Category: Top News

Arne Slot warned on Friday that “margins are small” in the Premier League as Liverpool aim to strengthen their push for a place in next season’s Champions League.

The Reds are fifth in the table after two straight league wins, five points clear of Brighton, who have played a game more.

The top five teams in the Premier League gain automatic entry into next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool face a tough task on Saturday against Crystal Palace, whom they have failed to beat in three meetings so far this season.

Slot was asked at his pre-match press conference whether he was planning for next season after a disappointing title defence but was keen to shift the focus back onto the current campaign.

“Of course there are conversations going on about next season but my complete focus is, and still should be, on this season, because margins are small,” said the Liverpool boss.

“One or two results can make a big difference, as we saw, because I think two weeks ago we weren’t five points clear of the number six, and two results later we are, so it can also go both ways.

“So my full focus is on Palace, which is needed because, as you know, we’ve played them three times already this season and we’re unable to beat them once.”

Liverpool lost to Oliver Glasner’s side on penalties in the season-opening Community Shield before defeats in the Premier League and the League Cup.

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The Reds have picked up vital wins against Fulham and Everton this month but have also suffered demoralising defeats against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Manchester City in the FA Cup.

“In the last eight games we picked up 16 points, and it doesn’t always feel like that, because in between we have to play PSG, Man City,” said Slot. “But our recent league form is acceptable.”

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker has not played since mid-March due to injury, but Slot said he was close to a return and could be ready to face Palace.

Number two goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili is sidelined with an injury he picked up last week against Everton, meaning that Freddie Woodman would deputise for Palace if Alisson were not fit.

Slot brushed aside speculation linking Alisson with a move away from Anfield at the end of the season.

“We don’t react to rumours in this room,” said the Dutchman.

“We only react when facts need to be told, and that’s not the situation at the moment.

“But the main focus for Ali is, I think, very clear — that’s getting back into goal as soon as possible for the club he loves to play for, and then he wants to be in goal for the country he loves to play for, and that’s Brazil.”

READ: Aamir Sohail clarifies Karachi remarks after backlash

Former Pakistan cricketer Aamir Sohail has issued a clarification following criticism over his recent on-air remarks about Karachi, stating that his comments were not intended to target the culture or identity of the city.

The controversy stemmed from a segment shown during the broadcast of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings, featuring visuals comparing both cities.

Sohail, who was doing commentary during that segment, referenced civic habits of Karachi, such as gutka and paan spitting. The remarks drew criticism online, with some viewers interpreting them as generalising the image of Karachi.

Responding to the reaction, Sohail took to the social media platform X to explain his position. He acknowledged that his choice of words may have caused offence and sought to draw a distinction between civic behaviour and cultural traditions.

“Pan and etiqutte of pichkari with two fingers wide apart to squirt in a container is not tradition and part of culture of Karachi, I guess I owe Karachiites an apology,” he wrote.

He further emphasised his connection to the city and appreciation of its cultural practices.

“When speaking on city’s and its cultures, Karachi is also one of my own. The culture of eating pan has fascinated me, its in my DNA as well, the entirety and the *pichkaari is part of the folklore and tradition, it ain’t bad , it’s a fad. Embraced it, you should too. Peace.,” he added.

READ: PSL 11: Amir, Faheem sanctioned for Code of Conduct Breach

LAHORE: Rawalpindiz fast bowler Mohammad Amir and Islamabad United’s all-rounder Faheem Ashraf have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee for a Code of Conduct breach during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Earlier today, Amir and Faheem were involved in a heated argument.

The incident occurred in the 17th over of the United innings. Amir got rid of Ashraf with a short ball. Soon after the dismissal, the fast bowler pointed the all-rounder to leave the ground.

The gesture did not sit well with Ashraf, who responded in anger and pointed his bat at Amir. However, he was restrained by Asif Afridi and Saad Masood.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a press release statement, revealing the charges imposed on both players.

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“Amir was found guilty of breaching Article 2.5, which relates to the use of language, actions or gestures that are disparaging or could provoke an aggressive response from a batter upon dismissal during a match,” the PCB statement read.

“Faheem was deemed guilty of Article 2.21, which deals with, “Bringing the game into disrepute”. The incident occurred after Faheem was dismissed by Amir on the third ball of the 17th over of United’s innings.”

Both players admitted the charges put forward by on-field umpires Alex Wharf and Faisal Khan Aafreedi, and accepted the sanctions imposed by match referee Sir Richard Richardson.

Rawalpindiz are set to play their final league-stage match against Hyderabad Kingsmen on April 26.

READ: PSL 11: David Warner hails team display after thrilling victory

LAHORE: Karachi Kings captain David Warner praised his team’s effort after five-wicket win over arch-rivals Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Kings aced a 200-run target on the third ball of the penultimate over, largely due to an unbeaten partnership between Khushdil Shah and David Warner.

The duo added 57 runs off just 19 balls with Khushdil finishing on 44* off 14 deliveries, while Warner remained unbeaten on 63 runs.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Warner hailed the collective effort, highlighting the team’s performance in different phases of the game.

“That was a great performance by the guys. Up front with the new ball, the first couple of overs were okay, but we know in the powerplay it can get away from you a little bit,” he said.

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“That wicket all around was good with the new ball; I think both teams bowled very well with it. But all in all, what a fantastic finish. You know, Moeen coming in and then Khushdil; we’ve been speaking to him about how his time would come when he gets that opportunity,” he added.

Warner scored an anchoring half-century, and unlike his aggressive strokeplay, he found fielders on multiple occasions.

“Yeah, look, and it only just happened by chance. I was a little bit frustrated; I kept on hitting fielders and then faced the last ball of the over, but that’s the game of cricket. I’ve played a lot, but I just know that one guy is going to come in and play that sort of cameo,” he explained.

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The skipper remained confident of the team’s playoff chances ahead of their final game against Quetta Gladiators, which will be played on April 25 at the same venue.

“That’s where last year we were going really well. Hopefully, we come out here next game and win that one to give ourselves a chance. Yeah, to do that against a world-class bowler is phenomenal,” he continued while praising Khushdil Shah.

“It just shows you that in this game, if you put pressure back on the bowler, it doesn’t matter who it is, they can succumb to that. That was serious execution at the end there,” Warner concluded.

READ: BCB bars Mustafizur Rahman, Nahid Rana from PSL 11 participation

DHAKA: Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman will miss the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) withdrew his No-Objection Certificate (NOC) on medical grounds, officials said on Thursday.

Earlier today, Mustafiz played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s series win over New Zealand. The left-arm pacer returned to the playing XI after missing out on the first two matches due to injury.

He made an immediate impact with the ball and took a five-wicket haul in his side’s 55-run victory.

Mustafizur Rahman was bought by the Lahore Qalandars in the PSL 11 auction and represented the franchise in five matches.

In a statement released, BCB revealed the reason behind denying Mustafizur a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wishes to inform that, following the conclusion of the 3rd ODI against New Zealand, the team’s medical staff has reviewed the condition of national team pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman,” the statement read.

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“It has been decided that the player will undergo an immediate scan to further assess his condition, after which he will commence a rehabilitation program under the supervision of the BCB Medical Team,” it added.

“In this regard, the Board has withdrawn the No Objection Certificate (NOC) previously issued to Mustafizur. He will therefore not be available to participate in the remainder of PSL 2026.”

BCB also confirmed that pacer Nahid Rana, who played for Peshawar Zalmi, will also not be available as the speedster will be preparing for the Test series against Pakistan.

“The BCB would also like to inform that fast bowler Nahid Rana will not be released for PSL 2026. This decision has been taken to allow him adequate time to prepare for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan next month,” it concluded.

READ: Shanto, Mustafizur star in Bangladesh ODI series win

Najmul Hossain Shanto scored a century and Mustafizur Rahman claimed 5-43 as Bangladesh beat New Zealand by 55 runs in the third one-day international to clinch the series 2-1 on Thursday.

Shanto hit 105 off 119 balls, smacking nine fours and two sixes for his fourth ODI century to lift New Zealand from early trouble to 265-8 after being invited to bat first in Chattogram.

Mustafizur, who returned from injury after missing the first two matches, then ripped through the New Zealand batting to help bowl out the opposition for 210 in 44.5 overs.

The performance took Mustafizur’s tally to six five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket, the most by any Bangladesh bowler and level with Wasim Akram (Pakistan) and Trent Boult (New Zealand) among left-arm quicks.

Australia left-armer Mitchell Starc is top of the list on nine.

Dean Foxcroft top-scored for New Zealand with a valiant 75 off 72 balls as he hit seven sixes to extend Bangladesh’s wait for victory after the tourists slipped to 160-9.

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Nick Kelly made 59 off 80 at the top of the order.

Pace bowler Nahid Rana and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took two wickets each.

Earlier, Bangladesh slipped to 32-3 before Shanto and Litton Das steadied the innings with a 160-run stand — the highest partnership for Bangladesh against New Zealand in the 50-overs format for the fourth wicket.

Will O’Rourke was chief destroyer with the new ball, removing Saif Hassan and Tanzid Hasan in his opening two overs to leave Bangladesh reeling at 9-2.

Soumya Sarkar was dismissed soon after for 18, dragging one back onto his stumps off O’Rourke before Shanto and Litton hit back.

Left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox broke the stand by removing Litton for 76 off 91 balls, a knock laced with three fours and one six.

It was Litton’s 13th ODI half-century.

Lennox also brought an end to Shanto’s innings, having the left-hander caught by Nathan Smith.

Towhid Hridoy contributed an unbeaten 33 and captain Mehidy added 22 to ensure a challenging total.

O’Rourke was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 3-32 while Ben Lister and Lennox took two wickets each.

READ: Karachi Kings’ Talent Hunt Prodigy Rizwanullah makes PSL Debut

LAHORE: Fast bowler Rizwanullah discovered through the Karachi Kings Talent Hunt Program, made his Pakistan Super League (PSL) debut against Lahore Qalandars here on Thursday.

The 17-year-old right-arm fast bowler, a product of the Karachi Kings Talent Hunt Program, caught the eye of the franchise’s High Performance Coach Mohammad Masroor during a tournament in the provincial capital.

He has represented Karachi Whites at the U-19 level and has also featured in domestic Grade Two cricket.

“I was playing a tournament match in Karachi when Masroor bhai was watching. I bowled well in that match, and after that, he was impressed with my bowling,” Rizwanullah said.

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Inspired by former Australian speedster Brett Lee, the teenage pacer, who stands at 6 feet 7 inches, is capable of bowling at speeds of up to 145 kilometers per hour.

He has also played for Port Qasim in Grade Two cricket, where he has a five-wicket haul to his name.

“Brett Lee is my favorite bowler,” he continued.

Masroor Ahmed has closely monitored Rizwanullah’s rise over the past year, with special attention given to his training, diet, and fitness.

“He is 6 feet 7 inches tall and has previously played for Karachi Under-19. He can bowl at 145 Kmph,” Masroor said.

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“He has also played Grade Two cricket for Port Qasim, where he took five wickets in one match,” he recalled.

The teenager has impressed many and was also invited to Pakistan’s Test camp during Jason Gillespie’s tenure as head coach.

“Last year, when Jason Gillespie was coach, Rizwanullah was also called up to the Test camp,” Masroor said.

“The teenager has been monitored over the past year, with special focus on his training, diet, and fitness. I hope he will prove to be a good player for Karachi Kings,” he concluded.

READ: PSL 11: Mohammad Rizwan joins Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik in elite list

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan on Thursday entered the record books after becoming the third Pakistan batter to complete 9000 runs in T20 cricket during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash against Islamabad United.

Rizwan reached the milestone on the second ball of the ninth over at the National Bank Stadium.

In doing so, he joined a list of only two Pakistan players, Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik, who have reached the milestone.

Most Runs by Pakistan batters in T20s

Shoaib Malik 13571 runs in 557 matches

Babar Azam 12331 runs in 356 matches

Mohammad Rizwan 9013 runs in 310 matches

Coming into this fixture, Rizwan required 32 runs to reach the landmark. The right-hander was caught after scoring 45 from 38 balls.

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It is worth mentioning that the wicket-keeper has endured poor form as he has only managed 178 runs in nine matches at a modest average of 19.77 without a single half-century.

Earlier, Rawalpindiz decided to bowl first, which proved advantageous as they bundled out Islamabad for 137 in their 20 overs.

Devon Conway remained the top-scorer with 40 off 33 balls with the aid of three fours and two sixes. While Chris Green added a late push with 29 off 16 balls to take United to a respectable total.

For Rawalpindiz, it was an all-round bowling effort with Dian Forrester, Mohammad Amir, and Saad Masood sharing eight wickets between them.

READ: WATCH: Mohammad Amir, Faheem Ashraf involved in verbal spat

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz fast bowler Mohammad Amir and Islamabad United all-rounder Faheem Ashraf were involved in a heated argument during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.

In the 17th over of the United innings, Amir got rid of Ashraf with a short ball. Soon after the dismissal, the fast bowler pointed the all-rounder to leave the ground.

The gesture did not sit well with Ashraf, who responded in anger and pointed his bat at Amir. However, he was restrained by Asif Afridi and Saad Masood.

Nonetheless, Rawalpindiz decided to bowl first, which proved advantageous as they bundled out Islamabad for 137 in their 20 overs.

pic.twitter.com/6dnUbVJpzZ

— mediaa 🗂️ (@archive_PCT) April 23, 2026

United had a cautious start, with openers Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas struggling to accelerate, resulting in a slow run rate early on.

Mohammad Amir struck in the second ball of the fifth over, dismissing Minhas for six off 11 balls and ending a 20-run opening partnership.

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Naseem Shah further weakened United during the powerplay by getting Mohammad Faiq out for five off six balls, leaving them at 29-2 after 5.5 overs. Saad Masood then took a wicket in the seventh over, dismissing Shadab Khan for just one run, and Islamabad fell to 30-3.

Conway and Mark Chapman built a crucial partnership that pushed the score beyond 50, but Daryl Mitchell ended the 49-run stand by dismissing Conway for 40 off 33 balls, including three fours and two sixes, bringing the score to 79-4 in 11.3 overs.

Asif Afridi quickly removed Chapman for 23 off 18 balls, and wickets kept falling as Haider Ali was dismissed for six off 13 balls by Saad Masood.

Amir returned to dismiss Faheem Ashraf for 11 off 12 balls, leaving Islamabad at 99-7 in 16.3 overs. Chris Green added a late push with 29 off 16 balls, including two fours and two sixes, but was run out in the final over.

Dian Forrester then finished the innings, taking the wickets of Mohammad Hasnain for a first-ball duck and Richard Gleeson, completing his second wicket.

READ: Lahore Qalandars to face THIS team in Global Super League 2026 opener

The schedule for the 2026 edition of the Global Super League (GSL) has been officially released, with Lahore Qalandars set to begin their campaign against Perth Scorchers in the tournament opener.

The competition will run from July 23 to August 1 in Guyana, with all matches scheduled to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

This will mark Lahore Qalandars’ second appearance in the tournament, having featured in the inaugural 2024 edition, where they finished fourth in a five-team event.

The upcoming season will be the third edition of the GSL, featuring five franchises from across different T20 leagues.

Alongside Qalandars and Scorchers, the tournament will also include Desert Vipers, San Francisco Unicorns and defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors.

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Qalandars will kick off their campaign on July 23 against Scorchers before facing Desert Vipers the following day.

They will then take on Guyana Amazon Warriors on July 26 and conclude their league stage fixtures against San Francisco Unicorns on July 29.

The tournament format will see the team finishing at the top of the standings advance directly to the final.

The second and third-placed sides will meet in a qualifier on July 31, with the winner progressing to the title clash scheduled for August 1.

The GSL has seen two different champions, with Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) side Rangpur Riders lifting the inaugural title, while Guyana Amazon Warriors clinched the second edition and will now defend their crown on home soil.

Global Super League 2026 schedule

July 23 (Thursday)

• Lahore Qalandars vs Perth Scorchers XI

• Guyana Amazon Warriors vs San Francisco Unicorns

July 24 (Friday)

• Lahore Qalandars vs Desert Vipers

July 25 (Saturday)

• Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Desert Vipers

July 26 (Sunday)

• San Francisco Unicorns vs Perth Scorchers XI

• Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars

July 27 (Monday)

• San Francisco Unicorns vs Desert Vipers

July 28 (Tuesday)

• Desert Vipers vs Perth Scorchers XI

July 29 (Wednesday)

• Lahore Qalandars vs San Francisco Unicorns

• Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Perth Scorchers XI

July 31 (Friday)

Qualifier: Second Place vs Third Place

August 1 (Saturday)

Final: First Place vs Winner of Qualifier

READ: Cristiano Ronaldo could play alongside his son at Al-Nassr: report