PCB chief urged to look into Lahore teams’ poor selection

LAHORE - Former LRCA/LCCA spokesperson Abid Hussain has written a letter to PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani urging him to look into the poor selection of six Lahore teams. In a statement, Abid said that he has written a letter to Ehsan Mani and requested him to look into the poor and unfair selection during Lahore’s East, North and West Zone City Cricket Association trials held at the LCCA Ground Lahore in the first week of June 2021. “First of all, three selectors were actually coaches associated with the PCB and having links with different academies and clubs with no experience as selectors. The selection committee comprised Shahid Anwer, Head Coach Central Punjab Cricket Association (Chief Selector), M Ashraf, Head Coach Central Punjab U-16 Cricket Team (member), and Irfan Faazil, Assistant Coach Central Punjab U-19 Cricket Team (member). Abid said the selection committee failed to select the true representative teams of Lahore. Being under pressure and having previous experience as selectors, they selected numerous undeserving kids of former Test cricketers besides kids of PCB employees as well as those players, who never played any PCB cricket in the recent past and also picked the players who had left playing cricket for many years. Such poor and biased was their selection that they also ignored the first class cricketers, who have performed significantly in recent past in the PCB cricket tournaments. 

Kashmir, Punjab score wins in National U-23 Football C’ship

LAHORE - Kashmir Kings and Punjab Warrior won their respective matches in the National U-23 Football Championship at Kunch Football Ground at Abbottabad. According to information made available here, in the first match, Kashmir King defeated KPK Falcons 1-0. Two teams fought well 0-0 at the end of the first. In the 58th minute, Ibrar scored the lone goal for Kashmir King. Referee Adnan Anjum showed the yellow cards to Kashmir King players Mustafa and Waqar for foul playing. In the second match, Punjab Warrior beat Gilgit-Baltistan Markhor by 2-1. Punjab Warrior took 1-0 lead in the first half when Bashir scored first goal for Punjab in the 7th minute. Asim Ullah equalized the score 1-1 in the 51st minute. In the 58th minute, Osama Waqar converted the match-winning gosl. Referee Zahid Ali showed the red-card to Haider Ali of Gilgit for foul playing on serious mistake and sent out side from the ground. PFA President Sardar Naveed Haider and members Ch Faqeer, Naveed Akram, Adil Jadoon, Syed Sharafat Bukhari and others were present on the occasion. 

Sajjad knock-outs Afghan boxer Haseen

PESHAWAR (APP): Pakistan’s Sajjad Hazara and Yamin Khan knocked out Afghanistan’s Haseen Ullah and Haroon Khan respectively in their title fights of the UW (Usman Wazir) International Professional Boxing competitions at Lala Aman Boxing Arena Tuesday. Twenty boxers from Pakistan and Afghanistan took part in the competitions. Sajjad upset Afghan Haseen on points in the four-round match. 

It is worth mentioning here that the Directorate of Sports KP is organizing the International Professional Boxing Competitions with UW (Usman Wazir), the Asian gold medalist. In the other fights Saif Ali But (Pak) beat Shoaib (Pak) in feather weight, M Saqib beat Amjid Rasool in minimum weight on points, Adil Saeed (Pak) beat Sardar Nouman (Pak) on points, Zahoor Abbas (Pak) knocked out Wahid Bakhash Sangi (Pak). In the title fight, Yamin Khan (Pak) knocked out Haroon Khan of Afghanistan in the third round.