Category: Sports

Pakistan remain unbeaten at the FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship with a 3-0 victory over Türkiye in Tashkent on Saturday.

The straight-sets win (25-17, 25-19, 25-19) marked Pakistan’s third consecutive triumph in Pool A, after earlier dominant performances against Belgium and hosts Uzbekistan.

Pakistan began their debut campaign with a stunning upset over world No. 7 Belgium, winning 3-0 in their opening match. They followed it up with another straight-sets win over Uzbekistan (25-23, 25-17, 25-21), showcasing their growing confidence and cohesion.

Against Türkiye, outside hitter Saud led with 16 points, while captain Muhammad Yahya added 13. Pakistan controlled all aspects of the game, outperforming their opponents in attack points, blocks, digs, and serves.

Now among the Pool A frontrunners, Pakistan will face tougher tests ahead against Argentina and Puerto Rico as they push for a spot in the knockout stage.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar has responded to martial artist Shahzaib Rind’s public criticism over the government’s failure to deliver promised financial support, assuring the athlete that the matter will be resolved immediately.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Tarar addressed Rind directly, saying, “Dear Shahzaib, there seems to be some miscommunication. We sincerely apologise for this unjustified delay. Sportsmen like you are our real heroes, and we value your achievements.”

He said the Prime Minister had taken “serious notice” of the situation and has ordered that the matter be resolved without further delay.

“The PM has further instructed that such mistakes must never happen in the future. We regret this unjustified delay and the inconvenience caused,” the minister added.

Shahzaib Rind, Pakistan’s reigning Karate Combat Lightweight World Champion and a six-time national Wushu champion, had earlier accused the country’s political leadership of dishonesty and neglect. 

He claimed that despite public announcements by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of a PKR 5 million cash prize and PKR 80 million in support for his training, he had received nothing even after 1.5 years.

Shahzaib recently extended his undefeated record to 8-0 after a commanding victory over Brazil’s Luis Rocha at KC 56, further cementing his legacy as one of the country’s top fighters.

Pakistan has officially barred all its sports teams from participating in events held in India due to security concerns, a notification issued by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has said. 

The decision was taken during a recent meeting of the PSB. The notification clearly states that no sports federation will be allowed to send teams to India without prior approval from the board.

As a result of this directive, Pakistan’s national team will not be able to take part in the upcoming Asia Hockey Cup. The notification does not specify how long the restriction will remain in place.

The move reflects heightened security sensitivities and adds another layer of complexity to already strained sporting relations between the two countries.

Two athletes from the Pakistani contingent participating in the 2025 World University Games in Germany have gone missing, media reports confirmed.

According to reports, both athletes took part in their respective competitions but have been untraceable since July 24. Sources revealed that they were last seen  attending a dinner with the team, after which their absence was noticed during breakfast the next morning.

It has been further disclosed that the athletes’ passports are currently with the team manager. The rest of the Pakistani contingent is scheduled to return home on July 27.

The head of the Pakistani delegation Javed Memon stated that a complete update on the situation will be shared soon.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the national squads for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies, including three T20Is and three ODIs.

The team will depart for the United States (US) on July 27. The T20Is are scheduled for July 31, August 2 and 3, followed by the ODIs on August 8, 10, and 12.

Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been retained as ODI captain, with star players like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Babar Azam also included in the 15-man squad.

A major highlight is the return of Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Afridi to the T20I side, which will be led by Agha Salman. Meanwhile, Abbas Afridi, Salman Irshad, and Ahmed Daniyal, who featured against Bangladesh, have been dropped.

The T20I squad also includes Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Hussain Talat, and Mohammad Nawaz. Hasan Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris, and Sufiyan Muqeem round out the lineup.

In the ODI squad, Rizwan will be joined by Salman Ali Agha, Babar Azam, Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Saim Ayub.

Also named are Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris, and Sufiyan Muqeem.

Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson has shared a crucial message for the national cricket team, stressing the need to adopt a consistent style and build squad depth ahead of major tournaments like the Asia Cup and ICC World Cup.

In a detailed post on social media platform X, Hesson reflected on the team’s recent performances and laid out his vision for long-term success.

“Currently sitting 8th in the world, we need to create depth and competition for places as well as play a style of cricket that can give us more consistency over time, especially at key events like Asia Cup and World Cups,” he wrote.

He noted that the first six matches of the recent series were played on two contrasting types of pitches, offering key insights into the squad’s adaptability. “A young batting group shone with 200+ scores early. Mirpur, which is the lowest scoring venue in T20Is, certainly tested our adaptability and after struggling early we fought back and showed an ability to learn with experience.”

Hesson praised new players for stepping up and making an impact. “New players stepped up, showing promise and in some instances excelling,” he said.

 “Specialist Coaches have played a key role in developing bowlers both here and at the NCA,” he wrote.

Hesson expressed satisfaction over the improvement in fielding as well. “Fielding was a huge step up in the last two matches and we’re starting to look like an international fielding side.”

The head coach signed off his message with a hopeful note: “Onwards.”

It merits mention that Bangladesh won the T20I series 2-1, with Pakistan avoiding a whitewash by securing a 74-run victory in the third match.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has raised concerns over the quality of pitches used during the recently concluded T20I series against Bangladesh in Dhaka, calling them unsuitable for preparation ahead of major tournaments like the Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup.

Days after head coach Mike Hesson criticised the sluggish tracks at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Salman echoed similar views during the post-match press conference following Pakistan’s consolation win in the third T20I.

“If anyone asks me whether this series helped us prepare for the Asia Cup or the World Cup, I would say no,” Salman said. “These conditions don’t resemble anything we’re likely to encounter in future tournaments. I haven’t seen such pitches anywhere outside Bangladesh.”

The pitches in Mirpur favoured spin heavily and offered little assistance to stroke play, resulting in low-scoring games throughout the three-match series. While acknowledging the team’s shortcomings, Salman clarified that his remarks were not excuses.

“I’m not here to make excuses or blame the pitch,” he said. “We are professionals and must adapt to any conditions. But realistically, these wickets aren’t ideal for preparing for major tournaments where conditions will differ significantly.”

The Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in the UAE, while Pakistan’s T20 World Cup matches are likely to take place in Sri Lanka, where conditions are expected to be more balanced and competitive for international cricket.

Pakistan’s aggressive batting approach failed to click in the first two games of the series, highlighting the mismatch between their game plan and the pitch behavior in Dhaka. The team will now shift focus to the upcoming series against the West Indies, where they hope to regain momentum.

A tri-nation series before the Asia Cup will also provide an opportunity for the team to settle on a playing combination, preferably on pitches that better suit their style of play.

With the Dhaka chapter behind them, all eyes are now on Pakistan’s preparations for the Asia Cup in September, which will be the true test of Salman Ali Agha’s leadership.

The annual meeting of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has concluded in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where ACC President Mohsin Naqvi said that discussions with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are underway and a final decision on Asia Cup will be announced soon.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, Naqvi thanked the participants and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for hosting the event.

“I thank the BCB for their warm hospitality. We have decided to work together for the development of cricket,” Naqvi said. “All 25 members attended the ACC meeting and I am grateful to everyone for being part of it.”

Naqvi described the two-day event as “memorable” and said that politics should not interfere with cricket. “No one wants politics here. It was a very positive environment and a decision about Asia Cup will be reached soon. This is all about teamwork and we will continue to hold such meetings.”

He acknowledged that not everyone could make it to Dhaka. “Some people couldn’t attend, and that’s normal. I couldn’t attend the Singapore meeting either due to scheduling issues. The important thing is that all key members were here,” he added. “We are also in discussions with the Bangladeshi Board on several matters. Please wait for the announcement.”

Indian media had earlier reported that BCCI, initially unhappy with Dhaka as the venue due to political tensions, had threatened to boycott the meeting. However, it later confirmed that its Secretary-General Rajeev Shukla would attend virtually, ending weeks of uncertainty.

A new policy has been implemented at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), requiring players not attending an official camp to cover their own food and accommodation expenses.

According to journalist Qadir Khawaja, around six to seven T20 specialist cricketers train daily at the NCA in Lahore. Recently, when these players went to the kitchen for lunch after a training session, they were informed of the new rule.

“If you want food, you’ll have to pay for it,” kitchen staff reportedly told the players. The staff further informed them that they had received instructions not to serve free meals unless a formal camp was in place. Players were asked to pay between PKR 8,000 to 10,000 each for food.

Among the players currently training at the academy are Arafat Minhas, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Mohammad Naeem, Faik Butt, along with star cricketers Naseem Shah and Babar Azam. The training is being supervised by Mansoor Rana, Aaqib Javed, and Humayun Farhat.

The camp for T20 specialist players is likely to begin on July 28 or 29, while players for Pakistan Shaheens are expected to report on July 26.

Pakistan made a strong start to the FIVB U19 Volleyball World Championship, defeating world number 7 Belgium 3-0 in their opening match.

This is Pakistan’s debut appearance in the global tournament, and they are currently ranked 19th in the FIVB U19 rankings.

The young Green Shirts showed no signs of nerves as they dominated the court with impressive coordination and energy. 

Earlier this week, the Pakistan U16 team also created history by winning the Asian U16 Volleyball Championship 2025, defeating tournament favourites Iran 3-2 in a nail-biting final in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

“We are just so grateful to have created history for Pakistan. This win is a result of so many sacrifices,” said head coach Kafaitullah after the win.

The U16 team remained unbeaten throughout the eight-day tournament. Starting in Pool D, they swept South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Chinese Taipei—all with dominant 3-0 victories. They defeated Iran 3-1 in the second round and later beat arch-rivals India in the semifinals before meeting Iran again in the title clash.

This back-to-back success by Pakistan’s U16 and U19 squads is a testament to the potential and resurgence of volleyball in the country.