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Rangpur Riders rope in Babar Azam for BPL

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KARACHI: Pakistan captain Babar Azam is set to feature in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) for the first time since 2017 after he was roped in by Rangpur Riders on Wednesday.

When the prolific right-hander last featured in BPL, he played for Sylhet Sixers.

The Riders opted for a unique way to reveal the signing of Azam on its social media platforms.

“We are here with another surprise after signing the world’s No. 1 all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan in the fight for victory! Dear Rangpur Riders fans, guess who is going to be the new rider by matching the information given in the picture, and share your opinion in the comments,” the franchise said in a post on its official Facebook account.

The post also had an image, titled ‘Guess the rider’, with hints such as ‘he made his ODI debut in 2015’, ‘He’s the first player to score more than 5000 runs in his first 100 ODI innings, and ‘He’s the captain of currently ranked world’s no. 1 ODI team’, which immediately revealed that the side had signed Azam.

It must be noted that Pakistan’s pacer Ihsanullah will also be part of the Riders for the 2024 edition of BPL.

Yesterday, Azam, 28, also became the fastest captain to 2000 ODI runs in just 31 innings, breaking Kohli’s record who reached this feat in 36 innings.

He did it during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh encounter in the first Super Four match of that ongoing Asia Cup 2023 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday.

Apart from those two, South Africa’s AB de Villiers reached this milestone in 41 innings, Australia’s Michael Clark in 47, India’s MS Dhoni and England’s Eoin Morgan each in 48.

It must be noted after making his debut against Zimbabwe in 2015 in Lahore, Azam has changed the fortunes of Pakistan cricket as the team which was recognised due to their batting failures has now turned into a match-winning outfit.

Calling Azam the key to Pakistan’s success in the recent past would not be wrong on any level as he not only led this side to number one rank in ODIs but also performed consistently with the bat — with many records broken and some still to break.

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Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledges difficulties during the death overs.

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Following Pakistan’s triumph over South Africa in the tri-nation series, Shaheen Shah Afridi acknowledged the issue of death bowling.

In response to the injury concern, the left-arm pacer stated, “My finger is fine; I underwent an X-ray.” Some swelling persists, but I anticipate improvement shortly. These matches are essential for preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Commenting on his interaction with a South African batsman, Shaheen stated, “For the first time, he remained silent.” I was the one instigating him to lose his wicket.

Prioritizing collective effort over personal achievements, Shaheen stated, “This is not about Babar or Shaheen—it is about Pakistan.” “The presence of negativity will hinder progress in any context.”

During Wednesday’s match, tensions escalated when Shaheen Shah Afridi confronted Matthew Breetzke, necessitating intervention from the on-field umpire and other players to separate them.

During a crucial tri-series encounter at Karachi’s National Stadium, South African batsman Matthew Breetzke and Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi engaged in a contentious confrontation. Matthew Breetzke and Shaheen Shah Afridi were engaged in a confrontational exchange in a video that gained widespread attention on social media.

Matthew Breetzke, who scored a century in the previous match against New Zealand in Lahore, edged a delivery to the onside in the 28th over of the innings. Shaheen Afridi appeared displeased when the 26-year-old nearly collided with the left-arm fast bowler while dashing between the wickets to converse with Breetzke.

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The Champions Trophy and Tri-Nation series traffic strategy for Karachi has been released.

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While alternate routes and designated parking spots have been set up to ensure seamless traffic flow, the traffic police say Sir Shah Suleman Road would remain open for regular traffic on match days.

Travellers from Karsaz can park their cars beneath the flyover at the China Ground and National Coaching Centre.

Parking for those travelling from Millennium will also be available at China Ground and the National Coaching Centre.

The same parking lots are open to New Town visitors.

To prevent any disruption, Karachi Police have stressed that cars should only be parked in approved spots. For a hassle-free commute on match days, commuters are encouraged to plan their routes appropriately and heed traffic police instructions.

Traffic Diversions: To alleviate congestion on match days, heavy traffic will be rerouted from Sohrab Goth to Nipa and Liaquatabad No. 10 to Hassan Square. There will also be a rerouting of heavy vehicles from People’s Chowrangi via University Road.

Heavy Traffic Restricted Roads: The following roads will not be open to heavy traffic:

Millennium to New Town Stadium Signal to Hassan Square Karsaz to Stadium

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FIFA once again suspends membership in the Pakistan Football Federation.

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Pakistan was immediately barred from participating in international tournaments as a result of the ruling, and FIFA stopped providing financial support.

FIFA said in a statement that the PFF’s refusal to enact changes that would guarantee free and fair elections was the reason for the suspension. FIFA claimed that in order to fulfill the federation’s responsibilities under the current normalization process, the constitutional amendments were required.

According to FIFA’s statement, “the suspension will only be lifted if the PFF Congress approves the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC.”

In the past, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has suggested changes to the PFF Constitution, namely with relation to the election procedure. But the most recent censure came after the PFF Congress rejected the suggested changes.

The PFF was not the first time FIFA had taken action against them. The governing body suspended the federation in April 2021 for violating FIFA laws and allowing excessive third-party meddling. After verifying that the Normalization Committee had reclaimed control of the PFF’s offices and finances, FIFA lifted the ban in June 2022.

Issues with governance remained in spite of earlier attempts. In order to guarantee fair elections and sound governance within the PFF, FIFA has recently stepped up its efforts to modify the constitution. Nevertheless, opposition from the PFF Congress resulted in thelatest disciplinary action.  

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