Tag: PCB

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to announce the captain of men’s white-ball team later today for the upcoming tour of Australia and Zimbabwe.

Pakistan are set to embark on a white-ball tour to Australia for a three-match each ODI and T20I series, scheduled to run from November 4 until November 18.

The tour itself is a tough challenge for the Green Shirts, considering their previous record in Australia but the touring side faces another stiff challenge, a leadership void, which was created by Babar Azam after he officially stepped down as the team’s white-ball captain earlier this month.

Babar’s resignation came in the wake of the national team’s disastrous campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 where they suffered their first-ever group-stage exit, mainly pertaining to their shock loss against the United States of America (USA) and gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Right when Babar’s second reign as Pakistan captain ended, the cricketing body began searching for a new leader and wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Rizwan emerged as the front-runner.

Several reports within the national media indicated Rizwan as the next white-ball captain of the national team but the PCB is yet to make an official announcement.

However, the cricket board has announced that they will announce the captain today.

“Pakistan’s white-ball captain will be unveiled by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in a media conference in Lahore on Sunday at 3:30 PM,” the PCB press release stated.

READ: Babar Azam, Rizwan retained in category A as PCB announces central contracts

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday unveiled the new dates for the upcoming Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.

“Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class tournament, will begin from 26 October. Eighteen teams from the 16 regions will participate in the four-day tournament that will conclude on 19 December,” the PCB said in a statement.

The 18 teams include Abbottabad Region, AJK Region, Bahawalpur Region, Dera Murad Jamali Region, Faisalabad Region, FATA Region, Hyderabad Region, Islamabad Region, Karachi Region Blues, Karachi Region Whites, Lahore Region Whites, Lahore Region Blues, Larkana Region, Multan Region, Peshawar Region, Quetta Region, Rawalpindi Region and Sialkot Region.

Karachi Region Whites will defend their title this year, having won the tournament last year under Sarfaraz Ahmed by defeating Faisalabad Region in the final by 456 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium from 22 to 26 October 2023.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is the pinnacle of domestic cricket in Pakistan as it is not just a tournament but also an event that showcases the immense talent across the country and prepares them for the challenges of international cricket,” Abdullah Khurram Niazi, the Director of Domestic Cricket Operations stated.

“As always, we will continue to provide the best possible platform for players to excel and show their capabilities on the biggest stage in domestic cricket as they will be rubbing their shoulders with the best players of the country.

“Earlier we demonstrated a successful Champions One-Day Cup, and are fully committed to strengthening our domestic structure. The successful execution of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy remains at the heart of this commitment.”

The 18-team tournament was originally scheduled to run from 20 October to 18 December, however, it was postponed due to undisclosed reasons.

READ: India assistant coach provides update on Rishabh Pant’s injury

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday revealed the new selection committee, which includes former ICC umpire Aleem Dar as well as former cricketers Azhar Ali and Aqib Javed.

The cricket board announced the decision on their website through a press release.

“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.

It’s worth noting that Aleem Dar drew curtains on a glittering career during the Champions One-Day Cup last month.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The last selection committee consisted of current selector Asad Shafiq along with former captain Mohammad Yousuf as well as the captain and head coach of the respective formats.

However, Yousuf resigned from his role as a member of the national selection committee on 29 September. The 50-year-old cited personal reasons for his decision in a statement on his social media account.

“I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team due to personal reasons. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket,” Mohammad Yousuf said in his post on X.

“I have immense faith in the talent and spirit of our players, and wish our team all the best as they continue to strive for greatness,” he added.

READ: Pakistan set unwanted record after crushing defeat in first England Test

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday, announced the star-studded commentary panel for the upcoming three-match Test series between Pakistan and England.

Former England Test captains David Gower, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain will return to Pakistan as commentators for this series, having previously covered the three Tests between Pakistan and England in December 2022. They will be joined by Test cricketer Ian Ward as the voices from England.

The Pakistani voices include former Test captains Aamir Sohail and Ramiz Raja, Test cricketer Bazid Khan and former Pakistan women’s team captain Urooj Mumtaz. Zainab Abbas will serve as the series presenter.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The three-match series between Pakistan and England will run from October 7 to 28 and is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

It’s worth noting that the second Test, which was originally planned at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 15-19 October, will now be played at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The match has been shifted as the National Bank Stadium is undergoing a major facelift for next year’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The remaining two Tests will be played as originally planned, i.e. 7-11 October in Multan and 24-28 October in Rawalpindi.

Squads:

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

England: Ben Stokes (C), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

READ: Faheem Ashraf to lead Pakistan in Hong Kong World Sixes

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted the resignation of Babar Azam from his position as the national white-ball captain.

Babar announced his decision on Tuesday night through social media, citing heavy workload and his intention to focus more on batting.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that Babar Azam tendered his resignation as Pakistan men’s white-ball captain on Tuesday evening, and it has been accepted,” the PCB stated in a press release.

They further revealed that the national selection committee has been assigned the task of making a strategy for white-ball cricket and recommending options for captaincy.

“The national selection committee has been tasked with beginning the process of formulating future white-ball cricket strategies, including recommending a new captain,” the statement further said.

The cricket board acknowledged Babar’s services to the national team and extended support for the star batter.

“Although the PCB had backed Babar Azam as the white-ball captain, his decision to step down reflects his desire to focus more on making a greater impact as a player,” the PCB stated.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“This decision is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to Pakistan cricket. He believes that dedicating himself fully to his batting will enable him to play a more decisive role in the team’s success in the shorter formats.

“The PCB acknowledges Babar’s contributions as white-ball captain, his ability to prioritise the team’s needs and his unwavering dedication to Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue to support Babar Azam, recognising he still has much to offer both as a world-class batter and a senior statesman of the team.”

Meanwhile, Babar also reiterated his aim to focus on his batting and play his role in the team’s success going forward.

“Playing for Pakistan has always been my greatest honour and I’ve always placed the team’s success above everything else,” said Babar Azam.

“Stepping down as captain will help me deliver even more for the team as a player and I’m fully committed to that path. The team’s success is what matters most.

“I’ve had the privilege of leading Pakistan for five remarkable years, always trying to give my best as both captain and player.

“At this stage, I strongly believe I can make a bigger impact by concentrating on my batting. I am grateful for the constant support from my teammates, coaches and the PCB throughout my captaincy.

“While it has been a great honour to lead Pakistan, now is the right time to shift my complete focus on batting, the team’s objectives during this transitional phase and back the new captain and emerging players as we prepare for a crucial season ahead, including the defence of the ICC Champions Trophy on home soil next year.”

READ: Reason behind Babar Azam’s decision to quit white-ball captaincy revealed

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the President’s Cup One-Day tournament will commence from 3 October across five cities.

President’s Cup will feature nine departmental cricket teams. The two semi-finals will be played on 13 and 14 October, while the final of the tournament will be staged on 16 October.

All the matches will be day with the first ball expected to be bowled at 9.30 AM. The venues and start time for the semi-final and final will be announced in due course.

A prize pot of PKR7.75 million will be up for grabs as the winner of the tournament will bag PKR5 million while the runners-up will collect PKR2.5 million.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Higher Education Commission (HEC), Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) are placed in Group A, while Eshaal Associates, Ghani Glass, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Television (PTV) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) are part of Group B.

SNGPL, the winners of the previous edition of the President’s Cup, will play their opening match of the tournament against Ghani Glass on 3 October at Saeed Sports City Bedian, Lahore.

The Group A matches will take place in Abbottabad, Islamabad and Rawalpindi while the Group B matches are set to be staged in Faisalabad and Lahore.

Group A – HEC, KRL, SBP, WAPDA

Group B – Eshaal Associates, Ghani Glass, OGDCL, PTV, SNGPL

READ: Zaheer Abbas demands Babar Azam’s exclusion from Pakistan squad

Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf resigned from his role as a member of the national selection committee on Sunday, as confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The 50-year-old took to social media on Sunday to share the news, citing personal reasons for his decision.

“I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team due to personal reasons. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket,” Mohammad Yousuf said in his post on X.

“I have immense faith in the talent and spirit of our players, and wish our team all the best as they continue to strive for greatness,” he added.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The cricket board later confirmed Yousuf’s resignation through a press release on their website.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced that Mohammad Yousuf has voluntarily stepped down from his role as a member of the national selection committee to focus on other key responsibilities within the cricket board,” the PCB’s press release stated.

“The PCB expresses its sincere gratitude to Mohammad Yousuf for his invaluable contributions during his tenure as a selection committee member. Yousuf will continue to play a pivotal role at the PCB, sharing his extensive knowledge and experience as the batting coach at the High-Performance Centre.”

Yousuf was the head coach of the Pakistan U19 side that finished third in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024 in South Africa.

The former legend, who represented Pakistan in 90 Test matches, 288 ODIs, and three T20Is during his illustrious career, was appointed as selector in March 2024. He played a key role in selecting the Pakistani squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.

READ: Scotland crush Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Salman Naseer shared that team unity was one of the key points that came under discussion during the recently concluded Connection Camp here at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Naseer, addressing the media here, revealed that the idea behind calling the high-profile meeting, dubbed Connection Camp, was to resolve the issues ahead of the national team’s busy schedule.

The PCB COO acknowledged a dip in the performance of not just the national team but also of the management before revealing the talking points of the discussion including unity and collaboration.

“We have a hectic schedule, and it was the right moment to sit together and discuss matters,” said Naseer.

“There were three to four important things on which we did brainstorming and I think it was the need of the hour as we all know that the performance of either players or management can be improvised.

“Another idea [behind the Connection Camp] was that we sit together to identify the issues, things which can be improved and also our vision and what steps are needed to achieve it.

“So, we built a roadmap on how we can reignite our excellence and what steps are necessary to achieve success.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“It was an open and transparent session, during which we got to talk to each other with utmost honesty and discussed unity, collaboration and how we can improve our communication.”

When asked whether he acknowledges that there was a lack of unity in the team, Salman Naseer shared that the Connection Camp was held in this regard as well.

“Today’s session was held in this regard as well so that we can openly, sincerely and candidly accept, identify and ask for commitment from each other and make demands so that we can improve our performance and also on how we need to work together as a team since it is a team sport.”

On the other hand, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten termed Connection Camp a success before asserting that the stakeholders have largely achieved the purpose of the gathering.

“The connection camp was brilliant. We spoke about supporting each other, and I believe we’ve largely achieved the purpose of this gathering. Everyone has shown a real commitment to restore the pride of Pakistan cricket,” Kirsten said.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie backed Kirsten’s remarks and termed the Connection Camp a wonderful opportunity.

“It was a wonderful opportunity to sit down together. We need to connect with each other, and this was the right time to do so,” Gillespie said.

READ: PCB charges Lions for slow over-rate in Champions Cup

Shaheen Afridi-led Lions have been fined for slow over-rate in their Sunday fixture against the Dolphins during the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup.

The Lions lost the game by 16 runs but still qualified for the playoff stage on Sunday night, at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad.

“The Lions have been fined for slow over-rate in their 22 September game of Champions One-Day Cup against the Engro Dolphins,” the PCB’s press release stated.

“The charges were levelled by the on-field umpires Faisal Aafreedi and Imtiaz Iqbal as the Lions were found to be one over short of the stipulated time.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“All the eleven playing members of the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led team have been fined five per cent of their match fees as per article 2.22 of the PCB Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel, which deals with over-rate offences.”

Notably, Lions’ all-rounder Khushdil Shah scored a blistering half-century, however, Abbas Afridi held on to his nerves to steer the Dolphins to a thrilling last-over victory.

In this crucial game, chasing 327 runs, the Lions needed to score 260 or more in order to qualify for the playoff stage, which they did in the 47th over but fell 16 runs short as they finished 310-8 in 50 overs.

The Lions will face the Stallions in Wednesday’s eliminator, meanwhile, Tuesday’s Qualifier will be played between the Markhors and the Panthers.

READ: Iftikhar Ahmed acknowledges need for Pakistan to adopt attacking mindset

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will host a high-level Connection Camp at a local hotel on Monday, aiming to establish a clear and unified vision for the future of Pakistan cricket.

This strategic session follows a series of consultations PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has had with former cricketers since assuming office earlier this year.

The camp will bring together nine elite cricketers, including Babar Azam (Pakistan’s white-ball captain), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Shan Masood (Pakistan’s red-ball captain).

Joining them will be national team head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, assistant coach Azhar Mahmood and High-Performance specialist David Reid.

Chairman Mohsin Naqvi will lead the day-long session, accompanied by the PCB’s leadership team.

The primary objective of the Connection Camp is to define a shared vision and mission, along with setting a roadmap to reignite the pride and excellence that has characterised Pakistan cricket since achieving Test status in 1952.

The session will focus on fostering stronger collaboration between players and the PCB, while the board will reaffirm its commitment to supporting players in meeting strategic goals. The ultimate aim is for players to take a leading role in inspiring the next generation of cricketers through outstanding performances.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi:

“The Connection Camp is a critical step toward unifying our approach to restore Pakistan cricket to its former glory. Our aim is to identify key issues, foster open dialogue and collectively agree on a strategic path forward.

“By addressing these challenges directly, we will establish clear, actionable goals that meet the expectations of our passionate cricket fans.

“The PCB remains optimistic that this session, which builds on prior discussions with former cricketers, will lead to a results-driven strategy that improves both player management and team performance.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“This is the first step in an ongoing journey to reshape Pakistan cricket. The PCB will continue these collaborative efforts to ensure long-term success, keeping fans at the heart of our mission.”

Pakistan Test team captain Shan Masood:

“This is an important moment for us as players. We’re fully committed to working with the PCB to reignite the pride and passion that Pakistan cricket is known for.

“These discussions will help us set a strong course for the future and we are excited to be part of this collaborative effort.

“The outcomes of the session will include performance benchmarks, player development programmes and strategies to enhance grassroots cricket.

“This initiative aligns with the PCB’s vision to not only improve immediate team performance but also ensure long-term sustainability of excellence in the sport.”

Pakistan men’s team red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie:

“This camp provides a valuable opportunity for open dialogue and alignment between the coaching staff and players. We’re all striving toward the same goal – raising the standard of Pakistan cricket and creating a culture of winning.”

Pakistan men’s team white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten:

“As a coach, it is my responsibility to setup the best environment possible for the players to thrive.

“We will focus on refining our approach in white-ball cricket to meet the standards of the highest levels of international competition. Most importantly, we will do everything possible to ensure the people of Pakistan are proud of their national team.”

READ: All-round Ashwin powers India to 280-run Test win over Bangladesh