Pakistan yesterday said it felt let down by Australia and South Africa after their security fears led to the postponement until next year of next month’s Champions Trophy in the troubled South Asian country.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) was on Sunday forced to put off the eight-nation biennial tournament until October next year just two days after South Africa refused to send their team while Australia, New Zealand and England were also considering pull-outs over security worries.
Pakistan, who were due to host the Trophy from Sept. 12 to Sept. 28, however kept the hosting rights.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said his country felt let down by the non-Asian teams.
“We are definitely disappointed by Australia, because they have not toured us for 10 years,” Naghmi said.
He said he was also surprised by South Africa’s sudden boycott and once major countries pulled out there was no point in holding the event.
Naghmi hoped a full tour by arch-rivals India at the turn of the year would help remove security fears.
Pakistan host India for three Tests and five one-day internationals.
Naghmi hoped Australia, who postponed a tour to Pakistan in March and April this year which then sparked doubts over the Champions Trophy, fulfill their commitment to tour next year.
“Australia have a commitment of playing five one-day internationals in April next year, so we hope by then their fears are removed and they play in our country,” said Naghmi of Australia, who have not toured Pakistan since 1998.
Naghmi said the PCB were trying to fill in the gap created after the Trophy postponement.
The PCB’s efforts to fill the gap left by Australia’s tour postponement fell through as India turned down their offer of a short series because of a hectic schedule, while South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka also declined short tour invites for various reasons.
Pakistan have no Test matches to play this year and their next tour is not before next July.
Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday exited at the BWF World Tour Finals in China, losing in the semi-finals to China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi. Shi, who was named the BWF Men’s Singles Player of the Year, had a 9-4 record against Chou going into the match. He extended that record to 9-5 with a 21-14, 21-18 victory. Chou advanced to the men’s singles semi-finals on Friday by upsetting top-seeded Anders Antonsen of Denmark in a must-win match at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. The 16-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory saw Chou secure his second semi-finals appearance at the tournament, despite his relatively older
‘REMARKABLE’: Gaelic football is a traditional Irish sport that blends the skills of soccer and rugby, and hurling is an ancient sport played with a wooden stick and ‘sliotar’ The Taiwan Celts Gaelic Football Club marked a milestone achievement at the Asian Gaelic Games in Bangkok on Nov. 23 and 24, with two sides advancing to the knockout stages and competing at hurling for the first time. The event brought together 68 teams from 16 clubs across Asia, with more than 800 players in men’s and women’s tournaments. Gaelic football is a traditional Irish team sport that blends the skills of soccer, rugby union and basketball. Hurling is an ancient Irish sport played with a wooden stick, called a hurley, and a small ball, or sliotar. The Taiwan Celts’ women’s team reached
LIVERPOOL WIN: The 50th Champions League goal by Mohamed Salah helped the leaders of the Premier League to keep their perfect record intact Real Madrid’s big stars on Tuesday turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering UEFA Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win against Serie A leaders Atalanta BC. However, Madrid still had to ride their luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage-time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champions in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins
Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion on Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov, who won the title at the age of 22. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier
RSS