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Tag: PCB

  • ‘Azhar Ali’s captaincy to be reviewed’

    Azhar Ali may not retain his position as Pakistan’s Test Captain during next month’s tour of New Zealand after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief executive Wasim Khan said that the 35-year-old’s leadership will be “reviewed”.

    According to details, rumours are rife in the executive corridors of PCB’s headquarters about a younger replacement. The speculations come just 12 months after Azhar replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as Pakistan’s Test captain. Mohammad Rizwan and current limited-overs captain Babar Azam are the top choices for potential replacements for Test captaincy, with the change likely to happen as early as December when Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand is scheduled to take place.

    Wasim also revealed that Azhar’s annual appraisal is being carried out and that a final decision has not been made yet as constitutionally the prerogative to name or dismiss a captain rests with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, who is due to meet Ali in the next ten days.

    Read more – Misbah Ul Haq steps down as chief selector

    Azhar has struggled with form over the past two years and found himself in a sustained slump until he scored a hundred in Karachi late last year, followed by a fighting century in a rain-hit draw against England in Southampton in August.

    Azhar is presently the most capped player in the Pakistan side with 81 Test matches in a career that started in 2010. He was appointed ODI captain following Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi’s ODI retirements after the 2015 World Cup when he hadn’t been part of Pakistan’s ODI plans. Following poor results in England and Australia during his tenure, he was axed from captaincy in January 2017 but remained in the squad until 2018 before losing his spot to younger players.

    Ali had refused an offer to take up Test captaincy in 2017 after Misbah and Younis Khan retired from the longer format, with the PCB deciding to hand over the captaincy in all formats to Sarfaraz. While his limited-overs replacement Babar looks more secure than ever, Azhar’s stint as Test captain may well be drawing to a premature close.

    Meanwhile, Wasim has backed Misbah and Babar as coach and captain for next year’s World Twenty20.

    In a press conference, Wasim while speaking about Misbah and Babar had said: “Like every other job, that of the head coach and the captain is also performance-based. At the moment, our main focus is white-ball cricket with World Twenty20 events in each of the next two years and we’re backing Misbah and Babar for the next World Twenty20 as they’re both doing well together.”

  • 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.

  • Hafeez, who tested positive for coronavirus at PCB, tests negative at private lab a day later

    A day after testing positive for coronavirus at Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohammad Hafeez says he has tested negative at a private facility.

    On Tuesday, Hafeez was announced as one of ten Pakistani national cricket team players who tested positive for the virus as the entire 29-man squad due to fly out to England on June 28 underwent COVID-19 testing.

    Hafeez, however, got himself tested from a different lab in Lahore for a “second opinion” for him and his family. That result, he said in a tweet, was negative.

    https://twitter.com/MHafeez22/status/1275689746765840395

    All of PCB’s tests were conducted by Shaukat Khanum Laboratory.

    Other players who tested positive for the virus include Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wahab Riaz.

    Apart from the seven players, one support personnel — the masseur — also contracted the illness after the cricket body had 35 tests carried out for COVID-19 in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.

    Pakistan’s Test and limited-overs squads will tour England for three Tests and three T20 internationals.

    England director of cricket Ashley Giles has said that the tour is expected to go ahead.

  • PCB’s legal advisor sues Shoaib Akhtar for defamation

    PCB’s legal advisor sues Shoaib Akhtar for defamation

    Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi has filed a Rs10 million defamation lawsuit against former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for calling him “an inept person of the highest order,” “do takkay ka lawyer” along with other allegations.

    Akhtar, in a video posted to his YouTube channel, had strongly criticised the Board and its legal team, especially Rizvi, and had accused him of profiteering by creating protracted legal disputes between the Board and its players.

    Speaking on the matter, Rizvi said, “Shoaib Akhtar’s comments have affected my goodwill. He said false things about me on social media. His remarks were seen and heard abroad as well which is why I decided to take legal action against him.”

    The PCB advisor further said that he will take action against Akhtar outside of Pakistan and that he has also “submitted a criminal complaint to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under the cybercrime act.”

    Akhtar, while discussing the three-year ban on Umar Akmal on his YouTube channel, had accused PCB and its legal team of giving cover to corrupt cricketers of their choice but “feeding other out-of-favours ones to the lions.” He said that this had enabled the menace of match-fixing.

    “The Board has given cover to, saved and rehabilitated match-fixers, which has developed this mindset that ‘Okay I will serve my six-month or two years ban but will be back again like Sharjeel Khan’,” Akhtar said in the video.

    Akhtar asserted that formal laws need to be put in place to curb corruption in the sport. He also suggested that the issue of match-fixing and the treatment of guilty cricketers should be taken out of the Board’s hands.

    “The PCB’s legal department is rotten to the core,” remarked Akhtar. “Tafazzul Rizvi, in particular, is one such individual. He has deep connections and has been with the board for 10-15 years. There has never been a case that he has not lost. What irked me the most was when he dragged Shahid Afridi through the courts.”

    Meanwhile, PCB has said that while they are not backing the legal notice as yet, they are disappointed with Akhtar’s disrespectful outburst.

    “The PCB is disappointed with Shoaib Akhtar’s poor choice of words while publically commenting about the PCB’s legal department and its legal advisor,” said the board in a press release. “The language used by Shoaib Akhtar was highly inappropriate and disrespectful, and cannot be condoned in any civilised society. The PCB’s legal advisor, Mr Taffazul Rizvi, in his own discretion, has initiated defamation and criminal proceedings against Shoaib Akhtar, while the PCB too reserves its rights.”

  • PCB converts Karachi high-performance centre into temporary lodging for paramedics

    PCB converts Karachi high-performance centre into temporary lodging for paramedics

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on a request from the Sindh Government, has agreed to convert its Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre as a temporary living area for paramedic staff working at the makeshift hospital at Expo Centre, Karachi.

    In a press release, PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer said: “All the paramedic staff are our heroes as in these challenging and difficult times, they are risking their lives to save the lives and wellbeing of many affected by COVID-19.”

    “As a small token of our appreciation and acknowledgement to these unsung heroes and as part of our duty of care, the PCB is pleased to offer its state-of-the-art Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre as temporary lodging and boarding for the paramedic staff working at Expo Centre hospital so that they can serve those suffering from COVID-19 more effectively and efficiently,” he added.

  • Cricket trumps all

    Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 is the fifth season of the Twenty20 cricket league established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). And for the first time, all of its matches are being held in Pakistan.

    After the Mumbai attack in November 2008, Indian franchise owners refused to include Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to pressure from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Pakistan had been working on its own premier league for a while, but the idea of PSL was only materialised under the leadership of former PCB chairman Najam Sethi.

    The first season of PSL was a huge hit and led to an interest in all cricketing countries. PSL opening and closing ceremonies, as well as all the matches, have had record-breaking numbers on the league’s digital platforms. This year, the numbers are said to be even more than the four previous seasons.

    All six teams have their unique qualities as well as strengths and weaknesses. Every cricketing fan in Pakistan has an opinion about these teams and has his or her favourites. While we’ve only had PSL semi-finals and finals in the country in the past, this year’s tournament is even more special with all matches being played here in a development that we had not seen in a long time.

    Although one would think it would lead to full houses in all stadia, only Multan has seen housefuls at matches. Karachi’s turnout has not been that bad and same goes for Rawalpindi, but the most disappointing turnout has been in Lahore.

    Whether it was due to the security arrangements and road closures, one cannot say for sure, but we think Pakistanis should come out in full force to support the PSL. There are 36 international players who are in the country and this gives Pakistan cricket a huge boost as it takes away some of the baggage that we have carried since the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009.

    To some people, shutting down roads on match days seems like a hassle, but to be fair, this is the only way forward to bring international cricket back to Pakistan. Hopefully, in the years to come, we would not be needing this much security, but for now, we have to live with the discomfort that for the good of cricket and Pakistan, doesn’t seem much.

    Tayyar Ho? Tayyar Hain!

  • PSL 5 opening ceremony to cost Rs210 million

    The opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Pakistan Super League (PSL) will cost around Rs210 million, as the cricketing tournament, unlike its previous editions, is held entirely in Pakistan.

    According to Cricket Pakistan, the colorful and extravagant opening ceremony will be held at National Stadium in Karachi, following which Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United will play the first match of the tournament.

    The two are also the only teams guaranteed to be at the event as according to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials, the teams that are scheduled to compete the following day will not be able to take part in the opening ceremony where popular local singers, including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abrarul Haq, Sajad Ali, Sanam Maarwi, Aima Baig, Abu Mohammad, Fareed Ayaz and Soch band are expected to perform.

    Contrary to PCB officials’ statement, Peshawar Zalmi management has said that the team would also be present at the stadium.

    QUETTA VS ISLAMABAD:

    Led by former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, Gladiators will look to kick off the fifth edition of the tournament with a bang.

    Despite the fact that the new of teenage pace sensation, Naseem Shah, is out of at least two matches of the tournament, the Gladiators, with a host of international and local players, will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

    With top run-scorer Shane Watson and his Australian counterpart Ben Cutting, along with England’s Jason Roy and fast bowlers Tymal Mills and Windies Keemo Paul, the Quetta-based franchise will want to start the tournament with a win.

    Among the national players are batsmen Ahmed Shehzad, Khurram Manzoor and Sarfaraz, and bowlers Sohail Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz.

    They will be without the services of middle-order batsman Umar Akmal who was banned by Pakistan Cricket Board from participating in domestic tournaments on Thursday. 

    Taking on the Gladiators will be two-time champions Islamabad United, led by leg-spinner Shadab Khan. Adding to the mix is South African pacer Dale Steyn who joins his Proteas team-mate Colin Ingram. Luke Ronchi, Colin Munro, Phil Salt and Dawid Malan make up the remaining international players for United.

    Not to be left behind are the national superstars Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Musa, Rumman Raees and Hussain Talat, who just might give United the edge to lift up a third PSL title this year.

    The match between Quetta Gladiators and Islamabad United starts at 7 pm.

  • Daren Sammy’s honorary Pakistani citizenship request sent to President Alvi

    Daren Sammy’s honorary Pakistani citizenship request sent to President Alvi

    Daren Sammy, one of the first cricketers who agreed to play the PSL 2 final in Pakistan in 2017, might just get honorary Pakistani citizenship. The owner of the PSL team Peshawar Zalmi, Javed Afridi, requested the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board to help get his team captain a green passport.

    Sammy, who is active on Twitter, tweeted about how great it was to be back in Pakistan

    “We requested honorary citizenship for Daren Sammy and it is almost on the table of president,” Afridi said during the unveiling of PSL 2020 trophy in Karachi. Afridi also said that the request might be approved if the PCB Chairman pushes for it or ‘makes a phone call’.

    Afridi also said that he has Sammy’s voice notes that are, ‘too emotional for Pakistan”. A formal request has been made to the President and a decision is pending.

    Sammy is often referred to as ‘Daren Sammy Khan’ because of his loyalty to the team from Peshawar.

    Recently he tweeted in Urdu using google translate which got him into some fun trouble.

    Sammy has played international cricket for the West Indies and is a two time T20 World Cup winning captain. He plays as a right-handed batsman and a fast-medium bowler. 

  • ‘PCB owes me Rs40-60 million,’ report quotes Younis Khan as saying

    Former national cricket team captain Younis Khan has claimed that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) owes him Rs40 million [Rs4 crores] to Rs60 million [Rs6 crores], but he is ready to join forces with them and work towards the betterment of the sport in Pakistan.

    Khan, who is the country’s all-time leading run-getter in Tests, also said that he had never asked for money from the board as “it had never been an issue”. “In terms of money, PCB owes me 4-6 crore rupees if you look back. But I have never demanded money, money is never an issue,” he reportedly said.

    “It’s destiny from Allah, you get what is destined for you so you should never run after money, I never ran after money and have always been willing to work with PCB. I was one of the few players who retired and left, players rarely do that. I have 17-18 years of services for Pakistan and PCB.”

    “I don’t know why we can’t come on board together. I played cricket so I want to help in the field of cricket. Why we don’t come on board… perhaps PCB doesn’t change or Younis Khan doesn’t change.”

    “I don’t think anyone in Pakistan would be so personal that he wouldn’t want to work with Younis Khan. Even if I was a big critic of Younis Khan, I would like to still work with Younis Khan. What things are there with my demeanour or what is it with PCB that doesn’t allow us to come on one page,” he added.

     The statement was also tweeted by renowned sports journalist Saj Sadiq, who is also the editor of the media outlet that reported it.

    Younis also reportedly gave his thumbs up to the work done by head coach cum chief selector Misbahul Haq, whom he claims has gotten Pakistan cricket team back on track.

  • 2019: Blunders & Pakistan Cricket

    The year 2019 has seen many questionable calls by Pakistan cricket managemnet, including several mistakes and blunders, Geo News reported,

    The departing year had the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the World Cup and a home Test series after a long drought of ten years. The year saw a plenty of action but at the same time it saw the equal amount of mistakes as well.

    The contributers of these mistakes not only included the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the cricket management, but the captain(s) — former and present — as well as the players.

    Fakhar Zaman’s presence in the team, despite poor form

    Everyone, except the cricket board selectors knew that the opener Fakhar Zaman had been out of form since the summer of 2018. Over a 26-game block before the World Cup (WC) 2019, the average score of the batsman was 29.34 runs. Despite having knowledge of the stats and clear signs that the left-handed was not performing well, the board went into the WC with just him and Imam-ul-Haq as their only two openers.

    Fakhar performed even worse and averaged even less at the tournament, with his 23.25 runs per innings often leaving Pakistan team short of a solid opening foundation which in-turn placed unwanted pressure on the middle-order to make up.

    Trusting Misbah with dual role

    Despite having much bigger and better cricketing setups, Australia, India and England had neither thought of ditching their chief selector and handing the additinoal job to their team’s head coach. But PCB still went for it.

    The move was criticised by many who considered it to be an ill-thought decision and the board weeks after former captain’s appointment itself realised that he would need a coordinator as well.

    PCB later appointed former Test spinner Nadeem Khan as the Coordinator of the National Selection Committee following a recruitment process.

    Sarfaraz Ahmed’s ill-timed replacement

    After Pakistan teams poor performance in the World Cup and failing to even qualify for the semi-finals, the cricket board brought many changes in the team after the tournament except for the captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. Replacing Sarfaraz then would have made more sense at the time but PCB flinched and missed the opportunity.

    Later in October 2019, once the time had passed, the board eventually decided to go for it. It was clear that Sarfaraz had been sacked after severe criticism from the team and the public which he received after the defeat from the hands of Sri Lankan team.

    The sacking in October was then termed unjustified and criticised by many as an ill-timed move.

    Naseem Shah’s selection for Australia tour

    The board selected fast-bowler Naseem Shah in the Pakistan squad for the first time against Australia knowing that the talented Mohammad Asif had earlier struggled alot on his debut tour of Australia. Yet, the 16-year-old pacer and the 19-year-old Muhammad Musa were picked against a stronger english side.

    Choosing Haris Sohail over in-form Fawad Alam

    PCB selected Fawad Alam for Sri Lanka Test series after his excellent performance and multiple centuries in the domestic tournament. The decision was lauded by cricket lovers but sadly, he was not picked in either of the two Test matches.

    Instead, the board retained out of form Haris Sohail, saying that he can also bowl. Sohail bowled a grand total of 10 overs over two Tests and scored a small amount of nine runs on the only occasions he got to bat.