Taufeeq Umar returns for Australia Tests

Taufeeq Umar, the left-hand opening batsmen, has made a comeback to the Pakistan Test squad for the two-match series against Australia in the UAE. Taufeeq played the last of his 43 Tests in July 2012.

Australia lose four-day game to Pakistan A Team

Reverse swing has emerged as a key weapon for Pakistan in their two-Test series against Australia starting on Wednesday in Dubai.

Chasing 339 for victory on Saturday's fourth and final day of play in their match against Pakistan A in Sharjah, Australia were bowled out for 185 off 51.3 overs.

Back-up Test opener Phil Hughes top-scored with 65 while Test opener Chris Rogers (0 and 3) and skipper Michael Clarke (10 and five) failed twice in the match.

The game was not a first-class fixture and Australia took the option on Saturday of resting their two top-scorers from their first innings; Alex Doolan (104) and Steve Smith (58).

Uncapped Test hopeful Mitchell Marsh made 35 at No.5 and tailender Peter Siddle scored 41.

Six of the nine wickets to fall to the bowlers in Australia's second innings were claimed by Pakistan A's pace trio Mohammad Talha (3-32), Rahat Ali (2-36) and Imran Khan (1-18), while left-arm spinner Raza Hasan took 3-60.

Pakistan beat Srilanka in first ODI

Pakistan's innings was built around a brilliant 122 from Mohammad Hafeez which saw them post an impressive total of 322-5 in their 50 overs but were made to work hard for their win, finally bowling Sri Lanka out in 49.4 overs.

Besides Hafeez's 122, Sohaib Maqsood (73) and debutant opener Sharjeel Khan (61) were the main contributors on a flat pitch.

Sri Lanka had all but lost the match at 221-7 but Sachithra Senanayake (42) and Seekkuge Prasanna (42) gave Pakistan a scare during their 87-run partnership for the eighth wicket -- a record for Pakistan-Sri Lanka one-day internationals.

Sri Lanka needed 27 off the last two overs but both the batsmen were out in quick succession to hand Pakistan a deserved win.

Pakistan captain MIsbah-ul Haq said his bowlers needed to improve on this performance.

"It was a hard fought win. We need to improve on the bowling and fielding, too many lapses," said Misbah.

Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews was full of praise of his team's battling display.

"We witnessed a great match, especially the stand between Seekkuge and Senanayake, very pleasing to see how they fought," said Mathews.

Sri Lanka got off to a solid start with Tillakaratne Dilshan (30) and Kusal Perera (64) batting quite comfortably against the spin-cum pace Pakistan attack.

Dilshan pulled a short Junaid Khan delivery straight to deep square-leg before Kumar Sangakkara (23) and Perera added 47 for the second wicket.

Perera, who hit five boundaries and a six off 68 balls, also holed out off Hafeez before leg-spinner Shahid Afridi then struck twice, dismissing Sangakkara and Lahiru Thirimanne (10) in quick succession.

Dinesh Chandimal hit a 50-ball 46 while Mathews made 31 off 32 balls during a resolute 73-run stand for the fifth wicket before the tail wagged.

Paceman Junaid finished with 3-44.

Earlier, Hafeez smashed 122 off 129 balls in a power-packed Pakistan batting performance after they won the toss.

Hafeez, whose place was in danger over poor form after only 147 runs in the last eight one-dayers, hit seven boundaries and four sixes in his seventh one-day hundred.

He hoisted paceman Suranga Lakmal over long-on for a six to reach the three-figure mark.

Hafeez added 140 for the third wicket with Maqsood and 83 for the second wicket with Sharjeel to give Pakistan a good platform.

Maqsood was run out after hitting four sixes and two boundaries during an entertaining 68-ball knock.

Shahid Afridi, promoted to fifth in the batting order, produced a fiery 12-ball knock of 34 studded with three sixes and two boundaries as Pakistan mustered 103 in the last ten overs.

Hafeez and Sharjeel raised the scoring rate, with the opener hitting two sixes and a four off paceman Thisara Perera in the 13th over and then hit spinner Sachitra Senanayake for a boundary towards long-off to bring up his half-century off 46 balls.

Dropped on 56 by Thisara off Seekkuge Prasanna, Sharjeel failed to benfit from the lapse, holing out off the same bowler five runs later.

Lakmal finished with the best bowling figures of 2-73.

The second match will be played in Dubai on Friday followed by the third in Sharjah on Sunday and the last two in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Friday.

Pakistan beat Srilanka by 3 wickets in first T20

Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by three wickets in the first Twenty20 International at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.Chasing 146 for victory, Pakistan made it home with five balls to spare with Shahid Afridi making an unbeaten 39, including a six to win.Sri Lanka made 145 for 5 in their innings with Angelo Mathews top-scoring with 50.Pakistan, who won the toss and elected to bowl first, restricted their opponents with none of the Sri Lanka top four able to score at better than a run a ball.Saeed Ajmal picked up the milestone wicket of key man Kumar Sangakkara for 21.Ajmal has got his 400th International wicket. Mathews did provide a spark with five boundaries and a six in his 34-ball innings before falling in the final over to Sohail Tanvir, who was the pick of the bowlers with 2 for 34. Sri Lanka set a targetof 146 runs for Pakistan in 1st T20I at Dubai. A 50-run partnership between Sharjeel Khan and Mohammad Hafeez gave Pakistan a solid foundation, and they reached 67 for 1 at halfway after Lahiru Thirimanne took a stunning catch to remove opener Ahmed Shehzad for just four.However, Khan went for 34, and then Ajantha Mendis removed Hafeez for 32 and Umar Akmal for five in consecutive balls, the latter run out at the non-striker's end after the bowler deflecteda Sohaib Maqsood drive onto the stumps.Umar Amin came and went forjust eight before Afridi took the total past 100 with a boundary, leaving Pakistan needing 43 from the final five overs."Boom Boom" Afridi smashed Nuwan Kulasekara for two sixes in the 16th over, and although Lasith Malinga picked up two late wickets, Afridi dispatched Kulasekara for a third six to win the match.

South Africa beat Pakistan by 4 wickets in 3rd ODI

Vernon Philander led a strong performance by South Africa’s bowlers to set up a four-wicket consolation win for the hosts in the third and final One-day International against Pakistan at SuperSport Park on Saturday.South Africa this avoided a first ODI series whitewash at home as Pakistan celebrated their first-ever series win over the Proteas.Man-of-the-Match Philander took three for 26 in a Pakistan total of 179 all out. South Africa made heavy weather of the chase but won with 68 balls to spare, steered home by an unbeaten 48 from skipper A.B. de Villiers.Seeking an historic sweep in South Africa, Pakistan struggled in their last game ontour, with only captain Misbah-ul-Haq (79 not out) holding off the bowlers.Misbah hit four fours and two sixes in his gritty knock after Pakistan were 97-7 at one point. Makeshift opener Umar Amin scored 25, as did Sohaib Maqsood, while Misbah and Abdur Rehman (22) shared a 51-run stand for the eighth wicket but South Africa was ontop in the last game despite missing strike bowler Dale Steyn, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and opening batsman Graeme Smith.Philander, recently recalled to the one-day side after starringfor the South African Test team, struck with the fourth ball of the match when AhmedShehzad was caught at first slip without scoring. Ahmed made a century when Pakistanclinched the series by winning the second match in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.Fellow new ball bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe had Asad Shafiq caught behind in the fourth over and Pakistan were unable to build any significantpartnerships against hostile bowling on a pitch which offered good bounce.The best stand of the innings was 51 for the eighth wicket between Misbah and Abdur Rehman (22).South Africa made a fast start, with Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla putting on 39 on35 balls for the first wicket before De Kock mistimed a hook against Bilawal Bhatti and was caught at backward square leg.The momentum slowed as new cap Henry Davids was tied down by Saeed Ajmal before being stumped off the wily off-spinner after struggling to seven off 18 balls.Amla made 41 before being run out after a superb stop and quick throw by Umar Amin at backward point.In contrast to his dazzling 74 off 45 balls in Port Elizabeth, where he played one big shot too many and was out before South Africa ‘crossed the line’, in his words, de Villiers playeda risk-free innings to ensure that South Africa successfully chased down a target for the first time in eight recent attempts.South Africa appeared to be cruising home until Amla was run out in the 16th over to make it 75-3. J.P. Duminy (16) and David Miller (24) also fell after getting starts but de Villiers guided the Proteas home with three fours in his measured 48 from 63 balls.Saeed, who adjudged Man-of-the-Match, was again the best Pakistan bowling, taking two for 34 in 10 overs.With the series decided, both sides showed several changes.Kallis and Steyn, both with minor injuries, were rested from the South African team, while Smith was absent because of a family bereavement.Pakistan made four changes. Mohammad Hafeez and Junaid Khan were injured, according to captain Misbah, while Shahid Afridi and Nasir Jamshed were rested. The newplayers were Umar Amin, AsadShafiq, Sohail Tanvir and Abdur Rehman.While Pakistan head home to prepare for the series against Sri Lanka in the UAE, India are due to arrive in South Africa on Monday for three One-day Internationals and a two-match Test series.

Pakistan beat South Africa in second ODI for series win

PORT ELIZABETH: Pakistan held on for a thrilling one-run win in the second one-day international on Wednesday to beat South Africa in an ODI series for the first time, making its short-notice tour an historic one.Pakistan defended its 262 in a rain-shortened 45-over game by the smallest of margins as South Africa fell just short of the nine runs it needed off thelast over at St. George's Park to take the three-game series to a decider.Pakistan has the chance to be the first team ever to whitewash South Africa at home in an ODI contest in the final game.A century partnership between Hashim Amla (98) and AB de Villiers (74) took South Africa to the brink of victory, but Amla's wicket fell off the last ball of the penultimate over. Junaid Khantook 3-42 for the victorious tourists, who just held on under intense pressure.Earlier, Ahmed Shehzad's 102 set up victory for Pakistan, while Dale Steyn's career-best 6-39 was part of a losing effortfor South Africa as the world's leading team in test cricket continued to struggle for consistency in ODIs.Following a 4-1 drubbing by the South Africans in United Arab Emirates at the start of the month, Pakistan turned the tables dramatically weeks later to send South Africa to its first one-day series defeat at home in over two years.The Pakistanis have the chance to become the first team to ever whitewash South Africa at home in the final game in Centurion this weekend.Pakistan wasn't even meant to tour now, but was asked to fill a gap in South Africa's home schedule after India shortened its upcoming series. It also lost key players to injury before the series started and still came through for a momentous win.Shehzad's 102 off 112 balls with eight fours and two sixes laid a winning platform in PortElizabeth.He shared a 124-run partnership for the third wicket with Sohaib Maqsood (42) after coming through an early onslaught by Steyn in overcast conditions at the start of the day.Umar Akmal added a quick-fire42, but it was Pakistan's cool under pressure at the end thatsealed their triumph as a partnership of 110 between Amla and De Villiers looked to have put South Africa on track to come from behind to win and stay alive in the series.Saeed Ajmal struck for the crucial wicket of Amla on the last ball of the penultimate over and Khan had JP Duminy caught off the second ball of the last over as Pakistan fought until the end to make sure of its moment in history.Misbah hails series victoryPakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq hailed the series win against South Africa.Misbah admitted that a win seemed unlikely with two overs to go.He said: “But there is always pressure on the side batting second. We knew that we would have a chance if we hadone good over so that South Africa needed more than a runa ball in the last over, especially if they had new batsmen at the crease.”“It really means a lot to us to beat South Africa in a bilateralseries for the first time, especially doing it in South Africa,” said Misbah.It was especially satisfying because Pakistan were recently beaten 4-1 by the same opponents in the UnitedArab Emirates.“It is a young side and now they believe they can win. Thatwas what was lacking (in the previous series),” said Misbah.De Villiers struggled to explainyet another failed run chase by his team, who have now lost their last seven matches when batting second.“I had the game in my hands with Hash out there with me,” he said.“I've finished a lot of games like that before and I was on abit of a roll there. I should have caught my breath a little bit and looked at the situation again. It is very disappointing.”

Pakistan beat South Africa by 23 runs in first ODI

Pakistan defended its meager 218-9 with help from outstanding debuts by Anwar Ali and Bilawal Bhatti to win the first one-day international against South Africa by 23 runs on Sunday.Ali and Bhatti upstaged Jacques Kallis in his first ODI in nearly two years as South Africa was all out for195 off 48.1 overs at Newlands - despite Kallis' half-century.The tourists took an early lead in the three-game series and have won two straight limited-overs games in South Africa after losing six in a row to the Proteas stretching back to their recent series in United Arab Emirates.Ali top-scored for his team with an unbeaten 43 and then snatched twowickets, including veteran allrounder Kallis for 50 on his comeback, as Pakistan held the South Africans at bay. Bhatti had 3-37 to wrap up victory after earlier making 39 and sharing a match-turning 74-run stand with Ali.Their vital eighth-wicket stand in their first ODI game lifted Pakistan out of serious trouble at 131-7 and ensured the tourists had somethingto bowl at. In the end it proved more than enough as only Kallis and JP Duminy (49) threatened.Tailenders Dale Steyn (15) and Morne Morkel (17) launched South Africa's final attack, but Bhatti sent both packing and ended the game by rattling their stumps with perfect yorkers.The second ODI is in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday.Kallis' half-century followed his 2-53 as the 38-year-old South African was recalled for his first ODI game since February 2012. Therest of South Africa's top order failed and Duminy was left with toomuch to do.Batting first, Pakistan was rocked early in its innings by Steyn's 3-33. Morkel finished strongly with 3-39 and Vernon Philander claimed 1-37 as South Africa gave its front-line seam attack a run out in its first ODI of its home season and they responded with seven wickets between them.Steyn had the first two breakthroughs when Nasir Jamshed (24) and Mohammad Hafeez (5) both edged to the slips. Morkel claimed the key wicket of returningcaptain Misbah-ul-Haq for 13 when he gloved a short ball down the leg side for wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.Kallis picked up opener Ahmed Shehzad and Sohaib Maqsood and Pakistan was teetering when ShahidAfridi shuffled across his stumps in a failed attempt to improvise and Steyn knocked back his leg stump.Bhatti and Ali's rescue act was rapid- their 74-run stand came off just 70 deliveries. Ali hit six fours to remain unbeaten and just short of adebut half-century. Bhatti collected three fours and two sixes before hewas trapped lbw by Morkel.South Africa stumbled throughout its reply and Kallis' dismissal after he hit five fours and a six left the home team 115-5. Duminy's measured 49 from 70 balls gave the Proteas a glimmer of hope but offspinner Saeed Ajmal (2-28) and Bhatti snuffed that out.

Pakistan beat South Africa by six runs in second T20

Pakistan sealed a thrilling six-run victory to take the second and final Twenty20 international against South Africa at Newlands on Fridayand level the series.With the hosts needing 17 runs to win off the final over, chasing Pakistan's 176-4, fast bowler Sohail Tanveer kept them at bay tohelp the tourists snap a six-game losing streak against their opponents.Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal went on a six-hitting spree in a brilliant 102-run stand partnership as Pakistan piled up an impressive totalin their innings.Hafeez hit 63 off 41 balls with three sixes and Akmal hammered 64 off 38 deliveries with four sixes.Pakistan captain Hafeez and Akmal put on 102 off just 57 balls for the third wicket as the South African bowlerswere put to the sword.The innings gained momentum when Wayne Parnell was no-balled and Hafeez slammed the free hit over the square leg fence for the first six.Hafeez hit two successive straight sixes off left-arm spinner Aaron Phangiso before Akmal followed suit in an over which cost 21 runs.Three overs later Morne Morkel conceded 22 runs in an over during which Akmal hit 16 off three deliveries.Hashim Amla made 48 opening South Africa's chase, but legspinner ShahidAfridi took 3-28, accounting for Quinton de Kock (26), Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers to leave the Proteas on 87-3.After Amla was out just short of his half-century, JP Duminy (47 not out) and David Miller were held by good death bowling by Tanvir.The side's will next take to the field on Sunday in the first of three one-day internationals.

South Africa beat Pakistan by D/L method in first T20

South Africa won a rain interrupted first Twenty20 against Pakistan by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method at the Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday.The visitors were chasing South Africa's competitive total of 153-7 after their 20 overs, when heavy rain in Johannesburg halted Pakistan's reply just short ofhalfway.The two teams resumed hostilities less than a week after South Africa won both Twenty20 matches in the United Arab Emirates.Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla gave South Africa a flying start, putting on 72 for the first wicket before Amla was bowled by Pakistan captain and off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez for 31 off 20 balls.De Kock made 43 off 33 deliveries before he was well caught at long-on by Sohail Tanvir off Hafeez.A third wicket fell to slow bowling in the space of 15 runs when Shahid Afridi bowled Henry Davids for three.Hafeez and Afridi took three wickets between them for 39 in their combined eight overs as theSouth African innings lost momentum with JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis putting together a stand of 23.Duminy's mis-hit pull was brilliantly caught by the diving Hafeez at mid-wicket,before Du Plessis heaved Junaid Khan for four but chipped the next ball straight to mid-off.Debutant Bilawal Bhatti's difficult final over continuedwith a chest-high full toss toWayne Parnell, who was runout next ball for six and a third excellent catch - this time from Abdur Rehman accounted for Dale Steyn but Morne Morkel hit back-to-back boundaries in the final over. Ahmed Shehzad fell for nine early in Pakistan's reply, gloving a Lonwabo Tsotsobe delivery on to the stumps, but two boundaries from Nasir Jamshed in the sixth over got the tourists back on the right track at 40-1 following the power-play.He then gave a return catch to Duminy, though, and Pakistan were 60-2 when heavy rain and nearby lightning stopped play with 9.1 overs bowled.That left Pakistan four runs behind the Duckworth-Lewispar score, and with only a 10-minute window before a reduction in overs would berequired.With the rain still falling heavily and the outfield drenched, the two captains shook hands on the result well before the 10pm cut-off point.The next game takes place in Cape Town on Friday, with three 50-over games to follow.

Aamir Sohail said Pakistan cricket team needs better batting technique

KARACHI: Former Test captain Aamir Sohail said on Monday that only better equipped technique can change Pakistan team’s fortunes on their short trip to South Africa starting on Wednesday.Aamir said in an interview to a local news agency that Dav Whatmore may be preparing good strategy but he failed to improve Pakistan team’s batting technically.“We are facing the same problem for the past many months but chief coach failed to overcome thischronic batting problem of Pakistan team he said. You cannot change team’s fortunes by wishful thinking. But coach needed to work on batsmen technical flaws”, he said.He said he was surprised to see Muhammad Hafeez failing to coup Dale Steyn’s bowling for the past one year and repeatedly making the same mistakes.He recalled that he was facing some batting problems during the event in Sharjah and he worked with Indian batsman Mohinder Amaranth who improved and changed his batting form. “I spent a batting session with Mohinder and few advises on my technique revived my game”, the member of1992 World Cup winning team revealed.He said many greats around the world went through the same dilemma. But proper technical advise put them back on track.Aamir Sohail said all Pakistan batsmen like Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal are weak in technique which is causing problems for them and Pakistan team.“I personally feel that Whatmore failed to work on Pakistan team’s batting problem”, the former Test left handed opener said. “I don’t see any change of fortunes of Pakistan team during their matches against Protease in their backyard, he commented.He was of the view these batting problems will be haunting Pakistanduring the two T20 Internationals and 3-match One day series in South Africa.With such a batting problem withinthe team Pakistan needed more prayers from their supporters and well wishers, he remarked.He said without making complete overhauling in Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hierarchy, national cricket cannot be put back on track.

Imran Khan criticize Pakistan's cricket setup

Pakistani cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan today lambasted the cricket set up in the country saying "ghost" clubs existing on papers are being promoted.Khan accused that successive governments have used the Pakistan Cricket Board's top slot as a means of political patronageand of rewarding cronies, including the latest chairmanshipawarded to Najam Sethi, "a man with no cricketing or any sportingcredentials but merely as a reward for politically aiding the ruling party". The result has beena complete collapse of cricket in Pakistan despite the enormous talent that exists, he insisted.Khan said that he had travelled all around the globe playing cricket and the profusion of talent that he had seen in Pakistan is far greater than anywhere else in the world. He regretted that Pakistan had not been able to harness the talent because no proper institutionalised structure was allowed to built. Fraudulent"ghost" clubs existing only on paper have been encouraged, while there has been no facilitation of genuine clubs, no support for administrative infrastructure and genuine elections at all levels, a statementreleased by his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party said. Khan demanded that all this "wilful destruction of cricket" must end immediately.He sought an end to fraudulent clubs, demanded proper institutionalised restructuring of national cricket so genuine clubs can flourish and identify nationaltalent to give it proper opportunity. Khan called for institutionalised regional bodies who should elect their office bearers as well as the Chairman PCB. He felt the PCB should makepolicy decisions while cricketing affairs should be managed full time by a professional Chairman through a clear institutionalised cricketing set-up. "This is how it happens all over the world," Khan said. State patronage should be for discovering cricketing talent not as a means of political reward for cronies, Khan asserted.Khan said Khyber Pukhtunkhwa he had set-up is a cricket talent hunt and is helping in organising an institutionalised cricketing set up at the provincial level where the abundant raw talent could benurtured. He said the results would be apparent by next year.