Mohammad Hasnain has replaced the injured Shaheen Shah Afridi in Pakistan's squad for the Asia Cup.
Afridi was ruled out after sustaining a knee ligament injury during the first Test against Sri Lanka last month.
The left-arm paceman's absence has presented Hasnain with an opportunity to join up with the squad for a tournament that starts in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
Hasnain has been playing for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred, but will cut short that spell to report for international duty.
The 22-year-old quick has feature in 18 Twenty20 Internationals, taking 17 wickets at an average of 30.70.
Pakistan face fierce rivals India in their first Asia Cup match in Dubai on Sunday.
England will begin their first red-ball tour of Pakistan since 2005 on December 1 in Rawalpindi, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed.
Earlier this month, it was announced that England would travel to Pakistan for the first time in 17 years for a seven-match T20 series in September, and the dates have now been confirmed for the Test team's visit three months later.
Security concerns have prevented England from touring Pakistan since 2005, when Michael Vaughan's Ashes-winning side succumbed to a 3-2 series defeat.
But Brendon McCullum's red-ball side will now face Pakistan in a three-match series before the end of the year, travelling to Multan and Karachi after playing their first ever Test match in Rawalpindi.
The contests will follow on from a camp in Abu Dhabi, which will begin on November 18 and will take in a three-day warm-up match against the Lions at the Zayed Cricket Complex.
Clare Connor, the ECB's interim chief executive officer, said: "The return of our men's Test team to Pakistan for the first time since 2005 will be an historic occasion.
"The opportunity to play Test cricket in front of passionate cricket-lovers in Pakistan after such a long time is something to be cherished.
"We have been working closely with the PCB over recent months and I am grateful to them for everything they have done, and continue to do, to make our Test and T20 tours a mouth-watering prospect for all involved."
The PCB's director of international cricket Zakir Kahn added: "We are pleased that the Pakistan and England Test rivalry, which has historically produced close and tight matches, will return to our backyards in December.
"Both the sides have evolved since they last played in Pakistan in 2005 and have recently been playing entertaining and exciting cricket.
"I remain confident this series will live up to the expectations of the global cricket fans who want to watch and enjoy competitive and thrilling matches."
Before England can switch their focus to the trip to Pakistan, they must find a way to overturn a 1-0 deficit in their ongoing three-match series against South Africa, having been thrashed within three days at Lord's last week.
Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the Asia Cup and faces a race against time to be fit for Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign.
The fast bowler sustained a right knee ligament injury during the first Test against Sri Lanka last month and, while remaining part of the squad for the tour of the Netherlands, has not featured.
It was stated before the tour of the Netherlands began that Afridi would play no more than one ODI in the series but Pakistan hoped he would be able to feature in the Asia Cup.
Now, a return has been pushed back and Pakistan now hope he will be fit for the October T20 tri-series in New Zealand ahead of the World Cup.
"I have spoken with Afridi and he is understandably upset with the news, but he is brave young man who has vowed to come back strongly to serve his country and team," Dr Najeebullah Soomro, PCB chief medical officer, said in a statement.
"Although he has made progress during his rehabilitation in Rotterdam, it is now clear he will require more time and is likely to return to competitive cricket in October."
The 22-year-old will stay with the squad in the Netherlands to complete his rehabilitation and the PCB will soon announce a replacement for the Asia Cup, in which Pakistan face India in their opener on August 28.
There will be an increase in the number of men's international cricket for the 12 full ICC members in the next Future Tours Program (FTP) cycle.
Australia and India will play two five-match series in the 2023-2027 FTP cycle, with the last time they have contested that many matches in a series being back in 1992.
There will be 777 internationals during the next cycle - 173 Tests, 281 ODIs and 323 T20Is - compared to 694 in the current one.
England, Australia and India will play the greatest number of Tests, featuring in 22, 21 and 20 respectively.
The next cycle will include five major ICC events, starting with the Cricket World Cup in India next year.
ICC general manager of cricket Wasim Khan said: "I'd like to thank our members for the effort that has gone into creating this FTP for the next four years.
"We are incredibly lucky to have three vibrant formats of the game, with an outstanding programme of ICC global events and strong bilateral and domestic cricket and this FTP is designed to allow all cricket to flourish."
Pakistan will host England for the first time in 17 years, it has been confirmed.
England have not toured Pakistan since 2005 due to security concerns, but will return for a seven-match T20 series in September.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja confirmed last month that an England tour of the country was in the works, with ESPNcricinfo having reported that an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) security team were to assess security arrangements.
The tour, which was originally set to be played in October 2021 but was cancelled after New Zealand withdrew from a series citing security issues, has now been confirmed. It will take place between September 20 and October 2, prior to the T20 World Cup, which is to be held in Australia.
England will then return to Pakistan for a three-match Test series in December.
Karachi will host the opening four T20s, taking place on September 20, 22, 23 and 25, with Lahore staging the final three, on September 28, 30 and October 2.
Zakir Khan, the PCB's director of international cricket, said: "We are absolutely delighted to confirm hosting England for seven T20Is in Karachi and Lahore as a curtain-raiser to a busy, entertaining and exciting season of home internationals.
"England [are] one of the top-ranked T20I teams and them playing the shortest format in the lead up to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in Pakistan will not only help the team management to finalise their preparations, but will also set the tone for December's three-Test series.
"We demonstrated our event planning and operational skills in the highly successful series against Australia in March/April and I am confident we will be able to replicate these when England visit us for the first time since 2005."
ECB managing director of England men's cricket, Rob Key, added: "We have been liaising closely with the PCB over arrangements for this visit and the Tests later in the year, and will continue to work closely with the PCB, British High Commission and other relevant authorities as we continue to prepare for these tours."
Pakistan will also host New Zealand in December and January, as well as in April, with West Indies also set to tour the nation next year.
Pakistan made history as they completed an impressive victory over Sri Lanka in Galle, hunting down a venue record total of 342 to notch a four-wicket win.
The tourists went into the final day needing a further 120 runs with seven wickets remaining to claim one of their highest-ever pursuits in Test cricket.
Steered by Abdullah Shafique's unbeaten 160, the tourists managed to knock off the remaining tally with relative ease, posting an eventual score of 344-6.
The chase did not quite match Pakistan's best of 377 - also against Sri Lanka in Pallakele in 2015 - but exceeded the record pursuit in Galle, set by the hosts against New Zealand in 2019 when they notched 268.
The result also marks a major shift for both in the World Test Championship rankings, moving Pakistan up to third and giving them a shot of making next year's final.
They now only trail South Africa and Australia, while defeat drops Sri Lanka from third to sixth, moving India up to fourth and the West Indies into fifth.
The hosts will have a chance to strike back on Sunday when the second Test starts in Galle once more.
England star Joe Root has returned to the top of the ICC men's Test batting rankings, displacing Australia's Marnus Labuschagne.
Root has enjoyed a brilliant 2022, posting his fourth red-ball international century of the year against New Zealand in the second Test.
It took Root just 116 balls to reach three figures at Trent Bridge, the fewest he has ever scored a century in his Test career, and he has now converted 10 of his last 14 fifties into 100s (71 per cent).
The Yorkshire batter would go on to make 176 in the first innings, hitting 26 fours – the most recorded in an innings by an English batter since Zak Crawley hit 34 in his 267 versus Pakistan in 2020.
That helped England to an unassailable 2-0 series lead over the World Test champions New Zealand, after Jonny Bairstow scored the second-fastest red-ball century for his country on Tuesday.
Root's second century of the series came after his heroics at Lord's, in which he passed 10,000 Test runs with a majestic unbeaten 115, his first fourth-innings international hundred.
The 31-year-old, who stepped down from captaining England in April, has been rewarded with top spot in the world Test batting rankings as he reached the summit for the first time since December 2021.
Labuschagne has dropped down to second, with Australia team-mate Steve Smith in third, while Pakistan captain Babar Azam and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson make up the top five.
Black Caps number five Daryl Mitchell has also enjoyed a big rise up the rankings after his 190 and 69 not out in the second Test against England, jumping from 50th to 17th.
Meanwhile, in the bowling ratings Australia captain Pat Cummins remains top ahead of India's Ravichandran Ashwin, whose team-mate Jasprit Bumrah is in third.
That is due to Kyle Jamieson dropping three places down to sixth, with Pakistan quick Shaheen Afridi and South Africa star Kagiso Rabada moving up a place to fourth and fifth respectively.
The West Indies entered their three-match One-Day International series against Pakistan on a high after a 3-0 away series sweep of the Netherlands just a few days before.
What a difference a week makes as the regional side are now reeling from suffering their own 0-3 sweep at the hands of the Pakistanis after a 53-run loss in Sunday’s third ODI in Multan.
West Indies ODI and T20I captain Nicholas Pooran believes there are some positives his team can take from the series despite the result.
“One positive from this series is definitely character. The character shown by the players, especially coming out here in 45-degree temperature. A lot of guys got sick as well and we kept fighting,” Pooran said in an interview after the third game.
“We said at the start of this series that we’re going to stick together, no matter the result we’re going to stick together and that’s what happened,” he added.
As is almost always the case when the Windies suffer a series defeat, fans will be frustrated but Pooran promises a change in fortunes sooner than later for the team.
“A lot of people will be upset that we lost and bash us but I feel like we got really close as a team. It’s my second tour as captain and I felt like we were actually really building a family here and that’s a positive,” he said.
“Despite the result, I think we had a good showing, especially in the first game. Looking forward, we’re definitely going to be winning some games and hopefully make the fans proud,” he added.
Before the third ODI, Pooran had bowled only two deliveries in his previous 42 ODIs as he spent the majority of those as the wicket-keeper.
He took 4-48 from his 10 overs on Sunday and said we may see more of him bowling his off-spin in the future if the situation presents itself.
“For sure. Today was amazing for me and the guys in the dressing room know I’m going to talk a lot about it. I’m not going to get overconfident but, hopefully, there are two left-handers in the next series so I can bowl as well,” he said.
The West Indies suffered a 0-3 series sweep at the hands of Pakistan after a 53-run loss in the third and final One-Day International at Multan on Sunday.
Pakistan, after winning the toss and batting first, posted a score of 269-9 off their 50 overs thanks to a top score of 86 off 78 balls from all-rounder Shadab Khan. His knock included four fours and three sixes.
Opener Imam-ul-Haq provided support with a 68-ball 62, his seventh consecutive score of at least 50 in ODIs.
West Indies Captain Nicholas Pooran, usually a wicket-keeper, was the star of the show with the ball taking 4-48 off his 10 overs. Returning all-rounder Keemo Paul took 57 off nine overs.
Akeal Hosein then top-scored for the tourists with a brilliant 60 off 37 balls including two fours and six sixes but it wasn’t enough as the Windies ended up being bowled out for 216 in just 37.2 overs.
Keacy Carty (33) and Shai Hope (21) also made meaningful contributions with the bat against 4-62 from Shadab Khan and two wickets apiece from Mohammad Nawaz and Hasan Ali.
Khan was voted man of the match while ul-Haq took home man of the series.
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran admits the team’s death bowling remains an area of concern following a 120-run defeat and 2-0 series loss to Pakistan in the second game.
Spinner Akeal Hosain and pace bowler Alzarri Josephs both had strong performances, claiming figures of 3 for 52 and 2 for 33 respectively, and the Windies bowling line-up was dominant in patches. Even so, the last two overs of the innings went for a damaging 27 runs as Pakistan put on 275.
In the previous match, the hosts took 44 from the last four to secure a narrow five-wicket win.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a problem, but we definitely need to review it and keep working. We know that has been a problem for us in the last couple of months, last couple years actually,” Pooran said, following the match.
“It's a new team as well, the guys are young and inexperienced. We are in the rebuilding stages and obviously, we can’t get everything right and it (death bowling) is hurting us but having said that we’ll learn from this experience and hopefully we get better with every game we play,” he added.
The West Indies will face Pakistan in the third and final One Day International (ODI) on Sunday.
The West Indies now find themselves facing an unassailable 0-2 deficit after suffering a crushing 120-run defeat to Pakistan in their second of three One-Day Internationals in Multan on Friday.
The hosts set the Windies a target of 276 after winning the toss and batting first.
Captain Babar Azam was the catalyst as he got his sixth consecutive score of 50 or more in ODIs with a 93-ball 77, including five fours and one six.
Imam-ul-Haq provided good support with a run-a-ball 72, including six fours.
Alzarri Joseph produced an excellent spell going for just 33 in his 10 overs while picking up two wickets. Akeal Hosein was also brilliant with 3-52 off his 10 overs.
The Windies reply got off to a bad start with Shai Hope, who got 127 not out in the previous game, being dismissed in the first over for just four.
Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks then provided the innings with some stability reaching 71-1 before Mayers was dismissed for 33 at the end of the 10th over.
Brandon King fell shortly after for a duck to leave the Windies 72-3 after 10.4 overs.
After Brooks fell for 42, in the 19th over, with the score on 102, the West Indies lost their final six wickets for just 52 runs to be bundled out for 155.
Mohammad Nawaz produced a game-changing spell for the hosts with 4-19 from his 10 overs while Mohammad Wasim Jr supported well with 3-34 from 4.2 overs.
The third and final ODI will take place on Sunday.
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran has heaped praises on in-form batsman Shai Hope who scored his 12th One Day International century against Pakistan, albeit in a losing effort.
On Wednesday, Hope maintained a rich vein of form that has seen the batsman score centuries in consecutive series. Against Pakistan, the opening batsman racked up 127 runs in an innings that featured 15 sumptuous fours.
Despite occurring in a losing effort, the score saw Hope move past into fourth on the all-time list of most ODI hundreds for the West Indies. His tally of 12 edged him ahead of the likes of Gordon Greenidge (11), Viv Richards (11), and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11). Desmond Haynes (17), Brian Lara (19), and Chris Gayle (25) are the batsmen ahead of Hope.
“He continues to show his class,” Pooran said, following the match.
“He is one of the best batsmen in this format and today was a magnificent innings, especially in those tough conditions he just showed his class today,” he added.
Hope’s cameo led the team to an innings score of 305 but Pakistan successfully chased down the total with four balls remaining.
Pakistan captain and talisman Babar Azam scored a century to help steer Pakistan to a five-wicket victory over the West Indies in a keenly contested ODI in Multan on Wednesday.
West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran is confident of breaking free of an indifferent run of form at the crease, sooner rather than later.
Since the start of the year, the recently appointed West Indies captain has played in 9 matches, spanning three series. He has averaged a mere 11.22 with a high score of 34.
Heading into Wednesday’s series against Pakistan, Pooran scored a total of 24 runs in three matches against The Netherlands. Despite the added responsibility of captaincy, however, Pooran is backing himself to turn things around.
“This isn’t the first time I haven’t scored runs. If you check my stats I’m always scoring runs so I am not bothered,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
“I think something big is close. I’m working very hard and it’s only a matter of time,” he added.
In his career so far, Pooran has only faced Pakistan once scoring 34 unbeaten in 2019.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel has added allrounder Keemo Paul to the squad for the upcoming One-Day International Series in Pakistan. The West Indies arrived in Multan on Monday, after the impressive 3-0 series win in The Netherlands. They will now prepare to face Pakistan at the Multan International Cricket Stadium on June 8, 10 and 12.
“Keemo Paul has been kept out in the recent past due to injury and we view the management of his body as paramount to his success, not only when on West Indies duty but also when he is with his regional franchise. We have watched him perform in the recent West Indies Championship Four-Day
During the first-class tournament Paul was the leading fast bowler and second highest wicket-taker overall. He ended the five matches with 20 wickets at an average of 22.8 runs per wicket. He had best figures of 6-50. He was also among the leading allrounders with 169 runs including a highest score of 73.
The West Indies tour of Pakistan will bowl off on Wednesday, June 8. First ball is 4pm PKT time (7am Eastern Caribbean/6am Jamaica).
The series will also form part of the ICC ODI Super League where the teams will have the chance to earn points as they try to secure automatic qualification to the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
