Sports

LONDON: The One-day International between Eng­land and Pakistan on July 10 was approved on Friday for a full capacity crowd of 31,100 at Lords. It joins other sporting events such as Wimbledon and the European Championship in a British government research program studying the effects of fan attendance as Covid-19 restrictions are eased. Wimbledon opened at 50% capacity across the …

TOKYO: Tokyo Olympics organisers will not insist on allowing spectators “at all costs”, the head of the Games organising committee said on Friday, amid concerns about a fresh wave of Covid-19 infections three weeks before the sports extravaganza begins. Polls show many Japanese oppose holding the Olympics given warnings from health experts that it could unleash another wave of infections. …

ISLAMABAD: The government has made arrangements for live coverage of Pakistan’s coming one-day and Twenty20 matches in England through a UK-based TV channel, averting a crisis-like situation that had emerged after the federal cabinet refused to approve the telecast through an Indian network. “We have made arrangements for the coverage and an agreement has been inked with a UK-based TV …

LONDON: Ashleigh Barty’s bid to win the Wimbledon singles title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s first victory stayed on course on Thursday. However, Barty produced a far from perfect performance in her 6-4, 6-3 win over Russia’s Anna Blinkova as she progressed to a third round meeting with Czech Katerina Siniakova. Barty is seeded …

LONDON: The quarter-finals of Euro 2020 kick off on Friday with the tournament being blamed for a surge in coronavirus cases as fans have flocked to stadiums, bars and spectator zones across Europe to watch the action while the pandemic still raged. Belgium take on Italy in Munich and Spain meet Switzerland in St Petersburg in the first two last-eight …

KARACHI: Global football body FIFA isn’t flinching. Nor is Ashfaq Shah, the court-elected president of the Pakistan Football Fed­era­tion, whose takeover of the PFF headquarters from the FIFA-appointed PFF Normalisation Committee forced a suspension on Pakistan. Something will have to give, most likely a fresh round of discussions, to see an end to the crisis that has plagued Pakistan football …

LONDON: Dhananjaya de Silva’s run-a-ball 91 rescued Sri Lanka from a top-order collapse as they recovered to make 241-9 in the second One-day International against England at The Oval on Thursday. Sri Lanka were facing humiliation at 21-4, with paceman Sam Curran wreaking havoc after England captain Eoin Morgan won the toss. But de Silva, in at 6-2, responded with …

LAHORE; The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has budgeted a total spend of Rs8.997 billion for its cricketing and operational activities that revolves around home and away international series by its national sides, domestic cricket operations, operational expenses of the newly formed six Cricket Associations, Pakistan Super league (PSL) and the board’s administrative expenses. The approval was given in the Board …

Hassan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan have been offered Category A contracts, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Friday while announcing the central contracts for 20 cricketers for the year 2021-2022. In a statement, the PCB also announced that match fees across all formats has been equalised, meaning that all players will receive the same amount for any match they …

LAHORE: The trials to select 30 national hockey players, out of which 20 will get central contracts, start here in the first week of July, two key officials of the Pakistan Hockey Federa­tion (PHF) said at a press conference here on Wednesday. According to chief selector Manzoor Junior and head coach Khawaja Junaid said on their proposal PHF president retired …