Pakistan Cricket

Pakistan will face England in the semi-finals of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy after they defeated Sri Lanka by three wickets at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Monday. 

Sarfraz Ahmed sent his side into the last four of the tournament after helping piece together a big comeback for Pakistan, who were chasing down a rather feeble-looking Sri Lanka score of 236.

Neither team was perfect on the day, with Sri Lanka setting too modest a target considering the competition they faced, although Pakistan will consider this a performance to build from, too, as they chase the finished product.

By beating Sri Lanka, Pakistan became the fourth and final team to advance to the semis of this year's competition, with Bangladesh set to clash against India in the other fixture.

Read on for a recap of Monday's entertainment, complete with a preview of the upcoming semi-final slate.

Visit ESPNcricinfo.com for more details on Monday's result and the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan

Pakistan (Ahmed 61, Pradeep 3/60) bt. Sri Lanka (Dickwella 73, Khan 3/40) by three wickets.

Monday's meeting pitted two of cricket's heavyweights against one another in search of the last semi-final place, and although it produced great entertainment, it was, in some ways, for the wrong reasons.

Niroshan Dickwella's 73 off 86 balls was Sri Lanka's highest individual score by some distance, and commentator Harsha Bhogle commented on their lack of big batting figures aside from him and Angelo Mathews:

Unfortunately for them, both batsmen were out by the time they reached 162 runs, and the second half of the order proved inconsistent by comparison, adding only another 70 runs or so more following their exit.

A successful Pakistani chase was on the cards by all accounts, a campaign that was boosted by the form of their early openers, with Azhar Ali and Fakhar Zaman combining for 84 runs at one and two in the order.

Tensions did rise for Pakistan when Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez and Ali all fell within 18 runs of one another, and coach Mickey Arthur's side hit a mid-match lull in tempo that threatened to throw off their pursuit.

Ahmed arose at the right time, though, and combined late on with bowler Mohammad Amir, who drew great praise for his unbeaten 28 from ex-India international Sanjay Manjrekar:

Sri Lanka were also to blame for their own inability to finish the game, however, and Ahmed got off easy when Lasith Malinga's bowl coaxed him into an error, only for his fielders to drop the begging chance.

And that was a particular error they would come to regret as Ahmed and Co edged nearer to the win they needed to qualify, sealing the deal with a four from their captain that Chief Minister of Punjab, Shehbaz Sharif, took note of:

Former India international Mohammad Kaif spotted weakness in Sri Lanka before praising the victors, however, seemingly unimpressed with the fielding display he just watched:

Pakistan have now beaten Sri Lanka in 10 of the 11 matches they've played against one another in ICC One-Day International tournaments, and it's little wonder when the latter crumbles such as they did on Monday.

England promise to pose a stiff challenge for Pakistan, particularly on home soil, and both teams have only two days' rest before they return to the action at Sophia Gardens.

A Pakistan fan with a very safe pair of hands won the trip of a lifetime on Sunday, when he dived over the advertising boards to reel in a brilliant catch from the crowd during the fifth one-day international against England.

The tourists were motoring towards England's score of 302-9 when Sarfraz Ahmed, who top-scored with 90, launched a huge six off the bowling of Chris Woakes.

The ball sailed over Ben Stokes, who was fielding on the boundary rope, but ended up in the waiting hands of Mateen Sharif, who threw himself forwards to take the impressive catch.

Sharif celebrated wildly with his fellow spectators—and Stokes—perhaps because he knew the catch had just won him a trip to Australia on behalf of lager brand Fosters.

Catches win...vacations?

[Twitter, h/t Cricket Country]

Mohammad Amir recorded sensational figures of 2-6 from his four overs as Pakistan beat the United Arab Emirates in their Asia Cup Twenty20 international match.

The fast bowler, who only returned to international cricket in January after a five-year ban for spot fixing, bowled 21 dot balls as Pakistan restricted their opponents to 129/6 off 20 overs. 

Muhammad Amir still on fire, what a ball. #AsiaCupT20 #PakvUAE #PakvsUae pic.twitter.com/wguesaOmop

— Zeeshan Haider Magsi (@ZHaider514) February 29, 2016

Mohammad Amir now shares the world record of bowling most (21) dot balls in a T20I,with Chris Mpofu (Zim) & Mudassar Bukhari (Net)#PakvsUAE

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) February 29, 2016

21 of 24 balls delivered by M Amir today were dot-balls, conceded only 6 runs, best economy rate in T20Is by a Pakistani (bowling 4 overs).

— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) February 29, 2016

Pakistan struggled initially in their reply, slipping to 17/3 from 3.1 overs, before Umar Akmal (50*) and Shoaib Malik (63*) steadied the ship and provided a late acceleration to reach the target from 18.4 overs.

Amir's figures were the 16th most economical ever recorded in a T20I, per ESPNcricinfo, as Pakistan recorded their first win of the 2016 Asia Cup. 

[Twitter, Instagram]

Mohammad Amir's international recall is the cricketing equivalent of Marmite. Some find it easy to swallow, while it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for others.

Pakistan's decision to include the left-arm pace bowler in their limited-overs squads for the tour to New Zealand was always going to spark a reaction from all quarters.

From the selectors' point of view, it makes perfect sense. In 2015, they won 12 of the 27 one-day games they played in. However, five of those victories came against Zimbabwe, and they rounded out the year with a 3-1 series defeat to England in the United Arab Emirates.

Their form in T20 cricket followed a similar pattern. They won six of their 10 matches during the calendar year, but four of those positive results were over Zimbabwe.

With the International Cricket Council's World Twenty20 tournament looming large on the horizon, and leg-spinner Yasir Shah provisionally suspended for testing positive for a banned substance, Pakistan’s bowling attack needed a spark.

Amir could well provide it, judging by his career numbers in all formats: 

However, picking Amir is about more than just numbers. It is also about digging up part of Pakistan's past that they would much rather forget.

Those statistics came early in his career (an astonishing thing to say for a player still only 23), before he was convicted for spot-fixing during a Test match against England at Lord's in 2010.

At the age of 18, not even close to his prime, his career came to a controversial halt.

He served a short prison sentence for conspiracy to cheat and conspiracy to accept corrupt payments (in return for deliberately bowling no-balls). He was also hit with a five-year ban from all forms of cricket, denying both Pakistan and the game of cricket in general the chance to see one of the brightest young talents blossom on the international stage.

In January 2015, Amir was cleared to play domestic cricket again.

By the end of the year, he had appeared in the Bangladesh Premier League, picking up 14 wickets in nine games for the Chittagong Vikings.

His performances, combined with Pakistan’s recent problems in limited-overs cricket, led to the inevitable happening. Amir was handed the opportunity to rejoin the national team.

Still not even at his peak in terms of age, he has time on his side. He can go some way to making amends for his mistakes with his performances for his country. It is a road to redemption that could go on for a decade or more.

Speaking to Paul Newman of the Daily Mail, Amir said in September 2015: "I let everybody down but I will return with honesty and dignity. I want to make it up to them and I want to do that by representing Pakistan again."

Yet the apology was not enough for some, including two of his international team-mates.

Azhar Ali, Pakistan’s captain in 50-over cricket, and Mohammad Hafeez both initially refused to attend a conditioning camp alongside the returning Amir.

Per Andy Charles of Sky Sports, Azhar even went so far as to resign from his position, only for the Pakistan Cricket Board to persuade him to continue in his role as skipper.

Hafeez, meanwhile, had previously turned down an offer to play for the Chittagong Vikings, telling Umar Farooq of ESPN Cricinfo: "I am not against any individuals. It is about the image of Pakistan cricket. I cannot play with any player who has tarnished and brought a bad name to the country."

The duo's stances were admirable. While Azhar had gone so far as to give up a prestigious position of power, Hafeez had passed up a lucrative short-term contract to stick by his principles.

Both eventually joined up with the rest of Pakistan's 26-man group summoned ahead of the trip to New Zealand, yet it must have made for an interesting first training session when they returned to the fold.

However, some of Amir's colleagues have welcomed him back with open arms. T20 captain Shahid Afridi sent a number of positive tweets on the issue:

New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum also backed Amir, telling Radio Sport (h/t Stuff.co.nz), "the ICC has allowed him to make some steps back into international cricket and we'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

Like the idea of Marmite spread across your slice of toast at breakfast, it's up to the individual to decide how they feel about the situation.

Those who believe in second chances will point to Amir having served his punishment. Therefore, he now deserves to play the game he loves again.

Others will not agree, believing the bowler does not deserve another opportunity.

As Andy Bull wrote in The Spin (h/t the Guardian): "Sports fans love redemption stories. Amir’s may well turn out to be one of the greatest ever told. But don’t expect everyone to buy into it."

If Amir impresses for Pakistan in 50- and 20-over action against the Kiwis in January, a Test recall beckons.

In a twist of fate, Pakistan’s next match in the longest format is against England in July at Lord’s, the same venue where Amir was guilty of over-stepping the front line on purpose six years earlier.

Should he play in the first Test of the series with England, it will begin a new chapter in Amir's up-and-down story. Don't expect the story to end there, though.

And, just like an opinion on Marmite, some will never change their minds over whether it is right for Amir to be back playing at all. That is the price he will have to pay for making a monumental error in judgement.

All statistics used in the article are provided by ESPN Cricinfo

Having won their two-match Twenty20 series comfortably, Pakistan now take on hosts Zimbabwe in three one-day internationals at Harare starting on Thursday.

The tourists have dominated the Chevrons at every turn this year, so the home side will be playing for pride as much as anything when the two sides take to the field once more.

Read on for a full preview of the first ODI complete with a prediction as to who will take the vital 1-0 lead in the series.

Date: Thursday, October 1

Time: 8:30 a.m. BST, 3:30 a.m. ET

Prediction: Pakistan go 1-0 up

Preview

In May, Zimbabwe became the first team to tour in Pakistan for six years and returned home without winning any of their two T20s or three ODIs.

Indeed, they barely provided a challenge for the Men in Green. 

Particularly poor was their bowling. In the first ODI, they conceded 375 runs and took just three wickets, allowing Pakistan to cruise to victory by 41 runs.

While they have perhaps improved slightly with the ball this time around—they limited Pakistan to 136 in both of their T20s, with Chamu Chibhabha, Tinashe Panyangara and Luke Jongwe each standing out as they took three wickets apiece and bowled a combined 52 dot balls—their performance at the crease is now something of a worry.

In both matches Pakistan batted first to set the 136 total, and on both occasions the Chevrons never looked likely to catch them as only two players scored more than 20 runs in each match. Indeed, 11 players didn't even reach double figures.

Broadcaster Mirza Iqbal Baig highlighted Zimbabwe's batting as their main weakness:

Against the likes of Imad Wasim, who was especially impressive in the T20s as he bagged five wickets, it's difficult to see Zimbabwe racking up a significant total in the one-day series.

The hosts' recent form also indicates a possible mental hurdle they've yet to overcome.

As well as restricting Pakistan to a realistic target twice and failing to make the chase both times, they also failed to take advantage of strong positions in their recent ODI series with India, in which they lost 3-0.

According to ESPN Cricinfo's Liam Brickhill, following the first T20 defeat to Pakistan Zimbabwe's Chibhabha said:

We don't want to be the same sort of players that always get close but don't win matches. When we played the first match (ODI) against India, we lost by three or four runs. Today we lost by 13 runs. It's not good enough. It's time to start winning games, especially when you get opportunities like this.

Moving forward, it's not every day that you get to chase 137 in a T20 game against Pakistan. It's really disappointing from us as players, especially the batting unit. If you want to win games, we have to execute.

However, they did just the same in the second match, and this lack of a winning mentality will likely prove decisive in the ODI series too.

Pakistan's batting lineup are hardly in vintage form themselves, but nevertheless they were comfortable victors in both T20s.

If Zimbabwe find themselves in a promising position, nerves will likely creep in and allow the visitors back into the match.

The experience of the tourists will allow them to exploit that to their advantage to take a 1-0 lead in the series and perhaps a whitewash overall. If they can do that, they'll be full of confidence when they take on England in a lengthy series across October and November.

Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram has escaped unhurt after his car was fired at in Karachi on Wednesday during a "road rage" incident.

Continue for updates.

Arrest Made in Shooting; Culprit Obtains Anticipatory Bail 

Monday, Aug. 10

"The main suspect in the road rage incident involving former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has obtained [an] anticipatory bail from a sessions court here today," reported Press Trust of India (h/t CricketCountry.com), which added:

The sessions court granted pre-arrest bail to Major [retd.] Amirul Rehman, who is said to be the unidentified person who first aimed a gun at Wasim and then fired a bullet at his car last Wednesday after a road accident near the National Stadium. According to a police official, the sessions court judge Nadeem Ahmed Khan granted pre-arrest bail court against a surety bond of Rs. 30,000 after the retired Major had submitted an application for interim bail.

The judge, however, said the bail has to be reconfirmed at the next hearing on [Aug. 20]. 

The Press Trust of India (h/t NDTV Sports) reported police arrested a man for shooting at Akram's car on Aug. 8:

"The police have detained one suspect after raid on his home in Quaidabad's Daud Chowrangi locality," [Deputy Inspector General] Karachi-East Zone Munir Ahmed Shaikh was quoted as saying by Dawn News.

He said the arrested suspect is the driver of the vehicle which hit the legendary cricketer's car on the busy road of Karsaz area here on Wednesday that resulted in an exchange of words and the reported shooting. 

As noted by NDTV Sports on Aug. 5, the former Test captain was travelling from his home to the national stadium as part of a new coaching assignment he has assumed with the Pakistan Cricket Board. The piece went on to explain the reported circumstances surrounding the attempted shooting and Akram's reaction:

Akram's car was caught in a traffic accident and an altercation followed. During this exchange, someone fired and a bullet hit the tyre of Akram's car, in what seems to be a case of road rage.

Police said Akram was not the intended target but was lucky to escape the bullet. However, the 49-year-old legend said the car deliberately rammed into his vehicle from behind. Akram was not at the wheels.

"A car hit mine, I stopped him and then his guy stepped out and fired at my car," he said live on the Express News channel.

"He was definitely an official, I have noted the number of the car and given it to the police.”

As noted by ESPN Cricinfo, Akram escaped unharmed from the incident. In the aforementioned piece, Arsalan Hyder, Akram's manager, said the assailants “tried to jam his car to one side and opened fire.”

Akram also told Geo News that one of the bullets barely missed him before making contact with the car wheel.

Geo News noted that Deputy Inspector General Shaikh has retrieved CCTV footage of the incident to be examined. The police have ruled out the prospect of a premeditated attack on Akram, saying to the media that “it is a classic case of road rage,” per Faraz Khan of the Express Tribune.

Akram is described as "perhaps the best left-arm fast bowler of all time" by ESPN Cricinfo. The former Pakistan captain took 414 Test wickets and 502 more dismissals in one-day international matches in his distinguished career.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka quickly turn their focus to Twenty20 cricket as they kick off their two-match series in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday.

The visitors followed up their 2-1 Test series victory with a 3-2 triumph in the one-dayers, meaning they have the chance to sweep their hosts before heading home.

Both T20 games will be staged at the R Premadasa Stadium, with the second fixture taking place on Saturday.

Date: Thursday, 30 July

Start time: 7 p.m. local time/2:30 p.m. BST

Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Live stream and TV info: Ten Cricket and PTV Sports (Pakistan), Rupavahini Corporation (Sri Lanka), Zee Cinema (UK—subscription required)

Weather: Per AccuWeather, early showers should clear to allow a full game in the evening. There is a slim chance of further rain, but it will still be hot with temperatures at 27 degrees.

Overview

Sri Lanka have only lost twice in their last 13 outings in the shortest format of the game.

Their excellent run of form includes winning the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh in April last year, though they are now missing some notable names from the side who toppled India in the final.

With Mahela Jayawardene now retired from international cricket and Kumar Sangakkara only playing in Tests, the time has come for Sri Lanka to move on and look at other options.

The selectors have named five uncapped players in the squad for the games against Pakistan: Binura Fernando, Jeffrey Vandersay, Shehan Jayasuriya, Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjaya de Silva could all make their debuts in the series.

Chief selector Kapila Wijegunawardene said, per ESPN Cricinfo: "We need to get the younger brigade in the stream, so we have a gradual transition leading up to the next World T20 and the 50-over World Cup beyond that."

It is not all about fresh blood, though. There is a recall for Chamara Kapugedera, while Lasith Malinga, left out of the XI that played in the final one-dayer on Sunday, captains the side.

Pakistan, meanwhile, will hope Shahid Afridi can lead them to another series success before the tour comes to an end.

The veteran all-rounder is without the services of Wahab Riaz, who had been initially named in the 15-man squad in the hope he would be fit to feature.

However, according to Sky Sports, the left-arm paceman failed to recover from a hand injury in time. Zia-ul-Haq—another left-armer—takes Wahab's place.

Although they have plenty of pace options, including the recalled Sohail Tanvir, Pakistan will also hit Sri Lanka with a plethora of slow bowlers.

Among their options is leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who took 24 wickets in the three-Test series.

He also picked up career-best figures of four for 29 in the third ODI, and his outstanding form on the trip means he is now set to play T20 cricket for his country for the first time since 2011.

Pakistan are fortunate that all-rounders Afridi and Shoaib Malik can send down some overs of spin too, though Mohammad Hafeez is playing as a batsman only after being banned from bowling, per BBC Sport.

Selector Wijegunawardene admits Sri Lanka's problems against spin are a major concern, per ESPN Cricinfo: "There is a clear weakness against spin and that needs to be addressed as a matter of priority."

They will hope some fresh faces can help turn the tables against an experienced Pakistan lineup.

Key Players

Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga had a tough time of it in the one-day series: He took just four wickets in four matches at an average of 61.50, while he also went at 6.64 runs per over.

As captain, he now needs to lead from the front in the T20 games. The best way for him to do that is by picking up wickets.

Pakistan

Shoaib Malik impressed with both bat and ball in the five 50-over fixtures against Sri Lanka.

The all-rounder scored 188 runs, and although he didn't actually take a wicket, his off-spin only went at 4.92 runs an over. He will hope to carry that form over into the T20 arena.

Squads

Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Kithruwan Vithanage, Dhananjaya de Silva, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Chamara Kapugedera, Shehan Jayasuriya, Thisara Perera, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Kulasekara, Binura Fernando, Chaturanga de Silva, Milinda Siriwardana

Pakistan

Shahid Afridi (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Nauman Anwar, Mohammad Hafeez, Mukhtar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Sohail Tanvir, Imad Wasim, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Irfan, Zia-ul-Haq