Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE:  The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) named a 23-member squad for the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-17 Men’s Championship 2024 scheduled to be held in Bhutan from September 20 to 30, 2024.The green shirts will kick off their campaign against Nepal on September 21 at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, the host Bhutan on September 23, and Sri Lanka on September 25 at the same venue. Pakistan are placed in Group B with Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka while India Maldives and Bangladesh are in Group A.Sajjad Mehmood will serve as the head coach with Hassan Baloch assisting him as the assistant coach and Nouman Ibrahim taking on the role of goalkeeping coach.Names of selected players: Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Husnain Saleem, Najeem Khan, Sameer Ahmed, Ubaid Ullah Khan, Majid Ali, Syed Mohammad Aabis Raza and Umar Javed (Defenders), Abdul Samad, Mohammad Faraz, Farhad, Haroon Rashed, Hikmat Ullah, Khobaib Khan, Mohammad Shahab Ahmed and Mohammad Khan (Midfielders), Abdul Ghani, Subhan Karim, Shahraf Khan and Muhammad Talha Khan (Forwards), Aadil Ali Khan, Ghulam Abbas and Kashif (Goalkeepers).

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB has confirmed match officials for the cricket season 2024-25 following an annual appraisal process. There is no change to the PCB Elite Panel of Match Referees, while, following feedback from the ICC, there is also no change in the ICC International Panel of Match Referees and Umpires.PCB Elite Panel of Match Referees: Aleem Khan Moosa (Karachi), Athar Laiq (Karachi), Bilal Moinul Haq Khiljee (Lahore), Iftikhar Ahmed (Karachi), Kamran Chaudhry (Lahore), Mohammad Aslam (Quetta), Mohammad Iqbal Sheikh (Hyderabad), Nadeem Arshad (Faisalabad), Sohail Idrees (Lahore)PCB Elite Panel of Umpires: Abdul Moqeet (Lahore), Ahmed Shahab (Lahore), Aleem Dar (Lahore), Aley Haider (Karachi), Asif Yaqoob (Islamabad), Aslam Bareach (Quetta), Faisal Khan Aafreedi (Sargodha), Farooq Ali Khan (Abbottabad), Ghulam Sarwar (Sibi), Imran Jawed (Karachi), Imranullah Aslam (Bahawalpur), Kashif Sohail (Khanewal), Khalid Mehmood Sr. (Karachi), Majid Hussain (AJK), Mohammad Asif (Lahore), Mohammad Sajid (Charsadda), Nasir Hussain (Lahore), Qaiser Waheed (Lahore), Rana Mohammad Arshad (Faisalabad), Rashid Riaz Waqar (Lahore), Saqib Khan (Abbottabad), Shozab Raza (Lahore), Syed Imtiaz Iqbal (Karachi), Tariq Rasheed (Lahore), Waleed Yaqub (Lahore), Zulfiqar Jan (Charsadda)PCB Supplementary Panel of Match Referees: Abu-al-Hasnat Rao (Lahore), Ahmer Saeed (Karachi), Ali Gohar (Karachi), Fazal Akbar Shah (Peshawar), Ghulam Mustafa (Kasur), Inamullah Khan (Lahore), Mohammad Amiruddin Ansari (Karachi), Saman Zulfiqar (Sheikhupura), Samiul Haq (Faisalabad), Sohail Khan (Lahore)PCB Supplementary Panel of Umpires: Abdul Karim (Naseerabad), Ahmed Nadeem (Peshawar), Aqeel Aadil Khan (Karachi), Asif Farooq Awan (Gujranwala), Dilshad Ali (Multan), Haroon Malik (Sargodha), Hashim Ali (Lodhran), Hassan Mahmood (Lahore), Irfan Haider (Islamabad), Jamshid Iqbal (Peshawar), Kamran Khalil (Lahore), Mohammad Basit (Lahore), Mohammad Fayyaz (Peshawar), Mohammad Imran (Sargodha), Mohammad Irfan Dilshad (Lahore), Mohammad Kaleem (Lahore), Mohammad Waqas (Lahore), Naseer Ahmed (Chakwal), Qaiser Waheed (Lahore), Rafiq Ahmad (Dadu), Raza Asghar (Sheikhupura), Saleem Butt (Rawalpindi), Sultan Mahmood (Loralai), Syed Fahim Ahmed Bukhari (Karachi), Waqar Ahmed (Islamabad), Zeeshan Arif (Mirpur, AJK)PCB Development Panel of Umpires: Aamer Atta (Dera Ghazi Khan), Abdul Basit (Rawalpindi), Abdul Qayoom (Karachi), Abrar Ahmed (Kasur), Adnan Rashid (Lahore), Ajmal Khan (Swat), Anser Mahmood (Pattoki), Asim Alvi (Karachi), Farooq Anwar Bajwa (Faisalabad), Farooq Jan (Charsadda), Furqan Butt (Lahore), Ghayyur Hussain (Peshawar), Hameed Khan (Quetta), Hidayatullah (Pishin), Imran Naseem (Okara), Jaffar Hussian (Peshawar), Khalid Mahmood Jr (Quetta), Khalid Younas (Kohat), Khalil Ahmad Siddiqi (Kasur), Maqbool Ahmed (Faisalabad), Mehtab Hussain (Rawalpindi), Mohammad Aamir Sharif (Kohat), Mohammad Arif (Dera Ismail Khan), Mohammad Asif Jr (Multan), Mohammad Imran Jr (Bahawalnagar), Mohammad Masood Afridi (Peshawar), Mohammad Shafiqul Hai (Dera Ismail Khan), Mohammad Yousaf (Dera Ghazi Khan), Mumtaz Ali (Loralai), Muneeb Ahsan (Attock), Munir Ahmed (Kasur), Naik Mohammad (Kohat), Nasar Khan (Mardan), Naveed Khan (Nowshehra), Noor ul Hakam (Buner), Raweed Khan (Charsadda), Sadiq Amin (Charsadda), Sagheer Ahmed (Lahore), Saifullah Khan (Sargodha), Shahid Aslam (Karachi), Shahid Naseem (Rawalpindi), Sheraz Ahmed Rajput (Lahore), Sohail Khan (Charssada), Sohail Zaman Khattak (Peshawar), Waqas Zeb (Lahore), Waseemuddin (Kohat)PCB Women’s Panel of Umpires: Afia Amin (Lahore), Ayesha Farooq (Lahore), Fakhira Kazim Syeda (Muzaffarabad), Humairah Farah (Lahore), Nazia Nazir (Lahore), Riffat Mustafa (Kasur), Sabahat Rasheed (Lahore), Saleema Imtiaz (Karachi), Sania Ashraf (Lahore), Shakila Rafiq (Kasur), Sukhan Faiz (Multan), Sumaira Sajid (Lahore), Zakia Gul (Khairpur). 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today announced a historic moment for Pakistan cricket as Saleema Imtiaz becomes the first Pakistani woman to be nominated to the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires. This prestigious nomination qualifies her to officiate in women’s bilateral international matches and ICC Women’s Events, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s cricketing history.Saleema, who is the mother of Pakistan women’s international player Kainat Imtiaz, began her umpiring career with the PCB Women’s Umpires Panel in 2008. Her extensive experience includes officiating in high-profile events under the Asian Cricket Council, such as the 2022 and 2024 ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and the 2023 ACC Emerging Women’s Cup in Hong Kong. Most recently, she was a member of the playing control team for the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2024 in Kuala Lumpur.Saleema Imtiaz said: “I am beyond thrilled to join the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires. I owe immense gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board for the invaluable opportunities that paved the way for this achievement. The journey has been filled with hard work and personal sacrifices, but now, standing at the cusp of this new chapter, it all feels worth it. This isn’t just a win for me – it’s a win for every aspiring female cricketer and umpire in Pakistan. I hope my success motivates countless women who dream of making their mark in the sport. This moment reflects the growing influence of women in cricket and the PCB’s commitment to fostering that development. I sincerely hope to see more women follow in my footsteps and embrace this beautiful game. Ever since Kainat made her debut for Pakistan in 2010, my own dream has been to represent my country at an international level. While I’ve had opportunities with the Asian Cricket Council, officiating at the highest level has always been the ultimate goal. I’m now focused on performing to the best of my abilities in both bilateral and ICC matches, and building my reputation as a reliable and respected match official.”

Usman (111), Hasnain (5-74) script convincing win for Lake City PanthersSports Bulletin ReportFAISALABAD: Lake City Panthers trounced Dolphins by 50 runs in the third game of Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup on Saturday at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Saturday night.Dolphins got off to a steady start in pursuit of the 329-run target as the opening batters Mohammad Huraira (39, 30b, 3x4s, 3x6s) and Sahibzada Farhan (52, 69b, 4x4s, 1x6) put on 68 runs before the former fell to Shadab Khan in 13th over.Usama Mir eked out Muhammad Akhlaq and Sahibzada in the 20th and 22nd overs, respectively prompting a batting collapse for Dolphins as they went from 109-1 to 166-5.Mohammad Hasnain dismissed Saud Shakeel and Asif Ali before Qasim Akram and Faheem Ashraf fought back with a 78-run sixth-wicket partnership. Qasim was castled by Hasnain in the 42nd over for 65 off 62 balls (8x4s, 1x6) bringing Panthers back in the game.The right-arm pacer from Hyderabad soon dismissed Mohammad Abbas Afridi and then Faheem Ashraf (41, 35b, 4x4s, 1x6) to register his third List-A five-wicket haul. Dolphins fell 50 runs short as they were bundled out for 278 in 47 overs. Mubasir Khan and Usama bagged two wickets each while Shadab picked up one.Earlier, Usman Khan’s maiden List-A century coupled with brisk half-centuries from Haider Ali and Shadab propelled the Panthers past 300-run mark. Usman hit 11 fours and three sixes in his 111 which came off 110 balls as he lifted his team from 19-2 by stitching a 70-run third-wicket partnership with Umar Siddiq (30, 39b, 2x4s, 1x6) With Umar and Mubasir departing in 18th and 22nd overs, respectively and Panthers reeling at 105-4, Usman and Haider Ali joined forces to fetch 103 runs for the fifth-wicket. Haider struck five boundaries and three sixes in his 46-ball 63-run outing.Skipper Shadab, who walked in during the 35th over, registered his sixth List-A fifty, as he raced to 65 off 45 balls clubbing five fours and two sixes. Usama Mir’s 13-ball cameo yielding 22 runs helped the Panthers post 328 runs before they were bundled out in 49.4 overs. For Dolphins, Usman Qadir bagged three wickets while Mir Hamza and Abbas Afridi picked up two each. Faheem Ashraf dismissed one batter.Scores in brief (Lake City Panthers won by 50 runs):Lake City Panthers 328 all out, 49.4 overs (Usman Khan 111, Shadab Khan 65, Haider Ali 63, Umar Siddiq 30; Usman Qadir 3-63, Mir Hamza 2-50, Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-68)Dolphins 278 all out, 47 overs (Qasim Akram 65, Sahibzada Farhan 52, Faheem Ashraf 41, Mohammad Huraira 39, Saud Shakeel 24; Mohammad Hasnain 5-74, Usama Mir 2-48, Mubasir Khan 2-58)Player of the match: Mohammad Hasnain (Lake City Panthers) 

Sports Bulletin ReportMULTAN: The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed a five-member commentary panel and one presenter for the Pakistan v South Africa women series taking place at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.The three-match T20I series is scheduled to take place on 16, 18 and 20 September, with the first ball of the first and second T20I matches to be bowled at 7.00pm, while the third T20I will be begin at 10.00am.Bazid Khan, Ejaz Ahmed, Hijab Zahid, Kainat Imtiaz and Sana Mir will be on the commentary panel for the series, while Sawera Pasha will serve as the presenter.Cricket fans in Pakistan will be able to watch the matches in high definition on A Sports. Livestreaming for viewers across the Pakistan region will be available on the PCB’s official YouTube channel.Also, to encourage fans to come to the ground, the entrance to the stadium will be free. The spectators will be required to bring their original ID card to get inside the stadium.

Harare (PR): T Ten Global is delighted to announce a digital partnership with FanCode in India. The deal will make FanCode the exclusive streaming partner for the upcoming Zim Afro T10, Abu Dhabi T10 and the Lanka T10, for next 3 years.After a successful inaugural season, Zim Afro T10 is back for the second edition, starting September 21 and is expected to produce 9 days of high-quality cricket, with the likes of David Warner, Dawid Malan, Yasir Shah, Carlos Brathwaite, and Colin Munro, all in the mix.The tournament will put the spotlight on cricket’s fastest format at the Harare Sports Club. The six franchises in the tournament are the Harare Bolts, Bulawayo Brave Jaguars, Cape Town Samp Army, Durban Wolves, Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers and the NYS Lagos.Each day will comprise of three white-ball matches, with the first scheduled for 3 pm local time and 6:30pm IST. The second game of the day will be at 5:15pm local time and 8:45pm IST, while the third game of the day will see the players take the field at 7:30pm local time and 11pm IST.During this festival of cricket, a total of 21 games will be played in the league stage for the Zim Afro T10, and after that the knockout phase will commence. The top 2 teams will square off in Qualifier 1, with the winner going through to the final. The third and fourth placed teams will then play the Eliminator, where the winner goes through to Qualifier 2, to face the runner-up of Qualifier 1. The team that wins Qualifier 2 will eventually play the winner of Qualifier 1 in the final, which is scheduled for the evening of September 29."We are thrilled to partner with the T Ten Global team as T10 cricket continues to capture the excitement of Indian fans. With leagues expanding in Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and Abu Dhabi, the format is set to grow even more. This season, with stars like David Warner and Dawid Malan in action, we’re confident fans can look forward to top-quality cricket and thrilling matches between closely matched teams." said Prasana Krishnan, co-founder, FanCode.Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, T Ten Global Sports Founder and Chairman, said: "Such partnerships are a clear reflection of the growing global popularity of the T10 format. The Zim Afro T10 has witnessed a remarkable surge in interest since its inaugural season, and as we gear up for the first game of the new edition, we are thrilled to have FanCode on board, supporting our mission to expand T10 worldwide. With their invaluable backing, we are confident that we can accelerate the growth and reach of T10 cricket across the globe." 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD:  The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today (Thursday) revealed Bahria Town as the title sponsor of the Champions One-Day Cup, which is set to run from 12-29 September in Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium.The nomenclature of the tournament, which is set to begin today with the opener between Misbah-ul-Haq mentored UMT Markhors and Saqlain Mushtaq mentored Panthers, will be Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup.Apart from Bahria Town as the title sponsor, the other official sponsors include Blue World City, Inverex Solar Energy, Brighto Paints and Kingdom Valley. Tapal will serve as the official tea partner of the Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup.Furthermore, Lake City has acquired the naming rights for the Panthers team and will be called Lake City Panthers. Earlier, Allied Bank, Nurpur and UMT (University of Management and Technology) had acquired the naming rights for Stallions, Lions and Markhors (formerly Wolves), respectively.Chief Operating Officer PCB, Salman Naseer said: “The PCB is delighted to welcome Bahria Town on board as the title sponsor of the Champions One-Day Cup. We are thankful to for their support to Champions Cup, which is being participated by country’s best of the best cricketers, and hope this partnership will yield great dividends for our players and teams. Bahria Town and the presence of the other esteemed official sponsors goes beyond mere sponsorship but it also symbolises a shared commitment towards uplifting the sport as the domestic level. I would also like to thank the teams’ official sponsors for their kind support to Pakistan Cricket. The Champions One-Day Cup, with the help of our commercial and media partners, promises to be a highly exciting tournament for the fans in Pakistan.” 

Sports Bulletin ReportMultan (September 12, 2024): Pakistan and South Africa women’s cricket teams are set to feature in a three-match T20I series from 16 to 20 September at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The first and second T20I on 16 and 18 September, respectively, will start at 7pm while the third T20I on 20 September will begin at 10am.Schedule of training, media opportunities and T20Is:13 September - South Africa women’s team will arrive in Lahore early morning. They will travel to Multan from Lahore on a chartered flight. The PCB will provide arrival footage to the media in WhatsApp groups. Pakistan women’s team will train at the Inzamam-ul-Haq Cricket Academy from 3:30pm. This will be a vision only opportunity and no media interviews are planned. For further information, please contact the team media manager.14 September – Pakistan and South Africa are scheduled to train at the Multan Cricket Stadium from 2.00pm. Before training, a Pakistan women’s cricketer will be available for brief stand-up interviews.15 September - Both teams will train at the Multan Cricket Stadium from 6pm. Beforehand, opposite captains Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa and Pakistan’s Fatima Sana will hold pre-series media conference at the press conference hall and also participate in the pre-series photoshoot with the trophy.16 September – The first T20I will begin at 7pm with the toss taking place at 6:30pm. At the conclusion of the match, the PCB will provide brief interview of the star performer of the match.17 September - Both teams will rest and have no media commitments planned.18 September - The second T20I will begin at 7pm with the toss taking place at 6:30pm. At the conclusion of the match, the PCB will provide brief interview of the star performer of the match.19 September – Both sides are scheduled for an optional training session. An update regarding the training session will be shared in due course.20 September – The third T20I will begin at 10am with the toss taking place at 9:30am. At the conclusion of the match, star performers from both sides will hold post-series media conferences. 

A 9-member contingent ready to face Barbados on September 14-15 in Bridge TownSports Bulletin ReportBridge Town (Barbados): A big contingent including 5 players and 4 officials are confident to produce an acceptable performance against hosts Barbados in the Davis Cup World Group-II tie, which will be played on September 14, and 15, 2024, in Bridgetown, Barbados. According to a press release issued by Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, President PTF and a playing member of the team, expressed confidence in the team's chances of success. "The Pakistan team is a combination of experience and young blood, and we are confident of winning the tie, “ Aisam added.Aqeel Khan, an experienced player on the team, said: "Barbados is a strong team with world-class players, and we will do our best to play our best game and win the tie."Pakistan Contingent:  Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Aqeel Khan, Mohammad Shoaib, Yousaf Khalil, Ahmad Nael Qureshi (Players), Hamid-ul-Haq (Captain), Mohammad Khalid (Coach), Col (Retd) Zia-ud-din Tufail (Team Manager), Mohammad Shahid (Physio).  

ISLAMABAD (Sports Desk): England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on September 10, 2024 announced a 17-man the Test squad for Pakistan tour, as the visitor team will play three Test matches. Ben Stoke will lead the English men’s team.England Men's Test Squad: Ben Stokes (Durham-Captain), Rehan Ahmed (Leicestershire), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Jordan Cox (Essex), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Josh Hull (Leicestershire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)Eight players from the squad – Rehan Ahmed, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes – return to Pakistan following the 3-0 Test series victory in 2022.Durham seamer Brydon Carse and Essex batter Jordan Cox are the only uncapped players included in the squad. Somerset spinner Jack Leach makes his return to the Test set-up for the first time since the opening Test in India in January 2024.Leicestershire leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his Test debut in Karachi during the last Pakistan tour in December 2022, will be aiming to add to his four Test caps.Following his Test debut at Kia Oval this week, Leicestershire seamer Josh Hull is included in the squad for his first senior tour with England. Kent opener Zak Crawley returns to the squad after missing out since the West Indies series in July. The 26-year-old, who fractured his right little finger at Edgbaston in July, is making significant progress in his recovery to earn selection.Captain Ben Stokes is also included as he continues his recovery from a hamstring tear that kept him out of the recent Test series victory against Sri Lanka. The venues for the three-match series are yet to be confirmed, with an announcement expected from the Pakistan Cricket Board later this week.