Sports Bulletin

Follow-on on cards after Junaid Khan, Usman Shinwari orchestrate Balochistan collapse SB News  KARACHI (November 19, 2019):-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Junaid Khan and Usman Shinwari shared seven wickets between them as Balochistan were skittled out for 146 on day two of the four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match at UBL Sports Complex, Karachi.  The left-arm pacers, operating in tandem, had Balochistan reeling at 19 for four in reply of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s 385 all-out. Junaid took four wickets for 36 while Usman picked up three wickets for the same amount of runs. The pair only faced resistance from Hussain Talat (25) and Bismillah Khan (35) as they stitched a 62-run partnership for the sixth-wicket.  Ahmed Jamal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain Fakhar Zaman were the other bowlers to have checked their wickets’ column with a wicket each. As the day concluded with the last wicket of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will take a call on enforcing the follow-on on Wednesday morning. If Fakhar decides to put Balochistan in, the Imran Farhat-led side would be confronted with an arduous task of surmounting 239-run first innings deficit.  Earlier, Zohaib Khan cracked his second century of the tournament and Usman recorded his second first-class half-century. After resuming his innings on 76, the all-rounder smashed 16 fours in his 133 off 232 balls. Usman, batting at 10, hit four sixes and three fours in his 136-ball 51. Mohammad Asghar picked another wicket on day two to record the figures of six for 121.  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ended the day with seven points in their account – four for batting and three for bowling – while Balochistan bagged only two points as they had taken eight opposition wickets by 110-over cut-off and failed to cross the 200-run mark, the minimum benchmark to get batting points, in their innings.  Scores in brief:  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 385 all-out, 114.3 overs (Zohaib Khan 133, Ashfaq Ahmed 54, Usman Shinwari 51; Mohammad Asghar 6-121)  Balochistan 146 all-out, 51 overs (Bismillah Khan 35, Hussain Talat 25, Khurram Shehzad 22; Junaid Khan 4-36, Usman Shinwari 3-36)

 Sindh restrict Central Punjab to 216 for seven on day one SB Report Karachi, 18 November 2019: Usman Salahuddin and Kamran Akmal produced fighting half centuries to lift Central Punjab to 216 for seven on day-one of the four-day eight round Quaid-e-Azam Trophy first-class match at the National Stadium in Karachi on Monday. Kamran continuing his good form in the tournament reached his 13,000 runs in first-class cricket during a punchy innings of 59 from 70 balls and Usman stood firm with 50 from 130 balls at stumps. The umpires called off play due to bad light with seven overs remaining in the day. Kamran and Usman came together with their team struggling on 89 for four and forged a partnership of 92 runs to ensure Central Punjab were not bowled out on the first day after electing to bat first. On a pitch with a tinge of grass cover and offering some assistance to the pace bowlers, Central Punjab decided to field spinners Zafar Gohar and Bilal Asif while Sindh went in with four pacers and a lone spinner in southpaw teenager, Amir Ali. Sindh pacers were on song most of the time as Sohail Khan struck early on by trapping Salman Butt leg before for one to rock the visitors but Ahmed Shehzad (48 from 127 balls with seven fours) and Muhammad Saad (31 from 93 balls) ensured no more wickets fell till lunch. It was in the post lunch session that Sindh struck three blows with youngster, having Saad caught Umar Akmal fell to Tabish Khan for eight while Anwar Ali who bowled economically throughout the day had Ahmed caught at point. With three wickets falling after lunch, Central Punjab were in trouble but Kamran strode to the crease and produced some spanking shots hitting ten fours before he edged a wide ball from Tabish to Sarfaraz shortly after tea. Zafar Gohar also went caught behind off Anwar Ali as Sarfaraz took a fine diving low catch to his left side. Sindh also snared Bilal Asif for one with Khurram Manzoor taking a smart catch at first slip but Ehsan Adil (9 from 16 balls) proved to be an able ally to Usman as the two batted till stumps. Scores in brief: Central Punjab 216 for 7, 83 overs (Kamran Akmal 59, Usman Sallahuddin 50 not out, Ahmed Shehzad 48; Tabish Khan 3-66, Anwar Ali 2-27)

Mohammad Asghar records his eighth first-class five-wicket haul SB Report Lahore, 18 November 2019: Balochistan’s Mohammad Asghar recorded his second five-wicket haul of the tournament on the first day of his side’s four-day first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at UBL Sports Complex in Karachi. The 20-year-old left-arm spinner removed four of the opposition’s top five batsmen and returned five for 90 in 30 overs as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa managed 290 runs for the loss of eight wickets before stumps were drawn six overs earlier due to fading light. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Ashfaq Ahmed, the second highest run-getter in the tournament, and Zohaib Khan put resistance with 54 and 76 not out respectively. An 86-run partnership for the second-wicket between Israrullah and Ashfaq gave Khyber Pakhtunkhwa control of the proceedings after Sahibzada Farhan (nine) was removed by pacer Khurram Shehzad with only 16 runs on board. But, Asghar changed the course of the innings in the afternoon session as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa slipped to 206 for six from 106 for two. Zohaib crafted a solid half-century to rescue his side from a collapse. The all-rounder, to date, has scored 76 runs from 137 balls, which include eight fours. He was joined by Usman Shinwari (20) when the first day’s play came to an end. Asghar, after returning his eighth first-class five-fer, now sits at the third spot on the list of the bowlers with the highest wickets in the tournament. He has 24 scalps at 30.04 runs apiece. Balochistan will be eyeing Zohaib’s wicket when the second day’s play commences as getting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s nine or more wickets inside 110 overs will garner them maximum bowling points (3). Scores in brief:  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 290-8, 84 overs (Zohaib Khan 76 not out, Ashfaq Ahmed 54, Israrullah 42, Sajid Khan 29; Mohammad Asghar 5-90, Khurram Shehzad 2-64) vBalochistan

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy eighth round starts on Monday  By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (November 17, 2019):-As the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy enters its last three rounds, the competition to secure berths in the final of the country’s premier first-class tournament keeps on getting intense. The eighth round, which begins on Monday, 18 November, promises to generate more excitement in what has been a riveting tournament so far.  Northern return to Rawalpindi to host second-ranked Southern Punjab, who are 11 points ahead of them, at the KRL Stadium. The two teams played out a draw the last time they came face-to-face in the tournament. But, with the competition getting fierce with every round, both sides, this time, will enter the competition with guns blazing.  With 15 points on offer for the winning side, a victory for Northern (placed fourth with 71 points) will see them leapfrog the opposition. Northern turned heads with a surprise maiden win against Sindh, at Karachi’s National Stadium, which has established them as strong contenders to be one of the two finalists.  For the most part of the season, Northern, the only side to have lost two matches in the tournament before the beginning of the seventh round, languished at the bottom of the points table and were almost out of the tournament. But, traveling to the metropolis brought a much-needed change in their fortunes.  An incredible double-century by Faizan Riaz helped his side post an imposing 408 all-out from 14 for three after which Northern captain Nauman Ali, the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 36 wickets, spun a web with five for 58 and four for 51  in his side’s 145 runs victory over the hosts.  Southern Punjab will pin hopes on Sami Aslam, the leading run-getter of the tournament with 833 runs at an average of 138.83. The left-handed opener cracked a century in his side’s last round fixture against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Abbottabad Cricket Stadium and has four scores of 100 and above – which include an unbeaten 243 – in the tournament, to date.  Sindh v Central Punjab  Sindh, now at the bottom with 58 points, must have gone back to the drawing board and chalked out strategies as they take on table-toppers Central Punjab, who are 50 points ahead, in a contest which will be live-streamed at the PCB’s YouTube Channel.  The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy experienced arguably the most-ferocious battle when the two sides met in Faisalabad in the fifth-round. Sindh edged out in securing a draw in a high-intensity competition, marked by gutsy performances in all facets from both sides. Sarfaraz Ahmed, the Sindh captain, will bank on Fawad Alam, the only batsman from his side to score two centuries this season, and pacers like Tabish Khan, leading wicket-taker for Sindh with 17 wickets, Mir Hamza and Sohail Khan. Early call-offs due to bad light on all four days in their last match against Balochistan at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, meant Central Punjab were in the field for only 217.2 overs. Their batsmen and bowlers, however, made put some notable performances. Forty-year-old pacer Aizaz Cheema, upgraded to the first XI side after impressing in the non first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament, returned a five-fer and Usman Salahuddin and Umar Akmal cracked 94 and 78. Regardless of the two teams standing on the extreme ends of the points table, fans will witness an exciting competition with tensions expected to be high when the rivals meet at the National Stadium. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Balochistan  Karachi will be host to another first-class Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. This match was shifted out of Abbottabad due to unexpected weather conditions, which hampered the matches from going full distance.  Balochistan’s Imran Butt has been in sublime form of-late. The 23-year-old racked up his second century of the tournament at the Gaddafi Stadium and is the third-highest run-getter this season with 673 runs at an average of 67.30. He has also cracked three half-centuries.  His teammate Mohammad Asghar, left-arm spinner, sits at the fifth place in the list of the highest wicket-takers with 19 wickets - which include a five-fer - and accounted for the prized scalps of Ahmed Shehzad and Kamran Akmal in the last round.  Balochistan, however, will be wary of Khyber Pakhtunkwa, placed third on the points table. They might not have secured a win this season, but they remain the only side to have not lost a match either.  Their in-form batting lineup – spearheaded by Ashfaq Ahmed, the second best amongst the run-getters this tournament with 675 runs including four centuries – has accumulated the most batting points (26) from all six teams, to date.  The onus of delivering with the ball will be on their pace unit which boasts Pakistan internationals Junaid Khan and Usman Shinwari. The pace-attack has been bolstered by the introduction of 31-year-old right-arm medium-fast Ahmed Jamal, who returned a first innings six for 93 against Southern Punjab in Abbottabad in the last round.  Upcoming fixtures (18-21 Nov)  Northern v Southern Punjab, KRL Stadium, Rawalpindi  Sindh v Central Punjab, National Stadium, Karachi  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa v Balochistan, UBL Sports Complex, Karachi  

Mohammad Hasnain six wickets guides Pakistan to 90-run win over Sri Lanka SB News LAHORE (November 16, 2019):- A sensational six-wicket haul from Mohammad Hasnain lifted Pakistan to a 90-run win over Sri Lanka in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 match played at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox's Bazar on Saturday. Chasing 184 to win the match, Sri Lanka were blown away by a fiery spell of fast bowling from Mohammad Hasnain who took six wickets for 19 runs in seven overs. Khushdil Shah and Umar Khan also took two wickets apiece. For Sri Lanka, opening batsman, Petum Nissanka was top –scorer with 34 off 56 balls. Earlier in the day, Pakistan were dismissed for 183 in 49.5 overs after being put into bat. The top-order fell quickly as the green shirts lost three wickets for 31 runs inside 10 overs. Amad Butt who came to bat at number eight, top-scored with 44 off 45 balls, hitting three fours and as many sixes. Rohail Nazir (37) and Khushdil Shah (32) were other run-getters for Pakistan team. For Sri Lanka, Asitha Fernando took three wickets for 28, while Amila Aponso and Kalana Perera took two wickets apiece. Pakistan will take on Oman in their third match on Monday, 18 November. Scores in brief: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Coxs Bazar, Pakistan 183 all out, 49.5 overs (Amad Butt 44, Rohail Nazir 37, Khushdil Shah 32; Asitha Fernando 3-28, Amila Aponso 2-36, Kalana Perera 2-45) Sri Lanka 93 all out, 30.4 overs (Petum Nissanka 34, Hasitha Boyagoda 22; Mohammad Husnain 6-19, Khushdil Shah 2-14, Umar Khan 2-4) Result: Pakistan won by 90 runs

144 cricketers from 14 countries register in Gold Category for HBL PSL 2020 Abdullah Asjad Islamabad, 15 November 2019:The Pakistan Cricket Board today released the preliminary list of Gold Category foreign players for the HBL Pakistan Super League Player Draft 2019 as well as a list of 325 local players who have been assigned Gold, Silver and Emerging categories. The list of 325 local players includes all cricketers from the domestic first and second XI squads as well as U19 cricketers. As part of this year’s policy, players who have already represented Pakistan at the international level have been assigned a base category of Gold. The cut-off date for these records was the same that applied to category renewals of local players that took place last month. The list was reviewed and approved by Coordinator - National Selection Committee, Nadeem Khan and Head of Player Acquisition & Management PSL, Imran Ahmad Khan. True to its tradition of promoting young Pakistani talent, HBL PSL rules require teams to have at least two Emerging cricketers in a squad of 16. Players need to be U23 as on 1 January 2020 to qualify for this category. Each team can now nominate up to six emerging players and up to two talent hunt discoveries that may be added to this list. In the Gold category, 48 England, 40 West Indies, 19 Sri Lanka, 10 Bangladesh, six Afghanistan, four each from Australia and New Zealand, three each from Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe, and one each from Canada, the Netherlands, Scotland and the United States of America have registered. Some of the most prominent players in the preliminary Gold Category are Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (all Afghanistan), Ben Dunk (Australia), Mehdy Hasan Miraz, Mosaddek Hossain, Taskin Ahmed (all Bangladesh), Ben Duckett, Chris Wood, Jade Dernback, Jamie Overton, Joe Clarke, Reece Topley, Samit Patel, Saqib Mahmood (all England), George Dockrell, Kevin O’Brien, Paul Stirling (all Ireland), Anton Devcich, Jeetan Patel (both New Zealand), Dwaine Pretorious, Vernon Philander, Wayne Parnell (all South Africa), Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dinesh Chandimal, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Upul Tharanga, Wanindu Hasaranga (all Sri Lanka), Andre Fletcher, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor, Kieran Powell, Shane Dowrich, Sheldon Cottrell (all West Indies) and Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis and Sikandar Raza (all Zimbabwe). Local players in the Gold category are: Abid Ali, Adnan Akmal, Asad Ali, Asad Shafiq, Awais Zia, Azhar Ali, Bilal Asif, Bilawal Bhatti, Ehsan Adil, Fawad Alam, Imran Farhat, Imran Khan Jr, Imran Khan Sr, Imran Nazir, Khurram Manzoor, Mansoor Amjad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Talha, Mukhtar Ahmed, Nauman Anwar, Raza Hasan, Saad Naseem, Sami Aslam, Sharjeel Khan (subject to completion of his rehabilitation), Umar Gul, Usman Salahuddin and Zulfiqar Babar. The PCB will announce updated lists across all Categories by or before 21 November. List of international players who have registered in Gold Category to date: Afghanistan (6) - Gulbadin Naib, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Waqar Salamkheil and Zahir Khan Australia (4) - Ben Dunk, Jonathan Wells, Josh Lalor and Nathan Rimmington Bangladesh (10) - Abul Hasan Raju, Afif Hossain, Al Amin Hossain, Alok Kapali, Aminul Islam, Litton Das, Mehdy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Mithun, Mosaddek Hossain and Taskin Ahmed Canada (1) - Nikhil Dutta England (48) - Adam Lyth, Alex Davies, Arron Lilley, Ben Duckett, Benny Howell, Callum Parkinson, Chris Wood, Colin Ackermann, Craig Meschede, D Bell-Drummond, Dan Lawrence, Danny Briggs, David Payne, Dom Sibley, George Garton, Hamidullah Qadri, Hassan Azad, Jack Taylor, Jade Dernbach, James Fuller, Jamie Overton, Joe Clarke, John Simpson, Jordan Clark, Josh Cobb, Josh Davey, Josh Poysden, Luis Reece, Max Holden, Nathan Sowter Ollie Robinson, Paul Coughlin, Peter Trego, Reece Topley, Richard Gleeson, Riki Wessels, Rikki Clarke, Ross Whiteley, Ryan Higgins, Sam Hain, Samit Patel, Saqib Mahmood, Stephen Mullaney, Steven Croft, Tom Abell, Wayne Madsen, Will Jacks and Zak Chappell Ireland (3) - George Dockrell, Kevin O’Brien and Paul Stirling Netherlands (1) - Tobias Vissee New Zealand (4) - Anton Devcich, George Worker, Jeetan Patel and Seth Rance Scotland (1) - George Munsey South Africa (3) - Dwaine Pretorious, Vernon Philander and Wayne Parnell Sri Lanka (19) - Angelo Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chaturanga de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, Dushmantha Chameera, Jeevan Mendis, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lakshan Sandakan, Malinda Pushpakumara, Minod Banuka, Nuwan Pradeep, Seekkuge Prasanna, Seekugge Prasanna, Suranga Lakmal, Upul Tharanga and Wanindu Hasaranga USA (1) - Ali Khan West Indies (40) - Andre Fletcher, Ashley Nurse, Bhaskar Yadram, Chadwick Walton, Christopher Barnwell, Danza Hyatt, Devendra Bishoo, Dominic Drakes, Dwayne Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jahmar Hamilton, Jeavon Searles, Jeremiah Louis, Jerome Taylor, John Campbell, Jonathan Carter, Joshua Bishop, Kennar Lewis, Keron Cottoy, Khary Pierre, Kieran Powell, Kjorn Yohance, Krishmar Santokie, Kyle Mayers, Leniko Boucher, Mark Deyal, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul, Ray Reifer, Rayad Emrit, Roland Cato, Romario Shepherd, Ronsford Beaton, Rovman Powell, Shamar Springer, Shane Dowrich, Sheldon Cottrell, Shermon Lewis, Trevon Griffith and Veerasammy Permaul Zimbabwe (3) - Brendan Taylor, Kyle Jarvis and Sikandar Raza

Dawid Malan leads England’s 19-player field in Diamond Category for HBL PSL 2020  Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD (November 14, 2019):-England’s Dawid Malan leads a strong field of 59 foreign international cricketers who have registered to date in Diamond Category for HBL Pakistan Super League 2020. The registration window for the foreign players is still open and closes on 21 November following which an updated list will be released.  World’s third-ranked T20I batsman was in a punishing form in the just-concluded five-match series against New Zealand, totaling 458 runs in five matches. This included a 48-ball century, an England record, in the fourth match in Napier. Malan belted nine fours and six sixes in a 51-ball 103 not out to power England to 241 for three, their highest score to date, that laid the foundation of a comfortable 76-run victory.  Malan is the second England batsman to have scored a century in the shortest format of the game. Alex Hales achieved the milestone against Sri Lanka in Chittagong in 2014 and he has registered in Platinum Category for the tournament that has already caught the imagination of cricket followers and fans across the globe in its short history.  Malan has represented Peshawar Zalmi in three HBL PSLs since the inception of this glamourous and glittering tournament, helping the side from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to lift the silverware in 2017. England’s Ravi Bopara and Luke Ronchi, who won the player of the HBL PSL awards in 2016 and 2018, respectively, have also registered in the Diamond Category. Apart from Malan and Bopara, other big England attractions in the preliminary list also include Somerset’s Tom Banton (who was the second leading scorer behind Babar Azam in the Vitality Blast 2019 with 549 runs), Yorkshire’s Tom Kohler-Cadmore (who aggregated 435 runs in the Vitality Blast 2019), Joe Denly, Tymal Mills, Craig Overton, Phil Salt, James Vince and Luke Wright. Daren Sammy, the darling of HBL PSL, is amongst 12 West Indies players who have registered in the Diamond Category that also includes Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Alzarri Josphe, Keemo Paul and Marlon Samuels. In the preliminary list, 11 South Africa cricketers have registered with Rassie van der Dussen being the most popular name after his 241 runs in the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this year. Kyle Abbott, who was the fourth leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps for Hampshire in the Vitality Blast 2019, also features in the list. Other prominent names in the preliminary list include Bangladesh’s Mahmudullah (world’s fourth-ranked all-rounder) and Mustafizur Rahman (world’s 32nd-ranked bowler), Roelof van der Merwe of Netherlands (world’s 24th-ranked all-rounder) and Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella (world’s 72nd-ranked batsman) and Isuru Udana (world’s 56th-ranked bowler). Dasun Shanaka, who led Sri Lanka to 3-0 win over Pakistan last month, is also in the preliminary Diamond Category. Australia’s Fawad Ahmed, Chris Green and Ben Laughlin, and Najeebullah Zadran and Qais Ahmad of Afghanistan are the other players to register in the Diamond Category.  The PCB will announce additions to the list by or before 21 November, it will continue to share to date Gold, Silver and Emerging lists this week.  List of international players who have registered in Diamond category to date:  Afghanistan (2) - Najeebullah Zadran and Qais Ahmad Australia (3) – Fawad Ahmed, Chris Green and Ben Laughlin Bangladesh (4) -  Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman and Tamim Iqbal England (19) - Tom Banton, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Pat Brown, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Mason Crane, Liam Dawson, Joe Denly, Laurie Evans, Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Tymal Mills, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, Phil Salt, James Vince and Luke Wright Netherlands (1) - Roelof van der Merwe New Zealand (1) – Luke Ronchi South Africa (11) - Kyle Abbott, Cameron Delport, Marchant de Lange, Rassie van der Dussen, Robbie Frylinck, Simon Harmer, Heino Kuhn, Duanne Olivier, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen and David Wiese Sri Lanka (5) - Niroshan Dickwella, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dasun Shanaka and Isuru Udana West Indies (12) - Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Sherfane Rutherford, Daren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Oshane Thomas and Kesrick Williams  

Pakistan beat Afghanistan by eight wickets in ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 SB Report Dubai (November 14, 2019);-Pakistan defeated Afghanistan by eight wickets in the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2019 match played at the Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox's Bazar on Thursday.  Chasing 139 to win the match, in their first outing in the tournament, Pakistan openers Omair-Bin-Yousaf (38) and Haider Ali (16) provided a solid 50-run partnership for the first-wicket. After the departure of the opening pair, Rohail Nazir and Saud Shakeel got together and contributed an unbroken 70-run partnership for the third-wicket to chase down the target in 35.3 overs. Rohail scored an undefeated 73-ball 53 laced with two fours and a six, while captain Saud Shakeel scored 30 off 48 balls which included one four.  Earlier in the day, Afghanistan were dismissed for 138 in 42.2 overs after opting to bat first. icketkeeper batsman Munir Ahmed top-scored with a 71-ball 41, he hit one four and two sixes. For Pakistan, Mohammad Mohsin took four wickets for 30 runs in 9.4 overs. Amad Butt and Khushdil Shah  chipped in with two wickets apiece. Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka in their second match on Saturday, 16 November 2019.  

Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam retained captain, coach until ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD:-Bismah Maroof has been retained as captain and Iqbal Imam has been appointed as the head coach of Pakistan national women’s team until next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in Australia from 21 February to 8 March.  Prior to the Australia event in December, the Pakistan national women’s cricket team will take on England in Kuala Lumpur in the seventh round of ICC Women’s Championship. The three ODIs will be followed by three T20Is.  Bismah, the 28-year-old veteran of 105 ODIs and 103 T20Is, was first appointed as Pakistan captain in the T20I format in 2016 for the tour of England, before taking over as ODI captain post-ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. To date, she has led Pakistan in 15 ODIs and 33 T20Is.  Iqbal Imam played 147 first-class matches from 1989 to 2005 during which he scored 6,249 runs and took 136 wickets. He was named as the batting coach in April and was made interim head coach for the recent home series against Bangladesh after Mark Coles resigned from the position.  Bismah Maroof, reflecting on her appointment, said: “It is truly an honour for me to be continuing as Pakistan’s captain and I look forward to leading the side in the next year’s T20 World Cup. “The team is in good shape and has produced some good performances recently. There’s a great deal of talent and passion in the girls and I look forward to carrying the momentum to the World Cup.”  Urooj Mumtaz, Chair of selectors for the Pakistan national women’s team, said: “I congratulate Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam on their appointments. “It is the dream of every cricketer to lead their nation in a world event and I am certain that Bismah is a good fit for the job. She has been at the helm for some years and she has grown as a leader.  “There has been a significant improvement in the performances of the women’s side of-late and her vast experience of international cricket is certainly going to benefit the team.” Iqbal Imam, expressing his delight at the announcement, said: “It is certainly an honour for me to be appointed as a head coach for the women’s side. “Women’s cricket in Pakistan is improving day-by-day and we have a lot of talented girls emerging. Our team has gotten off to a decent start this season by beat Bangladesh in T20I series and levelling the ODI series. “There’s a great potential in the side to do wonders and I aim to bring the best out of them.”  PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “Bismah Maroof and Iqbal Imam have put in the hard yards to be where they are today and I am very confident that the national women’s team will thrive under them. “Iqbal has been with the team since April and he understands the demands of the job. He has the desired skillset and was right up there amongst the candidates who applied for the job. “The Pakistan team showed improvements in their T20I and ODI series against Bangladesh under him and I hope that he will be able to carry forward the momentum gained from them.” The team’s performance will be reviewed after the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Australia 2020 before future decisions are made as the Pakistan national women’s cricket team has no scheduled Future Tours Programme or ICC commitments until the ICC Women’s World Cup New Zealand 2021, which will be held from 30 January to 20 February. Pakistan national women’s cricket team’s upcoming matches: Versus England in Malaysia 9 Dec – First ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 12 Dec – Second ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 14 Dec – Third ODI (ICC Women’s Championship), Kinrara Oval 17 Dec – First T20I, Kinrara Oval 19 Dec – Second T20I, Kinrara Oval 20 Dec – Third T20I, Kinrara Oval ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Australia 2020 26 Feb – v West Indies, Manuka Oval, Canberra 28 Feb – v England, Manuka Oval, Canberra 1 Mar – v South Africa, Sydney Showground, Sydney 3 Mar – v Thailand, Sydney Showground, Sydney

HBL PSL 2020 attracts some of the world’s very best By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-A fascinating duel between World No.1 Babar Azam and one of the modern day greats Dale Steyn is on the cards for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 as the South African speedster is among the 28 international crowd-pullers to have registered to date in the Platinum category for one of the premier and most-watched leagues on the planet. The registration window for the foreign players is still open and closes on 21 November following which an updated list will be released.  The battle between Babar and Steyn made global headlines when the Pakistan batsman struck the South African pace ace for 10 boundaries in a span of just 31 balls in the Centurion Test late last year. He then followed up with five boundaries in 29 balls in the Cape Town Test to belt Steyn for a total of 16 fours off just 66 balls.  If the two end up in opposite camps when the player draft takes place in the first week of December, then the local and foreign fans are up for the resumption of an engrossing contest between a present day star and one of the all-time supreme fast bowlers.  This is the first time Steyn has registered for the HBL PSL, which reflects the popularity of the competition and the brand it has become since its inception in 2016. If picked, Steyn’s next year’s visit to Pakistan will also be his first since the 2007 tour when he played Tests in Karachi and Lahore.  Steyn was excited to be part of the draft pool, when he said: “Cricket means the world to Pakistani fans and I am excited that I will get to be a part of the HBL Pakistan Super League draft pool.”  Steyn’s longtime South Africa team-mate Hashim Amla and England’s World Cup winners Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are the other international players in the preliminary list of 28 cricketers who have registered in the Platinum category for the HBL PSL 2020.  Amla also toured Pakistan in 2007 before returning in 2017 with the ICC World XI for a three-match T20I series, while for Ali and Rashid, next year’s trips will be their maiden cricket tours, if picked.  Moeen Ali said: “I am very excited that I am going to be a part of such an incredible pool of players for the HBL PSL Player Draft. On the circuit, players talk about the quality cricket that they have experienced playing in the HBL PSL and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”  Apart from Ali and Rashid, Jason Roy is the other World Cup winner to have registered for HBL PSL 2020. Roy, who has previously represented Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, said: “Pakistan cricket always offers unique and exciting stuff and this tournament is no different. They have some of the most passionate fans in the world and it is extremely heartening to experience this passion. I have had brief but memorable stints at the HBL PSL and it's great to be back in the pool.”  Roy’s compatriot Alex Hales and West Indies’ star Kieron Pollard are familiar faces in the HBL PSL. Alex Hales, who was picked by Islamabad United in 2018, said: “I had a great experience playing in Karachi last year and I can’t forget the love that I received from Pakistani fans. HBL PSL has grown so much in such little time and it is definitely an exciting tournament to be a part of.”  Kieron Pollard, who played for Peshawar Zalmi in the 2019 event, said: “Last year, I truly experienced what cricket means to Pakistani fans as I played in front of jam-packed crowds. It was definitely a highlight in my career and I hope that the HBL PSL festivity continues this season as well.”  Overall, the 28 players come from eight cricket-playing nations, with England boasting seven, South Africa six and the West Indies five, Afghanistan and Australia three each, Sri Lanka two and Nepal, and New Zealand one each.  While the PCB will announce additions to the list by or before 21 November, it will share to date Diamond, Gold, Silver and Emerging lists later this week.  List of international players who have registered in Platinum category to date:  ·         Afghanistan – Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman and Rashid Khan ·         Australia – Dan Christian, Ben Cutting and Chris Lynn ·         England – Moeen Ali, Harry Gurney, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid and Jason Roy ·         Nepal - Sandeep Lamichhane ·         New Zealand – Colin Munro ·         South Africa – Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Colin Ingram, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir ·         Sri Lanka – Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera ·         West Indies – Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard