Cricket

Pakistan Super League 2021

Karachi Kings skipper Babar Azam played a terrific knock of 90 runs off 63 balls but his valiant batting proved to be futile as his side had to suffer a 9-run defeat against Peshawar Zalmi in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match&nbsp;that had taken place on February 4 at the National Stadium, in Karacahi.&nbsp;Formidable targetBatting first, the Peshawar-side had registered a formidable total of 173 runs losing 4 wickets in 20 overs. Their opening batsmen- Hazratullah Zazai (41 runs off 21 balls) and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal (21 runs off 19 balls) started the batting on a positive note.&nbsp;&nbsp;Pakistan all-rounder Umaid Asif broke the opening partnership of 53 runs in the 6th over as he dismissed Zazai. The 37-year-old all-rounder eventually picked up three wickets in the game.&nbsp;&nbsp;Later, Shoaib Malik scored an unbeaten half century (52 runs off 28 deliveries) to help his side in reaching a solid total. Malik’s innings was comprised of 5 boundaries and 2 sixes.&nbsp;Australia all-rounder Ben Cutting, later, scored a quick-fire 24 runs but he was eventually sent back to the dressing room by Asif.&nbsp;&nbsp;The run chaseIn reply, the Karachi-based franchise had a terrible start to their run chase after they lost their opener Sharjeel Khan in the first over of the innings. The left-handed batter got out without scoring a single run.&nbsp;&nbsp;Things got worse for Kings as they lost their second wicket in the next over as their wicketkeeper Sahibzada Khan departed for a duck.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ian Cockbain (31 runs off 19 balls) tried to give some support to skipper Azam but the English batsman was dismissed in the 10th over of the innings. Cockbain’s innings was comprised of 5 boundaries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kings kept on losing wickets in a quick succession but Azam carried on batting with his impeccable maturity and sheer patience. But his efforts went in vain as eventually his side could reach a total of 164 runs losing 6 wickets in 20 overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the Peshawar-side their right-arm medium pacer Mohammad Umar picked up three crucial wickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;After this victory Zalmi find themselves at fourth position with 4 points after playing 4 matches. On the other hand, Karachi Kings are yet to earn a single point in the league as they have not won a single match out of their 4 matches. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

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Babar Azam's 90-run knock proves to be useless as Karachi Kings suffer 9-run defeat against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL

In a nail-biting contest, Lahore Qalandars had the last laugh as they rallied to edge past Islamabad United by 8 runs. The young gun Zaman Khan held his nerves and defended 12 runs in the final over where he conceded just three runs against power-hitters Asif Ali and Azam Khan in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 at the National Stadium on Saturday (February 5).&nbsp;Chasing a target of 175, Islamabad was cruising at one stage when Shadab Khan and Colin Munro together stitched a 100-run stand for the third wicket.&nbsp;Shadab smashed 52 before he was skittled out by Rashid Khan while Munro clobbered 60 as both played a fiery knocks to put Islamabad in the driver's seat.&nbsp;Shaheen Shah Afridi registered figures of 1/24 in his four overs of spell while Rashid Khan was brilliant again as he conceded just 21 runs in four overs and also snared the crucial wicket of Shadab.&nbsp;However, Islamabad lost the set batters at the wrong time of the innings, with still needing 35 runs from 21 balls. Despite the momentum favouring the batting side, the Lahore bowlers came back strong and stemmed the run flow significantly in the last few overs. Big hitters Asif Ali and Azam Khan failed to find the gaps and the dot balls kept popping up as well. Azam’s 10 off 12 balls had created a big impact on the batting side and let the Lahore bowlers back into the game.&nbsp;Zaman Khan bowled a splendid final over and ensured that the Lahore Qalandars win the game by eight runs in the end. With the win, Lahore have moved into the second position in the points table with three wins in four games while Islamabad United are currently lying at the third position.&nbsp;Earlier, Islamabad won the toss and elected to bowl first against Qalandars. The openers Fakhar Zaman (38) and Abdullah Shafique (44) exploded at the start and accumulated 73 runs in the powerplay. Skipper Shadab Khan came into the attack and immediately picked up the openers which resulted in an array of wickets quickly.&nbsp;The Lahore Qalandars lost their way completely at 98/5 in 12 overs. However, Harry Brook and David Wiese came to the rescue with a decent partnership in the middle and some good hits down the order from Rashid Khan and Shaheen Afridi ensured the Lahore posted 174/9. Waqas Mahmood and Shadab, both picked up four wickets each and Mabasir Khan bowled out an economical spell as well. Shadab Khan also took crucial wickets of Fakhar Zama, Mohammad Hafeez, and Phil Salt.

Zaman Khan's last over heroics help Lahore Qalandars claim thriller against Islamabad United

Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has tested positive for Covid-19 ahead of Quetta Gladiators’ first clash in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 against Peshawar Zalmi at National Stadium, Karachi on January 28. Afridi is the first player in PSL 2022 to test positive for the virus.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is the second time Afridi has contracted the virus. The last time he was affected by the virus was in 2020 during the first wave. However, this time he does not have any symptoms.&nbsp;&nbsp;“I have unfortunately tested positive but have no symptoms at all. InshALLAH hope to recover soon, test negative and rejoin QG as soon as possible. Good luck to all teams in #HBLPSL7 I'm committed to giving it my all in my last PSL edition,” Afridi tweeted on January 27.&nbsp;Afridi has been given permission to isolate for a week at his home instead of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) designated area for the infected individuals. He is set to miss at least first four games of Gladiators in the Karachi leg of PSL. Earlier the 41-year-old was set to miss first two matches of the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side as he experienced sprain in his back during practice session.&nbsp;The spin all-rounder will be able to rejoin the PSL bubble after seven days in isolation with a negative RT-PCR result.&nbsp;&nbsp;As per PCB protocols, any individual who has come in contact with the infected for 15 minutes or more within a distance of two metres in the last 48 hours will be isolated as well. The franchise is yet to reveal any names (players or support staff) who have been isolated after coming in close contact with Afridi.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ahead of the seventh edition of PSL, the PCB also issued new guidelines which will ensure that the matches go ahead as far as the franchise has 13 fit players out of the squad to play a match.&nbsp;The T20 league kicked off on January 27 with defending champions Multan Sultans registering a comprehensive win over Babar Azam’s Karachi Kings.

Shahid Afridi tests positive for Covid 19 for second time, to miss a week of PSL action

It was a sensational Sunday (January 30) for Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman as he scored a terrific century (106 off 60 balls) for the Lahore Qalandars as they defeated Karachi Kings in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match that was played in Karachi. The encounter was a repeat of 2020 final, as Zaman and his men successfully chased 171 runs with four balls remaining at the National Stadium in Karachi. Zaman, for his exploits, was adjudged 'Man of the Match' as the Qalandars recorded their first win of the campaign.&nbsp;Afridi wins the tossAfter winning the toss, Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi decided to bowl, which turned out to be a great decision. Sharjeel Khan (60 off 39 deliveries) and skipper Babar Azam (41 off 33 deliveries) registered an opening partnership of 84 runs in just 10 overs for the Kings. However, once Sharjeel and Azam were dismissed, Karachi lost the momentum.&nbsp;The Kings failed to consolidate their good start as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Mohammed Nabi (15) and Joe Clarke (24) were the only other batters to reach the double-digit mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;Haris Rauf, on the other hand, was the best bowler as he scalped three wickets conceding 33 runs. Skipper Afridi, Zaman Khan and Rashid Khan picked up a wicket each as the Kings ended at 170/7 in their 20 overs.&nbsp;Fakhar Zaman scores a tonChasing 171, the Qalandars lost Abdullah Shafique (8) early while Kamaran Ghulam (6) also departed without making any significant contribution. Zaman, on the other hand, was terrific with the bat as he hit 12 fours and 4 ssixes to score 106 off 60 deliveries with a strike rate of 177. He was slightly unfortunate to have lost his wicket in the penultimate over.&nbsp;Mohammed Hafeez, also contributed to the winning cause with 24 runs off 21 deliveries while Samit Patel secured the win with a boundary as he scored 26 runs (not out) off 18 deliveries. Zaman's hundred is the second by a Lahore Qalandars player in the history of PSL as he also became the first Pakistani player to score a hundred for the Qalandars.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chris Lynn, in March 2020, was the only other batter to score a ton for the Qalandars side.&nbsp;The Qalandars next take on another former champion Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday (February 2) while Karachi Kings face the same opponents on Friday (February 4).

Fakhar Zaman runs riot with ton as Lahore Qalandars down Karachi Kings by six wickets

41-year-old former Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez played a superb knock of 37 runs (not out) off 19 balls to help his side Lahore Qalandars in reaching a big total of 199 runs losing four wickets in 20 overs, against Peshawar Zalmi, in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match, that had taken place on February 2(Wednesday), in Karachi. Eventually, Qalanadars won the match by 29 runs.&nbsp;Batting first, the Shaheen Afridi-led side started the innings well, after their opening batsmen- Abdullah Shafique (41 runs off 31 balls) and Fakhar Zaman (66 runs off 38 balls) displayed brilliant batting. Later, Hafeez along with Kamran Ghulam (30 runs off 23 balls) took their side to a comfortable position. Hafeez’s innings was comprised of 3 boundaries and a solitary six.&nbsp;Rashid's batting displayAfghanistan spinner, Rashid Khan later, scored a quick-fire 22 off just 8 balls as he smashed 3 sixes in his innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;For the Peshawar-side, their right-arm fast bowler Salman Irshad picked up two wickets as Usman Qadir and Hussain Talat bagged one wicket each.&nbsp;In reply, Zalmi lost the first wicket of their innings on the third ball of their innings after opening batsman Hazratullah Zazai was dismissed for a duck. Skipper Afridi took the first wicket of the innings. Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal (41 runs off 24 balls) and Hussain Talat (15 runs off 24 balls) registered a crucial partnership of 62 runs off 47 balls but Zaman Khan provided a crucial breakthrough after he sent Talat back to the dressing room in the 9th over of the inning.&nbsp;&nbsp;Haider Ali's effortsLater, Haider Ali (49 runs off 34 balls) tried desperately to earn victory for his side but eventually Zalmi could reach a total of 170 runs losing 9 wickets in 20 overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Qalandars bowlers did manage to take wickets in quick succession but a little more disciplined bowling would have helped them in not conceding 19 extras.&nbsp;Zaman Khan was the best bowler for Zalmi as he took three wickets. On the other hand, skipper Afridi and David Wiese scalped two wickets each.&nbsp;&nbsp;With this victory, Qalandars find themselves at the second position with two victories and one defeat. Zalmi, on the other hand, are at fifth position with one victory.&nbsp;

PSL: 41-year-old 'Professor' demonstrates terrific batting as Rashid Khan hits three sixes in his unbeaten 22 off 8 balls

High profile English cricketer Alex Hales, who is playing for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has slammed England’s decision to cancel the Pakistan tour last year.&nbsp; Just three months before this tournament, the England Cricket team had backed out of a short tour to Pakistan last October.&nbsp;“That decision to cancel that tour made absolutely no sense. Especially after Pakistan came to England during Covid and helped out the ECB massively. So for them to cancel that tour made absolutely zero sense to me. It was only a short tour, only a few T20s so it made no sense,” Hales was quoted as saying by Geo TV.&nbsp;Alex Hales was on a roll during Islamabad United’s PSL 2022 season opener against Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday (January 30) where he scored a match-winning unbeaten 82 off 54 deliveries. He was also involved in a 112-run opening stand with Paul Stirling. Even though Hales had scored at a brisk rate for the United chasing down 169, it was Stirling who was adjudged the Player of the Match for his enterprising 25-ball 57.&nbsp;Hales also spoke about his experience in Pakistan and said. The former England opener said that the country is a great place to play cricket."I've been here four or five times now and get looked after really well. Every time we come here, the people are very hospitable and cricket is always really good. The fans here are crazy for it. So, it's a great place to come and play cricket, I absolutely feel safe," he added.&nbsp;Hales said that even though he has visited Pakistan several times, he is yet to get the opportunity to explore the country.Hales is among the 24 English cricketers playing in this year's PSL.&nbsp;"The first two years they were quite strict with security and in the last couple of years, it's been COVID and bubbles and stuff like that. So, unfortunately, I've not really had much of a chance to explore but hopefully in the next two or three years, if I come back, [I may] get a chance to explore, if COVID chilled out and security settles down then certainly [I would] love to see the country, I've heard it's beautiful," Hales added. The England batter said the PSL is a great tournament, and he holds it in high regard."It's a tournament that I hold in high regard. The standard of cricket is really good, especially as a batter coming here. The standard of fast bowling is as good as anywhere in the world, you have guys bowling at express pace and more often not good pitches to bat on. So, if you play well you feel like you can score runs but you have to earn those runs," he said.&nbsp;The ECB and PCB have renegotiated that tour and England are now scheduled to tour Pakistan twice later this year. They first arrive in September for a seven-match T20I series, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia. Following that tournament, they will visit again for a three-Test series in November-December.

‘Made absolutely zero sense’: Alex Hales lambasts England’s decision to cancel Pakistan tour last October

Defending champions Multan Sultans have continued their superb start to the season by winning their fourth consecutive match in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by beating Islamabad United by 20 runs. Despite a valiant effort from skipper Shadab Khan, the team from the capital couldn't get over the line as they fell short of the target. Shadab's 91-run knock was canceled out by Tim David, earlier in the Sultans innings as he scored a blistering 71 off just 29 deliveries.&nbsp;Both teams were unbeaten coming into the contest, as United captain Shadab won the toss and elected to field at the Karachi National Stadium. But the decision proved wrong as the Sultans started to dominate right from the start. Shan Masood (43 off 31 deliveries) gave the Sultans a perfect start before being dismissed LBW by Marchant de Lange. There were two horrible mix-ups as Mohammad Rizwan (12) and Sohaib Maqsood (13) departed as run-out victims.&nbsp;Rilee Rossouw and Tim David showDavid and Rilee Rossouw were at their fluent best as they took over the initiative after the powerplay overs. David went on to score a terrific 71, which included six sixes and six fours. In the 18th over of the match, David and Rossouw busted onto the scene, by scoring three sixes and a total of 23 runs. The pair put together a 110-run stand for the fourth wicket as the Sultans scored 217/5 in their 20 overs. Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim and De Lange all ended with a wicket apiece.&nbsp;David, with Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions coming, soon could be attracting a few franchises. His base price of Rs 20 Lakhs, will be a welcome addition as the player will be available at a very low price. He could become the first Singaporean player to play in the IPL if he gets picked by any franchise.&nbsp;Shadab Khan's valiant effort fells shortChasing a mammoth 218 runs target, United lost wickets at regular intervals but captain Shadab took the responsibility in his strives. After Alex Hales (23), Paul Sterling (19) and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (15), the skipper made sure his team remained in the hunt for the chase. Shadab's knock of 91 runs included a staggering nine sixes and five fours before he went down in the penultimate over to Rumman Raees.&nbsp;With no one taking responsibility at the other end, Islamabad United were curtailed 20 runs short of the target and ended with 197/10 in 19.4 overs. Khushdil Shah ended with 35/4 while David Willey scalped three wickets for 38.

Shadab Khan’s 91-run knock goes in vain as Multan Sultans continue unbeaten run in PSL

Former Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed has hit out at Salman Butt for criticising his captaincy in a recent analysis of Pakistan Super League (PSL) fixture on his YouTube channel. Sarfaraz did not mention Butt’s name his tweet but called him a fixer who sold his country on national duty.&nbsp;&nbsp;The wicketkeeper wrote in a tweet, “Pakistan ko on duty beachne wala fixer jub niyat pe bhashan dega phir to Allah he Hafiz hai .#justsying [sic]”.&nbsp;Sarfaraz-led Quetta Gladiators have lost two of their three matches in the ongoing PSL 2022. The veteran batter was unimpressive in the team’s run chase against defending champions Multan Sultans on January 31 as he scored just 21 runs from 23 deliveries when the team needed to accelerate in the middle overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;The tainted opener pointed out that Sarfaraz has been travelling with the squad as a backup wicketkeeper and his recent performances are not doing him a favour either. He also criticised his captaincy in PSL as Gladiators finished at the bottom of the table with just two wins from 10 games.&nbsp;&nbsp;“They (Quetta Gladiators) also lost last year. You (Sarfaraz Ahmed) are the captain of the team since the inception of PSL. He is making things difficult for himself and he won’t have any answers tomorrow,” said Butt in a YouTube video.&nbsp;“He should focus on himself and his performance. He has been travelling as a second wicketkeeper with the Pakistan team since the last couple of years. So, he needs to concentrate on himself instead bothering about other player’s performance,” he added.&nbsp;So far, Sarfaraz has scored just 37 runs from two innings in the T20 league. He remained unbeaten on 16 in an easy run chase against Karachi Kings where Naseem Shah took a fifer to bundle out Babar Azam’s side for 113.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since he got sacked as Pakistan captain in 2019, the 34-year-old has featured in only three T20Is and one ODI. He was a part of Pakistan’s revised T20 World Cup 2021 squad as well but warmed the benches as Rizwan was in the form of his life.

'Pakistan ko on duty bechne wala fixer...': Sarfaraz Ahmed dismisses Salman Butt's criticism with cryptic tweet

Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan continues to impress as his sensational all-round show left the limping Karachi Kings in lurch, who suffered their fifth successive PSL defeat this season. Shadab returned with a magical spell of 4/15 to outperform Karachi by 42 runs in a lop-sided match at the National Stadium in Karachi.&nbsp;While going after a competitive target of 178, Karachi never looked settled from the onset as their both the openers in captain Babar Azam &nbsp;(8) and Sharjeel Khan (6) were sent back to the pavilion cheaply when the scoreboard read 21/2.United continued to take wickets in regular intervals as Karachi were clueless in crafting the run-chase as the Babar Azam-led team looked in utter disarray.&nbsp;However, Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi played a good knock of 47 runs and remained unbeaten as he remained the top-scorer for his team but his efforts went in vain. In the late overs, Nabi tried to bring Kings closer to the target by smashing some boundaries, but the brilliant United bowlers were in their elements who made Karachi's task herculean and restricted them to a lowly 135. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Leading from the front, skipper Shadab was once again towered among the bowlers with the brilliant figures of 4/15 in four overs in which he snared wickets of Imad Wasim (9), Lewis Gregory (15), Chris Jordan (5), Mohammad Taha (0), while Waqas Maqsood, Hasan Ali, and Wasim Jr picked one wicket each.&nbsp;Islamabad posted 177 runs on the board for the loss of six wickets in their stipulated 20 overs after their skipper Shadab Khan elected to bat first.&nbsp;Though, no batter from United reached the half-century, but their top-order contributed with 30-odd runs to help the team reach a competitive total.&nbsp;Paul Sterling and Alex Hales gave them a 66 runs stand, as Karachi bowlers continued to struck in the middle to break the partnerships.&nbsp;Paul scored 39, Hales 30, Munro 33, while Shadad scored a quick-fire 34 runs, and in the end Azam Khan played a small-cameo of 16 runs off just seven balls.&nbsp;While for Karachi, Imad Wasim, Umaid Asif and Usman Shinwari took one wicket each and also ended their four overs spells under the economy rate of seven but remained ineffective in front of the high-profile United batting line-up.

Islamabad captain Shadab's all-round show hands Karachi Kings fifth defeat on the trot

Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 is scheduled to begin on January 27 with Karachi Kings hosting the defending champions Multan Sultans in Karachi. Ahead of the seventh season, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially announced the playing conditions for the T20 tournament.&nbsp;PSL 2022 playing conditions:&nbsp;If a team loses players due to positive results, it can seek the Technical Committee’s approval for replacement players from the reserve pool of players (Clause 1.2.5.1).&nbsp;For a match to go ahead, a team must have, at least, 13 players who are Covid-19 negative (Clause 1.2.5.2).&nbsp;A playing XI must comprise a minimum of seven and a maximum of eight local players including an emerging player. However, if a team is affected by Covid-19 to the extent that it is impossible for it to create a playing 11 in accordance with the relevant requirements, the requirements will stand waived to the necessary extent (Clause 1.2.5).&nbsp;Fielding side must be in position to bowl the first ball of the final over of the innings by the scheduled or rescheduled time for the end of the innings. If they are not in such a position, one fewer fielder will be permitted outside of the 30-yard circle for the last over (Clause 13.8).&nbsp;There will be a reserve day for the final. If no result is achieved on the reserve day, then the side finishing on top of the points table after 30 league matches will be declared champion (Clause 16.11.1).&nbsp;TV umpire to call no balls (Clause 21.5).&nbsp;The PCB also has confirmed the new guidelines due the surge in Covid-19 cases. It has also forced authorities to limit the number of spectators in stadiums. The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has approved 25 per cent crowd attendance in the stadium for the Karachi-leg of the tournament. Nearly 8000 people would be allowed in the National Stadium in Karachi.&nbsp;Strict health and safety protocols are set for the tournament and violators will be heavily fined by the authorities.

PCB's new guidelines for PSL 2022 give relaxations to teams if there is a Covid-19 outbreak

A day before Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 was schedule to kick-off, a fire broke out at the National Stadium, Karachi on January 25 night. According to Pakistan news websites, there were no injuries or loss of life were reported but there was serious damage to the mobile commentary box near the boundary. Fire brigade was called in to handle the situation but the fire damaged the Surface Mounted Device (SMD) cable near the boundary rope. &nbsp;&nbsp;It is yet to be revealed whether the PSL 2022 opening ceremony will go ahead as planned on January 27 or not. There is no official statement from PSL so far.&nbsp;The tournament will kick off with defending champions Multan Sultans led by Mohammad Rizwan will take on Babar Azam’s Karachi Kings on January 27.&nbsp;&nbsp;Not only the opening match, the National Stadium in Karachi will also host the first 15 matches of the league as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) intends to prevent players from contracting Covid-19 by enforcing a stricter bio-bubble than the last season.&nbsp;&nbsp;The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has also allowed 25 per cent attendance for the Karachi leg of the T20 tournament which will go on till February 7.

PSL 2022 opening match in trouble as fire breaks out in Karachi stadium, destroys mobile commentary box near boundary rope

Pakistan’s 18-year-old fast bowler Naseem Shah exhibited his splendid bowling display to pick up five wickets, conceding just 20 runs for his side Quetta Gladiators against Karachi Kings in a Pakistan Super League match that was played on January 29 (Saturday), at National Stadium, in Karachi.&nbsp;&nbsp;Naseem’s terrific bowling display helped his side in restricting Karachi within a mere total of 113 runs in 17.3 overs. Along with, Naseem another Pakistan pacer- Sohail Tanvir picked up two wickets for the Gladiators.&nbsp;Easy run chaseIn reply, Gladiators did not have too much trouble in successfully chasing the target. Their openers- Ahsan Ali (57 runs off 43 balls) and Will Smeed (30 runs off 35 balls), set up the stage for their side. Ali remained not out and claimed the victory for Gladiators.&nbsp;&nbsp;With this victory Gladiator reached second spot with two points in 2 matches. &nbsp;&nbsp;Kings on the other hand, are yet to win their first match of the league after playing two matches.&nbsp;&nbsp;Naseem Shah made his Test debut against Australia, in November 2019. In that match Naseem picked up one wicket. Overall, he has played in 9 Test matches till now and he has bagged 20 wickets at an economy rate of 3.77.&nbsp;&nbsp;His best bowling figures came against Sri Lanka, in Karachi, in December 2019 after he picked up five wickets for Pakistan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Masood's match-winning knockIn another match, Shan Masood played a terrific knock of 83 runs off 50 balls to help his side Multan Sultans in claiming a five-wicket victory against Lahore Qalandars.&nbsp;Batting first, Lahore registered a huge total of 206 runs losing five wickets in 20 overs. Their opener Fakhar Zaman scored 76 runs off just 35 balls to give his side a good start. Later, Kamran Ghulam scored 43 runs off 31 deliveries.&nbsp;In reply, Masood and Multan skipper Mohammad Rizwan (69 runs off 42 deliveries) gave their side a good start. Later, Shoaib Maqsood scored 20 runs off 17 balls. For Lahore side, their pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed three wickets but his efforts could not save his side from conceding a five-wicket defeat.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lahore are currently at fourth position after playing one match and Multan are at top after winning their two matches. &nbsp;

Naseem Shah picks up five wickets to earn 8-wicket victory for Quetta Gladiators in PSL

England's Will Smeed has taken the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by storm after scoring 97 runs on his league debut for the Quetta Gladiators, but couldn't prevent his side's defeat as he ended on the losing side. The Somerset star signed as a replacement for Jason Roy and took the initiative in the second match of the PSL, as he guided his team to a solid total of 190 losing four wickets but Peshawar Zalmi reached the target to secure the win ultimately.&nbsp;The 97-run knock turned out to be the highest individual score by any English player in the PSL. The previous record was former England skipper Kevin Pietersen's.&nbsp;Smeed, opened the innings along with Ahsan Ali. The Englishmen made full use of his brief opportunity as he scored runs all across the park. Alongside Ali, he registered an opening partnerhsip of 155 runs. Ali, departed for a well-made 73 off 46 deliveries.&nbsp;Final over drama&nbsp;Smith on the other hand continued his terrific batting as he needed eight runs from the final over to score a ton. While batting on 97 he needed a boundary on the final ball but missed the chance to notch a century as he was caught by Patrick Brown. His innings was comprised of 11 fours and four sixes as he ended with a strike rate of 156.&nbsp;The post-match interview"I’ve been quite fortunate and a few of these opportunities have popped up,” Smeed said in the post-match interview after he was adjudged ‘Man of the Match’.&nbsp;Rise in the domestic circuit20-year-old, Smeed, had starred for Somerset in the T20 Blast, England's domestic T20 competition. He averaged 32.08 in the Blast as he scored 385 runs.&nbsp;For Birmingham Phoenix, he scored 166 runs at an average of 33.20 in 'The Hundred'- another premier competition in England's domestic circuit. As a result, he was picked by the Abu Dhabi T10 league side Bangla Tigers.&nbsp;Breaking Kevin Pietersen's recordPSL has been Smeed's first international premier T20 competition and he has certainly made himself proud by breaking Pietersen's record in the league. His 97-run knock is also the highest for any player below the age of 21 in PSL.&nbsp;&nbsp;Previously, Haider Ali held the record after he scored 69 runs off 43 against Lahore Qalandars in the 2020 edition of the PSL.

England's Will Smeed smashes 97 on PSL debut to break Kevin Pietersen's record; yet ends on losing side

The high-profile batter Jason Roy launched an avalanche of runs to make the light work of Lahore Qualandars' huge target of 205 runs as Quetta Gladiators cantered to the victory by seven wickets and three balls to spare in the final match of the first phase of Pakistan Super League.&nbsp;&nbsp;Making his debut in PSL after a long wait, Jason was adjudged Man of the Match for his blistering 116 off 57.&nbsp;Chasing the target of 205 runs, opener Jason Roy took an aggressive approach that led to putting pressure on the Qalandars’ bowling attack.Roy, who scored a half-century in 20 balls, played an electrifying innings which included 8 sixes and 11 fours.On the other end, James played unbeaten innings of 49 off 38 balls with the help of five fours to give Quetta Gladiatorssecond victory in the tournament. Muhammad Nawaz also scored 25 not out with the help of a four and two sixes.Among the bowlers Haris Rauf, Kamram Ghulam and David Wiese managed to take one wicket each.&nbsp;Earlier, Fakhar Zaman's half-century helped Qalandars put up an impressive score on the board, handing Gladiators a 205-run target.&nbsp;Shaheen Shah Afridi had been put to bat first after losing the toss, but the decision bore fruit as the Qalandars were able to score over 200 for the loss of five wickets.&nbsp;Fakhar made 70 runs off 45 balls, with the help of three fours and three sixes, while Abdullah Shafiq smashed 32 off 27 balls with the help of one four and two sixes.&nbsp;The fall of wickets began in the eighth over when Ghulam Mudassir picked up the first and crucial wicket of Abdullah (32), who was on a roll with his opening partner Fakhar .&nbsp;In the 12th over, Iftikhar Ahmed took the wicket of Kamran Ghulam (19), piling up pressure on the Qalandars.Mohammad Hafeez was the third man to go for eight off four balls and the man to dismiss him was Mudassir. The fourth scalp of Philip Salt (8) was taken by Luke Wood. Meanwhile, Mudassir bowled Fakhar (70) in the 17th over and also remained pick of the bowlers for Gladiators with a spell of 2/43.&nbsp;Earlier, Lahore Qalandars scored 204 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. The opening pair Fakhr Zaman and Abdullah Shafiq gave another solid start of 61 runs to their team.&nbsp;Fakhar Zaman played an innings of 70 off 45 balls while Abdullah Shafiq and Kamran Ghulam scored 32 and 19 runs respectively.Later, Harry Brook and David Wiese scored 78 runs in the last five overs to take the team’s score to over 200. Harry had played unbeaten innings of 41 off 17 balls and David scored 22 off mere nine balls.

Jason turns wrecker-in-chief with blustery 116 to ace Quetta Gladiators' massive chase against Lahore Qalandars

It was not a good outing for Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi as he conceded 67 runs in four overs in a Pakistan Super League (PSL) match against Islamabad United, on February 3 (Thursday). Eventually, Quetta Gladiators conceded a 43-run defeat.&nbsp;The Quetta Gladiators all-rounder could not shine with the bat as well, as he could only manage to score 4 runs off 8 balls.&nbsp;&nbsp;Solid startBatting first, United had a terrific start as their English opener Alex Hales scored a quick-fire 22 off just 8 balls. On the other hand, the other opener- Paul Stirling went on to score a half century (58 runs off 28 balls).&nbsp;&nbsp;Later, New Zealand batter Collin Munro played a splendid innings of 72 runs (not out) off 39 deliveries. The southpaw’s innings was comprised of 3 boundaries and 5 sixes.&nbsp;Munro was supported well by wicketkeeper Azam Khan. Azam scored 65 runs off 35 balls as he smashed 2 boundaries and 6 sixes.Eventually, United managed to reach a huge total of 223 runs losing 4 wickets in 20 overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;For Gladiators, their left-arm bowler Mohammad Nawaz picked up two wickets.&nbsp;The run chaseIn reply, Gladiators opener Ahsan Ali had a good start as he notched his half century (50 runs off 27 balls) but a dismal batting show saw the Quetta-side lose six wickets within a span of just 43 runs.&nbsp;&nbsp;A lot was depended on Shahid Afridi but the veteran failed to do anything impactful. In the 14th over of the innings, Afridi attempted to play a slog-sweep but he could not reach Shadab Khan’s flighted delivery correctly and his mistimed shot was ultimately caught by Hasan Ali.&nbsp;Australia all-rounder James Faulkner kept his side’s hopes alive till the very end as the southpaw scored 30 runs (unbeaten) off 14 deliveries but his efforts were not enough as Gladiators lost all their 10 batsmen within a total of 186 runs in 19.3 overs.&nbsp;For United, their spinner Shadab Khan was in sublime form as he picked up five wickets to seal a convincing victory for his side.&nbsp;After this win, the United have 4 points from 3 matches and are at second spot.&nbsp;

PSL: Shahid Afridi fails to shine as Quetta Gladiators concede 43-run defeat against Islamabad United

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has questioned the appointment process for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman.&nbsp; &nbsp;Hafeez, who recently announced his decision of retirement, also raised concerns on the current domestic cricket future after the abolishment of departmental and bank teams. Hafeez is currently playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) where he is representing the Lahore Qalandars.&nbsp;Hafeez speaks “The present process is not correct because presently the chairman PCB was elected under a selection system and the procedure for selection of PCB chairman is not right. The PCB chairman comes on political grounds and the chairman who comes politically does not understand cricket at all,” Hafeez said in a conversation with Geo News. The PCB has been ragging with internal conflicts in recent years. PCB chairman Ramiz Raja, who was a part of the 1992 World Cup-winning Pakistan squad was nominated to the governing body. His nomination was supported by current Pakistan Prime Minister and close friend Imran Khan, who was also the captain of the Pakistan team in the 1992 triumph. Hafeez was not in the favour of the appointment as he believes a proper election procedure should have taken place to appoint the PCB chairman. “I represented Pakistan with great pride, and whatever I have played throughout my 18 years, I played with dignity. And whether it’s on the field or off the field, I tried to raise Pakistan’s flag high. I am very happy and satisfied with my career and achievements, which were all for Pakistan. So this is it for me,” the veteran added while speaking on his cricketing journey. The 41-year-old former Pakistan batsman- Hafeez , was also not in favour of PCB, as the board decided to abolish the departmental and bank teams from the domestic circuit. He believes that the decision taken a couple of years ago could hamper the progress of young cricketers and could leave the majority of them jobless. According to him, the PCB should reconsider its decision and reinstate the teams.&nbsp;Hafeez in PSLOn January 30 (Sunday), Hafeez played in a PSL match against Karachi Kings and the right-handed batsman scored 24 runs off 21 balls as his side Qalandars secured a 6-wicket victory in the game. His innings was comprised of 4 boundaries.&nbsp;

'The present process is not correct,' former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Hafeez criticises the appointment process for PCB chief

Defending champions Multan Sultans clinched a nail-bitter contest on Monday (January 31) as they overcame Quetta Gladiators by just six runs in the final over. A match that went to the very end saw the Sultans defend just eight runs in the final over, thanks to David Willey, who gave away only one run and took two wickets to clinch the contest. The win sees the champions, Multan Sultans, remain unbeaten from their opening three matches as they top the league, in the early days.&nbsp;Shan Masood top scores with 88 for the SultansThe two teams were unbeaten going into the contest. Shan Masood continued from where he had left from against Lahore Qalandars, as he once again scored a fifty. He followed his 83-run knock against the Qalandars with an 88-run knock on the evening. He smashed six fours and four sixes in just 58 deliveries to set the tone. He was well-supported by Sohaib Maqsood (21) and South African Rilee Rossouw (21) who steered the Sultans innings beyond 150 runs. A cameo towards the end from Tim David with 28 runs off 16 deliveries saw Sultans finish at 174/4.&nbsp;Iftikhar Ahmed almost does the job with his cameoAfter a mixed start, Ben Duckett (47 off 32 deliveries) and Ahsan Ali (24) kept the 2019 champions in the hunt but lost wickets at regular intervals. With 50 runs needed off four overs, Iftikhar Ahmed played a nice little cameo as he scored 24 runs from Imran Khan's over to keep the Gladiators in the hunt. He scored three sixes and a four to scalp 24 runs in the 17th over. However, his cameo innings came to a close in the very next over as he was dismissed for 30 off 13 deliveries at a strike rate of 231.&nbsp;Final over dramaWith 15 runs scored in the penultimate over, the momentum was with the batting side. Willey was asked to defend eight runs, but with the new man and tailender Naseem Shah at the batting end, Willey produced two outstanding deliveries to keep the scoreboard shut. He did get a run on the third ball to put Tanvir on strike, but the former Pakistan speedster gave his wicket away on the fourth ball. This meant that seven runs were needed with two balls and a wicket in hand. Willey kept his nerves once again as Naseem was caught inside-out on the mid-wicket boundary to clinch the tie, as Gladiators were dismissed for 168.&nbsp;The Sultans will have no time for recovery, as they take on Islamabad United on Tuesday (February 1) within 24 hours of their win. The Gladiators will try to bounce back from the defeat and will next take the field on Thursday (February 3) against Islamabad United at the Karachi National Stadium.

Champions Multan Sultan win PSL thriller after final over drama against Quetta Gladiators

T20 matches are known for big scores and plenty of boundaries and sixes but the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022, played between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans, did not turn out to be like that.&nbsp;While talking about this issue, former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq strongly criticised the pitch that was used in the opening match of the PSL. The pitch did not help the batters in scoring too many runs and seemed a little slow as well, throughout the game.&nbsp;The opening match&nbsp;Inzamam urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to improve the quality of pitches in the tournament. In the first game, Multan Sultans won the toss and decided to bowl first. Their South African spinner and Man of the Match, Imran Tahir took three wickets conceding only 16 runs in four overs. On the other hand, Pakistan bowler Khushdil Shah took one wicket and conceded eight runs in two overs.&nbsp;&nbsp;On a pitch that seemingly helped the spinners, Kings registered a total of 124 runs in 20 overs losing five wickets. Opening batsman Sharjeel Khan scored 43 runs off 31 balls and emerged as the highest run-scorer for the team. Skipper Babar Azam scored 23 runs off 29 balls. No other batsman could score more than 30 runs for the Kings in the match. In a situation like this, Inzamam vehemently opposed the slow pitches of PSL. Inzamam also felt that T20 cricket should not be played on such pitches.&nbsp;Inzamam's words“T20 matches should not be played on such a pitch,” he said during an interview.&nbsp;While talking about opener Sharjeel, he said that the 32-year-old left-handed batsman needs to work on his fitness in order to be “a big player.”“If Sharjeel works on his fitness, he can become a big player,” the 51-year-old former cricketer said.&nbsp;In reply, Sultans openers- Shan Masood (26 runs off 18 balls) and skipper Mohammad Rizwan (52 runs off 47 balls), started the inning on a convincing note. Later, Shoaib Maqsood gave a good support to Rizwan and scored 30 runs off 31 balls. The Sultans eventually reached their target with 10 balls remaining.&nbsp;

Inzamam-ul-Haq finds fault in PSL; says T20 matches should not be played on such pitches

The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is all set to kick-off on Thursday (January 27) as defending champions Multan Sultans take on former champions Karachi Kings in the curtain-raiser. The 2020 champions, Karachi Kings will be led by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam while experienced Mohammad Rizwan will take charge of defending champions Multan Sultans.&nbsp;VenuesA total of 34 matches will be staged in the tournament which will run for the next 32 days. The National Stadium in Karachi will host 15 matches while the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the remaining 19 matches, this includes the four playoffs. The final will be played in Lahore on February 27.&nbsp;The plans were also in pipeline to stage the tournament in UAE, but the Emirates Cricket Board will organise their own cricket league during the period. Any plans of postponements were also put on hold as the Pakistan team has a tight schedule for the rest of the year.&nbsp;Teams and FormatA total of six teams; Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta Gladiators will participate in the tournament, with each team playing one another twice. Once the league stages are over, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs with the top two qualifying for the Qualifier and the remaining two will qualify for Eliminator 1. The winner of Qualifier will make the final while the loser will meet the winner of Eliminator 1 in Eliminator 2. The winner of Eliminator 2 will advance to the final on February 27.&nbsp;Covid-19 protocolsA pool of about 25 local players will be reserved in isolation; if more than eight players out of 22 from any team test positive for Covid-19, then these can be used in replacement. If the whole league gets struck then it will only be postponed for seven days, after which the remaining matches will be played as double-headers. If it happens in later matches then the winner will instead be announced on playing conditions.

PSL Preview: Defending champions Multan Sultans take on Babar Azam’s Karachi Kings in curtain-raiser

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