It reiterated that pilgrims require a Haj visa and it can be obtained through recognised official channels
The hot UAE weather conditions could pose a challenge to the players when the Pakistan Super League (PSL) resumes in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
But thanks to the arrangements made by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and the six franchises, the players have been armed with coconut water and ice vests to fight the summer heat.
And hard-hitting New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill, who has joined the defending champions Karachi Kings for the remaining matches of the PSL, praised the organisers for their efforts in helping the players deal with the weather conditions.
“Heat could be an issue, but the organisers are doing their best to minimise the risk,” Guptill said during a virtual press conference on Monday.
“We need to be careful and need to take a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration. Since I have come from New Zealand I need to be more careful. I hope we will able to manage these tough conditions in the UAE capital.”
The sixth edition of the league was suspended in March after just 14 matches in Pakistan due to multiple Covid-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.
Guptill joined the Kings as a replacement player after the PCB decided to bring the remaining PSL matches to the UAE.
And the Kiwi stroke-maker says he can’t wait to bat with Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam.
“I am excited to join the defending champions Karachi Kings. It will be fun to share the crease with one of the best batsmen of the world, Babar Azam,” Guptill said.
“I have played in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Big Bash and playing in the PSL will be fun,” he added.
Since Babar and Sharjeel Khan open the innings for Karachi, Guptill’s batting position is not yet clear.
“Babar and Sharjeel have done well for their team and I am ready to bat at any position the team management decides,” he said.
“I am in a great shape and there is no question of rustiness. The training sessions before the tournament will be a great help to gain match fitness.”
Guptill then praised the quality of Pakistan players in the PSL, while revealing his admiration for Babar.
“He (Babar) has proved himself at international level and is one of the best batsmen in the world right now. Pakistan has produced a number of quality batsmen in the past and Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf were two of them,” the 34-year-old Kiwi said.
“I have played against Younis and Yousuf and it was a privilege. I have seen a lot of young talent in the Karachi side and it is good for Pakistan cricket’s future. I am really impressed by the quality of fast bowling in the PSL,” he added.
“It is always a challenge to face bowlers of quality of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali.”
liaqat@khaleejtimes.com
It reiterated that pilgrims require a Haj visa and it can be obtained through recognised official channels
The 18-year-old was taken to hospital in a serious condition
The brothers, who say they are innocent, are accused of having formed an organised criminal network in early 2021 in Romania, as well as in the US and Britain
The left-handed batter scored 3369 runs in 136 one-day internationals and 2893 in 140 Twenty20 internationals — both Pakistan records
Food supplies were distributed to 80 households
On January 31, a heart was airlifted from Delhi to Chennai, paving the way for Ayesha Rashid's life-saving surgery
The online retailer, which is headquartered in Singapore, has said it has around 108 million monthly active users in the 27-nation EU
The baby girl named Rouh, meaning Soul, suffered respiratory problems and a weak immune system, a doctor at the Emirati Hospital in Rafah said