Sunday, 6 March, 2016
Former Pakistani cricketers Praise india For money: sehwag
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NEWS DESK
ORMER Indian opener Virender Sehwag believes Pakistani retired cricketers are attracted by big money and this is the reason they are working in India and praising the players a lot. The former right-hand batsman specifically targeted former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar during his conversation with stand-up comedian Vikram Sathaye, Mid-Day reported. “Shoaib has been praising Indian players a lot these days,” exclaimed Sathaye, to which Sehwag reacted: “That is because India main business chahiye (they want business in India). They know
India is a huge market for cricket. If they talk good about Indian cricket, they will get business. Sab paise ka chamatkar hai
yeh (it’s the power of money).” Moreover, Sathaye also mentioned former Pakistan right-arm quickie Rana
Navedul Hasan. “Rana Naved is also talking a lot of good things about our cricket,” remarked Sathaye, to which Sehwag said: “He may be taking a cue from Shoaib, hoping that Star Sports or someone will pick him. You see all these former Pakistani cricketers want some business from India.” Furthermore, Sehwag said that his kids would always tease him if they ever lost to Pakistan. “My kids would tease me a lot if we lost to Pakistan,” recalled Sehwag. “They would be worried about their friends teasing them the next day in school. So, imagine the pressure on me from my kids when I used to bat.”
Spurs denied as Sanchez rescues 10-man Arsenal LONDON AGENCIES
Alexis Sanchez salvaged a point for 10man Arsenal and denied Tottenham Hotspur the chance to go top of the Premier League after a pulsating north London derby ended in a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane on Saturday. Aaron Ramsey’s first-half goal put Arsene Wenger’s side ahead, but the dismissal of Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin in the 55th minute shifted the game in Spurs’ favour, with Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane putting the hosts ahead. However, the visitors showed impressive determination to recover through Sanchez’s 76th-minute effort to revive their faltering title challenge. It was leaders Leicester City who were the main beneficiaries, though, with Spurs now two points behind Claudio Ranieri’s side, who face Watford later on Saturday, while the draw left Arsenal five points off the top. Wenger acknowledged the importance attached to this game when he admitted beforehand, it was one of the most significant north
London derbies he has been involved in. And while the outcome was vital to both teams, there was little doubt Arsenal came into the clash facing more questions about their ability to sustain their title challenge. The midweek home loss to Swansea City, coming on the back of the disappointing defeat at Manchester United, had drawn criticism of Wenger and his players, but their fightback with 10 men at least temporarily answered the doubters. Wenger reacted to the Swansea loss by making four changes to his starting line-up, with David Ospina replacing the injured Petr Cech in goal and Kieran Gibbs coming in for Nacho Monreal at left-back. In midfield, the manager introduced Mohamed Elneny for his first Premier League start, while Wenger’s frustrations at his side’s recent efforts up front prompted his decision to start with Danny Welbeck. Tottenham had also gone into the game on the back of a defeat the 1-0 loss at West Ham United that prevented them moving to the head of the table but there had been no suggestion of a growing crisis at White Hart Lane.
China claims 2-0 Davis Cup lead, Zhang Ze and Wu Di succeed China secured a 2-0 lead over Pakistan in a Davis Cup tie on Friday, with Zhang Ze and Wu Di emerging as the victors in both matches on the first day of the international tennis event in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo. Zhang convincingly defeated 36-year-old Aqeel Khan 6-4, 6-2 and 6-2 in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group 1 tie opening match to get an early lead. Due to security concerns, the match was staged in Sri Lanka, instead of Pakistan. Khan, who reached his career high singles ranking of world No. 349 on October 4, 2004, fought hard, succeeded in claiming the third and fourth games of the first set. However, Zhang, 25, went on to win the last two sets of the match that lasted for an hour and 52 minutes. Zhang is currently ranked as the world No. 195 in the singles and No. 388 in the doubles rankings. He was born in Nanjing, China and started tennis at the age of six. He plays right handed and is currently being coached by Sweden’s Joakim Nystrom. Current world No. 172 Wu Di beat Yasir Khan, who is the younger brother of Zhang’s opponent Aqeel. Khan put on an a strong effort against the Chinese tennis ace, but failed to notch a victory for his country even after winning the first set of the match 6-3. Wu rallied strongly in the second set, and evened the score 6-1. He eventually overwhelmed the Pakistani in the third set at 6-4 to claim the match. Meanwhile in Melbourne, world No. 20 Bernard Tomic of Australia also beat American Jack Sock 7-6 (2), 6-3, 3-6, 64 on Friday after John Isner gave the US the lead with a 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2 win over Sam Groth on grass at Kooyong. SportS DESk
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INDIAN GROUP THREATENS TO DIG UP PITCH AT VENUE OF INDOPAK WORLD T20 MATCH NEWS DESK An Indian group has threatened to dig up the pitch of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala to protest Pakistan’s cricket team participation in the World Twenty20 fixture against India on March 19, according to India’s NDTV. The All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), led by former minister Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, said on Friday that it would dig up Dharamsala stadium’s pitch to protest Pakistan’s participation. “If the Pakistan team comes to Dharamsala to play against Indian cricket team, we will dig out the pitch in HPCA [Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association] stadium,” said the national president of the AIATF, Virender Shandilya. “There is a high risk that Pakistani terrorists can enter the area during the match and if Himachal Pradesh government allows the tie, it will be the disrespect towards the martyrs of Pathankot and Pampore,” warned Shandilya. He claimed to have written letters to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the home minister to lodge a protest, as well as Himachal Pradesh chief minister and the leader of the opposition. Radical groups have called for Pakistan to cricket with India in the recent past. In 1999 protesters from Shiv Sena dug up the pitch in Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla stadium just before India snapped cricketing ties with Pakistan to protest against a tour by Pakistan, though the game was unaffected. In 2004, Pakistan’s religious parties promised India a trouble-free tour while Shiv Sena opposed the series In 2012, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) said India should refuse to host the tour until Pakistan brought to justice the masterminds behind the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead. Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh said Sunday that the match should be moved to another venue out of respect for the “martyrs” killed in the assault by militants on an Indian air force base in neighbouring Punjab. He threatened not to provide security for Pakistan’s players at the venue in the scenic Himalayan town. While Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday ordered Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali to ‘send a team to India’ to assess measures adopted for Pakistan cricketers’ security for the World T20. A final decision on whether Pakistan’s cricket team will fly to India will be made after a report is submitted by the ‘security team’, said the statement. Pakistan kick off their World T20 campaign at Kolkata before they travel to Dharamsala for the high-profile encounter with arch-rivals India.
PAF HOLDS CHIEF OF AIR STAFF VETERANS GOLD CHAMPIONSHIP LAHORE StAFF rEport
Chief of the Air Staff Veterans’ Golf Championship-2016 was held at Lahore Garrison Golf & Country Club (LGG & C Club). Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, was the Chief Guest at the prize distribution ceremony. While speaking at the occasion, the Air Chief said that these sporting event manifest PAF continued commitment and resolve for the promotion of sports in general and golf in particular. He further said that PAF is now looking to extend its golfing facilities around the country with an 18 hole golf course in Lahore. He also thanked the organizers and sponsors for arranging such an excellent event for the veterans of Pakistan Air Force. The Chief Guest awarded trophies and prizes to the winners. In the seniors’ category, Air Vice Marshal Shahid Alvi, Air Marshal Abdul Rehman Lodhi and Air Vice Marshal Imran Khalid took away the first, second and third net prizes respec-
tively, while first, second and third gross prizes were picked up by Air Marshal Ashfaq Araain, Air Vice Marshal Tahir Ranjha and Air Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan. The prize for max par was lifted by Air Vice Marshal Haseeb Paracha and prize for maximum birdies was won by Air Vice Marshal Javad Saeed. In the amateur category, Group Captain Raja Amir Khurshid, Wing Commander Sohail Akhtar and Air Commodore Fawad Younas picked up the first, second and third net prizes while first, second and third gross prizes were taken away by Group Captain Mustafa Niazi, Air Commodore Qaiser Janjua and Wing Commander Amjad Khalil Faizi respectively. The prize for the longest drive was won by Air Commodore Tariq Zaheer and nearest to pin by Wing Commander Jawad Afzal. The prize for max par was lifted by Wing Commander Mesam Abbas and prize for maximum birdies was won by Group Captain Tanveer Yousaf. In the guest category, Major General Umer Farooq Barki, Major Gen-
eral Haider Javed and Major General Akram Sahi picked up the first, second and third net prizes while first, second and third gross prizes were taken away by Lieutenant General Sadiq Ali, Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam and Abdul Majeed Chaudhry respectively. The prize for the longest drive was won by Lieutenant Colonel Yousaf Barullah and nearest to pin by Brigadier Shahid Wahab Rao. The prize for max par was lifted by Salman Shehzad and prize for maximum birdies was won by Brigadier Zia-ur-Rehman. In the veterans’ category, Wing Commander (r) Umer Khan, Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Azam Khan and Group Captain (Retd.) Shahid Malik won the first, second and third net prizes, while the prizes for first, second and third gross went to Air Commodore (Retd.) Rana Sohail Asghar, Wing Commander (Retd.) Tariq Baloch and Air Commodore (Retd.) Amjad Ali respectively. The longest drive was hit by Wing Commander (r) Zahid Qureshi and closest to pin by Air Marshal (r) Rashid Kamal. The prize for max par was lifted
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by Air Chief Marshal (r) Tanvir Mehmood Ahmed and prize for maximum birdies was won by Group Captain (r) Mushtaq Kiyani. CAS Veterans Golf Championship
is an annual fixture, which aims at offering an opportunity to the serving PAF golfers to interact with their veteran counterparts and to promote healthy sports activities.