Author: ali.hassan

Australia’s left-handed opener Usman Khawaja shared his opinion on Babar Azam’s future as Pakistan’s white-ball captain after the former champions’ dismal run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Khawaja, while addressing the media, at an event in Melbourne on Monday, threw his weight behind Babar to continue leading the Green Shirts in white-ball cricket.

“It’s Babar Azam’s decision to captain, if he can, he should,” stated Usman Khawaja.

The Pakistan-born Australian cricketer also pointed out the lack of stability in Pakistan Cricket, stating such uncertainty makes it difficult for the players to perform.

“When I look from the outside, changes are constant in the Pakistan cricket. Selection committee, staff and players keep changing,” said Khawaja.

“Such a situation is difficult because stability is very important. When there is no stability, it is difficult for players to perform. Pakistan cricket team never sees stability,” he added.

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It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam has been under hot water following the national men’s team’s early exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan had a disastrous start to their campaign as they suffered a shock loss against the co-host United States of America (USA) after a Super Over.

The 2009 champions then succumbed to a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India at a jam-packed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on June 9.

The back-to-back defeats put Pakistan on the verge of an early exit and despite their victories over Canada and Ireland, they failed to reach the Super Eights stage.

READ: PCB makes major decision to prioritize domestic cricket

LEEDS: Fast bowler Hasan Ali has been released from the Pakistan squad ahead of the first T20I against England on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s team management has decided to release Hasan Ali to continue his commitments in county cricket with Warwickshire County Cricket Club.

He was selected in the Pakistan squad for the Ireland and England series as an injury cover for fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was nursing a shoulder injury.

Notably, Pakistan’s white-ball skipper Babar Azam provided an update regarding Rauf’s fitness yesterday and revealed that the right-arm speedster is completely fit.

“We’ve received clearance for Haris Rauf. He’s available for this series. So, by the will of Almighty Allah, he will surely be seen in action in the series.”

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Rauf did not play any part during the Ireland series owing to his nursing injury, while Ali featured in one game.

Pakistan defeated Ireland 2-1 in the three-match T20I series before reaching England to play the four-match series against the defending T20 World champions.

The T20I series between Pakistan and England, scheduled to run from May 22 to 30, will serve as a warm-up for both teams heading into the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 as the previous edition’s finalists will skip the warm-up matches for this year’s mega event.

Pakistan squad:

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.

England squad:

Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Reece Topley.

Pak vs Eng T20I series schedule:

1st T20I: Wed, May 22nd
2nd T20I: Sat, May 25th
3rd T20I: Tue, May 28th
4th T20I: Thu, May 30th

READ: Arshad Nadeem resumes training for Paris Olympics

Cricket Australia (CA) has announced plans to set up dedicated Pakistan fan zones for the upcoming white-ball series scheduled in November.

The five venues in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and Adelaide will feature fan zones designated for Pakistani fans.

This exciting initiative aligns with CA’s Multicultural Action Plan, aiming to foster inclusivity and provide brilliant experiences for cricket fans from diverse backgrounds.

CA will set up designated seating areas for Pakistan fans, where they can comfortably watch the high-intensity action while enjoying halal food, and desi cuisines. Pakistan fan zones will also have designated prayer areas for fans.

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The details of ticket sales for the fan zones will be announced soon, encouraging Pakistani fans to seize the chance to enjoy the high-action series in a vibrant atmosphere.

For the unversed, CA has recently announced a similar initiative to create fan zones for the Indian audience at all venues during the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series later this year.

Pakistan and Australia will play a three-match ODI series, starting on November 4 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), followed by three T20Is from November 14.

Pakistan last played a T20I in Australia in 2022 during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.

Series schedule:

4 November: 1st ODI, MCG, Melbourne (D/N)

8 November: 2nd ODI, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (D/N)

10 November: 3rd ODI, Perth Stadium, Perth (D/N)

14 November: 1st T20I, The Gabba, Brisbane (N)

16 November: 2nd T20I, SCG, Sydney (N)

18 November: 3rd T20I, Bellerive Oval, Hobart (N)

READ: Pakistan to skip warm-up matches for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

Cricket Australia (CA) on Tuesday announced the plan to create dedicated fan zones for the Indian audience at all venues during the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar series later this year.

The five venues in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide will have dedicated seating areas for Indian fans.

The plan to establish fan zones aligns with Cricket Australia’s Multicultural Action Plan, aiming to create an inclusive environment for Indian cricket fans.

CA will soon announce details of ticket sales for the fan zones, encouraging Indian fans to seize the chance to enjoy the high-action series in the vibrant atmosphere.

Fans will be allowed to bring traditional musical instruments such as the Dhol in the fan zones.

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CA took a similar initiative last year during Pakistan’s tour of Australia, setting up a dedicated space for Pakistan cricket fans labelled as the ‘Pakistan Bay’ in Perth Stadium for the first Test match.

‘Pakistan Bay’ consisted of two stands surrounding the Pakistan team’s dressing room. Pakistani tea, halal food, and desi cuisines were also available for Pakistan cricket fans.

The Border-Gavaskar series will kick off on 22 November in Perth, followed by the Day-Night Test in Adelaide on 6 December.

The Gabba in Brisbane will host the third Test, while the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the Boxing Day Test.

The series will conclude in Sydney with the Pink Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)

READ: Bangladesh announce squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

BIRMINGHAM: The Pakistan women’s team is set to depart for Northampton from here at 12:30 local time on Sunday ahead of the second T20I against England, scheduled on 17 May.

They will take a day off on 13 May (tomorrow) before hitting the nets on May 14 for a three-day training session at the County Ground in Northampton.

The training session on May 14 will take place from 10:00 to 13:00 local time, while the May 15 and 16 sessions will run from 14:00 to 17:00 local time.

Notably, England are currently leading the three-match T20I series 1-0 after defeating Pakistan by 53 runs in the first match on Saturday.

The second T20I will be played at the County Ground in Northampton, starting at 18:30 local time on May 17. Meanwhile, the last match will be played in Leeds on May 19.

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Pakistan will then take on England in a three-match ODI series, part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25, scheduled to be played from 23 to 29 May in Derby, Taunton and Chelmsford.

Pakistan women squad: Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

England women T20I squad: Heather Knight (Captain), Alice Capsey, Amy Jones, Bess Heath, Charlie Dean, Danielle Gibson, Danielle Wyatt, Freya Kemp, Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, Maia Bouchier, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sarah Glenn and Sophie Ecclestone

Tour schedule:

17 May – 2^nd T20I, Northampton
19 May – 3^rd T20I, Leeds

21 May – One-Day warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Northampton

23 May – 1^st ODI, Derby
26 May – 2^nd ODI, Taunton
29 May – 3^rd ODI, Chelmsford

READ: Sikandar Raza helps Zimbabwe avoid whitewash against Bangladesh

LEICESTER: Pakistan women’s team participated in the training session on the third day at Uptonsteel County Cricket Ground here on Wednesday for the white-ball series against England.

The players will participate in the robust training session until 1 PM local time, before the first practice match.

Pakistan women’s team will play a warm-up match against England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Development XI on May 9, starting at 11 AM local time.

The team will then leave for Birmingham, where they will play the first match of the three-match T20I series against England on May 11.

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The second T20 match of the series will be played on May 17, while the third and final match will be played on May 19, followed by the ODI series, starting from May 23.

Notably, the ODIs in the series are part of ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and this will be Pakistan’s eighth and final series in the current event cycle.

Pakistan are currently sitting in fifth position with 16 points in the 10-team ICC Women Championship 2022-25 standings.

The top five teams from this championship, along with hosts India, will directly qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Pakistan women squad for England tour

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Player support personnel: Nahida Khan (manager), Mauhtashim Rasheed (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Hina Munawar (chief security officer)

Tour Schedule

9 May – T20 warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Uptonsteel County Ground (11.00 am local time)

11 May – 1st T20I, Birmingham (2.30 pm local time)

17 May – 2nd T20I, Northampton (6.30 pm local time)

19 May – 3rd T20I, Leeds (1.00 pm local time)

21 May – One-Day warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Northampton (11.00 am local time)

23 May – 1st ODI, Derby (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 May – 2nd ODI, Taunton (11.00 am local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

29 May – 3rd ODI, Chelmsford (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

READ: Papua New Guinea announce squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2024

Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani on Sunday scaled the 8,485 meters Mount Makalu, one of the world’s highest mountains, becoming the first woman in the country’s history to summit 11 peaks above 8,000 metres.

Kiani added another feather to her cap as she climbed Mount Makalu throughout Saturday night to summit the world’s fifth highest peak in the world in the morning at 8,485 metres at around 8:50 am (PST).

“After a challenging climb through the night, Naila has achieved another historic milestone by successfully summiting Makalu, the fifth highest peak in the world at 8,485 meters, today [Sunday] at approximately 9:35 am Nepal local time [8:50 am Pakistan time],” Karrar Haidri, the secretary of Alpine Club of Pakistan, said in a statement.

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“This latest success highlights her exceptional endurance and determination. She now holds the record as the fastest Pakistani, both male and female, to have summited 11 of the 8,000-meter peaks, accomplished in under three years.”

Notably, in 2023 Naila Kiani became the second female mountaineer from Pakistan to summit Everest after Samina Baig, who did so in 2013 at the age of 23.

It is worth mentioning here that Naila is a banker by profession based in Dubai, an amateur boxer and a mother of two kids.

She first gained prominence after images of her wedding shoot at K2 Basecamp in 2018 circulated on social media.

READ: Pakistan women’s squad reaches England for white-ball series

Pakistan women’s cricket team touched down at Heathrow Airport, London on Sunday via Dubai to play white-ball series against England.

The national team departed from Karachi earlier today for the series, featuring three T20Is and three ODIs.

Pakistan’s women’s team and management were welcomed by Dr. Muhammad Faisal, the High Commissioner of Pakistan in England.

The squad will leave for Leicester shortly to play a warm-up match against ECB Development XI on 9 May. The first T20I will be played on 11 May in Birmingham.

Notably, the ODIs in the series are part of ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and this will be Pakistan’s eighth and final series in the current event cycle.

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Pakistan are currently sitting in fifth position with 16 points in the 10-team ICC Women Championship 2022-25 standings.

The top five teams from this championship, along with hosts India, will directly qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Pakistan women squad for England tour

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Player support personnel: Nahida Khan (manager), Mauhtashim Rasheed (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Hina Munawar (chief security officer)

Tour Schedule

9 May – T20 warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Uptonsteel County Ground (11.00 am local time)

11 May – 1st T20I, Birmingham (2.30 pm local time)

17 May – 2nd T20I, Northampton (6.30 pm local time)

19 May – 3rd T20I, Leeds (1.00 pm local time)

21 May – One-Day warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Northampton (11.00 am local time)

23 May – 1st ODI, Derby (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 May – 2nd ODI, Taunton (11.00 am local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

29 May – 3rd ODI, Chelmsford (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

READ: Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Pakistan register crushing win over South Korea

KARACHI: The newly-appointed seven-member women’s national selection committee on Wednesday announced a 17-player squad for Pakistan women’s upcoming tour of England.

Nida Dar will continue to lead the side, which will feature in three T20Is from 11-17 May and three ODIs from 23-29 May.

The ODIs are part of ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and this will be Pakistan’s eighth and final series in the current event cycle.

Pakistan are currently sitting in fifth position with 16 points in the 10-team ICC Women Championship 2022-25 standings.

The top five teams from this championship, along with hosts India, will directly qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

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In addition to the six white-ball international matches, the tourists will also play two warm-up games (T20 and One-Day) against ECB Development XI on 9 and 21 May during their first England tour since 2016.

Pakistan women squad for England tour

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Player support personnel: Nahida Khan (manager), Mauhtashim Rasheed (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Hina Munawar (chief security officer)

Tour Schedule

9 May – T20 warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Uptonsteel County Ground (11.00 am local time)

11 May – 1st T20I, Birmingham (2.30 pm local time)

17 May – 2nd T20I, Northampton (6.30 pm local time)

19 May – 3rd T20I, Leeds (1.00 pm local time)

21 May – One-Day warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Northampton (11.00 am local time)

23 May – 1st ODI, Derby (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 May – 2nd ODI, Taunton (11.00 am local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

29 May – 3rd ODI, Chelmsford (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

READ: Steve Smith axed as Australia name T20 World Cup 2024 squad

KARACHI: The trophy for the five-match T20I series between Pakistan and West Indies women was unveiled here at National Bank Stadium on Thursday.

The glittering trophy was unveiled by Pakistan captain Nida Dar and her West Indies counterpart Hayley Matthews ahead of their pre-series press conference.

The T20I matches are scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, with the toss taking place at 7:00 pm. The second T20I will take place on 28 April, while the third T20I will commence on 30 April.

The fourth and fifth T20Is are scheduled for 2 and 3 May, respectively.

Pakistan captain Dar acknowledged that the national team is “disappointed” with the outcome of the ODI series but expressed her hope to rectify the errors and continue their winning streak against West Indies in the shortest format.

“We are obviously disappointed with the performances in the ODI series and our goal is to rectify our mistakes and put up a strong performance in the upcoming T20I series,” stated Dar.

“As a team, we understand the importance of this series, especially in a World Cup year. In recent times, we have shown good results in the shortest format by winning T20I series against South Africa and New Zealand, and we would like to continue the winning streak against the West Indies as well,” she added.

West Indies captain Matthews, on the other hand, was eager that the touring side would carry their form in the T20I series.

“The squad and management are delighted with the results in the ODI series and we are eager to continue this in the T20I series. We all know that Pakistan are a competitive side in the T20I format, considering their bowling strength, as well as a number of match winning players in the format.

“I am satisfied with my all-round performance in the ODI series, and will try to carry this form into the T20I series to help the team win matches.”

Pakistan Women T20I squad: Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani.

West Indies Women’s white-ball squad: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Chedean Nation, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Jannillea Glasgow, Karishma Ramharack, Kate Wilmott, Qiana Joseph, Rashada Williams, Shamilia Connell, Stafanie Taylor and Zaida James.

READ: New Zealand edge Pakistan to take unassailable lead