Author: shahzad.malik

LAHORE: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) prohibited the national hockey team from participating in Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey as the board refused to grant the no-objection certificate (NOC) for the event. 

According to the details, the federal government had established a standing committee under the presidency of Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to look after the matters of national sports in the country.

The formation of the committee and until its decision regarding the hockey barred the PSB from issuing any NOC to a player or a team.

Consequently, the SPB refused to issue an NOC to the PHF for the national team’s participation in the upcoming Azlan Shah Hockey tournament.

It is pertinent to mention that the PHF received a formal invitation for this year’s event in June.

The national Hockey team, who last participated in the event back in 2013, has clinched  the championship thrice in the past.

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ISLAMABAD: The federal government of Pakistan has issued an official letter regarding the restoration of departmental sports across the country.

Restoration of departmental sports was one of the pressing demands by the young athletes as thousands of players were left jobless with the ban which asked public departments, corporations and autonomous bodies to stop funding sports teams in 30 different disciplines.

The demand got intense when PM Shehbaz Sharif’s federal government took the charge after ousting the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – Mr Imran Khan, courtesy of a no-confidence motion in April this year.

The newly-formed government also took the notice of athletes’ demands and PM Shehbaz, during a ceremony held in honour of medal-winning athletes of recently held international events, announced to revoke of the ban on departmental sports.

In the latest development, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination issued an official letter today to restore the departmental sports.

The government has ordered the institutions to restore sports operations.

“The Prime Minister’s office has been pleased to direct that the financing to the departmental sports shall be continued,” the statement read.

“Concerned governments/departments are, therefore, requested to proceed with above orders of Honourable Prime Minister, under imitation to this Ministry, please,” it concluded.

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LAHORE: To attract the maximum number of spectators in the stands amid the inaugural edition of the Pakistan Junior League (PJL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) allowed free entry to cricket fans.

According to the details, cricket fans can now witness the PJL fixtures in the stadium free of cost as the PCB has decided not to charge a penny from the fans.

As a result, today’s PJL fixture between Hyderabad Hunters and Bahawalpur Royals is likely to attract a significant turnout.

Cricket fans can enter the Gaddafi Stadium from Centre Point at Gulbarg.

It is pertinent to mention that the Mardan Warriors beat Gujranwala Giants by eight wickets in the curtain-raiser on Thursday.

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LAHORE: Former Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi met with his Pakistani counterpart Intikhab Alam at Kartarpur on Tuesday and reminisced the golden era of Indo-Pak cricket rivalry.  

Bedi was on a spiritual journey to Pakistan as he visited one of the holiest Sikh sites in  Kartapur, Gurdwara Darbar Sahab to perform religious rituals.

Former Pakistan cricketer Shafaqat Rana also accompanied Alam as the two reached Kartapur to greet their fellow cricketer from across the border.

Talking about his meeting with Bedi, Alam said he inquired the Indian legendary cricketer about his health and spent a great time chatting with him.

“We rejuvenated the golden memories of the past when we used to play for our respective teams,” he said.

Bedi captained the Indian team in 22 Tests meanwhile he played an overall 67 Tests and took 266 during his career as a left-arm spinner.

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CHRISTCHURCH: National men’s cricket team landed at Christchurch Airport on Tuesday to play the tri-nation series against Bangladesh and the hosts New Zealand, scheduled from October 7 to 14. 

The Green Shirts will start the tri-series campaign on Friday as they face Bangladesh in the opening match on Friday.

According to the details, Babar Azam-led 16-member national T20 squad along with 13 support staff members has reached Christchurch via Dubai.

The Pakistani contingent departed from Lahore on Sunday soon after the conclusion of the seven-match T20I series against England.

The Green Shirts will rest today at the team’s hotel before starting their training sessions tomorrow.

All the matches of the tri-series will be hosted at Christchurch. The same squad will then leave for Australia to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, where they will face India in their opening game on October 23.

Pakistan Squad for ICC T20 World Cup, Tri-Series: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan (vc), Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hasnain, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir

Reserves: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Haris, Shahnawaz Dahani

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s young batter Haider Ali has been discharged from the hospital after receiving minor treatment for his ailment and undergoing a complete medical checkup on Saturday. 

According to the details, Haider has been shifted to the team’s hotel following a brief stay at the local hospital. The right-handed batter is feeling better now.

Earlier, the 22-year-old was taken to the hospital due to illness soon after the conclusion of the sixth T20I between Pakistan and England.

It is pertinent to mention here England thrashed Pakistan in the sixth T20I to level the seven-match series 3-3. The two sides will meet in the decider on Sunday here at the Gaddafi Stadium.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s right-handed batter Haider Ali has been taken to a local hospital after the conclusion of the sixth T20I against England.

According to the details, the right-handed batter was taken to the hospital due to unwellness and will stay there tonight as the doctors will do a complete check-up.

In the recently-concluded sixth T20I, Haider scored 18 off 14 deliveries and put on an anchoring 47-run partnership with Babar Azam for the third wicket.

It is pertinent to mention here England thrashed Pakistan in the sixth T20I to level the seven-match series 3-3. The two sides will meet in the decider on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium here.

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LAHORE: Wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris is set to make his debut for the Green Shirts as Pakistan are set to lock horns against England in the sixth T20I here at Gaddafi Stadium on Friday (today).  

According to the source, Mohammad Rizwan will be rested in today’s match with Haris replacing him in the playing XI.

The 21-year-old Haris will receive the T20I cap as he will be the 99th player to represent Pakistan in the shortest format.

Haris has already represented the Green shirts in the ODI format.

“I am excited to make T20I debut today. I will try my best to perform good and make my team win,” said Haris.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan are currently leading the historic seven-match series 3-2 against England.

LAHORE: Pakistan’s young fast bowler Naseem Shah has been ruled out of the ongoing T20I series against England after he tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.  

According to the sources, Naseem will follow the full Covid-19 protocol at the hotel and as he will remain in isolation for the next couple of days

Earlier the 19-year-old was diagnosed with pneumonia on Wednesday after he was taken to the hospital the night before.

Moreover, the fast bowler has returned to the team hotel after being discharged from the hospital

The right-arm pacer will not be available for the remaining two matches of the series which will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday and Sunday.

Pakistan have a 3-2 in the historic seven-match T20I series against England while the sixth T20I is scheduled on Friday (tomorrow).

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LAHORE: England stand-in captain Moeen Ali believed that his side must not risk its key player, Jos Buttler, with the ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022 just around the corner. 

England white-ball captain Buttler, who has been recovering from a calf injury, has not played so far in the ongoing seven-match series against Pakistan.

Speaking at a post-match press conference on Wednesday, Moeen did not rule out the possibility of Buttler taking the reigns of the England team for the remaining two T20Is of the series as he had been training in the nets and recovered well.

“Personally, I don’t think we’ll risk such a big player (Buttler) for us with World Cup just around the corner,” he said. “But he might wake up and say that I feel good. We know he has recovered well…So he might turn up tomorrow and say look I seem playing and I’m good,” he added.

Talking about England’s defeat in the fifth T20I after a nail-biting final over, Moeen gave credit to the debutant Aamir Jamal for holding his nerves and bowling really well on his debut to defend 15 runs in the last over.

“Unfortunately I manage to get one (six) but it was a very good last over and you can’t take anything away from him (Jamal),’ said England’s captain.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan beat England by six runs to go 3-2 up in the historic seven-match T20I series.

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