LAHORE: Pakistan left all-rounders Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim out of a 16-man squad for the six-nation Asia Cup, to be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from next week, selectors announced Tuesday.
But left-handed opener Shan Masood gets his first chance in Pakistan’s one-day squad after scoring 1,200-plus runs in the two domestic one-day tournaments, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said.
The 28-year-old has so far played 12 Tests for Pakistan.
Sarfraz Ahmed will lead the side, which opens their Cup campaign against the wildcard entrant on September 16 before taking on arch-rivals India in a highly-anticipated match three days later. Both rounds are in Dubai.
Hafeez, 37 was part of Pakistan’s 5-0 one-day series win in Zimbabwe in July, but was not played in any of the matches.
“We conducted fitness tests and since there is no compromise on fitness we have not included Hafeez and Imad Wasim,” Inzamam told media while announcing the squad in Lahore.
The Asia Cup begins September 15 and features India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and a qualifier team.
Six teams — Hong Kong, Singapore, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Malaysia — are currently facing off in Kuala Lumpur to secure the final berth.
Cup teams are divided into two groups. Two sides are called for the Super Four rounds, after which the top two finishers go to the September 28 final in Dubai.
Squad: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Junaid Khan, Usman Khan Shinwari and Shaheen Shah Afridi
Pakistan leaves Hafeez out of Asia Cup cricket squad
Pakistan leaves Hafeez out of Asia Cup cricket squad
- Mohammad Hafeez and Imad Wasim were left out of a 16-man squad for the six-nation Asia Cup, to be played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from next week, selectors announced Tuesday
- Left-handed opener Shan Masood gets his first chance in Pakistan’s one-day squad after scoring 1,200-plus runs in the two domestic one-day tournaments, chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said
Klaebo becomes 1st athlete to win 6 golds at a Winter Games as Norway sweeps 50km mass start
- Klaebo’s victory in the 50-kilometer mass start race shattered the nearly 50-year record
- Klaebo said he was overwhelmed with emotions crossing the finish line
TESERO, Italy: Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo completed his historic gold medal sweep of the men’s cross-country skiing events on Saturday by winning his sixth race and setting the record for the most golds by one athlete in a single Winter Olympics.
Klaebo’s victory in the 50-kilometer mass start race shattered the nearly 50-year record set by American speed skater Eric Heiden, who won five golds in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.
All of Heiden’s wins were in individual races and two of Klaebo’s have come in team events, so Heiden’s record for individual wins still stands.
Klaebo said he was overwhelmed with emotions crossing the finish line and couldn’t describe how he felt after repeating the feat he accomplished at last year’s world championships in Trondheim, Norway, when he won all six events.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It still feels really good to race, and I’m always looking forward to going out there and fighting for the medal.”
Klaebo’s teammates, Martin Loewstroem Nyenget, took silver, and Emil Iversen, won bronze in a Norwegian sweep.
“I’m starting to believe maybe he is a machine,” Nyenget said of Klaebo, who sprinted uphill past him at the end to win in his trademark fashion. “It’s close to impossible to beat him in the finish.”
The three Norwegians broke out to an early lead and then continued to build the gap on their chasers.
In the final lap, Nyenget and Klaebo pushed uphill and dropped Iversen. Klaebo stayed in second waiting to launch his winning move.
As the two reached the final hill, Klaebo literally ran away from Nyenget and was bound for glory.
As he glided toward the finish, he pointed his fingers toward the sky, took one stride across the line, toppled over on his right hip and rolled onto his back.
France’s Theo Schely finished fourth, nearly three minutes back and Savelii Korostelev, a Russian competing as an individual neutral athlete, finished fifth at 3:38.3 back.
The highest-placed US skier was Gus Schumacher, who won a silver in a team relay, in 13th place.
The win extends Klaebo’s record for most career Winter Olympic gold medals to 11 over three Games. The previous record had been eight, which Klaebo broke Feb. 15.
Klaebo has the second-most Olympic golds overall. US swimming great Michael Phelps has 23.
The win gave Norway a record 18th gold medal and further increased their lead in the total medal count in these games to 40 overall.
The country set the record Friday for the most gold medals won by a nation at a single Winter Olympics when biathlete Johannes Dale-Skjevdal won the 15-kilometer mass start race.
