Category: Sports

The newly added Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen have signed Australia ace all-rounder Glenn Maxwell ahead of the landmark season 11.

The signing was confirmed via the franchise’s official social media accounts.

“𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑳𝑨𝒀𝑴𝑨𝑲𝑬𝑹. 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑰𝑮-𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑮𝑬 𝑩𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑻. 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑿-𝑭𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑶𝑹. Impossible? That’s not a word in his dictionary,” the franchise wrote.

“Inevitable? Nothing but destruction. Hold onto your seats tight, the biggest show in #HBLPSL is about to begin,” it added.

This will be the talismanic batter’s first appearance in the PSL, having previously represented several teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Glenn Maxwell, 37, has extensive experience with 129 T20I matches and scored 2,897 runs at a strike rate of 158.42.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Overall, he has played 502 T20s, amassing 10,986 runs at an average of 27.53, including eight centuries and 58 half-centuries. The right-hander has also recorded the highest score of 154.

For the unversed, Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen secured their place in the PSL after being acquired by Fawad Sarwar’s Kingsmen Group, who won the franchise rights with a bid worth Rs1.75 billion (approximately $6.25 million).

On the field, the franchise has begun shaping a competitive squad.

They retained promising talents Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Maaz Sadaqat, and Akif Javed, while also strengthening their lineup with the direct signing of Australian star batter Marnus Labuschagne for the upcoming season.

The team has also assembled an experienced coaching staff. Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been appointed head coach, with Grant Bradburn set to serve as fielding coach under his leadership.

The landmark PSL 11 season is scheduled to begin on March 26, while the much-anticipated player auction will take place on February 11.

Hyderabad Houston Kingsmen squad:

Saim Ayub, Akif Javed, Maaz Sadaqat, Marnus Labuschagne (Direct Signing), Glenn Maxwell, Usman Khan, Mohammad Ali, Kusal Perera, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Hassan Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Ottniel Baartman, Hammad Azam, Riley Meredith, Sharjeel Khan, Asif Mehmood, Hunain Shah, Rizwan Mehmood, Saad Ali, and Tayyab Arif.

READ: T20 World Cup: Unbeaten Zimbabwe stun Sri Lanka in thrilling win

COLOMBO: Brian Bennett and Sikandar Raza starred for Zimbabwe in a resounding run chase against hosts Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.

T20 World Cup surprise package Zimbabwe beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in Colombo Thursday to finish the group stage unbeaten and carry some winning momentum into the Super Eights.

Chasing 179 they finished 182-4 with three balls to spare against the co-hosts at the R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo.

Ranked 11th in the world, Zimbabwe upset former champions Australia last week.

They also beat Oman and shared the points when their game against Ireland was washed out on Tuesday.

Zimbabwe needed a tricky 65 off 36 balls when captain Sikandar Raza blasted 20 off an over from leg-spinner Dushan Hemantha, including two sixes and a four, to swing the match.

Raza and Brian Bennett added 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket and though Raza fell in the 19th over for 45, Zimbabwe eased to their target.

Opener Bennett batted through the innings to be 63 not out.

Needing eight off the final over, Tony Munyonga clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first ball for six to calm any Zimbabwe nerves before Bennett hit the winning boundary.

“We have trained for every situation. Then we have the right personnel to send in at the right time,” said Raza, who was named player of the match.

“We have got all those roles clear and that is why you see the confidence in the changing room.”

It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20 internationals.

After opting to bat first, Pathum Nissanka held Sri Lanka’s innings together again.

Nissanka had become the first centurion of the tournament against Australia on Monday, and he followed that up with a solid 62 off 47 balls.

It was his seventh fifty in T20 World Cups, equalling Mahela Jayawardene for the most by a Sri Lankan.

Sri Lanka scored 178-7 against Zimbabwe as both teams had their final run-out before they began their Super Eights campaign.

Both sides are looking to carry the momentum into the second phase of the competition in the match

Pathum Nissanka, who had become the first centurion of the tournament earlier this week, followed up with a solid 62 off 47 balls.

It was his seventh fifty in T20 World Cups, equalling Mahela Jayawardene for the most by a Sri Lankan.

Nissanka and Kusal Perera put together 54 off 30 balls for the first wicket.

He then shared a 46-run stand in 43 balls for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis.

Pavan Rathnayake cut loose during the death overs, posting 44 off 25 balls with three fours and two sixes.

Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers, finishing with 2-27.

Giant paceman Blessing Muzarabani took 2-38.

Sri Lanka open their Super Eights campaign against England in Kandy on Sunday, while Zimbabwe will face the West Indies in Mumbai on Monday.

READ: Unbeaten West Indies cruise past Italy to seal perfect group-stage run

KOLKATA: West Indies extended their dominant run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a commanding 42-run victory over Italy in their final group-stage fixture at Eden Gardens on Thursday, finishing the round unbeaten.

Defending 166, the Caribbean bowling unit delivered a clinical performance to dismiss Italy for 123 in 18 overs.

Despite brief resistance, Italy never truly threatened the target. Ben Manenti top-scored with 26 off 21 balls, while JJ Smuts struck 24 and Anthony Mosca added a quick 19, but the chase lacked momentum against disciplined bowling.

Fast bowler Shamar Joseph led the charge with an impressive four-wicket haul, finishing with 4-30 in his four overs.

Matthew Forde supported brilliantly with three wickets, while Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein chipped in with two and one, respectively, to complete a dominant bowling display.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Earlier, the West Indies endured a shaky start after being put in to bat. Opener Brandon King fell early, followed soon by Shimron Hetmyer, leaving the side struggling at 31-2 inside the powerplay.

Captain Shai Hope then anchored the innings alongside Roston Chase, with the duo stitching a crucial 64-run stand to stabilise the innings. Chase contributed 24 before departing in the 13th over with the score at 95-3.

Hope, however, continued to dictate the tempo, producing a composed half-century that formed the backbone of the West Indies’ total. He struck 75 off 46 deliveries, hitting six fours and four sixes, before falling in the later stages.

Sherfane Rutherford provided the late push with an unbeaten 24, while Matthew Forde added a quick 16 to lift West Indies to a competitive 165.

READ: Pakistan Hockey President Tariq Bugti resigns; Ammad Butt banned

Tariq Bugti has stepped down as President of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), while national men’s team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt has been handed a two-year ban by the federation.

Bugti submitted his resignation to Shehbaz Sharif and defended his performance in a farewell statement, pointing to an improvement in Pakistan’s global standing.

“Our world ranking was 18th, and now it stands at 13th. This is our accomplishment,” he said, adding that he had “tried utmost for two years” to push the national team forward.

He also thanked the government for allocating Rs250 million to support hockey during his tenure.

“The Prime Minister allocated 250 million rupees for hockey and released the funds. I am primarily grateful to the Prime Minister for allowing me to serve for two years,” he added.

However, Bugti acknowledged persistent administrative hurdles, particularly during the national team’s recent tour of Australia.

He claimed the tour was marred by issues involving the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), stressing that the federation lacked sufficient independent funds to manage operations smoothly.

Despite stepping aside, Bugti expressed optimism about the team’s future in the upcoming qualifiers and revealed that the schedule had already been submitted to the Sports Board by Rana Mujahid.

“The team will perform well in the upcoming qualifying round,” he predicted.

He also called for a high-level inquiry into recent incidents of what he termed “privilege indiscipline,” urging authorities to ensure accountability for any wrongdoing.

The resignation comes amid fallout from viral videos during the FIH Pro League leg in Australia, which showed Pakistan players living in substandard accommodation due to logistical and financial complications.

Initial hotel bookings were reportedly cancelled over non-payment, forcing team management to arrange alternative lodging with the help of the local community, often with four to five players sharing a single room and bookings falling short of covering the full stay.

On the field, Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign, remaining winless in Australia with defeats against Australia (3-2, 3-0) and Germany (5-2, 6-1).

Looking ahead, Pakistan are scheduled to continue their FIH Pro League campaign with matches against Belgium on June 13 and 20, Spain on June 14, followed by high-profile clashes with arch-rivals India on June 23 and 26, and England on June 24 and 27.

READ: Bangladesh’s new sports minister pushes for swift resolution with India

DHAKA: Aminul Haque, the new sports minister of Bangladesh, has expressed his desire to quickly ease tensions with India following the national team’s absence from the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, stressing the importance of maintaining friendly ties with neighbouring nations.

Speaking on Tuesday after taking the oath with the new cabinet, Aminul revealed he had already opened dialogue with Indian officials.

“After taking the oath today, I met with the deputy high commissioner of India at the Parliament building. I discussed the T20 World Cup with him,” he said, describing the interaction as cordial and constructive.

“We want to resolve this issue quickly through discussions because we want to maintain friendly relations with all our neighbouring countries.”

Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland in the ongoing global event, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, after the previous government opted against sending the team to India amid geopolitical tensions.

The situation escalated when the Indian government reportedly asked Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, eventually leading to Bangladesh’s exclusion from the tournament.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In a positive development for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the ICC confirmed on February 9 that it would not face any penalty for refusing to play matches in India.

Additionally, the board has been granted hosting rights for an out-of-turn ICC event before the 2031 Men’s ODI World Cup, which Bangladesh will co-host with India.

Aminul reiterated his government’s broader vision of rebuilding ties.

“From sports to all other sectors, we want to build a sincere and cordial relationship with India,” he said.

“Because of diplomatic complications, we could not play in the World Cup. If those issues had been discussed and settled earlier, our team might have participated.”

Despite recent tensions, bilateral cricket remains on the calendar, with India scheduled to tour Bangladesh in September for three ODIs and three T20Is, a series originally planned for August 2025 that was postponed.

READ: Abhishek Sharma joins Saim Ayub on unwanted duck list

Patrik Schick scored twice in a four-minute spell to steer Bayer Leverkusen to a 2-0 win at Olympiacos in the first leg of their Champions League knockout play-off tie on Wednesday.

Olympiacos, who beat Leverkusen in the league stage at home last month, were again impressive but were undone by Schick’s quick-fire brace midway through the second half.

“In the first half, it was a difficult match, Olympiacos pressed us with plenty of tempo and made things very complicated for us,” Schick told DAZN.

“In the second half, we improved a couple of things, scored two goals and got an important win.”

Leverkusen’s win puts them in the driver’s seat ahead of next week’s return leg in Germany, with the winners of this tie set to face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the last 16.

Wednesday’s victory was remarkably Leverkusen’s first away win in the knockout stage of the competition in their history.

It was also just their second victory in the knockout phase in 13 games dating back to the 2002 final, lost 2-1 to Real Madrid at Hampden Park.

Leverkusen have won six and drawn one of seven matches in all competitions since losing 2-0 to Olympiacos in January.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

In the lead-up to the match, Greek media reported Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis, the billionaire shipping magnate who also owns Premier League side Nottingham Forest, promised players a “record” bonus should they make it past Leverkusen.

As if spurred on, the hosts were brilliant early, pinning the Germans back in their own half in a breathless opening 25 minutes.

Leverkusen absorbed the pressure before going close on 28 minutes when Ibrahim Maza forced goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis into an acrobatic save.

Olympiacos forward Ayoub El Kaabi turned the ball in from a free-kick just before half-time, but VAR found teammate Mehdi Taremi, who was offside, had touched the ball, ruling out the goal.

The hosts once again pinned the visitors back after the interval, but Leverkusen took their chance to hit on the break on the hour mark.

Ernest Poku won the ball in his own half and advanced goalwards before threading a superb pass to Schick, who guided his strike into the bottom corner.

“I don’t really remember the situation — it was intuition, my movement,” Schick said. “I was one-on-one with the ‘keeper, I stayed calm — it was a good goal.”

The stunned hosts were unpicked again just three minutes later when Alex Grimaldo swung in a pinpoint corner, which Schick headed home to put Leverkusen in a commanding position.

READ: Arsenal blow two-goal lead in damaging Wolves draw

The Premier League title challenge of Arsenal suffered a major blow as they squandered a two-goal lead and conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in a damaging 2-2 draw at rock-bottom Wolves on Wednesday.

Mikel Arteta’s side were on course to move seven points clear at the top after Bukayo Saka’s early opener and Piero Hincapie’s second-half strike put them in control at Molineux.

But Arsenal collapsed in the closing stages as Hugo Bueno reduced the deficit before Riccardo Calafiori turned Tom Edozie’s shot into his own net in the final seconds after a mix-up between goalkeeper David Raya and centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, to leave the visitors shell-shocked.

For a second successive league game, the Gunners had failed to hold onto a lead following their 1-1 draw at Brentford last Thursday.

Failing to kill off bottom-of-the-table Wolves was a devastating setback for Arsenal, who have won just two of their last seven league matches, offering renewed hope to second-placed Manchester City in the title race.

City are just five points behind Arsenal and have a game in hand on their rivals, as well as a home game against the Gunners in April.

Having wasted commanding leads in two previous title fights with City, Arteta’s men are in danger of being haunted by the ghost of their past failures.

Arsenal looked increasingly nervous as the minutes ticked down against Wolves in a clear sign that the league leaders are feeling the pressure of their bid for a first English title since 2004.

Adding to Arteta’s anxiety, Saka was forced off in the second half with a possible knee injury.

Losing the England star, who this week signed a new contract making him the club’s highest-paid player, for a sustained period would be a hammer blow to Arsenal’s title dreams.

Sitting 17 points from safety with only 11 games left, Wolves remain almost certain to be relegated, but they can take heart from a stunning fightback.

Once again playing as Arsenal’s number 10 after shining in that position against Wigan last weekend, Saka took just five minutes to show how comfortable he is away from his usual berth on the right wing.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Declan Rice flighted a pinpoint cross towards Saka, and he timed his run perfectly to guide a stooping header past Jose Sa from close-range.

It was Saka’s first goal in 15 matches in all competitions, dating back to December 3, ending his longest drought as an Arsenal player.

Arsenal’s best period of an inconsistent performance came in the first 20 minutes when Rice fired just wide before Noni Madueke’s drive forced a good save from Sa.

But as freezing sleet and snow gusted across Molineux, Arsenal were almost caught cold when Wolves midfielder Andre fizzed a fierce strike narrowly wide.

Wolves threatened again immediately after half-time as Adam Armstrong went close from distance.

Shaken out of their slumber by those escapes, Arsenal doubled their advantage in the 56th minute.

Gabriel slipped a precise pass through to Hincapie, and he fired into the roof of the net.

An offside flag initially disallowed the goal, but Hincapie was able to celebrate after a VAR check showed he was onside.

Just as Arsenal looked set to cruise to victory, Bueno reduced the deficit with a stunning strike — the left-back curling into the top corner from the edge of the area for his first Premier League goal.

Arsenal’s underachieving striker Viktor Gyokeres was hauled off by Arteta after just 11 touches and no shots.

Unable to finish off Wolves, the Gunners were punished in farcical fashion in stoppage-time.

Gabriel got in the way of Raya catching the ball, and when it fell to Edozie, the teenager rifled his shot in off Calafiori to leave Arteta in disbelief.

READ: Club Brugge frustrate Atletico Madrid in Champions League stalemate

Greek winger Christos Tzolis grabbed a late equaliser for Club Brugge as Atletico Madrid twice let the lead slip in a 3-3 Champions League play-off first leg draw on Wednesday.

Diego Simeone’s side went 2-0 up in the first half, but Brugge fought back to 2-2, and after an own goal allowed the Spanish side to move back in front, Tzolis had the last word in Belgium.

Atletico, who have never won the Champions League, are a long way off the pace in La Liga and consider their best chances of silverware this season to be via a cup route.

However, their poor defending left everything to play for next Tuesday in the second leg, with a last 16 berth at stake.

“We were two up and didn’t know how to hold on to the lead,” Atletico captain Koke told Movistar.

“It was a rollercoaster, like it’s been all season. We have to concentrate more.”

Simeone admitted it was a tricky night against a side that drew 3-3 against Barcelona in the league phase.

“It was a game against possibly the most intense team in the Champions League,” said Simeone.

“The context of the game says that it was a fair draw… we’ve got the second leg at home and we hope to play a great game.”

Atletico took an early lead through a Julian Alvarez penalty after a careless handball by Joaquin Seys.

The striker, whose spot-kick against city rivals Real Madrid in last year’s competition was disallowed for a double touch, leading to Atletico’s elimination, dispatched it emphatically.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Brugge otherwise had the better of the first half, with Mamadou Diakhon whipping an effort narrowly wide, and Jan Oblak saving from Raphael Onyedika.

But the Belgians found themselves two down at the break.

Ademola Lookman, who has impressed since arriving in January, finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann flicked on Alvarez’s corner.

Brugge halved Atletico’s lead in the 52nd minute when Onyedika tapped home after a superb Oblak save to keep out Nicolo Tresoldi’s header.

Brugge striker Tresoldi was soon on the scoresheet himself to pull the Belgian side level on the hour mark, to the delight of the Jan Breydel stadium, finishing clinically from Diakhon’s cross.

Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth nodded narrowly wide before Joel Ordonez put through his own net to give the visitors the lead again.

However, in the 89th minute, Brugge struck again, with Tzolis played in down the left and finishing well. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but the decision was corrected after a VAR review.

“It was a very interesting game with different phases,” said Brugge coach Ivan Leko.

“Two-nil down against a very strong team… we were in a difficult situation but the team showed great character and quality in our play…

“Atleti will be big favourites but we can play football and we’ll do all we can to progress.”

READ: Kasper Hogh stars as Bodo/Glimt down Inter Milan in Champions League

Bodo/Glimt continued their remarkable debut Champions League campaign with a 3-1 victory over Inter Milan in the knockout play-off round first leg on Wednesday, as Kasper Hogh scored once and created two other goals.

The Norwegians only snuck into the knock-out stage with shock victories over Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in their final two league-phase matches.

Kjetil Knutsen’s men backed up those performances by adding last season’s runners-up Inter to their list of scalps.

Cristian Chivu’s Serie A leaders will still be confident of turning the tie around in the second leg at the San Siro next Tuesday, despite struggling on the artificial pitch of the Aspmyra Stadion in northern Norway.

“(Bodo/Glimt) are more accustomed to this pitch, that’s not an excuse,” Chivu said.

“The tie is wide open, there’s the return leg to come. We knew they are a team that can hurt you on the break, now we’ll try to advance to the next round at San Siro.”

To make matters worse for Inter, captain Lautaro Martinez hobbled off and was replaced by Marcus Thuram in the second half.

“I think he’s hurt and he will be out for a while,” Chivu said of Martinez.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Bodo/Glimt, Europa League semi-finalists last term, have given themselves a chance of securing a major surprise, and a last-16 meeting with either Man City or Sporting Lisbon.

The hosts took a 20th-minute lead with a fine team goal, finished off with aplomb by Sondre Brunstad Fet after he latched onto Hogh’s clever flick inside the area.

But Bodo could not keep their advantage for long as Inter youngster Pio Esposito swivelled inside the box and fired home on the half-hour mark, with the goal surviving a lengthy VAR review for handball.

Inter almost scored in the first minute after the restart when Martinez’s instinctive close-range shot bobbled off the post.

The Norwegians moved back in front in the 61st minute as they caught Inter short at the back, and Jens Petter Hauge rifled the ball into the roof of the net after being teed up by Hogh.

Bodo’s third goal arrived just three minutes later, as Patrick Berg put Ole Didrik Blomberg through on goal with a cute dinked pass, and he squared it for Hogh to tap into an empty net.

Danish striker Hogh has now scored four goals in his last three Champions League appearances following a double against Man City and the winner to defeat Atletico.

Inter pushed to cut the deficit, but Carlos Augusto’s blocked shot from eight yards out was the closest they came despite some late pressure.

READ: T20 World Cup: Agha eyes Namibia repeat against New Zealand

COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha has expressed confidence ahead of their Super Eight clash against New Zealand in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Pakistan will play their first match in the Super Eight against New Zealand on Saturday, February 21.

Speaking after the match, Agha emphasized batting in the opening overs of the game and highlighted the team’s strong finish in the final overs.

“I think it has to be a complete performance. I think we batted well in powerplay, we started really well in the powerplay, and in the middle, we put partnerships on, and then we finished well,” said Agha at the post-match presentation.

“Sahibzada has been outstanding. The way he’s been batting for us for the last six months, he’s just batting really well, and he scored 100 today. I’m very happy for him,” he said.

He also lavished praise on Usman Tariq, mentioning that their performance with the ball was effective and determined.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“And when it comes to the ball, I think we were lethal, and we were ruthless. We bowled in the right area, whether it’s a fast bowler or a spinner. I think it was a complete performance for us,” Salman Ali Agha explained.

“Trust me, it’s tough. He is a tough bowler to face. Whenever I have played him in domestic, I find it very hard because he’s someone who’s very, very tough to pick, and then when he has a pause. It becomes very, very difficult.”

The 32-year-old concluded that Pakistan and New Zealand are playing good cricket, believing that if they continued performing at their current level in the next game, they would be successful.

“I think we have been playing really good cricket. New Zealand have been playing good cricket. So, I’m guessing it will be a good game. And I think the way we are playing right now, if we replicate that kind of performance in the next game, I think we’ll be fine,” the skipper concluded.

READ: India edge spirited Netherlands in T20 World Cup clash