ICC Champions Trophy at Edhi Home, Hawke's Bay on its Karachi tour

 

Faisal Edhi, the son of the late Abdul Sattar Edhi and current head of Edhi Foundation, welcomed the ICC and PCB officials accompanying the trophy earlier today.

Former captain Shahid Afridi was also present on the occasion, as residents and volunteers at Edhi Home gathered around the trophy and gave a warm welcome to the all-rounder.

The trophy is currently on tour of all the participating countries and has reached Karachi for public appearance.

The trophy will stop over at Karachi University in the afternoon, where students will get an opportunity to engage with the trophy. The country’s all-time leading Test run-scorer Younis Khan will also be present at the event during the trophy’s visit to the university.

The ICC trophy tour was launched earlier this year and Karachi is the trophy's sixth stop, after it has already been to Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Dhaka and Colombo.

The trophy will tour South Africa next.

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Shahid Afridi ✔@SAfridiOfficial

An honor to unveil the @ICC champions trophy at the iconic Edhi center, met the iron strong kids and offered Fateha - #PakistanZindabad 

11:19 AM - 30 Mar 2017

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Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan pose with the Champions Trophy at Hawke's Bay 

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Manohar resigns as ICC chairman

Shashank Manohar, the person chiefly responsible for trying to reduce the influence wielded by the Big Three, has resigned from his post as ICC chairman after only eight months in office because of personal reasons.

Manohar was elected unopposed as the ICC's first independent chairman - one not affiliated to any of its member boards - in May 2016 for a two-year term, and since then had led the effort to decentralise the power held by the BCCI, CA and ECB.

In February this year, the ICC had passed in principle a new constitution that undid much of the imbalance in power and finances the BCCI, CA and ECB had attempted to create in 2014, but a final decision was to be taken at the ICC Board's next round of meetings in April. Manohar, however, will now not be the head of the ICC at those meetings.

In a letter addressed to ICC chief executive David Richardson, published by Indian Express, Manohar said: "I have tried to do my best and have tried to be fair and impartial in deciding matters in the functioning of the Board and in matters related to Member Boards along with the able support of all Directors.

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Pakistan Army assistance over FIFA World Cup 2022 security

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani has expressed his desire to learn from Pakistan Army's experience in security domain and sought their assistance during forthcoming Football World Cup in 2022 in Qatar including provision of manpower.

Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who is on an  official visit to Qatar met Al Thani, Commander Qatar Emiri Land Forces, Major General  Muhammed Ali Ghanim Al Ghanim and Commander Qatar Emiri Guard, Major General  Hazza Bin Khalil Al Shahwani on Tuesday, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement.

Al Thani acknowledged Pakistan's contributions towards development and growth of Qatar.

He also hailed Pakistan Army's contributions towards regional peace, adding that people of Qatar greatly value people of Pakistan and trust their time tested commitment for working in Qatar.

Qatar Prime Minister also shared his desire to move forward with Pakistan on multiple fronts including cyber security, defence  production and ease of travel.

General Bajwa thanked the Prime Minister for his expression and assured him all possible cooperation in the desired fields.

During his meeting with Major General Muhammed Ali Ghanim Al Ghanim, Commander Qatar Emiri  Land Forces, the host appreciated Pakistan Army's professionalism and performance in ongoing fight against terrorism.

He showed his interest for joint training and field exercises.

The Pakistan Army Chief thanked the General while also assuring him to work for undertaking training cooperation.

General Bajwa also visited the Qatar Emiri Guard Headquarters and met Major General Hazza Bin khalid Al Shahwani.

He also visited Ahmed Bin Mohamed Military College where Pakistani tri services contingent of 166 members is imparting training.

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ICC to send World XI to Pakistan for T20 series

After successful staging of Pakistan Super League 2017 final in Lahore, International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering to send a World XI to Pakistan to play a Twenty20 series in late September this year, The Guardian reported.

According to the report, ICC is planning to send the team to play a four-match series in Lahore that will look to build on the successful staging of the PSL final on Sunday.

The four-match series at the Gaddafi Stadium – to be called The Independence Cup to mark the 70th anniversary of partition – is intended to continue the reintroduction of top-level cricket to the country after a near eight-year hiatus.

Read more: PSL final ‘more than just a game’ for Sammy

Giles Clarke, the president of the England and Wales Cricket Board, heads the ICC’s Pakistan Task Force that has been looking at ways to end a drought of international cricket and stated the PSL final, while not simply a test run for the World XI series in itself, has shown cricket can be staged in Lahore.

“The desire is to give the cricket-starved Pakistani supporters the chance to see some of the world’s finest players in live action,” Clarke said.

“The world of cricket needs to help Pakistan, who cannot continue to play their home fixtures overseas. The youth need inspiring, and the national teams need far more cricket played in familiar terrain. Furthermore, the terrorists cannot win and cricket must not give up on Pakistan.”

Read more: PSL fever: Here’s how world media welcomed return of cricket to Pakistan

The World XI series overseas team will assemble in Dubai on 17 September, before flying to Lahore for four matches on the 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 29th, and follow a similar security plan to the PSL final, the rehearsals for which were overseen by an ICC delegation who included the ECB’s security director, Reg Dickason.

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Najam Sethi 

✔@najamsethi

Ab Bolo! PSL Lahore has opened the door to return of international cricket. ICC 11 will play four t20 matches in Lahore in Sept. Hooray!

6:21 AM - 7 Mar 2017

 
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Chairman Pakistan Super League Najam Sethi said that the plan to send World XI to Pakistan was discussed when Giles Glarke came to the country.

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England’s win against West Indies brighten up Pakistan’s World Cup chances

The 3-0 whitewash of West Indies by England in the three-match series has improved Pakistan’s chances for 2019’s Cricket World Cup qualification.

The West Indians lost two rating points after the series loss, which means the gap between 8th place Pakistan and 9th place West Indies has now expanded to five rating points.

The Green shirts are scheduled to tour West Indies next month, and before Pakistan’s tour to West Indies, the series between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is also considerable for Pakistan, as far as the qualification for the World Cup is concerned.

Bangladesh is currently two points ahead of Pakistan at 7th and Sri Lanka’s win in the three-match series would push Bangladesh to 8th and Pakistan to 7th position.

Pakistan will play three ODIs in West Indies on 7th, 9th and 11th April and a 2-1 win in the series would be enough for Pakistan to remain on track for World Cup qualification.

England and the seven highest-ranked sides on the ICC ODI Team Rankings as on 30 September 2017 will qualify directly for the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over tournament, while the remaining four sides will progress from the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018.

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KKR vs Zalmi, the dream that speculation drowned

Still basking in the afterglow of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) victory, Javed Afridi excited cricket fans at home and abroad on Thursday when he shared details about a proposal from Shah Rukh Khan to play a three-match series between Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Afridi’s Peshawar Zalmi.

The news of Shah Rukh Khan congratulating Javed Afridi on winning the second edition Pakistan Super League and a possible series between KKR and Zalmi in either Dubai or London spread like wildfire.

Afridi claims he received congratulatory messages from stars and leaders alike, including Afghan President Ashraf Ghani who invited Zalmi to play in Afghanistan, Indian stars Sanjay Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and of course Shah Rukh Khan who according to Afridi called him asking to convince the Pakistani government while Khan would try to persuade New Delhi.

KKR denies outright, Afridi blames speculation

In a tweet that possibly shattered hopes of many die-hard cricket fans, the Kolkata Knight Riders dismissed any possibility of a series against Peshawar Zalmi.

The official account tweeted: “KKR won’t be playing any unauthorized games/leagues as some false reports are claiming. No such communication happened from our end.”

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KolkataKnightRiders 

✔@KKRiders

KKR won't be playing any unauthorized games/leagues as some false reports are claiming.
No such communication happened from our end.

10:43 PM - 9 Mar 2017

 
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Shortly after KKR denied the idea, Afridi too broke the news as mere speculation.

He tweeted: “We always welcome cricket for peace ,but there is no truth about @KKRiders & @PeshawarZalmi matches just speculations.Verily respect for [cricket].”

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Javed Afridi 

✔@JAfridi10

We always welcome cricket for peace ,but there is no truth about @KKRiders & @PeshawarZalmi matches just speculations.Verily respect for 

12:02 AM - 10 Mar 2017

 
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However, sources on the condition of anonymity are claiming the sudden denial could possibly be because of the backlash KKR’s owner Shah Rukh Khan faced from the Indian hardliners Shiv Sena.

Sena has off late caused problems for Indian nationals that have spoken for or in defense of Pakistanis in any form.#

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Kamran Akmal, Ahmed Shahzad included in cricket camp for West Indies tour

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board has invited 31 probable players, including Ahmed Shahzad and Kamran Akmal, for the preparatory camp for T20Is and ODIs series against the West Indies.

Pakistan Cricket team will play four T20Is, three ODIs and three Test matches during the tour of West Indies later this month, and the camp for limited over series will be held from March 11th to March 17th.  

Kamran Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in April 2014, has been rewarded for his superb form in all three formats of domestic Cricket.

The wicket-keeper batsman was top scorer of PSL with 353 runs in 11 innings, he was also the top scorer of national one day cup for department with 361 runs in 8 innings and in Quaid e Azam trophy 1035 runs in 14 innings.

Out of favor Ahmed Shahzad, who scored three half-centuries in 10 games of the recently concluded Pakistan Super League, has also been given a chance to prove his mettle in the training camp ahead of the tour. Ahmad was also the top scorer of National One Day cup for departments this season with 653 runs in 9 innings.

Emerging players of Pakistan Super League are also being given a chance and have been invited for the week long PCB training camp ahead of team’s departure to the West Indies.

From the PSL performers Shadab Khan, Hussain Talat, Usama Mir and Usman Shinwari have got selectors’ nod for the training camp, while other performers of domestic cricket like Asif Zakir, Ammad Butt, Fahim Ashraf and Mohammad Abbas have also got selectors attention and invited for the camp.

Mohammad Abbas was top wicket-taker with 71 wickets to his credit from 10 games of Quaid e Azam trophy this season. 23 year old Fahim Ashraf was leading wicket taker in national OD cup for departments with 19 wickets from 9 games.

Players invited by the selection committee for the training camp are:

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