ISLAMABAD: Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz said Monday he has agreed to return to test cricket if required for a series in England.
The 34-year-old Riaz has taken 83 wickets in just 27 test matches since making his debut in 2010. He was among 29 players named for the three tests and three Twenty20s in August and September after the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to send an extended squad in case a player is ruled out due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board communicated with me to play test cricket (in England), if required, and to play for Pakistan is always a priority so I said yes without even thinking,” Riaz told reporters during a video teleconference organized by the PCB.
Riaz took an indefinite break from test cricket last year just before Pakistan toured Australia. Mohammad Amir, another left-arm quick bowler, also quit before that tour and the pair's absence didn't go over well with head coach Misbah-ul-Haq or fast-bowling coach Waqar Younis.
But Riaz defended his decision because he had played just four test matches in three years despite being a regular member of Pakistan ODI and Twenty20 teams.
“The priority was not different last year,” Riaz explained. “I haven’t been playing test cricket regularly in the last three, four years before this management arrived so the priority was to focus on white ball cricket."
Riaz also lost his place in the centrally contracted players this year, but for him playing for Pakistan was more important than looking at the contract.
“Of course central contact gives security to a player,” he said. “But playing for Pakistan is more important to me and I have got this opportunity once again by being selected in the team.”
When asked whether it would be only a one-off test series, Riaz said he had to see how things go in England.
“I know playing in England is not easy,” he said. “Getting an opportunity to play for Pakistan in red ball cricket is also a challenge for me which I have to accept and I accepted it.
“As a senior player, I wanted to create an example ... because it all has to be for Pakistan, not for yourself and the color of the ball does not matter.”
The rise in COVID-19 cases in Pakistan has forced the PCB to cancel a training camp of the team and the team is expected to leave for England in early July to get enough time to get used to the conditions.
Pakistan's Riaz ready for test return, if needed in England
https://arab.news/8dvc8
Pakistan's Riaz ready for test return, if needed in England
- 34-year-old Riaz has taken 83 wickets in just 27 test matches since making his debut in 2010
- Riaz took an indefinite break from test cricket last year just before Pakistan toured Australia
Pakistan refineries urge regulator to curb fuel imports, citing supply chain risks
- Industry cites rules requiring priority use of locally refined fuel
- Dispute highlights pressure on Pakistan’s energy security and refinery viability
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s major oil refineries this week jointly urged the country’s energy regulator to step in and limit fuel imports, warning that excessive reliance on overseas supplies is undermining domestic refining operations and threatening the stability of the national oil supply chain.
In a letter sent to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the chief executives of Attock Refinery Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited, National Refinery Limited, Pak-Arab Refinery Limited and Cnergyico PK said current regulatory decisions were allowing imported petroleum products to displace locally refined fuel, despite rules requiring domestic output to be prioritized.
OGRA is Pakistan’s federal regulator responsible for overseeing oil and gas markets, including licensing, pricing frameworks and supply planning. The dispute comes as Pakistan, which imports most of its crude oil and refined fuel, seeks to balance energy security concerns with cost pressures and foreign exchange constraints.
“As clearly stipulated in Rule 35(g) of the Pakistan Oil (Refining, Blending, Transportation, Storage, and Marketing) Rules, 2016, the upliftment of locally produced refinery products must be prioritized before any imports are considered,” the refineries wrote in a letter dated Dec. 10. “Unfortunately, the excessive imports allowed by OGRA have worsened the situation on ground.”
Rule 35(g) requires that fuel produced by Pakistan’s refineries be taken up by oil marketing companies before additional imports are approved, a provision designed to protect local refining capacity and ensure steady utilization of plants that are critical to national supply.
The refineries warned that continued preference for imports could disrupt operations, reduce refinery utilization rates and weaken Pakistan’s ability to respond to supply shocks, particularly for products such as aviation fuel and diesel. They called on OGRA to take “urgent and proactive intervention” to ensure timely off-take of locally produced fuel.
Pakistan’s refining sector has long struggled with aging infrastructure, limited upgrading and thin margins, while imports are often seen as cheaper or more flexible in the short term. However, industry officials argue that over-reliance on imports increases exposure to global price volatility, shipping disruptions and foreign exchange pressure.
The letter was also copied to the federal minister for energy, the secretary of the petroleum division and the director general of oil, indicating the issue has been escalated beyond the regulator to senior policymakers.
Energy analysts say the dispute underscores broader tensions in Pakistan’s energy market, where policy decisions must balance consumer prices, refinery survival and long-term energy security. Any regulatory shift could affect fuel availability, refinery investment plans and the country’s import bill at a time when Pakistan remains under economic strain.
OGRA has not yet commented on the letter.
