'From being a kid who started as a leg-spinner to becoming a mainstay in the Test batting line-up, I had the loveliest moments of my life that I will cherish forever.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali tendered his resignation over presence of tainted paceman Mohammed Aamir in the national training camp but agreed to continue after PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan's intervention.
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.
Pakistan have named Azhar Ali as their One-day captain following the retirement of Misbah-ul-Haq from One-Day Internationals after this month's World Cup.
Azhar Ali's patient century lifted Pakistan to 257 for three and a dominant position on the second day of the third Test against England at Edgbaston on Thursday. Replying to the home team's 297 all out, Azhar shared a second-wicket partnership of 181 with Sami Aslam on the way to an excellent knock of 139 as England endured a frustrating day in the field.
Azhar, who finished the day unbeaten on 62 off 169 balls, helped Pakistan recover from the loss of two early wickets to trail New Zealand by 135 runs with seven wickets remaining.
Pakistan senior batsman Azhar Ali, on Thursday stepped down as the One-day International captain after a meeting Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan in Dubai.
Sri Lanka require 153 runs for a series-levelling victory after Pakistan rode Azhar Ali's obdurate century before being all out for 329 on day four of the second Test on Sunday.
A fine hundred by Azhar Ali helped Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets in the second One-Day International and win their first One-day series in 17 months, at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, on Friday night.
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.
Pakistan selectors rule out T20 role for Babar, Rizwan and Afridi in near future
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
Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin plans to approach the Telangana High Court to challenge the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) Ombudsman's order to remove his name from the North Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Azhar Ali's superb unbeaten 146 led Pakistan to a commanding 279 for one on the first day of the first test against West Indies in Dubai on Thursday. Azhar shared an opening partnership of 215 with Sami Aslam, who was bowled by Roston Chase for 90 in the final session to give the Caribbean side their only success of the day.
The tournament is scheduled to be held in Pakistan, and Rizwan expressed confidence in the enthusiastic reception the Indian team would receive from Pakistani fans.
Fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi finished with four wickets apiece for the hosts with a brilliant display of reverse-swing bowling on a pitch offering variable bounce.
Batting coach Younis Khan has urged fans to be patient with the new members, saying the youngsters needed at least two-three series to find their feet in international cricket.
Kamran Akmal, the leading run scorer in the Pakistan Super League, is left out of the 15-strong squad after scoring just 68 runs in three ODIs against the West Indies earlier this month.
Azhar Ali hit his fourth Test ton against Australia as Pakistan piled on 476-4 before declaring
Faheem and Hasan Ali are expected to regain full fitness before the second Test (12-16 March).
Pakistan selectors want Babar Azam to open in CT, hope star batter will emulate Sachin Tendulkar
The Bahawalpur centre is notorious for hoarding arms and ammunition left behind by the NATO forces in Afghanistan, the officials said.
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.
A cricket museum based in India has bought a bat auctioned by Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali to raise funds for the needy during the coronavirus pandemic. He confirmed that Blades of Glory Cricket Museum based in Pune bought the bat by making a winning offer of Rs. 1 million for the bat.
Hasan Ali, who last played a Test against Sri Lanka in Galle in July, has picked up 77 wickets in 21 Tests.
Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz has heaped praise on Boxing Day Test centurion Azhar Ali, saying the opener is `one of the greatest batsmen` the country has ever produced. Azhar (unbeaten at 139) struck his 12th Test century and first Down Under besides sharing an unbeaten 115-run stand with Asad Shafiq (50) to guide Pakistan to 310-6 at the end of the rain-curtailed second day's play of the second match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Tuesday.
Former captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah returned to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia.
The source, however, disputed Fakhar's tone and said one of the newly inducted selectors, former captain Azhar Ali had spoken to length with Babar on Saturday and explained to him the decision to rest him for the two Tests.
Pakistan captain Azhar Ali "missed a trick" several times in the opening Test against England and their three-wicket loss will hurt the team and their fans, according to bowling great Wasim Akram. Ali and his men held the upper hand for most part of the series opener and had England, chasing 277 for victory, reeling at 117-5 at Old Trafford before England fought back.
In the bowling department, pacer Mohammad Abbas (13th) and experienced leg-spinner Yasir Shah (24th), who have in the past, been ranked third and first, respectively, and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi (32nd) are other Pakistan players to watch.
Azhar Ali tormented West Indian bowlers for 11 hours as he struck 302 not out to put Pakistan firmly in control of the first day-night Test in Dubai on Friday.
With the three-match Test series poised at 1-1 and the decisive third match, beginning here from Thursday, both the teams seemed to be unclear about the pitch's nature.
Imam-ul-Haq embarked on a new journey as he exchanged vows with girlfriend, Anmol Mehmood.
Azhar's obdurate 193-ball stay at the crease helped his side plod slowly towards the hosts' first-innings total of 312 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown to stand 140 runs behind with seven wickets in hand at the close.
A watchful first Test century for Azhar Ali took Pakistan to 281 for four at close on the second day of the second Test, on Thursday, and past Sri Lanka's first innings total of 239.
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.
'We should not just react when a terror attack happens on our soil.' 'Our approach should be continuous and a launch pad should be destroyed the moment it comes up.'
Azhar Ali's hit a belligerent century on the final day as Pakistan pulled off a dramatic five-wicket victory in the final Test against Sri Lanka to level the three-match series 1-1 on Monday.
Azhar Ali's bizarre run-out during day three of the second Test against Australia has set himself up for a life-time of teasing from his children, the Pakistan batsman joked.
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.
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