Sharjeel, Khalid secure Pakistan 9-wicket win over England

Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif scored quickfire half-centuries as Pakistan defeated England by nine wickets in the only Twenty20 International (T20I) at Old Trafford, Manchester, late on Wednesday.

It was a boundary-galore as the pair registered a 107-run opening stand hitting 17 boundaries in the first 10 overs.

The ball crossed the boundary rope 22 times in total.

The two came out all guns blazing as the opening duo struck record 73 runs in the powerplay overs — overshadowing Pakistan's previous best of 72 against Zimbabwe.

Sharjeel, who registered his second T20I half-century with a towering six over cow corner off Adil Rashid, fell in the 12th over as he tried a cross-bat heave off the leg-spinner.

The left-handed batsman struck seven fours and three sixes in his 36-ball 59.

On the other hand, Khalid continued the onslaught and went on to score his maiden fifty of the format with a six over mid-wicket.

He remained unbeaten on 59 from 42 balls. The 30-year-old hit 10 boundaries — eight fours and two sixes. 

Earlier, in what was a disciplined show by Pakistan bowlers, that restricted England to 135 for seven in 20 overs. Half of England's batting line-up was back in the pavilion by the end of the 15th over as the hosts were 105 for five.

Left-arm orthodox Imad Wasim dismissed both England openers — Jason Roy and Alex Hales — to reduce England to two down for 67 in nine overs during the ongoing one-off Twenty20 International (T20I) against Pakistan at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Roy, who struck two fours and a towering six — off Sohail Tanvir — in his 20-ball 21, fell during the seventh over after he accumulated 56 runs along Hales for the first wicket on Wednesday.

Going for a reverse sweep off Imad Wasim, Roy was given LBW when the left-arm orthodox's straighter delivery crashed into the batter's pads.

Starting the proceedings quietly, the openers turned screws on the Pakistani bowlers during the third over.

Left-arm fast-bowler Mohammad Amir was welcomed with a pull-shot by Roy that crashed into the mid-wicket boundary in the third over of the innings when England were eight without a loss.

The two batsmen piled up 41 runs in the next 23 balls.

Hales, who hit 37 off 26 with five fours, fell during Imad's third over trying to attempt a cross-bat shot.

Imad, who opened the bowling for Pakistan by conceding just two singles, gave away 17 runs at an economy just over four per over in his quota of four overs.

In the 10th over, Hasan Ali removed Joe Root, who had replaced Roy, for the third consecutive time on the tour on the first ball of his second over which reduced the hosts to three for 67.

Jos Buttler, who failed to scoop pacers on umpteen occasions, handed an easy catch to Shoaib Malik at the cover boundary off Wahab Riaz during the 14th over which was followed by Ali's second wicket — Ben Stokes — 10 balls later.

Wahab, who impressed with terrific line and length bowling, picked up England captain and David Willey to end with three wickets — the most in the innings — at just 6 runs apiece.

Toss

England captain Morgan opted to bat first against Pakistan in the one-off Twenty20 International (T20I) at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Captaining Pakistan for the first time, Sarfraz Ahmed admitted that he would have liked to bat first.

The wicketkeeper batsman further added that he wants to end the England tour on a high note with a win, during the post-toss conversation with Mike Atherton.

Tanvir returned to the national side after a 10-month-long hiatus.

England fielded the same side that lost the ICC World T20 final to Darren Sammy-led West Indies earlier in April this year.

Team line-ups

England: Jason Roy, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (C), Jos Buttler (W), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Liam Plunkett, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Adil Rashid.

Pakistan: Khalid Latif, Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (C)(W), Imad Wasim, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali.

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Run records fuel fears over bat-ball balance

NEW DELHI: After first England and then Australia rewrote the cricket record books just days apart, some commentators are warning that a glut of runs risks wrecking the art of bowling and turning off fans.

Australia cruised to victory on Tuesday in the first match of a T20 series against Sri Lanka after spanking 263 runs in their innings, breaking the previous best of 260 scored by their hosts against Kenya in 2007.

The performance came exactly a week after England posted the highest ever total in a 50-over international, scoring 444 for three against Pakistan.

The last fortnight has also seen a new record for the highest number of runs in a T20 international, with India and the West Indies totalling a combined 489 runs in a match in Florida on August 27.

Such run-fests may be great entertainment for spectators, but some commentators say they could end up doing more harm than good.

“Bowlers are being reduced to bowling machines. It is a terribly one-sided affair, there is no contest at all,” Indian spin great Bishan Bedi told AFP.

“I don't mind being hit for a four or a six but it's being hit so easily and consistently. The charm of true cricket has been thrown out of the window.”

In a series of tweets after Tuesday's carnage in Sri Lanka, former India international Sanjay Manjrekar urged administrators to “respect the intelligence of fans” who “don't come to watch just 4s & 6s”.

‘Lopsided balance’

“The lopsided balance between bat & ball in T20s must be monitored” and should not be allowed to “reach ridiculous proportions”, added Manjrekar, who is now a TV commentator.

Players past and present say much of the credit for the record-breaking trend must go to the batsmen who have endlessly raised the bar in terms of skill, inventiveness and fitness since the advent of T20 cricket at the beginning of the last decade.

Glenn Maxwell's match-winning 145 in Pallekele came off just 65 balls and included 14 fours and nine sixes, combining textbook strokes with awesome power-hitting. England's victory over Pakistan was founded on a similarly stunning 171 by Alex Hales, the highest score for his country in an ODI.

Like many of their modern-day counterparts and team-mates, both men use much heavier bats than those wielded by previous generations, allowing them to clear the boundary with much higher frequency.

While there are limitations on bat length (when the lower portion of the handle is inserted, it cannot be more than 38in/96.5cm) and width (4.25in/10.8cm at its widest part), none currently exist on weight.

The International Cricket Council's cricket committee recommended in June that new restrictions on the size of bats needed to be brought in, a call that is being heard ever more widely.

In a speech in July, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting said he wanted to at least see restrictions in Test cricket, predicting different rules for different formats.

‘Unbelievably big bats’

Speaking before embarking on the tour to Sri Lanka, Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood said he was in favour of some kind of restrictions.

“Some of those cricket bats going around the dressing sheds at the moment are unbelievably big,” said Hazlewood, who was rested for the T20s.

Others say that a glut of batting-friendly pitches is the main reason for the increase in run-scoring, with Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar among those saying bowlers need more help from the groundsmen.

“In the Twenty20 format, even the greatest of the bowlers [are] being reverse-swept. In one-days, 300 is no more a competitive total. It is a par total,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying on a recent trip to London. “You've got to look at changing the surfaces.”

Bedi said the myriad fielding restrictions that have been brought in over the years had all favoured the batsmen.

“All these field restrictions are just gimmicks to see the batsmen go over the top,” he said.

“What we are doing is really crippling the role of a bowler. The majority of bowlers, there are exceptions of course, seem to be existing merely as bonded labour.”

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We make heroes and villains after one game: Sohail Tanvir

All-rounder Sohail Tanvir is likely to make a Twenty20 International (T20I) comeback after a 10-month-long hiatus during Pakistan's one-off contest against England at Old Trafford, Manchester today. The 31-year-old last donned Pakistan's colours in November 2015 in a T20I contest against England at the United Arab Emirates.

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Dawn: After performing in CPL you're now coming back in the national side, how are you feeling?

Sohail Tanvir: I am very happy. When you wear the green shirt, it gives you happiness ─ unmatched happiness. There are financial benefits attached to playing in leagues around the world, but nothing is bigger than playing for your country.

I am in good rhythm and in good form. I have bowled consistently in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Pakistan Cup. I hope that I'll carry the form to the international level.

There was only one match; It is difficult to make comebacks. It was a bit harsh to drop me after I was the highest wicket taker for Pakistan in 2015.

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"I'm at a stage where I want to play cricket consistently."

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Dawn: Your performance in the leagues has been better than that for Pakistan. What are the reasons behind this?

Sohail: I don't think I have underperformed for Pakistan.

Every player goes through ups and down. In my case, when I am going through a rough patch, there are some people who exploit that.

In leagues, you have chances to cover up for poor performances. But, in international cricket there are only a few games in a series and if you are playing in only one format that is a disadvantage for you.

I bowl two overs in powerplay and two in the death. My economy rate is 7.15, which is not bad. I have one wicket per game, which is again not bad.

Sohail says players should be given some time to prove themselves. — AFP

Dawn: Pakistan has not been up to the mark in the shorter formats and our performance graph is showing a downward trend. What are your thoughts about it?

Sohail: Our T20I performances have fallen in the last one-and-a -half years and it is because our contemporaries have improved. They are taking the T20I seriously and they do their homework.

Our cricket standards have fallen, I don't know what are the reasons. We have the players, it is only about their utilisation in the team.

We should think about the combinations of youth and experience like other teams.

Dawn: You're playing the National T20, what do you think? Why is new talent not coming in the field?

Sohail: There are many reason for the decline of interest in cricket in our country.

The first one is the security. Parents don't send their kids out to play. The street cricket is dying!

Moreover, there is no international cricket.

If I look at my childhood, we did not have any activity other than going to ground after our school time. Now kids have many indoor activities like online gaming.

Parents also desire to keep their children indulged in the indoor activities. These things have translated into a lack of cricketing-talent in the country.

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"My economy rate is 7.15, which is not bad. I have one wicket per game, which is again not bad."

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Dawn: You will now play under a new captain, are you looking forward to it?

Sohail: Sarfraz has a history of leading cricket teams ─ He has led the [Pakistan] under-19 team, Karachi, and Quetta Gladiators in Pakistan Super League. I don't think there will be any problem for him to take up the captaincy.

It is a big achievement to lead Pakistan. We have played a lot of cricket together and we understand each other.

I wish him all the best!

My goal, right now, is to cement my place in the team. I'm at a stage where I want to play cricket consistently. When you are struggling for your place in the team, you cannot set higher goals for yourself.

Dawn: Do you agree that new players don't get proper chances, just after one or two bad performances the management tends to drop them?

Sohail: Players should be given time to prove themselves. You need to have an eye to detect the talent.

It all boils down to the ability of the people who identify the young players. Our culture is different, there is a lot pressures on us ─ like that of social media. Our people tend to get very emotional.

Dawn: After a few bad performance fans start to "troll" sportsmen. As a player what do you feel about this?

Sohail: Players are also human beings and they get hurt when bad is spoken about them [on social media].

We have friends and family who convey all the happenings of the social media to us. When I come across such stuff, it stays at the back of my mind.

We make heroes and villains on the basis of a single game. I think people should only speak those words that they can listen for themselves.

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Oval Test: Pakistan pile up 214-run lead after Younis double-ton

LONDON: Younis Khan's superb double century took Pakistan into a dominant position in the fourth Test against England at The Oval on Saturday.

The veteran batsman's 218 was the centrepiece of Pakistan's 542 all out at tea on the third day in reply to England's 328.

That left Pakistan with a first-innings lead of 214 runs as they looked to end the four-match series all square at 2-2.

England won the third Test at Edgbaston by 141 runs after overturning a first-innings deficit of 103 runs. But only six times in properly completed matches in the 139-year history of Test cricket have a team come back from more than 200 runs behind on first innings to win.

Younis received excellent support in a ninth-wicket stand of 97 from Mohammad Amir, whose 39 not out was the left-arm quick's highest Test score.

Younis's sixth innings of 200 or more in Test cricket was a dramatic way for the 38-year-old to end a run of low scores.

He had managed just 122 runs in six previous innings this series, with a best of 33 in Pakistan's first Test win at Lord's.

Ahmed attacks

Pakistan resumed on 340 for six after Asad Shafiq (109) and Younis (101 not out) had both compiled impressive centuries.

But it was Ahmed, 17 not out overnight, who was the initial aggressor on Saturday as he scored in typically brisk fashion.

By contrast it took Younis 13 balls to add his first run Saturday.

But when James Anderson gave him width outside off stump, Younis responded by cutting England's all-time leading wicket-taker in front of point for four.

And when Younis off-drove Stuart Broad for a boundary in classic style, it meant Pakistan's seventh-wicket pair had shared a fifty stand in 110 balls.

Younis, after his 'settling-in' period Saturday, looked increasingly fluent as the veteran batsman extended his 32nd Test century.

Ahmed was eventually out having struck seven fours in 78 balls when he edged a good-length Woakes delivery and opposing wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow held an excellent, diving, one-handed catch.

Pakistan were now 397 for seven, with Woakes having taken his 26th wicket this series — a marked contrast to the mere 16 the improving all-rounder managed in his first eight Tests.

The score had moved on to 403 for seven when Younis was given out lbw for 133 to tall fast bowler Finn. But Younis immediately reviewed Bruce Oxenford's decision and, with replays showing the ball going over the top of the stumps, the Australian umpire's verdict was reversed.

Pakistan were 417 for seven at lunch, a lead of 89, with Younis 147 not out.

Soon afterwards, Younis went to 150 by pulling paceman Stuart Broad for four.

Curiously, despite the overcast, seam-friendly, conditions after lunch, England captain Alastair Cook brought on part-time spinner Joe Root and specialist off-break bowler Moeen Ali for eight consecutive overs from the Pavilion End.

Ali did have Wahab Riaz (one) stumped by Bairstow, although the keeper was lucky when a fumbled take rebounded straight into the stumps.

But Ali has often proved expensive this series and he was costly again when conceding 36 runs in six overs on Saturday.

Younis completed his double hundred in style when he advanced down the pitch to drive Ali for a fourth six in 281 balls.

Amir took 24 balls to get off the mark but did so in dashing fashion when he hoisted Ali for six over deep midwicket.

It was the start of a flurry of boundaries from the pace bowler.

England eventually ended the partnership when Anderson's yorker-length delivery struck Younis on the pad and South African umpire Marais Erasmus gave him out lbw.

Younis reviewed but replays showed the ball just clipping leg stump.

He walked off to a standing ovation from the Oval crowd after batting for more than seven-and-a-half hours in a 308-ball innings featuring 31 fours and four sixes.

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Oval Test: Younis, Shafiq's centuries steer Pakistan to 340-6

LONDON: Asad Shafiq and Younis Khan struck centuries on Friday to carry Pakistan to 340-6 and a 12-run lead against England after the tourists dominated the second day of the fourth test.

Shafiq, who got a pair in Pakistan's third-test loss, made 109 and Younis finally came good after struggling in the last three tests to hit an unbeaten 101.

Chris Woakes hit back late with the second new ball when he dismissed captain Misbah-ul-Haq and newcomer Iftikhar Ahmed in one over but Pakistan still threatens to build a big lead.

Woakes stretched his wicket tally to 25 in the series, a record by an Englishmen in a four-test series against Pakistan.

Shafiq was promoted up to number four after he registered a pair in the last Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. He achieved the milestone in 164 balls at a strike rate of 61.

Coming out to bat when the tourists were two down for 52 in the first session on Friday, Shafiq hit 12 fours and two sixes.

Veteran batsman Younis Khan, whose inclusion in the playing XI for the ongoing Test was widely questioned, scored his career's 32nd century.

Earlier, Pakistan were three down for 196 at Tea on day two of the fourth Test against England at The Oval after the tourists scored 99 runs at a loss of one wicket in the second session.

Azhar Ali, who opened the innings on day one for Pakistan, fell in Moeen Ali's fourth over of the innings as wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow caught Azhar off glove.

The right-handed batsman hit nine fours for his 113-ball 49.

Alex Hales and Steven Finn put down two easy chances.

Hales, who was dismissed after Yasir took a blinder at mid-wicket, dropped the leg-spinner at backward point. While Finn put down a return catch of his own bowling right after drinks.

Misbah-ul-Haq's men began day two on the score of three with one wicket down.

Sami Aslam, who scored all of Pakistan's runs yesterday, was trapped in front of stumps by English pacer Stuart Broad in the second over of the innings after England were rolled out for 328 runs.

A 97-run stand for sixth wicket between Jonny Bairstow (55) and Ali (108) brought Alastair Cook's men back in the game after they had received blows during the first session.

Returning to the playing XI after being rested during Edgbaston Test, Wahab Riaz picked up Joe Root (26) and James Vince (1) before Lunch. His final wicket came right in the start of the second session as he induced an edge from Gary Ballance's bat to be held by Azhar.

Denied an opportunity to score a century at Edgbaston as Cook declared when Ali was batting on 86, the left-hander put up a strong resistance after Mohammad Amir took his second wicket to dismiss Bairstow.

The all-rounder brought up his career's third century with a towering six at cow corner when he charged down the wicket against Yasir.

Pakistan's Sohail Khan continued to take wickets at the regular intervals and completed his second five wicket haul in his second Test on the tour when he got Ali out.

The right-arm fast-bowler returned the innings figures of five for 68 in 20.4-overs.

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Did England cheat to win the Edgbaston Test?

Pakistan invented reverse swing in the 1960s. That was a long time ago. It was, unlike the wrong’un, not mastered for a long time, and took a decade to go from the Lahore Gymkhana to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 1978-79. But when it did, it changed cricket.

Thirty seven years ago...

Thirty two Tests into his career, Sarfraz Nawaz had only two five wicket hauls and, much like his nation, he had yet to make much of an impact on world cricket.

When he came back on, Australia were 305/5, cruising towards the monstrous 382 fourth innings chase. The second new ball was old, and Sarfraz started swinging this old ball violently.

He bowled Allan Border, Graeme Wood caught behind next ball, Peter Sleep was clean bowled, Kim Hughes was out soon.

Next over, Wayne Clark was bowled playing back to a ball he couldn't understand.

Then, a no ball, one run, and Rodney Hogg was LBW.

When Alan Hurst wasn't out first ball, the crowd cheered. Next ball, Hurst was caught behind.

Australia were now 310/10. Sarfraz had 2/85 but now he had 9/86. This number currently adorns one of the walls of the MCG as part of an art installment.

Most of the Australian batsmen had helmets. They were prepared for Imran Khan's scary pace. They would survive that.

At the other end, a man who bowled as if his hip needed to be replaced shuffled in with a sideways action and bowled just above medium pace.

England's slip fielders all go up as they appeal for lbw against Pakistan's Yasir Shah. — AFP

The old ball veered in dramatically at the stumps and, when he wanted it to, also went away.

The swing was late. And combined with a low bouncing Melbourne pitch, it became impossible.

'The dark art'

It was unmistakable to modern eyes, reverse swing.

Even now, Sarfraz, the man who invented reverse swing, says it was not reverse.

Considering it seems likely he or his old First-class bowling partner, Saleem Mir, pioneered reverse swing, you would think he would want to bask in that glory. Instead, he deflects.

Reverse swing is a complicated matter. It is seen as dark art that you need to cheat to produce. Which, oddly, the wrong’un was also accused of when South African bowlers tortured English batsmen with it.

England’s reverse swing at Edgbaston was pretty minor.

The ball moved a fair bit for a few Anderson balls, but for Broad, Woakes and Finn, most of their best work was the ball barely moving at all.

England's Joe Root shines the cricket ball during the match. — Reuters

Sohail Khan reverse swung a ball far more on the last day than Broad, Woakes and Finn combined, when he dismissed Jonny Bairstow but that was forgotten.

The country that invented reverse swing, which perfected it as well, which has spent almost 50 years with it as part of their cricket, played it terribly.

And then some in that country suggested foul play. It was like cricket eating itself.

Forget that the Pakistan batsmen would have known that they only needed to play it well for an hour or so and they would have probably drawn the game.

Forget that it didn’t actually reverse that much.

Forget that Azhar Ali went out playing a one-handed drive to a non-spinning ball from Moeen Ali allowing new batsmen to face the reverse.

Forget all that ─ this was cheating.

So far in this series, the reverse spell where the ball has swung the most was by Wahab Riaz, and it was also done at the highest pace, and probably with the best skill.

That was at Lord’s, to Jonny Bairstow and Chris Woakes.

And it was a wicketless spell. Had he bowled to his batsmen he probably would have taken a five-wicket haul.

England's Joe Root shines the cricket ball (2nd R) as Stuart Broad and Alastair Cook look on during the match. — Reuters

But, that is still beside the point. England cheated.

How do you get the ball to reverse swing?

It isn’t mints, as the England team of '05 claimed, and it isn’t always legal.

There are legal ways, keeping the ball dry and shining it like a mad man.

There are grey areas, throwing the ball into the square to rough up one side.

And then there is the illegal way of scratching it with whatever you have.

Being a player who can get the ball to reverse swing, in any of these three ways, is such an important skill that players have had selections swayed on their reverse making ways.

The South Africa team had a system in place for their reverse swing. When one player was caught fiddling with the ball, he was fined, and then another would take up that job until he was fined.

The most blatant recent case was in last year’s Sheffield Shield final when Victorian bowling coach Mick Lewis took a ball at the boundary and rubbed it on concrete before throwing it back.

What Joe Root and Jimmy Anderson were shown doing on Pakistani TV was not what South Africa's fined players did, or what Lewis did.

It is possible that Joe Root had his thumb under the ball as he shined it, which is a modern way of hiding the scratching from cameras, or he was just shining it, but from the footage shown, it just doesn't look like that.

Anderson was cleaning the seam, and from the angle of his fingers, he wasn’t lifting it.

The umpire should have been doing it, and since cameras became omnipotent, players usually give it to the umpires.

But as it stands, both are legal; hence why neither player has been fined or suspended.

Cricket is better for reverse swing bowling. Pakistan had invented something quite amazing. Batsmen had evolved to protect themselves from bouncers.

But as they did, Sarfraz Nawaz showed the world reverse swing.

Their heads were safer; their leg stumps were not.

The International Cricket Council has just sat still for the last few years and done almost nothing.

Sometimes umpires will pretend the ball is out of shape, but what they are doing is putting the ball through the size hoops so the cameras can pick up the irregular wear and tear it has on one side.

Even when they do change the ball because of reverse, they rarely make a formal complaint as it is such a touchy issue.

At the moment we all have to accept reverse swing is part magical mystery and part con job. And it makes cricket better.

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Gul, Aslam, Sharjeel return to squad for England, Ireland ODIs

KARACHI: Pakistan on Tuesday announced its squad for One-Day International (ODI) contests against Ireland and England during the ongoing tour of the British Isles.

Right-arm fast-bowler Umar Gul makes a comeback after a hiatus of two years, with selectors preferring him over Mohammad Irfan on the basis of better fitness and fielding skills.

Gul last featured in an ODI during Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh in 2015.

Left-handed batsman Sami Aslam, who impressed with his profound technique during the third Test at Edgbaton against England, has also been named in the squad.

Sharjeel Khan also returns to the national side after two years on the back of a staggering average of 63 runs during the recent List-A contests. The bulky left-handed opener scored 90 and 125 against Sri Lanka 'A' and England Lions, respectively.

Announcing the squad, Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq said:

"While picking the squad, the team management and skipper were consulted and all concerned gave their consent in this regard. The team has been selected keeping in mind the conditions and the recent performances of some players in domestic and A Team tours.

"The team is a fine blend of experience and youth and the selectors believe that team will do well."

Pakistan will take on Ireland in two ODIs on August 18 and 20 which will be followed by a five-match series against England.

The 15-member squad for the 50-overs contests against Ireland and England later this month is as follows:

Openers: Azhar Ali (c), Sharjeel Khan, Sami Aslam

Middle Order: Mohammad Hafeez, Baber Azam, Shoaib Malik

Wicket Keeper: Sarfraz Ahmad and Mohammad Rizwan

Fast Bowlers: Mohammad Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Umer Gul

Spinners: Immad Wasim, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Nawaz

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