Left-field thought and patio heaters: How Pakistan turned series on head

Left-field thought and patio heaters: How Pakistan turned series on head
Pakistan players lift the trophy and celebrate after winning the test series in Rawalpindi on October 26, 2024. (REUTERS)
Short Url
Updated 27 October 2024
Follow

Left-field thought and patio heaters: How Pakistan turned series on head

Left-field thought and patio heaters: How Pakistan turned series on head
  • A revamped selection committee dropped out-of-form batsman Babar Azam, pace spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah
  • Azam’s replacement Kamran Ghulam, prolific in the domestic game but hitherto ignored, rewarded selectors with a century on debut

RAWALPINDI: When Pakistan slumped to a sixth Test defeat in a row, by an innings as England piled up 823-7 in Multan just over two weeks ago, it sparked some soul-searching and a radical rethink.
A revamped Pakistan selection committee dropped out-of-form batsman Babar Azam, pace spearheads Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah and instead turned to spin with instructions to groundstaff to produce pitches to match.
The featherbed batsmen’s paradise of the first Test at Multan was recycled, with the help of a dowsing by water and industrial fans, into a turning pitch for the second.
Azam’s replacement Kamran Ghulam, prolific in the domestic game but hitherto ignored, rewarded the new selectors with a century on debut.
But it was the recalled Noman Ali and Sajid Khan who ripped England apart with spin, guile and a flourish as they took all 20 wickets on their way to a 152-run victory.
More of the same was ordered for the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi and Pakistan completed a remarkable turnaround by nine wickets on Saturday.
The 2-1 triumph over England was their first home series win since February 2021.
“We were losing matches after matches, series after series because there was no plan,” former Pakistan wicketkeeper batsman Kamran Akmal told AFP.
“It’s thanks to the PCB for thinking out of the box and selectors for picking the discarded spinners that this win was forced,” said Akmal.
Pakistan took a punt using the same pitch for two Tests in a row in Multan.
But they pulled out all the stops in Rawalpindi, which had a reputation in the past of favoring seam bowlers, employing patio heaters and rakes to set up a spinning track.
Noman and Sajid this time shared 19 wickets as England crumbled to 112 all out and Pakistan cruised to victory by nine wickets.
Former England captain Michael Atherton gave credit to Pakistan for finally finding a way to win after a dire spell in all formats of the game.
“Pakistan now have a template to win at home,” said Atherton, who was a TV commentator for the series.
“You have got to be strong at home. Then you search for ways to adapt your game to win abroad.”
His TV colleague, another former England captain Nasser Hussain, said Pakistan “switched a plan mid-series and it’s paid dividends.”
Pakistan has had five PCB chairmen in as many years, with 26 different selectors and six head coaches over that same period.
Hussain said as a result, their previous tactics “would last a week” before being chopped and changed, ruling out an overarching strategy like the one that yielded two Test victories in a row.
“We met some fans who told us that they are happy that Pakistan at least have a plan now, even if it is an unorthodox one,” said Hussain.
“The win with a new plan has given them new joy.”
The series victory is the first Shan Masood since he was appointed captain last year and has given him respite from calls for his resignation.
But Pakistan will next play a two-match Test series in South Africa in December, where they have never won.
“We will need to plan and work hard for further progress and just not sit on this one win,” warned Akmal.
“A win will motivate everyone,” he said. “I am sure this will lift our cricket and we will regain our glory of the past.”


Pakistani elephant Sonia dies less than two weeks after reunion with sister Madhubala

Pakistani elephant Sonia dies less than two weeks after reunion with sister Madhubala
Updated 44 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani elephant Sonia dies less than two weeks after reunion with sister Madhubala

Pakistani elephant Sonia dies less than two weeks after reunion with sister Madhubala
  • Karachi Safari Park director says Sonia was not suffering from any health issues, was in “perfect condition”
  • Sonia, Madhubala, Malika and Noor Jehan were caught in Tanzania at young age and brought to Pakistan in 2009 

KARACHI: Pakistani elephant Sonia passed away at the Safari Park in Karachi on Sunday morning, an official confirmed, less than two weeks after she was reunited with her sister Madhubala after a 15-year-long separation. 

Sisters Sonia, Malika, Noor Jehan and Madhubala were caught in the wild in Tanzania at a young age and brought to Pakistan together in 2009 but were soon separated, with Noor Jehan and Madhubala moved to the Karachi Zoo and Malika and Sonia to the city’s Safari Park. 

Noor Jehan died in April 2023 at age 17 following a prolonged illness caused by neglect, leaving Madhubala alone at the zoo. After a 15-year-long separation, Madhubala was shifted to the Safari Park on Nov. 26 where she was reunited with Malika and Sonia, estimated to be between 17 and 19 years old. 

“Sonia, one of the three elephants at Karachi’s Safari Park, passed away this morning,” Amjad Zaidi, director of the Safari Park, told Arab News.

“There were no health issues, and she appeared to be in perfect condition,” he added. 

FOUR PAWS said last month that the three elephants’ health was being observed by head veterinarian Dr. Frank Göritz from the Leibnitz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research, (IZW) who has been involved in the treatment of the elephants since 2021.

In November 2021, after the provincial Sindh High Court asked FOUR PAWS to assess the well-being of the Pakistani elephants, all four were found to be in need of better diet and medical treatment. 

Pakistani English-language daily Dawn reported in July that Sonia was found to have developed a swelling between her hind legs. Zaidi told Dawn that Sonia had developed the infection but was recovering from it. 

Animal rights activists have long campaigned about the plight of animals in Pakistan, especially elephants, and demanded they be provided adequate medical care and nutrition. 
 


Pakistan cricket boss promises ‘good news’ about Champions Trophy amid hosting standoff

Pakistan cricket boss promises ‘good news’ about Champions Trophy amid hosting standoff
Updated 08 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan cricket boss promises ‘good news’ about Champions Trophy amid hosting standoff

Pakistan cricket boss promises ‘good news’ about Champions Trophy amid hosting standoff
  • Doubts persist over whether tournament will take place in Pakistan after India’s refusal to send cricket team 
  • Media outlets say PCB, ICC have reached deal to adopt “hybrid” model for Champions Trophy tournament

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Moshin Naqvi on Sunday promised the nation would receive “good news” about the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 cricket tournament to be hosted by Pakistan, as a standoff with India, which has refused to send its cricket team to the country, persists. 

Pakistan is scheduled to host the Champions Trophy 2025 tournament from February to March 2025 in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. However, the fate of the tournament remains unclear after India refused to tour Pakistan last month due to political tensions between the two countries. 

Media outlets, however, have reported that after several rounds of discussions between the PCB and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), the ICC and the PCB are believed to have reached an agreement to adopt the hybrid model for global tournaments being hosted in Pakistan or India until 2027.

Such an arrangement would allow the two to play their games at ICC tournaments being hosted by the other at a neutral venue.

“God willing, good news about the upcoming Champions Trophy will come out soon,” Naqvi said in a statement after meeting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday, as per the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). 

Naqvi reiterated that Pakistan was “fully prepared” to host the tournament on its soil, adding that he wanted Pakistan and cricket to both win.

Sharif threw his support behind Naqvi, saying that he had represented all 240 million Pakistanis at a recent ICC meeting in Dubai regarding the Champions Trophy. 

“Pakistan’s respect comes first and then comes everything else,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the PMO. 

Political tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have restricted cultural exchanges and bilateral sports events between the two nations.

The two neighbors have fought three wars, two of them over the Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.

India’s national cricket team has not toured Pakistan since 2008 due to soured political relations between the two neighbors, who play each other only in global multi-team tournaments at neutral venues.

Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup last year but was forced to shift all of India’s matches to Sri Lanka under a hybrid model after India refused to send its team to Pakistan. 


Pakistan to send first consignment of flood relief items to Malaysia today

Pakistan to send first consignment of flood relief items to Malaysia today
Updated 08 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan to send first consignment of flood relief items to Malaysia today

Pakistan to send first consignment of flood relief items to Malaysia today
  • Torrential rains and floods have killed at least 30 in Malaysia and Thailand since last week 
  • Consignment comprises 40 tons of relief items such as food packs, winterized tents and medicines

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will send its first consignment of relief items for the flood-hit people of Malaysia today, Sunday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, reiterating Islamabad’s solidarity with Kuala Lumpur. 

Since last week, at least 30 people have died and more than half a million households in Malaysia and Thailand have been hit by torrential rain and flooding that authorities say have been the most severe in decades.

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister this week offered help to Malaysia as it struggles to evacuate and rehabilitate people reeling from the floods. 

“On directions of Prime Minister, Pak NDMA has coordinated first consignment through chartered plane from Islamabad International Airport to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, today,” the NDMA said on Saturday.

“The chartered flight will likely take off tomorrow [Sunday] morning for destination.”

The consignment consisted of 40 tons of relief items including food packs, winterized tents, blankets and medicines as per the current need of flood affectees in Malaysia, the authority said. 

“A second consignment of equal volume is scheduled to depart in next week further reinforcing Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to assisting flood-hit Malaysia,” the NDMA said. 

Pakistan is one of the worse affected countries due to climate change impact. The South Asian country suffered cataclysmic floods in 2022 that killed over 1,700 people and destroyed critical infrastructure that inflicted losses on it worth Rs33 billion. 

“Having faced its own share of natural disasters, Pakistan deeply understands the challenges and hardships such calamities bring,” the NDMA said.

“This shared understanding and empathy drive Pakistan’s efforts to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Malaysia in its recovery journey.”


Pakistan’s foreign office activates crisis management unit for citizens stranded in Syria

Pakistan’s foreign office activates crisis management unit for citizens stranded in Syria
Updated 52 min 12 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan’s foreign office activates crisis management unit for citizens stranded in Syria

Pakistan’s foreign office activates crisis management unit for citizens stranded in Syria
  • Syrian opposition forces say President Bashar Assad has fled country after losing control of Homs 
  • Pakistan says embassy in Damascus continues to actively assist Pakistani nationals stranded in Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to help out stranded citizens in Syria, state-run media reported this week, amid increasing turmoil in Syria as the civil war there intensifies. 

Syrian opposition forces have staged a dramatic comeback against President Bashar Assad after the fierce fighting that broke out last week reached its decisive stages. 

Syrian opposition forces announced on Saturday they had gained full control of the key city of Homs after only a day of fighting, leaving Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread. They also said that Assad had fled the country as the opposition forces advanced.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to facilitate Pakistanis in Syria,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. 

It said the decision was taken in response to the ongoing developments and the evolving situation in Syria. The state broadcaster urged Pakistani citizens in Syria to reach out for help at 051-9207887 and also email at [email protected].

“Meanwhile, the Embassy of Pakistan in Damascus continues to actively assist Pakistani nationals in Syria,” Radio Pakistan said. 

Pakistan earlier this week expressed alarm at the increasing turmoil in Syria and called for de-escalation in violence in the country. 

The fall of Homs and threat to the capital pose an immediate existential danger to the Assad dynasty’s five-decade reign over Syria and the continued influence there of its main regional backer, Iran.

The pace of events has stunned Arab capitals and raised fears of a new wave of regional instability.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkiye and Russia issued a joint statement saying the crisis was a dangerous development and calling for a political solution.

Syria’s civil war, which erupted in 2011 as an uprising against Assad’s rule, dragged in big outside powers, created space for militants to plot attacks around the world and sent millions of refugees into neighboring states.

Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, the strongest rebel group, is the former Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria regarded by the US and others as a terrorist organization, and many Syrians remain fearful it will impose draconian Islamist rule.

US President-elect Donald Trump has said the US should not be involved in the conflict and should “let it play out.”


Pakistan will ‘soon’ set up commission for minority rights, says law minister

Pakistan will ‘soon’ set up commission for minority rights, says law minister
Updated 08 December 2024
Follow

Pakistan will ‘soon’ set up commission for minority rights, says law minister

Pakistan will ‘soon’ set up commission for minority rights, says law minister
  • Non-Muslims, who make up around 3% of Pakistan’s population, often complain of discrimination
  • Azam Nazeer Tarar says the commission will help address minority grievances, promote inclusivity

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Azam Nazeer Tarar, has announced that Pakistan would “soon” establish the National Commission for the Rights of Minorities, Pakistani state media reported on Saturday.

Non-Muslims constitute about three percent of Pakistan’s estimated population of 240 million people. Pakistan’s minority communities complain of facing discrimination in nearly all walks of life and regularly come under attack by militant groups. They have also sometimes been accused of blasphemy, which is punishable by death in the South Asian nation.

Speaking at a Christmas celebration event in Islamabad, Tarar said the draft for the establishment of the commission had been formulated in consultation with minority representatives from Pakistan’s parliament and civil society, and approved by a cabinet committee, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

“The government wants to make the commission more independent which will serve [as] an effective platform for addressing grievances and promoting inclusivity,” the law minister was quoted as saying.

“We have ensured a balanced representation of all minorities and non-minorities in Pakistan.”

Tarar noted that the Constitution of Pakistan clearly stated that Pakistan “belongs to all of us while our identity and pride lie in being Pakistanis,” according to Radio Pakistan.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Adviser on Political Affairs and Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination, Rana Sanaullah, chaired a meeting in Islamabad to review the National Commission for Minorities Bill 2024.

“The commission will consist of 13 members, 9 of whom will be from minority communities,” the Pakistani ministry of religious affairs said in a statement.

A new interfaith harmony policy for promoting religious tolerance was also reviewed at the meeting, the ministry added.