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Saud Shakeel shines as Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka in first Test to lead series 1-0

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Pakistan triumphed over Sri Lanka by four wickets on the final day of the opening Test to lead the two-match series 1-0 in Galle on Thursday, courtesy of a double ton by Saud Shakeel in the first innings.

Pakistan had resumed their run-chase of 131 runs at 48-3 with Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq on the crease.

Azam scored 24 in 28 balls, with the help of five fours, before being trapped by Prabath Jayasuriya in front of the stumps.

Shakeel also couldn’t stay at the crease till the end as he was dismissed after scoring 30 runs in 38 balls.

Imam played an impressive knock and remained unbeaten on 50 runs, which included four fours and a six.

Agha Salman smacked a six on the very first ball he faced to help Pakistan get over the line.

In the final session yesterday, Jayasuriya claimed two top-order wickets from Pakistan after dismissing Abdullah Shafique (8) and Shan Masood (7).

Meanwhile, nightwatchman Nauman Ali was run out after attempting a suicidal second run.

Sri Lanka were dismissed for 279 in their second innings on day four, which meant that Pakistan were set a target of 131 runs to win the match.

Abrar Ahmed and Nauman Ali were the chief destroyers for Pakistan after claiming three wickets each. Meanwhile, Shaheen Afridi and Agha Salman bagged two wickets each.

Dhananjaya de Silva, who scored a ton in the first innings, was the top scorer for the home side once again after notching up 82 runs.

It must be noted that Saud Shakeel notched up his maiden double century in Tests as Pakistan took a 149-run lead against Sri Lanka in the rain-hit opening match.

The visitors were bowled out for 461 in the final session on day three after a frustrating ninth-wicket partnership of 94 between Shakeel, who remained not out on 208, and Naseem Shah, who scored six off 78 balls.

Spinner Ramesh Mendis ended with a five-wicket haul, but Shakeel combined with the tailenders, including a 52-run seventh-wicket partnership with Nauman Ali, who scored 25.

But it was his 177-run partnership with Agha Salman, who hit 83, which brought Pakistan back in the game after slipping to 101-5 in their reply to Sri Lanka’s 312.

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The ICC delegation inspects the National Stadium to evaluate the preparations for the Champions Trophy.

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The delegation arrived in Karachi last night and inspected the National Stadium this morning, evaluating the ongoing development and preparations for the Champions Trophy.

Subsequent to Karachi, the ICC delegation will proceed to Islamabad and Lahore for the next round of the evaluation. They will compile the comprehensive report on locations and preparations following the conclusion of the visit.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to occur in Pakistan from February to March; however, India’s participation remains doubtful as the BCCI seeks governmental consent for the visit.

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Reports from Indian media, referencing a source within the BCCI, indicate that the Indian squad will not travel to Pakistan for the forthcoming ICC event.

Subsequent reports indicated that the board has officially suggested Dubai and Sri Lanka as prospective locations for hosting India’s matches.

Geoff Allardice, the CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC), dismissed the reports, asserting that no teams had expressed any reluctance to participate in the competition.

In a media meeting in Dubai regarding the Women’s T20 World Cup, Allardice conveyed his approval of Pakistan as the tournament venue. He emphasized the ICC’s assurance in Pakistan’s capacity to host the Champions Trophy.

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Champions Trophy 2025 will remain in Pakistan, the CEO of the ICC has said.

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Dismissing any rumors that the Champions Trophy 2025 will be moved to a different nation, International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Geoff Allardice has stated that the tournament will take place in Pakistan as planned.

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is slated to take place in Pakistan in February and March. Nevertheless, India’s participation in the competition is up in the air since the BCCI is still awaiting government sanction to travel there.

Recall that there were rumors in Indian media, backed by the BCCI, that the Indian team would not be traveling to Pakistan for the forthcoming ICC match.

Additional reports stated that the board had formally suggested Sri Lanka and Dubai as possible locations for India’s match.

According to Geoff Allardice, who denied the reports, no team has expressed reluctance to play in the competition.

Allardice voiced her appreciation over Pakistan’s hosting of the Women’s T20 World Cup during a press conference in Dubai. He went on to emphasize that Pakistan is the ICC’s choice to host the Champions Trophy.

Remarkably, Pakistan is preparing three stadiums for the Champions Trophy in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

The PCB Chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, has revealed that the stadium modifications will be finished prior to the start of the Champions Trophy.

Gaddafi Stadium’s basement will be built by September 30. It will take three weeks to finish each floor. A steel framework would make up the front building. By December 31, the primary structure of Gaddafi Stadium will be finished, according to Naqvi.

“The seats will be erected in the stadium prior to the Champions Trophy; Indi Stadium will need to be fully destroyed and rebuilt.

“The Champions Trophy will take place before the renovations at Karachi’s [National Stadium] are finished,” he said.

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In the possible return of the Afro-Asian Cup, players from Pakistan and India might go together.

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Pakistan and India were among the best sub-continent nations that competed in the Afro-Asia Cup, which was contested in 2005 and 2007. The Africa XI was comprised of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Kenya. The Asia XI was comprised of two teams.

Due to problems with broadcasting and political hurdles, the event was canceled after only two editions, despite the fact that it received a great deal of attention and appreciation from cricket lovers all over the world.

The negotiations regarding the resuscitation of the Afro-Asia Cup sprang to life a few days after Jay Shah was appointed to the position of Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC!).

The competition was played in the format of a Twenty20 match, but the next edition of the tournament might be played in the format of a Twenty20 match.

Samod Damodar, the chairman of the African Cricket Association (ACA), presented conjecture over the possibility that the idea will actually be adopted. In addition, he provided an update on the situation.

The fact that the Afro-Asia Cup did not take place is something that has left me feeling extremely upset. Despite the fact that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) did not receive sufficient momentum, it is currently being reconsidered. To a large extent, I believe that it was a lack of comprehension and a refusal to support the idea. It is something that our members deeply lament. It was necessary for Africa to be the driving force behind it,” Damodar was quoted as saying in a story published by Forbes.

With the belief that the Afro-Asia Cup has the potential to alleviate political tensions, Damodar has great hopes for the competition.

It is possible that these matches will break down political boundaries that are currently in place. Instead than driving a wedge between people, cricket can help establish bridges between them. In my opinion, I do not feel that players are hostile toward one another; therefore, I am confident that they would be willing to participate in this activity. The fact that Mahinda is now a member of the International Cricket Council board and Jay Shah is the current president of the ICC may give this cause a little bit more traction. When it comes to making this happen, both of them have always been proactive in their efforts,” he went on to say.

Claims concerning the restoration of the Afro-Asia Cup also emerged in June 2022, claiming that the competition would make its return in the middle of 2023. For those who are unaware, these claims suggested that the tournament would return.

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