KARACHI: Middle-order batters Harry Brook and Ben Duckett smashed robust maiden half-centuries in England’s thumping 63-run win in the third T20 international against Pakistan in Karachi on Friday.

Brook scored a 35-ball 81 not out while Duckett cracked an unbeaten 42-ball 69 to lead England to an impressive 221-3 in their 20 overs after they were sent in to bat at the National stadium.

Shan Masood led Pakistan’s recovery in a 40-ball 65 not out but they finished well short on 158-8 in 20 overs to give England a 2-1 lead in the seven-match series.

The match proved an anti-climax to Pakistan’s big ten-wicket win in the second game on Thursday that avenged their first game defeat by five wickets two days earlier, both in Karachi.

Fast bowler Mark Wood — playing for the first time since March this year following an elbow surgery — dismissed Babar Azam (eight) and Haider Ali (three) while Mohammad Rizwan fell for eight and Iftikhar Ahmed six left the home team reeling at 28-4.

Wood finished with 3-24 while spinner Adil Rashid took 2-32.

Masood and Khushdil Shah (29) added 62 for the fifth wicket but the asking rate climbed as England’s pace-cum-spin attack continued to put the pressure.

Masood’s knock had three boundaries and four sixes.

Earlier, England posted the highest total against Pakistan by any team in all T20Is beating the 211-3 Sri Lanka made in Dubai in 2013.

Debutant Will Jacks set the platform for England with a sparkling 20-ball 40 with eight boundaries before Brook and Duckett took the attack to the Pakistan bowlers.

Brook cracked five sixes and eight boundaries while Duckett hit six and eight boundaries as the pair added 139 runs off just 69 balls — a record fourth-wicket stand for England in all T20Is.

For Pakistan, leg-spinner Usman Qadir was the pick of the bowlers with 2-48 while pacer Shahnawaz Dahani went for 62 runs in his four wicket-less overs.

Dahani’s figures are the second worst by a Pakistani bowler in a T20I, just short of Usman Shinwari who conceded 63 in his four against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2019.

England are on their first tour of Pakistan since 2005.

The remaining matches are in Karachi (Sunday) and Lahore (September 28, 30 and October 2).

Teams:

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Shahnawaz Dahani, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir

England: Moeen Ali (captain), Will Jacks, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Liam Dawson, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood

NEW YORK, SEP 23: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday addressed the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York, United States. 

PM Shehbaz landed in New York to attend UNGA’s first in-person session since 2019 as the world was gripped by the coronavirus pandemic.

The prime minister said he was at the UNGA “to tell Pakistan’s story to the world.”

“A story of deep anguish and pain arising out of a massive human tragedy caused by floods. In my address at UNGA and bilateral meetings, I will present Pakistan’s case on issues that call for the world’s immediate attention,” the premier wrote.

PM’s schedule in US

On the sidelines of the UNGA session, the prime minister will participate in the Global Food Security Summit jointly organised by the African Union, European Union and the United States, and a Closed-door Leaders Gathering on COP-27 bringing together select world leaders to discuss climate change.

The premier will hold a number of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from various countries, the President of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General as well as heads of International Organisations, IFIs and philanthropic organisations. Leaders will also have the opportunity to interact during the receptions hosted by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the United States.

ISLAMABAD, Sep 23 (DNA): The Turkish Red Crescent has been active in Pakistan since floods claimed hundreds of lives, with its teams trying to reach as many affectees as possible, Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah reported.

“Either by trucks or by boats, teams seek to address the basic needs of the displaced, including accommodation, food and hygiene and also expanding its humanitarian assistance to health care centers,” the newspaper said.

Turkish Red Crescent President Kerem Kinik said they had never left Pakistan after a deadly earthquake in 2005. “We set up a permanent humanitarian aid delegation here after the 2005 disaster. Our delegation was among the responders to this new catastrophe as well. By the time our teams from Turkiye arrived here, our colleagues, in cooperation with Pakistan Red Crescent, were healing the wounds,” he added. 

Kinik also said the Red Crescent first supplied food aid and later organized accommodation efforts. “With the tents we sent from Turkiye and tents we obtained here in Pakistan, we tried to protect flood victims. There is still work to do to address accommodation needs, as well as public health.”

He pointed out that the biggest threat to flood victims was now infectious diseases. “Clean drinking water is a major necessity here. Swamps that the floods created may cause millions to fall ill. People are in need of hygiene materials. So, we will concentrate on supplying hygiene and health care aid in the next stage of our efforts.”

 Anil Kocabal, head of the Turkish charity’s delegation in Pakistan, said waterborne diseases were increasing in the flood-hit areas. “We are planning to set up mobile health units in three regions and they will serve about 30,000 people. We will assign mobile health care teams consisting of doctors and nurses for first response before the transfer of patients to hospitals. We plan to realize these efforts within a week, he added.

Kocabal also said that they were working on public access to clean water resources and planned to deliver water filtration systems to some 5,000 families in Pakistan, .

Tukiye continuously sends help to Pakistan and on Thursday, sent two more “Kindness Trains” loaded with humanitarian aid. They were the eighth and ninth trains and carry 1,040 tons of disaster relief goods, including food and hygiene products.

DNA

Says Zardari, Sharif sitting everywhere in poor countries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan expressed his optimism that the Haqiqi Azadi Movement was destined to succeed as the nation as awaken to liberate the country from the thieves and corrupt rulers, who were getting clean chit in cases.

Speaking at the first women’s convention in the history of the country organized by PTI, Imran Khan said that the fight for Haqiqi Azadi was for the future of next generation and a nation cannot progress without the rule of law.

The PTI Chairman urged the people to fight for Haqiqi Azadi, as slaves can only become good slaves and only free nations ascend.

Imran Khan went on to say that the nation has woken up and the youth is fighting for their rights terming it as the decisive time for Pakistan.

PTI Central Secretary General Asad Umar, Central Convener of Insaf Students Federation Arslan Chaudhary, President of Insaf Students Federation Islamabad Amjad Ali and Naila Marwat, students organizer also participated in the convention.

A large number of female students from various universities and educational institutions from the federal capital and adjoining areas participated in the convention.

He said that NAB laws were amended to allow the government to systematically close corruption cases against their leaders and to ensure their return to Pakistan without fear of prosecution for graft cases.

PTI Chairman suggested that the jails should be opened, as what was the fault of the poor, adding that Zardari and Sharif were sitting everywhere in the poor countries. Imran said that that in Pakistan those who committed a smaller crime are in jail; however those who are guilty of major crimes but are powerful are currently comfortable in the power corridors.

He noted that a society which has no justice, people were treated worse than animal, adding that if anyone wanted to see the worst slavery today, then go to Sindh, the way the powerful wolves keep people, they did not keep animals in the West. “When there are no rights, the society of humans also becomes a society of animals that was the reason the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) first talked about the system of justice,” he said, adding that teachings and principles of the Prophet (PBUH) are guidance for us to follow.

Imran Khan said that if a robber is allowed to sit on a factory, it would be destroyed within no time. “Today, whatever the poor countries are, they all have the same story, as there is no justice, there is the law of jungle and Sharif and Zardari like corrupts are at the helm there who are stealing and plundering national resources and begging from others,” he added.

Imran Khan told the participants that they were not doing politics but Jihad for real freedom and this was very important for future generations.

Islam liberated women by giving them rights, even today despite this we have passed the law but 80% of women do not get their inheritance rights.

Imran Khan said that our Prophet (PBUH) had said that great nations were destroyed before you who could not catch the powerful who stole.

He added that when this movement started, it was clear that if we bring justice to Pakistan, we will be free and this country will become a great country, as the struggle for real freedom is going on.

PTI Chairman went on to say that if they worked hard, the movement of the real freedom would be successful, adding that Shehbaz Sharif trapped the nation in the swamp of debts.

He told the women that this was a decisive time for the country and urged them to go door-to-door and spread the message of freedom and make Pakistan independent from corrupt governance.

He stated that soon he would give the call for his Haqeeqi Azaadi Tehreek’ and called on everyone to participate.

DNA

BADIN, SEP 23: General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) visited flood-affected areas of Badin today. He spent time with flood-affected people in relief & medical camps and also met Army troops busy in rescue & relief activities in Malkani Sharif, district Badin.

Later, General Bajwa was flown for aerial reconnaissance of flood-affected areas of Badin and its surroundings.

COAS also had interaction with business community at Karachi. During the interaction and said that the business community has always helped people of Pakistan during various natural calamities including their support in recent floods.

The business community members acknowledged the role and sacrifice made by the Pakistan Army in providing safe environment for the country’s economic prosperity and assured COAS maximum support for the flood affected people.

LAHORE – The World Bank on Friday offered to give $35 million in aid to the Punjab government for flood-stricken people.

A delegation led by the country director of the World Bank met Chief Minister Punjab Pervaiz Elahi, while former federal minister Moonis Elahi was also present in the meeting. In the meeting, the World Bank also offered assistance to the flood-hit people, while It was also agreed to increase cooperation between the Punjab government and the World Bank in various fields.

Punjab CM said that $35 million will be linked to the Punjab Ehsaas program and will be distributed among the flood-affected people. Speaking about the World Bank, Pervaiz Elahi said, “I have had a long-standing relationship with the World Bank and during my previous government, revolutionary reforms in education and health were carried out with the support of the World Bank.” CM Elahi said that his Education Sector Reforms Programme was recognized globally, adding that his government had announced free education up to degree level.

Talking about the situation of the flood-affected people, the Chief Minister said that medicines have been provided free of cost in the emergency wards, while special medical camps have been set up in the flood-stricken areas to prevent epidemics. Chief Minister Elahi further said that a comprehensive plan has been prepared for the rehabilitation of the flood-hit people and full attention has been paid to the construction of dams to preserve water.