Global News

[ad_1] Pakistan have won the toss and opted to field against India in the Super Fours stage of the Asia Cup 2023 in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Sunday. A hazy sun shone as captain Babar Azam and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma stood for the toss on the pitch as commentator Ravi Shastri looked on. After captain Babar Azam said he would bowl first, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said they would have batted anyway. Earlier, the skies looked clear at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo where arch-rivals Pakistan and India are set to clash again in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2023 on Sunday. According to a photograph posted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on its X (formerly Twitter) account, the skies appeared to be clear. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) also put up a photo exclaiming: “The skies are clear as we all gear up for an exciting contest!” Pakistan side Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam ul H...

[ad_1] The ticket sale for the Sri Lanka leg of the upcoming ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 have started today at 12 pm (noon) PST, as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday. The announcement was made through the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official social media platforms. The second phase of ticket sales for the Sri Lanka leg will commence at 6:30 pm PST on 17 August. This second phase of ticket sales will include the much-awaited fixture between Pakistan and India on 2 September. Nine matches will be held in Sri Lanka, including the final. The Sri Lanka leg will begin with the home side taking on Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on 31 August. Last week, the tickets for the Asia Cup matches in Pakistan were put on sale. This year’s Asia Cup will kick off with host Pakistan taking on Nepal in the curtain raiser on August 30 in Multan. India’s group stage matches including the anticipated clash against P...

[ad_1] New Zealand's left-arm pacer Trent Boult became the first Kiwi bowler to claim 50 wickets in the ICC World Cup 2023 following his economical spell against Sri Lanka on Thursday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Sri Lanka skipper Kusal Mendis became his 50th victim in the ODI World Cup, that too in just 28 innings. Only Australia's Mitchell Starc (19) and former Sri Lanka speedster Lasith Malinga (25) have managed to claim 50 wickets in fewer innings than him. Boult's 50th wicket also made him just the sixth bowler to do so in the ODI World Cup. Former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath is the leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup with 71 scalps to his name. He also became the third Blackcaps bowler to have more than 600 wickets in international cricket. New Zealand's star-studded pace bowling attack set the tone of the game picking up early wickets restricting Sri Lanka's hopes of putting up a massive score. [ad_2] Source link https://worldne...

[ad_1] Pakistan A outclassed India A by 128 runs in the final of the Emerging Asia Cup on Sunday in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Chasing a target of 353 runs, India A were dismissed for 224 runs in 40 overs. Spinner Sufiyan Muqeem caused all kinds of troubles for the Men in Blue by taking three important wickets including opener Abhishek Sharma, who scored 61, captain Yash Dull, who was set at 39 off 41, and Harshit Rana, 13, while conceding 66 runs in 10 overs. Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Wasim and Arshad Iqbal claimed two wickets each. For India A, opener Abhishek Sharma was the top run-scorer with 61 runs in 51 balls. Earlier, Pakistan A had set India A target of 353 runs on a good batting surface. Middle-order batter Tayyab Tahir scored a brilliant century to help Pakistan post a massive total on the board after being asked to bat first. Pakistan were in a precarious position after losing five wickets for just 187 runs but Tahir took the attack to the Indian bowlers and scored 10...

[ad_1] Naseem Shah, a key player for the Colombo Strikers, was notably absent from their crucial must-win match against the Galle Titans on Tuesday. During the toss of the aforementioned game, Chamika Karunaratne, the captain of the Colombo Strikers, said, "Naseem Shah is not playing today due to a shoulder injury." Nevertheless, Naseem has now clarified the situation, asserting that he is, in fact, not dealing with any injury. Rather, he made a deliberate choice to take a break during his team's recent LPL match. In his explanation, Naseem stated, "There is no injury or anything like that. I have been playing a lot of cricket recently, including the Sri Lanka Tests and back-to-back matches [in the LPL]. In this weather, it is very tiring, so some rest was needed. Babar also said that it would be better to take some rest because we have important matches coming up." In the Lanka Premier League standings, the Galle Titans and the Colombo Strikers hel...

[ad_1] WASHINGTON: China's agreement to restructure its loans to Sri Lanka paves the way for International Monetary Fund financing to the bankrupt island nation, the IMF said Tuesday, adding this would also speed up funding from others. "Sri Lanka has now received financing assurances from all major bilateral creditors," said Krishna Srinivasan , director of IMF's Asia and Pacific Department. This allows the fund's board to approve a loan earlier agreed upon by its staff. [ad_2] Source link https://worldnews2023.com/business/imf-china-backing-paves-way-for-sri-lanka-financing-imf-times-of-india/?feed_id=294302&_unique_id=6604deab127d2

[ad_1] Pakistan is expected to announce their 16-member Test squad in the next two days for the upcoming two-match series against Sri Lanka in July. There are a few exciting prospects who may receive their maiden Test call-up, namely Omair Yousuf and Mohammad Huraira. These young talents have shown impressive performances recently and are likely to be given an opportunity in the Test format. Omair Yousuf, a 24-year-old batsman, had an outstanding outing during Pakistan Shaheens' tour of Zimbabwe. He topped the batting charts with 348 runs from three innings, including his highest first-class score of 250 not out in the first four-day match. On the other hand, Mohammad Huraira, who has featured in 24 first-class matches, finished second on the batting charts with 242 runs from two innings, boasting an impressive average of 121. Their consistent performances have caught the attention of the selectors, leading to their potential Test call-ups. Another player likely to make...

[ad_1] Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, has responded to former Indian cricketer, Aakash Chopra's assessment that he is not yet part of the renowned Test cricket’s "Fab Four" that includes Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Joe Root. Chopra recently said that the "Fab Four" in Test cricket is no longer a valid term, as Virat Kohli's recent poor form has excluded him from the group. He added that Pakistan captain has the potential to join the group, but he hasn't reached that status just yet. During a press conference prior to the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, Azam said that his focus is on performing well and letting his name establish itself through consistent excellence on the field. "Everyone has their own point of view and opinion. My job is to perform. All the records I have broken thus far were due to my performances. My focus is to keep giving performances, so the name will keep coming everywhere by itself,"...

[ad_1] Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat against India in the Super Four match of the 2023 Asia Cup, losing by a massive margin of 228 runs in Colombo on Monday. Facing a daunting target of 357 runs, Pakistan managed only 128/8 in 32 overs, hampered by injuries to bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, who did not bat.  Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav played a pivotal role, claiming five wickets for just 25 runs, securing India's largest-ever win over Pakistan in One Day International (ODI) cricket. With this resounding victory, India secured the top spot in the Super 4 standings of the Asia Cup 2023, set to face defending champions Sri Lanka in their next Super 4 game. Despite a humiliating loss to India, Pakistan still have a chance of making it to the final of the tournament. Prior to facing India, Pakistan had convincingly defeated Bangladesh in the Super 4 phase. However, Pakistan now have only one match remaining in the Super 4 stage, against Sri Lanka. As per the ...

[ad_1] Arch-rivals Pakistan A and India A will face off in the final clash of the Emerging Asia Cup on Sunday (July 23) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue secured their spot in the much-anticipated final after defeating Bangladesh A by 51 runs in the second semi-final of the cricket tournament featuring Asia's emerging players. All of Bangladesh's young cricketers were dismissed for 160 runs in 34.2 overs while attempting to chase a target of 212 runs set by India A. Pakistan, on the other hand, defeated Sri Lanka A by 60 runs in the other semi to make it to the tournament's finals. While chasing a target of 323 runs, the home side were bowled out for 262 in 45.4 overs. Pakistani pacer Arshad Iqbal was the pick of the bowlers after claiming figures of 5-37. Mubasir Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem clinched two wickets each for the winning side. Meanwhile, during the match against Bangladesh A, India's Nishant Sindhu claimed five wickets for 20 runs in eight over...

[ad_1] Pakistan extend the lead at the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings after beating Sri Lanka in the second Test in Colombo. Pakistan are the only team with an unblemished record during the new 2023-25 WTC cycle following their 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka.   Pakistan reigns supreme 🔥 With a clean sweep in this series, they sit proudly at the top of the World Test Championship 2023-2025 leaderboard #WTC25 #PAKvSL pic.twitter.com/IDi6PyW37f — Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) July 27, 2023   Babar Azam's men have earned 24 points in two wins (12 points for each Test), with 100 percent while India, who are now No.2 on the list have 16 points (66.67%) following their 1-0 series win over West Indies. India hold on to second place on the standings, with Australia (third), England (fourth) and the West Indies (fifth) the other teams to have already featured in the World Test Championship cycle. [ad_2] Source link https://worldnews2023.co...

[ad_1] Arch-rivals Pakistan A and India A will face off in the final clash of the Emerging Asia Cup on Sunday (July 23) in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Men in Blue secured their spot in the much-anticipated final after defeating Bangladesh A by 51 runs in the second semi-final of the cricket tournament featuring Asia's emerging players. All of Bangladesh's young cricketers were dismissed for 160 runs in 34.2 overs while attempting to chase a target of 212 runs set by India A. Pakistan, on the other hand, defeated Sri Lanka A by 60 runs in the other semi to make it to the tournament's finals. While chasing a target of 323 runs, the home side were bowled out for 262 in 45.4 overs. Pakistani pacer Arshad Iqbal was the pick of the bowlers after claiming figures of 5-37. Mubasir Khan and Sufiyan Muqeem clinched two wickets each for the winning side. Meanwhile, during the match against Bangladesh A, India's Nishant Sindhu claimed five wickets for 20 runs in eight over...

[ad_1] Sri Lanka is all set to host Afghanistan's three-match ODI home series against Pakistan in August ahead of the 2023 Asia Cup, reported Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka . Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was approached and has reportedly agreed, in principle, to allow three ODIs to take place at a single venue, with the rental of their stadium. "As Afghanistan does not have any stadium, playing in Sri Lanka will be a good preparation for the Asia Cup and the World Cup to follow soon after," well-placed sources in the Kabul-based Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) told Daily Mirror. "We were also keen to host these matches in the UAE or Qatar, but it was not feasible considering the extreme heat of the climate there," the source added. Earlier this year in March, the neighbouring countries also played a three-match T20I series in Sharjah, which Afghanistan won by a margin of 2-1. [ad_2] Source link https://worldnews2023.com/stports/afghanistan-pakistan-to...

[ad_1] As day four commenced, Lankan batters were eyeing to cruise past and set a considerable target for Pakistan; however, sharp catches by Pakistan's fielders is what they didn't see coming. Today, three brilliant catches were taken as Sri Lanka lost their six batters by session two at 185. The first catch came from the skipper himself when Babar Azam took a sharp one-handed catch while fielding at first slip to dismiss Angelo Matthews, who walked back after scoring 64 (109). pic.twitter.com/9jac7y4m11 — ︎ ︎ (@PCT_Edits_) July 19, 2023 The second catch was taken by Imam-ul-Haq when Dinesh Chandimal was dismissed at 28 runs. Chandimal tried to flick it low, but the short midwicket was equal to it, where Imam grabbed a sharp low catch by diving forward. Catch of The Day From Imam ul Haq🔥💯. #ImamUlHaq #PAKvSL #SLvPAK #PAKvsSL pic.twitter.com/CMhC2Fxfkx — Shaharyar Ejaz 🏏 (@SharyOfficial) July 19, 2023 Lastly, the third catch was brilliantly taken by Abd...

[ad_1] The opening day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan at Galle on Sunday witnessed several captivating moments that kept fans and commentators on the edge of their seats. The action-packed day began with a significant milestone for Shaheen Afridi, as he secured his 100th Test wicket in the third over of Sri Lanka's innings. Afridi's impressive delivery moved away sharply, causing Madushka to nick the ball, which was comfortably caught by wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed. With this achievement, Afridi became the 19th Pakistani bowler to reach the milestone of 100 dismissals in Test cricket.   100th Test Wicket For Shaheen Afridi♥️🔥. #ShaheenAfridi #PAKvSL #SLvPAK pic.twitter.com/uTUs4WYbZb — Shaharyar Ejaz 🏏 (@SharyOfficial) July 16, 2023   Sri Lanka faced further troubles when Naseem Shah delivered an absolute ripper to dismiss the experienced Dinesh Chandimal. In the 16th over, Shah produced a brilliant delivery that slightly straightened aft...

[ad_1] Ahead of the two-match Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Sri Lanka's captain Dimuth Karunaratne, shed light on their plans to counter Pakistan's skipper Babar Azam. Acknowledging Babar's reputation as one of the best batsmen in the world across all formats, the Sri Lankan skipper expressed confidence in the team's strategy while hoping it would bear fruit on the field. Karunaratne emphasized that the team has been devising strategies to combat Babar. While keeping the specifics under wraps, the captain hinted at their intention to put him under pressure during both of the Tests. "Everyone knows he [Babar] is a great batsman, and he was in the top-five rankings in all the formats. The thing is the way he batted [on last tour]; he knew how to head up the conditions and the wickets. So we knew what we have to do against him. We have a few plans, and hopefully, we can restrict him in the first Test and in the second Test as well. We have so...

[ad_1] Pakistan captain, Babar Azam, has responded to former Indian cricketer, Aakash Chopra's assessment that he is not yet part of the renowned Test cricket’s "Fab Four" that includes Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, and Joe Root. Chopra recently said that the "Fab Four" in Test cricket is no longer a valid term, as Virat Kohli's recent poor form has excluded him from the group. He added that Pakistan captain has the potential to join the group, but he hasn't reached that status just yet. During a press conference prior to the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, Azam said that his focus is on performing well and letting his name establish itself through consistent excellence on the field. "Everyone has their own point of view and opinion. My job is to perform. All the records I have broken thus far were due to my performances. My focus is to keep giving performances, so the name will keep coming everywhere by itself,"...

[ad_1] Pakistan dominated the proceedings on the first day of the two-day warm up match against SLC Board XI on Tuesday at Hambantota. After a brilliant bowling performance that saw them dismiss the SLC Board XI for a total of 196 runs, Pakistan's opening batsmen, Imam ul Haq and Abdullah Shafique, capitalized on the team's strong bowling display and carried the momentum forward with a solid start to their innings.  Imam ul Haq played a patient innings, scoring 36 runs off 75 deliveries, while Abdullah Shafique contributed with 25 runs off 44 balls. However, it was Shan Masood who stole the limelight with an aggressive intent, scoring a quick-fire 83 runs off just 66 balls, which included nine fours and three sixes. His aggressive approach put the Sri Lankan bowlers under immense pressure and allowed Pakistan to accumulate runs at a brisk pace.   . @shani_official made 83 off 66 balls on the first day of the two-day practice match against SLC Board XI 🏏 #SLvPAK ...

[ad_1] The Test squad for Sri Lanka's upcoming two-match series against Pakistan, set to begin on July 16 in Galle, has been finalized, reported The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka . The official announcement of the squad will occur once it receives approval from the Sports Minister. Ramesh Mendis and Prabath Jayasuriya will spearhead the spin attack, as the selectors have decided to exclude left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya and replace him with Praveen Jayawickrama. The squad will include three pacers: Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, and Kasun Rajitha. However, it has been revealed that Asitha, who is currently recovering from dengue fever, will only be available for the second Test. In his absence, left-arm seamer, Dilshan Madushanka, is expected to take his place. The batting line-up will consist of players who recently participated in the series against Ireland, meaning Pathum Nissanka will not be part of the squad. The selectors have chosen Nishan Madushka to open the...

[ad_1] The Pakistan cricket team kicked off their training camp on Tuesday in Karachi for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka later this month. The camp currently includes 16 players, including captain Babar Azam, pacer Naseem Shah, and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed. Hasan Ali and Shan Masood will join the camp tomorrow. Despite not being part of the Test squad, spinner Zahid Mahmood and Sajid Ali have also been invited to participate in the camp. Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batsman, was unable to attend the first session of the camp due to personal reasons but is expected to join later in the day. Head coach Grant Bradburn is supervising the camp. Batting coach Andrew Puttick gave full attention to the batters during practice. Furthermore, fielding coach Aftab Khan supervised the players' catching practice. The players will be allowed to leave the camp on Friday evening to attend Haris Rauf's wedding in Islamabad. They will reassemble...