LAHORE (Kashmir English): Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is set to feature in the President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class tournament, marking his return to domestic first-class action after a gap of about six seasons.
Sources indicate that Babar Azam will represent OGDCL in the competition. The first round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I is currently underway, with the second round scheduled to begin on September 18.
Babar Azam will participate in the tournament upon his return to the country and the finalization of necessary formalities.
He last played a first-class match in Pakistan for Central Punjab in December 2019. The Pakistan Cricket Board has made participation in first-class cricket mandatory for players.
Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi is also playing first-class cricket after a long hiatus, while other cricketers, including Haris Rauf, Fakhar Zaman, and Salman Ali Agha, are competing in the President’s Trophy.
Pakistan hit with double sanction over slow over-rate in England Test
Pakistan have been handed a double sanction by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for maintaining a slow over-rate during the third and final World Test Championship Test against England in Birmingham.
Pakistan were found to be 11 overs short of the required over-rate after time allowances were taken into account during the Edgbaston Test, which England won by eight wickets.
As a result, Pakistan have been fined 50 percent of their players’ match fees and have also suffered an 11-point deduction in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
The sanction was imposed by Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees following a charge brought by on-field umpires Paul Reiffel and Chris Gaffaney, third umpire Allahudien Palekar and fourth umpire Russell Warren.
Under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their team falls short of the required rate, with the maximum penalty capped at 50 percent.
Meanwhile, the World Test Championship playing conditions state that teams lose one championship point for every over they fail to bowl within the allotted time. Pakistan have therefore been docked 11 points.
The deduction has further weakened Pakistan’s position in the World Test Championship standings, leaving them in ninth place with a points percentage of 4.63.
Pakistan’s next World Test Championship assignment is scheduled for November, when they will host Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series in Rawalpindi and Lahore
