PCB accepts Wasim Khan’s resignation

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

England import Wasim Khan, on September 29, resigned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and his resignation was accepted by Board of Governor, it was confirmed officially. 

Wasim Khan’s resignation was being anticipated soon after former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja had taken over as the Chairman of the board on September 13. But it was not expected so quickly. 

According to reports, Ramiz Raja desired to bring about sweeping changes in the PCB setup after sitting for few months in the office of the board headquarter at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. However Wasim Khan’s resignation seems to have made things easy for Ramiz Raja, who was observed making the smallest of decisions independently, without consulting anyone after assuming the charge of Chairman, PCB. 

Ramiz Raja, rather diplomatically, praised the services of the outgoing CEO, according to the PCB media release. “During his time with PCB, Wasim Khan provided excellent leadership, particularly during the time of outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. The PCB owes Wasim Khan a debt of gratitude for his leadership and we wish him well in his future plans and career endeavors,” he complimented. 

The sources have indicated that Ramiz Raja was expected to appoint Director Cricket after amendments in the PCB constitution. According to reports, another former Pakistan captain Moin Khan, Head Coach of Quetta Gladiators and Lahore Qalanders Chief Coach, Aqib Javed, were also likely to be inducted in the PCB setup. But conflict of interest seemed the biggest issue as they can hold only one position at a time.

readmore »»

National T20 Cup explodes in action with top stars in fray

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The cream of Pakistan’s talent will be on display in the National T20 Cup which explodes into action at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi on September 23. 

This premier event now holds the key in preparing for the ICC T20 World Cup being staged in Oman and United Arab Emirates after New Zealand deserted their tour to Pakistan minutes before first One Day International in Rawalpindi on September 17 and England followed by cancelling to next month’s visit for T20 International on mysterious security reasons. 

It will be Babar Azam versus Shaheen Shah Afridi, Muhammad Rizwan versus Shadab Khan, Sharjeel Khan versus Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman versus Shahnawaz Dahani and Hasan Ali versus Imam-ul-Haq, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) highlighted in its media release. 

The 18 Rawalpindi-leg matches, which were earlier planned for Multan, will now be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium until October 3 while Gaddafi Stadium will remain the venue of the remaining 15 matches that will commence on October 6. Both semifinals will be played on October 12 with the first match to commence at 1500 and second match to begin at 1930. 

The National T20 is a fiercely-contested and highly entertaining tournament. It not only provides opportunities to cricketers to stake claims in the national side but leading performers get a chance to be included in the HBL PSL player draft and then picked up by the franchises. 

The event starting on September 23 has become even more important and critical as members of the Pakistan squad for next month’s ICC T20 World Cup will be in action. 

With each player to get at least, 10 matches, they will aim to strike form and fitness that can help them to be in their best shape when they arrive in the United Arab Emirates on October 15. 

“Following the postponement of the New Zealand series, the National T20 provides an opportunity to our elite cricketers to maintain their focus and composure show the world that they have not been distracted by the events of last week and continue with their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” the PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja, remarked. 

“The participation of our finest cricketers in the National T20 will also enhance the reputation, value and significance of the tournament, while providing the next generation of cricketers a chance to rub shoulders with the national stars and learn the art of preparing and performing at the highest level. With your enthusiasm, wishes and backing, Pakistan cricket will continue to move forward,” he added. 

Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan will lead defending champions Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, runners-up Southern Punjab will be captained by hard-hitting top-order batter Sohaib Maqsood. Babar Azam, Pakistan’s all-format captain and second ranked T20I batsman, will captain Central Punjab and Pakistan’s ODI opener Imam-ul-Haq will lead Balochistan. Sindh have kept faith in former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed while Pakistan white-ball vice-captain Shadab Khan will be in-charge of Northern. 

Apart from Babar, Rizwan, Shadab and Sohaib, other members of the ICC T20 World Cup squad to feature in the 33-match National T20 are Azam Khan, Khushdil Shah (both from Southern Punjab), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez (both from Central Punjab), Imad Wasim (Northern), Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh), Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Nawaz (all Northern) and, Mohammad Wasim Jnr and Shaheen Shah Afridi (both from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Fakhar Zaman (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Shahnawaz Dahani (Sindh) and Usman Qadir (Central Punjab) will also be in action. They have been named as the traveling reserves 

Squads 

Balochistan: Imam-ul-Haq (captain), Bismillah Khan (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Akif Javed, Amad Butt, Ayaz Tasawar, Gohar Faiz, Haris Sohail, Jalat Khan, Junaid Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ibrahim Snr, Umaid Asif and Yasir Shah 

Central Punjab: Babar Azam (captain), Hasan Ali (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Ahmed Shahzad, Ehsan Adil, Faheem Ashraf, Hussain Talat, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Akhlaq (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Hafeez, Qasim Akram, Saif Badar, Shoaib Malik, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz and Waqas Maqsood 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Mohammad Rizwan (captain and wicketkeeper), Shaheen Shah Afridi (vice-captain), Adil Amin, Arshad Iqbal, Asif Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Khan Snr, Israrullah, Maaz Khan, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Imran Khan, Mohammad Wasim, Mussadiq Ahmed and Sahibzada Farhan 

Northern: Shadab Khan (captain), Mohammad Nawaz (vice-captain), Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Ali Imran, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Imad Wasim, Musa Khan, Nasir Nawaz, Salman Irshad, Sohail Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Umer Amin, Zaman Khan and Zeeshan Malik 

Sindh: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain and wicketkeeper), Anwar Ali (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahsan Ali, Danish Aziz, Hassan Mohsin, Khurram Manzoor, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Taha, Ruman Raees, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Shahnawaz Dahani, Sharjeel Khan and Zahid Mahmood 

Southern Punjab: Sohaib Maqsood (captain), Zeeshan Ashraf (vice-captain), Amir Yamin, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Dilbar Hussain, Faisal Akram, Hassan Khan, Imran Randhawa, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ilyas, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Umer Khan, Zain Abbas and Zia-ul-Haq

readmore »»

New Zealand’s abandonment of Pakistan tour may have huge impact

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

New Zealand have deserted the Pakistan tour abruptly which may have huge negative impact in a bid to fully restore international cricket in the country. Tom Latham's team, in a blink of an eye, called off Pakistan tour after a mysterious security alert. 

The Black Caps had landed in Pakistan after a wait of 18 years to play a short series of three One-day Internationals in Rawalpindi which were to be followed by five Twenty20 Internationals in Lahore. But a security alert shattered and shook everything. 

Scores of cricket enthusiasts waiting to enter the Pindi Stadium on and millions preparing to watch action on television across the globe on September 17 were obviously shell shocked upon hearing the news of cancellation of the tour. 

After NZ pulling off the tour, England’s men and women teams next month’s short tour is also in doubt while Australia and West Indies, scheduled to tour Pakistan next season, might also be jeopardized. So this abrupt cancellation of the series may harm the Pakistan cricket in a big way. 

Pakistan cricket was in wilderness after an attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009 at Lahore. However things were rosy after Zimbabwe, West Indies, Sri Lanka and South African teams visited Pakistan and the Pakistan Super League (PSL), with dozens of foreign players, was also being staged in the country for the past few seasons. 

"This is a huge blow to Pakistan cricket," Javed Miandad, a former Pakistan captain, thought. 

"When our forces were providing New Zealand security of highest level, their calling off the tour was unjustified,” the legendary batsman, who had slammed 163 on his Test debut against New Zealand in 1976-77, pointed out. 

"Crazy day it has been! Feel so sorry for the fans and our players. Walking out of the tour by taking a unilateral approach on a security threat is very frustrating. Especially when it’s not shared!! Which world is NZ living in??NZ will hear us at ICC,” the newly elected PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja, tweeted.

It was indeed a stressful and deeply disappointing day for top government, PCB officials, millions cricket lovers in Pakistan and across the globe. 

Federal Interior Minister, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed, known for a calling a spade a spade, didn’t hide his feeling as he was shocked with the decision of the New Zealand government and their team to suddenly pull out of tour without sharing information with Pakistan’s security agencies.

"Our security agencies have no reports of any attack on New Zealand team nor they shared any information with us,” he declared. 

Shaikh Rasheed said that a small hoax security alert caused a massive fiasco and Black Caps calling off the tour on the basis of hearsay was upsetting and disappointing. 

Without naming anyone, Interior Minister thought the New Zealand action to be a conspiracy against Pakistan and Pakistan cricket. “Our enemies don’t want to see security and stability returning to our region after withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan and formation of Taliban Government,” he said, alleging that enemies and foreign elements had joined hands to sabotage Pakistan cricket. 

While the television channels broke the news in afternoon and kept debating the issue late into the evening, the national newspapers carried banner headlines of the New Zealanders calling off tour the following morning.

readmore »»