THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016 SPORTS PSL gets overwhelming response in cricket-starved Pakistan ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board Azhar Ali’s Lahore Qalandars. who signed up for the five franchises. million over a period of 10 years. Pietersen about convincing player associa- received an overwhelming response from “It’s our own league, I haven’t missed a Cricket greats Viv Richards and Wasim “The league has been a success and tions across the world to send cricketers to millions of cricket-starved fans, even if it single ball of it,” said Yousuf Mustafa, a 19- Akram were associated as mentors for there are good chances some of the fran- Pakistan for the second of the PSL. didn’t succeed in spotting a new fast year-old college student in Islamabad. Gladiators and United respectively and chises will go close to the break even after “I promise you the way we have done bowler or unearth a new batting star in its “PSL is more than a World Cup to me, I played pivotal roles in guiding their teams the first edition. The PCB is also very close the hard work, hopefully we will bring this inaugural professional Twenty20 league in wished it could have been played in to the final. to breaking even,” he said. league in Pakistan too,” Sethi said. the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan.” An attack on the Sri Lankan United was rewarded with three of its Misbah said foreign players got a mild Islamabad United, led by Pakistan test team’s bus in 2009 at Lahore shut the LEAGUE A SUCCESS unheralded players - Mohammad Sami, taste of what it would be like to play in a captain Misbah-ul-Haq, defeated Quetta doors on test nations touring Pakistan “Today it’s the victory of people of Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif - were draft- Pakistan competition during their three- Gladiators by six wickets at a packed before Zimbabwe broke the deadlock by Pakistan - nobody has lost, its victory for ed into Pakistan’s squad for next month’s week stay in the United Arab Emirates, and Dubai International Cricket Stadium late playing a limited-overs series - also in everyone,” PSL chairman Najam Sethi said World Twenty20 in India. Gladiators’ hoped it will help bring international crick- Tuesday to conclude a three-week Lahore - last year. Convincing foreign play- during the prize ceremony. uncapped left-arm spinner Mohammad et back to Pakistan. Pakistan Super League. ers from other major cricket countries like Sethi, who is also one of the PCB’s gov- Nawaz has also been labelled as one of the “This is one way you can build confi- Millions of fans stayed tuned in across Australia, England, New Zealand, West erning board members, initiated the idea players to watch out on spin-friendly wick- dence of players coming from Australia, Pakistan until after midnight throughout Indies and South Africa to tour Pakistan of staging the PSL along similar lines to ets in India. “You can see lots of youngsters England, West Indies and Bangladesh,” he the tournament, which also featured was almost impossible, so the PCB finally lucrative Indian Premier League, Big Bash in coming up ... they are getting more said. “When you get confidence and know teams including Pakistan Twenty20 cap- decided to host the PSL on neutral venue Australia and Bangladesh Premier League. chances to harness their skills and handle from other players that Pakistan is a safer tain Shahid Afridi’s Peshawar Zalmi, in the UAE. Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, After twice postponing the PSL, late last the pressure. That’s what IPL did for India, country, it will be possible for the Pakistan Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik-led Shane Watson, Luke Wright and Andre year Sethi finally managed to kick off the that’s what BPL did for Bangladesh,” Misbah Cricket Board to bring back international Karachi Kings and Pakistan ODI captain Russell were among the 29 foreign players league by selling the five franchises for $93 said. Sethi said he had spoken with cricket to Pakistan.” — AP McGregor to fight Diaz at UFC 196 onor McGregor will fight Nate Diaz at view on ESPN’s “SportsCenter,” saying former UFC 196 on March 5 after champion champions Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar CRafael Dos Anjos dropped out of their turned down the short-notice fight. Edgar is bout with a foot injury. UFC President Dana thought to be injured, while the short prepa- White announced the 170-pound matchup ration time wasn’t enough for Aldo, who was Tuesday night after a day of frantic shuffling. knocked out by McGregor in 13 seconds in Dos Anjos (24-7) was forced out of the December. White said Donald “Cowboy” matchup after injuring his foot in training in Cerrone and former champions Anthony his native Brazil. McGregor (19-2) won the Pettis and BJ Penn and other fighters were 145-pound featherweight title in December, willing to take the bout, but the UFC chose and the loquacious Irish superstar hoped to Diaz. Dos Anjos stopped Cerrone in hold the 155-pound lightweight belt simulta- December to defend his title in his first fight neously. Diaz (18-10) isn’t a title contender, since claiming the belt last March with a win but the entertaining brawler from Stockton, over Pettis. Dos Anjos had been a durable California, is one of the UFC’s most popular fighter during his lengthy career until last fighters in his weight class. Diaz lost a deci- year, when he tore a knee ligament and need- sion to Dos Anjos last year but also beat ed a nine-month gap between bouts. Michael Johnson in December in a thrilling Dos Anjos eagerly accepted the huge pay- lightweight bout. day and high-profile matchup with McGregor, With less than two weeks for Diaz to cut boasting of the ease with which he would weight, the fighters agreed to meet at the win. Instead, Dos Anjos became the second 170-pound welterweight limit in the UFC 196 straight Brazilian champion to incur a serious main event. Bantamweight champion Holly injury during training for McGregor, missing Holm also meets Miesha Tate on the pay-per- out on a large payday in the process. view card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Aldo, the UFC’s long-reigning feather- Las Vegas. Diaz and his older brother, Nick, weight champion, was pursued and verbally are rivaled only by McGregor himself as trashed for months by McGregor. Aldo mixed martial arts’ most eloquent trash-talk- dropped out of their bout 11 days before- ers, and the UFC 196 fighters are already off hand with a rib injury last summer, and to an entertaining start. McGregor beat late replacement Chad While fans speculated about McGregor’s Mendes to win the interim title. new opponent earlier Tuesday, Nate Diaz Aldo finally faced McGregor in December, DUBAI: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Tunisian Malek Jaziri during their ATP tennis match on the third round of the Dubai Duty tweeted: “He’s going to have to get on his and McGregor ended Aldo’s 18-fight win Free Tennis Championships yesterday. World number one Novak Djokovic recorded his 700th career win when he cruised past Tunisia’s Malek knees and beg ... “ Diaz was echoing previous- streak in spectacular fashion. Jaziri and into the Dubai quarter-finals. Djokovic won 6-1, 6-2 and will face Spain’s Feliciano Lopez for a spot in the last four. — AFP ly boastful social media comments from The 170-pound weight limit against Diaz McGregor, who has said he wants his future also sets up McGregor for a dry run at fighting opponents to line up “on their knees with as a welterweight, 25 pounds above the their hands out. I want them to beg” for the featherweight division. McGregor’s trainer Djokovic eases into payday that comes with fighting him. has claimed the fighter has trouble making White detailed the promotion’s hustle to the 145-pound limit, although McGregor has fill the matchup with McGregor in an inter- dismissed the concern. —AP 700-win club in Dubai DUBAI: World number one Novak Djokovic sport with all of my heart and enjoy every Berdych tamed Italian qualifier Thomas recorded his 700th career win yesterday when moment of it. I expect a lot from myself, I’m try- Fabbiano 6-2, 6-2. he cruised past Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri and into the ing to improve and get better in every element “Kyrgios is doing well, for me it’s going to be a Dubai Tennis Championships quarter-finals. of my game. “But I know I’m not the only one big challenge. I have a lot to get back after last Djokovic won 6-1, 6-2 in 65 minutes and will face who wants to be number one and win titles.” week. I must refocus myself, try to raise the Spain’s Feliciano Lopez for a spot in the last four. Second seed Stan Wawrinka, who denied game, and play some good tennis again,” two- The 28-year-old Serb moves to 12th on the Djokovic a career Grand Slam with victory over time runner-up Berdych said. “He’s full of fire- all-time win list which is headed by Jimmy the Serb in last year’s French Open final, was lat- works on the court-in a good way. He’s playing Connors of the United States who racked up er playing Croatian qualifier Franko Skugor. really aggressive. 1,254 in his career. Djokovic is the third active Flamboyant Australian Nick Kyrgios won his He’s going for a lot of shots, risking a lot.” player to pass the milestone, following in the second match in less than 24 hours, after a late Fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut claimed a footsteps of Roger Federer (1,067) and Rafael arrival in the emirate following his first career 16th win of the season with a 6-0, 6-1 hammer- Nadal (775).