Rameez commends Saqlain’s role in T20 World Cup

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Rameez Raja, Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has commended the role of interim coach Saqlain Mushtaq in the ICC T20 World Cup as well as during the Bangladesh tour. 

The PCB helmsman reckoned that Saqlain, a former Pakistan off-spinner, filled the vacant role from behind the scene quite admirably and he merited accolades for having created a sense nationalism. 

He also applauded the batting and bowling consultants, Matthew Hayden of Australia and Vernon Philander of South Africa respectively, who also rose to the occasion. 

"I don’t have fixed mindset and approach on this issue like short or long contracts,” he observed while commenting on appointment of foreign or local coaches for Team Pakistan. Rameez stressed that they were looking to improve Pakistan batters’ power hitting, adding that he was looking to see Pakistan getting better in Tests and ODIs. 

He would like specialists for different tours and conditions while indicating that Hayden may be retained with the team until the 2022 T20 World Cup to be held in Australia. 

The PCB Chairman pointed out that the team came up with improved performances in the T20 World Cup after the pressure they came under following the sudden and mysterious move of New Zealand to run away during the tour of Pakistan and then England cancelling their visit at the eleventh hour. 

“The boys fought hard in the T20 World Cup to come up with incredible performances which paid dividends and we were also awarded the Champions Trophy 2025 besides the Asia Cup,” the PCB Chairman concluded.

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Marsh, Warner power Australia to ICC T20 World Cup crown

By Ehsan Qureshi in Dubai 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Australia, at last, clinched maiden ICC T20 World Cup crown when they thrashed New Zealand by eight wickets in what eventually turned out be a one-sided final at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on November 14. 

The mighty Aussies lived upto their reputation of coming good in crunch matches. They also maintained the tradition of chasing and winning at this ground. 

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh was instrumental in his team's triumph in the final as he toyed with the Blackcaps bowling attack with superb hitting. 

The Man of the Tournament award was presented to the prolific Australian opener, David Warner, for his crucial runs in trying circumstances. The explosive left-hander succeeded in turning it around after a lean patch in the IPL on the eve of the T20 World Cup. 

Marsh cracked an unbeaten 77 off 50 balls laced with half a dozen boundaries and four sixes in the final to drive Australia to a famous victory. Fellow all-rounder Glenn Maxwell finished unbeaten on 28 off 18 balls with the help of four fours and a six. They added 66 runs stand for third wicket without being separated as Australia chased down the target of 173 with seven balls to spare. 

Coming in at number three, Marsh trumped Kane Williamson's spectacular knock of 85 off 48 balls with ten fours and three sixes. Sent to bat first, the Blackcaps recovered from a sluggish start to post a competitive total of 172 for four in their 20 overs. 

They were struggling against the pace and swing of Josh Hazelwood and they could muster just 32 runs in six overs of power play. Williamson was well supported by opener Martin Guptill who scored 28 off 35 deliveries with three boundaries. 

Hazelwood snapped up three wickets for 16 runs in an amazing spell of bowling but the star left-arm spearhead Mitchell Starc conceded as many as 60 runs in his four overs. 

The Australian captain, Aaron Finch, received the trophy and cash purse of US$1.6 million while his counterpart, Williamson, collected a sum of US$0.8 million for being the runners-up. 

The Australian head coach, Justin Langer, who himself was a part and parcel of the all-conquering outfit of his country in the past, did not mince words in declaring that winning T20 World Cup was among great moments in their cricket history. 

"My boys enjoyed the game and have fun which was the key in winning the title,” Langer, who played 105 Tests and eight ODIs for Australia, remarked after Finch had brought home the trophy.

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Wade shatters Pakistan’s dream to cruise into T20 World Cup final

By Ehsan Qureshi in Dubai

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Incredible batting display by left-handed Matthew Wade spearheaded Australia into the final of the 6th edition of the ICC T20 World Cup when they overpowered Pakistan by five wickets in a tensely fought semifinal under dazzling lights at the Dubai International Stadium on November 11. 

Wicketkeeper-batter Wade hammered an unbeaten 41 off just 17 balls with fours sixed and two fours to richly deserve Man of the Match award. At the other end Marcus Stoinis remained unconquered on an invaluable 40 off 31 balls with brace of sixes and fours to take Australia home with an over to spare. 

They shared a dramatic match winning 81-run sixth wicket partnership after half of their team was back in the hut before raising 100 of the innings. The vastly experienced left-handed opener, David Warner, led the charge initially with 49 off 30 balls with two sixes and as many fours before they lost flurry of wickets which restored parity in the game. 

Leg-spinner Shadab Khan’s four-wicket haul broke the back of Australian batting as they needed 67 runs in last five overs. But it was brilliance of Wade which changed the complexion of the game decisively. 

It may be recalled that it was another left-handed Aussie, Mike Hussey, who had snatched the semifinal from Pakistan in the Caribbean in 2010 in similar conditions. Australia had scored 57 runs in last three overs to storm into the final where they lost to England.

Pakistan’s defeat in the pre-final sent hundreds of their supporters in tears and they dominated the crowd of nearly 20,000 in Dubai. They had expected Pakistan to win the game but they returned home heartbroken. 

Hasan Ali dropped a catch off Shaheen Afridi in the deep which cost Pakistan a place in the final. Afterwards Wade hoisted Shaheen for three successive sixes to snatch the game away from Pakistan. Shadab nearly emerged as the unlikely hero with four wickets for 26 runs before Wade and Stoinis took control. Shadab’s figures were the best ever to be recorded in the semifinals of T20 World Cup. 

Star batter Muhammad Rizwan, who was doubtful for the match due to fever and flu, and the 2017 Champions Trophy hero Fakhar Zaman hit form at the perfect time as they were instrumental in help Pakistan post a competitive total of 176-4 in 20 overs.

Rizwan continued his dream run in the event with a spectacular 67 off 52 balls studded with four sixes and three fours. Opening the innings with skipper Babar Azam, he gave Pakistan another fantastic start of 70 runs in 10 overs after Aaron Finch won the toss and inserted them to bat first.

Babar made a compact 39 off 34 balls laced with five boundaries. But it was left-handed Fakhar who took Pakistan towards a commanding total. After a steady start, he tore apart the Australian attack with his typical powerful hitting. He hoisted four sixes and three fours in his 55 off 34 deliveries. 

The aggression of Rizwan and Fakhar allowed Pakistan to put 106 runs on the board in the last 10 overs as the Australians seemed to have lost the plot for a while with Steve Smith dropping a sitter in the deep and their fancied speedsters misfiring occasionally. The unusually untidy cricket from the Aussies in the field could have cost them the game but they were bailed out by Wade and Stonis in the end.

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New Zealand storm into T20 World Cup final

By Ehsan Qureshi in UAE 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The trio of Daryl Mitchell, Devon Conway and Jimmy Neesham powered New Zealand to the ICC T20 World Cup final when they outsmarted England by five wickets at the Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 10. 

It was a night to remember for the New Zealanders who quietly came from behind to break the shackles in the final overs to script one of their famous wins in white ball cricket. They needed 57 from the last four overs and completed the job with full one over to spare. 

It was a sweet revenge by Blackcaps to their defeat at the hands of England in the 50 overs final at Lord’s London in 2019 which was decided on super over. 

Playing the innings of his lifetime, Mitchell smashed an unconquered 72 off 47 balls to be declared Man of the Match. The hard-hitting Neesham banged 27 in mere 11 balls with three towering sixes and one four while Conway laid the platform a solid 46 off 38 balls. 

New Zealand looked in dire straits while chasing the target of 167 when they lost their prolific duo of opener Mark Guptill and captain Kane Williamson very early. But the manner in which the relatively inexperienced campaigners reconstructed the innings was truly commendable. 

England appeared to have gained decisive control over the game when occasional leg-spinner Liam Livingstone delivered a sensational four-over spell in which he not only picked a couple of wickets but also gave away only 22 runs. Eion Morgan could not asked for better performance with the ball from his fifth bowler.

Incredibly, New Zealand chose to take the experienced bowlers to be put to sword. Chris Jordan, who bowled a probing opening spell of two overs, was hammered for 23 runs in the 17th over and his new-ball partner Chris Woakes was hammered for 20 in the 19th over to settle the issue without going into the final over. 

Put into bat, England seemed to have done well to post a total of 166 for four in the allotted overs with left-handed Moeen Ali scoring a brilliant unbeaten 51 off 37 balls. David Malan also scored an enterprising 41 off 30 balls while Livingstone sparkled briefly for his 17 off 10 balls.

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Rizwan, Shoaib down with fever, test negative for COVD-19

By Ehsan Qureshi in Dubai 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Two of Pakistan's key players, Muhammad Rizwan and Shoaib Malik, missed training and practice session at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on November 10 due to fever. 

The media manager informed reports both the key players were rested due to fever. They were tested COVID-19 and both were declared negative much to the relief of the Pakistan camp. 

Meanwhile Pakistan will be taking on Australia in the second semifinal on November 11 and the fitness of Rizwan and Shoaib remained vital as they have been instrumental in helping green shirts emerge victorious in all five league games. Pakistan could face problems if they were unable to recover in time for the match. 

Veteran Shoaib, living to his reputation of power hitter, smashed a hurricane unbeaten 54 off 18 balls hoisting half a dozen sixes in the last league outing while wicketkeeper-opener Rizwan, in company of skipper Babar Azam, has played the pivotal role in getting the team off to flying starts. 

Fresh from five straight wins in the tournament, Pakistan will be needed to extend the momentum in the crunch game against the formidable Aussies to continue their march towards glory. Pakistan eye berth in the final for third time with the ultimate goal being reclaiming the crown they clinched under Younis Khan in 2009 in England. 

The Australians, like the Pakistan squad, were also engaged in extensive training and practice sessions at the same venue and, led by Aaron Finch, they looked supremely confident going into the knockout phase. They have turned out to be one of most powerful sides to have entered the competition and their semifinal encounter with Pakistan is expected to be a cracker. 

Not surprisingly all the tickets for the game were declared to have been sold out with the highest priced tickets reported to be around US$3000.

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Rizwan, Babar excel as Pakistan first team to storm into semis

By Ehsan Qureshi in Abu Dhabi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Muhammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam smashed sparkling half centuries as Pakistan crushed Namibia by 45 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, to become the first team to storm into the semifinals of ICC T20 World Cup on November 2.

Interestingly and surprisingly, Pakistan recovered from slow start to post their highest score of the tournament so far. After amassing a huge total of 189 for two in the stipulated over, they restricted their opponents to 144 for five to win the match by 45 runs. It was their fourth consecutive victory in the event. 

After accumulating only 29 runs in the six overs of power play and just doubling the score in the next four overs, the trio of Babar, Rizwan and Muhammad Hafeez went on a rampage mustering a whopping 131 in the last 10 overs much to the delight of their supportive crowd. 

Pakistan, opting to bat first after calling correctly for a change, might have started to regret their decision when the first three overs witnessed as many as 14 dot balls. 

The Pakistan openers, Babar and Rizwan, were clearly struggling against the Namibian attack at the start of their innings. But the situation in the second half of the innings and the Pakistani batters got into their elements. 

Rizwan was in a punishing mood taking 24 runs in the last over from Johannes Smit, slamming four fours and a towering sixer. 

Skipper Babar made 71 off 49 balls with seven boundaries. It was his third half-century in four matches. Rizwan anchored the innings with unconquered 79 off 50 balls, studded with eight fours and four sixes. The Namibian bowlers were found wanting when the well-set openers carried out the well planned onslaught. 

Hafeez sustained the momentum and blasted an unbeaten 32 after facing only 16 balls and it included five strikes to ropes. His lusty hitting ensured that the Pakistan total approached mammoth proportions.

Chasing a formidable target 190, Namibia was never really in the hunt against a disciplined bowling attack. Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi didn’t pick any wicket and David Wesie spoiled his figures further with an unexpected counterattack in the final over.

Namibia, making their maiden appearance in the T20 World Cup, had created history of sorts by toppling Scotland earlier in the tournament. But they found the rampaging Pakistan side too hot to handle.

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The Butler blast in desert

By Ehsan Qureshi in UAE 

  (Pakistan News & Features Services)

The pitches in the ongoing T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly in Sharjah, have not been conducive to free flowing batsmen and they have had to exercise greater caution in taking the bowlers to the cleaners. 

England, having won their previous three matches, had their backs to the wall at the halfway stage of their innings against Sri Lanka on November 2 and they were expected to be contained to below par total. 

But there was a man in the middle by the name of Jos Butler who thought otherwise. Butler is known for playing big shots but the manner he constructed and finished his knock was well and truly spectacular to say the least. 

Yes he went on to complete the most incredible of centuries on the final of the innings and it was a maximum. His unbeaten century provided England enough runs to bowl out the Sri Lankans despite the dew factor. 

Although the England bowlers also played their role in taking their side to fourth successive win, the night belonged to Butler. Quite deservedly he was adjudged as Man of the Match for his sparkling century. 

Butler remained undefeated on 101 off 67 balls which didn’t look all that amazing but the fact that he enabled England to add 116 in the last 10 overs after collecting only 47 in the first 10 was more significant in turning the game around. 

He showed once more how to trust one's own abilities. He refrained from taking risks when the situation demanded of him to show restraint. Once his eyes were set and he had measured the bowling, there was no stopping him. It was one of the best T20 knocks to have been played under pressure. 

Butler’s terrific batting made amends for the ordinary performances of other power hitters in the England ranks and he will indeed be considered one of the major threats for the opponents in the upcoming knockout games.

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