Ashes | Nasser Hussain picks Jimmy Anderson over Stuart Broad for Adelaide Test

PSL 2022 Draft | Jason Roy, Fakhar Zaman among six players picked in Platinum category

The Pakistan Super League 2022 edition is going to be a thrilling one as, after the retention round of Pakistan’s premier T20 tournament, the draft round is now taking place at the Bob Woolmer Indoor School in Lahore and is being streamed LIVE on PSL’s Youtube channel. The players are to be drafted in three categories of Platinum, Diamond, Silver and Emerging. Platinum is the top category and a maximum of six players can be picked in the Platinum category, meaning each franchise can pick one player in that category. As per the latest reports, England’s Jason Roy and Chris Jordan, Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman, New Zealand’s Colin Munro, Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai and Singapore’s Tim David, who is an Australian by birth were picked by Quetta Gladiators, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Islamabad United, Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans respectively in the top bracket, which is the platinum category. It is important to note that the franchises were allowed a maximum of eight retentions each prior to sending their last year players in the draft once again. Here is the list of retained players from each side. Karachi Kings Babar Azam (Platinum), Mohammad Nabi (Diamond), Imad Wasim (Platinum), Mohammad Amir, (Diamond), Joe Clarke (Gold, Brand Ambassador), Aamir Yamin and Sharjeel Khan (Gold) and Mohammad Ilyas (Silver). Islamabad United Azam Khan (Traded, Gold), Asif Ali (promoted to Platinum), Hasan Ali (Platinum), Faheem Ashraf (Diamond), Shadab Khan (Diamond, Brand Ambassador), Alex Hales (Gold, Team Mentor), Mohammad Wasim Jnr (Gold) and Paul Stirling (Silver) Lahore Qalandars Rashid Khan (Platinum), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Platinum), Haris Rauf (Diamond, Brand Ambassador), David Wiese and Mohammad Hafeez (Diamond), Ahmed Daniyal, Sohail Akhtar and Zeeshan Ashraf (Silver) Multan Sultans Mohammad Rizwan, Rilee Rossouw (both Platinum), Imran Tahir (Diamond, Mentor), Sohaib Maqsood (Diamond), Khushdil Shah (Gold, Brand Ambassador), Shahnawaz Dahani and Shan Masood (both Gold) Peshawar Zalmi Liam Livingstone, Wahab Riaz (both Platinum), Haider Ali, Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik (all Diamond), Hussain Talat (Gold), Saqib Mahmood (Gold, Brand Ambassador) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Silver) Quetta Gladiators James Vince, Sarfaraz Ahmed (both Platinum), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz (both Diamond), Shahid Afridi (Gold, Mentor), Mohammad Hasnain (Gold, Brand Ambassador) and Naseem Shah (Gold)

Wriddhiman Saha denies dressing room issues after power change in Indian white-ball set-up

Wriddhiman Saha is the first person from the current Indian squad to have given a statement after Rohit Sharma was announced skipper of the 50 overs format for Team India. The change of power wasn’t smooth by any measure and with Virat Kohli, the incumbent skipper not announcing his resignation and rather BCCI appointing Rohit as his successor through a tweet was seen as a bit putting off for a captain that has given India almost everything in white-ball format apart from an ICC trophy. There were rumours that this sudden change in the dynamics has resulted in a tense dressing room environment with India going on an important South Africa tour for three Tests and three ODIs. However, Wriddhiman Saha, the Test specialist wicket-keeper batter for India has denied all such rumours and called the dressing room environment as enjoyable as ever. "Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are very good leaders - I am sure both work together and take the game ahead. Having spent lots of time with them, I can tell you, the dressing room is very happy - everyone has only one interest, work as a team,” Saha was quoted as saying in an interview with Economic Times. Team India’s South Africa tour begins with the first Test on Boxing Day, December 26 at the SuperSport Park, Centurion.

I was disappointed: Stuart Broad on being left out of the first Ashes Test

Having been left out for the first Test match at Gabba, Stuart Broad has expressed his disappointment via a column at The Mail on Sunday, 12 December. England were no match for the Australians in the first Test and were blown away in all departments to surrender the match in just four days. Broad wrote that he felt that he could have had a positive impact at the game and was 100 per cent preparing to play at the Gabba. "Over the past 12 months, Jimmy and I tried to ensure we were as fit as could be in the current Covid climate, ready to go and available for all five Tests in Australia. I think we ticked that box - but England selection is not in the hands of players. "It is in those of people who have to make choices based on conditions and the balance of the team and our job now with four matches to go is to be ready for the next [Test]. Although he stated that he would not be kicking up the ‘stink’ and realises that this series is ‘a marathon and not a sprint’. He argued that realistically no seamer will play all five Test matches and he will be raring to go whenever he gets a chance next time around. Broad's comments are in the context of his 2020 interview, where he threw a fit in frustration for not being selected to play in the series. "There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves, dwell on not batting, bowling, or catching very well. We know that's the case." "What we mustn't do is carry negatives with us for the next month. We've done that on Ashes tours past and consistently lost. We must pretend it's 0-0 in a four-match series and go again.”

BBL 11 | Watch Afghan Qais Ahmad’s socially distanced celebration for Melbourne Stars

Qais Ahmad of Afghanistan is playing his second game in the Big Bash League 2021 and is still not allowed to come in touch with the other nine players of the playing XI apart from Andre Russell, who has also travelled with the Afghan from Dubai where both were part of the recently concluded T10 tournament. Both Ahmad and Russell are part of Melbourne Stars. So after Qais picked his first wicket as he bowled Sydney Thunder’s Matthew Gilkes round his legs in only his second over, the 21-year-old couldn’t celebrate by high fiving his teammates and therefore created a unique celebration which was praised on Twitter. In the tweet done by Channel 7, the official broadcaster of the league, Ahmad is seen giving in the air high fives. Few people couldn’t understand the reason and asked why Ahmad, who could play in the XI was not allowed to be in touch with the players on the field. The reason for that has been given as the number of days in self-quarantine after their return from Dubai. This means that these two players, Ahmad and Russell would not be allowed to touch other players for the first two games. In the match, both Russell and Qais bowled four overs each. While Qais picked two wickets he also held on to catch. As far as the match is concerned, the Thunder batting first have set a target of 152 for the Stars to chase.