Young Skaters from Chiang Rai Win Silver at the 2026 Thailand Inline Skating Championships

KARACHI: Pakistan’s next generation of women cricketers will get a major opportunity to showcase their talent when the National Women’s U19 Tournament begins in Karachi on Thursday, with 75 players from 24 cities set to compete in a two-format competition. Organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the tournament will be held from August 20 to September 4 at the NBP Sports Complex and HPC Oval Ground. Five teams — Conquerors, Challengers, Strikers, Stars and Invincibles — will compete in a double round-robin league. Each side will play eight matches, with the top two teams progressing to the final. The competition will introduce players to both 30-over and Twenty20 cricket. The opening 10 matches will be played over 30 overs, while the remaining 10 league games and the September 4 final will be contested in the T20 format. Fizza Fiaz will captain Challengers, while Samiya Afsar, Ravail Farhan, Komal Khan and Zoofishan Ayyaz will lead Conquerors, Strikers, Stars and Invincibles respectively. The squads arrived in Karachi on August 16 and completed three days of training ahead of the tournament. Several players earned selection through trials conducted by the women’s national selection committee in different parts of the country. Members of Pakistan’s U19 squad that recently featured in a five-match T20 series against South Africa will also take part, giving the tournament an additional competitive edge. Beyond the title, the event is designed as an important pathway for identifying players who could represent Pakistan at upcoming international competitions, including the ACC Women’s U19 Asia Cup and ICC Women’s U19 World Cup. The tournament also carries a financial incentive. The champions will receive Rs1 million, while the runners-up will earn Rs750,000. All league matches are scheduled to begin at 9:30am Pakistan time, giving fans and selectors an early look at some of the country’s emerging women’s cricket talent. National Women’s U19 Tournament 2026-27 – squads Conquerors: Samiya Afsar (captain), Nasreen Ashraf (vice-captain, wk), Abeera Riaz, Areeqa Fatima, Amna Shahnawaz, Eashal Emaan, Eeshal Saif (wk), Hadia Mina, Mah Noor, Malaika Suhani, Maryam Sajjad, Narjis Bibi, Nasreen Ashraf (vice-captain, wk), Noor-e-Sahar, Syeda Batool Fatima, Zainab Irfan Challengers: Fizza Fiaz (captain), Memoona Khalid (vice-captain), Aleena Aslam Shah, Esha Tir Razia, Farya Sadaqat, Huba Nadeem, Laiba Karim, Mahnoor, Mahnoor Zeb, Maryam Ahmed, Pakeeza Shabbir, Sualeha Haroon (wk), Urooj Gul, Zainab Fatima (wk), Zala Ali. Strikers: Ravail Farhan (captain), Ifrah Mehroz (vice-captain), Adieyah Noor, Areeba Noor (wk), Areesha Ansari (wk), Maria, Meerab Shaikh, Minahil binte Nasrullah, Raima Imran, Samia Ashraf, Shahar Bano, Toufeeq Fatima, Ume Mayesha, Zahra Ali, Zainab Khanam Stars: Komal Khan (captain, wk), Aqsa Habib (vice-captain), Afsheen Khan, Alishba Yaseen, Anfal Malik, Barirah Saif, Emaan Afridi (wk), Fizza Ameen, Mehak Arif, Meerab Khan, Nabiha Amir, Qamrosh Farhan, Rozina Akram, Rukhsar Arif, Sawera Ramzan. Invincibles: Zoofishan Ayyaz (captain), Alzoha Hammad (vice-captain), Aashal Saeed (wk), Anaya Khan, Anosha Karim, Asma Bint-e-Azad, Ayesha Imran Riaz, Laraib Nizakat, Lubaba Mahmood, Maha Abbas, Maham Nazakat, Maryam Fatima (wk), Minahil Parvaiz, Quratulain Zehra, Raahima Syed Tournament Schedule (All matches to begin at 9.30am PKT) First leg – 30-over matches 20 August Invincibles v Stars at NBP Sports Complex Challengers v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground 21 August Strikers v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex Challengers v Stars at HPC Oval Ground 23 August Invincibles v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Conquerors v Stars at HPC Oval Ground 24 August Challengers v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Invincibles v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground 26 August Stars v Strikers at NBP Sports Complex Invincibles v Challengers at HPC Oval Ground Second leg – 20-over matches 27 August Invincibles v Stars at HPC Oval Ground Challengers v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex 29 August Strikers v Conquerors at HPC Oval Ground Challengers v Stars at NBP Sports Complex 30 August Invincibles v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Conquerors v Stars at NBP Sports Complex 1 September Challengers v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Invincibles v Conquerors at NBP Sports Complex 2 September Stars v Strikers at HPC Oval Ground Invincibles v Challengers at NBP Sports Complex 4 September – Final Top two teams – Venue – TBC

DHAKA: Bangladesh cricket star and former lawmaker Shakib Al Hasan has said he is prepared to return home from exile, face ongoing court proceedings and play a farewell series if the government guarantees his safety. Shakib, 39, has been living in the United States since the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government following a deadly student-led uprising in August 2024. The former Bangladesh captain remains politically linked to Hasina’s Awami League, having previously served as a lawmaker from the party. He is currently facing criminal cases in Bangladesh, including one related to the alleged killing of a protester and another involving anti-corruption authorities. Speaking to Reuters from Sri Lanka, where he is playing franchise cricket, Shakib said he wanted to return and was willing to appear before the courts. He said he would go back if the government formally assured him that adequate security would be provided. Shakib maintained that he had not committed any wrongdoing and described the murder case against him as baseless. He said the case was filed on a day in August 2024 when he was playing a match in Toronto. The cricketer also said he had previously attempted to return to Bangladesh. In late 2024, he boarded a flight after receiving assurances that he would be protected, but was reportedly instructed to turn back while the journey was underway. He eventually landed in Dubai before returning to the United States. Shakib said another planned return was blocked after he posted a birthday message for Hasina. He questioned why such a social media post should prevent him from entering his own country. The former captain also rejected suggestions that he should distance himself from Hasina or the Awami League to facilitate his return. Shakib recently appeared virtually at a press conference in Delhi alongside Hasina. Following the event, his vacant home in Bangladesh was reportedly attacked. He defended his participation, saying his message was focused on peace and Bangladesh’s progress. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said Shakib must face the legal process like any other accused person and surrender before Bangladeshi courts. Meanwhile, Shakib said he still hopes to represent Bangladesh in a farewell series and possibly play at the 2027 ODI World Cup. He acknowledged that retirement was approaching but said he remained physically fit and continued to enjoy playing cricket. The cricketer also revealed that his bank accounts had been frozen for around 18 months during investigations. He said he had not seen his parents in Bangladesh for nearly two years.

India captain Shubman Gill has reclaimed the No.1 position in the ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings after an outstanding run of form in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England. The right-handed opener produced another impressive performance with the bat, scoring a total of 188 runs across the series. His consistency at the top of the order helped him climb back to the summit of the rankings, marking the third time in his international career that he has occupied the top spot among ODI batters. Gill’s return to the top was also influenced by New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell, who missed the final two matches of his team’s ODI series against the West Indies because of injury. Mitchell’s absence prevented him from adding to his ranking points, allowing Gill to move ahead in the latest ICC update. The latest rankings also featured significant movements in both the batting and bowling charts across ODI and T20I cricket. Namibia spinner Bernard Scholtz emerged as one of the biggest gainers in the ODI bowling rankings. The experienced left-arm spinner climbed five places to seventh after delivering a series of impressive performances during Namibia’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series campaign in Utrecht against Nepal and the Netherlands. His consistent wicket-taking ability played a crucial role in Namibia’s successful campaign and earned him a place among the world’s leading ODI bowlers. Meanwhile, India’s teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continued his remarkable rise on the international stage. The youngster was named Player of the Series after a brilliant display in India’s T20I series against Zimbabwe. He scored 151 runs in just three innings while maintaining a stunning strike rate of 196.10, underlining his aggressive approach at the crease. Having played only six T20 internationals so far, Sooryavanshi made one of the biggest jumps in the latest rankings, soaring 230 places to reach 48th in the ICC Men’s T20I batting rankings. His rapid progress highlights his growing reputation as one of India’s most exciting young talents. India also enjoyed success elsewhere in the T20I batting rankings. Tilak Varma moved up two places to sixth after continuing his consistent performances in the shortest format, while Shreyas Iyer climbed seven positions to reach 24th following a productive series. The bowling rankings also witnessed notable changes. Zimbabwe fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani gained 10 places to move into 26th position after delivering impactful performances with the new ball. India leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi also registered one of the biggest improvements of the week, jumping 31 places to claim the 41st spot in the T20I bowling rankings. The latest ICC rankings reflect recent performances across international cricket, with several players making significant progress through consistent displays. While Gill’s return to the top of the ODI batting rankings remains the biggest headline, the rise of emerging talents such as Sooryavanshi and the continued progress of bowlers like Scholtz, Muzarabani and Bishnoi highlight the growing competition across all formats of the game.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s rising boxing star Fatima Zahra has created history by guaranteeing the country’s first medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after a commanding 5-0 victory over Jordan Wilson of New Zealand in the women’s 60kg quarter-final. Fatima delivered another dominant performance to book her place in the semi-finals, ensuring at least a bronze medal for Pakistan. She began her campaign with an impressive opening-round victory over Real Ebuoha of Lesotho, where the referee stopped the contest early after Fatima completely outclassed her opponent. With back-to-back dominant wins, Fatima has emerged as one of Pakistan’s standout athletes at the Games. Her remarkable achievement also makes her the first Pakistani woman in history to win a boxing medal at the Commonwealth Games. The historic feat marks a major milestone for women’s boxing in Pakistan and is expected to inspire a new generation of female athletes across the country.