Hockey: Pak moves up to 5th place in Men’s World Rankings SPORTS REPORTER ISLAMABAD—Pakistan leapt from 9th to 5th place in the updated Men’s World Rankings table released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), said the federation’s website on Tuesday. Pakistan became the most improved nation in the top ten by winning the Bronze medal at the Champions Trophy in Melbourne. The Greenshirts had ended eight years of medal drought in the tournament when they overcame India 3-2 in the bronze medal play-off last week. The top four positions held by London 2012 Olympics Gold medallists Germany, Champions Trophy winners Australia, Olympic and Champions Trophy Silver medallists Netherlands and England, remained unchanged. New Zealand continue to hold 6th place ahead of Spain on 7th, Champions Challenge finalists Korea on 8th, Belgium on 9th and Champions Challenge winners Argentina on 10th. Arch-rivals India and Pakistan must stop resisting change in order to reclaim lost glory, former field hockey captain and World Cup star Shahbaz Ahmad has said. Pakistan, four-time World Cup champions, hit rock bottom at the last edition held in New Delhi, finishing last in the 12-team event.
PIA remains on top in NBP Gold Cup with another win L AHORE —Pakistan international airlines consolidated their position in the NBP Gold Cup hockey tournament with another win outplaying Sui Southern Gas Company 6-1 here on Tuesday at outer ground of national hockey stadium. It was airlines third victory out of four matches played so far and they are at top with nine points at points table and their chances for qualifying for the semi finals appear bright. The former national champions led 3-0 at half time by demonstrating higher level of play dominated with collective efforts and most reliable efforts on part of mid field. Airlines dominance was never in danger in the play and they came with full force in both sessions of the play earning their first goal in the 3rd minute through Inyatullah as Nohaiz Malik scored their second goal in the 14th minute with Mohammad Irfan shone with a goal in the 23rd minute goal. The airlines went into the second half with the same spirit of aggressive hockey and constant penetration which led to another set of three goals which dumped SSGC.—APP
Djokovic, Williams crowned ITF world champions P ARIS —Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and US player Serena Williams were on Tuesday announced as this year ’s International Tennis Federation world champions, based on their performances in tournaments throughout 2012. The sport’s governing body also said that US brothers Bob and Mike Bryan were men’s doubles world champions for the ninth time in 10 years, while Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy were the women’s equivalent. Dutch wheelchair tennis legend Esther Vergeer won the title for the 13th year in succession after she won Paralympic singles gold for the fourth Paralympics in a row. Stephane Houdet of France won the men’s award.—AP
India, eight-time Olympic champions, finished the 2010 World Cup on home soil in 8th spot. Neither team reached the semi-finals of the London Olympic Games in August this year. “When the Europeans were changing their style of play, we (India and Pakistan) were stagnant. We should change,” Ahmad said in an interview yesterday. “We should come to modern hockey, we should improve our coaching system. We have to work hard on our grass roots
development programmes,” the 1994 World Cup winning captain added. “Our way of selections have not changed. The things we were doing 20 years back is what we are still doing,” Ahmad lamented. Excerpts from a chat with the Pakistani hockey great. How do you like the idea of World Hockey League introduced by International Hockey Federation (FIH) for lower ranked countries like Qatar? The World Hockey
League is an excellent concept. It is a great chance for smaller nations to come forward and to play and learn from each other. I appreciate the step taken by FIH and Asian Hockey Federation and whoever is involved to empower the smaller nations. A number of Pakistan-born players are playing for the local club Shabab Qatar and now are playing for Qatar in the World Hockey League. Was it a wise decision by them to move to Qatar?
CDA holds climbing competitions to mark Int’l Mountain Day ISLAMABAD—Capital Development Authority (CDA) Tourism Division on Tuesday organized the 5th consecutive climbing competitions in collaboration with Ibex Club and Adventure Club here at Rawal Lake View Park. The climbing event held to mark the International Mountain Day and was supervised by the Sports Climbing Association. Chairman CDA, Syed Tahir Shahbaz was the chief guest of the adventurous festivity, which was participated by members of CDA Board. Speaking on the occasion, he said that the International Mountain Day was an opportunity to highlight the importance of mountains in human life as well as the opportunities and resources blessed by the nature in form of these mountains. Pakistan is lucky to have major mountain peaks of the world. These peaks are not only the source of water to irrigate our crops but also add serenity and beauty to the natural environment of the country, he added. He underlined the need to promote mountain sport to raise awareness about the conservation of the moun-
tains and other natural resources to the benefit of mankind. The thrilling competitions at Rawal Lake View Park were participated by various clubs, schools, colleges and universities. Students with active participation in the competition were, Roots School System, Beacon House School, City School, Froebels, Fatima Jinnah Women University. NUST (NUST Adventure Club), International Islamic University, Quaid-e-Azam University and climbers from various clubs. Pak Turk School Peshawar, City School Mardan, Nusrat Jahan Inter College Chenab Nagar and Fairy Meadows teams participated from other cities. The competition started on Monday with various categories of boys, while girls competitions were held on today (Tuesday) and after tough competitions in under 12, under 15 and under 18 years age categories, the final competition of girls and boys (senior category) was held on the arrival of the guest of honour for the evening, Chairman CDA, Syed Tahir Shahbaz. Chairman CDA and other
dignitaries enjoyed the thrilling competitions and appreciated the performance of climbers. Chairman CDA also lauded the efforts of Adventure Club Pakistan to organize the competition successfully and to promote the daring activity for the youth of the country. He commended the contribution of the club to provide facility of an international standard climbing wall, which can help produce climbers of national and international level. He assured full support to help develop climbing sites and venues for the promotion of the activity. In girls competition, Hanna Khan got first position, Aleeza Khan stood second, whereas Maira Khan and Palwasha both secured third position. President Adventure Club Pakistan, Tahir Imran Khan congratulated all position holders and announced a two-day complimentary training course and one month free climbing practice in climbing arena on behalf of Ibex Club. He also announced to hold the next mega competition on International Women Day on March 8.—APP
FATA Olympic Association awards cash prizes to medal winners PESHAWAR—FATA Olympic Association Tuesday awarded cash incentives to the medal winners of National Wushu Championship here at FATA Olympic Secretariat, Qayyum Sports Complex. Former International hockey player and Senior Vice President of FATA Olympic Association Imtiaz Afridi was the chief guest on this occasion. Secretary FATA Olympic Association Shahid Khan Shinwari, Secretary FATA Rugby Association Noor Aslam Afridi, Secretary FATA Wushu Association Amin Jan, Secretary FATA Karate Association Abdul Samad Afridi, Event Manager at Directorate of Sports FATA, players and spectators were also present. In the National Wushu Championship held at Qayyum Sports Complex under the aegis of Pakistan Wushu Federation and with the collaboration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wushu Associatio. Two members of FATA Abdul Samad and Salim won bronze medals in the Championship and was awarded Rs. 5000 cash prize each. Speaking on this occasion, Imtiaz Afridi said that despite poor financial position of the FATA Olympic Association it regularly honoring the players for their performances. He said President FATA Olympic Association Engr. Shaukat Ullah have clear instruction to award cash prizes to those win medals in the National Championship. He said recently the FOA also awarded cash reward to those won medals in the Pakistan Youth Games and the medalists of 8th National JuJitsu Championship. Imtiaz Afridi said that all efforts would be taken to facilitate the players so that they could show better result at national and international levels. He said currently camps of FATA Olympic Association are continued in 12 different Games. Imtiaz Afridi said that awarding cash incentives would certainly encourage more and more players to come with good performances. Imtiaz Afridi and Secretary FATA Wushu Association Amin Jan thanked Secretary Shahid Khan Shinwari for quickly responded over the performance of Punjab Youth Games, Ju-jitsu and Wushu.—APP
Misbah wants Afridi for India tour K ARACHI —The naming of Pakistan’s Twenty20 and ODI squads for this month’s tour to India was not without disagreements as the selectors overruled captain Misbah-ul-Haq while axing experienced all-rounder Shahid Afridi for the series. The selectors also came under pressure to select opener Imran Nazir and some other players but stuck to their guns to give a chance to the outstanding performers in the ongoing domestic season. “Misbah who captains the one-day squad wanted Afridi in the squad at the cost of Umar Akmal but the selectors rejected his suggestion,” The PTI quoted a source as saying. “Misbah`s argument was that Afridi remains a match winning player despite being out of form and his experience would count for a lot in India under pressure and secondly that his presence would put pressure on the Indian side given his past performances,” the source said. But the source said the selectors insisted on keeping Afridi out of the one-day squad saying they wanted to rebuild the one-day team keeping in mind the next World Cup. “Misbah`s argument was also that since they had retained Afridi in the T20 squad he should also be given a chance in the ODI squad,” the source said. In the selection of the T20 squad, there was plenty of outside pressure to retain opener Imran Nazir who struggled for form in the World T20 Cup in Sri Lanka few months back.
“There were people who wanted the selectors to give Nazir another chance but the selectors insisted they wanted to give a chance to Ahmed Shahzad,” the source said. Another source stated that the selectors had also conveyed to Afridi that the two T20 matches in India would be crucial for his future as a Pakistan team member. Interestingly, there was not much debate on the ouster of either senior allrounder Abdul Razzaq or fast bowler Mohammad Sami. “In Razzaq`s case it appears as if he has been pun-
ished for having made the public comments about Hafeez`s captaincy after the team returned from Sri Lanka,” the source said. But a source close to the selectors said the idea behind dropping Razzaq was to start grooming a younger player for the future. “That is why Asad Ali has been chosen as he is a good medium pacer and capable batsman and performed well in the recent national T20 championship taking 15 wickets.” Asad also hails from Faisalabad the hometown of both the national captains, Hafeez and Misbah.—INP
Hughes confident of Test runs
S YDNEY —Australian batsman Phil Hughes said Tuesday he has put his disappointing last Test performance behind him and is confident a year of work will pay off when he takes on Sri Lanka this week. Hughes returns to the Test arena at Hobart’s Bellerive Oval, where he played his last Test in December 2011 and scored just 24 runs in two innings against New Zealand. “This is the ground where things probably didn’t pan out perfectly on a personal note,” he told journalists in Hobart. “Twelve months down the track, I feel like I’m in a better place now.” Hughes, who turned 24 last month, was last week handed a second chance in the Australian team after veteran Ricky Ponting retired. He has been in solid form in domestic cricket and appears to have satisfied selectors that he has overcome technical issues which made him vulnerable to the rising ball and led to his axing in the past. “I feel like I’ve done a lot of work,” said Hughes, who has 17 Tests to his name. “I knew I had to make sacrifices along the way and that was definitely one, to pull out of the Twenty20 comp LARKANA: Players of Islamabad and WAPDA teams in action during Shaheed last year, to work on my techMohtarama Benazir Bhutto National Ranking Badminton Championship 2012 at offic- nique and become a better ers club organized by Sindh Badminton Association. player.”—AFP
DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA: Scott Jamieson of Scotland poses with the trophy after winning The Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa after a three way play-off against Steve Webster of England and Eduardo de la Riva of Spain at Royal Durban Golf Club.
Nimbalkar didn’t show anger or loud reaction when he was denied a chance to break Don Bradman’s world record BIPIN DANI OBSERVER CORRESPONDENT MUMBAI—Bhausaheb Badasaheb (B.B.) Nimbalkar didn’t show anger or any loud reaction when he was denied to break Don Bradman’s then world record score of 452 runs, this was revealed by Madhu Rege. Speaking exclusively from his Pune residence, Madhu Rege, possibly the only alive member of the Maharashtra team, said, “Yes, Nimbalkar felt sorry for it but didn’t show anger or reacted strongly despite it was certainly against the spirit of the
Gentlemen”s game. In 1948/49, playing for Maharashtra against Kathiawar at Pune, Nimbalkar made 443 not out, but he was unable to break the record because, with the total standing at 826 for 4 at the lunch interval, the Kathiawar side conceded the match. Rege was not aware about the fact that Bradman sent a personal letter to Nimbalkar saying that he considered Nimbalkar’s innings better than his own. “Our captain, Raja Gokhale went to the opposite team members and requested them to allow Nimbalkar to score those ten runs, but they didn’t listen to the ad-
vice”, Rege added. According to Vasu Paranjape, one member of the Kathiawad team, who was the owner of then one sports goods shop in Matunga told to his players to hire cabs and leave for Pune station immediately so that Nimbalkar is deprived of the world record. “I was told this by the same player, who is no more now”, Vasu Paranjape said. Had BB Nimbalkar, aged 92, died on Wednesday, instead of Tuesday, he would have been in line with the West Indies’ Keith Boyce, who died (October 11, 1996) on the same day of his birth (October 11, 1943).