"Virat is a fantastic human being and an ambassador of cricket for his country, just like I am for my country."
Fast bowler Gus Atkinson and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith will make their red-ball debuts for England in the first of the three-match home series
Supremely confident of his pace attack, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Friday said his fast bowlers are capable of sending the Indian top-order packing in the first six overs itself when the two teams lock horns in the Asia Cup T20 group league match, in Fatullah on Saturday. "Pace bowlers are the main form of attack in these conditions. We have got four pacers and they are just cricketers who are considered to be wicket-taking. Our fast bowlers will try to utilise the opening six overs by removing their batsmen as that is considered to be their strength," Afridi said at the pre-match press conference. Afridi though acknowledged that Indian batsmen do play spinners very well. In the spin department, Afridi will be supported by left-arm spinner Muhammad Nawaz, who has done well in the recently concluded PSL. "Indian batsmen usually play spinners very well and they have in-form players in their squad as they have come here playing some good cricket. I think apart from me there is Mohammad Nawaz who performed really well in the domestic cricket as well as in the PSL. The fast bowlers are also in good shape whether it is Amir, Wahab or Irfan.
Pakistan skipper Babar Azam rued the mistakes his side made against India and the United States of America in their earlier Group A matches, even as the former champions bid adieu to the T20 World Cup with a consolation three-wicket victory over Ireland at Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday.
Says he knew of SMS exchanges between bookmaker and players before the scam broke out
Pakistan's sacked and retired captain Shahid Afridi on Thursday refused to apologise for his alleged violation of the PCB's Code of Conduct, but said he is ready to accept any verdict of the disciplinary committee.
They are afraid of grass pitches: Basit Ali's surprising take on Pakistan batters ahead of England Test series
Pakistan's disappointing group stage exit, which included losses to India and debutants USA, has sparked widespread criticism.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on Tuesday that star Pakistan batter Babar Azam "should not be mentioned in the same line" as Indian icon Virat Kohli
Disappointed by the ugly tiff between Shahid Afridi and Javed Miandad, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to take measures to stop former cricketers from levelling match-fixing allegations against each other to settle `personal scores`. A verbal altercation has been going on between Afridi and Miandad after both of them accused each other of being 'money-centric'.
In a heartwarming show of sportsmanship and camaraderie, the Indian cricket team sent a special retirement gift to Shahid Afridi by presenting him a Virat Kohli shirt signed by all the players.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 2nd Test played between Pakistan and England in Multan on Tuesday.
Shahid Afridi gave clear indications that he would retire from the shortest format.
Amid speculation that he has sought a farewell match, Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi has said that he is too experienced and seasoned a cricketer to make such a demand and ruled out calling it quits anytime soon. "I have played 20 years of international cricket for Pakistan and not the PCB. And I am not dependent on anyone for a match. The love and support I have got and get from my well-wishers and fans is enough reward for me," Afridi told the media in Peshawar on Sunday. The firebrand former Pakistan captain said he would not ask the PCB for any farewell match.
Rohit Sharma notched up another milestone in his career as he became only the second opener to go past the landmark of 300 sixes in One-Day Internationals.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sought to end the controversy surrounding the captaincy of the national team when it released a statement on behalf of all-rounder Shahid Afridi, in which he pledged full support to Misbah-ul-Haq declaring him best man to lead in World Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has delayed the announcement of its World Cup squad until late May due to fitness and performance issues with some players.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi has indicated that a decision on Shaheen Shah Afridi's future as captain of the T20 team will be taken after the upcoming national camp in Kakul.
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Zaka Ashraf has defended his decision to remove Babar Azam as captain following the team's disappointing ODI World Cup campaign in India.
A miffed Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi abandoned a press conference midway in Lahore on Wednesday after he had a verbal spat with a reporter leading to a partial protest by the media demanding an apology from the flamboyant all-rounder.
Pakistan left-arm quick Shaheen Afridi claimed 4-53 as the hosts bowled out Bangladesh for 233 in their first innings on Day 1 of the opening Test in Rawalpindi on Friday.
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, on Monday, criticised the national selectors for resting six senior players, including skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, for the upcoming ODI series against Australia, saying a good outing would have boosted their confidence ahead of the World Cup.
Paudel scored a 58-ball 55 as Nepal beat United Arab Emirates by 145 runs in an ODI at Dubai.
Butt said he was close to being selected for the World T20 in India after he had resumed playing domestic cricket following the completion of his ban in 2015 but Afridi resisted his selection.
It is often speculated that the Pakistan team has two factions -- one supporting Skipper Babar Azam, while the other group is loyal to fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Stressing the need for having continuity in the team management, newly-appointed coach Waqar Younis has hailed Shahid Afridi's appointment as Pakistan captain for next month's Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.
Bangladesh registered their first ever Test win over Pakistan after spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan bowled them to a memorable 10-wicket victory.
Mohammad Amir confessed to spot-fixing only after then ODI skipper Shahid Afridi slapped the fast bowler, while Salman Butt was involved in corruption much before Pakistan's ill-fated tour of England in 2010, claimed former all-rounder Abdul Razzaq.
England became the first team to win a Test by an innings after conceding more than 500 runs in their first innings.
Reports said the trio got into an argument on the first day of the West Indies Test after Afridi expressed indignation at being asked to open the innings by Younis.
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel were on the verge of centuries as they steered the home team to 256 for four
The Pakistan Cricket Board will convene a meeting of its Board of Governors next week to discuss the controversial captaincy issue for next year's World Cup.
Pakistan Twenty20 skipper Shahid Afridi and former captain Younis Khan have appealed against the penalties imposed on them by the country's cricket board.
The International Cricket Council conducted a dope test on the Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi after his team won the Twenty20 World Cup title defeating Sri Lanka in the final at Lord's.
The meeting took place in Lahore where Young is on a private visit.
Pakistan's national selection committee on Wednesday axed flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and pacer Sohail Tanvir from the 15-member squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka preferring to give rookie players Ahmed Shahzad and Mohammad Talha a chance.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood and head coach Jason Gillespie will no longer have a say in selection matters after the PCB selectors cut down their powers, according to a source.
Babar Azam announced that he will be stepping down as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is likely to take his place
"For me, I did not find anything controversial in it. This is something he felt. It's his emotions."
The Pakistan's flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and senior batsman Younis Khan have emerged as strong contenders to make a comeback to the national team for the coming tours to West Indies and Zimbabwe after the selectors dumped them for the Champions Trophy.
