Latest news with #ChampionsTrophy2017
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Mohammad Amir charges towards Viv Richards after dismissing Babar Azam; West Indies legend tells him to…
While the Indian Premier League continues to stand out as the most popular T20 league in the world, the Pakistan Super League across the border is producing some impressive cricket. The evergreen beauty of these leagues is how they pit their teammates against each other. Last night, in Delhi, KL Rahul was up against Virat Kohli, and the two had a bit of a heated exchange in the middle. Similarly, in the PSL too, two of Pakistan cricket's most prominent names squared off when Mohammad Amir bowled to Babar Azam during the Quetta Gladiators vs Peshawar Zalmi match on Sunday. Amir gave Babar a testing time. He bowled four balls to Babar, all of which caused the former Pakistan captain to struggle. Amir's first ball was a bouncer, striking Babar flush on the crash helmet. The batter underwent a concussion test, but things didn't improve. Babar just managed a single off Amir's bowling before his time in the middle ended. A vicious inswinger from the left-arm pacer rapped Babar on the pads, and the batter was stone dead. Up went the finger in a jiffy, and Babar was on his way back. However, Amir's celebration took the cake. The veteran pacer was over the moon and charged towards the Gladiators' dugout, where mentor Viv Richards was present. Amir gestured at Richards in celebration of the wicket, but the West Indies legend told him to keep calm, chill out and continue with the good work. Amir finished with 1/18 but it was his teammate Faheem Ashraf, who stole the show with a five-wicket-haul. Faheem bagged 5/33 from 3.3 overs to help the Gladiators beat Zalmi by a whopping 64 runs. Babar, with 117 runs, is not even in the top 10 of the highest run-getters list in PSL 2025, whereas Amir is placed 12th with 7 wickets. As for their teams, Zalmi is struggling, in fourth place, with two wins from six matches. The Gladiators are doing better than Zalmi, but at third with six points, aren't completely out of the woods yet. "Babar Azam will soon regain his form. A king is one who rules over all. No matter how good a batter you are, everyone goes through a rough patch. This is not the first time he's faced such a phase. Babar is a very good player," Richards told Cricket Pakistan. "I am sure he will get back to form very soon. I believe when you watch players like Kohli and Babar, they appear to do justice to the game of cricket." Amir had expressed his desire to play the Indian Premier League. In fact, the hero of Pakistan's Champions Trophy 2017 final, Amir, in a stunning take, pointed out that he is close to playing the IPL next year. It is to be noted that no Pakistan cricketer has played in the IPL, barring the first edition back in 2008. Since the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, Pakistani cricketers have been banned from participating in the IPL. Amir may sound hopeful of changing it, but it is unlikely to change given the recent unfortunate incident in Pahalgam.
NDTV
22-04-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Far From Finished": Pakistan Pacer Hasan Ali Sends Big Message; Eyes National Team Comeback
Karachi King's speedster Hasan Ali sent a strong message to the selection committee by assuring he is "far from finished" and wants to contribute "more" to Pakistan by carrying his scorching form in Pakistan Super League to national duties. With his indefatigable spells, Hasan has served as Karachi's pace spearhead in the 10th edition of the PSL. A simple bowling action, variable pace, and a blend of variations have been the prime factors behind his success in Pakistan's premier T20 tournament. The 30-year-old, who has been out of favour since last representing Pakistan in the T20Is on May 14, 2024, against Ireland, is eyeing a comeback with a strong will to contribute more to the national team. "I'm 30, far from finished. I want to contribute more to Pakistan, but I know selection depends on performance. My job is to keep delivering," Hasan said while speaking to Geo News. He has dazzled with the white ball for Karachi with his influential spells and is the second-highest leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 10 scalps from five innings, averaging 16.00 while maintaining an economy of 8.00. While decoding the ingredients behind his success, Hasan attributed his technical enhancement to rigorous sessions under the guidance of Pakistan's coaching staff at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). "I identified flaws in my bowling, worked on my basics, and modified or remodified a few things," he explained. "Simultaneously, I focused on my diet and injury management, which collectively made a big impact," he said. Hasan, a key member behind Pakistan's success in the Champions Trophy 2017, emphasised the importance of domestic cricket for players who are aiming to re-earn their spot in the national team. "When you're dropped, domestic cricket is your only path back. I've been through that phase, and it's where you prove yourself again," he said. Hasab is currently operating under David Warner's leadership and gaining valuable experience. He made his captaincy ambitions clear by claiming that he would embrace the opportunity with both hands whenever the opportunity presented itself. "If I'm ever considered for captaincy, I'll embrace it with both hands. Right now, I'm gaining valuable experience under Warner's leadership," he said. Listen to the latest songs, only on
Express Tribune
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Babar, Shami break records during blockbuster clash
Babar Azam on Sunday, added another feather to his cap as he became just the third Pakistan batter to score more than a thousand runs in 50-over ICC tournaments. The right-handed batter achieved the milestone during the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 blockbuster clash against arch-rivals India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Although Babar could muster 23 runs from 26 deliveries with the help of five boundaries, it was enough for the star batter to breach the 1000-run barrier in 50-over ICC tournaments, joining the likes of legendary Saeed Anwar and Javed Miandad. Legendary opener Anwar tops the list with 1204 runs, followed by Miandad with 1083, while Babar is at third with 1014 runs. Meanwhile, Babar is the fastest to amass the milestone, taking 24 innings, one fewer than Anwar. Fastest to 1000 runs in ICC ODI events for Pakistan: Babar Azam: 24 innings Saeed Anwar: 25 innings Javed Miandad: 30 innings Babar kicked off his ICC tournament's journey with the Champions Trophy 2017, where he scored 133 runs in five innings and played a crucial role in his team's title victory. The right-handed batter had a breakout tournament, the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019, during which he accumulated 474 runs at a brilliant average of 67 with the help of a century. He then had a relatively quiet outing in the next edition of the mega event in 2023, where he could pile up 320 runs in nine innings at an average of 40. Babar then scored a scratchy half-century in the curtain raiser of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 against New Zealand, which drew severe criticism from fans and cricket pundits. Shami's unwanted record India's experienced pacer Mohammed Shami found himself on an unwanted list of bowlers as he bowled a forgetful over in the game. Shami, who opened the attack for India in the highly-anticipated clash, bowled 11 deliveries in his first over, the joint most by an Indian bowler in ODIs. The right-arm pacer struggled to maintain his line as he bowled five wides on either side of the wicket. As a result, Shami joined fellow pacers Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan, who had also bowled 11 deliveries in an over in 2006 and 2003, respectively. Most balls bowled in an over for India in an ODI (including wides and no balls) Mohammed Shami - 11 v PAK, Dubai today Irfan Pathan - 11 v WI, Kingston 2006 Zaheer Khan - 11 v AUS, Wankhede 2003 Notably, all three instances occurred during the first over of the innings. Adding further to his woes, the right-arm pacer presumably picked up an ankle injury in his third over and required medical attention. Although, he managed to complete his said over and conceded only three runs he could not continue for the fourth and was consequently replaced by Hardik Pandya, who provided India a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing Babar Azam on 23.
Int'l Cricket Council
23-02-2025
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
LIVE: Pakistan face-off India in high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter
It's All On The Line as arch-rivals India and Pakistan lock horns in the fifth game at Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and opted to bat first. The Dubai International Stadium will play host to the grand contest in Group A, with Pakistan in desperate search of a win, having lost their opening contest against Black Caps by 60 runs at the fiercely contested eight-team tournament. The loss means Pakistan are virtually facing a knockout against their old rivals. WATCH: All on the Line Preview | PAK v IND | Champions Trophy 2025 All on the Line Preview | PAK v IND | Champions Trophy 2025 India, on the other hand, kickstarted their campaign with a six-wicket win over Bangladesh. The victory saw Mohammed Shami notch a five-wicket haul, and become India's leading wicket-taker at ICC ODI tournaments while Shubman Gill starred with the bat and nabbed a century. MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Gill and Shami get India off to a winning start against Bangladesh Gill and Shami get India off to a winning start | Match Highlights | Champions Trophy 2025 The two teams have previously faced each other five times at the Champions Trophy, with Pakistan holding the edge over India having won thrice including their last meeting at the tournament back in 2017 that saw the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led side lift the trophy for the first time. WATCH: Pakistan stuns India to win Champions Trophy 2017 Pakistan: Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan(w/c), Salman Agha, Tayyab Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Abrar Ahmed More on Pakistan's squad India: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav More on India's squad ICC Champions Trophy, 2025 News India Pakistan
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Fakhar, Amir recall iconic CT win
The Desert Vipers' latest season of Straight Up with Vipers kicked off with an engaging episode featuring Pakistani cricket stars Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Amir. The duo reflected on their unforgettable performances in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy, particularly the final against India, which secured Pakistan's historic win. Fakhar Zaman, who played a crucial role in the final, reminisced about his game-changing century. His knock of 114 runs came after a lucky escape when he was dismissed off a no-ball early in his innings. Reflecting on the moment, Fakhar revealed that he had jokingly wished for such luck before the match, which later turned into reality. "When I said that, it was just a casual comment during a conversation with my teammates. No one really took it seriously. But when it actually happened, everyone started saying I had seen it in my dreams!" he laughed. His stellar performance propelled Pakistan to a massive total of 338, laying the foundation for a famous victory. Mohammad Amir played an equally vital role, delivering one of the most memorable spells in Pakistan's cricket history. The left-arm pacer dismantled India's top order by dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan in quick succession. "Honestly, that pitch wasn't swinging much. Even in the morning, there wasn't a lot of movement," Amir said. "But I had this feeling that something special was going to happen. When I got Rohit out first, the energy just kept building," he added. Amir recalled that when Virat Kohli fell, he was almost certain that Pakistan had secured the match. "The moment Kohli got out, I thought, 'We've won 60% of the game.' It was a surreal feeling." he remarked. After lifting the trophy, both players were overwhelmed by the celebrations back home. Fakhar recalled struggling to exit the airport due to the massive crowds, while Amir described the joyous scenes in the streets of Karachi. "I didn't realize the magnitude of what we had achieved until we landed in Pakistan. People came from all over to celebrate with us," said Fakhar. The Champions Trophy 2017 remains one of Pakistan's greatest cricketing achievements, and both Amir and Fakhar cherish their contributions to the historic win. Shaheen ready to defend Pakistan's left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed his determination to successfully defend the prestigious ICC Men's Champions Trophy title, stating he wants to wear the iconic white jacket. In a video shared by the apex cricketing body, Afridi recalled the national team's historic victory in June 2017 after a one-sided final against arch-rivals India at The Oval. The left-arm pacer revealed that he was playing Under-19 cricket for Pakistan back then and watched the blockbuster clash on TV. "I was playing for Pakistan U-19 when we won the Champions Trophy in 2017. I watched that game on TV, and it was a special moment for our country," he stated. Shaheen Shah Afridi then shared his plans for the upcoming eight-team tournament, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9, and hailed experienced pacer Mohammad Amir and top-order batter Fakhar Zaman for their contributions in the final. "I want us to wear that white coat again after the final this time. I can never forget Fakhar Zaman's innings, which changed the game completely, and Mohammad Amir's spell," he added. "Everyone contributed to the win, but those performances stand out. I believe it was a team effort, and we need that again. We want to win the title once more and keep the trophy at home." For the unversed, Zaman's blistering century in the final helped Pakistan amass a massive total of 338/4 before Amir's fierce opening spell dismantled India's strong top order, which eventually resulted in the defending champions being bowled out for a meagre 158.
