Author: shahzad.malik

LAHORE: The heavy and persistent rainfall in the city has led to the cancellation of scheduled training sessions on Tuesday (today) at Gaddafi Stadium.

The fifth match of the historic seven-match T20I series between Pakistan and England will be played tomorrow at the same venue.

The drizzly weather of the city appears to be upsetting for millions of cricket fans who are eagerly waiting for tomorrow’s match.

Earlier both the team reached Lahore on Monday after facing each other in four T20I games held at Karachi’s National Stadium.

The action-filled Karachi leg of the tour witnessed full houses and knife-edged competitions between the two teams as the series is currently level at 2-2.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) raised PKR 13 millions from the gate money of the first T20I between Pakistan and England and will donate the raised amount to the PM Relief Fund to aid flood affectees in the country.

Following the heavy rainfalls and monsoon, the devastating flood wreaked havoc in the country as the one-third area of Pakistan had submerged and killed 1,191 people.

The PCB, as a result, announced to dedicate series opener of England’s historic T20I series and also to donate gate money of the first match to PM Relief Fund – set up to aid the affectees.

Pakistan players also donned specially-designed jerseys to show solidarity with flood victims which featured players’ names and jersey numbers quarterly submerged.

According to the latest development, PCB shared that PKR 13 millions have been raised from gate money of the series opener, which will be donated to PM Relief Fund.

Speaking on the occasion, the chairman PCB Ramiz Raja expressed gratitude to cricket fans for contributing in the great cause and asserted that cricket once again helped unite the entire nation.

“Cricket once again helped to unite the entire nation. We are grateful to all cricket fans for contributing to this great cause,” said Ramiz.

“The PCB stands with all flood victims,” Ramiz concluded.

The CEO of PCB Faisal Hasnain, on the other hand, termed it an ‘honour’ for PCB to make a contribution to the funds.

“Spectators in Karachi did their part to help those affected by the floods caused by the monsoon rains,” Faisal said.

“It is an honor for PCB to make a small contribution to the funds through the first T20 match,” he concluded.

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LAHORE: Saeed Khan has been appointed as the manager of the national hockey team while Siegfried Aikman retained his coaching role as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced the new team management on Sunday. 

According to a press release issued by PHF, Ayaz Mehmood, Mohammad Usman Shaikh, Imran Butt and Mohammad Ali Khan will join the head coach Aikman in the coaching panel.

The statement added that PHF president Brig (retd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar approved the fresh appointments in the team management.

Abuzar Amrao and Rana Nasrullah have been named as video analyst and physical trainer, respectively.

Moreover, a training camp for the senior hockey players will commence on September 25 at Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium in Karachi, after which the national men’s hockey team will be formed.

Pakistan are set to participate in the Sultan Azlan Hockey Cup scheduled from November 1 to 10 in Malaysia.

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LAHORE: National High-Performance Center (NHPC) bowling coach Umar Rasheed will fly to the United Kingdom (UK) to supervise the rehabilitation and the bowling revival of ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Shaheen, who has been in the UK for the rehabilitation of his knee injury, which he sustained during the Green Shirts’ first Test against Sri Lanka, is now soon likely to start bowling under the supervision of Umar.

According to the details, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to send Umar to England to oversee everything, including the preparations for Shaheen to begin bowling in the nets.

For Umar travelling to the UK, the PCB has already applied for his Visa following his return from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It is pertinent to mention here that the NHPC coach will also accompany the men in green in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

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DUBAI: Pakistan right-arm pacer Mohammad Wasim Jr has been ruled out of the upcoming Asia Cup 2022, and his counterpart Hasan Ali named as the replacement, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed.

Wasim Jr, who complained of back pain during the team’s practice session on Thursday before being sent to the hospital for MRI scans, has now been ruled out of the Asian event.

The medical panel of the PCB analyzed the MRI reports of the young pacer and unanimously decided to send him back to the country.

Following Wasim ruling out of the Asian event, experienced pacer Hasan has been named as the replacement and will join the Pakistan contingent after travelling here via the earliest possible flight.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace javelin thrower and Commonwealth Games gold-medalist Arshad Nadeem urged the government to furnish a dedicated athletics ground for the local players and expressed hope that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would take steps for the betterment of athletic sports in the country.

While speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, Arshad stated that his counterpart Neeraj Chopra had been given the best facilities in his country and expressed hope that he too would get the due support.

“India’s Neeraj Chopra is getting the best facilities right now, I hope that everyone will support me too,” he said.

Arshad revealed that he was currently working on his injury and would undergo vigorous training before the Paris Olympics 2024.

“I’ll prepare well for the Olympics 2024. I’m working on my injury and the athletics federation has supported me tremendously for that. Doctors have also done a great job for my recovery’ he said.

While commenting on his meeting with PM Shehbaz tomorrow, the 25-year-old athlete expressed optimism that the premier would take measures for the advancement of athletics in the country.

Furthermore, Arshad hailed the Water and Power Development Authority (WAP­DA) for extending financial support to the national athletes and asked the government to provide a dedicated athletics ground.

“WAPDA is the biggest players’ support platform in our country. I wish that the private sector too will continue to promote our local players and we will achieve more success in the future by working together” he said. ” The government should provide us with an athletics ground,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that Arshad created history in the Commonwealth Games 2022 for Pakistan as he clinched a gold medal in the javelin with his record throw of 90.18 meters. He also won gold in the Islamic Solidarity Game held in Konyo, Turkey.

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LAHORE: The president of the Athletics Federation of Pakistan Muhammad Akram Sahi announced on Tuesday that the federation will send Commonwealth Games gold medalist Arshad Nadeem and other athletes for international training.

Akram, in a press conference with Pakistan’s star athlete Arshad, praised the top performing athletes in the recently concluded Commonwealth and Islamic Solidarity Games, while announcing to facilitate them with the international training.

“The federation will send Arshad Nadeem, Shajar Abbas and other athletes for training abroad,” said the Athletics Federation of Pakistan President.

“We need to improve Arshad Nadeem’s technique, which would help him in the future,” he maintained.

The president of the Athletics federation also termed Arshad as the best Javelin thrower currently as he threw farther than the Olympic and World champions.

“Arshad Nadeem has created new records in Commonwealth Games and Islamic Solidarity Games to earn gold medals. The standard set by Arshad Nadeem by winning the gold medal has given Pakistan athletics a rise to the world,” Akram stated.

“Arshad Nadeem is currently the world’s number one javelin thrower. He threw at a farther distance than the Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra and World champion,” he continued.

Akram then went on to assert that the top javelin coaches believe that Arshad can breach the 95-metre mark with international-level training.

“The world’s top javelin throw coaches believe that Arshad Nadeem can throw more than 95 meters,” Akram concluded.

Arshad, on the other hand, credited Akram for his dream runs in the CWG and Islamic Games, while also expressing his desire to set a world record in the Javelin throw.

“I am grateful to my parents and the entire nation for their encouragement and prayers. The biggest credit for my success goes to President Athletics Federation General Akram Sahi. Arshad Saqi, Fayyaz Bukhari, and Salman Butt too helped me a lot,” Arshad stated.

“I will strive to set a new world record and make my country proud,” he shared.

It is pertinent to mention here that Arshad, coping with an elbow injury, shone at the recently concluded CWG and Islamic Games as he set the Games’ record to bag a gold each in both multi-national events.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s ace tennis star Aisam-ul-Haq has been appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of the Punjab government by the provincial Sports Minister Malik Taimoor Masood, here on Wednesday.

Masood met the tennis star and extended his full support to Aisam’s newly launched initiative for the grooming and coaching of young tennis players.

During the meeting, Masood said that the provincial government would completely patronize Aisam’s Ace tennis academy and announced a special tennis talent hunt programme in the province in collaboration with his initiative.

“Aisam is the pioneer of tennis in Pakistan,” he said. ” We are working to revive tennis in the country.”

Furthermore, he assured the tennis star to provide training space to Ace academy players at Punjab National Tennis Stadium’s adjacent courts.

Meanwhile, Aisam expressed his gratitude to the Punjab government for appointing him the Goodwill Ambassador.

It is pertinent to mention here that the 42-year-old tennis player had earlier launched a talent hunt programme for tennis with trials held in four major cities across Pakistan: Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Karachi.

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LAHORE: Pakistan all-rounder and national team’s vice-captain Shadab Khan expressed his readiness to take any position in the batting order that suited the team’s balance and requirements as the Green shirts have been undergoing preparations for the upcoming overseas tasks.

Ahead of the team’s busy schedule starting with three 50-over matches against the Netherlands followed by Asia Cup 2022, Shadab stated the ODI series would be of great importance as it would earn the team crucial points in ICC Cricket World Cup Super League Standings.

“One-day series is crucial. We will enter the field with our best preparation,” he said.

While responding to a question related to the Pakistan team’s preparation for the blockbuster contest against India in the forthcoming Asia Cup on August 28, Shadab said the team would take the field with a winning spirit.

“As a team, we always enter the ground with a winning mindset, we will do the same in the match (against India),” he stated.

Talking about his batting position in the team the all-rounder revealed that he could bat at any number even as an opener provided what suits best for the team.

” I’m ready to bat at any number depending upon the team’s requirement,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will play a three-match away ODI series against the Netherlands from August 16 to 21. The side will depart for Amsterdam in the wee hours of Friday, August 12.

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LAHORE: The 16-member national squad for the upcoming Netherlands ODIs gathered at the National High-Performance Center (NHPC) on Friday.

Upon their arrival at the NHPC, the national cricketers attended a team meeting under the presidency of national squad manager Mansoor Rana.

Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam, on the other hand, also gave a special lecture to the participants for the forthcoming assignment in the Netherlands.

The national contingent will participate in a six-day training camp, scheduled to commence tomorrow. The players will also partake in two practice matches during the camp.

Right-arm speedster Haris Rauf and Mohammad Rizwan will join the squad on August 7 and after the first practice match respectively.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will play a three-match away ODI series against Netherlands from August 16 to 21. The side will depart for Amsterdam in the wee hours of Friday, August 12.

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