HOBART: England skipper Joe Root said their disastrous Ashes campaign should serve as an opportunity to prioritise Test cricket again after their collapse in Hobart on Sunday saw Australia claim the series 4-0. England have reinvented themselves as a white-ball powerhouse since their early exit from the 2015 World Cup, winning the next edition of ODI cricket’s biggest title on home soil. But their record in the longest format of the game has been less impressive in recent years, and Sunday’s loss in Hobart was their 15th consecutive Test in Australia without a win. “There are certain things that definitely…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
PAARL: India’s Jasprit Bumrah says former captain Virat Kohli still has a big role to play for the Test side following the latter’s surprise resignation in the wake of the 2-1 series loss to South Africa last week. Kohli stepped down from the Test captaincy on Saturday, saying the time was right for a new direction for the team, and Bumrah has seemingly put up his hand to be his replacement. The seamer, who is vice-captain of the ODI side under new skipper KL Rahul, praised the contribution of Kohli, and said he remains a key figure in Indian cricket. “Virat told…
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday suspended the ongoing national U-13 and U-16 one-day tournaments after it became aware that some over-aged cricketers had been participating in the events taking place in Karachi and Multan, respectively. “To protect the spirit and essence of these U-13 and U-16 tournaments by ensuring that only deserving cricketers feature in the relevant age-group competitions, which act as pillars of the PCB’s Pathways Programme, the Board has decided to conduct a third round of bone age verification tests, following which the teams may be revised before both the tournaments commence next week from…
Two deposed captains, Virat Kohli and Quinton de Kock, could play significant roles in a three-match one-day international series between South Africa and India, starting at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday. Both former skippers have the potential to be the leading batters for their respective sides. For Kohli, it will be the first ODI series since Rohit Sharma was named captain by the Indian selectors in December. Even though Sharma had to withdraw from the series in South Africa because of injury, the captaincy was not returned to Kohli but was passed to KL Rahul. Kohli, who captained India in 95…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s oil and food import bill surged 73 per cent to $14.97 billion in the July-December period compared to $8.67bn a year ago owing to higher international prices and massive depreciation of the rupee. The share of these products in the total import bill also rose to 37pc during the six-month period, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Monday. A steady increase in the import bill of these two sectors has widened the trade deficit and raised fears about the country’s food security. The total import bill jumped 66pc to $40.65bn in July-December from…
ISLAMABAD: Textile and clothing exports grew 26 per cent year-on-year to $9.38 billion in the first half of this fiscal year, mainly on the back of a massive depreciation in the rupee’s value and a steady rise in global demand. The year-on-year growth in December was recorded at 15.89pc, data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed on Monday. The government has yet to announce the much-awaited textile and apparel policy pending for the last few years. Several drafts have been presented before the Economic Coordination Committee, but the policy has yet to be approved. In the budget…
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to increase base electricity rates by up to 95 paisa per unit and one-slab benefit to ‘unprotected consumers’ with effect from February 1 to meet commitments made with the international lending agencies. The decision would reduce power sector subsidy by Rs20 billion and envisages increasing average base tariff to Rs18.75 per unit for all distribution companies including K-Electric, showing an average increase of about 53 paisa per unit. To formally implement the decision, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) fixed a request for tariff increase of the Power Division duly approved by the Economic…
KARACHI: For the first time in over 45 days, the rupee on Monday closed below 176 against the US dollar in the interbank market amid falling demand for the greenbacks. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported the closing price of US dollar at Rs175.92. The local currency had recovered 1.3 per cent against the dollar since Dec 29 when it hit an all-time low at 178.24, said currency dealers on Monday. They said the measures taken by the government and the SBP to curtail imports have started yielding results. The rupee remained under massive pressure as higher imports were…
HERAT: At least 26 people were killed after an earthquake hit western Afghanistan on Monday, an official said. The victims died when roofs of their houses collapsed in Qadis district in the western province of Badghis, spokesman for the province Baz Mohammad Sarwary said. The shallow quake was magnitude 5.3, according to the US Geological Survey. “Five women and four children are among the 26 people killed in the earthquake,” said Sarwary, adding that four more were injured. The quake also inflicted damage on the residents of Muqr district in the province but details including of casualties were still unavailable,…
A possible drone attack may have sparked an explosion that struck three oil tankers in Abu Dhabi and another fire at an extension of Abu Dhabi International Airport on Monday that killed three people and wounded six, police said. Abu Dhabi police identified the dead as two Indian nationals and one Pakistani. It did not identify the wounded, who police said suffered minor or moderate wounds. Police said an investigation was underway. Later in the day, the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation condemned the suspected drone attack and vowed to punish the perpetrators. According to Khaleej Times, the…
