Category: Sports

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced its Test and ODI Teams of the Year. Former Test stalwarts Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara selected the sides based on players’ performances in the period from 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016.

England’s Alastair Cook has been named as captain of the ICC Test Team of the Year, which includes four Englishmen, three Australians, and a player each from New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

This is the third time Cook has been appointed the captain of the Test side, while it the eighth time in nine years that Dale Steyn has been selected. Joe Root, David Warner and Kane Williamson have been chosen for the third successive year.

ICC Test Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:

1. David Warner (Australia)
2. Alastair Cook (England) (captain)
3. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. Adam Voges (Australia)
6. Jonny Bairstow (England) (wicketkeeper)
7. Ben Stokes (England)
8. R. Ashwin (India)
9. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
10. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
11. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
12. Steve Smith (Australia)

It has been a case of third time lucky for Virat Kohli who has been named as captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year, which includes three Australians, Indians, South Africans each, and one each from England and West Indies. De Villiers has been selected for the sixth time since 2010, while Starc has been picked up for the third time in four years.

Starc and his team-mate Warner are the only two players to have been selected in both the Test and ODI sides in 2016.

ICC ODI Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:

1. David Warner (Australia)
2. Quinton de Kock (South Africa) (wicketkeeper)
3. Rohit Sharma (India)
4. Virat Kohli (India) (captain)
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6. Jos Buttler (England)
7. Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
8. Ravindra Jadeja (India)
9. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
10. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
11. Sunil Narine (West Indies)
12. Imran Tahir (South Africa)

Web Desk – Australia prevented a world-record, 490-run chase by Pakistan on Friday to win a gripping first Test by just 39 runs and preserve their 28-year unbeaten streak at Brisbane’s Gabba ground.

Relieved skipper Steve Smith ran out Yasir Shah for 33 to take the last wicket and end Pakistan’s brave attempt to reel in the mammoth target on the last day of the day-night Test.

“I think I lost all my fingernails. Some game of cricket, wasn’t it?” said Smith.

“A lot of credit has got to go to the way they played. But I thought our bowlers stuck at it all day, we bowled a lot of overs, our quicks just kept coming back.”

The highest ever successful Test run chase of 418 for seven was set by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2003.

And Pakistan looked on course to beat that on the back of Asad Shafiq’s knock of 137, but he was caught shortly before Yasir’s run out.

His magnificent innings came to end when a Mitchell Starc lifter came off the shoulder of his bat and lobbed to David Warner in the gully for the crucial catch.

Man-of-the-match Shafiq faced 207 balls in 336 minutes and hit 13 fours and a six. While he was at the wicket, Pakistan’s hopes of a remarkable victory were still realistic.

“There is energy, we have to go for the match here, so that’s what I was aiming for, for the match,” said Shafiq.

In the process, Pakistan posted their highest fourth innings total, surpassing their previous best of 382 for three to beat Sri Lanka in Pallekele last year.

“I’m happy, because, after the first innings, it was looking very difficult for us to come back in this game,” said Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

“But the way all the team, all the batsmen showed their character, that was wonderful, and we got some special knocks from the tailenders as well.

“A lot of positives, I’m happy and proud the way the team played in the fourth innings.”

– Brutish delivery –

The victory, in the first day-night Test at the Gabba, extended Australia’s unbeaten record to 28 Tests at the venue since their last defeat in 1988.

It was also Australia’s second straight win after Test series defeats to Sri Lanka and South Africa this year prompted a team shake-up.

Australia have now won all three of the pink-ball Tests they have played at home over the last 12 months.

But for much of Monday’s final session, the Australians were frustrated by Pakistan’s tailenders chipping away at their lead.

Shafiq and Yasir were finding runs easy to score. Nathan Lyon made a fantastic flying two-handed effort at the point but narrowly missed catching Yasir on 27.

There was a big moment when Yasir was hit on the back leg while shouldering arms to Josh Hazlewood and given out on 30, but a review showed the ball clearing the stumps and the decision was reversed.

But Starc’s brutish delivery to Shafiq grabbed the vital breakthrough, before Smith’s throw-down to catch Yasir out of his ground and snatch victory.

Pakistan, despite coming up short, showed by their spirited response that they can do better in the rest of the three-Test series, with Melbourne next up on Boxing Day.

Smith chose not to enforce the follow-on after Pakistan were dismissed for 142, even though they were 287 runs in front on the first innings.

The Australians added a brisk 202 for five batting again and in the end, it just proved enough to get the home side over the line.

WEB DESK – Mithali Raj struck an unbeaten half-century before Indian bowlers come out with a stupendous performance to defeat Pakistan by 17 runs to win the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2016.

In the final played at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground, Bangkok, the Indian eves successfully defended the title which they won in 2012 in Guangzhou while they secured their fourth win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup.

Pakistan were set a target of 122 by India but could only manage 104 for the loss of six wickets in their stipulated quota of 20 overs. Pakistan started off well during their chase and at 75 for 3 in the fourteenth over, they threatened to take the game away.

India had reached the final of the six-team tournament, with 10 points, after winning all of their five round-robin matches.

Pakistan, with eight points, were second having won four of their five games. In the round-robin stage, India had defeated Pakistan by five wickets.

HAMILTON – New Zealand took nine wickets in a dramatic final session of the second Test against Pakistan to win by 130 runs in Hamilton on otherday and sweep the series 2-0.

It was New Zealand’s first series win over Pakistan since 1985 and a relieved captain Kane Williamson called it one of the most remarkable Test finishes he had ever played in. “Without a doubt,” he said, admitting he felt Pakistan had a chance to win when they started the final session needing 211 off 204 balls. “You take nine wickets in a session, they’re all pretty big moments… from the feeling at tea time to the feeling now is pretty contrasting and will go down as a great Test victory.”

Pakistan were faced with an imposing 369-run target but set themselves up for a run-a-ball slog when they reached tea on the final day at 158 for 1. At that stage Williamson began to question whether he had declared New Zealand’s second innings too early at 313 for 5. “It does cross your mind, but at the point of declaration we did know that the opposition needs a sniff,” he said. “They tried to chase it and we were able to get opportunities.”

Pakistan captain Azhar Ali said they tried to pull out of the chase and play for a draw when Sarfraz Ahmed was run out to make it 199for 4 but they could not hold on. “We thought that’s it because the new ball” was due, he said. “We did not want our lower order to be exposed to that but at the end if did happen and unfortunately we could not get the result we wanted.”

The match edged towards a cliff-hanger finish before Tim Southee removed Pakistan’s leading run scorer Sami Aslam for 91. That started the collapse which saw eight wickets fall for 49 in 20 overs with Neil Wagner taking the final three for no runs in just six deliveries.

New Zealand’s series win means Pakistan fall from second to fourth in the world rankings while New Zealand move up to sixth. Pakistan were left to ponder whether they left their charge too late. Azhar Ali (58 off 161 deliveries) and Aslam (91 off 238) laid the platform with a record Pakistan fourth innings opening stand of 131 but it lasted 60 overs before Azhar was dismissed.

The arrival of Babar Azam was a signal to lift the pace but the pitch was still offering support to the bowlers on the fifth day. Azhar (58) played on trying to hit leg-spinner Mitchell Santner out of the ground and Azam (16) went in similar fashion fourth ball after tea. Aslam, trying to raise the tempo having reached his highest Test score, mistimed a drive off Southee to Williamson at mid-off. Sarfraz Ahmed was run out for 19 off 21 balls and Asad Shafiq did not get off the mark. Veteran Younus Khan, on his 39th birthday, struggled to 11 before he fell lbw to Southee.

Colin de Grandhomme snapped up Sohail Khan for eight before Wagner removed M Aamir, Wahab Riaz and Imran Khan all without scoring.  It was a Test that had begun in Pakistan’s favour after they won the toss on a lush green surface and celebrated with a wicket in the first over.  But that bright start faded rapidly and even the loss of more than four sessions to rain could save them. Reaching 369 would have meant overtaking the record fourth innings chase in New Zealand of 348 for 5 by the West Indies 47 years ago in Auckland.

 

Scoreboard

NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS: 271
PAKISTAN 1ST INNINGS: 216
NEW ZEALAND 2ND INNINGS: 313-5 decl
PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS:
(OVERNIGHT: 1-0):
Sami c Williamson b Southee 91
Azhar Ali b Santner 58
Babar Azam b Santner 16
Sarfraz Ahmed run out 19
Younus Khan lbw Southee 11
Asad Shafiq c Nicholls b Henry 0
M Rizwan not out 13
Sohail c Nicholls b de Grandhomme 8
M Aamir c Watling b Wagner 0
Wahab Riaz c Watling b Wagner 0
Imran Khan c Latham b Wagner 0
Extras: (b4, lb3, w6, nb1) 14
Total: (all out, 92.1 overs) 230
FOW: 1-131, 2-159, 3-181, 4-199, 5-204, 6-218, 7-229, 8-230, 9-230, 10-230.
BOWLING: Southee 24-6-60-2, Henry 19-5-38-1, Wagner 20.1-4-57-3, Santner 16-2-49-2, de Grandhomme 12-5-17-1, Williamson 1-0-2-0.
TOSS: Pakistan
UMPIRES: Simon Fry (AUS), Sundaram
Ravi (IND)
TV UMPIRE: Ian Gould (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: Richie Richardson (WIS)

Karachi—World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver flyweight champion Muhammad Waseem defeated Philippines’ Giemel Magramo in Seoul, South Korea on Sunday to successfully defend his title.
The Quetta-born boxer outplayed Magreamo in a tough 12-round fight and won by a 3-0 unanimous decision.
Magreamo was undefeated in his previous 17 bouts and previously held the WBC International flyweight belt. However, Waseem’s heroics put a dent in the Filipino’s record.
Waseem had captured the Silver title in July by defeating Jether Oliva in what was only his fourth professional bout.
Prior to the match, Waseem told media persons, “Magramo’s profile is good but it doesn’t intimidate me as I am also undefeated in my professional career.”
The 29-year-old has trained with Jeff Mayweather in Las Vegas the last few months and feels his hard work will reflect in the fight result.
“Only my coach and I know how much effort we’ve put into this. It is not easy and there is a lot of money and people involved; I ran almost 12 miles per day the last two months and went through 120 rounds of sparring,” said Waseem. “My preparation at the end of the day will make the difference in the ring.”
His sentiments were also echoed by his former sparring partner Arshad Hussain, who backed him for a win despite the formidable nature of the challenge.
“I think it will be his most difficult fight, but Waseem is the hardest working boxer I know. He will defend his title successfully,” said Arshad.
Waseem turned pro in October last year and already has four wins, including three knockouts, on his burgeoning CV.
When asked if Magramo could become his knockout victim number four, Waseem refrained from speculating and hinted that his strategy will not be premeditated on ending the fight in a particular round.
“I can’t say I’ll knock him out in a particular round as it is not very nice. I would like to have a knockout win, but it depends on the situation during the fight. I’m very good with body shots so there will be a lot of those,” said the man nicknamed Falcon.—Agencies

WEB DESK – Kane Williamson, leading New Zealand in a Test for the first time at home, scored his 24th half century to guide the hosts to an eight-wicket victory in the first Test against Pakistan in Christchurch on Sunday.

The victory was New Zealand’s first in their last six Tests, having drawn the first match with South Africa in August before losing the second then being swept 3-0 by India in October.

“Naturally it’s tough coming off a few losses but its good to be home and the boys stepped it up and put some of those feelings of defeat behind us to play a very good test match,” Williamson said.

WEB DESK: Zimbabwe seamer Donald Tiripano bowled a superb final over to help his side earn a dramatic tie in their Tri-Series one-day international against West Indies in Bulawayo on Saturday. The visitors lost three wickets, including two run outs, in a desperate last five balls as Tiripano gave them nothing to hit with a succession of full deliveries that restricted the West Indies to 257 for eight. Captain Jason Holder had the chance to win the game off the final ball but could not make contact and wicketkeeper Peter Moor ran out a charging non-striker Jonathan Carter. Zimbabwe celebrated as if they had won the game and well they might after the visitors had seemed sure of victory.

West Indies batsman Shai Hope hit 101 from 120 balls, his maiden ODI ton in his second match, and added 162 for the third wicket with Kraigg Brathwaite (78). When he was dismissed West Indies needed 38 runs from 32 balls with seven wickets remaining, but they could not get over the line due to tight bowling and poor shot selection. Zimbabwe won the toss and made 257 all out in exactly 50 overs.

Their innings was built around the third-wicket stand of 144 between Craig Ervine (92) and Pakistan-born Sikandar Raza (77), but petered out as they managed only 67 runs from their final seven wickets in 11.2 overs. With all three sides having played two matches, West Indies head the Tri-Series table with seven points from Sri Lanka (five) and Zimbabwe (two). Zimbabwe will be back in action on Monday against Sri Lanka at the same venue.

LAHORE – Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has been tipped to be Pakistan team’s next batting coach ahead of 45-day Australian tour.

Yousuf will replace Zimbabwean Grant Flower. The agreement would be formally signed between Mohammad Yousuf and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) management soon, according to Geo News.

Mohammad Yousuf was rejected as head coach by Afghan cricket board. Lal Chand Rajput of India has been selected to coach Afghan team.

The legendary batsman played 90 Tests and 288 ODIs for Pakistan and scored 7530 and 9720 runs respectively from 1997 to 2010.

LAHORE – Star cricketer Shoaib Akhtar took to social media to announce arrival of a baby son on Monday.

“Guys, am ecstatic to share that me & Begum have been blessed with a healthy baby boy just now. Oh what a feeling! Thank u Allah Pak,” Shoaib wrote on his Twitter account.