Afghanistan Embassy overpower Iran Embassy 3-2 in final of 16 team showAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Afghan Embassy team have won the title of the Gerrys Diplomatic Football League Season 7 after beating the Iran Embassy in the final after a nerve-jangling contest 3-2 here at Mini Football Ground, Islamabad club. The Qatar Embassy team secured third place by defeating the SB Royal team in penalties in a third-position play-off after the match ended 5-5 draw.Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad Sardar Mohammad Shakib visited the ground to enjoy the final. Also, Nabi Shirazi DHM Iran Embassy, Sheldon Godinho COO Gerry’s Visa among other diplomats and guests were present on this occasion.According to an official, as many as 16 soccer teams from sixteen embassies from 28 different nationalities. The participating players in the teams were ambassadors, diplomats, local staff, and students. The Gerry’s Diplomatic League matches were played for almost 4 months in which teams were divided into two groups of eight and then the top four teams qualified for the knock-out stages. The matches were played during the weekends at Mini football ground, Islamabad Club.The League was supervised by Mubasher Sanjrani, the founder, organizer of the prestigious league, and the former International footballer and futsal player of Pakistan. The League sponsors for season 7 were Gerrys Visas with title sponsors, SB Sadiq Group with Power sponsor, Sanjrani Oxen, Royal Business Solutions, Alamco Duty Free, and East West Insurance Company.The Diplomatic Football League is one of the most anticipated Football League in Islamabad for the diplomatic community, which provides healthy activity to the participating teams along with a positive soft image of the friendly environment in Pakistan while bringing different nationalities together. 

Sports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Quetta Gladiators registered their second win of HBL PSL 9 as they sealed the game against home team, Lahore Qalandars, by a margin of five wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday night.Khawaja Nafay, playing his second HBL PSL game, starred with a glitzy unbeaten half-century after walking into bat at number three. Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars succumbed to their second consecutive loss.In pursuit of a challenging 188-run target against the home team, Quetta Gladiators' opening batters once again gave the team a solid start. Saud flicked Shaheen Shah Afridi toward deep fine on the last ball of opening over to register his first boundary of the game.On the last ball of the third over, he hit Shaheen for an outrageous six over the keeper’s head. Jason Roy too joined him in the act as he hit Jahandad Khan for two boundaries in the fifth over. The duo brought up fifty-partnership in five overs while the powerplay yielded 61 runs.Saud (40, 23b, 7x4s, 1x6) was outfoxed by a Zaman Khan yorker on the fifth ball of the seventh over giving Lahore their first breakthrough. Three balls later Sikandar Raza hit Roy’s stumps as he departed for 19 ball 24 with the help of four boundaries. The 29-run third-wicket partnership between Rilee Rossouw (18, 13b, 3x4s) and Khawaja Nafay lasted for 19 balls before Haris Rauf got rid of Rossouw in the 11th over.On the first and fifth ball of the same over, Nafay let loose and hit Haris Rauf for two towering sixes injecting momentum into Quetta’s innings. The 22-year-old held his nerve through challenging times while living up to the hype that led to his arrival at the HBL PSL. Leg-spinner Salman Fayyaz struck in the 14th over to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed, leaving Quetta 130-4 with 58 runs required from 41 balls.Sherfane Rutherford chipped in with 14 off 12 balls before Shaheen Shah Afridi knocked him over in the 17th over. Nafay brought up his maiden HBL PSL fifty off 29 balls, by hitting Rauf over wide mid-off in the following over.Quetta chased the 188-run target with five balls to spare and winning runs coming off the bat off Nafay who returned undefeated on 60 off 31 balls, laced with four boundaries and three sixes.Earlier in the evening, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and opted to bat first. Akeal Hosein took the new ball for Quetta. Fakhar Zaman got an early reprieve on the second ball of the opening over as he chipped the ball to Mohammad Wasim Jnr in the covers who dropped an easy catch.Fakhar’s (6, 9b) struggle came to an end on the first ball of the third over as he handed a straight catch to Jason Roy at mid-on..Sahibzada Farhan and Rassie Van der Dussen upped the ante with a few boundaries in the powerplay despite a disciplined start by Quetta’s bowlers. Lahore finished the powerplay with 43 runs for the loss of one wicket.Abrar Ahmed was introduced to the attack in the seventh over of the innings and he tested Sahibzada with tight lines who replied with a four over extra cover and six over deep mid-wicket on the last two balls of the over.Abrar returned an over later to tilt the balance of the game in Quetta’s favour by removing Rassie van der Dussen, with a ball that pitched on good length slightly outside off-stump and deceived the batter with a bit of turn before crashing into the stumps.Sahibzada brought up his half-century off 39 balls, his second consecutive HBL PSL half-century. The fifth ball of the 13th over saw Sahibzada (62, 43b, 6x4s, 3x6s) removed by Hasnain, caught by Nafay, before hitting back-to-back sixes in the same over. Left-hand batter Jahandad was promoted up the order and he came out all guns blazing hitting the first ball for four, a harbinger of what was to follow.Abdullah (11, 10b, 1x6) departed in the 14th over after he was caught behind off the bowling off Hosein. Jahandad and Sikandar Raza got together to stitch a quick-fire partnership of 45 runs off just 21 balls. Jahandad amassed 23 runs off the 16th over against Abrar, where he hit three massive sixes, showcasing his pinch-hitting ability. The partnership was broken by Mohammad Amir who dismissed Raza (18, 12b, 1x4, 1x6) on the fourth ball of the 17th over.Lahore collected 34 runs off the last three overs as they ended on 187 for seven in their 20 overs. Skipper Shaheen chipped in with a cameo of 12 off eight balls, which included a first-ball six, while Jahandad finished 45 not out off just 17 balls, smashing three fours and four maximums.For Quetta, Hasnain and Hosein bagged two wickets apiece while Amir, Wasim Jnr and Abrar chipped in with one wicket each.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: On the final day in Santiago del Estero, Argentina and Germany couldn’t break a 2-2 deadlock and headed to a shootout for the second time in the mini-tournament. Lucas Martinez scored the winner for the Leones to take the bonus point with a 4-3 shootout result. Two first-half goals and a solid defensive performance gave the German women a 2-0 win over the Leonas, their first win over Argentina in the teams’ last eight matchups.(Men’s) Netherlands beat Ireland (2-1): Back-to-back FIH Hockey Pro League champions the Netherlands had to grind out their 2-1 win over debutants Ireland, who are proving to be tough competitors despite their lack of exposure at the highest level. The Irish defended well before taking the lead against the run of play in the 12th minute, Matthew Nelson banging in a penalty corner rebound. The Dutch hit back with two Jip Janssen drag flicks, one in the 15th minute, and another in the 23rd that struck a brave postman hard on the way in. The Dutch led 2-1 at half-time but their error rate was poor by their exceptional standards.While the second half remained goalless, it didn’t lack entertainment. The Dutch dominated the stats with plenty of strong circle entries and penalty corners, but they lacked their usual clinical touch and were denied by the brilliant Irish defensive effort led by Jamie Carr in goal.(Men’s) India beat Spain (2-2 SO: 8-7): Hosts India played out a riveting 2-2 draw against Spain with both teams earning a point each. The Indians went on to claim the bonus point by winning the shootout 8-7. Jarmanpreet Singh gave India the perfect start when he collected an overhead in the opening minute and slammed it in from an acute angle. But José Basterra struck back immediately for the Spanish, his third-minute drag flick giving the Red Sticks a chance to settle down. Borja Lacalle then snatched a stunning field goal for Spain from a long-range counterattack following an Indian error just seconds from the quarter mark. The Spanish went on to dominate the remainder of the first half and led 2-1 at half-time.India started the third quarter well as Abhishek pounced on a penalty corner rebound for the equaliser in the 35th minute. The rest of the match was tightly contested with goalkeepers PR Sreejesh for India and Rafael Revilla for Spain both doing excellent work. The final quarter was a frantic affair full of opportunities, dramatic video referrals, and tension, but neither team could find a winning goal. The shootout delivered more exciting action with 15 consecutive goals scored, the match eventually ending with Spanish captain Marc Miralles putting his shot wide, much to the relief of the local fans.(Men’s) Argentina beat Germany (2 -2 SO: 4-3): In the final day of the mini-tournament in Santiago del Estero, hosts Argentina came out of the gate in good form. Nicolas della Torre and Tomas Domene each released superb drag flicks on the game’s opening two penalty corners for a 2-0 Argentina lead. Germany were flat and uninspiring despite loading their roster with a more experience side from a day earlier against Belgium. Late in the first half Germany started to show some flair as hard work for Raphael Hartkopf created a chance for Paul-Philipp Kaufmann to one-time on goal. The ball was well struck and keeper Tomas Santiago got a piece of it but Hartkopf finished the run and tapped in to cut Argentina’s lead to one.Germany came out of the gate with good intensity and were rewarded just moments into the third quarter. A brilliant ball across the goal was deflected in by Elian Mazkour to make it 2-2. Both teams struggled to look threatening in the circle as play hypnotically moved between the 23-meter areas and for the second-consecutive match-up the game needed a shootout. An important save from Tomas Santiago on Malte Helwig, followed by a great finish from Lucas Martinez gave Argentina the 4-3 shootout win and the bonus point. (Women’s) Germany beat Argentina (2-0): Despite having most of the pace and possession, Argentina struggled to generate quality scoring chances against Germany. Two first-half penalty corners that were mistrapped and circle entries with no outcome was the story of Argentina’s performance. Die Danas capitalised on their few chances, first on a penalty corner deflected into Valentina Raposo’s body on the line giving Viktoria Huse the go-ahead finish from the stroke mark. Argentina continued to hunt for an equaliser but despite a high count of circle penetrations, German keeper Nathalie Kubalski had yet to be tested. At the other end, a quick free hit left Argentina scrambling and a ball from Jette Fleschütz found its way through traffic to a waiting Pauline Heinz at the back post to lift Die Danas 2-0. The second half was all Argentina but the Leonas lacked that clinical quality expected of the No. 2 ranked team in the world. Two Agustina Gorzelany flicks were steered away by the gloves of Kubalski, while a goalmouth scramble was cleared on the line by Jule Bleuel and shots from Maria Granatto and Agustina Albertarrio went uncharacteristically unconverted. Kubalski then denied Victoria Manuele from close range and another Gorzelany flick to seal Germany’s first win over Argentina since 2021. 

Sports Bulletin ReportJeddah (Saudi Arabia): Jordan defeated host Saudi Arabia 3-1 in the opening match of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) here on Monday night. Despite a spirited performance throughout the 90 minutes from Lluís Cortés’ side, Jordan took control of Group A, where Saudi Arabia can still qualify for the knockout stage with matches against Lebanon and Guam still to come on Wednesday and Friday.Taking place in Jeddah until February 29, the 2024 WAFF Women’s Championship is the first official 11-a-side women’s tournament ever held in Saudi Arabia. This year’s eighth edition welcomes seven nations alongside the hosts, including Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Guam, and Nepal.The WAFF Women’s Championship is the latest international football tournament making its way to Jeddah, where both the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2022 WAFF Women’s Futsal Championship have been held.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: Three goals on the game’s opening three penalty corners gave the German men a 3-2 win over a young but spirited Belgium side on the penultimate day of the mini-tournament in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Die Danas put away the Belgium Red Panthers 3-1 in women’s play, despite Germany having ample more chances than the scoreline would imply. The women’s mini-tournament in Rourkela wrapped up with the Netherlands extending their impressive winning record with a 3-1 victory over Australia. Yibbi Jansen added three more to her league-leading tally, as Maria Verschoor celebrated her 200th international. The other match of the day between hosts India and the United States had to be decided in a shootout after the teams remained locked on 1-1 at the final whistle, the home side eventually securing the extra point. (Women’s) Netherlands beat Australia (3-1): Maria Verschoor celebrated her 200th cap for the Netherlands with a 3-1 win over Australia. Verschoor was in action early, winning a penalty stroke for Yibbi Jansen to put her side ahead in the second minute. The Dutch went on to control the first quarter and Jansen added drag flicks in the 13th and 14th minutes to complete her hat-trick. The rest of the half was much tighter with goalkeepers Jocelyn Bartram and Anne Veenendaal both having plenty of work to do. Stephanie Kershaw pulled one back for Australia in the 20th minute with a penalty corner deflection to make it 3-1 at half-time.Both teams had chances in a fast-paced and physical second half. Although there was plenty of exciting action, there were no more goals scored. That saw the Netherlands to their 12th straight victory of the season, so extending their impressive unbeaten streak to 45 games. Jansen moved even further ahead at the top of the goalscoring table with 15 goals. Australia next take the field in FIH Hockey Pro League action against Belgium on 29 May in Antwerp, while the Netherlands next meet Germany in Utrecht on 22 June.(Women’s) India beat USA (1-1 SO: 2-1): Hosts India played out an exciting 1-1 draw with a resolute United States in a match that ebbed and flowed throughout. Both teams earned a point for the draw – a first in the tournament for the USA this season – and India went on to win the shootout 2-1 for a bonus point. The Americans have taken too long to get into their recent games, but they looked lively from the push back and India struggled to gain control. Deepika eventually gave the Indians a slender 1-0 half-time lead with an excellent drag flick, but they missed a further three opportunities.The USA fought all the way through the second half and Ashley Sessa’s equaliser from a 45th-minute penalty corner variation set the stage for an enthralling finish. There were nail-biting moments at both ends of the pitch, but neither team could find a winning goal and the match ended in a draw. Savita was once again the hero for India, keeping out four shots as her team won the shootout 2-1. Both teams will be back in FIH Hockey Pro League action in Antwerp on 22 May, India facing Argentina and the USA up against Belgium.(Men’s) Germany beat Belgium (3-2): Germany head coach André Henning said before the match he wanted his team to be more efficient in the circle and his side delivered. Henning’s side went three-for-three on the game’s opening penalty corners, first a nifty slip to the left for Justus Weigand to flick in. Germany was well in control of the game, utilising multiple long aerials from defender Tom Grambusch to stretch the Belgian defence. In the second quarter, Grambusch and Weigand scored powerful flicks to secure a 3-0 lead. The Red Panthers bent but would not break, as Jeremy Wilbers finished out of the air at the back post to get Belgium on the board. Emmanuel Stockbroekx nearly tapped in a second for Belgium but Alexander Stadler was quick to make the save. After surviving periods being short-handed Belgium earned a penalty corner near the end of the third. The powerful flick from Thomas Crols was stopped on the line by Niklas Bosserhoff’s body to allow Willems to seal a penalty stroke goal and get Belgium within one, trailing 3-2. The final quarter was a scrappy and tight affair as Germany’s Michel’s Struthoff rang a blast off the crossbar while a late penalty corner from Belgium saw Alexander Stadler make back-to-back saves. Germany had a breakaway in the final seconds of the game but a charging Simon Vandenbroucke had a superb challenge to leave the game 3-2 for Germany. (Women’s) Germany beat Belgium (3-1): Germany came out with good possession and most of the attack but lacked consistency on their circle efficiency in their 3-1 win over Belgium. Through most of the game it was skipper Nike Lorenz who was all over the pitch creating the opportunities for Germany, first having a drag flick denied on the line by Tiphaine Duquesne, then having Elena Sotgiu’s out-stretched foot deny her on the backhand. Finally Germany found a way through after Sotgiu made a great save on a penalty corner blast from Lena Micheel but the rebound was taken down well by Stine Kurz and the resulting blast ricocheted off a Belgian defender to mark a 1-0 lead for Germany. Germany head coach Valentin Altenburg was not pleased with the lack of conversion in the first half and the team chat at the break must have paid off.Minutes into the third quarter Jette Fleschütz blasted a back-hand shot after a nifty passing play that started from Lorenz to make it 2-0 for Germany. Die Danas continued to pressure and generate multiple penalty corners but Sotgiu, her post player Duquesne, first runner and even the cross bar continued to stymie the Germans. Belgian keeper Maïté Bussels made her senior debut at the start of the fourth quarter and did well to weather a wave of German shots and a penalty corner. The Red Panthers did have a look at goal through a tight-angled shot from Felicia Theunissen but Lisa Schneider looked sharp. Belgium’s effort never died and Pauline LeClef capitalised off a great passing play to cut Schneider’s shutout. A sloppy looking Germany finally pulled it together for a tip from Sara Strauss to make it 3-1.

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: World Table Tennis (WTT) has officially confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host a WTT Grand Smash from 2024 onwards. The Saudi Smash will take place from May 4 to 11 at the King Abdullah Sports City and becomes the first professional table tennis event to be held in the Kingdom.Elite players from around the world will descend upon the coastal city of Jeddah on the Red Sea to compete in an electrifying event that combines the precision and skill of the world’s best table tennis with the dynamic and entertaining experience of a WTT Grand Smash, the highest tier within the WTT event structure.Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation, the country has become a welcoming host for some of the biggest global sports events. Now table tennis, WTT Grand Smash, follows fast in the footsteps of Formula 1, the FIFA Club World Cup, ATP Next Gen Tennis, America’s Cup Sailing Preliminary Regatta and world heavyweight boxing, having all been hosted in Jeddah recently. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal; Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: "By introducing Saudi Smash, we add a further new international event to our growing list of major championships, that we are honoured to host in Saudi Arabia. More events simply means more opportunities to inspire and engage our young people by giving them the chance to witness the best of the best live in action. I am confident all table tennis players, officials and fans will enjoy a truly world-class experience, which will undoubtedly grow the game to new heights in the Kingdom for years to come."The world’s best stars will compete for a prize pool of USD2,000,000, the largest ever seen at an officially sanctioned table tennis event. The Saudi Smash, like all WTT events, offers equal prize money, and the men’s and women’s singles champions will each walk away with a winner’s cheque of USD65,000 and receive 2000 ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings Points.The Saudi Smash will take place from 4 to 11 May 2024 and consists of a 64-player Men’s and Women’s Singles main draw and 24-pair main draws for Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles. From 1 to 3 May, a 64-player singles qualifying will determine the 8 players who advance to the respective singles main draw competitions. Wildcard places in each of the draws will ensure that players and pairs from Saudi Arabia will be able to compete against the world’s best, develop their talent and thrill family and fans. Steve Dainton, WTT Chief Executive Officer said: "We are thrilled to host the first-ever Saudi Smash in Jeddah. Grand Smashes are WTT’s most prestigious events, and represents a significant milestone for table tennis in Saudi Arabia. We are excited to showcase the talent and excitement of our stars, and Jeddah's dynamic energy and passion for sports make it an ideal host city.”Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has staged over 100 international events for both male and female athletes including football, motorsports, tennis, equestrian, esports and golf, attended by over 2.6 million sports fans. The Kingdom is now considered one of the fastest growing countries in world sport, with sporting activity becoming an increasingly important part of daily life, especially for the Kingdom’s 20 million people aged under 30 years old.“The Saudi Table Tennis Federation is proud to announce that Jeddah has been chosen as the host city for the inaugural Saudi Smash. This is a ground-breaking event that promises to elevate the sport to new heights in the Kingdom and inspire future generations of Saudi table tennis players. We are excited to be partnering with WTT to deliver one of their marquee events and look forward to showcasing Jeddah and Saudi Arabia to the world” said Dr. Abdullah Hashim AL-BAR, President, Saudi Table Tennis Federation.Since Vision 2030 was launched in 2015, Saudi Arabia has tripled the number of official sports federations from 32 to 97 federations. Everything from kite surfing, to boxing, from beach volleyball to padel. And as a result, sports participation in the Kingdom has also tripled with more people playing more sports than ever before as part of a fitter, healthier country, with life expectancy increasing from 74 to 78 years old. “As a Federation, we want to both host and compete at the highest level, so we need to drive participation and hosting major events to showcase the sport is a critical aspect of our plans. We currently have 10 men’s singles and 5 doubles pairs in the world rankings. For some of these players to potentially play in a ‘home’ event against the world’s very best means everything to us. It’s the catalyst we need at this stage in our development. “There are 3.6million table tennis fans already in the Kingdom, of which 45% are female. At youth level we’ve got good emerging talent coming through. When you consider this, and the fact that the sport is playable all year round and requires limited infrastructure, we really have all the ingredients to grow the sport and get more Saudis playing. I’ve no doubt the Saudi Smash will accelerate our journey and help our sport grow even further.” added Dr. AL-BAR.The Saudi Smash will be a celebration of sporting excellence but also a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to bringing world-class sporting events to the Kingdom and promoting healthy lifestyles for all Saudis. The event aims to inspire the next generation of table tennis enthusiasts and contribute to the growth of the sport in the region. With up to four WTT Grand Smashes a year planned for the WTT calendar, Saudi Arabia joins Singapore as the second WTT Grand Smash host in 2024. "As WTT Board Chair I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Saudi Arabia for pioneering the Saudi Smash, a pivotal addition to the global World Table Tennis calendar. This initiative underscores the Kingdom's dedication to advancing the sport's reach and competitiveness. As the world eagerly anticipates the inaugural Saudi Smash, we anticipate an electrifying showcase of talent and athleticism that will resonate across continents, further propelling table tennis into a new era of prominence and excitement" said LIU Guoliang, WTT Board Chair.Grand Smashes have their own branding to celebrate and showcase their host. The Saudi Smash logo, reflecting the green of the Kingdom’s flag, depicts iconic skyline imagery from across Saudi Arabia. This logo embodies the combined desire of WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation to make the Saudi Smash an event for all the Kingdom.In addition to the Saudi Smash, the world’s best youth players will also head to Riyadh from 23-26 September to take part in WTT Youth Contender Riyadh, the first ever WTT Youth Series event to be held in Saudi Arabia. WTT Youth Contender events attract players from around the world competing in age groups from U11 through to U19 and establish the pathway for players to move through the WTT event pyramid and ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings. The long term hosting of the Saudi Smash in Jeddah and WTT Youth Contender Riyadh underpins the WTT and Saudi Table Tennis Federation commitment to deliver the sport’s Day One to World Number One events and playing pathway.

Sports Bulletin ReportBusan (Korea): It's Day 3 of the ITTF World Team Championships 2024 and the action is just getting started! Stay ahead of the thrilling moments happening today in Busan. We'll bring you the key moments, and exhilarating games as they unfold.In an epic showdown lasting 3 hours, the men’s teams of Team England and Team USA engaged in a fierce battle. Despite England’s resilient comeback from a 2-0 deficit, the deciding match saw the Americans emerge victorious. Nikhil Kumar clinched the win for USA, overcoming Paul Drinkhall in a thrilling encounter, ultimately securing a hard-fought triumph.Sweden beat Hong Kong, China: In a captivating Men’s Teams Group 6 clash, Team Sweden and Team Hong Kong, China delivered an exhilarating 5-set thriller. With both teams trading game victories, the tension mounted until the final match, where Anton Kallberg secured the win for Sweden against Lam Siu Hang, sealing a dramatic victory.Shin Yubin Falls, but Team Korea Prevails: Adriana Diaz celebrates her win over Shin Yubin, but it wasn’t enough for Puerto Rico to overcome the host team. Despite Adriana Diaz’s commanding win over Shin Yubin, Team Puerto Rico faced defeat at the hands of the host team, Korea Republic, with a final score of 3-1. The Koreans ultimately proved too strong for Puerto Rico, who now set their sights on their upcoming match against Malaysia, aiming for their first win of the tournament. Meanwhile, Korea Republic continues their impressive start, maintaining their momentum in the competition.Giulia Seals Win After Epic Comeback by the Brazilians: In a gripping display of resilience, Team Brazil’s Women refused to concede defeat despite trailing 2-0 to Team Luxembourg. Bruna Alexandre sparked the comeback with a commanding 3-1 win. The Takahashi sisters, Bruna and Giulia, delivered valiant performances, each securing hard-fought 3-2 victories. It was a close-fought contest that encapsulated the excitement of the ITTF World Championships.Team Madagascar Surprises with 3-1 Victory Over Nigeria: Fabio Rakotoarimanana put on a stellar display to give Madagascar a special win here in Busan. Day 3 of the competition brings early excitement as Team Nigeria faces challenges. With Quadri Aruna’s absence, their misfortunes continue as Team Madagascar delivers a stunning upset with a 3-1 win. Madagascar’s Fabio A Rakotoarimanan clinches the victory with a commanding 3-0 win over Olajide Omotayo, securing a remarkable result.

Pakistani players to participate in the Davis Cup Juniors, and Billie Jean King CupSports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: The two Pakistani tennis teams for Davis Cup Juniors, and Billie Jean King Cup Juniors reached Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka and they held a practice session on the clay courts., as the event will be played from February 19 to 24, 2024.According to an official of the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF), Pakistan boys and girls are well-prepared for international junior tennis events. The Davis Cup will get underway from February 19 (Monday).Davis Cup Juniors: Aqeel Khan (coach), Hamza Roman, Mikaeel Shahbaz Ali Baig, Abubakar TalhaBillie Jean King Cup: Sara Mansoor (coach), Amna Ali Qayum, Soha Ali, Zunaisha Noor 

Sports Bulletin ReportISLAMABAD: An outstanding performance from a young side gave the Belgium men their first points of the season after a massive 4-3 win over Argentina in Santiago del Estero. On the women’s side the Leonas put two second-half goals past Belgium to secure their third win of this mini-tournament.On the penultimate day of action in the women’s mini-tournament in Rourkela, hosts India pulled off a massive win against the Hockeyroos, beating them 1-0. Earlier in the day, the United States put in a mammoth effort against China but could not prevent the Chinese from walking away 2-0 winners.(Women’s) China beat USA (2-0):Jiao Ye celebrated her 100th match for China in a hard-fought 2-0 win over a gallant United States. The match was fairly evenly contested, the Chinese having a slight upper hand in the first half as the Americans struggled to deal with their high press. Zixia Ou put China ahead with an eighth-minute drag flick, and Jiaqi Zhong turned away from her marker for a good field goal in the 19th. The USA had some chances, but they couldn’t find the net and China led 2-0 at half-time.The Americans gained the ascendancy in the second half despite playing most of the third quarter with 10 players. Sanne Caarls nearly grabbed a goal for the USA in that period, demanding a good save from Xinhuan Li after completely unravelling the Chinese defence. The Americans ran rampant in the final 20 minutes and had the Chinese circle under constant siege in the final five, but they simply couldn’t find the net and were left to rue missed opportunities.(Women’s) India beat Australia (1-0):Hosts India gave their fans plenty to cheer about with an historic 1-0 win, their first ever against Australia on Indian soil. The match was an end-to-end spectacle played at a blistering pace throughout, with both teams playing very direct hockey. The defensive units were tested repeatedly, but goalkeepers Zoe Newman for Australia and Savita for India were up to the task in a goalless first half. The Hockeyroos missed arguably the best chance of the half with a penalty corner against four Indian defenders in the 20th minute.The Indians dominated an intensive second half, executing an effective press and using their pace advantage on the break. They took the lead in the 34th minute when Katariya Vandana dived for the deflection off a penalty corner variation, sending the already vocal crowd into a frenzy. India continued to look dangerous on attack but with just a one-goal cushion, the match was set for a tense finish. While they were struggling to stay alive in the match, the Hockeyroos refused to concede, and they had the home fans on the edge of their seats with a flurry of opportunities and video referrals in the dying minutes. India somehow kept everything out and managed to hang on for their well-deserved, historic win.(Men’s) Belgium beat Argentina (4-3):A young Belgian side delivered a resilient performance to knock off the Argentina giants with a 4-3 scoreline. It was a fiery opening half as the mostly debutante-filled Belgian side went up 2-0 and owned the majority of the opening half chances. The opener game from a penalty stroke called after Thoams Crols’ flick hit Facundo Zarate on the Argentine goal line. Tommy Willems buried from the spot to give Belgium the lead and some momentum. The Red Lions drew blood again in the second quarter, this time from Roman Duvekot who cleverly turned and blasted in close for a 2-0 Belgium lead. Belgium’s Guillaume Hellin was sent to the sin bin for a 10-minute yellow card to give Argentina and at the death of the second quarter Tomas Domene put away a penalty corner flick to cut Belgium’s lead, 2-1. Back to full strength, Belgium continued to find ways to create chances. A baseline attack through Hellin had a pass booked for Thibeau Stockbroekx. Nicolas della Torre put an unfortunate touch past his own keeper for an own goal and for Belgium to celebrate a 3-1 lead. The Red Lions delivered a stunner at the start of the fourth as a good team build up allowed Willems to feed Thibeau Stockbroekx, who finished on his reverse with a beautiful flip over Nehuen Hernando for a fourth Belgian goal. Argentina wasted no time finding a response as Maico Casella’s one-timer blasted through Simon Vandenbrouke to halve Belgium’s lead once more. Domene got his second of the game on a penalty corner flick that rippled the mesh with two minutes left in the game. Belgium did well to manage the frenetic final moments and hang on to a big win for the youthful side. (Women’s) Argentina beat Belgium (2-0):A scoreless opening half was to the delight of a young Belgian side as Argentina were creating lots of attack but not the quality in the circle. In the second quarter Maria Granatto found a charging Celina di Santo on the opposite of the pitch and with just Elena Sotgiu’s pads to beat, di Santo floated the ball towards goal but it pinged off the crossbar. Chances continued to come for the Leonas but they continued to struggle for the quality.Argentina turned up the heat as Granatto had two chances that flew just over the bar before Agustina Gorzelany provided the relief, burying a penalty stroke for the 1-0 lead. Early in the fourth quarter Belgium did find themselves with a penalty corner but the execution wasn’t there. Argentina had a nifty penalty corner routine that freed up Gorzelany with a close-range flick and Sotgiu made a world-class stick save. Seconds after the save, a bit of chaos gave space for Sofia Toccalino to blast one in and double Argentina’s lead. Admirably, Belgium held the Leonas to just the two goals from Argentina’s 23 shots and over 60 per cent possession.

Shadab Khan (74 not out), Salman Ali Agha (64 not out) supermen of the gameSports Bulletin ReportLAHORE: Islamabad United (IU) surprised Lahore Qalandars by 8 wickets in the opening match of the HBL PSL Season 9 here at Qaddafi Cricket Stadium on Sunday night. Shadab Khan (74 not out), and Salman Ali Agha (64 not out, 31b, 7x4s, 3x6s) were the supermen of the game.In pursuit of 196 run target, United got off to a confident start, scoring 50 runs in the powerplay while only losing Colin Munro (5, 11b, 1x4) in the process. In the next over, skipper Shadab, coming in to bat at number three, welcomed Haris Rauf with two boundaries keeping the run flow intact.Requiring 44 off five overs, the 16th over went for 12 runs, while the next over went for 14 runs, with Shadab smashing Haris for two maximums in the over. The 18th over bowled by captain Shaheen Shah Afridi was another expensive over for the home side, as United batter Salman dispatched the left-arm pacer for a four and a six and collected 15 runs in the over.With three runs required off the final two overs, Shadab finished off the game with a six over long-on as United won the game with 10 balls to spare. Shadab returned undefeated on 74 off 41 balls, laced with six fours and five sixes, while Salman scored 64 not out off 31 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes.Earlier, after being put into bat first, Qalandars got off to a brisk start with the opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman adding 66 runs in the powerplay. The partnership was broken by Shadab, who took the prized scalp of Fakhar (13, 13b, 1x4) in the seventh over with 67 runs on the board for the home side.Right-hand batter Sahibzada Farhan was joined by Rassie van der Dussen and the pair could add only 22 runs to the total before Sahibzada (57, 36b, 8x4s, 1x6) fell to left-arm pacer Tymal Mills in the 11th over. Abdullah Shafique came into bat at number four and struck three towering sixes during his stay on the crease accumulating 28 off 22 balls.That the Qalandars were able to post 195 for five in their 20 overs was largely due to van der Dussen’s unbeaten knock of 71 off 41 balls, which included four fours and three sixes. The South African batter, who had featured for United in the last edition of HBL PSL, brought up his maiden HBL PSL half-century in today’s game off just 31 balls.For United, Naseem Shah, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of almost six months, returned with figures of 4-0-36-1. Leg-spinner Shadab, also returning from injury, gave away 24 runs bagging a solitary wicket in his quota of four overs. Mills was the most successful bowler for United, bagging two wickets for 45 runs in four overs.dars 195-5, 20 overs, (Rassie van der Dussen 71 not out, Sahibzada Farhan 57, Abdullah Shafique 28; Tymal Mills 2-45, Shadab Khan 1-24)Today’s Fixtures:Quetta Gladiators v Peshawar Zalmi, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore (2pm)Multan Sultans v Karachi Kings, Multan Cricket Stadium (7pm)