Author: Shahid Hashmi

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle-order Kamran Ghulam have joined the national squad ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh, starting on 30 August in Rawalpindi.

Both players were released from the Test squad before the start of the first Test match and featured for Pakistan Shaheens in a four-day game against Bangladesh ‘A’ at the Islamabad Club from 20 to 23 August.

Abrar took four wickets, while Kamran scored 34 runs in the drawn four-day game in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has also joined the squad after returning from home. Shaheen went home after the conclusion of the first Test to meet his newborn baby boy.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Aamir Jamal, who had been released from the squad to work on his fitness at the NCA, has been recalled. Aamir’s participation in the second Test will remain subject to fitness clearance.

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Pakistan would be looking to bounce back in the second Test after suffering the first-ever defeat against Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series.

Following the defeat, several strategies came under question; such as going with an all-pace attack, declaration and batting failure in the second innings.

Pakistan, after being put into bat first, accumulated 448/6 and declared their first innings in the dying minutes of the second day. Bangladesh, in response, piled up a mammoth total of 565, courtesy of Mushfiqur Rahim’s marathon 191-run knock, before bundling out in the third session of the fourth day.

The first Test was assumed to be heading towards a draw but Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered against Bangladesh’s spinners on the final day and could score 146, setting the visitors a meagre 30-run target.

Pakistan squad for Test series against Bangladesh

Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamir Jamal (subject to fitness), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper) and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

READ: Four Pakistan players granted NOCs for CPL 2024: sources

Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is reportedly poised to assume the role of chairman at the International Cricket Council (ICC) after allegedly compelling the current head, Greg Barclay, to step down from his position.

Barclay, who hails from New Zealand, assumed the role in November 2020, however, he has recently informed ICC directors about his intention to resign.

Meanwhile, Jay Shah has repeatedly expressed his desire to take over as the ICC chairman, having claimed the support from other boards.

“ICC chair Greg Barclay has informed the board that he will not seek a third term and will vacate the position when his current tenure concludes at the end of November,” An ICC spokesperson confirmed.

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“Barclay was first appointed as the independent ICC chair in November 2020 and was re-elected in 2022.”

Nominations for the next chair of the ICC must be submitted by the current directors no later than August 27, 2024.

In the event that multiple candidates are nominated, an election will take place, and the new chair’s term will commence on December 1, 2024.

Jay Shah is currently the front-runner to become the next chairman with significant backing from strong cricket boards like Australia and England.

READ: Bangladesh cricket chief resigns amid Pakistan tour

RAWALPINDI: The toss of the much anticipated first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh will take place at 2:00 PM (PST), while the match will start at 2:30 (PST) here on Wednesday.

The start of the first day’s play was delayed due to the wet outfield owing to overnight rain in the city.

According to the revised playing conditions, 48 overs will be bowled on the first day. The tea break will be taken at 4:20 PM while the second and last session will run from 4:40 PM to 6:00 PM.

The day can be extended by 30 minutes to accommodate the completion of 48 overs.

The two-match series part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) will run from August 21 to September 4 with both matches to be played at the same venue.

Pakistan are currently ranked sixth in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25. They have played two away series in the championship, winning 2-0 against Sri Lanka and losing 3-0 to Australia.

Pakistan are scheduled to play nine Test matches this season, their busiest Test season since 1998-99.

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Seven of these Test matches will be played at home, including two against Bangladesh, three against England in October and two against West Indies in January next year.

The two away Test matches are against South Africa, which will be played in December/January.

The first Test match against Bangladesh marks Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s first international assignment since his appointment in April this year.

It will also be Shan Masood’s first Test match as captain on home soil, embarking on a new era in red-ball cricket for the team.

Pakistan Playing XI for the first Bangladesh Test: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.

Bangladesh squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Hasan Mahmud, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nahid Rana, Nayeem Hasan, Shadman Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Taijul Islam and Zakir Hasan

READ: Babar Azam set to join Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in elite list

Nazmul Hassan Papon has resigned from his post as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president amid the ongoing political turmoil in the country.

Meanwhile, former international player Faruk Ahmed has been appointed as the new president during a board meeting in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The resignation of Nazmul Hassan was widely anticipated due to the impact of student protests in the country, which eventually resulted in the downfall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina.

Nazmul was part of the Hasina-led Bangladesh Awami League and was an elected member of the Parliament.

In 2012, he assumed the position of BCB president after being nominated by the government. The following year, he was elected as the president. Since then, he has had the honour of serving as the elected president of BCB for three consecutive terms.

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Meanwhile, the Bangladesh cricket team is currently in Pakistan for a two-match Test series, which is a part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

The first Test was scheduled to kick off earlier this morning however the toss has been delayed due to a wet outfield in Rawalpindi.

The umpires found wet patches in the outfield of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium due to overnight rain.

Umpires Richard Kettleborough of England and Adrian Holdstock from South Africa will have another inspection of the ground at 11:00 am (6:00 GMT).

But the chances of play starting before lunch improved as the sun came out with clear blue skies over the stadium.

READ: Toss of first Pakistan-Bangladesh Test delayed due to wet outfield

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced a 16-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Pakistan on Sunday.

The two-match series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and will be played in Rawalpindi and Karachi from 21-25 August and 30 August-3 September, respectively.

The Bangladesh team will land in Lahore on the morning of 13 August and will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from 14-16 August.

They will travel to Islamabad on 17 August to hold practice sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 18-20 August.

Najmul Hossain Shanto will lead the Bangladesh squad, while veteran wicketkeeper batter Mushfiqur Rahim and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan are also part of the squad.

“The emphasis was on picking our best players for this version. This is a well-balanced squad. The likes of Mushfiqur [Rahim], Mominul [Haque] and Shakib [Al Hasan] have played 216 matches combined and there is no substitute for that kind of experience,” said Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the Chairman of the National Selection Panel.

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“Taijul [Islam] and Miraz [Mehidy Hasan] have been leading the spin department for a long time and have over 350 wickets between them.

“We also expect [Najmul Hossain] Shanto, Litton [Das] and the other batsmen to step up because to be competitive against Pakistan, we will need a team effort.”

Gazi Ashraf Hossain also confirmed that pace bowler Taskin Ahmed will only participate in the second Test as he is also part of the Bangladesh A squad for two four-day matches against Pakistan Shaheens.

Taskin will play both matches against the Shaheens to get into the rhythm before partaking in the second Test against Pakistan.

Bangladesh squad for Test series against Pakistan

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Zakir Hasan, Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed, Syed Khaled Ahmed

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the Bangladesh men’s cricket team will arrive early in Pakistan to prepare for the two-match Test series, scheduled to commence on August 21.

The two-match series is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and will be played in Rawalpindi and Karachi from 21-25 August and 30 August-3 September, respectively.

Originally scheduled to arrive on 17 August in Islamabad, the Bangladesh team will now land in Lahore on the morning of 13 August.

Bangladesh team will train at the Gaddafi Stadium from 14-16 August before travelling to Islamabad on 17 August to hold practice sessions at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 18-20 August.

The PCB had extended an invitation to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to send their team earlier, ensuring they have adequate and fair training opportunities ahead of the ICC World Test Championship matches.

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“Sports is not only about winning and losing, it’s also about comradery. I remain confident that the extra training sessions in Lahore will allow the players to showcase their best skills and talent on the global stage,” said PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer.

“We are delighted that the BCB have accepted our offer and we look forward to welcoming the Bangladesh men’s cricket team in Lahore on 13 August with our traditional hospitality. This will allow them to have three additional days of training and practice at one of our iconic venues before proceeding to Islamabad as originally planned,” he added.

BCB Chief Executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury thanked the PCB for providing their national team with an ample opportunity to train adequately for the upcoming series.

“We thank the PCB for giving the Bangladesh cricket team the opportunity to have additional training in Pakistan. This will certainly help the players to acclimate to the conditions and prepare better for the ICC World Test Championship series.”

This will be Bangladesh’s first tour of Pakistan since 2020 when they played three T20Is in Lahore and one-off Test in Rawalpindi. Bangladesh also played two ACC Asia Cup 2023 matches in Lahore against Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Bangladesh is one of the seven sides that will feature in next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan. The other six sides are Afghanistan, Australia, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

READ: Arshad Nadeem reaches Istanbul on his way back to Pakistan

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, July 17th, revealed the global winners in the ICC Development Awards 2023, with six emerging nations honoured for a range of groundbreaking initiatives and outstanding performances during the last calendar year.

Launched in 2002, the ICC Development Awards casts light on the world-leading work being carried out in ICC Associate Member countries to grow the game globally, whether through innovative development programmes or through inspiring efforts on the field of play.

Mexico Cricket Association were awarded the ICC Development Initiative of the Year prize for pioneering projects which included sending a team to the Street Child Cricket World Cup in India, and for their unique Cricket in Prisons programme, in which they deliver cricket sessions in prisons across Mexico City to enhance the rehabilitation and transformation of the lives of inmates.

Oman Cricket claimed the 100% Cricket Female Cricket Initiative of the Year for the Cricket4Her programme, which provides unique participation opportunities for women and girls and a valuable pathway through to competitive cricket.

The ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance of the Year prize was awarded to the Netherlands for their heroic efforts in qualifying and competing at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India, while the UAE won the Associate Member Women’s Performance of the Year award after an impressive unbeaten spell which saw them triumph at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Asia Qualifier in Malaysia.

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Rounding off the winners were the Cricket Association of Nepal, who clinched the ICC Digital Fan Engagement of the Year following substantial growth on their social channels, and Cricket Scotland. who were victorious in the Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative of the Year category, honouring their groundbreaking partnership with Breaking Boundaries, a local Scottish charity, to transform the lives of young, disadvantaged and underrepresented people in the country.

This year’s winners were identified from a long list of regional awardees announced back in April, and were determined by an esteemed panel comprising ICC Full Member executives, former international cricketers, and ICC global partners.

ICC General Manager – Development, William Glenwright: “The ICC Development Awards has a long-standing history of recognising the groundbreaking work being done by ICC Members to grow the game in emerging nations.

“Each year this project highlights some inspiring and remarkable stories and this year is no exception, with passion and innovation at the forefront of these successful initiatives. As well as delivering on the objectives outlined in the ICC’s Global Strategy, it is always heartening to be reminded that our sport has the power to drive positive social change, and these projects are testament to that. It’s a time for us to reflect on the contribution of so many – particularly the volunteers – who are working so hard to make cricket more accessible to millions around the world.

“We are delighted to unveil the list of 2023 global winners, and alongside the regional winners
announced earlier in the year, we wish to congratulate everyone on their success. We look forward to seeing these programmes continue to flourish in 2024 and beyond.”

The ICC Development Awards Panel:

Diana Puketapu-Lyndon (Chair of New Zealand Cricket), Julia Price (ICC Master Educator), Leshia Hawkins (Managing Director, Recreation Game at England and Wales Cricket Board), Sarah Fane (Director at MCC Foundation), Johnny Grave (CEO of Cricket West Indies), Shakera Selman (former West Indies international cricketer), Pholetsi Moseki (CEO of Cricket South Africa), Ed Rainsford (former Zimbabwe international cricketer and broadcaster), Mirwaiz Ashraf (CEO at Afghanistan Cricket Board), Mona Parthsarathi (Press Trust of India), Cynthia McCaffrey (UNICEF India Representative) and Arnab Roy (VP and Head of Marketing at Coca Cola India and South-West Asia).

ICC Development Awards 2023 Global Winners

ICC Development Initiative Of The Year – Mexico Cricket Association
100% Female Cricket Initiative Of The Year – Oman Cricket
ICC Associate Member Men’s Performance Of The Year – Netherlands
ICC Associate Member Women’s Performance Of The Year – UAE
ICC Digital Fan Engagement Of The Year – Cricket Association of Nepal
Cricket 4 Good Social Impact Initiative Of The Year – Cricket Scotland

READ: Historic Britain’s cricket clubs ban players from hitting sixes

Former cricketers Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq have been expelled from the seven-member Pakistan Men’s Cricket Selection Committee, sources claimed.

The shakeup in the national men’s team’s selection committee is a part of the “major surgery”, hinted at by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

With Wahab Riaz and Abdul Razzaq’s expulsion, the selection committee now features Asad Shafique and Mohammad Yousuf, who, are most likely to lose their positions too as the formation of the new selection committee is on the cards.

Following Pakistan’s two consecutive defeats in the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, PCB Chairman Naqvi hinted at a major surgery in the team.

Addressing a press conference in New York on June 10, after Pakistan’s gut-wrenching defeat to India, Naqvi said the defeat was disappointing in every way.

“It seemed that a minor surgery would suffice for the Pakistan cricket team, but after the extremely poor performance, it has become clear that the team needs major surgery,” the PCB chairman said.

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He went on to add that he was well aware of what was happening within the team and the reasons for the defeat.

The PCB Chairman mentioned that Pakistani cricket is currently at its lowest performance level. Our biggest challenge is to improve the team’s performance.

“The nation will soon see a major surgery taking place. We have to prepare the team for the Champions Trophy, and it is time to give opportunities to the talent sitting outside,” stated the PCB chief.

Earlier today, Mohsin Naqvi met white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, and assistant coach Azhar Mahmood. He also held a meeting with the former and current cricketers to discuss the future of cricket.

READ: Aamer Jamal’s stint with Warwickshire cut short due to injury

The schedule of the two-match Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh has been unveiled on Thursday, according to sources.

The sources revealed that the Bangladesh cricket team will touch down in Pakistan on August  17, while the first Test match will commence on August 21.

The second match of the two-match series will be played from August 30 to September 03.

It is pertinent to mention here that the two-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is part of the ICC Test Championship 2023-2025.

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Moreover, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi, while speaking to the media in Lahore today, confirmed that the iconic Gaddafi Stadium will not be hosting any match in the upcoming series due to its upgradation.

Consequently, the series will be played in two of these three cities – Multan, Karachi and Rawalpindi.

Pakistan and Bangladesh have squared off in 13 matches since their first meeting in Test cricket during the Asian Test Championship in 2001.

The Green Shirts boast an undefeated record against Bangladesh, securing 12 victories out of 13 games, while one match ended in a draw.

READ: ICC unveils nominees for Player of the Month awards for June

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced details of the pre-season fitness and fielding camp and Pakistan Shaheens’ tour to Darwin under the supervision of red-ball coach Jason Gillespie.

The pre-season camp, which will be attended by 25 cricketers, will take place from 24 June to 7 July. The squad will be trimmed to 15-member Pakistan Shaheens squad that will undergo a training camp from 8-13 July to prepare for their tour to Darwin.

In Darwin, Pakistan Shaheens will play two four-day matches against Bangladesh ‘A’, two 50-over matches against Northern Territory and Bangladesh, and also participate in the nine-team Top End T20 Series.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie will supervise the Pakistan Shaheens’ training camp from 8-13 July and will also travel to Darwin as the team’s head coach.

He will return to Pakistan after the second four-day match against Bangladesh ‘A’, which finishes on 29 July, to assume responsibilities as the national side’s head coach and commence preparations for the two-Test series against Bangladesh.

The pre-season fitness and fielding camp will be supervised by Mohammad Masroor, who will also travel to Darwin as Assistant Coach-cum-Manager.

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Abdul Rehman will be the white-ball head coach and will join the Pakistan Shaheens side on 28 July for the two 50-over and Top End T20 Series matches from 4-18 August.

National team players presently involved in competitive cricket in the United Kingdom and those who recently participated in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 have been exempted from the pre-season fitness and fielding camp.

Following are the players invited by the national selection committee for the pre-season fitness and fielding camp as well as the Pakistan Shaheen squad:

Players for pre-season fitness and fielding camp – Abdullah Shafique, Faisal Akram, Haseebullah, Hunain Shah, Imam-ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Sameen Gul, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir, Umar Amin, Usman Qadir and Zahid Mahmood. One more player will be added to the camp next week

Pakistan Shaheens – Haseebullah, Hunain Shah, Kamran Ghulam, Kashif Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tayyab Tahir and Umar Amin. Captain and one more player will be confirmed in due course

Player Support Personnel – Jason Gillespie (head coach for red-ball matches, will also supervise camp from 8-13 July), Abdul Rehman (head coach for white-ball matches and will join the side on 28 July), Mohammad Masroor (Assistant coach-cum-manager and camp commandant from 24 June-7 July), Mohammad Asad (physiotherapist), Imranullah (trainer) and Usman Hashmi (analyst).

ABOUT THE DARWIN TOUR:

This is the second successive year Pakistan Shaheens will feature in the Darwin series.

Last year, Pakistan Shaheens participated in the six-team Top End T20 Series, which was followed by 50-over matches against Papua New Guinea (PNG) and NT Strike. NT Strike had defeated Shaheens in the Top End T20 Series final by 46 runs, while in the 50-over matches, Pakistan Shaheens beat PNG by 224 runs and Northern Strike by 84 runs.

The two four-dayers are part of bilateral series fixtures, which Northern Territory Cricket (NTC) are hosting on behalf of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). The PCB is scheduled to host Bangladesh A at home in August.

PCB Director International Cricket, Usman Wahla:

“I am grateful to Northern Territory for inviting the Pakistan Shaheens for the second successive year. Last year, the players had a memorable experience and enjoyed playing and performing in excellent playing conditions, in front of enthusiastic cricket fans.

“This year we have added red-ball cricket matches to give more exposure to our cricketers and I am confident the players will benefit from this tour and will return as better cricketers.”

Schedule (all matches in Darwin)

14 Jul – Arrival in Darwin
19-22 Jul – Four-day vs Bangladesh ‘A’
26-29 Jul – Four-day vs Bangladesh ‘A’
4 Aug – 50-over match vs Northern Territory (NT)
6 Aug – 50 over match vs Bangladesh ‘A’
9-18 Aug – nine-team Top End T20 Series

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