Page 20 - Pakistan Link - March 17, 2023
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P20 - PAKISTAN  LINK - MARCH 17, 2023                                                                                                         SPORTS
               PSL 8: Simon Doull                                  FIFA 2026: Teams that will feature in World Cup

          Criticizes Rizwan Again























       LAHORE:  Kiwi  commentator,  Si- The third over was his last boundary.
       mon Doull, has once again criticised  You’ve  got  to  take  more  risks  than
       a Pakistani batsman and it is not Ba- that,”  Doull  said.  “This  is  a  game
       bar Azam. Doull was critical of Mo- where  you  get  a  second  chance,  so
       hammad Rizwan’s innings during the  this is the game you take risks. This is
       Qualifier between Multan Sultans and  the game you try and put the side un-   Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup trophy during the Qatar 2022 World Cup trophy ceremony after the football final
       Lahore  Qalandars  yesterday  in  La- der pressure, in case you have to play   match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022. — AFP
       hore in PSL 8. While speaking during  them again. This is where you show
       commentary, Doull said that Rizwan  your wares, because if you do lose go- KIGALI:  The  expanded  2026  men's  the  tournament  in  Qatar  convinced  feature 32 teams in France four years
       could  have  been  more  aggressive  in  ing for it, it doesn’t matter. The point  World  Cup  in  North  America  will  FIFA that a rethink to its original 2026  later.
       the powerplay.                is, this is a game where you can ex- start with 12 groups of four teams in  blueprint was needed.  The  number  of  venues  for  the
          “33  off  29  and  he’s  out  in  the  press yourself, do whatever you want  a change from the originally planned   "The groups of four have been ab- 2026 finals will double, from eight sta-
       14th  over.  It’s  just  not  acceptable.  to  do,  and  that  power  play  was  just  format  of  16  groups  of  three,  foot- solutely incredible until the last minute  diums in Qatar last year to 16.
       He didn’t hit a boundary in 10 overs.  not good enough,” he added.  ball’s world governing body FIFA an- of the last match," FIFA president Gi-  Eleven venues will be in the USA,
                                                                   nounced. The next World Cup in the  anni Infantino said in December.  with three in Mexico and two in Cana-
                                                                   United States, Canada, and Mexico will   Tuesday's  decision  was  an- da. FIFA has projected a huge increase
       PSL 2023: Multan Sultans Qualify for Final                  be the first to feature 48 teams, a sharp  nounced  following  a  FIFA  Council  in revenues in the four-year cycle lead-
                                                                   increase from the 32 sides at last year's  meeting in the Rwandan capital Kigali,  ing up to 2026, up to $11 billion from
         After Victory Against Lahore Qalandars                    tournament in Qatar.         at  which  it  confirmed  the  next  men’s  $7.5 billion in the four years up to 2022.
                                                                      "The revised format mitigates the  World Cup final will be played on Sun-  The  body  is  also  hoping  that  a
                                                                   risk of collusion and ensures that all the  day, July 19, 2026.  new,  expanded  32-team  Club  World
                                                                   teams play a minimum of three match-  FIFA  said  that  the  total  number  Cup will boost revenues too.
                                                                   es while providing balanced rest time  of days between when clubs must stop   FIFA  said  Tuesday  the  competi-
                                                                   between competing teams," FIFA said.  playing and release players for interna- tion will start in June 2025 and will be
                                                                   It means that there will be 104 matches,  tional duty, and the final, would be 56,  held every four years with club rank-
                                                                   a huge rise compared to the 64 games  identical to the previous three tourna- ings determining qualifiers.
                                                                   played in the 2022 tournament, and an  ments. Nevertheless, the World Cup it-  However,  an  annual  competition
                                                                   increase even on the original plan that  self may be played over a longer period,  will also be held, similar to the existing
                                                                   the 2026 World Cup would feature 80  after Qatar 2022 was held over just 29  seven-team Club World Cup which is to
                                                                   matches.                     days.                         be discontinued after the 2023 edition.
                                                                      FIFA's initial plan for 2026 was for   Expanded Club World Cup  The  yearly  competition  will  in-
                                                                   16 groups of three teams, from which   Infantino is expected to be waved  volve  the  six  continental  club  cham-
                                                                   the top two countries would advance to  in for a new four-year term as president  pions  and  conclude  with  a  final  at  a
                                                                   the last 32.                 as he stands unopposed for re-election  neutral  venue  between  the  winner  of
       LAHORE:  Multan  Sultans  yesterday  bowlers  with  figures  of  3-20  in  three   The  new  format  means  the  top  at Thursday’s FIFA Congress.  the UEFA Champions League and the
       qualified for the final of the eighth sea- overs.           two in each group will go through to   Expanding  the  World  Cup  had  winner  of  the  play-offs  between  the
       son of the Pakistan Super League (PSL)   First innings      the  knockout  round  along  with  the  been a priority for Infantino following  other teams.
       after  defeating  Lahore  Qalandars  in  a   Earlier, after deciding to bat first,  eight best third-placed sides. As a re- his election in 2016, when he took over   The  annual  tournament  was  ap-
       thrilling qualifier at the Gaddafi Stadi- Multan  scored  160-5  in  their  allotted  sult, the finalists, and the teams finish- from the disgraced Sepp Blatter at the  proved  "given  the  need  expressed  by
       um in Lahore. Chasing the target of 161  20 overs. Multan made a decent start  ing third and fourth, will play a total  head of world football.  the confederations for the champions
       runs, Lahore were rolled over for only  in the powerplay with 46 runs on the  of  eight  games  instead  of  the  current   The  last  World  Cup  in  North  of their premier club competitions to
       76 runs in 14.3 overs. Lahore lost Mirza  board without losing a wicket. Lahore  seven. The decision comes after a dra- America, in the United States in 1994,  play  each  other  annually  to  stimulate
       Tahir Baig (8) early after Sheldon Cot- got  their  first  breakthrough  in  the  matic and entertaining group stage at  featured just 24 teams before it grew to  competitiveness", FIFA said.
       trell enticed a huge swipe from the bat- eighth over after Haris Rauf cleaned up
       ter, who edged one through to Rizwan.  Usman Khan, who scored 29 runs in
       trap Abdullah Shafique (0) in front of  wicket  with  skipper  Mohammad  Riz- Hazara Academy Defeated Karachi Girls by 1 Goal
          Cottrell struck in the same over to  28 balls. He added 53 runs for the first
       the  stumps.  Lahore  were  hoping  that  wan. Zaman Khan bagged the prized
       opener and star batter Fakhar Zaman  scalp of Rilee Rossouw after he tried to  KARACHI SUPER WOMEN
       would lead the run-chase but that was  smack a slower ball over long-on but   FOOTBALL CUP 2023
       not the case after the left-hander was  was caught by Rauf. He scored 13 runs
       clean-bowled  by  an  inswinger  from  in 12 balls.         KARACHI:  In  the  second  match  of
       Anwar Ali. He scored six runs in seven   Meanwhile,  Rashid  Khan  dis- Super Women Football Cup organized
       balls. Cottrell also sent Shaheen Shah  missed  Mohammad  Rizwan  after  the  by Marta Women Football Club with
       Afridi packing for a duck in the fifth  latter missed a googly while trying to  the support of High-Q, Shafaq Cook-
       over of the match.            play a heave towards the leg side. The  ing Oil and DKT International, Hazara
          Hussain  Talat  (4)  was  sent  back  Multan  captain  scored  33  runs  in  29  Academy beat Karachi Girls by 1 goal.
       to the hut after a direct hit from Us- balls with the help of three fours. La- Faiza  Batul  from  Hazara  Academy
       man Khan left him short of the crease.  hore's  good  bowling,  coupled  with  scored a goal in the 10th minute of the
       Sikandar Raza (0) also departed soon  a lack of intent from the Multan bat- first half of the match to give victory to
       after as Abbas Afridi took a stunning  ters, ensured that the middle overs be- her team.
       catch  in  the  deep  on  the  bowling  of  longed  to  the  fielding  side.  However,   Before  the  match,  a  minute's  si-
       Kieron  Pollard.  This  left  Qalandars  Lahore  fluffed  some  chances  in  the  lence  was  also  observed  for  football
       reeling at 43-6 in the 10th over. The re- death overs which allowed Kieron Pol- player  Shahida  Raza,  who  suffered  a
       maining wickets also fell without much  lard to take the attack to the bowling  boating accident in Italy.
       resistance as Multan completed a com- side. The hard-hitting West Indies bat-  The  match  referees  were  Islam
       prehensive victory over the defending  ter notched up 57 runs in 34 balls with  Ansari, assistant Wasif and Saleh and
       champions. Cottrell was the pick of the  the help of six maximums and a four.  the match commissioner Hafs.
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