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PCB unveils details of New Zealand’s two Tests, eight ODIs and five T20Is in Pakistan

Lahore, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):New Zealand will be the third high-profile side to tour Pakistan this year after Australia played a full series in March/April and England competed in seven T20Is in September/October; England will return to play three Tests in December Zakir Khan: “Three Tests against England followed by two Tests versus New Zealand over six weeks will give us a chance to strengthen our claims for a place in the ICC World Test Championship final”

David White: “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us” Urdu version of the media release is attached here Lahore, 10 October 2022: The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced match schedule of New Zealand men’s cricket team’s dual tours of Pakistan. The BLACKCAPS will play two Tests as part of their ICC World Test Championship title defence and three ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League fixtures from 27 December to 15 January, before returning for five T20Is and five ODIs from 13 April to 7 May.

On the first leg of the Pakistan tour, Kane Williamson’s side will play Tests in Karachi (27-31 December) and Multan (4-8 January). They will return to Karachi for the three ICC Super League matches on 11, 13 and 15 January.

The Karachi Test will be New Zealand’s first in the metropolitan city since October 1990 when Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis shared 15 wickets between them and Shoaib Mohammad scored 203 not out, and first in Pakistan since the May 2002 Test in Lahore in which Inzamam-ul-Haq scored a memorable 329 and Shoaib Akhtar recorded first innings figures of 8.2-4-11-6.

It continues to be a memorable year for Multan as well. After hosting three ODIs against the West Indies in May, they will stage the second Test between Pakistan and England (9-13 December), before holding the second Test between Pakistan and New Zealand. Multan has also been announced as one of the four venues of the HBL Pakistan Super League, which will be held from 9 February to 19 March.

New Zealand will begin the second leg of the Pakistan tour in Karachi with four T20Is (13, 15, 16 and 19 April), followed by the fifth T20I and two ODIs in Lahore (23, 26 and 28 April) and last three ODIs will be played in Rawalpindi (1, 4 and 7 May).

Zakir Khan, PCB Director – International Cricket: “We had promised our passionate fans that we will deliver high-quality home international cricket in 2022. Today’s announcement of New Zealand’s double visit to Pakistan is part of that commitment.

“New Zealand is one of the high-performing sides and the more we will play against the top teams in our backyard, the better we will get as a unit, which is crucial to our objective of featuring inside the top-three across all formats. The New Zealand matches will also provide opportunities to our youngsters to continue to watch and follow their favourite players in action, something they have missed when we were forced to play our international cricket offshore.

“Three Tests against England followed by two Tests versus New Zealand over six weeks will give us a chance to strengthen our claims for a place in the ICC World Test Championship final. The eight ODIs will help us to prepare for September’s Asia Cup and October’s 50-over ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. As such, the series against New Zealand will not only be from the top drawer but will also have context, making it something to watch out for.”

David White, New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive: “The BLACKCAPS are very much looking forward to the dual tours. New Zealand and Pakistan share a terrific history in international cricket and there is genuine respect between the two teams as well as the two boards.

“I know our players can’t wait to arrive and savour the experience of playing in Karachi, Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi -places that carry a great cricketing heritage. “The recent tours from Australia and England have left us in no doubt regarding the quality of the Pakistan side across all formats, and the extent of the challenge that awaits us.”

The first leg of the tour for two Tests and three ODIs is part of the Future Tours Programme, while the 10 white-ball matches in April/May are to make-up for the abandoned September 2021 tour. New Zealand are presently eighth on the ICC World Test Championship, while Pakistan is sitting in fifth spot. In the ICC Super League, a qualifying tournament for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, Pakistan and New Zealand are fourth and sixth, respectively.

New Zealand will be the third high-profile cricket side to tour Pakistan in 2022. In March/April, Australia made their first tour of Pakistan in 24 years when they played three Tests, three ODIs and a T20I. Last month, England visited Pakistan for the first time in 17 years and played seven T20Is. They will return in late November for December’s Tests in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.

Schedule of matches (Playing hours to be confirmed closer to matches):

Pakistan v New Zealand:

27-31 Dec – 1st Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)

4-8 Jan – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)

11 Jan – 1st ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

13 Jan – 2nd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

15 Jan – 3rd ODI, Karachi (ICC Super League)

13 Apr – 1st T20I, Karachi

15 Apr – 2nd T20I, Karachi

16 Apr – 3rd T20I, Karachi

19 Apr – 4th T20I, Karachi

23 Apr – 5th T20I, Lahore

26 Apr – 1st ODI, Lahore

28 Apr – 2nd ODI, Lahore

1 May – 3rd ODI, Rawalpindi

4 May – 4th ODI, Rawalpindi

7 May – 5th ODI, Rawalpindi

Pakistan v England

1-5 Dec – 1st Test, Rawalpindi (ICC World Test Championship)

9-13 Dec – 2nd Test, Multan (ICC World Test Championship)

17-21 Dec – 3rd Test, Karachi (ICC World Test Championship)

For more information, contact:
Media Manager,
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-5717231-4
Fax: +92-42-5711860
Website: www.pcb.com.pk

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New Euro 7.6 million research centre launched to improve mental and physical health in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Karachi, October 10, 2022 (PPI-OT):The University of York and the Aga Khan University (AKU) in Karachi will jointly lead the establishment of a new research centre to improve mental and physical health in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Centre which will focus on tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including depression and anxiety, heart conditions and diabetes, is one of a number of NCD research centres globally funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Department of Health and Social Care, UK.

The NIHR Global Health Research Centre for Improving Mental and Physical Health Together will include collaboration with Rawalpindi Medical University, Pakistan, Khyber Medical University, Pakistan and international NGO HealthNet-TPO in Afghanistan. NCDs are rapidly increasing and are now responsible for 64% of deaths and disabilities globally. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, they account for almost a million deaths every year.

There is an urgent need for new interventions that are effective and can be delivered at scale in low-resource, conflict-affected settings. Researchers say the five-year £7.6m initiative provides new opportunities to develop, test and embed evidence-based treatments that address NCDs. The new Centre, which will be based at AKU and the University of York, will engage with patients and families through Community Advisory Panels, which will help design, conduct, and disseminate research findings. At least 60% of the new Centre’s research trainees will be women.

Professor Faith Osier, President of the International Union of Immunological Societies and Chair of the NIHR Global Health Research Centres Funding Committee, said: “These new Centres are truly ground-breaking – it’s the first time we’ve seen anything like this level of investment in non-communicable disease research in low-and-middle income countries and we’re excited to see the advances that the next five years will bring.”

Dr Zainab Samad, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at AKU and Director of the Centre for Impact said: “Contextual research for non-communicable diseases that is locally led is a priority for the Centre and necessary to the development of the next generation of research leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

Kamran Siddiqi, Professor in Public Health at the University of York and Co-Director of the Centre for Impact, added: “We will train researchers, particularly women scholars, to become tomorrow’s research leaders. Over time, we will develop strong, diverse academic leadership and our research will grow and get adopted, bringing wider health, societal, and economic benefits to the region.” The new centre will officially be launched at an event in Islamabad on 1 November 2022.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

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Exciting blend of youth and experience for the Netherlands 

Dubai, October 09, 2022 (PPI-OT):Netherlands are a fixture at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the famous bright orange shirts will be on show once again in Australia. Ryan Cook’s side head Down Under in search of a first win in the competition since 2016 having suffered three defeats in Oman last year but they boast a squad packed with quality.

That showed when they swept through July’s high-stakes Qualifier in Zimbabwe, sealing a World Cup spot by beating USA in the semi-finals. What can the Dutch expect from a fourth successive appearance on the biggest stage?

2022 Prospects

Head coach Cook has been able to name a strong 16-man squad ahead of the tournament with an exciting blend of youth and experience. The squad shows some significant changes from the 2021 tournament with 12 survivors from the 16 who featured a year ago.

They have been consistently exposed to the best teams in the world in the 50-over format through the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League and they pushed New Zealand close in the first of two T20 internationals in August, falling short by only 16 runs.

Last year’s World Cup came on the slower, turning pitches of UAE and Oman but the bouncier conditions in Australia are likely to play to their strengths.

Sri Lanka will be favourites to emerge from Group A of the First Round but Netherlands will expect to compete with Namibia and UAE for second in what promises to be a tight battle all the way.

T20 World Cup history

Netherlands have played their part in a series of iconic T20 World Cup moments. Who could forget their two wins over England – the first coming in the opening game of the 2009 event by successfully chasing 162 off the final ball? Five years on and they claimed the same scalp again in the Super 10 by 45 runs.

They remain two of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament and if Netherlands make it through here, rest assured the Super 12 sides won’t be taking them lightly. This will be their fourth consecutive T20 World Cup, after they only appeared in one of the previous four, which showcases their progress. A win eluded them last time out but they beat Ireland in 2016 in the group stage.

Best batters

Tom Cooper is a proven performer at international level and will be extra motivated to deliver this year. The 35-year-old peeled off three successive half-centuries against Pakistan in August to arrive in the country of his birth in superb touch.

Cooper, who qualifies to play for Netherlands through his mother, averages an excellent 47.76 in the ODI arena and a hearty 34.93 in first-class cricket, proving he’s a real all-rounder. He’s likely to bat towards the end of an innings, while he can also hold an end with the ball.

Max O’Dowd was the man in form in the Qualifier, notching 178 runs in five games there, and 22-year-old gun all-rounder Bas de Leede’s unbeaten 91 was key to the win over USA.

Best bowlers

Logan van Beek was the top wicket-taker among all comers at the Qualifier with his tricky medium pacers taking 11 poles at just 7.45 apiece. De Leede is the leader of the new generation of Dutch cricketers and while his best work has come with the bat of late, is a very consistent wicket-taker with his fast medium. Familiar names such as Timm van der Gugten and Logan van Beek will feature once more.

Fixtures

Netherlands begin their campaign against UAE on October 16, before playing Namibia two days later, and Sri Lanka on October 20. All these matches are in Geelong’s Kardinia Park.

Netherlands v UAE, October 16 – Geelong (19h00 local time)

Netherlands v Namibia, October 18 – Geelong (15h00 local time)

Netherlands v Sri Lanka, October 20 – Geelong (15h00 local time)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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UAE all set to compete in second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 

Dubai, October 09, 2022 (PPI-OT):The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 is now just a matter of days away with 16 teams looking to battle it out for glory – including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They have reached the competition for only the second time in their history after winning their qualifying path against Ireland in February. Now, ahead of their opening fixture against the Netherlands, we look at the UAE team more closely.

2022 prospects

They face the Netherlands, Sri Lanka and Namibia in Group A, and must finish in the top two to reach the Super-12 stage, a feat they have never achieved before. They come into the competition off the back of two defeats to Bangladesh but pushed them all the way in the first match to only lose by seven runs, a result that would have given them immense confidence. They also suffered defeat to Hong Kong in a T20 Asia Cup Qualifier but defeated Singapore by 47 runs before that.

It would be a remarkable achievement should they manage to reach the Super 12 stage of the competition but facing three sides with significantly more World Cup pedigree than themselves, it will certainly be a tough ask.

T20 World Cup History

The UAE have made this stage of the competition just once, eight years ago in the 2014 edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where they were drawn in a group with the Netherlands, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

It was to be a tough time for them, as they suffered three convincing defeats to finish the group bottom. That means any victory in this year’s competition will make history, with the UAE looking to break their T20 World Cup duck in Australia.

Best Batters

When looking at the UAE batting line-up, it is immediately difficult to look beyond opening batter Muhammad Waseem. A recent 58 against Singapore showed how good his form is heading into the World Cup, but with an average of over 40 at T20 international level, including an incredible 112 against Ireland, Waseem is certainly one to look out for.

Captain Chundangapoyil Rizwan recently hit his high score against Bangladesh, with an important 51, which followed his 49 against Hong Kong, and the UAE faithful will hope that form continues. Other players in good nick are the likes of Basil Hameed whose recent scores of 42 against Bangladesh and 38 against Singapore show that there is plenty of batting for the UAE.

Best Bowlers

Junaid Siddique will be the main man in the UAE bowling attack this World Cup, averaging only 22 and picking up 29 wickets in 25 T20 international matches – Siddique will almost certainly be the one to keep an eye on. At just 16, Aayan Afzaal Khan has made a promising start to his international career, taking three wickets in his two appearances so far against Bangladesh, and he looks to be one for the future.

Meanwhile spinner Karthik Meiyappan, just 21, showed his ability when taking four wickets on debut against Namibia, averaging just over 30, with a very impressive economy of just 4.64, he will be another to look out for this spring.

Fixtures

The action begins for the UAE against the Netherlands in Geelong on October 16, before taking on Sri Lanka two days later at the same ground. Their final group match sees them taking on Namibia on Thursday 20 October.

Netherlands v UAE, October 16 – Geelong (19h00 local time)

Sri Lanka v UAE, October 18 – Geelong (19h00 local time)

Namibia v UAE, October 20 – Geelong (19h00 local time)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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High Performance Camp for U19 women cricketers in Multan concludes

Lahore, October 09, 2022 (PPI-OT):The U19 High Performance Skills Camp for women cricketers concluded on Saturday evening at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre in Multan. During the course of 13-day camp, the 26 players trained under the supervision of the academy coaches, the camp was headed by former Test cricketer Mohsin Kamal who is part of PCB’s coaching panel. The regional academy coaches include Muhammad Kamran Hussain, Tahir Mehmood and Jawad Hamid.

During the camp, the players were given interactive lectures besides rigorous training, practice matches and fitness sessions. The camp also provided an opportunity to the coaches to work on the skills of U19 cricketers and identify players for the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s World Cup to be staged in South Africa in January next year. Mohsin Kamal, who also featured in nine Tests and 19 ODIs for Pakistan where he took 24 and 21 wickets, respectively, shed light on the learning of players from the camp.

He said, “We have looked into players’ skills level in the camp and have worked accordingly on each and every player. The camp was very fruitful to prepare players for the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s World Cup taking place in South Africa next year. The camp also provided a great opportunity for players to enhance their skills ahead of future camps which will help to select a good squad for the mega event.”

The camp which was originally designed for 27 players, was reduced to 26 players after Mahnoor Bibi had suffered from Typhoid and was unable to join the camp. On the last day of the camp, during the practice match, wicket-keeper Zamina Tahir was hit by a ball on her neck while keeping in the match. She was reported to have concussion and is staying back at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre with manager and physiotherapist until her full recovery.

Player names (in alphabetical order): Abeera Kaleem, Aliza Sabir, Anosha Nasir, Aqsa Hafeez, Aqsa Yousaf, Areesha Noor, Azra Abibullah, Dina Razvi, Eman Fatima, Eyman Fatima, Haleema Azeem Dar, Haniah Ahmer, Javeria Qamar, Laiba Nasir, Maham Anees, Muskan Abid, Noor Fatima, Quratulain Ahsen, Rida Aslam, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Syeda Taskyn Fatima, Tahzeeb Shah, Warda Yousaf, Zaib-Un-Nisa and Zamina Tahir

Support Staff: Mohsin Kamal (head coach), Jawad Hamid (assistant coach), Muhammad Kamran Hussain (assistant coach), Tahir Mehmood (assistant coach), Aisha Jalil (manager), Rabia Siddiq (Physiotherapist), Mohammad Usman Shahid (Performance Analyst) and Saboor Ahmed (Strength and Conditioning Coach)

For more information, contact:
Media Manager,
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-5717231-4
Fax: +92-42-5711860
Website: www.pcb.com.pk

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Punjab University organizes Mehfil-e-Melad 

Lahore, October 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):Punjab University Department of Public Relations and Advertising in collaboration with Department of Journalism Studies organized Mehfil-e-Melad (S.A.W) on “Dahr Mein Asm Muhammad Se Ajala Kirde” in which students highlighted the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and presented the hadiths and devotional kalam in honour of Him.

On this occasion, the students recited Natia Kalam, Qaseeda Sharif and Durood-O- Salam, while at the end of the ceremony, the chairperson of the Department of Journalism Studies Prof Dr Bushra Hameedur Rahman made a special prayer. Renowned writer Prof Musrat Kalanchvi, Naat Khawan Ali Raza, Chairperson Department of PR and Advertising Prof Dr Abida Ashraf, Associate Prof Dr Faiza Latif, Dr Umair Nadeem, Naveed Iqbal, faculty members, employees and students were present. In her speech, Prof Musrat Kalanchvi, while highlighting the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) discussed various events and aspects of His life. Afterwards, souvenirs were presented to the guests.

For more information, contact:
Registrar,
University of the Punjab
Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99231102
Fax: +92-42-99231103
E-Mail: registrar@pu.edu.pk
Website: http://pu.edu.pk/