Fawad Alam, a former Pakistan all-rounder, believes Babar Azam's team must neutralize Indian batting star Virat Kohli and pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah to win their crucial T20 World Cup match on Sunday
At stumps, Pakistan's score read 145/3 with Fawad and Babar unbeaten on 42 and 77 runs respectively. For South Africa, Keshav Maharaj picked two, Anrich Nortje took one while Kagiso Rabada went wicketless.
Pakistan left-handed batter Fawad Alam and left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Afridi have achieved career-best positions in the ICC Men's Test Player Rankings after helping Pakistan win the second Test against the West Indies in Kingston to draw their two-match ICC World Test Championship series 1-1.
A burgeoning third wicket stand between Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique had kept Pakistan in the contest and the duo continued to frustrate Australia when play resumed.
In the four Tests played during the year, Babar scored 338 runs at an average of 67.6.
Kuldeep Yadav is the best spinner going into the World Cup and will give India a distinct advantage in the middle overs through the course of the 50-over showpiece, reckons former Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam.
'I can only say that it was a revenge killing. We have seen everything from inside our houses. We ran into our dwellings on hearing a mob approaching Sonu's house and hurling bombs. After that, I don't know anything'
The 34-year-old took the prized wickets of Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali and Babar Azam to end Pakistan's resistance and finished with figures of 5-83 in Pakistan's second innings.
Faheem and Hasan Ali are expected to regain full fitness before the second Test (12-16 March).
Leg-spinner Shah's selection was subject to the 35-year-old clearing a fitness test, chief selector Mohammad Wasim said in a statement.
Bangladesh trail by 224 runs and still needed 25 runs to avoid the follow-on at the end of Day 4.
Australia declared their first innings on 556 for nine and then skittled out Pakistan for 148 to seize control of the second Test in Karachi on Monday.
The pitch offered some variable bounce but did not pose too many problems for the batters till the final hour of play.
Mendis contributed 35 in Sri Lanka's 378 all out at the Galle International Stadium.
Batsman Fawad Alam, who was also named in the 20-member squad along with two specialist spinners could make a comeback to Pakistan's Test team after 11 years.
Pakistan lost the T20 series before the 101-run defeat in the first Test.
As per reports, Ali campaigned for Pathak, a BJP leader, during the assembly election and on the day of victory, he not only burst crackers but also distributed sweets.
South Africa's openers Dean Elgar (15) and Aiden Markram were positive at the start of the innings, but disaster struck as they lost two wickets in the final two balls of the middle session.
Pakistan spinners Yasir Shah and Nauman Ali took five wickets between them to restrict South Africa to 220 all out, but the home side faltered in reply to close on 33 for four on day one of a fast-moving first Test in Karachi on Tuesday.
A victory at Hagley Oval to seal a 2-0 series sweep would also push the Black Caps firmly into contention for one of two berths in June's inaugural ICC World Test Championship final at Lord's.
The selectors also retained former captain and wicketkeeper, Sarfaraz Ahmed in the squad as a standby to vice-captain, Mohammad Rizwan.
Pakistan had been reduced to 76 for five in their second innings as South Africa's spinners made inroads through the top order having been bowled out for 201 in another shambolic display with the bat.
Six of the 10 Pakistan cricketers bound for England who tested positive for COVID-19 have now registered negative results on re-testing, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Saturday. Mohammad Hasnain, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, however, must return a second negative result before they can join the main squad of 20 players who will leave for England on Sunday.
The problem with non-selection of an Indian player in the XI is more to do with lack of matches rather than poor show since they have won both the series that they played in 2021.
Pakistan opener Abid Ali scored a half-century but England's seam bowlers used the muggy conditions to their advantage to restrict the tourists to 126 for five at the close of a rain-hit opening day of the second Test at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.
The selectors have also put Bilal Asif, Imran Butt, Musa Khan and Mohammad Nawaz on standby to cover for any player who fails pre-tour COVID-19 Testing scheduled later this month.
New Zealand bundled out Pakistan on 297 in 83.5 overs.
Leg-spinner Yasir Shah marks his return to the national men's team as Pakistan on Wednesday announced an 18-member squad for next month's two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan have made a number of changes in their ODI squad for the short home series against Zimbabwe, recalling seniors such as Shoaib Malik and Muhammad Sami in the 16-member side.
Suspended from international cricket for an illegal bowling action, Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal on Friday returned to the national side.
Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq could be asked to relinquish his role as chief selector after the team returns from England as the cricket authorities are considering appointing a new person for the top job.
India captain Virat Kohli and his deputy Rohit Sharma maintained their supremacy at the top of the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, occupying the first and second spots respectively in the latest list released on Wednesday.
Uncapped left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar has joined the test squad from the Pakistan A team currently in Hamilton.
Soumya Sarkar's maiden century helped Bangladesh secure a 3-0 one-day series sweep against Pakistan after an eight-wicket win in the third and final match on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old replaced Iftikhar Ahmed, who managed only 44 runs in four innings in the recent tour of Australia where Pakistan lost both Tests.
Rohit Sharma-led India's main aim would be to settle their middle-order combination and also find a perfect batting position for Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A PCB official said the suspended off-spinner has been named in the preliminary squad as he was in the process of correcting his action and would soon appear for an ICC biomechanics test.
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the execution of death sentence of Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Mohd Arif alias Ashfaq in the 2000 Red Fort attack case in which three people, including two army jawans, were killed.
Chasing a competitive 258 for victory, Pakistan overhauled the target with just three balls to spare with former captain Shoaib Malik (51 off 43 balls) getting the winning runs.
With two days remaining and 17 wickets still potentially to fall, a draw looks the probable outcome, although Wahab Riaz's removal of Bell (63) and Mark Wood (4) in successive overs near the close again put the hosts in the ascendancy.
