Tag: Cricket

  • India suffers defeat by innings and 76 runs in Headingley

    India suffers defeat by innings and 76 runs in Headingley

    India suffered a humiliating defeat by an innings and 76 runs in the third Test match against England at the Headingley Cricket ground on Saturday.

    “Basically down to scoreboard pressure. Always up against it when you get out for under 80, and the opposition puts up such a big score. But we did well to stay in the game yesterday, fight back as much as we could, and gave ourselves a chance. But the pressure today was outstanding from the England bowlers and eventually they got the results they wanted,” said Virat Kohli in the post-match presentation ceremony.

    India were skittled out of 278 after resuming the day at 215/2. In what was expected to be easy batting conditions on a sunny day at Headingley, England bowlers were ruthless in their approach and finished the match in the first session of the day to jump to 14 points on the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 table.

    With a clinical five-for England bowler Ollie Robinson bagged Player of the Match Award, taking seven wickets overall.

    With the series delicately poised at 1-1, the action now moves to The Oval in London for the fourth Test.

  • Babar Azam praises Fawad Alam after a comfortable win against West Indies

    Babar Azam praises Fawad Alam after a comfortable win against West Indies

    Pakistan captain Babar Azam praised his teammate and experienced batsman Fawad Alam after his side defeated West Indies by 109 runs in the second Test to level the two-match series.

    Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “A remarkable victory to draw the series. Absolutely brilliant game from @iShaheenAfridi, @iamfawadalam25, and @RealHa55an. Most importantly everyone from the team chipped in and tried to give their best. More power to you guys!”

    Fawad had scored an unbeaten 124 in the first innings of the Test to help Pakistan recover from 2/3 and post 309/9 in the first innings. Fawad’s inning was also backed by Babar who had scored 75.

    In a post-match statement released to the media, the Pakistan captain said that his partnership with Fawad laid the foundation for Pakistan’s success in the game.

    He also hailed the 35-year-old batsman and advised that all batsmen in the team should learn from him.

    “It was a great team effort specially after losing quick wickets on day one. Fawad and I managed to fight back through our partnership and then Shaheen Shah bowled outstandingly to put pressure on West Indies. We played according to our plan in the second innings and added quick runs to take advantage of the last session on day 4,” Babar said in the presentation ceremony.

    “Fawad Alam is an experienced player. He has scored tons of runs in first class cricket. He has handled the conditions and pressure well and set an example for all batsmen. We all must learn from him. He has proved himself which is an outstanding thing,” the Pakistan captain added.

    Babar also praised young fast bowler Shaheen Shah, saying that the 21-year-old left-arm fast bowler is improving every day and showing great confidence.

    “I am lucky to have a bowler like him in my squad,” he said.

    “Winning a match always give you confidence as a captain. The players gave their 100 per cent and remained confident throughout the Test,” said Babar.

  • Is Shahid Afridi replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed as Quetta Gladiators skipper next PSL?

    Is Shahid Afridi replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed as Quetta Gladiators skipper next PSL?

    Quetta Gladiators owner Nadeem Omar on Tuesday said that the previous Pakistan team Captain Shahid Afridi disclosed to him that he would join his Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise for the seventh period of the tournament.

    Read More – Afridi-led Rawalakot Hawks crowned champions of KPL 2021

    “Shahid Afridi has also remained a part of the Galle Gladiators (a team which Omar owns as well) in the Lankan Premier League,” the franchise owner told Geo News.

    Omar said former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is the incumbent captain, but if he were to voluntarily step down, “we can appoint Afridi in his place”.

    “In technique, Sarfaraz is number one,” Omar added.

    Quetta Gladiators’ dream of winning a second PSL title was snuffed out last month after they crashed out of the tournament after the Multan Sultans defeated them.

    The Sarfaraz-led side did not perform well in PSL 6, winning only two of the 10 matches they played in the tournament — finishing at the bottom of the points table.

  • Pakistan issues visas to Afghan cricket team: Fawad Chaudhry

    Pakistan issues visas to Afghan cricket team: Fawad Chaudhry

    Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that Pakistan has issued visas to the Afghan cricket team.

    Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry wrote that he hoped and prayed that the Afghan cricket team would bring smiles on the faces of its people. “My sincere prayers and best wishes are with you.” Fawad wrote the last line of his tweet in Pashto language.

    The Pakistan and Afghanistan cricket teams’ series was scheduled in Sri Lanka, which had announced 10-day restrictions on gatherings and other events in the wake of rising cases of Coronavirus.

    As per reports, the series is in jeopardy and is expected to be shifted to any other country.

    Meanwhile, the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Afghanistan is back on track as Islamabad has issued visas to Afghan cricketers, reported Geo News.

  • Afridi-led Rawalakot Hawks crowned champions of KPL 2021

    Afridi-led Rawalakot Hawks crowned champions of KPL 2021

    Shahid Afridi’s Rawalakot Hawks defeated Mohammad Hafeez-led Muzaffarabad Tigers by seven runs in an epic final of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) 2021.

    Chasing a target of 170 runs, the Tigers were restricted to 162 runs in their allotted 20 overs.

    https://twitter.com/kpl_20/status/1427693690429091846?s=19

    They went off to a decent start with Hafeez (29 off 21) and Zeeshan Ashraf (46 off 26) putting up 54 runs for the opening partnership.

    However, Hafeez’s departure triggered Tigers’ collapse as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.

    Hawks’ skipper Afridi, who was playing despite not being fully fit, removed Ashraf and Sohaib Maqsood in the middle overs to keep his side in the hunt.

    All-rounder Hussain Talat also chipped in with three wickets to stem the flow of runs.

    His economical bowling spell, 3 for 18 in four overs, was instrumental in laying the platform for the side’s victory. 

    Batting first, the Hawks posted 169 runs in their allotted 20 overs courtesy of Kashif Ali’s brilliant 28-ball 54.

    For Tigers, Hafeez and Usama Mir claimed two wickets each.

    Expressing his joy, Afridi took to Twitter and wrote: “So proud of my players and staff, one of the most memorable wins for me! The KPL was a wonderfully organised event and it has great potential, I’m sure next year will be bigger and better.”

    He also thanked the Pakistan Army: “Special thank you to Pakistan Army for their wonderful support throughout.”

  • England tour of Pakistan 2021 schedule announced, Rawalpindi to host both series

    England tour of Pakistan 2021 schedule announced, Rawalpindi to host both series

    England men’s and women’s teams will travel to Pakistan for a bilateral series. Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will be hosting both the series.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Friday, announced that the England men’s team will take on the home side in two T20Is at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi in October. The England women’s team will also play two T20Is and three ODIs against the Pakistan women’s team during the same month at the same venue.

    The England men and women’s teams will arrive in Islamabad on October 9. Subsequently, the touring sides will play the T20Is on October 13 and 14, with the matches being held as double-headers. After the completion of the T20I series, the England men’s squad will leave for Dubai on October 15.

    However, the England women’s side will stay back and partake in three ODIs on October 17,19 and 21 respectively. This will be England senior team’s (men or women) first tour to Pakistan since 2005-06. Incidentally, the matches were initially scheduled to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi on October 14 and 15, but had to be rescheduled as a result of “operational and logistical reasons”.

    “We are delighted to welcome both the England men’s team for what will be their first tour to Pakistan since 2005, and the England women’s team, who will be touring Pakistan for the first time. Both are additional tours with England men’s side scheduled to return to Pakistan in the last quarter of 2022 for white-ball and ICC World Test Championship fixtures,” PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said.

  • ‘Arshad Nadeem played cricket very well’: Meera refers to him as a ‘Cricketer’

    ‘Arshad Nadeem played cricket very well’: Meera refers to him as a ‘Cricketer’

    Actor Meera’s recent press interaction has gone viral on the web as she appreciated Arshad Nadeem for his ‘cricket performance’ instead of ‘Javelin Throw’.

    Read More – Arshad Nadeem’s failure in the Olympics because of extensive use of social media: Chief, Pak team

    “Arshad played good cricket and he uplifted Pakistan’s name. A lot of hard work was visible in his performance. There was honesty, discipline in his body language. I think the government should acknowledge our heroes and reward them,” she said.

    The clip from this interview has gone viral on social media and has received polarizing response from the netizens.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Arshad finished fifth in the Javelin Throw event of the Tokyo Olympics 2020. He threw fifth-best throw covering a distance of 84.62m.

  • Meet Abtaha Maqsood, Britain’s first hijab-wearing cricketer

    Meet Abtaha Maqsood, Britain’s first hijab-wearing cricketer

    Abtaha Maqsood is Britain’s first hijab-wearing Muslim female to play international cricket, reports Geo News. She wants other young British Muslim girls to not hold back if they are thinking about cultural and religious obstacles and take up cricket as a profession.

    Abtaha’s parents are from Lahore, Pakistan. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on June 11, 1999 — the day Pakistan won from Zimbabwe to qualify for the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup played in England and Scotland.

    The 22-year-old cricketer is currently playing for Birmingham Phoenix in the new short format 200-ball cricket tournament “The Hundred” in England. Since her childhood, she used to play cricket in the garden of her house with her father and brothers.

    Abtaha joined her local cricket club “Poloc” at the age of 11. Only four months after joining the club, she was selected to represent Scotland’s under-17 squad against Ireland in a T20 tournament.

    Speaking to Geo, Abtaha said that her family supported her to join cricket as a profession. Abtaha said that her father is her top supporter throughout the journey.

    “My dad and my mom are both massive cricket lovers. But my dad, in particular, says all sports are important,” she said.
    Abtaha Maqsood also holds a black belt in Taekwondo that she acquired at the age of 11. She has participated in British and Scottish Taekwondo championships as well.

    The young cricketer said she never thought of taking cricket as a career at that time. But the experience of playing cricket so far has been wonderful for her.
    Talking about her choice to wear the hijab, Abtaha said that she started it at the age of 11 after she saw her mother doing the same. She, however, said that her decision to wear one was completely her choice.

    “Wearing a hijab was my own choice. I went to perform Umrah with my family when I was 11, and on our way back to the UK, I saw my mum started wearing hijab. So I asked her why was she wearing that and then she told me [how it was a religious obligation], so I decided to wear one as well,” said Abtaha.

    “It was really important for me at that time as it is now and I’m going to keep wearing that”, she added.

    Responding to a question of whether people should focus more on her cricketing skills rather than her hijab, Abtaha said that she thinks talking about her hijab is equally important as it is the representation that matters.

    “This is the first time people have really seen a woman wearing the hijab and playing cricket at the highest level, so I think it’s still important to be talked about,” she said.

    “I never really had a role model who looked like me when I was growing up. I think that would have really helped me and given me a sense of belonging. So, hopefully, I can be that person for young girls now”, she added.

    She told Geo that although she never came across any cultural barriers herself, she is aware that there are hurdles out there for other young Muslim girls. She, therefore, wants to be a role model for those girls.

    “I really hope that people, when seeing me, could realise that it is possible to play cricket and wear hijab at the same time. And there are people out there who can support young girls through it if they really want to play cricket at a high level or any other professional sport for that matter”.

    xplaining her experience in playing “The Hundred”, she said that representing Birmingham Phoenix in the tournament is the most amazing experience of her life.

    Talking about her experience in the tournament so far, Abtaha said that she still can’t believe that she’s playing with some of the best cricketers in the world — a chance she never had before.

    Abtaha Maqsood has represented Scotland’s national team 17 times in international T20 matches, claiming 23 wickets so far in her career at an impressive average of 12.28.

  • Herschelle Gibbs defies BCCI, will come to Pakistan

    Herschelle Gibbs defies BCCI, will come to Pakistan

    President Kashmir Premier League (KPL) Arif Malik on Monday said that former South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs is coming to Pakistan despite threats from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), reports Geo News.

    Malik said that India should understand that players are coming to play cricket in the KPL, adding that this is not politics.

    “Herschelle Gibbs is coming to Pakistan despite threats [from the BCCI],” he said, adding that India also stopped international commentators from participating in the KPL and that the league is trying to bring in more foreign players for the tournament.

    He hoped the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not block players’ NOC for the tournament.

    The KPL chief said people in Indian Occupied Kashmir are also excited about the tournament and said that the league is working to ensure they can also catch the action live on TV.

    Meanwhile, England’s veteran spinner Monty Panesar has excused himself from participating in the league.

    Taking to Twitter, Panesar confirmed that he has decided not to participate in the KPL. The former left-arm spinner feared he would have to face grave consequences if he participates in KPL.

    Earlier on July 31, South African cricketer Herschelle had slammed the BCCI for threatening players and stopping them from playing in the KPL.

  • Azam Khan taken to hospital after getting hit on head during practice

    Azam Khan taken to hospital after getting hit on head during practice

    Wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan was taken to hospital after getting hit on the head during practice on Friday in Guyana, and has been ruled out of the second and third T20I against West Indies.

    The 22-year-old, who made his debut earlier this month against England, is learnt to have been struck by a fast bowler.

    According to a press release by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a neurosurgeon has recommended an observation period of 24 hours following which he will be reassessed on Monday.

    His availability for the fourth and final T20I will depend on the reassessment.

    As per reports, Khan did not lose consciousness and was wearing a helmet at the time he was hit.

    Pakistan and West Indies took part in a rained-out first T20I in Barbados on Wednesday, with only nine overs possible.

    Meanwhile, all three remaining games will take place in Guyana, with Saturday’s contest the first of back-to-back weekend games, before the final match on Tuesday.

    The T20Is will be followed by two Tests starting August 12 and 20, and both will be played in Kingston.