Sports

Pakistan ODIs ‘challenging’ for depleted Australia, says Adam Zampa

Published

3 years ago

Farwa

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa admitted a depleted Australia face a “difficult challenge” in the one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan starting on Tuesday.

Australia won the three-match Test series 1-0 after securing a well earned 115-run victory in the third match in Lahore on Friday.

But they will miss regulars like David Warner, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell — all not in the squad for multiple reasons — in the one-day series.

To add to their woes, senior batsman Steve Smith was also ruled out of the limited-overs series with a recurrence of an elbow injury.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa admitted a depleted Australia face a “difficult challenge” in the one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan starting on Tuesday.

Australia won the three-match Test series 1-0 after securing a well earned 115-run victory in the third match in Lahore on Friday.

But they will miss regulars like David Warner, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell — all not in the squad for multiple reasons — in the one-day series.

To add to their woes, senior batsman Steve Smith was also ruled out of the limited-overs series with a recurrence of an elbow injury.

But Zampa believes it’s an opportunity to build the squad.

“It’s going to be a difficult challenge,” Zampa said on Sunday. “The plus that comes from that, as it always does when these things happen, is you build depth.”

The new-look squad includes Sean Abbott and Ben McDermott, who have both played two ODIs, Cameron Green, who has played in one, and debutants Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Swepson. Zampa said all three-format players needed rest.

“We have seen, particularly in the last couple of years, that being a three-format player, it’s really hard sometimes. Players like Cummins, Warner and Smith, they need that break and that’s definitely understandable.

“When you have so much inexperience in one team it does make it really hard. It definitely will be a challenge and hopefully we get through as these series are very important to us.

“If we come through with a series win with inexperience then it will be a really nice feeling.”

Zampa, 29, said he feels confident of his place after getting backing from limited-over captain Aaron Finch.

“I feel like I don’t have to look over my shoulder too much with selection,” Zampa said. “When you’re younger, you naturally probably look over your shoulder, you doubt yourself a lot more.

“Aaron Finch has helped me massively with my game. He backs me in when I’m out there, and he lets me run my own show with my bowling, and has been really good with his own ideas as well.”

The remaining two matches are on Thursday and Saturday — also in Lahore.

Australia will end the tour with a single Twenty20 international, also in Lahore, on April 5.

Latest News

Test Series Between Pakistan and the West Indies: National Team Practices in Multan

Published

6 hours ago

Farwa

Before playing the West Indies in a two-match test series, the Pakistani cricket team practices at Multan Cricket Stadium.

All 15 players concentrated on batting, bowling, and fielding during the training session while being watched by their instructors.

Pakistan and the West Indies are set to begin their two-match test series on January 17.

From January 25 to 29, the second test of the series will be held in Multan.

Latest News

PSL 2025 Draft: The Gold category selections are out!

Published

1 day ago

Farwa

Teams are finalizing their Gold Category players as the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025 draft officially begins.

The top picks from the first round and the teams’ subsequent selections are listed below.

Peshawar Zalmi: During their first pick, Peshawar Zalmi made the unexpected choice to select Abdul Samad from the Gold Category wild card alternatives.

Nahid Rana of Bangladesh was chosen in the second round, further bolstering their team. The team selected Hassan Talat with their third pick in an attempt to strengthen their all-arounder position for the forthcoming campaign.

Multan Sultans: To strengthen their squad, the Multan Sultans made a few important additions. In the gold category, they first selected Muhammad Hasnain, and in the second round, Kamran Ghulam. It is anticipated that these tactical decisions will provide their batting and bowling units with more firepower.

Ben Dwarshuis was chosen by Islamabad United in the first round of the Gold Category, which was an intriguing choice. With this encouraging addition, the squad hopes to balance and deepen its lineup.

Karachi Kings: In their initial round of picks, the Karachi Kings chose Aamir Jamal in the Gold Category. It is anticipated that the addition of this young talent would energize their bowling attack.

Latest News

2025 Champions Trophy: PCB submits their initial squad to the ICC

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

On Sunday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) submitted a preliminary list of more than 20 players to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Sources have verified that the roster has numerous notable players alongside a blend of burgeoning talent.

The preliminary roster includes prominent individuals such as captain Muhammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Tayyab Tahir, and Irfan Khan Niazi. Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Abbas Afridi, in addition to spinners Abrar Ahmed and Sufyan Muqim, are included in the preliminary team. Other significant entries are Abdullah Shafiq, Naseem Shah, Usman Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, and Hasibullah.

Promising young batsman Saim Ayub, whose fitness is still being evaluated, has also been included in the preliminary team.

According to sources, the final squad would be revealed by February 10, 2025, after the completion of the tri-series against South Africa.

The National Selection Committee has presented a 15-member lineup for the South Africa series, closely resembling the Champions Trophy team.

Insiders indicate that the final team will experience multiple alterations. It is reported that players such as Abdullah Shafiq and Usman Khan are unlikely to be included in the final selection.

According to ICC regulations, all competing teams are required to submit preliminary squad names one month prior to the competition. The Champions Trophy is scheduled to begin on February 12, 2025, with final squad approvals anticipated just prior to the event.