ISTANBUL: A member of Turkey’s ruling party has claimed that former Brazil football star Roberto Carlos has converted to Islam, although the retired player has not publicly confirmed the report.
Turkish media reported Thursday that Ali Sahin, a member of Turkey’s parliament, made the claim after meeting representatives of Brazil’s Muslim community in Sao Paulo.
Sahin said Sheikh Jihad Hamadeh, a prominent figure in Brazil’s Muslim community, told him that Carlos visited him about four weeks ago and recited the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, in the presence of representatives of several Islamic organizations.
Sahin congratulated Carlos on his reported conversion and expressed his best wishes for the former football star.
However, Carlos, 53, has not issued any public statement confirming that he has converted to Islam.
Carlos is widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs in football history. He enjoyed a highly successful international career with Brazil and played for several major European clubs, including Real Madrid. He also joined Turkish club Fenerbahce in 2007.
LEEDS, England: Pakistan’s batting lineup collapsed in the first innings of the opening Test against England, with the entire team bowled out for 171 in 48.1 overs on Wednesday.
England captain Joe Root won the toss and elected to bowl first in the three-match Test series at Leeds.
Pakistan got off to a disastrous start as opener Azzan Owais was dismissed lbw by Ollie Robinson off the first ball of the innings. Shan Masood was then trapped lbw by Robinson with Pakistan on six.
Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique attempted to steady the innings, but both were eventually dismissed after scoring 42 and 61 runs, respectively.
No other Pakistani batter was able to withstand the England bowling attack. Salman Ali Agha scored 21, Khurram Shahzad made 14 and Mohammad Rizwan contributed 12.
For England, Robinson and Josh Tongue took five wickets each to bowl Pakistan out for 171.
Pakistan’s playing XI included Imam-ul-Haq, Azzan Owais, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Abbas.
With regular Test captain Babar Azam sidelined by injury, Salman Ali Agha is leading Pakistan in the match.
England’s lineup features captain Joe Root, Emily Guy, Ben Duckett, Jordan Cox, Harry Brook, Dan Larson, Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue.
LEEDS: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test against England due to injury, with Salman Ali Agha set to lead the side in his absence.
Pakistan red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed Babar’s unavailability during a press conference in Leeds, saying the team’s medical staff was assessing his injury.
“We hope Babar will be available for the second Test,” Sarfaraz said.
The coach said Pakistan’s confidence had received a boost after winning the practice match and expressed optimism that the team would perform well in the opening Test.
Pakistan yet to finalize playing combination
Sarfaraz said the team management was still considering the best combination for the first Test. He identified fast bowler Mohammad Abbas as an important player in the English conditions.
He also confirmed that Shan Masood was fully fit and available for the match, adding that all players had worked hard in preparation for the series.
Sarfaraz said Babar remained in good form despite missing the opening Test, while Saud Shakeel and other batters had also been performing well.
“Losing an important player is a setback, but we have confidence in all our players,” Sarfaraz said.
He added that Babar’s presence would have allowed the team to consider different combinations, but Pakistan would now focus on making the best use of the available players.
LISBON: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted that the current season could be his final campaign as a professional footballer, potentially bringing one of the sport’s most celebrated careers to an end.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo made the comments in an interview following his wedding to longtime partner Georgina Rodriguez on Tuesday. He said he was now considering a future centered more around his family.
“This could be my final year in football, and I want to leave a great legacy,” Ronaldo said, according to media reports.
Ronaldo said he had already planned his life after football and would have plenty of activities to keep him occupied. He said he wanted to spend more time enjoying himself, traveling, playing and watching padel, and appreciating the achievements of his career.
He described his football journey as one that had involved 25 years of sacrifice.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner and five-time Champions League champion has won league titles in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia. He is also the leading scorer in men’s international football.
Ronaldo has spent nearly four years with Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr, where he has one year remaining on his contract.
When asked in July whether the upcoming FIFA World Cup would be his final appearance at the tournament, Ronaldo said he would consult his family before making a decision and would do so with a “peaceful mind.”
Devdutt Padikkal struck his maiden Test century to put India in a commanding position on day one of the 1st Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, with India closing on 288/2 — a landmark match that is also India’s 600th Test.
Day one scorecard summary
Detail
Information
Venue
Galle International Stadium
India’s score (stumps, Day 1)
288/2
Devdutt Padikkal
131* (134 balls, 9 fours, 1 six)
Rishabh Pant
27* (not out at stumps)
Strike rate (Padikkal)
74.81
Match significance
India’s 600th Test match
How the innings unfolded
Batting at number three, Padikkal combined watchful defence against the new ball with calculated boundary-hitting once set, and was especially effective against Sri Lanka’s spin attack — most notably left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. His century arrived after India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, who was run out following a collision with the bowler.
Why this century matters
India’s number three position has been a problem spot: across the previous 19 Tests, seven different batters were tried there, averaging just 27.28 with only five fifty-plus scores in 35 innings. Padikkal’s unbeaten 131 is a significant answer to that instability.
The innings also carries historical weight: Padikkal became only the second left-handed Indian batter to score a Test century at number three in the 21st century, after Sourav Ganguly’s 136 against Zimbabwe in 2002 — placing his knock in select company more than two decades on.
What it means for the series
A settled number three, finally. If Padikkal builds on this start across the series, it resolves a slot that has unsettled India’s top order for nearly two years.
Momentum for the tour. A commanding 288/2 at stumps puts Sri Lanka on the back foot early in a series where conditions typically favour spin.
A symbolic 600th Test. The milestone match adds extra context to a batting performance that could define the series.
Frequently asked questions
What was Devdutt Padikkal’s score in the 1st Test against Sri Lanka?
He was unbeaten on 131 off 134 balls (9 fours, 1 six) at the end of day one, his maiden Test century.
Where is the India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test being played?
At the Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka, starting 15 August 2026.
Why is this Test significant for India beyond the scoreline?
It is India’s 600th Test match, and Padikkal’s century is only the second by a left-handed Indian batter at number three in the 21st century, after Sourav Ganguly in 2002.
Scorecard and match details as of stumps, Day 1, 15 August 2026. Figures may be updated as the Test progresses — check live scorecards for the latest.
Pakistan has named a 15-member cricket squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan — and the headline is who’s missing. Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and regular T20 captain Salman Agha have all been left out, with Sahibzada Farhan handed the captaincy and Abdul Samad named vice-captain.
The full squad
Sahibzada Farhan (captain)
Abdul Samad (vice-captain)
Abrar Ahmed
Ahmed Daniyal
Akif Javed
Ali Raza
Arafat Minhas
Haider Ali
Hasan Nawaz
Maaz Sadaqat
Mohammad Salman Mirza
Saad Masood
Saim Ayub
Sufyan Moqim
Usman Khan (wicket-keeper)
Four players — Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat and Saad Masood — have never earned a T20I cap, underlining how much this squad leans toward fresh faces over the established core. At 30, Farhan is the most experienced name in the group and arrives on the back of finishing as the leading run-scorer at the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Tournament details
Detail
Information
Host country
Japan
Games window
19 September – 14 October 2026
Cricket events begin
24 September 2026
Medal matches
3 October 2026
Format
T20
Why the big names are missing
The Pakistan Cricket Board has not given a detailed public explanation for excluding Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan and Salman Agha, describing the selection simply as a “fresh squad.” In practice, multi-sport events like the Asian Games sit outside the traditional bilateral and ICC calendar, and boards frequently use them to manage senior players’ workload, blood younger talent, and test bench strength ahead of bigger assignments — a pattern seen across several countries’ squad announcements for these Games.
The move also lands amid a broader churn in Pakistan’s white-ball leadership this year, with the T20 captaincy and squad composition both under scrutiny following results in the recent international season. Handing Farhan the Asian Games captaincy, separate from the regular T20I leadership, gives selectors a live audition for succession planning without disturbing the existing setup.
What it means for Pakistan’s cricket depth
Bench strength gets tested. Uncapped players like Akif Javed and Maaz Sadaqat get a genuine international assignment rather than domestic cricket alone.
Leadership pipeline widens. A second captaincy option beyond the regular T20I setup is now battle-tested at a multi-nation event.
Senior players get rest. Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s absence frees a packed calendar window for recovery or franchise commitments, without an injury being cited.
Frequently asked questions
Who is captaining Pakistan at the 2026 Asian Games?
Sahibzada Farhan has been named captain, with Abdul Samad as vice-captain.
Why isn’t Babar Azam in the Asian Games squad?
The PCB has not detailed a specific reason, calling it a deliberately fresh squad. No injury has been cited for Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan or Salman Agha.
When does cricket start at the 2026 Asian Games?
Cricket events begin on 24 September 2026, with medal matches on 3 October, within the Games’ overall window of 19 September to 14 October 2026 in Japan.
Squad and schedule details as announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board and Asian Games organisers, current as of 16 August 2026. Squad composition can change before the tournament in case of injury or availability issues — check official PCB announcements for the latest list.
The Pakistan vs England Test series 2026 begins on Wednesday 19 August at Headingley, Leeds — Pakistan’s first Test tour of England since 2020. Three matches across three weeks, all counting towards the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 standings.
Here is the confirmed schedule, what the series means for Pakistan’s WTC position, and the conditions that will decide it.
Pakistan vs England 2026: full Test schedule
Test
Dates
Venue
Start (PKT)
1st Test
19–23 August 2026
Headingley, Leeds
3:00 pm
2nd Test
27–31 August 2026
Lord’s, London
3:00 pm
3rd Test
9–13 September 2026
Edgbaston, Birmingham
3:00 pm
All three matches begin at 3:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time, which corresponds to an 11:00 am local start in England. The fixtures were confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board in July 2025.
Note the gap: nine days separate the end of the Lord’s Test from the start at Edgbaston. That is an unusually long break in a modern three-match series and gives both squads genuine recovery time — relevant for fast bowlers managing workloads.
Preparation: the Shaheens tour
Pakistan have not arrived cold. The Pakistan Shaheens — the A-team — have been touring England for a three-match 50-over series and a two-match three-day series, giving fringe and reserve players exposure to English conditions ahead of the Tests.
This matters more than it sounds. The most common failure mode for touring sides in England is not talent but adjustment time: the ball moves later and for longer than it does in Rawalpindi or Multan, and batters who have not faced it recently tend to play too far in front of their body in the first innings of a tour.
What is at stake in the World Test Championship
Every match forms part of the 2025–27 WTC cycle. Under the current system, teams are ranked by percentage of available points won rather than raw totals — a design that means a three-match away series carries disproportionate weight for the touring side, because there are fewer matches to average across.
In practical terms: a 2–1 away win would be a substantial boost to Pakistan’s percentage. A 3–0 loss would be difficult to recover from within the cycle. Draws are worth less than half a win, which discourages defensive cricket from both sides — and in English late-summer conditions, results are the norm rather than the exception.
The three venues, and what they favour
Headingley, Leeds
Traditionally the most bowler-friendly of the three. Overcast Yorkshire mornings and a pitch that offers seam movement make the first session on each day decisive. Winning the toss matters here more than at most English grounds, and totals under 300 are frequently competitive.
Lord’s, London
The famous slope across the ground changes the angle of attack from each end and rewards bowlers who can adapt their line. Historically it offers more for batters than Headingley once the initial movement subsides, but the second new ball is often more dangerous than the first.
Edgbaston, Birmingham
A September Test at Edgbaston is a different proposition from a July one. Later in the season the surface tends to take more turn, and with the series potentially level going in, spin could decide it — an area where Pakistan have historically held an advantage over England at home and have sometimes travelled better than expected.
Squad and captaincy
Official Test squad details for this series had not been confirmed in full at the time of writing. Some outlets have reported Babar Azam leading the side; the PCB’s own confirmation should be treated as the authoritative source, and we will update this page when squads are formally announced.
When does the Pakistan vs England Test series start?
The first Test begins on 19 August 2026 at Headingley, Leeds, at 3:00 pm Pakistan time.
How many Tests are in the series?
Three, at Headingley, Lord’s and Edgbaston. There is no ODI or T20 component announced as part of this Test tour.
When did Pakistan last tour England for Tests?
2020 — a series played behind closed doors under COVID-19 biosecure conditions. This is Pakistan’s first Test tour of England with full crowds in six years.
Does the series count for the World Test Championship?
Yes. All three Tests are part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle and affect both teams’ points percentages.
Schedule confirmed against ECB fixture announcements and reporting by CricExec, ESPNcricinfo and Lord’s. Squad details will be updated once the PCB confirms them officially. Last updated 15 August 2026.
DUBLIN: The Football Association of Ireland has withdrawn its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, dealing another setback to his bid to remain at the helm of world football’s governing body.
The Irish football association confirmed the decision in a letter to FIFA, saying recent developments had raised serious concerns over governance, transparency and consultation.
The move came as the Irish football body’s counterparts in Northern Ireland backed UEFA’s position on the issue.
UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have previously raised concerns over Infantino’s leadership and accused him of undermining trust.
The withdrawal of Ireland’s support adds to growing opposition facing Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election.
The Football Association of Wales was the first of the British and Irish football associations to withdraw its support for Infantino, while the English Football Association has also backed away from its previous support.
The developments could increase pressure on Infantino as he seeks a fourth term as FIFA president.
SKARDU: The body of Pakistani mountaineer Soheil Sakhi, who had been missing after an avalanche struck Broad Peak, has been found, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said.
According to the club, local volunteers from the Tasir area of Shigar district searched for the missing climber and recovered his body on their own.
The volunteers involved in the search included Muhammad Nadeem, Muhammad Bashir and Abuzar, the Alpine Club said.
Sakhi’s body was brought from Camp 1 to the base camp by the volunteers, who were assisted by Zaman and other team members.
The Alpine Club said the body could be airlifted to Skardu by helicopter on Thursday if weather conditions permit.
The club also expressed condolences to Sakhi’s family and the wider mountaineering community.
About 15 days ago, an avalanche struck Broad Peak, leaving 10 climbers missing. The bodies of seven climbers, including five Nepalese mountaineers, have since been recovered.
MULTAN: Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has said he remains the national team captain for the upcoming World Cup “for now” and that the National Champions Cup will help selectors assess players for squad selection.
Speaking to media during the trophy unveiling ceremony of the National Champions Cup in Multan, Shaheen said the tournament would provide an opportunity to evaluate performances and assist in finalising the World Cup squad.
“Until now, I am the captain for the World Cup,” Shaheen said.
Pakistan Greens captain Shadab Khan missed the trophy unveiling and press conference due to fever, with Faheem Ashraf representing his team at the event.
The National Champions Cup will be held from August 11 to 18 at Multan Cricket Stadium, featuring four teams Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, Pakistan Blues and Pakistan Gold.
The teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the top two sides on the points table qualifying for the final on August 18.
The four teams will be led by Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan and Shaheen Shah Afridi, respectively.
All matches will be played under lights and will begin at 3pm Pakistan Standard Time.
