Belgian footballer Mertens dies after collapsing on pitch
BRUSSELS: The 24-year-old Belgian footballer Gregory Mertens has died three days after suffering a heart attack while playing for Lokeren’s reserves, hospital sources told the Belga news agency on Friday. The defender had been in a critical state after collapsing on the field 20 minutes into a reserve game against Genk on Monday. He was given emergency treatment on the pitch before being rushed to hospital where he was placed in an induced coma in an effort to save his life. Mertens began his career at the country’s most successful club, Anderlecht, but moved to Lokeren in January last year from Cercle Bruges. He had been capped several times by Belgium at under-21 level. Belgium suffered the loss of another young talent in January this year when 20-year-old Junior Malanda of German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg died in a car crash. (AFP)
International cricket returns to Pakistan, Zimbabwe confirm tour
Lahore: Pakistan is all set to host international cricket after a gap of six years when Zimbabwe visit the Asian country to play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Twenty20 Internationals in May. Zimbabwe thus will become the first International Cricket Council full-member nation to visit Pakistan after the 2009 terrorist attack on a Sri Lankan team bus here. The Pakistan Cricket Board and Zimbabwe Cricket on Thursday signed a Memorandum of understanding in this regard. “This would be an auspicious moment for Pakistan cricket and I am positive that it would open doors of international cricket in Pakistan,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Mohammad Khan stated. “Kenya have already been here for five matches against Pakistan A and I am indeed confident that Zimbabwe’s incident-free tour shall be the harbinger of more and more associate and full member nations visiting us in the months and years to come.” ZC’s security team will visit Lahore on May 4 to review just the arrangements put in place by the PCB with the full backing and support of the Punjab government. All matches will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The T20Is will be played on May 22 and 24 while the three ODIs will take place on May 26, 29 and 31.(IANS)
AIFF president Praful Patel elected as AFC vice-president
NEW DELHI: All India Football Federation president Praful Patel was on Thursday elected unopposed as Asian Football Confederation’s vice-president of the SAFF region at the AFC Congress held in Bahrain. The development gives India a significant representation in the AFC and Patel thanked all Member Associations for finding him “competent enough”. “First of all I need to thank all for finding me competent enough. Indian football is undergoing a transition and it feels nice that our development progress has rung bells all over the continent. I take this as a complement for Indian football,” he said. “This is a huge responsibility. I would not only be representing my own Country but the entire SAFF Region. I stay confident of receiving support from all stakeholders for rapid progress of football in the region,” he added. Under Patel’s leadership, AIFF was awarded with AFC’s President Recognition Award for Grassroots at the AFC Annual Awards 2014 in Manila. Furthermore, in 2013, AIFF had finished a close second to Japan Football Association in the AFC Grassroots MA of the Year. Apart from that the AIFF had also signed an agreement under Australian Sports Outreach Programme (ASOP) with Football Federation of Australia to support Grassroots Programme. Also, India have successfully bid for hosting the FIFA 2017 U-17 World Cup and the Indian Club Licensing system has drawn lavish praise from all quarters and dubbed as one of the “best in Asia”. (PTI)
Sunrisers’ K L Rahul hoping for return to national team via IPL
Hyderabad: Disappointed with some of his performances during the ongoing IPL season, Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper batsman K L Rahul said he would look to improve in the coming matches so that the national selectors take note. “Disappointing that I had starts but have not been able to convert those starts into bigger performances. There were very good opportunities for me to win matches for my side and it’s disappointing that I could not win the game for the team,” Rahul told PTI in an interview. “It’s good learning and I am only hoping that I use this experience of not doing well and work on my game and get better. When the same opportunity comes, I may be better skilled and be in better frame of mind to win the game for the team,” he said. Rahul’s unbeaten 44 in the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 13 is his best during the IPL and he scored poorly in a few other matches. Sunrisers has played good cricket in this IPL tournament though it ended up losing couple of matches, he said. (PTI)
