Category: Top Picks

Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shadab Khan has expressed his excitement not only about returning to competitive cricket but also about a much-anticipated showdown with compatriot Babar Azam in the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025.

The leg-spinner underwent right-shoulder surgery on July 5 in England after persistent discomfort and multiple medical consultations.

The procedure sidelined him for nearly five months, ruling him out of several major assignments, including the Asia Cup 2025.

Now fully recovered, Shadab Khan is set to return to action in the BBL, where he will represent the Sydney Thunder, his first major appearance since surgery.

Speaking exclusively to ARY News, he said his ambition is simple: make a strong, impactful comeback.

“This is my first event after surgery,” Shadab said. “Because of the surgery, I stayed away from cricket for almost five months.”

“But I’ve completed my preparation for the Big Bash League, and my only aim is to play good cricket and make a strong comeback.”

With multiple Pakistani stars featuring across franchises, Shadab believes this season will attract heightened interest.

“Pakistan’s big-name players will be in action this time,” he said. “Because of Pakistani players, the Big Bash is getting even more attention.”

One of the biggest storylines of the season will be Shadab going head-to-head with former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who will represent the Sydney Sixers.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The two sides meet twice in the high-voltage Sydney Derby, first on 20 December and again on 16 January.

“Babar and I have played together a lot,” Shadab said. “We understand each other’s mindset. It will be fun when Babar and I face each other on Australian soil.”

Shadab Khan also spoke about the experience of sharing a dressing room with top Australian names.

“Playing alongside David Warner and other Australian players will be a unique experience,” he said.

Reflecting on his recovery, the all-rounder said highs and lows are part of the sport.

“Injuries and being out of form are part of a player’s life,” he admitted. “I accept that I’ve been through that phase too.”

He stressed the importance of all-rounders contributing in every department.

“An all-rounder should focus on both batting and bowling,” he said. “It’s wrong to think that if your batting isn’t going well, your bowling won’t help either. Playing different roles according to the team and the situation is not a bad thing.”

With a strong Pakistani presence expected in the stands, Shadab said fan support plays a key role in boosting confidence.

“There is a large number of Pakistani fans in Australia,” he said. “We get energy from the fans.”

WATCH: WWE superstars pay emotional tribute to John Cena

WWE’s biggest names, including Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and CM Punk, have come together for an emotional tribute, honouring legendary John Cena as he heads into the final match of his illustrious career.

Cena, a 17-time World Champion and one of WWE’s most iconic figures, is set to wrestle for the last time on December 13 at Saturday Night’s Main Event inside Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena.

His farewell bout will see him take on Gunther, who earned the spot by defeating LA Knight in the tournament final.

With the countdown to Cena’s retirement well underway, WWE released a heartfelt tribute video across its digital platforms, featuring emotional appearances from current stars, former rivals, legends, and even backstage crew who have worked alongside him for years.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

The video includes silent tributes, no dialogue, only mannerisms and gestures synonymous with Cena, ranging from his signature “You Can’t See Me” taunt to salutes and handwritten messages.

Among those featured were aforementioned Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, as well as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Liv Morgan, The Miz, Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, and more.

Cena’s longtime cameraman, Stew, also made an appearance, adding a personal touch that resonated deeply with fans.

WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H, alongside Stephanie McMahon, also paid tribute, acknowledging Cena’s impact not just as a performer but as a locker-room leader and global ambassador.

The tribute arrives at the climax of Cena’s year-long farewell tour, one that celebrated a career spanning more than two decades, countless rivalries, and a body of work that transcended professional wrestling.

Saturday Night’s Main Event will not only celebrate Cena’s final appearance but will also showcase a packed card.

Cody Rhodes steps into the ring against NXT Champion Oba Femi, while Bayley faces Sol Ruca. The show will also feature AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater.

READ: Duffy takes five as New Zealand thrash West Indies in second Test

WELLINGTON: Jacob Duffy took 5-38 as New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket victory over the West Indies in the second Test in Wellington on Friday for a 1-0 series lead.

Seamer Duffy bagged his second five-wicket haul in only his third Test to help roll the West Indies for 128 after lunch on day three, the hosts needing just 56 for victory.

Devon Conway (28) and Kane Williamson (16) guided New Zealand to an emphatic win just before tea at the Basin Reserve.

Debutant Michael Rae took 3-45 for the home side while Kavem Hodge was the pick of the West Indian batters in their second innings, scoring 35.

New Zealand lead the three-Test series 1-0, after the first match in Christchurch ended in a draw.

New Zealand skipper Tom Latham was delighted with how his inexperienced bowling unit took the fight to the visitors.

Like Duffy, Zak Foulkes was playing just his third Test match, Blair Tickner his fourth and Rae was on debut.

It was a limp batting effort from the West Indies, who resumed day three at 32-2, trailing by 41 runs having lost John Campbell and nightwatchman Anderson Phillip late on day two.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

By lunch, they were on the ropes at 98-6 and needing a significant fightback, like they did in the first Test, to have any chance.

It took just 9.2 overs for New Zealand to clean up the tail, the collapse starting when Justin Greaves fell for 25 to an lbw off Duffy that was reviewed by New Zealand and would have clipped the top of the leg stump.

On day one, the tourists were dismissed for 205, before New Zealand made 278-9 declared in reply.

Brandon King and Hodge started brightly on Friday, negating a pitch that was offering variable bounce to the New Zealand bowlers.

King was the first to depart, for 22, after a dreadful mix-up running between the wickets, run out by Michael Bracewell.

That sparked a mini-collapse as first Shai Hope and then Chase were removed by Rae and Duffy, respectively.

Hodge patiently moved to 35 as wickets fell at the other end, but he departed after Will Young took a stunning diving catch from a pull shot at midwicket.

The third and final Test is in Mount Maunganui starting on Thursday.

READ: De Kock stars as South Africa level T20 series with big win

Opener Quinton de Kock hit a 46-ball 90 to set up South Africa’s convincing 51-run win over India in the second T20 international and level the series on Thursday.

De Kock’s knock, laced with five fours and seven sixes, powered South Africa to 213-4 after being invited to bat first on the outskirts of Chandigarh.

South Africa bowled out India for 162 in 19.1 overs despite Tilak Varma’s valiant 62 off 34 balls as the visitors pulled one back after they lost the opener of the five-match series.

The series is part of the build-up for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.

Medium-pace bowler Ottneil Baartman stood out with figures of 4-24.

The left-handed de Kock set the tone for the big win after he put on 83 runs for the second wicket with skipper Aiden Markram, who made 29.

Spinner Varun Chakravarthy bowled opener Reeza Hendricks for eight on his first ball and later dismissed Markram after being hit for two sixes by the captain.

De Kock, who turns 33 on Wednesday, looked in control from the start as he hit left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh for two sixes in the bowlers’ first two overs.

The wicketkeeper-batter raised his 17th T20 half-century with a four off Hardik Pandya but missed out on his ton after being run out by his opposite number, Jitesh Sharma.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Axar Patel removed Dewald Brevis for 14 before David Miller unleashed his fury with four boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah in a 15-run over and made an unbeaten 20.

Donovan Ferreira finished with a flourish in his unbeaten 30 as he hit Bumrah for two sixes in the 20th over.

In reply, Shubman Gill fell for a first-ball duck off Lungi Ngidi.

Left-arm quick Marco Jansen took down Abhishek Sharma, caught behind for 17, and India were in trouble when he had skipper Suryakumar Yadav out for five.

Varma and Axar Patel attempted to hit back with a string of boundaries, but Baartman broke through as India slumped to 67-4 inside eight overs.

Baartman cut short Axar’s knock on 21 off 21 balls with Hendricks taking a low catch at cover.

Varma kept up the charge and found support from Pandya, and then Sharma, but South Africa struck regular blows.

Lutho Sipamla sent back Pandya for 20 and Sharma for 27 as India’s chase fizzled out, and Varma was the last man out off Ngidi.

The third match is on Sunday in the Himalayan town of Dharamsala.

READ: ICC announces ticket sales for Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada said the latest financial results released on Thursday show “strong progress in our transformation of the club”.

The Red Devils reported a £13 million ($17.4 million) operating profit for the three months until September 30, compared with a £6.9 million loss in the same period last year.

United’s total revenue for the 2026 fiscal first quarter dropped by two percent to £140.3 million due to the lack of European competition for the men’s team, who are sixth in the Premier League under manager Ruben Amorim.

The women’s team, coached by Marc Skinner, are third in the Women’s Super League and are competing in the Women’s Champions League.

“These robust financial results reflect the resilience of Manchester United as we make strong progress in our transformation of the club,” said Berrada.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“The difficult decisions we have made in the past year have resulted in a sustainably lower cost base and a more streamlined, effective organisation equipped to drive the club towards improved sporting and commercial performance over the long term.”

United’s financial statement said the club continues “to see the impact of operating cost and headcount reduction programmes implemented during the previous year”.

Co-owner Jim Ratcliffe oversaw wide-ranging, and often unpopular, cost-cutting measures, including widespread job cuts.

The statement said “employee benefit expenses” for the quarter were £73.6 million, a decrease of £6.6 million, primarily due to the impact of job cuts.

United says they remain on track to record revenues of between £640 million and £660 million for fiscal 2026.

READ: National Games: Pakistan Army’s Hoor Fawad wins Tennis Singles Title

KARACHI: Pakistan Army Hoor Fawad has been crowned the Women’s Singles Champion at the 35th National Games currently underway here in the Metropolitan city.

Competing at the Islamia Club, Hoor delivered a commanding performance in the final, defeating Haiqa Hassan in straight sets, 3–0, to secure the national title.

Throughout the tournament, she demonstrated remarkable form, earning three gold medals and one bronze across multiple events, solidifying her position as one of the country’s leading table tennis athletes.

In the Men’s Singles final, Muhammad Ahmed, also representing Pakistan Army, claimed victory over Shah Khan, further strengthening Pak Army’s dominance in this year’s table tennis competitions.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

With outstanding performances from both its male and female athletes, Pakistan Army emerged as the standout contingent in the table tennis category at the National Games 2025.

Overall, Pakistan Army medals tally rose to 258 which includes 168 golds. Meanwhile, WAPDA is on second position with 169 medals to their name.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Pakistan Olympic Association (@nocpakistan)

For the unversed, the 35th National Games Karachi are currently underway in the metropolitan city, featuring a range of multi-sport events from 6 to 13 December 2025.

The event is bringing together athletes from across the country in a sweeping programme that spans endurance sports, combat disciplines, precision events, and crowd-favourite team competitions.

The event features Olympic mainstays such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics, and fencing. Moreover, Kabaddi, tug of war, netball, and boxing games are also part of the competitions.

It is pertinent to mention that the National Games, first held in 1948, stand among Pakistan’s most prominent multi-sport events and frequently serve as a pathway to international selection.

READ: Arshdeep Singh sets unwanted record with 13-ball over

NEW CHANDIGARH: India pacer Arshdeep Singh on Thursday registered an unwanted record after bowling a 13-ball over against South Africa in the second T20I here at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.

The left-arm pacer’s mind-baffling 11th over of the match, which consisted of seven wide deliveries, yielded 18 runs.

With this, Arshdeed equalled the record of the longest over bowled in T20Is by a full-member nation player. Previously, Afghanistan’s pacer Naveen-ul-Haq bowled a 13-ball over against Zimbabwe.

Longest over by a bowler in T20Is (Full-member nations)

Arshdeep Singh – 13 balls (18 runs) vs South Africa, New Chandigarh 2025
Naveen-ul-Haq – 13 balls (19 runs) vs Zimbabwe, Harare 2024
Sisanda Magala – 12 balls (18 runs) vs Pakistan, Johannesburg 2021
Mark Adair – 11 balls (26 runs) vs Australia, Brisbane 2022

The previous longest over by an Indian was 11 balls, bowled by Khaleel Ahmed and Hardik Pandya. Khaleel had bowled a 13-ball over in Pallekele against Sri Lanka in 2024, while Pandya created the ignominious record in Adelaide in 2016.

Longest over by an Indian bowler in T20Is

Arshdeep Singh – 13 balls (18 runs) vs South Africa, New Chandigarh 2025
Khaleel Ahmed – 11 balls (11 runs) vs Sri Lanka, Pallekele 2024
Hardik Pandya – 11 balls (19 runs) vs Australia, Adelaide 2016
Arshdeep Singh – 10 balls (13 runs) vs Ireland, New York 2024
Arshdeep Singh – 10 balls (6 runs) vs West Indies, Tarouba 2023

Nonetheless, South Africa posted a mammoth total of 213-4 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to ace batter Quinton de Kock’s sublime 90 off 46, laced with seven sixes and five fours.

For India, Varun Chakravarthy remained the pick of bowlers, scalping two wickets in his four overs while giving away only 29.

READ: WATCH: Trophy unveiled for ACC U-19 Asia Cup

DUBAI: The glittering trophy for the eight-team ACC men’s U-19 Asia Cup has been revealed here on Thursday.

The event, set to be hosted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), will be played across several venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 12 to 21 December.

On this occasion, Pakistan U-19 captain Farhan Yousuf spoke about leading the Green Shirts for the first time and his past experience playing in a continental tournament.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Afghanistan Cricket Board (@afghanistancricketboard)

“It is a proud moment for me to lead Pakistan, and  I have played regional cricket as a captain. I will try to make a good unit with the team and play good cricket,” he said.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

For the unversed, the 50-over competition will see Pakistan placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals India, UAE, and Malaysia, while Group B comprises Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal.

The event holds added significance as it will serve as a build-up to the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia early next year.

Pakistan will open their campaign on December 12 against Malaysia at The Sevens Stadium before locking horns with India in a blockbuster group match on December 14 at the ICC Academy Ground.

Their final group fixture will be played on December 16 against UAE at the same venue.

The semi-finals are slated for December 19, while the final will be contested on December 21.

Pakistan U19 Squad: Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hassan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Huzaifa, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq, and Sameer Minhas

Non-travelling reserve players: Abdul Qadir, Hasnain Dar, Mohammad Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar, and Umar Zaib

Support staff: Sarfaraz Ahmed (manager/mentor), Shahid Anwar (head coach/batting coach), Rao Iftikhar (bowling coach), Mansoor Amjad (fielding coach), Abrar Ahmed (trainer), Ubaidullah (physio), Ali Hamza (analyst)

READ: Shaheen hails ‘legend’ Starc ahead of BBL debut

Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Afridi lavished praise on Australia speedster and his role model Mitchell Starc ahead of the much-anticipated debut in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Shaheen, who will represent Brisbane Heat in Australia’s premier T20 competition, spoke about his early memory of watching Starc bowl in the 2015 World Cup.

“He’s a legend,” Afridi said.  “When ‘Starcy’ played that 2015 World Cup, I was playing for the Under 16 Pakistan team at that time, so…I followed him to try to bowl many times the way he swung the ball,” he recalled.

“He bowled a fuller ball throughout that World Cup and had very good success.”

He also talked about his chat with Mitchell Starc while calling him an idol for youngsters.

“The last time we chatted, I told him that I watched him (in 2015) … and that’s why I bowl fuller to batters,” Afridi continued.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“I can say he’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Mitchell Starc (420) recently surpassed former Pakistan great Wasim Akram’s (41`4) tally of most wickets as a left-arm pacer. The 35-year-old Starc reached the landmark during the second Ashes Test.

For the unversed, several Pakistani players were hot picks in the BBL 15 draft held earlier.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

READ: ICC announces ticket sales for Men’s T20 World Cup 2026

DUBAI: The Phase I tickets of the much-anticipated International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have begun today.

According to ICC, the sale of the historic low-priced tickets commenced at 6:15 pm PKT.

“More than 2 million tickets will go on sale in the first phase, with Phase II ticket sales set to be announced soon,” the cricket governing body said in a press release.

“Sales will begin at 18h45 IST with prices starting at just ₹100 (approximately $1.11) at some venues in India and LKR1000 (approximately $3.26) in Sri Lanka,” it added.

As per the press release, the ticket prices for Phase I in India start at ₹100 (approximately $1.11), whereas the prices for Phase I in Sri Lanka start at LKR1000 (approximately $3.26).

Following the announcement, ICC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Sanjog Gupta revealed the reason behind the low prices while emphasizing the fans.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“Phase I of ticket sales is an important milestone in our journey towards delivering the most accessible and global ICC event ever staged,” he said.

“Our vision for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is clear: every fan, regardless of background, geography or financial means, should have the chance to access an in-stadia experience of world-class marquee cricket,” the CEO added.

It is worth mentioning that ICC has yet to reveal the categories, price structure, and further details regarding ticket sales, which are likely to be revealed in due course.

For those unaware, the 10th edition of the mega event will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, with the tournament slated to run from February 7 to March 8 next year.

The event will feature 20 teams, which are segregated into four groups of five, with the top two from each group advancing into the Super Eight stage.

The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 opener will be played between Pakistan and the Netherlands, with hosts and the reigning champions India taking on the USA later in the day in Mumbai.

READ: Chris Gayle, Jacques Kallis, Shane Watson set to return to action