Category: Sports

Karachi Kings all-rounder Aamir Jamal has been fined for violating the code of conduct during the match against Peshawar Zalmi.

In a thrilling game where Karachi Kings won by just two wickets, the player was found guilty of a Level 1 offence under the ICC’s Article 2.5, which relates to the use of inappropriate language or gestures.

The incident occurred during the 15th over of the first innings when Aamir dismissed Hussain Talat and then used inappropriate words near the batter. As a result, he has been fined five percent of his match fee.

Aamir accepted the charge and the penalty given by the match referee, Iftikhar Ahmed. The on-field umpires, Faisal Khan Afridi and Paul Reiffel, reported the incident.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is under fire, midway through the 2025 season, as the Rajasthan Royals are facing serious allegations of match-fixing. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly formed an investigation committee to probe the matter.

According to Indian media reports, the Rajasthan Cricket Association’s (RCA) ad-hoc committee convenor, Jaydeep, has accused Rajasthan Royals of fixing their recent match against Lucknow Super Giants. He alleged that the match’s outcome was suspicious and claimed even “children could tell” it was fixed.

“How can a team lose on their home ground when just a few runs are needed?” he questioned, adding that the state government had formed an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter.

Rajasthan Royals lost the match to Lucknow Super Giants by just two runs, an outcome that raised eyebrows among fans and officials alike.

Following the allegations, a spokesperson for the BCCI confirmed that a special committee had been set up to investigate the match-fixing claims. The board has taken the issue seriously and stated that if the allegations are proven, strict penalties will be imposed.

The controversy has sparked outrage among cricket fans and experts, many of whom have heavily criticised the incident. On social media, hashtags like #RRMatchFixing and #IPL2025Scandal have been trending, reflecting the widespread concern within the cricket community.

The investigation committee is expected to question the Rajasthan Royals’ players, coaching staff, and other related individuals. If the allegations are proven true, the team could face heavy fines and possible suspensions.

People may think that the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is not as glamorous as the Indian Premier League (IPL), but a recent video shared by the popular Indian cricket platform CricTracker has revealed something that has truly impressed Indian fans.

The video discusses how the Lahore Qalandars, one of the PSL teams, are going all out when it comes to rewarding their players. What caught everyone’s attention was the gift given to their captain, Shaheen Shah Afridi — a gold-plated iPhone 16 Pro (16-carat), just for his performance in the current PSL season!

But that’s not the only surprise. Last year, when Lahore Qalandars won the PSL for the second time in a row, their team management gifted three land plots in Qalandar City, Lahore, to Shaheen Afridi. The approximate value of each plot was around 92.5 lakh Pakistani rupees, equivalent to approximately ₹27 lakh in Indian currency.

And it wasn’t just Shaheen, but players like Zaman Khan and Rashid Khan, as well as bench players who didn’t play a single match, also received land as gifts.

This kind of appreciation and reward is something rarely seen, even in the IPL. Indian fans are now wondering if any IPL team has ever given land or gold phones to their players as a reward for good performance.

Famous cricket commentators Harsha Bhogle and Simon Doull have reportedly been removed from the commentary team for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) home matches in the IPL. This happened after they both criticised the pitch at Eden Gardens and supported KKR’s request for spin-friendly conditions.

KKR’s captain and coach had earlier complained that the pitch didn’t help their spin bowlers, making it difficult for them to gain a home advantage. Bhogle and Doull discussed this issue on a cricket show and said that KKR should get pitches that suit their playing style.

In fact, Doull went a step further and said, “If the curator is not listening to what the team wants, they should consider moving the franchise. They pay for the stadium, so they should have a say.”

Bhogle agreed, saying, “If they are playing at home, they should get the kind of pitches that help their bowlers.”

Following their remarks, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) reportedly became unhappy and sent a letter to the BCCI, asking that Bhogle and Doull not be assigned commentary duties for KKR’s home matches.

Interestingly, neither Bhogle nor Doull was seen in the commentary panel during KKR’s recent match against the Gujarat Titans. However, sources close to Bhogle said he was never scheduled for any KKR games this season.

“Bhogle and Doull are not part of the IPL commentary team for KKR’s home matches. But this may change if Eden Gardens hosts the Qualifier 2 and Final on May 23 and 25,” media reports claim.

Meanwhile, the CAB has supported its pitch curator, Sujan Mukherjee, saying he is simply following BCCI rules, which state that no franchise can control or change the nature of the pitch.

KKR had reportedly asked for a pitch that helps spinners like Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Moeen Ali, but the conditions at Eden Gardens did not favour spin bowling in the earlier matches.

In a historic moment at the 129th edition of the Boston Marathon, two Pakistani athletes, Faisal Shafi and Danish Elahi, made global headlines by setting a unique world record after completing the iconic race wearing Pakistan’s national attire, shalwar kameez.

Hailing from Karachi, both runners began and finished the marathon together, clocking an impressive time of 3 hours and 26 minutes. This feat marked the fastest marathon ever run in a shalwar kameez, and it was the first time in history that anyone had completed a full marathon in traditional attire in under four hours.

Speaking after the achievement, Danish Elahi said, “This record is dedicated to the entire nation of Pakistan. Setting this milestone in a legendary race like Boston is something we’ll always cherish.”

Fellow runner Faisal Shafi added, “We did this to highlight a positive image of Pakistan. We’ll be celebrating this achievement once we’re back home.”

While the Pakistani duo stole the spotlight with their symbolic run, the elite competition saw Kenya’s John Korir take the men’s title at the 2025 Boston Marathon.

Last year’s champion, Sisay Lemma, was forced to withdraw from the race after suffering an injury.

In the women’s event, Sharon Lokedi, also from Kenya, emerged victorious, finishing the marathon in record time.

Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin has expressed deep disappointment and anger over the Hyderabad Cricket Association’s (HCA) decision to remove his name from the North Pavilion Stand of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

In a strong reaction, Azharuddin called the move “shameful for the sport” and urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to intervene in the matter.

The decision came in response to a petition filed by a local organisation, the Lords Cricket Club, alleging that Azharuddin had shown bias and conflict of interest during his tenure as HCA President. The petition claimed that some of his actions were taken for personal benefit, which went against the principles of transparency and neutrality.

The matter was addressed by Justice V. Eshwaraiah, who serves as the Ethics Officer and Ombudsman of the HCA.

In an interview with Arab media, Azharuddin said, “It hurts to say this, but sometimes I regret playing cricket. Today, people who don’t even understand the game are trying to guide it. This is an insult to cricket.”

He further added, “I intend to take legal action against this injustice, and I appeal to the BCCI to intervene in this matter.”

Azharuddin also highlighted issues beyond the petition, mentioning that the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise had also faced problems with the association over match passes, calling it another example of poor governance within the HCA.

“What’s happening is beyond understanding and personally painful. I wasn’t even allowed to contest the HCA elections simply because I exposed the corruption within the system.”

The HCA has now been directed not to use Mohammad Azharuddin’s name on any IPL 2025 tickets. The Rajiv Gandhi Stadium is set to host several upcoming matches, including three Sunrisers Hyderabad home games, Qualifier 1, and the Eliminator.

Interestingly, the petition did not just request the removal of Azharuddin’s name. It also proposed that the North Pavilion Stand be renamed after Hyderabad’s legendary batsman VVS Laxman. The petition requested not only that the stadium boards be changed, but also that all tickets and official materials reflect the new name.

The petitioner concluded by urging the Ombudsman to issue more directives to ensure justice and transparency.

Karachi Kings on Monday held their nerve to clinch a thrilling two-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in the 11th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi

Karachi won the toss and opted to bowl first.

Playing first, Peshawar Zalmi posted 147 for 8 in 20 overs. Skipper Babar Azam was the top-scorer with a composed 46 off 41 balls, hitting seven fours. He was well supported by Mohammad Haris, who struck a brisk 28 off 21 while Hussain Talat added 18 off 16. Alzarri Joseph provided late fireworks with an unbeaten 24 off just 13 balls, smashing two sixes.

Khushdil Shah was the pick of Karachi’s bowlers, grabbing two wickets for 15 runs in his four overs. Abbas Afridi took two while Mir Hamza and Aamir Jamal took one wicket each.

In the second innings, Karachi Kings had a shaky start, losing Tim Seifert on the first ball. However, skipper David Warner led from the front with a classy 60 off 47 deliveries, hitting eight fours. He found brief support from James Vince, who scored 11 runs off 9 balls, Mohammad Nabi, 14 (11), and Khushdil Shah played a crucial knock of 23 off 17.

Despite regular wickets falling, Karachi kept their hopes alive. With six runs needed off four balls, Hasan Ali struck a boundary and sealed the win with a single on the third-last delivery.

For Zalmi, Luke Wood was impressive with three early wickets while Ali Raza also bagged two. Arif Yaqoob and Alzarri Joseph picked up one wicket each.

Karachi chased down the 148-run target in 19.3 overs, finishing at 148 for the loss of eight wickets to register their third win of the tournament.

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has criticised foreign players Glenn Maxwell and Liam Livingstone for their poor performance in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying they were “more focused on enjoying their time in India rather than helping their teams win”.

As per the details Sehwag accused Maxwell and Livingstone of “lacking passion and hunger to perform”, and said they looked more interested in partying and relaxing instead of putting in the hard work required to win matches.

“Maxwell… and Livingstone have no hunger anymore. They come to India to spend their holidays. It doesn’t seem like they care about their teams or winning a trophy,” he said.

The 46-year-old former opener didn’t hold back, adding that many overseas players talk big but fail to deliver on the field. “Out of the many foreign players I’ve played with, maybe only one or two actually had the hunger to win.”

However, he also praised a few overseas stars whom he believed always gave their best. He named David Warner, AB de Villiers and Glenn McGrath as examples of professional and passionate players. 

“These were the kind of players who would come up to me and say, ‘I’ll win the game for you, play me.’ They were serious about performance and had a winning mindset,” Sehwag said.

Glenn Maxwell, known for his explosive batting and game-changing abilities, had a highly disappointing performance at this year’s edition of the IPL. The Australian all-rounder managed to score only 41 runs in six matches.

England’s Livingstone, who is known for his aggressive batting and part-time spin bowling, also failed to deliver. He scored just 87 runs in seven matches despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru spending ₹8.75 crore on him.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the central contracts for the Indian men’s senior team for the 2024–25 season on Monday, April 21.

Star players Rohit Sharma (ODI and Test captain), Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, and Jasprit Bumrah have been placed in Grade A+, the highest category.

One of the biggest talking points is the return of Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer, who were left out last year after not playing domestic cricket. Both have made a strong comeback and earned contracts this time.

In total, 34 players have been awarded contracts. While most names are familiar, a few new faces have been added as well. Promising youngsters like Abhishek Sharma, who has impressed in T20Is, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who recently debuted in T20Is and Tests, and pacer Harshit Rana have received their first-ever central contracts.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who played a key role in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 and Champions Trophy 2025 wins, has been promoted from Grade B to Grade A. Retired spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is no longer on the list.

Pacer Mohammed Siraj, who was dropped from the ODI team before the Champions Trophy, has kept his spot in Grade A.

Shreyas Iyer has been included in Grade B, along with young star Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was in Grade C last year.

Some players have been dropped from the list. These include KS Bharat (Test wicketkeeper) and Avesh Khan (T20 pacer). Batter Sarfaraz Khan, who has played for India in Tests, has now earned a place in Grade C after meeting the match criteria.

Surprisingly, Varun Chakravarthy, who was the hero in India’s Champions Trophy campaign, has also made a comeback after missing out earlier. However, T20I wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma has been left out this time.

BCCI Central Contracts 2024-25

Grade A+ (4 players):

Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
Ravindra Jadeja
Jasprit Bumrah

Grade A (6 players):

Mohammed Siraj
KL Rahul
Shubman Gill
Hardik Pandya
Mohammed Shami
Rishabh Pant

Grade B (5 players):

Suryakumar Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav
Axar Patel
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Shreyas Iyer

Grade C (19 players):

Arshdeep Singh
Rinku Singh
Tilak Varma
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Shivam Dube
Ravi Bishnoi
Washington Sundar
Mukesh Kumar
Sanju Samson
Prasidh Krishna
Rajat Patidar
Dhruv Jurel
Sarfaraz Khan
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Ishan Kishan
Abhishek Sharma
Akash Deep
Varun Chakravarthy
Harshit Rana

WWE legend John Cena made history on Sunday night in Las Vegas after winning his 17th world title at WrestleMania, also known as the “Showcase of the Immortals.” He defeated Cody Rhodes in a 30-minute match for the Undisputed WWE Championship, with a surprise assist from rapper Travis Scott. With this win, Cena broke his tie with Ric Flair, who held 16 world championships.

Cena had turned heel (a bad guy in wrestling terms) for the first time in 22 years back in March, when he attacked Rhodes at the end of the Elimination Chamber event. He had teamed up with his longtime rival Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who recently returned to the ring and is now a board member of WWE’s parent company, TKO Group.

The final face-off between Cena and Rhodes happened on Friday night during SmackDown at the T-Mobile Arena. Cena confirmed that this would be his last WrestleMania match, telling Rhodes, “Sunday will be my last time in a WrestleMania ring. Nobody’s had the guts to end their career the way I will. You can’t prepare for a man who knows the end is near.”

He also said many people think he’ll come back like other wrestlers do, but he claimed he’s different. He said, “Wrestling retirements don’t exist because everyone’s too scared. They always want one more match. But not me. Most wrestlers are insecure losers.”

Cena also mocked Rhodes for caring too much about the fans and shouted to the crowd, saying, “You people don’t write history. Winners do.”

Rhodes didn’t hold back either. He called Cena “overrated” and said he looked like “melting wax” and was “paler than Sting at Starrcade 1997.” He also joked about Cena’s Oscars appearance, saying, “You walked on stage naked just to impress the people you run errands for, and even in 2025, you still can’t wrestle.”

The intense night ended with Cena slapping Rhodes. Rhodes responded by reversing Cena’s Attitude Adjustment into his own finishing move, the Cross Rhodes, and stood tall over him before their big match.

But in the end, it was Cena who stood tall at WrestleMania, making history one final time.