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Reactions from the Pakistan players and team management immediately after their victory against India in the Champions Trophy final

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2017Mohammad Hafeez
“Great team effort! After losing the first game, we were nowhere. We were in the knockouts stage but no one gave us a chance. The way we showed character, this is for the nation. They have been waiting for this for a long, long time. This is the least we could do.”The platform was there, when Fakhar and Azhar gave us a stand, we thought of 300 plus. I wanted to express myself without any fear in the mind. I just wanted to hit the ball hard. We all wanted to do something for the nation. Winning any tournament is a great feeling.”I believe it’s not about winning against the odds. We wanted to inspire the nation because we’ve been missing this from nine years … no cricket at home. Millions of people waited for that, we’ve been waiting for a moment like this.”Shoaib Malik
“It’s tough to describe this feeling in words. Back home, I’m sure roads will be blocked. People will be out dancing even though it is Ramadan. I would like to congratulate all the Pakistani people all over the world. This brings us united. I would also like to thank the Indian cricket team for playing the way they did throughout the tournament.”I wasn’t nervous, we were okay. Being a senior cricketer, a lot of youngsters look at you. I thought I have to calm myself and this is what I did. Credit to the boys for the way they played, controlled their aggression.”Imad Wasim
“Unbelievable! The crowd has been cheering like we’re in Pakistan. Thanks to all the people who supported us. The roads will be blocked, jam packed in Pakistan. I can’t wait to go home.”After the first game, we were down and out. We sat together and decided we have to do something. Everyone was writing us off and we were like ‘don’t write us off just yet.’ Pakistan can do anything on any given day, and we beat four top sides!”Mohammad Amir
Shikhar, Rohit and Kohli were in tremendous form. I was looking for early wickets and I did it. To be honest, this is team work. The South Africa game gave us momentum.Mickey Arthur, Pakistan coach
“It’s been an up and down ride for us, but so proud of the boys. We dusted ourselves off after the India defeat in Edgbaston and came back superbly. We knew we were prepared well. That loss was an aberration. It’s a remarkable achievement.”We want to be a little more consistent as a team. We’ve got a group of young players who are fantastic. We have to keep this momentum going. We’re happy with the brand of cricket we’re playing. We’ve got two years until the 2019 World Cup. We’ve got the monkey off our back in terms of qualifying. We now have two years to identify a squad we want to take forward and give them enough game time. That’s the aim at the moment.”0:43

WATCH – Pakistan fans go wild

Azhar Mahmood
“Fakhar Zaman is a brilliant guy, up the order he put pressure on the opposition, that’s why he made 300 odd runs in the tournament, if we’ve got a player like him to get such runs that’s a brilliant sign for us. Hasan Ali bowls with a big heart. Every time he runs in, he wants to get a wicket. The attitude is brilliant.”Hasan Ali
“First of all thanks Allah. A year ago I wasn’t in the side but I worked hard and believed in myself, and thankfully gave a good performance. Been learning since the start that if your body has energy you can perform well.”I was very calm, no pressure on me, and thankfully I did well in all our games. This was a great tournament for me, dismissed some top players. Very special to take the final wicket, to take the last wicket that won us. The tournament, very special for me and I will definitely remember that.”Sarfraz Ahmed
“After the India match, one thing I said to my boys was the tournamenthasn’t finished yet. I think he’s [Fakhar Zaman] a great impact player. Credit goes to him, he was playing his first ICC event, and he played like a champion player. I also want to give credit to my bowlers. Amir bowled brilliantly all tournament, and so did Junaid, Shadab, Imad, Hasan, they all bowled very well.It’s a very young team and credit goes to them and the management. It’s a very important boost for us to win this. When we arrived here, we just played like we have nothing to lose. Credit goes to my batsmen, my bowlers and the team management. I think it’s a very proud moment for me, and my team and my country. I want to thank the people of Pakistan. Keep supporting us and praying for us. Also thank you to all supporters here who watch to see us play!”

From growing up in Kasur to his exploits in domestic cricket, everything you need to know about Pakistan’s rookie sensation

Umar Farooq30-May-2017Where’s he from?
He was born in Kasur, a city close to the Indian border, and about a 45-minute drive from Lahore. You might know the city for the shrine of Bulleh Shah, the celebrated Sufi poet-saint, and also as the birthplace of Noor Jehan, one of Pakistan’s most famous singers. If he plays for Pakistan, Ashraf could become another reason the city is known for – he would be the first from Kasur to play for Pakistan.Tell me a little about his riseThough Kasur is close to Lahore, for the PCB, the district comes into the Faisalabad region, and this is where Ashraf started his competitive cricket, playing in the inter-district Under-19 competition in 2010. He turned out for Kasur at the time as a fast bowler, picking up 10 wickets in 2010, and 15 in 2011. He was promoted to the Faisalabad Under-19 team and wasn’t able to make a major impact, taking 14 wickets, apart from 117 runs, batting with the tail.So what caught the selectors’ eye?In 2013, at a senior district-level tournament, he became the top wicket-taker for Kasur with 22 wickets at 11.13 and also scored 189 runs with the help of two half-centuries. Those performances won him a ticket to first-class cricket, as he broke into the Faisalabad team for the 2013-14 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.I see. And how did that go?Pretty good. He hit a hundred on first-class debut against Multan, at a healthy 60-plus strike rate. Since then, he has played 31 first-class matches, scoring 1207 runs at 32.62 – not a bad haul for someone selectors essentially consider a lower-order batsman. Oh, and he’s also picked up 94 wickets at 26.63. His List A numbers are decent, too, though it is with the ball that he has shone in that format: 60 wickets in 38 games, at a strike rate of 28.1.Any other performances I should be able to reel off like I’m a selector?He might not have compiled remarkable numbers, but with Ashraf, the cameos are the ones that are remembered. He scored 44 against WAPDA at a time when his side, HBL, was languishing at 21 for 6 in the final of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Handily, that was in front of the selection committee last year in Karachi, and he has been on their radar since. He made it to the Pakistan ‘A’ team that played against Zimbabwe and England Lions recently, and 19 wickets in the Departmental One-Day Cup – the highest in the tournament – earlier this year meant he was pushing for an international debut.Is he the answer to…
Pakistan’s ongoing, eternal search for an allrounder? Hold your horses just a second and take a reality check. He is, currently, a kind of leader of the tail, batting mostly between Nos. 7, 8 and 9 for his domestic sides. He averages less than 16 in the format he is likely to make his Pakistan debut in. With the ball, he is usually first or second change, unless an especially grassy pitch presents itself, when he has been known to open the bowling. His nine overs in the two warm-up games have gone for 65, without a wicket, so…Still, don’t just take our word for it.
When he was working his way up from district level and onto the first-class scene, the current national selector and former offspinner Tauseef Ahmed was keeping an eye on him. Tauseef had a chance to monitor Ashraf closely in 2015 while at National Bank of Pakistan (he has since moved to Habib Bank). There, Ashraf made some valuable runs with the tail (271 altogether, at 38.71) and picked up 23 wickets. His ability to strike the ball clean and provide regular breakthroughs – in addition to the ferocity and confidence with which he played the hook shot – was something that stuck with Tauseef.”I actually saw him when he was playing for NBP, and his ability to strike the ball was impressive,” Tauseef said. “What else does a team want when a batsman batting with the tail can get a run-rate between 8 and 10 an over? He has great firepower, and I have seen him doing that quite often on the domestic circuit.”

For India to stand a chance, Virat Kohli had to win his battle with Pakistan’s seamers, but Mohammad Amir used his angle and intellect to take out India’s best

Nagraj Gollapudi at The Oval18-Jun-20173:34

Dravid: Amir spell made for compelling viewing

Virat Kohli had not walked in this early in the tournament. In fact, Kohli has had to bat only three times in the first over, at No. 3. Two of those instances occurred when India were chasing: against Australia in 2010 and Pakistan in 2012. Both times Kohli took India home with a century. His 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup final remains his highest score in ODIs. Mohammad Amir was serving his spot-fixing ban at the time.On Sunday, when Kohli got in, Amir was already raging. He had tempted Rohit Sharma with a full delivery angling away off the first ball of the innings. Rohit fell for the trick and was lucky not to have dragged the ball on to his stumps. The next delivery was similar. Rohit let it go.Then came the beauty: an inducker that pitched on a good length, moved in with a straight seam and hit Rohit in line with leg stump. Rohit wasted time thinking the review could bail him out. Umpire Richard Kettleborough timed him out, asking him to depart. Amir pumped his hands furiously.In walked Kohli. For India to win, Kohli had to win. He twirled his bat. He chewed gum. He took a leg-stump guard. Amir rushed in. Kohli survived a sharp, 90 mph delivery that screamed away. Even the world’s No.1 ranked batsman looked vulnerable.The next ball pitched on a good length. Kohli punched to the right of Shoaib Malik at mid-off. Kohli casually ran forward, confident the ball was speeding to the boundary. Malik, though, intercepted to send Kohli back. Kohli then moved outside the line of the final delivery of the over, flicked neatly and picked up two runs.With the angle Amir was coming at him, Kohli was always in danger of getting opened up. Kohli was vulnerable when he faced Amir in the Asia Cup last year too.India’s top three helped India to the final. Mohammad Amir knocked them all over•Getty ImagesOn Sunday, off the third ball of Amir’s second over, Kohli was unravelled. It pitched on a good length, forcing Kohli back. The ball moved away and took a thick edge of Kohli’s open-faced bat. Amir almost took off in celebration. Pakistan flags erupted across The Oval even before the ball reached Azhar Ali, at first slip. Azhar just had to accept the gift that came his way. Instead, he whipped his cap in disgust after dropping a sitter. Amir turned back swiftly, after giving Azhar a glare.Next ball, Kohli made up his mind. He moved a step across off stump, premeditating a flick. Amir did not change his plan. The ball was full, pitched on the seam, and angled away. Kohli was caught in an awkward position and the leading edge flew into the hands of Shadab Khan at point. The Pakistan fans erupted in joy again, this time not just momentarily.Kohli stood in disbelief. Shikhar Dhawan tried to console his captain by putting his arm around him. Kohli was defeated. He did not hide it. In this tournament, Kohli had not faced a left-arm fast bowler of Amir’s pace and intellect. Kohli has always stressed on how he visualises contests before a big match. He would have undoubtedly imagined what Amir would do to him. Amir shattered it in seven balls.”Dropping Virat Kohli, a guy who chases runs for fun, he does it best in the world,” Azhar said after the game. “So dropping him was a really, really big disappointment. But I was the most relieved man after he got out the next ball. That kind of batsman never gives you that sight again and again, getting out in two balls.”Not much fazes Virat Kohli in chases, but Mohammad Amir’s angle did•Getty ImagesAzhar Mahmood, the Pakistan bowling coach, revealed that he asked the fast bowlers to attack the channel outside off stump and force Kohli to play early. Amir executed perfectly. “Early on when Virat comes in, bowl the fourth, fifth stump, take the ball away, he is a big candidate of nicking off,” Mahmood said. “Amir had done it before, too. The plan was there, but it had to be executed.”Another key element in Amir’s spell was his aggressive body language. According to Mahmood, that was a conscious strategy. “We are very friendly with the Indian players off the field and sometimes, we take it on the field as well. Yesterday during our discussions, I told them we should have a ruthless body language on the field.”Since his return, Amir has been carrying the burden of expectation. The image was established in 2010: of Amir rushing in with flowing hair, swinging and seaming the ball in and out, hitting edges, knocking back stumps, trapping batsmen in front.Expectations were high after Amir’s return to international cricket. The wait has been agonising. As he charged in to Kohli on Sunday, hearts raced. Something was going to happen. Mohammad Amir happened.

From tape-ball cricket on the streets of Lahore to the Pakistan squad for the Under-19 World Cup… Muhammad Zaid is eager to learn and succeed – be it batting or speaking English

Shashank Kishore in Whangarei12-Jan-2018″I was walking back home after buying dinner when I heard the whole neighbourhood yell in frustration,” Muhammad Zaid says, not one bit tired after a long training session in Whangarei. He is bursting with eagerness to tell this tale. “.” (What man, Virat Kohli has been dropped!) A minute later, of course, he had heard firecrackers going off in Lahore. “” (People started dancing. I thought Kohli had got out. I went back home and Kohli had indeed got out. Then I felt this match is ours).The excitement in Zaid’s voice as he describes the night of June 18, 2017, when Pakistan beat India to win the Champions Trophy, is still palpable. It was a moment that fuelled his desire to become a better cricketer and work even harder in his quest to find a place in Pakistan’s Under-19 team for the 2018 World Cup in New Zealand. Three months on, a day before Pakistan’s squad was to apply for their visas for Malaysia for the Under-19 Asia Cup, he picked up a side strain and was ruled out of the tournament.That was Pakistan’s last big tournament before the World Cup squad came out. The first week of December was spent nervously waiting for the announcement. Once he found a place, his older brothers told him: “” (Now you set off firecrackers in New Zealand.)In many ways, this tournament will be Zaid’s first real test outside the subcontinent. But for someone who has already had to overcome a number of challenges and struggles, a lot of which his parents and two older brothers – they’re totally seven brothers and six sisters – have tried to shield him from, this will be a test of a different kind. Set to open for Pakistan, Zaid’s strokeplay and fluency have earned him plaudits already.As an adolescent, Zaid’s window into the world of cricket was largely an old transistor in his father Alam Khan’s tea shop that used to blare out Urdu commentary whenever Pakistan played. Zaid spent most of his time in and around the tea shop, either helping his father, or playing tape-ball cricket just outside. It was a business Zaid’s father set up 20 years ago at Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore.The family’s financial constraints came in the way of Zaid’s cricket dreams. At times, when bored, he would run out to play tape-ball cricket in the , but it would make him feel guilty. It was only five years ago that Zaid seriously took to cricket, because his father didn’t want a young boy at an impressionable age to be distracted by the surroundings and go astray.

“PlayStation is not my thing. I watch a lot of cricket. I watch videos of how AB de Villiers plays those scoops and ramp shots, and I try and imitate them in front of the mirror.”Muhammad Zaid

Alongside cricket, Zaid’s father also wanted him to study, and instructed his teachers to keep an eye on the boy. But he would invariably give them the slip and run off to play cricket. Zaid and his identical twin Waheed were often mistaken for each other initially. A distinct batting style, a high backlift and penchant to hit the ball hard helped Zaid stand out.Mohammad Akbar Butt, who was Zaid’s school coach was also head coach at Crescent Cricket Club in Lahore. He enrolled Zaid for the trials and subsequently got him an entry into the club. This was Zaid’s first initiation into age-group cricket, where his batting stood out among the Under-16s.At 14, Butt felt there was a bright future for the boy. But there was the matter of convincing his family that there was potential that would go waste if his raw talent wasn’t nurtured.Zaid’s father wanted his children to study and get a decent job. His oldest son played a bit of cricket before getting into a day job as marketing manager at a healthcare company. His twin and two other brothers, also twins, were academically inclined too; one of them went on to become a teacher at a . Zaid’s father gave in after Younis assured the family that he was willing to sponsor kits and other facilities from the club’s funds.”My father thought I would play for two years and then come back automatically and start focusing on studies,” Zaid says with a laugh. “But when I started scoring and got into regional cricket, that is when they believed I had a future.”They knew I would be adamant,” he says sheepishly. “Till it was time to sleep, I was either playing tape-ball cricket in my colony, or at the nets in the evening. So they knew I had the hunger to play.”

“Bas kar. Rohit Sharma nahi hai tu. Uski record thodna hai kya?”Zaid’s team-mates react to one of his more adventurous shots

Zaid draws inspiration from Shoaib Malik. His recent stint with the Under-19 team in Australia, where he made a century and one half-century, resulted in Pakistan winning 2-0. Zaid’s balance and awareness of his game, according to his coaches, has been a standout feature. It’s his (craze for cricket) that keeps him hooked to YouTube videos of cricketers and famous matches on loop.”PlayStation is not my thing. I watch a lot of cricket. I watch videos of how AB de Villiers plays those scoops and ramp shots, and I try and imitate them in front of the mirror. The other day in Australia, while we were playing the one-day series, I tried to get down on one knee and flick. My team-mates later told me: “” (Stop it. You are not Rohit Sharma. You want to break his record or what?)He hopes to one day be able to play shots like those, but for now, he’s been trained to play in the “V” and not do (trickery) – as his elder brothers called and told him soon after the match.Zaid remembers being particularly captivated by the World XI series in Lahore. He braved the immense security to watch each of the matches. “I hadn’t seen any cricket in the stadiums, so to see top players in the world live was an amazing feeling. I was all the more motivated to score runs and thought to myself how I’d feel if I score runs in front of such crowds one day.”Zaid’s team-mates describe him as quite a prankster, who indulges in lot of leg-pulling and typical (typically local fun). He isn’t fussed about food, and tries to soak in the culture wherever he goes.For now, apart from trying to learn his trade and improve with the bat, he’s also hoping to pick up proper English. New Zealand’s “fast English” leaves him confused, he says with a laugh, but he is determined to converse. “” (I’ll learn only by making mistakes, right?) he asks. “” (Learning is a hobby for me, be it cricket or English). You couldn’t have asked for a better attitude, could you?

Peter Della Penna picks out eight of the best and worst aspects of the ICC World Cup Qualifier

Peter Della Penna26-Mar-2018Love me – Sikandar RazaAs if his 319 runs and 15 wickets weren’t enough to grab attention over the month of March at the World Cup Qualifier, he stole the show at the post-match presentation following the tournament final when accepting the Man of the Series award with his heartfelt speech decrying next year’s 10-team World Cup.It’s not often that a player from a Full Member throws so much support behind the Associate cause. Ireland captain William Porterfield, whose side was elevated to Test status last year, had strong words voicing support for Associate teams at the qualifier and their uncertain futures following his team’s loss to Afghanistan in the last Super Six match on Friday. But Porterfield’s press conference was conducted mostly out of public view and received far less exposure than Sikandar’s statement, which was full of emotion and televised around the world. “Brilliant @SRazaB24,” tweeted Nepal captain Paras Khadka. “Thank you for being our voice!!!”Sikandar Raza was named Man of the Tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesLove me not – No DRSOne of the biggest talking points through the televised portion of the tournament was the decision to not use the best technology available. An excuse trotted out before the tournament by organisers was that playing conditions should remain consistent for TV and non-TV games.However, the same principle was not applied to the 2017 Women’s World Cup. Not all games were televised, with many using an online stream only, but the ones that were televised allowed the teams to use the Decision Review System to challenge on field calls.The impact of the lack of DRS at the World Cup Qualifier was apparent for Scotland in the Super Sixes. Against Ireland, an lbw appeal from Brad Wheal against Andy Balbirnie when the batsman had yet to score was denied by umpire Paul Wilson. Balbirnie went on to make a century in a Man of the Match performance. A few days later, Wilson became the centre of attention once more when he upheld West Indies spinner Ashley Nurse’s appeal for lbw against Richie Berrington to a ball heading past leg stump. No one will know if Scotland would have won those games with the decisions overturned, but it would have been good to have the option.Love me – Full Members at the QualifierThis was the first time in the history of the World Cup Qualifier, which dates back to 1979 when it was known as the ICC Trophy, that Full Members were forced to go through the same intense process that Associates do in order to make it to the World Cup. All of the edge-of-your-seat drama that TV cameras missed in their absence from February’s WCL Division Two in Namibia was captured live and in living colour in Zimbabwe.When it was all said and done, the two pre-tournament favorites – West Indies and Afghanistan – wound up claiming the two spots at the 2019 World Cup. But the relaxed nature of the tournament final between the two sides underscored the fact that it’s not just about the destination, but the journey to get there. From the group stage through the Super Sixes, almost every match was full of drama and provided example upon example of the parity and competitiveness in limited-overs cricket that extends well beyond the Full Member world like never before. Going by Carlos Brathwaite’s Twitter feed, the Associates gained West Indies’ respect too.West Indies players line up for the national anthem•Getty ImagesLove me not – No Associates at the World CupNext year’s event will be the first time in its history that there won’t be a single Associate side in attendance. All participating teams are ranked in the top ten of the ODI rankings. Half of the teams will be from Asia. Only one team, West Indies, is fully located in the western hemisphere.In this year’s 32-team FIFA World Cup in Russia, a team ranked as low as No. 63 in the world – Saudi Arabia – qualified on merit. Chile and Italy, both ranked in the top 16, did not. If FIFA used rankings only to form their World Cup field and shrank the event to 16 teams, rather than expand to 48 as will be the case for 2026, the entire field would be comprised of countries from Europe and South America.Imagine FIFA World Cups in this millenium without Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan, Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba, Australia’s Tim Cahill, USA’s Clint Dempsey, South Korea’s Park Ji-sung, Japan’s Keisuke Honda. That’s what cricket fans will likewise be missing in England and Wales next year without the Associates represented. It means no Kyle Coetzer, Rohan Mustafa, Paul van Meekeren, Anshuman Rath, or Sandeep Lamichhane.Love me – Ian BishopIn the post-Richie Benaud era of TV commentary, few people do more to enhance the viewer experience more than the former West Indies fast bowler. “Remember the name!” may go down in history as his signature moment on air, but associating him only with that would be a disservice to the outstanding technical expertise, relatable personal anecdotes, instant recall from previous games he has covered as well as detailed background research knowledge of teams and players he brings wherever he is calling a game.Whether it is Test cricket, T20 franchise cricket, women’s cricket or Associate cricket, Bishop’s versatility and quality that he brings to each assignment is unmatched. He gives respect to the players he covers below the top level of the game by doing more than a cursory check of their batting and bowling styles so he can contribute genuine insights rather than fumbling and mumbling bland cliches to disguise a lack of interest that is often apparent in other talking heads. In turn, viewers worldwide respect Bishop’s efforts and yearn for more to follow his lead.Love me not – No reserve daysIt does not make much sense that WCL Division Two, the tournament preceding the World Cup Qualifier through which UAE and Nepal advanced to Zimbabwe, had two scheduled reserve days – both of which wound up being used – as well as provisions for a third if necessary, while the World Cup Qualifier itself had zero reserve days. Had the reserve day been in place, there would not have been a need to cut short multiple games, most significantly the West Indies v Scotland and Zimbabwe v UAE encounters in the Super Six stage.The massive frustration from the Scotland camp who saw their dreams dashed was equal parts no DRS and no reserve days. Five runs short of the DLS target against West Indies, they were taken off the field and never came back on. The poor lbw decision against Berrington may have been easier to swallow had the match been allowed to reach a natural conclusion on the field – whether it meant being bowled out for 170 or winning by three wickets in the 50th over – rather than by a mathematician’s calculator off it.Nepal are overjoyed at taking a wicket•ICCLove me – Nepal gaining ODI statusThere are countless ways in which Nepal’s passion shines through: the singing of “Rato Ra Chandra Surya” by the squad after each game, hundreds of fans greeting the players on their arrival to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, 15,000 fans packing Tribhuvan University Stadium even for domestic matches like the Everest Premier League, let alone Nepal’s home internationals.Not since Afghanistan has an Associate country had the capacity to have as much growth and impact with the opportunity to play ODI cricket as Nepal. If they can get their administrative affairs in order, there’s no reason why they can’t go on the same fast track toward Test status.Love me not – Nepal not having any guaranteed ODI fixturesHowever, what does the status actually mean when Nepal is not a part of the Future Tours Programme? Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea serve as examples of countries holding ODI status more or less in name only, without being able to receive the same fixture opportunities and benefits as a Test nation.However, the respective fan bases of PNG and Hong Kong are relatively small. By comparison, Nepal’s fan market base being as enthusiastic as Afghanistan’s means there are millions of eyeballs for TV broadcasters and sponsors to seize upon. Already, Nepal has been extended a return visit to Lord’s this summer alongside the Netherlands. Hopefully it means that Khadka’s men will get the chance to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka sooner rather than later in one-day cricket, especially with an IPL spinner in their ranks in the form of 17-year-old Lamichhane.

The PCB central contracts, announced on Monday, included a few decisions that seemed at odds with what Pakistan cricket fans have seen over the past few months

Danyal Rasool07-Aug-2018Much of what the PCB does, and what it took to get to that stage, is full of mystery, and guaranteed to remain that way until someone writes a tell-all book, or Younis Khan finds out and hastily summons a press conference to explain what happened and why it was a personal affront to him. The same mystery applies to the way the PCB determines who is awarded central contracts for the upcoming year, and in which of the five categories they fit. There is a method that’s supposed to look at performance over the past year, and the player’s prospects of excelling in the future, but as the method itself has never been disclosed, all we can do is analyse the conclusions it throws up.On Monday, the PCB awarded central contracts to 33 players for the upcoming year in five categories – A to E – A being the most prestigious and lucrative, and supposed to be awarded to players who are the most valuable assets to Pakistan cricket. There were no really big surprises in terms of omissions; nearly everyone who was supposed to get a central contract got one. But the categories in which certain players were placed raised questions.Does Category B actually have better players than Category A?
Test it out yourself. Pit Azhar Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir against Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Hafeez. Can you tell which set of players were given Category A contracts? The fact there is ambiguity, and some unusual choices in each set, makes you wonder how they went about assigning categories to each player. As it turns out, the former set is Category A.Very well, you might argue. The former set has players who are regular Test cricketers for Pakistan, while Category B has players, who, while immensely exciting over the past year and a half, have largely made their name in white-ball cricket. But in that case, why on earth is Malik, who last saw a competitive red ball hurtling towards him in late 2015, included in the higher category?Is it time we got over our love affair with Mohammad Amir?
If any young cricketer wanted to be a fast bowler, they’d choose to be like Amir. With a clean run-up and quite a beautiful action, Amir looks like he’s about to get prodigious swing, or bowl a yorker that cannons into the base of middle stump. And of course, he has the hair for it all.But while spectacular performances since his comeback refuse to fade from memory – think Asia Cup against India in 2016, or more epically, the Champions Trophy final last year, he has a worse wicket-taking ratio than almost every other Pakistan bowler he plays alongside, and is ranked 28 in ODI cricket and 32 in Tests. Hasan Ali is Pakistan’s top-ranked bowler in ODI cricket, and Mohammad Abbas is in the country’s top three in Test cricket, but Amir is the only fast bowler included in the list of Category A cricketers.Is that based on hard analytics, or a teenage love affair in England eight years ago?Mohammad Abbas trapped Alastair Cook lbw•Getty ImagesWhy are Mohammad Abbas and Imam-ul-Haq in Category C?Mohammad Abbas will never be the man this Pakistan side is built around – in truth, he could go back to his old school and even today, he wouldn’t be the man they built their side around. He’s not going to be the most followed player on Instagram, or the one large screaming mobs wait outside hotels and airports to get a glimpse of or autograph from. He is a non-fussy, uncomplicated, slow fast bowler, but he does exceptionally well. He has been, by far, Pakistan’s best Test bowler since he made his debut last year, taking 42 wickets in eight games at an average of 17.69. If the PCB justifies the group of players awarded Category A contracts because of their prowess in Test cricket, then why does Abbas find himself languishing in Category C?To some extent, the same applies to Imam-ul-Haq. The exciting young left-hander made his debut against Sri Lanka in an ODI last year, scoring a hundred on debut and making the opening slot his. He now has four hundreds in his first nine ODIs and, earlier this year, displaced Sami Aslam at the top of the Test batting line-up, where he played all three Tests on Pakistan’s tour of Ireland and England. He scored a crucial, unbeaten 74 against Ireland on debut to prevent a shock defeat, and with Sami Aslam not awarded a central contract at all, Imam is set to play a lot more Test cricket over the next 12 months.When he came into the side, there were whispers of favouritism, with the 22-year old being chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq’s nephew. But now that he’s established himself as an ODI and Test opener, isn’t there a case to be made that he’s been treated slightly harshly?Why is Asif Ali all the way down in Category D?The wider cricket world may not have known who Asif Ali was until the Pakistan Super League this year, but since then, he has to be defined as the success story of PSL 2018. Called up to make his international debut barely a week after helping Islamabad seal the title, he’s already made his name in the limited-overs side as a lower-order power hitter. He hasn’t missed a single white-ball game for Pakistan since, averaging 40 at a strike rate of nearly 160 in ten T20Is. In ODIs, he’s been even better, with an average of 57 and a strike rate over 180 from five games.Making a career in international cricket is all about grasping the chances you’re offered, and there isn’t much more Asif could have done to make a lower-order spot in the side his. Already, it seems almost inconceivable he won’t go to the World Cup, and in truth he will probably start every game Pakistan play there. For a player of that profile, then, to be placed in Category D seems quite odd, especially when a player like Imad Wasim, who hasn’t played for Pakistan at all this year, is in a higher category (C). Similarly, Haris Sohail, who struggled to get into the Pakistan side while Asif was already in it over the past few months, is in a higher category too.What is that method the PCB use again?

The BCCI’s acting secretary was responding to comments by CoA chief Vinod Rai who has accused office bearers of obstructing change within the board

Interview by Sidharth Monga04-Aug-2018The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has failed at implementing the Lodha Committee reforms and, along the way, lost sight of its mandate. That is the withering assessment of BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary about the CoA’s 18 months in charge.The CoA was appointed by the Supreme Court and tasked with not only bringing in reforms in the BCCI but also to supervise day-to-day board activities. Instead, significant reforms are yet to be put in place, and the Court has reserved its final order on certain key reforms, which has led to expectations that the Lodha reforms might face significant alteration.Choudhary, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, was responding to comments by CoA chief Vinod Rai who has accused office bearers, such as Choudhary himself, of obstructing change and the members of exploiting “loopholes” in the court order.The view the CoA seems to hold is that the office bearers have been obstructionist instead of cooperative. Can you personally say you have cooperated to the best of your ability in the implementation of reforms?I had given an undertaking to the honourable Supreme Court that I was for reforms, and would cooperate in implementation. Have a look at the so-called status reports. The same status reports were all praise for me – the fourth in particular – that I was cooperating and trying my best. So on and so forth. Had that not been the fact, why did I, in the month of February, persuade these 13 states to accept the reforms? They stood persuaded barring two or three points, which liberty the honourable court itself had granted, which they mentioned. I forwarded the opinions and suggestions of these 13 states. Was I not cooperating with the reforms? My job was to cooperate, I had given that undertaking. But I am not there to cooperate with any individual. Any mistakes on that, I am sorry to say, I am not there for that.But the individual has contended that the states did not come forward with any suggestions for the draft constitution.This is untruth, because I am a signatory as secretary of the BCCI to the written statements of 13 full members of BCCI, including the pillar of Indian cricket, Mumbai, Ranji champions Vidarbha and Full Members from each and every zone.Mr Rai says the court has taken an unduly long time and that’s why the impasse. So the entire fault lies with the system which means either the Supreme Court or the office bearers or the BCCI? How can anyone talk about Supreme Court in such manner? He says the argument to take off the cooling-off period is untenable but on July 5, the honourable Supreme Court heard the matter, spoke on the subject and thereafter said we reserve our judgement. So the honorary Supreme Court is seized with the matter, is considering a view on the matter, taking a view on the matter. How is he stating his view? On a subject that Supreme Court is taking a view, he has no right to take a view.Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, who is on the Supreme-Court appointed interim panel to oversee the BCCI•Associated PressMr Rai has also spoken about your daily allowances, USD 750 for foreign tours, which in his view is a vested interest and in effect takes away your honorary status.Are our allowances in accordance with rules as they are today in the BCCI? If they are, then so be it. If you are comparing to those of the players, you are conveniently forgetting the fact that the players for playing these matches – and I am not even remotely referring to sponsorships – are getting match fees apart from annual central contracts. This DA that Mr Rai is quoting and juxtaposing with that of the office bearers is unfair.Also this TA-DA is in accordance with the amount cleared by Mr Rai himself on June 22, 2018.But he is saying the amount is unreasonableFair enough. Make it reasonable, through due processes. I am all for that. But you must find out what DA I was drawing at the time of the fourth status report and what I am drawing now. It hasn’t changed. Why has this issue come up suddenly?You said you were there to co-operate with the reforms and not with an individual. It was going fine as you say until the fourth status report. What went wrong after that?I began to block appointments made through rank opaque processes. One of Priya Gupta (GM, marketing) and the other of Ajit Singh (head of ACSU). Nobody knew what the processes were, what the selection panel were, when the selections were done. We were just presented with a that A has been selected, B has been selected, and when some queries were raised, we were treated as if we were obstructionists. And even in overlooking our objections, they were not consistent: Ajit Singh’s appointment was authenticated by the CEO despite my refusal, but Priya Gupta has been left out in the cold. He should have been truthful to both. Mr Rai selected both Priya Gupta and Ajit Singh. Both were rejected by me. Both should have been appointed by the CEO. Only one was.The BCCI officials at the IPL opening ceremony•BCCIDid disagreements also extend to cricketing matters?Yes. Take day-night Test cricket, for example. The issue is absolutely clear. It had to be brought to the stakeholders. Who are the stakeholders? Players. Public. Visiting team. Broadcasters. Also those who work for cricket, those who select the team. Everyone had been consulted, and I had put it on record. I didn’t only speak to the head coach, I told him don’t take a decision in a hurry. You take two days, and then send me an email about your view on the subject, incorporating the players’ views. He said they were okay with it as long as we had only one session under lights. But now the plan stands cancelled because apparently the team doesn’t want it. Nobody else has shown me anything in black and white from the head coach. Remember the fact that apart from Bangladesh, India is the only country which has still not started playing day-night Test cricket. Indian cricket team as represented by the head coach was ready, the opposition was ready, the broadcaster was ready. Nobody has shown me an on-the-record refusal from the team because apparently none exists.You also didn’t sign the new player contracts.We knew nothing about them. To assign categories to different players is the job of the selectors. They did not meet. I should know because I am the convenor of the selection committee. Nor was I informed of the criteria of the contracts. That is why I didn’t sign the contracts. I said come what way I will not sign. It is only after the general body agreed to them in the June 20 meeting that I signed.They tried to intimidate me in the Priya Gupta case but I stood my ground. I said I will appear personally in the Supreme Court, and argue against it.There seems to be a general dislike for Mr Rai and the CoA because they have begun to rule on the day-to-day matters. Mr Rai’s counter always has been that their mandate was to supervise the functioning of the board until the reforms were implemented.Do you accept the fact that a district magistrate supervises affairs of the district? If the answer is yes, do tell me when the DM goes to a district, does he frame new laws or work under the laws that exist? He doesn’t have the mandate from the Supreme Court to change rules except for these reforms.The CoA’s opinion of the office bearers is known now. How do you rate the way the CoA has gone about implementing the reforms, and also have they stuck to their mandate?They have lost sight of the mandate. Sorry, they had lost sight of the mandate. Now the time is over. That is why they failed. For the simple reason that if they had focused on the mandate, they would have at least travelled the distance that I could travel with the members wherein I persuaded 13 Full Members to accept the reforms only exercising slight discretion with regards to the July 24 2017 order where some liberty had been granted by the honourable Supreme Court. They have not been able to persuade one single member of the BCCI.

Old-fashioned Test innings from inexperienced duo Ben Foakes and Sam Curran provided an antidote for England’s top-order failings

George Dobell in Galle06-Nov-2018It took a couple of new boys to show the old ones how to do it.After a morning session in which England’s batsmen had squandered first use of a surface on which run-scoring is likely to become harder, it took Ben Foakes – on debut – and Sam Curran – aged 20 – to provide the calm heads and common sense required to drag England back into this contest.Foakes, in particular, showed his top-order colleagues how it should be done with an innings that spoke of wonderful composure and assurance. While those above him fell attempting to force the pace of the game, Foakes was content to bide his time and wait for the loose ball. So while three of the top four had strikes rates of 75 or more, Foakes was happy to take 40 balls to score his first seven runs. And while England’s top order thrashed 10 fours in the game’s first 10 overs, Foakes was happy to register just six in his 68 overs at the crease.All tour, England have spoken of the need to play with “courage” and take “risks”. But as Joe Root skipped down the pitch and yorked himself, Keaton Jennings missed a cut that was far too close to him and Ben Stokes was bowled round his legs attempting a delicate lap-sweep, it was hard to wish there wasn’t just a little more talk of “patience” and “discipline” and rather less of the bravado.For we are hardly in uncharted territory here. This England team has lived and, very often, died by the sword in recent years. And, despite the mountain of evidence that suggests it is a ploy that will meet with limited success at Test level, they show little sign of changing.This is, after all, the team that has lost ten wickets in a session three times in the last two years (something that never happened between 1936 and 2016) and here saw four of their top five bowled in the first-innings of a Test for the first time this century. They attacked 30% of the deliveries they faced before lunch – a record, according to CricViz, for England in Tests in Asia since such data started being compiled in 2006 – with Root responding to his team’s predicament (they were two down after 75 minutes) by advancing and attempting to hit Rangana Herath over the top. Courageous? Maybe. Sensible? Not really.Rain removed spinners’ advantage – Dliruwan

As is often the case on this new generation of Sri Lankan tracks, the new ball is spinning more than the old one, said Dilruwan Perera, who took 4 for 70 on day one.
“The wicket was covered for two days before the match because of the rain, and I think that took away the usual advantage the spinners have here,” he said. “The wicket spun when the ball was new, but when it got older, it just became slower.”
He also was of the view that the pitch for this Test is better for batting than the surfaces generally encountered at Galle. He believed it is unlike the pitch on which the most-recent Test at this venue, was played – that game, against South Africa, lasted only two-and-a-half days.
“I get the feeling that this Galle Test last four or five days. It is a good wicket and I don’t think it will deteriorate that much.”

In Foakes we saw the antidote. He played straight, he played each delivery on its merits and he didn’t go searching for the ‘four’ ball. He trusted his defence – you wonder if some of those top-order colleagues do so – and talked, instead of “courage,” of “grinding” and “nurdling”. He fought off a sustained attack of cramp towards stumps and resumes, on day two, within 13 runs of becoming just the second England wicketkeeper to make a century on Test debut. Matt Prior was the other.Is it relevant that Foakes was on debut? You would hope not. But you do wonder if all the talk of “courage” and “risk” and “aggression” seeps into the mindset of this squad over time and through exposure. Foakes is untainted by such complications – he actually declined the offer of a Lions tour this winter in the belief that an extended break would do him more good; he had just returned from a “lads’ trip” to Lisbon when he was called-up – and played good, old-fashioned cricket without the testosterone that seems to govern so much of England’s batting in all formats.That’s not the say the England system hasn’t contributed to Foakes’ success. He has been part of the “pathway” for a decade and this is, in one way or another, his sixth trip to Sri Lanka to play cricket, including various Lions tours and a placement with Colts, a club in Colombo. Trevor Bayliss has wanted him involved – here, in particular – for some time and he came into the match with a first-class average of 40.64. This is not, despite Foakes’ late call-up, a complete shock.”It definitely helped me,” he said of his experience in Sri Lanka. “I got to learn a little bit about Dilruwan Perera and Akila Dananjaya [who also played for Colts]. And the thing you can’t really prepare for is the heat, unless you’ve done it. I think playing in this sort of heat a few times really helped.”Bruce French deserves praise, too. While there is limited evidence of much improvement among batsmen and bowlers in the England environment, the improvement in keepers – think of Prior or Jonny Bairstow – is marked. French, England’s long-term wicketkeeping coach, struggled to hold back the tears when he awarded Foakes his Test cap and deserves recognition for his part in his development.Ben Foakes brought up his maiden Test fifty•Getty ImagesFoakes has though, given the England management quite a headache ahead of the Kandy Test. With Bairstow expected to be fit to play, they will be forced to make a tricky selection. Foakes, like Bairstow and Jos Buttler and Stokes and Moeen Ali, all look at their best in the middle-order, but something – or somebody – really has to give.That somebody here was, as ever, Moeen. Having been told he definitely wouldn’t be batting at No. 3 little more than a week ago, he came into this game after one warm-up innings when he batted at No. 7. There’s no defending his failure to keep out a pretty regulation delivery that was angled in from around the stumps, but England sure do mess him around.Bayliss said, earlier in the week, that both Moeen and Stokes were in the side for their batting, with their bowling considered a bonus. But Moeen now averages 31.87 with the bat in Test cricket and Stokes 33.56: they are not stats that would be considered sufficient for specialist batsmen.Foakes defended England’s approach after play. Arguing that, in the first session, the ball gripped on a slightly tacky surface, he suggested that, had they allowed the bowlers to settle into a length, they could have been rendered both strokeless and defenceless.”In that first session the amount the ball stuck and turned, if we hadn’t been aggressive, we could have been 30 for four or five.” Foakes said. “The guys went about it really well. The way Keaton Jennings played especially, taking the game to them and throwing them off their lengths, worked quite well.”Maybe. But England were again bailed out by the depth of their batting. Curran, patient between poor balls but merciless when they arrived, again contributed well but will be disappointed with the attempted heave that ended his innings. Adil Rashid also swung merrily for a while but, as a No. 9, has more licence to do so. The top-order have to take more responsibility. Test batting is about more than aggression. It has to encompass patience and restraint, too.

And how costly was Rashid Khan’s dropped catch when Pollard was batting on 8 off 12?

ESPNcricinfo Stats Team06-Apr-2019Alzarri Joseph should probably have been an easy choice for Man of the Match after returning the best-ever match figures in the IPL, yes?Well, according to ESPNcricinfo’s , his claim to the award wasn’t so clear. Kieron Pollard’s 46 off 26 balls in a low-scoring game was valued nearly as much as Joseph’s incredible figures of 6 for 12.ESPNcricinfo LtdSmart Stats takes into account the pressure under which batsmen score their runs and their relative strike-rate compared to other batsmen. With Pollard at the crease on 8 off 11, Mumbai were 92 for 6 at the end of the 17th over. What followed was vintage Pollard: he smote 37 runs off 13 balls in the last two overs, helping Mumbai to a competitive total of 136. Pollard’s 46 were worth 68 Smart Runs.Joseph then gave Mumbai Indians the start they would have hoped for. He dismissed David Warner off his first ball and then took out an in-form Vijay Shankar. However, the rest of his six wickets came relatively cheap. The last three of them were of Rashid Khan and the tailenders and came when the match was already well within Mumbai’s grasp. Smart Stats give Alzarri’s six wickets a Smart-Wicket value of 4.9.Nevertheless, an incredible Smart Economy of 0.27 for the match meant Joseph just pipped Pollard in the race for Smart Stats’ Man-of-the-Match award. Joseph’s contribution to the match was 19.9%, marginally above Pollard’s 19.4%.Impact of Pollard’s dropped catchPollard’s innings was helped by a dropped catch, which had a great impact on Mumbai’s total and then on the result. ESPNcricinfo’s estimates the impact of the drop and how lucky it turned out to be.ESPNcricinfo LtdPollard was dropped in the 17th over when the score was 92 for 6. Mumbai were going at a run rate of 5.30. After the drop, he scored 38 off 16 and took Mumbai to a fighting total of 136. The dropped catch had an impact of 21 runs, since Mumbai had no proper batsmen left at that stage of the innings. Had the catch been taken, they would have been 92 for 7 with just Joseph, Rahul Chahar, Jason Behrendorff and Jasprit Bumrah left. Thus, the drop was a key factor for Mumbai and the game’s eventual result.

Elation and disappointment: the reactions to New Zealand’s 18-run win over India in the World Cup semi-final at Old Trafford

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jul-2019.

WOW!!!!!! Amazing theatre at Old Trafford!! Congrats @BLACKCAPS super effort gents @cricketworldcup

— Danny Morrison (@SteelyDan66) July 10, 2019

What a game! #backtheblackcaps
Finals time! Let’s go one better than 2015.

— Grant Elliott (@grantelliottnz) July 10, 2019

Congratulations absolutely brilliant win. Kane Williamson take a bow, outstanding captaincy. Bad luck to team

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) July 10, 2019

Stunning result in Manchester!! I had predicted an England-India final but NZ have been brilliant, unbelievable effort to restrict this India batting for such low total. Great game for Jadeja, hard luck India

— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) July 10, 2019

What a thrilling game. This is what you call a #CWC semi final congratulations @BLACKCAPS, well played!

— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) July 10, 2019

How good #BackTheBLACKCAPS https://t.co/VN8E7IHMbS

— Suzie Bates (@SuzieWBates) July 10, 2019

Well done @BLACKCAPS .. 2 Finals on the trot .. The understated skipper & team keep delivering .. #CWC19

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) July 10, 2019

An absolutely brilliant #CWC19 semi final!! Congrats to New Zealand! Old Trafford has looked a picture throughout this WC and hosted some exciting games!! Well done to all involved!

— James Anderson (@jimmy9) July 10, 2019

Congrats to #kanewilliamson and the @BLACKCAPS on making another final. All the best in the big one. May not have all the talent like some other teams but Best at being "streetsmart" and superb captaincy skills

— Vernon Philander (@VDP_24) July 10, 2019

What a game, Williamson’s calmness and tactical deployment a cut above. #CWC19 #INDvNZ

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) July 10, 2019

Never underestimate the underdog. @BLACKCAPS congratulations, the world thought you were the easybeats!
Today is a life lesson that you can climb mountains when the odds are against you. India be proud, your team are superstars, but today NZ had a day out. #cwc19 #INDvNZ

— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) July 10, 2019

Once again cricket shows us how unpredictable it can be…. NO ONE gave Newzealand a chance in the build up to the semi final and look what we have now

Unlucky team India and a huge congratulations to Black Caps#ICCWorldCup2019

— Tabraiz Shamsi (@shamsi90) July 10, 2019

Best bowling team and also the best fielding unit makes the final !!!! #cwc2019 WoW…what a game .These Kiwis are awesome ..they fight for everything .Congratulations @BLACKCAPS

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) July 10, 2019

Congrats the Kiwis! Aroha nui (learnt that from @iainobrien

— mark butcher (@markbutcher72) July 10, 2019

Mad game. Well fought India, congrats kiwis, held nerve. #CWC19 #INDvsNZ

— Shaun Tait (@shaun_tait32) July 10, 2019

Congratulations to Kane Williamson and the @BLACKCAPS for making it to a second successive World Cup Finals. Ravindra Jadeja along with Dhoni fought brilliantly and got India so close but NZ were brilliant with the new ball and that was decisive. #IndvNZ

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 10, 2019

It was a second straight World Cup semi-final exit for India, who had topped the league stage.

just like every supporter.
A good fight put up by @imjadeja & @msdhoni but @BLACKCAPS were exceptional today.
Congrats to on making it to the Finals & all the best for the same.
I felt #KaneWilliamson’s captaincy & composure played a crucial role in this result.#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/3sUlW21cgN

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 10, 2019

Tough luck, boys. Well played. You've won hearts with your efforts throughout the tournament.

Congratulations @BLACKCAPS

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) July 10, 2019

Disappointing and frustrated …. The mildest words i can find. Credit to the #BlackCaps they were brilliant #indiavsNewzealand #CWC19

— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) July 10, 2019

India were reduced to 24 for 4 in chase of 240, but Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni put up a fight in a thrilling finish.

Unbelievable effort to stage a fight back from 90 for 6!! Well done @msdhoni and @imjadeja.. #ICCWorldCup2019

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) July 10, 2019

A run out by a direct hit. One superb catch. Economical ten overs. And the best knock of his ODI career. It’s not fair to end up on the losing side…well played, Jadeja. #CWC19 #IndvNZ

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 10, 2019

Congratulations to @BLACKCAPS on making it to the finals. Jadeja played an outstanding innings and got India in the game along with MS Dhoni, yet it was a case of so near yet so far #IndvNZ

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 10, 2019

Jadeja played the innings of his life , and what a day to do so. Dhoni and him got us in it from nowhere but alas wasn’t enough . Well fought India and congratulations to NZ on reaching the finals. #IndvNZ

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 10, 2019