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FOOTBALL - Int News 27 Sep, 2024
Sports Bulletin ReportRiyadh (Saudi Arabia): Following a summer of high anticipation, the third season of the Saudi Women’s Premier League has kicked off on Friday.The 2024-25 season is featuring 10 clubs for the first time, competing in 90 matches across an 18-game week season of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s (SAFF) Women’s Premier League, with the league aiming to inspire a new generation of female footballers.In a clash of last year’s top sides, Saudi Women’s Premier League champions Al Nassr opened their title defence at home to SAFF First Division League champions Al-Ula FC on Friday 27 September. The first match of the new season will feature league debuts for Al Nassr’s new head coach, Sandro Mendes as well as former Real Madrid defender Kathellen Sousa.
Jahangir Khan PSA Satellite Squash Series: Mohammad Imad wins title
KARACHI (PR): Jehangir Khan PSA Satellite Squash Series match concluded with the victory of Mohammad Imad Gul of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) here at Pakistan Navy (PN) Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex.In the men's final, Mohammad Imad Gul of Pakistan Air Force defeated Sakhiullah of Punjab by three games to one. Emad's winning score was 3-11, 6-11, 11-7 and 8-11. In the under 19 boys final, Mohammad Zaman easily outclassed Abdul Basit by 3-0. Mohammad Zaman won the title with the score-lone of 6-11, 8-11 and 7-11 in just 22 minutes. In the under 14 boys final, Sulaiman Khan defeated Fazal ur Rehman by three games to two after a thrilling contest. Sulaiman Khan won by 9-11, 11-6, 11- 9, 9-11, and 8-11. Prize money of four hundred and fifteen thousand rupees was distributed among the players who performed outstandingly. Special guest former world champion Jahangir Khan distributed prizes among the players.
CLIMBING - Int News 22 Sep, 2024
Sports Bulletin ReportPrague (Czechia): The men’s Boulder final at the IFSC World Cup Prague 2024 turned out to be a balanced, hard-fought battle that went down to the very last climber on the very last boulder. Lee Dohyun of South Korea, the gold medal winner at last year’s event in Prague, Czechia, won the second World Cup event of his young career on the very same stage where he took his first one. “I love Prague! I can’t believe I won again here, how can I explain my feelings? I’m just very happy! There were some tricky moves in the final, some boulders were complicated for me, but I did my best and it paid off,” said the 21-year-old Paris 2024 Olympian, who closed his final with two tops and four zones. As both boulders number two and three turned out to be impossible to top for all the six finalists, the zone secured by Lee on M3 in his 13th attempt was decisive in separating him from France’s Manuel Cornu. Indeed, the French experienced climber placed second with two tops and three zones, finally stepping back on an IFSC World Cup podium five years after his previous one – in Chongqing, China, in 2019. Cornu said: “It’s crazy, right? It definitely feels crazy. I don’t have a lot of words tonight. I’m back from a long difficult period. One year ago, here in Prague, the first words to my coach after the qualification round were ‘It’s over for me’. And now I’m here, on the podium. I didn’t think it was possible for both [Anraku] Sorato and [Narasaki] Tomoa to fall on the fourth boulder. So I was quite sure I was going to get fourth place. I was very surprised.” Paris 2024 champion Toby Roberts of Great Britain finished in third place and pocketed bronze with two tops and two zones. The men’s Boulder & Lead gold medallist at this year’s Olympics, Roberts was coming from the men’s Lead gold he won at the IFSC World Cup Koper 2024, earlier this month.Roberts said: “I am so psyched! It was a strange final, I never thought I could be on the podium, but I did not give up, I was able to put it together and find the top on the final boulder. I can’t quite believe I’m on the podium, but I am really happy.” Paris 2024 silver medal winner Anraku Sorato of Japan placed just outside of the medal positions, taking fourth place with one top and four zones. His more experienced teammate Narasaki Tomoa followed in fifth, also with one and four, while the crowd’s favourite Adam Ondra, climbing on home turf, concluded with one top and three zones.
International League T20: six franchises signed new stars for Season-3
Sports Bulletin Report Dubai (UAE): The DP World International League T20’s Season 3 is set to be full of high octane cricket as some of the biggest names in the game have joined the six franchises as new signings. The window to sign new players began in June and concluded on Sunday – 15 September. Season 3 will have international T20 stars like Jason Roy (Sharjah Warriorz), Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers), Shai Hope (Dubai Capitals), (Lockie Ferguson (Desert Vipers), Roston Chase (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders), Matthew Wade (Sharjah Warriorz), Ibrahim Zadran (Gulf Giants) and Romario Shepherd (MI Emirates) make their DP World ILT20 debuts and dazzle the crowds in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Meanwhile, the teams can add more players or replacements to their squads upon clearance from the ILT20 Technical Committee. Teams can also add additional UAE players to their squads via a Draft which will take place after the conclusion of the DP World ILT20 Development Tournament next month. Details of the tournament will be shared in the coming days.Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (New Signers): Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar, Gudakesh Motie, Hassan Khan, Roston Chase and Terrance Hinds. Retentions: Aditya Shetty, Ali Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Andre Russell, Andries Ghous, Charith Asalanka, David Willey, Joe Clarke, Laurie Evans, Michael Pepper and Sunil Narine. Desert Vipers (New signees): Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Fakhar Zaman, Lockie Ferguson and Max Holden. Retentions: Adam Hose, Alex Hales, Ali Naseer, Azam Khan, Bas de Leede, Luke Wood, Michael Jones, Mohammad Amir, Nathan Sowter, Sherfane Rutherford, Tanish Suri and Wanindu Hasaranga. Dubai Capitals (New signees): Adam Rossington, Brandon McMullen, Garuka Sanketh, Gulbadin Naib, Jeffrey Vandersay, Joe Burns, Joe Weatherley, Najibullah Zadran, Obed McCoy, Scott Kuggeleijn, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Shai Hope.Retentions: Dasun Shanaka, David Warner, Dushmantha Chameera, Haider Ali, Raja Akif, Rovman Powell, Sam Billings, Sikandar Raza, Zahir Khan, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Oliver Stone. Gulf Giants (New signees): Adam Lyth, Dominic Drakes, Daniel Worrall, Ibrahim Zadran, Mark Adair, Tom Curran, Tymal Mills and Wahidullah Zadran.Retentions: Aayan Afzal Khan, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Jordan, Dipendra Singh Airee, Gerhard Erasmus, Jamie Overton, James Vince, Jamie Smith, Jordan Cox, Mohammad Zuhaib Zubair, Rehan Ahmed, and Shimron Hetmyer. MI Emirates (New signees): Romario Shepherd, Tom Banton, Fareed Ahmad, Thomas Jack Draca, Ben Charlesworth.Retentions: Akeal Hosein, Andre Fletcher, Daniel Mousley, Dwayne Bravo, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Jordan Thompson, Kieron Pollard, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Nicholas Pooran, Nosthush Kenjige, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth and Waqar Salamkheil. Sharjah Warriorz (New signees): Adam Milne, Adil Rashid (played for Warriorz in Season 2 as a Wildcard pick), Ashton Agar, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Daniel Sams, Gus Atkinson, Harmeet Singh, Jason Roy, Karim Janat, Keemo Paul, Matthew Wade, Virandeep Singh and Tim Seifert.Retentions: Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Jawadullah, Kusal Mendis, Luke Wells, Peter Hatzoglou and Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
T20I: Pakistan level series against South Africa 1-1, Nida completes 2000 runs
Sports Bulletin ReportMULTAN: Former captain Nida Dar completed 2,000 T20I runs as Pakistan defeated South Africa by 13 runs to level the three-match T20I series 1-1 at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan on Wednesday evening. South Africa had beaten Pakistan by 10 runs in the first T20I on Monday evening at the same venue. The third T20I of the series will be played on Friday, with the first ball to be bowled at 10am.In the must-win game, after being put into bat, Pakistan scored 181 for four in 20 overs – their highest T20I score, surpassing the 177 made against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in 2018. Openers Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali got going from the start as the pair struck four boundaries in 20 balls, before Gull was dismissed for 10 off 11 balls in the fourth over by Tumi Sekhukhune.With 25 runs on the board, left-handed batter Muneeba was joined by Sidra and the pair knitted a quick-fire 49 runs off 39 balls for the second wicket. Muneeba was next to return back to the pavilion after scoring 45 off 34 balls, which included six fours and two sixes with the scoreboard reading 74 for two in 10.2 overs.Sidra and Nida Dar got together and the pair added 26 runs off just 12 balls before Sidra was bowled by Sune Luus for 28. Sidra’s innings included three fours and a six. At 100 for three in 12.2 overs, Nida and captain Fatima Sana stitched a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 38 balls.During the knock of 29 off 21 balls, which included four boundaries, Nida also brought up her 2,000 T20I runs. She became the third women cricketer for Pakistan to achieve this milestone after Bismah Maroof (2,893, 140 T20Is and Javeria Khan (2,018, 112 T20Is).That the hosts were able to score 181 in their 20 overs was largely due to an unbeaten knock of 37 off 23 balls by Fatima, which included three fours and two towering sixes. Aliya Riaz chipped in with an unbeaten 17 off seven balls, hitting two fours and a six.For South Africa, right-arm fast bowler Sekhukhune was the most successful bowler, grabbing two wickets for 30 runs in three overs.In turn, South Africa lost their in-form opening batter Tazmin Brits (nine, 10b, 1x4) in the third over of the innings to Sadia Iqbal. Earlier, in the same over, Pakistan suffered a blow, when their captain Fatima was hit on the face while fielding. Right-arm fast bowler Fatima was taken off the field and resultantly replaced by debutant left-arm pacer Tasmia Rubab as a concussion substitute. South Africa lost their second wicket in the ninth over with their captain Laura Wolvaardt departing for a 25-ball 36, laced with five fours and a six. After Wolvaardt’s departure, Anneke Bosch (24, 24b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Nadine de Klerk (12, 16b, 2x4s) soon followed their captain as South Africa were 88 for four in 13 overs.That the visiting team managed to score 168 and fell just 13 runs short of the target was due to an unbroken 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket between Sune Luus (53 not out, 29b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Chloe Tryon (30, 16b, 5x4s). For Pakistan, left-arm spinners Nashra Sundhu and Sadia Iqbal bagged two wickets apiece.Scores in brief (Pakistan beat South Africa by 13 runs):Pakistan 181-4, 20 overs (Muneeba Ali 45, Fatima Sana 37 not out, Nida Dar 29, Sidra Amin 28; Tumi Sekhukhune 2-30)South Africa 168-4, 20 overs (Sune Luus 53 not out, Laura Wolvaardt 36, Chloe Tryon 30 not out; Nashra Sundhu 2-20, Sadia Iqbal 2-27)Player of the match: Muneeba Ali (Pakistan).
Babar sets Bahria Town Champions One-Day Cup alight with sparkling century
PCB ReportFAISALABAD: Babar Azam smashed his 30th List-A century, becoming the first Pakistan batter to register 30 or more List-A centuries, as Allied Bank Stallions triumphed over Engro Dolphins by 174 runs here at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Thursday evening.For the second consecutive game Dolphins failed to chase a total as they followed their yesterday’s score of 192 all out by 97 all out in pursuit of the 272-run target.Stallions made it two out of three wins as they qualified for the playoff stage, along with UMT Markhors and Lake City Panthers, while the Dolphins faced their third consecutive defeat. Lions and Dolphins are fighting for the fourth place in the playoff stage and will face each other on 22 September.Babar hit an unbeaten 104 off 100 balls clubbing seven fours and three sixes including a boundary on penultimate ball of the innings to bring up his record century. Yasir Khan (46, 58b, 5x4s), Shan Masood (34, 36b, 3x4s) and Tayyab Tahir (33, 49b, 4x4s) were the other notable contributors. In turn, Mehran Mumtaz (3-14) and Jahandad Khan (3-18) picked up three wickets each as Dolphins fell for a paltry 97 in just 25 overs.After Stallions won the toss and elected to bat first, Shan and Yasir provided a solid opening partnership of 76 runs before falling in 13th and 17th overs, respectively. Babar and Tayyab stitched a 57-run third-wicket partnership before the latter fell in the 30th over.Husaain Talat chipped in with 23 off 25 balls with the help of two fours while also adding 46 with Babar for the fifth wicket. The eighth-wicket partnership between Babar and Haris Rauf stretched for 41 runs in 23 balls with the latter only contributing three runs. All six Dolphins bowlers picked up one wicket each.Jahandad’s three-wicket burst with the new ball left Dolphins at 40-3 before the other bowlers struck at regular intervals as they lost remaining seven wickets for just 57 runs. Abrar Ahmed dismissed the top scorers for Dolphins, Sahibzada Farhan (32, 36b, 6x4s) and Asif Ali (21, 28b, 3x4s). Haris Rauf bagged two wickets as well.Scores in brief (Allied Bank Stallions beat Engro Dolphins by 174 runs):Allied Bank Stallions 271-7, 50 overs (Babar Azam 104 not out, Yasir Khan 46, Shan Masood 34, Tayyab Tahir 33; Saud Shakeel 1-14, Qasim Akram 1-42, Faheem Ashraf 1-48)Engro Dolphins 97 all out, 25 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 32, Asif Ali 21; Mehran Mumtaz 3-14, Jahandad Khan 3-18, Abrar Ahmed 2-15, Haris Rauf 2-28)Player of the match: Babar Azam (Allied Bank Stallions)
Jahangir Khan PSA Satellite Squash Series to start on September 18
Sports Bulletin ReportKARACHI: The Jahangir Khan PSA Satellite Squash Series will start on September 18 (Wednesday) at the Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex in Karachi in collaboration with Friends of Pakistan. As many as 32 players will participate in the fixture and fight for the top honour.According to an official, the total prize money for the tournament is USD 1,000. Additionally, two local categories, Boys Under-13 and Boys Under-19 will be played on Friday at the same venue.
FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2024: vote for the best players of the year
Lausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced that the 30 top hockey athletes have been shortlisted to win the FIH Best Player, FIH Best Goalkeeper and FIH Rising Star Awards of the Year.FIH Player of the Year Award - Nominees:Women: Gu Bingfeng (CHN), Yibbi Jansen (NED), Nike Lorenz (GER), Stéphanie Vanden Borre (BEL), Xan de Waard (NED)Men: Thierry Brinkman (NED), Joep de Mol (NED), Hannes Müller (GER), Harmanpreet Singh (IND), Zach Wallace (ENG)FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award - Nominees:Women: Cristina Cosentino (ARG), Aisling D’Hooghe (BEL), Nathalie Kubalski (GER), Anne Veenendaal (NED), Ye Jiao (CHN) Men: Pirmin Blaak (NED), Luis Calzado (ESP), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG), PR Sreejesh (IND)FIH Rising Star of the Year Award – Nominees:Women: Claire Colwill (AUS), Zoe Díaz (ARG), Tan Jinzhuang (CHN), Emily White (BEL), Linnea Weidemann (GER)Men: Bautista Capurro (ARG), Bruno Font (ESP), Sufyan Khan (PAK), Michel Struthoff (GER), Arno Van Dessel (BEL)The list of nominees was established by an Expert Panel, composed of players, coaches and officials selected by each of their Continental Federations. The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2024, including Test Matches, the FIH hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups, FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers and the Olympic Games Paris 2024 before establishing the final list of nominees. The voting process is now open! National Associations - represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches -, fans, players, coaches, officials and media can register their vote until 11 October.The votes of the Expert Panel count for 40% of the overall result. Those from National Associations count for a further 20%. The fans and other players (20%) as well as the media (20%) will make the remaining 40%.Fans and players can cast their vote here.Expert Panel:Europe: Janne Müller-Wieland (GER) and Simon Mason (ENG)Asia: Tahir Zaman (PAK) and Ms Deepika (IND)Pan America: Soledad Iparraguirre (ARG) and Craig Parnham (USA)Africa: Sarah Bennett (ZIM) and Ahmed Youssef (EGY)Oceania: Amber Church (NZL) and Adam Webster (AUS)List of Awards:FIH Player of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Rising Star of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Coach of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Umpire of the Year (Women and Men) (Press Release)
ICC enters era of equal prize money for men and women
T20 Women’s World Cup 2024: Winners to receive $2.34 million, runners-up to get $1.17millionSports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be the first ICC event where women will receive the same prize money as their male counterparts, marking a significant milestone in the sport’s history. The decision was taken at the ICC Annual Conference in July 2023, when the ICC Board took the step of reaching its prize money equity target seven years ahead of its schedule of 2030, making cricket the only major team sport to have equal prize money for its men’s and women’s World Cup events.The winners of the tournament, which will now be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will receive US$2.34million, a massive, 134 per cent increase on the $1 million awarded to Australia when they clinched the title in South Africa in 2023.The runners-up will receive $1.17 million, an increase of 134 per cent in comparison to the $500, 000 South Africa received for reaching the final on home soil at Newlands Cricket Ground. The two losing semi-finalists will earn $675, 000 (up from $210 000 in 2023), with the overall prize pot totalling $7,958,080, a massive increase of 225 per cent from last year’s total fund of $2.45 million.This move is in line with the ICC’s strategy to prioritise the women’s game and accelerate its growth by 2032. Teams will now receive equal prize money for the equivalent finishing position at comparable events as well as the same amount for winning a match at those events. The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 event prize money is only higher on account of 10 additional teams participating and 32 more matches played.Each win during the group stages will see teams take home $31,154, while the six teams who fail to reach the semi-finals will share a pool of $1.35 million depending on their finishing positions. In comparison, the equivalent pool for the six teams in 2023 was $180,000, shared equally. Teams, who finish third or fourth in their group will take $270,000 each while the teams who finish fifth in their group will both receive $135,000. All 10 participating teams are assured of $112,500.The increase in prize money for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 comes in line with the prize pot for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 also increasing to $3.5 million in total. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 will open on 3 October with Bangladesh taking on Scotland at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
ATF U12 Team Competition Final: Pakistan beat Thailand 2-1
Sports Bulletin ReportShymkent (Kazakhstan): Pakistan beat Thailand 2-1 in th Asian Tennis Federation (ATF) Under-12 Team Competition Final 2024 here at Shymkent, Kazakhstan. The Pakistan team has been placed in Group D, alongside Saudi Arabia and Thailand.Results:In the first single: Nimnuankul Punnapat beat Rashid Ali 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)In the second singles: Mohammad Shayan Afridi beat Lamornpanich Shaah 6-1, 6-3In the doubles: Rashid Ali / Mohammad Shayan Afridi beat Nimnuankul Punnapat / Lamornpanich Shaah 6-4, 6-3
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