Pakistan yesterday said it felt let down by Australia and South Africa after their security fears led to the postponement until next year of next month’s Champions Trophy in the troubled South Asian country.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) was on Sunday forced to put off the eight-nation biennial tournament until October next year just two days after South Africa refused to send their team while Australia, New Zealand and England were also considering pull-outs over security worries.
Pakistan, who were due to host the Trophy from Sept. 12 to Sept. 28, however kept the hosting rights.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said his country felt let down by the non-Asian teams.
“We are definitely disappointed by Australia, because they have not toured us for 10 years,” Naghmi said.
He said he was also surprised by South Africa’s sudden boycott and once major countries pulled out there was no point in holding the event.
Naghmi hoped a full tour by arch-rivals India at the turn of the year would help remove security fears.
Pakistan host India for three Tests and five one-day internationals.
Naghmi hoped Australia, who postponed a tour to Pakistan in March and April this year which then sparked doubts over the Champions Trophy, fulfill their commitment to tour next year.
“Australia have a commitment of playing five one-day internationals in April next year, so we hope by then their fears are removed and they play in our country,” said Naghmi of Australia, who have not toured Pakistan since 1998.
Naghmi said the PCB were trying to fill in the gap created after the Trophy postponement.
The PCB’s efforts to fill the gap left by Australia’s tour postponement fell through as India turned down their offer of a short series because of a hectic schedule, while South Africa, New Zealand and Sri Lanka also declined short tour invites for various reasons.
Pakistan have no Test matches to play this year and their next tour is not before next July.
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
RSS