ABU DHABI: Peshawar Zalmi batsman Haider Ali and fast bowler Umaid Asif will miss the Pakistan Super League final against the Multan Sultans on Thursday after they were suspended for breaching the bio-secure bubble in Abu Dhabi.
The Pakistan Cricket Board said the incident occurred Wednesday and the decision to suspend both players was made by the tournament’s COVID-19 management panel hours before the final.
Ali’s suspension also forced the PCB to withdraw the middle-order batsman from the tours of England and the West Indies.
“They admitted to charges of violating the health and safety protocols by meeting people from outside their designated bio-secure bubble and also failing to maintain the prescribed social distancing,” the PCB said in a statement.
Both cricketers didn’t interact with any other squad member at any time after the incident and have been placed in isolation.
Multan’s middle-order batsman Sohaib Maqsood has replaced Ali in the squad for the tours of England and the West Indies after chief selector Mohammad Wasim consulted both head coach Misbah-ul-Haq and captain Babar Azam.
Maqsood has been in prolific form in the PSL, scoring 363 runs in 11 matches at an average of 40.33 and a healthy strike rate of 153.
Maqsood has played 26 ODIs and 20 Twenty20s for Pakistan but hasn’t played an international game since his last Twenty20 against New Zealand at Hamilton in 2016.
Peshawar Zalmi’s Ali and Asif suspended before PSL final
https://arab.news/9gbk9
Peshawar Zalmi’s Ali and Asif suspended before PSL final
- Players breached bio-secure bubble in Abu Dhabi
- Both cricketers have been placed in isolation
Pakistan PM calls for faster CPEC implementation, pledges security for Chinese workers
- Shehbaz Sharif pushes expanded cooperation in agriculture, IT and mining under CPEC phase two
- Chinese envoy reaffirms Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and economic development
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for speeding up projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and pledged stronger security guarantees for Chinese workers and investments, during a meeting with China’s ambassador in Islamabad.
Sharif made the remarks as the two countries strive to launch the second phase of CPEC, a multibillion-dollar infrastructure and energy initiative launched in 2015 as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
CPEC’s first phase focused largely on power generation and transport infrastructure aimed at easing Pakistan’s chronic energy shortages and improving connectivity. The second phase seeks to expand cooperation into industrial development, with an emphasis on special economic zones and export-oriented growth.
“While highlighting the importance of accelerating ongoing CPEC projects, the Prime Minister stressed on the need to enhance cooperation in agriculture and IT and mining & minerals,” said a statement circulated by the PM Office after the meeting.
“He also underscored Pakistan’s resolve to provide a secure and conducive environment for Chinese personnel, investments, and institutions in Pakistan,” it added.
Chinese nationals and projects in Pakistan have faced security threats in the past, including attacks by militant groups targeting infrastructure sites and convoys. Islamabad has repeatedly vowed to tighten security and has deployed special protection units for Chinese workers.
China is Pakistan’s closest ally in the region and a key economic partner, with CPEC widely regarded by Islamabad as central to long-term economic growth.
During the meeting, the prime minister conveyed greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, particularly on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.
China’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, reiterated Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and socioeconomic development, according to the statement. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues and agreed to maintain close coordination.
