Alex Eala advances to Toray Pan Pacific quarterfinals after besting Talia Gibson

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.

Pakistan’s dream of restoring its former hockey glory will not become a reality overnight, according to Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Selection Committee Chairman Samiullah Khan, who believes the revival process requires at least two to three years of consistent effort. Speaking about the federation’s ongoing reforms, the legendary Olympian urged hockey fans and the media to remain patient and judge the progress through long-term development rather than immediate results. Samiullah praised the current PHF administration, led by President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, for taking practical steps aimed at rebuilding the country’s national sport. He said the federation has restarted Under-18, Under-21 and senior national squads, creating fresh opportunities for talented young players to progress into the international arena. He revealed that both the men’s and women’s national teams are receiving equal attention, including structured training camps, improved financial support and enhanced welfare facilities. The federation has also introduced modern sports science tools, including GPS-based performance tracking, to monitor players’ fitness and match readiness while benefiting from the expertise of international-standard coaches. According to Samiullah, significant improvements have also been made in players’ accommodation, logistics and overall training environment, reflecting the federation’s commitment to building a professional system capable of competing at the highest level. Despite the encouraging developments, the former hockey star stressed that Pakistan’s decline occurred over many years and cannot be reversed instantly. “Hockey’s revival is a long-term process,” he said, adding that expecting quick victories would be unrealistic. Instead, he urged stakeholders to focus on the quality of the rebuilding process, expressing confidence that the federation is moving in the right direction. Samiullah also appealed to supporters, former players and the media to stand behind the national teams and the PHF management. He said continued backing would help ensure that the investment being made at the grassroots level eventually translates into strong international performances and a return to Pakistan’s historic status as one of world hockey’s leading nations.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Usman Shinwari has urged Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah to play more domestic and first-class cricket, arguing that regular competitive cricket can help the two premier pacers maintain their pace, fitness and longevity. Speaking to the media, Shinwari said Pakistan has traditionally placed too much emphasis on bowling speed, often overlooking the impact of workload and continuous cricket on a fast bowler’s body. “Even if your fitness is like Cristiano Ronaldo’s, bowling continuously can eventually affect your pace,” he said. Shinwari described Shaheen and Naseem as outstanding bowlers and said he was not in a position to offer them personal advice. However, he stressed that playing selected domestic cricket could help them retain their rhythm and speed while reducing the risk of injuries. The former pacer also discussed Pakistan’s upcoming challenges in England, saying tours of the country have historically been difficult for Pakistan. He believes the team can still produce a strong series if it carries its current momentum forward. Reflecting on Pakistan’s recent Test performances against the West Indies, Shinwari said the team’s first-match performance was disappointing but praised the side for making a strong comeback in the second Test. He emphasised the importance of consistency, saying better continuity within the team would ultimately produce better results. Shinwari also backed the decision to restore Babar Azam to the Test captaincy, describing it as a positive move and saying Babar has the ability to lead Pakistan in the longest format. Another major point raised by Shinwari was Pakistan’s approach to selecting players across different opponents. He argued that the same combination should not automatically be used against teams with vastly different playing conditions and strengths. Discussing Mohammad Abbas, Shinwari questioned the excessive focus on speed. He noted that Abbas had taken eight wickets at around 125kph in a recent match, arguing that the pacer’s best years were affected because too much importance had been attached to increasing his pace. “Speed is important, but it should not be given excessive importance,” he said. On Ihsanullah, Shinwari said the fast bowler had expressed grievances and suggested that his disciplinary issues should be addressed. Despite his experience, Shinwari made it clear that he has no plans to become Pakistan’s national team coach. He argued that coaches, like players, should progress through a structured system rather than being appointed directly to the national side. His comments have once again highlighted the debate over workload management, pace, domestic cricket and long-term planning in Pakistan’s fast-bowling system.

GALLE: Devdutt Padikkal marked his return to India’s Test side in spectacular fashion, scoring an unbeaten century as India finished the opening day of the first Test against Sri Lanka at 288-2 on Saturday. The left-handed batter, recalled as a late replacement for the injured Sai Sudharsan, remained unbeaten on 131 from 178 balls, striking 12 fours and a six. His composed innings put India firmly in control on a rain-affected day at the Galle International Stadium. Padikkal’s century was the first of his Test career and strengthened his case for a permanent place at No. 3. The 26-year-old had last played a Test in November 2024 but entered the match with confidence after scoring a hundred in India’s warm-up game in Colombo. He joined KL Rahul after opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was run out for 32 following a mix-up. The pair then produced a commanding 150-run partnership that shifted the momentum decisively towards India. Padikkal reached his half-century from 81 deliveries, while Rahul took 127 balls to register his 21st Test fifty. Rahul eventually retired hurt on 77 after suffering cramps but is expected to continue his innings on the second day. India captain Shubman Gill also fell for 16, attempting to clear mid-off against spinner Prabath Jayasuriya. Rishabh Pant, however, remained unbeaten alongside Padikkal on 27, leaving India with a strong platform for a big first-innings total. Sri Lanka’s fielding coach Jordon Gregory admitted his side had missed opportunities, while praising Padikkal’s discipline and temperament. Rain restricted the day to just 73 overs from the scheduled 90, prompting officials to bring Sunday’s play forward by 15 minutes. The Test is particularly significant as it marks India’s return to Sri Lanka for Test cricket after several years, with valuable World Test Championship points at stake. India have also maintained an unbeaten Test record against Sri Lanka since 2015. With Padikkal settled at the crease and Pant providing support, India will enter the second day with the clear opportunity to build a massive total and put Sri Lanka under early pressure. Still to bat: D. Jurel, R. Jadeja, M. Suthar, K. Yadav, M. Siraj, P. Krishna Fall of wickets: 47 (Jaiswal), 236 (Gill) Sri Lanka Bowling A. Fernando: 10-1-28-0 (1nb) L. Kumara: 10-1-51-0 K. Nuwantha: 21-0-98-0 (2nb) P. Jayasuriya: 24-4-77-1 D. de Silva: 4-0-15-0 S. Dinusha: 4-0-17-0 India lead the opening day at 288-2, with Padikkal unbeaten on 131.