Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has made history by becoming the first person in the world to reach one billion followers across all his social media platforms.
He has the most followers on Instagram, with 638 million, 170 million on Facebook, 113 million on X (formerly Twitter) and more than 60 million on YouTube. The star footballer made an entry on the YouTube last month and created records there as well, including a unique record of getting more than fifty million subscribers in just one week.
Ronaldo also posted about reaching one billion followers on his Instagram, thanking the fans, writing, “We’ve made history—1 BILLION followers! This is more than just a number—it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond. From the streets of Madeira to the biggest stages in the world, I’ve always played for my family and you, and now 1 billion of us stand together.”
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This is our journey, and we’ve shown no limits to what we can achieve.”
He also holds the record of becoming the first footballer to score 900 goals.
The cricket Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand, scheduled for Noida, India, has been washed out amid rain and a wet outfield.
Although the weather was good and the sun was shining on the first two days of the Test match, the outfield was wet, raising questions about the staff’s preparation of the ground. On the remaining three days, both teams could not enter the field as rain continued to pour down.
On the last day of the match, umpires inspected the ground, but due to the accumulation of water in the ground and the wet outfield, the match ended without a toss.
In the history of Test cricket since 1890, only seven matches have ended without a single ball being bowled. The last time it happened was in 1998, when a game between India and New Zealand in Dunedin was abandoned due to rain.
Australian Test cricket team captain Pat Cummins celebrated the late Shane Warne’s birthday with an inspiring poetry reading.
Cricket Australia shared an emotional video with a montage of highlights of the legendary king of spin: “Happy birthday, Warne, A poetic tribute to the life and magic of Shane Keith Warne, as read by Australia Test captain Pat Cummins.”
This poem was written by Adam Burnett for Warne in 2022, titled Lightning in a Bottle: An Ode to Shane Warne.
Shane Warne took 708 wickets in 145 Test matches, 293 in 194 ODI matches, and 57 wickets in 55 (Indian Premier League) matches.
Arguably the greatest spinner in the history of the game, Warne died of a sudden heart attack at age 52 while on vacation in Thailand in 2022. Hours earlier he had paid tribute to Rod Marsh, who died on the same day. His unexpected death left the cricketing world reeling in shock.
You can read the full poem below.
Lightning in a Bottle: An Ode to Shane Warne
In your mind’s eye still you see him, standing calm atop his mark,
Ball in hand, it’s fizzing, as he looks around the park
He waits another heartbeat, points his fielders where to go,
It’s all part of the magic act, it’s all part of the show
His walk begins, deliberate, it builds towards its height,
He lets it go, the rest we know – has there been a better sight?
….
But now it’s gone forever, our sport will never be the same,
And so we ponder how to honour a true icon of the game
For where to start with Shane Keith Warne, that otherworldly gift?
We could talk about the wicked spin, the endless flight, the drift
We could talk about the wickets and the bluster and the guile,
We could talk about the character, the look, the hair, the smile
….
We could talk about charisma, a bush ballad come to life,
We could talk about the dramas and the trouble and the strife
We could talk about the slider and the leg breaks and the flipper,
We can contemplate a world in which he was full-time Aussie skipper
…
But single takes won’t encapsulate this giant of the sport,
A Melbourne kid with cricket nous that simply can’t be taught
We’re reflecting on an icon here, Australia’s finest sprig of wattle,
This is Shane Warne – the king – the lightning in a bottle
For such a man we need to go beyond the one-off traits,
Where history meets destiny, and a wider legacy awaits
…
Think miracles and magic, think spin bowling redefined,
Think generations spellbound, think unique, one of a kind
Think mastery and sleight of hand unmatched in cricket’s lore,
Think phenomenon, a genius who allowed an art to soar
…
We can marvel at the theatre, a crowd expectant, still,
We’re all in awe and in his palm, the game bent to his will
We’re watching and we’re waiting as our showman owns the stage,
We’re witnessing the golden glow of Australia’s golden age
…
Then each of us will zero in on moments we hold dearest,
The balls that somehow shaped our lives, the ones we still see clearest
Richardson and Cullinan, you remember who was batting,
Gibbs and Strauss and Stewart, and you’ll always treasure Gatting
…
A hat-trick in the Ashes, a World Cup spun his way,
The comeback in Sri Lanka, that final Boxing Day
So take your pick and go there in the quiet of your mind,
Just close your eyes and conjure – this is what he leaves behind
…
See the wickets we can tally up, but the emotion we can’t measure,
The feelings that he stirred in us, the simple sense of pleasure
A chubby blond in cricket whites, he took a ball and twirled,
For fifteen years he cast his spell, bewitched the cricket world
…
He was just a bloke – extraordinary – but fallible and flawed,
It meant he felt like one of us, made him all the more adored
Which is why he’s left us grappling, left the cricket world defeated,
From Launceston to the Long Room, we’ve all been left depleted
But flip that thought and think instead how enriched we are by Warne,
Let’s salute a pure entertainer – the greatest bowler ever born.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Board of Governors has proposed to include the Champions Cup in the 2014 Constitution in its 74th meeting.
The Board of Governors suggested that the Champions Cup should be included in the PCB Constitution 2014, along with the T20 and four-day format events, to make it part of the annual calendar, hoping that it will bring continuity and consistency to the domestic cricket system.
Members also suggested that PCB should take full control of Iqbal Stadium, upgrade it to international standards, and restore the venue.
The Board of Governors received an update on the progress of the infrastructure projects, including the design and scope of work. The members expressed their full support and satisfaction with the projects, saying they needed the time. Once the projects are completed, they will help raise the image and profile of Pakistan and domestic cricket.
The Champions ODI Cup began on Thursday afternoon with the opening match between the Markhors and the Panthers at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad.
Pakistan qualified for the semi-finals of the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy after defeating host China 5-1.
In the ongoing tournament in China, Pakistan put the hosts under pressure from the start. While no team scored in the first quarter, Abdul Rahman gave Pakistan the lead in the eighth minute of the second quarter.
In the third quarter, Pakistan continued their strong performance. Nadeem Ahmed doubled the lead with a goal in the 11th minute. Although Pakistan was awarded a penalty stroke, captain Imad Butt missed the opportunity.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Hanan Shahid scored on a penalty corner, extending Pakistan’s lead to 3-0. China’s Cheng Hung later scored on a penalty corner, making it 3-1.
Four minutes before the match ended, Pakistan added two more goals to secure a 5-1 victory over China and advance to the semi-finals.
This victory marks Pakistan’s second success in the tournament. They will next face traditional rivals India on Saturday, with India remaining unbeaten so far.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed in its recent report that last year’s 50-over World Cup benefited the Indian economy to the tune of one billion 39 million dollars (38 thousand 628 crore Pakistani rupees). However, Dawn has reported that the details of the financial benefit from the Pak-India match have not been provided yet.
The main source of the ICC income in the World Cup comes from the big matches between Pakistan and India, but in return, India gets 38.5 percent of the ICC’s income, while Pakistan’s share is limited to only 5.75 percent.
ICC derives most of its revenue from broadcasting contracts, gate money (money from match ticket sales), title sponsorships, and other sources. Last year, the Indian broadcaster reportedly acquired the broadcasting rights for exclusive coverage of World Cup matches between Pakistan and India for a whopping $3 billion from 2023 to 2027.
India receives 230 million dollars annually out of the total revenue of 600 million dollars of the ICC. At the same time, in other important countries, England gets 40.13 million dollars, Australia 37.5 million dollars and Pakistan 34.5 million dollars.
India accounts for a significant share of the ICC’s overall revenue as the sport’s governing body receives more from India’s sponsorship. Still, Pakistan-India matches are also a major source of income for the ICC, so Pakistan should get at least more share than England and Australia.
The bilateral series with India’s central member nations, Australia and England, will bring financial benefits to the boards of both countries.
According to a report by the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the total revenue generated from Pakistan-India matches has been about $1.3 billion in the last twenty years.
The World Cup was held in India last year from October 5 to November 19 in 10 cities, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Pune, which brought together various sectors of the country played an important role in promoting the development of the economy.
Additionally, due to the direct investment in hosting the event by the ICC and the Board for Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and plans to upgrade stadiums by state cricket associations in various sectors, Indian businesses have directly benefited.
Australia’s two-time cricket World Cup (2003 and 2007) winning team member, fast bowler Nathan Bracken, has started working as an accountant in a local firm.
In 2008, 47-year-old Nathan became the number one bowler in the ODI format. In 2011, Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challenger Bangalore picked him in the draft for 1.3 crore rupees, but the cricketer refused to play in the league.
In 2023, the Australian cricketer briefly entered politics and participated in the elections as a Liberal candidate for the Entrance Electorate but could not win.
Nathan was forced to retire from cricket in 2010 after a knee injury. He played five Tests, 116 ODIs, and 19 T20 Internationals and took 205 wickets in all three formats.
As Pakistan upgrades its stadiums and facilities for Champions Trophy 2025, speculation has been rife that hosting rights may be taken away from the country.
However, International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Geoff Allardice has confirmed now that there are no plans to move the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from Pakistan, Geo News has reported.
Addressing a media briefing held for the Women’s T20 World Cup, Geoff expressed his satisfaction with the tournament venue and said that the ICC is making regular visits to its member countries, including Pakistan, to ensure the successful hosting of events.
He said, “No team has hesitated to play in the tournament. All teams are committed to playing in Pakistan. Despite previous challenges, all participating teams are determined to play in Pakistan.”
The ICC Champions Trophy will host eight elite teams based on their performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup: India, Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Pakistan is currently the defending champion of the Champions Trophy. The Pakistan cricket team, led by former captain Sarfraz Ahmed, won the Trophy in England in 2017, defeating India in the final.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fired data and video analysts after they failed performance evaluations.
According to Geo News, analysts were scrutinised under Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi’s direction, and a committee was formed to evaluate their performance.
The committee tested analysts in various ways, and as a result, 11 out of 26 failed and were immediately fired.
15 analysts will now be posted to different teams.
A video of Pakistan’s cricket team batsman Muhammad Rizwan is going viral on social media. In the video, which was made in Faisalabad where Rizwan currently is, he urges fans, who have come to watch the practice session, to say their prayers after they leave.
The complete audio of the video is unclear but Rizwan seems to be telling his fans about if people who are bad, specifically mentioning chors change, then the country can progress. At the end of the video he tells his fans to say their prayers.
When the video went viral on social media, users criticised it. One user wrote that Rizwan should focus on playing as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) doesn’t give him money to preach.
Another user criticised Muhammad Rizwan and wrote that he acts well.
In the meantime, some users praise him.
Rizwan is the caption of the Wolves team at the Champions ODI Cup in Faisalabad. The tournament, which will be played from September 12 to 29 at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad, will feature 150 of the country’s best cricketers.
This event will include five teams: the Stallions, Wolves, Lions, Dolphins, and Panthers.
