Sports Reporter Dubai (November 17, 2021):-Mitchell Marsh and David Warner have made notable progress in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings after helping Australia win their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday. All-rounder Marsh, who struck an impressive 77 not out off 50 balls to be named Player of the Match in the final against New Zealand, has progressed six spots to reach joint-13th position among batters while Player of the Tournament Warner’s scores of 49 against Pakistan in their semifinal and 53 in the final have helped him move up eight places to 33rd position. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who top-scored in the final with a knock of 85, has gained seven places to reach 32nd position while Devon Conway is up three places to fourth position after scoring 46 against England in the first semifinal in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman is up eight places to 40th following his unbeaten 55 against Australia in the second semifinal in Dubai while spinner Shadab Khan has moved up seven places to 16th position after bagging four for 16 in the same match. Other bowlers to gain in the latest update include Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who is up two places to third, and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, whose haul of three for 16 in the final sees him move up two places to sixth position. New Zealand’s left-arm seamer Trent Boult is up seven places to 14th position after taking two for 18 in the final while Pat Cummins (up 24 places to 37th) and Chris Woakes (up 21 places to 46th) have also moved up the bowlers’ list. England’s Liam Livingstone is up seven places to third among all-rounders. Meanwhile, Canada batter Navneet Dhaliwal’s consistent performances in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Americas Regional Qualifier have lifted him 36 places to 36th position. Dhaliwal’s scores included 65 against Panama, 49 against Argentina and 44 against Canada.

Sports Bulletin Report DUBAHI (November 17, 2021):-The ICC Board appointed Working Group has been established to review the status of the Afghanistan Cricket Board and cricket in Afghanistan in light of the recent governmental changes in the country. The group comprises Imran Khwaja (Chair), Ross McCollum, Lawson Naidoo and Ramiz Raja and will report back to the Board over the coming months. ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “The ICC Board is committed to continuing to support Afghanistan Cricket to develop both men’s and women’s cricket moving forward. We believe the most effective way for this to happen will be to support our members in their efforts to achieve this through its relationship with the new government. “Cricket is fortunate to be in the position to influence positive change in Afghanistan with the national men’s team a source of great pride and unity in a country with a young population that has experienced more upheaval and change than most. We should protect that status and continue to try to influence change through the ACB but will continue to closely monitor the situation and take any decisions accordingly.” Other updates The ICC Board approved the continuation of the ICC World Test Championship in its current form of a nine-team league over a two-year period with a final between the top two teams at the conclusion. Following the expansion of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to a 14-team event in the next cycle2027, the Board accepted a recommendation from the Chief Executives’ Committee that the primary avenue for qualification for the event is based on rankings at a pre-determined cutoff date with the 10 highest-ranked teams on the MRF Men’s ODI Rankings qualifying automatically, and the remainder being determined via a global qualifier. BCCI Chair Sourav Ganguly has been appointed to the position of Chair of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee after Anil Kumble stepped down having served a maximum of three, three-year terms. ICC Chair Greg Barclay said: “I am delighted to welcome Sourav to the position of Chair of the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. His experience as one of the world’s best players and latterly as an administrator will help us shape our cricketing decisions moving forward. I would also like to thank Anil for his outstanding leadership over the last nine years which has included improving the international game through more regular and consistent application of DRS and a robust process for addressing suspect bowling actions.” The Board also approved that first-class status and list A classification will be applied to women’s cricket to align with the men’s game and applied retrospectively. Going forward the ICC Women’s Committee will be known as the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee and will assume all decision making responsibility for women’s cricket reporting directly to the CEC. Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies has been appointed to the ICC Women’s Cricket Committee. ICC Chair Greg Barclay added: “This has been an extremely productive set of Board meetings and I’d like to thank my fellow Board Directors for their efforts in travelling to Dubai to enable us to enjoy our first face to face meeting in more than two years. International travel is not easy in COVID times, but we have achieved a significant amount by being in the same room. “Finally, on behalf of the ICC Board, I’d like to thank the ICC staff for their continued commitment over the last two years. It hasn’t been a straightforward period and the challenges thrown at us by COVID have impacted on how they have had to operate. They have responded with great energy and have consistently delivered to a high standard culminating with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 which has been a resounding success.”

KARACHI (November 17, 2021):-Over 100 foreigner players will take part in the first ever virtual World Scrabble Championship, which will be hosted by Pakistan from November 20 to December 6, 2021 in Karachi city, as the championship will be pursuing prize money of 8000 Euro, Director Youth Program of the Pakistan Scrabble Championship Tariq Pervaiz revealed this in a press conference.  On the occasion, a seven-member Pakistani scrabble contingent led by former national champion Waseem Khatri was also announced. The other players are Hasham Hadi Khan, Ali Salman, Saim Waqar, Usman Shaukat and Basil Khan. “We have produced several world champions in scrabble but people are not aware of our achievements in this game. Pakistan is going to host the scrabble world cup, which is a bigger event then the T20 world cup as it will be watched in more nations than cricket,” Nadeem claimed.

KARACHI (November 17, 2021):-Ashan Ahmed and Hasnain qualified for the final of Under-17 Singles event after beating their respective opponents in the Sindh Sports Board (SSB) Development Series Ranking Tennis Championship. Results: Under 17 Singles (Semifinals): Ahsan ahmed beat Ruhaan Masud 6-3, 6-3 Hasnain Khurram w/o Saqib Danish

Sports Reporter LAHORE (November 16, 2021):-The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) announced an 18-member squad for the World Junior Hockey Cup 2021 to be held in Bhubaneswar, India from November 24 to December 5, 2021 under the auspices of International Hockey Federation (FIH). Pakistan Junior Hockey Team will reach India and play two practice matches. The first match will be played against Chile on November 21 and the second against Canada on November 22. These will be practice matches off camera and practice session coverage will not be allowed. The Pakistan junior hockey team will play its first match against Germany on November 24 and Pakistan will face Egypt on November 27. The national junior hockey squad will play its last match of the pool round against Argentina on November 28  Names of players: Rana Abdul Waheed (Captain), Moen Shakil (Vice Captain), Waqar Ali (Goalkeeper), Aqeel Ahmed, Rizwan Ali, Adeel Latif, Mohammad Hamad-ud-din, Abdul Hannan, Gazanfar Ali, Umair Sattar, Abdullah Ishtiaq, Mohibullah, Abuzar, Mohsin Hasan, Abdul Mannan, Abdur Rehman, Roman Khan, Mohammad Abdullah. Name of officials: Danish Kaleem will be the head coach, and Rana Zaheer and Mudassir Ali Khan will be the coaches.

Sports Desk ISLAMABAD (November 16, 2021):-Following a two-year consultation process with more than 250 athletes and concerned stakeholders, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today released its new “ IOC Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations”.  Through this Framework, the IOC seeks to promote a safe and welcoming environment for everyone involved in elite-level competition, consistent with the principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter. The Framework also acknowledges the central role that eligibility criteria play in ensuring fairness, particularly in high-level organised sport in the women’s category. The document is issued as part of the IOC’s commitment to respecting human rights (as expressed in Olympic Agenda 2020+5), and as part of the action taken to foster gender equality and inclusion. In issuing this Framework, the IOC recognises that it must be within the remit of each sport and its governing body to determine how an athlete may be at a disproportionate advantage compared with their peers, taking into consideration the nature of each sport. The IOC is therefore not in a position to issue regulations that define eligibility criteria for every sport, discipline or event across the very different national jurisdictions and sport systems. Therefore, the aim of this Framework is to offer sporting bodies – particularly those in charge of organising elite-level competition – a 10-principle approach to help them develop the criteria that are applicable to their sport. Sports bodies will also need to consider particular ethical, social, cultural and legal aspects that may be relevant in their context. The document was developed following an extensive consultation with athletes and stakeholders concerned. This included members of the athlete community, International Federations and other sports organisations, as well as human rights, legal and medical experts. It replaces and updates previous IOC statements on this matter, including the 2015 Consensus Statement. This Framework recognises both the need to ensure that everyone, irrespective of their gender identity or sex variations, can practise sport in a safe, harassment-free environment that recognises and respects their needs and identities, and the interest of everyone – particularly athletes at elite level – to participate in fair competitions where no participant has an unfair and disproportionate advantage over the rest. Lastly, the IOC notes that most high-level organised sports competitions are staged with men’s and women’s categories competing separately. In this context, the principles contained in the Framework are aimed at ensuring that competition in each of these categories is fair and safe, and that athletes are not excluded solely on the basis of their transgender identity or sex variations. Where eligibility criteria must be set in order to regulate the participation in the women’s and men’s categories, the establishment and implementation of such criteria should be carried out as part of a comprehensive approach grounded on respect for internationally recognised human rights, robust evidence and athlete consultation. In so doing, precautions should be taken to avoid causing harm to the health and well-being of athletes. While the Framework has been drafted with the specific needs of high-level organised sports competitions in mind, the general principles of inclusion and non-discrimination should be promoted and defended at all levels of sport, especially for recreational and grass-roots sport. Although the Framework is being released today, the IOC is also planning a comprehensive roll-out phase, including webinars that may support IFs and athletes on this journey, starting after the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

Special Report Dubai (November 16, 2021):-Chairman, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja has thanked the International Cricket Council for awarding the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 to Pakistan, saying the event will showcase Pakistan’s passion for the sport. The ICC Board’s decision means Pakistan will defend the ICC Champions Trophy title in their backyard when the eight-team and 15-match tournament is held at three iconic venues in February 2025. Pakistan had defeated India by 180 runs in the 2017 tournament at The Oval. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja: “I am pleased no-end with the ICC’s decision to select Pakistan as a host nation for one of their elite tournaments. By allocating a major global event to Pakistan, the ICC has expressed complete confidence and faith in our management and operational capabilities and skills. “We have continued to demonstrate how a great host we are and through the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, we will again showcase our passion and love for the sport as this event will be a boon to the millions of home fans, who will see world class teams and their favourite international players from close quarters. “We not only endeavour to plan and deliver a world-class event, we will also prepare and field a strong and formidable side that can perform and entertain our home fans. We saw during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign how the nation got united and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at home will be another opportunity to further strengthen that bond as we defend the title.”  

Ali Ahmed LAHORE (November 16, 2021):-Southern Punjab will enter the fifth round, which commences from tomorrow, of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 with their heads high as they take on Sindh at Gaddafi Stadium, the home of Pakistan cricket. Southern Punjab and Sindh have been the best sides in the competition to date as Southern Punjab lead the points table with 60 and Sindh are ranked second with 40. The match between these teams will be live-streamed through Pakistan Cricket Board’s official YouTube channel across the globe. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – who have same points as Sindh, but are ranked third – will play fourth-placed Central Punjab at Multan Cricket Stadium.  The two sides are joint-winners of the last Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and will be eager to bag crucial 16 points by securing a win to catch up with Southern Punjab. In the third match of the round, Balochistan, ranked fifth, and Northern, bottom-placed, will go head-to-head at Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium. After becoming the first side to face a defeat, Northern will be hoping to make a strong comeback with a win. The players selected for the national Test side for the two-Test series against Bangladesh will not feature in this round. As such, the six sides can call up reinforcements from their squads, announced at the start of the season. This is the last round of this Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2021-22 being played in Punjab. The last half of the tournament, including the final will be played in Karachi. Squads: Balochistan - Imran Butt (captain), Bismillah Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Akbar-ur-Rehman, Akif Javed, Amad Butt, Ayaz Tasawar, Azeem Ghumman, Gohar Faiz, Haris Sohail, Jalat Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Najeebullah Khan, Raza-ul-Hasan and Taj Wali Central Punjab – Ahmed Bashir, Ahmed Shehzad, Ali Zaryab, Bilawal Iqbal, Haider Ali, Imran Dogar, Junaid Ali (wicketkeeper), Muhammad Akhlaq (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Saad, Nisar Ahmed, Saad Nasim, Saif Badar, Waqas Maqsood and Zafar Gohar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Adil Amin, Arshadullah, Ashfaq Ahmed, Asif Afridi, Imran Khan Snr, Israrullah, Khalid Usman, Mehran Ibrahim, Musadiq Ahmed, Nabi Gul, Niaz Khan, Rehan Afridi (wicketkeeper), Sahibzada Farhan and Sameen Gul Northern – Umar Amin (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdul Faseeh, Ather Mehmood, Faizan Riaz, Kashif Ali, Mehran Mumtaz, Mubasir Khan, Mohammad Huraira, Munir Riaz, Musa Khan, Raza Hasan, Rohail Nazir (wicketkeeper), Sarmad Bhatti, Umar Waheed and Waqas Ahmed Sindh – Asad Shafiq (captain), Ammad Alam, Ahsan Ali, Junaid Ilyas, Khurram Manzoor, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Asghar, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Hassan, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Umar, Saad Khan, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan and Tabish Khan Southern Punjab – Umar Siddiq (captain and wicketkeeper), Adeel-ur-Rehman, Ali Usman, Aamer Yamin, Azam Khan (wicketkeeper), Hassan Khan, Imran Rafiq, Imran Randhawa, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Junaid, Naved Yasin, Tayyab Tahir, Yousaf Babar, Zain Abbas and Zia-ul-Haq Fixtures (17-20 November): Southern Punjab v Sindh – Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Central Punjab v Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan Northern v Balochistan – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad

Abdullah Asjad RAWALPINDI (November 16, 2021):-Mohammad Waqas representing Central Punjab U19 Blues hit century against Southern Punjab U19 Whites on the opening day of the National U19 Championship final being staged at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. After being put into bat, Central Punjab were dismissed for 337 in the 77th over. Right-handed batter Waqas struck 16 fours and three sixes during his 132-ball 101 innings. He was supported by opening batter Shawaiz Irfan who contributed 71 off 113 balls, hitting 12 fours. Waqas and Shawaiz added 12o runs for the third wicket. Southern Punjab’s Faisal Akram with his left-arm spin took four for 54, while Arafat Ahmed and Mohammad Ismail bagged two wickets apiece. At stumps, Southern Punjab U19 Whites were 35 for no loss in nine overs. Scores in brief: Central Punjab U19 Blues v Southern Punjab U19 Whites – Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi Central Punjab U19 Blues 337 all out, 76.1 overs (Mohammad Waqas 101, Shawaiz Irfan 71, Abubakar 38, Ali Asfand 31; Faisal Akram 4-54, Arafat Ahmed 2-48, Mohammad Ismail 2-68) Southern Punjab U19 Whites 35-0, nine overs (Aun Shehzad 19 not out, Arafat Ahmed 16 not out)

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (November 16, 2021):-Mujtaba Ali Khan posted a big win in the ongoing ITF Pakistan ITA-Midcourt International Junior Tennis Championships after defeating high ranked Yunes Talawar in the Boys’ Singles at PTF Tennis Complex Islamabad on Tuesday. Salim Saifullah Khan President, Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) visited PTF Complex and witnessed the matches and appreciated the performance of the players. Also, Tariq Mahmood Murtaza President Islamabad Tennis Association (ITA) and Chairman Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) visited the PTF complex, interacted with the players. Results: Boys Singles (Round-II): Nikita Safonov (RUS) bt Raza Ghaus (PAK) 6-4, 6-4; Amir Asylkozhaev (RUS) bt Kohshi Ishibashi (JPN) 6-3, 6-0; Abhishek Thorat (USA) bt Aki Zuben Rawat (NEP) 6-0, 6-0; Aryan Giri (NEP) bt Bilal Asim 6-3, 7-5; Aarav Samrat Hada (NEP) bt Abdul Hanan 6-0, 6-1; Dmitry Bessonov (RUS) bt Ahmet Ataby 6-4, 6-2; Teano Balducci (FRA) bt Hamid Israr (PAK) 7-6(7), 6-0; Mujtaba Ali Khan (USA) bt Yunes Talawar (IRI) 6-1, 6-0 Girls Singles (Round-II): Sharvani Shrestha (NEP) bt Amara Khan(PAK) 6-0, 6-1;Taylor Goetz (USA) bt Amna Ali Qayum (PAK) 6-0, 6-1; Abhilasha Bista (NEP) bt Zainab Ali Raja 6-1,6-0; Sai Harshitaa Adivi (IND) bt Fatima Ali Raja(PAK) 6-1,6-1; Ekaterina Suvorova (RUS) bt Soha Ali (PAK) 6-0,6-0; Olga Sorochkina (RUS) bt Zara Khan (PAK) 6-0,6-1; Natalia Zaman (PAK) bt Sheeza Sajid(PAK) 2-6,7-6(3),6-4;Daria Stefania Malaescu (ROU) bt Zahra Suleman(PAK) 6-2,6-0 Boys Doubles (Round-I): Nikita Safonov (RUS) / Fedor Sosedkin (RUS) bt Ahmed Nael Qureshi (PAK) / Hussnain Ali Rizwan(PAK) 7-5,6-1;Aarav Samrat Hada / Aki Zuben Rawat (NEP) bt Jai Dutta (USA) Raza Ghaus(PAK) 6-2,6-3; Abdullah Adnan (PAK) / Sami Zeb Khan (PAK) bt Ahmet Atabay (TUR) / Yunes Talawar (IRI) 7-5,7-6(7)