Sports

Abdullah Shafique has a habit of making great first impressions, the latest of which came on Tuesday when he became the first Pakistan batsman to make a century on his World Cup debut in an epic pursuit against Sri Lanka. Called up to replace the out-of-form Fakhar Zaman, the 23-year-old opener clubbed 113 and with a cramping Mohammad Rizwan (131 not …

Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai hit half-centuries as Afghanistan reached 272-8 against hosts India in their World Cup clash on Wednesday. Afghanistan elected to bat first at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium which witnessed a World Cup record 754 runs scored in the previous match when South Africa posted 428 and defeated Sri Lanka.     The ground was …

Pakistan began their World Cup 2023 campaign in India with an 81-run victory over the Netherlands on Friday — a result that seemed far more comfortable than it actually was. Those who saw the match instead of only glancing at the final margin of victory would know that the performance was not convincing enough to inspire confidence in the Men …

Pakistan head coach Grant Bradburn insists his team’s top-order batting is not a worry but that confidence may not spare Fakhar Zaman, the only man to have scored an ODI double hundred for his country. Pakistan’s openers have endured a miserable last five matches with just 35 as their highest partnership. There has only been one century stand in the 16 games …

Former Real Madrid and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard announced his retirement from football at the age of 32 on Tuesday four months after leaving the Spanish giants. The former Belgium international joined Real in 2019 as the club’s record signing but suffered injuries and struggled to settle at the Santiago Bernabeu during a dismal four-year spell. Despite limited playing time …

In-form Kusal Mendis hit his third one-day international century as Sri Lanka piled up the runs against Pakistan in the World Cup on Tuesday. The match is being played at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in India. The 28-year-old reached his century off 65 balls with 13 fours and four sixes, the last of which off Hasan Ali brought …

KARACHI: Shiraz Hassan had two tickets for Pakistan’s opening World Cup game against the Netherlands in Hyderabad. He had high hopes of travelling to India and witnessing Babar Azam’s men in action on their first tour across the border since 2016 at the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium. Instead, like many of his compatriots — fans and journalists alike — waiting …

DOHA: Max Verstappen added his name to the list of triple Formula One world champions on Saturday after Red Bull team-mate and sole title rival Sergio Perez crashed out of the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race. Mexican Perez needed to finish in the top three to keep the title open for another day but his hopes ended in a cloud …

LONDON: Liverpool missed the chance to go second in the Premier League as the Reds were pegged back in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, while Newcastle United were also held 2-2 by West Ham United. A point leaves Liverpool three points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur and after their justified fury in losing to Spurs …

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), under its incumbent interim Management Committee, hired over 60 high-ranking officials during its first 90 days in office, Dawn learnt on Sunday. The appointments were made despite the committee’s mandate being limited to running day-to-day affairs of the PCB leading to the board’s pending elections. However, led by chairman Zaka Ashraf, the PCB roped in eight …