This last week an international activity in the field of sports was witnessed after two years. In 2014, the Zimbabwe cricket team had toured Pakistan and now the under-18 hockey team of Oman is touring Lahore to play four-match series against Pakistan.

Both teams are playing the four-match series as part of their preparations for the upcoming U-18 Asia Cup to be played in Bangladesh from Sept 24.

Oman is the first foreign hockey team which is touring Pakistan after almost eight years. Last time, the Chinese team had toured Pakistan and played matches in Lahore as part of preparations before the Beijing Olympics-2008.

The Omani team, which performed impressively in the first match, will play three more matches at the National Hockey Stadium till Sept 20. Two matches will be played under the floodlights.

In the first match last week, the Omani team stunned everyone after holding Pakistan to 2-2 draw. It was not only a disappointing performance from the host team but the poor arrangements made both by the Pakistan Hockey Federation and Sports Board Punjab also left a bad overall impact.

The venue was giving a pathetic look and even the electronic scoreboard was not functioning. Both the PHF and the SBP must have to review the arrangements for the rest of matches so that other countries could also be attracted.

Meanwhile, Oman team’s coach Yousufi Darwish Al Siyabi surprised everyone when he talked to the media after the match in Urdu language. Siyabi was elated after his team drew the match with Pakistan.

This last week the National T20 Cup concluded at the Multan Stadium, Multan, after giving many surprises in the semifinals and final rounds. The Karachi Blues, which was once trailing at the 5th position, lifted the coveted cup after registering a stunning three-run win over their sister Whites team in the final.

The Karachi Whites, which had defeated unbeaten Peshawar in the semifinal and was looking hot favourite to win the title, lost to its Blues team in the final.

The Blues team surprised another favourite team of Lahore Whites when it was defeated in the semifinals.

For the Blues team the discarded off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal, was declared the best bowler.

The Pakistan cricket team gathered at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore last week to leave for the UAE to play a full series against the West Indies. First the three T20-match series will start in Abu Dhabi on Sept 23. Later, the two teams will also play three ODIs and as many Test matches.

Except for paceman Muhammad Aamir, the rest of players were present at the NCA. Aamir will miss the first two T20 matches because he is going to tight the knot in Lahore next week.

The Pakistan team, under the captaincy of Sarfraz Ahmad, left Lahore quietly as the PCB did not arrange any press conference before departure. The PCB has always been trying to keep the players away from media.

Next week the Pakistan baseball team for men is touring New York to play the World Cup Classic qualifying round starting from Sept 22 to 25. Besides Pakistan, three other teams are Israel, Brazil and Great Britain. Pakistan has attained 23rd position at the world ranking while it is 5th in Asia. The winner of the qualifying round will qualify for the World Cup to be held in Australia next year.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2016