Abubakar Mahmood and Abdul Rehman score goals on Penalty Corners for PakistanSports Bulletin ReportMuscat (Oman): Pakistan overpowered China 2-0 in their second fixture of the Paris Olympic Hockey Qualifier 2024 in Muscat on Tuesday night. Pakistan will face Malaysia in their last pool match on January 18 at the same venue.On Tuesday, Pakistan defeated China by two goals in their second pool match, as Abu Bakr Mehmood and Abdul Rehman scored the goals on penalty corners for Pakistan in the third and fourth quarters respectively. Midfielder Abubakar Mehmood was declared man of the match.In the 42nd minute of the third quarter, Pakistan's player Abubakar Mahmood scored a goal and put the Green Shirts in a lead of one goal on a penalty corner. In the 51st minute of the game, youngster Abdul Rahman scored the first international goal of his career through a penalty corner to consolidate Pakistan's lead.

Germany, New Zeeland, and China post victories on the opening dayMohammad Waqas ISLAMABAD: England outclassed Pakistan 6-1 in their opening contest of the Paris Olympic Hockey Qualifier on Monday night.Great Britain rounded out the day’s action from Oman with a professional display with 6 goals against a youthful Pakistan. Ranked 4th in the World, GB held their opposition at arms length throughout the contest - winning every quarter - and while Pakistan grabbed a late consolation, the game ended 6-1. Olympic qualifying got underway in Oman with a comfortable 9-0 win for Germany. In Martin Zwicker’s 300th appearance the world number 5 ranked side had too much for Canada, scoring freely throughout the quarters with little resistance. New Zealand got their campaign underway with 3 points against Chile, in Kane Russell’s 200th appearance. A fast start for the Black Sticks saw them 2-0 up after the first quarter, adding a field goal in the 3rd quarter. Chile fought until the end - grabbing a consolation in the dying moments of the tie.Pool A action got underway in stunning fashion, with China upsetting the odds with an eye-catching win over Malaysia. Despite Malaysia taking the lead in the second quarter China rallied to lead 2-1 heading into the final quarter. Just as it looked as though the sides would share the points after a Malaysia equaliser, Gao Jiesheng took full advantage of a penalty corner and won it for China 3-2 in the dying moments of the game. 

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: Bank AL Habib’s 13th Rashid D. Habib Memorial National Professional Golf Tournament 2024 will tee off on Thursday (January 18) at the Karachi Golf Club (KGC), as the final round will be played on Sunday.According to an official, over 100 top golfers will compete in the Professionals’ category for the most coveted four-day National Competition of the Annual Golf Season. Last year, Waheed Baloch of KGC, successfully defended his title by carding 277, 11 under par, to win the tournament. Mohammad Shahzad was the runner-up by carding 278, 10 under par. Pakistan's Number One Muhammad Shabbir Iqbal of Islamabad was placed as the second runner-up.Prior to this event, a two-day match for local KGC Professionals, Senior Professionals, and KGC Caddies, the 23rd edition of Rashid D. Habib Memorial Golf Tournament, is being played on 16th, and 17th January, 2024, to support and develop professional golf at KGC.The total Prize Money of PKR 12 million includes PKR 9.4 M for Best Performers in the National Professional Category, PKR 1.95 M for KGC Professionals, Caddies, and Senior Pros, as well as Appearance Money of PKR 650,000. The Appearance Money is distributed amongst the top five Professionals and top three Senior Professionals, as per PGF's current ranking. The lucky players achieving the first hole-in-one will also be rewarded with a Toyota Corolla and a Suzuki Alto in National and Local KGC categories respectively. Prizes will be distributed by the Chief Guest, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI (M), T Bt. on 21st Jan 2024.

Sports Bulletin ReportHamilton (New Zeeland): Hosts New Zealand defeated Pakistan by 21 runs in the second T20 international fixture of the five-match Series in Hamilton New Zealand on Sunday, as a couple of half-centuries by Babar and Fakhar were not enough to sail the team to victory. Black Caps have earned a 2-0 lead in the vital T20i series.Pakistani captain Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and invited Kiwis to bat first. New Zealand posted 194 for the loss of eight wickets in the first innings. In return, Pakistan were bowled out for 173 courtesy of a solid performance by the home side’s bowling attack.A 59-run opening stand between Finn Allen and Devon Conway allowed New Zealand a breezy start. Aamir Jamal provided the first breakthrough for Pakistan by removing Conway (20, 15b, 3x4s) in the last over of the powerplay.New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson then stitched a 52-run partnership with Allen before he tight hamstring forced him to retire hurt after contributing a 15-ball 26, including three fours and a six. Allen’s attack saw him produce 74 from 41 balls, showcasing seven boundaries and five maximums before he fell to a googly by Usama Mir in the 13th over, handing the latter his maiden T20I wicket. Right-arm pacer Haris Rauf, who bagged three scalps in one over, was the most successful bowler for Pakistan. He was supported by fellow right-arm pacer Abbas Afridi, who accounted for two wickets. Aamir and Usama had a wicket each.Chasing 195, the visitors struggled at the start losing opening batters Saim Ayub (1, 3b) and Mohammad Rizwan (7, 5b, 1x6) inside the first two overs. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman batted well to add 87 runs for the third-wicket partnership, bringing a semblance of stability to the innings.Adam Milne struck in the 10th over to turn the tide for New Zealand as he disturbed Fakhar’s stumps, who walked back after scoring a fiery 25-ball 50, studded with three fours and five sixes. Pakistan then lost Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan and Aamir cheaply to bring the total to 125-6 in 14.3 overs.Babar completed his 32nd T20I half-century (66, 43b, 7x4s, 2x6s) before he was caught by Tim Southee off Ben Sears’ bowling. Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi added a quick-fire 22 from 13, including one four and two maximums, attempting to keep Pakistan in the game, until he fell to Milne.A four-wicket haul by Milne, complemented by two wickets each by Sears, Southee and Ish Sodhi helped dismiss Pakistan for 173, to award New Zealand their second consecutive victory. Allen was adjudged player of the match for his impressive performance.

Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: The 48th National Snooker Championship will start on Monday (January 15) here at the Snooker Arena of National Bank Sports Complex.The championship will continue till January 23. As many as 37 quests from all over the country are participating in this national championship, as the players have been divided into eight groups. Former world champion Mohammad Asif was awarded a wild card entry while 11-year-old Mohammad Sahil from Karachi will also participate in the National Championship.The two top players from each group will qualify for the pre-quarterfinals. Winner of the National Championship last year, Sultan Mohammad, will defend his title. The league matches will consist of best-of-seven frames. 

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: President, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Tariq Hussain Bugti on Sunday announced a 10-man hockey team for the upcoming five-a-side World Cup Hockey Tournament, which will take place at the end of this month January in Muscat, Oman.FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024 will start on 24 January in Muscat with the women's competition, which will conclude on 27 January; while the men's tournament will begin on 28 January and come to a close on 31 January.Olympian Shakeel Abbasi will be head coach-cum-manager while Olympian Dilawar Hussain will be the coach. Waqas Mahmood will serve as physiotherapistNames of players: Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan (goalkeeper), Waqar (goalkeeper), Mohammad Abdullah, Imad Shakeel Butt, Moeen Shakeel, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Arshad Liaquat, Ghazanfar Ali, Zakaria Hayat, Rana Waheed Ashraf.

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Left-handed batter, Azan Awais is all set to feature in his maiden Under-19 World Cup for Pakistan Under-19 in South Africa and he’ll be the linchpin of the team’s batting unit during the tournament.Azan recently finished as the second-leading run-scorer in ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2023 with 222 runs in four games. The highlight of his career, according to him, has been the hundred against India in that tournament, where he anchored Pakistan’s chase with maturity and courage.Azan played U13 Inter-Regional T20 Tournament 2017 for Sialkot U13, and returned in the same tournament as the leading run-scorer in the 2018 edition. His step up to the U16 level also yielded considerable success as he returned as the second leading run-scorer in the National U16 One Day Tournament 2019-20. In the subsequent edition of this tournament, he ended up as the third-leading run-scorer.Azan has played nine one-day games for Pakistan U19 and will be banking on his experience of batting in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia and UAE in the upcoming U19 World Cup. He was part of the Pakistan Shaheens side that toured Australia last year. In the One-Day series against Bangladesh U19, he was the leading run-scorer accumulating 269 runs in five outings.

Sports DeskISLAMABAD: The 15th edition of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup is around the corner, with emerging talents from 16 teams gearing up to compete for the coveted title in South Africa. The tournament began in 1988, and has seen seven different winners in the 14 editions so far. India lead the way with five titles to their name, followed by Australia (3), Pakistan (2), Bangladesh, South Africa, West Indies and England (1 each).1988 (Winners: Australia): The inaugural edition of the U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup, then known as the Youth World Cup, was hosted to celebrate Australia’s Bicentenary in the land Down Under. Hosts Australia defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets in the final to win the inaugural edition of the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 1988: Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, Chris Cairns, Mushtaq Ahmed, Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara.1998 (Winners: England): It took another 10 years before another edition of the U19 World Cup was played and it was South Africa who were hosting an ICC tournament for the very first time. The number of teams doubled from the first edition, with 16 teams participating in the tournament.England triumphed over New Zealand in the finale by seven wickets at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, their maiden and only U19 World Cup win to date.Notable international stars from the Class of 1998: Graeme Swann, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Collins Obuya, Kyle Mills, Imran Tahir, Shoaib Malik, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan.2000 (Winners: India): Sri Lanka hosted the third edition of the tournament, where neighbours India got their hands on the trophy for the first time – a feat they went on to achieve four more times – after defeating the hosts by six wickets in the Final.Yuvraj Singh was named the Player of the Tournament, a feat he famously repeated 11 years later at the highest level as India lifted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. South Africa’s Graeme Smith finished as the leading run-getter.Notable international stars from the Class of 2000: Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson, Shane Watson, Ian Bell, Yuvraj Singh, Niall O'Brien, Brendon McCullum, Graeme Smith, Jonathan Trott, Tatenda Taibu.2002 (Winners: Australia): Australia were crowned two-time Champions in a tournament hosted by their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand for the very first time. Demonstrating their dominance, Australia maintained an undefeated record throughout the competition and sealed their triumph with a seven-wicket win over South Africa in the final.Notable international stars from the Class of 2002: Cameron White, George Bailey, Mashrafe Mortaza, Suresh Raina, Ross Taylor, Umar Gul, Kyle Coetzer, Hashim Amla, Upul Tharanga, Dwayne Bravo, Daren Sammy.2004 (Winners: Pakistan): The fifth edition of the U19 World Cup, hosted by Bangladesh, marked the debut of Uganda in the tournament. A new winner was guaranteed after two first-time finalists emerged. Pakistan got their hands on the trophy for the first time, clinching the title after beating West Indies in the final in Dhaka.Notable international stars from the Class of 2004: Alastair Cook, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Eoin Morgan, Wahab Riaz, Vernon Philander, Angelo Mathews, Craig Ervine.2006 (Winners: Pakistan): In a historic achievement, Pakistan became the first team to successfully defend their U19 Cricket World Cup title by defeating arch-rivals India in the final held in Colombo.Pakistan were given no chance after they set India a target of just 110 in the finale. However, they delivered a remarkable bowling performance, dismantling the Indian batting lineup with the first six wickets falling for a mere nine runs. India were ultimately bowled out for 71, securing Pakistan's back-to-back titles and cementing their place in history. Cheteshwar Pujara was the leading run-scorer and the Player of the Tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2006: Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Moeen Ali, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Tim Southee, Sarfraz Ahmed, Dean Elgar, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard.2008 (Winners: India): India’s misery in 2006 turned to glory in 2008 when they got their hands on the trophy for the second time under the leadership of the flamboyant Virat Kohli.India remained undefeated in the tournament, beating South Africa by 12 runs in a rain-truncated game decided by DLS. The 2008 U19 World Cup is widely remembered for catapulting three of the modern-day ‘Fab Four’ into the limelight. Kane Williamson was the opposite number to Virat Kohli in the semi-final while Steve Smith, then known more for his all-round ability, made an impact with the bat and ball throughout the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2008: Josh Hazlewood, Steve Smith, Chris Woakes, Virat Kohli, Paul Stirling, Kane Williamson, Shan Masood, Kusal Perera, Darren Bravo.2010 (Winners: Australia): In a repeat of what happened in 2002, Australia won the U19 World Cup hosted by neighbours New Zealand. It was a low-scoring affair in the final, with Josh Hazlewood’s four-wicket haul helping Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, defend a target of 208 against Pakistan.Notable international stars from the Class of 2010: Hashmatullah Shahidi, Jos Buttler, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, KL Rahul, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Zampa, Tom Latham, Babar Azam, Jason Holder2012 (Winners: India): The U19 Cricket World Cup returned to Australia for the first time since its inaugural edition. In the final held in Queensland, India secured a six-wicket victory over the host country, Australia, marking their third U19 World Cup triumph and matching their feat from the inaugural edition.Notable international stars from the Class of 2012: Travis Head, Imam-ul-Haq, Ish Sodhi, Akeal Hosein, Ryan Burl, Litton Das, Taskin Ahmed, Gerhard Erasmus.2014 (Winners: South Africa): South Africa enjoyed an unbeaten run en route to their maiden U19 Cricket World Cup title. They defeated Pakistan by six wickets in Dubai to get their hands on the trophy. Aiden Markram played a pivotal role in the final, leading by example with a score of 66* and earning the additional honour of being named the Player of the Tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2014: Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Nicholas Pooran, Kyle Jamieson, Kusal Mendis, Shimron Hetmyer.2016 (Winners: West Indies): The 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup returned to Bangladesh for the first time since the 2004 edition. Defending champions South Africa faced an unexpected exit in the group stages, succumbing to surprise defeats against Bangladesh and Namibia. The final showdown featured West Indies and India, with the West Indies securing their first U19 World Cup title with a five-wicket victory in Dhaka after a gritty display by their batters.Notable international stars from the Class of 2016: Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rashid Khan, Shadab Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Alzarri Joseph, Rishabh Pant, Josh Little, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra.2018 (Winners: India): New Zealand became the first country to host the U19 World Cup thrice, having previously held the tournament in 2002 and 2010. For the second year in a row, the defending champions, this time West Indies, crashed out of the group stages. In the final, India beat Australia by eight wickets to become four-time champions, the most by any side. Notable international stars from the Class of 2018: Gerald Coetzee, Alick Athanaze, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Towhid Hridoy, Harry Brook, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Harry Tector, Shaheen Afridi.2020 (Winners: Bangladesh): The 2020 U19 World Cup witnessed Bangladesh securing their first-ever victory in an ICC event at any level. Finalists India showcased their supremacy throughout the tournament under the leadership of Priyam Garg. Breaking records became a routine for his team as they overwhelmed Japan, securing victory with a remarkable 271 balls to spare — the second-highest record in Youth ODIs to date.Additionally, India achieved the distinction of being the first and only team, to date, to surpass 200 victories at the U19 level during the course of the tournament. However, on the day of the final, Bangladesh triumphed over powerhouse India in a tense, low-scoring clash, with a three-wicket win by the DLS method. Notable international stars from the Class of 2020: Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tanveer Sangha, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammad Wasim, Matheesha Pathirana, Jayden Seales.2022 (Winners: India): West Indies hosted the U19 Cricket World Cup for the first time in history. One of the biggest highlights of the tournament was the performance of Afghanistan, who made it past the group stage and went into the semi-final for the very first time, beating Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka along the way.Having faltered in the previous edition on the last step, India redeemed themselves by securing the title against England in the final, marking their fifth U19 World Cup triumph.The event unfolded amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to New Zealand's withdrawal due to stringent quarantine restrictions. Scotland stepped in as a replacement in the tournament.Notable international stars from the Class of 2022: Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Rehan Ahmed, Dunith Wellalage, Dewald Brevis. 

By BIPIN DANIRiyaz Aluher, the mentor of Sineth Jayawardena, who has been appointed the captain of Sri Lanka Squad for ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2024 believes that the 19-year-old right-arm off-spinner will bring glory to our Royal College. Riyaz Aluher is the assistant principal and in-charge of 35 sports at the college, where Sineth is studying. Speaking exclusively, he said, "Sineth is in his Advanced Level class. He missed his Advanced Level examination this year due to his national commitments but I am sure he will bring glory to the college". "He is presently the captain of our Royal College. Our college annually plays a three-day traditional cricket match against Thomas College. This year, it will be the 145th uninterrupted occasion and it is the longest school's encounter in the world". "In 1979, on the 100th year, our college team was led by Ranjan Madugalle, who is the ICC's chief match referee. The Sri Lankan president His Excellency Hon. Ranil Wichramsinghe and the Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardana are also the sons of our College". "Royal–Thomian (the Battle of the Blues), commonly known simply as the Royal-Thomian, the cricket match has been played by the schools since 1879. This annual cricket match is played for the D. S. Senanayake Memorial Shield, and is affectionately known as the Battle of the Blues due to the colours of each school's flag"."The Royal-Thomian is the second-longest uninterrupted Cricket series in the entire world, preceded only by the Cricket Intercol played between Prince Alfred College, Adelaide and St. Peter's College, Adelaide, whose first match was played in 1878". "We hope our college captain Sineth will lead the national senior team soon in the future", he signed off.  

HBL PSL-9 to start on February 17, Gaddafi, and Pindi Stadium to host 9 matchesAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi will host 34 matches of PSL Season-9 and the prestigious cricket league will be kicked off on February 17, 2024 at the Qaddafi Cricket Stadium Lahore with the match between Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United.Chair of PCB Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf said: “We are thrilled to announce that the HBL Pakistan Super League's ninth edition is set to kick off on February 17, showcasing the best of T20 cricket in four cities across Pakistan. The decision to host the marquee event across these cities is a testament to our commitment to bring top-notch cricket to fans across the country. We believe that hosting matches in these venues not only adds to the excitement for fans but also promotes cricket at the grassroots level. As we gear up for this spectacular event, we look forward to witnessing thrilling action and creating unforgettable moments for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.”Schedule of MatchesFebruary 17, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 18, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium Lahore; Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 19, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Quetta Gladiators, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 20, 2024 Multan Sultans v Islamabad United, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 21, 2024 Peshawar Zalmi v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium Lahore; Multan Sultans v Lahore Qalandars, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 22, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 23, 2024 Multan Sultans v Peshawar Zalmi, Multan Cricket StadiumFebruary 24, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Karachi Kings, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 25, 2024 Multan Sultans v Quetta Gladiators, Multan Cricket Stadium; Lahore Qalandars v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 26, 2024 Peshawar Zalmi v Islamabad United, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 27, 2024 Lahore Qalandars v Multan Sultans, Gaddafi Stadium LahoreFebruary 28, 2024 Karachi Kings v Islamabad United, National Bank StadiumFebruary 29, 2024 Karachi Kings v Quetta Gladiators, National Bank Stadium                        March 2, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 3, 2024   Karachi Kings v Multan Sultans, National Bank StadiumMarch 4, 2024   Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 5, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 6, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Islamabad United v Lahore Qalandars, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 7, 2024   Islamabad United v Karachi Kings, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 8, 2024   Peshawar Zalmi v Quetta Gladiators, Pindi Cricket StadiumMarch 9, 2024   Karachi Kings v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank StadiumMarch 10, 2024 Islamabad United v Multan Sultans, Pindi Cricket Stadium; Quetta Gladiators v Lahore Qalandars, National Bank StadiumMarch 11, 2024 Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi, National Bank StadiumMarch 12, 2024 Quetta Gladiators v Multan Sultans, National Bank Stadium                      March 14, 2024 Qualifier (1 v 2), National Bank StadiumMarch 15, 2024 Eliminator 1 (3 v 4), National Bank StadiumMarch 16, 2024 Eliminator 2 (Eliminator Winner v Qualifier Runner-up), National Bank StadiumMarch 18, 2024 Final, National Bank Stadium