Islamabad (Sports News): English pair Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf will be in the middle for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Final between India and New Zealand in Ahmedabad.Illingworth will take charge of his second consecutive Men’s T20 World Cup Final, having stood alongside Chris Gaffaney in 2024.It continues Illingworth's impressive recent record of appointments, having also stood in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Final and the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 Final.He is joined by compatriot Wharf, who will oversee his first senior ICC World Cup Final.Wharf previously stood at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 events before he joined the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Umpires last year.The pair, who were together in the middle for New Zealand’s semi-final victory over South Africa on Wednesday, are supported by third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock, while the match referee is Andy Pycroft.South African Paleker was elevated to the Elite Panel of Umpires alongside Wharf in March 2025 and has stood in six matches during the tournament.ICC Match Officials:On-field Umpires: Richard Illingworth and Alex WharfThird Umpire: Allahuddien PalekerFourth Umpire: Adrian HoldstockMatch Referee: Andy Pycroft

Peshawar (Sports Report): Former Pakistan internationals Salman Butt and Aiman Anwer will be joined by Ali Younis, Shah Faisal, Raja Asad and Imranullah in the commentary panel.  The captains’ trophy shoot took place at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium on Friday. Saad Nasim, who is standing in as captain for Hussain Talat, will lead the defending champions Lahore Blues.He said, “It is going to be a challenging task to defend our title given the number of exciting and talented players across all the 10 teams. We also have a good blend of young and experienced players.We are also looking forward to playing T20 cricket at this new venue. I’m sure the local fans here in Peshawar will turn up in big numbers and make the tournament more exciting.”

Peshawar (Sports Report): The 12-day ABS Developers National T20 Cup is set to begin from Saturday at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar with the 10 regional teams vying for the title currently held by Lahore Blues. The defending champions are drawn in Group B alongside Abbottabad, Karachi Blues, Multan and Sialkot regions.The tournament will kick off with two Group A fixtures as Lahore Whites will take on Peshawar in the game starting at 4.15pm, while Faisalabad will be up against Karachi Whites at 9.15pm. The fifth team in Group A is Bahawalpur.A prize pot of PKR 8.5 million will be up for grabs as the winners will be awarded PKR five million and runners up PKR 2.5 million. Best batter, bowler, wicket-keeper and player of the tournament will pocket PKR 100,000 each. Player of the match will get PKR 25,000, while player of the final will get PKR 50,000.Karachi Blues and Bahawalpur are the two teams who have advanced to this tournament by playing the final of the 10-team Qualifier event held in Lahore from 14 to 24 February.Bahawalpur topped their group after winning three out of four matches and beat the Blues in the final by 59 runs. Karachi Blues, meanwhile, won all their four matches before falling short in the final.

Lahore (Staff Report):The HBL Pakistan Super League has announced that nominations for the 11th edition of HBL PSL Hamaray Heroes are now open. Fans from across the country can submit their nominations through an online form (available here) until 3pm on Tuesday, 24 March 2026.Hamaray Heroes, an initiative of the HBL PSL, was first introduced in the fifth edition of the HBL PSL in 2020 and has since become a huge success in a short span of time. The initiative will return for the sixth consecutive year, with the 11th edition set to be bigger and better than previous editions as eight teams feature in the league for the first time.The 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League will commence on 26 March, with defending champions Lahore Qalandars taking on Hyderabad Kingsmen in the opening match at Gaddafi Stadium.Through the Hamaray Heroes initiative, the Pakistan Cricket Board recognises and celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to society and have played a role in enhancing the positive image of Pakistan.Some of the notable personalities who were recognised during HBL PSL Hamaray Heroes initiative include, Late Ali Sadpara (Record-breaking mountaineer), Arshad Nadeem (Gold medal in Paris Olympics in javelin), Arslan Ash (Professional E-Sports player), Inam Butt (Wrestler and Gold medalist in CW Games), Kiran Khan (Olympic swimmer), Mohammad Wasim (Boxer) and Dr Mariam Sultana (First Pakistani to do PhD in Astrophysics) The final list of nominees for Hamaray Heroes will be reviewed by a PCB panel tasked with shortlisting candidates who will be recognised during matches of the forthcoming HBL PSL 11.The PCB will present shortlisted candidates with cash awards during HBL PSL matches, while fans will also be able to watch short documentaries highlighting their achievements and inspiring life stories across HBL PSL digital platforms as well as during live match broadcasts.Fans can nominate personalities from various walks of life including, including but not limited to sports (other than cricket), education, healthcare, art, culture, music, social work, social entrepreneurship and technology. The initiative uses the reach and platform of the HBL PSL to acknowledge and celebrate Pakistanis who are making a meaningful difference in society.Nomination guidelines:• Individuals, groups, organisations and businesses can be nominated in multiple categories, depending on eligibility• Nominees must be citizens of Pakistan, individuals of Pakistani heritage, residents of Pakistan or organisations registered in Pakistan.• Nominees must not be employees of the PCB, employees of direct suppliers of commercial products or services to PCB, current employees or members of HBL PSL Hamaray Heroes or employees of presenting partners/sponsors of the initiative.• All submitted nominations and supporting material will remain the property of the PCB and will not be returned• The judges’ panel decision will be final and no further correspondence will be entertained• Submission of a nomination does not guarantee a place on the final shortlist or receipt of an awad

City of Santiago, Chile (Sports News): The final four pool matches of the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifier in Santiago, Chile finished out today, deciding the remaining semifinal teams for the women’s Pool A and B.With a 4-0 victory over Malaysia, Japan joined Ireland at the top of Pool B and earned a spot in the semifinals. Ireland defeated Canada to finish number one in the group.In Pool A, host Chile claimed the top spot with a 1-0 win over France, as Australia secured the second with a 3-0 shutout over Switzerland.(Women’s) Japan 4 – 0 MalaysiaIn a matchup that would determine who moves on to the semifinals, Japan stepped up in the second half to secure the spot with a 4-0 win.The first two quarters were tight, and it seemed that Malaysia’s underdog mentality could propel them through. It was not meant to be, however, and halfway through the third frame, Shiho Kobayakawa tapped in a goal off the post to put Japan up, 1-0. Kobayakawa put in another for good measure as the quarter ended, dribbling down and hitting a reverse shot to double Japan’s lead.The game became out of reach for Malaysia in the fourth, as goals from Hiroka Murayama and Akari Nakagomi sent Japan’s margin of victory to 4-0.(Women’s) Canada 1 – 5 IrelandPerhaps due to having already clinched a semifinal spot, Ireland started out its match against Canada a touch complacent. Eager to pounce on the opportunity, Canada was the first to score, with Anna Mollenhauer striking on a penalty corner in the 13th minute.Ireland found its swagger in the second quarter and went on to score five unanswered goals. The first was a spectacular reverse hit and tip, sent in by Niamh Carey to Sarah Torrans. Caoimhe Perdue nailed the second of the quarter via set piece to put Ireland up, 2-1.Back-to-back tallies from Ireland came in the third quarter from Sarah Torrans and Jessica McMaster. Amy Handcock made it 5-1 with a penalty corner flick as time expired.(Women’s) Australia 3 – 0 SwitzerlandFollowing its narrow loss to Chile yesterday, Australia needed to find a win, which is exactly what it did against Switzerland.It was about eight minutes into play when Australia dealt its first blow — a pass from Amy Lawton dumped left for Neasa Flynn to put away. Switzerland responded admirably, however, turning in a strong defensive effort.Switzerland kept the No. 8 ranked Hockeyroos off the board for the middle two quarters, outlasting four penalty corners and numerous other attempts.Eventually, the force of Australia could not be contained any longer, and in the 51st minute, Neasa Flynn tallied again by tapping the ball out of the air on a set piece. Mihaylia Howell made it 3-0 for Australia will a well-timed tip over the goalkeeper.(Women’s) France 0 – 1 ChileWith the final semifinal spot at the Santiago qualifier on the line, France needed a big win against host Chile. France put on a good showing, but it was Chile who clinched the coveted spot with a 1-0 win.Las Diablas came in feeling confident, with yesterday’s win over Australia and the force of the home crowd behind them. Josefa Salas deflected in a shot off an early set piece opportunity to give Chile the first goal of the match.France settled into the game, but Chile refused to take its foot off the gas. An even second quarter gave way to a similarly close third, and tensions continued to heighten—seeing two yellow cards apiece in the second half. The final frame finished out the same, with a strong effort from both sides, but seeing Chile take the win.

Islamabad (Sports Report):Pakistan Army Whites, WAPDA Green, Navy and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) secured impressive victories in the departmental category of the Pak-China Friendship Cup All Pakistan 3x3 Basketball Championship at the Liaquat Gymnasium, Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.The exciting matches of the championship, being held to commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China, are being organized by the Federal Basketball Association (FBBA) in collaboration with the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB).In the departmental contests, Army Whites defeated WAPDA Red 21-13, while Navy A outclassed the Police team with a convincing 21-5 victory. WAPDA Green edged past Army Green 20-17 in a closely contested match, whereas Pakistan Air Force beat Police Whites 22-6.In the women’s category, Army Red defeated Team Alpha 15-2, while WAPDA B overcame Dolphins 19-2. NUST registered a 17-1 win against Islamabad Titans, Islamabad Bulls defeated Alpha-B 14-6, and Lycans beat Wah Spring 11-2.On the opening day of the four-day championship, Deputy Director General of the Pakistan Sports Board Syed Naveed-ur-Rehman, Director National Federations Nasrullah Rana, Secretary General of Islamabad Olympic Association (IOA) Rizwan-ul-Haq Razi, Secretary General of the Federal Basketball Association (FBBA) Ouj Zahoor, Azam Dar and other notable personalities witnessed the matches.

Sports NewsIsmailia, Egypt – Malaysia and Japan claimed vital victories at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Ismailia on Wednesday to book their tickets to the semi-finals.The Malaysians held on for a 5-4 victory over China while Japan withstood a spirited fightback from Egypt, beating them 6-3 to join England and Pakistan in the final four. Pakistan had already secured their place before extending their winning run with a 4-2 victory over Austria on Wednesday.The results of the group games mean England will play Malaysia and Pakistan will take on Japan in the semi-finals on Friday, with the winners of those matches guaranteed a ticket to the FIH Hockey World Cup this August.(Men’s) Austria 2 – 4 PakistanPakistan wrapped up the group stage with another win, beating Austria 4-2.The match pitted contrasting styles against one another, but Austria did well to keep up with top-of-the-table Pakistan in the first half. The Pakistanis did get in front early, though, after successfully defending a penalty corner and counterattacking rapidly. Ghazanfar Ali produced a pinpoint pass across the goalkeeper for a diving Afraz to add the finishing touch in the 4th minute. It was a lead that they held onto through to half-time.After failing to convert any of their previous eight penalty corners, Pakistan opted for a different variation late in the third quarter, and it paid dividends with Abu Mahmoud dragging in their second goal in the 44th minute. Austria responded at the start of the final period, Max Kelner reducing the deficit with a well-worked penalty corner variation of their own. But Pakistan stretched their lead to 3–1 in the 51st minute when Sufyan Khan’s drag flick took a deflection off the first-wave runner from yet another penalty corner. Less than a minute later, they struck again, Mahmood completing his brace with a fierce drag into the bottom left corner. Austria managed to narrow the gap once again, this time through a Max Scholz penalty stroke in the 53rd minute, but too much damage had already been done, and they were unable to claw their way back.Ghazanfar Ali was named player of the match for Pakistan and said: “Austria is very good in the structure, but we played disciplined hockey in the last quarter and we won the game.”(Men’s) Malaysia 5 – 4 ChinaMalaysia held their nerve to book their semi-final ticket with a 5-4 win over China in an entertaining encounter.The Malaysians piled on plenty of pressure from the start and were rewarded for their efforts when Fitri Saari’s drag deflected in off a defender’s stick in the 5th minute. The Chinese response was immediate, with Xu Ao feeding in for an outstanding one-handed finish from a sliding Yaqi Wang to level the scores just moments later. China then took the lead for the first time off a penalty stroke in the 16th minute, Yulai Zhao deftly lifting it into the top right corner of the net. Again, there was an immediate reply, but this time the Malaysian goal was disallowed. It wasn’t until two minutes before the half-time break that they found the equaliser when the initial deflection off a penalty corner variation was saved, but Aiman Rozemi was on hand to tap in for 2-2.A beautiful deflection into the roof of the net off a penalty corner saw Faiz Jali edging Malaysia into the lead in the 36th minute. And despite being handed a five-minute yellow card, they managed to pull further in front with a penalty stroke in the 43rd, thanks again to Fitri Saari. Great work from Rozemi along the baseline ended with him popping the ball up to Faizal Saari to tap in Malaysia’s fifth at the start of the final quarter. The Chinese then pulled one back after a lovely piece of skill from Rui Su to set up Zhao for his second in the 51st minute. And they closed the gap even further when Benhai Chen rocketed in straight down the middle from a penalty corner three minutes later. But that was where the scoring ended, sending Malaysia into the semi-finals.Malaysia’s Aiman Rozemi was named player of the match and said: “I am very happy about this game. I think we played well for the game, but we still need to focus a bit in the last quarter, because when we are leading, we always… give them the chance to come back.”(Men’s) Japan 6 – 3 EgyptIn a match of massive momentum swings, Japan’s clinical start and composed finish proved decisive in a 6–3 defeat of Egypt which featured two hat-tricks.The Japanese controlled the first quarter and opened the scoring from the first penalty corner of the match, captain Raiki Fujishima rifling a drag flick into the top right corner in the 7th minute. They doubled their advantage moments later when Koji Yamasaki’s tomahawk from the top of the circle picked out Ryosuke Shinohara in front of goal to apply a deft deflection for Japan’s second. The third arrived via a swift counterattack after Egypt failed to make their second penalty corner count, Kazumasa Matsumoto crashing the ball home in the 11th minute.A defensive lapse in the 22nd minute handed Egypt a lifeline, a loose turnover inside the Japanese circle presenting a gilt-edged chance that Ahmed Elganaini gratefully accepted. Japan were 3-1 at the half-time break.A well-worked penalty corner variation in the 33rd minute saw Egypt right back in the match, with Elganaini providing the final touch to make it 3-2. Elganaini then completed his hat-trick with a field goal moments later to pull his side level. After a long period of Egyptian dominance, Japan managed to score against the run of play when Matsumoto slapped in his second in the 40th minute. And Fujishima put the result beyond doubt when he produced a phenomenal drag in the 52nd and another in the 59th to complete his own hat-trick and seal a somewhat flattering 6-3 win.

Sports Bulletin ReportIsmailia (Egypt): Following an official advisory on 3 March 2026 from the US State Department urging all US citizens to depart from nations within or close to the conflict zones in the Middle East, including Egypt, the USA Men's team, with the full support of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), has withdrawn from the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifier currently taking place in Ismailia, Egypt. The team departed Egypt earlier today. The results of the first two USA matches will stand, and remaining matches involving the USA will be cancelled. The Ismailia event progresses to the classification stage on Friday and the finals on Saturday.

Lahore (PR): FG Polo secured a thrilling 7-6 victory over BN Polo through a sudden-death goal in extra time in the 63rd Allied Bank National Open Polo Championship for the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup at the Lahore Polo Club on Wednesday.The nail-biting clash kept spectators on the edge of their seats, culminating in a decisive goal in the sixth chukker during extra time. FG Polo’s Argentine star Raul Laplacette emerged as the standout performer, scoring six magnificent goals to lead his side to victory. He was ably supported by Ahmed Ali Tiwana, who contributed one crucial goal to complete FG Polo’s tally of seven.On the opposing side, BN Polo delivered a spirited performance, with Tito Ruiz Guinazu putting up an impressive display by scoring five impressive goals. His teammate Lao Abelenda added one goal, but their efforts ultimately fell just short in the sudden-death finish.The match proved to be a showcase of top-tier polo, featuring fast-paced action, tactical brilliance, and exceptional horsemanship. Both teams fought fiercely throughout the regulation chukkers, with neither side willing to concede dominance. The closely contested encounter reflected the high competitive standards that define the National Open Polo Championship.A large number of spectators and families attended the match, creating an electric atmosphere at the club grounds. The presence of polo enthusiasts added to the grandeur of the occasion, reinforcing the tournament’s status as a premier sporting event in Pakistan’s polo calendar.Senior officials from title sponsor Allied Bank Limited were present to witness the thrilling contest. Also in attendance were President of Lahore Polo Club Malik Azam Hayat Noon, executive committee members, prominent polo lovers, Secretary Maj Amjad Ghafoor (Retd), and several leading polo players.

LAHORE: (PR): The students who won gold and silver medals in the World Indoor Virtual Rowing Championship 2026, Abdul Rahman and Zarq Khan met Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohammad Ali in his office and presented their medals and certificates. After the evaluation, the Vice-Chancellor re-awarded medals and certificates to the students. Director Sports Dr. Shabir Sarwar was also present there. Speaking to the media on this occasion, the Vice Chancellor said that these medals are an honor not only for PU but for the whole of Pakistan. “We will give special prize to these students and also appeal to the government to encourage and patronize these two talented athletes, VC remarked. It is noteworthy that Abdul Rahman of PU Law College won the gold medal in the lightweight category, while Zarq Khan of PU Hailey College won the silver medal in the open weight category. Over 2200 players from all over the world participated in the competitions. In the lightweight category, Abdul Rahman of PU won the first position, France won the second position and Egypt won the third position. In open weight, Latvia won the first position, Pakistan PU's Zarq Khan got the second position and Germany got the third position. Secretary Pakistan Olympics Association Khalid Mehmood, Hamdan Nazir President Pakistan Rowing Federation, Rizwanul Haq Razi Secretary Islamabad Olympic Association, Zaheer Ahmed Secretary Pakistan Rowing Federation, Major Irfan Secretary Pakistan Boxing Federation and Abdul Rahman Coach Pakistan Rowing Team also witnessed the performance of these students and appreciated their skills.