Category: Sports

During a joint press conference in Islamabad featuring the captains of all six teams in PSL 10, Peshawar Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam’s response to a journalist’s question went viral on social media.

In the video it can be seen that a journalist asked Babar, “When will you speak about the current state of the team? Will you only speak up when the entire team is gone and Pakistan cricket is in ruins?”

Responding to the question, Babar Azam firmly stated, “I speak when I need to. I won’t sit on media platforms and dictate what should be done. When I have something to say, I say it behind closed doors. I won’t come to social media and make a spectacle of it—that’s not my job.”

As the video gained traction on social media, users shared mixed reactions. One user commented, “This is the difference between Babar Azam and other players—he doesn’t engage in media theatrics.”

An X user sarcastically responded on Babar’s behalf, writing, ‘I’ll answer on the ground.’

Another user wrote, “Ask Babar Azam about PSL-related matters.”

Many users pointed out that while there is a captain, vice-captain, head coach, and chairperson in the setup, such questions are always directed at Babar Azam. Some supported his stance, saying, “He gave the perfect response.”

Peshawar Zalmi suffered a major setback ahead of the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as their captain, Babar Azam, sustained an injury during a practice session.

During a training session in Islamabad, the star batter was struck on the foot by a ball, causing him discomfort while walking. Babar was seen limping towards the dressing room, and the incident’s video has rapidly gone viral on social media.

As of now, Peshawar Zalmi’s management has not issued any official statement regarding Babar Azam’s injury. However, speculations are circulating on social media that the captain might miss the initial matches of PSL 2025.

Meanwhile, in a positive development for Pakistani cricket, opener Saim Ayub has recovered from the ankle injury that ruled him out of the Champions Trophy and the New Zealand tour. He has rejoined training and is preparing to make his return to competitive cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is promising a “bigger and better” tournament than ever as the country gears up to host the tenth edition of the flagship Pakistan Super League (PSL) starting Friday. However, the celebrations and excitement have taken a hit amid calls for boycott over the league’s choice of sponsors.

With an electrifying opening ceremony planned for Apr 11 and top cricketers from around the world participating, fans had been unable to keep calm as they looked forward to all the cricketing action. But the hype hit a roadblock as netizens pointed out how the sponsors of PSL 10 included brands the general public has now been boycotting for over a year due to their alleged Israel connection.

The Israeli assault on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, and has since led to a devastating humanitarian crisis. According to latest reports, over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, with tens of thousands injured. The attacks have destroyed hospitals, schools and homes, leaving over a million people displaced with little access to food, water or medical aid.

The start of the assault was followed by boycott campaigns against Western brands in many Muslim countries, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement also calls for the boycott of certain companies and organisations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.

Amid all this, social media users have flooded the internet with posts urging people to take a stand against companies that, despite being on the boycott lists, have been selected to sponsor the country’s flagship cricketing league.

Here’s what they have to say:

One user expressed their disappointment, saying, “In Palestine, our brothers are dying, and we are busy celebrating PSL.”

“Boycott PSL until they remove sponsorship from Zionist brands. I request everyone not just to post about boycotting but to actually do it—don’t watch a single match until these sponsorships end,” wrote another.

While some netizens claim they are also boycotting due to Pakistan cricket’s recent blunders and lacklustre performance at the global stage, the PCB and sponsors are yet to respond to any of the concerns.

Pakistan’s Noor Zaman has secured a place in the final of the Under-23 World Squash Championship after an impressive performance in the men’s semi-final held in Karachi.

Noor Zaman displayed exceptional skill against Malaysia’s Chandaran in the semi-final. He dominated the game by winning the first set 11-6 and continued his momentum with an 11-2 victory in the second set.

During the third set, Noor Zaman was leading 6-4 when Chandaran suffered an injury, forcing him to withdraw from the match, allowing Noor Zaman to advance to the final.

In the other semi-final, Egypt’s Karim Al-Torki triumphed over his compatriot and top seed Ibrahim Al-Kabani with a 3-1 victory. The final scores were 11-7, 2-11, 8-11, and 5-11 in favour of Karim Al-Torki. Noor Zaman will now face Karim Al-Torki in the championship final tomorrow.

Meanwhile, in the women’s event, Hong Kong’s Chin Sin Yuk booked her place in the final after defeating her Malaysian opponent in a thrilling five-game match. The women’s final will see Chin Sin Yuk take on Egypt’s Fairoz Aboulkhair for the title.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to include six men’s and six women’s cricket teams in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, 128 years after the sport’s last appearance at the Games in 1900 in Paris.

The cricket tournament at the Los Angeles Olympics 2028 will follow the T20 format. Each of the men’s and women’s events will feature six teams, with a total player quota of 90 for each category. Every team will consist of 15 players.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has 12 full members. The IOC Executive Board has approved the event program and athlete quota, but the venues for the cricket matches at the Los Angeles Olympics are yet to be decided.

Pakistan may face challenges in qualifying for the Olympic cricket competition. Currently, the Pakistan men’s team is ranked seventh in the ICC rankings, while the women’s team is ranked eighth. Only the top six teams in the ICC rankings will qualify for the Olympics, making it crucial for Pakistan to improve its ranking to secure a spot.

A total of 11,198 athletes will participate in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. The event will feature 31 Olympic sports and five additional host-venue sports. In total, there will be 351 medal events, with 55 medals in aquatics and 48 in athletics.

Across 36 sports, the games will see participation from 5,543 male and 5,655 female athletes. Out of the 351 medal events, 161 will be for women, 165 will be for men, and 25 will be for mixed-gender competitions.

For the first time in Olympic history, women’s football will have 16 teams, while the men’s event will feature 12 teams. Swimming events will also see the addition of 50-meter races in backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke categories.

The IOC board has also approved new medal events in sports climbing and rowing.

Under the Los Angeles host program, squash will feature 16-player draws for both men and women. Additionally, six teams will compete in flag football, lacrosse, softball, and cricket. In water polo, two more women’s teams have been added to the competition lineup.

Novak Djokovic suffered a shocking early exit from the Monte Carlo Masters, losing in straight sets to Chilean player Alejandro Tabilo. The world No. 32 dominated the match, securing a 6-3, 6-4 victory in just under 90 minutes on Court Rainier III.

Djokovic, playing his first match on clay since winning Olympic gold last summer, struggled from the start. Tabilo broke his serve twice in the first set, while Djokovic’s errors continued in the second. The Serbian legend, who lost to teenager Jakub Mensik in last month’s Miami Masters final, admitted his disappointment.

“I expected to put in a decent performance, but not like this. It was horrible,” Djokovic told the ATP’s official site. “I knew I was going to have a tough match, but I didn’t expect to play this badly. I feel sorry for the fans who had to watch this.”

Tabilo will now face 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16. Dimitrov fought back from a set down to beat wildcard Valentin Vacherot 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Alcaraz, Ruud, and Medvedev Advance to the Third Round

Meanwhile, world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz recovered from a slow start to claim his first Monte Carlo victory, beating Francisco Cerúndolo 3-6, 6-0, 6-1. The 21-year-old, already a four-time Grand Slam champion, admitted he needed to change his strategy after the first set.

“I made a lot of mistakes and let him dominate,” Alcaraz said. “I knew I had to be more aggressive, use drop shots, and push him back.”

Alcaraz will play Daniel Altmaier in the third round after the German qualifier defeated Richard Gasquet 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Gasquet, a veteran of the sport, is playing his final Monte Carlo Masters before retiring after the French Open.

Fourth seed Casper Ruud had an easy win against Roberto Bautista Agut, cruising to a 6-2, 6-1 victory. Elsewhere, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated Argentina’s Tomás Martín Etcheverry 7-6 (2), 6-3 and will now face British No. 1 Jack Draper.

 

Rublev, De Minaur, and Medvedev Progress, Tiafoe Eliminated

Defending champion Andrey Rublev marked his first match under new coach Marat Safin with a solid 6-4, 7-6 (2) win over Gaël Monfils. Other seeds progressing included Alex De Minaur, Arthur Fils, and Lorenzo Musetti.

De Minaur, who reached the French Open quarter-finals last year, showcased his growing confidence on clay by staging an impressive comeback against Tomáš Macháč. The world No. 10 lost the first set but recovered to win 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, setting up a last-16 clash with Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev, however, had to fight hard in a nearly three-hour battle against Alexandre Müller, eventually winning 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-2. Meanwhile, 14th seed Frances Tiafoe was knocked out after losing in three sets to Australian Alexei Popyrin.

As the tournament progresses, the competition remains fierce, with several top players still in contention for the title.

Liverpool are making significant strides in negotiations over a new contract for star footballer Mohamed Salah, with Premier League leaders growing increasingly confident that the Egyptian forward will remain at Anfield next season, according to reports on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old, whose current contract expires at the end of the season, is among several key Liverpool players facing uncertain futures. Club captain Virgil van Dijk and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold are also in the final months of their contracts. While Alexander-Arnold has been heavily linked with a potential free transfer to Real Madrid, Van Dijk recently confirmed that discussions over his contract renewal are progressing following Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Fulham on Sunday.

Although no formal agreements have been reached, optimism remains high within the club regarding Salah and Van Dijk committing their futures to Liverpool.

Salah has been a prolific goal scorer for the Reds, currently leading the Premier League scoring charts with 27 goals this season. Since he arrived from Roma in 2017, he has netted an impressive 243 goals in 394 appearances. His contributions have been instrumental in Liverpool’s success, including their Champions League triumph and the historic 2020 Premier League title win, which ended a 30-year domestic league drought. In total, he has lifted eight trophies with the club.

Despite persistent links to a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, Salah has consistently expressed his desire to stay at Liverpool. However, contract negotiations have seen ups and downs. In November, he hinted that he was “probably more out than in,” and a month later, he suggested that a new deal was still “far away.”

With Liverpool eager to secure their star player’s future, the club’s confidence in reaching an agreement suggests that fans may soon receive positive news regarding Salah’s continued presence at Anfield.