Sports

LAHORE: The Pakistan hockey team’s tour to Europe will help the players prepare for the Asia Cup, the sport’s national governing body’s secretary Asif Bajwa said Wednesday. Pakistan drew their two-match series against Netherlands after winning the first match 5-3, a day before the hosts bounced back 4-1 to level the series played in the southern city of Breda. Pakistan …

KARACHI: Pakistan will host the Inaugural Seniors Over 40 Cricket World Cup from Sept 23 to Oct 8 next year at prominent six venues of Karachi, it has been announced officially. According to Pakistan Veterans Cricket Assoc­iation (PVCA) chairman Fawad Ijaz Khan, the World Cup Over 40s/50s Steering Committee had announced this decision on Tuesday to accord the hosting rights …

LONDON: Wimbledon banned Russian and Belarusian players from this year’s Championships to avoid “being used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime”, tournament chiefs said on Tuesday. The All England Club (AELTC), which runs the grasscourt Grand Slam, announced the move last week in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It means stars such as US Open champion …

LAHORE: A hat-trick by Mohammad Rizwan and a goal each by Mubashir Ali and Ijaz led Pakistan to a 5-3 win over Netherlands in the first of their two-match series against the hosts in Bred on Tuesday. Ijaz gave Pakistan early lead with a strike in the first quarter before the Netherlands responded with two goals to take a 2-1 …

LIVERPOOL: Villarreal know they won’t have the luxury of being taken lightly by Liverpool in their Champions League semi-final first leg but they are convinced they can spring another surprise on Wednesday. After knocking out Juventus in the last 16 and beating Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, Villarreal are looking to pull off another shock by defeating Liverpool, the six-time …

LONDON: England’s world cup winning all-rounder Ben Stokes has agreed to captain the Test side after his meeting with the new director of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) – Rob Key, a local newspaper ‘The Telegraph’ reported. As per the English newspaper, The Telegraph, the all-rounder Stokes has agreed to captain England in Tests, following his face to face …

KARACHI: Pakistan has got the hosting rights of the inaugural Seniors Over 40 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to take place from 23rd September to 8th October next year, Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association (PVCA) confirmed. In the inaugural world cup, scheduled to take place next year, a total of 12 teams out of the 14 registered nations will participate. The registered …

MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola said he had to reiterate to his players they had beaten Real Madrid 4-3 in a Champions League classic on Tuesday despite the disappointment of not killing off their semi-final tie at the Etihad. Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were on target for Guardiola’s men, who held a two-goal lead three times. …

WARSAW: The top-ranked Women’s tennis player Iga Swiatek has opted to withdraw from the upcoming Madrid Open, saying her body ‘needs rest’ after a frenetic schedule. The 20-years-old Polish Tennis player Swiatek, who became the top-ranked player following the retirement of Ashleigh Barty earlier this month, has decided to withdraw from Madrid Open. Swiatek was enjoying a delightful run as …

LONDON: The WTA is still working to find a resolution to the standoff with China over the Peng Shuai issue but will not return to the country this year, Tour chief Steve Simon said. Former doubles world number one Peng’s wellbeing became a concern for the WTA after she posted a message on social media last November accusing China’s former …