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Author: News Desk

  • Champions Trophy: ENG vs SA live stream & match details

    Champions Trophy: ENG vs SA live stream & match details

    England are set to face South Africa in the 11th match of the Champions Trophy at the National Stadium Karachi on Saturday.


    Match Details

    Fixture: South Africa vs England, Match 11
    Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
    Date & Time: Saturday, March 1, 2025 – 2:30 PM (IST)


    Teams Overview

    South Africa


    South Africa started their Champions Trophy campaign on a strong note with a commanding 107-run victory over Afghanistan. However, their second game against Australia was washed out by rain, leaving them with three points from two matches. With a semifinal spot on the line, they will be eager to secure a win against England and confirm their place in the knockouts.


    England


    England has had a disappointing campaign, losing both of their matches against Australia and Afghanistan. With no chance of making the semifinals, they will be playing for pride. The Three Lions will look to end their tournament on a high by upsetting South Africa.


    Head-to-Head Record (ODIs)


    Total Matches Played: 70
    South Africa Won: 34
    England Won: 30
    Tied: 1
    No Result: 5


    Probable Playing XIs

    South Africa:
    Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen, William Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

    England:
    Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.

    Pitch Report – National Stadium, Karachi

    The surface at the National Stadium in Karachi has been batting-friendly in the Champions Trophy 2025 so far. The average first-innings score has been around 318, with both matches being won by teams batting first. The pitch tends to slow down slightly in the second innings, making chasing tricky. Winning the toss and batting first could be a key advantage.

    TV Broadcast & Live Streaming

    Pakistan – TV: PTV Sports, Ten Sports | Live Streaming: Myco, Tamasha
    India – TV: Star Sports, Sports18 | Live Streaming: JioHotstar
    Bangladesh – TV: Nagorik TV, T Sports | Live Streaming: Toffee
    UAE – TV: CricLife MAX, CricLife MAX2 | Live Streaming: STARZPLAY
    UK – TV: Sky Sports | Live Streaming: SkyGo Now, Sky Sports App
    USA & Canada – TV: Willow TV
    Australia – TV: Amazon
    New Zealand – TV: Sky Sport NZ
    Sri Lanka – TV: Maharaja TV | Live Streaming: Sirasa
    Caribbean – TV: ESPN Caribbean | Live Streaming: ESPN Play

  • Sidra Niazi attacked by trolls after remarks on Babar Azam, cricket team

    Sidra Niazi attacked by trolls after remarks on Babar Azam, cricket team

    Renowned Pakistani actress Sidra Niazi is making headlines after her remarks about star batsman Babar Azam and Pakistan cricket team went viral. 

    She appeared on a private channel where she was asked about her favourite cricketer.

    “Who is your favourite player in the playing XI,” Sidra was asked, to which she replied, “No one, baba, no one.”

    The host, surprised by her response, persisted. “Why? Why is that? Babar Azam?” She responded, “There should be a reason to like someone, right?”

    The host then said, “Out of 11 players, not even one could give you a single reason?” Sidra reiterated, “No one.”

    Her comments quickly went viral. Actress Rabya Kulsoom also reacted humorously by sharing the video on her Instagram story and writing, “Allah aapke Instagram profile ki hifazat farmaye ab!” (May Allah protect your Instagram profile now!).

    Following the backlash, Sidra Niazi reshared Rabya’s story with a caption expressing her frustration over the growing intolerance on differing opinions in society.

    “These days, it is so difficult to express yourself freely. You can’t discuss religion without offending someone, you can’t share your opinion on politics without being labelled or attacked, and now it seems you can’t even voice your thoughts on cricket without facing backlash. The real issue isn’t trolls who abuse you, your parents, and your family; it’s the upbringing and mindset that enable such behaviour. A society where people are afraid to speak their minds, where constructive discussion on any topic is impossible, and where the loudest, most abusive, and aggressive voices dominate the narrative is a worrying trend. We need to pause and reflect on the kind of society we want to build.”

     brothers.

  • Shahid Afridi criticizes Wasim Akram over team changes suggestions

    Shahid Afridi criticizes Wasim Akram over team changes suggestions

    Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has strongly reacted to swing legend Wasim Akram’s suggestion of msking major changes in the national cricket team.

    Following Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy, Wasim Akram, along with several other former cricketers, showed disappointment and suggested that five to six senior players should be dropped. He argued that despite their presence, the national team has failed to win major tournaments.

    Speaking on Ten Sports, Wasim Akram criticized players like Mohammad Rizwan and urged selectors to make bold decisions to improve the team. He emphasized that Pakistan should start planning for the 2026 T20 World Cup immediately.

    “We have been losing despite having these players for years. The time has come to make five to six big changes in the team. Even if we have to endure defeats for six months, we should support and give opportunities to young players,” said Wasim Akram.

    However, Shahid Afridi, while speaking on a private TV channel, questioned Akram’s remarks and asked, “Wasim Bhai should tell me, if we drop five or six players, do we have replacements ready to take their place?”

    Afridi added that removing big names from the squad could also lead to criticism, and if the desired results still don’t materialise, then what would be the next step. 

    He further stated, “When new players come in, they will use the excuse that they are preparing for the World Cup, and then the process of ‘surgery’ will start all over again.”

    It merits mention that Pakistan was knocked out of the ICC Champions Trophy in the first round after suffering humiliating defeats against New Zealand and India. 

    Following immense criticism from fans and former cricketers, reports suggest that key players like Babar Azam, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shaheen Shah Afridi may be rested for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

  • Ramzan moon update: Pakistan to observe first fast on…

    Ramzan moon update: Pakistan to observe first fast on…

    The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee on Friday announced that the Ramzan moon was not sighted and the first day of the holy month would fall on March 2.

    Earlier, Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad had expressed hope that the blessed month would start on the same day across the country, aligning with the nation’s expectations. “We will make decisions according to the testimonies that we receive. I pray that we begin observing Ramzan on a single day,” Azad told a private media outlet.

    He emphasised that the committee had never disregarded science and said that they not only had scholars from all sects, but also had representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Suparco.

    “We also take recommendations from everywhere, but we decide in line with religious teachings.”

    Apart from the central crescent-sighting meeting in Peshawar, Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees also met separately at their respective headquarters for sighting of the crescent.

    It may be noted that the meteorological forecasts indicated a low likelihood of moon sighting today. The PMD had said that there was little chance of sighting the moon due to cloudy weather during the next 24 hours.

    The weather department had also said moon’s age at sunset would be approximately 12 hours and moon-sun angular separation would be about five degrees.

    The central huddle began at 6:30 pm to ascertain the beginning of the ninth Islamic month, with clerics from all schools of thoughts in attendance.

  • Jos Buttler resigns as England’s white-ball captain

    Jos Buttler resigns as England’s white-ball captain

    Jos Buttler has stepped down as England’s white-ball captain after the team’s early exit from the Champions Trophy.

    The 34-year-old will lead England one last time in their final group match against South Africa on Saturday.

    England have struggled in recent ODIs, losing 15 of their last 21 matches, including to arch-rivals Australia and Afghanistan that knocked them out of the Champions Trophy.

    Jos Buttler said, “The team could not perform well under my leadership in the Champions Trophy. England’s results under my captaincy have been disappointing. It’s the right time for me and the team.”

    He further added, “I want to focus on my cricket.”

    Buttler became England’s white-ball captain in June 2022 after Eoin Morgan retired. He led the team to victory in the T20 World Cup later that year in Australia.

    However, England failed to defend their titles in the last two global tournaments – the 2023 ODI World Cup in India and the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

    As ODI captain, Buttler won 18 out of 44 matches, with 25 losses and one no result. His record in T20s is slightly better, with 26 wins, 22 losses, and three no results in 51 games.

  • Indian Muslim comedian gets targeted again by extremists

    Indian Muslim comedian gets targeted again by extremists

    YouTuber and stand-up comedian Munawar Farooqi has once again become the target of Indian extremist groups.

    A petition has been filed against Munawar Farooqi’s new show Hafta Vasooli, which premiered on February 14, under the BNS and IT Act.

    The petition claims that “religious sentiments have been hurt” in Munawar Farooqi’s show, leading to legal troubles for the comedian.

    Advocate Amita Sachdeva shared a copy of the complaint on her X (formerly Twitter) account.

    In her post, Amita Sachdeva alleged that “Munawar Farooqi has been accused of promoting obscenity and insulting different religions, and the use of profanity is also common in his show.”

    The complaint further states that Hafta Vasooli violates cultural values and negatively influences the youth.

    A formal request has been made to register an FIR against Munawar Farooqi under the IT Act and other relevant laws.

    Following this, the Hindu organization Hindu Janjagruti Samiti has also demanded a ban on the show, stating, “Munawar Farooqi’s show uses obscene language, which is unacceptable in public.”

    The complaint against Munawar Farooqi and the demand to ban his show surfaced after podcaster Ranveer Allahabadia’s comments on India’s Got Latent.

    Earlier, Indian comedian and creator of India Got Latent, Samay Raina, has deleted all videos of his show from YouTube following a heated controversy.

    The controversy began when Ranveer Allahbadia, also known as BeerBiceps, commented  on “parents and sex” during  Samay Raina’s YouTube show India’s Got Latent. 

  • PTI slashes staff salaries by 50 percent amid ‘financial troubles’

    PTI slashes staff salaries by 50 percent amid ‘financial troubles’

    A financial crunch has led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to inform its staff that they will have to face a 50 per cent cut in their salaries, after their pays were delayed for many months, a leading English newspaper reported on Friday.

    Ex-PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had made similar claims on X (formerly Twitter) two weeks ago, stating in a post, “The majority of members in PTI’s political committee […] have embezzled millions in party funds. They refuse to be held accountable for funds collected in the name of Imran Khan [PTI founder] and party workers.”

    He stressed, “Accountability for funding is crucial because PTI’s media department has not received salaries for the past four months, and the cleaning staff has been laid off. Meanwhile, people like Raoof Hassan are getting a hike in salary.”

    A staffer revealed to Dawn News that 25 to 28 paid staffers of PTI hired for accounts, offices, and the media wing of the former ruling party are getting salaries ranging from Rs35,000 to Rs200,000.

    Revealing that the overall expenditure of secretariats in Islamabad and Lahore and salaries of paid staff is around Rs4 million per month, the staffer said, “After the raid in July last year at the PTI secretariat, a number of staffers were arrested […] Later, when we were released and started working, our salaries could not be released for many months.”

    He said, “In October 2024, we were informed by the high-ups that the party does not have funds to pay bills of the chairman’s office in Banigala, so the amount of bills will be deducted from the salaries of staff to avoid disconnection of utility services.” 

    “While the salary of almost five months is pending, we have been informed that the salaries will be slashed by 50 percent from November. It is unfortunate that parliamentarians, belonging to the PTI, have increased their salaries, but they are least bothered regarding staff and their families.”

    Meanwhile, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akam said that he cared a lot about the party employees and penned a note opposing the proposal to cut their salaries by 50 per cent.

    Akram claimed that despite the fact that Imran Khan had earlier directed all the ticket holders of provincial and national assemblies to deposit Rs240,000 at once [for a year] or in two instalments, there were financial issues.

    Declaring the suggestion regarding the salary slash from the back date ‘unfair’, he said, “I hope that the situation will improve in the coming days and staffers will be paid. The party really cares about their families.”

  • Ramzan moon update: Pakistan likely to observe first fast on…

    Ramzan moon update: Pakistan likely to observe first fast on…

    The Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee will meet tonight to sight the Ramzan moon and determine the first day of the holy month in the country.

    Committee Chairman Maulana Abdul Khabeer Azad has expressed hope that the blessed month would start on the same day across the country, aligning with the nation’s expectations. “We will make decisions according to the testimonies that we receive. I pray that we begin observing Ramzan on a single day,” Azad told a private media outlet.

    He emphasised that the committee had never disregarded science and said that they not only had scholars from all sects, but also had representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) and Suparco.

    “We also take recommendations from everywhere, but we decide in line with religious teachings.”

    Apart from the central crescent-sighting meeting in Peshawar, Zonal Ruet-e-Hilal Committees will also meet separately at their respective headquarters for sighting of the crescent.

    It may be noted that the meteorological forecasts has indicated a low likelihood of moon sighting today. The PMD had said that there was little chance of sighting the moon due to cloudy weather during the next 24 hours.

    The weather department has also said moon’s age at sunset would be approximately 12 hours and moon-sun angular separation would be about five degrees.

    The central huddle will begin at 6:30 pm to ascertain the beginning of the ninth Islamic month, with clerics from all schools of thoughts in attendance.

    Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has also called on all Muslims in the Kingdom to sight the Ramzan moon today (Feb 28).

  • Actor’s son confesses to earning Rs1.5 million a week selling drugs on Snapchat

    Actor’s son confesses to earning Rs1.5 million a week selling drugs on Snapchat

    Police arrested actor Sajid Hassan’s son, Sahir Hassan, along with three others during a raid in Karachi’s Defense area as part of an ongoing investigation into the murder of 23-year-old Mustafa Aamir, who went missing in January.


    During interrogation, Sahir Hassan admitted to selling drugs via Snapchat for the past two years, earning approximately Rs 1.5 million weekly, according to The Express Tribune. He further revealed key figures involved in the illegal drug trade, including businessmen, politicians, and other influential personalities.


    He described the drug distribution system as highly organized, dismissing the idea that dealers approach students directly. “It is wrong to assume that we go to educational institutions to sell drugs. Instead, students place orders through an online mobile app, and deliveries are made to specific locations,” he disclosed.


    According to Sahir, dealers first befriend students and introduce them to weed. “Initially, only a few students buy, but within months, the number of buyers increases significantly,” he explained.


    SSP Shoaib Memon confirmed that two major weed supply groups operate in Karachi. “One group smuggles weed illegally from California, while the other sells Iranian weed,” he stated. Following the dismantling of the network involving Mustafa Aamir and Sahir Hassan, “50 percent of weed sales in the city have stopped, making it less accessible to users,” he added.


    Additionally, SSP Memon revealed that 20 key drug suppliers have gone into hiding, and law enforcement is intensifying its crackdown on the Iranian weed group. “None of the accused have fled the country,” he assured.

    Sahir Hassan admitted to purchasing drugs worth crores through courier services, paying Rs 4-5 lakh weekly for deliveries, as reported by Express Tribune. He also disclosed that the drug money was deposited into his father’s manager’s account. Furthermore, he revealed that he had worked as a model for five years and had been using weed for 13 years.

    Investigators confirmed that both Sahir Hassan and Mustafa Aamir were among Karachi’s leading drug dealers, even utilizing the dark web for transactions.


    These revelations have exposed the scale of the illegal drug trade in the city, prompting authorities to intensify operations and dismantle major networks.

  • Shoaib Malik responds to critics after monthly salary reveal

    Shoaib Malik responds to critics after monthly salary reveal

    Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik has responded to criticism regarding his role as a mentor and his reported salary of five million rupees per month.

    A video of Malik addressing his critics has gone viral on social media, where he urged cricketers and journalists to do their homework before making comments.

    Malik dismissed concerns about his salary, saying, “I earned far more than five million per month even before accepting the mentorship role. I have proof to back my statement and will share it if necessary.”

    “We are here to improve the Pakistan cricket team, and we understand the real issues,” Malik said.

    Emphasising his extensive experience in global cricket, he pointed out that he has played professionally across various leagues worldwide. “If I didn’t have anything to offer, why would international teams invite me to play?” he questioned.

    Malik assured that he and the other mentors have provided detailed reports to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and that work is underway to address the team’s shortcomings.

    The backlash against Shoaib Malik intensified after Pakistan’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy. 

    Following the team’s disappointing performance, Malik sang the Bollywood song “Dil Ke Armaan Aansuon Mein Beh Gaye” during a studio discussion, seemingly mocking Pakistan’s defeat. This act drew strong reactions from former cricketers and analysts.

    Former Test cricketer Sikandar Bakht criticised PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, questioning why a board-hired mentor was publicly making fun of Pakistan cricket. “Those who are getting paid five million a month were sitting on TV making fun of the team,” Bakht said.

    Similarly, former cricketer and analyst Basit Ali demanded that the PCB take action against Malik for ridiculing the national team.

    It is worth noting that the PCB has appointed five mentors—Waqar Younis, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and Saqlain Mushtaq—on a three-year contract.

    Each mentor will receive 5 million rupees per month, amounting to PKR 60 million annually. This is the highest salary package ever offered in domestic cricket for such roles. The mentors will not only provide guidance to the team but also serve as advisors throughout the year.

    Despite the criticism, Shoaib Malik remains firm in his stance, asserting that his contributions will help the Pakistan cricket team improve in the long run.