Category: Sports

Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has shared an important message with fans after undergoing treatment for skin cancer.

In a post on social media platform X, Clarke wrote, “Skin cancer is real! Especially in . Another one cut out of my nose today. A friendly reminder to get your skin checked. Prevention is better than cure but in my case, regular check ups and early detection is key. So grateful that @drbishsoliman_ got it early . @australianskincancerfoundation.”

He advised his followers to be vigilant: “A friendly reminder to get your skin checked. Prevention is better than cure. In my case, regular check ups and early detection is key.”

Clarke showed signs of skin cancer a few years ago, but he did not immediately disclose the condition publicly.

Australia has high rates rates of skin cancer, owing to its proximity to the Ozone Antarctic Zone and high UV intensity. 

The most common skin cancers in Australia are Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma – both easily treatable if caught early – with the much more dangerous Melanoma being less common.  Approximately two out of three Australians will develop skin cancer in their life time. 

Australian actor Hugh Jackman also developed multiple instances of basal Carcinoma, which he has blamed on excessive sun exposure as a kid.

Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur has said that Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are not well-suited for T20 cricket.

Speaking on a private TV channel, Arthur stated, “Babar and Rizwan are not fit for T20 cricket. Both are good players, but cricket has changed. For the style of cricket they want to play, they need players who can execute that plan on the ground.”

Arthur praised current head coach Mike Hesson, saying, “Hesson and Salman Ali Agha want to play cricket according to their plan.” He also recalled Pakistan’s past success, adding, “During our tenure, Pakistan became number one, and for that, Sarfaraz Ahmed and I had planned everything.”

Next month’s Asia Cup in the UAE has sparked debate after former Pakistan captain and record-breaking batter Babar Azam, along with wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, were excluded from the squad. The move has drawn criticism from many quarters, with former captain Rashid Latif also weighing in.

In an interview with Khaleej Times, Latif claimed the exclusion of Babar and Rizwan was the result of “internal politics,” saying, “There has been a dip in their recent performances, but they were dropped not just for cricketing reasons but due to politics.”

Latif added, “Pakistan is currently ranked eighth in ICC T20 rankings. At such a time, ignoring players like Babar and Rizwan makes no sense because we do not have any batter like Don Bradman.”

He reiterated, “The ongoing power struggles and internal politics within PCB have mentally affected two of our best players, which has also impacted their performance.”

Former Pakistan football team captain Saddam Hussain has signed a two-year contract with Finnish club Kajaanin Haka.

Announcing the news on social media, Saddam wrote, “New team, new contract, new family.” He added, “From Malir in Karachi to a European club, this journey means a lot. This agreement with Kajaani Haka is truly significant and will prove to be an amazing opportunity for my football career.”

Expressing his enthusiasm, he said, “I am fully ready to give my passion, experience, and skills to my new football family.”

Saddam Hussain captained the national team for almost three years and began his career in 2009 with the Under-19 squad. He has been out of the national team for the past six to seven years, during which time several foreign-based players of Pakistani origin were included in the squad, but Saddam was not given a place.

Pakistani left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq kept up his brilliant form in the English One-Day Cup, hitting another century to lead Yorkshire to a six-wicket win and book a home semi-final spot.

According to reports, Imam played a superb knock of 106 runs off 105 balls, hitting 10 fours and 3 sixes.

This is Imam-ul-Haq’s third century in six innings this season. He has also scored two half-centuries in the tournament.

So far, Imam has amassed 513 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 102.60.

The New Zealand cricket team has suffered major injury blows ahead of their home season, with Glenn Phillips, Finn Allen, and Will O’Rourke ruled out of the T20I series against Australia.

New Zealand Cricket issued an injury update confirming that the three players will miss the upcoming series.

Fast bowler Will O’Rourke has suffered a stress fracture in his back and will be out for at least three months. He will focus on strength and conditioning during his recovery period, and is also expected to miss the series against England and the West Indies later this season.

Glenn Phillips and Finn Allen have also been ruled out of the Chappell-Hadlee T20 series. Phillips is recovering from a groin injury and requires rehabilitation, while Allen recently underwent foot surgery and is expected to be out of action for three months.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s white-ball captain Mitchell Santner has returned home from The Hundred due to groin discomfort. He will undergo abdominal surgery and needs about a month for recovery.

The Chappell-Hadlee T20I series between Australia and New Zealand is scheduled to take place from October 1 to 4.

Former Pakistan captain and Sultan of Swing Wasim Akram has revealed that former New Zealand middle-order batter Martin Crowe was the toughest player he faced in his career.

Recently, Akram appeared on the Stick to Cricket podcast, where he was asked to name the toughest batter he faced. Responding to the question, Akram said, “Look, this is a very difficult question to answer, but if you had to pick one person who scored the most runs against us and that too at a time when nobody knew about reverse swing, I would name Martin Crowe from New Zealand. He scored a lot of runs against us.”

Martin Crowe represented New Zealand from 1982 to 1995. During his 13-year international career, he played 11 Tests against Pakistan and scored 973 runs, including two centuries and six fifties in 20 innings. In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Crowe amassed 992 runs in 26 matches against Pakistan.

Crowe passed away on March 3, 2016, after battling follicular lymphoma. A year before his death, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, and in 2024, New Zealand Cricket honoured him by including him in the NZC Hall of Fame as one of the First XI.

Wasim Akram played for Pakistan from 1984 to 2003 and was one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket. During his 19-year career, he gave tough competition to some of the best batters in the game with his lethal swing bowling. Legends like Steve Waugh, Sourav Ganguly, Brian Lara, and Ricky Ponting all struggled against him at various points. Akram retired from international cricket in 2003 with over 900 wickets in 460 matches.

The federal government has approved a Rs25 crore grant for the Pakistan hockey team and allowed its participation in the Pro Hockey League.

Officials told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination that the team would take part in the league, with expenses covered through the grant.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary Rana Mujahid said, “The Pro League is a major event featuring the world’s top 10 teams. We need Rs35 crore to participate in this event.”

Mohyuddin Wani added, “The Ministry of Finance will provide Rs25 crore, while the remaining Rs10 crore will come from sponsorships.”

Speaking to a private media outlet, hockey player Imad Butt expressed his excitement over the development. “We are happy to get the green signal for participation in the Pro League. Playing in this event will improve Pakistan’s hockey rankings,” he said.

He further added, “We still have time to prepare for the tournament and we thank the government for its support.” However, Imad highlighted that the issue of players’ daily allowances remains unresolved. “The development of hockey should not rely solely on government funds. The federation must take practical steps to generate its own resources,” he stressed.

Earlier, reports revealed that national players were still waiting for their pending daily allowances despite repeated delays. 

Each player is reportedly owed around Rs500,000 for recent international events and domestic training camps, including the FIH Nations Cup. Players said that these allowances are their main source of income since they have no central contracts or fixed salaries.

Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved another historic milestone after scoring his 100th goal for the Al Nassr during the Saudi Super Cup final against Al Ahli.

Although his team could not secure the title, the team’s forward achieved a record-breaking feat.

Reports confirm that Ronaldo has now become the first player in history to score 100 or more goals for four different clubs. He netted 450 goals for Real Madrid, 145 for Manchester United, 101 for Juventus, and now 100 for Al Nassr.

Ronaldo also remains the highest international goal scorer of all time, with 138 goals for Portugal’s national team.

Alongside this achievement, Ronaldo recently got engaged to his longtime partner Georgina Rodríguez after eight years of dating. According to reports, the 40-year-old football star proposed to Georgina with a diamond ring.

Georgina shared the happy news on Instagram, posting a picture of the ring on her hand resting over Ronaldo’s hand, showcasing the large diamond engagement ring.

Nepalese mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja MBE, popularly known as Nimsdai, made history by completing 50 ascents of peaks over 8,000 meters, the most by any climber.

Purja achieved this milestone on Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters), one of the world’s most dangerous mountains.

“This was the most dangerous climb of my life, battling fierce winds, blue ice, and rockfall,” Purja said after completing the summit.

Out of the 50 ascents, he scaled 22 without supplemental oxygen, setting a new world record.

Purja dedicated the achievement to 200 years of Nepal-UK friendship, carrying a flag to honour his service in the Gurkhas and UK Special Forces.

The climber first gained global recognition in 2019 with Project Possible, where he climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in six months and six days. His record-breaking feat was later featured in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible.

In 2021, he joined the historic team that completed the first winter ascent of K2, summiting without oxygen.

Beyond mountaineering, Purja runs the Nimsdai Foundation, which supports education, environmental initiatives, and mountain communities.

He is now pursuing his ambitious Hat-Trick Challenge, which involves climbing all 14 8,000-meter peaks and the Seven Summits for a third time, with proceeds funding his foundation’s projects.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has strongly denied reports claiming a leadership change in the national cricket team.

According to media reports citing sources, the board has strongly denied these rumours, clarifying that no such discussions have taken place during selection committee meetings. PCB officials confirmed that neither leadership changes nor alterations to players’ central contract categories are under consideration.

Sources within the board described the circulating stories as baseless and misleading.

Earlier, speculation suggested that PCB might give A-category contracts to Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel and appoint them as long-term captains for ODIs and Tests. Reports claimed the PCB think tank held initial consultations before the team departed for Dubai.

The rumours gained traction after Shan Masood dropped from category B to category D in the latest central contracts, seen by some as a sign that he could lose his role. It was also reported that the selection committee and head coach favoured Salman Ali Agha for ODI leadership and were impressed by Saud Shakeel’s red-ball captaincy with Pakistan Shaheens. According to those reports, formal announcements were expected after the Asia Cup.

PCB, however, has categorically rejected these claims, insisting that no captaincy changes are on the agenda and the current leadership remains intact.