Tag: Cricket

  • Imran Khan was once asked to act in a Bollywood film by Dev Anand

    Imran Khan was once asked to act in a Bollywood film by Dev Anand

    An old video of Prime Minister Imran Khan has been doing rounds on Twitter. The video shows the PM answering the question of whether Khan had ever been offered a role in Bollywood. To which Imran replied “You won’t believe it but I was once asked by an Indian actor who we all look up to, to act in one of his upcoming films. He even turned up in England to request me, but I was puzzled.”

    The host asked the details about who offered him and why he rejected it. To which Khan revealed that “It was Dev Anand, who in my time was very well known.”  

     The fact was also revealed in Anand’s autobiography, Romancing with Life (published by the Penguin Group in 2007) when the actor passed away in London in 2011. In the book, Anand quoted that he wanted the Pakistani cricket star to play the role of a star in decline in his film Awwal Number. Anand wrote that Khan was speechless when he first told him about the film. “You have bowled me over, Mr. Dev Anand. But I don’t think I am a good actor,” said Khan.

    Anand called him from Bangalore and told Imran Khan that he would be on the next available flight to London to convince him for the film.

    Anand wrote “Khan invited Anand to his flat in Soho. “Imran was hospitable and a very friendly host. Khan was ambitious for his political aim”. Anand left the script of the film with him and Khan returned it the very next evening with a note that said he wouldn’t be able to take up his offer.

  • BJP’s Priti Gandhi faces backlash after she confuses Danish Kaneria with physiotherapist of team

    BJP’s Priti Gandhi took to Twitter and shared an old picture of the Pakistani cricket team offering Namaz with the caption ‘Picture of Pakistan cricket team during Inzamam-ul-Haq’s captaincy. Hindu Danish Kaneria & Christian Yousuf Youhana were asked to offer Namaz.’ and used hashtags #IndiaSupportsCAA.

    Soon after the tweet, people started trolling her for her lack of knowledge and spreading fake news.

    Previously, Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that his teammate Danish Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers.

  • Danish Kaneria faced ‘discrimination’ for being a Hindu: Akhtar

    Former cricketing star Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that his teammate Danish Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he is a Hindu.

    According to The News, Kaneria, who is only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after his maternal uncle Anil Dalpat, took 261 wickets in 61 Tests at an average of 34.79, and also played 18 ODIs.

    Akhtar made the revelation during a show ‘Game on Hai‘ aired on PTV Sports, foreign media reported on Thursday. “In my career I fought with two three (in the team) when they started talking on regionalism. Things like ‘who is from Karachi, Punjab or Peshawar’, that used to infuriate.

    “So what if someone is a Hindu, he is doing well for the team. They used to say ‘sir ye yaaha se khaana kaise le raha ha‘ (how is he taking food from this place)?’” said the 44-year-old, who played 46 Tests and 163 ODIs. “The same Hindu won the Test for us against England. If he is taking a bagful of wickets for Pakistan, he should play. We could not have won the series without Kaneria’s effort. But not many gave him credit for that,” said Akhtar.

    When contacted, Kaneria supported Akhtar’s claims.

    “Shoaib has been a legend of the game. His words are also as blunt as his bowling. When I was playing I did not have the courage to speak on these matters but after Shoaib bhai’s comments, I do. He has always supported me and also Inzy bhai (Inzaman-ul-Haq), Mohammad Yusuf and Younis bhai (Younish bhai),” Kaneria told a news agency over phone from Karachi.

    “Those who did not support me, I will make their names public soon. Having said that, I feel fortunate and honoured that I got to play for Pakistan,” added Kaneria.

    Kaneria, now 39, was found guilty of spot-fixing alongside Mervyn Westfield while playing for Essex against Durham in 2009.

    The leg-spinner was found to have convinced Westfield to concede 12 runs during the one-day game. Westfield was handed a four-month prison sentence and ECB banned him for five years.

    Kaneria admitted to spot-fixing in 2018 after six years of denial.

  • Happy News from 2019

    Happy News from 2019

    Opening of the Kartarpur Corridor – November 2019

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly – September 2019

    The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit Pakistan for the first time – October 2019

    The Ministry of Science and Technology introduces an app for moon-sighting

    CN Traveller lists Pakistan as the best holiday destination for 2020

    Mehwish Hayat’s speech when receiving a Pride of Performance Award in Oslo

    Malala features on the cover of Teen Vogue

  • Pakistan wrap up historic series win at home in just 15 minutes

    Pakistan wrap up historic series win at home in just 15 minutes

    Three overs on the final day was all it took for Pakistan to seal a 263-run victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi on Monday, International Cricket Council (ICC) reported.

    It was Pakistan’s first Test victory on home soil in over 13 years; their last victory in Pakistan also came in Karachi, against West Indies in November 2006.

    Naseem Shah, the 16-year-old, resumed the day on 3/31, and went on to dismiss Lasith Embuldeniya and Vishwa Fernando in his consecutive overs to seal the victory, with Yasir Shah claiming the big wicket of Oshada Fernando, the opener, who finished on 102.

    The two wickets meant Shah ended with 5/31 – his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket – and with Shaheen Shah Afridi, the 19-year-old, claiming a five-for in the first-innings, the Test has been a good one for the young Pakistani pacemen.

    Sri Lanka were in the Test for the first two days. They bundled out Pakistan for 191 in the first innings, and then posted a lead of 80. However, thereafter, it was all Pakistan.

    Centuries from Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam helped the home side post 555/3 declared in the second innings, and bogged down by the weight of runs, the Sri Lankan batsmen crumbled.

    They were reduced to 212/7 by stumps on the fourth day, with Oshada’s century and Niroshan Dickwella’s half-century their only displays of resistance, and on resumption on the fifth morning, they just weren’t allowed to muster a fightback.

    The series victory means Pakistan move up to No 3 on the ICC World Test Championship table, with 80 points from their four matches. Sri Lanka are level on points after four matches as well, but are fourth on the table due to their inferior runs-per-wicket ratio.

  • Aleem Dar breaks world record of umpiring in most Tests

    Aleem Dar breaks world record of umpiring in most Tests

    Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar has surpassed Steve Bucknor’s record for umpiring in most number of Test matches as he walked on to the field to officiate his 129th Test match between Australia and New Zealand at Perth, a private news outlet has reported.

    According to the details, the 51-year-old, who took up umpiring after a decade of playing first class cricket in Pakistan is standing in his 129th Test match as on-field umpire breaking Bucknor’s record of umpiring 128 test matches.

    Dar first umpired in a Test match in Bangladesh when England toured the country in 2003 and he also needs only two more ODIs to break former South African umpire, Rudi Koertzen’s record of umpiring in 209 ODI matches.

    Dar made his international debut in 2000 in a home ODI against Sri Lanka and has also officiated 46 T20Is in his career which spans over 2 decades.

    Talking to the ICC before the match, Dar said, “This is one milestone I had never thought of when I began my umpiring career. It is a truly amazing feeling and a high point of my life when I take the field here in Australia”.

    “Steve Bucknor was my idol and it is only sinking in now that I will have officiated in more Test matches than him”, Dar added.

  • Sri Lanka appoints Mickey Arthur as head coach ahead of Pakistan visit

    Sri Lanka appoints Mickey Arthur as head coach ahead of Pakistan visit

    Sri Lanka have appointed South African Mickey Arthur as their new head coach on a two-year contract before the team’s tour to Pakistan for the two-Test match series, BBC reported.

    According to the details, Sri Lanka cricket (SLC) appointed Mickey as head coach and former fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake as interim coach in August after a fallout with coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who was criticized for Sri Lanka’s exit at the group stage of the 50-over World Cup in England.

    Arthur had been the head coach of Pakistan cricket team for three years from 2016 to 2019. Later in Ausgust, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to renew his contract, after the country failed to reach the semi-finals of this summer’s World Cup.

    PCB later appointed former captain Misbahul Haq as the cricket team’s head coach and chief selector.

    Arthur said: “It had been three very good years with Pakistan and I needed a little bit of time away. The Sri Lankan job became available and I started discussions”.

    “I looked at the talent that’s available and that’s the key motivating factor – to help these young players fulfil their potential”, Mickey added.

    Mickey Arthur’s first assignment will see him return to Pakistan for a two-match Test series starting on 11 December.

  • ‘All focus on upcoming Test series’, says Azhar Ali after humiliating defeat

    Test captain Azhar Ali has said that all the focus will now be on the upcoming Test series in Pakistan against Sri Lanka.

    As per reports, Azhar made these comments while addressing a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore following Pakistan’s humiliating defeat by Australia in Adelaide, earlier in the week.

    On Monday, Australia defeated Pakistan by an innings and 48
    runs in the second Test at Adelaide Oval to sweep their two-Test series 2-0.
    Australia earlier won the first Test in Brisbane by an innings and five runs.

    The Test captain said that the players will take time to
    recuperate and get back in form, adding that this will be the first Test in
    Pakistan for many of the players.

    “It is important for us to play well in this series. We
    have a fresh batting line up,” Azhar said.

    Commenting on criticism regarding his decisions as captain,
    Azhar said that one needs to make changes when required, depending on the
    situation.

    “You have to use your backups. You cannot keep depending
    on Shaheen Shah and Yasir Shah,” he added.

    With these recent defeats, Pakistan have now been defeated
    in 13 consecutive Tests on Australian shores.

    With Sri Lanka’s visit, Test cricket is set to return to
    Pakistan after a long gap of 10 years. The international team will tour the
    country for a two-match series at Rawalpindi and Karachi on Dec 11 and Dec 19,
    respectively.

  • Fawad Alam gives another reminder to Misbah with his third century

    Fawad Alam gives another reminder to Misbah with his third century

    Sindh’s Fawad Alam has scored yet another century in the
    Quaid-e-Azam Trophy on Thursday, this time making the Balochistan bowlers toil
    in Karachi.

    As per reports, Batsman Fawad, who famously smashed a double
    century in the previous round, was at it again as he brought up the 34th ton of
    his glittering first-class career.

    It was his third century of the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. He
    also scored a double century in the previous round’s fixture against Southern
    Punjab.

    Fawad’s purple patch could be a timely reminder of his talent
    for the chief selector and head coach Misbahul Haq, who is set to announce the
    national squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka cricket
    team.

    Former legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar had earlier claimed
    that Fawad Alam would be picked for the series against Sri Lanka.

    Shoaib in a video on his YouTube channel had said that Fawad has
    proved with his performance that he is a good choice for the squad in series
    against Sri Lanka.

  • Fawad Alam will be part of Pakistan team against Sri Lanka, claims Shoaib Akhtar

    Fawad Alam will be part of Pakistan team against Sri Lanka, claims Shoaib Akhtar

    Pakistan legendary fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar has claimed that batsman Fawad Alam will be included in the Test squad for home series against Sri Lanka. 

    Shoaib Akhtar broke the news on his YouTube channel on Sunday following Pakistan’s poor performance against Australia in Test series.

    The pacer said, “I’m giving you the breaking news here that Fawad Alam will be playing Test series against Sri Lanka”.

    Shoaib added: “He used to say that you should work so hard in silence that your success blows your trumpet. He [Fawad] has worked so hard his success is now screaming that ‘okay you do not play me for seven years? It’s fine. Now I will work so hard that I would make it impossible for you to ignore me’.”

    Watch Video:

    Fawad Alam, who last represented Pakistan cricket team in Test match way back in 2009, has scored 12000 runs at a stunning average of 56.57 in first-class cricket. He has scored 33 centuries as well.

    The Test series against Sri Lanka will begin on 11th December in Rawalpindi with the second match scheduled in Karachi from 19-23 December.