Sports Bulletin

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI (UAE):-With the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 now just a matter of weeks away, the excitement is building as we near a month-long feast of cricket. From Australia to Bangladesh, the best teams in the world are applying the finishing touches to their preparation after a five-year journey to New Zealand. Here we take a look at how all eight teams qualified for the showpiece event, from the hosts all the way through to the debutants. New Zealand As hosts, New Zealand qualified automatically for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022. The omens are good for the White Ferns, who won the tournament last time it was played in New Zealand 22 years ago. They won a thrilling final by four runs against Australia on that occasion, successfully defending 184 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln to earn revenge for a defeat against the same opponents three years previously. Australia Six-time champions Australia, who top the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Team Rankings, will make the short trip over the Tasman Sea in March after winning the ICC Women’s Championship. The three-year competition was contested by eight teams, with the top four booking their place automatically. In their 21 matches, Australia lost only once – all the way back in 2017 at Coffs Harbour against England. Three-zero series wins in India and against Pakistan, New Zealand, the West Indies and Sri Lanka show they will be tough to stop once again. England Holders England, like Australia, qualified through the ICC Women’s Championship, where they finished second with 29 points. England won 14 of their 21 matches, including that impressive win against Australia at Coffs Harbour, while they also recorded series wins against Pakistan, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. South Africa With 10 wins and 25 points, South Africa were the third nation to qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022. Like England, they also lost just six of their 21 matches, while they also won 10. That includes a 3-0 series win against hosts New Zealand, a series in which they batted second and chased down their target each time. India India were the final team to qualify through the ICC Women’s Championship, with 10 wins enough to see them finish fourth. A 2-1 series victory against South Africa in February 2018 put them in a strong position but it was their 2-1 series success against England a year later that made the rest of the world sit up and take notice. India bowled England out for 136 and 161 in the first two matches of the series on their way to securing two comfortable victories. West Indies With a series whitewash against Sri Lanka and further ODI wins against South Africa and India, West Indies finished seventh in the ICC Women’s Championship. They were in Zimbabwe for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier but when the competition was called off, their world ranking of seventh was strong enough to secure a place. Pakistan Pakistan had flashes of brilliance during the ICC Women’s Championship, including bowling South Africa out for just 63 on their way to an eight-wicket win. They eventually finished fifth, just four points off the top four, and were playing in the Qualifier before it was called off. Ranked eighth in the world, they were then automatically through to the main event and will be the lowest ranked side in New Zealand. Bangladesh  Ranked fifth in the world, Bangladesh will make their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup debut this year. Although not a part of the Women’s Championship and one of the teams in Harare for the Qualifier, Bangladesh qualified as a result of their ranking – which is higher than established heavyweights New Zealand, West Indies and Pakistan.

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI:-The ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year Shaheen Shah Afridi is presently busy leading the Lahore Qalandars in their quest for their first HBL Pakistan Super League title as the seventh edition of the tournament moves towards the business end in Lahore. While Shaheen has one eye on the HBL PSL trophy, he has also set his sights on Australia’s all-format tour of Pakistan. The Pat Cummins-led Australia will be touring Pakistan for the first time in over 24 years for three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I, Shaheen was not even born when the Mark Taylor-led Australia won the 1998 Test series 1-0 before Steve Waugh-led side clean swept the three-match ODI series 3-0. Shaheen who took 78 wickets in 36 international matches last year at 22.20 is keen on continuing his rich vein of form especially in the three-match ICC World Test Championship series that begins with the first Test in Rawalpindi from March 4. The 21-year-old was in red-hot form in with the red ball in 2021 collecting 47 wickets in nine Tests at 17. 06 with an innings best of six for 51. Shaheen played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s success against South Africa at home, the two-match drawn series in the West Indies and Pakistan’s 2-0 clean sweeps against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in their own backyards. Shaheen Shah Afridi: “When Australia last toured Pakistan I was not even born. This series is as such of a huge significance and I want to give a good performance and my aim is to build further on my 2021 performances across the three formats. “A series against Australia is always a big one and performing against them gives you recognition as they have always been one of the top sides. I always looked forward to playing against them in the UAE or in Australia and now playing them at home will be a massive occasion indeed and I am determined to give my best. “Last year our bowling attack was the best in the world and our aim is to maintain the momentum, Hasan [Ali] and I always look to attack and take wickets. I am sure we will get great support from the crowd during the series as fans would be excited to see the Australian side play on our grounds. “Playing in home conditions is always an advantage because you know the pitches better than the opponents and of course home fans also provide and extra incentive to perform.”

Bipin Dani Former Australian top order batsman and the ICC match referee David Boon, who will be officiated in the upcoming five T-20I matches between Australia and Sri Lanka will meet the team management of both sides before the commencement of the series scheduled on 11th February to decide on the duration of the drinks- interval, it is learnt. The ICC has announced that an optional drinks break of two minutes and thirty seconds might be taken at the midpoint of each innings subject to agreement between Members at the start of each series. "Reduction of time is optional and is not decided yet but will be discussed before the series begins", one of the sources in Australia, said exclusively.  "The drinks interval between the two innings is 20 minutes but the match-referee can reduce it up to 15 minutes", the source further added.  According to the former ICC umpire Daryl Harper, who now also officiates as a match-referee in domestic matches in Australia, the duration of drinks interval in each session is immaterial.  "The players have access to drinks at virtually any time in the match as it is currently between overs and also at the fall of a wicket", he said. India's veteran cricket umpires say, the duration of 2 minutes and 30 seconds will be "dicey to handle and implement". India's Vinayak Kulkurni, who has coached the umpires and was a Development Manager for the Indian umpires, said, "150 seconds is too less for drinks to reach the middle, which is on an average 65 yards, and more at some other venues like Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia". "It may not be impossible but too tight for the drinks-men to reach there and come off the same distance and also allowing the on-field umpires and field players to get hydrated".    "The decision may have been taken to hasten the T-20 matches. Ideally it should have been four minutes, which is generally the case in the Tests and ODIs". "Considering the average over rate, a 4-minute drink interval is given and in no circumstances, it exceeds 5-minutes", he added.

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-The selection committee of Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), headed by Mohammad Bilal Satti (Chairman Selection Committee) and comprising Masood Jan and Ibrar Shah (members), has announced the national blind cricket team for the South Africa series, scheduled to be commenced from February 28 at Karachi. According to an official of PBCC, South Africa will play three One-Day International matches in Karachi, 1st ODI will be played on 28th February 2nd ODI on 1st March and 3rd ODI on 3rd March 2022. All ODI matches will be held at Southern Club Cricket Stadium, Karachi. The Committee selected the national team after observing the trials from 31st January to 2nd February 2022 at Lahore and named the Pakistan Blind Cricket Team for the home series against South Africa. PBCC has included 6 new players in the team to give opportunity to young players to debut in international cricket in home conditions. Pakistan team for T20 International will be announced later on.  Worthy Chairman PBCC, Syed Sultan Shah has approved the team and also announced Team Officials for the ODI Leg. Nisar Ali and Zafar Iqbal will be the Captain and Vice-Captain respectively. Names of players: B1 (Totally Blind Category): Zafar Iqbal, Riasat Khan, Muhammad Shahzaib, Mohammad Salman, Kashif Siddique, B2 (Totally Blind Category): Nisar Ali, Shahzeb Haider, Matiullah, Ahtesham ul Haq, Naseeb Ullah B3 Partially Sighted Category: Mohammad Rashid, Mohsin Khan, Kashif Siddique, Faisal Mehmood, Akmal Hayyat, Israr ul Hassan Reserves: Fakhar Abbass (B1) Moain Aslam (B2) Sanaullah Khan (B3) Team Officials: Ali Dino (Manager), Mohammad Jamil (Coach) and Masood Jan (Trainer)

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Pakistan cricket selectors today announced 16 players and five reserves for the three Tests against Australia, which will be played in Rawalpindi (4-8 March), Karachi (12-16 March) and Lahore (21-25 March). From the series against Bangladesh, three changes have been made in the national squad. Haris Rauf, who was in the side for the South Africa and Zimbabwe Tests in 2021, has returned to replace off-spinner Bilal Asif, while Shan Masood, who last played in New Zealand in the 2020-21 season, has taken over from Abid Ali, who is completing his rehabilitation after being diagnosed with Acute Coronary Syndrome. Yasir Shah has been added to the reserve pool. Test players who are not involved in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2022 will assemble in Karachi on Wednesday, 16 February, for a training camp that will be held at the National Stadium. Names of players: Babar Azam (Captain-Central Punjab), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Nawaz (Northern), Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Saud Shakeel (Sindh), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Balochistan), Zahid Mahmood (Sindh) Names of Reserves: Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Naseem Shah (Southern Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh), Yasir Shah (Balochistan). Chief selector Mohammad Wasim said: “We have opted for consistency for the important home series against Australia and changes have only been made where absolutely necessary. This is to give the boys confidence, reward them for their impressive performances in the longer version of the game in 2021 and continue to build the side for the future. “These are the best available, most talented and in-form players in the domestic circuit. I am confident they will put up an impressive performance against a formidable Australia side.” Players' Support Personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Shaun Tait (bowling coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saaiman (trainer/strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Emmad Ahmed Hameed (media and digital manager), Col (retd) Usman Anwari (security manager), Talha Ejaz (analyst) and Malang Ali (masseur).

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-Australia’s Ellyse Perry is back at the top of the list of all-rounders in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine show in the second ODI of their three-match series against England. The 31-year-old scored a steady 64-ball 40 and took three for 12 in seven overs to win the Player of the Match award in Melbourne. The performance helped her move 47 rating points ahead of England’s Nat Sciver to the number one position. Perry had conceded the top spot to Sciver after holding the top spot for 1,535 days from 12 July 2017 to 24 September 2021 and has not been out of the top two in terms of all-rounders in ODI cricket since November 2014. In the latest weekly update that considers the first two matches of the Australia-England series as well as the third and fourth South Africa versus West Indies matches and comes less than a month ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand, Australia batter Beth Mooney and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone too have made significant gains. Mooney’s innings of 73 in the first ODI has helped her up into the top three for the first time in her six-year career. She started the series in eighth place and is now in the top three in both ODI and T20I cricket as she is placed second in T20Is, just two points behind India opener Shafali Verma. Ecclestone is another player featuring in the top three in both lists. Despite England losing the first two ODIs, the left-arm spinner bowled economically and is now up to third with a career-best 717 rating points. She currently tops the T20I rankings with 761 points, 39 clear of team-mate Sarah Glenn.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI-UAE:-The nominees for ICC Players of the Month for men’s and women’s international cricket have been announced here. Featuring in the men’s category are Under-19 future star Dewald Brevis from South Africa, Ebadot Hossain from Bangladesh, and Keegan Petersen from South Africa. The women’s category, features captain of the Sri Lankan T20I squad, Chamari Athapaththu, West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin, and captain of the England squad Heather Knight. Dewald Brevis - South Africa Nicknamed Baby AB, South Africa’s Dewald Brewis left a mark in the recently concluded ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup. In the course of the tournament, Brewis made a magnificent 65 against India, followed by a century against Uganda, a 96 against Ireland, a 97 against England and a sublime 138 against Bangladesh to round his tournament. With a total of 506 runs in the tournament, he finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament at an average of 84.33 and now holds the record for the most runs in a single edition of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup. He was also adjudged as the Player of the Tournament.   Ebadot Hossain – Bangladesh Eleven Tests, 18 wickets and a career-best of 6 for 46, made Ebadot Hossain the newest sensation of Bangladesh cricket. The 27-year old’s maiden five-wicket haul helped Bangladesh inflict a huge historic eight wicket win over the ICC World Test champions New Zealand in the first Test at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui last month. Ebadot Hossain came into the Test match with 11 wickets in 10 games after making his international debut against the Kiwis in 2019. In the first innings, Hossain picked just one wicket for 75 runs but when the Kiwis batted for a second time, Ebadot Hossain delivered his career best performance, as the right-arm pacer dismissed Will Young, Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell within a space of 11 balls to put Bangladesh on top at stumps on Day 4. Keegan Petersen – South Africa Keegan Petersen steered South Africa to a stunning Test series win over India last month. Petersen scored a superb 82 as South Africa completed a seven-wicket victory in the third Test and a 2-1 series win over India on a spiteful Newlands pitch having chased down their challenging target of 212. Petersen, who was the leading scorer in the series with 276 runs, was the anchor for the home side on a difficult wicket for batting and was also adjudged the Player of the Series. Chamari Athapaththu – Sri Lanka In the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifiers held in Malaysia last month, captain Chamari Athapaththu struck 57 off just 29 balls to lead Sri Lanka to a nine-wicket win on day three of the tournament earning her also the title of the Player of the Match. Athapaththu was also the leading run-scorer in the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier in Malaysia as Sri Lanka won all four of their matches. Deandra Dottin – West Indies Deandra Dottin smashed her career best ODI score of 150 from just 158 balls – a superb innings with 18 fours and four sixes. In doing so, she set West Indies women up in the opening ODI against South Africa in Johannesburg. Her 186-run third wicket stand with Hayley Mathews took the team past 200. Mathews fell after her half-century, but Dottin carried on pushing West Indies to 234 for 3 in the 46th over before rain intervened. The second ODI between West Indies Women and South Africa ended in a pulsating tie and a Super Over was played to decide the winner. Opener Deandra Dottin scored a quickfire 37 off 31 balls at the top of the order, whilst Chedean Nation helped herself to 35. And a super over was played to break the tie and decide the winner. Off the first delivery of the Super Over, Dottin scored a couple. The second delivery was bowled on off stump, and Dottin played the scoop as the ball went past short fine leg for four. The right-hander smashed the third delivery over the bowler’s head and the ball sped away to the boundary. Then came a massive six over Long On. The bowler, Shabnam Ismail bowled a slower delivery, but Dottin had spotted it early and sent the ball soaring into the stands earning her instant praise from the global cricket community. Heather Knight – England Last month Knight played a single Test against Australia as part of the Women’s Ashes Tour. An unbeaten hundred from Heather Knight, her second test century had helped England stay afloat on day two of the only Women's Ashes Test at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Having lost openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Tammy Beaumont early, England were 23/2 when Heather Knight and Nat Sciver looked to put on some resistance and bring some stability to the innings. In between several dismissals, Knight continued to score runs, finding boundaries including a slog sweep for six. At tea, England were still at risk, needing 67 more runs to avoid a follow-on. While Charlotte Dean resisted for a bit, putting on a 30-run stand with Knight, Australia struck twice in six overs before Knight and Ecclestone joined hands and revived the innings a bit with a half-century stand. By the time Anya Shrubsole was dismissed, Knight had gone into the nineties. With Ecclestone appearing more at ease than the rest of the batters, Knight grew in confidence and attained her second Test century.

Sports Bulletin Report LONDON:-England Men's selection panel, consisting of Sir Andrew Strauss (interim managing director of England Men's Cricket), interim head coach Paul Collingwood and head scout James Taylor, have named a 16-strong squad for the three-match Test tour of the Caribbean starting next month. Surrey wicketkeeper Ben Foakes returns to the squad for the first time in under a year when he played the fourth Test in Ahmedabad last March against India. Eight players – James Anderson, Dom Bess, Sam Billings, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed and Dawid Malan - who featured in the recent Ashes series, have missed out on selection. Andrew Strauss said: "With the start of a new cycle, it has allowed the selection panel to refresh the Test squad with a particular focus on competing away from home. "We felt that it was time to draw a line after the Ashes defeat, look forward and give some impetus with an influx of new players. "In respect of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, I want to emphasise this does not mean the end for them as England players. We feel that it is important to look at some exciting new bowling potential and give some added responsibility to other players who have featured previously. No one doubts the quality and experience that James and Stuart bring to the England set-up. It will be up to the new managing director and permanent head coach to decide on whether they will be involved this summer and beyond. "This selection of this squad is the start of a process and a journey to get England Test cricket back to where it needs to be, and the hard work starts now." The three-match Test series forms part of the ICC World Test Championship. Joe Root's team will be looking to climb the rankings after a disappointing start to the second edition of the Championship. At the end of the two-year cycle, the top two teams will compete in the ICC World Test Championship Final due to be staged in 2023. Names of selected players: Joe Root (Yorkshire) captain, Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Matthew Fisher (Yorkshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Alex Lees (Durham), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham). Durham opener Alex Lees and Yorkshire seamer Matthew Fisher are called-up for the first time.  Schedule: March 1-4 – Four-day warm-up match at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua March 8-12 – 1st Test, West Indies v England at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua March 16-20 – 2nd Test, West Indies v England at Kensington Oval, Barbados March 24-28 – 3rd Test, West Indies v England at National Cricket Stadium, Grenada

Sports Bulletin Report Canberra, Australia:-Excitement is building for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, with General Ticket allocations for two match-days sold out on the first day of going on sale to the public (Monday, February 7). General Ticket allocations have all been sold for India v Pakistan at the MCG on 23 October and the double-header that features South Africa v Bangladesh and India v Group A runner-up at the SCG on 27 October. This comes after 200,000 tickets were sold during the pre-sale period across the 45 matches being played in Australia from 16 October – 13 November later this year. Such was the demand to see one of world cricket’s biggest rivalries, the allocations for the India v Pakistan match were sold within five minutes of going on sale. Over 800,000 fans are expected to attend the global showcase for men’s T20 cricket when it comes to Australia for the first time, and there is still plenty of opportunity for fans to secure seats to all other fixtures in the general public sale. The top five selling matches are:  1. India v Pakistan, Sunday 23 October (MCG)  2. The Final, Sunday 13 November at the (MCG)  3. South Africa v Bangladesh & India v Group A runner-up, Thursday 27 October (SCG)  4. Australia v New Zealand, Saturday 22 October (SCG)  5. Australia v England & Afghanistan v Group B runner-up, Friday 28 October (MCG)

Jamil Siraj Canberra, Australia:-The National Selection Panel (NSP) of Cricket Australia named an 18-player Test squad for the tour of Pakistan, which will start at the end of this month February 2022. Pat Cummins led Australian team will visit Pakistan for the first time since 1998 for three Test matches, three One-Day Internationals and one T20 International. The Test playing contingent and staff are due to depart for Pakistan later this month while white ball players, to be announced separately, will join mid-tour for the One-Day Internationals and T20 International. Names of players: Pat Cummins (C),Ashton Agar,Scott Boland,Alex Carey,Cameron Green,Marcus Harris,Josh Hazlewood,Travis Head,Josh Inglis,Usman Khawaja,Marnus Labuschagne,Nathan Lyon,Mitchell Marsh,Michael Neser,Steve Smith,Mitchell Starc,Mitchell Swepson and David Warner.