Commonwealth Games Archives

Two Pakistan Hockey players test COVID-19 positive ahead of CWG 2022

BIRMINGHAM: Two national Hockey players tested positive for COVID-19 amid the on-arrival testing of the Pakistan contingent that reached here to participate in the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022.

As the Pakistan contingent landed in the country to compete in the forthcoming global event, two hockey players tested positive and have been sent to isolation.

According to the sources, the contracted players are Rana Abdul Waheed and goalkeeper Abdullah.

Besides COVID-19 testing, the doping control officer also conducted doping tests on two Pakistan hockey players and one national swimmer.

It is pertinent to mention here that the flag hoisting and opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games will take place on July 27 and 28 respectively.

National wrestler Inam Butt and captain of women’s cricket team Bismah Maroof will be the flag-bearers for the Pakistan contingent in the global event.

READ: Abdullah falls early before Babar, Imam take Pakistan to 71/1 at Tea

Inam, Bismah to be Pakistan’s flag-bearers in Commonwealth Games 2022

BIRMINGHAM: National wrestler Inam Butt and the captain of the women’s cricket team Bismah Maroof will be bearing the Pakistan flag at the opening ceremony of the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022.

In a statement, released by the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), the Secretary General Lt Gen (R) Syed Arif Hasan nominated Inam and Bismah as the flag-bearers for Pakistan contingent in the Commonwealth Games 2022.

Inam, who has claimed various medals in Commonwealth Games and also bagged a gold for Pakistan in the World Beach Games and as a result, has been nominated as one of the flag-bearers for the country.

Bismah, on the other hand, will be participating in her first Commonwealth Games. However, her services to the game of cricket in Pakistan has saw her earning the opportunity to lead Pakistan contingent in the global event.

Bismah’s daughter Fatima, who rose to fame during this year’s ICC Women’s World Cup will be accompanying her mother in the global event.

“Commonwealth Games Federation has kindly arranged her facilities to not only play but to look after her daughter, Fatima, during the Games. We cherish her athletic spirit, professionalism and motherhood with utmost respect and pride,” POA confirmed.

It is pertinent to mention here that 22nd Commonwealth Games will take place here from July 28 to August 8.

READ: Abdullah falls early before Babar, Imam take Pakistan to 71/1 at Tea

Badminton included as POA announces squads for Commonwealth Games

KARACHI: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has named 103 Pakistani athletes and officials for the upcoming Commonwealth Games Games 2022.

As per the details, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) will bear the expenses of 56 players out of the national contingent, whereas, the POA and national federations will fund the rest of the players.

Pakistan national women’s cricket team, who is in Ireland to participate in the tri-nation series, will be aided by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and will be joining the squad in Birmingham.

Pakistan’s Badminton team, on the other hand, which was reportedly sidelined from the national contingent from the Commonwealth Games, has been re-added.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan contingent will depart for the United Kingdom on July 23 to participate in the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022, scheduled from July 28 to August 8.

READ: ‘History tells you that India struggle against left-arm pacers’ Nasser

Captain Bismah Maroof confident for tri-series, Commonwealth Games

ISLAMABAD: The captain of the Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team Bismah Maroof is confident to put on a good show in the forthcoming tri-series in Ireland and Commonwealth Games as the side’s 10-day training concluded here.

Bismah-led Pakistan side will now depart for Belfast via Dubai on July 12 as the Green Shirts will take a two-day Eid Holidays tomorrow and on Monday.

The Pakistani contingent remained involved in various training sessions in the last nine-day period in Rawalpindi and Islamabad at the Pindi Cricket Stadium and House of Northern.

Despite the persistent rain in the region, the squad underwent indoor practice including improvised drills, nets sessions and scenario-based matches.

Besides batting and bowling drills, the Green Shirts also focused on fielding and physical fitness under the supervision of support staff, led by the head coach David Hemp.

Following their arduous training camp, captain Bismah is confident in her team’s ability to perform well against the formidable sides in the two important series despite persistent rain having hampered their preparations.

“Our preparations have suffered a bit due to the persistent rains as we could not play practice matches, we had to hence shift our focus to fitness more. We tried to make most of the indoor facility we were provided and that did come as a good help to the side amid the weather challenges,” Bismah stated.

“The tri-series in Ireland provides us a good opportunity of acclimatising to the conditions ahead of the Commonwealth Games. We have a good team combination with youngsters like Tuba Hassan, Ayesha Naseem and Fatima Sana providing real energy, skill and talent, they are the ones for the future and this tour is a real opportunity for them to make a big impression,” she added.

“At the Commonwealth Games, we would take on the challenge of playing formidable opponents as to succeed there we need to beat the big teams, our aim would be to target a victory,” she concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will play their first match of the tri-series against Australia on July 16. The side will play Australia and Ireland twice in the competition before the top two sides will go on to compete in the final.

The contingent will then fly to Birmingham to participate in the Commonwealth Games and will take on Barbados on July 29 to start their campaign before taking on the arch-rivals India on July 31 and Australia on August 3. All cricket matches of the Commonwealth Games will be staged at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham.

Squad: Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza (wicketkeeper), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan.

Support staff: Ayesha Ashhar (Manager), David Hemp (Head coach), Saleem Jaffer (Bowling coach), Muhammad Zubair Ahmed (Analyst) and Rifat Asghar Gill (Physiotherapist).

Pakistan’s fixtures:

Tri-series at Belfast

16 July – v Australia
19 July – v Ireland
23 July – v Australia
24 July – v Ireland

Commonwealth Games at Birmingham

29 July – v Barbados
31 July – v India
3 August – v Australia

READ: Mendis, Karunaratne keep Sri Lanka in the hunt after Jayasuriya’s six-for

PSB sidelines badminton team from Commonwealth Games’ contingent

LAHORE: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has reportedly sidelined the national badminton team from the Pakistani contingent for the forthcoming Commonwealth Games 2022.

The President of the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) Syed Wahaj Ali revealed that the four-member badminton squad, initially part of the contingent, has been removed by the PSB without an explanation.

“PSB failed to provide an explanation for the removal. This is a mistreatment of the players, and the federation lacks the resources to sponsor it,” Wahaj stated.

“Pakistan Badminton Federation will contact Pakistan Olympic Association about the issue,” he added.

Pakistan Olympian Mahoor Shahzad, on the other hand, also opined on the incident and termed it unfair.

“It’s quite unfair on the part of PSB to isolate the only sport at the very last moment when everything was finalized including visas and a training camp. Such gestures by PSB will have an adverse effect on growth and development of Pakistan badminton,” Mahoor wrote on her Instagram.

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A post shared by Mahoor Shahzad (@mahoor.shahzad)

It is pertinent to mention here that the four-member badminton team was comprised of Mahoor, Ghazala Siddique, Murad Ali, and Irfan Saeed.

READ: PSB to appoint ad-hoc committee after sacking PHF top office-bearers

Pakistan Women’s team’s training session kicks off today

RAWALPINDI: The training camp for the Pakistan National Women’s Cricket team, has been kicked off here at Pindi Cricket Stadium.

According to the details, the players will participate in the fielding drills on the first day of the 10-day training camp, held ahead of the team’s departure to Ireland for the Tri-Series and Commonwealth Games.

Fitness drills for the 🇵🇰 women's team at the Pindi Cricket Stadium during the 10-day camp 🏃‍♀️✅#BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/Z1XWLgwehA

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) July 2, 2022

Furthermore, the players will then participate in net sessions, bowling drills, and scenario-based practice matches to bolster their preparation for the forthcoming assignments.

After the conclusion of the training camp, Pakistan women’s team led by skipper Bismah Maroof will depart for Ireland via Dubai on July 12 for the forthcoming tri-nation series against the hosts and Australia. The team will then leave for Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for July 28.

Pakistan women’s squad for the upcoming overseas task comprises Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, and Tuba Hassan.

READ: Hooda, bowlers star as India sink Shan’s Derbyshire in Tour Match

Hemp hopeful to continue winning run for Pakistan women’s team

KARACHI: Pakistan women’s team Head Coach David Hemp expressed his satisfaction with team performance as his side clean-swept, Sri Lanka in the T20I series and won the ODI series 2-1 in a recently concluded Sri Lankan women’s team tour of Pakistan.

Hemp in a video message shared by the Pakitan Cricket Board (PCB), looked disappointed with a loss in the last ODI game against the touring side, however, he was pleased with the overall performance of the team in the matches.

“Overall I am quite pleased with the five wins we achieved,” said the head coach.

Hemp in a video message shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board, raised the expectations from the team to reach the semi-finals in the upcoming Commonwealth Games this year in which Pakistan will compete with India, Australia, and Barbados in the group stage.

“Expectations wise we want to reach the semis in the Commonwealth Games and while we have a tough group with Barbados, India, and Australia. I believe that if you have to excel in such events you have to win the big games,” the head coach said.

Pakistan women’s team’s next assignment will be a tri-series in Ireland against the hosts and Australia, as the third team. Hemp claimed the tri-series to be crucial for the team’s preparation before the Commonwealth Games.

“Before the Commonwealth Games, we have the tri-series in Ireland with Australia, the current world champions as the third team. Besides Australia Ireland will be a big challenge as they have recently beaten South Africa. The tri-series will provide us with excellent preparation before we feature in the Commonwealth Games,” he claimed.

Hemp and the team management will work closely with players in a preparatory camp in Islamabad before the team’s departure to the United Kingdom for the twin assignments early next month.

READ: ‘Seen my uncle perform in Multan, now it’s my turn to perform’ Imam-ul-Haq

Pakistan Olympic Association finalizes squad for Commonwealth Games

KARACHI: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has finalized a 101-member national contingent to participate in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games 2022.

The squad comprises 68 male and 34 female athletes, and 17 officials will be travelling to Birmingham for the global event.

The number of female athletes participating in the event (34) is the highest for Pakistan in the Commonwealth Games.

According to the details, Pakistani athletes will participate in 13 different games in the global event, which will roll into action on July 28.

The POA will forward the final list of the selected athletes to Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and the final list of the athletes will be announced in a due course.

Olympian Arshad Nadeem, Wrestler Inam Butt, Pakistan women’s cricket team, Judo player Shah Hussain Shah, and the National men’s hockey team are the axis of Pakistan’s hopes for the medal.

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ICC announces cricket’s complete line-up for Commonwealth Games

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) in association with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has announced the complete line-up of cricket for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

In a press release shared on the official website, the ICC announced the complete line-up for the upcoming multi-sport event, as a result, cricket has become the first sport to confirm its complete line-up.

With Sri Lanka’s triumph in the Women’s T20 Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 in Kuala Lumpur last week, the line-up of eight teams has been completed which includes Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

The Games will feature a league-cum-knockout format, with Australia and India, the finalists of the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, set to face off in the opening match on July 29. The medal matches are set to take place on August 7.

In the league stage, the tournament will be split into two groups. Group A includes Australia, Barbados, India, and Pakistan. In Group B, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka will compete for supremacy.

It is worth mentioning here that cricket is going to be a part of the Commonwealth Games for the second time. The last occasion was in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, when the men’s teams competed for gold, with South Africa defeating Australia by four wickets in the final.

READ: Pakistan beat Bangladesh in the 5th Place Play-Off Semi-final of ICC U19 World Cup