Peshawar (Sports Report) Department of Sports Sciences Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan has won the first Mardan Girls Volleyball Championship by defeating Government Girls Degree College Sheikh Maltoon Town in the final. As many as 16 teams of girls colleges and schools from five tehsils of Mardan participated in the championship which was jointly organized by the Regional Sports Office and the district administration. Assistant Commissioner Saman Abbas inaugurated the championship. In the closing ceremony, Member Provincial Assembly Zahir Shah distributed prizes among the players. Additional Deputy Commissioner Naik Mohammad, Regional Sports Officer Jamshed Baloch, Chairman Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Imtiaz Ayub, Dr. Farooq Hussain, Chairman, Sports Department, Salman, Administrator, Mardan Sports Complex, Madam Gulnar and Ayesha Tahir, Assistant Commissioner were also present on the occasion. Earlier in the first semi-final, Department of Sports Sciences Abdul Wali Khan University defeated Government Girls Degree College Mardan while in the second semi-final Girls Degree College Sheikh Maltoon defeated Sports Club and qualified for the final. MPA Zahir Shah Toro and ADC Naik Mohammad paid tributes to the Regional Sports Office Mardan for organizing the championship and assured all possible cooperation in organizing the competitions.

Ayaz Raza Afridi PESHAWAR (January 15, 2022):-Zeeshan Zeb and Roshna Mehboob have lifted the titles of Comeback International Squash Championship that held at Qamar Zaman Squash Complex Peshawar on Saturday. Secretary General Wing Commander Armghan Aziz and Chief Executive of Comebacks Omar Saeed were the special guests who distributed the prizes among the players. Director of Comebacks Arif Ali Pakistan Squash Federation Vice President and Chairman KP Squash Association Qamar Zaman President Association Education and Secretary Higher Education Dad Khan Secretary Mansoor Zaman Senior Vice President Ehsanullah Khan Associate Secretary Sajjad Khan Finance Secretary Minister Muhammad Sher Bahadur Chief Organizer and Chief Referee Munawar Zaman Executive Members Fazal Khalil Director Coaches Mohammad Wasim Amjad Khan Mohammad Adil Faqir Nematullah Sajid Khan Alamzeb and other personalities were present on this occasion. In the men's final, former British Championship National Champion Zeeshan Zeb won 3-1, as Khushal Riaz could not complete the match due to injury. In the women's final, Roshna Mehboob of Punjab defeated Noor-ul-Ain Ijaz at 11-4, 11-13 and 11-5.

Karachi (Sports Report):-Waheed Balouch earned 5 strokes lead with 203 under par 13 score in the third round of Bank Al Habib’s 11th Rashid D Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament 2022 at Karachi golf club. After Friday’s cut, 54 professionals participated in round 3 of Saturday. Waheed Baloch of KGC increased his lead on third day’s leaderboard and carded 203-13 under par. Defending champion Mohammad Shabbir succeeded to second place while sharing 208-8 under par along with Hamza Amin. Ansar Mehmood is at 4th position with 210-6 under par. Out of 27 golfers in Senior Professionals category, Mohammad Akram of Gymkhana club leads on first day with 69-3 under par. He is followed by Asghar Ali of Gymkhana with 71-1 under par. After Round-1, 17 golfers have qualified in this category to play in Round-2 on Sunday. Mohammad Saqib of Lahore Garrison Gymkhana with 8 over par is leading 23 golfers who participated in Junior Professionals category today. Jawad Ahmed from Peshawar is following him with 9 over par. Ten golfers qualified for final round. Final round of the tournament will be played on Sunday to decide the winner of the tournament.

Asif Abbasi The defending champion of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, 34 years old Serbian guy Novak Djokovic has announced to withdraw from the tournament, as the Australian immigration has revoked his visa once again. Minister Alex Hawke said that he had exercised his broad powers under section 133C (3) of the Migration Act to cancel Djokovic’s visa “on health and good order grounds” basis that it was in the public interest to do so. “In making this decision, I carefully considered information provided to me by the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force and Djokovic.” “The Morrison government is firmly committed to protecting Australia’s borders, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Judge Anthony Kelly, who overturned the first cancellation of Djokovic’s visa on Monday earlier this week, will again preside over the case. He also faces 3 year automatic ban if he denied visa again. But immigration minister can wave off using his powers. Djokovic arrived in Melbourne on January 5 and promptly had his visa canceled for entering the country without a valid reason why he couldn't be vaccinated against Covid-19. He spent several nights in a detention hotel in Melbourne, which also houses dozens of refugees. His lawyers challenged the decision and won the legal battle on Monday, on the basis Djokovic's had covid on December 16 after attending kids’ tennis tournament. But questions have been raised on Djokovic’s behavior after testing positive for Covid-19 on December 16 as he had attended some events after 16 December and on his previous visa application that he had not visited in last 14 days to any country.  

Sports Bulletin ISLAMABAD:-The three-time champions breezed past West Indies by six wickets to get their tournament off to a flyer and inflict an early blow on the hosts in Guyana. Cooper Connolly’s side required just 40.1 overs to take all ten West Indian wickets and spearheaded by opener Teague Wyllie, chased down their target of 170 to win with ease. And in the other game on the opening day of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC – so often a breeding ground for the game’s future superstars – it was Sri Lanka who got off to a winning start as they toppled Scotland by 40 runs. Dunith Wellalage’s side posted a competitive first innings total of 218 before economical middle over spells from their versatile attack – including five wickets for captain Wellalage – skittled the Scots for just 178 inside 49 overs. Wonderful Wyllie fires Australia over the line West Indies were punished for a below-par batting performance as Australia cruised to a comfortable triumph at Providence. After Ackeem Auguste’s side had been bowled out for just 169 – with almost ten full overs to spare – Wyllie’s polished 86 not out helped Australia complete the most impressive display of the day and win within 45 overs. Australia’s seamers had caused havoc with the new ball as opening bowlers Tom Whitney – three for 20 – and William Salzmann – one for 19 – reduced the hosts to 12 for three after 5.1 overs. Skipper Auguste’s defiant 57, bolstered by wicket-keeper Rivaldo Clarke’s 37, propelled them to a fourth wicket partnership of 95 but wickets at regular intervals after Clarke’s dismissal proved the West Indians’ downfall. Australian captain Connolly and off-spinner Nivethan Radhakrishna took three wickets apiece as West Indies, winners of the ICC U19 Men’s CWC in 2016, were unable to muster a match-winning total. And that inability was ruthlessly capitalised on by the Australians, who overcame the early dismissals of top order batters Corey Miller and Isaac Higgins to power to a straightforward victory. Wyllie’s impressive innings was assisted by Radhakrishnan’s 31 and Connolly’s 23 as Australia, crowned champions back in 1988, 2002 and 2010, got their tournament off to the perfect start in the Caribbean. Wellalage inspires Sri Lanka to hard-fought victory Sri Lanka executed a skilful defence of their total as captain fantastic Wellalage and his bowlers fired them to victory in Georgetown. Wellalage’s canny left-arm spin saw him rack up formidable figures of five for 27 from nine overs as Scotland were unable to ever get going in pursuit of their 219 target. Sakuna Nidarshana Liyanage was the hero with the bat for the Sri Lankans, striking a majestic run-a-ball 85 to haul his side up to a total that left the game intriguingly poised at the halfway mark. Raveen de Silva (30) delivered some important runs from the tail while contributions from top order batters Chamindu Wickramasinghe (28) and Sadisha Rajapaksa (24) left Charlie Peet’s Scots with considerable work to do. Sean Fischer-Keogh (3-56), Jack Jarvis and Oliver Davidson – two wickets apiece – starred with the ball but underdogs Scotland were unable to mount a viable attempt with the bat as Sri Lanka’s spinners turned the screw. Spearheaded by Wellalage’s brilliance, the 2000 runners-up suffocated the Scots as Shevon Daniel (2-16), Matheesha Pathirana and Wanuja Sahan also took important wickets. Only middle-order batter Jarvis, who notched 55 off 61 balls after arriving at the crease with scoreboard pressure intensifying, scored over 20 for Scotland after the top four failed to fire in the face of some accurate Sri Lankan bowling. A flurry of late wickets saw Scotland eventually dismissed with eight balls of the innings remaining, 40 runs short of Sri Lanka who will look to build valuable momentum ahead of their mouth-watering Monday meeting with fellow Friday winners Australia. Saturday 15 January matches India v South Africa, Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Ireland v Uganda, Everest Cricket Club, Guyana Canada v UAE, Conaree Cricket Center, St Kitts and Nevis Zimbabwe v PNG, Queens Park Oval, Trinidad and Tobago

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD (January 14, 2022):-Pakistan Air Force (PAF), WAPDA, Army and Police moved into the semifinals of the 42nd National Kabaddi Championship after posting comprehensive victories in the quarterfinals at Punjab Stadium Lahore. In the first quarterfinal, Pakistan Air Force overcame Higher Education Commission with the score of 55-34 while WAPDA beat South Punjab at 61-32 in the second quarterfinal, as first two quarterfinals was held on Thursday at the same venue. However, on Friday, in the 3rd quarterfinal Pakistan Army beat Center Punjab 52-35 while Police got rid of North Punjab at 47-42 in a close contest. Semifinals will be played on Saturday, as PAF will meet WAPDA while Army will face Police in the second semifinal. Results (Quarterfinals): 1st Pakistan Air Force beat Higher Education Commission 55-34 2nd WAPDA beat South Punjab 61-32 3rd Pakistan Army beat Center Punjab 52-35 4th Police beat North Punjab 47-42

Bipin Dani Former West Indies captain and the ICC match-referee received his knighthood award for his services to the game of cricket Wednesday. The Clive Llyod knighthood investiture was performed on Wednesday by the Duke of Cambridge at Windsor Castle. Also felicitated was Eoin Morgan, who received his CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).  Windies great Llyod has dedicated his knighthood award to his countrymen. Speaking exclusively over telephone from London on Thursday morning, he said, "I feel honoured and blessed. This honour is for my country, my fans and most of all for my family. It was a memorable day and one which I will not forget".

SPORTS BULLETIN Lausanne, Switzerland: The top honours in the FIH Best of 2021 fan vote have both gone the way of Argentina, with the men’s team taking the Best Goal prize and the women the award for Best Match, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) can reveal. The Best Goal of 2021 award, as voted for by the fans of the sport, goes to Nicolas Keenan’s outrageous smash-shot against host nation Japan in the pool phase of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Following an exchange of passes with Juan Lopez, Keenan produced a moment of sporting magic with three touches all within a second of each other, lifting the ball over a defender’s stick at the top of the circle before changing the angle in mid-air and crashing a vicious overhead strike against the backboard of the Japanese goal. It was a strike of pure, instinctive brilliance from Keenan, a truly iconic moment from a wonderful hockey competition at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The fan’s choice for the Best Match of 2021 also came from Tokyo 2020, with Argentina’s superb 3-0 quarter-final triumph over Germany generating the most votes. Germany’s second place finish behind the Netherlands in Pool A saw them come into the match against Las Leonas, who finished third in Pool B, as marginal favourites. However, the giants of Pan American hockey produced a dominant display against Die Danas, with the deadlock being broken in the 27th minute by Agustina Albertarrio, a goal voted by the fans as the second best of 2021. A Victoria Granatto penalty corner doubled Argentina’s advantage just before half time, with the result being put beyond all doubt by teenager and FIH Rising Star of the Year 2021 nominee Valentina Raposo, who fired home a superb penalty corner strike to send the eventual silver medallists into the semi-finals. Best Goal of 2021 1st Place: Nicolas Keenan (ARG). Argentina Men v Japan (Pool phase) – Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 2nd Place: Agustina Albertarrio (ARG). Argentina Women v Germany (Quarter-Final) – Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 3rd Place: Dayaan Cassiem (RSA). South Africa Men v Belgium (Pool phase) – Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Best Match of 2021 1st Place: Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: Women’s Quarter-Final – Germany 0-3 Argentina 2nd Place: Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: Men’s Pool B – South Africa 4-3 Germany 3rd Place: Olympic Games Tokyo 2020: Men’s Bronze Medal – Germany 4-5 India

Sports Bulletin ISLAMABAD (January 14, 2022):-Waheed Balouch from Karachi Golf Club (KGC) maintained his one score lead on the conclusion of second day of the 11th Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament, as his score was 134 under 10 after playing 36 holes at the Karachi Golf Club (KGC). According to details, Hamza Amin from Islamabad scored 136 eight under par and was on the second place while defending champion Mohammad Shabbir along with Ansar Mehmood were staying at third place with 138 six under par. Rashid D. Habib Memorial Golf has one of the highest prize money of Rs. 8.0 Million. The prize money also includes appearance money will be distributed amongst the top 5 Professionals and top 3 Senior Professionals, as per PGF current ranking. In addition, a brand new Toyota Corolla and a Suzuki Alto will also be awarded to the first player who achieves a hole-in-one in national and local categories respectively. Chief of Naval Staff would grace the occasion as a chief guest. The tournament will conclude on 16th January, followed by the prize distribution ceremony. COVID-19 SOPs will be strictly followed during the event.

Sports Report ISLAMABAD (January 14, 2022):-The Subh-e- Nau Ladies National Ranking Tennis Tournament will start from January 22 at SDA-PTF Tennis Complex in collaboration with Pakistan Tennis Federation. According to an official, Ladies’ Singles, Ladies’ Doubles and Under-14 Singles categories competitions will be held during the 5-day national tennis tournament, as the fixture will be pursuing prize money of Rs 200 thousand. The deadline for entries will be January 19, 2022.