Tag: #sports

  • All-time sporting great Serena Williams to retire from tennis after US Open

    All-time sporting great Serena Williams to retire from tennis after US Open

    The 23-time Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, stated on Tuesday morning that she will conclude her illustrious tennis career after competing in the US Open starting later this month.

    In her post-match press conference at the Canadian Open, Serena Williams broke the bombshell that she would be retiring, saying she could ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’.

    At the hard-court competition in Toronto on Monday, the 40-year-old defeated Nuria Parrizas Diaz 6-3 6-4 to win her first singles match in 430 days.

    The grand slam champion was questioned in her news conference following the winning streak-ending victory about what inspires her to continue competing well into her forties.

    Serena acknowledged that her impending retirement is currently her only source of inspiration.

    The shocking admission was the clearest indication yet that Serena will be putting up her racquet soon. Some of the fans were already convinced that she would be retiring in front of her home audience at the US Open later this month.

    Her statements on Monday threw tennis enthusiasts and experts into a frenzy.

  • Hey Pak govt, aren’t we sporty enough for you?

    Hey Pak govt, aren’t we sporty enough for you?

    Sports in any country is a celebrated sector of society. It brings pride and recognition to a country. Sports are symbolic of life. Life demands discipline, resilience, respect, compassion, teamwork, and character. Sports help develop those skills to apply on the playing field and in life. In any country, the state invests in their sports and the individuals playing them. Pakistan does just the opposite of it.

    Pakistan chooses to forget its most talented and has a way of neglecting its sportsmen and sportswomen. Cricket and our men in green are a source of continuous pride for the country but there are other sports and players who too wear green with pride, and give it their all to bring us glory.

    Our teams have gone to the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics but the players participating tell the same stories of negligence and their individual hard work. So what is that the players say? One: They need the state to pay attention to them. Two: Recognise the talent and show confidence in them when they are trying to develop their skills and polish themselves for the better. Three: Give them better training so that they can perform well and bring gold, silver, and bronze medals back home. Four: Treat them as equal and as important as they would treat a person playing cricket. Five: Don’t take credit for our individual wins as you have not invested in us. They ask the state to actually invest in them so that they can stand tall amongst the best.

    What does the state do instead? The state has been in a habit of neglecting the raw and the talented, barring them from the opportunities which could have done wonders for the games, players, and the country. Yes, in recent times we see a prime minister congratulating a gold medalist but is congratulations enough? Don’t they deserve better training, better chances, and a better future? We can only hope that the state realises that mixed fortunes become the fate of many players in Pakistan because they were left out at some point. We can only hope that the state realises that every sport matters, every game matters, and every player is worth fighting for and that he and she deserves to get the best facilities. May our talented players keep making us proud.

  • ‘Become an example for others’: Afridi congratulates Ahmad Shahzad for being appointed as captain of a KPL team

    ‘Become an example for others’: Afridi congratulates Ahmad Shahzad for being appointed as captain of a KPL team

    Ahmad Shahzad has been appointed captain of defending champions Rawalakot Hawks for Season 2 of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL).

    Ahmad took to Twitter to thank the management of Rawalakot Hawks for selecting him.

    “I am very thankful to the management of Rawalakot Hawks & especially Mr Jan Wali for trusting in me Looking forward to LeadDefending Champions of KPL,” wrote the right-handed opening batter.

    Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi congratulated him.

    “Yes, for sure you can lead, work hard and become an example for others. All the best Ahmad,” tweeted Afridi.

    Recently in a TV programme, Shahzad complained about not being selected for domestic and national squads.

    Opener batter Ahmad Shahzad in July made an appearance on Samaa News along with Shahid Afridi. During the show, Afridi advised Shahzad to enjoy his life.

    “Ahmad was targeted because of me because I supported him a lot. I gave him a lot of chances, which turned out to be a negative thing for him when I left captaincy. I think people thought he was my favourite,” Afridi said while extending his support for Ahmad.

    “I supported him a lot because I wasn’t able to find an opener of his ability in Pakistan. He was performing as well. Obviously, he couldn’t perform in all games but he was targeted because of me as well.” he added.

    “I want you to score runs, and enjoy your life with your wife and kids. Allah has made life beautiful for you,” Afridi added.
    Shahzad while replying to Afridi said, “I keep saying that. I want to score runs, but at least don’t deny me the platforms where I can score. I will ask you when sides in PSL want to pick me, who comes in and says no? “
    “You tell me, where do I score runs? At my home?” he questioned Afridi.

    Kashmir Premier League (KPL) Season 2 will take place from August 11 to 26 in Muzaffarabad, Jammu, and Azad Kashmir.
    Seven teams including Hawks, Janbaz, Mirpur Royals, Muzaffarabad Tigers, Kotli Lions, Overseas Warriors, and Bagh Stallions will compete against each other.

  • Sri Lanka defeats Pakistan in second Test to end the series 1-1

    Sri Lanka defeats Pakistan in second Test to end the series 1-1

    After losing the second Test match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan dropped to fifth place in the most recent World Test Championship points standings.

    Both sides won one match each in the two-Test series between the two countries, which has been entertaining. With a four-wicket victory in the first Test, Pakistan took a 1-0 lead in the series. By chasing 342, the visitors improved their hopes of competing in the World Test Championship final the following year, moving up to third place in the standings, while Sri Lanka fell to No. 6.

    After their victory over the Men in Green to tie the series, Sri Lanka rose from sixth to third place. Australia holds down the coveted second slot in the league while South Africa continues at the top.

    Pakistan’s heroics from the first Test were not repeated as they lost in the second innings despite attempting to reach a record-breaking 508-run mark. The Men in Green gave Sri Lanka a 147-run lead going into the second innings by being dismissed for 231 in their first innings.

    In the second innings, Sri Lanka made the most of their advantage by completely dominating Pakistan’s bowling attack. In the last innings, Pakistan was given a target of 508 after Dhananjaya de Silva’s brilliant century.

    Despite having a strong beginning to their innings, Pakistani hitters lost their way halfway through. Before Pakistan’s mini-collapse stopped them and secured a draw, captain Babar Azam produced yet another half-century. Sri Lanka destroyed the batsmen as they defeated their opponent by 246 runs.

  • Asia Cup 2022 to be held in UAE

    Asia Cup 2022 to be held in UAE

    The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced on Wednesday that Asia Cup 2022 will be held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, Sri Lanka will still officially have hosting rights. According to the ACC, the competition has been relocated to the UAE in light of the current crisis in Sri Lanka.

    “Every effort was made to host the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the decision to shift the venue to the UAE was taken after much deliberation. The UAE will be the new venue while Sri Lanka will continue to retain hosting rights,” ACC president Jay Shah said.

    The tournament will be played between August 27 and September 11.

    The 2022 edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be a T20I tournament.

    Since 1984, 14 Asia Cups have taken place. India won the Asia Cup title seven times. Sri Lanka is second to India with five cups to their name while Pakistan has won this title two times.

  • Arshad Nadeem secures fifth position at World Athletics Championship

    Arshad Nadeem secures fifth position at World Athletics Championship

    Pakistani Olympian Arshad Nadeem has secured fifth place in the men’s javelin throw final at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States.

    Arshad Nadeem threw at a distance of 86.16 meters in the final, which was his best throw of the season. He reached the final on Friday by throwing at a distance of 81.71m during his group B qualifying round to finish ninth overall.

    Neeraj Chopra of India won the silver medal with a throw of 88.13 meters.

    Arshad finished fifth in the javelin throw event at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 and received wide acclaim back home for his achievement with little resources at his disposal.

  • Ons Jabeur becomes first Arab woman to reach Grand Slam final

    Ons Jabeur becomes first Arab woman to reach Grand Slam final

    Ons Jabeur defeated close friend Tatjana Maria in the Wimbledon semifinals on Thursday, making history as the first Arab woman to compete in a Grand Slam singles final.

    After winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, Tunisia’s world number two, 27, will play either Simona Halep or Elena Rybakina in the title match on Saturday.

    Jabeur, the first Arab player to reach a Slam semifinal, said, “I’m a proud Tunisian woman standing here.”

    Irene Bowder Peacock from South Africa and Renee Schuurman from Australia in 1959 were the only African women to have advanced to a Slam singles final before Thursday.

    “It’s a dream come true from years of work and sacrifice. I’m happy that’s paid off and I’ll continue for one more match,” said Jabeur.

    “Physically, Tatjana is a beast, she doesn’t give up, I thought she would give up — her touch, her serve and everything on the court is impressive. I hope she’s continues this way. Let’s not play again I’m good for now.

    “I know in Tunisia they are going crazy right now. I want to see more Arab and African players on the tour. I love the game and I want to share the experience with them.”

    With breaks in the third and seventh games, Jabeur easily defeated mother-of-two Maria in the first set. In the opening set, the Tunisian had 15 winners to her opponent’s six, and she did not encounter a single break point.

    On the strength of a sequence of deft slices, Maria, who Jabeur referred to as her “barbecue buddy,” did manage to ultimately breakthrough for 3-1 in the second set.

    The more precise German levelled the match with six unforced errors to Jabeur’s 17 in the second set.

    However, there would be no unexpected victory when the 103rd-ranked Maria’s challenge was rejected. Jabeur earned a double break for a 5-0 lead before saving a second match point to go down in history.

  • FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation

    FIFA lifts ban on Pakistan Football Federation

    The ban on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has finally been lifted by FIFA, according to a statement from the Normalisation Committee.

    Pakistan now returns to the international football circuit and will also be able to host its leagues and other events thanks to financial support from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation after FIFA made the decision following the fulfilment of all necessary requirements by Pakistan (AFC).

    According to a press release from the FIFA Council’s Bureau, the suspension against the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that was imposed in April 2021 as a result of excessive third-party interference will be lifted on June 29, 2022.

    The choice was made after FIFA was informed that the PFF’s normalisation committee had reclaimed full control of its facilities and was capable of handling its finances.

    The normalisation committee’s mandate would now be unachievable to complete by the original deadline of today, the statement continued, so the bureau decided to extend the committee’s authority until June 30, 2023.

    According to FIFA, “this will allow the latter to finally carry out the tasks assigned to it in full.”

    Haroon Malik, the chairman of the Normalization Committee, congratulated the entire country on the development and said his team had worked incredibly hard to lift the ban that had plagued both football players and fans in the nation.

    With the ban lifted, the Pakistani football team will once again be able to play in international competitions and friendly matches, and after more than a year of absence, regular football activities will once again be conducted in the nation.

    After the Ashfaq group unlawfully occupied the PFF headquarters in April of last year, Pakistan was placed under a travel ban. The Normalization Committee’s authority has now been extended by a year, and it has been given the responsibility of holding elections, starting up football activities, and taking control of PFF’s property.

  • Nadal beats Djokovic in a riveting showdown

    Nadal beats Djokovic in a riveting showdown

    Once again, Rafael Nadal proved why he is the best player in French Open history by defeating long-time rival Novak Djokovic in a late-night thriller to advance to the men’s singles semi-finals.

    Nadal, seeking his 14th French Open title, got out to a strong start and held off defending champion Djokovic to win 6-2 4-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4) at Roland Garros.

    After more than four hours on the court, Nadal won at 1:15am local time. On Friday, the 21-time Grand Slam winner will meet third seed Alexander Zverev. After surviving a comeback by teenage phenom Carlos Alcaraz earlier on Tuesday, Germany’s Zverev, 25, advanced to the semi-finals for the second year in a row.

    “To win against Novak there is only one way: to play your best from the first point to the last,” said 35-year-old Nadal, who thanked the Paris crowd for showing their “love”.

    “This is one of those magic nights for me.”

    Fifth seed Nadal avenged his semi-final loss to Djokovic last year and improved his Roland Garros clay record to 110 wins in 113 matches.

    The pair’s rivalry is the longest durable in men’s tennis, with Nadal narrowing the deficit to 30-29 in the head-to-head after winning their 59th meeting.

    “Nadal demonstrated why he is a great champion by remaining psychologically strong throughout the match. Without a doubt, he is deserving of it “Djokovic stated.

  • ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    ‘My mother always told me never ever sell your country,’ says Shoaib Akhtar

    The former Pakistani pacer, Shoaib Akhtar in an interview stated that his mother constantly counseled him to protect Pakistan’s pride.

    Akhtar also revealed that 12 of his fellow players had been engaged in match-fixing but he said nothing.

    “I can’t stand lying, so I’ve never fixed or even considered fixing a game,” he explained. “Match-fixing was a problem for 12 of my former teammates. I was aware, but I said nothing. ‘Never ever sell your nation,’ my mum used to say “cricketer-turned-YouTuber expressed his sentiments.

    Conversely, Akhtar, who is known for his strong words and anger, claimed that he have hit the umpires and batters with the bat at least 30-40 times.

    Shoaib Akhtar reflected on his background and said he had seen a lot of unfairness. He mentioned the 1999 World Cup, when Steve Waugh was plumb out but the umpire denied the appeal, provoking him to kick his leg and even scream at him.