In today’s cricket sports news, find out about the UK police urging for calm after fights between supporters during an India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match last month erupted into “severe disruption” on Saturday and Sunday in Leicester, eastern England. On the other hand, late Sunday morning, there isn’t a single empty spot at Polo Ground in downtown Karachi. All of the 20 acres of paths and grass are used for tape-ball cricket games. This famous Polo Ground in Karachi is still a good place for Pakistani cricket. Lastly, Cricket competitions played under floodlights are currently delivering joy to thousands of people who are passionate about sports in the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir.
UK Police Call for Calm After India-Pakistan ‘disorder’
Original Source: UK police appeal for calm as India-Pak post-match ‘disorder’ spills over
Police in Leicester, England, are urging for calm after skirmishes between supporters during an India-Pakistan Asia Cup cricket match last month erupted into “severe unrest” on Saturday and Sunday.
Social media reports said a protest march sparked the violence this weekend, with images showing police trying to keep back two mobs as bottles and sticks were thrown.
Leicestershire Police temporary chief constable Rob Nixon stated in a Twitter video that disturbance had broken out in east Leicester.
“We have officers there, we’re in charge, more are on the way, and dispersal and stop-and-search powers have been authorized. Don’t interfere. He urged calm.
Dispersal and stop-and-search powers were authorized by the local police force to “restore tranquility” to the area. Two guys remain in prison on suspicion of violent disorder conspiracy and bladed article possession.
“Police are investigating several reports of violence and destruction. We’ve seen a video of a man removing a flag from a Leicester church. This happened as police dealt with public unrest. Leicestershire Police will investigate.
“We continue to appeal for dialogue and calm with community leaders’ help.” We won’t accept violence or chaos. In the next days, there will be a large police operation, authorities added.
Police issued similar dispersal orders earlier this month after days of rioting involving local Hindu and Muslim groups during India vs. Pakistan in Dubai on August 28.
Chief Constable Nixon stated Friday there had been 27 arrests in the “east Leicester region” and thanked the community for working together to appeal for calm.
Sir Peter Soulsby, Leicester’s mayor, said no one expected Saturday’s clash and police were told things were settling down.
“It’s largely young men in their late teens and early 20s, and I’ve heard that others have come from outside looking to party. It’s really troubling for anyone affected, he said, urging calm.
Sanjiv Patel, who represents Leicester’s Hindu and Jain temples, told the BBC that all groups have lived in harmony.
In recent weeks, it’s become evident that there are issues that need to be handled at the table. Violence isn’t the answer, he said.
“Across the Hindu and Jain community and with our Muslim brothers, sisters, and leaders, we urge ‘quiet thoughts, calm heads,'” he stated.
Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East, said, “Our togetherness is our strength.”
Pakistani Cricket Thrives in Karachi’s Polo Ground
Original Source: Karachi’s renowned Polo Ground still fertile territory for Pakistani cricket
Polo Ground in central Karachi is full on Sunday morning. 20 acres of path and grass are used for tape-ball cricket. There must be 30, 40, 50 overlapping matches — enough that it’s hard to count the hundreds of players strewn around, the fielders mixing so that a man at mid-wicket in one game may play cover in another or fine leg for a third. Outside India and the Oval Maidan in Mumbai, it’s unmatched.
If you call it Gulshan-e-Jinnah, no one can offer you instructions. Polo Ground is famous. Everyone from Karachi has played here. In the 1940s and 1950s, Hanif Mohammad and his brothers learned there. They’d moved to the city following division. Hanif said in his memoirs that hundreds of kids played cricket there every day. Whoever came first chose his own location for practice or a match. Even maulvis joined in.
His younger brother Mushtaq told Peter Oborne, “When we were young, my youngest cousin Iqbal, my older cousin Nisar, and I would set out every Sunday with just two annas each in our pockets and head to Polo Ground in the city’s center where many teams used to be playing matches with intermingled field placements.” He hasn’t forgiven his brothers for making him 12th man. Soon Mushtaq and his brother moved to the old Gymkhana ground next door, where Pakistan played early games against MCC and other teams.
In the 1960s, the government utilized Polo Ground for military parades, and it became a site where young lovers met. A TV team came and made a show in which the presenter asked couples if they told their parents they were at the park together. Cricket has always been here. For years, players from all across the country have flocked to Karachi to play in this park. Today, they hope to reach the National Stadium, further out of town, from the Gymkhana.
There’s still a man at the gate collecting rupees from boys who want to park their motorbikes inside, and a hawker carrying pomegranate seeds on platters on his shoulders between games.
He doesn’t even bother to cross the park. No strollers allowed, and there are no free routes. The sidewalks make the best pitches. The latecomers have to play in the grass by the fences, where if they’re unlucky, the ball will go into the road.
The youngest kids, 5 and 6, are on the park’s mud boundary. It’s more serious inside. The laughing is boastful. Almost everyone bowls fast, and many are, and most batsmen hit sixes. So the balls fly all over until they land in deep grass, where unsighted fielders scramble behind trees, shrubs, and pavilions to follow the bowler’s “catch” calls. Some have to retrieve the ball from a muddy pond.
Some players wear shalwar kameez, some jeans and tees, but lots are in vivid cricket clothing, bright strips and brilliant slashes. Some are from Pakistan Super League, one is in an England top, but many are from local clubs, the Rising Stars, the Young Fighters.
They utilize stacks of bricks or soldered metal stumps as wickets and have bags of replacement balls. The ground is strewn with chewed-up red tape strips used to improve tennis ball swing and bounce. There’s usually one guy who can do it, and gamers will pitch him old ones to fix with materials he carries.
The sad part is that it’s so close to England’s team hotel, only five minutes away, yet the players only see it through the tinted windows of their coach as they head to training. Some of them are frustrated that the security cordon is so tight that they can’t even walk to the park, especially PSL veterans. They may not see it, but everyone playing here will be watching them on Tuesday. Among them may be the bowler they’ll face in a few years.
Night Cricket in Kashmir Cheers Sports Fans
Original Source: Night cricket returns to Kashmir, brings cheer to sports enthusiasts
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), 18 Sep (ANI): Cricket tournaments under floodlights are bringing Jammu and Kashmir sports fans joy.
Kashmir’s sports infrastructure deteriorated after 1990’s militancy. In the valley, sports infrastructure is being created.
Kashmir has only two international cricket matches before the uprising. India and Australia played in Srinagar’s Sher-e-Kashmir stadium in 1986.
As news of the matches went viral on social media, people left their houses and came to the field.
The ceremony was opened by Pattan’s mayor, Pritpal Singh Oberoi. After inauguration, he said sports have a beneficial and constructive function in our social and psychological development and such events allow our kids to pursue positive objectives.
He stated numerous measures are being taken to build sports infrastructure so that more sports activities be fostered. He promised the administration’s full help.
Over 20,000 fans from all over northern Kashmir watched the match at Pattan under floodlights. Mohammad Lateef Ganaie, organizer of Presidents Cup 2022, said it was a big development in the history of sports in J&K.
“Thousands of spectators come to watch the play in the evening, which has never happened before in our region,” remarked teenage cricketer Tabish Ayaz. He thinks future cricket games will be equally exciting.
“Around 9 PM, the cricket match starts here and thousands of spectators arrive to cheer,” Tabish said. It was a dream for the youth to play a night cricket match, he said.
Another player, Iqbal Khan, said Kashmir’s sports infrastructure should be improved because its youth are talented.
At least 65 teams from far afield are competing in a similar league in Durhama, Baramulla. This playground is also packed at night.
In the evenings at Ghani Kashmir Memorial Stadium in Srinagar, Central Kashmir, cricket matches attract thousands of elderly and young people from throughout the city.
One of the cricketers, Azim Irfan, feels it’s excellent that more people are getting interested in sports to avoid evil behaviors. Azam expects more sporting infrastructure to be built.
We came 10 km to witness this night match, and we enjoy it. We hope such tournaments continue,” onlookers stated.
Cricket fans are also holding night tournaments in South Kashmir and Ganderbal. Organizers create provisions for teams and spectators to enjoy night cricket.
The secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul, said 35 lakh youths must be involved in sports.
She said the government has asked the youth service and sports council to engage 35 lakh youth in sports.
“Both departments are working on this aim, and sports activities including football and hockey are going on in every district of J&K,” she added, adding that the government’s focus is on sports and sports-related activities. (ANI)
Summary of today’s Cricket/Sports News
Overall, After a cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup last month descended into “severe unrest” in Leicester, England, police have issued an appeal for calm. City violence. In a Twitter video, Leicestershire Police temporary chief constable Rob Nixon said, “We’ve heard from a lot of people that there’s been a lot of trouble in parts of east Leicester.” According to social media reports, a protest march sparked the violence this weekend. Footage shows police struggling to keep back two mobs as glass bottles are thrown and some individuals carry sticks and batons.
Meanwhile, Sunday morning, there are a lot of people at Polo Ground in downtown Karachi. On all 20 acres of path and grass, tape-ball cricket is played. There must be 30, 40, or 50 games going on at the same time. There are so many players that it’s hard to keep track of them all, and the fielders are switching positions so that a player at mid-wicket in one game might play cover in another or fine leg in a third.
Finally, night cricket returns bringing cheer to thousands of sports enthusiasts in Jammu and Kashmir. During the match at Pattan, which was held under floodlights, more than 20,000 people from all over northern Kashmir came to watch and cheer on the players. Mohammad Lateef Ganaie, who is in charge of putting on the Presidents Cup 2022, said that it was a big step in the history of sports in J&K and that he hoped more games like this would be held in the future.