Sports Bulletin

Ali Ahmed LAHORE (October 18, 2021):-After the successful completion of the National T20, the 2021-22 season enters into next phase with the country’s premier cricket tournament – the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy – beginning from Wednesday, 20 October. Participation in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has remained the pinnacle for domestic cricketers as the tournament has established and produced red-ball stars who have gone on to wear the golden star. Over the years, the tournament has produced riveting matches, with last year’s final also going down the wire and ending as a tie with Central Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sharing the trophy. This year, the fans can witness action up-close as the Pakistan Cricket Board will open stands for them across all venues. The entry will be free of cost and the only requirement will be the government-issued Immunisation Certification for Covid-19. The PCB, as part of its efforts to incentivise and reward top-performing cricketers, has put PKR17million on offer with the champion side grabbing PKR10million and runner-up bagging PKR5million. The top-performers – player of the tournament, best batter, best bowler and best wicketkeeper – will pocket PKR500,000 each. The player of the final will be awarded PKR50,000. The first five rounds of the 31-match event to be played by the first XI sides of the six Cricket Associations will be staged at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium, before the tournament moves to Karachi on 24 November. In the first round, Iftikhar Ahmed-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will play Nauman Ali’s Northern at the Gaddafi Stadium, Fawad Alam’s Sindh will take on Imran Butt’s Balochistan at Iqbal Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium will stage the Punjab Derby with Azhar Ali’s Central Punjab locking horns with Mohammad Abbas’ Southern Punjab. The last five rounds will be played at UBL Sports Complex, SBP Sports Complex and NBP Sports Complex, before the final, a five-day affair, begins at the iconic National Stadium on 25 December. The result-oriented points system introduced last year achieved the aim of inducing attacking and positive mind-set amongst the teams, and the bonus and match points will continue to be allocated based on it. In the last year’s edition, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – who won five matches, the most by any team – and Central Punjab finished the group stage at the first and second spots with 161 and 137 points. Southern Punjab finished at third with 129 points, Balochistan and Northern gathered 128 and 123 points from three wins each to end their campaigns at fourth and fifth spots and Sindh, who recorded solitary win, finished last with 87 points. Balochistan captain Imran Butt: “We have not been able to play according to expectations in the last two seasons, but there was a marked improvement in the 2020-21 season from the 2019-20 season and we plan to continue to build on it. One of the most remarkable aspects of our squad this year is that we have roped in local players from the province after their impressive performances in the CCA tournaments. Playing alongside experienced cricketers in Imam-ul-Haq, Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan and Yasir Shah will help them understand the game better and I look forward to having them in our dressing room. Central Punjab captain Azhar Ali: “The last season was outstanding for us as our team truly lived-up to the never-say-die spirit and staged what will be remembered as one of the most epic comebacks. I have full confidence that we will play our third final in a row this year and win the prestigious trophy. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa captain Iftikhar Ahmed: “Our team is oozing with confidence as we have been able to stretch our last year’s form to this year successfully. We have adapted our cricket to the modern-day requirements and it is paying dividends. The retention of National T20 title has given our squad a great boost and we all are eager for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to begin.” Northern captain Nauman Ali: “The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is a tournament in which stars are made and it comes with a great opportunity for domestic cricketers to make an impression as it is followed all around the world. My progression to the national side has been one such example and my message to the team is to make the most of the opportunities and grab them with both hands. We have a young and dynamic squad which has the potential to turn the match on its head in any situation and I am looking forward to leading them. Sindh captain Fawad Alam: “Our last year’s journey did not go as we had planned but we have learned from that campaign. We have established first-class cricketers in our line-up and I am sure this year will be different for us. The key for success in Quaid-e-Azam Trophy has always been adaptability as the conditions, with the continuous change of weather and venue, alter and with this set of players, I am sure we will surmount all challenges. Southern Punjab captain Mohammad Abbas: “It is always good to dominate a campaign right from the start and the Punjab Derby comes up with a good opportunity to make an impression. Last year, we missed out the qualification by mere eight points, but it was a brilliant learning curve for us and since our team has grown immensely. We may have a young side, but these players have all the potential to make it big.”

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (October 18, 2021):-Hosts Islamabad and Kashmir secured their place in the final of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) T20 Cricket Champions Trophy after beating Gujranwala and Peshawar respectively at E-9 cricket ground on Monday. In the first match, Kashmir won the toss and elected to bat first. Kashmir scored 219 for the loss of two wickets. Nisar scored unbeaten 92 runs. In replyPpeshawar team could score 213 runs in 20 overs for the loss of 3 wickets, as Kashmir won by 6 runs and qualified for the final. While in the second match, Islamabad after winning the toss elected to bat first and second 176 runs in allotted 18 overs. Ayub khan was the top scorer with 78 runs. In reply, Gujranwala bold out on 138 runs in 17.3 overs. Aanis from Islamabad took 2 wickets. Hosts Islamabad won the match by 38 runs and qualified for the final. The final of the PAF T20 Cricket Champions Trophy for the blind 2021will be played between Kashmir and Islamabad at PAF Cricket Ground E-9 Islamabad on Tuesday. The closing ceremony will held at 1230Hrs at same venue.

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (October 18, 2021):-Jawz cricket club outclassed ESCO cricket club by 80 runs in a match at Marghazar cricket ground. After winning the toss being bating first,  Jawz club managed 248 for 9 runs on the board in 35 overs fixture. Shahid Ilyas hit brilliant ton 115 runs was major contributors for the winners. Junaid took 4 for 33 wickets for ESCO. In response, ESCO  scored 160 runs in 35 overs with loss of nine wickets Zarak made  56 runs, as Haseeb took 4 wickets from Jawz club.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT MUSCAT, OMAN (October 18, 2021):-Scotland overcame Bangladeshi tigers by just six runs in the second fixture of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 at Oman Cricket Academy ground on Sunday night. Scotland team set a target of 141 runs to win for the Bangladesh but they could only score 134 for 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Bowler Chris Greaves was awarded the "Man of the Match" title as he picked up two wickets as well as scoring 45 runs. Brad Wheal picked up the wickets of Nurul Hasan and Mahmud Ullah to leave Scotland in the ascendancy. Mark Watt got his first wicket of the match by sending Afif Hossain back to the pavilion. Mushfiqur Rahim was the top batsman for the Bangladesh squad but he could only add 38 runs to his team's score, which was not enough to meet the target set by the Scottish team. For Bangladesh, Mehdi Hassan took 3 wickets, while Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rehman took 2 wickets each.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Dubai (October 18, 2021):-Scotland sent shockwaves through the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a six-run win over Bangladesh and captain Kyle Coetzer explained that this is a result that has been a long time in the making. Scotland sent shockwaves through the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a six-run win over Bangladesh and captain Kyle Coetzer explained that this is a result that has been a long time in the making. The Scots booked their place at the tournament back in 2019 but have spent much of the Covid-19 pandemic having to readjust their plans as tours and matches have been postponed. That has left plenty of time for planning and despite some early struggles in Oman, it all came together as Chris Greaves inspired the team to victory that puts Scotland in a strong position in Group B. And for Coetzer, who was part of the Scotland team that beat Bangladesh back in 2012, it was also important to remember just how many sacrifices the team has had to make simply to get here. He said: “It's a huge win for us, it’s something we’ve been planning for a long time. It’s been a long two years since the qualifying tournament.  “Until a month ago we had played two games of cricket as a group so there was a lot of planning behind the scenes, a lot of guys working hard and it sometimes seemed you were working for nothing because our tours kept getting cancelled. So that was really hard for us to manage.  “But now we’re reaping the rewards of keeping the faith that this tournament would come around and we would be a better team for it when we arrive out here.  “There have been a lot of sacrifices for many players, associate cricket is very hard and to get the opportunity we do when we get out here, it’s important to take it because otherwise if you get brushed aside people don’t appreciate how hard associate cricket is. We’ve made some good strides and I’m really proud.” Batting first, Scotland found themselves in trouble as Mahedi Hasan (3/19) and Shakib Al Hasan (2/17) made inroads and reduced their opponents to 53 for six. However, Greaves hit 45 off 28 deliveries to carry the team to 140 for nine, before taking two wickets as the chase fell short with Coetzer impressed by the belief of his side, who he knows are capable of more. He added: “It’s a special feeling to beat Bangladesh. It’s not the first time we’ve beaten them but we know the strength in depth in their squad.  “I think they gave us a lesson at the start of the innings with the skill that they put on show. It took a real fighting effort today. I was saying to our guys that we’re never out of the game and always believe. We’ll be looking for a more wholesome performance next time.” Next up for Scotland is a clash with Papua New Guinea, who were well beaten by Oman in their opening game. Bangladesh, meanwhile, take on the hosts in desperate need of a win, and for skipper Mahmudullah, it was their batting that faltered in this encounter, with Mushfiqur Rahim’s dismissal for 38 proving the crucial moment in the match. He said: “I think Mushy’s (Mushfiqur) wicket was the turning point because Mushy was looking good today. Probably a set batter has to stay but I think as a batting unit, we are disappointed so it’s a concern. We need to see where we made those mistakes and try not to repeat those mistakes in the next game. “I think the bowlers were on the right track, we picked up six wickets before they had scored 60 runs but after that, they had a good partnership. I have to give credit to those batters who built the partnership for Scotland, they played better cricket than us. We were just not good enough tonight. “We’re really disappointed. On that wicket and that ground, I think 140 was very much gettable. As a batting unit, we made a lot more mistakes than the right things. So we need to see the areas where we could have done better and we need to pull our socks up and try to win the next game.”

BIPIN DANI Former South African captain Faf du Plessis will make its first appearance in the 2nd edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), it is confirmed. According to the highly placed sources in the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, he is set to play for the defending champion Jaffna Kings team, formerly known as Jaffna Stallions. Interestingly, the 37-year-old middle order batsman recently played the Indian Premier League (IPL) final and won the Player of the Match award for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team. "du Plessis has not been hired after the IPL final. He was in negotiations with the authorities much earlier but the clearance and confirmation was received on the day when he was adjudged the Player of the Match award for his 86 runs, which included 10 boundaries (7 fours and three sixes)", one of the sources, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, said on Sunday morning. "du Plessis, who has not been a member of the South Africa team in the World Cup will be the first overseas icon of the franchise team". The authorities have asked all participating teams to decide on pre-draft players and the list of the last year retained players. Jaffna team owners are likely to retain captain Thisara Perera and Thilina Kandamby as their coach. The team is likely to have few Pakistani players in overseas lists. "We are keen to retain Shoaib Malik, who has now been added to the Pakistan squad for the T-20 World Cup. His performance was good last year also", the source attached with the management, added. Jaffna Kings are also likely to retain the local players including Wanindu Hasaranga.

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (October 17, 2021):-Kashmir and Peshawar claimed victories against Islamabad by 33 runs and Gujranwala by 5 runs respectively in the ongoing PAF T20 Cricket Championship for Blind at E 9 cricket ground on Sunday. In the first match of the day, Kashmir scored 204 for 5 runs in their 20 overs innings, as Mohammad Faisal was main contributors with 81 runs. In reply hosts Islamabad could reach at score of 171 for five in 20 overs. Faisal was declared man of the match. In the second match, Peshawar posted 202 for 7 runs on the board, as the Gujranwala could score 197 for 3 runs in 20 overs per innings fixture. Haroon Khan scored 56 runs for winners while Mohammad Akram scored 120 runs for Gujranwala. Haroon got man of the match award. Monday’s Fixtures: Kashmir Vs Peshawar Islamabad Vs Gujranwala  

It will probably be his last time at this tournament as captain, so it's very important for him to make everyone believe we can do it and for us to get behind him. India fans can't wait for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to start for this reason. We have the players, we have the momentum - we just need to go out there and execute now. All of our players have just played the Indian Premier League in the UAE and they have played themselves into top form with eight or nine games in this environment. This gives India an edge on all other teams and makes them one of the big favourites to win the T20 World Cup in my opinion. The conditions in UAE are very similar to what we play India and also in Pakistan. It's a good opportunity for the Asian teams to come and play their natural game. We need to remember there are lots of other good teams in the tournament. Pakistan, Australia and England also look very good, and anything can happen in T20 cricket. For me, the key to success for India's batting lies in the top three. Rohit Sharma is a gun player - he has a brilliant record at ICC events in the past and had a great IPL. We need Rohit, KL Rahul and Virat to bat through to 15 overs and lay the platform. They can set the momentum for the India team by doing this. There are lots of electric combinations in the middle order and obviously Rishabh Pant is going to play a key role there. Hardik Pandya is also very capable as a power hitter. But if the top three are still there at that stage of the innings, there is no target that India can't chase. My experience in the IPL was that the wickets in UAE and Oman will be very, very challenging when it comes to the mystery spinners. That makes Varun Chakravarthy the main guy in the India bowling attack. He has showed he can exploit the pace of the pitches. Varun has only played three T20Is but I'm not concerned by any lack of experience. There is plenty of experience in this team, particularly in the seam attack. Bhuvneshwar Kumar in particular leads the way when it comes to experience and knowledge of how to deal with the big games. The inclusion of Shardul Thakur can also give extra strength to the fast bowlers that Virat has at his disposal. We have been waiting for this T20 World Cup for a long time. It has been a difficult two years but I think we're about to see something special in the UAE and Oman.

Sports Desk ISLAMABAD (October 16, 2021):-On the eve of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 starting in Oman and the UAE tomorrow (Sunday 17 October), cricket fans have double the reason to celebrate, with Australia’s turn to host the pinnacle global event for T20 cricket coming in just 12 months' time. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia will take place from 16 October – 13 November 2022 On the eve of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 starting in Oman and the UAE tomorrow (Sunday 17 October), cricket fans have double the reason to celebrate, with Australia’s turn to host the pinnacle global event for T20 cricket coming in just 12 months' time.    The world’s best players from 16 teams will play 45 matches around the country in what will be the biggest global sporting event to be hosted in Australia next year. It will be the first time Australia has hosted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, following on from a record-breaking women’s event in 2020 that culminated in 86,174 fans attending the final at the MCG on International Women’s Day. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Michelle Enright, said: “Hosting what will be the biggest sporting event in Australia next year has the ability to lift the nation’s spirits and the timing of the event could not be better for fans across the whole country to experience the joy of live sport again.” “We saw both at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015 and in the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020, the power of major events to unite people and communities through sport and we can’t wait to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together for a celebration of cricket and culture in exactly one year from now.” The upcoming 2021 event in Oman and the UAE will play a role in determining who joins Afghanistan, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies and hosts Australia, who have already qualified for the 2022 showpiece. These eight teams gained direct entry to the Super 12 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 by virtue of being inside the top eight on the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20 International Rankings at the cut-off prior to the postponed 2020 event. All teams who reach the Super 12 stage of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE will earn automatic qualification to the event in Australia next year. The current event qualification pathway is as follows: The 12 teams that play in the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will automatically qualify for Australia 2022. From the 12 automatic qualifiers, the winner and runner up of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 plus the next six highest ranked teams (as of November 15, 2021) will go straight through to the Super 12 stage of Australia 2022. The remaining four teams from the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will play in the First Round of Australia 2022.

AAMIR ALI JANJUA Dubai (October 16, 2021):-When it comes to the best spinner at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, it's hard to look past Tabraiz Shamsi. The South African is ranked No.1 in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings for a reason and as a left-armer, he poses a significant challenge for batters. Left-arm wrist spinners are rare in international cricket - he's very consistent, can turn the ball both ways and has tremendous control. I saw him recently in the Caribbean when South Africa played the West Indies and he was able to spin webs around the West Indian batters. I see him playing a major role for his team with the ball - he has the ability to bowl in different phases of the game, too, which is important. His captain Temba Bavuma will be able to call on him to deliver at any time in the innings and that's worth its weight in gold. In terms of other spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin is of course there for India. He has that experience; he's played for quite a long time now. Australia can bowl Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar in tandem and they have done well bowling together in the recent past. Most of the teams have quality spinners in their ranks - at least two of them, because of the conditions teams predict that they will face. They can all win games single-handedly. That said, if there's one area of the West Indies team that I'm worried about, it's the spin department. It's an area of shortcoming for them. They have the one frontline spinner, Hayden Walsh, who had an exceptional home series quite recently. He didn't have a good Caribbean Premier League and going into this tournament, his form is not the best and his confidence might not be the best. He is quality enough to do well in the tournament, but outside of him, there aren't any out-and-out spinners. Being able to take wickets throughout the innings is so important. If the power hitters like Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle and Andre Russell can get the team to over 200 runs consistently, that area of deficit can be ignored. But if we don't score those type of runs, the bowling will be found out and the spin bowling in particular. Spin was a big strength of ours when we won the tournament in 2012 and 2016. We had Sunil Narine, Sulieman Benn and myself who could all use the new ball in any game. Spin is always important and has an integral role in T20 cricket - we've seen that in previous editions of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. It's being played in the UAE and Oman, where we have traditionally come to expect slow conditions. I foresee spinners having a big impact in this tournament. We played quite a few series in Pakistan and I played in the Pakistan Super League. Because of the heat factor and the dry nature of the surfaces, you always expect spinners to do well. The slow nature of the pitches also helps with that. Spinners will do particularly well in Dubai, as well as in Sharjah, which give you more of an opportunity. They will prosper less in Abu Dhabi because in my memory there is a lot of grass on the pitch there. T20 cricket puts a lot of pressure on spinners, because you can bowl four or five good balls and still end up going for runs. When the conditions favour the spinners, there's always additional pressure and expectation that they come and win the game for the team. Spinners are always under pressure in this game, whether you're bowling in the first over or the last. It's not new for them. Samuel Badree: Shamsi the spinner to watch in T20 World Cup