Tag: PSL 5

  • 2020 Sports Roundup – Some losses, some gains

    2020 Sports Roundup – Some losses, some gains

    2020 has been a very strange year for sporting events around the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic. Stadiums, courts and all other sporting activities were suspended as people practised social distancing and stayed away from each other. The Olympics, scheduled to be held in Japan were also cancelled along with a plethora of other events and those which did take place happened behind closed doors in biosecure bubbles. Nonetheless, some major sporting events and incidents took place in Pakistan and here is a round-up of those.

    2020 Kabbadi World Cup – February 2020

    The 2020 Kabaddi World Cup was the seventh edition of the Kabaddi World Cup (Circle style), held from February 9 to February 16, 2020, with the Opening Ceremony on February 9, 2020, at the Punjab Stadium, Lahore.

    This was the first time the Kabaddi World Cup was held in Pakistan. All of the previous six circle-style kabaddi world cups have been hosted by India with the most recent event taking place in 2016. The tournament was eight-day long with matches in Lahore, Faisalabad, Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib.

    Other than India, teams from Iran, Canada, Australia, United States, Sierra Leone and Kenya also participated in the event.

    Pakistan emerged victorious from a close contest against India in the final of the Kabaddi World Cup in Lahore’s Punjab Stadium. The hosts won 43-41 to become Kabaddi world champions for the first time.

    2020 Pakistan Super League – February 2020

    The fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League started on February 20, 2020. This was the first time the league was held entirely in Pakistan. A total 34 matches were played in four venues: Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Multan.

    Days before the season was to conclude, the league was postponed over coronavirus fears.

    The playoffs and the final later took place in Karachi in November 2020 with Karachi Kings taking home the trophy for the first time. It was also the first time Lahore Qalandars made it to the final.

    Sami Aslam quits Pakistan cricket – December 2020

    On December 3, Pakistani test cricketer Sami Aslam announced that he is quitting Pakistan cricket and joining hands with USA Cricket. According to reports, Aslam struck a deal with USA Cricket that will see him spend two years and 10 months playing league cricket in the States and eventually represent the US.

    The Lahore-born cricketer was disgruntled after not being selected in the 35-member squad for the New Zealand tour despite his string of solid domestic performances in the previous campaigns.

    Mohammad Amir announces retirement – December 2020

    Perhaps the most shocking news from the year. Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir announced his retirement from international cricket on December 17 while he was in Sri Lanka, playing the Lanka Premier League (LPL).

    Speaking to journalist Shoaib Jatt, Amir said that he cannot continue playing for the country under the current management. Amir said that he will continue to play franchise cricket but has made up his mind not to carry on playing for Pakistan, adding that he has been “mentally tortured”.

    Amir had retired from Test cricket last year citing workload issues.

    Aaron Summers to play Pakistan domestic cricket

    Fast bowler Aaron Summers is set to make history by becoming the first Australian to take part in domestic cricket in Pakistan. The 24-year old will play for Southern Punjab in the 2021 One-Day Cup, which is scheduled to begin on January 8 and will run until the end of the month.

    The deal is understood to be in its final stages, with official confirmation from the PCB imminent. While Australia’s borders are currently closed to both departures and arrivals due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Summers has received a travel exemption from the Australian government, clearing the path for him to come to Pakistan.

    Summers reached Pakistan on December 28 and is currently in Lahore and has joined the Southern Punjab squad.

  • ‘Please bowl slow to me next time,’ Afridi tells Rauf

    Shahid Afridi has responded to Haris Rauf’s yorker that dismissed him on duck.

    In an interview with ESPN Cric Info Haris, while talking about the ball and his apology to Lala, said, “I have an aggressive style of celebration after taking a wicket, but when I dismissed Shahid Bhai yesterday, it was different as he is a superstar. He has given a lot of performances and won matches for Pakistan. So, it was essential for me to give him respect. I was not apologising, I was giving him respect.”

    In response to the interview, Afridi remarked: “It was a great and unplayable yorker, Haris. Very well bowled.”

    “Please bowl slow to me next time,” he added.

    Afridi also congratulated Qalandars for their win and hoped for an exciting final between Lahore and Karachi. He also thanked his fans for supporting Multan Sultans this season.

    Earlier in another interview, Rauf also said that Lahore versus Karachi is like an India-Pakistan match.

    Lahore and Karachi will be battling tonight (November 17) for half a million dollars and glittery golden PSL Trophy.

  • ‘Sorry Lala’: Haris Rauf apologises to Afridi for dismissing him

    ‘Sorry Lala’: Haris Rauf apologises to Afridi for dismissing him

    Power hitter, Shahid Khan Afridi got clean-bowled on a duck by Haris Rauf’s yorker in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. After dismissing the legend, Haris apologised to the senior player, the video of which went viral on social media.

    https://twitter.com/thePSLt20/status/1328038153790304256?s=20

    Afridi is nowhere close to the explosive big hitter he once was. There’s little need to get excited by him walking out to bat; he might once have been a trailblazer, but several around the world have mastered and bettered, the art. At 40, any exploits off Afridi’s bat are very much dying embers of a flame that once burned brightly, but Haris may just have snuffed them out in the eliminator match.

    In the 14th over when Afridi walked out to bat, Rauf bowled a yorker first up tailing into middle stump. Few might have kept it out, but Afridi was notably slow in getting his bat down, the ball, whistling through his legs and onto the base of middle stump.

    As Afridi began to walk off, Rauf clasped his hands together by way of apology. It was Rauf’s 50th T20 wicket this year and the 27-year-old is now the leading wicket-taker in T20 cricket this year (50 wickets from 31 games).

    Later, in field when asked by the commentator via spider cam that why did he do that, on which he said: “He is a senior player and I came to play with this intention that if I’ll take Shahid bhai’s wicket, I will do this style.”

    VIDEO: ‘Family Guy’ features Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings joke in new episode

    Meanwhile, the biggest rivalry in PSL’s history is about to go down on Tuesday’s (November 17) match as both the teams [KK & LQ] will now get their first chance to snatch the trophy.

  • Return of PSL: Which foreign cricketers are playing today?

    All eyes will be on Karachi’s National Stadium as HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 returns this afternoon.

    Multan Sultans, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi are all set to battle for the glittering trophy and a prize of $500,000 as the cricketing tournament returns after an eight-month gap caused due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

    While all four squads have been rejigged with international and local stars joining the sides, the following foreign players will be satisfying cricketing fanatics until the final scheduled for Tuesday (Nov 17).

    Karachi Kings

    Alex Hales (England), Cameron Delport (South Africa), Chadwick Walton (West Indies), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies) and Wayne Parnel (South Africa).

    Lahore Qalandars

    Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), David Wiese (South Africa), Samit Patel (England), Ben Dunk (Australia) and Dane Vilas (South Africa).

    Multan Sultans

    Adam Lyth (England), Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe), Imran Tahir (South Africa), Joe Denly (England), Ravi Bopara (England) and Rilee Rossouw (South Africa).

    Peshawar Zalmi

    Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies), Faf du Plessis (South Africa), Hardus Viljoen (South Africa) and Saqib Mahmood (England).

    As for today’s clashes, Sultans will be facing Kings in the qualifier at 3 pm, whereas underdog Qalandars will be taking on former champions Zalmi in the first eliminator at 8 pm.

    The second eliminator is scheduled for Sunday evening.

  • Here’s how the PSL players are keeping themselves entertained in their bubble

    Here’s how the PSL players are keeping themselves entertained in their bubble

    Cricket players who are in currently in Karachi for Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) remaining matches were seen spending their free time playing indoor games.

    With COVID-19 still a threat, players are required to stay in their bio-secure bubble in order to stay safe from the virus. This means that they are not allowed to leave the premises of hotel and stadium. All matches will also be behind closed doors.

    After practice sessions, the players were seen enjoying their free time playing snooker, indoor cricket, jenga and board games.

    Babar enjoying snooker
    Chadwick playing Table Tennis

    The official handle of Karachi Kings also shared a video in which Babar bowled to Wahab Riaz in the corridor while Imam ul Haq cheered for them.

    Meanwhile, the playoffs and final of the fifth edition of PSL will be played from November 14 to 17 in Karachi.

  • PSL 2020: Strict security arrangements in Karachi cause discomfort to citizens

    PSL 2020: Strict security arrangements in Karachi cause discomfort to citizens

    Strict security arrangements in place for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) playoff matches in Karachi, starting on November 14, have become a cause of discomfort for citizens of the metropolis.

    According to reports, a large area around the National Stadium Karachi (NSK) was cordoned off on Wednesday by security forces for the practice match between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans. A huge contingent of police and other law-enforcing agencies was deployed inside and outside the venue hindering the movement of residents in the surrounding areas.

    According to details, authorities have also blocked the road from Karsaz to the stadium for heavy traffic, and no public transport is allowed on that road. The entry points at the KDA scheme along the Karsaz Road have also been sealed with the help of heavy containers.

    People living in the surrounding areas have been restricted to their homes for the last three to four days causing them a lot of inconvenience. People argued that if there was no audience attending the matches, then why was the need for the areas to be sealed.

    The PSL playoffs were suspended on March 17 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Initially, the play-offs were scheduled in Lahore but were shifted to Karachi due to weather issues.

    In the qualifier, on November 14 the table-toppers Multan Sultans will face second-placed Karachi Kings. In the first eliminator, former champions Peshawar Zalmi will lock horns with the third-placed Lahore Qalandars.

    The second eliminator will be held on November 15 between the losers of the qualifier and winners of the first eliminator. The final take place on November 17.

  • PSL5: Sania Mirza lands in Karachi to cheer on Shoaib Malik

    PSL5: Sania Mirza lands in Karachi to cheer on Shoaib Malik

    The fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which was was suspended back in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak, is all set to resume on November 14.

    International players for the remaining matches have started to arrive in the country and it has emerged that Shoaib Malik’s wife Sania Mirza has also arrived in the country to cheer on her husband and his team Peshawar Zalmi.

    Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandar’s Australian cricketer Ben Dunk has also arrived in Karachi.

    South African players Dan Velas and Cameron Delport, England’s Ravi Bopara , Alex Hales and West Indies’ Chadwick Walton have also reached Karachi.

    Liam Livingstone has been replaced by Saqib Mahmood in the Peshawar Zalmi squad. The replacement has been made after Livingstone became unavailable following his selection in the England’s ODI squad for the South Africa tour.

    Peshawar Zalmi’s West Indies duo Darren Sammy and Carlos Brathwaite are expected to join their respective squad today.

    Multan Sultans’ all-rounder Mahmudullah has been ruled out of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 playoffs after the all-rounder tested positive for COVID-19 in the pre-departure test that was conducted in Bangladesh.

    It should be noted that the cricketers arriving in Karachi will have to undergo coronavirus tests while the matches of the event will be played on November 14, 15 and 17.

    Due to the bad weather conditions, matches from Lahore are relocated to Rawalpindi and Karachi.

  • VIDEO: ‘Family Guy’ features Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings joke in new episode

    VIDEO: ‘Family Guy’ features Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings joke in new episode

    With the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) approaching, knockouts and the final of which had earlier been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, excitement surrounding the star-studded cricketing tournament is once again on the rise.

    As cricketing fans eagerly wait for the tournament to return in November, it has emerged that its fever has also made its way to mainstream American television.

    The Lahore-Karachi rivalry, which the PSL has taken to a new high with nail-biters between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings, has been featured on the very popular animated series “Family Guy”.

    The 19th season opener of the sitcom started with a joke about PSL’s Lahore and Karachi, which came as a surprise for many Pakistani fans.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Over the course of five years, the matches between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings have attracted large crowds, and massive viewership as fans anticipate the same with bated breath.

    Lahore and Karachi are the two biggest cities of the country and are also known globally for nurturing Pakistani cricketers.

    The animated series, which has widely been acclaimed since its premiere nearly two decades ago, centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children, Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog, Brian.

    The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its surreal and dark humor in the form of metafictional cutaway gags that often criticise American culture.

  • PSL 5 postponed indefinitely

    After a foreign player, who had left last week displayed symptoms of the coronavirus, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the last few remaining matches of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Read more – Karachi King’s Alex Hales being tested for coronavirus

    The knockout matches of PSL were scheduled to be played in Lahore today (Tuesday) – Peshawar Zalmi was scheduled to play against Multan Sultans in the afternoon while Lahore Qalandars was set to face Karachi Kings in the evening. However, the semi-finals and the final have been postponed indefinitely keeping in mind the prevailing situation.

    Addressing a press conference alongside other PCB officials, CEO PCB Wasim Khan said that the decision was taken to ensure the safety of the players, match officials, commentators and ground staff. Though he did not name the player to maintain privacy, Khan said that players from all the teams, the broadcasters and everyone else associated with the tournament would be tested for the virus.

    At least 14 foreign players had decided to return to their own countries last week after the PCB gave them the option to leave amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    In an official statement, the board said, “The PCB, as part of its duty of care, has made arrangements for all the players and players support staff of the four semi-finalists, match officials, franchise owners and production crew to undergo precautionary tests and has strongly advised them to wait for the results prior to undertaking any travel.”

    “This is an unprecedented situation, which is evolving with each passing day. The PCB has closely monitored the situation and had taken precautionary measures including consultation with relevant authorities and temperature screening of players, officials and media on match and non-match days.”

    “The PCB believes it has made the right decisions in the lead up to the postponement of the tournament that included consulting the team owners, holding the matches behind closed doors, allowing the players the option to withdraw from the tournament, rescheduling of the matches and reducing the number of event days,” Khan added.

    While PCB has suspended its all domestic competitions and cricket activities, for now, the PCB chief asserted that the semi-final and final matches would be rescheduled before the next season of the PSL.

    Meanwhile is being reported that Alex Hales of Karachi Kings has shown symptoms of coronavirus and is currently undergoing tests.

  • ‘Shukriya Pakistan’: PSL’s foreign players leave early due to coronavirus outbreak

    ‘Shukriya Pakistan’: PSL’s foreign players leave early due to coronavirus outbreak

    With the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the coronavirus to be a pandemic, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday decided to cut short the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 and hold the final match of the tournament on March 18 instead of March 23. 29 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Pakistan, while two patients have completely recovered.

    According to a press release by the cricketing body, the playoff match has been replaced by the semi-finals, which will be held in Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on March 17; one at 2 pm and the second at 7 pm. The final will also take place at the Gaddafi Stadium at 7 pm on March 18.

    Read more – PCB allows foreign players to leave country amid coronavirus fears

    The PCB also allowed foreign players to leave if they wished to and a couple of the players cut short their trip and headed back to their home countries. Among those who left included Karachi Kings, Alex Hales, Multan Sultans Rilee Rossouw and James Vince; Peshawar Zalmi’s Tom Banton, Carlos Brathwaite, Liam Dawson, Lewis Gregory and Liam Livingstone; Quetta Gladiators Jason Roy and Tymal Mills; and Islamabad United’s Colin Munro, Dale Steyn, Dawid Malan and Luke Ronchi.

    As the foreign players headed back home, they took to social media to thank Pakistan and it’s people for their warmth and hospitality.

    https://twitter.com/AlexHales1/status/1238516816709914627?s=20

    https://twitter.com/daws128/status/1238575735121612800?s=20
    https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rQxI7H1ht/?igshid=1fegn51idpfxo

    Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars’ Ben Dunk and Quetta Gladiators’ Shane Watson said that they had no qualms staying in Pakistan.

    Watson, while speaking to the media after the match, had said that if Pakistani players can play in Pakistan amid the coronavirus scare, then so can the foreign players.