Category: Sports

Many talented Pakistan-origin cricketers move abroad and represent other countries after not getting enough chances at home. Zafar Gohar, a left-arm spinner, could be the next player to represent another country if he manages to play for England.

Gohar was once considered a promising young talent in Pakistan. However, he didn’t receive many opportunities at the international level. Now, at 30, he is performing well in English county cricket and is among the top players in Division 2. He currently plays for Middlesex and continues to show his skill and potential.

In a recent interview with international media, Gohar spoke about how close he came to playing for Pakistan. In 2015, he was called up to the Test squad as a replacement for Yasir Shah. However, after an unexpected situation, he missed his flight.

“I waited until late at night for travel details, then was told to rest. I could not wake up in time. The next morning, they blamed everything on me. I was devastated,” Gohar said about the incident.

He later played an ODI in 2015 and a Test match in 2021, but he was unable to secure a regular place in the team. Despite performing well in county cricket, taking 47 wickets and scoring 500 runs for Gloucestershire in 2022, the Pakistan Cricket Board did not consider him again.

After years of waiting, Gohar made a major decision. Since he holds a British passport and has not played for Pakistan in the past three years, he is eligible to represent England. Now, with Middlesex, he has already taken 15 wickets in the 2025 County Championship season.

“I think I have just reached my prime, and I feel ready to take on this new challenge,” said Gohar. “I had heard England was the toughest place for spinners to get wickets, but I got wickets. That was the point I decided, right, I am going to take my chance. I know it is a big, big ask to get picked for England, but I love challenges.”

Gohar is also a skilled batter, which adds to his value as a player. If he goes on to play for England, he will join the list of cricketers who have represented more than one country. Eoin Morgan made the switch from Ireland to England, while Ed Joyce and Gary Ballance played for other countries after beginning their careers with England.

Four renowned Pakistani mountaineers have set out to scale some of the world’s highest and most dangerous peaks in Nepal, including Mount Everest, Dhaulagiri, and Kangchenjunga.

The expedition is being led by Sajid Ali Sadpara, son of the legendary late mountaineer Muhammad Ali Sadpara. His aim is to summit Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres), the seventh-highest mountain in the world. He reached base camp on April 6 and completed his acclimatisation by May 3. He is now waiting for favourable weather around May 9 to begin his summit push.

Remarkably, Sajid is undertaking this climb in alpine style, without the use of supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters. He has already successfully summited K2, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, and both Gasherbrum I and II.

Also making headlines is Pakistani female mountaineer Naila Kiani, who has begun her journey to conquer Kangchenjunga (8,586 metres), the world’s third-highest peak. Kiani has already climbed 11 of the world’s 14 highest mountains and is the only Pakistani woman to have done so.

She is joined by fellow mountaineer Sirbaz Khan on the Kangchenjunga mission. Sirbaz recently summited Annapurna (8,091 metres) without supplemental oxygen on April 7. Kangchenjunga is the last remaining peak for him to become the first Pakistani to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks.

Meanwhile, another Pakistani climber from Gilgit-Baltistan, Wajidullah Nagri, has reached the base camp of Mount Everest. Nagri has previously climbed five of Pakistan’s highest peaks, including K2 and Nanga Parbat.

Peshawar Zalmi kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant seven-wicket win over Multan Sultans in the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Multan Sultans won the toss and chose to bat first but were bowled out for just 108 runs in 19.1 overs. The team made seven changes to their playing XI, replacing Usman Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Curtis Campher, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Chris Jordan, and Usama Mir with Shai Hope, Tayyab Tahir, Aamer Burki, Ashton Turner, Shahid Aziz, Faisal Akram, and Mohammad Hasnain.

The revamped Multan lineup failed to deliver as wickets fell regularly. Shai Hope top-scored with 23 (21), followed by Tayyab Tahir 22 (18), Mohammad Rizwan 17 (14), Yasir Khan 10 (11), and Mohammad Hasnain 11 (10). The rest of the batting struggled: Ashton Turner 0 (2), Aamer Azmat 3 (10), Shahid Aziz 1 (2), David Willey 8 (16), Ubaid Shah 3 (10), and Faisal Akram remained not out on 4 (2). Extras contributed six runs.

Ahmad Daniyal starred with the ball, taking three wickets, while Maaz Sadaqat and Luke Wood claimed two each as Multan were dismissed cheaply.

Peshawar Zalmi’s chase began with early setbacks. Mitchell Owen fell for 1 (4), and captain Babar Azam was out for 8 (6). Saim Ayub, however, made the most of a dropped chance and anchored the chase with a match-winning 49 (28), smashing four fours and three sixes. Max Bryant remained unbeaten on 38 (21), hitting five boundaries and a six, as Zalmi chased down the target in just 13 overs.

This was Multan’s eighth loss in nine matches, ending their chances of progressing to the playoffs. Their final match of the season will be against Quetta Gladiators on May 11 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its annual team rankings update for 2025, bringing significant changes across all three formats of the game, with Sri Lanka overtaking Pakistan in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

According to the latest rankings, Pakistan now sits seventh in Tests, fifth in ODIs, and eighth in T20Is. On the other hand, Sri Lanka has moved ahead of Pakistan in each of these formats, marking a major leap in their cricketing progress.

In the Test format, Australia has retained its top spot with 126 rating points. However, their lead has been reduced to just 13 points. England has made a strong comeback and now holds the second position with 113 points. South Africa is in third place, followed by India in fourth. New Zealand occupies fifth position, Sri Lanka is sixth, and Pakistan has slipped to seventh.

In ODIs, India has strengthened its hold on the number one spot with 124 rating points after winning the Champions Trophy. New Zealand, after reaching the final, has moved up to second place, pushing Australia to third. Sri Lanka has climbed to fourth, while Pakistan has fallen to fifth.

India also leads the T20I rankings, maintaining its number one position. Australia remains second, while Sri Lanka has shown improvement by rising to seventh place.

Pakistan, however, has dropped one spot and now stands eighth in the T20I rankings.

After many years of coming close but falling short, English footballer Harry Kane has finally won a major trophy. This victory puts an end to the so-called “Tottenham curse” that many believed had followed him throughout his career.

Kane joined Bayern Munich last summer after spending many years at Tottenham Hotspur, where he became a top goal scorer but never won a title. On the day Bayern were confirmed as Bundesliga champions, Kane was suspended due to yellow card accumulation and couldn’t play.

However, he celebrated the win with his teammates after Bayer Leverkusen’s draw with Freiburg secured the title for Bayern. A video showed Kane happily singing “We are the champions” as he celebrated.

For Kane, this trophy is a major feat. Even though he is England’s all-time leading goal scorer and has won many Golden Boots, he has lost six major finals, including the Champions League, League Cup, and Euro 2020 with England. His move to Bayern was seen as a chance to finally win something, but after early exits from other tournaments and a challenging league season, some critics still talked about the “curse.”

Despite those challenges, Kane played a key role for Bayern this season. He scored 36 goals in all competitions and provided 15 assists. He also broke several records, became a leader in the team, and adapted well to life in Germany. Many of his teammates and Bayern legends praised his performances and attitude.

Some fans joked that the Bundesliga trophy is more like a plate than a real cup. But for Kane and his supporters, this doesn’t matter. This title is an important and emotional moment. Now that he has his first trophy, Kane will be hoping to win more, including at the upcoming Club World Cup.

Pakistan continues to make its mark on the global boxing scene with female boxer Aliya Soomro now playing her part in bringing pride to the nation.

Aliya Soomro, a talented boxer from the Lyari area of Karachi, secured a major international victory by defeating her opponent in a professional boxing match held in Bangkok, Thailand. 

The fight, organized under TL Boxing Promotion, took place at the World Siam Stadium, where Aliya emerged victorious in the fourth round of a scheduled ten-round bout.

Aliya knocked out Thailand’s Sothida Gunayanuch in a powerful display of skill and determination, further establishing herself as a rising star in the world of boxing.

Hailing from Kalakot, a neighbourhood in Lyari known for producing sporting talent, Aliya competes in the WBA Asia’s 105-pound category. She has already represented Pakistan in several countries, securing wins that have brought recognition and pride to the nation.

Looking ahead, Aliya is preparing for a high-stakes challenge fight against an Indian boxer scheduled for August. Speaking after her recent victory, she expressed gratitude for the support of the nation and shared how the win has boosted her confidence. She vowed to defeat her Indian opponent and continue making her country proud.

In a thrilling boxing showdown held in Thailand, Pakistani boxer Shaheer Afridi emerged victorious after defeating Indian fighter Tarjot Singh Bawa. The highly-anticipated match saw Afridi dominate in the middleweight category, ultimately clinching the win via technical knockout in the fourth round.

The Indian boxer began to falter as early as the third round, showing visible signs of fatigue and imbalance. By the fourth round, the referee stepped in to stop the contest, declaring Shaheer Afridi the winner on the basis of a technical knockout due to Bawa’s deteriorating condition.

The fight marked Afridi’s 18th professional bout. The victory was particularly significant as Tarjot Singh Bawa had remained unbeaten in his professional career until now. With this win, Afridi has now secured 16 wins, faced only one loss, and has drawn once in his career. His impressiveness has propelled him into the list of the world’s top 50 middleweight boxers.

Shaheer Afridi, who serves as a commando in the Sindh Police, has become a source of pride not only for the department but for the entire nation. His aggressive strategy and tactical precision throughout the match showcased his skill and determination in the ring.

Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, congratulated Shaheer Afridi on his remarkable achievement and announced a reward on behalf of the Sindh government. He stated that the entire province is proud of Afridi’s performance and emphasized how the boxer has brought honour to both Sindh and Pakistan by defeating an undefeated Indian opponent.

The tenth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL X) is making headlines across the globe, but this time, it is not just because of thrilling cricketing clashes as the league has recorded a historic surge of 826.5% in digital live-streaming viewership during the opening week as compared to last season.

According to data compiled by Walee Technologies, PSL X recorded a whopping 1.1 billion views within the first 12 matches, marking a transformative shift in how cricket is consumed in Pakistan, and emerging as one of the most-watched digital sporting events in South Asia.

The opening three games alone attracted a massive 477.7 million livestream views, dwarfing last year’s figure of 57.8 million for the same period. The breakdown is as follows:

Match 1: 137.6 million views
Match 2: 253.5 million views
Match 3: 86.5 million views

These numbers are credited to PSL’s expanded digital partnerships across platforms, including Daraz, Myco, Tamasha, Tapmad and Begin, offering broader accessibility and mobile-first engagement.

With just 12 matches played, the tournament has surpassed 1.1 billion cumulative views and clocked over 16.25 billion minutes of total watch time. This surge reflects not only the league’s widespread popularity but also a deliberate digital-first approach from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), leveraging live streaming, short-form content and on-demand highlights to capture fragmented, fast-moving online audiences.

Meanwhile, the PCB’s official digital media channels have also recorded exceptional growth across all platforms with over 1.4 billion views across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and X.

The content strategy behind this includes a powerful mix of match highlights, player features, behind-the-scenes content and fan-focused reels that resonate particularly well with Gen Z and millennial viewers.

As PSL celebrates its 10th year, it’s also laying down the foundation of a digitally empowered future for Pakistani sports broadcasting. The blend of accessibility, multi-platform content and interactive fan experiences is turning PSL into a global digital property.

IPL STREAMING BAN

Separately, amid tensions with India, the government has officially banned the online streaming of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on local platforms. This decision comes after India banned the online streaming of the PSL in the country.

According to a government order, popular streaming platforms like Tapmad have already taken down IPL matches from their websites. The ban is said to have been imposed on Friday night (May 2) and will apply to all platforms that were previously showing IPL matches in Pakistan.

The Pakistani government has officially banned the online streaming of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on local platforms.

This decision comes after India banned the online streaming of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in the country following the recent attack in Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Popular streaming platforms like Tapmad have already taken down IPL matches from their websites. The ban is said to have been imposed on Friday night and will apply to all platforms that were previously showing IPL matches in Pakistan, according to a government order.

This move also comes in response to India blocking the social media accounts of several well-known Pakistani cricketers. There was no official explanation, but Indian users on platform X (formerly Twitter) reported that they could no longer access the profiles of Pakistani stars like Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf. Some even claimed that Mohammad Rizwan and the official Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) accounts were also blocked in India.

Screenshots shared online showed messages such as “Account not available in India” on these profiles, making them inaccessible to Indian followers.

Tensions between the two countries have increased shortly after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, IIOJK, on 22 April, which resulted in 26 tourists losing their lives.

Pakistani middle-order batter Umar Akmal has revealed that he approached former selector Wahab Riaz in hopes of making a return to the Pakistan national team but was left stunned by Wahab’s response.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Umar claimed, “When Wahab Riaz was the selector, I told him that I wanted to return to the national team and play for my country. In response, he asked me, ‘Have you played any trial matches?’ I was shocked to hear that.”

Expressing disappointment, Umar said that such a question was disrespectful to a player of his experience. “After a 15-year cricket career, being asked whether I’ve played trial matches is an insult,” he stated.

Previously, Umar Akmal had also criticised former head coach Waqar Younis and former captain Younis Khan. He alleged that Younis Khan repeatedly criticised him during Test matches for playing aggressive shots. “Whenever I played attacking shots, Younis would say, ‘Do you want to play T20 cricket in a Test match?’” Umar recalled.

He further claimed that Waqar Younis had issues not only with him but also with his brothers Kamran and Adnan Akmal. “Waqar questioned why all three of us were part of the national team at the same time,” Umar said.

Umar accused Waqar Younis of prematurely writing him off as a T20 player. “He believed that I had no future left in T20 cricket,” Umar alleged.

In the past, other players like Mohammad Amir have also expressed dissatisfaction with Waqar Younis’s coaching, with Amir levelling serious allegations against the legendary fast bowler.

Umar Akmal last played for Pakistan in October 2019 against Sri Lanka in Lahore.