Sports News
LAHORE: Signs suggest that Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi is hesitant to release payments owed to Mohammad Hafeez for his stint as former team director of the national side, as well as payments due to domestic cricketers who participated in various tournaments last year. This hesitation appears to stem from the fact that all these activities were conducted under the supervision of Mohsin’s predecessor Zaka Ashraf.
Sources disclosed to Dawn that neither Hafeez has received any payments from the PCB for his brief tenure as team director, which began on Nov 16, 2023, and concluded on Feb 16, 2024, nor have the domestic cricketers received their dues.
Hafeez was appointed as team director by the Zaka after Mickey Arthur was removed from the post due to the team’s poor performances in the Asia Cup and the World Cup last year.
Zaka, serving as chairman of the PCB’s interim Management Committee, also recommended Hafeez’s appointment to then caretaker Prime Minister Anwar-ul-Haq for approval as team director for four years. However, Zaka’s recommendation did not receive approval before his resignation from his post.
During Hafeez’s tenure as team director, the Pakistan’s performance on tours to Australia and New Zealand was disappointing. They suffered defeats in all three Test matches against Australia and faced a 4-1 defeat in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Zaka resigned just before the conclusion of the tour of New Zealand due to a lack of full decision-making authority. Unfortunately, Zaka’s departure has left Hafeez awaiting his overdue salaries and other entitlements.
Sources indicate that the paperwork for Hafeez’s payment has been prepared and awaits approval from the relevant authorities. However, there may be a discrepancy between the PCB and Hafeez regarding the duration of payment. Hafeez began his role on Nov 15, 2023, and concluded his last assignment with the New Zealand tour on Jan 21, 2024.
The transition from Zaka’s tenure to Mohsin’s leadership saw Hafeez being informed on Feb. 6 that his services were no longer required. In response, Hafeez expressed his disappointment via a post on X, stating, “I accepted the new role as team director with great enthusiasm to bring about positive reforms. Unfortunately, my designated tenure, offered by the PCB for 4 years, was cut short by 2 months due to the change in chairmanship.”
Furthermore, the PCB has yet to settle the match fees owed to players who participated in the last National T20 Cup, National U-19, and National U-16 cricket tournaments last year.
Interestingly, payments for participants in the Ramadan Cup, held in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad during the holy month of Ramazan, were promptly cleared by the PCB.
This prioritisation of the Ramadan Cup payments over those owed for the aforementioned tournaments has sparked concern among both regional cricket associations and players, according to sources. Additionally, prize money from domestic tournaments held during Zaka’s tenure also remain outstanding.
The New Zealand cricket team arrived in Islamabad in the early hours of Sunday morning ahead of their T20I series against Pakistan set to commence on April 18.
The hosts, led by Michael Bracewell, will go up against the Men in Green in a five-match series of which three will be played in Rawalpindi, while the rest of the two games will be played in Lahore with the series culminating on April 27.
A day earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the match officials for the forthcoming series. The panel led by Andy Pycroft, a member of the Emirates International Cricket Council (ICC) elite panel of match referees, includes Aleem Dar, Asif Yaqoob, Faisal Afridi and Rashid Riaz.
On April 9, the board announced the much-awaited Babar-Azam-led 17-member squad for the T20I series with pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim making a comeback into the national side
The series will also likely see Usman Khan and Muhammad Irfan Khan making their debut for the Green Shirts owing to their impressive performances in the recently concluded ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 9).
Match fixtures
18 April – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
20 April – 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
21 April – 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
25 April – 4th T20I, Lahore
27 April – 5th T20I, Lahore
Squads for T20 2024
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir.
New Zealand: Michael Bracewell (c), Tom Blundell, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Zack Fowlkes, Jimmy Neesham, Will O'Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
Brazil forward Raphinha scored twice to help Barcelona secure a 3-2 win at Paris St Germain (PSG) in a lively Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, earning the Spanish side their first win in the knockout stage in four years.
PSG forward Kylian Mbappe was nowhere to be found in Parc des Princes as five-times European champions Barca managed to neutralise France’s captain, who was often frustrated in his attempts up front.
PSG came into the match unbeaten in their last 27 games in all competitions, but were undone by a fired-up Barcelona side looking to return the club to the summit of European football.
After a glorious run from 2005-15 — where they won four Champions League titles — Barca failed to get past the last 16 in Europe’s elite competition in three consecutive seasons, after being humiliated 8-2 by Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 quarter-finals.
“We should be proud to say that Barca is alive,” manager Xavi Hernandez told reporters. “We understood how we had to work against one of the best teams in the world. It’s a small advantage but a victory that generates even more excitement in our city and within our fans.”
Xavi’s side dominated proceedings early on against the French side, still looking for a first Champions League crown. Raphinha gave the visitors the lead with a rebound strike in the 37th minute, after goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to clear a cross from his box.
Donnarumma looked nervous throughout the match, showing bad timing and making errors that almost led to Barcelona scoring the opener earlier in the first half.
However, PSG looked transformed after the break with manager Luis Enrique, a former Barca player and coach, switching things up and bringing on forward Bradley Barcola for Marco Asensio.
The attacking change resulted in the equaliser in the 48th minute, when former Barca winder Ousmane Dembele smashed the ball into the top corner after scooping a rebound inside the box and making a quick cut to his left, before unleashing an unstoppable shot between three defenders.
Barca were still reeling when the hosts took the lead through Vitinha, who struck the ball in two minutes later from a quick counter attack and substitute Bradley Barcola almost scored the third minutes later when his close-range strike hit the cross bar.
But Raphinha’s deft volley in the 62nd minute, from a brilliant long pass by substitute Pedri, brought the match level again, silencing the home crowd.
Andreas Christensen came off the bench to take advantage of a static Donnarumma to jump unchallenged in the six-yard-box and head in from a corner 13 minutes from time to give the Spanish side a narrow advantage going into next week’s second leg.
“It was a spectacular night, not only for me, but for the team as well,” Raphinha told reporters. “We have been working very hard to come out and play like we did, showing our grit with such a good atmosphere is a very positive sign moving forward.”
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint South Africa's Gary Kirsten and Australia's Jason Gillespie as the coaches for the men's national side, sources told Geo News.
The board has picked Kirsten as the white-ball coach while Gillespie has been selected as the red-ball coach for the Green Shirts, they shared.
An official announcement in this regard will be made by the cricket board after the completion of formalities as the PCB has advertised the posts on its website and sought applications till April 15.
The decision came ahead of the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand which is set to begin from April 18.
The next major assignment of the Pakistan cricket team is the T20 World Cup which will be held in the United States and West Indies in June.
The said posts were left vacant after Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn and Andrew Puttick were transferred to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore after a change in their portfolios in November 2023 following a change in PCB setup.
The trio left their respective positions in January this year.
In April 2023, Arthur was named Director of the Pakistan men’s cricket team while Bradburn was roped in as head coach of the Pakistan national men’s side earlier last year. Meanwhile, former South Africa cricketer Puttick worked as a batting coach since April 2023.
Meanwhile, the PCB has also announced a position for the assistant head coach. The advertisement said that candidates can apply for the post till April 20.
According to details, the assistant coach should have minimum level II coaching accreditation and three years of experience with international team, franchise or domestic team.
WELLINGTON: Michael Bracewell will captain New Zealand for the first time on their Twenty20 tour of Pakistan this month, with a host of top names missing because they are playing in the Indian Premier League.
Pakistan host New Zealand for five Twenty20 internationals, starting in Rawalpindi on April 18, as both teams warm up for June’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies.
The 33-year-old all-rounder Bracewell was a surprise selection to lead the squad having missed last year’s 50-overs World Cup with an Achilles rupture and played his last T20 international more than a year ago.
He will fill in for the absence of regular skipper Kane Williamson, who is playing for Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
Bracewell said that being informed he would captain New Zealand had capped a “golden three days” last month when he also took eight wickets for his club Wellington and had a hole-in-one playing golf.
“It’s three days that I’ll never forget,” Bracewell said. “I’m very excited, it’s a huge honour just to be picked again for New Zealand and then on top of that selected as captain. I wasn’t expecting that.”
IPL contracted players Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner and Williamson are all missing.
New Zealand Test captain Tim Southee is being rested after a busy summer of cricket across all formats while Will Young, Tom Latham and Colin Munro are also unavailable.
Big-hitting batsman Tim Robinson and fast bowler Will O’Rourke received their first Twenty20 squad call-ups.
O’Rourke impressed on debut with the test side against South Africa in February, while Robinson earned his spot with a torrent of runs for Wellington in the domestic Super Smash competition.
“We have picked a squad with a lot of power and exciting bowling options,” said New Zealand selector Sam Wells.
New Zealand won 4-1 in a home five-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan in January.
Squad: Michael Bracewell (captain), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Josh Clarkson, Jacob Duffy, Dean Foxcroft, Ben Lister, Cole McConchie, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Will O’Rourke, Tim Robinson, Ben Sears, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.
CHITTAGONG: Sri Lanka made a record 531 runs in their first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh on Sunday but Kamindu Mendis narrowly missed scoring a third century in consecutive Test innings.
Sri Lanka’s total on the second day in Chittagong was the highest scored in Tests without any batsman reaching a century — improving on India’s 524-9 against New Zealand at Kanpur in 1976.
Bangladesh reached 55-1 at stumps, trailing Sri Lanka by 476 runs.
Opener Zakir Hasan was unbeaten on 28 alongside nightwatchman Taijul Islam after Lahiru Kumara bowled Mahmudul Hasan Joy for 21.
Sri Lanka, who are leading the two-match series, dominated the day.
Mendis was 92 not out when last man Asitha Fernando was run out for a duck, eight runs short of what would have made him only the fourth Sri Lankan to score three centuries in consecutive innings.
The right-hander, who scored 102 and 164 in the first Test, struck Taijul for two sixes in an over to come close to the feat.
However, Fernando fell short of his crease in a desperate attempt to change the strike.
Mendis had no regrets about missing out on his ton.
“I think it happens in cricket that someone can get a big hundred, someone can’t,” he said. “We put a 500-plus total onto the board, I think we fulfilled our plan.”
Bangladesh batting coach David Hemp was hopeful his charges would put on a similar display.
“It looks like a pretty good pitch seeing the way we played or the boundaries we hit,” Hemp said.
Apart from Mendis, who was playing only his third Test match, five other Sri Lanka batsmen passed the half-century mark including Dhananjaya de Silva (70), Dinesh Chandimal (59), Kusal Mendis (93), Dimuth Karunaratne (86) and Nishan Madhushka (57).
Veteran all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan claimed three wickets for 110 runs as Sri Lanka made Bangladesh toil for nearly two days after electing to bat first. Sri Lanka began the second day on 314-4.
De Silva, who scored 102 and 108 in the first Test, also raised the prospect of scoring three centuries on the trot before he was dismissed in the post-lunch session.
Chandimal was the only batsman to be dismissed in the first session, edging Shakib behind the stumps after making 59 runs.
Khaled Ahmed then trapped de Silva leg before in the first over after the lunch break.
The right-arm medium-pacer could have taken another wicket in his next over if Prabath Jayasuriya was not comically dropped by three slip fielders on six.
Mendis was declared caught behind on 35 off Mehidy Hasan Miraz but the decision was reversed by the third umpire after review.
Shakib hit Jayasuriya plumb in front to end his 65-run seventh wicket stand with Mendis, who was dropped by Hasan Mahmud on 60 at deep square leg.
Sri Lanka, who have never lost a Test series to Bangladesh, won the first Test in Sylhet by a massive margin of 328 runs.
SCOREBOARD
SRI LANKA (1st Innings, overnight 314-4):
N. Madushka run out 57
D. Karunaratne b Hasan 86
Kusal Mendis c Mehidy b Shakib 93
A. Mathews c Mehidy b Hasan 23
D. Chandimal c Liton b Shakib 59
D. de Silva lbw b Khaled 70
Kamindu Mendis not out 92
P. Jayasuriya lbw b Shakib 28
V. Fernando run out 11
L. Kumara b Mehidy 6
A. Fernando run out 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2) 6
TOTAL (all out, 159 overs) 531
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-96 (Madushka), 2-210 (Karunaratne), 3-263 (Kusal), 4-289 (Mathews), 5-375 (Chandimal), 6-411 (de Silva), 7-476 (Jayasuriya), 8-497 (Vishwa), 9-518 (Kumara)
BOWLING: Khaled 20-2-71-1; Hasan 24-5-92-2; Shakib 37-5-110-3; Mehidy 46-7-146-1; Taijul 32-6-106-0
BANGLADESH (1st Innings):
Mahmudul Hasan Joy b Kumara 21
Zakir Hasan not out 28
Taijul Islam not out 0
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-1) 6
Total (for one wicket, 15 overs) 55
STILL TO BAT: Najmul Hossain, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Shahadat Hossain, Liton Das, Mehidy Hasan, Khaled Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud
FALL OF WICKET: 1-47 (Mahmudul)
BOWLING: Vishwa 3-1-12-0; Asitha 4-0-21-0 (1w); Lahiru 4-3-4-1; Jayasuriya 4-1-13-0
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday reappointed Babar Azam as national team's captain for T20I and one-day internationals (ODIs).
The decision to change the team's skipper comes ahead of the Green Shirt's five-match T20I series against the New Zealand which will begin from April 18.
“Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain,” the PCB posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team.”
Babar ended his years-long stint as skipper last November after he stepped down as captain of the national side.
The former skipper was under fire for several months after Pakistan failed to perform in the Asia Cup and continued the same momentum into the World Cup — where they crashed out before reaching the semis.
Babar, 29, was previously appointed white-ball captain in 2019 and as Test skipper in 2020, but the Green Shirts have not won any ICC or Asia Cup titles under his leadership.
Following this, the PCB under Zaka Ashraf appointed Shaheen Shah Afridi as white-ball captain after the team’s drubbing in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, Shan Masood was given the red-ball captaincy by the previous management.
Babar Azam has played 52 Tests, 117 ODIs and 109 T20Is for the national side. He has lead 71 T20 matches including T20 World Cup as the team's captain.
Under his leadership, the Men in Green won 42 matches and lost 23 matches.