Category: Top News

KARACHI: Fast bowler Hasan Ali vowed to bounce back following the Karachi Kings’ defeat against Multan Sultans in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The Kings fell short by 11 runs against the Sultans while chasing a formidable 208-run target here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

Hasan Ali had a forgettable outing, returning with the figures of 1 for 51 in four overs, including 21 off the final over of the Multan Sultans innings.

The loss marked the Kings’ fourth in a row, and they now have to win their remaining three matches to stay in contention for the playoffs.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

After the match, Hasan spoke to the media and reflected on his side’s shortcomings against Multan Sultans.

“We have lost four matches in Karachi. We have failed in every department,” he told reporters.

Karachi Kings now need to win their remaining three matches to stay in contention for a place in the playoffs.

“Our team has shown good performances in Lahore. We will regroup and try to make a comeback in Lahore,” said the right-arm pacer.

He also responded to a question regarding the absence of regular captain David Warner.

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“He is a match-winner. For us, every player is important, just like David Warner. This is Karachi Kings’ team, not just David Warner’s team. Our team has players of every kind and skill set. We still have three matches left, and we will try to win them,” he continued.

The 31-year-old emphasized team combination, noting that perceptions change depending on results.

“A combination is always made well in every franchise. If a player is given chances but does not perform, then you have to look for options,” Hasan Ali concluded.

READ: Multan Sultans edge Karachi Kings in PSL 11 clash

A humanoid robot competing against flesh-and-blood runners broke the world record at a Beijing half-marathon on Sunday, showcasing the rapid technological advancement achieved by Chinese makers.

Spectators lined the roads in Yizhuang in the capital’s south to watch the machines and their human rivals race, each group in a separate lane to avoid accidents or collisions.

Some of the robots were highly agile, moving like famous runners such as Usain Bolt, while others had more basic capabilities.

The winning humanoid, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and running for Chinese smartphone maker Honor, completed the roughly 21-kilometre (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometres per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

That was far faster than the top human in Sunday’s race, while also surpassing the current men’s world record of 57:20 held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo.

The result represented spectacular progress from last year, when robot-runners fell repeatedly and the best took more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish.

The number of humanoid entries jumped from around 20 last year to more than 100, according to organisers, a sign of the sector’s growing popularity.

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Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student who watched the race from behind a safety barrier, barely had time to take out her phone and snap a picture of the leading robot as it whizzed past.

She told AFP she was enthusiastic about such leaps in technology and thought the event was “pretty cool”.

But, she added, “as someone who works for a living, I’m a little worried about it sometimes. I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people’s jobs”, particularly with artificial intelligence growing increasingly sophisticated.

Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years, in the media as well as in public spaces.

Xie Lei, 41, who watched Sunday’s race with his family, said robots could “become part of our daily lives” within several years, potentially used for “things like housework, elderly companionship or basic caregiving” or “dangerous jobs, even firefighting”.

The humanoid half-marathon aims to encourage innovation and popularise the technologies used in creating and operating such machines.

In a sign of the industry’s strength, investment in robotics and so-called embodied AI amounted to 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in China in 2025, according to a study by a government agency.

“For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots. Just in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in this specific sport event, they’re already starting to surpass us,” Xie said.

“On one hand, it does make you feel a little bit sad for humanity. But at the same time, technology, especially in recent years, has given us so much imagination.”

READ: Lahore Qalandars among top five teams in Global Super League

KARACHI: Arafat Minhas starred with a three-wicket haul as Multan Sultans edged past Karachi Kings by 11 runs in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Chasing a daunting 208 here at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday, Karachi Kings were bowled out for 196 in 19.4 overs.

Jason Roy and Saad Baig started positively in pursuit of the chase, adding 29 in 2.2 overs before Arafat Minhas struck twice to reduce them to 41-2 at the end of four overs.

Roy made 16 from nine while Salman Ali Agha was cleaned up for two runs. The Kings were pegged back further with the dismissal of Baig, who hit four boundaries before getting caught on 21.

As a result, Karachi Kings were in dire straits at 47-3 at the end of the powerplay.

With the side in deep trouble, Reeza Hendricks and Moeen Ali launched a recovery with a 67-run partnership. The pair managed to pull things back, with the scorecard reading 114 in 12.5 overs.

However, Hendricks was caught just one shy of a half-century. He top-scored with 49 from 32, hitting two sixes and five fours.

Following his dismissal, the Kings’ batting lineup wobbled until Abbas Afridi’s cameo, which provided them a glimmer of hope. The right-hander hit 34 from 16, including two sixes and three fours.

He was caught in the penultimate over, which dashed the Kings’ hope. With 18 required off the final over, Mohammad Wasim kept his nerve and gave nothing away.

For Multan Sultans, Arafat Minhas picked up three wickets.

Earlier, Shan Masood’s 46 from 25 balls and Imran Randhawa’s 26 from eight balls at the back end of the innings propelled Multan Sultans to a massive total.

Asked to bat first, Multan Sultans racked up 207-7 in 20 overs.

Sultans were jolted with an early blow in the shape of Steve Smith, who was caught without scoring. The early wicket brought Josh Philippe to the crease, who added a 66-run partnership with Awais Zafar.

The pair batted briskly, bringing the team’s total to 77 in 7.2 overs. Philippe made 44 from 23 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

Despite the wicket, runs continued to flow from Multan Sultans batters as Awais Zafar was involved in another 44-run stand with Shan Masood.

However, Karachi Kings bowlers made a comeback in the second half of the innings as Awais and Shan fell in successive overs. At this stage, the scorecard read 135-4 in 13.2 overs. The former hit five fours and a six in his 36 off 27, whereas the latter struck three fours and three sixes in his knock.

Karachi Kings bowlers squeezed the run flow and took wickets at regular intervals, and reduced Sultans to 174-7 in 18.2 overs, until Imran Randhawa’s late onslaught.

The right-hander scored 21 off Hasan Ali’s final over to take the total to over 200 runs.

For Karachi Kings, Khushdil Shah remained the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets in his quota of four overs.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan admits ‘failure’ after Rawalpindiz seventh loss

Pakistan Wrestling Federation (PWF) have announced the wrestling team for the 6th Asian Beach Games, set to take place in Sanya, China from April 21 to 30.

The national team will participate in this prestigious international event across five different sports: wrestling, athletics, ju-jitsu, handball, and triathlon.

The selected squad includes Muhammad Abdullah in the 70kg category, Asad Ullah in the 80kg division, Muhammad Inam Butt in the 90kg category, and Muhammad Gulzar in the +90kg weight category.

The federation conducted open trials across the country to ensure merit-based selection.

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Following the trials, a three-month intensive training camp was held in Gujranwala, where top coaches and athletes contributed to preparing the team at the highest level. The camp was also supported by the Pakistan Sports Board.

President Arshad Sattar and Secretary Muhammad Inam reviewed the team’s preparations and extended their best wishes to the athletes.

The final training session of the Pakistan Wrestling Team will be held on 19th April 2026 at the Gujranwala Wrestling Complex.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan admits ‘failure’ after Rawalpindiz seventh loss

KARACHI: Rawalpindiz captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted personal failure after his side’s seventh successive loss in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Earlier, Lahore Qalandars won by 32 runs over Rawalpindi, handing them their seventh straight loss in the tournament.

Talking to the media after the match, Rizwan highlighted the shortcomings, noting that he should have performed better.

“My performance hasn’t been good, but I am also a human being,” he told reporters.

He also revealed the reason for not keeping wickets, saying he had outlined a plan for the youngsters.

“We had planned for young players, and you can see I did not keep wickets because of fast bowler Razaullah, because I wanted to be alongside him to help him out,” he added.

Regarding positives, he tipped some players he believes have the potential to become future stars.

“I highly rate Abdullah Fazal, while Saad Masood is a positive player. We have no backup of Shadab Khan, but you can still see a spark in them, which is a player I believe for future,” Rizwan explained.

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“I personally believe a leader should not be judged only on individual performances but on overall contribution.”

Recalling his Big Bash experience and break from T20 cricket, he expressed confidence in his abilities to bounce back and perform well.

“When I went to the Big Bash, I told myself that I didn’t deserve a place in the team with this performance. I will come back with more hard work. This time the effort was less, so the result is like this.”

“We are humans. My performance is not up to the mark, but it does not mean I should quit cricket. I have said before as well that when my performance is not good, someone else should be given the opportunity,” the skipper concluded.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash

San Francisco Unicorns became the fifth and final team to complete the Global Super League (GSL) 2026 lineup, which features top teams from around the globe, including Lahore Qalandars.

The tournament is set to run from July 23 to August 1 in Guyana.

The inclusion of Unicorns will mark the first time a team from Major League Cricket (MLC) will compete in the GSL.

The 2025 champions of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Lahore Qalandars, are also set to take their brand of cricket to the global stage once again, with the franchise confirming participation in the GSL.

The upcoming edition will mark the Qalandars’ second appearance in the competition, having previously featured in the inaugural 2024 season, where they finished fourth in a five-team contest.

Besides Qalandars and Unicorns, Guyana Amazon Warriors from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Desert Vipers from the ILT20, and Perth Scorchers from the Big Bash League (BBL) will also feature in the upcoming edition.

Last year’s winner, Amazon Warriors, are the only franchise to feature in all three editions of the tournament.

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“We are delighted to have the San Francisco Unicorns join the Guyana Global Super League,” GSL chairman and former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd said in a statement.

“Their inclusion reflects the growing global footprint of the game and the strength of franchise cricket in the United States. We look forward to seeing them compete and contribute to what promises to be an outstanding tournament,” he added.

For the unversed, the tournament will comprise eleven games over ten days, with each team playing the other once before the top two advance to the final.

READ: Asif Ali reaches PSL sixes milestone during Rawalpindiz clash

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars batter Asif Ali on Saturday completed 100 sixes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 during the clash against Rawalpindiz. 

Asif reached the milestone in the final over of Lahore Qalandars’ innings, finishing with back-to-back sixes off the last two deliveries to propel his side to a strong total of 210. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 14 from six balls.

With this achievement, he now sits second on the list of the highest six-hitters in PSL history, behind Fakhar Zaman.

Fakhar has hit 130 sixes in 102 matches since the tournament began in 2016, while Asif has reached 100 sixes in 97 matches.

Most sixes in PSL History

Fakhar Zaman 130 in 103 matches

Asif Ali 100 in 97 matches

Rilee Rossouw  95 in 101 matches

Overall, Asif has played 97 matches in PSL, amassing 1289 runs at a strike rate of 156.43 with the aid of three half-centuries.

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Nonetheless, Lahore Qalandars posted a strong total of 210 in 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from the opening duo of Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Farooq.

The duo forged a 121-run partnership in 10.5 overs, laying a strong foundation for the defending champions. Mohammad Farooq remained the core aggressor while Fakhar Zaman played the second fiddle.

Farooq made 63 off 41 balls, laced with five sixes and five fours, while Fakhar emerged as the top-scorer. The left-hander hit 84 off 54 balls, including 11 fours and a maximum.

For Rawalpindiz, Mohammad Amir and Razaullah picked up two wickets.

Playing XIs

Rawalpindiz: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Shahzaib Khan, Yasir Khan, Daryl Mitchell, Sam Billings, Dian Forrester, Saad Masood, Cole McConchie, Razaullah Khan, Asif Afridi, Mohammad Amir

Lahore Qalandars: M. Farooq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Charith Asalanka, Haseebullah (wk), Sikandar Raza, Asif Ali, Daniel Sams, Shaheen Afridi (c), Usama Mir, Haris Rauf

READ: Former pacer questions Ghazi Ghori’s selection for Bangladesh series

Former Pakistan pacer Tanveer Ahmed has slammed wicket-keeper batter Ghazi Ghori’s selection for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh.

Earlier today, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced a 15-member squad for the Test series, including four uncapped players — Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, and Muhammad Ghazi Ghori.

The first of the two matches, part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC), will be played in Dhaka from 8 to 12 May, while Sylhet International Cricket Stadium will host the second Test from 16 to 20 May.

Following the announcement, Tanveer, who played five Tests for Pakistan, highlighted Saad Baig’s omission.

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“Saad Baig’s current season performance: 10 matches, 1000 runs, ranked No. 1 — yet his name was not included in the Test squad against Bangladesh,” he said.

“Ghazi Ghori — whose recommendation is he on? Zero performance, has played only one match this season, yet he has been named in the Test team. Shame on such selection,” he added.

It is worth mentioning that Ghazi Ghori made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in the recently concluded series. He has played 26 first-class matches, scoring 1692 runs at an average of 41.26, including three hundreds and 10 fifties.

The 23-year-old was also the second-highest run getter in the President’s Trophy Grade-I, 2025/26, finishing on 531 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.27.

Meanwhile, Saad Baig was the leading run scorer in the country’s premier domestic competition — Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26. He made 1000 runs in 10 matches, including four centuries and three fifties.

Pakistan Squad for Bangladesh Test series

Shan Masood (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Amad Butt, Azan Awais, Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, and Shaheen Shah Afridi

READ: PSL 11: Islamabad United name Dipendra Singh Airee’s replacement

Islamabad United have confirmed the replacement of Nepal batter Dipendra Singh Airee for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

The outfit confirmed the signing through social handles.

“Pavan Rathnayake replaces Dipendra Singh Airee,” the caption of the post read.

Dipendra Singh Airee was bought for PKR 42 lac in the PSL 11 auction and had yet to play a match for the team. The right-hander was released from the squad to perform national duty.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka top-order batter Pavan Rathnayake has been roped in for PKR 18 lac. This will be the first time he will play in an overseas league.

 

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Previously, he has represented Kandy Falcons in the Lanka Premier League (LPL). The right-hander made his T20I debut on November 25 and has played 12 matches, amassing 266 runs with a strike rate of 146.96.

Overall, Pavan Rathnayake has played 44 T20s, scoring 512 runs with the aid of two half-centuries.

Following the signing, United head coach Luke Ronchi revealed the reason behind the signing of the Sri Lankan batter.

“It is important for us to have players who understand Asian conditions and can play spinners well,” said Luke Ronchi

“Rathnayake has the experience and expertise of spinners and Asian conditions. We welcome Pavan Rathnayake to Islamabad United,” he concluded.

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For the unversed, Islamabad United have won four out of seven games and are in second position on the PSL 11 points table.

They will face Rawalpindiz on April 23 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.

Islamabad United Updated Squad

Shadab Khan (captain), Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Chris Green, Mark Chapman, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Pavan Rathnayake , Mohammad Faiq, Mohsin Riaz, and Mohammad Salman Mirza.

READ: Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi seal PSL 11 playoff berth

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi, led by star batter Babar Azam, have officially secured their place in the playoffs of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The 2017 champions, currently sitting at the top of the eight-team points table with 13 points from seven matches, confirmed their qualification after Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by six wickets on Friday.

The result ensured that Zalmi’s tally can no longer be overtaken by any side outside the top four by the conclusion of the league phase.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Zalmi began their campaign with an impressive five-wicket win over debutants Rawalpindiz in a high-scoring encounter.

Their following match against Islamabad United was washed out due to rain, but that proved to be only a minor interruption in what has otherwise been a dominant run.

From there, Zalmi stitched together a series of victories, overcoming Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators in succession to strengthen their grip on the top spot.

With qualification secured, Peshawar Zalmi will now turn their focus towards maintaining form heading into the knockout stages.

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They are scheduled to face Quetta Gladiators next on Sunday before travelling to Lahore for their remaining league fixtures against Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars on April 22 and 25, respectively.

This marks Zalmi’s 10th appearance in the PSL playoffs, underlining their consistency as one of the league’s most competitive sides.

Their only group-stage exit came last season, while their best moment remains the title-winning campaign in 2017. They have also finished as runners-up on three occasions, in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

READ: PSL 11: Glenn Maxwell creates history with rare T20 milestone