Sana Mir takes centre-stage with bell-ringing at Lord's
Sana Mir, former captain of Pakistan's women's cricket team and a newly inducted ICC Hall of Famer, was given the honour of ringing the bell at Lord's on Thursday, marking the start of day two of the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa.
The ceremonial bell ringing, a cherished tradition at the 'Home of Cricket' since 2007, is performed by a notable former player to signal the commencement of daily play in a Test match.
Sana took centre stage to perform the ritual ahead of the second day's play, symbolising the beginning of another action-packed day.
Her appearance was met with warm applause from fellow cricketers, officials and spectators present at Lord's.
The WTC final, contested between Australia and South Africa, continued under clear skies as Sana's symbolic gesture set the tone for another riveting day of red-ball cricket at the historic ground.
Sana's bell-ringing honour came shortly after her induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, recognising her exceptional international career.
She represented Pakistan in 226 matches and captained the side in over a hundred fixtures, becoming a trailblazer for women's cricket in the country.
It is pertinent to mention that Sana was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame just days earlier, becoming the first woman cricketer from Pakistan to receive this honour.
The former off-spinner, who served Pakistan cricket for nearly 15 years, is also only the 14th female cricketer globally to be included in the elite list.
Overall, she is the eighth Pakistani cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of legends such as Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Zaheer Abbas, Waqar Younis, and Hanif Mohammad.
Mohammad Yousuf resigns from coaching duties
Former Pakistan captain and renowned batter, Mohammad Yousuf, has stepped down from his coaching duties at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), concluding his latest association with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Sources confirmed that Yousuf submitted his resignation to the PCB earlier this week, citing personal commitments as the primary reason for his decision to leave.
The 50-year-old, who was previously involved with the men's national team, had served as the batting coach during Pakistan's recent tour of New Zealand.
Yousuf's appointment as NCA batting coach was aimed at nurturing the next generation of Pakistan's batters.
Though the PCB has yet to release an official statement, insiders suggest Yousuf's departure was amicable, with the possibility of future collaboration left open.
As the PCB continues to refine its coaching structure in light of upcoming international assignments, Yousuf's exit is expected to prompt further reshuffling within the development pathways at the NCA.
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