Category: Sports

Former Pakistan cricket team captain Younis Khan has advised the Green Shirts to win the final of Asia Cup 2025 and extend their hands to the Indian players, who have been refraining from shaking hands to much criticism. 

Speaking to the media at the NIPA Sports Complex in Karachi on Wednesday, Younis Khan emphasized, “Exit politics and play for the team, play for the nation and the country, not for yourselves.”

He questioned that if fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi can bat in the Asia Cup, why can’t other players? “Shaheen has the potential to become an all-rounder,” he opined. 

“Imagine the thrill,” he said of the potential of a Pakistan-India final. “Win and prove that you are the best sportsmen.”

The former captain pointed out that Pakistan team is inconsistent. “To win, it is essential to play well. Matches are won through good planning.”

He observed, “Neither the Indian team nor the Pakistani team is weak. India’s plus point is that they make fewer changes to their team.”

Khan advised, “The Indian players know they have to play. The Green Shirts should also avoid spoiling their combination by making too many changes.”

Younis Khan stressed that politics and sports should be separate. He said, “Indian cricketers not shaking hands are against the spirit of sportsmanship. They are not shaking hands on the instructions of their government.”

He added, “If our government also says that you must not shake hands, perhaps we won’t either. We will have to follow the instructions of our government.”

It merits mention that in both group and Super Four matches against Pakistan, the Indian team displayed an unsportsmanlike attitude. At the toss, Indian captain did not shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. After defeating Pakistan, Indian players closed their dressing room door to avoid meeting the Pakistani squad. They repeated the same in the Super Four clash, skipping handshakes at the toss and avoiding interaction after the win.

Younis Khan raised Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as talented cricketers. He described his experience working with Afghanistan as a batting consultant as positive, noting he received great respect there.

He concluded, “Most of the Afghan team players grew up in front of me. No team is number one or number two in Asia. The team that wins on a given day is the one deserving of the number one position.”

Pakistan is scheduled to face Bangladesh today, in a must-win clash. If Pakistan wins this match, they will advance to the Asia Cup final, where they will meet India for the third time in the tournament. The Asia Cup final is set for September 28.

Pakistani leg-spinner Shadab Khan and Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin are set to feature together for Sydney Thunder in the upcoming Big Bash League season.

Foreign media reports confirm that Ashwin has agreed to join Thunder for the 2025/26 edition, making him the first capped Indian cricketer to play in the BBL. Shadab was picked by Thunder earlier this year and is currently recovering from shoulder surgery.

The pairing of Ashwin and Shadab promises one of the most exciting spin partnerships in the league. Both are known for their tactical bowling and all-round ability, and their presence could strengthen Thunder’s chances after finishing runners-up in the previous season.

Cricket fans are likely to view the partnership as more than just a sports move, with a Pakistani and an Indian spinner sharing the same dressing room in Australia’s premier T20 tournament.

Abrar Ahmed and Wanindu Hasaranga turned the Asia Cup clash into a spectacle of fun when both copied each other’s celebration styles, while Waqar Younis, watching from the commentary box, ended up joking about his missing finger.

Pakistan’s mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed dismissed Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga in the 13th over, and in a cheeky gesture, celebrated in Hasaranga’s trademark style. Later in the game, when Sri Lanka came out to the field to defend, Hasaranga returned the favour. He celebrated in Abrar’s style after picking up a wicket, leaving commentators and fans in stitches.

The camera caught the exchanges in close detail, and soon everyone from the crowd to the commentary box was enjoying the fun. Former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis, while commentating, joked that he wished he could join the fun too: “If I had all 10 fingers, I would also celebrate like Hasaranga after taking a wicket.”

Waqar’s light remark led fans to recall why the legendary fast bowler is missing a finger. A very young Waqar had a tragic accident while swimming with cousins in a canal in Multan. To jump off a bridge into the water, he tried climbing through iron grills that were already slippery from water, making the future fast bowling legend lose his balance. As his body weight dragged him down, one of his fingers got stuck in the metal bars and was severed.

The fall also broke three of his ribs. Waqar later shared that, at first, he didn’t even realize his finger was gone. The pain in his ribs and the blood on his body made him think he was hurt elsewhere. Only after looking at his hand did he discover the truth. He was in his mid-teens at the time, close to 15 years of age. 

Despite that early accident, Waqar went on to become one of Pakistan’s greatest fast bowlers, leading the famous “Two Ws” era with Wasim Akram and inspiring generations of cricketers.

Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

 Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in a must-win clash on September 25. The Asia Cup final is scheduled to be played on September 28.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka gave fans a true example of cricketing spirit on Tuesday during their Asia Cup Super Fours clash in Abu Dhabi.

The fun started in the 13th over when Abrar Ahmed clean bowled Hasaranga and immediately copied the Sri Lankan star’s trademark celebration.

Later in the innings, Hasaranga returned the favor by celebrating in Abrar’s style after dismissing Saim Ayub.

Both players laughed off the light-hearted exchanges and at the end of the match, they hugged each other, showing pure sportsmanship.

Abrar Ahmed later shared a picture with Hasaranga on his Instagram story, calling him a “great bowler and great man.”

The moment won the internet over. Former Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne praised the spirit and wrote, “Yesterday’s PAK vs SL game proved it again, cricket is bigger than runs & wickets. Wanindu & Abrar showed pure sportsmanship, pure respect. ❤️ ”

Fans quickly joined in with strong reactions. One user wrote: “Well said. Cricket is so beautiful when India is not playing.” Another wrote this, “This is how a cricket match should end.” A fan said, “We are brothers. This is lovely to see ♥️ Indian players cannot relate to this. BJP has messed up their brains.” Another user added, “Cricket without India truly feels like the gentleman’s game .”

One fan shared, “Look at them explaining themselves man I love this game sometimes.” Another commented, “Hasaranga and Abrar Ahmad copied each other’s celebration style, and now they are hugging and happily greeting each other. This is what we call cricket.”

It merits mention that in both group and Super Four matches against Pakistan, the Indian team displayed unsportsmanlike attitude. At the toss, Indian captain did not shake hands with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha. After defeating Pakistan, Indian players closed their dressing room door to avoid meeting the Pakistani squad. They repeated the same in the Super Four clash, skipping handshakes at the toss and avoiding interaction after the win.

Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in a must-win clash on September 25. The Asia Cup final is scheduled to be played on September 28.

Pakistan on Tuesday night defeated Sri Lanka by five wickets in a crucial Super Fours match of the Asia Cup.

After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to field first. Bowlers immediately took charge as Sri Lanka struggled to keep wickets from falling.

Kamindu Mendis fought back with a solid 50 while Chamika Karunaratne stayed unbeaten on 17, helping Sri Lanka post 133 for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi led Pakistan’s attack with three wickets while Haris Rauf and Hussain Talat grabbed two each. Abrar Ahmed claimed one wicket. 

Chasing a target of 134, Pakistan stumbled when the top order collapsed at 57 for the loss of four wickets. Sahibzada Farhan scored 24, Fakhar Zaman scored 17, captain Salman Ali Agha five and Saim Ayub scored just two runs. Mohammad Haris added 13 before returning to the pavilion.

Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz then rescued the innings with a crucial 58-run partnership. Nawaz smashed 38 off 24 balls with three sixes and three fours while Talat anchored the chase with 32 off 30 balls, including four boundaries. Pakistan achieved the target with two overs to spare, sealing an important win to stay alive in the tournament.

Earlier, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka lost their opening Super Fours matches against India and Bangladesh, respectively.

Pakistan will play their must-win match against Bangladesh for a place in the final on Sept 25.

The final is scheduled forSept 28.

Harold “Dickie” Bird, one of cricket’s most beloved umpires, has died at the age of 92.

Bird officiated in 66 Test matches and 69 ODIs, including three World Cup finals, and became a global icon of umpiring with his distinctive style and deep love for the game. Before making his mark as an official, he began his cricketing journey as a top-order batter for Yorkshire in 1956 and later served as president of the county club.

In recognition of his contributions to cricket, Bird was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1986 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2012.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club confirmed that he passed away peacefully at home. “He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, joy and a legion of admirers across generations,” the club said in a statement.

“The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one of the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history,” the statement concluded.

Paris hosted football’s biggest stars on Tuesday night at the Théâtre du Châtelet for the 69th Ballon d’Or ceremony where Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the best footballer of the last season.

The 28-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward won the 2025 Men’s Ballon d’Or after scoring 37 goals and providing 15 assists in a season that delivered PSG’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title along with a domestic double.

He finished ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal and PSG teammate Vitinha.

Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmatí continued her dominance in the women’s game, winning the Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third year in a row after another outstanding season for club and country.

The night also highlighted young talent as 18-year-old Yamal claimed the Men’s Kopa Trophy while Barcelona’s Vicky López won the Women’s Kopa Trophy. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma lifted the Yashin Trophy and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton took home the Women’s Yashin Trophy.

Here are the top men’s Ballon d’Or rankings:

Ousmane Dembélé (France, PSG)

Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

Vitinha (Portugal, PSG)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool)

Raphinha (Brazil, Barcelona)

Achraf Hakimi (Morocco, PSG)

Kylian Mbappé (France, Real Madrid)

Cole Palmer (England, Chelsea)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy, PSG)

Nuno Mendes (Portugal, PSG)

Other winners included Viktor Gyökeres and Ewa Pajor for the Gerd Müller trophies, Luis Enrique and Sarina Wiegman for the Johan Cruyff trophies, PSG as Men’s Club of the Year and Arsenal as Women’s Club of the Year. The Sócrates Award went to Spain’s Fundación Xana.

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has sparked a wave of reactions in Pakistan after his harsh remarks against Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf following the high-voltage Super Fours clash between Pakistan and India at the Asia Cup.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan accused the Pakistani players of “crossing the line” with their celebrations. “What happened yesterday, the gestures that were made in celebration by Farhan. You know what is going on between the two countries and you are [still] celebrating on the field [like this].”

“I used to think Haris Rauf is a better guy but his actions yesterday on the field were not necessary,” he said in reference to the Pakistani pacer gesturing “6-0” and “Rafales crashing” at jeering Indian fans, also criticising Farhan’s gunshot-style celebration.

“You are playing cricket on the field, whether you win or you lose, it happens but when you go on a personal level, that is taking it too far. This is not right,” he said, conveniently ignoring the political statements made by Indian players during last week’s Sept 14 clash between the two countries.

The comments, however, did not sit well with many in Pakistan as fans defended the players and pointed out India’s own lack of sportsmanship in recent encounters. “First Indian players refused a handshake in the first match, now Pathan is lecturing us on sportsmanship? That’s hypocrisy,” wrote one.

They also defended Haris Rauf as one remarked that Indian fans kept chanting “Kohli, Kohli” to provoke him. “But 6-0 is permanent ,” wrote a netizen.

Someone else commented that Pakistan’s message was clear, “If you bring politics into the game, the reply will also be political. Got it?”

Another fan pointed out how everything started with Indian players refusing handshakes in the first match, writing, “No handshake means war for our blood.”

Another mocked Pathan by saying, “Irfan Pathan khud ko Indian sabit karty howy.” One user said ex-players like Pathan don’t care at all and only use situations to their advantage. Another dismissed his rant with, “Feel KR tu BS .”

The Pakistan-India rivalry has only grown more intense after recent military clashes in May. On the cricket field, tempers flared in the second match as players from both sides exchanged heated words.

India may have won Sunday’s contest by chasing down Pakistan’s 172-run target with ease, but for many Pakistani fans, the fight shown by Farhan and Rauf reflected the spirit of the team.

Despite Pakistan’s six-wicket loss to India in the Asia Cup Super Four clash on Sunday, Pakistani opener Sahibzada Farhan said the team is confident of meeting India again in the final next Sunday.

During Monday’s pre-match press conference, Farhan said, “We are fully confident that we will beat Sri Lanka and face India again in the final.”

Speaking about his unique celebration after reaching his half-century, Farhan explained, “I usually don’t celebrate after scoring 50. This was done all of a sudden. I don’t care what people think about it.”

He credited his batting partner Fakhar Zaman for boosting his confidence. “Having Fakhar Zaman at the other end gave me the belief to play my shots freely.” 

The rivalry between Pakistan and India has become more intense after recent military clashes in May. In the first encounter, Indian players avoided the traditional handshake, turning sportsmanship on its head. 

During the second match, players from both sides engaged in heated arguments. Indian fans were particularly offended by Haris Rauf’s gesture referencing Indian Rafales shot down by the Pakistan Air Force, which he made in response to Indian fans chanting “Kohli, Kohli” from the boundary line.

India on Sunday, comfortably chased down Pakistan’s target of 172 runs, winning the high-voltage contest with ease. Pakistan had started strongly, reaching 93 for 1 in 9.3 overs. Farhan played a brilliant knock of 58 runs off 45 balls to help his team post 171.

India are strong contenders for the final. Pakistan, meanwhile, can qualify by beating Sri Lanka and India in their remaining Super Four matches.

The Asia Cup final will take place on September 28 in Dubai, featuring the top two teams from the Super Four stage.

Pakistan won the Commonwealth Beach Handball Championship after defeating Sri Lanka 2-0 in the final played in the Maldives on Monday. 

The team sealed the victory with commanding wins of 26-18 and 28-12 in the decisive match, remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament.

OnSunday, Pakistan booked their spot in the final by beating Bangladesh in the semifinal.

The team also made a strong start to the tournament by outclassing India 2-0 in their opening match.