Category: Sports

KARACHI: Kusal Mendis half-century and Sufiyan Muqeem’s three-wicket haul helped Peshawar Zalmi ease past Multan Sultans in the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Chasing 197, Multan Sultans batting lineup crumbled under pressure and could only muster 172-8 at the end of 2o overs.

Sahibzada Farhan and Steve Smith were quick off the blocks in the chase, adding 30 in 2.4 overs.  However, Iftikhar Ahmed removed him for 17 to lift Peshawar Zalmi.

Following the wicket, Josh Philippe joined hands with Smith. The pair made the chase look easy, particulary the former who hit 32 from 17, hitting seven fours.

As a result, Multan Sultans were well poised at 85 in 9.3 overs before a double-wicket over from Sufiyan Muqeem changed the momentum. Smith made 31 from 29, including three fours.

It was Muqeem again who provided his side’s breakthrough in the 13th over. Ashton Turner was bowled for 20, leaving the Sultans four down for 123 runs in 13.3 overs.

Meanwhile, Shan Masood tried to put chase back on track with a quick-fire 35 on 19 deliveries, but his dismissal dashed the Sultans’ hopes of winning the game.

For Peshawar Zalmi, Sufiyan Muqeem scalped three, whereas Iftikhar Ahmed took two wickets.

The victory kept Peshawar Zalmi at the top spot with 11 points out of six games.

Earlier, Mohammad Haris’ gritty innings, ably backed by Kusal Mendis half-century, propelled Peshawar Zalmi to a big total

Put into bat first, Peshawar Zalmi racked up 196-6 in their 20 overs.

Mohammad Haris gave a flying start, scoring the bulk of runs in the opening overs, bringing the score to 48 in 4.3 overs. The right-hander took Mohammad Nawaz to the cleaners, accumulating nine and 21 runs in his first and third over, respectively.

Haris (38 off 17) departed to Peter Siddle after hitting three sixes and four boundaries.

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His wicket, however, did not stem the flow of runs as Babar Azam and Farhan Yousuf stitched a brief partnership of 24. The duo brought the score to 72 in 7.5 overs before Nawaz dismissed Babar cheaply.

The skipper made 18 off 20 with the aid of a single boundary.

With Peshawar Zalmi two down, in came youngster Farhan Yousaf, who put on a 63-run stand off 39 balls with Kusal Mendis to put his side into a strong position. The pair brought the team’s total to 135 in 14.2 overs.

Yousaf made 30 from 22 balls with the help of three sixes, while Mendis continued on his merry way and reached his third consecutive half-century.

Peshawar Zalmi eventually ended their innings with a big total on the board. Kusal Mendis top-scored with 68 from 40 balls, including three maximums and six fours.

For Multan Sultans, Muhammad Ismail and Peter Siddle took two wickets each.

READ: Mohammad Haris achieves THIS milestone during Multan Sultans clash

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Haris on Monday completed 1000 runs in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The right-hander reached the landmark during his side’s clash against Multan Sultans here at the National Bank Stadium.

Haris required 19 runs before the clash, and he did it in style by tonking Mohammad Nawaz for a six on the fifth ball of the third over.

Following this, he became the 31st player in the tournament’s history to reach the 1000-run mark, a list that also includes Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, and Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

The batter was instrumental in Peshawar Zalmi’s strong start. He made 38 off 17 balls, striking three sixes and four boundaries.

Mohammad Haris was eventually dismissed by veteran pacer Peter Siddle with a short ball in the fourth over.

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Haris’s PSL runs tally rose to 1021 in 42 innings at an average of 24.30 and a strike rate of 164.59, including four half-centuries.

Playing XIs

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana.

Multan Sultans: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail, and Faisal Akram.

READ: Desert Vipers pick Shadab Khan for Global Super League 2026

KARACHI: Multan Sultans have won the toss and have decided to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Head to Head

Both teams have faced each other 16 times. Multan Sultans lead with 11 wins, while Zalmi have managed five wins.

Matches: 16 Multan Sultans: 11 Peshawar Zalmi: 5

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Playing XIs

Peshawar Zalmi XI: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana

Multan Sultans XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (capt), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail, Faisal Akram

READ: Desert Vipers pick Shadab Khan for Global Super League 2026

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke said Monday his team must play with “personality” to stop Barcelona mounting a Champions League quarter-final comeback.

The Rojiblancos earned a 2-0 first-leg win at Camp Nou last week and host the Spanish champions on Tuesday, aiming to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2017.

Five-time winners Barcelona reached the final four last season and arrive at the Metropolitano stadium determined to fight their way back into the tie and ramp up the pressure on the hosts.

“It’s hugely important to beat the press they usually put on,” Koke told reporters.

“They’re a team that presses very high, that pushes their line almost up to the halfway line, that presses you, that suffocates you.

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“That’s where our personality comes in, when it’s time to play, to want the ball, to make ourselves available, to make runs in behind.”

The match is the third between the sides in the last fortnight and the sixth they have played this season, with Atletico knocking Barca out in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

“We’ve faced each other many times throughout this year,” continued the midfielder.

“We know each other perfectly, and it’s going to be very important to take the ball off them, attack the spaces well, and have the personality to want the ball and not lose it.”

Koke scored against Barca in the 2014 quarter-finals as Atletico — who have never won the competition — went on to reach the final, as they did in 2016, losing on both occasions to rivals Real Madrid.

“I’ve watched that goal quite a few times,” admitted Koke.

“It’s true that when these kinds of matches start coming around, you try to motivate yourself and you try to visualise a lot of positive things that happened, like in 2014, like in 2016, and like in the first leg a week ago.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone kept his cards close to his chest ahead of the second leg, refusing to say whether goalkeeper Jan Oblak was fit to start or elaborate much on anything at all.

“We’re fully aware of the strong opponent we’ll have in front of us,” said the coach. “But we’re also clear about our objective, which is to go through.”

READ: Desert Vipers pick Shadab Khan for Global Super League 2026

Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has been roped in by Desert Vipers for the fifth edition of the Global Super League 2026.

The tournament is set to be played in Providence Stadium in Guyana from July 23 to August 1.

Besides Shadab, the other prominent players in the squad are New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, USA Andries Gous, and West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers.

The 14-member side will be captained by Chris Green, with Khuzaim Bin Tanveer bolstering the pace attack.

The upcoming edition will be Shadab’s first appearance in the tournament, having played numerous leagues around the globe.

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The 27-year-old has played 349 T20S, picking up 379 wickets, including a five-wicket haul. Besides bowling, he also has 3815 runs to his name at an average of 19.36 with the aid of 13 half-centuries.

Notably, Shadab is one of the most successful captains in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). He has lifted Islamabad United to title glory in 2024 and has won 40 out of 69 games for the franchise.

The Mianwali-born cricketer has also proved his credentials as an all-rounder in PSL , amassing 1,486 runs in 98 matches at a strike rate of 142.20 alongside 112 wickets — third on the list of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament.

Desert Vipers squad for GSL 2026

Andries Gous, Vritty Aravind, Zachary Carter, Bevon Jacobs, Kyle Mayers, Daryl Mitchell, Shadab Khan, Sanjay Pahal, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Chris Green (c), Jason Behrendorff, Khary Pierre, Ramon Simmonds, and Mattiullah Khan.

READ: Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal stresses importance of strong team culture

A Ghanaian Premier League footballer, Dominic Frimpong, has been killed after armed robbers attacked his team on the way back from an away fixture on Sunday, the Ghana Football Association said Monday.

Berekum Chelsea FC said in a statement that “masked men wielding guns and assault rifles” fired on the team bus and forced the players to take cover in the bushes.

The robbery, according to Ghana police, occurred around 10:30 pm local time (2230 GMT) along the Ahyiresu-Kwame Dwumor Sreso road in the Nyinahin District in the southern region of Ashanti.

Police said Frimpong sustained gunshot wounds and died in the hospital while receiving treatment.

“Another victim, George Owusu Afriyie, 52, was also robbed of 4,500.00 cedis ($408),” the police said in a statement.

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The Ghana Football Association described the incident as “tragic” and a “huge loss to Berekum Chelsea but also to Ghana football as a whole.”

“Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league,” it said in a statement.

The 20-year-old forward joined Berekum Chelsea FC on loan from Aduana Stars FC at the beginning of the year.

He played 13 games and scored two goals for the club, according to local media.

READ: ICC announces record prize money for Women’s T20 World Cup 2026

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced a record-breaking prize money pool for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, with the tournament set to feature expanded participation and increased financial rewards for teams.

The total prize fund for the 2026 edition has been set at US$8,764,615, marking a 10 per cent increase from the 2024 tournament and highlighting the continued commercial growth of women’s cricket globally.

The competition will also expand to 12 teams for the first time in its history.

Under the revised structure, the champions will receive US$2,340,000, while the runners-up will earn US$1,170,000.

Both losing semi-finalists will take home US$675,000 each, and every group-stage win will be rewarded with US$31,154. All participating teams are guaranteed a minimum of US$247,500.

ICC Chief Executive Sanjog Gupta welcomed the announcement, calling it a significant milestone in the continued rise of the women’s game.

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“The growth of women’s cricket continues to accelerate, and the expansion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to 12 teams, combined with a record prize pool, underlines our commitment to building a stronger, more competitive global game,” the CEO said.

“The continued rise of women’s cricket through increased investment and opportunity reflects the growing influence and impact of female athletes on the global stage.”

He further said the expanded format and increased financial incentives reflect the ICC’s long-term commitment to building a more competitive and globally inclusive cricket ecosystem, while also recognising the growing impact of female athletes on the world stage.

Alongside the prize money announcement, the ICC also launched the official trophy tour, which began in London.

The trophy will be showcased at the centre of the square at Lord’s Cricket Ground, where a visual projection of its silhouette will be displayed on the iconic pavilion.

The tour will then travel across qualified European nations, including the Netherlands, Ireland, and Scotland, before moving through host cities across England in the lead-up to the tournament’s opening on June 12.

READ: Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal stresses importance of strong team culture

Karachi Kings owner Salman Iqbal has emphasised the importance of team unity, leadership, and strategic squad building as key pillars behind the franchise’s approach in the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Speaking to HBL PSL Digital, Salman Iqbal highlighted that strong relationships within the squad remain the foundation of any successful T20 side.

“The most important thing for any franchise team is strong bonding among the players,” he stated.

He praised Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa for seamlessly integrating into the squad, reflecting the team’s positive environment.

“Zampa has gelled into the team so well that it feels like he has been part of Karachi Kings for a long time. That kind of bonding is very important in a team,” he said.

Salman Iqbal also reaffirmed his confidence in captain David Warner, revealing that the decision to appoint him as leader was clear from the outset.

“We have retained David Warner as captain this season as well. When we picked him in last year’s draft, I had already decided that he would lead the side.”

Discussing squad composition, Iqbal pointed out the franchise’s deliberate focus on strengthening the middle order, an area often considered a challenge in T20 cricket.

“If you look at Pakistan cricket as well, the middle order has been an issue in T20Is. When we signed Moeen Ali before the auction, people criticised the decision, but now you can see he is one of the best middle-order batters,” he explained.

He further highlighted the addition of wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan as another key move to bolster the lineup.

“We picked Azam Khan to further strengthen our middle order. He is the kind of player who, once he gets going, is very difficult to stop, and we have already seen that in this PSL,” he added.

Reflecting on past success, Iqbal recalled Karachi Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2020.

“People often say that empty stadiums favour Karachi Kings because we won our last title in 2020, when matches were played without crowds due to COVID,” he further stated.

He also acknowledged the longstanding rivalry with Lahore Qalandars, calling them the team’s biggest competitors.

“There has always been a rivalry, and Lahore Qalandars remain our main rivals. Matches against them bring a different kind of pressure,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of active ownership during the tournament, stating that involvement from management boosts player morale.

“When team owners stay involved during the PSL and spend time with the squad, it lifts the confidence of both local and international players,” he shared.

READ: Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam receive PSL NOC extension

Lille continued its strong pursuit of an automatic Champions League spot and reclaimed third place in Ligue 1 with a convincing 4-0 win against 10-man Toulouse at the Stadium de Toulouse on Sunday.

Full-backs Thomas Meunier and Romain Perraud netted either side of the break, before Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Olivier Giroud wrapped up the victory to send Bruno Genesio’s side back above Marseille into the final Champions League qualification spot.

Lille have 53 points, one more than Habib Beye’s Marseille in the battle for a direct spot in the league phase of the next edition of Europe’s premier club competition.

“We did what we had to,” Lille coach Genesio said. “We knew this match was important, but there are still five more to go, and we’ll need to keep performing as we have been doing lately.”

Right-back Meunier’s deflected effort finished off a slick team move to send Lille in front on 23 minutes.

Lille celebrated the goal by flocking to their coach, who recently lost his father.

Genesio said he was “deeply moved” by the unexpected gesture, adding: “It shows the spirit of this team, and it is also thanks to that that we are achieving the results we are.”

The hosts, safely ensconced in 10th spot in the table, seemed to already have one eye on their upcoming French Cup semi-final with surprise Ligue 1 title challengers Lens and rarely threatened, barring one frantic corner on the quarter hour, which saw the ball rebound off the Lille goal.

The encounter was ultimately decided inside the opening five minutes of the second period.

Nabil Bentaleb threaded an excellent through-ball for Fernandez-Pardo to run onto before he was hauled down by a retreating Mark McKenzie, who promptly received his marching orders.

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From the resulting set-piece, left-back Perraud drilled a fizzing low shot from a central position 25 yards out from goal, which flew past Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes.

Belgian forward Fernandez-Pardo then made it three as the 21-year-old turned on captain Benjamin Andre’s pass and stroked home right-footed on 55 minutes.

Giroud converted from the spot two minutes from time to notch his seventh goal of the league campaign.

Lyon, fifth, remained in contention for direct Champions League qualification with a 2-0 home win over mid-table Lorient later on Sunday.

The breakthrough came for Paulo Fonseca’s side four minutes into the second period as Real Madrid loanee Endrick came off the bench at the interval to supply a pinpoint cross onto the head of Roman Yaremchuk.

Corentin Tolisso, also introduced at half-time by Portuguese coach Fonseca, ensured the hosts would claim all three points in the 56th minute when he nodded into the empty goal after Yvon Mvogo had denied Endrick one-on-one.

Nice drew 1-1 with Le Havre in a battle of two sides seeking to put more distance between themselves and the relegation play-off spot.

Ally Samatta sent Le Havre ahead on 41 minutes, before Ali Abdi grabbed a vital leveller for the hosts just shy of the hour.

Nice trail their opponents by one point but remain four clear of 16th-placed Auxerre.

READ: Manchester City rout Chelsea to close gap on leaders Arsenal

KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen’s Asif Mehmood refused to answer when asked about a potential return to the national setup following a standout performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 against Islamabad United on Sunday.

The Hyderabad Kingsmen pacer starred in his side’s victory over Islamabad United at the National Bank Stadium, producing a match-winning spell of four wickets in just two overs on debut.

However, it was his post-match interaction that drew as much attention as his performance.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

During an on-field interview with presenter Zainab Abbas and former Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir, Mehmood was asked whether his recent form could pave the way for a return to Pakistan colours, having previously represented the country at the Under-19 level.

“We have seen that you have played for Pakistan at Under-19 level. Can we expect you to come back to us?” Abbas asked.

Mehmood, however, chose not to engage with the speculation, replying simply: “No answer.”

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Sana Mir later described the response as a “sensible” one, drawing parallels with a similar moment involving Usman Khan during PSL 9.

Usman, who was then playing as an overseas player, had also avoided directly addressing questions about his international future before eventually earning a call-up to Pakistan’s T20I side after a prolific season.

Mehmood’s journey has followed a somewhat similar path. The 30-year-old, who has since moved to the United States, first came into the spotlight during Pakistan’s Under-19 tour of Kenya in 2014, where he delivered a four-wicket haul in an ODI to underline his potential.

READ: Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam receive PSL NOC extension