Tag: fast bowler

  • Naseem Shah creates history, becomes first bowler to take 15 wickets in first four ODIs

    Naseem Shah creates history, becomes first bowler to take 15 wickets in first four ODIs

    Pakistan’s fast bowler Naseem Shah created history during the opening ODI against New Zealand at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi on Monday.

    The 19-year-old has set a new world record by taking 15 wickets in his first four One Day Internationals (ODIs). This achievement surpasses the previous record of 14 wickets, held by Ryan Harris and Gary Gilmour.

    According to Geo Super, Naseem Shah has started the home series versus New Zealand with a five-wicket haul. With impressive numbers of 5 for 57, Naseem Shah’s tally of ODI wickets reached 15 which is the most number of wickets taken by any bowler after playing only four ODI matches.

    Naseem’s 15 wickets also include two consecutive fifers. His impressive performance has garnered praise from cricket fans and experts on social media.

    https://twitter.com/AvinashArya09/status/1612439078661943297

    During the series against New Zealand, Pakistan has a chance to surpass New Zealand as the world’s best ODI team.

    If Pakistan whitewashes New Zealand 3-0 during the three-match series, it can jump to the number one spot in the rankings with 114 rating points.

  • ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    The former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar in an interview stated that his mother constantly counseled him to protect Pakistan’s pride.

    Akhtar also revealed that 12 of his fellow players had been engaged in match-fixing but he said nothing.

    “I can’t stand lying, so I’ve never fixed or even considered fixing a game,” he explained. “Match-fixing was a problem for 12 of my former teammates. I was aware, but I said nothing. ‘Never ever sell your nation,’ my mum used to say “cricketer-turned-YouTuber expressed his sentiments.

    Conversely, Akhtar, who is known for his strong words and anger, claimed that he have hit the umpires and batters with the bat at least 30-40 times.

    Shoaib Akhtar reflected on his background and said he had seen a lot of unfairness. He mentioned the 1999 World Cup, when Steve Waugh was plumb out but the umpire denied the appeal, provoking him to kick his leg and even scream at him.

  • ‘It shouldn’t have happened on TV,’ Afridi reacts to Haris Rauf slapping Kamran Ghulam

    ‘It shouldn’t have happened on TV,’ Afridi reacts to Haris Rauf slapping Kamran Ghulam

    Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi has addressed a recent incident that happened in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) match between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi on Monday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

    PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars’ pacer Haris Rauf slapped his teammate Kamran Ghulam, who dropped a catch on his bowl to Zalmi batter Hazratullah Zazai.

    The veteran cricketer said that whenever he met Haris, he (Rauf) was the best. “Haris is a simple man and his bowling shows how aggressive he is,” Afridi said.

    He said: “Haris has not done a good thing and it should not have happened on TV. PSL is being watched all over the world.”

    The former captain further asserted that if certain things happen, then lessons should be learned from them and caution should be exercised in the future in “grooming academies”.

    He added that Haris will have to be very careful in the future as “his behaviour will not be tolerated in the future while the team management should have taken action on this move but it is wrong for the management to defend him.”

    In the same over, Fawad Ahmed caught Haris’ ball and Ghulam went towards Rauf for a hi-five and that was when Rauf slapped him in frustration. He, however, hugged him later.

    It was reported that Haris was given a warning by an on-field umpire and was not given any penalty for his behaviour during a match.

  • ‘It wasn’t good’: Sohail Tanvir regrets offensive behaviour during PZ vs QG match

    ‘It wasn’t good’: Sohail Tanvir regrets offensive behaviour during PZ vs QG match

    Quetta Gladiators’ left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir has apologised for the offensive behaviour with Quetta’s batter Ben Cutting during the Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) match at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Tuesday.

    In a video message posted on Instagram, Tanvir said: “This could have been avoided and what happened was not good,” he said, addressing the heated encounter between the two players last night.

    Cutting punished Tanvir in the penultimate over as he smashed 27 runs by hitting four sixes, a single, and a double.

    And then, Cutting showed an offensive hand gesture to Tanvir. This led to an argument between the two. The on-field umpire intervened and dispersed them.

    But right in the next over, Naseem Shah bowled and Cutting smashed it but Tanvir was the third man, so he took the catch. After taking his catch, Tanvir also used the obscene hand gesture (showing his middle finger).

    Shedding light on the history behind the aggression between the two players against each other, he said that this case has been going on since 2018.

    It is pertinent to mention here that during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Tanvir had shown a finger gesture to Cutting after taking his wicket.

    Tanvir, however, mentioned that he had apologised to Cutting back then.

    “Last night, Cutting hit two sixes and showed the finger gesture,” he said, adding that then the two exchanged heated words and then “I also showed him the finger.”

    Tanvir emphasised: “I repeat that this should not have happened, it could have been avoided.”

    Both the cricketers were fined for their wrongdoing and both accepted the offence imposed on them.

  • Shoaib Akhtar believes Shahid Afridi will ‘100 per cent step into politics’

    Shoaib Akhtar believes Shahid Afridi will ‘100 per cent step into politics’

    Former speedster Shoaib Akhtar has said that former all-rounder of Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi will follow the steps of Imran Khan and step into politics.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Jashan-e-Cricket’, Akhtar, who has earlier said he would have a huge vote bank if he contests elections, stated his mother had prohibited him from entering into politics.

    While he said that he is 100 per cent sure that Afridi will step into politics following PM Khan.

    Talking about the Pakistan Super League (PSL), he said he will turn it into an even bigger brand than the Indian Premier League (IPL) if he becomes the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    He also urged the Lahore Qalandars’ management to sell the franchise to him. “If I played PSL, I would opt to play for Lahore Qalandars.”

    The former cricketer advised PM Imran Khan and the government on some political issues recently, including focusing on fixing “the problems of old Pakistan” instead of focusing on Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari and on the Murree tragedy.

    The former pacer also predicted that the Qalandars, who are currently in a fine position, will get into a difficult situation in PSL seven’s Lahore leg.

  • Josh Hazelwood will not be surprised if some Australian players skip Pak tour

    Josh Hazelwood will not be surprised if some Australian players skip Pak tour

    Australian fast bowler Josh Hazelwood has said on Wednesday he would not be surprised if security fears prompt some players to opt out of the upcoming Pakistan tour, as he eyes a comeback to the national team after recovering from injury.

    A media report last week said many in the Australian camp were apprehensive about whether Pakistan would be safe.

    Hazlewood said Cricket Australia’s reassurances had eased his concern.

    “There’s a lot of things in place and there’s been a lot of work in the background … so the trust is quite high there from the players,” Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

    “But there’d certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them don’t make the tour.

    “And that’s very fair. People will discuss it with their families … and come up with an answer and everyone respects that.”

    Read More – Australian A-List cricketers to miss Sri Lanka tour to prepare for Pak series

    Hazlewood, 31, part of a 16-man Australian squad for the five-match Twenty20 home series against Sri Lanka starting on Feb 11, is raring to go after missing all but the first Test in the recent Ashes series.

    Sidelined by a side strain after the first Test in Brisbane, he was forced to watch on as his teammates celebrated a 4-0 series shellacking.

    “I’ve certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can’t bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks,” he said.

    “This one was different … the strength came back really quickly, and I could do a lot of things in the gym. It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one.”

    Long part of Australia’s three-pronged pace attack with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood has taken 215 test wickets at an average of 25 runs per wicket.

    But he must now wrest his test place back from Scott Boland, who took 18 wickets in three Tests, including an unlikely haul of six wickets for seven in the second innings of his debut.

    Australia are scheduled to play three Tests, three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 starting on March 3 in their first trip to Pakistan in 24 years.

  • Shaheen Shah Afridi declared ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year

    Shaheen Shah Afridi declared ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year

    Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named as ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year. He is the first Pakistani and the youngest ever player to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. Shaheen took 78 wickets in 36 internationals at an average of 22.20 with his best bowling figures of 6/51.

    The 21-year-old was on fire throughout 2021, knocking some of the best batters over across all three formats of the game. He especially had a year to remember in Tests and T20Is, reaching his peak during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in UAE where he impressed one and all with his sheer speed and skills.

    Shaheen took seven wickets in six matches during the tournament in Pakistan’s run to the semi-final. He ruled the shortest format throughout the calendar year, scalping 23 wickets in 21 matches with his death bowling improving rapidly.

    After a slow start to the year in Test cricket in New Zealand, Afridi turned the tables during the home series against South Africa. He continued his brilliant form throughout the rest of the year in the away tours of Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh. Overall, he claimed 47 wickets in only nine matches at a staggering average of 17.06.

    Afridi’s perfect spell against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 was the cherry on the top, taking 3 wickets of just 31 runs. Afridi sent then captain Virat Kohli, openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma to the pavillion.

    Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), taking to Twitter, said: “incredible3 The world of cricket is richer and so watchable because of you. A proud moment for the fans who through you can now see a new beginning… @iMRizwanPak @babarazam258 @iShaheenAfridi @ICCAwards.”

    Several people congratulated the cricketer on his achievement, including the PCB and former captain Shahid Afridi.

    https://twitter.com/AhmadDaniyal33/status/1485549184858136583?s=20

  • Wasim Akram is the most difficult bowler, reveals former Indian captain Azharuddin

    Wasim Akram is the most difficult bowler, reveals former Indian captain Azharuddin

    Veteran cricketer and former captain of Indian cricket team Mohammad Azharuddin recently hosted a question-and-answer (Q&A) session on Twitter and revealed that former Pakistani pacer Wasim Akram is the most difficult bowler he has ever faced.

    Pakistani journalist Shiraz Hassan asked: “Who is the most difficult bowler you ever faced? And one from Pakistan?” Azhar replied: “Wasim Akram is the most difficult bowler I have ever faced.”

    Earlier, Azharuddin tweeted to ask him questions related to cricket.

    “Ask me a question if you need cricketing advise. Happy to answer today,” he tweeted.

    An Australian cricket page has shared a memory of Akram’s brilliant performance on this day in Australia. “Coming to the crease at 5-90 on January 22, 1990, Akram drove and cut his way to his first Test century, a brilliant 123 against Australia at Adelaide Oval in a drawn match where he also hit fifty and took a 5-fer in the first innings,” the page captioned the video.

    Shaniera Akram also took to Twitter to laud her husband.

    Known as the “King of Reverse Swing” or the “Sultan of Swing”, Akram is regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history of cricket. The 55-year-old left-arm pacer has taken 502 One-Day Internatinal wickets and 414 wickets in Tests for Pakistan.

  • Will Shaheen Afridi become Captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team? Shaheen speaks out

    Will Shaheen Afridi become Captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team? Shaheen speaks out

    Star pacer of the Pakistan cricket team Shaheen Shah Afridi praised the captaincy of the national team’s all-format skipper Babar Azam and wished for him to continue in this role for at least 10-15 years. The speedster said that he has no plan to captain the team as Babar is leading the team brilliantly.

    Read More – PM Khan predicts winning team of PSL 7

    In a pre-Pakistan Super League (PSL 7) media conference, Lahore Qalandars’ newly appointed captain Afridi was asked whether he would like to do the captaincy of the Pakistan team in the future.

    “I don’t have any plans for now as Babar is leading the side so well. Under his captaincy, the team gelled strongly and performed. I wish he continues as captain for at least 10-15 years,” he responded.

    “In the future, if any opportunity comes to me, I would love to do it for my country. But, for now, I want Babar to continue for long,” he added.

    It must be noted here that Shaheen and Babar will be leading their respective franchises Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings for the first time in PSL 7.

  • Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling action reported

    Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling action reported

    Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain’s bowling action has been reported and he will undergo a test on his bowling action after it was reported by the umpires in the Big Bash League (BBL).

    Hasnain ended a five-game debut BBL stint for the Sydney Thunder where he took seven wickets. He will undergo the test at the ICC-accredited biomechanics laboratory in Lahore, as reported by ESPNCricinfo.

    During his last game against Sydney Sixers, he bowled a bouncer to Moises Henriques when the batter replied to Hasnain, “nice throw mate”.

    After Henriques couldn’t play the bouncers, he accused Hasnain of chucking.

    Hasnain picked up 7 wickets at an average of 15.71 at an economy rate of 6.00 in 5 matches he played in the tournament. Hasnain was remarkable on his debut as he bowled a maiden and picked up three wickets in his first over in the competition.

    The 21-year old is set to represent Quetta Gladiators in the upcoming PSL 2022. If his action is adjudged illegal then he will be unable to play for the Gladiators.