Improved West Indies run out of luck to concede T20I series

By Ehsan Qureshi at National Stadium, Karachi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Unlike the first outing of the tour when they were completely outplayed by the hosts the other day at the same venue, the visiting West Indians came up with much improved performance in the second T20 International but lost the game, and with it the three-match series against Pakistan, at the National Stadium, Karachi, on December 14.

On any other day, or night, the West Indies could have emerged triumphant from the commanding situations they were during the match but they let the initiative slip at key moments to deprive themselves from a possible series leveling win. They lost by nine runs instead, while chasing a target of 173, to give Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead. 

As the visiting skipper Nicholas Pooran conceded in the presentation ceremony they made silly mistakes and he also held himself accountable for the chaos in the middle when his team was in the driving seat. 

"Tough one for us. Big improvement from yesterday. Felt like we lost here due to silly mistakes. Irresponsible from myself too. We tried our best to execute plans. It's our responsibility to carry the game. Unfortunately, we made some mistakes. It is an experience for us all, and very proud of how all these guys have performed," he remarked. 

The home captain Babar Azam didn’t look perturbed as his outfit has been fortunate enough to come out of such situations frequently since the resurgence witnessed during the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

Someone has been doing the job, no matter how challenging or precarious the circumstances had been in the UAE or then in Bangladesh where Pakistan triumphed across formats. It was the turn of Shadab Khan to come good with bat and ball to win the day for his team this time round. 

"The finish from Shadab with the bat was very good. Bowlers did well too, particularly Shaheen, and it was a team effort. The idea is to set a target and defend, and play as per the conditions and the wicket. There is grip for the spinners in the second innings, which is why we wanted to bat first,” the winning captain observed. 

"When my batting comes, it usually is in the death overs so I practice accordingly. I planned by batting as per the field. And with the ball, it wasn't gripping a lot. I had good rhythm, and I just tried to bowl in the good areas," Shadab stated after being adjudged Man of the Match for his all-round performance. 

Losing the toss, the West Indies put up a far better performance in bowling department. They had restricted Pakistan to 127 for six after 17 overs despite opener Muhammad Rizwan’s 30-ball 38 with containing a six and four boundaries. Haider Ali made steady 31 off 34 balls with four hits to the fence while Iftikhar Ahmed hoisted a couple of sixes in his 18-ball knock of 32. Asif Ali, the six-hitting wonder, failed once again. 

It was left to vice-captain Shadab to retrieve the situation. He smashed a delightful unbeaten 28 off mere a dozen deliveries studded with three towering sixes as the Pakistan batters went on rampage mustering 45 runs in last three overs to their eventual total to 172. 

Odean Smith was the most successful West Indian bowler with the figures of 2 for 24 but left-arm spinner Akeal Husein again produced a tight spell of 1-16 off four overs. 

Opener Brandon King’s explosive 43-ball 67 containing three sixes and six fours laid very strong platform for the West Indies to overhaul the home total but despite being only two wickets down at the halfway stage when they were ahead of the clock, the momentum was lost in strange circumstances and eventually they were beaten in the match they could have won leisurely.

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Pakistan draw first blood without sweating

By Ehsan Qureshi at National Stadium, Karachi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

As expected, the Pakistan juggernauts prevailed over the depleted West Indian side in the first of the three Twenty20 Internationals at the National Stadium, Karachi, on December 13 with as many as 63 runs separating two sides after a one-sided encounter.

The helplessness of the tourists was highlighted as they lost their last three wickets for as many runs to be bowled out for 137 in the penultimate over while chasing a mammoth target of 201 in the allotted 20 overs. 

With no luck coming their way, the writing was very much on the wall even before they had taken to the field. Odd moments of elation, not withstanding, they were comprehensively outplayed in every department of the game and the hosts didn’t have to sweat on a cold night of Karachi to draw the first blood. 

In the post-match presentation ceremony, the Pakistan skipper, Babar Azam, praised Muhammad Rizwan and Haider Ali for having played handy knocks while Muhammad Nawaz was lauded for finishing the innings in an outstanding manner. 

He praised the spinners for having bowled well and put the visitors under pressure. He disclosed that they will sit and discuss the combination to be played in the next game. 

The West Indian captain, Nicholas Pooran, felt that they gave away 20 runs more in the field and there were a few boundaries off the edges too. He loved the effort and energy from his guys, adding that they’re a young side but it all came down to execution. 

Haider Ali, who was adjudged Man of the Match, rated his innings 10 out of 10, acknowledging the support of Rizwan who kept advising him to build his innings. He conceded having gained lot of confidence from the way Rizwan was playing at the other end. The pitch, he reckoned, was a bit difficult and was helping spinners, that’s why they chose to take chances against fast bowlers. 

Thanks to the brilliant batting display of Rizwan and Haider, Pakistan managed to post a huge total of 200 for six in 20 overs despite having lost Babar, the premier batter, without scoring. 

Opener Rizwan extended his dazzling run in 2021 with another sparkling knock of 78, coming from 52 balls and containing 10 boundaries. He was looking set for a hundred but a running catch by debutant Odean Smith off Romario Shepherd at the boundary ended his superb innings. 

Haider, who came in at number four, was more fluent as he smashed 68 off only 39 balls with the help of four sixes and six fours. Together they added 105 runs for the third wicket off 63 balls. Pakistan's T20 World Cup hero Asif Ali made four-ball one and Iftikhar made seven but Nawaz blasted a quickfire unbeaten 30 in mere 10 balls studded with a couple of sixes and as many fours. 

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, who operated with the new ball, was the pick of the visitors bowling attack. He gave away only 19 runs in his quota of four overs, claiming with prized sclap of Babar. All the other West Indian bowlers were put to sword as the home total reach the magical figure of 200. 

Quite predictably, the inexperienced West Indian batsmen were unable to come to terms with the home bowlers literally dictating terms and toying with the tourists, who seemed absolutely clueless against the Pakistan spinners in particular. 

Shai Hope, a highly gifted batsman, resisted briefly at top of the innings but he too was found wanting in changing complexion of the game. Even skipper Pooran didn’t produce the kind of fireworks that could have enlivened proceedings. 

It was all too easy for leg-spinner Shadab Khan to claim three wickets for only 17 runs. The 20-year-old speedster, Muhammad Wasim, also had a dream night, finishing with the career best figures of four for 40 as the match was won by the home side by the heaviest of margins in T20 Internationals.

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Cold welcome to international cricket in Karachi

By Ehsan Qureshi at National Stadium, Karachi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The functionaries of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were baffled with extremely low turnout of spectators and the obvious lack of interest in the T20 series between Pakistan and the West Indies which got underway at the National Stadium, Karachi, on December 13. 

Despite massive security arrangements as international cricket resumed in Pakistan, there were hardly a few dozens of cricket enthusiasts to have reached the stadium to watch the first T20I which began after office hours, at 6 pm. 

One major reason of the ongoing series failing to attract the masses could be the absence of top players of West Indies specially power hitters like Keiron Pollard and André Russell besides other top performers. 

The most expensive tickets were being offered at Rs 4,000 for the VIP enclosure while the lowest ticket of Rs 200 was being sold for Rs 200. 

The PCB must have expected bigger turnouts for the white-ball series against the West Indies as the Pakistan team was on a high after sterling performances in the last T20 World Cup followed by an extremely successful tour of Bangladesh. The only consolation for the PCB, however, was the resumption of international cricket after New Zealand and England had refuse to fulfill their obligations earlier this season.

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Pakistan keen to sustain momentum to crush West Indies in white-ball series

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The rampant Pakistan side, under the dynamic leadership of the prolific Babar Azam, will be looking to sustain the momentum of recent weeks to overwhelm the visiting West Indians who open their campaign with their first T20 International of the new series at the National Stadium, Karachi, on December 13. 

In a virtual press conference, held on December 12, the triumphant Pakistan skipper felt hopeful on extending the brilliant form of his team which began in the T20 World Cup and continued on the recent tour of Bangladesh where they floored the hosts across formats. 

Babar did not mince words in stating that the national should be having batting and bowling coaches, along with the head coach, explaining that when full number of players was present in the squad then all coaches should also be there for every series, home or away. 

He complimented the West Indian team for undertaking the tour of Pakistan at a time when a few other outfits (New Zealand and England) had pulled out at the eleventh hour. 

Babar ruled out taking the visitors lightly even though they will be taking the field in the absence of many of their seasoned campaigners who will be missing the action due to injuries and illness. 

With high expectations of clean sweep in the T20I as well as the ODI series, the home side is not expected to make many mistakes and they have a fully charged team which is eager and hungry for more success on the field. 

They have rested paceman Hasan Ali and dropped Imad Wasim while veteran all-rounders, Muhammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik, opted to take a break. 

The West Indians, who had previously toured Pakistan in 2018, will now be play three T20 Internationals and as many One-day Internationals against the hosts during their current tour. Led by power-hitter Nicholas Pooran, after regular captain Kieran Pollard pulled out of the team due to injury, the West Indies will aim to be competitive in the T20I series while Sai Hope will be captaining the visitors during the ODI series. 

Despite heavy odds, the two-time T20 world champions, West Indies possess a number of talented youngsters like Rovman Powell, Romario Sherpherd, Odean Smith and Dominic Drakes besides left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein in their folds, who seem capable of coming up with freak performances in the shortest format of the time.

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Shoaib, Imad, Sarfaraz axed for West Indian series

By Ehsan Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The vastly experienced trio of Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim and Sarfaraz Ahmed has been dropped while fast bowler Hasan Ali is being rested for the upcoming home series against the West Indies starting at National Stadium Karachi from December 13. 

The Pakistan cricket selectors' panel, headed by Mohammad Wasim, has surprised many with some of the choices for the T20I and ODI squads which will be taking on the West Indies later this month. 

From the 18 players who were part of the recently-concluded T20I series against Bangladesh, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik have been left out while fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain has been added to the 15-man squad for the T20Is. 

Likewise, from the 17 players who were available for selection for the England ODIs in July, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Wasim Junior have replaced Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha and Sarfaraz Ahmed in the 17-member side, while Abdullah Shafique has been named as a traveling reserve.

“As we have been playing T20Is since October and now have a pretty settled and balanced side, we have decided to reduce the number of players to 15. As such, we have not included Imad Wasim, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Shoaib Malik,” chief selector Wasim explained. 

“For the ODIs, which we last played in July, we have accepted the team management’s request and provided them two additional resources,” he added. 

Pakistan’s T20I squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir. 

Pakistan’s ODI squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Hasnain, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shahnawaz Dahani and Usman Qadir. Traveling reserve: Abdullah Shafique.

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Top WI players to skip Pakistan tour

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Some of the top West Indian players will miss next month's tour of Pakistan to play a series of three T20 Internationals and as many One-day Internationals. 

All-rounder Kieron Pollard will lead the team and all the six white-ball matches will be played at the picturesque National Stadium in Karachi from December 13 to 22. 

Former captain Jason Holder alongwith explosive all-rounder Andre Russell and hard-hitting batters Lendl Simmons, Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer will not be touring Pakistan due to different reasons. Another power-hitter Fabian Allen and fast bowler Ebed McCoy have been ruled out due to injuries. 

The new look West Indian squad contains a quite a few raw youngsters. The quartet of Justin Greaves, Shamarh Brooks, Gudakesh Motie and Odean Smith has earned their maiden call-ups for the ODIs while Dominic Drakes and Motie have been included for the T20Is. 

As far as the home team is concerned two of their veterans and former captains, Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Hafeez, have announced their unavailability for the West Indian series due to personal commitments. Both of them also skipped Pakistan’s tour to Bangladesh but their absence wasn't felt much as the Babar Azam-led green shirts swept the T20I series 3-0. 

The islanders from the Caribbean, who dominated the cricket world in the 1980s, haven’t performed consistently against Pakistan during the last couple of decades and they are not being expected to stretch the hosts, on a high in the T20s since the beginning of the recently held ICC World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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Sports journalist Khalid Khan passes away

By Ehsan Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

One of Pakistan's senior sports journalists, Khalid Hasan Khan, who was working at Dawn, the country’s premier English-language newspaper, breathed his last at Karachi’s Liaquat National Hospital on November 23. 

According to the family sources, he was hospitalized after suffering a brain hemorrhage a couple of weeks of ago. He was 58, having left behind a widow and four daughters to mourn his death. 

He was a member of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) as well as the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) for the last many years. 

He extensively covered domestic and international cricket at home. His last international assignment was in Rawalpindi where he had flown to cover the Pakistan-New Zealand ODI series which was cancelled at the eleventh hour due mysterious security concerns of the visitors. 

Khalid Khan was considered an authority on domestic first-class cricket which he covered comprehensively with dedication and commitment for many decades. 

He had started his career by contributing to the famous monthly cricket magazine ‘The Cricketer Pakistan’ in 1980s and later switched to daily journalism by joining ‘The News’ soon after its launch in early 1990s. After working there for about a decade, he joined Dawn for whom he continued working until the time of his death. 

A quiet person by temperament, he was popular among the media corps which used to assemble at the National Stadium Karachi Press Box to cover various matches. His death is a great loss to sports journalism in Pakistan and it will leave a kind of vacuum in the cricket reporting arena.

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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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