LIVE | Pakistan v England, 1st Test
Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and chose to bat on the opening day of the first Test against England in Multan on Monday.
Mohammad Rizwan Sport News
Pakistan To Appoint 3 Separate Captains? Reports Says "Things Not So Simple..."
Pakistan could have separate cricket captains in all three formats, given the heavy schedule of the side and the pressure it could put on one white-ball skipper, according to sources. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was expected to hand over Babar Azam ODI captaincy as well for the upcoming white-ball matches, but the charismatic batter tendered his resignation around midnight on Wednesday to focus on his batting. Insiders suggest that it would not be easy for white-ball head coach, Gary Kirsten or the selection committee to appoint the next captain in the shorter formats.
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi And Other Pakistan Players Await 4 Months Of Salary: Report
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to be criticized. While it was the frequent changes in board members and captaincy that saw it facing backlash, a new issue has come to the fore now. As per reports in Pakistani media, the players of the national team are yet to receive their four months' salary, be it stars like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan or Shaheen Afridi. Not only the men's team, but the Pakistan women's cricket team is also having its four months of salary due.
"Our Cricket In ICU": Pakistan Great's Blunt Take On Babar Azam's Resignation
Pakistan's limited-overs team was leaderless on Wednesday after captain Babar Azam resigned, compounding a management crisis experts say has badly affected the team's international performance. Pakistani cricket is flailing in all formats after a series of stinging losses, with a revolving door of bosses and allegations that nepotism has seeped into the sport. Azam announced his resignation on his personal social media just before midnight on Tuesday, before an official Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement more than 12 hours later.
Not Shaheen Afridi, Report Names This Pakistan Star As Babar Azam's Captaincy Replacement
After star batter Babar Azam announced that he will be stepping down as the white-ball captain of the Pakistan cricket team, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is likely to take his place, according to a report from Geo News. According to the report, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials will hold meetings with Rizwan for team selection. As per the report from Geo News, Babar Azam was not asked to resign from captaincy from the top brass as white-ball coach Gary Kirsten wanted the 29-year-old to lead the side.
"Tata, Bye Bye": Ex-Pakistan Star Fires Brutal Warning To Gary Kirsten
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has warned national team head coach Gary Kirsten that he will be fired from his position after the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan have suffered a number of setbacks in the recent past with the latest one coming in the form of a humiliating 2-0 Test series loss against Bangladesh. Pakistan also had disappointing runs in the ODI World Cup 2023 as well as the T20 World Cup 2024. Basit said that it will be a huge achievement for the Babar Azam-led side if they can reach the Champions Trophy semifinals but added that Kirsten will certainly lose his job.
Fearing Lack Of Communication, PCB To Take This Step To Create Bridge Between Pakistan Players And Coaches
The Pakistan Cricket Board has agreed to form a two-member independent committee which will act as a conduit between the national team players, management and the board. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, following a day-long cricket connect conference on Monday attended by the board's top leadership and foreign coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, assured the players that the committee to look into their grievances would be formed soon.
'Lack Of Unity' Addressed As PCB Host Connection Camp For Pakistan Players And Coaches
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Salman Naseer acknowledged that lack of unity among the team and management was a part of the discussion during the Connection Camp held here. Amid the ongoing turmoil in the Pakistan team, the PCB decided to host a Connection Camp on Monday aimed at establishing a clear and unified vision for the future of Pakistan cricket.