World | Pakistan

Abyan Amir was reporting live from R. Premadasa Stadium. India eventually finished the match with a comfortable win but at the halfway mark it could have been anyone’s game. The hosts were bowled for a below par 247 but in the end that turned out to be too much for the Pakistani batters who folded for 159. There were plenty of stops in between due to bugs, fumigation and the humidity causing frequent drink breaks. Diana Baig ended up with four wickets and cleaned up India’s tail as well but it was captain Fatima Sana who shifted the momentum after a good start for India in the power play. Pakistan go into the next encounter with Australia on the 8th with losses next to their name. Fatima Sana’s players need some introspection to their batting approach if they are to compete to go into the next stage of the World Cup. India’s players celebrate their victory at the end of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 one-day international (ODI) match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa International Cricket...

A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has stated that there is “no assurance” that India and Pakistan players will shake hands when the two sides meet during the Women’s World Cup on Sunday, according to the BBC. The development comes days after tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad spilled over onto the cricketing field during the Sept 9-28 Men’s Asia Cup staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), when Indian cricketers refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts during all three clashes in the tournament. The tensions had culminated in India not accepting the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief. The tournament had seen the first cricket matches between the two sides since the military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May after India had launched air strikes in Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir. Pakistan had denied involvement, and the crisis eased following US in...

Pakistan women lost by four wickets against South Africa in their second World Cup warm-up, after the Proteas overcame an early scare on Sunday. South Africa were reeling early in their chase of 229 when pacer Diana Baig took two early wickets, leaving them 27-3 inside six overs. Sune Luus and Anneke Bosch rebuilt the innings and added a 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Chloe Tryon ensured there were no further hiccups for the Proteas Women after losing five wickets with 151 on board, guiding South Africa home with an unbeaten 45. sealing a comfortable win with almost ten overs to spare. Pakistan, batting first, were bowled out for 229 in 46 overs. Captain Fatima Sana top-scored with a terrific 64 laden with 8 boundaries and a six, Batters Sidra Amin and Sidra Nawaz also made useful contributions at the top, being involved in crucial partnerships. However, Pakistan struggled for momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klass secured two wickets each for South Africa...

Seven-time champions Australia will once again be the team to beat in the Women’s World Cup as eight teams prepare to battle it out for the trophy in India and Sri Lanka. England have won four titles and New Zealand one, while Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka will be bidding for their maiden crown. Australia have a shot at cricket history when the Women’s World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, begins on September 30. The tournament presents the defending champion Australians, who won three consecutive titles from 1978-1988, with the chance to become the first team in 36 years to win back-to-back women’s one-day World Cups. They have racked up 26 wins in 30 completed matches since their 2022 World Cup triumph, but captain Alyssa Healy said there would be no complacency. “I think there’s genuinely seven other teams that have a really red-hot opportunity of winning this World Cup,” Healy said at the Captains’ Day event in Bengaluru on Friday. “I’m not going to single anybody out. It’...

The Pakistan women’s team on Wednesday started training for the Women’s Cricket World Cup, in Sri Lanka’s Colombo, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The Women in Green arrived in the Sri Lankan capital late on Tuesday as the tournament is set to start on September 30 in India’s Guwahati. The eight-nation showpiece will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from Sept 30 to Nov 2. However, Pakistan — under an International Cricket Council (ICC) hybrid model decided by the ICC due to political strains between New Delhi and Islamabad — will play all their matches of the event in Colombo. “The team on Wednesday participated in its first training session at the Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium,” APP reported. The session focused on batting, bowling, and fielding under the guidance of head coach Muhammad Wasim, APP added. Before the World Cup begins, Pakistan will play two crucial warm-up matches. Their first encounter will be against Sri Lanka on September 25, followed by a match against South Africa on Septembe...

South Africa sailed their way to an easy victory over Pakistan after chasing down a target of 256 to win by eight wickets in the first one-day international (ODI) of their series in Lahore on Tuesday, in the lead-up to the Women’s World Cup. The World Cup, to be hosted later this month under a hybrid model across India and Sri Lanka, will see all of Pakistan’s fixtures staged in Colombo, with political tensions ruling out travel between the two neighbours. Earlier in the day, veteran batter Sidra Amin smashed a century as The Women in Green set the Proteas a target of 256 to win in the first ODI of the three-match series. South Africa’s reply was led by batters Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp after Sadia Iqbal struck early for the Green Shirts. They remained unbeaten on 101 and 121 respectively as the Proteas chased down a decent total with 10 balls to spare. Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana had won the toss and elected to bat first at the Gaddafi Stadium. Sidra was ably supported by Muneeba Ali as the duo put Pa...

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana said on Monday that her team’s focus was on the Women’s World Cup ahead of the one-day international (ODI) series against South Africa in Lahore. The World Cup, to be hosted later this month under a hybrid model across India and Sri Lanka, will see all of Pakistan’s fixtures staged in Colombo, with political tensions ruling out travel between the two neighbours. Pakistan open their immediate run-in with a three-match ODI series against South Africa in Lahore from Tuesday, following the conclusion of a training camp at the National Cricket Academy and the Gaddafi Stadium. Speaking at the pre-match press conference in Lahore, Fatima said: “The specific aim is to prepare for the World Cup and execute our plans in this series.” “A series like this is very beneficial for the team ahead of the World Cup. It gives the players a good opportunity to put into practice all the preparation they have done in recent times,“ she was quoted as having said by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). She ...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday said the upcoming Women’s Cricket World Cup would feature an all-female panel of umpires and match referees for the first time in the 50-over tournament’s history. “While three recent events — the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the two most recent ICC Women’s T20 World Cups — have featured all-female match official panels, this is the first time in the history of the Women’s World Cup the feat will be achieved,” the ICC said a statement. The 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup is set to be held in India and Sri Lanka from September 30. The tournament would be overseen by a group of 14 umpires, including Claire Polosak, Jacqueline Williams, Sue Redfern, Lauren Agenbag and Kim Cotton. The ICC statement mentioned that Polosak, Williams and Redfern “will be appearing at their third Women’s World Cup” this year while Agenbag and Cotton “will be at their second World Cup”. View this post on Instagram The all-female panel of match officials for the Wor...

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overpowered Amanda Anisimova to defend her US Open crown on Saturday, defeating her American rival in straight sets to clinch the fourth Grand Slam title of her career. Sabalenka ruthlessly attacked Anisimova’s shaky service game to complete a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory on Arthur Ashe Stadium, which cements her status at the pinnacle of women’s tennis. The 27-year-old from Belarus had gone into Saturday’s final knowing it was her last chance to grab a Grand Slam crown in 2025 after agonising losses in the Australian and French Open finals. Sabalenka duly atoned for those defeats to end Anisimova’s hopes of a remarkable redemption just two months after her traumatic 6-0, 6-0 thrashing by Iga Swiatek in the Wimbledon final. “It’s crazy, all those tough lessons were worth it for this one,” said Sabalenka after becoming the first woman to successfully defend the US Open since Serena Williams in 2014. “I’m speechless right now.” Anisimova had won six of nine previous encounters against...

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Powerhouse Australia said it was “up for the challenge” on Friday of winning an unprecedented eighth ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, naming a star-studded squad to defend their title in India and Sri Lanka. Led by Alyssa Healy, the 15-strong line-up features fellow seasoned campaigners Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath and Ashleigh Gardner. Sophie Molineux makes her return from knee surgery in January, while Darcie Brown (quad) and Georgia Wareham (groin) both brushed off recent niggles to take their places. Molineux is among five Australians who will feature in a 50-over World Cup for the first time, alongside opener Phoebe Litchfield who was recently player-of-the-tournament at English cricket’s Hundred. Leg-spinner Wareham, quick Kim Garth and batter Georgia Voll will also taste World Cup cricket for the first time. The remaining quad members were all part of Australia’s 2022 triumph at the last tournament in New Zealand, where they thumped England by 71 runs in the final. “A Wor...

LAHORE: Insisting that sending the teams to India for international events amid heightened political tensions was not possible, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Hussain Bugti on Tuesday said the country will not compete in the Jr World Cup later this year. The event is scheduled to be held in Indian cities of Chennai and Madurai from Nov 28 to Dec 10. Pakistan, primarily due to ongoing political strains with New Delhi particularly after a short yet intense military clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May, are not competing in the Asia Cup too which is currently in progress in the Indian city of Rajgir. Talking to reporters in Lahore on Tuesday, Bugti while acknowledging that not participating in international events in India was hurting the country’s hockey, said the national cause was bigger than everything. “As there is a war-like situation [currently] prevailing between Pakistan and India, there is no possibility that the PHF will send its team to India for the Junior World Cup. [...

LAHORE - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in his message on the occasion of the World Day for Rural Development, expressed Pakistan’s strong commitment to uplifting its rural population and ensuring their inclusion in the country’s development journey.

ISLAMABAD - World states including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Oman as well as United Nations and OIC have condemned the US forces strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday terming the aggression a violation of the international law.

Three Pakistani schools — two in Lahore and one in Quetta — have been shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prizes 2025, according to a press release issued by the award’s founder, T4 Education, on Wednesday. T4 said in a press release that the five awards are “the world’s most prestigious education prizes” and winners are chosen “by an expert judging academy based on rigorous criteria”. The awards are for Community Collaboration, Environmental Action, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity and Supporting Healthy Lives. Sanjan Nagar Public Education Trust Higher Secondary School, Nordic International School from Lahore, and the Beaconhouse College Programme’s Juniper Campus in Quetta are the three shortlisted Pakistani institutions. “All 50 finalist schools across the five prizes will also take part in a public vote, which opened today, to determine the winner of the Community Choice Award,” the press release read. “All six winners will be announced in October.” According to T4, Sanjan Nagar — a charity-run prima...

LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Women’s World Cup, to be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2. Pakistan will commence their campaign on October 2 against Bangladesh at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where all their group-stage matches are set to be played. This arrangement is in line with the hybrid model announced by the ICC last year. Led by all-rounder Fatima Sana, Pakistan qualified for the eight-team event after an unbeaten run in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, held in here earlier this year. Pakistan’s highly anticipated clash with arch-rivals India is scheduled for October 5, followed by encounters against defending champions Australia on October 8 and 2017 champions England on October 15. The national side will then face New Zealand (October 18), South Africa (October 21), and co-hosts Sri Lanka (October 24) to conclude their round-robin stage. If Pakistan secure a semi-final berth, they will play...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the schedule for the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 set to be held in India and Sri Lanka in September. Pakistan will play all their matches of the 50-over World Cup in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo when India hosts this year’s tournament. Following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy earlier this year, a “hybrid model” was decided upon whereby India would play all its matches in Dubai, chosen as a neutral venue. Hosts India will get the tournament underway against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on September 30 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with action starting at 3pm local time, according to the schedule. Defending champions Australia then get their campaign up and running against neighbours New Zealand at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on October 1, while Pakistan will face Bangladesh a day later in Colombo. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash is set for October 5, after which Pakistan will play Australia on the 8th, Engl...

PARIS: Human Rights Watch on Wednesday said grave abuses were being committed on giant construction sites in Saudi Arabia and warned the risks to migrant workers could increase as the building of stadiums for the 2034 World Cup gathers pace. HRW said that “scores of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia die in gruesome yet avoidable workplace-related accidents, including falling from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation”. The NGO, which has studied nearly 50 cases of deaths in Saudi Arabia, said Saudi authorities had “failed to adequately protect workers from preventable deaths, investigate workplace safety incidents, and ensure timely and adequate compensation for families” including through life insurance policies and benefits to survivors. “The risks of occupational deaths and injuries are further increasing as the Saudi government ramps up construction work for the 2034 World Cup as well as other ‘giga-projects’,” HRW added. The Gulf kingdom was handed the right to host the 2034 World Cup at a FIFA C...