Tag: ODI Series

  • ‘What’ve we won before or after 2017 CT?’: Kamran Akmal slams Pakistan’s cricketing policies after whitewash by England

    ‘What’ve we won before or after 2017 CT?’: Kamran Akmal slams Pakistan’s cricketing policies after whitewash by England

    Wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has slammed the former coaches for the present scenario of the Pakistan cricket team. His statement came after Babar Azam-led Pakistan was whitewashed after losing the last match to England by 7 wickets.

    Ben Stokes-led England, which featured mostly inexperienced players as the regulars were isolated due to the Covid-19 outbreak, trashed the visiting party in all the three ODIs. After the humiliating series loss, the Pakistan team has been receiving flak from several former cricketers of the country for getting hammered by a second-string team.

    In a conversation with paktv.tv, Akmal heaped praise on England’s cricketing system for setting up an example of how to form a team in adverse conditions.

    “The biggest plus point of England cricket is their system. The players they selected for the series didn’t show a single sign of nervousness, neither did they hit the panic button. They didn’t even complain about the absence of regulars who were in isolation, because they have that kind of confidence,” Akmal said.

    “All the players have played in domestic cricket hence; they handled the pressure well and played with planning. They passed a message to the world how a cricket team should be made and what should be the selection criteria,” he added.

    Akmal further pointed out that the damage was done to the team during the tenure of former coaches and the same old policies of the governing body has hampered Pakistan’s cricketing environment.

    “If you have two coaches of similar types, then that will cause problems. Coaches have the biggest role in constituting a team. Did the last two Pakistan coaches improve the team? They started all this and now the current management is facing flak.

    “The players need to play cricket more and more. They need to spend more time on the ground. They need to focus on every format but unfortunately, T20 is getting more attention. Their lies the problem,” Akmal said.

    “Vicky Bhai [Waqar Younis] was the head coach earlier and then there was Mickey Arthur. What have we won after or before the 2017 Champions Trophy? We were number one in T20Is and in Tests just for a month. But what about India who has been on the top for five years?” he added.

    Pakistan will take on England in a three-match T20I series starting from today (Friday).

  • ‘Massively disturbing this 3-0 score line’: Ramiz Raja reacts to Pakistan getting whitewashed

    ‘Massively disturbing this 3-0 score line’: Ramiz Raja reacts to Pakistan getting whitewashed

    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Ramiz Raja has reacted to Pakistan’s “disturbing” 3-0 whitewash by England in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series on Tuesday.

    Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “What started off as an aberration, a momentary glitch became a norm! Massively disturbing this 3-0 scoreline!!”

    Pakistan’s Babar Azam-led unit suffered a three-wicket defeat in the third ODI despite posting a gigantic 331-run total on the scoreboard.

    On the other hand, he was angrier while giving his views on his YouTube Channel. “I’m not surprised with the result in today’s game. This was on the cards as this team had already mentally disintegrated.”

    He said that Pakistan never recovered from the shocking defeat in the first ODI, which led to bad headlines about the team across the globe.

    “It has become a trend that we have stopped learning from our mistakes,” Raja said. “Whenever there is added pressure, we make more mistakes. As in today’s game, we made fumbles and dropped catches on the field. Similarly, our bowling was below par due to the added pressure.”

    “They started bowling half-trackers and shorter lengths on a straight pitch, which is nothing less than inviting batsmen to hit you all around the park,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Azam became the quickest to reach 14 ODI centuries milestone in just 81 innings. This also makes Azam the first-ever Pakistan skipper to score an ODI century against England in England.

    On the list of quickest to 14 ODI centuries, the 26-year-old is followed by Hashim Amla (84 innings), David Warner (98 innings), Virat Kohli (103 innings) and Quinton de Kock (104 innings).

  • Pakistan becomes the first Asian team to win two bilateral series in South Africa

    Pakistan has become the first Asian team to clinch two bilateral series in South Africa as they defeated the hosts by 28 runs in the third and final One-Day International (ODI) at Centurion.

    Their victory was built on Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant century, his second in as many matches, captain Babar Azam’s 94, Hasan Ali’s sparkling 32 not out, and Mohammad Nawaz’s and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s three-fers.

    Fakhar stretched his excellent run of form from Johannesburg to Centurion as the left-handed batsman smashed 104-ball 101, embellished with nine fours and three sixes that set the platform for Pakistan to post 320 for seven. Babar was named player of the match award, while Fakhar was awarded player of the series. 

    Babar provided the tourists with a perfect start to the innings after being asked to bat by Temba Bavuma with a 112-run partnership with Imam-ul-Haq, who scored a breezy 57 off 73, and 94-run stand for the second wicket with Babar, whose exquisite strokeplay saw him strike seven fours and three sixes off 82 balls.

    South Africa looked in all sorts of troubles against the Pakistan openers as the two left-handed batsmen stroked the ball around the dial and rotate the strike at will. It was not until the 22nd over when Imam stepped down the wicket in search of a maximum that South Africa got their first breakthrough and handed an easy catch to the long-on fielder.

    Fakhar’s dismissal in the 36th over which sparked a collapse as Pakistan slipped from 206 for one to 257 for six in 10.4 overs. Pakistan, who had by then looked certain to post an imposing total, found themselves struggling to cross 300-run mark.

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

    Then came Hasan Ali, whose last outing in the format was in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019. He plundered Jon-Jon Smuts for four sixes in the penultimate over before Babar hit Andile Phehlukwayo for two sixes and a four in the last as Pakistan brought up 43 runs in the last two overs.

    Hasan’s posted a scorching 32 not out from mere 11 balls. His knock also included a four.

    In a rare instance, South Africa’s spinners delivered as many as 28 overs with Maharaj outshining his teammates with three for 45. Aiden Markram took two wickets for 48.

    Janneman Malan and Aiden Markram provided South Africa a quick start with a 54-run partnership in nine overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Markram with a length delivery which took the inside edge on its way to Sarfaraz Ahmed’s gloves.

    Debutant Usman Qadir dismissed Smuts before Mohammad Nawaz’s left-arm orthodox accounted for Malan, Bavuma and Heinrich Klaasen as the hosts found themselves tottering at 140 for five.

    Fifties from Kyle Verreynne and Phehlukwayo brought South Africa back into the contest as they put a 108-run stand for the sixth wicket before Haris Rauf sent the former back to the pavilion in the 44th over. Phehlukwayo became Hasan’s first wicket in the next over and Haris struck again in his next.

    South Africa lost their final wicket on the third ball of the final over on a scorching Shaheen’s yorker.

    Experts, colleagues, former cricketers and other notable people congratulated the team for a historic win.

    Man of the Match for the second time in the series, Babar dedicated this series to Pakistan, saying: “Alhumdulillah, this series win is for you Pakistan.”

    “Extremely proud of this champion team. Special shout out to Fakhar Zaman [and] his remarkable innings,” added Babar. “Well played South Africa.”

    Meanwhile, Man of the Series Zaman, while talking about his victory, said: “Absolutely honoured to be the part of this amazing team. Top efforts by everyone.”

    Pakistan will now face Proteas in four T20Is before moving to Zimbabwe, where they are scheduled to play two Test matches and three T20Is.