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  • ‘Can’t explain that moment’: Babar opens up about T20 win against India

    ‘Can’t explain that moment’: Babar opens up about T20 win against India

    Pakistan’s all-format cricket team captain Babar Azam has opened up about how he felt beating arch-rival India in the T20 World Cup 2021.

    Azam hailed his side’s record win against India in the event. Pakistan successfully played to a 10-wicket win, ending their World Cup drought against the Men in Blue.

    Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi was the star of the show, taking three for 31 from his four overs. Despite a 57 from former Indian T20 captain Virat Kohli, the Indians were not able to notch up an intimidating total on the scoreboard.

    Chasing 152 for victory, skipper Babar (68) and his partner Mohammad Rizwan (79) steered the national team home with 13 deliveries to spare.

    “I can’t explain that moment. We were not thinking about the past record, trying to stay in the present. The way we started and finished had a different feel and buzz to it.. and the response from fans was amazing too. We hadn’t registered a win (against India) in the World Cups and Allah helped us change that. It was a team effort. We had belief. There was no overconfidence,” said Babar in a PCB Podcast episode on YouTube.

    The Men in Green reached the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after topping Group B. However, their impressive journey came to an end with a defeat to eventual champions Australia in the semis. Babar described it as a heartbreaking moment for Pakistan.

    “We had put in the effort… we had dominated the World Cup. But unfortunately, we couldn’t win that match. We made mistakes as a team but we need to learn from it and deliver a better performance next time,” said Babar, who finishes with the year with 939 runs from 29 T20 Internationals.

    “Doesn’t matter how you start when you finish well. We finished the year on an outstanding note. We played some positive cricket throughout the year and tried to leave an impact. We’ve had different Man of the Match contenders for every match. Unfortunately, we bowed out of T20 World Cup but we did learn from that defeat. We have had discussions on the mistakes and will try to improve day by day.”

    “Talking about performances, Rizwan and Shaheen were brilliant. Hasan too. Youngsters like Abdullah, Wasim and Dhani have been impressive too. It’s a plus point for us and hopefully, we carry on the momentum. We had assigned roles to players and that led to better performances. I had the belief that we had match-winners in our team and the boys proved that. Thanks to the fans too and we hope to get a similar kind of support next year,” said the 27-year-old batter.

    Babar stands on top of the table of both white-ball formats. While Rizwan stands on third position in the ICC T20I Batting Rankings for the first time in his career.

    Check out here:

  • 2021: The year of records in Pakistani cricket

    2021: The year of records in Pakistani cricket

    The Pakistan cricket team is considered to be the most unpredictable team of all. The Men in Green have seen many ups and downs this year but the green shirts flourished with bright colours, making record breaking partnerships, personal and team records and many more. We have collected some major events that happened in cricket in Pakistan and how the year 2021 was for the Shaheens.

    Our champions reshaped the face of T20I Cricket in 2021. Have a look at their phenomenal performance.

    PSL 6 Winners

    Mohammad Rizwan, leading the Multan Sultans, won the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2021. Sultans beat Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs in the final to win their maiden trophy of the tournament in June, 2021. Rizwan replaced Shan Masood as the captain of the team after he was traded from the PSL franchise Karachi Kings.

    Sultans started at the second leg of the PSL fifth on the points table, having lost four of their first five matches but led by their captain Rizwan, went on to win four of the next five to finish the league stage second. They then swatted the Islamabad United challenge in the first qualifier and lead themselves to the win in the final, a crowning glory in their magnificent UAE leg of the season.

    Pakistan beats India in T20WC

    Pakistan made history by beating arch-rival India for the first time in a T20 World Cup match in October. The green shirts’ 10-wicket win ended a decades-long defeat streak that began in 1992. Pakistan had lost all 12 of their previous World Cup matches against India.

    The two former champions clashed after more than two years in the 2021 T20 World Cup opening fixture at the Dubai International Stadium.

    Pakistani openers Azam (68) and Mohammad Rizwan (79) produced a batting masterclass to chase down the 152-run target without losing a wicket, and finishing the game in the 18th over.

    Rizwan and Babar partnership

    Babar and Rizwan made a formidable partnership for Pakistan at the top of the order. They scored a total of 6 century stands, which is the most by a batting pair in the history of T20Is. Out of these, 4 were in excess of 150 runs which is also the most for a batting pair in T20Is and came against the likes of England, India, South Africa, and West Indies.

    The duo was magnificent for Pakistan throughout the 2021 T20 World Cup. They were influential as Pakistan defeated arch-rivals India for the first time in World Cup history. The batting pair scored an unbeaten knock of 152 runs and registered the highest opening stand in T20 World Cup history.

    Babar and Rizwan’s opening partnerships were all the more impressive because of pressure situations. Out of their six century partnerships, three came while chasing a target. This also included 197 run stand against South Africa at Centurion.

    The duo also became the first batting pair in history to score more than 1,000 runs in a year. They scored 1,380 runs at an average of 57.50 in 25 innings while batting together.

    Rizwan T20 Runs

    Mohammad Rizwan rounded off a magnificent year in T20 cricket by becoming the first batter in the history of the format to cross 2,000 runs in a calendar year. The wicket-keeper batter scored 2,036 runs at an average of 56.55 and a strike rate of 132.03 in 45 innings he played in the year. Rizwan also became the highest run-scorer in T20Is in a calendar year as he became the first batter in history to cross 1,000 runs in T20Is. He scored 1,326 runs at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89 in 26 innings.

    The star wicket-keeper batter was Pakistan’s most influential player in all formats this year. Rizwan won a total of 6 player-of-the-series awards in 2021, equaling the record of most player-of-the-series awards held by Sachin Tendulkar since 1998. Rizwan bagged 4 player-of-the-series awards in T20Is and 2 in red-ball cricket.

    Record 20 T20I wins in a year

    During the year, Pakistan played 29 matches in the shortest format and won 20 – the most by any team. They lost six while three ended with no result.

    The Men in Green played seven bilateral T20 series, and won six – against South Africa, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh. They only lost to England.

    Pakistan also won all group matches in the T20 World Cup – against India, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland. They lost the semi-final against Australia in a thriller.

    Babar number 1 T20 and ODI player

    Babar Azam’s incredible 2021 has been capped off with a number1 T20I batting ranking.

    Combining in an opening partnership of 158 with Mohammad Rizwan against the West Indies in Karachi to set up a 3-0 series win, Babar’s 79 from just 53 balls propelled him back to the top, overtaking Aiden Markram and Dawid Malan. He now sits number1 in both the men’s T20I and ODI rankings going into the final days of the year.

    This was only the second time in history that a batter was ranked number one in both formats at the end of a year. Australian legend, Ricky Ponting, achieved the feat in 2005.

    Babar Nominated for ODI Player of the Year Award

    The Skipper of Pakistan is also nominated for the ODI Player of the Year award. He scored 405 runs in six matches in the outgoing year at an average of 67.50 with two centuries in the 50-over format.

    Alongside Azam, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, Ireland’s Paul Stirling and South Africa’s Janneman Malan have been named as contenders for the award.

    Rizwan Nominated for T20Player of the Year Award

    The star batter is also nominated for the T20I Player of the Year award for his exceptional performances with the bat.

    Alongside Rizwan, Jos Buttler, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mitchell Marsh are the four nominees for the Men’s T20 Cricketer of the Year Award.

    Two Consecutive Whitewash

    The Pakistan cricket team had a great two series against Bangladesh and West Indies. First the green shirts beat Bangladesh with a 2-0 clean sweep in Test matches and 3-0 whitewash in T20Is and the national team later triumphed a T20I series at home against West Indies.

    Meanwhile, led by the dynamic opening duo of Rizwan and Babar, Pakistan pulled off a record chase in the third and final T20 international to register a 3-0 series whitewash over the covid-hit West Indies team.

    Pakistan beats India in U19 Asia Cup

    Pakistan beat arch-rivals India by two wickets in a nail-biting match of the group stage of the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) Under-19s Asia Cup, with young stars Muhammad Shehzad and Zeeshan Zameer’s heroics leaving the Men In Blue surprised.

    Skipper Qasim Akram put India to bat after winning the toss and restricted the Men In Blue to 237 in the 50-over match at the ICC Academy Ground.

  • VIDEO: ‘Real Qalander’ Fakhar Zaman eating with ground staff wins hearts

    VIDEO: ‘Real Qalander’ Fakhar Zaman eating with ground staff wins hearts

    Video of Pakistani cricketer Fakhar Zaman, who represents the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa team, eating with the ground staff after the final match of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy is doing the rounds on internet and it has won the hearts of Pakistani social media.

    https://twitter.com/PCBofficials/status/1476480509412790275?s=20

    Zaman had lunch with the ground staff at the National Stadium in Karachi during the innings break on the last day of the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Cricket Tournament.

    Several fans took to Twitter and appreciated the cricketer for the humility and nice gesture, while some called Zaman a real Qalandar.

    https://twitter.com/ShaziyaaMehmood/status/1476211317371543553?s=20

    Zaman hit a quick-fire fifty, smashing 9 fours and a monstrous six in the 5-day match.

    After the match, Zaman also took selfies with his fans.

    KP has won the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy cricket tournament title for the fifth time while successfully defending its title. The team has won five consecutive domestic tournaments in two years.

    Northern who were set a 384-run target on the final day, went down fighting as they were bowled out for 214 in their second innings with 18.4 overs left in the final session of the match.

  • Pakistan’s Rizwan nominated for ICC T20 cricketer of the year award

    Pakistan’s Rizwan nominated for ICC T20 cricketer of the year award

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced Mohammad Rizwan, Jos Buttler, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mitchell Marsh as the four nominees for the Men’s T20 Cricketer of the Year Award.

    Read More – Rizwan chasing number one Babar, succeeds to register name at third position in T20Is

    The ICC Awards 2021 will recognise the outstanding achievements and feats in cricket over the past year.

    Pakistan’s wicket-keeper-batter Rizwan ruled the roost in 2021 when it came to the shortest format of the game. Aggregating a staggering 1,326 runs in only 29 matches, Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89.

    Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was solid as ever behind the stumps, playing a key role in Pakistan’s run to the semis during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, where he ended up as the third-highest run-scorer.

    Pakistan cricketer Fatima Sana among nominees for ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year.

    During 2021, the 20-year-old took 20 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 24.90 with one five-wicket haul. She also scored 132 runs at an average of 14.66.

    Apart from Sana, South Africa’s Lizelle Lee, England’s Tammy Beaumont and West Indies’ Hayley Matthews are the other contenders in line to win the award.

    Earlier, Pakistani Twitterati expressed their disappointment with the ICC for not including Shaheen Shah Afridi in Test Player of the Year nominees.

    The winner of the award will be announced on January 23.

  • Twitter reacts after Shaheen ‘Test Player of the Year’ snub

    Twitter reacts after Shaheen ‘Test Player of the Year’ snub

    Pakistani Twitter has strongly reacted after Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has not been named among the nominees for ICC ‘Test Player of the Year’.

    India’s spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, England skipper Joe Root, New Zealand’s all-rounder Kylie Jamieson and Sri Lanka’s Test captain Dimuth Karunaratne have been nominated for the award on Tuesday.

    Shaheen was the second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, during 2021, with 47 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 17.06.

    Interestingly, the ICC decided to include New Zealand’s pacer Kyle Jamieson, who had bagged fewer wickets than Shaheen, in the list. The right-armer bagged 27 wickets in five matches.

    Explaining their decision, the ICC said, in a statement, that “in New Zealand’s finest hour, as they celebrated their ICC World Test Championship victory, Jamieson was the player who made the difference”.

    “Away from the seam-friendly pitches of New Zealand and England, Jamieson also impressed on the flat decks in India, getting the ball to shape beautifully,” the statement added.

    However, Twitter users were not happy with ICC’s decision to pick Jamieson over Shaheen.

    https://twitter.com/EhtishamEjaz051/status/1476052082163601408?s=20

    Some of the netizens were even questioning Hassan Ali’s exclusion from the nominees as the star Pakistani speedster has grabbed 41 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 16.07 which include five, 5 wicket-hauls and one 10 wicket-hauls.

  • Is cricketer Haris Rauf crushing on Maya Ali?

    Is cricketer Haris Rauf crushing on Maya Ali?

    Pakistani pacer Haris Rauf recently posted a picture in which he can be seen watching one of actor Maya Ali’s drama serial with complete devotion.

    This isn’t the first time Haris has revealed his admiration for Pakistani star Ali.

    The bowler came in the news limelight after showing his admiration for ace actor Maya, he then wished to have a dinner date with the Mann Mayal lead. Ali however, kept quiet about it. The bowler, then once again said that he’s still waiting for a dinner with her. Now, the bowler has posted the story while watching Ali’s latest drama Jo Bichar Gaye.

    Netizens are coming up with funny reactions on his desperation for Pehli Si Muhabbat diva. Fans are tagging Ali in the post as well, they are also saying that he will win Ali’s heart. They also urged Maya Ali to listen to him. They also praised them and said that the two will make a cute couple. Here are the comments.

  • Jaffer roasts Vaughan, digs out old ‘India 92 all out’ tweet after England defeat

    Jaffer roasts Vaughan, digs out old ‘India 92 all out’ tweet after England defeat

    Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has teased former English cricketer Michael Vaughan after England’s defeat in the Ashes.

    Jaffer got the opportunity today (Tuesday) to hit back at Michael Vaughan who had mocked Men in Blue in 2019.

    English team was bowled out for 68 on the third day of the Melbourne Test, handing a 3-0 victory to Australia in five-match Ashes series.

    The Joe Root side failed to live up to the expectations in the third Test after losing the first two matches and succumbed to Australian bowling.

    Jaffer got the opportunity today to hit back at Vaughan who had mocked the Men in Blue when they were bowled out for their lowest-ever ODI total (92) in New Zealand in 2019.

    “92 all out India… Can’t believe any team would get bowled out for under a 100 these days !!!” he had tweeted.

    The former Indian batter took to Twitter and said: “England 68 all out @MichaelVaughan [See-no-evil emoji] #Ashes.”

    In the video, Wasim Jaffer can be seen opening the Twitter app and winking towards the camera.

    Vaughan too responded to the tweet and said: “Very good Wasim.”

    Meanwhile, in another tweet, Vaughan lauded the Australian team saying “well done Australia .. Far too good for England.”

  • Cricket legend Sourav Ganguly hospitalised after Covid-19

    Cricket legend Sourav Ganguly hospitalised after Covid-19

    President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly has tested positive for Covid-19. The former cricketer has been admitted to Kolkata’s Woodlands Hospital. He had a mild fever on Sunday, and was tested for the virus soon after. Following the emergence of a positive report, on Monday evening, he checked into the hospital at night.

    As per ESPN cricinfo, his condition is stable. The 49-year-old veteran cricketer was advised by medical experts to avoid isolating at home and, instead, get admitted to the hospital, possibly because of some pre-existing health conditions. According to a PTI report, he has been administered both doses of the vaccine against Covid-19.

    In January this year, the former India captain had to be hospitalised twice in quick succession after complaining of “chest discomfort”. He was initially admitted to Woodlands Hospital for what was described as a heart attack by doctors. He underwent angioplasty at the time, and was believed to have recovered.

    But, later that month, he had to undergo another angioplasty, this time at the Kolkata’s Apollo Gleneagles Hospital, and doctors confirmed afterwards that two stents had been placed.

  • England captain Joe Root fails to break Mohammad Yousuf’s Test record

    England captain Joe Root fails to break Mohammad Yousuf’s Test record

    England’s skipper Joe Root failed to break Pakistan’s veteran cricketer Mohammad Yousuf’s record of most runs in a calendar year, ending 2021 with the third-most Test runs in history.

    His dismissal on day three of the third Test in Melbourne for 28 left him with 1,708 runs for the year, at an average of 61.00, behind only Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 in 2006) and West Indian legend Viv Richards (1,710 in 1976).

    He moved past the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar to chalk up 1,600 runs at the second Test in Adelaide, and then edged South Africa’s Graeme Smith (1,656 in 2008) in Melbourne.

    Root, however, had far more innings to compile his total — 29 to the 19 of both Yousuf and Richards.

    “I obviously feel like I’m playing really nicely at the minute but I would obviously swap it all for Test match wins,” he said after England’s innings and 14 runs thrashing in Melbourne.

    “Any player will tell you that there’s no better feeling in cricket than winning a Test match.”

    “It’s great that I feel like my game is improving and evolving still as a player, even having played quite a lot of cricket, and I’m desperate to keep doing that,” he added.

    The 31-year old cricketer is still searching for a first Ashes hundred in Australia. He has two more Tests to do it.

    “I think I probably wanted it too much, I was too desperate and it had probably a negative impact on the way I played, I put too much pressure on myself,” he said ahead of the tour of his will to succeed in Australia.

    The extent to which England have relied on Root this year is demonstrated by the numbers.

    Second in the hierarchy is English opener Rory Burns, who scored 530 this year at 27.89, then Jonny Bairstow with 391 at 24.43.

  • Pakistan turns out victorious in group-stage matches of U19 Asia Cup

    Pakistan turns out victorious in group-stage matches of U19 Asia Cup

    After registering victories against India and Afghanistan earlier in the competition, Pakistan continued their dominant run by securing victory against the UAE by 21 runs on Monday in Under-19 Asia Cup.

    Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Pakistan scored 219 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 50 overs. National team captain Qasim Akram scored a half century while Haseeb Ullah Khan scored 39 and Ahmed Khan 34 runs.

    Following the target, the UAE managed to score only 198 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 50 overs. Resultingly, Pakistan won the match by 21 runs.

    For Pakistan, Qasim got three wickets while Moaz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz and Mohammad Zeeshan got two wickets each.

    This is the third consecutive victory of the national team in this tournament. Earlier, Pakistan had defeated its arch-rivals India and other neighbours Afghanistan.