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PAK vs WI | Former skipper slams ‘directionless' Pakistan strategy despite clinching series win

Pakistan captain Babar Azam continued to pile on the runs for his country as the hosts outplayed West Indies in the second ODI in Multan on Friday (June 10). With an emphatic 120-run victory on Friday, Pakistan has taken an unassailable lead in the three-match ODI series. The hosts lead the series by a score-line of 2-0; the final ODI will present an opportunity to claim a clean sweep against a struggling West Indian side. 


Pakistan put on a challenging total of 275 runs on the board, courtesy of a 120-run stand between Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam. The skipper managed to score 77 runs after registering a century in the first ODI. Despite the series win, former Pakistan opener Salman Butt slammed the team's strategy and raised several question marks over the batting order.


Khushdil Shah, who was the star of the chase in the first ODI, was sent out to bat at number eight in the second ODI. As a result, the likes of Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan were sent ahead of the explosive batter, something which did not go down well with Butt.


Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt said, "There are certain things that Pakistan can sort out for themselves. Like in the first ODI, Khushdil Shah finished the game brilliantly for Pakistan, won the game for the team, and was unbeaten. But in the next game, when Pakistan were in trouble, they sent Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan before Khushdil. So what are they even doing? What are they even planning?" 


"They should have sent Khushdil ahead and allowed him to play a big innings. Yes he did finish a game, but does that mean you have reserved his batting for only those last 4-5 overs? Look at his domestic record. Look at how many centuries he has got. He is a batsman, but you are sending bowling all-rounders ahead of him," the ex-cricketer continued.


Haris was brought into the squad, replacing former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed. Butt also raised question marks over the role of Haris in the lineup and stated that the 21-year-old should be treated as a wicket-keeping option and not a middle-order batter. The former player believes it would be better to utilise Shan Masood or Kamran Ghulam as middle-order batters.


The final ODI will be played in Multan again on Sunday. West Indies will look to test their bench and avoid a clean sweep. As for Pakistan, they will be determined to claim their fifth successive ODI victory. Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq have been scoring runs freely in the past couple of months and will look to exploit an inexperienced West Indian bowling lineup.

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#OTD in 1999 | Saqlain Mushtaq became the second player to grab two hat-tricks in ODIs

On this day in 1999, the legendary spinner Saqlain Mushtaq took a hat-trick in the ICC World Cup Super-Six fixture against Zimbabwe at The Oval. He also became the second player after Wasim Akram to secure two hat-tricks in the 50-overs format. His first hat-trick came against Zimbabwe in 1996 at Peshawar. The Pakistan team had topped the league stage points table with four wins in five league matches. Ahead of this league match, they had lost their two encounters against India and South Africa. The Akram-led side opted to bat first in a crunch game. The likes of Saeed Anwar (103), Wajahatullah Wasti (40), and Shahid Afridi (37) were the key contributors to the team, posting a total of 271 on the board. Heath Streak and Henry Olonga picked two wickets each. In reply, the opener Neil Johnson played a fighting knock of 54, but the middle-order failed to contribute in a hefty manner. With 123/7 in 40 overs, it was certainly a done and dusted affair. But, Mushtaq came to bowl and produced impressive performances, which gave joy to the crowds in the stands and cricket fans back at home as well. In the first ball of the over, Olonga charged but missed the ball by a fair margin, and was stumped by Moin Khan. However, the patience of the fast bowler lasted 31 balls, wherein he could score only five runs. A similar type of dismissal happened in the subsequent delivery, with Adam Huckle was beaten by the spin and was nowhere close to the ball. A total of five fielders were positioned around Pommie Mbangwa for an all-important ball. Mbangwa could not judge the ball, failed to make contact with the bat, and was adjudged LBW. This wicket helped Pakistan to win by a significant margin of 148 runs and entered the World Cup semi-finals. In the penultimate stage, they chase down the score of 241 set by New Zealand. However, they emerged as runners-up after losing to Australia.

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'I'll cherish that for the rest of my life'- Daryl Mitchell on his ton at Lord's

New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell could not decide how to react after fulfilling his childhood dream of scoring a Test hundred at the 'Home of Cricket' Lord's during the 2nd innings of the 1st Test against England last week. He, in his own words, was 'absolutely fizzing' following the culmination of his boyhood dreams, and it's something, he admitted, he'll cherish for the rest of his life. However, the humble cricketer believes that he 'doesn't deserve' to be alongside some of the legends of the game on the Lord's honour board. Speaking to the Telegraph UK, Mitchell opened up about a range of emotions he went through at Lord's last week. He said: "I first wanted to keep it relaxed, like Kane [Williamson] and seem as if I was taking it in my stride. But I couldn't control myself. I was absolutely fizzing. I just let go. That's my personality. [Scoring a hundred] at Lord's is something I've always dreamed about." "I'll cherish that for the rest of my life. I've got a pic with my family that we'll frame. My place in the dressing room was just under the honours board with some of the greats of the game. I don't think I deserve to be there with them. But it's something I'll savour forever." Having been called up to the starting XI following an untimely injury to Henry Nicholls ahead of the Lord's Test, Mitchell showcased his skills, technique and temperament to the hilt against the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad after the BlackCaps were reduced to 4-56 in the 2nd innings. En route to his 2nd Test hundred, Mitchell added a priceless 195 runs for the 5th wicket with Tom Blundell. Although New Zealand eventually went on to lose the game courtesy of a brilliant spell from Broad and an unbeaten century from Joe Root, his innings was a real positive sign for the visitors as they looked to plug the gap in their middle-order post the retirement of Ross Taylor. And, just to prove that his innings at Lord's wasn't a fluke, Mitchell has backed it up with another priceless ton in the first innings of the ongoing Nottingham Test courtesy of yet another monumental stand with Blundell, who also scored a hundred after having agonisingly missed out at Lord's.