Latest news with #GreenShirts
Express Tribune
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Palestine stun Pakistan 5-4 in dramatic West Asia Baseball Championship final
Listen to article Palestine clinched a historic victory over defending champions Pakistan, winning the final of the West Asia Baseball Championship 5-4 in extra innings after a dramatic contest on Wednesday. The high-stakes final, held in Karaj, Iran was level at 4-4 after nine innings. Palestine managed the decisive run in the tenth to lift the regional title for the first time. Team Palestine walk it off bottom of the 10th. Final score Pakistan loss 4-5- Congratulations team Palestine, a well deserved winner. — Pakistan Federation Baseball 🇵🇰⚾️ (@pakbaseball) May 21, 2025 Palestine took control early, scoring one run in the first inning and three more in the third to take a 4-0 lead. Pakistan responded with a run in the fourth and another in the fifth to reduce the deficit to 4-2. Palestine answered back immediately, adding a run in the bottom of the fifth. However, Pakistan mounted a late comeback, scoring twice in the ninth to tie the game and force an extra inning. Despite the momentum, the Green Shirts failed to score in the tenth inning. Palestine capitalised, sealing the game with a decisive run to claim a nail-biting win. Today's bad news we lost the West Asia Cup but we still qualified for Asian Championship. Good news we will be back at the full strength. Pakistan's favourite Amaan Khan is back in September for Asian Championship. Sep 22-29. China — Pakistan Federation Baseball 🇵🇰⚾️ (@pakbaseball) May 21, 2025 Earlier in the third-place playoff, hosts Iran defeated India to secure the bronze. Pakistan had enjoyed a dominant run leading up to the final. They topped Group B, beating Bangladesh 10-6, shutting out Iran 14-0, and routing arch-rivals India 14-1 in the semifinals.
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Asia Cup hockey under cloud after Pahalgam terror attack
The men's hockey Asia Cup, a 2026 FIH World Cup qualifier, is under cloud as Pakistan's participation in the tournament, to be held in Bihar, is uncertain following the Pahalgam terror attacks. Earlier this month, Hockey India had confirmed that Pakistan would travel across the border for the continental championship along with South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japan. However, in the aftermath of the terror attack, which claimed 26 lives and injured many more, the Indian government on Thursday ordered Pakistani nationals to leave the country and revoked visas. The move puts a question mark on Pakistan's presence at the Asia Cup, which is set to be held in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 29 to September 7. Asked if the matches involving Pakistan will be played at a neutral venue or whether they will be permitted to compete, a Hockey India source said they will 'wait and see how the situation evolves over the next few months'. 'It is too early for us to take any call. But one thing is clear, we will follow the government's policy, whatever it may be,' the source said. The Asia Cup assumes high significance as it is a World Cup qualifier, with the winner earning a direct spot for next year's mega-event that will be co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium. India and Pakistan are seeking their fourth continental title, with South Korea — also the defending champions — winning the competition five times, more than any other country. Not just the Asia Cup, Pakistan's under-23 team is also scheduled to compete in the FIH Junior World Cup, which will be held in Chennai and Madurai towards the end of the year. It isn't uncommon for Pakistan's hockey team to travel to India for tournaments. In the last decade alone, the Green Shirts have made the trip across the border three times — for the 2014 Champions Trophy, 2018 World Cup and 2021 Junior World Cup. In 2023, Pakistan's football team played the South Asian Championship in India whereas India's tennis players made the trip to Islamabad last year for the Davis Cup. The frequent tours undertaken by teams from both countries are unlike the situation in cricket, where India and Pakistan have agreed to play matches involving them at neutral venues in ICC events held in either country.
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Even worse
Listen to article A near whitewash (4-1) in the T20I series is followed by a total whitewash (3-0) in the ODI series. Even the return of senior players like Babar Azam, Muhammad Rizwan and Naseem Shah – all of whom were dropped from the T20I squad – failed to make any difference as Green Shirts were decimated by Black Caps, the hosts, in the three-match ODI series. With this victory, New Zealand have now won all of the six ODIs they have played against Pakistan in the ongoing year. Just a look at the New Zealand victory margin in the three ODIs – 73 runs, 84 runs and 43 runs – is enough to expose the plight of Team Pakistan. Skipper Rizwan failed to extract any advantage from the toss that he won in all the three games. Pakistan think-tank tried different combinations – mixing seasoned players with newcomers – in both batting and bowling, but nothing worked. Babar Azam did score two fifties, but neither helped the team romp home. Runs in the lost cause has, quite frequently, been the case with the former captain. However, fifties by Faheem Ashraf (78 off 80 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes) and Naseem Shah (51 off 44 with 4 fours and 4 sixes) – both coming in the second ODI – demonstrate the kind of potential in both that genuine all-rounders are expected to have. Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mehmood were the last of the genuine all-rounders that our team had. And it's been a long while ago. Pakistan's bowling, meanwhile, remained pretty ordinary, with none of the newcomers – Akif Javed, Mohammad Ali, Ifran Khan Niazi and Sufiyan Meqeem – or the longtime campaigners coming up with a match-winning performance. Coming up next – from April 11 – is PSL. Sadly though, the PSL has failed to do to Pakistan cricket what the IPL has done to the Indian cricket.
Express Tribune
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Near whitewash
Listen to article Lost by 9 wickets (with 59 balls remaining); lost by 5 wickets (with 11 balls remaining); won by 9 wickets (with 24 balls remaining); lost by 115 runs; and lost by 8 wickets (with 60 balls remaining). This is how a new-look Pakistan under a new skipper, Salman Ali Agha, fared in the recently concluded T20I series against New Zealand in New Zealand. Team Pakistan lost the series 4-1 — a near whitewash. But what rubs salt into the wound is that all the four games that the Green Shirts lost were one-sided affairs. New Zealand's victory margin in all four games and the number of balls remaining are enough to prove the visitors' helplessness. The only consolation came in the third game when newcomer Hasan Nawaz smashed a 44-ball hundred, the fastest by any Pakistani player in a T20 international. Instantly labelled as the 'next big thing', the 23-year-old, however, also clinched an unwanted record — most ducks (three) by a Pakistani opener in a T20I series. Nawaz's score line of 0, 0, 105, 1 and 0 reflects the typical inconsistency that our players, and the team, are notorious for. The coaching staff and computer analysts should look for what is lacking in the technique of this exciting new talent, and then work on the weaknesses. Skipper Salman Ali Agha, with two 50s and a score in the 40s, also showed much promise. Return of Saim Ayub, who was out of the team due to injury, will help Pakistan think tank to come up with a good batting combination featuring budding stars. Senior players like Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan (who made a comeback to the T20 squad, and that too as vice-captain) remained a disappointment. It's enigmatic to see such world class players failing to make a difference with their presence in the team. With Team Pakistan now going into the three-match ODI series from March 29 to April 5 one can only hope that the outcome is not as bad.
Express Tribune
10-03-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Ruvina, Muneeb in final round of cross-country 100m
Pakistan's snowshoeing athlete Ali Raza (R) participates in the Unified Sports Experience Relay Race at the 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin on Monday. PHOTO: SOP On the second day of the 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games, being held in Turin, Itay, Pakistan's Ruvina Qurban and Muneeb ur Rehman participated in the divisional round of the cross-country 100-meter race and qualified for the final round, which will be held on March 15. Tomorrow, they will compete in the 50-meter divisional race. Meanwhile, Pakistan's snowshoeing athlete Ali Raza participated in the Unified Sports Experience Relay Race, where he was paired with other unified and special athletes and secured second place. Pakistan's snowshoeing team will compete in the 200-meter and 800-meter divisional rounds tomorrow. Additionally, athletes from Chinese Taipei sang Pakistan's national song Dil Dil Pakistan while heading to the venue with the Pakistani athletes. Pakistani special athletes participated in intensive training sessions on Sunday in preparation for the 12th Special Olympics World Winter Games. Earlier on Monday, national athletes Afaaq Khan, Moazzam Iqbal, Shah Guloon, Iqra, Tabassum, Ali Raza, and Manahil, who are participating in the Snowshoeing competitions, had their training session scheduled for BBC correspondent Joe Wilson, who is present at the Pregelato venue, met with the Pakistani athletes. He extended his best wishes for the event and said, "I welcome the Pakistan team to the 2025 World Winter Games. I have traveled to Pakistan several times for cricket coverage, but I am delighted to see the Green Shirts competing in the World Winter Games." Special Olympics World Winter Games Turin 2025 is hosting 1,500 athletes from 100 countries, along with 1,000 coaches, 2,000 volunteers, around 100 youth leaders, 500 representatives from media organizations, and over 1,300 guests. At the Opening Ceremony the 2025 Special Olympics World Games President Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo said, "Organizing this event presents an extraordinary opportunity for Turin, and indeed for all of Italy, to respect diversity, overcome challenges, and foster a positive social attitude. It highlights the determination, hard work, and talent of intellectually diverse athletes and promotes a culture of sharing and living together. The Special Olympics greatly contribute to building an inclusive society, recognizing and supporting intellectually diverse youth and citizens through sports, thereby creating a brighter future." Held under the Special Olympics athlete oath, "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt," the Games are attended by officials including Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth of Mongolia Nomin Chinbat and Director of Foreign Relations, Information, and Technology Department at the Physical Culture and Sports Authority of Mongolia Oyunbat Nasanbat.
