Sports

KARACHI: Former Olympian and International Hockey Federation (FIH) Master Trainer and Educator Tahir Zaman urged the Sindh government to set up a Centre of Excellence for grooming players and producing quality coaches to help Pakistan regain its lost glory in the sport. “It is need of the hour to create a centre for youth to polish their skills in line …

MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Australia underlined their status as Women’s Cricket World Cup favourites Tues­day with a convincing seven-wicket win over Pakistan in Mount Maunganui. In-form opening batter Alyssa Healy led the way for the six-time champions with 72 off 79 balls, supported by 35 from skipper Meg Lann­ing and 34 from Rachel Haynes. Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof scored 78 as her …

RAWALPINDI: The flat pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium which led to a draw in the historic first Test between Pakistan and Australia saw Pakistan bowling great Sarfraz Nawaz recall another such wicket in the country which was infamously described as “graveyard” by Australian pace legend Dennis Lillee. The opening Test of Australia’s first tour of Pakistan since 1998 ended …

Cricketers will not be allowed to use saliva to shine the ball while the rarely used but entirely permissible “Mankad” method of dismissing batters will not be listed under unfair play in new laws approved by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). Cricketers have used the age-old method of shining one side of the ball with saliva and sweat to help …

DUNEDIN: New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in a rain-affected match on Monday to put their Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign back on track. The New Zealanders, who suffered a shock loss to the West Indies in their opening match, looked totally in control in a fixture where the innings were reduced to 27 overs due to …

MUMBAI: India’s crushing victory over Sri Lanka was an impeccable start to Rohit Sharma’s reign as Test captain but the all-format leader says creating a bench strength to secure the team’s future will be a bigger challenge to him than winning matches. The Mohali Test was Rohit’s first assignment as captain of India’s Test side after Virat Kohli stepped down …

LONDON: English clubs Liver­pool and Manchester City are in commanding positions. Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich still have some work to do. The first four spots in the quarter-finals of the Champions League are up for grabs this week, with most of the competition’s title favorites in action. On Tuesday, Liverpool welcome Inter Milan to Anfield holding a 2-0 …

LAHORE: Former captain Intikhab Alam has criticised the pitch being used in the ongoing first Test bet­ween Pakistan and Australia at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. According to Intikhab, Pakistan have failed to capitalise on home conditions by preparing a placid playing surface as the Australians visit the country after 24 years. The former coach, while speaking to Dawn, urged …

KOH SAMUI: An autopsy showed the death last week of Australian cricket great Shane Warne on an island in Thailand was due to natural causes, the Thai police said on Monday. Warne’s family had accepted the finding and his body would be transferred to Australian consular officials for return to the family, a deputy police spokesman said. “Today investigators received …

Australia’s first Test in Pakistan for nearly a quarter of a century ended in a draw on Tuesday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Opting to bat on run-filled surface, Pakistan had made 476-4 before declaring their first innings at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. By the time they bowled out Australia for 459 on the final day, the chances of any team winning …