'Babar's reappointment surprised many'

The batter had stepped down from captaincy after below-par World Cup campaign

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has expressed his surprise over Babar Azam's reappointment as captain of Pakistan's white-ball teams ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.

Babar had stepped down from the role following Pakistan's disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup campaign, where the captaincy was handed to Shaheen Afridi. However, after just six months, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reversed its decision following the New Zealand series and reinstated Babar as captain.

Speaking in an interview with a local sports platform, Imad Wasim revealed that many in Pakistan were equally taken aback by the PCB's decision.

"Yes, I was surprised," Imad admitted when asked about Babar's return to captaincy after the brief break. "What can I say, it's ultimately the selector's call. Whatever they thought was the best option, they picked and they picked the team [accordingly]."

"Everybody in Pakistan was surprised, not just me. So, I can't say no that I was not surprised," he added.

Pakistan's 2024 T20 World Cup campaign proved to be a disappointment as the team failed to make it past the group stages, suffering a shocking loss to the USA and a defeat by arch-rivals India.

Reflecting on the team's poor showing, the all-rounder said, "Yeah, our performance wasn't up to the mark to be honest and we have to accept that, including myself. So yeah, but it is what it is. I think we had a good side, but it didn't click. It can happen in any format, especially T20. But yeah, it was disappointing. I was really disappointed."

"It took me a long time to get over it," he concluded.

It is worth noting that Pakistan's next assignment will be a white-ball series against Australia in November.

New bonus point rules

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a significant revision to the bonus point system for the ongoing Champions Cup One Day tournament taking place in Faisalabad. The new playing conditions aim to enhance the competitive nature of the event and promote a more aggressive style of cricket.

Under the revised system, bonus points will now be awarded based on net run rate differences rather than the previous margin of wickets or runs. Teams will receive: One bonus point for a net run rate difference of one run per over.

Two bonus points for a net run rate difference of two runs per over. Three bonus points for a net run rate difference of three runs per over. A PCB spokesperson explained that the change was implemented to increase the competitiveness of matches and to encourage teams to adopt a more proactive approach on the field.

Additionally, the new conditions stipulate that if a match is washed out or canceled without completing the innings, no points will be awarded to any team.

Teams can also earn bonus points under the following conditions:

One bonus point for scoring 350 runs in an innings.

Two bonus points for reaching 375 runs.

One bonus point for taking three wickets or scoring 80 runs during the first powerplay.

Farhan eyes top scorer title

Pakistan's international cricketer Sahibzada Farhan, who is currently representing the Dolphins, has set his sights on becoming the tournament's leading run-scorer in the ongoing Champions One-Day Cup 2024 in Faisalabad.

Despite his ambition to clinch the top position, Farhan stressed that a single tournament's performance should not be the sole determinant for player selection.

Discussing the ongoing tournament, Farhan described the Champions Cup as a premier competition featuring intense clashes and high-quality performances from both batsmen and bowlers. He also highlighted the excitement brought by the enthusiastic fans.

On his personal goals, Farhan stated, "My goal is always to be the top scorer in every tournament." When asked about the Champions Trophy, he replied, "One tournament alone isn't enough for selection consideration. There's a lot of cricket to be played in the next six months, and all players' performances should be taken into account."

Confident in his abilities, Farhan concluded, "I always let my bat do the talking. Whenever I've been given the chance at the top order, I've performed well, and I hope to continue doing so."