Japan’s prime minister and the head of the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Games by a year, as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic. The move would be a devastating blow for the city of Tokyo, which had won widespread praise for its organisation, with venues finished well ahead of time and tickets massively oversubscribed.
South African cricket team has been told to undergo a 14-day period of self-isolation in order to prevent the spread of of coronavirus following their return from an aborted tour of India. The players arrived back to their country on Wednesday, ten days after departing on a tour during which they played no cricket.
A rapid spread of coronavirus in Europe has spurred panic among the football teams as the La Liga has been suspended for two weeks. Real Madrid players were sent in isolation after one of the city’s basketball team players contracted the virus. Though no football player at Real Madrid showed symptoms, the club shut down as a preventive measure.
The Pakistan Cricket Board and the Sindh government have decided that the remaining Pakistan Super League(PSL) matches in Karachi will be held behind closed doors at the National Stadium. The decision comes hours after Pakistan’s coronavirus count reached 21, with a majority of those cases being reported in Sindh. The PCB said the precautionary decision has been made to better protect the health and safety of spectators, players, officials and the media.
West Indian cricketer and Peshawar Zalmi stalwart Darren Sammy has been appointed the new head coach of the club. While Wahab Riaz, the right arm pacer will now be leading the squad. The swashbuckling all-rounder has been playing for the “Yellow Storm” since the very first edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Peshawar Zalmi skipper Darren Sammy has offered to pay taxes in Pakistan as he is going to be awarded honourary citizenship on March 23. Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Sammy would be exempted from paying taxes as he met the Zalmi player at the PM House. PM Khan also lauded Sammy and Peshawar Zalmi’s role for reviving international cricket in Pakistan and congratulated him on becoming a citizen during the meeting.
Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova, one of the world’s most recognisable sportswomen, announced her retirement from tennis. Sharapova said goodbye to tennis in an article for Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines. After mentioning her 28 years of experience in tennis she said that she is ready to to scale another mountain — to compete on a different type of terrain.
International cricketing stars Shane Watson and Sir Vivian Richards have been invited to a meeting at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad. Quetta Gladiators have stated. The duo are part of defending champions Quetta Gladiators in the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League. Earlier, the Pakistan had announced that West Indies cricketer Darren Sammy will be awarded a honorary citizenship on March 23.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered a case against five bookies with Indian connections via Dubai as it cracks down on bribing cricketers for spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League. Calls and text messages were intercepted that were being exchanged between a former national cricketer and a Lahore bookie, these connections go to Dubai and India-based individuals involved in spot fixing.
British-Pakistani boxer Amir Khan and wife Faryal Makhdoom welcomed on Saturday their third child, a son.. Khan announced the news on Twitter and shared a picture with his son Muhammad Zaviyar Khan. The couple already have two daughters—four-year-old Lamaisah and 21-month-old Alayha. Earlier, Amir and Faryal were seen popping a large helium balloon which showered them in blue confetti, confirming they were expecting a boy.