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Pakistan captain Fatima Sana said on Monday that her team’s focus was on the Women’s World Cup ahead of the one-day international (ODI) series against South Africa in Lahore. The World Cup, to be hosted later this month under a hybrid model across India and Sri Lanka, will see all of Pakistan’s fixtures staged in Colombo, with political tensions ruling out travel between the two neighbours. Pakistan open their immediate run-in with a three-match ODI series against South Africa in Lahore from Tuesday, following the conclusion of a training camp at the National Cricket Academy and the Gaddafi Stadium. Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lahore, Fatima said: “The specific aim is to prepare for the World Cup and execute our plans in this series.” “A series like this is very beneficial for the team ahead of the World Cup. It gives the players a good opportunity to put into practice all the preparation they have done in recent times,“ she was quoted as having said by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). She ...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday said the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup would feature an all-female panel of umpires and match referees for the first time in the 50-over tournament’s history. “While three recent events — the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the two most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cups — have featured all-female match official panels, this is the first time in the history of the Women’s World Cup the feat will be achieved,” the ICC said a statement. The 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup is set to be held in India and Sri Lanka from September 30. The tournament would be overseen by a group of 14 umpires, including Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, Sue Redfern, Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton. The ICC statement mentioned that Polosak, Williams and Redfern “will be appearing at their third Women’s World Cup” this year while Agenbag and Cotton “will be at their second World Cup”. View this post on Instagram The all-female panel of match officials for the Wor...

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown on Saturday, defeating her American rival in straight sets to clinch the fourth Grand Slam title of her career. Sabalenka ruthlessly attacked Anisimova’s shaky service game to complete a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium, which cements her status at the pinnacle of women’s tennis. The 27-year-old from Belarus had gone into Saturday’s final knowing it was her last chance to grab a Grand Slam crown in 2025 after agonising losses in the Australian and French Open finals. Sabalenka duly atoned for those defeats to end Anisimova’s hopes of a remarkable redemption just two months after her traumatic 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. “It’s crazy, all those tough lessons were worth it for this one,” said Sabalenka after becoming the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams in 2014. “I’m speechless right now.” Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against...

Gattuso was brought in as coach in June to stop Italy's slide towards a third-consecutive missed World Cup finals

Powerhouse Australia said it was “up for the challenge” on Friday of winning an unprecedented eighth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, naming a star-studded squad to defend their title in India and Sri Lanka. Led by Alyssa Healy, the 15-strong line-up features fellow seasoned campaigners Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner. Sophie Molineux makes her return from knee surgery in January, while Darcie Brown (quad) and Georgia Wareham (groin) both brushed off recent niggles to take their places. Molineux is among five Australians who will feature in a 50-over World Cup for the first time, alongside opener Phoebe Litchfield who was recently player-of-the-tournament at English cricket’s Hundred. Leg-spinner Wareham, quick Kim Garth and batter Georgia Voll will also taste World Cup cricket for the first time. The remaining quad members were all part of Australia’s 2022 triumph at the last tournament in New Zealand, where they thumped England by 71 runs in the final. “A Wor...

LAHORE: Insisting that sending the teams to India for international events amid heightened political tensions was not possible, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Hussain Bugti on Tuesday said the country will not compete in the Jr World Cup later this year. The event is scheduled to be held in Indian cities of Chennai and Madurai from Nov 28 to Dec 10. Pakistan, primarily due to ongoing political strains with New Delhi particularly after a short yet intense military clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May, are not competing in the Asia Cup too which is currently in progress in the Indian city of Rajgir. Talking to reporters in Lahore on Tuesday, Bugti while acknowledging that not participating in international events in India was hurting the country’s hockey, said the national cause was bigger than everything. “As there is a war-like situation [currently] prevailing between Pakistan and India, there is no possibility that the PHF will send its team to India for the Junior World Cup. [...

LAHORE - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on the occasion of the World Day for Rural Development, expressed Pakistan’s strong commitment to uplifting its rural population and ensuring their inclusion in the country’s development journey.

ISLAMABAD - World states including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Oman as well as United Nations and OIC have condemned the US forces strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday terming the aggression a violation of the international law.

Three Pakistani schools — two in Lahore and one in Quetta — have been shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prizes 2025, according to a press release issued by the award’s founder, T4 Education, on Wednesday. T4 said in a press release that the five awards are “the world’s most prestigious education prizes” and winners are chosen “by an expert judging academy based on rigorous criteria”. The awards are for Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives. Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust Higher Secondary School, Nordic International School from Lahore, and the Beaconhouse College Programme’s Juniper Campus in Quetta are the three shortlisted Pakistani institutions. “All 50 finalist schools across the five prizes will also take part in a public vote, which opened today, to determine the winner of the Community Choice Award,” the press release read. “All six winners will be announced in October.” According to T4, Sanjan Nagar — a charity-run prima...

LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Women’s World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2. Pakistan will commence their campaign on October 2 against Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where all their group-stage matches are set to be played. This arrangement is in line with the hybrid model announced by the ICC last year. Led by all-rounder Fatima Sana, Pakistan qualified for the eight-team event after an unbeaten run in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, held in here earlier this year. Pakistan’s highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals India is scheduled for October 5, followed by encounters against defending champions Australia on October 8 and 2017 champions England on October 15. The national side will then face New Zealand (October 18), South Africa (October 21), and co-hosts Sri Lanka (October 24) to conclude their round-robin stage. If Pakistan secure a semi-final berth, they will play...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the schedule for the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 set to be held in India and Sri Lanka in September. Pakistan will play all their matches of the 50-over World Cup in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo when India hosts this year’s tournament. Following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy earlier this year, a “hybrid model” was decided upon whereby India would play all its matches in Dubai, chosen as a neutral venue. Hosts India will get the tournament underway against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on September 30 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with action starting at 3pm local time, according to the schedule. Defending champions Australia then get their campaign up and running against neighbours New Zealand at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on October 1, while Pakistan will face Bangladesh a day later in Colombo. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash is set for October 5, after which Pakistan will play Australia on the 8th, Engl...

PARIS: Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace. HRW said that “scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation”. The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had “failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families” including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. “The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other ‘giga-projects’,” HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA C...