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MIAMI: Iga Swiatek’s dream season continued as she defeated Petra Kvitova 6-3, 6-3 in the Miami Open quarter-finals to close in on a third successive WTA 1000 crown. The new world number one won the title in Doha and then Indian Wells and now has an excellent chance of becoming only the fourth woman in history to win the Sunshine Double  — triumphing in California and Florida in the same year — following Steffi Graf (1994 and 1996), Kim Clijsters (2005) and Victoria Azarenka (2016). Swiatek, who has now won 15 successive WTA tour matches, is the form player in the women’s game at the moment and American Jessica Pegula, who reached the last four earlier in the day after fifth seed Paula Badosa was forced to retire because of illness midway through the first set, will have her work cut out attempting to stop the Polish 20-year-old when they meet on Thursday for a place in the final. Czech star Kvitova was on the backfoot once she was broken in the first set as Swiatek’s...

LAHORE: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to field first in the second ODI against Australia, here on Thursday. PLAYING XIs Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Wasim, Zahid Mehmood, Haris Rauf Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Swepson The post Pakistan win toss, elect to field first against Australia in second ODI appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/361nLdj

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally inducted former captain and legendary leg-spinner, Abdul Qadir, into the Hall of Fame, here on Wednesday. The legendary leg-spinner, who took a total of368 wickets and scored 1,670 runs during his international career from 1977 to 1993, has been inducted into the elite list of PCB’s Hall of Fame. Prior to the second ODI between Pakistan and Australia, the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team, Saqlain Mushtaq, presented the late’s son Usman Qadir with a commemorative cap and plaque at the PCB Hall of Fame ceremony held in front of the Abdul Qadir Enclosure. It is worth mentioning here that Usman is currently part of the national squad for the home series against Australia and received the awards on his late father’s behalf. READ: PAK vs AUS: Pakistan Cricket Board bans Vuvuzela horns from stadium The post PCB formally inducts Abdul Qadir into the Hall of Fame appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/N...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned the fans from bringing Vuvuzela horns in the stadium ahead of the second ODI between Pakistan and Australia, here on Thursday. The PCB has installed a number of banners under the premises of Gaddafi Stadium to prohibit the fans from bringing the vuvuzela horns. “Horns are not allowed in the stadium,” the statement on the banners read. According to the details, the cricket board has decided to prohibit the use of horns in response to complaints from match officials and players who claim that the noise of the horns prevents them from concentrating on the game. It is pertinent to mention here that the second ODI between Pakistan and Australia will be played today here at the Gaddafi Stadium. The touring side lead the three-match series 1-0. READ: England crush South Africa to qualify for Women’s WC Final The post PAK vs AUS: Pakistan Cricket Board bans Vuvuzela horns from stadium appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv h...

CHRISTCHURCH: England’s opener Danni Wyatt scored a magnificent hundred before the left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone starred with six wickets to power the defending champions to beat South Africa by a massive margin of 137 runs in the second semi-final of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022. With England booking their final berth after beating South Africa, the defending champions will now take on the former champions Australia in the final of the mega event, scheduled on April 3. Batting first, the defending champion England set a commendable total of 293/8 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks to a brilliant century from Wyatt and a gritty half-century from Sophia Dunkley. Coming out to bat first, England had an unwanted start to their proceedings as the side lost their first wicket for a mere 10 runs with Tammy Beaumont walking back to the pavilion after managing to score just seven. Wyatt, on the other hand, stood firm and kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly as wickets w...

PARIS: Portugal beat North Macedonia 2-0 and Poland saw off Sweden by the same score in the play-off finals on Tuesday to book their places in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Bruno Fernandes scored both goals for Portugal to overcome the Balkan nation that had knocked out European champions Italy in a stunning result last week. Italy’s shock exit had North Macedonia dreaming of their first-ever appearance at a World Cup finals but Portugal proved a step too far in Porto. Fernandes set Portugal on their way at the Estadio do Dragao by finishing off Cristiano Ronaldo’s pass in the first half and then put the victory beyond doubt in the second, connecting with a sublime cross from Diogo Jota. The victory means Portugal extend their run of qualifying for all six of the World Cups since the turn of the century while Manchester United forward Ronaldo is on course for his fifth, aged 37. Ronaldo’s best previous result was reaching the semi-finals in 2006 when Portugal were beaten by Germany...

KARACHI: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) delegation under the presidency of Chairman of Normalization Committee (NC) – Haroon Malik has left for Qatar to attend the 72nd Congress Meeting of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The Pakistani delegation, led by Haroon also comprises other members including Shahid Niaz Khokhar and Haris Azmat. According to the details, the delegations will discuss the issue of ending the suspension from the country and also be participating in the draws of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022. “Pakistan will discuss the issue of ending the suspension of football in the FIFA Congress,” Haroon said. It is pertinent to mention here that the PFF is inching closer to the uplifting of the suspension imposed by FIFA as in the latest development, the negotiations between FIFA’s nominated NC and the government have been successful and the Board of Revenue Punjab has returned the control of the PFF house to the NC. READ: Imam-ul-Haq sto...

DUBAI: Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq has moved into the top 10 of the latest International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI Men’s Batting Rankings following his brilliant century against Australia in the first ODI on Tuesday. As per the latest rankings, shared by the ICC, the left-handed opener moved up two places to achieve his career-best 10th spot in the top ODI batters. The star with the ball for Australia in the first ODI – Adam Zampa, has jumped six places to secure the ninth rank, shared with his Aghanistan counterpart, Rashid Khan. Major changes in the latest @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s Player Rankings for Tests and ODIs More https://t.co/MsmAFEH2gG pic.twitter.com/5Cr3GbWccp — ICC (@ICC) March 30, 2022   In the Test rankings, however, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has replaced New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson to claim the fifth rank in the Test bowlers’ rankings. On the other hand, the man of the series of the recently concluded Benaud-Qadir Trop...

KARACHI: The former Pakistan Test cricketer and qualified coach Atiq-uz-Zaman has moved to England to serve as the batting scout of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The former Test cricketer, who represented Pakistan in one Test and three ODIs and also served as the qualified coach for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has flown to England after being appointed by the ECB as the batting scout. As a batting scout, Atiq will travel to numerous counties in search of new talent, who will then represent England’s national team and the England Lions. “I am extremely grateful that the ECB saw me in a different light and thought I could do a fantastic job for them,” he said. “I am currently working as an ECB Level 4 Coach and am the highest qualified Pakistan Test cricketer. I will also be the first Pakistani to hold the position of ECB Batting Scout.,” he added. It is worth noting that England and Lions scouts are crucial in identifying, monitoring, and suggesting players for th...

WELLINGTON: Australian openers Alyssa Healy scored a magnificent century and put on the highest partnership of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 with Rachael Haynes to power their side to thump West Indies by 157 runs and stormed into the final. The dominant Australian side have extended their unbeaten run in the ongoing edition of the women’s world cup as the former champions have outclassed the West Indies by a massive margin of 157 runs. Batting first Australia managed to amass a decent total of 305/3 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks to the wonderful knocks from Healy and Haynes. The opening pair added 216-runs for the first wicket — highest for any wicket in this world cup — to lay a solid foundation. Healy, who was scoring at a quicker rate fell short in the 33rd over after scoring a wonderful century. The wicket-keeper batter scored 129 off just 107 balls, laced with 17 boundaries and a six. Haynes, on the other hand, remained unlucky as she missed out on her century by ...

LAHORE: Cricket Australia (CA) have confirmed that all the members of the white-ball squad including the supporting staff have tested negative for COVID-19. According to the CA, all the players and support staff for the white-ball series against Pakistan underwent COVID-19 tests after the conclusion of the first ODI. The members then again tested for the widely spread virus in the morning today. The cricketing body has confirmed that all the members of the squad have returned a negative result. Whereas, the squad members, who tested positive for the widely spread virus are undergoing isolation period. It is pertinent to mention here that the two players and a staff member of the Australian squad contracted earlier this week. READ: PAK vs AUS: Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh ruled out of ODI series The post ‘All members of the squad test negative for COVID-19’ Cricket Australia appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/nlVBX4w

LAHORE: Australia’s all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the ongoing ODI series between Pakistan and Australia after sustaining an injury. Marsh, who suffered a hip flexor injury during the scheduled training for the white-ball series against Pakistan, has now been ruled out of the historic series. The all-rounder has been separated from Australia’s white-ball squad and is set to fly for Dubai. His replacement Matthew Renshaw has landed in the country and also started the mandatory isolation after returning a negative PCR test. It is pertinent to mention here that Australia currently lead the three-match series 1-0 as the touring side beat Pakistan in a comprehensive manner in the first ODI by 88 runs. READ: Imam’s century goes in vain as Australia beat Pakistan by 88 runs The post PAK vs AUS: Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh ruled out of ODI series appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/O4muVzC

WELLINGTON: The all-rounder Ellyse Perry has been ruled out of the first semi-final of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 between Australia and the West Indies due to a back injury. Perry, who suffered a back injury in her side’s fixture against South Africa, has been ruled out of the semi-final. Australian captain Meg Lanning has confirmed Perry’s unavailability for the knockout game. “We’ll go in without her tomorrow and we’ll keep assessing her if we are to progress in the tournament,” Lanning said. “It is so unfortunate for her and the team, obviously, a big blow but we feel like we’ve got some good depth to be able to cover it and we’re going to have to do that tomorrow,” she added. Lanning also revealed that the Australian management was optimistic about Perry’s recovery but “unfortunately, just ran out of time to prove her fitness”. Furthermore, it is the second instance when the 31-years-old will miss a world cup semi-final after the 2020 T20 World Cup semi-final again...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s bowlers kept things tight in the death overs as the home side managed to restrict Australia to 313/7 in the first innings despite Travis Head’s quick century, here at Gaddafi Stadium. Australia, after being put in to bat first by the Pakistan captain Babar Azam, managed to amass a decent total of 313/7 in the allotted 50 overs. The touring side, however, lost their way in the middle of the innings despite having a fine start. Coming out to bat first, the Australian openers Aaron Finch and Head provided a solid start to the side and put on a magnificent century-plus partnership for the first wicket. Australian captain Finch, who was struggling to get going, made his way back in the 15th over as the debutant Zahid Mehmood dismissed him for 23. The right-handed opener faced 36 balls and hit only one six. His opening partner, Head, on the other hand, kept the scoreboard ticking and went on to score his second ODI century off just 70 balls. The left-handed batter, how...

LAHORE: Australia’s middle-order batter Ben McDermott made Twitter erupt as the right-handed batter lost his wicket in a run-out against Pakistan for the fourth time. McDermott, who has played five international matches against Pakistan has been run-out four times and Imad Wasim was the only Pakistani bowler, who managed to get his wicket once. Ben McDermott has batted 5 times against Pakistan. Four times he was run out. #PakvAus — Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) March 29, 2022 The only Pakistan bowler to dismiss Ben McDermott in five international innings is Imad Wasim. He has been runout four other times. #PAKvAUS — Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) March 29, 2022 Ben McDermott and run-outs against Pakistan – what a story! He survived a few overs ago, but he's finally managed to do it again. #PAKvAUS — Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) March 29, 2022 A user also wrote that “McDermott just loves getting run-out.” Ben McDERMOTT just loves getting run out. #PakvAus — ahmed (@Ahme...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood and the all-rounder Mohammad Wasim Jr will make their ODI debuts against Australia, here at Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the two cricketers will make their ODI debut today in the first ODI of the historic three-match series against Australia. Wasim and Zahid have already represented the country in T20Is, however, this will be their first international match in the 50-overs format. Wasim has played 10 T20I matches, while Zahid could represent the green shirts in only one match. On the other hand, Australia’s leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and right-arm speedster Nathan Ellis will also be making their ODI debuts. READ: Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out of first ODI due to injury The post Zahid, Wasim Jr to make their ODI debuts against Australia appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/j24nW0s

LAHORE: Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been ruled out of the first ODI after sustaining an injury during the team’s scheduled practice session yesterday. Shaheen, who sustained an injury after being hit in the nets while batting, has not been cleared to play the first ODI against Australia. The left-arm pacer was under observation after sustaining the injury. Whereas, leg-spinner Zahid Mehmood and right-arm quick Mohammad Wasim Jr are making their ODI debut for Pakistan today. READ: West Indies to tour Pakistan in June for ODI series The post Shaheen Shah Afridi ruled out of first ODI due to injury appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/I5ScJ1t

LAHORE: Pakistan have won the toss and elected to field in the first ODI of the ongoing three-match series against Australia, here at Gaddafi Stadium. PLAYING XIs Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Haris Rauf, Zahid Mahmood Australia : Aaron Finch (c), Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Swepson The post Pakistan win toss, put Australia into bat in the first ODI appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/xYS0nMR

LAHORE: The trophy of the historic ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, has been unveiled, here at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday. The trophy for the Test series was revealed by Pakistani skipper Babar Azam and his Australian counterpart Aaron Finch. Earlier, both teams held practice sessions for the first ODI; scheduled on March 29. Players from both teams participated in batting, bowling, and fielding drills. Taking to Twitter, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also shared pictures of the two captains posing with the glittering trophy. Trophy unveiled! • TIKTOK presents KFC Pakistan vs Australia ODI Series 2022 • #PAKvAUS I #BoysReadyHain pic.twitter.com/HSAC7UZkih — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 28, 2022 It is pertinent to mention here that Australia is playing an ODI series in the country after a gap of 24 years. The touring side will play three ODIs, followed by one-of T20I. READ: Kamran’s century propel KPK to beat CP and qualify for Pakistan Cup Final The p...

MULTAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)’s top-order batter Kamran Ghulam starred with a magnificent hundred after Mohammad Imran and Sajid Khan shone with three wickets each to power the defending champions beat Central Punjab (CP) by six wickets, here on Monday. Set to chase 287, KPK comfortably steered to the victory in the 49th over, thanks to the astonishing century from Kamran, who top-scored for the side with 109. The defending champions had an unwanted start to their run chase as the side lost their first wicket for a mere 22. Muhammad Mohsin Khan lost his wicket due to a run-out. The left-handed batter could only score two. Ashfaq Ahmed and Kamran then added 130-runs for the second wicket before Ashfaq perished in the 28th over. Ashfaq remained the second top-scorer for the side with his brilliant half-century. The right-handed batter scored 71 off 86 balls. Kamran then put on another valiant partnership with Adil Amin. The duo batted sensibly with Adil scoring a half-century, whi...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the cricketing calendar for the women’s team that features eight international series and three domestic tournaments. According to the cricketing calendar revealed by the PCB, the green shirts will participate in eight international series and three domestic events. The international fixtures comprise ICC Women’s Championship matches, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup. The month of May will mark the first instance of Pakistan hosting ICC Women’s Championship matches as Sri Lanka will tour the country to play three ODIs. The tour also includes three T20Is. Furthermore, Pakistan will host three more ICC Women’s Championship matches with Ireland touring the country for the first time in October. The two sides will also lock horns in as many T20Is. PCB unveils bumper women's cricket season More details: https://t.co/Q7Djt81zNe pic.twitter.com/fmgB8NCHft — PCB Media (@T...

KARACHI: Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team captain Bismah Maroof has claimed that the scenario of the Pakistan team’s performance in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 would be different if the side had won the two close matches against South Africa and Bangladesh. In a statement released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) upon the arrival of the women’s team, captain Bismah emphasized the side effects of losing the two close matches against Bangladesh and South Africa. “There is no doubt that we are disappointed by our run in the world cup. But, I think our standings on the points table would be different if we had won two close matches against South Africa and Bangladesh,” she said. “I think these defeats hurt us and we also learned from it. We will now take the field with a better approach,” she added. Bismah also commented about the team’s upcoming schedule and said that competitive cricket will help us improve our mental strength. “We are getting a chance to play competitive...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s left-handed batsman Fakhar Zaman has hailed Australia as a dangerous team, claiming that the squad never treats them lightly. Fakhar, while talking to the virtual presser ahead of the first ODI, hailed the Aussies as tough opponents and also revealed that the green shirts do not take them lightly. “Despite lacking the services of some big names, the Australian team can not be taken as lightly. I think they are a tough team,” he said. The left-handed batter then opined about the playing conditions here at Gaddafi Stadium and claimed the team needs to amass a 300 plus total on this wicket. “There is a lot of due in Lahore but, it will not make much difference. I think we need to score more than 300 on this pitch,” he said. Fakhar then went on to discuss his performance and proclaimed his goal to sweep Australia for full points. “It is an important series for us against Australia and we will try to improve World Cup League points,” he said. “We also have home adv...

LAHORE: Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch has termed the ODI series against Pakistan as the preparations for the ICC ODI World Cup, scheduled next year. Finch, while talking to the virtual press conference ahead of the historic ODI series against Pakistan, has termed it as an important one and also a part of preparations for the next world cup. “This series is important for us as it is a part of our team’s preparations for the ICC World Cup 2023,” he said. “I think it will be a highly competitive series against Pakistan,” he added. The Australian captain further acknowledged the Pakistan team’s strength and said they have world-class players, which will be challenging. “Pakistan is a tough opposition. They have Babar Azam, who is currently leading the batting charts in ODI cricket. Also, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who can swing the new ball,” he said. The 35-years-old captain Finch also opined about Australia’s historic triumph in the recently concluded Benaud-Q...

LAHORE: Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has suffered an injury that may keep him out of the historic ODI series against Pakistan, which will roll into action tomorrow. Marsh, who suffered a hip flexor injury during the training for the upcoming white-ball series against Pakistan, is now doubtful to represent the touring side. Australia’s emerging all-rounder Cameron Green is likely to replace Marsh for the historic series. On the other hand, Australian captain Aaron Finch also confirmed that Marsh has sustained an injury and is likely to miss the white-ball series. “Mitch Marsh has sustained a hip flexor injury. I don’t think he will be available for the series,” he said. It is pertinent to mention here that the white-ball series between Australia and Pakistan comprises three ODIs and one-of-T20I will roll into action tomorrow. READ: Karachi wins Sindh Inter-division Boys Ringball Championship 2022 The post PAK vs AUS: Mitchell Marsh sustains injury, doubtful for white-bal...

KARACHI: Karachi division defeated Mirpurkhas division by the scores of 6-2 to win the Sindh Inter-division Ringball championship 2022, here at YMCA Ringball Academy. In the final of the tournament, Karachi lifted the trophy by defeating Mirpurkhas 6-2. Thus, the latter remained the runners-up of the event. On the other hand, the Hyderabad division defeated the Larkana division by 7-1 to become the second runners-up. At the conclusion of the tournament, Harry Charles from Karachi, who scored 17 shoots in the entire tournament, was adjudged as the best shooter, while Muhammad Ayaan of Mirpurkhas was awarded as the best defender player of the tournament. On the other hand, Augustine Shehzad of Karachi was also awarded as the best centre player of the tournament. READ: Medvedev beat Murray to advance in Miami Open The post Karachi wins Sindh Inter-division Boys Ringball Championship 2022 appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/76CKf4i

MIAMI: Daniil Medvedev is thriving on the pressure of being the man to beat after dispatching Andy  Murray  in straight sets at the Miami Open on Saturday to edge closer to regaining his world number one ranking. The Russian top seed served superbly against the 34-year-old three-time Grand Slam champion to ease to a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 triumph at Hard Rock Stadium and will face Spain’s Pedro Martinez next. Medvedev lost his No. 1 ranking after just 18 days, having failed to go deep in Indian Wells, but will regain it once again from the absent Novak Djokovic if he reaches the semi-finals in Florida. With Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both missing, the 26-year-old is the favourite to claim his first Miami Open title and his performance against Murray showed he’s in the kind of form that will cause the rest of the field a multitude of problems. “For sure, guys going against you are going to have more motivation if you are the top seed,” Medvedev told AFP. “It could be...

CHRISTCHURCH: South African opener Laura Wolvaardt top-scored with her astonishing knock of 80 runs before middle-order batter Mignon du Preez shone with a half-century to propel her side to a thrilling victory over India in the last round match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup. In the 28th match of the ongoing World Cup, South Africa sealed a thrilling victory over India by three wickets and knocked the latter out of the semi-final hunt. With India’s exit from the World Cup, West Indies have made their way into the knockout stage of the global event. Batting first in the last round match, India get to a commendable 275/7 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks to the half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and the skipper Mithali Raj. The openers Mandhana and Verma provided a solid start to the side with a brilliant 91-runs partnership. Verma made her way back early after scoring 53, while Mandhana stood firm and top-scored for the side with her 71. Later, Mithali and Ha...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s right-arm speedster Haris Rauf has said that the home side will try to take advantage of playing against an ‘inexperienced’ Australian team, here on Sunday. Haris, while talking to a virtual presser, shared that the green shirts will try to benefit from playing against Australia’s young players. “There are a lot of young players in Australia’s line-up and we will try to take advantage of it,” he said. “Despite featuring the young players, the Australian team can not be considered as an easy opponent. We will take the field with our full strength,” he added. The right-arm pacer also expressed his desire to play Test cricket and said he could not find the opportunity because of a set team combination. “It is my dream to play Test cricket. Our team combination was set that is why I could not make it into the Playing XI,” he said. Haris then went on to praise his fellow pacers and said, “Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali bowled really well in the Test serie...

LAHORE: Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa claimed that he is fairly aware of the strengths and weaknesses of Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan and will plan against them. Zampa, while talking to the virtual press conference, has claimed that he is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of all the Pakistan batters including Babar and Rizwan and is hopeful of planning against them in the next two days. “I am aware of the strengths and weaknesses of all Pakistani batters including Babar and Rizwan. We have two days to formulate a strategy against Pakistan’s in-form batting,” he said. “ODI is a different format than the Test cricket so we will have to plan accordingly,” he added. The right-arm leggie then opined about the inexperienced Australian bowling attack and said the youngsters have a vital chance to prove themselves. “Pakistan is a very good and balanced team. We will see an interesting competition between the two teams. However, the absence...

WELLINGTON: England’s all-rounder Sophia Dunkley shone with a magnificent knock of 67 runs before Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets each to propel their side outclass Bangladesh by 100 runs and book a semi-final berth in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022, here on Sunday. In the first match of the double-header Sunday, the defending champions England sealed an emphatic 100-runs victory over Bangladesh and qualified for the semi-finals of the mega event. Batting first, England get to a commendable total of 234/6 in the allotted 50 overs, thanks to the brilliant knock of Dunkley, who led the way with a brilliant 67. The right-handed batter faced 72 balls and smashed eight boundaries. Earlier, the middle-order batter Nat Sciver also chipped in and followed back with her 40. The wicket-keeper batter Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont, on the other hand, scored 31 and 33 respectively. For Bangladesh, Salma Khatun starred with two wickets, while Lata Mondal, Fahima Khat...

KARACHI: In the 28th match of the ongoing Pakistan Cup, Central Punjab edged past Sindh by 77 runs, thanks to the brilliant all-round performance by Zafar Gohar to book their spot in the semi-final, while Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan have already qualified. In the final-round match between CP and Sindh, the home side sealed a resounding 77-runs victory over the third-ranked Sindh at the back of Zafar’s heroics. Batting first in a must-win game, CP get to a decent total of 261 in the 49th before losing all of their wickets. The right-handed opener Ahmed Shehzad and the all-rounder Zafar led the batting chart with respective fifties, while Umar Akmal also chipped in with a quick 37. Zafar scored a gritty 51 off 62 balls with the help of four boundaries and two sixes, while Ahmed remained the top-scorer for the home side with 68 off 75 balls, laced with nine boundaries. For Sindh, Muhammad Umar led the way with three wickets, while Abrar Ahmed followed back with tw...

LAHORE: Pakistan captain Babar Azam claimed that his men did not play with the defensive approach against Australia in the third and deciding Test of the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, here on Friday. Babar, while talking to a virtual press conference, backed his team following a home series defeat against Australia in a recently concluded Benaud-Qadir Trophy, claiming that the green shirts played according to the situation. “We didn’t play with a defensive mindset; instead, we played in accordance with the situation, with a positive attitude, and a desire to reach the goal. Back-to-back dismissals, however, altered the game’s dynamics “he stated “It’s not correct to imply that the two teams’ mindsets were different,” he added. The 27-years-old captain further backed Hasan Ali and othe players, saying that he has confidence in all the players. “Hasan Ali is a match winner and I still trust him as much as I did before. It is unnecessary to call for the changes after one bad series. These pla...

PALERMO: Reigning European champions Italy will miss a second straight World Cup after losing to a dramatic stoppage-time goal against North Macedonia on Thursday, but Portugal, Wales and Sweden all made it through to qualifying play-off deciders. Four-time World Cup winners Italy were stunned in Palermo as Aleksandar Trajkovski — who used to play club football in the Sicilian city — fired past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the second minute of injury time to give North Macedonia an incredible 1-0 victory. Italy will again be absent from the World Cup in Qatar after also failing to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia when they lost in a play-off to Sweden. That was a traumatic experience for a nation that had previously been to every tournament since 1958, and this failure is all the more remarkable given that they were crowned European champions less than nine months ago. That success for Roberto Mancini’s side came during a world record 37-game unbeat...

KARACHI: Following the dismal playing conditions offered during the historic Test series against Australia, the curators and ground staff have started to rebuild all 13 main pitches of the National Stadium, here on Friday. As Australia’s historic Test series against Pakistan after a gap of 24 years is about to conclude today. The curators and ground staff have been assigned to rebuild all 13 pitches of the square of the field. The staff is also replacing the old soil of the square with the fresh Nandipur soil. It is pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have recently delayed the idea of the drop-in pitches and decided to improve the quality by importing Australian soil and hiring a foreign pitch consultant, who will be available for his consultancy in March/April this year. READ: PCB postpone the plan of drop-in pitches installation The post All main pitches of National Stadium Karachi to be rebuilt appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https...

WELLINGTON: Australia’s middle-order batter Beth Mooney starred with a valiant 66 not-out in the run chase to help her side continue their unbeaten run by defeating Bangladesh in the 25th match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, here on Friday. The defending champions Australia kept their unbeaten run on the track as the side beat Bangladesh by five wickets in a rain-affected match. Set to chase a mere 136 in 43 overs, the side was off a poor start as they lost half of their side for a mere 70 on the scoreboard. Australia’s middle-order batter Mooney then showed grit and anchored the run chase with her sensible knock. She faced 75 balls in the course of his astonishing knock and scored an unbeaten 66 with the help of five boundaries. The right-handed opener Annabel Sutherland also chipped in with her 26 off 39 balls and put on an unbeaten and match-winning 66 runs partnership with Mooney to steer her side to the victory. For Bangladesh, Salma Khatun led the way with three wicke...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq starred with a valiant half-century before the home side get to 136/2 at the Lunch break of the final day of the third Test; needing a further 215 runs in the remaining two sessions. Pakistan’s skipper Babar Azam and Imam will now resume the proceedings in the second session of day five. Babar is currently unbeaten on 19, while Imam is leading the way with 66 not out. In the morning, Pakistan, resuming at an overnight score of 73/0, the set pair of Abdullah Shafique and Imam had soon broken as the former walked back to the pavilion without scoring a run on the fifth day. Abdullah scored 27 off 80 balls with the help of three boundaries and a six before Cameron Green dismissed him in the fourth over of the morning session. Azhar Ali then arrived at the crease and put on a brief partnership with Imam. The pair could only add 28 runs for the second wicket before the former perished on Nathan Lyon’s delivery. The right-handed batter sco...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has postponed the idea of installing the drop-in pitches in the country, ESPNcricinfo reported. According to the details, the PCB, led by the chairman Ramiz Raja, has instead decided to appoint a consultant to assess if Australian-made pitches will be suitable for Pakistani conditions. According to the initial idea, the PCB will first import Australian soil and seed it in various locations across the country to test the outcomes under the supervision of a consultant. The Director National High-performance Center (NHPC) Nadeem Khan said it is Ramiz’s vision to improve the quality of the pitches. “It was Ramiz Raja’s vision to improve the quality of pitches here. We, therefore, are hiring a consultant for the drop-in pitches,” he said. “The consultant will come here in March/April. We don’t have drop-in pitch experts so we decided to get suggestions,” he added. It is pertinent to mention here that Ramiz has emphasized improving the quality o...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1992 World Cup triumph with great enthusiasm during the final day of the third and deciding Test of the ongoing Benaud-Qadir Trophy. According to the PCB, The 1992 World Cup trophy will be placed tomorrow at Gaddafi Stadium on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Pakistan’s maiden glory in a global event. The fans sitting in the enclosures will be also allowed to take selfies and pictures with the glittering trophy. Whereas, the trophy will also be taken to the dressing rooms of both Pakistan and Australia. Furthermore, the PCB will also release a slideshow featuring pictorial highlights of the 1992 World Cup final tomorrow. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan need to score 274 runs on the last day of the third Test to secure the series win against Australia. READ: Abdullah, Imam stand solid as Pakistan need 274 runs on fifth day The post PCB to celebrate the 30th annivers...

LAHORE: Australia’s experienced batter Steve Smith has replaced Sri Lanka’s legendary batter Kumar Sangakkara to become the fastest batter to score 8,000 runs in Test cricket, here on Thursday. Smith, 32, reached the exceptional milestone in the second innings of the ongoing third Test between Pakistan and Australia here. The right-handed batter took only 151 innings to achieve the milestone. Smith has replaced Sangakkara as the fastest batter to the 8,000 Test runs, bettering the former’s 152 innings. The list of the batters – fastest to 8,000 Test runs, features three Australian, three Indian, two West Indian, and only Pakistan batter Javed Miandad, who took 162 innings to achieve the milestone. It is pertinent to mention here that Australia is currently in command of the third and deciding Test of the series as the touring side is leading by 325 runs against Pakistan. READ: Australia’s white-ball squad reaches Pakistan for historic series The post PAK vs AUS: Steve Smith becom...

LAHORE: A 14-members Australian white-ball squad has reached Pakistan after a gap of 24 years, for the historic series, which will roll into action on March 29 at Gaddafi Stadium. Australia’s white-ball squad, which reached Pakistan via a chartered flight last night will undergo on-arrival COVID-19 testing and also mandatory three-day room isolation. The squad will then be able to integrate with the Test-squad after the completion of their isolation period and will start training on March 27. Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch, alongside Adam Zampa, Marcus Stonis, Sean Abbott, Ben McDermott, Jason Behrendroff, and other squad members landed in the country for their first away series here. The white-ball squad received a warm welcome from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials upon their arrival in the country for the first time. It is pertinent to mention here that the PCB shifted the white-ball series to Lahore following the political tensions in Rawalpindi. The ODI s...

CHRISTCHURCH: England’s bowlers Katherine Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets each before Danni Wyatt shone with an unbeaten 76 to blunt Pakistan by nine wickets in the 24th match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022, here on Thursday. After putting Pakistan into bat first, England’s bowlers starred and bowled out the green shirts for a paltry 105 in the 42nd over. England’s right-arm pacer Brunt and slow left-arm orthodox took three wickets each, while the skipper Heather Knight and Kate Cross made one scalp each to bundle out the opposition for a paltry total. For Pakistan, Sidra Ameen fought hard with her 32 off 77 balls with the help of four boundaries, while Sidra Nawaz also showed resilience as she managed to score 23 before Kross castled her in the 39th over. The rest of the Pakistan batters failed to contribute significantly and as a result, the side bowled out for a below-par total. Set to chase a mere 106, England comfortably sealed the victory in the 20t...

LAHORE: Australia’s left-handed opener – David Warner after scoring his half-century fell short at the stroke of Lunch but the touring side extended their lead to 220 against Pakistan in the third Test, here on Thursday. The touring side enjoyed an eventful first session of day four despite Warner’s dismissal as they added 86 runs into their overnight score of 11/0 at a decent run rate of 3.18. In the second last over before the lunch break, Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi castled Warner with a magnificent delivery. The left-handed opener walked back to the pavilion after scoring 51 off 91 balls with the help of six boundaries and a six. Australia’s in-form batter Usman Khawaja and the top-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne will now resume the proceedings for the touring side at 97/1. Khawaja is currently six away from his half-century, while Labuchagne is yet to open his account. For Pakistan, only Shaheen managed to make one scalp. READ: ‘Happy to complete 7,00...

ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi has conferred Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s one of the highest civilian awards to the President and CEO ARY Digital Network Mr. Salman Iqbal on Wednesday. The owner of the Pakistan Super League (PSL)’s most-followed franchise Karachi Kings – Mr Salman Iqbal received the honour for his services for sports, especially in the field of cricket. The ceremony was held at the Aiwan-e-Sadar in Islamabad, where President Dr Arif Alvi awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz to Mr Salman Iqbal. Mr Salman Iqbal’s PSL franchise Karachi Kings has produced a number of quality cricketers. Whereas in June 2021, Mr Salman Iqbal also announced a new international cricket league called the 90-Ninety Bash which will soon take place in United Arab Emirates (UAE). Earlier this month, ARY Digital Network joined hands with the Sindh Squash Association to host a high-profile sporting event – Karachi Open Squash Championship 2022, in an attempt to foster a sporting cultu...

DUBAI: Following his sensational run in the ongoing home series against Australia, Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam has claimed the fifth position in the latest International Cricket Council (ICC)’s Test batters’ rankings, here on Wednesday. Babar, who has been enjoying a successful series with the bat so far has been rewarded by the ICC as the right-handed batter has grabbed the fifth spot in the recently updated Test batters’ ranking. Following his sensational 196-run knock against Australia in the Karachi Test, the right-handed batter has moved three places to grab the fifth slot. Taking to Twitter, ICC shared the updated players’ rankings. Babar Azam enters top five of batting list Pat Cummins makes gains in all-rounders’ chart Both Pakistan and Australia skippers move up in the weekly update of the @MRFWorldwide ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings Details https://t.co/nLJOeoGJVr pic.twitter.com/WYBZhDyN3A — ICC (@ICC) March 23, 2022   It is pertinent to mention here...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s former captain and the right-handed experienced batter has completed 7,000 runs in Test cricket during the ongoing third Test between Pakistan and Australia, here on Wednesday. Azhar, who is playing his first Test at his home ground and the 94th overall for Pakistan, has become only the fifth Pakistani batter to achieve the milestone of scoring 7,000 Test runs. The right-handed batter has joined Younis Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf in the list of the Pakistani batters to score more than 7,000 runs. In world cricket, however, Azhar has become the 54th cricketer to achieve this stunning feat. The right-handed batter has scored 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries in his ongoing Test career. He was also the first batter to score a triple-century in a day-night Test. READ: PCB formally inducts Waqar Younis into the Hall of Fame The post PAK vs AUS: Azhar Ali completes 7000 Test runs amid third Test appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASp...

LAHORE:  The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has formally inducted former captain and head coach, Waqar Younis, into the Hall of Fame, here on Wednesday. The legendary right-arm pacer, who took a total of 789 wickets and scored 1,979 runs during his international career from 1989 to 2003, has been inducted into the elite list of PCB’s Hall of Fame. Pakistan’s great, accompanied by his mother and wife, was awarded a commemorative cap and plaque by the Chief Executive Officer PCB – Faisal Hasnain during the day three lunch break of the ongoing third Test of the Benaud-Qadir Trophy between Pakistan and Australia. In a PCB released statement, Waqar said that he is feeling proud to be inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame and for becoming a part of an elite list that features legends like Abdul Qadir, Fazal Mahmood, and Hanif Mohammad. “Representing Pakistan was the fulfilment of my dream and I still get thrilled to remember that moment,” he said. “It is a moment of pride for me that I a...

SYDNEY: World number one Ashleigh Barty stunned the tennis world Wednesday by announcing her early retirement from the sport at the age of just 25. Barty dropped the bombshell weeks after becoming the first home-grown champion of the Australian Open in 44 years, joining tennis royalty’s most exclusive club with a Grand Slam crown on three different surfaces. “Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis,” she said in a video posted on Instagram. In the tearful video message with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua, Barty said she was “thankful for everything this sport has given me”. “I’m so happy, and I’m so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart as a person, this is right. I’m so grateful for everything that tennis has given me, it’s given me all of my dreams plus more. “But I know the time is now right for me to step away and chase other dreams and put the racquets down.” Barty has been world number ...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s young opener Abdullah Shafique and experienced batter Azhar Ali hit half-centuries to bolster Pakistan’s score to 159/1 at the Lunch break of day three of the ongoing third Test against Australia, here on Wednesday. The set pair of Abdullah and Azhar resumed at an overnight score of 90/1, extended their important partnership by adding a further 69-runs; making sure that the home side do not lose any wicket. The duo will now resume the proceedings in the second session with the home side still 232 runs behind Australia’s 391. In the first session of the third day, Pakistan added 69 runs at a decent rate of 2.4. The right-handed opener Abdullah is leading the scoreboard with his unbeaten 75 off 214 balls, laced with 10 boundaries, while Azhar has scored 63 runs with the help of six boundaries and a six. The touring side had a frustrating session as the side could not get manage to break the overnight partnership. READ: Balochistan crush Northern by seven runs to t...