Category: Sports

Indian media reports suggest that the Indian cricket team might compete in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 without a jersey sponsor.

According to Indian media reports, the search for a new sponsor was discussed at an emergency Apex Council meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The board admitted that securing a replacement just days before the Asia Cup would be a major challenge.

In contrast, the BCCI is working on plans to finalise a long-term sponsorship deal that will extend until the ICC ODI World Cup 2027. Until then, the team may have to compete in the Asia Cup without a sponsor logo on its jerseys.

The development follows the termination of BCCI’s sponsorship deal with fantasy sports company Dream11 after the Indian Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, which imposes a complete ban on real-money online games.

The bill has significantly impacted the gaming industry, forcing Dream11 to end its agreement with the BCCI. This termination has reportedly caused heavy financial losses to the board.

The sponsorship agreement between BCCI and Dream11 was signed in 2023 and was scheduled to continue until 2026. The deal was worth $44 million (approximately ₹358 crore).

Pakistan T20 captain Salman Ali Agha’s smile has gone viral after a reporter called Afghanistan the second-best T20 team in Asia.

The incident took place during a joint press conference of the tri-nation series in Sharjah when ARY News reporter Shahid Hashmi posed a question to Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan. While asking about Afghanistan’s upcoming assignments, the reporter referred to the team as the second-best in Asia.

Salman Agha’s facial expressions changed immediately, and he couldn’t help but smile. His reaction was caught on camera and quickly spread across social media, with cricket fans sharing the clip widely.

The tri-nation series, featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the UAE, will run in Sharjah from August 29 to September 7, followed by the Asia Cup in the UAE from September 9 to 28.

The series kicks off on Friday, August 29, with Pakistan facing Afghanistan at 7 PM local time. Each team will play the others twice, and the final will take place on September 7.

Adidas has revealed the new official match balls for the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, both manufactured in Pakistan. 

The launch came shortly after the conclusion of the Champions League play-off matches.

According to Adidas, the design of the men’s Champions League ball is inspired by the night sky, while the women’s edition draws from deep space and the northern lights. Both designs pay tribute to the stars of football as they journey toward the finals, which will take place in Budapest and Oslo in May.

The men’s ball features a striking gold and blue finish, complemented by hand-drawn zodiac signs in gold that symbolise heroism and destiny. The women’s ball uses dark purple between the white stars, accented by neon green gradients and flowing designs inspired by the northern lights. Luminous pink and white stars add the finishing touch, echoing the brilliance of deep space.

Both balls feature the Adidas Badge of Sport and the official Champions League logos, completing a design that honours the essence of the tournament.

Beyond their visual appeal, the new balls incorporate advanced technology for top-level performance. The innovative PRISMA surface with a debossed pattern improves precision and swerve, while the outer coating ensures a secure grip and ultimate control. The thermally bonded seamless construction enhances durability and consistency on the field.

At the core of the ball is the groundbreaking CTR-CORE, designed for accuracy and shape retention. This core consists of a zero-waste bladder made from natural rubber and a carcass reinforced with PES fabric, providing both strength and stability.

The 2025/26 editions are also the most sustainable in the tournament’s history. Adidas has used recycled polyester, water-based inks, and a higher proportion of bio-based materials, including corn fibres, sugar cane, wood pulp, and rubber, without compromising performance.

Romario Shepherd pulled off a rare and stunning feat during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, scoring 22 runs from a single legal delivery at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet.

Playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors, Shepherd blasted 73 runs off 34 balls, hitting seven sixes and five fours. The highlight came in the 15th over when he faced Oshane Thomas in a dramatic sequence.

Thomas bowled a no-ball followed by a wide, then another no-ball that Shepherd smashed for six. He repeated the feat on another no-ball before hitting the first legal delivery for a massive 95-meter six over square leg. In total, one legitimate ball costs 22 runs. The over eventually went for 33 runs after a six by Iftikhar Ahmed on the final delivery.

This is not the first time Oshane Thomas has had such a bizarre over. In the 2024 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), he conceded 15 runs off a single legal ball.

Despite Shepherd’s heroics, his team lost as St Lucia Kings chased down a massive 204-run target in just 18.1 overs. Ackeem Auguste was the star for St Lucia, smashing 73 runs off 35 balls with four sixes and six fours.

Top Pakistani cricket stars, including Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi, Babar Azam, and Kamran Akmal, will take part in a special exhibition match to raise funds for flood-affected people.

The Flood Relief Exhibition Match will be played on August 30 at the newly completed Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. The event is being organized under the slogan “Khel Se Khidmat,” which means service through sports.

The match will feature Peshawar Zalmi vs Legends Eleven, with a crowd of about 17,000 expected to attend. The stadium, under construction for eight years, is now ready with dressing rooms and a VVIP enclosure.

The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Khan Gandapur and his cabinet members have bought VVIP tickets worth Rs 50,000 each to support the cause. Ordinary tickets are priced at Rs 1,000, while there are 800 VIP seats and 200 VVIP seats available.

The match will start at 1 pm local time, and all money from ticket sales will go to flood relief efforts.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has confirmed that the Pakistani men’s hockey team will participate in the 2025-26 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League for the first time.

Pakistan earned the spot after finishing as runners-up in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup earlier this year in Malaysia. Although New Zealand won the tournament, they declined the invitation, leading FIH to extend an invitation to Pakistan as per regulations.

FIH can confirm that the Pakistan men’s hockey team, nicknamed the Green Shirts, have accepted the invitation to participate in the upcoming 2025-26 season of the #FIHProLeague.

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— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) August 28, 2025

FIH President Tayyab Ikram welcomed the development, calling it a major milestone. “Great to see Pakistan back in elite competition. This is a truly impactful milestone for world hockey,” he said.

Ikram added that Pakistan’s return will boost the league’s visibility and diversity.

Pakistan will compete alongside Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Germany, India, Netherlands and Spain in the seventh edition of the Pro League. They will replace Ireland, who were relegated after finishing ninth last season.

Meanwhile, the federal government has approved a Rs250 million grant to support the team’s participation in the league.  Officials told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination that the remaining Rs100 million needed will be arranged through sponsorships. 

PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid said that the league was a major event featuring the world’s top 10 teams, and Pakistan needs Rs350 million to participate.

Tournament schedule and venues will be announced later, FIH said.

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev has been fined $42,500 for his outburst following a first-round defeat at the US Open.

Medvedev, a former world number one, lost to France’s Benjamin Bonzi in a five-set thriller on Sunday. After the match, he smashed his racket on the court and against the bench in frustration.

The tournament referee imposed a $30,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and an additional $12,500 for breaking his racket on the field. The total fine amounts to nearly one-third of his prize money from the tournament.

Earlier during the match, Medvedev argued with the chair umpire over a decision and appeared visibly frustrated. His anger boiled over after the loss, leading to the incident.

Bonzi had also defeated Medvedev in the first round of Wimbledon earlier this year.

In other singles matches, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and America’s Taylor Fritz secured their wins.

Lionel Messi scored two late goals to lift Inter Miami to a 3-1 comeback win over Orlando City, booking their place in the Leagues Cup final on Wednesday.

Messi returned after missing two games with a thigh injury and converted a penalty in the 77th minute to make it 1-1. In the 88th minute, he combined with Jordi Alba to score his second and put Miami ahead.

Telasco Segovia added a third goal in stoppage time as Inter Miami advanced to its second consecutive Leagues Cup final. They won the tournament in 2023, Messi’s first season in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Miami will face either the Los Angeles Galaxy or the Seattle Sounders in Sunday’s final. Orlando will play in the third-place game. The top three teams in the tournament will qualify for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Orlando had taken the lead in first-half stoppage time when Marco Pasalic scored after a deflection inside the box. Inter Miami’s appeals for handball were checked by VAR, but the goal stood.

Orlando looked strong at the start of the second half, but the match changed when Tadeo Allende won a penalty in the 74th minute. David Brekalo fouled Allende and received a second yellow card, leaving Orlando with 10 players. Messi scored the penalty, then added his second goal 11 minutes later, sending the crowd into celebrations.

Orlando had beaten Miami twice earlier this season, including a 4-1 win this month, but Messi’s late heroics ended that streak.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to fully cover the education expenses of young cricketers, in addition to their cricket training, media reports said citing sources.

According to the reports, PCB will provide both education and cricket training to players from the Under-15 to Under-19 categories. These players will stay in academies throughout the year, and the board will bear the entire cost of their education.

Reports revealed that academies in Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan and Karachi have been designated for this program. The Sialkot academy will exclusively cater to Under-15 players, Faisalabad will host Under-17 cricketers, while Multan will be for Under-19 players.

“The selection of players for these academies will be based on their performance in regional cricket,” the reports added.

The reports further said that the PCB will cover all education-related expenses for these players, including school and college admissions.

Meanwhile, the Karachi academy will serve as a base for Pakistan women cricketers, as well as for Shaheens and A-team activities, according to the sources.

Former Pakistan cricketers Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal have strongly criticised young batter Mohammad Haris for suggesting that Babar Azam should change his batting style in T20 cricket.

A viral video recently showed Haris being asked whether Babar Azam should make some adjustments to his style in T20 matches. Haris replied, “Yes.”

This response sparked a heated reaction from Basit Ali during a TV show. Basit said, “If Mohammad Haris says something like this about Babar Azam, he should be beaten with a stick. Who are you to talk about Babar Azam like that?”

He further questioned, “If Babar Azam were the captain, would he [Haris] have given this statement?”

Kamran Akmal, who was also part of the discussion, added that the Pakistan Cricket Board should guide players on how to respond in such situations. He said, “Mohammad Haris is not a kid. He knows everything. He should have said, ‘How can I talk about Babar Azam? He has done so much for Pakistan. First, I need to learn how to improve my own batting.’”

Babar Azam currently averages 39.83 in T20 internationals, scoring 4,223 runs in 121 innings, while Mohammad Haris averages 18.61 with just 391 runs in 23 innings.