Category: Sports

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is back after eight years and will be held in Pakistan from February 19. Pakistan will compete against seven top teams to defend its title.  

The tournament will start with eight teams divided into two groups. Each team will play three matches in the group stage, and the top two teams from each group will move on to the semi-finals.

Group A includes Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand, while Group B has Afghanistan, England, Australia, and South Africa.

The first match of the tournament will take place on February 19 in Karachi, where Pakistan will face New Zealand.

Champions Trophy 2025 Squads

Pakistan:
Mohammad Rizwan (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Saud Shakeel, Kamran Ghulam, Tayyab Tahir, Salman Ali Agha, Faheem Ashraf, Khushdil Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain.

India:
Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant.

Bangladesh:
Nazmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mushfiqur Rahim, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, MD Mahmud Ullah, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Jaker Ali Anik, Mustafizur Rahman, Rishad Hossain, Parvez Hossain Emon, Nasum Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana.

New Zealand:
Mitchell Santner (c), Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke, Will Young.

Afghanistan:
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Sediqullah Atal, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, AM Ghazanfar, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran.

Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Nangyal Kharoti, Bilal Sami.

England:
Jos Buttler (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Phil Salt, Jamie Overton, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Saqib Mahmood, Ben Duckett, Brydon Carse, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith.

Australia:
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Matt Short, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Mitchell Starc, Aaron Hardie, Adam Zampa (one more player to be added).

South Africa:
Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi.

The Champions Trophy is scheduled in Pakistan and UAE from February 19 to March 9.

Pakistan cricket team has finalized its opening pair for the upcoming tri-series and International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, with star batter Babar Azam set to open the innings alongside Fakhar Zaman.

According to reports, team management has given Babar the agreement to take on the challenge and will now open the innings in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Pakistan recently announced the names of the players included in its 15-member squad, with Fakhar Zaman slotted as the only regular opener. Chief selector Asad Shafiq had earlier mentioned that the second opener would be decided before the match.

Reports said that opener Saim Ayub’s injury influenced the decision. During the Cape Town Test, Saim suffered an ankle injury serious enough for the coaching staff to immediately realize that his recovery would take around two to two-and-a-half months.

This led to several discussions between team management, head coach Aaqib Javed, batting coach Shahid Aslam, and senior players, including Mohammad Rizwan. They convinced Babar Azam to take up the role of an opener in both Test and ODI formats.

Babar was told that the selectors wanted him to play a role similar to Sachin Tendulkar, who started as a middle-order batter but became a regular opener in 1994-95. His move to the top order played a key role in India’s ODI success.

Babar has been advised to aim to play through the full 50 overs in ODIs. After careful consideration, he has agreed to open the innings in the upcoming tri-series and Champions Trophy.

The 30-year-old has played 123 ODIs for Pakistan, scoring 5,957 runs at an impressive average of 56. He has hit 19 centuries and 23 half-centuries. While he has been a regular opener in T20s, he has mostly played at No. 3 or No. 4 in ODIs.

The last time Babar opened in ODIs was in 2015 against England, where he played two matches as an opener. However, in recent years, he has been Pakistan’s key batter at the No. 3 position.

With this change, Pakistan’s management believes Babar can become the backbone of the ODI squad, just like Tendulkar was for India. His performance at the top will be crucial in Pakistan’s upcoming international campaigns.

Yesterday, Pakistan revealed its squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.

Squad:

Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir,  Faheem Asharf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Rizwan, Usman Khan,  Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Sheheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Muhammad Hasnain.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the national squad for the upcoming tri-series and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Chief selector Asad Shafiq revealed that the squad includes the return of Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Saud Shakeel, and Faheem Ashraf. He stated, “We have selected players who have performed well in home conditions.”

A crucial decision for Pakistan will be selecting Fakhar Zaman’s opening partner, with Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel being the primary contenders for the role.

Commenting on the omission of young batter Saim Ayub, Asad Shafiq acknowledged, “We understand how painful it is for Saim to miss out on the Champions Trophy, but we do not want to make any hasty decisions.”

Pakistan will begin its ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against New Zealand on February 19 at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.

Squad:

Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Tayyab Tahir,  Faheem Asharf, Khushdil Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Muhammad Rizwan, Usman Khan,  Abrar Ahmed, Haris Rauf, Sheheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Muhammad Hasnain.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has provided key updates on stadium upgrades and the upcoming Champions Trophy.  

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Friday, Mohsin Naqvi said, “Additional costs were incurred during the stadium upgrades, and to cover these expenses, the PCB will generate revenue by monetising passes instead of offering free ICC tickets as part of the financial strategy.”  

“Construction work, which began in October with a completion target of January 31, has been successfully finished. Media personnel visited the stadium more often than I did, keeping an eye on the progress every day. Pakistan is fully prepared to host the Champions Trophy,” he said.  

“The tournament’s opening ceremony will be held in Lahore on February 16. The stadiums have been upgraded with better seating arrangements, improved viewing experiences, and new facilities. President Asif Ali Zardari will inaugurate Karachi’s National Stadium on February 11,” he added.  

Naqvi confirmed that Pakistan’s squad for the tournament will be announced later today.  

Addressing concerns about external scrutiny, Naqvi said, “All preparations are being closely monitored, and no negative issues will be found.”  

He also mentioned that the new seats installed in the stadium were imported from China and come with a 20-year warranty.  

The Champions Trophy is set to take place from February 19 to March 8 in Pakistan and the UAE.

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli made a dramatic return to domestic cricket after more than a decade, but his comeback did not go as planned. Playing for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, the 36-year-old batter was dismissed for just six runs off 15 balls in a match against Railways.

Kohli was clean bowled by young fast bowler Himanshu Sangwan, who celebrated the big wicket with unbridled excitement. His celebration quickly went viral, with videos and pictures spreading across social media. However, Kohli’s fans reacted angrily to his glee. 

The master batsman’s fans started trolling Sangwan on social media, posting insulting comments and swearing words. Some fans could not accept their favourite cricketer getting out cheaply and expressed their frustration online.

Virat Kohli is one of the most followed cricketers in the world, with millions of fans not just in India but across the globe. His popularity was evident as more than 15,000 spectators came to the stadium to watch him play. However, he failed to deliver a strong performance, leaving his fans disappointed.

Here is how users are trolling him:

Australia faces a major setback just before the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy, as all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a back injury.

According to Cricket Australia, Marsh had been struggling with back pain for several days. Despite undergoing rehab, his condition did not improve, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.

Cricket Australia confirmed that Marsh will continue to rest and undergo further rehabilitation. His replacement will be announced soon.

The deadline for finalizing the squad for the Champions Trophy is February 12.

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was ignored in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) draft this year, is set to represent Pakistan once again.

Pakistan Champions have officially signed Sarfaraz Ahmed for the second edition of the World Championship of Legends. The former captain will be seen in action in the tournament.

After the success of the first edition, the second edition of the World Championship of Legends is now being launched. In the first edition, India Champions defeated Pakistan Champions to win the title.

Pakistan announced Sarfaraz Ahmed’s inclusion through a video post on their Instagram account.

Under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s captaincy, Pakistan won the 2017 Champions Trophy.

Contrary to earlier reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to hold the opening ceremony of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025 in Lahore.

According to reports, the ceremony will take place on February 16 at the provincial capital’s historic Hazoori Bagh. The PCB has already prepared the schedule and Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has approved all plans in this regard.

Meanwhile, the renovation work at Gaddafi Stadium is also almost complete. The stadium’s opening ceremony is expected on February 7 with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as chief guest, reports said, adding that Naqvi has officially invited him to the event that may also include a laser show.

A new building has been constructed at National Stadium Karachi as well, and its opening ceremony is scheduled for February 11. President Asif Ali Zardari is expected to attend the event as chief guest.

According to reports, England will arrive in Lahore on February 18 due to a break after their white-ball series in India, which ends on February 12. Australia will reach Lahore on February 19 after a Test and ODI series in Sri Lanka, ending on February 14, followed by four days of rest.

Earlier, reports claimed that the opening ceremony of the Champions Trophy might not happen due to the late arrival of some teams. It was also claimed that the pre-tournament press conference and photo shoot with eight team captains in Karachi had been cancelled.

Despite these concerns, the PCB has finalised the opening ceremony, ensuring a grand start to the mega cricketing event.

Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram has always been one of the most stylish cricketers in the country. From many shoots for fashion brands to TV commercials, the left-arm bowling great has done it all. 

And now his son Akbar has also entered the world of modelling.

The Sultan of Swing shared the exciting news on Instagram by posting a picture of Akbar in Pakistan’s breakout brand Rastah’s shoot. He wrote, “My son, I am so proud of the amazing person you have become and the direction you are moving in.”

He further revealed that he was sharing a glimpse of Akbar’s first modelling project on his 24th birthday and asked fans to wait for the full photoshoot launch.

Akbar has done his first modelling project for the famous fashion brand Rastah. In the picture, he can be seen wearing a shirt from the brand.

Wasim Akram has two sons, Taimoor and Akbar, from his first wife, Huma Wasim, who passed away in 2009. Later, he married Australian citizen Shaniera Akram, and they have a daughter named Aiyla.

Fans love Wasim Akram’s shirt but it might be too expensive

Wasim Akram has always been one of the most stylish sportsmen of the subcontinent and now we have more proof that nothing can beat his swag. 

The Sultan of Swing looked like the Sultan of Style in a green shirt that he wore for a picture that he posted on Thursday on X (formerly Twitter). While the accompanying tweet was about his love for Dubai, his followers focused in on the shirt, a creative spin on Pakistan cricket team’s kits. 

“I wanna buy this sweater,” wrote one follower. 

Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj is making headlines for his rumoured relationship with actress Mahira Sharma, who was a finalist in Bigg Boss 13.

A few days ago, legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s granddaughter, Zanai Bhosle, called Siraj her “brother” on Instagram. This put an end to the rumours that Siraj and Zanai were in a romantic relationship.

Indian media reports now claim that Siraj could be in a relationship with Mahira. The speculation started when fans noticed Siraj liking her Instagram pictures. Additionally, both celebrities have followed each other on social media.

Reports suggest that close sources to both the cricketer and the actress have confirmed their relationship. They stated that the two are quite close but want to keep their romance private for now.

Mahira Sharma gained fame from Bigg Boss 13, a highly popular season won by the late Sidharth Shukla. She was previously in a relationship with fellow Bigg Boss contestant Paras Chhabra, but they later broke up.

With the growing buzz around Siraj and Mahira’s relationship, fans are eagerly waiting for an official confirmation from the duo.