Author: Zahid Noor

LONDON: Veteran English fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad returned to the side as England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) named a strong 13-members squad for the first two Tests of the summer season against New Zealand.

England, which will be on their first assignment with the new captain Ben Stokes and the head coach Brendon McCullum have recalled their experienced pacers Anderson and Broad. Whereas, Yorkshire batter Harry Brook and Durham seamer Matthew Potts are called up for the first time.

Brook and Potts are the leading English batter and bowler respectively in the ongoing County Championship 2022. The right-handed batter Brook has so far scored 758 runs at an average of 151.60, including three centuries and four half-centuries.

Potts, on the other hand, has also been impressive as the right-arm pacer is the season’s leading bowler with 35 wickets and four five-wicket hauls.

Rob Key, the Managing Director of the England Cricket termed the ongoing period as the ‘New Era’ for England and claimed to have named a strong squad with a blend of experience and youth.

“This is the start of a new era for our Test team under the stewardship of Ben [Stokes] and Brendon [McCullum]. With a blend of youth and experience, we have selected an exciting squad that can compete with New Zealand in next month’s Test series,” Key said.

“We have rewarded players in Harry Brook and Matty Potts who have had outstanding starts to the County season, and they deserve the opportunity to stake a claim at this level.

“It promises to be a mouthwatering series, and I can’t wait for the team to start against a very good New Zealand side. It is a fascinating prospect for everyone connected with the sport in this country,” he concluded.

The three-match Test series is a part of the ICC World Test Championship. The England team will be looking to climb the rankings after a disappointing start to the second edition of the Championship. The side currently holds the ninth position following their series defeats against Australia and West Indies.

ENGLAND SQUAD:

Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Matthew Potts, Ollie Pope, Joe Root

READ: PCB announces T20I, ODI squad for home series against Sri Lanka

LONDON: Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum has been appointed as the new England Men’s Test head coach, England Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Thursday.

McCullum, who was being considered the top candidate to take on the position, has officially been appointed by the ECB.

The legendary Kiwi batter, who has never coached a first-class match yet, will experience his first assignment in a Test series against his home side New Zealand in June, whom he represented in 432 matches amid his prolonged 14 years career.

According to the details, the ECB’s selection panel of Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, Managing Director of England’s Men’s Cricket Rob Key, Strategic Adviser Andrew Strauss and Performance Director Mo Bobat unanimously agreed that McCullum is an outstanding candidate for the role, having impressed during the competitive interview process.

Commenting on McCullum’s appointment, the newly appointed managing director of ECB Rob Key talked to the media and said that McCullum’s appointment would be good for England’s Test side, who is known for changing cricket culture.

“We are delighted to confirm Brendon as England Men’s Test Head Coach. It has been a real privilege to get to know him and understand his views and vision for the game. I believe his appointment will be good for England’s Test team,” Key said.

“He has a recent history of changing cricket culture and environments for the better, and I believe he is the person to do that for England’s red-ball cricket,” he added.

“I believe in Brendon and Ben Stokes – a formidable coach and captain partnership. Time for us all to buckle up and get ready for the ride,” Key concluded.

McCullum, on the other hand, also commented on his appointment by revealing the immense pleasure the former Kiwi captain is experiencing while also can not wait to get started and bring a change.

“I’d like to say how pleased I am to be given this opportunity to positively contribute to England’s Test cricket set-up and move the team forward into a more successful era,” McCullum said.

“In taking this role on, I am acutely aware of the significant challenges the team faces at present, and I strongly believe in my ability to help the team emerge as a stronger force once we’ve confronted them head-on. I’m no stranger to bringing about change within a team environment, and I can’t wait to get started,” he added.

McCullum then praised the newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes and termed him the perfect character to inspire change around him.

“Ben Stokes is the perfect character to inspire change around him, and I look forward to working closely with him to build a successful unit around us,” McCullum concluded.

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MANCHESTER: The Premier League champions Manchester City announced to have reached an agreement to sign the Borussia Dortmund’s star striker Erling Haaland, here on Tuesday.

In an official statement released by the City, the football club confirmed the transfer of Norwegian international striker Haaland from Dortmund.

“Manchester City can confirm we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the Club on 1st July 2022,” the statement read.

“The transfer remains subject to the Club finalising terms with the player,” the statement added.

Manchester City can confirm that we have reached an agreement in principle with Borussia Dortmund for the transfer of striker Erling Haaland to the Club on 1st July 2022.

The transfer remains subject to the Club finalising terms with the player.

— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 10, 2022

According to the international media, the City will reportedly pay a whopping 60-million-euro release clause to get Haaland onboard. This transfer will end the club’s long search for a specialist striker.

As soon as the news broke out, the City’s centre-back Aymeric Laporte took to Twitter and welcomed the 21-years-old striker in a humorous way.

“Happy not to be running after this guy for the next couple of years. Welcome, Erling,” Laporte tweeted.

Happy not to be running after this guy for the next couple of years 😂😂😂
Welcome Erling ✌🏻🔥 https://t.co/aTdTWTPlmV

— Aymeric Laporte (@Laporte) May 10, 2022

It is pertinent to mention here that the Premier League’s top-scorer City have mostly played without a recognized striker for the past two seasons.

The side also enjoyed a delightful Champions League campaign before the La Liga winners Real Madrid pulled off an exceptional comeback in the semi-final and ending City’s hopes for title victory.

READ: Babar, Saqlain suggest 20 percent raise in players’ salary: Sources

LONDON: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed the all-rounder Ben Stokes as the new Test captain, international media reported.

Stokes, who was considered the strongest contender for the Test captaincy – after Joe Root resigned from his position – has been appointed as England’s new Test captain.

On this occasion, the newly appointed managing director of ECB Rob Key talked to the media and said that time is right for Stokes.

🗣️ "The time is absolutely right for Ben Stokes"

New managing director of men's cricket Rob Key speaks after appointing Ben Stokes as England's captain! 🏏 pic.twitter.com/Xi1SMTiYJt

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) April 28, 2022

“I think the time is right for Ben actually, Joe Root’s resignation from the position let the way for Ben to do it. He’s been a leader in that dressing room for a long long time and people turn to him and follow him along with Root when he was doing it,” Key said.

“He’ll be a strong leader. I think he’s got a good cricketing brain, everything he’s done has got him to this point and he’s got a lot of empathy as well, he’s one of those great cricketers who cares about the people around him. He understands why people struggle,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the all-rounder Stokes agreed to captain England in Tests, following his face to face meeting with ECB’s newly appointed director Key, English newspaper The Telegraph reported.

Furthermore, Stokes also wants the veteran pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad to make their comeback into the side.

READ: Stokes accepts captaincy, wants Anderson, Broad back: English Media

LONDON: England’s right-handed batter Joe Root has decided to step down from the captaincy, following the side’s dismal performance in the recent series against West Indies and Australia.

Root, who captained England in the record 64 Test matches, has decided to resign from his position after his side’s below-par performance in the longest format.

England, currently ranked fifth in the ICC Test Team Rankings have now lost nine consecutive matches with the latest being the 10-wickets defeat against West Indies.

In a statement released by the England Cricket Board (ECB), Root claimed after getting the time to reflect, he made the ‘challenging decision’ of his cricketing career.

“After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England Men’s Test Captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right,” the statement quoted Root.

“I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket,” he added.

“I have loved leading my country, but recently it’s hit home how much of the toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game,” he concluded.

After the horrible Ashes 2021-22 campaign, many former England cricketers slammed Root and asked him to step down from the captaincy but he wished to continue then but has now decided either way.

During his five years as England captain, Root scored 5,295 runs – the most by an English captain – and also hit 14 centuries.

READ: Pakistan Cricket Board unveils busy 12 months schedule for national sides

LONDON: The Hundred’s franchise Northern Superchargers have picked Pakistan’s left-arm pacer, Wahab Riaz for the upcoming second edition.

Wahab, who played for Trent Rockets last year managed to pick four wickets as he played just one game in the entire tournament.

For this year’s Hundred, however, the Superchargers have picked the 36-years-old pacer for 75,000 pounds. Whereas, the West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has also been picked by the franchise.

Taking to Twitter, the Hundred also announced the signing of Wahab by the Superchargers.

“[Wahab] is a Northern Supercharger,” The Hundred wrote.

🦸 @WahabViki is a Northern Supercharger! #TheHundredDraft pic.twitter.com/yuU96nELQU

— The Hundred (@thehundred) April 5, 2022

Another Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah, on the other hand, has been picked by Welsh Fire for 60,000 pounds.

READ: ‘Let Babar know he’d look good in green’ Melbourne Stars 

LONDON: Pakistan’s all-format captain and the top-ranked white-ball batter Babar Azam has been registered at the highest base price of 125,000 pounds by The Hundred tournament in the overseas entrants’ category.

A total of 44 Pakistani players have signed up for the forthcoming draft of the Hundred, scheduled on April 4. For this year’s Hundred, which will roll into action on August 3, there are 17 slots available for international players in various franchises.

Pakistan’s top batter Babar, alongside Chris Gayle, Mitchell Marsh Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Tabraiz Shamsi, and David Warner registered at the highest base price of £125,000.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir, leg-spinner Shadab Khan, and the right-arm pacer Haris Rauf have found themselves in the second category of overseas entrants with a base price of £75,000.

Whereas experienced all-rounder Shoaib Malik and the young pacer Naseem Shah have their reserved price set at £50,000, while Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, and Shan Masood got themselves in £40,000 category.

Moreover, former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hafeez, Shahnawaz Dahani, Kamran Akmal, Azam Khan, Sohaib Maqsood, and Mohammad Nawaz are included in the players’ list without any reserved price.

READ: Babar, Imam’s tons propel Pakistan to beat Australia after record run chase

LONDON: Pakistan’s great all-rounder Shahid Afridi spoke out about the possibility of him getting involved in practical politics, saying that he can’t claim he won’t be involved in politics in the future, on Thursday.

Shahid, in an exclusive interview here, said that he knows the politics of service and will continue to do the same.

“The only politics I know is the politics of service and I will continue to do so,” he said.

“I can’t proclaim I won’t participate in practical politics in future, and if I say I won’t and then show up, people will accuse me of making a U-turn,” he added.

The star all-rounder further opined about the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) and revealed that two new franchises will join the league.

“KPL will feature two more franchises and I think the fans are taking the league positively,” he said.

“Talent has emerged from KPL which became part of Pakistan Super League [PSL] and they will also become part of the national team in future,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shahid is currently the brand ambassador of KPL and is likely to be seen in action in the next edition of the premier league.

READ: Shahid Afridi opts out of the remainder of PSL 7

MANCHESTER: British boxer Amir Khan revealed that he will now decide the future of his boxing career with his family after suffering a defeat against Kell Brook in a long-awaited bout.

Amir, who recently rubbished the rumours of his retirement plans, has announced that he will now make a decision about his career’s future with his family.

“I will now sit with my family and will make a decision about the future of my boxing career,” the star boxer said.

“I am a family-oriented person, I want to give time to my family. Also want to take my children to school,” he added.

Talking about his duel with Brook Amir acknowledged Brook’s preparations for the fight and blamed himself for the defeat.

“I think Brook prepared really well for this fight and the one who fought well won,” he said.

“I just can not justify this defeat. I think it’s me who should be blamed for this defeat. I could not perform well enough,” he added.

Amir went on to add that the star boxer remained unable to find his rhythm throughout the clash and Brook totally outclassed him.

Brook, on the other hand, termed the victory against Amir as a ‘long due’. The 35-years-also thinks that he will now be remembered for a long for this victory.

“I think it was a long due fight and I am glad I won it. I think people will now remember me for this victory,” he said.

Brook also showed respect towards Amir but said he seemed to be an easy opponent for him.

“Aamir seemed like an easy opponent to me, I had already defeated him in the first round,” Brook concluded.

READ: ‘Don’t have any plans of retirement’ Amir Khan

MANCHESTER: British-Pakistani boxer Mohammad Ali, who is a diabetic patient, won his seventh consecutive boxing bout here on Saturday. 

According to the details, Ali beat his opponent in all six rounds of his seventh boxing bout. Within no time, Ali countered his opponent to win his fight.

Hailed from Layyah, Punjab, Ali expressed his emotions after winning his seventh consecutive fight.

“It’s an honor to win seven fights in a row. It took a lot of determination and hard work to contest in a fight despite suffering from diabetes,” the young boxer shared. “This win is dedicated to my family, friends, and all people out there who supported me,” he concluded.

READ: ‘Don’t have any plans of retirement’ Amir Khan