Current Final

Tag: PCB

  • Babar Azam dethrones Virat Kohli to become number one ODI batsman

    Babar Azam dethrones Virat Kohli to become number one ODI batsman

    Babar Azam has dethroned the Captain of the Indian Cricket Team Virat Kohli to become the number one batsman in One-Day Internationals, becoming the fourth batsman from Pakistan to attain the number one position in the latest ICC rankings list update, released on Wednesday.

    The 26-year-old player of the match scored 94 off 82 balls in the last match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against South Africa in Centurion which helped him gain 13 rating points to reach 865 points and he now leads the Indian captain by eight points.

    Babar, a star of the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cups in 2010 and 2012 has been playing ODIs since 2015 and had started the series against South Africa at 837 rating points but moved up to 858 (ahead of Kohli) after his score of 103 in the first match. He dropped to 852 by the time of the last weekly rankings update with a score of 32 in the second ODI.

    By ending Kohli’s 1,258 day-supremacy, Babar has emulated compatriots Zaheer Abbas (1983-84), Javed Miandad (1988-89), and Mohammad Yousuf (2003) as the number one ODI batsman. In Tests, Babar has attained a best of the fifth position and is currently ranked sixth while in T20Is he is third but has been number one in the past.

    Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman is another Pakistan batsman to move up the ODI batting charts, gaining five slots to reach a career-best seventh position after his knock of 101. Shaheen Afridi (up four places to a career-best 11th place) and left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (up 29 places to 96th) have progressed thanks to their three-wicket hauls in the match.

    Babar had earlier overtaken Rohit Sharma to get to the second spot.

    Reacting to the news, Azam, in a statement, said: “I feel privileged and honoured to have joined the company of stalwarts like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad and Mohammad Yousuf, who will always be the shining stars of Pakistan cricket.”

    “This is another milestone in my career, which will now require even more hard work and absolute consistency with the bat in order for me to hold on to the ranking for an extended period of time, like Sir Vivian Richards from January 1984 to October 1988 and Virat Kohli for 1,258 days,” he continued.

    The captain further said: “I have also previously topped the T20I rankings, but the ultimate ambition and goal is to lead the Test rankings, which are the real testament and reward to a batsman’s calibre, reputation and skills. I understand to achieve this objective, I will not only have to perform consistently but more importantly, against the top sides.”

    “I am looking forward to this challenge and remain confident I will be able to accomplish this target with the support of my teammates and coaching staff. But at this stage, I will savour the moment as it has come almost 18 months after I was first appointed the white-ball captain and that too at the back of my performances which helped Pakistan become the first Asian side to win two ODI series in South Africa,” added Azam.

  • PCB rejects Umar Akmal’s appeal of paying fine in installments

    PCB rejects Umar Akmal’s appeal of paying fine in installments

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected cricketer Umar Akmal’s appeal of paying his fine in installments, ARY News has reported.

    The 30-year-old cricketer is bound to pay a fine of PKR4.25million, imposed on him by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) on February 26. Umar told PCB that due to financial difficulties he can not pay the lump sum amount.

    The board, after reviewing his appeal and the evidence provided by him, rejected the application. The right-handed batsman will only be able to participate in the rehabilitation program under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code after he pays off the lump sum fine of PKR4.25million.

    Earlier, CAS reduced Umar’s 18-month ban to 12 months. Akmal was suspended from all forms of the game after PCB found him involved in suspicious activities before PSL 5.

    In an investigation, PCB found him guilty and imposed a three-year ban on him. After the cricketer appealed against PCB’s decision, ex-Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, heard his appeal and reduced Akmal’s ban to 1.5 years from 3 years.

    Akmal was unable to pay the fine imposed on him and appealed in CAS further. In reply, PCB also consulted with CAS for an increase in Akmal’s ban.

  • Sharjeel’s return exposes fault-lines in PCB’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption

    Sharjeel’s return exposes fault-lines in PCB’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption

    For anyone who follows the sport, the most embarrassing sight is when a player from their team is caught in match-fixing. Having the opportunity to step on the field and serve your country at a national or international level is a massive privilege and fixing games in exchange for a few bucks is indicative of demeaning of that privilege. The menace of match-fixing has dealt many jolts to Pakistan cricket over the course of its history. Following the 2010 infamous Lord’s spot-fixing scandal, one of the lowest points in Pakistan cricket when it hit rock bottom, the Pakistan Cricket Board enacted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. However, the return of disgraced opener Sharjeel Khan in the T20 squad for the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, has exposed fault-lines in that “zero tolerance” policy.

    The left-handed batsman, who was suspended for five years with two-and-a-half of them suspended, deliberately played two dot balls against Hasan Ali in the opening match of the 2017 edition of the PSL. Although the two dot balls Sharjeel played had negligible impact on result of the game as Brad Haddin propelled Islamabad United to a 7-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi, the opener’s return has stirred up the debate whether match-fixers deserve a second chance after they have served punishment.

    While on one hand some argue that everyone deserves a second chance and imposing a life ban will deprive them of bread and butter, others taker the view that there is no acceptable justification of actions that bring discredit to the country and that PCB needs to throw a book at match-fixers to deter other players from fixing matches in the future. There is no doubt that Sharjeel, who scored 200 runs in five matches at an impressive strike rate of 170.9, has been in a very good nick of late and can fill the void of someone who can score at a quick pace on top of the order. However, his return to the side has some serious potential ramifications.

    When Amir returned to the team after serving his ban, it didn’t go down well with several players of the team who expressed displeasure over his selection and refused to train alongside him in the nets. Sharjeel’s return may have the same impact which in turn can create needless dissension within the team’s ranks. More than anything else, it would send a wrong message to those players who are endeavoring to serve their country with honesty that disgraced players are getting the nod ahead of them. No player in the team, irrespective of how many landmarks he has achieved in his career, transcends the team and should be severely punished if his actions bring discredit to the country and damage the integrity of the sport.

    Here’s some food for thought: If PCB’s anti-corruption policies which it enacted after the Lord’s spot-fixing setback were coherent enough, it would have wiped out corrupt players and deterred other players from rigging games in the future. However, this has not proved to be the case which reinforces the point that PCB’s anti-corruption policies need to be more stringent and effective.

    I am unaware of how much say a coach has in team selection but Misbah, who has been a constant critic of bringing disgraced players back into the fold, pivoting from asking a life ban on match-fixers to not voicing his disapproval at Sharjeel’s selection is mind-boggling. During his tenure as the captain, Misbah took over a downtrodden Test team sabotaged by the Lord’s spot-fixing scandal and catapulted it to the top of the rankings with his astute leadership. With him at the helm right now, this is PCB’s best chance to rethink their corruption policies and keep corrupt players at arm’s length from other members of the team. If not Misbah, then who? If not now, then when?

  • Umar Akmal reportedly unable to pay fine in fixing case

    Umar Akmal has reportedly been unable to pay the fine imposed on him by the International Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in a spot-fixing case last month, Jang has reported.

    According to the publication, the 30-year-old’s rehab program is pending due to non-payment of the fine.

    Last month, the CAS had reduced Akmal’s ban from 18 months to 12 months but had imposed a fine of Rs 4.25 million for his involvement in the corruption scandal.

    Akmal was suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in February 2020 for not reporting fixing approaches made by corrupt elements.

    While Akmal had already served his one-year sentence on February 20, he is unable to start the rehabilitation program of PCB’s Security and Anti-Corruption Department due to the heavy monetary penalty.

    The batsman has, therefore, requested the board to allow him to pay the amount in installments.

    According to the publication, in response to Akmal’s requests, the PCB had demanded the batsman to provide proof of his inability to pay the lump sum fine.

  • ‘SBP, PCB agree to build five-star hotel near Gaddafi Stadium’

    ‘SBP, PCB agree to build five-star hotel near Gaddafi Stadium’

    The Sports Board of Punjab (SBP) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have reportedly agreed to build a five-star hotel at Nishtar Park Sports Complex, near Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The decision was reportedly taken in a meeting presided by Director General Adnan Arshad Aulakh at the National Hockey Stadium on Thursday.

    According to details, PCB’s Senior General Manager Admin Col (retd) Ashfaq Ahmed, Consultant Abdul Ghafoor Bhatti, Director Admin Javed Chohan and other officials were also part of the meeting, which discussed the construction of a hotel, a High-Performance Centre and other issues related to the Lahore Regional Cricket Association (LRCA) ground.

    Addressing the meeting, Aulakh said: “Several world-class sports facilities have been provided in Nishtar Park Sports Complex and many international sports players used to visit here for sports events quite frequently.”

    “In such a situation, a five-star hotel is badly needed here. The security issue of international teams will also be resolved after the construction of a world-class hotel which will also provide a complete residence facility to world sports stars.”

    “In this way, the authorities won’t need to block the traffic and other roads for the security of foreign sports teams,” he added.

    It is pertinent to mention here that sporting events in the city often block all major traffic routes after authorities cordon off roads for security purposes. The construction of a hotel near the stadium will help solve traffic problems in the city.

  • Pakistan Cricket Squad set to depart for South Africa Series after testing negative for COVID-19

    Pakistan Cricket Squad set to depart for South Africa Series after testing negative for COVID-19

    All 35 members of the Pakistan squad named for the Africa tour will depart for South Africa on Friday after the players tested negative for coronavirus, announced the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

    “All 35 members of the Africa-bound side, including 22 players and 13 officials, have tested negative and, as such, the side will depart for Johannesburg, South Africa, on a chartered flight on Friday morning,” said the PCB in a statement.

    Earlier, one member of the squad tested positive for coronavirus days before the team was supposed to enter the bio-secure bubble set up for the tour.

    “A total of 35 tests were conducted on the South Africa-bound Pakistan men’s national cricket team on Tuesday, 16 March. All squad members have tested negative, except for one player,” said the PCB in a press release.

    The PCB did not identify the player who tested positive. While the social media reports suggested that it was Hassan Ali.

    Following the negative tests, the team entered the bio-secure bubble last week and trained at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

    In South Africa, Pakistan will play three ODIs from April 2-7, the matches will be counted in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League. After that, the team will play four T20Is against the Proteas from April 10-16.

    After the end of the South Africa tour, the team will then go to Harare, Zimbabwe, where they will play three T20Is and two Tests. The squad will then return to Pakistan on May 12.

    Squads:

    T20I: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Arshad Iqbal, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sharjeel Khan and Usman Qadir.

    ODI: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Qadir.

    Test: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abid Ali, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Imran Butt, Mohammad Nawaz, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tabish Khan and Zahid Mahmood.

    Players Support Personnel: Mansoor Rana (Manager), Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Col (retd) Khalid Mahmood (security manager), Malang Ali (masseur), Raza Kitchlew (Digital and media manager), Dr Riaz Ahmed (team doctor), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Usman Hashmi (analyst), Waqar Younis (bowling coach), Yasir Malik (strength & conditioning coach) and Younis Khan (batting coach).

    Cricket South Africa also announced their ODI and T20I squads for the series, here are the details:

    Proteas ODI squad:

    Temba Bavuma (Captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Beuran Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Janneman Malan, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Rassie van der Dussen, Junior Dala, Lutho Sipamla, Wiaan Mulder, Sisanda Magala, Kyle Verreynne, Daryn Dupavillon, Lizaad Williams

    Proteas T20 squad:

    Temba Bavuma (Captain), Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Rassie van der Dussen, Janneman Malan, Sisanda Magala, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Kyle Verreynne (WK), Pite van Biljon, Migael Pretorius, Lizaad Williams, Wihan Lubbe.

    South Africa tour schedule:

    April 2 – 1st ODI; SuperSport Park, Pretoria

    April 4 – 2nd ODI; Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

    April 7 – 3rd ODI; SuperSport Park, Pretoria

    April 10 – 1st T20I; Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

    April 12 – 2nd T20I; Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

    April 14 – 3rd T20I; SuperSport Park, Pretoria

    April 16 – 4th T20I; SuperSport Park, Pretoria

  • Is a Pakistan-India T20I series on the cards?

    Is a Pakistan-India T20I series on the cards?

    Reports are rife on social and electronic media that a T20I bilateral cricket series is on the cards between Pakistan and India.

    According to a report published in Jang, “India and Pakistan might soon get involved in bilateral cricket series again with a possibility of the six-day window for a three-match T20I series later in the year.”

    While a PCB official initially denied the speculations and said that there are no talks between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the (Board of Control for Cricket in India) BCCI, he hinted that there is a possibility of a series later in the year.

    On the other hand, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani on Tuesday said that no one has contacted the board while denying that the Pakistan board is in talks with the Indian board.

    PCB sources have said that if the series goes ahead then it will be the Indian team that will visit Pakistan as Pakistan had toured India the last time.

    The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was held in 2012-13. Ever since bilateral cricket relations between the two nuclear countries was suspended, the two countries have competed in only ICC events and Asia Cup.

    In case a series comes to fruition, a window of six days for three matches could be identified despite this being a busy calendar year for cricket.

    Meanwhile, nothing is confirmed as yet and everything is hearsay and based on reports.

  • Mohammad Wasim denies rumours of rift with Misbah-ul-Haq, Babar Azam

    Mohammad Wasim denies rumours of rift with Misbah-ul-Haq, Babar Azam

    Chief selector Mohammad Wasim has rejected claims of a rift with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam. Over the past couple of days, different media reports suggested that both coach and the captain were unhappy with the team selection for the upcoming tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

    Wasim, while talking to a local media outlet, said that he has heard about the rumours of a rift between the trio but there are no legitimate grounds for these speculations.

    “I have been hearing about the same rumours [of rift] but I don’t believe there is any truth in this,” said Wasim. “We have a standard procedure which was followed during the selection of the teams for the South Africa home series and it was similarly followed this time around as well.”

    “The selection committee had three meetings with the captain and the coach whereas there were separate meetings of the selectors as well. So I don’t really know where are these rumours coming from.”

    The Men in Green are scheduled to face South Africa in three ODIs and four T20Is after which they will travel to Zimbabwe.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan batting great Inzamam-ul-Haq is also not happy with how things have panned out after the announcement of the squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe by Chief Selector Wasim.

    While speaking on his official YouTube channel, Inzamam revealed that skipper Azam is unhappy after his suggestions were ignored while selecting the team.

  • PCB to bear former cricketer Tauseef Ahmed’s medical expenses

    PCB to bear former cricketer Tauseef Ahmed’s medical expenses

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday announced that it would bear all treatment costs of former Test cricketer Tauseef Ahmed, who recently underwent two stents during angioplasty.

    According to details, Tauseef Ahmed will remain under observation for 12 hours, said PCB’s spokesperson while talking to media, adding that Tauseef has been an asset to Pakistan Cricket.

    “I am in touch with Tauseef Ahmed. [Once discharged from the hospital], he will stay at the National High-Performance Centre until he is able to travel,” said the spokesperson.

    The former spinner is currently undergoing treatment at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology, where his angioplasty was successfully carried out.

    According to Tauseef’s nephew Saifuddin, Ahmed has been given two stents during the procedure.

    “After 12 hours of observation at the recovery centre, he will be transferred to another ward,” said Saifuddin, adding that neither Ahmed nor his family faced any problems at the hospital.

    Saifuddin says he is “hopeful that Ahmed will be discharged from the hospital soon.”

    The former cricketer had suffered a heart attack while attending a wedding ceremony Sunday night.

    Meanwhile, several cricketers including Ramiz Raja, Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez prayed for Ahmed’s swift recovery.

  • PSL and PCB’s buffoonery

    PSL and PCB’s buffoonery

    The coronavirus pandemic has turned all the world’s industries upside down and sports has been no exception.

    The resumption of sporting events after the outbreak of the pandemic has been nothing short of a blessing for the fans as well as the players but its success was contingent upon whether the players would comply with the COVID protocols or not. There can be no denying that staying inside the bubble, not interacting with outsiders and playing in empty or half-empty stadiums would take a physical and psychological toll on them but it was expected of them to be acutely aware of their responsibilities and not to contravene the rules. However, the reality was different as the matter was handled carelessly and scores of players flouted the restrictions. The same was the case in PSL 2021, as a consequence of which, it has screeched to an indefinite halt.

    The guidelines explicitly mentioned that anyone who attends the game would be required to wear a face mask throughout the duration of the game and observe social distancing. However, as the screengrab from one of the matches below shows, the implementation of these rules was nowhere to be seen.

    Even worse, celebrities and social media influencers like Shahveer Jafry and Dananeer Mobeen were seen interacting with the players and team owners making an absolute mockery of the health protocols. None of the breaches mentioned thereof went unpunished thereby setting a wrong precedent.

    Following the news of Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed testing positive for the virus, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should have been more cautious and stringent with restrictions but instead, Multan Sultans bowling coach Azhar Mahmood was allowed to throw a birthday party that was also attended by a number of players. This surge in the virus cases, due in large part to management’s carelessness (six players and one member from the team officials tested positive), behooved the PCB to postpone the league who had no option but to swallow the bitter truth that they have been incompetent in ensuring that the tournament is smooth sailing.

    The blame-shifting game instantly began, media outlets started peddling hyperbolic and even false reports and overseas players (on the condition of anonymity) averred that the bio-secure bubble was not well-maintained. PSL is in its boom years and is improving over time but untoward incidents like these will blemish its image.

    Responding to the backlash in his presser, PCB’s Chief Executive Wasim Khan admitted that they weren’t equal to the task.

    “It was a great disappointment for us that we found ourselves in a situation where neither us nor others are able to provide what we need to provide and that is the full protection for players,” Wasim said.

    “This is a collective effort that we all had a responsibility to actually police and self-police that environment. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do it effectively enough. Hence, we find ourselves in this situation today,” he added.

    As in, the uppermost task on PCB’s plate now is to find a window in a jam-packed schedule in which it can hold the remaining games of the league. Pakistan is set to play South Africa in April followed by a tour of Zimbabwe but reports suggest that Pakistan will push these tours to accommodate the remaining matches of the league.

    I’m no epidemiologist thus it would be naĂŻve to comment on the spread of the virus and measures to mitigate the virus but it is not rocket science to understand that carelessness over a deadly contagious pandemic is downright buffoonery. There’s no point in crying over spilt milk but whenever the PSL resumes, PCB should ensure that it learns from its mistakes and the remaining tournament goes without any chaos untoward incident.