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Pak vs Aus: Travis Head’s century lifts Australia to 313-7 against Pakistan

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LAHORE: Opener Travis Head staged a remarkable return to one-day cricket with a fiery century Tuesday to guide Australia to 313-7 in the opening day-night international against Pakistan in Lahore.

Head knocked a 72-ball 101 — his second one-day international hundred — while Ben McDermott hit a career-best 55 from 70 balls after Australia were sent in to bat by Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium.

Head, playing his first ODI since November 2018, cracked 12 boundaries and three sixes and put on 110 for the opening wicket with skipper Aaron Finch who made 23.

Head took a single off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmed to reach three figures off 70 balls, the fastest ODI century by an Australian against Pakistan.

He beat David Warner’s record of 78 balls in Adelaide in 2017.

With the score at 209-2 in the 33rd over, Pakistan pulled back with three wickets for just 21 runs in the space of 39 balls, dismissing McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne (25) and Alex Carey (four).

Cameron Green (40 not out), Marcus Stoinis (26) and Sean Abbott (14) helped Australia score 50 in the last five overs and get past 300-mark.

Green hit three boundaries and a six in his 30-ball knock.

For Pakistan, pacer Haris Rauf took 2-44 and debutant leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood finished with 2-59.

Australia, already missing key players such as Warner, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc for multiple reasons, were further depleted after spinner Ashton Agar tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday.

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

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Younis Khan supports two contenders to lead Pakistan in white-ball cricket.

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Younis Khan, the former captain of Pakistan, identified left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman and wicketkeeper batsman Muhammad Rizwan as possible successors to Babar Azam as Pakistan’s white-ball captain.

When Younis spoke to the media at the storied Adelaide Oval, he suggested that Babar would become a better hitter if he gave up the captaincy.

Younis stated, “Babar Azam will benefit from stepping away from the captaincy.”

It’s a common mistake in our culture, in my opinion, to designate the biggest player as captain. He continued, “Mohammad Rizwan or Fakhar Zaman ought to be given consideration for the position.

Along with discussing the current status of the national men’s cricket team and expressing hope that they would perform well in Australia, the captain of the 2009 T20 World Cup also shared his thoughts.

“I hope the men’s cricket team from Pakistan does well in Australia. Young players make up the present group, and there are undoubtedly some problems with team selection that need to be fixed, according to Younis.

Younis Khan continued to praise Australia’s former bowler Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s head coach for red-ball cricket, saying that he is putting in a lot of effort to improve Pakistani cricket.

“Jason Gillespie and I played cricket together; he is putting a lot of effort into strengthening the Pakistani team. On the other hand, better judgment is required when it comes to choosing,” he stated.

In case you missed it, Younis Khan is visiting Australia in order to take part in the Australian Summer Cricket Festival, which is set to take place in Melbourne on October 5.

The event, which aims to promote the game and bring together cricket talent from around the world, will include the former captain of Pakistan along with Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk.

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Usman Qadir declares his cricket retirement.

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The statement was made by the leg-spinner in a message uploaded on X, which was once known as Twitter. Usman Qadir’s final Pakistani game was in 2022.

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude as I reflect on this incredible journey,” he said, announcing his retirement from Pakistan cricket today.

“Representing my country has been an enormous honor, and I am grateful for my teammates’ and coaches’ support throughout the entire process.”

“Every experience, from life-changing setbacks to priceless triumphs, has molded my profession and enhanced my quality of life. The cricket player continued, “I’m incredibly grateful to the devoted supporters who have always stood by me; your unwavering support has meant the world.”

“I will be continuing my dad’s legacy as I step into this new chapter, embracing both my love for cricket and the lessons he instilled in me,” he went on. The essence of Pakistani cricket and the priceless moments we shared are with me. I am very grateful for what you have done.

It should be noted that Usman Qadir, the late Abdul Qadir’s son and a great leg-spinner in Pakistan, has participated in 25 Twenty20 Internationals and one ODI, taking 29 wickets at an economy rate of 7.95.

The 31-year-old cricket player has accused former PCB technical director Mohammad Hafeez of being the reason of his expulsion from the national squad in May 2024.

Speaking on a regional YouTube channel, Usman asserted that, because of his recent success in domestic cricket, former T20 captain Shaheen Afridi had guaranteed him a spot in the January series against New Zealand.

He claimed that Hafeez’s meddling had harmed his career and accused him of pushing back against his selection.

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Following Babar’s resignation, Mohammad Rizwan is the “strongest candidate” to lead the Pakistani team.

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The people who know are saying that Mohammad Rizwan has been invited to discuss with important PCB authorities over the teams.

As white-ball coach Gary Kirsten wanted Babar at the top, the sources claimed that he was urged to remain captain of the ODI team rather than to resign from the position.

The sources insisted that Kirsten’s desire to alter the team’s captain for the T20 format was part of their future strategies and that the coach had requested the move in July.

The sources added that in July, Kirsten traveled to Pakistan for meetings and to present a report on the T20 World Cup. The coach also met with Babar during same month to talk about captaincy issues.

No consultation process involved Babar either. Nonetheless, prior to announcing his resignation, he had communicated his choice to a senior board member.

It was stated one day earlier by the former captain of Pakistan that he would be giving up his white-ball captaincy to concentrate on his playing career and personal development.

The 29-year-old hitter said on X, “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving ahead and spend more energy on my game and personal growth.

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