Tag: international cricket

  • 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

  • South Africa’s Faf du Plessis announces retirement from Test cricket

    South Africa’s Faf du Plessis announces retirement from Test cricket

    South Africa batsman Faf du Plessis on Wednesday announced that he is retiring from Test cricket. 

    The former South Africa captain wrote in a post on Instagram, where he also shared a statement on his decision. “My heart is clear and the time is right to walk into a new chapter.”

    With two T20 World Cups in the next two years, Du Plessis said he is shifting his focus to the shortest format of the game. “It has been an honour to play for my country in all the formats of the game, but the time has come for me to retire from Test cricket,” he wrote.

    “The next two years are ICC T20 World Cup years. Because of this, my focus is shifting to this format and I want to play as much of it as possible around the world so that I can be the best player I can possibly be.”

    He represented South Africa in 69 Tests and scored 4,163 runs at an average of 40.02. He scored 10 centuries and registered his highest score of 199 in 2020. He had a memorable Test debut against Australia in Adelaide in 2012, when he scored 78 in the first inning and followed it up with a maiden Test century in the second.

    His final Test came in Rawalpindi against Pakistan earlier this month.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) also thanked the veteran cricketer on Twitter for “the memories”.

    Meanwhile, The Pakistan Super League (PSL) announced the replacement picks for the teams that will lose some players due to international commitments.

    The teams made replacement picks for the players who have either become fully or partially unavailable due to international cricket commitments. Du Plessis, who was earlier part of the Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 2020 play-offs, returns to the league as a partial replacement player in the Quetta Gladiators outfit in place of the West Indian Chris Gayle.

  • Mohammad Amir will be available for Pakistan on one condition

    Mohammad Amir will be available for Pakistan on one condition

    Mohammad Amir has clarified that he will be available for Pakistan on one condition.

    In a tweet, the fast bowler wrote: “I would like to clarify that yes I will be available for Pakistan only once this management leaves. So please stop spreading fake news just to sell your story.”

    Widely regarded as one of the most destructive fast bowlers of the Green Army in the modern era, Amir had shocked the entire cricket fraternity when he opted to bid farewell to international cricket following his ouster from the Pakistani limited-overs squad for the New Zealand series last year. 

    Amir had already retired from the longest format before he quit international cricket alleging ‘mental torture’ by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to the latest developments, the out-of-favour Pakistani cricketer has volunteered to come out of retirement in order to play for the Azam-led side on the international circuit.

    Read more – PCB, cricketing greats among others react to Amir’s exit

    Meanwhile, according to the Pakistani journalists, the pacer will only make a comeback to play for the National team if Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis are removed from office. While Misbah is the current head coach of the Babar Azam-led side, Younis is the bowling chief.

    Earlier, Babar Azam had backed coach Misbah by defending the management’s decision to snub the pacer from the national squad. Azam had asserted that Amir’s performances were not up to the mark.

    Misbah and Waqar said that Amir’s recent performances have been really poor and he does not warrant a place in the squad. They did, however, say that Amir will be welcomed back into the team if he is able to perform better in the domestic circuit. However, Amir rubbished this statement as well, saying that they are portraying a different picture to take the blame off their backs.

    The 28-year-old speedster has played 36 Tests, 61 One Day International (ODIs), and as many as 50 T20Is for the Pakistani national team. Amir also plied his trade with Galle Gladiators in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL).

  • Nine uncapped players included in 20-player Pakistan Test squad against SA

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players. Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, and Shan Masood have been dropped by the selection committee, while Hasan Ali has been included in the Test squad after two years.

    The 20-player squad includes:

    Openers – Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) and Imran Butt (Balochistan)

    Middle-order batsmen – Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) and Saud Shakeel (Sindh)

    All-rounders – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab) and Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)

    Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh)

    Spinners – Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

    Fast bowlers – Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Tabish Khan (Sindh)

    Talking about the selection of uncapped players, Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said, “I want to congratulate all the uncapped players who have made it to the 20-player Pakistan Test squad. These nine players are now just a step away from representing Pakistan in the pinnacle format of the game. As such, they have an outstanding opportunity to step-up show their class and potential and perform strongly so that they can cement their places for future international assignments.

    He further added: “Sohail, Abbas, and Masood have been dropped due to inconsistent performances. However, the PCB will not let its investment in these talented players go to waste and will invite them to the High-Performance Centre so that they can work out their technical flaws and get back into contention,”

    South Africa will tour Pakistan this month for the first time in 14 years to play two tests and three Twenty20 Internationals. The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8.

  • ‘I have been tortured’: Mohammad Amir announces retirement from international cricket

    ‘I have been tortured’: Mohammad Amir announces retirement from international cricket

    Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said that he is retiring from international cricket.

    Speaking to journalist Shoaib Jatt, Amir said that he will release a detailed statement sharing his reasons behind his retirement when he arrives back in Pakistan from Sri Lanka, where he has been playing for Galle Gladiators in the Lanka Premier League. However, he made it clear that he cannot continue playing under the current management which is why he made this announcement.

    “I have been tortured,” says Amir in the video.

    Amir, who had an impressive campaign for Galle Gladiators in Lanka Premier League, said he will be playing franchise cricket but has made up his mind not to carry on playing for Pakistan. Amir had retired from Test cricket last year citing workload issues.

    “No, I am not going away from cricket. If you have seen the way the atmosphere over here and the way I have been sidelined,” said an emotional Amir. “I got a wake-up call there when I was not selected in 35 boys. If I don’t get selected in the 35-member squad, then it is a wake-up call for me.”

    “I don’t think I can play cricket under this management. I think I should leave cricket this time. I am being tortured mentally,” he continued. “I don’t think I can tolerate any more torture now. I have seen a lot of torture from 2010 to 2015. I was away from the game and sentenced for my mistake.”

    Read more – Kyun Nikala?: ‘Misbah Saab he bataa saktay hain,’ says Mohammad Amir

    According to a press release issued by PCB, Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan spoke with Amir this afternoon following reports that the fast bowler had announced his retirement from international cricket.

    The 29-year-old confirmed to the PCB chief executive that he has no desires or intensions of playing international cricket and as such, he should not be considered for future international matches.

    “This is a personal decision of Mohammad Amir, which the PCB respects, and as such, will not make any further comment on this matter at this stage,” stated the press release.

    Amir made his debut for Pakistan in a T20I match against England in June 2009 and was part of the team which won the 2009 T20 World Cup.

    However, his career went downhill after he was found guilty of spot-fixing and was banned for five years. He made his international comeback in 2015 and went on to play an instrumental role in Pakistan’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2017.

  • ‘Azhar Ali’s captaincy to be reviewed’

    Azhar Ali may not retain his position as Pakistan’s Test Captain during next month’s tour of New Zealand after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said that the 35-year-old’s leadership will be “reviewed”.

    According to details, rumours are rife in the executive corridors of PCB’s headquarters about a younger replacement. The speculations come just 12 months after Azhar replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan’s Test captain. Mohammad Rizwan and current limited-overs captain Babar Azam are the top choices for potential replacements for Test captaincy, with the change likely to happen as early as December when Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand is scheduled to take place.

    Wasim also revealed that Azhar’s annual appraisal is being carried out and that a final decision has not been made yet as constitutionally the prerogative to name or dismiss a captain rests with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, who is due to meet Ali in the next ten days.

    Read more – Misbah Ul Haq steps down as chief selector

    Azhar has struggled with form over the past two years and found himself in a sustained slump until he scored a hundred in Karachi late last year, followed by a fighting century in a rain-hit draw against England in Southampton in August.

    Azhar is presently the most capped player in the Pakistan side with 81 Test matches in a career that started in 2010. He was appointed ODI captain following Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi’s ODI retirements after the 2015 World Cup when he hadn’t been part of Pakistan’s ODI plans. Following poor results in England and Australia during his tenure, he was axed from captaincy in January 2017 but remained in the squad until 2018 before losing his spot to younger players.

    Ali had refused an offer to take up Test captaincy in 2017 after Misbah and Younis Khan retired from the longer format, with the PCB deciding to hand over the captaincy in all formats to Sarfaraz. While his limited-overs replacement Babar looks more secure than ever, Azhar’s stint as Test captain may well be drawing to a premature close.

    Meanwhile, Wasim has backed Misbah and Babar as coach and captain for next year’s World Twenty20.

    In a press conference, Wasim while speaking about Misbah and Babar had said: “Like every other job, that of the head coach and the captain is also performance-based. At the moment, our main focus is white-ball cricket with World Twenty20 events in each of the next two years and we’re backing Misbah and Babar for the next World Twenty20 as they’re both doing well together.”