Meet Japan cricket star Shizuka Miyaji

“It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl,” says Japan’s Shizuka Miyaji’s about her journey into cricket. Her sports journey can be parallel to any Pakistani woman who is trying to make her mark in sports, especially when it comes to mainstream sports. At the end of the day, the common thread is about women taking the space in sports and ultimately paving their way into making the world a more equitable place, one match at a time. The 40-year-old left-arm slow orthodox bowler and batter simply believes that it was a simple ambition of being better and having fun that attracted her to sports, and even though she grew up playing baseball, Shizuka is a part of the first privately held franchise T20 event in the history now. She was capped in 2006 for the Japanese cricket team. She is a part of the incredible roster of women from more than 30 countries who will be competing in the FairBreak Invitational Tournament starting May 1 in Dubai. The aim of the tournament and the FairBreak movement is to help explore equal opportunities for women through cricket. Here is her insight into a fast growing cricket community globally and in Japan, along with her experience of playing against Pakistan. Tribune: How did you start playing cricket? Shizuka: I started playing cricket when I was a university student at the age of 20. It looked like a fun sport which was similar to baseball. Tribune: As a girl, was it easy for you to play sports? Shizuka: It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl. Tribune: Did your parents support you in choosing to be an athlete? Shizuka: Yes, they supported me to play my sport of choice. Tribune: In which city did you grow up? Shizuka: Nishinomiya-city which is known as the home of high school baseball in Japan. It is also one of the cities severely hit by the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake in 1995. Tribune: Was becoming a full-time athlete easy? Shizuka: No, because it is difficult to get sponsors for many women athletes. Tribune: Do you have any other job besides playing cricket? Shizuka: Yes. I work in the Tea Room at the Sano International Cricket Ground. Tribune: Is cricket a popular sport in Japan? Shizuka: Cricket is getting bigger especially in cities like Sano-citywhere I live. It will still take more time to become a national sport, but I am excited about the future of cricket in Japan. Tribune: What was your experience of playing with Pakistan and do you have any favourite players from Pakistan? Shizuka: We played Pakistan in 2009 in Shanghai, in 2010 at the Asian Games, and also in 2012 in Sano, Japan. They were always a very good team and a huge challenge for us. We learned a lot through the experiences. My favourite player from Pakistan is Sana Mir because she is a good captain and is also a very good all-rounder. Tribune: How do you think cricket helps in empowering women and how did it empower you? Shizuka: Sport has given me energy, confidence, and courage. I think sport can do the same to anyone regardless of their gender or where they live. Tribune: Where do you see the future of Japan women’s team in women’s cricket internationally? Shizuka: I hope we will play in World Cups in the future. Tribune: Are balancing a sports career and also being a mother, wife or fulfilling any of the roles as a woman easy? Shizuka: It is definitely easier if the people around you support you. Tribune: Your most memorable match? Shizuka: Winning the East Asia-Pacific tournament in 2010 was the most memorable as it gave us our first chance to play at a global qualifier in 2011 in Bangladesh. Tribune: Your message for women reading your interview? Shizuka: Even if you face tough situations, I hope you keep trying to archive your goals and I hope you can find people who understand and support you. Tribune: What are your expectations from the FairBreak Invitational Tournament in Dubai? Shizuka: I am excited to meet and play with all the players coming from around the globe. I would like to learn a lot from them and I hope my experience inspires the girls playing cricket in Japan. Tribune: How are you preparing for FairBreak Invitational Tournament? Shizuka: I broke three cricket bats during the winter hitting millions of balls.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Tuesday 29 March 2022

Meet Japan cricket star Shizuka Miyagi

“It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl,” says Japan’s Shizuka Miyaji’s about her journey into cricket. Her sports journey can be parallel to any Pakistani woman who is trying to make her mark in sports, especially when it comes to mainstream sports. At the end of the day, the common thread is about women taking the space in sports and ultimately paving their way into making the world a more equitable place, one match at a time. The 40-year-old left-arm slow orthodox bowler and batter simply believes that it was a simple ambition of being better and having fun that attracted her to sports, and even though she grew up playing baseball, Shizuka is a part of the first privately held franchise T20 event in the history now. She was capped in 2006 for the Japanese cricket team. She is a part of the incredible roster of women from more than 30 countries who will be competing in the FairBreak Invitational Tournament starting May 1 in Dubai. The aim of the tournament and the FairBreak movement is to help explore equal opportunities for women through cricket. Here is her insight into a fast growing cricket community globally and in Japan, along with her experience of playing against Pakistan. Tribune: How did you start playing cricket? Shizuka: I started playing cricket when I was a university student at the age of 20. It looked like a fun sport which was similar to baseball. Tribune: As a girl, was it easy for you to play sports? Shizuka: It was not easy when I was a girl. I wanted to join the local baseball club, but they didn't allow me to join because I was a girl. Tribune: Did your parents support you in choosing to be an athlete? Shizuka: Yes, they supported me to play my sport of choice. Tribune: In which city did you grow up? Shizuka: Nishinomiya-city which is known as the home of high school baseball in Japan. It is also one of the cities severely hit by the Hanshin-Awaji Great Earthquake in 1995. Tribune: Was becoming a full-time athlete easy? Shizuka: No, because it is difficult to get sponsors for many women athletes. Tribune: Do you have any other job besides playing cricket? Shizuka: Yes. I work in the Tea Room at the Sano International Cricket Ground. Tribune: Is cricket a popular sport in Japan? Shizuka: Cricket is getting bigger especially in cities like Sano-citywhere I live. It will still take more time to become a national sport, but I am excited about the future of cricket in Japan. Tribune: What was your experience of playing with Pakistan and do you have any favourite players from Pakistan? Shizuka: We played Pakistan in 2009 in Shanghai, in 2010 at the Asian Games, and also in 2012 in Sano, Japan. They were always a very good team and a huge challenge for us. We learned a lot through the experiences. My favourite player from Pakistan is Sana Mir because she is a good captain and is also a very good all-rounder. Tribune: How do you think cricket helps in empowering women and how did it empower you? Shizuka: Sport has given me energy, confidence, and courage. I think sport can do the same to anyone regardless of their gender or where they live. Tribune: Where do you see the future of Japan women’s team in women’s cricket internationally? Shizuka: I hope we will play in World Cups in the future. Tribune: Are balancing a sports career and also being a mother, wife or fulfilling any of the roles as a woman easy? Shizuka: It is definitely easier if the people around you support you. Tribune: Your most memorable match? Shizuka: Winning the East Asia-Pacific tournament in 2010 was the most memorable as it gave us our first chance to play at a global qualifier in 2011 in Bangladesh. Tribune: Your message for women reading your interview? Shizuka: Even if you face tough situations, I hope you keep trying to archive your goals and I hope you can find people who understand and support you. Tribune: What are your expectations from the FairBreak Invitational Tournament in Dubai? Shizuka: I am excited to meet and play with all the players coming from around the globe. I would like to learn a lot from them and I hope my experience inspires the girls playing cricket in Japan. Tribune: How are you preparing for FairBreak Invitational Tournament? Shizuka: I broke three cricket bats during the winter hitting millions of balls.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Monday 28 March 2022

Australia win, but Pakistan learn lessons

Who knew that the Pakistan-Australia Test series, which started on March 4, will be decided on the last day, March 25, of the last Test and in the very last session? People who believe that Test cricket is a dying format and short-form, quick action cricket is the future had to bite their tongue during the three-Test series between Pakistan and Australia. The first Test in Rawalpindi may have been a bummer, with a ‘dead pitch’ ruining the start of a historic tour by Australia. However, expecting Pakistan to just lay down a green turf for the Australian bowling attack to exploit against the home team wouldn’t have been right too. But when the action reached Karachi’s National Stadium for the second Test, the balance between bat and ball was achieved. The match may have ended in a draw, but Pakistan’s nearly two-day long fight to not give up against Australia was the sweetest cherry on the top. Babar’s brilliant 196 and later Rizwan’s ton in testing circumstances towards the end of the match made Pakistan believe that the momentum is shifting towards the hosts to bag a win in the third Test. However, Australia won the toss and piled up a first innings total of 391 to push Pakistan on the back foot from the word go. Babar and co tried their best to come as close as they can to Australia’s 391, but the hosts were sent packing for 268. Then Australia came out to bat and added to their lead, courtesy opener and player of the series Usman Khawaja’s century, and with a 352-run target on the board, asked Pakistan to walk in at the end of day four to bat. Pakistani openers scored 73 runs comfortably till stumps on day four and gave a clear signal that they were going to go for the kill on day five in order to bag the series. Australia too were gunning for a win as the match entered day five, with only 278 runs remaining to take the 10 wickets. Australian captain Pat Cummins, before day five started, may have wondered if he declared too early with a small, achievable target. Pakistan must have been licking their lips too at the prospect of scoring the remaining runs and lifting the Qadir-Benaud Trophy. None of them was thinking about the draw, which means someone’s heart was going to break on Friday. Pundits and experts will agree to the fact that a day five pitch is never in favour of the batting side, especially when they are chasing and not just playing the day away. Pakistan’s intent to chase the target was right, but their execution needed adjustment, the very first lesson that they must have learned after the series loss. The fine balance between offence and defense while chasing a target on a day five or even a day four pitch is a skill that separates a great Test team from a regular one. No one is saying that Pakistan cannot be a great team because they lost the third Test, but they need to take this defeat to heart and prepare for a better reply next time they are asked to bat and win in the fourth innings. And with the return of cricket in Pakistan, the Men in Green will have to learn to bat better on their own pitches to make full use of the home advantage. Meanwhile, in the bowling department, Pakistan were only able to dismiss the complete Australian team only twice in the six innings. One when Australia scored 459 in the Rawalpindi Test and second when they scored 391 in the third Test in the first innings. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s all 10 batsmen were sent back to the pavilion by Australia on three occasions. Once in the second Test and twice in the third Test. This goes on to show that our bowling failed to produce the flare, in home conditions, which was expected and hence our strength, our spin and pace battery, never actually showed up. Australian players will be happy to take a Test series victory back to their country, with words of appreciation for the Pakistani crowd and also the management which kept them safe and entertained. However, Pakistani players have received a reality check that playing at home doesn’t necessarily equate to comfortable wins. With a world class opposition against you, putting up a fight is compulsory, wherever you’re playing them. The Test series loss against Australia is not the end of the world for Pakistan surely, so Babar and co will have to learn their lessons from the series loss so they are not struck down again and again, at home, when other big teams come to play Tests in Pakistan.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Friday 25 March 2022

Australia outclass Pakistan to claim Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Nathan Lyon took five wickets to help Australia beat Pakistan by 115 runs in final session of the deciding third Test

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CWC22: Pakistan women register historic win against West Indies

Women's World Cup, Pakistan, West Indies

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Monday 21 March 2022

PAKvAUS: Limited-overs series shifted to Lahore, confirms Sheikh Rasheed

Lahore

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Friday 18 March 2022

Sana Mir, others to play in Fairbreak Invitational

Pakistan’s top cricketers Sana Mir, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana and Aliya Riaz are confirmed to play the Fairbreak Invitational Tournament 2022, a franchise league featuring players from more than 30 countries starting May 1 in Dubai. The tournament features an array of players from all over the world, while South Asia is represented by a stellar line-up of women from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The event will be played by six teams in 19 games over the course of 15 days. The Invitational tournament is an International Cricket Council (ICC) sanctioned venture, taking place in Dubai in conjunction with Cricket Hong Kong. There is a good number of players from Hong Kong that will be featured in the tournament as well. Meanwhile countries like Japan, and island nation of Vanuatu will also be showcased in the tournament to assure inclusivity and equal opportunity for all. According to the FariBreak website the tournament is the first private franchise league in women’s cricket. FairBreak had also launched the Women’s International Cricket League in Australia back in 2014. “We envision a world where people have fair and equal access to opportunities that enable them to succeed in their chosen endeavour, independent of gender or geographical location. Our mission is to progress gender equality and equity on a truly global scale, using cricket as our primary vehicle to launch FairBreak,” reads their official statement on their motivation behind holding the league. Ebba Qureshi, who is working on the tournament with FairBreak confirmed the participation of the Pakistan favourites in the event last week.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Wednesday 16 March 2022

When a draw felt better than victory

Patience is key when you are watching Pakistan bat on a day five pitch, trying to stave off a defeat in a Test match at home, against Australia. The moment was historic. Australia are visiting after 24 long years. None of the players in their team, even the veteran Nathan Lyon, 34, has played a single match in Pakistan. The only player to have any sort of connection with Pakistan, remember that too a non-cricketing one, is Usman Khawaja. It is where his parents were born and where his extended family lives. He is asked to prepare trivia for other players so that they can learn more about the country. The setting of the second Test was also majestic. Pakistan had planned a spinning and reverse swinging track in Karachi, after a horrible and “dead” track in Pindi saw batters dominate all five days. But Pakistan lost the toss and Australia did to the hosts what was planned for the visitors. Pat Cummins and co batted first, scored a mammoth total and then dismissed Pakistan on a low score. They didn’t enforce the follow-on, batted a few more overs, got to a substantial target and then asked Pakistan to save the Test with nearly two days to bat. History is witness that such a big task of batting two days on a spinning track is rarely achieved in Test cricket. Teams and batters wither under the pressure when the ask is to just stay on the crease. Australia had nearly prepped their celebrations when Azhar Ali and Imamul Haq went back to the pavilion for only 21 runs. However, team Pakistan and their two most in-form batters, skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, had other plans. Babar first coupled up with Abdullah Shafiq and made sure Pakistan ended day four without losing a third wicket. On day five, when Babar’s stern focus was broken by Nathan Lyon after the right-handed batter had nearly taken Pakistan to the end of the line, Rizwan took charge of Pakistan defence in the final moments of the game. Everyone was unhappy that Babar couldn’t complete his double ton, getting out just four runs short, on 196, but they were also blown away by the sheer determination he had shown in the face of adversity. While displaying his nerves of steel, Babar registered many records too. He improved his highest Test score. While he became the highest run-scorer for Pakistan in the fourth innings, he also became the highest run-scoring captain in fourth innings. He also surpassed Shoaib Malik's record (369 balls) of playing most deliveries by a Pakistani batter in the fourth innings during his knock. Rizwan, on the other hand, may not have rewritten the history book like Babar, but his fourth innings antic earned him the respect of the fans at the National Stadium of Karachi, where even when he was blocking deliveries, he was being showered with cheers from the home crowd. At the end of the day, no one can take the credit away from Pakistan for putting up an iron-clad defence up against Australia, but the visitors deserve plaudits for their never-say-die attitude in the second Test. The bowlers bowled their heart out, while the near-in fielders took hits from batters, but kept fielding in the close circle to take that match-changing, one lucky catch. All in all, if Pindi Test was the worst example of why Test matches should stay, the second Test between Pakistan and Australia in Karachi was one of the best arguments in favour of the five-day format. The match had all the elements that make a Test match such an interesting idea, and it was also the perfect promotion of the concept that even a draw can be as entertaining as a Test match with a result.

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When a draw felt better than victory

Patience is key when you are watching Pakistan bat on a day five pitch, trying to stave off a defeat in a Test match at home, against Australia. The moment was historic. Australia are visiting after 24 long years. None of the players in their team, even the veteran Nathan Lyon, 34, has played a single match in Pakistan. The only player to have any sort of connection with Pakistan, remember that too a non-cricketing one, is Usman Khawaja. It is where his parents were born and where his extended family lives. He is asked to prepare trivia for other players so that they can learn more about the country. The setting of the second Test was also majestic. Pakistan had planned a spinning and reverse swinging track in Karachi, after a horrible and “dead” track in Pindi saw batters dominate all five days. But Pakistan lost the toss and Australia did to the hosts what was planned for the visitors. Pat Cummins and co batted first, scored a mammoth total and then dismissed Pakistan on a low score. They didn’t enforce the follow-on, batted a few more overs, got to a substantial target and then asked Pakistan to save the Test with nearly two days to bat. History is witness that such a big task of batting two days on a spinning track is rarely achieved in Test cricket. Teams and batters wither under the pressure when the ask is to just stay on the crease. Australia had nearly prepped their celebrations when Azhar Ali and Imamul Haq went back to the pavilion for only 21 runs. However, team Pakistan and their two most in-form batters, skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, had other plans. Babar first coupled up with Abdullah Shafiq and made sure Pakistan ended day four without losing a third wicket. On day five, when Babar’s stern focus was broken by Nathan Lyon after the right-handed batter had nearly taken Pakistan to the end of the line, Rizwan took charge of Pakistan defence in the final moments of the game. Everyone was unhappy that Babar couldn’t complete his double ton, getting out just four runs short, on 196, but they were also blown away by the sheer determination he had shown in the face of adversity. While displaying his nerves of steel, Babar registered many records too. He improved his highest Test score. While he became the highest run-scorer for Pakistan in the fourth innings, he also became the highest run-scoring captain in fourth innings. He also surpassed Shoaib Malik's record (369 balls) of playing most deliveries by a Pakistani batter in the fourth innings during his knock. Rizwan, on the other hand, may not have rewritten the history book like Babar, but his fourth innings antic earned him the respect of the fans at the National Stadium of Karachi, where even when he was blocking deliveries, he was being showered with cheers from the home crowd. At the end of the day, no one can take the credit away from Pakistan for putting up an iron-clad defence up against Australia, but the visitors deserve plaudits for their never-say-die attitude in the second Test. The bowlers bowled their heart out, while the near-in fielders took hits from batters, but kept fielding in the close circle to take that match-changing, one lucky catch. All in all, if Pindi Test was the worst example of why Test matches should stay, the second Test between Pakistan and Australia in Karachi was one of the best arguments in favour of the five-day format. The match had all the elements that make a Test match such an interesting idea, and it was also the perfect promotion of the concept that even a draw can be as entertaining as a Test match with a result.

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Babar's 196 and Rizwan's century lead Pakistan to earn draw in Karachi Test

Babar's 196 and Rizwan's century lead Pakistan to earn draw in Karachi Test

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An ode to ‘GOAT’ Babar Azam

Karachi is the city of the unexpected. The people who live here are struck by surprises on a daily basis in the form of sudden and senseless traffic jams, mugging on a full of life and full of lights road and sometimes in a good manner too, where a light breeze takes the pain of the warm weather away for an hour or at least a few minutes. On Tuesday, when everyone was expecting the expected in the city, and the National Stadium of Karachi, where Australia are currently playing Pakistan in a Test after a 24-year-long gap, something truly unexpected happened. And it wasn’t the magnitude of the event which was surprising. Actually, it was the sheer audacity of the doer to do what no one had even wondered he could do. Babar Azam, captain in all formats for Pakistan, was asked to put up a solid defense against one of the world’s best bowling sides on a day four pitch, where spin and reverse swing were both being used against the hosts. If the toss had gone the other way, it would have been the Australians batting to try and save the Test, however, Pakistan themselves fell into the ditch they had dug for the visitors. So what does one do when their back is against the wall? It is a simple equation to be honest; you fight or you flight, and Babar picked up his willow to fight. He had to fight the naysayers who were questioning his captaincy credentials after the drawn Pindi Test and the first innings collapse in the second Test. He was up against the best combination of pace and spin that Australia’s bowling arsenal had. He had to carry a youngster, Abdullah Shafique, with him, give him confidence to stay on the crease and keep his comrade calm so as to avoid any unwanted aggression which may result in an initiation of a batting collapse. But most of all, he had to fight the Pakistani instinct to go into a shell in such moments. A decade and more worth of data will surely suggest that whenever Pakistan had tried to save a Test by blocking, they had lost comparatively more wickets and matches. Moreover, Babar must’ve seen the fates of opener Imamul Haq and one-down Azhar Ali, who both went for defense rather than offence and lost their wickets. Only Babar can tell what he was thinking before he came out to bat, but boy did he come out swinging. While Pakistan could hit only 16 fours in the first innings, Babar alone took charge of the boundary-scoring and hit 12 fours before stumps on day four in the second innings. In the context of match and compared to Australia’s batting, this may seem a worthless stat, but when compared to the other Pakistani batters, Babar was driving at 100mph, while others were riding bicycles, with safety tires on. And if all his sensible shot-making and clever blocking wasn’t enough, he took a risk, when on 99 exactly, to show that he wasn’t going to get nervous in the nineties and let Australia take advantage. Instead, he played a sweep shot over the short fine leg fielder to exude confidence. And then came the celebration. A loud roar while approaching the umpire’s end, followed by a calm helmet removal and the trademark bat raise was as majestic as any Pakistani batter can ever offer. But there was an addition and it speaks volume about what kind of a player Babar is and also what he wants to become. Babar looked at the dressing room, staring into the eyes of his teammates and probably into the souls of his haters, and then he signaled with his arms that ‘I am here to stay’. The statement couldn’t have been clearer. Come Wednesday, maybe Babar loses his wicket early on day five and maybe Pakistan lose the Test against Australia, but the aggressive fight shown by him has set a clear example for his successors that going down fighting is way better than dying in a hole.  

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Tuesday 15 March 2022

Ramiz Raja determined to bring auction model in HBL PSL from next season

Ramiz Raja

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‘Super fit’ Shoaib Malik says he can play two more years

Shoaib Malik

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Saturday 12 March 2022

Perfect security and hospitality, but imperfect pitch

The build-up to the Pakistan-Australia series, kicking-off with three Tests and following into three ODIs and one-off T20I was nothing less than perfect. The Baggy Greens landed in Pakistan expecting foolproof security and they got it. They wanted a warm welcome as promised and they received just that as the crowd in the first Test at Rawalpindi wore both their wits and hearts on its sleeves. But when it came to what Australia were really in Pakistan for, cricketing duties, they were at the least disappointed by the dead pitch prepared for the first Test. Making use of the home advantage is an art which the big cricket nations have perfected. Australia, England and South Africa trounce the visitors with bounce, swing and seam, while Asian teams prepare spinning tracks to bamboozle their opponents. It is a norm which, to be honest, adds beauty to the idea of playing at home and away. However, Pakistan, after failing to host any matches for less than a decade after the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus, may have just forgotten how to use home advantage to their actual advantage. The idea behind such a “dead, benign” turf in Rawalpindi would have been that Pakistan can exploit the day three onwards spin in the track to surprise Australia. The curators would have been given the action plan that was used by Pakistan in the UAE: we bat first, we post a big total and get the opposition out twice, or we bat second but put up a big lead and get the opposition out for an innings defeat. The plan had worked miraculously for Pakistan in the UAE under the able leadership of MisbahulHaq for a few years. However, Pakistan is no UAE when it comes to weather and pitches. Winning and losing is a part of cricket, but the curators may have taken losing to Australia, who are visiting after 24 long years, too seriously and prepared a dead wicket, which even on day four and five showed little signs of life as only 14 wickets fell during the five-day long match. Meanwhile, there is also a possibility that Pakistan had ordered such a flat track after losing out their premium pacers to injuries and Covid. Hasan Ali, Faheem Ashraf and HarisRauf were asked to sit out of the historic Test and with that a little fear may have crawled in the mind of Babar Azam and co that they might not be able put up a great resistance against the Australian premium pacers. Australia captain Pat Cummins also noted this, saying Pakistan ‘made an effort to nullify our pace attack’ by producing such a drab pitch, which resulted in 1,187 runs made on it, with only three innings played till day five. Pakistan may get away with criticism over the pitch under the cloak of happy and safe Australians. But if the other two Tests, in Karachi and then in Lahore, produce the same results due to an unhelpful pitch, then questions will surely be raised on PCB’s intentions. The second Test in Karachi will start from March 12 at the National Stadium of Karachi. Cricket fans and even the visiting Australia side would be expecting to see a better match-up between bat and ball there. However, if Pakistan come up with yet another dead surface rather than one which produces a healthy contest, it would become obvious that Pakistan want everything perfect from this tour – perfect security, perfect hospitality and sadly a perfect no-loss result in Tests.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Thursday 10 March 2022

Warner delighted to be playing in Pakistan, amazed by Islamabad's beauty

David Warner

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‘PM Imran’s leadership can make sports gender-equal in Pakistan’

“The photos of [Pakistani cricketer] Bismah Maroof and her child with the Indian women’s cricket team members have caught a lot of attention. Sport has the power to unite, clearly. But the question we need to also ask is whether women athletes are supported by federations or governments when they choose to be a mother in the middle of a career?” the newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer for the first-ever Global Observatory (GO) for Women, Sport, Physical Education and Physical Activity Dr Payoshni Mitra reflected, as we conversed about her role in a unique position that will be affecting the future of the sports. The GO is a direct result of the Kazan Action Plan adopted in 2017 by the International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS) of UNESCO. While her appointment was confirmed on January 27, Payoshni, a former athlete herself understands the challenges that women face when it comes to sports. “Providing safe space, ensuring funding, salary, sponsorships as well as support to women athletes during and after pregnancy are issues we need to pay attention to,” she urges as we talked about the 2022 International Women’s Day. The first steps are to bring attention to the existing problems and recognise the loopholes in the systems quantitatively and qualitatively through consolidated data, even though the inequalities towards the development for women are very real but there is a need for more investment in the subject of women and sports. The GO will be working as an “incubating association” according to the UNESCO website. Here are the insights by the first woman to hold the position as the CEO of the GO. ET: What is your vision for the GO and what does it mean for you as a former athlete yourself? Payoshni: Sport has been mostly governed by men, be it at the international or at the national level. International sport governance has also been extremely Eurocentric. The GO will be conscious of this unequal history and will attempt to help make sporting culture more gender-equal, just and inclusive. The GO will also try to use sport as a tool to promote gender equality in the larger society. ET: This is a first of its kind project. How do you think it can help athletes in South Asia? Will the women athletes and sports community in countries like Pakistan be able to benefit from the research work in the future? Payoshni: The GO will aim to find the knowledge gaps in sport research and data and initiate further research accordingly. We’re aware that data-collection on girls and women’s participation, leadership, media representation, gender discriminations or other barriers have not taken place as extensively in South Asian countries as in many parts of the Global North. Since the GO was initiated at the MINEPS, we plan to engage with national governments across the world in order to ensure that national sport ministries pay equal attention to including girls and women in sports. Pakistan is one of the rarest examples where a great sportsperson is leading the country. We hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s leadership will be crucial in making sport more gender-equal in Pakistan. GO looks forward to it. ET: Please share the challenges that you faced while doing your job as a researcher and athletes’ rights activist? Payoshni: Often governments and federations take initiative to make sports accessible to girls and women, allocate funds but these initiatives are often short term and lack a long term goal. Real change can only happen when there is genuine will among the leaders to change things for the better for girls and women. ET: What do you think are the most important issues concerning women and sport today? Payoshni: The International Olympic Committee has recently published their Gender Equality report. The key issues are participation of girls and women in sports, gender equality in sports leadership, portrayal of girls and women athletes in the media, safeguarding issues in sports and equal resource allocation for all. These are all very important issues and the GO will try to look into knowledge gaps concerning all these thematic areas. But as a former athlete who experienced abuse, I am particular keen to ensuring that girls and women, who join sport experience it positively, feel safe in sport and do not face gender discrimination or abuse. ET: It is absolutely groundbreaking to have a South Asian woman leading this important project. What is your message for the women athletes, coaches and trainers, and academics working in the field? Payoshni: If we have genuine will, we will find a way. One thing that helped in my case was perseverance. If we keep persisting, we will get where no one else before us have reached.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Tuesday 8 March 2022

Cummins shares 'cool moment' of hearing Adhan while training

Cummins shares 'cool moment' of hearing Adhan while training

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Monday 7 March 2022

Shane Warne, the man who made it cool to be a leg-spinner

There have been many great cricketers in the sport's long history but few have changed the game quite like Australia's Shane Warne did during his brilliant career. Warne, whose death at the age of just 52 from a suspected heart attack in Thailand on Friday sent shockwaves through the game, single-handedly revived the art of leg-spin bowling, a skill that had all but disappeared from Test cricket following the end of Abdul Qadir's career with Pakistan. "The game was never the same after Warnie emerged, and the game will never be the same after his passing," said current Australia captain Pat Cummins, leading the team in the ongoing first Test of their tour of Pakistan. But Warne's return of one wicket for 150 runs on Test debut against India at Sydney in 1992, during an innings where opener Ravi Shastri made a double century and future batting great Sachin Tendulkar 148, was no-one's idea of a dream start. Yet there were a couple of clues even then that he was no ordinary bowler. For one thing he bowled 45 overs, a hefty burden even for a spinner not under as much physical strain as a fast bowler, albeit he defied convention by walking to the crease. That debut return meant Warne had conceded slightly more than three runs per over an average, with one of the hallmark of a career that saw him become the first man to take 700 Test wickets being an astounding ability to generate sharp spin with a degree of miserly control widely thought to be beyond the realm of any leg-spinner. And then there was the way he played the game. With his dyed blonde hair, stud ear-ring and willingness to 'sledge' or verbally abuse opposition batsmen, he had the look and attitude of an aggressive quick, with fast bowling then the dominant force among most Test attacks. True, former Australia captain Richie Benaud, a leg-spinning all-rounder, had been something of a 'pin-up' with his shirt unbuttoned to the waist during the 1950s and 60s. But that was in an era of newsreel and black-and-white TV. By the time Warne emerged in vivid colour, Benaud was far more widely known as a television broadcaster than as a cricketer. And so it was appropriate that Benaud was on hand to commentate on the 'Ball of the Century', as Warne's first delivery in a Test in England, at Old Trafford in 1993, became known. Warne produced a remarkable leg-break that pitched outside the pads of England's Mike Gatting, a renowned player of spin-bowling, and then spun across the width of the stout batsman to clip the top of off stump. "And he's done it," said Benaud after Warne had clean bowled Gatting. "He's started off with the most beautiful delivery. "Gatting has absolutely no idea what has happened to it," with Benaud adding, as the bewildered former England captain looked round: "He still doesn't know." So extraordinary was the delivery, the only way some of Gatting's team-mates could comprehend what had happened was by trying to make a joke, with fellow batsman Graham Gooch saying: "If it had been a cheese roll it would never have got past him." Gatting, however, did come to appreciate what had happened following a delivery that set Warne on a path to becoming one of the Wisden Cricketers of the 20th Century along with Jack Hobbs, Donald Bradman, Garfield Sobers and Vivian Richards. "Without a doubt, he is number one," Gatting told Sky Sports on Friday. "The nice thing is he (Warne) always said, 'Thanks for that, mate, it started my career off'. All I could say was, 'It was a bit too good for me', like many others who would suffer the same fate." Suddenly, leg-spinners were back in fashion and every team wanted to have one, even if none could match Warne, whose influence was summed up in a tweet from Hampshire and England leg-spinner Mason Crane. "Shane Warne made me fall in love with the game as an eight-year-old and he has completely inspired me every day since," said Crane while Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, the right-arm off spinner and record Test wicket taker with 800 victims, said Warne was "truly a genius in reviving the art of leg spin."

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Saturday 5 March 2022

Warne 'made us believe', say IPL's Royals

Shane Warne was often called "the best captain Australia never had", and the Indian Premier League side he led to a title triumph in 2008 paid tribute to the late Australian bowler Saturday. The victory for the Rajasthan Royals in the inaugural edition of the world's most valuable cricket tournament not only lit up the Twenty20 contest but also turned several rookie Indian cricketers including Yusuf Pathan into popular names. The Royals have not won again in the 13 subsequent seasons and paid an emotional tribute to the spin legend who passed away on Friday aged 52 due to a suspected heart attack. "Shane Warne. The name stands for magic. Our first Royal, a man who made us believe that impossible is just a myth," the team said in a statement. "A leader who walked the walk, talked the talk, and turned underdogs into champions. A mentor who turned everything he touched into gold." The Royals added: "Warnie, you're forever going to be our captain, leader, Royal. Rest in peace, legend." Warne, who revived the art of leg spin and took 708 Test wickets in his glittering but controversial career, captained Australia state side Victoria and the English county Hampshire. He also led Australia's one-day side temporarily but reportedly lost out in the race to lead the national Test team to Ricky Ponting due to his off-field dramas. But his teammates at the Royals hailed Warne as a leader par excellence. "He was one of the skippers I always rated very highly. Very tough to consume this news. Condolences to his family and dear ones," tweeted Yusuf, who went on to win a 50-over World Cup with India after his IPL heroics. Shane Watson, who was part of Royals' title win, said, "Warnie, the impact you had on this great game and everyone around it is immeasurable. Thank you for being so bloody good to me. I am going to miss you so much. Rest In Peace SK." Warne's life has been the subject of a recent documentary -- titled "Shane" -- on a digital platform where he said: "I wouldn't have liked to play against me. I was nasty."

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Shane Warne to receive Australian state funeral

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday said Australians were "bewildered" by a "sad and sudden loss" of Shane Warne, and announced the cricketing hero would receive a state funeral. "He was one of our nation's greatest characters," Morrison said, marking the 52-year-old's death. Praising him as inspiration to backyard cricketers across the country, Morrison described a larger-than-life character who lit up each Australian summer. "His humour, his passion, his irreverence, his approachability ensured he was loved by all." In recognition of Warne's "national achievements his family will be offered a state funeral," Morrison said in a statement. "This will be done in consultation with the Warne family," he said, promising to "ensure we honour Shane's passing and memory." Morrison -- who recently tested positive for Covid-19 and is in isolation -- compared Warne to all-time great and fellow Australian Don Bradman. "There was none like Shane," Morrison said. "He lived his life his way. He had his great achievements, but also his regrets. He carried them all the same way. With a cheeky smile & a zest for life." "There was something magical that he brought to our summers. The bleached blonde hair, the almost casual way he moved to send down a delivery, and his engagement with the crowd. He was one of a kind." "He inspired so many girls and boys to try their hand at cricket. He made it all look so easy. At some point, in most Australian backyards, we all tried to deliver a flipper." "Our love and condolences go to Shane's family and particularly his children Brooke, Jackson, and Summer."

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Welcome Australia, enjoy the show!

Pakistan, after a long and distraught spell of cricketing lows and lack of international matches at home ground, has now returned to normality, all thanks to one of the Big Three teams, Australia, touring the country for an all-format series. After the horrifying scenes of 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team bus, no one had thought that cricket would be able to dock on the shores of Pakistan ever again. Even more so, no one had thought that to bring cricket back to Pakistan, a domestic T20 league would play such a big role. When Pakistan launched the HBL Pakistan Super League in 2016, people thought that Pakistan were late to the party of launching a T20 league, but the recent and seventh edition proved that in terms of cricketing quality, HBL PSL is amongst the best, if not the best. Meanwhile, Pakistan national team has also been on a roll since the arrival of Babar Azam as the captain and only one example is enough to highlight the highs that the men’s team has seen in the last year and that is the 10-wicket defeat handed to India in the 2021 T20 World Cup. And a cherry on top, three Pakistani male players were awarded top ICC awards in the year 2021. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan won the T20I Player of the Year award, skipper Babar Azam was named the ODI Player of the Year, while pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was given the Cricketer of the Year title. All these achievements and great results on the field have turned heads and now all the teams would be looking to play Pakistan in order to better their game. Pakistan are on the rise in international cricket and everyone would want to get a piece of them. Australia and Pakistan play their first Test in Rawalpindi, starting March 4. The three-match Test series will be followed by three ODIs and one-off T20I. Pakistan had to wait 24 years for one of cricket’s giants to land in the country to play a full series, and this was only possible due to the HBL PSL making headlines across the globe that it is safe to visit the Men in Green’s homeland. All Pakistan have to do now is beat Australia at their home turf to make a case that if others can bag points for World Test Championship and for ODI and T20I rankings through home advantage, Babar and co can now do that too, through matches in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. There is no doubt that the cricket-hungry and cricket-crazy fans of Pakistan will enjoy the matches on their home grounds, and with that they will give Australia a different and better taste of hospitality, unlike any other the Kangaroos would have seen across the globe.

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Thursday 3 March 2022

Peshawar Zalmi owner in talks to take over Chelsea Football Club

Chelsea FC 

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Pakistan and Australia to play for Benaud-Qadir Trophy

Pakistan and Australia to play for Benaud-Qadir Trophy

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Filed Under: Cricket news | Latest Cricket Updates | The Express Tribune on Wednesday 2 March 2022