Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur heaped lavish praise on his batsman Asad Shafiq and also compared him with India's legend Sachin Tendulkar. Shafiq, 30, posted a crucial century in the fourth Test against England at The Oval, a result that secured Pakistan a historic 2-2 draw and catapulted them to the top of the ICC's rankings for the first time. Arthur, who has coached Australia and South Africa in the past, has called Shafiq Pakistan's best batsman and said that the diminutive right-hander is so technically correct that he reminds him of Tendulkar.
Experienced wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan's captaincy in the 50-overs format could be on the line when a joint meeting of the national selection committee and advisory board of the Pakistan Cricket Board is held on Monday in Lahore.
Asad Shafiq's seventh hundred and a belligerent 96 from Sarfraz Ahmed helped give Pakistan a sizeable lead against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the opening Test at Galle on Saturday.
Pakistan have called up Asad Shafiq and Mohammad Irfan as replacements for the suspended Salman Butt, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif for the one-day series in England.
Younis Khan and Asad Shafiq made fine centuries as Pakistan recovered from a poor start to reach 253 for five on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa at Newlands on Thursday.
Pakistan selectors rule out T20 role for Babar, Rizwan and Afridi in near future
Images from the World Cup match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe being played at Pallekele.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reorganized its selection committee by doing away with the chairman's post and giving powers to the selectors to pick the captain and head coach of the national team.
Asad Shafiq and Younus Khan made gritty centuries to lift Pakistan to 340 for six as England's bowlers toiled in perfect batting conditions on the second day of the final Test at The Oval on Friday.
An unbeaten 101-run stand for the fifth wicket between Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq kept Pakistan alive in the first Test as they reached 183 for four at the close of play on day three against South Africa at the Wanderers.
Pakistan head coach and outgoing chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq has tried to justify the axing of senior players Asad Shafiq, Muhammad Aamir and Shoaib Malik for the tour of New Zealand.
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.
Current senior selector Aaqib Javed and former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq are in fray to replace Gary Kirsten as Pakistan's new white ball coach after the former Proteas batter stepped down
Pakistan's Shan Masood is likely to be retained captain for the upcoming home Test series against England, while Babar Azam is also assured of keeping his white-ball captaincy when the team flies to Australia and South Africa later this year.
Statistical highlights from the Pakistan vs Zimbabwe World Cup match played in Pallekele on Monday.
Centuries by Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq helped Pakistan overhaul New Zealand's total of 274 but a lower-order collapse saw their lead restricted to 74 on day three of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Former captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returned to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia.
Pakistan red-ball coach Jason Gillespie on Wednesday confirmed the PCB's decision to strip him of powers in selection matters, much against the assurance of a free-hand that he was promised of while taking charge of the team.
Pakistan's new white-ball captain Muhammad Rizwan, after initial reluctance, has agreed to the PCB's new selection policy and will not have any voting right in the short-listing of touring squads or the playing eleven, according to a source in the board.
Babar Azam lost his interest in captaining Pakistan's white ball teams after a critical report submitted by head coach Gary Kirsten to PCB.
Yousuf, who had been attached with the Pakistan Cricket Board in different roles since last year, was part of a broad-based national selection committee that includes two former Test players, head coaches, captains and an analyst, among others.
Photos from Day 2 of the Boxing Day Test match between Australia and Pakistan, played at the MCG on Tuesday
Bilal Asif took five wickets and made a handy contribution with the bat as Pakistan cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe to complete a 2-1 series win on Monday.
Opening batsman Khurram Manzoor, who has not played for Pakistan's Test team for three and a half years, is back in the squad for the tour of Zimbabwe that starts this month.
Asad Shafiq enjoyed a memorable World Cup debut as he stroked an unbeaten 78 on Monday to help Pakistan seal their place in the quarter-finals with a seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe in a rain-shortened match.
Misbah-ul-Haq struck an unbeaten 73 to lead Pakistan to a crushing eight-wicket victory over a new-look West Indies side in the opening one-day international on Saturday.
Australia were two wickets from victory at the end of day four of the first day-night test against Pakistan on Sunday, but the tourists were buoyed by a feisty fourth innings chase and a brilliant unbeaten century from Asad Shafiq.
Opener Mohammad Hafeez missed out on a maiden double century but Pakistan continued to march towards a mammoth first innings total on the second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Sunday.
Kevin Pietersen's second successive century led England to a four-wicket victory over Pakistan and a series whitewash after the fourth and final one-day international in Dubai on Tuesday.
Younis Khan smashed an unbeaten double hundred and Asad Shafiq helped himself to his maiden Test century before regular strikes put Pakistan on course for a win in the first Test against Bangladesh on Sunday.
A relieved Australia captured Pakistan's last two wickets to win a captivating first day-night Test in Brisbane by 39 runs on Monday but the touring side won huge admiration for their dogged fourth innings resistance.
Azhar Ali smashed a second century in successive matches on Wednesday to leave the final Test between Pakistan against Sri Lanka poised for an intriguing finish. His 136 enabled Pakistan wriggled out of a tight corner and post 299-8 in their second innings by stumps on the fourth day in Pallekele.
Sri Lanka claimed the extra half-hour at the end of the fourth day to complete a 209-run rout of Pakistan in the first Test on Monday. The visitors, chasing an unlikely victory target of 510, were bowled out for 300.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Monday patted his teammates for their all-round show in the seven-wicket win over Zimbabwe to qualify for the quarter-finals of the cricket World Cup.
Senior batsman Muhammad Yousuf was omitted from Pakistan's final 15-member squad for World Cup. The selectors also refrained from naming a skipper.
Captain Stuart Broad and Jade Dernbech held their nerve in the closing overs to bowl England to a five-run victory and a 2-1 series win over Pakistan in the final Twenty20 international in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
England's Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann were the scourge of Pakistan as they bagged six wickets to reduce the hosts to 256 for 7 on the first day of the second Test in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
Younus Khan closed in on a century after Mohammad Hafeez hit a career-best 143 as Pakistan strengthened their grip on the first Test against Bangladesh on Saturday.
Misbah-ul-Haq's steady hand and some lusty blows from Shahid Afridi secured Pakistan's five-wicket victory against Sri Lanka in the lone Twenty20 International at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Stadium, on Friday.
Pakistani left arm bowler Sohail Tanvir has been ruled out of the tour to New Zealand with a knee injury, team manager Intikhab Alam said on Wednesday.
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