Cricket

Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC ODI bowler rankings, while Babar Azam continues to dominate as the world's leading ODI batter. Afridi's impressive performances against Australia, where he claimed eight wickets at an average of 12.62, propelled him past Kuldeep Yadav, Rashid Khan, and Keshav Maharaj. This marks the second time Afridi has reached the summit of the ODI bowling rankings, having briefly held the position during the 2023 ODI World Cup.Afridi's seam-bowling partner, Haris Rauf, also made significant progress, moving up 14 places to 13th after bagging 10 wickets in the ODI series against Australia. Naseem Shah also climbed 14 spots to a career-best 55th.In the ODI batting rankings, Babar Azam extended his lead with scores of 37, 15*, and 28* against Australia. He remains well ahead of the Indian trio of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, who occupy the second, third, and fourth positions, respectively.The ODI all-rounder rankings saw significant movement following the ODI series between Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Player of the Series Mohammad Nabi retained his top spot, while Rashid Khan moved up to third. Azmatullah Omarzai's strong showing pushed him two places up to No. 9, giving Afghanistan three players in the top 10. Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz jumped four places to No. 4 after taking three wickets and scoring 66 in the third ODI.In T20Is, Wanindu Hasaranga's series haul of 6 for 37 against New Zealand lifted him four places to second spot among the bowlers, behind only England's Adil Rashid. Akeal Hosein's economical performance against England earned him third place, while Ravi Bishnoi's four scalps in two games against South Africa moved him up one spot to No. 7.Among batters, the England pair of Phil Salt (second) and Jos Buttler (sixth), alongside West Indies' Nicholas Pooran (10th), all moved up one place each in the batting rankings after two games in the five-match series in the Caribbean. From the ongoing South Africa vs India T20I series, Sanju Samson continued his rise in the batting ranks. A second successive T20I century for the India opener, this time a 50-ball 107 in the first game, saw him leapfrog 27 positions to 39th. The South African duo of Reeza Hendricks (up two places to 12th) and Tristan Stubbs (up 12 spots to 26th) also made headway on the T20I batting charts that is still led by Travis Head. Salt and Suryakumar Yadav round off the top three.

Pakistan's fielding woes have been a persistent issue, and the dropped catch by Shaheen Shah Afridi during the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide served as a glaring example. Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram, who was commentating on the match, had just been discussing Pakistan's fielding lapses when Shaheen's error occurred.Akram explained that during his playing days with Waqar Younis, they relied heavily on LBW and bowled dismissals due to Pakistan's poor fielding. "We didn't trust our fielders (laughs). That was one of the reasons. We only heard from slip cordon... Sorry, didn't see the ball. Every time," Akram said.The dropped catch by Shaheen came in the fourth over of Australia's innings. Naseem Shah bowled a short ball to Matthew Short, who pulled it straight to Shaheen at deep backward square-leg. Shaheen attempted a reverse-cup catch, but the ball burst through his hands and rolled to the boundary.Despite the fielding error, Pakistan went on to thrash Australia by 9 wickets in the second game, taking the series into a decider. Haris Rauf (5/29) and Shaheen (3/26) starred with the ball, claiming 8 wickets combined. Openers Saim Ayub (82) and Abdullah Shafique (64 not out) then hit fifties to guide Pakistan to victory within 27 overs.Pakistan's fielding has been a major concern for years, and the dropped catch by Shaheen highlighted the need for improvement. The team will need to address this issue if they want to compete with the top teams in the world.

Pakistan's limited-overs head coach Gary Kirsten has returned to South Africa, leaving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to finalize the successor to Babar Azam as white-ball captain. Kirsten's departure follows a period of assessment and consultation in Lahore and Faisalabad, where he observed the Champions Cup and met with selectors and board officials.Kirsten will rejoin the Pakistan squad in Melbourne on October 29 for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Pakistan will play a total of 18 matches, including nine ODIs and nine T20Is, during the tour.Sources within the PCB indicate that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi are the frontrunners to replace Azam as captain. Kirsten and former Australia coach Jason Gillespie have reportedly discussed the captaincy issue with the selection committee.The decision will be based on long-term considerations, including the candidates' behavior and recent performances. Rizwan is believed to be the favorite, with a younger player potentially serving as his deputy to manage his workload.The PCB is expected to announce the new white-ball captain later this month. The appointment will be crucial as Pakistan prepares for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in India.

Pakistan cricket has been in a downward spiral, with lackluster performances at the 2023 ODI World Cup and T20 World Cup, as well as their first-ever Test series defeat to Bangladesh on home soil. Former Pakistan opener Mudassar Nazar blames the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the escalating tension between senior players Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi, which he believes has contributed to the team's decline.Nazar believes the PCB should have provided Babar with ample support and time to assert his leadership. He criticized the board for constantly changing the captaincy, which has created instability and uncertainty within the team. He also pointed out that Pakistan has an abundance of talented players, but they are becoming lost within the system.Nazar compared Babar Azam to Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, stating that Kohli is undoubtedly one of the greatest in the history of the game, while Babar still has a long way to go to make a name for himself. He praised Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and Kohli, expressing that he could watch them bat for hours.Nazar's comments highlight the need for the PCB to address the mounting issues within Pakistan cricket. The board must provide its captain with the necessary support and stability to lead the team effectively. It must also address the systemic issues that are hindering the development of talented players. Only then can Pakistan cricket regain its former glory.

Pakistan's selectors have recalled left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi for the first Test against England, scheduled to commence on October 7 in Multan. Afridi's inclusion comes after a brief omission from the team due to a decline in form.Seasoned left-arm spinner Noman Ali has also been added to the squad, replacing pace bowler Khurrum Shehzad, who remains sidelined with an injury sustained during the Bangladesh series. All-rounder Aamer Jamal, who missed the Bangladesh series due to fitness concerns, has been retained following his recovery.The remainder of the squad consists of players who featured in the recent Bangladesh series. Head coach Jason Gillespie has requested the withdrawal of selected players from the ongoing Champions Cup ODI event in Faisalabad to provide them with rest ahead of the England series.Pakistan Test Squad:* Shan Masood (Captain)* Saud Shakil (Vice-Captain)* Babar Azam* Muhammad Rizwan* Abdullah Shafique* Muhammad Huraira* Saim Ayub* Salman Ali Agha* Sarfaraz Ahmed* Aamer Jamal* Noman Ali* Abrar Ahmed* Mir Hamza* Shaheen Shah Afridi* Naseem Shah

Pakistan Captain Shan Masood Dismisses Rift Rumors with Shaheen Shah AfridiPakistan cricket captain Shan Masood has vehemently denied rumors of a rift between him and star fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. The speculations arose after Afridi was omitted from the playing XI for the second Test against Bangladesh.The rumors intensified when a video clip from the first Test emerged, showing Afridi seemingly brushing off Masood's hand from his shoulder. However, Masood has clarified that there was no disagreement between the two."There are no issues between us," Masood said. "Shaheen had his arms around my back, but he politely removed my hand from his shoulder because it was sore after being hit by a ball during our innings."Masood also refuted claims that Afridi was dropped for the second Test due to the incident. "We had a good discussion with Shaheen," Masood explained. "We told him he remains our best bowler and needs to work on finding his best rhythm and form."The Pakistan captain also dismissed suggestions that he was concerned about his future as Test captain. "I don't think about these things," Masood said. "Being made captain is a privilege, and until I am captain, my only focus is to take the team forward."Masood acknowledged the team's disappointing performance in the Bangladesh series, which they lost 2-0. "Losing to Bangladesh is totally unacceptable for us," he said. "We need to improve our performance and work hard to regain our winning ways."

Pakistan's cricket team, reeling from a humiliating defeat in the first Test against Bangladesh, will seek redemption in the second and final Test at Rawalpindi, starting August 30, 2024. The hosts suffered a historic 10-wicket loss in the series opener, prompting a shake-up in the squad.Marquee pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the second Test due to the birth of his son. Khurram Shahzad or Mohammad Ali is expected to replace him in the lineup.Bangladesh, on the other hand, has received a boost with the inclusion of all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who was initially doubtful due to an ongoing murder case against him.The second Test will be a crucial encounter for both teams. Pakistan will be desperate to avoid a series whitewash, while Bangladesh will aim to consolidate their historic victory and secure their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan.The match will be played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, starting at 10:30 AM IST. It will not be telecast live in India, but fans can follow the live streaming on the TamashaWeb app and website.

Pakistan Announces Playing XI for First Test Against BangladeshThe Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its playing eleven for the first Test match against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence on August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. This two-match Test series marks the debut of Jason Gillespie as Pakistan's Test coach.Pakistan's pace attack will be spearheaded by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Ali. Saud Shakeel and Salman Ali Agha will provide spin support.Abdullah Shafique and Saim Ayub will open the batting for Pakistan, followed by captain Shan Masood and Babar Azam in the middle order. Mohammad Rizwan will don the wicketkeeping gloves.Aamir Jamal has been released from the squad due to ongoing fitness issues. The 28-year-old fast bowler suffered a back injury while playing County cricket in England earlier this year and has been sent to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for rehabilitation.

Pakistan's Test squad for the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh has been announced, with senior players Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi retained despite calls for a significant overhaul following a disappointing T20 World Cup performance.The decision to retain the experienced trio was influenced by the advice of foreign head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, who recommended a more gradual approach to rebuilding the team. The PCB had initially indicated a need for "major surgery" after Pakistan's early exit from the T20 World Cup, but has opted to avoid drastic measures for now.Shan Masood will continue as captain for the red-ball format, with Saud Shakeel promoted to vice-captain in place of Shaheen Shah Afridi. The squad includes two uncapped players, Mohammad Huraira and Kamran Ghulam, who have been rewarded for their consistent performances in domestic cricket.Kamran Ghulam, who was previously included in the Test squad but did not make his debut, has been recalled. Pacer Mohammad Ali, after playing only two Tests against England in 2022, has also been selected again. Most of the squad for Pakistan's opening Test series of the 2024-25 season remains consistent with the 13 players involved in the last series against Australia at the end of 2023-24.Players dropped from the previous Test series include opener Imam ul Haq, spinners Noman Ali, Muhammad Nawaz, and Sajid Khan, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf, and pacer Hasan Ali. Mohammad Waseem junior is unavailable due to injury. All-rounder Aamir Jamal has been included in the squad, pending his clearance of fitness tests.Pakistan will face Bangladesh in two Tests beginning August 21 as part of the ICC Test Championship schedule. In the upcoming season, the national team is set to play nine Tests, 14 T20 Internationals, and 17 One-Day Internationals at home and abroad.