In a recent development, Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf had his central contract terminated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after refusing to join the national Test squad for the Australia tour. The PCB conducted a probe into Rauf's refusal and, after a thorough investigation and a personal hearing, decided to terminate his central contract from December 1, 2023. Additionally, Rauf will not be granted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in any foreign league until June 30, 2024. The PCB stated that Rauf's response during the investigation was unsatisfactory [7f06f0a7].
This termination of Rauf's contract is the second major development from the Pakistan cricket setup, following the end of Mohammad Hafeez's tenure as the Director of the Pakistan Men's Cricket Team. Hafeez fulfilled the role during Pakistan's tours of Australia and New Zealand. Rauf, who has represented Pakistan in one Test, 37 ODIs, and 66 T20Is, has 160 international wickets to his name. While he did not feature in the Test series against Australia, Rauf returned for the T20I series against New Zealand, where he took seven wickets at an average of 23 and an economy rate of 10.61. Pakistan, however, lost the five-match series 4-1 [7f06f0a7].
In other news, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar and his wife Rubab Khan welcomed their third child, a baby girl named Nooreh Ali Akhtar, on March 1, 2024. The couple already has two sons, Mohammad Mikaeel Ali and Mohammad Mujaddid Ali. Akhtar, known as the 'Rawalpindi Express' for his fast bowling, has transitioned from a cricket icon to a family-focused individual. He announced the birth of Nooreh Ali Akhtar on social media, receiving blessings and congratulations from the cricket community and fans. This new chapter for Akhtar symbolizes personal growth and the continuation of a legacy beyond the cricket pitch [93f4d10f].
Meanwhile, in the Asian U21 Snooker Championship held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, two Pakistani players achieved significant victories. Muhammad Hasnain Akhtar from Pakistan won the Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship title by defeating defending champion Muhammad Ahsan Ramzan in a thrilling contest. Akhtar, hailing from Karachi, secured the victory with a score of 4-3 frames. This was Akhtar's first international event [f687b718].
In another success for Pakistan, Owais Munir from Lahore won the Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship by defeating Hong Kong's Nan Sin Wan with a score of 6-3 in the final. Munir reached the final by defeating Asjad Iqbal in the semi-finals [f687b718] [ef873522].