Tag: Former Pakistani Cricketer

  • ‘Memorable flashbacks’: Shahid Afridi gets nostalgic at NCA Lahore

    ‘Memorable flashbacks’: Shahid Afridi gets nostalgic at NCA Lahore

    Former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi is feeling nostalgic after a training session at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore.

    He shared that one returning to NCA after a long time evoked nostalgia and brought back many memories.

    The NCA has now been named the National High Performance Centre.

    The Pakistani all-rounder took to Twitter to say he has come to “visit NCA after a very long time” and that the visit has brought back so many “memorable flashbacks.”

    https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1481121808770285568?s=20

    NCA Lahore’s facilities, according to Afridi, are good and should be offered at other NCA training centres across the country.

    “I had my training session without authorisation, hope that’s ok?” Afridi asked, tagging the official Twitter account of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    Afridi was Quetta Gladiators’ biggest pick during the players draft for Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022, as the 2019 winners look to win the second title when PSL 7 rolls into action on January 27.

    Both Afridi and England’s batter James Vince left Multan Sultans to join Quetta Gladiators.

  • PM Khan honoured with international sports award

    PM Khan honoured with international sports award

    Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan on Sunday was awarded the “International Sports Personality Award,” at the 11th edition of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Awards ceremony held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

    According to The Khaleej Times, the awards were distributed by the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and the Chairman of Dubai Sports Council and Mattar Al Tayer Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at the Dubai Exhibition Centre.

    It should be noted that PM Imran Khan was announced as a winner back in November 2021 for dedicating his life to sports.

    During his illustrious 21-year cricket career, Imran Khan made numerous contributions to Pakistan cricket including leading the green shirts to the 1992 World Cup title.

    After making his debut in 1971, he went on to make several records, becoming one of the greatest players ever to grace the game.

    In his stellar career, Imran represented Pakistan in the 88 Test matches and scored 3807 runs with six centuries as well as took 362 wickets at an average of 22.81.

    While in the ODIs, he represented his country in 175 matches and took 182 scalps at an average of 26.61, along with 3,709 under his belt as well.

  • Shahid Afridi believes Hafeez wanted to play more cricket for Pakistan

    Shahid Afridi believes Hafeez wanted to play more cricket for Pakistan

    Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi has said that he believes Mohammad Hafeez, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, wanted to play more cricket for Pakistan.

    While speaking on Samaa TV’s show Game Set Match, Afridi said that there is a communication gap between PCB and the players.

    “I was listening to his [Hafeez] statement and it was clear from his body language that he wanted to play more cricket for Pakistan rather than leaving early,” said Afridi.

    “I always talk about the communication gap between the PCB and players and I have a strong feeling that the same was the case with Hafeez. Although, it was good to see that he didn’t turn that into a major issue,” he added.

    Afridi also heaped praise on Hafeez over a great international career.

    “I would like to congratulate Hafeez, his family and parents. Hafeez had an outstanding career and he gave many match-winning performances,” he said.

    Hafeez announced his retirement from international cricket 18 years after making his debut in Sharjah against Zimbabwe on 3 April 2003.

    Hafeez represented Pakistan in 392 international matches, scoring 12,780 runs and taking 253 wickets, besides also captaining the side in 32 international matches.

  • The Professor Mohammad Hafeez announces retirement from international cricket

    The Professor Mohammad Hafeez announces retirement from international cricket

    Former Pakistan cricket team captain Mohammad Hafeez has announced his retirement from international cricket, ending a career spanning more than 18 years with the Pakistan side. His international debut was in an ODI against Zimbabwe in 2003, and his last match was Pakistan’s defeat against Australia in the T20 World Cup semi-final last November.

    The 41-year-old top-order batter and off-spinner, has signed up with Lahore Qalandars for the upcoming edition of the PSL and will continue to be available for franchise cricket around the world.

    As per his ESPN cricinfo, Hafeez played 55 Tests, 218 ODIs and 119 T20Is while amassing 12,780 runs across formats, and grabbed 32 Player-of-the-Match awards, the fourth-highest among Pakistan players in all international cricket, with only Shahid Afridi (43), Wasim Akram (39) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (33) above him. In addition to that, Hafeez also earned nine Player-of-the-Series awards, joint-second with Imran Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis.

    Hafeez retired from Test cricket in December 2018, with selectors later deciding to move on from him in ODIs after the 2019 World Cup, where he played his last match of the format – against Bangladesh at Lord’s.

    He is the only Pakistan player to have played in all but one T20 World Cup – the one Pakistan ended up winning in 2009 – and holds the Pakistan record for most T20 World Cup appearances. Hafeez also led Pakistan to the 2012 World T20 semi-final.

    After he announced his retirement, his colleagues and Twitterati wished him good luck with heart-warming messages.

    https://twitter.com/mdk_gul/status/1477901591277555712?s=20

  • ‘Karachi walon’: Shahid Afridi has a message for Karachiites

    ‘Karachi walon’: Shahid Afridi has a message for Karachiites

    Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi has a message for Karachiites after some good weather in the city.

    Taking to his social media accounts, Shahid wrote: “Karachi walon!!! Weather enjoy karo aur safe raho. (People of Karachi!!! Enjoy the weather and be safe.)”

    In one of the pictures, Afridi can be seen enjoying the cloudy view with a tea mug in his hand. In another picture, he can be seen driving around the city with his daughter in the car beside him.

    The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast intermittent rains in Karachi later today after morning showers turned the weather cold.

    Weather experts said that the thunder cells, present over the coastal belt of Balochistan, were heading towards Karachi.

  • Video: Waqar Younis grooves on Indian song with wife

    Video: Waqar Younis grooves on Indian song with wife

    Former Pakistan coach Waqar Younis’s video clip, where he can be seen dancing and enjoying his brother-in-law’s wedding, has gone viral on social media.

    The wedding event was held in Karachi on Thursday.

    The former Pakistani cricketer’s wife, Dr Faryal, can also be seen in the video, dancing her heart out at the function.

    The couple can be seen dancing in joy to the tune of a song in the middle of the dance floor as others look on.

    The former fast bowler graced the dance floor on popular Bollywood dance number ‘Dilli Wali Girlfriend’, which went viral on social media.

    Waqar’s brother-in-law got married in Karachi on Thursday.

    At the function, the former coach can be seen wearing a black sherwani.

    Earlier, a video of former Pakistan captain and ex-wicketkeeper Moin Khan shaking a leg on his son’s wedding with actor Ali Ansari was doing the rounds on social media.

    Veteran cricketer Wasim Akram and his wife Shaniera Akram swayed at the wedding.

  • Younis Khan’s shocking revelations

    Younis Khan’s shocking revelations

    Former captain of Pakistan Men’s cricket team Younis Khan has said that if he had to resign from his batting coach position over the incident with Hassan Ali, he would have done so four or five months ago. “My resignation does not match with the rhythm of the incident with Ali.”

    Read more – Younis Khan breaks silence on feud with Hassan Ali

    “I was told that Hassan Ali was sorry, so I went to him myself,” Khan said in 11th Hour.

    Explaining the reasons for his resignation as batting coach, the former captain said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did not tell him about the bio-secure bubble for England tour. He had a surgery but he was informed later that his flight has been booked.

    Khan said the doctor’s call came on June 22 that you have not joined the bio-secure bubble, I told him I have surgery I can’t come in the bio-secure bubble.

    “I got another call. I can’t tell you his name yet. I told him I have surgery. I can’t join. I am exhausted. He said if you don’t come, there could be a situation like Muhammad Hafeez. The caller said that just like what happened to Hafeez, it can also happen to you,” shared the 2009 T20 World Cup captain.

    “I told him that I am not Hafeez but Younis Khan and I have no other option, if I will not be respected then how will a player be respected,” he questioned.

    The former captain further said: “I complained to the MD PCB about the NHPC coaches, telling Wasim Khan how outsiders were giving tips when we were there. I was the batting coach of the national team and I was being ignored. If I’ll go to the PCB again, I will write everything on a contract.”

    Host Wasim Badami asked if it was Zakir Khan who called him from PCB. Khan said that he resigned because of the call but will not reveal that person’s name.

    2009 uprising: “Shahid Afridi may be the mastermind if he has said that”

    Younis shared about the 2009 uprising that anyone could have been the mastermind of the incident. “I don’t know, it seems that the whole matter was about the captaincy.”

    The former captain said that the one who spoke in front of the PCB Chairman would be the mastermind of the incident, and if Shahid Afridi spoke, then maybe he was the mastermind.

    He said that Afridi came to Lahore from Karachi to meet the PCB Chairman. A player also took the Holy Quran from me to take an oath against me. A player was sent to me to bring the Holy Quran. He told me that he wants to recite the Quran before the match.

    Badami asked if the player who came to get the Holy Quran was Umar Akmal. On this, Younis Khan said that there are big leaks in the PCB and news has always been leaking.

    Khan said that if a player makes a mistake in the match, you cannot ask him, otherwise, problems will arise. Doubts will arise. And next time, if the player gets out by hitting a short, then what should be done, if the player does not ask for guidance, then there will be suspicions of spot-fixing.

    In response to a question, Khan said that for the last five years he used to stay locked in his room and play his cricket.

  • Younis Khan breaks silence on feud with Hassan Ali

    Younis Khan breaks silence on feud with Hassan Ali

    Younis Khan has finally broken his silence on a feud with Hassan Ali.

    According to reports, Khan said Ali had apologised to him after their heated exchange of words, and that the two had moved past the incident.

    “Hassan Ali apologised to me, and I had forgiven him,” Younis Khan said in a statement. “To play up the Hassan Ali incident [and use it] as a possible reason for my resignation comes as a surprise to me,” he added.

    Speaking about his resignation, Khan said he had kept silent over the matter in the larger interest of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Pakistani cricket. Khan clarified that it was PCB’s Strength and Conditioning Coach Yasir Malik who had requested him to speak to Hassan Ali about taking an ice bath.

    “I have never looked towards the PCB for a job or for any position,” he said. “I was approached for the position [of batting coach] by the Board,” added the former batsman.

    Senior Pakistan sports reporter Saj Sadiq tweeted about the spat between Younis Khan and Hassan Ali a few days ago, stating that a verbal fight between the two took place when Ali refused to take an ice bath as suggested by Khan.

    As per Sadiq, the altercation got to the point where the two had to be separated by coaching staff members and other team players. 

    A day earlier, Sadiq spoke more about the incident, saying that Khan had allegedly locked himself in a room and refused to talk to Ali, even after the fast bowler had apologised to him.

    The news of the heated exchange between the two was reported after Khan stepped down from his position as batting coach a few days ago.