Category: Sports

Daraz celebrates two years of partnership with PCB; gears up to stream HBL PSL 2023.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) As the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) goes live to grip cricket lovers across Pakistan, Daraz and Pakistan Cricket Board held an event at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi to celebrate two years of their successful partnership. Last year, Daraz won PSL’s exclusive digital streaming rights for the 2022-2023 seasons, which resulted in over 180 million accumulated views over the first season and allowed Pakistanis to watch the popular league free of cost on their smartphones.

Mr. Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, and Ehsan Saya, Managing Director, of Daraz Pakistan, graced the ceremony as the chief guests. Also present at the event were Barrister Salman Naseer, Chief Operating Officer of PCB, and Muhammad Ammar Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer, Daraz Pakistan.

 This year’s season, which will be running from February 13 to March 19, will be available for free streaming on Daraz’s app again and fans will be able to enjoy their favourite matches in high quality.

Commenting on the success of this partnership, Mr. Najam Sethi, Chair of the PCB Management Committee, stated: “The PCB is delighted to have quality commercial partners such as Daraz, who have supported the HBL PSL and other PCB events by using their reach to take cricket to the wider audiences, thus, supporting the PCB in the promotion of Pakistan cricket. The PCB values its partnership with Daraz and we hope to strengthen this relationship in the best interest of Pakistan and Pakistan cricket.”

Ehsan Saya, Managing Director, Daraz Pakistan said ‘Our partnership with PCB has helped us live true to our mission of uplifting communities by ensuring Pakistanis are able to watch the much-loved Pakistan Super League by simply tapping on their smartphone screens. At Daraz, we were able to hit several milestones through this collaboration, and remain confident that this year’s league will prove to be an even more exciting experience for us all.’

Muhammad Ammar Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer, Daraz Pakistan shared ‘Our partnership with PCB was a very natural business step, considering cricket is the most followed sport and Daraz is the most followed e-commerce brand in the country. This partnership has truly proven to be fruitful, where Daraz has enriched the scope of digital viewership of PSL, as a result of which their overall reach has increased across Pakistan. We look forward to evolving this partnership with PCB in near future to explore new avenues such as merchandising, content promotion, etc.’

BankIslami Celebrates PSL With Bike Rally as It Becomes the Platinum Sponsor for Karachi Kings.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) BankIslami, Pakistan’s leading Islamic financial institution, celebrated the start of PSL 2023 with another successful bike rally: The Kings March as Karachi King’s platinum sponsor for the second consecutive year.

The event was attended by the employees and senior management of BankIslami, cricket legend Moin Khan and representatives of the sports bike community. The event offered cricket fans and motorcycling enthusiasts, a perfect opportunity to come together in support of their favourite local team.

The rally started at Dolmen Mall Clifton and after making its way through Shahrah-e-Faisal, culminated back at the mall.

PSL 2023 began with great enthusiasm on the 13th of February at the Multan Cricket Stadium, entertaining crowds with a spectacular opening ceremony. Karachi Kings will go up against Peshawar Zalmi at the National Bank Cricket Arena, adding to the excitement on the second day of the tournament.

Commenting on the development, the Head of Marketing, BankIslami, Syed Fahad bin Tariq stated: “BankIslami is a firm believer in not just technological innovation, but also in adding value to society in every way possible. After the success of last year’s bike rally to celebrate our partnership, we decided to bring it back this year for Karachi’s motorcycling and cricket enthusiasts. We are proud to be the Platinum sponsor once again for Karachi Kings and look forward to supporting our team on their way to a well-deserved victory.”

As the platinum sponsor of Karachi Kings, BankIslami endeavours to not only support the sports landscape in Pakistan but also inspire young players in the country to discover their potential.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

The eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be sponsored by Dubai’s leading financial technology company Innovation Factory. After the signing of the agreement yesterday, a joint press conference was held in which Innovation Factory Chief Operating Officer Waqas Chaudhry and PSL Chief Commissioner Naila Bhatti spoke to the media and said that they are proud to be a part of PSL. It is a world famous league which is loved all over the world. The purpose of sponsoring it is to introduce the Innovation Factory and its digital projects, as well as to encourage a great sport like cricket. He said that our company has introduced the best applications in the field of financial technology that are being used by more than millions of people around the world. He added that Umar Khan, the founder of our company, plans to sponsor major cricket events in the future as well. On this occasion Naila Bhatti said that He said that the interest of international companies in Pakistan Super League is increasing. Every year new sponsors and companies are investing in PSL which is quite welcome. Apart from Khurram Khan, CEO of Pakistan’s famous marketing company Green Apple Communication, Aamir Khan, Rashid Butt and Bilawal Bhatti were also present during this event. It should be noted that the first match of the 8th edition of the Pakistan Super League will be played on Monday, February 13 in Multan between the defending champions Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans.

 

The sponsorship signals Paymob’s commitment to the Pakistan market

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Paymob, the leading financial services enabler in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENA-P) announces its official sponsorship of the HBL PSL franchise, Quetta Gladiators for the 2023 season which debuts on February 13, 2023. The official signing ceremony was held in Karachi with star pacer  Muhammad Hasnain and legendary fast bowler and bowling coach Umar Gul in attendance.

This partnership further signals Paymob’s commitment to serving the Pakistan market, where it officially launched operations in 2022. The payment giant promises to fuel the digital transformation of small and medium-sized businesses by delivering the most innovative payment solutions to merchants across the country.

Fawad Abdul Kader, Paymob’s Country Manager in Pakistan commented, “We are excited to partner with Quetta Gladiators, which is one of the most passionate franchises in the HBL PSL 2023. As a multinational brand that is deeply connected to the local market, we aim to bring the entire nation together with a sport that is an integral part of our culture. Paymob is enthusiastic about putting its muscle behind cricket and other sports in the coming future.”

Cementing Paymob’s position as a fintech leader in Pakistan, the sponsorship aligns the financial services enabler with the sporting fervor of the nation, ensuring customers can buy tickets seamlessly through Bookme.pk. The company recently announced its exclusive partnership with the official ticketing partner for the HBL PSL series. Cricket enthusiasts and fans can purchase tickets online through cards and digital wallets through Paymob’s secure encrypted gateway.

Nadeem Omar, CEO & Chairman of Quetta Gladiators, stated, “Our partnership with Paymob for the HBL PSL this season emboldens our mission, primarily because their approach to excellence mirrors our own at Quetta Gladiators. We are humbled that they chose to support us during the course of the tournament and laud the innovative payment solutions that they have integrated in Pakistan.”

Quetta Gladiators, led by captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, won the HBL PSL championship in 2019 and has made it to the finals in previous tournaments. The team is owned by Nadeem Omar and coached by former Pakistani wicket-keeper Moin Khan with Umar Gul as their bowling coach. The leading run-scorer of the team is Sarfaraz Ahmed while the leading wicket-taker is Muhammad Nawaz.

Paymob’s extensive product portfolio offers swift fund settlement, easy integration, capability to accept payments across multiple platforms which are fully secured through the gateway. Merchants running online and brick-and-mortar businesses can conveniently collect payments digitally and offline on Paymob’s omnichannel suite whilst using the dashboard to analyze business growth and revenue.

 

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

The most successful PSL Franchise launches the world’s first Cricketing Metaverse Islamabad United will be the first cricket team to enter the metaverse with a world-first built-to-scale virtual stadium. The stadium will be built in the world’s leading open metaverse, Decentraland, running alongside a twin stadium that will be available on Android. Fans will be able to get closer to the team than ever before through a series of interactive experiences and challenges. They will not only be able to interact with their favourite players’ avatars but also explore and interact with the many areas within the stadium including the Locker Room, Player’s Lounge and Fans Conference Room. The experience will further reward visitors for their explorations and for completing challenges with official Islamabad United digital kits, club memorabilia and exciting digital assets and offers from Sponsors. U-Meta Stadium – World’s First built-to-scale Metaverse Cricket Stadium In an unprecedented move, Islamabad United has built the world’s first, built-to-scale, digital cricket stadium in the metaverse. Under a strategic partnership with VegasCity, in Decentraland, the U-Meta Stadium has evolved as an impressive futuristic space built over 6 acres (20,000+ sq meters). It comes with a fabulous cricket ground, spectator stands, tall-connecting towers, and great shopping and interactive gaming areas. It is equipped with all the essential requirements of an active and modern, world class cricket stadium that will provide a first of its kind, decentralized and immersive experience to cricket fans from anywhere in the world. Fans will be able to take selfies with the team, ask their favourite players questions, watch PSL8 highlights, attend exclusive Islamabad United events and partake in a series of challenges running through the Season. James Ashton, CEO of VegasCity, the largest sports district in Decentraland, states, “VegasCity and Decentraland are very happy to welcome Islamabad United. Cricket is the second most watched sport in the world, and we are excited to partner with IU in launching the first built-to-scale cricket stadium in the metaverse. We look forward to providing world class experiences to cricket fans not only from Pakistan but from around the world.” Islamabad United lets fans get closer to the team with its Digital Collectible Cards In another first, Islamabad United will be launching a collection of digital collectible cards which will allow fans to get closer to the team and their favourite players. These collectibles will use Blockchain and NFT technology to ensure authenticity and scarcity and provide their holders with access to rewards from Islamabad United in both the physical and digital worlds (details to be announced separately). “Islamabad United has always prided itself in introducing innovative and new concepts to cricket fans in Pakistan as well as globally,” said Ali Naqvi, owner of the franchise, on this occasion. “I’m really excited about providing an unprecedented fan experience in the metaverse through industry leaders like Decentraland and Vegas City. We are looking forward to providing fans with a more immersive experience with the game and its stars,” he said. The potential of the metaverse emerging as the next big computing platform has also been recognized by top sports brands like the Australian Open – the first Grand Slam to enter the metaverse with its innovative AO Art Ball NFTs linked to live match data, LaLigaLand – the first La Liga football space in the metaverse and NBA Top Shot – a platform where NBA’s biggest fans can trade in next-generation collectibles. Islamabad United is just starting its Web3 Journey “The potential of Web3 is unlimited and Islamabad United is only just starting its journey,” Ali Naqvi further added. Cricket fans will continue to enjoy unique experiences beyond PSL8 and their digital assets will continue to give rewards in the future. Our strategic global partnerships with Decentraland, VegasCity, RarerThings, Aletheia Technologies and Ideofuzion will allow us to continue providing unique and immersive Web3 experiences to cricket fans around the world,” he further added.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Haniya Minhas has become the first youngest Pakistani to be appointed as the official brand ambassador of the leading global sportswear brand, Adidas. She is Pakistan’s first teen athlete to accomplish this historic feat.

Haniya began training at IMG on August 22, 2022, and since then has had a string of remarkable accolades, including reaching Semi Finals in Orange Bowl International U12  Florida, USA, 3^rd place in U12 Eddie Herr International, Florida, USA, Champion at Little Mo International Championship U12, Doubles and Mix Doubles in New York, USA, Champion at USTA National U14 Tennis Championship in Florida, Champion at L5 U16 National Tennis Championship in the United States, Champion at U14 National Tennis Championships in Coral Springs, Florida, and the Champion at USTA U16 Girls National Championship Final in Florida, USA.

President of BARD Foundation, Mr. Abdul Razak Dawood, expressed the pride BARD Foundation feels in its association with Haniya and said: “I’m delighted at this young talent. This is remarkable news and a great honor for Pakistan and all those with high aspirations, especially women. Haniya Minhas is the first youngest Pakistani tennis player to be appointed as Brand Ambassador for Adidas, the world’s leading sportswear brand. Her enthusiasm, passion, and discipline will propel her to the ranks of world-class tennis players. Pakistan has a star in the making.”

Expressing her happiness over this milestone Haniya said: “It’s a feeling of immense pride and excitement to be joining the Adidas family. I aspire to represent Pakistan and work hard to develop my skills and capabilities, to achieve my passion and become a world-class tennis player. I am delighted and appreciative of BARD Foundation’s support for the development of sports in Pakistan.”

Haniya’s training at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and tournaments’ cost is being sponsored by the Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation. The mission of foundation is to facilitate individuals who demonstrate the drive and determination to excel in their chosen field.

 

 

Pakistan (Nut Desk)  The real estate firebrand AAA Associates sponsored a two-day Golf match starting on 31^st December 2022 and ending on 1^st January 2023 at Garden City, Bahria Town Phase 7, Rawalpindi. It was an invitational golfing event that included prominent golfers from the armed forces background, civil administration, and distinguished social and political figures. Usman Iqbal the Director of Marketing, AAA Associates said ‘The aim of this golf event is to promote the sport in the country. AAA Associates has sponsored many golf events for its promotion in the past many years.’

125 golfers participated in this match. Lt Gen Qazi Ikram (Retd), President of Pakistan Golf Federation graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In total, 36 awards were distributed among the players. In the Senior Amateur category, the Gross prizes winner was Lt Col Aurangzeb, and in the Net prizes category, Lt Gen Qazi Ikram was the winner. In the second Senior Amateur category Brig Masood Qureshi was the Gross prizes winner, whereas, Maj Gen Anees Akbar was awarded the Net prize. Air Commodore Tahir Anwar took the Gross prizes among the Amateurs category, and Air Commodore Kashif Jamal won the Net prizes. The Amateur category had Maj Sajjad as the winner of the Gross prizes and Col Waseem as the winner of the Net prizes. Among the ladies’ category, Mrs. Ami Qin won the Gross prize.

AAA Associates is renowned for promoting sports such as boxing, football, and martial arts, and giving promotion to those sports which do not get enough limelight in our society. This event was a continuation in the same spirit, and will go a long way in contributing to the advancement of the sport in Pakistan.

(Nut Desk)

Arash Barman foundation is an elite basketball development initiative that provides with a comprehensive approach to player development and a predictable pathway to maximize their potential.

Arash Barman foundation for basketball has been changing the world through his firm mission to help basketball players to achieve their goals in a short time. It has also encouraged, empowered, and inspired many young people in the Middle East along the way.

Arash Barman is 23 years old Iranian-American entrepreneur and basketball enthusiast. He is known as the CEO of BOOS.

As a basketball passionate the aim of his organization is a generation of the professional and amateur sports basketball, its popularization and development as Olympic sport in the city and the whole region of the country, an outreach of the health way of life and sporting values, support for active athletes and sport veterans.

One of the main directions of the organization is the implementation of social sports project. The vision behind this foundation is to promote the game of basketball and increase its popularity through establishing basketball as a fun activity that provides satisfying experiences for all of our players.

Arash Barman Physical genetics and historical past, or even if he did grow to be making it as a professional basketball participant, he wouldn’t be as successful as all the big well-known names and he might be all wiped out and banged up by the point whilst he retires. Given all of the many exclusive sorts of situations that might have took part if he had a basketball life and profession, Born to a middle eastern father and mother overseas, he has steadily morphed into the stereotype of a doctor, lawyer or engineer.

Arash never listened to them and mostly followed his heart and his goals as far as he could wish. As a kid, Arash Barmaan always wanted to grow up and become an NBA championship.He loved basketball so much that he had no interest in other professional training. As every young person to become a basketball athlete, he had a dream of qualifying for the Olympics and Labored hard to reach this dream thru taking part in global competitions at personal cost. He tried hard to become basketball player ,however unfortunately all of the doorways have been closed for him in his school due to racist political profiling. He tried to play college basketball but he could not participate because he lost a place in the lineup.

Arash knew what he was capable of and decided to perform remotely. He felt bad at the start for dropping hope and failing on my dream, however he found that the main purpose of not making it to the Olympics became the reality.

So, he took it from there and felt that it was my responsibility to make an organization for the dedicated basketball players. He persisted to make his way out by means of which he may want to get in the direction of his dream. Their main purpose of this organization is to promote basketball across the country by holding recreational and competitive tournaments, playing with elite teams to attract young people, and popularizing the game.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)  Free Fire has announced Pakistani cricket icons Shaheen Afridi and Shoaib Malik are set to join the stage with Babar Azam and Shadab Khan as the official brand ambassadors for Free Fire in Pakistan. Free Fire is the world’s leading mobile battle royale game with over 1 Billion downloads and has been at the forefront of the esports revolution in Pakistan. This is Pakistan’s first-ever collaboration with cricket players, who will introduce their own style through cricket bundles inside the world’s most popular battle royale game. Users will have a chance to claim and play with bundles of their cricketing heroes in their favourite game. Each cricketer worked on their bundle designs and came up with vibrant & unique designs which are bound to attract. This is great news for cricket fans as they will be able to see their favorite cricketers collaborating with the leading mobile game as they introduce their cricket bundles for the first-time ever. Shaheen Shah Afridi commented on the occasion, “I’m glad to join my team mate and captain as Free Fire’s brand ambassador. This is an incredibly popular game that has helped establish professional esports in Pakistan. I am thrilled to have my bundle feature in their game and will hold on to this memory.” Free Fire is dedicated to providing players with a variety of fresh and interesting content and unique experiences to keep them engaged.

• More than 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals will make FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever.
• Visa will pilot payment innovations including instantly-issued prepaid cards with animated card art and support facial biometric payments.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)  As the world awaits kick-off of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Visa (NYSE: V), the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA, has readied a payments network that will enable contactless purchases throughout all official venues, including eight stadiums and the FIFA Fan Festival™. With more than one million fans expected to travel to Qatar for the tournament, Visa has installed 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals at official FIFA venues, making FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever. Visa will also trial new payment innovations to give fans easy access to simple and secure digital ways to pay.

The FIFA World Cup™ provides a global stage for Visa to showcase and test new technologies, enhance the fan experience and leave a lasting impression on the host country. Visa will bring a number of digital payment solutions to Qatar, including several limited pilots to demonstrate how future Visa payment solutions may come to life:

• Pay with Your Face: Marking the first-time it will be used for payments in Qatar, facial recognition technology is a collaboration between Qatar National Bank (QNB) and POP ID and supported by Visa via tokenization. The solution allows customers to authenticate payments using just their face, without a physical card or mobile phone after initial enrollment. It will be piloted at three Flat White Specialty Coffee branches.
• Card Art Gets Animated: As consumers become more accustomed to getting things instantaneously, Visa is piloting a digital card issuance solution for limited cardholders in Doha. After simply scanning a QR code, a digital prepaid card will be instantly issued and can be added to a mobile wallet The digital card will feature animated card art, with the official mascot La’eeb, demonstrating a future in which consumers could bring greater personalization and even digital animation to their Visa cards.
• Accepting Payments Gets Simpler for SMBs: In partnership with three Qatar-based banks the Visa Tap to Phone solution is now available to merchants in Qatar who want to fast-track their ability to accept digital payments in advance of the expected tourist influx. Visa Tap to Phone makes it easier for merchants to use their Android NFC-enabled devices they already own to accept contactless payments—simply by downloading an app.
• Tap to Ride Around Doha: Keeping traffic flowing smoothly during FIFA World Cup™ has been a top priority and Visa, in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, is enabling contactless payment acceptance on taxis so fans and Qatari residents will be able pay for their trips with their Visa card or smartphone, making paying for their journeys in and around Doha faster and more convenient.

Earlier this month, Visa unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a first-of its-kind hybrid experience featuring an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Doha where fans will be able to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements. Eligible fans will have the option to mint this digital art into their own NFT in partnership with Crypto.com.

Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa, said: “As FIFA’s long-standing partner, Visa wants to give football fans from around the world the best way to pay in Qatar, while experiencing exciting new innovations such as the fusion of art, football and technology at Visa’s Masters of Movement venue. With thousands of contactless payment terminals, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ promises to be the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever for the more than one million fans coming to enjoy the magic of football.”

Visa has been FIFA’s Official Payment Technology Partner since 2007. As a global supporter of both men’s and women’s football, Visa aims to offer experiences that bring people closer to the action, whether they are among the one million people anticipated in Qatar or the five billion viewers expected worldwide for this year’s tournament. In addition to providing the latest in payments innovations at official FIFA venues, Visa seeks ways to further its commitment to uplift lives through the power of sport through programs such as Financial Football, a video game that combines entertainment and education in an action-packed virtual football tournament.