Category: Sports

Former Pakistani fast bowler Wahab Riaz has been appointed as the Chief Selector of the selection committee of the national men’s cricket team.

Wahab Riaz’s first assignment will be to select the Pakistan team for the three-Test series in Australia, scheduled to take place from December 14 to January 7, and the five-match T20I series in New Zealand from January 12 to 21, 2023.

Wahab Riaz started his international career in 2008 and took a total of 237 wickets while also scoring 1200 runs in 27 Tests, 91 ODIs, and 36 Twenty20 Internationals.

He played three World Cups and was Pakistan’s second most successful bowler with 35 wickets in those competitions.

Former national team captain Babar Azam has shared a poignant post in for Palestine on social media platform ‘X’.

In his post, a young girl is sitting on rubble with a Palestinian flag in her hand and a toy in her lap, with a poem in the caption.

اے خاصہ خاصان رسل وقت دعا ہے
امت پہ تیری آ کے عجب وقت پڑا ہے#Gaza pic.twitter.com/nqwMAib7ww

— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) November 17, 2023

Muhammad Rizwan also shared the same post. He shared a post in favor of Palestine on social media during the World Cup as well.

Posts shared by national cricketers on social media are going viral.

More than 11,500 Palestinians have been martyred in Israel’s bombing of Gaza, including more than 4,500 children and around 3,000 women.

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has announced his departure from the Quetta Gladiators franchise for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). According to sources, Naseem Shah has decided to leave Quetta Gladiators after spending 5 years in the franchise, achieving major milestones in his time there.

The 20-year-old fast bowler is now entering the drafting or trading process, with both Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi showing interest in signing him on.

Shah suffered an injury during the Asia Cup in September, getting ruled out of the Pakistan squad for the Cricket World Cup 2023, a major setback for the team.

It is still not clear whether Naseem will be fit to play in the ninth edition of PSL or not. Despite this setback, there are strong indications that Naseem Shah could find a place in Peshawar Zalmi for the upcoming PSL season, a development that is expected to generate excitement for the league’s fans and management.

In the first match of the World Cup Qualifiers Round 2 on Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s football team beat Pakistan by 4-0.

Saudi Arabia kept pressure on the Pakistan team from the beginning of the match and kept trying to score. The first goal for the host team was scored by Saleh Al Shahri in the sixth minute, Saudi Arabia leading 0-1 against Pakistan at the end of the first half.

When the second half started, Saudi Arabia’s second goal was scored by Saleh Al Shahri in the 48th minute and Abdul Rahman scored the third goal in the 90th minute. The fourth goal was scored by Abdullah in the last stages of the match.

Group G of the World Cup Football Qualifiers Round 2 includes Pakistan along with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan. Pakistan’s next match in Qualifiers Round 2 will be against Tajikistan on November 21.

Pakistan has qualified for Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers AFC for the first time in history, after defeating Cambodia in round one.

In the second semi-final of the ICC ODI World Cup, 5-time world champions Australia defeated South Africa by 3 wickets after a sensational match and qualified for the final for the 8th time.

South African team captain Tamba Bavuma won the toss and decided to bat first against Australia.

South Africa’s inning:

Four players of South Africa were dismissed for 24 runs, however, due to rain the match was stopped for some time but then the game started again. In such a situation, Henrik Klaasen and David Miller took over the team and made a partnership of 95 runs, but then Klaasen got out after scoring 47 runs.

David Miller scored a brilliant century while batting responsibly and he also returned to the pavilion after playing an innings of 101 runs in the final overs. Apart from this, Coetzee was dismissed for 19, Maharaj for f,our and Rabada for 10.

Thus, the entire South African team got out after scoring 212 runs in 49.4 overs.

For Australia, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins took three wickets each while Hazlewood and Travis Head took two wickets each.

Australia’s inning:

Australia’s pursuit of South Africa’s target got off to an aggressive start, with openers Travis Head and David Warner putting on a 60-run partnership in seven overs, but then Warner was dismissed for 29 runs.

Australia suffered another loss in the form of Mitchell Marsh who was out for zero, Travis Head scored 62, Marence Labuchin 18, Steve Smith 30, and Josh Ingles scored 28 and returned to the pavilion.

After losing 7 wickets at a total score of 193, Starc and Cummins faced the South African bowlers vigorously and remained at the crease with responsible batting and took their team to the final by winning the match.

Mitchell Starc scored 19 off 38 balls and Cummins remained unbeaten on 14 off 29 balls.

On behalf of South Africa, Tabriz Shamsi and Coetzee dismissed two players each while Rabada, Eden Markram, and Maharaj took one wicket each.

Today is an important day in the history of Pakistan football, as the national team faces off against Saudi Arabia in FIFA World Cup Qualifier round two.

Pakistan has reached the second round of FIFA World Cup Qualifier AFC for the first time in history. The first match of the national football team is against the 57th-ranked team in the world, Saudi Arabia. The match will start at 9:30 PM at Prince Abdullah Bin Jalavi Stadium in Al-Hassa.

It should be noted that Pakistan defeated Cambodia in round one. The national team has practiced extensively in Saudi Arabia for about a week. The team includes seven players living in different countries, but captain Esa Suleman is not available for the match due to injury.

The team’s foreign coach Stephen Constantine has said that the players are confident of a good performance.

Caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, Mohsin Naqvi, has given clearance to Sports Minister and former fast bowler Wahab Riaz to assume the post of Chief Selector of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

According to sources, Wahab Riaz will remain a part of the caretaker cabinet even after assuming the post of chief selector. PCB will soon issue a contract to appoint Wahab Riaz the Chief Selector.

Former national cricketer Muhammad Hafeez has already been appointed as the Director of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). On the other hand, Naveed Akram Cheema, is likely to be made the manager of the Pakistan team.

Naveed Akram Cheema has been the manager of the team in the past as well. Meanwhile, Muhammad Hafeez has started contacting domestic cricketers for coaching staff.

The counseling process for the selection committee members is also going on.

Former national cricket team captain Babar Azam plans to file legal action over the leak of his WhatsApp messages to journalists, Geo has reported.

Babar Azam reached the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) headquarters yesterday to meet the Chairman Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf. However, it has been reported that before going there, Babar took legal advice on the WhatsApp messages leak issue.

Sources say that Babar Azam plans to file legal action.

Azam’s WhatsApp chat was shown live on a private TV channel last month. Pakistan’s former wicketkeeper, Rashid Latif, claimed that PCB senior officials did not respond to Babar Azam’s messages. A personal chat with PCB’s CEO Arslan Naseer was then shown on screen during the live show on ARY News.

The host of the program, Waseem Badami, later released a video statement on social media in which he said that we didn’t want to show the chat but when Zaka Ashraf said during the live show that you should show it, then he decided to display it on the screen.

Pakistan batting ace Muhammad Rizwan, along with fellow cricketers, issued a message to Babar Azam after he resigned from the captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team.

On Wednesday, the captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Babar Azam, resigned from the captaincy of all three formats, after which the _ (PCB) appointed Shan Masood as the captain of the Test team and Shaheen Afridi as the skipper of the T20 team.

Pakistan cricket team players have expressed good wishes for Babar Azam on his resignation from the captaincy.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Muhammad Rizwan stated on social media: “Babar you are the captain of hearts, you are one of the greatest batsmen of Pakistan.”

Kaptaaana, aap Dilo k Kaptaan ho. You are definitely one of the greatest batsmen Pakistan has ever seen.

Your honesty, love, integrity, thoughts, and efforts for Pakistan as the captain are the things to look up to. May you continue to shine for Pakistan, Ameen. @babarazam258 https://t.co/FuZOdyBR6U

— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) November 15, 2023

Shaheen Afridi, the new captain of Pakistan T20, wrote ‘We saw the best teamwork and friendship under your exemplary leadership, your leadership and determination to unify the team and achieve collective success is admirable, I am waiting that you will break more records in batting, God willing.”

– @babarazam258: under your exemplary leadership, it’s been a privilege to witness true teamwork and camaraderie. Your forefront leadership and commitment to team unity and collective success are commendable.

Looking forward to seeing you break more batting records, In sha… pic.twitter.com/J8mTqfjtD5

— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) November 15, 2023

Leg-spinner Shadab Khan expressed good wishes for Babar while also congratulating newly appointed captain Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi.

Best of luck @babarazam258 for a new chapter in ur career. I am sure u will continue to shine bright. Congratulations to @shani_official and @iShaheenAfridi on becoming captains. May you take Pakistan to the top. #PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/6Q4EpqFaaA

— Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) November 15, 2023

Thank you @babarazam258 for your meritorious services as Pakistan captain. You inspired the whole next generation of cricketers with your leadership, grace, talent and performances. Hope you will continue to shine and rule as the journey is far from over! https://t.co/PNzG1KXbNC

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) November 15, 2023

4 years of pure joy, it has been an absolute honour to have played & make my white ball debut under your leadership @babarazam258.

You have always led from the front & made us all believe in “One Team, One Dream”.

In sha Allah, we will watch you break many batting records for… pic.twitter.com/RCey1X3kLh

— Naseem Shah (@iNaseemShah) November 15, 2023

In the first semi-final of the ICC ODI World Cup, India defeated New Zealand by 70 runs and qualified for the final.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma invited the Kiwis to the field.

India’s inning:

India scored 397 runs for the loss of four wickets in the allotted 50 overs, with Virat Kohli scoring 117 and Shreyas Iyer scoring 105 runs. Apart from this, KL Rahul remained unbeaten with 39 runs while Surya Kumar Yadav scored one run.

Tim Southee took three wickets and Trent Boult took one wicket for New Zealand.

New Zealand’s inning:

In pursuit of India’s target of 398 runs, Daryl Mitchell played an innings of 134 runs but he too could not take his team to the final.

Kane Williamson scored 69 runs while Glenn Phillips was dismissed for 41 runs, and Dion Conway and Rachin Ravindra scored 13 runs respectively.

Chasing the target, the entire team of New Zealand was bowled out for 327 runs in 48.5 overs and thus India won the match by 70 runs and qualified for the final of the World Cup.

For India, Mohammad Shami took 7 wickets for 57 runs in 9.5 overs while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav took one wicket each.