KARACHI: It is not clear what New Zealand captain Kane Willamson’s religious inclinations are, but if he is a believer he might have found solace in this religious saying tonight: “I discovered my Lord in the breaking of my plans.”
Leading an unbeaten side coming into Thursday’s match against Pakistan at Birmingham, which Pakistan won by six wickets, Williamson saw all his best laid plans come to nought as his team was comprehensively beaten. The defeat was certainly not for want of planning. Pakistani journalist Hassan Cheema had noted that “being the best planned team at any tournament has become a part of New Zealand cricket’s identity”, and they spent much of this match doing the right things — only for those things to be rendered futile.
Consider this. As per stats from ESPNCricinfo, during the first ten overs of this World Cup match, a wicket falls for every 14 shots played by batters where they were not in control (NIC). Today, after Williamson won the toss and chose to bat, New Zealand played only six NIC shots, yet lost three wickets. It was a start that confounded the statistics, and reminded cricket once again that Pakistan is that strange, magical team that exists on the very margins of mathematical possibilities; a team that lives amidst the wings of the butterfly whose flutters lead to a tsunami. Time and again, New Zealand played quality cricket and executed plans with the greatest probability for success, only for Pakistan to squeeze through the edges.
That early disaster for New Zealand was created by Shaheen Shah Afridi, a teenager who has been absolutely smashed in every match he has played since the team arrived in England. But here, he ran in with the assurance that Pakistani fast bowlers are destined to be rockstars, and it was now time for his solo. A capacity crowd that was almost entirely supporting Pakistan wasn’t allowed to step off the noise button during his entire spell, as he kept beating the bat and threatening to strike.
Afridi’s second wicket was another example of Pakistan’s propensity to confound probabilities. In the 2011 World Cup, Ross Taylor had edged behind and was dropped by Pakistan’s wicket-keeper, and his explosive innings afterwards cost Pakistan the match. But today, when Ross Taylor nicked, Pakistan’s captain Sarfaraz Ahmed was the wicketkeeper lying in wait — the same Sarfaraz who had been the unwitting star of a viral video where he was abused for his weigh; the same Sarfaraz pilloried in the press and online for his pudgy frame, his demoralized body language, his infamous yawn during the match against India. Here, that same lazy, unfit, much-maligned Sarfaraz flew to his side and took a one-handed catch to get rid of Taylor. Nine times out of ten, you’d expect a Pakistani fielder to drop that, but today wasn’t that day.
Williamson himself was his team’s oasis of calm throughout all this, and he looked increasingly at ease as the innings went on. But then Shadab Khan, whose eventual figures won’t reveal his impact, turned on his magic. With a wonderfully flighted delivery that took the thinnest of edges, Shadab broke through New Zealand’s best chances. Once again, it was the finest of margins, and once again, they broke Pakistan’s way.
Sarfaraz was also magnificent as captain, constantly making changes to keep the Kiwis on their toes, but his one mistake threatened to have cost the initiative. He followed Williamson’s wicket by introducing lesser bowlers rather than trying to attack with his strike bowlers. It allowed New Zealand to recover with a stable partnership, and the eventual target of 238 felt like the Kiwis had escaped Pakistan’s hold on the game. Teams chasing had only won 10 of 29 completed matches at the World Cup so far, and both of Pakistan’s wins had come batting first. The Kiwis’ choice to bowl first was part of the plan to make Pakistan do something they were likely to fail at, but again, it was a day for the margins.
A few weeks ago, speaking to Sharda Ugra of ESPNCricinfo, Babar Azam had said that “every player dreams of playing in [a World Cup] and it was my dream too… Each team brings their best bowling and you have to do extra preparation against every bowler who is here. You have to perform and … show the world that aap bhi aaye ho [make your presence felt].” And at Edgbaston on Thursday, Babar decided to show that he had arrived.
No Pakistani middle-order batter has made a 100 for 32 years in a World Cup. Indeed, in the past five editions including this one, Pakistan only has two 100s in total, scored against the weaker teams of Zimbabwe and Ireland. What Babar Azam did against New Zealand blew away all the previous data and set a new benchmark. On a pitch that was gripping and spinning sharply, against an opponent that never let up and in a match that was do-or-die, Babar’s hundred brought together his penchant for playing Instagram-friendly shots with the staying power of a Russian novel, and it led Pakistan to an eventually comfortable win.
But once again, the reality could have been so much different. According to data analysts’ Cricviz’s Wicket Probability Model, “the deliveries that were bowled to Babar today should have lead to... 3.3 wickets [i.e.] the average batsman, facing [those] balls would have been dismissed more than three times.” Moreover, Babar’s false shot percentage of 16% was the highest in a game he got a 100. New Zealand did all things that should have worked. Pakistan did all the things that actually did.
During the post-match press conference, Babar described one of the game’s moments of fortune with an aphorism noting that “jo bhi hota hai, achay ke liye hota hai” (whatever happens, happens for a good reason). It is another way of acknowledging the belief that humans can’t know what God/fate/probability intends for them. It’s also the only solace that Kane Williamson and his meticulously planned team can take for now: when Pakistan plays like this, meaning takes a back seat and the mysteries that exist in the margins bleed out into the center.
In a day for the margins, Pakistan beat New Zealand to keep World Cup dream alive
In a day for the margins, Pakistan beat New Zealand to keep World Cup dream alive
- Babar Azam made an unbeaten century as Pakistan won by six wickets on Wednesday
- Pakistan proved itself once again that magical team which exists on the very margins of mathematical possibilities
Pakistan military says it will not let India set precedent for cross-border strikes
- Military spokesperson says Pakistan has ‘every right to protect its honor, integrity and sovereignty’
- He says India has been equipping people against Pakistan while running ‘terrorist’ training camps
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said on Friday it would not allow India to “set a new norm” where it could carry out cross-border strikes at will, vowing to defend the country’s sovereignty and respond at a time and place of its choosing.
The two South Asian nuclear rivals have been on the brink of a full-scale war since India carried out strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday, in response to a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 tourists dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, a charge Pakistan has denied.
In the days since, Pakistan has claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets and over 75 drones, while India said it had retaliated against Pakistani air and drone assaults by destroying an air defense system in Lahore.
Global powers have urged both sides to exercise restraint, but tensions remain high.
“They want to set a new norm that at their convenience, whenever they feel like it, they will go cross-border, cross-international, and hit wherever they like,” Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a briefing to foreign media.
“What do you think of Pakistan — that we will allow all this to happen after clearly saying we have every right to protect the honor, integrity and sovereignty of our people?”
He added that Pakistan would respond “at the time, place and method of our choosing.”
During the briefing, Chaudhry displayed images of children killed in Indian strikes and asked journalists to keep them in mind.
“Please remember these pictures when you talk about what’s happening on the ground and when you ask us what Pakistan is going to do,” he said.
Accusing India of sponsoring “terrorism,” Chaudhry alleged that Indian agencies were operating training camps inside their country and directing armed groups to increase attacks on Pakistani soil.
“They have networks of people whom they train and equip with weapons,” he said. “Instructions have been issued to terrorist groups to ramp up activities against Pakistan.”
India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars, but this is the most serious escalation since both countries became declared nuclear powers in May 1998.
The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both sides claim in full but control in part, has long been a flashpoint and the cause of repeated military skirmishes.
PM Sharif announces IMF approval of $1 billion disbursement to Pakistan under $7 billion deal
- The prime minister expresses satisfaction India’s ‘efforts to sabotage’ the loan program had failed
- He says Pakistan’s economic situation is improving and it is moving toward financial progress
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a $1 billion disbursement for Pakistan under a loan program secured by the government last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in an official statement late Friday.
The announcement followed an IMF Executive Board meeting to finalize staff-level agreements related to the $1 billion payout, as well as Pakistan’s new $1.3 billion arrangement under a climate resilience facility approved in March.
The meeting took place at a time when Pakistan is working to revive investment amid a gradually stabilizing macroeconomic environment, following a prolonged downturn that compelled it to seek external financing from allies and global lenders.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over the IMF’s approval of the $1 billion tranche for Pakistan and the failure of India’s underhanded tactics against the country,” his office said in a statement issued after the board’s decision.
Media reports said recently India had attempted to pressure the IMF to block the disbursement, citing heightened military tensions between the two neighbors following a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 tourists dead.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the assault, an allegation Pakistani officials repeatedly denied.
Sharif said international financial institutions had “responsibly rejected” India’s narrative and reaffirmed their trust in Pakistan’s economic strategy.
“Indian efforts to sabotage the IMF program have failed,” he said, adding the disbursement would help stabilize the economy and steer it toward long-term recovery.
He praised Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and other members of the government’s economic team for their role in securing the funds.
Pakistan has been working to broaden its tax base, improve energy sector efficiency, and unlock private sector growth as part of its reform commitments under the $7 billion IMF loan program.
“By the grace of God, the country’s economic situation is improving, and Pakistan is moving toward progress,” Sharif said. “The government remains committed to tax reforms, energy sector improvements and private sector development.”
He reiterated that Pakistan would stay the course on economic stabilization, effective performance and long-term planning.
The IMF funding approval comes at a critical time for Pakistan, as it seeks to reassure global investors and shore up foreign exchange reserves amid geopolitical instability and upcoming budget negotiations.
Pakistan accuses India of targeting civilians along Kashmir border amid intensifying hostilities
- Army spokesperson says Pakistan has limited its response to Indian military posts across the LoC
- He denies Indian claims Pakistan launched large-scale drone and missile attacks across the border
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Friday accused India of deliberately targeting civilians along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors escalated sharply this week.
Fighting between the South Asian rivals intensified after India carried out strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday, in response to a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 tourists dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, a charge Pakistan has denied.
In the days since, Pakistan has claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets and over 75 drones, while India said it had retaliated against Pakistani air and drone assaults by destroying an air defense system in Lahore.
The cross-border violence also had a devastating impact on civilians living along the LoC, with both sides trading heavy fire over the past two days.
“Pakistan has been receiving the Indian artillery shelling,” the military’s spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, told Türkiye’s TRT World in an interview.
“Unfortunately, they are targeting, deliberately targeting, the civilians,” he continued. “Pakistan is now firing on the posts from where the [Indian] artillery and the military are firing. We are concentrating and putting our fire only on military targets.”
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s response was defensive and restrained, limited to small arms fire against Indian military positions.
He also denied New Delhi’s claims that Pakistan had launched large-scale drone or missile attacks across the international border, calling them “fabrications” designed to fuel a “media frenzy.”
“Since last night, they [India] have created a media blitz that Pakistan has launched drones, aircraft and a massive attack across the international border,” he said, adding: “In 21st century warfare, everything has an electronic signature. If there have been attacks with missiles from the Pakistani side, there has to be an electronic signature.”
Chaudhry further accused India of “gagging” international and domestic media as well as controlling digital platforms, saying it was using its new organizations to spread disinformation hour after hour.
The LoC has long been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both of which claim the disputed Kashmir region in full but control only parts of it. The latest hostilities mark one of the most serious flare-ups in decades.
Pakistani stocks surge sharply on IMF optimism, hopes of easing India-Pakistan standoff
- The benchmark KSE-100 index rose 3,647.82 points, or 3.52 percent, to close at 107,541.45
- India-Pakistan tensions triggered about 12 percent market decline between April 23 and May 8
KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) rebounded sharply on Friday, climbing over 3,500 points, as investor sentiment improved ahead of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board meeting and what some analysts described as easing tensions between Pakistan and India.
The benchmark KSE-100 index recovered 3,647.82 points, or 3.52 percent, closing at 107,541.45, after a historic plunge of 6,482 points on Thursday, the largest single-day drop in the index’s history, triggered by fears of an escalating conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
"The recovery was on account of optimism on IMF Executive Board meeting scheduled to consider Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program, where market expects smooth approval," Topline Market Review said after the end of trading. "Overall decline in cross border hostilities also provided stimulus to investor sentiment."
The EFF, a $7 billion loan program secured by Pakistan in September last year, is aimed at stabilizing the country's economy through structural reforms and fiscal consolidation.
While Pakistan’s authorities say macroeconomic indicators have improved in recent months, they view the IMF support as critical for sustaining gains and transitioning toward growth.
Some analysts also linked the improved investor confidence to what they described as a gradually easing geopolitical situation between India and Pakistan.
"Stocks staged sharp recovery as investor eye de-escalation in Pakistan-India tensions after US appeal for end to violence," Ahsan Mehanti, the Chief Executive Officer of Arif Habib Commodities, told Arab News.
Raza Jafri, the head of Intermarket Securities, said any de-escalation could extend the positive stock market trend.
"Institutional value buying, especially in blue-chip high dividend yielding stocks, saw the KSE100 rebound today," he added.
Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked this week after New Delhi launched missile strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan, blaming Islamabad for a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. Pakistan has denied involvement.
The crisis triggered a 12 percent decline in the Pakistani market from April 23 to May 8.
The geopolitical unrest posed a major challenge for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to stabilize the economy, which depends on a number of factors including increased foreign investment, exports and revenue generation.
Pakistan’s remittances hit record $31.2 billion in current fiscal year, led by Saudi inflows
- PM Sharif praises overseas Pakistanis for supporting the country’s economic recovery
- Central bank projects remittances to reach $38 billion by end of current fiscal year
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday lauded the contribution of overseas Pakistanis as workers’ remittances surged to a record $31.2 billion during the first ten months of the current fiscal year, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the top source of inflows.
According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), remittances rose by 30.9 percent during July-April FY25 compared to $23.9 billion received in the same period last year.
In April alone, Pakistan received $3.2 billion, showing a 13.1 percent year-on-year increase. The inflows were mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia ($725.4 million), United Arab Emirates ($657.6 million), United Kingdom ($535.3 million) and the United States ($302.4 million).
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed satisfaction over a 31 percent increase in remittances during the first 10 months of fiscal year 2025 compared to the previous year,” a statement issued by his office said.
“Remittances reaching a record level is a reflection of the confidence of overseas Pakistanis in government policies,” it quoted him as saying.
Remittances form a vital pillar of Pakistan’s external sector, helping stabilize the current account, fueling domestic consumption and easing the country’s reliance on external borrowing.
Earlier this year, in March, the SBP recorded an all-time monthly high of $4.1 billion in remittance inflows, driven by seasonal factors and improved formal channel usage.
Pakistan has focused on boosting exports and remittances in recent years as part of broader efforts to strengthen its external sector and address economic vulnerabilities.
The central bank has also revised its FY25 remittance projection upward from $36 billion to $38 billion, citing current trends.
