Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The fixtures for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024 supported by Dream11 to be hosted in Abu Dhabi, UAE from 25 April to 7 May have been announced, where 10 teams will be battling it out for two Women’s T20 World Cup spots to be held in Bangladesh later this year.Ten teams, divided into two groups of five each, will compete in the Qualifier in two Abu Dhabi venues from 25 April. The two table-toppers from the two groups will feature in the semi-finals on 5 May with the winners booking their tickets to Bangladesh and joining the hosts, Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in September and October.Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda and the United States of America (USA) feature in Group A, while Ireland, Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Vanuatu and Zimbabwe make up Group B.The event features eight teams from the five ICC Global Development Regions, as well as Ireland and Sri Lanka, who did not find a place in the top six of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa and therefore missed out on automatic qualification for this year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.The Qualifier will be staged at Zayed Cricket Stadium and Tolerance Oval, both form part of the Abu Dhabi Cricket and Sports Hub. Mohan Oval, also located in the same vicinity, will host two warm-up matches on 21 and 23 April.ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “We are looking forward to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier as it is going to be a highly competitive and exciting event with 10 teams battling it out for two World Cup spots in Bangladesh later this year. Following the success of last year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa and with more fans engaged with the women’s game than ever before it will be an exciting few months building up to the World Cup. Teams are certain to have a great experience in UAE. We are grateful to the Emirates Cricket Board for their support in staging this event and I’m certain they will prove again what excellent hosts they are.”General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board, Mubashshir Usmani said: “We are delighted to host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi. The venue has delivered some world-class events in the past including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.The participating teams will surely enjoy the facilities there. The 10 teams including the hosts UAE have all to play for in the Qualifier with the two T20 World Cup spots up for grabs. I want to wish the participants the very best as we look forward to some thrilling cricket over the course of the event.”Group A: Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda and USA.Group B: Ireland, Netherlands, UAE, Vanuatu and ZimbabweSunday, 21 AprilSri Lanka vs Netherlands, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Thailand vs UAE, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Zimbabwe vs USA, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Ireland vs Scotland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Uganda vs Vanuatu, Mohan Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Tuesday, 23 AprilUganda vs UAE, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Sri Lanka vs Vanuatu, Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Thailand vs Netherlands, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 15h00Zimbabwe vs Scotland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi – 19h00Ireland vs USA, Mohan Oval, Abu Dhabi – 15h00

LAHORE (PR): The tickets for the five-match T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand will go on sale from Friday, 29 March, as the series will be played in Rawalpindi (18, 20 and 21 April) and Lahore (25 and 27 April). The matches are set to begin at 730pm.In the first phase, the pre-booking of the online tickets will start on Friday at 5pm at pcb.tcs.com.pk. The sale of physical tickets along with outlet addresses will be announced in due course. The tickets for Rawalpindi-leg will be available at a minimum cost of PKR 500 (Premium) and the maximum available at PKR 7,500 (VVIP Gallery). Additionally, the hospitality seats will be available at a maximum amount of PKR 15,000 except for the first T20I where the hospitality seats will be available for PKR 12,000.For the Lahore leg, ticket prices start at PKR 300 for General seating and the maximum at PKR 6,000 for the fourth T20I while PKR 7,000 for the fifth T20I (VVIP Gallery). Also, hospitality boxes located at the Far-End building will be available for purchase in Lahore. The hospitality box for Thursday’s (25 April) encounter will be available at PKR 600,000, while the box for Saturday’s (27 April) match will be available at PKR 700,000.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner has moved up all three lists in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after a fine run with both bat and bowl in the first two matches of their ICC Women’s Championship series against Bangladesh in Mirpur.Gardner, who scored 52 runs and grabbed five wickets in the two matches, has moved up five spots to 17th in the batting rankings, entered the top five in the bowling rankings and advanced from sixth to second position in the rankings for all-rounders.In other notable movements, fast bowler Megan Schutt has inched up to second position among bowlers, left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux has re-entered the bowling rankings in joint-69th position after her match-winning three-wicket haul in the second ODI and Alana King has moved up 19 spots to 58th among batters after smashing an unbeaten 46 in the first match.Annabel Sutherland (up five places to 38th among batters) and Ellyse Perry (up six places to joint-52nd among bowlers) have also gained in the latest weekly update.Bangladesh left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who returned figures of two for 27 in the first match, has entered the top 10 for the first time. Her previous best was 12th position, which she had attained in December last year. Nahida is presently ranked 25th in T20Is but had a career-high third position in July 2018.Off-spinner Sultana Khatun has moved up six places to be joint-52nd with Perry after finishing with three wickets in the two matches. The two wins have helped Australia consolidate their position at the top of the Women’s Championship points table. They are now on 26 points from 17 matches while South Africa are second with 20 points from 15 matches. The full standings are available here.Meanwhile, in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings, England captain Heather Knight has moved up five slots to 23rd position among batters after scoring 129 runs in the first three matches of the ongoing series against New Zealand, which England lead 2-1.Maia Bouchier’s 126 runs in the three matches have lifted her 43 places to 53rd position while New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr is up three places to 11th. In the bowling rankings, Sarah Glenn (up two places to second), Charlotte Dean (up eight places to 11th) and Lauren Bell (up 15 places to 18th) have all progressed.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Traditional rival Pakistan and India cricket women set to meet on July 21 in the Asia Cup 2024 fixture in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the schedule of the prestigious regional cricket showpiece. Joining the cricketing powerhouses of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will be the semi-finalists of the Women's Premier Cup 2024 - UAE, Malaysia, Nepal, and Thailand. The increased participation promises to make this tournament even more competitive and thrilling for cricket fans across the region.In line with the ACC's vision for inclusivity and equality in cricket, the Women's Asia Cup2024 will continue the tradition of having all female referees and umpires, following the successful implementation of the same in the previous edition.ACC President, Jay Shah said: "The Women's Asia Cup 2024 underscores the ACC's commitment to promoting women's cricket in the region. We are excited to see the increased participation and competitiveness among the teams, reflecting the growing popularity and importance of women's cricket. This expansion, from six teams in 2018 to seven in 2022, and now eight, is a testament to our commitment to the women’s game and the burgeoning talent pool in Asian cricket. We anticipate an exciting tournament that will inspire both players and fans."The Women's Asia Cup has become a significant event in the ACC calendar, providing a platform for women cricketers to showcase their skills and passion for the sport. The ACC remains steadfast in its efforts to advance women's cricket and create more opportunities for women to excel internationally.Pools: Group A: India, Pakistan, UAE, NepalGroup B: Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, MalaysiaSchedule (ACC Women's Asia Cup, Dambulla):Friday 19-Jul Pakistan vs Nepal, India vs UAESaturday 20-Jul Malaysia vs Thailand, Sri Lanka vs BangladeshSunday 21-Jul Nepal vs UAE, India vs PakistanMonday 22-Jul Sri Lanka vs Malaysia, Bangladesh vs ThailandTuesday 23-Jul Pakistan vs UAE, India vs NepalWednesday 24-Jul Bangladesh vs Malaysia, Sri Lanka vs ThailandFriday 26-Jul SF1 (Group A 1st) vs (Group B 2nd)SF2 (Group B 1st) vs (Group A 2nd)Sunday 28-Jul Final 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan are set to visit Australia for a white-ball series scheduled for November this year. The tour, which will mark the start for Australia’s white ball schedule for the summer of 2024-25, will comprise six games in total – three ODIs and as many T20Is – to be played across six venues from 4 to 18 November 2024.Pakistan will be returning to Australia after a gap of nearly 11 months, after having competed in the Benaud-Qadir Trophy, which comprised three Test matches played across Perth, Sydney and Melbourne in December 2023-January 2024. The three-match Dettol Men’s ODI series will begin on 4 November at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. Pakistan and Australia will then play in Adelaide and Perth on 8 and 10 November, respectively. Pakistan last played an ODI series on Australian soil back in 2016, which saw the home-side come out on top.Subsequently, Pakistan and Australia will face one another in the three-match Dettol Men’s T20I Series. Pakistan’s last T20I outing on Australian soil was back in 2022, wherein the men in green appeared in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.The series will start at The Gabba in Brisbane. Action will then move to the Sydney Cricket Ground; Pakistan’s last T20I at the venue saw them beat New Zealand at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final. Hobart will be the last stop on the tour, where the final T20I will be played on 18 November.ODI SeriesNovember 4, 2024: MCG, Melbourne  November 8, 2024: Adelaide Oval, AdelaideNovember 10, 2024: Perth Stadium, Perth T20I SeriesNovember 14, 2024: The Gabba, BrisbaneNovember 16, 2024: SCG, SydneyNovember 18, 2024: Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The women’s national selection committee led by Saleem Jaffar has named 20 probables for the forthcoming white-ball series against West Indies women scheduled to take place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 18 April to 3 May. The series includes three ODIs – part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and five T20Is.Ayesha Zafar (29 ODIs, 20 T20Is), Gul Feroza (2 ODIs), Rameen Shamim (3 ODIs, 4T20Is), Sidra Nawaz (67 ODIs, 56 T20Is) and Tuba Hassan (1 ODI, 21 T20Is) are the players making a comeback. Omaima Sohail and Shawaal Zulfiqar (recovering from shoulder injury), who were part of the 17-member squad that was named for the last bilateral series against New Zealand women’s team, have been omitted from the camp probables.Names of players:Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Gul Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda AkhtarPlayer support personnel: Saira Iftikhar (manager), Mauhtashim Rashid (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Mohammad Javed (strength and conditioning coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst), and Nadia Arif (masseuse)Chief Selector Saleem Jaffar said: “The selection committee has chosen 20 probable players based on their performances in both domestic and international circuits. Ayesha Zafar, Gul Feroza, Rameen Shamim, Sidra Nawaz, and Tuba Hassan have been added to the probables camp following their performances in the last domestic event, as we aim to broaden our pool of players.“The upcoming series against West Indies, which includes ICC Women’s Championship matches, is of utmost importance as we strive to earn maximum points to strengthen our claim for direct qualification in the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup.”Series schedule:18 Apr – First ODI at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi (ICC Women’s Championship)21 Apr – Second ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)23 Apr – Third ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)26 Apr – First T20I at NBS (730pm local time)28 Apr – Second T20I at NBS (730pm local time)30 Apr – Third T20I at NBS (730pm local time)2 May – Fourth T20I at NBS (730pm local time)3 May – Fifth T20I at NBS (730pm local time).

Sports ReportDubai (UAE): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed its sorrow at the passing of former Pakistan cricket chief Shaharyar Khan at the age of 89.Shaharyar was a career diplomat who served as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chair from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2014 to 2017, also representing the PCB on the ICC Board.In a statement, ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “This is sad news for the cricket world. Shaharyar was a very prominent and important figure who contributed hugely to the development of the game over many years.“His experience as a diplomat helped him lead cricket administration very skillfully in Pakistan and he was also a respected member of the ICC Board. On behalf of the ICC, I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends as well as to our colleagues at the PCB.” 

ISLAMABAD (PR): Shifa International Hospital Islamabad beat BHC XI by 75 runs in the frindly here at Daimond Cricket Ground Islamabad. BHC XI Captain won the toss and invited to bat first Shifa International, Shifa International bowled out for 201 in the 30th overs,Khateeb 44, Captain Qutab Uddin Qureshi 34, Tariq Shahzad 34, Imtiaz Alam 24 and Muhammad Ikram 14 runs were their leading run-getters. BHC XI Wajhat (4 for 23), Muneeb (2 for 35) and Saneer (1 for 30) were the other main wicket-takers. In reply, BHC XI was bowled out for 126 runs in the 29th overs, Asif (38), Kashif (21) and Nouman 13 were their main scorers. Shahzad Kiani bowled well and claimed 4 wickets for 09 runs in 3 overs, while Imtiaz Alam (3 for 15), Tariq Shahzad (2 for 13) and Syed Mudassar Bukhari (1 for 22) bowled well for Shifa International. Shahzad Kiani declared “Man of the Match” for his impressive Performance. 

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Islamabad United won their third HBL PSL title after they edged over Multan Sultans, by a mere two wickets, in the HBL PSL 9 final following a last-ball thriller, at National Bank Stadium, Karachi on Monday night. The HBL PSL 9 champions bagged PKR 140,000,000 as prize money, whereas, Multan Sultans, the runners-up, received PKR 56,000,000.Multan Sultans won the toss and elected to bat first. The first over, bowled by Naseem Shah, saw the drama unfold as Salman Ali Agha caught Mohammad Rizwan on the fourth ball, only for the umpire to signal a no-ball as Naseem overstepped.Imad Wasim struck on the third ball of the next over to remove Yasir Khan, who was caught by Tymal Mills. David Willey, batting at three, hit Imad for a six on the fifth delivery. On the very next ball, Willey’s stumps were shattered as the second wicket fell for Multan. The fifth over, bowled by Hunain Shah, was capitalized by Rizwan and Usman Khan as both hit two boundaries each to snatch 17 from the over. At the end of the powerplay, Multan stood at 48-2.The 53-run third-wicket stand between Rizwan and Usman was broken in the 10th over as Shadab Khan removed his counterpart for run-a-ball 26. In the next over, Usman smashed a four and a six to keep the score flowing. Imad, returning to the attack, got his third wicket when Johnson Charles (4, 6b) was caught by Naseem at short fine.In the 15th over, Usman brought up his second HBL PSL 9 half-century. In the same over, Usman and Khushdil Shah hit a boundary each as Multan got to 114-4 with five overs left. Shadab removed Usman (57, 40b, 7x4s, 1x6) on the first ball of the next over. Usama Mir, the next batter in, smashed a maximum on his first ball. The Islamabad skipper avenged himself on the subsequent delivery, as Hunain pouched an important catch to dismiss Usama (6, 2b, 1x6).The 17th over, bowled by Imad, saw three wickets at the expense of just three runs, paralyzing Multan’s innings. Khushdil (11, 13b, 1x4) and Chris Jordan (0, 1b) were removed on consecutive deliveries as Imad completed a five-wicket haul, becoming the first bowler to do so across nine HBL PSL finals. Abbas Afridi was run out on the final ball of the same over, as Multan were reduced to 127-9 after losing five wickets for just 13 runs over the course of two overs.With only two overs remaining, Iftikhar stepped on the gas pedal. He smashed two sixes against Mills in the penultimate over. Then, facing Naseem in the final over, he produced two boundaries and one six to help Multan finish at a competitive total of 159-9. Imad was the pick of the bowlers, getting a five-fer. Shadab bagged three wickets.In pursuit of 160-run target, Islamabad United started on a 26-run opening partnership between Colin Munro and Martin Guptill, until Khushdil removed the former for 17 on 13, with four boundaries, in the fourth over. In the final over of the powerplay, Khushdil completed a successful return catch to send Salman (10, 11b, 2x4s) back to the pavilion as Islamabad finished six overs at 46-2.Shortly after, Shadab (4, 8b) failed to execute a sweep shot as Iftikhar disturbed the stumps to bring Islamabad three down, with 58 on the board, after nine overs. Usama, brought to the attack to bowl the 11th over, was on the receiving end of Guptill’s onslaught as he conceded 18 on the back of two sixes and a four. The next over saw 15 runs scored on the back of three boundaries, with Azam Khan hitting two of them.The stabilizing 47-run fourth-wicket stand between Guptill and Azam was unceremoniously ended when the former was run out in the 13th over. Guptill walked back after contributing 50 from 32, showcasing four boundaries and three maximums. Imad joined Azam on the crease, with 58 needed off 43 deliveries. The two could only add 19 runs collectively before Azam (30, 22b, 4x4s, 1x6) edged one to the keeper to award Usama a wicket.Haider Ali (5, 3b, 1x4) and Faheem Ashraf (1, 4b) were removed cheaply as trouble deepened for the chasing side, who required 31 off 17 to get over the line. The 18th and 19th overs yielded 12 and 11 runs respectively, to bring the equation to eight needed from the final over with Naseem (17, 9b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Imad (19 not out, 17b, 2x4s) on the crease. Naseem hit a four on the second ball but was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the game, with scores leveled.Hunain, needing one off the final delivery, hit the winning runs as Islamabad secured the title for the first time since 2018. Khushdil and Iftikhar returned with two wickets each while Willey, Ali and Usama had one each.Players’ Awards:Player of the match: Imad Wasim (Islamabad United)Emerging Player of the Tournament: Mohammad Irfan Khan (171 runs, Karachi Kings)All-Rounder of the Tournament: Saim Ayub (345 runs, Eight wickets, Peshawar Zalmi)Fielder of the Tournament: Mohammad Irfan Khan (Eight catches, Karachi Kings)Wicketkeeper of the Tournament: Azam Khan (10 dismissals, 226 runs, Islamabad United)Bowler of the Tournament: Usama Mir (24 wickets, Multan Sultans)Batter of the Tournament: Usman Khan (430 runs, Multan Sultans)HBL - Player of the Tournament: Shadab Khan (305 runs, 14 wickets, Islamabad United)Spirit of Cricket Award: Peshawar ZalmiUmpire of the Tournament: Asif Yaqoob

BIPIN DANIThe family of Sri Lanka's batting all-rounder Janith Liyanage has mixed feelings. The 28-year old batting all rounder Liyanage scored unbeaten 101 runs which included two huge sixes, but his effort could not win the match for his team."First of all, this is a moment our family has been waiting for a long time, and my brother scored that century at a very crucial time so it made the century he scored worth a lot and an unforgettable one", the player's younger sister, Sahani Liyanage, speaking exclusively over the phone from Colombo, said. "Me, our parents and my older sister all are proud of our brother’s great knock today and really wish him all the best for his future as well". However, the family was saddened with the result of the match and the series. Sri Lanka lost the 3rd ODI by four wickets and the series 1-2. "It is really unfortunate that we lost the series but I think our team learnt a lot from this series, so even though it was not the result that all of us Sri Lankans wished for, it was still a thrilling series", she added. "It is saddening that we didn’t win the series yet I think every player, including my brother, tried a lot to contribute something for the team, even though it is a bit saddening I still feel happy for my brother’s great knock", she signed off.