Tag: Babar Azam

Former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed came out in support of the Babar Azam-led national cricket team following their early exit from the Asia Cup 2023.

Taking to Instagram, Sarfaraz Ahmed shared a post from a local news outlet, which quoted him saying “supportive words” for the current national team.

“No player goes to the field to lose! The captain is nothing without his players,” Sarfaraz Ahmed was quoted.

“[and] I was very lucky to have Babar Azam, Imam Ul Haq, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Hassan Ali and Faheem Ashraf who are now the backbone of the team,” it added.

Pakistan, who entered the Asia Cup 2023 as a top-ranked ODI side, failed to live up to the label of being the favourites as they crashed out of the tournament after finishing fourth in the Super 4s stage.

The hosts got off to a solid start to their Asia Cup campaign as they humbled Nepal by a massive 238 runs before settling for a stalemate with arch-rivals India after their second group-stage match was washed out on September 2.

Pakistan then crushed Bangladesh to script a winning start to the Asia Cup 2023 Super 4s but failed to imitate similar results against India and Sri Lanka and thus failed to qualify for the final.

But, Bangladesh’s stunning victory over India in the last Super 4s fixture on Friday meant Pakistan slipped to fourth as the Shakib Al Hasan-led side acquired the third position due to a superior net run rate.

Former champions India and Sri Lanka will now lock horns in the Asia Cup 2023 final on Sunday with a reserve day on Monday.

Notably, India are the most successful nation in the Asia Cup history, having won the title seven times, followed by Sri Lanka, who emerged victorious on six occasions.

READ: Naseem Shah likely to miss ICC Men’s World Cup – report

DUBAI: Indian opening batter Shubman Gill has claimed a career-best second position, only behind Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s ODI Batting Rankings.

Shubman Gill has scored 154 runs, with the help of two half-centuries in the ongoing ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 and has been rewarded in the latest ICC ODI Rankings, jumping one spot to reach the second position.

Indian opener has closed the gap at the top down to only 103 rating points now with Babar Azam leading with 863 rating points, while Gill with 759 points.

Along with Shubman Gill, India’s captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli also improved their rankings after India’s dominant batting display in the Asia Cup 2023, which cruised them to the final without a single defeat in the tournament.

Kohli and Sharma jumped two spots to reach eighth position and ninth position in the latest ODI batting rankings respectively.

One the other hand, Pakistani opener Imam-ul-Haq dropped one place to fifth and fellow opener Fakhar Zaman lost three spots and is now sitting at 10th spot.

Meanwhile, in the ICC ODI Bowling Rankings, Pakistani pace bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah made substantial gains after their impressive performance in the Asia Cup 2023.

Haris Rauf is the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with nine wickets, consequently jumping eight places to reach 21st position, while Naseem Shah picked seven wickets and jumped 11 spots to 51st.

Indian left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who is also the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup 2023, bore fruits for his performances and rose five places to reach the seventh spot.

Australian pace bowler Josh Hazlewood solidified his position at the pinnacle of ODI Bowling Rankings after a three-wicket haul in the first match of their ongoing series with South Africa.

READ: Asia Cup 2023: Zaman Khan links up with Pakistan squad in Colombo

DUBAI: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has earned the reward for his exceptional performance last month and has been crowned the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2023.

Babar Azam won the coveted award for the third time by overcoming teammate Shadab Khan and West Indies hard-hitter Nicholas Pooran and has expressed his jubilation upon winning the honour.

“I am delighted to be named ICC Player of the Month for August 2023,” Babar said.

“The past month has been extraordinary for my team and I as we have put some terrific performances. With the Asia Cup coming to Pakistan after such a long time, it was great to play in front of the passionate and cricket-loving crowds of Multan and Lahore. That I scored my second ODI score of 150-plus in front of my own people in Multan doubled the joy.

“I am looking forward to making the most of the form as we head into an exciting phase of cricket with the backend of the Asia Cup nearing and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup around the corner. My team and I are eager to bring joy and happiness to the millions of Pakistan fans.”

Babar Azam enjoyed an excellent run of form in the ODI format last month and has maintained his top spot in the ICC Men’s ODI Batter Rankings.

He scored two fifties in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan in Sri Lanka before notching a stunning 151 off 131 balls against Nepal in the opening game of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023.

During this innings, the Pakistan skipper achieved a historic milestone, becoming the fastest player in the game’s history to reach 19 ODI centuries.

This century marked his 31st century across all formats for Pakistan, placing him on par with legends Javed Miandad and Saeed Anwar.

He now stands just behind Younis Khan (41), Mohammad Yousuf (39), and Inzamam-ul-Haq (35) in terms of centuries for Pakistan.

He also stands behind only Saeed Anwar (20) in terms of most ODI centuries for Pakistan.

READ: PCB announces schedule of Women’s U19 T20 tournament

COLOMBO: Indian opener Shubman Gill heaped praise on Pakistan skipper Babar Azam ahead of the high-octane Pakistan vs India Super 4 clash in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday.

Describing Babar Azam, who is the No.1 ranked ODI batter currently, as a “world-class” batter, Shubman Gill said they follow his batting style and admire him.

“Yes, definitely we follow him. When a player is doing well. Everyone watches him to find out why they are doing so good, what their specialty is. The same thing goes for Babar. He is a world-class player and we all do admire him,” the right-handed batter told reporters on the eve of the Pakistan vs India Super 4 match in Colombo.

Babar Azam began the Asia Cup 2023 campaign with a 151 against Nepal in the group stage in Multan. He did not get to bat against India after which he got out against Bangladesh in Lahore in a Super Fours match which Pakistan won by 7 wickets.

Babar has been leading Pakistan well in Asia Cup 2023 and the former champions are considered one of the favourites to win the continental tournament.

Babar is the No. 1 batter in ICC Men’s ODI rankings and the right-hander has been in fine form in the lead-up to the ODI World Cup in India.

Having scored over 5300 runs, including 19 ODI hundreds, in just 106 matches, Babar has established himself as one of the modern-day greats in the limited-overs format of the game with an average of 59 in ODIs.

‘Quality bowling attack’

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill also spoke highly of the Pakistan pace-bowling attack, highlighting that India batters needed time to get used to the left-arm pace.

Notably, the top-order failed in the Group A match against Pakistan as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were out early to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who got the ball moving both ways. Shubman Gill struggled for his 32-ball 10 before he was castled by Haris Rauf.

Asked about India’s troubles dealing with the strong Pakistan pace attack, Gill said it has a lot to do with the unfamiliarity factor.

“When you are playing at this level, you play left-armer pacers previously at some point in your career. We do not play Pakistan that much as compared to the other sides. They have a quality bowling attack. When you do not face such a bowling attack frequently and are not used to it, it makes a difference,” he said.

Gill then explained why the Pakistan fast bowlers are making such an impact.

“They are very different fast bowlers and they have their own specialities. Shaheen Shah gets the ball to swing a lot. Naseem Shah is all about pace and likes help from the wicket. They present different challenges in different conditions,” said Gill.

Gill said that Indian batters will have to dominate, unlike last time when the top order was blown away for 66. “As openers, we need to make a good start and dominate them from the beginning,” Gill said.

READ: Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan name Playing XI for blockbuster India clash

Pakistan pace ace Shaheen Shah Afridi has warned his devastating spell against arch-rivals India that set the Asia Cup alight is just the start, with the World Cup 2023 only weeks away.  

The left-arm fast bowler rattled the Indian top-order in their Group A clash last week, taking 4-35 — including the wickets of star batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

That match was washed out but they meet again in Colombo on Sunday in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup, a precursor to the 50-over World Cup that kicks off next month.

And Shaheen Afridi told AFP there is more to come.

“Every match against India is special and people watch this a lot,” the 23-year-old said Friday. “I used to wait for this match as a fan before I played under-16 cricket.”

“I can’t say this has been my best spell so far. This is just the start and there will be many more, so the best is yet to come.”

With his ability to move the ball both ways, Shaheen leads one of the most potent pace attacks in the world.

“If you play all the three formats at such a young age for Pakistan and handle the new ball, people expect you to perform like that,” he said.

Shaheen and his fellow fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf have picked up 23 wickets between them in the Asia Cup so far.

“We know our roles with the new and old ball,” Shaheen said.

“Haris is quicker than us and impacts with his pace. Naseem and I try to get early breakthroughs.”

The “communication is good between us,” he added. “And that’s our success.”

Shaheen, who stands at 6 feet and 6 inches (1.98 metres), suffered a serious knee injury last year but returned strongly in Sri Lanka in July.

“It’s your match time that helps you improve. These Test matches against Sri Lanka recently made me improve as I bowled long spells and fielded all day,” said Shaheen, who has 105 wickets in 27 Tests.

“So that cleared all doubts about the knee injury.”

Shaheen Afridi has never played cricket in India — bilateral cricket ties are frozen because of political tensions between the neighbours.

He is keen to do well when Pakistan take on hosts India in the hotly anticipated World Cup match in Ahmedabad on October 14.

“All the foreign players who have played in the IPL (Indian Premier League), we had discussions with them. I think our Pakistan wickets or Dubai pitches will be similar,” he said.

“Spinners will get more help, maybe. We will hit good lengths. Our team performance is going well as the number one (ODI) team. We have prepared well.”

Shaheen Afridi is married to one of the daughters of former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, and said he speaks to the former all-rounder before every big match.

“I try to pick his brains before a big game and include it in my plans as he was a big-match player,” said Shaheen.

“He talks simply and says: ‘Just play your cricket’.”

A fan of legendary Pakistani left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram, Shaheen Afridi said he keeps his focus on the field by avoiding cricket off it.

“I don’t go out much and stay in my room. Just stay indoors, make green tea… and talk about anything other than cricket,” he said.

“That keeps me relaxed.”

READ: Asia Cup 2023: Babar Azam believes Pakistan has an ‘edge’ over India

COLOMBO: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam said on Saturday that his side will have an edge over India in their Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash, with a bowling line-up ready to win matches and tournaments.

The arch-rivals meet again in Colombo on Sunday after their Asia Cup 2023 group match was abandoned due to rain, which has played havoc with the 50-over tournament that is a precursor to the upcoming ODI World Cup in India.

Pakistan won their opening match of the Asia Cup’s Super 4 stage and a second win will further enhance their chances of making the final on September 17.

But rain in the Sri Lankan capital is expected to play spoilsport again in the match, for which a reserve day has been kept aside.

“You can say we have the edge as we have played back-to-back cricket here (in Sri Lanka) and in Pakistan,” Azam told reporters.

“It has been two-and-a-half months in Sri Lanka including the Test series, Lanka Premier League, Afghanistan series and now the Asia Cup.

“So you can say it will be advantage (for us).”

Pakistan’s pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf have stood out with 23 wickets between them and played a key role in the team’s performance so far.

Shaheen, a left-arm quick who leads the bowling, rattled India with his opening burst in the Asia Cup 2023 group match, taking the key wickets of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Azam said the team believes their bowlers can win them titles.

“Proud to have the fast bowlers that we have. One of the best (in the world),” said Azam.

“Fast bowlers win you tournaments and matches and I have total belief (in) them. The line-up that we have including Naseem and Faheem (Ashraf) is the best lot that we have. They have the belief and how they bowl in partnerships.”

READ: Pakistan’s Ahsan Raza named among ICC World Cup 2023 umpires

MULTAN: Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam said Tuesday that the job is not done yet for the top-ranked ODI side as they aim to win the upcoming ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 and ICC Men’s World Cup in India.

Babar Azam-led Pakistan enter the Asia Cup with momentum on their side. They topped the ICC rankings for ODI teams on Saturday after securing a 3-0 whitewash over Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. This is the second instance of the team surmounting the chart since April. Pakistan also boast the best win/loss ratio of 2.750 with 22 wins in 31 matches since in this World Cup cycle.

Reflecting on whether there is an added pressure for being the top-ranked side, Babar Azam said, “I would not say that there is a pressure. Rather, we enter this tournament with more confidence.

“This team has put in a lot of hard work and effort over the last few years and we achieving the top spot is a testimony of it. The job, however, is not done as we want to win the Asia Cup and the World Cup.

“We have some competitive and exciting next few months lined up and we are eager to do well for our country.

“Every player in this side wants to win matches for his country and raises their hand. They are always ready to put in the hard yards and never shy away from tough and difficult situations. We have had some amazing last few months and now it is time to build on the momentum.”

The much-anticipated Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023 is finally here and it begins tomorrow with Pakistan, the top-ranked One-Day International side, taking on Nepal in the Group-A clash at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The contest marks many firsts as Nepal, as a team, and Multan, as a venue, make their debuts in the continental tournament. It is also a maiden contest between Pakistan and Nepal at the top level.

Pakistan’s last outing in Multan in the format was in June last year and the home side enjoyed resounding success over the West Indies by thrashing them 3-0 in the three-match series. The team has played 10 ODIs here and won seven.

“It is always a great feeling to play in front of the passionate Multan crowd and we all are very excited that the Asia Cup is beginning from this city,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said on the eve of the contest.

“I want to congratulate Nepal for qualifying for the Asia Cup and I hope that their participation will give a boost to the development of the sport in the country. We are looking forward to playing Nepal and I am sure it will be a good contest,” he added.

Pakistan will fly to Sri Lanka on 31 August to play India in the second Group-A match on 2 September at Kandy. The venue will also host the third and final match of the group between India and Nepal on 4 September.

Pakistan squad for Asia Cup 2023: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir.

Traveling reserve: Tayyab Tahir

READ: KL Rahul ruled out of Asia Cup match against Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan captain Babar Azam termed the ODI series against Afghanistan ‘beneficial’ for the preparations for the Asia Cup as well as ICC Men’s World Cup in India later this year.

The final phase of Pakistan’s preparations for the mighty cricket season begins tomorrow as Babar Azam’s team plays Afghanistan at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in the first of the three One-Day Internationals. Pakistan enter the series at the back of some brilliant results – they swept Sri Lanka in the two-Test series just last month and defeated New Zealand 4-1 at home in One-Day Internationals in April-May.

With the Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023 beginning just four days after the third and final match in Colombo and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup immediately following up, these three matches against Afghanistan come with an opportunity for Pakistan to fine-tune their combinations.

“It is great to be together as one unit again as we enjoy each other’s company a lot,” Babar Azam told PCB Digital on the eve of the first ODI against Afghanistan. “We have a few new faces in the side and I wish them good luck for the challenges ahead. Most of the boys have been playing cricket in different leagues, but when you don the Pakistan star, it is a different feeling altogether. We enter this series with good momentum following our Test series win here and we are eager to build on it. As a captain, I am very excited for the cricket ahead.”

Pakistan have recently enjoyed outstanding results in ODIs. Since the start of 2022, Pakistan’s win/loss ratio of 3.250 – with 13 wins in 17 matches – has been the best across all teams. In May, they, for the first time in history, topped the ICC rankings for ODI sides. They have another go at surmounting the table if they maintain an impeccable record against Afghanistan.

The dressing room is buzzing with confidence with each player raring to grab opportunity whenever it arrives. Though the end goal is to be the best side in the World Cup, the team, Babar Azam said, is taking one challenge at a time.

“We are focused in our preparations as we have big events in the Asia Cup and the World Cup coming up,” said Babar Azam, under whose captaincy Pakistan have won 17 out of 26 ODIs. “But, at the same time, we want to take one series at the time … It is always beneficial for a team to get such a series ahead of major events. That we are playing in Asian conditions will definitely provide us an edge and help us get in the rhythm. The Afghanistan team is on the rise and they have some good bowlers. The fans will get to see some exciting cricket.”

Pakistan included all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, uncapped batter Tayyab Tahir and middle-order batter Saud Shakeel in the squad for the Afghanistan series. The three players have been rewarded for their impressive performances recently and their presence further boosts an already solid squad.

“We have had some good additions in the squad,” the number one ranked ODI batter said. “Faheem has been in and out of the side but he has performed well recently. We have included him because of his all-round abilities and believe that his presence will strengthen the side.

“Tayyab Tahir had a good [Emerging Teams] Asia Cup and he performed well here in Sri Lanka and everyone saw how Saud Shakeel played Tests here. I am especially impressed by how Saud has transformed into a modern-day batter in such a quick time. This is a great sign for Pakistan cricket that he groomed himself according to the demands of the team, and whenever anyone does that, I get very happy.”

Though Pakistan have never been defeated by Afghanistan in the format, this series promises to test them as the latter enter this series with a 2-1 win over Bangladesh in Bangladesh. But the players, Babar Azam revealed, are taking this challenge as an opportunity to deliver match-winning performances.

“Every player has a hunger [to perform] in this team. Every player wants to give match-winning performances. Recently we have had different player of the match award winners, which is a good sign for any team. When you perform in big tournaments, it boosts your morale as a team and as individuals and this team has performed well in the recent past.

“The presence of Salman Ali Agha and Iftikhar Ahmed has bolstered our middle-order. We already have a settled top-order. Our spin department has strengthened. Thankfully, we have one of the best pace-bowling attacks in Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, and their performances underscore how good they are. Bowlers win you big tournaments and I have faith in them to win us big tournaments.”

So ahead of what promises to be one of the most exciting periods for this Pakistan side, what is Babar’s message to his players? “My message has always been to believe in yourself and make sure that you give your hundred percent in the field.”

The second and third ODIs will be played on 24 and 26 August in Hambantota and Colombo.

READ: Pakistan Women’s team kicks off preparation for South Africa series

COLOMBO: Tabraiz Shamsi took a four-fer and guided Galle Titans to the Lanka Premier League (LPL) playoffs with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Colombo Strikers in the last group stage match on Tuesday.

Galle Titans and Colombo Strikers were placed in fourth and fifth positions in the LPL points table. With only one slot left in the playoffs, this match was a must-win for both teams.

Galle Titans won the toss and asked Colombo Strikers to bat first. Strikers had a horrible start as they were reduced to 19-2 in four overs with both openers back to the pavilion.

Lahiru Kumara bowled both Pathum Nissanka (2) and Babar Azam (6) to script the disaster for Colombo Strikers before Tabraiz Shamsi picked up two wickets in three balls of his first over to inflict further damage.

Nuwanidu Fernando (14) and Mohammad Nawaz (11) then attempted to anchor the innings by knitting a brief 26 runs partnership in 23 balls.

However, Tabraiz Shamsi removed both batters in consecutive overs to add further to the misery of the Strikers.

The scoreboard read 64-6 in 12.4 overs when Mohammad Nawaz departed.

However, the Strikers lost the remaining four wickets in 18 balls, adding only 10 runs and hence were bundled out for a mere 74 runs in 15.4 overs.

Seekkuge Prasanna picked three out of the final four wickets to finish with figures of 3-14, while Tabraiz Shamsi picked four wickets for 20 runs.

Galle Titans lost two early wickets in their pursuit of a small total as Bhanuka Rajapaksa (6) and Litton Das (1), went back to the pavilion with only 19 runs on board.

However, Lasith Croospulle attacked from his end, while Shakib Al Hasan anchored the innings to lead Galle Titans to a comfortable eight-wicket victory inside nine overs. They scripted an unbeaten 56 runs stand in 30 deliveries.

Croospulle top-scored with 42 off 25 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and three sixes, whereas, Shakib scored a cautious 17 off 15 with two boundaries.

This victory rocketed Galle Titans to the second position on the LPL points table, and they will now face Dambulla Aura in Qualifier 1 tomorrow.

Meanwhile, B-Love Kandy and Jaffna Kings will square off in the Eliminator game of LPL on the same day.

READ: Wahab Riaz retires from international cricket

Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam on Tuesday, subtly denied the rumours regarding his wedding after the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

Social media went abuzz on Monday with the rumours of Babar Azam’s wedding in November after the conclusion of the ICC Men’s World Cup in India.

The rumour began to circulate when a local news channel reported that the Pakistan captain Babar Azam is set to tie the knot in November after the World Cup.

The news spread like wildfire, however, Saya Corporation, the management company of Babar Azam, laid the rumours to rest, calling them ‘fake.’

“The earth-shattering news of Kaptaan Babar Azam’s wedding in November is completely fake. In fact, this is a ‘news’ for even him and his family. Kindly avoid sharing the unverified news. Thank you,” Saya Corporation posted on their X account.

The earth-shattering news of Kaptaan Babar Azam's wedding in November is completely fake. In fact, this is a ‘news’ for even him and his family. Kindly avoid sharing the unverified news. Thank you 🙏

— Saya Corporation (@SayaCorps) August 15, 2023

Babar Azam then reposted the post from his X account and also shared the screenshot on his Instagram story to further confirm that he is not getting married anytime soon.

Babar Azam has a busy cricket schedule in upcoming months as he is currently playing for Colombo Strikers in the ongoing Lanka Premier League (LPL) and will join the Pakistan squad in Hambantota to lead them in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.

The three-match ODI series will be played on August 22, 24 and 26. The first two ODI will take place in Hambantota, while the third game will be played in Colombo.

The upcoming series is the first bilateral ODI series between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Prior to that, they played only four ODIs and Pakistan remained unbeaten in all.

Afterwards, Babar Azam will lead Pakistan in the Asia Cup, starting on August 30 at Multan Cricket Stadium. Pakistan will face Nepal in the curtain raiser.

After the conclusion of the Asia Cup, the national team will fly to India for the aforementioned ICC Men’s World Cup, where Green Shirts will kick off their campaign against the Netherlands on October 6 in Hyderabad.

READ: “It feels great to be praised by world-class Babar Azam,” Abdullah Shafique