After it’s worst T20 World Cup performance, Pakistan is set to host Bangladesh in a Test series next month that will likely see many big names dropped from the team. The series will be a part of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship 2025.
The national team and cricketers are under severe criticism, with many demanding changes in the team, which are expected to be announced in the next few days.
There is a strong possibility that new and young players will be given a chance in the home series against Bangladesh.
According to ARY sources, Sarfraz Ahmed is likely to be in action in the Test series against Bangladesh. At the same time, some seniors, including Muhammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and others, have been “rested” along with white ball captain Babar Azam.
Among the young players who can be given a chance in the series against Bangladesh are the inclusion of Abdullah Shafiq, Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel. In the case of the selection of Shahnawaz Dhani, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza and Naseem Shah, the name of Haris Rauf will not be considered.
Test team captain Shan Masood wants Sarfraz to wear the wicket-keeping gloves instead of Rizwan in this series, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee has started consulting with captain Shan Masood and Test coach Jason Gillespie to form a good combination.
A photo of Pakistan cricket team’s former captain, Shahid Afridi has created a stir on social media, based on which the cricketer is being accused of being a ‘supporter of Israel’.
In a viral photo, Afridi can be seen allegedly participating in a protest organised by an Israel-supporting organization.
Users are claiming that Shahid Afridi was photographed in Manchester with officials of the Zionist organization ‘Northwest Friends of Israel’ in a protest organized for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas.
The photo was posted by the official X account of ‘Northwest Friends of Israel’.
The post stated, “Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi attended and expressed support for our protest for the recovery of Israeli hostages in Manchester on Sunday. Shahid Afridi is pictured with Rafi Bloom, the co-chairperson of the organization and Bernie Yaffe, the deputy chairperson.”
The post from the official account of the Israeli organization tagged Afridi and thanked him for his support.
A storm was unleashed on social media with many people criticizing the cricketer.
Many users started showering Shahid Afridi with various titles like ‘Jewish agent’, ‘friend of Israel’, and ‘anti-Palestinian’, while some users even called him a ‘traitor’.
After this controversy, Shahid Afridi released an explanation for the viral picture.
Taking to his official ‘X’ account, he wrote: “Imagine strolling down a street in Manchester (UK) and so-called fans approach you for a selfie. You oblige, and moments later, they upload it as some form of Zionist endorsement. Unbelievable! Please don’t believe everything that is uploaded.”
“Seeing innocent lives in Palestine suffer is truly heartbreaking. Thus, any photo or association shared by Manchester does not reflect my support for any situation where human lives are at stake. I take pictures with fans from all over the globe, and this situation was no different. I pray for peace, I pray for an end to this war, I pray for freedom.”
Many social media users are pointing out that Shahid Afridi went to Manchester two weeks ago where various people took pictures with him on the way.
Over the years, Afridi has multiple times expressed support for Palestine, including hoisting a Palestinian flag on his house.
In the first match of the Super 8 stage of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, South Africa defeated the USA by 18 runs.
America won the toss and invited South Africa to bat.
First inning:
South Africa had a disappointing start to the innings and lost their first wicket at the start of the innings at a total score of 16.
After that, de Cook and captain Aiden Markram batted responsibly and paved the way for the big target by forming a partnership of 110 runs.
In the scheduled 20 overs, South Africa scored 194 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Quinton de Cook scored 74 and Aiden Markram scored 46 runs while Klaasen remained unbeaten with 36 runs.
USA’s Saurabh Natravakar and Harmeet Singh took two wickets each.
Second inning:
Chasing South Africa’s target of 195 runs, the American team managed to score 176 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in the allotted overs.
Andries Gous scored 80 runs on 47 balls. Apart from this Steven Tayler 24, Corey Anderson 12 and Harmeet Singh scored 38 runs for USA.
For Protease, Kagiso Rabada took three wickets while Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi took one wicket each.
Kiwi team captain Kane Williamson refused to take the central contract of New Zealand cricket and also resigned from the leadership of New Zealand’s white-ball team.
According to media reports, after refusing to take the central contract, Williamson became free from availability for the entire season. Still, despite not taking the central contract, Williamson has expressed his determination to be available for New Zealand cricket.
Kane Williamson will not be available to New Zealand during the summer season in January. Still, he will be available to the Kiwi team for the 8 Test Championship matches and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
The New Zealand team has been eliminated from the Super Eight stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup in America and the West Indies.
The national cricket team, especially the captain Babar Azam, is under severe criticism for being out of the mega World Cup event in the first round of the T20 World Cup.
Rumours of leadership change in the national team have become heated once again, but despite their worst defeat, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has no intention of leaving the top seat.
During a press conference in America, a journalist asked him whether Azam would quit being captain.
Azam, while answering the journalist’s question said, “I was given the leadership of the team by the Pakistan cricket board and I have no intention of giving up the captaincy myself.”
“No one could perform as expected. We didn’t play well as a team. Now I can’t go and play for every player. After returning home, I will meet the Chairman PCB and present my report in this regard.”
“If I have to leave the leadership, I will make a decision, but whatever I do, I will do it in front of everyone, I will not do it out of fear,” Azam said.
Azam had resigned from the leadership of all three formats of cricket after the poor performance of the team in the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup last year.
Shaheen Afridi was then, given the captaincy of T20 while Shan Masood was given the captaincy of the Test format. But before the start of the ongoing T20 World Cup, PCB appointed Babar as captain once again.
Pakistan cricket team’s fast bowler Haris Rauf reacted to an incident that happened in Florida with him and a fan.
Haris Rauf released his statement on the social media site X (formerly Twitter) in which he wrote, “I had decided not to bring this matter on social media, but now the video has come out, so I think that It is important to discuss this situation.”
“Being public figures, we are ready to get all kinds of feedback from the public. Fans are entitled to support or criticise us, but when it comes to my parents and my family,” the fast bowler said, “I will not hesitate to respond accordingly. It is important to respect people and their families, regardless of their profession.”
Earlier, a video of national cricketer Haris Rauf’s entanglement with a fan in Florida went viral.
Haris was with his wife when the fan allegedly abused him, after which Haris ran toward him. Other fans also tried to stop Haris. The fast bowler told the fan asked the fan, “is this is what your father has taught you?”
The players of the national team have left for home in groups after a very bad performance in the T20 World Cup.
Six players including captain Babar Azam, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Azam Khan will return back later.
After the elimination from the ongoing T20 World Cup, the players of the Pakistan cricket team left for home from Florida.
The players will reach Pakistan in the early morning of June 19.
Six players of the squad including captain Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Azam Khan and Mohammad Amir are not traveling with the team.
Babar Azam will leave for Pakistan on June 22.
The head coach of the team Gary Kirsten will leave for his home after the World Cup assignment while Mohammad Amir will go to England to join Derbyshire after staying in America for a couple of days.
The Pakistan team failed to reach the Super 8 round of the World Cup. Pakistan was defeated in two matches of the first stage, in which they lost to America and India.
The head coach of the national cricket team, Gary Kirsten, shockingly revealed that, “Since I came, I have seen that there is no unity in the team. The one who improves skills and fitness will remain in the team otherwise no one will be in the team.”
The head coach of the Pakistan cricket team said, “this is not a team, no player supports anyone, right and left are all separate. I have worked with many teams and have not seen such a situation.”
“If we want to compete in the world, we have to improve fitness, skills and unite,” he added.
The Pakistan cricket team has been eliminated from the ongoing T20 World Cup after two defeats in four matches.
