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  • Nita Ambani makes shocking claims about Hardik Pandya and his brother

    Nita Ambani makes shocking claims about Hardik Pandya and his brother

    Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani revealed the shocking story behind Hardik Pandya and his brother Krunal Pandya.

    Nita first met Hardik and Krunal more than a decade ago during a training camp.

    Speaking at an event in Boston, she said,  “In the IPL, we all have a fixed budget, so we have to think of new ways to scout talent. At that time, we were looking for fresh talent. I used to attend every Ranji Trophy match. One day, our scouts brought two skinny young boys to our camp.”

    Recalling her conversation with the Pandya brothers, she continued,  “When I spoke to Hardik and Krunal, they told me that for three years, they had eaten nothing but Maggi noodles because they had no money. But I saw the passion and hunger in them to achieve something big.”

    “Those two brothers were none other than Hardik Pandya and Krunal Pandya. In 2015, I bought Hardik Pandya for $10,000, and today, he is the proud captain of Mumbai Indians,” she added.

    Hardik started his career in 2015 with Mumbai Indians, followed by his selection for the Indian cricket team. Over time, he became one of India’s top cricketers and remains an integral part of the national team today.

  • India unveils Champions Trophy jersey with ‘Pakistan’ inscribed

    India unveils Champions Trophy jersey with ‘Pakistan’ inscribed

    The Indian cricket team unveiled its new jersey for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025 on Monday.

    Skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh were seen posing in the new vibrant jersey, marking the official introduction of the kit for the upcoming tournament.

    However, what caught everyone’s attention more than the jersey itself was whether the host country’s name, “Pakistan,” was printed on it. The Indian media had previously claimed that India’s kit for the Champions Trophy would not feature the host nation’s name.

    Recently, a controversy emerged regarding the placement of the ICC-approved Champions Trophy logo on India’s jersey. According to ICC regulations, all participating teams must display the official tournament logo on their kits, which includes the name of the host country. Despite this, reports from the Indian media suggested that India’s jersey would omit Pakistan’s name.

    However, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later confirmed that the Indian team would adhere to ICC rules and that the host country’s name would indeed be present on the jersey.

    On Monday, when the ICC shared pictures of Indian cricketers receiving ICC awards and Team of the Year caps ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025, the images confirmed that the players’ jerseys featured the official tournament logo along with the host nation’s name, “Pakistan.”

    This marks the first time in recent years that India’s jersey has displayed Pakistan’s name.

    A similar controversy arose during the 2023 Asia Cup, which Pakistan also hosted. At that time, India raised objections, leading to the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) decision to approve a tournament logo that did not include the host country’s name.

  • Pakistan shines at Asian Road Cycling Championship with six medals

    Pakistan shines at Asian Road Cycling Championship with six medals

    Pakistani cyclists put up an impressive show at the Asian Road Cycling Championship, securing the sixth spot and winning six medals.

    According to Geo News, Pakistani cyclists won two gold, silver and bronze medals each in the championship held in Thailand. Cyclist Ali Ilyas Jawaid won gold in Individual Time Trial (ITT) and managed to secure silver medal in the Road Race (IRR).

    Ilyas’s gold came in the Men’s Master Open (35-39 age group) after he completed the 21.4km course in 26 minutes, 30.556 seconds, averaging a speed of 48.44km/h to finish one minute and 14 seconds ahead of Thailand’s Narongdat Sangchai, who secured the silver medal.

    Meanwhile, Rabia Gharib bagged gold and silver in the IRR and ITT categories, respectively.

    Another Pakistani cyclist Zainab Rizwan won two bronze medals in ITT and IRR.

    One of Rizwan’s bronze medals came in the 40-44 age category where she finished the race in one hour, 15 minutes, and 13 seconds.

    The results were recorded as Pakistan’s best-ever performance in the tournament.

  • Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    Champions Trophy: ‘No Indian flags displayed at Pakistani stadiums,’ reports claim

    With Champions Trophy just around the corner, hosts Pakistan have displayed flags of all nations except India at the newly-renovated Gaddafi and National stadiums, Indian media outlets have claimed.

    As per the details, Indian media reports quoted a post on X claiming that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) “removed the Indian flag from the Karachi stadium” while keeping the flags of other playing nations.

    Reports went on to claim that the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore was also dressed up as flags of seven teams, except India, were displayed.

    While the PCB or the International Cricket Council (ICC) have not yet responded to the claims that remain unverified, sources privy to the development told The Current that the visuals were from Feb 11 — a day before the Champions Trophy support period started.

    “As per ICC guidelines, only four flags will be hoisted on match days during the CT25. These will include the event authority [ICC], event host [PCB] and the two participating countries for the day,” they clarified.

    Netizens, however, are speculating the possible reasons behind the alleged “snub”.

    As some suggested it could have been an “honest mistake”, others believed it was Pakistan’s reaction to India’s refusal to come play the tournament in the country over “security concerns”.

    Meanwhile, ICC reported that tickets will be available for India’s opening group match with Bangladesh on February 20, while there will also be tickets available for their games against arch-rival Pakistan (February 23) and New Zealand (March 2) at the eight-team tournament.

    It merits a mention that all Indian matches will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after months of negotiations between the PCB, India and the ICC following the neighbouring country’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament. 

    There will also be limited tickets available for semi-final 1 which will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4, ICC said.

    Separately, Pakistan is officially ready to host an ICC event for the first time in 29 years, launching the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at Dewan-e-Khas of Lahore Fort on Sunday.

    The Curtain Raiser event successfully dialled up anticipation ahead of the tournament opener on February 19 between hosts Pakistan and fellow title contenders New Zealand.

    Organisers lit Lahore Fort in all its glory, presenting a spectacular sight as a sign of what’s to come right the way through the first Champions Trophy event since 2017.

    It is hosts Pakistan that will look to defend their crown, having claimed the 2017 edition of the tournament in the United Kingdom (UK).

    Members of the trophy-winning squad from 2017 played a central role at the Curtain Raiser at Lahore Fort, helping ignite great memories such as Pakistan’s decisive win over India by 180 runs at The Oval in the final.

  • ‘Childish’ & ‘brainless’ decisions: Ahmed Shehzad calls out skipper Rizwan

    ‘Childish’ & ‘brainless’ decisions: Ahmed Shehzad calls out skipper Rizwan

    With Pakistan losing the tri-nation series final against New Zealand Friday, former Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has called out white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan’s tactical decisions, going on to label his approach as “childish” and “brainless”.

    Speaking on his YouTube channel, Shehzad slammed Rizwan’s decision to bat first in the match, calling it “brainless” and “lacking understanding of the pitch conditions”.

    “Pakistan’s bubble has burst ahead of the Champions Trophy,” Shehzad said, adding that it was a “mind-boggling decision”, especially after seeing in the previous match that the pitch was better for batting at night.

    “The ball doesn’t grip for spinners. Still, the team decided to bat first—no clue,” Shehzad said. 

    The 33-year-old also expressed his frustration with Rizwan’s team selection, particularly the decision to leave out a specialist bowler in favour of an all-rounder. He argued that this weakened the team’s bowling attack and that Rizwan’s cautious approach favoured a deep batting lineup over a well-balanced team.

    “In every decision, the Pakistan captain wants to play it safe with batting,” Shehzad explained. 

    “Whether it’s not having enough spinners in the Champions Trophy squad or, in this match, playing Faheem Ashraf as an all-rounder to strengthen the batting at the expense of Mohammad Hasnain. Yet, Ashraf only bowled two overs,” he said. 

    Shehzad warned that such “childish decisions” could hurt Pakistan’s chances in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

    Pakistan on Friday lost the tri-series final to New Zealand by five wickets. Despite outclassing South Africa in the second match of the series, the national side’s batting lineup crumbled before Kiwi bowlers, putting up a target of mere 243 runs.

    New Zealand comfortably won the match by five wickets and with 28 balls to spare.

  • ‘Enough is enough’: Former cricketer says time for Babar Azam to start scoring

    ‘Enough is enough’: Former cricketer says time for Babar Azam to start scoring

    Former Pakistan Test cricketer Tauseef Ahmed has said that “enough was enough” and he now wanted to see Babar Azam score runs.

    Speaking to a private media outlet, Ahmed said that it was time for Babar to step up and play an important role in the national side’s wins.

    He further said that it was easier for openers to score with just two fielders outside the 30-yard circle. “Fakhar [Zaman] plays attacking cricket and if he gets out, it is bad luck.”

    However, he added, what happened to Saud Shakeel was a planned wicket.

    Babar’s cousin and former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, on the other hand, said that the star batsman put up an impressive display in recent matches with Pakistan outclassing South Africa in the tri-series.

    He went on to talk about the recent changes to the batting order and said Babar Azam was among the best ODI batsmen out there. “He needs to play positively and focus on shot slections,” Akmal said and added that everyone wanted to see Babar scoring runs.

    “It is not just about Babar’s performance but every player needs to take responsibility. If we improve our bowling, we can play brilliant cricket like New Zealand,” he concluded.

    It merits a mention that the statements come after New Zealand crushed Pakistan owing to the national side’s lackluster performance in the tri-nation series ahead of the Champions Trophy.

    Pakistan managed to win only against South Africa but lost both the opener and final of the series against New Zealand.

    On Friday, New Zealand won the tri-series final by chasing down Pakistan’s unimpressive target of 242 for a loss of only five wickets and with 28 balls to spare.

    The first powerplay was a portent for Pakistan’s go-slow. The hosts played out 48 dots in the powerplay, in which they managed 48 for 2, and failed to hit a high tempo through the innings.

    Babar Azam brought the Karachi crowd alive when he laced Jacob Duffy through the covers for four, and became the joint fastest to 6,000 ODI runs in his 123rd innings, alongside Hashim Amla.

    He, however, returned to the pavilion after scoring just 29 off 34 balls.

  • Another milestone: Babar Azam matches Hashmi Amla’s 6,000-run record

    Another milestone: Babar Azam matches Hashmi Amla’s 6,000-run record

    Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam has reached a remarkable milestone in ODI cricket, completing 6,000 career runs.

    As per the details, Babar achieved this feat during the final match of the tri-nation series against New Zealand at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.

    He achieved the milestone with his 10th run during the innings, matching South African star Hashim Amla’s record for the fastest to score 6,000 ODI runs, in just 123 innings.

    The 29-year-old has also become the fastest Asian batter to reach the mark, surpassing India’s Virat Kohli, who took 136 innings to achieve the same.

    Babar is now the 11th Pakistani batter to score 6,000 ODI runs. Before him, legendary players such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Javed Miandad, Younis Khan, Saleem Malik, Mohammad Hafeez and Ijaz Ahmed have all achieved this milestone.

    In this match, Babar returned to the pavilion after scoring 29 runs.

    PAK STRUGGLING AGAINST NZ

    In the final of the tri-nation series, Pakistan is struggling against New Zealand. Khushdil Shah and Tayyab Tahir are currently batting.

    The match is being played at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium, where the national team did not get off to a good start. Opener Fakhar Zaman scored 10, Saud Shakeel 8, and Babar Azam was dismissed for 29 runs.

    After losing three early wickets for 54 runs, Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha stabilized the innings with a responsible partnership of 88 runs. However, at the team’s total score of 142, Mohammad Rizwan also got out after scoring 46 runs. Salman also returned to the pavilion, scoring 45 runs.

  • New Zealand’s Ben Sears ruled out of Champions Trophy

    New Zealand’s Ben Sears ruled out of Champions Trophy

    New Zealand fast bowler Ben Sears has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after a hamstring injury.

    According to New Zealand Cricket, Sears sustained the injury during a training session in Karachi on Wednesday, forcing him out of the tournament. As a replacement, Jacob Duffy has been added to the squad. Duffy was already with the team for the ongoing tri-series.

    The ICC event’s technical committee has approved the squad change for New Zealand.

    Meanwhile, several other key players have also been ruled out of the Champions Trophy. “Pakistan’s Saim Ayub and India’s Jasprit Bumrah have withdrawn because of injuries, while Australia’s Mitchell Starc has opted out for personal reasons.

    Additionally, Afghanistan’s spinner, AM Ghazanfar, will miss the tournament following fitness concerns, and South Africa will be without their pace spearhead, Anrich Nortje.

    With multiple squad changes ahead of the mega event, teams will have to adjust their strategies accordingly.

  • PCB plans ‘thrilling surprise’ for Champions Trophy opening ceremony

    PCB plans ‘thrilling surprise’ for Champions Trophy opening ceremony

    The Champions Trophy 2025 is set to begin on February 19, and a grand opening ceremony has been planned for the tournament.

    As the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gears up for the launch of the year’s biggest cricketing event, reports have claimed that the host board has planned a “thrilling surprise” for spectators.

    According to reports, details have emerged for the surprise that was earlier hinted at by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi for the opening ceremony that will take place at the National Stadium Karachi before the first match between Pakistan and New Zealand.

    While the event is expected to be a spectacular show, its highlight will reportedly be an aerial display by Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) JF-17 Thunder and F-16 fighter jets that will perform breathtaking aerobatic maneuvers.

    Pakistan’s elite Sherdil Squadron will add to the excitement with a smoke trail show, reports said and added that rehearsals for the aerial show were already underway.

    Additionally, another opening ceremony will take place on February 16 at Hazoori Bagh in Lahore, featuring a special musical performance by renowned Pakistani singer Atif Aslam.

    Champions Trophy anthem: ICC drops banger by Atif Aslam

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the official anthem of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy featuring famous Pakistani singer Atif Aslam.

    The teaser, posted on the ICC’s social media platforms, gives a sneak peek of the excitement surrounding the event, which will take place in Pakistan.

    The full anthem is highly anticipated as the Champions Trophy returns after an eight-year break.

    Singer Atif Aslam, known for his powerful voice and global appeal, brings his unique style to the anthem, which is expected to connect with cricket fans worldwide.

    The tournament is historically significant, marking the return of a major ICC event to Pakistan after almost 30 years.

    The 2025 Champions Trophy will feature the top eight ODI teams, with matches in Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi.

    The tournament was initially planned to be held entirely in Pakistan, but the format changed after India decided not to send players due to security concerns. Despite this, the Pakistan Cricket Board has promised full security for all participants.

    Pakistan is the reigning champion, having won the 2017 edition in England and Wales. Australia and India are the most successful teams in the tournament’s history, each with two titles.

  • ICC reveals prize money for Champions Trophy 2025

    ICC reveals prize money for Champions Trophy 2025

    The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the prize money for the upcoming Champions Trophy, which Pakistan will host.

    According to the ICC’s official statement, the winning team will receive a hefty prize of $2.24 million (equivalent to over PKR620 million), while the runner-up will be awarded $1.12 million (approximately PKR311 million).

    Similarly, the semi-finalist teams will each receive $560,000 (more than PKR155.5 million).

    Compared to the 2017 edition, the total prize money for the teams has increased by 53%.

    Each victory in the group stage will earn the winning team $34,000, while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will receive $350,000. The teams finishing in seventh and eighth place will be awarded $140,000 each.

    Moreover, all eight participating teams will be guaranteed a participation fee of $125,000 for competing in the event.