Tickets for PSL games in Dubai go online for sale

Tickets for PSL games in Dubai go online for sale

LAHORE, JAN 22 - Tickets go online for sale for the opening ceremony of the Pakistan Super League and the matches scheduled in Dubai.

The star-studded tournament will start with a glittering ceremony on February 14th at 7 PM followed by the first game of the fourth season of the league between the defending champions, Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars at 7:45 PM.

Dubai International Stadium will host the total of 14 matches during the tournament, which will be divided into two legs.

PSL 2019’s eight matches will be staged in Pakistan, three in Lahore and five in Karachi including the big final. 

However, the details regarding the availability of tickets are not yet revealed.

The fourth edition of the PSL will start from February 14 at the Dubai International Stadium, while the final of the tournament will be played at the National Stadium Karachi on March 17.

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AB de Villiers ready to play PSL Matches in Pakistan

AB de Villiers ready to play PSL Matches in Pakistan

LAHORE,  JAN 14  - Former South African skipper, AB de Villiers, who is one of the most prolific cricketers in the cricketing world, is ready to play Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches in Pakistan.

De Villiers will represent Lahore Qalandars for the fourth edition of the league.

The news was announced on Monday.

De Villiers also confirmed the news by saying he was looking forward to performing in front of Lahore’s crowd in March.

“I am delighted to confirm that I will represent Lahore Qalandars in front of our home crowds on 9 and 10 March, during the HBL PSL 2019,” de Villiers announced.

He was optimistic about the return of international cricket to Pakistan and felt that he could play a part in helping the cause.

“I feel I have a role to play in helping international cricket return to Pakistan,” Mr 360 expressed.

The former South African batsman was hopeful that his presence would help Qalandars get the missing piece in their squad.

“I look forward to revisiting the Gaddafi Stadium and aim to play my part in helping Lahore Qalandars achieve something they have been aspiring for since the inception of this tournament in 2016,” he added.

This would be De Villiers’ second visit to Lahore as he has previously been part of the South African squad that visited Pakistan in 2007. He scored an important, unbeaten 45-run innings to draw the Lahore Test.

The right-arm power-hitter then smashed, 103 not out, 35 and 17 in the first, second and fifth ODIs, respectively.

I still remember the support and appreciation we received in 2007. Furthermore, I feel I have a role to play in helping international cricket return to Pakistan. 

These have been some of the motivating factors for me to return to Lahore,” said de Villiers.

Elated by his announcement, franchise owner Rana Fawad said:

I am certain he will further brighten the Gaddafi Stadium with his amazing talent and skills on 9 and 10 March.

Team’s captain Mohammad Hafeez also welcomed de Villiers’ move and said:

 I am confident that AB will take home memories.

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Sarfraz and co get whitewashed by South Africa

Sarfraz and co get whitewashed by South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, JAN 14 - Pakistan on Monday lost the third and final Test to South Africa at Johannesburg by 107 runs to suffer the ignominy of being whitewashed by the home side.

In pursuit of their 381-run target, the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side mustered 273 runs in the final innings of the match.

Chasing a target of 381 runs, Pakistan were dismissed for 273 runs with middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq top-scoring with 65 runs.

Kagiso Rabada and Duanne Olivier claimed three wickets each for the home side.

Attention will now shift to a five-match ODI series, which gets underway at St Georges Park in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.

The Proteas won the Test series 3-0.

Scores in brief:

South Africa 262 (Markram 90, De Bruyn 49, Faheem 3/57) and 303 (De Kock 129, Amla 71, Shadab 3/41)

Pakistan 185 (Sarfraz 50, Babar 49, Olivier 5/51) and 273(Shafiq 65, Olivier 3/74, Rabada 3/75).

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Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock put South Africa on top

Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock put South Africa on top

JAHANNESBURG: JAN 13 - Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock put South Africa in a commanding position on the third day of the third and final Test against Pakistan at the Wanderers Stadium on Sunday.

South Africa were 232 for seven at lunch, a lead of 309 on a pitch of occasional unpredictable bounce.

Amla (71) and De Kock (77 not out) shared a sixth wicket partnership of 102 before Amla was caught behind off a ball from Hasan Ali which lifted sharply off a good length. 

He faced 144 balls and hit 14 fours. The pair had come together at 93 for five, when South Africa’s lead was only 170.

While Amla was largely watchful and patient, De Kock batted fluently in reaching his fifty off 49 balls. By lunch he had faced 91 deliveries and hit ten fours.

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PM Imran greets Kohli’s India after Test series win in Australia

PM Imran greets Kohli’s India after Test series win in Australia

ISLAMABAD, JAN 08 - Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has congratulated Virat Kohli-led team Indian after their historic win against Australia in the four-match Test series.

The Men in Blue became the first team from the subcontinent to win a Test series Down Under on Monday with a 2-1 margin after the fourth match finished as a draw.

PM Khan, who is famous for guiding Pakistan to their only 50-over World Cup triumph back in 1992, congratulated Kohli and his team on his official Twitter account early on Tuesday morning.

This was India’s first Test win on Australian soil in 12 attempts, whereas they also became the first side from Asia to achieve that feat.

Star of the show for the visitors in that series was right-handed batsman Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored more than 500 runs with the bat and was named player of the series.

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Salah set to retain African Player of the Year title

Salah set to retain African Player of the Year title

JOHANNESBURG, JAN 07 - Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is set to be named 2018 African Player of the Year for a second successive time at a gala awards ceremony in Senegal Tuesday.

The sharpshooter is competing against fellow English Premier League stars, Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane from Senegal and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal.

Consistent scorer Salah has already won the 2018 BBC African Footballer of the Year prize and it would be a shock if he did not add to his collection of individual honours in Dakar.

Should he be confirmed as the best footballer in Africa once again, Salah will become the first player from the north of the continent to claim back-to-back titles.

Ivorian Yaya Toure, Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon and Senegalese El Hadji Diouf achieved the feat in a competition first staged 48 years ago with Malian Salif Keita voted number one.

Manchester City midfielder Toure, the younger brother of former Arsenal defender Kolo, went on to finish first four times in a row from 2011.

Eto’o and Ghanaian Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew are also four-time Player of the Year winners, but not in consecutive years.

Paris-based France Football magazine organised the annual award until the mid-1990s when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took over.

Votes from national team and selected club coaches, CAF officials and unnamed ‘experts’ count toward deciding who lifts the trophy.

Salah scored 44 goals in all competitions for Liverpool last season, his first at Anfield after moving from Italian Serie A outfit Roma.

Slow start

After a slow start to the 2018/2019 campaign, the right-side attacker has netted 13 goals, one less than Aubameyang and Tottenham Hotspur and England star Harry Kane.

The Egyptian also scored the winning goal against Napoli at Anfield last month that took Liverpool to the knockout phase of the Champions League at the expense of the Italian club.

Salah had less success with Egypt last year as injury ruled him out of the loss to Uruguay at the start of the World Cup in Russia.

He did score against both Russia and Saudi Arabia, but the north Africans were beaten in both matches and exited without securing even one point.

Later in the year, Salah scored twice but failed to convert two penalties as the Pharaohs ran riot at home to Niger in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, winning 6-0.

Aubameyang, the son of former Gabon star Pierre, has made the top three for the fifth successive year, finishing second in 2014, then first, second and third.

Mane was third behind Algerian Riyad Mahrez and Aubameyang in 2016 and second last year, 118 points adrift of Salah.

Madagascar and Mauritania, first-time qualifiers for the Cup of Nations, will compete with Uganda for the national team of the year award.

Asisat Oshoala from reigning African champions Nigeria is seeking a third straight victory in the Women’s Footballer of the Year category.

Her rivals are compatriot Francisca Ordega, and Chrestinah Kgatlana from South Africa, runners-up to Nigeria in the 2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations.

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Real Madrid confirm Brahim Diaz transfer from Manchester City

Real Madrid confirm Brahim Diaz transfer from Manchester City

MADRID, JAN 07 Real Madrid have signed Brahim Diaz from Manchester City, the European champions confirmed on Sunday.

Diaz, a 19-year-old winger, has agreed a contract for six and a half years with Real and will undergo a medical on Monday, before being officially unveiled at the Santiago Bernabeu.

A Real Madrid statement read: “Real Madrid and Manchester City have agreed to the transfer of the player Brahim Diaz, who will be linked to the club for the remainder of the season and the next six, until June 30, 2025.”

Diaz’s deal at Manchester City was set to expire in June. Madrid have reportedly agreed to pay 17 million euros up front, with a further seven million euros due depending on performance.

He moved to the Premier League from Malaga in 2013 but has struggled to establish himself in City’s first team.

He will join a talented group of young Spanish players at Madrid, which already includes Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos, Marcos Llorente, Alvaro Odriozola and Sergio Reguilon.

Real sit fifth in La Liga after they were beaten 2-0 by Real Sociedad on Sunday.

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South Africa to host IPL 2019

South Africa to host IPL 2019

NEW DELHI,  JAN 03 - 2009 Indian Premier League hosting nation South Africa will once again be seen hosting another IPL season as BCCI is all set to take premium t20 league away from India.

A senior BCCI official told on Wednesday afternoon that Africa is prime choice for hosting Indian Premier League 2019 season.

“South Africa is the best choice for hosting upcoming IPL. Some of our officials associate with the government, have come to know that full tournament can’t be organized in the country due to elections.

South Africa to host IPL 2019

And it will be time taking to host the event in two parts due to world cup is near,” senior BCCI official told.

The official also mentioned that BCCI would make final decision by next week so that everyone gets enough time to make preparations for the 12th edition of Vivo Indian Premier League.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) also require time to make preparations for the tournament starting in mid March.

“We are working with our colleagues to make final decision by next week. IPL season-12 to kick off in the mid of March, hence we need to finalize things by the end of January.

 CSA board will require time as well to make arrangements for hosting the tournament.”

South Africa to host IPL 2019

The dates of tournament is set to be clashed with General elections in India, hence it will be difficult for police and local authorities to provide security. 

Elections to take place in April-May and this is the period when IPL occurs every year. Hence shifting cash-rich league from India would be the best choice.

On asking if BCCI considering other venues, source said that it would not be easy for any other country to host full IPL season. Also match start timing matters to get good viewership for broadcasters.

South Africa to host IPL 2019

“UAE was in frame but for 60 games event, it will not be easy for Arab country to host the competition. 

Viewership is a concerned area as well and we can’t drop that by taking competition in a bad time zone that doesn’t suit India,” he said.

South Africa hosted 2009 IPL successfully and they will be aiming to host much better tournament this year.

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Malaysian MotoGP: Marquez wins, Rossi crashes out of lead

Malaysian MotoGP: Marquez wins, Rossi crashes out of lead

SEPANG, - World champion Marc Marquez won the Malaysian MotoGP Sunday despite starting in seventh position after being hit with a grid penalty, surging past Valentino Rossi who crashed out when leading.

Suzuki’s Alex Rins came in second after overtaking Yamaha rider Johann Zarco, who finished third, in the final stage of the race at Sepang.

Italian star Rossi finished 18th after tumbling off his bike on the 16th lap and losing the lead to Marquez, who was crowned world champion last month in Japan.

Nine-time world champion Rossi, second on the grid, looked to be heading for his first win in Malaysia since 2010 as he dominated the early stages.

 

However Marquez, who qualified in pole position but was hit with a six-place grid penalty for impeding another rider, slowly worked his way through the pack.

The Spaniard reached second place and was slowly closing the gap on Rossi, 39, when the Italian fell off his bike as he leaned into a corner.

He got up and continued but by that point victory had already slipped out of his grasp.

Marquez, 25, was dominant in the final stages of the race and opened up a big gap to the rest of the field.

“The start was not perfect but then I started to take out the riders step-by-step,” said Marquez. “I started to feel better and better, and I started to see I was catching (Rossi).”

Marquez also lost his pole position in the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas in April and was dropped to fourth on the starting grid after being penalised for disturbing Maverick Vinales in qualifying.

He went on to win that race for the sixth consecutive time.

Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso, the winner in Malaysia in 2016 and 2017, could only manage sixth but retains second place in the overall standings, with Rossi’s crash leaving the Italian in third with one race remaining.

The rain stayed away after organisers shifted the start of the MotoGP two hours earlier in a bid to avoid tropical downpours, which usually occur in the late afternoon in Malaysia.

The decision came after Saturday’s qualifying session was delayed by more than an hour due to heavy rain.

Humidity and tropical rain are a constant challenge for riders at the Sepang circuit. The 2016 and 2017 editions of the MotoGP took place during heavy downpours.

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Mani is optimistic after meeting CSA, South African High Commission

Mani is optimistic after meeting CSA, South African High Commission

LAHORE, DEC 30 - Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Ehsan Mani is optimistic about a potential tour of South Africa’s junior, women or senior team to Pakistan after a successful meeting Cricket South Africa’s officials and South African High Commission.

“I reiterated that Pakistan is a safe country to come and play cricket and the security situation in the country is drastically improved,” said Mani. 

“We had talks about South Africa sending their senior, junior or women’s team to Pakistan in the near future.”

South African board will review International Cricket Council’s (ICC) report on the security situation in the country, moreover, they will send their own security experts as well.

“Cricket South Africa will review Internationals Cricket Council (ICC)’s report about the security situation in Pakistan while also sending their own security experts to Pakistan for the same purpose,” he added.

Pakistan team is currently touring South Africa, where they will play three Test matches, five One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals.

In 2017, South Africa’s Faf Du Plessis, Hashim Amla, David Miller and Morne Morkel toured Pakistan with the World XI for a three-match T20I series.

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NZ beat Sri Lanka by 423 runs, seal series with victory in Christchurch Test

NZ beat Sri Lanka by 423 runs, seal series with victory in Christchurch Test

WELLINGTON, DEC 30 - Trent Boult and Neil Wagner quickly wrapped up Sri Lanka’s second innings on Sunday as New Zealand clinched the series 1-0 with a dominant 423-run victory in the second test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Boult trapped Dushmantha Chameera in front after only 10 minutes of play on the fifth day, and while the batsman asked for a review third umpire Rod Tucker confirmed the onfield decision two minutes later to bring the match to an end.

With the first match in Wellington ending in a damp draw, Sunday’s victory saw the hosts win a fourth successive test series for the first time.

“A fantastic achievement,” said New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. “It’s exciting, the four series, even if I wasn’t aware of it.

“But it’s a proud achievement because we are playing in different conditions and having to adjust our games.”

The victory was even more impressive given New Zealand had been reduced to 64 for six on the first day, before Tim Southee produced a counter-attacking innings of 68 that pushed their total through to 178.

Southee then blasted the top off Sri Lanka’s reply, reducing them to 21 for three. The performance on the first day earned him man-of-the match honours.

“It was nice to get some runs,” Southee said. “We needed to post some sort of score and try and hang in there ... for as long as we could.

“I guess 170 in the first innings was a good score on that wicket.”

Boult followed up Southee’s cameo with a stunning burst of six wickets in 15 deliveries early on the second day, which swung the game in their favour as they took a 74-run lead.

New Zealand’s batsmen all got starts in their second innings with Tom Latham (176) and Henry Nicholls (162 not out) notching their first centuries on their home ground as Williamson declared at 585 for four.

“A couple of brilliant contributions from those two local boys,” Williamson said of Latham and Nicholls. 

“We required big runs and ...they went and put us in a really strong position.”

Sri Lanka put up a stronger second innings performance as they sought to either grind out an improbable 660 runs for victory , or bat for more than two days to save the game.

Their resistance was broken late on the fourth day.

After they had battled through to 231 for six at stumps the tourists faced the prospect of having their top batsman Angelo Mathews not appearing again after he retired hurt with a hamstring injury.

Boult wasted little time on Sunday in the overcast conditions as he bowled Suranga Lakmal for 18 on the third ball, before Wagner had Dilruwan Perera caught for 22 on the eighth.

Boult then wrapped up the innings at 236 for nine with Mathews unable to bat.

“Disappointed with the way we batted in the first innings but I’m happy with the way we played in the second innings as we fought hard as a team,” said Sri Lanka captain Dinseh Chandimal.

“We are a young team, but if we can show the same character as Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews then we should be able to compete.”

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Hazard fires Chelsea into League Cup semi-finals

Hazard fires Chelsea into League Cup semi-finals

An 84th-minute Eden Hazard goal, which spun into the net after a heavy deflection, earned Chelsea a place in the League Cup semi-finals after a 1-0 win over Bournemouth in an entertaining tie on Wednesday.

Chelsea had buzzed round the Bournemouth goal for much of the game but it was not until substitute Hazard came on with half an hour to go that they looked creative and decisive enough to break through.

Chelsea had piled on the pressure from the start and there were good chances for Olivier Giroud, Ross Barkley, who forced a diving save from Artur Boruc and Willian, who surged forward from the halfway line after 30 minutes only for Boruc to block his rising shot.

Bournemouth looked dangerous on the break and Callum Wilson ran through on goal in the 17th minute but pulled his shot wide.

A scampering run from Jordon Ibe opened up the Chelsea defence 20 minutes later and Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had to fly to his left to keep out Lys Mousset’s curling shot.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek looked certain to break the deadlock early in the second half after rounding two players but his shot flew inches past Boruc’s post.

Chelsea brought on first Pedro then Hazard and it was a combination of the Spaniard and Belgium’s Hazard that made the goal.

“The difference was the changes that we made,” Chelsea’s assistant boss Gianfranco Zola told reporters.

“Of course we have a lot of games and players like Eden (Hazard ) we need to keep fit. Even in 20 minutes he can make a big difference.”

Another player who caught Zola’s eye was England midfielder Loftus-Cheek.

“I was impressed with him. He has done well as a wide player, but he showed a lot of sacrifice as a midfielder,” Zola said.

“He was getting tired but was disciplined… He is a good boy and works very hard.”

It was the first home game since alleged racist taunts against Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling prompted an outcry and Chelsea banned four fans.

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck took a page in the programme to condemn racism and the atmosphere in the ground was lively but appeared good humoured with no added security in evidence.

Chelsea will play Tottenham Hotspur in the semi-finals.

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