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Tag: Pakistan cricket team

PCB names Mike Hesson as Pakistan’s white ball head coach
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PCB names Mike Hesson as Pakistan’s white ball head coach

Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson was appointed as the head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team in white-ball cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday. Hesson will take over from Aqib Javed, who was appointed on an interim basis in November, a month after Gary Kirsten resigned, barely six months after taking the job. Hesson’s appointment will be effective from the 26th of May, 2025. Hesson led New Zealand in the finals of the 2015 ODI World Cup final during his six-year spell as head coach for the national team. Later, he also served as the head coach of the Kenya national team and the Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings XI. Apart from that, he was the director of cricket operations for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL from 2020 to 2023.  Th...
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‘Frustrating and disappointing’: Shadab Khan on allegations of being favoured by father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq
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‘Frustrating and disappointing’: Shadab Khan on allegations of being favoured by father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq

Pakistan allrounder Shadab Khan said that he was frustrated with repeated allegations thrown around about him being favoured due to his father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq’s influence. Saqlain, who is one of the five mentors appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last year, was also the head coach of the national team at one point and works at the National Cricket Academy. “It is frustrating and disappointing to hear such things because my career is nearly seven years long. I have given some good performances since debuting for Pakistan. Yes I am learning a lot from Saqlain Mushtaq because of his strong cricket coaching background. But it does not mean he is doing me favours,” Shadab told the media in Rawalpindi. “It hurts when the connection with Saqlain Mushtaq is repeatedly brought up....
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Khushdil Shah fights with fans: Pakistan Cricket Board claims Afghan spectators verbally abused players sparking fight
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Khushdil Shah fights with fans: Pakistan Cricket Board claims Afghan spectators verbally abused players sparking fight

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has defended player Khushdil Shah after photos emerged of him trying to jump over a fence to confront fans after the third One-Day International against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui. Pakistan lost the game by 43 runs after it was curtailed to 42 overs each side due to a wet outfield. The two fans that Khushdil got into an argument with were evicted from the stands. PCB posted a statement condemning the verbal abuse of its players during the game. “During the match today, foreign spectators hurled inappropriate remarks at (Pakistan) cricketers present on the field,” the PCB said in a statement before claiming that Khushdil had gotten involved after anti-Pakistan slogans were said from the stands. Story continues below this ad “Afghan specta...
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50 Pakistan cricketers find no takers in Hundred Draft
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50 Pakistan cricketers find no takers in Hundred Draft

File picture of Pakistan’s Shadab Khan | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar Top Pakistan cricketers such as Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub and Shadab Khan found no bidders in the Hundred Draft where 50 players from the country had signed up. Pakistan were represented by 45 male cricketers and five female players in the draft. Naseem and Shadab were in the top category price bracket of £120,000 while Ayub placed himself in the £78,500 segment. ALSO READ | Cricket takes a leap into the unknown with half a billion pounds Among the women players, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Yusra Amir, Iram Javed, and Jaweria Rauf did not find any takers. The Indian Premier League owners buying stakes in the Hundred teams could be cited a...
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Former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie labels successor Aaqib Javed a ‘clown’
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Former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie labels successor Aaqib Javed a ‘clown’

File picture of Jason Gillespie Former Pakistan Test coach Jason Gillespie labelled his successor Aaqib Javed a "clown" and accused the former fast bowler of undermining him and ex-white-ball coach Gary Kirsten in order to take charge of the national team across all formats.Gillespie's comments were in reply to a social media post containing quotes from Javed a few days after hosts Pakistan had crashed out of the Champions Trophy without a win.Jason Gillespie's Instagram story. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/2sYsS8Fzrq— 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞 (@CallMeSheri1) March 5, 2025Javed told reporters on Tuesday (March 4, 2025) that Pakistan had changed 16 coaches and 26 selectors in around two years and any side would struggle in such circumstances."This is hilarious," Australian Gillespie ...
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PAK vs BAN: Rain delays start of Champions Trophy dead rubber
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PAK vs BAN: Rain delays start of Champions Trophy dead rubber

Fans leave the enclosure due to rain before start of the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on February 27, 2025. | Photo Credit: AP Inclement weather delayed the start of Champions Trophy game between host Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Thursday (February 27, 2025).Both teams are already eliminated from the tournament and are playing for the pride after losing to semifinalists from Group A — India and New Zealand.There was persistent light drizzle as the square remained under cover and there was forecast of more rain later in the day.It is the second successive game in Rawalpindi which has been affected by bad weather. South Africa...
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Knee-jerk changes are not the solution, says Mudassar Nazar after Pakistan crashes out
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Knee-jerk changes are not the solution, says Mudassar Nazar after Pakistan crashes out

Former Pakistan cricketer Mudassar Nazar said knee-jerk changes are not the solution after Pakistan crashed out of the Champions Trophy following successive defeats to New Zealand and India.“Every loss doesn’t mean you upset the whole thing. Stick to what you should be doing, have stability and shut out the noise. Stick to it, and give them a reasonable run. After all, you can’t change all 11 players,” urged Nazar. “You make one or two changes, fresh ones, who come without the baggage and want to make a name for themselves and they start to make a difference. You don’t change five, six or seven players.” The 68-year-old, who is based in Dubai, even recently met the Pakistani team ahead of the match against India earlier this week. With growing calls for removing the captain an...
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Champions Trophy controversy: Why ‘advantage India’ criticism from Pat Cummins and Michael Atherton about Dubai pitches is valid
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Champions Trophy controversy: Why ‘advantage India’ criticism from Pat Cummins and Michael Atherton about Dubai pitches is valid

These are still early days of the Champions Trophy, but the prefix ‘neutral venue’ before Dubai for India’s matches is already inviting chuckles. In a tournament hosted by Pakistan, it is India — thanks to the conditions in Dubai — which is feeling more at home, with teams in Group B already sweating at the prospect of playing their semi-finals here on March 4. It’s somewhat akin to suddenly land up in Chennai to play on carefully-curated sluggish tracks that abet Chennai Super Kings. What’s more, here India don’t have any ‘away’ game. With the match between Australia and South Africa washed out at Rawalpindi on Tuesday, the Group B is now wide open with Wednesday’s fixture between England and Afghanistan at Lahore being a knockout clash. Once that happens, the calculators would be out of ...
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It’s beyond a game, that’s the beauty of India-Pakistan cricket, says Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed
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It’s beyond a game, that’s the beauty of India-Pakistan cricket, says Pakistan coach Aaqib Javed

If one thought Pakistan coming to Dubai could ease the pressure of them playing in front of home fans, in a must-win contest against India, their head coach Aaqib Javed seemed more intent on treating Sunday’s clash as ‘beyond a game’. He wouldn’t stop there, and even claimed: ‘If you remove this pressure, what’s left in the Pakistan-India game? Passion and pressure is what is needed to show a player his performance.” Already facing pressure of expectations of doing well in the first ICC event they are hosting in 29 years, they go into the game against India with the added pressure of this being a must-win fixture. “There is no game you can say you play without pressure. The first game we lost, okay. New Zealand is a very strong team. They have good balance… After losing a game there is ano...
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‘Babar never tried to build up bench strength due to his likes and dislikes’: Umar Akmal slams former PAK captain
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‘Babar never tried to build up bench strength due to his likes and dislikes’: Umar Akmal slams former PAK captain

Former Pakistan batter Umar Akmal became the latest person to slam Babar Azam after Pakistan made a disappointing start to their Champions Trophy campaign with a loss to New Zealand. Akmal, who hasn’t played for the national side since 2019, said that Babar had failed to build Pakistan’s bench strength during his stint as skipper. “Babar was captain for nearly five years most of the time in all formats and he never tried to build up the bench strength due to his likes and dislikes,” Umar told a TV channel. Akmal also stated that he had approached Babar for a chance to make his comeback to the national side but his request was swiftly rejected. Story continues below this ad “I told Babar that look give me a fair chance. You are doing well in the top order and I can be your ...
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Cheteshwar Pujara on Babar Azam’s 90-ball 64: ‘You don’t need to play for your own runs’
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Cheteshwar Pujara on Babar Azam’s 90-ball 64: ‘You don’t need to play for your own runs’

Cheteshwar Pujara dissected Babar Azam’s inefficiency against the spinners during his 90-ball 64 against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy opener at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday. Defending champions Pakistan lost the match by 60 runs. They will now face arch-rivals India on Sunday in Dubai. “There was no intent,” Pujara said on the show “Dressing Room.” “Babar’s footwork against the spinner was not good. He was not using his feet. He was not reaching to the ball. He was waiting for the ball to come to him,” he said. Story continues below this ad Show host Fakhr-e-Alam requested Pujara to give a masterclass. The right-handed batter showed how Babar struggled against the spinners. Pakistan’s Babar Azam in action. (Reuters) “He was not committing. He was tr...
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Champions Trophy: Pakistan’s bewildering naivety leads to morale-crushing defeat against New Zealand
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Champions Trophy: Pakistan’s bewildering naivety leads to morale-crushing defeat against New Zealand

The thousands that thronged Karachi’s National Stadium returned home heartbroken as New Zealand inflicted a crushing blow on the hosts in the Champions Trophy opener. It was not so about the margin of defeat (60 runs when hunting 320) as it was about the manner of the surrender. The lingering feeling would be that they lost not because they were the inferior side, but because New Zealand exuded a streak of clarity and purpose, as they always do, that the hosts couldn’t fathom.There was a bewildering naivety about the defeat, in their inability to seize the moments and deliver the knockout blows, in their shuddering strategies, in their lack of exigency plans, or in their sheer stage fright. The enormity of the occasion, big-ticket cricket returning to the country after nearly three decades...
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PAK vs NZ: Is Kiwis’ score of 320 further proof that Champions Trophy will be dominated by batters?
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PAK vs NZ: Is Kiwis’ score of 320 further proof that Champions Trophy will be dominated by batters?

If the 2025 Champions Trophy had been expected to be won by the batters, a reminder of why that may be the case was served on the opening day itself. Put into bat first after Pakistan won the toss, New Zealand’s total reached 320 for 5, after a well-paced first innings, led by centuries from Will Young and Tom Latham, in Karachi on Wednesday. It was the sixth 300+ score in the last nine ODI innings played on Pakistani soil after the recent tri-series between these two teams and South Africa. Across those four matches, there had been five hundreds and 15 50+ scores. Story continues below this ad That trend is not new either. Since 2021, according to ESPNCricinfo, Pakistan has been home to the highest batting average in ODIs (35.53) in the world. “Although the totals might s...
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Inzamam Ul Haq on terror attack on Sri Lanka in 2009: ‘We were punished for 10 years… Our cricket went backwards’
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Inzamam Ul Haq on terror attack on Sri Lanka in 2009: ‘We were punished for 10 years… Our cricket went backwards’

The ICC Champions Trophy will mark the return of big-ticket cricket to Pakistan after nearly three decades. The last mega, multi-team event hosted by Pakistan was the 1996 World Cup, which Pakistan co-hosted with Sri Lanka and India. Many cricketing nations avoided touring Pakistan after the 2009 terror attack where the Sri Lankan cricket team had come under attack from terrorists. “The events of 2009 feel like a bad dream,” former Pakistan captain Inzamam Ul Haq said recently while talking about the terror attack on Sri Lanka. “We were punished for 10 years. Our cricket went backwards.” Story continues below this ad The Pakistan national team hosted its ‘home’ games in the United Arab Emirates before teams started to reluctantly travel to Pakistan from 2018. What had ha...
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ICC Champions Trophy: Haris Rauf resumes bowling in nets in massive relief for Pakistan
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ICC Champions Trophy: Haris Rauf resumes bowling in nets in massive relief for Pakistan

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf revealed that he is back bowling in the nets and “feeling comfortable” after his injury in the recently-concluded tri-series in Pakistan. The Pakistan speedster also said that it would be the Pakistan team management’s decision whether he would be picked for Pakistan cricket team’s opening game against New Zealand. “I have started doing exercises a few days back and also resumed bowling since yesterday. I am feeling comfortable and my body is okay now the team management will decide about my playing in the opening match,” Haris Rauf was quoted by wire agency PTI as telling reporters at the National Stadium. There were doubts over Haris Rauf playing for Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE after he sustained a muscular strain in his lo...
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Champions Trophy: Hopefully Pakistan cricket team will play exactly the way PCB has worked to renovate all stadiums, says Muhammad Yousuf
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Champions Trophy: Hopefully Pakistan cricket team will play exactly the way PCB has worked to renovate all stadiums, says Muhammad Yousuf

Legendary Pakistan batter Muhammad Yousuf is hopeful that the Mohammad Rizwan-led team will play in a way that reflects the work the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has done to renovate all the stadiums in record time before the Champions Trophy. Defending champions Pakistan will start their campaign against New Zealand on Wednesday at the National Stadium in Karachi. “I am very excited like any Pakistani. After 29 years, Pakistan is hosting an ICC event,” Muhammad Yousuf told Samaa TV. “If Pakistan reaches the final, then they will play at home. I wish Pakistan cricket would play exactly the way the PCB has worked to renovate the stadiums. Story continues below this ad “Kudos to the PCB for the way they renovated all the stadiums in six months.” For Yousuf, New Zealand and I...
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New Zealand beat Pakistan to win tri-nation title
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New Zealand beat Pakistan to win tri-nation title

New Zealand clinched the tri-nation title by beating hosts Pakistan by five wickets in the final in Karachi on Friday to give them a major boost ahead of next week’s Champions Trophy. Seamer Will O’Rourke (4-43) led New Zealand’s tidy bowling as they bundled out the hosts for 242 with three deliveries still left in their innings. Daryl Mitchell (57) and Tom Latham (56) struck fifties as New Zealand romped home with 28 balls to spare, finishing unbeaten in the tournament that also involved South Africa. Story continues below this ad Electing to bat, Pakistan kept losing wickets every time a partnership promised to bloom. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan (46) and Salman Agha (45) forged an 88-run partnership for the fourth wicket but boundaries were not easy to come by. Tayyab Tahir ...
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New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra goes off field injured after getting hit on face with ball in Kiwis win over Pakistan in Tri Series opener
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New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra goes off field injured after getting hit on face with ball in Kiwis win over Pakistan in Tri Series opener

New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra suffered an injury on Saturday in the Tri-Series opener vs Pakistan when a ball hit him straight on the face while fielding. The incident occurred in the 38th over of Pakistan’s chase when Khushdil Shah tried a slog sweep off a Michael Bracewell delivery which went straight to Ravindra. The Kiwi player tried to take the catch but ended up misjudging it and he got hit straight on his face which led to him bleeding and then leaving the field. While leaving, his face was covered with a towel by the physio in order to stop the bleeding. In the match, Glenn Phillips warmed up for the Champions Trophy with his first one-day international century as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 78 runs. A tough moment on the field for Rachin Ravindra as an attempted catch turned int...
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