Category: Sports

A major theft was reported at the farmhouse of former cricketers Kamran Akmal and Umar Akmal’s father in Lahore’s Hayer area. Thieves broke in during daylight and stole a solar system worth PKR 500,000.

According to details, the culprits entered the farmhouse by breaking the main gate’s lock and fled after dismantling the solar panels.

Kamran Akmal’s father expressed his disappointment, saying, “We installed the solar system just yesterday, and today it has been stolen.”

Upon receiving the report, Hayer police immediately reached the scene. Officials stated that the suspects are being traced using CCTV footage and other sources.

SP Cantt Owais Shafiq confirmed that a case has been registered on the complaint of the farmhouse’s coach, Kashif Mehmood. He further instructed SDPO Burki Ghulam Dastgir Khan to track down and arrest the culprits as soon as possible.

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has finally opened up about the intense criticism he faced after his 15-runs innings off 23 balls against India in the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York.

Playing at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in the US, Pakistan was set a target of 120 runs on a difficult pitch. The team started well but fell short by six runs in the chase.

Imad came to bat when Pakistan was 73-3 in 12.2 overs, needing 47 more runs off 46 balls. Reflecting on the game, he admitted, “We had a plan to make the chase easier, but I couldn’t execute it properly.”

Speaking in a recent interview, he said, “After scoring 15 runs against India, the criticism made me feel like I had never achieved anything in life. I gave my best effort. I even apologized to the team management.”

During the innings, Pakistani batters played 59 dot balls and managed only 113-7 in their 20 overs. Imad contributed 15 runs off 23 deliveries.

India’s mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, has revealed that he received death threats following India’s humiliating 10-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Chakravarthy, who played a crucial role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy triumph with his impressive bowling, has now opened up about the devastating loss to Pakistan in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

“That was my debut mega event, and we suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Pakistan. That loss pushed me into depression,” he said.

The spinner further stated, “I went into the T20 World Cup with high hopes, but this defeat was a huge shock for me. After losing to Pakistan, I received threatening calls.”

He added, “People told me not to return to India and warned me of serious consequences. When I was coming back from the airport, some people followed me on bikes.”

Chakravarthy also revealed that unknown individuals would come near his house looking for him. “For several days, strangers would show up near my house, searching for me. At times, I had to hide,” he said.

Pakistan defeated India by 10 wickets in the 2021 T20 World Cup, knocking them out of the tournament. In that match, Varun Chakravarthy bowled four overs, conceding 33 runs without taking a wicket.

Pakistan’s victory was powered by Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, who both scored unbeaten half-centuries, marking only the second time Pakistan had defeated India in an ICC event.

Pakistan’s national cricketers have faced financial penalties for violating the code of conduct during home and away series, with Aamer Jamal receiving the highest fine.

According to sources, over PKR 3 million in fines have been imposed on players from the home series against England to the recent series against South Africa.

Aamer Jamal reportedly received the highest fine of approximately PKR 1.3 million for wearing a cap with the political slogan ‘804’ during an interview in the England series.

During the Australia series, three players were fined PKR 500,000 each for returning late to the team hotel. Similarly, in South Africa, four players were penalized for violating the team’s curfew. Cricketers Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Saim Ayub, and Abbas Afridi were among those fined.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has stated that disciplinary matters are an internal affair and, like cricket boards worldwide, it does not disclose such incidents to the public. PCB believes revealing these matters could damage the players’ reputations, which is why it refrains from commenting on the issue.

Pakistan has secured its third gold medal at the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy.

Athlete Afaq Khan claimed first place in the 100-metre snowshoeing event, earning the country’s third gold in the competition.

Earlier, Muneeb Ur Rehman won gold in the 50-metre cross-country skiing event, while Rovina Qurban secured silver in the women’s final of the same category.

Another Pakistani athlete, Moazzam Iqbal, also made the country proud by winning gold in cross-country skiing after finishing first in the 800-metre snowshoeing event.

Pakistan’s athletes continue to shine on the international stage, bringing home prestigious honours in winter sports.

English all-rounder Moeen Ali has refused to acknowledge Pakistan’s current fast bowlers as the “best” following their disappointing performances in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. 

Speaking on a podcast with fellow English cricketer Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali said that people of Pakistani origin often believe their team has the “best seamers,” but he disagrees.

He said, “Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf are good bowlers, but they are not the best. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they are bad, but they don’t have the qualities that would make them the best.”

Moeen’s comments come at a time when Pakistan’s pacers have been under heavy criticism from former cricketers due to their poor performances in the tournament.

During Pakistan’s two Champions Trophy matches, Shaheen Afridi managed only two wickets in 18 overs, conceding 140 runs at an economy rate of 8. Naseem Shah also took just two wickets in 18 overs, giving away 104 runs. Haris Rauf was Pakistan’s most expensive bowler, taking two wickets in 17 overs while conceding 135 runs at an economy rate of 9.

Pakistan’s pace attack has been heavily scrutinized, and Moeen Ali’s remarks have only fueled the debate on whether they truly deserve to be called the best.

Vanessa Trump, the former wife of Donald Jr, son of US President Donald Trump, is dating a sports superstar, American media outlets have reported. 

Golf legend Tiger Woods has reportedly found new love with Vanessa Trump. She was previously linked to a Hollywood star and even a Saudi prince.

Vanessa, who shares five children with Trump Jr., was recently spotted with Woods and their kids. Reports suggest that the two have been dating since Thanksgiving and live close to each other, with their children attending the same school.

Before her marriage to Trump Jr., Vanessa dated Valentin Rivera, suspected to be a member of the Latin Kings gang during high school. He later served time in prison. Rivera has said that Vanessa was heartbroken when he was taken away. She visited him twice before her mother forbade her from going to jail again.

At 20, Vanessa was linked to Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio. After that, she was in a serious relationship with Prince Khalid bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia. Reports say the unlikely duo dated from 1998 to 2001 and even lived together. They were planning to marry, but after the 9/11 attacks, the prince abruptly returned to Saudi Arabia, ending their relationship.

Now, years after her divorce from Trump Jr., Vanessa seems to have found love again with Tiger Woods.

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has spoken out about the decline of Pakistan cricket, highlighting key issues affecting its progress.

Recently, former Pakistan coach Jason Gillespie sparked controversy by calling Aaqib Javed a “clown” and blaming him for stepping away from his role. Now, Mickey Arthur has supported Gillespie’s claims, adding his perspective on the state of Pakistan cricket.

“Pakistan cricket keeps shooting itself in the foot. It is its own worst enemy,” Arthur stated. He criticised the management, saying that cricket in the country is driven by personal agendas rather than long-term planning. “Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten could have taken Pakistan cricket forward, but they were removed,” he added.

Arthur also praised Gillespie, describing him as an exceptional coach and a great human being. “Gillespie is an outstanding coach. Pakistan cricket continues to harm itself. There is a huge pool of talented players in the country, and they now have resources. Young talent is abundant with incredible skills. Yet, the team remains in chaos, which is truly unfortunate,” he remarked.

Further highlighting the internal struggles, he said,  “Pakistan had hired top-quality coaches who could have taken them forward, but then the system that weakens everything in Pakistan cricket came into motion.”

Last year, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Gillespie and Kirsten as head coaches for the red- and white-ball teams, respectively. However, both resigned after losing their authority in team selection.

Mickey Arthur served as Pakistan’s head coach from 2016 to 2019, during which Pakistan, under his guidance and Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, won the ICC Champions Trophy.

The 2025 draft for England’s The Hundred League took place at Lord’s on Wednesday, with not a single Pakistani player selected by any franchise.

A total of 50 Pakistani cricketers, including five women, had registered for the draft. However, none of them secured a place in any team.

Among the Pakistani women cricketers, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Yasira Aamir, Iram Javed, and Javeria Rauf were part of the draft but remained unselected. Despite all 45 Pakistani players from the men’s draft, including some well-known names, being available, they went unsold despite foreign player slots being open in several teams.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah had the highest reserve price among Pakistani players at £120,000, while experienced all-rounder Imad Wasim and young batter Saim Ayub had a reserve price of £78,500. Other players, such as Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Hasnain, were listed at £63,000, whereas several others, including Mohammad Abbas, Haider Ali, and Imad Butt, entered the draft without a set reserve price.

This season of The Hundred has witnessed major changes, as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has allowed external investment in the tournament. As a result, all eight franchises have secured investors, with four of them being owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) teams.

It is a well-known fact that since 2008, Pakistani players have not been allowed to participate in the IPL. However, reports indicate that IPL influence is not the reason why Pakistani players were snubbed in The Hundred. Instead, the uncertainty regarding their full availability for the tournament played a major role in their exclusion.

The Hundred 2025 is scheduled to run from August 5 to August 31. During this period, Pakistan is set to play three ODIs and T20Is against the West Indies from July 31 to August 12. Additionally, there is a possibility of a white-ball series against Bangladesh in July and August, which could further impact the availability of Pakistani players for The Hundred.

Last month, the ECB’s Chief Executive, Richard Gould, assured that Pakistani players would not face any restrictions in The Hundred due to IPL influence. He stated that while Pakistani players do face challenges in franchise leagues, their exclusion from The Hundred is not politically motivated.

The Punjab Sports Board has dismissed three employees and fined another one Rs20,000 in response to a harassment complaint filed by a female employee.

A few months ago, the female employee complained to several staff members, leading the department to form a three-member inquiry committee under the supervision of the Director of Administration.

After a thorough investigation, the committee submitted its report to the Secretary of Sports, who then conducted a second inquiry before making the final decision to terminate the employees.

According to the Punjab Sports Board, the accused employees were initially suspended, and following the emergence of solid evidence, they were dismissed.

The dismissed employees are Mubashir, Ehsan Bhatti, and Muhammad Uzair, while Mian Shahid has been fined Rs20,000.