Tag: PCB

Posted on

Match officials for HBL PSL 8 Playoffs and final announced

Lahore, March 14, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced umpire and match referee appointments for the three Playoffs and Final of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8, which will be played from 15-19 March at the Gaddafi Stadium. Roshan Mahanama, former member of the ICC’s elite panel of match referees, will lead the Playing Control Team for the four matches. Alex Wharf and Aleem Dar will be the on-field umpires for the 15 March Qualifier between table-toppers and defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, while Asif Yaqoob will be the third umpire and Faisal Afridi the fourth umpire.

The 16 March Eliminator 1 involving Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi will see Ahsan Raza and Faisal Afridi as the on-field umpires with Alex Wharf and Rashid Riaz as the third and fourth umpires, respectively. Martin Saggers and Ahsan Raza will perform on-field umpire responsibilities in the 17 March Eliminator 2 featuring the loser of 15 March match and 16 March fixture winner. Rashid Riaz will be the third umpire and Faisal Afridi the fourth umpire.

Rashid Riaz and Alex Wharf will take on the on-field umpire duties during the final on 19 March. Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively.

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

Posted on

Abdul Rehman and Umar Gul in coaching staff for Afghanistan T20Is

Lahore, March 14, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced Abdul Rehman and Umar Gul as the head and bowling coaches of the Pakistan side for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan later this month. Abdul Rehman is a seasoned coach, who has performed been carrying out duties at domestic level. He was the head coach of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when they won National T20 and Pakistan Cup, and shared Quaid-e-Azam Trophy with Central Punjab. He also won two National T20s as head coach of Peshawar Panthers and was Peshawar Zalmi’s assistant coach when they won the HBL Pakistan Super League in 2017.

Rehman has also been assistant coach under Andy Flower at Multan Sultans for the last four years. He was Pakistan U19 coach during Bangladesh’s tour of Multan in November last year. Umar Gul, one of the most celebrated T20 bowlers in Pakistan, was Afghanistan’s bowling coach in the recent ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup 2022. He took 85 wickets at 16.97 in 60 T20Is from 2007-16. Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Majeed will continue their roles as batting and fielding coaches.

Complete list of player support personnel Mansoor Rana (team manager), Abdul Rehman (head coach), Umar Gul (bowling coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Talha Ijaz (analyst), Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (media and digital manager) and Drikus Saaimon (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

Posted on

Lahore takes centre stage as HBL PSL 8 enters business end

Lahore, March 14, 2023 (PPI-OT): Packed crowds. High-octane cricket. Young talent taking the stage by storm. The HBL Pakistan Super League 8 has already established itself as a contender for the most exciting edition in the tournament’s history. The 30 league-stage matches had everything that a cricket enthusiast demands and the Playoffs – that commence tomorrow when Lahore Qalandars take on Multan Sultans in the Qualifier – promises to add icing on the cake.

This edition of the HBL PSL has seen many records tumble. It has seen the highest successful run chase ever (when Multan Sultans chased down 243 against Peshawar Zalmi), the fastest century (by Multan Sultans’ Usman Khan off 36 balls), highest individual score (Jason Roy’s 145 not out), most centuries in an HBL PSL edition (seven) and highest-ever match aggregate in the history of T20 cricket of 515 in the match between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators. As the battle for the prestigious Supernova Trophy and yearlong bragging rights enters its final stage, Lahore will remain under spotlight for the entire week as the Gaddafi Stadium stages the much-anticipated matches of this year’s HBL PSL edition.

Lahore Qalandars have their tails up as they enter the Playoffs with seven wins. Never before they have won this many matches in the league stage of an HBL PSL edition and the fact that they are the defending champions further adds to their confidence. They were the first team to book a Playoff berth. Table-toppers Lahore Qalandars have had a superb run at the Gaddafi Stadium and that this ground is hosting the final stage of the competition is bound to play in their favour.

Fakhar Zaman, who was the highest run-getter in their successful campaign last year, has once again carried their batting. The left-hander is the top run-getter for Lahore Qalandars with 378 runs at a staggering strike rate of 171.04. Abdullah Shafique (193 at 144.02) has played impressive innings since his addition in the playing XI midway in the tournament and their overseas players in Sikandar Raza (198 runs at 188.57) and Sam Billings (179 runs at 146.72) have provided the firepower in the middle.

Lahore Qalandars also boast one of the most dangerous bowling line-ups that has helped them record biggest win ever in the HBL PSL (by 119 runs) against Islamabad United. Their captain Shaheen Afridi (14 wickets at an average of 18.78) leads an attack that is good enough to send chills down the spine of any opposition on any day. With Shaheen, Zaman Khan (12 wickets at 22.08) and Haris Rauf (14 wickets at 23.07) make a lethal pace attack that limits the opposition’s scoring options in both Powerplay and death and Rashid Khan’s wily spin keeps the batters guessing in the middle-overs. The leg-spinner has the most wickets for a spinner this season with 15 scalps at an average of only 13.

Shaheen Afridi: “I am delighted with the consistency my team has shown in this edition. This team’s foundation is laid on the values of brotherhood and the way everyone backs and supports each other in the field is just a reflection of that. “We are very thankful to our fans on their continuous support. We have seen houseful matches in Home of Qalandars where the crowd turns out in large numbers to support us. We cannot wait to repay their faith with another title.”

For the first half of the HBL PSL 8, Multan Sultans dominated the points table by rolling over oppositions at their home. Though, they have faced more losses than wins since moving out of Multan, Mohammad Rizwan’s side will take heart from the fact that his batting chased down the highest ever HBL PSL and joint-second highest run-chase overall in T20 cricket, recorded the highest HBL PSL team total of 262 in their last group match. Multan Sultans finished second on the points table.

Their young pacers Abbas Afridi (22 wickets at 14.95) and Ihsanullah (20 wickets at 14.60) lead the bowling charts and they have taken the league by storm. They are two of the three bowlers this season to record a five-wicket haul, and Abbas stepped up brilliantly in the last two matches of the Rawalpindi leg to take nine wickets in two matches. Ihsanullah rapid pace and immaculate length bowling has made the life of the batter’s difficult throughout the HBL PSL 8. Leg-spinner Usama Mir (12 wickets at 25.41) has been instrumental in the middle-overs and has shown glimpses of how handy he can be as a Tailender.

In the batting, it has been primarily being the story of two Rs for Multan Sultans. Their captain Rizwan is the tournament’s most successful batter with 483 runs at 145.04 and Rossouw is fourth on the list of the highest run-getters with 388 runs at 176.36. Right-handed opener Usman Khan turned heads in Multan Sultans’ last group match with the fastest century of the tournament history when he crossed the 100-run barrier in only 36 balls and laid the platform for his side to post a score as massive as 262. This goes on to show the level of depth that this side has in their ranks. Mohammad Rizwan: “The first half of the tournament went really well for us and then we lost the way in between. But, I am very happy with how we have made a comeback strongly and ensured that we qualify for the Playoffs.

“We enter the Playoffs with some great fighting spirit and that is what is needed towards the backend of a tournament like the HBL PSL. You need to have that confidence that you can bounce back from any situation and that record run chase and then exceptional performances from our youngsters like Usman Khan, Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah have instilled believe in us that we can comeback from anywhere. We are eyeing our third consecutive HBL PSL final now, and, with the help of Allah Almighty, we will try to lift the trophy this time.”

Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi will meet in the first Eliminator on Thursday and the team that loses will get knocked out of the event. The winner will face the loser of the Qualifier on Friday. It has been another good year for Islamabad United – the only team to have lifted the HBL PSL title twice. They have won six matches in the league stage, but their all-out attacking approach has also seen them crash and burn in the three games that they lost. Their only outing in Multan was marred by 52-run defeat before Lahore Qalandars subjected them to the heaviest defeats by 110 runs in Lahore and 119 runs in Rawalpindi.

That Faheem Ashraf (210 at 147.88) and Hasan Ali (12 wickets at 21.66) have hit the purple patch bodes well for the Shadab Khan-captained side. Azam Khan has been at his destructive best and the hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batter has smashed 280 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 162.79. They have a well-knit unit of T20 specialists that has a potential to go all the way and Islamabad United will fancy their chances of winning the coveted title for the third time.

Shadab Khan: “It has been an exciting season for us, but now we are focused on what lays ahead. As a captain, I am pleased at how the players have performed and especially at how youngsters have raised their hands in tough situations. The results are not something you can control, but as a team, it is important to remain consistent in your processes and know what you are playing for. “I am pretty confident with our chances. We have lifted the HBL PSL trophy twice and there is no doubt that we can do it for the third time.”

Peshawar Zalmi were the last side to book a spot in the Playoffs, but that does not mean that there are any qualms about their ability to challenge either of the three sides left in the tournament. They have struck gold by promoting youngster Saim Ayub to the top of the order and have produced one of the most elegant and effective opening pairs. Saim and Babar Azam have opened in three matches together and have already produced a partnership of over 150 and over 100 that also at telling run rates.

Saim has struck most half-centuries in the tournament (five in 10 matches) and has accumulated 309 runs at a strike rate of 167. Their captain Babar, who scored his maiden HBL PSL century this season, sits second on the list of the players with most runs with 416 at 146.47. Youngsters Mohammad Haris and Haseebullah with Tom Kohler-Cadmore provide firepower to the middle-order, but that they have allowed the oppositions to chase totals of over 240 in consecutive games is a matter of concern.

Wahab Riaz, with nine wickets in as many matches, has been their most prolific bowler, but they will happily bank on the experience of the pacer to deliver goods in the Playoffs, with other pacers in Arshad Iqbal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aamir Jamal, Jimmy Neeshan playing supporting role. Babar Azam: “I am very happy to see how the youngsters in Peshawar Zalmi have stepped up and made their potential known to the world. Saim Ayub, Muhammad Haris, Haseebullah and Arshad Iqbal have been outstanding and I am backing them to continue to perform and deliver in the Playoffs.

“While our batting has done wonderfully well, we need to fix some of the loopholes in our bowling department and I am sure that we will also emerge as a strong bowling unit in Lahore.”

Playoff fixtures (all matches at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore and begin at 1900):

Wednesday – Qualifier – Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans

Thursday – Eliminator 1 – Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi

Friday – Eliminator 2 – Loser Qualifier vs Winner Eliminator 1

Sunday – Final – Winner Qualifier vs Winner Eliminator 2

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

Posted on

Third PCB Management Committee meeting held

Lahore, March 13, 2023 (PPI-OT): Mr Najam Sethi chaired the third meeting of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Management Committee on Monday. The following are the highlights of the meeting:

The Management Committee was informed 19 departments, which featured in the PCB Domestic Season 2018-19, have confirmed their participation in the PCB Domestic Season 2023-24. These are: Ahmed Glass, Ghani Glass, Haider Traders, HEC, Income Tax, Khayaban-e-Amin, KRL, Navy, NBP, ODGCL, PAF, Pak Saudi International, Pakistan Customs, PTV, Sabir’s Poultry, SNGPL, SSGC, State Bank of Pakistan and WAPDA. In addition, 12 new departments have applied for registration with the PCB, which are: 505 Clothing, Aryan Marketing Services, Commoners’ Development (Pvt) Ltd, Defence and Strategic Ventures (DSV), Eshaal Association, JDW Sugar Mills Ltd, K and H Traders, NICON Group of Colleges, Pak PWD, Punjab Police, Rahat and Shuja Impex and RMS Global Corp.

The Management Committee approved the upcoming youth cricket tours, which will see Pakistan U19 touring Bangladesh in May for a four-dayer, five 50-over matches and one T20, and Pakistan Shaheens visiting Zimbabwe for a series of four-dayers and 50-over matches. The Management Committee was also informed an ACC Emerging Cup was scheduled in Sri Lanka in June/July. Further details on these tours will be shared in due course.

The PCB Management Committee applauded the PCB on the resounding success of the HBL PSL 8 to date, which has attracted full houses in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi, and nearly 70 per cent crowd turnout in Karachi. The Committee was briefed that the event had earned a reported TRP of 11, which in broadcast terms is rated as excellent and outstanding, while the available digital numbers were unprecedented. The Management Committee appreciated the quality of cricket played in the tournament and congratulated the curators for preparing typical T20 pitches that allowed the spectators to thoroughly enjoy the matches and also stretch the players to their limits.

The PCB Management Committee was briefed on the three Women’s League exhibition matches in Rawalpindi, which were participated by 10 players from seven countries, and proved to be an overwhelming success. Amazons beat Super Women by 2-1, but more importantly, the foreign and local players expressed their delight on the playing facilities, arrangements, hospitality and series promotion. The foreign players also showed tremendous interest in participating in the Pakistan Women’s League. The Committee was informed the PCB was working on the structure and composition of the women’s league after incredible interest from the potential buyers and event hosts, including from abroad.

The PCB Management Committee was informed age-group cricket commenced across the country on 12 March with U13 and U16 inter-region matches taking place in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Islamabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Sheikhupura. The events started after more than 40,000 children participated in the initial open trials, while the players were selected following age verification and wrist testing, which was outsourced, thus, making the selection process more transparent and open.

There was a discussion on the ACC Asia Cup and participation in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and various options were explored. Chair of the PCB Management Committee, Mr Najam Sethi, will attend the ICC meetings from 18-20 March and the ACC Executive Council later in Dubai.

The Tournament Evaluation Committee to assess, review and approve event requests from private organisers/entrepreneurs was confirmed. The committee comprises: Mr Najam Sethi (Chair, PCB Management Committee), Mr Shakil Sheikh (Chair of Domestic Committee), Mr Haroon Rashid (Chair of Selection Committee), along with members from the PCB Domestic, Commercial and Anti-Corruption/Security Departments.

The Management Committee discussed and agreed on the procedure to appoint four regional and four departmental representatives to the Members of the Board Governors in line with the mechanism provided in the PCB Constitution 2014. It was also agreed the PCB will support and facilitate the regional and district cricket associations in progressively setting up their offices.

The PCB reverted the nomenclature of the National High Performance Centre to its original name, National Cricket Academy, on the recommendation of the Management Committee.

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

Posted on

Shadab to captain Pakistan against Afghanistan in Sharjah

Lahore, March 13, 2023 (PPI-OT): With one eye on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and the other on ensuring the careers of their elite cricketers are extended by strategically managing their workloads, the Pakistan cricket selectors today named a new-look and highly-talented 15-player squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, which will be played from 24 to 27 March in Sharjah. All-rounder Shadab Khan will captain the side that includes four uncapped players, namely, Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub, Tayyab Tahir and Zaman Khan, while Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim have been recalled.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, along with Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been rested, while Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain and Khushdil Shah have been dropped. These nine players were part of the Pakistan squad that reached the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. Apart from the Shadab, players retained from the last T20I series are: Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Junior, Naseem Shah and Shan Masood.

Pakistan squad

1. Shadab Khan (captain) (Islamabad United)

2. Abdullah Shafique (Lahore Qalandars)

3. Azam Khan (Islamabad United)

4. Faheem Ashraf (Islamabad United)

5. Iftikhar Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators)

6. Ihsanullah (Multan Sultans)

7. Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings)

8. Mohammad Haris (Peshawar Zalmi)

9. Mohammad Nawaz (Quetta Gladiators)

10. Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Islamabad United)

11. Naseem Shah (Quetta Gladiators)

12. Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi)

13. Shan Masood (Multan Sultans)

14. Tayyab Tahir (Karachi Kings)

15. Zaman Khan (Lahore Qalandars)

Reserve players – Abrar Ahmed (Islamabad United), Haseebullah (Peshawar Zalmi) and Usama Mir (Multan Sultans)

Chair of PCB Management Committee, Najam Sethi:

“I want to congratulate Shadab Khan on his appointment as the Pakistan team captain for the series against Afghanistan. Shadab Khan has been the Pakistan vice-captain in white-ball cricket for the past couple of years and it is logical that he takes over the side in the absence of Babar Azam for the short three-match T20I tour of Sharjah.

“For the short Sharjah tour and to ensure continuity, we have also appointed Mohammad Yousuf as the interim head and batting coach. Yousuf has been with the national side since last year as a batting coach and has also been working in the National High Performance Centre.”

Chair of the selection committee, Haroon Rashid:

“For the short three-T20I series against Afghanistan, the selection committee has followed the standard rotation policy by resting the leading performers and providing high-performing domestic performers with opportunities to demonstrate their talent and potential at the international level. This will also allow us to test the temperament and abilities of these players and helping us to strengthen our pool of players as we look forward to building and preparing a formidable side for next year’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States.

“However, and in doing so, we have ensured that we select a side that is equally strong and capable of winning the series against a strong Afghanistan side for whom Sharjah is like a second home. And to achieve that, we have retained seven players from the last series, recalled four experienced cricketers and clubbed them with four uncapped players to make the 15-member side a truly mixture of youth and experience.

“In this background, I want to congratulate Ihsanullah, Saim Ayub, Tayyab Tahir and Zaman Khan who have broken into the national side after a series of strong performances in the domestic circuit as well as the HBL PSL 8. Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim have been recalled after they too demonstrated in the HBL PSL 8 that they are capable of exceling in the shortest format and also providing experience and stability in the side.

“Babar, Fakhar, Haris, Rizwan and Shaheen have been provided breaks from the short Sharjah trip to allow them to switch-off from competitive cricket so that they can complete their rehabilitations, regroup, recompose and recharge their batteries and be fully fit for the challenges in the tough and challenging 2023-24 season.”

About the uncapped and recalled players:

In the HBL PSL 8, Azam has scored 280 runs in nine match at a strike-rate of almost 163, Saim Ayub has scored 309 runs in 10 matches at a strike-rate of 167, Tayyab Tahir has scored 137 runs in five matches at a strike-rate of 144 after aggregating 413 runs in 11 National T20 matches at a strike-rate of 138, whereas Ihsanullah has picked up 20 wickets in 10 matches at an economy-rate of 7.36 and Zaman Khan has claimed 12 wickets in 10 matches at an economy-rate of 8.68.

Abdullah Shafique has scored 193 runs in seven HBL PSL 8 matches at a strike-rate of 144, Faheem Ashraf has scored 210 runs and taken seven wickets, while Imad has scored 404 runs (strike-rate of 170) and taken nine wickets (economy-rate of 7.93).

Player workload management:

In the past 15 months, Babar and Rizwan have practically been on the road, while Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi have battled injuries. Babar has played 10 Tests, 12 ODIs, 26 T20Is and 19 HBL PSL matches, while Rizwan has featured in eight Tests, 11 ODIs, 25 T20Is and 22 HBL PSL matches besides a few matches in the Bangladesh Premier League. Haris Rauf has appeared in one Test, 10 ODIs, 23 T20Is and 23 HBL PSL matches.

Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi have demonstrated excellent recoveries from the knee injuries by playing in 10 and nine HBL PSL 8 matches, respectively. However, both star players need more time to complete their rehabilitations to regain complete match fitness. Fakhar suffered knees injuries prior and during the T20 World Cup, while Shaheen was side-lined for three months in July after picking up a knee injury in the first Galle Test. Although Shaheen returned for the T20 World Cup, he missed the home series against England and New Zealand in December 2022 and January 2023.

Pakistan is scheduled to feature in eight ODIs in a lead up to the 50-over Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, will play in seven ICC World Test Championship matches and appear in 25 T20Is in the build up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 over the next 15 months.

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

Posted on

Khushdil Shah charged for code of conduct violation

Lahore, March 11, 2023 (PPI-OT): Multan Sultans’ Khushdil Shah has been fined 10 per cent of match fee for a level 1 breach of the HBL PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel during his side’s match against Peshawar Zalmi at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.

Khushdil was charged for violating Article 2.4 that reads as, “Disobeying an umpire’s instruction during the match”. The incident took place in the 15th over of Multan Sultans’ batting, when Khushdil, twice in the over asked umpires to check the ball.

Since Khushdil pleaded guilty to the charge and accepted the sanctions proposed by match referee Muhammad Javed, there was no need of a formal hearing.

The charge was imposed by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Martin Saggers.

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