PH nails best sepak takraw finish in Asian Games with women’s double silver

HONG KONG: Pakistan’s young squash sensation Umair Arif produced a fighting performance to capture the Under-17 title at the Hong Kong Junior Squash Open on Sunday, overcoming England’s Luke McBride in a thrilling five-game final. Arif recovered from a slow start to defeat McBride 3-2, showing composure and determination when the championship was on the line. The Pakistani teenager struggled in the opening game, losing 4-11 as McBride established early control. But Arif quickly turned the contest around, winning the next two games 11-6 and 11-5 to move within one game of the title. McBride refused to surrender and responded strongly in the fourth game, edging Arif 11-9 to level the match at 2-2 and force a decisive fifth game. With the title hanging in the balance, Arif produced his best squash of the match. He controlled the final game and secured an emphatic 11-4 victory to complete the comeback and lift the Under-17 trophy. The victory adds another promising achievement to Arif’s growing junior career. He has previously represented Pakistan at both the World Junior Squash Championships and Asian Junior Squash Championships, gaining valuable experience against some of the best young players in the sport. Arif is also a fellow of the Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood Foundation, which supports promising young talent. His latest triumph will further raise expectations around his future, particularly as Pakistan continues to nurture a new generation of squash players. The hard-fought Hong Kong final was a reminder of Arif’s fighting spirit — and his ability to respond when the pressure is at its highest.

CHICAGO: A heated Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky matchup has sparked a fresh controversy in the WNBA after Sky guard DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham and later posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on social media. The incident happened during Saturday’s game in Chicago when Cunningham was driving toward the basket on a fast break. Carrington chased her down and struck Cunningham high around the head and neck, sending the Fever guard to the floor. After a video review, officials upgraded the foul to a Flagrant 2, which carries an automatic ejection. Cunningham immediately confronted Carrington before teammates stepped in to separate the players. Carrington later posted the words “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on Threads while tagging the Indiana Fever, bringing a racial dimension to an already tense incident. Cunningham strongly rejected that interpretation after the game. “I think the league is taking care of that. This has nothing to do with race,” Cunningham said, pointing out that she had previously been ejected for a similar incident and accepted the punishment at the time. She also described Carrington’s foul as unnecessary and said she believed there was intent behind the contact. “I’ve never really spoken to her and have no beef with her,” Cunningham said, adding that she believed Carrington had some pent-up frustration. Despite the confrontation, the Fever guard’s coach offered a more measured assessment of the incident. Indiana coach Stephanie White agreed that the Flagrant 2 call was appropriate but said she did not believe Carrington deliberately targeted Cunningham’s neck. White previously coached Carrington during their time with the Connecticut Sun. Carrington’s own coach, Tyler Marsh, also said he initially believed the play was a legitimate attempt to make a defensive play and had not immediately considered it a Flagrant 2. He said the team would address Carrington’s social media post internally. The controversy comes as Cunningham has already attracted considerable attention away from the basketball court because of her public comments about transgender athletes in women’s sports. Her views have prompted both supporters and protesters to appear around Fever games in recent weeks. The game itself ended in a 90-86 victory for Indiana, while Carrington’s early exit dramatically changed the contest. She had scored eight points in only four minutes before being ejected. Cunningham finished with three points in 17 minutes, with all three points coming from the free throws awarded after the flagrant foul. The latest clash adds another chapter to the increasingly intense rivalry surrounding the Fever, which has attracted enormous national attention. For now, the basketball incident has moved beyond the court, with questions about the foul, Carrington’s social media post and the wider debate surrounding Cunningham continuing to generate discussion across the WNBA.

GILGIT: Search and rescue teams resumed their operation on Saturday morning to locate seven climbers who remain missing after a deadly avalanche struck Broad Peak earlier this week. The mission restarted after weather conditions improved, allowing rescuers to return to one of the world’s most challenging mountain environments. The rescue operation had been suspended late Friday because of heavy snowfall, poor visibility and the continuing risk of avalanches. Officials said improving weather conditions enabled both ground and air teams to resume the search. The avalanche occurred on Thursday while a 10-member international expedition was climbing Broad Peak, an 8,047-metre mountain in Pakistan’s Karakoram range. According to regional authorities, the climbers were ascending at an altitude of around 6,600 metres when they were caught in the massive avalanche. Three climbers were confirmed dead after their bodies were recovered on Friday. The deceased were identified as Omani climber Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy, Nepali mountaineer Pur Bahadur Gurung and American climber Mallory Geis. Their bodies were later airlifted to Skardu. Seven climbers are still missing. They include internationally renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja, fellow Nepali climbers Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi and Chinese climber Wang Zhong. According to the local administration, a three-member civilian rescue team led by renowned Pakistani mountaineer Sarbaz Khan resumed the ground search on Saturday morning. Experienced Nepali climbers already stationed at the Broad Peak base camp also joined the rescue effort to assist in locating the missing mountaineers. Pakistan Army helicopters have also been deployed to support the operation. Rescue officials said helicopters are assisting with aerial surveillance, transporting rescue personnel and assessing areas that remain inaccessible by foot. Officials from the Alpine Club of Pakistan said the search operation remains extremely difficult because of steep mountain slopes, unstable snow, harsh weather and the constant threat of further avalanches. These conditions continue to slow rescue efforts and increase risks for search teams. Rescuers have also been using drone technology to scan the mountain. During the operation, drone footage reportedly identified signs of additional climbers at an altitude of around 6,000 metres. Ground teams are attempting to reach the location despite dangerous terrain and difficult weather conditions. The international rescue effort has also received support from renowned Nepali climber Mingma David Sherpa, who travelled to Pakistan to assist in the search for Nirmal Purja and the other missing climbers. Authorities said the expedition team was last in contact on Thursday morning before communication was lost. Data from the climbers’ tracking devices later suggested that several members of the team had been swept hundreds of metres down the mountainside by the avalanche.

BANGKOK: Pakistan secured a significant victory over India at an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting in Bangkok, winning all three seats in the election for ACC directors in a closely fought contest. The meeting, chaired by Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, brought Pakistan- and India-backed panels into direct competition for the three director positions. According to sources, the contest remained tight, but the panel supported by Pakistan emerged victorious in all three seats. The result gives Pakistan an important voice within the regional cricket body as the ACC prepares for several major tournaments and administrative decisions. India was represented at the meeting by Rajeev Shukla. The discussions also turned towards next year’s Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be hosted by Bangladesh. Officials considered possible venues for the tournament, with Sylhet, Mirpur and Chattogram among the grounds discussed for staging matches. The final schedule and venue arrangements are expected to be settled through further consultations. The upcoming Asia Cup is likely to attract considerable attention across the cricketing region, particularly because Pakistan and India remain among the tournament’s biggest draws. Their matches traditionally generate huge interest among fans and broadcasters, making venue planning and tournament logistics especially important. The Bangkok meeting also covered financial and administrative matters. The ACC budget was approved, while preparations for the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai were reviewed. The decisions come as Asian cricket continues to expand its commercial and competitive footprint. With major bilateral and multinational events regularly drawing millions of viewers, the ACC plays a central role in coordinating tournaments, developing the game and managing regional cricketing interests. For Pakistan, the election result represents a notable administrative gain at a time when relations between the two cricket boards remain closely watched. Securing all three director positions backed by its panel strengthens Pakistan’s representation in the ACC and could give it greater influence in future discussions. The Bangladesh-hosted Asia Cup will be one of the key items on the ACC’s calendar next year. While Sylhet, Mirpur and Chattogram have emerged as possible venues, further decisions will be required regarding match allocation, logistics and other tournament arrangements. The latest ACC meeting therefore delivered more than routine administrative decisions for Pakistan. The successful election result, coupled with discussions over the next Asia Cup and women’s tournament, placed Pakistan at the centre of several important developments shaping the future of Asian cricket.