Cricket

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received confirmation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) that India is unwilling to tour Pakistan for next year's Champions Trophy. This news has sparked outrage within the Pakistani cricket community, with former players and officials demanding a boycott of matches against India.Former Test captain Javed Miandad expressed his anger, stating that Pakistan cricket will not only survive but prosper without India. He questioned the ICC's ability to generate revenue from events without matches between the two nations.Inzamam-ul-Haq, another former Test captain, voiced his disappointment, emphasizing that there is no threat to the Indian team in Pakistan. He believes that India is depriving cricket of a major occasion.Rashid Latif, a former Pakistan captain, called for a strong statement from the PCB. He condemned India's decision as purely political and unacceptable in sports.Since the 2008 Asia Cup, India has not sent its cricket team to play in Pakistan. However, Pakistan has visited India for the T20 World Cup in 2016, a bilateral white-ball series in 2012-13, and the 50-over World Cup last year.Former Test cricketer Mohsin Khan stressed that sports and politics should never be combined. He advised the PCB to remain calm before making any decisions.The PCB is currently in talks with senior government officials to discuss the future course of action. The Pakistani cricket community is eagerly awaiting the outcome of these discussions, as they hope to see a strong response from their board.

Pakistan's Miraculous One-Wicket Victory: A Thrilling Test Match FinishThe inaugural Test match between Pakistan and Australia in Karachi in 1994 etched itself into cricket history as one of the most exhilarating finishes ever witnessed. Pakistan, chasing a daunting target of 315, found themselves on the brink of defeat at 258 for 9. The National Stadium in Karachi, packed to capacity, held its breath as Australia seemed poised to secure their first victory in Pakistan in 35 years.However, fate had a different plan. Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mushtaq Ahmed, two unlikely heroes, emerged as the saviors of Pakistan. Inzamam, known for his calm demeanor under pressure, played with exquisite finesse, while Mushtaq, more renowned for his leg-spin bowling, matched him with aggressive shots.The duo launched a fierce counterattack, capitalizing on an injury-ravaged Australian bowling attack. They flayed the bowlers, scoring 53 runs in just eight overs, bringing Pakistan tantalizingly close to an improbable victory. The Karachi crowd erupted in a frenzy of excitement as the match reached its climax.With only three runs needed for victory, the tension was palpable. Australia fought valiantly, but Inzamam and Mushtaq remained unyielding. Inzamam's composure and Mushtaq's fearless approach ensured that Pakistan pulled off a remarkable one-wicket victory, keeping their unbeaten record at the National Stadium intact.The defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Australia, who had come so close to achieving their first win on Pakistani soil in over three decades. However, the match is remembered for its thrilling conclusion, with Inzamam and Mushtaq's heroic stand becoming a celebrated moment in Pakistan's cricketing history.

Inzamam-ul-Haq's infamous dismissal for obstructing the field during Pakistan's 2006 tour of India has become a legendary anecdote in cricket folklore. The incident occurred in the first ODI of the series in Peshawar, where Inzamam was given out after stopping a throw with his bat while out of his crease.The dismissal stirred controversy, but it was Inzamam's response at the post-match presentation ceremony that truly captured the attention of cricket fans. With a perplexed expression, he famously stated, "I left the ball and I am out and now stop the ball I am out. I can't understand the rule."Inzamam's dismissal was not an isolated incident. A few months prior, he was involved in a similar incident during a Test match against England in Faisalabad. However, that time he was declared run-out after lifting his back foot to avoid being hit by a throw while inside his crease.The former Pakistan captain's unique style of batting, characterized by sluggish running between the wickets, often led to him or his partners being run out. Inzamam's dismissal for obstructing the field was the third such instance in ODI cricket at the time, with five more similar dismissals occurring since then.Despite his occasional mishaps on the field, Inzamam remains one of Pakistan's greatest batsmen. He played in 120 Tests, scoring 8,830 runs, and 378 ODIs, amassing 11,739 runs. His international career spanned over two decades, and he played a pivotal role in Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory.Inzamam's legacy extends beyond his batting prowess. His witty remarks and humorous demeanor have made him a beloved figure in the cricket world. His dismissal for obstructing the field, while a technical violation, has become a testament to his unique approach to the game and his ability to provide entertainment both on and off the field.

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has vehemently refuted allegations of ball tampering by Team India during the T20 World Cup, as well as similar accusations made by former Pakistan players during the ODI World Cup.Shami dismissed the claims as baseless and accused Pakistan of being perpetually unhappy with India's success. He challenged the accusers to prove their allegations by allowing him to open the ball and demonstrate the absence of any tampering devices."Pakistanis were never happy with us and will never be," Shami said. "Someone said we are being given a different ball, someone said there is a chip in the ball. I have previously mentioned that if I ever get an opportunity or a platform in the future, I would definitely like to open the ball and show whether there is any device inside or not."Shami also criticized former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq for his allegations that India's bowlers were using a modified ball with an embedded chip. He dismissed Inzamam's claims as "cartoonish" and accused him of misleading the public."The team that performs against them gets targeted there," Shami said. "Suppose I bowled with the device and pressed the button incorrectly. I intended to bowl an inswinger but it turned into an outswinger, resulting in a boundary. This kind of cartoonish behavior can happen elsewhere; these are just ways to fool the public."Shami pointed out that India's bowlers have a proven track record of reverse swing, and that Arshdeep Singh's ability to reverse the ball in the 15th over of the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan was a testament to their skill."If it was Pakistani bowlers (reverse swinging the ball) this would have been a big issue," Shami said. "We know reverse swing very well and if Arshdeep can come in the 15th over and start reversing the ball, it means some serious work had been done before."Shami also revealed that Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma are his best friends within the Indian cricket team, who have supported him during his recent ankle injury.

Inzamam-ul-Haq's allegations regarding India's reverse-swinging tactics in the T20 World Cup have sparked a heated debate. The former Pakistan captain questioned how India, particularly Arshdeep Singh, managed to reverse-swing the ball in the 16th over of Australia's innings.Rohit Sharma, India's skipper, dismissed Inzamam's claims, stating that reverse-swing is a natural occurrence in hot and dry conditions. However, Inzamam has retorted, cautioning Rohit not to lecture Pakistan, the originators of reverse-swing, on the technique.Inzamam clarified that he never accused India of ball-tampering, but rather intended to alert the umpires to the unusual reverse-swing. He emphasized that umpires should remain vigilant, as reverse-swing can occur even in the early overs.Meanwhile, India has advanced to the final of the T20 World Cup after defeating England by 68 runs in the second semifinal. South Africa, who defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets, will face India in the championship match.

Pakistan's disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup has raised concerns about the team's declining performance. Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has expressed his disappointment and hinted at potential changes within the side.Pakistan's failure to advance beyond the group stage marks the first time they have been eliminated at this stage in the T20 World Cup. Inzamam attributed the team's struggles to a broader decline in their cricket."Our cricket is declining," Inzamam said. "We lost to Ireland before the World Cup, and we lost to New Zealand's third-string side at home. Our performances in T20s have been better than others, but our cricket has been on a downward trajectory of late."Inzamam emphasized the need for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to address the reasons behind the team's decline. "I'm not saying we should sack some players and get new ones, but the PCB needs to have a dialogue on the reason behind such a decline," he said.Pakistan's elimination was confirmed when the United States joined India in advancing to the Super Eight round from Group A. The team's early exit has put the central contracts of its players under review, with the PCB considering potential salary reductions.Pakistan's campaign began with a Super Over upset against the United States, but they suffered a narrow six-run loss to India. They managed to defeat Canada by seven wickets, but it was not enough to secure a spot in the second round.Inzamam's comments highlight the growing concerns about Pakistan's cricket. The team's recent performances have been underwhelming, and the T20 World Cup exit has only amplified the need for introspection and change.

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has joined the chorus of criticism against Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi's decision to promote himself to No. 5 in the batting order during Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.Inzamam's criticism comes after Afridi's quickfire half-century off 28 balls against Quetta Gladiators on Sunday. However, the former captain expressed concern that Afridi and Abdullah Shafique had used up too many deliveries, preventing the team from posting a higher total."This partnership between Abdullah Shafique and Shaheen Afridi... if you look at the scorecard, then it looks very impressive, scoring 55 off 34 balls and the other scoring 59 off 39 balls. But the scorecard doesn't do justice to it. They played all the overs - almost 14 - and all you could take the total to was 167, whereas it should have been 200-plus," Inzamam said.Inzamam also questioned Afridi's decision to bat at No. 5, arguing that it was not beneficial for the team, especially when there were specialist hitters like David Wiese and Sikandar Raza available."Shaheen coming in to bat at No. 5 but scoring at that pace is not good for the team. When you have specialists such as David Wiese and Sikandar Raza, the score could have been better," Inzamam said.Afridi's decision to bat at No. 5 has also drawn criticism from legendary Pakistan bowler Wasim Akram. After Afridi's dismissal for only 1 against Karachi Kings, Akram said that Afridi needed to be told that he had not yet become an all-rounder."Shaheen scored 1 off 3, while Raza scored 22 off 16 & Wiese 24 off 9. They took the score to 177. It's not mandatory that if you are captain you have to come out to bat. Observe the situation & whether there are better players & hitters in the dugout. If Shaheen had done that maybe they would have made 190," Akram said.

Mohammad Hafeez's removal as Pakistan's Team Director has sparked controversy, with former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq criticizing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for unfairly targeting former players.Hafeez was dismissed last month following Pakistan's poor performances in the T20 International series against New Zealand and the Test series in Australia. However, Inzamam questioned why Wahab Riaz, the chief selector, was not held accountable for the team's failures."Can someone explain the reasoning behind removing Muhammad Hafeez as team director but retaining Wahab Riaz as chief selector after the Australian and New Zealand tours?" Inzamam said on a TV show. "Weren't both appointed at the same time and given the same responsibilities?"Inzamam also urged the PCB to show more respect to former players. He recalled an incident during his tenure as chief selector when he was allegedly disrespected by former PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf."The PCB Chairman no doubt is a highly respectable position, but don't former captains and stalwarts deserve the same amount of respect from the top board officials?" Inzamam said.Inzamam also criticized the PCB for not releasing the findings of the inquiry committee that investigated his alleged conflict of interest."Pakistan cricket cannot be run in this manner," he said. "It is time the board officials also accepted responsibility for their actions."Inzamam added that he had never wanted to take over as chief selector before the Asia Cup last year, as the previous selection committee had already picked the squad.