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New Zealand pays compensation to PCB for abruptly ending tour last year

PAKvNZ

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Filed Under: on Wednesday 18 May 2022

BCCI is run by BJP Government, claims Ehsan Mani

BCCI is run by BJP Government, claims Ehsan Mani

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Filed Under: on Thursday 12 May 2022

Diana using football knowledge in cricket

Pakistan’s star bowler and the national football team defender Diana Baig feels that football taught her to be a better fielder on the pitch as she takes on the challenge at the FairBreak Global tournament, which will start on May 1 in Dubai. Diana also played for Pakistan at the ICC Women’s World Cup that ended in April. She is ready to go into the first private franchise-based Twenty20 tournament sanctioned by the ICC in Dubai now, along with fellow Pakistanis including Bisma Maroof, Fatima Sana, Sana Mir and Aliya Riaz. All of them will be among women from more than 30 countries in six teams playing 19 games in 15 days. Diana, Bisma and Fatima took questions over the Twitter space, while covering Diana from 2014 on football front, The Express Tribune sought to see how she feels inspired by football, as she made her debut for the national team at the South Asian Football Championship as a defender, long before the national duty for cricket. She has also played national championships in recent years too, making her career a beautiful tapestry that meanders into a diverse profile for an athlete. Answering the question as to what lessons she learned from football that also help in cricket, she went on to explain that being a footballer helps with being a better fielder for her. “Football is a sort of game that requires you to give your all and work really hard. Like in cricket we do get to take some time off during a match even. We shouldn’t get off but we do in cricket, but in football, it is a sort of thing that you are always on your toes, so I try to use that experience of [being on my toes] in cricket as well. “With me, I always feel like that all the balls should come to me while I’m fielding. I enjoy fielding so much that I want all the ball to myself, so this is my mindset. I enjoy fielding more than my bowling, and I think this is because of football.” To another question she added that she is surprised that the Fairbreak Tournament is also featuring a player from Brazil. As a footballer she has always followed the Brazilian football and knows the craze for the sport there, but she was amazed to see a Brazilian on the roster for a cricket tournament now.  

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Filed Under: on Saturday 30 April 2022

Meet Yasmeen: Namibia’s star cricketer

“I started playing with the boys in my school,” Yasmeen Khan recalls how her cricket journey began, and reveals that her Pakistan-born father had been responsible for her introduction to cricket. His passion would lead the 23-year-old to make a mark for Namibia as her team registered their first international victory at their home ground against a full-member country. The vice-captain for the Namibian team is a part of the stellar line-up for the FairBreak Global tournament that will begin in Dubai from May 1 and includes Pakistani stars like Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig and Aliya Riaz in its featured six teams. The event will host 19 games over the course of 15 days. Yasmeen is coming to the pitch in Dubai at the back of a high and her goal is to make Namibian cricket visible in a tournament where she will be rubbing shoulders with the game’s best players. “The win meant a lot for us,” Yasmeen told The Express Tribune. “We always came short in the past. We beat a full-member country and it shows that we can compete on another level.” Namibia were playing the Capricorn Women’s tri-series with Zimbabwe and Uganda being the other two countries in Windhoek. The former captain has grown up playing cricket in her home town of Windheok. Although Namibia is an associate member, it is the sheer courage and drive of the young women that makes is a great story, and Yasmeen has been at the forefront of it. Namibia is an upcoming nation in women’s cricket and in cricket overall. The women’s team also played the International Cricket Council T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2019 and then last year as well. As Namibian women’s cricket is learning to pave its way into the big leagues, Yasmeen’s journey is unique and represents the potential the country holds for cricket. The team, as pointed out by Yasmeen, is young and between the ages of 16 to the oldest one being 26 years old. It needs to expand its experience and build up on the momentum for the future. The visual communications and graphic student is crafty on the pitch with her wicket-keeping skills and makes sure that she serves the team as a reliable batter, at number three. In a series of questions asked to her by The Express Tribune, she recalls that the way for her became easier as she grew up in a loving and supportive household. Her father is a cricket fanatic and she picked it up from him. Meanwhile, her mother turned out to be more passionate than even her father, when it comes to sports. “Both of my parents are very passionate,” she exclaims as she described how they follow cricket even when it is watching it on the television. She adds that cricket empowered her as a girl in many ways; in fact, it gave her confidence to be herself. “Cricket has given me a second home,” said Yasmeen. “It gave me confidence that I can be myself and I learned discipline and teamwork.” She adds that she would be eager to play cricket as a child after school as well and the drive has led her to play for the U13 team and then made her way into the national team soon after. As far as the challenges went, she focused on the positives that the sport brought and remained committed to her path. She made her international debut in 2018 against Malawi, which was also Namibia women’s cricket team’s debut in the Twenty20 format, a winning one for that matter. Yasmeen says that growing up in Windhoek she sees progress in women’s cricket and the sport is “a bit more accessible now compared to before, although it is football and rugby that rule the mainstream”. “There has been progress. We send coaches to the rural areas and our coaches are working and our team makes sure that we are available. More girls are showing interest in cricket,” explains Yasmeen. However in her observation the biggest challenge that the African women athletes face is the lack of facilities for them. “Lack of facilities and most of the African women are living below the poverty line. Then the organisations they don’t get the necessary funding like male sports,” she points out. She said that when it comes to the cricket formats, she enjoys T20 as her teams plays the matches a lot. She counts the Capricorn Tri-Series match against Zimbabwe where she scored 34 runs to contribute to the win as her most memorable performance to date, while reflecting upon her role as a wicket-keeper she added that the role was never her first choice. “I never had a plan to become a wicket-keeper until I got my back injury. It has been two years now. I’m ready to take on the roles that are helpful for the team.” When asked if wicket-keepers make better captains, she explained that wicket-keepers deserve a leadership position because they have more awareness on the pitch and have better perspective, but many of the “best captains in cricket were not wicket-keepers.” Pakistani connection When asked who are her favourite players in the game of cricket, she names Shahid Afridi and Younis Khan. “I love watching them play,” she says, while feels former world number one tennis player Novak Djokovic has been a role model with his authenticity and strength of character that he brings to the court and off it. Her admiration for Afridi and Younis may come from the fact that her father is from Karachi, a place she has visited twice only. “The last time was when I was only six years old, so it is long ago, but I remember seeing boys play cricket in the streets and it was so intense, yet looked fun,” she reminisced. She said that when it comes to women that inspired her, Australia’s Alyssa Healy is on the top of her list. Yasmeen is preparing for the international events and has just gotten done with the tri-series, and the pressures of being an athlete require awareness about mental health as well. She said that one of the ways to stay on track is to make sure to take time off from the game, while she finds sports psychologists to be more helpful in growing as a sportsperson. “For self-care I try to remind myself it is just a sport. Mental health is so important. I’ve only recently started sports psych. For us sportspersons, it is important for us to learn to reach out. We want to be strong all the time, but that is not how things work. We need help,” said Yasmeen. She feels that being a full-time athlete for women is easy but for the professional cricketers it is about making the adjustments. Meanwhile for the development of the women’s game in Namibia, she said that cricket is growing fast and the change is very positive like it is for women’s sports mostly. It is about empowering and looking out for each other. For her, the big opportunity is the FairBreak tournament now. “I want to win in the tournament. I want to showcase that I am from Namibia and we are here to compete not just to participate,” said Yasmeen. “Fairbreak is a huge opportunity and exposure. It will help us in gaining more knowledge and experience not just for individual players but it will lift our game. I would like to thank Fairbreak especially for including the players from associate members. There’s never been opportunity like this for us before and this tournament will help us grow immensely,” concluded Yasmeen.

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Filed Under: on Thursday 28 April 2022

Najam Sethi expected to return as PCB Chairman

Najam Sethi

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Filed Under: on Sunday 10 April 2022

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: 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: on Monday 28 March 2022
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