Excitement and caution as 2025 Pakistan Super League begins

Islamabad United’s players hold the Pakistan Super League (PSL) trophy as they celebrate their victory against Multan Sultans during the award ceremony for PSL Twenty20 cricket final match at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 19, 2024. (File/AFP)
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Updated 10 April 2025
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Excitement and caution as 2025 Pakistan Super League begins

  • Defending champions Islamabad United launch the 10th edition with clash against Lahore Qalandars

DUBAI: The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League is set to open in Rawalpindi on April 11. Islamabad United, defending champions and the most successful franchise in PSL history with three titles, will face-off against the Lahore Qalandars. Sadly, it has been hard to ignore the off-field issues which have overshadowed the anticipatory excitement.

The PSL finds itself at a crossroads. Hosting the ICC Champions Trophy in an already crowded cricket calendar has squeezed it into a direct clash with the Indian Premier League. This scheduling challenge has affected the build-up and player availability.

While Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Salman Naseer has remained optimistic, the situation is acute. The PSL is striving to carve out its identity amid the growing sea of franchise leagues around the world. Once regarded as the second-best franchise tournament, it now faces fierce competition for the status.

Against that background Pakistan’s cricket remains fractured, with political instability and infighting within the board making the headlines. In a recent podcast, Multan Sultans owner Ali Khan Tareen, publicly criticized the PCB and the PSL’s management for “embracing mediocrity,” further highlighting the divisions within the sport. If the PSL is to overcome these hurdles and thrive, it will need everyone to unite for its future.

Another obstacle facing the PSL is player drain. Apart from the concurrently running IPL, the England and Wales Cricket Board has adopted a harder line towards releasing its contracted players for overseas tournaments during the English season. This means many top overseas stars are tied to either the IPL or county contracts, leaving PSL teams with weaker rosters than previously. Nevertheless, the PSL has consistently brought joy to the nation through homegrown stars like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah.

They will need to step up and fresh new talents must make their mark to help prove the PSL can be more than just a domestic competition. There is no doubt it has established itself within the country’s cultural identity.

Aspirations to become a truly global product have been tempered by the growth of other franchise leagues, especially ILT20 and SA20. Given that the PSL franchises are subject to renewal and expansion after this 10th edition, the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the PSL can attract continued investment at home, let alone international viewing figures to support any claim to be global. Competing head-on with the IPL for such viewers places pressure on the players to play attractive and meaningful cricket.

The Karachi Kings look able to do this. They are led by David Warner, supported by James Vince, and appear to be a formidable side, with a well-rounded squad that covers the essential aspects of the game. Their pace attack is both potent and varied, offering a range of threats. The spin bowling department is equally strong, providing the perfect balance of options for different match situations. A batting lineup containing Kane Williamson combines power-hitting with finesse and possesses the flexibility to adapt to any challenge.

Adding to the team’s strength is new head coach Ravi Bopara, who brings a wealth of experience and a long-standing connection to the franchise, dating back to the first edition as a player. This new dynamic signals a promising future, with the Karachi Kings looking well-positioned to make a deep run in the tournament.

Peshawar Zalmi have received a timely boost with the news that Saim Ayub has recovered from an injury sustained in South Africa. He is set to open the batting alongside Babar Azam, who will be eager to rediscover his best form after a recent period of struggle. In the bowling department, Zalmi are likely to lean heavily on their spin attack, with the trio of Yaqoob, Mumtaz and Sufyan Muqeem expected to play key roles. While the team has the potential to reach the knockout stages, I do not foresee them having quite enough firepower to mount a serious challenge for the trophy.

Defending champions Islamabad United, true to style, boast a squad brimming with power hitters. I fully expect them to continue playing an aggressive brand of cricket. The addition of Matthew Short will significantly strengthen their batting lineup and their pace attack will be spearheaded by Naseem Shah, a key player who will lead from the front. However, Shadab Khan’s role will be crucial in maintaining the right balance within the team. He has struggled with the ball for a while and must find a way to regain form if Islamabad are to successfully defend their title. I expect them to be strong contenders.

Lahore Qalandars have experienced both ends of the spectrum in the PSL, finishing bottom of the points table a record five times yet securing back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. This season, there is a shift in the coaching setup after Aqib Javed moved on to a national team role. Darren Gough was initially set to take over but pulled out at the last minute, leaving Russell Domingo to step in.

In the early years of the PSL, the Qalandars attracted some of the biggest names but struggled to find consistency. This year’s squad lacks players of that ilk who could propel them to the top. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has faced challenges with his form, adding further pressure. However, there are a few bright spots, such as young Rishad Hosain, who could prove an exciting prospect. Lahore will also be hoping Daryl Mitchell can make a significant impact. Despite these potential positives, I expect the Qalandars to face challenges and run the risk of a bottom two finish.

Multan Sultans seem to have a well-balanced squad, with a solid mix of aggressive batters and touch players. Their all-rounders, particularly Michael Bracewell, have been in excellent form, adding depth to both the batting and bowling departments.

Young Akif, who recently represented Pakistan, comes into the tournament with a keen sense of pace and confidence, while Hasnain will be eager to make a significant mark with his new team.

Having been runners-up for the past three years and champions in 2021, Multan has a proven method, consistently challenging for the top spot. A combination of a well-rounded team and a sound strategic approach should enable them to challenge Karachi Kings for the title once again. Whether it is sufficient to claim the crown remains to be seen.

Quetta Gladiators have struggled to make an impact on the PSL over the past five years. With Sarfaraz Ahmed stepping into the coaching role, replacing Shane Watson, the franchise is hoping for a fresh direction. However, their recruitment strategy over the years has left much to be desired, with the decision to let go of promising young players in favor of loyalty to the seniors.

The early success of the Gladiators was built on familiarity, with many players having come through the ranks in local club cricket. However, as other teams modernized and built strong cultures, Quetta has remained stagnant, failing to evolve in the same way.

This season, they will hope New Zealand’s Mark Chapman can inject some much-needed firepower into the batting lineup, while 42-year-old Shoaib Malik will be relied upon to bring his vast experience to guide the middle order. On the bowling front, Kyle Jamieson’s height and pace should pose problems for opposition batters. However, despite these additions, it is difficult to see Quetta’s fortunes turning around this season.

On the cusp of PSL X 2025, I have a personal note of hope — that agendas and off-field distractions are few and far between, allowing the focus to shift squarely onto the tournament. After the disappointment of the Champions Trophy and the sub-standard national team performances of late, both the country and the PSL need a successful 10th edition. This will raise spirits overall and make the PSL an attractive investment space as it enters a second decade.


A penalty shattered Palestinian World Cup dreams for 2026. The squad has inspired hope

Updated 16 June 2025
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A penalty shattered Palestinian World Cup dreams for 2026. The squad has inspired hope

  • The Palestinian team needed to win its last three Group B games in Asian qualifying to advance to another continental playoff round

AMMAN: An engrossing qualifying journey of 16 games and the obstacles of a war came crashing down in an instant for Oday Dabbagh and his Palestinian team.
Their legacy will long continue.
Players left the field in tears in the immediate aftermath at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman, Jordan, last Thursday after their quest for a first appearance at a World Cup evaporated on a contentious penalty awarded deep in extra time. Fans looked on, stunned.
“It’s very hard,” Dabbagh, the team’s star striker, told The Associated Press. “It was massive for us to get to the next stage — we prepared well, we had a positive atmosphere, and we had the fans with us. We gave everything, but it was gone in a moment.”
Needing to win its last three Group B games to reach the playoffs for the last two of Asia’s automatic spots at the World Cup, the No. 101-ranked team in the world beat Iraq in Basra in March, Kuwait in Kuwait City on June 5. Five days later, it was leading 1-0 against Oman in Jordan in the 97th minute.
The Palestinians had never been in a better position in qualifying for a World Cup. Then Oman was awarded, and scored, a penalty to make it 1-1 in the last real act of the game.
Not long after the dejected players had picked themselves up, the Palestine Football Association (PFA) made an official complaint to soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, about the penalty. It didn’t change the fact, however, that the long road trip was over.
“We tried to put smiles on the faces of Palestinians amid their great pain,” head coach Ihab Abujazar said. “The heroic players are our pride and glory, a symbol of all that is beautiful in the Palestinian nation.”
Playing Away
It may have been different if the Palestinian team, admitted into FIFA in 1998, was able to play home games in front of its fans in Gaza or the West Bank in the third round of qualifying. The Israel-Hamas war meant that couldn’t happen. And so the many of the team’s home games have been taking place in the nearby Jordanian capital of Amman, home to a large community of Palestinians.
“It is easier to play in your home,” Dabbagh, who helped Aberdeen win the Scottish Cup last month, said. “But the circumstances there are so difficult so we choose to play in Amman as it is close to Palestine, the people are the same, and we have a lot of fans there.”
There’s been no domestic soccer in the Palestinian territories since the war started in 2023. Hundreds of athletes are among the more than 55,000 Palestinians killed in the conflict and sports facilities have been destroyed.
“Everything that goes on makes us all sad,” Dabbagh said. “As players, we try to focus on football during the games, but we use what is happening as motivation to bring happiness to the people of Palestine.”
All but two of the roster of 27 national squad players are contracted to foreign clubs either in the region or in Europe, a change from the start of the conflict when a number of players weren’t able to leave the West Bank or Gaza to report for international duty.
Over the past year or so, the Palestinian squad has assembled for training camps in Algeria, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to prepare for World Cup qualifying.
The top two teams in each of three Asian groups in the third round earned direct spots for next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The third- and fourth-place teams in each group advanced to a playoff for two more places. A win would have secured fourth spot in the group for the Palestinians. The last-minute draw meant they finished a point behind Oman in fifth.
What’s next?
Now their focus has to shift to the 2027 Asian Cup, which will take place in Saudi Arabia. The Palestinian team has already qualified for the tournament.
Dabbagh is ready to show that the team is set to remain a force in Asian soccer and continue to be ambassodors for millions of people.
“We will keep using football as a message to show the world that there are other things in Palestine” he said. “We will keep going. The dream is not over, it is just delayed.”


Kubica wins ‘mental battle’ to triumph at Le Mans

Updated 40 min ago
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Kubica wins ‘mental battle’ to triumph at Le Mans

  • In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his AF Corse co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei (#83) finished just 14.084sec ahead of Porsche
  • Kubica was one of Formula One’s brightest prospects when he won the 2008 Canada Grand Prix but a harrowing accident in a rally in Andorra in 2011 almost cost him his life

LE MANS: Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica has long since tackled the demons of a near-fatal accident 14 years ago but Sunday’s victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is arguably his greatest achievement yet.

The 40-year-old Pole roared to victory in his bright yellow “privateer” Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the most famous endurance race in the world.

In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his AF Corse co-drivers Philip Hanson and Ye Yifei (#83) finished just 14.084sec ahead of a Porsche (#6) driven by Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell and Laurens Vanthoor.

In so doing they knocked the two factory Ferraris, who started the race as favorites, into third and fourth.

“It’s been a long 24 hours but an enjoyable one. Grazie mille, grazie a tutti,” said Kubica over the team radio as he took the chequered flag.

Kubica was one of Formula One’s brightest prospects when he won the 2008 Canada Grand Prix but a harrowing accident in a rally in Andorra in 2011 almost cost him his life.

Trapped upside down in his car before being freed and whisked to hospital, Kubica suffered several serious injuries and underwent a partial amputation of his right forearm.

“What happened was very unfortunate, but I was very lucky,” he said after Sunday’s victory.

“It took me quite a few years, not only to recover physically but also mentally.

“What happened happened and I have to accept it. One of the worst periods of my life was when my mind wouldn’t accept the fact that my arm was failing.”

He returned to racing cars, however, winning the WRC2 championship and taking part in sports car races. In 2017 he moved back into Formula One, testing for Renault before racing for Williams in 2019.

But Sunday’s win which made him the first Pole ever to win Le Mans tops any of his other achievements behind the wheel.

“It was quite difficult to live with, but I’m happy to have achieved my personal goals,” he said.

“The best thing I’ve achieved in my life — it’s nothing to do with racing — it’s more the battle I won with my mind.”

Both of Kubica’s co-drivers were also first-time winners with Ye the first Chinese driver to triumph.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Ye who arrived in Le Mans at the age of 14 on an exchange program to try and become a professional driver.

“It’s going to take me some time to realize everything that’s happened today. Right now I feel like I’m dreaming. Maybe in two seconds I’ll wake up and none of this will exist.

“In China, the car industry has come a long way. When my father was my age, there were no cars on the roads, and we’re talking about the 1990s. Becoming a professional driver was impossible.”

With three of the top four, it was certainly a good day for Ferrari but there will undoubtedly be some at headquarters in Maranello who might not be so happy.

As the winning car was not entered directly by the manufacturer, but by the AF Corse team, Ferrari will not take the points for victory in the World Endurance Championship.

Cadillac locked out the front row of the grid but #12 of Will Stephens, who had taken pole, had to settle for fifth with the second car (#38), featuring former Formula One world champion Jensen Button, coming home in eighth.

 


J.J. Spaun weathers the worst of wet Oakmont to win US Open

Updated 16 June 2025
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J.J. Spaun weathers the worst of wet Oakmont to win US Open

  • “I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” said Spaun, who finished last year at No. 119 in the world with only one PGA Tour title in his career

OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: J.J. Spaun turned a sloppy mess of a US Open at wet and nasty Oakmont into a thing of beauty at the end Sunday with two stunning shots that carried him to his first major championship.

First came his driver on the 314-yard 17th hole onto the green for a birdie that gave him the lead. Needing two putts from 65 feet on the 18th to win, he finished his storybook Open by holing the longest putt all week at Oakmont for birdie and a 2-over 72.

That made him the only player to finish under par at 1-under 279. It gave him a two-shot victory over Robert MacIntire of Scotland.

And it made Spaun, the 36-year-old Californian who resembles the late Pittsburgh Steelers great Franco Harris, a major champion in only his second US Open.

“I never thought I would be here holding this trophy,” said Spaun, who finished last year at No. 119 in the world with only one PGA Tour title in his career. “I always had aspirations and dreams. I never knew what my ceiling was. I’m just trying to be the best golfer I can be.”

It was calamity for so many others.

Sam Burns had a two-shot lead going to the 11th tee, made a double bogey from a divot in the first cut and from a lie in the fairway so wet he thought he deserved relief. He shot 78.

Adam Scott, trying to become the first player to go more than 11 years between major titles, was tied for the lead with five holes to play. One of the best drivers could no longer find the fairway. He played them in 5 over and shot 79.

“I missed the fairway. I hadn’t done that all week really. Then I did, and I paid the price and lost a lot of shots out there,” Scott said.

Carlos Ortiz and Tyrrell Hatton also slashed away in slushy lies, all making mistakes that cost them a chance to survive this beast of day.

The rain that put Oakmont on the edge of being unplayable might have saved Spaun.

One shot behind at the start of the day, he opened with five bogeys in six holes with some horrific breaks, none worse than hitting the pin on the second hole and seeing it spin back to the fairway. And then came a rain delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes.

“The weather delay changed the whole vibe of the day,” Spaun said.

Remarkably, he made only one bogey the rest of the way.

But oh, that finish.

MacIntyre, the 28-year-old from Oban toughened by the Scottish game of Shinty, became the new target. He also struggled at the start and fell nine shots behind at one point. But he birdied the 17th and split the fairway on the 18th for a key par, a 68 and the clubhouse lead.

Three groups later, Spaun delivered what looked like the winner, a powerful fade that rolled onto the green like a putt and settled 18 feet behind the cup.

And then the final putt — no one made a longer one all week. He was helped by Viktor Hovland being on the same line and going first. Spaun rapped it through the soaked turf, walked to the left to watch it break right toward the hole and watched it dropped as thousands of rain-soaked spectators erupted.

He raised both arms and tossed his putter, jumping into the arms of caddie Mark Carens.

The celebration carried into those who lost the battle.

MacIntyre, so close to becoming Scotland’s first major champion since Paul Lawrie in 1999, sat in scoring in front of a TV and applauded.

Hatton was talking with reporters, bemoaning a bad break on the 17th ended his chances of winning. He watched the Spaun’s putt and it brightened his mood.

“Unbelievable. What a putt to win. That’s incredible,” he said. “I’m sad about how I finished, but I’m very happy for J.J. To win a major in that fashion is amazing.”

Hovland, who shot 73 to finish third, saw it all — the putt at the end, the bogeys at the start.

“After his start, it just looked like he was out of it immediately,” Hovland said. “Everyone came back to the pack. I wasn’t expecting that really. I thought I had to shoot maybe 3-under par today to have a good chance, but obviously the conditions got really, really tough, and this golf course is just a beast.”

Hatton (72) and Ortiz (73), both part of LIV Golf and in serious contention at a major for the first time, tied for fourth along with Cameron Young (70). The consolation for Ortiz was getting into the Masters next year.

Scottie Scheffler, 10 shots behind early in the final round, was somehow still part of the conversation on the back nine. But he missed far too many birdie chances even three-putting from 12 feet no the 11th hole. The world’s No. 1 player finished with a 70 to tie for seventh with Jon Rahm (67) and Burns, his best friend who will feel the sting.

He had a double bogey by missing the green into a bad lie on the slope of a bunker. He missed a pair of 6-foot birdie putts to seize control. And when he made a mess of the 15th for another double bogey.

Through it all, Spaun emerged as a US Open champion hardly anyone saw coming — not at the start of the year, not at the start of the round.


‘Magical’ Duplantis soars to pole vault world record in Stockholm

Updated 16 June 2025
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‘Magical’ Duplantis soars to pole vault world record in Stockholm

  • Duplantis: It’s a magical feeling, it’s hard to explain. It’ll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career
  • Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men’s 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warlhom a distant third
  • Julien Alfred won the women’s 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year

STOCKHOLM: Swedish double Olympic pole vault champion Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis increased his own world record again on Sunday, clearing 6.28 meters to the delight of the home crowd at the Stockholm Diamond League meet.

With victory in the event already guaranteed, Duplantis broke the world record for the 12th time as he sailed over the bar at the first attempt to improve on his 6.27m effort at Clermont-Ferrand in February.

The 25-year-old ripped off his shirt in celebration and raced down the track in front of jubilant spectators at the Olympic stadium built for the 1912 Games.

“It’s a magical feeling, it’s hard to explain,” said Duplantis, who had not before broken the record in Sweden.

“I wanted this so bad. I wanted to do this in front of everybody here in Stockholm.

“It felt like really something special in the crowd today and I knew that everybody really wanted to see it too.

“It’ll be one of the greatest memories for me, I think, in my career.”

Duplantis notched up his 37th victory in 41 Diamond League outings, finishing well ahead of Australia’s Kurtis Marschall who managed a best of 5.90m.

The US-born Duplantis was in a class of his own in another punishing display of vaulting of the highest order, three days after a stellar display in Oslo.

“I kept saying it was the only thing I was missing in the accolades, to break a record in Sweden,” he said.

“I’ve checked off pretty much everything now.”

Duplantis is the heavy favorite for a third successive world championship gold in Tokyo later this year. He is also a three-time indoor world champion.

He first broke the world record in 2020 when he surpassed the 6.16m mark set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie.

Duplantis intends to push the bar even higher after his Stockholm exploits.

“I’m going to jump higher. There’s not much between me and 6.30, technically. It’s just a few centimeters. I’m just a perfect day away from it,” he said.

Hometown runner Andreas Almgren fed off the raucous atmosphere to set a new European record of 12min 44.27sec to win the men’s 5,000m.

Olympic champion Rai Benjamin edged out Alison dos Santos to win the men’s 400m hurdles, with Karsten Warlhom a distant third.

Warholm triumphed in the rarely-run 300km hurdles on his home track in Oslo on Thursday, but Benjamin produced a world-leading time of 46.54sec over 400m.

“I think on Thursday I got a little too excited but I felt good today even though I was tired,” said Benjamin.

Julien Alfred won the women’s 100m in 10.75sec, the second fastest time of the year. It was only the Olympic gold medalist’s second race of the season following her victory in Oslo.

Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith took second (10.93) ahead of Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith (11.00).

Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Femke Bol won the women’s 400m hurdles in a season’s best time of 52.11sec. She finished ahead of American Dalilah Muhammad (52.91) and Panama’s Gianna Woodruff (53.99).

“I am not in my best shape yet so to take the victory is especially good,” said Bol.

“A race is never the same as training and it is only my third race of the season... but I am starting to feel the hurdles better every race and getting into race shape.

“It is such a high level at the moment in the hurdles so I am very excited going forward toward the world championships.”


Palmeiras and Porto draw 0-0 in their first Club World Cup match

Updated 16 June 2025
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Palmeiras and Porto draw 0-0 in their first Club World Cup match

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: Palmeiras and two-time European champion Porto tied 0-0 in their opening match of the Club World Cup on Sunday night before a crowd of 46,275 at MetLife Stadium, which was just over half full.
Estevão’s left-footed shot in first-half stoppage time went into the hands of Claúdio Ramos, and Richard Ríos’ attempt off the rebound was blocked.
Palmeiras, Brazil’s club champion in 2022 and ‘23, qualified as the 2021 Copa Libertadores winner, while Porto reached the tournament as Europe’s fifth-ranked eligible team over a four-year period.
Palmeiras had a 17-11 advantage in shots and 55.3 percent possession. Its fans took over a side of the stadium, waving flags and cheering or the entire match.
Key Moment
Ramos’ double save in first-half stoppage time.
Takeaways
There is a four-way tie in Group A, which opened with Inter Miami and Al Ahly’s drawing 0-0 on Saturday, Palmeiras will face 12 -time African champion Al Ahly on Thursday in East Rutherford and Porto will play Miami the same day in Atlanta.
What they said
“The first 60 minutes were short on play. We’ve had many friendlies, but playing behind closed doors isn’t the same as playing with Palmeiras. We competed very well, and we left a mark that we couldn’t give up on.” – Porto coach Martin Anselmi.
“Porto had one or two goal opportunities sometimes it happens, sometimes its not the most aggressive team that wins. I wish that we had played for the 90 minutes like the last 15. But we have competent player, we are a young team. Our attack is very young.” – Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira.