Sports

Steve Smith annoyed at missing hundred as first Test heads for draw

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

RAWALPINDI: Steve Smith said he was annoyed at missing out on a century Monday as Australia’s first Test in Pakistan in nearly a quarter of a century headed for a draw in Rawalpindi.

Mitchell Starc was on 12 and skipper Pat Cummins four as Australia reached 449-7 in reply to Pakistan’s first innings total of 476-4 declared.

But Smith was annoyed with himself for getting out earlier on 78.

“I got a bit greedy with the field they had set. I had worked pretty hard and got myself in a nice position to go on and get a big score.”

Australia are on their first tour to Pakistan since 1998, having previously refused to visit over security fears.

Despite no rain forecast for Tuesday, the likelihood of a result in the opening match of the three-Test series looks bleak, barring a Pakistan batting collapse in the second innings on a wicket that still looks full of runs.

Smith believes there would have been a small chance of a result on the final day if not for the hours of play lost to the weather.

“Perhaps if we were five down we might have been able to push a little harder in the morning and potentially set something up for the fourth innings,” he said.

But the pitch at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has produced 925 runs for just 13 wickets, and is unlikely to yield the spin needed for a result.

Still, Pakistan grabbed five wickets Monday, including that of top-ranked Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne (90) and Smith, with Nauman taking 4-107 in 37 precise overs.

Nauman broke a stubborn fifth-wicket stand of 81 between Smith and Cameron Green (48) by having the young all-rounder caught off a miscued sweep at leg slip by Iftikhar Ahmed.

Australia were looking for quick runs to go ahead in the first innings, but they were further jolted as Nauman dismissed Smith off a mishit sweep that caught the gloves and landed in wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan’s safe hands.

Smith batted two minutes short of five hours, hitting eight boundaries.

Alex Carey made 19 before he was bowled by quickie Naseem Shah in the fading light.

Earlier, overnight rain had left the outfield at the stadium waterlogged and the umpires only allowed play to start after lunch.

Australia, 271-2 overnight, progressed to 288-2 when Pakistan took the second new ball after 80 overs — and were instantly rewarded.

Left-arm paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi forced an edge off Labuschagne which Abdullah Shafique took diving to his right in the slips.

Labuschagne lasted 190 minutes during which he hit 12 boundaries.

Travis Head, fresh from being man-of-the-series in Australia’s 4-0 Ashes win back home in January, hit two boundaries before he miscued a drive off spinner Nauman and was caught behind by Rizwan.

Shaheen (1-80), Naseem (1-89) and Sajid (1-122) were the other successful Pakistan bowlers.

The second Test of the series is in Karachi from March 12-16 and the third in Lahore from March 21-25.

Latest News

Saying goodbye to international cricket, Bismah Maroof

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

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.

Latest News

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

Published

4 days ago

Farwa

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.

Latest News

Rain cancels out Pakistan vs. New Zealand’s opening Twenty20 international

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

As the rain returned, Shaheen Shah Afridi’s expertly timed in-swinger to dismiss Tim Robinson left only a two-ball match going on at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza shook hands with the players and decided to call off the contest as soon as the rain started up again. Additionally, there was a thirty-minute delay in the planned fixture toss. Then, after winning the coin toss, Michael Bracewell, the captain of New Zealand, decided to bat first.

The players from both sides assembled shortly after for the national anthems, but more rain caused the proceedings to be postponed.

The match appeared likely to be called off before a ball was played due to the intensity of the second spell of rain. But after the rain stopped, the ground crew worked extremely hard, and the game might go into five overs.

The second game, which takes place at the same location on April 20, will pit the two teams against one another.