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Huge Prize Money for National T20 Cup
ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL
ISLAMABAD (September 22, 2020):-Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday disclosed that around nine millions would be prize money of National Twenty 20 Cricket Tournament, which would be kicked off on 30 September, as the tournament’s winning prize money. Northern led by Imad Wasim will defend their title.
The runner-up will receive PKR2.5million, while PKR400,000 will be shared equally between the tournament’s top performers which include player of the tournament, best batsman of the tournament, best bowler of the tournament and best wicketkeeper of the tournament.
The best performer of every match will get PKR25,000 as the man-of-the-match award while the top performer of the tournament’s finale at 18 October will be rewarded with PKR35,000.
These will be over and above earnings for the players from what they will receive as match fee and monthly retainers and is in line with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s policy of providing incentives to top performing cricketers, which will enhance the quality of domestic cricket and lead to a competitive environment while increasing the interest of the viewers.
The top performing domestic cricketers are already in line to earn to in a range of PKR3.2million to PKR1.8million only on the basis of their match fee and improved and enhanced monthly retainer structure, which was approved by the PCB’s Board of Governors in their 58th meeting. More details are available here.
Director High Performance, Nadeem Khan: “The Pakistan Cricket Board’s focus is to invest the money that it earns back in cricket by providing the players a bigger chunk of the pie through substantial and lucrative rewards so they excel in the game.
“There has been a massive improvement in the remuneration structure this year which presents better earning opportunities for the players. The PCB despite the Covid-19 pandemic has invested more in the prize money pool with the number of group matches being doubled this year. The PCB had put in great effort to make sure that the 2020-21 domestic season was organised as it was important for the livelihood of our players.
“As such, now the players not only have more competitive cricket to polish their skills and get more matches under their belt, but they also have more earning opportunities.”
The National T20 Cup First XI tournament will be played from 30 September to 18 October at Multan Cricket Stadium and the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi.
Update on Covid-19 tests of Second XI T20 squads
SPORTS DESK
ISLAMABAD (September 20, 2020):-As many as 125 players and player support personnel belonging to six Cricket Association Second XI squads for the National T20 Cup were invited to their respective central stations today after they tested negative in their first Covid-19 tests.
They will undergo their second tests on 21 September under the supervision of the PCB medical team at their respective central stations, which are Lahore’s Hotel PC for Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern and Southern Punjab, and Muridke Country Club for Balochistan and Sindh.
Six cakes for six sixes
By BIPIN DANI
Family and friends of Yuvraj Singh have not forgotten the date (September 19) when the all-rounder took a shine to Stuart Broad 13 years ago.
Yuvraj Singh became the second batsman, after Herschelle Gibbs, to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket (in the World T20 encounter against England at the Kingsmead, Durban). The bowler under the withering onslaught was Stuart Broad. Yuvraj launched the first ball over cow corner; the second - measured at 111 yards - disappeared over backward square leg; the third and fourth rocketed over extra cover and point; the fifth flew over midwicket; and the sixth six landed in the stands at long-on. Yuvraj also hit a 12-ball half-century.
"I invited all cricketers who played with him right from his childhood and celebrated Yuvi's 6 sixes with six cakes prepared for the occasion at DAV college cricket ground (Chandigarh), '' the father, former fast bowler, Yograj Singh, said exclusively.
"Champion of champions" were the words written on each of the 6 cakes.
Yuvraj and his wife joined the celebration on a video.
"I have known Yuvraj from a very young age. He liked to hit the ball from a very young age. He has enormous talent and can make a comeback if he wishes to", Ajay Sikka, the former Ranji Trophy cricketer, who attended the celebration, said.
Nagesh Guptal, the coach in Chandigarh, who also attended the party, said, "it was clear from a very young age that he is going to make it big in international cricket and so he did".
"He once in a State level match at UNA hit a whole lot of balls out of the ground. So from a very early age you could recognize the power he had that gold like swing was different from other players".
Girish Bhanot, Sanjay Dhull, Gurinder Singh, Munish Aggarwal, Ajay Sikka and few other cricketer-friends attended the party, which was followed by a dance and a dinner.
Update on second Covid-19 tests of First XI teams
SPORTS DESK
ISLAMABAD (September 19, 2020):-All players and player support personnel of the six Cricket Association First XI sides, who were invited to their respective central stations, have tested negative in their second Covid-19 tests.
They will now enter the bio-secure zone today in which they will be able to roam and interact with each other freely. Balochistan and Sindh, who were stationed at Lahore Country Club Murdike, will travel to Multan’s Ramada Hotel in team busses to join the other four sides.
Central Punjab wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal had requested to delay his admission in the bio-secure zone and, as such, his second Covid-19 test will be done on 23 September. Subject to returning a negative result, Kamran will join his team on 24 September. Like the other 102 squad members, Kamran had also tested negative in the first Covid-19 test.
Meanwhile, for breaching the Covid-19 protocols, Balochistan head coach Faisal Iqbal and assistant coach Wasim Haider have been quarantined at Lahore Country Club Murdike. They will be tested twice over the next five days and will be required to return negative results in both tests before they are allowed to join the team in Multan. Both Faisal and Wasim will bear the costs of these tests.
Head of PCB Covid-19 Medical Team, Dr Riaz Ahmed: “The Pakistan Cricket Board has zero tolerance policy and will take stern action against those who breach the Covid-19 protocols over the course of the season.
“The strict implementation of these protocols, which have been designed after meticulous planning, is the need of the hour. Such breaches have the potential to put the whole season in jeopardy and, more importantly, the lives of fellow players, coaches and all those associated with the game in danger.
“This should be a message for everyone involved in the upcoming season that the PCB will take strict action against anyone who decides to go against the protocols. As we are in unprecedented times, this season is going to be different than the previous ones and, as such, everyone’s cooperation is necessary to make it a success.”
From Sunday, the six teams will begin their training at the Multan Cricket Stadium and Inzamam-ul-Haq High Performance Centre to prepare for the National T20 Cup, which commences from 30 September.
Sri Lankan health ministry insists on a 14-day quarantine
By BIPIN DANI
It's not good news for the Bangladesh Cricket Board(BCB).
Sri Lankan health ministry professionals have endorsed their earlier guidelines and have been insisting on a 14-day quarantine for the visiting Bangladesh cricket team.
This has been confirmed by Dr. Sudath Samarweera, the chief of the Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health.
The discussions between the health ministry professionals and the experts from the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 took place on Thursday, where it is "decided" not to relax the quarantine period for the visiting team, or to any overseas visitors arriving in the country.
Speaking exclusively over telephone from Colombo on Friday morning, he said, "there has been no change in our earlier stand and if the Bangladesh team wants to play in Sri Lanka, must undergo a 14-day quarantine".
Dr. Samarweera also declined the split quarantine. The proposal for Bangladesh players was to have a 7-day quarantine in Bangladesh and 7-day in Sri Lanka.
"We want them to be in a total quarantine period of 14 days from the day when they land in Sri Lanka", he added.
The Hon. Health Minister (Mrs.) Pavithra Wanniarachchi didn't participate in the meeting. "She encourages the professionals to take such decisions", one of the medical persons attached to the department added.
The decision will be conveyed to the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board by the acting Director General of Health Services Dr. S. Sreedharan, who earlier had hoped for an amicable solution.
Reactions to this discouraging news from SLC and the BCB are awaited.
Training camp for Junior Asia Cup from September 21st
ABDUL JABBAR FAISAL
ISLAMABAD (September 18, 2020):-Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has decided to establish the training camp from September 21, 2020 at Army Physical Fitness School, Tobe Camp Abbottabad, aiming to Improve the stamina and groom the probables on modern scientific lines, a physical fitness training camp of the national hockey junior players, for the upcoming Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament to be played in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 21st to 30th January 2021.
The Players are directed to report Camp Commandant Danish Kaleem, on 22nd Sept 2020.
OFFICIALS:
1. DANISH KALEEM - HEAD COACH
2. ZAHEER AHMAD BABAR - COACH
3. MOHAMMAD IMRAN -COACH
4. MUDASSAR ALI KHAN -COACH
5. ZAHID AFZAL -COACH
6. ABU ZAR UMRAO -VIDEO ANALYST
7. MOHAMMAD ABID AMIN -PHYSICAL TRAINER
On the recommendation of Chairman Selection Committee Manzoor Junior, President Pakistan Hockey Federation Brigadier (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar approved the following 35 players for the camp.
FULL BACKS
1. ARBAZ AHMAD PLAYER
2. SAMI ULLAH KHAN PLAYER
3. USMAN BASHIR PLAYER
4. MOHAMMAD USMAN PLAYER
5. REHAN BUTT PLAYER
6. AHTESHAM ASLAM PLAYER
HALF BACKS
1. MOIN SHAKEEL PLAYER
2. AQEEL AHMED PLAYER
3. RIZWAN ALI PLAYER
4. USAMA PLAYER
5. ASIF HANIF PLAYER
6. MUHIB ULLAH PLAYER
7. MOHAMMAD ABDULLAH PLAYER
8. HASNAIN BABAR PLAYER
9. QAISAR PLAYER
10. ABDUL BASIT PLAYER
FORWARDS
1. ROMAN KHAN PLAYER
2. GHAZANFAR ALI PLAYER
3. HAMMAD ANJUM PLAYER
4. MOHSIN KHAN PLAYER
5. ZAIN IJAZ PLAYER
6. ALI AZIZ PLAYER
7. ADEEL LATIF PLAYER
8. MURTAZA YAQOOB PLAYER
9. MOHAMMAD FAHAD PLAYER
10. AFRAZ PLAYER
11. ABDUL MANAN PLAYER
12. UMAIR SATTAR PLAYER
13. ARSHAD LIAQAT PLAYER
14. WAQAR ALI PLAYER
15. RANA WAHEED PLAYER
16. MOHAMMAD BILAWAL PLAYER
17. TAQI-UL-HASSAN PLAYER
18. SHAZAIB KHAN PLAYER
19. HAMMAD AYAZ PLAYER
PHF invites seven goalkeepers for training
SPORTS REPORT
ISLAMABAD (September 18, 2020):-Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) invited seven goalkeepers for the training camp, as the will participate in the Junior Asia Cup Hockey Tournament to be played in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 21st to 30th January 2021.
To groom the goalkeepers on modern scientific lines; the physical fitness training camp of national junior Goalkeepers will be established at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore on 25th September till 5th October 2020. Olympian Nasir Ahmed (PIA) will conduct the goalkeepers training camp and coordinated by Olympian Khawaja Muhammad Junaid.
Goalkeepers are directed to report for the training camp at National Hockey Stadium, Lahore on 25th September 2020 afternoon.
On the recommendation of Chairman Selection Committee Manzoor Junior, President Pakistan Hockey Federation Brigadier (R) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar approved the following seven goalkeepers for the camp:-
1. Waqar Younas - WAPDA
2. Abdullah Ishtiaq - MPCL
3. Akmal Hussain - WAPDA
4. Noman - KPK
5. Amjad Ali - SSGC
6. Munib ur Rehman - SSGC
7. Sheikh Abdullah – Sindh
PCB terminates contract with HBL
SB REPORT
LAHORE (September 17, 2020):-The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced it has terminated the contract of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 international media rights partner following a series of breaches, including matters relating to payments.
Techfront International FZE had secured HBL PSL’s international media rights from 2019-2021, but due to a series of contractual violations, the PCB has terminated the agreement.
Shoaib Naveed, PSL – Project Executive, said: “The PCB works professionally and with integrity and transparency. In this instance, the partner, despite repeated reminders and discussions, failed to honour its commitment and obligations, leaving the PCB with no other option but to terminate the agreement.
“The termination of the agreement at this stage was also necessary so the PCB had sufficient time to start exploiting other avenues and partners for the future HBL Pakistan Super League events. Since its inception in 2016, the HBL PSL has become one of the most attractive and competitive leagues around the world.
“The PCB is already in discussions with various sub-licensees and relevant broadcasters in the international territories. The process is already underway to ensure a robust media rights strategy for the HBL Pakistan Super League 2021 and onwards.”
The PCB reserves its rights in terms of claiming appropriate remedies and damages, and will be taking strictest possible measures to ensure and safeguard the league’s interests as well as its valuable stakeholders.
Update on Covid-19 tests of First XI teams
SB REPORT
LAHORE (September 17, 2020):-As many as 103 players and player support personnel belonging to six Cricket Association First XI squads for the National T20 Cup were invited to their respective central stations today after they tested negative in their first Covid-19 tests.
They will undergo their second tests on 18 September under the supervision of the PCB medical team at the central stations, which are Multan’s Hotel Ramada for Central Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Northern and Southern Punjab, and Lahore Muridke Country Club for Balochistan and Sindh. Over the course of their stay, the squad members will be provided individual accommodation.
One individual tested positive for Covid-19. He has been advised self-isolation for five days at his residence following which he will undergo another test. If that test returns negative, he would be invited to a central station for his second test.
Cricketers who travelled to England with the men’s national cricket team are required to submit the results of their first Covid-19 tests on 22 September to the PCB Medical and Sports Sciences Department.
ITF-approved Officiating Workshop commences from September 18
SPORTS REPORT
ISLAMABAD (September 17, 2020):-A three-day ITF-approved Officiating workshop will start from September 18, 2020 at PTF-Complex Islamabad under the banner of Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF). Shahzad Akhtar Alvi, Head of Officiating-PTF, will be conducting the workshop. Candidates from Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar will participate in this workshop.
It is hoped that the workshop will be beneficial not only for the participants but also go a long way in enhancing the technical expertise of our officials, which is extremely important for the overall development of the game in Pakistan. It is pertinent to mention that this will be the first ITF-approved event being organized in Pakistan since the COVID-19 outbreak halted sports activities in Pakistan and worldwide as well.
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