Pakistan vs England Archives

Sajid Khan hails selection committee for ‘supportive’ pitches

RAWALPINDI: Right-arm spinner Sajid Khan lauded the new selection committee for making a spin-friendly pitch for the third Test between Pakistan and England, underway here at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

Sajid once again troubled the English batters with his mastery of spin and claimed a six-wicket haul, helping Pakistan to book England on 267 despite wicketkeeper batter Jamie Smith’s 89-run knock.

The right-arm spinner reflected on the eventful day, which saw 13 wickets fall as Pakistan got to 73/3 in response to England’s 267.

He claimed that the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium is different to that of Multan, explaining that he used variations and utilized the crease to take six wickets.

“This pitch is different [to that of Multan]. After 25-30 overs, when the ball softens, we used to get something there [on the previous surface] by hitting the patches but we do not get it on this pitch,” said Sajid.

“Some deliveries were bowled well and they played a few bad shots,” he added.

“So, the wicket is not like that as if one hits a certain patch and would benefit immediately. So, I varied the pace and utilized the crease and it helped me to take wickets.”

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Sajid also shared his experience of bowling long spells alongside Noman Ali, stating the latter is well-experienced and guides him.

“Noman Ali is very experienced. I enjoy bowling with him a lot. He always guides me during my spells and it’s a wonderful feeling to bowl alongside him,” said Sajid.

Sajid Khan then went on to laud the new selection committee for preparing a pitch that supports spinners, a formula that helped Pakistan end their Test win drought at home.

“My focus is not on records. I just want to win matches for Pakistan. Credit goes to the new selection for making pitches like this that are helping us,” he concluded.

READ: Jason Gillespie ‘confident’ of Babar Azam’s strong comeback

Jason Gillespie ‘confident’ of Babar Azam’s strong comeback

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie on Thursday, expressed his confidence in the ability of star batter Babar Azam to make a strong comeback in all formats.

Babar has been under tight scrutiny due to his below-par performances recently. He crashed out of the top ten list in the ICC Test Batting Rankings last month after a forgettable home Test series against Bangladesh, where he managed a meagre 64 runs in four innings.

Meanwhile, in the first Test against England, he scored 35 runs in two innings after which he was dropped from the squad for the remainder of the series.

Babar was replaced by consistent domestic performer Kamran Ghulam, who grabbed the opportunity with both hands and smashed a century in his very first innings, which turned out to be pivotal in Pakistan’s 152-run victory over England in the second Test.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie expects Babar Azam to continue playing a “huge role” for the Green Shirts and scoring lots of runs on his comeback.

“Well again, I. I cannot answer that because I’m not a selector. But what I will say is that Babar is a fine player. I think he’s one of the best players in the world. And, yeah, he had a bit of a lean, lean patch, but I don’t think, but I don’t think many great players around the world have never had a lean patch,” Gillespie said.

“I’m very confident. Babar Will will be back scoring a lot of runs for Pakistan in all formats. He’s just too good a player. He works really, really hard in his game. He’s very precise with his preparation and what he needs to do to get ready. I fully expect him to have a huge role, going forward in the next little while for Pakistan,” he added.

READ: Mohammad Amir comes out in support of Babar Azam

Former chief selector raises questions over PCB’s decision to drop Babar Azam

Former Pakistan cricketer and chief selector Iqbal Qasim has raised questions over the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to drop star batter Babar Azam from the national team’s squad midway through the Test series against England in Multan.

Meanwhile, in the first Test against England, he scored 35 runs in two innings after which he was dropped from the squad for the remainder of the series.

In Babar’s absence, the Shan Masood-led team defeated England by 152 runs to level the three-match series and claim their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

Iqbal Qasim expressed his disappointment over the treatment of Babar during an interview with a local sports website. He stated that the cricket board should have supported the star batter in his bad phase.

“Our mindset has become such that whoever is the top performer is made the captain. But when that cricketer faces a bad phase, he is removed like a fly from milk,” said Qasim.

He emphasized that Babar has been facing excessive expectations, which has been adding to the pressure on him.

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“We’ve become accustomed to seeing Babar Azam score hundreds and fifties, and even his ‘bad’ innings are around 30-35 runs, while other batsmen struggle to even reach that. Why is the criteria for Babar set so high that if he scores 100, he will stay in the team, and he has to score 100 in every match?” the former chief selector stated.

Iqbal Qasim also highlighted that losing form is part and parcel of the game, but players should be supported during their bad patch.

“Every great cricketer, including Zaheer Abbas, has faced tough times. During those times, we need to support them and boost their morale,” he added.

“Why is the standard for Babar Azam so high that only a hundred keeps him in the team? You can’t form a team without your superstars like Majid Khan, Imran Khan, or Javed Miandad.

“My personal opinion is that Babar has served as captain, reached a good position, and has been a top performer, ranked number 1 in the world.

He has countless fans in India, England, and Pakistan. He needed support; we should have played him, even if you removed him from captaincy. As a player, he deserves a spot. If you say he doesn’t deserve a spot as a player, that’s just unfair.”

READ: Lahore Qalandars among top five teams in Global Super League

Bowlers give England edge after Sajid Khan’s six-wicket haul

RAWALPINDI: Spinners made early inroads to reduce Pakistan to 73/3 at Stumps on the opening day of the Rawalpindi Test after Sajid Khan’s six-for booked England on 267 despite Jamie Smith’s 89-run knock.

The home side got off to a shaky start to their innings as their opener Abdullah Shafique’s poor form continues.

The right-handed batter could score 14 before being trapped lbw by Shoaib Bashir.

His opening partner Saim Ayub had a similar fortune as he fell victim to Jack Leach after scoring 19.

Pakistan then suffered another blow to their batting expedition as last match centurion Kamran Ghulam (3) perished cheaply, reducing them to 43/3.

Following the early debacle, skipper Shan Masood was joined by his deputy Saud Shakeel and the duo made sure to bat through the remaining overs without further damage.

Shan and Saud, both unbeaten on 16, will now resume Pakistan’s first innings at 73/3, trailing England by 194 runs.

For England, Leach, Shoaib and Gus Atkinson made one scalp each.

England could add only 25 runs after the Tea, thanks to Jack Leach’s 16 as Sajid Khan took the final two wickets to claim his second five-wicket haul of the series.

Rehan Ahmed became Sajid’s fifth victim as he came down the track only to get deceived by the spin. Meanwhile, Leach got out stumped in an attempt to hit a short ball by Sajid.

Other than Sajid’s six wickets, Noman Ali got three while Zahid Mahmood bagged one.

England scored 242-8 at Tea with Rehan Ahmed (2) and Jack Leach (1) on the crease.

Ben Stokes (6) and Jamie Smith (5) resumed England’s innings after the Lunch with 110-5 on the board.

However, Stokes was soon dismissed by Sajid Khan after scoring 12 runs, bringing Gus Atkinson to the crease.

Smith and Atkinson raised a 105-run partnership to get England out of the trouble much to the frustration of Pakistan bowlers.

Atkinson, who missed the second Test, played a gutsy knock on his return to the side and scored 39 runs from 71 balls with the help of five boundaries before miscuing one back to the Noman Ali.

Jamie Smith top-scored for England with a stellar innings of 89 runs, which ended with him getting stumped off Zahid Mahmood.

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England captain Ben Stokes opted to bat first on a tricky Rawalpindi pitch. The visitors got off to a decent start as opening batters Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett stitched a 56-run partnership.

However, Pakistan’s spinners continued from where they left in the last match and Noman Ali provided the first breakthrough, removing Crawley after he scored 29.

Duckett continued to anchor through the innings while new batters Ollie Pope (3) and Joe Root (5) fell prey to Sajid Khan.

The left-handed opener completed his second half-century of the series but soon became Noman Ali’s victim. Duckett departed after scoring 52 off 84 with the help of four boundaries and one six.

Sajid Khan castled Harry Brook (5) to leave England in a struggling position with the scoreboard reading 98-5.

Stokes was then joined by wicket-keeper Jamie Smith and they ensured that the English side did not suffer any further damage in the first session.

It’s worth noting that the three-match Test series is currently levelled 1-1 and the deciding third match is currently underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs in the series opener, consequently, the home side made an array of changes including dropping their star batter Babar Azam and ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Domestic performer Kamran Ghulam made his long-awaited debut, while spin bowlers Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood made their return to the Test side.

The changes proved fruitful as Kamran scored a century on his debut, while Sajid and Noman shared 20 wickets to steer Pakistan to their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan have announced an unchanged Playing XI for the ongoing match, while England have added an additional spinner to take advantage of the conditions.

Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: “Decision regarding Pakistan’s white-ball captaincy to be made after Rizwan-Naqvi meeting”

Mir Hamza released from Pakistan’s Test squad

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan pacer Mir Hamza has been released from the Test squad for the ongoing series against England owing to his injury.

The left-arm pacer experienced mild discomfort in his right leg before the ongoing third Test. The injury occurred during a practice session, where Hamza was unable to bowl, raising concerns about his fitness.

As a precautionary measure, he will complete his recovery and rehabilitation process in Karachi with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) medical team.

It’s worth noting that the three-match Test series is currently levelled 1-1 and the deciding third match is currently underway at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

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Domestic performer Kamran Ghulam made his long-awaited debut, while spin bowlers Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood made their return to the Test side.

The changes proved fruitful as Kamran scored a century on his debut, while Sajid and Noman shared 20 wickets to steer Pakistan to their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

It’s worth noting that Pakistan have announced an unchanged Playing XI for the ongoing match, while England have added an additional spinner to take advantage of the conditions.

Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: Asalanka steers Sri Lanka to series-clinching victory over West Indies

WATCH: England team wins hearts by carrying chairs after group picture

RAWALPINDI: England Men’s cricket team won hearts with its humble gesture after a group photo session at the picturesque Pindi Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

The Ben Stokes-led side is on a red-ball tour to Pakistan, competing in a three-match Test series, levelled at 1-1.

The third and final Test of the series will commence from October 24 until October 28.

Thus, ahead of the series decider, the touring side gathered for a group picture at the venue. After the shoot, the players and support staff, who were sitting on the chairs, picked them up one by one, in a heartfelt gesture to support the ground staff.

England team’s gesture of carrying the chairs soon caught the attention of cricket fans, who lauded their act of kindness.

Both England and Pakistan have unveiled their lineups for the third and final Test.

Pakistan will field the same line-up which crushed England by 152 runs in the second Test in Multan to level the three-match series.

The pitch in Rawalpindi is anticipated to favour spin bowlers, much like the conditions seen in Multan.

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As a result, Pakistan will go with the same spin-heavy bowling attack, featuring Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood while Aamir Jamal will play as the sole pacer.

On the other hand, England made two changes in their Playing XI yesterday, bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and seamer Gus Atkinson in place of Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: Zimbabwe smash highest total in Men’s T20Is

‘I am a matchday strategist’: Jason Gillespie comments on exclusion from selection committee

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has opened up about his role in the team management after the recent changes in the selection committee.

Previously head coach and captain of the respective formats were part of the selection committee as voting members.

However, following Pakistan’s heavy defeat in the first Test against England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) overhauled the selection committee, removing the captain and coach from the selection process.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board [PCB] has confirmed the recomposition of the men’s national selection committee. It now includes Aleem Dar, Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali and Hasan Cheema as voting members,” the PCB stated.

Jason Gillespie addressed the changes and explained his role during the press conference in Rawalpindi ahead of the third Test against England.

“The PCB came in after that (first) Test match. It was decided that a new selection panel would come in, and they would be making decisions,” said Gillespie.

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“I wasn’t involved in the decision-making. I’m now just the coach for matchday strategy, so I just keep out of things now and just focus on the players and getting them ready for cricket.”

The former Australian pacer stated that he is only focused on creating team strategy and has nothing to do with the team selection.

“Look, it’s not for me to talk about now. I am not a selector; I am a matchday strategist as head coach, and I’m all about the players,” he added.

“My focus is on them. I will let the selectors do their job, and we will just go out there and play the best cricket we can possibly play.”

It’s worth noting that Pakistan have announced an unchanged Playing XI for the third Test, while England have added an additional spinner to take advantage of the conditions.

Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: Michael Atherton skeptical about Rawalpindi pitch mirroring Multan conditions

Michael Atherton skeptical about Rawalpindi pitch mirroring Multan conditions

Former England captain Michael Atherton has raised doubts over the behaviour of the Rawalpindi pitch for the third Test, suggesting that it may not be as spin-friendly as the pitch in Multan.

The Test series between Pakistan and England is currently tied 1-1, with the third match set to be played from 24th to 28th October at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs in the series opener in Multan. The home side made an array of changes for the remainder of the series, including dropping their star batter Babar Azam and ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Domestic performer Kamran Ghulam made his long-awaited debut during the second Test against England, while spin bowlers Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood made their return to the Test side.

The home team also instructed groundsmen to make a spin-friendly pitch, which along with team changes as spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali shared 20 wickets to steer Pakistan to their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

The groundsmen in Rawalpindi are also working to create a similar pitch, however, Atherton highlighted that this pitch is traditionally pace-friendly and would not behave like Multan’s.

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“I believe it will be a very good pitch for the first couple of days. Clearly, they are trying to bake it to encourage spin; that much is obvious,” said Atherton during a conversation on Sky Sports.

“However, Pindi has a reputation for being one of the flattest pitches around. This pitch is not used, so they cannot replicate the conditions we saw in Multan, where the game effectively started on the sixth day.”

“While I expect the pitch to start spinning at some point, I think it will be quite good for batting during the first half of the match. This could signal a return to the more traditional style of cricket here, where the game progresses normally for two or three days before the conditions begin to change.”

It’s worth noting that Pakistan have announced an unchanged Playing XI, while England have added an additional spinner to take advantage of the conditions.

Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

READ: Pakistan name unchanged Playing XI for third Test against England

Pakistan name unchanged Playing XI for third Test against England

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday, confirmed that they will stick with the same Playing XI for the third Test against England, scheduled to run from October 24 to 28 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan will field the same line-up which crushed England by 152 runs in the second Test in Multan to level the three-match series.

The pitch in Rawalpindi is anticipated to favour spin bowlers, much like the conditions seen in Multan.

As a result, Pakistan will go with the same spin-heavy bowling attack, featuring Sajid Khan, Noman Ali, and Zahid Mahmood while Aamir Jamal will play as the sole pacer.

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On the other hand, England made two changes in their Playing XI yesterday, bringing in leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed and seamer Gus Atkinson in place of Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts.

Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (vc), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir.

WATCH: Jason Gillespie picks up empty bottles after Pakistan training session

WATCH: Jason Gillespie picks up empty bottles after Pakistan training session

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie won hearts on Tuesday after a video went viral, showing him picking up empty bottles after a training session in Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the upcoming third Test against England.

In a heartwarming viral video, Jason Gillespie was seen cleaning the environment around the practice nets by personally picking up discarded plastic bottles.

He carefully gathered the litter, showing his commitment to cleanliness, and disposed of it in a nearby dustbin.

Fans praised Gillespie for his commendable manners and dedication to maintaining a clean space following Pakistan’s practice session at the venue.

The three-match Test series is currently levelled 1-1 and the deciding third match will be played from 24 October to 28 October at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 47 runs in the series opener. The home side made an array of changes for the remainder of the series, including dropping their star batter Babar Azam and ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

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Domestic performer Kamran Ghulam made his long-awaited debut during the second Test against England, while spin bowlers Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood made their return to the Test side.

The changes proved fruitful as Kamran scored a century on his debut, while Sajid and Noman shared 20 wickets to steer Pakistan to their first Test victory at home since February 2021.

READ: New Zealand batter shatters Travis Head’s record for fastest List A double century