Tag: Abdul Razzaq

KARACHI: Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has responded to the renowned Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia’s clarification on bizarre marriage rumours linking them.

Last month, Tamannaah Bhatia addressed the rumours linking her to former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, calling the speculation “baseless and embarrassing.”

During an interview with an Indian media outlet, Tamannaah opened up about how a harmless photograph taken during a 2020 jewellery store event spiraled into full-blown gossip about her supposed marriage to Razzaq.

“Mazaak mazaak mein Abdul Razzaq,” she quipped. “The internet is a fun place. According to the internet, I was briefly married to Abdul Razzaq.”

“I’m sorry sir. Aapke do teen bachche hain (You have two or three children). I don’t know about your life, but it was so embarrassing,” she said candidly.

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Now, Abdul Razzaq has commented on Tamannaah’s reply during an event in Karachi, lauding her stature as an actor.

“It has been 12 years since I met Tamannaah Bhatia at an event. Tamannaah Bhatia is a very good actress, and she gave a very nice response,” he said.

He also spoke about the Pakistan team, currently featuring in the tri-series ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.

“In our era, there was a lot more ODI and Test cricket. We should support the Pakistan team. This team is in the making, and hopefully, it will perform well,” Razzaq remarked.

He highlighted the new team and called the side the best performing in recent times, while stressing the power hitters.

“Around the world, teams are being rebuilt. This is Pakistan’s best-performing side, with four to five hard-hitters included,” said the former all-rounder.

The 45-year-old urged support for wicket-keeper Mohammad Haris, who is currently struggling to score runs.

“The players have already received the message that they must win matches for Pakistan. Not all eleven players in a team perform at once, but we must give confidence to Haris, ” he concluded.

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KARACHI: Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq on Sunday shared his views on the national team squad selection for the upcoming Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025.

Razzaq lauded the team selection, praising the emerging players for their strong performances.

“Over the last three to four months, teams have been picked on merit, and players who perform are getting their chances,” Abdul Razzaq said.

He mentioned the inclusion of new players and called the UAE a favourable place for the Pakistan team.

“The selectors have chosen the best team, and the inclusion of youngsters is a very positive sign. This squad has the potential to perform well in the UAE. I believe Pakistan can not only win the tri-nation event but also triumph in the Asia Cup,” Razzaq added.

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“The team looks motivated and united. Our good wishes are always with them, and it’s clear everyone is focused on playing for Pakistan. This team is our best team and I hope they will perform really well,” he concluded.

For the unversed, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has tasked Abdul Razzaq with addressing Pakistan’s longstanding problem of reliable power hitters.

Razzaq, who was also renowned for his exceptional ball-striking ability during a 17-year international career, is the head coach of the strike force program.

The PCB Strike Force programme will continue throughout the year, with elite and emerging players invited to camps regularly to improve their power hitting.

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Renowned Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia has finally addressed the persistent and bizarre rumours linking her to former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, calling the speculation “baseless and embarrassing.”

In a recent interview with an Indian media outlet, Tamannaah opened up about how a harmless photograph taken during a 2020 jewellery store event spiraled into full-blown gossip about her supposed marriage to Razzaq.

“Mazaak mazaak mein Abdul Razzaq,” she quipped. “The internet is a fun place. According to the internet, I was briefly married to Abdul Razzaq.”

She called the rumour ’embarrassing’ and went on to apologise to the Pakistani cricketer with folded hands.

“I’m sorry sir. Aapke do teen bachche hain (You have two or three children). I don’t know about your life, but it was so embarrassing,” she said candidly.

 

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The actress expressed both amusement and discomfort over how quickly misinformation spreads in the digital age.

She also acknowledged that this wasn’t her first brush with such unfounded rumours involving cricketers.

Back in 2010, Tamannaah Bhatia was briefly linked to Virat Kohli after the two appeared together in a commercial. Tamannaah, however, was quick to shut that down as well.

“I feel so bad because I literally met him for only one day. I have never met Virat after the shoot,” she clarified.

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As for Abdul Razzaq, the former all-rounder, who played his last international game for Pakistan in 2013, has stayed connected to the game in a coaching capacity.

Earlier this year, he was appointed by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to lead the Pakistan Strike Force training camp.

The initiative focuses on refining modern-day power-hitting and batting skills for both domestic and international players.

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LAHORE: Former cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq visited the ongoing Pakistan Strike Force camp at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) here on Wednesday, where players are rigorously developing their fitness and batting skills.

The camp, currently in its ninth day, has seen players focusing intensely on fitness and power-hitting efficiency. Head coach Abdul Razzaq is working with the players to enhance their boundary-hitting percentages during power-hitting sessions.

During his visit, Saqlain Mushtaq observed the players’ training sessions and held discussions with the coaching staff regarding player development strategies.

The coaching staff has noted steady improvements in the players’ batting techniques since the camp’s inception.

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With these focused training sessions, the camp aims to prepare the players for high-pressure matches and upcoming international challenges.

The first phase of the Pakistan Strike Force camp is set to conclude on January 30 at the National Cricket Academy. Meanwhile, the second leg of the camp will take place at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan from 1-28 February.

The Strike Force programme will continue throughout the year as elite and emerging players will be invited to the camps from time to time.

Haider Ali, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mubasir Khan, Muhammad Irfan Khan and Usman Khan are the seven Pakistan-capped players part of the Strike Force camp.

Pakistan Strike Force squad

Abdul Samad (Faisalabad), Afaq Ahmed (Abbottabad), Ali Imran (Islamabad), Amad But (Sialkot), Ashir Mehmood (Sialkot), Haider Ali (Rawalpindi), Hasan Nawaz (Islamabad), Jahandad Khan (Rawalpindi), Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (Karachi), Khayyam Khan (Abbottabad), Khushdil Shah (Peshawar), Mohammad Abbas Afridi (Peshawar), Mohammad Amir Barki (Peshawar), Mohammad Faiq (Lahore), Mohammad Faizan (Faisalabad), Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (FATA), Mubasir Khan (Rawalpindi), Muhammad Akhlaq (Lahore), Muhammad Imran Randhawa (Bahawalpur), Muhammad Irfan Khan (Faisalabad), Nasir Nawaz (Rawalpindi), Saad Masood (Rawalpindi), Shawaiz Irfan (Lahore), Usman Khan (Karachi) and Yasir Khan (Rawalpindi)

Player support personnel: Abdul Razzaq (head coach), Humayun Farhat (assistant coach), Kamran Sajid (assistant coach), Yasir Malik (trainer), Suliman Azhar (data analyst) and Shahbaz Aajiz (throwdown specialist)

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New Zealand’s Mark Chapman has recently opened up about admiring Pakistan’s star all-rounders Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq during his childhood.

During an appearance at ProSports podcast, Chapman was asked about which Pakistani players he used to follow while growing up.

The 30-year-old all-rounder shared that he looked up to Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq as inspirations.

“Growing up, I certainly have fond memories of watching Shahid Afridi. You can’t look past him. Everyone sort of held their breath when he walked out to bat,” said Chapman.

“Another name is Abdul Razzaq. I really enjoyed watching him, particularly his batting.”

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For the unversed, Afridi and Razzaq were famous for their breathtaking batting display, coupled with their brilliance with the ball.

They played their roles in many famous victories for Pakistan, including the successful ICC T20 World Cup 2009 campaign. Notably, Afridi was the player of the match in the semi-final and final of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Mark Chapman also heaped high praise on Pakistan’s current white-ball captain Babar Azam.

“You know he is a wealth of knowledge he is up there in the world with some of the best batters,” he stated.

READ: Pakistan-born pacer reveals Jasprit Bumrah took his advice, left Rohit Sharma baffled

Former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has recently reacted over his sacking as the national men’s and women’s selector.

Razzaq, along with former pacer Wahab Riaz, was expelled from the seven-member Pakistan Men’s Cricket Selection Committee on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) later confirmed through a statement that Razzaq will not continue in his role as women’s selector as well.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board today confirmed that it has notified Abdul Razzaq and Wahab Riaz that their services will no longer be required in the national selection committee setup. Abdul Razzaq was a member of the men’s and women’s selection committee, while Wahab was a member of the men’s selection committee” the statement said.

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The former all-rounder took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, raising questions over the reports circulating in the media.

“If all were given equal power how can one vote overpower the other 6 in the selection committee ??” Abdul Razzaq posted.

Notably, Wahab Riaz also raised a similar question in his post yesterday after he was removed as the senior team manager as well.

“I don’t agree with the statements being discussed about adding pressure to the members of the selection committee, how can 1 vote dominate 6? Everything is documented on record in the meeting minutes,” Wahab posted.

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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.

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LAHORE: The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has reconstituted the national women’s selection committee, expanding it to seven members including former cricketers Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq.

This decision follows the disappointing performance of the Pakistan women’s team against the West Indies Women, resulting in a 3-0 loss in the three-match ODI series.

The retained members from the previous panel include Asmavia Iqbal and Marina Iqbal, joined by Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq (both members of the men’s national selection committee) and former international player, Batool Fatima.

In line with the men’s national selection committee make-up, the coach and captain will also be part of the national women’s selection committee.

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The immediate task of the new selection committee will be to choose the Pakistan women’s team for the upcoming tour of England, where they are scheduled to play three T20Is and three ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 fixtures from 11 to 29 May.

Despite the recent 3-0 loss to the West Indies, Pakistan currently holds the fifth position in the 10-team ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25.

The top five teams from this championship, along with hosts India, will directly qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. The remaining teams will participate in a Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament.

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LAHORE: Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Sunday announced a seven-member National Cricket Selection Committee.

During a press conference, Naqvi announced the reorganised selection committee, with each member having equal powers and no chairman of the committee.

“We have reorganised this selection committee, the committee will consist of seven members, but what is different this time is there will be no chairman selection committee, each member would have the same power as the other one,” Naqvi said.

The former chairman Wahab Riaz is joined by former cricketers Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz and Asad Shafiq in the selection committee. Meanwhile, the captain, head coach and an analyst will also be part of the committee.

“The decision would be [decided] on the majority, they should debate, and talk amongst themselves so a better conclusion can be reached.

“The previous structure of the committee was different, but this one, I assure you every member was chosen after considering multiple factors.

“The selection committee will make all the decisions going forward. I have conveyed that the chairman will not be involved in any decisions regarding the selection.

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“I back this selection committee and believe that they will produce desirable results”

He also announced that the committee would also be responsible for the appointment of the captain.

“The matter of captaincy is being deliberated upon. I believe that the captain is the selection committee’s prerogative,” said Mohsin Naqvi.

“They are working on it and I am sure they will finalise their decision after the camp is completed.”

“I am not a cricket expert, the people sitting next to me are experts. Decisions regarding cricket will be made by cricket experts.”

Notably, PCB dissolved the National Cricket Selection Committee earlier today.

The development came after sources revealed on March 18 that the PCB will further empower the committee with full authority.

The first assignment of the new selection committee is to select the squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, commencing on 18 April.

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KARACHI: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has offered a coaching role to former Pakistan’s all-rounder – Abdul Razzaq, sources claimed.

As per the sources, BCB contacted the former star all-rounder and offered him a coaching position.

On the other hand, Razzaq asked for some time to respond to the offered responsibility.

It is apropos to mention here that Razzaq is currently working in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a regional head coach and national selector.

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