Pakistan stars keen to play their first Test in Karachi Abdullah Asjad ISLAMABAD (December 16, 2019):-After having played their first Test on Pakistani soil, the national men’s team cannot wait for the second and final Test against Sri Lanka which will be played at the iconic National Stadium in Karachi. Pakistan have enjoyed a phenomenal record in Test cricket here which earned the stadium a nickname of being ‘Pakistan’s fortress in Test cricket’. They have won 21 out of 41 Tests here with only two resulting in defeats for them. With the first match ending in a draw and the upcoming Test providing Pakistan a chance to win the first Test series in the country in more than a decade and bag some crucial ICC World Test Championship points, their captain Azhar Ali is eager to lead the side at the historic venue. Azhar Ali said: “Pakistan have had an excellent record in Test cricket at the National Stadium and I can’t wait for the toss. The whole team is excited for the match.” Growing up in Karachi, opening batsman Shan Masood has had ample opportunities to play first-class cricket at the iconic stadium. The 30-year-old is eager to open the innings for Pakistan in a Test match there. Shan Masood said: “Growing up we have seen some of the best cricketing action at the National Stadium which developed my interest in the game. I remember missing my school to watch a 1996 World Cup match between Pakistan and South Africa in which Aamir Sohail scored a century. Then there was an India-Pakistan match in which Rajesh Chauhan struck a six. That match went into the final over.” Asad Shafiq, who boasts the record of most number of Test centuries at number six, is another player in the side who is well-aware of the conditions that the National Stadium offers in red-ball cricket. The Karachi-born has been on both sides of the fence. Asad Shafiq said: “I was screaming at the top of my lungs in the crowd when [Mohammad] Asif bhai got the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar at the National Stadium in a Test match. I had sore throat after the match. Asif bhai bowled an exceptional spell that day. It is a memory that I still cherish.” After having stamped his authority in white-ball cricket, Babar Azam has put up imposing performances in Tests and celebrated the return of the game’s pinnacle format with a century on the final day of Rawalpindi Test on Sunday. Babar Azam said: “I am very excited that we are playing the second Test in Karachi. I can’t wait to bat in Test whites at the National Stadium’s wicket after having played T20Is and ODIs there. I am hopeful that our batsmen and bowlers will perform to the fullest and make the series memorable by winning the last Test. “I request Karachiites to turn out in large numbers and support the return of Test cricket to the city.” It was Fawad Alam’s talismanic performances at the National Stadium in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy this year which led to a call-up to the National Stadium. The middle-order batsman scored three centuries –including 211 for Sindh against Southern Punjab – and a half-century in four matches. Fawad Alam said: “It is certainly a step in the right direction that Test cricket is returning to Karachi. The people of Karachi will come out in large numbers to support both teams, which will inspire younger cricketer to take up the game.” Over the years, Karachi has become almost like a home for Mohammad Rizwan as he represents Karachi Kings in HBL PSL. The wicketkeeper-batsman hopes that he will be able to entertain cricket fans with his glove-work and batting in the second Test. Mohammad Rizwan said: “Karachi has become my city as I have been playing for Karachi Kings. I am very happy that Test cricket is returning here. I am looking forward to grabbing this opportunity and living up to the expectations that Pakistan cricket fans have from me.” The second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka begins Thursday (19 December).

Abid inks new cricket history in Pindi, match ends draw By Abdul Jabbar Faisal RAWALPINDI (December 15, 2019):-Pakistan’s right handed batsman Abid Ali inked new cricket history by scoring century on debut in the both formats of cricket Test and One Day International (ODI), as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test Championship fixture between Pakistan and Sri Lanka ended in draw at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday. It was good sunny day for the cricket but was too late, as the earlier all four days were disturbed by the rain in twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad, which also disappointed the cricket lover, who were keen to enjoy the game of international cricket after the huge gap of 15 years. Last Test was played in Pindi in 2004 between Pakistan and traditional foes India. It was the day of new Test Cap holder Abid Ali, who played beautiful an unbeaten innings of 109 runs. He was the fourth Pakistani players, who scored over 100 in the debut Test match at Pindi Cricket Stadium. Azhar Mehmood and Ali Naqvi scored tons in same match against South Africa while Younis Khan played 107 runs innings on debut in his second innings, as he was able to score just 12 runs in the first innings. Abid Ali has set a new world record in Test cricket and became the first batsman to make a century in ODIs and Test debuts. Abid Ali had hit century against Australia in his first ODI on March 29 this year. He became the 108th Test player in the world to score a century in his first Test. In one-day, Abid Ali already joined the club of Saleem-Elahi and Imam-ul-Haq, who scored hundred on their ODI debut before Abid Ali.   Earlier, on Sunday morning, Sri Lanka resumed their innings at 282 for 6 and declared their first inning adding just 26 in their overnight total, as the fourth day was called off with a single ball game. De Silve completed his ton and remained 102 not out in the historical fixture of international cricket. He faced 166 balls and hit 15 boundaries during his innings. Prerra remained not out on 16. Abid Ali was declared player of the match.

Pakistan players on ICC Women’s Championship journey Sports Desk ISLAMABAD (December 15, 2019):-Pakistan national women cricket team’s journey in the ICC Women’s Championship 2017-20 culminated in the Bismah Maroof-led side breaking into the top-four of the eight-team tournament standings with their third ODI against England women getting washed-out in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. For a side which sits seventh on the ICC Women’s ODIs team rankings, the past two years have seen them achieve new heights by recording historic victories on the basis of some outstanding individual performances and remarkable teamwork. Pakistan’s campaign began in October 2017 with a three-ODI home series against New Zealand women. Though Pakistan lost the series 2-1, they made history in the final one-dayer by beating New Zealand for the first time at the back of Sana Mir’s four-fer. With seven wickets at an average of 14.57 in three matches, the right-arm off-spinner was the leading wicket-taker in the series. Sana Mir: “Our journey in the tournament had begun after a very tough 2017 World Cup and I was given the opportunity to bowl with the new ball. We had come very close to beating New Zealand in the first ODI but we couldn’t cross the rope. But, that moment came in the last match when we beat them by five wickets. “Those four wickets are more special to me than any five-fer as they helped Pakistan to secure a victory in a historic match.” Bismah Maroof: “Winning against New Zealand was very important for us as it helped us gain momentum and it gave us confidence that we can do something in this championship. That historic win went a long way in giving us the self-belief which helped us in our next series. Pakistan’s second assignment in the ICC Women’s Championship was the tour of Sri Lanka in March 2018 where they recorded their first-ODI series win since October 2015. Sana Mir, leading from front, rolled over the opposition taking 10 wickets at a phenomenal average of 8.80 in three matches. Javeria Khan became only the second Pakistan batter to score two ODI centuries with a 113 not out in the first contest. Javeria Khan: “The Sri Lanka series was quite a memorable one. It gave a lot of confidence to the girls and boosted the team’s morale. Every individual played according to her role, which helped us outclass the opposition in all three facets of the game. The credit for that victory goes to entire unit. “On a personal note, it was very special for me to score a century in a winning cause. It was important for me to get runs under my belt early in the tournament.” Sana Mir: “As a bowler you want to have your team backing you and I got the desired support in Sri Lanka. I was very well supported by Nashra Sandhu in the whole series. We bowled in good partnerships. It was a great series and it was very special to be able to receive 10 wickets.” With eight points in their account after six matches, Pakistan hosted Australia women in Kuala Lumpur. The tourists won all three ODIs comfortably. But, the silver lining for Pakistan was their premier off-spin bowler, Sana Mir, climbing to the number-one spot. She took seven wickets at 16.57 runs apiece to be the highest wicket-taker in the series. Javeria Khan led Pakistan in Bismah Maroof’s absence as the latter recovered from a surgery for a sinus problem. Javeria Khan: “Playing against Australia was not easy but there was a gradual improvement in our performances after every match. We couldn’t put up decent totals in the first two matches but we put our best score against them in the third match. “Sana led us from front on the bowling front, providing breakthroughs at crucial moments. We couldn’t sustain pressure as a unit which helped them put good scores. Sana Mir: “Becoming the number one bowler in the ICC bowlers’ ranking was a dream as a child. What made it more special was that it came after the series against Australia – who by far are the best side in the world. “This also sets a statement for spinners not only from Pakistan but Asia that if one bowler can achieve it than they all can also do it.” The 3-0 whitewash against Australia was followed by Pakistan’s sensational victory against the West Indies women in the UAE. Pakistan came from behind to beat the West Indies 2-1 and that it had come on the back of youngsters like opener Sidra Amin, who struck two half-centuries in three matches and averaged almost 50, and pacer Diana Baig (seven wickets at 10.85 runs apiece in two matches) made it more special. This was also Pakistan’s first-ever series win against the West Indies. Diana Baig: “I wanted to make a strong impression as I had not played the first match. I wanted to attack and bowl positively which not only helped me take wickets but also stop the flow of runs. I am glad I was able to get wickets early on in both matches.” “My favourite moment was the wicket of Deandra Dottin. She is quite a good batter, but what made getting her wicket special was the fact that she was in good form after how she had scored runs in the T20I series [158 runs in three matches] which preceded our ODI series.” Sidra Amin: “It is always a good feeling to contribute in a winning cause. But helping your side secure a historic series win against a side like West Indies was truly special. It is quite a memorable part of my journey. I scored 96 and 52 and had some good partnerships with Nida Dar.” With a confidence-boosting win under their belts, Pakistan travelled to South Africa to play the hosts. The three-match series turned out to be a thriller. Pakistan won the first match, but entered the last ODI with the series hanging in balance. A six of the penultimate ball by tailender Nashra Sandhu helped Pakistan secure a tie and level the series 1-1. Aliya Riaz truly announced herself as an all-rounder when it mattered the most by taking 2-49 and scoring 71. Javeria Khan was the second highest run-getter in the series, six behind Laura Wolvaardt, as she made 128 runs in three matches at an average of 64. Bismah Maroof: “Before landing there I had never thought that we would be able to secure this result. Winning the first match of the series gave us a lot of confidence in our abilities. Unfortunately, we lost the second match, but we made a strong comeback in the third match after South Africa scored 265. “Our batting was a bit out of touch, but Javeria Khan’s partnerships with other batters, especially with Aliya Riaz, played a vital role in giving us the momentum.” Aliya Riaz: “I thoroughly enjoyed the final. It was an important match for the team and I had to bat deep, while ensuring that the runs keep coming for us. South Africa are a quality team and they don’t let you off the hook that easily. I was enjoying the competition and it helped me execute the plan which was given to me by the coaching staff. “Earlier in the match, with the ball in my hand, I wanted to provide early breakthroughs and having taken a crucial wicket at a critical stage boosted me. I wanted to put up all-round performance for the team and I am glad everything worked out according to the plan.” Pakistan’s final round assignment in the ICC Women’s Championship was the recently-concluded ODI series against England Women in Kuala Lumpur. They were in a tight race with South Africa, who still have six matches to go in the tournament, with only one point separating them. Pakistan got that point as the third ODI was washed-out and by the virtue of having a better net run-rate they leapfrogged South Africa to the fourth spot. Pakistan lost 2-0 in a series in which their captain with two half-centuries in three innings stood out. Bismah Maroof: “It is good to be amongst runs but my runs would have been more valuable had we won these matches. We played good cricket in bits and pieces but we couldn’t stretch them to longer spells. The difference between us and good sides is that they don’t let the momentum slip away which is something we are lacking and it was the difference between us and England. There was certainly an improvement in our performances in the series. We did not give easy runs to England. Our fielding has improved a lot over, which is also a big positive. We are aware what areas we need to improve going forward.” Despite having played only 15 matches in this tournament, Sana Mir leads the overall wicket-takers’ chart with 35 wickets at a phenomenal average of 13.74. Pakistan’s next best bowler Nashra Sandhu is ranked 15th with 20 wickets in 17 matches. The third best bowler from Pakistan is Diana Baig with 12 wickets in 13 matches. The weight of Pakistan’s batting over the course of the ICC Women’s Championship was carried by Javeria Khan (552 runs in 18 matches), Nahida Khan (521 runs in 18 matches) and Bismah Maroof (447 runs in 14 matches) – the top-three batters from the side. Whether Pakistan stays at the fourth spot in the ICC Women’s Championship will be determined by South Africa’s run over the course of their next six matches. In the inaugural edition of the ICC Women’s Championship, which ran from 2014-2016, Pakistan finished second last with only four wins from 18 matches. In this edition, however, there has been a marked improvement. And, going forward, they will hope to build on the impressive performances they have put over the course of the past two years. Javeria Khan: “Our side has the talent, it just needs a bit enhancement. What we need to is how to handle pressure at critical stages. We often let matches slip away because of our lack of experience, but playing more against quality sides will help us learn better.” Sana Mir: “It is extremely important that we know our role and deliver accordingly. As a player you cannot win every match for your side, but if everyone is sticking to the game plan then they can complement those who are having a good day in the field. “I can’t emphasise enough on how good this championship is for women’s cricket because it provides opportunities to play against higher-ranked sides consistently. When you put performances against good sides it boosts your confidence and allows you to gauge where you stand as a team.” Bismah Maroof: “The girls have shown great improvement in all three facets of the game in the past two years. Our fielding and fitness standards have improved and now we give top-ranked sides a tough competition. We are taking steps in the right direction. “We need to be more consistent in our performances. We can overcome that by playing competitive cricket on regular basis and the ICC Women’s Championship is providing teams opportunities to grow.” Pakistan’s fixture against India couldn’t take place as the PCB didn’t receive the invitation from the BCCI. With the series window already closed, the matter has now been referred to the ICC event secretariat in Dubai. 

Championships kick off at Mushaf Squash Complex By Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (December 15, 2015):- The Serena Hotels-Huawei Pakistan International Squash Tournaments for Men and Women have commenced on Sunday here at Mushaf Squash Complex, as the top seeded male players got bye in the starting round of the international squash showpiece. The both finals will be played on December 19, 2019 in four-wall-glass court at same courts. A large number of international male and female squash players from Austria, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, Jordon, Malaysia, Portugal, Switzerland and United States of America (USA) are showing their game skill in the five-day international fixture. In Men event, World No 43 Youssef Ibrahim from Egypt is No 1 seed while World No 51 Muhammad El-Sherbini also from Egypt is No 2 seed. Whereas in Women event, World No 48 Tsz-Wing Tong from Hong Kong is No 1 seed and World No 52 Sabrina Sobhy form USA is No 2 seed. Akbar Durrani, Secretary Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) graced the opening ceremony as chief guest. Senior Vice President, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Air vice Marshal Aamir Masood also visited Mushaf Squash Complex and witnessed the matches.  SVP, PSF also had detailed interaction with Pakistani and overseas players, who are taking part in the international squash cahmpionships. Results (Men Event): Youssef Ibrahim from Egypt Got Bye Chi Him Wong from Hong Kong beat Israr Ahmad from Pakistan 9-11, 11-1, 11-8 and 11-6 (32 Min) Curtis Malik from England beat Mohammad Alsaraj from Jordon 11-8, 12-14, 11-5, 13-15, 11-6 (52 Min) Asim Khan from Pakistan Got Bye Farhan Mehboob from Pakistan Got Bye Amaad Fareed from Pakistan beat Darren Rahul Pragasam from Malaysia 11-2, 8-11,   11-1, 11-8 (32 Min) Farhan Zaman from Pakistan beat Zeeshan Zeb (WC) from Pakistan 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 (26 Min) Mazen Gamal from Egypt Got Bye Tayyab Aslam from Pakistan Got Bye Noor Zaman (WC) from Pakistan beat Ahmed Hosny from Egypt 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4 (30 Min) Yahya Elnawasany from Egypt beat Aqeel Rehman from Austria 9-11, 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3 (35 Min) Tsz Kwan Lau from Hong Kong Got Bye Rui Soares from Portugal Got Bye Yannik Omlor from Germany beat Khaled Labib from Egypt 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 (60 Min) Tang Ming Hong from Hong Kong beat Ong Sai Hung from Malaysia 4-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-3 (44 Min) Mohamed ElSherbini from Egypt Got Bye.   Results (Women’s Event):- Tsz-Wing Tong from Hong Kong Got Bye Hana Moataz from Egypt beat Maira Hussain from Pakistan 11-1, 11-5, 11-1 (14 Min) Shahd El Refaey from Egypt beat Rushna Mehboob from Pakistan 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 (13 Min) Farah Momen from Egypt Got Bye Waen Li Lai from Malaysia Got Bye Moqaddas Ashraf from Pakistan beat Nimra Aqeel from Pakistan 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 (13 Min) Saima Shaukat from Pakistan beat Komal Khan from Pakistan 11-8, 1-11, 11-7, 11-8 (24 Min) Farida Mohamed from Egypt Got Bye Meena Hamed from Egypt Got Bye Faiza Zafar from Pakistan beat Zynab Khan (WC) from Pakistan 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (12 Min) Anam Mustafa Aziz from Pakistan beat Noorena Shams from Pakistan 11-2, 11-1, 11-0 (7 Min) Cindy Merlo from Switzerland Got Bye Nadia Pfister from Switzerland Got Bye Amna Fayyaz from Pakistan beat Ilsa Imran (WC) from Pakistan 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 (14 Min) Madina Zafar from Pakistan beat Noor ul Huda from Pakistan 11-4, 7-11, 11-2, 11-6 (26 Min) Sabrina Sobhy from USA Got Bye.    

Rain ends third Pakistan v England Women’s ODI in no-result SB Report KUALA LUMPUR (December 14, 2019):-Pakistan Women and England Women shared a point each as rain washed-out the third and final ICC Women’s Championship ODI between them at Kinrara Oval, Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. The addition of one point took Pakistan’s tally to 16 and saw them leapfrog South Africa Women to the fourth spot on the points table, while England, with 29 points, strengthened their hold on the second position. The conclusion of the ODI series – which England won 2-0 – also culminated both teams’ ICC Women’s Championship journey. The top-four teams on the standings, along with hosts New Zealand Women, will secure direct qualification for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021. England captain Heather Knight won the toss for the third time in the series and elected to bowl. Though the match began on the scheduled time, the toss was delayed by 15 minutes due to drizzle. England made one change in their line-up with pacer Freya Davis, who replaced Kate Cross, making her ODI debut. Pakistan, making three changes, also handed an ODI debut as batter Kaynat Hafeez replaced Sidra Amin. The other two changes saw Anam Amin and Aroob Shah come in at the places of Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim. Pakistan were provided a solid foundation by openers Nahida Khan and Javeria Khan as the pair put together the record for the highest first-wicket partnership for Pakistan Women. Their 96-run partnership surpassed Maliha Hussain and Sharmeen Khan’s and Ayesha Zafar and Nahida Khan’s 84-run stands against South Africa (1997) and New Zealand (2016) respectively. Javeria Khan, while reflecting on the partnership, said: “A lot of credit for this partnership goes to Nahida. She was brilliant out in the middle. She played the ball on merit while dispatching bad deliveries. “Our plan was to prolong our partnership rather than making any records. But it is certainly a good feeling to have one against a quality side like England. “It is nothing less than an achievement for Pakistan to break into top-four. It is the result of all the hard work everyone attached with the Pakistan side - whether the management of the past and present or the players – has put in. “Going forward we have to hold our nerves in pressure situations. We have often lost control of matches despite coming very close. Our players have the skills which are required to thrive at this level, it is just they need to work on controlling their nerves.” Over the course of the partnership, Nahida scored her ODI career’s eighth half-century. The right-handed batter scored 55 runs from 59 balls, eight of which were dispatched for fours. With 37 off 65, Javeria was the second best scorer. She hit five fours before she became the first Pakistan wicket to fall when Sarah Glenn trapped her LBW on the first ball of the 20th over. The dismissal sparked a collapse - thanks to Glenn, who took four wickets for 18 runs in eight overs - as Pakistan lost eight wickets for 49 runs. The hosts were 145 for eight in 37.5 overs when rain forced umpires to stop the play. Speaking about her bowling performance, Sarah Glenn said: “I was really happy to get four wickets today, but it’s a shame the rain came and the game had to be abandoned. “We came back really well with the ball after Pakistan had started on top. We kept it tight and we got our rewards. “I’ve really enjoyed the three matches and it’s good to come out with a series win. The girls have been really welcoming and I’m looking forward to the T20Is.” Anya Shurbsole was the other notable bowler as the pacer returned three for 32 in 6.4 overs. Knight, the England captain, was awarded player of the series award for scoring 127 runs in the series at an average of 63.50 and taking two wickets. The ODI series will be followed by three T20Is, which will be played at Kinrara Oval on 17, 19 and 20 December. The matches will be live-streamed on the PCB’s YouTube channel.

Pakistan Vs Sri Lanka, Pindi Test No ball, no game, Day-4 calls off By Abdul Jabbar Faisal RAWAPINDI (December 14, 2019):-ICC Test Championship fixture between hosts Pakistan and visitors Sri Lanka, unfortunately, Day-4 called off by the umpire without a solitary ball game at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi on Saturday. The rain in the twin cities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad did not allow the ground men to remove even covers from the field. English umpires Richard Kettleborough and Micheal Gough deputed by International Cricket Council (ICC) announced after lunch on Saturday “No game today” Day 1 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 202/5 (DM de Silva 38*, N Dickwella 11*, 68.1 ov) Day 2 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 263/6 (DM de Silva 72*, MDK Perera 2*, 86.3 ov) Day 3 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 282/6 (DM de Silva 87*, MDK Perera 6*, 91.5 ov) Day 4 - no play

Asitha Fernando reaches Rawalpindi Sports Desk ISLAMABAD:-Sri Lankan pace bowler Asitha Fernando arrived in Rawalpindi (via Dubai) on Friday morning.  The right arm pace bowler is a replacement for another fast bowler Suranga Lakmal, who on the eve of the team departure had to be withdrawn after being down with the dengue. On his road route to the twin city from Islamabad to Rawalpindi, Asitha Fernando was accorded the tight security. The second Test will commence in Karachi from 19th December. Players are quite satisfied with the security arrangements. When not at ground mostly they are asked to remain in the hotel. Without security clearance they are not supposed to go out. SLC's security expert Romesh Goonathilake has been traveling with the team. In the meantime, Sri Lanka's first Test captain Bandulla Warnapura returned to Colombo (via Dubai) on Friday evening. He watched only the two-day rain affected game in Rawalpindi and was not at the ground on the 3rd day where even the sixth over if the day could not be completed. The 67-year-old Warnapura was a special guest of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Bid for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Sports Desk ISLAMABAD:-The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ bidding process, which has seen an unprecedented interest from member associations, has reached an important milestone, with the following four bids having been submitted by the deadline of 13 December 2019: Joint submission by the Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football Submission by the Brazilian Football Association Submission by the Colombian Football Association Submission by the Japan Football Association All of the bid books, along with their respective executive summaries, are available on FIFA.com. FIFA will now implement an assessment process, including inspection visits to the member associations which are expected to take place across January and February 2020. Once finalised, the evaluation report will be published on FIFA.com and all eligible bids will be presented to the FIFA Council, which is set to select the host(s) of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 at its meeting in Addis Ababa in June 2020. Following on from the astounding success of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in France and the subsequent unanimous decision by the FIFA Council, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be the first edition of the women’s showpiece to feature 32 teams. “France 2019 was certainly a watershed moment for women’s football, and now it is FIFA’s responsibility to take concrete measures to keep fostering the game’s incredible growth. With the FIFA Women’s World Cup generating an unprecedented interest across member associations, we are ensuring that the process to select the hosts is seamless, objective, ethical and transparent. By the time the FIFA Council announces the hosts, there should be no doubt whatsoever as to why that choice was made,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Isuru Udana wins hearts of his fans Sports Desk ISLAMABAD:-Sri Lankan all-rounder Isuru Udana has won the hearts of his fans. The 32-year-old Udana, now playing the Mzansi Super League (MSL) in South Africa for Paarl Rocks, had all the time in the world to run out the batsman of the opposite team but decided against it because the non-striker Marco Marais was directly hit by a shot from his team mate Heino Kuhn. “Spirit of cricket Raise your hand for more moments like this! Always!” MSL tweeted from its official Twitter account. "I noticed that the non-striker was hurt badly and so I decided not to run him out", Udana, speaking exclusively to this Reporter, said. Incidentally, Udana had replaced David Willey as Paarl Rocks' international marquee player for the second edition of the Mzansi Super League. Willey had been ruled out due to the need to manage his workload. In 1964, England v Australia, Trent Bridge Test match, Australian wicket-keeper Wally Grout sportingly threw the ball aside and refused to run out Fred Titmus after he was accidentally knocked over by bowler Neil Hawke and left stranded. Sadly, there have been one or two cases of the polar opposite in sportsmanship in recent years, Grant Elliott coming to mind as a victim.

FIH unveils new World Ranking system for 2020 SB Report Lausanne, Switzerland:- Following 12 months of painstaking research, analysis and testing, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to reveal details of the new FIH World Ranking system that will be employed from 1 January 2020. The fresh approach – which has been approved by the FIH Executive Board – sees a switch from the existing tournament-based World Rankings to a more dynamic, match-based system, one which is designed to increase opportunities for all National Associations to gain rankings points and also provide a better reflection of current performance. The outgoing FIH World Ranking system has served the sport since 2003, being originally devised to allocate teams into pools at tournaments. The old model operated well on various levels, ranking the top teams who participated in FIH and Continental events with a good level of accuracy whilst also allowing those nations to earn ranking points two to three times per year. However, the numerous restrictions of the tournament-based system – including the limited opportunities for lower-ranked teams to earn points, the degree of subjectivity required to determine the relative strengths of the five continents in order to calculate continental ranking points, and the fact that over 60 percent of international hockey matches had no ranking points on offer – have provided an ever-strengthening case for a change of approach. The new match-based World Ranking system involves an exchange of points between the two teams competing in each FIH-sanctioned match played. In short, the number of points exchanged depends on a trio of factors: the result of the match, the relative ranking of the teams and the importance of the match. As well as the aforementioned increased opportunities to earn points, the new model removes much of the subjectivity surrounding continental weighting by creating a system which is fair to all, whilst also encouraging the playing of international matches. The decision to introduce a new World Ranking system comes at the end of a year-long trial period. Using every official international match played since the end of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, a working model of the new system was created, allowing for constant monitoring, assessment and adjustment throughout 2019. The results of the test phase indicated that the new system was more dynamic and immediately reflective of current form than the existing World Ranking system and was subsequently approved by the FIH Executive Board.  The introduction of the new system for calculating the FIH World Rankings will not affect the current placements – each nation will start 2020 in the same ranking position and with the same number of ranking points that they finished with in 2019.