Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-Pakistan outclassed Sri Lanka 3-0 in their opening contest of the Under-14 Boys Asia / Oceania World Junior Tennis Final Qualifying Event 2022 that started at R.K Khanna Tennis Stadium New Delhi India. According to available information from abroad, Pakistan has been placed in Group - D along with Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Kazakhstan. Pakistan took a flying start on the opening day and beat Sri Lanka 3-0 Pakistan beat Sri Lanka 3-0 Boys Singles: Hamza Roman beat Cader Basit 6-0, 6-3 Ahtesham Humayun beat Fernando Ganuka 6-0, 6-3 Boys Doubles: Mohammad Hussnain Ali Rizwan/Hamza Roman beat Cader Basith/Jayabandu Lithum 6-3, 7-6

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-Pakistan Cricket Board’s efforts for the democratisation of the game continued in the 2021-22 season as it provided guidance and assistance to the six Cricket Associations for the growth and promotion of cricket at the grassroots level. The efforts reaped great benefits for club cricketers with as many as 3,822 club sides across the country playing 7,009 matches. The six CAs conducted cricket leagues in their respective jurisdictions in the five-month period between October 2021 and February 2022, providing a pathway for the aspiring cricketers to graduate to the apex domestic level and also helping in the unearthing of cricket talent in both urban and rural centers. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, whose talent across all rungs continues to dominate the domestic scene, saw 844 clubs play 1,530 matches from 13 November 2021 to 20 January 2022. Central Punjab and Sindh had the next best number of club participation with 788 and 670 sides playing 1,482 and 1,172 matches, respectively. In Southern Punjab, 517 clubs played 1,100 matches, while 512 clubs in Balochistan and 491 in Northern featured in 700 and 1,025 games, respectively. The club cricket leagues in the Balochistan, Central Punjab, Northern, Sindh and Southern Punjab began on 20 October 2021 and finished early this year. Nadeem Khan, Director – High Performance: “Club cricket acts as a feeder for domestic cricket and it was vital that we created an atmosphere in which our six Cricket Associations were able to maximise cricket at grassroots. “I want to congratulate the Cricket Associations, who have delivered these matches and have more such activities planned that are in line with the PCB has a vision of helping grassroots cricket grow and flourish. The PCB aims to continue to work closely with the six Cricket Associations so that we can collectively provide maximum playing opportunities to the budding cricketers in an effort to help them achieve their career objectives.” In the coming months, the PCB will run an independent scrutiny process to further boost the development of the game at the club level. Separately, extensive work continued to attract schoolchildren towards cricket, as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Central Punjab and Southern Punjab organised school cricket leagues. Three-hundred school teams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa played 565 matches from 7 October to 8 November last year. Southern Punjab’s school league saw 184 schools compete in 295 matches from 15 November 2021 till 5 January 2022, while 162 schools in Central Punjab have played 458 matches to date with the two-day league presently ongoing. Earlier in the month, Dar-e-Arqam Lahore won the Central Punjab Weekend School Championship 2021-22 on the basis of first innings lead in a draw against Divisional Public School Faisalabad at Pakistan’s home of cricket, the Gaddafi Stadium.

Sports Bulletin Report Lausanne (Switzerland):-After a very even and scoreless opening half England was able to capitalize and take down the United States, 3-1, in North Carolina. Holly Pearne-Webb and Grace Balsdon capitalized from penalty corners while Elena Rayer, also named Player of the match, tallied on a brilliant deflection for England. Despite the score line both teams had quality opportunities. It was a bright moment for USA captain Amanda Magadan celebrating her 100th international at home, while both teams were able to give some youngsters an opportunity to get some experience including several just returned from the FIH Junior World Cup. United States beat England (women) 3-1 It was a scoreless and even opening half. Both teams traded penalty corner options while youth on both sides gave way for several counter-attack plays. England set the pace early on with a series of penalty corners earned. Hollie Pearne-Webb put a deceptive sweep wide of the right post and her second attempt was cleared by USA defender Julianna Tornetta. USA found their strides and had chances of their own. Ashley Sessa was the first to force a save out of England keeper Sabbie Heesh. Periods of brilliance did emerge in the scrappy affair including a fantastic off-ball lead from Hope Rose. Rose looked to find Erin Matson in front of the goal but Heesh calmly denied the cross. Late in the second quarter, Matson poached a ball and went in solo into the England circle but good defensive work by Grace Baldson and Pearne-Webb sparked a quick counter-attack. Holly Hunt fed Darcy Bourne who took to her back-hand to send a rocket cross. Elena Rayer came sliding in at the far post just missing at the far post. USA came out of the break with a strong attack. Captain Amanda Magadan, playing in her 100th international, did all the hard work on the right baseline but her cross trickled through traffic inches away from but parallel to the goal line and out the other side. Matson and Ashley Sessa had a nice combination play after a quick aerial from Tornetta but the ball was shot wide of the England goal. Against the rush and down a player, England turned the tides. Bourne and Rayer battled through traffic to earn a penalty corner. Pearne-Webb finished brilliantly in the bottom corner to lift England 1-0. USA’s Paityn Wirth nearly drew the game level on an open net but the ball was painfully touched wide. Kealsie Robles was then kept busy in the USA circle battling a few England attacks including another set of penalty corners. Following a long video review, England got to work and Bourne took to the baseline and fed Rayer who effortless one-touched the ball past Robles to double England’s lead. Grace Balsdon then converted on her fourth penalty corner attempt. A flick high, glove side beat Robles to make it 3-0 for England. Matson was able to bury a consolation goal in the final minute of the game to break the shutout and the 3-1 loss will give the USA something to improve on in the teams’ match up tomorrow. Argentina beat South Africa (men) 4-3 Argentina came out of the gate with two goals in the first five minutes of play. Federico Monja deflected a penalty corner with extreme precision after a perfect delivery from Lauraro Ferrero to give the home side the 1-0 lead. Nicolas Acosta was able to find Federico Fernandez unmarked for the tap in to make it 2-0 in the fifth minute. Before the end of the quarter, hard work from Keenan Horne gave Nqobile Ntuli a chance to get on the board. Ntuli dug the ball out of Emiliano Bosso’s pads and calmly rolled the ball in to the net for South Africa to now trail 2-1. After half time the game seemed to sit heavily in favour of the home side, but things started to heat up after Argentina took a 3-1 lead. In the 38th minute, Ferrero scored Argentina’s third goal off a powerful flick through the legs of keeper Estiaan Kriek. It also marked Ferrero’s first international goal. With nothing to lose, South Africa’s press started to creep higher and it paid dividends. The Argentine back line uncharacteristically saw themselves panicking in their outlet allowing South Africa to show their precision on attack. In the 43rd minute Matthew Guise-Brown stepped up to the penalty corner battery and without hesitation flicked a low shot past Bosso to cut Argentina’s lead to one. But as they do, Argentina wasted no time in responding. A Juan Catan and Acosta combo set up Facundo Sarto at the stroke mark, for the tap in and Argentina’s fourth goal.  South Africa never let up and were back in the game on another penalty corner flick from Guise-Brown to bring South Africa trailing again by one, down 4-3. Ntuli thought he might draw the game level after a high press earned them a circle entry but the reverse stick shot was denied by a sliding Emiliano Bosso. Guise-Brown was then denied on back-to-back penalty corner flicks with outstanding goalkeeping from Bosso to protect Argentina’s 4-3 victory.

Khurram Shehzad Awan RAWALPINDI:-Young Pakistan pacer Mohammad Hasnain has modified his bowling action and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will soon contact International Cricket Council (ICC) for reassessment. The 22-year-old's bowling action was found illegal on February 4 after umpires in Australia's Big Bash League (BBL) reported. He underwent a test at the ICC's accredited testing centre in Lahore on January 21. The report stated that his elbow extension for his good length delivery, full-length delivery, slow bouncer and bouncer exceeded the 15-degree limits. According to sources, the modification of Hasnain's bowling action has been completed under the supervision of Umar Rasheed at the National High Performance Center (NHPC). Tests at a local laboratory also found that the elbow of his arm was within the legal range of 15-degree limits. After complete satisfaction, the PCB will now formally request a review from the ICC. The world's governing body will send Hasnain to a recognized laboratory for a test. He will be allowed to play international cricket if clearance is obtained.

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD:-SA Gardens Club have won the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI) Ramadan Inter Club Basketball Tournament after beating United Kings Club by 40-27 points in the final at F-6, Multi Purpose Sports Center Islamabad on Friday night. Mohammad Aurangzeb and Junaid Khan produced sparking performance for SA Gardens in the final, as the Aurangzeb was the top scorer of the final with 14 points while his teammate Junaid shared 8 points in his team’s victory. Imam Din and Umer scored 8 and 6 points respectively from United Kings. Earlier, in the first semifinal, SA Gardens outplayed Bulls by 50-39 points. Safi contributed 12 points and remained on top at the scoring sheet for the SA Gardens. Mohammad Rizwan and Mohammad Irfan scored 9 and 8 points from Bulls. United Kings outclassed Reapers by 46-40 after an exciting contest in 2nd Semi-final. United Kings’ Mohammad Hamza was star player of the match by scoring 15 points. Mohammad Umer and Mohmmad Ali were top scorer with 13 points each from Reapers. Ouj-e-Zahoor, General Secretary, Federal Basketball Association announced on this occasion that All Pakistan Basketball Tournament would be organised from 30th May to 4th June 2022 at Islamabad. Efforts are being made to invite all the affiliated units of Pakistan Basketball Federation for top honour. “They will accept our invitation and participate in the top national basketball showpiece, “he hoped. During the tournament, top performers will be selected for the national training camp to be established for the 14th South Asian Games to be hosted by Pakistan in March next year 2023. Results 1st Semi Finals: SA Gardens Club beat Bulls Club by 50-39 points 2nd Semi Finals: United Kings Club beat Reapers Club by 46-40 points. Final SA Gardens Club defeated United Kings Club by 40-27 points.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-IOC Olympic Solidarity has awarded Olympic Scholarships to 12 Pakistani athletes of different 7 sports disciplines for the training and preparation of the top quadrennial sports event of the world Summer Olympic Games 2024, which will be taken place in Paris, France. According to secretary, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), Mohammad Khalid Mahmood, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Olympic Solidarity awarded scholarships to 12 Pakistani athletes on the request of POA. The program has been designed for the elite athletes who are training, and attempting to qualify, for the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024. The Olympic scholarship will start on 1 January 2022 and will be divided into separate terms running for a four-month period each until 31 August 2024. Each athlete will be awarded US$650 per month scholarship for preparation of the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024. President POA, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Arif Hasan congratulated and wished all athletes and respective National Federation/Services / Departments a very successful training and preparation venture to qualify for the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024. Names of players: Arshad Nadeem (Athletics), Mahoor Shahzad (Badminton), Usman Chand (Shooting), Gulfam Joseph (Shooting), Anna Ibtisam (Shooting), Kishmala Talat (Shooting), Rasam Gull (Shooting), Jehanara Nabi (Swimming), Perniya Zaman Khan (Table Tennis), Mohammad Nooh Dastgir Butt (Weightlifting), Mohammad Bilal (Wrestling), Mohammad Inam (Wrestling).

Sports Bulletin Report ISLAMABAD:-President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, and the Ukrainian Minister for Youth and Sport, Vadym Guttsait, visited Ukrainian athletes who are currently living and training in Switzerland. President Bach and Minister Guttsait, both Olympic champions in fencing, were accompanied by Sergii Bubka, President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine, IOC Member in Ukraine and Olympic pole vault champion. The Ukrainian athletes currently training abroad have not returned home following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, supported by Belarus, on 24 February 2022. Since the start of the war, the IOC has led the solidarity efforts of the Olympic Movement to help the Olympic Community in Ukraine. The IOC has set up a Solidarity Fund and provided – together with Olympic Solidarity – USD 1 million. The European Olympic Committees (EOC) has provided funding of USD 0.5 million. With the donations received from Olympic Movement stakeholders, this fund now totals over USD 2 million and is currently being distributed. The efforts of the IOC and the Olympic Movement are being coordinated by a task force, which is being led by Sergii Bubka . The support aims at enabling Ukrainian athletes to continue taking part in international competitions. It takes the form not just of financial aid, but also logistical support, travel support, offering training facilities, accommodation, equipment and uniforms, amongst other things. Over Easter, Sergii Bubka and Minister Guttsait visited a number of training centres in Ukraine and met with athletes. This week they continued their visits to Ukrainian athletes abroad. On Thursday, IOC President Bach, Minister Guttsait and NOC President Bubka went to the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland, where they were welcomed by the President of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and IOC Member in France, David Lappartient. They watched BMX and track cycling training sessions and met 30 BMX, track and mountain bike athletes. Three of them are currently training at the WCC, while 27 others have been evacuated by Swiss Cycling and are currently training and residing in the Swiss National Centre. It is not just Ukrainian athletes who are preparing for competitions in Aigle and using the World Cycling Centre as their base – cyclists from Afghanistan are also being hosted here. Samira Asghari, IOC Member in Afghanistan, joined the IOC President and the Ukrainian delegation during their visit to 23 road discipline athletes who have joined the WCC following the humanitarian crisis in their country and have been given the chance to build a new life in Switzerland. The support the IOC is extending to the Olympic Community in Ukraine is not unique, but similar to the support extended to other members of the global Olympic Community. It is based on solidarity, one of the fundamental values for which the Olympic Movement stands. “It was moving to meet and hear from the Ukrainian athletes who are affected by the terrible war in their country. There are dozens of cyclists and hundreds of Ukrainian athletes in other sports who can continue participating in international competitions through the help of the IOC and many stakeholders of the Olympic Movement like the UCI. I want to thank all of them,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. He continued: “It was particularly touching to see that Ukrainian and Afghan athletes are both benefiting from the solidarity of the Olympic Movement. This reflects the true Olympic spirit. We will continue supporting Ukrainian and Afghan athletes in the same way as we support other members of the global Olympic Community who are affected by war and aggression.” The Ukrainian Minister for Youth and Sport, Vadym Guttsait, said: “I would like to express my gratitude for the solidarity and the efforts of the IOC and the international sport community to support Ukrainian people and Ukrainian athletes. We welcome the rapid decisions taken by the IOC with regard to Russia and Belarus, which have sent a clear and strong signal to the entire sport community that the IOC stands with Ukraine in this difficult time. I also want to thank the Olympic Movement for the solidarity fund set up to support our community, and in particular the Ukrainian NOC President, Sergii Bubka, who helps with the coordination efforts and stands by our side every day.” Minister Guttsait informed the IOC President about the Ukrainian proposal to all stakeholders in the sporting sector that they become sponsors of the re-birth of sports clubs and sports infrastructure in Ukraine after the war is over. “This is a great initiative. The IOC is fully supportive of this project,” said the IOC President. “The IOC’s support for the Olympic Community in Ukraine will continue. We are offering to coordinate this initiative with the worldwide Olympic Community, and are very confident that the big wave of solidarity with Ukraine involving many stakeholders of the movement will not end. We will encourage them to go on and will lead by example.” Minister Guttsait thanked the IOC President for this offer: “This is a continuation of the strong and fruitful cooperation between the IOC and Ukraine over the years,” he said. Just last September, the IOC President visited the country to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the NOC of Ukraine. On this occasion, the IOC President also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and received the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise. President Bach, Minister Guttsait and NOC President Bubka also discussed the unfolding situation in Ukraine during a meeting at Olympic House in Lausanne. The IOC had – in consultation with Ukrainian NOC President Sergii Bubka –immediately condemned the war and the breach of the Olympic Truce when the Russian invasion of Ukraine started on 24 February 2022. At that time already, the IOC urged all International Sports Federations (IFs) not to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to take part in international competitions, to ensure the integrity and fairness of the global competition. It also recommended to the IFs to relocate all planned competitions from Russia and Belarus . In addition, a number of members of the Russian government, including the President of the Russian Federation, were sanctioned for breaching the Olympic Truce. The IOC also suspended the tender process for the media rights sales for the territories of Belarus and the Russian Federation for Milano Cortina 2026 and Los Angeles 2028. The Ukrainian Sports Minister welcomed this strong message from the IOC and the fact that the vast majority of IFs are following the IOC recommendations. President Bach and Minister Guttsait noted that the support for the Ukrainian Olympic Community is only possible because of the close cooperation between the NOC of Ukraine, under its President Sergii Bubka, and the Ukrainian Ministry for Youth and Sport. The IOC President emphasised that the IOC will continue to undertake every effort to support the right of Ukrainian athletes to train and participate in global competitions wherever practically possible. The IOC President, Minister Guttsait and Sergii Bubka also discussed calls for further sanctions in the sporting sector. The IOC President made it clear that the IOC supports sanctions against anybody in the Olympic Community who is in support of the war, and continues to monitor the situation as indicated in the “Give Peace a Chance” message of 11 March 2022. He also reaffirmed that, naturally, the Olympic Movement respects the measures being taken by respective governments.

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-The night camps to prepare the national team for the upcoming Asian Div-II Rugby Championship 2022 are in full swing under the supervision of the coach Malik Shakeel and Fitness trainer Jay here. According to an official of Pakistan Rugby Union (PRU), under the watchful eyes of the selection committee headed by Rizwan Malik and its three members Yahya Bhatti, Muzamil Wazeri and Mohsin Iqbal, the nights camps are being conducted in order to prepare the national team for the mega event. PRU Secretary Salman Shaikh said: “Pakistan has been given the opportunity to host the Div-II Rugby Championship by Asia Rugby. The participants of the event include host Pakistan, China, Taiwan and Thailand.  PRU is in the process of hiring a foreign coach for this important ranking tournament." President of Asia Rugby Qais said: "I am really glad that rugby is back in Pakistan. We are all waiting for staging this event in Pakistan and try to make it a huge success." Names of players: Mohammad Waqas, Mohammad Israr, Mohammad Bilal, Anjum Sajjad, Mohammad Haroon, Irfan Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Sohail, Mohammad Mohsin, Waqar Younis, Waseem Abbas, Mohammad Afzal, Mohsin Shahzad, Aqib Siddique, Mohammad Mubeen, Amsal Khan, Mohammad Amir Butt, Muneeb Iftikhar, Bilal Khan, Abdul Baki, Waqar Bhatti, Ali Haider, Hammad Safdar, Saad Arif, Ali Khan, Faisal Aslam, Moiz Khalid, Kashif Khawaja, Ibrahim Khan Tareen, Dawood Shah, Suhaib Wadood Khan, Ahmed Ali, Ahmad Waseem, Ali Shahid, Sufyan Khan, Mohammad Imran, Arsalan Mir, Saaim Maqbool, Daud Gill, Khurram Shahzad Bhatti.

Aamir Ali Janjua DUBAI (UAE):-The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed Wasim Khan has been appointed as ICC General Manager, Cricket and will take up his post next month. Khan who was previously the Chief Executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Leicestershire County Cricket Club and Chance to Shine, will take over from Geoff Allardice who spent eight years in the role before being appointed as the ICC CEO. Allardice said: “I am delighted to welcome Wasim to the ICC. He brings an in-depth knowledge of our sport and its stakeholders and his firsthand experience of the international cricket landscape will be of enormous benefit as we implement the ICC global growth strategy and move forward into a new events cycle.” Khan added: “I am honoured to be joining the ICC, I can’t wait to get started and work in partnership with our Members to strengthen and grow our sport. I’m particularly excited by the ICC’s commitment to the growth of the women’s game, and I look forward to playing my part in really accelerating that growth over the next decade.”

Sports Bulletin Report LAHORE:-The National Selection Committee (NSC) of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) named the 20-man squad for the upcoming Europe tour, as Umer Bhutta would be the skipper of national Pakistan hockey team. According to an official of PHF, the team will be headed by Umar Bhutta, whereas Ali Shan will vice-captain. The duties of goalkeepers will be performed by Mohammad Akmal and Abdullah Ishtiaq. For the tour, the other players comprised Mubashir Ali, Amad Shakeel Butt, Abubakar Mahmood, Mohammad Abdullah, Moin Shakeel, Umar Bhutta, Ali Shan, Rana Abdul Waheed, Ghazanfar Ali and Ajaz Ahmad. Besides this, Hammad Anjum, Junaid Manzoor, Salman Raziq, Roman Khan, Abdul Hannan Shahid, Abdul Mannan, Arbaz Ali and Rizwan Ali are also part of the team for the European tour. Olympian Khawaja Junaid will be the team manager, while Siegfried Aikman will be the head coach. The national hockey team will be headed to Holland and will play one match each with Holland and Belgium, respectively. The team will also take on the Belgium hockey team in three matches.