Sialkot sports industry seeks incentives

SIALKOT: Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association has urged the government to announce incentives to help develop the sector, especially research and development (R&D) funds it needs to modernize.

The Sialkot-based exporters of sports goods said the government must invest in the sector, which was one step behind its regional peers, such as China and India, as it was unable to diversify into non-traditional products due to lack of funds.

They believed that with due help from the government, the city’s sports goods industry had the potential to increase its exports from $1.1 billion to $2.5bn in five years.

The industry’s importance can be gauged from the fact that three-fourths of the world’s footballs were manufactured in Sialkot, they said. The industry also produces specialised products that are supplied to top brands and buyers the world over.

Bringing advanced manufacturing and production technologies from abroad would also enable the local industry steeped in tradition to meet global trade challenges, they said.

Safdar Sandal, a former chairman of the association, said that even though the global trend has shifted to machine-made soccer balls, hand-stitched balls were still in demand.

He said exporters have already floated the concept of establishing a soccer village of global standards in Sialkot with the help of the United Nations Industrial Develop­ment Organisation. He added that the industry was also striving to produce high-quality products to cater to the international market.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2017

RCB make the lowest run in history of IPL

On Sunday night Kolkata Knight Riders bowled out Royal Challengers Bangalore for 49 runs, the lowest ever in Indian Premier League history to win their match by 82 runs.

Chasing a modest target of 132 runs, Bangalore never got going and lost wickets at regular intervals. Nathan Coulter-Nile began the destruction with three wickets. Chris Woakes and Umesh Yadav also picked up three wickets each.

Chasing Kolkata Knight Riders’ meager 131, the Royal Challenger Bangalore just lost one wicket after another.

While during KKR’s innings, it were the spinners who were ruling the roost, in RCB’s innings, Gautam Gambhir only brought the pace bowlers.

And the way they were bowling, everyone had just one question: Is this Eden Gardens’s pitch or one that of London stadium?

But hats off to KKR’s bowlers. It was one of the best sustained fast bowling ever seen in IPL.

if we see both teams on a point table we can observe a great difference between both team.both team played 7 matches but Kolkata has earned 10 points while RCB is on 4 points. it seems big names are not helping RCB for the winning the points on the points tables.

Chris Gayle is already facing bad time as Watson is out of form making RCB batting line up more challenging to adjust. kohli recover up from his injury and AB villiers luck is not in his favor so far he contribute 80+ inning just in one match.

RCB bowler did a good job in this match and restricted kolkata for just 131 runs but the coaching staff need more hard work and consistency in their training to achieve this title of 2017.

Younis scores historic 10,000th Test run

Younis Khan became the first Pakistan player to score 10,000 Test runs on Sunday, reaching the landmark shortly after tea on the third day of the first Test against West Indies.

The 39-year-old is just the 13th batsman in the history of the sport to break the 10,000-run barrier in the five-day format.

He took his place in the record books with a sweep shot for a boundary off slow bowler Roston Chase on the second ball after the interval at Sabina Park having started the day requiring just 23 runs to reach his target.

Younis , playing in his 116th Test, will retire after the three-match series in the Caribbean having made his debut in 2000.

Younis also hold various records in his career including 11 centuries in all 11 test playing nations home ground.

before entering in ground rumors were every where about Younis khan taking back his retirement but Younis confirm that he will going to retire after this series against west indies.

“A lot of things are being said regarding my retirement from Test cricket… that perhaps Younis Khan wants to continue playing cricket,” Khan said in a video uploaded on his Twitter account.

this legend will be going to miss in the test cricket, and this space may not be fulfill so quickly in Pakistan team.

for more update must visit http://www.cricket.com.au/news/younis-khan

Arsenal beat Manchester City

Sanchez settled a contentious semi-final 11 minutes into the extra period after Manchester City failed to clear Mesut Ozil’s free-kick.

Arsenal showed great resilience to come from behind – and eased the pressure on manager Arsene Wenger – after Sergio Aguero raced clear of Nacho Monreal to put City ahead in the 62nd minute.

Monreal made amends with the equaliser 11 minutes later as he drilled in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s cross at the far post – but City were left nursing a serious sense of injustice after this disappointing defeat.

They had a goal wrongly ruled out in the first half when Leroy Sane’s cross was adjudged to have gone out before Aguero and Raheem Sterling combined to turn it into the net, while Yaya Toure and Fernandinho hit the woodwork after the break.

It left Arsenal victorious and Wenger aiming for a record seventh FA Cup triumph.

now Arsenal will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final after the Gunners came from behind to secure a 2-1 extra-time win over Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday.

for more update must visit http://www.bbc.com/sport/football

Barcelona beat Real Madrid

The last night show was something special because Barca, whose win put them on top, match between two rivals was full of suspense and breath taking actions.

Casemiro scored first for the hosts before Messi and Ivan Rakitic put Barcelona in front and Sergio Ramos was shown a red card for a wild lunge towards messi.

in last 15 minutes remaining the main Substitute was taken by zidan and  James Rodriguez did not disapoint zidan , he had earned Madrid a point late on.

But Messi, who scored his first with a superb jinking run and finish, fired in from the edge of the area to win it for Barcelona in last 30 seconds remaining time.

Both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had earlier missed good opportunities to give their sides the lead.

lionel messi score his 31st laliga goal of the season and his 500 goal for his club in this match.

if we look on a table we have this statistics:

1. Barcelona                                      75 points                       33 matches

2. real Madrid                                   75 points                      32 matches

3. Atletico de Madrid                       68 points                     33 matches

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