Nov 30(ABC): The skipper of Pakistan’s national cricket team, Babar Azam, said that former South African captain AB de Villiers is his ideal cricketer and that he used to emulate him while playing shots. “Watching AB de Villiers play on television, I used to practice hitting shots like him,” he told former English captain Nasser Hussain in an exclusive interview on …

DOHA, Nov 30(ABC): Christian Pulisic fired the United States into the last 16 of the World Cup on Tuesday as the Americans downed Iran 1-0 in their politically charged grudge match. Chelsea star Pulisic bundled home the do-or-die Group B game’s only goal on 38 minutes to set up a second round clash with Group A winners the Netherlands on …

AL-RAYYAN, Nov 30(ABC): England booked a World Cup last 16 clash against Senegal as Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden inspired a 3-0 win against Wales that sent their neighbours crashing out of the tournament on Tuesday. Gareth Southgate’s side sealed first place in Group B thanks to key contributions from Rashford and Foden after they were restored to the team …

AL KHOR, Nov 30(ABC): Netherlands eased past already eliminated World Cup hosts Qatar 2-0 to top Group A and reach the knockout stages on Tuesday after Cody Gakpo netted his third goal in three games. For Qatar, the tournament ended as it started with a loss at the Al Bayt Stadium, and the Gulf state will now have to focus on its …

DOHA, Nov 30(ABC):  Winger Ismaila Sarr kept his cool to score a first-half penalty and captain Kalidou Koulibaly netted a second goal as Senegal beat Ecuador 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday to earn a place in the last 16 of the World Cup. Sarr scored his penalty in the 44th minute having earned the spot-kick himself, but Ecuador, who …

Nov 30(ABC): The International League Twenty20 (ILT20) is all set to kick off on January 13 with an opening clash between Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Dubai International Stadium. A star-studded ILT20’s inaugural ceremony will also be held at the same venue ahead of the opening fixture. As many as six teams will participate in the …

ISLAMABAD, Nov 29(ABC): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the entire nation was excited for the historic Test Series between Pakistan and England being played after 17 years. “There is a passion for cricket in Pakistan, the whole world knows how Pakistani people are passionate about cricket,” she said while speaking at a dinner hosted by British High …

DOHA, Nov 29(ABC): Bruno Fernandes scored twice to give Portugal a 2-0 victory over Uruguay on Monday and send them into the knock-out stages of the World Cup alongside France and Brazil. The Manchester United midfielder scored a cross-cum-shot nine minutes into the second half and then added an injury-time penalty following a handball by Jose Maria Gimenez. The match …

DOHA, Qatar, Nov 28(ABC): Brazil overcame the absence of Neymar to beat Switzerland 1-0 and advance to the round of the 16 of the World Cup on Monday. Casemiro scored in the 83rd minute with a shot from inside the area to put Brazil in the last 16 with a match to spare in Group G. Brazil forward Neymar stayed …

DOHA , Nov 28(ABC):  Mohammed Kudus scored twice as Ghana beat South Korea 3-2 in a pulsating World Cup encounter on Monday to keep their World Cup hopes alive and leave Paulo Bento s side facing an early exit. Mohammed Salisu opened the scoring against the run of play midway through the first half at Education City Stadium and Ajax …

LAHORE, Nov 28(ABC): Afghanistan have secured their qualification for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India in 2023 after their second ODI against Sri Lanka was washed out due to rain on Sunday (November 27). Afghanistan gained five points to improve their World Cup Super League standings thanks to the washout in Pallekele, securing their spot at the championship match …

AL KHOR, Nov 28(ABC): Germany gave themselves hope of avoiding another embarrassing early World Cup exit when they snatched a 1-1 draw with Spain on Sunday with Niclas Fuellkrug firing home an 83rd minute equaliser on only his third appearance for his country. The result leaves the four-time world champions facing a must-win match against Costa Rica on Thursday, and also means Spain …

RAWALPINDI, Nov 28(ABC): England head coach Brendon McCullum said that his side will be looking to play result-oriented cricket in the three-match series against Pakistan. Speaking to media at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium ahead of the first Test, McCullum said that Pakistan is a great place to tour and it’s been starved of international cricket for a long period of time. …

Nov 28(ABC): Former England captains and leading broadcasters David Gower, Michael Atherton, and Nasser Hussain will call action in the historic three-match Test series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Monday. The Test series between Pakistan and England will start on December 1 with the first match being played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. While Gower has commentated in Pakistan during the …

AL WAKRAH, Nov 28(ABC): Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score one goal and set up another as the Indomitable Lions rescued a point in their 3-3 draw with Serbia on Monday that ended a run of eight successive World Cup losses for the African side. The roller-coaster Group G fixture leaves both sides on a single point …

Nov 27(ABC): The second one day international between India and New Zealand on Sunday was called off due to heavy rain with the Kiwi home side retaining their 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Put into bat, India were 22 for no loss in 4.5 overs when rain forced the players off the ground for the first time. When action …

KANDY, Nov 27(ABC): Rain forced the second one-day international between hosts Sri Lanka and Afghanistan to be abandoned with the tourists leading the three-match series 1-0 on Sunday. Afghanistan, who won the opener convincingly, failed to capitalise on a good start and got bowled out for 228 in 48.2 overs after they elected to bat first in Pallekele. Sri Lanka …

DOHA, Nov 27(ABC):  Croatia absorbed an early blow before revving into gear at the World Cup with two goals from Andrej Kramaric securing a 4-1 victory over Canada on Sunday that moved them a point away from the last 16 and dashed their opponents’ knockout-stage hopes. The 2018 runners-up had fallen behind after 68 seconds at the Khalifa International Stadium when Alphonso Davies thumped a …

DOHA, Nov 27(ABC): Substitutes Abdelhamid Sabiri and Zakaria Aboukhlal earned Morocco their first World Cup victory in 24 years as they upset a hugely disappointing Belgium side 2-0 in World Cup Group F on Sunday. The Morocco fans gave the match a vintage World Cup feel in a boiling atmosphere at the Al Thumama Stadium and Sabiri curled a wide free-kick …

DUBAI, Nov 27(ABC):  The United Arab Emirates will host Afghanistan’s “home” matches over the next five years, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) said on Sunday. Security concerns have kept touring teams away from Afghanistan, who played their “home” matches in India in recent years. That perception has only deepened since the country’s Taliban takeover in August 2021. As part of the agreement, …

AL RAYYAN, Nov 27(ABC): Costa Rica put a huge dent in Japan’s hopes of reaching the World Cup last 16 as they recovered from their hammering by Spain to claim a surprise 1-0 victory in Group E of the FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Keysher Fuller’s 81st-minute effort, Costa Rica’s first shot on target in a dreary game, stunned the drum-beating Japanese fans …

LUSAIL, Nov 27(ABC): Lionel Messi kept his dream of winning his first World Cup alive by rifling in the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Mexico in World Cup Group C, proving he was far from done in the tournament. The Argentine, competing in his fifth World Cup at age 35, has won every other major title in his career but has …

Auckland, Nov 25 (ABC): Tom Latham was left thanking his lucky stars after smashing a majestic century to steer New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over India in Friday’s opening one-day international in Auckland. Latham hammered 19 fours and five sixes in an unbeaten innings of 145 runs off 104 balls. It was his seventh ODI century and his highest …

LAHORE, Nov 25(ABC): Andy Pycroft, member of the ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, will lead the playing control teams for the three ICC World Test Championship fixtures between Pakistan and England in December. Six umpires, three of whom are from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, will officiate the Tests across Rawalpindi (1-5), Multan (9-13) and Karachi (17-21). Joel …

Nov 25(ABC): Warwickshire County Cricket Club has signed up celebrated Pakistani pace bowler Hassan Ali to the Club’s bowling attack for next season. “Ali is our first overseas signing for 2023 and he’s agreed a deal that will see him play the full Vitality Blast campaign, including any potential knockout games, and the LV= Insurance County Championship until the end …

LAHORE , Nov 25(ABC): Pakistan’s vice-captain of white ball team Shadab Khan will miss Big Bash League’s (BBL) next season, as his franchise Hobart Hurricanes announced his replacement on Tuesday. The 24-year-old Shadab will not be available during Pakistan’s home limited-overs series against New Zealand in mid of January 2023. England batter Zak Crawley is poised to make his BBL …

DOHA, Nov 25(ABC): It was not supposed to be this way. Before the World Cup started, hopes were high in Argentina that Lionel Messi was set for a glorious swansong. The diminutive superstar with magic in his boots insisted he was in fine shape physically ahead of what he suggested would be his final tilt at World Cup success. After …

DOHA, Nov 25(ABC): A second-half brace by Richarlison, including a stunning overhead scissor kick, gave tournament favourites Brazil a 2-0 win over Serbia in their opening World Cup game at the Lusail Stadium on Thursday. The record five-time winners had toiled at times in the first half but improved after the break and were rewarded when Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison …

Nov 25(ABC): Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, are considering selling the club as they explore “strategic alternatives”. If the Glazers decided to follow through with the sale of the Old Trafford club, here could be some of the possible buyers: Jim Ratcliffe British billionaire Ratcliffe, a long-standing fan of the 20-times English champions, declared his interest in August but said …

Nov 22(ABC): Cristiano Ronaldo’s controversial second spell at Manchester United is to end with “immediate effect”, the Premier League giants announced Tuesday. The Portugal forward appeared to be on his way out of Old Trafford following last week’s television interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV in which he said he felt “betrayed” by the club and had no respect for new manager …

NAPIER, Nov 22(ABC): India sealed a Twenty-20 series win over hosts New Zealand after Tuesday s rain-hit third match finished in a draw in Napier. The Black Caps were bowled out for 160 in their innings. India then laboured to 75 for four wickets in their nine overs before the rain started. Under the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, the match was a …

LAHORE, Nov 22(ABC): Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday assured British High Commissioner Christian Turner that England team’s test in Rawalpindi wouldn’t be affected by long march. The three matches Test series will be played between Pakistan and England from December 1 in England, while rest of the two matches will be played in …

DOHA, Nov 22(ABC):  Portugal defender Ruben Dias said Tuesday it was time to focus on the World Cup and move on from the media circus surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s explosive interview. The Manchester City centre-back said despite the distraction, Ronaldo’s comments had not dented the nation’s bid to win the competition for the first time in their history. Ronaldo, who has …

AL RAYYAN, Nov 22(ABC): Defender Andreas Cornelius hit the post and Denmark had a late penalty appeal turned down, while Tunisia wasted two clear chances in a 0-0 draw in their World Cup Group D opener at Education City Stadium on Tuesday. Tunisia were roared on by their sizeable following in the 42,925 crowd, whose deafening whistles and roars gave …

LUSAIL, Nov 22(ABC): Unheralded Saudi Arabia notched one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over Lionel Messi’s Argentina thanks to a scintillating second half come back. On his fifth and final quest for the only major trophy to elude him, the 35-year-old Messi scored a 10th minute penalty in a dominant first half display where he …

Nov 20(ABC): Qatar coach Felix Sanchez said the hosts were excitedly looking forward to a “historic moment” when his team open the 2022 World Cup against Ecuador on Sunday. The Qataris, playing in their first World Cup, take on the South Americans at Al Bayt Stadium in the tournament curtainraiser, before further Group A matches with Senegal and 2010 finalists …

Nov 20(ABC): Former England men’s international Jon Lewis has been appointed as the new coach of the England women’s team, it was announced Friday. Lewis’ appointment has come in time for him to be in charge of the England women’s team for their tour of the West Indies next month that incudes three one-day internationals and five Twenty20s. The 47-year-old …

LAHORE , Nov 20(ABC): The online sale of tickets for the Rawalpindi Test match between Pakistan and England has started. A large number of cricket fans have booked tickets for the Rawalpindi Test, but tickets are still available in limited numbers, the sale of tickets for Multan and Karachi Test matches will start next week. The most expensive ticket has …

SYDNEY, Nov 20(ABC): A battling 94 from Steve Smith saw Australia to a series win against England with a game to spare after a 72-run victory in the second one-day international in Sydney on Saturday. Both sides rested their captains, with Moeen Ali deputising for Joss Butler, while Josh Hazelwood was the surprise pick to lead Australia with Pat Cummins …

Nov 20(ABC):Novak Djokovic beat American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the ATP Finals on Saturday, despite having a bad day in his own opinion, to move to within one win of matching Roger Federer s record of six titles at the season finale. Djokovic, chasing a sixth title at the event, prevailed 7-6(5) 7-6(6) and will play either Casper …