shaheen shah afridi

Watch: Calling Babar Azam ‘king’ is like a click-bait YouTube thumbnail, says former Pakistan captain Salman Butt | Cricket News

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Captain Babar Azam and the Pakistan team continue to draw flak for their lackluster show in the ongoing T20 World Cup, where the team’s hopes of progressing to the ‘Super 8’ stage are not anymore in their hands alone. The 2009 champions faced a shocking defeat to USA in their opening match, which they lost in ‘Super Over’ tiebreaker. It followed a defeat against traditional rivals India after being in the winning position for 32 of the 40 overs in the match. T20 WORLD CUP: Schedule | Points Table The team came back to beat Canada in their next match, but with two points from three matches and just a game against Ireland left to play, Pakistan now also require other results to be in their favour to finish second in the group and advance to the next round. This has led to Pakistan’s former players lambasting captain Babar and his team. In another such video on social media, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt could be seen taking Babar & Co to task.“There is self proclamation that our captain is the king and the other is world’s best fast bowler,” said Butt, with his fingers perhaps pointing towards seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi. “Sometimes we compare this guy with (Jasprit) Bumrah and him (Babar) with (Virat) Kohli…Okay, you touched ICC (top) ranking at one point, but also touch reality sometime. Are you able to win a match on your own? Is there a standing of our team?“It’s similar to those YouTube thumbnails that you are enticed to click and open once.”WATCH VIDEO Butt added that some of the decisions taken in Pakistan cricket are influenced by social media campaigns. “Besides its good things, one bad thing about social media is that you can get anything done by paid campaigns…your decisions are based on paid campaigns,” Butt said. “We should bring these self-proclaimed greats back on earth and (tell them to) stay who they are. First win a match, a big tournament, fight it out to win against a big team, finish a match single-handedly, then think what you want to proclaim,” a visibly angry Butt added. He said that there is no comparison with India at the moment, who have grown with the game and are mentally a much tougher unit now. “India is very different from us…Their mental superiority is winning them matches…Because of being consistent, because of playing tougher teams, playing better cricket and giving better results, mentally they are accustomed now. They don’t feel the pressure now like they used to earlier,” said Butt. “But we haven’t grown. There are changes in cricket every year, but we are not growing with that, so we are getting weaker. The other teams are growing, mentally as well.”

T20 World Cup 2024: Hope having both Rohit and Virat works out well for India, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar thinks he would have chosen a much younger Indian group for the T20 World Cup, since overloading the team with seniors hasn’t worked in the past. Manjrekar stated that India currently has no choice but to combine Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the opening spot, despite his preference for the youthful and promising Yashaswi Jaiswal. Rohit and Kohli did not play many T20 matches for India last year, but they returned as selectors trusted the experienced players. “Ideally, I would not have gone that way; I would have stuck with a slightly more younger kind of, core set of players but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports’ Press Room World Cup edition on Friday. “Now that they are in the squad, it’s impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don’t get the full rally of Virat. Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India in a way have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination — two right-handers,” he said. T20 WORLD CUP 2024: FULL COVERAGE Manjrekar does not think Jaiswal would find a place in the Indian XI. “Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair and it would be something different,” he said. “(But) India have trusted the seniors a move that hasn’t worked over the years let’s hope it works this time,” Manjrekar added. The former India batsman also addressed concerns that Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi would pose a threat to the Indian hitters in the two arch-rivals’ showdown on June 9. “Mohammed Amir played his last international T20 seven years back. We have no idea what his form is like today. Shaheen Afridi is not the same bowler that he was two years ago. India have handled him really well, if you remember the Asia Cup, even in the 50-overs World Cup we had a one-sided match. I do not see Pakistan as a major threat to India, plus the names (of) Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi. I do not think this is a problem for India,” he added. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 31, 2024

‘If Babar Azam hits three straight sixes, I will…’: Ex-Pakistan cricketer challenges current T20 captain | Cricket News

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has thrown down the gauntlet to current captain Babar Azam. Ali challenges Azam to hit three consecutive sixes straight down the ground against top-tier teams. If Azam succeeds, Ali has vowed to delete his YouTube channel.“If Babar Azam hits three straight sixes against top teams, not against the likes of the USA or Ireland, but against top teams, I will shut down my YouTube channel.If he accepts this challenge, he should say that he accepts it. And if he can’t hit those sixes in the World Cup, then he shouldn’t open the batting,” said Ali.The 29-year-old batsman has recently been reappointed as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan men’s cricket team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. This decision to reinstate Azam as the captain of the T20 side came after Azam had initially stepped down from the role in November, leading to Shaheen Shah Afridi‘s appointment. SEE ALSO: T20 World Cup 2024 ScheduleThe PCB’s selection committee unanimously recommended Azam’s reinstatement, which was approved by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.In the lead-up to the World Cup, Pakistan, having drawn a T20I series 2-2 against an inexperienced New Zealand, are set to face Ireland and England in the shortest format of the game over the coming weeks.

PCB Announces Massive Reward To Each Player If Pakistan Win T20 World Cup 2024 Trophy

Danijones6 months ago02 mins

Representative image© AFP Each member of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad will get USD 100,000 if the team wins the ICC event in June in Americas, the country’s cricket board announced on Sunday. The announcement was made by the PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi after spending nearly two hours with the players here before their departure for the away T20 series against Ireland and England on Monday night. Naqvi also said that the prize money held no importance compared to lifting the trophy, expressing the hope that the team would raise the Pakistan flag. “Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi announced to give 100,000 dollars prize to every player for winning the T20 World Cup,” the PCB posted on social media. He also told the players “not to care about anyone” but to just play for Pakistan and demonstrate teamwork, and, “God willing”, victory will be gained by the team. Naqvi further said that all the players were united while also expressing the hope that fast-bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi would deliver a great performance in the tournament. “The country has a lot of expectations from you. You have to fulfil them,” he told the players. During his visit, the PCB chairman also handed out special shirts to players for achieving milestones. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohamad Rizwan was awarded a shirt for completing 3,000 T20 runs while pacer Naseem Shah was awarded a shirt for taking 100 T20 wickets. Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Trounce Depleted New Zealand In Second T20I

Danijones7 months ago05 mins

Left-armers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Amir shared five wickets to rock New Zealand for a paltry 90 before Mohammad Rizwan anchored the chase to help Pakistan win the second Twenty20 clash Saturday in Rawalpindi. Shaheen led the attack with 3-13 while Amir, returning to international cricket after nearly four years, finished with 2-13 as the visitors were bowled out in 18.1 overs after being sent in to bat. Rizwan finished with 45 not out off 34 balls with a six and four boundaries to ensure Pakistan chased down a modest target in 12.1 overs for a seven wicket win and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The first match, also in Rawalpindi, was washed out after just two deliveries on Thursday. New Zealand did fight back with wickets of Saim Ayub (four), Babar Azam (14) and debutant Usman Khan (seven) but Muhammad Irfan Khan (run-a-ball 18) partnered Rizwan in an unfinished 36-run stand to seal victory. Ayub hit a boundary off the first ball of the innings before giving a return catch to pacer Ben Lister off the next while Azam was stumped off rival skipper Michael Bracewell and Usman bowled by spinner Ish Sodhi. Azam credited his bowling for the kickstart. “It’s crucial to set the tone in first six overs at this ground,” said Azam of the Pindi stadium which saw a packed 16,000 week-end crowd. “The way Naseem, Shaheen and Amir bowled was outstanding and helped us get early wickets.” Bracewell lamented batting failure. “We didn’t score quite enough runs,” said Bracewell. “We were little bit slow to adapt to the surface and put ourselves under pressure in the end. We got a game tomorrow and we need to learn quickly.” Earlier Amir — returning to international cricket after nearly four years — jolted New Zealand in the opening overs. Amir retired abruptly in 2020 after he was dropped from the team, the second break in his career after he was banned for five years in a spot-fixing scandal in 2010. Spinners Abrar Ahmed (2-15) and Shadab Khan (2-15) doubled the pressure as New Zealand were dismissed for their second lowest total against Pakistan in the game’s shortest format. Mark Chapman (19), Cole McConchie (15), Dean Foxcroft (13) and Tim Seifert (13) were the only batsmen to reach double figures. Chapman hit three boundaries in his 16-ball knock. New Zealand’s lowest T20I total against Pakistan is 80, made at Christchurch in 2010. Fast bowler Naseem Shah, also playing his first match since injuring his shoulder in September last year, took 1-27 in four overs. Both teams are preparing for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in June in the United States and the West Indies. New Zealand are missing a host of their top players due to playing in the ongoing Indian Premier League, unavailability and injuries. The remaining matches are in Rawalpindi on Sunday followed by the last two in Lahore on April 25 and 27. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article