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TOKYO: Sporting excellence returned to Tokyo on Saturday as the opening day of the long-awaited World Athletics Championships delivered on every front. Records were smashed and world titles defended, with some surprise wins keeping the night exciting for a sold-out stadium that stood empty during the Covid-hit Olympics four years ago. The most predictable win of the night went to American Ryan Crouser, who won his third consecutive world title (22.34m) and became the only man to do so in the shot put, where he holds the world and championship record. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet claimed her first world title in…

A Pakistan-India cricket match is always a blockbuster, but emotions will run even higher in Sunday’s Asia Cup clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year. Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties were suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments. Political relations have deteriorated further since the clashes, with several former Indian players urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to boycott what will be the first meeting between the teams since the recent hostilities. While…

Pakistan batter Saim Ayub said on Saturday that the team was not just focusing on the Pakistan-India match, but winning the men’s Asia Cup. The arch-rivals will clash in a geopolitically-charged men’s Asia Cup contest in Dubai on Sunday. It will be the first cricket match between the sides since four days of military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours in May. While reigning T20 world champions India are the firm favourites to retain their title, Pakistan are on a high, having convincingly beaten Afghanistan to win the final of a tri-series and Oman in the lead-up to the contest. Speaking…

An India-Pakistan cricket match is always a blockbuster, but emotions will run even higher in Sunday’s Asia Cup clash between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who engaged in a four-day military conflict earlier this year. Even before the clashes in May, which nearly escalated into a full-blown war, bilateral cricket ties had been suspended. The arch-rivals now play each other only in multi-team tournaments. Political relations have deteriorated further since the clashes, with several former Indian players urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to boycott what will be the first meeting between the teams since the recent hostilities.…

Passengers walk through the entrance of a TSA PreCheck in Terminal One at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on Feb. 1, 2017.Armando L. Sanchez | Chicago Tribune | Getty ImagesFinding a cheap flight can at times feel as tough as scoring a decent snack on an airplane.But travel experts generally agree on one piece of advice to getting a good deal on airfare: Be flexible.”It’s our No .1 advice, always, for travelers” looking for deals, said James Byers, head of the product team at Google Flights.Flexibility may mean flying midweek instead of during the weekend, or perhaps traveling outside of…

Pakistan has been removed from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada) watchlist, a spokesperson of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) said on Friday. The country was placed on Wada’s watchlist in September 2024 over outstanding non-conformities to the agency’s updated anti-doping code. According to the spokesperson, WADA confirmed that the compliance procedure against Pakistan’s Anti-Doping Organisation (Adop) was closed after all pending corrective actions were completed. “A follow-up confirmation from Wada in September reiterated that Pakistan was no longer under enhanced monitoring, ending speculation over possible sanctions,” the statement said. PSB Deputy Director General (DG) Shahid Islam was informed of the…

LAS VEGAS: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez stands in the way of Terence Crawford’s bid for boxing history Saturday when they clash in Las Vegas for Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight world title. Crawford, a four-division champion, is jumping up two weight divisions in a bid to become the first male boxer to become an undisputed champion in three different categories. Unbeaten with a record of 41-0 with 31 knockouts, Crawford previously claimed all four belts on offer at super lightweight and welterweight. But the 37-year-old American will step into the ring at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, an…

ZURICH: More than 1.5 million ticket applications from fans in 210 countries have been received by FIFA within 24 hours of the pre-sale draw for the 2026 World Cup being launched, the governing body of world football said on Thursday. The extraordinary glo­bal demand for the tournament came primarily from the United States, Mexico and Canada, followed by Argentina, Colo­mbia, Brazil, England, Spain, Portugal and Germany. The response highligh­ted the international app­eal of the expanded 48-team tournament, whi­ch will be hosted by Mexico, Canada and the US and will feature 104 matches across 16 host cities. The draw is open…

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain and the national U-17 team’s assistant coach Mohammad Essa is optimistic about the side’s chances to make a mark in the SAFF U-17 Championship, which starts in Sri Lanka on Monday. “The team looks balanced and we are hopeful of good results,” he told Dawn on the sidelines of the youth team’s training camp at the Jinnah Stadium here on Friday, adding that Pakistan was full of talented players, picked through tryouts by head coach Nasir Ismail. “Myself and the head coach have made efforts to help the players enhance their skills and preparing them for…

Pace bowling great Wasim Akram has urged Pakistan and India’s cricketers to ignore the noise and enjoy the game when they meet in a highly charged Asia Cup T20 match on Sunday. The Group A match in Dubai is the first clash on the cricket field between the countries since a military conflict four months ago took relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours to their lowest point in decades. India resisted calls to boycott the match between the pair, who have not played in any bilateral series since deadly attacks in Mumbai 2008. “Enjoy, it’s a game of cricket,” legendary left-armer…