Kai Sotto denies Jordan as Gilas Pilipinas gets World Cup bid back on track

Pakistan’s hopes of securing an individual title at the World Junior Squash Championships came to an end after all four of its players were eliminated from the tournament, with Nauman Khan becoming the last Pakistani to exit following a straight-games defeat to Egypt’s top seed and defending champion Mohamed Zakaria. The 12-day championship, currently underway in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, saw Nauman face one of the tournament’s toughest opponents in the pre-quarterfinals. Zakaria displayed his class from the opening game, comfortably defeating the Pakistani youngster 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 to book his place in the quarterfinals. Nauman had carried Pakistan’s final hopes in the individual competition after progressing further than his teammates, but the Egyptian star’s experience and attacking game proved too strong on the day. Earlier in the tournament, Pakistan’s Mohammad Umair Arif, Yahya Khan, and Abdullah Nawaz were all knocked out in the Round of 32, leaving Nauman as the country’s lone remaining contender. His defeat officially ended Pakistan’s campaign in the individual event without a player reaching the medal rounds. Egypt once again underlined its dominance in world junior squash, with defending champion Zakaria continuing his title defense in impressive fashion. The youngster controlled every stage of the match, forcing errors from Nauman and maintaining his unbeaten run in the competition. Although the individual event has ended in disappointment for Pakistan, attention now shifts to the team competition, which is scheduled to begin on July 26. The team event offers Pakistan another opportunity to make an impact on the international stage and restore confidence after a difficult singles campaign. Coaches are expected to regroup the squad and focus on collective performances as the tournament enters its next phase. Pakistan has a proud history in world squash, having produced legendary champions who once dominated the sport. While recent years have brought challenges at the international level, the country’s young players continue to gain valuable exposure by competing against the world’s best juniors. The upcoming team event will provide another chance for Pakistan’s rising talents to test themselves against leading squash nations and finish the championship on a stronger note after an early exit from the individual competition.

MONTREAL: French Open champion Alexander Zverev suffered a surprise early exit from the ATP Montreal Masters after falling 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-4 to Dutch underdog Tallon Griekspoor in a dramatic second-round clash on Wednesday. The top-seeded German entered the tournament hoping to bounce back from his Wimbledon final defeat to Jannik Sinner, but instead endured one of the toughest losses of his season. Despite claiming a tightly contested opening-set tiebreak, Zverev struggled to maintain his rhythm as Griekspoor mounted an impressive comeback. The world No. 69 displayed remarkable composure and consistency, taking control in the second set before sealing the biggest victory of his campaign after two hours and 34 minutes of intense tennis. A visibly disappointed Zverev did not hide his frustration after the match. “I didn’t expect to play well, but I also didn’t expect to play this badly,” the German admitted. “This was probably the worst match of the season. Tennis has its ups and downs, and now it’s about finding my best level again.” The defeat marked Zverev’s first match since finishing runner-up to Sinner at Wimbledon and brought an abrupt end to his Montreal campaign. Griekspoor’s reward is a place in the third round, where he will meet the winner of the match between Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi and Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan. The tournament had already witnessed another setback for the top seeds after second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime withdrew before his opening match because of a back injury sustained during training earlier this week. Despite the disappointing result in Montreal, Zverev has enjoyed an impressive 2026 season. He reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Munich, finished runner-up in Madrid, and captured his maiden Grand Slam singles title at the French Open. However, his latest defeat serves as a reminder that even the game’s biggest stars can face unexpected setbacks as the North American hard-court season gathers momentum.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s rising taekwondo star Ehsan Mehsud delivered an outstanding performance at an international taekwondo championship in Thailand, securing the gold medal after defeating opponents from Kazakhstan, India, and Sri Lanka in an impressive campaign. Mehsud began his journey in the tournament with a confident victory over a strong competitor from Kazakhstan in the opening round, setting the tone for what would become a memorable performance. His speed, tactical awareness, and attacking style earned him a place in the next stage of the competition. The Pakistani athlete continued his winning momentum in the semi-final, where he faced a formidable opponent from India. Displaying remarkable discipline and technical skill, Mehsud outclassed his rival to book a place in the championship final. In the title clash, Mehsud took on a Sri Lankan athlete and produced another dominant display. Maintaining control throughout the contest, he secured victory to claim the gold medal, bringing international recognition to Pakistan and proudly raising the country’s green crescent flag at the medal ceremony. Speaking after his triumph, Mehsud dedicated the gold medal to the people of Pakistan. He expressed gratitude to Almighty Allah for blessing him with success and thanked his parents for their unwavering prayers and support throughout his sporting journey. The champion said the achievement belonged to the entire nation and hoped his victory would inspire more young athletes to pursue taekwondo and represent Pakistan with pride on the international stage.

Jos Buttler has etched his name into cricket history after becoming the highest run-scorer in T20 cricket, surpassing West Indies great Kieron Pollard during a stunning innings in The Hundred. The England white-ball star achieved the remarkable milestone while representing Manchester Super Giants against Welsh Fire, producing a blistering knock filled with powerful sixes. Since innings in The Hundred are officially considered equivalent to 20-over matches for career statistical purposes, Buttler’s runs count toward T20 records. Speaking after the match, Buttler described the achievement as one of the proudest moments of his career. “To become the highest run-scorer in the history of T20 cricket is a fantastic and proud moment,” he said. “Records are made to be broken, and one day someone else will surely surpass this one.” The England batter also reflected on his recent struggles, recalling the criticism he faced following a lean run of form and an underwhelming T20 World Cup campaign. “Cricket changes very quickly,” Buttler said. “A few months ago I was searching for form, and today I’m probably playing some of my best cricket. When you’re out of form, you have two choices—you either give up or fight your way back.” Buttler’s rise to the top is even more impressive considering the number of matches he required. The 35-year-old broke Pollard’s long-standing record after playing 521 T20 matches, while the former West Indies all-rounder had amassed 14,803 runs in 746 matches. The all-time T20 run-scoring list now sees Chris Gayle in third place with 14,562 runs, followed by England’s James Vince, who has accumulated 14,449 runs. Among Pakistani players, veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik remains the country’s leading T20 run-scorer with 13,571 runs in 557 matches, underlining his remarkable consistency across franchise and international cricket. Buttler’s latest feat reinforces his status as one of the finest white-ball batters of his generation, adding another landmark to an already glittering career and proving that determination and resilience can rewrite cricket history.

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.

DAMBULLA: A sensational unbeaten century from opener Ameesha Delani powered Sri Lanka Women to a commanding six-wicket victory over Pakistan Women in the opening T20 International of the three-match series on Friday, overshadowing impressive batting performances from Pakistan captain Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar. After winning the toss, Sri Lanka elected to bowl first, allowing Pakistan to make a confident start. Captain Muneeba Ali led from the front with a blistering 42 off just 24 balls, striking nine boundaries during a 66-run opening partnership that gave the visitors early momentum. Following Muneeba’s dismissal, Shawaal Zulfiqar anchored the innings with a composed 63 runs, while Iman Nasir contributed 21 during a valuable 61-run stand for the second wicket. However, Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals in the closing overs and finished on 176 for 7 from their allotted 20 overs. For Sri Lanka, Kavisha Dilhari claimed two wickets, while Kavya Kavindi, Sugandika Kumari and Chamudi Praboda picked up one wicket each to restrict Pakistan from crossing the 180-run mark. In reply, Sri Lanka produced an even stronger batting display. Opener Ameesha Delani stole the spotlight with a magnificent unbeaten 101, combining aggressive stroke play with calm composure to guide her team to victory with an over to spare. Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu provided excellent support with 39 runs as the hosts comfortably chased down the 177-run target, finishing on 177 for 4 in 19 overs. Pakistan’s bowlers struggled to contain the Sri Lankan batters despite efforts from Nashra Sandhu, who claimed two wickets. Humna Bilal and Umm-e-Hani took one wicket each but were unable to prevent the hosts from taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The defeat leaves Pakistan needing a strong response in the second T20I, scheduled for August 2, to keep the series alive before the final match on August 4. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will head into the next game full of confidence after a dominant all-round performance led by Delani’s match-winning century.