In a dominant display, Pakistan beat South Africa by 81 runs in the second ODI to seal the three-match series. Captain Temba Bavuma's decision to field first backfired as Pakistan's top order, led by Babar Azam's half-century, set a formidable target of 329. Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, while South Africa's lone resistance came from Heinrich Klaasen's 97. The third and final ODI will take place at The Wanderers Stadium on December 22.
In the third and final T20I match between Australia and Pakistan, Pakistan's stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha has won the toss and elected to bat first at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart. With Rizwan and Naseem Shah rested, Jahandad Khan makes his debut for Pakistan while Australia remains unchanged. With a record of 5 wins for Australia and 0 for Pakistan, all eyes are on the two teams as they battle it out for the last time in this tour. Stay updated with live scores and updates from Hobart as the match unfolds.
Shaheen Afridi's dominant performance in the recent series against Australia has propelled him back to the top spot in the ICC ODI Bowler Rankings. He is joined by his compatriot and team captain Babar Azam, who remains at the top of the ODI batting rankings. Pakistan's bowlers Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah also saw significant improvements in their rankings, while other players from England, Bangladesh, and India have also made strides in the T20I rankings.
After a year-long gap, Pakistani bowler Shaheen Afridi has re-emerged as the top-ranked ODI bowler in the world. This achievement comes as no surprise after his outstanding showing against Australia, where he claimed eight wickets at an impressive average of 12.62. This latest triumph further cements Pakistan's current dominance in ODI cricket, with both Afridi and Babar Azam holding the top rankings for bowling and batting, respectively. The recent series also proved to be a major boost for Afridi's teammates, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah, who climbed up the rankings to 13th and 55th place, respectively, after their stellar performances.
In a dominant display of cricket, Pakistan secured their first one-day series win in Australia in 22 years with a commanding eight-wicket victory in the 3rd ODI. After bowling out the world champions for a lowly 140, Pakistan chased down the target in just 27 overs, thanks to a strong opening partnership from Saim Ayub and Abdullah Shafique. The win was fueled by impressive performances from bowlers Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf, leading to a special moment for captain Mohammad Rizwan and the fans.
After being dropped for the England Tests, former captain Babar Azam and pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah return to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series against Australia. The selectors have also announced many new faces in the squads, while senior players like Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan have been left out. The PCB is also set to announce new captains for the limited-overs formats, with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha expected to lead the team. Additionally, bold steps have been taken as the selectors plan to use the ODIs and T20s in Zimbabwe to test new players.
During a recent interaction on a YouTube channel, Pakistani cricketer Ihsanullah stated that his teammate Naseem Shah is a better bowler than Indian superstar Jasprit Bumrah. Despite Bumrah being ranked number one in ICC Test bowler's rankings and being in excellent form for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup, Ihsanullah firmly believes that Naseem outperforms Bumrah. This statement has caused a stir in the cricket world, sparking debates and discussions among fans.
Pakistan's decision to drop Babar Azam from the Test squad for the remainder of the series against England has sparked a controversy. Star batsman Fakhar Zaman lashed out at the team management for not "safeguarding" their premier players, citing the example of India's Virat Kohli who struggled for three years but was never benched. Along with Babar, the team management also rested pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, further raising concerns about the direction of the team. The decision also comes amid reports of a spin-friendly pitch being prepared for the second Test, which could have influenced the management's decision to drop the pace duo.
England pulled off a thrilling victory over Pakistan on Friday, securing an innings and 47 run win in the first test match. Bowler Jack Leach was on top form, taking the final wicket of Naseem Shah during the fifth day of the test. Pakistan's defeat came despite valiant efforts from Salman Ali Agha and Aamer Jamal, who both registered half centuries but were unable to prevent their team's demise.
On the third day of the first Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Pakistan's Naseem Shah and Khrram Shahzad claimed two quick wickets. Despite shaky starts, Bangladesh's openers seemed to handle the Pakistani bowling attack well until Shah and Shahzad struck. At the drinks break, Bangladesh were 75-2 with opener Shadman Islam (28) and Mominul Haq (12) at the crease. On day two, a 240-run partnership between Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel put Pakistan in a commanding position.