PM Imran congratulates team on 'great comeback'

Agencies
June 27, 2019

Jun 27: Following Pakistan's thrilling win against New Zealand on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran congratulated the cricket team on "a great comeback".

"Congratulations especially go to Babar, Haris and Shaheen for their brilliant performances," said Prime Minister Imran, who led Pakistan to victory in the 1992 World Cup.

Pakistan's revival after three defeats earlier in the tournament has cricket fans as well as commentators and analysts recalling memories of the 1992 campaign, when they won the trophy after a sticky start.

"We are not thinking about 1992, we are going match by match," said winning captain Sarfaraz when asked about the striking similarities in the performance of the Green Shirts in the 1992 World Cup and the World Cup currently underway.

"Whenever we are in a corner we play our best, it was a great team effort," he said. "All the bowlers bowled well and there was some of the finest batting I have ever seen. The target of 240 was not an easy and we just wanted to play the 50 overs. Babar played one of the best innings I have ever seen. They handled the pressure so well.

The team, however, still has two matches — vs Bangladesh and then Afghanistan — left to win to make it to the semi-finals.

Through their stunning six-wicket victory, crucial to keeping the team's semifinal hopes alive, Pakistan maintained their reputation as the most unpredictable team in international cricket and ruined New Zealand’s perfect record while heaping more pressure on host England.

Babar Azam hit his 10th ODI century, finishing 101 not out off 127 balls, as Pakistan reached 241-4 in 49.1 overs in reply to New Zealand’s 237-6.

Every boundary — 11 of them from Babar — produced a huge roar and a sea of green flags in the stands as an overwhelmingly Pakistan-supporting crowd had a day to remember at Edgbaston.

Babar shared a fourth-wicket partnership of 126 with Haris Sohail, who was run out for a 76-ball 68 after hitting five fours and two sixes. Babar also put on 66 for the third wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (32).

During New Zealand's innings, left-arm seamer Shaheen Afridi (3-28) had helped reduce the Black Caps to 46-4 and 83-5, when Kane Williamson was out for 41.

Pakistan moved level on seven points with Bangladesh, one point behind fourth-place England, which has lost its last two games. The top four in the 10-team standings advance to the semifinals.

New Zealand is second with 11 points and wasted a chance to secure its place in the last four. It now has difficult games left against defending champion Australia and wounded England. It was the Black Caps’ first loss after five wins and a no result.

The New Zealanders chased down South Africa’s 241-6 on the same Edgbaston wicket earlier in the tournament. Pakistan, which is not seen as a run-chasing specialist in this format, also went to the last over on Wednesday but on this occasion it was much more comfortable.

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News Network
April 8,2020

London, Apr 8: England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has raised more than 65,000 pound (USD 80,000) to help fight the coronavirus by auctioning off his World Cup final shirt.

Buttler's shirt, which he wore when completing the last-ball run-out that saw England beat New Zealand at Lord's last year, was sold to raise money for specialist heart and lung centres provided by the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals in London.

Buttler, who earlier in the showpiece match had hit a fifty and batted in the Super Over, put his long-sleeve keeping jersey up for sale on eBay a week ago.

By the time the auction closed on Tuesday, the shirt had attracted 82 bids with the winner paying 65,100 pound.

Buttler, speaking on Monday, said: "It's a very special shirt but I think it takes on extra meaning with it being able to hopefully go to the emergency cause.

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News Network
April 28,2020

New Delhi, Apr 28: West Indies flamboyant batsman Chris Gayle has lashed out at former teammate Ramnaresh Sarwan calling him 'worse than coronavirus'.

Gayle, the colossal figure in the shortest format of the game blamed Sarwan for his departure from Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise Jamaica Tallawahs.

The left-handed batsman joined St Lucia Zouks as their marquee player for the 2020 CPL season after Tallawahs chose not to retain him.

Gayle has played for Tallawahs and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the past. He has won the CPL title twice with the Tallawahs and played in the final with the Patriots in 2017.

"The owner of the franchise is a very nice man, I have no problem with him. I think he was actually persuaded to get rid of Chris Gayle," Gayle said in three parts on his YouTube channel.

"So someone has to be in his years telling him to get rid of Gayle. Sarwan, you are worse than the coronavirus right now. What transpired with the Tallahwahs, you had a big part to play.

Sarwan, you are a snake. You know, you are not the most loved person in the Caribbean. You are still stabbing people in the back," he added.

Gayle is the leading T20 run-scorer of all time as well as the man with the most centuries in the format. He is also the leading CPL run-scorer of all time, having amassed 2,344 runs in the tournament.

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News Network
January 14,2020

Sydney, Jan 14: Retired South African big-hitter AB de Villiers on Tuesday said efforts are on to ensure his comeback in the national team for the T20 World Cup in Australia, a plan in which his IPL form will play a crucial role.

Speaking to Cricket Australia's official website 'cricket.com.au', the 35-year-old swashbuckler said he would love to be back two years after calling it quits internationally. He is currently in Australia to play in the Big Bash League.

"I would love to. I've been talking to 'Bouch' (new South Africa coach Mark Boucher), (new director of cricket) Graeme Smith and (captain) Faf (du Plessis) back home, we're all keen to make it happen," he said.

"It's a long way away still, and plenty can happen – there's the IPL coming up, I've still got to be in form at that time. So I'm thinking of throwing my name in the hat and hoping that everything will work out," he added.

De Villiers, nonetheless, is keeping a check on his expectations.

"It's not a guarantee, once again. I don't want to disappoint myself or other people, so for now I'm just going to try and keep a low profile, try and play the best possible cricket that I can and then see what happens towards the end of the year," he said.

"There are a lot of players (involved with CSA) who I used to play with. Guys who understand the game, leaders of the team for many years" he said of the present dispensation.

"So it's much easier to communicate than what it used to be in the past. They understand what players go through – especially players that have played for 15 years internationally.

"It doesn't mean that everything is going to be sunshine and roses, but it's definitely a lot easier and it feels comfortable, the language that's being used and just the feel that everyone has at the moment in South Africa about the cricket," he added.

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