Category: Sports

The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation’s General Council has summoned an emergency meeting following the controversy surrounding Pakistani kabaddi player Ubaidullah Rajput, who played for an Indian team, wore their jersey and waved the Indian flag at a tournament, according to media reports.

Federation Secretary Rana Sarwar announced that Chairman Chaudhry Shafay Hussain has called the meeting for December 27 to address the matter.

Sarwar clarified that 16 Pakistani players participated in the Bahrain tournament, but they did not represent Pakistan’s national team. He emphasized that the federation neither granted permission for their participation nor issued any No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to these players.

“This was a self-made team that used Pakistan’s name without authorization. The organizers did not seek permission from the government or inform the federation about the event,” Sarwar said.

The secretary expressed strong disapproval of the player’s actions, calling his decision to play for an Indian team and wave their flag intolerable.

“We will investigate this matter thoroughly and take the strictest possible action. We will also act against the self-appointed promoters and will not allow anyone to organize illegal events,” Sarwar warned.

He stressed that the federation will not permit anyone to tarnish Pakistan’s name under any circumstances.

“While players from different countries play together in club tournaments, playing for a foreign national team and waving their flag is deeply regrettable,” Sarwar added.

The federation plans to take decisive action against all parties involved in the unauthorized tournament.

International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced record prize money for the 2026 World Cup, with a total of $655 million set for distribution among participating teams.

The prize pool marks a significant increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where FIFA distributed $440 million in total prize money.

The announcement reveals that the 2026 World Cup champions will receive $50 million, up from the $42 million that Argentina earned for winning the previous edition.

The runners-up will take home $33 million, while the third-placed team will earn $29 million and the fourth-placed team will receive $27 million.

Teams finishing between fifth and eighth place will each receive $19 million, while those placing ninth through 16th will earn $15 million each.

Teams that finish between 17th and 32nd place will each collect $11 million, while those placing 33rd through 48th will receive $9 million each.

FIFA will also provide each qualifying team with an additional $1.5 million for tournament preparations.

The 2026 World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams instead of the traditional 32-team format.

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has confirmed that Pakistan’s leading cricketers will remain available for the entire duration of the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) 15, ending uncertainty around their mid-season availability.

The current BBL season features several first-choice Pakistan players, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Hasan Ali. Questions had emerged over their participation after Pakistan’s scheduled a T20I tour of Sri Lanka in early January.

Speaking to reporters on the morning of the third Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval, Greenberg said Cricket Australia had received clear assurances regarding the players’ availability.

“We’ve been told that if they’ve been signed by the BBL, they’ll play [the whole BBL],” Greenberg said.

Greenberg also confirmed that preparations for Australia’s T20I tour of Pakistan ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 are progressing. 

He said Cricket Australia, along with the Australian Cricketers’ Association, has already sent officials to Pakistan to carry out a pre-tour security assessment.

“We’ve just sent a couple of people to Pakistan to do a pre-tour for the T20I games in February,” he said.

“We’re going to have some conversations with the players after the Ashes series and explain to them how that will work with security. But I went there with them in 2022, and it was an amazing experience.”

Greenberg added that the three-match ODI series between Australia and Pakistan, scheduled under the Future Tours Programme, will shift to June. 

The revised window allows the series to take place after the conclusion of both the Pakistan Super League and the Indian Premier League.

Pakistan cricket legend Javed Miandad visited a hospital after experiencing chest discomfort but doctors cleared him to return home after examination and tests.

According to reports, the 68-year-old former captain arrived at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) in Karachi for a routine checkup. 

Medical staff conducted necessary tests and performed an angiography before prescribing medication and advising rest.

Reports added that Miandad visited the cardiac institute following minor chest discomfort. Doctors conducted the angiography and declared him healthy after reviewing the reports.

The legendary batsman expressed satisfaction with the facilities provided at NICVD. Before leaving for home, Miandad said he felt much better.

“I am feeling much better. If the nation’s prayers remain with me, my health will improve further,” he said, smiling, in a video message.

He also thanked the Sindh Government for the quality treatment.

Miandad ranks among Pakistan’s greatest batsmen and served as Test captain during his playing career.

Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood has concluded his tenure as interim head coach of the national Test side, ESPNcricinfo has reported.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had appointed Azhar as acting head coach of Pakistan’s red-ball team in June, with his contract originally set to run until March 2026. 

However, with no Test cricket scheduled until Pakistan’s away tour of Bangladesh in March to April next year, both parties have decided to bring the arrangement to an early close, the report said Tuesday.

The decision draws the curtain on a longer association between Azhar and the national side. He initially joined the coaching setup in April 2024 as an all-format assistant coach, working alongside Gary Kirsten with the white-ball teams and Jason Gillespie with the Test side.

The PCB elevated Azhar to the role of interim Test head coach following the early exits of both Kirsten and Gillespie. During his brief spell in charge, Azhar oversaw just one Test assignment, guiding Pakistan to a credible 1-1 home series draw against world Test champions South Africa.

“I was appointed by the PCB for a specific tenure, during which I carried out my responsibilities with professionalism and dedication,” Azhar told ESPNcricinfo.

“My contract has now come to an end, and I extend my best wishes to the team for their continued success in their future endeavours,” he said.

This marks Azhar’s second stint with Pakistan’s national team. He previously served as the bowling coach during Mickey Arthur’s tenure between 2016 and 2019.

Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticised Lionel Messi for the chaos that erupted during his Kolkata appearance, holding the Argentinian World Cup winner responsible instead of the event organisers.

Messi’s three-day GOAT India Tour took him across Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi from December 13 to 15, marking his first trip to India in 14 years. He travelled with Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul.

The visit started disastrously in Kolkata, where angry fans vandalised Salt Lake Stadium after Messi appeared for only five minutes instead of the scheduled duration. Fans who paid substantial amounts for tickets claimed they barely got a glimpse of the football star.

West Bengal Chief Minister (CM) Mamata Banerjee apologised to fans and formed a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the incident.

While at least one event organiser was arrested for the debacle, Gavaskar, writing for Sportstar, defended the organisers and placed blame on Messi for leaving early and disappointing fans.

“Everyone was blamed except the person who failed to honour his commitment,” Gavaskar said. 

“What the agreement was isn’t public, but if he was meant to be there for an hour and left well before that, then the real culprit was he and his entourage.”

Gavaskar dismissed suggestions of security concerns, stating Messi faced no threat from fans who spent thousands to see him.

“Yes, he was surrounded by politicians and so-called VIPs, but there was no security threat to him or his entourage,” he wrote. 

“Was he supposed to simply walk around the stadium, or do something tangible like take a penalty kick? If it were the latter, those around him would automatically have had to move, and the crowd would have seen their hero do what they had come to watch.”

The former cricketer also pointed out that the tour proceeded smoothly in the other three cities, suggesting the problem laid with Messi rather than the organisers.

“The other appearances went smoothly because commitments were met,” Gavaskar said, adding that “before blaming fellow Indians in Kolkata” it was important to check if promises were actually kept on both sides.

Sri Lanka’s Bribery Commission plans to arrest former cricket captain and ex-minister Arjuna Ranatunga in connection with a corruption investigation into fuel purchases at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), according to media reports.

The Commission told the Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday that authorities have named Ranatunga as a suspect in a case where the CPC allegedly lost nearly Rs 800 million (Sri Lankan Rupees) through fuel purchases made at inflated prices.

Officials informed the court that they will arrest Ranatunga and bring him before the court, but he is currently overseas.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) presented the case through Assistant Director (Legal) Anusha Sammandapperuma when authorities produced former CPC Chairman Dhammika Ranatunga, whom they arrested earlier on corruption charges.

Sammandapperuma told the court that the CPC cancelled three long-term fuel tenders scheduled for 2017-2018. The corporation then proceeded with spot tenders at higher prices, a decision that allegedly cost the state-run entity nearly Rs 800 million.

According to court submissions, authorities have named Dhammika Ranatunga as the first suspect and former Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Arjuna Ranatunga as the second suspect in the case.

Sammandapperuma requested the court’s intervention and sought an order to remand the suspect, noting that investigators continue to examine the incident.

President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris, representing the first suspect, told the court that his client has cooperated with investigators. He requested the court release the suspect on bail under suitable conditions in terms of the Bail Act.

After hearing both sides, the Chief Magistrate ordered the release of the suspect on two sureties of Rs 1 million each. The court also imposed a foreign travel ban on the suspect, media reports said.