Category: Sports

Bangladesh’s star cricketer and former captain Tamim Iqbal is retiring from international cricket. 

Tamim announced his decision on Friday, the second time he has decided to retire after initially declaring the same in July 2023, only to retract his decision within 24 hours.

Tamim shared his retirement news on social media, expressing that he has been away from international cricket for some time and has decided to end his career. He revealed that he had been contemplating the decision for a while.

“A major event like the Champions Trophy approaching, I did not want to be a distraction. I had already distanced myself from the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s central contract for some time. The decision to retire or continue playing is a personal choice for any athlete or cricketer,” he wrote. 

After a meeting with the Prime Minister, Tamim was asked about his potential return by Captain Nazmul Hossain Shanto and the selection committee. However, Tamim had already made up his mind. He thanked everyone for considering him important enough to discuss his return.

Tamim informed the selectors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board about his decision to retire.

Tamim Iqbal made his debut in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals in 2007, followed by his Test debut in 2008. Over his career, he played 70 Test matches, scoring 5,134 runs; 243 ODIs, scoring 8,357 runs; and 78 T20 Internationals, scoring 1,758 runs.

Pakistani snooker star Muhammad Asif has claimed victory in the third South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Snooker Championship 2025 on Friday.

In the final held in Colombo, Asif defeated Sri Lanka’s Talha Ishrat without dropping a single frame, securing the title with a flawless performance. 

This win adds another accolade to Asif’s impressive career.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to raise the issue of Afghan women’s cricket team restrictions in front of the International Cricket Council (ICC) rather than boycotting the match against Afghanistan.

According to foreign media reports, ECB Chief Executive Richard Gould and other members are scheduled to meet with the ICC next Monday.

During the meeting, the ECB officials will demand sanctions against Afghanistan and call on the ICC to halt funding to the Afghan Cricket Board (ACB) over its lack to resume women’s cricket under the Taliban rule.

The ECB will demand that the money be kept in an account till the restrictions of Afghan women’s team were lifted, reports said, claiming that the ECB will also demand that the ICC set a deadline for the same.

The reports come after ECB chief Richard Gould discussed the issue with England men’s cricket team captain Jos Butler. Earlier, 160 British politicians had also written a letter to the ECB to boycott the match with Afghanistan in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy.

Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal have registered for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 Local Players Gold Category List.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released the list of local players for the Gold category, which includes several notable names, including Ahmed Shehzad, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, and Sharjeel Khan.

Ahmed Shehzad last played in the PSL during the 2020 edition, where he represented the then-defending champions, Quetta Gladiators.

The PSL 10 Drafting Ceremony will take place in Lahore on January 13. During this event, the six teams will select players, and the categories have now been finalized.

Australian opener David Warner, Tim Southee, Chris Lynn, and 40 other overseas players are available in the Platinum category for the PSL 10 draft.

Other notable players in the Platinum category include Matthew Short, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, and Jason Roy.

A total of eight foreign players can be selected from the Platinum category, while 87 foreign players have registered in the Diamond category and 165 in the Gold category.

Additionally, players like Nissanka, Asalanka, Finn Allen, Chapman, Jason Holder, Adam Milne, Shaun Abbott, Corbin Bosch, Daryl Mitchell, Alex Carey, Usman Khawaja, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mustafizur Rahman are also available for the season 10 draft.

Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic recently revealed that he was allegedly “poisoned” during his short stay in Melbourne back in 2022 amid the COVID-19 controversy. 

Djokovic’s claims refer to the time in January 2022 when he was deported from Australia for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. Upon his arrival in Melbourne for the Australian Open, he was detained after his vaccination status was questioned, and his visa was cancelled. The Serbian tennis star fought a legal battle but was ultimately unsuccessful and was sent back to his home country.

“I had some health issues, and I realised that in that hotel in Melbourne, I was fed some food that poisoned me,” Djokovic said in an interview with GQ magazine.

“I had a really high level of lead and mercury,” he added, revealing this publicly for the first time.

In 2022, the Australian government had strict COVID-19 rules, prohibiting anyone unvaccinated, regardless of their status, from entering the country.

Djokovic returned to Melbourne the following year and won the tournament. He has won 10 of his 24 Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open.

Despite the controversy, Djokovic holds no ill will toward the Australian people. “A lot of Australians I met, either in Australia or around the world, came up to me and apologised for the way I was treated. They were embarrassed by their government’s actions,” he said.

At the 2025 Australian Open, Djokovic will begin his campaign against Indian-origin American teenager Nishesh Basavareddy. He could face No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal match against No. 2 Alexander Zverev.

Djokovic will also be working with a new coach, former rival and Grand Slam winner Andy Murray.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded to Multan Sultan owner Ali Tareen, addressing his concerns over the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Pakistan Super League (PSL) chief executive office (CEO) Salman Naseer recently appeared on Samaa Digital’s show Zor Ka Jor and shared his thoughts about the League and its players. He praised Pakistani players, calling them strong and stars in their own right. He mentioned that each team decides which players to pick based on their strategy. Salman also highlighted the format of the League and said many new things will take place this season.

When asked about the concerns raised by Multan Sultans’ owner Ali Tareen, Salman replied, “The PCB is like a parent organization, and disagreements can happen, just like between parents and children. However, this does not mean we should make public accusations. I would refrain from commenting further on that. All PSL franchises are important.”

Salman revealed that 510 players from 19 countries have registered for this season, including 78 from Australia and 76 from the West Indies. He explained, “February has been the ideal time for PSL, but since the Champions Trophy is also scheduled to be played then, we tried to find a suitable time to ensure international players could participate.”

Salman added, “Many players, including David Warner, Tim Southee, Finn Allen, and Daryl Mitchell, will be playing in the PSL for the first time. Some players couldn’t join for personal reasons, but most of the available players are participating.”

Lastly, he praised Lahore Qalandars for their hard work on player development and fan engagement, saying, “It’s exciting to support your team on home ground, making the matches more enjoyable for fans.”

Ali Tareen, the owner of Multan Sultans, has raised several concerns about the PCB in recent interviews. He accused the Board of not fully supporting the PSL, treating it as a burden rather than an asset. 

He also criticized the PCB for mishandling player injuries, specifically pointing out a poorly conducted surgery on fast bowler Ihsanullah, which he claims has jeopardized the player’s career. He expressed disappointment over the decision to change the PSL draft venue from Gwadar to Lahore, blaming poor planning and lack of commitment.

The PSL draft was scheduled to be held in Gawadar on January 11, but it has now been shifted to Lahore due to logistical reasons.

The 2025 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is scheduled to take place from April 8 to May 19, 2025.

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Saim Ayub, who suffered an ankle injury against South Africa on January 3, has shared an update on his condition.

The batsman is currently in London with Assistant Coach Azhar Mahmood for treatment. Recently, he had a consultation with a renowned sports orthopaedic doctor, Dr Lucky Jaiselan.

After reviewing Ayub’s tests and reports, Dr Jaiselan confirmed that the injury did not cause significant damage to his ankle. While speaking with Geo news reporter Murtaza Ali Shah in London on Thursday, Saim said, “According to the doctors, my ankle hasn’t suffered major damage, and the situation is now under control.”

He also mentioned that the doctor has allowed him to put weight on his injured foot.

Despite the positive outlook, Dr Jaiselan has advised Saim Ayub to rest completely for six months. A panel of doctors will continue to monitor his condition, review his reports, X-rays, and other factors, and make further decisions about his recovery and future.

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Australia has faced a major setback with the loss of a key player ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Australian chief selector George Bailey revealed that captain Pat Cummins suffered an ankle injury during the fifth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy despite being scanned after the match.

In a press conference, Bailey confirmed, “Cummins is currently on parental leave but did not provide a definitive answer on whether he will be part of the Champions Trophy squad.”

Cummins missed the first Test of the series as he and his wife welcomed their second child. His injury has now raised doubts about his inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad.

Meanwhile, Pakistan cricket team opener Saim Ayub has been ruled out for six weeks after sustaining a right ankle fracture while fielding on the first day of the Cape Town Test against South Africa on January 3.

Pakistan’s reserve wicketkeeper-batsman for the Test squad, Haseebullah, has been ruled out of the series against West Indies due to an injury sustained during the South Africa tour.

The 21-year-old was rested for the upcoming two-Test series against West Indies after he was hit on the hand by a ball, requiring stitches.

Haseebullah, who has played one ODI and three T20 matches for Pakistan, was the second wicketkeeper in the 15-member squad alongside Mohammad Rizwan during the South Africa tour.

He made his T20I debut against New Zealand as an opening batsman under the leadership of Shaheen Shah Afridi on January 21, 2024. His ODI debut was against Zimbabwe under wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan’s captaincy on November 24, 2024.

Haseebullah was also part of Pakistan’s white-ball squad for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours but was included in the Test team only for the South Africa tour.

Meanwhile, medical reports of Saim Ayub, who suffered a fracture during the second Test against South Africa last week, are expected today (Thursday).

Top orthopaedic specialists will oversee his treatment in London, and the duration of his recovery will be determined after the reports are reviewed.

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The recent separation of Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his wife Dhanashree Verma has led to him potentially paying a hefty amount in alimony payments. 

The couple unfollowed each other on Instagram, while Chahal also deleted all of his pictures with his wife. Indian media has confirmed that reports of divorce between Chahal and Dhanashree are true.

While the exact details of their financial settlement remain private, the case highlights the evolving nature of divorce settlements in India. 

Alimony in India is based on different factors and varies depending on the financial status of both partners. In this case, both are financially independent and the longer the marriage lasts, the more alimony there is.

They got married in 2020, so the alimony could be in moderate proportion, and Dhanashree Verma can even deny the need for alimony if she wants.

However, ZeeNews reported that Chahal could allocate 20 to 30 per cent of his annual income based on court decisions and current net worth.

Dhanashree recently shared an Instagram story about the rumours of her separation from her husband and cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal, and she also reacted strongly to the criticism of her character by online trolls.

In a note shared on Instagram on Wednesday evening, Dhanashree wrote, “The past few days have been extremely difficult for me and my family. The most disturbing are the posts that are devoid of facts; my character has been insulted through the hatred spread by this trolling.”

She further wrote, ” I have worked hard for years to build my name and reputation. My silence is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. Negative things spread easily on online platforms. The truth does not need any explanation.”

Dhanashree, a dentist-turned-dancer and choreographer, participated in the popular reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. 

Dhanashree and Chahal got engaged on August 8, 2020, and got married on December 22, 2020, at a private ceremony in Gurgaon.

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