Tag: Ali Zafar

KARACHI: Renowned national singers Shafqat Amanat Ali, Ali Zafar and Sahir Ali Bagga are set to light up the stage at the ‘grand’ opening ceremony of the newly-renovated National Bank Stadium here, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on Sunday.

According to Mohsin, the ceremony is scheduled to take place on February 11 to celebrate the timely renovation of the above-mentioned venue ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, set to be hosted by Pakistan from February 19 to March 9.

During the grand opening ceremony, cricket fans can enjoy live singing, stunning fireworks and a unique light show.

“Get ready for another unforgettable night,” Mohsin wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

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“The grand inauguration of Karachi Stadium is happening on 11th February with spectacular musical performances by Ali Zafar, Shafqat Amanat and Ali Sahir Ali Bagga,” said Chairman PCB.

“Plus, a breathtaking fireworks & light show to light up the sky,” said Mohsin.

It’s worth noting that the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy will kick off on 19 February with host and defending champions Pakistan taking on New Zealand in the curtain-raiser in Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.

The eight-team tournament will consist of 15 matches over 19 days and will take place in Pakistan and Dubai.

In Pakistan, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi will be the three venues to host Champions Trophy 2025 matches. Each Pakistan venue will feature three group games apiece, with Lahore hosting the second semi-final.

Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai.

Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days. The three group matches involving India, as well as the first semi-final, will be played in Dubai.

READ: Pakistan team reaches Karachi for tri-nation series clash against South Africa

LAHORE: Ali Zafar, alongside Aima Baig and Arif Lohar, is set to perform at the grand opening ceremony of the newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium here, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday.

The cricket board revealed that the opening ceremony will take place on 7 February ahead of the first match at the newly renovated venue.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to welcome cricket fans with a spectacular opening ceremony on 7 February, ahead of the Pakistan versus New Zealand match on 8 February,” the PCB stated in a press release.

“Fans can look forward to a series of colourful events, including live singing, stunning fireworks and a unique light show.

“Renowned singers Ali Zafar, Arif Lohar and Aima Baig will grace the stage with electrifying performances, followed by a dazzling drum and firework display.

“The opening ceremony, to be attended by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, will be free for the public from 5.30 pm, creating an unforgettable atmosphere.”

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PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who meticulously supervised the transformation of the Gaddafi Stadium, expressed his deep satisfaction with the project’s prompt completion.

“Our venues are now on par with international standards and we are proud to offer cricket fans the best possible experience,” said Naqvi.

“The transformation of this stadium in such a short time is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team.

“First of all, I thank the workers who made the impossible task possible. The combined efforts of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), NESPAK, the contractors and PCB teams have turned this dream into reality.

“Despite criticism, our team remained committed and Allah Ta’ala made our path easy.”

READ: Shoaib Akhtar predicts winner of Pakistan-India Champions Trophy clash

Pakistan singer Ali Zafar has announced a reward of one million rupees for star athlete Arshad Nadeem, who won a gold medal in the javelin throw event of the Paris Olympics 2024.

Arshad ended Pakistan’s 32-year medal drought in the Olympics after bagging a gold medal with the longest throw of 92.97 meters.

The 27-year-old set the Olympic record with a 92.97m throw in his second attempt, going past Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen, who threw farthest at 90.57 during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

His throw was enough for him to seal the Gold medal, the first-ever individual gold medal in the Olympics for Pakistan.

Following Arshad’s historic victory, Ali Zafar took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account and announced the cash prize for the athlete while congratulating him for the achievement.

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“@ArshadOlympian1 breaks record with 92.97 and wins gold for Pakistan,” posted Ali. “I shall be honouring him with a one million reward through @AliZFoundation.”

He also urged the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif to give a warm welcome to Arshad upon his return to the country and establish a sports academy honoring the javelin thrower.

“Let’s show our heroes the celebration they deserve. I urge @GovtofPakistan
@CMShehbaz to welcome him like a hero and establish a sports academy in his name,”. he added.

“If our athletes and sportsmen start getting the support they deserve we can win 10 golds a year.”

For the unversed, India’s Neeraj Chopra secured the silver medal with an 89.45m throw in his second attempt while all of his other attempts were deemed as “No Throw”.

Anderson Peters of Grenada clinched the bronze medal with his longest throw of 88.54 m.

Arshad failed to make a mark in his first attempt as it was deemed as “No Throw”. Meanwhile, Indian rival Neeraj Chopra also failed to make a mark in his first attempt before he recovered with an 89.45m throw.

All 12 participants were to throw three times in the first stage, after which the top eight athletes had three more throws.

For the unversed, Arshad Nadeem qualified in the final round of the Javelin throw on Tuesday with an 86.59-meter throw in his first attempt during the qualification round.

WATCH: Pakistan cricketers react to Arshad Nadeem’s historic Olympic victory

Pakistani singer Ali Zafar announced on Sunday that he is going to make an anthem for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 amid public criticism over the official anthem titled ‘Dil Jashn Bole’ released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) last week.

Ali Zafar announced the creation of an anthem on his official account on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

“Hello all, firstly thank you for the love and faith. Keeping in mind your thoughts and wishes for the World Cup cricket anthem, I have an idea on how we can create a masterpiece together. Check out the link below. It’s an exciting experiment that can work wonders if done right. It’s also a chance for new music composers, writers, and producers to showcase their talent in the most democratic way possible. But here’s the best part: creativity knows no bounds, so anyone can share their ideas! So, hear me out and let me know your thoughts. If you have something to share, please provide a link or video. Peace and love,” he posted.

Hello all,

Firstly thank you for the love and faith.

Keeping in mind your thoughts and wishes for the World Cup cricket anthem, I have an idea on how we can create a masterpiece together. Check out the link below.

It's an exciting experiment that can work wonders if done… pic.twitter.com/HqLyJxdSEE

— Ali Zafar (@AliZafarsays) September 24, 2023

Ali Zafar invited ‘new music composers, writers, and producers’ to come forward and showcase their talent to ‘create a masterpiece’.

This announcement came after fans requested Ali Zafar to make an anthem for the ICC World Cup 2023 of his own as the official anthem, which was composed by renowned composer Pritam failed to live up to the hype and met with massive criticism on social media.

READ: Hasaranga, Chameera likely to miss ICC World Cup 2023