Zimbabwe to replace Afghanistan in Pakistan tri-series
Lahore(PTI): Zimbabwe will replace Afghanistan in the three-nation T20I tournament to be played in Pakistan from November 17 to 29, the PCB said on Saturday.
Afghanistan announced earlier in the day that it would not be sending its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing the tragic death of three of its cricketers which it claimed occurred in Pakistan’s air strikes in Paktika province.
Sri Lanka are the third side in the tournament beginning in Rawalpindi.
In a statement announcing Zimbabwe's participation, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) merely said that "Afghanistan expressed their inability to participate in the tournament."
"Zimbabwe Cricket has accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board’s invitation to participate in a T20I tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka, to be staged in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 17 to 29 November," the PCB said.
"The maiden tri-series on Pakistan soil has been scheduled to provide all three sides with preparation ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be held in India and Sri Lanka."
The tri-series will commence on November 17, with hosts Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second fixture will also be played at the same venue on November 19, when Sri Lanka take on Zimbabwe.
Following the two matches in Rawalpindi, the action will shift to Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, which will stage the remaining five matches, including the final on November 29.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in a post on X, stated that several lives were lost in the incident, including the three players returning home after a "friendly' match in Sharana, the provincial capital.
"The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan's sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family," it said in a statement.
Describing the incident as "tragic", the ACB said "as a gesture of respect to the victims" it had "decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series."
The ICC and the BCCI have also condemned the killing of the aspiring cricketers.
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CM Revanth Reddy slams PM Modi over petrol, diesel price hike, seeks immediate rollback
Hyderabad (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday demanded that the Centre roll back the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices, saying the move will adversely impact many sectors.
In a post on X, Reddy termed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s decision to increase prices of petroleum products as "unjustifiable".
He said that citing the US-Iran war as an excuse to raise petrol and diesel prices does nothing but break the backbone of the common man.
Reddy claimed that before the recent elections in four states and one Union Territory, the PM Modi government repeatedly stated that “petroleum product prices will not be increased.
Yet, less than ten days after the election results, prices were raised by more than Rs 3. This amounts to betraying the people's trust. People believe Modi "lies" merely for votes and electoral victories. This is a betrayal of public trust. I demand that the central government immediately roll back the increased petrol and diesel prices,” Reddy slammed the PM.
According to him, due to the central government’s inefficient administration and ill-conceived policies, the country’s economy has weakened and 'Atmanirbhar' has proven to be merely a slogan to garner votes rather than a policy that delivered results.
"Small and medium-scale industries have suffered. A situation has emerged where there is no guarantee of employment for the youth. The promise of doubling farmers’ incomes has remained only a promise. Over the past ten years, the value of the rupee has been steadily declining, and now that decline has reached its peak," he said.
Reddy sought to know how the Modi government could justify the decision while proudly claiming that it had made India the world’s third-largest economy.
