Peshawar Zalmi’s Haider Ali and Umaid Asif have been suspended from Pakistan Super League (PSL) final against Multan Sultans in Abu Dhabi after the duo admitted to charges of violating the tournament’s health and safety protocols by meeting people from outside their bio-secure bubbles. They also failed to maintain the prescribed social distancing.
A press release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the incident occurred on Wednesday and the decision to withdraw the two players was taken on the morning of the final by the tournament’s Covid-19 management panel comprising PCB chief operating officer Barrister Salman Naseer and Director-Commercial and PSL 6 head Babar Hamid.
“The two cricketers were found not to have interacted with any other squad members at any time after the incident and have been placed in room isolation,” the PCB said.
For the same reason, Ali has also been withdrawn from the upcoming tours of England and the West Indies and replaced by Sohaib Maqsood.
Earlier in March, PCB had reportedly allowed Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy to reintegrate with the Peshawar Zalmi team without completing the three-day quarantine period after the two had allegedly breached COVID-19 protocols before the postponement of PSL6. The violation took place when the two met franchise owner Javed Afridi outside the team’s bio-security bubble. Similarly, Naseem Shah was ruled out of PSL after he broke COVID-19 protocols but later when his test was clear and accepting his mistake, he was allowed to join the rest of the team in Abu Dhabi.
Meanwhile, Sultans, who made it to the finals for the first time, will face the four-time finalists Zalmis on Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi said that Peshawar Zalmi is the strongest team of the tournament, while talking to Arab News.
“I believe if Multan Sultans continues with its [current] form, it can win,” Afridi told the news media publication. “But the combination of Peshawar is excellent when we see their bowling and batting. So in my view, the strongest team [in this tournament] is Peshawar.”
Afridi said it was a matter of happiness that his team, Multan Sultans, has qualified for the finals. “I extend congratulations to the entire squad, especially [captain Muhammad] Rizwan.”
The final of the sixth season of the PSL will be played today between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi.
West Indies cricket great Daren Sammy has shared that Shoaib Akhtar made him question himself on his debut that whether he wanted to play cricket again or not.
Read more – Daren Sammy spotted enjoying ‘Pakistan’s beauty’ in Swat
In an exclusive interview with The Current, Sammy shared many things about his experience with Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi, Pakistan’s tour and hospitality, PSL memories and his debut.
Talking about his first encounter with Akhtar, he said: “When I made my debut for the West Indies in the Champions Trophy, I remember Pakistan playing West Indies at the Rose Bowl in Hampshire and they were opening with Mohammad Sami, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar.”
“I saw Shoaib Akhtar bowling a bouncer to Brian Lara and hit him in the head. Brian Lara fell back probably almost unconscious. I was sitting and I was 19 years old next to Dwayne Bravo. I literally questioned whether I wanted to play cricket again. Shoaib Akhtar did that to me,” said Sammy.
The former all-rounder further revealed that he told this story to Shoaib Akhtar himself a few days ago in Islamabad.
“I met him four days ago in Islamabad and I gave him that story. He said ‘Brian clipped him for four on the first ball’ and I guess that was his response. It was a joy to watch the Rawalpindi Express coming down with his hair flying. Shoaib Akhtar with his pace. In the current day, even though I am not playing I would pad up easily against any bowler and try to hit them out of the park,” he said.
Sammy further revealed that players touring Pakistan now ask about golf courses instead of questioning the security situation of the country.
Peshawar’s coach stated that bringing the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to Pakistan was the first step that paved the way for cricket’s revival in the country.
“I am not sure [when West Indies will visit Pakistan next], I have not checked the calendar. But I think we were about to a year before last year. I think now the teams are coming. I remember us taking a small step in the PSL two and getting to the finals in Lahore. I think that was a small step in the right direction,” Sammy said.
Read more – VIDEO: Daren Sammy plays tape ball on the streets of Lahore
He believed that the questions regarding security are slowly diminishing from players’ minds while visiting Pakistan.
“Now Hashim Amla and I were having a conversation and I think Javed asks what the difference is between now and five years ago. I think the major difference coming to Pakistan now, four years ago players would be calling me and go ‘Darren, I am going over there [Pakistan], do you think we should go?’ When West Indies was coming the captain had to call me and go, ‘Man should I go on this tour?’. Now players asking where they can play golf and questions like can we go to dinner in these or these places. The quote-unquote threat of security, that is slowly diminishing from people’s minds and I think that is what we want,” he concluded.
Talking about his favourite memory from the PSL, Sammy shared that his favourite memory was when they clinched the the cup in the second season of PSL.
For more interesting revelations, watch the video here:
Andre Russell and Martin Guptill are leading the names among others signed by Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises for the competition’s resumption in June.
In an online session held last evening, franchise representatives submitted names of the players they picked as replacements of those unavailable to feature in the upcoming matches.
West Indies allrounder Russell will join Quetta Gladiators in the absence of England international batsman Tom Banton. New Zealand’s Martin Guptill has been picked by Karachi Kings, while Bangladesh allrounder Shakib al Hasan was selected by Lahore Qalandars. Australia’s Usman Khawaja was Islamabad’s pick to replace Alex Hales. Another fascinating pick by IU is South African player Janneman Malan.
According to details, a total of 19 overseas players were chosen in the replacement draft, with three teams – Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta and Islamabad United reserving one further selection each, to be used at a later date.
Most of the overseas players, who were around for the first set of games before the postponement, are missing for one reason or another. The English players are going to be busy with the Vitality Blast T20 tournament. Some others are on national duty. As a result, there was a mini draft, where the teams had to pick from 134 players, from Australia (10), New Zealand (12), South Africa (18), Bangladesh (7), West Indies (25), Sri Lanka (24), Zimbabwe (6), Afghanistan (16), Ireland (5), UAE (5), Scotland (4), Nepal (1) and Oman (1)
The PSL 6 was postponed after 14 matches on March 4 this year after a Covid-19 outbreak was reported in the tournament’s bio-secure bubble. The remaining 20 matches of the sixth edition will now be played at Karachi’s National Stadium from June 1-20.
Read more – PCB books 300-room hotel in Karachi for PSL6
Islamabad United: Usman Khawaja replaces Alex Hales, Janneman Malan replaces Lewis Gregory
Karachi Kings: Martin Guptill replaces Colin Ingram, Thisara Perera replaces Mohammad Nabi, Najeebullah Zadran replaces Dan Christian, Litton Das replaces Joe Clarke
Lahore Qalandars: Shakib al Hasan replaces Rashid Khan, James Faulkner replaces David Wiese, Joe Burns replaces Samit Patel, Callum Ferguson replaces Tom Abell, Seekkuge Prasana replaces Joe Denly
Multan Sultans: Mahmudullah replaces Chris Lynn, Rahmanullah Gurbaz replaces James Vince, George Linde replaces Adam Lyth, Obed McCoy replaces Carlos Brathwaite
Peshawar Zalmi: Fabian Allen replaces Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Rovman Powell replaces Liam Livingstone, Fidel Edwards replaces Saqib Mahmood
Quetta Gladiators: Andre Russell replaces Tom Banton
Meanwhile, Malan found out what ‘Janneman’ means in Urdu – sweetheart – and he aspires to become a janneman to all Pakistanis with his performances.
“Excited to join Islamabad United. Heard so many great things about the franchise,” said Malan. “I just found out what Janneman means in Urdu. I wish to be janneman to all Pakistanis with my performances in the PSL.”
Usman Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan, also expressed his excitement, saying: “Pretty excited to be joining Islamabad United. I have played everywhere in the subcontinent except where I was actually born. So for me, this means a little bit more.”
“Can’t wait,” he added.
Commenting under his tweet, England player Sam Billings encouraged the cricketer, saying: “Great franchise, go well brother.”
For anyone who follows the sport, the most embarrassing sight is when a player from their team is caught in match-fixing. Having the opportunity to step on the field and serve your country at a national or international level is a massive privilege and fixing games in exchange for a few bucks is indicative of demeaning of that privilege. The menace of match-fixing has dealt many jolts to Pakistan cricket over the course of its history. Following the 2010 infamous Lord’s spot-fixing scandal, one of the lowest points in Pakistan cricket when it hit rock bottom, the Pakistan Cricket Board enacted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. However, the return of disgraced opener Sharjeel Khan in the T20 squad for the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, has exposed fault-lines in that “zero tolerance” policy.
The left-handed batsman, who was suspended for five years with two-and-a-half of them suspended, deliberately played two dot balls against Hasan Ali in the opening match of the 2017 edition of the PSL. Although the two dot balls Sharjeel played had negligible impact on result of the game as Brad Haddin propelled Islamabad United to a 7-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi, the opener’s return has stirred up the debate whether match-fixers deserve a second chance after they have served punishment.
While on one hand some argue that everyone deserves a second chance and imposing a life ban will deprive them of bread and butter, others taker the view that there is no acceptable justification of actions that bring discredit to the country and that PCB needs to throw a book at match-fixers to deter other players from fixing matches in the future. There is no doubt that Sharjeel, who scored 200 runs in five matches at an impressive strike rate of 170.9, has been in a very good nick of late and can fill the void of someone who can score at a quick pace on top of the order. However, his return to the side has some serious potential ramifications.
When Amir returned to the team after serving his ban, it didn’t go down well with several players of the team who expressed displeasure over his selection and refused to train alongside him in the nets. Sharjeel’s return may have the same impact which in turn can create needless dissension within the team’s ranks. More than anything else, it would send a wrong message to those players who are endeavoring to serve their country with honesty that disgraced players are getting the nod ahead of them. No player in the team, irrespective of how many landmarks he has achieved in his career, transcends the team and should be severely punished if his actions bring discredit to the country and damage the integrity of the sport.
Here’s some food for thought: If PCB’s anti-corruption policies which it enacted after the Lord’s spot-fixing setback were coherent enough, it would have wiped out corrupt players and deterred other players from rigging games in the future. However, this has not proved to be the case which reinforces the point that PCB’s anti-corruption policies need to be more stringent and effective.
I am unaware of how much say a coach has in team selection but Misbah, who has been a constant critic of bringing disgraced players back into the fold, pivoting from asking a life ban on match-fixers to not voicing his disapproval at Sharjeel’s selection is mind-boggling. During his tenure as the captain, Misbah took over a downtrodden Test team sabotaged by the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal and catapulted it to the top of the rankings with his astute leadership. With him at the helm right now, this is PCB’s best chance to rethink their corruption policies and keep corrupt players at arm’s length from other members of the team. If not Misbah, then who? If not now, then when?
Peshawar Zalmi Head Coach Daren Sammy was spotted playing cricket with locals on the roads of Lahore.
After the abrupt end of the PSL 2021 due to an outbreak of COVID-19, Sammy is also an honorary citizen of Pakistan, opted to stay back in the country and experience it as a tourist. And one of those experiences include playing street cricket.
In a video posted on Peshawar Zalmi’s official account, the former West Indies player can be seen playing tape-ball cricket.
“Peshawar Zalmi Head Coach Daren Sammy stops on his way to play cricket with young cricketers in Lahore,” read the caption.
As soon as the former West Indies captain came out of his car, he was given a rousing welcome by the locals.
The Zalmi head coach could be seen enjoying the few balls he played and even called for a free hit when he got a ball above the waist.
Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi also thanked him for his contribution to portray Pakistan as a welcoming and peaceful country.
“Thank you brother. Pakistan is indebted for your contribution,” wrote Afridi.
Sharing pictures, Sammy said: “Played some street tape ball cricket earlier in Lahore. Where’s next?”
Earlier, Afridi hosted a dinner in honour of Sammy and South African cricket great Hashim Amla. Captain of Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal were also present at the feast.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced that the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) was being postponed indefinitely due to rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials involved in the tournament.
Soon after the news broke, PSL fans expressed their hurt and anger over the decision, with many pointing fingers at Peshwar Zalmi’s management for breaching the biosecure bubble as one night before the opening match, Zalmi coach Daren Sammy and captain Wahab Riaz were spotted meeting franchise owner Javed Afridi, who was not part of the bubble.
Later, a Twitter user posted a video of Shahveer Jafry in which the vlogger boasted that he breached the bio-secure bubble of two players of Peshawar Zalmi.
“Mainay toh to aik dou cricket players ko high-five bhi karlia hai,” Shahveer can be heard saying in the video. Jafry was talking to Mahira Khan and Zainab Abbas while watching the match at the National Stadium Karachi.
Jafry was at the stadium with Mahira, who is the Brand Ambassador of Peshawar Zalmi, for the promotion of his upcoming web series Baarwan Khiladi. The cricket-based series is produced by Mahira Khan, and will feature Danyal Zafar, Kinza Hashmi, Saba Faisal, Sarmad Khoosat and Khaqan along with Shahveer.
Jafry and Mahira have not yet responded to the controversy.
Meanwhile, PCB, during the press conference, clarified that Peshawar Zalmi was not involved in any bubble breach.
Peshawar Zalmi has chased down 194 runs with an over to spare, beating Multan Sultans with six wickets in the fifth fixture of Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) sixth edition at the city’s National Stadium.
After putting 193-4 on the board, thanks to James Vince’s 84 and Mohammad Rizwan’s 41, the Sultans felt confident that they had enough on a pitch that had been favouring bowlers.
Openers Kamran Akmal (37) and Imam-ul-Haq (48) provided a solid foundation, upon which Tom Kohler-Cadmore (53) capitalised and, when in the end some late hitting was needed, the young Haider Ali, chipped in with an unbeaten 24 off 8 to get his side over the line.
With his much needed half century, Cadmore became man of the match.