Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: National golfer, Ahmed Baig retained his lead on the 3rd day of the 13th Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament 2024, which is going on here at Karachi Golf Club (KGC).Ahmed Baig from Lahore and Mohammad Zubair from KGC both carded an impressive 67, finishing five under par. Ahmed Baig, maintaining his lead since the beginning of the tournament, boasts a gross of 204, standing at 12 under par, securing his top position on the leaderboard. Mohammad Zubair trails by two strokes, recording a total of 206 at 10 under par. Dilshad Ali of KGC holds the third spot with a score of 212, four under par. Mohammad Alam and Mohammad Munir share a similar gross of 213, three under par. Defending Champion Waheed Baloch from KGC is in the sixth position with a score of 215, one under par. Pakistan's prominent golfer, Mohammad Shabbir Iqbal, is making steady progress, reaching the 7th position with a gross of 216, at par. Shabbir has one more day left to come up with a surprise and impress his fans. Matloob from LGG carded a 72 on the third day, securing a gross of 216, at par. On Saturday, the KGC greens also hosted the first round of the Senior and Junior Professionals. In the Senior Professional category, Nisar Hussain and Abdul Hameed jointly lead the first day with a score of 69, three under par. Following closely are Mohammad Siddique and Aurangzaib Khan with a score of 71, one under par. Zulfiquar Ali, Mohammad Akram, and Mohammad Javed all carded a par score of 72 in the same category. Moving to the Junior Professionals category, Mohammad Sahil, Rehan Babar, and Umar Shahzad recorded scores of 75 (3 over par), 78 (6 over par), and 79 (7 over par) respectively. 

Defending Champions claim a comprehensive victory against hosts in the opening tieSports Bulletin ReportSharjah (UAE): Defending Champions Gulf Giants defeated hosts Sharjah Warriors by 31 runs in the opening match of the ILT20 Season 2 here at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday night. Jamie Overton (3 for 29) was declared Man of the Match.Gulf Giants posted 198 for 7 in 20 overs building on the strength of a fine opening partnership of 61 runs in 5.2 overs between skipper James Vince and Jamie Smith. Vince top scored with 45 runs off 35 balls with three boundaries and two sixes while Smith cracked a breezy 42 off 18 balls with three boundaries and four sixes.Off spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who bowled brilliantly provided the breakthrough. He returned with figures of 4 for 15 producing carrom ball deliveries and accurate off cutters. Usman Khan hit a quick 32 runs off 18 balls with four boundaries and a six while Jordan Cox chipped in with 32 off 22 balls with two boundaries and two sixes. At one stage it looked like Giants could post over 225 runs but for Theekshan’s tight bowling and Chris Woakes’s two wickets for 35 runs.Sharjah Warriors began their chase confidently through an opening partnership of 93 in 10.3 overs between Martin Guptill and Johnson Charles but in end could muster only 167 for 7 in 20 overs. Jamie Overton struck to remove Guptill for 40 and also Charles for 57. After this partnership was broken Giants went for the kill with Chris Jordan striking twice in the 17th over. Guptill’s 40 came off 30 balls with six boundaries and a six. Charles’s 57 off 38 balls had six boundaries and three sixes.Scotland’s Chris Sole, who bowled the second over was lifted by Smith over mid-on for a boundary off the third ball. The fourth delivery was pulled out of the stadium for a mighty six and the fifth was cracked past point for another boundary. Smith also hit the last ball of the over through mid-wicket for another six and took 21 runs off that over.Woakes checked the run flow in the third over giving only four runs and so did off spinner Maheesh Theekshana yielding only six runs but the 50 runs partnership came in 4.5 overs. Smith was severe on Daniel Sams too hitting him for two consecutive sixes to take 19 runs off the fifth over. The 61-runs partnership ended in the sixth over when Theekshana clean bowled Smith for 42.Runs flowed with Vince lifting Qais for another six over long-off. Theekshana struck again in the 12th over to have Vince slash at him and getting caught at slips by Gregory for 45. His knock off 35 balls had three boundaries and two sixes. He also had Shimron Hetmyer leg before with the next ball.Usman Khan who joined Cox hit his first delivery for a six off Qais Ahmad to long-on. Cox smashed Woakes for a boundary and six off second and third ball of the 14th over but fell to the fourth ball attempting a reverse sweep and got caught behind by wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella for 32. Giants reached 150-run mark came in 14.5 overs.Usman Khan further accelerated the run flow cracking three consecutive boundaries off Sams in the 16th over. Theekshana picked his fourth wicket removing Usman Khan caught by Woakes at long-off for 32. His knock off 18 balls had four boundaries and a six. Jamie Overton fell to Sams for 5 and Karim Janat too followed, falling to Woakes for 17 but Giants posted 198 for 7 in the 20 overs. Warriors began their chase through Johnson Charles and Martin Guptill providing an excellent start. Though off the first over Guptill scored only a boundary off Richard Gleeson, in the subsequent overs runs flowed. Charles hit Geelson for a boundary and six in the third over while Guptill picked two consecutive boundaries off Mujeeb Ur Rehman. Guptill on 18 got dropped by Jordan at long-on off Dominic Drakes. Their 50-runs partnership came in 5.4 overs.The pair went on to put 93 runs in 10.3 overs before Guptill steered Jamie Overton into the hands of Gleeson at third man boundary. Charles reached his half century in 34 balls with six boundaries and two sixes. The score went past the 100 run mark in 12.1 overs through a six from Charles over long-0n. Charles fell at his score on 57 to a slower delivery from Overton, caught by Usman Khan at deep mid-wicket.Drakes picked the valuable wicket of skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the 15th over for 19 through a running catch by Vince. In the last five overs, Warriors needed 70 runs. Overton struck again by clean bowling Daniel Sams with a yorker for 4. This titled the match in Giants favour.Niroshan Dickwella joined Lewis Gregory but Chris Jordan clean bowled Gregory for 3 and Dickwella for 4 to put his team on the road to victory.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Barry’s Polo showcased their prowess by defeating FG/Din Polo with a score of 5½-3, earning a well-deserved spot in the main final of the Battle Axe Polo Cup sponsored by Rachna Group at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Friday.The Jinnah Polo Fields witnessed riveting polo matches that drew a significant crowd of spectators and families eager to witness the crucial tournament clash. In a standout performance, Barry’s Polo outpaced FG/Din Polo, securing a 5½-3 victory. Raja Mikael Sami emerged as a key player, contributing four fabulous goals, while Saim Abbas converted the remaining one for Barry’s Polo, leveraging their half-goal handicap advantage. Agha Musa Ali Khan scored two goals, and Sheikh Mohammad Rafi added one goal for FG/Din Polo. The first chukker commenced with a balanced display as both teams managed to score a goal each. Mikael Sami scored one for Barry’s, and Agha Musa struck one for FG/Din Polo, leveling the score at 1-1. In the second chukker, Barry’s demonstrated superior polo skills, converting two goals – one each from Mikael and Saim – while FG/Din Polo managed to convert one goal through Agha Musa, resulting in Barry’s taking a narrow 3-2 lead. Building on their momentum, Mikael continued his stellar performance in the third chukker, firing in the sole goal to extend their lead to 4-2. The fourth chukker witnessed another field goal from Mikael, further stretching Barry’s lead to 5-2. Despite FG/Din Polo's efforts for making a strong comeback, they only managed to convert one goal, resulting in a crucial 5½-3 victory for Barry’s in this closely contested match. The thrilling match sets the stage for the main final on Sunday, featuring a face-off between Team Rijas/Master Paints and Team Barry’s Polo. Simultaneously, the subsidiary final will be contested between DS Polo and FG/Din Polo.

Ahmed Baig maintains lead on second day of prestigious national golf fixtureSports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: A golfer from Lahore, Ahmed Baig maintained his lead with a gross of 137 under par 7 on the second day of the 13th Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament 2024 here at Karachi Golf Club (KGC) on Friday. Local players Zubair Hussain from Pakistan Air Force (PAF) won the car after scoring Hole-In-One on the second day of national golf fixture.He made this mark on the Red Course's 7th Hole, a Par 3 at KGC with a distance of 210 Yards, his skillful shot not only earned him acclaim but also rewarded him with a brand-new Toyota Corolla car. Baig was leading on the second day with a gross of 137- 7 under par. KGC’s Mohammad Zubair and Mohammad Munir from Rawalpindi were behind with their joint score of 139- 5 under par. Defending Champion Waheed Baloch, Dilshad Ali, Mohammad Alam and Akbar Mahroz have carded gross 142- 2 under par on second day.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Rijas Polo/Master Paints secured a coveted spot in the main final by defeating DS Polo with a convincing 9-4 scoreline on the fourth day of the Battle Axe Polo Cup, sponsored by Rachna Group, here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Thursday.The Battle Axe Polo Cup, supported by Rachna Group, continues to deliver exciting matches at Jinnah Polo Fields, drawing families and polo enthusiasts to witness the thrilling competition. In a match that resumed after the first four chukkers between the Pool B teams, Rijas Polo/Master Paints outplayed DS Polo in the last four chukkers, securing a total score of 14½ against DS Polo's 10 goals. Amirreza Behboodi led the charge for Rijas Polo/Master Paints with four goals, supported by Sufi Mohammad Haroon with three goals, and Bilal Hayat Noon and Mohib Shehzad contributing one goal each. Bilal Haye showcased exceptional skill for DS Polo, firing in all four goals. With this impressive victory, Rijas Polo/Master Paints earned a spot in the main final, setting the stage for an exciting climax to the Battle Axe Polo Cup. The action continues on Friday as FG/Din Polo prepare to face off against Barry’s Polo in another anticipated clash.  

Lahore stun Peshawar by 147 runs, Sidra Amin (113), and Sadaf Shams (106) hit unbeaten tonsAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi have claimed victories in the National Women’s T20 Tournament 2023-24 by thrashing their respective opponents at three different cricket venues of twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Thursday.Lahore crush Peshawar by 147 runs (Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi):Lahore’s decision to bat first paid dividends as the side put a mammoth 233 for no loss in the allotted 20 overs. Both the opening batters smashed unbeaten centuries. Sidra Amin took 55 deliveries to hit 113, including 12 boundaries and six maximums.She was supported by Sadaf Shams, who scored 106 from 66, showcasing 15 fours and two sixes. Peshawar bowlers toiled hard with the ball, but remained wicketless.In return, Peshawar could only manage 86-4 in 20 overs. Opening batters Aleena Shah (11, 16b, 2x4s) and Momina Riyasat (1, 5b) both fell cheaply to right-arm pacer Fatima Khan.Tehzeeb Shah, who contributed 20 from 21 with four boundaries, was caught Sidra off leg-spinner Ghulam Fatima’s bowling. Sidra later ran out Shabnam Hayat (15, 37b, 1x4) as well.Raahima Syed scored an unbeaten 28 from 42, including three boundaries, which went in vain as Peshawar lost by 147 runs.Sidra and Sadaf were jointly awarded players of the match.Karachi outplay Multan by 7 wickets (Ayub Park Ground, Rawalpindi):Karachi cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Multan after completing the target of 92 in just 11.5 overs. Javeria Khan top-scored with the bat, hitting 47 from 37, including six fours and a maximum.Syeda Aroob Shah, the fifth batter in, produced an unbeaten knock of 17 from 10, including a six and a four, to take Karachi over the line. Yusra Amir (15, 19b, 2x4s) was the other contributors with the bat.Tasmia Rubab, Asma Shareef and Rehmat Noreen got a wicket each for Multan.Earlier, Multan were bundled over for a paltry 91. Opening batter Aleena Masood top-scored for the side with a 37-ball 26, including four boundaries.Skipper Gull Feroza chipped in 13 from 11, including two fours, before she fell to off-spinner Rameen Shamim. Warda Yousaf (11, 12b, 2x4s) and Tasmia (10, 6b, 2x4s) also furthered their side’s total.Aroob was the pick of the bowlers for Karachi, grabbing three wickets for just 16 runs in four overs. Rameen accounted for two scalps for 15 runs in three overs. Skipper Fatima Sana, Omaima Sohail and Syeda Masooma Zahra also dismissed a batter each.For her all-round brilliance, Aroob was adjudged player of the match.Rawalpindi beat Quetta by 8 wickets (Diamond Club Ground, Islamabad):After opting to bowl first against Quetta, Rawalpindi had a strong start when Fatima Shah struck to get opening batter Dua Majid out for just three runs.Fareeha Mahmood and Tuba Hassan stitched a 58-run second-wicket partnership to bring a semblance of stability to the innings. Skipper Aliya Riaz provided the breakthrough as she rattled Fareeha’s (29, 38b, 6x4s) stumps.Jannat Rasheed (13, 14b, 1x4) also chipped in with the bat. Tuba, who scored an undefeated half-century, was the top-scorer for Quetta. Her knock of 70 from 43, showcasing seven fours and three sixes, took the team to 136-5 in 20 overs.Rawalpindi had a faltering start to the chase. Right-arm pacer Khairun Nisa landed two early blows with both the opening batters, Aima (2, 6b) and Fajar Naveed (10, 11b, 1x4), walking back to the pavilion cheaply.Aliya and Natalia built an undefeated 124-run stand for the third-wicket, which allowed Rawalpindi to recuperate after the early setback. Natalia hit an undefeated 57 from 44, with seven fours and a six, supporting her skipper batting at the other end.Aliya, who was also awarded player of the match, smashed unbeaten 63 from 49 deliveries, including seven boundaries and four maximums, to take her team over the rope.

Defending champions Gulf Giants to take on Sharjah Warriors on Friday in SharjahSports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Defending champions Gulf Giants will face Sharjah Warriors in the opening match of the DP World ILT20 Season 2 on Friday at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, as six teams will fight for the title at the three different venues of United Arab Emirates (UAE).On Thursday, team captains and vice captains who assembled at the Dubai International Stadium for a photo shoot with the trophy, and a press conference that followed, were upbeat about their respective team’s performances. Legendary pacer Shoaib Akhtar, Brand Ambassador for the DP World ILT20 season 2, set the tempo for the action to follow by stating: “They are all superstars. I am glad I was not born in this era. Players like Chris Lynn would have smacked me all over. Sunil Narine would have always got me out. Good luck to you all. I am sure you will be all rooting for your teams. This is the trophy to be won.” Akhtar then lauded UAE for creating such a platform through this tournament saying. “We saw UAE Under-19 team beating Pakistan Under-19 and this tournament has played a big role in showcasing young talent here.” Chris Lynn of Gulf Giants, who etched his name in the history of the tournament by winning the inaugural edition of the tournament, said: “We obviously did great work last year. T20 is all about reinventing and adapting to the conditions. Last year we had some great batting wickets, and hopefully we will repeat our performance.” Talking about the Green, White, Red and Blue Belts for outstanding performance in the tournament, Lynn said: “It is a big motivation to the players but it also about playing and winning for the team. It is a recognition of performance and pride. Sunil Narine, skipper of the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, who has an exciting squad, said: “Some things went wrong with us last year. We will better that show this season. Our ultimate goal is to win this trophy. Though I do enjoy playing in Abu Dhabi, the aim will be to adapt to all wickets and execute our plans.” Colin Munro, skipper of the Desert Vipers with star Pakistan player like Shaheen Shah Afridi in his side, has an outstanding team. Talking about his team’s chances, Munro said: “We have some superstars in our team. We will try and adapt to the conditions here and produce a good show.” Sam Billings of Dubai Capitals, who addressed the press conference in place of his captain David Warner who will be arriving soon, said: “It will be great to play with David having often played against him. We have a great team and we are confident of producing a good show. With all other teams too being strong, this will be a great completion.” Nicholas Pooran, skipper of Mumbai Indians Emirates, and who has played some scintillating cricket in the DP World ILT20 Season 1, confirmed that his eyes are on the beautiful trophy. “We look forward to the challenge. We are hoping for a great start. It is great to be leading the Mumbai franchise. There are many superstars in this tournament; so it is not going to be easy. To be successful we have to work hard and we are ready for the challenge.” Tom Kohler-Cadmore, skipper of the Sharjah Warriors, who too produced some great knocks in the first season, said: “This year we have a more balanced team than last year. We have some very good allrounders and excellent batting options. We are confident of our boys. Every team wants to have a winning start and that is what we will look forward tomorrow. Hopefully we can start well and go towards the final.” All teams are packed with legendary cricketers who have sparkled especially in the T20 format and those who have displayed outstanding performances in the recent ICC World Cup in India. Over 100 international cricketers will feature in Season 2. Stars like David Warner, Shaheen Afridi, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Alex Hales, Shadab Khan, Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka, Sikandar Raza, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, James Vince, Chris Jordan, Trent Boult, Carlos Brathwaite, Ambati Rayudu, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Chris Woakes, Sherfane Rutherford and Sheldon Cottrell will all be seen in action. Some of the UAE players who have produced sterling performances in international matches recently like Aayan Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Aditya Shetty, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Rohan Mustafa, Vritya Aravind, Basil Hameed, and Alishan Sharafu are all playing for the different teams. A total of 25 UAE players will feature in this edition. 

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Ahmed Baig got a couple of strokes lead on the opening day of the 13th Bank AL Habib Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament 2024, which teed off here at the Karachi Golf Club (KGC) on Thursday.Out of 95 leading golfers participating on day one, Ahmed Baig was leading with 66 at 6 under par after completing an 18-hole game. Akbar Mahroz was behind with 68. Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Munir were sharing a score of 69. Defending champion Waheed Baloch was on 5th position on the first day after firing 70- 2 under par.The Toyota Corolla and a Suzuki Alto for hole-in-one remained unclaimed on day one. The final round will be played on Sunday 21st January.

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Mohammad Hasnain from Sindh outclassed Ahsan Ramzan from Punjab by 4-2 in the 48th National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) National Snooker Championship 2024 here at NBP Sports Club Clifton on Wednesday. The final score-line was 33-95, 95-16, 72-25, 59-03, 0-73, and 74-06.Mohammad Naseem Akhtar made a 108 score Break while playing against Zafar Iqbal from Islamabad, as he won the match 4-1 with the score-line of 62-69, 69-33, 77-17 (52), 108-01 (108), and 65-55 (65).Results (Day-3):Aakash Rafiq (KP) beat Zulfiqar Abdul Qadir 4-2 (84-39 (66), 66-63, 62-74, 11-68, 34-70, 80-49)Ahsan Ramzan (PB) beat Fazal Umar Sindh) 4-1 (39-58, 65-31, 87-16(82), 117-04(52), 103-18)Zafar Iqbal (Isb) beat Basit Ali (Bal) 4-2 (64-25, 76-01, 102-12, 18-75, 7-50, 77-04)Abdul Rehman (PB) beat Saif Ali Khan (Bal) 4-2 (55-43, 63-04, 46-55, 1-71, 55-35, 68-28)Babar Masih (PB) beat Rambail Gul (KP) 4-3 (34-63, 53-33, 60-70, 75-12, 32-84(77), 60-25, 93-04(59)Shan Namat (KP) beat Mohammad Sahil (Sindh) 4-0 (74-03, 70-22, 62-21, 73-38 (56).Abdul Sattar (Sindh) beat Awais Ullah Munair (PB) 4-0 (Walk Over)Adil Khan (Bal) beat Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh) 4-0 (70-23, 69-27, 66-70, 83-08)Shahid Aftab (PB) beat Mohammad Faizan (Sindh) 4-0 (64-09, 77-06, 66-40, 62-30)Mohammad Naseem Akhtar (PB) beat Zafar Iqbal (Isb) 4-1 (62-69, 69-33, 77-17(52), 108-01(108), 65-55(65)Saif Ali Khan (Sindh) beat Zulfiqar A, Qadir (Sindh) 4-2 (64-40, 14-96(87), 59-48, 47-58, 60-34, 74-35)Sirbuland Khan (KP) beat Jahanzaib (Bal) 4-0 (76-38, 71-34, 85-36, 66-18)Sultan Mohammad (Sindh) beat Fawad Khan (KP) 4-3 (53-61, 56-31, 01-100(84), 61-18, 48-68, 70-23, 66-27)Mohammad Ijaz (PB) beat Sohail Shehzad (Sindh) 4-3 (22-94(76), 77-0(77), 81-0(55), 25-74, 26-62, 65-39, 68-0(58),Shah Khan (KP) beat Rizwan Hashmi (Sindh) 4-3 (01-71, 95-21, 69-13, 47-59, 64-08, 58-69, 64-08)Mohammad Hasnain (Sindh) beat Ahsan Ramzan (PB) 4-2 (33-95, 95-16, 72-25, 59-03, 0-73(73), 74-06)

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Punjab University (PU) chess players have clinched the title of the All Pakistan Inter-Universities Chess Championship, which was organized by Liaqat University Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshooro.According to an official, PU team was consisted of Zaman Sohail, Ahmad Mubarak, Ali Akber and Barkat Ali. Assistant Director Sports Mohammad Nabeel was the team manager while Waseem Akram was the coach. As any as players from 20 universities participated in the championship.