Pakistan to play ‘aggressive’ cricket on Australia Test tour — skipper

Pakistan's captain Shan Masood speaks during a press conference at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on November 29, 2023. (AFP/File)
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Updated 05 December 2023
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Pakistan to play ‘aggressive’ cricket on Australia Test tour — skipper

  • Pakistan will play first Test against Australia in Perth on Dec. 14, followed by two others in Melbourne and Sydney
  • Ahead of the first Test match, Pakistan will play Prime Minister’s XI on December 6 at Manuka Oval in Canberra

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will try playing an ‘aggressive’ cricket in their three-match Test series against Australia, skipper Shan Masood said on Monday.

Pakistan will play the first Test against Australia in Perth on December 14, before the traditional Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

The third Test will be played in Sydney and begin on January 3. 

Masood, who was recently appointed Pakistan Test captain, said Test cricket had undergone a significant change over the years. 

“We will try playing with a positive mindset, an aggressive mindset,” he told reporters in Canberra. 

“Wherever an opportunity came to put the other side under pressure, we will try to put pressure as a bowling unit or a bowling unit.” 

Ahead of the Test series, Pakistan will play Prime Minister’s XI on December 6 at Manuka Oval. 

Masood believed time factor was quite important for his side the games against Australia. 

“As a batting unit, you will have to improve the run rate a bit,” he said, adding Pakistan pacers will also have to strive to bowl as many players out as they can. 

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jr., Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi 


Pakistan’s first non-life Shariah-compliant takaful operator plans share sale in January

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Pakistan’s first non-life Shariah-compliant takaful operator plans share sale in January

  • Pak-Qatar General Takaful Limited plans to raise up to $1.5 million through initial public offering
  • Institutional investors will get 75% of shares, while the remaining 25% will go to retail investors

KARACHI: Pakistan’s first dedicated non-life Shariah-compliant takaful operator said on Monday it will launch an initial public offering this month, seeking to raise up to Rs 420 million ($1.5 million) as Islamic finance gains traction in the country’s capital markets.

The company, Pak-Qatar General Takaful Limited, said it would issue 30 million shares, with a floor price of Rs 10 and a ceiling price of Rs 14 per share. Institutional investors will receive 75% of the shares on offer, while the remaining 25% will be allocated to retail investors.

“Arif Habib Limited has been mandated by Pak-Qatar General Takaful Limited to act as the consultant and book runner for raising funds through the initial public offering,” it announced in a statement.

The book-building process for the offering will take place on Jan. 21-22, it added, with investor registration opening on Jan. 16, while public subscriptions are scheduled for Jan. 28-29.

The offering follows the recent listing of Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited, which raised Rs 901 million ($3.23 million) last month in Pakistan’s first Islamic insurance sector IPO, an issue that was oversubscribed several times.

Proceeds from the IPO will be used to strengthen the company’s capital base and support investments in technology, infrastructure and branch expansion, said the statement.

Pak-Qatar General Takaful Limited is part of Pakistan’s pioneer Islamic financial services group and is backed by Qatar-based financial institutions.