Category: Sports

Pakistan will host its first-ever T20I tri-nation series at home in November, with Afghanistan and Sri Lanka joining the competition.

According to reports, the tournament will run from Nov 17 to 29 with matches played in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

For the opener, Pakistan will face Afghanistan in the visitors’ first T20I on Pakistani soil. Afghanistan have earlier played five ODIs in Pakistan — most recently during the ICC Champions Trophy in February — but this will be their debut in the T20 format.

Rawalpindi will also stage the Afghanistan–Sri Lanka clash on Nov 19 before the tournament moves to Lahore. The iconic Gaddafi Stadium will host the remaining five matches, including the final on Nov 29.

The tri-series comes after a busy home season for Pakistan. Between Oct 12 and Nov 8, the national side will also take on South Africa in two Tests, three T20Is and three ODIs.

The November series is seen as crucial preparation for all three teams ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

Tri-series schedule

Nov 17: Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Nov 19: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

Nov 22: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Nov 23: Pakistan vs Afghanistan, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Nov 25: Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Nov 27: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Nov 29: Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

David Beckham congratulated Lionel Messi after his memorable two-goal performance in Argentina’s emotional home farewell match.

On Friday, September 5, Beckham posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram by sharing a childhood photo of Messi holding a football alongside a recent picture from the match.

The photos carried the caption: “A special night for a special person… Everything has been achieved but he still wants more, not for himself but for his country… Last night Argentina celebrated Leo in the way he truly deserves… Congratulations Leo.”

Instagram Post

Messi scored twice in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Venezuela in Buenos Aires. The home crowd celebrated their captain with chants and banners, marking the occasion as a special farewell.

Although Messi has not announced his retirement, he confirmed that this was his last World Cup qualifier in Argentina. He also revealed that he will not play in the team’s final qualifying match against Ecuador on September 10.

“I spoke with Leo (Scaloni) and we decided, or rather he decided, that I should rest. I’m coming back from an injury and although I’m fine now, we prefer to avoid travelling and playing another game, so I can rest up for what’s coming next,” Messi said after the win.

Messi added that he has not decided on retirement yet and will only compete in next year’s World Cup if he feels physically fit.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka advanced to her third consecutive US Open final after beating American Jessica Pegula in a thrilling three-set semifinal on Friday. 

The Belarusian star will now face Amanda Anisimova, who stunned Japan’s Naomi Osaka in the other semifinal.

Sabalenka, 27, recovered from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in a tense battle. Pegula claimed the opening set, but Sabalenka fought back, taking control of the next two sets. In the decider, she saved crucial break points and sealed victory on her third match point with a powerful forehand.

“I had to fight really hard today. Jessica played amazing and pushed me to the limit,” Sabalenka told reporters after the match. “I’m happy to be in another final, and I hope this time I can lift the trophy.”

The world number one has now reached four of the last five Grand Slam finals. She finished runner-up at this year’s Australian Open and Roland Garros but has not won a major title since her 2024 US Open triumph.

New Zealand star Ross Taylor is ready to make a comeback to international cricket, this time representing Samoa in the upcoming Asia-East Asia-Pacific T20 World Cup 2026 Qualifier in Oman.

Officials named Taylor in Samoa’s squad on Friday morning, marking his return to the international stage after more than two years.

Taylor shared his excitement on Instagram, saying, “It is a huge honour for me to represent my heritage, culture, village and family.”

Taylor qualifies to play for Samoa through his mother, who hails from the island nation. Alongside his New Zealand citizenship, he also holds Samoan nationality. After his final game for New Zealand in April 2022, Taylor completed the required three-year stand-down period, which cleared him to switch allegiance.

Over 16 years with the Black Caps, Taylor scored 7,683 runs in 112 Tests, 8,607 runs in 236 ODIs and 1,909 runs in 102 T20Is, totaling 18,199 runs across all formats.

South African batter Matthew Breetzke has written his name into history books as the first player to score fifty or more in each of his first five One Day Internationals.

The 25-year-old continued his remarkable run of form on Thursday, smashing 85 against England in the second ODI. With that knock, he set a unique record that no other batter had managed on debut in ODI cricket.

Breetzke announced himself in February this year with a stunning 150 against New Zealand on debut. He followed it with 83 against Pakistan in his second match, 57 in his third, and 88 in his fourth. With his latest 85, the right-hander has piled up 463 runs in just five ODIs.

Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu held the previous record, scoring four consecutive half-centuries after his ODI debut in 1987. Breetzke has now surpassed that mark to stand alone in cricket’s record books.

South Africa also edged past England in a thriller to seal the series. The Proteas posted 330 for eight, then restricted the hosts to 325 for nine to clinch a five-run win and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Rahim Pardesi stepped into the ring on August 30 at Misfits Boxing Masters 22 and secured a fourth-round victory over Amadeusz Ferrari. But what had fans talking wasn’t just the win, it was the moment Rahim chose not to land a final punch when his opponent was already falling.

Fans quickly began asking why, and Rahim addressed the question in a video. “Everyone’s asking me the same question, why didn’t I throw the last punch when my opponent was falling down. Although there were things said by him that crossed the line, I thought if I dig that last punch, then there’s no difference between me and him. And that’s not how true champions behave,” he explained.

Rahim continued, “As a Scottish Pakistani, we are warriors but at the same time, we have a heart of gold. You may hear negativity about Pakistanis in the media, but let me tell you, Pakistanis are humble, loving, peaceful people. Whatever happens in the ring will stay in the ring.” He thanked Misfits’ team, KSI, his sponsors, and his boxing coaches Cham and Adam from Mosley Boxing before promising fans he’ll be back with another “bang.”

The reaction online was overwhelming. Singer Bilal Saeed praised him, writing, “Perdesi, a man with many talents ✌ .” 

Another user commented, “True sportsmanship indeed ❤.” One fan cheered, “Our CHAMP ,” while another wrote, “That’s what boxing is about, go to war and love and respect after. Well done on an amazing win on the big stage @rahimpardesi ❤ .” Messages of pride poured in, with one fan saying, “Thanks to you for making our country proud in the international boxing competition, may God bless you❤,” while another added, “More power to you my brother ❤ .”

Rahim Pardesi is a Pakistani-Scottish content creator, and YouTuber who became a household name through his iconic character Nasreen. His comedy sketches about desi life earned him over 3.3 million subscribers and more than a billion views on YouTube. 

Always evolving, Rahim stepped into the boxing world in 2025, first defeating actor Feroze Khan and now Amadeusz Ferrari. 

On the personal front, Rahim first tied the knot with Sumera Amer on 21 February 2010, and the couple had three children together: two sons, Subhan and Ahil, and a daughter, Habana. Later, he married his second wife, Somia, an otolaryngologist, with whom he has another son, Zayaan.

Tottenham defender Djed Spence is on the verge of making history as he prepares for a possible debut with England’s senior football team, becoming the first publicly identified Muslim man to represent the Three Lions.

The 25-year-old full-back earned his first senior call-up when Thomas Tuchel named him in the squad for matches against Andorra and Serbia in the World Cup Qualifiers.

“It’s a blessing, it’s amazing. I did see something like that. I was surprised, really, first ever. It’s just amazing. I don’t have the words really,” Spence said at England’s training base.

He said he feels no extra pressure despite the moment’s significance. “I just play football with a smile on my face.”

Faith has been central to Spence’s journey. “First things first, God is the greatest,” he said. “I pray a lot. I give gratitude to God. In the toughest moments of my life… the darkest moments… I’ve always believed that God has always been by my side. When I’m winning, when I’m in a good moment, I promote God as well because he’s always been by my side. It’s a big thing for me, my faith.”

Spence worked his way through the Championship with Middlesbrough and Nottingham Forest before joining Tottenham in 2022. His early spell at Spurs included loan moves to Rennes, Leeds and Genoa, but he broke through last season, making his full debut in December and helping the club to Europa League success.

“Without [a strong] mentality, you won’t make it to the top,” Spence said. “I definitely think I have got a strong mentality, especially to fight through challenges. I do have a mental note of people who doubted me, for sure, and it does feel good to prove them wrong.”

The defender hopes his story can motivate others. “If I can do it, you can do it,” he said. “Not just Muslim kids, any child of any faith. Put your mind to something and you can do it.”

England face Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday before meeting Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday.

The countdown to the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 has officially begun with all eight participating teams confirming their squads. The hosts, United Arab Emirates (UAE), were the last to unveil their lineup on Thursday.

The tournament will take place from September 9 to 28 across two venues in the UAE. Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi will share the matches. Abu Dhabi will host eight fixtures, including one Super Four clash on September 23, while Dubai will stage the majority of games, including the highly-anticipated Pakistan-India encounter.

The tournament opener will feature Afghanistan facing Hong Kong on September 9. All matches will start at 6 PM Gulf Standard Time, except the September 15 clash between UAE and Oman.

The teams are divided into two groups:

Group A

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

UAE: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wk), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh, Saghir Khan

Oman: Jatinder Singh (c), Hammad Mirza, Vinayak Shukla, Sufyan Yousuf, Ashish Odedera, Aamir Kaleem, Mohammad Nadeem, Sufyan Mehmood, Aryan Bisht, Karan Sonavale, Zikriya Islam, Hassnain Ali Shah, Faisal Shah, Mohammad Imran, Nadeem Khan, Shakeel Ahmad, Samay Shrivastava

Group B

Sri Lanka: Charith Asalanka (c), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Nuwanidu Fernando, Kamindu Mendis, Kamil Mishara, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Chamika Karunaratne, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana

Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Bangladesh: Litton Das (c, wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin

Hong Kong: Yasim Murtaza (c), Babar Hayat (vc), Zeeshan Ali (wk), Shahid Wasif (wk), Niazakat Khan Mohammad, Nasrulla Rana, Martin Coetzee, Anshuman Rath, Ehsan Khan, Kalhan Marc Challu, Ayush Ashish Shukla, Mohammad Aizaz Khan, Ateeq Ul Rehman Iqbal, Kinchit Shah, Adil Mehmood, Anas Khan, Haroon Mohammad Arshad, Ali-Hassan, Ghazanfar Mohammad, Mohammad Waheed

With squads finalised and fixtures set, the stage is set for a thrilling tournament.

South Africa is set to play an all-format series in Pakistan, the proposed schedule for which has now been revealed.

According to reports, the first Test will take place at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from October 12 to 16, while Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host the second Test from October 20 to 24.

Rawalpindi will also host the opening match of the ODI series on October 28. The next two matches will be played at Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad on October 31 and November 2, marking the return of international cricket to the city after a long gap.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had earlier announced that Faisalabad would host the first two T20Is against Bangladesh in May, which would have marked the return of international cricket to Iqbal Stadium after 17 years. But due to rescheduling of PSL matches, that series was eventually played entirely in Lahore.

The T20 series will begin in Multan on November 5, with the other two matches scheduled for November 8 and 9 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The schedule is yet to receive a final approval and remains subject to changes after discussion between the two boards.

While a South African delegation recently visited Pakistan to review arrangements for the series, reports said they did not inspect the facilities in Multan, making the city a less likely option for hosting.

Earlier this month, the South African women’s team was also scheduled to play three T20Is in Pakistan.

South Africa last played a Test series in Pakistan in January-February 2021 under the captaincy of Quinton de Kock, when the hosts completed a clean sweep. Pakistan also won the T20I series 2-1.