Sports

Bowler Tim Southee said New Zealand will not underestimate Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals despite the latter’s struggles to make it through the group phase. Pakistan looked set to exit the competition until the Netherlands pulled off a surprise 13-run win over South Africa on Sunday that meant victory over Bangladesh later in the day took Babar Azam and his team into …

Pakistan skipper Babar Azam should stand aside and give Mohammad Haris his opener slot to boost their top order firepower in Wednesday’s Twenty20 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, former captain Shahid Afridi said. Pakistan, the 2009 champions, looked set to exit the competition until the Netherlands pulled off a major upset by beating South Africa on Sunday. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar …

The Netherlands sent South Africa crashing out of the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday with a stunning 13-run victory in Adelaide which also propelled India into the semi-finals. The latest in a series of shocks at this tournament left Bangladesh and Pakistan fighting it out for the final spot in the last four. Table-toppers India are on six points and …

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi returned career-best figures of 4-22 to lead Pakistan into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh in a do-or-die clash on Sunday. Chasing a modest 128 for victory in Adelaide, Pakistan achieved their target with 11 balls to spare and join arch-rivals India in the final four from Group 2. The …

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by five wickets to qualify for the 2022 World Cup semi-final and keep their dream alive. Here are our five takeaways from their unexpected resurgence: 1- Finally some smile drawn out of Lady Luck     Like the Lazarus, like the phoenix, like all those undying things, Pakistan are back from the dead. And the credit for …

Pakistan batsman Shan Masood on Saturday praised his team’s character in battling back to stay in the hunt for a semi-finals spot after losing their first two matches at the Twenty20 World Cup. Captain Babar Azam’s side need to win their final Super 12 match against Bangladesh in Adelaide on Sunday — and for other results to go their way …

ZURICH: FIFA has urged teams at the World Cup in Qatar to “focus on football” and not let the sport be dragged into ideological or political “battles” in a message that received a sharp rebuke from Amnesty International. The letter from FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the governing body’s secretary general Fatma Samoura follows a number of protests made by …

LAHORE: Scintillating centuries by openers Sidra Ameen and Muneeba Ali guided Pakistan to a crushing 128-run victory over Ireland in the opening match of the six-match One-day Inter­national series here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. While Sidra smashed her career-best 176 not out, Muneeba registered her maiden ODI century to help Pakistan post 335-3 before Ireland were bowled out …

SYDNEY: All eyes at the Twenty20 World Cup will fall on England against Sri Lanka on Saturday after New Zealand booked their place in the semi-finals and Australia just about stayed alive. New Zealand’s victory over Ireland on Friday at the Adelaide Oval sealed one of the top two spots in Group 1 and a place in the last four with hosts …

Allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin said Saturday India must pile the pressure on early and be clinical in their execution if they want to get past Zimbabwe and into the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals. The two sides meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday after India’s narrow five-run win over Bangladesh put them top of Group 2 with six points from …