start of summer and it’s a great opportunity for youngsters to get going. Pakistan are quite a decent side and they have players who have scored big runs. We have played against them in recent years, so I think it’s always a fairly even match. There is going to be good crowd tomorrow at the MCG as we are playing against Pakistan.”Playing XI for first ODI (in batting order): Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (captain/wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad HasnainSchedule of matches:4 Nov – 1st ODI vs Australia; Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (2.30pm local time start)8 Nov – 2nd ODI vs Australia; Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (2pm local time start)10Nov – 3rd ODI vs Australia; Perth Stadium, Perth (11.30am local time start)14 Nov – 1st T20I vs Australia; Brisbane Cricket Ground, Brisbane (6pm local time start)16 Nov – 2nd T20I vs Australia; Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (7pm local time start)18 Nov – 3rd T20I vs Australia; Bellerive Oval, Hobart (7pm local time start).

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been appointed Pakistan’s white-ball captain, while Salman Ali Agha has been named vice-captain as the selectors announced Pakistan’s squads for the ODI and T20I tours of Australia and Zimbabwe from 4 November to 5 December. Salman will lead the T20I side in Zimbabwe as Rizwan is rested under a workload management plan.The 32-year-old Rizwan, who debuted in white-ball cricket in 2015, has played 74 ODIs and 102 T20Is to date, scoring 5,401 runs with four centuries and accounting for 143 dismissals behind the stumps. As he leads the team in the opening ODI against Australia in Melbourne on 4 November, Rizwan will become Pakistan’s 31st captain. For the first T20I in Brisbane on 14 November, he will be the 12th to captain Pakistan in the format.Mohammad Rizwan siad: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. Representing Pakistan on the global stage is the greatest privilege and to now be entrusted with leading such a talented and exciting group of players is a tremendous honour. Joining the ranks of some of Pakistan’s legendary limited-overs captains truly is the icing on the cake.I am committed to giving my absolute best in this role and look forward to working closely with the selectors, coaches and my immensely talented teammates. Together, we aim to meet and exceed the expectations of our fans and supporters. Pakistan cricket holds immense potential across all formats and I am confident that, with the support of God Almighty, we will build on our recent success against England to achieve even greater heights in what promises to be a challenging and busy season of white-ball cricket.”PCB Chair Mohsin Naqvi siad: “I want to extend my congratulations to Mohammad Rizwan on his appointment as Pakistan’s white-ball captain. I am confident that Rizwan’s leadership qualities, underpinned by his deep commitment and passion for the game, will help shape this talented team into a consistently successful unit. Rizwan has earned the respect of his peers and colleagues through his dedication and positive attitude, and I have no doubt that these qualities, combined with his game knowledge and performance, will inspire the next generation of Pakistan cricketers. The PCB has always been fully committed to supporting our players and staff, and we will continue to stand by Rizwan as he takes on this important role. We are optimistic that under his leadership, Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team will once again become a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.”Pakistan squads for Australia and Zimbabwe tours: ODI SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah AfridiT20I SQUAD FOR AUSTRALIA: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman KhanODI SQUAD FOR ZIMBABWE: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab TahirT20I SQUAD FOR ZIMBABWE: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan.

Abdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: Pakistan leveled the score 267 at the tea break against English after losing 8 batters in the 3rd Test match of the series here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday. Saud Shakeel score hundred to save the home side from a big damage.On Friday, duo of unbeaten left-handed batters, captain Shan Masood (16), and Saud Shakeel (16) resumed Pakistan’s first innings at 73 for 3 in 23 overs.England Batting (First innings) 267 all out in 68.2 oversZak Crawley (c Saim Ayub b Noman Ali) 29 runs (balls 43, 4x3, 6x0)Ben Duckett (lbw b Noman Ali) 52 runs (balls 84, 4x4, 6x1)Ollie Pope (lbw b Sajid Khan) 3 runs (balls 14, 4x0, 6x0)Joe Root (lbw b Sajid Khan) 5 runs (balls 6, 4x0, 6x0)Harry Brook (b Sajid Khan 5 runs (balls 14, 4x0, 6x0)Ben Stokes (c Agha Salman b Sajid Khan) 12 runs (balls 22, 4x1, 6x0)Jamie Smith (c Mohammad Rizwan b Zahid Mahmood) 89 runs (balls 119, 4x5, 6x6)Gus Atkinson (c & b Noman Ali) 39 runs (balls 71, 4x5, 6x0)Rehan Ahmed (b Sajid Khan) 9 runs (balls 14, 4x1, 6x0)Jack Leach (st Mohammad Rizwan b Sajid Khan) 16 runs (balls 21, 4x0, 6x0)Shoaib Bashir (not out) 1 run (balls 5, 4x0, 6x0)Pakistan Bowling: Sajid Khan (6 for 128), Noman Ali (3 for 88), Zahid Mehmood (1 for 44)Pakistan Batting (First Innings):Abdullah Shafique ( lbw b Shoaib Bashir) 14 runs (balls 27, 4x1, 6x0)Saim Ayub (c Root b Leach 19) 36 runs (balls 45, 4x1, 6x0)Shan Masood (c Pope b Shoaib Bashir) 26 runs (4x0, 6x0)Kamran Ghulam (b Atkinson) 3 runs (balls 9, 4x0, 6x0)Saud Shakeel (not out) 106 runs (balls 190, 4x4, 6x0)Mohammad Rizwan( lbw b Rehan Ahmed) 25 runs (balls 46, 4x1, 6x1)Salman Agha (lbw b Rehan Ahmed) 1 run (balls 9, 4x0, 6x0)Aamer Jamal (b Rehan Ahmed) 14 runs (balls 28, 4x1, 6x0)Noman Ali (LBW Shoaib Bashir) 45 runs (balls 84, 4x2, 6x1)Sajid Khan (not out)England Bowling: Jack Leach (1 for 68), Gus Atkinson (1 for 14), Shoaib Bashir (3 for 95), Rehan Ahmed (3 for 25)Match Officials:Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Sharfuddoula (Bangladesh)TV Umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka)Reserve Umpire: Faisal Afridi (Pakistan)Match Referee: Richie Richardson (West Indies)Pakistan (Playing XI): Shan Masood (Captain), Saud Shakeel (Vice Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafiq, Saim Ayub, Agha Salman, Kamran Ghulam, Sajid Khan, Nouman Ali, Aamir Jamal, Zahid Mehmood England (Playing XI): Ben Stoke (Captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckeet, Olli Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (Wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.   

BIPIN DANIBangladesh's Sri Lanka-born head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe, who has been suspended on a disciplinary ground, will not enjoy the longer notice period. He has been suspended with just a 48-hour notice. This was revealed by Faruque Ahmed, the new BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) chief. Speaking exclusively over his mobile from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, where he was about to board a Dubai-flight to attend the ICC meetings, he said, "Hathurusinghe was entitled to have 45-days paid leave in a year but he took more than 67 days above this and no proper clarification was received from him". His conduct with the players was also not good. His other notable offence was an assault on the player". The BCB chairman didn't reveal the name of the victim player but he is understood to be a good left-arm spinner of the team. Despite repeated phone calls to the player by this reporter, he didn't respond. Maybe he is asked not to comment on the matter.The incident happened during the Bangladesh-New Zealand match in the ODI World Cup held in India last year. During a match in Chennai, where this player was not a part of the final eleven and was sent in as a drinks-man. "In one of the sessions, the two Bangladeshi batters had asked for the drinks (it was very hot then) and the player was late in serving the water bottles to the batters and the coach was annoyed due to this and slapped him", one of the sources said to this reporter. It is not known whether the slap was deliberate or was in gest. But the incident was brought to the notice of Nazmul Hassain Pappon, who was a BCB president then. No action was then taken against the coach. However, the new BCB chairman, who is also known for his strict principles even during his past tenure as a selector, took the matter seriously and suspended his contract which was scheduled to run until the 2025 Champions Trophy.

PCB ReportMULTAN: Kamran Ghulam, who earlier became the 257th player to don the Test cap for Pakistan, hit a brilliant century in his first outing in the Test career as Pakistan finished the first day of the second Test match with 259-5 in 90 overs at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.Kamran was dismissed for a well-made 118 off 224 balls hitting 11 fours and one six, in the 85th over of the day after having walked into bat in the 10th over with 19-2 on the board.Along with Saim Ayub (77, 160b, 7x4s), Kamran shared a 149-run third-wicket partnership as the duo took Pakistan out of trouble before Saim departed in the 56th over with the scorecard reading 168-3.Earlier, after Pakistan opted to bat first, Jack Leach drew the first blood as he castled Abdullah Shafique for a 28-ball seven in the eighth over. An over later, Leach got rid of Shan Masood for just three as Crawley pouched the ball at short midwicket.Pakistan amassed 79 runs for the loss of just two wickets on the stroke of lunch with Saim and Kamran having brought up their fifty-run stand off 85 balls. Saim reached his third Test half-century off 97 balls before succumbing to Matthew Potts just an over before Tea break, caught by Ben Stokes at short mid-off.After Pakistan scored 94 runs in the second session giving away only one wicket, England began the third session with the vital scalp of Saud Shakeel (4, 14b, 1x4) as he was caught behind off Brydon Carse in the 61st over.With the scorecard reading 178-4, Mohammad Rizwan (37 not out, 89b, 4x4s) joined forces with Kamran to stabilise Pakistan’s innings as the duo put on a dogged 65-run fifth-wicket partnership. In the meanwhile, Kamran became the 13th Pakistan player to score a century on Test debut and only the sixth batter to score a hundred on men’s Test debut while batting at No.4, when he hit Joe Root to midwicket for a boundary in the 74th over.Shoaib Bashir brought an end to Kamran’s 74.4-over stay on the crease when he got one to hit the stumps in the 85th over with Pakistan 243-5. Salman Ali Agha (5 not out, 19b) and Rizwan closed the day for Pakistan with 259-5 on the board.Scores in brief:Second Test - Day 1 of 5; Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first at the Multan Cricket StadiumPakistan 259-5, 90 overs (Kamran Ghulam 118, Saim Ayub 77, Mohammad Rizwan 37 not out; Jack Leach 2-92).

MULTAN (PCB Report): Salman Ali Agha’s third Test century continues to put Pakistan in a commanding position as England trail by 460 runs with nine wickets in hand at the close of second day’s play of the first Test match at the Multan Cricket Stadium.The touring side started off their innings trailing by 556 runs, and lost their captain Ollie Pope for naught after Aamir Jamal took a superb catch off the bowling of Naseem Shah. After Pope’s departure, Zak Crawley (64 not out, 64b, 11x4s) and Joe Root (32 not out, 54b, 2x4s) got together and the pair added an unbroken 92-run partnership for the second wicket.England will start off the third day’s proceedings with 96 for one in 20 overs.Earlier, resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 328 for four in 86 overs, Pakistan were all out for 556 in 149 overs in the final session. Right-handed batter Salman Ali Agha, playing his 15th Test and coming to bat at number eight, scored an unbeaten 104 off 119 balls, which included 10 fours and three sixes.Earlier, in the day, Saud Shakeel (35) and night-watchman Naseem Shah (0) started their innings and went on to add 64 runs for the fifth wicket. After Naseem’s (33, 81b, 1x4, 3x6s) departure in the 106th over, Mohammad Rizwan (0, 12b) soon followed him as Pakistan were 393 for six in 108.5 overs.At that juncture of the game, Saud was joined by Salman and the pair stitched a 57-run partnership for the seventh wicket. Saud, after scoring 82 off 177 balls, including eight boundaries was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir. Salman, who once again batted smartly with the lower-order, knitted 85 runs for the ninth wicket with Shaheen Shah Afridi (26, 49b, 2x4s, 1x6).For England, left-arm spinner Jack Leach went for 160 runs and took three wickets, while debutant Brydon Carse and right-arm pacer Gus Atkinson grabbed two wickets apiece.Scores in brief (Day 2):England trail by 460 runs at the Multan Cricket StadiumPakistan 556 all out, 149 overs (Shan Masood 151, Salman Ali Agha 104 not out, Abdullah Shafique 102, Saud Shakeel 82, Naseem Shah 33, Babar Azam 30, Shaheen Shah Afridi 26; Jack Leach 3-160, Brydon Carse 2-74, Gus Atkinson 2-99)England 96-1, 20 overs (Zak Crawley 64 not out, Joe Root 32 not out; Naseem Shah 1-29) 

Lahore (PCB Report): Mohammad Haris, who has featured in nine T20Is and six ODIs for Pakistan, will lead Pakistan Shaheens in the ACC Men’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup commencing in Oman from 18 October. Before the Shaheens’ departure to Oman on 16 October, the squad will undergo a camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi from 11 to 15 October.Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Yasir Khan and Zaman Khan will represent Pakistan Shaheens for the first time. Samad featured for UMT Markhors in the recently concluded Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup 2024-25 and scored at a strike-rate of 122.88. Ahmed Daniyal playing for Nurpur Lions bagged 10 wickets, while Yasir and Zaman featured for Allied Bank Stallions in four and two matches, respectively.Eight teams will participate in the event with four teams divided into two groups. All matches will take place at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat. Group A consists of Afghanistan ‘A’, Bangladesh ‘A’, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka ‘A’, while defending champions Pakistan Shaheens are slotted in Group B alongside India ‘A’, Oman and UAE.Haris-led Shaheens will take on last year’s finalists India ‘A’ in their opening match on 19 October. Shaheens’ second outing in the tournament will be against hosts Oman on 21 October, followed by their final group match will be against the UAE on 23 October.The top two sides from each group will qualify for the semi-finals scheduled to take place on 25 October. The final will take place on Sunday, 27 October.Usman Wahla, PCB Director International says: “Pakistan Shaheens are excited to showcase PCB’s emerging talent at the ACC Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup.“We commend the Asian Cricket Council for their continuous efforts to foster player development across member nations. Initiatives like the Emerging Teams T20 Asia Cup are vital for creating opportunities for young talents to grow and excel.”Pakistan Shaheens squad:Mohammad Haris (captain), Abdul Samad, Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohmmad Imran Jnr, Omair Bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sufiyan Moqim, Yasir Khan and Zaman KhanTeam management:Umar Rasheed (head coach-cum-manager), Imran Farhat (batting coach), Riffatullah Mohmand (fielding coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst) and Syed Mohammad Asad (physiotherapist).

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The Dubai International Stadium hosted its 100th T20I on Sunday afternoon when India took on Pakistan in an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Group A clash. The historic occasion was marked by a special plaque unveiling and cake cutting ceremony at the stadium which was attended by Emirates Cricket Board Chairman Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Vice-Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary Jay Shah and a number of other dignitaries. The stadium has now staged a total of 101 T20Is including 92 men’s and nine women’s. The West Indies-Scotland Group B clash that followed the India-Pakistan match on Sunday was the 101st T20I at the venue.

Sports Bulletin ReportLondon (UK): The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) appointed Chris Guest as England Women Under-19 Performance Lead here on Tuesday.Guest arrives from The Blaze where he spent three years as head coach of Loughborough Lightning and then The Blaze following the region’s move to Nottinghamshire in 2022, leading the latter to Charlotte Edwards Cup success this summer.Alongside his regional commitments, he led the England Women U19 World Cup programme as the first head coach in 2023 and then the U19 tri-series between Sri Lanka, England and Australia earlier this year. The 40-year-old has also been assistant coach at Northern Superchargers during the previous three editions of The Hundred.The first of its kind performance role has a significant coaching element as head coach of the U19 side for the forthcoming ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2025 in Malaysia as well as future tours whilst also leading on talent identification from the academy and senior programmes which will feed into England’s U19 activity.Guest said: “The pride and excitement of wearing the Three Lions over last few years has been immense and to be able to do so in this new role is an incredible feeling. With the growth of the women’s game, it’s a privilege to take on this role as it will focus on ensuring our young cricketers get the cricket they need at the right time which I am extremely passionate about. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at The Blaze. It’s a great place to work and has been massive part of my development and I wish them every success in the future. Having left the ECB four years ago, I have gone away and grown. I’m really excited to take on this role and work with the country’s top talent whilst putting my own stamp on things. My philosophy is centred around creating environments where players are willing to fail in order to improve. We all began playing for the love of the game and I cannot wait to see the next generation of cricketers enjoying what they do and playing with smiles on their faces. I can’t wait to work with the other coaches and wider staff and to get started.” 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced a historic moment for Pakistan cricket as Saleema Imtiaz becomes the first Pakistani woman to be nominated to the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires. This prestigious nomination qualifies her to officiate in women’s bilateral international matches and ICC Women’s Events, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s cricketing history.Saleema, who is the mother of Pakistan women’s international player Kainat Imtiaz, began her umpiring career with the PCB Women’s Umpires Panel in 2008. Her extensive experience includes officiating in high-profile events under the Asian Cricket Council, such as the 2022 and 2024 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women’s Cup in Hong Kong. Most recently, she was a member of the playing control team for the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2024 in Kuala Lumpur.Saleema Imtiaz said: “I am beyond thrilled to join the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires. I owe immense gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board for the invaluable opportunities that paved the way for this achievement. The journey has been filled with hard work and personal sacrifices, but now, standing at the cusp of this new chapter, it all feels worth it. This isn’t just a win for me – it’s a win for every aspiring female cricketer and umpire in Pakistan. I hope my success motivates countless women who dream of making their mark in the sport. This moment reflects the growing influence of women in cricket and the PCB’s commitment to fostering that development. I sincerely hope to see more women follow in my footsteps and embrace this beautiful game. Ever since Kainat made her debut for Pakistan in 2010, my own dream has been to represent my country at an international level. While I’ve had opportunities with the Asian Cricket Council, officiating at the highest level has always been the ultimate goal. I’m now focused on performing to the best of my abilities in both bilateral and ICC matches, and building my reputation as a reliable and respected match official.”