Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board has conducted successful Team Auction of the Multan Franchise with Walee Technologies acquiring it for a record PKR 245 crore here at the Expo Centre, Lahore on Monday evening.

The Auction was officially started by Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi after CEO PSL Salman Naseer shared his thoughts regarding the sale and the journey of the HBL Pakistan Super League as it enters the New Era.

A total of five technically qualified bidders comprising the victorious Walee Technologies, Aim Next, Particle Igniter, CD Ventures and DSM took part in the fiercely competitive Team Auction.

A base price of PKR 182 crore was set for the Franchise after which the parties took on each other in only round of bids. Walee Technologies led by their CEO Ahsan Tahir made the successful bid of PKR 245 crore, which is the highest figure among all the eight HBL PSL franchises.

Chairman PCB, Mohsin Naqvi

“I congratulate Walee Technologies for acquiring the franchise with a record figure and I appreciate the other participating bidders as well for their keen interest in the HBL PSL.

“The fair and transparent team Auction has set new records and I’m sure the league will continue to grow at the same pace. The evident trust of various stakeholders going into the 11th season has increased the stature of the HBL PSL manifold.

“As the lineup of all eight franchise owners is completed, I want to assure our fans that the upcoming season of HBL PSL will be unprecedented in terms of reach, growth and entertainment.”

CEO PSL, Salman Naseer

“The HBL PSL stands proud and tall today given the kind of bids made in this Auction and we welcome Walee Technologies to the HBL PSL family. This also showcases the immense commercial and financial potential of the league after a 10-year long journey. There cannot be a better time to be entering the New Era. Over to the historic HBL PSL Players Auction now.”

CEO Walee Technologies, Ahsan Tahir:

“We are delighted to have become a part of the HBL PSL family and it feels great to be contributing towards the growth of Pakistan Cricket. We are thankful and extend our felicitations to the Chairman PCB and the HBL PSL team for successful conduct of this event.

“The journey ahead is going to be highly exciting in the coming weeks, months and years as we will continue to amaze our fans with various developments.”

The post Walee Technologies acquire Multan Franchise after record bid appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

With a blazing 66, which came off 42 balls, Fakhar registered his second half-century on trot and 20^th overall in T20 cricket.

The 30-year-old provided Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a solid start as he stitched a 45-run opening stand with his captain Mohammad Rizwan, who made 23 off 14 balls, in 4.5 overs after the latter decided to bat first.

Fakhar, who smashed three fours and five sixes, then partnered with veteran Shoaib Malik, who scored an unbeaten 24-ball 27, for 42 runs before he was dismissed by Zafar Gohar in the 14^th over.

Reflecting on his performance, Fakhar said: “My plan was to spend time on the pitch as the bowlers were receiving assistance early on. I wanted to get the ball to get a little old before I play my shots. I am happy that I have been able to score second consecutive half-century in a winning cause because as a player the ultimate goal is to win the match for your team.

“That we have the presence of experienced players in Hafeez and Shoaib also help a great deal as they share their experience and knowledge. They help us in reading the conditions both while batting and fielding. Winning is a habit, which we have developed after losing the first match. We are enjoying our time here and have gelled together as a unit.”

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s scoring rate received a massive boost with Asif Afridi’s 20 off seven balls. The 33-year-old Peshawar-born struck two sixes and a four that lifted his team to 178 for seven.

Right-arm medium fast Ahmed Bashir was the pick of the bowlers for Central Punjab with three for 32 in four overs. Zafar, Ehsan Adil, Qasim Akram and Usman Qadir took one wicket each.

Abid Ali’s lacklustre run in the tournament continued as the right-handed batsman got out on the last ball of the opening over of the run chase after hitting a boundary.

A 92-run stand for the second wicket between Kamran Akmal and Abdullah Shafiq gave Central Punjab’s fans hope of their side securing their second win of the tournament. They were, however, crashed as Central Punjab slipped from one for 99 to six for 128 in a span of 23 balls after Kamran was caught behind, courtesy brilliant glovework by Rizwan, off Shoaib’s off-spin in the 12^th over.

Kamran missed what would have been his 42^nd T20 half-century by three runs as he scored 47 from 37 balls, while Abdullah made a 37-ball 43. Both struck five boundaries apiece – four fours and a six.

Central Punjab were bowled out for 149 with four balls spare. Arshad Iqbal, playing his first match of the tournament after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rested Shaheen Shah Afridi, returned two for 20. Asif Afridi, Junaid Khan and Wahab Riaz also took two wickets each. 

The two teams will meet again on 14 October at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

Scores in brief:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 178-7, 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 66, Shoaib Malik 27 not out, Mohammad Rizwan 23, Asif Afridi 20; Ahmed Bashir 3-32)

Central Punjab 149 all out, 19.2 overs (Kamran Akmal 47, Abdullah Shafiq 43; Arshad Iqbal 2-20, Asif Afridi 2-27, Junaid Khan 2-27, Wahab Riaz 2-34)

Friday’s fixtures:

1500 PST – Northern v Central Punjab. Ahsan Raza and Imran Javed (on-field umpires), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Imtiaz Iqbal (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee).

19.30 PST – Sindh v Southern Punjab – Ghaffar Kazmi and Rashid Riaz (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Saqib Khan (fourth umpire); Nadeem Arshad (match referee)

The post Fakhar Zaman’s 66 stretches Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s winning streak to four matches appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

On Tuesday night under the Multan Cricket Stadium floodlights, young wicketkeeper batsman Rohail Nazir who was promoted in the batting order stroked 42 off 27 balls batting at number three to set the platform of Northern’s comfortable chase of the 157-run target.

Rohail hit one six and five fours in his innings which earned him the man-of-the-match award. The Pakistan U19 captain added 52 runs with Umar Amin who made 30 off 25 balls in his role as the makeshift opener.

Asif Ali and Hammad Azam shared an unbroken 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take their side past the target with 13 balls to spare. Asif’s 41 came off 30 balls and included three sixes and two fours while Hammad’s unbeaten 30 required 23 balls, the right-hander hit four fours in his unbeaten innings. Yasir Shah took two wickets for 32 runs for Balochistan.

Meanwhile, Northern rested three star performers, the pace duo of Haris Rauf, Musa Khan and the in-form opener Zeeshan Malik. Sohail Tanvir, Hammad and Mohammad Ismail Khan replaced the trio in the playing eleven.

Veteran fast bowler Umar Gul who won the man-of-the-match award in Balochistan’s win over Central Punjab last night was replaced by Khurram Shehzad in the Balochistan line-up while leg-spinner Usama Mir replaced left-arm-spinner Kashif Bhatti. Akbar-ur-Rehman replaced Imran Butt in the middle-order

Reflecting on his performance man-of-the-match Rohail Nazir said: “I was waiting for an opportunity to bat high in the order; I had the belief that I will make full use of the opportunity whenever it comes. I didn’t finish the game but I am happy with my contribution. We are a side that is doing really well and the youngsters are also performing, you have to make full use of whatever opportunity you get.

“Captain Shadab Khan really backed me and told me that you will get the chance to bat high in the order at some stage of the tournament and I am glad that I made it count today.”

Balochistan won the toss and opted to bat first; they lost the in-form Imam-ul-Haq early, the left-hander was dismissed by Mohammad Amir for two runs. Awais Zia hit three fours in his 14 off eight balls before perishing to the wiles of the richly experienced pacer Sohail Tanvir.

Bismillah Khan fell for 12 runs to newcomer Ismail leaving his side wobbling at 38 for three in the fifth over; captain Haris Sohail led the rescue act. The left-hander hit two sixes and four fours in a typically stylish innings of 51 that came off 41 balls. Haris was run out at the non-striker’s end while attempting a second run. Hairs added 83 runs for the fourth wicket with Akbar.

Akbar, held the innings together with Haris in a 38-run effort in which he consumed 32 balls. The right-hander hit two sixes and two fours in his innings.

For Northern the experienced duo of Sohail and Amir took two wickets apiece conceding 27 and 31 runs respectively.

Scores in brief:

Balochistan 156-6, 20 overs (Haris Sohail 51, Akbar-ur-Rehman 38; Sohail Tanvir 2-27, Mohammad Amir 2-31)

Northern158-3, 17.5 overs (Rohail Nazir 42, Asif Ali 41 not out, Hammad Azam 30 not out; Yasir Shah 2-32)

Result – Northern won by seven wickets

Player of the match – Rohail Nazir (Northern)

Points Table (after 14 matches)

The post Rohail Nazir and Asif Ali guide Northern to 10th consecutive T20 victory appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

It was dominated by Pakistan’s young guns – Haider Ali (90), Zeeshan Malik (77), Musa Khan (three for 31).

But the player who stood-out and was noted globally was 20-year-old Abdullah Shafiq. Playing in his maiden T20 match, he turned his cricket followers into his admirers as he smashed a riveting century, which turned a daunting 201-run target into a cakewalk for Central Punjab as they defeated Southern Punjab by seven wickets with seven balls spare.

The right-handed Sialkot-born batsman smashed 11 fours and four sixes in his scintillating 102 not out off 58 balls.

Abdullah started his career with Amir Waseem Cricket Academy in Sialkot and graduated to the top level in domestic cricket by representing Sialkot Region at the U16 and U19 level. He was picked for Pakistan U19 side for the tour of Sri Lanka in October 2015 and two ACC U19 Asia Cups in 2016 and 2017.

He was picked in the Second XI side by Central Punjab for the three-day Quaid-e-Azam Trophy tournament in the 2019-20 season and was quick to grab the opportunity as he cracked two centuries and a half-century in six matches to record 545 runs at an imposing average of 68.13.

His telling showing earned him a spot in Central Punjab’s star-studded First XI team and Abdullah made sure that he got the spotlight with a 209-ball 133 on his first-class debut in December 2019.

He was subsequently rewarded by the Pakistan Cricket Board for his impressive run as he received a category ‘C’ domestic central contract for the 2020-21 season.

In a conversation for PCB digital with Shan Masood, the captain of Southern Punjab, Abdullah revealed there were some nerves when he was going in to bat after Central Punjab were two down for one in three balls, but spending some time on the pitch helped him get over them.

“I was quite nervous initially, but as I played a few balls, I started to gain confidence,” said Abdullah. “I tried to play my natural game and stick to my strengths. That is how I established my innings.

“This is indeed quite a memorable day for me just like that one on which I scored my maiden first-class century on debut. Both have their own significance but I rate this innings of mine more because this is my best innings to date.”

That Abdullah had a cricketing influence at his home further helped him in his development as a player as his father, Shafiq Ahmed, was a former first-class cricketer.

“My family would be really happy on my achievement. They have provided me unconditional support throughout my journey and have always stood by me through thick and thin. My father and my uncle follow my cricket and they advise me to play with courage.”

Abdullah admires Babar Azam and Ricky Ponting and wants to build on his perfect start. “My ambition is to serve Pakistan and want to build on how I have started my career. I want to give my hundred percent whenever I get an opportunity.”

The post Abdullah Shafiq – the youngster who has turned cricket followers into his admirers appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

• Zakir Khan says Pakistan has established its status as a safe, secure and healthy country

Lahore:Pakistan will launch its ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League campaign by hosting Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series in October-November, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Wednesday.

The 50-over matches against Zimbabwe will be played in Multan on 30 October, 1 and 3 November, which will be followed by three T20Is in Rawalpindi on 7, 8 and 10 November.

The ICC has introduced the Super League to provide context to ODI cricket and will serve as a qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 with the top seven sides automatically booking their spots for the India event. Featuring 13 teams, the 12 Test playing countries and the Netherlands, the Super League will see each side play four home and four away three-match series.

PCB Director – International Cricket, Zakir Khan: “The confirmation of the series schedule against Zimbabwe after having successfully hosted Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, as well as Marylebone Cricket Club and HBL Pakistan Super League V, in the 2019-20 season not only strengthens Pakistan’s reputation as a safe and secure country but also a healthy one after having successfully overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This series is critical to Pakistan as it aspires to qualify directly for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and, as such, every point in the Super League will count. Our last ODI series was against Sri Lanka, 12 months ago, so the boys will have to hit the ground running and try to pocket maximum points.

“We have strategically scheduled Zimbabwe’s matches in Multan and Rawalpindi, the venues which will be hosting the National T20 Cup from 30 September to 18 October. By the time Zimbabwe arrives, we would have gained enough experience on bio-securing hotels, player transportation, the venues and the players’ dressing rooms as delivery of this series will be under strict Covid-19 protocols to ensure the health and safety of all participants.”

Zimbabwe will carry a 32-member squad to cater for both the formats as well as for the intra-squad warm-up matches. The squad will undergo two Covid-19 tests within a space of 48 hours prior to their departure in Harare, while the second tests will be conducted as soon as they arrive in Islamabad.

Players and Player Support Personnel testing negative in Islamabad will be eligible to resume training at a venue, which the PCB will confirm in due course.

Players and player support personnel testing positive during the tour will have to observe a five-day self-isolation and will only be allowed to re-integrate with the side after two negative tests.

The series will be played behind closed doors.

Series schedule (match timing and training schedule to be share in due course):

20 Oct – Zimbabwe arrival in Islamabad
30 Oct – 1st ODI, Multan
1 Nov – 2nd ODI, Multan
3 Nov – 3rd ODI, Multan
4 Nov – Travel to Islamabad
7 Nov – 1st T20I, Rawalpindi
8 Nov – 2nd T20I, Rawalpindi
10 Nov – 3rd T20I, Rawalpindi
11 Nov – Zimbabwe departure for Harare

The post Pakistan confirms Zimbabwe tour appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

It is due to the talent produced by these tournaments that Pakistan have been a highly successful team at international level. They reached the final of the first two ICC Men’s T20 World Cups – in 2007 and 2009, winning the latter at Lord’s, the home of cricket, by defeating Sri Lanka to be crowned champions. Pakistan were the only team to reach at least the semi-finals of the first four ICC Men’s T20 World Cups.

No team in the world has won more T20Is than Pakistan’s 93 and they were at the top of the ICC T20I Rankings for more than two years in a run that stretched until early this year. Over the course of their dominant run, Pakistan won 11 consecutive T20I series.

The National T20 Cup has a rich history of introducing players who went on to serve Pakistan globally. The prime example being Saeed Ajmal who was man-of-the-final for taking three wickets in Faisalabad Wolves’ title win against Karachi Dolphins in the maiden edition of the tournament held in Lahore in 2005.

The off-spinner later became number one bowler in the ICC T20I Rankings and played a vital role, taking 12 wickets, in Pakistan’s 2009 World Cup triumph. With 89 scalps, he is the leading wicket taker in the National T20 Cup’s history.

The PCB’s domestic season 2020-21 will commence with the National T20 Cup First XI tournament, which commences on 30 September at the Multan Cricket Stadium. From the onset, Northern will begin title defence as they play the tournament-opener against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Teams from Sialkot and Lahore have been the most successful in the tournament’s history. They have shared 11 out of 16 titles between them. While Sialkot Stallions have won the tournament six times, teams from Lahore have won it on five occasions (Lahore Lions three, Lahore Blues one and Lahore Whites one). The remaining five titles have gone to Peshawar Panthers, Peshawar Region, Faisalabad Wolves, Karachi Blues and Northern.

The Lahore Lions team that won the tournament in 2014 went on to play Champions League T20 that year in India where they famously defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in Raipur and narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth.

It was in National T20 Cup that Sialkot Stallions caught the world’s attention by winning 25 matches in a row between 2006 and 2010 – the biggest winning streak in the format’s history. They won four consecutive tournaments in that period.

The tournament has always been a host to many exciting performances. A case in point is Imran Nazir’s 50 off 14 balls for Sialkot Stallions against Lahore Eagles in Lahore in 2005, which remains the quickest 50 recorded on Pakistan soil in T20 cricket.

Another enterprising innings in a tournament edition came off Umar Akmal’s bat when he knocked a 43-ball hundred – including 34 runs off an over – for Lahore Whites against Rawalpindi Region in Multan in 2016. This remains the fastest hundred in the tournament’s history.

Khurram Manzoor has the most runs – 2,235 at an average of 30.20 – in tournament’s history including three centuries. Ahmed Shehzad is the other batsman to cross the 100-run mark thrice in the National T20 Cup’s history.

Only one Pakistan batsman has registered the milestone of 150 in T20 cricket. It was in the 2017 edition when wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal smashed an unbeaten 150 for Lahore Whites against Islamabad Region at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.

The record of the best bowling figures in an innings is held by Irfanuddin, off-spinner, who recorded six for 25 against Sialkot Stallions at Karachi’s National Stadium in the semi-final of the 2005-06 edition. Mohammad Asif has the cheapest five-wicket haul (five for 11) in the tournament’s history. It came in the same edition and at the same venue when Sialkot Stallions bowled out Faisalabad Wolves for 98.

The post A look at the history of National T20 Cup appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

Lahore:Twenty-six U13 players have been invited at the Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Cricket Centre in Multan for a two-week-long coaching programme, which commences Monday.

The players have been selected by the national junior selection committee, headed by Saleem Jaffer, on the basis of their performances in the PCB U13 Catch em Young National One-Day Tournament 2019-20.

Over the course of programme, the players will be given basic knowledge regarding different aspects of the game namely batting, bowling, fielding, wicketkeeping and physical fitness.

The following is the list of players in alphabetical order along with the names of their Cricket Associations:

Adil Waleed (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ahmed Hussain (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Ali Ashfaq (Northern), Ali Hasnain Badsha (Southern Punjab), Ali Hassan Baloch (Central Punjab), Azzan Kabir (Northern), Fahad Kashif (Southern Punjab), Hamza Zahoor (Central Punjab), Hasan Ijaz (Northern), Hazrat Ali (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Huzaifa Ahsan (Sindh), M. Sheharyar (Southern Punjab), M. Ali Abdullah (Southern Punjab), M. Rameez (Sindh), Mohammad Ali (Balochistan), Naveed Ul Hasan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Noor Habib (Sindh), Saad Nadeem (Central Punjab), Safi Ullah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Sameer Ahmed (Southern Punjab), Tayyab Hussain (Central Punjab), Usman Ghani (Balochistan), Usman Khan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Waleed Zahid (Central Punjab), Yayah Shah (Sindh) and Zeeshan Fareed (Northern).

The post U13 players to attend coaching programme in Multan appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

Day-4

Attock Vs Quetta: (1st Semifinal) ((Venue: Attock Cricket Stadium Attock)

Attock won the toss and decided to bowl first. Quetta posted only 183 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in stipulated 20 Overs. Naseeb Ullah was their top scorer with unbeaten 80 runs. Nuaman Ali was the only bowler to claim a wicket.

Attock in reply chased the target in 16th over of the innings for the loss of 1 wicket. Ehtisham ul Haq was the star batsmen for Attock he made bariliant unbeaten 122 runs. Shahid took 1 wicket.

Result: Attock won by 9 Wickets Man of the Match: Ehtisham ul Haq

Abbottabad Vs Multan: (2nd Semifinal) ((Venue: Attock Cricket Stadium Attock)

Abbottabad won the toss and put Multan into bat first. Multan set the compititive target of 257 runs for the loss of 2 wickets in alloted Quota of 20 overs. Muhammad Safdar played a superb inning of unbeaten 167 runs. Adeel fetched 2 wickets.

Abbottabad in reply made 240 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in stipulated 20 Overs. Naeem Ullah remained top scorer with 132 runs. Safdar, Ghulam Akbar and Ihsan claimed a wicket each

Result: Multan won by 17 runs Man of the Match: Muhammad Safdar

Tomorrow the Final match of the event will be played b/w Multan and Attock at Attock Cricket Stadium Attock.

The post National Bank of Pakistan T-20 Blind Cricket Trophy 2019 (Grade-2), Multan and Attock in final appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

MULTAN: Pakistan Women cricket coach Mark Coles says there is no dearth of female sporting talent in the country and the best coaching can groom talent and improve the team’s ranking.

Talking to the media here, Coles said that he was very happy to be coaching Pakistan Women cricket team.

On the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka, he said that he was striving hard with the cricketers and that he would be moving forward with new talent.

To a query, he observed that there was a need to pay more attention to fielding and batting.

Shahid Aslam, senior manager women cricket, informed that the Pakistan Cricket Board was bringing a five-year plan to promote women cricket.

He added that women cricket would be introduced at school and college level, and expressed hope that such measures would help boost women cricket in the country.

The post No dearth of women cricket talent in Pakistan: Coach Coles appeared first on Sportslinkpk.

KARACHI: Cricket enthusiasts will have an opportunity to see ‘Swing ka Sultan’ Wasim Akram live in action next month at Multan Cricket Stadium, when the former captain takes to the field to play an exhibition match at the launch event of his PSL team Multan Sultans.

An official of Multan Sultans confirmed  that Wasim Akram will not only play the match but will also lead his team Sultan XI against Shoaib Malik’s Toofan XI in the event dubbed as ‘Multan Da Muqabla’ on February 4.

“Multan Da Muqabla is going to be a spectacular event for the locals as they will get to witness top players like Wasim Akram and Shoaib Malik competing head on,” said the official.

The official revealed that after almost a 10-year hiatus, Imran Nazir will also be playing the exhibition match to showcase his support for the Pakistan Super League.

“Each team will include four members from the Multan Sultans 2018 PSL squad, two celebrities, one member from AMK Associates, two kids from local clubs and one underprivileged youngster from Muslim Hands Foundation,” he added.

The post Wasim Akram to be in action at Multan Sultans exhibition match appeared first on Sportslinkpk.