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[ad_1] Bazid Khan has exposed the Pakistan Cricket Board's double standards in handling Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi.  Chief selector Wahab Riaz had criticized Haris Rauf for opting out of the Test squad for workload reasons.  “Haris Rauf was initially picked for the tour but he refused to partake in it, citing workload concerns. We spoke to Haris about this tour two days ago, and he gave his consent to playing Tests for Pakistan. However, he changed his mind last night and didn't want to be a part of this Australia Test series,” Wahab had claimed during announcement of Pakistan squad for Australia series. However, now Pakistan has rested Shaheen Afridi for the final Test against Australia, prioritizing T20Is over Tests, despite the World Test Championship implications. Bazid highlighted the inconsistency, emphasizing that PCB expressed disappointment when Rauf chose T20s over Tests, yet they themselves rest their premier fast bowler for T20Is.  “PCB were so disa...

[ad_1] In the midst of Pakistan's challenging performance in the ongoing Test series against Australia, left-handed batter Saim Ayub emerged as a beacon of promise. The 21- year-old cricketer has captured the attention of cricket fraternity, drawing praise for his impressive display during the third day of the Sydney Test. Indian cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle expressed his delight in watching Saim Ayub play, noting there is something special about the young talent.  Really enjoying watching Saim Ayub. Something about him. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 5, 2024 Former England captain, Michael Vaughan, went a step further, predicting that Ayub is destined to be a cricket superstar. Despite his early dismissal in the current match, Vaughan's endorsement reflects the high expectations cricket enthusiasts have for Ayub's future. Saim Ayub will be a superstar .. #AUSvsPAK .. Gone early on this one .. — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) January 5, 20...

[ad_1] Babar Azam faced a challenging year in Test cricket, encountering a notable downturn in his batting performance, especially in the red-ball format. Throughout the entirety of 2023, he found himself unable to secure a Test half-century in nine innings, marking the first instance since his debut that he failed to achieve this milestone in a calendar year. His struggles persisted in the second Test against Australia at the renowned Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In a match where Pakistan had a daunting 317-run target set by Australia, Babar managed to score 41 runs before falling victim to Josh Hazlewood's delivery, succumbing to a clean bowled dismissal. This continued a trend seen in the first innings, where Babar Azam was similarly dismissed by Pat Cummins after scoring only one run. The right-handed batsman misjudged the ball, resulting in his stumps being disturbed as he was bowled out, reflecting the challenges he faced with the bat in the match and the year a...

[ad_1] David Warner made crucial 57 runs in his farewell Test innings to chase 130 runs set by Pakistan for Australia’s victory that also ensured the hosts clean sweep the series 3-0 on Saturday. Aussies beat the visitors by eight wickets in the last innings, drawing a curtain to the latter’s hopes to end a run of 16 successive losses in Australia since 1995. Pakistan could add just 47 runs to their overnight tally at the cost of the last three wickets, to be dismissed for 115 an hour before lunch. Playing his 112th match before retiring from the format, Warner shared a hug with opening partner and childhood friend Usman Khawaja at the boundary rope and was given a guard of honour by the tourists as he came to the crease. Khawaja departed lbw for a duck in the opening over, but Warner played like a man on a mission and was soon cutting the ball through the covers in trademark style for his first four. He brought up his 37th Test half century with a single to square leg, an...

[ad_1] A currency dealer monitors exchange rates in a trading room at KEB Hana Bank in Seoul on June 21, 2021. JUNG YEON-JE | AFP via Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets fell Wednesday, with stocks in South Korea and Taiwan leading declines as major tech firms including chipmakers came under pressure after Barclays downgraded Apple . Apple shares  dropped  4% on Tuesday, after  Barclays cut the iPhone maker's rating to underweight and trimmed its price target to $160 from $161. Apple suppliers in major Asia markets fell, weighing down indexes in Taiwan and South Korea. South Korea's Kospi closed 2.34% lower at 2,607.31, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 0.84% to end at 871.57. Most technology and chip stocks including Samsung Electronics, LG Corporation and SK Hynix fell about 3% each. The Taiwan Weighted Index shed 1.65%, with shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company down 2.53% and Hon Hai, known internationally as Foxconn, falling 0.48%. India's factory a...

[ad_1] Pakistan announced 12 players for the second Test Against Australia, which will take place in Melbourne from December 26. Pakistan, who are 1-0 down in the three-Test series, will announce their final XI tomorrow. Sarfaraz Ahmed, who could only score seven runs in the first Test, has been replaced by Mohammad Rizwan. Prior to the Melbourne Test, Sarfaraz played innings of 35 and 10 runs in a two-day match. In contrast, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan demonstrated his batting skills by scoring an impressive 50 runs in the first innings of the two-day match. All-rounder Faheem Ashraf has also been dropped, meanwhile pacers Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali have been included in the squad. Pakistan squad for second Test Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi (vc), Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal, Sajid Khan Remember, Pakistan were facing a selection dilemma in the bowling department. Spinne...

[ad_1] Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi was in awe of Australia's Glenn Maxwell, who smashed the fastest-ever World Cup century against the Netherlands at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium. Boom Boom is expecting middle-order batter Iftikhar Ahmed to play the same way Maxwell did as he has those skills similar to Australian all-rounder. "What an innings by Glenn Maxwell today, its a showcase of top class power hitting, well deserved win for Australia," Afridi posted on X. "I expect Iftikhar Ahmad to play a similar role for our team, he definitely has the capability to do so and the pitches are curated for power hitting, we all need you to fire up now," he added. Remember, Glenn Maxwell showed no mercy to the Netherlands bowlers and hit them to all parts of the ground. He completed his ton in just 40 balls. The 35-year-old came to bat when the Aussies were 266-4 in 38 overs after they had just lost the wicket of Josh Inglis. Maxwell came in ...

[ad_1] MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo has died at the age of 46, according to a message from his family and a statement from the broadcaster of the show. Zonfrillo, a Scottish-Australian father of four who was a judge on the popular TV cooking competition, was found dead by police in Melbourne in the early hours of Monday. "With completely shattered hearts and without knowing how we can possibly move through life without him, we are devastated to share that Jock passed away," his family said in a statement on social media. Jock Zonfrillo attends the Good Food Guide Awards at Crown Palladium on October 8, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia.  Photo by Sam Tabone/WireImage via Getty "For those who crossed his path, became his mate, or were lucky enough to be his family, keep this proud Scot in your hearts when you have your next whisky." ...

[ad_1] Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle expressed great admiration for two standout players from the Pakistani cricket team during the ongoing Australian tour.  In a post on X, Bhogle lauded the performances of Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal. "Pakistan may have lost the series (they should win this test though) but have two fine talents to show at the end of it. Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal," Bhogle wrote on X. Pakistan may have lost the series (they should win this test though) but have two fine talents to show at the end of it. Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal. — Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 5, 2024 Aamer Jamal picked up 12 wickets in the first two Tests of the series and chipped in with an 82-run knock and helped Pakistan score 313 runs in the first innings of the ongoing New Year’s Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Jamal continued his stellar performance by securing a six-wicket haul with the ball, elevating his total wickets to 18 in the series. Notably, ...

[ad_1] Glenn Maxwell showed no mercy to the Netherlands bowlers and hit them to all parts of the ground during the 24th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 between Australia and the Netherlands at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, India, on Wednesday. Maxwell scored the fastest hundred in the history of the World Cup as the right-handed batter completed his ton in just 40 balls. The 35-year-old came to bat when the Aussies were 266-4 in 38 overs after they had just lost the wicket of Josh Inglis. Maxwell came in and started hitting the Dutch bowlers and scored 106 runs in total off just 44 deliveries courtesy of 17 boundaries, nine fours and eight sixes. The Dutch bowlers had no answer to the rapid knock by Maxwell and looked helpless as he kept on terrorising them for 10 overs, building a 103-run partnership with his skipper Pat Cummins. The fastest World Cup century's record belonged to South Africa's Aidan Markram who scored a ton on 49 balls against Sri Lanka in the...

[ad_1] Skipper Rohit Sharma said he was bored of talking about India's pitches after the hosts lost the third Test to Australia on a wickedly turning Indore track on Friday. "This pitch talk is getting too much. Every time we play in India it's always about the pitch," Rohit told reporters after his side's nine-wicket loss. Rohit highlighted the first Test between South Africa and the West Indies, which ended inside three days on a fast Centurion surface on Thursday, and said that batting-friendly tracks, like the ones in Pakistan’s home Test series, produced "boring" contests. "People have to play well for the game to last for 5 days. Games are not lasting for five days even outside India. Yesterday, in South Africa, the game got over in three days. If the pitches are helping the bowlers, the batters need to try and test their skills," Rohit said. "It's not about always making sure that we are playing on flat pitches and the...

[ad_1] Australia paused a major military exercise with the United States on Saturday, after a defence helicopter taking part in the drills crashed into the Pacific leaving four aircrew missing. Accoring to international media reports, australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said the MRH-90 Taipan went down late Friday night in sub-tropical waters near Hamilton Island, Queensland. It had been taking part in the vast Talisman Sabre exercise, which features 30,000 military personnel from Australia, the United States and several other nations. "As we speak to you now, the four aircrew are yet to be found" Marles said after a nearly overnight search, which is set to continue Saturday. "The families of the four aircrew have been notified of this incident and our hopes and thoughts are very much with the aircrew and their families," Marles added. Officials have not yet said what caused the incident, which came as the Talisman Sabre excercise was enteri...

[ad_1] Preparing for UPSC? Here are the top news of the past week (Representative image) UPSC GK capsule: Here is a list of significant highlights from this week that you may read in order to better prepare yourself for any upcoming exams From UPSC Civil Services to SSC recruitment exams, from college admissions to group discussions, general knowledge questions mark a significant part of almost every exam. For candidates preparing to crack an exam or those who need to get their news in a compact form, News18 offers a weekly column - GK Capsule. While we provide you a weekly news wrap, to get more information on a specific topic or an exam, reach out at @news18dotcom. The UPSC CSE prelims in 2023 are less than 100 days away. Thus, aspirants need to buckle to take up what is considered one of the toughest exams not just in India but around the globe. Almost every competitive test in India, including UPSC, has a significant portion of current events and general awareness. Reading up ...

[ad_1] Pakistan’s Test captain Shan Masood has revealed the batting order for the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, which will see him playing at number three. Shan Masood talked to the media after the trophy unveiling ceremony for the four-day match between Pakistan and Australian Prime Minister XI, which is set to start tomorrow. The newly appointed Pakistan’s Test skipper stated that Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique will continue to open the innings while Babar Azam will bat at number four. “We will continue with the same batting order from the last Test series. Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique are settled as opening batters for over a year,” said Shan Masood. “Babar Azam is our main batter and he has been playing at number four in Test cricket, so we will plan our batting around him.” Shan Masood further opened up about his position and the role of two wicketkeepers in the squad. “I played at number three since my comeback to the Test side, so I wi...

[ad_1] The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially announced the cancellation of the Pakistan team's scheduled training session on Tuesday, indicating a strategic move to allow players adequate rest before their crucial ICC ODI World Cup encounter against Australia on October 20 in Bengaluru. However, a subsequent announcement by Pakistan's media manager was made, stating that the squad would, in fact, engage in a training session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, spanning from 6 to 8 pm. Amidst the preparations for the pivotal clash match against Australia, Abdullah Shafique is currently grappling with an illness, marked by a fever. In addition, sources within the team disclosed that both Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir had previously exhibited symptoms of fever, but have since recuperated. The Pakistan team's media manager elucidated on the situation, stating, " Some players got fever in the past few days and most of them have fully recovered from ...

[ad_1] Australia captain Pat Cummins threw his support behind star opener Usman Khawaja Monday, saying his bid to bring attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was “not offensive”. Khawaja has been denied permission by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to have a sticker showing a black dove holding an olive branch on his bat and shoes during the second Test against Pakistan. The logo, which he displayed during training on Sunday, also had the words 01:UDHR — a reference to Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — written on it. The 36-year-old, a Muslim, was stopped from wearing shoes emblazoned with the hand-written slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” during the first Test in Perth. The ICC said they flouted its rules on messages that relate to politics, religion or race. “We really support Uzzy. He’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s done it really respectfully,” Cummins told reporters on the eve of th...

[ad_1] The preparatory camp for the Pakistan cricket team ahead of their upcoming Test tour in Australia is scheduled to take place in Rawalpindi from November 22 to 29. As per the proposed itinerary, the team is set to depart from Islamabad for Australia on November 30. Test captain Shan Masood, in consultation with Team Director Mohammad Hafeez and Chief Selector Wahab Riaz, has identified potential players for the training camp, with top performers from the Quaid-e-Azam (QeA) Trophy such as Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and the leading wicket-taker Khurram Shehzad being among those selected. Furthermore, the coaching staff for the Pakistani team has been finalised, with Mohammad Hafeez assuming the dual role of head coach and batting coach. Umar Gul will serve as the bowling coach, while coach Abdul Majid has been entrusted once again to enhance fielding skills. Naveed Akram Cheema will manage the Pakistan team during the tour, and Shahid Aslam will take on the role of as...

[ad_1] Pakistan spinner Noman Ali was recovering Saturday after being rushed to hospital with acute appendicitis, with the veteran ruled out of the rest of their series against Australia. The 37-year-old, who did not feature during a heavy defeat in the opening Test in Perth, suffered severe abdominal pain on Friday. “Noman Ali complained of sudden and severe abdominal pain yesterday, leading to examinations and scans in emergency that confirmed a diagnosis of acute appendicitis,” the Pakistan Cricket Board said. “On surgeon’s advice, he underwent Laparoscopic Appendectomy today.” Ali, who has played 15 Tests, the last of which was against Sri Lanka in July, was “stable and doing fine,” but will take no further part in the three-Test series which resumes in Melbourne next week. It is another blow for the visitors after pace bowler Khurram Shahzad was ruled out of the series on Thursday. The 24-year-old impressed on his debut in Perth, finishing with match figures of 5-128...

[ad_1] China warned on Tuesday that Australia, Britain and the United States were treading a “path of error and danger” after they unveiled a nuclear-powered submarines deal. Australia announced on Monday it would buy up to five US nuclear-powered submarines, then build a new model with US and British technology under an ambitious plan to bulk up Western muscle across the Asia-Pacific in the face of a rising China. US President Joe Biden has stressed that Australia, which joined the alliance with Washington and London known as AUKUS 18 months ago, will not be getting nuclear weapons. However, acquiring submarines powered by nuclear reactors puts Australia in an elite club and at the forefront of US-led efforts to push back against Chinese military expansion. Wang Wenbin, China’s foreign ministry spokesman, said: “The latest joint statement from the US, UK and Australia demonstrates that the three countries, for the sake of their own geopolitical interests, completely disreg...

[ad_1] Pakistan cricket team made history on Thursday by becoming the third team to complete 500 One Day International (ODI) wins, after India and Australia. This remarkable feat was achieved after their five-wicket victory against New Zealand in the first ODI, played at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan's journey to this milestone has been a long and illustrious one. They played their first ODI in 1973 against New Zealand, and since then, they have come a long way. With legendary players like Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis, Pakistan has been a force to be reckoned with in the world of cricket. Pakistan reached this milestone in their 949 th ODI. The Men in Green have won 92 ODIs against Sri Lanka, 73 vs India, 63 vs West Indies, 57 vs New Zealand, 54 vs Zimbabwe, 34 vs Australia, and 32 each against England and Bangladesh. In 978 ODIs, the Australian team has emerged victorious in 594 of them, while the Indian team has won 539 in 1029 ODIs. This victory not...