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  • Remaining Windies players test negative for Covid, series still alive

    Remaining Windies players test negative for Covid, series still alive

    The third T20I between Pakistan and West indies will be on time after the Covid-19 tests of all the visiting players were negative on Thursday.

    The Covid tests of five more members of the West Indies squad came positive, after which the ongoing series between the two teams was facing the dangers of cancellation.

    The third T20I between the two teams depended on the Covid tests of the Windies players and now there are reports that the coronavirus test of all the players of the visiting team has turned negative.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has given a green single to the production team to go to the stadium for the match.

    The decision to play ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies will be taken after the meeting of both the boards. The three-match ODI series between the two teams will start on Saturday.

    The Men In Green are leading the series with 2-0 and the third match will be starting at 6pm at the National Stadium Karachi.

  • Pakistani cricketers remember the martyrs of APS attack

    Pakistani cricketers remember the martyrs of APS attack

    Pakistani cricketers have took to their social media and remembered the martyrs of Army Public School (APS), who lost their lives seven years ago in a terrorist attack in Peshawar.

    All-rounder Shadab Khan said: “Nothing more precious than our children who are our future. Can’t explain my sorrow in words for #APSPeshawar. May we never go through something like it again. Praying for peace and justice.”

    Similarly, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Junaid Khan shared their thoughts on Twitter.

    Prime Minister Imran Khan also urged the nation to stay firmly united against elements trying to spread discord and prejudice on sectarian, religious and ethnic lines stressing that the sacrifices of martyrs of Army Public School have not gone in vain.

    The premier said the nation should identify these elements in their ranks and help the state in eradicating them.

    “There is zero tolerance for violence & those using it as a tool,” he said in a tweet.

    More than 140 people, mostly students, were killed by militant gunmen at the APS in Peshawar on December 16, 2014.

    More than 1,000 students, from preschool to high school, were on the campus when the attack began. Militants entered classrooms and auditoriums and opened fire on students and teachers.

  • PAK vs WI: Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein along with three others test positive for Covid, series in doubt

    PAK vs WI: Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein along with three others test positive for Covid, series in doubt

    Following PCR tests administered on Wednesday in Karachi, Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed that five more members of the West Indies touring party have tested positive for Covid-19 and will now undergo a period of self-isolation.

    Three players, wicket keeper-batter Shai Hope, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, all-rounder Justin Greaves; along with Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick, and Team Physician Dr Akshai Mansingh returned positive results in the latest round of testing carried out by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    All three players will therefore miss the upcoming matches and all five individuals will remain isolated from the rest of the West Indies squad and are now under the care and supervision provided by the medical officials. They will remain in isolation for ten (10) days or until they return negative PCR test results.

    With a total of six players now ruled out of the tour due to Covid-19 and a finger injury to Devon Thomas (sustained in the 1st T20I), CWI and PCB Officials will be meeting on Thursday morning, once all members of the touring party have been tested again, to determine whether the tour can continue.

    As per the latest updates, today’s T20I match and the One Day Internationals (ODIs) can also get cancelled if any other team member gets a positive result of Covid-19.

    The Windies team has come to Pakistan to play three T20Is matches and as many ODIs. Team Pakistan has already won two of the three-match T20I series and were set to play the third and final T20I today (Thursday) at the National Stadium Karachi.

  • Shaheen Afridi climbs to third spot in Tests, Babar Azam loses top rank

    Shaheen Afridi climbs to third spot in Tests, Babar Azam loses top rank

    In the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, Dawid Malan is back to number one among batters with Pakistan captain Babar Azam unable to hold on to the top spot after two matches of their series against the West Indies.

    Shaheen headlines the bowling rankings in the latest weekly update for men, which is carried out on Wednesdays and includes the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan, which Pakistan won by an innings and eight runs to clinch full ICC World Test Championship points from the series.

    Shaheen has continued his climb with three wickets in the match while off-spinner Sajid Khan has zoomed up 52 places to 49th after a 12-wicket haul that won him the Player of the Match award. Mohammad Rizwan (up five places to 18th) and Fawad Alam (up seven places to 20th) have moved up in the batters’ list after their useful half-centuries.

    In the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, Dawid Malan is back to number one among batters with Pakistan captain Babar Azam unable to hold on to the top spot after two matches of their series against the West Indies. He moves to number 3 while Mohammad Rizwan has retained his fourth spot.

    Pakistan’s Haider Ali has gained 86 slots to reach 98th position after scores of 68 and 31 while the rankings for bowlers see spinner Shadab Khan back in the top 10, moving up five slots to ninth position.

    Fast bowler Haris Rauf is up three places to 19th while Mohammad Nawaz has gained 29 slots to reach 54th position. For the West Indies, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosen has gained 73 slots and is now 68th among bowlers.

    Team Pakistan has won two out of three matches in the three-match T20I series with West Indies in Karachi. Babar has scored 0 and 7 runs in both the matches respectively. While the Men in Green are set to play their third and final match against the Windies tomorrow (Thursday) in National Stadium Karachi.

  • ‘Pick me’: Namibia captain asks to be picked in PSL after Kamran Akmal backs out

    ‘Pick me’: Namibia captain asks to be picked in PSL after Kamran Akmal backs out

    After Kamran Akmal announced that he would not play in the 2022 Pakistan Super League (PSL), Namibian cricketer Gerhard Erasmus and Dutch player Maxwell O’Dowd took to Twitter to express their PSL ambitions.

    Kamran Akmal has decided not to play in PSL 2022 after being picked in the draft in the lowest category of players by his old team Peshawar Zalmi. The 39-year-old was moved down from the Diamond category to the Gold category by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). But he was eventually the last pick for Peshawar from the Silver category. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, the wicketkeeper-batter called it a “humiliation” and revealed he would not play in the tournament. ESPNCricinfo shared his quote on Twitter to which Namibian cricket captain Gerhard Erasmus replied that he would love to play in the PSL for free.

    “Pick me, I’ll be there for free, wrote Erasmus.

    Meanwhile, Netherlands cricketer Maxwell O’Dowd also retweeted the original post and expressed his desire to play in the tournament next year. He wrote, “Up for a swap!? I’ll gladly play!”

    On Monday, Akmal had said that it was also “an embarrassment”.

    “If it has to end like this, so be it, but I am not going to play with such humiliation,” he said.

    “This is an embarrassment. You don’t treat a player like this. With all the runs I have scored in the league, I deserve better,” he said in the interview.

  • Asad Umar urges PCB to give students free entrance to watch Pak vs Windies matches

    Asad Umar urges PCB to give students free entrance to watch Pak vs Windies matches

    National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to allow free entry for students in the stadium during the Pakistan and West Indies matches.

    Talking to the media outside National Stadium Karachi (NSK), while urging PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja, he said: “This is not the time to make money.”

    The federal minister also asked Karachiites to come to National Stadium and support their team.

    Speaking about PSL attendance, the minister said that PCB and NCOC are working jointly over Covid situation.

    “There will be 100pc attendance during PSL 7 matches if Covid-19 situation did not worsen,” Asad added.

    Separately today, the Karachi police have issued a traffic plan in connection with three T20Is and as many ODIs to be played between Pakistan and West Indies at National Stadium Karachi.

    According to a plan issued by the traffic police, the Hassan Square flyover will remain closed for all types of traffic during T20Is and ODI matches.

    In a bid to ensure foolproof security of the players, the traffic police in a statement said that Sir Shah Muhammad Suleman Road from Hasan Square to the National Stadium will remain closed for all kinds of traffic during the matches.

  • Men in green seal record 18th T20 win in calendar year by beating Windies

    Men in green seal record 18th T20 win in calendar year by beating Windies

    Pakistan Cricket team has become the first men’s team to win 18 T20 international matches in a calendar year as they beat West Indies by 63 runs in the first game of the three-match series on Monday.

    Mohammad Rizwan (78), Haider Ali (68) and at the end Mohammad Nawaz (30) put on a dominant batting performance as Pakistan set the tourists a target of 201 in Karachi.

    The bowlers finished the job for the home team after Mohammad Wasim picked up four wickets and Shadab Khan took three as West Indies were restricted for 137.

    Pakistan’s 18th T20 win in 2021 was an improvement on their record of 17 victories in 2018.

    The second and third matches in the series will be played on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

    The teams are scheduled to play three One-Day Internationals after the T20 series.

    Meanwhile, the team was showered with applause on social media. Taking to Twitter, Wasim expressed his joy to represent his team on the homeland for the first time.

    “Extremely happy to win my first international match in my country. So proud to be part of this team. Thank you, Karachi, for your support,” he wrote.

    “Pakistan Zindabad!”

  • ‘I don’t deserve to play’: Kamran Akmal refuses to play in PSL 2022

    ‘I don’t deserve to play’: Kamran Akmal refuses to play in PSL 2022

    Pakistan’s veteran cricketer Kamran Akmal, the most-capped player in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as well as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, has refused to take part in the next edition of the league after being picked in the draft in the lowest category of players by his team Peshawar Zalmi.

    Peshawar picked Kamran but the wicket keeper-batter refused to play as he feels he doesn’t “deserve to play in this category”.

    “Last 6 seasons it was a great journey. Thank you for supporting me through thick and thin M.Akram bhai @JAfridi10, @darensammy88, @WahabViki. I think I don’t deserve to play in this category…Thank you once again.. @PeshawarZalmi Best of luck. Thank You all the fans for supporting,” Kamran Akmal tweeted.

    The six PSL franchises on Sunday finalised their squads in the quest to lift the trophy at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 27.

    Defending champions Multan Sultans selected Australia’s Tim David, who was previously with Lahore Qalandars, in the Platinum Category, while their other notable picks included West Indian duo of Odean Smith and Rovman Powell, and Pakistan trio of Anwar Ali, Imran Khan Snr and Rumman Raees.

    Meanwhile, Zalmi’s potential final squad is as follows:

    Hazratulah Zazai – Platinum

    Liam Livingstone – Platinum

    Wahab Riaz – Platinum

    Haider Ali – Diamond

    Sherfane Rutherford – Diamond

    Shoaib Malik – Diamond

    Hussain Talat – Gold

    Saqib Mahmood – Brand Ambassador – Gold

    Usman Qadir – Gold

    Arshad Iqbal – Silver

    Kamran Akmal – Mentor – Silver

    Salman Irshad – Silver

    Sameen Gul – Silver

    Tom Kohler-Cadmore – Silver

    Mohammad Aamer – Emerging

    Sirajuddin – Emerging

    Ben Cutting – Supplementary

    Mohammad Haris – Supplementary

  • ‘Braindead journalists’: Twitter reacts to Hassan Ali shutting down journalist during PSL drafts

    ‘Braindead journalists’: Twitter reacts to Hassan Ali shutting down journalist during PSL drafts

    Pakistan cricket team’s star pacer Hassan Ali always remains in the discussion for some reason or the other. Once again, Ali is in discussion and this time the matter is a bit hot. This time the bowler had an argument with a journalist, whose video has now gone viral on social media. The draft event of the seventh season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was held on Sunday December 12 in Lahore, where the incident took place.

    A press conference was also held on the sidelines of the draft event of PSL 2022. Ali also participated in this event and Ali, who plays for Islamabad United in PSL, was answering questions, when a journalist wanted to ask him a question but he refused to listen to his question.

    In the viral video, it can be seen that the journalist asked Ali a question but before hearing the question, he said: “Next question.” The journalist who asked the question was Anas Saeed. Anas tried to ask the question again, but Hassan again deferred by saying “next question”. Here a brawl started between the two.

    Anas asked Hassan to listen to his question, then Hassan said: “I don’t want to answer you.” Hassan further said: “You first sit on Twitter and write good things and then I will reply. You should not be personal with anyone. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) can’t stop you, but we have the right.”

    Ali looked quite upset during this and did not listen to Saeed’s question. The video of this spat between the two went viral on Twitter. Anas Saeed re-tweeted it and wrote, “Journalists have to face such allegations in every round, sometimes stealing eyes by calling it a caste allegation will not do anything. I will come back strong.”

    In another video, the journalist can be heard saying that rumours about Hassan circulate on social media while Hassan instantly said: “Next question please.”

    Earlier, Saeed took to Twitter and posted Ali’s video in which he was having a fun time with his teammates Khushdil Shah and Iftikhar Ahmad. While Anas Saeed took to Twitter and pointed out that taking off the masks on a flight is against the Covid-19 protocols.

    Meanwhile, several sports journalists critised the cricketer while many fans extended their support for him.

    https://twitter.com/TheWhimsicalAli/status/1470085866471182343?s=20

  • Virushka celebrate fourth anniversary sharing goofy pictures

    Virushka celebrate fourth anniversary sharing goofy pictures

    Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary.

    Taking to Instagram, Anushka shared a bunch of their photos, enjoying each others company.

    Anushka also shared a warm note dedicated to Virat. “There is no easy way out, there is no shortcut home. Your favourite song and words you’ve lived by always. These words hold true for everything including relationships. Takes tremendous courage to be the person you are in a world filled with perceptions ands optics. Thank you for inspiring me when I needed it and for keeping your mind open when you needed to listen. Marriage of equals is only possible when both are secure. And you are the most secure man I know! Like I’ve said earlier, fortunate are those who really know the real you, the soul behind all the achievements, the man behind all the projections cast upon you.. May love, honesty, transparency and respect guide us always. P.S. : May we never stop goofin’ around. I love that about us,” she wrote.

    In the photos, Anushka and Virat are seen making goofy faces for the camera, posing for pictures while washing dishes, him pushing their daughter Vamika in a stroller, clicking pictures with Santa Claus on Christmas and more.

    Anushka and Virat tied the knot in Italy’s Lake Como in December 2017. Their secret wedding set precedent for other celebrity weddings as well. The couple welcomed their bundle of joy Vamika in January this year.