Category: Sports

Pakistan may have lost the Asia Cup to India, but fans still have something to cheer about as Saim Ayub has climbed to the top of the ICC T20 all-rounder rankings with 241 points.

The 23-year-old scored 37 runs and picked up eight wickets during the tournament, powering him past India’s Hardik Pandya (233 points) and Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi (231 points).

In the ODI batting charts, captain Babar Azam continues to hold the third place with 739 points. Saud Shakeel stands 12th in Test batting rankings, also with 739 points.

Sahibzada Farhan climbed 11 spots to reach 13th in T20 batting with 658 points.

Among bowlers, Noman Ali ranks sixth in Test bowling with 806 points while Abrar Ahmed also sits sixth in T20 bowling rankings with 686 points.

Pakistan’s team rankings remain steady with the side placed fifth in ODIs, seventh in T20s and seventh in Tests.

India has now set its sights on politicizing the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup after turning the Asia Cup into a political affair.

Indian journalist Boria Majumdar wrote on X (Formerly Twitter) that the pattern seen during the Asia Cup will continue in the Women’s World Cup. 

“The India-Pakistan game in Colombo will not be another cricket match. It will be a continuation of the Asia Cup, and the only thing that changes is the gender. From men to women – that’s the only change. There will be no handshakes, lots of off-field drama and heightened stakes,” he wrote.

Pakistan and India are scheduled to meet on October 5 in the Women’s World Cup.

During the Asia Cup, Indian players refused to shake hands with Pakistani cricketers in any of the matches. After winning the final, the Indian captain also declined to receive the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council chairman.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has released the complete schedule for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025–26 season, bringing long-awaited clarity to the country’s premier red-ball competition.

The tournament was originally planned to begin in September but faced delays as the Hanif Mohammad Trophy was played out. It will now begin on Monday, October 6, and will be staged across four cities: Abbottabad, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Rawalpindi.

The Quaid-e-Azam Trophy will follow a single-league round-robin format with nine rounds and 46 matches from October 6 to November 26. The five-day final will take place from November 29 to December 3. 

Ten regional teams will compete this year: Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, FATA, Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi Blues, Lahore Whites, Multan, Peshawar, and Sialkot. FATA, Faisalabad, Karachi Blues, and Multan earned promotion after topping the Hanif Mohammad Trophy points table.

Squads for all ten sides will be revealed in the coming days.

Full Schedule

October 6 – 9

Abbottabad Region vs Bahawalpur Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Lahore Region Whites vs Islamabad Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Peshawar Region vs Sialkot Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

FATA Region vs Multan Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Faisalabad Region vs Karachi Region Blues – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

October 12-15 

Lahore Region Whites vs Abbottabad Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Bahawalpur Region vs Islamabad Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Peshawar Region vs FATA Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Sialkot Region vs Faisalabad Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Karachi Region Blues vs Multan Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

October 18 – 21

Abbottabad Region vs Islamabad Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Bahawalpur Region vs Peshawar Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Lahore Region Whites vs Sialkot Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Karachi Region Blues vs FATA Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Multan Region vs Faisalabad Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

0ctober 24 – 27

Peshawar Region vs Abbottabad Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Sialkot Region vs Islamabad Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Multan Region vs Bahawalpur Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Lahore Region Whites vs Karachi Region Blues – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

FATA Region vs Faisalabad Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

October 30 – November 2

Faisalabad Region vs Peshawar Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Islamabad Region vs FATA Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Abbottabad Region vs Sialkot Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Karachi Region Blues vs Bahawalpur Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Lahore Region Whites vs Multan Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

November 5 – 8

Abbottabad Region vs FATA Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Bahawalpur Region vs Sialkot Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Lahore Region Whites vs Faisalabad Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Islamabad Region vs Multan Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Karachi Region Blues vs Peshawar Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

November 11 – 14 

Faisalabad Region vs Islamabad Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Karachi Region Blues vs Abbottabad Region – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Multan Region vs Sialkot Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

FATA Region vs Bahawalpur Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Peshawar Region vs Lahore Region Whites – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

November 17 – 20 

Abbottabad Region vs Faisalabad Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Bahawalpur Region vs Lahore Region Whites – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

Islamabad Region vs Karachi Region Blues – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Peshawar Region vs Multan Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Sialkot Region vs FATA Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

November 23 -26 

Multan Region vs Abbottabad Region – Abbottabad Cricket Stadium, Abbottabad

Faisalabad Region vs Bahawalpur Region – Marghzar Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Lahore Region Whites vs FATA Region – Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, Peshawar

Islamabad Region vs Peshawar Region – Diamond Cricket Ground, Islamabad

Sialkot Region vs Karachi Region Blues – Shoaib Akhtar Stadium (KRL), Rawalpindi

November 29 – December 3

Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Final – Venue to be announced

The future of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan with the national team has come under serious doubt after Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud declared that he will not allow him to play for the country again.

Controversy erupted on Sunday when Shakib, currently in self-imposed exile, shared an old photo with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on social media and wished her a happy birthday.

Shortly after, Bangladesh’s young sports advisor Asif Mahmud posted a message on social media without naming Shakib. He wrote that people had criticized him for not reinstating a certain individual, but he was right in his decision.

Responding to the post, Shakib wrote, “Finally someone admitted that I cannot wear the Bangladesh jersey again because of him. Maybe one day I will return to my homeland. I love Bangladesh.”

Speaking to a private TV channel, Mahmud made his stance clear. “We cannot allow him to hold the Bangladesh flag. It is impossible for me to let him wear the Bangladesh jersey. My directive to the Bangladesh Cricket Board is clear. Shakib Al Hasan will never play for Bangladesh again,” he said.

Mahmud added that Shakib had strong ties with the Awami League.

Shakib, however, defended himself, saying his post had no political motives. “She was deeply connected with cricket. I wished her a happy birthday only for that reason,” he said.

Shakib remains one of Bangladesh’s most successful cricketers. He last represented the national team in the October 2024 Test series against India.

He also served as a member of parliament for the Awami League but has not returned to the country since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. 

His name also appeared in a case related to the killing of a protester during anti-government demonstrations last year.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has said that if the Indian team wants the Asia Cup trophy, their captain will have to personally collect it from the ACC office.

According to media reports quoting sources, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla, during a meeting of the council on Tuesday, repeatedly asked for the trophy.

Naqvi responded that the matter was not on the meeting’s agenda, insisting the Indian captain visited the ACC headquarters to collect it.

Reports also confirmed that no decision was taken during the meeting on handing the trophy to India.

The controversy surrounding the trophy erupted after India defeated Pakistan in the Asia Cup final but refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, who also serves as chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). 

With India refusing to accept it, Naqvi stood firm and the presentation ended without the trophy being handed over.

The council administration left with the trophy while the Indian players continued waiting on the field.

The Royal Cantabrian Football Federation (RFCF) confirmed the death of teenage goalkeeper Raul Ramirez after a tragic accident during a fifth-division match.

Spanish media reported that the 19-year-old Collindres shot-stopper suffered a severe head injury during Saturday’s game against Revilla, which triggered cardiac arrest. Medical staff rushed him off the field by ambulance to a hospital, where doctors later declared him brain dead.

Ramirez had expressed his wish to donate his organs, according to RFCF.

In a statement, the federation said, “We regret to announce that Collindres Sports Club goalkeeper Raul Ramirez was left brain dead following an accidental collision during last week’s match.”

RFCF announced three days of mourning and confirmed that a minute of silence will be observed in upcoming fixtures.

“Cantabrian football mourns the sudden loss of a young man who left us at just 19,” the statement added. The federation also extended condolences to his family, friends, and Collindres Sports Club.

Pakistan has named an 18-member squad for the upcoming home Test series against South Africa.

Captain Shan Masood will continue to lead the side featuring Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abdullah Shafique, Imam Ul Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Hasan Ali, Khurram Shahzad, Nauman Ali, Sajid Khan, Kamran Ghulam and Abrar Ahmed.

Three new players earning a call-up include Asif Afridi, Faisal Akram and Rohail Nazir.

The first Test between Pakistan and South Africa will take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from October 12 to 16. The second Test is scheduled in Rawalpindi from October 20 to 24.

Days after the country’s repeated losses to India in the Asia Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) of top national players, which allowed them to participate in foreign cricketing leagues.

The decision, confirmed through an official notification issued by PCB Chief Operating Officer Sameer Ahmed, comes a day after Pakistan also lost to India in the final of the tournament.

The board had earlier granted NOCs to several players for participation in Australia’s Big Bash League, but said approvals have now been put on hold.

The move directly affects Pakistan’s leading cricketers, including Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan and Faheem Ashraf.

Nepal made history in Sharjah on Monday by defeating West Indies by 90 runs in the second T20 International to seal the series 2-0. 

This marked Nepal’s first bilateral series victory against a Test-playing nation.

Batting first, Nepal posted 173 for 6 in their 20 overs. Aasif Sheikh anchored the innings with an unbeaten 68 runs off eight fours and two sixes. Sundeep Jora added a quickfire 63, hitting three fours and five sixes.

For West Indies, Akeal Hosein and Kyle Mayers picked up two wickets each.

In reply, West Indies faltered and were bowled out for just 83 runs in the 18th over. Jason Holder top-scored with 21 runs but found little support from the rest of the batting order.

Under captain Rohit Paudel, Nepal had already secured their first T20I win against a full-member nation in the opening match of the series. Their only previous win against a future Test side came in 2014 when they beat Afghanistan, who were still an associate member at the time.

The series win carries extra weight as it was Nepal’s first multi-match series against a Test-playing nation. Nepal had prepared for the challenge by participating in the Top End T20 Series in Australia, where they played against Bangladesh A, Pakistan Shaheens and several Australian club sides.