Sports Bulletin

Rawalpindi (PCB Report) Hard-hitting opener Hasan Nawaz smashed a fiery half century while Khushdil Shah produced an all-round show as Nurpur Lions beat ABL Stallions by three wickets in the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Tuesday. Hasan has been impressing most of the cricket experts with his clean hitting and that was on show as he led the chase for Nurpur Lions. The winners overhauled the 169-run target for the loss of seven wickets with an over to spare.ABL Stallions were all out off the final delivery for 168.Despite the defeat the ABL Stallions were still top of the five-team table with eight points in six games, winning four and losing two games. Nurpur Lions are now third on the table, behind UMT Markhors (second) with six points. They have won three and lost three matches.Lake City Panthers also have six points but are fourth with an inferior net run-rate to Lions. Engro Dolphins have yet to open their account after losing all their five matches.Hasan launched an attack right from the word go and despite losing his opening partner, Imam-ul-Haq for four in the second over, he did not relent. He added 41 for the second wicket with Shahzaib Khan (six). Another 43 were added between Hasan and Mohammad Taha (21 off 18 balls with two sixes). ABL Stallions mentor Shoaib Malik then derailed the chase with wickets of Hasan in the 15th over, leaving 47 to defend in the last five overs. Shoaib also accounted for Khushdil Shah for 10, but Rohail Nazir kept his cool with an innings of 26 not out off 12 balls spiced with three fours and a six to seal the win.Earlier, sent into bat, Hussain Talat once again came to his team’s rescue as he hit a 29-ball 43 with the help of five boundaries and a six. He added 42 for the fifth wicket with Shoaib who made a 16-ball 22 with a boundary and a six.The two were given a good platform by Maaz Sadaqat, who made 34 off 27 balls with three fours and a six.Maaz and young Shamyl Hussain put on a brisk 46 run opening stand by just 5.2 overs. Shamyl’s run-a-ball 18 had one six. Ubaid Shah gave a final flurry to the innings, smashing two sixes and a four in his six-ball 17.ABL Stallions lost three wickets in the last over, including two run outs. Fast bowler Musa Khan was the best of the bowlers with 3-32. Khushdil Shah took 2-30 while Shahid Aziz finished with 2-35.Scores in brief:(Nurpur Lions beat ABL Stallions by three wickets)ABL Stallions 168 all out in 20 overs (Hussain Talat 43, Maaz Sadaqat 34, Shoaib Malik 22, Shamyl Hussain 18; Musa Khan 3-32, Khushdil Shah 2-30, Shahid Aziz 2-35)Nurpur Lions 169-7 in 19 overs (Hasan Nawaz 74, Rohail Nazir 26 not out, Mohammad Taha 21; Maaz Sadaqat 2-16, Shoaib Malik 2-26)Player of the match – Hasan Nawaz (Nurpur Lions).

Rawalpindi (PCB Report): ABL Stallions had the better of Engro Dolphins to come back to winning ways, taking the match by just five runs while Lake City Panthers crushed UMT Markhors by six wickets as the double header in Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup excited the crowds at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Friday.With the victory Stallions are now top of the five-team table with three wins in four matches, accumulating six points. Markhors suffered their first loss but were still second with six points in four matches.Young Ubaid Shah, sibling of Test fast bowler Naseem Shah, held his nerves to defend 14 off the final over and despite being hit for a six by Salman Irshad came out with flying colours, conceding eight runs to give Stallions victory. Dolphins managed to score 185-9 in 20 overs.Chasing a big 191 for victory, Dolphins were treated well on tough waters as Sahibzada Farhan, who scored a brisk 59 off 38 balls with six boundaries and two sixes held the innings. Young Qasim Akram was good in support with a rapid 24-ball 37, spiced with two sixes and four boundaries. Together they added 46 off 27 balls.When skipper Faheem Ashraf came to the crease, Dolphins needed 51 runs in 4.1 overs. Left-hand batter Faheem cracked two sixes and a four in his 12-ball 25 but in the end his runs were not enough.For Stallions, spinners Usman Tariq (2-22) and Mehran Mumtaz (2-32) checked the run chase, while pacer Mohammad Ali finished with 2-34. The most notable point of the match was the return of promising fast bowler Ihsanullah after being sidelined with elbow injury.Earlier, all-rounder Hussain Talat kept his good form intact, scoring 57 not out off just 34 balls. His knock included two sixes and five boundaries. Hussain added a good 109 runs off just 56 balls with Mohammad Mohsin. Mohsin’s eye-catching knock of 55 came off 32 balls which contained four boundaries and as many sixes. The duo smashed a big 65 runs in the last five overs. Leg-spinner Mohammad Ramiz Jnr was the pick of bowlers with 2-29.In the second match, Haider Ali smashed a 29-ball 62 to help Lake City Panthers chase a 164-run target in 18.5 overs. Haider smashed five sixes and four boundaries in an eye-catching knock. Umar Siddiq (30) and Sharjeel Khan (23) laid the foundation with an opening stand of 52. Haider and Mubasir Khan furthered the chase with a third wicket stand of 65. Haider hit the winning six to seal the match.The UMT Markhors’ total of 163 for eight saw young local boy Saad Masood play an anchor’s role with a 39-ball 63 not out. His innings was laced with two sixes and six boundaries. Saad lifted his team from a precarious 7-70 as he kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 35 for the eighth wicket with Nisar Ahmed (21) and another invaluable 58 for the ninth wicket with Akif Javed who made only six. Nisar cracked two sixes in his ten-ball 21.Scores in brief:ABL Stallions beat Engro Dolphins by five runsABL Stallions 190-4 in 20 overs (Hussain Talat 57 not out, Mohammad Mohsin 55, Yasir Khan 36; Mohammad Ramiz Jnr 2-29)Engro Dolphins 185-9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 59, Qasim Akram 37, Faheem Ashraf 25; Usman Tariq 2-22, Mehran Mumtaz 2-32, Mohammad Ali 2-34)Player of the match: Mohammad Mohsin (ABL Stallions)Lake City Panthers beat UMT Markhors by six wicketsUMT Markhors 163-8 in 20 overs (Saad Masood 63 not out, Abdul Samad 24; Usama Mir 2-14)Lake City Panthers 169-4 in 18.5 overs (Haider Ali 62 not out, Mubasir Khan 32, Umar Siddiq 30; Mohammad Imran Jnr 2-17)Player of the match: Haider Ali (Lake City Panthers). 

Rawalpindi (PCB Report): UMT Markhors and Nurpur Lions recorded wins by three and 35 runs respectively, in contrasting styles on the sixth day of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup at Rawalpindi cricket stadium on Thursday, perching Markhors on top of the five-team table.Markhors scored 170-6 on the back of a rapid 32-ball 39 by opener Fakhar Zaman who shared a solid opening stand of 74 with Khawaja Mohammad Nafay who hit a 30-ball 36. While Fakhar smashed a six and five boundaries, Nafay was more aggressive with three sixes and a boundary.No.3 batter Mohammad Shahzad struck 28 off 25 balls with the help of two sixes and experienced Mohammad Nawaz knocked an unbeaten 13-ball 28 with one four and two sixes to lift the total. Usman Tariq with 2-20 and Tahir Hussain, who returned figures of 2-36 were the pick of Stallions bowlers.ABL Stallions lost Yasir Khan (17, 10b, 2x4s, 1x6) early but Maaz Sadaqat (82, 53b, 10x4s, 2x6s) and Mohammad Haris rescued the innings with a strong 59-run stand off 41 balls for the second wicket. Haris fell after scoring a fiery 16-ball 22 with a six and a four as it was left to Maaz to help the team cross the target. Team mentor Shoaib Malik chipped in with a 21-ball 16 as Stallions slumped from 127-2 in 15 overs to lose four wickets for 15 runs, including the well set Maaz.Stallions needed 19 in the last over but fast bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr conceded 15 to steal the match.This became the third consecutive win for UMT Markhors while ABL Stallions suffered their first defeat after two wins.In the second match, Nurpur Lions scored 194-5 in 20 overs against Engro Dolphins. Their skipper Imam-ul-Haq knocked a brilliant 48-ball 65 and Hasan Nawaz hit 34-ball 50 in a solid 100-run partnership in 11.3 overs. Hasan, smashed three sixes and four boundaries while Imam's knock had seven boundaries and a six.Khushdil Shah, batting at No.5, blasted an unbeaten 22-ball 57 not out with six maximums and two boundaries as Nurpur Lions added a big 64 in the last five overs. Dolphins' Qasim Akram picked up three wickets for 21 runs in his four overs.In reply, Sahibzada Farhan and Mirza Tahir Baig gave Dolphins a robust start of 57 in six overs. Tahir fell for 29 off 16 balls laced with a six and three boundaries. Muhammad Akhlaq fell without scoring. Farhan then added 51 for the third wicket with Umar Amin who made a 19-ball 25 with two fours and a six.But once Farhan fell for 54 off 42 balls including three sixes and as many boundaries the chase fell apart. Skipper Faheem Ashraf tried valiantly with a cameo of 12-ball 27 with two sixes and as many fours but the asking rate soared beyond 15 an over.Fast bowler Musa Khan was the pick of bowlers with 4-23 while Khushdil and Shahid Aziz fetched two wickets apiece. Lions have now won two of their four matches while Dolphins are winless in three outings.Scores in brief (Markhors beat Stallions by 3 runs in Game-7):UMT Markhors 170-6 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 39, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 36, Mohammad Nawaz 28 not out, Mohammad Shahzad 28; Usman Tariq 2-20, Tahir Hussain 2-36)ABL Stallions 167-6 in 20 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 82, Mohammad Haris 22; Nisar Ahmed 3-23)Player of the match - Nisar Ahmed (UMT Markhors)Game 8 (Nurpur Lions beat Engro Dolphins by 35 runs)Nurpur Lions 194-5 in 20 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 65, Khushdil Shah 57 not out, Hasan Nawaz 50; Qasim Akram 3-21)Engro Dolphins 159 all out in 19.4 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 54, Mirza Tahir Baig 29, Faheem Ashraf 27, Umar Amin 25; Musa Khan 4-23, Khushdil Shah 2-22, Shahid Aziz 2-35)Player of the match -- Khushdil Shah (Nurpur Lions)Today’s fixtures: Allied Bank Stallions vs Engro Dolphins, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (11am)Lake City Panthers vs UMT Markhors, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (3.30pm) 

Rawalpindi (PCB Report): Fast bowler Shahid Aziz took four wickets while skipper Imam-ul-Haq and Hasan Nawaz hit solid forties to lead Nurpur Lions to an eight-wicket win over Lake City Panthers here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.Chasing a modest 124-run target, Nurpur Lions crossed the line in 14.3 overs for the loss of two wickets after they were set up by Shahid's potent 4-20 which restricted Lake City Panthers to 123 all out in 19.2 overs.Imam and Hasan set up the win with a confident 79-run opening stand in 9.1 overs. Hasan hit three sixes and four boundaries in his fiery 31-ball 44 while Imam's 38-ball 45 had five hits to the rope. Pakistan U19 batter Shahzaib Khan chipped in with a 17-ball 28 not out, cracking two sixes and a four.With the win, Nurpur Lions opened their account in the five-team competition after losing their first two games. Lake City Panthers have now lost two and won one in their three outings. Sent into bat, Panthers lost opener Sharjeel Khan for five before Umar Siddiq, who scored a 28-ball 26 with two sixes and as many fours, added 45 for the second wicket with Haider Ali (26, 20b, 2x4s, 1x6).Shahid, Khushdil Shah (2-26) and Musa Khan (2-32) triggered a middle-order collapse which saw Lake City Panthers slumping from 62-1 to 99-6. It was Danish Aziz who rescued Panthers to a respectable total with a solid 27-ball 34 which were studded with four boundaries and a six.Scores in brief (Nurpur Lions beat Lake City Panthers by 8 wickets):Lake City Panthers 123 all out in 19.2 overs (Danish Aziz 34, Haider Ali 26, Umar Siddiq 26; Shahid Aziz 4-20, Khushdil Shah 2-26, Musa Khan 2-32)Nurpur Lions 126-2 in 14.3 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 45, Hasan Nawaz 44, Shahzaib Khan 28 not out)Player of the match: Shahid Aziz (Nurpur Lions)Thursday’s Fixtures: ABL Stallions vs UMT Markhors at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (11am); Engro Dolphins vs Nurpur Lions at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (3pm).

RAWALPIND (PCB Report)I: Opening batter Khawaja Mohammad Nafay smashed a fiery half century to anchor UMT Markhors’ two-wicket win over a fighting Engro Dolphins on the fourth day of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.Nafay’s 41-ball 68 spiced with four sixes and as many fours guided UMT Markhors to overhaul the modest 129-run target in 18.5 overs to give Markhors their second win in as many games. The Misbah-ul-Haq mentored team is now second with four points while ABL Stallions are top of the table, also with four points from two matches but have a superior net run-rate.22-year-old Nafay from Karachi lifted his team from the early loss of Fakhar Zaman (nought), Mohammad Shahzad (11, 9b, 2x4s) and Abdul Samad (1, 3b), adding 29 for the fourth wicket with skipper Iftikhar Ahmed who made five.Spinner Qasim Akram dismissed Nafay leg-before and then two more wickets fell as Dolphins fought back but Mohammad Nawaz made sure the chase was completed with a cautious 19-ball 18 not out including two fours while Akif Javed hit the winning boundary.Dolphins, who have now lost both their matches, were given an ideal start by fast bowler Sameen Gul who took three early wickets but other than him no bowler could detrack the rampaging Markhors.Earlier, sent into bat, Engro Dolphins lost Sahibzada Farhan in the first over, without scoring. Mohammad Akhlaq hit a 33-ball 40 studded with two sixes and three boundaries while Mirza Tahir Baig knocked 28-ball 29 with two sixes and a boundary.Dolphins were relying on vice-captain Qasim Akram who scored 14 and experienced batter Umar Amin who managed just 11 as they slumped from 81-2 to 128-9. Nawaz grabbed 3-28 while fast-rising pacer Akif Javed finished with 2-33.Scores in brief (UMT Markhors beat Engro Dolphins by two wickets):Engro Dolphins 128-9 in 20 overs (Mohammad Akhlaq 40, Mirza Tahir Baig 29; Mohammad Nawaz 3-28, Akif Javed 2-33)UMT Markhors 132-8 in 18.5 overs (Khawaja Mohammad Nafay 68, Mohammad Nawaz 18 not out; Sameen Gul 3-23, Qasim Akram 2-11)Player of the match: Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (UMT Markhors)Wednesday’s fixture: Nurpur Lions vs Lake City Panthers, 12pm at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium

A couple of performances, Umar Siddiq (78 runs), Ahmed Butt (3 for 19), sail Panthers to a big winAbdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: A couple of performances, Umar Siddiq (78 runs), Ahmed Butt (3 for 19), guided Lake City Panthers to a comprehensive victory by 8 wickets against Engro Dolphins in the 3rd game of the ongoing Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup 2024 here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday.Siddiq's aggressive 53-ball knock was spiced with four towering sixes and eight boundaries. He gave Lake City Panthers a rollicking start with 33 coming in the first three overs and by the tenth over they had reached 86 for the loss of Sharjeel Khan 14.Siddiq and stand-in skipper Haider Ali, deputising for unfit Shadab Khan, added a rapid 101 for the second wicket to bring their team within 23 runs of victory. Mubasir Khan, who scored 16 not out, hit the winning six as the 161-run target was achieved in 16 overs. Haider's 28-ball 46 contained five boundaries and two sixes.Engro Dolphnis’ total of 160-8 showed most of the batters got starts but did not make it big, with promising youngster Mohammad Huraira the highest scorer with a 32-ball 37 that contained four boundaries and a six.Mohammad Suleman struck two sixes and a boundary in his 27-ball 34 while Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (27, 16b, 3x4s, 1x6) and Shayan Sheikh (20, 12b, 4x4s) chipped in with useful contributions as 55 runs came in the last five overs. For Panthers, all-rounder Amad Butt was the pick of the bowlers with 3-19 while Mohammad Ibtisam finished with 2-30.Scores in brief (Game-3):Results: Lake City Panthers beat Engro Dolphins by eight wicketsEngro Dolphins 160-8 in 20 overs (Mohammad Huraira 37, Mohammad Suleman 34, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori 27, Shayan Sheikh 20; Amad Butt 3-19, Mohammad Ibtisam 2-30)Lake City Panthers 161-2 in 16 overs (Umar Siddiq 78 not out, Haider Ali 46)Player of the match: Umar Siddiq (Lake City Panthers)Monday’s fixture: Allied Bank Stallions vs Nurpur Lions, 12pm, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Markhors hunt Nupur Lions by 4 wickets, Stallions overcome Panthers by 35 runsAbdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: UMT Markhors and ABL Stallions posted victories after beating Nupur Lions by 4 wickets and Panthers by 35 runs respectively in the first and second match of the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup that commenced here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.The two matches saw a number of talented players displaying their talent, with the 19-year-old local boy Saad Masood playing a man-of-the-match role in UMT Markhors’ win over Nurpur Lions in the opening game. The highlight of day one was a superlative century by experienced international all-rounder Hussain Talat who smashed an unbeaten 50-ball 101 for ABL Stallions, his maiden T20 century. In the first match UMT Markhors’ Masood finished with 2-20 and was ably supported by Mohammad Sarwar Afridi (2-11) and Nisar Ahmed (2-21) to keep Lions down to 150-7. For Lions Mohammad Awais Zafar top-scored with a 34-ball 40 with five boundaries. Hasan Nawaz hit a rapid 13-ball 22 with one six and three boundaries.Markhors’ chase was anchored by opener Fakhar Zaman who scored a 25-ball 28 with a six and three fours before skipper Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten 34-ball 42 with two sixes and a boundary crossed the line in company of Masood, sharing an unbroken 50-run stand for the seventh wicket.In the Allied Bank Stallions win, Talat and Haris shared a rampaging 128-run third wicket stand after Lake City Panthers sent them into bat. Talat cracked a dozen boundaries and three maximums. Opener Yasir Khan gave Stallions a brisk start with a 15-ball 27 inclusive of two sixes and three boundaries.The chase for Lake City Panthers started on a wrong note when their skipper Shadab Khan was ruled out and could not bat due to back pain. Haider Ali (26-ball 54) smashed four towering sixes and five boundaries in his 26-ball cracker and during his third wicket stand of 40 with Mubasir Khan (19-ball 29 with three fours and a six) it looked like their team would succeed in the chase. But spinner Usman Tariq, who took 3-25, removed Haider to halt the progress. In the end City Lake Panthers managed 181 in 19.1 overs. Pacer Mohammad Ali also bagged three wickets in his four overs giving away 33 runs. Scores in brief:Match 1 - UMT Markhors beat Nurpur Lions by four wickets, Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumNurpur Lions 150-7, 20 overs (Muhammad Awais Zafar 40 not out, Hasan Nawaz 22; Mohammad Sarwar Afridi 2-11, Saad Masood 2-20, Nisar Ahmed 2-21)UMT Markhors 154-6, 19 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 42 not out, Fakhar Zaman 28, Saad Masood 26 not out; Mohammad Salman 3-21, Shahid Aziz 2-27)Player of the match – Saad Masood (UMT Markhors)Match 2 - ABL Stallions beat Lake City Panthers by 35 runs, Rawalpindi Cricket StadiumABL Stallions 216-3, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 101 not out, Mohammad Haris 55, Yasir Khan 27; Mohammad Ibtisam 2-36)Lake City Panthers 181 all out, 19.1 overs (Haider Ali 54, Mubasir Khan 29, Umar Siddiq 24, Amad Butt 23; Usman Tariq 3-25, Mohammad Ali 3-33, Tahir Hussain 2-41)Sunday’s Fixture:Lake City Panthers vs Engro Dolphins, 12pm.

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that the Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup will be held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 7 to 25 December. Five teams - ABL Stallions, Engro Dolphins, Lake City Panthers, Nurpur Lions, and UMT Markhors - will compete for the prestigious title.This marks the second event in the Champions Cup series, following the resounding success of the 50-over tournament held in Faisalabad in September. In that event, the Lake City Panthers had triumphed over the UMT Markhors in a closely contested final. Cricket fans had turned out in droves at the Iqbal Stadium to witness the 14-match extravaganza, showcasing some of the country’s finest talent.To build on this momentum, the PCB has strategically scheduled the Champions T20 Cup at the centrally located Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, featuring 22 matches over 19 days, including six double-headers and eight single-headers. Double-header matches will begin at 11am and 3.30pm, while single-header games are set for 12pm.A new cut-throat format has been introduced to enhance the competition’s intensity. The table-topper after the double-league stage will advance directly to the final, while the second and third-placed teams will face off in a Qualifier on 23 December at 3.30pm. The final is scheduled for 25 December at 3.30pm.The tournament format will also serve as a platform for emerging talent to showcase their skills, offering selectors valuable insights into players who could be groomed for the national team. Furthermore, standout performers may attract the attention of the HBL Pakistan Super League franchises as they prepare for the 2025 season and beyond.The Bahria Town Champions T20 Cup will kick off on 7 December with an exciting double-header: ABL Stallions vs Lake City Panthers, followed by Nurpur Lions vs UMT Markhors. First round matches will take place from 7 to 13 December, while the second round will run from 15 to 21 December.Champions T20 Cup (Schedule):Sat, 7 Dec: ABL Stallions v Lake City Panthers (11am); Nurpur Lions v UMT Markhors (3.30pm)Sun 8 Dec: Lake City Panthers v Engro Dolphins (12pm)Mon, 9 Dec: ABL Stallions v Nurpur Lions (12pm)Tues, 10 Dec: Engro Dolphins v UMT Markhors (12pm)Wed, 11 Dec: Nurpur Lions v Lake City Panthers (12pm)Thurs, 12 Dec: ABL Stallions v UMT Markhors (11am); Engro Dolphins v Nurpur Lions (3.30pm)Fri, 13 Dec: Lake City Panthers v UMT Markhors (11am); ABL Stallions v Engro Dolphins (3.30pm)Sun, 15 Dec: ABL Stallions v Lake City Panthers (11am); Nurpur Lions v UMT Markhors (3.30pm)Mon, 16 Dec: Lake City Panthers v Engro Dolphins (12pm)Tues, 17 Dec: ABL Stallions v Nurpur Lions (12pm)Wed, 18 Dec: Engro Dolphins v UMT Markhors (12pm)Thurs, 19 Dec: Nurpur Lions v Lake City Panthers (12pm)Fri, 20 Dec: ABL Stallions v UMT Markhors (11am); Engro Dolphins v Nurpur Lions (3.30pm)Sat, 21 Dec: Lake City Panthers v UMT Markhors (11am); ABL Stallions v Engro Dolphins (3.30pm)Mon, 23 Dec: Qualifier (Second ranked side v third ranked side) (3.30pm)Wed, 25 Dec: FINAL (3.30pm).

Sports Bulletin ReportTAXILA: The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Monday was showcased at the Taxila Museum, the historic Dharmarajika Stupa, and Khanpur Dam. Thousands of enthusiastic cricket fans visited and saw the trophy, and enjoyed a boat ride with the trophy at Khanpur Dam.The ICC Cricket Champions Trophy is being showcased in various cities across Pakistan, and as part of this tour, the trophy was brought to the historic city of Taxila. The trophy was displayed at the Taxila Museum, where thousands of cricket enthusiasts, including women, men, and children, gathered to catch a glimpse. The crowd was overjoyed to see the trophy up close and took numerous photographs with it.The trophy was also showcased at another historic site in Taxila, the Dharmarajika Stupa. Later, it was taken to Khanpur Dam, where it was given a boat ride, allowing fans to enjoy the trophy in a unique setting.  

Lahore (PR): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sumair Ahmad Syed as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) following approval by the Board of Governors in its 75th meeting, chaired by Mohsin Naqvi at the National Cricket Academy on Saturday afternoon.Sumair Ahmad, a seasoned civil servant with an extensive administrative experience, most recently served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. He assumes the Chief Operating Officer’s role from Salman Naseer, who has been appointed as Advisor to the PCB Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) department. Salman began his tenure as the Chief Operating Officer and had previously indicated he would not seek a contract renewal in a similar role upon the completion of his five-year term in February 2025.Welcoming Sumair Ahmad and expressing gratitude for Salman Naseer’s years of service, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said:“Sumair is an outstanding professional with proven administrative skills and deep industry knowledge. We are delighted to welcome him to the PCB family and are confident that under his leadership, we will continue to strengthen and improve our administrative structures, moving closer to our goal of becoming a model, high-performing organisation.“Salman has been an exemplary leader at the Pakistan Cricket Board, making invaluable contributions during his tenure as the Chief Operating Officer. His experience and insights have made him an asset to the PCB. Given our plans to establish PSL as an independent entity and to expand the league with two additional teams in 2026, we have appointed him as PSL’s Chief Executive Officer. He will also serve as Advisor to the PCB Chairman, ensuring his expertise continues to guide our strategic goals.”On his appointment, Sumair Ahmad said:“As a lifelong follower and supporter of Pakistan cricket, it is a profound honour for me to join this dynamic organisation as its Chief Operating Officer during these exciting and pivotal times. I am deeply grateful to the PCB Chairman and the Board of Governors for their trust and support. With the collaboration of my colleagues, I am eager to play a meaningful role here at PCB.“This organisation holds tremendous potential and cricket serves as a unifying force for the people of Pakistan.“During my tenure as Chief Operating Officer, I am committed to helping the Chairman bring his vision for Pakistan cricket to life. This vision centers on achieving success with our national teams, enhancing infrastructure, expanding opportunities for aspiring cricketers and ensuring good governance. I am excited to contribute to this journey and work towards making a lasting impact on the game that we all cherish.”Salman Naseer expressed gratitude and support for Sumair Ahmad:“It has been an honour and a privilege to lead the PCB’s management team as Chief Operating Officer. This journey has been deeply rewarding, as we collectively made significant progress and overcame various challenges.“I am grateful to the PCB Chairman for his trust and to my colleagues for their support, without which our successes would not have been possible.“I would also like to thank the Board of Governors for their guidance and look forward to contributing to Sumair’s success at the PCB. With the experience and commitment he brings, I am confident that the PCB will continue to grow stronger and reach new heights.”