Author: admin
PHNOM PENH: Pakistan’s 2026 AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifying campaign came to an end with a third straight loss when the suffered a 1-0 reverse against Oman at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday. After Iraq, who finished top of Group ‘G’ and secured a berth at next year’s finals, had thumped Pakistan 8-1 in the opener, Nolberto Solano’s men lost their second game 1-0 to hosts Cambodia before Turki Abdullah’s first-half goal proved decisive in their match against Oman. Oman got into their rhythm quickly with Nasser Alsaqri’s pace seeing him break through on the right, beat a defender and…
LAHORE: Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) president Arif Saeed has reiterated that the association and its affiliated federations will function strictly under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Charter, while expressing readiness to work with the government without compromising on autonomy. Responding to concerns over tensions between the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and national federations — reminiscent of disputes from 2012 to 2014 — Arif said the POA valued its working relationship with the federal sports authorities. “As far as the autonomy of national sports federations is concerned, it will be safeguarded under the IOC Charter,” Arif told reporters. “I am in…
LONDON: The 2026 World Cup could be North America’s last without urgent climate adaptation, according to a new study highlighting extreme weather threats. The “Pitches in Peril” report found that 10 of the 16 venues are at very high risk of experiencing extreme heat stress conditions. By 2050, nearly 90% of North America’s host stadiums will require adaptation to extreme heat while one third will face water demand equalling or exceeding supply. The report also highlighted risks to 2030 and 2034 World Cup venues and examined the impact of a warming climate on grassroots football pitches once used by 18…
TOKYO: Haruka Kitaguchi can expect a hero’s welcome when she takes to the field at Tokyo’s National Stadium for the World Athletics Championships next week but recent injury woes mean the Olympic javelin champion may struggle to defend her title. The 27-year-old shot to fame in 2023 when her final throw of 66.73 metres in Budapest made her the first Japanese woman to win a world title in a field event. Her celebrity status in Japan reached new heights last year when she repeated the feat in Paris, becoming the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic track and field…
SA20 auction ahead of Season 4 threw a bunch of twists and surprises. ©Sportzpics Jacques Kallis has never been excitable. Even when he faced Shane Warne and James Anderson – the bowlers who dismissed him more than any others in Tests – his eyes would remain startlingly untroubled. Maybe a touch glazed, more than slightly bored with it all. Like they were in Johannesburg on Tuesday. For two hours, Kallis fished tiny cricket bats out of a velvet bag and showed them to the eminently more animated Richard “The Hammerman” Madley. On the bats were printed the names of the…
ASIA CUP, 2025 Full-strength India will start as favourites. © AFP It feels a touch ironic that India, the designated hosts of the Asia Cup 2025, should be “hosting” UAE in Dubai. But given the cloud of uncertainty that lingered over the tournament in the months leading up, the idea of having not one but two kinds of hosts – and of the event happening at all – already feels like a small victory. This is only the second time India and UAE will meet in T20Is. The first was back in the 2016 Asia Cup, when the UAE crawled…
Test captain sets a loose target for his own return and insists Australia has the fast bowling stocks to cover any injuries Pat Cummins is adamant there are no depth issues around Australia’s bowling ahead of the Ashes, at a time when England are building back towards full strength. The Test skipper insists Australia have enough depth to cover any injuries to their pace cartel this summer as the struck-down quick set a loose target for his own bowling return. Cummins has felt a lingering soreness in his back since Australia’s Test series win in the West Indies almost two…
SA20 AUCTIONS Dewald Brevis became the most expensive signing in the history of SA20 © Getty Dewald Brevis, the 22-year-old batter, became the most expensive signing ever at the SA20 after being bought by the Pretoria Capitals for a whopping R16.5 million. Capitals entered the auction with R32.5 million and spent over 50% of their purse on Brevis alone. Joburg Super Kings and Paarl Royals sparked the initial bidding for the young South African and the price had already soared past R10 million before the Capitals jumped in. The Super Kings remained interested up until the Capitals’ winning bid. Aiden…
Stokes’ county coach says allrounder’s batting is progressing well in nets but questions if featuring in all five Ashes Tests is beyond him England have been given a major fillip with the Ashes on the horizon after skipper Ben Stokes and Mark Wood took the next steps in their recoveries. England Test captain Ben Stokes has resumed training and fast bowler Mark Wood is in line to return to action next week in a major boost to England’s preparations for the Ashes. Stokes missed the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval having hurt his shoulder in the…
ASIA CUP 2025 Afghanistan picked up four wickets in the powerplay to send their opponents spiralling © AFP Afghanistan kickstarted their Asia Cup campaign with an emphatic 94-run win. Even as the stage was set by contrasting half-centuries by Sediqullah Atal and Azmatullah Omarzai, it was Hong Kong’s top-order failure that turned it into a one-sided affair in Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday. It was the third biggest margin in the history of the Men’s Asia Cup. Where was the match won? Hong Kong were pegged back in the powerplay itself, a point from where they found themselves in no position…