Chiang Rai Gears Up for National Youth Games with Major Equipment Boost

HONG KONG: Pakistan’s women’s netball team made an impressive start to their campaign at the Asian Women’s Netball Plate Division Championship, defeating Japan 58-34 in a commanding opening match. Pakistan controlled the contest from the early stages and never allowed Japan to establish a meaningful lead. The Pakistani players maintained pressure throughout the game, combining disciplined defending with effective attacking moves to keep their opponents on the back foot. The victory gave Pakistan a strong opening to the championship and will provide the team with valuable confidence ahead of their next fixture. Japan struggled to match Pakistan’s intensity as the match progressed. Pakistan’s consistent scoring and organized play helped them build a comfortable advantage, which they maintained until the final whistle. The 24-point victory underlined Pakistan’s determination to make an impact in the competition and build momentum for the matches ahead. The Asian Women’s Netball Plate Division Championship is being held in Hong Kong, bringing together teams competing for honours in the regional event. Pakistan will now turn their attention to their second match of the tournament. Pakistan are scheduled to face Thailand on August 10, with the team hoping to carry the confidence from their convincing victory over Japan into the next encounter. The Pakistani side’s emphatic opening win has put them on a positive footing, while another strong performance against Thailand could further strengthen their position in the tournament. With the campaign now underway, Pakistan will be looking to maintain their winning momentum and continue their impressive run in Hong Kong.

MIAMI: Inter Miami suffered a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Monterrey in the Leagues Cup on Saturday, with Lionel Messi absent as he travelled to Argentina following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. The match began with an emotional tribute to Messi’s father, who died at the age of 68. Both teams observed a minute of silence before kick-off, while Inter Miami expressed its support for their captain and his family. Despite missing their star player, Miami looked set for another positive result after Rodrigo De Paul opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. The Argentine midfielder celebrated in a particularly touching manner, removing his No. 7 shirt to reveal a No. 10 underneath as a tribute to Messi. The hosts carried their 1-0 advantage into half-time, but Monterrey quickly changed the momentum after the break. Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers equalised just two minutes into the second half, putting Miami under increasing pressure. The match appeared destined for a draw until Monterrey delivered a late blow. Uruguayan forward Diego Rossi struck in the 90th minute to complete Monterrey’s comeback and leave Inter Miami empty-handed. The defeat comes after Miami opened their Leagues Cup campaign with a convincing 4-2 victory over Atletico San Luis. The MLS champions will now look to respond when they face Leon on Wednesday. For Messi, however, football understandably took a back seat as he returned to Argentina to be with his family following his father’s death. The emotional night in Miami showed just how much the Argentine captain means to the club, both on and off the pitch.

Persistent rain caused major disruption to professional tennis events in North America on Sunday, forcing officials to suspend the Washington Open women’s final and postpone several matches at the Canadian Open in Toronto and Montreal. The highly anticipated Washington Open women’s singles final between defending champion Jessica Pegula of the United States and rising Philippine star Alexandra Eala was interrupted during the second set after heavy rain made playing conditions unsafe. The match had already faced a delay of nearly three hours before it finally began. Pegula managed to secure the opening set 6-4 after a competitive contest. Eala responded strongly in the second set and had taken a 2-1 lead when rain returned, forcing tournament officials to suspend play. Organisers later confirmed that the final would resume on Monday at 12:00 p.m. local time, with both players returning to complete the unfinished match. The weather also affected the men’s singles final in Washington. The championship clash between American Taylor Fritz and Spain’s Rafael Jodar was postponed and rescheduled for Monday, with organisers announcing that the match would begin no earlier than 1:00 p.m. local time after the completion of the women’s final. Tournament officials issued an update through social media, informing fans that all remaining matches scheduled for Sunday evening had been cancelled because of the adverse weather conditions. Meanwhile, the Canadian Open also experienced significant interruptions as rain swept across both host cities. The prestigious tournament, running from August 1 to August 14, features the women’s competition in Toronto and the men’s event in Montreal. In Toronto, action on the Grandstand Court was suspended during the women’s singles match between Poland’s Magdalena Frech and France’s Leolia Jeanjean. After monitoring the weather, officials decided to cancel the remainder of Sunday’s schedule, assuring spectators that play would resume once conditions improved. Tournament organisers expressed optimism despite the disruption, saying they expected clear weather for the following day and looked forward to restarting the competition. Montreal faced similar challenges, with rain first delaying several daytime matches before worsening conditions forced organisers to cancel the entire evening session as well.

MULTAN: Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson has arrived in Multan for the National Champions Cup, where he held an important meeting with the coaching staff of all four participating teams as the domestic tournament gets ready to kick off the 2026-27 season. Hesson met the head coaches of the four sides — Misbah-ul-Haq, Ijaz Junior, Iqbal Imam and Aizaz Cheema — to discuss ways of improving players’ one-day cricket skills and ensuring that the tournament serves as a meaningful platform for national selection and development. Pakistan bowling coach Ashley Noffke and National Cricket Academy (NCA) Head of Coach Education Shahid Aslam also attended the meeting, adding further weight to discussions around player development and coaching standards. The meeting comes at an important time for Pakistan cricket, with the Champions Cup being viewed as the first major step towards preparations for next year’s World Cup in South Africa. Hesson’s presence in Multan signals the national team management’s focus on closely monitoring domestic performances while identifying players capable of making the jump to international cricket. Particular attention is expected to be given to players’ consistency, tactical awareness and ability to handle pressure in the 50-over format. The tournament will also provide coaches with an opportunity to assess emerging talent in a competitive environment. The National Champions Cup will begin on August 11, coinciding with the official start of Pakistan’s 2026-27 domestic cricket season. With the World Cup on the horizon, the tournament could prove crucial in shaping Pakistan’s next generation of one-day performers.