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  • Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik to play Legends League

    Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Malik to play Legends League

    Former Pakistan cricketers Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar and many more will be part of Legends League, which will be played in January 2022 at the Al-Amerat Cricket Stadium in Oman.

    They will be representing the Asia Lions team, which also includes the likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan.

    “Asia Lions our team from Asia. We find it most suited name with the lion-hearted players that feature in the team. Shoaib Akhtar running in to bowl and Jayasuriya cutting it over the square is what fans will now be most eagerly waiting for,” said Raman Raheja, CEO of Legends League Cricket in a press release.

    Ravi Shastri, commissioner of Legends League, is also excited for the event due to the presence of great players.

    “This is top quality exciting cricket in offer. The Lions of Asia from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan coming together in one team will definitely give the other two teams a run for their money. I tell you they are absolute champions and Afridi, Murali, Chaminda, Shoaib Malik all playing in one team, this will be a blast,” said Shastri.

    The other two teams in the event are India and Rest of the World but their squads have not been announced, yet.

    Asia Lions squad:

    Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Azhar Mahmood, Upul Tharanga, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammed Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Yousuf, Umar Gul, Younis Khan and Asghar Afghan.

  • 54 people caught illegally travelling in a truck

    54 people were caught as they were trying to illegally travel from Karachi to Mohmand in a dumper truck on Monday.

    “The dumper was stopped near the Yakagand Gate and these people were found sitting inside,” said Assistant Commissioner Qaiser.

    As per reports, the driver had taken huge amounts from them for the journey.

    The police have taken them into custody. They have been sent to a quarantine center after taking their coronavirus tests. 40 people were from Mohmand and the rest were from Bajaur.

    The government has banned inter-city and inter-province travel to control the spread of coronavirus after the cases increased in the country.

  • Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs open hotels to NHS staff free of charge to deal with coronavirus outbreak

    Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs open hotels to NHS staff free of charge to deal with coronavirus outbreak

    Former Man United footballer Gary Neville has announced that the two hotels he part-owns with former Manchester United team-mate Ryan Giggs will be made available free of charge to NHS workers.

    National Health Service (NHS) is the publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom. It is the largest single-payer healthcare system in the world.

    Hotel Football, located near Old Trafford, and The Stock Exchange in the city centre are owned by the pair through their GG Hospitality group.

    It comes after Premier League club Chelsea offered NHS workers free accommodation for the next two months at the Millennium Hotel at its Stamford Bridge ground to help with the COVID-19 outbreak.

    The cost of the rooms will be covered by club owner Roman Abramovich.

    Neville said he and Giggs will do the same, with the scheme in place from Friday onwards in order to help accommodate medical workers during the coronavirus crisis.

    “Over the last week we have been in consultation with the health services in the Greater Manchester area, in particular the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust,” Neville said in a video posted on social media.

    “Our 176 beds will be occupied by National Health Service workers and medical professionals from Friday onwards.

    “It’s at this time that I think the whole of our industry needs to show solidarity, not just for our staff in these uncertain times but obviously for those who need the accommodation most in the coming months.

    “It’s something we’re delighted to have come into agreement with. It will operate free of charge and our staff will operate the hotels as normal.

    “The health workers will be able to stay there without any cost whatsoever in these next few months when they need isolation away from family members who may be affected by what’s going on.

    “Stay safe and we wish everybody all the best.”

    Chelsea said in its statement on Wednesday: “Many of the medical staff will be working long shifts and may not be able to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes. Local accommodation helps maintain the health and well-being of these crucial personnel at this critical time.

    “This will be for a two-month period, and then reconsidered in light of circumstances at the time. NHS staff will be those working in hospitals in the North-West London region, but that may extend to hospitals in other districts.”

    It added: “The number of rooms utilised will depend on demand but potentially all the rooms in the Millennium Hotel could be given over for this purpose. No staff showing symptoms will use the hotel.

    “Millennium Hotels and Resorts, who manage the hotel, are supportive and assisting the club in providing this service to the NHS.”

  • Tennis star helps Romania fight coronavirus

    Tennis star helps Romania fight coronavirus

    Former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep has said she has decided to donate medical equipment in Romania as her native country deals with the coronavirus pandemic.

    “We are so grateful for the bravery of our medical workers at these difficult times. I am committed to helping my country and have decided to donate medical equipment,” Halep said in a tweet. “This is the perfect opportunity to show that we know how to be supportive and responsible with our lives and those around us,” Halep told fans in a video message posted on her official Facebook page.

    “While we are at home, doctors and medical personnel make huge efforts to treat and save each life by exposing themselves for the general good…decided to donate a sum of money for the purchase of the necessary equipment and materials in such situations, the amount that will be directed immediately to the medical authorities in Bucharest and Constanta,” she added.

    “I encourage everyone who can to contribute to the joint efforts to combat this virus. In the meantime, let us all take care of ourselves, be responsible and stay positive!”

    Simina Halep is a Romanian professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles twice between 2017 and 2019. In total, she has been No. 1 for 64 weeks, which ranks tenth in the history of the Women’s Tennis Association rankings. Halep was the year-end No. 1 in 2017 and 2018.

    Over 200 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Romania so far.

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  • Coronavirus: IPL likely to begin without foreign players

    Coronavirus: IPL likely to begin without foreign players

    Chennai Super Kings Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kasi Vishwanathan has made it clear that the fresh visa advisory from the Indian government has made it almost impossible for foreign players to join their respective teams in the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) before April 15 unless the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gets special permission.

    According to Indian media reports, the CEO said that most of the foreign players were booked on business visas and in such a scenario the fresh advisory sent out by the government on Wednesday said that they won’t be allowed entry till April 15, despite the cricketing tournament beginning later this month.

    “Most of the players are travelling with business visas and that is how they come and play in the IPL. So, it will be impossible for them to join the teams unless the BCCI gets special permission. As of now, it is not possible as the diktat is pretty clear and we cannot go against the government,” he said.

    Asked what could be the best way forward, he said, “The BCCI needs to sit down with the government and I mean both the central and the state governments across the board and get to some understanding on how they need to go forward. Unless special permission is given, it will not be possible for foreign players to join the teams.”

    A second meeting of the Group of Ministers — Cabinet Committee — on Wednesday had cancelled all visas, except for a few official categories, till April 15 in the wake of the growing coronavirus scare.

  • PSL 2020: PCB allows foreign players to leave country amid coronavirus fears

    PSL 2020: PCB allows foreign players to leave country amid coronavirus fears

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has allowed foreign players, who are currently in the country for the ongoing fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), to leave if they fear the coronavirus pandemic that continues to spread in Pakistan amid government’s efforts to contain it.

    Another case being reported in Karachi on Friday took the total number of infections in Pakistan to 22. The patient is a 52-year-old who returned from Islamabad two days ago. The latest case is the first in Pakistan to have no history of foreign travel.

    “PCB allows all foreign players who wish to go back to their homes to leave their contracts with #PSLV. If a significant number leave, might really dent interest in the remaining matches. But few alternative options,” journalist Hasan Zaidi tweeted.

    The news comes a day after the Sindh government said the remaining matches of the popular T20 cricket championship in Karachi will be played without spectators.

    “This decision has been made after consultation with all stakeholders including the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the provincial government spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab, tweeted.

    Most of Pakistan’s coronavirus cases have been reported in Sindh where authorities are taking strict measures to control the outbreak. No cases have officially been reported in Punjab, while two of the reported cases have surfaced in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

  • Coronavirus: PIA suffers Rs2 billion loss

    Coronavirus: PIA suffers Rs2 billion loss

    The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has suffered a loss of Rs2 billion following the suspension of flights to Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of the coronavirus-triggered temporary ban on Umrah.

    PIA officials told reporters on Tuesday that the airlines’ schedule had been seriously disturbed as tickets of 50,000 passengers had been cancelled so far. They further said that 34 flights to Medina and 13 to Mecca were scheduled weekly for business visa and iqama holders despite fewer passengers.

    Meanwhile, after Iran and Qatar, PIA has decided to temporarily suspend flight operations to Italy to keep a check on coronavirus.

    PIA spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said in a press release that the national carrier had temporarily suspended its flight operation to and from Milan till March 31. However, he said the passengers having the nationality of any European country could travel to Paris by PIA flights.

    He said on reaching Paris, the passengers would have to manage their onward journey on their own.  The passengers, who had reserved their seats for Pakistan from Milan, would have to travel to Paris on their own to catch a PIA flight.

  • PAF F-16 crashes near Islamabad during rehearsal: Pilot martyred

    PAF F-16 crashes near Islamabad during rehearsal: Pilot martyred

    This is a developing story.

    During a parade rehearsal for Pakistan Day on March 23, a Pakistani Air Force F-16 aircraft crashed near Shakarparian, Islamabad.

    WARNING: The visuals of the crash might be distressing to watch.

    An air force spokesperson confirmed the crash and the death of the pilot has also been confirmed. The pilot flying the plane was Wing Commander Nouman Akram – The winner of Sher Afgan trophy for best marksman.

    A board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of accident.

    Rescue teams promptly arrived at the crash site.

  • ‘Won’t deny Nawaz met establishment officials from UK, US’

    ‘Won’t deny Nawaz met establishment officials from UK, US’

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah has said that he won’t deny former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s meeting with officials from establishments of the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US).

    The former premier had last month held a meeting with a “mystery man” at his London residence. PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had brought the man for a meeting with his elder brother Nawaz. The man, who had covered his face, had held a meeting with Nawaz for around 40 minutes until he was guided out the back door of Avenfield Apartments.

    A British journalist of Pakistani origin had, however, recorded a video of the mysterious visitor who didn’t utter a word in response to any questions asked about the meeting. With the video making headlines, speculations regarding the person’s identity had run rife.

    “I won’t deny these meetings. I am not in a position to comment as I have no permission of the party for it,” Sanaullah said when asked about such reports as he spoke to journalists outside the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.

    “Shehbaz Sharif intends to return home in March,” he further said, adding that the PML-N president would return after the cardiac surgery of ailing ex-PM and his brother Nawaz in London.

    To another question, the PML-N leader said a legal team was holding consultations for extension in bail term of Nawaz as he seeks medical treatment abroad despite jail term after conviction in a corruption case against him.