Tag: Pakistan Cricket

  • ‘Where’s the fat?’ Umar Akmal bares all in fitness test

    ‘Where’s the fat?’ Umar Akmal bares all in fitness test

    The Akmal brothers are not only notorious for their on-field shenanigans but their off-field actions often make it to the headlines as well.

    And it appears that Umar Akmal has found himself in trouble once again after he reportedly misbehaved with staff during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

    According to reports, the 29-year-old batsman exposed himself amid a bout of anger during a fitness test.

    “Where’s the fat?” questioned Akmal as he took off all his clothes after failing the skin-fold test. It is pertinent to mention here that while some reports say that Akmal completely removed his clothing, others say that he only took off his shirt.

    Read more – Hero aise zaleel nahi hotay: Kamran Akmal

    Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal defended his brother’s actions saying that the entire episode was just a “misunderstanding”, and that Umar had done it in “mischief”.

    Kamran also reportedly failed his fitness tests by substantial margins. He skipped two fitness tests, before finally making it to the third one only to fail in nearly all departments. And in an interactive session on Twitter later in the day, Kamran remarked that other than fitness, skills and performance are also important for selection.

  • Shoaib Malik becomes the first Pakistani to play international cricket over four decades

    Shoaib Malik becomes the first Pakistani to play international cricket over four decades

    Shoaib Malik, whose surprise return to the squad and unbeaten half century – which helped Pakistan chase down Bangladesh’s 142-run target at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday – has become the first Pakistani and eighth player to play international cricket over four decades.

    Other players who have played over four decades include Wilfred Rhodes, Brian Close, Frank Woolley, Sachin Tendulkar, Jack Hobbs, George Gunn and Sanath Jayasuriya, according to sports journalist Saj Sadiq.

    Despite earlier criticism, Malik manged to win his fans and hearts of the cricket audiences when he led the host team to victory by scoring a match-winning 58 not out in the first T20I. The win further consolidated Pakistan’s chances of hanging on to their world No. 1 ranking in the shortest format.

    Following his successful innings at the match, Malik shared a picture of himself with his Man of the Match trophy.

    The 37-year-old, who made his debut in 1999 against West Indies in an ODI, played his 434th international game on Friday in Lahore.

    Malik is, however, only the third Pakistan player to play over 20 years. The other two are Imran Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad. Prime Minister Imran played for 20 years and 218 days while Mushtaq played for 20 years and 3 days.

  • Hero aise zaleel nahi hotay: Kamran Akmal

    Hero aise zaleel nahi hotay: Kamran Akmal

    Head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq on Thursday announced Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming T20Is against Bangladesh. While Babar Azam has been appointed captain, the experienced middle-order duo of Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik have also returned to the team.

    Meanwhile, none of the Akmal brothers were part of the squad and Kamran took to social media to express his hurt and disappointment.

    Kamran, who recently turned 38, last played an international game in 2017 but has been in impressive form lately and is the all-time scorer in the Pakistan Super League.

    When sports journalist Shoaib Jatt commented that the batsman is a hero, Akmal replied, “Hero aise zaleel nahi hotey.”

    Kamran also replied to other Twitter users and shared that though he doesn’t quite understand what the selectors want, he won’t give up and will continue to give his best.

    Kamran also congratulated his colleagues Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik on their selection.

    The full squad includes Babar Azam, Ahsan Ali, Ammad Butt, Haris Rauf, Ifthikar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Usman Qadir

    Meanwhile, in an interview with The Current in September 2019, Akmal had said that he felt that he was “invisible to the selectors”.

    When asked why he wasn’t selected for the team, Akmal had replied, “I think I was invisible to the selectors. They were unable to see my performance. That’s all I’d say. The selectors and board can tell you better.”

    Akmal had also shared his everyday fitness routine.

    “I undergo physical training for an hour or two every day in the ground with my brothers Umar and Adnan. Then we take rest for an hour or so and later come here… to the club.”

    Kamran also chose Misbah over Shahid Afridi.

    “Both are good,” he had said. “But how Misbah led the team for five or six years as the captain; took the team to the top. His and the team’s performance in Test matches was outstanding.”

    Watch the full interview here:

  • PCB will deduct players’ salaries if they don’t meet fitness standards

    PCB will deduct players’ salaries if they don’t meet fitness standards

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it will deduct salaries of the players who do not meet the fitness requirements.

    According to a press release by the cricket board, “A player failing to meet the minimum fitness requirements will be fined 15 per cent of his monthly retainer, which will remain effective until he achieves the standards. Player failing consecutive tests will risk the chances of retaining his central contract category and may face demotion.”

    All centrally contracted players have to undergo the fitness test which will be held on January 6 and 7. The available players will attend the two-day testing, which is aligned to their contracts.

    Meanwhile, “Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Amir and Shadab Khan, who will be occupied with their commitments in the Bangladesh Premier League, will undergo the tests on 20 and 21 January.“

    Players will be tested in five major areas namely fat analysis, strength, endurance, speed endurance and cross-fit, with all areas carrying equal marks.

    Currently 19 top players are under contract in A, B and C categories and get monthly salaries ranging from 1.1 million to 0.5 million rupees based on their contract.

    Director of International Cricket PCB Zahir Khan said that the players have been informed about the board’s expectations and sanctions, adding, “This time we have decided to enforce penalties, which is in accordance with the contracts, as part of our objective to make the players more accountable and responsible for maintaining high fitness standards throughout the year.”

    Meanwhile, Imam ul Haq posted a picture of himself with his teammates “getting ready for the fitness test” while enjoying the winter sun and fresh oranges.

    Centrally contracted players:

    Category A – Babar Azam (Central Punjab), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

    Category B – Asad Shafiq (Sindh), Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Haris Sohail (Balochistan), Imam-ul-Haq (Balochistan), Mohammad Abbas (Southern Punjab), Shadab Khan (Northern) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Northern)

    Category C – Abid Ali (Sindh), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Amir (Northern), Mohammad Rizwan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shan Masood (Southern Punjab), Usman Shinwari (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Wahab Riaz (Southern Punjab)

  • Aleem Dar breaks world record of umpiring in most Tests

    Aleem Dar breaks world record of umpiring in most Tests

    Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar has surpassed Steve Bucknor’s record for umpiring in most number of Test matches as he walked on to the field to officiate his 129th Test match between Australia and New Zealand at Perth, a private news outlet has reported.

    According to the details, the 51-year-old, who took up umpiring after a decade of playing first class cricket in Pakistan is standing in his 129th Test match as on-field umpire breaking Bucknor’s record of umpiring 128 test matches.

    Dar first umpired in a Test match in Bangladesh when England toured the country in 2003 and he also needs only two more ODIs to break former South African umpire, Rudi Koertzen’s record of umpiring in 209 ODI matches.

    Dar made his international debut in 2000 in a home ODI against Sri Lanka and has also officiated 46 T20Is in his career which spans over 2 decades.

    Talking to the ICC before the match, Dar said, “This is one milestone I had never thought of when I began my umpiring career. It is a truly amazing feeling and a high point of my life when I take the field here in Australia”.

    “Steve Bucknor was my idol and it is only sinking in now that I will have officiated in more Test matches than him”, Dar added.

  • Sri Lanka appoints Mickey Arthur as head coach ahead of Pakistan visit

    Sri Lanka appoints Mickey Arthur as head coach ahead of Pakistan visit

    Sri Lanka have appointed South African Mickey Arthur as their new head coach on a two-year contract before the team’s tour to Pakistan for the two-Test match series, BBC reported.

    According to the details, Sri Lanka cricket (SLC) appointed Mickey as head coach and former fast bowler Rumesh Ratnayake as interim coach in August after a fallout with coach Chandika Hathurusingha, who was criticized for Sri Lanka’s exit at the group stage of the 50-over World Cup in England.

    Arthur had been the head coach of Pakistan cricket team for three years from 2016 to 2019. Later in Ausgust, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to renew his contract, after the country failed to reach the semi-finals of this summer’s World Cup.

    PCB later appointed former captain Misbahul Haq as the cricket team’s head coach and chief selector.

    Arthur said: “It had been three very good years with Pakistan and I needed a little bit of time away. The Sri Lankan job became available and I started discussions”.

    “I looked at the talent that’s available and that’s the key motivating factor – to help these young players fulfil their potential”, Mickey added.

    Mickey Arthur’s first assignment will see him return to Pakistan for a two-match Test series starting on 11 December.

  • ‘Misbah was made chief selector, coach on Maulana Tariq Jamil’s recommendation’

    Pakistani journalist Sohail Warraich has claimed that Misbahul Haq was given the role of both chief selector and head coach on the recommendation of famous religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jamil.

    The journalist has made these claims in his latest column, in which he has said that no one in this country knows cricket better than Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and claimed that every change in Pakistan cricket is happening on PM Imran’s order.

    Sohail said that Maulana Tariq Jamil is one of Pakistan’s most loved personality and rejecting his orders is considered as a grave sin, therefore PM Imran while honouring his love with Maulana Tariq “gave these responsibilities to Misbah”.

    Warraich further claimed that batsman Babar Azam was made the captain of cricket team on Imran Khan’s order.

    “Khan appointed Misbah as coach and chief selector and Babaq Azam as team’s captain, but he [Imran] shouldn’t be held responsible for their poor performance”, Sohail added.

    Earlier, Pakistan Tehreeke Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed had said that PM Imran Khan will now focus on improving sports, especially cricket.

    “The premier could not concentrate on cricket earlier as he was focused on stabilising the economy and strengthening the institutions, which were in shambles”, reports quoted Faisal Javed as saying.

    The statement from the senator came after Pakistan cricket team’s poor performance against Australia and Srilanka in Test and T20 series, respectively.

  • Hassan Ali’s wedding festivities continue in Pakistan

    Hassan Ali’s wedding festivities continue in Pakistan

    After a grand wedding in Dubai, Hassan Ali is now celebrating his wedding in his hometown, Gujranwala.

    Pictures from the wedding festivities are limited as Samiya shared only a few on her Insta-stories.

    The bride glowed in a cream outfit.

    Further details about the event have not been revealed.

    Meanwhile, Hassan is making sure that Samiya gets to see the most of Pakistan on her first trip to the country. Samiya hails from India. The two have been sharing pictures of themselves at all the popular tourist destinations in Islamabad and needless to say, the pictures are supercute.

    Faisal Mosque
    Monal
    Pakistan Monument

    In case you missed it, here are some pictures from their Dubai wedding.

  • Pacer Hasan Ali suffers rib injury after recovering from back injury

    Fast bowler Hasan Ali of Pakistan cricket team has been ruled out of the upcoming home Tests against Sri Lanka after a medical examination revealed multiple rib fractures, Geo News reported.

    According to the details, the 25-year-old’s CT [Computed Tomography] scans, the pacer had fractured three ribs on, leaving him unfit to play. Hasan has been recommended to rest for six weeks and will start a rehabilitation process at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) from Monday.

    The fast bowler, after passing fitness tests, had rejoined Central Punjab for their ninth round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy fixture against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on November 22.

    However, prior to the match, Hasan Ali complained of pain on his left side for which he underwent precautionary scans in Karachi, revealing the fractures. For further confirmation, follow-up scans were carried out in Lahore which then confirmed his condition.

    Before his marriage, the pacer was undergoing rehab from a back injury which he sustained earlier this year.

    According to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), 25-year-old remains a part of Central Punjab’s squad but will feature for the side after making a full recovery.

  • ‘Babar Azam is a classy player’; Ricky Ponting all praise over ‘extraordinary batting skills’

    Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has labelled Pakistani batsman and skipper Babar Azam a “classy player” and praised him for his “extraordinary batting skills”, Cricket Pakistan reported.

    According to the details, Ricky Ponting while speaking during an interview said, “We have not seen the best of him [Babar Azam] yet. 20 odd Tests for an average of 35 – he is better than that. He averages 54 in one-day cricket at a strike-rate of about 90. He is a very, very classy player”.

    He added, “He is a really exciting talent and probably the guy I am looking forward to seeing the most this summer. I have seen the Aussies a lot and I have seen a lot of the Kiwis, but I am really excited to see him”.

    The former Australian skipper believes that Pakistan need to utilise Babar in a better way in the longer format, adding that Australia needs to be wary of him in the upcoming two-match Test series between the two sides.

    After scoring back to back fifties in the recently concluded T20I series against Australia, Babar played a brisk 157-run knock in the four-day practice match against Australia A in Perth.

    It remains to be seen whether the 25-year-old can perform well in the Test series against the hosts, starting from November 21 at Gabba, Brisbane.