.jpg?im=Resize,height=373 "Pakistan Cup 2022-23: All you need to know")
Pakistan National T20 Cup 2022 Review: Northern & Balochistan pick impressive wins over Sindh and Central Punjab
Pakistan National T20 Cup: 2022 Round Up (September 2)
Pakistan National T20 Cup: All you need to know
SL vs PAK | 'We are trying to change the way we play Test cricket'- Babar Azam
Pakistan's batting came in for heavy criticism during the Australian series earlier this year for their lack of intent despite playing on flat tracks.
Pakistan Cricket Board announces squad for the upcoming Sri Lankan Test series
Pakistan confirm their 18-man squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.
Yasir Shah returns as Pakistan name 18-member squad for Sri Lanka Tests
Shah, who claimed 24 wickets at 19.33 during his previous trip to the Island nation back in 2015, has grappled with injuries and poor form in recent years.
Salary hike likely for centrally contracted Pakistan International Cricketers
The precursory talks pertaining to the new central contracts for the Pakistan men's national cricket team suggest that the players' monthly salaries and fees are set to rise by 10-15%, as per sources.
Reports: PCB to set-up special camp to prepare budding spinners in the country
Pakistan One-Day Cup 2022 | BAL vs KPK | Final: Yasir Shah, Abdul Bangalzai shine as Balochistan lay hands on silverware
The final battle between Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the Pakistan One-Day Cup 2022 saw the defending champions failing to retain their crown on Friday. Balochistan thrived in the marquee clash and rode on the brilliance of Yasir Shah and Abdul Bangalzai to trump Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by eight wickets. As Balochistan's bowlers rose to the occasion and delivered a splendid performance to bowl out Khyber for just 171 runs, their batters had a small task in hand, in which they successfully prevailed. Bangalzai and Haseebullah came to the fore and batted with utmost ease. Both the batters did not let the pressure of the final mount on their head and passed the litmus test with flying colours. While Haseebullah played second fiddle to the 19-year-old and scored 45 runs off 58 deliveries, his partner donned the aggressor's role and hit a blistering 80-run knock. Haseebullah perished with his side close to the target. Still, his wicket came a little too late for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Asad Shafiq decorated the run-chase with his finishing touches and denied the opposition their second consecutive title. The win brought a maiden trophy for the Yasir Shah-led Balochistan, who were looking for it since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) revamped the domestic structure in 2018-19. Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were off to the worst possible start after being put in to bat. Kamran Ghulam anchored the ship, but his valiant effort could take his side to a paltry 171-run total. Yasir delivered a brilliant spell with the ball, claiming four wickets, giving away mere 33 runs in his full quota of overs. Khurram Shahzad, Akif Javed and Asad Shafiq also chipped in the crucial wickets and gave Balochistan a significant push in the final. Brief scores: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - 171/10 Kamran Ghulam 70 (91), Rehan Afridi 27* (38) Yasir Shah 33/4; Balochistan - 175/2 Abdul Bangalzai 80* (77), Haseebullah 45 (58) Khalid Usman 47/2 Balochistan beat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 8 wickets
Yasir Shah acquitted in minor girl rape case
Pakistan cricketer Yasir Shah proved innocent in a rape and harassment case of a 14-year-old minor girl. Yasir suffered from the case of misinterpretation after the victim admitted that his name was added inaccurately in the First Information Report (FIR).
Yasir Shah among others included in PSL replacement draft
The Pakistan Super League on Saturday, 8 January are scheduled to host a supplementary and replacement draft for the 2022 season of the league. An event that is going to be held virtually will allow franchises to pick a maximum of two supplementary players as well as partially replace those who are unavailable due to their international commitments. The Pakistan Cricket Board have identified a total of 14 players who need to be partially replaced and the list includes big guns like Chris Jordan, James Vince, Jason Roy and Liam Livingstone among others. The teams are spoilt for choices in the new draft as well, as recognised international stars like Ben Dunk, Chris Green and Tymal Mills are up for grabs. Teams do not have a lot of time to figure out combinations with the first leg of the tournament to begin on 27 January in Karachi. The selection is not free of controversy though. Pakistan cricket Yasir Shah, who has had a FIR lodged against his name on the allegations of aiding the rape of a minor has been included in the list of local cricketers. Shah was earlier excluded from the tour of Bangladesh before the allegations came to fore under the ambit of a finger injury. At the time of writing, the case remains unresolved.
Pakistan announce 20-man squad for Bangladesh Tests
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 20 man squad for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh. The series starts on November 26 with the first Test in Chattogram. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan are the only players part of the T20 World Cup playing XI who have been named in the Test squad as well. As far as the T20 World Cup squad is concerned, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz have been able to make the 20 member team. Among the others are familiar faces in Imam-ul-Haq, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali and Fawad Alam with the bat. With the ball too, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah and Nauman Ali have been able to retain the place while Yasir shah has been ignored once again. Some fresh faces in Kamran Ghulam, Abdullah Shafique and Saud Shakeel have been named in the side while two spinners in Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Khan, who went on the Zimbabwe tour have also been retained. The exclusion of Shahnawaz Dahani from the squad is a worrying sign given that he is one of the promising fast bowlers in the Pakistan line-up who hasn’t yet been tested at the world stage. The two Tests would be part of the World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle. Pakistan Test squad Babar Azam (Captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Imam-Ul-Haq, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Bilal Asif, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Zahid Mahmood
CPL 2021: Varied armoury brings solidity to Trinbago Knight Riders unit
What could be the most difficult aspect of this game? Batting, bowling or fielding? Probably, yes but more than anything, it is sustaining to stay at the top. That pressure of defending your title in comparison to lifting the trophy for the first time is immense. But this doesn’t seem to be the case with Trinbago Knight Riders. Team manager Colin Borde has already said that the team is under “no pressure” whatsoever. Well, as they say, attack in the best defence. For TKR, this seems to be the basic plan as the side goes into the tournament to defend the title. The defending champions begin the competition against Guyana Amazon Warriors on August 26, 2021 which will also mark the start of CPL 2021 in St Kitts. All the matches will be played at the same venue. TKR have always invested in experience and they have continued to do the same as they picked up the squad for this edition of the CPL. From Kieron Pollard to Sunil Narine and from Yasir Shah to Colin Munro, the unit has a bunch of players with vast experience especially in the shorter format of the game who have played cricket all around the globe and probably under all sorts of conditions. Trinbago Knight Riders squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine, Colin Munro, Yasir Shah, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Isuru Udana, Tim Seifert, Anderson Phillip, Denesh Ramdin, Tion Webster, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Leonardo Julien, Ali Khan. Team News Trinbago made a bold decision after they let go experienced all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and traded him to St Kitts/Nevis Patriots, with experienced wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin who made a return to the franchise. “Obviously, to any team, Dwayne is an asset,” Borde had said. “We have the requisite expertise and experience to forge ahead.” TKR retained as many 12 players and completed their squad of 16 after the conclusion of CPL draft. They attained the services of Ravi Rampaul, Isuru Udana, Sandeep Lamichchane and wicket keeper batsman Leonardo Julien. But Lamichhane and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza were later replaced by Pakistan’s Yasir Shah and New Zealand keeper Tim Siefert respectively. Shah had featured in the CPL back in 2018 for the Knight Riders for a short span of time while Siefert was a part of it in the 2020 edition. Lamichhane would be busy with national duties during that time as Nepal would be battling it out against PNG in Oman. Let the willow talk Those who follow the Indian Premier League or are Kolkata Knight Riders fans would know what Sunil Narine brings to the table not just with the ball but with the bat too. Narine has opened the innings for the T20 franchises and the move has come as a success for his sides. The left-handed batsman can fetch runs at brisk pace in the power play overs that gives the side an edge and a basic foundation to post a big total. Apart from him, Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons are the other two batters who can be lethal against any bowling attack on their day. Both the players have the ability to go after the opponents’ bowling line up and hammer them around the park. West Indies cricket fans would remember how Simmons hammered India in the semis to notch up a 51-ball 82. Interestingly, that was his first game of the tournament. So, if Simmons along with Bravo or Narine go all guns blazing, the bowling attacks would be in all sorts of trouble. Next in the list are some international recruits such as Colin Munro and Tim Seifert. Munro’s tally of 300 T20 matches speaks for itself. The left-hander has scored over 7000 runs in T20 format at a strike-rate of 143.87 which gives one an idea about how menacing he can be with the willow in his hands. Tim Seifert on the other hand, if gets a chance in the final XI can prove to be an asset. The right-hander too has a lot of T20 experience. Captain Kieron Pollard would play a vital role in creating a balance in the batting unit as he is capable enough to steady the ship for the side if and when required while can score runs quickly and increase the scoring-rate whenever needed. The TKR would want him to play that anchor’s role especially while chasing. The presence of wicket-keeper batsman Denesh Ramdin and Isuru Udana in the middle and lower middle-order also brings stability in the batting department for TKR. Variety in bowling Sunil Narine, Yasir Shah, Ravi Rampaul, Isuru Udana, Kieron Pollard and now Jayden Seales. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see such a bowling line up? Experience? Yes. Strength? Yes. But most importantly, it is the variety that these bowlers bring. Narine is probably one of the most successful bowlers when it comes to power play. He has the ability to keep a check on the run flow especially in the starting of the proceedings. Then comes another spinner, Yasir Shah. The leg-spinners are said to belong to that genre of bowling who are at the receiving end if the batsmen are on song but the leggies are the most lethal and dangerous too. From the wrong-uns to tossed up leg spin deliveries, they can deceive the batsmen with authority and rip through any line up. Moreover, the amount of cricket that Yasir Shah has played, he is a well-equipped bowler. A left-arm pacer has a lot on offer for his team. He can deceive the batsmen with the deliveries coming in or the ones moving away quite efficiently. There came a time in the 2019 World Cup in England where almost all the teams barring India had at least one left-arm pacer in the unit. Though, the conditions were pretty different then but the responsibility would be similar. Trinbago have Isuru Udana in their ranks. The Sri Lankan has played some franchise cricket and his international exposure would come as a boon for the side. TKR have a mix of young lads and experienced campaigners in their side. Someone like Ravi Rampaul would not just only be an important cog in the wheel for the team but he can be one of those players who would mentor and nurture the young crop which includes someone like Jayden Seales. Seales would be riding high on the way he has performed recently in the Tests especially against Pakistan in their first encounter of the series where the pacer bagged a total of 8 wickets. Skipper Pollard will have an extra bit of responsibility on himself as he will have to chip in with some overs as well. The right-arm bowler has impressed everyone with his bowling in the past and would look to pick wickets consistently for the side. Overall, the team looks to be a balanced one and has a lot of variety as well. Probable XI: Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Colin Munro, Kieron Pollard (C), Denesh Ramdin, Isuru Udana, Ravi Rampaul, Yasir Shah, Jayden Seales, Akeal Hosein
Southern Brave's leading wicket-taker Jake Lintott among many drafted into fresh CPL 2021 squads
The Caribbean Premier League is all set to begin from August 26, however, due to the rescheduling of many international series and the change of status quo in Afghanistan, teams were forced to change their squads just ahead of the start of the tournament. While Jamaica Tallawahs signed Afghanistan spinner Qais Ahmad after they were denied the services of another Afghan Ibrahim Zadran, the Guyana Amazon Warriors also took in the Afghan pair of Naveen-ul-Haq and Waqar Salamkheil. Another player stuck in Kabul due to the Taliban take over of administration, Shafiqullah Ghafari will miss the CPL. He was signed by Barbados Royals. The Barbados team was forced to make another change as South Africa allrounder Chris Morris opted out of the tournament for personal reasons. New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips was signed as his replacement. The high octane fielder, known for his great outfield display and hitting abilities with the bat is currently representing Welsh Fire in The Hundred. He has regularly been part of the CPL, playing for Jamaica Tallawahs and remaining their leading scorer for three consecutive seasons since 2018. Due to the rescheduling of South Africa’s Sri Lanka tour, Proteas players in Anrich Nortje and Rassie van der Dussen will miss out and so would Sri Lanka's leg spin-bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga. Similarly due to Zimbabwe’s tour of Ireland being rescheduled, all-rounder Sikandar Raza has been replaced by New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert in the Trinabago Knight Riders set up. The franchise also replaced Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane with Pakistan’s Yasir Shah. Jake Lintott, the leading Southern Brave wicket-taker in The Hundred along with Trent Rockets’ Samit Patel and London Spirit’s Ravi Bopara have won late contracts for Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Kitts respectively as well. In another replacement, Singapore’s Tim David’s good run is continuing as after his outing with Hobart Hurricane in BBL, followed by the one with Lahore Qalandars in PSL, he will now replace his Hurricane skipper Matthew Wade at the St. Lucia Kings after his season with Surrey in the English Blast and Royal London Cup. Another English domestic star, Netherlands' Paul van Meekeren will fill in for Nortje at the Patriots. The 33-match tournament will be played at Warner Park in St. Kitts and Nevis and fans will be allowed to fill up to 50% capacity of the 8,000-seat venue if they are able to furnish proof of vaccination against Covid-19.