Latest news with #PakistanPakistan
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Hasan and Agha lead new-look Pakistan to 37-run win over Bangladesh in T20
Fast bowler Hasan Ali grabbed a 5-30 and led a new-look Pakistan T20 cricket team to a thumping 37-run win over Bangladesh in the opening game of their three-match series. Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha made a career-best 56 as Pakistan posted a competitive 201-7 after Agha won the toss and elected to bat in Mike Hesson's first assignment as Pakistan's new white-ball head coach. Hasan, playing only his second Twenty20 international in more than 2-1/2 years, dismissed both openers with the new ball and claimed three more wickets in the death overs to bowl out Bangladesh for 164 in 19.2 overs. Pakistan dropped seasoned batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in a bid to look for youngsters, who could bat aggressively — especially in the power play. The selectors also overlooked fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the home series despite the left-arm fast bowler leading Lahore Qalandars to their third Pakistan Super League title in four years last Sunday (June 1, 2025). Hasan rocks BangladeshIn the absence of Afridi, Hasan provided Pakistan early breakthroughs despite Tanzid Hasan smashing three sixes and two fours in his brisk 31-run knock off 17 balls. Parvez Hossain Emon, who scored a century against United Arab Emirates in a T20 last week, could score only four as he mistimed a pull shot against Hasan and was caught on the edge of the circle. Tanzid's aggression was also cut short by Hasan's knuckle ball as the left-hander got deceived by slowness of the delivery and was clean bowled in the fourth over. Skipper Litton Das (48) and Towhid Hridoy (17) combined in a 63-run stand off 48 balls but the asking rate always kept creeping as Shadab Khan bowled a tidy four-over spell of 2-26. Das was smartly caught at point by Fakhar Zaman as he tried to square cut Shadab in the 12th over and Hridoy was out plumb leg before wicket when he tried to play across the line against left-arm spinner Khushdil Shah in the next over. Jaker Ali countercharged briefly with 36 off 20 balls that included three sixes and a boundary but was caught at short fine leg as he tried to play Hasan's short ball but top-edged to Abrar Ahmed. Hasan also took a brilliant running catch to dismiss Tanzim Hasan Sakib before he finished off Bangladesh innings when No. 11 Shoriful Islam was caught at long-off. Agha and Shadab spur PakistanPakistan had a bumpy start when Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman, both returning to international cricket after injuries, fell inside the first eight balls. Saim offered a tame return catch off the first ball he faced against Mahedi Hasan and Zaman played Shoriful across the line and was adjudged leg before wicket. But Mohammad Haris, replacing wicket-keeper batter Rizwan, didn't hold back and counterpunched in the power play with a brisk 31 off 18 balls. Fast bowler Tanzim intelligently varied his pace and dismissed Haris soon after the powerplay before Agha and Pakistan's new T20 batting sensation Hasan Nawaz took charge. Agha smashed eight fours and a six while Nawaz, who was adjudged PSL player of the tournament, smashed four sixes and a two fours in his belligerent 44 runs off just 22 balls. Agha fell to a soft dismissal when he chipped an easy catch to extra cover of Mahmud's high full toss while Nawaz smashed Rishad Hossain for two fours and a six before offering a straightforward catch to the spinner in the 14th over. But Shadab took charge in the final four overs as Pakistan scored 51 off the last 23 balls before Shadab holed out at mid-on off the penultimate ball. All the six Bangladesh bowlers were amongst the wickets with Shoriful bagging 2-32, but Rishad returned with expensive figures of 1-55. Lahore will also host the remaining two games on Friday (May 30, 2025) and Sunday (June 1, 2025).
Al Jazeera
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Who will win the tournament?
Pride, bragging rights and a $2.24m winner's cheque will be on the line when the world's top eight one-day international teams meet in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, beginning on Wednesday. Pakistan won the last edition in 2017, defeating India in the final at The Oval in England. This time around, Pakistan will look to celebrate the return of a major ICC event to their country after 29 years by winning the crown in front of an adoring home crowd. Meanwhile, T20 world champions India will have their eyes set on avenging that devastating 180-run defeat to Pakistan eight years ago and are eyeing a second successive ICC title in two years. Unassuming New Zealand will count themselves amongst the contenders after their impressive win in the tri-nation series hosted in Pakistan, which also included South Africa. Australia's loss of their talismanic captain Pat Cummins, as well as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh, has seen them slump into disarray and out of contention for the title. Here's a look at the three favourites for victory at the ICC Champions Trophy: India Best result: Champions (2002, 2013) ODI ranking: 1 Players to watch: Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya The 50-over World Cup in 2023 was set to be India's crowning glory on home soil, until Australia turned the tables on the undefeated host nation and walked away with the title on November 19, 2023. Rohit Sharma's men brushed aside that crushing final loss, regrouped, and just seven months later were crowned T20 world champions. In the past year, India have been in scintillating form in limited overs cricket, managing to separate their dismal Test performances to keep dominating opposing teams in T20 and ODI formats. Their recent 3-0 drubbing of England in a home ODI series, as well as the prolific run-scoring form of top-order batter Shubman Gill, make India the leading contenders for the Champions Trophy title. Kuldeep Yadav's wily leg-break bowling and Hardik Pandya's ever-reliable all-round form make the two-time champions the side to beat in the star-studded eight-team tournament. Pakistan Pakistan cricket's never-ending rollercoaster ride of coach and captain sackings, embarrassing losses and inexplicable wins make any predictions on their performance seem foolish. However, the men in green will relish the opportunity of winning their first ICC title at home and provide some respite to their faithful fans. Pakistan have won their last three bilateral ODI series away from home, including a 2-1 triumph over world champions Australia and a 3-0 trouncing of a formidable South Africa side. Mohammad Rizwan's team boast an array of match-winning players, including star batter Babar Azam, fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi and hero of their 2017 title-winning run, Fakhar Zaman. Should all three players find their best form in front of a passionate and cricket-deprived home crowd, Pakistan will have more than a puncher's chance of retaining the title they won eight years ago. New Zealand Best result: Champions (2000) ODI ranking: 4 Players to watch: Kane Williamson, Matt Henry, Mitchell Santner New Zealand have found themselves in the knockout stages of all but one of the last five ICC limited-overs World Cups but have yet to make the most of their chances. The Blackcaps have not won an ICC tournament since the 2000 edition of the Champions Trophy, but under the shrewd leadership of all-rounder Mitchell Santner and the return to form of former captain Kane Williamson, New Zealand will be confident of turning the tide this time. They enter the tournament on the back of a comfortable tri-nation series win in Pakistan. Their top batters have rediscovered run-scoring form and their pace bowlers have managed to sneak in wickets at the right time. New Zealand's fitness and fielding standards will be an added advantage when they face-off against top South Asian sides at the tournament.
