Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to pull the trigger on the club’s current structure after they faced elimination from the T20 World Cup at the group stage. Pakistan led by Babar Azam was eliminated from the T20 World Cup after&nbsp;USA got a point when their match against Ireland was called off due to rain on Friday (June 14). It is understood that PCB will hold a review of the performances&nbsp;with captain Babar set to be axed from his role.

<h2>Pakistan players under scrutiny</h2>

"There could be a reassessment of the central contracts and the players could find their salaries and fees being cut if the Chairman decides to react strongly to the team's recent woeful performances," a source told news agency PTI.

It is also reported that the players will be fined heavily for not helping the side advance from the group which consisted of the USA, Ireland and Canada. A&nbsp;horror start to the tournament saw Pakistan lose to the USA which was coupled with a defeat to India last Sunday. On the other hand, the USA advanced to the Super 8 with wins against Pakistan, Canada and a draw with Ireland which saw them accumulate five points from four matches.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/t20-world-cup-2024-pak-cricketer-ahmed-shehzad-blames-pcb-chairmans-two-mistakes-for-horrible-tournament-732023">T20 World Cup 2024: Pak cricketer Ahmed Shehzad blames PCB chairman's TWO MISTAKES for horrible tournament</a>

The team’s dressing room atmosphere is also being blamed as the primary reason for Pakistan’s downfall. According to multiple reports, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi hardly speak to each other with other players being divided into different groups in the dressing room which has raised the friction in the camp.

<h2>Another big name bows out</h2>

After Friday’s result, Pakistan joined Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the teams being&nbsp;knocked out of the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;Like Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s fate was also decided by rain when their match against Nepal was called off, leading to points being shared. New Zealand on the other hand will have themselves to blame having lost to Afghanistan and the West Indies. England could also join the big trio if Scotland beat Australia in their final group game.

So far six teams have secured qualification to the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup including India, the USA, Afghanistan, South Africa, West Indies and Australia. India will be paired with Australia, Afghanistan and most likely Bangladesh in the Super 8 stage.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to pull the trigger on the club’s current structure after they faced elimination from the T20 World Cup at the group stage.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is all set to pull the trigger on the club’s current structure after they faced elimination from the T20 World Cup at the group stage. Pakistan led by Babar Azam was eliminated from the T20 World Cup after USA got a point when their match against Ireland was called off due to rain on Friday (June 14). It is understood that PCB will hold a review of the performances with captain Babar set to be axed from his role. Pakistan players under scrutiny "There could be a reassessment of the central contracts and the players could find their salaries and fees being cut if the Chairman decides to react strongly to the team's recent woeful performances," a source told news agency PTI. It is also reported that the players will be fined heavily for not helping the side advance from the group which consisted of the USA, Ireland and Canada. A horror start to the tournament saw Pakistan lose to the USA which was coupled with a defeat to India last Sunday. On the other hand, the USA advanced to the Super 8 with wins against Pakistan, Canada and a draw with Ireland which saw them accumulate five points from four matches. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2024: Pak cricketer Ahmed Shehzad blames PCB chairman's TWO MISTAKES for horrible tournament The team’s dressing room atmosphere is also being blamed as the primary reason for Pakistan’s downfall. According to multiple reports, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi hardly speak to each other with other players being divided into different groups in the dressing room which has raised the friction in the camp. Another big name bows out After Friday’s result, Pakistan joined Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the teams being knocked out of the T20 World Cup. Like Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s fate was also decided by rain when their match against Nepal was called off, leading to points being shared. New Zealand on the other hand will have themselves to blame having lost to Afghanistan and the West Indies. England could also join the big trio if Scotland beat Australia in their final group game. So far six teams have secured qualification to the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup including India, the USA, Afghanistan, South Africa, West Indies and Australia. India will be paired with Australia, Afghanistan and most likely Bangladesh in the Super 8 stage.

PCB plans for major changes in Pakistan team structure after 'horror exit' from T20 World Cup 2024

Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has blamed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's two mistakes for the team's poor performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The comments were made after Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament following abandonment of Ireland vs USA fixture due to rain.&nbsp;

"Since becoming the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made two big blunders. First, by re-appointing Babar as captain. Secondly, making Wahab Riaz as chief selector. He has been very unprofessionalism in his decision making and management. You'll be forced not to remove these 7-8 players who have been part of groupism within the team. If you don't make crackdown on these players, it will be harsh on those who will get sacked," said Shehzad on a chat with news outlet Geo news.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/t20-world-cup-2024-india-aim-to-continue-unbeaten-run-in-last-group-stage-match-vs-canada-731974">T20 World Cup 2024: India aim to continue unbeaten run in last group stage match vs Canada</a>

Shehzad also criticised senior players including skipper Babar Azam for failing to perform up to the standards. Pakistan&nbsp;lost the games against India and USA while managing a win against Canada. They were in a tricky spot after two losses and needed to win their last league game against Ireland while needing USA to lose against Ireland as well.

The washout of Ireland vs USA game, however, ensured that USA finish with five points while Pakistan now could manage a maximum of four points only, sending them out of the tournament.

"You needed to win by a big margin to improve your net run rate against Canada. However, Rizwan scored the slowest fifty. Babar also played a slow knock. Pakistan cricket has been ruined due to personal milestones. You speak about leadership, but you don't have any. You are just a social media king. You got 4-5 years to improve, but you didn't win us anything.

"Your fitness levels are also not up to the mark. You guys are playing politics in the team. Your are not in your peak anymore, instead your cricket in declining," Shehzad further said.

Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has blamed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's two mistakes for the team's poor performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad has blamed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's two mistakes for the team's poor performance at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. The comments were made after Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament following abandonment of Ireland vs USA fixture due to rain. "Since becoming the PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made two big blunders. First, by re-appointing Babar as captain. Secondly, making Wahab Riaz as chief selector. He has been very unprofessionalism in his decision making and management. You'll be forced not to remove these 7-8 players who have been part of groupism within the team. If you don't make crackdown on these players, it will be harsh on those who will get sacked," said Shehzad on a chat with news outlet Geo news. Also Read: T20 World Cup 2024: India aim to continue unbeaten run in last group stage match vs Canada Shehzad also criticised senior players including skipper Babar Azam for failing to perform up to the standards. Pakistan lost the games against India and USA while managing a win against Canada. They were in a tricky spot after two losses and needed to win their last league game against Ireland while needing USA to lose against Ireland as well. The washout of Ireland vs USA game, however, ensured that USA finish with five points while Pakistan now could manage a maximum of four points only, sending them out of the tournament. "You needed to win by a big margin to improve your net run rate against Canada. However, Rizwan scored the slowest fifty. Babar also played a slow knock. Pakistan cricket has been ruined due to personal milestones. You speak about leadership, but you don't have any. You are just a social media king. You got 4-5 years to improve, but you didn't win us anything. "Your fitness levels are also not up to the mark. You guys are playing politics in the team. Your are not in your peak anymore, instead your cricket in declining," Shehzad further said.

T20 World Cup 2024: Pak cricketer Ahmed Shehzad blames PCB chairman's TWO MISTAKES for horrible tournament

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the marquee India vs Pakistan game during Champions Trophy 2025 and the grand finale, while the National Stadium in Karachi will host the opening game, per the draft schedule submitted to the ICC. The latest reports suggest that this high-voltage game will be among the last league games in the 15-match competition that will run from&nbsp;February 19 to March 19.

Hours after India and Pakistan faced off in a low-scoring thriller at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York in the 2024 T20 World Cup, their next match’s schedule started making headlines. With the eight-team tournament almost eight months away, fans from both countries remain eager for yet another blockbuster tie.

Per Cricbuzz, India's participation remains subject to approval from the Indian government to allow the team to travel to Pakistan for the first time in around 15 years.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/t20-world-cup-india-floor-arch-rivals-pakistan-in-low-scoring-thriller-730354">T20 World Cup: Bumrah's heroics help India floor arch-rivals Pakistan in low-scoring thriller</a>

Last year, when Pakistan was supposed to host the Asia Cup, the BCCI denied sending its team across the border, proposing a hybrid model instead. Later, Sri Lanka and Pakistan co-hosted the six-team tournament, with India playing all its games in Sri Lanka, including the final. Though UAE also emerged as the second option for&nbsp;Asia Cup, harsh weather conditions during those months saw it getting ruled out.&nbsp;

Despite BCCI’s stance of not sending the Indian Team to Pakistan for any series or a tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been&nbsp;told to begin with the preparations. As things stand, neither the ICC nor the hosting board PCB are considering a hybrid model, with all eyes now on the Indian Cricket Board and the ruling government to take the&nbsp;final call.

Meanwhile, of&nbsp;the three venues, Lahore will host seven matches, including all India matches, while Rawalpindi will host five and Karachi only three. If India qualifies for the semis, it will play its semi-final match at the Gaddafi Stadium.

<h2>India beats Pakistan in New York</h2>

The Men in Blue were victorious in their latest T20 WC game against Pakistan in New York, beating them by six runs.&nbsp;

India batted first and scored 119 runs, with Rishabh Pant top-scoring with a gritty 42, while seamers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah returned with three wickets each.&nbsp;

Chasing a modest total, Pakistan lost their captain, Babar Azam, inside the Powerplay. Although they were placed well during the ten-over stage, the Indians made a stunning comeback, restricting Pakistan within the asked target.

Jasprit Bumrah was the star bowler for India, picking three wickets for just 14 runs.

While India sits in the top two with four points, Pakistan tumbled to the fourth position with no wins in two matches played thus far.&nbsp;

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the marquee India vs Pakistan game during Champions Trophy 2025 and the grand finale, while the National Stadium in Karachi will host the opening game, per the draft schedule submitted to the ICC.

The Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore will host the marquee India vs Pakistan game during Champions Trophy 2025 and the grand finale, while the National Stadium in Karachi will host the opening game, per the draft schedule submitted to the ICC. The latest reports suggest that this high-voltage game will be among the last league games in the 15-match competition that will run from February 19 to March 19. Hours after India and Pakistan faced off in a low-scoring thriller at the Nassau County Cricket Stadium in New York in the 2024 T20 World Cup, their next match’s schedule started making headlines. With the eight-team tournament almost eight months away, fans from both countries remain eager for yet another blockbuster tie. Per Cricbuzz, India's participation remains subject to approval from the Indian government to allow the team to travel to Pakistan for the first time in around 15 years. ALSO READ: T20 World Cup: Bumrah's heroics help India floor arch-rivals Pakistan in low-scoring thriller Last year, when Pakistan was supposed to host the Asia Cup, the BCCI denied sending its team across the border, proposing a hybrid model instead. Later, Sri Lanka and Pakistan co-hosted the six-team tournament, with India playing all its games in Sri Lanka, including the final. Though UAE also emerged as the second option for Asia Cup, harsh weather conditions during those months saw it getting ruled out. Despite BCCI’s stance of not sending the Indian Team to Pakistan for any series or a tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been told to begin with the preparations. As things stand, neither the ICC nor the hosting board PCB are considering a hybrid model, with all eyes now on the Indian Cricket Board and the ruling government to take the final call. Meanwhile, of the three venues, Lahore will host seven matches, including all India matches, while Rawalpindi will host five and Karachi only three. If India qualifies for the semis, it will play its semi-final match at the Gaddafi Stadium. India beats Pakistan in New York The Men in Blue were victorious in their latest T20 WC game against Pakistan in New York, beating them by six runs. India batted first and scored 119 runs, with Rishabh Pant top-scoring with a gritty 42, while seamers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah returned with three wickets each. Chasing a modest total, Pakistan lost their captain, Babar Azam, inside the Powerplay. Although they were placed well during the ten-over stage, the Indians made a stunning comeback, restricting Pakistan within the asked target. Jasprit Bumrah was the star bowler for India, picking three wickets for just 14 runs. While India sits in the top two with four points, Pakistan tumbled to the fourth position with no wins in two matches played thus far.

Champions Trophy 2025: Lahore to host India-Pak game and final, Karachi gets opener in proposed schedule

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to reappoint Babar Azam as the T20I captain ahead of the Men in Green's T20 World Cup 2024 run, in West Indies and USA. Ponting feels the team looks more settled under Babar and have a better chance at the ongoing mega event under him. Babar replaced Shaheen Afridi, who succeeded the former, as the T20I captain just two months before the marquee ICC event. Shaheen had a short stint as the T20I captain, where he only led Pakistan in five away games in New Zealand, with the Black Caps thrashing them 4-1.

Speaking to the ICC, Ponting suggested that it is not necessary for a good player to be a good captain as well. "Captaincy just sits well with some people and it doesn't sit well with others," the ex-cricketer stated.

The Aussie reckoned, "We've seen it through the years that some of the best players that have ever played the game have not necessarily made the best captains and the thing that makes some of the very best players so good is how focused they are on what they need to do to get better and to be the best and find a way every day to get better." 
 
Ponting further opined, "And when you are captain, you can't do that. You've got to actually compartmentalise what you're doing, look after your own game, look after all the guys around you. So, some guys can manage that better than others."

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/hes-being-bodyshamed-former-pakistan-captain-comes-in-defence-of-azam-khan-729060">'He's being bodyshamed': Former Pakistan captain comes in defence of Azam Khan</a>

It is to be noted that Babar stepped down as Pakistan captain across formats after the team's shambolic performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, where the one-time winners failed to even make it to the semifinals. Soon, PCB appointed Shaheen as the T20I captain but the change in captaincy couldn't bring a change in the team fortunes. In addition, it was learnt that the pacer was contemplating to step aside as captain after not being included in discussions about his future in the role.

Ponting, the two-time ODI WC-winning captain, further pointed out that Babar also suffered a dip in form when he earlier took over the captaincy, however, the right-hander learnt from it and emerged as a match-winner.

"I reckon Babar, when he first started, I had that feeling that he... because if you look at his record, his numbers went down on the back of it. So I think he might have learned a bit from that," Punter mentioned.

Ponting feels Pakistan have strengthened their chances to get their hands on the T20 WC trophy with Babar back at the helm of affairs. He added, "Shaheen didn't set the world on fire as a leader either, so I think going back into a World Cup it just looks like a more settled team when you've got someone like Babar as captain rather than Afridi."

Babar-led Pakistan kickoff their T20 WC campaign on Thursday (June 6), against USA at Dallas. They are placed in Group A along with arch-rivals India, USA, Canada and Ireland.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to reappoint Babar Azam as the T20I captain ahead of the Men in Green's T20 World Cup 2024 run, in West Indies and USA.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has backed Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to reappoint Babar Azam as the T20I captain ahead of the Men in Green's T20 World Cup 2024 run, in West Indies and USA. Ponting feels the team looks more settled under Babar and have a better chance at the ongoing mega event under him. Babar replaced Shaheen Afridi, who succeeded the former, as the T20I captain just two months before the marquee ICC event. Shaheen had a short stint as the T20I captain, where he only led Pakistan in five away games in New Zealand, with the Black Caps thrashing them 4-1. Speaking to the ICC, Ponting suggested that it is not necessary for a good player to be a good captain as well. "Captaincy just sits well with some people and it doesn't sit well with others," the ex-cricketer stated. The Aussie reckoned, "We've seen it through the years that some of the best players that have ever played the game have not necessarily made the best captains and the thing that makes some of the very best players so good is how focused they are on what they need to do to get better and to be the best and find a way every day to get better." Ponting further opined, "And when you are captain, you can't do that. You've got to actually compartmentalise what you're doing, look after your own game, look after all the guys around you. So, some guys can manage that better than others." Also read: 'He's being bodyshamed': Former Pakistan captain comes in defence of Azam Khan It is to be noted that Babar stepped down as Pakistan captain across formats after the team's shambolic performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India, where the one-time winners failed to even make it to the semifinals. Soon, PCB appointed Shaheen as the T20I captain but the change in captaincy couldn't bring a change in the team fortunes. In addition, it was learnt that the pacer was contemplating to step aside as captain after not being included in discussions about his future in the role. Ponting, the two-time ODI WC-winning captain, further pointed out that Babar also suffered a dip in form when he earlier took over the captaincy, however, the right-hander learnt from it and emerged as a match-winner. "I reckon Babar, when he first started, I had that feeling that he... because if you look at his record, his numbers went down on the back of it. So I think he might have learned a bit from that," Punter mentioned. Ponting feels Pakistan have strengthened their chances to get their hands on the T20 WC trophy with Babar back at the helm of affairs. He added, "Shaheen didn't set the world on fire as a leader either, so I think going back into a World Cup it just looks like a more settled team when you've got someone like Babar as captain rather than Afridi." Babar-led Pakistan kickoff their T20 WC campaign on Thursday (June 6), against USA at Dallas. They are placed in Group A along with arch-rivals India, USA, Canada and Ireland.

‘Shaheen didn’t set the world on fire as leader’: Ponting backs PCB’s call to reappoint Babar as T20I captain 

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed rumours of Shaheen Shah Afridi&nbsp;being offered&nbsp; a vice-captaincy role for the T20 World Cup after reports emerged on Saturday (May 26).&nbsp; Afridi, who&nbsp;was recently stripped&nbsp;of the captaincy role in the T20&nbsp;format&nbsp;was reported&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp; offered&nbsp;the vice-captaincy role.&nbsp;However, those rumours have&nbsp;been shut down&nbsp;as Pakistan prepares for the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain in the 15-member&nbsp; squad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>PCB dismisses rumours</h2>

"The selectors were shocked with this news because when they held their nearly two-hour online meeting on Friday, six out of seven selectors were not in favour of having a vice-captain to Babar Azam,"&nbsp;a source close to one of the national selectors told PTI.

"The&nbsp;minutes of the meeting&nbsp;are on record as per the instructions of the PCB Chairman. So,&nbsp;today's&nbsp;news about Shaheen declining the vice-captaincy came as a big shock to the selectors,"&nbsp;the source said.

According to a report by Espncricinfo on&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;Afridi was offered the vice-captaincy role, however, he quickly turned down the offer.&nbsp;He was unhappy with the manner in which he was stripped of the captaincy role&nbsp;earlier&nbsp;while there was no concrete explanation given by the PCB.&nbsp;The 24-year-old was handed&nbsp;Pakistan’s&nbsp;T20 captaincy after the ODI World Cup when Babar Azam resigned&nbsp;from his role. However, a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and a poor Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign as&nbsp;captain,&nbsp;saw PCB strip Afridi from the&nbsp; captain’s&nbsp;role.

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As things stand, Pakistan will travel to the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain. In case Pakistan need to field a different captain in the absence of Babar Azam&nbsp;the&nbsp;team management is likely to push for Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf&nbsp;who&nbsp;remain senior members of the Pakistan squad.&nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan's Squad for T20 World Cup 2024</h2>

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed rumours of Shaheen Shah Afridi being offered a vice-captaincy role for the T20 World Cup after reports emerged on Saturday (May 26).

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed rumours of Shaheen Shah Afridi being offered a vice-captaincy role for the T20 World Cup after reports emerged on Saturday (May 26). Afridi, who was recently stripped of the captaincy role in the T20 format was reported to be offered the vice-captaincy role. However, those rumours have been shut down as Pakistan prepares for the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain in the 15-member squad. PCB dismisses rumours "The selectors were shocked with this news because when they held their nearly two-hour online meeting on Friday, six out of seven selectors were not in favour of having a vice-captain to Babar Azam," a source close to one of the national selectors told PTI. "The minutes of the meeting are on record as per the instructions of the PCB Chairman. So, today's news about Shaheen declining the vice-captaincy came as a big shock to the selectors," the source said. According to a report by Espncricinfo on Saturday Afridi was offered the vice-captaincy role, however, he quickly turned down the offer. He was unhappy with the manner in which he was stripped of the captaincy role earlier while there was no concrete explanation given by the PCB. The 24-year-old was handed Pakistan’s T20 captaincy after the ODI World Cup when Babar Azam resigned from his role. However, a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and a poor Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign as captain, saw PCB strip Afridi from the captain’s role. ALSO READ | IPL 2024 BIG FINAL, Kolkata Knight Riders vs SunRisers Hyderabad – Match preview and result prediction As things stand, Pakistan will travel to the T20 World Cup without a designated vice-captain. In case Pakistan need to field a different captain in the absence of Babar Azam the team management is likely to push for Mohammad Rizwan and Haris Rauf who remain senior members of the Pakistan squad. Pakistan's Squad for T20 World Cup 2024 Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

T20 World Cup 2024: PCB dismisses rumours of Shaheen Shah Afridi being offered vice-captaincy

Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi reportedly refused to be the vice-captain of the national side for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. On Friday (May 24), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its squad for the marquee event which will be led by Babar Azam. Afridi, who was stripped of the captaincy in the T20 format, however, was reportedly approached by the PCB to take the deputy role during the T20 World Cup.

<h2>Afridi rejected deputy role</h2>

According to a report by Espncricinfo, Afridi quickly turned down the offer to become the vice-captain. He was unhappy with the manner in which he was stripped of the captaincy role while there was no concrete explanation given by the PCB. The 24-year-old was handed Pakistan’s T20 captaincy after the ODI World Cup when Babar Azam resigned from his role. However, a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and a poor Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign as captain, saw PCB strip Afridi off the captain’s role.

While the action did not go well with the pacer, PCB tried to convince Afridi to take the vice-captaincy role. However, Afridi was determined to not take the role which therefore resulted in Pakistan announcing the 15-man squad without a designated vice-captain.

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On Friday, the selection committee meeting attended by new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten along with Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, &nbsp;Mohammad Yousuf and Wahab Riaz announced the squad four hours before the deadline. The 15-man squad sees the return of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim with the former playing his first T20 World Cup since 2016.

Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts USA on Thursday (June 6) before taking on India in a high-voltage clash on June 9 in New York. Pakistan will then face Canada and Ireland to round off the first group-stage campaign.

<h2>Pakistan's Squad for T20 World Cup 2024</h2>

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi reportedly refused to be the vice-captain of the national side for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. On Friday (May 24), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its squad for the marquee event which will be led by Babar Azam.

Pakistan speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi reportedly refused to be the vice-captain of the national side for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. On Friday (May 24), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced its squad for the marquee event which will be led by Babar Azam. Afridi, who was stripped of the captaincy in the T20 format, however, was reportedly approached by the PCB to take the deputy role during the T20 World Cup. Afridi rejected deputy role According to a report by Espncricinfo, Afridi quickly turned down the offer to become the vice-captain. He was unhappy with the manner in which he was stripped of the captaincy role while there was no concrete explanation given by the PCB. The 24-year-old was handed Pakistan’s T20 captaincy after the ODI World Cup when Babar Azam resigned from his role. However, a 4-1 series defeat to New Zealand and a poor Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign as captain, saw PCB strip Afridi off the captain’s role. While the action did not go well with the pacer, PCB tried to convince Afridi to take the vice-captaincy role. However, Afridi was determined to not take the role which therefore resulted in Pakistan announcing the 15-man squad without a designated vice-captain. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup: Hardik Pandya to fly from London as Team India's first batch to depart for New York on May 25 On Friday, the selection committee meeting attended by new white-ball coach Gary Kirsten along with Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Bilal Afzal, Mohammad Yousuf and Wahab Riaz announced the squad four hours before the deadline. The 15-man squad sees the return of Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim with the former playing his first T20 World Cup since 2016. Pakistan will start their T20 World Cup campaign against co-hosts USA on Thursday (June 6) before taking on India in a high-voltage clash on June 9 in New York. Pakistan will then face Canada and Ireland to round off the first group-stage campaign. Pakistan's Squad for T20 World Cup 2024 Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

T20 World Cup 2024: Shaheen Shah Afridi rejected vice-captaincy despite PCB’s request - Reports

Ireland Cricket team will make a historic tour of Pakistan in 2025 as the two teams will meet for the first time in the 1992 ODI World&nbsp;Champions’ homeland.&nbsp;The tour was confirmed by both the boards&nbsp;late Monday evening when PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Cricket Ireland chair Brain MacNeice with the two nations set to play a bilateral series.&nbsp;The reported tour will take place in August-September&nbsp;2025&nbsp;with no&nbsp;venues yet fixed.&nbsp;

<h2>PCB confirms historic tour</h2>

"Chairman Cricket Ireland said that the Irish team would visit Pakistan next year in August-September for a Test series and would also review the possibility of a&nbsp;women's&nbsp;team tour to Pakistan soon,"&nbsp;the PCB statement said.&nbsp;

This&nbsp;will be the first time Ireland will tour Pakistan for a bilateral series&nbsp;with&nbsp;their majority meetings coming in ICC tournaments on neutral venues.&nbsp;The tour was not part of the Future Tour Plan (FTP) but will&nbsp;now&nbsp;get underway in August 2025 after&nbsp;the conclusion of&nbsp;the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC).&nbsp;The&nbsp;confirmation of the tour&nbsp;came just hours after PCB&nbsp;released a statement about&nbsp;Ireland’s&nbsp;visit to Pakistan. Cricket Ireland put up a statement on its website and added it will be their second senior tour to Pakistan after their&nbsp;women's&nbsp;team had done so in 2022.&nbsp;

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In&nbsp;"wide-ranging discussions",&nbsp;it merely confirmed that the two boards&nbsp;"were able to agree to a&nbsp;men's&nbsp;tour next year - this will be yet another historic first, coming after the tour to Pakistan by our senior women in 2022."

The two nations have&nbsp;developed a mini rivalry in recent times, one which had its early spark in the 2007 ODI World Cup.&nbsp;Ireland beat Pakistan in the ODI World Cup group stage match&nbsp;which&nbsp;eliminated the Men in Green. Since&nbsp;then, the two nations have often had heated battles on the cricket field&nbsp;including&nbsp;another defeat for Babar&nbsp;Azam’s&nbsp;men during the ongoing tour.&nbsp;

As things stand, the ongoing three-match T20I series&nbsp;taking place&nbsp;in Ireland has seen the spoils shared&nbsp;1-1 with one match to go.&nbsp;Both teams will&nbsp;be participating&nbsp;in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.

Ireland Cricket team will make a historic tour of Pakistan in 2025 as the two teams will meet for the first time in the 1992 ODI World Champions’ homeland. The tour was confirmed by both the boards late Monday evening when PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Cricket Ireland chair Brain MacNeice with the two nations set to play a bilateral series.

Ireland Cricket team will make a historic tour of Pakistan in 2025 as the two teams will meet for the first time in the 1992 ODI World Champions’ homeland. The tour was confirmed by both the boards late Monday evening when PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi met Cricket Ireland chair Brain MacNeice with the two nations set to play a bilateral series. The reported tour will take place in August-September 2025 with no venues yet fixed. PCB confirms historic tour "Chairman Cricket Ireland said that the Irish team would visit Pakistan next year in August-September for a Test series and would also review the possibility of a women's team tour to Pakistan soon," the PCB statement said. This will be the first time Ireland will tour Pakistan for a bilateral series with their majority meetings coming in ICC tournaments on neutral venues. The tour was not part of the Future Tour Plan (FTP) but will now get underway in August 2025 after the conclusion of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC). The confirmation of the tour came just hours after PCB released a statement about Ireland’s visit to Pakistan. Cricket Ireland put up a statement on its website and added it will be their second senior tour to Pakistan after their women's team had done so in 2022. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: How does the points table look after GT vs KKR washout? In "wide-ranging discussions", it merely confirmed that the two boards "were able to agree to a men's tour next year - this will be yet another historic first, coming after the tour to Pakistan by our senior women in 2022." The two nations have developed a mini rivalry in recent times, one which had its early spark in the 2007 ODI World Cup. Ireland beat Pakistan in the ODI World Cup group stage match which eliminated the Men in Green. Since then, the two nations have often had heated battles on the cricket field including another defeat for Babar Azam’s men during the ongoing tour. As things stand, the ongoing three-match T20I series taking place in Ireland has seen the spoils shared 1-1 with one match to go. Both teams will be participating in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.

Cricket Ireland confirms historic Pakistan tour in 2025; to play in Test and limited-overs series

Ace Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir has finally received his Irish visa following a delay in obtaining one for unknown reason, as he will fly to Dublin to join his team ahead of the second T20I on May 12.

Ace Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir has finally received his Irish visa following a delay in obtaining one for unknown reason, as he will fly to Dublin to join his team ahead of the second T20I on May 12. Earlier, the Irish consulate denied Amir the visa for the series beginning on May 10. Per the PCB, the board got notified of Amir's visa clearance, making travel arrangements for the left-arm quick from Lahore to Dublin. The Pakistan team travelled on May 7 for the Irish leg of the UK tour, where they will play seven T20Is - three against Ireland and four against England, starting May 22 in Leeds. Meanwhile, after Amir was denied the visa in the first place, the PCB contacted the Ireland Cricket Board to make necessary arrangements for his visa approval. Although the sources close to the information revealed that PCB was given no specific reason behind his visa delay, it mainly happened because of a technical issue, which is now resolved. ALSO READ: IPL influence? 'Impact Player' rule to be introduced in SA20 - Reports “Obviously, the PCB was unhappy with the visa delay as it affects the team management plans for the (T20) World Cup and also has a bearing on the affected player who has returned from retirement to international cricket after four years,” the source said. Amir returns to international cricket Following PSL 2024, where Imad Wasim starred for Islamabad United, guiding them to their record third title, the all-rounder announced his shock return to international cricket. A day later, the T20 World Cup winner with Pakistan, Amir, also announced a decision to return for the marquee event in the Caribbean and the USA, starting June 1. Both got included in the home five-match T20Is against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Later, both were also picked in the 18-man squad for the UK Tour, as PCB awaits the deadline (May 24) before publically announcing the final 15 for the 20-team tournament. Here is Pakistan's 18-man squad for the UK Tour - Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan (With inputs from agencies)

Relief for Pakistan as Mohammad Amir finally gets Irish visa; set to join team ahead of 2nd T20I

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed three venues – Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi, in the initial draft shared with the ICC for hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has proposed three venues – Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi, in the initial draft shared with the ICC for hosting the 2025 Champions Trophy. The tournament, scheduled for the mid-February-March window next year, will see the return of an ICC tournament to Pakistan after a gap of nearly 30 years. The Men in Green are defending champions, having last won against arch-rivals India in 2017. Although the ICC had then decided to scrap this tournament, they brought it back in 2022, including it in the new rights cycle (2023-27), with Pakistan getting the hosting rights. The 2025 Champions Trophy will be an eight-team tournament played across two weeks, the exact dates of which are not revealed yet. The hosts - the PCB, had finalised the venues and the schedule following the ICC team’s visit. ALSO READ: PCB boss defends players’ military training after injuries denied Pakistan series win over NZ "We've sent the schedule for the matches in Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy," PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi said during a presser in Lahore. "The ICC's security team came, and we had a very good meeting. They looked at arrangements here, and we'll also share stadium upgrade plans with them. We're continuously in touch with the ICC. We are trying to ensure we host a very good tournament in Pakistan,” Naqvi continued. Although India has remained firm on not travelling to Pakistan for the marquee event, the latest draft submitted to the ICC has India’s games scheduled in Pakistan. However, as per the process, after the draft is submitted, it goes through various changes, after which it is shared with the broadcaster and the remaining participating boards before the final schedule is announced. India’s stance a worry for Pakistan Owing to frosty relationships between both governments across borders, India has not toured Pakistan since last visiting them during the 2008 Asia Cup. However, both teams only play each other during Asia Cup and ICC-related tournaments, with the Indian government barring bilateral ties between both countries. Last year, when Pakistan was supposed to host the Asia Cup, India’s call to not visit the country forced them to go ahead with the hybrid model, with Sri Lanka joining in as the co-host. However, given the tight scheduling, involving multiple franchise-based T20 leagues worldwide, the ICC will have to find the right window to host the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Lahore, Rawalpindi among three venues PCB proposes for 2025 Champions Trophy at home

On Sunday (April 28), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Australia's former Jason Gillespie as the senior team's Test coach whereas South African legend Gary Kirsten became the new white-ball coach. Kirsten and Gillespie are proven coaching names in world cricket. After Kirsten's appointment, who has also served as India and SA's coach in the past, the former cricketer revealed his ultimate goal with the Babar Azam-led Men in Green white-ball team.

<h2>'It's a tremendous honour'</h2>

Speaking on his appointment, Kirsten said,&nbsp;"It's a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men's national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men's national team in limited-overs cricket."

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<h2>'My goal is to unite Pakistan men's white-ball team, harnessing their talents towards a common objective'</h2>

He added, "One of the beautiful aspects of cricket is its universality. Across cultures, there's a shared understanding when we discuss the game. My goal is to unite the Pakistan men's white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field."

Under Kirsten, Pakistan will be eager to take giant strides in limited-overs format. They had a miserable run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, in India, where they failed to make it to the semifinals. The South Africa's&nbsp;strategy is primarily focused on prioritising continuity in team selections, create a settled environment where players are given a long run and allowed to perform at their best.&nbsp;

The South African's first major assignment will be the 2024 T20 World Cup, where one-time winners Pakistan is in Group A along with India, Canada, USA and Ireland.

On Sunday (April 28), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Australia's former Jason Gillespie as the senior team's Test coach whereas South African legend Gary Kirsten became the new white-ball coach.

On Sunday (April 28), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Australia's former Jason Gillespie as the senior team's Test coach whereas South African legend Gary Kirsten became the new white-ball coach. Kirsten and Gillespie are proven coaching names in world cricket. After Kirsten's appointment, who has also served as India and SA's coach in the past, the former cricketer revealed his ultimate goal with the Babar Azam-led Men in Green white-ball team. 'It's a tremendous honour' Speaking on his appointment, Kirsten said, "It's a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men's national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men's national team in limited-overs cricket." Also read: PCB appoints India's ODI WC wining coach Gary Kirsten as white-ball coach, Jason Gillespie named Test coach 'My goal is to unite Pakistan men's white-ball team, harnessing their talents towards a common objective' He added, "One of the beautiful aspects of cricket is its universality. Across cultures, there's a shared understanding when we discuss the game. My goal is to unite the Pakistan men's white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field." Under Kirsten, Pakistan will be eager to take giant strides in limited-overs format. They had a miserable run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, in India, where they failed to make it to the semifinals. The South Africa's strategy is primarily focused on prioritising continuity in team selections, create a settled environment where players are given a long run and allowed to perform at their best. The South African's first major assignment will be the 2024 T20 World Cup, where one-time winners Pakistan is in Group A along with India, Canada, USA and Ireland.

My goal is to unite Pakistan’s white-ball team, says newly-appointed coach Gary Kirsten

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has defended players’ military training session in Kakul with some of them getting injured and not playing in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has defended players’ military training session in Kakul with some of them getting injured and not playing in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Following a ten-day training camp with Pakistan’s military, ending on April 8, three players, including Azam Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, and rookie Irfan Niazi, suffered muscle injuries. While keeper-batter Azam Khan missed the entire series with a calf injury, Rizwan and Niazi got sidelined for the final two T20Is with hamstring injuries. Backing the training camp, the PCB boss said that considering Pakistan cricket’s fitness levels are below par compared to other countries, this camp was necessary, with fitness training having nothing to do with players pulling up their muscles. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Will Jacks hits maiden hundred as RCB register back-to-back wins Naqvi also noted that this is just the beginning, and players will undergo similar sessions in times to come to ensure they are at par with players from other teams concerning fitness. "Injuries never occur due to fitness training," Naqvi said. "People have got various theories around how to make players fit. Fitness has never been a focus of Pakistan management in the past." "I am not criticising anyone that came before me, but look at players from the rest of the world. Pakistan players' fitness is well below that. This is just the start; we will have to ramp up player fitness even more. If I need to bring in fitness experts from around the world, I will,” he continued. Playing cricket led to injuries Azhar Mahmood - Pakistan’s coach for the New Zealand series, said those injuries happened while playing cricket and not because of the training camp in Kakul. "Kakul training had nothing to do with cricket," he said. "The injury the players sustained happened [while] playing cricket, and the training had to do with physical fitness. If the players were injured, they wouldn't have played the first game. And Azam Khan was not injured before the series, he was injured in the nets,” he noted. Naqvi also said that he informed the players during PSL this year that he has organised this camp to work on their fitness, speed and ability to hit massive sixes. "When I was watching the matches in Lahore, I don't think a single one of you hit a six that went into the stands," Naqvi said earlier. "Whenever a six like that was hit, I used to think a foreign player must have hit that. I have asked the board to make a plan that gets every player's fitness up to speed. You'll have to make a proper effort for that,” he had said.

PCB boss defends players’ military training after injuries denied Pakistan series win over NZ

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten as their new white-ball coach. The PCB also appointed former Australia pace bowler Jason Gillespie as the red-ball coach.

The decision was announced by&nbsp;PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday (Apr 28) at a press conference in Lahore. The head coach position had been lying vacant since Grant Bradburn left the job in January this&nbsp;year. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood had been the acting coach in the interim period.

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With new coaches being appointed, Mahmood will continue to be the assistant coach for both the head coaches.

Speaking on the appointment of foreign coaches, the PCB chairman said: "We have maintained a balance for this, there's a lot of talent in our country as well. We're not that far ahead in medical sciences which is why there are some fitness issues in our country. We wanted the best of the best because closing our options to get the best options from outside our country may not get us the best results."

"Jason's coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary's coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket," Naqvi further added.

Both the coaches have been given a two-year contract and PCB is keen to have them full-time around rather than just being with the team around a series.

While Kirsten's first series will be the tour of England from May 22 after which the team will fly to the USA and Caribbean for the T20 World Cup. Gillespie, on the other hand, has his first series against Bangladesh in August during which Pakistan will play two Tests.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten as their new white-ball coach. The PCB also appointed former Australia pace bowler Jason Gillespie as the red-ball coach.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning coach Gary Kirsten as their new white-ball coach. The PCB also appointed former Australia pace bowler Jason Gillespie as the red-ball coach. The decision was announced by PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday (Apr 28) at a press conference in Lahore. The head coach position had been lying vacant since Grant Bradburn left the job in January this year. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood had been the acting coach in the interim period. Also Read: IPL 2024: MI's Hardik Pandya blames loss vs DC on Tilak Varma's 'lack of intent' despite scoring 32-ball 63 With new coaches being appointed, Mahmood will continue to be the assistant coach for both the head coaches. Speaking on the appointment of foreign coaches, the PCB chairman said: "We have maintained a balance for this, there's a lot of talent in our country as well. We're not that far ahead in medical sciences which is why there are some fitness issues in our country. We wanted the best of the best because closing our options to get the best options from outside our country may not get us the best results." "Jason's coaching career has been marked by success both at the domestic and international levels, with a focus on player development and achieving excellence in team performance. Gary's coaching career has been marked by his ability to instill a winning mentality, develop young talent, and achieve success at the highest levels of the game, making him one of the most respected and sought-after coaches in cricket," Naqvi further added. Both the coaches have been given a two-year contract and PCB is keen to have them full-time around rather than just being with the team around a series. While Kirsten's first series will be the tour of England from May 22 after which the team will fly to the USA and Caribbean for the T20 World Cup. Gillespie, on the other hand, has his first series against Bangladesh in August during which Pakistan will play two Tests.

PCB appoints India's ODI WC wining coach Gary Kirsten as white-ball coach, Jason Gillespie named Test coach

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)&nbsp;is set&nbsp;to announce their new head coach by the end of April as the squad prepares for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. According to multiple media reports in Pakistan&nbsp;PCB&nbsp;chairman Mohsin Naqvi has cleared his intentions to appoint a new coach intending to win the T20 World Cup for the second time in the&nbsp;nation’s&nbsp; history.&nbsp;Pakistan cricket has seen a turbulent few weeks after the squad went for military training while Shaheen Shah Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam as the new white-ball captain.

<h2>Pakistan to have new coach?</h2>

"The PCB chairman, Mohsin&nbsp;Naqvi&nbsp;has made it clear that&nbsp;the long-term appointments of coaches will be done&nbsp;through a due process and all commitments would be met by the board,"&nbsp;a Pakistan media report read.&nbsp;

"Even in Kirsten and&nbsp;Gillispie's&nbsp;case though, the board has held direct negotiations with them, and they remain top candidates to be appointed head coaches, (but)&nbsp;they were also told&nbsp;to apply through due process by the deadline,"&nbsp;the source said.

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As things stand, PCB is considering options to hire Gary Kirsten, who led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup win and worked in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also served as the coach of the South African national side&nbsp;having&nbsp;been eccentric in the&nbsp;team’s&nbsp;run in the middle of the last decade.&nbsp;

Pakistan cricket has been headed by interim members&nbsp;in recent times&nbsp;with&nbsp;Inzamam-ul-Haq taking selection duties for ODI World Cup.&nbsp;On the other hand, they sacked Babar Azam as white-ball captain&nbsp;with&nbsp;former PCB boss Najam&nbsp;Sethi’s&nbsp;messages getting leaked.&nbsp;

Pakistan will meet arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup on June 9 as both teams square off in New York. Both teams are placed in Group A alongside the USA, Canada and Ireland in what will be an extended format of the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to announce their new head coach by the end of April as the squad prepares for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to announce their new head coach by the end of April as the squad prepares for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. According to multiple media reports in Pakistan PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has cleared his intentions to appoint a new coach intending to win the T20 World Cup for the second time in the nation’s history. Pakistan cricket has seen a turbulent few weeks after the squad went for military training while Shaheen Shah Afridi was replaced by Babar Azam as the new white-ball captain. Pakistan to have new coach? "The PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that the long-term appointments of coaches will be done through a due process and all commitments would be met by the board," a Pakistan media report read. "Even in Kirsten and Gillispie's case though, the board has held direct negotiations with them, and they remain top candidates to be appointed head coaches, (but) they were also told to apply through due process by the deadline," the source said. ALSO READ | IPL 2024: We like to back players, CSK coach Stephen Fleming pledges support to under fire Daryl Mitchell As things stand, PCB is considering options to hire Gary Kirsten, who led India to the 2011 ODI World Cup win and worked in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also served as the coach of the South African national side having been eccentric in the team’s run in the middle of the last decade. Pakistan cricket has been headed by interim members in recent times with Inzamam-ul-Haq taking selection duties for ODI World Cup. On the other hand, they sacked Babar Azam as white-ball captain with former PCB boss Najam Sethi’s messages getting leaked. Pakistan will meet arch-rivals India in the T20 World Cup on June 9 as both teams square off in New York. Both teams are placed in Group A alongside the USA, Canada and Ireland in what will be an extended format of the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan to announce new head coach by April-end with T20 World Cup on agenda - Report

Former cricketer Mohammed Hafeez has criticised the 17-member squad picked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. The PCB brought back Mohammad Amir as well as Imad Wasim into the squad while picking a few uncapped players, based on their performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Former cricketer Mohammed Hafeez has criticised the 17-member squad picked by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand. The PCB brought back Mohammad Amir as well as Imad Wasim into the squad while picking a few uncapped players, based on their performances in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The five-match series gets underway on April 18 and will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore. However, the former opener was not pleased that players toiling hard in the domestic setup were not given preference by the board. He took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle and gave a short and crisp take on the state of things. "#RIP Pakistan domestic cricket," Hafeez wrote on X. #RIP Pakistan domestic cricket — Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) April 9, 2024 × Fast bowler Amir and allrounder Wasim were recalled to the squad after they ended their disagreements with the board. Amir last represented Pakistan in international cricket in 2020 before opting to retire and focus on T20 leagues while Wasim announced his retirement in November 2023. Apart from the two, PCB has also included uncapped middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan and opener Usman Khan in the squad, saying they both earned the nod from selectors following their impressive performances in the PSL. “We hold great optimism and belief in their potential to become key impact players, yet recognise that this requires ongoing dedication and effort," said selection committee member and batting coach Mohammad Yusuf. Also read | 'Don't test my patience': Shaheen Afridi shares cryptic Insta Story amid ongoing Pakistan captaincy saga Hafeez bitter about director stint? Hafeez's statement could be understood as during his short stint as the team director, he attempted to rejig the culture, which included asking Babar Azam to bat down the order, for the benefit of the team. However, his ideas did not go down well with the board and his contract was terminated prematurely. "I accepted the new role as a director PCB with great passion to make positive reforms but unfortunately my designated tenure which was offered by the PCB for 4 years was cut short for 2 months on the account of new chairmanship," Hafeez said after being axed. Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan.

‘RIP Pakistan cricket’: Mohammed Hafeez slams PCB for selecting Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim

Amid the ongoing captaincy saga in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (Apr 9) announced the 17-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.&nbsp;

The entire series will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore between April 18 and 27, a few weeks&nbsp;before the T20 World Cup kicks off in the USA and West Indies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim have been recalled to the squad after ending their disagreements with the board. Amir&nbsp;last represented Pakistan in international cricket in 2020 before opting to retire and focus on T20 leagues while Wasim announced his retirement in November 2023.&nbsp;

Apart from the two, PCB have also included&nbsp;uncapped middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan and opener Usman Khan in the squad, saying they both earned the nod from selectors following their impressive performances in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL)

“We hold great optimism and belief in their potential to become key impact players, yet recognise that this requires ongoing dedication and effort," said selection committee member and batting coach Mohammad Yusuf.&nbsp;

"I trust that both players will continue their upward trajectory, sparing no effort in proving themselves worthy of the selectors' and captain's trust and confidence," he added.&nbsp;

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<h2>Pakistan's captaincy woes</h2>

The T20I series against New Zealand will be the first time that Babar Azam takes the field with the captain's armband after being removed from the post, following the disastrous World Cup campaign in India.&nbsp;Babar's captaincy attracted widespread criticism as he&nbsp;failed to galvanise his troops to put up strong performances.&nbsp;

However, a little more than four months later, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Babar was replacing Shaheen Afridi as the T20I captain.&nbsp;

The decision was set in motion after Pakistan lost the T20I series 1-4 to New Zealand away and fast-tracked following Afridi's poor handling of his PSL team which won only one out of the 10 matches.&nbsp;

The decision though, may not have gone down well with Afridi who recently posted an Instagram story&nbsp;seemingly taking a swipe at the PCB and other high-ranking officials who sabotaged his captaincy tenure.&nbsp;

Squad:

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan.

Amid the ongoing captaincy saga in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (Apr 9) announced the 17-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.

Amid the ongoing captaincy saga in Pakistan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (Apr 9) announced the 17-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand. The entire series will be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore between April 18 and 27, a few weeks before the T20 World Cup kicks off in the USA and West Indies. Fast bowler Mohammad Amir and left-arm spinner Imad Wasim have been recalled to the squad after ending their disagreements with the board. Amir last represented Pakistan in international cricket in 2020 before opting to retire and focus on T20 leagues while Wasim announced his retirement in November 2023. Apart from the two, PCB have also included uncapped middle-order batter Muhammad Irfan Khan and opener Usman Khan in the squad, saying they both earned the nod from selectors following their impressive performances in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) “We hold great optimism and belief in their potential to become key impact players, yet recognise that this requires ongoing dedication and effort," said selection committee member and batting coach Mohammad Yusuf. "I trust that both players will continue their upward trajectory, sparing no effort in proving themselves worthy of the selectors' and captain's trust and confidence," he added. Also read | 'Don't test my patience': Shaheen Afridi shares cryptic Insta Story amid ongoing Pakistan captaincy saga Pakistan's captaincy woes The T20I series against New Zealand will be the first time that Babar Azam takes the field with the captain's armband after being removed from the post, following the disastrous World Cup campaign in India. Babar's captaincy attracted widespread criticism as he failed to galvanise his troops to put up strong performances. However, a little more than four months later, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed Babar was replacing Shaheen Afridi as the T20I captain. The decision was set in motion after Pakistan lost the T20I series 1-4 to New Zealand away and fast-tracked following Afridi's poor handling of his PSL team which won only one out of the 10 matches. The decision though, may not have gone down well with Afridi who recently posted an Instagram story seemingly taking a swipe at the PCB and other high-ranking officials who sabotaged his captaincy tenure. Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usama Mir, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan.

Amir, Imad return as PCB name 17-member squad for T20I series against New Zealand

Star Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is unhappy and dissatisfied with the lack of communication and clarity over his recent sacking as the T20I captain. Afridi met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday (April 1) in Kakul, where the Pakistan team is undergoing a fitness-related training camp, with reports suggesting that no constructive talks took place. The PCB, however, posted a photo of Shaheen shaking Naqvi’s hands following the meeting.

Although PCB’s statement had no mention of Afridi or his catch-up with the board’s chairman, it read that Naqvi interacted with all the 29 players, commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. Naqvi also pressed on his satisfaction over players attaining top fitness levels.

"The chairman also took the opportunity to interact with the players, personally commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. He expressed satisfaction over the players' enthusiasm and commitment towards enhancing their fitness levels," the PCB statement read.

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Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi visited Army School of Physical Training (ASPT), Kakul today and interacted with the players participating in the fitness camp. 
 
More details: <a href="https://t.co/oWSNkQ86F4">https://t.co/oWSNkQ86F4</a> <a href="https://t.co/HU9Owdb249">pic.twitter.com/HU9Owdb249</a>
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1774806620398104705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Besides, the relations between the two parties further deteriorated when PCB released a statement, attributed to Shaheen, upon reappointing Babar Azan as the white-ball captain, something neither Shaheen contributed to nor approved of. It led to chaos within the team and among the board and the players.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/otd-in-2011-india-lifts-world-cup-after-28-years-when-ms-dhoni-led-men-in-blue-claimed-ultimate-glory-706826">OTD in 2011: ‘India lifts World Cup’ – Relive the moment when MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue claimed ultimate glory</a>

The board, however, accepted the&nbsp;mistake, admitting an internal error led to this. Despite their claim on the same, Afridi believes his queries were not addressed or answered well, leaving everything hanging by a thin thread.&nbsp;

The left-arm seamer is said to have put this entire saga behind and move&nbsp;ahead with his previous role as the leading bowler in the team.

Meanwhile, despite tensions surrounding the captaincy saga within the dressing room, Shaheen’s position as a marquee player for the 2024 T20 World Cup remains the same, as he is expected to be Babar’s go-to-man in the 20-team-tournament.&nbsp;

<h2>Pakistan’s Road for T20 WC</h2>

The Men in Green are currently in Kakul for the training camp, which ends on April 8.&nbsp;

They will then get involved in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, scheduled from April 18 to 27. Babar Azam-led T20I side will then travel to the UK for the bilateral series against Ireland and England, before playing in the T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, with both scheduled to face off on June 9 in New York.&nbsp;

Star Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is unhappy and dissatisfied with the lack of communication and clarity over his recent sacking as the T20I captain. Afridi met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday (April 1) in Kakul, where the Pakistan team is undergoing a fitness-related training camp, with reports suggesting that no constructive talks took place.

Star Pakistan seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi is unhappy and dissatisfied with the lack of communication and clarity over his recent sacking as the T20I captain. Afridi met PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Monday (April 1) in Kakul, where the Pakistan team is undergoing a fitness-related training camp, with reports suggesting that no constructive talks took place. The PCB, however, posted a photo of Shaheen shaking Naqvi’s hands following the meeting. Although PCB’s statement had no mention of Afridi or his catch-up with the board’s chairman, it read that Naqvi interacted with all the 29 players, commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. Naqvi also pressed on his satisfaction over players attaining top fitness levels. "The chairman also took the opportunity to interact with the players, personally commending them for their dedication and active participation in the camp. He expressed satisfaction over the players' enthusiasm and commitment towards enhancing their fitness levels," the PCB statement read. Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi visited Army School of Physical Training (ASPT), Kakul today and interacted with the players participating in the fitness camp. More details: https://t.co/oWSNkQ86F4 pic.twitter.com/HU9Owdb249 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 1, 2024 × Besides, the relations between the two parties further deteriorated when PCB released a statement, attributed to Shaheen, upon reappointing Babar Azan as the white-ball captain, something neither Shaheen contributed to nor approved of. It led to chaos within the team and among the board and the players. ALSO READ: OTD in 2011: ‘India lifts World Cup’ – Relive the moment when MS Dhoni-led Men in Blue claimed ultimate glory The board, however, accepted the mistake, admitting an internal error led to this. Despite their claim on the same, Afridi believes his queries were not addressed or answered well, leaving everything hanging by a thin thread. The left-arm seamer is said to have put this entire saga behind and move ahead with his previous role as the leading bowler in the team. Meanwhile, despite tensions surrounding the captaincy saga within the dressing room, Shaheen’s position as a marquee player for the 2024 T20 World Cup remains the same, as he is expected to be Babar’s go-to-man in the 20-team-tournament. Pakistan’s Road for T20 WC The Men in Green are currently in Kakul for the training camp, which ends on April 8. They will then get involved in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, scheduled from April 18 to 27. Babar Azam-led T20I side will then travel to the UK for the bilateral series against Ireland and England, before playing in the T20 World Cup. Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, with both scheduled to face off on June 9 in New York.

Drama grows within PCB surrounding captaincy saga as Shaheen Afridi’s concerns not addressed

Former Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi is upset with PCB for putting out his fake quotes on Babar Azam’s reappointment as the new white-ball captain, something he never contributed to in the first place. As per the latest reports, Afridi, who was named Pakistan’s new T20I captain following Babar’s departure as all-format skipper in November last year, is said to be meeting PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding this matter on Monday (April 1).

A&nbsp;statement released by the PCB, attributing to Shaheen, reads,&nbsp;"I will always cherish the memories and the opportunity. As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him. I will try to help him on and off the field. We are all one. Our aim is the same, to help Pakistan become the best team in the world."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-ipl-teams-owners-to-meet-in-ahmedabad-to-discuss-ipls-future-706525">BCCI, IPL team owners to meet in Ahmedabad to discuss ‘league’s future’</a>

Shaheen claims to be contributing nothing in regards to Babar becoming Pakistan’s white-ball captain once again.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, change in the leadership has caused quite a stir in Pakistan cricket. After PCB asked Babar to step aside from the captaincy following a dismal 2023 World Cup show in India, they appointed Shaheen (T20Is) and Shan Masood (Test captain) as new leaders in their respective formats.&nbsp;

However, after just one failed international assignment and PSL 2024, Shaheen was removed as the captain in the shortest format.

Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistan legend and Shaheen’s father-in-law, also commented on the matter, saying he was surprised to see a sudden change in the leadership group, considering the T20 World Cup is just around the corner. Although he sounded miffed with PCB’s call, he congratulated Babar on his reappointment as the captain.

“I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary then Rizwan was the best choice! But since now the decision has been made I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar Azam,” Afridi wrote on X.&nbsp;

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I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary than Rizwan was the best choice! But since now the decision has been made I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar…
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SAfridiOfficial/status/1774426968877842553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Wayward calls create chaos</h2>

Earlier during a presser in Lahore, the PCB chairman denied commenting on Shaheen’s status as T20I captain, saying he is unsure how things will pan out in the coming days.&nbsp;

Soon after that, a lot happened within their cricket, with two former players – Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, announcing unretirement to remain available for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA. The board also reappointed Babar as the new captain for ODIs and T20Is.

Babar will lead Pakistan against New Zealand in home T20Is in April before flying to the UK for the T20 series against Ireland and England just ahead of the 20-team tournament.&nbsp;

Former Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi is upset with PCB for putting out his fake quotes on Babar Azam’s reappointment as the new white-ball captain, something he never contributed to in the first place.

Former Pakistan T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi is upset with PCB for putting out his fake quotes on Babar Azam’s reappointment as the new white-ball captain, something he never contributed to in the first place. As per the latest reports, Afridi, who was named Pakistan’s new T20I captain following Babar’s departure as all-format skipper in November last year, is said to be meeting PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding this matter on Monday (April 1). A statement released by the PCB, attributing to Shaheen, reads, "I will always cherish the memories and the opportunity. As a team player, it is my duty to back our captain, Babar Azam. I have played under his captaincy and have nothing but respect for him. I will try to help him on and off the field. We are all one. Our aim is the same, to help Pakistan become the best team in the world." ALSO READ: BCCI, IPL team owners to meet in Ahmedabad to discuss ‘league’s future’ Shaheen claims to be contributing nothing in regards to Babar becoming Pakistan’s white-ball captain once again. Meanwhile, change in the leadership has caused quite a stir in Pakistan cricket. After PCB asked Babar to step aside from the captaincy following a dismal 2023 World Cup show in India, they appointed Shaheen (T20Is) and Shan Masood (Test captain) as new leaders in their respective formats. However, after just one failed international assignment and PSL 2024, Shaheen was removed as the captain in the shortest format. Shahid Afridi, a former Pakistan legend and Shaheen’s father-in-law, also commented on the matter, saying he was surprised to see a sudden change in the leadership group, considering the T20 World Cup is just around the corner. Although he sounded miffed with PCB’s call, he congratulated Babar on his reappointment as the captain. “I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary then Rizwan was the best choice! But since now the decision has been made I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar Azam,” Afridi wrote on X. I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee. I still believe that if change was necessary than Rizwan was the best choice! But since now the decision has been made I offer my full support and best wishes to team Pakistan and Babar… — Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) March 31, 2024 × Wayward calls create chaos Earlier during a presser in Lahore, the PCB chairman denied commenting on Shaheen’s status as T20I captain, saying he is unsure how things will pan out in the coming days. Soon after that, a lot happened within their cricket, with two former players – Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, announcing unretirement to remain available for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA. The board also reappointed Babar as the new captain for ODIs and T20Is. Babar will lead Pakistan against New Zealand in home T20Is in April before flying to the UK for the T20 series against Ireland and England just ahead of the 20-team tournament.

Shaheen Afridi to hold talks with PCB chairman over ‘fake quotes on Babar’s return’ as white-ball captain

In a major twist involving the leadership group in Pakistan Cricket, star batter Babar Azam has been&nbsp;re-appointed as the new white-ball captain, the board’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed in a statement. Babar has replaced ace seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20I captain, while the board is yet to announce&nbsp;an ODI skipper following Babar’s removal as all-format skipper post-2023 World Cup.

In a video posted on Pakistan Cricket’s social media handles, the PCB chairman is seen speaking with Babar about taking over the ODI and T20I captaincy.

“Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team,” a post read.

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Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain 
 
Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team. <a href="https://t.co/ad4KLJYRMK">pic.twitter.com/ad4KLJYRMK</a>
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealPCB/status/1774299865817727120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, following the disastrous World Cup campaign last year, where despite having favourable conditions at their disposal, Pakistan failed to reach the semis, leading PCB to take some stern steps in their quest to revive cricket’s craze in the country . They removed&nbsp;the coaching staff and Babar Azam as an all-format captain. While seamer Shaheen replaced him as the T20I skipper, Shan Masood was named the new Test captain.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mayank-yadav-opens-up-on-sensational-ipl-debut-says-i-didnt-think-it-would-go-this-well-706136">Mayank Yadav opens up on sensational IPL debut, says 'I didn’t think it would go this well'</a>

Upon being appointed as the T20I captain, with credentials of helping his franchise, Lahore Qalandars, win back-to-back PSL titles, Shaheen failed to replicate his magic in Pakistan colours, losing 1-4 to New Zealand on an away tour in his first assignment. Moreover, a poor PSL 2024, in which his team won just one out of ten matches, led to the selectors looking beyond Shaheen for the shorter-format.

The recent reports indicate&nbsp;the change in the leadership group, with the PCB chairman commenting, saying he is unsure if Afridi remains the captain heading into the 2024 T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

<h2>Babar eyes T20 WC win</h2>

Having led Pakistan in several ICC tournaments, including two T20 World Cups and the 50-over tournament in India last year, Babar knows what the big stage demands and would be ready to prepare for the ultimate glory when Pakistan takes the field for the 20-team-tournament later in June.&nbsp;

With captaincy pressure released off Shaheen’s shoulders, the left-arm seamer can return to focusing on his bowling ahead of the tournament. Besides, with two former cricketers – Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, announcing their decisions to unretire, Babar will have to make a tough choice in picking the best 15 for the T20 World Cup.

However, before that, Pakistan will host New Zealand for five T20Is in April and will travel&nbsp;to the UK for the T20 series against Ireland and England.&nbsp;

In a major twist involving the leadership group in Pakistan Cricket, star batter Babar Azam has been re-appointed as the new white-ball captain, the board’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed in a statement.

In a major twist involving the leadership group in Pakistan Cricket, star batter Babar Azam has been re-appointed as the new white-ball captain, the board’s chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed in a statement. Babar has replaced ace seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi as the T20I captain, while the board is yet to announce an ODI skipper following Babar’s removal as all-format skipper post-2023 World Cup. In a video posted on Pakistan Cricket’s social media handles, the PCB chairman is seen speaking with Babar about taking over the ODI and T20I captaincy. “Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team,” a post read. Babar Azam appointed as white-ball captain Following unanimous recommendation from the PCB’s selection committee, Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has appointed Babar Azam as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team. pic.twitter.com/ad4KLJYRMK — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 31, 2024 × Meanwhile, following the disastrous World Cup campaign last year, where despite having favourable conditions at their disposal, Pakistan failed to reach the semis, leading PCB to take some stern steps in their quest to revive cricket’s craze in the country . They removed the coaching staff and Babar Azam as an all-format captain. While seamer Shaheen replaced him as the T20I skipper, Shan Masood was named the new Test captain. ALSO READ: Mayank Yadav opens up on sensational IPL debut, says 'I didn’t think it would go this well' Upon being appointed as the T20I captain, with credentials of helping his franchise, Lahore Qalandars, win back-to-back PSL titles, Shaheen failed to replicate his magic in Pakistan colours, losing 1-4 to New Zealand on an away tour in his first assignment. Moreover, a poor PSL 2024, in which his team won just one out of ten matches, led to the selectors looking beyond Shaheen for the shorter-format. The recent reports indicate the change in the leadership group, with the PCB chairman commenting, saying he is unsure if Afridi remains the captain heading into the 2024 T20 World Cup. Babar eyes T20 WC win Having led Pakistan in several ICC tournaments, including two T20 World Cups and the 50-over tournament in India last year, Babar knows what the big stage demands and would be ready to prepare for the ultimate glory when Pakistan takes the field for the 20-team-tournament later in June. With captaincy pressure released off Shaheen’s shoulders, the left-arm seamer can return to focusing on his bowling ahead of the tournament. Besides, with two former cricketers – Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim, announcing their decisions to unretire, Babar will have to make a tough choice in picking the best 15 for the T20 World Cup. However, before that, Pakistan will host New Zealand for five T20Is in April and will travel to the UK for the T20 series against Ireland and England.

PCB reappoints Babar Azam as Pakistan’s white-ball captain

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has lashed out at rumours which claim that Shaheen Afridi might be removed as the T20I captain. Shaheen was appointed the captain in the shortest format post Pakistan's horror run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, after which Babar Azam was sacked from the top post across formats. Since then, the pacer has led in only five T20Is, versus New Zealand, where he managed only one win. Recently, there have been reports of Shaheen's sacking, which irked his father-in-law Shahid.&nbsp;

<h2>'Biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes...'</h2>

Talking to the media in Karachi, as quoted by PTI, Afridi said, "I think that if you have appointed someone as captain (Shaheen) and given him the responsibility then give him time as well." He further opined, "The biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes whenever the faces change in the board. Whoever comes thinks whatever he is doing is the best for Pakistan cricket."

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Afridi added, "If you change the captain then either the decision to appoint him was wrong or the decision to change him now is wrong." He even shared his take on the appointment of a foreigner as Pakistan coach but said the person should be a high-profile individual like Andy Flower (with a great track record). In this regard, he said, "I believe that even if you bring in a foreign coach, the staff under him should be Pakistani so that our people can also move forward and improve their skills."

There are speculations that the new governing committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would reinstate Babar Azam and sack Shaheen as the captain of the T20I side ahead of the T20 WC, which gets underway on June 1. 
 
Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India.&nbsp;

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has lashed out at rumours which claim that Shaheen Afridi might be removed as the T20I captain. Shaheen was appointed the captain in the shortest format post Pakistan's horror run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, after which Babar Azam was sacked from the top post across formats.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has lashed out at rumours which claim that Shaheen Afridi might be removed as the T20I captain. Shaheen was appointed the captain in the shortest format post Pakistan's horror run in the 2023 ODI World Cup, after which Babar Azam was sacked from the top post across formats. Since then, the pacer has led in only five T20Is, versus New Zealand, where he managed only one win. Recently, there have been reports of Shaheen's sacking, which irked his father-in-law Shahid. 'Biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes...' Talking to the media in Karachi, as quoted by PTI, Afridi said, "I think that if you have appointed someone as captain (Shaheen) and given him the responsibility then give him time as well." He further opined, "The biggest problem with our cricket is that our system changes whenever the faces change in the board. Whoever comes thinks whatever he is doing is the best for Pakistan cricket." Also read: Cricket Australia reiterates desire to host India vs Pakistan bilateral series Afridi added, "If you change the captain then either the decision to appoint him was wrong or the decision to change him now is wrong." He even shared his take on the appointment of a foreigner as Pakistan coach but said the person should be a high-profile individual like Andy Flower (with a great track record). In this regard, he said, "I believe that even if you bring in a foreign coach, the staff under him should be Pakistani so that our people can also move forward and improve their skills." There are speculations that the new governing committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would reinstate Babar Azam and sack Shaheen as the captain of the T20I side ahead of the T20 WC, which gets underway on June 1. Pakistan are placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India.

‘Biggest problem is...’: Shahid Afridi hits back at rumours of Shaheen being sacked as Pakistan T20I captain

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has formed a seven-member senior selection committee, including former stars like Mohammed Yousuf, Abdul Razzak and Asad Shafiq, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While addressing the media, Naqvi hinted at a change in the leadership group, meaning Shaheen Afridi’s position as the T20I captain came under a dark cloud.

Naqvi also said that this committee was formed to select the men’s national team for the international tours while confirming his non-interference in related matters.&nbsp;

"I have mandated the seven-member selection committee, consisting of four former Test players, with the powers to select the national men's teams for international cricket. I will not interfere with the working of the selection committee. They are experienced and professional in their domain and I am confident that they will do their job with dedication and honesty," PCB chairman Naqvi said.

As per reports, the PCB will name 27 players for the training camp with the Pakistan Army to be held in Kakul. The committee will determine the new leadership group after the camp.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pakistan-seamer-mohammad-amir-comes-out-of-retirement-to-play-2024-t20-world-cup-703827">Former Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir comes out of retirement to play 2024 T20 World Cup</a>

"Even I don't know who the captain will be," Naqvi said. "Whether Shaheen continues or a new captain comes in will be determined after the fitness camp [starting on Monday]."&nbsp;

"There are a number of technical factors we will consider, the details of which I do not want to go into. We want a long-term solution, whether it's Shaheen or a new man. And then we intend to stick by that man, instead of just changing a captain just because you lose a match or captain,” the PCB chairman added.

<h2>Shaheen’s captaincy future in limbo</h2>

Following a dismal 2023 World Cup in India, where Pakistan failed to reach the semis despite playing in favourable conditions, the board sacked the coaching staff, besides removing Babar Azam all-format captain.&nbsp;

While Shan Masood was named the new Test skipper, seamer Shaheen was appointed the T20I captain in November. Having led Lahore Qalandars to successive PSL titles ahead of becoming Pakistan’s shortest-format skipper, fans pinned hopes on him to take their team to heights, considering this is the T20 World Cup year.&nbsp;

However, in his only assignment thus far, five-match T20Is against New Zealand in their conditions, Shaheen’s Pakistan lost 1-4. To make it worse, under his leadership, Lahore won just one out of ten games this season, failing to qualify for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Pakistan will host New Zealand for the ODI leg in April.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has formed a seven-member senior selection committee, including former stars like Mohammed Yousuf, Abdul Razzak and Asad Shafiq, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has formed a seven-member senior selection committee, including former stars like Mohammed Yousuf, Abdul Razzak and Asad Shafiq, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. While addressing the media, Naqvi hinted at a change in the leadership group, meaning Shaheen Afridi’s position as the T20I captain came under a dark cloud. Naqvi also said that this committee was formed to select the men’s national team for the international tours while confirming his non-interference in related matters. "I have mandated the seven-member selection committee, consisting of four former Test players, with the powers to select the national men's teams for international cricket. I will not interfere with the working of the selection committee. They are experienced and professional in their domain and I am confident that they will do their job with dedication and honesty," PCB chairman Naqvi said. As per reports, the PCB will name 27 players for the training camp with the Pakistan Army to be held in Kakul. The committee will determine the new leadership group after the camp. ALSO READ: Former Pakistan seamer Mohammad Amir comes out of retirement to play 2024 T20 World Cup "Even I don't know who the captain will be," Naqvi said. "Whether Shaheen continues or a new captain comes in will be determined after the fitness camp [starting on Monday]." "There are a number of technical factors we will consider, the details of which I do not want to go into. We want a long-term solution, whether it's Shaheen or a new man. And then we intend to stick by that man, instead of just changing a captain just because you lose a match or captain,” the PCB chairman added. Shaheen’s captaincy future in limbo Following a dismal 2023 World Cup in India, where Pakistan failed to reach the semis despite playing in favourable conditions, the board sacked the coaching staff, besides removing Babar Azam all-format captain. While Shan Masood was named the new Test skipper, seamer Shaheen was appointed the T20I captain in November. Having led Lahore Qalandars to successive PSL titles ahead of becoming Pakistan’s shortest-format skipper, fans pinned hopes on him to take their team to heights, considering this is the T20 World Cup year. However, in his only assignment thus far, five-match T20Is against New Zealand in their conditions, Shaheen’s Pakistan lost 1-4. To make it worse, under his leadership, Lahore won just one out of ten games this season, failing to qualify for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Pakistan will host New Zealand for the ODI leg in April.

Shaheen Afridi’s T20I captaincy in danger as PCB chairman hints at change in leadership

Former two-time Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman and a career diplomat, Shaharyar Khan, passed away in Lahore, Pakistan, on Saturday (March 23), aged 89. Known for restoring ties between India and Pakistan during his first tenure as PCB head from 2003 to 2006, Shaharyar breathed his last after battling a prolonged illness.

Cousin of former India captain and great Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Shaharyar Khan, had served as Pakistan's foreign secretary from 1990 to 1994 and as a High Commissioner in New Delhi and the United Kingdom. During his time with the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shaharyar served twice, with his second term from 2014 to 2017.

During his first assignment as PCB&nbsp;boss, India toured Pakistan twice in 2004 and 2006, while Pakistan travelled to India in 2005.&nbsp;

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Although India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series more than a decade ago in 2012/13, Shaharyar expressed his regret&nbsp;in failing to revive regular Tests between both arch-rivals during his final term in an interview last year. India and Pakistan last played a Test series 14 years ago in 2007. &nbsp;

However, one controversy during his time that made headlines worldwide was the Pakistan team’s decision to forfeit the Oval Test against England in 2006, for which he blamed the then-team captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq.&nbsp;

<h2>PCB chairman expresses condolences&nbsp;</h2>

Current PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed his condolences on the passing away of Shaharyar Khan, saying he was a fine administrator and served his country’s cricket board with utmost dedication.

“On behalf of the PCB, I express my deep condolences and grief over the passing of former Chairman Shaharyar Khan. He was a fine administrator and served Pakistan Cricket with utmost dedication.

“Pakistan Cricket will stay indebted to the late Shaharyar Khan for his commendable role as head of the board and for his services in the growth and development of the game in the country,” said Naqvi.

Former two-time Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman and a career diplomat, Shaharyar Khan, passed away in Lahore, Pakistan, on Saturday (March 23), aged 89. Known for restoring ties between India and Pakistan during his first tenure as PCB head from 2003 to 2006, Shaharyar breathed his last after battling a prolonged illness.

Former two-time Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) chairman and a career diplomat, Shaharyar Khan, passed away in Lahore, Pakistan, on Saturday (March 23), aged 89. Known for restoring ties between India and Pakistan during his first tenure as PCB head from 2003 to 2006, Shaharyar breathed his last after battling a prolonged illness. Cousin of former India captain and great Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Shaharyar Khan, had served as Pakistan's foreign secretary from 1990 to 1994 and as a High Commissioner in New Delhi and the United Kingdom. During his time with the Pakistan Cricket Board, Shaharyar served twice, with his second term from 2014 to 2017. During his first assignment as PCB boss, India toured Pakistan twice in 2004 and 2006, while Pakistan travelled to India in 2005. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant FINALLY makes much-awaited return, leads Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings - WATCH Although India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series more than a decade ago in 2012/13, Shaharyar expressed his regret in failing to revive regular Tests between both arch-rivals during his final term in an interview last year. India and Pakistan last played a Test series 14 years ago in 2007. However, one controversy during his time that made headlines worldwide was the Pakistan team’s decision to forfeit the Oval Test against England in 2006, for which he blamed the then-team captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq. PCB chairman expresses condolences Current PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has expressed his condolences on the passing away of Shaharyar Khan, saying he was a fine administrator and served his country’s cricket board with utmost dedication. “On behalf of the PCB, I express my deep condolences and grief over the passing of former Chairman Shaharyar Khan. He was a fine administrator and served Pakistan Cricket with utmost dedication. “Pakistan Cricket will stay indebted to the late Shaharyar Khan for his commendable role as head of the board and for his services in the growth and development of the game in the country,” said Naqvi.

Former PCB chairman and diplomat Shaharyar Khan passes away at 89

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi is confident that Pakistan will host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The mega event is slated to be held in Pakistan, however, apprehensions remain as India have always maintained that they will not travel to their neighbouring country. The PCB chief stated that the board is not even considering the possibility of next year's Champions Trophy being moved out of his country despite there being constant talks of the hosting rights to be removed from Pakistan.

In a press conference on Monday (March 18), during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 final, Naqvi confirmed that he spoke with BCCI secretary Jay Shah on the sidelines of the ICC meetings in Dubai last week. However, he didn't divulge the details of their discussion.&nbsp;

Naqvi said, "Yes we spoke for a while and it was cordial but it would be unwise to divulge details of what was discussed." On being asked&nbsp;if India's reluctance to travel to Pakistan would lead to the marquee tournament being shifted out of Pakistan, the newly-appointed PCB chairman said, "I am not even thinking on those lines. We are confident we will host the Champions Trophy on schedule in Pakistan."

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Further, Naqvi revealed that the three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host majority of the games in the Champions Trophy, regarded as the mini ODI World Cup, and the stadiums will also be renovated.

"Even as I speak plans have been drawn up and work will begin soon on these three stadiums to give the fans the best experience of watching the matches at the venues," he added.

It is to be noted that the Babar Azam-starrer Pakistan cricket team are the defending champions, having won the last edition of the ICC event in 2017 in England and Wales. Back then, the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Men in Green thrashed Virat Kohli's India by 180 runs to win the CT 2017 final at The Oval, London.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi is confident that Pakistan will host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The mega event is slated to be held in Pakistan, however, apprehensions remain as India have always maintained that they will not travel to their neighbouring country.

Pakistan Cricket Board chief Mohsin Naqvi is confident that Pakistan will host the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The mega event is slated to be held in Pakistan, however, apprehensions remain as India have always maintained that they will not travel to their neighbouring country. The PCB chief stated that the board is not even considering the possibility of next year's Champions Trophy being moved out of his country despite there being constant talks of the hosting rights to be removed from Pakistan. In a press conference on Monday (March 18), during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 final, Naqvi confirmed that he spoke with BCCI secretary Jay Shah on the sidelines of the ICC meetings in Dubai last week. However, he didn't divulge the details of their discussion. Naqvi said, "Yes we spoke for a while and it was cordial but it would be unwise to divulge details of what was discussed." On being asked if India's reluctance to travel to Pakistan would lead to the marquee tournament being shifted out of Pakistan, the newly-appointed PCB chairman said, "I am not even thinking on those lines. We are confident we will host the Champions Trophy on schedule in Pakistan." Also read: BG Trophy 2024/25: India tour of Australia to commence in late November, Perth in-line to host 1st Test Further, Naqvi revealed that the three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi will host majority of the games in the Champions Trophy, regarded as the mini ODI World Cup, and the stadiums will also be renovated. "Even as I speak plans have been drawn up and work will begin soon on these three stadiums to give the fans the best experience of watching the matches at the venues," he added. It is to be noted that the Babar Azam-starrer Pakistan cricket team are the defending champions, having won the last edition of the ICC event in 2017 in England and Wales. Back then, the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Men in Green thrashed Virat Kohli's India by 180 runs to win the CT 2017 final at The Oval, London.

Not even thinking about possibility of Champions Trophy going out of Pakistan, says PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi

Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson has pulled out of the race to become Pakistan's new head coach despite having a lucrative offer at hand. PCB's preferred candidate, Watson, was in advanced discussions with the board regarding taking over the top job in Pakistan cricket; however, his prior commentary and coaching commitments saw him dropping out at this stage.

Watson coached Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this season, having thoroughly enjoyed his time working with Pakistani players. Given the packed schedule with the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June, Watson looked forward to working with them.&nbsp;

Watson currently has a commentary deal at the IPL, besides being a head coach of the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (in the USA). Above all, Watson also has a young family to look after in Sydney.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, as per the reports doing rounds in local media, the PCB had offered Watson a whopping US$2 million a year deal, with the latest reports suggesting the exact number is close to half of it.

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However, had Watson accepted PCB's offer to take over the head coach's role, he would have been on the board immediately overseeing the upcoming New Zealand white-ball series and away T20I series against England in May, just ahead of the marquee event starting June 3.&nbsp;

With Watson pulling out at this hour, the PCB will resume their hunt for a top-notch candidate to take up the vacant spot ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.&nbsp;

<h2>Changes in PCB's backroom staff</h2>

Following an under-par 50-over World Cup last year, wherein Pakistan failed to reach the semis despite having favourable conditions, the cricket board sacked the entire backroom staff, including team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn.&nbsp;

Although PCB picked former captain Mohammad Hafeez as the new team director for the tours Down Under (against Australia and New Zealand), his stay was cut short following horrid results, with Pakistan returning empty-handed regarding the series win. Hafeez's coaching style and rigid approach led to a rift between the players and him, eventually resulting in his exit.&nbsp;

Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson has pulled out of the race to become Pakistan's new head coach despite having a lucrative offer at hand. PCB's preferred candidate, Watson, was in advanced discussions with the board regarding taking over the top job in Pakistan cricket; however, his prior commentary and coaching commitments saw him dropping out at this stage.

Former Australia allrounder Shane Watson has pulled out of the race to become Pakistan's new head coach despite having a lucrative offer at hand. PCB's preferred candidate, Watson, was in advanced discussions with the board regarding taking over the top job in Pakistan cricket; however, his prior commentary and coaching commitments saw him dropping out at this stage. Watson coached Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) this season, having thoroughly enjoyed his time working with Pakistani players. Given the packed schedule with the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA in June, Watson looked forward to working with them. Watson currently has a commentary deal at the IPL, besides being a head coach of the San Francisco Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (in the USA). Above all, Watson also has a young family to look after in Sydney. Meanwhile, as per the reports doing rounds in local media, the PCB had offered Watson a whopping US$2 million a year deal, with the latest reports suggesting the exact number is close to half of it. ALSO READ: ICC shares rules for knockout games in case of rain delay during upcoming T20 World Cup However, had Watson accepted PCB's offer to take over the head coach's role, he would have been on the board immediately overseeing the upcoming New Zealand white-ball series and away T20I series against England in May, just ahead of the marquee event starting June 3. With Watson pulling out at this hour, the PCB will resume their hunt for a top-notch candidate to take up the vacant spot ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Changes in PCB's backroom staff Following an under-par 50-over World Cup last year, wherein Pakistan failed to reach the semis despite having favourable conditions, the cricket board sacked the entire backroom staff, including team director Mickey Arthur and head coach Grant Bradburn. Although PCB picked former captain Mohammad Hafeez as the new team director for the tours Down Under (against Australia and New Zealand), his stay was cut short following horrid results, with Pakistan returning empty-handed regarding the series win. Hafeez's coaching style and rigid approach led to a rift between the players and him, eventually resulting in his exit.

Shane Watson pulls out of race to become Pakistan head coach despite lucrative offer

Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series in 2025, the newly-elected PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Friday (March 15) in a press release. Pakistan will host a tri-series for the first time in 20 years, having last played&nbsp;against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home in 2004.

As per the release,&nbsp;PCB chairman Naqvi met with Lawson Naidoo - Cricket South Africa (CSA) chairman, and Roger Twose, Chairman of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), ahead of the ICC meeting in Dubai, locking in the historic tri-series for February 2025 window, just ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan.

Following thorough talks around the same, Naqvi also invited both chairmen to visit Pakistan during the tri-series.

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PCB boss Naqvi sounded elated in confirming this tournament on his home soil for the first time in two decades. The chairman also expressed his gratitude towards CSA and NZC heads for accepting the proposal to be part of the returning tri-series format.&nbsp;

Naqvi also shared his thoughts on Pakistan hosting a multi-team tournament for the first time since Asia Cup 2008.

“The tri-series between Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand will be an exciting event, and it is after a long time that Pakistan will host such a tournament.&nbsp;

“I would like to thank the heads of NZC and CSA for agreeing to participate in the Tri-series. The PCB is also looking forward to hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be a great pleasure for Pakistan to host the top eight ODI teams on its soil,” Naqvi said.

<h2>India’s participation still in doubt</h2>

Having denied travelling to Pakistan for last year's Asia Cup due to political and security reasons, the BCCI remains firm on their stance of not travelling to the neighbouring country for the eight-team tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Pakistan in early 2025.

Though the Indian board is yet to take a call on travelling to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the chances of it look bleak. However, picking a neutral venue for the tournament, like the UAE, is a viable option here.&nbsp;

More details will get public following ICC’s meeting in Dubai in March.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan will face off in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York on June 9. Drawn together in Group A, the two Asian giants will clash at the newly built 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, 30 miles east of Manhattan in the marquee clash.&nbsp;

Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series in 2025, the newly-elected PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Friday (March 15) in a press release.

Pakistan will host New Zealand and South Africa in an ODI tri-series in 2025, the newly-elected PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi confirmed on Friday (March 15) in a press release. Pakistan will host a tri-series for the first time in 20 years, having last played against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at home in 2004. As per the release, PCB chairman Naqvi met with Lawson Naidoo - Cricket South Africa (CSA) chairman, and Roger Twose, Chairman of New Zealand Cricket (NZC), ahead of the ICC meeting in Dubai, locking in the historic tri-series for February 2025 window, just ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan. Following thorough talks around the same, Naqvi also invited both chairmen to visit Pakistan during the tri-series. ALSO READ: IPL 2024: Praveen Kumar launches scathing attack on Hardik Pandya for 'special treatment' PCB boss Naqvi sounded elated in confirming this tournament on his home soil for the first time in two decades. The chairman also expressed his gratitude towards CSA and NZC heads for accepting the proposal to be part of the returning tri-series format. Naqvi also shared his thoughts on Pakistan hosting a multi-team tournament for the first time since Asia Cup 2008. “The tri-series between Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand will be an exciting event, and it is after a long time that Pakistan will host such a tournament. “I would like to thank the heads of NZC and CSA for agreeing to participate in the Tri-series. The PCB is also looking forward to hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will be a great pleasure for Pakistan to host the top eight ODI teams on its soil,” Naqvi said. India’s participation still in doubt Having denied travelling to Pakistan for last year's Asia Cup due to political and security reasons, the BCCI remains firm on their stance of not travelling to the neighbouring country for the eight-team tournament, originally scheduled to take place in Pakistan in early 2025. Though the Indian board is yet to take a call on travelling to Pakistan for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, the chances of it look bleak. However, picking a neutral venue for the tournament, like the UAE, is a viable option here. More details will get public following ICC’s meeting in Dubai in March. Meanwhile, India and Pakistan will face off in the 2024 T20 World Cup in New York on June 9. Drawn together in Group A, the two Asian giants will clash at the newly built 34,000-seat modular stadium in Eisenhower Park, 30 miles east of Manhattan in the marquee clash.

Pakistan set to host ODI Tri-Series for first time in 20 years, confirms PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is believed to be a strong contender to take over as the head coach of Pakistan senior men's cricket team. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted his remuneration demands, it is reported that the ODI World Cup winner is still not decided on the coaching job.

According to sources on the board, Watson has demanded a whopping $2 million annually, which is approximately 46 million rupees a month.&nbsp;Earlier, the likes of Mickey Arthur,&nbsp;Richard Pybus, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Lawson, Dav Whatmore and Grant Bradburn have also taken up the coaching role for Pakistan, however, none of them have been paid as much as Watson has demanded.

"He has a young family in Australia and also has commitments in the USA Major League. So, he is weighing his options as the board wants him to spend maximum time in Pakistan helping them also discover and groom talent at the domestic level,"&nbsp;the source said.

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It is being reported that Watson -- who doesn't have the experience of coaching any international side -- is taking time to finalise the offer&nbsp;due to the frequent changes within the PCB and the coaching staff. Currently, the Aussie cricketer is busy coaching the Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 edition, who have qualified for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, PCB chief&nbsp;Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that he would want a foreign coaching setup in-line, who will enjoy&nbsp;the full backing of the board. Recently, Naqvi also revealed that the Pakistani players will train with the army to work on their fitness and strength going forward.

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is believed to be a strong contender to take over as the head coach of Pakistan senior men's cricket team. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted his remuneration demands, it is reported that the ODI World Cup winner is still not decided on the coaching job.

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson is believed to be a strong contender to take over as the head coach of Pakistan senior men's cricket team. While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has accepted his remuneration demands, it is reported that the ODI World Cup winner is still not decided on the coaching job. According to sources on the board, Watson has demanded a whopping $2 million annually, which is approximately 46 million rupees a month. Earlier, the likes of Mickey Arthur, Richard Pybus, Bob Woolmer, Geoff Lawson, Dav Whatmore and Grant Bradburn have also taken up the coaching role for Pakistan, however, none of them have been paid as much as Watson has demanded. "He has a young family in Australia and also has commitments in the USA Major League. So, he is weighing his options as the board wants him to spend maximum time in Pakistan helping them also discover and groom talent at the domestic level," the source said. Also read: Steve Smith at top gives opposition bowlers best chance to get him out, says ex-captain Tim Paine It is being reported that Watson -- who doesn't have the experience of coaching any international side -- is taking time to finalise the offer due to the frequent changes within the PCB and the coaching staff. Currently, the Aussie cricketer is busy coaching the Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 edition, who have qualified for the playoffs. Meanwhile, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi has made it clear that he would want a foreign coaching setup in-line, who will enjoy the full backing of the board. Recently, Naqvi also revealed that the Pakistani players will train with the army to work on their fitness and strength going forward.

Former Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson undecided on Pakistan coach job despite PCB accepting wage demands

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has narrowed in on a few options for the vacant head coach role for the men’s national team, with veteran cricketers – Shane Watson and Darren Sammy emerging as top contenders for the position. Pakistan is currently without a head coach, and the board aims to lock in someone permanently instead of temporarily, as was the case with Mohammad Hafeez, whom the PCB appointed for the tours Down Under in December and January.

Pakistan's next international series is the white-ball leg against New Zealand at home in April.&nbsp;

Watson, appointed as the head coach of Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, is currently in Pakistan and has overseen a turnaround for the franchise, guiding them to their first playoffs in five seasons. On the other hand, Sammy&nbsp;also shares a dear relationship with Pakistan since his role as the captain of Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2017, and is hence among the names discussed for the head coach role.

Though the latest reports suggest that the PCB has approached Watson for the top position in Pakistan Cricket, the Aussie legend has yet to respond to their offer due to his work-related limitations.

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Watson lives in Sydney with his young family and has a tight schedule at his disposal throughout the year. Watson serves as the coach of San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket, besides committing to Star Sports for the commentator’s role for the ICC-related events and the Indian Premier League. The lanky all-rounder had earlier worked with Ricky Ponting as an assistant for Delhi Capitals in IPL.

Like how the PCB cracked a mid-way deal with Mickey Arthur as their Director of Cricket earlier by allowing him to spend limited time with the team, mainly during marquee events, the board must find a way to rope in Watson permanently. The chances of this deal going ahead will depend on the duration the board wants Watson to stay in Pakistan.

<h2>Sammy in line for head coach role</h2>

Meanwhile, Sammy, West Indies limited-overs coach, is hugely popular among Pakistani fans, which makes his case slightly more viable than Watson's.&nbsp;

As things stand, Sammy is coaching the Peshawar Zalmi side in the PSL 2024, which has also qualified for the playoffs.

The PCB's dealing with appointing a head coach has been a complicated process. After an indifferent 2023 World Cup in India, wherein Pakistan failed to seal the semis spot despite the conditions favouring them, now-ousted PCB chief Zaka Ashraf removed Arthur and Grant Bradburn (previous full-time coach) from their positions, appointing Hafeez as the lone boss on Pakistan’s tours of Australia and New Zealand.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has narrowed in on a few options for the vacant head coach role for the men’s national team, with veteran cricketers – Shane Watson and Darren Sammy emerging as top contenders for the position.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has narrowed in on a few options for the vacant head coach role for the men’s national team, with veteran cricketers – Shane Watson and Darren Sammy emerging as top contenders for the position. Pakistan is currently without a head coach, and the board aims to lock in someone permanently instead of temporarily, as was the case with Mohammad Hafeez, whom the PCB appointed for the tours Down Under in December and January. Pakistan's next international series is the white-ball leg against New Zealand at home in April. Watson, appointed as the head coach of Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, is currently in Pakistan and has overseen a turnaround for the franchise, guiding them to their first playoffs in five seasons. On the other hand, Sammy also shares a dear relationship with Pakistan since his role as the captain of Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2017, and is hence among the names discussed for the head coach role. Though the latest reports suggest that the PCB has approached Watson for the top position in Pakistan Cricket, the Aussie legend has yet to respond to their offer due to his work-related limitations. ALSO READ: Bangladesh skipper Najmul Shanto hits out at Sri Lanka for time-out celebration post T20I series win Watson lives in Sydney with his young family and has a tight schedule at his disposal throughout the year. Watson serves as the coach of San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket, besides committing to Star Sports for the commentator’s role for the ICC-related events and the Indian Premier League. The lanky all-rounder had earlier worked with Ricky Ponting as an assistant for Delhi Capitals in IPL. Like how the PCB cracked a mid-way deal with Mickey Arthur as their Director of Cricket earlier by allowing him to spend limited time with the team, mainly during marquee events, the board must find a way to rope in Watson permanently. The chances of this deal going ahead will depend on the duration the board wants Watson to stay in Pakistan. Sammy in line for head coach role Meanwhile, Sammy, West Indies limited-overs coach, is hugely popular among Pakistani fans, which makes his case slightly more viable than Watson's. As things stand, Sammy is coaching the Peshawar Zalmi side in the PSL 2024, which has also qualified for the playoffs. The PCB's dealing with appointing a head coach has been a complicated process. After an indifferent 2023 World Cup in India, wherein Pakistan failed to seal the semis spot despite the conditions favouring them, now-ousted PCB chief Zaka Ashraf removed Arthur and Grant Bradburn (previous full-time coach) from their positions, appointing Hafeez as the lone boss on Pakistan’s tours of Australia and New Zealand.

PCB lists Shane Watson and Darren Sammy as options for head coach role

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has instructed the senior men's team to train with the army in March-April&nbsp;after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 edition. Naqvi, who replaced Zaka Ashraf, had a word with a few Pakistani players in Islamabad&nbsp;on Tuesday (March 5)&nbsp;where he told them to undergo a 10-day training camp with the army to improve their strength and fitness.&nbsp;

It is reported that Naqvi&nbsp;was disappointed with the Pakistani&nbsp;batters’ six-hitting abilities and spoke&nbsp;about the need to focus on strength and fitness.

"When I was watching the matches in Lahore, I don't think a single one of you hit a six that went into the stands. Whenever a six like that was hit, I used to think a foreign player must have hit that. I have asked the board to make a plan that gets every player's fitness up to speed. You'll have to make a proper effort for that,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo when he addressed the players in a hotel in Islamabad.

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<h2>'The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training'</h2>

"We have New Zealand coming up, then Ireland, England and the T20 World Cup. I wondered, 'When will we train?' but there was no time. However, we've found a window where we've organised a camp in Kakul (military academy) from March 25 to April 8. The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training, and hopefully, they'll help you out," Naqvi further opined.

The PCB chairman also pointed out that the players need to prioritise playing for the country&nbsp;over anything and everything. Recently, pacer Haris Rauf's central contract was revoked and he has been barred from participating in&nbsp;overseas franchise T20 leagues until June 30. The speedster had withdrawn from Pakistan's away Tests versus Australia and, thus, paid the price for it.

Talking about the Pakistan team's upcoming training camp, it will be interesting to see how it&nbsp;helps them going forward&nbsp;given they&nbsp;have a busy schedule in the run-up to the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and USA in June.&nbsp;

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has instructed the senior men's team to train with the army in March-April after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 edition.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi has instructed the senior men's team to train with the army in March-April after the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 edition. Naqvi, who replaced Zaka Ashraf, had a word with a few Pakistani players in Islamabad on Tuesday (March 5) where he told them to undergo a 10-day training camp with the army to improve their strength and fitness. It is reported that Naqvi was disappointed with the Pakistani batters’ six-hitting abilities and spoke about the need to focus on strength and fitness. "When I was watching the matches in Lahore, I don't think a single one of you hit a six that went into the stands. Whenever a six like that was hit, I used to think a foreign player must have hit that. I have asked the board to make a plan that gets every player's fitness up to speed. You'll have to make a proper effort for that,” Naqvi was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo when he addressed the players in a hotel in Islamabad. Also read: Neil Wagner Retirement: Kane Williamson takes jibe at Taylor, says 'I don't think anybody is forced to retire' 'The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training' "We have New Zealand coming up, then Ireland, England and the T20 World Cup. I wondered, 'When will we train?' but there was no time. However, we've found a window where we've organised a camp in Kakul (military academy) from March 25 to April 8. The Pakistan Army will be involved in your training, and hopefully, they'll help you out," Naqvi further opined. The PCB chairman also pointed out that the players need to prioritise playing for the country over anything and everything. Recently, pacer Haris Rauf's central contract was revoked and he has been barred from participating in overseas franchise T20 leagues until June 30. The speedster had withdrawn from Pakistan's away Tests versus Australia and, thus, paid the price for it. Talking about the Pakistan team's upcoming training camp, it will be interesting to see how it helps them going forward given they have a busy schedule in the run-up to the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the West Indies and USA in June.

PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi instructs Pakistan players to train with army to improve strength and fitness

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars' owner Sameer Rana has called out the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for publicly denouncing pacer Haris Rauf. The PCB had announced the termination of Rauf's central contract for missing the Australia Tests played earlier this year in January 2024. The announcement came two days before the start of the ongoing PSL season where he plays for the Qalandars. Rauf was eventually <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/psl-2024-haris-rauf-ruled-out-of-remainder-of-tournament-with-shoulder-injury-693737">ruled out of the tournament</a> with a shoulder injury about a week ago.

"Rauf's our premier bowler, our highest wicket-taker after Shaheen Afridi. To publicly humiliate him and issue a press release announcing the termination of his central contract, I have never seen this happen anywhere," Rana said in a conversation with sports news outlet ESPNCricinfo.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/nathan-lyon-equals-unique-record-by-muttiah-muralidaran-and-shane-warne-with-five-for-vs-nz-in-1st-test-696191">Nathan Lyon equals unique record by Muttiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne with five-for vs NZ in 1st Test</a>

"I would never treat my employees like that. The timing of that announcement was wholly unnecessary. There was no Pakistan series coming up, or any emergency situation that necessitated the announcement two days before the PSL. Whatever the logic was, the timing was really bad. It was a huge blow psychologically for him, because his whole life's main aim is playing for Pakistan.

"The employee at least has the right for you to call, email or message them. None of that happened with Rauf, and it was pathetic. It was really poor management," Rana added.

Rauf has been dealing with some tough times ever since the Asia Cup 2023 where he left the group-stage match against India with an injury. He then took part in the ODI World Cup 2023, taking 16 wickets in nine league games before his team's exit ahead of the knockout stage.

After withdrawing from Australia Tests, he did play in the Big Bash League (BBL) there and last played for Pakistan in five T20Is versus the Kiwis in New Zealand in January.

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars' owner Sameer Rana has called out the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for publicly denouncing pacer Haris Rauf.

Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Lahore Qalandars' owner Sameer Rana has called out the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for publicly denouncing pacer Haris Rauf. The PCB had announced the termination of Rauf's central contract for missing the Australia Tests played earlier this year in January 2024. The announcement came two days before the start of the ongoing PSL season where he plays for the Qalandars. Rauf was eventually ruled out of the tournament with a shoulder injury about a week ago. "Rauf's our premier bowler, our highest wicket-taker after Shaheen Afridi. To publicly humiliate him and issue a press release announcing the termination of his central contract, I have never seen this happen anywhere," Rana said in a conversation with sports news outlet ESPNCricinfo. Also Read: Nathan Lyon equals unique record by Muttiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne with five-for vs NZ in 1st Test "I would never treat my employees like that. The timing of that announcement was wholly unnecessary. There was no Pakistan series coming up, or any emergency situation that necessitated the announcement two days before the PSL. Whatever the logic was, the timing was really bad. It was a huge blow psychologically for him, because his whole life's main aim is playing for Pakistan. "The employee at least has the right for you to call, email or message them. None of that happened with Rauf, and it was pathetic. It was really poor management," Rana added. Rauf has been dealing with some tough times ever since the Asia Cup 2023 where he left the group-stage match against India with an injury. He then took part in the ODI World Cup 2023, taking 16 wickets in nine league games before his team's exit ahead of the knockout stage. After withdrawing from Australia Tests, he did play in the Big Bash League (BBL) there and last played for Pakistan in five T20Is versus the Kiwis in New Zealand in January.

PSL franchise owner calls out Pakistan Cricket over 'humiliating' pacer Haris Rauf

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has been ruled out of ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 after injuring his shoulder on Saturday, February 24. Rauf, who plays for Lahore Qalandars, dislocated his shoulder on the second last ball of the match against Karachi Kings. He winced in pain immediately after taking the catch which didn't prove enough to make his team win.

The franchise issued a statement on his injury and said: "The medical panel, after consultation, concluded that he needs four to six weeks to recover, forcing him to miss the PSL season."

Rauf has been dealing with some tough times ever since the Asia Cup 2023 where he left the group-stage match against India with an injury. He then took part in the ODI World Cup 2023, taking 16 wickets in nine league games before his team's exit ahead of the knockout stage.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ind-vs-eng-4th-test-ravi-ashwin-reveals-key-to-his-five-wicket-haul-on-day-3-in-ranchi-693730">IND vs ENG, 4th Test: Ravi Ashwin reveals key to his five-wicket haul on day 3 in Ranchi</a>

The pacer then decided to make himself unavailable for the Australia Test tour and drew criticism from all corners. As a ramification, Rauf was recently released from his central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Rauf left PCB in a spot of bother in November 2023 when he opted out of the three-match Test series versus Australia despite assurance from the team management of managing his workload. As a result, Pakistan went ahead with an inexperienced pace attack, already without Naseem Shah, and lost the series 0-3.

A PCB release on his contract termination stated: "The PCB management provided a chance for a personal hearing to Haris in compliance with the principles of natural justice on 30 January 2024 and his response was found unsatisfactory."

Despite all the drama, Rauf was granted the NOC to take part in Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 edition. The speedster was last seen in action during Pakistan's five T20Is versus the Kiwis in New Zealand in January.

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has been ruled out of ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 after injuring his shoulder on Saturday, February 24. Rauf, who plays for Lahore Qalandars, dislocated his shoulder on the second last ball of the match against Karachi Kings.

Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has been ruled out of ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 after injuring his shoulder on Saturday, February 24. Rauf, who plays for Lahore Qalandars, dislocated his shoulder on the second last ball of the match against Karachi Kings. He winced in pain immediately after taking the catch which didn't prove enough to make his team win. The franchise issued a statement on his injury and said: "The medical panel, after consultation, concluded that he needs four to six weeks to recover, forcing him to miss the PSL season." Rauf has been dealing with some tough times ever since the Asia Cup 2023 where he left the group-stage match against India with an injury. He then took part in the ODI World Cup 2023, taking 16 wickets in nine league games before his team's exit ahead of the knockout stage. Also Read: IND vs ENG, 4th Test: Ravi Ashwin reveals key to his five-wicket haul on day 3 in Ranchi The pacer then decided to make himself unavailable for the Australia Test tour and drew criticism from all corners. As a ramification, Rauf was recently released from his central contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Rauf left PCB in a spot of bother in November 2023 when he opted out of the three-match Test series versus Australia despite assurance from the team management of managing his workload. As a result, Pakistan went ahead with an inexperienced pace attack, already without Naseem Shah, and lost the series 0-3. A PCB release on his contract termination stated: "The PCB management provided a chance for a personal hearing to Haris in compliance with the principles of natural justice on 30 January 2024 and his response was found unsatisfactory." Despite all the drama, Rauf was granted the NOC to take part in Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 edition. The speedster was last seen in action during Pakistan's five T20Is versus the Kiwis in New Zealand in January.

PSL 2024: Haris Rauf ruled out of remainder of tournament with shoulder injury

Mohammad Hafeez, the recently sacked Pakistan team director, has promised to reveal the reasons behind the termination of his contract apart from 'new chairmanship.' Hafeez was appointed the team director after Pakistan's poor show in the ODI World Cup 2023. The former skipper's stint, however, was cut short from initial four years to just two months after Pakistan's horrendous tour of Australia and New Zealand. They were whitewashed 0-3 in the Test series against Australia and&nbsp;lost to New Zealand 1-4 in the T20Is.

Writing on his official X handle, Hafeez said: "I always prioritise and represented Pakistan with dignity and pride. I accepted the new role as a Director PCB with great passion to make positive reforms but unfortunately my designated tenure which was offered by Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years was cut short for 2 months on the account of new chairmanship. Best wishes for Pakistan cricket future. As always, I foremost take responsibility and put myself accountable for all my executions in my given time and will accordingly reveal all the cricketing and other amateur non cricketing facts which ensue bad performances. Stay tuned."

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After Hafeez's exit, PCB in a statement said, "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) extends heartfelt gratitude to Mohammad Hafeez, Director Pakistan men's cricket team, for his invaluable contributions."

"Hafeez's passion for the game has inspired players and his mentorship during the tour of Australia and New Zealand have been of immense importance. The PCB wishes Hafeez good luck and success in his future endeavours," it further added.

The PCB saw a new chairman being appointed earlier this month with Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi taking charge after being unanimously elected.

Pakistan had sacked the entire coaching staff after the team's tumultuous performance in the 50-over World Cup held last year. The PCB also removed Babar Azam from captaincy in all forms and appointed two new skippers - Shan Masood for Tests and Shaheen Shah Afridi for T20Is.

Mohammad Hafeez, the recently sacked Pakistan team director, has promised to reveal the reasons behind the termination of his contract apart from 'new chairmanship.

Mohammad Hafeez, the recently sacked Pakistan team director, has promised to reveal the reasons behind the termination of his contract apart from 'new chairmanship.' Hafeez was appointed the team director after Pakistan's poor show in the ODI World Cup 2023. The former skipper's stint, however, was cut short from initial four years to just two months after Pakistan's horrendous tour of Australia and New Zealand. They were whitewashed 0-3 in the Test series against Australia and lost to New Zealand 1-4 in the T20Is. Writing on his official X handle, Hafeez said: "I always prioritise and represented Pakistan with dignity and pride. I accepted the new role as a Director PCB with great passion to make positive reforms but unfortunately my designated tenure which was offered by Pakistan Cricket Board for 4 years was cut short for 2 months on the account of new chairmanship. Best wishes for Pakistan cricket future. As always, I foremost take responsibility and put myself accountable for all my executions in my given time and will accordingly reveal all the cricketing and other amateur non cricketing facts which ensue bad performances. Stay tuned." Also Read: IND vs ENG, 3rd Test: Ravi Ashwin set to rejoin Indian team in Rajkot, confirms BCCI After Hafeez's exit, PCB in a statement said, "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) extends heartfelt gratitude to Mohammad Hafeez, Director Pakistan men's cricket team, for his invaluable contributions." "Hafeez's passion for the game has inspired players and his mentorship during the tour of Australia and New Zealand have been of immense importance. The PCB wishes Hafeez good luck and success in his future endeavours," it further added. The PCB saw a new chairman being appointed earlier this month with Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi taking charge after being unanimously elected. Pakistan had sacked the entire coaching staff after the team's tumultuous performance in the 50-over World Cup held last year. The PCB also removed Babar Azam from captaincy in all forms and appointed two new skippers - Shan Masood for Tests and Shaheen Shah Afridi for T20Is.

Mohammad Hafeez, ex-Pakistan team director, promises to reveal 'facts' behind his sacking

On Thursday (Feb 15), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated pacer Haris Rauf's central contract. The speedster has been severely penalised by the board, following a probe into his refusal to join Pakistan’s Test squad for their&nbsp;tour of Australia,&nbsp;early this year. Following a thorough hearing process conducted by a PCB committee, and taking into account&nbsp;the views of all stakeholders involved, Rauf’s central contract has been terminated from Dec&nbsp;1, 2023 and no NOC (No objection certificate) to play any foreign league will be granted up to June 30, 2024.&nbsp;

Rauf left PCB in a spot of bother in Nov 2023 when he opted out of the three-match Test series versus Australia despite&nbsp;assurance from the team management of&nbsp;managing his workload. As a result, Pakistan went ahead with an inexperienced pace attack, already&nbsp;without Naseem Shah, and lost the series 0-3. After his withdrawal, chief selector Wahab Riaz stated while announcing the squad, "He (Rauf) gave his consent, but later he changed his mind because he was worried about his fitness and the workload. His absence will affect the team combination. I was even ready to facilitate him had he not performed in Australia, but he didn't agree."

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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-cricket-board-part-ways-with-director-of-cricket-mohammad-hafeez-following-failed-stint-69061">Pakistan Cricket Board part ways with Director of Cricket Mohammad Hafeez following failed stint</a>

<h2>'Haris Rauf's&nbsp;response was found unsatisfactory'</h2>

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A PCB release stated, "The PCB management provided a chance for a personal hearing to Haris in compliance with the principles of natural justice on 30 January 2024 and his response was found unsatisfactory."
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"The PCB states that playing for Pakistan is the ultimate honour and privilege for any sportsperson. Refusal to be part of Pakistan's Test squad in the absence of any medical report or justifiable reason is a material violation of the central contract," the statement added.

Despite all the hullabaloo, Rauf was granted the NOC to take part in Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 edition. The speedster was last seen in action during Pakistan's five T20Is versus the Kiwis&nbsp;in New Zealand in January.

Early in the day, PCB also parted ways with Mohammed Hafeez who acted as the senior men's team director during&nbsp;Pakistan's tour Down Under (comprising&nbsp;three Tests in Australia and five T20Is&nbsp;in New Zealand). Pakistan fell flat in&nbsp;both the series and returned with&nbsp;only a win in the final T20I versus the Kiwis.&nbsp;

After Hafeez's exit, PCB statement read, "The Pakistan Cricket Board extends heartfelt gratitude to Mohammad Hafeez, Director Pakistan men's cricket team, for his invaluable contributions."

<section itemprop="articleBody">
"Hafeez's passion for the game has inspired players and his mentorship during the tour of Australia and New Zealand have been of immense importance. The PCB wishes Hafeez good luck and success in his future endeavours," it further added.
</section>
</section>
</section>

On Thursday (Feb 15), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated pacer Haris Rauf's central contract. The speedster has been severely penalised by the board, following a probe into his refusal to join Pakistan’s Test squad for their tour of Australia, early this year.

On Thursday (Feb 15), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) terminated pacer Haris Rauf's central contract. The speedster has been severely penalised by the board, following a probe into his refusal to join Pakistan’s Test squad for their tour of Australia, early this year. Following a thorough hearing process conducted by a PCB committee, and taking into account the views of all stakeholders involved, Rauf’s central contract has been terminated from Dec 1, 2023 and no NOC (No objection certificate) to play any foreign league will be granted up to June 30, 2024. Rauf left PCB in a spot of bother in Nov 2023 when he opted out of the three-match Test series versus Australia despite assurance from the team management of managing his workload. As a result, Pakistan went ahead with an inexperienced pace attack, already without Naseem Shah, and lost the series 0-3. After his withdrawal, chief selector Wahab Riaz stated while announcing the squad, "He (Rauf) gave his consent, but later he changed his mind because he was worried about his fitness and the workload. His absence will affect the team combination. I was even ready to facilitate him had he not performed in Australia, but he didn't agree." Also read: Pakistan Cricket Board part ways with Director of Cricket Mohammad Hafeez following failed stint 'Haris Rauf's response was found unsatisfactory' A PCB release stated, "The PCB management provided a chance for a personal hearing to Haris in compliance with the principles of natural justice on 30 January 2024 and his response was found unsatisfactory." "The PCB states that playing for Pakistan is the ultimate honour and privilege for any sportsperson. Refusal to be part of Pakistan's Test squad in the absence of any medical report or justifiable reason is a material violation of the central contract," the statement added. Despite all the hullabaloo, Rauf was granted the NOC to take part in Big Bash League (BBL) 2023-24 edition. The speedster was last seen in action during Pakistan's five T20Is versus the Kiwis in New Zealand in January. Early in the day, PCB also parted ways with Mohammed Hafeez who acted as the senior men's team director during Pakistan's tour Down Under (comprising three Tests in Australia and five T20Is in New Zealand). Pakistan fell flat in both the series and returned with only a win in the final T20I versus the Kiwis. After Hafeez's exit, PCB statement read, "The Pakistan Cricket Board extends heartfelt gratitude to Mohammad Hafeez, Director Pakistan men's cricket team, for his invaluable contributions." "Hafeez's passion for the game has inspired players and his mentorship during the tour of Australia and New Zealand have been of immense importance. The PCB wishes Hafeez good luck and success in his future endeavours," it further added.

PCB terminates pacer Haris Rauf's central contract! Here's why

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