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Naseem Shah is ruled out of the Cricket World Cup in a big injury blow for Pakistan

Naseem Shah is ruled out of the Cricket World Cup in a big injury blow for Pakistan
In this file photo, taken on July 23, 2023, Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi (C), Naseem Shah (2L) and Hasan Ali (L) attend a practice session at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in Colombo on the eve of their second Test cricket match against Sri Lanka. (AFP/File)
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Updated 22 September 2023
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Naseem Shah is ruled out of the Cricket World Cup in a big injury blow for Pakistan

Naseem Shah is ruled out of the Cricket World Cup in a big injury blow for Pakistan
  • Naseem sustained shoulder injury during Asia Cup in Sri Lanka
  • Shah was replaced by Hasan Ali in a 15-member squad
Updated 22 September 2023
AP
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan sustained a big blow after its ace pace bowler Naseem Shah was ruled out of the Cricket World Cup on Friday due to a right shoulder injury.
Naseem sustained the injury during the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. He was replaced by Hasan Ali in a 15-member squad announced on Friday. The World Cup starts on Oct. 5 in India.
Hasan played his last ODI in June last year against the West Indies but was dropped due to his indifferent form in 50-overs cricket.
“Hasan is an experienced bowler and has performed well in mega events in the past,” chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said in Lahore while announcing the squad.
“We were forced to make one change because of an unfortunate injury to Naseem Shah. We needed someone who could bowl with the new ball. He (Hasan) bowls well with both old and new ball, and is a team man. His presence lends energy to the team.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board said Naseem has been advised to undergo surgery, following a thorough medical examination and consultations with leading medical experts and is expected to recover in three to four months. It means the mercurial fast bowler is certain to miss a test series against Australia after the World Cup.
There were doubts over the fitness of fast bowler Haris Rauf, who missed out the last Super 4 game against Sri Lanka after sustaining an injury during the game against India.
“We had a few injury scares in the recent Asia Cup, but I am glad to share that all the players are fully fit and are eager to perform for their country in the all-important tournament,” Inzamam said.
“I have received encouraging reports from our medical panel about Haris Rauf. He has started to (shadow) bowl at the National Cricket Academy and will be available for selection.”
The core of the Pakistan team is the same which competed in the recent Asia Cup under captain Babar Azam, but couldn’t qualify for the final after losing to archrival India and Sri Lanka in the Super 4 portion of the tournament.
Spin all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz both retained their places in the side with leg-spinner Usama Mir as the other spin option for Pakistan. Pakistan didn’t tinker with its batting lineup with left-hander test specialist Saud Shakeel as the only surprise inclusion in the 15-member side.
Pakistan is scheduled to play two warm-up games against New Zealand and Australia before it takes on the Netherlands in its opening World Cup game on Oct. 6 at Hyderabad.
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Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir. Reserves: Zaman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris.

Topics: Pakistan Cricket sport World Cup 2023 icc world cup 2023

Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash

Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash
Updated 02 December 2023
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Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash

Pakistan Cricket Board drops ex-captain Salman Butt from selection panel after backlash
  • The PCB announced the appointment of Butt as consultant to Pakistan chief selector on Friday
  • The 39-year-old was sentenced to prison in 2011 in a spot-fixing scandal, banned for 10 years
Updated 02 December 2023
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dropped ex-cricketer Salman Butt from its panel of consultants for team selection, Chief Selector Wahab Riaz announced Saturday, following backlash over Butt's appointment. 

The PCB announced the appointment of Butt along with Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum as consultants to Riaz on Friday, amid a reshuffle in the national side and the board’s management.  

Pakistanis took to social media and strongly criticized the PCB for the appointment of Butt, who was sent to prison in 2011 and banned from playing for 10 years for his part in a conspiracy to bowl deliberate no-balls during a 2010 Test match against England at Lord's. 

Speaking at a press conference at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium, Riaz said it was his decision to appoint Butt his consultant as he understood cricket. 

"Salman Butt's name has now been withdrawn," he said, adding that there was no pressure from anyone. 

"I took the decision to make Salman Butt a consultant. Now, I am also taking the decision to remove Salman Butt." 

Butt represented Pakistan in 33 Tests, 78 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He made 5,209 runs spanning the three formats with 11 international centuries. He was in the T20 World Cup winning squad in 2009. 

His appointment came as part of a reshuffle that began amid Pakistan's poor show at the World Cup that saw the national side crashing out of the showpiece tournament even before the semi-final stage. Pakistan finished fifth in the 10-team World Cup tournament that culminated last month, with Australia lifting the trophy for a record sixth time. 

Following below-par performance of the team, Babar Azam resigned from the captaincy in all formats and Shan Masood was made test captain. Shaheen Afridi was appointed as skipper of T20 side.  

Riaz was appointed Pakistan’s chief selector last month, after Inzamam-ul-Haq stepped down in October following allegations of a conflict of interests, while former captain Mohammad Hafeez was named as team director, who will also be the head coach of the team on the twin tours of Australia and New Zealand. 

The PCB last month also appointed former international players Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal as bowling coaches for the national team. 

Topics: Pakistan Salman Butt Cricket

Pakistan top judge says won’t ‘favor anyone’ after ex-PM Khan asks for equal opportunities in polls

Pakistan top judge says won’t ‘favor anyone’ after ex-PM Khan asks for equal opportunities in polls
Updated 02 December 2023
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Pakistan top judge says won’t ‘favor anyone’ after ex-PM Khan asks for equal opportunities in polls

Pakistan top judge says won’t ‘favor anyone’ after ex-PM Khan asks for equal opportunities in polls
  • Through a letter written this week, Khan had drawn Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s attention toward ‘discrimination’ faced by his party
  • Chief Justice Isa is fully cognizant of his constitutional duties and will continue to abide by the oath of his office, his secretary says
Updated 02 December 2023
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Saturday said he would “neither be pressurized nor favor anyone” as he responded to a letter written by former prime minister Imran Khan that sough equal opportunities for all political parties in the upcoming general elections. 

In his letter written to CJP Isa this week, Khan had drawn CJP Isa’s attention toward the “discrimination” faced by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, citing “disappearances” and “arbitrary arrests” of his supporters. The ex-premier said there was no possibility of a fair general election on February 8 without the intervention of the apex court to halt these widespread arrests. 

The development came amid a months-long crackdown on supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which began after violent attacks on government and military installations over Khan’s brief arrest in a graft case in May this year. Several top aides and members of Khan’s party have since distanced themselves from the party, while many still remain behind bars. 

In response to Khan’s letter, the chief justice’s secretary, Mushtaq Ahmed, said the top judge was fully cognizant of his duties and would continue to abide by the oath of his office. 

“Let all be assured that Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, is fully cognizant of his constitutional duties and will neither be pressurized nor favor anyone, and by the grace of the Almighty shall continue to fulfil his duties and abide by the oath of his office,” Ahmed said in a press statement. 

Referring to Khan’s letter, Ahmed said the office of the chief justice received an undated seven-page application on Friday, which comprised a typed application, tabulated tables and photocopies, altogether 84 pages, without the identity and contact details of the advocate who had prepared it. 

Surprisingly, before receiving the document (in a sealed envelope), it had already been distributed to the media, the chief justice’s secretary noted. 

“As per the envelope, the document was couriered by ‘Intazar Hussian Panjutha (Adv)’. Misgivings also arise when the political party on whose behalf the document has ostensibly been sent is well represented by advocates,” the statement read. 

“Only recently its advocates conducted two significant cases in the Supreme Court, on the military courts and on the elections.” 

Khan, who was ousted in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022, wrote the letter amid repeated accusations by his PTI party against the current caretaker administration and the military establishment of having a soft corner for three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. 

Sharif, who was convicted of corruption in 2018 and returned to Pakistan in October after nearly four years in self-imposed exile, was on Wednesday acquitted in a case relating to the purchase of upscale London flats. He was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison in the case. 

Khan, who is in jail since August 5 after being convicted in a case involving the sale of state gifts, says the cases against him are “politically motivated” and aimed at keeping him out of politics, while his loyalists see the recent judgments granting relief to Sharif and his family members as favors given to the PML-N, which appears to be poised to take over the reins of the country once again. 

Topics: Pakistan elections Polls

Residents voice health concerns as smog continues to batter Pakistan’s Lahore

Residents voice health concerns as smog continues to batter Pakistan’s Lahore
Updated 02 December 2023
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Residents voice health concerns as smog continues to batter Pakistan’s Lahore

Residents voice health concerns as smog continues to batter Pakistan’s Lahore
  • The eastern Pakistani city topped the world’s most polluted city index several times last month, with an AQI above 300
  • The issue has forced authorities to announce lockdowns, school closures, and crack down on smoke-emitting vehicles
Updated 02 December 2023
Muhammad Ibrahim

LAHORE: Residents of Lahore on Saturday voiced concerns about their health as toxic smog continues to affect Pakistan’s second largest city for weeks, with the government taking various measures to reduce pollutants in the air. 

The eastern Pakistani city topped the world’s most polluted city index several times last month, consistently having an air quality index (AQI) above 300, according to Swiss group IQAir. 

The AQI is a standardized tool measuring air pollutants, serving as a crucial barometer for public health. An AQI between 101 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’, particularly for sensitive groups while an AQI between 201 and 300 is said to be ‘very unhealthy’ and above 300 is ‘hazardous.’ 

Residents, who complain of difficulty in breathing, say smog remains “one of the most serious issues” facing them. 

“This is like one of the most serious issues we are facing as students. First of all, it is not [just] affecting our health but it is also affecting our environment. Whenever I am stepping out of the house, I feel discomfortable breathing in the air,” Uzair Asif, a student, told Arab News. 

“The problem of smog is a recurring one, becoming more severe each year in Lahore in the autumn and winter months when weather changes mean pollutants remain trapped in the air for longer.” 

Heavy smog has forced authorities in the Punjab province to announce several measures, including lockdowns, school closures, changing business hours for markets, and cracking down on smoke-emitting vehicles and industries. 

But people say these measures are just a “temporary solution” to the issue. 

“That [lockdown] is just a temporary solution. Nothing is going to change from it. It will just reduce [the smog level] temporarily,” said Nazeer Ullah, another resident. “For permanent [solution], the government should shift [fuel-powered] vehicles to electric ones and install factory filters for smoke.” 

To combat air pollution, real-time air quality data must first be made available to everyone so people may take better protection measures and mobilize efforts around tackling air pollution, according to experts. 

Reducing industrial and vehicular emissions is critical to improve the air quality, for which people should be carpooling and using public transport more. 

Topics: Pakistan Lahore smog Air pollution

Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday

Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday
Updated 02 December 2023
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Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday

Pakistan women's cricket team to face off New Zealand in first T20I in Dunedin on Sunday
  • New Zealand, at present, maintain a 100 percent winning record against Pakistan women in eight head-to-head outings
  • But Pakistan Captain Nida Dar says she is confident that the national women's side can perform well in the T20I series
Updated 02 December 2023
Shahjahan Khurram

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan women’s team are all set to take on New Zealand in their own backyard when both sides meet in the first of a three-match Twnety20 International (T20I) series at the University of Otago Oval in Dunedin on Sunday.  

Since arriving in New Zealand on November 25, Pakistan women’s team had a couple of training sessions and practice games in Christchurch before traveling to Dunedin on Friday afternoon. The team had a three-hour training session under the supervision of coaching staff at the University of Otago Oval on Saturday. 

New Zealand, at present, maintain a 100 percent winning record against Pakistan women in eight head-to-head outings, but Pakistan Captain Nida Dar says she has faith in her teammates that they can perform well in the series. 

"New Zealand are known for their cricketing excellence, and we respect that. However, we are here to compete, and I have faith in the players who can do good for the team in the series," she said in a statement shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

"We see the forthcoming T20I series as an opportunity for our players to perform against one of the most formidable sides in the world. We are looking ahead to next year’s T20 World Cup, and with a minimum of nine T20Is to be played before the mega event, the series against New Zealand provides us with a chance to work on the combination of the team for next year’s event." 

Pakistan left-arm spinners Nashra Sundhu and Sadia Iqbal are positioned at the fifth and seventh spots, respectively, in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings and are looking forward to performing well for the team in the upcoming series. Nashra is one match shy of completing 50 T20I appearances for Pakistan. In the all-rounder category, Dar is placed on the fifth position in the ICC T20I rankings. 

Dar said the series against New Zealand would allow them to assess their strengths and areas of improvement. "It’s a valuable experience, and I am sure the players have now got a good idea of the conditions here after playing practice matches and also undergoing training sessions," she added. 

The second T20I will also be staged at the same venue on Tuesday, while the third T20I will be played at the Sir John Davies Oval in Queenstown on December 9.  

At the conclusion of T20I series, both sides are scheduled to play three one-day internationals (ODIs) — part of the ICC Women’s Championship — from December 12 to December 18 in Queenstown and Christchurch.  

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar 

Topics: Pakistan New Zealand Cricket sport

Pakistan minister in Saudi Arabia to finalize investment part of free trade agreement with GCC

Pakistan minister in Saudi Arabia to finalize investment part of free trade agreement with GCC
Updated 02 December 2023
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Pakistan minister in Saudi Arabia to finalize investment part of free trade agreement with GCC

Pakistan minister in Saudi Arabia to finalize investment part of free trade agreement with GCC
  • Pakistan, GCC signed framework agreement to discuss the FTA in 2004, but only a few rounds of talks were held in subsequent years
  • Last year, both sides held technical-level talks to examine the possibility of signing the agreement that can help Pakistan boost exports
Updated 02 December 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Caretaker Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz arrived in Saudi Arabia for the finalization of investment-related chapter of a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Pakistani commerce ministry said on Saturday. 

Pakistan and the six-member GCC bloc signed a framework agreement to discuss the FTA in August 2004 but only a few rounds of negotiations took place in subsequent years. However, the GCC and Pakistan resumed the discussions in 2021 after a significantly long period. 

Last year, both sides held technical-level talks to examine the possibility of signing the agreement that could help Pakistan boost its exports to the six-nation bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait.  

The Pakistani commerce minister on Saturday held parleys with the GCC's chief negotiator to finalize investment-related part of the proposed agreement. 

"The technical teams from two sides held extensive discussions on the remaining details of the investment chapter, including investment protection and facilitation,"  the Pakistani commerce ministry said in a statement. 

"They also discussed the potential impact of the FTA on bilateral trade and investment flows." 

The FTA is expected to boost trade and investment between Pakistan and the GCC, according to the statement. The agreement will also create new jobs and opportunities for businesses in both regions. 

“This is a major step forward in our efforts to strengthen economic ties between Pakistan and the GCC,” Ejaz was quoted as saying by his ministry. 

It said the investment chapter was an important part of the agreement and it was confident that an agreement would soon be reached between the two sides.  

"The two sides also discussed the possibility of holding a joint business forum in the near future to promote trade and investment between Pakistan and the GCC," the ministry added.  

The development comes as Pakistan treads a tricky path to economic recovery after securing a crucial $3 billion bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in June. 

Currently, the South Asian country has free trade agreements with China, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka, but it still needs to increase exports to other trade destinations. 

Topics: Pakistan Saudi Arabia Pakistan Saudi Ties

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