Tag: PSL 6

  • Sarfaraz lashes out at television anchor for joking about his infamous yawn

    Sarfaraz lashes out at television anchor for joking about his infamous yawn

    Sarfaraz Ahmed has lashed out at Geo News anchor Muhammad Junaid for passing a joke on his infamous yawn.

    Responding to a video shared by senior sports journalist Faizan Lakhani, Junaid said: “Hahah Sarfaraz is awake after a deep sleep and yawning for a while,” referring to Sarfaraz’s infamous yawn during the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019. In the video shared by Lakhani, three men can be seen singing “Iftikhar aur Iftikhar mujh ko zara tu aa kar mil.”

    “Junaid after seeing Sarfaraz Ahmed hitting four consecutive 6s,” Lakhani had captioned the video.

    Sarfaraz replied to Junaid’s tweet saying: “Mere bare me itna mat soucha karo tabiyat kharab jo jaye gee (Don’t think about me that much, you will get unwell).”

    “Tum jaise logo ke souch nazer aajate hai tum kis tarah souch te ho,” he added.

    The former captain of the Pakistan Cricket Team had smashed Islamabad United all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed for four consecutive sixes in an over. All four sixes from the Quetta Gladiators skipper looked effortless as Sarfaraz didn’t even advance onto his front foot or leave his crease to hit Iftikhar out of the park.

    Meanwhile, Sarfaraz had earlier been in the news for his exchange with Mohammad Hafeez , when Hafeez called Mohammad Rizwan the number one wicketkeeper batsman in Pakistan in all formats of the game.

  • VIDEO: Dale Steyn jams with Azam Khan

    VIDEO: Dale Steyn jams with Azam Khan

    South African fast bowler Dale Steyn was recently seen jamming with team fellow Azam Khan from Quetta Gladiators.

    The duo, who played for the Quetta Gladiators this season, went live on Steyn’s Instagram account during which Azam sang Coldplay’s Yellow while strumming along on his guitar.

    https://twitter.com/hassam_sajjad/status/1367555511667810304?s=20

    Fans of both the players loved the sweet bonding session, with many saying that it highlighted the other side of the PSL — the friendships and bonds forged after weeks of playing together.

    https://twitter.com/duke_dynamo/status/1367654243738542083?s=20

    https://twitter.com/Mah_noorjahan/status/1367700084247429120?s=20

    Azam’s his love for Steyn is not new.

    https://twitter.com/MAzamKhan45/status/1337316651977437190?s=20

    Steyn had recently sparked controversy after he remarked that playing in PSL and Lanka Premier League (LPL) is more rewarding that playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    “I [feel] that playing in these other leagues was slightly more rewarding as a player. I think when you go to IPL, there are such big squads and so many big names and so much emphasis on maybe the amount of money players earn and everything like that, so sometimes, somewhere down the line, cricket gets forgotten,” Steyn had said.

    “When you come to like a PSL or the Sri Lanka Premier League (SPL), for that matter, there is an importance on the cricket. I have only been here for a couple of days and I have had people in and out of my room, just wanting to know about where I have played and how I went about it. Whereas, when I go to something like IPL that gets forgotten and the main topic is how much money did you go for in this IPL?”

    “That’s just me being brutally honest,” he added.

    However, the South African legend later issued a clarification over his comments saying that he had not intended to degrade, insult or compare any of the cricket leagues. He had received a lot of hate from Indian fans.

    “Social media and words out of context can often do that. My apologies if this has upset anyone,” Steyn had said.

  • Shahveer Jafry stirs controversy with claims of ‘hi-fiving’ PSL players

    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.

  • Najam Sethi highlights problems, suggests solutions for PSL6 resumption

    Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Najam Sethi has criticised the board and the management of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) over the way the sixth edition of the tournament was handled. In a series of tweets, Sethi, who launched the league in 2016, highlighted the problems and suggested some solutions to resume the event with better planning.

    “Bio-secure bubble for six teams, support staff, commentators, broadcast teams, etc is very difficult,” said Sethi. “It should have been outsourced to [a] competent [and] professional third-party like Ministry of Health, Security Agencies as during IPL in Dubai, NZ, SL, etc.”

    Highlighting the problems, Sethi said: “COVID tests were not done regularly. In fact, the broadcast teams, ground staff at stadium and hotels, etc were outside the bubble while being in constant touch and contact with players.”

    Sethi also said that the reputation, trust and credibility of PSL and PCB has suffered and “big damage has been done, especially with foreign teams and players”.

    He further said: “Commercial interests of all partners, sponsors, franchises, rights holders, etc in PSL 6 have suffered enormously. They will claim damages and conflict will arise.” The former chairperson feared that PSL might go bankrupt given the losses suffered.

    Presenting a list of solutions, Sethi suggested that PCB should make immediate arrangements to shift the remaining matches of PSL6 to United Arab Emirates (UAE), take franchises and other contracted parties into confidence and assure them that PCB will bear the full cost of this arrangement and convince foreign players for availability in UAE.

    Earlier, when the league was postponed, the former Chairman expressed his disappointment over the development saying: “We — the people, media, security agencies, franchises and players — built PSL brand with sweat, blood and tears.”

    “The nation is reeling with despair and outrage at criminal negligence by this PCB Admin that has disrupted the tournament,” he added.

  • ‘You played with the reputation of the country’: Shoaib Akhtar slams PCB after PSL 6 postponement

    Shoaib Akhtar has slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for indefinitely postponing the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after an outbreak of COVID-19 was reported in the bio-secure bubble.

    “It is time for blame-game,” said Akhtar is a video posted to his YouTube channel. “You have to admit that this is the responsibility of the medical panel. The bio-secure bubble should have been properly maintained. There should be strict inquiry against the medical panel…it should not be spared.”

    Speaking further, the former bowler said: “The medical panel should be punished and I request the higher authorities [for this] because they played with the lives of the people. All the blame has been put on Wasim Khan and he has been asked to face everything. But who brought Wasim Khan? Ehsan Mani.”

    “Where is Mani Sahab?,” questioned Akhtar. “Is it the responsibility of Wasim Khan to answer here? Ehsan Mani should give an answer.”

    Read more – Shoaib Akhtar receives flak from celebrities for his comments on ‘Groove Mera’

    Akhtar also asked Prime Minister and former captain of the national team Imran Khan to look into the matter and punish those responsible for the mess.

    “Aren’t you [PCB] that smart to book an entire hotel. People are getting married there, getting haircuts. Daren Sammy getting out. I fail to understand, why would you [Javed Afridi] breach the bio-secure bubble. I am asking the same question from Wahab Riaz,” said the speedster.

    “You [PCB] played with the lives of the people and at the same time, you played with the reputation of the country… Where is the Chairman of PCB, he has to be answerable. I request the higher authorities and the honourable courts to take a very good look into this matter… Where is Mani? Come to the front and answer.

    “This is an insult to Pakistan and Pakistan cricket,” concluded Akhtar.

    PCB on Thursday postponed PSL6, which started last month after seven people tested positive. Later, in a press conference, PCB chief executive Wasim Khan admitted to breaches of COVID-19 protocols in the bio-secure bubble.

    Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi extended his support towards the PSL management, saying “I fully back the PSL and IA it will come back stronger than ever.”

  • Islamabad United’s Hassan Ali, Hussain Tallat reportedly infected with COVID-19

    Social media is abuzz with reports that Hassan Ali and Hussain Tallat have tested positive for coronavirus.

    Senior sports journalist, Shoaib Jutt revealed the news on Twitter, saying that two more cases of COVID-19 were detected earlier today in Islamabad United.

    In another tweet, the journalist shared pictures of Hassan and Hussain, saying: “May Allah grant you speedy and complete recovery.”

    The journalist further shared that four players of the final XI of Islamabad United fell victim to coronavirus because of which the match scheduled to take place today was cancelled. Other franchises feared that more cases would come to light with the passage of the day so the league should be postponed immediately.

    Earlier on Thursday, seven players and one support staff official had tested positive for the virus which led to question marks over PCB’s bio-secure bubble arrangements and reservations from foreign players. Quetta Gladiators’ Tom Banton and Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed and Lewis Gregory were among the players who tested positive which resulted in the postponement of the league.

    Meanwhile, the League or the franchise has not yet commented on Ali and Talat’s positive results.

    Islamabad United was scheduled to play against Lahore Qalandars in the fifteenth match of the Pakistan Super League 2021.

  • Fans heartbroken after PSL 6 gets postponed

    Fans heartbroken after PSL 6 gets postponed

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to a surge in COVID-19 cases among players and officials participating in the tournament.

    As per reports, seven players and one support staff official have tested positive for the virus. Quetta Gladiators’ Tom Banton and Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed and Lewis Gregory were among the players who tested positive.

    Soon after the news broke, PSL fans took to social media to express their heartbreak over the decision.

    https://twitter.com/imPakistaniLAD/status/1367383159978008576?s=20

    https://twitter.com/syeda_rukhi/status/1367388008933167106?s=20

    Some took it as an opportunity to make memes that could lighten up the mood of PSL fans.

    https://twitter.com/KinzaAjmal/status/1367394007337365509?s=20

  • COVID outbreak forces PCB to postpone PSL6

    COVID outbreak forces PCB to postpone PSL6

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to rising COVID-19 cases among players and officials involved in the tournament.

    As many as seven players and one support staff official have tested positive for the virus which led to question marks over PCB’s bio-secure bubble arrangements and reservations from foreign players. Quetta Gladiators’ Tom Banton and Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed and Lewis Gregory were among the players who tested positive.

    Following the increase in cases, international players were also given the option to leave for their home countries with Karachi Kings’ Dan Christian expected to be the first to leave today.

    PCB also issued a press release on social media which reads: “Following a meeting with the team owners and considering the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to postpone the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 with immediate effect. The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on February 20.”

    “The PCB, as an immediate step, will focus on the safe and secure passage of all participants, and arrange repeat PCR tests, vaccines and isolation facilities to the six participating sides,” it added.

    PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan and Director – Commercial Babar Hamid will hold a media conference at the National Stadium in Karachi at 3pm today to provide further updates.

    Meanwhile, Hassan Ali, Shadab Khan, Ravi Bopara and Mohammad Hafeez expressed their disappointment over the latest developments.

    While, Faheem Ashraf took to Twitter and wrote: “O Muslims, despair is disbelief. Indeed, in every deed of Allah, there is good.”

    Later, in the press conference, Wasim said: “To make any bio-secure bubble successful, it needs partnership and sacrifice from everyone,” he said. “It is not about the blame game right now. There are a lot of emotions at the moment. Franchises have invested a lot of money and I know that there will be reactions from different sectors.

    “But as I said before, to make any bio-secure bubble, everyone needs to be on the same page, that’s how we managed to conduct a successful domestic season. I understand why they [franchise owners] are saying things like these but it is not about the blame game, its about Pakistan cricket and it’s welfare. It is not the time to fight right now. It is time to accept collective responsibility.”

    Wasim further said that his own proposal was to postpone the event for five days, continue testing but the franchises rejected the idea.

    “My own proposal was to postpone the tournament for five days and see where it goes,” he said. “But the franchises made it clear that the players are anxious and not in the mental state to continue with the tournament.”

    Wasim also reiterated that the SOP’s were shared with the franchises before the competition but no bio-secure bubble can be successful without self-policing.

    “The protocols were shared with the franchises on February 18,” he said. “We are not sure where or how the players contracted coronavirus. You cannot make any bio-secure bubble successful without self-policing.”

  • Dale Steyn says PSL is ‘more rewarding’ than IPL

    Dale Steyn says PSL is ‘more rewarding’ than IPL

    Former South African pacer Dale Steyn, who is playing for Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL), believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is less rewarding compared to other leagues in the world.

    Speaking to an online publication, Steyn said that cricket gets forgotten, amid money talks, in the IPL which is why he decided to skip the last season.

    “I wanted some time off. I found that playing in these other leagues was slightly more rewarding as a player. I think when you go to IPL, there are such big squads and so many big names and so much emphasis on maybe the amount of money players earn and everything like that, so sometimes, somewhere down the line, cricket gets forgotten,” said Steyn.

    “When you come to like a PSL or the Sri Lankan Premier League (SPL), for that matter, there is an importance on the cricket. I have only been here for a couple of days and I have had people in and out of my room, just wanting to know about where I have played and how I went about it. Whereas, when I go to something like IPL that gets forgotten and the main topic is how much money did you go for in this IPL?”

    “That’s just me being brutally honest,” he added.

    “I wanted to stay away from that and really put more emphasis on playing and bringing good vibes to good cricket teams and tournaments I feel are worth it,” said the cricket star.

    Read more – Daren Sammy recalls being called ‘kalu’ by Indian cricketers during IPL

    Steyn also praised the “breeding machine” of Pakistan’s fast bowlers and called Babar Azam “a wonderful player”.

    “There is a breeding machine of fast bowlers here in Pakistan, which is great to see because the wickets are not conducive to fast bowlers,” said the South African great. “I had a chat with Shaheen [Afridi] last year – I think he broke his thumb. He was down but he was amazing. At Melbourne Stars, I had Haris Rauf with me, and I was really impressed by him. Not long after that, he played for Pakistan.”

    “Babar is a great player and it would be a great opportunity to get him out or bowl against him. But you never know, I might not get to bowl against him because it’s only four overs or he might get out for a duck. But he’s been fantastic [in] the last couple of years,” said Steyn.

    Meanwhile, Indians are not happy with Steyn’s statement and are criticising him on social media.

    https://twitter.com/jokn17611521/status/1366721056812113922?s=20

    https://twitter.com/svnvdr08/status/1366720983667597316?s=20

    https://twitter.com/karthik_jammy/status/1366654766630137868?s=20

    According to Cricinfo, Steyn’s “career trajectory has coincided with the rise of the IPL and has seen him become one of the more prized assets for any IPL franchise, and has consistently seen heavy competition for his signature. The highest auction price for the fast bowler came in consecutive seasons in 2014 and 2015, when Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped him up for INR 9.5 crore (approx. USD 1.3 million today). He has taken 97 IPL wickets at 6.91, making him, by some distance, the most economical fast bowler among players with over 50 wickets in the league.”

  • ‘PSL 2021 to continue as per schedule’

    ‘PSL 2021 to continue as per schedule’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) will go ahead as per schedule amid false reports that the league could be postponed for a few days due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Islamabad United camp. It also said that the stadiums will see 50 percent crowds until March 16.

    Director Media and Communications at PCB Samiul Hasan Burney announced the news at a press conference and revealed that three out of the 244 PCR tests conducted returned positive.

    Two of the three infected personnel were foreign players, including Islamabad United’s Fawad Ahmed, whose positive test was made public on Monday and led to the rescheduling of Islamabad, Quetta fixture.

    “We conducted 244 PCR tests, in addition to the rapid tests conducted,” said Burney. “Of the 244 tests, three have come back positive. Two foreign players and one support staff have tested positive.”

    While the identity of the other foreign player has not yet been disclosed, journalist Abdul Ghaffar has said that the third person is a member of the support staff.

    Meanwhile, sports journalists and analysts are urging the board and public not to panic, highlighting that such incidents are common in events of such scale.