Sammy vows to defend PSL title in Karachi

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The skipper of the Peshawar Zalmi, Darren Sammy has said the charged atmosphere in Lahore, at the PSL final last year, is still fresh in his memory and he is looking forward to lifting the cup for second time around as well.

“We are not underestimating any team but I have made it clear to all the players that Zalmi would be unstoppable if we play our brand of cricket”, Sammy said in a video message prior to his departure in Dubai, for the third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The third edition of the PSL will commence from February 22nd with an encounter between Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans in Dubai.

Peshawar Zalmi won the last edition of the PSL by beating Quetta Gladiators at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

“The scenes at the Gaddafi stadium are still fresh in my memory. I along with other team mates still cherish our part to bring back international cricket to Pakistan”, Sammy said

“People of Pakistan love me and I love them as well”, Sammy concluded

@mak_asif

Mobile Journalism and Social Media workshop for Journalists

Karachi: A group photo after workshop at Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi

KARACHI: Sports Journalists Association of Sindh (SJAS) arranged a Workshop on ‘Mobile Journalism and Social Media’ its importance, in collaboration with Arts Council of Pakistan here the other day.
The workshop was attended by large number of sports journalists including SJAS members. Video attached here

Karachi: Muhammad Asif Khan highlighted importance of social media for news.

Senior journalists, Asif Khan, Faizan Lakhani, Mehmood Riaz and Ubaid Awan, work with news channels, gave a detail briefing on Mobile Journalism.
Senior journalists while highlighted the use mobile phones during reporting, said during making of mobile video, the most important thing is how to hold it, being a professional journalist.

Karachi: Mr Faizan Lakhani delivered lecture how to use mobile in field to make footage and how to edit it for news.

Choosing a good mobile for personal use with different features including developing, editing, formatting, message sending, storage apps plays the role of a newsroom in your own hand.
On the occasion, former member of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Governing Board and ex-President of Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), Ejaz Farooqui said that the assistance of the journalists is to be consistent with modern technology.
SJAS has set an example for other journalists’ associations by organizing such type of workshops, he added.

Karachi: Mr Ubaid Awan highlighted role of social media and citizen journalism

Tariq Aslam, SJAS President said that mobile phone has become the most important tool for improving journalism and reporting.
The aim of the workshop is to maintain the continuity of learning and teaching process, Tariq opined.

Karachi: Mr Mehmood Riaz delivered his lecture about social media

Muhammad Asghar Azeem, Secretary SJAS said while delivering his speech said that today the mobile phone is been assisting in almost every sector of our society as civilians recoding on the spot videos have helped in apprehending lots of criminals and one can imagine what a journalist can do with it.

Karachi: Mr Ubaid Awan receiving certificate after workshop from Prof. Ijaz Ahmed Farooqui (Sec. Arts Council)

Mobile journalism is no threat to cameraman but can be compatible with the modern requirements of journalism.
Cameraman can also switch to mobile journalism so that in the world, he would be called video journalists instead of Cameraman, Secretary SJAS concluded.
Later, Professor Ejaz Farooqui distributed certificates to the participants.

Karachi: A view of workshop participants

Karachi: SJAS President Tariq Aslam and Secretary Asghar Azeem receiving their certificates.

A couple of ‘answers’ on Pakistan cricket team selection

By Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI: The Pakistan one day squad has been announced to take on England and Ireland in the ODI series beginning later this month. A couple of aspects caught the attention of cricket followers and they started raising questions about one inclusion and one snub.

 

Pakistan Cricket selectors, on Tuesday, announced the 15-member ODI squad for the series against Ireland and England.

 

The Pakistan squad includes Azhar Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam, Mohammad Hafeez, Baber Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmad, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Umer Gul, Immad Wasim, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Nawaz

 

On Junaid Khan’s exclusion, a source claimed that the fast bowler lacked rhythm. “Junaid Khan has not been able to catch up with his lost rhythm and his pace has dropped too since his return from the knee injury”, the source said

 

Junaid Khan suffered knee injury before the World Cup last year and missed the mega event.

 

Junaid Khan, 26, has played 52 one-day internationals for Pakistan since his debut in 2011. Junaid Khan last represented Pakistan, in an ODI, in May 2015.

 

On Muhammad Hafeez’s retention in the ODI squad, despite the recent batting form, the source said the right-hander’s recent ODI batting record warrants his place in the side. “In the past 12 months or so, Mohammad Hafeez has been a prolific scorer for Pakistan in ODIs”, the source added

“Placing him in the middle-order is not unusual either because Hafeez has been batting on the one-down position for quite some time now”, the source concluded.

 

The Pakistan team will play two ODIs against Ireland on August 18th and August 20th in Ireland. The five-match ODI series, against England, will commence with a game on August 24^th.

The writer is a Pakistani sports journalist & tweets @mak_asif

ICC wants unification of U.S.A. cricket community

By Muhammad Asif Khan

Ever since the parent body, the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA), got suspended last year, a number of stakeholders have come to the fore to contribute to the development and progression of the game of cricket in the USA.

The information, gathered from the stakeholders in this regard, indicates that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had a clear-cut vision about the way forward.

Well placed sources, privy to the development, said that the foremost aim of the ICC was to streamline the cricketing affairs in the USA. “Wholehearted efforts are afoot to streamline the cricketing affairs in the USA both technically and administratively”, sources said

It was decided at the last ICC annual meeting at the Edinburg, that the ICC team, including Dave Cameron, Giles Clarke, Imran Khawaja and David Peever would soon visit the USA to meet with various stakeholders.

“The ICC is looking forward to assisting them in the development of the sport both at the grass root and international level. A formidable foundation is required for which an appropriate governance structure is imperative which can unite the entire cricket community in the USA”, sources added

Since the next ICC board meeting is scheduled to take place in South Africa in October therefore it is expected that the ICC delegation would visit the USA prior to the South Africa conference.

In June last year, the ICC Board, exercising its power under Article 2.7 of the ICC’s Articles of Association, unanimously decided to suspend the membership of the USACA.

The ICC board took the decision in view of the Review Group report, which expressed “significant concerns about the governance, finance, reputation and cricketing activities of USACA”.

This is pertinent to mention here that right after the suspension of the USACA, the ICC conducted a meeting, with stakeholders from the USA cricket community, in Chicago in August last year.

The meeting, hosted by ICC chief executive David Richardson and head of global development Tim Anderson, was attended by the representatives of various cricket leagues across the USA.

The ICC has already announced the World Cricket league Championship Division-4 in Los Angeles from October 29th to November 6th. Besides the USA, Bermuda, Denmark, Italy, Jersey and Oman will take part in the championship from which the top two teams will advance to Division-2 while couple of bottom ranked outfits will be relegated to Division-5.

“The upcoming few months are important for USA cricket”, sources concluded

Writer is a senior sports journalist and tweets as @mak_asif

Fort Lauderhill mayor welcome CPL, hopes it will boost regional cricket

NORTH CAROLINA, USA: July 25, 2016- In a landmark development, six matches of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be played on the US soil from July 28 to 31. The matches, scheduled at the Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, will be the first ever CPL games in the USA. Describing the development as significant for the game’s progression in the region, the mayor of the host city, Fort Lauderhill, Richard Kaplan believes that international cricket, including the CPL, was very important for the development of cricket within the USA. “We live in an area which is ripe for development, with a large fan base to grow from.  The CPL gives a very good start for further US expansion, and for worldwide enjoyment of the sport”, said Richard Kaplan, while talking to this correspondent from Fort Lauderhill.

Kaplan also touched upon the uncertainty regarding the governing body of the game in the USA and hoped that an amicable solution would be figured out by the international cricket council (ICC) in due course. “Stadiums need to be built and teams need to be developed within cities to play against each other nationally. It has to get into schools and colleges more on a varsity level, rather than a Club level. But it depends upon how the ICC decides who will be in charge in the USA. My hope is for the game to spread”, mentioned Kaplan

Richard Kaplan has been an avid cricket follower for a long time and has been assisting the local organisers in their bids for the game’s development. Kaplan’s thesis about Cricket is pretty interesting as well. “When I became Mayor a group of individuals wanted to enlist my help developing the sport further. They taught me the game and with the expectation to have me play a little to draw attention but they didn’t know that I am somewhat athletically competitive and I liked the game”, Kaplan added

Kaplan said he learnt about the strategy after playing cricket himself, which, he thinks, is somewhat similar to baseball. “I found it to be a great cross between baseball, golf and tennis, which are the sports that I have been playing”, shared Kaplan

The story was first published at

scoreline.asia

Bob Woolmer’s son backs Pakistan, Younis

LONDON: Misbah-led Pakistan cricket team has locked horns with England at the Lord’s in the first Test of four match series.

The home side has been enjoying overwhelming support of course however the visitors too have a significant support in their corner.

The son of the late Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer is at the Lord’s and cheering for the green caps. Dale Woolmer also wishes his favourite, Younis Khan to contribute significantly to the Pakistan’s cause. “I have been following the Pakistan team for long. I like their style of play and yes, Younis Khan is my favourite Pakistan player”, Dale Woolmer said

“I have an emotional attachment with the Pakistan team. I would like to see Pakistan win with Younis Khan scoring a ton at least”, said Woolmer .

“He (Younis) got out in the first innings but I hope he will come good in the second innings”, added Woolmer.

Woolmer also recalled the memories of his late father with the Pakistan cricket team, saying that he also spoke very highly of the talent in Pakistan.

“He told us a lot of good things about Pakistan cricket. Younis had a special relationship with my late father and they both acknowledged it from time to time”, Woolmer added.

Younis, recently spoke about the late Woolmer, on the eve of the 2015 World Cup match against Ireland, saying that he (Bob Woolmer) was like a father figure and the guy who would motivate him.

Pakistan’s former coach Bob Woolmer died in March 2007 after the shocking defeat to Pakistan at the hands of Ireland in the first round of the world cup in the Caribbean in 2007.

The story was first published at scoreline.asia

Public response to Amir “good so far”

PCB staff also doubly vigilant

By  Muhammad Asif Khan

KARACHI, PAKISTAN 4th July 2016: It was expected that on this England tour, Pakistan fast bowler Muhammad Amir would be facing adverse reception from the local crowd, however, a source within Pakistan camp, revealed that so far the young pace-man had been enjoying good response from the general public. “So far so good, he [Amir] has not been booed by the general public yet as was expected before embarking on this trip”, said the source

“In fact the general public has been very friendly with Amir so far”, added the source

Muhammad Amir is touring England for the first time after the notorious spot-fixing scandal of 2010 when he, along with Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif, was caught for his involvement in spot-fixing during a Test match, between Pakistan and England, at the Lord’s.

Muhammad Amir was slapped with a 5-year suspension and now he is all set to resume his Test career at the Lord’s – the same venue where he played his last test – from July 14^th.

Moreover, the source also revealed about the vigilance from the PCB staff and said that Amir’s recent interview with Michael Atherton was intercepted a number of times. “Yes, the PCB staff has been keeping a strict eye on Muhammad Amir. Even during the recent interview with Michael Atherton the proceedings were interrupted a number of times by a PCB representative present there”, the source revealed

 

 

The writer is a Pakistani sports journalist & tweets @mak_asif