Pakistan Publications (Multi Sports)

 

Latest News & Results

 

Cricket Australia scraps Afghanistan T20s, citing worsening women’s rights

Cricket Australia scraps Afghanistan T20s, citing worsening women’s rights

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31687129

Australia on Tuesday postponed a men’s Twenty20 international series against Afghanistan later this year, saying the situation for women in the Taliban-ruled country was not acceptable.

Cricket Australia said it had received advice “that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan are getting worse” and so had taken a decision to “postpone” the three-match series scheduled in August at a neutral venue.

Cricket has surged in popularity inside Afghanistan in recent years, fuelled by sporadic triumphs over bigger nations on the international stage.

But under the Taliban’s brand of Islamic rule, women remained effectively barred from the game.

Cricket Australia said its stance continued a “strong commitment to supporting participation by women and girls in cricket around the world”.

It is the third time since 2021 that Australia has refused to play Afghanistan outside of international tournaments.

Cricket Australia first cancelled a one-off Test in November 2021, months after the Taliban swept back into power.

In 2023, officials pulled out of a three-match one-day series scheduled to be played on neutral ground in the United Arab Emirates.

The Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, renaming it the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and installing an interim government they said would rule according to sharia.

Teenage girls have been banned from attending most secondary schools and women barred from universities, prompting global outrage.



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822512/cricket-australia-scraps-afghanistan-t20s-citing-worsening-womens-rights
Paris Olympics area secured after attack on police station

Paris Olympics area secured after attack on police station

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31687132

PARIS: Nine people have been arrested over a firework attack on a police station near major venues for this summer’s Paris Olympics, the French capital’s top police official said on Monday.

The Sunday evening attack in the northern suburb of La Courneuve came days after a teenager riding a moped was killed in a car chase with police, echoing a June killing that triggered days-long riots.

“Around 50 people attacked the police station in La Courneuve, mostly with mortar fireworks,” Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told broadcaster TF1.

Videos posted on social media showed groups of people firing a barrage of fireworks at the building’s facade. Police said the attackers also threw stones and Molotov cocktails.

Police responded with sting-ball grenades and flash-ball projectiles, used by riot police as an alternative to firearms. The standoff lasted for about 30 minutes, Nunez said.

The police station suffered no damage.

La Courneuve is located in Paris’ northern suburbs, in the Seine-Saint-Denis department that hosts Olympic venues including the flagship Stade de France stadium.

“We can tie this attack to the death of the 18-year-old killed on Wednesday, named only as Wanys R.,” Nunez said. “The young people clearly came from the neighbourhood where Wanys lived,” he added.

“We did this to demand justice for Wanys,” one young man told AFP on Monday. He declined to give his name, as did several other residents who came forward.

Nunz said the arrested suspects included seven adults aged 18-21 and two minors.

Two police officers were “slightly hurt”, he added.

Nunez said police reinforcements would be deployed in the area around midday on Monday, although further attacks were unlikely.

“The reinforcements will stay there for as long as necessary,” he said.

Wanys R. was being chased by police on Wednesday after refusing to stop for a check.

A video widely shared online showed how his scooter was struck by a police car, killing him and injuring his passenger.

The lawyer representing Wanys’ family on Friday accused the police of hitting him on purpose, while the officers’ own representative insisted it was an accident.

Also on Monday, authorities in Paris strengthened the police presence in La Courneuve near the Paris 2024 Olympics Village following an attack on a police station.

Asked about the danger of riots in northern Paris suburbs during the Olympics, Nunez said there was little risk of that.

“Police have a strong presence there today and that will be even more the case during the Olympics, when we will have a massive presence everywhere in the Paris region, and I have no fear on that level,” Nunez told reporters.

La Courneuve is just a few kilometres from the Olympics Village in the northern suburbs of Seine-Saint-Denis, an underprivileged department north of Paris, which hopes to get a boost from Olympics infrastructure investment.

Security is of paramount importance for French authorities with the Paris Olympics due to start on July 26.

Some Paris Olympics sites were vandalised during rioting in the summer of 2023 which was triggered by the fatal shooting of a teenager of north African descent by police.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822369/paris-olympics-area-secured-after-attack-on-police-station
Tanzid, Rishad power Bangladesh to series victory against Sri Lanka

Tanzid, Rishad power Bangladesh to series victory against Sri Lanka

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31687131

CHITTAGONG: Rishad Hossain played an attacking innings of 48 after substitute Tanzid Hasan Tamim hit 84 off 81 balls on Monday, steering Bangladesh to a four-wicket win and a 2-1 ODI series victory over Sri Lanka here at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

Set a modest target after Janith Liyanage’s unbeaten 101 guided Sri Lanka to 235 all out in 50 overs, Bangladesh raced to 237-6 in 40.2 overs.

Rishad remained unbeaten on 48 off just 18 balls.

The hosts were in danger when Wanindu Hasaranga forced Mehdiy Hasan Miraz, the last recognised batsman, to give a catch to Pramod Madushan for 25, with Bangladesh still 58 runs away from victory.

But Rishad dispatched the first ball he faced over midwicket for six and did not look back.

He hit four sixes and five fours in his whirlwind innings before Mushfiqur Rahim, 37 not out, finished the game with a boundary off Maheesh Theekshana.

Tanzid led the initial charge, replacing Soumya Sarkar in the second innings as a concussion sub, despite Lahiru Kumara wreaking havoc with 4-48.

“Tanzid batted really well at the start. The way Mushi [Mushfiqur] batted, I think it helped Rishad’s innings,” Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said.

“On a wicket like this, the bowlers showed a lot of character.”

Liyanage earlier staged a lone battle en route to his maiden century after Bangladesh made regular strikes, with Taskin Ahmed leading the way for the home side with 3-42.

Skipper Kusal Mendis (29) and Charith Asalanka (37) made a good start but lost their wickets before they could build bigger innings.

“I think we were 40-50 runs short but we bowled well in few overs,” Mendis said.

“Janith [Liyanage] batted really well, a couple of wickets fell in the middle overs, and he then batted very well.” Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, only to lose both openers inside four overs.

Taskin struck early, trapping in-form opener Pathum Nissanka leg-before for one, then dismissing the other opener Avishka Fernando for four in his next over.

Mustafizur Rahman, playing his first match in the series, removed Sadeera Samarawickrama off his first ball for 14 to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 41-3.

Leg-spinner Rishad made Mendis his first ODI wicket, also off his first ball of the game.

Mustafizur ended Asalanka’s counter-attacking innings before Mehidy claimed two back-to-back wickets to expose the tail.

But Liyanage held one end firm to ensure Sri Lanka batted out 50 overs, hitting Taskin over the cover for a four in the final over to reach his century off 101 balls.

Mustafizur and Mehidy claimed 2-39 and 2-38, respectively.

Bangladesh won the opener by six wickets, with Sri Lanka taking the second by three wickets on Friday.

The two teams will now play a two-match Test series, beginning on Friday in Sylhet.

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA:

P. Nissanka lbw b Taskin 1

A. Fernando c Mushfiqur b Taskin 4

K. Mendis c Mushfiqur b Rishad 29

S. S’ wickrama c Mushfiqur b Mustafizur 14

C. Asalanka c Mushfiqur b Mustafizur 37

J. Liyanage not out 101

D. Wellalage c Soumya b Mehidy 1

W. Hasaranga b Mehidy 11

M. Theekshana c (sub) b Soumya 15

P. Madushan c Anamul b Taskin 3

L. Kumara run out 1

EXTRAS (NB-1, W-17) 18

TOTAL (all out, 50 overs) 235

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Nissanka), 2-15 (Fernando), 3-41 (Samarawickrama), 4-74 (Mendis), 5-117 (Asalanka), 6-136 (Wellalage), 7-154 (Hasaranga), 8-214 (Theekshana), 9-234 (Madushan)

BOWLING: Shoriful 10-0-55-0 (1w), Taskin 10-1-42-3 (2w), Mustafizur 9-1-39-2 (5w, 1nb), Soumya 2-0-10-1 (1w), Mehidy 10-1-38-2, Rishad 9-0-51-1 (2w)

BANGLADESH:

Anamul Haque c Fernando b Kumara 12

Tanzid Hasan c Asalanka b Hasaranga 84

Najmul Hossainc Mendis b Kumara 1

Towhid Hridoy c Madushan b Kumara 22

Mahmudullah c Mendis b Kumara 1

Mushfiqur Rahim not out 37

Mehidy Hasan c Madushan b Hasaranga 25

Rishad Hossain not out 48

EXTRAS (W-7) 7

TOTAL (for six wickets, 40.2 overs) 237

DID NOT BAT: Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-50 (Anamul), 2-56 (Najmul), 3-105 (Towhid), 4-113 (Mahmudullah), 5-130 (Tanzid), 6-178 (Mehidy)

BOWLING: Theekshana 9.2-1-35-0 (3w), Madushan 7-0-52-0 (2w), Kumara 8-0-48-4 (2w), Hasaranga 9-0-64-2, Wellalage 6-0-30-0, Asalanka 1-0-8-0

RESULT: Bangladesh won by four wickets.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Rishad Hossain

SERIES: Bangladesh won three match series 2-1.

PLAYER-OF-THE-SERIES: Najmul Hossain

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822368/tanzid-rishad-power-bangladesh-to-series-victory-against-sri-lanka
Mbappe bags hat-trick as PSG hit Montpellier for six

Mbappe bags hat-trick as PSG hit Montpellier for six

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31687130

MONTPELLIER: Kylian Mbappe scored his second hat-trick in Ligue 1 this season as leaders Paris St Germain won 6-2 at Montpellier on Sunday, securing their first league win in four matches.

PSG, with 59 points from 26 matches, extended their lead at the top over Brest to 12 points while Montpellier, with 26 points, remain one point above the relegation playoff spot.

Brest were earlier held 1-1 at home by Lille and are a point above third-placed AS Monaco, who were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Lorient. Lille are fourth with 43 points as they seek a Champions League spot, four points behind Brest.

Vitinha put PSG ahead at the Stade de la Mosson and Mbappe doubled their advantage midway through the first half, only for an Arnaud Nordin header and a Teji Savanier penalty to bring Montpellier back level at the interval.

However, a marvellous Mbappe goal restored PSG’s lead shortly after the break and Lee Kang-in made it 4-2 before the France captain completed his hat-trick.

Nuno Mendes put the seal on the victory late on, as Luis Enrique’s side ended a run of three successive draws in Ligue 1 and extended an unbeaten domestic record stretching back to September.

“I’m a lucky guy,” manager Luis Enrique told Prime Video. “Because I have unbelievable players with enormous quality and the spirit… to fight for every single game. We want to win the championship as quickly as possible.”

The defeat for Montpellier leaves them just a point above third-bottom Nantes, who are in the relegation play-off place and on Sunday sacked coach Jocelyn Gourvennec.

Jonathan David gave Lille the lead midway through the second half in Brittany with his 15th league goal of the season. However, that goal was not enough to win the game, as Uruguayan striker Martin Satriano poked in a late equaliser for Brest.

Struggling Lorient came away from Monaco with a precious point after Tiemoue Bakayoko headed in a 95th-minute equaliser.

Stade Rennais boosted their hopes of qualifying for Europe with a 2-0 win at home to Olympique de Marseille, as Martin Terrier put the hosts ahead in the first half and Benjamin Bourigeaud added a late penalty. Both sides are now three points adrift of the final European qualifying spot.

Japan star Junya Ito fired in a superb 79th-minute strike to give Reims a 2-1 win over Metz which keeps his club in the European picture.

Bottom side Clermont kept their outside survival hopes alive by beating Le Havre 2-1 with a brace from Muhammed Cham.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822370/mbappe-bags-hat-trick-as-psg-hit-montpellier-for-six
Imad stars in last-ball thriller as United clinch third title

Imad stars in last-ball thriller as United clinch third title

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31687017
KARACHI: The Islamabad United players celebrate with the trophy after the PSL final, on Monday night. —Tahir Jamal / White Star
KARACHI: The Islamabad United players celebrate with the trophy after the PSL final, on Monday night. —Tahir Jamal / White Star

KARACHI: At the National Bank Stadium here on a Monday night, Karachi finally showed up. The house was full at the venue, which was criticised for low turnout all season, when it mattered the most.

And the HBL Pakistan Super League final did not disappoint. The crowds witnessed a thriller, which ended with Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan lifting the side’s third PSL trophy and Multan Sultans players ruing as many lost finals, this time by two wickets.

It had all come down to Imad Wasim’s nerves — he was caught on camera soothing them smoking a cigarette in the dressing room earlier, after having registered the first-ever five-wicket haul in a PSL finale.

Imad arrived at the crease after Martin Guptill was run out after scoring a half-century and putting up 47 with Azam Khan following United’s shaky start which had seen them go three down for 55 runs by the ninth over in their pursuit of 160 runs.

Multan Sultans lose their third final in a row

Imad saw Azam, Haider Ali and Faheem Ashraf fall cheaply on the other end, leaving United reeling at 129-6, needing 31 in three overs.

In came Naseem Shah — bringing with him memories of cruel match-winning knocks against Afghanistan — as he clobbered Iftikhar Ahmed for a big six over square-leg. Imad followed it up with two square drives, a magnificent one and a streaky one for two more boundaries.

Naseem (17 off 9) flicked it away off Mohammad Ali like an expert batter for four more, a leg-bye levelled the scores, only for him to edge a bouncer behind to Multan captain and wicket-keeper Rizwan on the penultimate ball.

Fittingly, he had left behind that one, winning run, for his brother Hunain to score and the right-hander squeezed it through the in-field on the off-side for a boundary, taking United across the line as the team’s whole camp ran into the ground. Out came the celebrations and the Palestine flags, as the United players waved them in their victory lap. Imad joined in, with 19 off 17 against his name.

Earlier, Multan were boosted to a competitive total by an Iftikhar onslaught in the last two overs of the innings.

In a surprising move by the side, the right-hander came into bat at number eight, with Multan having sent tailenders David Willey and Usama Mir up the order.

The move clearly did not materialise as Imad and Shadab ripped through the Sultans’ line-up, giving Iftikhar the stage to prove his worth.

The powerful batter launched medium pacer Tymal Mills out of the park in the 19th over for his first six and cleared midwicket for another on the very next ball as chants of “Chacha, Chacha” echoed round the stands.

Spectators enjoy the PSL final between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans at the National Stadium 
in Karachi, on Monday.—APP
Spectators enjoy the PSL final between Islamabad United and Multan Sultans at the National Stadium in Karachi, on Monday.—APP

In the last over, Iftikhar swivelled for four more, cleared backward square for another maximum and added a boundary on a no ball to spoil Naseem’s amazing figures of nine runs in three overs to 25 runs in four overs.

Iftikhar’s unbeaten 32 off 20 provided the much needed impetus to an innings that was held together by Rizwan’s 53-run partnership with Usman Khan, with the latter hitting 57 off 40 — his fourth fifty-plus score this season.

Shadab broke the stand at the halfway stage and went on to get Usman and Usama six overs later.

Imad, who had dismissed opener Yasir Khan and Willey in his opening spell and Johnson Charles in the 12th over, added the scalps of Khushdil and Chris Jordan to his name on consecutive balls in the 18th, which also saw Abbas Afridi get run out, thanks to a bullet throw by Shadab.

Scoreboard

MULTAN SULTANS:
Yasir Khan c Mills b Imad6
Mohammad Rizwan D. Willey b Imad6
Usman Khan c sub (Cox) b Shadab57
J. Charles c Naseem b Imad4
Khushdil Shah c Guptill b Imad11
Usama Mir c Hunain b Shadab6
Iftikhar Ahmed not out32
C. Jordan c Azam b Imad0
Abbas Afridi run out (Shadab)1
Mohammad Ali not out0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, NB-2, W-3)10
TOTAL (for nine wickets, 20 overs)159
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-8 (Yasir), 2-14 (Willey), 3-67 (Rizwan), 4-85 (Charles), 5-114 (Usman), 6-120 (Usama), 7-126 (Khushdil), 8-126 (Jordan), 9-127 (Abbas)
BOWLING: Naseem 4-0-25-0 (1w, 2nb), Imad 4-0-23-5, Hunain 1-0-17-0, Faheem 3-0-33-0, Mills 4-0-24-0, Shadab 4-0-32-3 (2w)

ISLAMABAD UNITED:
M. Guptill run out (Iftikhar)50
C. Munro c Iftikhar b Khushdil17
Salman Ali Agha c & b Khushdil10
Shadab Khan b Iftikhar4
Azam Khan c Rizwan b Usama30
Imad Wasim not out19
Haider Ali c Rizwan b Willey5 Faheem Ashraf c&b Iftikhar1
Naseem Shah c Rizwan b Ali17
Hunain Shah not out4

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-3)6
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 20 overs)163
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-26 (Munro), 2-46 (Salman), 3-55 (Shadab), 4-102 (Guptill), 5-125 (Azam), 6-126 (Haider), 7-129 (Faheem), 8-159 (Naseem)
DID NOT BAT: T. Mills
BOWLING: Willey 2-0-15-1, Khushdil 4-1-21-2, Ali 4-0-32-1, Iftikhar 3-0-19-2, Jordan 3-0-28-0, Usama 3-0-36-1 (1w), Abbas 1-0-9-0
TOSS: Multan Sultans

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822471/imad-stars-in-last-ball-thriller-as-united-clinch-third-title
Imad stars in last-ball thriller as United clinch third title

Imad stars in last-ball thriller as United clinch third title

19/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31686987
KARACHI: The Islamabad United players celebrate with the trophy after the PSL final, on Monday night. —Tahir Jamal / White Star
KARACHI: The Islamabad United players celebrate with the trophy after the PSL final, on Monday night. —Tahir Jamal / White Star

KARACHI: At the National Bank Stadium here on a Monday night, Karachi finally showed up. The house was full at the venue, which was criticised for low turnout all season, when it mattered the most.

And the HBL Pakistan Super League final did not disappoint. The crowds witnessed a thriller, which ended with Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan lifting the side’s third PSL trophy and Multan Sultans players ruing as many lost finals, this time by two wickets.

It had all come down to Imad Wasim’s nerves — he was caught on camera soothing them smoking a cigarette in the dressing room earlier, after having registered the first-ever five-wicket haul in a PSL finale.

Imad arrived at the crease after Martin Guptill was run out after scoring a half-century and putting up 47 with Azam Khan following United’s shaky start which had seen them go three down for 55 runs by the ninth over in their pursuit of 160 runs.

Multan Sultans lose their third final in a row

Imad saw Azam, Haider Ali and Faheem Ashraf fall cheaply on the other end, leaving United reeling at 129-6, needing 31 in three overs.

In came Naseem Shah — bringing with him memories of cruel match-winning knocks against Afghanistan — as he clobbered Iftikhar Ahmed for a big six over square-leg. Imad followed it up with two square drives, a magnificent one and a streaky one for two more boundaries.

Naseem (17 off 9) flicked it away off Mohammad Ali like an expert batter for four more, a leg-bye levelled the scores, only for him to edge a bouncer behind to Multan captain and wicket-keeper Rizwan on the penultimate ball.

Fittingly, he had left behind that one, winning run, for his brother Hunain to score and the right-hander squeezed it through the in-field on the off-side for a boundary, taking United across the line as the team’s whole camp ran into the ground. Out came the celebrations and the Palestine flags, as the United players waved them in their victory lap. Imad joined in, with 19 off 17 against his name.

Earlier, Multan were boosted to a competitive total by an Iftikhar onslaught in the last two overs of the innings.

In a surprising move by the side, the right-hander came into bat at number eight, with Multan having sent tailenders David Willey and Usama Mir up the order.

The move clearly did not materialise as Imad and Shadab ripped through the Sultans’ line-up, giving Iftikhar the stage to prove his worth.

The powerful batter launched medium pacer Tymal Mills out of the park in the 19th over for his first six and cleared midwicket for another on the very next ball as chants of “Chacha, Chacha” echoed round the stands.

In the last over, Iftikhar swivelled for four more, cleared backward square for another maximum and added a boundary on a no ball to spoil Naseem’s amazing figures of nine runs in three overs to 25 runs in four overs.

Iftikhar’s unbeaten 32 off 20 provided the much needed impetus to an innings that was held together by Rizwan’s 53-run partnership with Usman Khan, with the latter hitting 57 off 40 — his fourth fifty-plus score this season.

Shadab broke the stand at the halfway stage and went on to get Usman and Usama six overs later.

Imad, who had dismissed opener Yasir Khan and Willey in his opening spell and Johnson Charles in the 12th over, added the scalps of Khushdil and Chris Jordan to his name on consecutive balls in the 18th, which also saw Abbas Afridi get run out, thanks to a bullet throw by Shadab.

Scoreboard

MULTAN SULTANS:
Yasir Khan c Mills b Imad6
Mohammad Rizwan D. Willey b Imad6
Usman Khan c sub (Cox) b Shadab57
J. Charles c Naseem b Imad4
Khushdil Shah c Guptill b Imad11
Usama Mir c Hunain b Shadab6
Iftikhar Ahmed not out32
C. Jordan c Azam b Imad0
Abbas Afridi run out (Shadab)1
Mohammad Ali not out0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, NB-2, W-3)10
TOTAL (for nine wickets, 20 overs)159
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-8 (Yasir), 2-14 (Willey), 3-67 (Rizwan), 4-85 (Charles), 5-114 (Usman), 6-120 (Usama), 7-126 (Khushdil), 8-126 (Jordan), 9-127 (Abbas)
BOWLING: Naseem 4-0-25-0 (1w, 2nb), Imad 4-0-23-5, Hunain 1-0-17-0, Faheem 3-0-33-0, Mills 4-0-24-0, Shadab 4-0-32-3 (2w)

ISLAMABAD UNITED:
M. Guptill run out (Iftikhar)50
C. Munro c Iftikhar b Khushdil17
Salman Ali Agha c & b Khushdil10
Shadab Khan b Iftikhar4
Azam Khan c Rizwan b Usama30
Imad Wasim not out19
Haider Ali c Rizwan b Willey5 Faheem Ashraf c&b Iftikhar1
Naseem Shah c Rizwan b Ali17
Hunain Shah not out4

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-3)6
TOTAL (for eight wickets, 20 overs)163
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-26 (Munro), 2-46 (Salman), 3-55 (Shadab), 4-102 (Guptill), 5-125 (Azam), 6-126 (Haider), 7-129 (Faheem), 8-159 (Naseem)
DID NOT BAT: T. Mills
BOWLING: Willey 2-0-15-1, Khushdil 4-1-21-2, Ali 4-0-32-1, Iftikhar 3-0-19-2, Jordan 3-0-28-0, Usama 3-0-36-1 (1w), Abbas 1-0-9-0
TOSS: Multan Sultans

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822471/imad-stars-in-last-ball-thriller-as-united-clinch-third-title
HBL PSL 2024: Sultans look to break curse as United eye another triumph in final

HBL PSL 2024: Sultans look to break curse as United eye another triumph in final

18/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31686140

KARACHI: The ninth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League is set to culminate in a title-deciding clash between a side for which finals have been a curse lately and a team which doesn’t know how to lose one.

Here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday, Multan Sultans will play their third PSL final in a row, the first of which resulted in their maiden trophy, but the other two saw them go down to Lahore Qalandars — by 42 runs 2022 and by an agonising margin of one run last year.

As they go for another shot at glory, their opponents will be Islamabad United, who have made it to the final for the first time in six seasons, but on both the two occasions they were involved in the title clash — 2016 and 2018 — they were crowned the champions.

Led by Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shadab Khan, United have arrived in the final with just the right momentum, fueled by a resurgent win over Peshawar Zalmi in the second Eliminator on Saturday.

United had chased down 229 runs to beat Sultans in their last league match before that, giving them a psychological edge over the Mohammad Rizwan-led unit.

Ending up as runners-up in the last two editions may seem like a matter of hard luck for the Sultans, but that’s not how the franchise’s players are looking at it. They have been directed by their captain Rizwan to put in even more effort on Monday.

“Last year we lost by one run, we have lost three matches this season and that too very close margins,” Sultans batter Usman Khan observed while talking to Dawn on Saturday. “Rizwan tells us to make sure that we work hard to avoid that one ball or the one moment that may potentially let us down at the end of the game.”

Rizwan’s active nature on the ground as a leader of his pack and his shrewd decision making has been impressive once again this season and many in the cricketing circles have called for the wicket-keeper/batter’s appointment as the Pakistan captain.

“Before every match he tells us to go inside the ground with a champion’s mindset,” revealed Usman. “And the way bucks all of us up even if we make mistakes is something that keeps our morale high.”

Rizwan’s support has helped Usman plunder 373 runs at a stunning average of more than 124 in only six outing this season with the support of two centuries. He is placed third in the league’s batting charts only under Rizwan who is second with 373 runs to his name.

Rizwan’s counterpart Shadab is not far behind in terms of runs and is well among the wickets as well. He has smashed 301 runs with a strike-rate of nearly 147, mostly playing at number four for United. With his leg-spin Shadab has hunted down 11 victims.

His average, however, is on a slightly higher side making him less lethal of a spin option than Sultans’ Usama Mir, who is the highest wicket-taker this season with 23 scalps and his average, 15, is half as much as Shadab’s.

But the all-rounder is blessed with the experience and utility of Imad Wasim, who has emerged as United’s trump card in the latter stages of the tournament. He won the match with the bat in the recent wins against Sultans and Zalmi, while also demonstrating expertise with his left-arm spin.

“He is one of the best all-rounders in the world right now,” Shadab said after the match against Zalmi. “You can’t doubt his ability after how he has won the last three knockout matches of us.

“We are lucky to have him in our team.”

Imad put up a match-winning partnership of 98 runs with Pakistan discard Haider Ali to snatch the second Eliminator from Zalmi’s jaws after the Babar Azam-led side had taken five United wickets in the space of 11 overs.

Haider, who has been dubbed as a wasted talent after emerging as an explosive batter in his early days, hit three towering sixes to wrap up the game for United, and Shadab believed such players were worth investing in.

“Some players need more love and respect than others and Haider is one of them,” he said. “You can’t write them off on the basis of a few bad performances.”

United’s depth and Sultans’ consistency will be tested in the final on a playing surface, which is likely to be on the slower side but is also expected to provide value for good batting.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822126/hbl-psl-2024-sultans-look-to-break-curse-as-united-eye-another-triumph-in-final
Paris Games could feature only 40 Russian athletes, says IOC’s Coates

Paris Games could feature only 40 Russian athletes, says IOC’s Coates

18/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31685757

SYDNEY: Senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President John Coates is unsure how many Russian athletes will compete as neutral athletes at the Paris Games, but thinks reports that it might be as low as 40 could be close to the mark.

Under sanctions put in place because of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, for which Belarus acted as a staging post, the IOC is allowing only some Russian and Belarussian athletes to compete in Paris under tight restrictions.

The inclusion of the neutral athletes remains a contentious issue, with Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba describing December’s decision to allow them as “shameful”, and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo saying last week she hoped they would not come.

“The issue is how many of them are going to be there too, because they’re not going to be in any team sports because they can’t compete as Russia,” Coates said in Sunday’s edition of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

“And then anyone who is prepared out of the Russian military clubs, they’re not going. I don’t know, but obviously some athletes might choose not to go if they’re not competing for Russia.

“I mightn’t be right, but I think that I’ve read something that it might be as little as 40.”

Neutral athletes will compete only in individual sports without flags, emblems or national anthems, and athletes who actively support the war in Ukraine, or are contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military, are not eligible.

Moscow, which describes the invasion as a “special military operation”, called the restrictions “illegitimate, unfair and unacceptable”, but Russia’s Olympic chief, Stanislav Pozdnyakov, has confirmed its athletes would not boycott the Games.

Because of doping sanctions that prevented them from competing under the Russian flag, 335 athletes took part in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games as the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team, winning 71 medals. Belarus sent 101 athletes who won seven medals.

The ROC has since been suspended by the IOC for recognising regional Olympic Councils in territories annexed from Ukraine, a decision upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month.

Of 4,600 athletes who had qualified for the Games at the time of the December decision on neutral athletes, eight were Russians and three held Belarusian passports. More than 60 Ukrainians had qualified.

Some sports, such as equestrian, have announced they will not allow any athletes from the two countries to compete, while World Athletics has had a blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes since early 2022.

Others, such as World Swimming and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), will allow Russians and Belarussians to compete under the IOC restrictions.

Russia’s world number four tennis player, Daniil Medvedev, said earlier this month he was looking forward to competing and would abide by the rules.

The Paris Olympics run from July 26 to Aug 11.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822123/paris-games-could-feature-only-40-russian-athletes-says-iocs-coates
Consistency means nothing without a trophy, says Zalmi coach Sammy

Consistency means nothing without a trophy, says Zalmi coach Sammy

18/03/2024, Pakistan, Multi Sports, Pakistan Publications, Article # 31685755

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi head coach Darren Sammy sat dejected, sunk in his chair in the press conference room after Islamabad United had knocked his team out of the HBL Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

The former West Indies skipper had been associated with Zalmi since the first season of the PSL — first as captain and then as coach — and his is the only franchise that has succeeded in qualifying for the playoffs in all of those seasons.

For that level of consistency, Zalmi have won the title only once, and for Sammy, that is far from enough.“Being consistent doesn’t mean anything to me without a trophy,” he told reporters after the loss against United. “I think that’s what we look to or aim to get every year.

“Nine playoffs, one trophy; that’s not enough”

Sammy rued how Zalmi lost both the Qualifier and the Eliminator, as he criticised how his players “didn’t execute plans” in the latter.“We’ve always got in the first hurdle, this year again we had two bites at the cherry and we could not move on,” he observed.

Sammy believed United approached the game with a relentlessness that has defined the side season in season out. Meanwhile, he was of the opinion that Zalmi “did not want is as much” as their opponents did.

“They have a lion as their mascot and that tells a lot about Islamabad,” he said. “Before the match I had asked my team what did they know about United and all of them agreed that they come at you again and again.”

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2024



https://www.dawn.com/news/1822125/consistency-means-nothing-without-a-trophy-says-zalmi-coach-sammy
loading