KARACHI, Feb 25: Karachi University shocked holders and the hosts NED University 66-45 in the final to win the Inter-university Zone ‘G’ basketball championship at the latter’s courts on Thursday.

The winners enjoyed an edge over their opponents’ right from the start and led 27-17 at half time.

Prolific scorer Akmal Jamil was the backbone of his team’s triumph contributing 22 points. He was ably supported by Mohammad Shabbar 15, Agha M. Ibrahim 10 and Haroon 9.

Arsalan Khan and Wasif Shaukat scored nine points apiece for losers followed by Zainul Abedin 8.Both the teams have qualified for the final rounds being played at Lahore from March 4.

Earlier, NED University outplayed Sir Syed University 72-33 while Karachi University beat Greenwich University 25-20 in the semi-final matches on Wednesday.

The KU and Greenwich match was marred by an ugly incident which led to free for all and a walkout by the latter some eight minutes before final hooter. The match was awarded to the KU after the losers did not turn up in given time. — Sports Correspondent

KARACHI: Naseem Hameed after becoming the fastest sprinter of South Asia and winning a gold medal for Pakistan at the South Asian Games, received a very warm welcome here at the Jinnah International Airport on Thursday.

Present on the occasion were hundreds of the people including her family, relatives, people of her area, minister for sports Sindh, officials of the Pakistan Army athletics and members of the Federation of Pakistan Athletics Association.

In an exclusive talk with Geo News at the airport, Naseem said that she has come after fulfilling all the expectations with which she had gone to Dhaka.

She said that Allah blessed her with more than she expected and her parents’ prayers and encouragement brought her to this place.

Naseem said that she would work hard with more zeal and spirit in future.

She said that she is more glad to earn her country Pakistan and her township Korangi a great name.

The fastest woman of South Asia said that her coaches have highly cooperated with her due to which she got success.

From the airport, Naseem has reached the Governor House where a ceremony has been arranged in her honour.

President Asif Ali Zardari has congratulated Naseem Hameed and said that she is a role model for Pakistani women and her success reflects the government policies to uplift the women of the country.

LAHORE: Pakistan on Monday left out coach Intikhab Alam and wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal from its 14-man side to face England in two Twenty20 matches.

There is speculation Alam will be sacked over Pakistan’s humiliating 3-0 Test and 5-0 one-day series whitewash in Australia last month, but a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official denied he had been dismissed.

“Alam is not sacked,” PCB chief operating officer Wasim Bari said.

“There is no decision on Alam’s future as yet, but it will be taken subsequently,” he added.

PCB has ordered a six-man evaluation committee to look into why Pakistan was routed in Australia, summoning Alam, team manager Abdul Raqeeb and captain Mohammad Yousuf to appear for questioning on Friday and Saturday.

Chief selector Iqbal Qasim has already resigned following the defeat in Australia, refusing to reverse his decision despite a request from the PCB.

A panel of four selectors, without any chief selector, chose the team for the two Twenty20 matches, said Bari.

“Akmal is our main player and since we want to groom other players as well we have rested Akmal,” said Bari. Akmal was criticised for poor wicket-keeping in Australia, dropping several important catches.

Shoaib Malik, sacked as captain in January last year after Pakistan’s 2-1 home series defeat against Sri Lanka, will lead the team in the Twenty20 matches, to be played in Dubai on February 19 and 20.

Pakistan’s original Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi will be part of the squad but cannot play in the first match following a ban of two Twenty20 international matches for ball-tampering.

Afridi was caught on television cameras biting the ball during the fifth and final one-day international against Australia at Perth, which is against the rules of the game.

The team will be managed by Yawar Saeed, who relinquished his post after the Champions Trophy in October last year. Saeed replaced Raqeeb who managed the team on Australia tour.

There will be no head coach but former batsman Ijaz Ahmed, who coached Pakistan junior team to runners-up spot in the Under-19 World Cup last month, will be the batting and fielding coach.

Squad: Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat, Khalid Latif, Umer Akmal, Shoaib Malik (captain), Fawad Alam, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Sarfraz Ahmad, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Yasir Arafat, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Talha.

LINCOLN: Pakistan colts in a hard-fought final of the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup were beaten by 25 runs against Australia boys with 20 balls remaining here on Saturday.

Both teams were running to win the title for the third time in the history of Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

Chasing a moderate target of 208 runs, Pakistan batsmen batted well against sea winds and accurate Aussie bowlers but could make182 runs in 46.4 overs.

Captain Azeem Ghumman was the top-scorer with 41. He batted with calm and caution hitting only one four in 90 balls.

However, Hammad Azam, the most prolific scorer who has been unbeaten throughout the tournament could not maintain his record and was dismissed for a nought, caught behind by Triffitt off Hazlewood. His early ouster made a panic in the Pakistan team’s dressing room.

Earlier, Pakistan winning the toss decided to send Kangaroos first and kept their grip tight over the match.

Sarmad Bhatti grabbed three wickets and Fayyaz Butt claimed two as the Aussies were 207-9 in 50 overs in the final counter of tournament.

Though Pakistani pacers successfully claiming wickets on regular intervals but they failed in keeping run rate down while the Aussies persistently collected ones, twos, three and certain times boundaries and out of the park.

The leading run scorers from Australian side were JS Floros (35), TJ Armstrong (37) and KW Richardson (44).

KOLKATA: Former captain Wasim Akram severely criticizing Pakistani cricketers playing in Australia, has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to give chance to new cricketers.

Wasim Akram, who is present in India for coaching of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), said that senior players are the cause of chaos in the Pakistan team and they are scoring less runs. Therefore, they should be replaced by such young players who by learning in a year may be able to serve the country for the next two decades.

Wasim understands that Test cricket is the only game of cricket and it is like a long race for which every team requires special talent, mental fitness and spirit. Presently, Pakistan cricket team lack all these qualities.

Wasim Akram termed Mohammad Yousuf an inexperienced captain but added that he has the potential of looking a better captain in coming days.