Sports

PARIS: Euro 2020 finalists England pushed world champions and cross-Channel rivals France out of the top three in world football body FIFA’s latest men’s rankings published on Thursday. Belgium and Brazil retain first and second spots respectively, while England make their first appearance on the podium in nine years on the back of two wins and a draw in recent …

ZURICH: FIFA intensified its push for hosting the World Cup every two years on Thursday by garnering support from football fans around the world to help combat resistance from Europe and South America. The latest public relations tactic came in the form on an online survey commissioned by FIFA. The FIFA statement did not provide data, details of the polling …

RAWALPINDI: New Zealand were dealt a major setback on Thursday after it was announced that their wicket-keeper/batter Tom Blundell would miss the entire ODI series against Pakistan here in Rawalpindi with a left-quad strain. Blundell’s spot in the ODI squad will be filled up by batting all-rounder Daryl Mitchell, who is already part of the Black Caps’ squad for the …

RAWALPINDI: There is a touch of history linked with Friday’s opening One-day International between Pakistan and New Zealand at the Pindi Cricket Stadium here in Rawalpindi. Call them the Black Caps of modern or the Kiwis of the era gone by, this is the New Zealand’s first tour to Pakistan after a gaping span of nearly 18 years. In the …

PARIS: Euro 2020 finalists England pushed world champions and cross-Channel rivals France out of the top three in world football body FIFA’s latest men’s rankings published on Thursday. Belgium and Brazil retain first and second spots respectively, while England make their first appearance on the podium in nine years on the back of two wins and a draw in recent …

RAWALPINDI: As many as 4,000 police personnel will be deployed for the cricket series being played between Pakistan and New Zealand at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Sept 17 (today). Besides, cricket fans would go through metal detectors, biometric checking and walk-through gates. A security official said though there was no specific threat in Rawalpindi, the law enforcement agencies were not …

RAWALPINDI: Hasan Ali insists that Pakistan have to showcase their top game to prevail over New Zealand when the two sides start the three-match One-day International series in Rawalpindi from Friday. The pace bowler warned his team-mates not to take seriously the status of the New Zealand squad, who are missing several first-choice stars, including captain Kane Williamson as well …

LONDON: US Open champion Emma Raducanu said on Wednesday that her sensational win at Flushing Meadows had yet to sink in and that the 18 months she took off from the sport provided her with the “hunger” to prevail in New York. The 18-year-old Briton stunned the tennis world by defeating Canada’s Leylah Fernandez in straight sets on Saturday to become the …

ISLAMABAD: International cricketers should support Afghanistan’s men’s team, not punish them by boycotting matches if the Taliban bars women from playing, the former director of the women’s side said. Tuba Sangar, who fled the country for Canada shortly after the fall of the country to the hardline Islamist group, warned that sports sanctions would damage the game at the grassroots …

DUBAI: The Indian Premier League will welcome back fans for the first time since the 2019 edition when the Twenty20 extravaganza resumes in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, organisers said on Wednesday. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will clash with Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in Dubai on Sunday, four months after the world’s richest T20 league was halted …