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  • ‘Made zero sense to me’: Alex Hales on England cancelling Pakistan tour

    ‘Made zero sense to me’: Alex Hales on England cancelling Pakistan tour

    England’s opening batter Alex Hales has criticised the English Cricket Board for cancelling their scheduled tour to Pakistan last year, saying that the cancellation made zero sense to him.

    Hales, who last represented England in 2019, is currently playing for Islamabad United in the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He said that Pakistan helped England in challenging times during the pandemic but the ECB did not reciprocate.

    “Pakistan came to England during Covid, helped out the ECB massively, so for them to cancel that tour made absolutely zero sense to me whatsoever,” he said.

    Hales, who has toured the country numerous times, said ‘it’s a great place to come and play cricket’, and also lauded the hospitality and passion of the people.

    “I have been here four or five times now and get looked after really well,” he said.

    “Every time we come here, the people are very hospitable and the cricket is always really good. The fans here are crazy for it. So it’s a great place to come and play cricket,” he added.

    It is should be noted that both England’s men’s and women’s sides were set to play two T20Is, with the latter staying on for three ODIs in September 2021.

    The ECB cited protecting ‘the mental and physical well-being’ of its players and staff as well as “increasing concerns about travelling to the region” as reasons for opting out in a statement explaining the cancellation.

    Earlier, it was announced that England will play two additional Twenty20s during their tour to Pakistan this year. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Tom Harrison promised in his tour to Pakistan.

  • ‘I cried’: Hasan Ali on Matthew Wade’s drop catch in T20 WC

    ‘I cried’: Hasan Ali on Matthew Wade’s drop catch in T20 WC

    Pakistan’s right-arm fast bowler Hassan Ali has recently opened up about Matthew Wade’s drop catch in the T20 World Cup. The pacer said that he cried after dropping that catch.

    In an interview, Hassan revealed that he cried after that incident and so did Shaheen following the dropped catch.

    “After the match, I was crying and so was Shaheen, it was an extremely sad moment,” said Hassan.

    Hassan also revealed that he ‘wasn’t able to sleep for days’, terming it as the toughest phase of his career.

    “It was a tough moment of my career and it was quite difficult for me to forget. I haven’t revealed this to anyone until now but I didn’t sleep for two days, my wife was with me and she was tense as I was not sleeping,” he said.

    “Shoaib bhai came to me and told me that you are a tiger and that I shouldn’t fall. In addition to that, I also received a lot of support on social media which helped me ease through the pain,” he said.

    He went on to say that he was gutted following that costly dropped catch but he decided to move on while travelling to Bangladesh briefly after Pakistan’s exit from the mega event.

    “I was quiet and sitting at the side as the dropped catch was appearing in my mind continuously but while travelling to Bangladesh I told myself that I should move on,” he said.

    Hassan also added that the 27-year-old pacer does not take the matches lightly and always tries to perform for Pakistan.

    It is pertinent to mention here, following that dropped catch from Hassan, Wade smashed three consecutive sixes to Shaheen and powered his side to the victory which also booked a final berth for the Kangaroos.

  • Josh Hazelwood will not be surprised if some Australian players skip Pak tour

    Josh Hazelwood will not be surprised if some Australian players skip Pak tour

    Australian fast bowler Josh Hazelwood has said on Wednesday he would not be surprised if security fears prompt some players to opt out of the upcoming Pakistan tour, as he eyes a comeback to the national team after recovering from injury.

    A media report last week said many in the Australian camp were apprehensive about whether Pakistan would be safe.

    Hazlewood said Cricket Australia’s reassurances had eased his concern.

    “There’s a lot of things in place and there’s been a lot of work in the background … so the trust is quite high there from the players,” Hazlewood told cricket.com.au.

    “But there’d certainly be some concerns from the players and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them don’t make the tour.

    “And that’s very fair. People will discuss it with their families … and come up with an answer and everyone respects that.”

    Read More – Australian A-List cricketers to miss Sri Lanka tour to prepare for Pak series

    Hazlewood, 31, part of a 16-man Australian squad for the five-match Twenty20 home series against Sri Lanka starting on Feb 11, is raring to go after missing all but the first Test in the recent Ashes series.

    Sidelined by a side strain after the first Test in Brisbane, he was forced to watch on as his teammates celebrated a 4-0 series shellacking.

    “I’ve certainly had a typical side strain, where you tear your oblique (muscle), you can’t bowl another ball and are out for at least six or seven weeks,” he said.

    “This one was different … the strength came back really quickly, and I could do a lot of things in the gym. It was just bowling, that dynamic movement, that caused a bit of grief. It was an unusual one.”

    Long part of Australia’s three-pronged pace attack with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Hazlewood has taken 215 test wickets at an average of 25 runs per wicket.

    But he must now wrest his test place back from Scott Boland, who took 18 wickets in three Tests, including an unlikely haul of six wickets for seven in the second innings of his debut.

    Australia are scheduled to play three Tests, three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 starting on March 3 in their first trip to Pakistan in 24 years.

  • PSL ‘not far off the IPL’ in terms of quality of cricket, says Michael Vaughan

    PSL ‘not far off the IPL’ in terms of quality of cricket, says Michael Vaughan

    Pakistan is hosting the seventh edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the excitement on social media is something that cannot be missed. Former English captain Michael Vaughan is quite impressed with the PSL and has said that it is the second-best league in the world after the Indian Premier League (IPL).

    “Pakistan Super league is the 2nd best T20 Tournament in the World .. it’s not far off the IPL either .. Outstanding standard of cricket,” Vaughan wrote on Twitter.

    Multan Sultans posted 217 runs, the highest total of PSL history on Tuesday and Shadab Khan’s fighting 91 off 42 balls went in vain for Islamabad United, as Sultans maintained their perfect start to the season by clinching a high-scoring match by 20 runs in Karachi.

    Shadab’s high-octane innings, in which he cracked five fours and nine sixes, tried to keep his side floating in the massive chase but the Sherus kept on losing wickets at regular intervals.

    Earlier, Tim David and Rilee Rossouw set Sultans up for a huge total by adding 110 for the fourth wicket in less than eight overs. David hammered 71 from only 29 balls on his way to smashing six fours and sixes each, while Rossouw hit an unbeaten 67 off 35 deliveries with four fours and six maximums.

    PSL and IPL are two of the biggest cricket leagues in the world with big names playing in the leagues. The quality of cricket that is played is also something to look out for.

  • Viral dancer on PSL song opens up about his dream profession

    Viral dancer on PSL song opens up about his dream profession

    Wasif Ghafoor, a young boy who became an overnight star after a video of him dancing on the Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem, ‘Agay Dekh’ says he has big dreams.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Geo Pakistan’, Ghafoor revealed that he wanted to be a cricketer. Ghafoor said,” Singing is my passion and I have a craze for cricket.”

    Revealing his passion for cricket, Ghafoor said, “I said goodbye to cricket when I was not supported,” he said, adding that he later joined a pharmaceutical company in the city.

    When asked if he made special preparation for the dance on the PSL anthem, the youth replied that he is not a “professional dancer,” adding that his performance on the PSL anthem was simply in the heat of the moment.

    Praising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja for holding such a mega sports event in the country, he said: “I will be available for all PSL matches if asked.”

    Ghafoor maintained that he was not expecting that his dance performance on the PSL anthem will go viral. He said that people sitting in the enclosure told him that he has gone viral on the internet and started taking selfies with him.

    Ghafoor said that he only realized that he has gone viral when he started getting phone calls from his friends.

  • Naseem Shah wants to make it as big as these two former cricketers

    Naseem Shah wants to make it as big as these two former cricketers

    18-year-old Naseem Shah picked up a five-wicket haul in Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Karachi Kings on Saturday (January 29). The cricketer recently appeared on a talk show and shared his bowling techniques and plans and revealed his dream of a glorious future.

    In conversation with Shafaat Ali on his YouTube show Standing at Silly with Shafaat Ali, Naseem while talking about the possibility of a hat-trick, said: “When I took two wickets and there was a chance of a third one, I tried my 100 per cent to get a T20 hat-trick but the ball went a little outside. I wanted to bowl an out-swing as I already took two slips and wanted a snick but due to less movement of ball, I missed it.”

    While talking about his bowling techniques, Shah added: “We do plan in a meeting before match and we watch videos of different batsmen and bowling coaches and discuss what should be done for a specific batter. I also have a plan of my own. I don’t focus on their strengths, I just focus on my strengths. I have bowled according to my plan and Alhamdulillah I was successful”.

    On a question about his future plan and who does he look up to, Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Akhtar, and who does he want to become like, Naseem said that he does not want to become like them in the future. He wants his name as big as them so people can take his name along with them. “I want to become like Naseem Shah and want my name as big as them,” he said.

    Naseem picked up his first five-wicket haul in the PSL and the youngster continues to impress with his raw pace.

  • ‘Give everyone complex,’ suggests Sania Mirza to Shoaib Malik

    ‘Give everyone complex,’ suggests Sania Mirza to Shoaib Malik

    Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has recently wished her husband and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on his 40th birthday. Sania also asked Shoaib to give everyone a complex by looking young.

    “Happy Birthday from us to you. May you continue to age backwards and give everyone a complex including me,” wrote Sania on Instagram while sharing a selfie with Shoaib and their son Izhaan.

    Shoaib Malik is the most loved cricketer of Pakistan and there is almost no role in a cricket side that Shoaib hasn’t filled. He has played international cricket in each of the last four decades.

    The all-rounder has so far represented Pakistan in 446 matches, scoring 11,867 runs. He has taken 218 wickets.

    Several colleagues and friends wished the 40-year-‘young’ cricketer on his birthday.

    https://twitter.com/YasirKhanReal/status/1488395717093871619?t=DygryG-HLehsWr9751LREg&s=19

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also shared a video featuring some of the best smashes by Pakistan’s star cricketer to wish him a happy birthday.

  • Is Shahnawaz Dahani ‘overrated’? Divided battle rages on Twitter

    Is Shahnawaz Dahani ‘overrated’? Divided battle rages on Twitter

    Young pacer from Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Multan Sultans Shahnawaz Dahani on Monday failed to impress fans with his bowling figures and the recent spanking in the match against Quetta Gladiators pushed him in hot waters as Pakistani Twitter is discussing if Dahani is overrated.

    Dahani was less accurate in the penultimate over and fortunate not to see more slot balls dispatched, leaking 15 in his six deliveries. While he conceaded 33 runs in his two overs.

    We have collected some reactions of the Twitterati, where they are discussing that if the young pacer needs to improve his game while some are suggesting to give him another chance. Have a look:

    David Willey’s last over wickets and Shan Masood’s 88-run knock sealed the deal for the Sultans. The Gladiators were smelling victory in the last over as they needed eight runs from six balls, but Willey did not let them get the better of the Sultans at the National Stadium.

    Willey dismissed two players, Sohail Tanvir (13) and Naseem Shah (1) to take Sultans to a 6-run victory, as Gladiators were all-out at 168, with a ball remaining.

    Khushdil Shah, Willey, and Imran Tahir picked up three wickets.

    Earlier, in the match against Lahore Qalandars, the pacer from Larkana had conceaded 44 runs in his 4 overs, taking only one wicket.

  • Babar Azam has best cover drive in world cricket: Brett Lee

    Babar Azam has best cover drive in world cricket: Brett Lee

    Australia’s fastest pacer Brett Lee, in conversation with Pakistan’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar, has said that Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam strike is the best cover drive in world cricket.

    Australian great Brett Lee has also praised the 27-year-old for his consistency and a classy cover drive.

    “Babar Azam: I mean what a technique. What an amazing technique,” Lee said in a video shared by legendary fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

    “When you talk about cover drives, I think he could have the best cover drive in world cricket,” the former pace added.

    Former Pakistani speedster Akhtar shared this video on his Twitter acount. “My fellow speedster @BrettLee_58 about @babarazam258 . This and more, coming soon,” he captioned.

    A few months back, International Cricket Council (ICC) conducted a poll on their official Twitter account, asking fans to pick the player who plays the best cover drive in which Babar edged former Indian captain Virat Kohli, English captain Joe Root and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.

    A total of 260,143 people voted in the poll in which the Pakistani cricketer garnered around 46 per cent votes. He was closely followed by Kohli, who finished second by a whisker.

  • Shahid Afridi recovers from Covid-19, announce Quetta Gladiators

    Shahid Afridi recovers from Covid-19, announce Quetta Gladiators

    Pakistan’s former captain Shahid Afridi has recovered from Covid-19, Quetta Gladiators’ manager Azam Khan announced on Monday.

    Khan said that Afridi will arrive at the team hotel tomorrow (Tuesday) where his rapid antigen test (RAT) will be conducted and if the test comes back negative, he will join the team in their match against Islamabad United on February 3.

    It is pertinent to mention here that Afridi’s PCR test returned negative on Sunday for the second time.

    Read More – Shahid Afridi to miss the first few matches of PSL 7 due to back injury

    A few days ago, Afridi had tested positive for the virus, after which he had to isolate himself following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Covid-19 protocols.

    On Saturday, the Gladiators had requested the technical committee to be given Hassan Khan as a replacement for Afridi, reported The News.

    As per the media outlet, Hassan will also be available for selection for Quetta’s game against Multan Sultans today (Monday).

    The report added, if Afridi cleared his rapid antigen test, he will join the team and Hassan would return to the bubble.