Sports
Highlights of the HBL PSL 6 Karachi-leg – statistical review
Published
4 years agoon

LAHORE, May 23 (APP): The HBL Pakistan Super League 6 Karachi-leg produced some thrilling cricket which kept the teams, followers and fans on the edge of their seats throughout the 14 matches.
The teams batting second won the first 13 matches while 2019 champions, Quetta Gladiators turned the tables on Multan Sultans in the last match to be played at the National Stadium with a 22-run win on 3 March, becoming the first team to successfully defend a target in the season.
The sixth edition has so far proved to be as competitive as others with four of the six sides tied at six points each heading to the Abu Dhabi-leg which will be played next month at the Sheikh Zayed
Stadium.
Points table:
Defending champions Karachi Kings topped the points table with six points from five matches (three wins, two defeats). Interestingly, all top four sides, Kings, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars accumulated six points in the Karachi-leg, with Kings taking the top-spot due to their better net run-rate.
The 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi occupy the second-spot with as many points, wins and defeats as the Kings but an inferior net run-rate of 0.273 compared to Kings’ 0.697.
Islamabad United, the 2016 and 2018 champions, occupy the third-spot. They recorded three wins in four matches they played in Karachi, their net run-rate is 0.202.
Lahore Qalandars, the HBL PSL 2020 finalists, are in the fourth-spot with three wins and a defeat from their four matches with a net run-rate of 0.085 and six points.
Multan Sultans are languishing in the fifth-spot with two points from five matches (one win, four defeats) and a net run-rate of -0.244 while the 2019 champions Quetta Gladiators are bottom-placed with a win and four defeats in five matches and a net run-rate of -0.936.
To be read as team, matches played , won , lost , points and net run rate
Karachi Kings53260.697
Peshawar Zalmi53260.273
Islamabad United43160.202
Lahore Qalandars43160.085
Multan Sultans5142-0.244
Quetta Gladiators5142-0.936
Most runs:
Three batters accumulated 200 runs or more in the Karachi-leg with Sultans’ skipper Mohammad Rizwan leading the run-getters table. The wicketkeeper-batsman who has enjoyed a phenomenal run in T20 and T20Is in the recent past scored 297 runs at 59.40 at an impressive strike-rate of 140.09 in his five matches for the Sultans.
Rizwan hit three half-centuries in the Karachi-leg. Pakistan T20I captain and Kings batting mainstay Babar Azam scored 258 runs at 86. The right-hander maintained a strike-rate of 138.70 while registering three half-centuries for his side in their five games.
Babar’s opening partner Sharjeel Khan scored the only century of the Karachi-leg, the left-hander’s 200 runs in five innings were scored at a strike-rate of 170.94, he averaged 40 per innings with the help of a century and one half-century.
The Babar-Sharjeel duo recorded the highest partnership of the Karachi-leg, adding 176 runs against United.
Most wickets:
Zalmi’s fast bowler Saqib Mehmood was the highest wicket-taker of the Karachi-leg, the right-armer took 12 wickets in five matches at 12.08 and an impressive economy rate of 7.98, his best figures were three wickets for 12 runs.
Qalandars’ left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi also carried on his impressive T20 bowling form by snaring nine wickets in four games at 12.55. Shaheen conceded a mere 7.06 runs per over, his best figures were three wickets for 14 runs.
Sultans’ pacer Shahnawaz Dhani caught the attention of the followers and fans of the league by collecting nine wickets in four games in his debut HBL PSL season. Sultans would be banking on Shahnawaz in the Abu Dhabi-leg for a revival of their fledgling fortunes.
Shahnawaz was a touch expensive with a 10.33 economy rate in the Karachi-leg but kept taking wickets at regular intervals at 17.22. His best figures were three wickets for 44 runs.
Meanwhile, Zalmi skipper Wahab Riaz recorded the only four-wicket haul of the Karachi-leg, the left-armer took four wickets for 17 runs against United to spearhead his side’s convincing six-wicket victory.
Fielding and wicketkeeping:
Zalmi’s Tom-Kohler-Cadmore topped the fielders’ charts with five catches in four matches, teammate Shoaib Malik took four catches in the Karachi-leg. Quetta Gladiators’ Faf du Plessis, Ben Cutting and Babar all took three catches each.
Kings’ wicketkeeper Joe Clarke took five catches in the Karachi-leg, Qalandars’ Ben Dunk and Rizwan snared four catches each.
Boundaries and wickets count:
In the Karachi-leg, a total of 446 fours and 176 sixes were hit while 159 wickets fell.
Highest team score:
Zalmi chased down a 199-run target on their way to a 202 for seven total (19.3) overs in an epic clash with the Gladiators (198 for seven) which lived up to the Gladiators-Zalmi rivalry expectations.
Kings chased down 196-run target against Sultans (195 for six) on their way to 198 for three in
18.5 overs in another exciting clash which kept the fans glued to the action.
Lowest team score:
United’s 118 all out in 17.1 overs was the lowest team score in the 14-match Karachi-leg against Zalmi. Gladiators were folded for 121 in 18.2 overs in their match against the Kings.
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Jahangir Khan is a man whose name is synonymous with squash. A man universally recognised as the world’s greatest ever player and an athlete who transcended his sports to be acknowledged as world’s greatest ever sportsman. A man who set the bar so high, precious few others have come close, never mind surpass his achievements.

Youngest World Amateur Champion (aged 15) Youngest British Open & World Champion (aged 17) Unbeaten in 555 consecutive matches over 5 years and 8 months – the longest winning streak of any sportsman 10 time British Open Champion (1982-1993) 6 time World Champion Played the longest squash match in history (2 hours, 46 minutes)
Through courage, determination and personal sacrifice, Jahangir Khan overcame personal tragedy to dominate and ultimately transcend the world’s most physically demanding sport.Throughout his record breaking career, Jahangir Khan used and was synonymous with only one brand.
Jahangir Khan was born in Karachi, Pakistan on the 10th December 1963 amd is considered to be the greatest player in the history of squash.
Jahangir Khan is originally from Neway Kelay Payan, Peshawar. During his career he was ranked World No.1 and won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times.
From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir was unbeaten and during that time won 555 consecutive matches – the longest winning streak by any athlete in top-level professional sport as recorded by Guinness World Records.
Jahangir retired from the Men’s Professional World Squash Tour 1993 and served as President of the World Squash Federation (WSF) from 2002 to 2008 when he became Emeritus President.
Jahangir was coached initially by his father Roshan and then by his late brother Torsam and cousin Rahmat who would go on to coach Jahangir throughout his record breaking career.
As a child Jahangir was physically very weak and despite doctors advising him not to take part in any sort of physical activity his father encouraged him to play their family game following a couple of hernia operations.
After missing out on selection for the Pakistan team for the 1979 World Championships in Australia, Jahangir entered the World Amateur Individual Championship and at 15 years-of-age became the youngest ever winner of the prestigious championship.
In November 1979, Jahangir’s older brother Torsam died suddenly of a heart attack during a tournament match in Australia. Torsam’s death affected Jahangir greatly and led to him considering quitting the game. However, Jahangir was determined to pursue a career in the sport as a tribute to his brother.
Most Notable Achievements:
Won World Amateur Championships at age 15
Youngest ever World Open Champion (aged 17)
Unbeaten in 555 consecutive matches over 5 years and 8 months
Record 10 time British Open Champion (1982-1991)
Six-time World Open Champion
First player to win World Open Championship without dropping a game
Played the longest match in the squash history 2 hours and 46 minutes
Five-year unbeaten run
In 1981, Jahangir became the youngest winner of the World Open at the age of 17 when he beat the then World No.1 Geoff Hunt Australia in the final. That championship marked the start of an unbeaten run which lasted for five years and 555 matches.
Jahangir was distinguished for his incredible fitness and stamina which Rahmat Khan helped him develop through a punishing training and conditioning regime. Jahangir was widely regarded as the fittest player in the sport.
In 1982, Jahangir astounded everyone when he won the International Squash Players Association (ISPA) Championship without losing a single point.
Jahangir’s unbeaten run finally came to end in the final of the 1986 World Open in France when he lost to Ross Norman of New Zealand. Norman had been chasing Jahangir’s unbeaten streak after being beaten time and time again. Norman was famously quoted “One day Jahangir will be slightly off his game and I will get him”.
Speaking about his unbeaten sequence of 555 consecutive matches, Jahangir said: “It wasn’t my plan to create such a record. All I did was put in the effort to win every match I played and it went on for weeks, months and years until my defeat to Ross Norman in Toulouse in 1986.”
“The pressure began to mount as I kept winning every time and people were anxious to see if I could be beaten. In that World Open final, Ross got me. It was exactly five years and eight months. I was unbeaten for another nine months after that defeat.”
At the end of 1986, compatriot Jansher Khan challenged Jahangir’s domination. Jahangir won their first few encounters in late 1986 and early 1987, but Jansher finally scored his first win over Jahangir in September 1987 with a straight games victory in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open.
Jansher then went on to beat Jahangir in their next eight consecutive encounters, including capturing the 1987 World Open title.
Jahangir managed to end Jansher’s winning streak over him in March 1988 and went on to win 11 of their next 15 meetings. The pair met in the 1988 World Open final with Jahangir emerging the victor. By that point it had become clear that squash now had two dominant players and the pair would continue to dominate the sport for the rest of the decade.
Jansher and Jahangir met a total of 37 times in professional competition with Jansher winning 19 matches, and Jahangir taking 18 matches.
Jahangir did not win the World Open after 1988 but was able to maintain a stranglehold over the prestigious British Open title which he won a record ten successive times between 1982 and 1991.
Jahangir retired from the professional World Tour in 1993 after helping Pakistan win the World Team Championship in Karachi. He was honoured by the Government of Pakistan with the awards of Pride of Performance and civil award of Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Crescent of Distinction) for his achievements in squash. Jahangir was also named Sportsman of the Millennium in Pakistan.
“Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan, and Jansher Khan are the best squash players the world has ever known with Jahangir the best of the three. If Hollywood only knew his story of tragedy, grit and determination it would make another movie like Chariots of Fire. Many of those who know him consider him the best athlete who ever lived.”Former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf
In 1990, Jahangir was elected Chairman of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and in 1997 Vice-President of the Pakistan Squash Federation. Jahangir was elected as Vice-President of the World Squash Federation (WSF) in November 1998 and in October 2002 was elected WSF President. In 2004, Jahangir was again unanimously re-elected as President of the WSF at the International Federation’s 33rd Annual General Meeting in Casa Noyale, Mauritius.
Jahangir Khan was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by London Metropolitan University for his contributions to the sport. As a result of his complete dominance in squash he was nicknamed “The Conqueror”
Sports
Thrills in the Desert – Where Speed Meets Sand in the Thal Jeep Rally 2024.
Published
5 months agoon
November 9, 2024By
EDITOR
The 9th Thal Jeep Rally commenced on Thursday, beginning with the registration, tagging, inspection, and medical screening of participating vehicles and drivers.
Over 100 vehicles have registered for the rally, which will feature four competition categories. Female racers have entered this year’s competition, including the renowned driver Asif Ali from Britain, who has also joined the event.
The qualifying round will start on Friday (today). Competitions in the stock and women’s categories are scheduled for Saturday (tomorrow Nov 9), while the races for prepared vehicles and motorbikes will take place on Sunday, Nov 10. The rally’s challenging track spans across the Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Kot Addu districts, as confirmed by Deputy Commissioner Quratul Ain Memon.
For the qualifying round, the track extends 3-km, and drivers have been busy practicing on Thursday. The district administration has implemented safety measures, including the deployment of Rescue 1122 teams, police checkpoints, and rescue points along the track route. The DC has declared a local holiday on Nov 8 (today).
Among the participants, three female racers have registered on the first day, including Laleen Akhwanzada, a 20-year-old from Islamabad competing in her first Thal Jeep Rally. Akhwanzada, who previously competed in the Cholistan Jeep Rally twice, is joined by her young navigator, Maira Jabbar.
Akhwanzada said the track offers an exciting challenge with adequate handling. Other female participants include Dina Patel, daughter of famed racer Ronnie Patel, and Super Salma Khan. Patel remarked that the Thal track remains narrow and demanding, but she is thrilled to see more women entering this year’s competition. Salma Khan, a veteran of the rally, also encouraged more female participation, calling for greater government support for female racers.
Renowned racer Nader Magsi commended the improved safety and track quality this year with barriers now in place. He said the rally is getting better every year. He said if the conditions improve, racers from all over the world will participate in this event.
Sports
“Unbeatable Spirit, Unmatched Legacy – Jahangir Khan”
Published
7 months agoon
September 1, 2024
Jahangir Khan is a name synonymous with excellence, domination, and unparalleled success in the world of squash. Widely regarded as the greatest squash player of all time, Jahangir Khan’s achievements in the sport are nothing short of legendary. His career is a testament to his extraordinary talent, unwavering dedication, and the profound impact he has had on the global squash community. Often referred to as the “King of Squash,” Jahangir Khan’s legacy continues to inspire athletes worldwide.
Early Life and Introduction to Squash
Jahangir Khan was born on December 10, 1963, in Karachi, Pakistan, into a family deeply entrenched in the world of squash. His father, Roshan Khan, was a former British Open champion, and his older brother, Torsam Khan, was also a professional squash player. From a young age, Jahangir was exposed to the sport, and it was evident that he possessed a natural affinity for squash. However, his journey to greatness was not without challenges. At the age of 12, he was diagnosed with a serious health condition that required surgery, leading doctors to believe that he would never be able to play competitive sports. But Jahangir’s determination and love for squash drove him to defy the odds and pursue a career in the sport.
Rise to Stardom
Jahangir Khan’s rise to stardom began in 1981 when, at the age of 17, he became the youngest player to win the World Open, the sport’s most prestigious tournament. This victory marked the beginning of an era of dominance that would see Jahangir redefine what it meant to be a champion in squash. From 1981 to 1986, Jahangir Khan embarked on an unprecedented winning streak, remaining unbeaten in 555 consecutive matches. This remarkable feat remains one of the longest winning streaks in the history of professional sports and is a record that is unlikely ever to be broken.
During this period, Jahangir Khan won six World Open titles and ten British Open titles, further cementing his status as the greatest squash player in the world. His ability to consistently perform at the highest level, combined with his physical fitness, mental toughness, and strategic brilliance, made him an unbeatable force on the squash court.
The Rivalry with Jansher Khan
One of the defining aspects of Jahangir Khan’s career was his rivalry with fellow Pakistani squash player Jansher Khan. Their rivalry captivated the squash world throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, with both players pushing each other to new heights. While Jahangir dominated the early years of their encounters, Jansher eventually emerged as a formidable competitor, winning multiple World Open and British Open titles. Their battles on the court are considered some of the greatest matches in squash history, showcasing the intense competition and mutual respect between the two legends.
Contributions to Squash Beyond the Court
Jahangir Khan’s impact on squash extends beyond his achievements on the court. After retiring from professional squash in 1993, Jahangir dedicated himself to promoting and developing the sport globally. He served as the President of the World Squash Federation (WSF) from 2002 to 2008, during which he played a crucial role in advocating for squash’s inclusion in the Olympic Games. His efforts have helped raise the profile of squash and inspire a new generation of players worldwide.
Jahangir Khan’s legacy also includes his contributions to squash in Pakistan, where he has been a role model and mentor for aspiring players. His success brought international recognition to Pakistani squash, a sport that has produced numerous world-class players from the country. Jahangir’s influence has been instrumental in establishing Pakistan as a dominant force in the world of squash.
Honors and Recognition
Jahangir Khan’s achievements have earned him numerous accolades and honors throughout his career. He was awarded the prestigious Hilal-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s second-highest civilian award, in recognition of his contributions to sports. In 1984, he was named the Sportsman of the Millennium by the Government of Pakistan. Jahangir has also been inducted into the World Squash Federation Hall of Fame, a fitting tribute to his extraordinary career.
In addition to these honors, Jahangir Khan’s name has become synonymous with excellence and perseverance in the sporting world. His story of overcoming adversity and achieving greatness serves as an inspiration to athletes across all disciplines, reminding them that with determination and hard work, anything is possible.
Legacy and Impact
Jahangir Khan’s legacy in the world of squash is unmatched. His dominance on the court, his sportsmanship, and his contributions to the development of squash have left an indelible mark on the sport. Jahangir is not only remembered for his records and titles but also for his humility, dedication, and passion for the game. He is a symbol of excellence and a source of inspiration for millions of people around the world.
Today, Jahangir Khan remains actively involved in promoting squash, both in Pakistan and internationally. His efforts to nurture young talent and his commitment to the sport ensure that his legacy will continue to inspire future generations. Jahangir’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, determination, and the pursuit of excellence, making him a true icon of the sporting world.
Conclusion
Jahangir Khan’s status as the “King of Squash” is well-deserved, given his extraordinary achievements, unmatched dominance, and lasting impact on the sport. His journey from a young boy overcoming health challenges to becoming the greatest squash player in history is a story of resilience, dedication, and unparalleled excellence. Jahangir Khan’s legacy will forever be etched in the annals of sports history, serving as an inspiration to all who aspire to greatness.

Aik Qaum, Aik Sath | Pakistan Zindabad | Pakistan Day Song | 23rd March 2024 | AIKQAUM.COM

Nation celebrates Pakistan Day today with traditional zeal
