Category: Sports

Get the latest sports news, opinion, analysis, player rankings, scores and updates.

  • Champions Trophy 2025: When will Pakistan and India face off?

    Champions Trophy 2025: When will Pakistan and India face off?

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sent the draft schedule of the Champions Trophy 2025, which will be held in Pakistan next year, to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

    Indian media has claimed from ICC sources that, according to the draft, the Pakistan-India clash will be held on March 1 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

    The Indian Cricket Board has not yet given consent to the PCB regarding the schedule of the matches.

    Considering security issues, all India matches have been scheduled to be played in Lahore. New Zealand and Bangladesh have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan and India.

    Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan have been placed in Group B, with all participating member nations of the Champions Trophy having assured the ICC of their support. The Indian Board will take its decision after consulting the Indian government.

  • Video: Teenaged Chinese badminton player dies of heart attack while playing

    Video: Teenaged Chinese badminton player dies of heart attack while playing

    A 17-year-old Chinese badminton player died of a heart attack while playing during the Asian Badminton Tournament in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

    Zhang Zhi suddenly fell down in the middle of the match against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano last Sunday.

    A video of the last moments of the player has emerged on social media. He was taken to the hospital after collapsing, where his death was confirmed. Zhang Zhi won many championships during his short career.

  • PCB withholds Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan’s NOC for Global T20

    PCB withholds Babar, Shaheen and Rizwan’s NOC for Global T20

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has withheld No Objection Certificate (NOC) for captain Babar Azam, fast bowler Shaheen Afridi and batsman Muhammad Rizwan for the Global T20 in Canada, Urdu Points has reported.

    According to details, PCB has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to question the affiliation of the Global T20.

    The decision on the NOC will be taken after clarification by the ICC. Seven Pakistanis, including Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Asif Ali, Muhammad Amir, Iftikhar Ahmed and Muhammad Nawaz, were selected by the GT20 teams.

    On Tuesday, PCB had issued NOCs to 12 players to participate in various leagues around the world. Some of the players on the list are part of Pakistan’s central contract, while others have not played for the green shirts for a long time.

    PCB has a policy that centrally contracted players cannot play in more than two leagues. That is why wicketkeeper-batsman Azam Khan withdrew from the Lanka Premier League (LPL) as he could not get NOC from the board.

    Saim Ayub and Azam are also part of the Guyana Warriors squad for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, but neither of them has yet to receive the NOC from the PCB.

  • Pakistan’s Awais Munir wins Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship

    Pakistan’s Awais Munir wins Asian 6-Red Snooker Championship

    Pakistan’s Awais Munir has won the Asian 6 Red Snooker Championship held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    In the final of the event, Awais defeated Hong Kong’s Nansen Wan.

    He won 6-3 against Nansen Wan of Hong Kong, after the match was tied 2-2, Owais Munir won 3 consecutive frames with ease.

    In the eighth frame, Nansen made a comeback, but in the ninth frame, Owais showed excellent control and putting and wrapped up the victory.

    Awais Munir won the match with the scores of 65-0, 26-35, 36-27, 20-38, 65-0,46-13, 60-8, 0-34, 40-27.

    Earlier, Pakistani cueist Hasnain Akhtar defeated compatriot and defending champion Ahsan Ramzan in the final of the ongoing Asian Under-21 Snooker Championship in Saudi Arabia.

  • Yo-Yo test is back: Pass it or get dropped from team

    Yo-Yo test is back: Pass it or get dropped from team

    The Yo-Yo test is back!Any cricketer who fails the infamous difficult fitness test will be dropped from national and regional teams.

    Director Domestic Khurram Niazi has approved a plan to improve player fitness levels.

    According to the plan, the fitness test will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will be conducted across the country from July 11, first at the district level and then at the regional level.

    Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi has approved the fitness mission.

    The Director Domestic has made team selection subject to fitness tests, including regional contracts. After that, test cricketers, international cricketers, and national cricketers will have to pass all fitness tests, including the Yo-Yo test.

  • Azam Khan withdraws from Lanka Premier League

    Azam Khan withdraws from Lanka Premier League

    Pakistani batsman Azam Khan has withdrawn from the Lankan Premier League (LPL), Geo News reported on Tuesday.

    According to sources, he had not applied for a No Objection Letter (NOC) for the League.

    National cricketers prefer only the major leagues due to Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) two-league policy. Azam will play the Caribbean Premier League and ILT Twenty20.

    The cricketer has not yet sent the application for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), but he will apply for an NOC for CPL starting this week on August 28.

    Azam was picked by Kandy’s team in the Lankan Premier League.

  • Virat, Rohit will play Champions Trophy in Pakistan, confirms Jay Shah

    Virat, Rohit will play Champions Trophy in Pakistan, confirms Jay Shah

    The Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah has confirmed that Indian stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will participate in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy next year, ARY has reported.

    Speaking to Press Trust of India (PTI), Shah said, “Both senior players will participate in the prestigious ODI tournament Pakistan will host.”

    “I would like India to win all the titles; we have the biggest bench strength; only three players from this team are going to Zimbabwe,” he said.

    Shah indicated that his target is to win the World Test Championship final and the Champions Trophy. “The same squad will play there; the seniors will be there,” he remarked.

    Following India’s sensational seven-run victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup final, both players, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have decided to retire from T20 Internationals.

  • PCB stops Saim Ayub and Azam Khan from playing in CPL

    PCB stops Saim Ayub and Azam Khan from playing in CPL

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stopped cricketers Azam Khan and Saim Ayub from playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

    PCB has strengthened its stance on the No Objection Certificate (NOC) policy following Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup co-hosted by the US and the West Indies. The policy restricts central and locally contracted players from participating in more than two overseas leagues per year to manage the workload of players and prioritize national duty.

    Earlier, when leg-spinner Usama Mir was told he had exhausted his quota of two leagues, he argued that since he is not currently part of the Pakistan team, he should be allowed to play in England.

    However, he was told that this decision was not for him to make but for the board. The decision, which rests solely with the PCB, underscores the board’s determination to retain control over players’ participation in international leagues.

    PCB officials have informed the cricket boards and franchises conducting T20 leagues about this stand and warned them against including Pakistani players without the NOC issued by the PCB.

  • Babar Azam will play under the captaincy of Rizwan?

    Babar Azam will play under the captaincy of Rizwan?

    Pakistan captain Babar Azam will now play under the captaincy of Muhammad Rizwan.

    Rizwan, the newly appointed captain of the Vancouver Knights in Canada’s Global T20 League, will lead the squad which includes Babar Azam, Muhammad Amir, and Asif Ali.

    In addition, South Africa’s Devine Pretorius and Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichanne are part of the squad. The Vancouver Knights added ‘Sir’ to Rizwan’s name in the announcement of his captaincy.

    The Global T20 League will be held in Canada from July 25 to August 11.

  • Indian cricketer Mohammad Siraj gets trolled by right-wing extremists for thanking Allah

    Indian cricketer Mohammad Siraj gets trolled by right-wing extremists for thanking Allah

    Extremist right-wing Indians have trolled Indian fast bowler Mohammad Siraj for thanking Allah after winning the T20 World Cup 2024.

    India defeated South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup, winning an International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy after 13 years. India won the first T20 World Cup in 2007, while the ODI World Cup was in 2011.

    The pacer tweeted, “Thank You Allah Almighty” after lifting the trophy, an innocent tweet that got him trolled right-wing Hindutva followers. Some even suggested that he should have thanked the Indian team and Hindu gods instead.

    Here are some reactions: