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2,252 runs at an average north of 68. Eight centuries – including a highest score of 311 in his debut season – and eight half-centuries in 38 innings. A strike-rate touching 70.
These statistics encapsulate the first-class career – just two seasons long – of 21-year-old Mohammad Huraira who has earned a maiden call-up to the Pakistan squad for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka this month.
Huraira’s was a dream start to a first-class career. He shot to prominence in his debut Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season in 2021-22 by becoming the second youngest batter to record a triple-century in first-class cricket on Pakistani soil after legendary Javed Miandad. He scored 311 runs at a cruising rate of over 90 with 40 fours and four sixes to help his side Northern thump Balochistan by an innings and 170 runs at the State Bank Ground in Karachi.
He finished that iteration as the leading run-getter and was the only batter to breach the 1,000-run mark in the next. In the 22 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy matches, over the last two years, Huraira has the most runs for a batter with 2,010 at 65.
His clinical performances through solid technique, sound temperament and wide array of strokes has turned many heads and helped him board a plane to Zimbabwe for a Pakistan Shaheens tour recently where he made a century and a half-century in two innings across two first-class matches with the tourists winning both.
“I never fixate myself on results, rather I make sure that I follow the process and tick all the boxes both on and off the field,” Huraira tells Salman Ali Agha in a special PCB Digital interview. “Topping the charts in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy was never on my mind. It was my process – which is sticking to my fitness regime through training and diet and making sure that I give my 100 per cent on the field – that helped me achieve it.
“Patience is key in red-ball cricket. You cannot switch off as the conditions are challenging and they continue to evolve with each passing hour. You need to have a sharp mind to score runs. Self-awareness is of utmost importance as knowing your strengths and weaknesses help you in match situations.”
Huraira has had this ability of finding runs right from the teenage. A product of Pakistan Cricket Board’s age-group programme, he had an outstanding U19 season in 2019 when he finished the U19 one-day tournament with the most runs (342) and three-day tournament with the third most. Upon being rewarded with a spot in the Pakistan side for the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa in 2020, Huraira scored a half-century on debut against Afghanistan and took two catches for which he was named player of the match.
While he comes from a prestigious lineage of Sialkot batters who have left an indelible mark, Huraira also had a role model in former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik in his family. “My uncle [Shoaib Malik] has been a motivation for me. Seeing him play at the highest level for such a long period gave me that boost that I can also follow his example. I have healthy discussions with him about cricket, and life in general. He has helped me in my career.”
Huraira is currently successfully juggling between an associate degree programme in accounting and finance from the University of Sialkot and top-flight cricket. “The university provides me relaxation for cricket so that helps me in pursuing cricket,” he says.
For Huraira, however, who has 10 List A matches and six T20 games to add to his 24 first-class matches, the Test selection is an opportunity to materialise his dreams. “It is everyone’s dream to represent Pakistan at the highest level so I am very excited. I spoke to my family and they all were very happy. It is all because of the prayers of my parents. This is just a beginning. I want to play for Pakistan for a long time.”
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 finalists will go head to head in May 2024 in the United Kingdom in the build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).
World champions England will host Pakistan in a four-T20I series from 22-30 May before both the sides will depart for the tournament. The matches will be played in Leeds (22 May), Birmingham (25 May), Cardiff (28 May) and The Oval, London (30 May).
England had defeated Pakistan by five wickets with one over to spare in the T20 World Cup 2022 final in Melbourne. Prior to the Australia event, Pakistan had hosted England for a seven-match T20I series in Karachi and Lahore with the visitors winning by 4-3. England is ranked second on the ICC T20I Team Rankings, while Pakistan is ranked fourth – five points behind.
Before arriving in the UK, Pakistan will play a three-T20I series against the Netherlands and two-T20I series against Ireland, details of which will be announced in due course.
In addition to the men’s side, Pakistan women’s squad will also tour England in May 2024 for three T20Is and three ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 fixtures.
The tour will commence with the first T20I in Birmingham on 11 May with the remaining two matches in Northampton (17 May) and Leeds (19 May). Derby, Taunton and Chelmsford will stage the three ODIs on 23, 26 and 29 May, respectively.
England is ranked second and Pakistan seventh in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings, while Pakistan (10 points) is currently third in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and England seventh (six points) with one less series of three ODIs. England’s third series in the Championship is against Australia from 12-18 July.
The series against England will be Pakistan women’s last series in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25. They will kick-start their 2023-24 season by hosting South Africa in Karachi from 1-14 September, which will be followed by series against Bangladesh (October/November, away), New Zealand (November/December, away) and West Indies (April/May, home).
In the three ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 series to date, Pakistan have defeated Sri Lanka (2-1) and Ireland (3-0), while they were beaten 3-0 by world champions Australia earlier this year.
Pakistan to England 2024
Women’s series
11 May: 1st T20I – Edgbaston, Birmingham
17 May: 2nd T20I – The County Ground, Northampton
19 May: 3rd T20I – Headingley, Leeds
23 May: 1st ODI –Derby
26 May: 2nd ODI –Taunton
29 May: 3rd ODI – Chelmsford
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday withdrew its stay order against the election of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman.
Last week, the LHC had stayed the election of PCB chairman and sought replies from the federal government and other respondents in two identical petitions before two separate benches.
During the hearing, the PCB lawyer said several petitions against the PCB elections were pending with Justice Shahid Karim, adding that the judge had not issued any verdict. He said it would be appropriate to consolidate all the identical petitions before one judge to avoid complex decisions.
The court after hearing both the sides at length vacated the stay order and sent the petition to Chief Justice asking him to consolidate all the petitions against the election of the PCB Chairman.
The petitioner further contended that the PCB election commissioner unlawfully dissolved the board of governors which was lawfully established by the management committee of the cricket governing body.
He said the election commission unlawfully constituted a new board of governors only to engineer the election of PCB chief. He pleaded the court to declare the election commissioner’s action as illegal.
The elections for the new PCB chairman were scheduled for June 27 after chief of the interim management committee Najam Sethi stepped down. An interim management committee member, Gul Muhammad Kakar, had challenged the elections before the Balochistan High Court.
Business Recorder
Hafeez, Asif, Dahani and 5 other Pakistani player join Zim Afro T10 Squad
The much-awaited Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 is less than three weeks away, and the five squads for the tournament have been confirmed. Beginning 20th July, some of the best white-ball cricketers will descend in Harare, and entertain the fans with some very keenly contested games. The grand final of the tournament is scheduled for 29th July, with all the games being played in Harare.
The think tanks of the five franchises came together during a grand ceremony at the Player Draft and finalised their squads, forming impressive line-ups, which promises to produce scintillating cricket.
The Durban Qalandars have a squad of 15 players and drafted in the likes of Asif Ali, Mohammed Amir, George Linde, Hazratullah Zazai, Tim Sifert, Sisanda Magala, Hilton Cartwright, Mirza Tahir Baig, Tayab Abbas, Craig Ervin, Tendai Chatara, Brad Evans, Clive Madande, Nick Welch, and Andre Fleture.
The CapeTown Samp Army have 17 players on their roster, with stars such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shaun Williams, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Maheesh Theekshana, Sheldon Cottrel, Karim Janat, Chamika Karunaratne, Peter Hazlogou, Matthew Breetzke, Richard Ngarava, Zhuwao Cephas, Hamilton Masakadza, Tadshwani Marumani, Tinashe Kamunakewe, Parthiv Patel, Mohamed Irfan, and Stuart Binny.
The Harare Hurricanes also have 17 players in their camp, with impactful players such Eoin Morgan headlining the squad. Also on the team are Mohamed Nabi, Evin Lewis, Robin Uthappa, Donovon Ferraira, Shahzawaz Dahani, Duan Jansen, Samit Patel, Kevin Kothegoda, Christopher Mpofu, Regis Chakabva, Luke Jonwe, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Mushiwa, Irfan Pathan, Khalid Shah, and S Sreesanth.
The Bulawayo Braves will go into the inaugural edition Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 with a squad of 15 players, and have signed on Sikander Raza, Taskin Ahmed, Ashton Turner, Tymal Mills, Thisara Perera, Ben McDermott, Beau Webster, Patrick Dooley, Kobe Herft, Rayen Burl, Timycen Maruma, Joylord Gumbie, Innocent Kaia, Faraz Akram and Mujeeb Ur Rehaman.
The Johannesburg Buffaloes are the only team with a squad of 16 players, and they have acquired the services of Mushfiqur Rahim, Odean Smith, Tom Banton, Yusuf Pathan, Will Smeed, Noor Ahmad, Ravi Bopara, Usman Shinwari, Junior Dala, Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, Wesley Madhevere, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Mohamed Hafeez, and Rahul Chopra.
All the teams will add another player to each of their squads in the coming days as five cricketers will be picked from the nationwide Emerging Player programme, which is designed to provide the youngsters with a chance to break onto the big stage.
8 Pakistan players:
Durban - Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir, Mirza Tahir Baig, Tayyab Abbas
Cape Town - Mohammad Irfan
Harare - Shahnawaz Dahani
Johannesburg - Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Hafeez
Sri Lanka's emphatic win over Zimbabwe ensures that they'll feature in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023. In the other contest, Dipendra Singh Airee helped Nepal to a gutsy win over UAE.
Sri Lanka rendered a flawless display on the field to cruise towards a nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe. This win helps them to the top of the Super Six table, and ensures that they'll remain among the top two sides at the end of this stage. Hence, they've qualified for the World Cup in India later this year.
So far, Sri Lanka haven't conceded a single total in excess of 200 in this tournament.
At Harare, under Airee's guidance, the Nepal lower-order helped them to a surprise three wicket win. Things seemed dire for the team at 63/6, but Nepal fought their way back in style. In the first innings, Sandeep Lamichhane (3/23) and Karan KC (3/36) led the Nepal charge, as the sub-continental side bowled out UAE for a modest total.
ICC
Mathew Hayden in an interview:
"Shadab Khan is a fantastic player. He is an individual of absolute quality. Like Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja), he is a three-dimensional cricketer"
"He is a dangerous hitter with the bat. He has got the variations with the ball and he is also a wonderful fielder, and just one further point around this, you win World Cups by fielding efforts"
"They are the little things that you don't see, that make a big difference in tournament cricket. Under pressure, those catches around the boundaries, those specially unique run-outs that happen, they are the things that will never really be statistically noted in the World Cup"
Sourov Ganguly in an interview:
“There is a lot of hype in this match but the quality has not been that good for a long time because India kept on winning one-sided. Pakistan probably defeated India for the first time in the T20 World Cup in Dubai"
“India did not play well in that tournament (2021 T20 WC) but according to me, India vs Australia tends to be a better game in the World Cup because the quality is better"
Rana reviews the recently concluded 5-match ODI series against New Zealand with an eye on Pakistan's preparations for the 2023 World Cup.
