Day: April 6, 2024

Pakistan Cricket Board released a video on their social media channels where white-ball captain, Babar Azam, was seen training at the Army School of Physical Training, Kakul. The video started with Babar wearing the age-old bucket hat while accompanied by his young colleagues. The content then headed towards various exercises that are going on at the ASPT to prepare the national team for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies. The ASPT trainers instructed the national team players to complete multiple exercises as they compiled to form a physical test. The second half of the 2-minute long video showcased Babar's physical test which has been undertaken by other various cricketers. Wicket-keeper batter, Azam Khan, also completed the test after which Babar ran towards him and congratulated him. Similar to Azam, Babar picked Mohammad Haris up in between the test and ran a few meters before placing him on the ground. Fast bowler, Hasan Ali, proved to be cheeky as he slapped Haris while Babar held h im in his hands. The right-hand batter's throw wasn't as powerful as Azam's, but he did more push-up's than the wicket-keeper. He then rolled on multiple mattresses, thus completing the test. As a sign of joy, he kicked a nearby traffic cone. Source: ProPakistani

Tickets for the three-match T20I series between Ireland and Pakistan were sold out 34 days prior to the first match commencing on May 10. Cricket Ireland informed through their social media channels that the tickets for all three matches in Dublin are sold out with the Cricket Board expecting a massive gathering at each encounter. All three fixtures will be played at Castle Avenue, Dublin, as the matches will start at 7 PM (Pakistan time). Castle Avenue is known to be the home ground of Clontarf Cricket Club where even rugby is played when the cricket matches are off. The ground was established in 1958 while the names of both bowling ends are: (1) City End (2) Killester End. The approximate capacity of the ground is 3000 spectators. The three-match series will act as a mock examination for the four-match T20I series against England in the latter stages of May. Pakistan will travel to Dallas, Texas, to play their first encounter in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup against United States of America on June 06. Pakistan's upcoming challenge is against New Zealand who are travelling to the green nation to play a five-match T20I series. The Kiwis announced their squad which lacks many first XI players as they are busy in Indian Premier League or personal duties. The Green Shirts are expected to announce the squad for the series within the next few days. Source: ProPakistani

India's Minister of Sports, Youth Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Ex-Chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Anurag Thakur has clearly stated in a media briefing that India would maintain its decision to not send the Indian cricket team to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Indian Sports Minister did not refrain from making political statements in sports and termed Pakistan as a country that propagates terrorism in the region of South Asia. 'When I was the head of the BCCI, my position was clear that two things cannot go together, you spread terrorism in India, shoot bullets, attempt to plant bombs, and then talk about playing cricket. First, stop shooting bullets and end terrorism in your own country, then your stadiums will be filled.' He emphasized that the Indian cricket team should not go to Pakistan to play cricket at any cost and that the BCCI should negotiate with the ICC for a hybrid hosting model once again. Last year, Pakistan co-hosted the Asia Cup with Sri Lanka and initially, Pakistan was supposed to be the sole host of the event, but due to India's refusal to play in Pakistan, matches had to be organized at an alternate venue. India played all its matches in Sri Lanka while Pakistan had to travel to and from from their home country to Sri Lanka throughout the tournament which caused a lot of fatigue to the players. India is going to conduct its general elections as well this year so there is no surprise that they will disseminate the anti-Pakistan propaganda through their ministers but one thing is clear sports will suffer in the end because of these political standpoints. Source: ProPakistani

According to reports, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to appoint Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq as temporary coaches ahead of the T20I home series against New Zealand. The five-match T20 series is set to begin on April 18 in Rawalpindi. Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf is expected to be appointed as the head coach and former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is set to take on the assistant coach role in the setup. According to sources, negotiations with Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie are going on a positive track while the PCB is trying to convince Gillespie to take the role of the head coach of Pakistan's Test cricket side as well. Both the coaches are expected to be integrated into the team after the New Zealand series and the Mohsin Naqvi-led cricket board will go with local coaches in the home series against the Kiwis. In addition to this, PCB is also looking for local assistant coaches ahead of the five-match T20I series against New Zealand they have two coaches on the radar Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal who have two years remaining on their PCB contracts. It will be interesting to see whether the board will utilize their services in important coaching roles or not. New Zealand has already announced their squad for the series while Pakistan is still awaiting fitness reports of certain players in Kakul camp as they want to ensure optimal fitness of players before the series. Pakistan will play the first three matches of the T20I series in Rawalpindi while the last two matches will be held in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Here is the full schedule: Date Match Venue 18 April 1st T20I Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 20 April 2nd T20I Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 21 April 3rd T20I Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium 25 April 4th T20I Lahore, Gaddafi Stadium 27 April 5th T20I Lahore, Gaddafi Stadium Source: ProPakistani

Two Pakistani cricketers Bismah Maroof and Ghulam Fatima sustained minor injuries in a car accident following a training camp session in Karachi on Friday. Despite the injuries the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released a statement that both cricketers are in stable condition. According to the statement by the PCB, both players were provided with immediate first aid and their recovery process is being monitored under the vigilant care of the cricket board's medical staff. Both the cricketers are an integral part of the Pakistan team training camp which has been set up to prepare for the West Indies series at home where the national women's team will play three ODI fixtures and five T20I matches at National Bank Arena in Karachi. Bismah Maroof is regarded as Pakistan's most prolific batter and she was the first female cricketer to surpass 2,000 runs in T20Is and ODIs for Pakistan while Ghulam Fatima is a lethal leg-spinner of the team who recently notched up 6 wickets in the ODI series against New Zeala nd. Pakistan will host the last leg matches of the ICC Women's Champions Trophy 2022-2025 this year and in the quest to qualify for the ODI World Cup they need to acquire a Top 8 position in the rankings. All the matches of the Pakistan vs West Indies women's series will be played in Karachi and the series will commence on April 18 while the Windies women's team will arrive on April 14. Here is the Schedule: Date Fixture Venue April 14 West Indies women's team arrival in Karachi National Bank Arena, Karachi April 18 1st ODI (ICC Women's Championship) National Bank Arena, Karachi April 21 2nd ODI (ICC Women's Championship) National Bank Arena, Karachi April 23 3rd ODI (ICC Women's Championship) National Bank Arena, Karachi April 26 1st T20I National Bank Arena, Karachi April 28 2nd T20I National Bank Arena, Karachi April 30 3rd T20I National Bank Arena, Karachi May 2 4th T20I National Bank Arena, Karachi May 3 5th T20I National Bank Arena, Karachi Source: ProPakistani

Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) still has not cleared the dues of former team director Mohammad Hafeez who was appointed under Zaka Ashraf's tenure on a four-year contract in November. The former Test captain's first assignment after his appointment was the grueling Australia series away from home, resulting in a 3-0 whitewash, followed by a 4-1 defeat against New Zealand in the five-match T20I series. Hafeez's stint as the team director lasted only for two months as soon as Zaka Ashraf resigned as the PCB chairman because the board wanted a foreign coach and team director and wanted to take a new path. This led to PCB's decision to part ways with the former Pakistan all-rounder and in February they announced on social media that he was no more a part of their setup. According to reports Hafeez tried to meet Mohsin Naqvi to sort out the matter regarding his wages but the PCB chairman has not met him due to his busy schedule and latest visits to the Kakul training camp. The former Pakistan skipper is still awaiting the clearance of his allowances for Australia and New Zealand tours from the apex cricket board and reportedly the cricketer wants to have a meeting with the PCB chairman in this regard. Nowadays, Mohammad Hafeez is working as a pundit and cricket analyst on various local TV shows and he was also covering the PSL season 9 recently. Hafeez has continuously reiterated the point that why every position in the PCB faces an abrupt change whenever there is a change in the hierarchy of the board and that is a question that might never be answered. has Source: ProPakistani