KARACHI: Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan said on Tuesday the Champions Trophy would be a “historic occasion” for the country, a day before the hosts kick the tournament off against New Zealand.
The Champions Trophy is the first major cricket event hosted by Pakistan in nearly three decades and is regarded as second only to the World Cup in the one-day game.
“A global event has come to Pakistan after 29 years so I think the whole nation should enjoy this historic occasion,” Rizwan told a news conference on the eve of the tournament, which runs until March 9.
Pakistan had been due to host the tournament in 2008 but was thrown into cricketing isolation by a security crisis as violence spilled over from the long-running war in neighboring Afghanistan.
Gunmen then attacked a bus carrying Sri Lanka’s team in Lahore the following year, wounding several players and killing eight policemen and civilians.
However, major teams have toured Pakistan in the past five years as security improved, opening the way for the cricket-mad nation to stage the tournament.
“Pakistan has suffered enough and for a long time, but we have also won during this phase like the 2017 Champions Trophy and the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup,” Rizwan said.
Still, the build-up has not been without problems after neighbors and arch-rivals India refused to play in Pakistan over long-standing political tensions. India will instead play their matches in Dubai.
Pakistan’s opponents in the tournament opener in Karachi beat them twice this month during a tri-series event that included South Africa.
“There shouldn’t be any doubts on our performance,” Rizwan said. “We may not have played on our abilities but we all want to win the event for the country and people.”
Rizwan hoped to have pace bowler Haris Rauf on the pitch after he suffered chest muscle strain in the match against New Zealand in Lahore last week.
“Haris bowled 80 percent yesterday and today he is bowling at his full rhythm and told us that he is not feeling any discomfort, so I hope he is fully fit,” Rizwan said.
Skipper Rizwan urges Pakistan to enjoy ICC Champions Trophy
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Skipper Rizwan urges Pakistan to enjoy ICC Champions Trophy
- Pakistan had been due to host the tournament in 2008 but was thrown into cricketing isolation by a security crisis
- Major teams have toured Pakistan as security improved, opening way for cricket-mad nation to stage the tournament.
Global ride-hailing company inDrive eyes expansion into Pakistan’s foodtech, health care sectors
- InDrive CEO Arsen Tomsky says company challenges unfair practices such as inflated rates, high commissions
- Says Pakistan among inDrive’s top ten markets worldwide, notes country’s large youthful population
ISLAMABAD: The chief executive officer of global ride-hailing company inDrive revealed this week that his organization was eyeing expanding into Pakistan’s foodtech and health care sectors, aiming to tap into the country’s massive young population.
The development takes place after inDrive announced earlier this month that it was entering Pakistan’s online grocery delivery market by launching a new service in the southern port city of Karachi. inDrive said it would launch the service by partnering with quick commerce platform Krave Mart.
In an interview with state-run Pakistan TV Digital on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, the company’s founder and CEO Arsen Tomsky said it enters countries where policies are stable and to challenge what he described as unfair practices such as inflated rates, high commissions and price monopolies.
“Step by step we will launch into new fields where we see significant injustice,” Tomsky said. “For example, we have started to think about health care. Also this year, we are expanding in foodtech, where we see again, a significant level of injustice.”
Tomsky noted that Pakistan is among the company’s top ten markets globally. He added that the South Asian country presented significant opportunities as it was home to over 250 million people, where a large percentage of the population was young.
“The market is absolutely booming and taking off,” he said. “I believe in the fantastic future of the country.”
According to inDrive’s website, it was founded in 2013 and incorporated in the US in 2018. inDrive says it is available in 888 cities across 48 countries.
The ride-hailing platform’s unique feature allows passengers and drivers to negotiate the fare directly. The company says that in 2022 and again in 2023, inDrive was the second most downloaded ride-hailing app worldwide based on Google Play and App Store data.
