Islamabad (Sports Desk):-Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, only 352 full internationals were played in 2020. Not since 1987 (323 matches) had so few games been played in a calendar year. By contrast, planet football made up for lost time in 2021 with a record breaking 1116 matches played. And while the quantity of games changed radically from one year to the next, the top ranked team in the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking has remained the same! For the fourth year in a row, Belgium (1st) ends the calendar year in pole position, albeit only just ahead of Brazil (2nd) by 2.1 points. France was (3rd) to complete the podium for 2021. For their part, Canada (40th) are the year’s ‘Most Improved Side’ having picked up no fewer than 130.32 points over the last 12 months. Their journey to the semi-finals of the 2021 Gold Cup, as well as the impressive results in FIFA World Cup Qatr 2022™ qualifying, have been major factors in their rise. Winners of UEFA EURO 2020 and the Copa America 2021 respectively, Italy (6th + 115.77 points compared to December 2020) and Argentina (5th +108.51 points compared to December 2020), have also seen their points tally increase dramatically this year. The same goes for the USA (11th + 103.51 points compared to December 2020) and England (4th + 85.52 points compared to December 2020). Equatorial Guinea (114th + 59.78 points compared to December 2020) made the most impressive progress among African teams, while Saudi Arabia (51st + 81.71 points compared to December 2020) did the same in Asia. However, just in terms of last month, the most improved Asian team are Indonesia (164th + 11.13 points). Winners of the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™, Algeria (29th +3) jointly made the best progress in terms of places, along with Qatar (48th + 3), who finished third at the tournament, and Thailand (115th +3).   

Aamir Ali Janjua Dubai (December 23, 2021: Fast bowlers Ahmed Khan, Awais Ali and Zeeshan Zameer blew away Afghanistan Under-19 as Pakistan Under-19 got off to a winning start in the Asian Cricket Cup (ACC) Under-19 Asia Cup with a four-wicket win at the ICC Cricket Academy Oval 2 on Thursday. Afghanistan, who won the toss and opted to bat first, have lost half of their batting side on just 12 runs. Nangeyalia Kharote, coming to bat at number-seven, was the only batter to score in double figures, 15 off 27, and struck three fours. Right-arm fast Ahmed took three for 21 from six overs which included dismissals of Suliman Safi (four off 19b), Ijaz Ahmad Ahmadzai (one off six) and Ijaz Ahmed Azad (first ball duck). Right-arm pacers Awais and Zeeshan grabbed two wickets apiece for nine and 12 runs, respectively. In their run-chase, Pakistan lost six wickets before achieving the target in the 17th over. Only two batters managed to enter into double figures with opening batter Maaz Sadaqat returning unbeaten on 14 off 46, hitting one four. For Afghanistan, Noor Ahmad picked three wickets for 20. Right-arm fast Bilal Sami bagged two wickets for 16. Pakistan U19 will take on India U19 in their second match of the tournament on 25 December at the same venue. Scores in brief: Pakistan U19 beat Afghanistan U19 by four wickets Afghanistan U19 52 all out, 23.1 overs (Nangeyalia Kharote 15; Ahmed Khan 3-21, Awais Ali 2-9, Zeeshan Zameer 2-12) Pakistan U19 53-6, 16.4 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 14 not out; Noor Ahmed 3-20, Bilal Sami 2-16) Result Pakistan U19 win by four wickets Player of the match – Awais Ali (Pakistan U19) Upcoming fixtures: 25 December – v India, Dubai 27 December – v UAE, Dubai

Lahore (Sports Report):-The 2- day International Rope Skipping Coaching Course 2021 concluded at City School DHA Campus, Lahore. USA Skipper's Alisha Junior World Record Holder and Mishal Junior World Record demonstrated Rope Skipping and particular training session to players and coaches. Overall Pakistan 60 participates from Karachi, Lahore, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkawa and Islamabad attended course. Chairman, Pakistan Rope Skipping Federation (PRSF) Main Mohammad Afzal Director General Admin Lahore and DG WAPDA Sports Board, Mushraff Khan were the chief guests and distributed certificates to all the participants. President PRSF Maqbool Arain, Vice Presidents, Asghar Anjum and Col. Wasif, Secretary, Shariq Siddqui were also present on the occasion.

Bipin Dani Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board has approved the incentives for the three members of the National Selection Panel, it is learnt. According to the highly placed sources in the SLC, this incentive payment is for the recognition of their service for selecting the excellent team they picked for the ICC T-20 World Cup, which was played in the UAE (United Ara Emirates).  The three selectors, who each are benefited with a sum of Rs. 1 million are: Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Romesh Kaluwitharana and Hemantha Wickramaratne.  "Yes, the team could not advance to the final stages of the World Cup but overall the performance of the team was good and could also win a few matches in the tournament and hence this decision was taken", two different sources confirmed the news on Tuesday. Incidentally, the proposal came from the SLC president Shammi Silva. "Incentive payment for the National Selectors-ICC T20 World Cup 2021. President's suggestion to offer Rs. 1 min each to the 03 National Selectors for the excellent work rendered by them in selecting the squad for the ICC T/20 World Cup 2021 which was recently concluded in Dubai, UAE, has been approved", the minutes of the 04th Executive Committee meeting (a copy in possession of this Reporter), which was held at the SLC Head Quarters on 9th November 2021, reads. 

LAHORE (Sports Report):-Two volleyball matches were played on the second day of Mir Chakar Azam Rind Games Volleyball Tournament at Gymnasium Hall Divisional Sports Complex, Dera Ghazi Khan on Wednesday. In the first match Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) thrashed Punjab by 3-1 margin while South Punjab emerged triumphant against Higher Education Commission (HEC) with the same margin in the second match. Director General Sports Punjab JavedChohan while expressing his views on the holding of Mir Chakar Azam Rind Games in South Punjab said Sports Board Punjab has planned regular sports events in all parts of the province. “Mir Chakar Azam Rind Games in South Punjab is also part of our sports promotion campaign and we will organize more sports events at a bigger level in other parts of province so that talented youth from across the province could get a suitable platform to display their hidden sports abilities”. The participating volleyball players demonstrated immense passion in Mir Chakar Azam Rind Games Volleyball Tournament matches. “This tournament is providing us a wonderful platform to show our talent and there should be more events like this in future,” the volleyball players said while expressing their views about the tournament. It may be noted here that country’s leading volleyball teams like Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan Wapda and South Punjab are participating in the Volleyball Tournament.  

Sports Bulletin Report Dhaka, Bangladesh (December 22, 2021):-South Korea overcame Japan on penalty shootouts to win the sixth edition of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2021 in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Wednesday. India won the bronze medal after beating Pakistan by 3-4 goals in a thrilling match. According to the details, Korea and India won on the final day of the Asian Champions Trophy played in Dhaka, Bangladesh under the auspices of the Asian Hockey Federation. In the bronze medal match, India defeated Pakistan by 4-3 after a thrilling and nerve-wracking contest and claimed the third position in the 5-national regional hockey showpiece. The match started with a fast pace, as the traditional rivals displayed a top quality hockey during the all 60 minutes of play and amused the hockey lovers with great skilled-full contest. India got the lead 1-0 in the second minutes of the game to put Green Shirts in pressure and in the 10th minute of the game, Afraz from Pakistan scored a goal through a field goal to end India's lead and the score was tied at 1-1. A goal scorer on a corner gave Pakistan a one-goal lead. For India, their player Sumat ended the lead with a field goal in the 45th minute of the game and the score was tied at 2-2. India's Kumar Vorone scored on a penalty corner to give his team the lead once again. For India, Akash Deep Singh consolidated the lead by scoring on a penalty corner and the score became 4-2. On the counter-attack, striker Ahmed Nadeem reduced the deficit to one goal by scoring on Abdullah's best pass. By the end of the match, the score was 4-3 in the favour of India. The final of the Asian Champions Trophy was played between Korea and Japan which ended in a 3-3 draw. At the end of the match, Korea defeated Japan in the penalty shootout stage to win the sixth edition of the Asian Champions Trophy.

Tank, KPK (SB Report):-Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) will host the 2nd IGFC National Taekwondo Championship in District Tank, as top national players from all provinces including Gulgit Baltistan (GB), Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), Islamabad and a local team of Dera Ismail Khan Division will take part in the top national fixture. According to an official of PTF, Pakistan Army will also be featuring in the 3-day event, which is going to be started from December 25, 2021 at Tank District under the supervision and umbrella of IGFC (South KPK). Commenting on the preparations of the event, President Pakistan Taekwondo Federation Lt Col (Retd) Waseem Ahmed, apprised that NSF would try her level best in sincere spirit and genuine warmth in our Beautiful District Tank” to conduct this event. He emphasized that such event would be beneficial for the professional development of our officials and athletes. These events improve the organizational skills of National Sports Federations, ultimately creating a better image of the beloved country. He added that he would also like to mention here the support being given by IGFC Staff and his office, not only in encouraging the proposal in initial stage but also by providing assistance so that better ties can be developed with our main provincial stakeholders. The conduct of this event is also made possible with the keen interest of Brigadier Naiknam Mohammad Baig, Commander Sector South, Frontier Corps (South) KP. Last but not the least, I must acknowledge and appreciate the whole hearted support provided by the South Asian President and CEO Combaxx Sports Omar Saeed as sponsors plays a vital role in facilitating the event. In three days event, more than 200 Officials and athletes will participate in this championship. Our International and National Referees will be there to conduct this event in befitting manners. Once again I am extremely grateful for the IGFC KP (South) for giving this opportunity for our athletes to display their skills, techniques and stamina in the district of South Waziristan.

Peshawar (Sports Report):-The Secretary General of Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF), Mansoor Ahmed said that Pakistan Judo Federation in collaboration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judo Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sports Directorate and Pakistan Sports Board would staged the 27th Men and 10th Women National Judo Championships from December 31, 2021 January 3, 2022 at Qayyum Stadium Peshawar. As many as 14 teams including Khyber PakhtunKawa (KPK), Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Islamabad, Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA), Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan Army, WAPDA, Railway, Police, Navy and Higher Education Commission (HEC) will participate in the championships. Pakistan Army will defend their title. It is pertinent to mention that two overseas Pakistani Judokas have also arrived here to display their skills in this championship. Japan based Olympian Shah Hussain Shah, who is Asian bronze medalist, commonwealth games silver medalist South Asian triple gold medalist besides the current National champion will play to defend his title. He is the son of our National Pride Hussain Shah, Olympic bronze medalist. Shah had qualified for Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 and became ever first Pakistani Judoka to achieve this mark. He is also eyeing for Paris 2024. Another enthusiastic Japan based 22 year old young girl Amina Toyoda will be featuring for the National Event. Both Judokas will show their game skill on opening day of the championship on 31st Dec 2021 representing Pakistan Army. Secretary Sports and Tourism of KPK will grace the occasion as chief guest. The Championship of men will be held in 10 weights while the championship of women will be held in 8 different weight categories as per the details given below: Weight Categories: Men: -50 Kg-55 Kg, -60 Kg, -66 Kg, -73 Kg, -81 Kg, -90 Kg, -100 Kg ,+100 Kg & Open Weight. Women: -40 Kg,-44 Kg,-48 Kg, -52 Kg, -57 Kg, -63 Kg, -70 Kg & Open Weight

Islamabad (Sports Desk):-As the current year is coming to an end, I’d like to review the last 12 months of FIH and look at what global hockey has to offer in 2022, which promises to be a very exciting year for our sport! Of course, with 2021 being an Olympic year due to the postponement of the 32nd Olympiad because of the global impact of the COVID crisis, I’d like to repeat just how much of a success the Tokyo Olympic Games were. It was a true hockey festival for 2 weeks. The Japanese organisers and authorities, as well as the International Olympic Committee and the fantastic volunteers, have done an amazing job to put together a magnificent event, despite unique adverse conditions. My sincerest thanks to all of them! The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India, was another highlight of 2021. Thrilling matches played in a refreshingly care-free way by the rising stars of our game provided for an outstanding event, excellently organised by Hockey India. The tournament was brought to the world thanks to our Watch.Hockey app, which, in its second year of existence only, has already made a significant impact when it comes to the promotion of our sport worldwide. While, like you, I was also eagerly expecting the female Juniors to compete in South Africa, the outbreak of the Omicron variant forced us to take the heartbreaking decision to postpone this event. However, I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to ensure that this event DOES take place. We are fully aware of the competition’s importance for this generation of highly talented young players, who are very much the future of our game. Even though the FIH Hockey Pro League has also suffered due to the COVID pandemic, the second edition crowned two worthy winners in the Netherlands Women and Belgium Men. I’m also really happy for the development and globalization of hockey that South Africa and Canada will join the Men’s League next year, albeit for one season. All these events have played a significant role in strengthening the steadily increase of our audiences on our ever-growing FIH social media handles. Indeed, despite the global COVID pandemic, the cumulative number of followers on our Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter handles has increased by 30% in the last 3 years, including a rise of almost 70% for Instagram within this timeframe. Well done, Team FIH! Development is and will always remain at the core of our mission. With 2021 designated as the #HockeyInvites Year of the Youth, numerous programmes and activities were organised to boost the growth of hockey among the young population. Those came in addition to the 150 online courses organised by FIH throughout the year. I was very pleased to see at our Congress in May that the number of National Associations having introduced Hockey ID – also known as parahockey – had more than doubled in the last two years. Diversity and inclusion are two fundamental principles in hockey. Everyone is welcome and we all have a duty and responsibility to contribute to this! Gender equality is one of our strongest values and principles, and I’m very proud of the numerous webinars that FIH has held in this regard. The fact that researchers from the University of Lausanne have chosen FIH to conduct a study related to women’s participation in decision-making in sport is a truly positive sign.

Karachi (Sports Report):-The 67th meeting of the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Pakistan Cricket Board was held on Tuesday, 21 December in Karachi. Below are some of the key outcomes and updates from the last meeting of 2021: Cricket development plans In line with the PCB’s strategy of investing in youth and pathways cricket following a bottom-up approach, the BoG backed and supported the PCB Chairman’s two new initiatives, which are: ·         Pathway Junior Contracts – Through strategic partnerships, the PCB will award 100 contracts to the most outstanding and bright cricketers under the ages of 11, 14, 16 and 19. Under this programme, the talented young cricketers will receive a stipend of PKR 30,000 per month and also earn 100 per cent scholarship, which will provide them access to cost-free education at a leading local educational institution that, in turn, will help them become wholesome individuals. ·         Pathway Cricket Foundation – Again through a strategic partnership, the PCB will appoint highly qualified resident foreign coaches at the National High Performance Centre. These coaches will work very closely with 100 teenage cricketers to nurture and develop them and prepare them for future events, including the U19 PSL, which is marked for October 2022. These coaches will also be available to assist and help elite and emerging cricketers. All discussions and details on the above initiatives with the PCB’s strategic partners have taken place and further details will follow shortly. PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja: “In order to create a long-term sustainable process, it is essential that we continue to tap into, stimulate and motivate the youth’s passion and talent for cricket, whilst focusing on a bottom-up approach towards participation and making attempts to bridge the wide divide between pathways and Pakistan cricket journey. “We feel that our Junior Contracts and Cricket Foundation initiatives will now play a decisive role in ensuring that raw talent from even the remotest and less privileged of areas in Pakistan reaches its full potential. “Through these and various other initiatives, including an all-Pakistan Talent Hunt Programme, we aim to unearth the hidden talent and provide them absolute clarity at a very young age that the PCB will back, support and provide a clear pathway through which they can embark on their journey of representing Pakistan at an international stage.” Club scrutiny process and amendment to CA Model Constitution The BoG approved the club scrutiny procedure for 3,822 clubs, who took part in the First Registration of Cricket Clubs, across 90 City Cricket Associations in the first half of 2022. The club scrutiny procedure will be available on the PCB corporate website under Documents/PCB Model Constitutions next week. Furthermore, the BoG also approved amendment to Article 4.1(h) of the Model Constitution for Cricket Associations, which deals with Objects and Functions of the Cricket Association, now reads as: “…. coordinate cricket activities within their jurisdiction including but not limited to holding and organizing the tournaments, which may include divisional cricket, and endeavor to also organize or assist in organization of tournaments for clubs and schools …” Pakistan men’s cricket team performances Taking into consideration that a long and demanding international cricket period awaits the Pakistan men’s cricket team, an extensive discussion on the players’ workload handling took place. The BoG requested the PCB management to explore options and submit suggestions on how the elite cricketers can preserve their energies for Pakistan by remaining supremely fit, injury-free and fresh. The BoG appreciated the performance of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team and felt they came significantly close to meeting the expectations of their fans in the last quarter of 2021 through their grit, determination and positive attitude. The PCB Chairman highlighted Babar Azam’s authority, leadership and impact on the side as one of the turnaround factors. He also credited the calm influences of Saqlain Mushtaq (interim head coach), Matthew Hayden (batting consultant) and Vernon Philander (bowling consultant) as the other contributing factor as the trio were able to create a relaxed team environment that, in turn, allowed the team to excel, particularly during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. Other updates: ·         West Indies will play three Twenty20 Internationals in the build up to the HBL Pakistan Super League 2023. The West Indies are already scheduled to play ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League ODIs in June 2022 to make up for the postponed December 2021 matches due to an increased number of Covid-19 cases in their side ·         The BoG approved in-principle the construction of 60 additional (international quality) player rooms each at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore and Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi. When completed, this will resolve the PCB’s challenges around logistics, security and road commuting, as well as setting-up and handling the Managed Event Environment ·         PCB Chairman, Acting Chief Executive Officer and the PCB BOG Committees submitted their reports, while the Chief Financial Officer presented his quarterly financial statements. Separately, there were presentations on fan engagement as well as on women’s cricket. Earlier, the BoG welcomed incoming PCB Chief Executive Faisal Hasnain, who attended the meeting as an observer and will formally start in Lahore around mid-January.