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RAWALPINDI: The glittering trophy of the historic three-match Test series between Pakistan and England has been finally unveiled, after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that the first Test would take place as per its original schedule.  “The ECB (England Cricket Board) has informed the PCB that they are in a position to field an XI, and, as such, the first PAKvENG Test will commence as per schedule today (Thursday, 1 December) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium,” tweeted PCB early in the morning. The ECB has informed the PCB that they are in a position to field an XI, and, as such, the first #PAKvENG Test will commence as per schedule today (Thursday, 1 December) at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 1, 2022 The two captains, Ben Stokes and Babar Azam, also looked confident as they posed with the trophy. Captains unveil the DAFANEWS Presents KFC Pakistan vs England Test Series 2022 trophy #PAKvENG | #UKSePK pic.twitter.co...

RAWALPINDI: England won the toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the opening Test of the historic three-game series against Pakistan, here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. A delayed trophy unveiling ceremony was held before the toss as English skipper Ben Stokes and Pakistan captain Babar Azam posed with the trophy. Liam Livingstone received his Test cap for England while Ben Duckett marked his return in red-ball format after six years. Pakistan included four debutants in their playing XI as star pacer Haris Rauf is set to make his Test debut along with young fast bowler Mohammad Ali while spinner Zahid Mehmood and middle-order batter Saud Shakeel also received their Test cap Playing XIs: Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Azhar Ali, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Agha Salman, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Ali, Zahid Mehmood England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pop, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes (WK), Liam Liv...

DOHA: Mexico missed out on securing a Round of 16 berth despite their 2-1 triumph over Saudi Arabia as Robert Lewandowski’s Poland progressed despite losing 2-0 to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final round of Group C matches of the ongoing FIFA World Cup. Mexico concluded group play tied with Poland on four points after defeating Saudi Arabia 2-1, however, they were denied a spot in Qatar’s knockout stages due to an inferior goal difference. Henry Martin and Luis Chavez’s goals in the second half powered Mexico to the win, but Salem Al-Dawsari’s late goal dropped them to third place behind Poland. Gerardo Martino’s side frantically sought a third goal to improve their goal deficit as they faced elimination under FIFA fair play regulations. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history when they downed Messi’s Argentina but could not continue the momentum in their remaining group matches and finished the group at the bottom place. Mea...

DOHA: Tunisia’s upset 1-0 victory over defending champions France went in vain as Australia booked Round of 16 berth following their triumph over bottom-placed Denmark in the final round of Group D matches on Wednesday. More to follow… The post Tunisia upset holders France in vain as Australia qualify for Round of 16 appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/pXFIN90

ISLAMABAD: The final decision to commence the opening Test of the historic three-match series between Pakistan and England has been delayed till tomorrow morning, confirmed Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday.  The fate of the Rawalpindi Test, which is set to kick off on Thursday, will now be decided at 7:30 AM after taking into account England players’ recovery from the illness. More to follow…     The post PCB issues update on commencement of Rawalpindi Test appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/njLp2Mx

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan captain Babar Azam expressed his hope of competing against a full-strength English side despite several players of the touring party being struck down by illness on Wednesday. Babar, in a scheduled press conference ahead of the historic Rawalpindi Test, commented on the unfortunate viral spread in the opposition camp, while also hopeful of competing against a complete English side. “We’ve finalized our plan after the English lineup was unveiled and we will bring our action plan tomorrow. They are tough opposition and play aggressively but we are still hopeful they play with full strength,” said Babar. “We have been practising for the last week and are well-prepared for the series. The way Naseem Shah and Muhammad Ali are bowling, I am confident my bowlers will make us win,” he added. The playing conditions and pitches were the most-talked elements of the game amid Australia’s historic tour of Pakistan in April this year, while Babar came up with an assertion t...

RAWALPINDI: Uncapped Liam Livingstone will play his debut match of the red-ball format as England announced their playing XI for the opening Test of the historic three-match series against Pakistan, starting tomorrow here at Pindi Cricket Stadium.  Livingstone, 29, will receive his Test cap while Ben Duckett will make his return to England’s Test side after six years. He will replace the opener, Alex Lees, to partner with Zak Crawley at the top order. Livingstone has been added on the side as an extra spinning option besides his capabilities with the bat as England are set to play their first Test in Pakistan after 17 years. Veteran James Anderson, who last visited the country back in 2005, will lead the pace attack along with Ollie Robinson and skipper Ben Stokes. Anderson will also be playing his maiden Test on Pakistani home soil. England Playing XI:  Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pop, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes (WK), Liam Livingstone, Ollie Ro...

RAWALPINDI: The opening Test of the historic series between Pakistan and England is likely to be held with a delayed start after several players of the touring party were struck down by illness on Wednesday. “The PCB and ECB are in discussions regarding the commencement of the 1st PAKvENG Test as some England players are down with viral infection,” PCB said in a tweet. An ECB spokesperson confirmed that the illnesses were not Covid-19 related, with players experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea. The PCB and ECB are in discussions regarding the commencement of the 1st #PAKvENG Test as some England players are down with viral infection. The PCB continues to monitor the situation, is in contact with the ECB and will provide further updates in due course. — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 30, 2022 Former England Test captain Joe Root has dismissed the possibility of his team teammates falling ill due to food poisoning ahead of the first Test match in Rawalpindi. “I don’...

DOHA: Iran and Wales failed to qualify for the knockout stage following their defeats against the United States of America and England respectively, while the latter two sides booked their Round of 16 berths in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. More to follow… The post Iran, Wales missed out as England, USA qualify for the Round of 16 appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/aiEOZr1

DOHA: Ecuador failed to make it to the knockouts following their narrow 2-1 defeat against Senegal, while the Netherlands thrashed hosts Qatar 2-0 to make it to the Round 16 of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. The Netherlands, needing just one point to qualify for the Round of 16, bagged three following an emphatic victory over struggling hosts Qatar and topped the Group A standings with seven points. The key player Cody Gakpo scored again for the Netherlands in the 29th minute to put them in command of the one-sided affair. Gakpo’s goal against Qatar marked his third goal in as many group matches. Briefly, after the break, Frenkie de Jong doubled Netherlands’ lead over the hosts, sustained till the final whistle as Luis van Gaal’s side cruised through. Hosts Qatar, already eliminated from the qualification race, bagged another unwanted record as they became the first home side in World Cup to finish the group stage without a point. Netherlands’ impressive run led them to top Grou...

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah gave a hilarious reply to a journalist who asked questions in English in a press conference ahead of the first Test against England here on Tuesday. The journalist asked the 20-year-old pacer about his impression of the 40-year-old England fast-bowler James Anderson who has played more than he has been alive. “It is a very big achievement because I’m a fast bowler I know how hard fast bowling is and he’s a legend so I think he did a lot of hard work,” he replied. “We learn a lot of things from him and whenever we meet we discuss something. “You think that is a big thing for him I mean we learn this thing till playing like I think he is 40 years old and he still playing he’s still fit so…You know you can think how much hard work.” The media person asked Naseem Shah how he felt when James Anderson said he does not have the pace he had in the past but has other skills. The pacer jokingly replied, “Brother, I just have 30 per cent English. My En...

RAWALPINDI: As the England Test side embarks on its first tour of Pakistan after 17 years gap, the Pindi stadium witnessed a busy day on Tuesday as both teams raced up their preparations for the opening Test at the venue.    England will lock horns with the hosts for the three-match Test series, starting from December 1 (Thursday) with the Rawalpindi Test, while the remaining two fixtures will be held in Multan and Karachi respectively. The players of the two squads carried out robust training sessions on Tuesday ahead of the first Test amid tight security at the stadium. According to the details, foolproof security arrangements were ensured around the stadium and on the team routes for the practice session which lasted till the afternoon. Ben Stokes-led side engaged in vigorous fielding drills alongside net sessions for bowling and batting practice for the second consecutive day, while the national squad also geared up their preparations for the home assignment. It is pe...

LAHORE: Northern outclassed Sindh in a one-sided final by an innings and 55 runs to lift their maiden Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title at Gaddafi Stadium here on Tuesday. The last two editions’ runners-up managed to win the prestigious domestic title on the third attempt as a double century from Muhammad Huraira and centuries from captain Umar Amin and Umar Waheed powered them to accumulate a mammoth 593 in response to Sindh’s 284 in the first innings. Sindh, trailed by a massive 309 runs, witnessed another setback to their title bid as their top-order crumbled to 17/4, courtesy of a brilliant spell from Aamer Jamal, who took three wickets including Sindh’s stand-in captain Khurram Manzoor for a mere one. Following the slump, veteran middle-order batter Fawad Alam looked to fight back with his gritty century that marked his 43rd overall in First-class cricket. Still, eventually, that too proved insufficient to neutralize the early damage. Fawad top-scored for Sindh with 113 off 130 delive...

ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner Christian Turner held an honorary ceremony on Monday to celebrate the England Test side’s historic return to Pakistan after 17 years hiatus.  England will lock horns with the hosts for the three-match Test series, starting from December 1 with the first Test at Rawalpindi. According to the details, the squad members of both sides attended the ceremony hosted by the British High Commissioner. Federal minister for information Maryam Aurangzeb, National Assembly speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and trade and commerce minister Khurram Dastagir were also present on the occasion along with other key government and political figures. Speaking on the occasion Mr Turner expressed his best wishes for the captain of both sides for the upcoming Test series. Furthermore, Mr Turner thanked England skipper Ben Stokes for his pledge to donate the match fee to the flood victims of Pakistan. Talking about the passion for cricket in th...

DOHA: Bruno Fernandes struck twice in the second half to beat Uruguay 2-0 as Portugal became the third team after France and Brazil to confirm place in the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Manchester United midfielder scored the opener within ten minutes after the break when he curled a great cross to his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, who did not find a touch as the ball ended up in the nets. Uruguay nearly found an equaliser when substitute Maxi Gomez hit the woodwork just seconds after coming off the bench and before Luis Suarez missed from close range on swinging freekick from De Arrascaeta. Portugal, however, doubled the lead in the stoppage time when Fernandes scored his second from the spot after a VAR check adjudged Jose Gimenez to have handled the ball. Fernandes came close to a hat-trick before the final whistle but his low shot from the edge of the box hit the post. With only one point in two games, Uruguay are placed last in Group H. They now have to produce their ...

DOHA: Former champions Brazil have eased through to the Round of 16 following their 1-0 victory over Switzerland in the Group G clash of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at Stadium 974 here on Monday. More to follow… The post Brazil edge Switzerland to join holders France in Round of 16 appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/AIUpslc

AR-RAYYAN: Mohammed Kudus netted twice in Ghana’s thrilling 3-2 victory over South Korea in the Group H encounter of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at Education City Stadium here on Monday. In a clash between two Group H bottom-ranked sides, Ghana recovered from a close 3-2 defeat against Portugal and kept their knockout qualification expedition intact as they produced a similar scoreline but in their favour against South Korea. Otto Addo’s side had a flying start to their must-win group match as Mohammed Salisu opened the scoring in just the 24th minute when Jordan Ayew sent a dangerous cross into the South Korean box, who failed to clear the lines, allowing Salisu to fire the ball home with his left feet. Kudus then doubled Ghana’s lead just 10 minutes later with a stunning header off Ayew’s assist, who sent a cross to the far post and the latter powered the ball sneak past Kim Seung-gyu. Paulo Bento’s side, who appeared defenceless in the first half, bounced back after the brea...

DOHA: Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting bolstered Cameroon from two goals down to a fighting 3-3 draw against Serbia in a thrilling Group G clash of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. Cameroon held their composure to keep their world cup campaign alive as they managed to seal their first point after a sea-saw clash against Serbia. Defender Jean-Charles Castelletto provided Cameroon with an early lead with his 29th-minute strike as he received the ball close to woodwork after Nouhou Tolo’s corner converted with a tricky cross that left him in an ideal position to score. Cameroon’s early breakthrough, motivated Serbia to launch a counterattack as Rigobert Song’s side endured two back-to-back strikes from Strahinja Pavlovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the extra time of the first half as Serbia finished the first half with a 2-1 lead. Serbia then continued to maintain their dominance over Cameroon and Aleksandar Mitrovic’s strike just eight minutes into the second half se...

RAWALPINDI: England Test squad started their training for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, set to commence on December 1 at Pindi Cricket Stadium. For the three-match Test series, the touring side has raced up the preparations by partaking in the net sessions. The touring players carried out robust practice sessions on Monday ahead of the first Test against Pakistan, scheduled to take place on Thursday. According to the details, the English contingent partook in an enduring practice session. The players engaged in vigorous fielding drills alongside net sessions for bowling and batting practice. It is pertinent to mention here that England’s Test team set foot in Pakistan after a gap of almost 17 years to face the home side in a three-match series, scheduled from December 1 to 21. Pindi Cricket Stadium will host the first match of the series, while the remaining two fixtures will be held in Multan and Karachi respectively. READ: Ben Stokes announces to donate match fees ...

KARACHI: ARY Digital Network has once again an exciting update for sports lovers in Pakistan as it has exclusively acquired digital rights for the upcoming home Test series against England and New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan. After successfully acquiring the rights to the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022, the next two La Liga seasons, and FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, ARY Digital Network has now successfully secured the rights to Pakistan’s upcoming home series against England and New Zealand. Viewers in Pakistan can watch the live streaming through the ARY ZAP  application. LIVE SPORTS ACTION CONTINUES ON #ARYZap ! Proud partners of @TheRealPCB for the upcoming home season featuring historic tours by @englandcricket and @BLACKCAPS . #PAKvENG #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/N9fZHV6YBh — ASports (@asportstvpk) November 28, 2022 The historic home Test series will kick off on December 1 as Pakistan take on England on their home soil after a gap of 17 years. The second and th...

DOHA: Niclas Fullkrug scored a brilliant late equalizer to deny Spain a smooth passage to the round of 16 as Germany came from behind to level 1-1, which kept their race alive in Group E of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Alvaro Morata came off the bench to give Spain the lead in the 62nd minute but Werder Bremen forward fired the leveler in the 83rd minute to earn first point for Germany, here at Al Bayt Stadium. Germany, who earlier faced a shocking defeat by Japan in their opening group match, made several changes to the team and fought valiantly throughout the game against a strong Spanish side. Antonio Rudiger managed to get the ball behind the nets in the first half but the goal was disallowed for the offside while Jamal Musiala missed a big opportunity in the second half as Unai Simon pulled out a brilliant save. Morata, introduced in the second half, scored the opening goal with a fine flick inside the box that went past Manuel Neuer and took Spain in the lead. But an even respon...

DOHA: Last World Cup’s finalists Croatia maintained their unbeaten run in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 as they hammered spirited Canada 4-1 to move closer to securing a Round of 16 berth. Last world cup’s runners-up, who were stunned by the two-minute strike from Canada’s Alphonso Davies, held their nerves to hand John Herdman’s side a 4-1 thrashing and knocked them out of the title race. Canada failed to carry on their domination and failed to hold on to their early lead as Andrej Kramaric took just 34 minutes to fire an equalizer for his side. Marko Livaja then put Croatia in command before halftime as he received the ball near Canada’s penalty area and took a touch before firing it into the nets. Croatia continued to dominate nervy Canada in the second half and the game slipped out of Herdman’s men’s grasp in the 70th minute when Kramaric scored his double as he took a touch to bring himself closer to the woodwork before firing a low shot into the bottom corner. Lovro Majer ...

DOHA: Underdogs Morocco stunned last year’s semi-finalist Belgium 2-0 in the Group E clash of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 at Al Thumama Stadium here on Sunday. Last world cup’s third-ranked Belgium, endured a massive dent in their campaign as they slipped to a shocking 0-2 defeat against spirited Morocco. Belgium had the opportunity to qualify for the Round of 16 with a victory but Morocco spoiled their hopes of storming into the next round and claimed three important points. Substitute Abdelhamid Sabiri was Morocco’s star of the match as he ended the deadlock with an astonishing 73rd-minute strike off a free kick that breezed past Thibaut Courtois and crashed into the nets. The second-half goal filled Morocco with momentum and they intensified their attack on the European side. The attack paid them off in the stoppage time when Zakaria Aboukhlal fired another goal to guarantee an astounding win over Belgium. Following their stunning victory, Morocco replaced Belgium at the to...

ISLAMABAD: England squad on Sunday stepped foot in Pakistan to play a historic Test series in the country after a gap of 17 years, which will roll into action from December 1 at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. A strong English Test squad landed in the country early Sunday from Abu Dhabi, where they practised against England Lions to race up the preparations for the historic series. England will take on hosts Pakistan in three Tests in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi respectively under the leadership of their newly-appointed captain Ben Stokes, who redeemed his 2016 failure to steer England to their second T20 World Cup title . The Rawalpindi Test, scheduled to commence on December 1, will mark the first Test between Pakistan and England on the former’s soil after 17 years. Meanwhile, Rawalpindi will host England for a Test match for the first time. Taking to Twitter, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) shared the footage of their Test squad touching down in Pakistan. To...

LUSAIL: Lionel Messi’s Argentina recovered from a shock loss against Saudi Arabia to thwart defenceless Mexico 2-0 to keep their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign alive. Argentina’s star player and skipper Messi ended the deadlock with a vital 64th minute strike to put former champions on track of a much-needed victory. Following Messi’s magic, Enzo Fernandez joined the scoring with a sublime strike when he received the ball from Messi following a short-corner routine and executed a couple of stepovers before dispatching the ball into the top corner with a curling effort. The triumph powered two-time champions Argentina to the second spot in the Group C standings behind leader Poland. Mexico, on the other hand, who are yet to taste a triumph in the ongoing World Cup sank to bottom but are still in race for the Round of 16 berth. Argentina have still a major task ahead of them as they take on Robert Lewandowski’s Poland in their last group match on Thursday (December 1), while Mexico wi...

DOHA: Defending champions France continued their dominating campaign in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022 as they edged spirited Denmark 2-1 to make it to the Round of 16 with one group match to spare. More to follow… The post Holders France edge brave Denmark to qualify for FIFA WC knockouts appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/EnfDm34

AR-RAYYAN: Poland’s star footballer Robert Lewandowski scored his first-ever World Cup goal in his side’s much-needed triumph over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Group C clash of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. A late second-half goal marked the first-ever World Cup goal of Lewandowski’s prolific football career that led Poland to an emphatic victory over Saudi Arabia, who stunned Argentina in their opening match. Piotr Zielinski opened the scoring for Poland with an early 23rd-minute strike when he produced sharp work in Saudi Arabia’s box off Lewandowski’s assist. Saudi Arabia, however, soon got an opportunity to fire an equalizer when Bartosz Białek fouled Saleh Alshehri which led to the penalty. Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, however, cut Saudi Arabia’s celebration for an anticipated equalizer as he blocked Salem Al-Dawsari’s strike at the brink of the first half. Lewandowski’s Poland then kept on high-pressing the inexperienced Arab side and soon got the reward in ...

RIYADH: Saudi football player Saleh Alshehri has denied news about a Rolls Royce Phantom car being gifted to players of the Saudi Arabian football team after their win against Argentina in their inaugural game of the FIFA world cup in Qatar, ARY News reported.  According to details, Saudi players put all speculation about receiving super luxury Rolls Royce cars for defeating Argentina to rest in a press conference on Saturday. The news about the KSA Crown Prine gifting Rolls Royce to the team had started circulating over social media after the KSA team beat two-time world champions Argentina. Saleh added that representing their country is the most significant honour. The green falcons had beaten Argentina by 2-1 in their first game of the FIFA world cup 2022. The Saudi team will play their second tournament game against Poland today. Earlier, news about the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud promising the football players of the national team a Rolls Royc...

AL-WAKRAH: Mitchell Duke scored a sensational header to steer Australia to their opening win in the FIFA World Cup 2022 as they defeat Tunisia 1-0 in a Group D encounter, here at Al Janoub Stadium on Saturday. Duke struck the lone goal of the match in the first half as he glanced a header beyond Tunisia’s goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen to help the Socceroos secure three crucial points in the group which also includes favourites France and Denmark. Australia then desperately kept Tunisia’s ferocious strike at bay and managed to clinch a vital victory after the stoppage time. The first sniff of goal for Tunisia came in the 19th minute, but captain Youssef Msakni was forced out and defender Mohamed Drager blasted over. Australia’s triumph over Tunisia marked their third world cup victory overall and their best performance came in 2006 when they made their way into the Round of 16. The Socceroos have an alike outcome in sight when they take on Denmark in their final group game on Wednesday a...

DOHA: Ecuador captain and forward struck briefly after the break to power his side to hold Netherlands for a 1-1 draw that resulted in the hosts Qatar crashing out of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Following Qatar’s second consecutive defeat earlier today when Senegal outclassed the hosts in a must-win game, the host nation needed Ecuador to beat the Netherlands in order to stay alive in the tournament. The result, however, did not turn out in their favour and thus, crashed out from the group stage with one game to play. The 1-1 stalemate also barred the Dutch to become the first side to qualify for the Round of 16 on Friday and will now have to wait until Tuesday. The Dutch forward Cody Gakpo put his side in front with a superb strike in the sixth minute at the Khalifa International Stadium. Following the early lead, the Netherlands were looking favourites to seal an easy victory but Ecuador held their composure and fought back and left the Dutch side rattled. Their spirited fightback...

DOHA: Neymar will sit out Brazil’s next World Cup game after he suffered an ankle injury in his team’s opening win against Serbia, the team doctor said on Friday. The Paris Saint-Germain star suffered the injury in the 2-0 victory against Serbia on Thursday when he collided with Nikola Milenkovic during the second half. The 30-year-old tried to continue but was substituted with about 10 minutes to go and underwent an examination on Friday. Rodrigo Lasmar, the doctor for the Brazilian football federation (CBF), said the 30-year-old had suffered “ligament damage” and would miss the match against Switzerland on Monday. Brazil right-back Danilo will also miss the second Group G game with an ankle strain. “We will not have these two players for our next match but they continue their treatment with the aim of recovering in time for the rest of the competition,” the doctor said in a video released by the CBF. Coach Tite was optimistic after the Serbia match that Neymar...

DOHA: Mohammad Muntari scored Qatar’s first-ever goal at World Cups but Senegal pushed the hosts to the brink of elimination in Group A after a crushing 3-1 defeat, here at Al-Thumama Stadium on Friday.  Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng struck a goal each to relieve Senegal from the earlier 2-0 loss against the Netherlands in the opening game. Qatar, on the other hand, faced consecutive defeats at their opening World Cup and will automatically be disqualified unless Ecuador pull out an upset against the favourite Dutch side later on Friday. Dia scored the opener before the half time before Diedhiou doubled three minutes after the break with a brilliant header on a corner delivery from Jakobs. Muntari won great applause from the Qatari fans in the stadium when he thumped a header past the goalkeeper into the far corner in the 78th minute and etched his name as the first goal-scorer for Qatar in World Cups. Substitute Bamba Dieng, however, was quick to react and took...

LONDON: England spearhead pacer Mark Wood is doubtful for the opening match of the historic Test series against Pakistan due to a hip injury, English newspaper The Telegraph reported on Friday. According to the details, Wood sustained the injury amid England’s successful T20 World Cup campaign which forced him out of the semi-final against India and the final against Pakistan. Despite Wood’s rehabilitation reportedly going well, it is improbable for the pacer to gain enough fitness to prepare himself for the rigours of a Test match with only three training days left before the series begins on December 1. The right-arm pacer, however, will accompany England’s squad, scheduled to step foot in Pakistan on Sunday (November 27) to play a historic series after a gap of 17 years. England Test captain Ben Stokes also confirmed that Wood’s absence from Abu Dhabi’s leg of training – where they played a training match against England Lions – had nothing to do with the latter’s injury and in...

LONDON: Saudi Arabia would back private bids for Manchester United or Liverpool, its sports minister said, adding that the conservative kingdom was keen to host the World Cup. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal even said the Gulf state could be a new home for clubless superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Prince Abdulaziz said oil-wealthy Saudi Arabia, which has been on a buying spree of sports assets, would “definitely support” bids for the English Premier League giants, whose owners are canvassing investors. “From the private sector, I can’t speak on their behalf, but there is a lot of interest and appetite and there’s a lot of passion about football,” he told the BBC. “We will definitely support it if any private sector comes in, because we know that’s going to reflect positively on sports within the kingdom,” Prince Abdulaziz added. “But if there’s an investor willing to do so and the numbers add up, why not?” Saudi Arabia, much criticised by activists f...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming home series against England has started training at the Islamabad Club Cricket Ground here on Friday. In the practice session, the England-series bound squad hit the training sessions. The players practised according to certain match scenarios and participated in batting and fielding drills. The national players will carry out robust training sessions for three days up until November 27 when England’s squad is scheduled to land in the country for the historical series. Following the conclusion of the ongoing training camp, both Pakistan and England squads will then start practising at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. It is worth mentioning here that England will be touring Pakistan for a Test series after 17 years. The three-match Test series will be played in Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi, respectively. PAKISTAN SQUAD Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (vice-captain, wicketkeeper), Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Abr...

DOHA: Iran stunned Gareth Bale’s Wales, downed to 10 players, with back-to-back strikes in the stoppage time to propel a comeback at the FIFA World Cup after a 6-2 defeat against England.  Rouzbeh Cheshmi hit a brilliant strike from outside the box eight minutes into the stoppage time before Ramin Razaeian struck another one three minutes later to complete a sensational 2-0 victory, here at Al-Rayyan Stadium. With the famous win, Iran kept their hopes to qualify for the knockout stage alive as they secured their first three points in Group B. Iran nearly scored a breakthrough in the first half but Gholizadeh’s goal in the 16th minute was disallowed for the offside after a VAR review. Iran crashed the woodwork twice in the 52nd minute when Azmoun kicked the ball on the right side of the post before Gholizadeh hit at the other side. Wales’ defence, however, turned fragile after their goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey received a red card in the 86th minute for crashing into Mehdi Taremi...

ISLAMABAD: President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and outgoing Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Thursday attended the dinner hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in honour of the national cricket team. Following the national team’s impressively consistent performance, specifically in white-ball cricket, the cricket board held an honourary dinner to laud the players and management for their tireless efforts. President of Pakistan and outgoing COAS Bajwa also attended the ceremony as special guests. Taking to Twitter, the PCB shared the pictures. “President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa join us on the evening honouring the achievements of our cricket stars,” the caption read. President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa join us on the evening honouring the achievements of our cricket stars. pic.twitter.com/vkmBbYhuYT — Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) November 24, 2022 Pakistan ...

DOHA: South Korea and Uruguay shared points in Group H after they ended on a goalless draw – fourth so far in this FIFA World Cup – in an evenly contested game, here at Education City Stadium on Thursday. Uruguay captain Diego Godin and Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde came closest to scoring a breakthrough in each half but found themselves unlucky as both efforts ended up hitting the woodwork. Hwang Ui-jo, however, missed Korea’s best chance to take lead in the 34th minute when he fired over the bar from only 10 yards out with only the goalkeeper to beat. South Korea, who defeated Germany 2-0 in their previous World Cup match in 2018, have now kept consecutive clean sheets at the tournament for the first time. The match witnessed an equally poised defensive strategy as neither Son Heung-min on one side nor Uruguay’s veteran strikers Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez and Edinson Cavani could find a clear opening. With one point each, group favourites Portugal now have a clear cha...

LAHORE: Sindh and Northern will compete in the final of the country’s premier first-class tournament, the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy (QEAT), commencing on November 26 (Saturday), here at Gaddafi Stadium.  Both teams confirmed their spots after the conclusion of ten rounds as Sindh secured the second spot with 128 points while Northern topped the table despite suffering their first loss in the final round in an otherwise spectacular season. Saud Shakeel-led Sindh qualified for the QEAT final for the first time under the revamped domestic season starting from 2019-20. In the final round of QEAT 2022-23, Sindh played a dominant draw over Balochistan at the LCCA Ground in Lahore while Central Punjab narrowly missed out on a final spot after a stalemate against Southern Punjab at the Gaddafi Stadium which stuck the CP at 124 points in the standing. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on the other hand, finished the disappointing season with a high as they beat Northern by an innings and 50 runs at the Sho...

KARACHI: Warwickshire County Cricket Club has signed Pakistan experienced right-arm pacer, Hasan Ali, for the County Championship and Vitality Blast. Taking to Twitter, Lancashire announced the signing with the enterprising fast bowler. 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 | 𝗛𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗹𝗶 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 Pace bowler. @CountyChamp . @VitalityBlast . Until the end of July. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. https://t.co/6I6mkTog1O #YouBears | @RealHa55an pic.twitter.com/WBmLHKlsNb — Warwickshire CCC (@WarwickshireCCC) November 24, 2022   According to the county club, Hasan is likely to represent Warwickshire in the entirety of the upcoming Vitality Blast, including potential knockout games and County Championship until July next year. Hasan made his County debut in Apil this year while representing Lancashire and took 25 wickets at 20.60. The right-arm pacer announced his arrival in style as he bagged a five-wicket haul on his debut against Kent. In a statement rele...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday, unveiled the match officials for the historic Test series between Pakistan and England, scheduled to commence on December 1. According to the PCB, Andy Pycroft, a member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will lead the playing control teams for the historic Test series between Pakistan and England. Meanwhile, a total of seven umpires will be officiating the three ICC World Test Championship fixtures, out of whom three are from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. West Indian umpire Joel Wilson, one of the 11 members of the ICC Elite Panel of umpires will join Ahsan Raza as the on-field umpire for the first and third Test, while Marais Erasmus and Asif Yaqoob will serve as the third and the fourth umpire respectively. For the second Test in Multan however, Erasmus will join Aleem Dar for the on-field, while Wilson and Riaz will be performing third and fourth umpire roles. It is pertinent to mention that the first Test between ...

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and star all-rounder commented on the decision of dropping left-handed middle-order batter Fawad Alam from the squad for the upcoming home Test series against England. Afridi talked to the media amid a private event and expressed his disbelieve over Fawad’s removal from the Pakistan Test squad, whose snub from the red-ball squad irked many cricketing fans. “Fawad Alam’s performance has been very good before. Dropping him is a surprising decision,” said Afridi. The left-handed batter only managed to accumulate 33 runs in four innings during the Benaud-Qadir Trophy between Pakistan and Australia, while he could score 35 runs in the first Galle Test against Sri Lanka. Following a dip in his form, the southpaw was rested from the second Galle Test and later dropped from the home Test series against England. Meanwhile, star all-rounder Afridi also commented on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s injury and asserted the latter was completely fit to partake in T20 Worl...

DOHA: Michy Batshuayi scored the match-winning goal in the first half to propel World No.2 Belgium hand a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Canada in the second Group F match of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022. Canada, making their return to the world cup after a gap of 36 years, endured a frustrating defeat as Batshuayi-led Belgium edged by the slightest margin to hand them an opening setback. John Herdman’s Canada missed a vital opportunity in the first half as Alphonso Davies failed to convert a penalty. Belgium’s goalkeeper dived in the right direction to deny Canada an early lead. Canada, fresh from the misery of missing the penalty, suffered another setback when Batshuayi fired the ball into the far corner of the net off Toby Alderweireld’s assist. Herdman’s side then dominated the second half but to no avail as they could not fire an equalizer and Belgium ran away with the victory. Following the victory, Belgium occupied the top spot in Group F standings as the earlier contest bet...

DOHA: 2010 champions Spain started their FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign in style as they thwarted Costa Rica 7-0 in the second Group E clash here at Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday. Spain announced themselves in the ongoing FIFA World Cup with a bang as they blew away struggling Costa Rica to hand them the biggest defeat of this year’s mega event thus far. Luis Enrique displayed their domination over Costa Rica for the majority of the match and held possession for a whopping 82 per cent in comparison to Costa Rica’s 18. The domination converted into the first goal in just 11 minutes when Dani Olmo calmly guided the ball to put the 2010 champions up front which was also their 100th goal in all world cups. Olmo’s strike in the 11th minute was also Spain’s earliest goal in a world cup game after 2002. Forward Marco Asensio then doubled Spain’s lead 10 minutes later as he swept the ball home off Jordi Alba’s low cross from the left edge. The European side were in hot form at the Al Thu...

LONDON: England Cricket Board on Wednesday added an 18-year-old British-Pakistani, Rehan Ahmed, to the Test squad for the historic tour of Pakistan, commencing on December 1. The leg-spinning all-rounder has received his maiden England call-up and if he gets a chance in playing XI during the three-match series against Pakistan, he will become the youngest cricketer to play a Test for England. Leicestershire’s Rehan is currently part of the England Lions and playing a warm-up game against the senior side during their training camp in Abu Dhabi. “The 18-year-old, who has been with the Lions in their red-ball training camp in the UAE and is currently playing in the three-day warm-up fixture against the England Test squad in Abu Dhabi, has impressed coaches with his attitude and genuine potential to be given his first call up to the senior side.” said ECB in a press release England red-ball coach Brendon McCullum praised the youngster’s approach towards the game besides calling him an ...

DOHA: Japan fired back-to-back strikes in eight second-half minutes to shock former champions Germany 2-1 in their opening Group E encounter of the FIFA World Cup 2022, here on Wednesday.  The four-time champions Germany endured a frustrating opening defeat to start their world cup campaign as Japan stunned Hansi Flick’s side 2-1. Germany had a quite convincing start to their campaign when Ilkay Gundogan provided them with an early first-half lead as he struck on the penalty in the 33rd minute. The former champions then managed to retain their lead and dominance over Japan for the next 50 minutes before Ritsu Doan displayed impressive reflexes to fire the ball into the nets and neutralized Germany’s lead. Doan’s equaliser filled in the Japanese player with momentum and they began to attack the German with more intensity which took only eight more minutes to pay them as Takuma Asano breached the defence line to fire the winning goal for the Asian giants. Asano met Kou Itakura’s...

DUBAI: Following a resounding 3-0 clean sweep over England, Australia went ahead of Pakistan in the latest ICC ODI team ranking, released on Wednesday, displacing the Green shirts from the fourth position.  According to the International Cricket Council, Australia were rewarded for their wonderful performance in the recently concluded One-Day series against T20 World Cup champions England, who lost their top spot after a dismal loss. Australia surpassed Pakistan and equalled points with third-placed India as they surged to 112 rating points. The national team, however, slipped to fifth place with 107 points on the Team Ranking charts. New Zealand, on the other hand, took the pole position with 114 rating points since England’s ratings dipped to 113 from 119 at the start of the series. READ: Manchester United owners consider sale as Ronaldo exits The post Pakistan lose spot to Australia in ODI rankings appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/lZtWDko

MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s owners said Tuesday they were ready to sell the club, potentially bringing down the curtain on an acrimonious 17 years under the Glazer family. On a tumultuous day for the English giants, it was earlier revealed that star player Cristiano Ronaldo has left the club with “immediate effect.” Weeks of turbulence appeared to have come to an end when United announced Ronaldo’s contract had been terminated by mutual agreement to bring to an end his second spell at Old Trafford. That dramatic announcement was eclipsed just hours later by the news the US-based Glazer family could also be on their way out. “The board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company,” United said in a statement. The Glazers have been unpopular with supporters ever since a £790 million ($934 million) leveraged takeover in 2005 burdened the club with huge debts. Frustrat...

AL-WAKRAH: Defending champions France retained their dominance over spirited Australia and handed them a crushing 4-1 defeat despite an early lead in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Group D fixture on Tuesday. More to follow… The post Holders France thrash Australia despite early lead appeared first on ASports.tv . from ASports.tv https://ift.tt/ecu8pk9