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  • Abdul Razzaq confesses his past love for this stage actress

    Abdul Razzaq confesses his past love for this stage actress

    Former Pakistan national cricket team all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has opened up about his past love, revealing that he had once fallen in love with a former stage actress and dancer, Deedar.

    In an interview, he recalled, “I had true love with actress Deedar; we had a very good friendship, and I wanted to marry her. I asked her to leave the stage and gave her 6 months to decide. I wanted her to leave the film industry and theatre dance because my family did not accept it, but Deedar refused to leave the stage, on which we preferred to end the relationship because it was difficult to adjust like this.”

    Former actress Deedar has also spoken about this, saying, “I was engaged to Abdul Razaq, but he did not want me to act. I wanted to work because I had started my career at that time. At that time, I was 15 years old, and he was 21 years old; our relationship did not work out, so we separated, but even today, whenever they meet at any event, we meet with respect,” she disclosed, 

    Deedar, born Sonia Idrees, is a Pakistani stand-up comedian, actress and former stage dancer. She is famous for her work in Punjabi dramas. Abdul Razzaq is a Pakistani former cricketer who played all formats of the game and is known as a gifted all-rounder.

  • 1st ODI: Zimbabwe defeat Pakistan by 80 runs under DLS method

    1st ODI: Zimbabwe defeat Pakistan by 80 runs under DLS method

    In the first ODI of the three-match ODI series, Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

     

    The first match of the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Zimbabwe was played in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in which the host team set a target of 206 runs for Pakistan to win.

     

    In pursuit of Zimbabwe’s target of 206 runs, Pakistan’s batting line-up struggled, and six players on the national team were out for 60 runs. After 21 overs of the match, the match had to be stopped due to rain, and the game had to be ended due to continuous rain.

     

    Zimbabwe defeated Pakistan by 80 runs using the Duckworth-Lewis method.

     

    Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl against Zimbabwe; Faisal Akram made his debut for Pakistan.

     

    Zimbabwe were bowled out for 205 runs in 40.2 overs, with debutants Faisal Akram and Salman Ali Agha taking three wickets each.

     

    Haris Rauf dismissed one player while Abdullah Shafiq ran out a batter. In addition, Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Hasnain returned one player to the pavilion.

     

    Chasing a target of 206 runs, the national team had a disappointing start. Openers Saim Ayub scored 11, and Abdullah Shafiq returned to the pavilion after scoring one run. Kamran Ghulam could score 17 runs, while Salman Agha was out after scoring four runs.

     

    Pakistan’s fifth wicket fell for 49 runs, and the fifth player to be dismissed from the national team was Haseebullah, who was out for a duck.

     

    Pakistan’s sixth wicket fell for 58 runs, while Irfan Khan was bowled for seven runs. After that, after adding two more runs, the match had to be stopped due to rain. Captain Mohammad Rizwan remained unbeaten on 19 runs, while Aamir Jamal was present at the wicket with him but could not score any runs.

     

    Pakistan’s final XI included Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafiq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Rizwan, Haseebullah, Salman Agha and Irfan Khan. In addition, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain and Faisal Akram were also part of the final XI.

  • Rashid Latif gives a bold recommendation for dispute over Champions Trophy

    Rashid Latif gives a bold recommendation for dispute over Champions Trophy

    Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has given a bold recommendation amid the escalating dispute between Pakistan and India over hosting the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

    Rashid Latif has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to strip both countries of their hosting rights for all global events in the upcoming cycle if they fail to resolve their long-standing differences.

    Rashid Latif expressed his disappointment over the current impasse while speaking to a private news channel and said, “My suggestion is that the ICC should strip India and Pakistan of all global event hosting rights for the 2024-2025 cycle. The ICC should ask these boards first to resolve all the issues and then give them hosting rights.”

    Stressing the need for a strong approach, Rashid Latif further explained, “Pakistan is going to host two ICC events, and India will have four or five events in this period. If these two teams do not want to play in each other’s countries, then take away the hosting rights until they sort out their differences.”

    The standoff is centred on India’s refusal to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected a proposed hybrid model under which India would play its matches at a neutral venue and has insisted on hosting the tournament entirely in Pakistan.

    The PCB has formally sought clarification from the ICC, challenging the BCCI’s stand and demanding that the pre-agreed hosting conditions be adhered to.

    Rashid Latif dismissed the hybrid model as unworkable, saying, “PCB is only hosting the event as per the ICC agreement. There is nothing concrete about the hybrid model. Everything has to be as per ICC rules. It is not about bilateral series or ACC tournaments.”

    The cricket rivalry between Pakistan and India has been limited to ICC events and the Asia Cup since the bilateral series between the two countries ended in 2012-13. Despite strained relations, Pakistan has honoured ICC commitments by touring India for the 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2023 ODI World Cup.

    The situation has put the ICC in an uncertain position, with broadcasters pressing for clarity due to the financial implications of the tournament not happening. The absence of a clash between Pakistan and India could have commercial repercussions.

    With less than three months left until the Champions Trophy begins, the cricketing world is watching closely as the fate of the tournament and cricket diplomacy hang in the balance.

  • BGT: India bowled out for 150 in first innings; Australia lost seven wickets for 67

    BGT: India bowled out for 150 in first innings; Australia lost seven wickets for 67

    India and Australia are playing their first Test match in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 at Optus Stadium in Perth. India chose to bat first after winning the toss; however, the team did not sail smoothly.

    Debutant Nitish Reddy managed to score 41 runs, but the team was all out for 150 runs in 49.4 overs, with the Australian bowlers doing a great job of keeping the score low.

    For Australia, Josh Hazlewood took four wickets, while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Marsh took two wickets each.

    Australia, however, also faced difficulties when they began their innings.

    The team is currently struggling to chase down 150 runs. They are at 67 runs for seven wickets in 27 overs. The Indian bowlers, especially Jasprit Bumrah, have been impressive, taking four wickets so far.

    Apart from this, Muhammad Siraj took two wickets, while Harshit Rana took one wicket for India.

     

    Playing XI for the Match:


    India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Lokesh Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj.

    Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

  • Azhar Ali appointed head of youth development at PCB

    Azhar Ali appointed head of youth development at PCB

    Former Pakistan cricket team captain Azhar Ali has been appointed as the head of youth development at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    This role will be an extension of Ali’s current responsibilities as a member of the national selection committee. His appointment has been made as per the recruitment process.

    Reacting to the news, Azhar said he felt proud and excited to play this important role. “After playing club and domestic cricket, I understand that grassroots development has a vital role in shaping the stars of the future. Significant progress has already been made in this area and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance our youth development programme further.”

    Azhar started his journey with the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2002, after which he joined the senior team. In his career from 2010 to 2022, he represented Pakistan in 97 Tests and 53 ODIs. He also captained the national team in 9 Tests and 31 ODIs.

    His appointment comes at time as the PCB makes prominent changes to the management of the board as well as the cricket team.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made several key appointments recently to enhance its coaching and administrative teams. Shahid Aslam has been appointed as the new batting coach, and his tenure will begin during the team’s upcoming tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa. Known for his meticulous approach and technical insights, Aslam has previously been part of Pakistan’s support staff and is expected to impact the team’s batting performance significantly.

    Syed Sameer Ahmed has been appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer, and Sumair Ahmad Syed will serve as the Chief Operating Officer for the ICC Champions Trophy. Azhar Ali has taken on the role of Head of Youth Development, while Aqib Javed has been named the Interim White-Ball Head Coach. Wahab Riaz will act as the Supervisor for the ICC Champions Trophy and the Leader of the Mentoring Team.

    These appointments are part of PCB’s efforts to improve the team’s performance and ensure better governance and transparency within the organization.

  • Lahore Qalandars announces squad for Global Super League

    Lahore Qalandars announces squad for Global Super League

    Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars has announced its squad for the T20 Global Super League.

    As per the details, Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has become a part of Qalandars’ squad whereas some players, namely Salman Mirza, Muhammad Faizan, and Tayyab Abbas, from Qalandars’ Player Development Program have also been included.

    South African spinner Tabriz Shamsi and West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite are among the foreign players on the squad, while former England cricketer Darren Gough will take charge as Qalandars’ head coach for the first time.

    Arif Yaqoob, Muhammad Akhlaq, Mirza Tahir Baig, Adam Rossington, Luke Wells and Tom Able have also been included.

    Qalandars’ coaching staff includes head coach Gough, batting coach Amjad Ali as manager and bowling coach Kashif Raza as performance manager.

    The 2024 Global T20 Super League is set to be an exciting international cricket tournament, featuring five top teams from around the world. The tournament will be held at the Providence Stadium in Guyana from November 26 to December 7, 2024.

    Teams Participating:

    1. Guyana Amazon Warriors (West Indies)

    2. Hampshire Hawks (England)

    3. Lahore Qalandars (Pakistan)

    4. Rangpur Riders (Bangladesh)

    5. Victoria (Australia)

    Tournament Format:

    • Round-Robin Stage: Each team will play one match against every other team, resulting in a total of 10 matches.

    • Final Match: The top two teams based on the points table will advance to the final match.

    Prize Money:

    The total prize money for the competition is US$1 million.

    Key Players to Watch:

    • Guyana Amazon Warriors: Imran Tahir (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd

    • Hampshire Hawks: Chris Wood (C), Liam Dawson, James Fuller

    • Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Afridi (C), Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf

    • Rangpur Riders: Nurul Hasan (C, WK), Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar

    • Victoria: Corey Anderson (C), David Moody, Joe Clarke (WK)

    The Global T20 Super League promises to be a thrilling showcase of T20 cricket, bringing together some of the best talents from different cricketing nations.

  • Watch: Pakistani journalist schools India’s Arnab Goswami on Champion Trophy issue

    Watch: Pakistani journalist schools India’s Arnab Goswami on Champion Trophy issue

    A video of controversial Indian anchor Arnab Goswami with Pakistani journalist Hafiz Imran is going viral amid the ongoing issue of the Champion Trophy 2025.

    An Indian journalist invited Pakistani journalist Hafiz Imran to his programme on Republic TV to discuss the matter of the Champions Trophy. Goswami claimed, “We [India] are the bosses of cricket. You should understand that you do not have enough money to control India. If the Indian Prime Minister says that we will not fund Pakistani cricket, then the entire cricket of Pakistan will be destroyed. This is the truth that you will have to accept. You are trying to fight us, but you cannot.”

    Hafiz Imran responded to the Indian anchor, saying, “You are not the boss. You have no choice but to look at us. It is a big misunderstanding among you people that India funds the International Cricket Council (ICC). If India funds the ICC, does it come from India versus India? It is not like that. Rather, this revenue comes from India playing with Pakistan, England, Australia, Bangladesh, and other countries.”


    He added, “If you are so proud of your market, then you should create a separate world and separate yourself from the rest of the world. Say that we will only play cricket among ourselves. India A will play with Maharashtra; we will play with UP; we will play with Mumbai and Delhi.”

    Indian journalists kept interrupting Hafiz Imran’s answer, but the Pakistani journalist continued with his response and said, “You asked the question, then listen to the answer, which is the truth. When you are playing cricket with the world, all the cricket boards are business partners; everyone plays cricket and earns money, and your industry is running because of us.”

    When the Pakistani journalist was repeatedly interrupted by the Indian journalist, he said, “If you don’t like the answer, I have a solution for that too. The Indian media tells the public the wrong thing: that we fund [ICC]; this is not funding but a business partnership, and everyone takes their share. You go to a businessman and ask him if you can earn money if you are playing alone, but the problem is that you don’t want to hear the truth.”

    The Indian media is propagating that the Champions Trophy will be played under a hybrid model at the behest of the Indian Cricket Board and that India’s matches will be held in Dubai. The Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, however, has made it clear to the ICC and India that the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan and that no hybrid model is acceptable.

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has written a letter to the ICC and has also sought written reasons for India’s refusal to come to Pakistan.

  • Head coach Aqib Javed on Fakhar Zaman’s return to team

    Head coach Aqib Javed on Fakhar Zaman’s return to team

    Interim head coach for white-ball cricket in Pakistan, Aqib Javed has shared his thoughts on Fakhar Zaman’s return to the national team.


    Fakhar Zaman was benched ahead of the series against England. Media reports claimed that his ouster from the team had come due to a post in support of former skipper Babar Azam, against the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).


    “As soon as Fakhar Zaman’s fitness issues are resolved, he will be selected… there is no doubt that Fakhar is a warrior,” Aqib said in conversation with media persons in Lahore.


    “Coaching is not new to me. I have been associated with it for 22 years and there will be no problems due to additional responsibilities. I was earlier included in the selection committee and we have achieved positive results there,” he added.


    Fakhar had questioned PCB’s decision to rest Babar Azam in two matches of the series against England.


    In a post on social media, he had given the example of Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, saying that when he was out of form, he was not benched by India. This had prompted the PCB to serve Fakhar with a show-cause notice.  Responding to the notice, Fakhar said that Babar was one of the best batsmen in the world and was also a good friend, which was why he expressed his opinion.

    He had said that Babar should have been given a chance considering the PCB’s central contract.  While Fakhar had then been dropped from the team amid speculations regarding the controversy’s role in his exit, the board had later cited fitness issues as the reason behind the star batter’s removal.


    Prior to the controversy, Fakhar’s name was also being considered for the slot of Pakistan’s white-ball captain.

  • Indian team withdrew from Champion Trophy after Pakistan’s warm welcome for Dr Zakir Naik: Vikrant Gupta

    Indian team withdrew from Champion Trophy after Pakistan’s warm welcome for Dr Zakir Naik: Vikrant Gupta

    India’s senior sports journalist, Vikrant Gupta, has provided a strange reason to justify the Indian team’s non-commission to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

    Gupta, while speaking on the social media platform of an Indian cricket website, linked the Indian team’s decision not to travel to Pakistan to the visit of religious scholar Zakir Naik and his warm welcome.

    Talking about Dr Zakir Naik’s visit, Gupta said, “The Pakistani government welcomed Zakir Naik warmly and gave him the status of a state guest. By doing so, Pakistan shot itself in the foot. I would say that Pakistan will have to choose between Zakir Naik or the Champions Trophy.”

    He also stated that “India has given Pakistan a list of terrorist organisations and individuals. If they had taken action against them, perhaps our government would have agreed to send its team.”

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has asserted that the Champions Trophy will be held in Pakistan, and if India has reservations, they should address them with us.

    Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to send its team to Pakistan for the next Champions Trophy, as per Indian media.

    The Indian board has reportedly decided to reverse its decision to send the Indian team to Pakistan, as confirmed by the Indian Express. Pakistan has been informed of this decision. The BCCI has expressed concerns regarding security about playing in Pakistan and prefers neutral venues, with Dubai being the top choice.

    Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi, however, has claimed not to have received any letter from BCCI, adding that “the Indian board has not said anything in writing so far, there has been no discussion on the hybrid model and there will be no discussion.”

    Earlier, there were reports that the Indian Cricket Board agreed to send the team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, but India refused and wanted to conduct the tournament under a hybrid model.

    Other teams, however, have confirmed they will send their teams to Pakistan for the event.

    The Champions Trophy is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, with matches to be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.

  • India withdraws from Blind T20 World Cup held in Pakistan

    India withdraws from Blind T20 World Cup held in Pakistan

    India has withdrawn from the Blind T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Pakistan, as the Indian government has refused to grant the team a No Objection Letter (NOC) to participate in the T20 World Cup.

    The team was issued an NOC by the Sports Ministry, after which the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs were to grant the team an NOC, but neither ministry provided clearance.

    The Indian Blind Cricket Association has confirmed that the External Affairs Ministry has refused to grant the NOC.

    The Association Secretary, Shailendra Yadav, stated that they were yet to receive the letter, but as of yet, they have decided not to go to Pakistan based on the discussion.

    He said, “We have been waiting for the government permission for 25 days, and we cannot wait any longer because the tournament is starting now. When we spoke to the External Affairs Ministry on the phone, they told us not to grant the NOC, and we were told that we would also give a formal letter of refusal.”

    The Blind T20 World Cup is scheduled to start in Pakistan from November 23.

    Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has refused to send its team to Pakistan for the next Champions Trophy, as per Indian media.

    The Indian board has reportedly decided to reverse its decision to send the Indian team to Pakistan, as confirmed by the Indian Express. Pakistan has been informed of this decision. The BCCI has expressed concerns regarding security about playing in Pakistan and prefers neutral venues, with Dubai being the top choice.

    Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi, however, has claimed not to have received any letter from BCCI, adding that “the Indian board has not said anything in writing so far, there has been no discussion on the hybrid model and there will be no discussion.”

    Earlier, there were reports that the Indian Cricket Board agreed to send the team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, but India refused and wanted to conduct the tournament under a hybrid model.

    Other teams, however, have confirmed they will send their teams to Pakistan for the event.

    The Champions Trophy is scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, with matches to be played in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.