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  • Hong Kong’s Captain takes tips from Babar Azam ahead of match

    Hong Kong’s Captain takes tips from Babar Azam ahead of match

    Ahead of a crucial match in Asia Cup, Hong Kong’s captain took tips from Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video in which the two skippers can be seen chatting with each other.

    Hong Kong skipper, Nizakat Khan, who aspires to follow footsteps of Babar Azam is seen asking tips from Babar Azam.

    “Koi tip hame bhi do (give us some tips too),” Khan asked Babar, to which the Pakistani skipper replied: “Kya tips chahiye (what tips do you want)?”

    As per ICC latest ranking table, Babar Azam is at the top of the list in ODI and T201 men’s cricket ranking. He is the fastest batsman to score 2500 runs in T20 international cricket. He took 67 matches and 62 innings to reach this milestone. He also holds the record of scoring most hundreds in a series.

    During the conversation, Pakistan born Hong Kong skipper praised Babar Azam for his batting abilities. In the video, he could also be seen trying out Babar Azam’s bat. Earlier, Nizakat Khan said that it was his dream to play for Pakistan.

    Read more: It was my dream to play for Pakistan: Pakistan-born Hong Kong Captain

    Pakistan will be playing against Hong Kong on September 2 at 7:00 pm. The winning team will qualify for the Super 4. India, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka have already made it to Super 4.

    This the first T20I format match between the two teams. Pakistan is confident of securing a place in Super 4.

  • It was my dream to play for Pakistan: Pakistan-born Hong Kong Captain

    It was my dream to play for Pakistan: Pakistan-born Hong Kong Captain

    Nizakat Khan, a Pakistan-born Hong Kong captain, stated in an interview with Geo News that playing for Pakistan was his dream.

    He said that moving to Hong Kong prevented him from pursuing his dream.

    “Mera to dream tha Pakistan kay liye khailun lekin phir Hong Kong shift ho gaya (It was my dream to play for Pakistan, but I moved to Hong Kong”, said Khan.

    He expressed his excitement over playing against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022.

    Speaking of their match against Pakistan, he shared, “We are confident that we will play well against Pakistan.”

    Khan further added that he tried to follow in the footsteps of Pakistani skipper Babar Azam.

    “Babar Azam is consistently performing. I try to follow in his footsteps in batting and captaincy,” he said.

    Nizakat Khan will play against Pakistan for the second time in the Asia Cup.

    Hong Kong scored 116 runs in 37.1 overs in the first game despite losing 10 wickets. On 11 deliveries, Khan scored 13 runs. However, Pakistan easily reached the mark in 23.4 overs.

  • Video: Virat Kohli gives Haris Rauf a special gift

    Video: Virat Kohli gives Haris Rauf a special gift

    Following Pakistan-India match on August 28, right arm pacer Haris Rauf met former Indian skipper Virat Kohli on field.

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video in which Virat Kohli autographed and handed over a signed jersey to Haris Rauf.

    “The match may be over but moments like these shine bright.”

    Players from both India and Pakistan have displayed positive energy on field despite their rivalry.

    Earlier, Indian players met Shaheen Afridi who was ruled out of the Asia Cup because of a knee injury.

    Read more: Indian players meet Shaheen Shah Afridi, inquire about his health

    Babar was also spotted chatting with Indian team captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

    India won the match on August 28 by five wickets.

    Pakistan-India head to head match count in Asia Cup is now 15. India won nine while Pakistan won five matches. One match ended in no results.

    Read more: History of Pakistan vs India matches at Asia Cup

    Pakistan will play its second match of the Asia Cup 2022 against Hong Kong on September 2 (Friday) at 7pm.

  • ‘Great Spirit’: Twitter praises Naseem Shah for bowling despite cramps

    ‘Great Spirit’: Twitter praises Naseem Shah for bowling despite cramps

    Young pacer Naseem Shah made his debut in the high-pressure Pakistan-India match yesterday. He managed to get 2 wickets and took KL Rahul’s important wicket for zero in the first over.

    He later returned and dismissed Suryakumar Yadav for 18.

    What won the hearts of millions of cricket fans was the fact that the young pacer, despite cramps, completed his last over. He was having a hard time due to cramps. However, he did not give up and completed his last over.

    Here is how Twitter celebrated Naseem Shah:

    https://twitter.com/AhmadKh48664381/status/1564006103775592453

    India won the match by 5 wickets but Pakistani pacers gave Indian players some hard time.

    Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam applauded young Naseem but missed Shaheen Shah Afridi.

    “Naseem Shah’s performance was outstanding, though we missed the presence of Shaheen Shah Afridi,” said Babar

    Babar Azam further said that Naseem’s performance made the last part of the game tough for the opposite side and interesting. However, “we were 10 to 15 runs short.”

    Pakistan will be playing its second match at the Asia Cup against Hong Kong on September 2 (Friday) at 7pm.

  • PCB to donate earnings from match against England to flood victims

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that gate earnings from the first T20I against England will be donated to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund 2022.

    The match will be played on September 20 at the National Stadium in Karachi and will begin at 7:30pm (local time).

    The PCB has urged cricket supporters and fans to buy tickets in large quantities once they go on sale online the following week in order to show solidarity with all those affected by the floods.

     “We at the PCB express our grief and sorrow for all those affected by the extreme monsoon rainfall and floods, which has ​resulted in havoc and devastation beyond imagination, killing over 1,000 and leaving around a million homeless. As cricket unites our proud nation, we stand firmly with the victims and all those involved in​ the flood relief and rescue operations,” said PCB chairman Ramiz Raja in a statement.

    According to the data issued by the National Disaster Management Authority(NDMA), at least 1,033 people have died in floods caused by heavy rains in the country.

  • History of Pakistan vs India matches at Asia Cup

    History of Pakistan vs India matches at Asia Cup

    The cricket rivalry between Pakistan and India is known as the greatest rivalry in the world of cricket. Today, the two sides will meet once again at Asia Cup 2022.

    Pakistan and India have played 14 matches in Asia Cup since 1984. India won 8 out of the 14 matches played in total while Pakistan won five. One match ended without a result as it was rained out.

    Here is the list of Pakistan vs India matches in Asia Cup.

    1984:

    India beat Pakistan by 54 runs while Surinder Khanna was the Man of the Match; he scored 56 runs on 72 balls.

    1988:

    India once again beat Pakistan by 4 wickets. Pakistan scored 142 while India chased the target in 40.4 overs with 4 wickets in hand. Arshad Ayub was Man of the Match.

    1995:

    Pakistan broke its losing streak and defeated India by 97 runs. Aqib Javed was Man of the Match with his magical bowling spell with five wickets to his name.

    1997:

    Match was abandoned because of rain.

    2000:

    Pakistan maintained its wining streak and beat India by 44 runs. Mouhammad Yousuf became Man of the Match by scoring a century on 112 balls. Pakistan scored 295 for the loss of 7 while India managed to score 251 in chase.

    2004:

    Pakistan won the match by 59 runs. Shoaib Malik was Man of the Match. He scored 143 on 127 with 2 wickets.

    2008 Group Stage:

    India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets. Suresh Raina became Man of the Match by scoring 84 runs on 69 balls with 2 wickets to his name. Virender Sehwag also played an outstanding innings of 119 on 95 balls.

    2008 Super 4s:

    Pakistan won by 8 wickets with Younis Khan getting Player of the Match award. His outstanding knock of 123 on 117 helped Pakistan achieve a huge target of 308.

    2010:

    India beat Pakistan by 3 wickets with 1 ball remaining. India chased 267 while Gautam Gambhir became Man of the Match by scoring 83 on 97 balls.

    2012:

    India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets. Pakistan scored 329 while India managed to chase in 47.5 overs. Kohli got the Player of the Match award by scoring 183 on 148 balls.

    2014:

    Pakistan won by 1 wicket. This match took a lot of turns. In the final over, Pakistan needed 9 runs in the last over with 2 wickets in hand. Pakistan lost their ninth wicket on Ashwin’s first ball. On the next ball, Junaid khan took a single followed by two maximums by Afridi. Hafeez became Man of the Match with 75 runs and two wickets to his name.

    2016:

    India beat Pakistan by five wickets. This was the first T20I edition of Asia Cup. India defeated Pakistan with Kohli scoring 49 on 51 balls.

    2018 Group Stage:

    India won with eight wickets in hand. Pakistan scored 162 while India achieved that target in 29 overs.

    2018 Super 4s:

    India once again defeated Pakistan with a tremendous knock of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma of 114 and 111 respectively.

  • Asia Cup: Everything you need to know

    Asia Cup’s 15th edition began today (August 27). In the first match, Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka.

    Pakistan will play India tomorrow (Sunday, August 28).

    Here’s a look at the history of Asia Cup.

    The first Asia Cup was played in 1984 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India became the first team to win the Asia Cup. Only three matches were played in the tournament.

    The next edition was held in Sri Lanka in 1986 while India opted out of playing because of unstable diplomatic relations and were replaced by Bangladesh. India came back in action in the third edition when hosting rights were given to Bangladesh in 1988.

    Out of these 14 editions, India won seven times. Sri Lanka won five times while Pakistan has won the title twice.

    So far, 14 editions have been played. Among them, 13 took place in the 50-over format while the first T20I edition was played in 2016.

    In 2016, Asia Cup took place in T20I format to provide teams an opportunity to prepare for the 2016 T20 World Cup.

    This year, the second T20I format is being played at the Asia Cup 2022. This will once again provide the Asian teams an opportunity to prepare for the next T20 World Cup, which is scheduled for October-November.

  • Asia Cup 2022: Hasan Ali to replace Wasim Jr

    Asia Cup 2022: Hasan Ali to replace Wasim Jr

    The Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Friday that fast bowler Mohammad Wasim Jr has been ruled out of Asia Cup 2022 due to a side strain. “He had picked up the injury while bowling in Pakistan’s practice session on Wednesday. The bowler was assessed by the team medical staff, and MRI scan in Dubai confirmed the diagnosis,” said the PCB.

    The findings were discussed with PCB Medical Advisory Committee. The medical team will closely monitor Wasim and his return to competitive cricket will be reassessed before series against England.

    Hasan Ali has been named as Wasim’s replacement

    Hasan will depart for the UAE after an approval by the Event Technical Committee (ETC).

    Pakistan will be playing against India on August 28 (Sunday). Losing another pacer would be a huge blow for Pakistan.

    Earlier this month, Shaheen Shah Afridi had been ruled out of the Asia Cup because of a knee injury. He was replaced with Mohammad Hasnain.

    Read more: Mohammad Hasnain to replace Shaheen Shah Afridi in Asia Cup 2022

    Shaheen Shah Afridi is still part of Pakistan cricket team’s travelling squad and is currently undergoing on-tour rehabilitation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video yesterday in which Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli, met Shaheen Shah Afridi and inquired about his health.

  • Video: Indian players meet Shaheen Shah Afridi, inquire about his health

    Video: Indian players meet Shaheen Shah Afridi, inquire about his health

    Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli, met Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and inquired about his health.

    In a video shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Indian players were seen shaking hands with Afridi and inquiring about his knee injury.

    “Yaar mein soch raha hoon aapki tarhaan bas batting shuru kar doon, aik haath se chakkay lagaaoon,” [I am thinking of becoming a batter like you, start hitting sixes with a single hand),” said Shaheen to Rishabh Pant.

    “Kyun bowling mein ziada effort lagti hai? Fast bowler ho to effort lagaana parega sir, compulsory hai,” [Why? Because there’s more effort in bowling? If you’re a fast bowler, you have to put in an effort. It’s compulsory], responded Pant to Shaheen Afridi.

    While having a conversation with Virat Kohli, Shaheen Shah Afridi said, “Aap ke liye dua kar rahe hain aap form mein ayein, dekhna chaahte hain aap ko,” [We are praying for you, we want to see you back in form].

    Read more- VIDEO: Babar Azam meets Virat Kohli in Dubai ahead of Pak Vs India clash

    Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video in which Virat Kohli could be seen meeting Pakistan skipper Babar Azam.

    In the video, Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal were also chatting with Muhammad Nabi.

    Read more- Pakistan or India: Shane Watson predicts who will win Asia Cup 2022

    There will be eight teams in two groups competing against one another in the upcoming Asia Cup 2022. The most awaited match between Pakistan and India will take place on August 28 (Sunday).

  • Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic to miss US Open

    Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic to miss US Open

    Tennis player Novak Djokovic said that he will not be able to attend the US Open in New York City due to his unwillingness to take the COVID-19 vaccination.

    The twenty-one time Grand Slam champion Djokovic stated on Thursday that he will remain in “good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again.”

    The final Grand Slam will begin next week.

    “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #NoleFam for your messages of love and support,” Djokovic wrote on Twitter.

    Although the US has relaxed COVID-19 regulations on a domestic level, visitors who are not US citizens or permanent residents must still be completely vaccinated before boarding a flight into the nation. In June, the United States eliminated testing requirements for overseas travellers.

    Djokovic competed at the US Open last year, reaching the men’s singles final. The virus was deemed a bigger public health danger at the time, although the US simply required testing rather than vaccination for entrance at the time.

    Djokovic sparked outrage earlier this year when his visa was revoked shortly after arriving in Melbourne to participate in the Australian Open. He already clarified that he will not take the COVID-19 vaccination, even if it meant missing out on some matches.