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Category: Sports

  • Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan cricket team captain

    Babar Azam steps down as Pakistan cricket team captain

    Pakistan cricket team captain Babar Azam has announced that he is stepping down as the captain of Pakistan in all formats.

    “It’s a difficult decision but I feel it is a right time for this call,” Babar said in a statement he posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday evening.

    Babar said that he will continue to represent Pakistan as a player in all three formats.

    “I am here to support the new captain and the team with my experience and dedication,” added Babar.

    Babar and the team have come under heavy criticism from fans, former players and analysts alike, after a disappointing World Cup campaign in which Pakistan failed to make it to the semi-finals while losing five of its nine group matches.

  • Harbhajan Singh slams Inzamam ul Haq for suggesting that he was converting to Islam

    Harbhajan Singh slams Inzamam ul Haq for suggesting that he was converting to Islam

    Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh took to social media to express his displeasure over the viral story shared by former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq during an interview.

    Haq claimed that Harbhajan Singh was infatuated with Maulana Tariq Jameel and even thought of converting to Islam.

    According to Inzamam, the incident took place when cricketers, including Harbhajan were participating in prayer meetings led by Maulana Tariq Jameel. Inzamam said that after witnessing the session, Harbhajan praised Maulana Tariq Jameel and expressed his desire to follow his teachings. Inzamam-ul-Haq said, “We had a room where prayers were offered.

    Maulana Tariq Jameel used to visit us in the evening and lead prayers. After a few days, Irfan Pathan, Mohammad Kaif and Zaheer Khan also started coming. Four other Indian cricketers were sitting and watching us.” He added that Harbhajan, who did not know about Tariq Jameel being a Maulana, said that he was inspired by the man and wanted to follow his words.

    However, Harbhajan denied the whole story in a social media post, saying that the story is false. Harbhajan asserted his identity as a “proud Sikh” and denied claims he was considering converting to Islam.

  • Babar Azam’s place is not in T20: Imad and Amir’s opinion

    Babar Azam’s place is not in T20: Imad and Amir’s opinion

    Cricketers Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir say that Babar Azam’s place is not in T20 team.

    Fast bowler Muhammad Amir Imad Wasim and former cricketer Abdul Razzaq participated in the Geo News program ‘Harna Muni Hai’, during which Abdul Razzaq while talking about Babar Azam’s captaincy, said that if I am given the option, I will make Babar Azam the Test captain only.

    Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir said Babar Azam’s place is not in T20. Imad Wasim said that there is no doubt that there is grouping in the team, changes will have to be made in the team for the Champions Trophy.

    It should be noted that Babar Azam’s captaincy has ended after the defeat in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India. Test, ODI, and T20 captain Babar Azam will now play as a player.

  • BCCI under fire for switching pitches in semi-final match

    BCCI under fire for switching pitches in semi-final match

    The first semi-final of the World Cup 2023 between India and New Zealand is to be played today, but news circulating on social media that India has changed the pitch surface for the semi-final game, has led to controversy even before the first ball has been bowled.

    According to Daily Mail sources, India has changed the pitch surface ahead of the semi-final game against New Zealand. A fresh pitch had to be used for the crucial match but now Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has changed the pitch surface to a slower pitch to make it easy for their spin trio, Kuldeep, Jadeja, and Ashwin, and make the match more difficult for the New Zealand seamers.

    Indian Express sources have said that Indian team officials asked BCCI curators to remove grass from the pitch and make it slow for the match against New Zealand without the permission of International Cricket Council (ICC).

    A WhatsApp message is circulating in (ICC) and BCCI officials group that Pitch number seven was to be used for the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which was not used earlier, but now the match has been shifted to pitch six, on which India bowled out the Sri Lankan team for just 55 runs.

    ICC pitch consultant Andy Atkinson said that when he asked BCCI who authorized these changes they said it was GCA (Gujrat Cricket Association). “But when I asked GCA, they said we are working under BCCI and these changes were directly asked by the Indian team management.”

    Andy Atkinson is frustrated that the pitch for India vs New Zealand semifinal was changed at the last moment.

    A leaked email from Atkinson speculated “This is the first ever ICC CWC final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.”

    “Or will it be selected or prepared without favoritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?”

    English former cricketer Michel Vaughan also wrote on X, “The World Cup semi-final should be played on a fresh pitch, its simple as that.”

  • Did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment’: Abdul Razzaq apologises to Aishwarya Rai for sexist comment

    Did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment’: Abdul Razzaq apologises to Aishwarya Rai for sexist comment

    Former cricketer Abdul Razzaq sparked outrage on Tuesday when a video of him passing degrading comments about Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai went viral. Former cricketers Shahid Afridi and Umer Gul were sitting with Razzaq at a panel where the current team’s performance was being discussed. They could be seen laughing at the misogynistic statement.

    Several X (formerly Twitter) users described their disgust by slamming the cricket player as sexist.

    Razzaq has now apologised for his comments, saying that he did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment.

    “Yesterday, we were talking about cricket coaching and intentions. I had a slip of tongue and mistakenly took Aishwarya Rai’s name while I was supposed to give another example. I apologise to her personally. I did not intend to hurt anyone’s sentiment,” Abdul responded.

    Shahid Afridi also apologised for laughing at Abdul’s sexist remark. Speaking to a private news channel, the former captain revealed he laughed because everyone was enjoying the moment.

    “I saw the clip when I went home and realised that Abdul Razzaq made a wrong statment. I knew he had a mike in his hand and will say something. He has a habit of getting beaten by shoes. I will just text him tio apologize for what he said as it was wrong.”

  • Babar Azam to be removed from captaincy, Geo sources say

    Babar Azam to be removed from captaincy, Geo sources say

    Babar Azam’s captaincy will end after the defeat in the ICC World Cup 2023 in India, Geo News has said.

    According to Geo sources, Test, ODI, and T20 captain Babar Azam will now play as a batsman and not captain. If Babar Azam resigns as captain, the board will accept it, but nonetheless, the board has decided to remove Babar Azam from the captaincy.

    According to Yahya Hussaini, Shan Masood is a strong candidate to become the Test captain on the tour of Australia, while Shaheen Afridi is a leading contender for T20 leadership in the tour of New Zealand. Shaheen Afridi will be the captain of Pakistan in the 2024 ICC World T20.

    It should be noted that in the ongoing Cricket World Cup in India, the Pakistan team could not make it to the semi-finals and lost five of their nine matches.

  • PCB considers names for replacement of foreign coaching staff

    PCB considers names for replacement of foreign coaching staff

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has started considering names for replacement of foreign coaching staff.

    According to sources, Director of Cricket Mickey Arthur, coach Grant Bradburn, and batting coach Andrew Potek are likely to leave their positions.

    PCB has agreed to have local coaches instead of foreign coaches, leading to a series of meetings between Chairman PCB Management Committee Zaka Ashraf and former captains.

    Morne Morkel, bowling coach of the Pakistan cricket team, resigned on Monday.

  • Abdul Razzaq’s misogynist statement during event slammed on social media

    Abdul Razzaq’s misogynist statement during event slammed on social media

    Former cricketer Abdul Razzaq is facing severe criticism after passing misogynistic and gross comments about Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai during a media interaction.

    When questioned about the team’s performance in the World Cup, Razzaq talked about former captain Younis Khan and his neeyat [intentions].

    “I took confidence from Younis Khan’s neeyat. I got the determination to do something, and thank God I delivered there,” he begun.

    Flanked on both sides by former fast bowler Umar Gul and former captain Shahid Afridi, Razzaq then spoke about the criticism on the team.

    “It is not our neeyat that something should be polished or players should be developed. If your thinking is that you should marry Aishwarya Rai and give birth to a pious child, that will never happen.”

    Both Gul and Afridi started clapping after he passed the comments.

    Allaying concerns about the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Razzaq used a shocking analogy to criticize their conduct. Abdul Razzaq said, “If you think that marrying Aishwarya Rai will produce a good and pious child, then it will never happen”.

    Notably, Shahid Afridi was seen laughing and clapping in response to Razzaq’s remarks instead of condemning or blocking them.

    The internet though is having none of it. Users were outraged and slammed Razzaq online:

  • Kapil Dev speaks up in Babar Azam’s support

    Kapil Dev speaks up in Babar Azam’s support

    Indian cricket legend Kapil Dev has spoken up against the criticism of Pakistan captain Babar Azam after the team failed to make it to the semi finals of the World Cup.

    Pakistani cricketers, including the captain, are being severely criticized by former players and social media users. Some former Pakistani players have also advised Babar to leave the captaincy so that he can focus on his batting.

    During a podcast, Kapil Dev said, “Because of the current performance of the team, people are taunting Babar Azam, criticizing him, but remember that this is the same player who brought Pakistan to the number one ranked team a month ago”.

    He said, “People are watching Babar today because he did not perform well but they forgot yesterday when he was performing. Don’t judge a player based on his current performance, see how he plays, how much passion and talent he has, a player can get out on the first ball, there is no batsman like that in the world who could not get out on the first ball”.

  • Shahid Afridi wants Babar Azam to lead team on Australia tour

    Shahid Afridi wants Babar Azam to lead team on Australia tour

    Former captain of the national cricket team Shahid Afridi has said that Babar Azam should lead the team on the tour of Australia scheduled to begin in December.

    Speaking at the event in Karachi, Shahid Afridi said “We have time to decide, I had a lot of hope from this team, we did not perform according to our skills. You need to work on grassroots cricket. Babar Azam should lead the tour of Australia, in big events you have to take the pressure, if you make so many mistakes then you can’t win.”

    Former captain and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said that the country had focused on T20 cricket for a long time, playing fewer Tests and less first-class cricket.

    Rashid Latif said, “Our fast bowlers did not bowl well in the World Cup. If the spinners were good, the result could have been different. Not only the players but the management should also be questioned”.