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LONDON: England will stage the next three World Test Championship finals after the successful hosting of the first three showpiece matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Sunday. The most recent final took place last month, when South Africa were crowned champions for the first time after defeating holders Australia at Lord’s. Nearly 110,000 people went through the gates of the London ground. India were reportedly keen to host the next final in two years’ time but England have been awarded the finals of the 2027, 2029 and 2031 editions. At its annual conference in Singapore, the ICC noted…

MANAMA: Pakistani cueists enjoyed a strong showing in the IBSF World 6Red Snooker Champ­ionships here at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Sunday as Mohmmad Hasnain Akhtar, Ahsan Ramzan and Mohammad Asif registered thumping wins. Mohammad Hasnain Akhtar, the reigning U-17 champion, delivered a commanding performance, defeating Mohamed Abdelkader of Egypt 4-0 [70(70)-0, 45-11, 57(35)-7, 48-2]. However Hasnain experienced his first defeat of this campaign in the other match of the day as he fell to Chau Hon Man of Hong Kong 4-2. The match saw Hon Man take the first two frames (41-9, 38-16), Hasnain respond strongly to level [69(69)-0,…

Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman rocked Pakistan for 110 before opener Parvez Hossain hit an unbeaten 50 as Bangladesh won the first Twenty20 international by seven wickets in Dhaka on Sunday. Taskin finished with 3-22 while Rahman grabbed 2-6 in his four economical overs to dismiss the visitors in 19.3 overs for Pakistan’s lowest total against Bangladesh in all T20Is. Parvez smashed five sixes and three boundaries in his 39-ball 56 not out to help the home team chase down the target in 15.3 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Debutant Pakistan pacer Salman Mirza…

Fast bowlers Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman shared five wickets between them as Bangladesh dismissed Pakistan for a low 110 total in the first Twenty20 international in Dhaka on Sunday. Taskin finished with 3-22 while Rahman grabbed 2-6 in his four economical overs to end the innings in 19.3 overs for Pakistan’s lowest total against Bangladesh in all T20Is. Opener Fakhar Zaman top-scored with a 34-ball 44, which included six boundaries and a six, while Abbas Afridi scored 22 and Khushdil Shah 17. Pakistan’s previous lowest T20I total against Bangladesh was 127-5 at the same venue in 2021. Sent into…

In a clip that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) put out following Pakistan’s 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh last month, Mohammad Haris beamed as his captain Salman Ali Agha quipped that “it was probably the first time he had used his brain.” The comment was ironic because Haris is known by the moniker ‘Mr Google’ among his teammates, because of his cricketing intelligence. Such PR content is primarily used to display camaraderie among the players and to provide fans with wholesome moments to cherish. At times, it also provides a peek into the dressing room. Haris, that night, had become the…

A cricket match between Indian and Pakistani veteran players — part of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) — was called off after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, refused to play against Pakistan, citing recent “geopolitical tensions” between the two nations, according to a statement issued by WCL on Sunday. The WCL is an international cricket league where retired, non-contracted international players return to competitive T20 cricket, according to the league’s website. The tournament commenced on July 18 and is being held in Birmingham, England. In a statement posted on X, WCL organisers announced that, “We have decided to call…

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) (C) signs the One Big Beautiful Bill Act during an enrollment ceremony with fellow Republicans in the Rayburn Room at the U.S. Capitol on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIt’s been about two weeks since President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” became law, and financial advisors and tax professionals are still digesting what the sweeping legislation means for clients.Meanwhile, several changes are effective for 2025, which will impact tax returns filed in 2026.While the Trump administration has been promoting “working family tax cuts,” the legislation’s…

DHAKA: Pakistan captain Salman Agha is confident his new-look side is shaping up well towards next year’s World Cup as they take on Bangladesh in a Twenty20 series starting in Dhaka from Sunday. Salman has been leading the short format side with star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out since last year. Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi has been rested for the three-match series and seam bowlers Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim are also missing because of injuries. He said the missing players could still be considered for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka…

LAHORE: While activities of Pakistan men’s and women’s teams, Shaheens and U-19 players have increased, the number of men and women players in the central contract lists have also risen, the 2025-26 budget documents of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reveal. There is also good news for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) employees who will get some increase in their salaries, according to the budget documents. According to the budget documents, the international series involving seniors, Shaheens, U-19 teams and national women have been increased to 26 from 23 of the last year. In contrast, the domestic events, both for…

Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif (R) and Mohammad Hasnain pose with their trophies after winning the Masters and Under-17 titles respectively at the IBSF World Snooker Championship on Friday.—courtesy IBSF MANAMA: Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif etched another glorious chapter in his storied career, defeating India’s Brijesh Damani 4-3 [98(87)-37, 75-55, 0-80(51), 40-52, 41-64, 91-29, 78(40)-9] in a pulsating final of the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship here at Crowne Plaza late on Friday. The 42-year-old stalwart in the process proved his credentials as the country’s most successful cueist, securing his remarkable sixth international title and a historic fourth IBSF world crown. Reflecting on…