Zimbabwe name squads for Pakistan white-ball series 

Zimbabwe’s players celebrate their victory as Pakistan’s Mohammad Wasim (R) reacts at the end of the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 cricket match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe in Perth, Australia, on October 27, 2022. (AFP/File)
Short Url
Updated 19 November 2024
Follow

Zimbabwe name squads for Pakistan white-ball series 

  • Pakistan will play three ODI and three T20I matches against Zimbabwe from Nov. 24-Dec. 5
  • Graig Ervine will captain Zimbabwe’s ODI squad while Sikandar Raza will lead team in T20Is

ISLAMABAD: Zimbabwe Cricket this week announced the names of the men’s national squad for their upcoming home series against Pakistan, which is slated to be held from Nov. 24-Dec. 5. 
Pakistan will play their first white-ball match against Zimbabwe on Sunday. The green shirts’ tour of Australia ended on a mixed note on Monday after they lost the three-match T20I series 3-0 after winning the ODI series 2-1.
The series will serve as preparation for Pakistan ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tournament in February-March next year. While minnows Zimbabwe will not take part in the competition, Pakistan are scheduled to host the trophy. 
“The white-ball series will kick off with three One Day International (ODIs) on 24, 26 and 28 November, followed by as many T20Is scheduled for 1, 3 and 5 December 2024,” Zimbabwe Cricket said on social media platform X on Monday.

Zimbabwe cricketer Graig Ervine will captain the ODI squad against Pakistan while Sikandar Raza will lead the T20I squad, which will include Sean Williams and pace bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava.
Three new Zimbabwe players Trevor Gwandu, Tashinga Musekiwa and Tinotenda Maposa have also been selected for the home series.
Zimbabwe Convener of Selectors David Mutendera said he was confident in the “balance of experience” and “fresh talent” within the ODI squad.
“The series against Pakistan is an important platform for Zimbabwe, and we believe the ODI squad we have selected is well-rounded,” he said. “The presence of seasoned players like Craig, Sikandar and Sean provides stability, while young players like Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers and the uncapped trio bring energy and the potential for game-changing moments.”
Pakistani cricket stars Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Naseem Shah will be rested for the Zimbabwe series. Meanwhile, skipper Mohammad Rizwan will be rested for the Zimbabwe T20I series, the PCB had announced last month.
Zimbabwe ODI squad: Craig Ervine (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams
Zimbabwe T20I squad: Sikandar Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava
Pakistan ODI squad: Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir
Pakistan T20I squad: Ahmed Daniyal, Arafat Minhas, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Omair bin Yousuf, Qasim Akram, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Sufyan Moqim, Tayyab Tahir and Usman Khan

 


Gaza, Lebanon humanitarian crises in focus as Pakistan attends D8 summit in Cairo next week

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Gaza, Lebanon humanitarian crises in focus as Pakistan attends D8 summit in Cairo next week

  • D8 summit is gathering of leaders forms eight developing countries to promote economic cooperation and development
  • Ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed over 44,000 people, injured thousands since Oct 7, 2023 Hamas attack 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will participate in the 11th D8 summit in Egypt next week where Israel’s military offensive on Gaza and the humanitarian crisis and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon will be at the center of discussions, the foreign office said.

The D8 Summit is a gathering of leaders from eight developing countries including Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkiye. It aims to promote economic cooperation and development among member states, with a focus on areas like trade, energy, agriculture, and transportation.

The ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and injured thousands more since Oct 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. Israel also stepped up its campaign in south Lebanon in late September after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges begun by Hezbollah in support of its ally Hamas.

“Pakistan will be participating in the D8 summit being held in Cairo on Dec. 19,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said during a weekly press briefing on Thursday. “The D8 summit will also have a special session on humanitarian crisis and reconstruction challenges in Gaza and Lebanon.”

She said Pakistan would also participate in the D8 Council of Ministers meeting, reaffirming that the South Asian nation supported the D8 agenda and would work toward the summit’s success.

The D8 summit was last held virtually in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The theme of this year’s summit is “investing in youth and supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) shaping tomorrow’s economy.”


Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrive home on chartered flight from Beirut

Updated 9 min 2 sec ago
Follow

Pakistanis stranded in Syria arrive home on chartered flight from Beirut

  • More than 1,300 Pakistanis had been stranded in Syria since last week
  • Pakistani PM sought Lebanon’s assistance in evacuating expats via border 

ISLAMABAD: Over 300 Pakistanis have arrived in Islamabad from Beirut on a chartered flight as Pakistan continues evacuation operations to bring home citizens stranded in Syria since opposition forces toppled former president Bashar Assad’s regime, the prime minister’s office said on Friday.

More than 1,300 Pakistanis were stranded in Syria since last week when opposition forces seized the capital of Damascus unopposed following a lightning advance that sent Assad fleeing to Russia on Sunday.

While Pakistan’s foreign office initially said the Pakistanis would be evacuated once the Damascus airport reopened, PM Shehbaz Sharif on Monday sought his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati’s “personal intervention” to evacuate citizens via land routes through the border with Syria. 

“318 Pakistani citizens in Syria, including pilgrims and staff, have been brought to Islamabad, Pakistan, from Beirut, Lebanon, in a chartered plane,” the Pakistani PM’s office said in a statement.

On the directions of  Sharif, the National Disaster Management Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had prepared a “comprehensive plan” and finalized arrangements for the safe evacuation of Pakistani citizens, the statement added.

“Prime Minister also thanked the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Mr. Najib Mikati, whose government provided all possible cooperation and assistance for the return of Pakistanis via Beirut,” the PMO said. “The Prime Minister has also directed the relevant authorities to continue taking immediate steps to evacuate more Pakistani citizens from Syria.”

Pakistanis Arab News spoke to this week described 12-hour-long bus rides, multiple check posts, interrogations and bills piling on as they left the war-torn nation by road through neighboring Lebanon.

The closure of Syria’s airports and borders with Jordan and Oman had posed a “major challenge” to the repatriation effort, the foreign office said. 


Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns

Updated 58 min 37 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan Test team head coach Gillespie resigns

  • Gillespie refused to join  squad on tour of South Africa over disagreements with country's cricket board
  • Pakistan, with history of sacking coaches, have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years 

KARACHI: Jason Gillespie resigned from his role as coach of the Pakistan Test team on Thursday after refusing to join the squad on their tour of South Africa over disagreements with the country's cricket board.

The former Australia bowler was appointed head coach on a two-year deal in April, with former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten named white-ball coach.

Kirsten resigned in October for similar reasons.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Gillespie's resignation.

"The PCB has named former Pakistan paceman Aaqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach following the resignation of Gillespie," a PCB statement said.

Aaqib, who also replaced Kirsten as interim white-ball coach, will now oversee the two-Test series in South Africa, starting in Centurion from December 26.

The second Test will be played in Cape Town from January 3-7.

Pakistan's white-ball squad is currently in South Africa for a three-match T20 series and three one-day internationals.

Gillespie was removed from the selection panel following Pakistan's 2-0 whitewash at the hands on Bangladesh in September and losing the first Test by an innings against England a month later.

Pakistan won the next two Tests against England, taking the series 2-1, on sharply spinning pitches.

Gillespie did not hide his sentiments, saying he was frustrated.

"I think there's always frustrations from time to time," Gillespie said, in an interview with Sky Sports during the second England Test.

"It wasn't what I signed up for, I'll be completely honest."

After the England series, Gillespie served as white-ball coach on Pakistan's tour of Australia but was not given the job for the series in Zimbabwe.

Gillespie was reportedly not happy after the contract of his assistant Tim Nielsen was not renewed by the PCB.

Pakistan have a history of sacking coaches in the recent past. They have had six different coaches in all formats in the last four years.

 

 


Pakistan opens foreign players’ registration process for premier cricket league

Updated 13 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan opens foreign players’ registration process for premier cricket league

  • Pakistan Super League is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league contested by six city-based franchise teams
  • PCB says relegation process and retention of players will be carried out during the ongoing month

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) this week announced it had opened the registration process for foreign players to take part in the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), the country’s premier cricket league, slated to be held next year. 

Founded in 2015, the PSL is a men’s Twenty20 cricket league contested by six city-based franchise teams. It features a mix of Pakistani and foreign cricket stars who play side-by-side in the franchises. 

“The registration window for foreign players to register themselves for the 10th edition of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) along with the trade window is now open,” the PCB said on Thursday. “The category renewals of the players will be announced on Tuesday, 17 December.”

The PCB said that the relegation process and retention of players will be carried out during the ongoing month.

The HBL PSL Players’ Draft is scheduled to take place on Jan. 11, 2015, the board said. The venue and time for the draft will be announced in due course, it added. 

“We are thrilled to announce the opening of the registration process for foreign players as well as the trade window,” the PCB said. “This marks an exciting beginning to preparations for the highly anticipated 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League.”

 Since 2016, Islamabad United have become champions of the HBL PSL thrice, which include the opening (2016), third (2018) and last edition (2024) of the league. 

Lahore Qalandars have won twice in 2022 and 2023, while Peshawar Zalmi remained champions of the 2017 edition. 

Quetta Gladiators won the 2019 edition while Karachi Kings clinched their maiden title in 2020 and the Multan Sultans emerged as the winners in 2021. 


Pakistan Senate unanimously passes resolution condemning Israel’s campaigns against Gaza, Syria

Updated 13 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan Senate unanimously passes resolution condemning Israel’s campaigns against Gaza, Syria

  • Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman moves resolution urging international community to protect Palestinian lives
  • Senate condemns Israel’s “exploitation of political vacuum” in Syria after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in the country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s upper house of parliament, the Senate, passed a unanimous resolution on Thursday condemning Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and Syria, urging the international community to intervene and protect Palestinian lives, state-run media reported. 
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed more than 44,000 people and injured thousands more since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage. 
Israel has also attacked Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government this month and conducted a military incursion into the buffer zone separating the two countries since 1974, despite protests from the UN.
“The Senate on Thursday passed a resolution unanimously condemning Israel’s bombardment extending to many countries,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 
The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman on behalf of all political parties.
As per the resolution, the Senate strongly condemned Israel’s blatant disregard for international law, particularly in its actions against Palestine and urged the Jewish state be held accountable for them.
The Senate also condemned Israel for its “exploitation of the political vacuum” in Syria following Assad’s government. 
“This agenda now extends beyond Palestine to violations of the sovereignty of Syria and many other countries,” the resolution said. 
Calling for immediate accountability for Israel’s actions, the Senate also condemned the killing of United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) team members in the Middle East. 
Israel has killed 249 UNRWA staff members in its military campaigns carried out up till November this year, it added.
“Such attacks are a blatant violation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302; which mandates UNRWA’s role in providing critical humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations,” the resolution said. 
Pakistan’s upper house of parliament also condemned the targeted killing of over 180 journalists during Israeli bombings in Gaza along with the destruction of critical infrastructure including hospitals, schools and even residential areas.
“The Senate reaffirms Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, recognizing it as a moral, political, and legal obligation. Pakistan reiterates its consistent support for the two-state solution of the Palestinian issue, as enshrined in relevant Security Council and General Assembly resolutions,” the resolution stated. 
The Senate also urged the international community to take action to “protect Palestinian lives, hold Israel accountable for war crimes and ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.”
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other multilateral platforms, demanding international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Pakistan has dispatched a total of 1,273 tons of relief items to the war-affected people of Gaza until Nov. 27, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.
The South Asian nation does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.