Category: Sports

Former cricketer Basit Ali has stirred a new controversy with a major revelation just a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Azhar Mahmood as the interim head coach of the national Test team.

Speaking on a local YouTube channel, Basit claimed that Misbah-ul-Haq was set to be named head coach, but last-minute internal changes within the PCB camp shifted the decision in Azhar Mahmood’s favour.

“Misbah was going to be the head coach, but when the wind changed direction, everything changed. Aqib Javed, the director of high performance, and T20 captain Salman Ali Agha’s backing played a crucial role in giving Azhar Mahmood the Red Ball coaching role. I am saying this with full responsibility, otherwise Misbah’s name was finalised,” Basit Ali said.

He further claimed that the final say came down to Salman Ali Agha’s vote, which tipped the balance. “Some things cannot be said openly. We have to be careful, too,” he added.

The 54-year-old also criticised the PCB’s inconsistency in hiring and firing coaches, questioning the logic behind extending contracts only to terminate them early.

“You said Azhar Mahmood’s contract runs until April 2026, then why did you pay off mentors with three-year deals and let them go early?” he asked. “There must be fairness and consistency. If you can end one contract early, the same principle should apply to others. You could have just paid one or two months’ salary and moved on, same could’ve been done here.”

Earlier, the PCB had officially announced that Azhar Mahmood will serve as the interim red-ball head coach until the completion of his contract in April 2026. The 50-year-old former all-rounder signed a two-year deal in April and had previously served as assistant coach of the national team.

Under Azhar’s leadership, Pakistan will begin its ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 campaign with a two-match home series against South Africa in October-November, followed by an away series against Bangladesh in March-April 2026.

Jordan has refused to play against Israel at the ongoing FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Switzerland, in protest against the Gaza genocide.

According to reports, the Jordan Basketball Federation officially informed FIBA that it would not play the scheduled match against Israel, citing its stance on the current situation in Gaza.

Following Jordan’s decision, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) awarded the match result in Israel’s favour.

Meanwhile, in another case of protest against Israel’s actions, football fans in Argentina staged a symbolic demonstration. Supporters of the Argentine football club All Boys held a symbolic funeral for Israel before a match.

The All Boys fans displayed a symbolic coffin draped with the Israeli flag and paraded it through the streets ahead of their game. The act was meant to condemn Israel’s genocide against Palestine and crimes against Iran.

The national T20 squad has been finalised for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

However, it remains undecided whether the three matches in the West Indies leg of the tour will be played as One Day Internationals (ODIs) or switched to the T20 format.

A final decision will be made following approval from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, and the possible squad announcement is expected soon.

According to media reports, leg-spinner Shadab Khan will not be available due to fitness issues. He is currently suffering from a shoulder injury that may require surgery. The selection committee, with the input of captain Salman Ali Agha and head coach Mike Hesson, has given preference to young players for the finalised squad.

While major changes in the T20 squad are not expected, spinner Sufiyan Muqeem will be part of Pakistan’s T20 squad. Previously, senior players like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi were also not part of the home series against Bangladesh.

The West Indies Cricket Board has yet to respond to the PCB’s proposal of converting the ODI matches into T20s. If matters are finalised, the squad for the West Indies tour will also be announced alongside the Bangladesh squad.

The training camp for the Bangladesh series will begin in Karachi on July 7, while head coach Mike Hesson is set to arrive in Pakistan on July 6. The national team will depart for Dhaka on July 16, with matches scheduled for July 20, 22, and 24.

After the Bangladesh series, the team will travel to the USA for three T20 matches, followed by ODIs. The PCB has requested the West Indies board to convert the ODIs into T20 matches.

Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins has lost his iconic “baggy green” cap during the ongoing tour of the West Indies.

According to reports, the cap was misplaced in Bridgetown just 24 hours before the start of the first Test of the series.

Ahead of the series opener, Cummins was seen wearing a new baggy green during a trophy photoshoot with his Caribbean counterpart, Roston Chase. However, when the match began, he was spotted with his old cap, which he had received back in 2011.

Cummins later confirmed that the new cap he wore the day before had gone missing and, as of the latest updates, it has not been found.

This is not the first time an Australian player has lost a baggy green. Last year, former opener David Warner’s Baggy Green went missing before the New Year’s Test. A nationwide search was launched, but the cap was eventually found in his own luggage.

Australia and the West Indies will face each other in the second Test, starting Thursday in St George’s.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) knocked Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 4–0 victory at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday.

All four goals were scored in the first half. João Neves scored twice in the Round of 16 clash, followed by an own goal from Miami and a fourth from Achraf Hakimi before halftime. PSG will now face the winner of the Bayern Munich vs Flamengo match in the quarterfinals on Saturday.

Inter Miami’s goalkeeper, Oscar Ustari, saved six goal attempts, while PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma saved three shots as Javier Mascherano’s side struggled to create chances for the first 50 minutes.

The match was Messi’s first game against PSG since leaving the French club two years ago.

PSG’s Desire Doue earned a free kick just outside the penalty area within the first five minutes. Vitinha’s delivery was perfect for Neves, who headed it in to open the scoring. Neves doubled the lead in the 39th minute after Fabian Ruiz intercepted the ball from Sergio Busquets and set up a quick passing move.

In the 44th minute, Tomas Aviles accidentally turned a PSG cross into his own net, before Bradley Barcola set up Achraf Hakimi to make it 4-0 just before halftime. Messi attempted to counter with Miami’s first shot in the 51st minute but failed.

On the other hand, global football star Cristiano Ronaldo has turned down an offer to play in the Club World Cup. In a video message after signing a new two-year deal with Saudi club Al Nassr, Ronaldo said, “I had some offers to play in the Club World Cup, but I thought it didn’t make sense because it’s better for me to rest and prepare well.”

Ronaldo added, “My goal is to stay fully fit not only for Al Nassr but also for Portugal’s national team. That’s why I limited myself to the Nations League final match and did not pay attention to any other offers.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially appointed former cricketer Azhar Mahmood as the acting red-ball head coach of the national team.

In an official statement, the PCB said: “A seasoned cricketing mind, Azhar Mahmood steps into the role with an impressive portfolio of experience. Having served as the assistant head coach of the national side, Azhar has long been a pivotal part of the team’s strategic core. His deep knowledge of the game, combined with hands-on international exposure and proven success in the English county circuit, make him exceptionally well-suited for this position.”

“His red-ball pedigree is underscored by two County Championship titles—an achievement that speaks volumes about his leadership, tactical acumen and unwavering commitment to excellence. The PCB is confident that under Azhar’s guidance, the red-ball squad will continue to grow in strength, discipline and performance on the global stage.”

Earlier reports suggested that the PCB was actively considering Mahmood’s appointment to lead the Test side following Jason Gillespie’s resignation. Mahmood signed a two-year contract with the board in April 2024 and previously served as assistant coach for the national team.

However, after the PCB brought in Mike Hesson as the white-ball head coach, Mahmood was left out of the coaching staff for the recent series against Bangladesh. With his contract still valid, the PCB has reassigned him to lead the Test squad.

Pakistan is set to play the upcoming Test series against South Africa and Bangladesh during the remainder of Mahmood’s contract, making his appointment significant for the red-ball setup.

It merits mention that Jason Gillespie, who was appointed red-ball head coach in April 2024, oversaw a 2-0 home series defeat against Bangladesh but guided the team to a 2-1 series win against England. Gillespie later resigned, citing internal communication issues within the PCB, particularly over not being informed about the removal of High-Performance Coach Tim Nielsen.

Following Gillespie’s resignation, Aqib Javed served as interim head coach for the two-match Test series against South Africa in Centurion and Cape Town, played from December 20, 2024, to January 7, 2025.

Indian cricketer Yash Dayal has been accused of sexual harassment and physical assault by a woman from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, after he allegedly broke his promise to marry her.

According to Indian media reports, the woman filed her complaint through the state chief minister’s online grievance portal and also registered a case at the local police station. She alleged that the two had been in a close relationship for the past five years.

Dayal allegedly initially promised to marry her but later refused. She further accused him of sexually harassing and physically assaulting her during their relationship.

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the police to conduct a complete investigation and submit a report by July 21. Indian media reports also note that Dayal has been associated with the Indian national team as a net bowler. He also played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Pakistan’s inspiring winning streak in the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship continues as the team registered its fourth consecutive victory by defeating Japan 79-39, securing a place in the semi-finals in the final group match against Maldives tomorrow.

Earlier, Pakistan defeated hosts South Korea 91-6 in their third match of the tournament. The national team outclassed the home side in a completely one-sided contest. Pakistan led 23-2 in the first quarter, extended the lead to 45-3 by halftime, and maintained their dominance with a 70-4 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Before these matches, Pakistan had already beaten Saudi Arabia in their opening match and then outplayed Chinese Taipei in the second game. The championship, which runs until July 4, features 11 participating teams.

Group A includes Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, and India, while Group B comprises Pakistan, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea, Maldives, and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Ashraf has opened up about why star batter Babar Azam has not looked at his best in recent times.

Speaking during a recent podcast, Faheem said that Babar was trying to change his natural game because of constant criticism on social media, which was affecting the former skipper’s performance and was stopping him from playing freely.

“Now there is so much chatter that Babar feels he needs to adjust his game,” Faheem said. “This has led to things not going in his favour.”

Talking about the strike rate debate, Faheem said big names did not “play with a strike rate of 200”. “Yes, we did not win any major event under his captaincy but you should not force a player to change his natural game,” he added.

Faheem made it clear that Babar played his shots in his own style. “If you ask me to play like Babar does, that is wrong,” he said. “In the same way, if you tell Babar to hit six sixes in an over, that is wrong too. If you ask him to stay out there and win the match, he will do it in his own way.”

He urged fans to trust Babar’s way instead of pushing him to play an unnatural game just to silence critics online.

Babar, who last played for Pakistan in December 2024 during the T20 series against South Africa, has been out of the side since after. He has also struggled for form in recent matches, with his last half-century coming against Ireland in 2023.

Babar, known for playing calmly and anchoring the innings, has faced a lot of criticism for his strike rate. Many fans on social media have targeted him for not being aggressive enough in T20s, which has pushed him to change the way he bats.

He has now been signed by Sydney Sixers as their pre-draft overseas player for Big Bash League season 15. The Sixers secured him from the Platinum category, offering a deal reportedly worth nearly PKR 10 crore, making him one of the highest‑paid overseas signings in league history.

Bangladesh’s Test captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has announced stepping down from the role following his team’s massive loss against Sri Lanka in the recent Test series.

Shanto made the announcement during a press conference after Bangladesh lost by an innings and 78 runs. He said he did not want to continue leading the team in Tests and that his decision was in the best interest of the team.

“This is not a personal decision. I believe it is better for the team,” Shanto said and added that three different captains for three formats was not helpful for them. “I have been part of the dressing room for some time and I think this is not the right approach. I informed the board about my decision a few days ago.”

He also made it clear that his decision was not an emotional reaction to the loss or any personal disappointment. “I don’t want people to think this is an emotional decision. It is fully for the benefit of the team,” Shanto added.

Najmul Hossain Shanto took over Bangladesh’s Test captaincy in November 2023 during the home series against New Zealand. Under his leadership, Bangladesh played 14 Test matches, winning four, losing nine and drawing one. One of his most memorable moments as captain was leading Bangladesh to back-to-back Test wins against Pakistan in August 2024.

Shanto also performed well with the bat while leading the side. His batting average as captain was 36.24, compared to an earlier average of 29.83. In Tests that Bangladesh won, he averaged 37.16 runs with the bat.

Earlier this month, Shanto was also removed as captain of the ODI team. Mehidy Hasan Miraz has now taken over the ODI leadership role.