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Pakistan kept their Asia Cup campaign alive with a hard-fought five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a Super Four clash in Abu Dhabi Tuesday.With both teams having lost their opening fixtures of the second round, defeat wasn’t an option and Pakistan’s bowlers rose to the occasion tying Sri Lanka down to 133-8 on a featherbed of a pitch.Chasing what looked a modest target, Pakistan made heavy weather of it.After a brisk opening stand of 45, their innings went into free fall at 80-5.But a cool-headed 58-run partnership off 41 balls for the sixth wicket between Mohammad Nawaz and Hussain Talat steadied the ship and saw them home with 12 deliveries in hand.Nawaz struck a breezy 38 off 24 balls, while Talat anchored the innings with an unbeaten 32 off 30.Earlier, pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone with the new ball, nipping out Sri Lanka’s in-form openers inside his first two overs.The left-arm quick returned at the death to dismiss top-scorer Kamindu Mendis and closed with figures of three for 28 – a spell that put Pakistan on the front foot.Talat and Haris Rauf chipped in with two wickets apiece, while leggie Abrar Ahmed bowled with miserly precision, giving away just eight runs in his four overs and dismissing fellow leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.Sri Lanka, unbeaten in the first round with three wins on the trot, have hit a brick wall in the Super Four, losing to Bangladesh on Saturday and now to Pakistan.With only India left to play, their chances of making the final are hanging by a thread.Put in to bat, Sri Lanka slumped to 58-5 and looked set to be bundled out inside 20 overs.But Kamindu Mendis dug in, compiling a fighting 50 off 44 balls with three fours and two sixes, his third half-century in T20Is.He stitched together a 43-run stand with Chamika Karunaratne for the seventh wicket, but the former champions were still left high and dry.BRIEF SCORES:Pakistan 138 for 5 (Nawaz 38*, Talat 32*, Theekshana 2-24, Hasaranga 2-27) beat Sri Lanka 133 for 8 (Kamindu Mendis 50, Afridi 3-28, Talat 2-18, Rauf 2-37) by five wickets

Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) has participated in the 62nd Assembly of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU). QMC’s Director of International Co-operation Office Abdullah Ghanem al-Mohannadi led the Qatari delegation to the event held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The assembly addressed the role of media in preserving national and cultural heritage. Qatar’s participation reflects its commitment to introducing the country’s national efforts in the field of media, and opens new prospects for media cooperation between media institutions in the Asia-Pacific region and the State of Qatar.

Spinner Nasum Ahmed produced a miserly spell to help Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by eight runs Tuesday and keep their Asia Cup hopes alive.Bangladesh posted 154-5 batting first as opener Tanzid Hasan starred with his 52 off 31 balls in Abu Dhabi.Nasum and fellow spinner Rishad Hossain then took two wickets each before pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman returned figures of 3-28 to help bowl out Afghanistan for 146.Taskin Ahmed also claimed two wickets as he wrapped up the innings with the final ball of the match.Bangladesh ended Group B with two wins and one defeat in their three outings.Their chances of reaching the Super Four stage will depend on the final match of the group between Afghanistan and Sri Lanka on Thursday.Bangladesh will go through if Sri Lanka win, but an Afghan victory would see them progress and leave the Sri Lankans and Bangladesh to be split on net run-rate.Left-arm spinner Nasum rocked the Afghanistan chase early when he struck with the first ball of the innings to trap Sediqullah Atal lbw and then grabbed the key wicket of Ibrahim Zadran, for five, in the fifth over.He returned figures of 2-11 from his four overs.Rishad dismissed Gulbadin Naib caught and bowled for 16 with his leg-spin and then sent back the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 35 to dent Afghanistan.Azmatullah Omarzai attempted to revive the chase with three sixes in his 16-ball 30 but holed out off Taskin.Skipper Rashid Khan made one final push with a quickfire 20 but fell to Mustafizur, who struck again to be on a hat-trick which was avoided by Fazalhaq Farooqi.Earlier Tanzid put on an opening stand of 63 with Saif Hasan, who made 30, as the two racked up 59 in the powerplay.Rashid broke the stand as he struck in his first over by bowling Saif and Afghanistan's spinners soon took control.Left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad trapped skipper Litton Das lbw for nine to further peg back Bangladesh.Tanzid raised his fifty off 28 deliveries but fell to Noor in the next over.Towhid Hridoy added a 20-ball 26 but although Bangladesh managed just 67 runs in the final 10 overs, it proved enough for the win.

QNB Singapore has announced successful participation as a ‘Gold Sponsor’ at the recently concluded GTR Asia 2025 event held in Singapore.This year's gathering proved to be a “remarkable platform” for trade and finance professionals, featuring engaging formats that maximised audience participation and dialogue.Throughout the event, attendees engaged with a variety of highlights, including the dynamic Trade Showcase hosted by GTR Ventures, which highlighted innovative solutions and emerging trends in trade finance.The new boardroom scenario session focused on global trade security provided essential insights into pressing industry challenges, while in-depth discussions, fireside chats, and interactive presentations enriched the experience for all participants.A key feature of the event was the ‘Asia Bank to Bank Forum’, hosted by the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade (BAFT), where leading discussions on banking and finance addressed the unique opportunities and challenges faced in today's economic landscape.“As a Gold Sponsor, QNB Singapore was proud to be part of such a vital event that brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, from international banks to fintech firms,” said Silas Lee, CEO, QNB Singapore. “The discussions and exchanges at GTR Asia 2025 have provided valuable insights into the evolving trade finance sector, and we are excited to continue fostering these connections within the industry.”The GTR Asia 2025 event serves as a crucial forum for addressing the rapidly changing dynamics of trade finance, equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of the region’s trade operations.

Reigning 20-overs world champions India look overwhelming favourites to retain their Asia Cup title with Suryakumar Yadav leading a crack squad that can sweep aside rivals and any geopolitical distraction in the tournament beginning Tuesday.The September 9-28 tournament had looked in limbo after four days of military conflict between tournament hosts India and bitter neighbours Pakistan in May this year.The eight-team competition was subsequently moved to the United Arab Emirates but the geopolitical undercurrents were palpable with several former India cricketers demanding a boycott of matches against Pakistan.With New Delhi backing the Indian cricket board’s stance of playing Pakistan in multi-team events only, the Asian Cricket Council, which organises the Asia Cup, is confident its flagship tournament would prove a success.With an eye on the T20 World Cup next year, India gave an indication of how seriously they view the tournament when they picked pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.The 31-year-old is played sparingly to manage his all-format workload and India will hope to benefit from the wily seamer’s craft both in the powerplay and the death overs.Test captain Shubman Gill has been recalled to reinforce a batting lineup teeming with serious power-hitters like Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, currently the top-two T20 batters in official rankings, as well as skipper Suryakumar.Arch-rivals Pakistan will enter the tournament low on experience but high on confidence after winning a tri-series, also involving Afghanistan and hosts UAE, on Sunday.“We wanted to prepare in a way that helps us for the Asia Cup and we’ve done that,” Pakistan captain Salman Agha said on Sunday.“We’ve been doing really well since the Bangladesh home series. Finally, we’re in very good shape and fully prepared for the Asia Cup.”Having ignored former captains Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan will need sustained contribution from their batters against tougher opposition.Afghanistan lost to Pakistan in Sunday’s final in Sharjah but skipper Rashid Khan counts their familiarity with conditions as a major gain.“It’s important for us to learn from these conditions ahead of the Asia Cup,” Rashid, who will lead Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack, said.“Over the last eight-nine months, we haven’t played much T20 cricket together and a series like this gives us positive energy. I think it’s going to be a great and exciting Asia Cup for us.”Under Litton Das, a new-look Bangladesh will be itching to prove their mettle having lost the likes of stalwarts Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Tamim Iqbal to retirement.Afghanistan play Hong Kong in the tournament opener in Abu Dhabi Tuesday.Preliminary stage matches: Sep 09, Tue: Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Abu DhabiSep 10, Wed: India vs UAE, DubaiSep 11, Thu: Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, Abu DhabiSep 12, Fri: Pakistan vs Oman, DubaiSep 13, Sat: Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka, Abu DhabiSep 14, Sun: India vs Pakistan, DubaiSep 15, Mon: UAE vs Oman, Abu DhabiSep 15, Mon: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, DubaiSep 16, Tue: Bangladesh vs Afghanistan, Abu DhabiSep 17, Wed: Pakistan vs UAE, DubaiSep 18, Thu: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Abu DhabiSep 19, Fri: India vs Oman, Abu Dhabi

HE the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal al-Thani participated in the ‘Qatar Vision 2030’ session, held as part of the ‘Asia Leaders’ conference organised by Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong.The event brought together leading Asian corporations and prominent Qatari businessmen and major national companies. On the sidelines of the conference, the minister held a series of bilateral meetings with senior executives of major global corporations.Among them was Xiaomi Corporation, where discussions focused on opportunities for co-operation in areas such as cloud data centres, supply chain development, and other strategic initiatives of mutual interest. The minister also met with the leadership of Baidu Inc, where both sides explored prospects for collaboration in robotaxi technologies and regional cloud computing services.The talks further addressed potential avenues of partnership and considered Baidu’s plans to expand its presence in the region.

Beyond the TarmacThe Asia-Pacific region’s aviation industry is back on the growth trajectory.The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global body of airlines, predicts 9% growth for Asia-Pacific in 2025.Which means, a region that has struggled to shrug off the strictures of Covid-19 is once again posting the highest growth rate in the world.Aviation in Asia-Pacific supports $890bn in GDP and 42mn jobs, with the potential to increase to $2.3tn in GDP and 62mn jobs by 2043.Analysts say rising middle-class populations, particularly in China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, are fuelling demand for both domestic and international travel.Asia is the epicentre of global e-commerce (China and Southeast Asia leading), driving robust demand for air cargo and integrated logistics.Asia-Pacific is home to some of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets. Countries like Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, and Australia continue to record strong inbound flows. Analysts believe regional tourism agreements and visa liberalisation policies are expected to boost connectivity.The UNWTO and IATA forecast Asia-Pacific to contribute more than half of global passenger growth over the next two decades.“Most countries have crossed the line of pre-COVID figures and are experiencing increasing air travel demand,” says Sheldon Hee, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific.“Four of the most populous countries in the world are in our region and all are young, emerging economies with a fast-growing middle class. We are even seeing some significant visa relaxation policies.“But the resumption of growth comes with challenges,” he adds. “The profit margin for 2025 is expected to be just 1.9%, or $2.60 per passenger. Aviation in Asia-Pacific must become more economically robust to meet demand with a high level of customer service delivered cost-efficiently.”Airport and airspace capacity are naturally the main considerations. On the positive side, there are at least 90 new airports under construction or in the planning stage, including significant gateways in Australia, India, and Vietnam. Each is a sign that the relevant government has aviation development on its agenda.“But there is more room for collaboration,” says Hee. “Airlines don’t need over-investment in facilities that would require deeper cost recovery. Development must be calibrated correctly, and airlines must be part of the conversation so that investments are correctly staged.”To assist passenger throughput — especially amid narrow margins — digitalisation in both passenger and cargo operations is essential. Every efficiency will count.Digitalisation and contactless travel centred on IATA’s ‘One ID’ will also be key enablers in enhancing the customer experience.India’s ‘Digi Yatra’, a facial recognition system for verified domestic customers, is leading the way but interoperability will be critical.Meanwhile, airspace is also being upgraded across the region but there is a notable bottleneck in the Bay of Bengal where aircraft get bunched for a variety of factors.The different levels of maturity in this diverse region mean there are also plenty of areas still reliant on older equipment, which leads to inefficiencies on a broader scale.Air cargo is an important part of needed capacity as Asia-Pacific is a major origin point for the booming e-commerce trade. Cargo revenues are often critical to the profitability of a flight, and this is certainly the case in Asia-Pacific.Trade barriers and tariffs could change traditional flows but demographic conditions and the desire to trade more within the region mean there are multiple opportunities for air cargo ahead.Although the outlook remains positive for this sector, there are inefficiencies to address. Paper is still commonplace in the region and optimisation based on the ONE Record has plenty of room for growth.“The industry is also doing a lot of work to make the carriage of dangerous goods (DG), and particularly lithium batteries, safer,” says Hee. “Good progress is being made but this work is especially pertinent to Asia-Pacific given the manufacturing in the region. We must educate the upstream shippers about the need for correct DG packaging and documentation.”IATA said it continues to work with governments and aviation authorities to promote the benefits of aviation and the business case for unlocking capacity.Undoubtedly, Asia-Pacific will remain the fastest-growing aviation region globally, led by China and India. Regional connectivity, tourism, and cargo are estimated to expand strongly.That said, the region’s air traffic management systems need modernisation to handle rising volumes efficiently and safely. Despite expansion, congestion at major airports in the region remains a major concern.