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Markhor presents a very detailed preview of the upcoming Asia Cup and explains how Pakistan can overcome hype surrounding the favourites tag and actually win their third Asia Cup title.
Usman Qadir chats to Saj Sadiq about his lack of consistent chances in international cricket, his disappointment at not being given a run of matches for Pakistan, responds to accusations that he has only played international cricket due to his friendship with Babar Azam, any regrets on leaving Australia and returning to Pakistan, the pressure of having a cricketing legend as his father, his future hopes to return to international cricket and more.
Shadab Khan chats to Saj about The Hundred, his hopes of playing Test cricket again for Pakistan, Babar Azam's captaincy, some fans having short memories when it comes to player performances, the upcoming Asia Cup, Pakistan's huge clash against India at the World Cup, any plans for Virat Kohli, Pakistan's chances at this year's World Cup and more.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has appointed wicketkeeper-batter Rohail Nazir as the Pakistan Shaheens captain for the Top End T20 Series in Darwin, Australia, which is being organised by Northern Territory Cricket (NTC) from 30 July to 6 August.
Apart from the NTC side, NT Strike, and Pakistan Shaheens, Australian Capitol Territory’s ACT Comets, Melbourne Stars, Melbourne Renegades and Papua New Guinea (PNG) will participate in the six-team tournament in a T20 format with the top-two sides progressing to the final.
At the backend of the T20 matches, Shaheens will also play two 50-over matches against PNG and NT Strike on 8 and 9 August, respectively.
The Darwin tour is part of the PCB’s policy to create more opportunities for the emerging cricketers to play away cricket in different conditions against different oppositions across all formats so that they can hone their skills and also expand the pool of players. In this relation, Pakistan Shaheens recently toured Zimbabwe and are presently in Sri Lanka for the ACC Men’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. The squad will also take part in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 from 19 September to 8 October.
Rohail Nazir has played 33 first-class matches and has previously captained Pakistan Shaheens. He recently toured Zimbabwe where the Shaheens’ squad played two four-dayers and six 50-over matches in May.
Aaliyan Mahmood made his first-class debut in the 2022-23 season, while Basit Ali and Shawaiz Irfan featured in the U19 series against Bangladesh in Multan in 2022. Faisal Akram and Mohammad Irfan Khan were on the roaster of Karachi Kings for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2023, while Mohammad Imran was part of Karachi Kings in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2022. Right-arm fast Syed Zeeshan Zameer featured for Islamabad United in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2023.
In addition to the above cricketers, the side also includes seven teenagers who were part of the Pakistan U19 squad that toured Bangladesh for a four-dayer, five 50-over and one T20 match series in May 2023. They are Amir Hassan, Ali Asfand, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Sajjad Ali, Shamyl Hussain and Wahaj Riaz.
Pakistan Shaheens squad:
Rohail Nazir (captain), Aaliyan Mahmood, Ali Asfand, Amir Hassan, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Basit Ali, Faisal Akram, Mohammad Imran, Sajjad Ali, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shamyl Hussain, Shawaiz Irfan, Syed Zeeshan Zameer and Wahaj Riaz
Schedule of Pakistan Shaheens’ matches:
30 Jul – vs NT Strike (T20)
31 Jul – vs ACT Comets (T20)
1 Aug – vs Melbourne Renegades (T20)
2 Aug – vs Melbourne Stars (T20)
4 Aug – vs PNG (T20)
6 Aug – Final
8 Aug – vs PNG (50-over)
9 Aug – vs NT Strike (50-over)
Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023 schedule confirmed
• Pakistan will host opener against Nepal in Multan on 30 August; Kandy will be the venue of Sri Lanka’s first match against Bangladesh on 31 August; Colombo will stage the final on 17 September
• Pakistan-India marquee match in Kandy on 2 September; if both sides progress to the Super-4 stage, they will meet again in Colombo on 10 September
• ACC President Mr Jay Shah: Asia Cup is a celebration of cricketing excellence that unites the nations of Asia in the spirit of competition and camaraderie
• PCB Chair Mr Zaka Ashraf: Our arrangements and hospitality are second to none and this will be a great opportunity to once again showcase this at an international level
Lahore, 19 July 2023:
The Asian Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board today announced the schedule of the Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023. The 50-over format tournament will be held from 30 August to 17 September with Event Host Pakistan staging four matches and Sri Lanka holding nine matches.
Four venues will be used for the 13-match competition. In Pakistan, Multan will host the tournament opener between Pakistan and Nepal on 30 August before the action shifts to Lahore for the remaining three matches. Sri Lanka will use Kandy for the three first round matches and Colombo for the five Super-4 stage fixtures and the 17 September final.
Sri Lanka will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Kandy on 31 August, while India’s first match in the tournament will be against Pakistan in Kandy on 2 September. If both Pakistan and India progress to the Super-4 stage, they will meet again in Colombo on 10 September.
After hosting the tournament opener in Multan, the remaining three matches in Pakistan will be held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. On 3 September, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will go head to head, before Afghanistan will take on Sri Lanka on 5 September. If all goes according to the pre-event seeding, then Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in both sides’ first Super-4 match on 6 September.
Pakistan and India are seeded as A1 and A2, respectively with Nepal as the third side in Group A, while Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are seeded as B1 and B2 in Group B, respectively with Afghanistan as the third side. If Nepal and Afghanistan progress to the Super-4 stage from their respective groups, they will take the seeding of the sides that have dropped out in the first round.
Mr Jay Shah, President of the Asian Cricket Council: “We are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Men's ODI Asia Cup 2023, a celebration of cricketing excellence that unites the nations of Asia in the spirit of competition and camaraderie. As President of the Asian Cricket Council, I extend my warmest regards and heartfelt wishes to all participating teams.
“The Asia Cup holds a special place in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts across the continent. It goes beyond being just a tournament; it symbolises the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions and shared passion for the game that binds our diverse nations together. This prestigious event not only showcases the cricketing prowess of the players but also fosters a sense of unity and brotherhood among Asian countries.
“Let the tournament be a celebration of cricket’s beauty, a display of sporting excellence and a reflection of the unity that binds our nations together. Together, let us witness cricketing magic unfold, as each match becomes a chapter in a larger narrative of friendship and sportsmanship.
“On behalf of the Asian Cricket Council and cricket lovers across Asia, I extend my gratitude to the fellow board members, teams, organisers, sponsors and fans who make this event possible. Your unwavering support is the driving force behind the success of the Asia Cup.
“May the Men's ODI Asia Cup 2023 be an unforgettable journey, filled with moments of triumph, joy, and togetherness. Let us come together to witness the best of Asian cricket.”
Mr Zaka Ashraf, Chair of the PCB Management Committee: “As Event Hosts, the ACC’s Asia Cup 2023 schedule announcement provides us absolute clarity on how we will plan and deliver this tournament so that it is enjoyable for the participants and the fans. Our arrangements and hospitality are second to none and this will be a great opportunity to once again showcase this at an international level.
“For Pakistan, it will be the homecoming of the ACC Asia Cup after 15 long years. Our fans have waited for this for a long time and, as such, we look forward to making it bigger and better so that the fans and participants can start counting down days leading up to the ICC Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host in February 2025.
“I want to congratulate Nepal on qualifying for the Asia Cup and look forward to welcoming them along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have previously played in Pakistan, it will be the first of many times for Nepal and Afghanistan, and I remain confident they will take away memories that will stay with them for a very long time.
“I am extremely happy for the Multan fans who will be the host of the ACC Asia Cup 2023 opener and will see their national side in action in a multi-team tournament for the first time since 1994. It remains one of my top priorities to ensure competitive cricket returns to historic venues across the country.
“From the Pakistan team’s perspective, it will be an excellent opportunity for them to play in high-profile pressure matches and also aim to reclaim the title they last won in 2012. They have all the potential and capability to do that and a strong performance in the Asia Cup will give them the encouragement and confidence for subsequent series and events.”
MEN’S ODI ASIA CUP 2023 SCHEDULE (start times to be confirmed in due course):
Group A – Pakistan (A1), India (A2) and Nepal (Nepal will take position of the side, which fails to progress to the Super-4 stage)
Group B – Sri Lanka (B1), Bangladesh (B2) and Afghanistan (Afghanistan will take position of the side, which fails to progress to the Super-4 stage)
30 Aug – Pakistan v Nepal, Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan, Pakistan
31 Aug – Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy, Sri Lanka
2 Sep – Pakistan v India, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Kandy, Sri Lanka
3 Sep – Bangladesh v Afghanistan, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
4 Sep – India v Nepal, Pallekele International Cricket stadium Kandy, Sri Lanka
5 Sep – Afghanistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
6 Sep – A1 v B2 (Super-4), Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan
9 Sep – B1 v B2 (Super-4), R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
10 Sep – A1 v A2 (Super-4), R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
12 Sep – A2 v B1 (Super-4), R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
14 Sep – A1 v B1 (Super-4), R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
15 Sep – A2 v B2, (Super-4), R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
17 Sep – Final - 1 v 2, R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS), Colombo, Sri Lanka
18 Sep – Reserve day for the final
Grant Bradurn at the end of Day 1:
Elaborate on how well your twofast forwarders golden in the morning.
Yeah, very, very, very proud of Nasim and Shaheen.
Shaheen taking his hundredth wicket here today was very special for him for obvious reasons too.
Been a year in the 90s for him, a very long nervous 90s because obviously of his injury that happened in the same ground so he was very happy.
Obviously we're ecstatic for him to take his hundredth today and bowl very well in a game.
As you well know, we have only taken two seamers into the match.
We rely heavily on the two seamers being able to put in a really serious shift and both of the boys bowled superbly today.
I thought we finished the day well with that little session at the end. Probably our best spell of the day.
We started very well of course and managed to makesome inroads into a very strong top order of Sri Lanka and particularly pleased with the way we finished today.
There were some parts in the middle which we weren't 100% happy with.
We set very high standards for this team and in this new WTC cycle.
We're setting about a new brand of cricket for Pakistan.
We want to go to new levels and we're setting high standards and some of the standards in the middle just show that we're a little bit shy of match hardness, that's all.
How does he rate SSA and NS?
We've gota champion bowling attack.
Shaheen is one of the leaders of that attack but we've got a number of other champion bowlers who aren't in Sri Lanka currently and on the park in Sri Lanka.
So we pride ourselves on producing quality bowlers and we're very happy with the balance of our attack that we put out today.
But Shaheen and Nasim, as I said, they were required to put in a real shift today on a wicket that traditionally is a batting friendly wicket for a day and a half.
And they certainly responded very well today and they are certainly champions of our team.
But we're very proud of all of our sides (all formats) having a foundation of quality bowling attacks across all formats.
On Salman Agha
He's had some real success early.
He is a wonderful bowler in terms of the variations that he bowled.
But again today I think he also showed that Test cricket is still about learning and he's still a student of the game and he's a wonderful student.
He's always hungry to learn new things.
He has developed a new delivery which he hasn't released today.
You might see it in this match but maybe in the second innings and that really impresses me about him.
Have a huge respect for him as a person and for what he's done and he's a wonderful young man to work with.
He's difficult to catch to, he's difficult to read.
And with his new mystery ball, let's see,it might take him to new levels.
But he showed today that, and I think all of our spinners showed today, that the pace you bowl on this pitch was very important.
And at times we were too quick and allowed batters just to freely take singles at their will, and at times we were a little bit slow and that opened up scoring opportunities for them.
So on a pitch today which was rather slow, the pace of our spinners had to be deadly accurate and we weren't quite accurate enough and our pace wasn't quite consistent enough for the standards we set. But we've already spoken about that and they understand.
Galle, 15 July 2023: Pakistan will launch their busy, challenging and action-packed 2023-24 international cricket season with the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 against Sri Lanka in Galle on Sunday. The second and last Test of the series will be played in Colombo from 24 July.
Apart from the ICC World Test Championship matches, Pakistan is also scheduled to participate in the ACC Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the next 12 months. With all-format back-to-back international cricket lined-up, a good and strong start in Galle is what Babar Azam and his side will be aiming for.
Galle is a venue where Pakistan and Sri Lanka have achieved mixed results. In the seven Tests to date, Sri Lanka have won four times (2009, 2012, 2014 and 2022), while Pakistan have won thrice – by an innings and 163 runs (2000), 10 wickets (2015) and four wickets (2022).
When Pakistan last won in Galle 12 months ago, the tourists chased down the 342-run target for the loss of six wickets with Abdullah Shafique scoring a memorable 160 not out and Babar Azam following up his 119 in the first innings with 55. Amongst the bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi took four wickets in the first innings before he was injured during the second innings and was ruled out of further participation. However, best bowling figures of five for 88 from Mohammad Nawaz and Yasir Shah’s three for 122 combined in the second innings to share wickets.
From the current squad, 13 players were part of the side that toured Sri Lanka 12 months ago. The three newcomers are all-rounder Aamir Jamal, mystery-spinner Abrar Ahmed and middle-order batter Mohammad Huraira.
“Really excited to be back in red-ball format and all eyes are on the Galle Test as we are prepared and ready for the challenge,” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said, adding: “We are taking one step at a time, but we have to be consistent across all formats.
“One of the positives going into the Galle Test is 13 of our players were here 12 months ago. Abrar Ahmed has identified himself as a good option in our combination. I am sure this tour will be a good learning curve for him as we have high hopes from him in this and future series.
“I am particularly pleased with the return of Shaheen Shah Afridi. Besides his wicket-taking abilities, his presence always motivates and lifts the side. I know Shaheen has badly missed red-ball cricket and is now hungry for Test cricket.”
Shaheen is sitting on 99 Test wickets and will aim to become the fourth fastest Pakistan fast bowler to complete a century of wickets. He could have achieved this feat last year had he not been sidelined due to a knee injury.
Shan Masood, Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel scored half-centuries, while Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Aamir Jamal took wickets against the SLC Board XI in Hambantota.
“Like any host country, Sri Lanka will like to play to their strength, which is spin bowling. We have had good feedback about the Sri Lanka side from their former coach Mickey Arthur and I think we are well prepared to take them on. We will stick to basics and be patient as this is Test cricket, which is a test of skills, temperament and stamina.
“Test results in the past 12 months may not have been in our favour, but we have definitely developed and grown as a side.”
Babar Azam is the holder of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2022. He has to date scored 3,696 runs in 47 Tests with nine centuries and 26 half-centuries. He is the only cricketers to feature inside the top-three across all formats – third in Tests, first in ODIs and second in T20Is.
Squads (to be selected from):
Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Shan Masood
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Nishan Madushka, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Matthews, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Ramesh Mendis, Prabath Jayasuriya, Praveen Jayawickrama, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Vishwa Fernando, Lakshitha Manasinghe
Match officials – Rod Tucker and Alex Wharf (both on-field), Chris Gaffaney (third umpire), David Boon (match referee)
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