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Sports

Latest Pakistan cricket, football and sports news, match updates, team developments and analysis from Pakistan and around the world.

Pakistan qualify for hockey world cup after eight years

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Pakistan qualify for

The Pakistan men’s national field hockey team has qualified for the Hockey World Cup after eight years by defeating Japan men’s national field hockey team 4–3 in a thrilling semifinal of the qualifiers being played in Egypt.

Pakistan secured the dramatic victory thanks to goalkeeper Ali Raza, who made a crucial save by stopping a penalty stroke late in the match.

Japan was awarded the penalty stroke just four minutes before the end of the match, but Ali Raza’s decisive save helped Pakistan hold on to the lead and secure an important win.

For Pakistan, goals were scored by Sufyan Khan, Abu Muhammad, Muhammad Imad and Afraz.

By winning the semifinal of the qualifiers, Pakistan have booked their place in the Hockey World Cup after an eight-year gap. The national team last played in the tournament in 2018 and failed to qualify for the most recent edition.

The Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 is scheduled to take place from August 14 to August 30, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by Belgium and Netherlands

Misbah, Sarfaraz appointed as members of selection committee

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Misbah, Sarfaraz

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has added two former captains to the national men’s selection committee.

According to an update on the PCB’s official website, Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaraz Ahmed have been appointed as members of the selection committee.

They will join Aaqib Javed and Asad Shafiq, who will continue to serve on the panel. With the new appointments, the national selection committee now consists of four members.

The development comes after Aleem Dar resigned from the selection committee three days ago following Pakistan’s early exit from the recent cricket World Cup.

Pakistan Cricket Board has decided not to make major changes to the national team despite its disappointing performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

According to sources, the board has opted to maintain continuity in its policies and will not replace the captain or coaching staff in any format.

Sources said that head coach Mike Hesson will continue his role in One Day International and T20 formats as per his contract. Meanwhile, Salman Ali Agha will remain captain in the T20 format, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has been retained as captain for One Day Internationals.

The decision reflects the board’s approach to support team leadership rather than making immediate changes after major defeats.

Sources also confirmed that the resignation of Aleem Dar from the national selection committee has been accepted.

India beat England by 7 runs to reach T20 World Cup final

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India beat England

Mumbai: India national cricket team defeated England national cricket team by 7 runs in a thrilling second semifinal of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to secure a place in the final.

Chasing a massive 254-run target, England fought hard but managed 246 runs, falling just short of victory.

Earlier, England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to field first. Batting first, India posted a formidable 253 for 7 in 20 overs.

Sanju Samson led the charge with a brilliant 89 runs, while Shivam Dube contributed 43, Ishan Kishan scored 39, Hardik Pandya added 27, and Tilak Varma made 21 runs. Suryakumar Yadav scored 11.

For England, Will Jacks and Adil Rashid picked up two wickets each.

In the first semifinal, New Zealand national cricket team defeated South Africa national cricket team to book their place in the final.

The T20 World Cup 2026 final will be played on Sunday in Ahmedabad, where India will face New Zealand for the title. 🏏

Arbeloa vows Madrid will continue title push amid injury crisis

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Arbeloa vows

Madrid: Real Madrid will continue to pursue the La Liga title as long as it remains mathematically possible, said under-pressure coach Alvaro Arbeloa, after the team slipped four points behind Barcelona.

Los Blancos face Celta Vigo on Friday, aiming to narrow the gap to one point before Barcelona’s match at Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.

Madrid lost top spot after a defeat at Osasuna two weeks ago, followed by a humbling home loss to Getafe, increasing scrutiny on Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso in January.

“We’re four points behind, not 18. This is Real Madrid. As long as we can mathematically fight, we will, and if there ever comes a time when we can no longer fight, we will still keep fighting,” Arbeloa said.

The coach emphasized that the squad is focused on the immediate challenge:

“We’ve had two consecutive league defeats. At a club like Real Madrid, defeat is always difficult because of the expectations and the pressure, but right now the only thing we’re thinking about is tomorrow’s match.”

Madrid’s recent campaign has been severely affected by injuries. Brazilian winger Rodrygo Goes joins Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Eder Militao on the sidelines after a serious knee injury against Getafe, likely ruling him out of this summer’s World Cup. Centre-back Dean Huijsen is also suspended for the Celta game.

Arbeloa refused to use injuries as an excuse, saying:

“We need to show our true potential now. It’s in moments like these that you see if we’re worthy of wearing this shirt and this badge.”

Real Madrid will host Manchester City in the Champions League last-16 first leg next Wednesday. Mbappe and Bellingham are currently receiving treatment in Paris and London, respectively, with hopes of returning in time for the match. Arbeloa added that any decisions on player fitness would be handled by the club’s medical team.

Despite setbacks, Arbeloa stressed that Madrid will continue to fight for La Liga glory while preparing for their European challenge.

Pakistan Cricket Board announces ODI squad for Bangladesh series

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Pakistan Cricket Board

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member One Day International (ODI) squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh.

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi will continue to lead the ODI side for the series.

Key Players Dropped

In a surprising move, several prominent players have been left out of the squad, including: Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Haseebullah Khan and Hassan Nawaz

15-Member Squad

The selected squad includes: Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram,Haris Rauf, Hussain Talat, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori, Saad Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha and Shamyl Hussain

Series Schedule

The ODI series between Pakistan and Bangladesh will be played in Dhaka from March 11 to March 15.

The matches are expected to be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, where both sides will look to build momentum ahead of upcoming international commitments.

New Zealand storm into final with 9-wicket win

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New Zealand

KOLKATA: New Zealand delivered a commanding performance to defeat South Africa by nine wickets in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, securing a place in the final in emphatic fashion.

After winning the toss, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner opted to field first. South Africa posted 169 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, with Marco Jansen top-scoring with an unbeaten 55.

Other notable contributions came from Dewald Brevis (34) and Tristan Stubbs (29), while Aiden Markram (18), Quinton de Kock (10), and David Miller (6) failed to convert their starts.

For New Zealand, Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips (if McConchie intended, assumed Phillips), and Rachin Ravindra claimed two wickets each to restrict the Proteas below the 170-mark.

In reply, New Zealand’s openers dismantled the South African bowling attack. Finn Allen produced a breathtaking innings, smashing the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. He reached his hundred in just 33 balls, hammering 10 fours and eight sixes, rewriting the tournament record books.

Allen found strong support from Tim Seifert, who scored 58, as the Black Caps chased down the target in just 13 overs for the loss of one wicket. Rachin Ravindra remained unbeaten on 13.

The previous record for the fastest century in T20 World Cup history was held by West Indies legend Chris Gayle, who scored a 47-ball hundred against England in 2016.

Meanwhile, the second semi-final will see India face England in Mumbai tomorrow, with the winner set to meet New Zealand in the grand finale.

Aleem Dar resigns from selection committee after T20 World Cup Exit

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Aleem Dar resigns

KARACHI: Following Pakistan’s worst-ever performance in the Super Four stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and the team’s early exit from the tournament, national selection committee member Aleem Dar has decided to resign.

According to highly reliable sources, the ICC Elite Panel umpire stepped down over what he described as extraordinary interference in selection matters by head coach Mike Hesson, along with the silence of influential selection committee member Aaqib Javed.

Aleem Dar reportedly complained that selectors had initially announced Pakistan’s best 20 players, but the captain and coach later finalized what he termed the “wrong 15,” followed by questionable choices in the playing XI. As a result, he believed selectors were left to face public criticism for decisions they did not fully control.

During the tournament, Dar had raised reservations over the inclusion of former captain Babar Azam and all-rounder Shadab Khan, citing their lack of recent performance. He also expressed concerns over captain Salman Ali Agha, claiming he did not merit a place in the squad as captain. According to sources, coach Hesson had the final authority in selection matters.

Dar had further proposed that experienced wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan be played at number six instead of Usman Khan. He argued that if underperforming players were being given opportunities, Rizwan also deserved another chance.

In the current circumstances, Aleem Dar’s resignation is being viewed as a principled stand. Sources say he believes cricket has brought him immense respect and that he does not wish to serve as a mere figurehead, making it preferable for him to step down.

Ali Tareen reacts to Multan Sultans’ return to PSL

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Ali Tareen reacts

MULTAN: Former owner of Multan Sultans, Ali Tareen, has shared his reaction following the franchise’s official return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Earlier, the PSL 11 franchise initially introduced as Sialkot Stallions was formally rebranded as Multan Sultans. The development was confirmed by PSL Chief Executive Salman Naseer during a joint press conference attended by franchise owner Hamza Majeed and CD Ventures head Gohar Shah.

OZ Developers had secured the Sialkot Stallions franchise rights for 10 years at Rs1.85 billion during the Islamabad auction but later entered into a strategic partnership with CD Ventures.

Under the new arrangement, Gohar Shah has been appointed CEO, and the team has been renamed Multan Sultans.

Responding on social media, Ali Tareen said that after spending seven years with Multan Sultans, he ended his journey without regret.

“This chapter of my life gave me some of my proudest moments, and I will always be grateful for it,” he wrote.

He added that the only moment that truly affected him was when Multan was removed from the league.

“It was deeply painful — not because of how it affected me personally, but because of the impact it had on the fans and the people of South Punjab,” he stated.

Tareen emphasized that South Punjab has long faced underrepresentation. “The people here are passionate and talented, and they deserve every platform available to them. Multan Sultans was not just a cricket team, but a symbol of pride and identity for an entire region that has long been overlooked.”

He further expressed gratitude to Gohar Shah for advocating for South Punjab and bringing the franchise back to the PSL.

“The city has regained its team, and South Punjab has regained its voice,” he concluded.

Sialkot Stallions rebranded as Multan Sultans for PSL 11

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Sialkot Stallions

LAHORE: The franchise initially introduced as Sialkot Stallions for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 has been officially rebranded as Multan Sultans.

The development was confirmed on Tuesday by PSL Chief Executive Salman Naseer during a joint press conference attended by franchise owner Hamza Majeed and CD Ventures head Gohar Shah.

Earlier, OZ Developers had secured the Sialkot Stallions franchise rights for 10 years at a bid of Rs1.85 billion during the team auction held in Islamabad. However, the company has now entered into a strategic partnership with CD Ventures.

Under the new arrangement, Gohar Shah has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the franchise, and the team has been renamed Multan Sultans.

According to Salman Naseer, following the latest development, the franchise’s annual valuation has increased to Rs2 billion. He revealed that after assuming office, Gohar Shah formally requested the name change, which was subsequently approved.

“Sialkot Stallions will now participate as Multan Sultans,” Naseer stated.

Speculation had circulated in recent weeks regarding the Sialkot-based franchise, including reports about OZ Developers selling shares and facing financial challenges.

Speaking at the press conference, Multan Sultans CEO Gohar Shah confirmed his formal induction into the franchise leadership and expressed his desire to strengthen South Punjab’s representation in the league.

“An individual stallion cannot win the PSL alone; to move forward, a stallion needs a sultan — and we have come as the Sultan,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of preserving Multan’s identity.

The PSL Season 11 is scheduled to take place from March 26 to May 3, 2026.

PCB plans major overhaul after T20 World Cup exit

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PCB plans major

LAHORE: In the wake of Pakistan’s underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly decided to carry out another major overhaul of the national side. Sources indicate that star batter Babar Azam and several other players are being considered for exclusion from the T20 setup.

Despite reaching the Super Eight stage, Pakistan endured a disappointing tournament overall. The team failed to register a single victory against top-tier sides and narrowly avoided defeat in their final group-stage clash against Sri Lanka.

The Green Shirts were fortunate to escape an upset loss to the Netherlands in their opening match. Their much-anticipated encounter with India ended in another defeat, continuing a recent trend in high-profile contests between the two rivals. Wins against Asia and Namibia helped Pakistan secure a Super Eight berth.

However, their Super Eight campaign faltered. The opening fixture against New Zealand was washed out due to rain, followed by a loss to England that left the team dependent on other results. Although Pakistan managed to defeat Sri Lanka, an inferior net run rate ultimately knocked them out of semifinal contention.

PCB officials have signaled that accountability will be strictly enforced, with sweeping changes expected as part of efforts to rebuild the T20 squad ahead of upcoming international assignments.

While, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly considering imposing fines on players for substandard performances in the recent T20 World Cup, sources say.

According to insiders, the board is contemplating a proposal to levy fines of PKR 5 million on each player, following Pakistan’s disappointing defeat against India. PCB officials have held consultations on strict measures to ensure accountability within the squad.

Officials emphasized that future financial incentives will be strictly linked to on-field performance. The board has sent a clear message to the players that leniency will no longer be tolerated.

Team management has also been instructed to implement strategies to improve performance, with PCB signaling that rigorous evaluation and accountability processes will continue. A final decision on the matter is expected to be announced soon.