Tag: sports-stories

  • CWC’19: Inzamam hopeful of Pakistan ending losing streak against India

    CWC’19: Inzamam hopeful of Pakistan ending losing streak against India

    Chief selector Inzamamul Haq is confident that the national cricket team will finally break its six-match losing streak in the World Cup against India when it takes on the arch-rivals on June 16.

    Pakistan have never won against India in a world cup match, but the former skipper feels that they can post a breakthrough victory this time around when the two teams meet in Manchester next month.

    “People take an Indo-Pak match very seriously and some even go on to say that ‘we will be happy even if only we can win against India during the World Cup’,” Inzamam was quoted as saying by a cricket website.

    The veteran of 120 Tests, however, said that the mega cricketing tournament was not just about the match against India, and “Pakistan have the potential to beat other sides as well”.

    Pakistan go into the 2019 World Cup having suffered 10 successive ODI defeats and were also beaten by Afghanistan in a warm-up match on Friday.

  • World Cup 2019: Warm-up fixtures

    World Cup 2019: Warm-up fixtures

    The ICC World Cup is just around the corner and it is time for the teams to get a bit warmed up.

    Here is the schedule for the 10 official warm-up matches to be played from Friday (May 24) to Tuesday (May 28).

    Day, Date Fixture Venue
    Friday, May 24 Pakistan vs Afghanistan Bristol
    Sri Lanka vs South Africa Cardiff
    Saturday, May 25 England vs Australia Southampton
    India vs New Zealand London
    Sunday, May 26 South Africa vs West Indies Bristol
    Pakistan vs Bangladesh Cardiff
    Monday, May 27 Australia vs Sri Lanka Southampton
    England vs Afghanistan London
    Tuesday, May 28 West Indies vs New Zealand Bristol
    Bangladesh vs India Cardiff

    The real World Cup action begins on May 30 and will be telecast in Pakistan on Ten Sports and PTV Sports.

  • ICC, PCB wish Sarfraz on his birthday

    ICC, PCB wish Sarfraz on his birthday

    With skipper Sarfraz Ahmed celebrating his 32nd birthday on Wednesday, a plethora of wishes continues to flood Twitter.

    On the occasion, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have congratulated the Pakistan cricket team captain in their tweets.

    “Happy birthday to Pakistan captain, @SarfarazA_54! Will he be lifting another at the end of #CWC19?” tweeted ICC.

    PCB, on the other hand, tweeted a video showing Sarfraz cutting his birthday cake with players and team management.

    Sarfraz is in England where he is leading his side in the ICC World Cup to be held from May 30 to July 14.

  • Pakistan not taking any wickets ‘to avoid PM Imran’s wrath’, explains Ramiz Raja

    Pakistan not taking any wickets ‘to avoid PM Imran’s wrath’, explains Ramiz Raja

    Explaining why Pakistani bowlers have been unable to defend 300 plus totals in the last couple of games, commentator and former cricketer Ramiz Raja has made some funny post-match remarks.

    Instead of coming down hard on the team for losing the ODI series to England ahead of ICC World Cup 2019, the former skipper chose to be sarcastic.

    Taking to Twitter to reveal bits of conversation between Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and Pakistan team members, Ramiz shared how the former had called out some team members on “silly wicket-taking celebrations”.

    “Ever since being called out by PM Imran Khan on silly wicket-taking celebrations, this team it seems has decided to not take any wickets to not invite the wrath of the great man! Keeping trouble free, the Pak bowlers,” he tweeted jokingly and added a wink emoji at the end.

  • Shadab declared fit; to play World Cup

    Shadab declared fit; to play World Cup

    Leg-spinner Shadab Khan has been declared fit to play the forthcoming World Cup after latest test revealed zero viral load in his blood.

    According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Khan will leave for London on May 16, where he will meet Dr Patrick Kennedy on May 17, before joining the national team in Briston on May 20.

    His appearance in warm-up matches against Afghanistan and Bangladesh, however, will be subjected to team management’s decision and his fitness.

    Shadab himself also shared the news on his Twitter account.

    Khan had earlier been ruled out of the ongoing One Day International (ODI) series against England due to illness. “Tests revealed a virus that will require treatment and rest for, at least, four weeks,” PCB had said in a statement.

  • Gautam Gambhir avoids Delhi sun, ‘uses look-alike to campaign for polls’

    Gautam Gambhir avoids Delhi sun, ‘uses look-alike to campaign for polls’

    Indian cricketer-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Gautam Gambhir, has once again made to headlines after he “used a duplicate to electioneer in his place” as he has a problem with Delhi’s summers heat.

    “Have heard about a stunt double in movies, a runner in cricket, but have seen a duplicate in campaign for the first time,” rival Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a tweet.

    Tweeting the pictures, the AAP leader also claimed that the alleged impersonator is a Congress worker and not the retired cricketer.

    Gambhir had also made headlines earlier this week after former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi had slammed him, saying Gambhir is “someone who has no personality and has a lot of attitude”.

    “Some rivalries were personal, some professional. First the curious case of Gambhir. Oh, poor Gautam. He and his attitude problem. He has no personality. He who is barely a character in the great scheme of cricket. He who has no great records just a lot of attitude,” Afridi had said in his memoir “Game Changer”.

  • Ajax player’s on-field Iftar video goes viral

    Ajax player’s on-field Iftar video goes viral

    A video of Ajax football club player’s on-field Iftar from Wednesday has gone viral.

    In the video, defender Noussair Mazraoui can be seen breaking his fast while playing the Champions League semi-final against Tottenham.

    The Dutch-born Moroccan professional footballer was fasting for Ramzan and had to wait until the 24th minute of the game before refueling.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Ajax lost to Tottenham 2-3 in an astonishing comeback for the north Londoners.

    Lucas Moura scored a dramatic last-minute winner to send Tottenham into the final for the first time in its history. The win being secured in Amsterdam — Ajax’s home — was termed as “the cherry on top” by Twitterati.

  • Waqar Younis was a ‘mediocre captain and terrible coach’, writes Afridi

    Waqar Younis was a ‘mediocre captain and terrible coach’, writes Afridi

    Former cricketing stalwart Shahid Afridi has noted that his colleague Waqar Younis was a “mediocre captain and terrible coach” who couldn’t hold the team together.

    “Waqar and I had a history, dating all the way back to his tiff with Wasim [Akram] over the captaincy crown. He was a mediocre captain but a terrible coach, always micromanaging and getting in the way, trying to tell the captain – me – what to do… It was a natural clash and it was bound to happen,” Afridi said in his memoir “Game Changer”, co-written with journalist Wajahat Saeed Khan.

    The former skipper also revealed some other never-shared-before details about his personal and cricketing life.

    AFRIDI’S REAL AGE:

    The former captain revealed that he was 19 years old when he
    debuted for Pakistan, however, his documented age was 16.

    “I was just nineteen, and not sixteen like they claim. I was
    born in 1975. So, yes, the authorities stated my age incorrectly.”

    2010 SPOT-FIXING
    SCANDAL:

    Regarding the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, Afridi revealed he
    already knew it was going to happen. Despite informing the Manager Yawar Saeed,
    no action was taken. Team management was either non-serious or worried and this
    prompted him to give up the captaincy.

    Salman Butt was appointed in his place.

    ABOUT JAVED MIANDAD:

    Boom Boom called Miandad a legend but a “small man”. He said
    that Miandad hated his batting style. After scoring a test century in India, he
    was asked to praise Miandad at the presentation ceremony, Afridi claims.

    Moreover, he wasn’t allowed to practice with the team ahead
    of the match in Chennai as Miandad wanted to field Asif Mujtaba.

    GAUTAM GAMBHIR:

    The book has also made its way to Indian press owing to certain comments regarding cricketers of the neighbouring country.

    Slamming former India opener Gautam Gambhir, Afridi termed him as someone who has no personality and has a lot of attitude.

    “Some rivalries were personal, some professional. First the curious case of Gambhir. Oh, poor Gautam. He and his attitude problem. He has no personality. He who is barely a character in the great scheme of cricket. He who has no great records just a lot of attitude,” Afridi said.