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Karachi Kings bat first after Islamabad United opt to field. DawnNews

The Karachi Kings trounced Islamabad United by 45 runs, knocking the reds out of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Sharjah on Wednesday.

Wickets dropped like flies for United who were set a 127-run target by the Kings during the 22nd match of the PSL this season.

With this victory, Karachi has qualified for the last playoff.

The flurry of wickets courtesy leg spinner Imad Wasim, Muhammad Amir and Usama Mir who took three each left Islamabad at a disappointing 82 all out, 45 runs short of their target. Wasim was awarded Man of the Match.

The innings kicked off with a stunning upset as Dwayne Smith was caught out early by Kings captain and wicket keeper Kumar Sangakkara off a delivery by Amir, who went on to bowl BJ Haddin out and got Rumman Raees caught out by Pollard.

Sangakkara termed the beginning of the innings "a good start".

Speaking about the catch, he said, "I think I had my eyes closed and that helped. It was just one of those catches that stuck. Pretty lucky."

"I was just surprised that I caught it," he laughed while speaking to Ramiz Raja.

"A knock-out contest is draining. Every game is a do or die thing. The guys are starting to play like a team... I'm hoping we can get up again against Peshawar."

The Kings skipper also lauded Usama Mir for his "outstanding" bowling. "We have to bat longer," he conceded, "And stop our run outs."

Imad Wasim bowled Islamabad United skipper Misbah-ul-Haq at the beginning of the 9th over and Shane Watson at the end of the 11th over. He returned to take Nicholas Pooran's wicket.

Usama Mir got Shadab Khan, Asif Ali and Muhammad Sami out. Sohail Khan clean bowled Amad Butt.

Misbah, speaking to the media after the match said, "It's always hard to take this sort of defeat."

"We couldn't bat well on that pitch. One twenty seven was gettable. No pressure of a knockout game. They just bowled well and once we lost wickets, the pressure mounted. I think we batted badly," he admitted.

Islamabad United won the toss and opted to field.

The Karachi Kings racked up 126 runs, even as wickets fell like dominoes over the last five overs of the match.

Ravi Bopara, Shoaib Malik, Usman Khan, Sohail Khan, Imad Wasim were taken out by United in quick succession as the innings came to a close.

Babar Azam and Malik both scored 25 runs each, the highest scores this innings by Kings batsmen.

United bowlers ruled the innings with 18-year-old Shadab Khan taking Azam's wicket off his first ball.

Rumman Raees knocked Chris Gayle out early with just 17 runs. He went on to get Bopara, Pollard and Wasim caught out and took Usama Mir's catch off Muhammad Sami.

During yesterday's match, the Quetta Gladiators snatched a dramatic one-run victory against Peshawar Zalmi yesterday at Sharjah to enter the the PSL final scheduled for March 5 at Lahore's Qadhafi Stadium.

After 20 matches, the PSL 2017 has now entered the decisive stage where Lahore Qalandars will be missing for the second successive season.

In an exact replica of inaugural season, the playoff line-ups are same as they were last year.

Explore: Crunch time in PSL as playoffs start today

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PSL 2017: Karachi Kings knock Islamabad United out of tournament - DAWN.com

Shocking footage of schoolgirls fighting in a busy playground has sparked fears among parents that a so-called 'one punch kills' trend will end in tragedy.

A two-minute video, featuring three separate fights , has been viewed more than 40,000 times since being posted on social media by North Coast Crime in New Zealand.

Some parents said the 'one punch' trend has escalated from the 'knockout game' or 'happy slapping' as it is more commonly referred to in the UK.

In the footage, scrapping teenagers appear to be encouraged to direct punches at a classmate's face or head.

In the most-viewed clip, two female students are seen throwing punches in front of a classroom at Kyogle High School, in New Zealand. A teacher shouts 'hey' at least six times before pulling the fight apart.

The person filming the incident can be heard laughing during the brawl.

Parents took to social media to slam the attitude that fighting is 'funny' or 'entertaining'.

"Children should be made aware that swinging punches in attempt to knock a classmate to the floor is dangerous," Lindsay Robinson wrote. "Knocking someone out with one punch is all it takes to end a life and ruin countless others."

Another user, Graham Brent, wrote: "I'm seeing too many of these videos. It's shocking that stuff like this ends up being filmed for entertainment or 'likes' on social media."

Principal Gae Masters posted an open letter to parents and guardians on Facebook this morning regarding the fights filmed at Kyogle High School in New Zealand.

He said: "You may be aware that footage of Kyogle High School students fighting has been put on Facebook.

"I would like to assure you that whenever the school becomes aware of violence or inappropriate behaviour on school grounds it takes disciplinary action, as has been the case with the incidents filmed.

"The school has a strict mobile device policy, including disciplinary action for any student found to have been filming inappropriately."

Local newspaper the Northern Star reports that police are investigating the incidents.

North Coast Crime wrote "ONE PUNCH CAN KILL!" in response to the worrying trend.

Other parents shared tragic stories of schoolyard deaths.

In 2009, 15-year-old Jai Morcom died when he was just hit once while at a party with schoolfriends. His death triggered an education campaign.

Last year, footage emerged of two teens fighting outside of a school gym in the USA. Police investigated the incident after a video of the brawl was uploaded with the headline 'fight club'.

Facebook videos also revealed a real-life 'fight club' was taking place at one of New York's most prestigious schools in 2016.

In clips that emerged from the Bronx High School of Science, students were caught wrestling each other as dozens of classmates looked on.

More here:
Fears over 'one punch kills' trend fuelled by shocking footage of schoolgirls brawling in 'playground fight club' - Mirror.co.uk

TUCKER, St James Kashief Brown scored a hat trick to lead Premier League club and defending champions Montego Bay United (MBU) on a 9-0 romp over struggling Division One club Paradise FC in their second-round St James Football Association Captains Bakery and Grill Knockout game at Wespow Park on Thursday.

Johann Weatherly also got a second-half double for MBU, who rested a number of their top players in the first game for new coach Rod Underwood.

MBU now join Heights FC, Somerton FC, Club Stars FC and Montego Bay Boys Club in the quarter-finals.

A spirited start by the young Paradise FC team, comprised of school boy players, kept the powerful MBU team at bay for 16 minutes until Brown converted from close range to give the Premier League team the lead.

Central defender Pagiel Brown, making his first start for MBU, made it 2-0 in the 24th minute with a skilful finish, again from close range, using his heel to deflect the ball past goalkeeper Jermaine McCalla. Brown made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute for a 3-0 half-time lead.

The Premier League team was more ruthless in the second half as they pumped in six more goals, including an own goal in the 58th minute.

Weatherly scored in the 54th and 67th minutes, Allan Ottey in the 68th, Brown completed his hat trick in the 79th minute, before Donovan Carey scored in the 85th.

Paul Reid

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Paradise lost - Sport - JamaicaObserver.com - Jamaica Observer

English Premier League club Leicester City on Thursday sacked manager Claudio Ranieri, just nine months after he led the team to win the Premier League.

The Italian's position has come under intense scrutiny this season during a slump that has left the Foxes flirting with relegation.

The 65-year-old Ranieri was sacked less than 24 hours after his team battled to a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of a Champions League last 16 knockout game against Spanish side Sevilla.

Leicester said on Thursday its board reluctantly feels that a change of leadership, while admittedly painful, is necessary in the clubs greatest interest.

The club, owned by Thailand travel groupKing Power, haswon just five of their 25 league games this season. The team has yet to score a league goal in 2017, having also been knocked out of the FA Cup by third-tier Millwall.

TRT World's Simon McGregor-Wood reports.

Who will replace Ranieri?

Leicester vice chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabhaof King Power said, we are duty-bound to put the clubs long-term interests above all sense of personal sentiment.

Srivaddhanaprabha said ditching Ranieri had been the hardest decision the current owners havemade but one they had to take when, with 13 games left to play, there was still a chance of Premier League survival.

"This has been the most difficult decision we have had to make in nearly seven years since King Power took ownership of Leicester City ... but we are now faced with a fight to reach that objective and feel a change is necessary to maximise the opportunity presented by the final 13 games."

Assistant manager Craig Shakespeare and first-team coach Mike Stowell will take caretaker charge ahead of Monday's match against Liverpool.

Guus Hiddink, who helped arrest Chelsea's decline last season when they suffered a slump immediately after winning the title, was installed as the 6:1 favourite by British bookmaker William Hill to replace Ranieri.

Hills made Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill, who enjoyed success as Leicester manager from 1995-2000, the 8:1 second-favourite.

Click here to read the club's full statement.

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Leicester gives Ranieri the boot - TRT World

The Carey Panthers braced themselves for a tough tussle with the Murtaugh Red Devils Thursday night in the all-important second-place game of the Northside Conference boys basketball tournament at Shoshone High School gym.

On Jan. 10, host Carey out-scored Murtaugh 70-43 in a league gamedoing most of its damage with a 24-7 fourth-quarter surge. But the Red Dev-ils have won seven of their last 10 and have averaged 60.5 ppg in that streak of games.

Murtaugh coach Clayton Nebekers squad has done much of its damage from be-hind the arc, including 25 3-pointers in its two consolation bracket wins over Castleford and Lighthouse, at Shoshone.

No. 2-seeded Carey (14-9) dropped into the consolation bracket of the eight-team Northside tournament with a 69-57 loss to top-seeded Dietrich Wednesday at Shoshones gym.

Leading Panther scorer Hayden Wayment (21 points including five 3-pointers), sen-ior Toby Whitworth (17) and senior Derrick Baird (12) led coach Dick Simpsons Carey team. It was a season-high total for Careys Whitworth.

With its 16th consecutive win, reigning State 1A Division 2 tournament champ Dietrich (22-1, averaging 69.3 ppg) won its fourth Northside tourna-ment title in five years.

Senior Garrett Astle (14 points) led four Blue Devils in double figures, and Dietrich outpointed Carey 17-7 at the free throw line for the game.

That result, combined with Murtaughs 57-49 win over No. 5 Lighthouse Christian (10-12) earlier Wednesday, sent No. 4-seeded Murtaugh (15-9) up against Carey Thursday. It was Murtaughs third game in three nights, and Careys second game in two evenings.

Carey was trying for the programs 21st state tourna-ment berth in the last 25 years.

Murtaughs last state visit was in 2011, when coach Adam Johnsons Red Devils lost 54-36 to Carey in the state semi-finalsand Carey (24-2) went on to capture its first state hoops title 47-46 over Nezperce.

At stake Thursday was the Northsides second berth in the 2017 State 1A Division 2 tour-ney March 2-4 at Caldwell.

The winner of Thursdays knockout game between Carey and Murtaugh will play Boise-area champion Council (13-5) Thursday, March 2 at 6:15 p.m. in a first-round game of the eight-team tournament at Caldwell High School gym.

The Lumberjacks from Council (22-4) fell in last Marchs state championship game 68-55 to Dietrich (22-4).

Council defeated Salmon River 55-47 Wednesday night at McCall for the 3rd District title. Salmon River (15-7) played Tri-Valley (10-11) Thursday for a state play-in berth on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Dietrich opens the state tournament next Thursday at 3 p.m. against District 2 cham-pion Kendrick (17-5), a team that went two-and-out at 2016 state.

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Panthers battle Red Devils for state hoops spot - Idaho Mountain Express and Guide