Lausanne, Switzerland (PR): An exciting official draw ceremony held today at the iconic Wagener Stadium in Amsterdam, Netherlands - one of the two venues where the upcoming World Cup will be held, alongside the brand-new Belfius Hockey Arena in Wavre, Belgium – has determined the eight Pools of the group stage of the FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026:Women:Pool A: Netherlands, Australia, Chile, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)Pool B: Argentina, Germany, USA, Scotland (playing in Belgium)Pool C: Belgium, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland (playing in Belgium)Pool D: China, England, India, South Africa (playing in the Netherlands)Men:Pool A: Netherlands, Argentina, New Zealand, Japan (playing in the Netherlands)Pool B: Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia (playing in Belgium)Pool C: Australia, Spain, Ireland, South Africa (playing in Belgium)Pool D: England, India, Pakistan, Wales (playing in the Netherlands)The draw was done by international hockey legends Naomie van As, Barbara Neelen and Teun de Nooijer, as well as DJ La Fuente, who was announced as Dutch Ambassador for the World Cup during the ceremony.Today’s milestone event was attended by FIH President Tayyab Ikram, FIH Vice-President and EuroHockey President Marcos Hofman, FIH Executive Board Member Erik Cornelissen, Dutch Hockey Federation President Erik Klein Nagelvoort, Belgian Hockey Federation President Patrick Keusters, the captains from the Netherlands (Renée van Laarhoven, Marijn Veenand, Thierry Brinkman and Lars Balk) and Belgium (Charlotte Englebert, Michelle Struijk, Arthur Van Doren and vice-captain Arthur De Sloover), the head coaches from the Netherlands (Raoul Ehren and Jeroen Delmee) and Belgium (Adam Commens and Shane McLeod), representatives from the local authorities, commercial partners and numerous other guests.FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Today’s draw marks another major milestone on the road to the most prestigious FIH event, the FIH Hockey World Cup! The upcoming edition, for both women and men, co-hosted by two hockey powerhouses, promises to be a resounding success. We are very grateful to both Belgium and the Netherlands for hosting our top athletes and the global hockey community in less than six months' time.In today’s fractured world, sport—and events such as this in particular—can play a substantial role in bringing people together. It can foster peace at times when our world is torn apart by conflict.I invite all fans around the world to join in, and I already wish all participating athletes an unforgettable experience!”Match scheduleThe FIH Hockey World Cup Belgium and Netherlands 2026 will be held in Amsterdam and Wavre from 15 to 30 August 2026.

Lahore (PR): Pepsi has joined the HBL Pakistan Super League as the Official Beverage and Entertainment partner for 11th, 12th and 13th editions of the tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Monday. As Pepsi continues to be the most loved beverage of Pakistan, its partnership with one of the top T20 leagues and country’s biggest sporting extravaganza will diversify the fan’s experience at the venues.The three-year deal was inked during a ceremony held at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, which was attended by CEO PSL Salman Naseer and Senior Marketing Director PepsiCo, Hakima Mirza.In a testament to the HBL PSL’s commercial growth, the Beverage and Entertainment rights have been separated from the traditional In-Stadia brand partnership portfolio and sold as standalone entity for the upcoming three seasons.As part of the tender process, PepsiCo emerged as the winning bidder following a thorough process, which also included determination of the technical qualification of the bidders.As Entertainment partner, Pepsi will also collaborate with the HBL PSL for the official anthem of season 11.HBL PSL Chief Executive Officer, Salman Naseer:“We are delighted that Pepsi is joining us in the New Era of the HBL PSL as our official Beverage and Entertainment partner. Pepsi and cricket have been synonymous in Pakistan for a long time and now this association will again unite to not only quench the thirst of our fans for one of the best drinks but also advance on the entertainment front.“The PCB is thankful to PepsiCo for their trust and confidence in the HBL PSL for the upcoming three seasons. I’m sure this partnership will pay unprecedented dividends to the both parties involved and to our valued fans.” Senior Marketing Director PepsiCo, Hakima Mirza:“It is a matter of great pride for PepsiCo to be partnering with the HBL PSL. Our historic association with Cricket in Pakistan puts us in great stead to lead on the official Beverage and Entertainment front for one of the best T20 Leagues in the World.“The expansion of the HBL PSL and the dawn of the New Era for the league heralds an exciting time and we are honored to be one of the key contributors to its growth for the next three years. I hope the fans will also benefit a great deal from this partnership as we strive to set new standards for entertainment in the league.”

Peshawar (Sports Report):Abbottabad Region and Sialkot Region booked their places in the semi-finals from Group B after registering victories on the final day of group-stage action in the ABS Developers National T20 Cup 2026 on Monday night at the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar.Abbottabad cruised past Lahore Region Blues by eight wickets, while Sialkot defeated Multan Region by seven wickets in what was effectively a knockout clash. Both teams finished on six points from four matches, with Sialkot topping Group B courtesy of a better net run-rate.In the semi-finals, set to be played on Tuesday, Karachi Whites will face Sialkot, while Abbottabad will go up against Lahore Whites.Sialkot and Multan locked horns in the second game of the night with a semi-final spot on the line. In the end, Sialkot held their nerve to beat Multan by seven wickets with one ball to spare in a chase of 163.Batting first, Multan lost opening batter Mohammad Naeem (4) in the fourth over with 26 runs on the board. Skipper Imam-ul-Haq then added 28 runs for the second wicket with Sameer Minhas (14, 12b, 2x4s) before the latter was dismissed in the seventh over, leaving Multan 53 for 2.Multan then lost two more wickets in quick succession and slipped to 90-4 in 11.4 overs. Imam, however, found support in Bismillah Khan (23, 12b, 3x4s, 1x6), with the pair putting together a 48-run stand to revive the innings.However, the game turned again when Bismillah and Imam fell in the space of five deliveries, triggering a collapse as Multan lost their last six wickets for 24 runs to tumble from 138 for four to 163 all out in 19.5 overs.Imam was the standout performer with the bat, striking 86 off 51 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. For Sialkot, Sufyan Moqim led the bowling effort with three for 37 in four overs, while Usama Mir (4-0-29-2) and Shoaib Akhtar Jnr (4-1-30-2) chipped in with two wickets each.In reply, Sialkot got off to a solid start as opening batters Mirza Tahir Baig (29, 35b, 4x4s) and Khawaja Arham (32, 21b, 4x4s, 1x6) stitched together a 63-run partnership in nine overs. However, both openers fell in the space of three deliveries, with Moheer Saeed (4-0-28-1) dismissing Arham and Arafat Minhas removing Tahir Baig.Arafat began his spell with a maiden sixth over before only giving away seven runs in his remaining three and finished with outstanding figures of 4-1-7-1. Hasan Nawaz then took charge of the chase, first adding 37 runs for the third wicket with Abdullah Shafique (16, 19b, 1x4) off 39 balls in a cautious effort. At the time Abdullah departed in 16th over, Sialkot needed another 64 off 25 balls with the required rate hovering above 15.The next 3.5 overs saw Hasan going from 21 off 20 to 80 not out off 40 and Sialkot nailing the semi-final berth in a spectacular manner. His barrage of boundaries included a six and a four each off 17th and 18th overs before hitting three sixes in the penultimate over and taking 23 runs off it against Sirajuddin.The 13 required off the last over, delivered by Aamer Yamin, were completed with the help of two boundaries by Hasan, a pair of doubles and a single as Sialkot got home in 19.5 overs In the first game, Lahore Region Blues batted first but were bundled out for 86 in 14.3 overs, before Abbottabad Region romped home in 8.2 overs with eight wickets in hand and 70 balls to spare.Shadab Khan led Abbottabad’s charge with the ball, returning figures of 3-0-10-3, while Shahab Khan (1.3-0-11-2) and Arshad Iqbal (3-0-30-2) chipped in with two wickets apiece. For Lahore Blues, only Hamza Zahoor offered some resistance with an eight-ball 18, striking one four and two sixes.In reply, Abbottabad suffered an early blow when skipper Fakhar Zaman fell for naught, but Shahzaib Khan (32, 19b, 5x4s, 1x6) and Kamran Ghulam (46 not out, 23b, 3x4s, 4x6s) stitched together a brisk stand to seal the chase with ease.Scores in brief: Match 19: Abbottabad Region beat Lahore Region Blues by eight wickets at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, PeshawarLahore Blues 86 all out, 14.3 overs (Hamza Zahoor 18; Shadab Khan 3-10, Shahab Khan 2-11, Arshad Iqbal 2-30)Abbottabad 87-2, 8.2 overs (Kamran Ghulam 46 not out, Shahzaib Khan 32)Player of the match: Shadab Khan (Abbottabad)Match 20: Sialkot Region beat Multan Region by seven wickets at Imran Khan Cricket Stadium, PeshawarMultan 163 all out, 19.5 overs (Imam-ul-Haq 86, Bismillah Khan 23; Sufyan Moqim 3-37, Usama Mir 2-29, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr 2-30)Sialkot 164-3, 19.5 overs (Hasan Nawaz 80 not out, Khawaja Arham 32, Mirza Tahir Baig 29)Player of the match: Hasan Nawaz (Sialkot)

Dubai (Sports News): Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan, England all-rounder Will Jacks and United States of America fast bowler Shadley van Schalkwyk have been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February while Sri Lanka batter Harshitha Samarawickrama, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and India seam bowler Arundhati Reddy complete the women’s shortlist.Sahibzada outshone other batters with a record aggregate in an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup while Will Jacks and Schalkwyk were other standout performers. All three were in the ICC Team of the Tournament announced at the end of the event, Schalkwyk named as the 12th player.Men’s shortlistSahibzada Farhan (Pakistan)The hard-hitting opener amassed 383 runs at an average of 76.60 and a strike-rate of 160.25 in seven T20Is during the tournament. He broke Virat Kohli’s record runs in one edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and became the first to register two centuries in a single edition - against Namibia and Sri Lanka.Will Jacks (England)Jacks had a superb run with both bat and ball. He scored 192 runs at a strike-rate of 173.21 and grabbed 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.04 in nine T20Is as his team made the semifinals of the tournament. He won four Player of the Match awards.Shadley van Schalkwyk (USA)Van Schalkwyk finished with 13 wickets at an economy rate of 6.80 in four matches at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He ended the initial group stage as the leading wicket-taker, grabbing four for 25 against both India and Pakistan and following up with a haul of three for 21 against the NetherlandsWomen’s shortlistHarshitha Samarawickrama helped win an ODI series in the West Indies with two half-centuries, Fatima Sana put up a fine-all-round effort in both ODIs and T20Is during the period while Arundhati Reddy was the leading wicket-taker in India’s T20I series win in Australia.Harshitha Samarawickrama (Sri Lanka)The left-hand batter scored 171 runs averaging 57.00 at a strike-rate of 60.85 in three ODIs that helped defeat the West Indies 2-1 in the Caribbean. She finished as the leading run-scorer in the series with knocks of 66, 35 and 70.Fatima Sana (Pakistan)Fatima scored 57 runs in two ODIs against South Africa at a strike-rate of 126.66 and also grabbed two wickets. She was the leading scorer in the T20Is in South Africa, striking 90 in the first match and an unbeaten 47 in the third. She also took two wickets.Arundhati Reddy (India)Reddy was the leading wicket-taker as India won their three-match T20I series in Australia by a 2-1 margin. She grabbed four for 22, two for 30 and two 35 in the three matches to finish with an average of 10.87 and an economy rate of 7.25.

Lahore (Staff Report):The tickets for the much-anticipated HBL PSL 11 will go on sale from Tuesday, 17 March, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced today. The tickets will be available to fans online from 12pm at pcb.tcs.com.pk (infographics attached).The sale of physical tickets at TCS Express Centres will commence from Tuesday, 24 March. More details will be shared in due course.The E-Ticket option will be partially available for Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi stadiums and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. The upcoming edition of HBL PSL starting from 26 March will feature 44 matches with eight teams taking part in the marquee event for the first time. For the first time, six venues – Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Peshawar’s Imran Khan Stadium, Multan Cricket Stadium, Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium, Karachi’s National Bank Stadium and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will host matches.The final of the event will be played on 3 May at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.To encourage fans to come in large numbers, General tickets in Lahore and Karachi will be available to fans from PKR 250, while fans can purchase general stand tickets for Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium from PKR 300. General tickets in Multan and Rawalpindi will be available from PKR 400.Also, to facilitate families to witness action in Peshawar, an enclosure has been dedicated to families at the stadium for the fixture on Saturday, 28 March between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United. Fans can purchase tickets for the VIP Family Zone for PKR 2,000.Premium tickets for the afternoon match in Peshawar will be available at PKR 1,500, while fans can watch the action from the VIP enclosure at PKR 3,000. The VVIP Gallery will also be available to fans at the Imran Khan Stadium from PKR 6,000.For corporate customers, hospitality boxes will be available at the stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Gallery tickets will be available to fans in all stadiums (infographic attached).HBL PSL CEO Salman Naseer:“The sale of tickets for the HBL PSL 11 beginning tomorrow marks an important milestone as the league enters its 11th year and ushers in a New Era of growth and innovation. Over the last decade, the HBL PSL has established itself as one of the most exciting T20 leagues in the world and we remain committed to taking the fan experience to the next level.“While finalising the ticketing strategy for this season, special emphasis was placed on accessibility for fans across the country. We wanted to ensure that supporters can easily purchase tickets through a convenient online system, while also keeping prices affordable so that families and passionate cricket followers can come to the stadiums and enjoy the action live.“For the upcoming season of HBL PSL, fans can look forward to thrilling contests, with traditional rivalries set to intensify and new rivalries beginning to take shape. Every season brings fresh stories, new heroes and unforgettable moments and we are confident that this year will be no different.”

Multan (PR): The Chess Association of Punjab (CAP) has officially announced its newly elected Executive Council for the term 2026–2030. According to a spokesperson for the association, the elections were conducted through a transparent and constitutionally compliant process under the supervision of the Sports Board Punjab, with full participation of the General Body members. The newly formed leadership is committed to further promoting and strengthening the game of chess across the province.Dr. Naeem Rauf from Lahore has been elected as President of the association. A highly experienced administrator with extensive expertise in chess governance and organizational affairs, Dr. Rauf brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic vision to the role. His leadership is expected to steer Punjab chess toward new heights of excellence and inclusivity.Inamullah Awan from Gujranwala will serve as Senior Vice President. He holds a senior position in the government setup and is widely recognized for his dedication to mentoring and supporting young chess talent across the region.The association has appointed four Vice Presidents representing different regions of Punjab. These include:· Professor Tahir Raza Abid (Vehari)· Sheikh Abuzar (Bahawalpur)· Malik Shahbaz Babbar (Muzaffargarh)· Dr. Ejaz Asghar (Sheikhupura)Each of these individuals has played a notable role in promoting chess at the grassroots level and strengthening local chess communities in their respective districts.Raja Gauhar Iqbal from Rawalpindi has been re-elected as General Secretary. With an impressive record of organizing over 1,700 chess tournaments in recent years, he has demonstrated unwavering dedication to the growth and development of the sport across Punjab.Ehsan-ul-Haq from Gujrat has been elected as Finance Secretary. He will oversee the association's financial matters, ensuring transparency, accountability, and prudent management of resources.Other office-bearers include Sheraz Adil (Sheikhupura) – Joint Secretary and Shahid Lodhi (Multan) – Press Secretary.In a significant step toward promoting gender inclusivity in sports, Mrs. Bushra Saleem has been nominated as Women's Representative. She will work to encourage female participation in chess across the province and will represent the association in the General Body of the Chess Federation of Pakistan, alongside the President and General Secretary.The spokesperson further stated that the newly elected Executive Council represents a powerful blend of administrative experience, academic excellence, and genuine passion for the sport. The team is expected to play a transformative role in strengthening district-level chess associations, promoting youth and women participation, and significantly improving the standards of chess tournaments throughout Punjab.

Karachi (Sports News) Due to the increasing popularity of paddle sports, a paddle court was established in Naya Nazimabad. Special guest Chairman Naya Nazim Arif Habib inaugurated the court by cutting the ribbon.Arif Habib said: Naya Nazimabad is a true picture of Sports City. Where there are facilities for twenty sports including cricket, football, futsal, squash, tennis, swimming, table tennis, badminton, now the increasingly popular sport paddle court has also been completed. He said that Pakistani youth are very talented and he hopes that Pakistani youth will also achieve success in paddle. To a question, Arif Habib said that Chairman PCB Mohsin Naqvi has assured him that after the hotel is completed, Naya Nazimabad will host big cricket matches.Chief Executive Officer Samad Habib said that cricket, football and tennis competitions were organized in Ramadan and now a national paddle tournament will be organized here in the near future. On this occasion, President Naya Nazimabad Gymkhana Syed Mohammad Talha, Chief Operating Officer Mohammad Saeed, Senior Manager Sports Mohammad Asif, Senior Manager Raheel Karim, former Test cricketer Jalaluddin, businessman Usman Ghani, Tariq Iqbal and a large number of citizens were also present. During this, a cake was cut and colorful balloons were released in the air.

Abdullah AsjadISLAMABAD:Defending champions Lahore Qalandars will conduct a three-day conditioning camp at the Smart Qalandars High Performance Center in Islamabad as part of preparations for the upcoming 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League.The camp will begin today and continue until March 18, with training sessions taking place after Iftar from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM.All locally contracted players will participate in the camp alongside Zimbabwe captain and Lahore Qalandars overseas player Sikandar Raza. The camp will focus on conditioning and team preparation ahead of the new season.The squad will regroup with all local and overseas players in Lahore on March 23 after the Eid holidays as preparations shift toward the PSL opener against Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on March 26.

Lausanne Switzerland (Sports News): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is delighted to announce that New Zealand and South Africa will host the fourth edition of the women’s and men’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup (respectively), with the winners being offered the opportunity to join the 2026-27 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League.The city of Cape Town, South Africa, will host the men’s event which will involve some of the best teams in the world: South Africa, New Zealand, France, Korea, Japan, Wales, Malaysia, along with Scotland—who were promoted via the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, and Ireland — who were relegated from the 2024-25 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League.The 2025-26 edition of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup will run from 11 to 20 June 2026, and will mark the return of the competition to South Africa, which hosted the inaugural edition of the men’s competition in Potchefstroom in 2022.The women’s event will take place in Auckland, New Zealand from 15 to 21 June 2026. The impressive line-up for the competition includes includes hosts New Zealand, USA, Japan, Korea, Chile, Scotland, along with France — who were promoted via the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, and India — who were relegated from the 2024-25 season of the FIH Hockey Pro League.The FIH Hockey Nations Cup was launched in 2021 to offer a top-level competition to the best-ranked teams not participating in the FIH Hockey Pro League and give the winning team the option to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League in the following season.India, Spain and New Zealand have won the first three editions of the women’s competition thus far. On the men’s side, South Africa won the inaugural edition, followed by back-to-back successes for the New Zealand men’s team.FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “On behalf of FIH, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the Hockey Associations of New Zealand and South Africa. We are delighted to have two outstanding host nations and cities for these remarkable tournaments. I’m excited for the thrilling matches and the fantastic atmosphere that will unfold across two continents, as some of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams showcase their talent for hockey fans around the globe.”

Lausanne Switzerland (Sports News): After a busy start to the calendar year of 2026 with teams playing in the FIH Hockey Pro League across three continents as well as the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Chile, Egypt and India, there have been plenty of movements across the World Rankings Table.In the men’s rankings, Netherlands (3460) and Belgium (3453) remain neck-and-neck as the top two sides. Australia (3258) are in third, up one spot from the start of the year, followed by England (3152) in fourth, up three spots from where they started 2026! Argentina (3126) in fifth have been steady, while Germany (3110) in sixth, are down three places from the start of the year, followed by Spain (2936) and India (2774), who are both down one place each in seventh and eighth respectively. Ireland (2547) in ninth are up two spots, followed by France (2385) down one spot in tenth. New Zealand (2353) in eleventh are down one spot as a result of Ireland’s move up the rankings. Pakistan’s (2316) four wins in the Qualifiers in Ismailia has seen them climb up two places to twelfth, followed by South Africa (2227)—who are down one spot having already qualified for the World Cup via the Africa Cup of Nations. Japan (2150) in fourteenth are one of the biggest climbers of the year, up from eighteenth place, thanks to their stellar run in the Qualifiers in Egypt, which ended in a third place finish and a spot in the World Cup. Malaysia (2140) in fifteenth, Scotland (2082) in seventeenth and Egypt (2005) in eighteenth have all dropped down a couple of places each, while Wales (2108) in sixteenth and Canada (1926) in nineteenth have remained steady. China (1831) in twentieth, Chile (1827) in twenty first, Poland (1825) in twenty second, Korea (1813) in twenty third, Austria (1772) in twenty fourth and United States (1702) in twenty fifth round out the top-25 standings in men’s rankings. In the women’s rankings, the top-5 in the standings remain intact from the start of the year. Leading the way are Netherlands (3927), well clear atop the standings, followed by Argentina (3467) in second place, Belgium (3230) in third, China (3143) in fourth and Spain (2961) in fifth. England (2764) have moved up two spots — up into sixth — following their involvement in the Pro League as well as the World Cup Qualifiers. Germany (2711) remain in seventh despite tough results in the Pro League, while Australia (2513) have swapped places with England, dropping two places, down into eighth. India (2420) in ninth and New Zealand (2391) in tenth hold on to their spots from the end of the previous year, and are closely followed by Chile (2342) who are amongst the biggest rank gainers, moving up to their all-time high ranking of eleventh, having started the year in fifteenth. USA (2337) in twelfth have dropped a spot, followed by Ireland (2306) who remain in thirteenth. Scotland (2206) in fourteenth are up one place after qualifying for their first World Cup in 24 years, followed by Japan (2192) in fifteenth, who have dropped three spots, after finishing fourth in Chile and qualifying for the World Cup, thanks to their superior world ranking. France (1912) in sixteenth and Uruguay (1891) in seventeenth have climbed one and two spots respectively, while Korea (1826) have dropped three places down into eighteenth, with South Africa (1798) in nineteenth and Italy (1795) in twentieth round out the top-20.