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Pak vs Aus: Usman Khawaja hundred propels Australia to 251-3 in Karachi

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3 years ago

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  • Usman Khawaja smashes 11th test hundred.
  • He forges 159-run partnership with Steve Smith.
  • Steve Smith makes 72 before falling to Hasan Ali.

KARACHI: Usman Khawaja smashed his 11th test hundred and forged a 159-run partnership with Steve Smith to power Australia to 251 for three on the opening day of the second test against Pakistan on Saturday.

Islamabad-born Khawaja had fallen agonisingly short of a hundred in the opening test in Rawalpindi where he top-scored for his side with a breezy 97.

The elegant left-hander made amends in Karachi where he shelved the reverse sweep and made an unbeaten 127, which included 13 fours and a six.

Smith made 72 before falling to Hasan Ali in the penultimate over of the day.

Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon had yet to open his account.

“It would’ve been nice to have Smith there at the end too but we had a good partnership,” Khawaja said. “We’ve still got plenty of batting to come.

“It started to reverse in the second session and made it tough to score against the pace bowlers.”

Earlier, Australia got off to a strong start after Pat Cummins elected to bat on a dry surface at the National Stadium.

Khawaja looked in sublime touch and scored freely on the leg-side after being fed regularly on his pad.

His opening partner David Warner was less convincing, though, surviving a couple of LBW appeals and getting hit on his shoulder by a short delivery from Hasan Ali.

Warner hit Sajid Khan for a six to bring up Australia’s 50 in the 11th over.

Sajid conceded two more sixes in his fourth over, prompting Pakistan captain Babar Azam to take the spinner out of the attack.

Seamer Faheem Ashraf broke the 82-run opening stand with a back of a length delivery that Warner, who made 36, could only edge to Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.

Pakistan tasted a second success soon afterwards when Sajid ran out Marnus Labuschagne for a duck with a direct throw from mid-off.

Khawaja and Smith steadied the ship batting through the second session.

Khawaja took a single off Nauman Ali to bring up his third hundred in four tests since his recall in January after more than two years’ absence.

Pakistan spinners resorted to a negative line after tea, bowling way down the leg side, to stem the run flow and the batsmen were happy to just pad them away.

“In the last session, they bowled pretty leg side and had some negative plans to see if we’d play some shots,” Khawaja said.

“We decided not to and didn’t want to give them any free wickets.”

Smith, who made 78 in Rawalpindi, once again failed to convert his fifty into a hundred and edged Hasan for Faheem to take a low one-handed catch at second slip.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson makes his test debut, joining Lyon in Australia’s two-man spin attack with Josh Hazlewood sitting out.

Teams:

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (captain), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon

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Sumair Ahmad is named the 2025 Champions Trophy Director by PCB.

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10 hours ago

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PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi commented on the appointment, saying, “Sumair is a highly organized professional with a wealth of administrative expertise.” He will undoubtedly give players, officials, and fans alike an amazing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, especially when combined with his unshakable love for cricket.

He continued, “The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 promises to showcase Pakistan’s ability to host world-class cricketing events, welcoming players and fans from around the globe to experience the country’s renowned hospitality and passion for the game.”

The BCCI informed the ICC earlier this month that it will not be sending a side to the event, which is set for 2025 in Pakistan during the February–March season.

After the PCB asked for clarity in its letter regarding the BCCI’s unwillingness to tour Pakistan, the ICC requested India’s justifications for not inviting Pakistan to compete for the Champions Trophy.

The broadcasters, meanwhile, reportedly pushed the ICC to make the Champions Trophy 2025 schedule available right away.

Due to the Indian government’s refusal to send a delegation to Pakistan for the event, the schedule that was supposed to be issued on November 12 was postponed.

The broadcasting rights, which were given to broadcasters for a record $3 billion until 2027, are heavily dependent on the success of the main events, especially those involving India and Pakistan, which regularly attract the largest audiences.

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India withdraws from the World Cup of Blind T20 Cricket in Pakistan

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Adding to the issue surrounding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian government refused to allow their squad to travel to Pakistan for the Blind Cricket T20 World Cup, which is set to start in Lahore on November 23.

According to Indian media, India, the reigning champion, would not go to Pakistan to play in the Blind T20 World Cup 2024 since the government has not given its approval.

Lahore and Multan are set to host the Blind T20 World Cup 2024 from November 23 to December 3.

The general secretary of the Indian Blind Cricket Association (IBCA), Sailendra Yadav, recently discussed the upsetting news about the blind cricket team’s upcoming trip to Pakistan in an interview with India Today.

The team was given a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Sports Ministry, but the Ministry of External Affairs finally refused to allow them to enter the border, Yadav revealed.

Yadav stated, “We have been waiting for the government to give us permission to travel to Pakistan for the past 25 days.”

“We will not be receiving any authorization to travel to Pakistan, and we can cancel your tournament,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed us over the phone.

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Aaqib Javed designated as interim head coach for white-ball formats of Pakistan

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2 days ago

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On Monday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the hiring of former fast bowler Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team till the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Throughout this period, Aaqib will maintain his role as a senior member of the men’s National Selection Committee and will be allocated more responsibilities upon the completion of the eight-team tournament.

The PCB will commence the recruitment process for a permanent white-ball head coach, with the objective of finalising the appointment before the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy, which is set to take place from 19 February to 9 March.

The white-ball coaching position became available with Gary Kirsten’s departure last month, prior to the current tour of Australia.

In Kirsten’s absence, red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie led the team during the tour of Australia and will now return for the forthcoming two-Test series in South Africa.

The Pakistan men’s team is set to compete in three ODIs and three T20Is in Zimbabwe from November 24 to December 5, followed by an equal number of white-ball matches in South Africa from December 10 to 22.

Prior to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa for an ODI triangular series from February 8 to 14.

Aaqib Javed had considerable coaching expertise, having formerly held the position of Pakistan’s bowling coach during their triumphant ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2009. Earlier this year, he served as the bowling coach for the Sri Lanka men’s squad.

Before that, he managed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in achieving ODI status and qualifying for the ICC World Cup 2015 in Australia during his term as head coach.

Additionally, the right-arm fast bowler served as the coach of Pakistan’s Under-19 squad during their victory in the U19 World Cup in 2004.

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