Author: Shahid Hashmi

The Asian Cricket Council meeting in Bahrain ended inconclusively with the decision to give final nods to Pakistan to host Asia Cup 2023 has been delayed till the Council’s next meeting in March. 

The uncertainty around the 2023 Asia Cup began in October last year when the ACC president, and BCCI secretary, Jay Shah refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan and has since been trying to shift the tournament to a neutral venue.

An emergency meeting of the Asian Cricket Council was held in Bahrain on Saturday which was also attended by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Chairman Najam Sethi.

No breakthrough was reached during the meeting regarding the fate of the Men’s ODI Asia Cup venue. scheduled in September this year.

“The ACC had a constructive dialogue on the upcoming Asia Cup 2023. The Board agreed to continue discussions on operations, timelines and any other specifics with a view to ensure the success of the tournament. An update on the matter would be taken on the next ACC Executive Board meeting to be held in March 2023,” said the ACC statement following the meeting.

According to the sources, Pakistan took a firm stance in the meeting with respect to its hosting right of Asia Cup 2023 while the Indian board was insistent on shifting the venue to UAE.

KARACHI: Uncapped Usama Mir is set to make his maiden appearance for the Green Shirts in the first One-Day international against New Zealand on Monday (today). 

Usama, 27, will receive the ODI cap today in the series opener at National Bank Cricket Arena as he becomes the 239th player to represent Pakistan in the format.

Wrist spinner Usama was named in the squad after producing stellar performances in the recently-concluded Pakistan Cup where he took 28 wickets to finish as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.

The three-match series against Blackcaps gives Pakistan an opportunity to dethrone the visitors and secure the top position in the ODI rankings.

The Green Shirts are currently fifth on the list with 107 rating points. If Pakistan clean sweep the series, they will jump to the number one spot with 114 rating points.

With one eye on this year’s 50-over ACC Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, the Babar-led side will look to extend its unbeaten run in the 50-over format during the upcoming home assignment.

Men in Green won all three series they played last year. They beat Australia and the West Indies at home, before a 3-0 triumph in the Netherlands. The Green Shirts whitewashed the opponents in the last two series, maintaining a fabulous streak of eight straight ODI wins.

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KARACHI: New Zealand made a last-minute change to their ODI squad ahead of the series opener against Pakistan, today, after fast bowler Matt Henry was ruled out of the side after picking an abdominal injury. 

All-rounder Doug Bracewell received a late call-up to the Black Caps white-ball squad for ODIs in Pakistan and India as a replacement to Henry, who sustained the injury during the second Test against Pakistan.

The 32-year-old Bracewell is set to make his first appearance for the New Zealand side since April 2021 against the Netherlands.

“Matt has been one of the leaders of our ODI attack for a number of years and I know he’s disappointed to be missing out because of injury.” Kiwis head coach Gary Stead said.

“With important home series coming up, it’s vital he has time to recover properly over the coming weeks.”

New Zealand coach believed Bracewell would add experience to the side since he was familiar with the subcontinent conditions.

“Doug is a quality bowler with a lot of experience and we feel his skills best compliment the bowling mix we already have in the squads for Pakistan and India.He has experience across all three formats at international level, has experience in the subcontinent, and has already shown his range of skills this season.” Stead said.

It is pertinent to mention here that New Zealand will play three-match ODI series against Pakistan, commencing today, with the second and the final matches on January 11 and 13, respectively.

ODI Squads: 

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir

New Zealand: Kane Williamson (c), Tom Latham, Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Doug Bracewell, Blair Tickner, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Tayyab Tahir and Usama Mir

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KARACHI: After Pakistan’s dismal 0-3 series whitewash against England, skipper Babar Azam has taken complete responsibility for the disappointing results, saying as a captain he will be at the forefront to defend the team.

Speaking at a press conference after England sealed a comprehensive eight-wicket win in the final Test on Monday, Babar said his side lacked experience players, especially the injuries to their bowling mainstays remained a major blow for the team.

“We played some good cricket in patches, but overall we could not finish the games properly,” he said. “And we too are very disappointed over the results and the series loss”

Babar added that his team perceived batting as their strength since their key bowlers were unfit but losing back-to-back wickets on several instances proved costly for the team and caused the defeats.

“Pitches were equal for both teams. We’ve to give credit to the English team for the way they played and utilized the conditions” he added.

Pakistan captain expressed that the team is in the building phase and he could not change things drastically in a week or two.

“We’ve to build the team,” he said.”We have to back the new players and give them proper chances and some time,”

Talking about his captaincy, Babar dispelled the impression there was any additional burden on him due to the role, saying: “I enjoy the captaincy and try my best to do whatever I can for the team.”

Moreover, the Pakistan captain also put his weight behind team management and said they had vast experience and services for the team.

“Their job is to share their experience and plans with us, in the end as players it is our responsibility to execute those plans,” he added.

READ: England beat Pakistan in final Test to complete 3-0 series whitewash

 

 

MULTAN: Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq was taken to a local hospital here for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans on Sunday.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Imam “felt unease in his right hamstring” during the ongoing third Test.

Following Imam’s absence, wicket-keeper batted Mohammad Rizwan opened the innings for Pakistan with Abdullah Shafique.

Meanwhile, in the first session of Day 3, England bundled out for 275 and managed to set a decent 355-run target for the hosts.

Left-handed batter Harry Brook led the way for the touring side as he brought up his second Test century to power England to set a commendable total for Pakistan.

He top-scored with a magnificent 108 off 149 deliveries, laced with 14 boundaries and a six.

READ: Rizwan, Abdullah script decent start to Pakistan’s run chase 

MULTAN: The participation of fast bowler Naseem Shah in the second Test between Pakistan and England is under doubt due to shoulder discomfort. 

According to the sources, the right-arm speedster has reported pain in his right shoulder which could possibly lead to his exclusion from the Multan Test starting tomorrow.

With Haris Rauf ruled out of the remainder of the Test series due to a quad injury, Naseem’s possible absence in the second Test appears to be a major blow to the Babar Azam-led side who are already 1-0 down in the series.

Skipper Babar, however, made no mention of Naseem’s fitness concerns during his press conference held earlier in the afternoon.

Talking about the team’s playing XI for the upcoming Test, he confirmed that the team had been almost finalized and would soon be revealed once the deliberations on one final change reached the conclusion.

“We just have to decide whether we should go with Faheem Ashraf or Mohammad Wasim Jnr,” he stated.

It is important to note here that any official confirmation from the Pakistan Cricket Board on this matter is still awaited.

Meanwhile, England skipper Ben Stokes revealed his playing lineup for the Multan Test which included spearhead pacer Mark Wood in place of injured Liam Livingstone while the rest of the English side would remain unchanged.

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MULTAN: Despite severe backlash on the team’s defensive mindset, Pakistan captain Babar Azam denied bringing any drastic changes to the team’s long-held planning just to compete with England’s attacking approach.

Speaking at a scheduled press conference ahead of the second Test starting tomorrow in Multan, the Pakistan skipper admitted that the opposition had brought a very different and unique approach to Test cricket.

“They (England) have come with their own unique style and one cannot change the entire game plan after just one game,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“We’ll try to play according to the situation. It’s not like you change your game (plan) at once and try to compete with the opposition’s way of playing.”

He added that they need to stick to their own game plan and mindset with clarity and proper execution.

Talking about the team’s playing XI for the upcoming Test, Babar confirmed that the team had been almost finalized and would soon be revealed once the deliberations on one final change reached the conclusion.

“We just have to decide whether we should go with Faheem Ashraf or Mohammad Wasim Jnr,” he stated.

The national side went with three fast bowlers and one genuine spinner in the Rawalpindi but the injury to one of its pacers, Haris Rauf, will possibly translate into the inclusion of uncapped Wasim or all-rounder Faheem to the playing lineup.

The Pakistan skipper, moreover, has hoped that they will not repeat the same mistakes that cost them a 74-run defeat in the first Test, saying they are confident to make a comeback in the series and the World Test Championship.

“It was our mistake that we didn’t keep the World Test championship in mind while planning for the previous game,” he said.

“Our complete focus is now on the next game. We have made comebacks in the past and can do the same in the future as well.”

Furthermore, Babar maintained that he did not have to prove anything regarding his credentials as a player to anyone.

“I am not bothered about what people say about me. My only aim is to help Pakistan win with my performance,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan are currently trailing the three-match series by 0-1 after they failed to chase 343 runs on a batting surface following England’s bold declaration in the opening Test.

READ: PAK v ENG: Speedster Wood to replace Livingstone for Multan Test

MULTAN: England’s fiery pacer Mark Wood will replace injured Liam Livingstone in the second Test against Pakistan, commencing on Friday at Multan International Stadium. 

England captain Ben Stokes on Thursday confirmed the inclusion of the right-arm pacer into the team, saying he would add to their abilities to take 20 wickets.

“Having someone in the squad who can bowl at 150 km per hour is a great bonus for any team,” he said on Tuesday in a scheduled press conference ahead of the Multan Test.

The spearhead pacer missed the opening Test due to fitness concerns as he was recovering from a hip injury he sustained during England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign. But Stokes has now confirmed that he is fully fit to play the second Test starting tomorrow.

England are leading the historic three-match series against Pakistan, the first in 17 years on the latter’s home soil, by 1-0 after their sensational win in the first Test by 74 runs in Rawalpindi.

MULTAN: Fast bowler Hasan Ali is likely to make a surprise return to the national Test squad for the remainder of the home Test series against England as a replacement for injured Haris Rauf, who was ruled out after sustaining an injury in the first Test. 

According to the sources, deliberations are underway to call upon the pacer Hasan for the Multan and Karachi Test after he was initially dropped from the 18-member squad announced for the series.

The team did not have too many fast-bowling options in their reserves as uncapped Muhammad Wasim Jnr will become an automatic choice to play the Multan Test unless a replacement is called if Pakistan opt to go with three genuine pacers as in the previous Test.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that right-arm speedster Haris had been unable to recover from the injury he sustained on the opening day of the Rawalpindi Test and would fly to Lahore to start his rehabilitation at the National High Performace centre.

Although his form has witnessed a dip in recent years that forced his exclusion from both red-ball and white-ball squads, Hasan has valuable experience playing for Pakistan in 21 Tests in which he took 77 wickets at a brilliant average of 24.57. He was also named Pakistan’s Test Cricketer of the year for 2021.

It is worth mentioning here that the home side is currently trailing the historic three-match series 0-1 after England sealed a sensational win in the opening Test.

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RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s right-arm speedster Haris Rauf has been ruled out of the ongoing historic home Test series against England due to an injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday.

According to the details, the right-arm pacer had been unable to recover from the injury he sustained on the opening day of the recently-concluded Rawalpindi Test.

Haris rolled over the ball in a fielding attempt on the first day of the match and felt discomfort in his right quad. The fast bowler underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and the subsequent assessment by the PCB medical staff concluded that the fast bowler suffered a grade-II strain.

Haris will now travel to Lahore where he will begin his rehabilitation at the National High Performance Centre (NHPC).

It is pertinent to mention that following England captain Ben Stokes’ brave declaration, the bowlers’ brilliance powered the touring side to claim a scintillating victory over Pakistan in the first Test.

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