Sports

‘We took a chance, you never know. It’s cricket’ – Babar Azam on unexpected declaration

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/2

No one knew where the decision had come from, least of all Saud Shakeel. The left-hander had put together 55 runs, chewed up 108 balls, and put on an unbroken 81-ball partnership with Mir Hamza. He was batting out of his skin to keep out Ish Sodhi – a man who’d beat the defences of six of his team-mates. Ajaz Patel, too, was now hitting the sweet spot of the rough consistently enough to worry Pakistan, and it was all Shakeel could do to scrape a few more runs together, and shave a few more minutes off the game. Pakistan needed a draw, and he would provide them with it.

And then he looked up. Babar Azam was waving them in. Had he shaken hands with someone and had the game called off? No, that couldn’t be, the final hour hadn’t yet begun. He had actually declared! The two wickets Shakeel had been so jealously guarding had been vaporised into thin air, with the Pakistan management apparently feeling the game was out of New Zealand’s reach by this point.

Not that it meant an inevitable draw, though. According to Babar, the point of the declaration was the same as the point of any declaration: to win the game.

“Saud was a bit shocked when we declared,” Babar grinned afterwards. “He thought we were going for a draw.”

But for a brief period during that final innings at dusk, there weren’t many smiles on Pakistani faces. A first-over wicket had given way to an onslaught against spin from Tom Latham, and by the end of the sixth over, New Zealand had piled on 55. It was a rate that was sufficient to see them through to victory if the full 15 overs available when the chase began were to be bowled. With the light deteriorating rapidly, though, that was effectively impossible.

Babar turned to the fast bowlers and, 2.3 overs into spin being taken off, the umpires decided it was much too dark. With it, a slightly surreal piece of final-day Test cricket came to an end.

“We said we’d go after a result,” Babar said after the match. “We took a chance, you never know. It’s cricket. Anything can happen. Saud and [Mohammad] Wasim Junior’s partnership was vital for us because it brought us into the game. That put the idea in my head that we could declare. You all will have enjoyed it as well, and it surprised everyone. It was in our mind we’d take a chance because anything can happen.

“We sent a message in, just before we declared, to tell the batters to assess the conditions and play according to those. At times you have to take brave decisions and take chances. As a team and captain, I try and do that. You plan for a result, even if you can’t guarantee it.”

It’s not clear whether the decision to declare came from Babar himself. If it did, it would certainly be a break from historical precedent; Babar the captain has tended to err on the side of caution. Besides, the chances of a Pakistan win were so remote it’s impossible not to wonder if Babar had his tongue firmly in cheek when talking them up. New Zealand had, after all, kept Pakistan out in the field for nearly 195 overs in the first innings and still hadn’t been bowled out. The thought that it might take fewer than 10-15 overs in the second seemed fanciful at best.

The final hour or so might have provided a flicker of entertainment, but did not detract from Pakistan’s continuing home woes. This is the seventh successive Test Pakistan have failed to win at home; it is now nearly two years since their last win. They might have escaped a record-extending fifth successive home defeat, but the fact was – and Babar acknowledged it – this was a game New Zealand had dominated.

“It’s not that we need to play different cricket,” Babar said. “We need to take things session by session and day by day. We need to be positive and play with aggression. We’re working on it. Everyone has a different game and mindset. We need to credit New Zealand with the way they played and dominated.

“We lost three early wickets but we came back after that. Salman Ali Agha deserves credit for the way he batted with the tail [in the first innings] and put us in a good position. Imam [ul-Haq], Sarfaraz [Ahmed] and Saud Shakeel built partnerships in patches in the second innings, and Wasim chipped in as well. So the batting line-up did quite well.

“As a coach and captain we can ask for what kind of wicket you need. You know spinners dominate there and reverse swing from the fast bowlers gives you an edge. The fast bowlers bowled well. Mir Hamza bowled well and there were lots of close appeals on his bowling, which also created chances. You don’t always get what you want but the conditions are the same for both sides.”

(cricinfo)

All News Advertisement

Business

PEOTV secures media rights for FIFA World Cup

Published

2 hours ago

2026/06/6

Priyan

SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV, Sri Lanka’s pioneering Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service provider and leading digital entertainment platform, announced a landmark partnership with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), securing the exclusive media broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Sri Lanka.

The strategic partnership marks one of the most significant sports media acquisitions in the country’s broadcasting landscape, granting SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV exclusive rights to deliver every match of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to audiences across Sri Lanka. Through PEOTV, PEO MOBILE, and digital platforms, football fans nationwide will have unparalleled access to the world’s most prestigious sporting event, ensuring they experience every moment of the tournament live, from the opening match to the final championship.

The acquisition of FIFA World Cup 2026™ rights represents another significant milestone in SLT-MOBITEL PEOTV’s continued investment in premium sports broadcasting. Over the years, PEOTV has built a strong reputation for delivering major international sporting events, offering customers reliable, high-quality coverage and enhanced viewing experiences through advanced IPTV technology. Viewers will enjoy the tournament in true High Definition (HD), delivering exceptional picture quality and an immersive viewing experience. Whether watching from home through PEOTV, on the move via PEO MOBILE, or through digital access points, fans can follow every defining goal and unforgettable celebration throughout the competition.

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is set to make history as the largest edition of the tournament ever staged, with 104 matches featuring 48 nations competing across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Expected to captivate billions of viewers worldwide, the tournament represents the pinnacle of international football and stands among the most celebrated sporting events on the global calendar.

Latest News

Iran footballers issued US visas for World Cup, says White House

Published

6 hours ago

2026/06/6

Priyan

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei will lead side at World Cup 2026 [Aljazeera]

Iran’s World Cup football players have been granted visas to enter the United States, according to a White House official, just 10 days before their first match in Los Angeles amid a conflict between ⁠the two countries.

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, said late on Thursday the squad had still not received their US visas, but these were granted overnight, the White House official said.

US Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack confirmed the visas in a message on X on Friday. “Proud of our outstanding team at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara for their work processing visas for Iran’s national football team on their road to the @FIFAWorldCup in the United States,” he said, commenting on a news report that Iran’s World Cup players have been granted the visas to enter the United States.

The US had not yet issued visas to some members of the Iran team’s technical and administrative staff, the semi-official Fars news agency ‌reported on Friday.

Iran’s federation has not yet made a statement on the news.

“Visas for some members of the national team’s technical and executive staff have not yet been issued, and the US embassy has so far refused to issue them,” Fars said, without citing a source.

The US-Israel war on Iran has turned the World Cup – the biggest global sporting event – into a geopolitical contest, with both sides appearing to use the tournament for political posturing.

It is the first World Cup, since its inception in 1930, in which a host nation is set to receive a country it is at war with.

Tehran negotiated a last-minute move of the team’s base from Arizona ⁠to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa issues and a growing feeling in Iran ⁠that the squad’s presence in the United States should be kept to a minimum.

They are scheduled to land in Tijuana early on Sunday.

Iran are due to play their first Group G match on June 15 against New Zealand in Los Angeles, where they will also face Belgium before taking on ⁠Egypt in Seattle.

The US has never formally said it does not want the Iranian team to stay on its territory, Ambassador Pasandideh said.

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on ⁠Tuesday that the US would not allow Iran to include in its World Cup ⁠delegation individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces.

Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, was denied entry for the tournament draw in Washington in December. He is a former commander in the Revolutionary Guards.

Iran’s desire to compete in the World Cup underscored its efforts ‌to reach a resolution in the war with Washington, Pasandideh said.

“Iran’s participation in the World Cup – even on the soil of what is seen as its enemy – shows that Iran seeks peace,” Pasandideh said, speaking through a Spanish interpreter at the ‌Iranian ‌embassy in Mexico City.

Progress in peace talks between Iran and the US has been slow, with both sides seemingly inching towards an interim agreement even as they continue to carry out military strikes

[Aljazeera]

Sports

Dinara, Yuhansa and Aahil advance to ITF J30 Week 2 semi-finals

Published

7 hours ago

2026/06/6

Thilina Walpola

Yuhansa Peiris

Sri Lanka’s rising tennis stars continued their impressive run at the ITF Junior J30 Circuit Week 2 tournament being played at the SSC courts, with Dinara de Silva and Yuhansa Peiris advancing to the girls’ semi-finals, while Aahil Kaleel secured a place in the boys’ last four.

‎Top local contender Dinara de Silva produced another commanding performance in the girls’ quarter-finals, defeating India’s Sarthra Entoori in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. Dinara controlled the match from the outset and maintained her composure to complete a convincing victory and book her place in the semi-finals.

‎Joining her in the girls’ semi-finals is Yuhansa Peiris, who battled through a thrilling three-set encounter against India’s Deepthi Wenkataram. After narrowly losing the opening set in a tie-break 6-7, Yuhansa bounced back strongly to claim the second set 6-1 before prevailing 10-8 in the decisive match tie-break.

‎In the boys’ competition, Sri Lanka’s Aahil Kaleel also showcased his fighting qualities to reach the semi-finals. Aahil overcame India’s Chukka Lakshyawardae in a hard-fought quarter-final clash. After taking the first set 7-5, he dropped the second set 4-6 before holding his nerve in the match tie-break to seal a 10-8 victory.

‎With three Sri Lankan players progressing to the semi-final stage, the host nation will be strongly represented as the tournament enters its decisive phase at the SSC courts. Dinara, Yuhansa and Aahil will now look to continue their impressive form and challenge for honours in the prestigious ITF Junior J30 event.