Category: Sports

German mountaineer Laura Dahlmeier has died during an expedition to summit Laila Peak in the Hushay Valley of Gilgit-Baltistan on Wednesday.

According to media reports Dahlmeier got caught in rock fall on July 28 while attempting the climb with fellow climber Marina Eva.

Media reports citing Gilgit-Baltistan government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed that Laura was fatally struck by falling rocks during the incident. The other German climber, Marina Eva, was rescued using ropes and is safe.

Rescue efforts are currently underway to recover Laura’s body. The spokesperson added that a helicopter will be dispatched again if the rescue team requests assistance in transporting the body from the mountain.

Laura Dahlmeier, 31, was considered one of Germany’s most successful athletes. She won two gold medals at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and claimed seven world championship titles during her career in biathlon before turning to mountaineering.

Authorities said they will be informed once the rescue team brings her body down from the mountain.

Amid the ongoing controversy over India Champions’ refusal to face Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends 2025 semifinal, a heartwarming moment featuring former Pakistani cricketer Kamran Akmal has won hearts online.

In a viral video, a young Indian fan is seen asking the former Pakistani wicketkeeper for his gloves. Akmal walks over to his kit bag, pulls out a pair, and hands them to the fan.

The fan is then asked by the person recording the video how he feels, to which he replies, “I am very happy. I am a big fan of Kamran Akmal.”

The video has received a positive reaction online.

One user commented, “Kahan India Pakistan se match nahi khel raha aur inke fans Pakistan players se gloves mang rahe hain. Hat’s off to Kamran Akmal.”

Another wrote, “Kamran Akmal has won hearts.”

It merits mention that the Pakistan Champions reached the final without playing the semifinal, following the India Champions’ refusal to compete in light of the political tension between the two countries. This isn’t the first time India has avoided facing Pakistan in a tournament. Previously, they had skipped their group-stage match citing the same reason.

All eyes are now on the final set for Saturday, where the Pakistan Champions will take the field to defend their title.

World Athletics has announced a new rule making gender testing mandatory for female athletes wishing to compete in women’s events at international ranking competitions.

According to the new regulation, athletes must undergo a one-time “SRY” test to verify their gender. Only those who test negative will be eligible to participate in the women’s category.

The policy will come into effect from September 25, during the upcoming World Athletics Championship. All athletes intending to compete must submit their test results by September 1. The responsibility for conducting and submitting these tests will lie with the respective national federations.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the Olympic and Paralympic Committee has enforced a ban on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, in line with an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump.

The U.S. Olympics Committee stated that it will continue working with various stakeholders to ensure fair and safe competition for women, in accordance with Executive Order 14201 and the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act.

In February, President Trump signed an order aimed at barring transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. He further stated that transgender athletes will not be allowed to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The executive order also directs the Department of Justice and other government bodies to ensure the enforcement of the policy across all public institutions.

In line with its aim to politicise the game, India has once again refused to play against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends (WCL).

This time, the Indian team has pulled out of the semifinal clash scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England tomorrow (Jul 31).

Earlier in the tournament, India had boycotted the group stage match against Pakistan. Now, by refusing to play the semifinal, India has effectively allowed Pakistan to advance directly to the final.

WCL, in an official statement, confirmed the development, saying, “At WCL, we have always believed in the power of sport to inspire and bring about positive change in the world.”

“However, public sentiment must always be respected — after all, everything we do is for our audience. We respect the India Champions’ decision to withdraw from the semi-finals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions’ readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off. As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final,” WCL wrote in an official statement.

Reports also suggest that five Indian players have opted out of playing the semifinal against Pakistan. These include captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan.

The same players had earlier in the tournament also demanded that Shahid Afridi be excluded from Pakistan’s playing XI if the match was to go ahead.

They had objected to Afridi’s political views and his strong criticism against Indian atrocities in held Kashmir.

It merits a mention that the decision comes after India agreed to participate in Asia Cup 2025 at a meeting of the Asian Cricket Council chaired by Mohsin Naqvi.

The announcement drew strong reactions from within India as certain quarters continue to push the management to completely boycott matches against Pakistan.

Pakistan’s historic run at the FIVB U19 Volleyball World Championship came to a valiant end in the Round of 16 after a 3-2 loss to Poland in Tashkent on Wednesday.

The five-set thriller ended 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 21-25, 16-18 in Poland’s favour, but not before Pakistan pushed one of Europe’s top youth teams to the limit. Despite the narrow defeat, Pakistan left the tournament with their heads held high.

However, the loss did not come without controversy. According to reports, Pakistani players and officials were left frustrated by several questionable decisions from the referee, especially during the final stages of the deciding set.

“I fail to understand why FIVB didn’t make the review system available in an event like the world championship,” a PVF official remarked after the game.

Chaudhry Yaqoob, Chairman of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation, confirmed that a formal protest will be lodged with FIVB over the standard of officiating in the knockout match.

“Pakistan team’s manager asked the FIVB Control Committee to review the final point decision on available footage or computer. He came back and told him that it was foul by Poland and apologized but they couldn’t change the decision,” said Yaqoob.

Despite the unfortunate ending, Pakistan’s campaign has been nothing short of exceptional.

They began their debut tournament by shocking world No. 7 Belgium with a straight-sets win. This was followed by another 3-0 victory against hosts Uzbekistan. Their dominance continued with a clean sweep over Türkiye and Puerto Rico, sealing four wins in four matches without dropping a single set in the group stage.

Pakistan suffered their only group-stage defeat in a 3-2 battle against Argentina in their final Pool A fixture, but still qualified for the Round of 16 with confidence.

Though their journey ended against Poland, Pakistan’s performance at the U19 World Championship signals a bright future for volleyball in the country.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly finalised the qualification pathway for the cricket event at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and early indicators suggest Pakistan may not play the men’s competition.

According to media reports, the ICC, following its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Singapore, has agreed on a regional qualification model for the LA 2028 T20 event. This approach, which also has the backing of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), aims to ensure continental representation and promote the globalisation of cricket.

The men’s T20 tournament will feature just six teams. One spot has already been allocated to the host nation, the United States. The remaining five places are likely to be filled by top-ranked teams from each continent. That list is expected to include India (Asia), Australia (Oceania), South Africa (Africa), and Great Britain (Europe).

This model would leave traditional cricketing powerhouses like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand outside the direct qualification bracket, raising eyebrows across the cricketing world.

Reports indicate that both Pakistan and New Zealand have expressed concerns over the proposed structure, but with formal approval from the ICC board expected soon, a reversal appears unlikely.

Only one spot will remain after the five continental qualifiers are decided. The ICC has yet to announce how that final berth will be awarded, but it is speculated that it could be given to a Caribbean representative side, a model similar to the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where Barbados represented the West Indies.

Both men’s and women’s cricket competitions at LA 2028 will be played in the T20 format. Scheduled from July 12 to 29, the women’s gold medal match is set for July 20, and the men’s final is scheduled for July 29.

Cricket’s return to the Olympic stage comes after a 128-year absence. The sport last featured in the 1900 Paris Games, where Great Britain defeated France in a one-off match to win gold.

Former Australian fast bowler John Hastings bowled one of the most chaotic overs in T20 history as Pakistan crushed Australia by 10 wickets in a World Championship of Legends match in England.

Playing at Grace Road in Leicester, Hastings bowled an 18-ball over that included 12 wides and a no-ball, yet failed to complete six legal deliveries. The over, which cost Australia 19 runs, handed Pakistan a comfortable win in their run chase.

The 39-year-old was handed the ball by captain Brett Lee in the eighth over of Pakistan’s innings after Australia were skittled for just 74 runs in 11.5 overs. 

Hastings started the over with five consecutive wides on the offside. After that, he managed two legal deliveries, which resulted in a single and a four. Then came a no-ball that also would have counted as a wide, sailing high and down the leg side.

The free hit that followed was yet another wide, again down leg, before conceding a leg bye after switching to bowl around the wicket to left-hander Sharjeel Khan. Another wide followed outside off stump to the right-handed Sohaib Maqsood, before two legal balls brought a dot and a single.

The over ended dramatically as Hastings bowled five more wides. Three of them drifted down the leg side to Khan from around the wicket, while the final two went almost off the pitch from over the wicket to Maqsood.

Pakistan openers Sharjeel Khan (32*) and Sohaib Maqsood (28*) cruised to victory without losing a wicket. The Australians, including captain Lee, were visibly stunned as Hastings lost control completely.

Despite the humiliating defeat, Australia will play in the semifinal against South Africa, led by AB de Villiers on Friday.

The Indian Legends team, which refused to play against Pakistan in the group stage of the World Championship of Legends 2025, is now set to face the Green Shirts in the tournament’s semifinal.

On Tuesday, India qualified for the semifinal after defeating West Indies Champions in a crucial encounter. Batting first, the West Indies side set a target of 145 runs in the allotted 20 overs. However, India managed to chase the total in less than 14 overs, which was needed for them to achieve the required net run rate for qualification.

Owing to a brilliant half-century by Stuart Binny, India achieved the target in only 13.2 overs, losing five wickets in the process. With this result, India became the fourth and final team to reach the semifinals.

Earlier on the same day, Pakistan Champions crushed Australia Champions by 10 wickets, securing the top position on the points table.

Following India’s win, the semifinal lineup is now complete. Table-toppers Pakistan will now take on fourth-placed India in the first semifinal on July 31. The second semifinal, also scheduled for the same day, will be played between South Africa and Australia.

It merits mention that the much-anticipated group stage clash between Pakistan and India was cancelled earlier in the tournament after Indian players refused to play against the Pakistani side.

According to reports, Indian team demanded that Shahid Afridi not be included in the playing XI as cricketers, including Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Harbhajan Singh, reportedly opposed playing the match over the Pakistani star’s political views and strong opposition of Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.

Following this, tournament organisers had issued a statement expressing regret over the cancellation of the match between the two arch-rivals. In a recent media interaction, Dhawan said that if they did not play against Pakistan in the group stage, they will not play in the semifinal or final either.

Now all eyes are on whether the Indian team will follow through on its earlier stance or show up for the high-voltage semifinal clash.

Pakistan has decided to oppose the proposed two-division structure for Test cricket, rejecting what it sees as a move to strengthen the dominance of a few top-tier nations in the traditional format of the game, according to media reports.

Media reports say that early discussions among top PCB officials emphasized that cricket is a global sport and all nations deserve equal opportunity. “If smaller teams don’t play against stronger sides, how will their performance improve,” one official said, as per a source, adding that Pakistan hopes other nations will support its stance when the matter goes to vote.

The move comes in response to a proposal currently being considered by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has formed an eight-member working group led by Sanjog Gupta to explore the introduction of a two-division Test structure. The group includes figures like England’s Richard Gould and Cricket Australia’s Todd Greenberg, and is expected to submit recommendations to the ICC Board by the end of the year.

The proposed system, if approved, could be implemented during the 2027 to 2029 World Test Championship cycle. It would replace the current nine-team format with two divisions of six teams each, requiring a two-thirds majority from ICC’s 12 Full Members for approval. The concern is that promotion and relegation could leave lower-ranked nations with limited opportunities to face stronger opposition.

Under current rankings, Australia, South Africa, England, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka occupy the top six spots and could be placed in Division One. Meanwhile, teams like Pakistan (ranked 7th), West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe risk being relegated to Division Two.

Reports added that PCB stressed their opposition is not based on self-interest. “We’re thinking beyond ourselves,” said one official. “Even if Pakistan moves up in rankings and secures a spot in Division One, what about West Indies or Bangladesh? How will they improve if they are left to play only among themselves?”

The PCB also addressed criticism that it has not given importance to Test cricket. The board clarified that the national team will play nine Test matches in 2026, offering a chance to improve its rankings and compete with higher-ranked teams.

While only five Tests are scheduled for Pakistan this year, including a recent loss in Cape Town to South Africa and a 1-1 home series draw against West Indies, the upcoming calendar promises more. Two home Tests against South Africa are scheduled for October and November.

In 2026, Pakistan is set to tour Bangladesh in March and April, West Indies in July and August, play a three-match series in England in August and September, and host Sri Lanka for two Tests in November.

“Claiming we don’t value Test cricket is unfair,” the official added. “We’re building a strong Test calendar to ensure our team competes at the highest level.”

With growing concerns that the proposed two-tier system could widen the gap between cricket’s elite and emerging teams, Pakistan’s firm opposition is expected to resonate with other full members who may face similar risks.

Lancashire County Cricket Club has launched an investigation after a video showing a Pakistani cricket fan being asked to cover his national team jersey during the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford went viral on social media. 

The fan, identified as Farooq Nazar, posted the video online. He can be seen wearing a green Pakistan team T-shirt while seated in the stadium when a security steward says he was instructed by the control room to ask the fan to cover his shirt. Later in the clip, another steward refers to the shirt as “nationalistic” and insists it be concealed.

The incident quickly sparked controversy online, drawing attention to issues of discrimination and freedom of expression in sports venues. Visibly frustrated, Nazar is seen questioning the repeated requests and is eventually approached by a police officer who asks him to step out of the stands. Reports suggest Nazar chose to leave the stadium rather than cover his shirt.

While it remains unclear on which day of the five-day Test the incident occurred, Lancashire has acknowledged that it did take place and confirmed that a formal inquiry is underway.

“We are aware of the incident and are taking steps to fully understand all the circumstances and context,” a club spokesperson told to ESPNcricinfo.

The controversy comes amid heightened political tensions between India and Pakistan, following recent border skirmishes in June. 

The strained relations between the two countries have also impacted cricketing ties, with no bilateral series played between them since 2012–13 and no Test series since 2007–08.

Even in ICC events, matches between India and Pakistan are often held at neutral venues to avoid hosting disputes. 

Meanwhile, Lancashire has been working to strengthen its commercial links with India in recent years. Manchester Originals, the club’s Hundred team, reportedly channels 70 percent of its revenue to Indian businessman Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group, which also owns the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.

Lancashire CEO Daniel Gidney has previously expressed interest in involving the BCCI in The Hundred competition as a potential stakeholder.

The incident is now being viewed as another example of how political sensitivities can influence fan experiences at international sporting events. The club’s investigation is expected to address growing concerns over whether fans should face restrictions for simply showing support for their home country.