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ARY NEWS

Shahid Hashmi

  • Karachi to host West Indies for T20 series, says Sethi

    Karachi to host West Indies for T20 series, says Sethi

    DUBAI: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi on Sunday announced all three Twenty20 matches against the West Indies will be played in Karachi instead of Lahore next month. 

    PCB was in talks with Cricket West Indies (CWI) since last year but a final decision has been reached now.

    “I can give you a good news that I have been working day and night to conclude an agreement with West Indies which I just finalized an hour ago. Good news is that West Indies will play three games, 1st, 2nd and 4th April but these matches will be played in Karachi. They will not play in Lahore but in Karachi,” Sethi told media in Dubai.

    Pakistan was returning on international cricket map since last year’s final of the PSL, three T20 matches against a World XI, a Twenty20 against Sri Lanka.

    They had to wait for eight years to bring international cricket back home following its suspension in 2009 when Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore. Those attacks killed eight people and left seven Sri Lankan players injured.

    Karachi last hosted a Test against Sri Lanka in February 2009, a week before attacks in Lahore.

    Sethi said Karachi people should welcome the decision.

    “That is how we intend to put Karachi back on cricket map once again. PSL final and now three more games for Karachi as per routine. Karachi people should welcome this.”

    Sethi said security experts will again travel to Karachi to clear the venue for the West Indies series.

    “Reg DIckason and his men will be here during PSL final and we have contracted them to oversee the West Indies games as well. Their experts will stay back for seven days at our expense and review the security for West Indies series and this is part of our agreement with West Indies board.”

    “This will be a one-off series because I told you earlier that this probably will be a loss making enterprise. The ideas wasn’t to make or lose money as it was meant to bring cricket back so this is the step in that direction.”

    Sethi said there are talks on a tri-series in USA, for a period of five years.

    “We have a separate agreement with the West Indies in which we are exploring a tai-lateral series including Pak, WI and one other country possibly Bangladesh but it can be some other country which will be played in USA in next five years.

    “The details about the venues, dates, financial model will be discussed later but in principle it has decided that three of us will play in USA.”

  • Karachi Kings eye PSL play-off in clash against Qalandars

    Karachi Kings eye PSL play-off in clash against Qalandars

    DUBAI: Karachi Kings will target a place in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) play-offs as they take on an already ousted Lahore Qalanadars in the only match of the league in Dubai on Sunday.

    Karachi have nine points from seven matches and need only one win to qualify for the last four stages of the league while their opponents have nothing at stake other than to salvage some pride after winning just one of their seven matches.

    A victory of Quetta Gladiators, top of the table with ten points, over Peshawar Zalmi on Saturday night meant Lahore were left with no chance of reaching the last four stages.

    Karachi Kings crushed Multan Sultans by 63 runs in a clinical performance when they batted sensibly to post the highest total of 188-3 this year, with Jeo Denly hitting a brilliant 55-ball 78 in an immaculate display of how to rotate the strike and how to give pace to the run rate.

    Babar Azam was equally brilliant during his 58 while the real impetus to the innings was given by Colin Ingram’s eight-ball 29 not out which had four towering sixes.

    Then Shahid Afridi came into his own, claiming three wickets for just 18 runs to destroy Multan’s batting.

    Coach Mickey Arthur will be expecting the same wisdom from his batsmen as they need another big total against Lahore who can only spoil Karachi’s party if they run in form.

    Lahore’s problems continued throughout the league as they suffered batting collapses nearly in the six defeats while the only win against Multan also came after some hiccups.

    Lahore will be desperate to end the league on a high and can be dangerous with their pace cum spin attack. Their teenage pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi recorded the most economical figures in the PS history with a burst of 5-4 in 3.4 overs against a formidable Multan.

    The league will shift once again to Sharjah for the last round of matches before the qualifier in Dubai on March 18.

  • Sarfraz hopes foreign players make Pakistan trip for PSL play-offs

    Sarfraz hopes foreign players make Pakistan trip for PSL play-offs

    DUBAI: Pakistan and Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmed hoped overseas players of his franchise take a trip to Pakistan for the play-offs in the next week.

    Quetta were the worst hit team last year when their key foreign players Kevin Pietersen, Tymal Mills and Luke Wright ( all from England) and South African Rilee Rossouw refused to tour Lahore for March 5 final last year.

    This year again Pietersen has point blank refused to tour Pakistan while Shane Watson said he will consult his family as Quetta qualifies for the play-offs.

    Sarfraz said he hopes Watson makes the trip.

    “I hope they take a good decision,” said Sarfraz. “Last year it (refusal of overseas players not to tour Pakistan) was a loss but I hope they will think for the team. Otherwise we have some back up players.”

    Sarfraz hit an unbeaten 45 to lead Quetta’s six wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai, reaching to the top of the table with ten points from eight matches.

    “We were motivated for the win,” said Sarfraz. “We were not been able to make our combination but Watson has strike form, so had Pietersen and although he played a small innings but it was key to the win.”

    Sarfraz said he wants Watson and Pietersen to bat high up the order.

    “Watson and Pietersen are very important players so I want them to bat up the order and whenever I see I need to go up I will go,” said Sarfraz.

  • Karachi Kings’ star Joe Denly praises Afridi

    Karachi Kings’ star Joe Denly praises Afridi

    DUBAI: Karachi Kings’s opener Joe denly on Saturday showered praise on popular all-rounder Shahid Afridi after he played a key role in his team’s 63-run win over Multan Sultans in Dubai.

    Denly himself anchored the Karachi innings of 188-3 — the highest in this year’s league — with a brilliant 55-ball 78 spiced with ten fours and two sixes.

    Afridi then wrecked Multan’s top order with 3-18 in his four overs.

    The win gives Karachi Kings nine points from seven games, with Islamabad United top on the table with ten points.

    “He is brilliant, he is a super star all around the world. The way he deals with pressure is fantastic, he is a match winner. Any team he plays for has a chance to do well,” said Denly when asked about Afridi’s contribution to the team.

    Denly said his team’s game plan against Multan Sultans was to return to winning ways.

    “Last couple of games were disappointing, so we had spoken a lot about the need to go back and do what we really do well, “said Denly.

    “We tried to build a partnership and luckily me and Babar were able to do that,” said Denly who added 118 for the second wicket with Babar Zaman who made 39-ball 58.

    Denly said he was a bit surprised when Multan put Karachi into bat on a flat wicket.

    “Yeah, I was a little bit. As a batter I always say that if its a good wicket then bat first, put some runs on the board and put the opponents under pressure. That is why I always encourage my captain to bat first, unless it looks like a real turner or has grass, so I was a little bit surprised.”

    About his batting, Denly said: “Today I tried to give myself some time especially in the first six overs, tried to play some proper shot and build a partnership we knew thatw e have a lot of power in our batting. It would have been nice to get a few more buit Ingram batted well.

    “On the back of two disappointing losses with Afridi in your side and then Imad Wasim, you can defend any total. They bowl eight overs of quality,” concluded Denly.

  • Karachi Kings bulldoze Multan to consolidate position on PSL points table

    Karachi Kings bulldoze Multan to consolidate position on PSL points table

    DUBAI: Joe Denly and Babar Azam hit solid half centuries while ever-green Shahid Afridi took three wickets as Karachi Kings inflicted a 63-run defeat on Multan Sultans in Dubai to consolidate their position on Pakistan Super League (PSL) points table on Saturday.

    Denly’s 55-ball 78 had ten boundaries and two 6s, while Azam’s 39-ball 58 had six 4s and a 6 while Colin Ingram smashed four 6s in his 29 not out which led Karachi Kings to 188-3, the highest total in this year’s league.

    Afridi then came into his own to demolish Multan for a paltry 125 in his 3-18 for Karachi Kings’s fourth win in seven matches with one rained off. Multan remained on nine points after nine games as they succumbed to their third consecutive defeat.

    Irfan Junior had the prized scalp of Kumar Sangakkara for 18 before Afridi opened the floodgates with wickets of Kieron Pollard (three), Shoaib Malik (six), Saif Badar (13) to leave Multan tottering at 6-79.

    Sohail Tanvir top-scored with an unbeaten 34.

    Karachi were sensible in their batting as they kept wicket in hand for the final over onslaught. That paid off as Karachi blasted 120 in the last ten, 67 in the last five to improve on the previous highest total of 183-3 scored by Multan against Peshawar in Dubai.

    Lendl Simons, who came in for David Wiese, was dismissed for four but that was the only success Multan had in the first 15 overs. Denly and Azam put on 118 for the second wicket as they paced the innings in the final overs.

    Denly, who reached his fifty with two fours and a single off Imran Tahir, was finally dismissed in the 17th over. It looked as Karachi had blundered by not sending Shahid Afridi but Colin Ingram smashed four sixes — one of the final delivery — in his eight-ball 29.

    All Multan bowlers were punished as Hardus Viljoen’s four cost 49 while Tahir conceded 27 in his three and Junaid Khan 31 in his three.

    In a repeat of last year’s final title holders Peshawar Zalmi meet Quetta Gladiators in the second match. If Quetta wins then Lahore will be out of contention for the play-offs.

    LIVE UPDATES

     

    Multan Sultans 125/9 (Overs 19.4)

    Over 20: Usman Khan (0-4-0-W)

    Sohail Tanvir 34 (29)

    Mohammad Irfan 6 (10)

    Over 19: Mohammad Irfan (0-0-0-1-6-0-4)

    Sohail Tanvir 34 (29)

    Mohammad Irfan 2 (6)

    Over 18: Mohammad Amir (6-0-2-0-1-0)

    Sohail Tanvir 24 (22)

    Mohammad Irfan 2 (6)

    Over 17: Mohammad Irfan (W-0-0-0-0-2)

    Sohail Tanvir 15 (17)

    Mohammad Irfan 2 (5)

    Junaid Khan 1 (2)

    Over 16: Mohammad Amir (1-0-0-W-1-0)

    Sohail Tanvir 15 (17)

    Junaid Khan 1 (1)

    Imran Tahir 2 (9)

    Over 15: Joe Denly (0-0-6-0-0-1)

    Sohail Tanvir 14 (15)

    Imran Tahir 2 (6)

    Over 14: Shahid Afridi (0-0-0-1-0-1-1)

    Sohail Tanvir 7 (9)

    Imran Tahir 2 (6)

    Over 13: Joe Denly (1-0-6-0-W-1)

    Sohail Tanvir 6 (8)

    Imran Tahir 1 (1)

    Hardus Viljoen 2 (7)

    Over 12: Shahid Afridi (0-W-0-0-0-0)

    Hardus Viljoen 1 (6)

    Sohail Tanvir 0 (4)

    Shoaib Malik 6 (8)

    Over 11: Imad Wasim (0-1-1-0-0-0)

    Shoaib Malik 6 (7)

    Hardus Viljoen 1 (6)

    Over 10: Shahid Afridi (0-4-0-6-W-1)

    Shoaib Malik 5 (5)

    Hardus Viljoen 1 (1)

    Saif Badar 13(11)

    Over 9: Imad Wasim (1-0-1-1-0-1)

    Shoaib Malik 5 (5)

    Saif Badar 3(6)

    Over 8: Shahid Afridi (0-W-1-2-1-0)

    Shoaib Malik 3 (3)

    Saif Badar 1(2)

    Kieron Pollard 3 (6)

    Over 7: Imad Wasim (0-W-2-0-2-1)

    Shoaib Malik 0 (1)

    Kieron Pollard 3 (4)

    Ahmed Shehzad 24 (17)

    Over 6: Usman Khan (6-4-0-W-1-0)

    Ahmed Shehzad 24 (15)

    Shoaib Malik 0 (1)

    Sohaib Maqsood 11 (7)

    Over 5: Mohammad Irfan (0-4-W-0-0-1)

    Ahmed Shehzad 23 (14)

    Sohaib Maqsood 1 (3)

    Kumar Sangakkara 18 (13)

    Over 4: Mohammad Amir (0-1-1-6-1-4)

    Kumar Sangakkara 14 (10)

    Ahmed Shehzad 23 (14)

    Over 3: Usman Khan (0-0-1-0-1-6)

    Kumar Sangakkara 13 (9)

    Ahmed Shehzad 11 (9)

    Over 2: Mohammad Amir (0-0-0-1-0-1)

    Kumar Sangakkara 6 (5)

    Ahmed Shehzad 10 (7)

    Over 1: Imad Wasim (0-4-1-2-6-1)

    Kumar Sangakkara 5 (3)

    Ahmed Shehzad 9 (3)

    Karachi Kings 188/3 (Over 20)

    Ingram 29*

    Bopara 4*

     

    Karachi Kings 177/3 (Over 19)

    Ingram 22*

    Bopara 1*

    Karachi Kings 156/2 (Over 18)

    Babar 50*

    Ingram 17*

    Karachi Kings 139/2 (Over 17)

    Babar 43*

    Ingram 0

     Karachi Kings 128/1 (Over 16)

    Denly 78*

    Babar 38*

    Karachi Kings 121/1(Over 15)

    Denly 77*

    Babar 32*

    Karachi Kings 106/1 (Overs 14)

    OVER 14: Imran Tahir (6-1-1-1-1-1)

    Joe Denly 72

    Babar Azam 26

    OVER 13: Hardus Viljoen (0-0-2-4-0-4)

    Joe Denly 70

    Babar Azam 17

    OVER 12: Mohammad Irfan (1-4-0-1-1-2)

    Babar Azam 17

    Joe Denly 60

    OVER 11: Hardus Viljoen (1-0-0-6-0-1)

    Joe Denly 58

    Babar Azam 10


    OVER 10: Imran Tahir (4-4-1-1-1-1)

    Joe Denly 51

    Babar Azam 09

    OVER 09: Junaid Khan (1-1-4-0-6-1)

    Babar Azam 07

    Joe Denly 41

    OVER 08: Imran Tahir (1-0-1-1-1-0)

    Babar Azam 06

    Joe Denly 29

    OVER 07: Junaid Khan (0-1-0-1-1-4)

    Babar Azam 04

    Joe Denly 27

    OVER 06: Mohammad Irfan (1-0-1-0-0-0)

    Joe Denly 23

    Babar Azam 02

    OVER 05: Sohail Tanvir (0-0-1-1-4-1wd-1)

    Joe Denly 22

    Babar Azam 01

    OVER 04: Mohammad Irfan (0-1-1-W-1-0)

    Joe Denly 16

    Lendle Simmons 4 (13)

    Babar Azam 0

    OVER 03: Sohail Tanvir (1-1wd-2-4-1-0-1)

    Lendle Simmons 3

    Joe Denly 14

    OVER 02: Mohammad Irfan (0-0-1-1-4-2)

    Joe Denly 7

    Lendle Simmons 1

    OVER 01: Sohail Tanvir (0-1wd-0-0-0-0)

    Lendle Simmons 0

    Joe Denly 0

    Playing Squad

    Karachi Kings: Lendl Simmons, Joe Denly, Colin Ingram, Babar Azam, Ravi Bopara, Imad Wasim (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Irfan Jr.

    Multan Sultans: Ahmed Shehzad, Kumar Sangakkara, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Hardus Viljoen, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Irfan

  • Kings versus Sultans: Wounded teams look for back-on-track victories

    Kings versus Sultans: Wounded teams look for back-on-track victories

    DUBAI: Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans — top of the table when the first round of five matches was over — will look to address their shortcomings in batting as they lock horn with each other while in a repeat of last year’s final Peshawar Zalmi meet Quetta Gladiators in Dubai on Saturday.

    The two teams had a damp squib when they were last slated to meet on Friday in Sharjah as the match was rained off, leaving both the teams to guess what is in the offing and what weak and strong points they have.

    Both Multan and Karachi had batting hiccups in their last matches, Karachi going down to Quetta Gladiators by the biggest marging in PSL history of 67 runs while Multan fell to a paltry total of 114 against Lahore Qalandars.

    Both teams will have an eye on the points table as well with Islamabad are one with ten points from seven games. Multan are second with nine points.

    Karachi surprisingly dropped in-form opener Khurram Manzoor who hit a brilliant 41-ball 51 against Islamabad in favour of David Wiese who could not live up to his reputation of a big hitter. Khurram is likely to return at the expense of former South African as Karachi will also look to their foreign duo of Joe Denly and Colin Ingram to fire after a poor outing.

    Multan will hope their potent pace attack once again live up to expectations against Karachi. Umar Gul came in for one match and nearly destroyed Quetta with six wickets before losing their match against Lahore Qalandars due to a knee injury.

    Head coach Tom Moody hoped the focus remains on win.

    “We are focused at our performance and know that we need to win our remaining matches to qualify for the last four,” said Moody, who hoped opener Ahmed Shehzad also fires along with Kumar Sangakkara.

    Karachi head coach Mickey Arthur also raised hopes of a comeback.

    “We had a good momentum after three matches but a rained off game and then three days rest snatched that momentum so we hope that the rhythm is back as we need a win against Multan,” said Arthur.

    In a repeat of last year’s final Peshawar Zalmi will also hope their poor campaign gets back on track. Their batting flopped against Islamabad spinners, losing seven wickets to left-armers Samit Patel and Zafar Gohar.

    Quetta will also look to exploit their weakness against spin, as they also have two quality left armers in Mohammad Nawaz and Hasan Khan.

    Quetta’s star is all-rounder Shane Watson who is top of the batting chart while he is also handy as bowler.

     

  • ‘Multan not relying only on Sangakkara or Malik’

    ‘Multan not relying only on Sangakkara or Malik’

    DUBAI: Multan Sultans’ coach Tom Moody on Friday denied the impression that his side was relying on senior batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Shoaib Malik to win matches in Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    Moody shot in denial when asked about over reliance on the duo, “You obviously had not seen Sohaib Maqsood bat so I don’t agree,” said Moody of Maqsood’s 85 against Peshawar Zalmi.

    “Sangakkara has had an outstanding tournament but we do have some very good players in and around Sanga and Malik and as I said Maqsood has batted well and Ahmed Shehzad has got himself in on a number of occasion but has not managed to kick on but we hope that he will take control, kick on and get a good score for us,” added Moody.

    Multan has lost two back to back matches to Quetta and Lahore, the last on Friday. But Moody, also a former coach of Sri Lanka and part of two World Cup winning Australian sides (1987 and 1999) denied any complacency crept in.

    “We recognize that Lahore had a difficult tournament to-date, we also recognize that they have some serious match winners in their team. We need to continue to perform so that we can have momentum through the whole tournament so complacency doesn’t spring to mind,” said Moody, whose team won the first three matches in the PSL.

    Moody reasoned the change of ball shifted the momentum against his team, which derailed from 92-1 to 114 all out thanks to Lahore paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 5-4 in 3.4 overs.

    Moody also disagreed two dropped catches by Saif Badar in the Lahore game typified the way Pakistan players field at international level.

    “If you look at the opposite side, the way Ahmed Shehzad fields. he is a high class fielder. Sadaf has fielded well in the tournament but yes he dropped a couple of chances today and you could argue that they were costly with regards to the outcome of the match.

    “No one needs to drop a catch, he is trying as hard as anyone to improving whether its batting or fielding. he is an exciting fielder, and you can expect him to take those catches more often than not,” said Moody.

    Moody hoped Multan’s paceman Umar Gul- who took a career best 6-24 against Quetta in a lost cause- will recover from a knee injury which ruled him out of the Lahore game.

    “Unfortunately Umar Gul knee has quite considerable swelling but we are managing that, so we are cretainly hoping that as the tournament unfolds he will be back and available for selection,” said Moody.

     

  • Lahore fears exit in crucial PSL encounter with Multan

    Lahore fears exit in crucial PSL encounter with Multan

    DUBAI: Lahore Qalandars desperately want to avoid an early exit when they meet table toppers Multan Sultans in the first of two matches, while Islamabad and Peshawar lock horn for a run away victory for a play-off position in Dubai on Friday.

    Lahore have been the top flops of the first two editions as they finished fifth and last and their fortunes did not change in this year’s PSL as they have lost all their six matches.

    It will be a disaster for their management as they are one of the most active franchise but their strong team on paper has proved paupers on the field.

    Lahore lost to Islamabad on Thursday as they had no clue to the power hitting of Luke Ronchi’s 41-ball 77 studded with six sixes and five boundaries, failing to defend a good 164-run target.

    Multan has been on a swing as they beat Peshawar by 19 runs and lost to Quetta by a narrow two wicket margin since the event came back to Dubai. A win over Lahore today will ensure Multan a place in the last four.

    Multan had demolished Lahore by 43 runs in the first round match after their opponents lost their last seven wickets for just seven runs off 15 balls from a strong position of 132-3 while chasing 180.

    Lahore dropped mis-firing Umar Akmal from the last match, which looked more of a disciplinary decision than a cricketing one. If they need firepower they will have to take one last chance on the maverick former Pakistan batsman.

    Multan is sweating on the fitness of Junaid Khan who was rested and replaced by Umar Gul. Gul took a career best 6-24 against Quetta in a lost cause and will again be in the eleven for Lahore match.

    In the second match of the day Islamabad will hope to carry their momentum on Peshawar while the title holders Peshawar will seek two points in order to get into contention for the last four.

    Peshawar was hurt by the absence of their Bangladeshi trio of Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan (ruled out of PSL with injury) and Sabbir Rahman.

  • McCullum blasts bowlers after sixth consecutive defeat

    McCullum blasts bowlers after sixth consecutive defeat

    DUBAI: Lahore Qalandars’ captain Brendon McCullum blamed his bowlers for the sixth successive defeat in the Pakistan Super League third edition as his side was easily defeated by Islamabad United in Dubai on Thursday.

    Lahore rode on a brilliant 62 by opener Anton Devcich on PSL debut but still managed to score 163, losing their last eight wickets for a mere 62 runs in a customary collapse.

    Devcich’s New Zealand team-mate Luke Ronchi blasted 41-ball 77 with six sixes and five boundaries to help Islamabad reach the target in 17.4 overs.

    Lahore now face exit and need to win all their four games and hope other teams also lose on the way to the play-offs.

    McCullum, who made a brisk 12-ball 33, blamed bowlers for not executing the plan.

    “We bowled poorly and I am pretty disappointed with the bowling performance,” said McCullum after the match.

    “We did well with the bat and Devcich was hungry. Young guys might get an opportunity with us out of the contention,” added the Qalandars’ skipper.

    McCullum, however, accepted the blame for consistent failure.

    “Ultimately as captain, you are responsible for the performances. I have done what I have done with other teams as captain but it has not resonated,” said the New Zealand great.

  • Sultans eye PSL play-offs in clash against Quetta Gladiators

    Sultans eye PSL play-offs in clash against Quetta Gladiators

    DUBAI: Pakistan Super League’s newest franchise Multan Sultans seeks one step in the play-offs if they beat twice runners-up Quetta Gladiators in the only match in Dubai on Wednesday.

    The 5.2 million dollars per year team has won four of their six matches with one rained off and if they win again against Sarfraz Ahmed led team then they will be almost through to the play-offs considering Lahore can only go to ten points if they win all their remaining five matches and cannot catch the Sohainb Malik led team sitting pretty on nine points.

    Karachi Kings are places second with seven points in five games.

    Multan has been showing a lot of balance in both batting and bowling departments, smashing the highest total of the league so far of 183-3 against title holders Peshawar Zalmi on Tuesday night.

    Pakistan discard Sohaib Maqsood smashed the highest individual score of 85 off just 42 balls with seven sixes and four boundaries while Sohail Tanveer and Kieron Pollard shared six wickets to lead an impressive 19-run win.

    On the other hand Quetta have just four points from their five matches and will not afford any hiccups against Sultans, against whom they lost the first match by a big nine wicket margin in Sharjah.

    Quetta will welcome the return of Kevin Pietersen who had gone to India and on his return missed the last game due to tiredness. Asad Shafiq’s axing also does not suit Quetta, which fell for 102 against Multan for whom leg spinner Imran Tahir achieved a hat trick in that clash.

    Toss will again be of crucial value as dew in the evening makes life tough for bowlers, despite the fact that Multan bowled superbly against Peshawar.