Author: A Sports

Multan Sultans’ new owner, Syed Gohar Shah, has issued an emotional statement to fans after his company, CD Ventures, successfully acquired a majority stake in the franchise ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11.

Earlier in the day, it was confirmed that Gohar Shah-led CD Ventures had taken control of the Sialkot Stallionz franchise, originally purchased by OZ Developers for Rs 1.85 billion during January’s PSL auction.

The development was announced in a joint press conference in Lahore attended by PSL CEO Salman Naseer and outgoing franchise owner Hamza Majeed.

Naseer revealed that following the takeover and restructuring, the franchise’s valuation has now risen to Rs 2 billion annually. He also confirmed that, at Shah’s request, Sialkot Stallionz would be rebranded as Multan Sultans.

In a heartfelt message directed at the people of South Punjab and PSL supporters worldwide, Shah described the return of Multan Sultans as a moment of “profound pride and incredible joy.”

“Our beloved Multan Sultans, the true representatives of our region, are officially back in the HBL PSL,” he said.

Recalling his earliest cricketing memories from Jalalpur Pirwala, Shah painted a nostalgic picture of village matches and the unity they fostered.

“My mind goes back to my very first memory of cricket in my village, a local match at one of Haveli Lang’s school grounds, Jalalpur Pirwala versus Balewala,” he shared.

“I still vividly remember the uplifting atmosphere in the village that day, especially after the final ball was bowled. The joy, the unity, and the sheer energy of that community are feelings I have carried with me ever since.”

He explained that his motivation behind acquiring the franchise rested on two key pillars: protecting regional representation and elevating the standard of cricket.

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“I wanted to ensure that no one could strip our region of its right to be represented on Pakistan’s biggest stage,” he stated.

“I want us to play a brand of cricket that is not only thrilling to watch but also strengthens the foundation of Pakistan’s cricketing ecosystem, helping us compete and dominate on the global stage.”

Gohar Shah urged fans to rally behind the team, reminding them of the franchise’s remarkable record, four finals in the last five PSL seasons.

“We held the line to save this team, and now we expect you to hold the stands,” he said. “Going forward, we need your absolute support and complete buy-in.”

The new owner extended special thanks to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, for what he described as decisive leadership in facilitating the franchise’s swift return.

He also acknowledged Salman Naseer for his instrumental role in finalising the transition, as well as his father, Barrister Najaf Shah, and adviser Imran Ahmad Khan for guiding the acquisition process.

Shah further appreciated his internal team for working “day and night” to complete the deal just weeks before the start of PSL 11.

In a notable gesture, he also thanked the Tareen family for their contributions in building the franchise into one of the league’s powerhouses.

“I must also take a moment to thank the Tareen family for the immense work they put into building this franchise into the powerhouse it is today,” he said.

Gihar Shah concluded his message with a rallying cry to supporters: “It is time, Multan. The new Sultans have arrived.”

READ: Lahore Qalandars to face THIS team in PSL 11 opener

LAHORE: The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Salman Naseer, has officially confirmed the teams and venue for the opening fixture of the tournament’s historic 11th edition, set to run from March 26 to May 3.

Addressing the media with Hamza Majeed and Gohar Shah, Naseer announced that Qalandars will lock horns with tournament debutants Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen in the season opener at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

The clash will be preceded by a grand opening ceremony, marking the beginning of what promises to be a landmark season for the league.

Naseer further revealed that the first leg of PSL 11 will largely be staged in Lahore, with the complete schedule expected to be unveiled later this week.

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In recent days, reports have circulated suggesting that the grand finale of PSL 11 could potentially be held outside Pakistan in a bid to engage overseas fans and expand the league’s footprint.

When asked about the possibility of taking a PSL fixture abroad, Naseer confirmed that the matter is indeed under discussion.

“The schedule will be announced later this week, so everything will become clear. But definitely, this was an issue under consideration, that our overseas Pakistanis also want to enjoy the PSL and experience it,” he said.

“Now, as we are becoming a global league, maybe we should take at least one match overseas. Whether that will happen this year or next year, you will get clarity by the end of this week,” he added.

READ: West Indies, Zimbabwe stuck in India because of travel chaos

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the match officials for the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with experienced names entrusted with overseeing the two high-stakes encounters in Kolkata and Mumbai.

The first semi-final, set to be played on Wednesday, March 4, at Eden Gardens, will see South Africa take on New Zealand.

Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf have been appointed as the on-field umpires for the contest.

Illingworth brings semi-final experience, having stood in South Africa’s last-four clash against Afghanistan in the previous edition.

Wharf, meanwhile, officiated New Zealand’s group-stage victory over Afghanistan earlier in the ongoing tournament.

Nitin Menon will serve as the third umpire, with Rod Tucker named as the fourth umpire. Former India pacer Javagal Srinath has been assigned the role of match referee for the Kolkata fixture.

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The second semi-final, scheduled for Thursday, March 5, in Mumbai, will feature a blockbuster meeting between India and England.

Chris Gaffaney and Allahuddien Paleker will take charge as the on-field umpires.

Notably, Gaffaney also officiated when India and England met at the same stage during the 2024 edition of the tournament.

Paleker has already overseen two of England’s matches in this year’s competition, in addition to India’s win over the Netherlands.

Adrian Holdstock has been appointed as the third umpire in Mumbai, while Paul Reiffel will act as the fourth umpire. Andy Pycroft will perform match referee duties.

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LAHORE: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise, Sialkot Stallionz, has officially been rebranded as Multan Sultans following a majority takeover by CD Ventures, PSL CEO Salman Naseer confirmed on Tuesday.

The development was announced during a joint press conference in Lahore attended by Naseer, franchise owner Hamza Majeed and CD Ventures chief Gohar Shah.

CD Ventures has acquired a majority stake in the franchise, originally purchased by OZ Developers for Rs 1.85 billion during the PSL auction in January.

Naseer revealed that following the latest developments, the franchise’s valuation has now increased to Rs 2 billion annually.

“Gohar Shah requested to change the franchise’s name after becoming CEO, and that request has been accepted,” Naseer said. “Sialkot Stallionz will now compete as Multan Sultans.”

Majeed described the arrangement as a strategic partnership approved by both the PCB and the PSL.

“With PCB and PSL’s approval, this strategic partnership has been finalised,” Majeed said. “CD Ventures’ Gohar Shah is now our strategic partner and will serve as the franchise’s CEO going forward.”

He praised Shah’s enthusiasm, adding, “Gohar Shah’s passion and drive are even greater than mine. Seeing his energy makes me happy, and I welcome him to our league.”

Speculation had surrounded the Sialkot franchise in recent weeks amid reports that OZ Developers had offloaded a significant portion of their shares after one of their partners withdrew shortly after the PSL auction.

There were also unverified claims of financial trouble within the parent company, which Majeed publicly denied last week, confirming only that talks with CD Ventures were ongoing.

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Speaking at the press conference, Gohar Shah confirmed he has officially joined the franchise as CEO and expressed his desire to restore South Punjab’s representation in the league.

“A stallion alone cannot win the PSL. To move forward, a stallion needs a sultan, and we have come as Sultans,” he remarked.

He added that retaining the Multan identity was important to him.

“It was my wish that the name Multan Sultans remain, and for me it was necessary,” he added.

Shah outlined his broader cricketing vision, stating that he has named it “Total Cricket.”

“Cricket should be played in a way that serves Pakistan cricket’s needs. In my opinion, the squad selected is correct. Final decisions on the playing XI and other matters will be taken once the camp begins,” he said.

Despite the name change, Majeed assured Sialkot supporters that their backing would not be forgotten.

“We are grateful to Sialkot Stallionz fans for their encouragement,” he said. “There will still be an element of the Stallionz identity visible in our campaign.”

He also confirmed that transport arrangements will be made for Sialkot fans to attend Multan Sultans matches during the season.

The rebranding marks a significant shift ahead of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11, which is scheduled to commence on March 26 across five venues in the country.

READ: Aleem Dar resigns from PCB selection committee: sources

LONDON: Pacer Haris Rauf has been named a ‘marquee player’ in The Hundred inaugural auction, one of 14 Pakistani players on the list.  

The list revealed on The Hundred’s official website features 14 Pakistan players, including Rauf.

“The longlist for The Hundred Auction have been revealed, with the likes of Joe Root, Davina Perrin, Nadine de Klerk and Shaheen Shah Afridi set to go under the hammer at Piccadilly Lights on 11 and 12 March,” the press release wrote.

“With nearly 1,000 players registering themselves for consideration for the Auction, the eight men’s and women’s teams were required to nominate up to 100 players they’d be interested in purchasing. Any player with at least one nomination has been included on the longlists,” it added.

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Two weeks earlier, the BBC reported that the four Indian-owned franchises of the eight-team competition, Manchester Super Giants, MI London, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds, were not considering Pakistani players for next month’s auction.

However, last week the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a statement reaffirming, stating that The Hundred is an inclusive competition, open to all players.

“All eight teams commit to selection being based solely on cricketing performance, availability, and the needs of each team,” the statement read.

Besides Rauf, other prominent players on the men’s longlist include pacers Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, and Usman Tariq.

For the unversed, the Hundred will be played from July 21 to August 16, 2026.

Men’s Hundred Pakistan players

Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Tariq, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Zaman Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Akif Javed, Salman Mirza

Women’s Hundred Pakistan players

Fatima Sana, Sadia Iqbal.

READ: Pakistan reach FIH Hockey World Cup qualifiers semi-final

ISMAILIA: Pakistan’s hockey team continued their strong form by defeating Malaysia 5-3 in their second game of the FIH World Cup Qualifiers 2026.

This was Green Shirts’ second win of the tournament, propelling them into the semi-final.

Goals from Rana Waheed Ashraf, Ahmed Nadeem, and Sufyan Khan played a decisive role in the team’s victory.

Malaysia made a solid start as Abdul Rauf pierced the net in the 11th minute of the game. However, Rana Waheed quickly responded and levelled the score line in the very next minute.

But the 12th-ranked Malaysia regained the lead in the last minute of the first quarter.

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Pakistan started the second quarter on a positive note with Hayat Zikriya levelling the scoreline once again. The first half of the game ended 2-2.

In the third quarter, Malaysia struck first in the 39th minute, only for Ahmed Nadeem to equalize for Pakistan in the 44th minute.

The Green Shirts finally pulled ahead in the last quarter, with Sufyan Khan scoring in the 48th minute and Muhammad Ammad sealing the win in the 59th  minute.

For the unversed, Pakistan are slotted alongside China, Malaysia, and Austria in pool B of the Hockey World Cup qualifiers.

The top four teams from the overall tournament will earn qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.

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DURBAN: Pakistan women’s team sealed a commanding 119-run win over South Africa in the third ODI to avoid a whitewash here at the Kingsmead on Sunday. 

Asked to bat first, Pakistan racked up 306-8 on the back of impressive half-centuries from Sadaf Shams and skipper Fatima Sana in their 50 overs.

Shamas anchored the innings with a superb 97 off 82 balls, striking 16 fours and a six, while Sana injected late momentum with a rapid 60 off just 41 deliveries, laced with five sixes and three fours.

Shamas, who fell just short of a century, was named Player of the Match for her composed knock at the top.

She received valuable support from Sidra Amin (41) and wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi (36), ensuring Pakistan posted a formidable total.

For South Africa, Sune Luus returned figures of 3/42 in nine overs, while Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed two wickets. Ayanda Hlubi, Annerie Dercksen, and Chloe Tryon picked up one each.

Chasing a stiff 307-run target, the hosts endured a disastrous start, losing three wickets for just seven runs inside two overs.

Annerie Dercksen attempted to revive the innings, first sharing a 90-run third-wicket stand with Faye Tunnicliff before Nashra Sandhu dismissed the latter for 47.

Dercksen then added another crucial 50-run partnership with Sinalo Jafta, but their departures in quick succession left South Africa reeling at 147/6.

Dercksen top-scored with a fighting 54 off 67 balls, while Jafta contributed 33, but the lower order failed to mount further resistance.

Pakistan’s bowlers capitalised on the momentum, bowling out South Africa for 187 in 36.2 overs.

Sadia Iqbal led the bowling effort with figures of 3/41, while Nashra Sandhu, Umme-Hani and captain Sana claimed two wickets apiece.

Tasmia Rubab chipped in with one to seal a comprehensive win for the visitors.

READ: FIH World Cup Qualifier: Pakistan prevail over China in thrilling win

ISMAILIA: Pakistan’s men’s hockey team sealed a thrilling 5-4 win over China in their opening game of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers. 

The Green Shirts bagged crucial three points with captain Ammad Butt leading from the front and earning the Player of the Match award.

It was Pakistan who struck first, with Sufyan Khan scoring the first goal in the seventh minute of the game. The first half belonged to Pakistan.

However, China made a comeback in the second quarter as Shihao DU got one through the nets to level the score.

Soon after, Pakistan doubled the score line with back-to-back goals in the 19th and 20th minutes of the game. Rana Waheed Ashraf and Muhammad Ammad were the goal scorers.

The second half ended with the scoreline of 3-1.

Pakistan further consolidated their grip in the match as Abu Mahmood found the back of the net to give his side a 4-1 lead in the 34th minute of the match.

But China broke the deadlock with two goals, making a strong comeback as Shihao and Quyang Guan pulled their side back into contention.

However, the response was immediate. Just under a minute later, RanaWaleed restored the two-goal cushion with a decisive finish at 42:37, taking the score to 5-3.

China piled the pressure on Pakistan with an early fourth-quarter strike, but the Green Shirts held firm to clinch a thrilling victory despite conceding two late penalty corners.

For the unversed, Pakistan are slotted alongside China, Malaysia, and Austria in pool B of the Hockey World Cup qualifiers.

The top four teams from the overall tournament will earn qualification spots for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup, co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.

READ: Holder, Powell lift West Indies to strong total

KOLKATA: Sanju Samson starred as India sealed a five-wicket win over West Indies to set up England semi-final in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The defending champions chased down the challenging target of 197 with four balls to spare.

With this, the four semi-final teams have been locked in.

South Africa will face New Zealand in the first semi-final at Kolkata on March 4 while India will play England in the second semi-final on March 5 at Wankhede.

The hosts were jolted with early blows in the power play, with two of their key batters, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, back in the hutch. Both batters were caught after scoring 10 runs each.

After an early wobble, Samson and skipper Suryakumar Yadav held the innings together with a 58-run partnership that took the team’s total to 99 in 10.2 overs.

The stand culminated with Suryakumar’s wicket, who scored 18 from 16 with the aid of a six and a four.

Despite the wicket, Samson held one end together with Tilak Varma playing a brisk knock off 27 from 15 to put the hosts in the driving seat.

Samson was involved in a string of partnerships as he finally took his side home with a boundary on the second ball of the last over.

His unbeaten 97 from 50 included four sixes and 12 boundaries.

For West Indies, Shamar Joseph and Jason Holder scalped two wickets each.

Earlier, Jason Holder and Rovman Powell provided West Indies with a late impetus to help them post a strong total.

Put into bat first, West Indies racked up 195-4 in 20 overs on the back of a solid start from openers Shai Hope and Roston Chase.

The pair added 68 in 8.5 overs as Varun Chakravarthy managed to get one through the gate to get rid of skipper Shai Hope.

The right-hander’s 32 from 33 included a six and three fours.

Following the wicket, West Indies’ leading run scorer in the tournament, Shimron Hetmyer, came to the fore and slammed a brisk 27 from 12 balls to push the run rate. The left-hander hit two maximums and a four in his enterprising knock.

His onslaught took the scorecard to 102 in 11.3 overs before Jasprit Bumrah removed both of the set batters — Hetmyer and Chase (40 off 25 balls) in succession to put India in a strong position.

India managed to keep West Indies quiet, resulting in Sherfane Rutherford’s (14) wicket. As a result, West Indies were reduced to 119-4 in 14.1 overs.

However, Jason Holder and Rovman Powell provided their side a much-needed late impetus with an unbeaten 76* run stand off just 35 balls.

Holder struck three towering sixes and two fours on his way to 37* from 22, whereas Powell also chipped in with a handful of 34 not out off 19 balls, hitting two sixes and three boundaries.

For India, Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets.

AC Milan moved closer to Champions League football next season after two late strikes gave them a 2-0 win at Cremonese on Sunday.

Strahinja Pavlovic put Milan ahead in the 90th minute with his shoulder before Rafael Leao’s simple finish in stoppage time gave the away side a result which flattered a drab display in Cremona.

Milan, who have been without European football this season, have little realistic hope of winning the Serie A title as the seven-time European champions are 10 points behind league leaders Inter Milan.

Next weekend’s Milan derby has little more than local pride riding on it, with Inter speeding off into the distance with 11 games remaining in the league campaign.

Milan’s stated aim for the season, however, was qualification for the Champions League and Massimiliano Allegri’s team are on course for that objective.

“We have a huge goal to reach with teams behind us who continue collecting points,” said Allegri to DAZN.

“You have Como, Atalanta still have to play, Napoli won in the end and there are also Roma and Juventus. All we can do is take it one step at a time.”

Fifth-placed Como are nine points behind Milan, while Roma, seven points behind them in fourth, face Juventus in Sunday’s headline fixture.

Atalanta can move to within two points of the Champions League spots with a win at Sassuolo, following their thrilling 4-3 aggregate triumph over Borussia Dortmund, which made them the only Italian team in the last 16 of Europe’s top club competition.

Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese are sliding towards relegation to Serie B after a 13th straight match without a win, the promoted outfit sitting outside the drop zone on goal difference.

READ: Salman Ali Agha addresses captaincy future after T20 World Cup exit