Turmoil off the cricket pitch in Pakistan as captain Babar Azam returns

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Pakistan, predictably the most unpredictable national team that strikes fear in the best squads in the world, is making headlines off the field.

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While we have no idea if the noise emanating from across the border, where the Indian Premier League is parading the world’s crème de la crème, has anything to do with the weird ongoings.

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Due to geopolitical reasons that has seen the two countries go to war on three occasions, the IPL will not allow Pakistani players to play in the in the money-churning league.

There has been a bloodless coup in Pakistan, where ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has replaced as skipper of the Twenty20 by former captain Babar Azam. Afridi was named skipper when Azam stepped down after an awful showing in the most recent World Cup and Afridi was given reins of the Twenty20 squad on its tour of New Zealand.

But after only one series, Afridi was given the heave-ho by the selection committee that has shaken the cricketing community in the country.

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Needless to say, the decision left Afridi furious for the unceremonious way he was stripped of the captaincy. The pace bowler followed with some cryptic social media posts that had management scurrying under the table.

But after an urgent meeting between the bowler and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi, peace has been restored and Afridi will be available for the Twenty20 series vs. visiting New Zealand that starts later this week and also for the Twenty20 World Cup.

This tournament, that will also include Canada for the first time, will be played in the West Indies and the U.S. in June.

“I am surprised by the decision by very experienced cricketers in the selection committee and I still believe that if change was necessary than (Mohammad) Rizwan was the best choice,” Afridi said. “But since (a decision) has been made, I offer my full support and best wishes to team and Babar Azam.”

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Pakistan has selected a pool of 20 players and there are two surprises in the squad. Back in the squad after a three-year break is fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who spent time in prison on match-fixing charges.

Also back in the squad is all-rounder Imad Wasim, who had previously left after taking the selectors to task.

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CANADIAN STARS FOR U.S.

Nitish Kumar was known for turning in brilliant all-round performances for Canada — that is, until this past weekend.

The former Canadian captain took the bat to his former teammates when he made his debut for the United States.

The 29-year-old Kumar scored a match-high 64 from 38 balls to guide the U.S. to a 4-0 sweep. He received superb support from former New Zealand all-rounder Corey Anderson, who hit 55 from 48 balls as the U.S. chased down 168 runs for victory on the penultimate ball of the match.

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Kumar and Anderson put on a crucial 104-run fourth-wicket partnership.

For Canada, opening batsman Aaron Johnson hit a 23-ball 33 that was peppered with two sixes and three fours.

Kumar made his international debut for Canada in 2008 at the Americas Under-15 Championships as a 13-year-old and he has excelled ever since, including captaining Canada in 2016 at the age of 22.

Kumar’s second name is Roenick, after former NHL star Jeremy Roenick, with Kumar’s late father was a huge fan of the NHL star.

Kumar moved to Houston for work in 2019, where he has played for Lone Star Athletics. He was drafted in the fourth round of Major League Cricket in 2023 by the Los Angeles Knight Riders and was named one of LAKR’s retainers for 2024.

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RUNFEST IN IPL

The sun keeps rising over Hyderabad, for whom Australian ace Travis Head has been wielding a hot bat.

Head smashed 102 from 41 balls (eight sixes and nine fours) to help Sunrisers Hyderabad to post the highest IPL total for the second time this season. Sunrisers made a colossal 287 for three and Royal Challengers fought tooth and nail to make 262 for seven, thanks to a fighting 83 by Dinesh Karthik as it made 262 for seven to lose by a mere 25 runs.

Last month, the Sunrisers hoisted 277 for three against Mumbai Indians for the previous highest score. Only Nepal, who scored 314 for three against Mongolia, leads the way with the highest total in Twenty20 cricket.

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Two other centurions in high-scoring matches included Mumbai’s Rohit Sharma, who plundered an unbeaten 105 versus Chennai Super Kings in a losing cause.

Chennai hoisted 206 for four with the crowd cheering for former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who made 20 off four balls with three consecutive sixes off embattled Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya. Mumbai lost by 20 runs after reaching 186 for six.

On Tuesday, it was the turn of West Indies all-rounder Sunil Narine to reach three figures for Kolkata against Rajasthan Royals.

It was the left-hander’s maiden century and a career-best Twenty20 ton and his 109 came off 56 balls and was laced with six sixes and 13 fours before he was bowled by New Zealander Trent Boult. Kolkata went on to make 223 for six.

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