Cricket

Harbhajan Singh Slams Pakistani Journalist for Comparing Dhoni to RizwanFormer Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has vehemently criticized a Pakistani journalist for comparing legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni to Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan. The journalist had posted a photograph of Dhoni and Rizwan on social media, asking his followers who was better between the two.Harbhajan, who played 103 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 28 T20Is for India between 1998 and 2016, took to social media to express his disapproval of the comparison. He questioned the journalist's judgment and asserted that Dhoni was far superior to Rizwan."What are you smoking nowadays? What a silly question to ask. Dhoni is way ahead of Rizwan. Even if you ask Rizwan, he will give you an honest answer. I like Rizwan, he is a good player who always plays with intent, but this comparison is wrong. Dhoni is number one even today in world cricket. None better than him behind the stumps," Harbhajan wrote.Harbhajan's comments highlight the immense respect and admiration that Dhoni commands within the cricketing fraternity. Dhoni's leadership and batting prowess have earned him a legendary status in the sport. He led India to two historic World Cup victories, the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. His unbeaten 91 in the final against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup is considered one of the greatest innings in cricket history.Apart from his World Cup triumphs, Dhoni also led India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. His astute captaincy and ability to inspire his team have made him one of the most successful captains in cricket history.While Rizwan is a talented player who has performed consistently for Pakistan, comparing him to Dhoni is a disservice to the latter's achievements and legacy. Dhoni's contributions to Indian cricket are unparalleled, and he remains one of the most respected and admired cricketers in the world.

Pakistan's former captain and PCB chairman, Ramiz Raja, has staunchly defended the opening partnership of Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam despite Pakistan's disappointing performance in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.In a video posted on his YouTube channel, "Ramiz Speaks," Raja expressed unwavering support for the duo, stating, "The Rizwan-Babar opening pair—we kept insisting on removing them without any real reason. I know there is nothing else after them. When there's nothing, if not them, don’t mess with what is already working."Raja emphasized the duo's crucial contributions, highlighting their roles in Pakistan's journey to the final of previous tournaments. "Their techniques might need some fine-tuning, but you can't split them up because they took us to the final in Australia and the Asia Cup—it was these two who did that," he asserted. "So, what led to these doubts about them? (Bohot zyada khich khich hua hain) There has been too much unnecessary fuss, and that's why we saw these results in the World Cup."During the T20 World Cup 2024, Babar Azam scored 122 runs from four matches, while Mohammad Rizwan amassed 110 runs in the same number of innings.Following Pakistan's early exit from the tournament, both Babar Azam and the team as a whole have faced significant criticism from various quarters. The scrutiny has been particularly intense, questioning the team's strategy and individual performances.Looking ahead, Pakistan's schedule includes challenging fixtures. They are set to host a five-Test series against Bangladesh and England, followed by a white-ball tour of Australia. Subsequently, the team will embark on a tour to South Africa, where they will compete in a comprehensive series featuring both Test and white-ball formats.

Pakistan's cricket team has come under fire after a video emerged showing batting stalwarts Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed struggling against a local net bowler. The video, which has gone viral on social media, has reignited calls for a major reshuffling in the team.Rizwan and Iftikhar, who were key members of Pakistan's squad at the 2024 T20 World Cup, have been criticized for their poor form in recent months. Rizwan, in particular, has been under scrutiny for his slow strike rate and inability to guide Pakistan to victory in crucial matches. Iftikhar, on the other hand, has failed to make a significant impact with the bat.The video, which was captured during a practice session, shows Rizwan and Iftikhar being beaten by pace and bounce multiple times by local bowler Nouman Khan Khaira. The footage has sparked outrage among fans, who have called for the duo to be dropped from the team."These local boys should be taken into the Pakistani team and those playing for the side should be rested," said one user on Twitter."They even struggled against part-time software engineers of USA," joked another user on Instagram.Rizwan's struggles at the 2024 T20 World Cup were particularly disappointing. Despite finishing as Pakistan's second-highest run-scorer, he batted at a strike rate of just 90. Most notably, Rizwan failed to guide Pakistan to a victory against India despite being well set during the run chase.Iftikhar, on the other hand, made just 23 runs in two games and was dropped from the playing XI.Pakistan's early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup has led to widespread criticism of the team's performance. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has promised a "major surgery" in the wake of the team's disappointing campaign.However, recent reports have suggested that Naqvi is unlikely to make large-scale changes in order to avoid conflict with the senior players.

Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup performance has prompted former captain Rashid Latif to issue an ultimatum to star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Latif believes that both players must adapt their batting approach or face being dropped from the team.Latif criticized Babar's decision to accept the captaincy again after resigning last year. He believes that the added responsibility has weakened Babar's batting and that he should focus solely on his role as a batsman."Babar Azam's biggest mistake was to accept the captaincy again," Latif said. "He shouldn't get involved in this politics. Pakistan has found a great batsman after so many years who is dominating the world."Latif also urged Babar and Rizwan to emulate the example of Indian veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who recently announced their retirement from T20Is."Rohit has changed himself 190 degrees," Latif said. "His IPL strike rate used to be 130-140, but this year it went up to 160. He changed himself. Virat Kohli did the same thing. If these two batsmen can change, then anyone can."Latif gave Babar and Rizwan a five-match ultimatum to improve their batting approach. If they fail to do so, he believes they should be dropped from the team."I would give Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan 5 matches to change their batting approach in T20Is, and if they won't, then there should be no place in the team for them," Latif said.Latif's comments highlight the growing pressure on Babar and Rizwan to perform. Pakistan's recent T20 World Cup exit has raised questions about the team's direction and the role of its star players.

Pakistan's star cricketers Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi are still awaiting No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to participate in the Global T20 Canada league. The PCB has issued NOCs to 12 other players for various leagues, but the trio, who are among the highest-paid players in Pakistan, remain in limbo.The PCB has expressed concerns about the status of the Global T20 Canada league and has sought clarification from the organizers and the International Cricket Council (ICC). This has led to the delay in issuing NOCs to Azam, Rizwan, and Afridi.The Global T20 Canada League is scheduled to take place from July 25 to August 11, while Pakistan's Test series against Bangladesh at home is set to begin around August 19. The PCB is reportedly reluctant to grant NOCs to its top players for a league that overlaps with the national team's commitments.Among the players who have received NOCs are Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, and Zaman Khan for the USA Major League, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Hasnain, Salman Ali Agha, and Shadab Khan for the Lanka Premier League, Fakhar Zaman for the Caribbean Premier League, Usama Mir for the Hundred, and Mohammad Amir for county cricket.Notably, the PCB has not granted NOCs to young players Saim Ayub and Azam Khan for the CPL. Shadab, Salman, and Hasnain are already in Sri Lanka for the Lanka Premier League.The PCB's decision to withhold NOCs for Azam, Rizwan, and Afridi has raised questions about the board's priorities. Some critics argue that the PCB should prioritize the development of young players by allowing them to participate in overseas leagues, while others believe that the board is right to protect its top players from potential injuries or burnout.

Pakistan's disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup in the group stage has sparked widespread criticism and rumors of internal strife within the team. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has addressed these concerns, acknowledging the justified criticism but dismissing allegations of politics and groupism.Rizwan emphasized that the team's performance fell short of expectations and that they deserve the criticism they have received. He acknowledged that multiple factors contributed to their losses, including both bowling and batting deficiencies.However, Rizwan strongly refuted rumors of internal divisions, labeling them as "outside chatter." He pointed out that the same team had previously reached finals and semi-finals, indicating that the current struggles are not solely due to internal issues.According to reports, Babar Azam faced the challenge of uniting the team upon his return as captain, but was unable to do so due to alleged groupings. Shaheen Afridi was reportedly upset at losing the captaincy and not receiving support from Babar, while Rizwan was unhappy at not being considered for the role.Despite these rumors, reliable sources have confirmed that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi will not make an immediate decision on Babar Azam's captaincy. Pakistan's next white-ball series is scheduled for November, giving the team time to address the issues that led to their World Cup exit.

England's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign received a much-needed boost with a convincing victory over West Indies on Wednesday. Captain Jos Buttler led the charge, surpassing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan as the designated wicket-keeper batter with the most runs in T20I history.Buttler's 22-ball 25 took his tally to 2,967 runs in the format, surpassing Rizwan's 2,952. No other player has scored more than 2,500 runs as a designated keeper.Buttler praised the performance of veteran spinner Adil Rashid, who conceded just 21 runs in his four-over spell and claimed the wicket of Andre Russell. "He has been all the time. He is our most important player. Has so many variations and restricts runs," Buttler said.West Indies struck early, dismissing Buttler and Moeen Ali. However, Jonny Bairstow and Philip Salt steadied the innings with an unbeaten 97-run partnership. Salt's blistering 30 runs in Romario Shepherd's over effectively ended West Indies' hopes."Bairstow-Salt partnership was very good. Jonny took the game deep and Salty broke it with that one over. Jonny batted at No. 4 today, a class player for a really long time. You keep backing class players. Incredible, mature, senior player's innings. People say you learn when you lose, but you learn when you win as well. Important to put this to bed and focus now," Buttler remarked.England's victory keeps their World Cup hopes alive, while West Indies face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages.

Amidst the backlash following Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup exit, former captain Younis Khan has extended support to skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, hailing them as Pakistan's pride.Khan's words of encouragement come as the team faces criticism for their early elimination from the tournament. Pakistan's campaign began with a shocking defeat to debutants USA, followed by a loss to arch-rivals India. The team's hopes were dashed when the USA-Ireland match was abandoned due to rain, resulting in their earliest-ever exit from a T20 World Cup.Khan acknowledged the team's struggles but emphasized that the blame should not be solely placed on Babar Azam. "It is not just Babar Azam's fault, or the coach's. It is everyone's fault," he said. "We as a nation did not reach the semi-finals."However, Khan raised concerns about Babar's decision not to bat at the No. 3 position from the start of the tournament. He believes that both Babar and Rizwan have the ability to bat in the middle order. "If the team needs you, you should open or play at number 3," he said.Khan also highlighted the need for the team to address their batting concerns. "We speak about only 2 batters (Babar and Rizwan), can they not bat anywhere in the line-up? They can, right? They need to enhance only a little, evolve just a little (to improve their power game)," he added.Khan's comments provide a balanced perspective on Pakistan's performance, acknowledging the team's shortcomings while also recognizing the individual brilliance of Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Pakistani cricket legend and commentator Ramiz Raja has staunchly defended the opening partnership of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, dismissing calls for their replacement. Raja's comments come in response to former captain Shahid Afridi's suggestion that Fakhar Zaman should open for Pakistan in T20Is instead of Babar.Raja argues that while Babar and Rizwan may not possess the blistering strike rate of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, they provide stability and solidity to the team. He emphasizes the importance of establishing a long-term opening partnership, which takes time to develop."They (Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan) may not give you a strike rate of a Rohit (Sharma) or a Virat (Kohli), but, you know, at least they give you solidity," Raja said. "And this Pakistan team, with the kind of batting lineup that they've got, they've got to play within what they have got."Raja points to Pakistan's success in the 2022 T20 World Cup, where they reached the final with Babar and Rizwan as openers. He believes that breaking up this successful partnership would be a mistake."There's a reason why Pakistan made it to the final of the World Cup (in 2022)," Raja said. "Why break something that is working? This phobia of strike rate must end because Pakistan do not have the luxury of such skills and talent."Raja's comments highlight the ongoing debate surrounding Pakistan's batting approach in T20 cricket. While some argue for a more aggressive style, Raja believes that Pakistan should focus on their strengths and play to their own style.