Carlo Paalam takes home Asian Games silver after narrow loss to home bet

KARACHI: Pakistan’s next generation of women cricketers will get a major opportunity to showcase their talent when the National Women’s U19 Tournament begins in Karachi on Thursday, with 75 players from 24 cities set to compete in a two-format competition. Organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the tournament will be held from August 20 to September 4 at the NBP Sports Complex and HPC Oval Ground. Five teams — Conquerors, Challengers, Strikers, Stars and Invincibles — will compete in a double round-robin league. Each side will play eight matches, with the top two teams progressing to the final. The competition will introduce players to both 30-over and Twenty20 cricket. The opening 10 matches will be played over 30 overs, while the remaining 10 league games and the September 4 final will be contested in the T20 format. Fizza Fiaz will captain Challengers, while Samiya Afsar, Ravail Farhan, Komal Khan and Zoofishan Ayyaz will lead Conquerors, Strikers, Stars and Invincibles respectively. The squads arrived in Karachi on August 16 and completed three days of training ahead of the tournament. Several players earned selection through trials conducted by the women’s national selection committee in different parts of the country. Members of Pakistan’s U19 squad that recently featured in a five-match T20 series against South Africa will also take part, giving the tournament an additional competitive edge. Beyond the title, the event is designed as an important pathway for identifying players who could represent Pakistan at upcoming international competitions, including the ACC Women’s U19 Asia Cup and ICC Women’s U19 World Cup. The tournament also carries a financial incentive. The champions will receive Rs1 million, while the runners-up will earn Rs750,000. All league matches are scheduled to begin at 9:30am Pakistan time, giving fans and selectors an early look at some of the country’s emerging women’s cricket talent. National Women’s U19 Tournament 2026-27 – squads Conquerors: Samiya Afsar (captain), Nasreen Ashraf (vice-captain, wk), Abeera Riaz, Areeqa Fatima, Amna Shahnawaz, Eashal Emaan, Eeshal Saif (wk), Hadia Mina, Mah Noor, Malaika Suhani, Maryam Sajjad, Narjis Bibi, Nasreen Ashraf (vice-captain, wk), Noor-e-Sahar, Syeda Batool Fatima, Zainab Irfan Challengers: Fizza Fiaz (captain), Memoona Khalid (vice-captain), Aleena Aslam Shah, Esha Tir Razia, Farya Sadaqat, Huba Nadeem, Laiba Karim, Mahnoor, Mahnoor Zeb, Maryam Ahmed, Pakeeza Shabbir, Sualeha Haroon (wk), Urooj Gul, Zainab Fatima (wk), Zala Ali. Strikers: Ravail Farhan (captain), Ifrah Mehroz (vice-captain), Adieyah Noor, Areeba Noor (wk), Areesha Ansari (wk), Maria, Meerab Shaikh, Minahil binte Nasrullah, Raima Imran, Samia Ashraf, Shahar Bano, Toufeeq Fatima, Ume Mayesha, Zahra Ali, Zainab Khanam Stars: Komal Khan (captain, wk), Aqsa Habib (vice-captain), Afsheen Khan, Alishba Yaseen, Anfal Malik, Barirah Saif, Emaan Afridi (wk), Fizza Ameen, Mehak Arif, Meerab Khan, Nabiha Amir, Qamrosh Farhan, Rozina Akram, Rukhsar Arif, Sawera Ramzan. Invincibles: Zoofishan Ayyaz (captain), Alzoha Hammad (vice-captain), Aashal Saeed (wk), Anaya Khan, Anosha Karim, Asma Bint-e-Azad, Ayesha Imran Riaz, Laraib Nizakat, Lubaba Mahmood, Maha Abbas, Maham Nazakat, Maryam Fatima (wk), Minahil Parvaiz, Quratulain Zehra, Raahima Syed Tournament Schedule (All matches to begin at 9.30am PKT) First leg – 30-over matches 20 August Invincibles v Stars at NBP Sports Complex Challengers v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground 21 August Strikers v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex Challengers v Stars at HPC Oval Ground 23 August Invincibles v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Conquerors v Stars at HPC Oval Ground 24 August Challengers v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Invincibles v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground 26 August Stars v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Invincibles v Challengers at HPC Oval Ground Second leg – 20-over matches 27 August Invincibles v Stars at HPC Oval Ground Challengers v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex 29 August Strikers v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground Challengers v Stars at NBP Sports Complex 30 August Invincibles v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Conquerors v Stars at NBP Sports Complex 1 September Challengers v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Invincibles v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex 2 September Stars v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Invincibles v Challengers at NBP Sports Complex 4 September – Final Top two teams – Venue – TBC

Former Australia head coach Justin Langer has dismissed speculation linking him with England’s vacant Test coaching position, saying he has not been contacted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Langer’s name has been widely mentioned as one of the possible candidates after England began searching for a new Test coach following Brendon McCullum’s exit from the role. Despite the growing rumours, the former Australian opener made it clear that no discussions have taken place. Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Langer addressed the reports and denied that the ECB had approached him about the position. “I haven’t heard from anyone,” Langer said. “A lot of what you read is simply speculation and rumours.” Although he ruled out any current talks with England, Langer admitted that the position is among the most sought-after coaching jobs in international cricket. He believes any experienced coach would naturally be interested in considering such an opportunity if it became available. According to Langer, there are only a handful of coaching positions that stand above the rest in world cricket. He identified the head coaching roles of Australia, India and England as the biggest jobs in the game, while stressing that discussions about his future remain entirely hypothetical. The 54-year-old also described coaching as a professional career in which individuals regularly assess opportunities that may arise. However, he emphasized that there has been no contact regarding England’s vacancy. England are currently looking for a new Test coach after deciding to return to a split-coaching structure. Under the revised setup, Brendon McCullum will continue overseeing England’s white-ball teams, while a separate coach will take charge of the Test side. Several prominent names have reportedly been linked with the position. Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming is believed to be among the leading contenders, while former England spinner Richard Dawson, ex-England batter Jonathan Trott and Australian coach Tom Moody have also been mentioned as possible candidates. Former England opener Marcus Trescothick has reportedly emerged as an option for an interim appointment ahead of England’s upcoming Test series against Pakistan, which is scheduled to begin on August 19. Meanwhile, former England head coach Andy Flower has already ruled himself out of contention. Flower recently stated that he remains fully committed to his coaching responsibilities with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and London Spirit, making it unlikely that he will return to the England setup. Langer also shared his thoughts on the qualities required for whoever eventually takes over England’s Test team. He believes the successful candidate will need to work closely with McCullum under the new coaching structure while maintaining a clear vision and strong leadership. He added that building an effective support staff and creating a unified direction for the team will be essential for long-term success. While Langer said he has no idea who will ultimately be appointed, he believes the next England Test coach will face an important challenge in guiding one of cricket’s leading sides through a new era.

West Indies defeated Pakistan by 90 runs in the first Test of the two-match series on Tuesday. Pakistan failed to chase down a target of 211 runs. The national team was bowled out for just 120 runs in its second innings. The match was played at the Brian Lara Academy in Tarouba. Pakistan’s batters struggled badly on a difficult pitch. The West Indies fast bowlers maintained constant pressure throughout the innings. Pakistan began their chase with hopes of securing a win. However, the batting line-up collapsed quickly. Eight Pakistani batters failed to score in double figures. Captain Babar Azam was the only batter who offered strong resistance. He remained unbeaten on 58 runs. However, he received little support from the other end. Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq and Shan Masood were dismissed for three runs each. Ali Usman scored two runs. Khurram Shahzad made four runs. Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal and Mohammad Ali were dismissed without scoring. The repeated fall of wickets left Pakistan in serious trouble. Earlier, West Indies resumed their second innings on the fourth day at 126 for seven. Their batters added 55 more runs before being bowled out for 181. West Indies entered the second innings with a 29-run lead from the first innings. That advantage proved crucial. It allowed the hosts to set Pakistan a target of 211 runs for victory. Pakistan’s batters found the target extremely difficult to chase. The pitch offered assistance to the bowlers. West Indies used the conditions effectively and kept taking wickets at regular intervals. The visitors had earlier scored 282 runs in their first innings. Shan Masood was Pakistan’s leading batter. He scored an impressive 109 runs. Imam-ul-Haq also made an important contribution. He scored 63 runs. However, the rest of the batting line-up failed to build enough partnerships. Justin Greaves was the standout bowler for West Indies in Pakistan’s first innings. He claimed five wickets and played a key role in restricting Pakistan to 282. West Indies had scored 311 runs in their first innings. Shai Hope was among their top performers. He scored 92 runs and narrowly missed a century. Kavem Hodge also played an important innings. He scored 84 runs and helped West Indies post a competitive total. Pakistan’s Mohammad Ali was the leading bowler in the first innings. He took four wickets. Mohammad Abbas also impressed with the ball and claimed three wickets. The match remained competitive because of the difficult batting conditions. However, West Indies handled the pressure better in the crucial moments. Pakistan’s second-innings collapse eventually handed West Indies a convincing victory. The hosts bowled the visitors out for 120 runs.

Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of France international left-back Lucas Digne from Aston Villa, bringing the experienced defender back to the club more than a decade after his first spell in Paris. The 33-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the French champions. PSG activated Digne’s release clause, with reports putting the transfer fee at around £8.5 million ($11.5m). Digne’s return marks an intriguing new chapter in a career that has taken him across some of Europe’s biggest clubs. He initially joined PSG in 2013 and made 44 appearances before moving on. He subsequently spent time at Roma, Barcelona and Everton before establishing himself as an important figure at Aston Villa. His spell in England ended on a high note. Digne played a significant role in Villa’s successful 2025-26 campaign, helping the club lift the Europa League under manager Unai Emery. The move also comes after an impressive international period. Digne earned his place as France’s preferred left-back during the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup and now arrives in Paris with 64 international caps to his name. For Digne, the transfer is more than simply another move. Returning to his hometown club gives him an opportunity to finish another chapter of his career at a club that has transformed dramatically since his first departure. “I am very honoured to be returning to Paris Saint-Germain,” Digne said, adding that he was impressed by the club’s development and eager to bring his experience to the team. At PSG, Digne is expected to provide experienced competition and cover for first-choice left-back Nuno Mendes. His versatility, international experience and familiarity with the club could make him a valuable squad player. The storyline could become even more compelling this week, with PSG scheduled to face Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on August 12. Digne could potentially make his PSG return against his former side. The reunion promises an unusual twist: Digne could soon find himself lining up against the club he has only just left.