The Pakistan Tennis Federation has not even bothered to reply to the availability letter of Pakistan tennis prodigy Samir Iftikhar for Davis Cup tie against the Philippines. Samir, who is on a scholarship studies in America, made himself available for the national duty after Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi withdrew from the tie due to knee injury. The team on Tuesday left for the Philippines but the PTF did not reply to letter Samir’s father, Tayyab Iftikhar, who is also a former Davis Cupper wrote to the PTF president. The Philippine, however, called their top tennis payer Francis Casey Alcantara for the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group II tie against Pakistan slated for April 6-8 at the Philippine Columbian Association’s clay court. The 20-year-old Alcantara, who has an athletic scholarship at US NCAA Division I Fresno State, has agreed to play for the Phl team taking over from the injury-stricken Jeson Patrombon. The Philippines leads Pakistan in their Davis Cup meetings, 4-1.
PCB’s PPL initiative attracts companies
LAHORE
Staff Report
The launching of Pakistan Premier League (PPL) received a boost when four companies expressed interests in the project. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been working on the proposal to launch an international Twenty20 league in Pakistan since 2007. Director International PCB, Intikhab Alam in an interview on a television that 4-5 companies are interested in the PPL and we have invited them for a presentation next week to discuss modalities of the tournament. ‘It could be held anytime after the T20 World Cup later this year.’ COO PCB Subhan Ahmed noted that the Board is very serious in organizing the league and working hard to attract huge investment. Pakistan has been unable to host international cricket since March 2009, when Sri Lanka’s was attacked while going towards stadium.