Tag: #sports

  • Babar Azam proposes a 20 per cent raise in cricketers’ salaries

    Babar Azam proposes a 20 per cent raise in cricketers’ salaries

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) met with officials, including captain Babar Azam and head coach Saqlain Mushtaq, to review the specifics of the new central contracts.

    As the players’ current central contracts will be expiring on June 30, discussions on new central contracts have begun at PCB Headquarters.

    According to sources, Babar Azam and Saqlain Mushtaq have proposed a 20 per cent raise in salaries. They have also provided opinions on the cricketers’ potential and participation in future plans.

    The details for the next cricket season, including contract contracts, budgets, and player categories, were discussed at the conference. The increase in monthly compensation for centrally contracted players was also a topic of discussion.

    Read more: Shoaib Akhtar reveals he was his mother’s driver for 11 years, pays tribute

    The new contracts will be finalised soon by the PCB, but the official list of new central contracts will be issued on July 1st. Major changes are predicted in the new central contracts, according to reports, with numerous superstars losing their contracts.

  • Asian Games 2022 in China postponed due to Covid

    Asian Games 2022 in China postponed due to Covid

    This year’s Asian Games have been postponed for an indefinite period as China tries to stamp out a large resurgence in Covid infections in several parts of the country. The event was scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 10-25, 2022.

    According to the official statement by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the new dates will be agreed between the OCA, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) and the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee (HAGOC) and will be announced in the near future.

    “HAGOC has been very well prepared to deliver the games on time despite global challenges. However, the above decision was taken by all the stakeholders after carefully considering the pandemic situation and the size of the games,” the statement further reads.

    However, last month the organisers of the games said that Hangzhou has completed constructing some 56 competition venues for the Asian Games and Asian Para Games.

    It is pertinent to mention that more than 11,000 athletes from 44 countries were to take part in the 19th Asian Games in September 2022.

    It has also been confirmed by the OCA that the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2021, originally scheduled to be held last year but was rescheduled for this year, are now officially cancelled.

    Most international sporting events in China have been postponed or cancelled since the start of the pandemic, with the notable exception of the Winter Olympics, which went ahead in Beijing under strict health controls in February.

  • Govt to remove PCB chairman Ramiz Raja after seven months

    Govt to remove PCB chairman Ramiz Raja after seven months

    The new government has reportedly decided to remove Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja from his position.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif himself will recommend two names for the governing board soon, states Geo News’ sources.

    Previously, it was reported that the PCB chairman had directed the directors and the staff to focus on work. Raja said, “I have been told to continue working, so now the uncertainty should end.”

    It is pertinent to mention that there were media reports that suggested that Raja is likely to quit following the defeat of former PM Imran Khan in a no-confidence motion and former PCB chairperson Najam Sethi is expected to hold the position again as the next PCB chairman.

    Former Captain Ramiz Raja was elected unanimously as the 36th PCB chairman for a three-year term in September 2021.

    

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    ‘No infrastructure’: Hafeez questions PM Khan over no focus on sports
    
			
    ‘No infrastructure’: Hafeez questions PM Khan over no focus on sports
    
			
    Former captain of Pakistan cricket team Mohammad Hafeez has some reservations with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government over no clear sports policies for athletes in the country.
    

    Talking to Cricket Pakistan, the former cricketer said that it is a big question mark on “sportsman” Imran Khan that there are no special arrangments for sports in Pakistan by him.
    

    “Personally, I am disappointed with the current government,” Hafeez said.
    

    “No infrastructure has been set where sportsperson in our country can excel. This is a huge setback for me. I know our prime minister is a sportsman and if there is no focus on sports in his tenure, then this is a huge question mark,” Hafeez added.
    

    The 41-year-old cricketer further talked about Khan’s decison to shut down departmental cricket while he also praised the former head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and Test player Azhar Ali for raising the matter.
    

    “I am proud of them. They took a big step and sincerely raised concern for others. Pakistan is not yet a welfare state and departments were catering to many players, they were fulfilling financial needs. No alternative has been found yet either.”
    

    Meanwhile, Hafeez urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) not to call back players from franchise leagues as they receive huge contracts and calling them back damage their reputation.
    

    “Calling back players from leagues put a dent on a player’s portfolio. Recently, Pakistan players were called back from BBL. I want PCB to revisit this process. When players get NOC, he must play completely as his and Pakistan’s reputation is at stake.” Hafeez emphasised as he has been called back from leagues midway on many occasions in the recent past.
    

    Hafeez also lauded skipper Babar Azam for brilliantly leading the national team. 
    

    The cricketer also cleared the air about his clashes with the board. “There was no rift with anyone but yes, I had some principle stances on which I don’t compromise. I stood tall against the things and raised my voice. People were unhappy with it and they took some decisions which were felt that my relationships were not on good terms with higher authorities.”
    

    Hafeez recently announced his retirement from cricket and said that he had planned to announce it after the 2020 World Cup but it got delayed due to Covid and then he announced it after playing the T20 World Cup in 2021.
    

    Hafeez said that he will happily serve Pakistan cricket in the future in any capacity but won’t run after money as a job-seeker in the cricket board.
    

    He concluded by hailing Shaheen Shah’s growth as a pacer and is looking forward to playing under him for Lahore Qalandars in the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), starting from January 27 at the National Stadium Karachi.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Well done, Boys in Green!
    
			
    Well done, Boys in Green!
    
			
    Today, the final of the T20 World Cup is being played between Australia and New Zealand. We wish that instead of Australia, Pakistan would have been facing NZ in the final but we lost a close contest to Australia in the semi-final on Thursday. It was extremely disappointing and truly heartbreaking but if truth be told, Pakistan’s overall performance in the tournament made us proud. 
    

    Pakistan cricket team was the only unbeaten team in the group matches. Nobody could have predicted this performance. Every match had a different Player of the Match, which means the Pakistan team did not just rely on one or two players but performed well as a team. Look at how well Rizwan played against Australia despite being admitted in the hospital prior to the semi-final. This is called team spirit. And we broke one jinx — beating India in a World Cup. We still have to break this other jinx of beating Australia in a knockoff game. Breaking two jinxes in one World Cup was perhaps a lot. But break we will!
    

    We made some mistakes in the semi-final. We should have made a few more runs and bowled better. Our fielding could have been better too. But everyone learns from their mistakes and this young team will learn too. But let’s not forget that arguably, Australia has probably one of the best sporting cultures in the world and also world-class facilities. In a recent transmission, Wasim Akram revealed that our gymming facilities are decades old and hardly any new machines have been added to the gym at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Training equipment should be the latest and world-class but unfortunately, we don’t have such facilities here. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) must pay attention to these issues as well.
    

    Babar Azam is a brilliant captain and the unity in the team and their faith in the captain is something that is very good to see in Pakistan cricket, where mostly we have seen a lot of politics behind the scenes against the sitting captain in the past. This team is different. This team stands behind its players. Hassan Ali was not thrown under the bus. The response by Pakistan Twitter in his support is also something these boys will remember. They made us happy in uncertain times. They gave us hope when things looked gloomy. 
    

    We love you, Team Pakistan. There are plenty more World Cups to come and we will win for sure!
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match
    
			
    ‘The emotions of Indian Muslim were with Pak team’: Twitter reacts to Sheikh Rasheed’s comments about T20 match
    
			
    Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed in a video message congratulated the Men in Green for winning a historic match against India in the T20 World Cup match. 
    

    Sheikh started by congratulating the team and said,  “I salute the Pakistani team for playing with such bravery and valour against the Indian team.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    “Pakistan has proved itself in the Islamic world. The Muslims all over the world including the Indian Muslims had their emotions with the Pakistan team,” said Rasheed.
    

    Raseed’s video received a lot of criticism as he declared ‘the victory of the Pakistani team as a victory of Islam’. Twitter slammed Sheikh Rasheed for bringing religion into sports. 
    

    Journalist Amber Shamsi tweeted, “By giving a religious colour in such a way, it is an insult to the minority community living in Pakistan and has put Muslim players in the Indian team in more danger, like Mohammad Shami.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Lawyer Reema Omer tweeted, “What a dangerous, divisive statement by the Interior Minister, esp. when the one Muslim player in the Indian team is being subjected to vicious abuse, his loyalty to India being questioned because of his religion.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Indian author, Rahul Easwar tweeted, “It’s unfortunate of a senior leader like you to say Non-Facts like emotions of Indian Muslims were with Pakistan. Pls understand the damage that can create to 99.99% of Indian Muslims who were cheering our motherland”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    A Twitter user wrote, “As a Pakistani citizen, I strongly condemn the statement of Home Minister @ShkhRasheed to winning the cricket match as the winner of the Islamic world and his statement is to spread religious hatred and push the country towards anarchy.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Another person tweeted, “Absurd statement by a person who unfortunately is holding such an important office; this wasn’t the success of Muslim Ummah, it’s only related to Pakistan. Pak has millions of non-muslims including some great sportsmen who have been part of many victories in past.”
    

    

    


    

    

    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Super Sunday: Here is why October 24 will be a treat for sports fans
    
			
    Super Sunday: Here is why October 24 will be a treat for sports fans
    
			
    October 24, 2021, will be marked with a star by all sports fans. On this day, all sports fans, especially cricket and football fans, will be glued to their seats as they witness the sports’ biggest rivalries in just one day. There will be five biggest rivalries on the pitch that day.
    

    Pakistan vs India T20 World Cup Face-off
    

    

    

    

    So we will witness the biggest cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan on October 24, 2021. The cricket rivalry between Pakistan-India is one of the most intense in the world. The strained relationship, resulting from the bitter diplomatic relationship between the two countries resulting from the partition of the Subcontinent laid the groundwork for an intense sporting rivalry between the two nations, who share a cricket heritage.
    

    India and Pakistan are set to start their campaign in the T20 World Cup on October 24. International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that Group 2 will start the World Cup campaign with an intense showdown between India and Pakistan. Indian and Pakistani cricket fans are eagerly awaiting this clash.This match ignites a flame of rivalry between the two groups of players and fans.
    

    FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid
    

    

    

    

    The world’s greatest football rivalry between Spanish football titans FC Barcelona and Real Madrid can be seen on the same day. Few rivalries in sports can compare with the spectacle, the passion and the sheer football brilliance of Barcelona and Real Madrid.  The El Classico represents a clash of cultures between the Castilian Spanish and the Catalan. But for a true football fan, a match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid quite simply represents a great football match between two great clubs.
    

    Barcelona and Real Madrid enter the 2021-22 season with a point to prove after both the sides were to beaten to La Liga glory by Athletico Madrid last season. Athletico were crowned champions while Real Madrid finished second and Barcelona third. Many big names have exited from both the clubs like Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Lionel Messi, so many will look forward to the match as to see again who emerges victorious in the first El Classico of 2021-22 campaign.
    

    Manchester United vs Liverpool FC
    

    

    

    

    Another high profile inter-city rivalry and one of the biggest in the premier league is the match between Manchester United and Liverpool. This match will also be taking place on this Super Sunday. The North-West derby never fails to surprise the imagination of football fans all over the world. This intense rivalry between these two clubs does not stop in football but extends to their economic and cultural enmity.
    

    The raw passion involved in a football match between Manchester United and Liverpool is a symbol of inter-city contention for over two years. Like every year, this year also the match between Manchester United and Liverpool will spark a spirit of excitement and rivalry among the fans. Both the teams look strong and will be aiming this season to win the Premier League title after their defeat last Season to Manchester City.
    

    Juventus vs Inter Milan
    

    

    

    

    The Derby d’Italia is the match between Inter Milan and Juventus, two of the greatest clubs in Italian football. This match will also be played on October 24. This matchup between Inter Milan and Juventus is considered to be one of the greatest and the most intense in Italian football. The rivalry between Juventus and Inter became more bitter after the scandal of Calciopoli.
    

    Juventus lost the Serie A title last season after 9 years. Inter Milan dominated the Serie A and won the title breaking Juventus’s 9 consecutive title win streak. Both the teams will fight neck to neck in the Serie A. Juventus will be looking forward to winning the title again after their last season defeat while Inter Milan will be focusing on continuing their winning streak. This match between the Italian giants will be one of a kind to watch.
    

    Olympique de Marseille vs Paris Saint Germain
    

    

    

    

    One of the greatest rivalries in the world and the greatest in France is the Le Classique, the match between the two French Supergiants Marseille and Paris Saint Germain. Le Classique will also be played on this day. The animosity between Marseille and PSG extends far outside of Football. These two have been dominating French football from the very beginning and have also won a combine of 40 domestic trophies.
    

    The rivalry between Marseille and PSG is neither the oldest nor the most traditional in Ligue 1, but it is without doubt the most fiercely contested on and off the pitch dividing loyalties across the country. With the recent signings of PSG (Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, Georgino Wijnaldum and Gianluigi Donnaruma), many football fans are looking forward to witness the greatest rivalry in France. PSG will definitely give a tough fight to Marseille and will definitely look to reclaim its title back in the French league this season.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    PM Khan calls on departments to stop funding sports teams, promote regional teams
    
			
    PM Khan calls on departments to stop funding sports teams, promote regional teams
    
			
    Thousands of players in around 30 different sports disciplines are expected to be unemployed after the federal government issued a notice calling on all government departments, businesses and autonomous bodies to stop funding sports teams, reported Dawn.
    

    “During a meeting on the overhaul of the sport governance structure in Pakistan held under the chairmanship of the Pakistani Prime Minister on September 1, the Honorable Prime Minister wished to end the funding of departmental sports teams of various organizations / companies / autonomous government bodies. and, instead, these funds can be used for the promotion of regional sports teams,” wrote the additional secretary of the Ministry of Interprovincial Coordination, Mohsin Mushtaq Chandna, in a letter that was received in different departments working under the government. .
    

    He further asked them to divert funds to regional teams.
    

    “In order to implement the orientations of the Honorable Prime Minister, you are therefore asked to prepare a practical transition plan to divert funding from departmental teams to regional teams, within two months, which should be implemented. Work within six months of March 1, 2022,” the letter concluded.
    

    As per Dawn, one of the main features of the national sports policy that the IPC ministry has proposed is to discourage departmental sports.
    

    A copy of this letter was sent to the Presidents of Pakistan International Airlines, Islamabad, Wapda, Higher Education Commission, Railways, FBR, IGs of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and President National Bank from Pakistan.
    

    The move came after Prime Minister Imran Khan abolished the departmental cricket configuration, which resulted in thousands of cricketers losing their jobs.
    

    Although ministries have been asked to divert funds to sponsor the six newly formed provincial cricket associations, instead of spending this amount on their own teams, no ministry has been able to set rules for transferring these funds.
    

    Pakistan has historically produced athletes who have excelled in their disciplines through the departmental system.
    

    Read More – Punjab govt announces Rs1 million cash rewards for Arshad, Talha and Shehroz
    

    An official in one of the departments, who received the letter revealed that it was not possible for them to transfer their funds to the regional teams. Most of the athletes in Pakistan are employed by departments, including javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and Talha Talib, who impressed with their performances at this year’s Tokyo Olympics. Both represent the department, Wapda.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali wins World Youth Scrabble Championship
    
			
    Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali wins World Youth Scrabble Championship
    
			
    Pakistan’s Syed Imaad Ali won the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Karachi on Sunday, reported Dawn.
    

    The 15-year-old player defeated his opponent in nine out of 13 games in Sunday’s finals as Pakistan finished first in the tournament, with Hasham Hadi Khan — another Pakistani — to qualify for the final with 26 wins, coming in fourth after winning in seven games.
    

    Two more Pakistani players, Ali Salman and Usman Shaukat, remained in the top 10 till the last round of the championship’s group stage but were unlucky to miss out narrowly after losing their last games.
    

    Syed Imaad Ali opened up an early lead in the tournament and had soared to the top position with 11 wins and one tie by the completion of the first 12 rounds.
    

    After this success, he is now the first and only scrabble player to win the World Youth title twice. He previously won the 2018 championship in Dubai, clinched the Junior World Scrabble Championship in Torquay, England, in November 2019, and was also the youngest player to do so.
    

    Pakistan was awarded the rights to hold the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Youth Cup for the second year running.
    

    The championship has been played annually since 2006 in different parts of the world but could not be played after 2019 due to the pandemic outbreak.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Olympic gold medalist to be given new medal after mayor bit the first one
    
			
    Olympic gold medalist to be given new medal after mayor bit the first one
    
			
    Japanese softball player Miu Goto will have her Olympic gold medal replaced after a mayor controversially decided to bite the original medal.
    

    

    


    

    

    

    Tokyo Olympics officials say they’re replacing Goto’s gold medal after Takashi Kawamura, the mayor of her hometown of Nagoya, bit the first one during a ceremony despite Covid-19 concerns, BBC News reports. The International Olympic Committee is reportedly set to cover the costs.
    

     “With support from the International Olympic Committee and in line with her own intention, Goto’s medal is now set to be exchanged for a new one,” Tokyo organisers said, per Reuters. 
    

    Kawamura previously came under fire for taking off his mask to bite the medal, including from Toyota, which owns the softball team Goto plays for, NBC News reports.
    

    The company said it was “unfortunate that he was unable to feel admiration and respect for the athlete” and “extremely regrettable that he was unable to give consideration to infection prevention”. Kawamura apologised for acting in “an extremely inappropriate way,” adding, “I am fully aware that I should reflect on that.”