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NEW YORK: Emma Raducanu became only the third defending champion to exit the US Open in the first round on Tuesday while four-time winner Rafael Nadal overcame an early scare against a player ranked 198 in the world. Raducanu, 19, slumped to a 6-3, 6-3 defeat to veteran French player Alize Cornet who is competing in a record 63rd consecutive Grand Slam. Nadal saw off Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 to register his 65th career win in New York. Also going through to a politically-charged clash were three-time runner-up Victoria Azarenka of Belarus and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine. Raducanu has struggled in the spotlight of being a Grand Slam winner, failing to get beyond the second round of any of the previous three majors in 2022. “In a way, I’m happy because it’s a clean slate. The target will be off my back,” said the teenager. World number three Nadal, who is chasing a 23rd Grand Slam title and third of 2022, arrived at the tournament having played just one ma...

DUBAI: Hong Kong have won the toss and opted to bowl first against India in the Group A fixture of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, on Wednesday. PLAYING XIs India: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh Hong Kong: Nizakat Khan (c), Babar Hayat, Yasim Murtaza, Kinchit Shah, Scott McKechnie (wk), Haroon Arshad, Aizaz Khan, Zeeshan Ali, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar The post Hong Kong win toss, elect to bowl first against India in Asia Cup 2022 appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/jFJbf1q

KARACHI: England all-rounder Moeen Ali is poised to lead the side in the upcoming seven-match T20I series against Pakistan, scheduled to commence on September 20, English newspaper The Guardian reported. England are likely to tour Pakistan after a gap of 17 years in September and the reports suggest that the second-ranked side will miss the services of their newly-appointed captain Jos Buttler. Buttler, who was ruled out of the remained of The Hundred, last week is however targeting the ‘back end’ of the seven-match series in Pakistan in a bid to prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, a month later. Following the likely absence of England’s full-time captain Buttler, Mooen, who was serving as his deputy since Eoin Morgan’s retirement, is understood to be the favourite candidate for the leadership role. England’s star explosive batter Liam Livingstone, who is going through an ankle injury is also doubtful for the historic tour, while their key players Jonny Bairstow an...

DUBAI: Pakistan wicket-keeper Mohammad Rizwan surpassed Indian rising batting sensation Suryakumar Yadav to reclaim the second position in T20I batters rankings. According to the International Cricket Council (ICC) latest released rankings, Rizwan replaced Yadav in the second spot with 796 rating points on the back of his blistering 43-run knock against India on Sunday. Pakistan’s all-format captain sits at top of the batters rankings with 810 rating points while Yadav slipped to the third with 792 points. Meanwhile, India’s Hardik Pandya made giant strides in the T20I all-rounder rankings after his match-winning performance in the last game. He achieved his career-best rankings as he jumped eight places to the fifth position. The post Rizwan overtakes Yadav to reclaim second spot in T20I rankings appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/w9oX0fc

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has fined the arch-rivals India and Pakistan for the slow-over rate in the much-anticipated clash of the Asia Cup 2022 on Sunday. According to the details, both teams have been fined 40 percent of their match fees following the breaching of Article 2.22. Jeff Crowe of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees assessed the penalties after determining that the teams had fallen two overs short of their respective targets after taking time restrictions into account. As a result, the players are penalised 20% of their match fees for each over their team fails to bowl within the permitted time under the minimum over-rate provisions of Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Both captains – Babar and Rohit, however, accepted the proposed sanctions and as a result, the need for the formal hearing was waived off. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan were also left short of one fielder in the last ...

RAWALPINDI: Sindh opener Saim Ayub blasted a blistering 92 off 52 before left-arm pacer Mir Hamza shone with the ball to help their side edge past Northern by 10 runs to secure the second consecutive win in the National T20 Cup. Left-handed batter Saim smashed seven sixes and six fours to steer his team into a comfortable position after they were put to bat. All-rounder Saad Khan played a late cameo of unbeaten 26 off 17 to power Sindh raise a massive 191-run target for Northern. For Nothern, experienced pacer Sohail Tanvir bagged three wickets with Usman Shinwari, Aamir Jamal, Salman Irshad and Mehran Mumtaz made one scalp apiece. Northern underwent a dismal start to their chase as left-arm pacer Mir Hamza got rid of both the openers during his first spell. Despite a valiant resistance in the middle by Nasir Nawaz (39) and Zeeshan Malik (29) with a 54-run partnership, Northern fell short of the target and managed 180/7 in their 20 overs. Nasir remained the top scorer for his side...

KARACHI: Former Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan claimed that Pakistan’s neighbouring team has the potential to beat the Green Shirts in the next round of the ongoing Asia Cup.  After the resounding wins against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the group stage of the Asia Cup 2022, Afghanistan became the first team to qualify for the Super Four stage of the tournament. Pakistan and India are very likely to qualify for the next round unless Hong Kong put up a surprise against any of the two teams. In an interview with an Indian cricket website, Asghar stated that Afghanistan always had close encounters with Pakistan and with proper planning and calmness within its ranks, the team could eventually beat Pakistan. “Wherever we faced Pakistan, we always have a tough contest. If our players can play with proper plan and a bit of calmness, then we will have a really good match against Pakistan and hopefully, we can even beat them,” he said on Crictracker.com show . Furthermore, Asghar be...

AUCKLAND: New Zealand allrounder Colin de Grandhomme on Wednesday announced retirement from international cricket citing injuries and enhanced competition in the national side across all three formats as the motive behind the decision.  De Grandhomme, 36, represented the Black Caps in 115 international matches, scoring 2679 runs and claiming 91 wickets across three formats. According to International Cricket Council (ICC), Grandhomme called time on his international career after discussing the issue with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and both parties agreed to release the all-rounder from his central contract. “I accept I’m not getting any younger and that the training is getting harder, particularly with the injuries,” de Grandhomme said in a statement released by NZC. “I also have a growing family and am trying to understand what my future looks like post-cricket. All of this has been on my mind over the past few weeks.” Earlier this week de Grandhomme was picked by Adelaide Str...

DUBAI: Pakistan pacers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, and Shahnawaz Dahani were given rest from the national team’s training session for their second Asia Cup 2022 fixture against Hong Kong, scheduled on September 2. Following an opening defeat against the arch-rivals India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, the Green Shirts has set their sights on their second match of the ongoing tournament against Hong Kong. The national contingent hit the batting, fielding, and bowling drills at the ICC Academy Ground here on Tuesday. Pakistan pacers – Naseem, Haris, and Dahani, however, who partook in the high-octane clash against India on Sunday enjoyed a rest day. It is pertinent to mention here that India defeated Pakistan in a thriller to start their Asia Cup 2022 campaign on a high. Pakistan pacers Naseem and Haris were seen struggling with cramps amid the anticipated clash. READ: Sarfaraz, bowlers power Sindh to thump SP in National T20 Cup opener The post Rest day for pacers as Pakistan team sta...

RAWALPINDI: Sindh’s wicket-keeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed led the way with a gritty knock of 42 runs before the bowlers displayed combined effort to hand their side an opening victory against Southern Punjab (SP) in the recently-commenced National T20 Cup 2022/23. In the first match of the National T20 Cup, Sindh outclassed Southern Punjab by a hefty margin of 42 runs at the back of the astonishing valiant knock from the former captain Sarfaraz. Batting first, Sindh were off to a decent start as the openers Sharjeel Khan and Saim Ayub provided a solid 38-run partnership for the first wicket. The duo appeared solid and were scoring at a quick pace before Ali Majid castled the left-hander in the fifth over. Sharjeel scored 24 off 19 deliveries, laced with five boundaries. The side then lost another wicket in a span of six deliveries as newly-arrived right-handed batter Omair Yousuf fell cheaply for five. Sindh captain Saud Shakeel then attempted to anchor the inning with Saim but rema...

RAWALPINDI: All-rounder Anwar Ali has been penalised with 25 per cent of the match for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during the opening game of the National T20 Cup on Tuesday between Sindh and Southern Punjab. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sindh all-rounder Anwar was adjudged of violating article 2.8 of the PCB Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. The incident happened in the seventh over of the second innings when Anwar showed dissent against the umpire’s decision after his delivery was deemed wide overhead. On-field umpires Rashid Riaz and Nasir Hussain, third umpire Saqib Khan and fourth umpire Imtiaz Iqbal levelled the charges against the all-rounder. Anwar, who pleaded guilty, accepted the sanction proposed by Nadeem Arshad. It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh beat Southern Punjab by 42 runs. READ: England Cricket sympathizes with flood victims in Pakistan The post Anwar Ali fined for showing dissent at umpire’s decisio...

LONDON: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the affectees of the devastating floods in Pakistan and requested donations for the flood relief activities. Taking to Twitter, ECB urged followers to contribute to a local NGO’s relief efforts for the families and communities who had been affected by the catastrophic floods in Pakistan. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan” tweeted ECB. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan You can donate to the relief appeal here https://t.co/Rzsn1JFk5j pic.twitter.com/TPEHfdry9o — England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 30, 2022 Reportedly, tens of millions of people are affected by relentless monsoon rains and one of the worst-hit floods in the country’s history that have submerged a third of the country and claimed more than 1,100 lives. READ: 11-year-old Ayesha Ayaz wins gold in Taekwondo Intl Championship The post Engl...

BURIRAM: Pakistan’s young taekwondo player Ayesha Ayaz clinched gold and a silver medal in the ongoing Taekwondo International Championship in Thailand.  With the astounding feat, 11-year-old Ayesha became the first Pakistani female athlete to win two golds, a silver and a bronze in international Taekwondo competitions. Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) president Lt Col Waseem Ahmed Janjua and secretary Murtaza Hassan Bangash congratulated the young athlete on her remarkable victory, saying that Ayesha is an asset to the country and she will make the country even more proud in the future. Ayesha Ayaz is the daughter of Pakistan’s talented player and coach Ayaz Naik, who also served as her coach in the event. He expressed his gratitude towards all those people who supported the young athlete, especially the PTF without whose support Ayesha’s training would not have been possible, he claimed. “If we support the top performing children like Ayesha at this age, we can bring ...

VALENCIA: Antoine Griezmann’s stellar goal in the second half helped Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 1-0 to surge in La Liga standings following their crushing defeat by Getafe in the last game.   Atletico made a promising start and unleashed a vigorous attack against the opponent as Joao Felix nearly hit the post but Mamardashvili sprawled on the right corner to save for Valencia. The referee slapped Valencia with a red card before halftime as Thierry Correia brought down Alvaro Morata but a VAR review upheld the foul and only granted a yellow. Atletico continued the attack in the second half and finally took a lead in the 66th minute when Griezmann shot the ball from the area into the bottom left corner after a slight deviation with no chance for Mamardashvili to stop it. The home side failed to equalize the lead in the remaining time taking Atletico to the sixth position in the standings after the narrow win. Meanwhile, Athletic Club clinched a comprehensive win over the...

DUBAI: Pakistan team’s main strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has departed for London where he will complete his rehabilitation, announced Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday.  Shaheen, who was earlier ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 and the seven-match T20I home series against England due to a knee ligament injury, will remain under the supervision of the PCB Medical Advisory Panel, which also includes London-based Dr Imtiaz Ahmed and Dr Zafar Iqbal during his stay in London. Dr Imtiaz has been the Head of Medical Services at the Queens Park Rangers Football Club since 2016, while Dr Zafar is Head of Sports Medicine at the Crystal Palace Football Club since 2015 (having worked previously with Tottenham Hotspur FC, Liverpool FC and Kent County Cricket Club). “Shaheen Shah Afridi requires uninterrupted, dedicated knee specialist care and London offers some of the best sports medical and rehabilitation facilities in the world. In the best interest of the player, we have ...

STAVELOT: Max Verstappen gave his Formula One Championship campaign a significant boost with an inimitable drive to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday at Spa to secure his ninth win in 14 races. Red Bull’s Verstappen started from 14th on the grid and made giant strides from lights out. He progressed five positions in the opening alone and after a brief safety car period to clear the damaged vehicles of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, he kept storming through the field. By lap 18, the Dutchman took the lead and kept the hammer down for the next 26 laps to set the record for the fastest lap of the race and bagged victory by a comprehensive 17.8s. His teammate Sergio Perez finished second to complete a dominant one-two for Red Bull. “It was quite a hectic first lap to try and stay out of trouble,” said Verstappen. “So many things were happening in front of me. But once we settled in after the Safety Car, the car was really on rails, we picked the right places to pass peopl...

BARCELONA: Robert Lewandowski starred with his second brace of the season to crush the newly-promoted Real Valladolid 4-0 as Barcelona secured the second straight win in La Liga, here at Camp Nou on Sunday.  Barcelona dominated the first half of play while the away side struggled to get into the match. The Spanish giants made an immediate impression when Lewandowski pounced at the back post on a superb cross from Raphinha. Pedri then doubled the lead for Barca two minutes before the halftime following a skilful team effort. Barca continued with their domination into the second half as the Polish striker scored his second with a spectacular back heel. While substitute Sergi Roberto netted the ball in the extra time to make it 4-0 for the home side. The win elevates Barca to the third position in the table after two wins and a draw with Real Madrid claiming the top spot following their third consecutive win of the season as they outpowered Espanyol 3-1 last night. READ: Olympian...

LAHORE: Pakistan’s former hockey captain and Olympian Manzoor Hussain popularly known as Manzoor junior passed away here at a private hospital on Monday following a cardiac arrest . Manzoor, 64, was the captain of the Olympic champion national hockey team in the 1984 Los Angeles Games. He was also a part of the Pakistan team that won the bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. Manzoor, who played in the forward position, was capped 175 times and had 86 goals to his credit. He represented the Green Shirts and played an instrumental role in its victory during the 1978 and 1982 hockey World Cups. READ: Spain thump Japan in final to lift FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup The post Olympian Manzoor Junior passes away at 64 in Lahore appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/y8qmwEJ

SAN JOSE: Spain clinched the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup 2022 trophy as they beat Japan 3-1 in the thrilling final here at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on Sunday.  Pedro Lopez’s side defeated the same opponents by the same score to avenge their loss to Japan in the 2018 final. With the win, Spain ended Japan’s undefeated streak for the last nine matches in the U20 Women’s World Cup. Salma Paralluelo starred for Spain with double strikes before Inma Gabarro scored the opening goal in the first 15 minutes putting Spain in a 3-0 lead within the first 30 minutes of the game. Japan, on the other hand, remained persistent as they fought back in the second half with Suzu Amano scoring in the 47th minute. Spanish defence, however, skilfully resisted any further damage to their lead. “I’m in shock. I can’t believe what we achieved. We are an incredible team. I have no words to describe what we did.” said Gabarro who finished her campaign on a high note as she scored eight goals to beco...

PAK 96-3 (14 Overs) Avesh comes back PAK 90-3 (13 Overs) 12.1: Lifter outside off, 142ks, rushes Ahmed into a hook. He weakly flaps at the ball and top-edges it behind to DK who leaps and grabs the ball. Pandya comes back into the attack PAK 87-2 (12 Overs) Chahal comes again PAK 76-2 (11 Overs) Jadeja continues PAK 68-2 (10 Overs) Chahal continues PAK 63-2 (9 Overs) Ravindra Jadeja comes to bowl his first PAK 59-2 (8 Overs) Yuzvendra Chahal comes into the attack PAK 51-2 (7 Overs) Hardik continues PAK 43-2 (6 Overs) Avesh Khan replaces Arshdeep PAK 30-1 (5 Overs) Hardik Pandya comes into the attack PAK 23-1 (4 Overs) Arshdeep continues PAK 19-1 (3 Overs) 2.4: Bouncer from Kumar and it got big on Babar as he looked to pull it to square leg. Bhuvneshwar continues PAK 14-0 (2 Overs) Arshdeep to bowl from the other end PAK 6-0 (1 Over) Babar and Rizwan come out to bat for Pakistan. Bhuvneshwar to bowl the first over. PAKISTAN vs INDIA (1st INNING) DUBAI: I...

DUBAI: India won the toss and elected to field first in the high-voltage clash against the arch-rivals Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022. PLAYING XIs Pakistan: Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani India:  Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Arshdeep Singh The post India win toss, elect to field first in high-voltage clash against Pakistan appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/goCyXKl

KARACHI: With only a few hours left before the action begins at the glittering Dubai International Stadium for one of the biggest rivalries, cricket fever reaches its zenith as the two Asian giants and arch-rivals Pakistan and India are set to lock horns today in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. In less than a year, the arch-rivals will meet again, and they could do so three more times in the current year. The two sides last met in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 when Pakistan thrashed their arch-rivals India by a massive margin of 10 wickets to claim their maiden triumph over the Men in Blue in a world cup game. The humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan and then New Zealand resulted in halting India’s chances to secure a semi-final berth in the tournament. The Men in Blue, therefore, will now be seeking to avenge their bitter defeat. India, however, were jolted by an injury scare ahead of Asia Cup 2022 as their ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the continental event. Whe...

DUBAI: Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah is set to make his T20I debut today as Pakistan will lock horns with arch-rivals India in the high-voltage Asia Cup 2022 clash at Dubai International Stadium. According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the right-arm pacer will play his first T20I match today as he will be the 96th player to represent the Green Shirts in the T20Is. Naseem Shah had earlier made his ODI debut during the recently concluded Pakistan tour of the Netherlands while he has also represented Pakistan in the red-ball format. “I feel happy to represent Pakistan in all formats step by step,” said Naseem in a video posted on PCB’s official Twitter account. "Happy to represent Pakistan in all formats" @iNaseemShah will be making his T20I debut today against India #AsiaCup2022 | #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/cc9IDCEGhk — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 28, 2022   “Debut match in any format is always very important as it determines what impact you will crea...

ALMERIA: Almeria registered four points to stay afloat in the current season as they secured their first win after edging Sevilla 2-1 on Saturday on week three of La Liga 2022-23. Largie Ramazani and Sadiq Umar shone for the home side Almeria after Sevilla went for a flourishing start with Oliver Torres scoring the opening goal of the game. Ramazani struck the equalizer in the 43rd minute as his powerful shot beat Yassine Bounou to finish the first half on a 1-1 tie. Umar, on the other hand, missed a clear opportunity in the 53rd minute before he found the nets two minutes later to put his side in a 2-1 lead. Meanwhile, Mallorca thumped Rayo Vallecano 2-0 and Real Sociedad beat Elche 1-0 in other matches played on Saturday. Vedat Muriqi scored the first goal against the home side Vallecano in the 13th minute while Lee Kang-in blasted in the second half to upset the home crowd with a 2-0 lead. Sociedad, however, recorded their second win of the season as Brais Mendez scored the lo...

DUBAI: Afghan bowlers wreaked havoc on the Sri Lankan batting line before openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz charged the bowlers to outclass Islanders by eight wickets with 59 balls to spare in the opening match of Asia Cup 2022. Sri Lanka underwent a complete batting collapse as eight of their batters failed to enter the double figures and the team was bowled on 105 after they were put to bat. Medium pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi remained inspirational with the ball as he grabbed two early wickets, dismissing Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka in the very first over of the game, with Naveen-ul-Haq getting rid of Pathum Nissanka in the next to reduce Sri Lanka on 5-3. Despite a brief resistance in the middle powered by Danushka Gunathilaka (17) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (38) with a 44-run partnership, Afghanistan attacked with even greater force, storming through the lower order. Chamika Karunaratne, on the other hand, played a valiant knock of 31 off 38 late in the order to he...

DUBAI: National Cricket team will be playing its much-anticipated game against the arch-rivals India today wearing black armbands to show solidarity with the flood victims of the country. According to the details, the Babar Azam-led side will be sporting black armbands in their opening game of the Asia Cup as a gesture of support to the affectees of one of the worst-hit floods in the country. The team management will also be wearing black armbands along with the players. Meanwhile, the skipper also announced aid for the flood victims and urged the nation to help the affectees during his press conference on Saturday. It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan will take on India today in their Asia Cup 2022 opener at Dubai International Stadium as millions of cricket fans of both countries await the greatest rivalry of cricket.  The action will begin at 7:00  PM (PST). READ: Sindh govt to raise funds for flood victims by screening Pak-India match The post Pakistan team ...

DUBAI: Former Indian captain and top-ranked batter Virat Kohli opened up on his mental issues and revealed that he did not touch his bat for a month for the first time in 10 years. Virat, who is going through a rough patch in his career, made a shocking revelation regarding his mental conditions and asserted that he did not touch his bat for a month after being rested for the West Indies and Zimbabwe tour. The right-handed batter, who previously ruled the rankings across all formats, has only one fifty-plus score in his last 22 innings including Indian Premier League (IPL) and international cricket and has spent more than a thousand days without scoring an international century. Famous for his aggression on the field, the former Indian captain also revealed and acknowledged that he was faking his intensity in the game. “For the first time in 10 years, I didn’t touch my bat for a month. I came to [the] realisation that I was trying to fake my intensity a bit recently. I was convinci...

DUBAI: Former Indian captain Virat Kohli has won the hearts of millions as he took a selfie with a Pakistani fan who was stopped by security guards at the ICC Cricket Academy ahead of Asia Cup 2022. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2022 that gets underway on Saturday and India vs Pakistan clash on Sunday, fans have flocked to the ICC Academy ground, where the teams are practising. After completing the practice session on Friday, Virat was making his way back to the team bus when a fan from Lahore came rushing toward him in an attempt to get a picture clicked from the right-handed batter, but was stopped by the security guards. Initially, the right-handed batter kept walking, oblivious to the presence of this Pakistani fan restricted by security. However, when the fan screamed at Kohli and told him that he has come all the way from Pakistan only to get a picture clicked with him, Virat returned and let his fan took the selfie. Speaking to a YouTube Channel later, the Pakistani fan – Muhammad J...

DUBAI: Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam met his Indian counterpart, Rohit Sharma, on the sidelines of the training session for the Asia Cup 2022. Taking to Twitter, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared the footage of the two captains’ meet and greet, which received a lot of attention from cricket fans. ©️ meets ©️ #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/OgnJZpM9B1 — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 27, 2022   Pakistan and India captains interacted on Friday night before coming face to face at the toss of the high octane clash, scheduled on August 28. Earlier, former Indian captain Virat Kohli, current vice-captain KL Rahul, and wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant met the injured ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and wished him for his quick recovery as the latter was ruled out of the Asian tournament, owing to a knee injury. The 15th edition of the Asia Cup will commence on August 27 (today) as the hosts Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan in a curtain raiser. READ: Maria t...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Friday, announced Maria Khan as the new captain of the national team for the upcoming South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship 2022.  The goalkeeper turned midfielder replaced Hajra Khan as the captain, whereas the latter has been retained in the squad as a player. Maria, who grew up in the United States and played football for the University of Denver before moving to UAE, is one of the two overseas players picked in the national contingent. UK-based Doncaster Rovers’ Nadia Khan is the other overseas player, chosen to represent Pakistan in the SAFF Women’s Cup. Malika-e-Noor, who was a member of the 2014 squad that played Pakistan’s last game in senior women’s football, however, has been named as Maria’s deputy for the upcoming championship. It is pertinent to mention here that the sixth edition of the SAFF Women’s Championship will take place in Nepal from September 6 to 19. Making their way back into the ...

ZURICH: Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) lifted the ban on the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday, imposed earlier this month over undue third-party influence. The lifting of the moratorium also implies that the Under-17 Women’s World Cup, which was set to take place in India from October 11 to 30, will take place as intended. “The Bureau of the Council decided on 25 August 2022 to lift the suspension of the AIFF with immediate effect,” FIFA announced in a statement. “As a consequence, the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 scheduled to take place on 11-30 October 2022 will be held in India as planned,” the statement further read. FIFA, on the other hand, stated that it and the AFC will keep an eye on the circumstances and will assist the AIFF in holding its elections on time. It is worth noting that FIFA suspended AIFF for being managed by administrators after former chief Praful Patel lingered in office beyond his mandate without new elections,...

SPAIN: Celta Vigo have clinched their first triumph of the ongoing La Liga 2022-23 season as skipper Iago Aspas struck and powered the side to an away victory at Girona, while Real Betis thumped Osasuna 1-0 to maintain their unbeaten run. The two sides went hard at each other in the first half and apparently got a chance to secure the breakthrough but failed to make it count. Celta Vigo skipper Aspas then made no mistake and took just a few minutes and arrowed home to hand his side a much-needed lead that lasted till the final whistle. The rest of the match followed a tense battle between the two teams and a series of substitutions but it all went in vain as the scoreboard remained intact at 1-0 despite the extra time. In another match, however, Real Betis carried their domination over Osasuna and enhanced their unbeaten run over the latter to nine matches with a home 1-0 victory on Friday. Betis are currently undefeated after three games in the ongoing La Liga season and lead the...

DUBAI: Pakistan all-rounder and T20I vice-captain Shadab Khan came out in defence of right-arm speedster Hasan Ali and termed him a match winner. Hasan, who made his way back into the national squad for the Asia Cup 2022 following Mohammad Wasim Jr ruling out with a side strain, received words of encouragement from all-rounder Shadab. “No doubt we’ll miss Shaheen and Wasim. Injuries happen in the game and it happened to our two good bowlers this time,” Shadab stated. “Our other bowlers are also match winners and without a doubt, Hasan too is our match winner,” he continued. The leg-spinner also opined regarding the former Indian captain Virat Kohli and wished the latter to perform well in the tournament but not against Pakistan. “Kohli is still a legend. I wish he does well in the tournament but not against our team,” Shadab stated. Pakistan’s vice-captain then went on to comment on the most anticipated match of the Asia Cup and claimed that every player wants to perform exceptio...

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. READ: SHC directs Sarfaraz Academy and girls college to reach consensus The post Wasim Jr ruled out of Asia Cup 2022, Hasan returns to Pakistan Squad appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/WA39V7t

KARACHI: Sindh High Court on Friday directed all the stakeholders to sit together and reach a consensus over the ownership of the Kaka ground situated in the North Nazimabad area after Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) lawyer rejected the land grabbing allegations levelled against Sarfaraz Ahmed by the girls’ college principal. “Sakhi Hasan Gymkhana (Kaka) ground was given honorarily to Sarfaraz Ahmed after Champions Trophy2017 victory for establishing the cricket academy,” argued KMC lawyer in front of the court. “Land grabbing allegations over Sarfaraz Ahmed are baseless,” he added. Meanwhile, the report presented to the court asserted that the college administration had locked the main gate of the ground while the college vans and transportation had desolated the grassy ground. The lawyer for Sarfaraz Ahmed Academy, Arshad Tayyab, however, suggested the college administration to give passage to the college transportation through its own gate. At the outset of the hearing, ...

DUBAI: Pakistan Cricket Board ended the suspense of millions of cricket fans who were eager to listen to the exact conversation between Pakistan’s injured bowling star Shaheen Afridi and former Indian skipper Virat Kohli as they met during the practice session for the Asia Cup 2022.  Virat Kohli and other members of the Indian team were seen greeting Shaheen and inquired about his injury in a video posted by PCB on its official Twitter account, however, the conversation between the two stars was inaudible which left many cricket fans on tenterhooks. PCB shared another video with clear audio of the conversation between the two in which Kohli could be heard asking Shaheen about his injury while the pacer wishes him luck for a strong comeback. The suspense is over! Let's listen to the conversation between @iShaheenAfridi and @imVkohli #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/ttVYLrNtuO — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 26, 2022 Apart from Kohli, Yuzendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant and...

LAHORE: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) released players’ salaries after nine months hiatus following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to revive the structure of departmental sports, a day earlier.  According to the details, NBP issued discontinued salaries to the players associated with the organization after PM lifted the ban on departmental sports. The players were rejoiced by the move as they faced a financial crunch following a decision taken last year to stop public departments, corporations and autonomous bodies from funding the sports teams. The decision to restore the departmental sports was widely hailed by various sports bodies and athletes including Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). “We are grateful to PM for his decision to restore the departmental sports. He has taken a big step towards the revival of sports in the country,” said POA in a press release. “More opportunities will be created for the athletes with th...

DUBAI: In yet another blow to the national side before the blockbuster Asia Cup encounter against the arch-rivals India, Pakistan pacer Mohammad Wasim Junior got back pain during the team’s practice session on Thursday. According to the details, the right-arm pacer was sent to the hospital for MRI scans after he complained of back pain during the training session. Update: @Wasim_Jnr got back pain while bowling. He is sent to Hospital for MRI. #PakistanCricket #WasimJunior #PakVsInd — Qadir Khawaja (@iamqadirkhawaja) August 25, 2022 The episode puts the pacer’s participation in the much-anticipated India-Pakistan match on Sunday at risk, as the team management awaits the MRI result before taking any decision in this regard. Earlier, Pakistan faced a major setback to its Asia Cup campaign when the team’s main strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi was ruled out of the tournament following a knee ligament injury. Right-arm pacer Mohammad Hasnain was included in the squad to replac...

PARIS: Former men’s world number one Novak Djokovic said he will not play in the US Open which begins on Monday as Covid protocols mean he cannot travel to the United States. It is the second Grand Slam the 35-year-old Serb will miss due to not being vaccinated as he was deported prior to the Australian Open earlier this year. “Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open,” tweeted Djokovic, a three-time US Open champion. Djokovic’s announcement, which was widely anticipated, came hours before the draw for the final slam of the season — organisers announced he would be replaced by a lucky loser from qualifying. Stacey Allaster, US Open Tournament Director, regretted his absence. “Novak is a great champion and it is very unfortunate that he will be unable to compete at the 2022 US Open, as he is unable to enter the country due to the federal government’s vaccination policy for non-U.S.citizens,” she said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming Novak back a...

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has set affordable ticket prices to attract maximum fans for watching their favourite players in action during the upcoming National T20 Cup scheduled at Pindi Cricket Stadium.  The general category tickets for Shoaib Akhtar, Sohail Tanvir, Miran Bakhsh and Yasir Arafat enclosures are priced as low as PKR50.  Whereas, the tickets for Imran Khan, Javed Akhtar, Azhar Mehmood and Javed Miandad enclosures, which fall under VIP category, are priced at PKR100. The tickets for the #NationalT20Cup are available now! More details https://t.co/g8S0oHJAbR pic.twitter.com/tnKX9itL8Q — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) August 25, 2022 Tickets will be available for sale from tomorrow both online and through physical booths  and fans can easily buy tickets, through PCB’s ticketing partner BookMe. The online tickets can be purchased at pcb.bookme.pk. It is pertinent to mention here that the first leg of the National T20 will be played i...

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif restored all departmental sports in the country on Thursday to encourage young talent and pave the way for the financial prosperity of the athletes.  According to the details, PM Shehbaz announced to revoke the ban on departmental sports during a ceremony held in honour of medal-winning athletes of recently held international events. PM had promised to reinstate the departments during his address to the nation after assuming office in April. “I am lifting the ban on departmental sports, as it will increase competition. It will provide an opportunity to national male and female athletes to showcase their talents and skills,” he said. 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 the funding to sports teams in 30 different disciplines. PM also distributed cash prizes a...

LAHORE: Local cueist Mubashir Raza marked an exceptional comeback in the final against Sharjeel Mehmood to win the SAG Snooker League 2022-23. In an epic final between the two cueists, the local cueist Mubashir emerged victorious as he sealed a thrilling 5-4 victory over Sharjeel in the Best of Nine. The eventful final rolled into action with Mubashir taking off flamboyantly as he secured the first frame to secure an early lead of 1-0. The two cueists, however, remained involved in a see-saw battle for the first four frames as their scores remained even at 2-2. Sharjeel then took a dominating 3-2 lead in the fifth frame before moving one frame within the victory in the next. Mubashir, on the other hand, stunned his opponent with an astounding comeback as he cut the former’s lead by claiming the next two frames and forced a decider. The decider of the final embarked with Sharjeel leading with 36-6 with five reds left on the table but missed to continue his break and left the table o...

OMAN: Hong Kong carried on their dream run in the Asia Cup 2022 qualifiers as they thrashed the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by eight wickets to storm into the group stage of the event. In the last match of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup Qualifier 2022, Hong Kong, who edged past Kuwait and Singapore on their way, carried on their exceptional run as they displayed combined bowling and batting effort to sink UAE by eight wickets. Following their domination on the points table, the associate team made its way into the group stage of the Asian event and joined Pakistan and India in Group A. Hong Kong will start their campaign against India on August 31 and will take on Pakistan in the last group match of the event on September 2. At the toss, Hong Kong captain Nizakat Khan invited UAE to bat first after the coin flipped in his favour. Batting first, UAE could only manage to pose 147 before being bowled out in the 19th over. Captain Chundangapoyil Rizwan led the way with a gritty knock of 49 run...

DUBAI: Pakistan team batting coach Muhammad Yousuf asserted that his side was focused on the overall Asia Cup win and not just on a single match between India and Pakistan. Speaking to the media, following the team’s practice session at the ICC Academy, Yousuf stated the first day of the team’s training ahead of the Asia Cup was tremendous. “Despite the extreme heat, the boys have put their maximum effort into the practice,” he said. “The players are passionate and we are planning the session, keeping the tournament in front of us,” he added When asked for his comments on Sunday’s blockbuster encounter between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan, Yousuf replied that the focus of his team was not just on a particular match but on the overall tournament. “We have to win this Asia Cup. All (players) are focused, disciplined and looking towards the whole tournament and not just the match against India” he said. Furthermore, the batting coach lauded the national team skipper Babar Azam ...

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 Sh...