Sports

The return of England’s cricket team to Pakistan next year, their first visit since 2005, is a vote of confidence in the country’s improved security — but challenges remain, analysts say. Cricket-obsessed Pakistan spent a decade in international sporting isolation after gunmen targeted the Sri Lankan team bus in 2009 in Lahore during a Test series, killing eight people and wounding several …

ROME: Three years after an embarrassing failure to qualify for the World Cup, Italy are back in contention with the best in Europe. England, meanwhile, are already out of contention for the Nations League finals with one round of matches still to play. An Italy squad badly hit by the coronavirus still managed to beat Poland 2-0 on Sunday, putting …

LAHORE: Nasir Iqbal and Israr Ahmad entered the final of the PSF-Punjab Satellite Squash Tournament at the Punjab Squash Complex here on Monday. In the first semifinal, Nasir chalked up a straight three-game victory against Amaad Fareed with the score being 11-6, 11-8, 11-7. Experienced Nasir did not allow Ammad to pose any challenge as he dominated the game from …

KARACHI: When the Pakistan Super League V came to a shuddering halt midway through last March, nobody would have predicted then that the conclusion of the franchise-based Tweny20 competition could throw up a dream final here on Tuesday between two teams — Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars — with very high reputations and expectations but much less achievements. Prayers of …

ADELAIDE: Australia’s cricket series against India has been cast into uncertainty again after a coronavirus outbreak in Adelaide, where the first Test is scheduled to be played next month. Players from Western Australia and Tasmania states who recently returned home from domestic games in Adelaide were ordered into home isolation on Monday when their provincial governments closed borders to South …

TOKYO: Olympic participants and fans arriving for next year’s postponed Tokyo Games will be encouraged to be vaccinated to protect the Japanese public, IOC President Thomas Bach said on Monday. Bach said it won’t be mandatory, but he left no doubt it will be strongly pushed. Bach campaigned across Tokyo on Monday, his first visit to Japan since the Olympics …

s TOKYO: The IOC and Tokyo Olympic organizers have been shouting the message for months now, that despite the continuing pandemic, the Games will open on July 23, 2021. The volume will be turned up louder on Monday and Tuesday. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach will be in Tokyo making the rounds, shaking hands and posing for photos in …

ISLAMABAD: South Africa’s former captain and senior pro Faf du Plessis believes that prolific batsman Babar Azam has the ability to become one of the greats of the game, saying the Pakistani Skipper has surprised with his Twenty20 credentials. He admitted that Babar has surprised a lot of people with his T20 credentials and are considering him similar to Indian …

KARACHI: Senior pro Mohammad Hafee has said that Peshawar Zalmi’s one-dimensional bowling was the key difference which enabled Lahore Qalandars jettison the 2017 Pakistan Super League champions’ dream of winning the fifth edition of the franchised-based Twenty20 tournament late on Saturday night. The Pakistan veteran played a pivotal role with an undefeated 74 from 46 balls while inspiring to Lahore …

ISTANBUL: Lewis Hamilton secured a record-equalling seventh Formula One world title on Sunday after winning the Turkish Grand Prix and then warned pretenders to his crown “I’m only just getting started!” After a momentous drive from sixth on the grid, the Briton matched Michael Schumacher’s haul of drivers’ crowns with three races of the season remaining. The 35-year-old sealed his …