Tag: Mohsin Naqvi

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi clarified his previous remarks regarding the surgery of the national men’s team, lamenting the lack of a pool of players.

Naqvi on Monday, interacted with the media here at Gaddafi Stadium and asserted that the senior men’s selection committee does not have a pool of players, whom they can pick as the replacement for the under-performing players, thus, indicating that the surgery of the team has been put on hold.

“The problem is that our selection committee does not have a bank [of players] from which they can select the players.

“If we used to talk about the surgery, it was because we definitely wanted to rectify our shortcomings.

“But for that, we do not have [enough players] and data, on the basis which we can say that we have a list of 10-25 players to replace for example four players.”

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Mohsin Naqvi then claimed that the upcoming Champions Cup will help Pakistan Cricket to explore and unearth new talent and also that the selection committee would have an ample pool of players to make changes in the setup after the completion of the domestic tournament.

“We will have a crop of talent from the Champions Cup, we would have the record as well then we would be able to do whatever needed. The problem with the surgery is that one should have sufficient tools.

“Once the Champions Cup gets completed and the record gets maintained then we would have a pool of around 150 players. After that, the selection would easily decide who needs to be replaced by whom and who needs the surgery.”

Mohsin Naqvi also commented on the scheduling of the ongoing Test series between Pakistan and Bangladesh and clarified that the decision to host the second Test in Karachi had already been made prior to his involvement, but he later decided to alter that decision due to the ongoing renovation at the venue.

READ: “Pakistan in a mess,” says Michael Vaughan after Bangladesh defeat

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday reacted after Pakistan’s thumping defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.

The home team succumbed to a disappointing 10-run defeat against Bangladesh, who claimed their first-ever Test victory against Pakistan.

Mohsin Naqvi extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Bangladesh cricket team over their historic victory.

“Bangladesh Cricket Team has played wonderfully, and have held their ground throughout the match. It is a historic win for they have one against Pakistan for the first time. Heartiest Congratulations to them!” Naqvi posted on his official X account.

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The chairman also expressed hope that Pakistan will bounce back in the second Test against Bangladesh.

“Unfortunately, Pakistan Cricket Team could not perform as well as it should have. InshaAllah the men in green would make a comeback in the upcoming match!” he added.

Bangladesh spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan spun a web to bundle Pakistan for a meagre 146 in the second innings.

Following that, Zakir Hasan and Shadman Islam scored an unbeaten 15 and nine respectively while chasing a paltry 30-run target to claim a ten-wicket victory.

READ: Shan Masood defends decision to play four fast bowlers against Bangladesh

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi heaped praise on Mohammad Rizwan for his unbeaten 171-run knock in the first innings of the opening Test against Bangladesh at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Mohsin Naqvi lauded Mohammad Rizwan and asserted that the latter has proven himself as an asset for the Pakistan Test side.

“What an unstoppable force Muhammad Rizwan has proven to be in the Test Match today! Congratulations to him for scoring 150 runs with the help of 9 Fours and 3 Sixes! He has surely proven himself to be an asset for Test Cricket in Pakistan.

“What a treat to watch! Hoping to see his performance elevate in the coming matches as well, he has surely made Pakistani Cricket Fans proud,” he added.

Notably, Mohammad Rizwan missed out on a well-deserved double century as Pakistan declared their first innings at 448/6.

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He remained the top-scorer for the home side with an unbeaten 171 off 239 deliveries, laced up with 11 fours and three sixes, followed by Saud Shakeel, who scored 141 with the help of nine boundaries.

With his monumental knock, the 32-year-old joined the elite group of Pakistani wicketkeepers who crossed the 150-run mark in Test cricket, which includes Imtiaz Ahmed, Taslim Arif, Rashid Latif, and Kamran Akmal.

This marks the first time since 2009 that a wicketkeeper-batsman from Pakistan has scored 150 runs in a single Test match.

Mohammad Rizwan started day two with 24 runs, however, he and Saud Shakeel dominated two sessions with a 240-run stand before Mehidy Hasan Miraz removed the latter.

Notably, the two-match series between Pakistan and Bangladesh is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) and will run from August 21 to September 4 with both matches to be played at the same venue.

Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shehzad, Mohammad Ali.

Bangladesh: Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Kumer Das, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Nahid Rana.

READ: Warwickshire takes responsibility for Hasan Ali’s medical treatment

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday, admitted that none of the stadiums in Pakistan is on par with the international standards.

Pakistan is set to host the ICC Champions Trophy next year in the February-March window. As a result, the PCB chief is determined to renovate the major stadiums to prepare for the global event.

The construction work is currently underway at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

Meanwhile, Mohsin Naqvi, today visited Gaddafi Stadium to review the construction work and admitted that none of the stadiums in the country is on par with international standards but expressed his determination to complete the renovation of major stadiums ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025.

“There’s a huge difference between international stadiums and those of ours, none of our stadiums are of international standard,” said Naqvi.

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“Completing the upgradation work before the 2025 Champions Trophy is a difficult task but I’m confident that it will be done.

“Let the [upgradation] work complete, all teams including India will come.”

“The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) team is working day and night. [We] will make our stadiums one of the best in the world, providing basic facilities in stadiums is [our] first priority.”

For the unversed, the second Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh, originally scheduled to be held at National Bank Stadium, Karachi was shifted to Rawalpindi, owing to the renovation work currently underway at the venue.

READ: Pakistan unveil Playing XI for first Test against Bangladesh

LAHORE: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday directed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to reform the country’s cricket after their disappointing campaigns in the ODI and T20 World Cups.

Addressing the upgradation ceremony for the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore today, the prime minister reiterated the resolve to bring back Pakistan’s lost glory in the world of cricket.

He directed the PCB chief to focus more on the cricket team.

“Cricket team should be selected on merit and domestic system needs to be improved,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif.

He emphasised that the team should be reformed and players should be selected on merit.

For the unversed, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has handed over the power to make cricket decisions to former captain Waqar Younis.

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The sources revealed that Naqvi would oversee the administrative affairs only, while Waqar would be responsible for all the decisions regarding international and domestic selection committees, players’ No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and other important cricket matters.

According to the PCB Constitution 2014, the chairman has the authority to delegate his power to someone, thereby enabling the transfer of powers to Waqar Younis.

Meanwhile, Naqvi himself is currently focused on administrative affairs including the upgradation of stadiums for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz also expressed satisfaction that steps are being taken to rebuild the infrastructure of the Gaddafi Stadium on modern lines, oversaw by Mohsin Naqvi.

“There is a real need to modernize cricket stadiums,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that PCB is reconstructing stadiums for the champions trophy scheduled in 2025.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled to take place from February to March next year in Pakistan at three different venues.

The teams that qualified for the Champions Trophy 2025 include Pakistan (hosts), India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, England, and Bangladesh.

READ: PCB confirms window for PSL 2025

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the addition of three Champions tournaments as part of the Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 on Monday.

These tournaments have been announced to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket, provide a tougher, more competitive and high-pressure cricket playing environment, and create better and enhanced earning opportunities for its future stars.

The Champions One-Day Cup, Champions T20 Cup and Champions First-Class Cup will join the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (regional first-class tournament), President’s Trophy (departmental first-class tournament), President’s Cup (departmental 50-over event), and HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 in the 2024-25 domestic cricket season, expected to run from 1 September 2024 to 5 August 2025.

With the addition of three Champions tournaments, the PCB will now organise a total of 261 matches across eight men’s senior tournaments.

This includes 131 first-class matches in three events, 40 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches in three events.

In the 2023-24 season, the PCB had organised 203 matches in the six men’s senior tournaments, including 51 first-class matches in two tournaments, 55 50-over matches in two events and 97 T20 matches.

Salient features of the newly-introduced Champions tournaments are:

• Five sides – Dolphins, Lions, Panthers, Stallions and Wolves – will compete in each Champions Cup event

• Each Champions Cup event will be played in a double-league format

• Around 150 of the country’s highest-performing domestic players from the past three years and centrally contracted players will be available for selection (more details to be shared in due course)

• Each side will have a former Pakistan superstar as a mentor and potentially as an owner (mentor and owner names/details to be announced in due course)

• Player support personnel of each side are expected to include: Head Coach (at least Level 3, minimum five years with a first-class side), batting/bowling/fielding coaches (minimum Level 3, three-year experience), Strength and Conditioning Coach, Physiotherapist, Analyst, Operations Manager, and Media/Digital Media Manager

• Each side will be allocated a dedicated Regional High-Performance Centre in Faisalabad (High-Performance Centre Faisalabad), Karachi (Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre), Lahore (National Cricket Academy), Multan (Inzamam-ul-Haq High-Performance Centre), and Sialkot (High-Performance Centre, Sialkot) for training and practice

• Enhanced domestic contracts will be offered to 150 cricketers as Category 1: 40 players, PKR550,000 per month; Category 2: 50 players, PKR400,000 per month; Category 3: 60 players, PKR250,000 per month.
  In the 2023-24 season, domestic contracts were offered as PKR300,000 for A+ Category, PKR200,000 for A Category, PKR185,000 for B Category, PKR170,000 for C Category, PKR150,000 for D Category, PKR100,000 for E Category, and PKR50,000 for F Category

• In addition to the monthly retainers, players will receive improved match fees as follows: PKR200,000 for red-ball cricket, PKR125,000 for 50-over matches and PKR100,000 for T20 matches.
  In the 2023-24 season, match fees were PKR80,000 and PKR40,000 for red and white-ball cricket, respectively

• Each side will have a Corporate Sponsor and Media Partner. Other revenue streams will include broadcast and live-streaming rights, event title sponsorship, ground branding rights and ticket sales/merchandise

The Champions One-Day Cup will serve as the season opener of the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 when the 21-match tournament is played from 1-29 September.

Curtains will fall on the PCB Men’s Domestic Cricket Season 2024-25 with the Champions First-Class Cup, which will be held from 28 May to 5 August.

In addition to the eight men’s senior tournaments in the period from August 2024 to September 2025, the PCB will also organise 11 development/pathway tournaments which will be separate from the three Pakistan Shaheens and one Pakistan U19 away series.

This potentially means the budding and upcoming youngsters are expected to get around 13,000 matches at the schools, colleges, universities, clubs, U15, U17, U19, Regional Inter-District Senior and Challenge League Senior levels across all formats to test their skills, impress their coaches and selectors with their performances, make themselves available for selection in the regional, departmental, franchise and Champions sides and, in the meantime, continue to walk up the ladder in pursuit of their dreams.

While announcing the new domestic structure, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi referred to the introduction of the Champions Tournament as a bold move to guide Pakistan cricket in the right direction.

“Our current standings – sixth in Tests, fourth in ODIs and seventh in T20Is – do not reflect the true potential and legacy of Pakistan cricket,” said Naqvi.

“To restore our rightful place at the top of world cricket, we must innovate and strategically enhance, expand and strengthen our domestic structure. The introduction of the three Champions tournaments is a bold step in this direction.

He also shared that international players would also participate in these tournaments, which will help transfer their extensive experience and knowledge to young players.

“The Champions tournaments will bring together our most talented and consistent performers from domestic cricket with our centrally contracted players, creating an environment that mirrors the intensity of international cricket,” he added.

“With broadcast matches, legendary mentors, elite coaching staff and extensive media coverage, these tournaments will provide our players with the exposure and experience they need.

“These tournaments are not just about bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket, they are about revolutionising and rejuvenating our entire cricketing ecosystem.

“By establishing a clear and progressive pathway from clubs, schools and universities to intra-district, inter-district, to regional/department competitions, we are nurturing the next generation of cricketing stars.

“The Champions tournaments will offer our players a platform to experience the rigours and pressures of international cricket right here at home. This is crucial for building a robust and highly competitive domestic structure that consistently produces world-class talent.

“I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Pakistan cricket. The investments we are making through the Champions tournaments will pay immense dividends. We are dedicated to identifying, nurturing and preparing our best talent to represent Pakistan on the global stage.”

READ: Mohammad Amir powers Vancouver Knights to beat Montreal Tigers

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has decided to hand over the power to make cricket decisions to the former captain Waqar Younis, according to sources.

The sources revealed that Naqvi would oversee the administrative affairs only, while Waqar would be responsible for all the decisions regarding international and domestic selection committees, players’ No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and other important cricket matters.

According to the PCB Constitution 2014, the chairman has the authority to delegate his power to someone, thereby enabling the transfer of powers to Waqar Younis.

Meanwhile, Naqvi himself is currently focused on the administrative affairs of the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, which is scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan.

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“Waqar Younis will be in charge of all matters related to the national team. He will oversee the national selection committee, white ball and red ball coaches,” sources claimed.

Waqar has previously served as the head coach and bowling coach of Pakistan cricket team after retiring in 2003.

On the other hand, Mohsin Naqvi is set to become the new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for a two-year tenure, according to sources.

The reports indicate that Pakistan has been authorized to chair the ACC and Mohsin Naqvi is set to assume the role in January 2025. The decision was made during the ACC meeting held in Bali in January 2024.

For the unversed, Mohsin Naqvi currently holds two key positions in Pakistan as he is not only PCB chairman but the Interior Minister as well.

READ: Mohsin Naqvi set to replace Jay Shah as ACC president

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi is set to become the new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for a two-year tenure, according to sources.

The reports indicate that Pakistan has been authorized to chair the ACC and Mohsin Naqvi is set to assume the role in January 2025. The decision was made during the ACC meeting held in Bali in January 2024.

Meanwhile, the current president of ACC Jay Shah was given an extension of a one-year, with his tenure concluding in January 2025.

For the unversed, Mohsin Naqvi currently holds two key positions in Pakistan as he is not only PCB chairman but the Interior Minister as well.

Meanwhile, India is set to host the Men’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in T20 format while Bangladesh will host the event in ODI format in 2027.

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Both editions of the Men’s Asia Cup will feature a total of six teams Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and a sixth team which will be finalized after the completion of the qualifying event.

The development was confirmed when the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) issued the Invitation for Expressions of Interest (IEOI) for the sponsorship rights document on Saturday.

The letter extends an invitation to interested parties to submit an IEOI for ACC Sponsorship Rights between 2024 and 2027.

The document further highlighted that all information is provisional and subject to change at the ACC’s sole discretion without responsibility, including timetables, dates, formats, and locations.

Notably, the official schedule of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 has not been finalized yet while it is expected that the six-team tournament will be played in September next year after the monsoon season ends in the country.

READ: “Babar is defensive while Shan looks to attack”: Aamer Jamal on captaincy

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi lauded the fighting spirit of the national women’s team following their gut-wrenching defeat against Sri Lanka in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semi-final.

The nerve-wracking second semi-final of the eight-team tournament went right down to the wire as Pakistan captain Nida Dar made it tough for the hosts to chase down three runs in the final over.

Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper batter Anushka Sanjeewani, however, displayed nerves of steel and steered her side to a narrow three-wicket victory that set up their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 final with defending champions India.

Meanwhile, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi lauded the national team’s effort and urged them to keep their heads high.

“Absolutely proud of the Pakistan women’s cricket team,” wrote Naqvi on X, formerly Twitter.

“You fought with heart and determination till the very last ball. Winning and losing are both part of the game, but what truly matters is the spirit and resilience you displayed.

“You have lived up to the nation’s expectations and made us all proud. Keep your heads high; you have our unwavering support. Best of luck for the future.”

Set to chase 141, Sri Lanka knocked the winning runs on the penultimate delivery of the innings when Anushka Sanjeewani held her nerves calm to hit Nida Dar for a single towards the long-on.

The home side had a dismal start to the pursuit as they were reduced to 19/2 in four overs.

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However, their captain Athapaththu retaliated against spirited Pakistan bowlers and oversaw Sri Lanka’s run chase.

She put together crucial partnerships with Kavisha Dilhari (17) and Sanjeewani before finally perishing in the 17th over.

Athapaththu smashed 10 boundaries including a six on her way to top score for Sri Lanka with a 48-ball 63.

Her dismissal caused a stir in Sri Lanka’s chase as Pakistan bowlers forced a late comeback but wicketkeeper batter Sanjeewani showcased grit and powered the hosts into their sixth Women’s Asia Cup final.

Sanjeewani remained unbeaten with a 22-ball 24.

Sadia Iqbal was the pick among the bowlers for Pakistan with her four-fer while Nida Dar and Omaima Sohail shared two wickets between them.

Earlier, Pakistan registered 140/4 on the board, courtesy of a solid platform provided by openers Muneeba and Gull Feroza, after being put into bat first.

The opening pair batted sensibly on a tricky Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium surface and added 61 runs for the first wicket.

Muneeba and Feroza appeared in control until Udeshika Prabodhani forced Sri Lanka’s comeback by dismissing both the openers.

Wicketkeeper batter Muneeba Ali remained the top-scorer for Pakistan with a 34-ball 37, laced up with five fours while Feroza made a cautious 25 off 24 balls, hitting three fours in the process.

Later, Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana bolstered Pakistan’s total by scoring 40 runs in the last five overs.

READ: Mohsin Naqvi announces ‘zero-tolerance policy’ for discipline violation

LAHORE: The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi, announced on Monday that a zero-tolerance policy will be implemented for national team players who violate team discipline.

Naqvi chaired a three-hour-long meeting with the national men’s coaching staff, members of the men’s selection committee, and senior PCB officials at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten, red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie, PCB CEO Salman Naseer, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood, Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla, members of the selection committee Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq, Bilal Afzal, Director High-Performance Centers Nadeem Khan and Director Domestic Cricket Abdullah Khurram Niazi participated in the meeting.

The chairman made some major decisions during the meeting to improve the team’s overall performance and one of them was to implement a zero-tolerance policy towards indiscipline.

Naqvi underscored the critical importance of discipline and team unity, emphasizing that these values are non-negotiable. He sternly announced that any player found violating these principles would face strict consequences.

These decisions were taken in the wake of recent reports of star bowler Shaheen Afridi’s misconduct during the recent tours.

The reports suggest that Afridi was engaged in a heated argument with batting coach Mohammad Yousuf during the team’s tour of England ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

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Sources asserted that the incident occurred during Pakistan’s net practice at Headingley when Shaheen engaged in a verbal exchange with the former batter.

The batting coach pointed towards Shaheen Afridi’s continuous no-balls in the nets, they added.

However, the pacer got furious and told Mohammad Yousuf to let him practice and not intervene in his bowling.

According to sources, Shaheen later apologised to the batting coach while the team management also reprimanded him for his misconduct.

The incident was later termed the heat of the moment and the chapter was closed after Shaheen Afridi apologised to Mohammad Yousuf.

It is pertinent to mention that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) axed former pacer Wahab Riaz from the position of senior team manager and as a member of the selection committee after Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup 2024.

Former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq was also sacked from the PCB selection committee.

READ: Pakistan women’s head coach eyes victory against India in Asia Cup