Tag: Former Cricketer

  • ‘Not happy’: Shahid Afridi schools Shaheen for bad bowling in semi-final

    ‘Not happy’: Shahid Afridi schools Shaheen for bad bowling in semi-final

    Former Pakistan captain and T20 World Cup winner, Shahid Afridi is upset by the dismal performance of Shaheen Shah Afridi, as the young pacer conceded three back to back sixes off Matthew Wade, who guided Australia to their first T20 World Cup Final on Thursday.

    Read More – ‘No one should point fingers, I back everyone’: Babar Azam talks to team after losing semi-final

    The former all-rounder asserted that even if Hassan Ali dropped an important catch, it doesn’t mean that Afridi should have lost hope.

    “I am not happy with Shaheen in one area. Okay, so Hassan Ali dropped a catch but that does not mean you will bowl badly and get hit for three successive sixes,” Shahid Afridi said on Samaa TV.

    “Shaheen has so much pace and he should have used it sensibly. Even if the catch was dropped. He should have used his head and tried to bowl outside off stump fast Yorkers with his pace. He is not that sort of bowler to be hit like that,” the former Pakistan captain said.

    Shaheen set the World Cup on fire when he got rid of top players like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul with a new ball in Pakistan’s big match against India. In the semi-final against Australia, he sent back the Australian captain Aaron Finch in the first over.

    Cracking the three balls for sixes, the Australian keeper-batter sealed their spot in the final.

    Read More – Hayden lauds ‘warrior’ Rizwan, who was in hospital the night before Pak-Aus match

    Australia will be facing New Zealand in Final of the T20 World Cup 2021 on Sunday at Dubai International Stadium.

  • ‘Disappointed’: Shoaib Akhtar vows to fight lawsuit after receiving recovery notice from PTV

    ‘Disappointed’: Shoaib Akhtar vows to fight lawsuit after receiving recovery notice from PTV

    Former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar has vowed to fight a legal battle after Pakistan Television (PTV) sent a legal notice to him as he resigned on-air in the aftermath of a heated exchange with Dr Nauman Niaz.

    Read More – ‘I resign from PTV’: Shoaib Akhtar, Nauman Niaz exchange hot words on air

    In a recent development in the PTV Sports controversy, PTV has sent a legal notice worth Rs100 million to ‘Rawalpindi Express’ after he stepped down during the live transmission of Game On Hai.

    Akhtar, 46, after receiving a legal notice for ‘breaching his contract’, expressed disappointment with the state-owned television.

    Taking to Twitter, the former cricketer turned analyst wrote: “Utterly Disappointed. After miserably failing to safeguard my respect and repute while I was working for PTV, they have now sent me a recovery notice. I am a fighter & will not give up & fight this legal battle. My lawyer Salman Niazi will take this forward according to law.”

    PTV reportedly sent the recovery notice to Akhtar for “being absent from shows during the T20 World Cup and for resigning from his position without serving a notice period”.

    He was served Rs100 million defamation notice due to the loss incurred by the state-run sports channel, after his appearance on an Indian news television channel in Emirates.

    Furthermore, PTV also demanded a three-month salary payment from the former fastest bowler for his non-notice period resignation.

    Read More – Shoaib Akhtar vs Nauman Niaz: Whose side is Twitter is on?

    The controversy, which garnered international attention, started in a post-match show, after Green Shirts’s victory over New Zealand. Show host Dr Nauman Niaz and Akhtar were involved in a heated debate.

    Recently, former PTV host Nauman Niaz also expressed regret over the controversy saying “he can apologise not only once but a million times” while legendary player Shoaib Akhtar said he had forgiven Nauman for the sake of Pakistan and state institutions.

    Last month, the administration of PTV also formed a committee to investigate the matter and ordered to keep the duo off-air until the completion of the inquiry.

  • ‘Grudge match’: Ian Smith looks forward to Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup encounter

    ‘Grudge match’: Ian Smith looks forward to Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup encounter

    Former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith believes that the encounter between Pakistan and New Zealand at the T20 World Cup will be a ‘grudge match’ and he is eagerly waiting for both teams to go head-to-head.

    Last month, Pakistani fans were upset when New Zealand unilaterally decided to pull out of the series against Pakistan due to ‘security threats’.

    “It’s a bit of a grudge match now on the basis that New Zealand pulled out of the tour over there just recently and came home, which didn’t please Pakistan at all,” said Smith, who is also a renowned commentator, according to Stuff.

    Read More – New Zealand cricket chief open to rescheduling of abandoned Pakistan series

    “We were right in doing what we did but it doesn’t ease the pain for them so there will be feeling in that game. It’s the first game that we play and I think there will be a real edge to that one so I’m looking forward to it,” he further added.

    The cancelation of New Zealand’s tour had much deeper implications as PCB was tirelessly repairing Pakistan’s image on the international stage ever since the 2009 terrorist attack on Sri Lanka’s team.

    “This conspiracy has been hatched to tarnish the image of Pakistan, as its image was going to build up due to the role it is playing for peace in the region,” said Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan will face India first at Dubai Inetrnational Stadium on October 24. The green shirts will be encountering the black caps on October 26.

  • VIDEO: Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz facing difficulty walking due to bone disease

    VIDEO: Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz facing difficulty walking due to bone disease

    Former Test cricketer Sarfaraz Nawaz is suffering from a bone disease due to which he is having difficulty in walking for the past few months, reports Geo News.

    In a 44-seconds video shared on Twitter, the London-based cricketer-turned-politician can be seen walking down the street using a walker.

    As per details, Nawaz has been living in Tooting, London, for many years with his family.

    In 2019, the former Test bowler was admitted to a hospital in London due to a heart problem.

    Nawaz played 55 Tests for Pakistan and took 177 wickets. He also played 45 One-Day Internationals and picked 63 wickets besides taking 1,005 first-class wickets.

    Nawaz is best known for his nine for 86 against Australia at Melbourne in 1979, which included a spell of seven wickets for just one run off 33 balls.

    Following his retirement from the game, Nawaz became a commentator and later joined politics.

  • Ramiz Raja chides Basit Ali for calling him ‘Rambo’ during meeting

    Ramiz Raja chides Basit Ali for calling him ‘Rambo’ during meeting

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja on Friday got angry at provincial coach Basit Ali for calling him “Rambo” in a virtual meeting.

    According to 24 News, Raja held a virtual meeting with the six provincial coaches in which some of his old colleagues were also included.

    During the meeting, the head coach of the Sindh province and former Pakistan Test batsman, Basit Ali, who was also a friend of Ramiz, called him “Rambo”.

    Ramiz strongly reacted to this with some aggression and said, what happened Mr Basit, I am the chairman of the PCB. You should speak consciously, he sternly replied to him.

    After Ramiz’s aggressive reply to Basit, all the coaches got serious.

    In the meeting, the PCB chairman also slammed another coach Shahid Aslam on his friendly attitude and advised him strictly that he should coach and don’t try to pay for friendships.

    Meanwhile, he also warned the coaches that either they perform well or go home.

  • Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq says he did not suffer a heart attack

    Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq says he did not suffer a heart attack

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Inzamam-ul-Huq has clarified that he did not suffer a heart attack, as widely reported by the media.

    Inzamam, in a video message, thanked all the people across the world who had prayed for him — fans, former and current cricketers, and commentators.

    “It felt very nice being remembered, so I wanted to thank everyone,” he said.

    The former batsman said that he did not suffer a heart attack; he had gone to the doctor for a “routine checkup”.

    “They recommended an angioplasty and during the procedure, they said my artery is blocked and a stent is needed,” he explained.

    Inzamam said he gave his go-ahead, and then a procedure was done, which was a success and he is alright now.

    He said he stayed at the hospital for 12 hours and is now home.

    The batsman urged everyone to immediately go to the doctor whenever they suspect anything wrong with their health.

    “The doctors told me that had I delayed going in, I could have suffered damage,” he said.

    Inzamam’s manager had earlier today said that he had been discharged from the hospital after undergoing successful angioplasty surgery at a Lahore hospital.

    Following the news of his illness, Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Hassan Ali and others had wished Inzi a speedy recovery.

  • Inzamam-ul-Huq undergoes angioplasty after suffering heart attack

    Inzamam-ul-Huq undergoes angioplasty after suffering heart attack

    Pakistan cricket great Inzamam-ul-Haq underwent angioplasty on Monday (September 27) after suffering a heart attack. The 51-year-old is in a stable condition in a hospital.

    His manager revealed that a stent has been placed in Inzamam’s heart. Inzamam, who had been complaining of chest pain recently, underwent tests that revealed a heart attack, following which the angioplasty had to be performed.

    Inzamam made his debut for Pakistan by the end of 1991 and was a part of their successful 1992 World Cup campaign. He went on to lead the national side and eventually finished as their most prolific batsman with over 20,000 runs by the time he retired in 2007. He was recently working with the PCB as the chief selector until July 2019.

    Several Pakistani cricketers and people from cricket fraternity extended their wishes for his quick recovery.

    https://twitter.com/Amermalik12/status/1442600487493062658?s=20

  • Ramiz Raja could become Chairman PCB: Reports

    Ramiz Raja could become Chairman PCB: Reports

    Former Test cricketer-turned commentator Ramiz Raja has reportedly joined the race for the slot of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairmanship.

    PCB’s Chairman Ehsan Mani’s three-year term as the head of the sports body is ending on September 18.

    According to a report on Geo News, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also the patron in chief of the PCB, will recommend two names to the governing board for the coveted post in the next few days.

    Ehsan Mani and Asad Ali Khan are the representatives of the prime minister in the PCB governing board. Reports circulating claimed that Raja will replace Mani.

    On May 31, PCB chairman Mani had debunked rumours of forwarding his resignation to the Prime Minister, The News reported.

    Earlier, Former PCB Chairperson Najam Sethi had suggested that the current board chairperson Mani and CEO Wasim Khan should be removed from their posts.

    PM Khan should take some time and see what was happening with Pakistan cricket, Sethi had reported as saying in an interview by The News on June 4.

    Raja is a Pakistani cricket commentator, YouTuber, a Ravian, and a former cricketer, who represented Pakistan during the 1980s and the 1990s. He was also the part of 1992 cricket World Cup winning team. Since retiring from cricket, he has been a commentator in international cricket matches.

  • ‘I respect all women’: Abdul Razzaq responds to criticism for his comments on Nida Dar

    ‘I respect all women’: Abdul Razzaq responds to criticism for his comments on Nida Dar

    Former cricketer Abdul Razzaq has come up with a clarification note after receiving immense criticism for making sexist comments about women cricketers in general and Nida Dar in particular.

    Taking to Twitter, Razzaq shared that he has clarified his position on a phone call with Nida.

    “A clip from a TV show has surfaced, highlighting some comments I made towards my fellow cricketer Nida Dar. Although these comments were made in a lighted-hearted way and not to offend anyone, on reflection the choice of words and their presentation was poor and wrong,” he wrote.

    “I have subsequently called Nida Dar and clarified my position. I have the utmost respect for all women, especially our women cricketers, who have made great strides in our sport. Nida is our shining star and I hope she continues to make Pakistan proud,” the former all-rounder added.

    Razzaq and Nida appeared in G Sarkar with Nauman Ijaz on Neo Tv. During the show, Nida was asked if women athletes always have to leave the sport after marriage.

    “Do you have some kind of allergy with marriage? You don’t want to talk about it at all,” the cricketer was asked.

    Dar commented, “They try to play the sport as much as they can since you never know after the wedding.”

    While intervening in the conversation, Razzaq said women athletes do not marry as they always try to compete with their male counterparts.

    “Oh, they don’t get married,” Razzaq said. “Their field is as such. When they become cricketers, they strive to be as equal as their male counterparts, if not better than them. They want to prove that not only men but women can also do it,” said the cricketer.

    “The feeling [to get married] is gone [by the time they excel. If you shake her [Dar] hand, she is anything but feminine,” said Razzaq.

  • ‘This shouldn’t have happened’: Waqar Younis on Younis Khan’s resignation

    ‘This shouldn’t have happened’: Waqar Younis on Younis Khan’s resignation

    Pakistan men’s cricket team bowling coach Waqar Younis regretted on Monday that former captain Younis Khan had stepped down as the batting coach of the team just days before the England tour.

    Read More – Younis Khan’s shocking revelations

    Addressing a virtual presser from the United Kingdom (UK), where Pakistan will be playing three One-day Internationals (ODI) and as many Twenty20 International (T20I) against England, Waqar said, “It’s unfortunate [Younis Khan stepping down as the batting coach] at the stroke of [a] big tour. It has happened, but this shouldn’t have happened.”

    Last month, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had issued a statement announcing that the board and Younis had mutually agreed to part ways.
    Commenting on the development, PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan had said it was sad to lose an expert of Younis’ stature and experience.

    “Following a series of discussions, we both have reluctantly but mutually and amicably agreed that it was time to move in different directions.

    “I want to thank Younis for his contributions during his short stint as the men’s national cricket team’s batting coach and hope he will remain available to assist the PCB by sharing his vast knowledge with the emerging cricketers,” he had said.

    Commenting on the matter, Waqar said the PCB and Younis had both given explanations about their differences.

    The bowling coach added: “Younis was a great help… [and] his work ethic has always been good.”

    Waqar was also asked to share his views on reports of PCB chief executive Wasim Khan visiting fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who retired from international cricket last year.
    He said he was not aware of the development until the media reported it, adding that it was the PCB head’s prerogative whether to visit Amir or not.

    “But if Amir doesn’t want to play or take back his retirement … or impress the selectors, then it’s hard. You have to do the right things to play for your country,” remarked Waqar.