CrickPakistan

 Babar Azam was named the next white-ball captain of the Pakistan Men's national cricket team by the Pakistan Cricket Board on March 31, 2024. Over the course of 2019 and 2023, Babar has already captained Pakistan in 43 ODIs and 71 T20Is. In an attempt to guarantee player health and optimal output, the board reorganized the white-ball leadership. Babar, who is well-known for his outstanding batting record in international cricket, will succeed Shaheen Shah Afridi as captain.  The board understands that Shaheen Afridi needs to rotate and take breaks in order to continue performing at his best, even if he has unquestionably established himself as a top fast bowler and led Pakistan's pace attack throughout the years. This choice is in accordance with the board's dedication to preserving players' longevity, particularly fast bowlers who have seen rapid injury rates over the last two years. This choice was made with workload management in mind, with the goal of keeping Pakis...

In order to consider a return, Babar, who has not yet accepted the invitation, has requested that the PCB be named captain in all three formats.  Babar Azam has been awarded the white-ball captaincy once again, meaning Shaheen Shah Afridi's one-series reign as Pakistan T20I captain is about to end. Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the PCB, presented the offer to Babar earlier this week. As for Babar, he hasn't accepted the offer yet. He was offended by the decision to take away his armband in all three forms after Pakistan's dismal 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, and if he is to consider a comeback, he has requested that the PCB name him captain in each of the three formats. After Babar unwillingly resigned, no official ODI captain was ever named; however, Shan Masood is the current Test captain, having captained the team during a three-match series in Australia. once Naqvi declined to support Afridi during a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, stating that a final decision wou...

Ireland series is a part of Pakistan's 12-match run-in before the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.  Pakistan's three-match Twenty20 International trip of Ireland has been announced by the PCB. The games will take place in Dublin's Castle Avenue on May 10, 12, and 14. The series is a part of Pakistan's 12-match run-in to the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June. New Zealand will go to Pakistan in April to play five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), with the first match scheduled for April 18 before Pakistan departs for Ireland. The championship game is scheduled for April 27. Pakistan will thereafter embark on a four-T20I series in England beginning on May 22. Pakistan's most recent engagement took place in a Twenty20 International series, where they were hosted for five matches in January by New Zealand. 2018 saw Pakistan pay Ireland's first-ever Test match a visit. The two teams had not previously played in a different format until t...

 In November of current year, Pakistan is slated to visit Australia for a white-ball series. The tour, which will kick off Australia's summer 2024–2025 white ball calendar, will include six matches total (three ODIs and the same number of T20Is), spread across six sites between November 4 and 18, 2024. Following their participation in the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, which included three Test matches played in December 2023–January 2024 in Perth, Sydney, and Melbourne, Pakistan will be visiting Australia for the first time in almost 11 months.   On November 4, the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the first game of the three-match Dettol Men's ODI series. Next up are matches between Australia and Pakistan in Perth on November 10 and Adelaide on November 8, respectively. The last time Pakistan and Australia played an ODI series, the home team won. This was in 2016. Australia and Pakistan will then play each other in the Dettol Men's T20I Series, which consists of three ma...

Babar is still hesitant to assume the role again and demands explanations from the board on particular matters before consenting to take up the captaincy again.  In advance of the 2024 T20 World Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is getting ready to name Babar Azam captain again. Cricket Pakistan claimed on March 12 that Shaheen Shah Afridi's T20I captaincy could be in jeopardy. At first, Shaheen's replacement was expected to be Muhammad Rizwan, with Babar Azam also being considered. Babar is once again the front-runner for the captaincy, though, thanks to recent events. The PCB is almost done deciding whether or not to give him the position. Following the 2023 World Cup, Babar Azam lost his position as white-ball captain, and Shaheen Afridi assumed leadership of the Twenty20 format. Following his removal from the T20I captaincy, Babar also tendered his resignation from red-ball leadership, which paved the way for Shan Masood to be named Test captain. Pakistan's performa...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) selection committee announced 29 players for a training camp at an Army base in Kakul from March 25.    The lineup for the forthcoming home five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April will be selected from this group of players. The lineup for the forthcoming home five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April will be selected from this group of players. The following is a roster of the 29 players for the training camp: Mohammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Irfan Khan Niazi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah, Saud Shakeel, Usman Khan, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mehran Mumtaz, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Ali, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf, and Mohammad Amir. The last day of the training camp is set for April 8, which is right before Eid-ul-Fitr. The...

Watch Conference  Speaking to reporters at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Naqvi announced that the selection committee had been "reorganized" and would now consist of seven people. He declared that all seven members of the committee would have equal authority and that there would be no longer be a chairperson. "Most decisions will be made by them... in order to move toward a better outcome," he stated. Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousuf, Asad Shafique, and Abdul Razzaq joined Naqvi at the news conference; according to the PCB chief, all of them were a part of the new committee. Naqvi stated that in addition to a "data person," the head coach and captain of the Pakistani team would also be on the selection committee. Consequently, all future decisions will be made by this selecting group. I also informed them yesterday that the [PCB] chairman will not be involved in squad selection. We have to handle things because we are management people. Since they are the experts,...

  2020 saw the pacer's retirement from international cricket.    During a news conference in Lahore on Sunday, Mohsin Naqvi, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), discussed the return of former bowler Mohammad Amir. Amir, 31, who has been playing league cricket all over the world, announced his retirement in 2020, citing problems with the cricket board's management at the time. When asked about Amir's future with the Pakistan cricket team during a press conference, Naqvi said that the decision will be made by the newly formed seven-member selection committee. "Mohammad Amir's future in Pakistan cricket will be determined by the selection committee," Naqvi stated during a press conference. The return of the 31-year-old to international cricket became a hot subject among fans as the 2024 T20 World Cup approached, following an impressive Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine campaign where Amir demonstrated his skills as an experienced bowler, notab...

 Throughout the course of his 15-year career, Saeed Ahmed played 41 Test matches for Pakistan. Following a brief illness, former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Saeed Ahmed passed away in Lahore on Wednesday, March 20, at the age of 86. Between 1958 and 1973, Ahmed participated in 41 Test matches for Pakistan, scoring 2991 runs at an average of 40.41. Over the course of his career, he amassed five centuries, three of them were against India. In the same match that Hanif Mohammad played a 970-minute, marathon innings of 337, he made his debut at the age of 20 against the West Indies. Ahmed made his debut with a half-century (65), putting together a 154-run partnership with Mohammad for the third wicket during the innings. In 1969, he also took over as team captain from Hanif Mohammed for the three Test matches against England that ended in draws. Ahmed had a career total of 22 wickets as an effective off-spinner. In expressing his sympathies for Saeed Ahmed's passing, PCB chairman ...

The two had signed up at the last minute for the draft. ICC Babar Azam, the former captain of Pakistan, and Muhammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batter, were not selected in the The Hundred 2024 player draft. Up to 32 men's cricket players—both domestic and foreign players—were selected in the draft for eight teams. At the eleventh hour, Babar, Rizwan, and Pakistan's T20 captain, Shaheen Afridi, registered for the draft. Welse Fire has chosen Shaheen once more for a £100,000 contract. He had also represented the team in the previous season. In addition, retired all-rounder Imad Wasim came back to the Trent Rockets for £100,000, and Birmingham Phoenix selected star pacer Naseem Shah for £125,000. None of the teams selected Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, or Muhammad Amir, other well-known Pakistani celebrities. Not included were Shakib Al Hasan, Tim David, Jason Roy, and David Warner, four well-known international players. During the draft, West Indies players were highly s...

Usman has stated before that he wants to play for the United Arab Emirates, but he still has 14 months to make the team. A pool of about 25 players will be announced by the Pakistani selectors for a training camp that will begin on March 25 at an Army installation in Kakul. The side for the forthcoming home five-match T20I series against New Zealand in April will be selected from this pool. The PCB chairman's consent is required before the players' names are announced tomorrow. All-rounder Imad Wasim's name is currently missing from the list of players scheduled to be announced for the camp. Imad won player of the match in the PSL 9 final for his five wicket haul and batting display. He also helped Islamabad United defeat Peshawar Zalmi in the second Eliminator by scoring an innings-winning unbeaten 59 for United. Sources state that Imad Wasim's name hasn't been included because he announced his retirement. Until he formally withdraws, selectors are unable to consid...

This week, there were notable changes in the ICC ODI and T20I rankings.  Rashid Khan had an incredible recovery from injuries and played brilliantly in the ICC Men's T20I series against Ireland. His outstanding performance brought him eight wickets and a four-spot jump to ninth place in the T20I Bowler Rankings. Afghanistan's series win over Ireland was greatly aided by his steady excellence, which saw him maintain an outstanding 5.62 average throughout the games. Parallel to this, Rashid's countryman Naveen-ul-Haq rose two spots to 55th in the rankings following his impressive three-wicket performance against Ireland. In the meantime, the T20I bowler rankings of three Irish players—Josh Little, Mark Adair, and Barry McCarthy—saw increases. The number one spot in the rankings was still held by Englishman Adil Rashid. With 861 rating points, Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav maintained his top spot in the T20I batter rankings. Afghanistan's Muhammad Nabi returned to the to...

Top Pakistani players Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Babar Azam have been added at the last minute to this year's men's Hundred draft list. The eight teams taking part in the draft, which takes place on Wednesday night (20 March), can now choose from these three players. Both India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and former Pakistani captain Bismah Maroof have been added to the women's competition. Afridi, Babar, and Rizwan have a £100,000 reserve price. Saim Ayub, a batter, has removed himself from the draft list in the meantime. However, seamer Alzarri Joseph and all-arounders Andre Russell and Jason Holder of the West Indies have raised their reserve price to £75,000. Recall that 65 Pakistani cricket players—60 men and 5 women—registered for the 2024 The Hundred Draft earlier this month. Entering the draft with an impressive reserve price of £100,000 are Hasan Ali and Naseem Shah. Iftikhar Ahmed and Shadab Khan have set their reserve prices at £75,000. Aamer Jamal, A...

Hunain Shah wins with the last ball as Multan falls in yet another thrilling match. Scoreboard  Islamabad United is the team that knows how to win PSL finals, even though Multan Sultans may have the recipe for getting there. For the Sultans, it was deja vu as they watched another PSL final be stolen from them in a low-scoring thriller ending. United's hero was Imad Wasim, who defied time with an incredible all-around effort. He claimed five wickets and was out in the middle when Hunain Shah angled the final delivery behind point to win United's third title. In Karachi today, the drama of the previous year's epic final, which the Sultans lost by a run, was undoubtedly surpassed. At several points during both innings, United looked to have won that match, but never more so than when they got the Sultans down to 127 for 9. However, Iftikhar Ahmed's cameo of an unbeaten 32 off 20 balls lifted the Sultans to 159, a score that they felt they had just about enough manpower to ...

United was able to chase down Zalmi's 186-target in 19 overs thanks to the 98 runs that Haider and Imad added for the sixth wicket. Scoreboard  In the second eliminator on Saturday, batting heavyweights Islamabad United defeated Peshawar Zalmi by five wickets, sending them to their first PSL final since 2018. The victory was secured by Imad Wasim and Haider Ali. United chose to chase and managed to reach Peshawar Zalmi's 186 mark with an over remaining as Haider hit five sixes in his 29-ball 52 not out and Imad slammed an undefeated 59. Prior to this, Zalmi opener Saim Ayub hit a brilliant 73 off 44 to send Zalmi to 185 for 5 in their 20 overs. Shadab Khan, the captain of United, was involved in all five dismissals. He took four excellent outfield catches and removed Ayub in the crucial 15th over. Monday's final will see United take against Multan Sultans. United won two titles in the first three PSL seasons, including the 2018 season. For the first time this season, Zalmi...

 Zalmi will take on the winner of the first eliminator on Saturday in a bid to make the final. Scoreboard  In a lopsided qualifier on Thursday, Multan Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets to easily advance to their fourth consecutive Pakistan Super League final. Prior to losing to Lahore Qalandars in the last two years' finals, the Sultans had won the competition in 2021. When Zalmi, captained by Babar Azam, take against the victor of the eliminator between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators on Saturday, they will have another chance to advance to Monday's final. After Zalmi was restricted to a below-par 146-7, opening batsman Yasir Khan (54) and the in-form Usman Khan (36*) took the Sultans to 147-3 in 18.3 overs. Without fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq of Afghanistan (who missed the playoffs due to an international obligation), Zalmi's bowlers found it difficult to hold a low total. Yasir scored a match-winning half-century off just 30 balls after sharing a comm...

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday fined All-Round player Iftikhar Ahmed of the Multan Sultans 5% of his match pay for using foul language during the current Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9.    In the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, during his team's PSL 9 match against the Quetta Gladiators, Iftikhar Ahmed was fined for a Level 1 violation of the PSL's code of conduct. The HBL PSL Code of Conduct states that Iftikhar is prohibited from "using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during a match." This rule was determined to have been broken by the player. Iftikhar used offensive comments to Jason Roy, the hitter who was removed, during the third over of the Quetta Gladiators' batting innings. There was no need for a formal hearing because Iftikhar entered a guilty plea to the charge and agreed to the penalties suggested by match referee Ali Naqvi....

 They crushed Gladiators by 79 runs, but there's still a chance for both sides to win the PSL championship. Scoreboard  Tuesday's Pakistan Super League match saw table-toppers Multan Sultans finish their regular season with a 79-run victory over Quetta Gladiators, thanks to the combined efforts of legspinner Usama Mir and fast bowler David Willey, who shared six wickets and 106 runs. With seven victories, Sultans topped the points standings. On Thursday, they will play Peshawar Zalmi, who is ranked second with twelve points, in the qualifier. The winner advances to the final. For the redesigned Gladiators, who will be participating in their first PSL playoffs in four years, it served as a wake-up call. On Thursday, they take on Islamabad United in the Eliminator. After they were put to bat, the West Indies'  skipper Johnson Charles (53) and captain Muhammad Rizwan (69), both scored half century, helped the Sultans to 185 for 4. The Gladiators' pursuit was ruined in the ...