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Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pak-India doubles pair light up ITF event in Nigeria
The International Tennis Federation World Tennis Tours Junior does not get much attention but the event in Abuja, Nigeria attracted global recognition with the girls doubles event featuring a pair from Pakistan and India, learnt on Friday. The teenage girls partnered in the doubles event with the ITF projecting it as 'sports unite nation' theme amidst the recent tension between the South Asian neighbours. The two countries have fought three wars since independence from the British rule in 1947, with bilateral sporting ties on a halt. Only a few and far between sporting encounters happen between the two countries, with cricket the most hit sport. Amidst the tension, the latest tennis partnership of the two girls reminds of the Rohan Bopanna men's doubles partnership with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan for several years, with the pair known as the IndoPak Express. They were runners-up at the 2010 US Open Doubles event. Pakistan's Soha Ali and India's Sidhak Kaur, secured their spot in the girls' doubles semifinal after a 6-3, 6-5 victory over Nigerian pair of Fego Aiyetoma and Tolu Vyashi in straight sets, winning with a score of 6-3, 6-4. The victory got wide coverage in Nigeria and Pakistan with media outlets vying for interviews. On Thursday night, the Indo-Pak pairing lost to Goodnews Aina and Success Ogunjobi of Nigeria by a score line of 2-6, 2-6 in the semi finals, ending their chance of a title finish. Aisam showed happiness at the Indo-Pak partnership. 'As a player and President of Pakistan Tennis Federation, I really felt great that our Soha partnered with Sidhak in the ITF event," Aisam told 'I have always said that sports should be kept apart from political barriers. Sports unite people and that's the beauty of it." 'I have partnered with Rohan and other Indian players and got huge respect and friendship, because our culture is the same. I truly believe sports is a platform to achieve better relations.' Kaur is said to be the grand niece of gold winning Olympian Surinder Singh Sodhi who played a phenomenal role in India clinching Field Hockey Gold at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. The ITF allows players to choose their partners after a discussion before the event. Both the players did not speak to the media over fears of a backlash in their respective countries.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Salman Agha tipped to become Pakistan's all-format captain
Salman Agha is all set to become Pakistan's all-format national cricket team skipper after impressing selectors and new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, sources told The 31-year-old was appointed Twenty20 international skipper for the Zimbabwe leg of the tour to give regular skipper Mohammad Rizwan rest but Salman has impressed with his clarity of thoughts and resolve in the short period. "Salman has been impressive in the opinions of the selection committee, new head coach Hesson and, above all, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi. All are on the same page that he should be the all-format captain," said the sources. A decision is likely to be announced after the Eid holidays. The decision means ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan has lost favours with the PCB and the selection committee in which the strongest influence is that of Aaqib Javed, added sources. Rizwan was at the loggerheads with Aaqib on the tour of New Zealand where Pakistan lost the ODI series. Rizwan publically criticised lack of authority as skipper in matters of selection on the New Zealand tour. Pakistan lost the ODI series in New Zealand 3-0 which came on the back of a disastrous Champions Trophy 2025 tournament at home where the team crashed out in the first round. Test skipper Shan Masood was also tipped to be sacked after Pakistan lost nine out of 12 Tests under his captaincy since December 2023. Masood's worst phase was a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, Pakistan's first loss against the lowly ranked team. Pakistan also drew a relatively easier series against the West Indies 1-1 last year. That defeat left Pakistan on the ninth and last position of the World Test Championship's third cycle. They finished fifth and seventh in the first two WTC cycles. "Masood's captaincy was unimpressive and timid, so he was destined to lose captaincy. Moreover, Masood's own performance was poor so Salman will also take over from him," the sources said. Pakistan's next tour is of Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series with matches on July 20, 22 and 24. Pakistan then play five T20Is against the West Indies in USA and the Caribbean. As for the Tests, Pakistan hosts South Africa for a two-match Test series in October. In the WTC fourth cycle (2025-2027) Pakistan will also host Sri Lanka and New Zealand while their away series are in Bangladesh, the West Indies and England.
India.com
4 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
This star player likely to become Pakistan Cricket Team's all-format captain, his name is...
Salman Ali Agha with his teammates. (PIC - X) New Delhi: Salman Agha is all set to become Pakistan's all-format national cricket team skipper after impressing selectors and new white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, says a report. According to the 31-year-old was appointed Twenty20 international skipper for the Zimbabwe leg of the tour to give regular skipper Mohammad Rizwan rest, but Salman has impressed with his clarity of thought and resolve in the short period. 'Salman has been impressive in the opinions of the selection committee, new head coach Hesson and, above all, the chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board Mohsin Naqvi. All are on the same page that he should be the all-format captain,' quoted as saying. A decision is likely to be announced after the Eid holidays, by next week. The decision means ODI skipper Mohammad Rizwan has lost favours with the PCB and the selection committee in which the strongest influence is that of Aaqib Javed. Rizwan was at loggerheads with Aaqib on the tour of New Zealand where Pakistan lost the ODI series. Rizwan publically criticized lack of power in selection on the New Zealand tour. Pakistan lost the ODI series in New Zealand 3-0 which came on the back of a disastrous Champions Trophy from which the team crashed out in the first round. Test skipper Shan Masood was also tipped to be sacked after Pakistan lost nine out of 12 Tests under his captaincy since December 2023. Masood's worst phase was a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Bangladesh, Pakistan's first loss against the lowly ranked team. Pakistan also drew a relatively easier series against the West Indies 1-1 last year. That defeat left Pakistan on the ninth and last position of the World Test Championship's third cycle. They finished fifth and seventh in the first two WTC cycles. 'Masood's captaincy was unimpressive and timid, so he was destined to lose captaincy. Moreover, Masood's own performance was poor so Salman will also take over from him,' added Pakistan next tour Bangladesh for a three-match T20I series with matches on July 20, 22 and 24. They then play five T20Is against the West Indies in USA and the Caribbean. As for the Tests, Pakistan hosts South Africa for a two-match Test series in October. In the WTC fourth cycle (2025-2027) Pakistan will also host Sri Lanka and New Zealand while their away series are in Bangladesh, the West Indies and England.
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Pak greats hail 'great superstar' Kohli
Pakistan may not have faced the Indian cricketing great Virat Kohi in any Test match, but praise was showered on him by former greats including Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja and Rashid Latif to hail the Indian maestro's contributions in the longer format of the game. Kohli announced retirement from Test cricket on Monday, ending a glorious 123-Test career spanned over 14 years. His tally includes 68 of them as captain, winning 40 of them – the most by any Indian captain. Kohli scored 9230 runs at an average of 46.85 with 29 hundreds. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram hailed Kohli as one of the modern-day greats. "I have been commentating on the game for the last 21 years and since this time I have not seen a player who has impacted the game of Test cricket more than Virat Kohli," Wasim told "Kohli told the younger players the value of Test cricket, emphasizing that Test cricket is the ultimate. He was a horse for the long race and his fitness, enthusiasm and will to win was outstanding. "He is the best chaser in white-ball cricket and once he leaves the ODI format he will leave as the modern day great. He has written his place in the history books with golden words," said Wasim. Another former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja regretted that Kohli never played against Pakistan. The last Test between the archrivals was in 2007, a year before Kohli's international debut and four years from his first Test. "It's a pity that he never played against Pakistan because Kohli would have revved up the emotions like nobody's business! The guy leaves with an unparalleled legacy," said Raja, also a former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman. Another former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif praised Kohli as the "best." "Kohli was inspirational," said Latif. "He will be remembered as a great player although his record in white-ball cricket is superior. He never played a Test against Pakistan which is a great vacuum in not only his Test career but also in this format of the game."
Express Tribune
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
PSL to continue despite India attacks
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday vowed to continue holding the remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League despite India's attack and further escalation in the hostilities between the two countries. Five matches of the League phase as well as the four play-offs remain in the PSL's tenth edition. Sources told that there are chances that the play-off matches including the final scheduled for Lahore could be shifted to either Karachi or Rawalpindi due to Lahore's close proximity to Indian border. Despite some of the 37 foreign players showing reservation over their security, Pakistan Cricket Board said in a statement the League will continue as schedule with a match between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi. Sources told some of the foreign players especially Australians and New Zealanders have shown reservation over security in the wake of Indian attacks. Sources said some withdrawals of the players are not out of question. 'David Warner, Mitchell Owen, Riley Meredith and Ben Dwarshuis are from Australia while New Zealand's Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Tim Siefert and Kane Williamson are in Pakistan and have shown reservations but PCB have convinced them of foolproof security arrangements,' said sources.
