Gilas Pilipinas lineup vs Jordan, Iran set; RJ Abarrientos cut

Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has added another major milestone to his glittering career, equalling a historic record previously held by legendary captain Imran Khan after being named Player of the Series against the West Indies. Babar shared the award with West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves after Pakistan fought back to level the two-match Test series 1-1 with an impressive eight-wicket victory in the second Test. The right-handed batter was Pakistan’s standout performer throughout the series, scoring 193 runs in four innings at an outstanding average of 96.50, making him the leading run-scorer of the contest. His consistent contributions proved crucial as Pakistan recovered from defeat in the opening Test to finish the series on level terms. Babar began the series with 23 runs in the first innings of the opening Test before producing a composed half-century in the second innings. He then followed it with a fluent 88 in the first innings of the second Test and remained unbeaten on 24 off 30 balls in the final innings, helping Pakistan complete a comfortable chase. The shared Player of the Series honour marked the first such award of Babar’s Test career and the 10th of his international career, placing him alongside Pakistan’s greatest cricketing icons. Before this achievement, Babar had won five Player of the Series awards in T20 Internationals and four in One-Day Internationals. His latest success means he has now equalled Imran Khan and Wasim Akram, who also finished their illustrious international careers with 10 Player of the Series awards each. Former fast-bowling great Waqar Younis occupies fourth place on Pakistan’s all-time list with nine awards. The latest milestone further strengthens Babar’s legacy as one of Pakistan’s finest modern-day cricketers. Having already established himself among the country’s leading batters across formats, the 31-year-old continues to rewrite record books while leading the national Test side, proving once again that consistency and class remain the hallmarks of his career.

ROME: Gennaro Gattuso’s highly anticipated start as Lazio coach turned into a nightmare on Sunday as the Serie A side suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to second-tier Mantova and crashed out of the Italian Cup. Gattuso, 48, took charge of Lazio in July, hoping to revive a club that came agonisingly close to lifting the trophy last season. Instead, his first competitive match ended with an early elimination and raised immediate questions about the team’s readiness for the new campaign. Mantova, who play outside Italy’s top flight, stunned the home crowd with a disciplined performance and took full advantage of Lazio’s struggles. The result made Lazio the only one of the 12 Serie A clubs entering the last 64 to be eliminated at this stage. The defeat is particularly painful given Lazio’s recent Italian Cup history. The seven-time winners reached last season’s final but lost to Inter Milan in May, narrowly missing the chance to add another trophy to their collection. For Gattuso, the setback is another difficult chapter in a coaching career that has yet to match the success he enjoyed as a player. A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, Gattuso spent 13 successful years at AC Milan between 1999 and 2012. During that period, he won two Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies and established himself as one of Europe’s most respected midfielders. His managerial career has included spells with Fiorentina, Valencia, Napoli and Marseille, but major silverware has remained elusive. Gattuso’s appointment at Lazio came just four months after he left his position as Italy coach following the national team’s failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup. The Italian will now have little time to dwell on Sunday’s disappointment, with Lazio’s focus turning to the Serie A campaign. For a coach seeking a fresh start, however, the defeat to Mantova was hardly the opening Gattuso had imagined.

Pakistan’s Better Future football team continued its impressive run at the Norway Cup 2026, battling to a 2-2 draw against Norwegian club Trygg/Lade in their second group-stage match in Oslo. The Karachi-based side, which won the tournament’s Boys Under-15 event last year, once again showed determination and attacking intent as it secured another positive result against international opposition. According to reports from Oslo, Better Future Pakistan produced an energetic performance against Trygg/Lade, with Yasin and Shahid finding the net for the Pakistani team. Both players played a key role in keeping their side level during a competitive encounter. The draw follows an encouraging start to Pakistan’s campaign. Better Future Pakistan opened its Norway Cup 2026 journey with a narrow 1-0 victory over Norwegian club Saudaku, giving the team an early boost in the group standings. The Pakistani youngsters will now turn their attention to their third group match on Wednesday, where another strong performance could strengthen their hopes of progressing further in the competition. Better Future Pakistan’s participation is particularly significant because the team is made up of young footballers from Lyari, Karachi, an area widely associated with Pakistan’s football culture. The players have the opportunity to showcase their talent on an international platform while competing against youth teams from different countries. Last year, the Karachi side made headlines by completing an unbeaten campaign to win the Boys Under-15 event. Their latest performances in Norway suggest that the young players are again determined to make their mark. The Norway Cup is organised under the National Council of Norwegian Children and Youth Organisations, an umbrella body representing more than 100 organisations working for the welfare of children and young people in Norway. The tournament attracts boys’ and girls’ teams from around the world, with many participants travelling independently to compete at one of the world’s major youth football events. For Better Future Pakistan, the competition is about more than results. Each match provides the young players with valuable experience against international opposition and offers a glimpse of the potential emerging from Karachi’s grassroots football scene. With one win and one draw from their opening two group matches, the Pakistani youngsters have made a promising start. Now, all eyes will be on Wednesday’s crucial third group game to see whether Better Future Pakistan can continue its impressive Norway Cup adventure.