Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Former Test captain and wicketkeeper batter, Moin Khan has joined the Kashmir Premier League (KSL), as the preparations for the first edition of the prestigious T20 tournament are in full swing, the event will be played in Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi in May, June this year 2025. Moin joined the league as the Executive Director of Cricket Operations, the contract signing ceremony took place at a local hotel in Karachi, which was attended by former cricketers and KSL Chairman Masood Ahmed Khan among others. On this occasion, Moin Khan said:  “Kashmir Premier League will make Super League a big brand. The league will be successful when the players get money, the players will not have any problem in this league. Big players like Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi are also associated with this league, which suggests that the league will be on a large scale, a talent hunt program will also be organized for the league.”The players from the league will also be included in the Quetta Gladiators team. Kashmir Supreme League Chairman Masood Ahmad Khan said in his speech, "Legendary players have been included in the league to make it successful. It will be very beneficial to have Wasim Akram, Shahid Afridi and Moin Khan. The aim of the league is to bring forward the talented players. It is also to show the positive face of Kashmir to the world." At the end of the ceremony, the agreement for the sale of franchise Kotli Kings was also signed. 

Islamabad (Sports Desk): New Zealand secured a 3-1 victory over Scotland, overturning an early deficit to clinch a semi-final spot. Ireland continued their dominant run with a 2-0 win against Korea, maintaining their perfect defensive record in the group stage. Chile topped Pool B after a 3-1 win over the USA, capitalizing on penalty corners, while Japan edged Canada 2-1 with a late goal.New Zealand 3-1 Scotland: To start the final day of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup, New Zealand finished out the final group match with a 3-1 win over Scotland. Scotland began the match with a bang scoring in just the 2nd minute. Scotland hung on to their lead for just over twenty minutes, however New Zealand proved to be more clinical in the circle.Korea 0-2 Ireland; Korea played as a strong defensive unit for much of the first half, not allowing many chances for The Green Army. However, with a charging run into the circle, a fake a shot, and a smooth finish through the keepers’ legs, Sarah Torrans scored Ireland’s first goal of the match in the 25th minute.The second half proved much of the same, Korea played well defensively but struggled to put many scoring attempts together. In the 51st minute Ireland sealed the deal with an open shot from Christina Hamill at the top of the circle and a reaching touch by Mikayla Power to deflect it into the top of the net.Chile 3-1 USA: It was a story of penalty corners in the third match of the day, with Chile scoring three penalty corners, allowing them to claim top of Pool B on home soil. The USA’s performance was a frustrating one, with a penalty corner goal disallowed in the first half which would have tied the game and potentially changed the momentum.The second half brought more pressure from the Americans, but they failed to convert their chances. Another penalty corner was denied, and a penalty stroke miss defined the USA’s second half. While Maria Maldonado managed to score Chile’s third goal of the night on the fourth consecutive penalty corner, providing a cherry on top of her 100th match with Las Diablas.Japan 2-1 Canada: The first half of this match proved to be a stalemate, with neither Japan nor Canada earning a spot on the scoresheet. Canada’s defensive strength was led by Anna Mollenhauer and Sarah Goodman who played huge roles in the first half shut out. The Cherry Blossoms did look to be the better team offensively, as they created multiple circle entries and earned several penalty corners near the end of the half.The Canadian Wolfpack had an unfortunate start to the second half with only nine players on the field due to a yellow and a green card. Japan took advantage of this opportunity by opening the scoring on a penalty corner. Canada quickly responded with their first goal of the tournament by Kathleen Leahy just minutes later. At the very start of the fourth quarter Rui Takashima blazed through the Canadian defence with a zigzagging run setting up an open goal tap in for Hiroka Murayama to win the match for Japan 2-1.

Abdullah AsjadISLAMABAD: The rising bowler, Ghazanfar Bilal has won the title of the 17th National Tenpin Bowling Championship, which concluded here at Safa Gold Bowling Club. Daniyal Shah and Anas Asif claimed 2nd and 3rd position respectively. Ghazanfar Bilal got first position with 369 points while Daniyal Shah obtained 2nd position with 356 points and Anas Asif bagged 3rd position with 346 points. Zeeshan Bhatti secured 4th position with 326 points. President, Pakistan Tenpin Bowling Federation, Ijaz ur Rehman, President, Sindh Tenpin Bowling Association, Aleem Agha, Secretary General, Pakistan Student Olympic Association, Rana Tanveer Ahmed and a large number of people were also present on the occasion.Ghazanfar Bilal received a cash prize of Rs. 100 thousand with a winner trophy and Daniyal Shah got Rs. 50 thousand. Anas Asif pocketed 25000 3rd position award while Zeeshan Bhatti received rupees ten thousand 4th position award. Similarly, 5th to 8th position holders got rupees five thousand each only. About 200 players including men and women took part in the championship. 

Islamabad (Sports Desk): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) today agreed to accept the resignation of IOC President Thomas Bach as an IOC Member, effective after 23 June 2025. This will be the day of the handover to the new IOC President, who will be elected on 20 March 2025 in Costa Navarino, Greece.President Bach tendered his resignation this week to the IOC EB following his announcement at the IOC Session in Paris that he would not seek an extension to his presidency despite calls from IOC Members to do so. Thomas Bach was elected on 10 September 2013, as the ninth President of the IOC. He was re-elected for a second four-year term on 10 March 2021.Bach became an Olympic champion when he won a gold medal with his team in foil fencing at the Games of the XXI Olympiad in Montreal in 1976. In 2006, he was elected as the founding President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).Bach was an athletes’ representative at the XI Olympic Congress in Baden-Baden (1981) and a founding member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission. He was elected as an IOC Member in 1991, and as a member of the IOC Executive Board in 1996, and served as an IOC Vice-President for more than 10 years. He has also chaired several IOC commissions.

Rawalpindi to host 11 matches, defending champions Islamabad United to face Lahore Qalandars in opening fixtureSports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: The Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, as the defending champions Islamabad United will take on Lahore Qalandars on April 11, 2025 in the opening fixture of the HBL PSL 10 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The six-team tournament will see 34 matches from 11 April to 18 May, with Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium set to host 13 matches, including two Eliminators and the final.Also, the upcoming edition will feature an exhibition match, which will be played on 8 April in Peshawar. The teams of the match will be confirmed in due course. For HBL PSL X, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host 11 matches, including Qualifier 1 on 13 May. Karachi’s National Bank Stadium and Multan Cricket Stadium will host five matches each. The marquee event will also feature three double-headers, with two matches on weekends (Saturday) and one on a national holiday (Labour Day).Karachi Kings –winners of the league’s fifth edition, will begin their campaign on 12 April in their own backyard against runners up of the last edition, Multan Sultans.Multan Sultans’ – the winners of the sixth edition, will face Lahore Qalandars on 22 April – the first HBL PSL X match hosted by Multan Cricket Stadium.The newly constructed Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium will welcome the tenth edition of the HBL PSL on 24 April with home side Qalandars, winners of the seventh and eighth editions taking on Peshawar Zalmi.Peshawar Zalmi, champions of the HBL PSL 2017 will play their five matches at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the winners of the fourth edition, Quetta Gladiators will play five matches at the Gaddafi Stadium.HBL PSL Chief Executive Officer Salman Naseer: “We are thrilled to officially announce the schedule for the historic 10th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League. Over the past decade, the HBL PSL has grown into a globally recognised tournament, showcasing the best of Pakistan’s cricketing talent. The fans in this year’s tournament will not only see high-profile international cricketers but will also witness 34 high-octane matches across four major cities—Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi. As part of our commitment to expanding the reach of the HBL PSL, we are delighted to host an exhibition match in Peshawar before the start of the tournament, which is a significant step in bringing top-tier cricket to Peshawar, a city with a deep-rooted love for the game. We remain dedicated to enhancing the experience for players, fans, and stakeholders, who have witnessed some breathtaking contests in the league over the years.”HBL PSL X schedule (April 11 to May 18, 2025):11 April – Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium12 April – Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium, Karachi13 April – Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium14 April – Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium15 April – Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank Stadium, Karachi16 April – Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium18 April – Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium, Karachi19 April – Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium20 April – Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank Stadium, Karachi21 April – Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank Stadium, Karachi22 April – Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Multan Cricket Stadium23 April – Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Multan Cricket Stadium24 April – Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore25 April – Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore26 April – Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore27 April – Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore29 April – Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore30 April – Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore1 May – Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore2 May – Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore3 May – Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore4 May – Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore5 May – Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket Stadium7 May – Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium8 May – Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium9 May – Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium10 May – Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium13 May – Qualifier 1, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium14 May – Eliminator 1, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore16 May – Eliminator 2, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore18 May – Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The 6th Men, and 1st Women Inter-Department National Judo Championship 2025 concluded at the Navy Sports Complex from February 23 to 26, 2025. Dominating the event, the Pakistan Army team emerged victorious, securing the championship title with an impressive tally of 11 gold medals.Organized by the Pakistan Judo Federation (PJF) in collaboration with Pakistan Navy, the championship witnessed fierce competition among top departmental teams. The strong and skilled Army contingent clinched 7 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze medal in the men’s category, while also securing 4 gold medals in the women’s category. The Pakistan Navy team finished as runners-up, earning 3 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze medals in the men’s section, along with 2 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals in the women’s category.The championship featured participation from six major departmental teams, competing across various weight categories. The men’s contests were held in ten weight divisions: -50 kg, -55 kg, -60 kg, -66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg, +100 kg, and Open weight. Meanwhile, the women’s events took place in eight weight categories: -40 kg, -44 kg, -48 kg, -52 kg, -57 kg, -63 kg, -70 kg, and Open weight.Captain Kamran, Director Sports of Pakistan Navy, graced the closing ceremony as the chief guest. The event was also attended by the President of the Pakistan Judo Federation, Col. Junaid Alam, along with Major Naveed, Team Manager of Pak-Army, and Executive Members of PJF. 

LAHORE (PR): FG Polo and Olympia/AZB registered victories in the Sarsabz 4th President of Pakistan Polo Cup – National Open Polo Championship 2025, organized by Jinnah Polo Fields. The high-goal season’s premier event, sponsored by Fatima Group, is in full swing at Jinnah Polo Fields. Among the distinguished attendees were Sarsabz Pakistan Director Mian Abbas Mukhtar, Club Secretary Major Ali Taimoor (Retd), players, and a large number of families and polo enthusiasts. In the first match of the day, Olympia/AZB edged out HN with a narrow 5-4 victory in a closely contested battle. Abdul Rehman Monnoo led the charge with two goals, while Ahmed Zubair Butt, Luis Manuel Aguirre, and Novillo Astrada scored one goal each. For HN, Hamza Mawaz Khan netted three goals, and Haider Naseem added one. HN got off to a blistering start, netting two back-to-back goals in the opening chukker and adding another in the second to establish a commanding 3-0 lead. However, just before the second chukker ended, Olympia/AZB broke through with a crucial goal, narrowing the deficit to 3-1. The momentum shifted in the third chukker, as Olympia/AZB found the net once again, bringing the score to 3-2. They then dominated the fourth chukker, firing in two consecutive goals to snatch a 4-3 lead. Their advantage, however, was short-lived, as HN swiftly responded with an equalizer, leveling the contest at 4-4. With the match hanging in the balance, the decisive fifth chukker saw Olympia/AZB capitalizing on a well-executed field goal, sealing a hard-fought 5-4 victory. The second match witnessed a dramatic finish as FG Polo sealed a 9-8 sudden-death victory over DS Polo in the sixth chukker, securing a spot in the main final of the National Open Polo Championship. Raul Laplacette was the standout performer for FG Polo, smashing in five fabulous goals, while Nicolas Ruiz and Raja Mikael Sami contributed two each. DS’s Lao Abelenda hammered five goals, and Max Charlton netted three in a valiant effort. FG Polo dominated the early proceedings, storming to a commanding 5-1 lead by the end of the second chukker. However, DS Polo staged a remarkable comeback, firing in five consecutive goals during the third and fourth chukkers to snatch a 6-5 advantage. The high-intensity fifth chukker saw both teams go head-to-head in a fierce battle, with FG Polo hammering in a hat-trick, while DS Polo responded with a brace, leveling the match at 8-8 and forcing a sudden-death chukker. In a thrilling climax, it was Raul Laplacette who rose to the occasion, smashing in the golden goal to seal a hard-fought 9-8 triumph for FG Polo. The last two league matches are set for Wednesday (February 26, 2025), while the tournament final will take place on Friday. 

Abdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: New Zeeland posted a comprehensive triumph by 5 wickets against Bangladesh to confirm their berth in the top-four stage of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, here at Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday. Result of the Group match disappointed hosts Pakistan, as they were officially ousted from title race.This was a game that Najmul Hossain Shanto's team had to win to stay alive. But they batted like that was just too much trouble. Bangladesh started at nearly a run a ball. But 10 of the next 15 overs went for three runs or fewer. Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell from the pressure created in this period. A combined 511 matches' worth of experience was only good for 6 runs in a do-or-die game. Their wickets left Shanto with no way forward. He kept having to readjust to a new partner, to a new match situation and in the end produced a staccato innings of 77 off 110. He could've done better. The others should've done better.Taskin Ahmed and Nahid Rana raised Bangladesh's hopes with a fiery opening spell, rattling Will Young's stumps in the first over and snaring Williamson for a rare single-digit score. The infield was richly populated at that point. The whole atmosphere was buzzing, the crowd also getting in the act. Into this walked Ravindra. One of the best things about his batting is his touch. It's so pure. Down at No. 4 - he was brought into the XI to replace an ill Daryl Mitchell - there was possibly a risk that he wouldn't be able to take full toll of that. But as luck would have it, he began his innings within the field restrictions and that meant he could profit from his timing. His first five fours were all about finding the gap because his timing always took care of the rest.Ravindra had to wait 11 overs since the field spread to find his next boundary but that didn't mean he was stagnant. His first 23 runs came off 21 balls with five fours. His next 28 runs came off 29 balls with one four. There was one chance in between all that. A mix-up with his Wellington team-mate Devon Conway could have resulted in him being run-out had Tanzid Hasan been able to get a direct hit in the 12th over.Bangladesh weren't able to take their chances. New Zealand did. Williamson did have a hand in proceedings here, picking up smart catches at short midwicket and cover. Michael Bracewell, after wrapping up an uninterrupted 10-over spell, ran 30 yards to his right to pick up a diving catch that probably wasn't even his. But he decided to take charge and it worked.Bracewell contributed 43 of 178 dot balls that plagued Bangladesh. You have to go back to 2012 to find an innings they'd paced quite so poorly. Rotating strike was a struggle and the avenues they chose to get out of that weren't ideal. Perhaps the pitch was too slow in the afternoon to be able to work the ball into gaps. Mushfiqur made a play against Bracewell but he couldn't clear the long boundary with his slog sweep. Bangladesh were 106 for 4 in the 23rd over. At a time when consolidation was actually needed, Mahmudullah made an ill-advised trip down the track and skewed a leading edge to cover.Bracewell contributed to his success by slowing his pace down. Bangladesh contributed considerably more. They exit the tournament having faced more than 50 overs of dot balls. Their decision-making left them so short on batting resources that they had Taskin on strike for the 45th over and it ended up as a maiden. The Black Caps had pulled off another flex, earlier when they had only three fielders, instead of the five allowed, on the boundary in the 40th over.New Zealand went into the chase knowing all they needed were a couple of partnerships and New Zealand got them. Ravindra put on 57 runs with Conway and then 129 with Tom Latham, who is so good at that middle-order crisis manage role. You can totally imagine him side-kicking whoever leads the earth's remaining population at the end of a zombie apocalypse. First things first though, there's an ICC trophy up for grabs.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): India beat Pakistan by six wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening to qualify for the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy. Tonight was Pakistan’s second defeat in as many matches in the tournament after they went down to New Zealand in the opening match by 60 runs.After opting to bat first, Pakistan were dismissed for 241 in 49.4 overs. Saud Shakeel coming to bat at number three top-scored for the side with a 76-ball 62, which included five boundaries. Captain Mohammad Rizwan was other notable run-getter, scoring 46 off 108 balls, hitting three fours. For India, left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets, while Hardik Pandya bagged two wickets.In turn, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century led India to a six-wicket win with 45 balls to spare. Kohli’s innings included seven fours, which came off 111 balls faced. Shreyas Iyer (56, 67b, 5x4s, 1x6) and Shubman Gill (46, 52b, 7x4s) were other contributors with the bat. For Pakistan, Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed two wickets, while Abrar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah snapped a wicket each.Pakistan will now play Bangladesh in their final group match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, 27 February.Scores in brief:India beat Pakistan by six wicketsPakistan 241 all out, 49.4 overs (Saud Shakeel 62, Mohammad Rizwan 46, Khushdil Shah 38; Kuldeep Yadav 3-40, Hardik Pandya 2-31)India 244-4, 42.3 overs (Virat Kohli 100 not out, Shreyas Iyer 56, Shubman Gill 46; Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-74)Player of the match – Virat Kohli (India)  

Lahore (PR): Din Polo clinched the coveted trophy of the Diamond Paints Polo Cup after securing a thrilling 10-6 victory over Diamond Paints in the main final at the Lahore Garrison Polo Ground. A large number of spectators and families gathered to witness the final of the six-goal event, part of the Pakistan Polo Association’s calendar. Prominent attendees included Diamond Paints Director Sabina Saman, CEO Mir Shoaib Ahmed, Mrs. Shoaib Ahmed, Director Mir Huzaifa Ahmed, Pro Health Director Ghulam Muhammad Laghari, Sardar Isa Laghari, and Club Secretary Major (Retd) Babar Mahboob Awan, along with a significant crowd of polo enthusiasts. The final match between Din Polo and Diamond Paints proved highly competitive. Din Polo emerged victorious with a 10-6 triumph. Raja Jalal Arsalan and Muhammad Ali Malik led the charge for Din Polo, scoring four fabulous goals each, while Farhad Mohammad Sheikh and Mian Abbas Mukhtar contributed one goal each. For Diamond Paints, Mir Huzaifa Ahmed scored three goals, Raja Taimur Nadeem netted two, and Malik Ali Kuli Khan added one goal. Diamond Paints asserted their dominance in the first chukker, netting three brilliant goals against one from Din Polo, securing an early 3-1 lead. However, Din Polo roared back in the second chukker, firing four spectacular goals, while Diamond Paints managed just one, bringing the match to an intense 5-5 deadlock. The third chukker remained fiercely competitive, with both teams adding one goal each, keeping the contest finely balanced at 6-6. In the fourth and final chukker, Din Polo took complete control, delivering a stunning four-goal blitz to seal a resounding 10-6 victory and clinch the title in style. At the concluding ceremony, Club Secretary Maj (Retd) Babar Mahboob Awan extended special thanks to sponsors Diamond Paints and co-sponsors Pro Health, acknowledging their efforts in making the tournament a success.