SPORTS NEWS

ISLAMABAD, 21 August 2026 (News Desk) — Former Pakistan captain and commentator Ramiz Raja has urged the national team to respond strongly to criticism by putting up an impressive performance during their ongoing tour of England. Ramiz’s remarks came after former England captain Michael Vaughan described Pakistan as the weakest team to have ever toured England and predicted a comprehensive series victory for the hosts. “This is the weakest team to have ever toured England. I don’t see how they can challenge this England side in these conditions. From what we’ve seen, England should be winning this series 3-0 without breaking much of a sweat,” Vaughan said on the BBC. Vaughan’s comments came after Pakistan’s difficult start to the Test series, with the visitors struggling to match England i...

LEEDS, 21 August 2026 (Nosheen) — Pakistan stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha has backed Babar Azam to strengthen the team’s batting lineup following Pakistan’s heavy defeat to England in the first Test at Headingley. England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 103 runs on Friday, taking control of the opening match of the series. Pakistan struggled with the bat and were bowled out for 171 in their first innings and 135 in the second. England posted 409 in their first innings, while Ollie Robinson was named Player of the Match after taking eight wickets during the match.Speaking at the post-match presentation, Salman admitted that England had been the better side and said Pakistan needed to eliminate the mistakes that contributed to their defeat. “England have outplayed us and it is fair to ...

ZURICH, 21 August 2026 (Ghufran) — FIFA has handed Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes a 10-match international ban and a $90,000 fine for his role in clashes with Spain players following the World Cup final. FIFA announced on Friday that several Argentina players had received suspensions and fines over their involvement in the incidents that occurred after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. Argentina have also been ordered to play their next two home matches behind closed doors, although one match of the sanction has been suspended. Paredes, who plays for Boca Juniors, was punished after grabbing Spain defender Eric Garcia by the throat and wrestling Spain midfielder Gavi to the ground while holding his substitute’s bib. His actions con...

 Lahore, 21 August 2026 (Nosheen): Pakistan women cricketers Gul Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar have emphasized the need for aggressive batting from the top order, saying modern cricket has become faster and the team is adapting accordingly.The Pakistan women’s cricket team is currently holding a training camp in Lahore as part of its preparations for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup.Speaking during the camp, Gul Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar said the team was focusing on scenario-based matches, including games against male players, to improve its preparation and match awareness.They said scenario-based matches were more beneficial than net sessions alone because players could not fully experience field conditions while batting in the nets. Match practice, they added, provides players wit...

 LAHORE, 20 August 2026 (News Desk): The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has announced plans to launch the Pakistan Hockey League in the first quarter of 2027.The federation said it was working with its partners to establish the league as a major tournament aimed at promoting and strengthening Pakistani hockey. In a statement, the PHF said the launch of the league would mark “a new era” for Pakistan hockey and expressed confidence that the tournament would become a landmark success.The federation said the Pakistan Hockey League was part of broader efforts to revive and develop the sport in the country.These efforts include grassroots development, nurturing young talent, professional coaching, improved sporting structures and providing Pakistani players with greater international ...

ISLAMABAD, 20 August 2026 (Nosheen): Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has strongly criticised former England pacer Stuart Broad for describing Pakistan as a “poor” cricket side.Speaking during a podcast, Broad had called Pakistan a weaker team and said England would face a major disappointment if they failed to win the ongoing Test series.Broad said Pakistan were a “very poor side” and suggested that England should win the series 3-0 comfortably.Responding to the remarks on his YouTube show, Salman Butt questioned Broad’s assessment and pointed to England’s record against Australia in the Ashes, particularly their performances on Australian soil.Salman acknowledged that Pakistan were not currently playing their best cricket but questioned the use of the term “poor team” to describe the ...

LAHORE, 20 August 2026 (Ghufran): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced its decisions on three pitch ratings following appeals by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket Canada against demerit points imposed for matches held in June. The ICC Appeals Panel reached its decisions after reviewing match footage, Match Referees’ reports and comments from the respective captains. The demerit point imposed on Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium following an “Unsatisfactory” rating for the third Men’s ODI between Pakistan and Australia on June 4 has been rescinded. The panel concluded that although the Match Referee had followed the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process guidelines, the pitch did not demonstrate excessive unevenness or spin. Meanwhile, the Maple Leaf Cricket G...

LEEDS, 20 August 2026 (Kamran Raja): Rain delayed the start of the second day of the first Test between Pakistan and England at Headingley on Thursday, with the ground remaining wet and covered. Although the rain eased at the venue, a significant amount of water remained on the covers and playing surface as ground staff continued efforts to prepare the field for play. Weather conditions remained uncertain, with further rain forecast, raising the possibility of another delay or a significant reduction in playing time. England ended the opening day in a strong position at 112 for two after dismissing Pakistan for 171 in their first innings. Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue claimed five wickets each, finishing with figures of 5-51 and 5-46 respectively. England therefore trail Pakistan by just ...

19 August, 2026 (Nosheen): Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant created history by completing 100 sixes in Test cricket. During his aggressive 66-run innings in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, Pant hit his 100th Test six. He became the first Indian and only the fourth batter in the world to achieve the milestone. Pant reached 100 Test sixes in just 89 innings, becoming the fastest batter in Test cricket to complete a century of sixes.The previous record was held by England’s Ben Stokes, who reached 100 Test sixes in 130 innings.With this achievement, Pant has secured a unique place in Test cricket history for his aggressive batting style.

 19 August 2026 (Kamran Raja): India defeated Pakistan 5-3 in their final group-stage match of the Hockey World Cup, ending Pakistan’s hopes of advancing to the next stage of the tournament.India dominated the opening quarter, scoring twice while Pakistan failed to find the net as they took a 2-0 lead.India extended their advantage to 3-0 with another goal in the second quarter. Pakistan then staged a strong comeback, with Hannan Shahid and Sufyan Khan finding the net to reduce the deficit to 3-2. India, however, restored their two-goal advantage before the end of the quarter and went into halftime leading 4-2. India added another goal in the third quarter to make it 5-2, while Pakistan scored once in the final quarter. The late comeback effort was not enough, as India secured a 5...