Second Semifinal of PTCL Group’s largest E-Sports gaming competition, GameKey Arena to kick off today

Islamabad: 20 of the best gaming squads will partake in an epic PUBG MOBILE showdown today in the second semifinal of ‘GameKey Arena’ – the largest E-Sports gaming tournament organized by PTCL and Ufone 4G on their newly launched gaming platform ‘GameKey’.

The first semifinal hosted a fierce battle between 20 squads of Group A of GameKey Arena Tournament yesterday. 5 winning squads made it to the Grand finale that is set to take place on 12^th February 2023 in Lahore.

Here are the finalists from Group A.

KOD Esports
The Grounders
SORRYXDARTH
The Finishers
Team Impact

The 2^nd Semifinal will be played between the 20 squads of Group B today, who will be competing for the next five slots in the Grand finale, which will also include a select group of six established PUBG MOBILE teams especially invited to the tournament from across the country.

Here is a list of the 20 squads of Group B that will be competing this evening:

3x Esports
R3G Esports
52 Esports
TEAM ELVATE
MYTHICALS
DXR Esports
GNPxSpetsnaz
UNBxNoFear
Rule breaker
TEAM NIGHTMARE
PTG
7SINSxMyth Esports
PYRO 2.0
Hot Esports
SpinsEsports
141xRPG
War esports
69ESPORTS
Renegades
Redzone Esports

Nearly 700 PUBG MOBILE Squads registered themselves for ‘GameKey Arena’ to put their talent, skills, and agility to test against the best teams in the country. 40 best squads made it through the qualifiers to the semifinals. The best 16 teams will battle it for the crown of the ultimate PUBG MOBILE Kings of the country apart from a PKR 3 Million pool prize.

PTCL and Ufone 4G introduced ‘GameKey’ – a state-of-the-art gaming service to provide convenient access to a curated collection of the most popular online games in Pakistan on a single platform for all data users in Pakistan, regardless of their data networks.

Online gaming and PUBG MOBILE enthusiasts can catch the action live on Ufone 4G’s official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioBx7MPkgvk

‘GameKey Arena’ is the inaugural E-Sports gaming tournament that is poised to be an annual gaming festival for gaming enthusiasts and skilled professional gamers alike as the platform aims to explore new gaming talent in Pakistan.

Squad registrations for PKR 3 Million PUBG MOBILE tournament under PTCL Group’s ‘GameKey Arena’ close tonight

The registration process for the epic nationwide PUBG MOBILE tournament under PTCL Group’s biggest e-sports gaming tournament, ‘GameKey Arena’ will close tonight.

With an over whelming response, more than 3500 players have entered the contest to battle it out for the coveted crown of PUBG MOBILE Champion. Registrations are open for professional and aspiring players till midnight of 30^th January 2023. So get registered now to avail the chance to compete with Pakistan’s best gaming talent in the country’s biggest gaming arena.

Following the closure of registrations at midnight, the nationwide qualifiers will take place from the 1^st to the 8^th of February, 2023. Squads from all over Pakistan will show their skill of dominance in the online preliminary round. 10 top squads prevailing in the initial round and 6 nations top PUBG MOBILE teams will be invited to Lahore for the Grand Finale, taking place on 12^th February.

PTCL Group’s ‘GameKey Arena’ is being organized under its newly launched gaming platform ‘GameKey’ which provides one-window access to a curated list of the most popular games to all data users in Pakistan. It is the inaugural edition of ‘GameKey Arana’, however, the tournament is poised to be an annual e-sports festival for gaming enthusiasts across Pakistan.

Professional PUBG MOBILE players and gaming enthusiasts may register their squads before the cut-off time by following this link. https://www.ufone.com/gamekey-registration/

Emirates puts big hitters in the flying seat for the T20 World Cup

Karachi: Hitman Rohit Sharma bowls over cricket fans as he takes to the field to feature in Emirates’ latest advertising campaign which will run during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Emirates, official partner of the highly anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup which kicks off in Australia this weekend, has signed up the Hitman for its “Lovers of Cricket” campaign. Rohit will bring to the campaign his facets in the three 10 second films created for the campaign. The first will feature Rohit’ dynamism as a fielder, as he is shown flying through the air to the roar of the stadium as he catches the ball. In the following two other versions of the ad featuring the Indian cricket star, his trademark batting is put to the test with a flying jump to the stumps. All three spots cleverly convey the airline’s brand message of excellence – “Don’t just fly, fly better”.

The campaign also features three more versions with two other well-known stars of the game, England’s Phil Salt and Richard Gleeson, who are no strangers to the Emirates logo as players for the Emirates-sponsored Lancashire County Cricket Club. Both Salt and Gleeson can be frequently found “flying” across the pitch at the club’s home grounds – The Emirates Old Trafford – where these latest ads where filmed.

During the month-long T20 tournament, Emirates’ “Lover of Cricket” ads will run on television in Australia, the UK, US, India, and Pakistan.

Having built a strong brand connection with cricket fans all around the globe over the years, Emirates directly serves 14 of the 16 nations participating in the seventh edition of the ICC T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup, including 42 flights a week to Australia, and services to over 39 cities in the UK, US, India, Pakistan, South Africa, the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Ireland.

Emirates’ love affair with cricket goes back 20 years when it became the main sponsor of the Emirates Elite and International Panel of ICC Umpires when the panel was formed to officiate Test Matches and One Day Internationals around the world. In 2007, it became the official Airline and Global Partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC). The airline also sponsors the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, which will be held in India next year.

Alongside the Umpires, Emirates sponsors the Elite and International Panel of ICC Match Referees, which also sees Emirates featured on their official kit. Along with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Emirates also supports the Women’s T20 World Cups and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as well as the World Test Championships Final in 2023.

Never miss a moment at 40,000 feet

To help ensure that jet-setting cricket fans do not miss any of the ICC T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup action, Emirates will be screening the tournament’s matches live in the air on its dedicated in-flight sports channels, Sport24 and Sport24 Extra, available to customers across all cabins on the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, ice. Live TV is available on all aircraft in Emirates’ Boeing 777 fleet and most of its flagship A380 aircraft.

For passengers travelling in premium cabins on select A380 aircraft, Emirates will be screening the matches live on the 55-inch screen at the iconic onboard lounge. At the popular lounge in the sky, travellers can enjoy live sports at 40,000 feet while socialising and enjoying delicious snacks in addition to a unique selection of spirits or cocktails.

Fans can also stay connected to tournament news and highlights onboard with wi-fi packages available to choose from. Emirates Skywards members travelling in First Class or Platinum members travelling in Business Class enjoy complimentary Wi Fi throughout the flight.

Carrefour and VISA team up to offer three fans the chance to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™

Chance to win one of three group stage match packages inclusive of flights to Qatar, 5-star hotel accommodation for 3 nights, and access to 2 matches

Carrefour, owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim in Pakistan, has partnered with VISA, the Official Payment Services Partner of FIFA, to give three football fans the opportunity to win a free trip to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Customers who spend PKR 10,000 or more at Carrefour in-store and online through their Visa cards will be entered into the competition from September 1 to 28, 2022.

Customers can win one of three group stage match packages which will include flights to Qatar, 5-star hotel accommodation for 3 nights, and access to 2 matches in each package for the winner and a plus one. The winners of the packages can watch Portugal vs. Ghana and Qatar vs Senegal matches from November 23 to 26, 2022.

Alongside these prizes, Carrefour will be selecting winners through a draw to win gift vouchers worth PKR 5000 to PKR 50000, which can be redeemed in Carrefour stores.

Umer Lodhi, Country Manager of Carrefour Pakistan, said: “We are thrilled to have brought this partnership to life as we know that the whole of Pakistan shares our excitement for the most prestigious tournament in the world. Pakistan has millions of football fans and we are extremely excited that Carrefour is able to be a part of the campaign this year.”

Commenting on the partnership, Leila Serhan, Visa’s Group Country Manager for North Africa, Levant and Pakistan, said: “In the run-up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, we are delighted to partner with Carrefour in Pakistan to offer football fans, shopping and spending in-store and online, a chance to win the trip of a lifetime as well as several prizes. By introducing this promotion, we hope to expose more and more consumers to the perks of the digital economy and support the government’s ambitions of extending the benefits of digital payments – secure, convenient and rewarding – to more consumers in Pakistan.”

In addition to the convenience of in-store shopping, Carrefour also offers its delivery service through the Carrefour Pakistan app and customers can use MyCLUB to gain instant discounts, earning and redeeming points. For further information, please head to https://www.carrefour.pk/mafpak/en/ to discover the hottest deals.

HBL PSL 7 Final – JLI presenting the Wicketkeeper of the Tournament award to Muhammad Rizwan

Farhan Faridi, Group Head – Retail Operations, Administration & Marketing, Jubilee Life Insurance presenting the Wicketkeeper of the Tournament award to Muhammad Rizwan, Captain of Multan Sultans after the grand finale of the HBL PSL 7 between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans.

Cricketer Muhammad Rizwan to Teach a Masterclass Course on ‘Abwaab’

Pakistan cricket team’s talismanic wicketkeeper batsman and one of the nation’s most loved cricketers, Muhammad Rizwan has just begun one of the most meaningful partnerships of his career in the field of education.

After having a record-breaking 2021, being dubbed ‘Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year’ by ICC and ‘Most Valuable Player’ by PCB, Rizwan is determined to inspire young Pakistani students and help them maximize their potential. Becoming Brand Ambassador Abwaab is the first step towards building a solid future for Pakistan. In addition, Rizwan will also be teaching a master class course, available exclusively to Abwaab students – which is a testament to his commitment to the cause.

Sharing his thoughts and motivation behind this partnership Muhammad Rizwan said, “My motivation behind joining hands with Abwaab is its quality content and ease of use. This platform has the power to transform Pakistan’s educational landscape for good. It can play a key role in making quality education accessible & affordable for everyone. Children from every corner of Pakistan, especially girls, will be able to get a great educational experience and play their role in the prosperity and development of our country. Abwaab is a game changer and I am honored to be a part of this great journey.’’

Speaking on the momentous occasion, Country Head Abwaab, Pakistan – Raja Ahmed Shuja said “Rizwan’s partnership with Abwaab will go miles towards helping us in our mission of unleashing the human potential of Pakistanis through education. Rizwan being the face of Pakistan cricket will help us amplify our message and take it across the country.”

CEO and Founder Saya Corporation Global Sports Group, Talha Rehmani added “I am extremely delighted with our collaboration with Abwaab as it gives us the opportunity to build a solid foundation for the future generations of Pakistan. It will be a very significant and impactful partnership that fits in perfectly with Saya Corporation’s vision of investing into the youth through education. This also has the potential to strengthen the bridge of mutual understanding through collaboration and cultural exchange. ”

Abwaab is Pakistan’s first and only learning app with instant live tutoring support, offering on demand video lessons, practice exercises for Matric and Inter students and much more to follow. All of this is offered for free during the academic year of 2021-2022.

Saya Corporation is a world leading sports management company with offices in Pakistan, England and South Africa, representing superstars such as Babar Azam, Mohmmad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman, Sandeep Lamichhane and Rassie van der Dussen among others.

Jubilee Insurance as Official Insurance Partner for HBL PSL Season 7

Jubilee Life Insurance, the leading life insurance company in the private sector, has partnered with Pakistan Cricket Board as the official Insurance Partner for HBL PSL Season 7. The announcement was made at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore where senior leadership of both organisations along with supporting members were present.

Picture shows: Javed Ahmed, Managing Director & CEO, Jubilee Life Insurance, Ramiz Raja, Chairman, PCB and Rao Omar Hashim Khan, Group Director, Trans Group along with senior representatives of all organisations.

Shahid Afridi Cricket Academy in Karachi Inaugurated

Shahid Afridi Cricket Academy in Karachi Inaugurated, with the aim to promote cricket in the country.

Karachi: Shahid Khan Afridi has aimed to promote cricket in the country. He is bringing a new exciting opportunity for cricket lovers by establishing Shahid Afridi Cricket Academy. For this cause he has partnered with GFS Builders and Developers. Recently GFS B&D and Shahid Afridi have signed an MoU for Shahid Afridi Cricket Academy at North Town Residency Phase 2, Karachi.

Then GFS builders and DEVELOPERS Chief Executive Officer Irfan Wahid on the occasion said: It’s a great opportunity for our youngster; we are trying to promote sports activities for our new generation. We are pleased to sign this agreement with Start Cricketer Shahid Afridi. GFS has always worked hard for our beloved country Pakistan.
Shahid Afridi also addressed the media, He said Pakistan needs cricket academy and sports activities for our youth. We have a good number of talented athletes in our country, we should try to promote them and provide opportunities to shine their skills.

foodpanda announces Grand Entry into HBL PSL 2022 with Islamabad United

foodpanda and Islamabad United Join Hands – foodpanda Pakistan, the nation’s leading online food and grocery delivery platform has announced their collaboration with the most successful franchise and two time champions ‘Islamabad United’ led by Shadab Khan and owned by Ali Naqvi. foodpanda has been named the Official Q-Commerce Partner of Islamabad United.

This is the first time that ISLU will play in foodpanda PINK kits for all their away matches and it’s the first time any team has changed the colour of their kit for a strategic partnership.

Syed Waqas Azhar, Director Marketing at foodpanda Pakistan said:
“The strategic partnership between the giants foodpanda and ISLU, seeks to combine two of the nation’s biggest passion points, food and cricket. With this collaboration, we intend to leverage our combined audiences to create an unforgettable impact, and set the tone for the 2022 cricket season. Celebrating the love for cricket and the love for food, is a partnership which will surely be a massive success.”

Speaking of the collaboration, team owner ISLU, Ali Naqvi said:
“We are pleased to partner with one of the most renowned online platforms in Pakistan. Their reach across Pakistan is unparalleled and their values of professionalism and excellence are ones that we share. Thus, it’s obviously a natural partnership for us.”

Islamabad United is the most successful franchise in HBL PSL history. Being the only team to win multiple titles and owning the highest win percentage in league history, the franchise believes in bringing change to Pakistani sports. ISLU has been able to introduce international standards of practice and a commitment to continuous growth and progress. Since the start of the HBL PSL no franchise has inducted more players into the Pakistan national team than ISLU.

foodpanda Pakistan is the country’s leading online delivery marketplace, offering a convenient app and web-based platform to order food, groceries and essential items nationwide. With over 20,000 restaurants, homechefs, shops and pandamart stores across more than 40 cities, foodpanda aims to generate business growth and create employment opportunities for Pakistanis all over the country.

Chairman PCB visits Naya Nazimabad

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Naya Nazimabad last week, Ramiz Raja, Chairman, PCB, visited Naya Nazimabad today to survey the Cricket Stadium where a drop-in pitch is to be installed.

This partnership is aligned to Chairman PCB’s vision of improving the quality of pitches across Pakistan and Arif Habib Group’s vision of contributing to the improvement of facilities and availability opportunities of opportunities to budding cricketers.

Ramiz Raja, Chairman, PCB, concluding his visit of the cricket stadium and Gymkhana observed, “I am amazed at the brilliance of the facilities available at Naya Nazimabad that will go such a long way in uplifting not just the game of Cricket but also other sports. We have decided to assign a technical team to Naya Nazimabad Cricket Stadium which will work very closely with the Management to upgrade the stadium making it ready to host exciting domestic and international. cricket games.’

Once the upgradation is complete, the PCB will host and organise domestic matches at the Naya Nazimabad Stadium including U19 and women’s matches while practice sessions and exhibition matches for the HBL Pakistan Super League franchises can also be staged at the stadium from the 2023 edition onwards.

Arif Habib, Chairman, Naya Nazimabad said, “With the ever-growing demand for cricket in the country and the improvement in the security situation, foreign cricketers are comfortable touring Pakistan, many of whom have already have visited Naya Nazimabad. We look forward to working with PCB to revive Pakistani’s cricket greatness, glimpses of which we have seen recently.”