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.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: FG/Din Polo clinched a hard-fought victory against Diamond Paints, sealing the match with a narrow margin of 6-5 on the third day of the Battle Axe Polo Cup sponsored by Rachna Group here at the Jinnah Polo Fields on Wednesday. The enthralling polo matches at Jinnah Polo Fields attracted a vibrant audience, including families, children, and polo enthusiasts, basking in the sunshine. Jinnah Polo Fields Secretary Major Ali Taimur (R) and prominent polo players were among the spectators, adding to the festive atmosphere. The spotlight match of the day unfolded between FG/Din Polo and Diamond Paints, delivering a riveting clash that culminated in a 6-5 victory for FG/Din Polo. Juan Cruz Greguol emerged as the hero of the day for FG/Din Polo, showcasing his prowess with four fabulous goals, while Mian Abbas Mukhtar contributed two crucial goals. Raja Temur Nadeem led the charge for Diamond Paints, scoring three impressive goals, with Saqib Khan Khakwani and Mir Huzaifa Ahmed each adding one. As the Battle Axe Polo Cup continues, Thursday's fixture promises another exciting encounter between DS Polo and Rijas Polo/Master Paints. The competition remains fierce, keeping polo enthusiasts on the edge of their seats at the Jinnah Polo Fields.  

Sports Bulletin ReportDunedin (New Zealand): Hosts New Zealand earned an unbeatable lead 3-0 in the 5-match T20i Series against Pakistan after posting a 45-run win in the third T20I at University Oval, Dunedin on Wednesday.Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, lucky or unlucky, won the toss and again decided to chase the target to bounce back in the series, however, a sparking innings by Finn Allen (137 off 62 balls) shattered the dreams of the skipper and his teammates. Black Caps put a mammoth total of 224-7 in 20 over per innings fixture.Although opening batter Devon Conway (7, 8b, 1x4) departed early, falling to Haris Rauf in the fourth over, Allen and Tim Seifert gave New Zealand a breezy start. A 125-run second-wicket partnership between the two allowed the home side to gain control of the innings. Mohammad Wasim provided the breakthrough for Pakistan by removing Seifert, who walked back after scoring 31 from 23, including three fours and a six.Allen went on to complete his second century in T20Is before he was removed by Zaman Khan in the 18th over. The opening batter produced an impressive 137 from 62, including five fours and a record 16 maximums. He was later adjudged player of the match for the second consecutive time.Glenn Phillips (19, 15b, 1x4, 1x6) was the other contributor with the bat as New Zealand crossed the 200-run mark for the second time in the series. The Pakistan attack had a rough day at the office, with each bowler conceding in excess of eight runs an over. Haris bagged two wickets while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zaman, Wasim and Nawaz accounted for one each.Opening batter Saim Ayub (10, 13b, 2x4s) was dismissed inside the powerplay of the Pakistan chase, courtesy of Tim Southee. A 39-run partnership between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan brought a semblance of stability to the chase, however, it was cut short by Mitchell Santner who removed Rizwan (24, 20b, 2x6s).Pakistan’s top run-getter of the innings, Babar, completed his third consecutive half-century (58, 37b, 8x4s, 1x6) before he fell to Ish Sodhi. Fakhar Zaman (19, 10b, 2x4s, 1x6) got a start as well before Lockie Ferguson dismissed him.Nawaz (28, 15b, 2x4s, 2x6s) stitched a 40-run seventh wicket stand with his captain Shaheen (16 not out, 11b, 1x4, 1x6) though the result seemed like a foregone conclusion by then.Southee, who picked up two wickets at the expense of 29 runs in his allotted four overs, was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand as the home side successfully restricted Pakistan to 179-7 in 20 overs to win the game by 45 runs.