Category: Sports

Pakistan’s rising wicketkeeper-batter Haseebullah Khan has opened up on reports claiming he has left Pakistan to pursue a long-term cricket career in England.

Speculation surfaced on social media in the past few days suggesting that the 22-year-old had moved to England with the aim of switching his allegiance to English cricket. However, Haseebullah has now rubbished these claims through an Instagram story, calling all such reports baseless.

“I want to inform you all that I have arrived in England for my domestic county contract and other commitments,” he clarified. “I am fully committed and determined to represent my country Pakistan with complete dedication and passion.”

The young cricketer also urged his fans not to pay attention to any false news. “My humble request to everyone is not to believe in fake news and rumours. Pakistan Zindabad,” he wrote.

A viral Facebook post had claimed that Haseebullah met with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) agents to discuss his future in English cricket.

It is worth mentioning that Haseebullah has played three T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 36 runs at an average of 12. He was also part of Quetta Gladiators in the 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League but featured in only one match, scoring seven runs.

The reports surfaced after he was not selected in the Pakistan Shaheens’ recently announced squad for the England tour and the Top End T20 Series in Australia.

Fans are praising British-Pakistani boxer Hamzah Sheeraz after his major fifth-round stoppage victory over American boxer Edgar Berlanga in New York on Sunday.

Fighting for the first time at super middleweight, the 26-year-old dropped Berlanga twice in the fourth round and at the beginning of the fifth, forcing the referee to end the fight.

Sheeraz’s win at the Louis Armstrong Stadium at Flushing Meadows improves his record to 22-0 with one draw and 18 wins by knockout. It was his first bout since a draw with WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in February, after which he decided to move up in weight.

Berlanga, on the other hand, suffered his second loss in three fights, taking his record to 23-2. He had previously lost to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on points before bouncing back with a stoppage win over Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz in March.

Sheeraz is now eyeing a dream clash with Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion.

“It would be an honour to share the ring with him; it genuinely would,” Sheeraz said. “One thing I can guarantee is if I do ever share the ring with Canelo, it’s not going to be the case of what happened in his last fight, where his opponent [William Scull] was trying to run. Even if I get knocked out, I’ll stand there and trade with him. I’ll put on a good performance because that’s what it’s about, daring to be great, and I’ll do just that.”

In the other co-main event, Shakur Stevenson retained his WBC lightweight world title with a unanimous decision win over William Zepeda. Stevenson improved his unbeaten record to 24-0 with 11 knockouts, comfortably winning on all three judges’ scorecards. It was the first loss for Mexico’s Zepeda, who now stands at 33-1.

Sheeraz’s dominant performance has earned him widespread praise on social media, with many fans calling him boxing’s next big star.

One user wrote, “Great fight that was today… Hamzah Sheeraz became a superstar tonight and knocked Berlanga down 2x before getting him out of there in round 6 when the referee waved it off… brutal beat down.”

Another fan praised his style, saying, “Power with the right straight left hook combo love to see it!”

Comparisons to past British greats also poured in, with one comment reading, “That like look like a young Amir Khan.”

Others applauded his bounce-back performance: “Sheeraz’s last fight wasn’t great but this was killer. Well done Sheeraz, that was impressive .”

Another added, “Brutal knockout well deserved and well done Sheeraz.”

One fan summed up the mood, writing, “What a statement win on his US debut! ”

Italy’s Jannik Sinner has won the Wimbledon men’s singles title for the first time, defeating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set thriller on Sunday. 

The victory makes Sinner the first Italian player ever to claim the prestigious Wimbledon crown.

Played in London, the third Grand Slam final of the year saw an intense battle between Sinner and two-time Wimbledon champion Alcaraz. Alcaraz started strong, using his powerful serves and groundstrokes to take the first set 6-4.

However, Sinner regained control of the match with exceptional play, breaking Alcaraz’s serve multiple times. He went on to win the next three sets with identical scores of 6-4, 6-4, and 6-4, securing his maiden Grand Slam title at the All England Club.

Remarkably, Sinner achieved the milestone after five consecutive defeats to Alcaraz, turning the tables when it mattered most.

Chelsea Football Club have secured the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup title after defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in a one-sided final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Monday.

The English club dominated the mega event’s final with a commanding performance against PSG, who failed to score any goals. The victory was credited to Chelsea’s new manager Enzo Maresca, whose brilliant tactics helped the team gain a decisive three-goal lead in the first half.

The star of the match was 22-year-old Cole Palmer, who scored two goals and assisted the third, which was netted by striker Joao Pedro.

A highlight of the final was the presence of US President Donald Trump, who watched the match live at the stadium alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino. After the match, the duo joined the players for a group photo and distributed awards to the winners.

This triumph marks Chelsea’s second major trophy this season after their UEFA Champions League victory back in May. The match also served as a test event for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, scheduled to take place at the same MetLife Stadium in the United States.

Middle-order batsman Umar Akmal’s complicated relationship with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) continues to strain, as the batter, once tipped to be Pakistan’s next superstar, has once again criticised the governing body.

Speaking to the media on Friday, the 35-year-old said he deeply regrets choosing Pakistan over a lucrative T20 league career. “International cricket was always my first priority. I left big leagues to serve Pakistan but today I regret those decisions,” Umar said.

He expressed regret over what he described as repeated and unexplained discrimination by the PCB, particularly its consistent refusal to grant him No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in overseas leagues. “I don’t know who at the PCB thinks I shouldn’t play cricket, but I have suffered in silence again and again,” he said.

Umar Akmal recalled the time when a delayed NOC nearly cost him an entire league season, adding to his financial and mental struggles. He has now applied for another NOC to play in an ICC-approved league in Switzerland, but says the PCB has yet to respond.

Expressing his frustration, he said, “If the league wasn’t legitimate, why would I even apply? I followed the process. What more do they want?”

If his latest application is rejected again, Umar is prepared to take legal action. “If this continues, I will go to court. I’m not done yet. I have many years left in me and I deserve the same opportunities others get,” he said.

Umar Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in 2019, remains one of the country’s most recognised T20 players. A seasoned name in leagues like the PSL, BPL, CPL and the Champions League T20, he has scored 5,839 runs in 279 matches at a strike rate of 131, with 34 fifties and a century. For Pakistan, he made 1,690 runs in 84 T20 internationals at a strike rate of 122.73, with eight fifties to his name.

But after years of stop-start setbacks with the PCB, he admits that putting Pakistan ahead of personal gain may have cost him far more than he ever imagined.

Italy has qualified for the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup for the first time in history.

The Netherlands have also secured their place for the T20 World Cup, which will be held in 2026.

Italy achieved this milestone by winning against Guernsey and Scotland in the Europe Qualifier 2025.

A total of 20 teams will compete in the T20 World Cup 2026.

Hosts India and Sri Lanka, along with Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, the USA, and New Zealand, had already qualified by reaching the Super Eight stage of the last World Cup.

Meanwhile, Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland have qualified directly based on their T20 International rankings.

The remaining six spots for the T20 World Cup 2026 will be decided through regional qualifiers, with two teams from Africa, one from the Americas and three from the Asia/East Asia Pacific regions.

Pakistan Shaheens’ squad for the upcoming tour of England has been announced.

An 18-member squad will travel to England to play two three-day matches and three one-day games, with Saud Shakeel named as captain, from July 17 to August 6.

The squad includes 11 players under the age of 25.

The selected players are Ali Zaryab, Azan Awais, Faisal Akram, Haider Ali, Moazz Sadaqat, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Salman, Mubasir Khan, Musa Khan, Mushtaq Ahmed, Umair Bin Yousuf, wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir, Sajid Khan, Shahid Aziz, Shahmal Hussain and Ubaid Shah.

Former Test cricketer Imran Farhat will serve as head coach for the England tour.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has been knocked out of the prestigious tennis tournament after a comprehensive defeat. 

World number one Jannik Sinner defeated Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the semi-final to book his spot in the final.

Italy’s Jannik Sinner beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the second semi-final, sending the Serbian star out of the competition. Sinner has reached the Wimbledon final for the first time in his career.

Earlier, in the first semi-final of Wimbledon 2025, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain defeated America’s Taylor Fritz to secure his place in the final.

The Wimbledon final will be played on Sunday between Italy’s Jannik Sinner and Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.

Ireland’s Curtis Campher has created a unique record in men’s cricket history by taking five wickets in five consecutive deliveries.

Campher achieved this rare feat during a domestic match played in Ireland. Representing Munster Reds in the Inter-Provincial T20 Trophy in Dublin, he produced the remarkable performance against North West Warriors.

He ended the 12th over by trapping Jared Wilson and Graham Hume leg-before-wicket, then returned in his next over to claim three more wickets with his first three balls, completing the five-in-five record.

Speaking about his achievement, Campher said, “I couldn’t really believe it was happening.”

Munster Reds went on to win the match by a massive margin of 100 runs.

It merits mention that Zimbabwe’s women’s all-rounder Kellies Ndlovu was the first player to accomplish the rare feat in 2024. She took five wickets in five balls while playing for Eagles Women during a domestic Under-19 T20 match.