Pakistan’s Umar Gul retires from all cricket
Quartararo claims Aragon pole
MotoGP championship leader Fabio Quartararo shrugged off a nasty high speed crash in third practice on Saturday to claim pole for Sunday's Aragon Grand Prix in Alcañiz, Spain. The young Frenchman took part in qualifying after his second fall of the race weekend, let alone top the timesheets at the Aragon Motorland circuit. The Yamaha satellite SRT rider, who escaped with only bruising on his right hip to add to the bruising on his left hip from Friday's spill, is joined on the front row by Maverick Vinales. Cal Crutchlow completes the front row, the Honda-LCR rider taking third.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan - Pakistan bowler Umar Gul, who earned the nickname 'Gul-dozer' for his rattling of stumps, has called time on his 17-year cricket career. With no crowds to bid farewell to the national hero because of coronavirus restrictions, the Twenty20 World Cup winner bowed out to a guard of honour from teammates and opponents after his final match - a disappointing defeat - in Rawalpindi on Friday.
"I want to be remembered as someone who tried his best for the country and it's flattering that I was called 'Gul-dozer' during this memorable journey in cricket," the 36 year old said.
It was a topsy-turvy journey for Gul, whose affair with cricket began on the crowded streets of Peshawar. He entered the international arena exactly a month after the legendary pace duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis retired following Pakistan's disastrous 2003 World Cup.
He finished with 163 Test and 179 ODI wickets, but he achieved his greatest success in T20 cricket, the start of his career coinciding with the launch of the shortest format in 2003.
Gul was at his destructive best in England in 2009, finishing as the top wicket-taker of the T20 World Cup with 13. That included a mesmerising five wickets for just six runs in the semifinal win over New Zealand.
"Winning the World Cup was the highest point of my career," he said. "I remember those were very tough days and there was unrest in our country so our win brought smiles back on the faces."
He later featured in the inaugural IPL in 2008, topping the chart for the Kolkata Knight Riders with 12 wickets in six games - the only time Pakistan players were allowed to feature in the world's most lucrative league.