Sports

WELLINGTON: West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Bangladesh have all confirmed they will tour New Zealand during the southern hemisphere summer, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive David White said on Tuesday. Under the International Cricket Council’s Future Tours Programme, West Indies were scheduled to play three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals in New Zealand, while Pakistan will play two Tests …

LONDON: England opening batsman Dom Sibley is still wary of Pakistan’s bowlers heading into the second Test at Southampton on Thursday. The hosts lead the three-match series 1-0 after a three-wicket victory in the first Test at Old Trafford last week. It was a tough match for Sibley, however, with the Warwickshire right-hander lbw to accurate seamer Mohammad Abbas for …

LAHORE: Pakistan narrowly lost the first Test of the ICC World Test Championship series at Old Trafford against England on Saturday by three wickets to concede a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Pakistan dominated the match for most part of the four days and were firmly in control of proceedings on the fifth day when England lost their fifth …

PALERMO: France’s Fiona Ferro became the first WTA champion in five months on Sunday as she overpowered Anett Kontaveit 6-2, 7-5 to win the Palermo Ladies Open, the first Tour event to be staged since the Covid-19 epidemic shut down the sport. Ferro went 10 matches unbeaten in regional exhibition events after the Tour was suspended in March, and continued …

MADRID: Atletico Madrid breathed a sigh of relief on Monday after further coronavirus tests on their players and staff turned up negative, allowing the team to travel to Portugal on Tuesday for their Champions League quarter-final against RB Leipzig. Tests at the weekend had revealed two coronavirus cases at the club, which Atletico confirmed on Monday to be players Angel …

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday said that it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the reduction of batsman Umar Akmal’s ban for an anti-corruption breach. The middle-order batsman was banned in April for failing to report approaches to engage in corrupt practices ahead of this year’s Pakistan Super League. An independent adjudicator last month reduced Akmal’s three-year …

ISLAMABAD: Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq believes Pakistan are better than England and the visitors could still win the ongoing three-match Test series. “I think Pakistan team is better than England and we should have won the first Test [in Manchester]. I still believe Pakistan can still win the series. When you are going through a tough phase, the team’s body language …

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram believes the Green shirts should include Fawad Alam in the middle order in the second Test against England starting at Southampton on Aug 13. “In the next match, you won’t find a turning wicket. You will play with one spinner and you will have to play with an extra batsman,” a private news channel …

MANCHESTER: England’s most successful bowler James Anderson said on Monday he is not pondering his Test retirement but conceded the decision to step away could be taken out of his hands if he continues to underwhelm. The 38-year-old has endured a frustrating summer, managing just six wickets in his last three Tests, fuelling speculation that his 17-year Test career could …

LAHORE: PML-N MPA Hina Pervaiz Butt has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly demanding inclusion of minority heroes in the curriculum. “According to the Constitution of Pakistan, all citizens have equal rights. In Pakistan even today the people of the minority community are performing the most important services in various fields. Pakistan has made history all over the world …