SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Lahore (September 29, 2021):-The Board of Governors of the Pakistan Cricket Board today met via videoconference in which they unanimously accepted the resignation of Chief Executive Wasim Khan, who had had joined the PCB on a three-year contract on 1 February 2019. Following the meeting, PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said: “During his time with the PCB, Wasim Khan provided excellent leadership, particularly following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic when very little information was available and precise decision-making was required to ensure cricket remained unaffected and continued to be played at the domestic and international levels. “The PCB owes Wasim Khan a debt of gratitude for his good leadership and we wish him well in his future plans and career endeavours.” Wasim Khan: “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Pakistan Cricket Board and hugely satisfying to see the resumption of Test cricket with Sri Lanka playing Tests in Rawalpindi and Karachi, and the homecoming of the HBL Pakistan Super League during the last two years. “When I arrived in 2019, there was a real need to build relationships and restore and enhance the global image and reputation of the PCB and Pakistan cricket. With decisive and strategic decision-making, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, we succeeded in earning the goodwill and respect of the global cricketing family, which I am hopeful will lead to increased international cricket being hosted in Pakistan in future. “With a five-year strategy in place, new domestic structure in its third season and the investment in women’s cricket in an upward direction, I feel it is the right time to move on and reunite with my young family. They have sacrificed a lot so that I could fulfill my dreams of contributing to Pakistan cricket, which will always remain very close to my heart. “I am grateful to have worked with all our fantastic commercial partners and the passionate people at the PCB. I would also like to thank each and every one of my staff for supporting me as well as the Pakistan men and women players, and the Pakistan cricket fans. “Lastly, I want to wish PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja the very best during his tenure, I am sure there will be exciting times ahead for Pakistan Cricket under his leadership.”

ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL Rawalpindi (September 29, 2021):-Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced to increase the seating capacity from 25 % to 50 % the rest of matches at Pindi Cricket Stadium of National T20 Cup 2021 after the approval of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). It is pertinent to mention here that the ratio of corona patients has been decreasing day by day in the twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to PCB media department, only fully-vaccinated individuals will be allowed to buy the tickets and gain access to the stadium. Fans can continue to buy the tickets through www.bookme.pk, Bookme's mobile application and M&P courier offices across Pakistan. Tickets can also be bought through Bookme’s helpline by 0313 7786 888. Spectators are requested to strictly adhere to government-mandated SOPs by wearing masks and maintaining social distancing when in the enclosures. Terms & Conditions for spectators: -Only vaccinated individuals will be allowed to purchase the tickets. -NADRA-issued Vaccination Certificates must be shown at the time of purchase and when gaining access to the stadium. -Original ID cards are mandatory. -People under 18 are not allowed. -Wearing of mask will be mandatory. -Tickets are non-transferable. -Anyone violating Bio-Secure protocols is liable to be evicted out of venue. -All of the above terms will apply for complimentary and hospitality ticket holders as well.

By BIPIN   DANI      Despite his poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Krunal Pandya won the heart of his fans when he withdrew the appeal to run out K.L.Rahul, the captain of the Punjab Kings team. In the 42nd IPL (night) match in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, Krunal Pandya bowled a yorker to Chris Gayle, and the batsman's straight drive hit non-striker Rahul and ball then ricocheted to bowler Krunal Pandya who not only whipped off the bails and appealed. Realising his act of appealing against the spirit, Pandya withdrew the appeal. "It (withdrawing the appeal) was in good spirit of the game because Rahul would not have attempted a run. Mumbai Indians are not in great form this year and it is indeed a creditable gesture Krunal has shown on the field", Krunal Pandya's mentor and former India stumper and selector, Kiran More said.    Incidentally, it was Kirn More who spotted talent in both Pandya brothers (Krunal and Hardik). Krunal’s family was based in Surat with his (late) father Himanshu Pandya running a successful car business. But having watched his 6-year-old son Krunal enjoy the game so much, he decided to shift base to Baroda since Surat had no good cricket opportunities back then. He joined the famous Kiran More Cricket Academy there. "Krunal has always been a sportsman". "Now the game of cricket is being watched by millions of people and his recent sportsman spirit will be a good lesson for the young boys who are dreaming to be the cricketers", More added.  Kings Punjab skipper Rahul gave a thumb up to Krunal's gesture.

By BIPIN DANI The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Indian cricket board have invited the representatives of all the World Cup participating nations to attend an online briefing on Thursday, where the Strategic Biosafety Plan will be discussed, it is learnt here. "The strategic objective of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Biosafety Plan is to develop straightforward easily understood protocols, that are objectively rational and strictly enforced to safeguard the wellbeing of participants, spectators and the communities of the UAE and Oman", one of the sources, speaking exclusively, said. The ICC has formulated the Biosafety Scientific Advisory Group of five members and India's Dr. Abhijit Salve is the Event Chief Medical Officer. The ICC event is being hosted by the Indian cricket board. Dr. David Musker (ICC's Covid Compliance Officer), Prof. Joe Toressi (Independent Biosafety Scientific Advisor), Dr. Peter Harcourt (Chairman of the ICC Medical Advisory Panel) and Dr. Gurjit Bhogal (Independent Medical Chair) are the other members of the group. Following representatives will attend the briefing, which is scheduled to take place at 2.30 pm (UAE time). Kate Beerworth & Alex Kountouris (Australia), Prasanth Panchada (Afghanistan), Debashish Chaudhary (Bangladesh), Dr. Nick Peirce & Moiz Moghal (England), Daminda Attanayake (Sri Lanka), Dayle Shackel (New Zealand), Dr. Shuaib Manjra (South Africa & ZW), Mark Rausa (Ireland), O. Gulston (West Indies) and Riaz Ahmed (Pakistan). The ICC's other officials, Vanessa Hibkirk and Lorraine D'Souza will also attend the briefing, it is learnt.   

SPORTS REPORT Peshawar (September 28, 2021):-Punjab’s Under-17 Boys and Under-16 Girls athletics teams maintained the sequence of dominating performances and won 20 medals including 9 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze medals in the Inter-Provincial Athletics Youth Tournament 2021 in Peshawar on Tuesday. Punjab’s Under-16 Girls clinched five gold, four silvers and one bronze while the Under-17 Boys have pocketed four gold, four silver and two bronze medals. As far as points are concerned on the second day, Punjab’s boys are leading the event with 59 points followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 47 and Sindh with 14 points. On girls’ side, Punjab’s female athletes had 63 points whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had 36 points till the filing of this report. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh congratulated Punjab’s medal winning athletes on showing overwhelming performance during the first two days’ competitions of Inter-Provincial Athletics Youth Tournament. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh said that the hard work of our professional coaches during 7-day training camp reflected in the shape of medals in Inter-Provincial Athletics Youth Tournament. “The excellent medal-winning performance of our players showed that our selection committee has selected all the male and female players purely on merit”. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh also witnessed thrilling competitions with keen interest. He also met with medal-winning male and female athletes of Punjab contingent and encouraged them for next competitions. DG KP Asfandyar Khattak, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Khalid Mehmood, Director Sports Hafeez Bhatti, Camp Commandant Tariq Nazir and other coaches Ijaz Abdul Khaliq, Allah Ditta Tahir, Nasreen and Sajida were also present on this occasion. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh appreciated the brilliant performance of Punjab’s talented male and female medal winners. He directed the team management and coaching staff to prepare their athletes fully for the remaining decisive events. Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh expressed his determination that Punjab’s male and female athletes will grab top position in the medals table on the last day of the event. In the 2nd day’s competitions, Punjab’s Khadija won two gold medals in discus throw and shot put events. Rimsha Qayyum and Amina Shahzadi also won gold medals in long jump and 100m hurdles events respectively. Punjab’s Arooba (100m), Amina Shahzadi (long jump) and Rimsha (100m hurdles) also grabbed silver medals while Momina won the only bronze medal on the second day. On the other hand in Boys U-17 competitions, Punjab’s Sakhawat won two gold medals in 100m and 400m hurdles race. Abdullah and Riaz also grabbed gold medals in discus throw and long jump competitions respectively. Punjab’s Mohammad Azam won silver medals in shot put and discus throw events and Saleem Ullah got a silver medal in long jump. The only bronze medal of the day was won by Abdullah in shot put.

SPORTS REPORTER Islamabad (September 28, 2021):-As many as 16 matches were played on the second day of the Midcourt ATF Under-14 Championships 2021 Leg 2 continued at PTF-SDA Tennis Complex, Islamabad on Tuesday. In girls singles, Haniya Minhas continued her fine form and dispatched Lalarukh Sajid 6-0a and,6-0 and in boys singles, Ahtesham Humayun upset third seed Amir Mazari at 6-2 and 7-5. Results: Boy’s Singles (Second Round): Hamza Roman bt Shehryar Anees: 6-4,6-4;Ahtesham Humayun bt Amir Mazari: 6-2,7-5; Zohaib Afzal Malik bt Mohammad Aalay Bukhari: 6-0,6-0; Asad Zaman bt Ismail Aftab: 6-1,6-1; Mohammad Haider Ali Rizwan bt Mohammad Hamza Ali Rizwan: 6-2,6-3;Ali Zain bt Nabeel Qayum: 6-2,6-0; Abdur Rehman bt Hammad Kashif: 6-2,6-0; Mohammad Hussnain Ali Rizwan bt Haziq Aasim: 6-1,6-0; Girl’s Singles (Quarterfinal); Haniya Minhas bt Lalarukh Sajid: 6-0,6-0; Amna Qayum bt Mahrukh Sajid: 6-0,6-0; Fatima Ali Raja bt Mahnoor Farooqui: 6-1,6-1; Zainab Ali Raja bt Soha Ali: 1-6,6-4,7-6(3) Boy's Doubles (Quarter-Final)Mohammad Haider Ali Rizwan / Mohammad Hussnain Ali Rizwan bt Shehryar Anees/ Hamza Roman: 6-2,6-2;Asad Zaman / Ahtesham Humayun bt Zohaib Afzal Malik/ Mohammad Hamza Ali Rizwan: 6-2,6-2; Ali Zain / Haziq Aasim bt Ismail Aftab / Abubakar: 6-0,6-3;Mohammad Ibrahim Ashraf/ Amir Mazari bt Abdur Rehman / Nabeel Qayum: 6-4,6-3

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Lahore (September 28, 2021):-Sindh will start their title defence when the opening round of the Cricket Associations Championship (three-day event) begins across three Punjab cities on Wednesday. Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium and Saeed Ajmal Academy, Rana Naveed Academy in Sheikhupura and LCCA Ground in Lahore will host matches from 29 September to 14 November. Sindh who recently won the Cricket Associations T20 tournament in Quetta will take on Central Punjab at the LCCA Ground in the opening round of the tournament. Balochistan will take on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad, while Southern Punjab will face Northern at the Rana Naveed Academy in Sheikhupura. The Cricket Associations Championship will be played on a double-league basis with each team playing the other twice. The final round of the tournament will be held from 12 to 14 November. The team accumulating the most points will be declared winners. Balochistan Second XI captain Azeem Ghumman: “Our preparations for the three-day tournament are good. We had some practice sessions recently and we are hopeful of doing well. We have a good combination of young and experienced players in the squad. We have good all-round players available in our team and with three to four experienced batters in our squad we look to do well in batting department.” Central Punjab Second XI captain Ali Shan: “We are fully prepared to do well in the red-ball tournament. We had couple of good sessions before the start of the tournament and we are eager to perform on the ground. Our fast bowling department is very strong and with seasonal batters in the squad, we are looking to produce some good performances in the tournament.” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Second XI captain Waqar Ahmed: “We had a good one week preparations camp to get ourselves ready for the tournament. We have a young and energetic squad who are excited to perform in all three departments of the game.” Northern Second XI captain Umar Waheed: “The preparations for the tournament are well on track as we have worked hard to rectify mistakes made in the last season. The combination of the team is well balanced with good spinners, the players know each other well which will help us to do well on the ground.” Sindh Second XI captain Saifullah Bangash: “We have prepared well from the last season and are looking forward to doing well this season to become champions again. The players are relaxed; they have no pressure on them after winning the opening tournament (Cricket Associations T20) of the season. The players are ready to play quality cricket in the tournament. We have good young players in the batting and bowling line-ups who are all set to showcase their talent on the field.” Southern Punjab Second XI captain Moinuddin: “We have adjusted well to the conditions before the start of the tournament. We worked tirelessly on our skill level and we are aiming to produce good results when we go on the field. “We have almost the same players that played in the recently concluded T20 tournament and we are looking to dominate in the red-ball tournament.” First-round fixtures: Balochistan vs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad Central Punjab vs Sindh – LCCA Ground, Lahore Southern Punjab vs Northern – Rana Naveed Academy, Sheikhupura

SPORTS REPORT Lahore (September 28, 2021):-Former national badminton champion Tania Mallick has been appointed as the PCB’s Head of Women’s Cricket and will assume charge on 01 October. Tania has replaced Urooj Mumtaz, who relinquished the additional responsibilities in May to focus on selection matters only. Tania holds a Masters degree from the LUMS University, has represented Pakistan in the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and was the national champion in 1987-88. She is the vice-president of the Punjab Olympic Association since 2010, vice-president of the Punjab Squash Association and is currently serving as a member of Pakistan Olympic Association’s Education and Women’s Commissions. She has also worked in World Bank Women Development Projects besides working in multinational organisations.

SPORTS REPORT Torino, Russia (September 27, 2021):-Elections for the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Athletes’ Commission took place at the 2021 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Moscow, Russia, with Olympian Shauna Coxsey MBE, of Great Britain, elected as President. Voted into the commission as a member during the 2019 World Championships in Hachioji, Japan, Coxsey was subsequently selected as Vice President by fellow members, before being elected as President in 2021. Coxsey won the overall Boulder World Cup title in both 2016 and 2017 and has 30 IFSC World Cup medals, as well as two World Championship medals, to her name. The Brit bowed out from professional Sport Climbing with a commendable tenth place at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 this August. When asked about her election as President of the IFSC Athletes’ Commission, Coxsey said: “After 24 years climbing, and over a decade competing as a professional athlete, I feel it pertinent to use my experience and give back to the sport that’s given me so much. I have long been passionate about being a part of the positive development of our sport. Having recently retired from professional competition climbing I have both the understanding of what it takes to be up on the stage, and the distance and perspective of now being on the other side of the fence. As well, I have also spent the last two years sitting on IFSC Executive Board as the Athletes’ Commission Vice President. There are lots of opportunities as well as challenges for our sport over the coming years and I am looking forward to working closely with the IFSC to make sure the athletes voice is at the heart of our sports development.” Coxsey succeeded Canadian climber Sean McColl as President, who previously held the position after being elected during the 2016 edition of the IFSC World Championships in Paris, France. McColl will retain his seat on the commission as a member, alongside the newly elected Michael Piccolruaz of Italy, who replaces the Netherlands’ Jorg Verhoeven. Olympic bronze medallist Jakob Schubert of Austria, Anna Tsyganova of Russia, and Dmitrii Timofeev of Russia were all reconfirmed as commission members after their four-year terms following the 2016 elections drew to a close. The six athletes elected in Moscow, including President Shauna Coxsey, will join those elected in 2019 on the commission. A meeting is yet to be scheduled to select a Vice President, who will sit alongside Coxsey as athlete representative on the IFSC Executive Board. “Congratulations to Shauna Coxsey, one of our first Olympians, on her election as Athletes’ Commission President. I look forward to continuing our work together and bringing the voices of the athletes to the Executive Board,” said IFSC President Marco Maria Scolaris. “A special thanks goes to Sean McColl for the time he has dedicated to this position over the last years, and will continue to do so as a member of the commission.” The IFSC Athletes’ Commission is currently composed by the following athletes: Shauna Coxsey (GBR) – President, elected in 2021; Anna Tsyganova (RUS) – Member, elected in 2021; Charlotte Durif (FRA) – Member, elected in 2019; Dmitrii Timofeev (RUS) – Member, elected in 2021; Gregor Vezonik (SLO) – Member, elected in 2019; Ievgeniia Kazbekova (UKR) – Member, elected in 2019; Jakob Schubert (AUT) – Member, elected in 2021; Kokoro Fujii (JPN) – Member, elected in 2019; Kyra Condie (USA) – Member, elected in 2019; Michael Piccolruaz (ITA) – Member, elected in 2021; Sean McColl (CAN) – Member, elected in 2021; Stanislav Kokorin (RUS) – Member, elected in 2019; Stasa Gejo (SRB) – Member, elected in 2019.

SPORTS BULLETIN REPORT Karachi (September 27, 2021):-Defending Champions, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and WAPDA have qualified for the finals of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) All Pakistan Hockey Tournament beating their opponents in the semifinals at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium at Karachi on Monday. Final will be played on Tuesday at same venue. In the first semifinal, Pakistan WAPDA defeated hosts Pakistan Navy 0-3 and qualified for the final. Aleem Usman, Mubashir Ali and Atiq Arshad scored for the winning team in the 16th, 26th and 59th minutes respectively. By the end of the three quarters, Pakistan WAPDA had a two-goal lead. The third goal of the match was scored in the last quarter. Mubashir Ali was declared the best player of the match for his excellent performance. Former Olympian Mohammad Khalid gave the Man of the Match award to Mubashir Ali. In the second semi-final, National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) outplayed Mari Petroleum by two goals. Captain Abu Bakar Mahmood scored both goals for the winning team on a penalty corners. National Bank goalkeeper Mazhar Abbas was declared the best player of the match for his excellent performance. Chief of the Naval Staff Amjad Khan Niazi will be the chief guest of the final. The third and fourth position match will be played between Pakistan Navy and Mari Petroleum at 10 am. The players who receive the Man of the Match award for each match of the 3rd Chief of the Naval Staff All Pakistan will get the sports watch worth Rs 12,000. The winner of the Best Goalkeeper award will get a Honda 125cc motorcycle worth Rs. 152,000. A Honda 125cc motorcycle worth Rs. 152,000 has been allotted for the top scorer of the event. For the best player of the event, for the first time in the history of national domestic events, a valuable plot of Rs. 3 million will be given by the Pakistan Navy for the best player of the event. The winning team will be awarded a cash prize of Rs. 1.7 million with a trophy, the runner-up team will be entitled to Rs. 1.3 million with a trophy, and the third place team will be awarded a cash award of Rs. 1.0 million with a trophy. Semi-finals and third place man-of-the-match players will be entitled to a cash prize of Rs 20,000 and a sports watch, while the players of the final teams will also be given gift hampers worth Rs 250,000.