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Rain, runs and records: Five key Asia Cup moments

Indian players celebrate with the trophy after their win in the Asia Cup cricket final against Sri Lanka, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on September 17, 2023. (Photo courtesy: AP)
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Updated 18 September 2023
AFP
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Rain, runs and records: Five key Asia Cup moments

  • Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi delivered a brilliant performance against India on Sept. 2 by taking four important wickets
  • Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj saved the best for last when he took six wickets against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final 
Updated 18 September 2023
AFP

COLOMBO: India hammered Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the Asia Cup final on Sunday after nearly three weeks of action and rain in the regional tournament.

The 50-over competition hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka was a tune-up for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India for five of the six participating teams.

AFP Sport looks at five key moments.

Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi made an early statement when he rattled India with his left-arm pace in a group match washed out due to rain.

Shaheen bowled skipper Rohit Sharma and then Virat Kohli, and fellow quicks Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah combined to dismiss India for 266 in the only innings possible in Pallekele.

In the next meeting between the arch-rivals, the Pakistan quicks went for runs as India posted 356-2 in their 228-run win.

Naseem and Rauf suffered injuries in the game in a blow to Pakistan ahead of the World Cup, but in an interview with AFP, Shaheen said his “best is yet to come.”

India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj saved the best for the last when he ripped through the Sri Lankan batting with six wickets including four in one over.

Siraj returned his ODI best figures of 6-21 in a devastating spell of fast bowling in overcast conditions, to help skittle out Sri Lanka for 50 in 15.2 overs.

The performance capped off a dominant few weeks for India after they crushed Pakistan by 228 runs in their Super Four match with centuries from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul.

Opener Shubman Gill also made his presence felt with a sparkling 121 — albeit in a lost cause — in an inconsequential match against Bangladesh.

Dunith Wellalage was a part of Sri Lanka’s young players who put up a strong show for the underdogs, after they snuck into the Super Fours with a dramatic win over Afghanistan.

The left-arm spinner claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in a Super Four clash versus India, and got the key wickets of Rohit and Kohli to bowl the opposition out for 213.

Sri Lanka fell short in their chase despite Wellalage’s unbeaten 42, but the performance from the 20-year-old boosted the team’s confidence.

Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana and batsman Charith Asalanka then helped the island nation edge out Pakistan in a last-ball thriller to make the final.

An army of 100 ground staff wearing orange jerseys ran with the covers every time rain halted play and were hailed as “unsung heroes” by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and Sri Lanka Cricket.

Rain played havoc in the tournament which had nine of the 13 matches played in Sri Lanka, after India refused to tour Pakistan due to political tensions.

Showers in Pallekele meant the blockbuster India-Pakistan match was abandoned, and rain followed the teams to Colombo in a Super Four game which was awarded a reserve day — much to the annoyance of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Rohit and Kohli thanked the groundsmen for their efforts and the ACC and SLC promised a $50,000 bonus shared between the staff.

Nepal had a baptism by fire on their Asia Cup debut when Pakistan bundled out the cricketing minnows for 104 in the opener in Multan.

But the Rohit Paudel-led side made an impression against big guns India, when they posted 230 all out in 48.2 overs in a rain-hit group game they eventually lost by 10 wickets.

Paudel said he and his players spoke to Rohit and Kohli after the game, a meeting that proved “useful” to them.

Nepal, who are still finding their feet in international cricket and got ODI status in 2018, made waves after they reached the ODI World Cup qualifiers earlier this year.

Topics: Asia Cup 2023 India Sri Lanka

IMF approves $1.1 billion funding for Pakistan

Updated 29 April 2024
Reuters
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IMF approves $1.1 billion funding for Pakistan

  • The funding is the final tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement Islamabad secured last year
  • Islamabad is now seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility agreement with the IMF
Updated 29 April 2024
Reuters

ISLAMABAD: The executive board of the International Monetary Fund approved $1.1 billion in funding for Pakistan on Monday, the agency said in a statement, amid discussions for a new loan.

The funding is the second and last tranche of a $3 billion standby arrangement with the IMF, which Islamabad secured last summer to help avert a sovereign default.

The approval came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed a new loan program with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

Islamabad is seeking a new, larger long-term Extended Fund Facility (EFF) agreement with the fund after the current standby arrangement expires this month. Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, has said Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new program by early July.

Islamabad says it is seeking a loan over at least three years to help achieve macroeconomic stability and execute long-overdue and painful structural reforms.

Aurangzeb has declined to give details on the amount the country is seeking.

Islamabad is yet to make a formal request, but the Fund and the government are already in discussions.

If secured, it would be Pakistan’s 24th IMF bailout.

The $350 billion economy faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly $24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year — three-time more than its central bank’s foreign currency reserves.

Topics: International Monetary Fund

Four militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military

Updated 29 April 2024
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Four militants killed in northwest Pakistan operation — military

  • The development comes amid a surge in violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mostly blamed on Pakistani Taliban
  • Last week, Taliban militants also abducted a district and sessions judge in the same province, who was freed two days later
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Four militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation in northwest Pakistan on Monday, the Pakistani military said, amid a spate of militant violence in the region.

The operation was conducted in the Khyber tribal district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.

An intense exchange of fire during the operation killed four militants.

“Terrorists’ hideout was also busted during the operation and a large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered,” the ISPR said in a statement.

A sanitization operation was being carried out to eliminate any other threats in the vicinity, the ISPR added.

The development came amid a surge in violence in Pakistan’s northwest, mostly blamed on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), since the group ended a ceasefire with the central government in November 2022.

Last week, TTP militants abducted a district and sessions judge, Shakirullah Marwat, in the same province. The judge was recovered after a joint operation by police and security forces, police said on Monday. 

Earlier this month, six people, including five customs department officials, were killed in an attack in Dera Ismail Khan. Two customs officers were also killed in the area in a separate attack earlier.

Militants have also targeted security officials in the province in recent weeks, killing a number of police and counterterrorism department officials.

Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded blame in recent months over who is responsible for the recent spate of militant attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad says the attacks are launched mostly by TTP members who operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this and blames Islamabad for not being able to handle its own security challenges.

Topics: Pakistan Military

Pakistan confers military award on Turkish land forces commander

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistan confers military award on Turkish land forces commander

  • President Asif Ali Zardari conferred the award at a special investiture ceremony held in Islamabad
  • General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, who is currently visiting Pakistan, also met Army Chief Gen Asim Munir
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday conferred a military award, Nishan-i-Imtiaz, on Commander of the Turkish Land Forces, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu, during his visit to Islamabad, Pakistani state media reported.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari bestowed the Turkish general with the award at a special investiture ceremony held at the Presidency in Islamabad, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

“The award was conferred upon him in recognition of his illustrious services and contribution toward strengthening Pakistan-Turkiye defense relations,” the report read.

The investiture ceremony was attended by foreign diplomats and high-ranking military officials.

Separately, General Bayraktaroglu called on Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, and General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Pakistani military said.

During his meeting with Gen Munir, matters of mutual interest and measures to further enhance bilateral defense cooperation were discussed, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing. 

“Both sides expressed satisfaction over deep-rooted relations between the two countries, based on historic, cultural and religious affinity,” the ISPR said.

“COAS emphasized the need to further strengthen existing military to military cooperation between the two Armed Forces.”

During the meeting, the ISPR added, the visiting dignitary appreciated the role of Pakistan Army in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

Topics: Pakistan Turkey Ties

Pakistan court hands life sentences to four in 2018 murder of lawmaker

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistan court hands life sentences to four in 2018 murder of lawmaker

  • The accused were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance, and facilitating murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi
  • Court suspends proceedings against prime accused, citing Supreme Court ruling that prohibits judgments in absentia
Updated 29 April 2024
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: A Pakistani court on Monday handed life sentences to four accused who were convicted of aiding, abetting, reconnaissance and facilitating the murder of a Pakistani lawmaker in the southern city of Karachi in 2018.

Ali Raza Abidi, a businessman and politician, who belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) party, was shot dead outside his residence in the Defense Housing Authority (DHA) area of Karachi.

Police had registered a case against the suspects in the Gizri police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

“The evidence shows that all the accused persons in furtherance of their common intention are involved in the commission of murder of Syed Ali Raza Abidi and they are equally responsible for the act,” Zeeshan Akhter Khan, the Anti-Terrorism Court judge, stated in his detailed judgment.

The convicts, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Ghazali, Abu Bakar and Abdul Haseeb, were also fined under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. They can appeal the verdict within 15 days.

The court, citing a Supreme Court judgment, said since a case against absconding accused, Bilal, Hasnain, Ghulam Mustafa and Faizan, could not be proceeded in absentia, it was placed on dormant status until their arrest or appearance before the court.

Abidi was elected as a Member of the National Assembly (MNA) on the ticket of the MQM-P in the 2013 general election. He, however, quit the MQM-P following the party’s formation of an alliance with the rival Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).

Despite briefly rejoining the MQM-P in December 2017, Abidi ultimately parted ways with the party in September 2018. He was killed months later on December 25, 2018.

Topics: Ali Raza Abidi

Pakistani PM meets Malaysia’s Ibrahim on WEF sidelines, invites on official Islamabad visit 

Updated 29 April 2024
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Pakistani PM meets Malaysia’s Ibrahim on WEF sidelines, invites on official Islamabad visit 

  • Shehbaz Sharif was in Riyadh to attend a WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29
  • The Pakistan PM invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss expansion of bilateral trade, investment relations
Updated 29 April 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday met his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Riyadh and invited him to visit the South Asian country, Sharif’s office said. 
The two leaders met on the sidelines of a two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh, according to PM Sharif’s office.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to further develop relations.
“The two leaders also agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Commission in Islamabad soon,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. 
“The prime minister reiterated his invitation to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to pay an official visit to Pakistan.”
The two leaders discussed bilateral ties in the fields of education, science and technology, livestock and trade, and vowed to further enhance cooperation in the future, according to the statement.
PM Sharif also invited Malaysian traders and businessmen to visit Pakistan to discuss the expansion of bilateral trade and investment relations.
The Pakistan prime minister was in Riyadh to attend the WEF special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development on April 28-29.
Sharif spoke about Gaza at the closing plenary of the two-day summit and held several bilateral meetings, particularly with Saudi officials, during the visit.

Topics: Pakistan Malaysia ties World Economic Forum

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