Actress Iman Ali is one of the most gorgeous women to have ever graced our screens. Its no wonder that she was and still is a veritable heartthrob.
Her confession that many actors proposed to her before she married her now-husband Babar Bhatti comes as no surprise.
During an appearance on a TV talk show, Iman Ali revealed that she received marriage proposals from many actors, not just from Pakistan but from other countries as well.
The Tich Button star did not name anyone but mentioned that one Pakistani actor was quite serious about marrying her.
When asked why she turned down his proposal, Iman said, “Because I knew him and his habits very well, and couldn’t trust him.” She added, “I told him, ‘This marriage won’t last for more than two years.’”
In another part of the interview, Iman was asked to share secrets about her fellow Pakistani actresses. She responded, “Firstly, I’m not friends with many female actors so I don’t know their secrets. Also, the work that all of them have done on their faces is not a secret anymore.”
When asked if she had altered her face, she replied, “I don’t think I need to get anything done.”
India has qualified for the final of the Champions Trophy 2025 after defeating Australia by four wickets in the first semi-final of the tournament.
Australian skipper Steven Smith won the toss and decided to bat first, becoming the top scorer with a steady 73 (96), anchoring the innings, while Alex Carey played an aggressive knock of 61 (57). Travis Head provided a quick start with 39 (33), but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Marnus Labuschagne contributed 29 (36), and Josh Inglis added 11 (12). Glenn Maxwell played a brief cameo of 7 (5), while Ben Dwarshuis, 19 (29), Adam Zampa, 7 (12), and Nathan Ellis, 10 (7), chipped in with small contributions down the order. Tanveer Sangha remained unbeaten on 1 (1).
Australia scored 264 runs in 49.3 overs, losing all wickets.
For India, Mohammed Shami was the standout bowler, picking up three wickets. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja took two wickets each, while Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya took one wicket each.
India successfully chased down the target of 265, scoring 267/6 in 48.1 overs at a run rate of 5.54.
Virat Kohli was the star of the chase, anchoring the innings with a brilliant 84 (98), ensuring India stayed on course. Shreyas Iyer provided crucial support with 45 (62), while captain Rohit Sharma contributed 28 (29) at the top. Shubman Gill managed 8 (11) before falling early, and Axar Patel added a valuable 27 (30) in the middle order.
KL Rahul played a composed yet aggressive knock of 42* (34), guiding India home, while Hardik Pandya’s quickfire 28 (24) helped accelerate the chase. Ravindra Jadeja remained unbeaten on 2 (1) as India sealed the win with 11 balls to spare.
For Australia, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis took two wickets each, while Cooper Connolly and Adam Zampa picked up one wicket apiece.
The second semi-final of the Champions Trophy will be played between New Zealand and South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium on March 5.
The winning team will compete against India in Dubai on March 9.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former prime minister Imran Khan has reportedly issued directives for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government to restore the name of the cricket stadium in Peshawar.
According to reports, Khan’s directives come after the provincial government decided to rename Arbab Niaz Stadium – the lone international cricketing venue in the province – after the PTI founder and World Cup-winning captain.
Earlier, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur approved the renaming of the historic Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. The stadium, located in Shahi Bagh, is set to be renamed as ‘Imran Khan Cricket Stadium.’ Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet is expected to approve the renaming today (Friday).
The decision sparked opposition, particularly from Arbab Shehzad, the grandson of Arbab Niaz. Arbab Shehzad, a former Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and an ex-adviser to Imran Khan has rejected the decision, calling it an attempt to please Imran Khan at the expense of his grandfather’s legacy.
He emphasized that the Peshawar Municipal Committee had officially named the stadium after his father through a resolution passed after his death in recognition of his services. He also questioned whether the provincial government had sought Imran Khan’s approval for the renaming, noting that the former Premier has consistently opposed naming roads or buildings after living individuals.
Arbab Shehzad further highlighted that in 2013, the provincial cabinet had approved a decision in Imran Khan’s presence, stating that no buildings or roads would be named after living persons. He stressed that the stadium’s original name should remain unchanged.
Meanwhile, unverified reports suggest that Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches may not be held in Peshawar, as franchise teams have reportedly refused to play in the city.
Superintendent of Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, Abdul Ghafoor Anjum, has informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that former premier Imran Khan is being allowed to meet his wife, Bushra Bibi, once a week, despite jail rules not permitting such meetings.
The development came after the IHC had earlier summoned the Superintendent of Adiala Jail in person today in a contempt of court case for not allowing PTI founder Imran Khan to meet Bushra Bibi.
Upon being approached by Imran Khan’s lawyer, Faisal Chaudhry, Acting Chief Justice Sardar Sarfaraz Dogar had earlier issued a written order, stating that, according to the lawyer, Imran Khan’s inability to meet Bushra Bibi is a violation of the court’s decision of January 28.
The media reports claimed that in today’s hearing, the court inquired Anjum whether the judicial order for facilitating meetings was being implemented, to which he responded, “There are no specific provisions regarding husband-wife meetings in jail rules, but we ensure that Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi meet every Wednesday.”
Dogar commented, “Mr Faisal, they are giving you special treatment.”
PTI’s lawyer then urged the court to order the superintendent to comply fully with the court order, prompting Dogar to ask, “Does he [Adiala jail Superintendent] have the audacity to disobey a court order?”
Following the hearing, the IHC dismissed the contempt petition against the authorities.
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram, while addressing a press conference in Peshawar on Monday, castigated the authorities for denying permission to meet the incarcerated party founder. He stated that despite court rulings, the authorities continue to prevent the meetings from taking place.
Alleging that only one meeting has been allowed in the past six months, he noted that this contradicts the Constitution and the law. “Despite court orders, Imran is not being allowed to meet his children nor his lawyers,” he added.
“Even the courts’ orders are being disregarded, and no explanation is being given…the system in this country is paralysed,” he added. Additionally, he said the PTI founder should undergo regular medical check-ups and “our doctors should be involved”.
On August 5, 2023, Imran Khan was arrested from his residency at Zaman Park Lahore shortly after his conviction in the Toshakhana case and had been held in Attock jail. He has been in prison since then on multiple charges ranging from corruption to terrorism.
Following the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order, Imran Khan was shifted to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on September 27, 2023. Currently, he is held in Jail under high security and with B-class facilities due to his status as a former premier.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the ODI and T20 squads for the upcoming tour of New Zealand, making significant changes and reshuffling key players across formats.
The selection committee has adopted a fresh approach by appointing different captains for ODIs and T20Is. Head coach Aqib Javed revealed that Mohammad Rizwan will lead the ODI team, while Salman Ali Agha has been named the T20 captain, with Shadab Khan as his deputy.
This decision was made with an eye on two major upcoming tournaments—the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 (September 2025) and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (February-March 2026).
Pakistan’s ODI Squad
The 15-member ODI squad includes Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Aqif Javed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Imam-ul-Haq, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Tayyab Tahir.
Opener Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub were not considered for selection due to medical advice.
Pakistan’s T20 Squad
The 16-member T20 squad consists of Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Irfan Khan Niazi, Jahandad Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Umair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Usman Khan.
The Indian Supreme Court has issued a strong warning to comedian Samay Raina, urging YouTubers to act responsibly. The court stated that if vloggers do not correct their behavior, it knows how to deal with them.
The warning came in response to Raina’s controversial remarks made in Canada during his show India Got Latent. The issue was raised while the court was hearing a petition related to podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, whose remarks on Raina’s show sparked a major controversy.
During the hearing, Justice Surya Kant criticized young content creators, saying, “These youngsters think they are too clever and know everything. One of them went to Canada and started discussing these matters there.”
He further remarked, “They have no understanding of the court’s boundaries, and perhaps they do not realize the extent of this court’s jurisdiction.”
Samay Raina, who was in Canada last month for his Samay Raina Unfiltered tour, addressed the controversy in a humorous way. At the beginning of his show, he joked, “Thank you! You guys have paid for my lawyer’s fees.”
The controversy started when YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia talked about parents and relationships during an episode of India Got Latent.
After controversy Saimy Rana wrote on his instgarm story, “Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all Indias Got Latent videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time. I will fully cooperate with all agencies to ensure their inquiries are concluded fairly.
His comments led to widespread backlash, with the issue even being discussed in Parliament. Several complaints were filed against him, escalating the matter further.
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has spoken out against Shoaib Akhtar’s harsh criticism of Babar Azam after his poor performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Akhtar had earlier called Babar a “fraud” after the batsman went through a dip in form, blaming him for not leading the team properly.
Shoaib Akhtar, known for being blunt, suggested that Babar’s struggles were not just temporary but a result of deeper flaws in his technique. He also compared Babar to Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli, pointing out that Kohli’s inspiration is Sachin Tendulkar, who has 100 international centuries. “Who is Babar Azam’s role model? Let’s not name any cricketer, but you’ve chosen the wrong role models. Your thought process is wrong. You were a fraud from the beginning,” Akhtar had said.
Salman Butt, who played alongside Shoaib Akhtar in the past, strongly disagreed with the speedster. Butt defended Babar, saying that every player goes through tough phases, and it is unfair to judge him based on a temporary slump.
Speaking on a private TV channel, Butt said, “Shoaib is one of the best talents Pakistan ever produced, and if he reconsidered what he said, he would call it the heat of the moment. But he shouldn’t have said that.”
Salman vociferously defended the beleaguered batsman. “Babar is struggling with form, and more than his technical issues, we have gotten into his head. His talent is superior to that of every other batter we have, and we have even wasted it because of all this criticism. He is not Kohli, he is not Root, and he is not Williamson, but he is the best we have.”
Babar has often been the main target of criticism whenever the Pakistan team underperforms, even though the entire squad struggles.
Interestingly, while Pakistani experts continue to criticize him, cricketing legends from other countries have defended him.
Former Indian cricketing stars rush to Babar Azam’s support amid widespread bashing
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been facing intense criticism for his performances in recent years. His latest outing in the highly anticipated Champions Trophy 2025 match against India saw him score just 23 runs, contributing to Pakistan’s defeat.
Amid the backlash, former Indian cricketers Navjot Singh Sidhu, Harbhajan Singh, and Sunil Gavaskar have stepped forward to support Babar. They urged Pakistani fans to show respect and stand by their star player during tough times.
Sidhu emphasized Babar’s contributions to Pakistan cricket over the years and expressed confidence in his ability to perform in the future. He urged fans to support him rather than criticize him.
“Babar has scored runs for you, and he will continue to play for your team for a long time. Learn to respect him; don’t throw stones from afar. A player like Babar doesn’t come around often, and instead of lifting him up during difficult times, you are pushing him down. That is not how you treat your heroes,” Sidhu said.
While backing Babar, Sidhu also pointed out some technical flaws in his batting and offered suggestions for improvement. “Babar needs to work on his foot positioning to better handle the bounce and movement of the ball. If he refines his stance and improves his technique against swing bowling, he will be an even greater force in international cricket,” he added.
Despite the recent criticism, Sidhu believes Babar is a highly talented player who can regain his form with proper guidance and support. “Every cricketer goes through ups and downs. With the right mentorship and encouragement, Babar can rise back to his peak form and silence his critics,” he remarked.
Former Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar also defended Babar, praising his elegant stroke play. “He gives a lot of joy with his cover drive. Even against India, look at the flick shot he hit for a boundary through mid-wicket—what a shot that was! The entire world wants to watch such shots,” Gavaskar said.
Echoing similar sentiments, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh criticized the excessive scrutiny Babar faces. “Babar Azam faces constant criticism while the real issues are ignored. Pakistan conceded 320 runs, yet only his strike rate was questioned. Babar lacks support. Cricket is a team game—one player alone cannot win every match. Pakistan needs a collective effort, they can not just blame one player,” Harbhajan asserted.
Meanwhile, cricket fans on social media have voiced their concerns, arguing that Babar rarely plays match-winning innings and focuses more on personal records. Many believe he needs to step up in crucial games and prove his worth as a leader and a match-winner.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan’s consecutive defeats to New Zealand and arch-rivals India led to their elimination from the Champions Trophy 2025.
One of the country’s leading news channels, ARY News, has issued an apology over the January 21 episode of its flagship show “OFF THE RECORD”, saying that the opinion of host Kashif Abbasi had nothing to do with organisation’s policies.
As per the details, journalist and TV host Ashfaq Ishaq Satii, who is currently hosting the programme, concluded Monday’s episode with the clarification that Abbasi had on the Jan 21 episode shared his personal opinion that the channel does not endorse.
“If anyone’s feelings were hurt, the organisation apologises for it,” he added.
The apology comes a little over a week after Abbasi was allegedly taken off-air for criticising the government. During his Jan 21 show, Abbasi had mocked the ruling coalition and opined that the constitution, which politicians often took pride in, had been “murdered”. He had gone on to paint Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership as the culprits.
“In this country, the constitution has been murdered and buried, and everyone has a hand in its demise,” Abbasi had said, adding that politics of power had caused the most harm to the country.
“We are an unfortunate nation where, for political gains, even the sanctity of privacy and honour was trampled upon,” he had said, alleging that it had become routine to abduct women and daughters from their homes, all for political motives.
He had questioned how anyone could talk about the constitution and human rights in an environment where elections could not take place, given that it was not suited to the political situation in the country.
Emphasising that parliament was supposed to be the protector of human rights and the constitution, he had said that laws in the country were being made at will. “Parliament is a rubber stamp. Lawmakers blindly pass legislation.”
“An inauguration plaque should be placed on the joy of hybrid system that was started in 2018, and now the incumbent government facilitated it by offering their shoulders,” he said, alleging that politicians don’t care about the parliamentary system anymore.
“Democracy is losing its case; politicians’ sacrifices are for power, not for the people,” he had added.
It merits a mention that earlier reports had claimed Abbasi’s show was taken off the air for reporting on a development organisation’s report describing the 2024 election as “unprecedentedly rigged” with “vote-rigging, fraud and manipulation”.
Abbasi, on the other hand, released a statement claiming that he had taken a personal leave.
With the channel now issuing an apology, it may be noted that it is not the first time that Abbasi has been taken off the air.
In January 2020, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had banned the broadcast of Abbasi’s programme for 60 days following then Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) minister Faisal Vawda’s action of putting a military boot on the table.
Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Saudi club Al-Nassr, did not travel to Iran with his team for the AFC Champions League pre-quarterfinal match.
Some media reports suggested that the shocking reason behind his absence could be the fear of facing 99 lashes as punishment in Iran.
The reports said that Ronaldo’s alleged reluctance stems from an incident in 2023 when Iranian artist Fatemeh Hamami, who paints using her feet, gifted Ronaldo a portrait she created. In response, the footballer warmly kissed her forehead, an act that allegedly violates Iranian laws and could result in a severe penalty (99 lashes as punishment).
However, a spokesperson at the Iranian embassy has dismissed the claims that Ronaldo, who also missed his side’s trip to Persepolis in February, would have faced whippings in Iran.
“We strongly deny the issuance of any court ruling against any international athlete in Iran,” a spokesperson firmly told talkSPORT.
“His sincere and humane meeting with Fatemeh Hamami was also praised and admired by both the people and the country’s sports authorities,” the Iranian embassy added.
The Saudi Gazette has reported that Ronaldo actually missed out on the trip due to muscle fatigue.
Ronaldo, 40, has played 30 matches in all competitions this season, scoring 25 goals and setting up a further four. Al-Nassr drew 0-0 without him on Monday night.
In 2023, Iranian network Sharq Emroz, as per Mundo Deportivo, claimed that a large number of lawyers in Iran filed complaints over Ronaldo’s interaction with painter Hamima.
At that time, it was reported that Ronaldo would be arrested if he entered Iran again.
But in 2023, Hamima said, “Unemployed lawyers made accusations against him without my or my family’s permission.”
“In Iran, he has committed a crime for hugging me, while we have never had any complaints… I am very grateful to Ronaldo for his love and love towards me. I hope the best happens to him in life and football,” she said.
Hamima added, “No one told him anything about the laws of Iran, and he didn’t know it either, but Ronaldo’s hug was for his love and brotherhood, and he had no bad intentions.”
“My family and I have no complaints about this issue; we just want to deny these accusations against Cristiano,” she added.
India’s victory against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is being widely discussed online. However, renowned actress Rabya Kulsoom has expressed her disappointment over Pakistan’s loss and strongly criticised brands for featuring cricketers in advertisements.
Taking to Instagram, Rabya urged brands to stop hiring cricketers as brand ambassadors. She wrote, “I would like to request all brands to stop taking these cricketers as their brand faces and let them focus on what they are supposed to do—play cricket.”
She further added, “Let actors do their job, but if cricketers want to act, then let actors be part of the team too.”
Sarcastically commenting on Pakistan’s performance, Rabya suggested that actors Fahad Mustafa and Faizan Sheikh should be made team captains for better results. She wrote, “Maybe @mustafafahad26 or @mfaizansk should be made captain! Maybe we’ll get better results.”
Her remarks quickly went viral, sparking mixed reactions from Pakistani cricket fans.
