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BOSTON: John Cena etched another golden chapter into his storied WWE legacy on Monday Night RAW, defeating Dominik Mysterio to capture the Intercontinental Championship.

This was the only major title that had eluded him throughout his two-decade-long career.

With this victory, the 48-year-old icon officially joins WWE’s elite list of Grand Slam Champions, becoming the 25th Superstar in history to have won the WWE, Intercontinental, United States, and Tag Team Championships at least once.

The high-stakes showdown between Cena and Mysterio delivered everything fans expected: drama, controversy, and a heavy dose of nostalgia.

Mysterio, who entered the night as the reigning Intercontinental Champion since WrestleMania, employed every trick in the book, including a submission that went unnoticed by the referee.

But John Cena, fueled by experience and emotion, weathered the storm and turned the bout around in classic fashion.

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The decisive moment came when Mysterio attempted his signature Frog Splash, only for Cena to counter with a perfectly timed Attitude Adjustment (AA) that secured the three-count and sent the Boston crowd into a frenzy.

The win carried special meaning for Cena, who had never previously competed for the Intercontinental Championship on televised programming, his only prior attempts coming at untelevised live events.

Monday’s match, therefore, wasn’t just about the gold; it was about completing the final piece of his WWE puzzle.

In the buildup to the match, Mysterio had mocked Cena’s farewell run, calling himself “the future” while labeling Cena “the past.”

WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque responded by sanctioning the bout, giving fans a generational clash that ended with an emotional and defining victory for one of wrestling’s greatest ever.

Cena now joins an iconic group of Grand Slam Champions that includes the likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle, and Eddie Guerrero — cementing his place, once again, among the all-time greats.

READ: “Some things are beyond my control”: Novak Djokovic hints at early retirement

Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has expressed his longing to return to the iconic Camp Nou, revealing his emotional connection to the club and his wish to one day bid a proper farewell to the fans who shaped his legendary career.

The 38-year-old Argentine icon visited the newly renovated Camp Nou this week, marking his first appearance at the stadium since leaving Barcelona in 2021.

In an emotional Instagram post, Messi described the visit as a deeply nostalgic experience.

“Last night I returned to a place I deeply miss. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world,” the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi said.

Messi left Barcelona after two decades when the club’s financial troubles made his contract renewal impossible.

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He later joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) before moving to Inter Miami in 2023, where he continues to make an impact, most recently scoring twice to help his side advance in the MLS Cup play-offs.

During his glittering 17-year spell at Barcelona, Messi rose from a teenage prodigy to the club’s greatest-ever player, netting 672 goals in 778 appearances.

His time at the Catalan club brought an era of unprecedented success, including 10 LaLiga titles, four UEFA Champions League crowns, and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Barcelona reopened the Camp Nou on Friday after 895 days of renovation, celebrating the occasion with an open training session attended by nearly 22,000 fans.

“I hope one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I was never able to do,” Messi added in his heartfelt message.

READ: Babar Azam eyes multiple ODI records as Pakistan face Sri Lanka

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam stands on the cusp of several career-defining milestones during the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, beginning today at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The 31-year-old right-hander has an impressive record against Sri Lanka, scoring 535 runs in just 11 innings at an average of 53.50, including three centuries.

Another ton in the upcoming series would see him join former Pakistan stars Mohammad Hafeez and Inzamam-ul-Haq as the joint second-highest century-makers against the Islanders, with four centuries each.

The all-time record, however, remains with Saeed Anwar, who struck seven hundreds in 52 matches.

Babar also has a chance to surpass Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan, who amassed 636 ODI runs against Sri Lanka.

A tally of 102 runs in this series would push Babar ahead on that list, further cementing his dominance against one of Pakistan’s longest-standing rivals.

The former captain is also closing in on a major home record.

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With 4,848 runs across formats in Pakistan at an average of 51.57, Babar needs just 152 more to become only the fourth Pakistani batter to cross 5,000 international runs on home soil, joining Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and Mohammad Yousuf.

Additionally, Babar Azam is just one century away from matching Saeed Anwar’s record for the most ODI hundreds by a Pakistani batter.

Anwar leads with 20 centuries, followed closely by Babar’s 19. Should Babar reach the 20-century mark within his next 41 innings, he will eclipse AB de Villiers to become the third-fastest player in history to achieve the feat, trailing only Hashim Amla (108 innings) and Virat Kohli (133 innings).

Fastest Players to 20 ODI Centuries:

• Hashim Amla – 108 innings
• Virat Kohli – 133 innings
• AB de Villiers – 175 innings
• Rohit Sharma – 183 innings

Pakistan enter the series on a high, having recently defeated South Africa 2-1 in both the T20I and ODI series, while the Test series ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

The three ODIs between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be played on November 11, 13, and 15 in Rawalpindi.

Historically, the sides have clashed 157 times in ODIs, with Pakistan holding a strong edge, winning 93 matches compared to Sri Lanka’s 59.

READ: Shaheen Afridi breaks silence on replacing Mohammad Rizwan as captain

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday unveiled a five-member commentary panel for the upcoming One Day International (ODI) series against Sri Lanka.

The star-studded panel features renowned cricketing voices and former Sri Lanka cricketer Russel Arnold and Roshan Abeysinghe. The duo will be joined by Pakistan Test captains Aamir Sohail and Waqar Younis,

Meanwhile, former Pakistan cricketer Urooj Mumtaz will also take up the mic in the series against the Islanders, while Zainab Abbas will provide viewers with expert analysis during pre- and post-match shows on PCB’s PitchSide Studio.

 

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The opening match of the series will be played tomorrow at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the action will move to Lahore for the second and third games, scheduled for November 13 and 15.

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Charith Asalanka will lead the 16-member Sri Lankan side, which will play three ODIs and participate in the T20I tri-series involving Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

The tri-series will begin on November 17, with the final scheduled to take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on November 29.

Sri Lanka Squad

Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, and Eshan Malinga

Pakistan Squad

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan

11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

READ: Gunmen open fire at Naseem Shah’s house

DOHA: Pakistan’s seasoned cueist and three-time world champion Muhammad Asif defeated China’s Pan Yaming to qualify for the knockouts of the IBSF World Snooker Championship 2025.

Pakistan cueist continued to deliver impressive performances on day three of the championship, with Asjad Iqbal and Shahid Aftab also securing victories in their matches. However, Muhammad Hasnain suffered defeat and fell short in his crucial game.

According to Pakistan Billiards and Snooker Association (PBSA) Secretary General Naveed Kapadia, Muhammad Asif reached the knockout stage after defeating China’s Pan Yiming 4–3 in a thrilling second-round contest.

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The frame scores were 18–68, 35–74, 37–90, 76–8, 78–58, 91–26, and 28–55 in Asif’s favour.

Earlier, Asjad Iqbal edged past Iran’s Hamid Zareh Doost 4–3 in another nail-biting encounter, with frame scores of 24–61, 17–60, 53–52, 69–10, 80–11, 0–79, and 7–75.

During the match, Asjad also compiled an impressive break of 67. Meanwhile, Shahid Aftab defeated Isle of Man’s (UK) Darryl Hill 4–1, recording frame scores of 56–3, 14–66, 6–80, 4–81, and 52–61, and made a fine break of 68.

However, Muhammad Hasnain lost his match 4–3 to UAE’s Muhammad Shehab, with frame scores of 13–72, 19–73, 67–29, 80–6, 54–19, 19–53, and 62–68.

For context, the tournament, which is underway from November 3 to 13, is currently played in two stages.

According to the rules mentioned on the IBSF official site, two qualifying events will be held, each allowing a maximum of 64 players. The events will be conducted on a knock-out basis, with matches to be played over two days each, in a best-of-7 frames format.

The second stage involves 48 players, of which 32 players are pre-qualified. The Last-16 players in Stage 2 will automatically qualify for Stage 2 of the following year’s championship.

READ: Gunmen open fire at Naseem Shah’s house

Unknown armed individuals fired shots at the residence of Pakistan cricketer Naseem Shah in the Mayar Area of Lower Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, during the early hours of Monday.

According to the police, five suspects have been taken into custody after assailants targeted the main gate, windows, and a parked vehicle.

“The firing damaged the main gate, windows, and a vehicle at the property. Police reached the scene, and five suspects have been taken into custody. Mayar Police Station has registered a case, and further action is underway to arrest those involved,” police said.

At the time of the incident, Naseem was not present at the residence, while other family members remained safe. Meanwhile, the authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack.

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“Mayar Police Station has registered a case, and further action is underway to arrest those involved,” the police further said.

Naseem Shah, 22, is currently in Rawalpindi with the Pakistan team, who are set to lock horns against Sri Lanka in three ODIs.

Following that, the national side will participate in a tri-nation series alongside Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan Squad

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan

11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

READ: Shaheen Afridi explains Hasan Nawaz’s exclusion from Pakistan squad

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Afridi opened up on the exclusion of middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz from the white-ball squads.

A day earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released the 23-year-old from the ODI squad for the series against Sri Lanka and the T20I tri-series team.

“Hasan has been released to participate in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam Trophy – the country’s premier first-class tournament. The seventh round of the competition commences from 11 November,” the statement said.

“Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman will replace Hasan in the T20I squad, while no player will be added to the ODI squad as Hasan’s replacement,” it added.

Hasan made headlines after scoring a record ton in a T20I against New Zealand earlier this year. However, after playing a vital role with the bat for the national side in numerous games, his form dipped, eventually resulting in his release from the squad.

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Speaking to the reporters ahead of the first ODI against Sri Lanka, Shaheen congratulated Nawaz on the arrival of his baby boy, noting that he could not spend time with his family due to national commitment.

“First of all, congratulations to Hasan Nawaz. He was blessed with a baby boy when we were in Rawalpindi for the match against South Africa, but he could not spend time with his family and was with the team,” said Shaheen.

The skipper also pointed out that Hasan is facing competition from others due to his batting spot and expressed the belief that his game will improve after participating in domestic cricket.

“Secondly, the number at which Hasan is playing currently, he faces competition from a lot of batters, so when he plays domestic cricket, he will improve,” he maintained

“And Hasan Nawaz’s exclusion does not mean that he has completely vanished from the team. He is the future of Pakistan,” the 25-year-old concluded.

READ: Key pacer ruled out as Zimbabwe announce squad for Pakistan tri-series

HARARE: Zimbabwe have named a 15-member squad for the T20I tri-series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, with pacer Blessing Muzarabani ruled out due to an injury.

The squad has only one change from the one that played Afghanistan in a three-match home T20I series earlier this month.

Muzarabani, who is ruled out due to a back injury, has been replaced by uncapped pacer Newman Nyamhuri, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) confirmed in a statement.

“The only change from the squad that recently faced Afghanistan at home sees pace spearhead Blessing Muzarabani miss out due to a back injury, with Newman Nyamhuri coming in as his replacement,” the statement read.

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Sikandar Raza will continue to lead the side in a series that could provide ample opportunity for the teams to prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The side also includes seasoned campaigners like Ryan Burl, Wellington Masakadza, and Brendan Taylor.

The tri-series will commence on November 17 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium with hosts Pakistan taking on Zimbabwe. The final of the series will be played on November 29 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Zimbabwe squad for T20I Tri-series in Pakistan

Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, and Brendan Taylor.

T20I Tri-Series Fixtures:

17 November – Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
19 November – Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
22 November – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
23 November – Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
25 November – Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
27 November – Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
29 November – Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

READ: Pakistan Veterans reveal squad for over-40s T20 World Cup

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s newly appointed ODI captain Shaheen Afridi hailed Mohammad Rizwan and spoke about their discussion before taking over the reins of the national side.

Shaheen replaced Rizwan as the captain of the 50-over side last month and led Pakistan to a 2-1 series triumph over South Africa.

Speaking on the eve of the ODI series opener against Sri Lanka, Shaheen talked about the discussion with the former skipper before taking the reins of the team.

“When I was captain earlier, I had spoken to Babar at that time about the whole situation. I won’t go into details about being removed, but when I was offered the captaincy again, Rizwan was the first person I spoke to. I asked him how he felt about it and what he thought,” he revealed in a press conference.

He lavished praise on Rizwan and stated that the wicket-keeper himself decided to step down from the role.

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“Rizwan is a great person — he himself decided to step back. So yes, we discussed it before the final decision was made,” Shaheen told reporters.

Regarding ace batter Babar Azam’s form, Shaheen expressed confidence in the right-hander to shine against Sri Lanka, despite being unable to notch up a century in international cricket since 2023.

“Babar is not the kind of player who can be judged by one or two innings. He’s already finding his rhythm again, and Insha’Allah, I’m confident he’ll score a hundred very soon,” he explained.

“I don’t think playing in front of a home crowd adds pressure. In fact, when your own people cheer for you, it gives you confidence. Playing at home, in familiar conditions, with fans backing you — that’s the best feeling,” he concluded.

The first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will begin tomorrow at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The second and third matches of the series will be played at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on November 13 and 15.

READ: Trophy unveiled for Pakistan-Sri Lanka ODI series

ISLAMABAD: The trophy for the three-match One Day International (ODI) series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was unveiled here at the Pakistan Monument on Monday.

The ceremony took place at the Pakistan Monument, located in the federal capital, with pictures shared on the Pakistan Cricket Team’s social media handles, featuring Sri Lanka skipper Charith Asalanka and Pakistan captain Shaheen Afridi posing with the trophy.

“Pakistan Monument, Islamabad. KFC Presents Bank Alfalah Pakistan vs Sri Lanka ODI Series 2025 trophy unveiled,” the caption of the post read.

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The opening match of the series will be played tomorrow at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while the action will move to Lahore for the second and third games, scheduled for November 13 and 15.

Charith Asalanka will lead the 16-member Sri Lankan side, which will play three ODIs and participate in the T20I tri-series involving Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

The tri-series will begin on November 17, with the final scheduled to take place at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on November 29.

Sri Lanka Squad

Charith Asalanka (captain), Pathum Nissanka, Lahiru Udara, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kamindu Mendis, Janith Liyanage, Pavan Rathnayake, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Dushmantha Chameera, Asitha Fernando, Pramod Madushan, and Eshan Malinga

Pakistan Squad

Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan

11 November – First ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

13 November – Second ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

15 November – Third ODI at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi

T20I Tri-Series (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe)

• 17 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
• 19 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
• 22 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 23 November – Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 25 November – Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 27 November – Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
• 29 November –Final, Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

READ: Pakistan crush Kuwait to win Hong Kong Sixes 2025 title