Author: ali.hassan

Pakistan announced its first-ever junior padel squad that will take part in the Junior World Cup, set to be staged in Spain from September 26 to October 5 under the banner of the International Padel Federation (FIP).

The 10-member Pakistan padel squad will compete across three age categories: Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18.

In the Under-14 category, the team includes Azhar Ahmed, Ansarullah Shakir, Muhammad Haris, and Riyan Faizan.

The Under-16 side features Usman Allahwala and Ashar Usman.

Meanwhile, the Under-18 lineup comprises Sameer Zaman, Meer Saqib, Ayaan Saeed, and Muhammad Umer Qamar.

The junior training camp is scheduled to begin in Karachi on September 8, before the team departs for Spain on September 23.

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Ahead of the main event, Pakistan will contest the qualifying phase from September 26 to 28, where eight teams from Asia and Africa, including Egypt, UAE, Senegal, Qatar, Japan, Iran, Lebanon, and Pakistan, have been split into two groups.

The top team from each group will meet in the qualifying final, and the winner will earn a spot in the main round of the World Cup.

A total of 36 countries will participate in this year’s FIP Junior World Cup.

According to Pakistan Padel Federation President Muhammad Mateen, the junior squad was selected based on performances in the Junior Championship and player rankings.

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KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has expressed confidence in the national team’s ability to perform well in the forthcoming Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Speaking at a private event, Sarfaraz said giving new players opportunities in the Pakistan team is a good sign.

He noted that Pakistan has played a significant number of cricket matches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) conditions and expressed hope that the team will perform well in the Asia Cup.

Sarfaraz Ahmed also shared his thoughts ahead of the country’s 78th Independence Day.

“Pakistan earned respect in the ‘battle for truth’ and that no amount of gratitude would be enough for this honor,” he remarked. We must show the world that Pakistan has always stood for peace,” he added.

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Sarfaraz said the nation will celebrate August 14 with great enthusiasm while praising the Pakistan Army for making immense sacrifices to protect the country and paying tribute to the martyrs.

For the unversed, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) unveiled the much-anticipated schedule for the 2025 Asia Cup at the end of last month.

The marquee event will be played in the T20 format as a preparatory event for next year’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The eight-team tournament will take place from September 9 to 28 and features two groups of four teams each.

Group A comprises India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong.

Pakistan will open its campaign against Oman on September 12, followed by the marquee clash against India on September 14.

If both arch-rivals qualify for the Super Four stage, another face-off is slated for September 21. The final will take place on September 28.

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A Pakistani Footballer from the Muslim Hands team named Amanullah Rauf Baloch went missing during the Norway Cup held in Oslo.

According to reports, Amanullah, a footballer from Liyari, Karachi, did not participate in the tournament and was reported missing on the opening day.

Following Pakistan’s triumph, he did not return alongside the Muslim Hands team.

This marks the second incident in the past two months involving Pakistani athletes missing abroad. Earlier, two athletes also went missing in Germany during the World University Games.

It is noteworthy to mention that Better Future Pakistan won the Norway Under-15 title after defeating Norwegian Club Gjovik Lyn with 2-0 in a thrilling final.

The Norway Cup is one of the world’s largest international youth football tournaments, held annually in Oslo.

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The Green Shirts displayed exceptional skill and teamwork during the final, showcasing great control throughout the game.

For Pakistan, Ahmed Ali and Owais each scored one goal, helping the team to triumph.

The Pakistan football team returned unbeaten throughout the tournament, winning all nine games.  Not only that, Green Shirts were also honored with the Best Fair Play Team award, having secured 16 Fair Play Green Cards.

On August 1, after defeating Greaker IF in an exciting clash by 4-2 on August 1, Pakistan dominated Gjellerasen with a commanding 4-1 victory in the second playoff match, and they overpowered

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TRINIDAD: Pakistan squad had an optional training session here on Wednesday as preparations got underway for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies.

The training session, held under the supervision of the coaching staff, saw players participate in net practice, with both bowlers and batters putting in nearly three hours of work.

In addition to skill-specific drills, players also took part in an extensive fielding session.

The squad is scheduled to resume full training on Thursday, with the session set to begin at 1:30 PM local time.

The 15-member Pakistan squad arrived in Trinidad on Tuesday ahead of the ODI leg of the West Indies tour.

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The three-match series begins on August 8 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad & Tobago, with the remaining matches to be played at the same venue on August 10 and 12.

The ODI series also marks the return of senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to international action.

The duo last featured for Pakistan in an ODI series against New Zealand in April, while their last T20I appearance came against South Africa in December 2024.

Prior to arriving in Trinidad, Pakistan defeated West Indies 2-1 in a T20I series held in Lauderhill, Florida.

Pakistan ODI Squad: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Salman Ali Agha (vc), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Muqeem

Pakistan-West Indies ODI Series Schedule:

August 8 – 1st ODI, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

August 10 – 2nd ODI, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

August 12 – 3rd ODI, Brian Lara Cricket Academy

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LAUDERHILL: The Pakistan cricket team kicked off their preparations for the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies with an intense training session at the Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium here.

The Green Shirts, currently in the United States of America (USA) for the three-match T20I leg of the tour, underwent a three-hour practice session under the supervision of the coaching staff.

The training featured fielding drills, net sessions, and skill-specific routines for both bowlers and batters.

The day began with warm-up exercises and physical drills, followed by focused net practice.

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Bowlers and batters worked on their respective disciplines, with particular emphasis on execution and match readiness.

Pakistan will take on West Indies in the opening T20I on July 31 at the same venue in Lauderhill. Salman Ali Agha will lead the national side in the T20I series.

The tour will then move to the Caribbean, where Mohammad Rizwan will captain Pakistan in the three-match ODI series, beginning August 8 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad & Tobago.

Pakistan T20I Squad:

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

Pakistan ODI Squad:

Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim

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Pakistani-origin Italy batter Zain Naqvi has named Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam and England’s explosive wicketkeeper Jos Buttler as his cricketing idols.

Italy recently created history by securing qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, their first-ever appearance at the global event.

They finished second in the Europe Region Final, with the Netherlands topping the table. The 2026 edition of the tournament will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

In an exclusive conversation with ARY News, Zain said qualifying for the mega event had been a collective dream and the result of year-long preparation.

“Our team had one goal, to qualify for the [T20] World Cup,” he said.

“We’ve been preparing for the qualifiers for over a year. Beating Scotland was a major achievement for us.”

Naqvi, who originally hails from Kot Jaffar, a village in Mandi Bahauddin, Pakistan, moved to Italy with his parents at the age of 12.

He shared that his grandfather had always dreamt of seeing him play international cricket for Italy.

“I started with tape-ball cricket, like most of the Pakistani community here,” he said.

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“Eventually, I moved into professional cricket and earned my place in the national side through consistent performances in domestic competitions.”

Zain Naqvi admitted that cricket still trails far behind football in terms of popularity in Italy, and acknowledged it will take time for the sport to grow.

“Cricket doesn’t get much attention here; most people are focused on football,” he said.

“Italy doesn’t get many international fixtures from the ICC either, but now that we’ve qualified for the World Cup, we hope to get more opportunities.”

He added that efforts are underway to promote the game at the grassroots level across Italy.

“We’re actively working to promote cricket at the grassroots level,” he added.

When asked about his cricketing idols, Zain named Babar Azam as his favourite player, while also revealing that he models his batting style after England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler.

“I really admire Babar Azam,” he said. “And in terms of playing style, I try to follow Jos Buttler.”

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Friday, unveiled the women’s cricket calendar for the 2025-26 season.

During this season, women cricketers will not only have the opportunity to play international cricket but will also feature in domestic tournaments.

In Pathways Cricket, Pakistan U19 will tour Bangladesh for a five-match T20 series in December this year.

Prior to that, the National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament is scheduled to take place in Karachi from 15 September to 6 October.

The top performers of the tournament will be invited to a three-week skills development camp, followed by the pre-departure camp for the Bangladesh series.

On the international front, to commence the 2025-26 season, the Pakistan women’s team will travel to Ireland for a three-match T20I series against the hosts in Dublin from 6 to 10 August.

Later, Pakistan will host South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for a three-match ODI series, as part of their preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka and India.

The ODIs against South Africa will be played on 16, 19, and 22 September, with match timings to be confirmed in due course.

Following the series, Pakistan will travel to Sri Lanka to participate in the mega event, where they are set to play their seven league-stage matches from 2 to 24 October.

Should Pakistan qualify for the semi-final on 29 October and the final on 2 November, both matches will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

To begin their campaign in the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29, Pakistan will tour South Africa from 7 February to 2 March 2026. In addition to three ODIs (part of the Championship), Pakistan will also play three T20Is.

In April, Pakistan will host Zimbabwe for three ODIs (part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29) and three T20Is. The matches are scheduled to take place from 24 April to 11 May, with further details to be provided in due course.

Before travelling to England for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, the Pakistan team will participate in a tri-nation T20 tournament in Ireland involving the hosts, Pakistan, and the West Indies, providing crucial preparation ahead of the T20 showpiece.

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The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled from 12 June to 5 July, will mark the conclusion of the women’s international cricket calendar for the 2025-26 season.

On the domestic front, the National Women’s One-Day Tournament will be held in Karachi from 6 to 24 November.

The four-team competition will be played on a double league basis, with international players expected to take part in the 15-match event.

The National Women’s T20 Tournament will also be staged in Karachi from 24 March to 17 April 2026. The five-team competition will be played on a double league basis, comprising 23 fixtures.

In October this year, the Inter-University tournament is scheduled to take place, with more details on the schedule and venues to be confirmed in due course.

“The 2025-26 calendar reflects our strategic commitment to providing consistent and meaningful playing opportunities for our women cricketers at all levels,” said Head of Women’s Cricket Rafia Haider.

“From robust international assignments to competitive domestic tournaments, we are ensuring our players are fully prepared to excel on the world stage.

“Our Pathways structure continues to evolve with the aim of building a strong future for Pakistan women’s cricket.

“The U19 T20 tournament, followed by the tour to Bangladesh, will offer young players valuable exposure and an opportunity to develop the skills required at the international level.

“The upcoming season is significant, with major events such as the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on the horizon.

“Our international schedule has been designed to ensure thorough preparation, with quality opposition that will enable the players to perform well and contribute to the team’s success.

“We are also actively engaging in discussions with various departments to introduce a departmental tournament for women’s cricket. This initiative will provide additional playing opportunities for our women cricketers.”

Pakistan Women’s international calendar 2025-26 season

• Three T20Is v Ireland, Dublin (6-10 Aug, 2025)
• Three ODIs v South Africa, Lahore (16-22 Sep, 2025)
• ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (30 Sep-2 Nov, 2025)
• Three ODIs & Three T20Is v South Africa, South Africa (7 Feb-2 Mar, 2026)
• Three ODIs & Three T20Is v Zimbabwe (venue to be confirmed) (24 Apr-11 May, 2026)
• T20 Tri-series in Ireland involving Pakistan and West Indies (May-June, 2026)
• ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, England (12 June-5 July, 2026)

Domestic calendar

• National Women’s One-Day Tournament, Karachi (6-24 Nov, 2025)
• National Women’s T20 Tournament, Karachi (24 Mar-17 April, 2026)
• HEC Inter-University (Oct 2025)

Pathways

• Women’s U19 T20 Tournament, Karachi (15 Sep-6 Oct, 2025)
• Pakistan U19 tour to Bangladesh (Dec, 2025)

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Melbourne Stars General Manager Max Abbott has revealed the key reason behind the selection of Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf for the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025.

In an exclusive interview with ARY News, Abbott shed light on the selection of Pakistani players in the BBL 15 draft, particularly Haris Rauf for Melbourne Stars.

“We have retained Haris Rauf in the green team squad. Melbourne Stars needed a bowler who could bowl with 150 km/h pace because nowadays you don’t find too many bowlers bowling with that speed,” he said.

“Our squads’ local and overseas players love Haris Rauf playing in the BBL. One of the fierce battles will be between Babar Azam and Haris Rauf in the upcoming edition of BBL 15,” he added.

Moreover, Max Abbott also stated that many Pakistani players have fond memories of the 1992 World Cup, which was held in Australia.

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The Pakistan cricket team has great memories of the 1992 World Cup held in Australia. During that time, Pakistan and Australia had very memorable encounters,” Abbott said.

“When the Australian team toured Pakistan, it was suitable for everyone. Pakistani fans love the Australian player, Melbourne Stars GM added.

Regarding the Melbourne Stars’ plan to visit Pakistan for exhibition matches, he elaborated that it all depends on the players’ availability and an invitation from Pakistan.

“Currently, there are no plans to tour Pakistan with our team. Players’ availability and other matters also need to be considered. Players are presently busy with the season. However, we can consider receiving an invitation from Pakistan, he concluded.

For the unversed, in 22 BBL matches, Haris Rauf has bagged 36 wickets at an economy of 7.75, and remains one of the most dangerous bowlers at the death.

Rauf’s retention comes amid a strong Pakistan presence in BBL 15, with Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shadab Khan, and Hasan Ali all picked up by various franchises during the draft.

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DARWIN: Nuwanidu Fernando starred as Sri Lanka A secured a hard-fought draw against Australia A in the first four-day match held here at Marrara Oval on Wednesday.

The unofficial first Test between the two sides turned into a display of sheer batting dominance from both sides.

Sri Lanka A batted through the final day to finish their second innings on 3/280 from 81 overs.

Fernando stood tall with a composed 104 not out, steering his side to safety with support from Pavan Rathnayake (56*) and skipper Pasindu Sooriyabandara (56).

For Australia A,  all-rounder Liam Scott was very economical, conceding 10 runs in 10 overs with one wicket in the second innings.

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Australia A had earlier piled on a mammoth 486 in their first innings against Sri Lanka A , with runs flowing throughout the top and middle order. Nathan McSweeney stood up with vital contributions amid the Ashes looming amid Australia’s top order vows.

Nathan McSweeney and Liam Scott both scored 94, while Josh Philippe (85), Mitchell Perry (61), and Jake Weatherald (54) added to the dominance with the bat.

Sri Lankan spinner Sonal Dinusha was the pick of the bowlers with 4/97, supported by pacer Pramod Madushan (3/82).

In reply, Sri Lanka A managed 272 in their first innings, thanks largely to Dinusha’s fighting 105 not out. Liam Scott (2/27) and Henry Thornton (2/31) were the most effective bowlers for the hosts.

The second four-day match between the two sides is scheduled to begin on Sunday.

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DHAKA: The Pakistan squad arrived here on Wednesday for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh, set to begin on 20 July at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

The national squad members arrived in Bangladesh in two groups. The second batch of the national team departed for Dhaka early on Wednesday morning. The Men in Green will take a rest tomorrow.

The second batch of players included Mohammad Haris, Abbas Afridi, Sahibzada Farhan, Hasan Nawaz, Sufiyan Muqeem, Hussain Talat, Ahmed Daniyal, Salman Mirza, along with members of the support staff.

Earlier, the first group had flown out from Karachi late Tuesday night. It comprised T20I captain Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, and Faheem Ashraf.

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For the unversed, Pakistan is set to play three T20 Internationals against Bangladesh, with the series beginning on July 20. All three fixtures will be held at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

This series serves as a rematch following Pakistan’s dominant 3-0 sweep in their previous T20I meeting at home in May.

Pakistan won the opening match by 37 runs, thanks to Shadab Khan’s outstanding all-round performance. He scored a rapid 48 runs off 25 balls and took two crucial wickets.

In the second T20I, Sahibzada Farhan and Hasan Nawaz both made significant contributions with quick half-centuries, leading Pakistan to victory.

Meanwhile, the star of the third match was Mohammad Haris, who scored a blazing unbeaten century.

Pakistan squad for Bangladesh series

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, and Sufiyan Muqeem

Team management: Naveed Akram Cheema (manager), Mike Hesson (head coach), Ashley Noffke (bowling coach), Muhammad Hanif Malik (batting Coach), Shane McDermott (fielding Coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Grant Luden (strength and conditioning coach), Talha Ejaz (analyst), Syed Naeem Ahmad (media manager), Irtaza Komail (security manager), Dr. Wajid Ali Rafai (doctor) and Muhammad Ehsan (masseur)

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