HBL PSL 9 trophy unveiled at the Polo Ground

Lahore, 13 February 2024: The HBL PSL 9 trophy has been unveiled at the Polo Ground of the Race Course Park in Lahore in the presence of Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi,  franchise owners, HBL representatives and star cricketers.

The trophy is “The Orion Trophy” and will be a source of motivation for all the teams participating in the tournament. The trophy embodies the spirit of the HBL Pakistan Super League where each team shines brightly as they strive for glory.

Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman PCB: “It is a pleasure to announce that HBL PSL is entering its ninth season, and I am proud to say that HBL PSL continues to be a success story for Pakistan cricket.

“Today, as we unveil this Orion trophy, we look forward to a month-long celebration of the beautiful game of cricket and the excitement and drama that accompanies it.

“HBL PSL connects to the hearts of people of Pakistan, who cherish every thrilling moment of the game. Be it towering sixes, high-intensity bowling, and top-notch catches, HBL PSL offers an emotional rollercoaster.

“I would like to thank the title sponsor of the league HBL, they truly have uplifted the game of cricket in our country through their support and have become synonymous with the name of the league. All the successes over the past eight years are a testament to HBL's commitment to the Pakistan Super League.

“I also want to thank the representatives of all six teams for being present here today and I wish all teams the best of luck for the season. May the best team lift this prestigious trophy.”

Ali Naqvi, owner of Islamabad United: “We are excited about the ninth edition of the HBL PSL. Islamabad United has been one of the most successful teams in the tournament and we want to extend that with a grand triumph this season.

“We had one of the best drafts in our history and some of the most exciting players will be lining up for Islamabad United this season. I can’t wait to watch the team play at the home ground in Rawalpindi and win the hearts of the fans.”

Salman Iqbal, owner Karachi Kings: “Karachi Kings are ready to turn the tables in the HBL PSL 9 with their breathtaking performances. The build-up and preparation for the tournament have been top notch and I expect some quality results in the tournament.

“We have a new coach and captain for this season which makes the fans more excited about Karachi’s prospects in this season. A strong Karachi Kings means a strong and exciting HBL PSL and we’ll prove it this time around.”

Atif Rana, CEO Lahore Qalandars: “As the two-time HBL PSL champions we are eagerly looking forward to completing a hat-trick of triumphs for the first time in the history of the league.

“We have stacked up our resources this season as well and aim to hit the ground running in the tournament. Our fans are also geared up to fill the stadium not just during the home games in Lahore but also in the away games as well and support the team with all their might.

“I assure them that we’ll put in our all efforts to lift the Orion Trophy in Karachi under the able leadership of Shaheen Shah Afridi.”

Ali Khan Tareen, Owner of Multan Sultans: “I am super glad to be a part of the HBL PSL again. It is such an exciting venture to be a part of as it spreads smiles on the faces of many people across the country. A lot has happened between this season and the past season and I want to make sure that the Sultans maintain consistency in their performances this year as well.

“The HBL PSL also brings a wave of happiness to the people of Pakistan and I am sure this year will be filled with heaps of triumphs.

 “It would be great to conclude this exciting season with the glittering HBL PSL trophy being lifted by Mohammad Rizwan and Co.”

Javed Afridi, chair of Peshawar Zalmi: “I am glad that the ninth edition of the HBL PSL is finally here and the Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi are ready to make a mark in the tournament.

“Our loyal fans wait the whole year for the tournament to start and I want my team to put up great performances in every game. I promise you that Peshawar Zalmi will continue to play the attacking style of cricket this year as well.

“My team is hungry to prove a point on the field and I am sure the beauty of the Orion Trophy must have added more to that hunger.”

Nadeem Omar, owner Quetta Gladiators: “The Orion Trophy has been unveiled and this occasion is no less a motivation for team Quetta to roar in the HBL PSL 9.

“We have had our fair share of struggles in the recent seasons but it is about time that Gladiators showcase good fight and determination and HBL PSL 9 is a befitting time to be doing that.

“We are looking forward to taking on all five teams and proving our mettle at all the four venues.”

About the trophy

Orion, in various mythologies and cultures, is often associated with a prominent constellation located in the celestial equator. The constellation is easily recognisable by three bright stars forming Orion's Belt and is visible from both hemispheres, making it one of the most well-known and easily identifiable star patterns in the night sky.

Made from pure silver and coated in white gold, the elegant trophy exudes prestige. Each detail is plated with white gold, adding grace that signifies the excellence of the HBL Pakistan Super League. With the investment of 900+ hours of non-stop work and hand placement of 18,000 stones, this marvel stands tall and proud.

 Babar Azam, Haris Rauf move up in ICC T20I rankings

This rise follows his impressive back-to-back half-centuries in the initial two matches of the five-game T20I series against New Zealand

Babar Azam has advanced to the fourth position, securing 763 rating points in the most recent ICC T20I batsmen rankings update. This rise follows his impressive back-to-back half-centuries in the initial two matches of the five-game T20I series against New Zealand, where he scored 57 and 66 runs. Despite Babar's notable performances, Pakistan faced defeats in both encounters.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Rizwan maintained his third position in the rankings with 775 rating points, despite scoring 25 and 7 in the first two matches against New Zealand. Suryakumar Yadav of India continues to lead the rankings with 869 points, while Phil Salt holds the second position with 802 rating points.

Yashasvi Jaiswal made a significant upward move, climbing seven places to the sixth position (739 rating points) after his remarkable 68 off 34 balls against Afghanistan. He closely trails Aiden Markram, who occupies the fifth spot with 755 rating points.

At the bowling front, Haris Rauf retained his status as the highest-ranked Pakistani bowler, ascending two places to the 14th position with 634 rating points. This elevation is attributed to his exceptional performance, taking five wickets in the initial two games against New Zealand. On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi slipped one place to 24th with 600 rating points, while Shadab Khan descended four positions to 25th after being absent from the New Zealand series.

Buchanan joins Inter, becomes first Canadian Serie A player

Inter Milan have signed winger Tajon Buchanan from Club Brugge and he will become the first Canadian to play in Italy's top flight, the Serie A club said on Friday.

The versatile 24-year-old has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract for a reported fee of seven million euros ($7.69 million) plus a potential three million euros in bonuses, Italian media reported.

Buchanan has made 35 appearances for Canada and started all three group games at the 2022 World Cup. He made 12 league appearances for Brugge this season, scoring two goals.

"I'm really proud to be the first Canadian to play in the Italian league, it's a great achievement that makes me very proud," Buchanan said on Inter's website.

"I've been following Inter for a long time, it's a team I see myself in, I'm really excited about what awaits me."

Inter lead the Serie A standings, two points ahead of Juventus, and host Hellas Verona on Saturday.

($1 = 0.9107 euros)

'A real shocker': Wasim and Waqar slam Afridi's Sydney omission

'A real shocker': Wasim and Waqar slam Afridi's Sydney omission

Former Pakistan fast bowlers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis were scathing in their criticism of the decision to rest Shaheen Shah Afridi from the third Test at the SCG.

Wasim claimed the decision "had nothing to do with the management" and was "solely [Shaheen's] decision", warning players more broadly they had to decide "if you want to be a great of the game or do you want to be a millionaire" when it came to deciding which format to prioritise.

"Straight after this there are five T20s in New Zealand, and Shaheen's the captain," Wasim said on Fox Cricket. "But T20 cricket, who cares? I understand, it's there for entertainment and it's there for financial gain for cricket boards, for players, but cricketers should know that Test cricket is the ultimate

"If we talk about what happened 20 years ago in this Test in Sydney, nobody knows what happened last night in T20. That's the difference. These guys have to understand and learn, if you want to be a great of the game or do you want to be a millionaire. You can become both but with a little more sense."

Waqar was similarly surprised, saying Afridi's absence "made me laugh".

"That's a real shocker for me because I was expecting him to be a part of this Test match because he looked good in the previous match. He started feeling like the old Shaheen Afridi and started to swing the ball and the pace was getting better."

South Africa defeat India by an innings and 32 runs in first Test match at Centurion

Virat Kohli's defiant 76 failed to save India from being thrashed by an innings and 32 runs by South Africa in the first Test at Centurion.

India lost seven second-innings wickets in the evening session as they were bowled out for just 131 in 34.1 overs.

Kohli and Shubman Gill (26) were the only India batters into double figures as Nandre Burger (4-33) and Marco Jansen (3-36) did the damage.

The second and final Test starts on 3 January at Newlands in Cape Town.

• Marsh & Smith rescue Australia against Pakistan

India captain Rohit Sharma said his side's performance after a defeat inside three days was "not good enough" and they "failed" to "come together collectively".

"Guys have come here before, we understand what to expect from the conditions. Every individual has his own plan," Rohit said.

"Our batters were challenged at different times. We didn't adapt well. We didn't bat well both times which is why we stand here."

Earlier in the day, South Africa had posted a commanding 408 in response to India's first-innings total of 245.

Dean Elgar, who announced he would retire from international cricket after the series against India, played freely to make a classy 185 while Jansen hit an unbeaten 84.

India were 62-3 at tea with Kagiso Rabada, who took 5-59 in the first innings, capturing the key wicket of India skipper Rohit.

However, the tourists lost seven wickets for just 59 runs in the evening session as South Africa's seamers ran through their middle order.

Kohli made a determined 76 from 82 balls but he was last man out - caught brilliant by Rabada off Jansen - as extras third top-scored for India with eight runs.

Player of the match Elgar said: "You need fast bowlers and a spinner, potentially, to take 20 wickets. You need guys firing.

"Kagiso Rabada was amazing, and a guy like Nandre just came to the fore. It was a really great team performance."

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma will miss next week's second Test with a recurrence of a hamstring injury.

Bavuma suffered a tear as he chased a ball to the boundary on the first day and was unable to bat, with Elgar set to deputise in his absence.

• India beat Australia in women's Test for first time

 

Australia v Pakistan: Pat Cummins takes 10 wickets in second Test to seal series

Pat Cummins finished with 10 wickets in the match as Australia beat Pakistan by 79 runs inside four days in Melbourne to seal a Test series victory.

Captain Cummins took 5-49 as Pakistan were bowled out for 237 in their second innings, chasing 317 for victory.

The match was delicately poised with Pakistan 219-5 before they lost their last five wickets for just 18 runs.

The last four batters all fell for ducks, with Mitchell Starc supporting Cummins with 4-55.

Victory gives Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final Test starting on 2 January in Sydney.

Australia resumed day four on 187-6 and Alex Carey's half-century boosted them to a commanding lead, finishing 262 all out with Pakistan seamers Shaheen Afridi and Mir Hamza taking four wickets each.

But the tourists' chase started poorly with Abdullah Shafique falling for just four in the fifth over, the day after he had dropped Mitchell Marsh - scorer of a match-winning 96 - on 20.

The experience of captain Shan Masood, with 60, and Babar Azam, who scored 41, appeared to have steered Pakistan out of trouble, before Mohammad Rizwan's 35 and Salman Agha's half-century put them in a position to chase victory.

But Rizwan's dismissal by Cummins, who also removed the well-set Masood, sparked a dramatic collapse and Agha found no support from the lower order.

Cummins was named player of the match for his bowling display, which included 5-48 in Pakistan's first innings, as he finished with match figures of 10-97. It is the second 10-wicket haul of his career.

The series victory caps a remarkable year for the 30-year-old, who led Australia as they retained the Ashes in England in the summer and then won the World Cup in November. 

 Erik ten Hag: Manchester United manager confident of strong relationship with Ineos

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is confident he will have a strong relationship with new co-owners Ineos.

Ten Hag has not yet spoken to the key Ineos figures who will be involved at United, led by company chairman and chief executive Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Ineos' purchase of a 25% stake in the club was announced on Christmas Eve.

"We are really looking forward to work together," Ten Hag said. "Ineos wants to work with me, in this structure and I want to work with them."

Proposed new club director Sir Dave Brailsford was at Old Trafford on Tuesday to watch United's 3-2 comeback win against Aston Villa.

But neither he nor Ratcliffe have met Ten Hag since the deal was announced.

The United boss said the packed Christmas programme meant he had no spare time for a chat, but it is coming.

"The schedule is so condensed so I said no, in this moment I don't want to have distractions but in the coming days and weeks there will be time and then I'll know more," he said.

"But I think it's a good thing. It's very positive."

• Visit BBC Sport's dedicated Man Utd page

As a result of the winter break, United have only one scheduled Premier League match plus their FA Cup commitments in January, offering plenty of time for Ten Hag to meet the men who will be in charge on a day-to-day basis at Old Trafford once the initial purchase is ratified by the Premier League in six to eight weeks' time.

Brailsford could not have picked a better introduction to life at United as they came back from two goals down to beat Villa with a sensational second-half performance.

Not that Ten Hag felt the former British Cycling performance director's presence had any impact.

"We always want to win," he said. "We are appointed here to win, so in this area, we need a winning culture no matter who is in the lead and no matter who is the owner. But of course, the owners can inspire you."

Australia reaches 187-3 after rain-interrupted 1st day against Pakistan in 2nd cricket test

 Australia reaches 187-3 after rain-interrupted 1st day against Pakistan in 2nd cricket test

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Marnus Labuschagne notched a gritty score of 44 not out to guide Australia through a rain-interrupted first day of play in the second test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Invited to bat first by Pakistan captain Shan Masood, who won the toss in overcast conditions, Australia reached 187-3 at stumps.

Pakistan squandered a golden opportunity to put Australia on the back foot early, allowing openers David Warner (38 off 83 balls) and Usman Khawaja (42 off 101) to share a 90-run partnership on a pitch offering sideways movement for the seamers.

Warner, in his penultimate test, played a loose shot outside off stump on 38 in the final over before lunch and was caught at slip off the bowling of spinner Agha Salman.

The 37-year-old Warner, who scored 164 in the first test in Perth, was lucky to reach double figures Tuesday. Warner offered a regulation chance on 2 to first slip off the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the third over, but it was put down by Abdullah Shafique.

The third test in the three-match series is scheduled to begin Jan. 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Pakistan won its last test in Australia nearly 30 years ago.

Australia won the first test in Perth last week by 360 runs.

Boxing Day Test day one: ‘Very happy’ Aussies survive scary period as Smith cops yet another brutally close review

 Boxing Day Test day one: ‘Very happy’ Aussies survive scary period as Smith cops yet another brutally close review 

The message delivered to Pakistan leading into the Boxing Day Test at the MCG could not have been clearer. Stick with Australia early on. Stare them in the eye. Take the game to the hosts in the opening session. Keep the pressure on.

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell declared it. So, too, leg-spinner Kerry O’Keeffe and Mike Hussey, who was elevated into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

Those banging on the drums about the importance of starting fast against Australia delivered their message as loudly as the thunder accompanying the heavy rain that hit the MCG midway through the opening day of the Test, causing a lengthy delay.

But for the second Test in succession, Pakistan missed the starting pistol with dropped catches and wayward bowling, once again surrendering the early advantage to Australia on a testing day for batsmen given the weather conditions on Boxing Day.

Perhaps Australia’s only concern is that Steve Smith’s struggle for form, by his lofty standards, continued, with the No. 4 losing his wicket in the final session of the day for 26.

At stumps on a day where play extended to 7pm to cater for the overs lost in the middle of the day, Australia was at 3-187, with Marnus Labuschagne not out on 44 and Travis Head unbeaten on nine.

While showers are predicted for the opening session on Day 2, play is scheduled to start at 10am at the MCG.

Pakistan won the toss and sent the hosts into bat. It seems likely Pat Cummins would have done the same if the coin flip had fallen Australia’s way given the state of affairs at the MCG.

The conditions were made to order for Pakistan to seize the upper-hand. The sky was grey, with doom and gloom predicted for later in the day. The Kookaburra was swinging. Shaheen Shah Afridi looked on point initially and so, too, Mir Hazam.

 Pakistan look to prove a point in Boxing Day Test

Melbourne, 25 December 2023: Pakistan are all set to play the second Test of the three-match series against Australia and their 11th Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Shan Masood-led outfit will be eager to prove a point with the series still up for grabs.

The series opener at Perth saw Pakistan face defeat by 360 runs, but the silver lining for the visitors was the performance of the two debutants, Aamir Jamal and Khurram Shahzad, who picked up seven and five wickets respectively in the match. Aamir will be looking to build up on his brilliant performance as he registered the sixth-best bowling figures for a Pakistan player on debut with his 6-111.

Meanwhile, Khurram has been ruled out of the Test series due to a stress fracture while Abrar Ahmed remains unavailable for selection for the MCG Test.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood, talking about the team composition for the second Test, said, “I believe in making less changes in the team after a loss to maintain stability but you have to make a few tactical decisions and then unfortunately we had injury concerns as well.

Talking about Hasan and Rizwan’s inclusion in the 12-man squad, Shan said, “Hasan replaces Faheem Ashraf because he is highly experienced and has a good Test record. Unfortunately, his career has been a stop-start due to injuries but his Test numbers are still impressive. Bringing in Rizwan for Sarfaraz is a tactical decision as we feel Rizwan can bat well in these conditions, evident from his batting records in Australia, England and New Zealand.”

“Sajid Khan is included in the 12 as a specialist spinner because we haven’t had the opportunity to look at the wicket lately as it rained today. With the 12-man squad we can take the decision on frontline spin option in the morning after having a good look at the wicket.

Pakistan’s 12-man squad for MCG Test: Shan Masood (c), Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi (vc), Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal and Sajid Khan

 

Wet outfield delays start of first test between S. Africa,India

A.N International sport News 

, Dec 26 (A.N International sport News) - The start of the first test between South Africa and India was delayed on Tuesday because of a wet outfield at Centurion near Pretoria.

Play was due to start at 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) but the umpires will now inspect the field again at that time and then make a decision on when to start.

The start and toss was delayed by several wet patches around the field after heavy rain over the last few days. The day’s forecast is for a sunny start though rain is expected later.

South Africa have been victors in seven of India’s eight visits since the first in 1992 with one series drawn in 2010/11, but six of those successes have been by a single win margin.

Teams for the test will be revealed by the captains at the toss.

Writing by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

Sarfaraz Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf, both of whom featured in the Perth game, don’t make it to the XII for the MCG Test.

Sarfaraz Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf, both of whom featured in the Perth game, don’t make it to the XII for the MCG Test.

The incoming players in the squad are Sajid Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Hasan Ali, and Mir Hamza. Rizwan is expected to take gloves in Sarfaraz’s absence.

After being challenged in the initial stages of the opening Test in Perth, Australia took charge and cruised to a massive 360-run win against Pakistan. The Men in Green haven’t won a Test in Australia since 1995. 

Squad for the second Test: Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi (vc), Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamer Jamal, Sajid Khan.