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wednesday, 25 January, 2012
Sports 19
bENAzir bHUTTO WOMEN’S CriCKET CHAllENgE TrOPHy
ZTBL stun favourites Punjab to clinch title
LAHoRe: The ZTBL team, winners of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Cricket Challenge Trophy, with PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf while (R) the players in action during the final of the tournament. nADEEM ijAz LAHORE
Z
STAFF RepoRT
TBL ladies grabbed a big 93 runs win over one of the favourites Punjab to lift the inaugural 1st Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Women’s Cricket Challenge Trophy here at the Gaddafi Stadium. ZTBL skipper Nida Dai played a leading role in her team’s win by leading from the front. She was not only declared the player of the match but was also named
don't pull shirts off, Barmy Army told ABu DHABI AFp
The Barmy Army fans will not be allowed to pull off their tops while watching the second cricket Test between Pakistan and England starting here from Wednesday. Once the Barmy Army takes the stands, they can enjoy the sun, but cannot take their tops off as the gentle warning already on the fences reads: "Our dress code is very simple, please keep your clothes on." Around 500 Barmy Army fans are here to watch the three-Test series and the number can increase once the four one-day and three Twenty20 matches are played in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Dilawar Mani, the chief executive of Emirates Cricket Board said Barmy Army has been asked to follow dress codes in Abu Dhabi. "We have a strict dress code in Abu Dhabi so we are going to ask the Barmy Army, in a light-hearted way, that people keep shirts on," Mani told AFP, hoping the fans enjoy the best of hospitality on offer. Most of the English fans have reserved places on the mounds on either sides of the ground to enjoy the sun, and Barmy Army Colts tour operator Mark Stears said the fans will follow the rules. "The fans from England will follow and respect the rules," said Stears from St. Albans. "They will not be taking their tops off like they do elsewhere in the world because of the dress code." But the situation was different when the fans were in Dubai for the first Test. "We were allowed to take the tops off in Dubai, maybe they had different dress codes," said Andrew Martin. "But here we have to follow the dress code and the cold here will make it difficult to take the tops off." The Gulf States of Dubai and Abu Dhabi had rare windy weather, with temperatures dropping as low as nine degree over the past two days. Stears said fans have enjoyed the Gulf visit. "It is rare that the Barmy Army travels to this part of the world which is not known for cricket," said Stears of the United Arab Emirates, to where the series was shifted over security fears in Pakistan.
the best player of the tournament and in all she earned a total purse of Rs 35,000 for her efforts as in the final - Rs 10,000 and her entire tournament’s performance got her Rs 25,000. In the final, ZTBL opted to bat first and hammered 174 runs for the loss of four wickets and Nida with her 64 runs innings and Qainta Jalil with 50 runs were the main contributors. Nida took just 47 balls to reach her 64 which was laced with nine hits off the ropes while Qainta also hit the same number of boundaries.
Marium Hasan Shah (Federal Capital) was named the best batswoman, Sana Mir (ZTBL) best bowler, Arman Khan (Balochistan) best fielder Sidra Nawaz (Federal Capital) best wicketkeeper and Qanita Jalil (ZTBL) best all rounder and all of them were awarded Rs. 10,000 each. PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf was the chief guest of the prize distribution ceremony and presented the shields and trophies to the players and other performers of the tournament. Mres Bushra Aitzaz, chairperson PCB women wing and other
In their efforts, Punjab could reach just 81 runs and in the process lost just five wickets. Ayesha Qazi with 52 was the highest scorer from Punjab. Faryal Awan remained not out at 18 and other than Ayesah and Faryal none of the other players played any suitable role. Sana Mir, Bishmah Maroof and Asmavia Iqbal dented the Punjab batting line-up with their to the line bowling that got ZTBL the trophy and Rs 100,000 win bonus. Punjab however, received Rs 50,000 and the runners-up trophy.
pFF Talent Acceleration Referee’s Course concludes KHANEwAL STAFF RepoRT
The PFF Talent Acceleration Referee’s Course-2012 concluded on Tuesday here at Khanewal. PFF Secretary General Lt. Col ® Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi TI (M) was the chief guest at the certificate distribution ceremony. PFF Director Competition and Youth Development Wing Cmdr ® Pervaiz Saeed Mir was also present on this occasion. Speaking on the occasion the PFF secretary said: “This course will play a vital role as planned by PFF President’s Faisal Saleh Hayat’s to strengthen the refereeing cell of the federation. The five-day course under famous referee instructors will enable the 24 participants to take this challenge. Before advent of Faisal, there were seldom any courses but now the PFF arranges such courses at frequent intervals and it is first of the fifth in this regard,” said PFF secretary said. The Punjab Football Association arranged PFF Talent Acceleration Referee’s Course from January 20-24 at Khanewal on behalf of the PFF, during which participants from various districts of Punjab and top Lahore-based organizational teams turned up. The course was conducted by Mr. Naveed Bashir Butt as Technical Instructor.
KHAnewAL PFF secretary Col (r) AHmed yar Lodhi and other PFF officials during the concluding ceremony of the Talent Acceleration Referee's Course-2012. pR Rauf Bari acted as Technical Fitness Instructor and Mian Abdul Bari, Course Coordinator. Lodhi further said that to be successful as a referee one should always be open to new ideas. It’s now easier than ever to become a qualified football referee as compare to the 70s and 80s. By getting on the refereeing ladder, individuals have the opportunity to progress through the various PFF Refereeing qualifications while constantly enhancing their skills and knowledge Later Lodhi gave certificates to Muhammad Ahmed Rauf (Khanewal), Hunain Rasheed (Jahanian), Muhammad Najeeb Sarwar (Sargodha), Asad Ali (Faisalabad), Raja Zubair Shakir
(Rajanpur), Muhammad Yasir Iqbal (Sahiwal), Muhammad Adnan Maqbool (Khanewal), Muhammad Shoaib Khan (Mianwali), Muhammad Husban Ehsan (Mianwali), Arbab Ali Gohar (Nankana), Sajjad Ali (Toba Tek Singh), Naveed Arshad (Faisalabad), Muhammad Islam (Toba Tek Singh), Muhammad Faheem Latif (Khanewal), Muhammad Latif (Kasur), Bilal Fareed Sabana (Sahiwal), Waseem Shafique (Vehari), Muhammad Afzal (Lahore), Muhammad Asad Khan (Lahore), Nawazish Ali (Lahore), Muhammad Ahsan (Lahore), Bilawal Khan (Sialkot), Muhammad Shehraiz Tariq (Dera Ghazi Khan) and Muhammad Umer (Faisalabad).
board officials were also present on the occasion. Scores: ZTBL – 174-4 in 20 overs: (nida dar 64, 47 balls, 9x4s, Qanita Jalil 50, 37 balls, 9x4s, Javeria wadood namra Imran 1-21, Sana Gulzar 1-34, Bakhtawar 1-39) v – Punjab – 81-5 in 20 overs: (Ayesha Qazi 25, 33 balls, 3x4s, Faryal Awan 18*, 36 balls, 2x4s, Sana Mir 212, Bismah Maroof 1-9, Asmavia Iqbal 1-7) Result: ZTBL won by 93 runs Toss: ZTBL Umpires: Kausar Shah & Shakeela Rafiq TV Umpires: Tahir Shah Match Referee: Muhammad Anees official Scorer: Muhammad Arif Sr
national women netball C’ship from Feb 9 LAHORE: The Punjab Netball Association (PNA) is going to organise 10th National Women Netball Championship here at the Lahore University of Management and Sciences (LUMS) from February 6 to 9. PNA secretary Chaudhry Rizwan said this on Tuesday adding that the 10th national championship was awarded to Lahore and in the last executive board meeting, it was decided to hold it in the LUMS. The teams which participating in the event were Army, Wapda, Police, Pak Rangers, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, FATA, Islamabad, Higher Education Commission, LUMS and Lahore Grammar School, he added. “The netball game is improving day by day across the province with the all-out efforts and keen interest of Punjab Netball Association president Syed Shaharyar Ali,” PNA secretary Ch Rizwan concluded. STAFF RepoRT
Pentangular Cup moved to Lahore LAHORE STAFF RepoRT
The Faysal Bank Pentangular Cup First Class Tournament match scheduled to be played from January 25 to 28 at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad has been shifted to Gaddafi Stadium due to unplayable conditions at Iqbal Stadium Faisalabad. The match will now be played from 26th to 29th January 2012.
pakistan’s urban Badland, football offers hope KARACHI ReUTeRS
In the heart of one of Pakistan's most dangerous neighbourhoods in the teeming city of Karachi, football pitches are keeping vulnerable teenagers from joining abundant gangs, kidnappers and extortion rackets. Dozens of hard-scrabble football clubs give youngsters with few chances for education or work the opportunity to get off the streets and even dream of getting a nod to join a national team or a semi-professional club. "There is so much talent in Lyari. It can be a great way of keeping these kids away from drugs and street crime especially if they are well paid and rewarded," said Ya-
coob Baloch, a soccer coach at one of the clubs. Pakistan, a strategic U.S. ally, spends less than 2 percent of its gross domestic product on education which translates into a lack of skills needed to find work for much of the young population of the country of nearly 180 million. Pakistan's police and security forces also lack funds, making it easy for criminals to thrive in Lyari, a densely populated area in Karachi with dilapidated buildings, potholed streets and raw sewage. More than 1,600 people were killed in Karachi last year in either political and sectarian violence or by drug dealers, mafia hitmen and extortionists, marking the worst bloodshed since the army was called in to ease street battles in the 1990s.
But football has proven to be a way out of the chaos for some. "Because of my focus on football, my mind has never wandered off to other things like drugs or violence," said Muneer Aftab, 15, who led Pakistan to victory in the under-16 South Asian Football Federation Championships in 2011, defeating arch-rival India. "Playing football runs in my blood. I just want to play forever." But for people like Aftab, there is only limited time to practice and usually only after being worn down by the daily grind in the sprawling city of 18 million on the Arabian Sea. He wakes up at the crack of dawn to play soccer, goes to school during the day and helps his father who drives a rickshaw along Karachi's chaotic streets, and goes back to the soccer pitch at night.
"I know I am chasing my dream. But it's not easy," said Aftab, well-built, darkskinned and shy. LYARI IS A LITTLE BRAZIL: Football has become a big hit in Lyari, no small feat because cricket is by far the most popular sport in Pakistan. There are 98 registered soccer clubs, 11 football grounds and two stadiums in Lyari, home to over 600,000 people. If a player gets recognised in Lyari, not only the national team comes into sight, but also the chance to play for teams sponsored by corporations and banks that pay players a monthly salary. The National Bank of Pakistan, for instance, gives Aftab 10,000 rupees (71.32 pounds) a month to play in the semi-professional league.