Sports News

Kabaddi team wins first Asian Games medal for Pakistan Pakistan kabaddi team managed a bronze medal at the Asian Games, country’s first in the 2018 edition, after they lost their semi-final 27-24 to South Korea. Both powerhouses in kabaddi Pakistan and India took bronze medals after losing their semi-finals. India had lost their match to Iran 27-18, while on Friday Iran became the continental champions defeating South Korea 26-16 in the final. “We are at the medal ceremony,” Pakistan Kabaddi Federation secretary Muhammad Sarwar told The Express Tribune from Jakarta. “We are receiving our first medal at the Games.” Pakistan began their campaign with a massive 62-17win against Malaysia in Group B, but then lost to Iran 36-20. They registered two more wins, Indonesia 40-11 and Japan 25-14, and finally outplayed Nepal 38-20 to qualify for the semi-final with eight points in total, just second to Iran’s 10, who topped Group B. South...

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Trophy to reach Pakistan in October  \\  The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Cricket World Cup 2019 will visit Pakistan in October, as it embarks on its most extensive journey around the globe yet amid growing excitement ahead of the showpiece event in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14. The trophy will arrive in Lahore on October 3 and will be displayed for public at the Gaddafi Stadium on the very next day. After couple of days, the trophy will then travel to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 6 while its trip will conclude at the National Stadium in Karachi on October 13. With more stops than ever before, the trophy will start its journey from the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Monday, 27 August 2018. Travelling across five continents, 21 countries and over 60 cities the “most connected Trophy Tour ever” will allow fans around the world to get up close to the coveted prize that wil...

Kohli reclaims top spot in ICC rankings   LONDON: India captain Virat Kohli has returned to the top of the International Cricket Council’s Test batting rankings following his man-of-the-match effort against England at Trent Bridge. The 29-year-old scored 97 and 103 and saw India beat England by 203 runs in the  third Test at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge on Wednesday as they reduced the hosts’ lead in a five-match series to 2-1. Kohli took top spot in the rankings for the first time after scoring a hundred in the series opener at Edgbaston.  Meanwhile Australia’s David Warner, like Smith given a ban for his role in the ball-tampering scandal, rose a place to fourth despite not playing. England captain Joe Root dropped down to fifth after managing just 16 and 13 at Trent Bridge. As well as raw figures, the ICC chart also aims to take into account factors such as the quality of the opposition. Kohli, who has scored 440 ru...

PM Imran nominates Asad Ali Khan, Ehsan Mani as members of PCB BoG  KARACHI  :The Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan — who is also the Patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board — has nominated Ehsan Mani and Asad Ali Khan as members of PCB Board of Governors (BoG), in a notification issued by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC). Soon after the resignation by former PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, PM Imran had nominated Ehsan Mani — who is a former International Cricket Council (ICC) President — as his pick for the new PCB chairman. According to the constitution of PCB, the patron must nominate two names for representation on the BoG in case the chairman resigns. Khan’s second choice in this regard is Asad Ali Khan — who is currently a board member on, both, Punjab and Pakistan Veteran Cricket Association. The Election Commissioner for the Pakistan Cricket Board Justice (retd) Syed Afzal Haider has already taken charge as...

PCB postpones meeting with PSL franchises due to chairman elections  KARACHI  :The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to postpone meeting with Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises due to the imminent chairman elections. As the PCB is currently without a permanent chairman, the interim chairman of the board Justice (retd) Syed Afzal Haider has decided to delay the meeting until the new chairman takes charge of affairs. The meeting holds significant value as important matters including broadcasting rights, title sponsorship and team value of every franchise are supposed to discussed, bearing in mind the next edition of PSL. Earlier the franchises had written a letter to the PCB in order to seek clearance about who will preside over the meeting in absence of the chairman. It must be noted that the invitations for the meetings were sent out before Najam Sethi resigned from his post as PCB chairman. The franchises are also ...

PSL audit report cites significant discrepancies in season 1, 2  KARACHI : In an audit carried out by the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), significant discrepancies have been revealed with regards to the first and second edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL). According to Daily Express, due to prevailing cronyism within Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) quite a few major contracts were awarded without publishing a proper call for tenders during the first two seasons of PSL. If the contracts were given by following the correct procedures, the board’s financial gains would have improved considerably. Sources have also said that many appointments on important positions were based on favouritism while production and ticketing matters were not handled properly. The selections of Naila Bhatti — Director Marketing — and Usman Wahla — General Manager International Cricket Operations — were specifically mentioned. The audit raised questions over th...

 Kohli reigns over England in third Test NOTTINGHAM: India captain Virat Kohli’s second century of the series strengthened his side’s iron grip on the third Test against England at Trent Bridge on Monday. Kohli, who fell for 97 in India’s first innings, top-scored with 103 as the tourists, looking to bounce back from 2-0 down in a five-match contest, piled up a total of 352 for seven declared. That left England needing a mammoth 521 for victory, albeit with more than two days to get the runs. But no side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test than the West Indies’ 418 for seven against Australia at St John’s, Antigua, in 2003. Kohli’s declaration left England with an awkward nine overs in which to bat. But Alastair Cook (nine not out) and Keaton Jennings (13 not out) took them to a close score of 23 without loss. India resumed Monday on 124 for two, already 292 runs in front, with Cheteshwar Pujara 33 not out and ...

PM nominates ex-ICC president Ehsan Mani to fill Sethi's shoes  Soon after the resignation tendered by Najam Sethi, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday nominated former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani as the new chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Praising his pick, the newly-elected premier wrote on Twitter: “He [Ehsan Mani] brings vast and valuable experience to the job. He represented PCB in the ICC; was treasurer ICC for three years and then headed the ICC for another three years.” Imran then clarified that “We will follow the set procedure which entails my nominating him on the PCB board of governors. He may then contest elections for the position of Chairman PCB”. The former PCB chief, who is also heading the lucrative Pakistan Super League (PSL), wrote on Twitter that he was waiting for the new prime minister to take the oath before submitting his resignation. “I wish PCB all the best and hope our cric...

Fakhar Zaman eager to represent Pakistan in Test cricket KARACHI  : Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman is eager to represent Pakistan in Test cricket after having successfully established himself in the limited overs Men in Green side. Speaking to Daily Express in an interview, Zaman stated that he is preparing for upcoming series against Australian in United Arab Emirates (UAE) and he will not disappoint if given the opportunity to don the whites for Pakistan. “I’m eager to play Test cricket,” he said. “Currently I’m rigorously preparing for the series against Australia and hope that I will be given an opportunity during the series.” Pakistan will face the Kangaroos in October for two-Test and three-T20I series although the PCB is yet to release the official schedule for the Australia’s tour of UAE. Sharing his thoughts on the Asia Cup — which is scheduled to take place from September 15 to September 28 in UAE — the left-handed opener said t...

Complacency can cost chance in City line-up: Kompany MANCHESTER: Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany believes the champions are well placed to avoid past mistakes and become the first team in a decade to retain the Premier League title. The Belgian, who is the only current City player to have been with the club through the decade that they have been under Abu Dhabi’s free-spending ownership, has won the league three times at City. But on the previous two occasions, City have failed to mount a serious title challenge in the following year, leaving Manchester United, in 2009, as the last champions to defend their title successfully. Now, however, Kompany insists that under Pep Guardiola’s management, City will not make the same errors as in years gone by. “I can only say it’s different from previous years we have won the league,” he said. “There’s been so many warnings we have had and every single time we almost have to fight against our...

Buttler's maiden Test hundred his proudest England moment NOTTINGHAM: Jos Buttler said nothing he had done before in an England career across all formats could top his maiden Test century on Tuesday. Buttler made 106 and together with Ben Stokes (62) put on 169 for the fifth wicket as England ensured the third Test against India at Trent Bridge would go into Wednesday’s final day. But with England 311 for nine, still 210 runs shy of a target of 521, come stumps on the fourth day, they appear destined for a defeat that will leave them 2-1 up in a five-match series, barring bad weather in Nottingham or a remarkable double-century stand from their last-wicket duo of Adil Rashid and James Anderson. Buttler, after being dropped on one by wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, was largely untroubled. But the advent of the second new ball sparked a flurry of late wickets that started when Buttler was lbw playing no shot to fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. ...

Mbappe saves France’s blushes against US in World Cup warm-up LYON:Kylian Mbappe showed his class again as he salvaged a 1-1 home draw for France in their final World Cup warm-up game, against the United States on Saturday. Mbappe, who was a permanent threat, found the back of the net in the late stages to cancel out Julian Green’s first-half opener, with Didier Deschamps’s team lacking energy after a demanding physical preparation. France start their World Cup campaign against Australia in Group C in one week before taking on Peru and Denmark. They enjoyed most of the possession against the US in Lyon but lacked speed, with the exception of Mbappe. “It’s always best to win but it’s a warm-up game and we lacked a bit of juice. We had a lot of opportunities against a team who left us little space”, said Deschamps. “We regained the upper hand near the end.” Mbappe said: “I’ve been improving steadily in the last three matches and tonight I did w...

Argentina future depends on World Cup, says Messi BRONNITSY:Argentina captain Lionel Messi said his international future will be determined by his country’s performance at the World Cup in Russia. “It will depend on how far we go, how we’re going to finish” at the finals, Messi said in an interview with Spanish daily Sport. “We’ve just lost three finals in a row, which has led to us going through some difficult moments with the press. Notably with the Argentine press because we have differences of opinion over what it means to make these three finals.” Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final 1-0 to Germany after extra time, before suffering successive defeats by Chile on penalties at the Copa America in 2015 and 2016. Messi, who will turn 31 during the World Cup, believes Spain, Brazil, Germany, France and Belgium are the leading contenders for the title. “There are lots of teams who arrive with lots of confidence, with both a team game and...

ET's Football Dugout Countdown to the World Cup: Groups A and B In Episode 1 of The Express Tribune’s Football Dugout, four football fans analyse the teams in FIFA World Cup 2018's Group A, the players to look out for and whether there's a chance for any major upsets. Arguably one of the easiest groups at the World Cup, two-time winners Uruguay are joined by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and hosts Russia. While Uruguay are almost certain to top the groups, all of the other three teams will be quietly optimistic about their chances of making it to the next round. Perhaps no group in World Cup 2018 is as clear cut as Group B, where European champions Portugal and 2010 World Cup winners Spain take on minnows Iran and Morocco. The gulf in class is aptly reflected in the FIFA rankings, with Portugal (4) and Spain (8) far ahead of Iran (36) and Morocco (42). Such is the might of the two European giants that the winner of the Spain-Por...

Russian football suffers under state control MOSCOW:When soccer World Cup hosts Russia open the tournament on June 14 they will be fielding the team ranked lowest at the finals, three places behind their first opponents Saudi Arabia. There is no single explanation for what ails Russian soccer, but one of the origins of the woes of the national team may rest in a trait of Russia’s economy: heavy state involvement. With a couple of notable exceptions, private investors have snubbed Russian soccer so most top-tier clubs are bankrolled by regional authorities and state-owned companies, leaving teams vulnerable to budget cuts and shifting political priorities. The uncertainty has seen many state backers shun investment in grassroots player development, instead bringing in expensive foreign stars in a race for results when times are good, and cutting back when budgets are tight. “Everyone wants to be a sprinter. No one wants to invest in the long te...

Nadal victory assures old guard still in control PARIS:When Rafael Nadal broke down in tears on the Roland Garros podium on Sunday as 15,000 people, plus a smattering of Hollywood heavyweights, stood and honoured his staggering 11th French Open triumph, it was enough to make his desperate rivals weep. The 32-year-old Spaniard had wrapped up his 17th major, taken his career earnings beyond the $100 million mark and extended his record in Paris to 86 wins and just two defeats. It also intensified the headache facing tennis’ highly-rated but woefully under-performing next generation. How do you solve a problem like Nadal? Or Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray for that matter? Since Nadal won his first major at Roland Garros in 2005, the ‘Big Four’ have claimed 48 of the past 53 Grand Slam titles. In their careers, 36-year-old Federer has 20 majors, Nadal 17, Djokovic 12 and Murray three. Stan Wawrinka, it should not be forgotte...

England chances boosted courtesy Premier League coaching power SAINT PETERSBURG: The globalisation of the Premier League is often blamed for hampering home-grown players but the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have played a key role in boosting England’s World Cup chances. Of Gareth Southgate’s 23-man squad in Russia, 15 finished in the top four under star managers Guardiola, Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino. Manchester City smashed a host of Premier League records during their romp to the title, with Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Fabian Delph visibly improving under Guardiola’s leadership. “Absolutely,” Delph told AFP when asked if the Catalan was the key to his selection for the England squad. “For me he’s a genius.” Southgate believes Guardiola was even influencing the game before arriving in England thanks to his great Barcelona team that won two Champions Leagues in four glorious years between 2008 and 20...

Waseem trains with Mayweather in bid to return to top form KARACHI  :Former World Boxing Council (WBC) silver flyweight champion Muhammad Waseem has described his new challenge by stating, “They call me crazy, I’m looking for a world title after just eight professional fights.” He has about 40 days left to prepare for the International Boxing Federation World title. Earlier this year, Waseem was stripped off his WBC title for a lack of title bout and sponsors while his new goal for the IBF title has brought him to Las Vegas again. He is set to fight South Africa’s Motuti Mthalane in Kuala Lampur next month for which he’s joined the Floyd Mayweather’s gym to make sure he is in top form. “It is like starting from the scratch now,” explains Waseem who was last seen at a bout in against a local boxer Jose Luis Calvo in August that he won on knock out. “Time flies and I know I have to get on track and my dream remains the same, that I have to win a ...

  Wenger hints at giving up coaching BENGALURU: Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is eager to coach again but remains wary of committing to a “crazy challenge” as he plans to resolve his future in the coming weeks. The 68-year-old left Arsenal after almost 22 years at the helm of the Premier League club at the end of last season and has since been linked to several vacant managerial roles. “Do I still have the desire to be a coach? Yes. Do I have the desire to throw myself into another crazy challenge? I don’t know. It’s a job that requires total commitment,” Wenger told French television programme Telefoot. “I must give myself a little distance, which is something I’ve never done. I’ll have to see how much I miss it.” Former Sevilla and Paris St Germain manager Unai Emery was named as Wenger’s successor at Arsenal last month.

Haris replaces injured Babar in Pakistan squad for Scotland T20Is LAHORE:Pakistan, the world’s top-ranked Twenty20 side, announced a 15-member squad Monday for their two matches against Scotland later this month. There was only one change in the squad from the T20 series against the West Indies in April, with Haris Sohail replacing Babar Azam, who fractured his wrist during the first Test against England last week. Pakistan drew the two-Test series 1-1 after winning the first match at Lord’s and losing the second in Leeds on Sunday. Their two T20s against Scotland will be played on June 12 and 13. Pakistan squad against Scotland Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shehzad, Haris Sohail, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Tallat, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hassan Ali, Rahat Ali, Usman Shinwari, Shaheen Shah Afridi