Pak- WI ODI series postponed due to Covid-19

By Ehsan Qureshi at National Stadium, Karachi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The series of three One-day International between Pakistan and the West Indies, which was set to be played at the National Stadium, Karachi, from Dec 18 to 22, has been postponed due to detection of more Covid-19 positive cases in the West Indian camp. 

The series has now been rescheduled for June 2022. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) jointly issued a statement after five more positive cases were reported in the West Indies camp following the PCR testing, raising the total number of positive cases to nine since their arrival in Karachi on December 9.

“On Thursday (December 16) morning and as part of the PCB COVID-19 Protocols, Rapid Antigen tests were conducted on the remaining 15 West Indies players and six player support personnel. All 21 members of the West Indies touring party returned negative test result. As such, Thursday’s T20 International (T20I) proceeded as planned,” the statement read. 

“However, taking into consideration both the teams’ welfare as well as limited resources in the West Indies side for the ODIs, it has been agreed that the series, which forms part of the ICC Men’s Cricket Word Cup Super League, will be postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022. This will provide the West Indies with an equal opportunity to field their best available players for the World Cup qualification matches,” it added. 

“The West Indies team members, who returned negative results following Wednesday’s PCR and today’s Rapid Antigen tests, will depart from Pakistan after tonight’s match. Those who have tested positive will complete their isolation in Karachi before their travel arrangements are finalized to allow them to rejoin their families in time for Christmas celebrations.” 

“Meanwhile, the Pakistan team members, all of whom have returned PCR negative after Wednesday’s tests, will also be leaving the Managed Event Environment after tonight’s third T20I. The CWI would like to thank the PCB for its excellent series arrangements and appreciates its support in rescheduling the ODI series in June 2022.”

The West Indians must have heaved a sigh of relief at the postponement of the ODI series because their already thin resources could have been tested further in the longer of two white-ball formats.

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Dean Jones farewelled at Melbourne Cricket Ground

By Masood Sattar Khan

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) was the venue where Dean Jones was privately farewelled by his family with a lap of honour on October 2. 

The public address system of the MCG played tunes by musicians Elton John and INXS, who happened to be friends of the former Australian batsman turned commentator. 

The memorial service was limited to just 10 attendees, which included wife Jane and daughters Isabella and Phoebe, because of Victoria's ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown. A public memorial service for Jones has been planned at a later stage when more mourners will be permitted to attend. 

"We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of love for Dean over the last week and can't thank everyone enough for their support and for sharing their memories with us," Jane Jones remarked on the occasion, adding that the family had been extremely moved by the way her husband's life and cricket had been remembered and revered by so many. 

"It has been an awful time to navigate as a family, but I could not have thought of a more fitting place to say goodbye to my husband than under the lights of his beloved MCG. What better way to honour him than with the music of his friends Elton John and INXS echoing throughout the empty stadium. We'd like to extend a huge thank you to the Melbourne Cricket Club and the MCG for their willingness to create our personal tribute to Dean and for Cricket Australia's support,” she said. 

"We would also like to extend a big thank you to the Department of Foreign Affairs for ensuring Dean was returned home to us as quickly as possible. We will forever miss Dean's energy, his zest for life, passion for cricket and his love for us as a family," she acknowledged.

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Preparations for Winter Olympics 2022 in full swing at Beijing

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Despite the challenges being faced due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, China has continued working round the clock to complete all arrangements for holding of the Winter Olympics 2020 in Beijing as per schedule. 

Air China, the state’s own carrier, has started flying its aircrafts with the theme paint for promotion of the next Winter Olympics in a big fashion. 

China's capital city of Beijing, in the Hebei province, will be playing host to the next Winter Olympics scheduled to be staged there from February 4 to 20, 2022. Some of the events will also be taking place in neighboring towns. 

Beijing, which also hosted the Olympic Games in 2008, is set to become the first city in the world to host both the Summer Olympics as well as the Winter Olympics.

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Pakistan set to host international squash tourney in November

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) has allowed Pakistan a window in the first half of November to host the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) International Squash Open in Islamabad. 

The event, whose main rounds will be staged at the Mushaf Ali Mir Squash Complex from November 7 to 11, is expected to attract some leading international players as well.  

The championship was originally scheduled to be held in April but it was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

The mega event carries attractive prize money of $30,000 for men event while $12,000 for the women event. The main draw is of 24 places including eight seeds and two wildcards. Pakistan has so far hosted just one international squash event this year. 

“It is an encouraging sign as the PSA has agreed to allow Pakistan to host CAS Open in November following months of close down because of COVID-19. The international bodies have given the go-ahead to restart the squash activities from late September,” the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) Secretary, Group Captain Tahir Sultan, remarked.

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Shahid Afridi catches COVID-19

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

A former Pakistan captain and one of the most explosive all-rounders, Shahid Khan Afridi, has caught COVID-19 virus and has joined the list of country’s celebrities suffering from the pandemic.

He has become the third cricketer from Pakistan, and the second international after former opener Taufeeq Umar, to have contracted the virus. Zafar Sarfraz, a former first-class cricketer, who has died of the disease, was the first one to have tested positive for COVID-19. 

The 40-year-old flamboyant cricketer, nicknamed Boom Boom as well as Lala, revealed on Twitter on June 13, having experienced severe body ache for a few days and that the tests had come out positive. 

“I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I’ve been tested and unfortunately I’m covid positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery,” Shahid Afridi tweeted. 

“My heartfelt prayers and best wishes for your quick recovery,” the former Chief Minister of Punjab and leader of the opposition in National Assembly, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, responded to Shahid Afridi. “Allah’s grace, prayers of the people and determination are keys to fighting this scourage. Get well Lala,” Shahbaz Sharif, quarantining himself after having tested positive for COVID-19, wished.  

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan chief selector and head coach, also extended his best wishes to Shahid Afridi, reckoning that he had contracted the virus while he was conducting his charitable work. 

"My prayers are with him. All well wishes are with him that he gets out of this soon. I think he was doing a lot of work in the area of Balochistan and the northern areas just to help the people. Throughout the COVID-19 situation he was helping the poor and doing a very good job. Well wishes are with him to get well soon," Misbah observed. 

Shahid Afridi has reported to have travelled extensively to remote parts of the country to provide essentials to the underprivileged as part of his charity, the Shahid Afridi Foundation.

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Infrastructure for 2022 Winter Olympic, Paralympic to be ready by 2020

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

All stadiums for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympic Games will be ready by end of 2020. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, while high technology such as 5G service and accurate and timely meteorological forecasts will be integrated into the event, officials from the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) made the announcement in a press briefing. 

According to a BOCOG official, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and Winter Paralympic Games have entered the trial stage. 

The first trial event, an international ski racing event, had originally been scheduled to be held in February in Beijing's Yanqing district, but was postponed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Zhang Jiandong, Vice Mayor of Beijing and Executive Vice President of BOCOG, disclosed that while the coronavirus has been brought under control in China, its continuous spread around the world still presented some challenges and difficulties. 

"A lot of equipment that we have purchased, including ice making systems and ice pouring trucks, are coming from countries with serious epidemics, which has caused some difficulties when it comes to production and transportation. Also, some foreign experts in equipment installation and site certification cannot come to China to provide on-site guidance," he said, adding that dealing with these issues would be the key tasks of the following work to construct the stadiums.

In terms of service, the BOCOG will accelerate the implementation of 5G communication networks, cloud guidance and meteorological services that are accurate within a minute. 

It was further revealed that the opening ceremony's theme will focus on a community with a shared future for mankind. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), Vice President, Juan Antonio Samaranch, also attended the conference. He expressed his pleasure at the improved coronavirus situation in China and looked confident about the Beijing 2022 Olympics becoming successful. 

According to reports, the number of applicants for volunteer positions at the two events has exceeded 810,000 since the global recruitment of volunteers for the tournament began on December 5, 2019.

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