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  • Three years ban for Umar Akmal for violating PCB’s anti-corruption code

    Three years ban for Umar Akmal for violating PCB’s anti-corruption code

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned Umar Akmal from all cricket for three years for violating the board’s anti-corruption code by not reporting a fixing offer before the start of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    In a press release, the board stated: “The Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, in short order on Monday, handed Umar Akmal a three-year ban from all cricket. The PCB will release reasons as soon as it receives them from Justice Chauhan.”

    The board said that a detailed hearing was held at the National Cricket Academy where the cricketer represented himself and was heard at length. Mr Taffazul Rizvi represented the PCB.

    Akmal was charged with two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents on March 17. He had earlier on February 20 been suspended from playing and was also not allowed to participate in the fifth edition of the PSL in which he was playing for Quetta Gladiators.

    Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code reads as: “Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.”

    On April 9, the PCB referred the matter to Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee after determining that the batsman had not requested for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

    Read more – ‘Where’s the fat?’ Umar Akmal bares all in fitness test

    PCB Director – Anti-Corruption and Security, Lt Col Asif Mahmood, said: “The PCB doesn’t take any pleasure in seeing a promising international cricketer being declared ineligible for three years on corruption charges, but this is once again a timely reminder to all who think they can get away by breaching the anti-corruption code.”

    “I request all professional cricketers to stay away from the menace of corruption and immediately inform relevant authorities as soon as they are approached. This is in their as well as their teams’ and country’s best interest.”

    Meanwhile, here is what former cricketer Ramiz Raja has to say on the matter.

  • VIDEO: Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team takes the viral ‘Don’t Rush Challenge’

    VIDEO: Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team takes the viral ‘Don’t Rush Challenge’

    Ever since the world went into lockdown, people are coming up with fun ideas to lift up their spirits and of those around them. Several social media challenges have also gone viral including the ‘Oh Na Na’ Dance Challenge, ‘Don’t Rush’ Makeup Challenge and the Pillow Challenge, in which you have to dress up using pillows. Celebrities all over the world are also participating in these challenges and the latest to join the bandwagon is the Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team who took the Don’t Rush Challenge with a twist.

    Instead of doing their makeup, the girls in the video changed into their team jerseys. Those who participated in the challenge include Kainat Imtiaz, Omaima Sohail, Maham Tariq, Syeda Nain Abidi, Sidra Nawaz, Ayesha Zafar, Muneeba Ali, Aiman Anwar, Iram Javed and Sidra Ameen.

    https://twitter.com/kainatimtiaz16/status/1253652912691167232?s=20

    People loved their take on their challenge.

    https://twitter.com/AleemDarUmpire/status/1253776541907070977?s=20

  • Don’t think cricket boards can survive without matches: Ramiz Raja

    Former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja thinks cricket boards cannot survive for long without resuming cricket. He urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to hold talks with other associations to find a way to play the sport behind closed doors.

    “Cricket fans are starved now and the coronavirus pandemic has brought life to a standstill but I don’t think cricket boards can survive for long like this. They can’t continue to pay out salaries and expenses without having cricket activities it would be disastrous for them,” Ramiz said in a video on his Youtube channel.

    “I would also urge the PCB to think on these lines and hold talks with other boards to see how cricket activities can be resumed even behind closed doors.”

    The former Test opener said it would be a disaster if this lockdown continues for long.

    “Unless a vaccine can be created, we can only defeat it through social distancing and precautionary measures,” he said. Raja urged the PCB to take the first step in initiating talks with other boards in this regard.

    The COVID-19 pandemic has hit sports hard with Cricket Australia forced to stand down almost 80 percent of its staff.

    The fast-spreading disease has halted all cricket activities across the globe.

  • On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    On This Day: Javed Miandad breaks Indian hearts with last-ball sixer

    It was on April 18, 1986, when former Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad struck a final-ball six to defeat India in the finals of the Austral-Asia Cup.

    This match still sends shivers down the spine of ardent cricket fans in both Pakistan and India. Miandad had smashed a six off the final ball of the match bowled by Chetan Sharma, reports said.

    The feat is remarkable as Pakistan needed four runs off the final ball to win the Austral-Asia Cup. Miandad did not succumb to pressure, giving the cricket fans a memory to cherish forever.

    Pakistan needed 246 runs to win the match, and the side found itself at 61/3. It was then that Miandad walked out to the middle and played a match-winning knock of 116 runs.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    In his innings, Miandad struck three fours and as many sixes.

    Batting first, India had got to a score of 245 as Kris Srikkanth made 75 runs while Sunil Gavaskar went on to register 94 runs from 134 balls.

    For Pakistan, Wasim Akram scalped three wickets.

    Miandad has often been involved in fierce battles with India. During the 1992 World Cup group stage game, Miandad ended up mocking the style of India’s wicket-keeper Kiran More.

    The Austral-Asia Cup has been played thrice, with Pakistan winning the tournament on all three occasions.

  • Harbhajan Singh’s wife responds to backlash, clarifies why Singh supported Shahid Afridi

    Harbhajan Singh’s wife responds to backlash, clarifies why Singh supported Shahid Afridi

    Harbhajan Singh’s wife, Geeta Basra has responded to the trolling he received by Indians after he extended humanitarian support to Shahid Afridi’s foundation amid coronavirus crisis.

    Speaking to Hindustan Times, Geeta 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.

    Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh had earlier this month faced massive criticism for supporting Afridi in his fight against coronavirus.

    Both players in a video message had urged people to contribute and called on other cricketers in the two countries to make similar appeals. However, their own people had trolled them and called them out for offering their help to Pakistanis.

    Yuvraj, at that time, had responded to the matter by saying, “I really don’t understand how a message to help the most vulnerable gets blown out of proportion! All I tried to achieve was to help people in our respective countries by providing healthcare. My intention was not to hurt anyone’s feelings.”

    However, the spinner Harbhajan, kept silent on the issue. The bowler’s wife has now spoken up on why his husband decided to not respond to the criticism.

  • Ex-Indian cricketing star picks combined Pak-India XI of all time, names Imran Khan as captain

    Ex-Indian cricketing star picks combined Pak-India XI of all time, names Imran Khan as captain

    Commentator and former Indian cricketing star Aakash Chopra has picked his combined Pakistan-India XI of all-time, naming World Cup-winning former Pakistani skipper and now prime minister (PM), Imran Khan, as the captain.

    “I wanted to do a fun exercise today by selecting the combined all-time Test XI of Pakistan and India, although it was a very difficult task,” Chopra said in a video uploaded to Facebook. “One thing that we will all agree, before moving on, that the team will give more preference to Indian batsmen and Pakistani bowlers.”

    Chopra picked former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag as the openers while selecting Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar at the third and fourth batting spots, respectively.

    “There is no doubt that Sunil Gavaskar will be one of the openers as his presence is absolutely mandatory,” he said. “I would partner him with Virender Sehwag because he scored two triple centuries in Test cricket which is quite an achievement,” Chopra said, adding that after including Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, he would go for Inzamamul Haq and Javed Miandad for the fifth and sixth slots.

    “Although they are both playing out of position, but deserve a place in the XI,” he said regarding the Pakistani batting legends.

    “For the wicketkeeper spot I will pick MS Dhoni. Although we can consider Dravid as well but I don’t want to make a batsman playing at one-down to keep the wickets,” he added.

    Two World Cup-winning skippers come next as Kapil Dev and Imran Khan give this team a whole new dimension. They could bat, they could bowl and they could lead the team with absolute authority.

    “At number eight and nine, I will pick Kapil Dev and Imran Khan. Imran will also be the captain of my side,” the former Indian cricketer said.

    Fast-bowler Wasim Akram finds a place in the side and so does Anil Kumble. Chopra also stated leaving out Waqar Younis was a tough call and he was made the 12th man of the team.

    “It is 100 per cent certain that Wasim Akram will be part of this lineup and he slots in at number 10. With over 600 wickets, I will include leg-spinner Anil Kumble as the final player in my team. It is hard to keep Waqar Younis out of this XI but I will definitely include him as my 12th man,” he said.

  • Shoaib Akhtar pokes fun at Saqlain Mushtaq after his daughter gives him a makeover

    Shoaib Akhtar pokes fun at Saqlain Mushtaq after his daughter gives him a makeover

    Legendary British-Pakistani cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq recently got a makeover from his young daughter and the proud dad was not afraid to post a video of himself showing off his daughter’s makeup skills.

    Saqlain’s daughter had not only used turquoise eyeshadow and pink lipstick on her dad but also made him into a redhead with a wig.

    Showing off his look, Mushtaq in the video said, “She is a makeup artist. We are in quarantine. A couple of years back, she did my makeup and I put it up on Twitter and you guys really liked it. And today she forcefully said to me she wants to play with me again and she brought all my new get up and did my makeup and my new wig, my new get up. Are you happy? She is very happy and we all are very happy. Stay at home, stay safe, look beautiful and enjoy with your loved ones.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pt_bRH1S7/

    Most Twitter users lauded Saqlain for being a good sport.

    Meanwhile Shoaib Akhtar decided to poke fun at Mushtaq, as well as Wasim Akram who was also recently spotted sporting a wig.

    “Look what Quarantine has done to some people. Sigh,” joked Akhtar.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rGigVnLRi/

    However, our national bhabhi, Shaniera Akram was quick to hit back at Akhtar. Shaniera posted a funny picture of Akhtar, adding that this was taken before quarantine.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rkM80jR9Q/

    Earlier, Shaniera had also posted a video of Wasim getting his hair done by their daughter Aiyla.

    Are girl dads the best?

  • Spit, sweat and shaking on it: How coronavirus can change three sports habits

    Spit, sweat and shaking on it: How coronavirus can change three sports habits

    As the coronavirus brings the international sports calendar to a grinding halt, AFP Sport highlighted three long-standing habits which could change forever once competition resumes.

    Saliva to take shine off swing bowling

    It’s been a tried and trusted friend to fast bowlers throughout the history of cricket but the days of applying saliva to one side of the ball to encourage swing could be over in the aftermath of COVID-19.

    “As a bowler I think it would be pretty tough going if we couldn’t shine the ball in a Test match,” said Australia quick Pat Cummins.

    “If it’s at that stage and we’re that worried about the spread, I’m not sure we’d be playing sport.”

    Towels in tennis – no touching

    Tennis players throwing towels, dripping with sweat and blood and probably a tear or two, at ball boys and girls, has often left fans sympathising for the youngsters. Moves by officials to tackle the issue took on greater urgency in March when the coronavirus was taking a global grip.

    Behind closed doors in Miki, ball boys and girls on duty at the Davis Cup tie between Japan and Ecuador wore gloves.

    Baskets, meanwhile, were made available for players to deposit their towels.

    Back in 2018, the ATP introduced towel racks at some events on a trial basis, but not everyone was overjoyed.

    “I think having the towel whenever you need it, it’s very helpful. It’s one thing less that you have to think about,” said Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas when he was playing at the NextGen Finals in Milan.

    “I think it’s the job of the ball kids to provide towels and balls for the players.”

    Let’s not shake on it

    Pre-match handshakes were abandoned in top football leagues just before the sports shutdown. Premier League leaders Liverpool also banned the used of mascots while Southampton warned against players signing autographs and stopped them posing for selfies.

    Away from football, the NBA urged players to opt for the fist bump rather than the long-standing high-five.

    “I ain’t high-fiving nobody for the rest of my life after this,” NBA superstar LeBron James said in an interview, adding “No more high-fiving. After this corona shit? Wait ’til you see me and my teammates’ handshakes after this shit.”

    Basketball stars were also told not to take items such as balls or teams shirts to autograph.

    US women’s football star Megan Rapinoe says edicts to ban handshakes or even high-fives may be counter-productive anyway.

    “We’re going to be sweating all over each other all game, so it sort of defeats the purpose of not doing a handshake,” she told the New York Times in March.

  • Indian cricketers face intense backlash for backing Shahid Afridi’s coronavirus fund

    Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh faced scathing criticism from triggered Indian social media users after they declared support for former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s foundation in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

    Afridi’s appeal for donations to help people affected by the deadly virus in Pakistan has had overwhelming support from leading cricketers.

    Harbhajan urged people to contribute in a video message, and called on other cricketers in the two countries to make similar appeals.

    https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1244148978326765568?s=20

    “These are testing times, it’s time to look out for each other,” Yuvraj wrote on Twitter in a call for funds.

    https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1244873490303340544?s=20

    While Afridi thanked the two, Indian Twitter users reacted with fury at the support for a rival player who has been a vocal critic of India’s handling of the Kashmir dispute.

    “Do you have any sense?” wrote one Twitter user. “Lost respect” for Harbhajan Singh, added another. “Sorry guys you lost it.”

    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.

    https://twitter.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1245295251385958400?s=20

    India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2012-2013 and have seen a new peak in tensions over Kashmir, which has been at the centre of two wars between the neighbours since 1947.

    World Cup-winning batsman Yuvraj, who made a return from cancer before finally retiring last year, has also raised money to fight coronavirus through his ‘YouWeCan’ foundation.

    India, which has been under a 21-day lockdown since March 24, has so far confirmed more than 1,600 coronavirus cases and 38 deaths.

  • Rising batsman Haider Ali wants people to call him Babar Azam, not Virat Kohli

    Rising batsman Haider Ali wants people to call him Babar Azam, not Virat Kohli

    Haider Ali, the young Pakistan batsman, is widely tipped to be the next big player in the squad. He impressed everyone in the Under 19 World Cup and was also a star in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He has the talent to take the next step forward and the right-hander wants to keep improving his game so that people can talk about him in the same vein as Babar Azam.

    “A batsman can never become like his role models but can improve himself and develop shots as they play. I want to improve myself to the extent that people call me Babar Azam and not Kohli because Babar has good shots,” Haider said in a video on YouTube.

    However, he then went on to add that he wants to keep learning and imbibe the good qualities of Virat Kohli as well. “I cannot become Kohli but can develop shots like him through practice. I’m Haider Ali so I can only become Haider Ali,” he further added.

    “I met Babar Azam during the first-class tournament and he gave me tips regarding my batting. We also get to learn a lot from him in the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. He also supported me during PSL by boosting my confidence and advising me to keep scoring runs and leave the rest to Allah Almighty,” the young batsman added.

    Ali, who smacked four fours and the same number of sixes, also became the youngest batsman to score a half-century — which came off just 31 balls — in HBL PSL’s history aged just 19 years.