Sports Bulletin

By BIPIN DANI Former Sri Lanka captain Santath Jayasuriya is happy to welcome Pakistani all rounder Shoaib Malik in his company. Malik, who will be 38 on Saturday is the 8th player to play international cricket over 4 decades. Malik made his international (ODI) debut in 1999 playing against West Indies at Sharjah. His Test debut was in 2001 (against Bangladesh in Multan) and now is also a part of the ongoing home series against Bangladesh. Malik, who has captained Pakistan in the past, joins the likes of Wilfred Rhodes, Dennis Brian Close, Frank Woolley, Sachin Tendulkar, Jack Hobbs, George Gunn and Sanath Jayasuriya in the elite list. Speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo, Sanath Jayasuriya said, "Shoaib is a versatile player and for some reason he always used to do well against us. He made plenty of runs against us and was always a threat with the ball". "The secret for his longevity is his fitness. It is remarkable effort to stretch his career thus far". "It is an extremely difficult feat nowadays given the volume of cricket. I don’t see very many players having careers that are that long, unless they are extremely fit", Sanath Jayasuriya signed off.

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 27, 2020):-Tayyar Hain, the official anthem of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020, will be released across the country via the leading television news channels on Tuesday, 28 January, before the 9pm news bulletins. The anthem will available for viewing at the PSL YouTube Channel and will subsequently be played at the venues in the build up to and during this season’s flagship event. Tayyar Hain, through its lyrics and music, captures the mood and celebrates the fact that the entire HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 is taking place in Pakistan for the very first time. The launch of the anthem will also mark the official launch of the marketing campaign and build up to HBL PSL V. An integrated marketing campaign will be running from 28 January onward across all platforms.   Tayyar Hain’s video reflects the air of festivity gripping the entire nation with fans and supporters from all walks of life celebrating the home-coming of one of the most popular leagues on the planet. Tayyar Hain is a collaboration of Pakistan’s rock icon Ali Azmat, folk music legend Arif Lohar, former Awaz singer Haroon Rashid and famous pop artist Asim Azhar. It has been produced by renowned musician Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (Xulfi), while Kamal Khan of Laal Kabootar fame has directed the anthem video. A total of 22 instruments have been used in creating Tayyar Hain, including indigenous instruments such as tumba, chimta, rubab and harmonium, and the video also casts Pakistan star cricketers Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Rumman Raees, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shan Masood. Arif Lohar said: “The HBL PSL V anthem brings together some of Pakistan’s best artists and getting to be a part of this song is something I will cherish for a very long time.” Ali Azmat said: “I feel honored that I got to sing the HBL PSL V anthem along with such talented artists. It will be something special to see packed stadiums in Pakistan with people from all walks of life singing and dancing to this song.” Haroon Rashid said: “The HBL PSL V anthem and video truly encapsulate the feeling of excitement that grips the entire nation as we approach HBL PSL.” Asim Azhar said: “Like most Pakistanis, I am an avid cricket fan myself and getting to sing the HBL PSL V anthem was a very special experience for me. It has allowed me to celebrate and express what most Pakistanis feel about the fact that their very own League is taking place in Pakistan.” Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan said: “This song is about our preparedness as a nation for HBL PSL and it is also an ode to the perseverance of every cricket fan in the country. I am a huge fan of cricket myself and I view the entire event taking place in Pakistan as a huge victory for the nation. The anthem, through its unifying melody, celebrates this very victory that’s taken years to evolve to reach this point. So today, we can proudly say Tayyar Hain!”

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 27, 2020):-Umar Gul was honoured in Lahore on Monday for his Pakistan record figures of five for six in T20Is when PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani presented him with a crystal plaque. The ceremony took place in the PCB Chairman’s office after the third Twenty20 International between Pakistan and Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being bowled. According to media department of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Umar Gul recorded figures of 3-0-6-5 against New Zealand at The Oval in Pakistan’s successful ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2009 journey in England. Umar was the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 13 wickets as Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the final at Lord’s by eight wickets. Umar’s 5-6 remained a world record until Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis took 4-1-16-6 against Australia in Pallekele in August 2011. India’s Deepak Chahar presently holds the record for besting bowling performance following his figures of 3.2-0-7-6 against Bangladesh in Nagpur in November 2019. Umar Gul followed up his five for six with 2.2-0-6-5 four years later against South Africa at Centurion. After receiving the crystal plaque from PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, Umar Gul said: “My each and every appearance and performance has been for Pakistan and it has been a privilege to represent my country and team, and play a small part in its successes. “I am grateful to the PCB for remembering and acknowledging my achievement. This is a welcome change in the way the PCB is operating and respecting cricketers who have contributed in the country’s image and profile building. I sincerely hope this trend continues and all the cricketers get their due recognition in front of their fans. “Such gestures will not only act as an encouragement for the players, but also play a big role in motivating youngsters to take up cricket as a profession. The PCB had honoured Javed Miandad during the Rawalpindi Test against Sri Lanka, while Saleem Yousuf and Rashid Khan were honoured during the Karachi Test.  

SB News Potchefstroom ( January 26, 2020):-Pakistan Under-19’s leading wicket-taker at the end of the group stage is the FATA-born all-rounder Abbas Afridi who has collected eight wickets in three Group C games of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup being played in South Africa. Abbas, who bowls right-arm-fast-medium, has provided great support to the strike bowlers Tahir Hussain, Mohammad Waseem and Amir Khan in Pakistan’s three games against Scotland, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. His performance has given great depth to the bowling attack and Abbas lends balance to the squad with his big-hitting abilities with the bat at number eight. Abbas took two for 32 in Pakistan’s opening match against Scotland where the boys in greens sent the Scots packing for 75 runs. He then made match winning contributions against Zimbabwe when the game was at a knife’s edge. His twin strikes in the 39th over of Zimbabwe’s innings brought Pakistan right back in the match, at the start of the over the African country needed 88 runs to win off 72 balls with seven wickets in hand. Abbas conceded a mere two runs in the over while taking two crucial wickets with his slower one and seam-up delivery respectively. On Friday, Abbas provided the perfect foil to debutant Amir Khan in the game against Bangladesh by taking three wickets for 20 runs in seven probing overs. Abbas followed Amir’s four-wicket burst in the opening overs of the rain-ruined match which came to a premature end due to persistent rain and a subsequent wet outfield with Pakistan in complete domination having reduced Bangladesh to 106 for nine in 25 overs. Abbas Afridi said: “I am happy with my contribution in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup so far especially since I have taken the most wickets for Pakistan. I want to continue my form and make all-round contributions since I feel I can deliver with both bat and ball. “I really enjoy bowling with the semi new ball. I rely on bowling seam-up while my slower one is also a wicket taking ball for me. I got crucial wickets when they needed few runs to win. I tried to contain the batsmen by bowling slower ones and also succeeded in getting wickets in the process. “We got [Afghanistan] out for 160 in the Asia Cup U19 tournament last year and we hope to get them for a low total again in the quarter-final match. “I want to progress to Pakistan’s senior men’s team and become a Test cricketer. Leading up to this tournament our coach Ijaz Ahmed and bowling coach Rao Iftikhar worked very hard with us which has given us the results. “I am very confident that we will make it to the semi-finals by beating Afghanistan in the quarters.” Pakistan are travelling to Johannesburg on Sunday and will start training for the quarter-final clash against Afghanistan from Monday. The two-time champions take on the Afghans in the last-eight clash at the Willowmore Park, Benoni on Friday, 31 January. Pakistan ICC U19 Cricket World Cup squad: Rohail Nazir (captain and wicketkeeper), Abbas Afridi (Peshawar), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Amir Ali (Larkana), Amir Khan (Peshawar), Arish Ali Khan (Karachi), Fahad Munir (Lahore),  Haider Ali (vice-captain), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mohammad Irfan Khan (Lahore),  Mohammad Shehzad (Multan), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (North Waziristan), Tahir Hussain (Multan) Team management;– Ijaz Ahmed (head coach-cum-manager), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (assistant coach), Saboor Ahmad (trainer), Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rasul (physiotherapist), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media manager) and Col (retd) Usman Riffat Anwari (security manager).  

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 23, 2020):-International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Manu Sawhney Thursday completed his two-day visit to Pakistan following positive and constructive meetings in Islamabad and Lahore. Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ehsan Mani and Chief Executive Wasim Khan accompanied Sawhney and ICC General Manager – Commercial, Campbell Jamieson, to a  meeting with Fahmida Mirza, Federal Minister for Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC), in Islamabad on Wednesday. In Lahore on Thursday, they visited the Lahore Safe City Project before receiving a presentation from the PCB team at the National Cricket Academy. Sawhney’s visit was part of the ICC’s initiative to meet all Members and brief them on the process to be adopted for the allocation of ICC Events in the 2023-2031 cycle comprising eight men’s events, eight women’s events, four men’s U19 events and four Women’s U19 events. In the meeting with the PCB officials at the National Cricket Acaemy, Mr Sawhney and Jamieson also made a detailed and comprehensive presentation on the ICC’s expectations, criteria and selection process for the event hosts, including timelines for bid submissions. He also updated the PCB on the work being done by the ICC for cricket promotion, development, global strategy, financial growth, and also briefed on the challenges world cricket faces. PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said: “We had positive, constructive and wide-ranging meetings with the ICC in relation to the 2023-2031 event cycle. As part of our vision, we want to push on and host a number of ICC global events during the next rights cycle. “So, from that perspective, it was excellent to get an insight into the ICC’s expectations and requirements so that we can accordingly plan and prepare our bid document. “We now have a clearer idea of what will be required from us and so we will now go away from this meeting and think through our strategy for approaching the bid process. We are determined and keen to host ICC Events in the next events cycle and understand this will not be a straightforward project. We will require a lot of support from the government as well all stakeholders. “It was also good to understand the work being done by the ICC in Dubai for the betterment of world cricket. As a responsible and key Member of the ICC, the PCB remains committed to playing its role in taking cricket to the next level.”    

SB News Potchefstroom (January 22, 2020):-Pakistan Under-19 beat Zimbabwe U19 by 38 runs at the Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom on Wednesday and ensured their qualification to Super League quarter-finals. In their chase of 295, Zimb`abwe were skittled out for 255 in 46.3 overs courtesy a consolidated bowling effort from the Pakistan bowlers. Zimbabwe were off to a good start with openers Wesley Madhevere and Emmanuel Bawa adding 64 runs for the first wicket. The partnership was broken by left-arm-spinner Aamir Ali who accounted for the wicket of Bawa (19). Madhevere was the second wicket to fall as he was dismissed caught and bowled by Qasim Akram after scoring 53 off 55 balls (six fours, one six). Qasim also took the key wicket of captain Dion Myers (39 off 50 balls, two fours and one six) who was spectacularly caught by Mohammad Irfan Khan, who took a one-handed diving catch. The match was turned on its head by Abbas Afridi in the 39th over of Zimbabwe innings. The right-arm medium-fast first bowled Milton Shumba, who scored 58 off 82, on a slower one and then sent back Tadiwanashe Marumani (16) two balls later to leave Zimbabwe at 208 for five. Tahir and Abbas took three wickets, while Aamir Ali and Qasim bagged two scalps each. Earlier, Mohammad Haris scored a blistering 81 after Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to bat. Haris came into bat with Pakistan placed at 140 for four after 33 overs. The boys in green added 154 runs in the last 17 overs mainly due to Haris’ brilliance. The right-hander hit seven fours and three towering sixes in his 51-ball knock. Haris added 43 for the fifth-wicket with Qasim Akram (54 off 50 balls, five fours and two sixes), 41 for the sixth-wicket with Muhammad Irfan (15) and 42 for the seventh wicket with Abbas Afridi (10) before falling with 12 balls left in the innings. Haris took the attack to the bowlers and made the most of the repair job done by Qasim and Fahad Munir (53 off 79 balls, five fours) who added 66 runs for the fourth-wicket to rescue the side from a tentative start which saw them reduced to 74 for three in 21.3 overs. Openers Haider Ali (19), Muhammad Shehzad (27) and captain Rohail Nazir (0) were the first three wickets to fall. Pakistan now play Bangladesh U19 in the last group match on Friday. Scores in brief: Pakistan 294 for 9, 50 overs (Mohammad Haris 81, Qasim Akram 54, Fahad Munir 53; Dylan Grant 3-46) Zimbabwe 255 all-out, 46.3 overs (Milton Shumba 58, Wesley Madhevere 53, Dion Myers 39; Tahir Hussain 3-42, Abbas Afridi 3-55, Aamir Ali 2-51, Qasim Akram 2-41)  

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 22, 2020):-World No.1 Babar Azam on Friday will be leading Green Shirts in the three-T20I series against Bangladesh at the Gaddafi Stadium, a venue where 13 years ago he served as a ball-picker in the second Test between Pakistan and South Africa. The 25-year-old, since making his international debut in September 2016, has moved to the top of the ICC batting charts following his consistent performance in the shortest format of the game against all opposition in different conditions. To compliment his T20I ranking, he is ranked seventh in Tests and third in ODIs – a hallmark of a batsman who is on course to achieve greater heights. He is only the second batsman in circuit with an average of over 50 in Twenty20 Internationals. He has scored 1,405 runs in 36 matches at an average of 50.17 and only India’s Virat Kohli is above him, averaging 52.72 after scoring 2,689 runs in 78 matches. Appointed Pakistan captain in September 2019, this will be the first time the Lahore-born star will captain his country in front of his home crowds. He previously led Pakistan in Australia where his side was swept aside 2-0 in a three-match series, but he still managed to standout by striking two half-centuries. “It seems like yesterday when I walked every day for almost three miles to get to the Gaddafi Stadium and work as a ball-boy for the 2007 second Test between Pakistan and South Africa,” Babar recalled, adding: “It was the love for the game and the attraction of some of the stalwarts like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul-Haq, Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn that pulled me to the home of Pakistan cricket without caring for anything else. “For me, it was the incentive of being closer to Test cricket and legends of the game. Pats on the back and smiles from the Test players during that match were my ultimate rewards. For any youngster, it is certainly once in a lifetime experience.  “I think it was that passion, combined with a bid of cricket madness and stroke of luck that has helped me to become who I am today. I have been very fortunate that in this journey, people have held my hand, coached and mentored me, and always stood beside me in my good and bad days. “I owe all my success to all those unsung heroes and now it is my responsibility to continue to strive for excellence so that I can match the expectations, both as a player and captain.” Babar has played 10 T20Is at home and it is no surprise that he has always left a big mark. He has scores of 86, 45, 48 (against ICC World XI in Lahore), 34 not out (against Sri Lanka 2017), 17, 97 not out, 51 (against the West Indies in Karachi) and 13, 3 and 27 (against Sri Lanka in Lahore). “There is no better feeling when you walk out to bat with your fans behind you. You feel that additional comfort that you are in a familiar territory then you grow in confidence every time you hear the applause for a good shot. “This is what Pakistan cricket had been missing for the past decade or so. I am from that generation of Pakistan cricketers who grew and established ourselves away from our home conditions and fans. If you compare us with the cricketers from other countries who have made their debuts in the past 10 years, you will realise the additional hardships and challenges we had to go through. “But this is now all behind us and we look for a better future for our cricket and cricketers.” Talking about captaining the side against Bangladesh, Babar said: “Captaining your country is the biggest responsibility and honour one can get. I have always aspired to play hard but fair cricket, and that’s what I will like to do as long as I am representing Pakistan. “Since the tour has been announced, I have been excited about the prospect of leading an extremely talented bunch of players onto the field. Frankly, this is what I used to dream as a young boy, and that dream is now about to turn reality. “No matter how young or experienced you are, learning process continues. This series will also be part of that process, having said that there will be no room for ordinary performances. We are expected to deliver the goods every time we represent Pakistan and there will be no change to that philosophy. “We have some young but talented cricketers and if you mix them with the experience of Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, then it becomes a good blend. The two have played nearly 200 T02I between them and now it is up to them to learn from their experiences and not only learn tricks of the trade but also put an end to our run of unfavourable results in the past few matches. “I firmly believe we are a much better and stronger unit despite losing eight of the last nine matches. We need to get back to our winning habit from this series and so that we can bury the demons of the past few matches.” All the three T20Is will start at 2pm with the toss taking place at 1.30pm. Tickets for the matches are available online as well as dedicated TCS Express Counters. Squad: Pakistan - Babar Azam (captain) (Central Punjab), Ahsan Ali (Sindh), Amad Butt (Balochistan), Haris Rauf (Northern), Iftikhar Ahmed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Khushdil Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Hafeez (Southern Punjab), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper) (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Musa Khan (Northern), Shadab Khan (Northern), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern), Shoaib Malik (Southern Punjab) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab) Bangladesh - Mahmudullah (captain), Tamim Iqbal Khan, Soumya Sarkar, Naim Sheikh, Najmul Hossain, Litton Das, MD Mithun, Afif Hossain, Mahadi Hasan, Aminul Islam Biplob, Mustafizur Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Hasan Mahmud. On-field Umpires – Ahsan Raza and Shozab Raza Third Umpire – Ahmed Shahab Fourth Umpire - Tariq Rasheed Match Referee – Ranjan Madugalle  

SB News LAHORE (January 22, 2020):-Pakistan recalled the experience pair of Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez for the three Bangladesh T20Is, which begin on Friday, to strengthen the side and provide depth in the batting department. The two share 200 T20Is between them and are eager to impart their knowledge of international cricket to the youngsters, besides helping Babar Azam, the Pakistan captain, in executing his on-field plans effectively.   On the sidelines of a warm-up match at the iconic Gaddafi Stadium, which hosts the three-T20Is on 24, 25 and 27 January, Hafeez and Malik, who last played for Pakistan in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019, had a conversation on how they looked to make the most of their returns in the Pakistan camp. Mohammad Hafeez said: “The best you can do for the next generation of cricketers is to share your experience and that cannot be done with words but with actions. We have learned from our seniors on how to be successful in your cricketing career. “It is an added role for us that we have to groom these young cricketers in the side and prepare them for the next 10-12 years. “There is a pressure of captaincy which you and I have faced in our careers and we can take this off from Babar by putting up performances which can lead Pakistan to victories. We can back his plans and help him in their better execution on the field. “It is an honour for me to wear the Pakistan cap. I am eager to wear the Pakistan kit and win matches for my country at this beautiful venue. I still remember the day when I made my international debut and I still have the same intensity in me. For me, this is not a comeback. I am looking forward to the challenge.” Shoaib Malik said: “As a professional cricketer, you want to give your best shot whether you are playing club, league or international cricket. This doesn’t feel like a comeback because in my previous comebacks there have been more lengthy gaps as compared to this one. It is a wonderful feeling to be donning your country’s colours which cannot be described in words. There is certainly no comparison for it. “Our inclusion will help the youngsters and our captain as we bring in the experience which we can share with them. “Age is just a number and it should not be a metric to judge a player rather a player should be judged on the criteria set by the board and the management in regard to his on-field performances. Senior players bring in the experience, which they share with the youngsters and make the system stronger.” The first ball of the first T20I is scheduled to be bowled at 2pm. Upcoming fixtures: 1st T20I – Friday, 2pm 2nd T20I – Saturday, 2pm 3rd T20I – Monday, 2pm  

SB Report ISLAMABAD (January 22, 2020):-The upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia will see Bismah Maroof lead Pakistan for the first time in a global event and the 28-year-old is excited to shoulder the responsibility. Bismah has led Pakistan in 36 T20Is. She is the only batter from Pakistan to have more than 2,000 runs, while she also has the most number of half-centuries (11) in the shorter version of the game. The presence of experienced batters in Javeria Khan and Nida Dar – the second and third highest all-time run-getters for Pakistan behind their skipper – further strengthens the batting department. The presence of talented batters like Omaima Sohail and Iram Javed along with the recall of Muneeba Ali and inclusion of uncapped Ayesha Naseem adds to the strength of the squad. Muneeba, who last played for Pakistan in November 2018, was called up at the back of a prolific National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, in which she scored 292 runs at a fine average of 58.40 and struck a century and three half-centuries in five innings. Anam Amin, the new-ball specialist, is expected to spearhead the bowling attack as she has been the most successful bowler since 1 January 2019 with 13 wickets at an average of 16.07 and an economy of 6.53 in eight matches. Youngsters like leg-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah and left-arm orthodox Sadia Iqbal bring in the excitement, while Nida Dar, Aliya Riaz and Diana Baig provide the desired experience in the bowling department. Speaking to PCB digital about leading Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the team’s combinations, Bismah Maroof said: “It is the first time I will be captaining Pakistan in a World Cup which is nothing less than an honour for me. Of course, it is a big responsibility to lead your country in such an event but, so far, I have been enjoying my role as a captain. “At the same time, I am quite excited to lead this squad which has a good mix of senior and junior players. In Javeria Khan and Nida Dar we have the experienced players who share a good number of World Cup appearances between them. “Javeria has been performing really well and Nida’s experience of WBBL will prove to be beneficial for us. In Omaima Sohail, we have a young middle-order batter who is growing with every match. In Iram [Javed] and Aliya [Riaz] we have big-hitting batters. “Muneeba Ali has been an outstanding performer. She recently scored a century in the domestic T20 event and her numbers were outstanding. “Overall, we have a group of batters who have done well and they can take responsibility of taking the team forward. “Diana Baig has been bowling really well with the new ball and Aimen Anwar is making a comeback after a year. Aimen had bowled well in the West Indies series last year which gave me an impression at that time that we have a reliable T20 bowler coming up. I am excited with the prospect of using her, especially after how she has shown good rhythm in the recent T20 tournament. “Youngsters like Syeda Aroob Shah, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal have been performing really well since their debuts for Pakistan in the last year. We have named uncapped Ayesha Naseem and there is a lot of excitement in the team on her inclusion as she has the ability to hit big. “Our team has grown in the last two years and we look forward to continue to grow over the course of the World Cup. The team is well-balanced and looks in good shape. I am hopeful that we will put up positive results.” Pakistan will kick off their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 campaign on 26 February against the West Indies Women. They take on England Women on 28 February after which they play South Africa Women and Thailand Women on 1 and 3 March. Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020: Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper) and Syeda Aroob Shah Officials: Syed Iqbal Imam (head coach), Saleem Jaffer (bowling coach), Amir Iqbal (fielding coach), Gemaal Hussain (strength & conditioning coach), Dr Riffat Asghar Gill (physio), Aisha Jalil (team manager) and Zubair Ahmed (analyst)  

SB News POTCHEFSTROOM (January 21, 2020)Pakistan U19 will be targeting to build on their strong and impressive performance in their ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020 opener against Scotland when they take on Zimbabwe at the Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom on Wednesday. Pakistan had given Scotland a cricket lesson on Sunday when they raced to the 76-run target inside 12 overs for the loss of three wickets. A victory against Zimbabwe will strengthen their chances of qualifying for the Super League, which will be played between the two sides from each of the four Groups. In contrast, Zimbabwe lost to Bangladesh, the fourth side in Pool C, by nine wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method in a rain shortened match. Pakistan’s last Pool match against Bangladesh will be played on Friday, the day when their men’s senior will go head to head in the first of the three T20Is at the Gaddafi Stadium. Pakistan have featured in all the 13 ICC U19 Cricket World Cups to date and have always qualified for the Super League phase. In 11 events to date, they have finished fifth or better, while appearing in five finals, while the only time they ended up outside the top-five was in 1998 and 2012 when they achieved seventh and eighth positions, respectively. On Sunday, Mohammad Waseem from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the star of Pakistan’s seven-wicket victory. The right-arm pace bowler justified his selection after Naseem Shah was withdrawn due to national duties by returning figures of 7.5-2-12-5. Waseem was very well supported by left-armer Tahir Hussain, who rocked the top order and finished with figures of 9-2-23-3, including two wickets in the opening over of the match. Tahir’s new-ball partner Abbas Afridi bagged two for 32 as Pakistan fast bowlers shared all the 10 wickets between them. In run-chase, highly-rated Rohail Nazir and Irfan Khan got some batting practice when they scored 27 and 38 not out, though openers Hadier Ali and Mohammad Shahzad’s failures will be a bit of bother for the Pakistan team management. Middle-order batsman Mohammad Haris didn’t get a chance to show his mettle on Sunday but looks forward to contributing in the team’s success in future matches. Haris said: “ICC U19 Cricket World Cup provides a big platform for young players to graduate to the senior level and represent their country. The entire Pakistan squad is focused on delivering the goods in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. “Jos Butler is my favourite player and I want to play like him in the middle-order. I was into cricket from a young age. I first started playing when I was nine. My professional cricket journey began at 15 in Peshawar when I started playing club cricket. “I feel really lucky that I got full support from my mother. I used to anxiously wait for Sunday as we used to play a match every Sunday, sometimes for the entire day.” Left-arm spinner Arish Ali Khan was not in the starting line-up on Sunday, but is likely to feature at some stage in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2020. On his early days and cricketing ambition, Arish told PCB digital: “I still remember Mohammad Amir’s devastating new-ball spell against India in the Asia Cup T20 2016 in which he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane and Suresh Raina. That spell inspired me to pursue cricket seriously. Representing Pakistan U16 and that too as captain against Australia was a dream come true moment for me. “I want to become the best spinner in the world, at present my and the team’s focus is on the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Our coach Ijaz Ahmed and spin bowling consultant Mushtaq Ahmed have worked hard with us and given us important advice.” Pakistan ICC U19 Cricket World Cup squad: Rohail Nazir (captain and wicketkeeper), Abbas Afridi (Peshawar), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai (Quetta), Amir Ali (Larkana), Amir Khan (Peshawar), Arish Ali Khan (Karachi), Fahad Munir (Lahore),  Haider Ali (vice-captain), Qasim Akram (Lahore), Mohammad Haris (Peshawar), Mohammad Huraira (Sialkot), Mohammad Irfan Khan (Lahore),  Mohammad Shehzad (Multan), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (North Waziristan), Tahir Hussain (Multan) Team management – Ijaz Ahmed (head coach-cum-manager), Rao Iftikhar Anjum (bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (assistant coach), Saboor Ahmad (trainer), Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rasul (physiotherapist), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media manager) and Col (retd) Usman Riffat Anwari (security manager).