Pakistan Drop Big Name from ODI Squad for Bangladesh Tour In a surprise move, the Pakistan Cricket Board has dropped senior batsman Fakhar Zaman from the One-Day International (ODI) squad for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh. The decision comes as a major blow to the left-handed opener who was expected to be a key player in the series. Fakhar, who has been a regular feature in the Pakistan ODI team, has struggled with form and fitness issues in recent times. Despite this, his exclusion from the squad came as a shock to many, given his experience and ability to make a significant impact on the game. The 31-year-old has played 92 ODIs for Pakistan, scoring over 2,500 runs at an average of 33.65. He was instrumental in Pakistan's Champions Trophy triumph in 2017, where he scored 57 against India in the final. Pakistan's ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour includes a mix of experienced players and younger talent. The team will be led by captain Shadab Khan and will look to build on their recent successes in the format. The Pakistan Cricket Board has not given any official reason for Fakhar's exclusion, but sources suggest that he was struggling with fitness issues and was not considered fit enough for international cricket.#India #Bangladesh #Fakhar_Zaman #Champions_Trophy #Pakistan_Cricket_Board #Shadab_Khan

Pakistan Set For Big Change, Sarfaraz Ahmed To Be Named Test Coach: Report The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to make a significant change in the country's cricket setup as former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed is all set to be named the team's Test coach, according to reports. The development comes after the PCB decided to revamp its coaching structure following a disappointing tour of England and New Zealand. Sarfaraz, who led Pakistan to a Champions Trophy title in 2017, had earlier been sacked as captain and T20 skipper in April last year due to poor form. He has since struggled to find his footing in the game, but it seems that PCB is willing to give him another chance as a coach. The report suggests that Sarfaraz's appointment as Test coach will be announced in the coming days, following which he will start working with the team for their upcoming series against Sri Lanka. The PCB has been under pressure to make some changes after a string of poor performances in international cricket, and Sarfaraz's appointment could be seen as an attempt to inject some fresh ideas into the team. The 37-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has already started working on his coaching badges and is expected to bring his vast experience of playing Test cricket to the role. However, it remains to be seen how successful he will be in his new avatar, given the challenges that come with coaching a Test team. Sarfaraz's appointment as Test coach could also have implications for other positions within the PCB setup, including the role of head coach Misbah-ul-Haq, who has been under pressure due to Pakistan's poor results in recent months. The PCB is expected to make some announcements regarding the future of its coaching staff in the coming days.#PCB #Sri_Lanka #England #New_Zealand #Champions_Trophy #Pakistan_Cricket_Board #Sarfaraz_Ahmed #MisbahulHaq
India Champions Trophy jibe after Pakistan crash out: 'You fossils felt...' Dinesh Karthik, the former India wicketkeeper-batsman, has taken a dig at former England captain Graham Atherton and ex-Pakistan captain Nasser Hussain over their Champions Trophy jibe directed at India. This came after Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament following a loss to New Zealand. During the tournament, Atherton and Hussain had said that India's Champions Trophy title was "not worth much" since it didn't involve top teams like England and Australia. Their comments had sparked a heated debate in Indian cricket circles. Karthik took to social media to respond to their jibe. He tweeted: "You fossils felt the need to make a comment about our #ChampionsTrophy win without even realising that we actually played some of the best teams in the world back then and got the job done! You can keep making jokes but at the end of the day, it's just noise." Karthik's tweet seems to have struck a chord with many Indian cricket fans who felt that Atherton and Hussain were being unfair. The former India cricketer also seemed to be poking fun at their age, using the term "fossils" to describe them. India had won the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni's captaincy, beating both England and Australia in the tournament. While Pakistan did not feature in the final that year, they were part of the same group as India and suffered a loss at their hands. The controversy has added fuel to an already heated debate about the merits of different international cricket tournaments.#India #England #Australia #Pakistan #New_Zealand #MS_Dhoni #Dinesh_Karthik #Graham_Atherton #Nasser_Hussain #Champions_Trophy