The newly appointed interim president of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, announced the lifting of the ban on the national team captain, Ammad Shakeel Butt, state-run APP reported on Friday.

On Thursday, former president Tariq Hussain Bugti imposed a two-year ban on national captain Butt, citing findings of a committee regarding alleged misconduct. He also announced his resignation amid controversy over the national team’s tour of Australia for the FIH Pro League.

In a statement issued today, the interim president lifted the ban, stressing that “transparency and fairness would guide all decisions under his tenure,” APP quoted him as saying.

Wani, who was the Secretary of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), also vowed to “revive and strengthen the country’s national game”.

He gave assurances to the stakeholders that a comprehensive plan would be developed, “aimed at stabilising the federation, rebuilding trust and revamping team management to restore Pakistan’s lost glory in international hockey”.

“As the newly appointed ad-hoc president of PHF, I assure stakeholders of our commitment to revive and strengthen hockey in Pakistan,” APP quoted him as saying.

He added that “immediate steps” were underway to resolve “organisational and administrative issues”.

Wani elaborated that the “short-term” focus of the federation would be to stabilise its affairs, and the medium-term plan involved “developing a clear strategic vision, enhancing coaching and training structures and fostering institutional coordination among relevant bodies”.

The interim president also shared plans that the federation aims to partner with the private sector to ensure improved support to the players.

“Our players should focus on training and matches, while we handle the rest,” he was quoted as saying.

He assured that “welfare and performance would remain at the centre of reforms”.

Additionally, he announced elections for a new PHF leadership and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for “reposing trust in him” as the interim head, as per APP.

On Thursday, PM Shehbaz appointed Wani as ad-hoc president of the federation, following the resignation of his predecessor.

The developments came amid controversy over the national team’s tour of Australia, where accommodation arrangements could not be secured on time, forcing players to spend several hours on the road.

The team’s overall performance in the Pro League also came under criticism.

However, shortly after Bugti’s resignation, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the hockey players, including Ammad Butt and Hanan Shahid.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, when asked about the reported two-year ban, Butt said Naqvi told him there was no ban and that the same team that toured Australia would travel to Egypt.

The ban had reportedly been imposed under the PHF constitution, raising questions over the process for its reversal.

Source link

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald put the blame for the team’s humiliating T20 World Cup exit squarely on the players, rejecting criticism of their preparations and a “false narrative” that the nation is not taking the format seriously.

Australia crashed out of the group stage following losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, triggering acrimony on the home front.

Former players and pundits have zeroed in on Australia’s preparations for the tournament which saw members of the squad arrive late to a warmup series in Pakistan after prioritising the Big Bash League.

Australia were thumped 3-0 by Pakistan before failing to qualify for the World Cup’s Super Eight phase.

McDonald dismissed criticism that Australia had not prioritised the tournament, saying the team had been “fully locked into (it) for a period of time”.

“I have heard that sort of narrative that T20 World Cups don’t matter to us,” he told reporters.

“I think all that is a response to the performances of Australian cricket teams in these competitions.

“We won in 2021 and we haven’t been as successful since then. The expectations on the Australian cricket team are high — and rightfully so.

“But to sit back and say that we’re prioritising other formats or other versions of the game and not the T20 World Cup is entirely false.”

Australia were missing leading pace bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood due to injury but McDonald said the available players were good enough but had not performed.

“It shouldn’t be about the players that we’re missing,” said McDonald, who is also a selector.

“It should be looking at the performances and we’re disappointed in those. We need to own those and the critique is fair and reasonable.”

Australia finish their tournament with a dead rubber against Oman in Pallekele later on Friday.

Source link

PARIS: Norway’s Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, beating last season’s runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie after Anthony Gordon scored four as Newcastle United hammered Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan.

Elsewhere Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step towards reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece.

Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, made it to this stage after some impressive results during the league phase, including wins at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico in their last two games.

The club from north of the Arctic Circle were therefore not afraid of the current Serie A leaders and went in front on 20 minutes through Sondre Brunstad Fet.

Francesco Pio Esposito equalised on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a VAR check despite an apparent handball in the build-up.

However, Bodo/Glimt went back in front just after the hour when Kasper Hogh’s brilliant lay-off set up Jens Petter Hauge to score, and Hogh found the net himself three minutes later.

The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to PSG in last season’s Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday’s return leg at San Siro.

The winners of the tie will play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month.

Newcastle made short work of Qarabag on their long trip to Baku, with the outstanding Gordon netting two penalties among his four goals on the night — he now has 10 goals in nine matches in this season’s Champions League, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe on 13.

SCHICK DOUBLE, ATLETICO HELD

Gordon’s clinical finish gave Newcastle a third-minute lead at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, and Malick Thiaw headed in for 2-0 after just eight minutes.

Former Everton winger Gordon then converted a penalty awarded for a handball just after the half-hour mark, and pounced on poor defending a minute later to complete his first professional hat-trick.

He then added a penalty for his fourth and his team’s fifth in first-half stoppage time, with Jacob Murphy getting the visitors’ sixth in the second half after Elvin Jafarguliyev had pulled one back.

Next week’s return at St James’ Park should now be a mere formality, with a last-16 tie to come against Barcelona or Chelsea.

“It’s a tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That’s as good as we have played in a long time,” Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said. “I know the tie isn’t over but we are in a great position.”

In Belgium, Club Brugge came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to earn a draw with Atletico and keep their play-off tie firmly in the balance ahead of next week’s second leg.

Julian Alvarez gave the Spaniards an early lead from the penalty spot at the Jan Breydelstadion, and Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann had flicked on an Alvarez corner in first-half stoppage time.

Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika pulled one back just after the break for the hosts and Nicolo Tresoldi equalised on the hour mark.

Atletico appeared to have won the game when Club Brugge defe­nder Joel Ordonez turned a cross into his own net, but Christos Tzolis made it 3-3 in the 89th minute.

“It was a rollercoaster, like it’s been all season. We have to concentrate more,” Atletico captain Koke told broadcaster Movistar — his side are fourth in La Liga, well off the pace at the top, but hammered Barcelona 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week.

Leverkusen were seeking to avenge a 2-0 defeat away to Olympiacos last month as they returned to Piraeus, and this time they were the winners by the same margin as Czech striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the space of four minutes around the hour mark.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2026

Source link