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Pak vs Eng: Pakistan eye breaking tie in third T20I against England

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  • Seven-match series tied 1-1.
  • Match to be staged at NSK.
  • Pakistan confident ahead of third game.

KARACHI: Pakistan will be aiming to break a tie in its seven-match series against England when Babar Azam’s men take to the field in the third game at the National Stadium later today (Friday) at 7:30pm.

The series was tied 1-1 Thursday after Babar smashed an unbeaten magnificent century along with Mohammad Rizwan (88) to lead Pakistan to their first victory in the home series.

England, who are touring Pakistan for the first time in 17 years, won the first match of the series after the Men In Green’s lacklustre performance with both — the bat and ball.

However, in the second match, the opening pair’s unbeaten 203-run partnership boosted the Green Shirts’ confidence — as they completed a chase of 200 in 19.3 overs.

‘Blindly trust each other’

Speaking after the second T20I for Geo’s segment “Game Changer”, Rizwan said that he enjoys great understanding with Babar.

“We blindly trust each other, we help each other and have great communication which is helping us,” Rizwan said about his partnership with the skipper.

“There’re certain moments when we feel the pressure – these two moments are the start of the innings and when we are near the target. At start, because we always aim to provide a solid start and near the target because we feel that we shouldn’t lose the wicket after coming so close,” Rizwan said.

Talking about his partnership record with Babar, Rizwan said that there can’t be a bigger honour for him if his numbers are putting Pakistan’s name ahead.

The opening pair was recently under criticism from some for not being able to do enough but Thursday’s inning seemed a reply to all the critics.

‘Gamble’

England captain Moeen Ali said his one over of off-spin bowling against Pakistan was a “gamble” that did not pay off after the visitors lost the second match.

“The momentum changed when I bowled my over. That really gave them the belief and after that, they were almost unstoppable,” Moeen said.

“I felt like it was under control for most of it. I genuinely feel my over lost the game for us. That was a gamble on my part.

“I went to try and get a wicket, almost buy a wicket. Obviously, it didn’t work and that’s when Pakistan really won the game.”

Pakistan

Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten discuss their candidacies as Pakistan’s next coaches.

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At a news conference held here today, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced the appointments.

After finishing his duty in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Kirsten will assume leadership as the head coach of Pakistan’s ODI and T20I teams.

Kirsten will be in charge of the team for the following year’s ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, ACC T20 Asia Cup in 2025, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in addition to the forthcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series.

“It’s an incredible privilege to be given the job of leading the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to return to the world of international cricket after a long absence,” Kirsten said.

“I’m excited about the chance to support the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket and hope to make a positive impact.”

“My aim is to bring the Pakistan men’s white-ball team together, utilizing their exceptional abilities to work toward a single goal and succeeding as a team on the pitch.

“Over time, my viewpoint on Pakistani cricket has not changed. The squad is constantly expected to perform at a high standard on a regular basis.

But in team sports, it’s not always easy to stay at the top of your game. It gives me great satisfaction as a coach to see players reach their greatest potential.

“I look forward to working with each player individually and as a team to support their development.”

In the interim, Gillespie will take over for the August home Test matches in the ICC World Test Championship against Bangladesh. In the 2024–25 season, there will also be tests at home in October against England and away in December against South Africa.

“I express my gratitude to the PCB for their belief in my abilities and for granting me the privilege of leading one of the most esteemed and accomplished cricket teams in the conventional format of the game,” Gillespie said.

“Given its illustrious history and fervent fan base, coaching the Pakistan cricket team is an enormous accomplishment for any coach.

I enjoy being able to concentrate on Test cricket because I adore the sport. The fact that Pakistan has such a large talent pool is another thing I adore.

“I like to think that I can contribute in some small manner to the players’ development. I’m taking this role because I want to win tests. I enjoy winning, and I’m confident we have what it takes to succeed.

In the end, it all comes down to playing the kind of cricket we want to play—a style that wins games for us, thrills the crowd, and makes everyone associated with Pakistani cricket happy.

“We have some excellent fast bowlers in Pakistan, and making use of them will be crucial to any success we have.”

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Saying goodbye to international cricket, Bismah Maroof

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The decision to leave international cricket was made by Pakistani women’s cricket player Bismah Maroof on Thursday.

According to details, Maroof declared, “I am choosing to say goodbye to the sport, which I really enjoy. I have had a really memorable cricket journey.”

Saying, “The PCB, companions, family, and fans have always supported me,” she highlighted the importance of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and fans to her career.

With an average of 29.55, Maroof had scored 3369 runs in 136 WODIs while playing for Pakistan.

Throughout 140 WT20Is, Maroof averaged 27.55 and scored 2893 runs.

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For the Pakistani team’s T20I against New Zealand, Haseebullah has replaced Azam Khan.

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In a brief press release, PCB said, “The national selection committee has announced wicketkeeper/batter Haseebullah as the replacement player for Azam Khan, who was sidelined from the T20I series against New Zealand due to a tear in his right calf muscle.”

The information indicates that Haseebullah will become a member of the Pakistan team following the third Twenty20 International, and he will be eligible to be selected for the two remaining Twenty20 Internationals, which are slated to take place in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Earlier in the year, Haseebullah, 21, played in his only Twenty20 international match against New Zealand.

or the unfamiliar, Azam Khan was declared out of the whole series on Saturday after missing the first Twenty20 International because of pain in his right knee and right calf muscle.

According to PCB, “Azam Khan has been advised to undergo a 10-day rest following radiology reports confirming a Grade One tear of his right calf muscle.”

The announcement also stated, “Azam will therefore be unable to take part in the current Twenty20 International series against New Zealand, which concludes in Lahore on April 27.”

Notably, Mark Chapman’s incredible innings helped the visitors to an easy seven-wicket victory in the third Twenty20 International, tying the five-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand at one.

Pakistan team for the Twenty20 Internationals in New Zealand

Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Azam (c), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan

Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, and Muhammad Wasim Jr. are the reserve players.

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