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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1,850 missing mobile phones recovered as Delhi Police focusses on victim-centric policing
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has recovered 1,850 stolen and lost mobile phones worth around Rs 4 crore in past 40 days under "Mission Reconnect", an initiative aimed at returning phones to their rightful owners in outernorth Delhi, an official said on Saturday.
The recovered phones were traced from different parts of the country, including remote areas, through technical surveillance and sustained field operations, police said, adding that the devices were handed over to their owners during a programme at the Sports Ground, New Police Lines, Kingsway Camp.
The initiative focused on a victim-centric approach and aimed at strengthening public trust through proactive policing and coordinated efforts across states, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outernorth) Hareshwar Swami said.
As part of the programme, teams performed 'nukkad nataks' and screened awareness videos on cybercrime, drug abuse prevention, and senior citizen safety, sensitising the public about digital frauds and safety measures, officials said.
The initiative combines technology, investigation and community participation to ensure recovery of lost property and reconnect citizens with their valuables, they added.
