SPORTS NEWS

 LAHORE, 29 September, 2026 (Ghufran): The Pakistan Junior Golf Team returned home to a warm and enthusiastic reception after delivering an impressive performance at the 3rd APGC Bangladesh Junior Amateur Golf Championship 2026. The national junior squad arrived in Lahore via Sri Lanka on Tuesday, where senior officials and representatives of the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) welcomed the young golfers and appreciated their outstanding performances on the international stage. A special welcome ceremony was organised in honour of the successful players, during which gifts and traditional sweets were distributed. PGF officials also interacted with the golfers to discuss their performances and overseas experience, while interviews were recorded with the national players who secured ...

 London, 29 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Eleven-year-old chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest woman grandmaster in chess history following a strong performance at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Sivanandan, who is from northwest London and represented England at the tournament, told the International Chess Federation (FIDE) that she was determined to “keep making history” after achieving the highest female-only title in chess. She said she was happy with the achievement but wanted to continue progressing rather than stop at the milestone. Sivanandan also said she did not feel significant pressure while playing on the top board and focused on enjoying the tournament. The achievement adds to her rapid rise in chess, after she became Britain’s ...

 ROME, 28 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Italy coach Roberto Mancini has said that Manchester City’s financial charges and questions surrounding his contract during his tenure as manager are the club’s concern, not his. Mancini, who managed City from 2009 to 2013, guided the club to its first English top-flight title in 44 years and an FA Cup victory. Speaking ahead of Italy’s UEFA Nations League match against Turkey, he said the matter had been discussed for the past four or five years and insisted that Manchester City had not been found guilty, adding that the alleged double contract was not his concern. Reports on Friday suggested that an independent commission had found City guilty of 114 charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial regulations, including allegedly...

CAPE TOWN, 28 September, 2026 (Ghufran): The International Cricket Council (ICC) will announce the schedule for the 2027 Men’s Cricket World Cup on Thursday, October 1, as the countdown to the tournament officially reaches one year. According to reports, the ICC and Cricket South Africa (CSA) will unveil the tournament itinerary at a special event, where registration for the World Cup ticket ballot will also be launched. Tickets will not be available for immediate purchase, but fans will be able to register their interest through the ballot. The 50-over World Cup will return to Africa for the first time in 24 years, with the continent last hosting the tournament in 2003 when South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya staged the event. Ten of the 14 participating teams have already secured their plac...

 KAKAMIGAHARA, JAPAN, 28 September 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan secured a place in the men’s hockey semi-finals at the 2026 Asian Games after defeating Oman 7-2 in their final Pool B match at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium on Monday. Rana Waheed Ashraf was the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick in the 34th, 44th and 59th minutes. Sufyan Khan scored twice from penalty corners, while Ghazanfar Ali and Muhammad Ammad also found the net for Pakistan. Oman’s goals were scored by Al Baraa Al Nofli and Aiman Madit. Sufyan opened Pakistan’s scoring in the 22nd minute and doubled the lead six minutes later, before Waheed added Pakistan’s third goal in the 34th minute. Ghazanfar extended the advantage in the 40th minute, followed by Waheed’s second goal four minutes later and Ammad’...

 BERLIN, 28 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Berlin Marathon winner Tigst Assefa underwent surgery in Munich on Monday after completing Sunday’s race with a complete rupture of her Achilles tendon, her manager Gianni Demadonna confirmed. The 29-year-old Ethiopian was on course to challenge the women’s marathon world record until around the 35-kilometre mark, when she began slowing and showed clear signs of a leg injury. Despite severe pain, Assefa limped across the finish line and collapsed after recording a time of 2:11:04, the third-fastest marathon time ever achieved by a woman. Demadonna said Assefa began experiencing pain after 31 kilometres, which intensified during the final stages of the race, with the tendon eventually rupturing completely during the last two kilometres. Sh...

 ISLAMABAD, 28 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): The PFF National U-17 Football Championship 2026 will kick off in Islamabad on October 1, featuring 10 provincial and regional teams from across Pakistan competing for the title. The championship, which was earlier postponed due to uncertainty in the twin cities, will now be held according to the revised schedule, with all participating teams scheduled to arrive in Islamabad on September 29. The participating teams include Punjab Potohar, Punjab Rohtas, Sindh Mehran, Sindh Indus, Balochistan Hingol, Balochistan Bolan, KPK Himalayas, KPK Khyber, Gilgit-Baltistan Karakoram and Islamabad Margalla. The teams will be divided into three groups, with one group comprising four teams and the remaining two groups consisting of three teams each. ...

ISAMARKAND, 28 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistan won the gold medal in Category D at the World Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after securing first position with 12 match points and 162 game points. The Pakistani chess team delivered a strong performance at the international event, defeating Seychelles, San Marino, the Cayman Islands and El Salvador, while drawing against Egypt and Yemen. Pakistan suffered defeats against Colombia and South Africa during the competition. The Pakistan Open team secured 12 match points and 162 game points overall and improved its position by 29 places in the World Chess Olympiad.

 NAGOYA, 27 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistani athletes will compete in multiple sporting events at the Asian Games on Sunday, with participants scheduled to take part in fencing, shooting, tennis, athletics, squash and volleyball. Pakistan’s fencing team will face Qatar in the Round of 32 at 5:30 a.m., while Rabia Kabir will compete in the women’s 25-metre pistol individual qualification at 5:40 a.m. In men’s singles tennis, Muzammil Murtaza will face Jordan’s Zaid Al-Mashni in the first round at 6 a.m., followed by Pakistan and Mongolia competing in the first round of the men’s doubles at 7 a.m. In women’s singles, Ashna Sohail will meet Kazakhstan’s Yulia Potansheva at 7 a.m., while Maheen Aftab Qureshi will face Thailand’s Patcharin Chepchand at 8 a.m. In athletics, Ansar Ab...

LAHORE, 27 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan’s Ansar Iqbal has qualified for the men’s long jump final at the Asian Games after producing a personal-best jump of 7.28 metres in the qualifying round. His improved performance secured him a place in Monday’s final, where he will compete against other qualifiers for a place on the podium and further strengthen Pakistan’s athletics campaign at the continental event. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s volleyball team made a winning start to its Asian Games campaign by defeating Kazakhstan 3-1 in its opening match. Pakistan won the first two sets 25-16 and 25-22 before Kazakhstan responded with a 25-17 victory in the third set. Pakistan regained control in the fourth set, winning 25-20 to complete the 3-1 victory. The national volleyball team will face ...