Pakistan’s lethal pace attack reminds Akhtar of ‘old days’
Pakistan’s lethal pace attack reminds Akhtar of ‘old days’/node/2369331/pakistan
Pakistan’s lethal pace attack reminds Akhtar of ‘old days’
(L-R) Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates after taking a wicket during the Asia Cup 2023 ODI cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on September 6, 2023, Naseem Shah celebrate after Pakistan won by 1 wicket during the second ODI cricket match between Pakistan and Afghanistan at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on August 24, 2023 and Haris Rauf celebrates after taking a wicket during the Asia Cup 2023 ODI cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on September 2, 2023. (Photo courtesy: AFP)
Pakistan’s lethal pace attack reminds Akhtar of ‘old days’
Pakistan boast one of the world’s best bowling attacks in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf
Pakistan’s pace trio has taken 23 wickets between themselves in the first three matches of the Asia Cup so far
Updated 07 September 2023
AFP
Colombo: Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday said the team’s current pace attack reminds him of the era of the great pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis.
Pakistan boast one of the world’s best fast-bowling attacks in Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf.
The trio has taken 23 wickets between them in the first three matches of the ongoing Asia Cup co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a precursor to next month’s one-day international World Cup in India.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen rattled the Indian top order last week in a group match that was abandoned due to rain after just one innings and remains a threat ahead of a key Super Four clash between the arch-rivals on Sunday.
“These youngsters are very, very talented and I am happy that Pakistan is able to produce such fast bowlers over and over again,” Akhtar said in an online chat organized by Star Sports.
“This pace battery reminds me of the old days... reminds me of that era of two Ws (Waqar and Wasim). They are very confident and have the mindset of taking wickets.”
Wasim and Waqar took over 900 ODI wickets between them, striking fear into the hearts of opposing batsmen with their lightning-fast reverse swing deliveries.
Shaheen leads the charge with new-ball partner Naseem, but it is first-change Rauf who tops the Asia Cup bowling chart with nine wickets.
Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh in the opening match of the Super Fours in Lahore on Wednesday with Rauf returning 4-19 from his six overs.
“I would say Shaheen Shah Afridi is on top of his career right now. Haris Rauf has a wicket-taking mindset like Shaheen,” said Akhtar, who later joined Pakistan’s pace attack alongside Wasim and Waqar.
“I would just advise Naseem to bowl more wicket-taking deliveries than be a stock bowler. He seams the ball more than Shaheen and can penetrate more.”
Pakistan has had a history of producing great fast bowlers including Fazal Mahmood, Sarfraz Nawaz and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.
Akhtar said Pakistan remain favorites to win the Asia Cup and the World Cup starting October 5 and predicted Babar Azam’s team will topple India in both tournaments.
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Saturday unveiled its squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, as the country seeks to uplift its women’s football program and strengthen its profile in a sport where its men’s team has also struggled to gain traction.
Pakistan’s men’s national team, briefly competitive in regional tournaments in the decades following independence, has long languished near the bottom of Asian rankings amid administrative issues and lack of sustained investment.
In contrast, women’s football in Pakistan began to take shape in the early 2000s, with the formation of the country’s first women’s football clubs in 2002 and the launch of the National Women’s Football Championship in 2005.
“The Pakistan Football Federation has named a squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, set to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from June 29 to July 5,” said the PFF in a statement.
Placed in Group E, the team will open its campaign on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, confront host Indonesia on July 2 and conclude the group stage against Kyrgyzstan on July 5.
A preparatory training camp, led by Coach Adeel Rizki, will be held at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium from June 19 to 26.
Football enjoys a considerable fan base in Pakistan despite the country’s cricket dominance.
Athletes have recently expanded into Olympic swimming and achieved international success in javelin, demonstrating a broader ambition to elevate sports beyond one stronghold.
PFF officials say the women’s squad aims to make a statement on the Asian stage and inspire broader development.
Pakistan will be seeking its first-ever Women’s Asian Cup appearance, while the men’s side continues to fight for relevance amid FIFA rankings that reached a historic low before recent suspensions were lifted.
Pakistan’s national women’s football team was officially formed in 2010 and has yet to qualify for a Women’s Asian Cup or World Cup, but played in multiple SAFF Championships and remained a bright spot in domestic football.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday assured Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his country’s participation in the upcoming Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul, as both leaders expressed deep concern over Israel’s recent attack on Iran and pledged to coordinate peace efforts.
The telephone call came as the OIC’s Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) prepares to convene in Türkiye on June 21–22 at a volatile moment for the bloc, with two of its member states — Pakistan and Iran — having faced military standoffs with their regional rivals.
While Pakistan’s border exchange with India lasted four days before a US-brokered ceasefire was reached last month, Iran remains in a state of heightened uncertainty following Israel’s strike on its military and nuclear facilities on Friday, as the war shows no signs of easing.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye, this evening,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after the call. “During their most warm and cordial conversation, both leaders discussed the deeply worrying situation in the region in the wake of Israel’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression against Iran.”
“The Prime Minister said that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role for peace, both as member of the UN Security Council, as well as in other forums such as the OIC,” the statement added. “In this regard, the Prime Minister said that Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar would represent Pakistan at the upcoming OIC CFM meeting in Istanbul.”
Both leaders condemned Israel’s strikes, saying they violated Iran’s sovereignty and defied international law.
They also voiced solidarity with Palestine amid what they described as Israel’s “brazen military aggression,” which they said had continued “with complete impunity.”
The two leaders emphasized the international community and the United Nations must act collectively and urge Israel to immediately end its “aggressive posturing and illegal actions” against Iran, Palestine and other countries in the region.
KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday hosted the inaugural direct flight by Uzbekistan Airways between Islamabad and Tashkent, marking yet another step toward enhanced regional connectivity and deeper economic ties with Central Asia.
Pakistan has been pushing to forge stronger trade links with landlocked Central Asian nations by offering access to its Arabian Sea ports. While several regional states border Afghanistan, Uzbekistan is seen as a strategic gateway due to its central location in the region and its larger economy.
“The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) proudly hosted the inaugural flight ceremony of Uzbekistan Airlines’ direct service from Islamabad to Tashkent (Flight HY466), marking a significant milestone in enhancing regional air connectivity and people-to-people ties between Pakistan and Central Asia,” said a PAA statement.
The flight, carrying 126 passengers, departed Islamabad at 1:09 p.m. on Saturday, following a festive check-in at Zone 1 of the international airport adorned with balloons, the statement said.
It informed that ambassadors from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan attended the ceremony, joined by airport officials, tourism executives and Uzbekistan Airlines’ country manager.
Pakistan is also advancing plans for a railway link connecting Uzbekistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Earlier this month, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi and Uzbek officials about the proposed 573‑km Uzbekistan‑Afghanistan‑Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.
The corridor aims to link Tashkent with Kabul and Peshawar, enhancing freight movement and reducing transit time by up to several days.
The overland route via Afghanistan connects Pakistan’s road and rail network through the mountainous frontier into Afghanistan and onward to Central Asia, offering an alternative to existing northbound trade routes.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested three individuals, including a woman, for allegedly defrauding job seekers by promising employment in Gulf countries and Europe, state media reported.
The arrests were made during raids in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, and Lodhran. The suspects, identified as Abid Hussain, Hira Noor and Ajmal, are accused of collecting large sums from citizens in exchange for fake overseas job arrangements.
“These suspects were arrested for their involvement in visa fraud and human smuggling,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said, adding all three went into hiding after failing to deliver on their promises.
The report further said Abid Hussain received Rs800,000 ($2,800) from one victim for a job in Saudi Arabia. Hira Noor allegedly took over Rs2.9 million ($10,150) from another individual, promising work in Europe. Ajmal is accused of charging Rs400,000 ($1,400) to arrange employment in Dubai.
The arrests come amid renewed efforts by Pakistan to crack down on human smuggling networks after a series of deadly boat tragedies in recent years involving Pakistani nationals trying to reach Europe as undocumented migrants.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday urged the international community and the United Nations to take “urgent and credible steps” to end Israel’s war in Iran, during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a statement from his office.
Israel launched surprise attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities in the early hours of Friday amid Tehran’s negotiations with Washington over its nuclear program. The strikes killed several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Iranian media, and also caused civilian casualties.
Israel, at war in the region since October 2023, initially launched a military campaign against Gaza following a Hamas assault, which the Palestinian group said was retaliation for decades of oppression. Since then, the Israeli government has expanded its military operations to neighboring Muslim states such as Syria and Lebanon before targeting Iran.
This handout picture released by the Iranian Red Crescent on June 14, 2025, shows Iranian Red Crescent volunteers gathered in front of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike in Tehran. (Iranian Red Crescent/AFP)
Sharif said Pakistan stood in “resolute solidarity” with Iranian people and government during his conversation with the Iranian president.
“The Prime Minster denounced Israel’s blatant provocations and adventurism as a grave threat to regional and global peace and stability,” said the statement released by his office after the phone call.
“He urged the international community and the United Nations to take urgent and credible steps to put an end to Israel’s aggressive behavior and its illegal actions,” it added. “He stated that Pakistan was fully committed to promoting peace in the region and stood ready to play its role in this context.”
Sharif also conveyed condolences over the loss of life in Friday’s Israeli strike and recalled Pakistan’s statement of support for Iran during an emergency session of the UN Security Council a day earlier.
The Iranian President thanked Pakistan for its solidarity and support and called for greater unity among Islamic countries in the face of escalating regional threats.
UNIFIED STRATEGY
Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged Muslim nations to adopt a unified strategy to counter Israel, warning that failure to act collectively would leave them vulnerable, as he expressed full diplomatic support to Iran in a speech to the National Assembly following Israeli strikes.
“Just as Israel is currently targeting Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, if the Muslim world does not unite today and continues to prioritize its own interests and agendas, then everyone’s turn will come,” he told lawmakers.
“An OIC meeting should be convened, and all Muslim countries must come together to devise a strategy through which Israel can be confronted collectively,” he continued. “There is a need for an initiative that reflects the unity of the Islamic world. Wherever there are diplomatic ties with Israel in the Muslim world, they should be severed.”
The Pakistani minister added the Muslim world remained “militarily vulnerable” and voiced what he described as Pakistan’s unwavering solidarity with Iran.
NO NUCLEAR TALKS
The Iranian foreign ministry also announced during the day it would no longer take part in planned nuclear negotiations with the United States in Oman, calling them “meaningless” while Israeli attacks continued.
“It is obvious that in such circumstances and until the Zionist regime’s aggression against the Iranian nation stops, it would be meaningless to participate in dialogue with a party that is the biggest supporter and accomplice of the aggressor,” an Iranian spokesperson said, according to international wire agencies.
Israel’s defense minister also warned “Tehran will burn” if Iran continued to launch missiles at Israeli cities. Iran had retaliated on Friday night by launching a barrage of missiles at Israel, with explosions lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Just a day earlier, hours after Israel targeted Iran, Pakistan’s envoy to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, condemned the strike on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, calling it a violation of international law.
“Iran has the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” he said, urging all sides to avoid further escalation and emphasizing the need to resolve tensions through diplomacy.
