Kai Sotto overcomes comeback jitters in Gilas Pilipinas win

  TAROUBA: Pakistan’s batting line-up came under early pressure as the visitors slipped to 25-3 while chasing a target of 211 against the West Indies on the fourth day of the opening Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Tuesday. West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales made an immediate impact with the new ball, removing Pakistan’s top order during an impressive opening spell. His early breakthroughs left the tourists struggling before lunch and handed the hosts complete control of the contest. Pakistan’s chase began on a disappointing note when opener Imam-ul-Haq was dismissed for just five runs. Azan Awais also failed to settle at the crease, contributing only three runs before returning to the pavilion. With both openers dismissed inside the first five overs, Pakistan found themselves under significant pressure at 21-2. Seales continued his destructive spell by trapping Salman Ali Agha leg before wicket without allowing him to score. The dismissal reduced Pakistan to 25-3, placing the visitors in a difficult position with a challenging target still well out of reach. Experienced batter Babar Azam then joined wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan in an attempt to stabilize the innings. The pair negotiated the remaining overs of the morning session without losing another wicket, providing Pakistan with some much-needed resistance after the early collapse. Earlier in the day, Pakistan’s bowlers wrapped up the West Indies’ second innings for 181, setting a victory target of 211. Veteran fast bowler Mohammad Abbas starred with the ball, producing another outstanding spell to claim his seventh five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The West Indies resumed play at 126-7, hoping their lower order could stretch the lead and make Pakistan’s chase more difficult. Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach responded with an aggressive counterattack, frustrating the Pakistani bowlers with a valuable lower-order partnership. The pair added 28 runs during the morning session to extend their stand to 61 runs. Their attacking approach pushed the West Indies’ overall lead beyond 180 runs, strengthening the hosts’ position in the match. Shamar Joseph played an entertaining innings, scoring 38 runs from just 27 deliveries. His knock featured four towering sixes and one boundary, allowing the West Indies to score valuable quick runs before Pakistan finally broke the partnership. Mohammad Ali provided the breakthrough by deceiving Joseph with a slower delivery, bringing an end to the dangerous stand. Despite the dismissal, the West Indies tail continued to add useful runs as Kemar Roach and Jomel Warrican frustrated Pakistan with another steady partnership. Roach contributed 18 runs before becoming Mohammad Abbas’ fourth victim of the innings. Warrican also added an important 14 runs, helping the West Indies move their lead closer to the 200-run mark. Abbas then completed the innings by dismissing Warrican, finishing with exceptional figures of 5 wickets for 22 runs in 15.5 overs. His disciplined pace bowling proved crucial in preventing the West Indies from posting an even bigger target. Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad also played important supporting roles with the ball. Ali picked up two wickets in his 14-over spell, while Khurram Shahzad claimed two scalps after bowling 15 overs. Although Pakistan succeeded in restricting the West Indies to 181 in the second innings, the visitors’ difficult start with the bat shifted the momentum back in favour of the home side. With Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan at the crease, Pakistan will rely heavily on their experienced pair to steer the chase and keep hopes of victory alive as the first Test heads toward an exciting finish.

MULTAN: Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi believes the National Champions Cup 2026 has played an important role in helping the national selectors assess players ahead of the ICC World Cup 2027. Shaheen, who led Pakistan Gold during the tournament, said the competition provided valuable opportunities to examine the fitness, form and potential of players who could become part of Pakistan’s ODI plans. Pakistan Gold endured a difficult start, losing their opening two matches, but produced a convincing turnaround against Pakistan Whites. Shaheen spearheaded the bowling attack, taking three wickets as Whites were dismissed for 172. Gold then chased down the target comfortably in the 28th over to secure a place in the final on the basis of a superior net run rate. They finished level on two points with Pakistan Blues and Whites but advanced because of their better NRR. Speaking to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s digital platform, Shaheen admitted that his team had struggled initially but said the players responded when qualification was still within reach. “The first two games were not in our favour, but we then sensed an opportunity to qualify,” he said, explaining that the team had decided to bowl first against Whites to maximise their chances. Shaheen praised his teammates for their disciplined display and singled out Fakhar Zaman for his impressive batting during the tournament. He also highlighted the broader importance of the Champions Cup, saying the competition allowed Pakistan to test players in competitive conditions rather than relying solely on domestic performances. “The tournament has been very good,” Shaheen said, noting that several close matches had provided valuable experience. According to the left-arm pacer, the event also helped the team management gauge players’ fitness levels and evaluate the available talent pool. With the 2027 World Cup approaching, Shaheen believes the Champions Cup has therefore served as more than just a domestic competition. It has offered Pakistan an early opportunity to identify reliable options, build depth and prepare a stronger ODI squad for the global event.

Pakistan red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has hinted at possible changes to the playing XI for the second Test following the team’s 90-run defeat to the West Indies in the series opener. Speaking after the match, Sarfaraz admitted that Pakistan’s batting performance fell well below expectations, particularly in the second innings, where the side once again failed to build meaningful partnerships. He described the batting collapse as the biggest factor behind the defeat and stressed that the team must improve if it hopes to level the series. The coach said Pakistan had a valuable opportunity to take control of the match by securing a first-innings lead but failed to capitalize on the advantage. According to him, the missed opportunity shifted the momentum in favour of the hosts and made the chase in the fourth innings significantly more difficult. Sarfaraz also reflected on the dismissal of opener Imam-ul-Haq, saying the left-hander had looked comfortable at the crease and was batting well before losing his wicket. He believed that had Imam shown a little more patience, Pakistan could have built a stronger foundation and put themselves in a better position to challenge the target. The head coach also expressed disappointment with the team’s bowling effort on the third day of the Test. He pointed to the 61-run partnership for the eighth wicket by the West Indies, saying Pakistan should not have allowed the lower-order batters to add crucial runs. He noted that those extra runs eventually proved significant in the context of the match. Despite criticism over Pakistan’s team selection, Sarfaraz defended the decision to field five specialist bowlers. He said the management had carefully assessed the playing conditions before finalizing the combination and believed it was the right approach based on the nature of the pitch. “We selected the side after evaluating the conditions and felt that playing five bowlers gave us the best chance of taking 20 wickets,” he said, adding that the execution on the field ultimately mattered more than the team composition. Looking ahead to the second Test, Sarfaraz confirmed that changes remain a possibility as the coaching staff reviews the team’s performance. He revealed that middle-order batter Saud Shakeel and opener Abdullah Shafique are still under consideration for selection. However, he made it clear that no final decision has been taken regarding the playing XI. The coaching staff will assess the match situation, the expected pitch conditions and the overall balance of the side before naming the team for the second Test. Pakistan will now look to regroup quickly after the disappointing start to the series, with the second Test offering an opportunity to bounce back and keep the contest alive. Team management will be hoping that both the batting and bowling units respond positively after a below-par performance in the opening match.

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.