Pakistan won the toss and elected to field under the usher in a new era of captaincy for Pakistan. New Zealand gave 227 runs target to Pakistan and after completion of 15 overs Pakistan stood at 159 runs.  New Zealand hosted Pakistan in the first T20 international of the five-match series on Friday. Touch short just inside the guidelines on …

SYDNEY: Overcoming injury concerns, defending champion Novak Djokovic returns to his favored Melbourne Park seeking a record-extending 11th Australian Open title, while rising Chinese players Zheng Qinwen and Zhang Zhizhen are poised for deep runs. There were fears for men’s No.1 Djokovic after he suffered a wrist injury during the recent mixed team event United Cup, where he slumped to …

Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid 5-3 after extra-time in a pulsating battle in Saudi Arabia to reach the Spanish Super Cup final on Wednesday. Mario Hermoso and Antonio Rudiger exchanged early headed goals before Ferland Mendy sent Madrid ahead at the Al-Awwal Park stadium in Riyadh. Antoine Griezmann levelled with a milestone goal for Atletico to become their all-time leading …

Afghanistan’s star spinner, Rashid Khan, will be absent from the upcoming three-match Twenty20 series against India due to injury. Despite Rashid’s absence, team captain Ibrahim Zadran assured that the squad possesses ample experience to compensate for the loss. Rashid, who underwent lower-back surgery in November, is still part of the travelling team, and Zadran expressed hope for his swift recovery. …

GENEVA: The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has confirmed that each team to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will be allowed to include one non-competing (AP) athlete to replace an athlete for medical reasons. For the first time in the history of the Olympic volleyball competition, team rosters will increase from 12 to 13 athletes. The decision came following …

KUALA LUMPUR: Chinese shuttlers got off to a strong start at the Malaysia Open as they advanced in five categories here on Tuesday. In the men’s singles first round, seventh-seeded Shi Yuqi overcame Rasmus Gemke of Denmark 20-22, 21-12, 21-10, while Lu Guangzu outmatched Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia 16-21, 21-19, 21-15 in one hour and 17 minutes at the Axiata …

Former Indian cricketer and current Haryana Deputy Superintendent of Police, Joginder Sharma, has been implicated in a case related to the suicide of a Hisar resident. Known for bowling the crucial last over in the inaugural ICC T20 final in South Africa in 2007, Joginder Sharma later joined the Haryana Police as DSP. The FIR registered by Haryana Police includes …

The International Cricket Council (ICC) declared the Newlands pitch, where India secured victory against South Africa in less than two days last week, “unsatisfactory” on Tuesday. India triumphed by seven wickets in Cape Town last Thursday, levelling the two-match series in a contest that lasted a mere 107 overs, marking it as the shortest Test match to yield a result. …

BERLIN: German football legend Franz Beckenbauer has died at 78, according to German Football Association (DFB) on Monday. The German national team’s honorary captain died on Sunday, as his family announced on Monday. DFB issued a statement mourning his death. Beckenbauer left an indelible mark on German football. He achieved the rare feat of winning the World Cup both as …

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Muhammad Rizwan as vice-captain of Pakistan’s T20I team for the New Zealand cricket series. The first T20I match is scheduled to be played in Auckland on January 12, and the final match is scheduled for January 21. Pakistan T20I Squad: Shaheen Afridi (c), Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan (wk), Babar Azam, …

Mario Zagallo, the inaugural individual to achieve victory in the FIFA World Cup as both a player and a coach, played a pivotal role in propelling Brazil to its status as a dominant force in global football. Zagallo, who passed away at the age of 92 on Friday, stood as the sole surviving member of the 1958 Brazil team that …

XIAMEN: Ethiopian Asefa Boki Kebebe claimed the men’s title, while his compatriot Bekelech Gudeta Borecha took the women’s gold in the 2024 Xiamen Marathon on Sunday morning. Kebebe clocked a time of two hours, six minutes and 46 seconds to cross the finishing line first. Felix Kiptoo Kirwa from Kenya and Othmane El Goumri from Morocco took the silver and …

David Warner, playing in his final Test for Australia, scored a rousing 57 to guide his team to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in Sydney, completing a 3-0 series sweep. The 37-year-old opener, known for his aggressive style, entertained the crowd with seven fours and audacious reverse sweeps in his 112th Test before departing off an lbw review to Sajid …

DOHA: China secured 1-2 finishes in both singles and doubles at the 2023 World Table Tennis (WTT) Men’s Finals here on Friday. Wang Chuqin defeated world No. 1 Fan Zhendong 11-8, 11-9, 14-12, 11-7 to be crowned the singles champion, while Yuan Licen and Xiang Peng beat Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Shidong 11-8, 11-2, 11-8 in the doubles final. “I …

Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali did wonders by racking up 50th first-class and joining the country’s cricketing “elite club”. Azhar, who is known for his batting resilience and masterclass, achieved this milestone by representing the Sui Northern in the domestic tournament. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the 38-year-old shared his moments of celebration, flanked by other cricketers and staff members, …

A five-day Inter-Regional Volleyball Championship Talent hunt has been kicked off by the Pakistan Army in Peshawar. The opening ceremony was held on Friday and attended by senior officials of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate Sports along with military officials. Eight teams from different regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are participating. Three teams under 16, under 18, and 21 will be formed by …

WARSAW: Szymon Marciniak of Poland was named the 2023 Men’s World Best Referee by the International Federation of Football Historians and Statistics (IFFHS) on Thursday. The 42-year-old Pole won the award with 175 points, followed by Daniele Orsato of Italy with 95 and France’s Clement Turpin with 64. Marciniak had also won the 2022 award after his performance officiating the …

Pakistan captured the key wickets of Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja before rain washed out the second day’s play in the third Test in Sydney on Thursday. Marnus Labuschagne was on 23 and Steve Smith six in their team’s 116 for two before play was ended by bad light and rain before tea. The hosts trailed by 197 …

In the third Test against Australia in Sydney, the rival Pakistan team has been bowled out for 313 runs. The national team had got off to a disastrous start after winning the toss and deciding to bat first. Pakistan lost both its openers without scoring any runs, and after some time it had lost four wickets, including skipper Shan Masood …

Pakistan’s premier javelin thrower, Arshad Nadeem, will be sent abroad for training if he regains his prime fitness, according to Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) chairperson Major General (retired) Mohammad Akram Sahi. Nadeem, who won a Silver medal in the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Hungary, is suffering from a right knee injury which kept him out of the 19th …

Turning his star sports power to politics, colorful Bangladeshi cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is all but guaranteed to become a ruling party lawmaker with general elections on Sunday boycotted by the opposition. Better known as the leading all-rounder of his era, the 36-year-old skipper has been on a whirlwind campaign for the ruling party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The …

Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps (FC) South organized the Cross-Country Challenge Trophy in South Waziristan at Gomalzam Dam wherein South Waziristan thanked the military authorities for providing sports opportunities. Around 300 players from 59 teams from South Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan), and Tank participated in the competition. The local people rejected the activities of extremism and appreciated various …

Pakistan national cricket team batter Babar Azam and T20I captain Shaheen Shah Afridi spearheaded their team in 2023. Babar Azam had racked up 1,399 runs in 35 matches and notched up three tons and 10 fifties. Shaheen Shah Afridi had bagged 62 wickets in the 30 matches he played last year, with a brilliant average of 27.80. Taking to X …

Pakistan cricket team players Haris Rauf, Osama Mir, and Zaman Khan were in Australia for the Big Bash League (BBL). National Team spokesman said all three national cricketers are not part of the Test squad and all three cricketers will practice with the national team. It is reported that all three cricketers had applied for NOCs for the extra matches …

Former England captain, Nasser Hussain believes Babar Azam is poised for an outstanding 2024. In a video released by the International Cricket Committee (ICC), the former England captain shared his predictions for Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, the former captains of Pakistan and India, respectively. Naseer Hussain expressed his belief that relinquishing the captaincy could relieve Babar Azam of some …

Pakistan cricket team’s spin bowling all-rounder Shadab Khan raised his voice for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centres (SKMCH & RC). In a statement posted on X, previously known as Twitter, Shadab Khan questioned why was Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital not allowed to arrange a fundraising event. He empathized with cancer hospitals’ importance for society. Shadab Khan wrote …

Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad and other players attended the training camp ahead of the New Zealand T20I series. The players had taken part in the five-day training camp under the headship of High-Performance Coach (HPC) of the Pakistan cricket team, Yasir Arafat. Taking to X (formerly), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote: “Players part of the New Zealand T20Is training …

Former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir rallied behind Test captain Shan Masood on Friday, despite the visitors having to face another defeat against Australia. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Amir said, “Hard luck to the Pakistan team. They played better cricket in this match. I think the team was having a very good chance to beat Australia in Australia.” He expressed …

An All-Pakistan Kabaddi Tournament was organised in Sibbi district of Balochistan under the auspices of FC Balochistan (North). The tournament continued for a week, in which eight teams participated from different cities of the country. A large number of local people, including tribal elders of Sibbi district, students, and players of universities and colleges, attended the tournament. The final match …

PERTH, Australia: China had a spectacular United Cup debut on Saturday after defeating the Czech Republic 3-0 in Perth, as Zhang Zhizhen and Zheng Qinwen recorded impressive victories in their singles matches. Zheng clinched China’s victory in Group E by upsetting reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 in a captivating performance in the women’s singles match. In a …

After a disappointing defeat in the 2nd Test today against Australia in Melbourne, Pakistan’s team technical director, Mohammad Hafeez, voiced concerns regarding inconsistent umpiring decisions and the challenges posed by technology in the match. Hafeez said, “We made some mistakes as a team, we will take that and we will address those things but at the same time I believe …

In the President Cup 2023 match between Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Shahnawaz Dahani, who is currently playing for SNGPL, achieved his first hattrick in the tournament. His hat-trick included the wickets of Rameez Aziz, Mohammad Imran, and Kashif Bhatti. Not only did he take his first hat-trick, but he also claimed his …

Former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed told ex-captain Babar Azam on Wednesday to take a break following the “rough patch” in the ongoing series against Australia. Babar had not even notch up a single fifty in the Test format in the ongoing year. The 29-year-old cricketer has been facing batting woes for some time now. Earlier this month, Pakistan all-rounder Shadab …

BEIJING: Here is Xinhua News Agency’s selection of the 10 most significant pieces of Chinese sports news in 2023, in chronological order: – Chinese tennis players achieved new heights in Grand Slams and world tournaments. A record-breaking 10 men’s and women’s players from the Chinese mainland competed in the singles main draw of the Australian Open. Wu Yibing became the …

Usman Khawaja, a 37-year-old Australian cricketer, found a unique way to show his support for a cause close to his heart after being banned from displaying a message about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. During the opening day of the second Test against Pakistan in Melbourne on Tuesday, Khawaja wore shoes inscribed with the names of his daughters, Aisha and …

BEIJING: In 2023, China’s commitment to national fitness saw remarkable growth brimming with energy and potential. This surge has transformed sports into a key part of people’s daily lives, resonating with the country’s efforts to be a sporting powerhouse. GRASSROOTS SPORTS THRIVE China’s Village Super League, dubbed “Cun Chao” by Chinese netizens, has exemplified the country’s development in grassroots sports …

ROME: Inter Milan and Juventus approached Christmas with victories over Lecce and Frosinone respectively on Saturday. Having suffered an exit in midweek’s Coppa Italia after a 2-1 defeat to Bologna, Inter had to do without Lautaro Martinez, and Marko Arnautovic paired up with Marcus Thuram in front. Yann Aurel Bisseck had the chance to put Inter ahead in the 41st …

URUMQI, China: Winter may be cold, but winter sports are hot in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Despite piercing wind and freezing weather, Xinjiang students wear scarves, hats, and gloves, and enjoy a bunch of sports activities in their PE classes. ICE SKATING ON PLAYGROUND “After it snowed last week, our teachers first compacted the snow, then a sprinkler …

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is gearing up for the launch of a comprehensive T10 League and is currently exploring the possibility of hosting six exhibition matches in Rawalpindi next month. These matches are set to feature both men’s and women’s teams, marking a significant step towards promoting gender equality in the sport. Exploring a global perspective, Middlesex, the renowned …

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has challenged the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) charge for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan, raising questions about the application of regulations. Khawaja donned the armband in Perth after initially wanting to wear shoes emblazoned with “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” in support of the Palestinian cause. …