Karachi // Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi yesterday said he hoped a tough World Twenty20 draw would motivate his team to win the title for the first time in seven years and beat arch rivals India along the way.
The 2009 champions are placed in Group 2 of the Super 10 round in the sixth edition of the World Twenty20 to be held from March 8 to April 3. Also in the group are hosts India, Australia, New Zealand, and a yet to be decided qualifier.
Pakistan’s second match will be against India, a team they have never beaten in either a traditional one-day World Cup or the newer World Twenty20.
“We have a tough draw, but I am hopeful that this challenge will pump-up my team to win the title and on the way beat India,” Afridi said.
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Pakistan lost to India in both the group round and final of the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and then in two subsequent tournaments.
They have also lost to India every time they have faced them in six World Cups. But Afridi said it was time for a change.
“I don’t want to live in history,” he said.
“Whatever mistakes we usually make in the matches against India we have to overcome them.”
Pakistan’s recent form does not augur well.
Last month, they lost to England 3-0 in a Twenty20 series in the UAE, slipping to sixth in the ICC rankings.
“We made schoolboy errors and despite putting up good fights in all three matches we lost by narrow margins,” said Afridi, who is set to draw the curtain on his two-decade long career after the event.
“So, we have to be on our toes and should not repeat those mistakes.”
Pakistan have three Twenty20 matches on their tour of New Zealand next month before featuring in the six-nation Asia Cup Twenty20 in Bangladesh in February.
“We have enough matches before the World Twenty20 so we have to find a settled combination,” Afridi said.
“I hope we do well in these matches and carry that form into the World Twenty20.”
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
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Timeline
2012-2015
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May 2017
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September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
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December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
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August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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