KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s CEO Wasim Khan believes that completion of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 6 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will not affect the resumption of cricket in Pakistan.Â
In an interview, PCB’s CEO said completion of PSL 6 was very important for them and they made immense efforts to reschedule it.
“It was unethical to host PSL 6 in Pakistan amid COVID-19 surge in the country. NCOC also suggested to shift the matches somewhere else. I assure you that completion of PSL 6 in Abu Dhabi will not affect international cricket in Pakistan,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khan said the Pakistan team will be busy in a mega eight-month-long home season during which big teams will tour the country. “England, West Indies, Australia and New Zealand will tour Pakistan in next eight months. Plan for New Zealand’s tour to Pakistan will be shared soon,” he said.
It must be noted here that England has confirmed their tour to Pakistan for two T20Is in October this year before T20 World Cup. They will come and play two T20Is on October 14 and 15.
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‘PSL 6’s resumption wasn’t possible except in June this year’ Ehsan Mani
Islamabad: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s chairman Ehsan Mani said that June was the only window available this year for completion of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 6.Â
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Mani said CEO Wasim Khan and his team have made a lot of efforts to make PSL 6’s completion possible.
“PSL 6’s resumption wasn’t possible except June this year. We will not have any other window for the rest of the year. So, we mutually decided to complete the league in this time period,” he said.
“Wasim and his team made a lot of efforts to revive this league. Still, a long way to go for completion of the league,” he added.
It must be noted here that PCB shifted the remaining PSL 6 to Abu Dhabi after they failed to get govt’s permission to conduct the event in Karachi. The cricket board faced plenty of hurdles to finalize the plan to complete the event.
Finally, on June 3, the revised schedule was announced after all differences were sorted out with intervention of the federal and Sindh government.
READ:Â PSL 6: Remaining matches to start from June 9
Haris, Imad return, uncapped Azam named as squads for Eng, WI tours announced
Lahore: Pakistan cricket selectors have recalled four experienced players and included uncapped Azam Khan in the squads for the tours of England and West Indies.
The side will play three ODIs and as many T20Is in England from 8-20 July, before taking on world champions West Indies in five T20Is that will be followed by two Tests.
Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail has been named in the ODI side, while Imad Wasim has returned to the T20I side. Fast bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Naseem Shah have returned to the Test side. Pacer Tabish Khan, who made his Test debut in second Test against Zimbabwe, has been sidelined.
Yasir Shah’s inclusion is subject to fitness as the wrist spinner is yet to fully recover from the knee injury that sidelined him from the Zimbabwe Tests. The selectors have retained leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood along with left-arm spinner Nauman Ali and off-spinner Sajid Khan for the Jamaica Tests.
Uncapped Saud Shakeel has also reclaimed his spot after missing South Africa ODIs due to an injury. Salman Ali Agha, who has lost his Test spot, has been called-up for ODIs.
Fakhar Zaman has maintained his place in the original squad after being drafted as an additional player for Zimbabwe T20Is following a stellar performance in South Africa.
Quetta Gladiators’ Azam Khan, the 22-year-old hard-hitting batsman, is the new face in the T20I squad.
Squads:
ODIs: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Haris Sohail, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Qadir
T20Is: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir
Tests: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Yasir Shah (subject to fitness) and Zahid Mahmood.
Tour itinerary:
25 June – Departure for Manchester
6 July – Arrival in Cardiff
8 July – 1st ODI, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
10 July – 2nd ODI, Lord’s, London
13 July – 3rd ODI, Edgbaston, Birmingham
16 July – 1st T20I, Trent Bridge, Nottingham
18 July – 2nd T20I, Headingley, Leeds
20 July – 3rd T20I, Old Trafford, Manchester
21 Jul – Arrival in Barbados
27 Jul – 1st T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
28 Jul – 2nd T20I, Kensington Oval, Barbados
31 Jul – 3rd T20I, Providence Stadium, Guyana
1 Aug – 4th T20I, Providence Stadium, Guyana
3 Aug – 5th T20I, Providence Stadium, Guyana
6-7 Aug – Two-day practice match, Guyana
12-16 Aug – 1st Test, Sabina Park, Jamaica
20-24 Aug – 2nd Test, Sabina Park, Jamaica
25 Aug – Departure
Pakistan to announce squads for England, West Indies tour tomorrow
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will announce Test, ODI, and T20I squads of the national for England and West Indies tour tomorrow.Â
The squad will be announced via press release at 10:45 am followed by chief selector Mohammad Wasim’s presser here at 12:30 pm.
Remember, the Pakistan team will depart for England on June 25, just after the final of PSL 6 on June 24. They will play three ODIs and as many T20Is against England from July 8.
Later on, the green shirts will travel to West Indies where they will play 5 T20Is and two Tests from July 27.
READ:Â Pakistan to leave for England on June 25
PSL 6 to resume with Islamabad United taking on Lahore Qalandars
Karachi: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six remainder will start with Islamabad United taking on Lahore Qalandars on June 9, ARY Sports reported.
According to details, there will be six double-headers – five of them during the preliminary round and the sixth on 21 June, when Qualifier and Eliminator 1 matches will be played.
On 9 June, fourth-placed Lahore Qalandars will meet third-placed Islamabad United in what will be the 15th match of the tournament.
These matches will start at 5 pm UAE time (6 pm PKT time) and 10 pm UAE time (11 pm PKT time), respectively, while the single-headers will begin at 8 pm UAE time (9 pm PKT time).
All matches will be played at Sheikh Zayed International Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Revised HBL PSL 6 match schedule
3-8 June – Practice
9 June – Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United
10 June – Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings; Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars
11 June – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators
12 June – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi
13 June – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars; Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi
14 June – Islamabad United v Karachi Kings
15 June – Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars; Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings
16 June – Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators
17 June – Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi; Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars
18 June – Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars
19 June – Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings; Multan Sultans v Islamabad United
20 June – Practice
21 Jun – Qualifier (1 v 2); Eliminator 1 (3 v 4)
22 Jun – Eliminator 2 (loser Qualifier v winner Eliminator 1)
23 June – Rest/practice
24 Jun – Final
Read:Â PSL 6: Remaining matches to start from June 9
PSL 6: Remaining matches to start from June 9
Karachi: The remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six will start from June 9 at Sheikh Zayed International Stadium in Abu Dhabi, ARY News reported.
According to details, the final of the mega event will take place on June 24. All the hurdles related to the broadcast crew have been cleared as Indians have been allowed to be part of the PSL 6. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will reveal the dates soon.
Six doubleheaders will be played during the event, including Qualifier 1 and Eliminator on the same day.
The matches will start at 8 pm UAE time (9 pm PST). The first match on the day of doubleheader will start at 5 pm UAE time (6 pm PST).
Meanwhile, on the day of doubleheader, the second match will start at 10 pm (11 pm PST).
On the other hand, Sindh’s information also revealed that everything has been sorted out in Abu Dhabi and the league will start in five. He wished good luck to PSL organizers.
All hurdles in arranging PSL matches in AbuDhabi are sorted out and inshaAllah league will start in next 5 days. Local authorities in Abu Dhabi going all out to support PSL organisers. Good luck PSL
— Syed Nasir Hussain Shah (@SyedNasirHShah) June 3, 2021
Read:Â ICC in principle decides to move T20 World Cup from India
ICC in principle decides to move T20 World Cup from India
Karachi: The International Cricket Council (ICC), in principle, has decided to move the T20 World Cup 2021 from India to UAE, ARY Sports reported.
According to details, the format announcement will be made on June 28. ICC in its Board meeting yesterday decided to add Oman as host with UAE. Oman will host the opening matches of the mega event.
“The ICC Board has requested management focus its planning efforts for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 on the event being staged in the UAE with the possibility of including another venue in the Middle East,” ICC said in its press release.
“The Board also confirmed that the BCCI will remain the hosts of the event regardless of where the event is played.”
It must be noted that the T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in India in October-November this year but due to deteriorating COVID-19 cases, the mega event can’t be played.
Read:Â Pakistan to defend Champions Trophy title in 2025
Pakistan to defend Champions Trophy title in 2025
DUBAI: International Cricket Council (ICC) has reintroduced the Champions Trophy which will take place in 2025 from 2029.Â
In its board meeting on Tuesday, ICC decided to reintroduce the Champions Trophy based on eight teams. Pakistan will now have to defend the title. Last time, Green Shirts won the tournament by defeating India by 180 runs in the final.
Meanwhile, the ICC board has decided to increase the number of teams in 50-overs World Cups in 2027 and 2031. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be expanded to a 20 team in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030.
ICC World Test Championship Finals will be hosted in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031.
The hosts for the Men’s events will be decided in September following a selection process that will get underway this month.
READ:Â ICC extends deadline for India to make final call on T20 World Cup
June 7, 8 or 9 – three possible dates for PSL 6’s resumption: Sources
KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shared three possible schedules with franchises for the resumption of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 6.Â
According to the sources, June 7, 8, and 9 are under consideration to resume the event. Final will be played on June 24 as PCB is in contact with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to delay the Pakistan team’s traveling.
The cricket board has requested Abu Dhabi’s health ministry to allow the Indian crew to start installing production set-up at Sheikh Zayed Stadium from June 5. The ministry will make a decision on this matter tomorrow.
If PCB gets permission, the event can commence from June 7, otherwise, a further delay is expected. More double-headers will take place in all three possibilities.
Meanwhile, the teams have been given a green signal to start training from Wednesday. Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars will be allowed to start training tomorrow.
READ:Â Abu Dhabi directs Indian broadcasters to complete quarantine in Dubai
Won’t change my batting position in PSL 6 remainder: Babar Azam
Karachi: Karachi Kings’ star batsman Babar Azam has confirmed that he will bat as an opener in the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season six.
The 26-year-old Babar open the innings for Kings with hard-hitter Sharjeel Khan but after the induction of Martin Guptill, who also bats at the top, there were rumors that Babar might bat at number three.
“Martin Guptill is a great addition as I have played with him in CPL. I have a great bonding with him, he is a different kind of player and when he bats, he changes the complexion of the game,” Babar said in an exclusive interview with ARY News.
“I am going to bat at my number. Sometimes you can bat at a different number for the team but here [in Abu Dhabi] I’ll open,” he added.
On the other hand, Babar is confident that Kings will retain the PSL title. “Personally, I am confident of winning the title once again, We’ll try to continue the momentum of Karachi-leg here,” he added.
It must be noted Karachi Kings currently stands at the top of the points table with six points (three wins and two losses).
Read: ‘I don’t think I should leave Karachi Kings’ says Babar Azam