WELLINGTON: New Zealand will launch its home summer of cricket with a Twenty20 match against West Indies at Eden Park on Nov. 27 before two test series against the Caribbeans and Pakistan, New Zealand Cricket said on Tuesday.
The New Zealand government had green-lighted the West Indies and Pakistan tours and was also expected to approve white-ball tours by Australia and Bangladesh in February and March, the cricket board said.
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the New Zealand government for helping us navigate this complex process,” New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White said in a statement.
“Hosting these tours is incredibly important to us for two reasons: international cricket brings in revenue that funds the entire game of cricket in New Zealand and, also, it’s crucial that we look after the fans of the game and sport in general, especially during these difficult times.”
After three T20s against West Indies, New Zealand play the first test against the Caribbeans at Seddon Park in Hamilton from Dec. 3 and the second at Wellington’s Basin Reserve from Dec. 11.
The Black Caps will also play three T20s against Pakistan before their test series, with the first test from Dec. 26 at Tauranga and the second from Jan. 3 in Christchurch.
New Zealand’s scheduled white-ball tour to Australia in January was postponed last week, but Australia are pencilled in for five T20s in New Zealand from Feb. 22, with Bangladesh to play three one-day internationals and three T20s from March 13.
With no international cricket in New Zealand for the bulk of January and February, players will be released to appear in the “Super Smash” domestic T20 competition.
White said NZC would cut the matches’ general admission ticket prices by almost half to acknowledge the “challenging circumstances in which many New Zealanders had found themselves in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
New Zealand confirms West Indies, Pakistan tours
https://arab.news/8hxd4
New Zealand confirms West Indies, Pakistan tours
- Also expected to approve white-ball tours by Australia and Bangladesh in February and March
- Would cut ticket prices by almost half to acknowledge “challenging circumstances" brought by COVID
PM calls for tapping gemstone reserves as Pakistan pushes for economic recovery
- Pakistan this month approved first national policy framework for precious stones, aiming to lift annual exports to $1 billion
- PM Shehbaz Sharif directs implementation of new policy framework, completion of Islamabad Gemstone Center by Aug. 2027
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday called for tapping Pakistan’s vast gemstone reserves, Sharif’s office said, as Islamabad seeks to boost their exports to support economic recovery.
The development comes two weeks after Pakistan approved its first national policy framework for gemstones and precious stones, aiming to reform the sector, align it with international standards and lift annual exports to $1 billion within five years.
Pakistan has intensified efforts to monetize its untapped mineral resources, amid fiscal pressures and an International Monetary Fund-backed reform program. Over the past two years, Islamabad has hosted international minerals conferences and signed agreements with countries including the United States, Saudi Arabia and China to attract investment and move up the value chain in mining and minerals processing.
On Monday, PM Sharif presided over a meeting on the promotion of precious stones and minerals in Islamabad, at which he directed seeking services of relevant experts of international repute for the construction of proposed gemstone centers in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, according to his office.
“There is a need to utilize the potential of gemstone reserves in Pakistan so that valuable foreign exchange can be earned from the exports of these precious stones,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
Despite officials estimating Pakistan’s gemstone reserves at around $450 billion, formal exports remain negligible, at about $5.8 million annually, due to weak certification systems, limited domestic processing capacity, widespread smuggling and fragmented regulation across federal and provincial authorities.
Pakistan’s new policy framework includes geological mapping to accurately assess reserves, the establishment of internationally accredited laboratories and certification regimes and the creation of a dedicated authority to regulate and promote the sector. The government also plans to set up a National Warranty Office and centers of excellence to support training, research and value-added processing.
The prime minister directed the implementation of the policy framework and the completion of Islamabad Gemstone Center by Aug. 2027.
A location has been identified on the Constitution Highway for the establishment of a gemstone center in Islamabad, according to Sharif’s office. The center will provide international standard value addition services, certification, incubation center and trade center facilities.
“Exports should be increased through value addition in the gemstone industry,” he said, urging officials to work together with the governments of all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir to promote the industry.
