International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Aralldice have finished their tour of Pakistan, revealing why they were visiting the country Pakistan a very short period.
The two visited Lahore Cricket Academy, Lahore Museum, Badshahi Mosque, Minar-e-Pakistan and Shahi Qilla. They also toured Punjab Safe City office to examine the city’s security apparatus for cricket tours.
Chairman Greg Barclay said that he wants to visit every single member of ICC to examine cricket facilities in each country. He praised Pakistan on bilateral cricket arrangements. Barclay said that cricket facilities and related programs are praiseworthy.
Now that international cricket is back in Pakistan, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is successfully playing its role in bilateral cricket arrangements.
He expressed hope that he will see Pakistan’s men’s and women’s cricket at the next level.
The recent tour of ICC’s Chairman Greg Barclay is the first ever visit to Pakistan. The two ICC officials also sat down with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi at the board’s head quarter and talked about the betterment of cricket and commercialism in the sport.
Sami Zayn, a Canadian professional wrestler of Syrian descent, has performed Umrah today.
The wrestler, whose real name is Rami Sebei, shared pictures from inside the Holy Mosque in Mecca.
Sami Zayn, along with many WWE wrestlers, is on a tour to Saudia Arabia where the night of the champions event will be organized by local broadcasters.
Outside of wrestling, Zayn is known for activism and humanitarian work. He has been involved in various social and political causes, including supporting Syrian refugees and advocating for Palestinian human rights.
Anchor Muhammad Junaid made the country proud when he became the first ever Pakistani journalist to participate in the Boston Marathon and the London Marathon, a feat he completed in a week.
In the Boston Marathon, held on April 17 in Eastern Massachusetts, Junaid completed the run in 3 hours, 36 min and 38 seconds. He participated along side other Pakistani-Americans like Salman Khan, Hamid Butt, Prem Kumar, Aamad Butt and Shariq Samad. Dr Salman & Hamid Butt are Abbott 6 Start Finishers.
Whereas in the London Marathon, which Junaid finished in 3 hours, 21 minutes and 38 seconds, he ran alongside others Pakistani or Pakistani origin marathons runners. Sadiq Shah, Faisal Shafi, Semeena Khan, Danish Raza, Prem Kumar, Farrukh Sadiq, Dr Jehanzeb Mughal, Danish Elahe, Imran Aleem & Ammar Mumtaz were also among them.
Saqid Shah, a Quetta born and currently a Karachi resident made history at the London Marathon by completing the race in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 20 seconds, becoming the fastest Pakistani runner in London Marathon. He appeared on the Geo News show ‘Geo Pakistan’, along with Muhammad Junaid.
The Current reached out to Junaid to chat about his recent accomplishments, and how running become one of his favorite hobbies, and the Geo News anchor gave us some interesting insights.
Q. You mentioned in your bio that you previously participated in the Boston Marathon. Is running your passion?
Junaid: I started more organised and focused running a few years ago and ran marathons in Karachi and Istanbul. Women and men of the running community realised that the number of Pakistanis in International marathons is very limited and we decided to train to run them. Every marathon has its own value but running Boston marathon can be any runner’s biggest dream. I collaborated with Pakistani Americans & partnered with South Asian Circle of Hopkinton through Hopkinton Board in Massachusetts to run Boston Marathon and open paths for more South Asians in future. It’s an achievement for South Asians in USA and Pakistanis here.
Q. Winning this race seems like an impossible task, so how did you train for this marathon? Especially considering that you’re a Karachi food lover.
Junaid: The goal is to finish the marathon in a good time, preferably faster than your previous time, for any marathon runner 70 KM per week is considered a standard mileage. Per week can vary for everyone, but yes you have got be careful with food. Protein is most important in that because it helps make and repair cells, which are critical for growth and development. So yes chicken, yogurt, milk, eggs, cheese, seafood, nut butters and then good carbs like wholegrain items, sweet potato, brown rice, and lots and lots of water, in my experience anyone involved in sports should avoid carbonated drinks because of the amount of processed sugar in them.
Q. You met politicians like MP Zarah Sultana who congratulated you for your prestigious win! How did that feel?
Junaid: For the Boston Marathon, Pakistani-American Shahid Ahmed Khan, who is currently a member of US President Joe Biden’s prestigious President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts (PACA), Irfan Nasrullah, and the President of South Asian Circle Ruta Upalekar and her team’s role was significant in helping me prepare for the marathon. From Pakistan, it was nearly impossible without support of Geo News. London Marathon was a collaboration for me with the Pakistani-British Journalist Saima Mohsin to raise funds for Scope, a UK charity working mainly for people with disabilities and facing cost of living crises. In that collaboration, we met British Pakistani MPs Naz Shah and Zarah Sultana, who are an inspiration for many and they assured us of their support to work in order to send more Pakistanis of all genders in world sports specially London Marathon.
Q. These initiatives are wonderful but sadly such things have not taken place in Pakistan. Should Pakistani politicians also start setting up running marathons, now that petrol prices are soaring and we’re looking for cheaper ways to travel?
Junaid: Pakistan does not have any international standard running events so far but Shoaib Nizami and other partners are working to organise Pakistan’s first internationally recognised marathon, Karachi Marathon, this year, which can help people here to get first hand experience of running an official marathon.
Junaid revealed that currently he is gearing up along side other Pakistani marathon runners to participate in the upcoming Berlin Marathon being held on September 24, where 50 runners from Pakistan are expected to participate.
Besides the fact that Pakistanis are underrepresented at these races, the number of women runners is even less but the running community is trying to change that. Last year, at London Marathon, Kaukab Sarwar and Hira Diwan ran in the race for TCF with the help of a friend of Pakistan, Mike Nithavrianakis. It is expected that a bigger number of women will be participating in Berlin Marathon this year. Hira Diwan, who is a British Pakistani, has run four world major marathons including New York & Chicago.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in September 2023 but the event remains mired in doubts with India trying to derail the tournament. Pakistan has the official rights of hosting Asia Cup but Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not ready to send its cricket team to the host country.
The world has witnessed that many international teams have visited Pakistan to play matches.
A series with New Zealand was recently concluded, in which both teams played five T20I and five One-Day International (ODI) in the different cities of Pakistan but BCCI still has concerns.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Najam Sethi has presented a Hybrid Model in which India play their matches in Dubai, or more likely, in Sri Lanka.
However, the BCCI has expressed dissatisfaction with this proposal. Currently, Sethi is in Dubai, where he met with ICC officials on Tuesday.
He was scheduled to meet with Pankaj Khimji, Deputy President of the Asian Council, and cricket officials from the UAE to discuss the possibility of hosting India’s matches in the UAE under the ‘Hybrid Model.’
The PCB is concerned that if the Asia Cup is not held now, the same issue may arise during the hosting of the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the ICC may decide to relocate the event if India does not participate.
Therefore, under the proposed model, the Indian cricket team’s Champions Trophy matches will be held in Bangladesh. Currently, there is a tense stand-off between Pakistani and Indian officials, with India allegedly using its media to its advantage.
The BCCI has also collaborated with Sri Lanka, convincing them to play two additional matches, as they have been eager to host the Asia Cup for some time now. In response, Pakistan has reminded Afghanistan that they recently played additional matches in Sharjah, and they stand with the PCB on this matter.
While there are concerns about the heat in Dubai, efforts are being made to convince Bangladesh to cooperate, and they are reportedly willing to do so.
PCB officials have publicly stated that “we have earned a substantial amount of money due to the PSL, and therefore, the Asia Cup’s cancellation would not be a significant concern for them.”
In reality, the Pakistani authorities aim to avoid financial losses and prioritize preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
Several news reports regarding the Asia Cup were circulating in the Indian media yesterday. One report claimed that “the members have rejected the PCB’s ‘Hybrid Model’ and moved the event from Pakistan.”
However, an official representative from the PCB, who was in contact with an Indian Express representative, dismissed these reports as baseless and an attempt by the BCCI to increase pressure.
He stated that the ACC has not officially denied accepting the ‘Hybrid Model’ proposed by the PCB, and discussions are still ongoing. The official further added that unverified news from unnamed sources is not credible.
Naila Kiani has become the first Pakistani woman to summit Nepal’s Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest peak. The mountain climber made the record on Monday morning.
Kiani was also the first Pakistani woman to summit Broad Peak, which is the 12th highest mountain in the world. She has also climbed several other peaks, including Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum I, and the mighty K2.
Arjun Vajpayee of India was part of the six-member team of mountaineers, besides the two Pakistanis.
Naila Kiani is also an advocate for women’s empowerment and gender equality in Pakistan. She has spoken out about the importance of women pursuing their dreams and breaking down gender barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields like mountaineering.
Her achievements have inspired many women in Pakistan to pursue their own passions and to challenge societal expectations. She will attempt to summit Mount Everest and Lhotse this season.
Naila Kiani is the first Pakistani woman to scale four peaks above 8,000 meters.
If fans haven’t had enough of Wahaj Ali in ‘Tere Bin’ and ‘Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha’ then they’re in for a treat. His next drama is unique because it explores the issue of women in sports.
Ali shared a first look of the venture where he will be playing a cricketer, writing on Instagram about the drama’s premise which is about supporting women cricket players.
“As a society we need to promote women coming into all professional fields – from sports to sciences. The roots of 22 Qadam are embedded in inspiring and taking pride in the dreams and achievements of our women.”
The female lead of this drama is going to be played by ‘Sar-e-Rah’ actor Hareem Farooq, who will essay the role of a small town girl named Fari, who dreams of becoming a cricketer.
The Current reached out to Farooq on why she had chosen to become a part of this project, and she responded:
“When we came up with this concept, the thought behind it was that we need to empower women in the best way possible and there is no way better than projecting women in sports. Cricket, especially being the most loved sport in South-Asia.”
Farooq also reflected on how women like Sana Mir, who is a commentator and former cricket captain, served as inspiration for the drama by breaking stereotypes:
“The first person that comes to our mind when you talk about women and cricket is Sana Mir, she’s been an inspiration for so many women out there. It is just about breaking stereotypes and the taboos out there that women can also excel in sports, and if nothing else it makes you more independent and gives you that confidence that allows you to face the world in the best way possible.”
Hareem Farooq said that she feels that society needs the kind of entertainment where people are not just enjoying themselves but are also educated that stereotypes and taboos can be broken. “Even women, infact everybody, can achieve their dreams if they’re passionate about it.”
Speaking about her character, the actress said that her character Fari dreams of playing for the national cricket team and making her country proud:
“I play the character of Fari, who is this bubbly and happy girl who wants to spread joy and happiness where ever she goes. But she has a dream and a passion she wants to follow and she is determined to do that. In this way breaking stereotypes and taboos by playing for the national team and make her country proud, and make her parents proud. It is a journey of achieving that dream and the up’s and down’s she goes through, and how or will she ever be able to achieve that dream.”
In many ways, Farooq says that ’22 Qadam’ is a groundbreaking show because it is “the voice of the unheard.”
Amir Khan banned from all sport after failing dope test
British boxing star Amir Khan has been banned for two years after an anti-doping test revealed the presence of a prohibited substance.
The former light-weight world champion tested positive for ostarine, a drug mainly used to boost testosterone (male hormones). The UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) website states that
Amir Khan retired from boxing in May but he accepted that he was using the prohibited substance, however, it was not intentional. An independent tribunal accepted that argument, ruling out “deliberate or reckless conduct” by the 36-year-old.
In October, British sprinter CJ Ujah was banned for 22 months after he tested positive for two banned substances, including ostarine, at the Tokyo Olympics.
“This case serves as a reminder that UKAD will diligently pursue anti-doping rule violations in order to protect clean sport,” chief executive Jane Rumble said.
“Strict liability means athletes are ultimately responsible for what they ingest and for the presence of any prohibited substances in a sample.”
The ban from all sports is deemed to have begun on 6 April 2022 and expires on 5 April 2024.
Khan, who won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics as a 17-year-old, was beaten by Brook via sixth-round knockout in what proved to be his final professional bout.
He retired from the sport three months later, finishing his career with 34 professional wins and six losses, having turned professional in 2005.
Sources within Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have denied media reports that Pakistan will likely play their World Cup 2023 matches in Bangladesh.
According to media reports, Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has been continuously pressurised by BCCI to shift Asia Cup to a neutral venue, however Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stuck to its stance that if they are deprived of hosting Asia Cup, then they will boycott the tournament and will not travel to India for World Cup 2023.
PCB has dragged BCCI towards a ‘hybrid model” for the tournament.
Under this proposed model, other teams would play their Asia Cup matches in Pakistan, while the Indian team would play their matches in another country. Now, according to media reports, Pakistan is also considering the possibility of playing their World Cup matches at a neutral location.
However according to sources in BCCI that talked tto Press trust of India (PTI), these are just pressure tactics from PCB, while there is a probability of shifting entire Asia Cup to Qatar or United Arab Emirates.
“We understand that this is a kind of pressure tactic applied by PCB because of the Asia Cup issue. But let me tell you, ultimately, Asia Cup will also be played in UAE or Qatar and probably Pakistan will also have to play its matches in one of these countries,” BCCI source said.
“As far as Pakistan playing its Asia Cup games in Pakistan is concerned, the budget for the tournament is passed by the Asian Cricket Council. If ACC says that it’s not a commercially viable proposition to hold Asia Cup in two countries, how can Pakistan play its games at home? ACC, for all you know, might not pass the budget,” the BCCI source added.
Sports star and television host Sania Mirza shared a video clip of her trip to the holy city of Mecca to perform Umrah. In the caption, Mirza had written that she was thankful for the experience:
“It has been the most amazing and fulfilling time here .. may Allah call us back again and again .. In sha Allah .. Allhamdulillah for everything .. ya Rabb tera shukar hai ”
Pakistan Skipper for Afghanistan series Shadab khan believes that his new-look and much younger team will give Afghanistan a tough time in the T20 series in Sharjah from today.
PCB has decided to rest senior players and also a top run scrorer in recent domestic league. Shadab khan replaces Babar Azam. Some other players who have a tremendous PSL season but are resting for this series include senior Muhammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf.
“It is a great honour for me to be leading Pakistan,” Shadab said on Thursday. “As a player, this is the highest you can go in your career. “I am very excited for the upcoming three T20Is. We have a brilliant mix of youth and experience, which makes us a well-balanced side, and we have what it takes to win this series.”
Shadab previously led Pakistan in a three-match T20I series in New Zealand when Babar was injured, losing 2-1.
Batters Saim Ayub, Pacer Zaman Khan and Ihsan Ullah are uncapped while Imad Wasim, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Abdullah Shafique recalls for the National team.
Afghanistan have also recalled former skipper Mohammad Nabi after leaving him out of the three-match T20 series against the United Arab Emirates that they won 2-1 last month.
Rashid Khan will lead Afghanistan side after Afghan tigers replace Muhammad Nabi.
Shadab said Afghanistan was a dangerous side “and they have some good T20 players in their side but I am very confident with the players that I have in my squad”.
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) March 23, 2023
Pakistan has beaten Afghanistan in all three previous T20Is — a one-off match in 2013 in Sharjah, T20 World Cup 2021 and Asia Cup last year.
Pakistan agreed to play the series — the first bilateral between the two countries — in place of three one-day Internationals that Afghanistan were supposed to play against Australia this month.
Cricket Australia pulled out of that series following an announcement from Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban that it was banning university education for girls and not forming a women’s cricket team.
Afghanistan Cricket Board chief executive Naseeb Khan hoped fans will enjoy a good series.
“Both nations have passionate fans that support their teams with enthusiasm and pride,” said Naseeb. “As neighbours, we have a special bond and we hope to showcase not only our cricketing skills but also the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship.”
AfghanAtalan are ready to take the field with fierce determination and unwavering passion. They will leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory and pride for the nation. Get ready for a trilling T20I series. ⚡#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvPAK2023 | #LobaBaRangRawripic.twitter.com/OCjMXbggOv
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) March 20, 2023
