Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 17, 2020):-In the light of World Health Organization (WHO) and Pakistan government directives regarding preventive measures to combat corona virus pandemic, Pakistan Hockey Federation has postponed all district and national level tournaments till the end of April. Training plans has been sent to players so that they could continue individual training in their home. The plan includes details about physical training, hockey skills and diet, which has been communicated through the emails. The team management including coaches, assistant coaches and physical trainers would be responsible to implement the training plan by keeping in touch with players regularly. The precautionary decision has been made to better protect the health and safety of the players, officials and staff. The offices of Pakistan Hockey Federation have been urged to take precautionary measures and follow standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing. In the meantime, the PHF has advised everyone to avoid shaking hands and make a safe distance while talking to each other. Precautions: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands Avoid close contact with sick people Avoid travel if you are sick If you have a cough or fever, then seek medical review Stay home when you are sick Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 17, 2020):-The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today (Tuesday) postponed the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 with immediate effect and the two semi-finals and the final will be rescheduled for a later date. This decision was taken after a player, who had left Pakistan a few days ago, showed symptoms of COVID-19 and he will undergo screening shortly. The PCB, as part of its duty of care, has made arrangements for all the players and players support staff of the four semi-finalists, match officials, franchise owners and production crew to undergo precautionary tests and has strongly advised them to wait for the results prior to undertaking any travel. PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan said: “This is absolutely the right thing to do after an overseas player, who will be tested in his country shortly, has shown symptoms of COVID-19. “The PCB has also facilitated the process of carrying out immediate tests of all those who were involved with the HBL Pakistan Super League. “This is an unprecedented situation, which is evolving with each passing day. The PCB has closely monitored the situation and had taken precautionary measures including consultation with relevant authorities and temperature screening of players, officials and media on match and non-match days. “The PCB believes it has made the right decisions in the lead up to the postponement of the tournament that included consulting the team owners, holding the matches behind closed doors, allowing the players the option to withdraw from the tournament, rescheduling of the matches and reducing the number of event days. “Obviously before postponing the tournament, we took into confidence the team owners. “The PCB will use its reach and influence to play its part in all government’s drives and initiatives to create awareness and dealing with this pandemic. The PCB hopes and prays that normalcy returns quickly to our society so that everyone can return to a healthy and routine lifestyle and we can bring back cricket to the fans.” The PCB has suspended its all domestic competitions and cricket activities.

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 16, 2020):-The Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards have decided to postpone the upcoming One-Day International and Test in Karachi for a later date. The two boards will now work together to identify a future opportunity to complete the ICC World Test Championship commitment. The first Test of the series was played in Rawalpindi from 7-10 February, which Pakistan won by an innings and 44 runs. The Bangladesh men’s national cricket team was due to arrive in Karachi on 29 March to play an ODI on 1 April and the second ICC World Test Championship Test from 5-9 April. Meanwhile, the PCB has also indefinitely postponed the Pakistan Cup one-day tournament, which was scheduled to start from 25 March.

SB News ISLAMABAD (March 16, 2020):-Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza has joined Peshawar Zalmi as a Silver category player, it was announced on Monday. The 33-year-old will join Zalmi, who take on table-toppers Multan Sultans in the first semi-final on Tuesday at 2pm, today. Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars have included Pakistan batsman Abid Ali and Salman Ali Agha in their line-up. Both players come in as Silver category players. Qalandars take on arch-rivals Karachi Kings in the second semi-final on Tuesday at 7pm. The inclusions have been approved by the Event Technical Committee which includes PCB CEO Wasim Khan, Bazid Khan, Marina Iqbal, Sameer Khosa and Dr Sohail Saleem. Semi-finals on Tuesday: Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, 2pm Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium, 7pm

By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (March 16, 2020):-Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has postponed the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) International Squash Championship for Men & Women, which was scheduled to be taken place at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad from April 3 to 6 this year 2020. According to an official of PSF, owing to corona virus federation decided to postpone the international fixture. The corona virus is escalating and health & safety issues arising from the global outbreak of COVID-19, subject tournament has been postponed in consultation with Professional Squash Association (PSA) and concerned government authorities of Pakistan.  Revised dates of the tournament would be announced in due course of time.  PSA has also been approached for rescheduling of tournament in September time frame as per the slot available in PSA calendar.

By Our Special Correspondent ISLAMABAD (March 16, 2020):-The action-packed group-stage of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 concluded on Sunday and such has been the intensity of the competition that it took all 30 games for the semi-final line-up to be decided. Over the course of the last week, players and teams tumbled many individual records as fans continued to enjoy riveting contests. Statistican Mazher Arshad recaps the third week of the HBL PSL 2020. Chris Lynn’s best Chris Lynn took Lahore Qalandars to the HBL PSL 2020 semi-finals with his T20 career-best performance. The Australian batsman smashed 113 not out off 55 balls, his highest score in the format, in a must-win game against Multan Sultans at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. This was also his only second century in T20 cricket. This was the first-ever century by a Lahore Qalandars’ batsman in the history of HBL PSL and eighth overall. Previously, highest score by a Qalandars’ batsman was registered by Ben Dunk when he thundered his way to 99 not out against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium in the ongoing edition. Lynn reached 50 off 22 balls which is the joint-fastest for Qalandars along with Umar Akmal’s 22-ball 50 against Quetta Gladiators in Dubai in 2016. Most sixes in an innings Lahore Qalandars batsman Ben Dunk broke his own record of most sixes in an innings in HBL PSL from the previous week. Dunk had hit 10 sixes against Quetta Gladiators in Lahore. He bettered it by hitting 12 sixes this time against Karachi Kings and helped his team to chase 188. The Australian batsman finished at 99 not out becoming the first batsman in T20 history to have two scores of 99 as he had registered a similar score for NMB Giants in the Mzansi Super League last year. Lahore’s chasing record Lahore Qalandars are the first team in HBL PSL to successfully chase 180-plus targets on four occasions. Three of those instances have come in this year’s edition as they scaled 188 against Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi and 187 against Multan Sultans (all three at the Gaddafi Stadium). Last year, they chased 201 against Sultans in Sharjah. Quetta Gladiators have chased 180-plus targets thrice, Karachi Kings have done it twice and Islamabad United have done it once. Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans are the two teams who are yet to achieve the feat. New finalist As the HBL PSL 2020 semi-finals will be played between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars, there will be at least one new finalist this year. Sultans, Kings and Qalandars have never featured in a final. In the last four editions, only three teams played the HBL PSL finals. Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators have featured in three finals, while Islamabad United have played in two. It is also first time in the HBL PSL that Gladiators and United have failed to go beyond the group-stage. Six to start the innings Karachi Kings’ opener Sharjeel Khan achieved a unique feat in HBL PSL when he hit six off the first ball of the innings against Islamabad United at National Stadium Karachi. No batsman before Sharjeel had kicked off the innings with a six. He hit one more six and two fours in that over taking the overall tally to 20 runs. It was first time in PSL that Kings scored 20 runs in the first over of an innings. 10-wicket win Sharjeel Khan also had an unbeaten opening partnership of 151 runs with Babar Azam in Karachi Kings’ home match against Lahore Qalandars, making it the only second instance in HBL PSL where a team won by 10 wickets. Previously, Peshawar Zalmi was the only team to win by 10 wickets, also against Qalandars, at Sharjah in 2018. The unbeaten 151-run partnership between Sharjeel and Babar was the fourth highest for any wicket in HBL PSL. Youngest to score 50 in HBL PSL At 19 years and 160 days, Peshawar Zalmi’s emerging player Haider Ali became the youngest to score a half-century in the tournament when he smashed 69 off 43 balls against Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium. Haider is the first teenager to register half-century in HBL PSL. The previous record belonged to Islamabad United’s Hussain Talat, who was 20 years and 74 days old, when he hit 56 off 39 against Quetta Gladiators in Dubai in 2017. Best Powerplay performance Banking on Samit Patel’s career-best T20 figures of four for five, Lahore Qalandars had the best Powerplay outing as a bowling unit when they reduced Quetta Gladiators to 21 for six in six overs in Lahore. Only once before had a team (Peshawar Zalmi against Qalandars in Dubai in 2017) had taken six wickets in the Powerplay but that came at cost of 45 runs. 350 wickets milestone Sohail Tanvir’s match-winning spell of three wickets for Multan Sultans against Peshawar Zalmi made him the first Pakistani and only sixth in the world to 350 wickets in T20 cricket. Among pacers, Tanvir (351 wickets) is now only behind Lasith Malinga (390) and Dwayne Bravo (497) whereas Shakib Al Hasan (354), Imran Tahir (365) and Sunil Narine (379) are the three spinners who have more wickets than him. Another feature of Tanvir’s bowling in this year’s HBL PSL has been his economy rate. Of players who have bowled at least 20 overs in the tournament, he is the only bowler with an economy rate below 7.00 with 6.80.

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 16, 2020):-Aleem Dar and Michael Gough, both from the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, will be involved in this week’s semi-finals and final of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 at the Gaddafi Stadium. On Tuesday afternoon at 2pm, Aleem, who has officiated in the most number of matches in the HBL PSL (42), will be joined by the ICC international panel’s Ahsan Raza as an on-field umpire for the first semi-final between Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi. Shozab Raza and Tariq Rasheed will be third and fourth umpires, respectively, while Mohammad Anees will lead the Playing Control Team. Later in the day at 7pm, England’s Michael Gough will carry-out on-field umpiring duties with Rashid Riaz, also a member of the ICC’s international panel, for the mouth-watering Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars fixture. Asif Yaqoob and Faisal Afridi will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively while Sri Lanka’s Roshan Mahanama will be the match referee. On Wednesday, 18 March, Aleem and Gough will combine to umpire in the second HBL PSL final at the Gaddafi Stadium to date. While this will be Aleem’s third HBL PSL final, for Gough, this will be his maiden appearance. Ahsan Raza and Rashid Riaz will be the third and fourth umpires, respectively. Roshan Mahanama will be the match referee. Upcoming fixtures March 17, 2020:–Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi (1st semi-final) (2pm-5.15pm). Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza (on-field umpires), Shozab Raza (third umpire), Tariq Rasheed (fourth umpire); Mohammad Anees (match referee). Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars (2nd semi-final) (7pm-10.15pm). Rashid Riaz and Michael Gough (on-field umpires), Asif Yaqoob (third umpire), Faisal Afridi (fourth umpire); Roshan Mahanama (match referee) (both matches at Gaddafi Stadium) March 18, 2020:-Final, Gaddafi Stadium, 7pm-10.15pm. Aleem Dar and Michael Gough (on-field umpires), Ahsan Raza (third umpire), Rashid Riaz (fourth umpire); Roshan Mahanama (match referee)

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2020):-It went down to the 30th and final league match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 before the semi-final line-up was completed on Sunday. In the first semi-final on Tuesday at 2pm at the Gaddafi Stadium, Multan Sultans will face former champions Peshawar Zalmi, while in the second semi-final, which will commence at 7pm at the Gaddafi Stadium, Karachi Kings will lock horns with home side Lahore Qalandars. In the league matches, Sultans defeated  Zalmi by six wickets and three runs to lead 2-0 on head to head this year. In contrast, Kings and Qalandars are even in this edition with Kings avenging an eight-wicket loss in Lahore with a 10-wicket win in Karachi. Tuesday’s fixtures: Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, 2pm Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, Gaddafi Stadium, 7pm Wednesday fixture: Final – Gaddafi Stadium, 7pm

Sports Reporter ISLAMABAD (March 15, 2020):-Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation (PTBF) has postponed the 13th National Tenpin Bowling Championship 2020 due to Corona virus. General Secretary, Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation, Mohammad Hussain Chatha announced on Sunday that the 13th National Tenpin Bowling Championship was to be played at Karachi from March 25 to 30, under the auspices of Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation in collaboration with Sindh Tenpin Bowling Association. He said that the decision of postponement of Championship was taken in Emergency Committee meeting held under the Chairmanship of Ijazur Rehman, President PTBF under special instructions of government.

SB Report LAHORE (March 15, 2020):-Chris Lynn scored his career-best 113 not out as Lahore Qalandars defeated Multan Sultans by nine wickets at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to book a spot in the HBL PSL 2020 semi-finals. This was the 29-year-old’s second century in T20 cricket in which he smashed 12 fours and eight sixes. Over the course of his 55-ball knock, Lynn crafted a blazing 100-run opening partnership – stretching over 54 balls – with Fakhar Zaman, who scored his second half-century of the season, that set the tone for Qalandars to surmount the 187-run target with seven balls spare. He then paired with Sohail Akhtar for an unbeaten 91-run stand in which the Qalandars captain mostly took the backseat to watch Lynn smack Sultans’ bowlers all over the dial. Qalandars’ openers made the most of the Powerplay overs, smoking 12 fours and a six to bring up 72 runs in 36 balls. Fakhar scored an impressive 57 – which included seven fours and two sixes – in his 35-ball-long stay at the crease. He was stumped off Usman Qadir, playing his maiden HBL PSL match, on the last ball of the ninth over. That the Qalandars’ batsmen had a towering total to chase was due to Khushdil Shah’s blistering 70 not out, which he had scored at a strike rate of 241. The left-handed batsman came into bat with Sultans 79 for three in 11 overs and clubbed five fours and six sixes. The 25-year-old showcased his batting prowess in the death overs as he clobbered Haris Rauf for two and three maximums in the 17th and 20th overs respectively and dispatched Dilbar Hussain for three fours and a six in the 18th over as Sultans piled up 77 runs in the last five overs. Prior to Khushdil’s arrival at the crease, Shan Masood (42 off 29) and Ravi Bopara (33 off 36) knitted a 75-run stand to provide stability to Sultans’ innings after the dismissals of their openers Moeen Ali (one off five) and Zeeshan Ashraf (two off three) in the first two overs. Qalandars’ Shaheen Shah Afridi and David Wiese dismissed two batsmen each, while Mohammad Hafeez picked up a wicket. Despite the defeat, Multan Sultans finish the group-stage at the top of the points table with 14 points from six wins. Lahore Qalandars finish at the third spot with 10 points – coming from five wins. Scores in brief: Multan Sultans 186-6, 20 overs (Khushdil Shah 70 not out, Shan Masood 42, Ravi Bopara 33, Rohail Nazir 24; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-23, David Wiese 2-24) Lahore Qalandars 191-1, 18.5 overs (Chris Lynn 113 not out, Fakhar Zaman 57) Result Lahore Qalandars win by nine wickets