Sacked Sarfaraz Ahmed had the chance to make a graceful exit as PCB had advised him to step down as captain in all three formats but the wicketkeeper-batsman turned down the suggestion.
Propelled by the embarrassing loss to minnows Zimbabwe, Pakistan fell two rungs down the list to sixth in the latest ICC Test rankings issued on Saturday.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)has sought the permission of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to play their proposed bilateral series with India on a mutually agreed neutral venue.
The touring Pakistan squad has returned negative in a fifth round of COVID-19 tests and will now be able to leave their managed isolation on Tuesday, subject to clearance from the health ministry, New Zealand Cricket said on Monday.
A month back, there was huge buzz over India's 500th Test and many former greats had come up with their own all-time XI of India. Now, to celebrate Pakistan's 400th Test match played against West Indies, legendary Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis has revealed his all time Pakistan Test XI. Wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed was the only player under the age of 30 selected in the high-quality side. Furthermore, the 29-year-old, alongside veteran right-handed batsman Younus Khan, was the one of two active players picked.
Zimbabwe completed only their 11th Test victory with a dramatic 24-run win over Pakistan at Harare Sports club on Saturday to draw the series 1-1.
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has urged the cricket board to give the skipper and coach the final say in selection matters.
Sarfaraz had told head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq, before the match that he didn't wish to play.
Former captain and senior batsman Younis Khan caused a stir in the Pakistan cricket circles by openly suggesting that he is not happy with the behavior of Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq and head coach Waqar Younis.
India are all set to drop a rung to sixth in the ICC Test rankings, replaced by arch-rivals Pakistan in the fifth position.
Sarfaraz didn't deserve to be booted out.
Since the 76-run defeat to India at the World Cup gloom has descended on the Pakistanis. It seemed as if the team had left the Inter-Continental hotel in Adelaide after the match.
'I am happy that we are not favourites'
After escaping a 39-run victory over Pakistan in the Gabba Test, Australian skipper Steve Smith on Monday said the "game was a bit close for his liking". The hosts struck Pakistan's last two wickets quickly to clinch win before tea on day five of the opening day and night Test of the three-match. "I've lost all my fingernails, I think," Smith was quoted as saying by news.com.au. "It was a bit too close for my liking. Some game of cricket wasn't it?"
Mickey Arthur feels his reputation took a big hit when he was sacked as head coach of Australia three years ago but the Pakistan mentor says he is not on a "revenge mission" as he prepares to take on his former charges.
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.
Pakistan spinner Abdur Rehman had a spell to forget in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Tuesday. The left-armer sent down a three consecutive illegal full tosses and finished with bizarre bowling figures of 0-0-8-0.
The West Indies Cricket Board has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India to work for a "mutually agreeable solution" over its demand for 26.2 million pounds as compensation for the former's decision to abandon its tour to India.
Pakistan cricket captain Misbah-ul-Haq continues to rue the fact that he hasn't been able to captain his side in a Test in Pakistan.
Pakistan have long been regarded as a talented yet inconsistent side, but through a combination of sheer hard work, application and a little help from some inclement Caribbean weather, the South Asian side sit atop the test rankings for a first time.
Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq steadied the Pakistan second innings with an unbroken 113-run stand after their team appeared to be heading for a heavy defeat by losing three quick wickets in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Dubai on Friday.
Slow bowlers Imran Tahir and JP Duminy spun South Africa to a series-levelling innings and 92-run victory over Pakistan on day four of the second Test in Dubai on Saturday.
Australia's batsmen made mincemeat of a listless Indian bowling attack at Jaipur in the second ODI to post a massive 359 for 5, and also set a new world record in the process with their top five compiling individual half centuries.
Sarfaraz Ahmed said that the PCB left it to the players to make the final call on travelling to England for the Test and T20 series.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews was vindicated for surprisingly deciding to field after winning the toss when his fast bowlers skittled Pakistan for 165 in the first innings of the second Test in Dubai on Wednesday. Sri Lanka then lost opener Dimuth Karunaratne (32) before reaching 57 for 1 when bad light brought an end to the day's play.
Misbah helped steady his side after two brilliant morning catches by the indomitable Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson's 418th Test wicket from the first ball of the afternoon had reduced Pakistan to 85-3.
Azhar was named Test captain this month in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed whose spot as wicketkeeper has been taken by Mohammad Rizwan.
Shane Watson has roared back to his classy best.
Kane Williamson's assured unbeaten 70 guided New Zealand to a comfortable four-wicket win over Pakistan in the second One-Day International in Sharjah on Friday to level the series at 1-1.
Former Pakistan players tore into captain Babar Azam and other players for their poor performance in World Cup 2023.
A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup.
Pakistan side put its World Cup campaign back on track with an upset 29-run win via Duckworth/Lewis method over South Africa
After criticising Misbah-ul-haq severely in the recent past, former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar took a U-turn.
The national team, captained for the bulk of those years by Misbah Ul Haq, hosted its 'home' games in the United Arab Emirates and remained relatively successful until fixtures trickled back onto Pakistani soil in 2018.
For ICC Women's Player of the Decade, Ellyse Perry (Australia), Meg Lanning (Australia), Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Stafanie Taylor (West Indies), Mithali Raj (India), Sarah Taylor (England) have been nominated.
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.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul Haq rates the 2-0 series win over Australia as his country's "best ever" considering his team were without three key bowlers.
The trouble-prone Pakistan cricket team dressing room was once again witness to some drama and it took PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan's intervention to diffuse the controversy generated by Misbah-ul-Haq's decision to rest from the third ODI against Australia.
West Indies batting legend Vivian Richards has lauded swashbuckling New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum for posting the fastest ton in Test cricket off just 54 balls, bidding adieu to the game on an incredible high. Richards, who held the record for the quickest hundred in Tests off 56 balls jointly with Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq till McCullum broke it yesterday, was all praise for the Kiwi skipper for his record-breaking feat. "Let me take this opportunity to congratulate Brendon...(I've) been a great fan of yours for many years. Well done on your achievement," said Richards in the video on Twitter, posted by Pakistan Super League (PSL) side Quetta Gladiators. "And if there was going to be an individual who you would've liked to have surpassed whatever you would've achieved in life, certainly it would be you. You're one of those individuals who help to put bums on seats. Long may that continue. Well done, man," he added.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of an Indo-Pak bilateral series stating that no such series is scheduled in Futures Tours & Programme (FTP) calender. "In the FTP, we had a series planned in 2015 but there is no series planned in 2016 against Pakistan. India will be playing against them in Asia Cup and the World T20 since they are multinational tournaments. And India has been playing them for many years," Thakur told the media.
