Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information, Ata Tarar. File. Photo: XTararAttaullah

Pakistan notched a memorable win against South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday. Chasing a humongous target of 353, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha played two memorable innings of 122 and 134 ad Pakistan win with one over to spare. However, those were not the only aspects of the match which had everyone’s focus. In the first innings, several Pakistan players like Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel and substitute fielder Kamran Ghulam celebrated aggressively against South African batters. 

The acts were termed as ‘shameless’ by social media users.

Shaheen shah Afridi is so immature even after playing international cricket for almost 5 years. pic.twitter.com/YzemYxn6Hb

— Cricket stan (@Cricobserver21) February 12, 2025

This kind of behaviour and that too against THE TEMBA BAVUMA?

What kind of shameless you guys are PCT?

pic.twitter.com/7RvsBRobCQ

— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) February 12, 2025

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken note of the acts and punished the trio. “ICC has imposed fines on the three players for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during their tri-nation series match against South Africa in Karachi on Wednesday,” the ICC said in a release.

“Pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi was fined 25 per cent of his match fee for breaching Article 2.12 of the Code, which pertains to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator) during an International Match.”

The incident occurred in the 28th over of South Africa’s innings when Shaheen deliberately obstructed batter Matthew Breetzke as he ran a single, resulting in physical contact and a heated exchange between the two players.

In another incident, Saud Shakeel and substitute fielder Kamran Ghulam were fined 10 percent of their match fees for celebrating too closely to batter Temba Bavuma following his run-out in the 29th over.

“Both players were found guilty of breaching Article 2.5 of the Code, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match,” the ICC said.

In addition to the financial penalties, all three players have received one demerit point each on their disciplinary records. None of the players had any prior offences in the last 24 months.

All players have accepted the sanctions imposed and there will be no formal hearings regarding the incidents.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi on Friday sought to allay concerns about the country’s preparedness for the upcoming Champions Trophy, stating that the three venues in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi are ready to host the ODI showpiece on the scheduled dates. The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, and there have been concerns about whether Pakistan will be ready in time for the marquee event, which features the world’s top eight teams and will be held for the first time since 2017. While the tournament venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi are still partially under construction or undergoing renovation, the images emerging from those locations have not painted an entirely positive picture.

However, a confident Naqvi assured that Pakistan and its venues are prepared to host the ICC event in a fitting manner.

“They were people from across the border and even others who kept on saying it looks like the Champions Trophy would be moved out of Pakistan as stadiums are not going to be ready on time. But I can announce today we are set to go for the tri-series and Champions Trophy,” he told reporters at the new look Gaddafi stadium.

Naqvi explained that while Gaddafi Stadium will be ready when it is inaugurated on February 7 by the Prime Minister, some work on the National Stadium in Karachi and Rawalpindi Stadium would continue after the tournament. However, he assured that all necessary work to ensure a top-class viewing experience for spectators and viewers would be completed by the time the National Stadium is inaugurated on February 11.

“Facilities for teams, officials, broadcasters, and media have all been upgraded and are complete,” Naqvi said.

“We will have the inauguration ceremony for the tournament on 16th in Lahore. The captains conference or the photoshoots will not be possible for the ICC or us because of the hectic travelling schedules of some teams.” Naqvi revealed that the budget allocated for the upgrades and renovations at all three stadiums had exceeded the originally planned 12 billion Pakistani rupees, but he was confident the cost would be recovered.

“We have asked the ICC to refrain from providing us with the usual tickets and passes given to the host country. Instead, they are paying us the corresponding amount,” he said.

Naqvi reiterated that all the funds being spent on the stadiums were from the cricket board’s own resources and that no funds or grants had been taken from any other sources, including the government.

“There was criticism as the work progressed on these venues but we took it in stride and there was also some good advice and feedback that helped us a lot in achieving our target,” he said.

The PCB chief also mentioned that they had invited top officials from all cricket boards, including India, to attend various events throughout the tournament, including the inauguration ceremony, matches, semi-finals, and final.

“They will let us know about their plans but I think we will be playing host to many board officials and even sports ministers from different countries throughout the event,” he said.

Naqvi also addressed criticism regarding the quality of the chairs installed at Gaddafi Stadium, noting that they were made in China and come with a 20-year warranty.

“And they cost us less than those already installed and we had to ensure we didn’t go too much over the budget.”

Whether or not Rohit Sharma will go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 captains’ meet has been a matter of intense speculation. The BCCI was against the Indian cricket team going to Pakistan – the designated hosts of the Champions Trophy – and hence the tournament was shifted to a hybrid model, where India’s games will be played in Dubai. Then came the issue of Rohit Sharma travelling to Pakistan for the customary captains’ meet – a common practice ahead of any big ICC event. 

Now, a report in Cricbuzz has claimed that Rohit Sharma will not have to go to Champions Trophy as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have cancelled the planned opening ceremony or captains photo-up.

In fact, it quoted a source as saying: “An opening ceremony was never announced either by the ICC or the PCB. The last opening ceremony with all the participating players taking part was held in Dhaka 2011. Never after.”

Another report by news agency PTI quoted a source as saying the PCB was forced to cancel the pre-tournament captains’ gathering because of “unavailability of teams due to tight travelling schedules.” “The thing is all teams have tight schedules before the tournament. England and India are playing a white-ball series while Australia is playing a Test and ODI series in Sri Lanka,” the source said.

He also said the PCB will organise an inauguration event for the tournament on February 16 in Lahore instead of an official opening ceremony.

As per tradition, captains of all participating teams gather for a pre-tournament photo-op before the start of an ICC event.

The 2025 edition of the Champions Trophy, which is set to be played from February 19 to March 9, will be held across three venues in Pakistan and one in Dubai.

India will, however, not travel to Pakistan for security reasons and will instead play all their matches in Dubai.

If they qualify for the final, the title clash will also be played in Dubai.

The inauguration ceremony would be held at the Huzoor Bagh in Lahore.

The source though confirmed that PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had approved a scheduled list of events prior to the first match of the mega event at the National Stadium in Karachi.

The PCB will officially open the renovated Gaddafi stadium on February 7 in which Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has been invited as the chief guest.

On Feb 11, the PCB will launch the renovated National Stadium in Karachi with a ceremony in which President Asif Ali Zardari has been invited as the chief guest.

“On 16th Feb we will have the inauguration ceremony,” the source said.

He said England will reach Lahore on February 18 while Australia are reaching on February 19.

“We have also decided in conjunction with the ICC that there will be no official collective press conference of all captains as not all will be available before the tournament nor any official photo shoot at one place.”

File photo of the Champions Trophy© x/Twitter

International Cricket Council CEO Geoff Allardice has decided to step down just weeks before the Champions Trophy with a board member indicating that his failure to present a “clear picture” of host Pakistan’s lack of preparedness is one of the multiple reasons behind the move. The 57-year-old joined the ICC in 2012 as General Manager of Cricket, coming from Cricket Australia, where he served as Cricket Operations Manager. He was appointed CEO of the ICC in November 2021, after having served as acting CEO for eight months.

“It has been a privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council and I am incredibly proud of the results we have achieved, from enhancing the global reach of cricket to the commercial foundation put in place for ICC Members,” Allardice said in a statement.

“I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges,” he added.

The official ICC statement made no mention of the exact reasons for Allardice’s departure but a top source said the development has been building up for a while.

“The ICC T20 World Cup in the US was big a flop in terms of playing conditions and also it exceeded budget, the auditing is still being done,” the board member told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“What broke the camel’s back was Champions Trophy where as CEO, he was supposed to give a clear picture about readiness of Pakistan to host a tourney of such magnitude,” he added.

The Champions Trophy is due to start on February 19 with India playing its share of matches in Dubai owing to security concerns in Pakistan.

The bigger concern for ICC is, however, the fact that tournament venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi are still partially under construction or renovation and the images that have trickled in from there do not paint a very positive picture.

It remains to be seen whether Pakistan would be ready in time for the marquee event, which features the world’s top eight teams and is being held for the first time after 2017.

However, ICC Chair Jay Shah praised Allardice for his contribution to the game.

“On behalf of the ICC Board, I want to sincerely thank Geoff for his leadership and commitment during his tenure as Chief Executive. His efforts have played a key role in advancing cricket globally.

“We are truly grateful for his service and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors,” he said.

The ICC Board will now begin the process to identify Allardice’s successor.

His departure continues the exodus of former chair Greg Barclay’s team from the ICC.

Earlier, Chris Tetley (head of events), Alex Marshall (head of Anti-Corruption Unit) and Claire Furlong (head of marketing and media) had quit their positions on personal grounds. 

Sri Lankan cricketer Kamindu Mendis has been named the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year, following an exceptional 2024 marked by consistent and impactful performances across formats, as per the International Cricket Council (ICC). The 26-year-old left-handed batter accumulated an impressive 1451 runs in the calendar year at an average exceeding 50, solidifying his status as one of the brightest talents in international cricket. Despite having just one Test match under his belt before 2024, Mendis transformed himself into a reliable all-format player for Sri Lanka and emerged as a key figure in high-pressure situations.

Mendis had a stellar year in Test cricket, amassing 1049 runs in nine matches at an astounding average of 74.92. Slotting into the middle order, he became one of only six batters to score over 1000 Test runs in 2024 and boasted the highest average among them.

The southpaw’s consistency and ability to convert starts into substantial scores were evident as he notched up five centuries and three half-centuries during the year. His performances were instrumental in Sri Lanka’s push for a maiden ICC World Test Championship Final spot.

In one of the most remarkable milestones of his career, Mendis equalled Don Bradman’s record by becoming the joint-third fastest to reach 1000 Test runs, achieving the feat in just 13 innings.

Mendis played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s Test victories against top teams like New Zealand, Bangladesh, and England, showcasing his ability to excel in both home and overseas conditions. His contributions in the three-Test series in England were particularly noteworthy, as he finished as Sri Lanka’s leading run-scorer and played a significant role in securing their first Test win in England in over a decade.

The highlight of Mendis’ remarkable year came during the second Test against New Zealand in Galle. He scored a career-best unbeaten 182 in the first innings, anchoring Sri Lanka to a massive total of 602/5. His knock, built over 250 deliveries and featuring 16 boundaries and four sixes, laid the foundation for a dominant 2-0 series victory. His efforts earned him the Player of the Match award.

Kamindu Mendis’ meteoric rise in 2024 has established him as one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable players, capable of delivering under pressure and rising to the occasion in crucial matches. His achievements are a testament to his talent and determination, and this recognition from the ICC marks the beginning of what promises to be a long and successful career.

New Delhi:

Describing the ICC as an “event management company”, former Australia captain Ian Chappell has observed that the financially stronger boards are getting their way in producing self-serving schedule while harming the interest of Test cricket. Chappell also felt that a viable two-tier system for Test cricket should have been in place by now but added that there are other pressing matters that need urgent attention to keep the game’s traditional format relevant. “On the subject of a two-tier Test system, former West Indies pace-bowling champion Michael Holding noted: ‘For all its faults, at least FIFA actually runs soccer. The ICC must run cricket’,” Chappell wrote in his column for ‘ESPNcricinfo’.

“Therein lies a perplexing problem. The ICC doesn’t run cricket, and unless there’s a major change of heart, the financially desirable nations will continue to have a huge say in producing a self-serving schedule.” Chappell though agreed that the game’s financial engine India’s influence is proportional to their contribution.

“Then there’s the major issue of the financial split. The big three — India, Australia and England — despite being the wealthiest cricket nations claim a large slice of the money divided among cricket bodies, and yet they agitate for an even larger share.

“India’s powerful presence in the ICC is in direct proportion to their contribution of around 70% of cricket’s income. It’s a complex issue to which cricket hasn’t found a workable solution.” A proposal to split Test cricket into two divisions, which will ensure more high-stakes matches featuring bigger teams such as India, Australia and England, is under discussion.

Such a system could, however, also harm smaller teams, resulting in fewer Tests for them and also threatening inclusivity in the sport.

Chappell, one of Australia’s finest captains, believed a system of promotion and relegation should be there with certain criteria.

“There should have been a two-tier Test system in place years ago.

“In reality only a limited number of teams are capable of competing long-term in the five-day game. West Indies earned the right to financial assistance with their capacity to draw crowds, and it’s criminal they’ve been allowed to languish,” he said.

Chappell further stated Afghanistan and Ireland should not be laying Test cricket as they don’t fulfil all requirements.

“A system that includes promotion and relegation is feasible but there need to be certain criteria attached before a team attains Test status. Those should include: Do they have a viable first-class competition? Do they have legitimate grounds for holding five-day games? Do the grounds have adequate facilities? Are they financially stable? “If a team meets those criteria — and maintains a high standard of play over a number of years — then promotion to Test status would be legitimate. However, most of the recent Test-appointed nations don’t come close to meeting any reasonable criteria.

“For instance, could Afghanistan hold a Test series in their strife-torn country? Does Ireland have a realistic number of Test-standard grounds? “Even setting aside the Taliban’s reprehensible treatment of women, the answer to those questions is: absolutely not. Then why do they have Test status?” Chappell added, “Because in return for Test status they provide valuable ICC votes on important issues. The ICC is widely regarded as an event management company. They should add ‘and not a very good one’.” Chappell agreed that it’s not easy for smaller cricketing nations to organise first-class matches at home because of the costs involved, which is pushing them more towards the T20 game.

“Producing a player who performs well in Test cricket requires having a strong four-day competition. It’s extremely expensive to run a four-day competition.

“It’s one reason why T20 cricket flourishes. Running a successful T20 competition improves the financial capacity of a cricket body.

“This, along with running a successful T20 competition being vastly more acceptable than losing money on a first-class schedule, dominates the thinking of most cricket administrators.

“Cricket being run by a competent ICC is a pipe dream. Hence the growing T20 calendar and the current scheduling schemozzle that plagues the game.” Chappell cited the exampled of warm reception following Sam Konstas’ daring Test debut against India at the MCG.

“It’s reaching the point where fans attending Tests expect to see more T20-style shots played. Despite the uncertain viability of these shots in a Test, the enthusiastic reaction to Sam Konstas’ daring debut at the MCG suggests this is already happening.

“There’s been a large increase in Test match results and more acceptable pitches, highlighting the importance of bowlers in producing a good spectacle. There’s also greater emphasis on playing entertaining cricket.

“Despite facing various challenges, Test cricket does a creditable job of keeping the format relevant.” He added, “Nevertheless, unless some issues, including a reasonable schedule and the criminally slow speed of play (which creates notoriously poor over rates) are critically addressed, Test cricket will struggle to attract younger audiences.

“Cricket administration is difficult. However, in addition to producing a viable two-tier system, there are other pressing matters that need urgent attention if Test cricket is to improve its relevance in the wider sporting world.”

Rohit Sharma was elected as the captain of the ICC T20I Team of the Year for 2024, after leading India to a second T20 World Cup title in the year. Despite poor form in Test cricket, Rohit won his first piece of ICC silverware as India captain, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament as well. Three other Indians featured in the ICC XI, in the form of pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh and all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Bumrah was adjudged the Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup 2024.

Travis Head was selected to open alongside Rohit Sharma, while Phil Salt was also included in the XI, as the No. 3 batter.

Head amassed 255 runs in seven games at the T20 World Cup, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer. The Australian had a superb 2024, and also made his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Phil Salt hit three T20I centuries in 2024, and found a spot in the ICC XI.

Nicholas Pooran was the highest run-scorer across T20s in 2024, amassing over 2,000 runs, and was chosen as the wicket-keeper in the XI. Pakistan stalwart Babar Azam also found a spot, having scored 738 runs in 23 innings, despite not having the best T20 World Cup.

Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, India’s Hardik Pandya and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan were selected as the all-rounders in the team. Pandya was arguably the best all-rounder in the T20 World Cup, while Rashid led Afghanistan to a historic first semi-final.

Bumrah had a phenomenal T20 World Cup 2024, picking up 15 wickets, while Arshdeep was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 17. The latter picked up 36 wickets in 18 games in 2024.

Alongside Rashid Khan, Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga was selected as the other spinner in the ICC T20I Team of the Year.

ICC T20I Team of the Year 2024: Rohit Sharma (c), Travis Head, Phil Salt, Babar Azam, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sikandar Raza, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

Star opener Smriti Mandhana, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh and all-rounder Deepti Sharma were on Saturday named in the ICC Women’s T20I Team of Year 2024 which was dominated by the Indians. Besides the three Indians, the ICC team has two South Africans, and one player each from Sri Lanka, England, West Indies, Australia, Ireland and Pakistan. Mandhana and Deepti were also named in the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024 on Friday. Mandhana had an outstanding 2024, beginning the year with a brilliant 54 against Australia as she finished the year with three consecutive half-centuries against the West Indies at home.

Her consistent performances propelled her to the second spot in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings, amassing 763 runs from 23 matches.

With eight half-centuries, including a highest score of 77, she maintained an impressive average of 42.38 and a strike rate of 126.53.

Richa’s explosive batting made her one of the standout performers for India last year, establishing her as one of the most exciting young talents in world cricket.

Having kicked off the year with a blistering 64 not out off 29 balls against UAE, she scored 365 runs with two fifites from 21 matches, at an average of 33.18, maintaining a strike rate of 156.65.

Deepti’s all-round contributions were key to India’s success in 2024.

With her off-spin, Deepti claimed 30 wickets at an average of 17.80, maintaining a tight economy rate of 6.01.

Her best performances included figures of 3/13 against Nepal and 3/20 against Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup, ensuring that she had a significant impact with both bat and ball throughout the year.

The ICC all-star team is captained by South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt, who led her team to significant victories, including a standout win over Australia in Canberra, where she scored 58 not out off 53 balls.

Wolvaardt’s remarkable performances earned her the No.5 spot in the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings.

Wolvaardt is joined by her teammate and all-rounder Marizanne Kapp in the Team, having contributed both with the bat and ball.

She scored a brilliant 75 against Australia in January and a quickfire 57 against India in Chennai.

Kapp also claimed 11 wickets with her seam bowling.

Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu also made the cut having led her team to victory in the Women’s Asia Cup, scoring two centuries, including a match-winning 119 not out in the final against India.

The team also has West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews, England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt, Melie Kerr, the Player of the Tournament in their T20 World Cup triumph.

Kerr claimed 29 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 15.55. Her best performance was a 4/26 against Australia, which helped her team claim the title.

Irelish pace bowling all-rounder Orla Prendergast and Pakistani left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal complete the XI.

ICC Women’s T20I Team of 2024: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Marizanne Kapp (both SA); Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghos (wk) and Deepti Sharma (all Indians); Chamari Athapaththu (SL); Hayley Matthews (WI); Nat Sciver-Brunt (England); Melie Kerr (Australia), Orla Prendergast (Ireland) and Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan). TAP PDS PDS