March 14, 2022 – Page 2 – Newswire Pakistan

March 14, 2022

Kashmir month launched at GCU

Lahore, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):Kashmir Month on Friday launched here at the Government College University Lahore under the auspices of its Kashmir Society to celebrate the true Kashmiri spirit, lifestyle, and culture and highlight Indian autocracies in the occupied valley. The month-long event opened with a poster exhibition titled “a portrayal of Kashmiri women resistance” at the University’s Amphitheatre.

Yousaf Salahuddin, a socialite, philanthropist and grandson of Allama Mohammad Iqbal, was the chief guest at the event hosted by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Asghar Zaidi. Noted playwriter and poet Ayub Khawar was also present. Speaking on the occasion, Yousaf Salahuddin said that Pakistan was made by the youth and it would be the youth who will protect it. He added that only a strong and prosperous Pakistan guarantees the independence of Kashmir.

The grandson of Allama Iqbal also reminisced about his student life at the Government College Lahore where veteran playwright Shoaib Hashmi was his English teacher. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Zaidi said he’s extremely delighted to announce that for the first time in the history of GCU, they will be having a Kashmir Month hosting a series of events under the umbrella of GCU Kashmir Society. He said GCU Kashmir is using new technology, research and other means to bring awareness to the Kashmir issue. He said students would celebrate and promote awareness about the beautiful Kashmir culture and customs during the month.

Ayub Khawar presented his poetry on Kashmir. Academician Zafar Iqbal Sindhu also addressed the ceremony. On a lighter note, he said “it was mentioned in a very high-level meeting in Islamabad that GCU Kashmir Society is more active than the Kashmir committee.” Later, students of GCU Nazir Ahmad Music Society presented patriotic songs and played Kashmiri musical instrument Rabab.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Department,
Government College University (GCU)
Squash Complex, GC University, Lahore, Pakistan
UAN: +92-42-111-000-010 Ext: 296
Tel: +92-42-99213343
Cell: +92-321-8440769
Email: registrar@gcu.edu.pk
Website: http://www.gcu.edu.pk

March 14, 2022

Musings of a Comparative Humanities Major

Karachi, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):The trick is to initiate a conversation about your favourite book, or a piece of poetry that you hold close to your heart, or even just some instrumental that makes your bones ache; you’ll attract the attention of a Comparative Humanities student right away.

We’re hidden among the pretence of your average student, mingling with you over a cup of coffee, or Rahim Bhai’s fries at the Dhaba, but what differentiates us from other majors is our ability to make everything and anything into a soulful academia aesthetic.

CH kids can talk to you about why a character in the book you’re reading is deeply philosophical and make you appreciate all the layers they have in seconds if given the chance.

They do this with their ability to quite literally, devour books. In dreams of listening to Sufi kalams or Beethoven’s compositions all day, while we read research papers; you’ll find our inner CH.

But until that becomes a reality, you’ll find us talking about the affective experiences in our everyday consumption of readings for class and outside of it. Every now and then, before walking into a classroom, we’ll discuss how each of us felt about the readings. We’ll unpack how the material made us think, how beautifully it was written, how powerful the ideas were, and with what other things we could make a connection to.

A good amount of time after class will be spent discussing the things from class. In CH, the conversation does not stop as soon as you step out of the room. Or frankly speaking, it simply just never stops. The dialogue flows so naturally that we often find ourselves completely immersed in conversation about the author or the ideas. Sometimes even days ahead of it.

We ponder over it until it becomes a part of us. Each of us carries a passion for academia. To us, studying is not just restricted to classrooms and books but it is a hunt for knowledge from anywhere and everywhere. CH students end up embodying what we learn. We become the philosophy we study or find ourselves practicing the theories we often discuss.

We become the characters we speak of, or the anti of it. In our everyday lives, we are just one text away from growing, from becoming, from finding a part of us that we did not even know existed.

You’ll often find us hanging out together in groups just talking about changing the world, not realizing that we’re also changing ourselves bit by bit. Always for the better though. Every time we sit in a circle reading each other’s poetry to make suggestions, or give each other a book we think the other might enjoy, or just sit with the other letting them talk about a figure they like or a philosophy they connect with; we change.

We become more human. We become all that we hope the world will, too. This blog was written by Fareha Siddiqui, a Comparative Humanities alumnus from the Class of 2023.

For more information, contact:
Habib University
Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-34301051-55
Email: marketing@habib.edu.pk
Website: www.habib.edu.pk

March 14, 2022

Shreyas Iyer and Amelia Kerr voted ICC Players of the Month for February 2022

Dubai, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced India’s star all-format batter Shreyas Iyer and White Ferns all-rounder Amelia Kerr were voted ICC Players of the Month for February 2022.

Shreyas Iyer earned the ICC Player of the Month award the back of his brilliant white-ball exploits during the home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka respectively last month. Iyer pipped fellow nominees, UAE’s Vriitya Aravind and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee to claim the award. The right-hander struck a well-crafted, match-winning 80 in the third ODI against the West Indies in Ahmedabad and followed it up with a brisk 16-ball 25 in the closing game of the subsequent three-match T20I series.

He went even better in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, aggregating 204 runs without being dismissed across three innings at a highly impressive strike-rate of 174.36. He registered scores of 57*(28), 74*(44) and 73*(45) across three games, while striking 20 fours and seven sixes collectively in a Player of the Series performance.

“Throughout the month Shreyas showed tremendous consistency and control,” remarked former Sri Lanka cricketer and voting panel member Russell Arnold. “He totally dominated opposition bowlers and proved very hard to bowl at, scoring runs all-round the wicket and attacking the bowlers at the right moments. What really stood out for me was his composure as he battles for a regular place in the India lineup.”

The 27-year-old has carried his form in the ongoing month too, having produced an outstanding 92 in the first innings of the ongoing second Test against Sri Lanka in Bangalore.

Amelia Kerr, the 21-year-old New Zealand all-rounder, was named the Women’s POTM, following her supreme consistency with both bat and ball during the home white-ball series against India. After scoring 17 and returning 2/25 in New Zealand’s 18-run win in the only T20I, Kerr showcased exemplary skills during the ODI leg to further establish herself as a world-class cricketer.

She finished the top-run scorer in the ODI series with 353 runs at a staggering average of 117.67, while bagging seven wickets at an economy of 5.78. She was named the Player of the Match in the second and fourth ODI respectively, her standout performance coming in the former, in which she returned 1/43 with the ball before anchoring a tense 271-run chase with a sublime unbeaten 119.

Kerr was chosen ahead of fellow nominees, India captain Mithali Raj and all-rounder Deepti Sharma for the award. The Wellington-born is already being hailed as one of the best women cricketers of the modern game.

“Amelia Kerr is growing into her role as a genuine all-rounder in the New Zealand team,” said Isobel Joyce, the former Ireland Women cricketer, and a voting panel member. “She’s been a world-class leg spinner for a number of years, but now her batting adds even more value to her spot in the team and makes her one of the best cricketers in the world.”

Kerr is an integral part of the White Ferns setup at the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 and has already racked up 111 runs and bagged five wickets from four outings thus far.

Fans can continue to vote every month for their favourite male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket as part of the ICC Player of the Month initiative by registering at www.icc-cricket.com/awards.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

March 14, 2022

Keightley: I take responsibility for England defeats

Dubai, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):England head coach Lisa Keightley has shouldered the blame for her side’s third consecutive loss at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 after a narrow three-wicket defeat to South Africa.

The defending champions batted first and set South Africa 236 to win as Tammy Beaumont top-scored with 62 but a fine 77 from Laura Wolvaardt and late hitting from Marizanne Kapp swung the game to the Proteas.

Kapp had earlier taken five for 45 for her first international five-wicket haul before setting up Shabnim Ismail and Trisha Chetty to knock off the final 10 runs.

The win was South Africa’s first over England in a World Cup for 20 years, while it marks the first time England have lost three games in a row at a World Cup after earlier defeats to Australia and West Indies.

“As a coach, I take a huge amount of responsibility. It’s up to me to drive the team and get the wins on the board, that’s the job of the coach,” Keightley said.

“And we’re trying really hard, the coaching staff and myself, to get the players up and about and we don’t have to do too much.

“The players are pretty gutted and they were pretty gutted after the last match and they wanted to bounce back. They were unable to do it, so responsibility and the buck lies with me and I’m happy to cop that.

“Moving forward, do I feel the pressure? I don’t feel any more pressure than what the players feel and I’m no more disappointed than the players.

“We came into this World Cup wanting to play better than we have and we haven’t and it’s been frustrating.”

After a winless Ashes series, Keightley’s side have not tasted victory all winter and fielding errors have crept into their performances with more dropped chances and missed stumpings today.

But Keightley is unable to explain what is causing the mistakes in the field.

She said: “We haven’t really put our finger on it really, we have fielded pretty well throughout the Ashes and took a lot more chances than we have today.

“I can’t really put a finger on it. The last two days, we’ve trained really well and the girls have been up and about and putting a lot of effort in.

“We just haven’t got the rewards in the games that it matters, so I don’t really know to be sure. It is something that we’ll have to think about when we review after this World Cup.”

For now, attention turns to India who they face on the same ground in Tauranga on Wednesday, with England needing to win all off their remaining games and then hope other results go their way to qualify for the semi-finals.

Keightley added: “We’re trying hard to get those wins and once I think we win a close one, we’ll get a bit of momentum and finish strong.

“We’ve just got to dust ourselves off, come back out in two days’ time and play the way we want to play.”

England were up against another vintage performance from all-rounder Kapp who had starred on English soil in the final of the Hundred.

Today she beat even those figures of four for nine with a maiden five-fer for South Africa before hitting 32 from 42 balls to put South Africa on the brink.

After being given out LBW off the bowling of Anya Shrubsole in the penultimate over, Kapp spent a long time talking to Trisha Chetty and incoming batter Shabnim Ismail.

She said: “First of all, I said, sorry. I knew I was supposed to end it there for us, but I had a lot of confidence in the two of them.

“I told Trisha, like if I’m given out now, you take charge, you take the lead, we only need a run a ball and I back the both of you and I said the same to Shabnim. Just watch the ball and don’t be scared.”

March 14, 2022

Landmark Bangladesh win a significant World Cup milestone

Dubai, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):Before they even arrived in New Zealand, Nigar Sultana was adamant Bangladesh would not measure their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 success in runs, wickets or points.

This was about proving to the world that the Tigresses belong at the top table of international women’s cricket, to attract other nations to play them and inspire a generation of Bangladeshi women to pick up a bat or ball. This win will surely achieve all three.

14 March 2022 will forever be one of the most important dates in the history of Bangladesh cricket and their maiden World Cup win against Pakistan might just be the most significant result of the tournament so far, for what it means to the international game as much as to the race for the semi-finals.

Bangladesh might know Pakistan well – they have met 12 times in the past 10 years – and share the head-to-head series with six wins each but none of their five previous successes would have been as sweet as this nine-run victory.

The impact of this result on women’s cricket back home will be immeasurable and it’s far from a stretch to say millions will have been watching and listening around breakfast tables from Dhaka to Chittagong and everywhere in between, as their team completed a major milestone at just past 10.30am local time.

“I cannot describe this in words,” Nigar said. “This is our first-ever win in World Cups. We have made history today.”

Like their captain, Bangladesh are determined, unflappable and unafraid – it is little wonder they have scaled these heights under her captaincy – and they needed all of those traits at Seddon Park, as Pakistan gave them all they could handle. Pakistan, batting second after winning the toss, had the cards stacked in their favour thanks to Sidra Amin steering them to a winning position.

Their run-rate might have been slow but they arrived at the 40th over needing just 67 runs and with eight wickets in hand. All very achievable at a ground where the perceived wisdom is to always bat second. Bangladesh needed an answer and Nigar turned to one of her trump cards, Fahima Khatun, to change the match.

Just like Fargana Hoque, who made 71 with the bat as Bangladesh compiled 234 for seven in their innings, Fahima wrote her name into the history books. The leg-spinner took three wickets to rip the heart out of Pakistan’s batting line-up and leave Sidra isolated, while also bowling economically to drive up the required run-rate.

On a slow pitch, where hitting boundaries was difficult, the pressure was too much for Pakistan and though the score says they lost by nine runs, they rarely threatened to actually chase down the target in the final five overs – especially once Sidra departed for 104. Fahima was named Player of the Match but the award could have gone to any of the three players who made an indelible mark on the game.

Sidra’s century – her first ever in ODIs – was an exhibition of skill and concentration, while Fargana’s 71 was equally important as it anchored Bangladesh’s innings. “Today wicket was slow and turning,” Fargana said. “Then I realised that I need to use my feet and find the gaps to score runs. We tried to score in chunks of 20 runs.”

A team record ODI score was the result and Pakistan could not match it, falling short in the second innings just as they did against South Africa on Friday. Now, Bangladesh have a few days off before they play West Indies on Thursday, a match they can approach with confidence and increased belief.

Nigar was quick to add that this is just the beginning and her team will not stop pushing. They will celebrate the win but this is far from job done – both on and off the pitch as they continue to create a legacy that will last for generations.

March 14, 2022

Kapp heroics see South Africa beat England at the death

Dubai, March 14, 2022 (PPI-OT):South Africa earned another late ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 win as they defeated defending champions England by three wickets with four balls remaining in Tauranga.

England were rescued from a poor start by a 107-run partnership from Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones before Marizanne Kapp fought back with her first international five-wicket haul to set her side 236 to win.

Kapp followed Laura Wolvaardt’s lead with the bat to set up a nail-biting finish before Trisha Chetty hit the winning run for South Africa’s first World Cup win over England in 20 years.

South Africa, who beat Pakistan by a narrow six-run margin on Friday, won the toss and chose to bowl and that decision proved to be the right one early on.

Kapp dismissed both Danni Wyatt for three – with Wolvaardt taking the catch at the third attempt – and Heather Knight for nine, as England slumped to 19 for two.

Shortly after, Nat Sciver was also heading back to the pavilion as she edged the ball onto her hip, which then ricocheted back onto the toe of the bat and sent a catch to the switched-on Lizelle Lee at slip.

At 42 for three, England were in trouble but the previously out-of-form Jones, alongside Beaumont, started the fightback.

They made their fifth century partnership before Masabata Klaas trapped Beaumont LBW for 62 from 97 deliveries – marking the first time Beaumont had not converted a fifty to a hundred against South Africa in ODIs.

Jones reached 53, her first half-century in World Cups, before she was run out to leave England on 167 for five.

England then started to lose regular wickets as the South African seamers came on to replace the ineffective spinners.

Kapp earned a third wicket, as Katherine Brunt (17) sent an edge to the substitute fielder at cover, and then a fourth as Sophia Dunkley (26) nicked behind.

Kapp picked up her first international five-fer with the wicket of Kate Cross, who skied a catch to Chloe Tryon, as England finished on 235 for nine from their 50 overs to set South Africa what would be their highest run-chase in the World Cup so far.

Opener Wolvaardt was dropped on four by the usually reliable Beaumont before Lizelle Lee was bowled by Anya Shrubsole, as England made a strong start.

Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits put on 56 for the second wicket before Brits was caught at deep fine-leg for 23 to give Sciver her first wicket of the game.

Sune Luus joined Wolvaardt in the middle and the pair put on a 67-ball 50-stand but were saved by more fielding errors from England.

Jones, who typically has a lightning-quick pair of hands, couldn’t hold on to two stumping chances but she made amends by eventually stumping Luus (36) to leave South Africa on 147 for three.

Cross then took her first World Cup wicket as Wolvaardt found Sciver at mid-wicket to end her 101-ball knock of 77.

It was hard going for the spinners but Sophie Ecclestone dismissed Mignon du Preez for eight before Brunt ran out Tryon at the non-striker’s end, to leave South Africa on 199 for six.

Kapp remained and, with her, South Africa’s hopes as she smashed the first six of the game to bring the required run-rate back under six with four overs to go.

Shrubsole added another twist when she trapped Kapp LBW for 32, to leave South Africa needing 10 to get from the final 10 balls.

But in the end, Chetty and Shabnim Ismail got South Africa home with four balls to spare, as England lost three World Cup games in a row for the first time.

Scores in brief

South Africa beat England at Bay Oval, Tauranga by three wickets

England 235/9 in 50.0 overs (Tammy Beaumont 62, Amy Jones 53; Marizanne Kapp 5/45; Masabata Klaas 2/23)

South Africa 236/7 in 49.2 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 77, Sune Luus 36; Anya Shrubsole 2-34).

Player of the Match: Marizanne Kapp (South Africa)