Category: Top News

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

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

Manchester City ignited the Premier League title race with a second-half blitz that sealed a 3-0 win against Chelsea as they closed the gap on leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side produced a devastating spell immediately after half-time, with Nico O’Reilly and Marc Guehi scoring in the space of six minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Jeremy Doku wrapped up a statement victory to ensure City took advantage of Arsenal’s shock 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Second-placed City are now only six points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, setting up a seismic showdown against the Gunners at the Etihad Stadium on April 19.

Having beaten Arsenal in the League Cup final and thrashed Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, City are hitting form at just the right time.

Their bid for a seventh English title under Guardiola appeared to be fading after successive draws with strugglers West Ham and Nottingham Forest in their previous two league matches.

A disjointed first half against Chelsea suggested City might waste a golden opportunity to pile pressure on Arsenal.

But Guardiola’s half-time team-talk had the desired effect, and City can now target next weekend’s do-or-die visit from Mikel Arteta’s spluttering team.

If City win that blockbuster clash, they will be within three points of Arsenal, who blew substantial leads in the 2023 and 2024 title races, allowing Guardiola’s men to pip them to the trophy.

Arteta said the defeat to Bournemouth was a “punch in the face” and City’s success in west London was another body blow for the Spaniard.

City have won 29 of their 32 league games in the month of April in recent seasons, underlining their ability to thrive when the title pressure mounts.

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After winning their first four league matches following Liam Rosenior’s arrival from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have won just one of their last seven, losing three in a row to leave the Blues boss facing some difficult questions.

Chelsea, who haven’t beaten City since the 2021 Champions League final, were again without Enzo Fernandez after Rosenior’s controversial decision to drop the Argentine midfielder for hinting he might leave in the summer.

Sixth-placed Chelsea looked subdued without Fernandez, and they trail four points behind Liverpool in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.

Lacking energy and cohesion in a sloppy start, City were fortunate not to fall behind when Marc Cucurella’s clinical finish was disallowed for a tight offside.

City also let Pedro Neto in far too easily for a stinging strike that forced Gianluigi Donnarumma to save at his near post.

It took City 35 minutes to mount an incisive raid as Bernardo Silva stretched to meet O’Reilly’s cross, but Robert Sanchez made a fine save from the midfielder’s close-range effort.

But City stepped up after the interval, and O’Reilly made the breakthrough in the 51st minute.

Rayan Cherki whipped an in-swinging cross towards O’Reilly, and the City left-back reprised his League Cup final heroics with another clinical header from close range.

Six minutes later, Cherki again showed the creative genius that has won over Guardiola despite some impetuous moments in his first season in Manchester.

The France playmaker glided past a gaggle of Chelsea players on the edge of the area before threading a sublime pass to Guehi, who looked more like a forward than a centre-back as he smashed a perfect strike into the far corner from 12 yards.

Manchester City benefited from Chelsea’s wretched defending for their third goal in the 68th minute. Sanchez rolled the ball to Moises Caicedo even though the Chelsea midfielder was surrounded by three City players, and Doku pounced, racing into the area to drill home as Guardiola celebrated a priceless result.

READ: Peshawar Zalmi receive James Vince boost for PSL 11

Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi has confirmed the arrival of seasoned batter James Vince for the remainder of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. 

The owner confirmed the English batter’s arrival date on his X handle.

“Big welcome to James Vince as he joins the Zalmi squad tomorrow,” he wrote.

The 35-year-old was bought by Peshawar Zalmi for Rs30 million in the PSL 11 auction; however, after missing the first five matches, his involvement in the tournament remained uncertain.

It is worth mentioning that James Vince has previously represented Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators, and Multan Sultans.

Overall, he has played 56 matches, amassing 1544 runs, including a century and seven half-centuries.

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Earlier today, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) extended the No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the Peshawar pace duo of Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, currently taking part in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The one-match extension was announced by the BCB in a press release statement.

“The decision has been made following a request from their PSL franchise Peshawar Zalmi, as well as the Pakistan Cricket Board,” the BCB statement read.

“Shoriful Islam and Nahid Rana were originally granted NOCs valid until 12 April 2026. Under the revised arrangement, both players have been permitted to remain in Pakistan for Peshawar Zalmi’s scheduled PSL fixture on 13 April 2026,” it further added.

For the unversed, Peshawar Zalmi are unbeaten in the tournament and are at the top of the points table with four wins out of five games.

Their next match will be against Multan Sultans on April 13 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

Peshawar Zalmi squad for PSL 11

Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit, James Vince, and Shoriful Islam.

READ: Labuschagne hails clinical bowling after Hyderabad Kingsmen victory

KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne hailed the team effort after his side registered a six-wicket win over Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

Kingsmen chased down a mere target of 154 in 18.1 overs under lights at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday night.

Labuschagne starred with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 61* off 53 balls.

Earlier, Islamabad United were restricted to 153-9 at the end of their innings, thanks to an all-round bowling performance.

Speaking in the post-match presentation, Marnus Labuschagne lauded clinical performance from Hyderabad Kingsmen, particularly Asif Mehmood, who took a four-wicket haul on his PSL debut.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

“Yeah, there were many things that were really good about that. Asif at the end was the icing on the cake and really kept the score down; going for just two or three in that last over is huge in the context of the game,” he said.

He also credited Glenn Maxwell, who played an important role with the ball. The right-arm off-spinner gave 21 in his four overs and took one wicket

“I thought Glenn Maxwell was excellent with his four overs, and then everyone just chipped in again,” the skipper continued.

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The 31-year-old highlighted two run-outs in Islamabad United, terming the wickets a turning point for his side.

“Mohammad Ali was once again so consistent through those middle-to-late overs. I’m really happy with how everyone bowled. We understood the conditions; we didn’t get the early wickets we wanted, but we stuck at it. Then, two big pieces of fielding changed the momentum, and we jumped on the back of that,” he concluded.

READ: IPL 2026: RR manager caught using mobile phone in dugout

Controversy erupted after Rajasthan Royals (RR) manager Romi Bhinder was caught using a mobile phone in the team dugout during an IPL 2026 clash.

Bhinder has been in numerous roles with RR since 2008 and is also the guardian of the teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

The video of Bhinder using a mobile phone soon went viral on social media during the clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sitting next to him in the team’s dugout.

Despite the footage, Romi Bhinder is not yet charged with a breach of the IPL code of conduct.

Following the incident, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has launched a probe and will review the video before reaching any conclusion.

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“We need to thoroughly examine where exactly the event happened and whether the phone was used. We will conduct an internal examination before reaching a logical conclusion,” he said.

“Yes, Bhinder has indeed breached the protocol of the players’ and match officials’ area (PMOA) as cell phones are banned in the dugout during a match,” Cricinfo cited a BCCI official.

“It could be inadvertent, but there has to be some action since it amounts to a breach.” Whether it will be warning or match ban will depend on match referee and ACU [anti-corruption unit] report. Based on that, the IPL governing council can take a call,” he added.

According to PMOA protocol, the team manager is permitted to use a mobile phone in the dressing room but NOT in the dugout.”

READ: Nahid Rana, Shoriful Islam receive PSL NOC extension