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Faisal Qureshi urges Pakistani cricketers to speak Urdu with pride

Faisal Qureshi

Renowned Pakistani actor Faisal Qureshi has urged national cricketers to take pride in their mother tongue and speak Urdu during public appearances and media interactions.

Qureshi, who is currently hosting a show on a private television channel where he invites guests to discuss various topics, recently highlighted the importance of promoting the national language.

A video clip from the show has gone viral on social media in which the actor stresses the value of Urdu and encourages Pakistani cricketers to confidently use it.

Addressing the players, Qureshi said he particularly wants Pakistani cricketers to speak Urdu and take pride in their language and identity.

He pointed out that internationally renowned footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi usually communicate in their native languages rather than switching to English unnecessarily.

“I have never seen Ronaldo, Messi or other major players speaking English without reason. They speak their own language, and the other person can arrange a translator if needed,” he said.

The actor further emphasized that people should feel proud of Urdu as Pakistan’s national language, adding that not speaking English should not be considered a problem since English is not the country’s mother tongue.

Investment scam costs Pakistani cricketers millions

Investment scam

Karachi: Several current and former national-level cricketers have reportedly lost millions of rupees after falling victim to an alleged investment fraud, sources revealed.

According to sources, both former and serving Pakistani cricketers were affected by the scam. However, none of the players has so far filed an official complaint with any platform, nor have they approached the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for intervention.

Sources said the cricketers invested money with a businessman after being influenced by a former national team captain, while some players made direct investments independently. The list of affected individuals reportedly includes former as well as current captains of the national team.

It was further disclosed that the players handed over huge sums running into crores of rupees in pursuit of unusually high returns.

Initially, investors received exceptionally high profits, which increased their confidence. However, the businessman later disappeared, raising serious concerns.

Sources added that the cricketers made repeated efforts over several weeks to recover their money, and while some managed to receive partial repayments, most remain unpaid.

A well-known players’ agent is also among those who allegedly suffered financial losses. The accused individual is reportedly residing in the United States and had close personal ties with several Pakistani cricketers.

According to the players, the businessman’s phone has been switched off, and no profit payments have been received for the past two months.

The affected cricketers are now seeking recovery of their original investment, but all attempts to contact the individual have so far failed.

Sources say the situation has caused deep concern among the players, though no formal legal action has yet been initiated.

ICC releases latest player rankings: Pakistani cricketers show mixed results

ICC releases

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest player rankings for Test, ODI, and T20 formats, showing a mix of progress and setbacks for Pakistani cricketers.

In the T20 batting rankings, Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan climbed one spot to reach 5th position, while national team captain Salman Ali Agha made a significant jump of 13 places, moving up to 41st.

Among T20 bowlers, Salman Mirza advanced 16 places to secure 19th position, whereas Abrar Ahmed slipped one spot to 5th.

 In the T20 all-rounders list, Saim Ayub dropped from first to second place, while Mohammad Nawaz retained his 5th position.

In the ODI bowling rankings, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan remains at number one, with Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed holding steady at 9th. For Test batsmen, England’s Joe Root continues to top the charts.

Babar Azam retains his 6th position in the ODI batting rankings, while former Indian captain Virat Kohli has reclaimed the top spot.

The updated rankings highlight the strengths and areas for improvement among Pakistani cricketers ahead of upcoming international fixtures.