Current Final

Author: News Desk

  • Glenn McGrath’s hilarious reaction goes viral after Nathan Lyon overtakes his record

    Glenn McGrath’s hilarious reaction goes viral after Nathan Lyon overtakes his record

    Former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath delivered a hilarious reaction during commentary when spinner Nathan Lyon surpassed his wicket tally on day two of the third Ashes Test on Thursday.

    Cricket Australia shared a video of McGrath’s theatrical response, showing him pretending to pick up a chair as if about to throw it on the floor the moment Lyon broke his record. 

    The clip quickly went viral across social media platforms.

    Cricket fans flooded social media with reactions to McGrath’s antics. 

    “Sachin would have broken the chair when Root breaks his record,” one user wrote.

    “Haha this was a good one,” another user commented.

    “Lmao it’s the funniest thing I have seen on internet today,” a third user added.

    Lyon moved past McGrath to claim second place on Australia’s all-time wicket-takers list during the Adelaide Test. The veteran spinner now has 564 Test wickets, while McGrath finished his career with 563 wickets.

    Lyon now sits behind only the late Shane Warne in Australian bowling history. Warne leads the list with 708 Test wickets.

    In the overall rankings of Test cricket’s highest wicket-takers, Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan tops the chart with 800 wickets. England’s James Anderson follows with 704 wickets, Anil Kumble claimed 619, and Stuart Broad took 604 wickets during his career.

    Lyon’s achievement moves him to sixth place on the global list of all-time leading wicket-takers in Test cricket.

  • Meesha Shafi to release ‘Sachay Loki’ with Indian singer Talwiinder

    Meesha Shafi to release ‘Sachay Loki’ with Indian singer Talwiinder

    Megastar Meesha Shafi has revealed that her upcoming single “Sachay Loki” will debut on Friday in collaboration with Indian singer-songwriter Talwiinder. The announcement was made after a series of social media posts that sparked curiosity about the featured artist.

    The singer confirmed the collaboration on Tuesday, putting an end to over a week of strategic teasing on Instagram. 

    On December 8, Shafi posted photos from the song’s cover shoot and invited followers to guess who her collaborator was, with a track by Talwiinder playing in the background. A follow-up post on December 16 disclosed the song’s title and release date, with the collaborator’s name.
    The confirmation made it clear that Talwiinder is the featured artist for “Sachay Loki”. The cover art depicts Shafi and Talwiinder standing back to back against a solar eclipse. Shafi is dressed in an outfit with a chain headpiece, while Talwiinder is adorned with face paint and a bandana.

    The collaboration adds to Shafi’s previous work that spans across borders. She appeared in Bollywood earlier in her career, including a supporting role in the 2012 biopic “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”. Her work since then has focused on music, leading up to the release of her album “Khilnay Ko”“ in May.

    After the album launch, Shafi submitted “Khilnay Ko” for consideration in three categories for the 2026 Grammy Awards. 

    Talwiinder’s collaborations have primarily centered around music, including projects that have reached listeners in Pakistan. He teamed up with Hasan Raheem on the song “Wishes”, which ranked among Pakistan’s 10 most-streamed songs in both 2024 and 2025. This track secured the second position in 2024 and fifth in 2025 on national streaming charts.

    He also collaborated with Afusic and Ali Soomro on a version of “Pal Pal”, which was recognized as Pakistan’s sixth most-streamed song on Spotify this year. These collaborations have enhanced Talwiinder’s popularity among Pakistani audiences ahead of “Sachay Loki”. 

    In an Instagram post confirming the collaboration, Shafi included a line in Punjabi alongside the cover art. The post officially validated the pairing after days of speculation from followers who were trying to deduce the collaborator through previous posts.

    The single “Sachay Loki” is set to be released on Friday.

  • Pakistani cricketers considering to leave Big Bash League: report

    Pakistani cricketers considering to leave Big Bash League: report

    Despite Cricket Australia’s insistence, Pakistani cricketers are considering to leave the Big Bash League (BBL) early to join the national side for the Sri Lanka series.

    According to reports, some Pakistani players have contacted the national think tank expressing their desire to participate in the Sri Lanka series, citing the significant difference between Australian and Sri Lankan pitch conditions. 

    The players fear that going directly from Australia to the World Cup without adequate preparation on Sri Lankan pitches could negatively impact their performance.

    Pakistan will play three T20I matches against Sri Lanka on January 7, 10 and 11, in Dambulla. The same Sri Lankan grounds will host Pakistan’s World Cup matches starting February 7.

    The players are also concerned that if they perform poorly in the mega event, they will face accusations of prioritising money and leagues over insufficient preparation, reports quoted sources as saying.

    The BBL contracts were signed before Pakistan scheduled the Sri Lanka series, creating the current conflict.

    Earlier, Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg told reporters at the Adelaide Oval that the board has received assurances about player availability.

    “We’ve been told that if they’ve been signed by the BBL, they’ll play [the whole BBL],” Greenberg said.

    However, reports indicate selectors want to test new cricketers in the Sri Lanka series and are considering not calling back the senior players from Australia. 

    If any player returns voluntarily, they could face heavy financial penalties for breaching their contracts. The situation would differ if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially summons players for national duty, as every contract includes provisions for such circumstances.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistani cricketers are off to a difficult start at BBL.

    Shaheen Afridi had a nightmare debut when umpires stopped him from bowling after he delivered two beamers in his third over. The left-arm pacer conceded 43 runs in just 2.4 overs without taking a wicket for Brisbane Heat.

    Mohammad Rizwan managed only 4 runs off 10 balls for Melbourne Renegades in his debut while Babar Azam scored just 2 runs off 5 balls against Brisbane Heat in his opening match. Babar’s struggles also continued in the second match where he only made 9 runs off 10 balls for Sydney Sixers.

    Seven Pakistani players feature in this year’s BBL season. Alongside Mohammad Rizwan, Babar and Shaheen are Haris Rauf (Melbourne Stars), Shadab Khan (Sydney Thunder), Hasan Ali (Adelaide Strikers) and Usama Mir (Melbourne Renegades).

    The tournament, which began on December 15, 2024, will conclude with the final on January 27, 2025.

  • Three NCCIA officials resign as FIA bribery probe drags on

    Three NCCIA officials resign as FIA bribery probe drags on

    Three senior officers of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) have resigned amid a growing scandal involving bribery, abuse of authority, and accusations of torturing a YouTuber, while the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is moving slowly in its investigation against the officials accused of corruption.

    The Interior Ministry accepted the resignations of Deputy Director Sarfaraz Chaudhry, Assistant Director Muhammad Usman, and Assistant Director Shoaib Riaz, an official NCCIA statement has stated. 

    The notification said that the officers’ employment was terminated on November 20. Assistant Director Asma Majeed has also resigned.

    The resignations come weeks after the NCCIA saw a massive corruption scandal in October exposing what investigators termed a coordinated network operating within the anti-cybercrime agency. 

    The inquiry revealed that officials allegedly accepted monthly cash bribes to “facilitate” call centres, aggregator companies and individuals involved in online fraud.

    Nine NCCIA officials were booked in Lahore and another 12 in Islamabad for allegedly extracting large sums of money from suspects and call centres. 

    Investigators say the suspects operated as an organised group, misusing their authority to protect illegal operations rather than curb them.

    Sources further claimed that some suspects are also being probed for links to a so-called “blasphemy gang” accused of framing individuals, deepening the gravity of the case.

    Despite the scale of the scandal, the FIA’s handling of the investigation has raised serious questions. All nine officials are currently in jail, yet, according to sources, no extensive interrogation has taken place. 

    “The FIA has yet to complete the challan and submit it in court,” a source said, adding that the delay has fuelled suspicions that the agency may be attempting to “save” its former employees, many of whom previously served in the FIA Cyber Crime Wing before the NCCIA was established in May last year.

    When contacted by media, an FIA spokesperson offered little clarity, saying only that “the matter is under probe.”

    Nine NCCIA officers were charged with receiving bribes and abusing their power in the case against YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, also known as Ducky Bhai, for allegedly promoting gambling apps on social media and through call centers. Later, Ducky Bhai said that when he was being held by the NCCIA, Deputy Director Sarfaraz Chaudhry “brutally tortured” him.


    Aroob Jatoi, his wife, accused Sarfaraz and other officials of stealing over Rs. 100 million in both local and foreign currency.


    The accused allegedly kept their own shares and split the remaining proceeds among other members of the “official gang,” according to the First Information Report filed against the officials under Sections 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 161 (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration in respect of an official act) of the Pakistan Penal Code, read with Section 5(2) 47 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.


    Sources revealed an even darker aspect of the issue beyond financial corruption, citing allegations that certain NCCIA officers had exploited female victims. “The anti-cyber crime body appears to have become part of the problem rather than curbing it,” one source remarked.


    While only four resignations have been confirmed so far, insiders believe that as many as 20 suspected officials may eventually be dismissed as pressure mounts on authorities to clean up the scandal-ridden agency.

  • Pakistani kabaddi player represents India in Bahrain, waves Indian flag

    Pakistani kabaddi player represents India in Bahrain, waves Indian flag

    The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation’s General Council has summoned an emergency meeting following the controversy surrounding Pakistani kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput, who played for an Indian team, wore their jersey and waved the Indian flag at a tournament, according to media reports.

    Federation Secretary Rana Sarwar announced that Chairman Chaudhry Shafay Hussain has called the meeting for December 27 to address the matter.

    Sarwar clarified that 16 Pakistani players participated in the Bahrain tournament, but they did not represent Pakistan’s national team. He emphasized that the federation neither granted permission for their participation nor issued any No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to these players.

    “This was a self-made team that used Pakistan’s name without authorization. The organizers did not seek permission from the government or inform the federation about the event,” Sarwar said.

    The secretary expressed strong disapproval of the player’s actions, calling his decision to play for an Indian team and wave their flag intolerable.

    “We will investigate this matter thoroughly and take the strictest possible action. We will also act against the self-appointed promoters and will not allow anyone to organize illegal events,” Sarwar warned.

    He stressed that the federation will not permit anyone to tarnish Pakistan’s name under any circumstances.

    “While players from different countries play together in club tournaments, playing for a foreign national team and waving their flag is deeply regrettable,” Sarwar added.

    The federation plans to take decisive action against all parties involved in the unauthorized tournament.

  • FIFA announces record prize money for 2026 World Cup

    FIFA announces record prize money for 2026 World Cup

    International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced record prize money for the 2026 World Cup, with a total of $655 million set for distribution among participating teams.

    The prize pool marks a significant increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where FIFA distributed $440 million in total prize money.

    The announcement reveals that the 2026 World Cup champions will receive $50 million, up from the $42 million that Argentina earned for winning the previous edition.

    The runners-up will take home $33 million, while the third-placed team will earn $29 million and the fourth-placed team will receive $27 million.

    Teams finishing between fifth and eighth place will each receive $19 million, while those placing ninth through 16th will earn $15 million each.

    Teams that finish between 17th and 32nd place will each collect $11 million, while those placing 33rd through 48th will receive $9 million each.

    FIFA will also provide each qualifying team with an additional $1.5 million for tournament preparations.

    The 2026 World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams instead of the traditional 32-team format.

  • Kafeel is fast, fatal and exactly the drama we were waiting for

    Kafeel is fast, fatal and exactly the drama we were waiting for

    Kafeel hits all the right, fast paced notes we were hoping for in the first two episodes of the new drama starring Emad Irfani and Sanam Saeed.

     

    Kafeel means ‘responsible’ and from the get-go, we’re hooked. Zeba (Sanam Saeed) is the studious, happy college going girl from a wholesome family, loving parents, a brother, a younger sister and it’s clear the family is living life just the way they want. 

     

    But kya karein is maashre ka? Zeba is taken in by her friend who comes to take her final exams, hitched in a minute and back from her honeymoon, incredibly happy because her husband is good-looking and loaded. And all the young college girls can’t get enough. Asking for a prince, you know that Zeba is going to do something stupid for love, which is what young, college girls do end up doing. 

     

    It’s also a credit to the writer that the story is set in the past – a time with no cell phones, landlines with extensions, when hand-written notes are the only way to get attention. 

     

    Riding on the high of finding her love, Zeba goes to a party, meets a guy she likes, who writes his number for her on a handkerchief and millennials are like…we know how this goes. Zeba is starstruck, especially because the guy can sing, and she overhears the guy is friends with her friend’s prince-like husband (meaning he isn’t poor), and she’s all for it.

     

    Her father isn’t. When Zeba’s mother gets a rishta for her (of course, a guy with the same name as the person Zeba meets at the party), her mother is set on the shaadi. Her father isn’t. The happy go-lucky, sincerely sweet father, wants his oldest daughter to study and do her masters before he marries her off.

     

    The handkerchief is the killer, the big stab wound. Zeba’s mother finds it, and that’s that. Zeba has to marry because as her mother puts it, when girls start holding love letters in their hands and sleeping, it’s time to get that young blood married off. And unfortunately her father agrees. So does Zeba because she thinks she’s marrying the guy with the same name at that party. But she isn’t. She marries the wrong guy because she believes in destiny – and her parents do no double checks. 

     

    The drama is going to be a suspense-filled, dramatic showdown between Jami (Emad Irfani) and Zeba because whatever she seems to be right now, it doesn’t seem like Zeba won’t hold her own. 

     

    It also highlights one of the most major problems we face around the world – money. If the guy is loaded to the hilt, the girl is being showered with jewels and clothes and cash, our society believes to marry her off- the guy has money, marry her off, his sister and parents are nice, marry her off, she’ll have a fleet of staff, bags and shoes. 

     

    And we tend to ignore any warning signs – background checks, what does he do, is he nice? Money has and always will be the overshadow of love – and if love and money come together, like they did for the dreamy-eyed Zeba, it’s happily ever after. But that doesn’t always happen.

     

    What will happen and what is exciting is that the pace the drama has already set, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to keep us waiting for long. The teaser for the next episode and episode 2 show Emad Irfani in real swag. The guy is owning Jami and we are so here for it. The hair, the look, the absolute contempt – Irfani will be the perfect villain. Watch out Pakistani drama scene – Kafeel is about to take over.

  • Fact check: Imran Khan’s sons ‘to join politics after his death’?

    Fact check: Imran Khan’s sons ‘to join politics after his death’?

    A viral clip circulating on social media allegedly shows Kasim Khan, son of PTI founder Imran Khan, claiming he and his brother would actively enter politics if their father were killed. However, fact-checks confirm that the footage is completely AI-generated and digitally altered. 

    The doctored video began trending on December 17, 2025, with multiple accounts across several platforms sharing a segment of an interview that falsely attributed shocking statements to Kasim Khan. 

    In the manipulated clip, Sky news journalist Yalda Hakim asked what the sons were likely to say if they saw their father and whether they would try to negotiate a deal after his imprisonment. The AI-generated video shows  Kasim Khan saying, “I have heard that they may kill our father. If that happens, we have both decided that we will go back to Pakistan and start active politics to avenge what they did to him.”

    The clip begins around the 4:53-minute mark. Upon reviewing the original interview, it became clear that Kasim Khan’s actual reply solely revolved around his father’s dedication and mission for Pakistan, with no references to revenge or political motives. 

    He explained that his father considers helping Pakistan rid itself of corruption “his life’s passion” and goal. Kasim said that while they would love to have their father watching their cricket or football matches in England, Imran Khan has a far greater purpose, and that should be respected.

    In a similar incident, a video circulating online falsely shows journalist Yalda Hakim of Sky News questioning Aleema Khan, sister of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, about “war” between Pakistan and India, referencing to the military clashes that took place between the two nuclear-armed countries in May. 


    The clip includes a series of political statements that Aleema seemingly says, including blaming senior Pakistani military leadership for the war, however, none of them appear in the original interview. The footage has been digitally altered while the source of the manipulated version remains unclear.


    Yalda Hakim herself tweeted about the deepfake, saying: “This is terrifying, a deepfake of my interview with Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, is circulating. It falsely claims we discussed the Pakistan-India war earlier this year. We did NOT. This clip is completely fake.”

    The conversation, which runs from 13:21 to 17:37 in Hakim’s Sky News program The World with Yalda Hakim does not address any conflict, foreign policy issue, or cross-border tensions.

    Instead, Hakim focuses on reports about Imran Khan’s wellbeing injail, speculation surrounding his health, and claims that his family had limited access to him. She also questions why he had been prevented from seeing his lawyer despite court orders.

    In the real clip, Aleema Khan says her sister Uzma Khan visited Imran and reported that he appeared physically stable, noting his daily exercise and reading routine. She adds that he has not been allowed to read for several weeks and that he voiced strong discontent over prolonged solitary confinement, which he regards as unlawful under both local and international standards. She also highlights the wider uncertainty caused by limited information about his condition.

    The manipulated clip circulating online does not reflect this exchange. None of the statements about a “war,” geopolitical motives, or political characterisations were part of the actual interview. They were inserted into the altered version and do not correspond to anything said in the verified footage.

    The authentic interview remains limited to concerns regarding Imran Khan’s health, isolation, and access to legal counsel, with no discussion of an armed conflict at any point.

  • Meet New York-based Amin Ashtar Ali; a self-taught motion designer and VFX artist from Pakistan

    Meet New York-based Amin Ashtar Ali; a self-taught motion designer and VFX artist from Pakistan

    In the ever-evolving world of digital art and design, few stories resonate as strongly as that of Amin Ashtar Ali — a self-taught motion designer and VFX artist whose journey from Pakistan to New York exemplifies creativity and innovation.

    According to Amin, his path into motion design and visual effects wasn’t paved by formal training. Instead, he carved his own way, mastering the craft through curiosity and experimentation.

    Today, he is recognised for creating award-winning visual content that spans commercial campaigns, experiential installations and digital-first projects. His artistry has been showcased internationally, from large-scale experiential installations in major cities like New York, Chicago and Atlanta, to projects abroad in India’s Pune.

    Amin’s portfolio includes broadcast and digital commercials, NFTs and high-end FX for consumer-packaged goods and branded experiences, with each piece reflecting his signature blend of technical precision and creative storytelling.

    His expertise in motion, simulations and procedural animation has also led him to collaborate with some of the world’s most influential brands. His client list includes Intel, Under Armour, NYX Cosmetics, the NBA, Chick-fil-A and Baskin-Robbins.

    What sets Amin apart is not just his technical skill, but his ability to merge artistry with innovation. Whether it’s designing for commercials, crafting branded experiences or experimenting with NFTs, his work consistently pushes boundaries and redefines how audiences engage with visual storytelling.

  • ‘What if he touched elsewhere?’: Indian minister’s disgusting remarks on niqab row spark outrage

    ‘What if he touched elsewhere?’: Indian minister’s disgusting remarks on niqab row spark outrage

    Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad has sparked outrage after he defended Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his misogynistic act of removing a Muslim doctor’s hijab during a public event in Patna.

    Speaking to local news channel Bharat Samachar, Nishad, an Indian politician from Uttar Pradesh serving as a cabinet minister in the Second Yogi Adityanath ministry, made a crass and shocking remark, questioning what would have happened if Kumar had “touched somewhere else.”

    “He’s also a human being after all. One should not hound him like this. Just by touching the hijab caused such an uproar, what would have happened if he had touched something else,” Nishad laughed and joked with the journalist during the conversation.

    The minister later tried to clarify his remarks by saying there were not any ill intentions. 

    “The statement over which a controversy is being created today was said by me, smiling, casually, and in my local Bhojpuri dialect. There was no ill intention towards any community, any woman, or any religion, nor was there any intent to insult,” he added.

    However, Nishad’s remarks have sparked a strong backlash on social media and from netizens who expressed outrage at the trivialization of a woman’s humiliation in public.

    Many condemned the minister’s words as reflecting a “rape mindset” and described his response as “vile, senseless, shameless, and lecherous.”

    “Disgusting man Sanjay Nishad, a cabinet minister in the UP Government and ally of the BJP, reacting to Bihar CM pulling down veil of a Muslim woman,” wrote one netizen. 

    Another tweeted, “Shameful! Even the person asking questions is laughing with him. Shameful!”

    Several users highlighted the broader social implications, saying, “India is really a 3rd world country. This is the WORST time to be an Indian woman… Rapists in POWER!” and “This isn’t humor. This is a r*pe mindset sitting in power.”


    Others directly criticized Nishad’s lack of accountability, commenting, “Shame on Sanjay Nishad. I wish his daughters teach him a lesson,” and “Sanjay Nishad mocking, disgusting and cheap mindset. Laughing at a woman’s humiliation, treating her dignity like a joke. Absolutely shameful.”


    The remarks ignited discussions about misogyny, public responsibility, and how women are treated in India. They have also increased attention of politicians who degrade harassment and violate women’s dignity in public forums.