Sports Bulletin

Sports Report Lahore (Sports Report):-As many as four matches were played in the third edition of Corporate Challenge Cup at Ittefaq Cricket Ground and Race Course Cricket Ground. Teams from Digital Planning Services, Olive Group, UCS and Jaffer Brothers won their round matches. In the first match played at Ittefaq Cricket Ground, Digital Planning Services (DPS) defeated Auditor General of Pakistan by 7 wickets. The team of Auditor General of Pakistan was bowled out for 163 while playing first. Irshad Hussain remained prominent by scoring 49 runs. Mudassar Rathore led three players to the pavilion. The DPS team achieved the target at a loss of three wickets. Ali Arham batted brilliantly and scored a century while Sharafuddin and Qasim Malik fielded one player each. Ali Arham was awarded Man of the Match for his excellent innings. In the second match, Jaffer Brothers beat Locative & UB Sports by 7 wickets. UB Sports team scored 127 runs for the loss of 7 wickets while playing first, Mohammad Yousuf remained the top scorer by scoring 36 runs, Syed Abrar dismissed two players. Jaffer Brothers team achieved the target at a loss of three wickets. Mohammad Salman played an unbeaten innings of 64 runs, Tehseen Mirza, Rehmat UB and Wasim Ahmed took one wicket each. Mohammad Salman was awarded the best player of the match for his excellent batting. Olive Group and UCS also won their round matches.

Sports Bulletin ISLAMABAD (January 17, 2022):-Bangladesh’s defence of their ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup title got off to a poor start as they slipped to a seven-wicket defeat against England in their Group A opener. England’s bowling attack decimated the Bangladesh batting line-up as the reigning champions were reduced to 51 for nine in the 25th over at Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis. Ripon Mondol of Bangladesh plays a shot ahead of Alex Horton of England during the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and England at Warner Park Sporting Complex on January 16, 2022 in Basseterre. Ripon Mondol of Bangladesh plays a shot ahead of Alex Horton of England during the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and England at Warner Park Sporting Complex on January 16, 2022 in Basseterre. No.11 Ripon Mondol hit 33 not out in a spirited last-wicket stand of 46 with Naimur Rohman (11) to drag Bangladesh up to 97, but they were still dismissed with the best part of 15 overs going to waste. In reply, the Young Lions lost opener George Thomas and captain Tom Prest but Jacob Bethell and James Rew put on 65 before the former was run out just shy of the finish line as England cruised to victory. Bangladesh captain Rakibul Hasan was part of the side that lifted the trophy in South Africa in 2020 and elected to bat after winning the toss. Seamer Joshua Boyden had openers Mahfijul Islam (3) and Ariful Islam (4) caught behind by wicket-keeper Alex Horton and Bangladesh were reeling at seven for three in the eighth over when James Sales got in on the act as No.3 Prantik Nawrose Nabil departed without scoring to give Horton his third victim. William Luxton ran out Md Fahim to make it eight for four before first-change bowler Thomas Aspinwall got his reward for running in and hitting the deck hard when he had Ashiqur Zaman caught by Luxton for nine. Left-arm spinner Fateh Singh picked up his first scalp of the tournament when Aich Mollah was caught by Sales for 13 to leave Bangladesh 31 for six in the 17th over. They then belatedly brought up their half-century before losing three wickets for just one run. Horton took his tally to six catches behind the stumps as Aspinwall took his second wicket and left-armer Boyden picked up two more as he recorded impressive figures of four for 16 from nine overs. Ripon’s counter-attacking 33 included five fours and a six as the tailender added a modicum of respectability to the Bangladesh total. Boyden dropped a catch at fine leg to deny Sales another wicket, but England did not panic and eventually a superb diving grab from Rew off the skipper Prest’s off-spin saw the back of Naimur after the last two had hung around for 11 overs. England got off to a slightly nervy start with the bat as Bethell survived a run-out scare when SM Meherob could not gather the ball at the stumps with only five on the board. He survived a close lbw appeal off Ashiqur shortly after before opening partner Thomas began to up the ante after a cautious start. But having hit three fours, Thomas perished for 15 when he miscued another attacking shot off Ripon to leave England 20 for one in the ninth over. Joshua Boyden of England poses for a picture with his player of the match award following  the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and England at Warner Park Sporting Complex on January 16, 2022 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Joshua Boyden of England poses for a picture with his player of the match award following the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Bangladesh and England at Warner Park Sporting Complex on January 16, 2022 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. That breakthrough gave Bangladesh a small glimmer of hope but when the English captain Prest nicked one behind off his counterpart Rakibul for just four soon after, the game was very much on. However, Rew joined Bethell and together they batted superbly, counteracting the Bangladesh spin attack to alleviate any potential English nerves. Bethell eventually paid for some hesitant running - which had been a feature of his innings - but by the time he was run out by Ariful for a well-made 44 from 63 balls the game was all but over. Luxton strode out to the crease and promptly hit his first ball down the ground for six before Rew, 26 not out off 39 balls, hit the winning runs off the first ball of the 26th over. England picked up a comfortable two points to go top of Group A ahead of their match against Canada on Tuesday while Bangladesh will look to bounce back on Thursday against the same opponents, who lost to the UAE in their opener on Saturday.

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (January 16, 2022):-The ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 commences at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday as Bangladesh, Kenya, Malaysia, Scotland and Sri Lanka vie for the lone remaining slot at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. The round-robin T20 tournament to decide who joins the seven teams already qualified for Birmingham, Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa – commences with a match between Bangladesh and Malaysia and will see Bangladesh and Sri Lanka face off on the last day. Women’s cricket will be part of the Commonwealth Games for the first time ever in what is seen as a huge opportunity to take the game to new fans. It will only be the second time that cricket will feature in it after a men’s competition was part of the Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Bangladesh captain Niger Sultana has the chance of leading her team into the Birmingham Games to cap a fine year that has already seen them qualify for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand in March-April. Nigar Sultana: “We are very confident. It was not easy for us to return to competitive cricket after the disruptions of training and matches because of Covid-19. However, we are well prepared now, having played in different conditions during the past few months. “I think our middle-order batting has been excellent in recent times. As this is a T20 tournament, I am expecting the opening batters to get us off to quick starts. We have experienced campaigners to compliment the youthful exuberance in our team. It’s going to be a combined effort from all of us if we do well here. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu feels it is vital for their team to win the tournament after having missed qualifying for the 50-over World Cup. Chamari Athapaththu: “Apart from the World Cup, the Commonwealth Games (cricket competition) is the other major tournament to be held in 2022. Obviously, it won't wipe out the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup but will give us some amount of solace. “We have a very good chance of winning this tournament and qualifying for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. We have experienced players as well as talented youngsters in our side, with the likes of Harsitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari the ones to look out for.” Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce understands that it won’t be easy for her team but is still aiming to win the Qualifier. Kathryn Bryce: “Every time we go into a tournament the main objective is to try and win. There’s only one qualification spot available, so we know it’s going to be a challenging task coming up against the likes of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who’ve been near the top of the world stage for a long time now. They have a lot of experience but we’re looking forward to testing ourselves against them. “It’s been a challenging build-up with COVID-19 still affecting things, but we’ve managed to get together as a squad to train together regularly. We’ve been indoors over the winter period, but I think there have been some good camps during the preparation and I’ve seen some good progression, so I believe we’ll be ready for the tournament. “There are lots of players in the team who are starting to stand up and as a team we’re not really relying on a small number of people anymore which is really exciting to see. Obviously, Abtaha Maqsood has a really big summer playing in The Hundred and I think her quality will hopefully come through and has the potential to win us some matches.” Kenya captain Margaret Ngoche wants to make the most of the opportunity of playing against teams like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Margaret Ngoch: “We want to utilize and maximize all the opportunities that will come our way in terms of experience and talent showcasing. We want to interact with other teams with the aim of building a great cricketing network and learn more from them. We want to ensure that we are among the top teams, and we are coming with a winning mentality.” “We know that this is a tournament like we have never experienced before. We will be playing with teams that have played in the World Cup. One of our major weapons is our mental capacity and experience that we have gathered through the years. The training and practice matches are just a way to polish the already effective tools that we possess. We have really invested in our mental capacity, because our 100% is better than the rest.” Malaysia captain Winifred Anne Duraisingam is hoping to gain the edge from familiar home conditions. Winifred Anne Duraisingam: “It feels good to play hosts after not being able to play the last two years. Malaysia is blessed with good weather and of course our hospitality and food will, I hope, be a great experience for the teams coming in. “In terms of advantage, we are certainly comfortable as we know the ground conditions and we hope this will give us an edge as we do our best. Without a doubt the strength of our team is in fielding and bowling. We are currently hard at work with our batting and we can see the improvements. “Kinrara Oval has hosted many international tournaments including ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2008, the Women’s Asia Cup and many other ICC and ACC (Asian Cricket Council) events. The pitch is very lively and is good for both batting and bowling.” Match schedule (local time): 18 Jan: Malaysia vs Bangladesh (09h30); Sri Lanka vs Scotland (13h15) 19 Jan: Kenya vs Bangladesh (09h30); Scotland vs Malaysia (13h15) 20 Jan: Kenya vs Sri Lanka (09h30) 22 Jan: Scotland vs Kenya (09h30); Sri Lanka vs Malaysia (13h15) 23 Jan: Bangladesh vs Scotland (09h30); Malaysia vs Kenya (13h15) 24 Jan: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (09h30)

Islamabad (Sports Bulletin):-India battled to a hard-fought heavyweight triumph over South Africa as the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup entered full swing on Saturday. The four-time champions edged a gripping Guyana clash against the 2014 winners as Yash Dhull and Vicky Ostwal starred to get their Caribbean campaign off to the perfect start. And that was just one game on a jam-packed day of action, as Joshua Cox’s majestic unbeaten century fired Ireland to an opening game victory over Uganda and United Arab Emirates toppled Canada in Group A. Zimbabwe powered past Papua New Guinea in Group C’s solitary Saturday fixture as the ICC U19 Men’s CWC – the undisputed international showpiece for the game’s newly-emerging talent – started to really hot up in West Indies. Dhull and Ostwal the heroes as India edge Group B battle with South Africa Vicky Ostwal of India poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between India and South Africa at Providence Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Georgetown, Guyana. Vicky Ostwal of India poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between India and South Africa at Providence Stadium on January 15, 2022 in Georgetown, Guyana. Saturday’s standout fixture did not disappoint as Dhull and Ostwal outlined their ICC U19 Men’s CWC precocity with eye-catching displays at Providence. After South African left-arm seamer Aphiwe Mnyanda had caused mayhem with the new ball to reduce India to 11 for two, captain Dhull strode to the crease and showcased all the fighting spirit that has seen India crowned champions on four occasions since the turn of the century. Dynamic Dhull struck a measured 82 to steer his side towards a competitive total as Kaushal Tambe (35), Shaik Rasheed (31) and Nishant Sindhu (27) also made important contributions. Mnyanda’s early menace was supplemented by fellow opening bowler Matthew Boast’s three for 40 as South Africa, ICC U19 Men’s CWC champions in 2014, dismissed India for 232 to leave the clash on a knife-edge at the interval. Rajvardhan Hangargekar set the tone in the second innings by dismissing Ethan-John Cunningham in the very first over but Dewald Brevis (65) and Valentine Kitime’s (25) half-century partnership kept the game in the balance. South African captain George Van Heerden made 36 in the middle order but fabulous figures of five for 28 from skilful left-arm spinner Ostwal ensured India continued to suffocate their opponents. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals as South Africa left themselves with too much to do and India, the only nation to win the ICC U19 Men’s CWC four times, got their latest campaign off to a flyer in the Caribbean. Cox catapults Ireland to comfortable win over Uganda Uganda delivered a valiant display of their ICC U19 Men’s CWC credentials but Cox’s first innings hundred proved the dollop of quality required to fire Ireland to victory in Georgetown. After arriving at the crease with the score at 40 for two, wicketkeeper Cox compiled a superb 111 not out off 113 balls to haul his team up to a total of 236 for nine. Two wickets apiece for Juma Miyaji, Pascal Murungi, Joseph Baguma and Matthew Musinguzi sought to reel the Irish in but ably assisted by Philippus le Roux (32), Cox put his team in a commanding position at the interval. Ugandan captain Pascal Murungi offered the underdogs a consistent glimmer of hope in the run chase but his knock of 63, bolstered by bowler Juma Miyaji’s blockbuster 38 at No.9, proved insufficient in causing a Group B upset. Left-arm spinner Matthew Humphries – who opened the bowling for Ireland – starred with the ball for Tim Tector’s team as his four wickets for just 25 runs helped halt the Ugandan momentum and cap a 39-run triumph. Patel innings proves in vain as UAE edge over the line Canada battled admirably in Basseterre but were unable to haul themselves to victory as UAE’s first innings score of 284 for seven proved enough. Ali Naseer’s destructive 73 off just 50 balls did the damage for Alishan Sharafu’s side after Punya Mehra’s well-judged 71 had put the wheels in motion for a strong first innings total. Ali Naseer of United Arab Emirates poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Canada and the United Arab Emirates at Conaree Sports Club on January 15, 2022 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. Ali Naseer of United Arab Emirates poses after being named Player of the Match following the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup match between Canada and the United Arab Emirates at Conaree Sports Club on January 15, 2022 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Canadians had UAE reeling at 47-3 but Mehra, Nilansh Keswani (39) and Sharafu (37) helped them recover to 174 for five. And then came all-rounder Naseer’s late innings pyrotechnics, as his brutal knock – at a strike rate of 146 – catapulted his team to a sizeable total. Mihir Patel’s Canada rallied, however, with the captain leading from the front as his fine innings of 96 off 105 balls kept them continually in contention. Wicketkeeper Anoop Chima (46) and lower-order batter Kairav Sharma (43) also offered resistance but two wickets each for Keswani, Sharafu, Adhitya Shetty and Jash Giyanani helped bowl Canada out for 235 to complete hard-fought 49-run victory. Bawa brilliance lays foundations for dominant Zimbabwe triumph Zimbabwe had too much firepower for Papua New Guinea as captain fantastic Emmanuel Bawa’s first innings century propelled them to victory in Port of Spain. The Zimbabweans racked up a formidable total of 321 for nine from their 50 overs before a polished all-round bowling performance completed a comprehensive 228-run victory. Papua New Guinea bowler Junior Morea dismissed opener Steven Saul early on but after Bawa entered the fray at 15 for one, he never looked back as his majestic hundred – off just 95 balls – helped haul his team to a match-winning score. Bawa and David Bennett (58) compiled a century stand for the third wicket while opening batter and wicketkeeper Panashe Taruvinga (36), along with Victor Chirwa and Connor Mitchell – who both scored 35 – also made contributions. And Barnabas Maha’s team never got going in response, with no batter mustering more than 15 runs as the wickets were shared equally among the Zimbabwean attack. Ngenyasha Zvinoera, Brian Bennett and Victor Chirwa all took two scalps apiece as Bawa’s side bowled the underdogs out with 15 overs remaining to crank up for Monday’s clash with Pakistan in perfect fashion.

Sports Bulletin ISLAMABAD:-The three-time champions breezed past West Indies by six wickets to get their tournament off to a flyer and inflict an early blow on the hosts in Guyana. Cooper Connolly’s side required just 40.1 overs to take all ten West Indian wickets and spearheaded by opener Teague Wyllie, chased down their target of 170 to win with ease. And in the other game on the opening day of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC – so often a breeding ground for the game’s future superstars – it was Sri Lanka who got off to a winning start as they toppled Scotland by 40 runs. Dunith Wellalage’s side posted a competitive first innings total of 218 before economical middle over spells from their versatile attack – including five wickets for captain Wellalage – skittled the Scots for just 178 inside 49 overs. Wonderful Wyllie fires Australia over the line West Indies were punished for a below-par batting performance as Australia cruised to a comfortable triumph at Providence. After Ackeem Auguste’s side had been bowled out for just 169 – with almost ten full overs to spare – Wyllie’s polished 86 not out helped Australia complete the most impressive display of the day and win within 45 overs. Australia’s seamers had caused havoc with the new ball as opening bowlers Tom Whitney – three for 20 – and William Salzmann – one for 19 – reduced the hosts to 12 for three after 5.1 overs. Skipper Auguste’s defiant 57, bolstered by wicket-keeper Rivaldo Clarke’s 37, propelled them to a fourth wicket partnership of 95 but wickets at regular intervals after Clarke’s dismissal proved the West Indians’ downfall. Australian captain Connolly and off-spinner Nivethan Radhakrishna took three wickets apiece as West Indies, winners of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC in 2016, were unable to muster a match-winning total. And that inability was ruthlessly capitalised on by the Australians, who overcame the early dismissals of top order batters Corey Miller and Isaac Higgins to power to a straightforward victory. Wyllie’s impressive innings was assisted by Radhakrishnan’s 31 and Connolly’s 23 as Australia, crowned champions back in 1988, 2002 and 2010, got their tournament off to the perfect start in the Caribbean. Wellalage inspires Sri Lanka to hard-fought victory Sri Lanka executed a skilful defence of their total as captain fantastic Wellalage and his bowlers fired them to victory in Georgetown. Wellalage’s canny left-arm spin saw him rack up formidable figures of five for 27 from nine overs as Scotland were unable to ever get going in pursuit of their 219 target. Sakuna Nidarshana Liyanage was the hero with the bat for the Sri Lankans, striking a majestic run-a-ball 85 to haul his side up to a total that left the game intriguingly poised at the halfway mark. Raveen de Silva (30) delivered some important runs from the tail while contributions from top order batters Chamindu Wickramasinghe (28) and Sadisha Rajapaksa (24) left Charlie Peet’s Scots with considerable work to do. Sean Fischer-Keogh (3-56), Jack Jarvis and Oliver Davidson – two wickets apiece – starred with the ball but underdogs Scotland were unable to mount a viable attempt with the bat as Sri Lanka’s spinners turned the screw. Spearheaded by Wellalage’s brilliance, the 2000 runners-up suffocated the Scots as Shevon Daniel (2-16), Matheesha Pathirana and Wanuja Sahan also took important wickets. Only middle-order batter Jarvis, who notched 55 off 61 balls after arriving at the crease with scoreboard pressure intensifying, scored over 20 for Scotland after the top four failed to fire in the face of some accurate Sri Lankan bowling. A flurry of late wickets saw Scotland eventually dismissed with eight balls of the innings remaining, 40 runs short of Sri Lanka who will look to build valuable momentum ahead of their mouth-watering Monday meeting with fellow Friday winners Australia. Saturday 15 January matches India v South Africa, Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Ireland v Uganda, Everest Cricket Club, Guyana Canada v UAE, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis Zimbabwe v PNG, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

Bipin Dani Former West Indies captain and the ICC match-referee received his knighthood award for his services to the game of cricket Wednesday. The Clive Llyod knighthood investiture was performed on Wednesday by the Duke of Cambridge at Windsor Castle. Also felicitated was Eoin Morgan, who received his CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).  Windies great Llyod has dedicated his knighthood award to his countrymen. Speaking exclusively over telephone from London on Thursday morning, he said, "I feel honoured and blessed. This honour is for my country, my fans and most of all for my family. It was a memorable day and one which I will not forget".

Bipin Dani Sri Lanka's top order batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksha has promised "to reconsider" his retirement plan. The promise has been conveyed to the Hon.sports minister Namal Rajapaksa, who again on Wednesday made the request, this time in person. The meeting was arranged by Kris Balthazaar , who is a Professional at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Senior member of Municipal Council, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. "I, as a childhood friend of Hon. sports minister and also friend of Bhanuka, arranged a meeting at Temple Trees Colombo, which is the official residence of the Hon. Prime Minister'', Kris Balthazaar, said exclusively over the telephone from Colombo. Earlier the minister had also officially requested the batter to reconsider his decision. "In the meeting, which lasted for about 45 minutes, Bhanuka did raise the fitness issues. But his primary concern was also the family. He wants to devote more time with his family". "Bhanuka being a key member of the team, the minister does not want him to retire, especially considering the World Cup next year". "Even if Bhanuka reverses his decision, there will be no exception (for him or for any players) on fitness issues". "Bhanuka has asked for a day's time to discuss it with the family and is expected to convey his decision in the next 24-hours", the common friend added. "If Bhanuka decides to revoke his decision, he may be given a fresh contract. But yes, the ultimate decision will lie with the selectors. The minister never interferes in team selection",   emphasized Kris Balthazaar.

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-The warm-ups are over and it is time for the main event to begin as the ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup gets underway on Friday. Hosts West Indies will hope to put their indifferent form in the warm-ups behind them as they kick things off in the Group D curtain-raiser against Australia at Providence Stadium, Guyana. Floyd Reifer’s side slipped to heavy defeats against India and South Africa in the build-up, failing to cross the 200-barrier with the bat on both occasions. However, the coach is not concerned about his side’s ability to score big, saying: “I think the batting comes down to the mindset of the players in terms of spending some more time at the crease and building some more partnerships. “I would say the warm-up games that we have played were two low-scoring games, so I wouldn’t want to put too much emphasis on that. “Yes, we know as a batting unit there are certain things we want to accomplish, guys building on starts and these are things we are discussing. “I’m confident in the lads, we have a talented bunch of cricketers, we have some good batters here, it’s just a matter for us now to just do the one percenters right and then we will respond with some consistency.” Australia also have plenty of questions to answer after a nine-wicket defeat to India in their only warm-up encounter but with two progressing from Group D, which also includes Scotland and Sri Lanka, their captain Cooper Connolly is still bullish about his side’s chances. “[The India defeat] was a reality check for us against one of the strongest sides, maybe the favourite,” said Connolly, who was part of the Australia side that lost in the quarter-finals in South Africa two years ago. “But our team is checking out really well and I feel like we’re in good shape for the first game. “We can’t start off really easy, we’ve got to beat the West Indies and come out with a strong mindset. Hopefully we can knock them over.” Scotland were bowled out for 138 in a seven-wicket defeat to Ireland in their warm-up game but beat Uganda in their opening hit out and will be looking to carry the momentum from their win against the Baby Cricket Cranes into the group stages. Captain Charlie Peet said: “We are not here to make up the numbers, we are just going to try and enjoy the experience and be the best versions of ourselves that we can be.” Sri Lanka will be a threat for everyone after two very impressive warm-up wins over Uganda and Ireland, racking up 510 runs across both games. They will look to continue that good form into their opener against the Scots in Guyana on Friday. Defending champions Bangladesh are aiming to defend the crown they won in 2020 but have had mixed preparations after beating Zimbabwe but losing to Pakistan - who look to be the early favourites in Group C - in the build-up. Their opening Group A game is against England in St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday and skipper Rakibul Hasan, who was part of the victorious 2020 squad, insists they are starting to adjust to the Caribbean conditions. He said: “The conditions in St Kitts are not that tough, we have been here for two weeks now, so we have adjusted to the conditions and also playing two practice games is good preparation for us, so we are looking forward to playing England and hopefully we can get off to a good start.” England have shown some good form the warm-ups racking up 359 for seven in the 281-run victory over Papua New Guinea. George Thomas and captain Tom Prest were both dismissed in the 90s but will be hoping to push on and reach batting milestones in the tournament proper, where they will also face the UAE and Canada. Prest said: “We’ve come over here with the intention of winning the tournament. That’s kind of our ultimate goal as a side. “Bangladesh is our first game - that should be a great test for us. Obviously, they won the last World Cup, but we’re very hopeful we can get out of the group stage and then into the knockout tournament.” Group B explodes into life when India and South Africa face off on Saturday with both having seen off the tournament hosts in their preparations. The two big-hitters will also face Uganda and Ireland, who also play each other on Saturday. The Irish could be a surprise package and are led by Tim Tector, the third consecutive Tector brother, after Jack and Harry, to captain his country at this tournament. He said: “We have Uganda first up and our focus is on that first, we are pretty confident for that game but you’ve got to take it one game at a time. “India will be a different challenge in itself – none of us have ever played a game on TV before so that part about it will be a bit different. “There’s always going to be a few nerves about playing those big games, but I think when the time comes and when we step over the rope we will be ready to go. “Hopefully, we beat Uganda in the first game and then if we win one of the other two games we will be in the Super League and that will be a massive achievement for Cricket Ireland but if not we will go to Trinidad and try and get as far as we can in the plate.”

Bipin Dani New Zealand's middle order batter Ross Taylor, who retired from international Test cricket on Tuesday has joined the bowlers' club grabbing the wicket with his last delivery in a Test match.   Taylor's victim in just three balls he bowled in the second Test against Bangladesh was the first Test hero Ebadot Hossain. Taylor joins Australia's Glenn McGrath and Sri Lanka's Muthiah Muralitharan in taking a wicket off his last ball in Test cricket. "We welcome batter in our club. Taylor is a batter and it was fun for him to take the wicket ", Murali, speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo said on Tuesday morning. With Bangladesh trailing by 395 runs, Kiwi skipper Tom Latham enforced follow-on and his team's inning victory ensured Taylor (who scored 28 runs in the first innings) had no chance to bat for the last time in the second innings. Latham, however, obliged fans' demand and brought Taylor to bowl in his last innings. It was obvious for Tayor to retain the ball with which he took the last ball wicket in his farewell Test. Murali, however, is not in the possession of his last 800th Test wicket ball. "The said ball is with Mahela Jayawardene. It is with him because before the Test match I had promised him to give", Murali said. Both Murali and Ross Taylor had announced their retirement days before they played their respective Tests.  

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-Australia might have suffered a heavy defeat to India in their sole 2022 ICC Under 19 Men’s Cricket World Cup warm-up match but skipper Cooper Connolly believes the side are in good shape ahead of the tournament. Despite the captain making 117 in Tuesday’s clash in Guyana, the Aussies were beaten by nine wickets by the four-time ICC U19 CWC champions. And Connolly, who was part of the Australia team that went out in the quarter-finals two years, is confident that the team will be ready for their opening game against the hosts, the West Indies, in Providence on Friday. He said: “I think as a team we are shaping up quite well. [The India defeat] was a reality check for us against one of the strongest sides, maybe the favourite. But our team is checking out really well and I feel like we’re in good shape for the first game. “We can’t start off really easy, we’ve got to beat the West Indies and come out with a strong mindset. Hopefully we can knock them over. “From the last World Cup, the aim was to make this. I looked forward to the opportunity that I might play in two, and then another thing was to get the captaincy. That’s unbelievable, I’m so proud of myself and mum and dad back home are really proud so I’m ready to go and lead my country. “I feel like we’re pretty strong in all areas, but our batting and spin bowling is going to be pretty dominant for us and I feel like our pace can take early wickets up front.” Defending champions Bangladesh were comfortable winners in their most recent warm-up game against Zimbabwe, with their opening Group A game coming against England in St Kitts and Nevis on Sunday. Skipper Rakibul Hasan, who was part of the victorious 2020 squad, revealed that the squad is starting to adjust to the conditions in the Caribbean. He said: “The conditions in St Kitts are not that tough, we have been here for two weeks now, so we have adjusted to the conditions and also playing two practice games is good preparation for us, so we are looking forward to playing England and hopefully we can get off to a good start. “We are focussed on our game, yes we are defending champions, but we are looking forward to our game, so we are focussed on that and how well we prepare ourselves for the upcoming game and how we can get to the next stage of the competition “Our senior team has done well in New Zealand which is inspiration for us, so hopefully we will do well in the tournament.” Bangladesh are not the only team looking to their senior men’s side for inspiration, with Pakistan having captured the imagination on the way to the semi-finals of the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. And those displays have clearly rubbed off on the younger generation, with captain Qasim Akram saying: “The fighting quality the senior team showed at the T20 World Cup in the UAE was an effort that inspired the entire nation including our players. “We want to continue that inspiration for others because we have an example to emulate in this tournament. “They showed great passion and it was a big inspiration to see the team do well and gives us motivation.” Qasim is appearing in his second ICC U19 Men’s CWC, and like Rakibul, believes that the wickets will suit Pakistan, who are in Group C along with Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe. He added: “The team so far has adjusted very well to the conditions and the wickets. “The pitches are quite similar to those in Karachi, as they offer turn and generally similar to what we see across most of Pakistan. “The pitches feel familiar which is helping the team prepare well and I feel we have adapted well to the conditions.” Joining Bangladesh and England in Group A are Canada, who will kick off their tournament against the United Arab Emirates, a team they faced twice in the tournament two years ago. And Mihir Patel, the Canada skipper and only remaining member of the squad from 2020, is desperate to get off to a flying start against the UAE as they search for more consistency against the best teams. He said: “It’s one win and one loss for us against the UAE so we’re looking to make it two to one. Winning the first game always gives the boys confidence so that is something we’ve been looking forward to doing. “I think our strength is the depth of our team, we have a really balanced team. Our batting order bats really low and we have a lot of bowling options so we don’t rely heavily on one or two players. Our players have shown capability that they can get things done, but it’s about doing it for a longer period of time and making sure we make the right decisions at the right time.”