Sports

Qatari Sheikh to make another bid for Man Utd as third deadline looms: sources

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

With the deadline fast approaching on Friday for the third round of bidding to buy Manchester United, the Premier League giants’ future seems uncertain.

Reportedly, the Glazers — the current owners of the league — want a world record £6 billion ($7.3 billion) fee — an offer that is yet to be met.

However, despite fans’ concerns that the Glazers could prolong their controversial ownership, Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani is set to submit yet another bid before the deadline passes at 10pm BST time.

ESPN reported that the Qatar-backed Sheikh remains confident that his bid will be successful.

The Qatari banker and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe — who is fronting INEOS — are the front runners in the race to buy United.

When they first invited external investment in November, the Glazers — who have been unpopular with fans since they saddled the club with debt in a £790 million leveraged takeover in 2005 — appeared ready to cash out at an enormous profit.

Some private equity firms — including Elliot Investment Management and the Carlyle Group — which are in the market for a minority stake allowing the Glazers to retain control and provide the funding for investment in the club’s infrastructure.

According to reports, while Avram and Joel Glazer want to hold on to their stakes in the league, fellow directors Kevin, Bryan and Edward Glazer and Darcie Glazer Kassewitz are open to offloading their shares.

Offers from the second round of bidding last month were believed to have been worth around £5 billion.

That would smash the Premier League record of £2.5 billion paid for Chelsea last year by a consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital, with a further £1.75 billion promised in investment in infrastructure and players.

The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) has called for a swift conclusion to the process to allow new owners to be in place for the summer transfer window.

“We are in dire need of new investment, which undoubtedly requires new ownership. MUST, along with United fans all around the world, are calling for this process to be concluded without further delay,” the fans’ group said in a statement.

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Saying goodbye to international cricket, Bismah Maroof

Published

2 days ago

Farwa

The decision to leave international cricket was made by Pakistani women’s cricket player Bismah Maroof on Thursday.

According to details, Maroof declared, “I am choosing to say goodbye to the sport, which I really enjoy. I have had a really memorable cricket journey.”

Saying, “The PCB, companions, family, and fans have always supported me,” she highlighted the importance of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and fans to her career.

With an average of 29.55, Maroof had scored 3369 runs in 136 WODIs while playing for Pakistan.

Throughout 140 WT20Is, Maroof averaged 27.55 and scored 2893 runs.

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For the Pakistani team’s T20I against New Zealand, Haseebullah has replaced Azam Khan.

Published

5 days ago

Farwa

In a brief press release, PCB said, “The national selection committee has announced wicketkeeper/batter Haseebullah as the replacement player for Azam Khan, who was sidelined from the T20I series against New Zealand due to a tear in his right calf muscle.”

The information indicates that Haseebullah will become a member of the Pakistan team following the third Twenty20 International, and he will be eligible to be selected for the two remaining Twenty20 Internationals, which are slated to take place in Lahore on Thursday and Saturday, respectively.

Earlier in the year, Haseebullah, 21, played in his only Twenty20 international match against New Zealand.

or the unfamiliar, Azam Khan was declared out of the whole series on Saturday after missing the first Twenty20 International because of pain in his right knee and right calf muscle.

According to PCB, “Azam Khan has been advised to undergo a 10-day rest following radiology reports confirming a Grade One tear of his right calf muscle.”

The announcement also stated, “Azam will therefore be unable to take part in the current Twenty20 International series against New Zealand, which concludes in Lahore on April 27.”

Notably, Mark Chapman’s incredible innings helped the visitors to an easy seven-wicket victory in the third Twenty20 International, tying the five-match series between Pakistan and New Zealand at one.

Pakistan team for the Twenty20 Internationals in New Zealand

Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Babar Azam (c), Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Irfan Khan Niazi, Usama Mir, Zaman Khan

Mohammad Ali, Agha Salman, Sahibzada Farhan, and Muhammad Wasim Jr. are the reserve players.

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Rain cancels out Pakistan vs. New Zealand’s opening Twenty20 international

Published

1 week ago

Farwa

As the rain returned, Shaheen Shah Afridi’s expertly timed in-swinger to dismiss Tim Robinson left only a two-ball match going on at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

On-field umpires Aleem Dar and Ahsan Raza shook hands with the players and decided to call off the contest as soon as the rain started up again. Additionally, there was a thirty-minute delay in the planned fixture toss. Then, after winning the coin toss, Michael Bracewell, the captain of New Zealand, decided to bat first.

The players from both sides assembled shortly after for the national anthems, but more rain caused the proceedings to be postponed.

The match appeared likely to be called off before a ball was played due to the intensity of the second spell of rain. But after the rain stopped, the ground crew worked extremely hard, and the game might go into five overs.

The second game, which takes place at the same location on April 20, will pit the two teams against one another.