SPORTS NEWS

BRUSSELS, 14 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan will begin their Hockey World Cup 2026 campaign against world No. 3 England tomorrow as the four-time world champions return to the prestigious tournament after an eight-year absence.The FIH Hockey World Cup is set to commence in Belgium and the Netherlands, with Pakistan scheduled to face England in their opening Group D fixture.Pakistan and England have met eight times in Hockey World Cup history. England have won four encounters, Pakistan have secured two victories, while two matches ended without a result.Pakistan recorded one of their two World Cup victories over England in 1998, when they defeated the English side 7-5 in a thrilling encounter.Three matches are scheduled to be played on the opening day of the tournament, while defendin...

BECKENHAM, 14 August, 2026 (Nosheen): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has provided an update on Babar Azam’s injury, which he sustained during the national team’s warm-up fixture against PCC Select XI on Friday.Babar was batting on five in the 39th over when a delivery from fast bowler Manny Lumsden, pitching outside off, struck his hand. The right-hander was visibly in pain after the blow and received immediate attention from the team’s medical staff.Babar subsequently retired hurt from the practice match. According to the PCB, following an assessment by the team doctor and as a precautionary measure, the star batter has been advised to rest for the remainder of the match.The PCB said Babar Azam will, however, participate in Pakistan’s practice session on Monday, August 17, at Headingley...

 MULTAN, 14 August, 2026(Ghufran): Fakhar Zaman continued his impressive run of form as Pakistan Greens posted a commanding total of 314 runs against Pakistan Gold in the fourth fixture of the National Champions Cup 2026 at Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday.Opting to bat first, Pakistan Greens were bowled out for 314 in their allotted 50 overs, with Fakhar Zaman producing another outstanding innings. The left-handed batter scored his second consecutive century, top-scoring with a brilliant 115 off 105 balls, including four sixes and seven fours.After Sameer Minhas was dismissed for just one run in the second over, Fakhar joined Omair Yousuf at the crease. The pair launched a strong recovery and put Pakistan Greens firmly in control with a 183-run partnership for the second wicket.O...

Darwin, Australia – 13 August, 2026 (Ghufran):Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud produced a devastating spell as Australia were bowled out for 198 in the first Test of the series in Darwin, with Steve Smith scoring a fighting 71.Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The hosts made a solid start with an opening partnership of 45 runs, but then lost four wickets in quick succession as the total reached 74.Jake Weatherald was dismissed for 23, Travis Head scored 22, Cameron Green made 13, while Marnus Labuschagne was dismissed for just one run.Steve Smith and Alex Carey then put together a 55-run partnership to steady the Australian innings. However, Carey was dismissed for 19 when the team total reached 129. Smith continued to hold one end together, but wickets kept falling at t...

Australia ,13 August, 2026 (Nosheen): Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc etched his name into the record books today, becoming the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history.Starc reached the landmark during the first Test of the series against Bangladesh in Darwin, dismissing Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam. The wicket took Starc to 434 Test wickets, moving him past Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath, who retired with 433 wickets.Pakistan legend Wasim Akram now sits third on the all-time list for left-arm bowlers with 414 Test wickets.Since making his international debut in October 2010, Starc has established himself as one of the premier fast bowlers of his generation across all formats. Known for his pace, swing, and match-winning spells, he has been a cornerstone of Australi...

LAHORE,12 August,2026 (Kamran Raja) : The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is set to host an AFC “A” Certificate Refresher Coaching Course from August 15 to 19, 2026, marking the resumption of advanced AFC coaching education in Pakistan after more than a decade.The five-day course will be conducted by Wisam Shamil Kamil of Iraq, an AFC Instructor, and will bring together 19 AFC “A” Certified coaches from Pakistan, including 18 male coaches and one female coach.The participants will have an opportunity to update their technical knowledge, exchange experiences and benefit from international coaching expertise.PFF Director of Coach Education Sajjad Mahmood described the return of advanced coaching education as an important step towards strengthening Pakistan’s football ecosystem. He said co...

Lahore, 12 August, 2026 (Ghufran): Olympic gold medallist and Pakistan’s star javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem has decided to skip this month’s Lausanne Diamond League due to his overseas training plans.Arshad Nadeem is currently undergoing intensive training at Punjab Stadium in Lahore.According to sources, Nadeem decided to train abroad after the Commonwealth Games and will now focus on his preparations rather than competing in the event. Nadeem was included in the entry list for the Lausanne Diamond League scheduled for August 21. However, he will not participate and will instead train in Potchefstroom, South Africa.Nadeem will undergo two weeks of training in South Africa before competing in the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, scheduled to be held in Budapest from September 6 to 1...

12 August, 2026(Nosheen): Pakistan captain Babar Azam has returned to the top 10 of the ICC Test batting rankings after nearly two years, making a significant jump in the latest rankings.Babar climbed five places to secure the 10th position, while fellow Pakistan batter Abdullah Shafique made an even bigger leap, rising 25 places to 32nd.Australia’s Travis Head retained the top spot in the Test batting rankings, followed by England’s Harry Brook in second and Joe Root in third. Among other Pakistani batters, Saud Shakeel slipped two places to 26th, while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan dropped one place to 27th. Former Test captain Shan Masood fell three places to 39th, while Salman Ali Agha dropped six places to 38th.In the Test bowling rankings, India’s Jasprit Bumrah retained the n...

ISLAMABAD, 11 August, 2026(Ghufran):The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has confirmed the schedule for the three-match T20I series against India, with the matches set to be played in New Delhi from September 13 to 17.According to reports, ACB CEO Naseeb Khan confirmed in a letter to stakeholders that the dates for India’s tour of Afghanistan in 2026 had been finalized and agreed upon by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The ACB said the venues for the scheduled matches had also been finalized, while the final official announcement would be made by the relevant authorities. The ACB stated that the confirmation has been issued to allow media rights holders to proceed with advance planning, scheduling, production arrangements, resource allocation and promotional activities ba...

LAHORE, 11 August, 2026(Nosheen): Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Director High Performance and selection committee member Aqib Javed has dismissed reports that middle-order batter Kamran Ghulam is being considered for a late inclusion in Pakistan’s Test squad for the ongoing England tour.Speaking to the media, Aqib Javed clarified that there was no truth in reports suggesting Kamran Ghulam would join the national Test squad in England, adding that no such proposal was currently under consideration.Kamran Ghulam, 30, has represented Pakistan in six Tests and 11 ODIs. He made his Test debut against England in Multan in October 2024 and made an immediate impact by scoring 118 runs off 224 deliveries while batting at No. 4. He has so far scored 312 Test runs at an average of 28.36, including one...