Hyderabad to host 2012 Sindh Games

By Shehzad Owaisi

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) November 19, 2012: Sindh Games 2012 will be held in Hyderabad city of Sindh province from December 2-4, 2012, TheSportsNEXT.com has learnt.

An emergency meeting of the Singh Games Organizing Committee was held in Karachi on Monday under the leadership of provincial sports minister and chairman Sindh Games Organizing Committee Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah at the minister’s office where matters relating to final arrangements of the games came under discussion.

Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah inquired about the arrangements being made for the Games including venues, players’ accommodation, work on bathrooms, and other necessary measures.

It is important to mention here that the date of the Sindh Games 2012 was changed primarily due to the holy month of Muharram-ul-Haram.

Governor Sindh Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan will inaugurate the Sindh Games 2012 at Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad on December 2 at 3pm local time, the meeting decided.

It was also decided in the meeting that tough security arrangements will be taken during the Games and a penal of doctors and ambulance will be made available at all venues in a bid to tackle any untoward situation.

Secretary Sports Sindh, Saeed Awan, Director Shahzad Pervaiz, Administrator Hyderabad Rahat Ali Shah, Commissioner and Deputy Commission of Hyderabad, SSP Hyderabad and all the district sports officers attended the meeting.

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Andre Nel, Kalicharan, Jayasuriya hail facilities at Asghar Ali Shah Stadium

By Shehzad Owaisi

Dr. Mohammad Ali Shah gets tributes from international cricketers

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) October 25, 2012: International cricketers recently toured Pakistan for a couple of festival Twenty20 matches in Karachi and during their trip they freely roamed around the biggest metropolis defying all the impression in international media about security concerns in the terrorism-hit country.

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While most of the players that made the International World XI returned home after participating in the two exhibition matches on October 20 and 21 at National Stadium Karachi, former Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya, former West Indian cricketer Alvin Kalicharan, and former South African fast bowler Andre Nel stayed a little longer in Karachi.

During their stay in Karachi, the three former cricketers roamed through some of the busiest markets in the metropolis and interacted freely with their fans without having to worry about security.

Recently, Sanath Jayasuriya, Andre Nel, and Alvin Kalicharan visited Asghar Ali Shah Cricket Stadium, which is owned and run by Sindh Sports Minister Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, who accompanied the players. Administrator of his AO Clinic Nusrat Fahim and Vice Chairman of Asghar Ali Shah Sports Foundation, Dr. Syed Junaid Ali Shah, were also present on the occasion.

The foreign cricketers visited various enclosures at the Asghar Ali Shah Cricket Stadium and had but praise on their lips after visiting the hostel built for cricketers at the Stadium premises.

Talking to reporters, these cricketers said that Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah is a true sports fan and his passion has helped him in coming up with such a place fully equipped with modern needs of the game.

Sanath Jayasuriya told reporters that Dr Shah has done a marvelous job by constructing and running the Asghar Ali Shah Cricket Stadium without any government help and the cricketers from Karachi can never forget his contribution for the sport.

Alvin Kalicharan said on the occasion that Dr Shah is a passionate sportsman and once he aims at doing something for the sport he achieves all of his goals.

South African fast bowler Andre Nel said that by holding the two Twenty20 matches, Dr Shah has proved to the world that Pakistan is a safe country for cricket.

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Dr Shah lashes out at Brian Lara

By Shehzad Owaisi

Sindh Sports Minister doesn't like Brian Lara's statement

KARACHI, Pakistan (TheSportsNEXT) October 24, 2012: Sindh Sports Minister, Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah said Tuesday that he never offered legendary West Indian cricketer Brian Lara 1.5 million US dollars to participate in the two festival Twenty20 matches.

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The Sindh Sports Minister recently organized two exhibition Twenty20 matches between Pakistan Stars XI and International World XI which the home side won easily. During the two-match series, a statement by Brian Charles Lara emerged where he claimed that he was offered 1.5 million US dollars to play these games but he refused since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was not officially supporting the matches.

Lashing out on one of the greats of the game, Dr. Syed Mohammad Ali Shah said that the statement by Brian Lara surprised him because the left-hander was offered 15,000 US dollars for the participation.

“Brian Lara had demanded 50,000 US dollars to play two festival matches which was way above our budget which is why we didn’t pursue him although he was ready to visit and play in Pakistan for 50,000 US dollars”, Dr. Shah stated.

He added, “The legendary Brian Lara shouldn’t have come up with false statements”.

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