Karachi: Pakistan cricketers have extended a helping hand to countrymen affected by last week’s earthquake. “The entire team will travel to the quake-stricken areas and take part in relief operations,” Inzamam-ul Haq said from Sydney, adding that each player will contribute 10 per cent of his earnings from the forthcoming home series against England to the President’s Relief Fund. “That’s the least we can do for a major national tragedy like this,” the captain added.

The players are also planning a fund-raising game, while the PCB has decided to donate the entire proceeds from the first ODI to the President’s Relief Fund.

Pak to host eve’s Asia Cup

Lahore: Pakistan will host the inaugural Women’s Asia Cup Cricket Championship in the last week of the year. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are likely to be the other participating nations in the December 26 to January 4 meet. Pakistan, who will also be hosting the men’s Asia Cup in February, were chosen hosts after a two-day meeting in Lahore also attended by representatives from India and Sri Lanka.

Karachi meet cut by 2 days

New Delhi: The duration of the IBSF World Snooker Championships, to be held in Karachi, has been cut by two days keeping in mind the earthquake which hit Pakistan last week. The meet will start, as scheduled, on November 7, but would now end on November 18.

Double for PSPB

New Delhi: Petroeum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) won the men’s team title to complete a double crown in the 35th All-India Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Championships on Wednesday. In the final PSPB blanked Railway Sports Promotion Board 3-0. Soumyadeep Roy beat Sourav Chakraborty 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-13, 12-10; Sharath Kamal downed Anirban Nandy 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5; Shubhajit Saha overcame Amit Das 12-10, 10-12, 11-8, 16-14.

Saurav bows out

London: Saurav Ghosal, the first Indian to get a direct entry into the British Open Squash Championship, bowed out in the first round itself. Eighth seed John White of Scotland beat the Calcutta boy 11-6, 11-7, 11-2.