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  • VIDEO: Shaheen Afridi scripts history with four wickets in four balls

    Pakistan’s young and talented paceman Shaheen Afridi has scripted history by claiming four wickets in four balls.

    During Sunday’s Vitality Blast — professional Twenty20 cricket competition for English and Welsh first-class counties — fixture between Hampshire and Middlesex, the left-arm pacer took a wicket with each of his last four balls as he finished with figures of 6-19 from his four overs.

    It’s just the sixth time in T20 history that a bowler has taken four wickets in four balls, which is known as a double hat-trick, and Afridi’s figures are the best ever by a Hampshire bowler and the equal-third best by a Pakistani.

    Chasing 142 to win, Middlesex were in with a chance of victory when Afridi started his fourth and final over, with the visitors needing 23 to win from 18 balls with four wickets in hand and No.5 John Simpson on 47 not out.

    But having conceded a single from each of his first two balls of the over, Afridi shattered Simpson’s stumps with an in-swinger from over the wicket before he set his sights on the Middlesex tail.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Switching to around the wicket, he cleaned up Steve Finn first ball with a nearly unplayable yorker before he secured the hat-trick as No 10 Thilan Walallawita had a swipe across the line and was also bowled.

    Afridi then produced another full delivery that knocked over Tim Murtagh’s middle stump to finish the match and ensure his final act in his stint with Hampshire was a memorable one.

  • Wasim Akram’s message for trolls is winning the internet

    Wasim Akram’s message for trolls is winning the internet

    Sultan of Swing Wasim Akram has a fine sense of humour and his latest video addressed to social media trolls is proof of that.

    Akram, who has been keeping fans updated with his daily workouts, posted a video in which he is saying: “This is to motivate you. Our goal is to live a healthy life. That’s the idea. I’ll be 55 soon, so why not? Sometimes it’s an effort, but you got to do it.”

    “You know, people sometimes abuse you on Facebook and Instagram. For them, I have a message: Batameezi sirf buzdil log kartay hain (only cowards are ill-mannered). This [your words] only shows your background. I feel for your elders.”

    He continued: “Some people also criticised me for not wearing a shirt while in the pool because I’m a Muslim.”

    “Ghalti hogayi payen, next time three-piece suit. Woh bhi nahi pasand tey ghagra pa lawan ga,” joked the former cricketer.

    He concluded by saying: “[You] don’t think before speaking or writing. Classic.”

    Social media users couldn’t get enough of Akram’s video and took to Twitter to appreciate it. Check out some of the reactions below:

    Shaniera Akram added to her husband’s joke by posting a picture of Shoaib Malik standing in the pool in a three-piece suit.

  • No India-Pakistan cricket till political relations normalise: PCB Chairman

    Discussions on resuming bilateral cricket exchanges between India and Pakistan cannot start between the India and Pakistani cricket boards unless political relations between the two countries become normal and stable, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ehsan Mani told IANS in an exclusive interview.

    “Over the years, PCB has had a number of discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding bilateral cricket. Whether it is T20 cricket or bilateral, all things are in the hands of the BCCI. At this moment I don’t have any intention of playing any T20 league with India. First, they have to sort out the bilateral (political) relations with us, and then we will talk,” said PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani.

    India has not played a Test series in Pakistan for more than 14 years, and Pakistan have not visited India for almost eight years, though they have played against each other in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) events like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy all these years.

    “The ICC constitution says there should be no government interference. So, I think ICC should be talking to them [BCCI],” Mani, a former ICC president, said, referring to the mandatory permission that BCCI has to take from the Indian government to play against Pakistan.

    Read more – Afridi says he has ‘old and strong relations’ with Yuvraj, Harbhajan

    Mani also made it clear that he wouldn’t request BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to let Pakistani players compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he fondly recalled the harmonious relations between the BCCI and the PCB in 1990s, when he, as the PCB representative, interacted with Madhavrao Scindia and Jagmohan Dalmiya who ruled both the BCCI and the Asian Cricket Council.

    “I had enough discussions with Mr Dalmiya; not just him but with Mr Sharad Pawar and going back to the time of Mr Madhavrao Scindia. We have had very, very good and open relations with the BCCI. Over the last 12 years, I find the relationship is not what it used to be. There has to be trust and openness on both sides — and honesty in dealing with each other,” he emphasised.

    “To find that the relationship was not what it used to be, I was surprised and disappointed when I came back (as PCB chairman in August 2018). A lot of improvement can be done on this. We could talk to anybody (in normal times), but it takes two hands to clap,” said Chairman PCB.

  • VIDEO: Three-time champion Novak Djokovic defaults out of US Open after hitting line judge with ball

    VIDEO: Three-time champion Novak Djokovic defaults out of US Open after hitting line judge with ball

    Novak Djokovic’s charge to his 18th Grand Slam title ended on Sunday after the Serbian defaulted following his petulant swipe at the ball that hit a line judge in the throat that resulted in the world number one’s disqualification from the US Open.

    The dramatic moment came when the overwhelming title favourite reacted angrily to going 5-6 down to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in the first set of their fourth-round encounter at an empty Arthur Ashe Stadium.

    What would have been an innocuous incident had the ball flown a foot either side of the official instead left her lying on the ground, clutching her throat and screaming in pain.

    There was no question that Djokovic hit her inadvertently, and he quickly rushed to apologise, but it was a clear breach of Grand Slam rules forbidding the physical abuse of anyone within the tournament precincts.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MF46cTBL8s

    Tournament referee Soeren Friemel came out and spoke to chair umpire Aurelie Tourte and Andreas Egli, the Grand Slam supervisor, before a long chat with the three-times US Open champion.

    Djokovic, who was clearly making the point that he had not intended to hit the official, was overheard saying “she doesn’t have to go to hospital for this” but after 12 minutes of pleading his case his fate was sealed.

    “I don’t think that there was any chance of any opportunity or any other decision than defaulting Novak,” Friemel later told reporters.

    “The facts were so clear and so obvious … (the line judge) was clearly hurt and Novak was angry, he hit the ball recklessly, angrily back.”

    A tournament spokesman told Reuters the line judge appeared to be okay and was “not brought off-site”. Her identity is not known. Djokovic eventually walked over to shake hands with a stunned Carreno Busta and trudged off the court before leaving the grounds without attending a press conference.

    The 33-year-old Serbian later posted an apology on Instagram.

    View this post on Instagram

    This whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok. I‘m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong. I’m not disclosing her name to respect her privacy. As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being. I apologize to the @usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behavior. I’m very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support, and my fans for always being there with me. Thank you and I’m so sorry. Cela ova situacija me čini zaista tužnim i praznim. Proverio sam kako se oseća linijski sudija, i prema informacijama koje sam dobio, oseća se dobro, hvala Bogu. Njeno ime ne mogu da otkrijem zbog očuvanja njene privatnosti. Jako mi je žao što sam joj naneo takav stres. Nije bilo namerno. Bilo je pogrešno. Želim da ovo neprijatno iskustvo, diskvalifikaciju sa turnira, pretvorim u važnu životnu lekciju, kako bih nastavio da rastem i razvijam se kao čovek, ali i teniser. Izvinjavam se organizatorima US Opena. Veoma sam zahvalan svom timu i porodici što mi pružaju snažnu podršku, kao i mojim navijačima jer su uvek uz mene. Hvala vam i žao mi je. Bio je ovo težak dan za sve.

    A post shared by Novak Djokovic (@djokernole) on

    “This whole situation has left me really sad and empty,” he wrote. “I’m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong.

    “I apologise to the (US Open) and everyone associated for my behaviour.”

  • Messi has decided to leave Barcelona after 19 years but which teams could he join?

    Lionel Messi dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he requested a transfer out of Barcelona, with the talk of the soccer world immediately turning to where the superstar will end up.

    Messi intends to activate a release clause that would allow him to join any club in the world without paying a transfer fee to Barca, although the Catalan club disputes the validity of the clause — meaning lawyers for both sides could get involved.

    Regardless of what happens, it appears that Messi’s exit from the club with which he’s spent his entire professional career is much closer than anyone could’ve anticipated, and although he’s now 33, he’ll still have suitors from around the world lined up for his services.

    Imagining Messi not wearing Barca’s iconic Blaugrana jersey is tough, but there are some teams that could be great fits should he ultimately leave Catalonia.

    Manchester City

    The English giants are the favourites to sign Messi for one reason: coach Pep Guardiola. OK, two reasons, Guardiola and the fact they are disgustingly rich. Backed by Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose net worth is a nudge over $30 billion, the Citizens are one of the few clubs who could actually afford Messi’s wages. He is currently paid $1.8 million a week, according to Football Leaks. That’s just under $100 million a year, not including bonuses. So you can see why only a limited number of clubs in the world could afford to lure him.

    Inter Milan

    Another strong contender linked with Messi is Internazionale di Milano. In a sporting sense, this makes sense. Inter finished second in Italy’s Serie A behind Juventus, which has won the last nine titles and narrowly lost the Europa League final. The club has been building its squad in recent seasons and is hungry to knock Juventus off its perch domestically, and for success in Europe. The addition of Messi, joining an already exciting forward line of Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku, would almost guarantee this. And the club has a history of ambitious, big-money signings, including breaking the world-record transfer fee to bring in Brazilian superstar Ronaldo in 1997.

    Paris Saint-Germain

    It’s impossible to talk about ultra-wealthy clubs without mentioning arguably the wealthiest. PSG has shown willingness to use its financial might in order to lure high-profile stars to the French capital, and in Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria it currently boasts the most expensive attacking trio in the history of the sport.

    If money’s the deciding factor, then Messi’s chances of landing in Ligue 1 are extremely high. If it’s not, the opportunity to reunite with Neymar could still influence Messi’s decision — Barca’s recent efforts to reacquire the Brazilian after PSG spent a world-record fee to lure him away from Camp Nou have been in part to placate Messi, who was unhappy to lose Neymar as a teammate three years ago.

    Juventus

    This is much more of a Football Manager-style dream rather than a real possibility. For the better part of 15 years, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been considered 1 and 1A in terms of who’s the world’s best player — indeed, they’ve entered the realm of Greatest of All Time with their consistent attacking exploits — so even with both now in their mid-30s, the prospect of the two GOATs lining up as teammates is mouthwatering.

    Let’s file this one under “unlikely to happen, but would be amazing if it did”.

    Rumours of Messi’s unhappiness had been swirling since Bayern Munich humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final earlier in August, ending a season that saw the club fail to win any trophies. 

    Following that match, a source told Goal they had never seen Messi so dejected and frustrated, which the Argentine immediately communicated to several club executives. 

  • Sarfaraz Ahmed carrying water to the field sparks controversy

    Sarfaraz Ahmed carrying water to the field sparks controversy

    While everyone commends Pakistan’s performance in the Test series against England and celebrates Shaan Masood’s century, on the other hand, controversy also erupted after a picture of former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed bringing water to the field went viral on social media. The matter became so big that even Head Coach Misbah ul Haq had to address it in the post-match press conference.

    Several of Sarfaraz’s fans were disappointed over the incident and said that he deserved better treatment being a senior player.

    Shoaib Akhtar and Rashid Latif also expressed their outrage over the matter.

    “I didn’t like the visual. If you want to make an example out of a boy from Karachi, then it is wrong. You can’t do this to a player who has led Pakistan for four years and has won Champions Trophy for the country. You have made him carry the shoes. If he has done it himself, then stop him. Wasim Akram never brought shoes for me,” Akhtar is reported to have said.

    “This shows that Sarfaraz is such a docile and weak man. He must have lead Pakistan in the same way as he carried the shoes. That’s why Mickey Arthur always dominated him. I am not saying carrying the shoes is a problem, but former captain can’t do that,” he added.

    “Senior players like Amir and Wahab who are also sitting out, are not even in their kits. They are wearing track suits. This is not team spirit, but this greatness of Sarfaraz because he is passionate about the game. This should not have happened,” said Rashid Latif.

    However, others lauded Sarfaraz for his team spirit.

    https://twitter.com/Amermalik12/status/1291422381857218568?s=20
    https://twitter.com/eb_abraham/status/1291463798352732162?s=20

    Others shared pictures of other cricketers carrying water bottles and said that it was not a big deal.

    https://twitter.com/AliBukhariShah/status/1291497644641136643?s=20

    Misbah ul Haq while addressing the matter said: “Discussions like this can only happen in Pakistan. I also performed the duties of a 12th man, when I was captain and was sitting out in a match against Australia. There is no shame in doing that.

    He added: “Sarfaraz is a wonderful human being and player. He knows that it is a team game. When other players are practicising outside, so the player who is available has to help out. It is not a matter of disrespect. In fact, it is big of Sarfaraz that he doesn’t mind doing it. Plus, it is a sign of a good team. I don’t think it’s a big deal,” he added.

    IN PICTURES: Pakistan cricket team trains at Worcestershire

    Meanwhile, Shaan is being lauded for his outstanding performance in yesterday’s match. According to details, Masood is the first Pakistani opener to score a century in England in this century (21st century).

  • Pakistan’s fast bowling culture: Even the PM is a paceman

    To understand the culture of fast bowling in Pakistan, look no further than Imran Khan — once a feared quick, and now the country’s prime minister.

    Not all of Pakistan’s pacemen will fly so high, but Prime Minister Imran’s rise underlines a tradition where speed is king, and the blistering pace is essential for any team.

    As if to reinforce the point, Pakistan have eight quicks in their 20-man squad for the three-Test series against England, starting on Wednesday, ready to unleash their trademark pace and swing.

    They carry the baton passed by predecessors such as Khan, left-arm great Wasim Akram and his destructive partner Waqar Younis, the unassuming Aaqib Javed, and Shoaib Akhtar, the feared “Rawalpindi Express” who is considered the fastest bowler in history.

    The current generation includes the precocious Naseem Shah, still only 17, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Wahab Riaz, and the accurate Mohammad Abbas.

    The production line is so consistent that when one player goes, another is ready to take over — as seen in 2010 when Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, banned for spot-fixing, were replaced by Junaid Khan, Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Ehsan Adil and Rahat Ali.

    Even Amir’s decision to retire from Tests at just 27 did not slow Pakistan, as Shaheen became the spearhead and Naseem announced himself with a stunning Test hat-trick.

    But the steady emergence of quicks — left-armers, right-armers, even one who is ambidextrous — raises an obvious question: how does Pakistan keep doing it?

    Former fast bowler Sarfaraz Nawaz, regarded as the pioneer of reverse swing in the 1970s, said the factors included Muslim Pakistan’s meaty diet — unlike mainly vegetarian India, once known for its spinners.

    “We are a nation obsessed with fast bowling,” Nawaz told AFP. “We eat meat which strengthens the body, we love wickets clattering and the batsman shivering so it’s natural that we produce fast bowlers.”

    Nawaz passed on his reverse-swing skills to Khan under whose tutelage Wasim and Waqar became “The Two Ws”, a menacing partnership in the 1980s and 1990s.

    Wasim said he followed Imran’s legacy, and that pace bowling matches the Pakistani mentality.

    “I think it’s the culture [to become a fast bowler], especially this generation of Waqar and I and then Akhtar, we all had a role model in Khan,” he said.

    “Generally, when we talk about cricket it’s mostly about the fast bowlers, they get batsmen caught napping. We are aggressive people in nature and that’s what helps.”

    Wasim often holds camps to train emerging fast bowlers, swelling Pakistan’s ranks.

    “When I came, I always wanted to be a fast bowler and then a crop of fast bowlers came, and now we have Naseem, Shaheen, Mohammad Hasnain and Musa Khan who bowl at 140-150 kph (87-93 mph),” he said.

    However, perhaps the most decisive factor is Pakistan’s legion of tape-ball players, who play in parking lots and disused patches of land using tennis balls wrapped in electrical tape to make them heavier, putting the onus on pace rather than spin.

    Lahore Qalandars, a Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise which has been at the forefront of nurturing fast bowlers in recent years, received more than 350,000 applicants for their talent-hunt programme — nearly half of them tape-ball players, including the ambidextrous pace marvel Yasir Jan.

    “We give them a platform in our development programme and send them to Australia to hone their talent,” said head coach Aaqib Javed.

    According to Wasim, fast-bowling is so deeply ingrained that Pakistan’s stocks will never run out.

    “Many natural resources will dry up, but not Pakistan bowling’s reservoirs,” he said. “Our fast bowling future is secure as they follow footsteps and run-ups.”

    The article originally appeared on AFP.

  • Athletics Federation of Pakistan invites boy who jumped over 11 motorcycles for further training

    Athletics Federation of Pakistan invites boy who jumped over 11 motorcycles for further training

    The Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has invited the aspiring long jumper, whose video went viral on social media, for further training, journalist Faizan Lakhani has shared. The boy, Asif Magsi who hails from Thatta can be seen jumping over 11 motorcycles in the video.

    Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Dr Fehmida Mirza also shared that the Athletics Federation is in touch with him.

    According to details, AFP President Major General Akram Sahi (retired), who himself was the long jump champion of Pakistan, contacted the 21-year-old and invited him for further training to Lahore.

    Sharing his thoughts on the young talent, General Sahi said: “This is a great moment for me as I was also the champions of Pakistan in the long jump. I am impressed with his talent and he could be a great asset for Pakistan.

    “He has great potential,” he added.

    General Sahi also said that the first question he asked him was if he ever got injured.

    “Thankfully, his answer was no, and I have advised him to stay safe till we meet in Lahore, as I have already invited him.”

    Meanwhile, Asif while speaking to various media outlets said he developed the skill while making Tik Tok videos. He said he wanted to make different videos which have the potential to go viral.

    “I wanted to join the Pakistan Army since childhood. So I started making videos based on national songs, and with each passing day my passion for jumping increased as have my jumps.”

    He said that he aims to set a new world record and make his country proud. The world record for the long jump is currently 8.95 meters while the Asian record is 8.33 meters.

    The video of the boy was originally shared by journalist Mohi Shah and soon went viral on social media. It even caught the attention of multiple Olympic award-winning athlete Carl Lewis, who remarked that “with his lack of fear, he has the perfect mindset”.

    The video also caught the attention of several public personalities including Minister of Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi, former Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair and Fahad Mustafa who urged the Sports Board to take notice of the boy and train him.

    Other Twitter users also urged the Sports Board of Pakistan to hone this raw talent.

    Later, a video of the young man jumping over a canal also went viral on social media.

  • Afridi says he has ‘old and strong relations’ with Yuvraj, Harbhajan

    Afridi says he has ‘old and strong relations’ with Yuvraj, Harbhajan

    Despite all the drama that followed when Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh extended their support to Shahid Afridi for his coronavirus campaign, Afridi says that he has great respect for them both and that they have “old and strong relations”.

    Lala shared this while responding to a Twitter user during an #AskAfridi session on the microblogging website.

    In April, Yuvraj and Harbhajan had extended their support to Afridi’s foundation, the Shahid Afridi Foundation, in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, following which they received scathing criticism from triggered Indian social media users.

    Following the hate, Singh clarified that his intention was not to hurt anyone’s feelings and that he remains a true patriot and will always “bleed blue.” Singh’s note was retweeted by Harbhajan.

    Meanwhile, Harbhajan’s wife Geeta Basra responding to the trolling had said: “Harbhajan knows what his country means to him and doesn’t want to explain an act of humanity. He lives for India and will die for India. His country will always come first. Whenever he has played cricket, he did it with his heart. And everyone knows what India means to him.”

    She continued, “This goodwill gesture was to help Afridi, with whom they have played cricket and have years of friendship. Afridi is doing his bit for his country. They tried spreading the word to their fans all over the world, inspiring more people to support his good work.”

    “Let’s not bring religion or anything else into this. Even the virus isn’t making any discrimination. They would’ve done the same if anyone from any of the other teams like West Indies or England would’ve sought help,” Geeta added.

    Later in May, when Afridi while speaking to the people of Azad Kashmir, strongly criticised Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, for deploying forces in Kashmir and making it a living hell for Muslims, Yuvraj expressed his disappointment at his comments and regretted extending his support.

    Harbhajan passed similar comments, saying that he has “no relation or tie-up with Shahid Afridi from here on”.

    “This is very upsetting what Shahid Afridi has come up with, talking ill about our country and our Prime Minister. This is just not acceptable,” Harbhajan had said. “To be honest, he [Afridi] asked us to make an appeal for his charity. In good faith, we did it for humanity and for the people suffering due to the coronavirus.”

    “All I have to say is we have nothing to do with Shahid Afridi. He has no right to speak ill against our country and he should stay in his country and limits,” he added. “One person asks me to make an appeal for the sake of humanity, and I did my bit. That was it. I have no relation or tie-up with any Shahid Afridi from here on.”

    #AskAfridi

    In the interactive Twitter session, Afridi answered a variety of question from his fans during the session, ranging from his thoughts on Kashmir to his favourite players and cricket memories and how he is keeping himself busy during the pandemic. Check out some of his responses below:

    Afridi also answered some questions on whether he will be joining politics.

  • Pakistan cricket team’s equipment could be siezed by company NAB owes money to

    Pakistan cricket team’s equipment could be siezed by company NAB owes money to

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has played down reports that a company based in the Isle of Man may seize assets owned by the Pakistan team currently in the United Kingdom (UK), as part of an old legal dispute between the firm and the Pakistan government.

    A report quoted a letter from Broadsheet LLC to the Pakistan government in which it said it would “seize the assets of the Pakistani cricket team” because of longstanding dues owed to it by the government.

    The PCB has been in touch with the Pakistan Embassy in the UK and is believed to have been satisfied that there is little prospect of this actually happening. That belief lies in the legal opinion that the Pakistan team is representative of the PCB, an autonomous body, and not of the Pakistan state or government, and so is not a party to the case or liable for the damages.

    In the letter, Broadsheet says that the Pakistan team is “by the very nature, an asset of the defendant and that monies due to the team and assets of the team are assets of the defendant to the litigation”.

    The legal dispute dates back to the early 2000s, when Broadsheet was hired by General (r) Pervez Musharraf, who was the head of state of Pakistan then, to trace out hidden assets of Pakistan nationals in foreign countries. Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had signed an agreement with Broadsheet, which was eventually terminated in 2003. The termination had led to a legal dispute, one resolved in 2018, when an international arbitration court in London ruled in favour of Broadsheet, and established that the NAB was liable to pay damages. It is this payment that remains outstanding.

    The letter quoted by the report was written by Broadsheet to Allen & Overy, the firm that represented the Pakistan government and the NAB in the case, and said that Broadsheet was owed “more than $33 million” after it won the arbitration.

    ESPNCricinfo reached out to NAB for a comment, but the body has not confirmed or denied any threat to the cricket team’s equipment being seized.

    The Pakistan team will play three Tests and three T20 International (T20I) matches against England, with the first Test scheduled to start on August 5 in Manchester. The final T20I will take place on September 1.