Category: Sports

Pakistan’s taekwondo star Haroon Khan won a bronze medal in the Fujairah Open International Taekwondo Championship (G-2 category) on February 9, 2025, in the UAE. He performed brilliantly to achieve this success.

He won three matches in a row but lost in the semi-final against Iran’s Hossein Pour Alireza. In the earlier rounds, he defeated Kuwait’s Alkli F and Iran’s Khajavi Rasteen with great performances.

During his matches, the star displayed smart strategy and powerful kicks. However, in the semi-final, Iran’s Hossein Pour Alireza won after a tough fight.

After the match, Haroon said he was proud of his achievement. He stated, ‘Winning a medal for Pakistan at this level is an honour for me. I will work harder to win a gold medal in future competitions.’

Sports fans across the country praised Haroon Khan’s achievement, calling him an inspiration for young athletes.

Pakistani fast bowler Mir Hamza recently shared a funny story about Babar Azam on the comedy show Hasna Mana Hai on Geo.

The host, Tabish Hashmi, asked him, “If Babar Azam is batting and needs two runs to win, and you have played against him in PSL, what will you do?”

Mir Hamza replied, “Babar Azam is our best player. Let me tell you a story about him. When I was bowling to him in PSL, it felt like he was reading the ball. After I bowled, I saw Babar looking at me, watching which side of the ball I was shining.”

He added, “Babar played two or three deliveries calmly, and I felt like he was observing my bowling. So, the next time I went to bowl, I tried to hide the ball while shining it. But Babar smiled as if he already knew what I was doing.”

Mir Hamza said, “I think Babar Azam can predict the bowler’s next delivery before it is even bowled.”

As of now, Babar Azam has continuously failed to score big runs since 2023.

A day after Indian fans mocked Pakistan for the lighting at Gaddafi Stadium during the match between Pakistan and New Zealand, karma seemed to strike back.

On January 8, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra was hit by a ball on the eyebrows during a catch attempt. Following this, Indian fans began mocking the lighting at Gaddafi Stadium.

However, during the India versus England match at Barabati Stadium on Sunday, the stadium lights went off, leaving both players and spectators in shock.

Social media exploded with reactions, as Pakistanis were quick to remind Indian fans of their recent trolling of the stadium lights. Many called it poetic justice, while others couldn’t help but laugh at the irony of the situation.

Here is how social media is reacting to this:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has shared the medical reports of fast bowler Haris Rauf, who got injured while bowling against New Zealand in the first match of the tri-series on Saturday.

According to the PCB, his injury is not serious, and he is expected to recover fully before the Champions Trophy 2025, which will start in Karachi on February 19.

The board confirmed that Haris will be available for the tournament. His MRI and X-ray reports show that he has a strain in the lower part of his chest.

As a precaution, he will not play in the match against South Africa on February 12 in Karachi.

Haris felt pain in his ribs while bowling against New Zealand and left the field without completing his over. Agha Salman finished the over for him.

The fast bowler is also part of Pakistan’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy.

New Zealand outclassed hosts Pakistan by 78 runs in the first match of the tri-nation series at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Chasing a target of 331, Pakistan’s batting lineup collapsed, and the team was bundled out for 252 runs in the 48th over.

Earlier, New Zealand’s captain Mitchell Santner won the toss and opted to bat first. The visitors had a shaky start as Shaheen Afridi dismissed Will Young in the first over. Abrar Ahmed then sent Rachin Ravindra back to the pavilion with the team’s total at just 39.

However, skipper Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell steadied the innings with a solid partnership. Williamson, after scoring a responsible 58, was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi when the team’s total was 134. Soon after, Tom Latham departed without scoring.

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips then took charge, playing aggressive yet calculated cricket. Phillips stole the show with an unbeaten 106 off just 72 balls, guiding New Zealand to a commanding total of 330/6 in 50 overs. Mitchell also made a valuable contribution of 81 runs.

For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi was the standout bowler, claiming three wickets. Abrar Ahmed took two wickets while Haris Rauf picked up one before leaving the field due to discomfort during his seventh over.

During the chase, Pakistan started aggressively, thanks to Fakhar Zaman. However, the top order failed to support him, with captain Babar Azam scoring just 10, Kamran Ghulam scoring 18, and Mohammad Rizwan departing for only three runs.

Fakhar played a valiant knock of 84 off 69 balls but fell at a crucial moment, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble. Agha Salman (40) and Tayyab Tahir (30) tried to fight back, but it wasn’t enough as the team was all out for 252. Haris Rauf, due to his injury, didn’t come out to bat.

For New Zealand, Matt Henry and Mitchell Santner shone with three wickets each whereas Michael Bracewell claimed two.

The second match of the tri-nation series will be played between New Zealand and South Africa on Monday.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Yasir Arafat has been appointed as the bowling consultant for the South African team ahead of an upcoming tri-series in Pakistan.

He is the first Pakistani cricketer to complete a Level 4 coaching course from a British university, making him one of the most qualified coaches from Pakistan.

Yasir has previously worked as a bowling coach with English county teams Sussex and Surrey, as well as the Big Bash League franchise Perth Scorchers. He has also served as the bowling coach for Pakistan’s National High-Performance Center and the Hong Kong cricket team.

Reacting to his appointment, Yasir Arafat expressed excitement, saying, “Working with the South African team will be a great experience.”

He further added, “As a bowling consultant, my focus will be on identifying and correcting the team’s mistakes while also helping them adapt to the playing conditions before their matches.”

He will join the Proteas squad in a training session before their first match against New Zealand on February 10.

Yasir represented Pakistan in three Tests, 11 ODIs, and 13 T20Is.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi met renowned kickboxer Agha Kaleem, who showcased his medals and championship belts during the meeting. 

Afridi praised Kaleem’s achievements and called him a source of pride for Pakistan, saying, “He is my hero. His success is the result of his hard work. Agha Kaleem has represented Pakistan on international platforms and made the country proud. We should keep praying for his continued success so that he brings more glory to Pakistan.”

The former captain also urged the private sector to step forward and support talented athletes like Agha Kaleem. “There are many talented young people in our country, but unfortunately, their talent is being wasted. The private sector should come forward and support them,” Afridi added.

Earlier, Afridi congratulated Agha on winning the World Caucasian Championship on January 27.

India’s star batter Virat Kohli may just be about to get a shocking position in the team, right before the prestigious Champions Trophy is scheduled to begin. 

The batting maestro might be appointed as India’s Test captain on a temporary basis since younger players are not yet ready for the role.

A report claims that India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has spoken to Kohli about leading the team again, but Kohli has not given a clear response. Jasprit Bumrah may not be considered for captaincy with concerns about his workload. 

“Coach Gautam Gambhir has backed the idea of Virat leading the Test team again. But he is yet to clear his stance officially. Team India has done well under Virat’s aggressive captaincy, especially in overseas conditions. With the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle starting, the team needs a leader like Kohli because the next line of Test leaders is still in development. In the interim, Kohli looks like the most suited option,” the report said.

Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma seemed annoyed when asked about his poor form ahead of the first ODI against England. He responded, “What sort of a question is that? This is a different format at a different time. As usual, as cricketers, we know there will be ups and downs. I have faced that a lot in my career. This is nothing new to me. We know that every day is fresh, and every series is a new one. I am looking forward to the challenge and not looking at the past. Clearly, you don’t. So I don’t have any reason to look at the past.”

Commenting on the criticism he is facing, his teammate Ravi Chandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, “This is not easy. If you look at it from Rohit’s point of view, then obviously, it is frustrating for him. He wants to concentrate on the series. He thinks that I’ve done well in this format, and I’d like to continue. I’m going into the tournament with a lot of confidence on the back of the One-Day tournaments that I’ve played.”

He further explained, “But people will ask questions. The ones who are watching will obviously ask. It’s a catch-22 situation. You can’t stop these questions. When will they stop? When he performs.”

Rohit, who returned to international cricket after a month, managed only two runs in the first ODI in Nagpur.