Cricket

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a show-cause notice to opening batsman Fakhar Zaman for expressing support for former captain Babar Azam, who was dropped from the Test squad after a string of poor performances.Zaman's comments, in which he compared Azam's situation to that of Virat Kohli, who was not dropped by India despite a lean patch, have been praised by former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali. However, Ali has also cautioned Zaman about the potential consequences he may face."Fakhar Zaman has been served a show-cause notice, which means that coming days are not going to be good for him because of the mafia that sits in the PCB," Ali said on his YouTube channel.Ali advised Zaman to speak to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to avoid further problems. "I think Fakhar should talk to chairman Mohsin Naqvi. Otherwise, these guys will create problems for him," he said.Zaman's comments have sparked a debate about the treatment of senior players in the Pakistan team. Some believe that Azam should have been given more time to regain his form, while others argue that the team needs to move on from underperforming players.The PCB has not yet commented on the show-cause notice issued to Zaman. However, it is clear that the board is not happy with his public criticism of the team's decision-making.Zaman has been instructed to respond to the show-cause notice by October 21. His comments are considered a breach of his player contract with the PCB.

Pakistan's women's cricket team suffered a humiliating defeat on Monday, crashing out of the T20 World Cup semifinals race after being bowled out for a mere 56 against New Zealand. The team's dismal performance, which included a series of dropped catches and poor shot selection, has sparked outrage among former players and cricket experts.After restricting New Zealand to a manageable 110 for 6, Pakistan's batting lineup collapsed like a house of cards. The team lost five wickets for just 28 runs, and despite a brief rally, they were eventually dismissed for 56 all out in 11.4 overs. The defeat not only ended Pakistan's hopes of reaching the semifinals but also raised serious questions about the team's preparation and strategy.Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali expressed his disappointment with the team's performance, stating that they "seemed like they were playing badminton, not cricket." He criticized the team's chairperson, Tania Mallick, a former national badminton champion, for her lack of cricket experience.Ali also highlighted the team's poor fielding, pointing out that they dropped several easy catches. "I haven't seen such a team," he said. "You may lose 10 out of 10 matches, but I haven't seen a team dropping catches like that."Despite the team's struggles, Ali praised captain Fatima Sana for her resilience. Sana, who had lost her father a few days ago, contributed the most runs (21) to Pakistan's total. Ali criticized the team's shot selection and the drastic changes in the batting order, which he believed contributed to their downfall."Who got out on a good ball? Muneeba (Ali) played a cross-batted shot. They were getting run-out, playing bad shots," he said. "Sana Fatima lost her father recently; she played the best knock."Ali also extended his sarcasm to Pakistan's men's team, which had recently lost the first Test against England despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings. He suggested that the men's team's defeat may have had a negative impact on the women's team."I think the way Pakistan lost the first Test, it shocked the women's team as well and they too couldn't play...We know our team is weak, everybody knows that. But to lose like that...56 all out in 11.4 overs. It hurt me, personally," he said.

Pakistan's Test team has undergone a significant transformation for the second Test against England, opting for a spin-heavy attack on the same pitch that witnessed England's record-breaking performance in the first Test. This drastic change in strategy reflects a shift in Pakistan's approach to home pitches, with assistant coach Azhar Mahmood revealing that they had planned to prepare spin-friendly surfaces for England.Despite the expectation that the pitch would begin to turn from the second day in the first Test, Pakistan's lineup featured only one specialist spinner, Abrar Ahmed. However, for the second Test, they have lined up with three spinners: Zahid Mahmood, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan. This will be the first time Pakistan has played a men's Test with only one fast bowler, Aamer Jamal.The decision to field three spinners stems from Pakistan's belief that spin is the best way to take 20 wickets against England on this particular pitch. Mahmood emphasized the importance of taking wickets and expressed confidence in the experience of the incoming spinners, despite their lack of recent first-class matches.However, the exclusion of Babar Azam from the team has raised eyebrows. Mahmood insists that it is a "rest" rather than a "drop," citing Pakistan's upcoming schedule. However, some question why the upcoming white-ball tours could not serve as a more appropriate avenue for rotation, given the significance of the home Test series against England.The fielding of three spinners in addition to Salman Agha, who Mahmood previously described as a "specialist spinner," indicates Pakistan's belief that the pitch will take turn. They have left grass on the surface to encourage spin and hope it will work in their favor.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a bold decision to rest four of its top players for the remaining two Test matches against England. The move, which includes dropping captain Babar Azam, former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, and pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, has raised eyebrows in the cricket world.The PCB has defended the decision, stating that it is in the best interests of the team. A PCB spokesperson said that the players were "spared from the team to give them rest so that they can come back afresh."The decision comes after Pakistan suffered a humiliating innings and 47-run defeat in the first Test at Rawalpindi. The team's performance was widely criticized, with many calling for changes to the playing XI.The PCB has also announced a new selection committee, which will be responsible for selecting the team for the remaining two Tests. The new committee includes former players Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Hassan Cheema.The four players who have been dropped have been replaced by younger players, including Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, and Kamran Ghulam. These players have limited experience at the international level, but the PCB believes that they have the potential to succeed.The PCB's decision to rest its top players is a gamble. However, it is a gamble that the board believes is necessary to ensure the long-term success of the team.

Pakistan's decision to exclude star batsman Babar Azam from the upcoming Test series against England has raised eyebrows, with former England captain Nasser Hussain expressing his surprise. Hussain believes that while Azam is currently out of form, he is a player who can rise to the occasion when the pressure is on.Azam's exclusion, along with that of strike bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, was a bold move by Pakistan's new selection panel. Hussain suggests that England may not be too concerned about Azam's absence, given his recent struggles. However, he warns that players of Azam's caliber often find a way to score runs when it matters most.Azam's form has dipped since he was appointed captain and Pakistan's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup in June. He has not scored a Test half-century since 2022, despite an impressive overall record that includes nine centuries and 26 half-centuries in 55 matches.Meanwhile, Shaheen has struggled to regain his wicket-taking rhythm after recovering from a knee injury. Pakistan's decision to use the same contentious Multan pitch for the second Test has also drawn criticism from Hussain. He emphasizes the need for a more balanced pitch that offers something for both batsmen and bowlers."Test cricket cannot afford another game like the one we had last week," Hussain wrote. "There has to be a balance between bat and ball, and that means the pitch has to offer bowlers something at both ends of the game: movement for the seamers at the start, turn for the spinners at the end."Pakistan will be desperate to level the series against England, but they will need to find a way to overcome the absence of their star players and the challenges posed by the Multan pitch.

Pakistan's Test woes continue to draw criticism from former players, with legendary batsman Younis Khan launching a scathing attack on the team's captain, Shan Masood.Younis, without naming Masood directly, questioned his leadership abilities, stating that he lacks the necessary qualities and was appointed primarily due to his communication skills. "There are no qualities to lead a team in an individual, neither he is a leader material... still he has been given the responsibilities," Younis said.He criticized the mindset of appointing captains based on their ability to communicate effectively rather than their leadership potential. "Just because the people feel that ye hamari sunta hai, achha padha likha hai, ye English, Urdu, Pashto achhi bolta hai toh isko kaptaan bana do (He may not be a good player but if he listens to us, and speaks good English, Urdu and Pashto, so let's make him the captain). Please, get rid of this thinking," he added.Younis's comments come after Pakistan's heavy defeat to England in the first Test in Multan, which extended their losing streak to six consecutive Tests. The team's performance has raised concerns about their ability to compete at the highest level.In a further blow to Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dropped former captain Babar Azam from the squad for the second and third Tests against England. Azam, who has been struggling for form, managed just 35 runs across both innings in the first Test.The PCB has also rested frontline pace duo Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah for the Tests. The selection committee's decision to rest key players has raised questions about Pakistan's strategy for the remaining matches of the series.

Pakistan's Pitches: A Graveyard for Bowlers, a Haven for BatsmenIn 1980, Australian pace legend Dennis Lillee famously denounced a pitch in Pakistan as a "graveyard for bowlers." More than four decades later, little has changed.Lillee's frustration stemmed from a wicketless 21-over spell in Faisalabad, where Australia's bowlers toiled in vain as Pakistan piled up 382-2 in reply to Australia's 617 all out. The match ended in a turgid draw.Fast forward to 2023, and the situation remains dire. In the first Test in Multan, England rewrote the record books on a pitch described as "a road" by former captain Michael Vaughan. They amassed 823-7 declared, the fourth highest single innings in Test history.Harry Brook plundered 317 at almost a run a ball, while Joe Root became England's highest Test run scorer during his career-best 262. Their record-breaking stand of 454 for the fourth wicket highlighted the lifeless nature of the pitch.Despite the lack of assistance for bowlers, England's bowlers pulled off an innings and 47-run victory after Pakistan crumbled to 220 all out in their second innings. Pakistan became the first team to score 500 or more and lose a Test by an innings.The lack of help for bowlers in Multan has drawn criticism from experts. England batting great Kevin Pietersen said it was "helping destroy Test cricket." Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram called it a "perennial problem."Rashid Latif, a former Pakistan captain who has studied pitch preparation, believes the pitches are unnecessarily curated in favor of batsmen. "We can prepare good pitches, but our mindset is negative," he said.Former spinner Tauseef Ahmed, who played in the infamous 1980 Faisalabad Test, said Pakistani batters prefer flat pitches to score runs. "Even in domestic matches, we have such pitches so that players score big and get prominence," he said.In the last two years, Pakistan's pitches have become even more docile. Each Test wicket now costs an average of 42.13 runs, the highest anywhere in the world.Experts say the ideal soil mix for a Test pitch is around 60% clay with less sand, as found in Australia. This produces firm and bouncy tracks that begin to take more spin over five days, providing a balance between ball and bat.However, local groundsmen say pitch preparation in Pakistan is a complex process influenced by weather and interference from team management. They also point to the overuse of pitches, which leads to flat surfaces.Latif believes serious work is needed to improve the standard of pitches. He advocates for a research department to ascertain how good pitches can be prepared. He also wants to see Australian Kookaburra balls replaced with those with a more prominent seam to help bowlers.With the second Test in Multan and the third in Rawalpindi on the horizon, it seems unlikely that the bowlers will get any respite soon. Pakistan's pitches remain a graveyard for bowlers and a haven for batsmen.

Pakistan's cricket team has come under fire from former batter Basit Ali following their humiliating defeat to England in the first Test of the three-match series in Multan. The loss marked Pakistan's sixth consecutive Test defeat, extending their winless streak to 10 matches in the format.Ali, in a viral rant on his YouTube channel, expressed his disgust with the team's performance, labeling it as "shameful." He questioned the place of star batter Babar Azam in the team, urging the selectors to drop him. Azam has not scored a Test century in over two years, and Ali believes that any other player would have been dropped long ago."Babar Azam needs rest. He should be the one saying, 'I need to rest'. It's been 18 innings without a significant performance. Any other player would have been dropped after three games, like Fawad Alam. This is the harsh reality. Babar should reduce his stance. It's too wide now. The whole world is laughing. Is this how you play?" Ali said.Ali also criticized captain Shan Masood, suggesting that he should be opening the batting instead of playing at number three. He questioned Masood's credentials as captain, saying, "I've always maintained that Shan is an opener and should be opening. But he played at number three. Now what will happen? Who will you drop? He should play in his rightful position. He doesn't even understand captaincy. What has become of this cricket team? It's shameful."The loss to England continues a painful stretch for Pakistan and will likely increase the pressure on Masood, who is reportedly set to be sacked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The win is England's fourth consecutive Test triumph on Pakistan soil, after a 3-0 whitewash two years ago. England had only won two away Tests against Pakistan in the previous 61 years.

Pakistan's decision to reuse the same pitch for the second Test against England in Multan has raised eyebrows, but the move is not without precedent. The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires only "the best possible pitch and outfield conditions" for Test matches, with no stipulations that the surface must be fresh or unused.Pakistan's decision may be driven by a desire to level the playing field after their innings defeat in the first Test. The pitch in Multan offered little assistance to bowlers, with 1,599 runs scored for the loss of 26 wickets. England's bowlers were particularly frustrated, with Chris Woakes describing the surface as offering "bugger all."By reusing the same pitch, Pakistan may hope to create conditions that favor their spinners. The bowlers' footmarks from the first Test are dry and cracked, and the fans and harsh sun will further dry them out. This could make it difficult for England's batsmen to play spin, especially if Ben Stokes is selected as a third seamer.Stokes has ramped up his bowling workloads over the past week and bowled at full pace in the nets on Sunday morning. His inclusion would give England a potent bowling attack, but it could also backfire if the pitch does not offer enough assistance to spinners.England, meanwhile, are braced for a lower-scoring match. They will be hoping to take advantage of the dry conditions and exploit any variable bounce that may develop. Kevin Pietersen, the former England captain, described the pitch as a "bowlers' graveyard" on Twitter and suggested that Pakistan should re-use it for the second Test.Pakistan's move is unusual, but it is not without precedent. In 2016, India reused the same pitch for two consecutive Tests against New Zealand in Kanpur. The pitch offered more assistance to spinners in the second Test, and India won by an innings and 115 runs.Whether Pakistan's gamble will pay off remains to be seen. The second Test starts on Tuesday, and the conditions will be closely monitored.