SPORTS NEWS

BIRMINGHAM, 8 September 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan captain Babar Azam has expressed surprise over the sweeping changes made to the national team following the series defeat to England at Lord’s Cricket Ground. Speaking to the media on the eve of the third Test at Edgbaston, the 31-year-old captain said the developments were “not difficult, but surprising” when asked about a week in which seven players and members of the coaching staff were sent back to Pakistan. Babar also clarified that he had not been involved in the decisions, including the decision to send the players home. Addressing the disciplinary investigation and the dramatic developments within the team, he said the decisions came as news to him and that he learned about them afterward. Babar said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ...

 MADRID, 07 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Real Madrid forward and France captain Kylian Mbappe has welcomed growing speculation that he could win the Ballon d’Or this year following his outstanding performance at the FIFA World Cup. The 27-year-old scored 10 goals at the tournament to claim the Golden Boot, while his 22 career World Cup goals have made him the competition’s all-time leading scorer. Mbappe, who has yet to win the prestigious individual award, said playing for Real Madrid naturally puts him among the players considered for major individual and team honours. He acknowledged that his performances during the World Cup have strengthened his case but said the final decision would be determined by the voters. Since joining Real Madrid in 2024, Mbappe has scored consistently,...

 DUBAI, 07 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan delivered a dominant performance to defeat Hong Kong by 72 runs and secure a place in the semi-finals of the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday. Chasing a target of 144 runs, Hong Kong were bowled out for 71 in 19 overs, with Kary Chan top-scoring with 30 runs off 47 deliveries. Pakistan’s bowlers made an early impact as Hong Kong were reduced to 2-1 in the opening two overs, while Yasmin Daswani and Kary Chan briefly attempted to revive the innings with a 31-run partnership. However, left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu dismantled Hong Kong’s middle order with a sensational spell, claiming six wickets for just seven runs in her four overs. Her figures are the best by any Pakistani bowler in T20I ...

DUBAI, 07 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu made history on Monday by registering the best bowling figures by a Pakistani player in T20I cricket during the ACC Women’s Asia Cup match against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The 28-year-old delivered a sensational spell of 6 wickets for just 7 runs in four overs, becoming the first Pakistani bowler to claim a six-wicket haul in T20I cricket. Her remarkable figures are also the best by any Pakistani player in T20Is, surpassing previous records held by Sufyan Moqim and Umar Gul. Sandhu’s outstanding bowling helped Pakistan dismiss Hong Kong for 71 runs in 19 overs and secure a convincing 72-run victory. Earlier, Pakistan posted 143 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, with Shawaal Zulfiqa...

 LAHORE, 07 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistani martial arts athlete Fatima Naseem has achieved another remarkable milestone by securing her 10th Guinness World Record after setting two new records in punching and stretching categories. In the punching challenge, Fatima delivered an impressive 340 punches in one minute while holding eggs in her hands without breaking them. Her achievement surpassed the previous record of 331 punches set by Indian athlete Dibyajyoti Sarkar by nine punches and was officially recognised by Guinness World Records. Fatima also established another record by maintaining her balance between two chairs for one minute and 45 seconds, surpassing the previous mark of one minute and 30 seconds. With these achievements, Fatima has become the first Pakistan...

NEW YORK, 07 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Top-seeded German tennis star Alexander Zverev advanced to the last 16 of the US Open on Saturday with an impressive straight-sets victory over Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo, winning 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2. Zverev stepped up his performance against Tabilo after enduring marathon five-set battles in his opening two matches. The German had already spent a total of nine hours and 26 minutes on court in his first two matches, the most time a top seed had needed to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since 1999. The French Open champion jokingly said his coach had reminded him that a best-of-five match did not necessarily have to go to five sets. Tabilo, the 25th seed from Chile, entered the match hoping to avenge his defeat to Zverev in the second round at the...

BARCELONA, 07 September, 2026 (News Desk): Barcelona maintained their perfect start to the La Liga season with a commanding 5-0 victory over Valencia on Sunday, with teenage star Lamine Yamal scoring twice in a dominant display. The reigning champions moved two points clear at the top of the league following Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Real Betis, while Alaves climbed to second place after a 5-2 win over Osasuna. Yamal opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a clever lofted finish after receiving a superb pass from Fermin Lopez. Lopez then doubled Barcelona’s lead in the 22nd minute with a crisp finish following a pass from Anthony Gordon. Despite suffering an injury setback when Eric Garcia was forced off after a collision, Barcelona continued to control the match. Raphinha added the ...

ZURICH, 06 September, 2026(Ghufran): FIFA President Gianni Infantino will contest next March’s presidential election for a fourth and final term, FIFA confirmed on Sunday, despite criticism over his now-abandoned plan to attract private investment into World Cup events. Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016 and was re-elected in 2023, would remain in office until 2031 if successful. UEFA strongly opposed the investment plan, while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have backed Infantino. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is considered a potential challenger, while UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out. Infantino is currently the only declared candidate, and nominations for the March 2027 election must be submitted by November 18.

LAHORE, 6 September, 2026(Kamran Raja): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and owners of the eight Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises are considering moving PSL 12 to January, according to a Cricinfo report. The proposal was discussed at a PSL Governing Council meeting in London, with broadcaster Walee Technologies reportedly backing the move due to concerns over advertising revenue in the current April-May window. Franchise owners, however, have raised questions about their share of broadcast revenue if the schedule changes. A January-February window could also create competition for overseas players with South Africa’s SA20 and Australia’s Big Bash League, while cold weather and fog in Punjab remain concerns. One proposal is to begin the tournament in Karachi before moving to Punjab an...

 DUBAI, 6 September, 2026 (Nosheen): Pakistan women’s cricket team head coach Wahab Riaz has expressed confidence in the team’s ability to win the ACC Women’s Asia Cup despite a heavy defeat against arch-rivals India. Pakistan suffered a disappointing loss to India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, being bowled out for their lowest-ever T20I total of 55 runs. After opting to bat first, Fatima Sana-led Pakistan made a promising start with a 27-run opening partnership but then suffered a dramatic batting collapse. The Green Shirts lost six wickets for just eight runs and were reduced to 35 for six. Muneeba Ali scored 13 runs while Shawaal Zulfiqar contributed 14, with Pakistan eventually dismissed inside 18 overs. India comfortably chased down the target in jus...