Coaches want no action against players

Both foreign head coaches of the Pakistan team, Gary Kirsten for white-ball cricket and Jason Gillespie for Tests, have recommended that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) avoid taking disciplinary actions against players, allowing them to concentrate on the upcoming international season.

According to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, there were initial talks about forming a disciplinary committee to address player misconduct during tours of Ireland, England, and the World T20 Cup.

However, as quoted by a PTI source, no such committee has been established yet as per the board’s constitution. The PCB constitution requires the chairman to appoint independent disciplinary or probe committees to handle such issues.

The source revealed that PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had thorough discussions with the head coaches Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, as well as selectors Mohammad Yousuf and Asad Shafiq. Following these discussions, the board was advised to prioritize future performances.

The source stated that the head coaches, in consultation with the captains, will manage players’ workloads and rest periods, but only players who have underperformed for some time might be dropped for the upcoming season. Furthermore, Pakistan is set to field a full-strength squad for the first Test against Bangladesh later this month, with Jason Gillespie expected to arrive in Rawalpindi by Monday to start a training camp for the probables.

Rauf stars for Welsh Fire

Welsh Fire beat Trent Rockets in a thrilling encounter at a raucous Trent Bridge in The Hundred on Saturday.

The climax saw Luke Wood unable to score off the final ball from Haris Rauf, sealing the Rockets’ fate at 125-8 while chasing a 130-run target. Rauf’s expert bowling, supported by David Payne, resulted in a dramatic collapse, taking three wickets in as many balls.

Sam Hain found himself stranded on 22 off 26 balls at the non-striker’s end, watching as Wood faced Rauf after a close call on a potential no-ball off the penultimate delivery. Rauf concluded his spell with two wickets for just 15 runs from his 20 balls.

Welsh Fire, having been asked to bat first, saw Jonny Bairstow top-score with a fluent 55 off 45 balls, the standout performance on a pitch favoring spinners. His battle with Joe Root, who bowled economical round-arm off-breaks, conceding only 19 runs from his 20-ball quota, was a key subplot. Imad Wasim eventually dismissed Bairstow, finishing with figures of 2 for 23 from his 20 balls.

Welsh Fire’s 129 for 6 was a competitive score, but with Joe Root steadying the Rockets’ innings after a brisk start from Alex Hales and Tom Banton, the hosts seemed in control.