SPORTS NEWS

Shanghai, 15 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Top seed Alexander Zverev delivered an impressive performance on Thursday, defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 to secure his place in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters. The German tennis star raised his level of play to overcome De Minaur’s speed and determination, producing powerful forehands and precise backhands to control the quarter-final encounter. Zverev secured the decisive break in the fifth game of the opening set before saving three consecutive break points to maintain his serve. He then closed out the first set in the 10th game with a well-placed backhand at the net. The 29-year-old continued his strong performance in the second set, breaking De Minaur’s serve in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead before sealing victory on ...

RAWALPINDI, 14 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Pakistan’s experienced opener Fakhar Zaman has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Pakistani batter to hit 100 sixes in men’s T20 International cricket. The 36-year-old reached the landmark during the third and final T20I against Sri Lanka at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, smashing a six off Sri Lankan fast bowler Binura Fernando over deep midwicket. Fakhar had entered the match with 99 sixes and needed just one more to reach the historic figure. However, his celebration was short-lived as he was dismissed by Eshan Malinga after scoring 12 runs off seven deliveries. Despite Fakhar’s personal achievement, Pakistan suffered an eight-wicket defeat in the final match. Sri Lanka produced an impressive batting performance, with Kusal Mendis pl...

دبئی، 14 اکتوبر 2026 (غفران): انٹرنیشنل کرکٹ کونسل (آئی سی سی) نے ٹی ٹوئنٹی کی تازہ ترین رینکنگ جاری کردی ہے، جس میں پاکستان کے معاذ صداقت اور سلمان مرزا نے اپنی اپنی کیٹیگریز میں نمایاں ترقی حاصل کی ہے۔ ٹی ٹوئنٹی بلے بازوں کی رینکنگ میں بھارت کے ایشان کشن پہلے اور ابھیشیک شرما دوسرے نمبر پر ہیں، جبکہ پاکستان کے کپتان صاحبزادہ فرحان تیسری پوزیشن پر برقرار ہیں۔ پاکستان کے ابھرتے ہوئے بلے باز معاذ صداقت نے 187 درجے ترقی کرتے ہوئے 45ویں پوزیشن حاصل کرلی۔ دوسری جانب صائم ایوب چار درجے تنزلی کے بعد 42ویں نمبر پر آگئے، جبکہ حسن نواز تین درجے نیچے آکر 52ویں پوزیشن پر پہنچ گئے۔ ٹی ٹوئنٹی باؤلرز کی رینکنگ میں افغانستان کے راشد خان نے پہلی پوزیشن برقرار رکھی، جبکہ آسٹریلیا کے ایڈم زمپا اور انگلینڈ کے عادل رشید ایک ایک درجہ ترقی کرکے بالترتیب دوسرے اور تیسرے نمبر پر آگئے۔ پاکستان کے سلمان مرزا نے نو ...

 DUBAI, 14 October, 2026 (Ghufran): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its latest T20 rankings, with Pakistan’s Maaz Sadaqat and Salman Mirza making significant progress in their respective categories. In the T20 batters’ rankings, India’s Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma occupy the first and second positions, respectively, while Pakistan captain Sahibzada Farhan remains third. Pakistan’s emerging batter Maaz Sadaqat made an impressive leap of 187 places to reach 45th position. Meanwhile, Saim Ayub dropped four places to 42nd, while Hasan Nawaz slipped three positions to 52nd. In the T20 bowlers’ rankings, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan retained the top spot, while Australia’s Adam Zampa and England’s Adil Rashid climbed one place each to rank second and third, respec...

 LAHORE, 14 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan’s T20 International captain Sahibzada Farhan has set a new record for the most runs scored in a three-match bilateral T20I series between two full-member nations, surpassing India’s Abhishek Sharma. Farhan delivered an outstanding performance in Pakistan’s home series against Sri Lanka, scoring 238 runs at an average of 79.33 and a strike rate of 165.27 to earn the Player of the Series award. The 30-year-old opener struck a half-century in each of the three matches, eclipsing Abhishek Sharma’s previous record of 229 runs, which the Indian batter achieved against Afghanistan earlier in 2026. Farhan began the series with an impressive 89 off 53 balls, featuring 10 fours and four sixes, helping Pakistan chase a target of 183 runs to s...

 BRISBANE, 14 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Australia’s star batter and wicketkeeper Beth Mooney is targeting the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup and a potential appearance at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as she prepares to reach the milestone of 100 One-Day Internationals. The 32-year-old is set to achieve the landmark in Wednesday’s third and final ODI against Bangladesh at Allan Border Field, with Australia already securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. Mooney has scored 3,288 runs at an average of 49.81 in the format, including six centuries, placing her seventh on Australia’s all-time ODI run-scoring list. Australia’s semi-final defeat to India at the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup remains a source of disappointment for Mooney, who hopes to help her team reclaim the title i...

 RAWALPINDI, 13 October, 2026 (Nosheen): Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis struck an unbeaten 87 to guide his side to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the third and final T20 International at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Sri Lanka chased down the 169-run target with 17 balls to spare, finishing at 171-2 in 17.1 overs. However, Pakistan secured the three-match series 2-1 after winning the first two fixtures. Kusal anchored the successful chase with an aggressive 48-ball innings featuring nine fours and four sixes, while Kamindu Mendis remained unbeaten on 40 off 27 deliveries. Sineth Jayawardena also made a valuable contribution with 38 off 26 balls, helping Sri Lanka recover after an early setback. Batting first, Pakistan posted 168-8 in their allotted 20 overs, wit...

CHICAGO, 13 October, 2026 (Ghufran): Pakistani runners from across the world delivered impressive performances at the Chicago Marathon in the United States, with Texas-based Nizar Niani among the standout participants, finishing the 26.2-mile race in 3 hours and 45 seconds. Niani narrowly missed his target of completing the marathon in under three hours by just 46 seconds. He covered the first 10 kilometres in 40 minutes and 22 seconds and reached the half-marathon mark in 1 hour, 25 minutes and 41 seconds, but a slower second half prevented him from achieving his goal. Reflecting on the event, Niani said the Chicago Marathon held a special place in his heart and that he hoped to continue participating as long as he remained fit and God willing. Despite less-than-ideal conditions, he descr...

KARACHI, 13 October 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan’s veteran para-athlete and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games gold medallist Haider Ali is aiming to deliver another outstanding performance at the Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games, scheduled to take place in Japan from October 18 to 24. Speaking to The Express Tribune before departing for Japan, Haider expressed confidence in his preparations and vowed to give his best. “Yes, I have worked hard and, Insha’Allah, will do my best,” he said. The 41-year-old athlete confirmed that he would compete in the discus throw event, adding that three other athletes would accompany him in the discipline. Pakistan will send a 16-member contingent to compete in four sports: athletics, powerlifting, table tennis and wheelchair tennis. Haider has an impressive internat...

Lahore, 13 October, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has expressed delight at seeing young cricketer Maaz Sadaqat fulfil his childhood dream of representing Pakistan, recalling the time the youngster visited his home in Peshawar with his brother, Haroon. In a message shared on social media platform X, Rizwan said it felt like only yesterday that a young boy had come to meet him with the dream of playing for the national team. He recalled that the youngster had hope in his eyes and determination in his heart, adding that seeing the same boy wearing Pakistan’s national jersey had brought him immense happiness. Rizwan also expressed hope that the achievement would mark the beginning of a successful career for Maaz and prayed for his continued progress in intern...