Sports

Pakistan bounced back in style to defeat the West Indies by eight wickets in the second and final Test at Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad, on Wednesday, leveling the two-match series 1-1. After suffering a 90-run defeat in the opening Test, Pakistan needed just 75 runs for victory after dismissing the hosts for 117 in their second innings on the fourth morning. Although Imam-ul-Haq and Azan Awais fell early, Abdullah Shafique and captain Babar Azam calmly guided the visitors home. Babar sealed the victory in emphatic fashion with back-to-back sixes off spinner Jomel Warrican. Shafique Shines on Surprise Return Abdullah Shafique was named Player of the Match after an outstanding unbeaten 160 in Pakistan’s first innings of 387. The opener was not originally part of the touring squad and...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed South African coach Mike Smith as the batting coach of the Pakistan men's national cricket team on a two-year contract. According to the PCB, Smith will work with both the red-ball and white-ball squads, marking a long-term addition to the national team's coaching setup. He is set to officially join the squad ahead of Pakistan's upcoming Test series against England, where he will begin his duties. The appointment follows the PCB's recruitment process launched in May 2026, when the board advertised the position of permanent batting coach. Applications were invited until June 7, after which the selection process was completed. Mike Smith, a former South African first-class cricketer, brings significant coaching experience to the role. H...

Babar Azam etched his name further into Pakistan cricket history on Sunday by becoming only the third captain to lead the men's national team in 150 international matches. The milestone came during the second Test against the West Indies, marking another significant achievement in the 31-year-old's captaincy career after recently returning to lead Pakistan in the longest format. Babar joins an elite list headed by legendary captain Imran Khan, who led Pakistan in 187 international matches, while Misbah-ul-Haq occupies second place with 151. With 150 matches now under his belt, Babar is just one game behind Misbah and could soon move into second place on the all-time list. Most Matches as Pakistan Captain Imran Khan: 187 matches (89 wins) Misbah-ul-Haq: 151 matches (77 wins)...

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has reportedly withdrawn from the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026, bringing an early end to a disappointing campaign with Kandy Royals. According to multiple media reports, the 26-year-old informed Kandy Royals that he was leaving the tournament for personal reasons. Neither the franchise nor tournament organizers have disclosed further details, and a replacement has yet to be announced. Afridi's exit comes just days after an embarrassing administrative error involving his omission from Kandy Royals' playing XI against Colombo Capitals. Reports said he had initially been named as the team's Impact Player, but after Kandy opted to bat first, management informed him that his name had mistakenly been left off the official team sheet due to an ana...

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing growing pressure over his leadership after abandoning a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup, a plan that sparked widespread opposition from football's regional governing bodies. The criticism intensified on Sunday when Claudius Schaefer, chairman of European Leagues and chief executive of the Swiss Football League, suggested Infantino's position had become difficult to defend. Speaking to Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung, Schaefer said there could be "only one consequence" when the head of an organization pushes through a major commercial deal without consulting its governing bodies. "When I saw how this whole thing unfolded and that FIFA's key bodies weren't involved, then there's essentia...

Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo and his fiancée Georgina Rodríguez have once again become the center of global attention after fresh wedding rumours spread across social media, with reports claiming the couple could finally tie the knot this month. Speculation intensified after Ronaldo and Georgina were spotted wearing matching diamond rings while vacationing in Mallorca, prompting fans to believe the long-awaited wedding is imminent. Several international media outlets also claimed the ceremony could take place on August 8 in Funchal, Madeira—the Portuguese island where Ronaldo was born and raised. According to the reports, the historic Funchal Cathedral has been tipped as the wedding venue, while the luxury Savoy Palace Hotel is reportedly preparing to host the reception. However, ...

Pakistan's Fatima Zahra created history at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow by becoming the first Pakistani woman to win a boxing medal at the event after securing a bronze medal in the women's 60kg category. Zahra's historic campaign ended in the semi-finals, where she was defeated by Canadian boxer Mary Bathoul Al-Ahmadieh. Under Commonwealth Games boxing rules, both losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze medals, ensuring Pakistan's place on the podium. The Pakistani boxer had guaranteed herself a medal by defeating New Zealand's Jordan Wilson with a dominant 5-0 unanimous decision in the quarter-finals. The victory also ended Pakistan's long wait for a Commonwealth Games boxing medal and marked a major breakthrough for women's boxing in the country. Fatima Zahra's achie...

Spain has returned to the summit of world football after reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the latest FIFA Men's World Rankings, capping off their triumphant 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. The newly crowned world champions climbed back to the top following their 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final, ending Argentina's reign at the summit and reaffirming Spain's dominance on the international stage. Spain's rise comes after an impressive tournament in which they defeated Portugal, Belgium, France, and Argentina in the knockout rounds to lift their second FIFA World Cup title. Meanwhile, Morocco achieved a historic milestone by climbing to sixth place in the latest rankings—the highest position ever attained by an African nation in FIFA's men's rankings. The Atlas Lions co...

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has admitted to violating the ICC Anti-Doping Code and agreed to participate in a rehabilitation program, prompting the International Cricket Council (ICC) to lift his provisional suspension. According to the ICC, the 32-year-old's doping sample was collected on February 7, 2026, following Pakistan's ICC Men's T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Testing later detected the presence of a prohibited substance in his sample. Under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, all of Nawaz's match results and performances from the February 7 fixture against the Netherlands through May 1, 2026, have been disqualified. The ICC said Nawaz acknowledged that the banned substance was used out of competition and was not intended to enhance his on...

Sir Garfield Sobers, the legendary West Indies all-rounder widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers in history, has passed away at the age of 89. Sobers left an unmatched legacy with his extraordinary achievements in batting, bowling, and fielding during an illustrious international career. Sobers represented the West Indies in 93 Test matches, scoring 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, including 26 centuries. With the ball, he claimed 235 Test wickets, establishing himself as one of the sport's finest genuine all-rounders. His first-class career was equally remarkable. Across 383 matches, Sobers amassed more than 28,000 runs and took over 1,000 wickets, achievements that cemented his place among cricket's greatest players. In 1968, Sobers became the first batter in crick...