Author: shahzad.malik

The Pakistan men’s cricket team will kick off their training camp on 2 October for the upcoming first Test against England, which will be played in Multan from 7 October.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will hold a pre-series press conference at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on 30 September (tomorrow).

Following that, Pakistan’s Test squad will assemble in Multan on 1 October where they will hold training sessions from 2 October. The first session will be held from 12:00 PM, where players will undergo rigorous batting, bowling and fielding training.

Meanwhile, the England men’s cricket team will arrive in the wee hours of 2 October. The visiting team will take a day’s rest before hitting the nets on 4 October to prepare for the three-match Test series.

The training camps of both teams will end on 6 October.

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The three-match series between Pakistan and England will run from October 7 to 28 and is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

It’s worth noting that the second Test, which was originally planned at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 15-19 October, will now be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The match has been shifted as the National Bank Stadium is undergoing a major facelift for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The remaining two Tests will be played as originally planned, i.e. 7-11 October in Multan and 24-28 October in Rawalpindi.

Squads:

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

England: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

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Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf resigned from his role as a member of the national selection committee on Sunday, as confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The 50-year-old took to social media on Sunday to share the news, citing personal reasons for his decision.

“I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team due to personal reasons. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket,” Mohammad Yousuf said in his post on X.

“I have immense faith in the talent and spirit of our players, and wish our team all the best as they continue to strive for greatness,” he added.

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The cricket board later confirmed Yousuf’s resignation through a press release on their website.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced that Mohammad Yousuf has voluntarily stepped down from his role as a member of the national selection committee to focus on other key responsibilities within the cricket board,” the PCB’s press release stated.

“The PCB expresses its sincere gratitude to Mohammad Yousuf for his invaluable contributions during his tenure as a selection committee member. Yousuf will continue to play a pivotal role at the PCB, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience as the batting coach at the High-Performance Centre.”

Yousuf was the head coach of the Pakistan U19 side that finished third in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa.

The former legend, who represented Pakistan in 90 Test matches, 288 ODIs, and three T20Is during his illustrious career, was appointed as selector in March 2024. He played a key role in selecting the Pakistani squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

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LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday, ordered the formation of necessary committees for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

According to the details, the cricketing body held a high-profile meeting, attended by key officials, including Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, Chief Financial Officer Javed Murtaza and all PCB directors, at the National Cricket Academy here.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi presided over the meeting and after reviewing the arrangements for the multi-national tournament, ordered the formation of committees. He further instructed that each committee’s responsibilities should be defined to start the work in a timely manner.

“With the world’s top teams participating, our arrangements need to be flawless,” said Naqvi.

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The Champions One-Day Cup, currently underway at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, also came under discussion during the meeting. The PCB chair acknowledged Faisalabad fans’ passion and announced that the cricketing body will explore the possibility of hosting the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in the city.

The PCB Chairman further termed it crucial to pick up the pace of the stadium reconstruction project. He emphasised that every effort should be taken to guarantee that the renovations are completed in the allotted period, in a bid to improve cricket fans’ viewing experience.

“Once the renovations are done, spectators will enjoy the matches even more,” Naqvi added.

Earlier this month, an International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation visited Pakistan to inspect the venues and preparations for the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to be played in February-March 2025.

The delegation also met PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi and expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the mega event.

He also ensured that the stadiums would be upgraded in time for the tournament and that all teams would get full-proof security.

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has added leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood to the squad for the first of the three-match Test series against England.

The first Test is set to take place in Multan from 7-11 October, while the training camp will commence from 1 October.

Zahid will join the team’s training camp in Multan, however, the squad will be trimmed to 15 players at the start of the first Test on October 7.

Meanwhile, Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali will be reserve players, but they will continue to play in the domestic matches.

“Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali will remain on reserve but will continue playing domestic matches to stay match-ready,” the PCB said in a statement.

“All three players are part of the Pakistan Test team setup, but 15 players are sufficient for the home Test series due to cricketing and logistical reasons,” he added.

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Following the squad announcement and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been withdrawn from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series.

“With a busy domestic and international cricket schedule, it makes sense to give our players some much-needed rest ahead of the Test series against England,” said Gillespie.

“We are very much looking forward to the series against England here in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to begin. We are excited about playing in front of our wonderful supporters,” he added.

Pakistan Squad for first England Test:

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mahmood.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday, announced a 15-member squad including fast bowling all-rounder Aamir Jamal for the first Test against England, set to take place in Multan from 7-11 October.

Jamal was initially named in Pakistan’s squad for the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh but was released ahead of the commencement of the series.

The all-rounder sustained a back injury during his stint with Warwickshire in the County Championship on June 8 and has been out of action since then.

Meanwhile, right-arm pacer Khurram Shehzad, who was part of the Bangladesh Tests, is recovering from an injury and thus was replaced by left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who has 47 wickets in 15 Tests.

The other notable absentees are Kamran Ghulam, who was a part of the squad for Bangladesh Tests but did not make it to the Playing XI, and fast bowler Mohammad Ali.

“Kamran Ghulam and Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh Tests, remain firmly in the selectors’ plans,” said PCB in a statement.

“However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket,” the statement added.

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Following the squad announcement and based on the recommendation of head coach Jason Gillespie, the selected players have been withdrawn from the Champions One-Day Cup playoffs to allow them some rest ahead of the series.

“With a busy domestic and international cricket schedule, it makes sense to give our players some much-needed rest ahead of the Test series against England,” said Gillespie.

“We are very much looking forward to the series against England here in Pakistan and cannot wait for it to begin. We are excited about playing in front of our wonderful supporters,” he added.

The squad will assemble in Multan on Monday, 30 September, with the training camp commencing on 1 October.

Pakistan Squad for first England Test:

Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Salman Naseer shared that team unity was one of the key points that came under discussion during the recently concluded Connection Camp here at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Naseer, addressing the media here, revealed that the idea behind calling the high-profile meeting, dubbed Connection Camp, was to resolve the issues ahead of the national team’s busy schedule.

The PCB COO acknowledged a dip in the performance of not just the national team but also of the management before revealing the talking points of the discussion including unity and collaboration.

“We have a hectic schedule, and it was the right moment to sit together and discuss matters,” said Naseer.

“There were three to four important things on which we did brainstorming and I think it was the need of the hour as we all know that the performance of either players or management can be improvised.

“Another idea [behind the Connection Camp] was that we sit together to identify the issues, things which can be improved and also our vision and what steps are needed to achieve it.

“So, we built a roadmap on how we can reignite our excellence and what steps are necessary to achieve success.

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“It was an open and transparent session, during which we got to talk to each other with utmost honesty and discussed unity, collaboration and how we can improve our communication.”

When asked whether he acknowledges that there was a lack of unity in the team, Salman Naseer shared that the Connection Camp was held in this regard as well.

“Today’s session was held in this regard as well so that we can openly, sincerely and candidly accept, identify and ask for commitment from each other and make demands so that we can improve our performance and also on how we need to work together as a team since it is a team sport.”

On the other hand, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten termed Connection Camp a success before asserting that the stakeholders have largely achieved the purpose of the gathering.

“The connection camp was brilliant. We spoke about supporting each other, and I believe we’ve largely achieved the purpose of this gathering. Everyone has shown a real commitment to restore the pride of Pakistan cricket,” Kirsten said.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie backed Kirsten’s remarks and termed the Connection Camp a wonderful opportunity.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to sit down together. We need to connect with each other, and this was the right time to do so,” Gillespie said.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) high-level Connection Camp kicked off at a local hotel here on Monday with the aim of establishing a clear and unified vision for the future of Pakistan cricket.

Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi is leading the day-long session, accompanied by the PCB’s leadership team.

The camp is being attended by nine elite cricketers, including Babar Azam (Pakistan’s white-ball captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood (Pakistan’s red-ball captain).

Meanwhile, national team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and High-Performance specialist David Reid are also in attendance.

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The primary objective of the Connection Camp is to define a shared vision and mission, along with setting a roadmap to reignite the pride and excellence that has characterised Pakistan cricket since achieving Test status in 1952.

The Connection Camp will also focus on fostering stronger collaboration between players and the PCB, while the board will reaffirm its commitment to supporting players in meeting strategic goals.

The ultimate aim is for players to take a leading role in inspiring the next generation of cricketers through outstanding performances.

READ: Pakistan team reaches Dubai for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

Pakistan women’s cricket team has reached Dubai on Monday to participate in the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The women’s team departed from Lahore earlier this morning for the mega-event, which will commence on October 3 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Pakistan is placed in Group A of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, along with Australia, India, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka, while South Africa is grouped with Bangladesh, England, Scotland and the West Indies.

Following warm-up matches against Scotland and Bangladesh on 28 and 30 September, respectively, Pakistan will face Sri Lanka on 3 October in Sharjah, followed by matches against India on 6 October in Dubai, Australia on 11 October in Dubai and New Zealand on 14 October in Dubai.

Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has expressed his best wishes for the women’s team.

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“The players of women’s team are gifted and talented. I hope they will perform well in the tournament,” said Naqvi.

Meanwhile, newly appointed captain Fatima Sana shared that she is not under pressure ahead of leading Pakistan in the mega-event.

“I have a lot of support from the management and the players, so it doesn’t feel different,” stated Fatima.

“We should believe in playing well and carry that belief forward. When you play against a strong team, you play with more intensity. When facing a team like Australia, you must focus on giving your best.”

Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024

Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan

Travelling reserve: Najiha Alvi (wk) Non-traveling reserves: Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will host a high-level Connection Camp at a local hotel on Monday, aiming to establish a clear and unified vision for the future of Pakistan cricket.

This strategic session follows a series of consultations PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has had with former cricketers since assuming office earlier this year.

The camp will bring together nine elite cricketers, including Babar Azam (Pakistan’s white-ball captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood (Pakistan’s red-ball captain).

Joining them will be national team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and High-Performance specialist David Reid.

Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will lead the day-long session, accompanied by the PCB’s leadership team.

The primary objective of the Connection Camp is to define a shared vision and mission, along with setting a roadmap to reignite the pride and excellence that has characterised Pakistan cricket since achieving Test status in 1952.

The session will focus on fostering stronger collaboration between players and the PCB, while the board will reaffirm its commitment to supporting players in meeting strategic goals. The ultimate aim is for players to take a leading role in inspiring the next generation of cricketers through outstanding performances.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi:

“The Connection Camp is a critical step toward unifying our approach to restore Pakistan cricket to its former glory. Our aim is to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward.

“By addressing these challenges directly, we will establish clear, actionable goals that meet the expectations of our passionate cricket fans.

“The PCB remains optimistic that this session, which builds on prior discussions with former cricketers, will lead to a results-driven strategy that improves both player management and team performance.

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“This is the first step in an ongoing journey to reshape Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue these collaborative efforts to ensure long-term success, keeping fans at the heart of our mission.”

Pakistan Test team captain Shan Masood:

“This is an important moment for us as players. We’re fully committed to working with the PCB to reignite the pride and passion that Pakistan cricket is known for.

“These discussions will help us set a strong course for the future and we are excited to be part of this collaborative effort.

“The outcomes of the session will include performance benchmarks, player development programmes and strategies to enhance grassroots cricket.

“This initiative aligns with the PCB’s vision to not only improve immediate team performance but also ensure long-term sustainability of excellence in the sport.”

Pakistan men’s team red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie:

“This camp provides a valuable opportunity for open dialogue and alignment between the coaching staff and players. We’re all striving toward the same goal – raising the standard of Pakistan cricket and creating a culture of winning.”

Pakistan men’s team white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten:

“As a coach, it is my responsibility to setup the best environment possible for the players to thrive.

“We will focus on refining our approach in white-ball cricket to meet the standards of the highest levels of international competition. Most importantly, we will do everything possible to ensure the people of Pakistan are proud of their national team.”

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LAHORE: The trophy of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will reach here on September 18 to embark on a three-day trophy tour of Pakistan.

The trophy will be on display during the second T20I between the Pakistan women’s team and South Africa in Multan on the same day.

Meanwhile, on September 19, the trophy will be on display in Faisalabad during the Champions One-Day Cup clash between Dolphins and Stallions.

The Women’s T20 World Cup Trophy will stay in Faisalabad and will be taken to different places before going to Dubai on September 21.

The tournament was originally scheduled to be held in Bangladesh however due to the ongoing political turmoil in the country, it was relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the matches staged in Dubai and Sharjah.

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The mega event will kick off with hosts Bangladesh taking on Scotland on October 3 in Sharjah before Pakistan open their campaign against Sri Lanka later that day at the same venue.

Pakistan will then travel to Dubai where they will lock horns with arch-rivals India on October 6 before taking on Australia and New Zealand on October 11 and 14 respectively.

The Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will feature 10 teams, divided into two groups of five. Group A features defending champion Australia alongside India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka while Group B includes South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh and Scotland.

The top two teams from each group will advance into the semi-finals, scheduled on October 17 and 18 respectively while the final will take place in Dubai on October 20.

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