The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 began on February 17 and concluded on March 18.

Organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), as many as six teams played a total of 34 T20 matches across four venues in PSL 2024. 

Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators are the teams that were competing for the PSL 2024 title.

Some of the talented T20 bowlers including the likes of Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Wasim, David Willey, Abbas Afridi, Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali participated in the Pakistan Super League.

Multan Sultans�?Abbas Afridi finished with the most wickets in PSL 2023. The 22-year-old right-arm pacer picked up 23 wickets in 11 matches in the 2023 edition.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan fast bowler Wahab Riaz holds the record for the most wickets in PSL history. Between 2016 and 2023, the left-arm pacer bagged 113 wickets in 88 matches for Peshawar Zalmi.

Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan took the first wicket in PSL 2024. The star leg-spinner dismissed Lahore Qalandars�?opening batter Fakhar Zaman in the opening game of the T20 tournament. 

Peshawar Zalmi leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob became the first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in PSL 2024. Arif Yaqoob recorded match-winning figures of 5/27 against Islamabad United to help his side win the game by eight runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Apart from Yaqoob, the likes of Mohammad Ali, David Willey, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Usama Mir were in contention to be the top wicket-taker in PSL 2024.

Here’s a look at the players with most wickets in PSL 2024.

Most wickets in PSL 2024: Know the top wicket-takers in Pakistan Super League

Player	Team	Matches	Wickets
Usama Mir	Multan Sultans	12	24
Mohammad Ali	Multan Sultans	12	19
Abrar Ahmed	Quetta Gladiators	10	16
David Willey	Multan Sultans	11	15
Akeal Hosein	Quetta Gladiators	10	15
Naseem Shah	 Islamabad United	 11	15
Shaheen Afridi	Lahore Qalandars	9	14
Hasan Ali	Karachi Kings	10	14
 Shadab Khan	 Islamabad United	12	14
Abbas Afridi	Multan Sultans	9	13

Photo credit: Alamy

India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi share the record for the most wickets in first over for a bowler in T20 cricket. 

Having made his name as an opening swing bowler, right-arm fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar has already bagged 46 wickets in the very first over of T20 matches.

Pakistan’s current T20 international captain Shaheen Shah Afridi is joint-first on the list for the most wickets in first overs for a bowler in T20 cricket. The lethal left-arm pacer has scalped 46 wickets in the first over of T20 games.

The likes of Mohammad Amir, Sohail Tanvir and David Willey are some of the other bowlers who have claimed the most wickets in first over in T20 cricket across both the domestic and international level. Get the top five list.

Most wickets in first over for a bowler in T20 cricket

Player	Wickets
Shaheen Shah Afridi	46
Bhuvneshwar Kumar	46
Mohammad Amir	41
Sohail Tanvir	39
David Willey	37

Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 46 wickets

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been the most successful bowler in providing early strikes in the first over in T20 cricket. Since making his T20 debut in 2009, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer has bagged 46 wickets in the first over in cricket’s shortest format. Among full-member ICC nations, Bhuvneshwar is the bowler to have taken the most wickets (18) in first overs in T20Is. Apart from representing the Indian cricket team and Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit, Bhuvneshwar has played for Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad in the Indian T20 League.

Shaheen Afridi | 46 wickets

Shaheen Afridi has the joint wickets in first over for a bowler in T20 cricket. Known to trouble the batters with his lethal pace bowling, Shaheen Afridi has scalped 46 wickets in the first over in T20 cricket so far. In his short career, Afridi has also donned the jerseys of several T20 franchises including Lahore Qalandars, Comilla Victorians, Welsh Fire and Desert Vipers to name a few. Following his success in the T20I format, he replaced Babar Azam as Pakistan’s new T20I captain. He has taken 13 wickets for Pakistan in his opening overs in T20Is. 

Mohammad Amir | 41 wickets

Another Pakistan left-arm fast bowler, Mohammad Amir, is third on the list. Having made his T20 debut in 2008, Amir has picked up 41 wickets in the opening over in the shortest format. Amir finished as one of Pakistan’s leading wicket-takers in T20I format. Additionally, the experienced pacer played for numerous franchises across the globe. Bangla Tigers, Barbados Royals, Chittagong Vikings, Desert Vipers, Fortune Barishal, Galle Gladiators, Jamaica Tallawahs, Karachi Kings, Khulna Tigers and Quetta Gladiators are some of the teams that Amir has represented so far.

Sohail Tanvir | 39 wickets

Just like Shaheen Afridi and Mohammed Amir, another former Pakistan left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir features next on the list. Having tormented the batters with his unorthodox left arm bowling action, Sohail Tanvir took 39 wickets in the first over in T20 cricket. Along with a successful T20I career for the national side, Tanvir spearheaded bowling attacks for several franchises including Guyana Amazon Warriors, Kandy Tuskers, Karachi Kings, Multan Sultans, Quetta Gladiators, Team Rajasthan, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and St Lucia Zouks. His bowling played a key role in Rajasthan winning the inaugural Indian T20 League in 2008.

David Willey | 37 wickets

England’s David Willey completes the top five list. The talented left-arm pacer has been a wicket-taker for any side that he plays for in cricket’s shortest format. Since his T20 debut in 2009, Willey has scalped 37 wickets in the opening over of T20 matches. The bowling all-rounder has taken 15 wickets in his first overs for England so far. Having made his name as a T20 specialist, Willey has also donned jerseys of Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Bangla Tigers, Team Chennai, Durban’s Super Giants, Multan Sultans, Perth Scorchers, Team Bangalore and Welsh Fire in the various T20 leagues. 

Photo credit: Alamy

Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir has said that he found it easier to bowl to Rohit Sharma than to Virat Kohli as he felt that the former struggles against both incoming and away-going deliveries from a left-armer.

“I haven't found it tough bowling to either. In fact, I find it easy to bowl to him (Rohit). I feel that I can get him out both ways. He struggles against the inswinger from a left-armer as well as against the ball that goes away early on,�?Amir told Cricwick.

“I may say that I find bowling to Virat slightly tougher because he revels in pressure situations, but otherwise, I've never found it difficult bowling to either of the two.�?/span>

Mohammad Amir had famously dismissed both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the space of his first 10 deliveries in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval in London. 

Rohit went leg-before third ball as he missed an incoming delivery. Kohli edged one going across him but was dropped at first slip by Azhar Ali. The very next ball, his ninth, Kohli tried to push a similarly angled, and fuller, delivery to the leg side but was caught by Shadab Khan at backward point off the leading edge.

Amir said that it was Australian Steve Smith who he found the toughest to bowl to. “I find it most difficult to bowl to Steve Smith. Because his technique is very difficult,�?Amir said. “He stands in such an angle that you don’t understand where to bowl to him.�?/span>

The 29-year old pacer -- who had been banned for five years for spot-fixing against England at Lord’s in 2010 -- had shocked fans with his retirement last year. He lamented the lack of support from the Pakistan team management, saying that when a player does not do well, it is said that he is finished. 

“When a player doesn't perform even after getting ample chances, the management must tell the player to go back to domestic cricket and perform so that he could make a comeback into the national team. But here they say his career is over, he is not good enough anymore,�?he added.

Featured photo: AFP / Adrian Dennis

The Pakistan cricket team made its entry into international cricket in 1952, and since then, its erratic journey and unpredictable results has always kept it in the news.

The highs of the Pakistan national cricket team are mostly associated with their steady stream of talented players like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi and current sensation Babar Azam.

And with respect to their lows, Pakistan have been plagued with disciplinary issues, ball-tampering, match-fixings and the mismanagement of players by the Pakistan Cricket Board over their long stay.

Here we showcase the moments that proved to be key highlights of the Pakistan cricket team’s journey across all formats of cricket over the decades.

First Test win in only second match

The Pakistan cricket team registered their maiden Test victory in only their second Test match. Incidentally, it was against their arch-rivals India in Lucknow.

India, led by Lala Amarnath, opted to bat first but were bowled out for just 106 thanks to Fazal Mahmood who recorded Pakistan’s first five-wicket haul in Test cricket. Riding on Nazar Mohammad’s unbeaten 125, Pakistan posted 331 on the scoreboard and once again had Mahmood torment India with a spell of 7/42 to script a win by an innings and 43 runs. While Pakistan lost the first and third Tests, the early win showed that they were no pushovers in international cricket.

First Test win on English soil

In 1954, just two years into international cricket, Pakistan entered the record books by becoming the first team to win a Test match in its inaugural tour of England.

In the first three matches of the four-match rain-marred Test series, England had won one while two were drawn but in the finale played at the Oval, Pakistan was set to script history.

On this day 1954. Fazal Mahmood's figures of 12 for 99 help Pakistan beat England by 24 runs at the Oval #Cricket pic.twitter.com/KGdaYiYIdl

�?Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) August 17, 2015

Electing to bat first, the low-scoring encounter saw the Men in Green muster only 130 but his back by bowling out the hosts for 133. Pakistan, however, couldn’t capitalise as they were dismissed for just 164 in the second innings. It proved to be enough. Fazal Mahmood, eventually named Man of the Match, followed up on his six-wicket haul from the first innings with yet another six wickets to hand the Pakistan cricket team a 24-run win and one of their greatest Test victories.

Wasim Raja’s drunken acts

The 1970s and 1980s was a troubling phase for the Pakistan cricket team, as they were locked in a bitter relationship with the cricket board and the government. And one of the victims was their talented all-rounder Wasim Raja.

Wasim, the older brother of former cricketer and commentator Rameez Raja, infamously unzipped his pants in front of the audience in the 1975 Karachi Test against the West Indies, with the local press reporting that he played the game in a drunken state.

Wasim Raja’s love for alcohol continued as he went into a drunken rage, smashing the mirrors for failing to make the cut in the 1976-77 Sydney Test against Australia, and he went on to accuse the team manager, Shujauddin, of favouritism.

Imran Khan anchors Pakistan’s first Test win Down Under

After a three-year drought in Test cricket, the Pakistan cricket team pulled off one of their greatest international victories in years thanks to Imran Khan’s six-wicket hauls in each innings of the 1976-77 Sydney Test.

Pakistan were 0-1 down in the three-match series, and new captain Mushtaq Mohammad’s usage of Imran Khan, who had just played 10 Tests by then, proved to be a masterstroke for the visitors. His first innings spell of 6/102 restricted the Aussies to 211, astonishing the hosts and the audience alike as the Kangaroos were outright favourites to win the Test.

Imran returned with a second six-wicket haul to bowl out Australia for 180, paving the way for Pakistan to need just 32 runs to pull off the greatest upset at that point of time.

Javed Miandad’s six that won a final vs India

While MS Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup-winning six is undeniably the greatest moment in modern cricket history, a certain Javed Miandad’s six in the final of the 1986 Austral - Asia Cup against India not only redefined the rivalry between the countries, but it turned the then 29-year-old into a national icon.

Imran Khan, the Pakistan captain, oversaw his team march past the formidable Australia and a helpless New Zealand, against whom they registered a 10-wicket win in the team’s lowest-scoring ODI encounter ever, to book a date with India.

#OnThisDay 1986. Javed Miandad with the six that broke a billion hearts #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Pf24AqRSYp

�?Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) April 18, 2020

Pakistan�?chase of 246 faltered along the way, and when they needed 90 runs to win in the last ten overs, Javed Miandad got the target down to 11 runs required from the last over. After losing two wickets and needing four off the last delivery, it was now or never for Miandad to deny Kapil Dev’s men a one-wicket victory. Instead, he hit a six. The 20,000-odd fans at Sharjah went into a frenzy and the incident has gone down as one of the most memorable moments in cricket history.

Unpredictables win 1992 Cricket World Cup

Pakistan cricket team’s journey at the 1992 Cricket World Cup was far from perfect, as their one win from their opening five fixtures left them on the cusp of a premature exit. But Imran Khan’s ‘Cornered Tigers�?quickly regained their footing with wins in their final three fixtures. In the semi-final, Pakistan pulled off a difficult run chase -- they needed eight runs an over in the final 14 overs -- against New Zealand to book a place in the final.

#OnThisDay in 1992, the Imran Khan-led Pakistan were crowned ICC Men's Cricket World Cup champions for the first time after beating England in the final in Melbourne by 22 runs.pic.twitter.com/ugiWjeYhyK

�?Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 25, 2020

After Pakistan set England a target of 250 to chase in the final, Graham Gooch’s side was reduced to 69/4 and the English saw their chances of winning plummet after Wasim Akram’s twin strike in the 35th over. Eventually, Imran Khan, in the last moment of his ODI career, took the final wicket of Richard Illingworth to seal a fairytale victory. Pakistan’s world cup win is remembered as one of the landmark moments in the history of the sport.

Match-fixing stings Pakistan

The Pakistan cricket team of the 1990s was arguably one of the greatest in its history, but it also became synonymous for alleged involvement in match-fixing.

Rashid Latif, former captain and wicket-keeper, disclosed that Saleem Malik accepted bribes during Pakistan’s tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe in 1995. A judicial inquiry started probing the then Pakistan captain Ata-ur Rehman.

While the saga went on for 18 months, the players were finally banned for life and Wasim Akram, who failed to cooperate with the inquiry, was fined £3,300. Additionally, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul Haq, Akram Raza, and Saeed Anwar also received fines of £1200 each.

Ball-tamperings in 2006 and 2010

While they were still reeling from the match-fixing scandal, the Pakistan cricket team found itself amidst two ball-tampering scandals in 2006 and 2010, with the latter centred around Shahid Afridi.

In the 2006 Test at the Oval against England, umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove called out the Pakistanis for ball-tampering and awarded five penalty runs to the hosts. The fixture was later abandoned with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who was cleared of ball-tampering, being banned for four matches for bringing the game to disrepute.

In contrast to the 2006 incident, Shahid Afridi was caught on camera trying to bite the ball to alter its shape in their ODI game against Australia at Perth in 2010. The all-rounder pleaded guilty to the charge and the event significantly impacted his career that was constantly ridden with controversial decisions.

Bob Woolmer’s mysterious death

While the Pakistan cricket team’s 2007 Cricket World Cup defeat at the hands of debutants Ireland had already grabbed the biggest headlines, the death of then-head coach Bob Woolmer took the sporting world aback.

 

The Englishman, who was found unconscious in his hotel room, was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The mystery behind his death is still unresolved to this very day, with multiple theories based on the match-fixing and behind-the-scenes player tensions are woven.

T20 World Cup retribution

Pakistan, still healing from the violent attacks on the Sri Lankan team bus during the two nations�?Test series in 2009, entered that year’s T20 World Cup as underdogs but rode on the sheer brilliance of Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul to lift the title.

 

Incidentally, Pakistan locked horns against Sri Lanka in the 2009 T20 World Cup final that bore the burden of the Lahore tragedy earlier that year. But, the Men in Green showcased maturity and grit to capture the country’s second piece of ICC silverware since Imran Khan’s triumph in Australia.

Spot-fixing, a new scandal to hit Pakistan

Happy times didn’t last long for the Pakistan cricket team as three players, Mohammad Amir, Mohammed Asif and captain Salman Butt, were found guilty of spot-fixing in a Test match between Pakistan and England at Lord's in 2010. Consequently, they were given professional bans for a period of five, seven and 10 years respectively.

An undercover operation by News of the World brought forward the evidence that the three Pakistan cricket team players accepted money from bookmaker Mazhar Majeed to deliberately underperform at key moments in the Test match.

This event not only cast a shadow on the image of the Pakistan cricket team but also saw more than 80 of the nation’s previous matches coming under the scanner.

The unexpected 2017 Champions Trophy victory

Pakistan entered the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy as the lowest-ranked team in the competition but proved doubters wrong as they trounced arch-rivals India by 180 runs in the final.

After their opening loss to tournament favourites India, the Men in Green were completely written off from the competition. But they won their next two matches and once they stunned hosts England in the semi-final, Pakistan were expected to play out a thriller against India in the final at London.

Pakistan’s matches against India in ICC tournaments have been largely one-sided with the Men in Blue favourites.

 

But Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first in the final backfired as Pakistan punished the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to plot a mammoth score of 339.

Sloppy starts and failure to build upon strong batting partnerships cost India the Champions Trophy title and thus, Pakistan once again pulled off an odds-defying triumph to consolidate their status as cricket’s most unpredictable team.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / GLYN KIRK

The inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League is set to take off in Hambantota after a lot of hullabaloo regarding the venue and interest around the league. Planned for as early as 2018, it is now that the Lanka Premier League has generated enough buzz to stage a full-fledged tournament. The five teams have stocked up on some exciting talents from across the globe. We bring to you the most interesting overseas buys from each of these teams.

Kamran Akmal (Dambulla Hawks)

With 496 runs in 19 T20 games in 2020, Pakistan's wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal is a handy player in the shortest format of the game. He boasts of a strike-rate of 147.62 in the format in 2020 and is a terrific option in the powerplay overs where he consistently clears the infield with his inside out shots. Akmal will be a big part of Dambulla's plans this season.

Kyle Abbott (Jaffna Stallions)

Kyle Abbott has been away from the international scenes for a while, but the South Africa pacer has been plying his trade in England rather successfully. A swing bowler who can nail his yorkers in the death, Abbott is handy against the top-order and the tail and is a smart buy from Jaffna Stallions. They also have the likes of Duanne Olivier in their ranks and will hope the two South Africans can form a good pair at the top for them to strike early in a game.

Qais Ahmad (Colombo Kings)

An underrated T20 bowler, Qais Ahmad is a right-arm leg-break bowler capable of keeping big hitters silent with his smart variations. The spinner has had success in the Big Bash League and the Caribbean Premier League, and is a terrific bowler to have in your ranks in this format of the game. Not scared of tossing the ball up or bowling a bouncer to surprise batsmen, Qais can be a handful resource if used right. Colombo will hope to make him their x-factor for the inaugural season.

Mohammad Amir (Galle Gladiators)

Still one of the best top-tail bowlers in T20 cricket, Amir can swing the ball upfront and keep batsmen at bay with his terrific death bowling. In the Pakistan Super League qualifier last week, Amir defended 13 runs in the Super Over, keeping the likes of Rilee Rossouw and Ravi Bopara silent with his impeccable yorkers. It was hailed as one of the best Super Over performances in recent times. Galle will hope to bank on Amir for a good start and to contain big hitters in the death.

Naveen-ul-Haq (Kandy Tuskers)

The Afghanistan pacer is a slow ball master and has a bag of tricks to use against batsmen in this format. Naveen is a tricky customer in T20s as the West Indies came to know in a T20 series against Afghanistan. He later played a pivotal role with the ball in the recent Caribbean Premier League season for the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Naveen is a handful on slow wickets and could be a potential game-changer in the latter half of the tournament when the wickets wear out.

Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @iamamirofficial

After rain washed out the first T20I following just 16 overs of action, England and Pakistan will resume their three-match series with the second T20I at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester.

We take a look at two players from each side that will take centre-stage.

Johnny Bairstow

The English opener had a rather tame outing in the first T20I, scoring just two off four deliveries before hitting one straight back to bowler Imad Wasim.

The 30-year old has hit just two fifties in his 16 T20Is and is due a big score. With the IPL right around the corner, the opener will be aiming to get a big one before heading to the UAE.

Imad Wasim

All-rounder Imad Wasim continued to deal damage with the ball in England, picking up two wickets while conceding just 31 in his quota of four overs.

Wasim has a terrific record with the ball in England in T20Is. Before the first T20I, the all-rounder had picked up 15 wickets at a terrific economy rate of 6.11 and an incredible strike rate 14.80. The 31-year-old added to his wickets tally in the first T20I and is likely to continue the same form in the second game as well.

Eoin Morgan

Skipper Eoin Morgan had a rather disappointing outing in the first match, scoring just 14 off 10 before being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed.

However, the match could be a one-off for the captain, who has been terrific in T20Is since the start of 2019. Before the first T20I, Morgan had struck 404 runs at an insane average of 50.50 and a strike rate of 171.91 in 12 matches since the start of 2019.

Morgan may have failed with the bat in the first T20I, but that is likely to just spur the 33-year-old to respond in strong fashion in the upcoming match.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi's stock continues to rise after the youngster had another good outing in the first T20I in Manchester.

The 20-year-old bowled two overs and gave away just 10 and was surely going to bowl at the death but rain played spoilsport and the match had to be abandoned after just 16.1 overs.

Afridi is quickly becoming Pakistan's most reliable pace option in all three formats of the game and will be one of the key men for the visitors in the 2nd T20I.

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Feature image courtesy: AFP / Mike Hewitt

After getting the better of Pakistan in the Test series, England will be hoping for another series victory over the tourists in the upcoming three-match T20I series. Players from both teams will be eager to make an impression as the action returns to Manchester following two Tests at Southampton. With the first T20I between the teams slated to begin from Friday, we have a look at a few potential difference-makers from both sides.

Tom Banton

One of the most exciting youngsters to have emerged from English cricket since the days of Kevin Pietersen, Tom Banton will be keen to show the rest of the world what he is capable of in the T20Is against Pakistan. Blessed with an abundance of talent, Banton has all the shots in the book and comes with a similar batting style to that of Pietersen’s.

A top-order batsman, he enjoyed a breakthrough season with Somerset in 2019. However, he still needs to translate his county performances for country and will be confident in his ability to do the same after scoring 58 in his last outing in national colours during England’s final ODI against Ireland.

David Willey

The English all-rounder will be looking to kick on and re-establish himself in the limited-overs setup after making a successful return to the team in the recent ODI series against Ireland. Willey, who was an agonising last-minute exclusion from England’s World Cup-winning squad last year, has looked like a man on a mission ever since his return to the team and proved what he can do with the bat as well as the ball against Ireland.

He took eight wickets in three games against the Irish, including a career-best of 5-for-30. Willey will also be a threat while batting, having looked solid with the willow in hand and whacking an unbeaten 47 and 51 in his two innings against Ireland.

Babar Azam

Unsurprisingly, Babar Azam will be Pakistan’s most prized wicket against the English on Friday. Azam managed to get starts in all three matches against England in the Test series but failed to convert any of them into a century. However, the change of approach to his batting in the T20Is could suit Azam’s style.

He scored an unbeaten 63 in his last outing for Pakistan in the Tests and will be confident about being amongst the runs in the T20Is at Manchester, having scored 69 in the first innings of the only Test between the teams at the same venue earlier this month.

Mohammad Amir

The left-arm fast bowler has always enjoyed bowling in England and thrived in those conditions in the past. After retiring from Tests in July of last year to prolong his limited-overs career, Mohammad Amir’s focus has been on the shorter formats of the game.

One of the best exponents of swing, Amir will be relishing the opportunity of bowling in England and keeping things tight, at the very least. He’s already played T20 matches this season having participated in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year. Amir, though, wasn’t always at his rhythmic best in the last edition of the PSL and will look to make amends with Pakistan’s national team at the expense of the English batsmen.

If you wish to raise the stakes further, Sportsbet.io has even more to offer!

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Mike Hewitt

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

Teenage cricketing sensations Haider Ali and Naseem Shah have been picked for Pakistan's tour of England next month, continuing the country's tradition of throwing young players in at the deep end.

Pakistan's 29-member squad will begin the tour with at least a month of training in a 'bio-secure' environment, before the series of three Tests and three Twenty20 internationals gets cracking on August 5.

Seventeen-year-old pacer Shah will be a star attraction, having become the youngest bowler ever to take a Test hat-trick in February after only debuting in Australia last year.

Haider's inclusion, at the age of 19, will also spark excitement after he scored 107 runs in the Under-19 World Cup this year, followed by 218 runs in the Emerging Teams Cup in Bangladesh.

He also tallied 645 runs -- including a century in the final -- in Pakistan's premier domestic tournament Quaid-e-Azam Trophy last year.

Read | Pakistan axes training camp ahead of England tour over virus fears

Chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said the selection of the unusually large team was difficult.

"The selectors have picked a squad which gives us the best chance of success in England. It was a challenging process as the players have not played for an extended period of time," said Misbah.

Middle-order batsman Haris Sohail was the only player who pulled out of the tour due to virus fears, while fast bowler Mohammad Amir -- sentenced in a spot-fixing case in UK in 2010 -- withdrew to attend the birth of his second child in August.

Amir was part of Pakistan's tours in 2016 and 2018 after completing his five-year ban for spot-fixing.

Middle-order batsman Fawad Alam, a prolific scorer in domestic events but who has not been given a chance in a Test team since 2009, made the squad.

Wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed, sacked as captain and excluded from all three formats last year in a surprise move, will also tour England and has a chance to play in the Twenty20 series.

Read | Pakistan chief optimistic about England tour

Fast bowler Sohail Khan was recalled after playing his latest Test in December 2016.

Spinners Bilal Asif and Mohammad Nawaz, opener Imran Butt, fast bowler Musa Khan are named as reserves in case any of the players fail pre-tour virus testing, which will be carried out on 20 and 25 June, said Misbah.

Pakistan will play Tests in Manchester (August 5-9) and Southampton (August 13-17 and 21-25).

The three Twenty20 internationals will all be played in Southampton on August 28, 30 and September 1.

Squad: Azhar Ali (Test captain), Babar Azam (Twenty20 captain), Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan, Yasir Shah

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Aamir Qureshi

When Mohammad Amir bowled a no-ball against England on the opening day of the 2010 Test at Lord's, no one could have imagined his long stride past the crease marked the first step in a historic fixing scandal.

Two days later it was revealed that three no-balls -- two by Amir, and one by his pace partner Mohammad Asif -- had been part of a shady betting deal.

Pakistan's captain Salman Butt had orchestrated the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist Mazhar Majeed posing as a bookmaker.

The scandal, exposed in the sting by Britain's now-defunct News of the World tabloid, rocked the cricketing world, and aftershocks can still be felt a decade on in Pakistan.

Not only did that dark morning at the revered 'home of cricket' derail the careers of three players who were banned and jailed, the saga also led to calls for Pakistan to be booted from international cricket.

Butt, Amir and Asif were tried in a London court for offences under the Gambling Act and were jailed in November 2011.

Announcing the sentences, the judge underscored the severity of the crime.

"The image and integrity of what was once a game, but is now a business, is damaged in the eyes of all, including the many youngsters who regarded three of you as heroes," Justice Jeremy Cooke said.

It marked a new low for Pakistan cricket, already reeling from the aftermath of terror attacks in Lahore on the Sri Lankan team a year before, which triggered the suspension of home internationals.

Because he pleaded guilty earlier than his two teammates, and on account of his youth, the 18-year-old Amir received worldwide sympathy. 

He was allowed to play international cricket again in 2016 and, now 28, has been successfully reintegrated into the Pakistan team.

Asif, who received a seven-year ban and a one-year prison sentence, is now 37 and in the twilight of his career. 

Butt, 35, still harbours hopes of an international comeback after consistent domestic performances.

As the orchestrator of one of the darkest episodes in the cricket-mad country's history, that seems unlikely, especially with match-fixing still haunting the game.

Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were banned after a Pakistan Super League spot-fixing case in 2017.

And in April this year, the talented-yet-maverick Umar Akmal was banned in April for three years for failing to report fixing offers.

- Trouble shooting - 

The cases have led to calls for the country to criminalise fixing, a campaign taken up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

"We need to make match-fixing a criminal offence... I have talked to the government to bring in this change and make a law related to match-fixing," PCB chairman Ehsan Mani said.

Former Pakistan captain-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja went a step further, recommending tainted players should not play again for the national team, as Pakistan contemplate the return of Sharjeel after serving his ban.

"We have suffered numerous times from bringing back tainted players yet we continue to welcome them just because of their talent," Raja told AFP.

"We should avoid being desperate and rather give new talent a chance to prosper. 

"Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image."

On the field at least, Pakistan have managed to lift the clouds. 

They found an astute skipper to replace Butt in Misbah-ul-Haq, who had been contemplating retirement after being left out for infamous England tour. 

He led Pakistan to number one in the Test rankings in 2016. 

A tentative return of international touring sides has followed, culminating in Azhar Ali having the honour of leading Pakistan in their first Test on home soil in 10 years when Sri Lanka played in Rawalpindi in December.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Carl Court, Facunda Arrizabalaga

Pakistan fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz have lost their central contracts after the pair decided to focus on white-ball cricket, officials said Wednesday, as selectors promote younger pacemen.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also confirmed Azhar Ali as Test captain and Babar Azam as one-day and Twenty20 captain for the upcoming season starting in July.

Eighteen players in three categories received central contracts guaranteeing their monthly salaries and benefits for 12 months.

The exclusion of Amir and Riaz comes as young fast bowlers are given a chance, with 17-year-old pace sensation Naseem Shah included in the 'C' category for the first time.

Naseem became the youngest Test bowler in history to take a five-wicket haul in an innings and a hat-trick in consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka (December 2019) and Bangladesh (February 2020) in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

Another young pacer Shaheen Shah was bumped up to the "A" group after he featured in all three formats for Pakistan in the past 12 months.

"The selectors have made the tough decisions to leave out Amir and Wahab but considering Amir and Wahab decided to focus on white-ball cricket this was the right move," chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq said.

The move by the PCB comes after Amir announced his retirement from Test cricket at the age of 28, and after Riaz took an indefinite break from Tests to focus on Twenty20 matches.

Former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and leg-spinner Yasir Shah were demoted from 'A' to 'B' category after lacklustre performances, while injured fast bowler Hasan Ali also lost his contract.

Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests, six one-day internationals and 20 T20Is, besides the Asia Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020, but that will depend on the coronavirus outbreak.

The PCB has also created a new Emerging Players' Category. The first inductees are Haider Ali and fast bowlers Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain.

PCB Men's Central Contract List for 2020-21:

Category A: Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Category B: Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Shan Masood, Yasir Shah

Category C: Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Naseem Shah, Usman Shinwari
Emerging Players' Category: Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Munir Uz Zaman