Day: June 1, 2023

The management of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) has taken a historic step towards unearthing hidden local talent in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

The management has announced the launch of a talent hunt program called Feeder League, which aims to discover local talent in the region ahead of the third edition.

The league will span eight days and will be held in various parts of Azad and Jammu Kashmir from June 10 to 18. The selection of players will be based on fair trials.

Following the trials, teams will be formed for a local tournament, and the top performers will be selected to join different franchises in the third edition of the league.

The third edition of this seven-team cricket league is scheduled to take place in August at the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium, with Mirpur Royals defending their title.

Earlier this month, it was reported that PCB-affiliated umpires and match referees who officiated in the second edition of KPL had not yet received their match fees.

Considering this situation, the umpires called upon the PCB to intervene and address the matter with the KPL organizers before granting approval for the upcoming edition.

The official acknowledged the delay and attributed it to substantial financial losses resulting from several matches being washed out due to rain during the second edition.

However, the spokesperson reassured the aggrieved officials that the management is actively working on the matter and that the outstanding dues will be settled soon.

Source: Pro Pakistani

In a highly anticipated encounter, Pakistan will come face to face against India in the final match of the ongoing Junior Hockey Asia in Salalah, Oman today.

Yesterday, India defeated South Korea 9-1 in the first semi-final, while Pakistan secured their place in the final after a 6-2 victory over Malaysia in the second semi-final.

Both arch-rivals have remained undefeated throughout the tournament. They previously faced off in the group stage match, resulting in a gripping 1-1 draw.

India, who started their campaign with an 18-0 win over Chinese Taipei, managed to top the group due to a better goal difference than second-placed Pakistan.

It is worth mentioning that the neighboring countries have met three times in the final, with Pakistan winning the 1996 edition, while India emerged triumphant in 2004 and 2015.

Abdul Rehman from Pakistan has scored nine goals and is the joint-top scorer in the tournament, while India’s Arjeet Singh Hundal has scored seven goals.

The high-octane clash between these two will take place at the Salalah Sports Complex in Oman today at 9:30 PM. The match will be live-streamed at the following LINK.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Former Pakistani wicket-keeper, Rashid Latif, has showered praise on Mohammad Wasim, the former Chief Selector of the national team, stating that his tenure was good.

Speaking to the media, Rashid Latif said that the former cricketer was a one-man show during his tenure but played a crucial role in building the national team.

The 54-year-old cricketer added that Mohammad Wasim, however, did not highlight those people who worked for him behind the scenes.

“People like Kamran Muzaffar worked for him, but he never got a chance to mention it. Wasim’s laptop was just for display. The actual work was done behind the scenes,” he said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Wasim was appointed as Chief Selector in December 2020, and his contract was terminated in December last year by the new PCB management.

Earlier this year, Wasim criticized the squad announced by the PCB for the T20I series against Afghanistan, saying that these players were introduced during his tenure.

The former Chief Selector had also sarcastically used a laptop emoji on Twitter, referring to the criticism he received for bringing his laptop to squad announcement conferences.

Back in January, Wahab Riaz said that Wasim sidelined experienced players due to his preference for certain players, which had an adverse impact on the team’s performance.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Pakistani players competing in the Junior Hockey Asia Cup have been deprived of their daily allowance throughout their journey, leaving them struggling to make ends meet.

Each Pakistani player on a foreign tour is entitled to a daily allowance of USD 100 to cover their basic expenses but the national players have yet to receive their allowance.

Before their departure, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) had repeatedly requested funds from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) but received no positive response.

The federation had hoped that the necessary financial support would be granted in a timely manner to ensure the well-being of the players during the tournament.

Unfortunately, these appeals fell on deaf ears, leaving the PHF with no choice but to shoulder the burden themselves and support the national squad on their own.

Despite their efforts, the PHF was unable to secure the much-needed daily allowance, which is crucial for the sustenance of players while competing at such a high level.

The skills demonstrated by the national team have been commendable, as they managed to qualify for the tournament finals despite facing these challenging circumstances.

It is worth noting here that the national team has qualified for the finals after defeating Malaysia, and they will face India in the final today at the Salalah Sports Complex.

Source: Pro Pakistani