Category: Games

Karachi, Pakistan’s right-arm fast bowler, Fatima Sana, has been ruled out of the upcoming second T20I against West Indies Women at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. Sana sustained an ankle injury during the first match of the series, leading to her withdrawal from Sunday’s game.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, Fatima experienced discomfort in her right ankle during the 16th over of the West Indies innings in Friday’s T20I. After the match, a medical assessment confirmed the injury, prompting team management to rest her for the upcoming fixture to ensure her recovery.

Lahore, The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially appointed Jason Gillespie as the red-ball head coach and Gary Kirsten as the white-ball head coach for the Pakistan men’s cricket team. Both coaches will serve in their respective roles for a period of two years. Azhar Mahmood has also been confirmed as an assistant coach across all formats.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the appointments come as part of a structured recruitment process. Gillespie will take over the red-ball team’s reins and will be involved in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship fixtures, including matches against Bangladesh, England, and South Africa. Meanwhile, Kirsten will begin his tenure immediately after concluding his current commitments in the Indian Premier League. His coaching stint includes leading the team in major upcoming tournaments such as the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi expressed his confidence in the new appointments, highlighting both coaches’ proven track records and their potential to enhance the team’s performance on the international stage. Gillespie and Kirsten shared their enthusiasm for their new roles, emphasizing their commitment to developing the team and achieving success in international cricket.

The PCB remains committed to providing the national team with high-quality resources and facilities to help them achieve and maintain a high level of performance on the international stage.

Karachi, In the second semi-final of the ongoing Khan Sureshim Karachi Region Senior Inter-District Cricket Tournament, Zone Six Whites triumphed over Zone Six Green, securing their place in the final with a convincing 7-wicket victory.

According to Regional Cricket Association Karachi, the match took place at the KCCA Stadium, where Zone Six Green batted first and were bowled out for 144 runs in 3.39 overs. Kashif Iqbal led the team with 48 runs, followed by Zohaib Idris with 25 runs. Arbaz Khan and M Hamza contributed 17 runs each. In terms of bowling, Moeez bin Salman took 3 wickets for 36 runs, while Hammad Karim Yum took 2 wickets for 14 runs, and Moaz Khurram took 2 wickets for 31 runs.

In response, Zone Six Whites achieved the required 147 runs with ease, losing only 3 wickets in 2.23 overs. Habibullah scored 50 runs with the aid of 5 fours and 2 sixes, while Usman Rahim also scored 50 runs, hitting 1 four and 5 sixes. Mohammad Farhan remained not out with 20 runs. On the bowling side for Zone Six Green, Waleed Azim conceded 33 runs and took 2 wickets.

Before the match, both teams were introduced by Zia Ahmad Siddiqui, President of Zone Six. Azam Khan, Coordinator of the Regional Cricket Association Karachi, and Muhammad Tauseef Siddiqui, Tournament Secretary, were also in attendance. The tournament’s final will be played between Zone Six Whites and Zone Six Blues, with the date to be announced later.

Karachi, Bismah Maroof, the former captain of the Pakistan women’s cricket team, has announced her retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. The left-handed batswoman, who made her ODI debut in 2006 and her T20I debut in 2009, represented Pakistan in 276 international matches, scoring 6,262 runs, including 33 half-centuries, and taking 80 international wickets with her right-arm leg-spin.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, Bismah Maroof shared her gratitude to family, fans, the Pakistan Cricket Board, and her fellow players for their support throughout her career. She highlighted the importance of the parental policy implemented by the PCB, allowing her to represent her country at the highest level while being a mother. She also expressed her appreciation for the camaraderie she shared with her teammates.

Tania Mallick, Head of Women’s Cricket at the PCB, praised Bismah Maroof’s contributions to Pakistan women’s cricket and thanked her for her dedication and commitment. Mallick wished Bismah success in her future endeavors and noted that her career has been both rewarding and fulfilling.

Bismah Maroof’s career includes participation in four editions of the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup and eight editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. She also led the Pakistan team in the 2022 ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup and the 2020 and 2023 editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Additionally, she was part of the women’s team that won gold medals at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014.

Bismah Maroof’s retirement marks the end of an era for Pakistan women’s cricket, with her significant impact and leadership leaving a lasting legacy.

Karachi, The Pakistan women’s cricket team is set to face the West Indies women’s cricket team in a five-match T20I series starting on Friday at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. The series follows the three-match ODI series in which the West Indies women swept Pakistan, leading to an eager anticipation for a comeback from the home team.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the T20I matches are scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, with the toss taking place at 7:00 pm. The second T20I will be held on April 28, with the third T20I on April 30. The final two matches are scheduled for May 2 and May 3. The matches will be broadcast live on A Sports HD and Geo Super, and live-streamed on ARY ZAP, Tamasha, and Tapmad across the country. To encourage attendance, the entrance to the stadium is free for female fans and families, with access to the Javed Miandad Enclosure.

Nida Dar, captain of the Pakistan women’s team, acknowledged the disappointing performance in the ODI series and expressed a strong commitment to improve in the T20I matches. She highlighted the team’s recent successes in the T20I format against South Africa and New Zealand and hoped to maintain the winning streak against West Indies.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews was pleased with her team’s performance in the ODI series and emphasized the need to carry the same energy into the T20I series. She noted that Pakistan is competitive in the T20I format and has several strong players, suggesting that the series could be closely contested.

Australia’s Claire Polosak will continue as an on-field umpire in the series, accompanied by Faisal Afridi, Farooq Ali Khan, and Tariq Rasheed. The panel of match officials will be led by Muhammad Javed Malik.

The Pakistan T20I squad includes Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, and Umm-e-Hani. The West Indies squad features Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle (vice-captain), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Chedean Nation, Cherry Ann Fraser, and others.

Lahore, Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has reconstituted the national women’s selection committee, expanding it to seven members. The decision comes after the Pakistan women’s cricket team’s disappointing 3-0 loss to the West Indies Women in the three-match ODI series.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the reconstituted selection committee includes Asmavia Iqbal and Marina Iqbal, who were part of the previous panel. Joining them are Abdul Razzaq and Asad Shafiq, both members of the men’s national selection committee, and former international player, Batool Fatima. In line with the men’s national selection committee structure, the coach and captain will also be part of the national women’s selection committee.

The immediate task for the newly formed committee will be to select the Pakistan women’s team for their upcoming tour of England, which includes three T20Is and three ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 fixtures from May 11 to 29. Despite the recent series loss, Pakistan’s women’s cricket team is currently fifth in the 10-team ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25. The top five teams from this championship, along with hosts India, will qualify directly for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. The remaining teams will participate in a World Cup Qualifier tournament.

The PCB’s move to restructure the women’s selection committee reflects a commitment to improving team performance and competitiveness on the international stage.