Category: Sports

New Zealand wrapped up the five-match T20I series in style, defeating Pakistan by eight wickets in the final game at Sky Stadium to seal a dominant 4-1 victory on Wednesday.

After being put into bat, Pakistan struggled once again and managed only 128/9 in their 20 overs.

Captain Salman Ali Agha was the lone warrior, scoring 51 off 39 balls with six fours and a six. Shadab Khan provided some late fireworks with 28 off 20, but the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under New Zealand’s disciplined bowling attack.

James Neesham was the pick of the bowlers, taking five wickets.

New Zealand made light work of the chase, reaching the target in just 10 overs.

Tim Seifert was the star of the show, smashing a sensational 97* off just 38 balls, including six fours and ten sixes. Finn Allen gave a fiery start with 27 off 12, while Daryl Mitchell ensured a comfortable finish.

Sufiyan Muqeem picked up both wickets for Pakistan.

With this comprehensive victory, New Zealand secured a 4-1 series win, outclassing Pakistan in all departments.

Pakistan will now face New Zealand in a three-match ODI series starting from 29 March.

Argentina delivered a stunning performance to defeat Brazil 4-1 in a high-scoring match. The World Cup champions started strong, scoring three goals in the first half and completely outplaying their rivals.

The game began with an early goal just four minutes in. Thiago Almada set up Julián Álvarez, who found the back of the net to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Shortly after, Argentina doubled their advantage with a brilliant team goal. Several quick passes led to Nahuel Molina crossing the ball into the box, where Enzo Fernández calmly finished to make it 2-0.

Brazil got a lifeline when Argentina’s Cristian Romero made a costly mistake. He lost possession, allowing Cunha to score and reduce the deficit to 2-1. 

However, Argentina quickly responded. Enzo Fernández provided a perfect cross into the penalty area, and Alexis Mac Allister made no mistake, restoring Argentina’s two-goal lead at 3-1.

In the second half, Argentina kept control of the game. Coach Lionel Scaloni made a key substitution, bringing on Giuliano Simeone for Thiago Almada. Simeone made an immediate impact, scoring his first-ever goal for Argentina from a tight angle to extend the lead to 4-1.

Argentina continued to dominate, creating more chances. Scaloni made further substitutions, introducing Facundo Medina, Nico Paz, Ángel Correa, and Exequiel Palacios in place of Nicolás Tagliafico, Alexis Mac Allister, and Julián Álvarez.

The victory keeps Argentina at the top of the standings. They had already secured qualification for the World Cup before this match, but their commanding win against Brazil further proved why they are the reigning champions.

On the other hand, Iran has qualified for the FIFA World Cup, defeating Uzbekistan.

Meanwhile, Syria defeated Pakistan 2-0 in the qualifier match.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has once again selected renowned singer Ali Zafar to perform the anthem for its 10th edition. However, the decision has sparked criticism, particularly from Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Tareen.

Tareen expressed his disappointment on Instagram, questioning why PSL continues to rely on the same artist rather than showcasing fresh talent. He wrote, “Pakistan has so many amazing artists. Yet almost half of our anthems have been given to the same middle-aged dude. Despite franchises raising concerns about the artist. They talk about making this the biggest PSL ever, yet keep giving space to the same recycled voices.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently shared a teaser poster for PSL 10’s anthem, featuring Ali Zafar in a masked look. While the title has yet to be revealed, the PCB confirmed the anthem will be released soon.

Zafar has previously performed multiple PSL anthems, including last season’s “Khul Ke Khel.” However, with PSL 10 being promoted as the tournament’s biggest edition to date, calls for greater diversity in musical representation are gaining momentum.

The tournament kicks off on April 11, with matches scheduled in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi, and will run until May 18.

Pakistan has been left out of the upcoming Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament, scheduled to take place from November 22 to 29 in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Last year, Pakistan reached the finals of the tournament and won the silver medal. The national team received significant recognition from the government for their performance. However, this year, the tournament organisers have not invited Pakistan to participate.

According to a post by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) regarding the tournament, Pakistan’s name is missing from the list of invited teams. Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) sources have confirmed that they have not received any invitation from the tournament organisers.

Japan, the team that won the gold medal after defeating Pakistan in the final last year, has also been excluded from this year’s event.

The teams participating in the 2024 edition of the Azlan Shah Tournament include Belgium, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, and Malaysia.

Iran has secured a place for itself in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year. The tournament will feature 48 teams, with various continental qualifying rounds are currently underway.

On Tuesday, Iran played against Uzbekistan in a crucial AFC World Cup Qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, which was enough for Iran to book its ticket to the World Cup.

Iran needed just a draw against Uzbekistan to qualify, and despite trailing for most of the game, they managed to secure the crucial point. At one stage, Uzbekistan was leading 2-1 until the 83rd minute, when Mehdi Taremi scored a remarkable goal to level the match.

The match saw early action as Uzbekistan took the lead in the 16th minute through Khojimat Erkinov. In the second half, Iran equaled the score with a goal from Mehdi Taremi, but Uzbekistan quickly responded, with Abbosbek Fayzullaev scoring to regain the advantage. However, in the 83rd minute, Taremi struck again to secure the draw for Iran.

With this result, Iran earned the necessary points to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. This marks Iran’s fourth consecutive and seventh overall appearance at the prestigious tournament.

In the third round of the AFC qualifiers, 18 teams have been divided into three groups, with the top two teams from each group securing direct qualification for the World Cup.

Japan and New Zealand have already qualified, while host nations USA, Canada, and Mexico had automatic berths in the tournament.

Indian cricketer KL Rahul and Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty have welcomed a baby girl, their first child.

The couple, who come from the worlds of sports and entertainment, shared the happy news on Instagram with a simple announcement card that read, “Blessed with a baby girl,” dated Monday.

As soon as the post went live, fans and celebrities alike flooded the comments section with congratulatory messages. Athiya’s father, veteran actor Suniel Shetty, responded with a heart and evil eye emoji, expressing his joy.

Instagram Post

The Delhi Capitals team was among the first to congratulate KL Rahul, followed by heartfelt wishes from his former teammate Shikhar Dhawan and tennis ace Sania Mirza.

Bollywood stars, including Vikrant Massey, Parineeti Chopra, Mrunal Thakur, and Arjun Kapoor, also chimed in, sending their love. Aditi Rao Hydari wrote, “Congratulationssssssssss. Hugs and squishes,” while Kiara Advani, who is currently expecting, shared heart emojis.

Other celebrities like Vaani Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, Bhumi Pednekar, and Masaba Gupta also joined in the celebration.

According to Indian media, KL Rahul is currently participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but will miss today’s match to be with his wife and newborn daughter.

Athiya Shetty, daughter of Bollywood icon Suniel Shetty, tied the knot with KL Rahul in 2023.

Pakistan’s Champions Trophy-winning captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has criticized cricketers who say one thing in person and another on TV. 

During a private TV show, the host asked Sarfaraz why he does not appear on television during cricket events, unlike other cricketers. In response, Sarfaraz said, “I watch my seniors when they play, and they say one thing, but when they sit on TV, they say something else.”

Sarfaraz explained that he prefers to stay on the field rather than sit on media panels. “It’s not that I don’t get offers. During the Champions Trophy, I received two or three offers to do analysis, but I declined because I don’t feel like sitting on TV right now.”

He further added, “I don’t like it when our senior cricketers sit on TV and say things they wouldn’t say in person.”

Sarfaraz said, “Look at what some have said recently. These are the same people who sit, eat, and spend time with these players. When they were playing, they said no one is better than these players, but now that they are not playing, they say these players are not good enough.”

The former captain questioned the hypocrisy, saying, “Either you were wrong then, or you are wrong now. Whatever you say, at least maintain balance.”

Sarfaraz also pointed out that most TV analysts have played with each other at some point. “Many of those sitting on TV do not even have great cricketing records themselves. So, they should speak carefully and remember their own era before making statements.”

It is worth mentioning that the Pakistan cricket team faced severe criticism after their early exit from the Champions Trophy 2025.

Pakistan has lost three out of four T20 matches against New Zealand so far in the ongoing tour.

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 replacement draft took place virtually on Monday, where franchises selected new players to fill in for unavailable squad members.

Peshawar Zalmi picked George Linde in the Diamond category as a replacement for Karbon Bosch, while they kept the Gold category spot for Naheed Rana reserved.

Islamabad United added Alex Carey as a partial replacement for South African batter Rassie van der Dussen.

Meanwhile, Karachi Kings selected Bangladeshi opener Litton Das in the Silver category, and both Karachi Kings (for Kane Williamson) and Quetta Gladiators (for Mark Chapman) opted to reserve spots instead of picking replacements.

In a major leadership change, Karachi Kings appointed David Warner as their new captain, replacing Shan Masood.

PSL 10 is set to begin on 11 April and will run until 18 May, with matches scheduled in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi.

A Bangladesh court has ordered the seizure of assets belonging to cricketer and former Awami League MP Shakib Al Hasan in connection with a cheque bounce case.

According to foreign media reports, Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Ziauddin Rahman, issued the order on Monday, directing the confiscation of Shakib’s properties.

Shakib established a shrimp farm in Satkhira, Bangladesh, in 2016, but it has remained inactive since 2021. The bounced cheques were issued to repay a bank loan taken for this business. However, as funds were insufficient, the cheques could not be processed.

Reports indicate that in October 2024, a Bangladeshi bank issued a legal notice regarding the bounced cheques. Later, on 24 December, a case was filed against Shakib and three other officials of his company.

In January, the court issued an arrest warrant for Shakib in connection with the case.

Shakib is currently outside Bangladesh after receiving death threats following political unrest and his association with the Awami League.

Additionally, he was also named in a murder case related to the killing of a young protester during anti-government demonstrations last year.

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni has addressed speculation about his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, making it clear that he has no plans to step away from the tournament.

“If I am in a wheelchair, I will still be part of the league,” Dhoni stated firmly, shutting down all rumours about his IPL future.

The legendary cricketer is set to play his 18th IPL season with Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Having led the team to five IPL titles, Dhoni has now passed on the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad.

Since retiring from international cricket in 2020, speculation about Dhoni’s IPL future has been the subject of much discussion.

 However, he reassured fans, saying, “This is my franchise. Even if I am in a wheelchair, they will still pick me.”

Dhoni also spoke about his long-standing relationship with Virat Kohli, which has evolved from a captain-young player dynamic to a close friendship.

“It was always an honest exchange of ideas, whether a certain approach was right or if an adjustment could have been made. Initially, it was more of a relationship between a captain and a young player, but over time, as we kept interacting, we became friends.

“Even today, we share that bond, though there’s always a line of respect between a senior and a junior. Now that neither of us is captain, we get more time to talk before matches,” he said.

Dhoni also praised IPL broadcasters for introducing regional language commentary, calling it an interesting addition to the tournament.

“Listening to commentary gives you an outsider’s perspective. It sparks new ideas like ‘Why don’t we try this approach?’…which can then be evaluated based on intelligence and data to see if it fits within the team’s strategy,” he said.

“I haven’t heard a lot of regional commentary, but I know that Bihari (Bhojpuri) commentary is highly energetic. It reminds me of old-school radio commentary, where the commentators were very involved. I find that very interesting,” he added.

Meanwhile, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar believes Dhoni can silence his critics even now. 

“Why do we want to pressure him by constantly asking about retirement? Every time people question him, he proves them wrong,” Gavaskar remarked.

As CSK embarks on another IPL campaign, Dhoni remains an integral part of the team, not just as a player but as a guiding force in the dressing room.