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Category: Sports

  • India hands Australia first defeat since 1988 at Brisbane’s Gabba ground

    India handed Australia their first defeat since 1988 at Brisbane’s Gabba ground, allowing them to clinch the four-Test series 2-1 to win the Border-Gavaskar trophy on Tuesday.

    Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant starred with a swashbuckling 89 not out as the injury-depleted visitors overhauled the 328-run target with three overs to go, winning by three wickets.

    Australia had not been beaten at the Gabba since falling to Viv Richards’ all-conquering West Indies side by nine wickets in November 1988.

    Since then, Australia had played 31 test matches at The Gabba, winning 24 of them, while drawing the remaining seven.

    “Last time Australia lost a Gabba Test… George H.W. Bush had just won the US Presidential election, Bad Medicine by Bon Jovi was charting #1, Virat Kohli was 16 days old and Sachin Tendulkar was still one year away from making his Test debut,” wrote ICC on Twitter.

    India’s 329 for seven also smashed the 69-year-old record for the biggest run-chase at the Gabba, set by Australia who scored 236 for seven to beat the West Indies in 1951.

    The series win was a remarkable achievement considering India were bowled out for their lowest Test score of 36 to lose the first Test in Adelaide, before bouncing back to win the second in Melbourne.

    The visitors, ravaged by injuries and captain Virat Kohli’s absence for paternity leave, then batted throughout the final day to draw the third Test in Sydney.

    “It really means a lot to us. I don’t know how to describe this victory but I’m really proud of all the boys,” said India’s interim skipper Ajinkya Rahane. “They showed character, attitude, especially after the Adelaide Test match. We decided we’re going to fight really hard and we just wanted to give our best.”

    Man-of-the-match Pant, who played a similar innings in the drawn Sydney Test, blasted his 89 from 138 balls with nine fours and a six.

    His innings followed an equally impressive knock from 21-year-old Shubman Gill, who made 91 at the top of the order earlier in the day.

    Before the latest match, India had played six test matches at The Gabba, losing five of them with one draw. In their seventh outing on the ground, they managed to beat Australia and with this win, India moved to the top of the ICC World Test Championship ranking list.

    Meanwhile, Kohli congratulated the team and the board on their historic win.

  • Mohammad Amir will be available for Pakistan on one condition

    Mohammad Amir will be available for Pakistan on one condition

    Mohammad Amir has clarified that he will be available for Pakistan on one condition.

    In a tweet, the fast bowler wrote: “I would like to clarify that yes I will be available for Pakistan only once this management leaves. So please stop spreading fake news just to sell your story.”

    Widely regarded as one of the most destructive fast bowlers of the Green Army in the modern era, Amir had shocked the entire cricket fraternity when he opted to bid farewell to international cricket following his ouster from the Pakistani limited-overs squad for the New Zealand series last year. 

    Amir had already retired from the longest format before he quit international cricket alleging ‘mental torture’ by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). According to the latest developments, the out-of-favour Pakistani cricketer has volunteered to come out of retirement in order to play for the Azam-led side on the international circuit.

    Read more – PCB, cricketing greats among others react to Amir’s exit

    Meanwhile, according to the Pakistani journalists, the pacer will only make a comeback to play for the National team if Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis are removed from office. While Misbah is the current head coach of the Babar Azam-led side, Younis is the bowling chief.

    Earlier, Babar Azam had backed coach Misbah by defending the management’s decision to snub the pacer from the national squad. Azam had asserted that Amir’s performances were not up to the mark.

    Misbah and Waqar said that Amir’s recent performances have been really poor and he does not warrant a place in the squad. They did, however, say that Amir will be welcomed back into the team if he is able to perform better in the domestic circuit. However, Amir rubbished this statement as well, saying that they are portraying a different picture to take the blame off their backs.

    The 28-year-old speedster has played 36 Tests, 61 One Day International (ODIs), and as many as 50 T20Is for the Pakistani national team. Amir also plied his trade with Galle Gladiators in the inaugural Lanka Premier League (LPL).

  • IN PICTURES: South Africa cricket team arrives in Pakistan

    The South African cricket team has arrived in Pakistan to play two tests and three T20 international matches. It is the first tour by the cricket team since 2007. The South African team is led by Quinton de Kock.

    As per reports, the visiting side has cleared two COVID-19 tests before coming to Pakistan and will be tested again for COVID-19. Till then, the squad will remain in quarantine. However, they will be allowed to practice after testing negative for coronavirus.

    According to an official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): “The South African team will be training at the Karachi Gymkhana cricket ground from January 17-22 in a biosecure bubble before moving to National Stadium for a full-fledged training session.”

    Both sides will undergo another round of COVID-19 testing before the first test match.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan cricket team will reach Karachi on January 19 and commence their practice session from January 21.

    Earlier on Friday, the board announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players.

    The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8, T20 fixtures will be played in Lahore from 11th February to 14th of February.

  • Nine uncapped players included in 20-player Pakistan Test squad against SA

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 20-player squad for the Test series against South Africa (SA). As per details, the squad includes nine uncapped players. Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, and Shan Masood have been dropped by the selection committee, while Hasan Ali has been included in the Test squad after two years.

    The 20-player squad includes:

    Openers – Abid Ali (Central Punjab), Abdullah Shafique (Central Punjab) and Imran Butt (Balochistan)

    Middle-order batsmen – Azhar Ali (Central Punjab), Babar Azam (captain, Central Punjab), Fawad Alam (Sindh), Kamran Ghulam (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Salman Ali Agha (Southern Punjab) and Saud Shakeel (Sindh)

    All-rounders – Faheem Ashraf (Central Punjab) and Mohammad Nawaz (Northern)

    Wicketkeepers – Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Sarfaraz Ahmed (Sindh)

    Spinners – Nauman Ali (Northern), Sajid Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Yasir Shah (Balochistan)

    Fast bowlers – Haris Rauf (Northern), Hasan Ali (Central Punjab), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Tabish Khan (Sindh)

    Talking about the selection of uncapped players, Chief selector Muhammad Wasim said, “I want to congratulate all the uncapped players who have made it to the 20-player Pakistan Test squad. These nine players are now just a step away from representing Pakistan in the pinnacle format of the game. As such, they have an outstanding opportunity to step-up show their class and potential and perform strongly so that they can cement their places for future international assignments.

    He further added: “Sohail, Abbas, and Masood have been dropped due to inconsistent performances. However, the PCB will not let its investment in these talented players go to waste and will invite them to the High-Performance Centre so that they can work out their technical flaws and get back into contention,”

    South Africa will tour Pakistan this month for the first time in 14 years to play two tests and three Twenty20 Internationals. The five-day matches will be staged in Karachi from January 26-30 and in Rawalpindi from February 4-8.

  • VIDEO: Shoaib Akhtar thrashes Pakistani advertisements

    VIDEO: Shoaib Akhtar thrashes Pakistani advertisements

    Pakistani former cricketer, Shoaib Akhtar has thrashed Pakistan’s corporate advertisements in a live sports show.

    Insulting the advertisements shown on television, the pacer said: “[The] world’s pathetic advertisements are made in Pakistan.”

    “You can imagine the capacity of our elite class that their brains are filled with trash, filled with trash,” he expressed. “They have no creativity.”

    “There’s an ad of 4G and a guy is running very fast and jumps off a cliff and stands there. I thought it’s an advertisement of shoes but turns out it’s about a faster 4G connection,” he said.

    Akhtar continued: “In another one, two cricketers are dancing on a track about a girl welcoming her beloved. How silly is it to have two cricketers dance on this? A guest cricketer has come and the other one is receiving him and that track is being played.”

    “I think their brains have stopped working. This the corporate ads culture?,” he lamented.

    While the host tried to ask him about South Africa’s tour to Pakistan, Akhtar ignored and continued to share his thoughts on Pakistani adverts.

    “You have seen that world’s pathetic ads are being made here,” said Akhtar, before going on to share his experience of producing an advertisement for a car.

    “I was offered to work in a car advertisement,” said Akhtar. “I told them that I will produce the ad. If you like it, you can keep it. Otherwise, I don’t want you to make this advertisement.”

    He continued: “They agreed and we made the advertisement and they loved it. The ad got millions of views and when they showed me their original concept for the same ad, I said: ‘Shame on you for your pathetic concept’.”

    Akhtar is well-known for his aggression on and off the field, and this time, the legend didn’t shy away from slamming corporate organisations for their advertisements and the advertisement culture of Pakistan.

  • VIDEO: Did woman who accused Babar Azam of harassment really drop charges?

    VIDEO: Did woman who accused Babar Azam of harassment really drop charges?

    A woman who had accused Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam of sexual and financial abuse has allegedly signed an affidavit, saying that allegations levelled against Babar Azam were “baseless”, an undated video suggested on Friday.

    In the video, the woman — who claimed to be Azam’s ex-girlfriend — can be seen signing an affidavit. The lawyer representing Babar Azam to confirm that she didn’t know Babar Azam and that she accused him of sexual misconduct at the behest of “some friends”.

    But did that really happen?

    Well, some say the undated video is two years old and it was being shared at this time to influence the trial. A Facebook page of a journalist shared audio messages of the woman, wherein she said that the video was two-year old and was being used by Azam to “blackmail her”.

    She said she did reach a settlement with Babar Azam in 2018, but in return, Babar had promised to marry her. This video has also been submitted in the court by Babar Azam, but the judge raised questions on its admissibility, she added.

    On Thursday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had also summoned Babar Azam.

    CASE AGAINST BABAR:

    In December 2020, police had given a clean chit to Babar in the harassment case. According to reports, Additional Sessions Judge Nauman Naeem had taken up the petition of Hamiza Mukhtar against the Pakistani skipper.

    The hearing had come after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of Media and Communications Samiul Hassan said that the sexual violence allegations against skipper Babar were a personal matter and the board could not comment on it.

    According to Jang, the board’s spokesperson was responding to a question posed by the Urdu daily after a damning press conference by one Hamiza of Lahore, who claims to be Babar’s schoolfellow and neighbour.

    Addressing the presser, the woman had claimed that the young cricketer tricked her into love and marriage.

    “When I asked him to marry me, he tortured me,” she said.

    Hamiza said that she had financially supported Babar when he was struggling with his career, adding that she spent millions of rupees on him.

    “When I called the PCB to lodge a complaint, they said that it was a personal matter,” she continued.

    During the proceedings in the sessions court, the counsel of the petitioner sought time to submit documents in the court and said that the entire case was based on medical reports.

    Azam’s counsel, Barrister Harris Azmat, while requesting the court to reject the petitioner’s plea, said that Azam was a national cricketer and hero, adding that Hamiza had started blackmailing the national cricket team captain in 2016 whereas the police had cleared him in an investigation.

    Police also submitted an investigation report in the court, as per which the national cricketer was found innocent and the woman was leveling baseless allegations.

    “The court should reject the petitioner’s plea,” he had said.

    Barrister Azmat said that Azam’s case was being covered by Indian media and the woman may have targeted the national cricketer once again at the behest of someone.

  • Babar Azam summoned by FIA over claims by ‘ex-girlfriend’

    Babar Azam summoned by FIA over claims by ‘ex-girlfriend’

    Cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has summoned Pakistan cricket team skipper Babar Azam over sexual and financial abuse accusations by the woman who claims to be his ex-girlfriend. 

    Babar, 26, was summoned on Thursday but excused from visiting the officials due to some engagements.

    The star batsman requested the FIA to reschedule the summons, after which he has been asked to appear before the agency next week.

    On Wednesday, he started net practice at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) after missing out all the matches of Pakistan against New Zealand owing to thumb injury. Babar’s thumb was injured during net practice in Queens Town on December 12.

    Despite missing out on all the matches, Babar remained with the team in New Zealand.

    The New Zealand series was Babar’s first as Test captain and now he has to lead Pakistan in the home series against South Africa starting from January 26 with the first Test scheduled to be played in Karachi. The second Test is scheduled to be played in Rawalpindi from February 4 following which the two teams will play three T20Is in Lahore from February 11 to 14.

    CASE AGAINST BABAR:

    In December 2020, police had given a clean chit to Babar in the harassment case against him.

    According to reports, Additional Sessions Judge Nauman Naeem had taken up the petition of a woman, namely Hameeza Mukhtar, against the Pakistani skipper.

    The hearing had come after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director of Media and Communications Samiul Hassan said that the sexual violence allegations against skipper Babar were a personal matter and the board could not comment on it.

    According to Jang, the board’s spokesperson was responding to a question posed by the Urdu daily after a damning press conference by one Hamiza of Lahore, who claims to be Babar’s schoolfellow and neighbour.

    Addressing the presser, the woman had claimed that the young cricketer tricked her into love and marriage.

    “When I asked him to marry me, he tortured me,” she said.

    Hamiza said that she had financially supported Babar when he was struggling with his career, adding that she spent millions of rupees on him.

    “When I called the PCB to lodge a complaint, they said that it was a personal matter,” she continued.

    During the proceedings in the sessions court, the counsel of the petitioner sought time to submit documents in the court and said that the entire case was based on medical reports.

    Azam’s counsel, Barrister Harris Azmat, while requesting the court to reject the petitioner’s plea, said that Azam was a national cricketer and hero, adding that Hameeza had started blackmailing the national cricket team captain in 2016 whereas the police had cleared him in an investigation.

    Police also submitted an investigation report in the court, as per which the national cricketer was found innocent and the woman was leveling baseless allegations.

    “The court should reject the petitioner’s plea,” he had said.

    Barrister Azmat said that Azam’s case was being covered by Indian media and the woman may have targeted the national cricketer once again at the behest of someone.

  • Amir rubbishes Misbah & Waqar’s explanations over his retirement

    Amir rubbishes Misbah & Waqar’s explanations over his retirement

    Head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, and bowling coach Waqar Younis, in a recent media briefing, said that Mohammad Amir’s exclusion from the team was only due to his poor performance and refuted his claims of not selecting him due to personal dislike

    In response, Mohammad Amir hit back at the duo, saying that they are portraying a different picture to take the blame off their backs.

    Responding to cricket journalist Shoaib Jutt, who asked him to “please tell now what was that [mental] torture”, Amir said that Misbah and Waqar have twisted the whole scenario and that he will respond to their claims in due time.

    Amir recently retired from all formats of international cricket, claiming he was mentally tortured by the current team management. He said that he will not play international cricket under this management.

    Amir was dropped from the team in the series against Zimbabwe and was also not part of the 35-man squad for the tour of New Zealand.

    Misbah and Waqar said that Amir’s recent performances have been really poor and he does not warrant a place in the squad. They did, however, say that Amir will be welcomed back into the team if he is able to perform better in the domestic circuit.

    Meanwhile, according to reports, Misbah and Waqar’s future is to be decided after the South Africa series. The coaches were under fire after the Kiwis thrashed Pakistan, with the Men in Green winning only one out of three T20Is, and losing both matches of the Test series.

  • The internet cannot get enough of Kamran Akmal’s workout

    The internet cannot get enough of Kamran Akmal’s workout

    If there is someone who truly knows how to stay in the headlines without even trying, it is Kamran Akmal.

    The cricketer, who was recently “shocked and disappointed” with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for ignoring him, has been sharing videos of himself training and working out at the gym to demonstrate his fitness.

    All was going well for Kamran until he posted a video of himself doing hip thrusts while his trainer Zeeshan stood on him. Soon after the video was posted, Twitter couldn’t get enough of Kami Bhai and his workout. Check out some of the reactions below:

    https://twitter.com/painduraja/status/1349082906908569600?s=20
    https://twitter.com/GhostOfDiaby/status/1349020170992422913?s=20

    Some social media users couldn’t help poking fun at senior journalist Ansar Abbasi by tagging him and asking him to take action. Abbasi had earlier been criticised for urging Prime Minister Imran Khan and Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz to take notice of a woman exercising on state-owned Pakistan Television (PTV) News.

    https://twitter.com/daanistan/status/1349103227216785410?s=20

    Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out The Current‘s exclusive interview with Kami Bhai. You will not regret watching this video. Promise.

  • ‘Can’t imagine my life without your love’: Hassan Ali pens heartfelt note for wife

    Hassan Ali has expressed his love for wife Samiya in a heartfelt post on Instagram. The couple is expecting their first child together.

    Sharing a picture of the two, Hassan said: “A change is going to happen in our life but it’s incredible to see how a woman’s body goes through transformations during pregnancy.”

    Praising his wife, Ali wrote: “Your presence makes me a better person, can’t imagine my life without your love and support.”

    Hassan ended his post by using the hashtag ‘Soon to be 3’.

    In November last year, Samiya un-officially announced her pregnancy by posting a picture of herself cradling her belly.

    Hassan and Samiya tied the knot in an elaborate wedding in Dubai in August 2019. While Hassan hails from Gujranwala, Samiya is from Haryana, India. They reportedly met in 2018 through a close friend in Dubai.