Dubai (Sports News): The Desert Vipers secured their maiden DP World ILT20 trophy after beating MI Emirates by 46 runs in front of a packed Dubai International Stadium on Sunday night. The Desert Vipers took home a cash prize of USD 700,000 along with the Black Belt, while MI Emirates were awarded USD 300,000.Curran smashed an unbeaten 74 off 51 balls, studded with eight fours and two sixes, to power his team to an unassailable 182/4. He was well supported by Max Holden (41 off 32) and Dan Lawrence’s (23 off 15) late charge. Naseem Shah (3/18), Usman Tariq (2/20), and Khuzaima Tanveer (2/22) led the bowling effort before David Payne’s three-wicket haul (3/42) restricted MI Emirates to 136.Fans at the Dubai International Stadium were treated to a spectacular build-up ahead of the final, with a dazzling fireworks display and a drone show lighting up the night sky. The pre-match extravaganza created a carnival-like atmosphere as thousands of spectators soaked in the visual spectacle that celebrated the league and set the stage for the biggest clash of the season.The Vipers’ skipper Sam Curran capped off an impressive tournament by finishing with both the Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) and the Green Belt (Best Batter). Curran ended the season with 397 runs, including three half-centuries, and complemented his batting efforts with seven wickets and 10 catches.In the second innings, the Vipers’ Naseem Shah set the tone early, removing Andre Fletcher (10 off 11) and Tom Banton (7 off 6), while Khuzaima Tanveer capitalised with the key wicket of Muhammad Waseem (26 off 13). MI Emirates lost three wickets inside six overs and crawled to 46/3, leaving Shakib Al Hasan and Sanjay Krishnamurthi with plenty of work to do.Usman Tariq turned up the heat by dismissing Sanjay Krishnamurthi (2 off 9) in the eighth over. Shakib Al Hasan (36 off 27) attempted to steady the innings with calculated strikes, but boundaries were hard to come by. With Kieron Pollard struggling to break free, MI Emirates reached 72/4 after 10 overs, falling further behind in the chase.MI Emirates’ hopes rested on Shakib and Kieron Pollard (28 off 27), who completed their 50-run stand in 38 balls before Tariq delivered a decisive blow by removing Shakib, pushing the equation to a daunting 61 off the final four overs.After Naseem Shah removed Kieron Pollard to end any late resistance, David Payne ripped through the lower order, bagging three wickets in the 18th over. Khuzaima Tanveer sealed the title by clattering Muhammad Rohid’s stumps (3 off 4) as the Vipers closed out the match with nine balls to spare.Earlier, the Vipers began briskly in the powerplay as Fakhar Zaman (20 off 15) and Jason Roy (11 off 7) put on 34/0 in the first three overs. Momentum shifted in the fourth over when Fazalhaq Farooqi struck twice to dismiss both openers. Sam Curran responded emphatically, smashing three consecutive boundaries in the final over of the powerplay to carry the Vipers to 59/2.Curran then joined hands with Max Holden, rotating the strike efficiently and attacking smartly to take the Vipers to 83/2 at the halfway stage. The duo completed their 50-run stand in the 11th over, off just 39 balls. Curran kept the offensive going while Holden played the anchor role before Arab Gul ended their 89-run partnership off 64 balls with Holden’s wicket in the 15th over.The Vipers’ skipper continued piling on the pressure, bringing up his half-century off 39 balls in the 17th over. His fourth-wicket partnership with Dan Lawrence (23 off 15) provided the impetus in the death overs, as they added 57 runs in just 33 balls to carry the team to 182/4.The White Belt (Best Bowler) was claimed by Dubai Capitals’ Waqar Salamkheil, who led the bowling charts with 18 wickets. Meanwhile, MI Emirates’ Mohammad Waseem picked up the Blue Belt for Best UAE Player for the fourth straight campaign after scoring 370 runs across Season 4. The winners of the DP World ILT20 signature belts were awarded USD 15,000 each.Brief Scores:Desert Vipers 182/4 in 20 overs (Sam Curran 74 not out, Max Holden 41, Dan Lawrence 23, Fazalhaq Farooqi 2 for 33)MI Emirates 136 all out in 18.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 36, Kieron Pollard 28, Muhammad Waseem 26, Naseem Shah 3 for 18, David Payne 3 for 42, Usman Tariq 2 for 20, Khuzaima Tanveer 2 for 22)Player of the match: Sam CurranDP World ILT20 Season 4 belt winners:Red Belt (Most Valuable Player) – Sam Curran, Desert VipersGreen Belt (Best Batter) – Sam Curran, Desert VipersWhite Belt (Best Bowler) – Waqar Salamkheil, Dubai CapitalsBlue Belt (Best UAE player) – Mohammad Waseem, MI Emirates

Islamabad (Sports News): Soha Ali overcame Shimza Naz in straight games 2-0 in the Ladies Singles of the 11th Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan National Ranking Tennis Championships 2025 continued at PTF Tennis Complex, Islamabad. Results: Men's Singles 2nd Round: Muzammil Murtaza bt Zalan Khan 6-0,6-2; Abubakar Talha bt Zohaib Afzal Malik 6-2,6-2; Barkatullah bt Hamza Roman 6-3,6-4; Yousaf Khalil W/O Ahmad Chaudhry; Nadir Mirza bt Mohammad Haziq Aasim 6-3,6-2; Ahmad Nael Qureshi bt Shehryar Anees 6-2,4-6,6-1; Mohammad Shoaib bt Sami Zeb Khan 6-3,6-2; Aqeel Khan bt Ahtesham Humayun 6-0,6-4Mens Doubles Quarterfinals: Barkatullah / Yousaf Khalil bt Aqeel Khan / Nadir Mirza 7-6(4), 2-6(10-4) ; Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi / Muzammil Murtaza bt Haziq Aasim bt Zohaib Afzal Malik 6-2,6-1; Abubakar Talha / Ahmad Nael Qureshi bt Yahya / Abdul Basit 6-0,6-2; Mohammad Shoaib / Hamza Roman bt Ahtesham Humayun / Ahmed Babar 6-1,6-1Ladies Singles (Quarterfinals): Soha Ali bt Shimza Naz Durab 6-3,7-5; Sheeza Sajid bt Labika Durab 6-3,6-2; Mahin Aftab Qureshi bt Zunaisha Noor 6-1,6-0; Amna Ali Qayum bt Meheq Khokhar 6-0,6-4 Boys 18&under 2nd Round: Abdul Basit bt Ali Zain 6-1,6-4; Hassan Usmani bt Jamal Shah 6-0,6-1;Zohaib Afzal Malik bt Mohammad Rayan Khan 6-1,7-5; Ahtesham Humayun bt Dawood Khan 6-0,6-1; Mohammad Yahya bt Saqib Ali 6-3,7-5; Hamza Roman bt Mohammad Muaz 6-1,6-0; Abubakar Talha bt Zain Qamar 6-0,6-0 Boys 14&under 2nd Round: Mohammad Junaid bt Moazzam Babar 4-0,4-1; Meer Abbas bt Mohammad Shakib 5-4(1),5-3; Mohammad Ayyan bt Raha Mohammad Taha 4-0,4-0; Ohade Mustafa bt Mohammad Hashir Irfan 4-0,4-0; 

Islamabad (By: Faisal): Rising tennis star Mikaeel Ali Baig clinched the USTA Level 1 Winter Nationals Doubles Title (the USTA “Grand Slam”) in a thrilling 2-hour final alongside his Canadian-Hungarian partner Rafael —beating Akshay (USA/India) and Ivan (USA/Russia) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.This week was a battle from start to finish—heart-racing quarterfinals, intense semifinals, and then the biggest stage: the final. After dropping the first set, we stayed locked in, trusted the plan, and fought for every point until the last ball.USTA Level 1 Winter Nationals brings together the top 128 players on the USTA circuit—plus strong international competition. Winning here earns the Gold Ball, one of the most respected awards in junior tennis.Mikaeel Ali Baig said:“Level 1 Winter Nationals is where the best show up. We had to fight for every point. After losing the first set, we stayed composed, believed in the comeback, and never let go of the goal. Winning a Gold Ball is a dream—and I’m proud to bring this record and this title back for Pakistan.”

Islamabad (Sports News): Fajar Fayyaz: Haniya Adnan: Shandana Rabi and Aqsa Akram registered victories in the 11th Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan National Ranking Tennis Championships-2025-26 at PTF Tennis Complex, Islamabad.Results:Men’s Singles (1st Round):Abubakar Talha beat Talha Bin Asif 6-0 6-2, Barkatullah beat Mohammad Hamza Aasim 6-0 6-2, Zalan Khan beat Uzair Khan 7-5 2-6 6-1, Ahmad Ch beat Jabir Ali 6-1 6-1, Muzammil Murtaza beat M.Huzaifa Khan 6-3 6-3, Zohaib Afzal Malik beat Abdul Basit 5-7 6-3 6-3, Hamza Roman beat Shahzad Khan 4-6 6-4 (Retd.) Ahmad Nael Qureshi beat M.Yahya 6-1 6-2, Mohammad Shoaib beat Heera Ashiq 6-3 6-4 Aqeel Khan beat Mohammad Talha Khan 7-5 6-4,Ladies Singles (1st Round):Fajar Fayyaz beat Hania Khalid 6-1 6-0, Haniya Adnan w/o Zara Khan, Shandana Rabi beat Zaira Ahmad Zaka 6-1 6-1, Aqsa Akram beat Sofia Tariq 6-4 6-0,Junior 18&U Singles (1st Round):Zain Qamar beat Aaliyan Ali 6-2 6-1, Abdul Basit beat Haziq Areejo 6-3 7-6(2), Ahtesham Humayun beat Mohammad Hassan 6-0 6-1, Ali Zain beat M.Aayan Noori 6-1 6-1, Dawood Khan beat Inam Qadir 3-6 7-5 4-0 (Retd.) Abubakar Talha beat Ohad-e-Mustafa 6-0 6-1,Boys 14&U Singles (1st Round):Moazzam Babar beat Talha Khan 4-1 4-1, Mohammad Shakaib beat Hassan KPK 5-3 4-0, M.Rayan Khan w/o Rayyan Khan, Zohaib Afzal Malik beat Meer Abbas Bhagat 6-1 6-0, Mohammad Aayan w/o Mohammad Huzaifa, Raja M. Taha 4-2 4-1, Mohammad Hashir Irfan w/o Mohammad Qublai Sheikh, Mohammad Faizan beat Mohammad Danyal 4-1 4-2,Boys 12&U Singles (1st Round):Amir Masood beat Ali Asghar Bukhari 4-0 4-0,  Isfahan Maimoon w/o Sarim Amir, Hassan KPK w/o Sadda Hussain, Mohammad Umar Toheed beat Subhan Ullah 4-0 4-2, Wilhel Cannell w/o M.Bilal Kamran 

Karachi (Sports News): Hyderabad Hunters continued their unbeaten run in the Pakistan Tape Ball Premier League by registering their 6 consecutive victories, defeating Lahore Lions by 11 runs in a thrilling encounter to book a place in the semi-finals.The match was played at the New Nazimabad Cricket Ground under the auspices of the Pakistan Tape Ball Federation.Batting first, Hyderabad Hunters scored 66 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their first innings. M. Raza contributed 20 runs with the help of two sixes, while Ubaid Khan also scored 20 runs off just six deliveries, hitting two sixes. For Lahore Lions, Shah nawaz picked up three wickets.In reply, Lahore Lions posted 78 runs for the loss of five wickets, taking a 12-run lead. Falak Bashir was the standout performer with 23 runs off 10 balls, including two fours and two sixes. Majid Ali claimed two wickets for Hyderabad.In their second innings, Hyderabad Hunters piled up 127 runs for the loss of just one wicket, gaining an overall lead of 115 runs. Mohammad Raza played a spectacular knock, scoring 57 runs off 18 balls with two fours and eight sixes, while Numran Khan added 49 runs off 21 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes.Chasing a target of 116 runs, Lahore Lions could manage only 104 runs for the loss of three wickets. Falak Bashir once again impressed with 54 runs off 16 balls, smashing five fours and five sixes. Captain Abdul Basit scored 26 runs, including three sixes and a four. Muazullah took two wickets for Hyderabad Hunters.With this performance, Mohammad Raza also achieved a major milestone by completing a half-century of sixes in the league, having struck 53 sixes in six matches. Karachi Kids’ Osama Ali and Peshawar Shaheens’ Sarmad Hamid are jointly second with 30 sixes each, while Rawalpindi Royals’ Taimoor Mirza is fourth with 29 sixes.Mohammad Raza was named Player of the Match for his outstanding all-round performance.

Lahore (Sports News): OZ Group, led by Chairman Hamza Majeed Chaudhary, has achieved a significant milestone after being officially shortlisted among the qualified bidders for the expansion of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Pakistan’s flagship professional T20 cricket competition.The PCB received 12 bids from investors based in Pakistan and overseas, underscoring the PSL’s growing international appeal and commercial credibility. Following detailed scrutiny, 10 bidders were declared technically eligible to advance to the next stage the franchise auction, scheduled to take place on January 8, 2026, at the Jinnah Convention Centre, Islamabad.The PSL expansion will see the league grow from six to eight teams beginning with PSL Season 11, scheduled from March 26 to May 3, 2026. This marks a pivotal moment in the league’s evolution, aimed at enhancing regional representation, expanding commercial opportunities, and strengthening the PSL’s global sporting footprint.Hamza Majeed Chaudhary said: “Being shortlisted by the PCB is a strong endorsement of OZ Group’s professional standards, financial credibility, and long-term vision. Our objective is to build a competitive and sustainable PSL franchise that delivers on-field success while also contributing to grassroots development, fan engagement, and the broader growth of cricket in Pakistan.”“Cricket has always been a unifying force for Pakistan. Through the PSL platform, we aim to nurture emerging talent, engage local communities, and contribute to the sport’s long-term sustainability,” Chaudhary added.

PHF asks 35 players to join camp, Green Shirts to participate in Pro League next monthAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: National hockey team training camp to commence on January 5, here at Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium, as the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has invited 35 players to report manager, aiming to enhance game skills before playing the Pro Hockey League, which will be held from February 10 to 15, 2026, at Hobart, Australia.Names of players:Abdullah Ishtiaq Khan, Muneeb ur Rehman, Mohammad Waqar Khan, Ali Raza, Mohammad Faizan Janjua, Bilal Khan (goalkeeper),Mohammad Sufyan Khan, Mohammad Abdullah, Ammaduddin Anjum, Abdul Manan, Ammad Shakil Butt, Usama Bashir, Arbaz Ahmed, Abu Bakar Mehmood (Deep Defenders)Moin Shakil, Zikriya Hayat, Ghazanfar Ali, Arshad Laiquat, Juaid Manzoor, Mohammad Salman Razzak, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, Muhibullah (Midfielders)Abdul Hannan Shahid, Abdul Rehman, Mohammad Afraz Khan, Rana Waheed, Rana Mohammad Waleed, Ahmed Nadeem, Mohammad Ammad, Abdul Qayyum, Basharat Ali, Umair Sattar, Hamza Fayyaz, Abu Zar, Rafiullah Khan (Strikers)Technical Officials:Anjum Saeed (Manager), Tahir Zaman (Head Coach), Mohammad Usman (Assistant Coach), Zeeshan Ashraf (Assistant Coach), Mukhtar Ahmed (Trainee Coach), Mazhar Abbas (Goalkeeper Coach), Nadeem Khan Lodhi (Video Analyst), Mohammad Aslam (Masseur).

Nabeel Ahmed becomes new president of Pakistan Taekwondo FederationAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee and General Council Meetings of the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) unanimously approved the name of Col Nabeel Ahmed, as the new president of the PTF here on Thursday.According to a spokesman for PTF, the Executive Committee and General Council Meetings took place on Thursday, and officials from federations of different departments participated through both physical and Zoom.During the meeting, Lt Col (R) Raja Wasim Ahmed, Ex-President of the PTF, nominated Colonel Nabeel Ahmed Rana as President PTF in the Executive and General Council. Each member of the province, departments, and services gave their verdict and approved his name during the Executive and General Council, reflecting comprehensive consensus and unity within the federation.

Islamabad (PR):The 11th Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan National Ranking Tennis Championships 2025, commenced today at PTF Tennis Complex.This tournament is being organized annually to commemorate the memory of late Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan, mother of Senator Salim Saifullah Khan (Patron-PTF).Senator Salim Saifullah Khan, while sharing his views, said: "The tournament holds great emotional value for him and his family, as it revives fond memories of his late mother. I wish success to all participating players. The event is sponsored by the Saif Group of Companies (Kulsum International Hospital, Saif Energy Limited, Transworld) and Parco as well."Pakistan’s leading players, including Muzammil Murtaza ,Aqeel Khan, Mohammad Shoaib,Barkatullah, Yousaf Khalil, Ahmad Nael Qureshi, Hamza Roman,Mahin Aftab Qureshi, Meheq Khokhar, Amna Ali Qayum, Sheeza Sajid, and Soha Ali, are participating.Over 250 entries have been received nationwide in the following categories:Men’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, Ladies Singles, Boys’ 18 & Under Singles, Boys’ 14 & Under Singles, Girl’s 14 & Under Singles and Boys’ 12 & Under Singles.After two rounds of qualifying matches, the remaining matches of the day were delayed due to rain in Islamabad. However, the matches will resume tomorrow at 9:30am.

Islamabad: Shifa International Hospitals Islamabad beat Sea Warriors Cricket Team Islamabad by six wickets in the Important Cricket match here at Navy Cricket XI Ground Islamabad. Shifa International Captain Ibrar Akhlaq won the toss and invited to bat first Sea Warriors, Sea Warrior bowled out for 274 in the 29th over. Asmat (79), Shahnaz (71) and Ahtisham (41) not out were the key contributors. Shifa International Captain Ibrar Akhlaq (5 for 52) Raza (2 for 7) and Hussain (1 for 20 ) were the other main wicket-takers. In reply, Shifa International achieved the target in the 30th over for the loss of four wickets. Batsman Imran Shah (108) and Hashir Azeem (100) runs hit a fine centuries, while Harris Ali (18) and Taimoor (11) not out were their leading run-getters. Imran Shah declared “Man of the Match” for his impressive Performance. (PR)