Chiang Rai Hosts Over 800 Runners for the Epic Doitung Sky Race 2026

ROSARIO: Lionel Messi has cast fresh doubt over his football future following the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi, saying he is unsure whether he can continue playing for “much longer.” The Argentina superstar, 39, shared an emotional message after returning to the United States following his father’s funeral, describing Jorge as a central figure in both his personal life and extraordinary football career. “I don’t know what I’ll do without you, I don’t know how to go on,” Messi wrote, admitting that he now has “serious doubts” about continuing his career. Jorge Messi died last week at the age of 68. His absence was particularly painful for Lionel because his father had repeatedly encouraged him to compete at another World Cup. The pair had hoped Jorge would watch Messi play in the tournament, but his health deteriorated shortly before the competition began. Messi said he kept believing Argentina could reach the final and hoped his father would eventually be able to travel and watch him. Argentina did reach the final, but Messi’s team lost 1-0 to Spain in New Jersey. Messi scored eight goals during the tournament and was once again at the centre of his country’s campaign. Yet the tournament was overshadowed by his father’s declining health. “Every time a match ended I waited for and missed your message,” Messi recalled, explaining how he gradually realised how serious the situation had become. After the final, Messi returned to Rosario to spend time with his family. He said his father initially believed Argentina had lost the final on penalties and was unable to fully experience the tournament because of his condition. Despite the heartbreak, Messi remembered how much his father had contributed to his career. Jorge was not only his agent but also his first coach and one of his strongest supporters. When Barcelona invited the 13-year-old Messi to Spain in 2000, Jorge left Argentina and moved with his son, helping him pursue his football dream. He later managed Messi’s career through major moves involving Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. “You were a father, a friend, and an agent,” Messi wrote. For now, Messi’s future remains uncertain. His contract with Inter Miami reportedly runs through the end of the 2028 season, but his emotional message suggests that personal loss may force the football icon to reconsider how long he wants to remain on the pitch. For a player who has achieved almost everything in football, the next decision may be his most personal one yet.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani has unveiled an ambitious three-to-five-year roadmap aimed at rebuilding Pakistan’s national sport from the grassroots level and restoring the country’s competitiveness on the international stage. The plan comes at a difficult time for Pakistan hockey. The national team’s defeat against England in its opening match of the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup has once again raised questions about the sport’s decline and the team’s ability to compete with the world’s leading sides. Wani said the federation wanted to move away from short-term decisions and instead build a sustainable system that could continuously produce quality players. “Our priority is not just to win one tournament but to rebuild the entire hockey ecosystem,” he said. Under the proposed system, young players would progress through school, district, provincial and national competitions before entering the senior setup. The PHF says the pathway will be based on merit, allowing talented players to rise through the ranks regardless of their background. The federation also plans to draw lessons from successful hockey systems in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and India. Greater emphasis will be placed on modern coaching, professional training methods and improved infrastructure. A major target is to increase the number of astro-turf facilities across Pakistan from the existing 52 to 100 within five years. The proposed facilities would not merely provide playing surfaces but also host coaching programmes, competitions and dedicated initiatives for women’s hockey. Coaching is another key part of the roadmap. Local coaches are expected to receive advanced training with the assistance of foreign experts, while the national side would be given greater international exposure through overseas tours and visits by foreign teams to Pakistan. The PHF also intends to improve financial incentives for players and provide clearer career opportunities, an important step toward encouraging talented youngsters to choose hockey as a long-term profession. The roadmap envisages grassroots and infrastructure development during the first year, stronger academies and coaching programmes in the second, followed by a performance review in the third year. Wani stressed that restoring Pakistan hockey would require sustained cooperation from governments, stakeholders and the public. The challenge is formidable, but the PHF hopes its long-term approach can turn Pakistan’s once-dominant hockey tradition into a competitive future rather than another chapter of sporting nostalgia.

Arshad Nadeem, Pakistan’s reigning Olympic champion, has punched his ticket to the men’s javelin throw final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. He came through a tricky qualification round in Glasgow on Thursday to get there. Strong winds made life hard for every thrower in the field. None of them managed to reach the automatic qualifying distance of 84 metres, which made the round unusually unpredictable. Arshad, seen by many as a top medal contender, got things going with a throw of 78.63 metres on his first attempt. His second try was ruled a foul. He then closed out the round with a throw of 75.65 metres. That mark was not enough to hit the automatic cutoff, but it easily secured his place among the twelve finalists heading into Friday. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage led all qualifiers with a throw of 82.84 metres. Anderson Peters of Grenada, the current world champion, was next best at 81.29 metres. Only two other athletes crossed the 80-metre line, South Africa’s Douw Smit, who reached 80.64 metres, and England’s Benjamin East, who managed 80.38 metres. India’s Neeraj Chopra, who has long been Arshad’s fiercest competitor, also booked his spot in the final. He started with a throw of 76.28 metres, then pushed further to 79.61 metres on his second attempt to confirm qualification. India actually secured three finalists in total. Rohit Yadav joined Chopra after throwing a best of 78.37 metres, while Yashveer Singh kept improving across his attempts and eventually settled for 78.36 metres. It was not such good news for Pakistan’s other entrant, Muhammad Yasir Sultan. He fouled his first throw, then followed up with attempts of 71.42 and 74.36 metres. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to carry him into the final. Friday’s javelin final is scheduled for 7:45 PM Pakistan Standard Time. Pakistan has a long history at the Commonwealth Games, having first competed back in 1954. Since then, the country has amassed 82 medals overall, including 27 gold, 27 silver, and 28 bronze. Its most successful campaign in recent memory came at the 2022 Birmingham Games. A 68-member Pakistani contingent took part across 12 sports and ultimately finished 18th in the medal table with eight medals. That edition also marked one of Arshad’s finest moments. He won javelin gold with a Games record throw of 90.18 metres, delivering Pakistan’s first athletics gold at the Commonwealth Games since 1962.

  Amstelveen / Islamabad: Pakistan ended a 16 year wait for a victory in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup with a thrilling 4 3 win over Japan in the 9th to 16th place classification match at the Wagener Stadium, giving the Green Shirts a much needed boost after a disappointing campaign in the main round. Pakistan made a difficult start as Japan scored twice in the opening quarter through Hyota Yamada and Kaito Tanaka. The Green Shirts, however, refused to give up and gradually fought their way back into the match. Rana Waheed Ashraf pulled one goal back in the second quarter to reduce Japan’s lead to 2 1 before the interval. Pakistan then produced a remarkable comeback in the third quarter, with Ashraf scoring again before Muhammad Hammadudin put the Green Shirts ahead. Japan quickly responded through Koji Yamasaki to make it 3 3, setting up a tense finish. Pakistan eventually regained the lead through Hannan Shahid, who scored in the 40th minute. Neither side could score again and Pakistan held on for a memorable 4 3 victory. The victory was Pakistan’s first in the Hockey World Cup since the 2010 tournament, when the team defeated Spain 2 1. Pakistan missed the 2014 World Cup and remained without a win in the 2018 edition, making the latest victory an important moment for the country’s struggling national sport. The result also comes at a time when the Pakistan Hockey Federation is seeking to rebuild the sport under the leadership of its ad hoc president, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani. Wani deserves credit for putting greater emphasis on rebuilding hockey from the grassroots as well as improving the federation’s working structure. Under his leadership, the PHF announced plans to bring around 60,000 to 70,000 youngsters into hockey through cooperation with provincial education boards, with free hockey kits planned for schools and colleges at under 14 and under 16 levels. Wani has also pushed for administrative and professional reforms within the federation. The PHF announced separate Governance Management and Professional Development Committees, bringing together experts in areas including financial management, resource mobilisation, sports development, coaching, sports medicine and the experience of former Olympians. His efforts have focused not only on the senior national team but also on expanding hockey beyond traditional centres. Wani has stressed the importance of regions including Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, Balochistan and Sindh and has spoken about developing the game at schools, colleges and universities. The latest victory therefore provides an encouraging result for the rebuilding process, although much more work remains before Pakistan can return to the top level of international hockey. Pakistan had already been eliminated from the title race after losing to England and India and drawing 3 3 with Wales in the opening phase. The team consequently entered the classification round for positions 9 to 16. Despite failing to reach the knockout stage, the fighting spirit shown against Japan will give the players confidence as they continue their World Cup campaign. For a country that has won the Hockey World Cup four times, the 16 year wait for another World Cup victory has been a painful reminder of the decline of Pakistan hockey. The win over Japan does not solve the problems facing the sport, but it provides a welcome sign that the national team can still fight back when under pressure. The real challenge now is to turn this victory into the beginning of a sustained revival. With stronger grassroots programmes, better administration, improved training facilities and continued support for players, Pakistan will hope to rebuild its position among the leading hockey nations of the world.

Sri Lanka’s ODI captain Kusal Mendis has been ruled out of the remainder of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 after suffering a hamstring injury during Colombo Caps’ match against Kandy Royals. The wicketkeeper-batter sustained the injury while attempting a run during the contest, although Colombo Caps went on to register a six-wicket victory. Following medical assessments, Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed that Mendis will begin his rehabilitation at the National High Performance Centre. His absence is a significant setback for Colombo Caps, who have appointed Kamindu Mendis as captain for the rest of the tournament. The injury also raises concerns for Sri Lanka ahead of their two-match series against India, scheduled to begin on August 15. Mendis is a key member of the national side across formats and was expected to play a leading role, including wicketkeeping duties. However, officials have not yet announced a timeline for his recovery. Before the injury, Mendis had been in outstanding form. He opened his LPL campaign with a brilliant 79-run knock against Galle Gallants and continued to demonstrate the consistency that has made him one of Sri Lanka’s most dependable batters. Earlier this year, he enjoyed a memorable Pakistan Super League season, scoring 550 runs in 11 innings at an impressive strike rate of 168.19, making him one of the competition’s standout performers. Mendis has also carried that momentum into international cricket in 2026, scoring 408 runs in 14 innings across all formats. In One-Day Internationals alone, he has accumulated 211 runs in four innings at an outstanding average of 70.33. Sri Lanka’s medical staff will now closely monitor his recovery, hoping the experienced batter regains full fitness in time for the upcoming international assignments. His absence from the remainder of the LPL is a major blow for Colombo Caps as they continue their campaign without their captain and leading run-scorer.

Pakistan wrapped up a truly dominant campaign by winning the Central Asian Volleyball Association Championship on Wednesday. The home side defeated Bangladesh in straight sets during the final, played at the Liaquat Gymnasium within the Pakistan Sports Complex. This victory extended Pakistan’s unbeaten record across the entire six-nation tournament, which also included Kazakhstan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan. Throughout the match, Pakistan looked in complete control. Their serving was powerful, their blocking well organized, and their attacking play sharp and consistent. Bangladesh struggled to find any rhythm against such a well-rounded performance. Pakistan took the opening set 25-20 before stepping things up even further in the second, winning it comfortably 25-16 through disciplined, coordinated play. Bangladesh showed some fight in the third set and briefly threatened a comeback. Pakistan, however, refused to let the momentum slip and closed out the match 25-20, sealing the championship in front of a jubilant home crowd. The win marked a perfect end to the tournament for Pakistan, who finished all seven matches unbeaten and did not drop a single set throughout the competition. Following this achievement, Pakistan climbed eight spots in the FIVB world rankings, moving up to 38th place globally. This also makes them the sixth-ranked team in Asia, sitting just behind Japan, Iran, Qatar, South Korea, and China. In the other major result of the day, Sri Lanka secured the bronze medal after a hard-fought five-set win over Uzbekistan in the third-place playoff. Kazakhstan finished the tournament in fifth position, while Nepal ended up at the bottom of the standings. Following the win, Pakistan Volleyball Federation chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob offered his congratulations to the team. He praised the players, coaches, and support staff for their contribution to the victory, describing it as the result of consistent hard work and discipline. He also thanked everyone involved in organizing the event, including sponsors, volunteers, and supporters who helped make it a success. Federation president Sohail Khawar Mir echoed similar sentiments, calling the achievement a strong reflection of Pakistan’s talent and preparation. He pointed out how difficult it is to win an entire tournament without dropping a single set, calling it a rare and impressive feat. Sohail also praised Bangladesh’s performance throughout the event and thanked the other competing nations for making it a strong, competitive championship. He added that the tournament had helped grow the sport’s presence in the region while boosting Pakistan’s reputation as a reliable host for international sporting events.