Sports

Pakistan declare at 476-4 in first Test against Australia

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

Pakistan declared their first innings at 476-4 on Saturday in the first Test against Australia after brilliant hundreds from Azhar Ali and Imamul Haq on the second day in Rawalpindi.

Ali scored 185 and Haq 157 as Australia toiled hard after Pakistan won the toss and batted on a flat, batting-friendly Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium pitch. The 37-year-old lofted spinner Nathan Lyon for his eighth boundary towards mid-wicket to complete his 19th hundred in his 92nd Test. With that, Pakistan reached 312 without losing another wicket after starting the day on 245 for one.

He has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the Test batting line-up since making his debut in 2010, and boasts a triple hundred against the West Indies — the first since day-night Tests were introduced. Haq was the slowest of the Pakistan pair on Saturday morning, adding just six runs in the first hour and not hitting a boundary until the 90th minute. Haq was lucky to survive a caught-behind appeal on 143 off Lyon the Australians didn’t challenge when replays showed it hit the bat. Meanwhile, Skipper Babar Azam made 36 while Mohammad Rizwan (29) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13) remained not out.

For Australia, Pat Cummins, Lyon and Marnus Labuchagne took a wicket apiece while Azam was run out. Earlier today, the Australian and Pakistan teams paid tribute to legendary spinner Shane Warne with a minute’s silence as play resumed.

“It’s a sad way to start the day,” the television commentator said as players wore black armbands to pay homage to Warne, who died of a heart attack in Thailand on Friday.

The handful of early-morning spectators in the stands also stood in respect. The Australians were playing in Pakistan for the first time since 1998, having declined to tour previously because of security issues. Warne was widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of all time — a larger-than-life character whose tally of 708 Test wickets has been surpassed only by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. His death is a double blow for Australia after another cricketing great, Rod Marsh, also died on Friday after suffering a heart attack. Cummins admitted the team was shaken. “Yeah, these are really tough times with, you know, both Rod and Shane gone,” the Australian skipper told the host broadcaster ahead of the day’s play.

“I just encourage everyone to talk about it.”

Cummins said Warne was popular around the world. “You know, his showmanship and all those things that he brought to Australian cricket are probably my longer-lasting memories.

“I think playing across the world, you realise just it wasn’t only Aussies that felt that it was … in all corners.”

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PCB will install floodlights for PSL matches at Quetta Stadium.

Published

12 hours ago

Farwa

By installing floodlights by September, PCB will keep its word. Following stadium renovations, PSL matches would also be held in Quetta, according to Naqvi, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

He stated at a press conference held at Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti Cricket Stadium that the possibility of holding Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in Quetta was being considered.

In Gwadar and Quetta, he said, the PCB would do its part to promote cricket.
Quetta Stadium will soon have floodlights installed, as announced by the interior minister, which Chief Minister Bugti congratulated for the news.

The province has a wealth of skills, and installing floodlights will help promote sports and cricket in particular. He responded to a query by saying that chances will be given to the province’s youth at the federal level.

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The women’s team from Pakistan travels to England for a white-ball series.

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The national squad left Karachi earlier today to play three Twenty20 Internationals and three One-Day Internationals in the series.

Dr. Muhammad Faisal, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in England, greeted the women’s team and management.

The team will soon depart for Leicester to play a practice match on 9 May against the ECB Development XI. On May 11, in Birmingham, the first Twenty20 International will take place.

Notably, this will be Pakistan’s eighth and final series of the current event cycle. The ODIs in the series are a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022–25.

Pakistan women squad for England tour

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Player support personnel: Nahida Khan (manager), Mauhtashim Rasheed (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Hina Munawar (chief security officer)

Tour Schedule

9 May – T20 warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Uptonsteel County Ground (11.00 am local time)

11 May – 1st T20I, Birmingham (2.30 pm local time)

17 May – 2nd T20I, Northampton (6.30 pm local time)

19 May – 3rd T20I, Leeds (1.00 pm local time)

21 May – One-Day warm-up game v ECB Development XI, Northampton (11.00 am local time)

23 May – 1st ODI, Derby (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 May – 2nd ODI, Taunton (11.00 am local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

29 May – 3rd ODI, Chelmsford (1.00 pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

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Pakistan releases their England against Ireland team, and Hasan Ali is back.

Published

6 days ago

Farwa

The men in green will play a three-match series against Ireland before taking on England in a four-match series.

The 18-player roster now includes Salman Ali Agha, Hasan Ali, and Haris Rauf, who were all reinstated by the national selection committee.

Turn off the silence
Zaman Khan and Usama Mir, meanwhile, were left off the final roster.

Continue reading: Ramiz Raja selects Pakistan’s starting combination for the 2024 T20 World Cup

After the first Twenty20 International at Leeds on May 22, the team will be whittled down to 15 players for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 next month in order to meet the ICC’s deadline of May 24.

Pakistan squad for Ireland and England series:

Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Iftikhar Ahmad, Usman Khan, Azam Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha.

Ireland vs Pakistan T20I series:

10 May: First T20I in Dublin (7pm PST)

12 May: Second T20I in Dublin (7pm PST)

14 May: Third T20I in Dublin (7pm PST)

England vs Pakistan T20I series:

May 22: First T20I in Leeds (10:30pm PST)

May 25: Second T20I in Birmingham (6:30pm PST)

May 28: Third T20I in Cardiff (10:30pm PST)

May 30: Fourth T20I at The Oval, London (10:30pm PST)