Category: Sports

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Lahore (NUT-DesK)

Pakistan captain Babar Azam shared his new haircut on social media, and fans of the national team’s skipper can’t get enough of it. Returning after a successful tour of the West Indies, Babar Azam shared a picture of his new hairstyle with the caption:

“Feeling better already with the fresher and new look!” he tweeted.

Here’s how fans reacted to it:

Twitter handle @gayomarlic shared a popular meme from hit TV show “The Office” to express her love for the batsman.

The hairstyle was, apparently, enough to melt Ahmad.

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Prime Minister Imran Khan,  nominated Ramiz Raja and Asad Ali Khan as members of the cricket authority’s board of governors on Friday

According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, the members have been appointed for a three-year tenure in terms of Paragraph 12(5) of the Constitution of the Pakistan Cricket Board, 2019.

Earlier, PM Imran Khan had already appointed Justice Azmat Saeed as election commissioner to oversee the PCB chairman’s election.

This is Asad Ali Khan’s second appointment to the board of governors. Ehsan Mani and Khan, the patron\s previous two nominees, have completed their three-year terms on the board.

According to the PCB constitution, the chairman of the board is elected by the board of governors from within the members of the board of governors.

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Star of Pakistani team during West Indies tour, Shaheen Shah Afridi has become the fast bowler with the most wickets in the Test format in 2021 so far — after his 18-wicket haul during the Test series against West Indies in Jamaica.

The fast bowler is followed by Pakistan’s Hasan Ali (32), England’s James Anderson (29), West Indies’ Kemar Roach (27), and South Africa’s Anrich Nortje (25). Shaheen Afridi has also attained a career-best ICC Test ranking after his strong performance in the recently concluded series against West Indies.

Shaheen helped trigger the West Indies’ batting collapse in both innings during the second Test match, grabbing 10 wickets in the process. The left-arm pacer has managed to gain 10 slots to reach no 8 on the MRF ICC Test bowler’s rankings. Before the Test began, Shaheen was on number 18 in the bowler’s rankings.

Moreover, he is the first Pakistani fast bowler since May 2000 to claim a 10-wicket match figure in West Indies. The last Pakistani fast bowler to do so was Wasim Akram when he took 11/110 at St. John’s.

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed career best figures as the tourists dominated with bat and ball on the fourth day of the second and final test against West Indies at Sabina Park  to put themselves on course to square the series.

Shaheen took 6-51 as the visitors bowled West Indies out for 150 shortly after lunch to ensure a 152-run first innings lead and then sped to 176-6 before declaring their second innings, to set the home side a target of 329 to win the test.

 

West Indies were 49-1 at the close in a test that has already lost a full day to bad weather yet still looks likely to produce a result. Pakistan still need nine wickets while the home side require 280 runs in what would be a record-breaking run chase at the Jamaican venue.

Pakistan, beaten by one wicket in the first test, applied an aggressive approach throughout the day, as West Indies resumed on their overnight score of 39-3, with Shaheen well supported by Mohammad Abbas, who took 3-44. Nkrumah Bonner, who was 18 not out overnight, top scored for the home team with 37.

Pakistan then wasted no time looking to set their hosts an imposing target, changing their batting order to take on the air of a limited overs lineup. Abid Ali came out swinging and helped the tourists race to 70-1 in the 10th over before he was caught in the gully off Alzarri Joseph for 29.

Fellow opener Imran Butt scored 37 off 44 balls and captain Babar Azam chimed in with a quick 33 runs, declaring when he holed out to long-on. Pakistan’s 176 second innings runs came off only 27.2 overs and with a further 138 overs left in the test, they have given themselves ample time to bowl out West Indies and square the series.

Shaheen continued his heroics near the end of the day’s play with a direct throw that ran out Kieran Powell for 23 as the visitors lost the first wicket of their second innings. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite (17 not out) and nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph, fulfilling the role for a second successive day, will resume on Tuesday.

Lahore (Nut-DESK)

Fawad Alam registered his fifth century while Shaheen Shah bagged early scalps to put Pakistan on top at stumps on day three of the rain-affected second Test of the two-match series against the West Indies on Sunday.

The hosts were teetering at 39/3 after Pakistan declared their first innings on 302 for nine with Fawad staying unbeaten on 124.

The 35-year-old Fawad returned to the crease to complete his fifth Test century, becoming the quickest Asian to score the aforementioned centuries. He reached to landmark in just 22 innings, breaking India’s Cheteshwar Pujara (24 innings) record.

When play did begin before lunch with Pakistan at 212 for four, only eight balls were bowled before the action was again halted as Jason Holder, who was operating from that troublesome southern end, and other West Indies bowlers highlighted their continuing concerns about the soft conditions underfoot.

When play finally commenced in the heat of the afternoon, Pakistan’s overnight pair of Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf struggled to get going and the arrival of Jayden Seales and the second new ball started a clatter of wickets.

Seales trapped Faheem leg-before for 26. Then Holder grabbed two in two balls, earning an LBW verdict against Rizwan (31) before new man Nauman Ali edged a lifting delivery for wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva to take a good catch high to his left.

Fawad remained not out on 124 off 213 balls while skipper Babar Azam was the other notable run-getter, scoring 75 on Day one. Roach and Seales took three wickets each for hosts while Holder bagged two. Pakistan were provided early breakthroughs by spearhead Shaheen as he removed openers Kieran Powell and skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for just nine.

Powell (5) was trapped in front while Brathwaite (4) received a peach of a delivery, resulting in stumps flying behind. Close to the stumps, Faheem clean bowled Rostan Chase (10). Nkrumah Bonner (18*) and night watchman Alzari Jospeh (0) batted till the stumps with West Indies trailing by 263 runs.

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistan’s Syed Emad Ali has made history today by winning the World Youth Scrabble Championship, becoming the only player to win the title twice. Emad Ali in the finals defeated his opponents in nine out of thirteen games while Pakistan’s Hisham Hadi Khan finished 7th after winning seven games.

Pakistan hosted the event for the second time in a row as the COVID-19 pandemic brought the championship online. The finals of the championship lasted two days in which the top 10 players played 13 games each. The Pakistani team finished first in the championship.

Syed Emad Ali became the World Youth Scrabble Champion again after previously winning the championship in Dubai in 2018. With his second win, Emad Ali has also become the first player in the world to win the title twice.

Syed Emad Ali has been regarded as the most successful scrabble player in Pakistan, with three world titles. He won the World Youth Scrabble Championship twice and the Junior World Championship once.

Lahore (NUT-DESK)

Pakistani fast bowler Hassan Ali posted an endearing message for his wife, Samiya, crediting her with bringing “real happiness” to his life. The right-arm pacer, who fared well in the first Test match against the West Indies, posted a beautiful picture in which he can be seen embracing his wife.

“Two wonderful years with you, Alhamdulillah and many more to come insha’Allah,” he wrote as the caption. “You brought real happiness into my life. Happy wedding anniversary. I love you @samyahkhan1604,” he added.

The fast bowler had tied the knot with Samia Arzu at a seven-star hotel in Dubai two years ago, in August 2019. Hassan’s close friends and relatives had attended his wedding function, which was held at one of the most expensive hotels in Dubai.

In April this year, Hassan had welcomed the birth of his baby daughter while he was playing an ODI series in South Africa against the Proteas.

“Allahumduillah! Allah has blessed us with the baby girl. Welcome to our family my princess. I wish this little angel have wonderful dreams. May the almighty always be with her to fulfill her dreams on the walk of her life. Ameen, Please remember in your dua,” he had said on Twitter.

 

Lahore (Nut-Desk)

In a nerve-wracking Test match, West Indies defeated Pakistan by one wicket in the first game played at Sabina Park Jamaica.

Chasing 168 for victory, Kemar Roach hit the winning runs late on the fourth day as the veteran seam bowler ended undefeated on 30.

“I just stayed positive and was just trying to take on every ball as it came,” said 34-year-old Roach. “I was just trying to pick the gaps and run hard. Just believing and backing myself.”

Shaheen provided a perfect start from Pakistan as he removes top three West Indies batters, including Captain Kraigg Brathwaite.

The hosts put up a great show Jermaine Blackwood taking the charge and scoring fifty. He added 66 for fourth wicket with Roston Chase (22). West Indies lost four wickets for 20 runs before team courtesy double-strikes by Faheem Ashraf and Hasan Ali. Faheem removed Chase and Kyle Mayers (0) while Hasan dismissed Blackwood (55) and Holder (16).

After tea, keeper Joshua da Silva and pacer Kemar Roach put up a fight, adding 28 runs. Silva was dismissed by Shaheen with the hosts still needing 26 more.

Mohammad Rizwan produced a spectacular catch as Jomel Warrican tried to hook Hasan’s short ball. Meanwhile, Roach continued to chip in singles with the 19-year-old Seales. The duo guided West Indies to an emphatic one-wicket win.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah bagged four wickets for 59 while Hasan Ali took three. Faheem Ashraf picked two wickets. The second Test will commence from August 20 at the same venue.