Tag: Test match

  • Kevin Pietersen mocks Team India after Chennai loss against England

    Former England player Kevin Pietersen on Tuesday mocked Team India after their humiliating defeat in Chennai against England, reminding them of the warning he had issued to Virat Kohli’s men pertaining to their Test series against Joe Root-led side after their glorious win at Gabba last month.

    “India, yaad hai maine pehele hi chetawani di thi ke itna jasn na manaye jab aapne Australia ko unke ghar pe haraya tha (India, remember I warned you earlier not to celebrate too much when you defeated Australia at their home),” he tweeted after India suffered their second defeat at home under the captaincy of Kohli, losing to England by 227 runs in the Test series opener. 

    https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1359059768082579456?s=19

    Earlier, after the series win in Gabba last month, while most took to social media to congratulate India for their impressive win, Pietersen had tweeted: “India – yeh aitihaasik jeet ka jashn manaye kyuki yeh sabhi baadhao ke khilaap hasil hui hai. Lekin, asli team toh kuch hafto baad aa rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein. Satark rahe , 2 saptaah mein bahut adhik jashn manaane se saavadhaan rahen (India – Celebrate this historic victory, as you achieved it against many hurdles. But, the real team is coming after two weeks, that you have defeated in your home. Be cautious, beware of celebrating too much in 2 weeks).”

    https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1351501549013504001?s=19

    India was set a target of 420 in the final innings in Chennai but lost Rohit Sharma early in the chase. The reverse swing of James Anderson, ably assisted by left-arm spinner Jack Leach combined to take seven wickets between themselves helped England fold India for just 192 runs. 

    The win helped England take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series while denting India’s hope of reaching the World Test Championship final. 

  • IN PICTURES: South Africa cricket team arrives in Pakistan

    The South African cricket team has arrived in Pakistan to play two tests and three T20 international matches. It is the first tour by the cricket team since 2007. The South African team is led by Quinton de Kock.

    As per reports, the visiting side has cleared two COVID-19 tests before coming to Pakistan and will be tested again for COVID-19. Till then, the squad will remain in quarantine. However, they will be allowed to practice after testing negative for coronavirus.

    According to an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): “The South African team will be training at the Karachi Gymkhana cricket ground from January 17-22 in a biosecure bubble before moving to National Stadium for a full-fledged training session.”

    Both sides will undergo another round of COVID-19 testing before the first test match.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team will reach Karachi on January 19 and commence their practice session from January 21.

    Earlier on Friday, the board announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players.

    The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8, T20 fixtures will be played in Lahore from 11th February to 14th of February.

  • Fawad Alam hits 2nd Test 100 in lost NZ match

    Fawad Alam hits 2nd Test 100 in lost NZ match

    Fawad Alam’s heroic ton went in vain as the home team won the first Test by 101 runs in Tauranga’s Mount Maunganui stadium on Wednesday.

    Eleven years, five months and 16 days on from that other lifetime when he scored his first Test hundred, Fawad pulled Wagner behind square – that shot had served him well both in defence and attack – past a diving deep fielder to bring up a second Test hundred.

    The last one he scored was way back in 2009 when he hit 168 on Test debut against Sri Lanka while opening the innings. Since then Alam has played just six Tests having made a comeback in 2020.

    Babar Azam’s injury gave him another go and yet he proved to be an ace for the team.

    The Green Caps began the final day’s play at 71-3 in chase of 373-run target with Azhar Ali and Fawad batting at 34 and 21 respectively.

    He put on a 165-run partnership with captain Mohammad Rizwan who scored a gritty half-century as well. 380 balls faced by Alam and Rizwan during their partnership – the second-longest stand for Pakistan in Tests.

    The wicketkeeper-batsman’s dismissal sparked a collapse as he was trapped leg-before by Kyle Jamieson for 60 while Fawad, who hit 14 boundaries in his 102-run knock, was caught behind on the bowling of Neil Wagner.

    The tail-end pair of pacemen Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah provided resistance to salvage a draw but it wasn’t to be as the latter was caught and bowled by Santner for one with just four more overs to go.

    Here are some reactions by cricketing experts on Fawad’s resilient innings:

    https://twitter.com/DennisCricket_/status/1344128439100481536?s=08

    Later PCB released a video in this fawad talked about his patience and test performance…

    What do you think of Fawad’s innings? Let The Current know in the comments

  • Naked man interrupts Pakistan-NZ Test match

    Naked man interrupts Pakistan-NZ Test match

    A naked man invaded the field during the first Test match between Pakistan and New Zealand on Saturday.

    The security was a little late to react while the nude pitch invader ran into the field during the first day of the first Test match at the Bay Oval.

    Pakistan’s captain Mohammad Rizwan and New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson looked on as the pitch invader ran onto the field and passed near them.

    This is not the first incident of its kind. 

    During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 one-day match between England and New Zealand a bizarre incident in the 34th over caught everyone’s attention. A nude pitch invader took advantage of a break in play to run onto the field and interrupt proceedings. 

    With New Zealand struggling at 145 for six in the 34th over, a fan took to the field. The naked man, wearing just a green hat, managed to reach the middle of the pitch and get close up to New Zealand batsmen Tom Latham and Mitchell Santner before managing to avoid security. The man was eventually hauled away by seven men and then broke free before being tackled to the ground.

    Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first. While Black Caps have scored 222 runs for 3. Williamson is on 94 (not out), Nicholls scored 42 runs (not out), Taylor scored 70 runs. Shaheen took three wickets by giving 55 runs. Match will now resume tomorrow for the second day.

  • ‘Mighty India crumbling down’: Akhtar trolls India on shameful defeat

    ‘Mighty India crumbling down’: Akhtar trolls India on shameful defeat

    Shoaib Akhtar has trolled the Indian cricket team after their shameful defeat by Australia in Adelaide Saturday.

    “I woke up and saw the score 369. I couldn’t believe it. Then I washed my eyes and saw the score 36/9. I couldn’t believe it either & went back to sleep,” wrote the former fast bowler on social media.

    Later in a video, the pacer said, “Embarrassing loss, embarrassing batting. World’s mightiest batting crumbling down.”

    “Humara bhi record torr dia inho ne, 36 all out. This is a disgraceful and terrible performance,” he continued. “It happens in cricket and this is what will happen to you. Bear it and bear the criticism.”

    “Mighty India crashing down, crumbling down,” he added.

    Akhtar didn’t stop there and posted another video on Twitter with a caption, saying, “This will not be forgotten easily. Must come back very strongly from here. Theek thaak phentii pari hai.”

    Similarly, Wasim Akram also expressed his shock over the score, commenting: “What a spell by the Australians. Pace matters.”

    Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry also trolled the team by tweeting the hashtag ‘Australian Surgical Strike’.

    Australia’s world-class pace attack dismissed India for their lowest ever Test score of 36-9 in second innings of the opening Test Match of the series and defeated them chasing the target of 90 runs with eight wickets in hand.

    India started day three of the day-night Test on nine for one and with a 62-run lead, looking to build a competitive second innings total for Australia to chase. But their hopes were left in tatters after an exhibition of fast bowling by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

    It was the last Australia will see of Virat Kohli batting this summer, with the captain missing the final three Tests to return home for the birth of his first child.

  • Australia dismiss India for 36, their lowest ever Test score

    Australia dismiss India for 36, their lowest ever Test score

    Australia’s world-class pace attack dismissed India for their lowest ever Test score of 36 on Saturday, with the hosts needing 75 to win the opening Test in Adelaide at dinner after an incredible batting collapse.

    India started day three of the day-night Test on nine for one and with a 62-run lead, looking to build a competitive second innings total for Australia to chase.

    But their hopes were left in tatters after an exhibition of fast bowling by Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.

    India’s previous Test low was 42 against England at Lord’s in 1974. Their 36 was the joint fourth lowest of all time with New Zealand’s 26 against England in 1955 at Auckland the worst ever.

    Their capitulation left Australia needing 90 to win, with Joe Burns and Matthew Wade knocking off 15 of them before the dinner break.

    Cummins wasted no time removing night watchman Jasprit Bumrah for two in the second over of the day, temping him to push at a slower ball that popped back up to him.

    That brought the stubborn Cheteshwar Pujara to the crease. He saw off an over from Cummins, but that was as good as it got for the veteran who fell without scoring.

    Cummins, the world’s number one Test bowler, sent down a delivery that had to be played and Pujara caught an edge that carried to Tim Paine behind the stumps.

    It left India on 15 for three, and it only got worse with opener Mayank Agarwal back in the pavilion five balls later for nine, again caught by Paine on Josh Hazlewood’s opening delivery.

    Hazlewood and Paine again combined to get rid of Ajinkya Rahane for naught then Cummins picked up the massive wicket of Virat Kohli.

    The superstar batsman had smacked Cummins for four but was gone the next ball after a review, caught by Cameron Green as he attempted a cover drive.

    It was the last Australia will see of Kohli batting this summer, with the captain missing the final three Tests to return home for the birth of his first child.

    At 19 for six, India were in real danger of making their lowest ever score and when Wriddhiman Saha chipped a Hazlewood delivery to Marnus Labuschagne and Ravi Ashwin was out next ball, it became more of a reality.

    A four from Hanuma Vihari at least took India past New Zealand’s all-time low to spare them that embarrassment.

    But Vihari didn’t last much longer, caught by Paine with Hazlewood again doing the damage before Mohammed Shami was forced to retire hurt after a Cummins thunderbolt hit his right arm.

  • ‘Azhar Ali’s captaincy to be reviewed’

    Azhar Ali may not retain his position as Pakistan’s Test Captain during next month’s tour of New Zealand after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said that the 35-year-old’s leadership will be “reviewed”.

    According to details, rumours are rife in the executive corridors of PCB’s headquarters about a younger replacement. The speculations come just 12 months after Azhar replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan’s Test captain. Mohammad Rizwan and current limited-overs captain Babar Azam are the top choices for potential replacements for Test captaincy, with the change likely to happen as early as December when Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand is scheduled to take place.

    Wasim also revealed that Azhar’s annual appraisal is being carried out and that a final decision has not been made yet as constitutionally the prerogative to name or dismiss a captain rests with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, who is due to meet Ali in the next ten days.

    Read more – Misbah Ul Haq steps down as chief selector

    Azhar has struggled with form over the past two years and found himself in a sustained slump until he scored a hundred in Karachi late last year, followed by a fighting century in a rain-hit draw against England in Southampton in August.

    Azhar is presently the most capped player in the Pakistan side with 81 Test matches in a career that started in 2010. He was appointed ODI captain following Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi’s ODI retirements after the 2015 World Cup when he hadn’t been part of Pakistan’s ODI plans. Following poor results in England and Australia during his tenure, he was axed from captaincy in January 2017 but remained in the squad until 2018 before losing his spot to younger players.

    Ali had refused an offer to take up Test captaincy in 2017 after Misbah and Younis Khan retired from the longer format, with the PCB deciding to hand over the captaincy in all formats to Sarfaraz. While his limited-overs replacement Babar looks more secure than ever, Azhar’s stint as Test captain may well be drawing to a premature close.

    Meanwhile, Wasim has backed Misbah and Babar as coach and captain for next year’s World Twenty20.

    In a press conference, Wasim while speaking about Misbah and Babar had said: “Like every other job, that of the head coach and the captain is also performance-based. At the moment, our main focus is white-ball cricket with World Twenty20 events in each of the next two years and we’re backing Misbah and Babar for the next World Twenty20 as they’re both doing well together.”

  • VIDEO: Teenage Shah speaks of dedicating five-wicket haul to late mother

    VIDEO: Teenage Shah speaks of dedicating five-wicket haul to late mother

    Fast bowler Naseem Shah who took a five-wicket haul in the last Test match against Sri Lanka, got emotional during a press conference while telling about how he wanted to dedicate this achievement to his mother but since she has recently passed away, he will now be dedicating it to his father.

    Naseem Shah has become the youngest fast bowler to claim five wickets in a Test match. He picked up the wickets of Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embduldeniya and Vishwa Fernando to finish with 5/31 in 12.5 overs.

    Pacer Shah — aged 16 year and 311 days — has also surpassed his countryman Mohammad Amir who had in 2009 claimed five wickets against Australia at the age of 17 years 257 days at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

    Pacer Naseem’s mother had passed away in November while he was in Australia awaiting his Test debut. Shah later decided not to fly back home and stayed in Australia after consulting with his family members who advised him not to come back.

    Pakistan on Monday had claimed an historic 263-run victory in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Karachi and it took the team only three overs and just 15 minutes to wrap up the game.

    It was Pakistan’s first Test victory on home soil in over 13 years; their last victory in Pakistan also came in Karachi, against West Indies in November 2006.

  • Get tickets for Pak vs Sri Lanka Test matches in just Rs50

    Get tickets for Pak vs Sri Lanka Test matches in just Rs50

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fixed Rs50 as price of the tickets for the upcoming two-Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Dawn reported.

    According to the details, the PCB has announced that the tickets for both the Tests will be available online through website www.yayvo.com from Saturday.

    The Test series is part of the ICC World Test Championship with the first Test starting in Rawalpindi from December 11 and the second in Karachi from December 19.

    For the Rawalpindi Test, the fans can buy tickets from the TCS sale centres from Saturday and in Karachi, sale of tickets from the TCS sale centres will commence from Monday.

    The board in its news release said, “The PCB, in an effort to encourage the fans to be part of return of Test cricket in Pakistan, have fixed price of Shoaib Akhtar Enclosure at the Pindi Cricket Stadium at Rs50”.