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  • PCB announces PSL 6 ticket prices, booking details

    PCB announces PSL 6 ticket prices, booking details

    Following the decision of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) to allow 20 percent crowd to attend each matchday of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday confirmed the ticket prices for 30 of the 34 matches, which will be played from February 20 to March 16. Ticket denominations for the Qualifier, two Eliminators and the final, to be played from March 18-22, will be announced closer to time.

    According to a press release, online sale of tickets will start on Wednesday at 10 00 (Pakistan time) and fans can visit www.bookme.pk to purchase match tickets and select their preferred enclosure and choice of seat.

    Fans can also call the Bookme helpline (03137786888) to book their tickets for which CNIC number and phone number is mandatory. When the match ticket has been confirmed, the customer will be sent a token number on the registered phone so that the customer can make the payment at the closest Jazzcash/Easypaisa shop. Upon payment, the customer will receive an e-ticket code along with a Quick Response (QR) Code, which the customer can use to print the ticket or show the SMS at the entry gate on match day.

    To encourage families to attend the marquee event, the PCB has reserved certain enclosures of the National Stadium Karachi and Gaddafi Stadium Lahore for families.

    At the National Stadium, enclosures reserved for the families include Hanif Mohammad (VIP Enclosure), Wasim Akram (Premium Enclosure), Zaheer Abbas, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures (First-Class Enclosures), and Intikhab Alam Enclosure (General) while family enclosures at the Gaddafi Stadium include: Fazal Mahmood (VIP Enclosure), Saeed Anwar (Premier Enclosure), Abdul Qadir (First-Class Enclosure) and Nazar, Quaid, Zaheer Abbas and Majid Khan (General Enclosure).

    For Saturday’s tournament opener between Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators, which will begin at 7 pm, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at Rs 5,000, while the price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at Rs 4,000. Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) has been set at Rs 3,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at Rs 2,000.

    For Sunday’s double-header between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi, and Islamabad United and Multan Sultans, which will start at 2 pm and 7 pm, respectively, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at Rs 4,000, while the price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at Rs 3,000. Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) has been set at Rs 2,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at Rs 1,000.

    For matches to take place from Monday-Wednesday, cost of VIP stands (Hanif Mohammad and Javed Miandad Enclosures) have been fixed at Rs 3,000, while the price of the First-Class stands (Zaheer Abbas, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hasan, Majid Khan, Iqbal Qasim and Nasimul Ghani Enclosures) have been kept at PKR2,000. Similarly, price of Premium stands (Quaid, Wasim Akram and Imran Khan Enclosure) have been set at Rs 1,000, while the General stand tickets (Wasim Bari, Mohammad Brothers and Intikhab Alam Enclosure) have been fixed at Rs 500.

    For the first match in Lahore on March 10 involving Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings, ticket prizes for the VIP stands (Imran Khan and Fazal Mahmood Enclosures) have been set for 3,000, followed by Rs 2,000 for the First-Class Stands (Abdul Qadir and Sarfraz Nawaz Enclosures), Rs 1,000 for Premium stands (A.H. Kardar, Rajas, Javed Miandad and Saeed Anwar Enclosures) and Rs 500 for General stands (Inzamam ul Haq, Nazars, Quaid, Imtiaz Ahmed, Zaheer Abbas, Hanif Mohammad, Majid Khan, Saeed Ahmed Enclosures).

    Read more – PSL6 opening ceremony to be filmed in a specially designed studio in Turkey

    Meanwhile, overseas players have started arriving in Karachi, where the first half of the tournament will take place. Karachi will host 20 matches from February 20 to March 7 while Lahore will host the remaining 14 matches from March 10 to 22.

  • PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem of the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    According to a report, a PCB spokesperson said that the three artists were chosen to do the song as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

    “Naseebo Lal is an extremely talented, underutilised vocalist whose voice has the strength to carry this cricket anthem,” the official is reported to have said. He further added that Aima gave young energy to the anthem. 

    The spokesperson said that Young Stunners were a “natural choice” to be a part of the anthem as they are leaders in the country’s hip-hop scene.

    “Cricket and music have always formed a natural union in Pakistan. The thought process was to pave the way for a new sound of cricket in Pakistan that appeals to the multi-dimensional audience that comes with Pakistan’s biggest cricketing event,” added the spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, PSL also shared a behind the scenes (BTS) video of the song’s shoot in which the singers spoke about the song and their role in it.

    “It feels so good because this is the first time I’ve done a project which is making me happy,” said Naseebo in the video.

    “My groove is my beloved Pakistan and the camera is also my groove,” added the singer.

    On the other hand, the song’s producer Zulfiqar Jabbar (Xulfi) while talking about cricket and music, said: “There is one thing common in cricket and music, which is rhythm. You might have heard commentators talking about a bowler’s rhythm and rhythm is excitingly called as ‘groove’.”

    Elaborating further, Xulfi said: “We usually say that if Shaheen Afridi has taken 4 wickets in a match, then on that day, he’s in groove.”

    “Groove Mera is everyone’s groove in PSL. This can be anyone’s groove – a commentator’s groove or a cricketer, batsman, baller or we all musicians and artists’ groove, who are singing or it may be yours [public] as well,” he continued.

    Xulfi further said that he “could feel Naseebo’s voice echoing in the stadium.”

    “We knew how to get the balance among Naseebo, Aima and the Young Stunners. We exactly knew what their vibe is separately and we then made a connecting melody, which is basically the hook of the song,” he added.

    “It is the hybrid of all the personalities of the singers, who are in this song,” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, Aima speaking about the song said: “The anthem’s vibe is pretty street and I really like it because our public really like street songs and music and it is very festive EDM. Overall I love the vibe.”

    Groove Mera has created a stir with social media divided on the song. While many including Shoaib Akhtar slammed the song, other celebrities including Mehwish Hayat, Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Quraishi, Haroon Shahid and Farhan Saeed praised the anthem and its composition.

    Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also criticised the song. Talking to media, Dr Awan said that she did not like it at all, adding that it “could have been improved further”.

    Referring to Naseebo as Pakistan’s ‘laal,’ or beloved, Dr Awan said: “Here we were representing the league in front of international players. This is not district-level league. The Lal should have been presented as a jewel and voice of the nation.”

    “If there is any chance of improvement, then we should go for it,” she concluded.

  • NCOC allows PSL 2021 to have limited spectators

    NCOC allows PSL 2021 to have limited spectators

    The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has granted permission to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to have spectators at the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) scheduled to commence from February 20. As per details, stadiums will be allowed only 20 percent spectators of the total capacity.

    According to a press release issued by PCB, the decision means around 7,500 ticketed spectators will be allowed access inside the National Stadium in Karachi per match day, while around 5,500 will be able to attend each match day at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

    During the course of the event, the NCOC and the PCB will continue to work together and monitor the situation before a decision to increase crowd numbers for the three playoffs and the final is made.

    The NCOC made the decision following a detailed and comprehensive briefing by the PCB officials, in which they assured that the event organisers and the PCB will strictly follow the government’s COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), including social distancing.

    The press release further said that PCB will soon announce its ticketing policy to provide further clarity to the fans on how they can purchase tickets and the process to enter/exit the venues during the matches.

    Read more – PSL 2021: Interesting picks and drops

    Thanking NCOC, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said: “I am thankful to the NCOC for trusting the PCB and allowing limited fans to watch the live-action of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021. This is an endorsement that the PCB is an institution, which is capable of planning and then successfully implementing COVID-19 SOPs during its marquee event being staged in Pakistan for the second successive year.

    He added: “Fans are the PCB’s biggest asset and we are delighted that no matter a small number, but some will be able to have access to the matches. Their presence will add flavour and excitement to one of the biggest and most challenging leagues in the cricket calendar.”

    “I am optimistic that if we can maintain strict protocols during the HBL PSL 2021 matches we will have a strong case for more fans in the 2021-22 season in which we have to host high-profile international teams such as New Zealand, England and the West Indies as well as quality domestic events, including the National T20 Cup, Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and the Pakistan Cup,” concluded Mani.

    The HBL PSL season six will be played in Karachi and Lahore from February 20 to March 22.

  • Here’s why you were stuck in traffic in Lahore despite South Africa playing Test in Rawalpindi

    Massive jams in major parts of Lahore on Thursday spelt misery for citizens on the second consecutive day with little or no public knowledge regarding the jams except assumptions that the South African cricket team was in town.

    According to the details of the jam, the city’s arteries, including Jail Road, Canal Bank Road and The Mall, remained blocked for traffic as contingents of police and rangers barred motorists from movement on the said roads.

    As a result, all routes leading to the aforementioned major roads also remained choked with traffic jams in Shadman, Shah Jamal, Gulberg, Mozang, Upper & Lower Mall, Lytton Road, Liberty Chowk, Kalma Chowk and Davis Road among other adjoining areas.

    But what could have been the cause, especially when the South African team is currently playing its second Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi?

    Well, a separate Proteas T20 squad arrived in Lahore on Wednesday for three-match series against the Green Shirts.

    Security before the movement of the team was beefed up in the Punjab capital and the guests were shifted to the hotel in the fully escorted motorcade.

    Heinrich Klaasen will lead the South Africa squad in the three fixtures which will be played on February 11, 13, and 14. The first practice session is scheduled for Friday.

    The series will start at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on February 11, and so, the current traffic situation is likely to prevail until February 15, after which the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches could add to motorists’ woes.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the toss and elected to bat in the second and final Test in Rawalpindi against South Africa on Thursday.

    Pakistan retained the playing XI which won the first Test by seven wickets inside four days at Karachi last week.

  • Hafeez ka kya scene hai?

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced Pakistan’s squad against South Africa for the upcoming three-match T20I series. While many domestic performers were happy to see their names on the list, everyone was wondering why all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez was not on it.

    While the new chief selector Muhammad Wasim refrained from using typical excuses like age, bad form or that there is someone better than Hafeez in the squad, he did present an interesting reason behind Hafeez’s exclusion from the squad.

    In a press conference, Wasim said that Hafeez is playing the T10 league happening in Dubai and will not be able to return to Pakistan to join the bio-secure bubble on time.

    “Unfortunately, the scenario is such that every player has to join the bio-bubble on February 3, and if a player can’t do so, it means he is unavailable,” said Wasim during the conference.

    Talking about Hafeez, he added: “Same was the case with Mohammad Hafeez. He was not available for the bio-secure bubble, that’s why he was excluded. There’s no question on his performance.” 

    Furthermore, according to a report in The News, a PCB official had revealed that just before the first T20 against New Zealand on December 18, Hafeez through an email had communicated to the board that he would not be in a position to participate in the three-match home series against South Africa due to his prior commitment with the T10 league in the UAE.

    “We have our limitations. Though we wanted to include Hafeez for the series he was adamant to join only on February 5 after playing his last T10 League match on February 4. Since he would be travelling back to Pakistan and in between, he would be out of the bubble for almost a day and rejoining others could be a risky affair. The PCB on the other hand cannot go against the MoU so we have to stick to the agreement,” the official had said.

    As per details, the PCB and Cricket South Africa have signed an MoU through which all the selected players for the T20 series will have to join the bubble on or before February 3.

    The official added that Wasim talked to Hafeez on Saturday in an effort to convince him to join the bubble in time.

    “He was not ready for that as he said he could only join the bubble on February 5. That is the reason Hafeez has been left out of the T20 series,” stated the official further.

    The official also added that the PCB comprehended the situation well in time and that was why it had approached Hafeez in December.

    “Hafeez’s email came after PCB’s cricket operation department approached him to clarify his position. Hafeez clearly mentioned his inability to make himself available for the series,” said the official.

    Meanwhile, on January 20, Hafeez in a statement had said: “I’m fully available for the T20I series [against South Africa] as my priority is always playing for Pakistan. I was also given NOC for T10 League because it would not clash with Pakistan’s international commitments. I will also comply with all the bio-secure bubble requirements.”

    Soon after the squad was announced, Hafeez took to Twitter to express his disappointment over not being selected for the team.

    Later, in a virtual presser, head coach Misbah-ul-Haq has said that Hafeez is an important player for the team, but in certain situations, you are unable to do anything, adding that bubble date and protocols were decided by the medical panel.

    “As a coach, we will miss him but this is the opportunity for someone else to step up,” added Misbah.

    Taking a look at Hafeez’ performance in T20Is, he has four fifties to his name in the past year. The first he scored against Bangladesh in Lahore (67 not out), the second he scored against England in England (69 not out), the third came against England again in the very next T20 (an unbeaten 89), and the last one was a score of 99 not out against New Zealand recently.

    Apart from the fifties, he has been scoring with the average of at least 35 plus in T20Is in the past couple of years and there are no prizes for guessing that he has been the best with the willow for Pakistan.

    Hafeez’s inclusion in the team was the need of the hour and even senior cricket journalist, Aalia Rasheed is unable to understand the decision. In a tweet, Rasheed wrote: “Hafeez is the requirement for Pakistan.”

    “Why did you grant him NOC when you knew the final is on February 6,” she asked the board. “If a pillar player joins [the squad] after one day then what’s the issue in it? MOU is already in your hand.”

    If Hafeez has sent an email to board with his demand, the PCB should share it with media and if there isn’t any email, then this puts a big question mark on the credibility of management. Nonetheless, the truth is bound to come out sooner or later.

    Former cricketer and commentator, Ramiz Raja has slammed Hafeez, calling him ‘selfish’, he said, “International teams are now coming to Pakistan so it is imperative that everyone religiously follows Covid-19 protocols. Among those playing in T10 League, Asif Ali is coming but not Mohammad Hafeez because he doesn’t want to end his contract. This shows the level of thinking because, considering the situation, we should be prepared to follow the necessary protocols even if there are last-minute changes.”

    He further opined, “If you look at Haris Rauf, he left Big Bash League to join Pakistan’s Test squad which shows what his priority is. If Pakistan is your priority then you are headed in the right direction. If you want to serve the leagues at the cost of selection for the Pakistan team, then you are certainly not on the right path. One should think about Pakistan instead of being selfish because nobody will back you.”

    Meanwhile, the current T20 squad includes – Babar Azam (c), Aamer Yamin, Amad Butt, Asif Ali, Danish Aziz, Faheem Ashraf, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, M Hasnain, M Nawaz, M Rizwan, Sarfaraz, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Qadir, Zafar Gohar and Zahid Mehmood.

    The squad along with the officials will enter the bio-secure bubble from February 3 while the players, taking part in the Test series, will join the bubble at the end of the second Test, which starts in Rawalpindi from February 4.

    The three-match T20I series will commence from February 11 at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

  • Fahad Mustafa says ignoring Fawad Alam for a decade was ‘a failure of our system’

    Fahad Mustafa has condemned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for ignoring Fawad Alam for a decade.

    “If you want to witness what a failure of our system really is, watch Fawad Alam playing like a champ that he really is. We have wasted 10 years of this incredibly talented athlete,” wrote Fahad on social media.

    Fawad, who was ignored for almost eleven years, has gone on to score a century during the Pakistan vs South Africa series, happening in Karachi. This is the cricketer’s third century. He scored his first in 2009 when he hit 168 on his Test debut against Sri Lanka while opening the innings. Since then Alam has played just six Tests having made a comeback in 2020. He scored his second hundred in New Zealand during the Pakistan vs New Zealand Test series after he got a chance to play when Babar Azam was ruled out due to his thumb injury.

    Meanwhile, Pakistanis including celebrities, politicians and sports analysts cannot stop praising Alam for his brilliant feat and many have called out the previous selectors for ignoring his talent.

    https://twitter.com/hadouken51/status/1354387696471437312?s=20
  • First day of PAK vs SA ends in distress despite ‘Super Rizwan’

    First day of PAK vs SA ends in distress despite ‘Super Rizwan’

    The Pakistan vs South Africa series kickstarted on Tuesday with a Test match at the National Stadium Karachi. While the day began with cricket aficionados witnessing some great wicketkeeping by ‘Super Rizwan’, it ended with four out after making just 33 runs. SA, on the other hand, had a score of 220-10.

    Muhammad Rizwan’s exceptional wicketkeeping abilities left everyone in awe during the first session of the first test between Pakistan and South Africa. Middle-order batsman Van der Dussen was run out by a quick throw from Babar Azam and excellent work with the gloves from Rizwan.

    With an excellent speed, Rizwan broke the wickets in seconds. The skipper’s throw in the right direction helped Rizwan run out the South African Middle-order batsman at 17 runs.

    This Test series is very important for Pakistan Cricket as the green shirts have faced a humiliating defeat in New Zealand.

    Pakistan’s 11 initially appeared strong with its two debutants, Nauman Ali and Imran Butt, but opener Imran, couldn’t do anything promising with the bat. Earlier in the day, Younis Khan and Yasir Shah had presented both Ali and Butt their first Test cap.

    The visiting team opted for batting after winning the toss. They had a strong start but lost Markram early after which they could not construct a lasting partnership. The highest individual score from a South Africa batsman came from the blade of Dean Elgar, who scored a well-made 58. The visitors could only post a total of 220.

    For Pakistan, with the ball, the spinners rose to the occasion. Yasir Shah was the highlight, with 3 wickets to his name, while debutant Nauman Ali snared two. The pacers had 3 wickets to their names. And then, Pakistan stepped out to bat, in their first innings. It was a horror start with the bat though, as they lost Abid Ali early and saw further collapses, including the skipper at 7.

    In the end, they closed out Day 1, at 33 for 4, and probably have to thank the sun for setting down, rather than any of their batsmen. However, if one exception were to be made, one can say that Azhar Ali is gritting it out there – he is the man the visiting team would hope to snare as they resume play on Day 2.

    Pakistan will need 187 runs to opt for a lead tomorrow with six wickets in hand.

  • 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.