RAWALPINDI: Injuries, positive COVID-19 cases and inclement weather have taken the lead on the eve of historic first test between Pakistan and Australia in Rawalpindi.
There’s at least one positive COVID-19 case in both the camps, with Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf ruled out of the first test. Australia’s spin bowling consultant Fawad Ahmed also tested positive on Wednesday and will remain in isolation for the next five days.
Pakistan test regulars — fast bowler Hasan Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf — were ruled out due to injuries they picked up during last week’s Pakistan Super League with fast bowler Naseem Shah and all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed coming into the side.
The rain in Rawalpindi on Thursday kept both teams in their hotels and more rain is forecast for the last three days of the test match.
It’s the first time Australia has played a test match in Pakistan since 1998 due to concerns over security from several terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
Australia, which arrived in Pakistan on Sunday, has had just two training sessions at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
Visiting captain Pat Cummins said he knows who his playing XI will be.
“We’ve got a fair idea what we want to do, but just don’t want to make the call too early without fully knowing what the wicket is,” Cummins said during a virtual media conference on Thursday. “I don’t think it’ll be a super quick wicket … probably two spinners or three quicks.”
Cummins, who led Australia to a 4-0 win in the home Ashes series against England, didn’t reveal whether leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson will make his debut or will partner Ashton Agar if Australia opts to go with two spinners.
“I’d probably prefer to keep it quiet,” he said. “I think that they’re both great options. Swepy, you know, leg spinner, it’s just a real luxury to have. He’s been bowling fantastically. He’s ready to go … (Ashton Agar) has been fantastic whenever he’s played for Australia.”
Cummins didn’t think that Pakistan will be weakened by the injuries to Hasan and Ashraf.
“(In) international cricket, you’ve got to have a squad of players,” he said. “I’m sure that would be a big loss … but there’s always another guy that can step up.”
Pakistan captain Babar Azam had a nightmare period in the PSL when he led Karachi Kings to just one win in 10 league games to finish last in the six-team Twenty20 competition.
But Babar believes Pakistan will carry the momentum of its last test series in Bangladesh which Pakistan won 2-0 with test specialists Fawad Alam and Azhar Ali along with spinners Nauman Ali and Sajid Khan having good preparations in the training camp at Karachi.
“As a captain, I am confident that I will have a best playing XI to give a tough fight to Australia in this historic home series,” Babar said. “Unfortunately, it rained today, but we will see the wicket before finalizing the final squad.”
Babar said it was a setback to miss Hasan and Ashraf and it has affected the team’s preparations.
“Faheem has contributed with the bat and ball while Hasan has been performing for us consistently in test matches,” Babar said. “But we do have batters like Azhar, Fawad and Rizwan, and I am quite confident that against the best side in the world we will do well.”
Both the cricket boards have agreed to name the trophy the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, after two legendary leg-spinners Richie Benaud of Australia and Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir.
Injuries, COVID-19 cases and rain dampen preparations for 1st Pakistan-Australia test
https://arab.news/bkamk
Injuries, COVID-19 cases and rain dampen preparations for 1st Pakistan-Australia test
- Rain in Rawalpindi on Thursday kept both teams in their hotels
- More rain is forecast for the last three days of the test match
Gordon scores four as Newcastle hit Qarabag for six
- Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time
- England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League
BAKU: Anthony Gordon starred with a brilliant four-goal haul as Newcastle crushed Qarabag 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Wednesday.
Gordon stole the show by netting four times before half-time at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Malick Thiaw was also on target for Newcastle before the interval and Jacob Murphy netted after the break to complete the demolition.
Elvin Jafarguliyev’s second-half reply was little consolation for Azerbaijani underdogs Qarabag, who paid the price for wretched defending in a miserable performance.
England forward Gordon has netted 14 times this season, including 10 in the Champions League, taking him past Alan Shearer as Newcastle’s highest scorer in a single campaign in Europe’s elite club competition.
Gordon’s memorable night on the shores of the Caspian Sea ensured the second leg at St. James’ Park on February 24 should be a mere formality.
Barring a miracle comeback from Qarabag, Eddie Howe’s side will face Barcelona or Chelsea in the last 16.
Having ended Newcastle’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy by winning the League Cup last season, Howe set his sights on more history this week, admitting it would “mean everything” to steer them into the Champions League last 16 for the first time.
Howe’s cherished target is now within touching distance.
Booed off less than two weeks ago after a defeat against Brentford, Newcastle made the 2,529-mile trip to Baku revitalized by successive away victories against Tottenham in the Premier League and Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
It was the longest journey any English team had ever made for a Champions League knockout game, but there was no sign of fatigue as Newcastle ripped Qarabag to shreds.
Gordon started as Newcastle’s central striker as Howe again deployed misfiring German forward Nick Woltemade in a deeper role.
- Gordon runs riot -
Howe’s decision to make Gordon the focal point of his attack paid off after just three minutes.
Dan Burn advanced from defense and played a perfect pass toward Gordon, who timed his run to beat the Qarabag offside trap before planting a clinical finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Qarabag beat Benfica, Copenhagen and Eintracht Frankfurt and drew with Chelsea in the group stage.
Yet it was their 6-0 thrashing at Liverpool in the last game of the phase that proved more relevant as Newcastle doubled their advantage in the eighth minute.
Kieran Trippier’s pin-point cross picked out Thiaw and he guided a composed header past Mateusz Kochalski from close range.
Newcastle were carving open the creaky Qarabag defense at will and their barrage brought a third goal in the 32nd minute.
Matheus Silva blocked Harvey Barnes’ shot with his arm as he slid along the turf and Gordon stroked in the resulting penalty.
Gordon bagged his third goal in predatory style just 60 seconds later, seizing on Kevin Medina’s slip and rounding Kochalski to slot into the empty net.
It was Gordon’s first professional hat-trick, making him only the third Newcastle player to score a Champions League treble after Shearer and Faustino Asprilla.
Gordon’s 33-minute haul was also the fastest Champions League hat-trick by an English player.
The 24-year-old wasn’t finished yet and his break into the area ended with Kochalski fouling him, conceding a penalty that Gordon converted with ease.
Jafarguliyev got one back in the 54th minute with a low drive that was initially disallowed for offside before VAR allowed the goal to stand.
Murphy notched his first goal in the Champions League in the 72nd minute, whipping a deflected strike past Kochalski to put the seal on Newcastle’s perfect evening.
