Month: February 2022
Rawalpindi is ready to host Australian’s cricket team 1st test starting from 4th to 8th march
Rawalpindi is ready to host Australian’s cricket team 1st test starting from 4th to 8th march …..By;ASGHAR aLI MUBARAK ……….Pindi Cricket Studium Rawalpindi is ready to host and welcomes Australian’s cricket team who are coming to play Test cricket after a long gap of 24 years. The first test will starts at Pindi Cricket Studium Rawalpindi. It is no less an honor for Rawalpindi fans that this is the second time to creat a history since the revival of international cricket in pakistan .The New Zealand cricket team canceled the tour at the same ground last year due to security concerns.New Zealand and England cancelled tours to Pakistan in September citing security concerns.Australia are one of the high-performing sides and them playing in our backyard for the first time after a gap of 24years will be a special treat for the fans. The Tests will be part of the World Test Championship while the ODIs will be linked to the inaugural ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League.On Australia’s last visit to Pakistan, captain Taylor scored an epic 334 not out in the second Test of a three-match series his side won1-0, but no senior men’s team has visited since. Skipper Mark Taylor equalled a 68-year-old Australian record during his epic unbeaten knock of 334 in the second Test against Pakistan at the Arbab Niaz Stadium, Peshawar. Taylor stands at par with the legendary Sir Donald Bradman’s Test highest individual score of 334, compiled against England at Leeds in 1930. At that time Taylor was the only man in Test history to begin his captaincy reign by bagging a pair in the opening match of the 1994-95 series atKarachi’s National Stadium. A suicide bombing in Karachi a few months before Australia’s next scheduled tour in 2002 saw that series moved to Colombo and the UAE, while the 2008 series was moved after violence in the streets following the country’s general elections. The 2009 terrorist attack on the bus carrying the Sri Lanka team, and their Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, put paid to all international cricket in the country for years, and Australia played a ‘Spirit of Cricket’ Test series in England in 2010.The country has successfully held the Pakistan Super League T20 competition in the country for the past few years, featuring Australians such as Shane Watson, Chris Lynn and Ben Dunk.And in mid-2017 Tim Paine, Ben Cutting and George Bailey played in a World XI in a three-match T20 series.The announcement is a huge boost for Pakistan cricket after New Zealand and England cancelled tours in September citing security concerns.Australia are one of the high-performing sides and them playing in our backyard for the first time after a gap of 24 years will be a special treat for the fans.Australia beat Pakistan 1-0 in a three-Test series the last time they toured the country. Pakistan have since played their ‘home’ tests against Australia in the United Arab Emirates.The International teams have largely refused to tour Pakistan since an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians. The 2009 terrorist attack on the bus carrying the Sri Lankateam, and their Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, put paid to all international cricket in the country for years, and Australia played a ‘Spirit of Cricket’ Test series in England in 2010. That series saw Steve Smith and Tim Paine debut together at Lord’s. While Australia have enjoyed considerable home success against Pakistan in recent years their record against them in the United Arab Emirates has been poor. Australia lost the 2014 series in the UAE 2-0, with captain Misbah ul Haq equalling the then-record for the fatestTest century, and again lost 1-0 in October 2018, their last away series against Pakistan, and Langer’s first as coach of Australia. Zimbabwe was the first full member nation to return to play in the country following the 2009 bus attack, when they played limited overs matches in 2015.West Indies are also touring Pakistan in December, playing The announcement is a huge boost for Pakistan cricket after New Zealand and England cancelled tours in September citing security concerns.”I am delighted to welcome Australia to Pakistan. From a personal point of view, it pleases me no end that we’ll be engaged in a three-Test match series, connoisseurs delight,” PCB chairman Ramiz Raja said in a statement.”Australia are one of the high-performing sides and them playing in our backyard for the first time after a gap of 24 years will be a special treat for the fans.” Australia beat Pakistan 1-0 in a three-Test series the last time they toured the country. Pakistan have since played their ‘home’ tests against Australia in the United Arab Emirates. The International teams have largely refused to tour Pakistan since an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians. The 2009 terrorist attack on the bus carrying the Sri Lanka team, and their Australian coach Trevor Bayliss, put paid to all international cricket in the country for years, and Australia played a ‘Spirit of Cricket’ Test series in England in 2010. That series saw Steve Smith and Tim Paine debut together at Lord’s. While Australia have enjoyed considerable home success against Pakistan in recent years their record against them in the United Arab Emirates has been poor. Australia lost the 2014 series in the UAE 2-0, with captain Misbah ul Haq equalling the then-record for the fatest Test century, and again lost 1-0 in October 2018, their last away series against Pakistan, and Langer’s first as coach of Australia. Zimbabwe was the first full member nation to return to play in the country following the 2009 bus attack, when they played limited overs matches in 2015. The Cricket Australia chief executive Nick Hockley thanked the PCB for their “considerable efforts” in planning for the tour, adding that the operations, logistics, security and COVID-19 protocols would be worked out over the coming months.”The safety and welfare of our players and staff remains our number one priority, and we will continue to work with the PCB and relevant agencies to ensure that appropriate and sufficient arrangements are put in place for the tour,” he said in the statement. West Indies are also touring Pakistan in December, playing three T20s and three ODIs.Mean while the Cricket Australia and Pakistan Cricket Board announced the revised itinerary of the 2022 Australia men’s cricket team’s tour of Pakistan for three Tests, three ODIs and one T20I.The tour will now start and end in Rawalpindi with the opening Test to be played from 4-8 March and the four white-ball matches to be played from 29 March to 5 April. The change in the first Test venue means that the second Test will be played in Karachi from 12-16 March and the third in Lahore from 21-25 March. The PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain said that “We are pleased that the Cricket Australia Board has formally approved their side’s five-week tour itinerary and confirmed that their best available players will visit Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. We are really excited to host Pat Cummins and his players, and look forward to a competitive series that will comprise three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I. “While Australia will arrive at the back of strong performances in their home series against England, our team has been playing excellent cricket resulting in our players sweeping the ICC Awards. This braces for a keenly contested series, something that the fans will thoroughly enjoy and remember for a long time.”The schedule has been revised to ease logistical and operational challenges as well as to avoid Pakistan Day rehearsals, which usually commence in Islamabad in the second week of March. The two cricket boards have also agreed that the Australia Test side will complete their isolation in Australia, before arriving in Islamabad on 27 February on a chartered flight. After a one-day room isolation, they will hold training sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Australia’s white-ball players are expected to arrive in Lahore on 24 March following isolation in Australia. After a one-day isolation upon arrival, they will integrate with other members of the side and travel to Islamabad for the first ODI in Rawalpindi on 29 March. The Tests will be part of the ICC World Test Championship, while the ODIs are linked to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League from which the top eight sides, including hosts India, will qualify directly for the 2023 50-over World Cup.Revised schedule:
27 Feb – Arrival in Islamabad
4-8 Mar – 1st Test, Rawalpindi
12-16 Mar – 2nd Test, Karachi
21-25 Mar – 3rd Test, Lahore
29 Mar – 1st ODI, Rawalpindi
31 Mar – 2nd ODI, Rawalpindi
2 April – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi
5 Apr – one-off T20I, Rawalpindi
6 Apr – Departure
Multan Sultans defending champions become first team to enter the PSL-7 play-offs…
Multan Sultans the defending champions have become the first team to enter the HBL Pakistan Super League 7 play-offs. The Mohammad Rizwan-led side continued their dream run in the seventh edition of the prestigious T20 league with a 42-run victory against Peshawar Zalmi in the 16th fixture of the tournament, the first of the season to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Thursday.
Put into bat, Sultans got off to a fine start with the in-form Shan Masood (player of the match) celebrating his call-up to the Pakistan Test squad for the series against Australia with 68 off 49 balls (eight fours, one six). Shan and Mohammad Rizwan added 98 for the first-wicket partnership. Rizwan contributed 34 off as many balls.
The big-hitting Tim David provided impetus to the Sultans innings with 34 off 18 balls, he hit three sixes to take his tournament sixes tally to 18 – the highest amongst all batters for the HBL PSL 7 season. Wahab Riaz took his first two wickets of the ongoing season conceding 34 runs in four overs, Salman Irshad also took two along with Saqib Mahmood who bowled a fine final over conceding a mere seven runs for two wickets.
Other performers
The Sultans bowling attack led by Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani produced an outstanding performance to defend their 182-run total with consummate ease.
Muzarabani made early inroads by dismissing openers Kamran Akmal (4) and Haider Ali (1) in his opening over. Zalmi received a big blow when Liam Livingstone (24) fell to Abbas Afridi. The England T20 specialist was making his first appearance for Zalmi in the ongoing season.
The seasoned Shoaib Malik top-scored with 44 (31 balls, four fours, two sixes) but his dismissal in the 15th over pegged back Zalmi. Ben Cutting hit some big blows in his 23 off 11 but fell to Khushdil Shah in the 18th over to bring curtains to the chase.
Zalmi were bowled out for 140 in 19.3 overs with Khushdil calming his 12th wicket of the season courtesy a sensational caught and bowled. Muzarabani took three wickets for 18 while Khushdil finished with three for 26 in 3.3 overs. Shahnawaz Dahani took two wickets.
Sultans are at the top of the points table with six wins out of six matches (12 points). Zalmi have now lost four out of their six matches and continue to languish at the fifth-spot above the winless Karachi Kings.
Player of the match Shan Masood: “As a player I just try and follow the process. I have been a bit clearer while batting and all I am trying to do is to take it a ball at a time and react to it. I am just following the processes and I am pleased that it is working out well for me and helping me contribute to team’s success.”
Scores in brief:
Multan Sultans 182 for 7, 20 overs (Shan Masood 68, Tim David 34, Mohammad Rizwan 34; Wahab Riaz 2-34, Salman Irshad 2-34)
Peshawar Zalmi 140 all out, 19.3 overs (Shoaib Malik 44, Liam Livingstone 24; Blessing Muzarabani 3-18, Khushdil Shah 3-26)
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