Tag: Misbah ul haq

  • Former Pakistani cricketers got stuck in Dubai after devastating rains

    Former Pakistani cricketers got stuck in Dubai after devastating rains

    Former Pakistan cricketers including Kamran Akmal, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq got stuck at the Dubai airport after flight operations were severely affected due to devastating rains in the Gulf metropolis.

    The flight supposed to carry Pakistan’s former cricketers had been further delayed.

    The four former Pakistani players have been at Dubai Airport since 1 pm Wednesday. All the passengers including the players have now been told to take a flight tomorrow morning.

    According to the schedule, the players were to leave Dubai for Houston at four o’clock in the evening on Wednesday.

    Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Misbah-ul-Haq, was angry with the attitude of Emirates Airlines and wrote on X, “It’s strange that you @emirates start boarding process and after two hours suddenly tells everyone to go back as the flight iscancelled. People are made to stand in lines with children for hours and hours for nothing at the end. Worst behaviour of an airline ever in my life.”

    “First we were asked to board, then after two hours the flight was canceled, people were standing in queues with children for hours, waiting for us for 30 hours. The situation is understood, but if an honest answer is not given, then anger comes.”

    Kamran Akmal retweeted the tweet and wrote, “Disappointing service by @Emirates at DXB.”

    A 75-years-old has been broken due to torrential rains in the states of UAE including Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

  • Misbah speaks out against haters saying team doing better without him

    Misbah speaks out against haters saying team doing better without him

    Former Pakistan Captain and Coach Misbah-ul-Haq has blasted haters for saying that the Pakistan cricket team is performing better after he resigned as the head coach just before the T20 World Cup.

    Read More – Pakistan wins T20 series in Bangladesh

    Misbah, while talking to the media on Muslim Gymkhana’s annual match occasion said: “Well done to those who think that the team has started to perform better after my departure. I am also happy to see the Pakistan team winning.”

    “We all want Pakistan to perform better,” he added.

    About Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez’s future, he said: “The cricketers themselves can make a better decision regarding their future. They know better how long they can play for the national team and play their part in victories.”

    As Pakistan started their two-match test series against Bangladesh today, Misbah stated that Pakistan’s Test side is strong and can beat the Tigers at their home.

    “The team is performing well under Babar Azam’s captaincy, the credit goes to him. While Saqlain Mushtaq is managing the players really well,” Misbah added.

    To replace Misbah and bowling coach Waqar Younis, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Saqlain Mushtaq as interim head coach and Matthew Hayden and Vernon Philander as consultant coaches for the mega event.

  • Wasim Akram disappointed with facilities provided by National Cricket Academy

    Wasim Akram disappointed with facilities provided by National Cricket Academy

    Pakistan’s former captain Wasim Akram, talking about the standards of National Cricket Academy (NCA) and its gyms, has said that he is disappointed with the facilities provided to our athletes.

    Akram, while talking to host Fakhr-e-Alam on A sports, said: “I was invited by a club in Australia, it was a football club and I saw their gym and swimming pool inside the ground where they practice. It was out of this world and the gyms in NCA Lahore, which is operational from when I used to play, has just been renovated and only a few dumbbells have been added and that too one-one set each. When you buy dumbbells, you buy two or three sets of each pair because when the team comes to practice, more people can use them instead of waiting for the other guy to finish. So, we still have the old machines installed since 2001 and look at how much we earn from cricket.”

    Pakistan national cricketer Wahab Riaz also said the place was just renovated recently and said that one or two new machines have been installed and agreeing with Akram, he said that since 2001, only one pair of dumbbells are available in the gyms provided to the players.

    The host then asked Wahab if you compare the gym of NCA with any private gym, what kind of difference do they see?

    Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq dived in and said that he would rather gym at his house than doing it there.

    Wasim Akram added: “So many chairmen came but no one thought about this issue.”

    Have a look:

  • VIDEO: Wasim Akram, Misbahul Haq make fun of Waqar Younis’ ‘disability’

    VIDEO: Wasim Akram, Misbahul Haq make fun of Waqar Younis’ ‘disability’

    Former cricketers Wasim Akram and Misbah-ul-Haq made fun of Waqar Younis for having four fingers during a break of the sports show, ‘Ask the Pavilion’, which airs on A sports.

    The sportsmen were playing with a magic ball when Waqar Younis missed a catch and replied to the anchor, Fakhr-e-Alam, “Chaar unglian naal main ki karda (What could I have done with four fingers).”

    Wasim, cracking a joke, said, “Ai aye vi nayi keh sakda keh main panj minute ich aya. (He cannot even say this that I will be back in five minutes).”

    Read More: Wasim Akram reunites with daughter after 10 months

    Waqar, during a lighter conversation with the players said, “Main ai vi nayi keh sakda keh 10 minute thehro (I cannot even say wait for 10 minutes).”

    Misbah recalled an incident when Waqar was asking the team to win the match with 10 wickets and Saeed Ajmal did not hold back and said, “Payyian 9 ney ai (Bro, this is nine).”

    Waqar retweeted the video with the caption, “Guys please stop laughing on my disability” with emojis.

  • ‘Before we got sacked, we decided to resign ourselves,’ reveals Waqar Younis

    ‘Before we got sacked, we decided to resign ourselves,’ reveals Waqar Younis

    Former Pakistan cricketer Waqar Younis opened up about his resignation as the bowling coach of the Pakistan cricket team.

    Just a month before the T20 World Cup in the UAE, Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis jointly resigned from their respective duties, which came as a big shock to the cricket fraternity.

    The former pacer appeared in ARY News’ show 11th Hour and revealed the reason of his and Misbah’s exit.

    Misbah cited the fatigue due to the Covid-19 bio-bubbles as the reason to step down and Waqar Younis followed him.

    Anchor Waseem Badami questioned if Ramiz Raja was the reason. Waqar said that if a new person comes, it’s natural that there will be some changes.

    Waqar Younis said that he had to resign with Misbah as they joined the team management together. The former Pakistan pacer also revealed that he had no role in selecting the team.

    “I had no justification to stay on when Misbah resigned. Before we got sacked, we decided to resign ourselves. I never had any role in selecting the team,” said Waqar Younis.

    Waqar has had an on and off relation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He has taken several roles with the board since 2006 as the bowling coach and twice he was appointed as the head coach.

    Waqar mentioned that he had groomed some of the young Pakistan bowlers in his latest stint with the national team.

    “Talent comes from the first-class and domestic cricket. We were the ones who mentored Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah over the past two years,” Waqar mentioned.

    PCB appointed Australia’s Matthew Hayden and South Africa’s Vernon Philander as consultant coaches of the Pakistan cricket team for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

  • Misbah, Waqar resign from coaching positions ahead of T20 World Cup

    Misbah, Waqar resign from coaching positions ahead of T20 World Cup

    Pakistan men’s national cricket team head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and bowling coach Waqar Younis have stepped down from their respective roles, announced the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday.

    According to a press release issued by the PCB, the two coaches communicated their decisions to the PCB late Monday morning.

    With the New Zealand side due to arrive on September 11 for three ODI and five T20I series and the Pakistan side to assemble in Islamabad on September 8, the PCB has appointed Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq as interim coaches for the series, with the team management for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 to be appointed in due course.

    As per PCB’s press release, former captain Misbah said: “The quarantine in Jamaica post the West Indies series provided me with an opportunity to reflect on the past 24 months as well as the schedule for international cricket ahead. Considering that I would have had to continue to spend considerable time away from my family and that too in a bio-secure environment, I have decided to step down from the role.”

    “I understand that the timing may not be ideal but I don’t think I am in the right frame of mind for the upcoming challenges and it makes sense for someone fresh to step-in and take the side forward,” said Misbah.

    “The past 24 months have been thoroughly enjoyable and I want to thank my team and the management for their support. I wish the Pakistan cricket team best of luck in the upcoming events and will continue to support them every time they will take the field to represent Pakistan.”

    While Waqar said: “After Misbah shared with me his decision and future plans, it was a straightforward one for me to resign as we had walked into the roles together, had worked collectively as a pair and now also step down together.”

    “Working with the Pakistan bowlers, including the youngsters, has been most satisfying as they have now started to show progress. Bio-secure environments in the past 16 months have had their impact, something we had never experienced during our playing days,” he added.

    “The next eight months will be busy and exciting for the Pakistan team and, like in the past, I will continue to back and cheer them. I want to thank each and every member of the Pakistan cricket team set-up as we stayed united in good and bad days, and hope there will be more brighter days ahead,” said Waqar.

    PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “The PCB understands and respects Misbah’s decision. Cricket in this unprecedented bio-secure world has not been easy for anyone and Misbah has clearly taken into account the intense six months of non-stop cricket ahead. In the past 24 months, Misbah has given his very best to the team and we wish him well in his future endeavours”.

    “It has been an honourable decision by Waqar and we thank him sincerely for his immense work and commitment over the past two years and wish him the very best in the future,” said Khan.

    “Both Misbah and Waqar have given so much to Pakistan cricket over a long period of time and for that they deserve a huge amount of respect.”

    He further said: “Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq have been appointed as interim coaches for the New Zealand series. Saqlain is the Head of International Player Development at the National High Performance Centre, while Abdul Razzaq’s domestic side won three titles in the 2020-21 season.”

    “Both Saqlain and Razzaq are ready to step-up and are very much looking forward to making important contributions in their coaching roles against New Zealand,” he added.

    Misbah and Waqar were appointed in September 2019 and still had a year each left in their contracts.

  • Babar Azam hits back at Shoaib Malik on team selection criticism

    Babar Azam hits back at Shoaib Malik on team selection criticism

    Babar Azam has hit back at Shoaib Malik for his criticism that former has no control over team selection.

    While addressing a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Babar addressed Malik’s comments and firmly told everyone to put an end to this discussion.

    “This debate should end now. The same thing is repeated in every press conference that I have no control over selection,” said Babar Azam. “You can see on the field that I handle everything. I decide the playing 11. Management give their input. I know my responsibilities as a captain.”

    Read more – Afridi wants PCB to review middle-order performances, suggests Shoaib Malik’s inclusion in T20Is

    Malik had also said that the Pakistan team needs an international level white-ball coach while stating that the current team management relies on likes and dislikes.

    “I don’t have any problem with the coach. This is the domain of PCB. Team management is fully supporting every player, so I am happy,” said Azam while purportedly addressing Malik’s remarks about head coach Misbah-ul-Haq.

    Read more – Why is the Pakistan cricket team so dramatic?

    Malik’s comments had come after Pakistan’s humiliating defeat by Zimbabwe during the second T20I in Harare last week.

    Later in the third T20I, Pakistan had clinched the series 2-1 with a comfortable 24-run win.

  • Shoaib Malik blasts ‘unacquainted decision makers’ after humiliating defeat by Zimbabwe

    Shoaib Malik blasts ‘unacquainted decision makers’ after humiliating defeat by Zimbabwe

    Shoaib Malik has lambasted “unacquainted decision-makers” after a humiliating defeat by Zimbabwe in the second T20I at Harare Sports Club on Friday.

    Read more – PTI’s Faisal Javed rubbishes Mohammad Asif’s claims of meddling in players’ selection process

    Pakistan’s struggles with the middle-order were laid bare in Harare as the team slumped to a 19-run defeat, with Zimbabwe bowling them out for 99. Wobbles in the middle order have been a worry for much of Pakistan’s tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe, but the side had, by and large, escaped paying for it until now.

    Pakistan captain Babar Azam was sufficiently alarmed by Pakistan’s showing with the bat to warn solutions had to be found swiftly, with time running out before this year’s T20 World Cup.

    Taking to Twitter, Malik thrashed the management, saying: “Unacquainted decision makers need to take a step back; Babar and Chief Selector [Mohammad Wasim] need to call the shots. In my opinion, we need an international white-ball coach who understands cricket inside out and grooms our captain whilst giving clarity to our players for coming time.”

    The cricketer further said: “When your management relies on likes and dislikes especially when your cricket is just in surviving mode, then what else do expect as a nation?”

    “On top of that when you don’t let your captain take decisions this is bound to happen,” he added.

    In the post-match presentation ceremony, Azam said: “It’s a very painful performance. In South Africa, we had chased down 200; similarly here, we should have won this game comfortably. But unfortunately, we played poor cricket and continued to struggle in the middle order. Today, it was not just the middle order, but our batsmen right through couldn’t perform the way we expect them to. It was a collective collapse and we lost as a group. But credit to Zimbabwe who came back so strongly today.”

    Azam refused to make excuses for the defeat. “The wicket was similar to the other day but it was suitable [for batters] and that is not an excuse anyway. As a professional, you adapt to every condition but I think we as openers didn’t give a good start from the top and then our middle order was struggling to step up. The World T20 is closing in and we have to sort this out as soon as possible. The next game we will come back and make a good combination.”

    Meanwhile, there has been no official reaction from the PCB to Malik’s tweets yet, but as the fallout from Pakistan’s defeat grows, there are signs a man who made his debut in 1999 may yet be relevant to them in 2021.

    Zimbabwe beat Pakistan for the first time in T20I cricket in their 16th attempt, registering their first T20I win at home since 2016. The three-match series is currently level at 1-1, with the final game being played on Sunday.

    While Pakistan former speedster Shoaib Akhtar said: “Vulnerability of middle order badly exposed. Batsmen couldn’t tackle slow wicket. Embarrasing defeat. Have to come back stronger in the 3rd match.”

    Earlier, former captain of the Pakistan cricket team Shahid Afridi had also raised the middle-order crisis in Pakistan Cricket Team.

    While congratulating the Pakistani team on winning the T20I against South Africa, he emphasised the need to work on middle-order performances.

    “Despite the victory, we need to review the middle-order performances where we seem to be struggling for a long time,” wrote the former all-rounder on Twitter.

    He also suggested that since it is the T20 World Cup year, the team should consider bringing Malik back.

  • Mohammad Wasim denies rumours of rift with Misbah-ul-Haq, Babar Azam

    Mohammad Wasim denies rumours of rift with Misbah-ul-Haq, Babar Azam

    Chief selector Mohammad Wasim has rejected claims of a rift with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam. Over the past couple of days, different media reports suggested that both coach and the captain were unhappy with the team selection for the upcoming tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

    Wasim, while talking to a local media outlet, said that he has heard about the rumours of a rift between the trio but there are no legitimate grounds for these speculations.

    “I have been hearing about the same rumours [of rift] but I don’t believe there is any truth in this,” said Wasim. “We have a standard procedure which was followed during the selection of the teams for the South Africa home series and it was similarly followed this time around as well.”

    “The selection committee had three meetings with the captain and the coach whereas there were separate meetings of the selectors as well. So I don’t really know where are these rumours coming from.”

    The Men in Green are scheduled to face South Africa in three ODIs and four T20Is after which they will travel to Zimbabwe.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan batting great Inzamam-ul-Haq is also not happy with how things have panned out after the announcement of the squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe by Chief Selector Wasim.

    While speaking on his official YouTube channel, Inzamam revealed that skipper Azam is unhappy after his suggestions were ignored while selecting the team.

  • 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).