Category: Sports

Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem’s former coach, Fayyaz Bukhari, has formally requested the government of Pakistan to consider his name for a civil award in recognition of his services.

According to reports, in a letter addressed to the authorities, Bukhari highlighted his contributions as a coach and expressed disappointment over the lack of official acknowledgement of his efforts.

He detailed his coaching journey with Arshad Nadeem and urged the government to recognise his role in the success of Pakistani athletics.

“I request the authorities to evaluate my contributions to Pakistan athletics and Arshad Nadeem’s achievements and consider my name for a civil award,” Bukhari stated in his letter.

He further mentioned that he continues to serve as a javelin throw coach and has also trained Yasir Sultan for international competitions after Arshad Nadeem.

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem made history by securing a gold medal with a record-breaking 92.97-metre throw—the longest in Olympic history in the javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics. This remarkable feat ended Pakistan’s 40-year Olympic gold medal drought.

Following this achievement, Fayyaz Bukhari stated that the star athlete possesses the ability to throw beyond 92.97 metres.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strongly refuted reports about Champions Trophy 2025 circulating in the Indian media, dismissing them as baseless, fabricated, and contrary to reality.

According to a PCB spokesperson, the Indian media is spreading speculative and misleading stories regarding Pakistan cricket. The controversy stems from the reduction in players’ match fees in the National T20 tournament, which has been falsely linked to financial losses from hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The PCB spokesperson clarified that hosting the Champions Trophy has not caused any financial setbacks for the board. “We will receive $6 million for hosting the tournament, while the final revenue from gate money will be determined after an audit in the coming months. Additionally, the costs for hotels, flights, prize money, and other expenses will be covered by the ICC,” the spokesperson explained.

An Indian media report claimed that the PCB suffered a massive financial loss of 2300 crore (approximately $85 million) while hosting the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The report further alleged that, as a result, the PCB was forced to cut players’ match fees and revoke five-star hotel accommodations.

The PCB has categorically denied these claims, stating that they are part of a propaganda campaign to tarnish Pakistan cricket’s image.

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been left out of the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil due to an injury.

The 37-year-old forward, who plays for Inter Miami, sustained a low-grade adductor muscle injury during his team’s 2-1 victory on Sunday.

Inter Miami confirmed the injury through a statement but did not provide a specific timeline for his return. “His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition,” the club stated.

Messi also missed three games for Inter Miami earlier this month but made a comeback with a goal off the bench in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match.

As the reigning world champions, Argentina is in a strong position to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They currently lead the 10-team South American qualifying group by five points ahead of their clash against Uruguay in Montevideo.

With six teams earning direct qualification to the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Argentina can confirm their spot with positive results in the upcoming matches. Messi, the team’s top scorer in the qualifiers, leads the competition with six goals.

Apart from Messi, Argentina will also be without key players Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Montiel, who are both sidelined due to injuries. Meanwhile, Brazil has suffered a major setback, with Neymar ruled out due to a thigh injury. The 33-year-old was expected to return to the national team but will now miss the qualifiers. Brazil currently sits in fifth place, trailing Argentina by seven points.

Argentina Squad for World Cup Qualifiers

Goalkeepers:

Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, ENG), Geronimo Rulli (Marseille, FRA), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven, NED).

Defenders:

Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Leonardo Balerdi (Marseille, FRA), Cristian Romero (Tottenham, ENG), Nicolas Otamendi (Benfica, POR), Nicolas Tagliafico (Lyon, FRA), Facundo Medina (Lens, FRA), Juan Foyth (Villarreal, ESP), German Pezzella (River Plate).

Midfielders:

Leandro Paredes (Roma, ITA), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool, ENG), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen, GER), Maximo Perrone (Como, ITA), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea, ENG), Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Benjamin Dominguez (Bologna, ITA), Thiago Almada (Lyon, FRA).

Forwards:

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, ITA), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Angel Correa (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Nicolas Paz (Como, ITA), Santiago Castro (Bologna, ITA), Nicolas Gonzalez (Juventus, ITA).

Argentina will face Uruguay on Friday before taking on Brazil in a high-stakes clash on March 25.

New Zealand once again dominated Pakistan in the second T20I, defeating the Green Shirts by five wickets at Otago Oval, Dunedin on Tuesday.

After winning the toss, New Zealand chose to bowl first, as the match was reduced to 15 overs per side after a spell of rain. Pakistan managed to score 135/9.

Salman Ali Agha led the batting effort with a solid 46 (28), hitting four fours and three sixes. Shadab Khan played a quick cameo of 26 (14), including two fours and two sixes. 

Shaheen Afridi added valuable runs at the end, scoring 22 (14) with two fours and a six. Other contributions came from Irfan Khan Niazi 11 (9) and Abdul Samad 11 (7). However, Khushdil Shah 2 (2), Jahandad Khan 0 (2), and Hassan Nawaz 0 (3) failed to make an impact.

For New Zealand, Jacob Duffy, James Neesham, and Ish Sodhi took two wickets each, while Ben Sears got one wicket.

Chasing 136, New Zealand’s batters started aggressively. Tim Seifert smashed 45 off 22 balls, hitting three fours and five sixes, while Finn Allen blasted 38 off 16 balls with one four and five sixes.

Mitchell Hay scored 21 off 16, and Michael Bracewell, five off 2, stayed not out as New Zealand comfortably reached 137/5 in 13.1 overs.

For Pakistan, Haris Rauf took two wickets, while Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Ali, and Jahandad Khan got one wicket each.

With this win, New Zealand now leads the series 2-0. Pakistan will have to fight back in the third T20I, which is scheduled for March 20.

Andrew Brownlee of the Falkland Islands stunned the cricketing world by making his T20 International (T20I) debut at the age of 62 against Costa Rica. His remarkable achievement has earned him a place in cricket history as the oldest male player to participate in an international cricket match.

According to reports, on 10 March 2025, during their tour of Costa Rica, the Falkland Islands became the 106th team to play international cricket. The entire Falkland Islands playing XI was over the age of 31, with most players above 40. Notably, three players were over 56, but none as senior as Brownlee.

The 62-year-old Brownlee became the first male cricketer in history to play a T20I—or any international cricket match—after turning 60. Before him, the record for the oldest male cricketer to debut in international cricket was set by Turkey’s Osman Goker, who made his debut at 59 against Romania in 2019.

During the tour, Brownlee played two additional T20I matches against Costa Rica on 11 and 12 March. Batting at number ten in all three games, he scored one, two, and three runs, respectively. In his second match, he also bowled one over of medium pace.

On the day of his final match, Brownlee was 62 years and 147 days old, securing his place in cricket’s record books as the oldest international debutant.

Pakistan has reached another historic milestone as the official football for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, manufactured in Sialkot, gains international recognition. Images of the football being presented to the US President and FIFA President have surfaced, underscoring Pakistan’s growing influence in the global sports industry.

Forward Sports (Pvt) Ltd., the Sialkot-based company behind the production of the football, shared the news on its official social media, stating, “We take immense pride in sharing that the official football for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, designed and manufactured by Forward Sports (Pvt) Ltd., has received global recognition.”

The company also posted images featuring its founder and chairman, Khawaja Masood, holding the official ball. Another image showed the US President and FIFA President inspecting the same football, further highlighting Pakistan’s exceptional craftsmanship in the sports industry.

Expressing gratitude to its employees, Forward Sports stated, “We deeply appreciate every team member who contributed to this success. From design and quality management to IT security and production, their relentless hard work has made this achievement possible. This moment of pride belongs to all of us.”

Sialkot has long been renowned for its excellence in sports manufacturing, and this latest achievement further cements its reputation on the global stage.

A groundbreaking revelation has emerged in the cricketing World, after media reports claimed that Saudi Arabia is reportedly working on developing a high-profile T20 league modelled after tennis Grand Slams.

According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s secret international T20 league is being planned by an influential Australian cricketing personality. The project is being hailed as a significant step in the global expansion of cricket.

The report states that the proposed league will feature eight teams, and the tournament format will be similar to tennis Grand Slams, where teams will play matches at four different venues throughout the year. This unique structure will also influence the way teams are selected and scheduled.

Saudi Arabia’s SRJ Sports Investments is set to be the primary financial backer of the league, with discussions taking place with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for over a year, as per reports.

The report claims that the idea has been in the works for more than a year and is spearheaded by former Australian all-rounder Neil Maxwell. Notably, Maxwell also manages Australian Test captain Pat Cummins and has previously been a board member of the Australian Cricketers’ Association and Cricket New South Wales.

A consortium of investors is already in place to fund the international league, though the league’s official name has not yet been disclosed, reports said.

Saudi Arabia is prepared to invest a staggering $500 million into the league. The move aligns with the country’s broader sports strategy, which has already seen massive investments in football, golf, Formula 1 racing, and its successful bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

SRJ Sports Investments, which is leading the cricket initiative, is headed by Danny Townsend, the former CEO of Australia’s professional leagues. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is also involved in overseeing the project.

The league is expected to be played when no major ICC tournaments or major national T20 leagues, such as the IPL or BBL, are scheduled. However, reports said that the league will require formal approval from Cricket Australia and the ICC, with the final decision resting in the hands of ICC chairman Jay Shah.

This latest development signals Saudi Arabia’s increasing influence in global sports and could potentially reshape the landscape of franchise cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a legal notice to South African all-rounder Corbin Bosch for violating his Pakistan Super League (PSL) contract.

According to an official PCB statement, the legal notice was sent to Bosch through his agent after he breached the terms of his PSL contract.

Peshawar Zalmi picked Corbin Bosch in the Diamond category during the PSL player draft. However, despite being under contract with the PSL, he opted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) instead.

The PCB management has outlined the potential consequences and impact of Bosch’s withdrawal from the league. IPL franchise Mumbai Indians signed the South African cricketer as a replacement for the injured Lizaad Williams.

This situation has raised concerns over contract enforcement in franchise cricket, and the PCB’s action signals a strict stance against contract violations.

Pakistan faced a humiliating defeat by nine wickets against New Zealand in the first T20 match played at Christchurch on Sunday.

New Zealand won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat first.

Pakistan put up a disappointing batting performance, getting bowled out for just 91 runs in 18.4 overs.

Khushdil Shah was the top scorer with 32 runs off 30 balls, including three sixes. Salman Ali Agha contributed 18 (20), while Jahandad Khan made 17 (17). Abdul Samad (7 off 12) and Shadab Khan (3 off 6) failed to build momentum. The rest of the batting lineup struggled, with Mohammad Haris (0 off 6), Hassan Nawaz (0 off 2), Irfan Khan Niazi (1 off 6), Shaheen Afridi (1 off 8), and Abrar Ahmed (2 off 4) falling cheaply. Mohammad Ali remained not out on 1 (1).

For New Zealand, Jacob Duffy was the standout bowler, taking three wickets. Kyle Jamieson also claimed 3, while Ish Sodhi picked up 2, and Zakary Foulkes got 1 to dismantle Pakistan’s batting lineup.

New Zealand comfortably chased down Pakistan’s paltry target of 92 runs, finishing at 92/1 in just 10.1 overs.

Tim Seifert led the charge with a quick 44 (29), hitting seven fours and one six before getting dismissed by Abrar Ahmed. Finn Allen played an aggressive knock of 29 (17) with two fours and two sixes, while Tim Robinson remained not out on 18 (15).

Abrar Ahmed was the only wicket-taker for Pakistan.

Pakistan will play the second match of the five-match T20 series against New Zealand on March 18.