Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH “Once [the league] grows, it will be like the NBA,” Pacquiao said in Filipino. “If they have East and West, here we can have North and South.”“There are lots of cities that wanted to join,” he added. Pacquiao said the queue of teams knocking on the MPBL door was enough for a 20-squad roster but league organizers opted to limit the participating teams to just 10. “Unfortunately, we already had a program set. But they’re welcome to join the next conference.FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over Thunder Pacquiao bares disputes over committee chairmanships PLAY LIST 01:30Pacquiao bares disputes over committee chairmanships02:21Little people, big lives, bigger dreams03:46Lacson: PH lost about P161.5B tax revenue from big trading partners in 201701:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City Recognizing also the forgotten and obscure Read Next Pacquiao, the eight-division boxing champion, believes that the MPBL do for boxing what weekly prizefights did for his boxing career.“I got into boxing when I was young because weekly, there were fights staged in our place. I see it the same way here, that we can do that in basketball,” said the 39-year-old Pacquiao. “In time, we can discover good basketball players because anybody can play here.” Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC SPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutThe MPBL Anta Rajah Cup tipped off at the Big Dome with Daniel de Guzman of Parañaque scoring the league’s first basket. The Patriots went on to score the inaugural victory, 70-60, over the Caloocan Supremos.Gab Dagangon led the way with 20 points and nine rebounds as Parañaque gifted the well-loved Del Rosario a win to mark his return to coaching. Slow and steady hope for near-extinct Bangladesh tortoises Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa 2 ‘newbie’ drug pushers fall in Lucena sting MPBL founder Manny Pacquiao. Photo by Randolph B. LeongsonSen. Manny Pacquiao finally unveiled his Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Thursday evening, raffling off cars and motorcycles to patron ticket holders and watching Aric del Rosario return to coaching on the saddle of victory.The turnout was enough to embolden Pacquiao to go after even bigger goals—like turning the MPBL into the country’s version of the NBA.ADVERTISEMENT NEXT BLOCK ASIA 2.0 introduces GURUS AWARDS to recognize and reward industry influencers View comments LATEST STORIES Globe Business launches leading cloud-enabled and hardware-agnostic conferencing platform in PH Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. MOST READ John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding
Big win by Aric, bigger triumph by league
November 29, 2019
Trending Articles PLAY LIST 00:50Trending Articles00:50Trending Articles00:45Onyok Velasco see bright future for PH boxing in Olympics01:29Police teams find crossbows, bows in HK university01:35Panelo suggests discounted SEA Games tickets for students02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City The former UFC bantamweight champion also told ESPN that she’s fully committed to wrestling and not just planning cameos at WWE’s biggest events.“This is my life now. Yeah, they have first priority on my time for the next several years,” she said. “This is not a smash and grab, this is not a publicity stunt.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSWATCH: Drones light up sky in final leg of SEA Games torch runSPORTSLillard, Anthony lead Blazers over ThunderSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutRousey appeared to roaring fans Sunday night after the women’s Royal Rumble in Philadelphia, challenging winner Asuka to fight at Wrestlemania — scheduled for New Orleans in April — by pointing to a sign as Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” blared through the arena.Rousey fed into the surprise with a little misdirection before one of wrestling’s biggest pay-per-view events of the year. Before getting in the ring, she had ruled out an appearance at the Royal Rumble in an interview and even posted an Instagram video over the weekend of herself in Colombia enjoying a night out with the crew filming her latest movie, the action thriller “Mile 22” with Mark Wahlberg and John Malkovich. MOST READ Kammuri turning to super typhoon less likely but possible — Pagasa UFC President Dana White said Rousey will never fight again for the company, and Rousey said she hasn’t followed MMA in the past year.Rousey adopted the “Rowdy” nickname from WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. She notably stood side-by-side with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as they fought off the villainous Triple H and his wife and fellow executive, Stephanie McMahon, in a segment at WrestleMania in 2015.Rousey also appeared at WWE’s Mae Young Classic. Rousey and fellow MMA fighters Marina Shafir, Shayna Baszler and Jessamyn Duke were known as the Four Horsewomen — a tribute to the nefarious Ric Flair-led Four Horsemen stable of the 1980s and ’90s. Baszler now wrestles for WWE, and the rest of the Horsewomen stable confronted WWE stars Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Bayley at the female wrestling tournament.“Name the time. Name the place,” Rousey told the WWE stars in a tense standoff.Rousey could lead her Horsewomen against a WWE faction at WrestleMania on April 8.“I think with her main eventing in UFC, she obviously opened the door for us to be taken more serious as superstars,” said Flair, daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. “It’s one thing to show up one night. It’s another be a WWE superstar. I’m on the road with all the other girls, all the men and women who are on the road 270 days a year. We bust our butts to be called WWE superstars.“She’ll have to put in the work if she wants to be a part of what we do.”The best scenario for WWE could be Rousey being used sparingly and steamrolling every opponent, much like she did early in her MMA career to earn the reputation as the Baddest Woman on the Planet.“Ronda Rousey should go out there and just smash everybody. Ronda Rousey’s matches should look like her early UFC career where she was out there for a minute, 2 minutes, just submitting everybody,” UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier said. 2 ‘newbie’ drug pushers fall in Lucena sting View comments Typhoon Kammuri accelerates, gains strength en route to PH Read Next LATEST STORIES Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Slow and steady hope for near-extinct Bangladesh tortoises Brace for potentially devastating typhoon approaching PH – NDRRMC Globe Business launches leading cloud-enabled and hardware-agnostic conferencing platform in PH Still, she had frequently met with WWE executive Paul Levesque, better known as wrestling superstar Triple H, to discuss her interest in a deal that finally came to fruition.She has not fought since she suffered a 48-second loss to Amanda Nunes at UFC 207 in December 2016. Rousey (12-2) lost two straight bouts in 13 months and took a break to extend her entertainment credits, including a stint as team coach in the reboot of “Battle of the Network Stars.”WWE fans have been clamoring for Rousey to make the move and speculation (correctly) ran wild on a Royal Rumble appearance at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Rousey has made cameo appearances on WWE programming the last few years and even trained at the company’s performance center in Orlando, Florida.It’s unclear whether Rousey plans to fully give up on the UFC and mixed martial arts, and she would not commit to saying she’s retired when asked directly by ESPN.“That’s what everybody else seems to say — I mean, I never retired from judo. So that’s what you guys want to think,” she said. “All I know is I really want to devote 100 percent of my time to wrestling right now and whatever people want to call that they can call it.”ADVERTISEMENT John Lloyd Cruz a dashing guest at Vhong Navarro’s wedding Japanese stars reign at Royal Rumble NEXT BLOCK ASIA 2.0 introduces GURUS AWARDS to recognize and reward industry influencers FILE – This July 15, 2015, file photo shows mixed martial arts fighter Ronda Rousey working out at Glendale Fighting Club in Glendale, Calif. The former UFC champion Rousey could soon make the move to WWE. She’s met with WWE executives and has seemed excited about the possibility of becoming a wrestler. Rousey may not debut at one of WWE’s signature events this weekend in Philadelphia because she’s filming a movie in Colombia. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)PHILADELPHIA — Ronda Rousey’s next bout in the ring won’t come in mixed martial arts but in the world of professional wrestling.The biggest superstar in women’s MMA officially made the jump to WWE on Sunday night with a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia.ADVERTISEMENT
Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netWith the pivotal Game 3 in the semifinals on the line, Marcio Lassiter just wanted to give San Miguel Beer a chance to win by attempting a shot before the buzzer sounded.“I looked up and I saw we had about six seconds left so I knew I had some time to kind of get up for a shot,” the San Miguel Beer swingman recalled on Wednesday night.ADVERTISEMENT “From there, I just wanted to make sure that we can get a good shot off. I was just creating enough separation to get a good shot off.”READ: Lassiter nails clutch 3 as Beermen slip past Hotshots FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutIt wasn’t exactly a good shot with a defender in Star’s Justin Melton hounding him in the left wing, but it beat the clock, hit the glass and went through the nylon.“One of the biggest shots of my career and I just wanted to be ready. It’s not over until the last second and I always play up to the last second. I threw it up and it looked good.” “It was a Game 2 vs. Rain or Shine, it was just like a split second [late] like a 0.1 tenth of a second I didn’t get it off. I’m just kinda glad that this one went in and it just seems like God blessed me today.”Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next LATEST STORIES 1 dead in Cavite blast, fire Great escape for Beermen World’s 50 Best Restaurants launches new drinking and dining guide What ‘missteps’? Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Lassiter said he intended the bank shot and stressed his clutch basket was no fluke.“I called bank. Yeah, I meant to do that,” he said with a big grin after scoring 12 points in a 111-110 win that moved the Beermen on the cusp of another finals appearance.READ: Lassiter heats up as San Miguel cruises to PBA semis The 30-year-old Lassiter, one of the deadliest shooters in the PBA today, also shared a similar moment last year in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis against Rain or Shine where he banked in a triple at the buzzer only to find out upon review that his shot failed to beat the clock.“You know, it was kinda cool to be in that moment and I don’t know if you guys remember, last year I also had a buzzer-beater so you know, this is not like a fluke shot,” he said.ADVERTISEMENT
Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken WATCH: Firefighters rescue baby seal found in parking garage Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games View comments Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. MOST READ
Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ MOST READ What ‘missteps’? Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netRoger Pogoy was a bundle of nerves heading into his first finals game in the PBA.After all, despite his reputation as big-time shotmaker, he’s just a 24-year-old rookie playing in the grandest stage against the most dominant team in the league today.ADVERTISEMENT World’s 50 Best Restaurants launches new drinking and dining guide WATCH: Firefighters rescue baby seal found in parking garage “Honestly, I was really nervous,” the TNT swingman Pogoy told INQUIRER.net in Filipino after helping the KaTropa take Game 1 of the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup Finals with a 104-102 win over the San Miguel Beermen. “But my coaches and teammates gave me a lot of confidence and once I hit the court, I felt different.”READ: Smith game-winner lifts TNT past San Miguel for 1-0 leadFEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSMalditas save PH from shutoutTrue enough, there wasn’t a trace of anxiousness the way Pogoy played and it felt as if he had been in the league for quite some time.It’s rare for a rookie who claims to be nervous to still put up career-high 27 points, 13 in the fourth quarter, built on five 3-pointers, which goes to show Pogoy breathes rarefied air. Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games
Heart Evangelista admits she’s pregnant… with chicken Pogoy said he just repaid the coaches’ faith in him and coach Nash Racela response to a reporter’s question regarding his guard’s career performance proves how much the team believes in the former Far Eastern University star’s capabilities.READ: Keys to Victory: San Miguel-TNT finals series “Did he (Pogoy) play well today?” Racela asked. “I really didn’t focus on those things. To me, I think what I got from Roger today was the normal things we were getting all along. Maybe it was extra special because he scored a lot.”But despite Pogoy’s offensive brilliance, what stood out the most to Racela was his contributions on the other end of the floor.“His defense was crucial and that’s something that we always require of him. I think he was just blessed today to hit 3-pointers and that’s something that is part of his arsenal.”ADVERTISEMENT Smith game-winner lifts TNT past San Miguel for 1-0 lead LATEST STORIES Jordan delivers on promise: 2 Cobra choppers now in PH Pogoy expects the Beermen’s defense to also tighten up on him in Game 2 after his outburst but he will be ready for the challenge ahead.The KaTropa will shoot for a 2-0 lead on Friday night.Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next 1 dead in Cavite blast, fire View comments
Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.netJerry Yee clarified Wednesday he’s still the head coach of the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons after his supposed departure from the team last week.A talk with Assoc. Prof. Ronualdo Dizer, Dean of the UP College of Human Kinetics, persuaded Yee to stay with the Lady Maroons until the school decides to find a replacement.ADVERTISEMENT NBA legend Mutombo looking to purchase Houston Rockets Trump strips away truth with hunky topless photo tweet The Lady Maroons were then poised to duplicate their Cinderella run in Season 79 going 4-0 in their first four games but they failed to sustain their momentum losing four straight after the unblemished start.Yee said he hopes to lead UP to a better outing in Season 80 as they look to improve from their 7-7 record.“I’m working with the team, we’re trying to focus, and hopefully we play better in the UAAP, return to the top four or a podium finish if possible,” said Yee.Still, Yee didn’t rule out a sudden exit if UP finds a capable replacement.“Whatever happens, I’m willing to give way if they find someone whom they want to replace me with.”ADVERTISEMENT Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss PLAY LIST 02:49Robredo: True leaders perform well despite having ‘uninspiring’ boss02:42PH underwater hockey team aims to make waves in SEA Games01:44Philippines marks anniversary of massacre with calls for justice01:19Fire erupts in Barangay Tatalon in Quezon City01:07Trump talks impeachment while meeting NCAA athletes02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games FEU Auditorium’s 70th year celebrated with FEU Theater Guild’s ‘The Dreamweavers’ National Coffee Research Development and Extension Center brews the 2nd National Coffee Education Congress LATEST STORIES Hotel says PH coach apologized for ‘kikiam for breakfast’ claim
View comments Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ MOST READ Church, environmentalists ask DENR to revoke ECC of Quezon province coal plant Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. “I wanted to [leave the team] but Dean wouldn’t let me, so the decision’s up to them,” said Yee after their game against BanKo Perlas in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at Filoil Flying V Centre.“The job’s been so stressful, there are issues beyond our control, so I was really tired,” said Yee in Filipino. “I wanted to leave, then I got a call from Dean and I talked to the players so I decided that I will stay for one more year. I’m not that difficult to talk to.”FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool starsIn a Facebook post last Saturday, Yee said he was “calling it quits” after four seasons but the post has since been deleted.Yee steered the Lady Maroons to a Final Four entry in Season 78 of the UAAP where they finished with an 8-6 record but fell to eventual champions De La Salle University in the semifinals. Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next
World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games PLAY LIST 02:49World-class track facilities installed at NCC for SEA Games03:07PH billiards team upbeat about gold medal chances in SEA Games01:27Filipino athletes get grand send-off ahead of SEA Games00:50Trending Articles05:25PH boxing team determined to deliver gold medals for PH03:04Filipino athletes share their expectations for 2019 SEA Games00:45Onyok Velasco see bright future for PH boxing in Olympics02:25PH women’s volleyball team motivated to deliver in front of hometown crowd00:36Manny Pacquiao part of 2019 SEA Games opening ceremony A vibrant sports hub awaits the region’s best athletes when Malaysia hosts the 2017 Southeast Asian Games from Aug. 19 to 30.Showcasing world-class infrastructure, the Kuala Lumpur Sports City boasts of a massive National Stadium at its heart. The multi-million project spearheaded by Malaysian Resources Corp. Berhad (MRCB) and Populous also features the refurbished National Aquatic Centre, the Axiata Arena, the National Hockey Stadium and a sprawling plaza.Photos by Jasmine W. Payo and MRCB.ADVERTISEMENT FEU Auditorium’s 70th year celebrated with FEU Theater Guild’s ‘The Dreamweavers’ Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. FEATURED STORIESSPORTSSEA Games: Biñan football stadium stands out in preparedness, completionSPORTSPrivate companies step in to help SEA Games hostingSPORTSWin or don’t eat: the Philippines’ poverty-driven, world-beating pool stars DILG, PNP back suspension of classes during SEA Games Sports Related Videospowered by AdSparcRead Next Robredo should’ve resigned as drug czar after lack of trust issue – Panelo ‘Sharp’ Beermen get Grand Slam bid going with rout of Elite National Coffee Research Development and Extension Center brews the 2nd National Coffee Education Congress
Church, environmentalists ask DENR to revoke ECC of Quezon province coal plant MOST READ Lacson: SEA Games fund put in foundation like ‘Napoles case’ Trump strips away truth with hunky topless photo tweet LATEST STORIES Ethel Booba on hotel’s clarification that ‘kikiam’ is ‘chicken sausage’: ‘Kung di pa pansinin, baka isipin nila ok lang’ Aerial view of the world-class Kuala Lumpur Sports City.KL2-The new National Stadium sits at the heart of the sprawling Kuala Lumpur Sports City complex.KL3-Twisted blades wrap the National Stadium. The design provides protection from the sun and also allows natural ventilation.KL4-A canopy walkway linking KL Sports City to the train station makes it accessible to sports fans.KL5-The lit-up LED facade of the National Stadium. Like a big digital wall, it can flash images as each blade can be programmed into any kind of color or graphic.KL6-Boasting a seating capacity of 85,700, the National Stadium looks just as impressive inside. It also features high-definition big screens and state-of-the-art lights and sounds.KL7-Check out the pixelated seats at the National Stadium. It’s a design concept that gives the illussion of a crowd even if the stadium is empty.KL8-Check out the pixelated seats at the National Stadium. It’s a design concept that gives the illussion of a crowd even if the stadium is empty.KL9-The posh corporate suites featuring floor-to-ceiling glass at the National Stadium.KL10-One of the modern locker rooms at the National Stadium.KL11-The ice baths inside the National Stadium locker rooms.KL12-The facade of the National Aquatic Centre.KL13-A 10,000 square meter, single piece membrane roof from France provides shade for athletes at the competition pool and diving platform at the National Aquatic Centre.KL14-A 10,000 square meter, single piece membrane roof from France provides shade for athletes at the competition pool and diving platform at the National Aquatic Centre.KL15-The warm-up pool at the National Aquatic Centre has a movable floor that can go all the way up and serve as a multi-functional space.KL16-The Axiata Arena, where badminton will be played, features a perforated steel facade.KL17-The refurbished National Hockey Stadium.KL18-The KL Sports City makes sure it has ample green space as thousands of trees and shrubs nestle inside the complex. View comments
Governers want more money to be sunk for refurbishing their highmaintenance palatial abodes. Struck hard by inflation, the offices of 27 governors have put in demands with the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to double the expenditure budget for the stately British-era Raj Bhavans.In response to a right to information (RTI) application filed by Mail Today, the MHA has revealed that the revision of expenditure ceilings for Raj Bhavans is now under the “active consideration” of the government.The MHA has provided 108 pages of documents under the RTI, including letters received by the MHA from the offices of the governors across India. To satisfy the demands made in these letters, the ministry will need to double its total existing annual expenditure ceiling of Rs 12.5 crore to nearly Rs 25 crore for all Raj Bhavans.Among all the Raj Bhavans, Maharashtra has cited inflation to seek the fattest increase. It wants the annual expenditure ceiling to be tripled from Rs1.5. crore to Rs 4.6 crore. If its plea is accepted, the Raj Bhavan in Maharashtra will be the costliest to maintain in the country along with the Tamil Nadu governor’s house which has asked for a similar hike.The increase in prices of basic food commodities and petrol, more expensive air travel as well as the steep maintenance cost of the sprawling lawns are the three reasons given by the Rajasthan Raj Bhavan for an increase of over 200% in its expenditure budget.While it has sought a budget allocation of Rs 1.13 crore from the Centre, the governor’s houses in Gujarat and Karnataka are looking for a 150% hike to take their expenditure ceiling to Rs 1.07 crore and Rs 1.12 crore, respectively. The Raj Bhavan in Gujarat has even suggested that the MHA do away with ceilings altogether.advertisement”Having regard to the position of governor as the constitutional head of the state, it may be appropriate for the Centre to leave the matter of propriety of expenditure to his prudent judgment… Ceilings serve as restricting norms?affecting the governors’ convenience and dignity in performing his duties,” the letter by the Gujarat Raj Bhavan to the MHA stated.The MHA began fixing expenditure ceilings for Raj Bhavans since 1987. The amount is charged from the consolidated fund of the respective state governments. The MHA last revised this ceiling in 2006. The governor’s house of Sikkim is the only one not to ask for a raise.The Maharashtra Raj Bhavan has written to the MHA that while the emoluments of a governor have seen a 2000% increase since 1987 and that of a clerk have gone up by 778% in the same period, the hike in expenditure ceiling for the Raj Bhavans has been merely 79%.”The prices of commodities and services such as such as the Mumbai-Delhi airfare, electricity, petrol, water, foodstuff, telephone services, soil and manure have increased manifold,” the letter to the MHA by the Maharashtra governor’s secretary stated.Why states need more allocation?- Renewal of furnishings – Hospitality expenses for official guests – Entertainment expenses for patronising art, culture and music – Office expenses of the Raj Bhavan – Maintenance & repair of furnishings – Contract allowance for stationery, laundry, sports, maintenance of vehicles – Tour expenses for governor’s travel by air, road or rail – Maintenance of gardens and lawns
The stars were on the field, in the stands and among the crowd as Mohali came to a stand still to witness the culmination of days of expectation, nervous anticipation and chestthumping patriotism. The lazy roads of the city met at one point on Wednesday as the PCA Stadium here burst at its seams to accommodate all the politicians, VIPs and celebrities who came from all over the country to be a part of a spectacle that was the World Cup semi-final between India and Pakistan.There were frequent traffic jams on several routes – except the one meant for VVIPs – before the match.On Wednesday, the Chandigarh airport remained one of the busiest destinations with several chartered and scheduled flights landing and taking off prior to the match.As the Indian and Pakistani teams warmed up before the toss, the 28,000 fans had a tough time sifting through the personalities on and off the field.It is not often that the crowd turns its back when Sachin Tendulkar is going through the drills near the boundary. But that is what happens when Aamir Khan, Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallya, son Siddharth, Deepika Padukone, Shashi Tharoor, along with various tinsel-town stars, turn up.But even these distinguished guests had to take a back seat as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani made their way to the ground. They were greeted by ICC president Sharad Pawar, BCCI president Shashank Manohar and PCB chief Ijaz Butt and were presented mementos.advertisementThe two then made their way to the playing arena, where the Indian and Pakistani teams stood side by side, soaking in one of the most mesmerising sights in competitive sport – the national anthems of two countries joined by a common yet turbulent past. As soon as the anthems were played out, the two PMs came out on the field and met the players and wished them the best.If any player was trying to keep the political and cultural significance out of his mind, the meeting with the heads of state put them face to face with stark reality; it was more than just a semifinal.Manmohan Singh first met Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, who then introduced the rest of the squad to the PM, with Gilani right behind him. It was then the turn of Gilani to give his best wishes to Dhoni and his boys. However, the Indian skipper only greeted the two dignitaries and didn’t introduce his players to them, allowing the two to meet the squad themselves.All formalities done, it was time for business to start and the fans who had thronged the stadium in all shades of blue, with a smattering of Pakistan fansin green, to shout their hearts out and cheer for some high-voltage cricket.Though the Pakistan fans were outnumbered, they did everything in their capacity to lift the eleven players from just across the border.The overpowering presence of police, commandos, paramilitary, special forces and dozens of bomb-sniffing dogs did have most present at the venue a bit edgy. The security personnel even frisked policemen in charge of manning the stands at the PCA gates.There was tension when two senior Punjab police officers were not let in. Later, senior police officers intervened to diffuse the situation. But once the first ball was bowled by Umar Gul, all apprehensions faded away as it was time to watch cricket.
Summer is usually a busy time for the army and the police in Jammu and Kashmir, with protests from separatists and stone pelting youth keeping them on tenterhooks. This year too the security personnel are having a hard time. But rather than engaging militants or stone pelting youth on the streets, they are busy organising the Kashmir Premier League (KPL).Being played on the lines of the Indian Premier League, the KPL is also a Twenty20 tournament where 14 teams are battling it out to corner glory.Time and again sports has been used as a medium to bring social change. Be it in India or elsewhere, sports has acted as the fillip and the passport to a better life.In the North-East, disciplines such as football, boxing and archery had made a major impact in weaning youth from drugs. Likewise, in Kashmir, the army wants to use cricket not only to improve ties with the people, but to also provide the youth a chance to showcase their talent and hopefully make it big some day.An initiative of GOC 15 Corps, Lt-Gen. Syed Atta Hasnain, the T20 cricket tournament is part of the army’s ‘Operation Sadhbhavana’ – a public outreach campaign.And that the campaign is bearing fruit can be noticed with the drop in protests, while stone pelting – it had been a major cause of concern both at the state and the Centre with the death of 112 people, mostly youth last year – has become almost non-existent. And in this atmosphere of peace and normalcy, tourism too witnessed a boom in the Valley this summer.advertisementOn Monday, the cricket tournament was thrown open by chief minister Omar Abdullah. The first match was played between Srinagar Shir Dils and Budgam Badshahs at the Delhi Public School grounds. Fourteen teams from all the 10 districts of Jammu and Kashmir are taking part in the tournament whose final is slated for August 3. The winner will receive a cash award of Rs 5 lakh with the runners-up getting Rs 3 lakh.The importance of the sporting event was subtly acknowledged by the chief minister but he also had a word of advice for the army. He said the tournament should not be abandoned in the years to come or else it would give of an impression that it was organised to avoid another summer of discontent in the Valley.”I hope this tournament prospers and succeeds in future. I urge GOC Hasnain that this tournament should continue in future as well. It should not vanish from next year. Then people will presume that this tournament was not for our boys, cricket or their future, but was organised to avoid another year of turbulence, especially since the situation was not good in the last three summers. This will also be cheating the players,” Omar said.Hasnain assured Omar that the tournament would be held every year. He also expressed satisfaction with the enthusiasm shown by the people towards the tournament.”There is great enthusiasm among the cricketers in the Valley to be a part of the tournament. In one district 84 teams participated in the qualifying rounds,” Hasnain said.But the separatists are not impressed with the army’s latest effort. The hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference said that the army would not be able to wash away the crimes it had committed on the people of Kashmir.”The Indian Army is involved in war crimes in Kashmir. They are involved in fake encounters, custodial killings, rape and arson. They can’t wash these crimes by holding cricket matches and tournaments,” Ayaz Akbar, spokesman of the Syed Ali Shah Geelani- led hardline faction of the Hurriyat Conference, said.The massive street protests that swept the region last year were triggered after three youth were killed in a fake encounter by the army in May. More than a hundred youth died in the protests that lasted through the summer. Since then the army and the police are on a campaign to improve their image.Akbar said the state government and security agencies have imposed a “peace of graveyard” in Kashmir.”They don’t allow us to move around, keep us under house arrest and conduct these shows to show that Kashmiris have forgotten their crimes. They have not,” Akbar said.He said the army and the state are carrying out politics “in the name of cricket”, but warned that it won’t succeed.”Unless the issue of Kashmir is not solved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris and the UN resolution, these things ( cricket matches) will not help,” he said.advertisement