Category: Sports

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a new interim team management, with notable absentees from the previous coaching staff ahead of the T20I series against Bangladesh. The board has relieved the former batting and bowling coaches of their duties in line with reshaping its coaching line-up.

According to the official statement released by the PCB, Naveed Akram Cheema has been appointed team manager, while former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has taken over as head coach for the Bangladesh series. Hanif Malik will serve as the batting coach, while Ashley Noffke will be appointed as the bowling coach, and Mohammad Masroor will be named the fielding coach.

Other appointments include Cliff Deacon as physiotherapist, Imranullah as strength and conditioning coach, and Talha Ejaz as team analyst.

These changes come as part of a temporary arrangement for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh. Earlier, on May 20, the PCB posted job advertisements on its official website, inviting applications for the roles of batting coach, fielding coach, and strength and conditioning coach. Interested candidates have until 5 PM on June 6 to apply.

Until permanent appointments are made, Hanif Malik and Ashley Noffke will continue coaching duties during the Bangladesh series.

It is worth mentioning that during the tour of New Zealand earlier this year, Mohammad Yousuf served as batting coach and Azhar Mahmood as bowling coach, both of whom are absent from the current set-up.

Lahore Qalandars on Sunday night became champions of Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the third time, defeating Quetta Gladiators in a nail-biting final. Chasing a target of 202 runs, Lahore sealed the win in the last over, owing it to a sensational cameo by Sikandar Raza.

The most remarkable part of the final was the arrival of Raza, who finished playing a Test match for Zimbabwe against England in the hours leading to the PSL final. He then took a 10-hour flight and reached the stadium in Lahore, only ten minutes before the toss.

Despite the hectic journey, Raza stepped up when Lahore needed him the most. With eight runs required off the last three balls, he smashed a six and a four to take his team over the line. He remained unbeaten on 22 runs off just seven balls, turning the game in Lahore’s favour in the final moments.

He then undertook an intense travel journey that included a 7-hour flight from Birmingham to Dubai (5,500 km), followed by a 1.5-hour drive to Abu Dhabi (140 km), and finally a 3.5-hour flight to Lahore, Pakistan (approximately 2,100 km). Raza reached the stadium only ten minutes before the toss, making his appearance nothing short of heroic.

“I had dinner in Birmingham, breakfast in Dubai, and drove to Abu Dhabi for lunch. Took a flight and had a dinner in Pakistan. This is the life of a professional cricketer. I’m truly humbled and blessed to have the life,” Raza said in the post match discussion.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to bat first, putting up a competitive total of 201 runs for nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Quetta’s Mohammad Nawaz was the standout performer with the bat, scoring a brilliant 76 runs off 43 balls, including four sixes and eight fours. Faheem Ashraf played a fiery innings, scoring 28 off eight balls while Avishka Fernando contributed 28 runs off 22 balls.

For Lahore, Shaheen Afridi took three wickets, while Haris Rauf and Salman Mirza took two wickets each.

Lahore’s chase started cautiously with Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem. Fakhar was dismissed for 11 by Abrar Ahmed whereas Faheem Ashraf claimed Naeem’s scalp for 47 runs, ending the batter’s rather aggressive knock.

While Kusal Perera remained not out with 62 runs off 31 balls, Sikandar Raza’s match-winning innings of 22 runs off just seven balls sealed the victory for Lahore.

On Quetta’s side, Mohammad Amir, Faheem Ashraf, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq took one wicket each.

The second edition of Islamabad Night Run was organised by the running community which brought together huge numbers of runners, families, diplomats and people from all walks of life in the capital. A unique, one of a kind running event included a 5 kilometre and 10 kilometre run, followed by fireworks, dancing fountains and a music show for the participants for the finishers to celebrate. 

The route for the race was inside Park View City Islamabad. 

The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from various age groups, showcasing the spirit of unity and athleticism. Apart from members from runners in Islamabad, people from Lahore and Karachi also participated in the event. A large number of kids also participated in the run while showing an amazing effort with most of them finishing a 5 km run under the stars. 

In the 5 km category, first position was bagged by Umer Zaman of Islamabad Run with Us whereas Athar Akhtar from Margalla Trail Runners came in second. Among female runners, Anja Myrtveit was the first to cross the finish line with Anna Hudson coming in second. In the 10K category for male runners, Shehbaz Waris came first and Wiqar Ahmed from Margalla Trail Runners taking the second spot. Among 10K female finishers,  Sultanat Sinbina was the top finisher whereas Farah Omer finished second. Winners were awarded prizes after the run. 

Running clubs in Islamabad including Margalla Trail Runners, Islamabad Run with Us and Islamabad Running Club brought their teams to run at the event. 

The second edition of the night run showcased power of sports and fitnesss blending in with the festivity and glitz of the night. It was aimed at promoting running activities in the capital. The second edition also brought together many new runners and experienced runners to run together on a track at night . 

The event would not have been possible without the generous support of running community and the unwavering dedication of participants, organizers, and volunteers.

Pakistan’s Ashab Irfan has won the South Australian Open Squash Championship, which was held in Adelaide.

The top-seeded Irfan defeated Malaysia’s Duncan Lee in straight games in the final, displaying his dominance throughout the match. He secured victory without dropping a single game, with the final scoreline reading 11-8, 12-10, 11-9.

The total prize money for the tournament was $9,000.

Former Test cricketer Basit Ali has claimed that the absence of star batter Babar Azam from the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh will lead to poor crowd turnout.

Speaking about the three-match T20I series scheduled to be held at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from May 28 to June 1, Basit Ali expressed disappointment over the exclusion of several senior players from the squad.

“If Babar Azam is not playing, there will be no crowd in the stadium,” Basit said. “People want to see him. When he plays, people come to watch.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently announced the names included in the 16-member squad for the series. Notably, senior players such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi were excluded. This decision didn’t sit well with Basit Ali, who believes Babar’s absence will directly affect stadium attendance.

Babar Azam is currently considered one of the biggest crowd-pullers in Pakistan cricket. His popularity was clearly visible during the recent Pakistan Super League (PSL), where matches involving his team, Peshawar Zalmi, consistently drew packed stadiums.

A key figure in Pakistan cricket, Babar has captained the national team in three ICC Men’s T20 World Cups, in 2021, 2022, and most recently in 2024. He last played for Pakistan in the T20 format in December last year and was also left out of the squad for the T20I series against New Zealand in March.

Having played 128 T20 internationals, Babar has scored 4,223 runs at an impressive average of 39.83, including three centuries and 36 fifties. His consistency and stylish batting have made him one of the top batters in world cricket.

As Pakistan prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the decision to rest senior players may be part of a rotation strategy. However, Basit Ali believes it could come at the cost of fan engagement and stadium attendance.

Meanwhile, national team head coach Mike Hesson has responded to questions about Babar and Rizwan’s exclusion by saying that “no player will be selected in the team based on experience or reputation.”

A slip-up by American sports network ESPN during the second Eliminator of HBL PSL 10 sparked chatter among cricket fans.

In a clip highlighting top performers from Lahore Qalandars’ innings, ESPN mistakenly labelled Sri Lanka’s player Kusal Perera as Pakistan’s Khawaja Nafay, even though Nafay was not included in the playing XI. The error appeared in a social media post that featured Perera’s photo and score, but displayed the wrong name.

Fans were quick to catch the mistake, pointing it out across social media platforms. A few minutes later, ESPN quietly removed the post and replaced it with a corrected version, properly crediting Kusal Perera for his stellar batting.

The highlight of the day, however, was Lahore Qalandars’ dominant performance. They thrashed Islamabad United by 95 runs to secure a spot in the final of PSL 10, set for Sunday at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Batting first after winning the toss, Qalandars scored a total of 202 for 8. Perera led the charge with a 61, while Muhammad Naeem added a solid 50. Contributions also came from Abdullah Shafique (25), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (22), and Asif Ali (15).

For Islamabad, Tymal Mills picked up three wickets, Salman Irshad grabbed two, and Imad Wasim and Jimmy Neesham took one wicket each.

In chasing the target, Islamabad United collapsed, with all out in the 16th over after scoring only 107 runs. Salman Agha scored 33 runs, followed by Shadab Khan with 26, while the rest of the lineup failed to deliver, with several players falling for single digits or ducks.

Lahore’s bowlers were on fire, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Rashad Hussain each taking three wickets, sealing a resounding victory.

With this win, Lahore Qalandars march into the final to face Quetta Gladiators on Sunday, May 25.

Sri Lankan cricketer Angelo Mathews has announced that he is retiring from Test cricket. 

The 37-year-old former Sri Lankan captain posted a statement on social media, revealing that he will retire from the longest format of the game in June.

Mathews, who made his Test debut in 2009, confirmed that his final Test match will be against Bangladesh in Galle on June 17.

Although he is stepping away from Test cricket, Mathews has confirmed his availability for Sri Lanka’s ODI and T20 teams. However, he has not featured in a limited-overs international match since June last year.

In his statement, Mathews wrote, “It has been the greatest honour and privilege to represent my country for the past 17 years. I gave the game everything I had, and the game, in return, has given me so much. Whatever I am today, it is because of cricket.”

He added, “I will be retiring from the Test format. As discussed with the selectors, I remain available for the shorter formats if my country needs me.”

Mathews retires as the third-highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in Test cricket history. The right-handed batter has scored 8,167 runs in 118 matches at an average of 44.62. Only legends Kumara Sangakkara (12,400 runs) and Mahela Jayawardene (11,814 runs) have more runs than him for Sri Lanka in Tests.

In addition to his batting achievements, Mathews also contributed to the game with the ball, taking 33 wickets in his Test career.

He captained the Sri Lankan Test team in 34 matches between 2013 and 2017.

Defending champions Islamabad United were without star opener Alex Hales during the crucial playoff stage of the 10th Pakistan Super League (PSL), and now, the reason for his sudden exit has been revealed.

According to media reports, England’s opener left the tournament mid-way to attend a close friend’s wedding. Hales flew from Pakistan to Spain for the ceremony, missing Islamabad United’s remaining matches.

Interestingly, Hales had been among the first international players to return to Pakistan after the tournament was rescheduled following the recent Indian aggression. His early arrival was initially viewed as a strong show of commitment to the franchise.

However, earlier reports suggested that Hales had only signed up for two matches due to personal reasons, which led to fan speculation about his limited participation.

This development follows Islamabad United’s underwhelming performance in the first qualifier, where they were defeated by the Quetta Gladiators. Hales was dismissed for a duck after facing just two deliveries in that match.

Islamabad United now face a do-or-die clash against Lahore Qalandars in Eliminator 2, without one of their most experienced overseas players.

Pakistan’s top female mountaineer, Naila Kiani, has achieved another major milestone by successfully summiting the world’s third-highest mountain, Kangchenjunga, at 8,586 metres.

On Thursday evening, Naila began her final climb from Camp Four and reached the summit early Friday at 6 a.m., proudly raising the Pakistani flag atop the towering peak.

Kangchenjunga is located at the border between Nepal and India and is the highest mountain in India.

“Climbing Kangchenjunga is not just a personal milestone,” she said after achieving her feat. “It is a message for all women in Pakistan that they are stronger than they think.”

With this success, Naila has now scaled 12 of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, making her the first and only Pakistani woman to reach this milestone. Her next targets are Shishapangma and Dhaulagiri.

Naila began her mountaineering journey in 2021 with Gasherbrum II. This was followed by the summit of K2, the world’s second-highest peak, in July 2022, and then Gasherbrum I a month later.

In 2023, she successfully climbed Annapurna, Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, and Cho Oyu.

In May 2024, she climbed Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain.

Now, with only two 8,000-metre giants remaining, Naila Kiani is close to completing one of high-altitude mountaineering’s most elite challenges.