ISLAMABAD: Eight Pakistani officials have been appointed to key committees of the International Tennis Federation and the Asian Tennis Federation for the 2026–2027 term, marking a significant achievement for Pakistan’s tennis community.

The appointments are being viewed as a recognition of Pakistan’s growing role in the development and governance of tennis at both regional and international levels.

Representation in ITF Committees

Pakistan’s top tennis player and President of the Pakistan Tennis Federation, Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, has been selected as a member of the ITF Athlete Commission.

Other Pakistani officials appointed to ITF committees include:

Sara Mansoor – ITF Coaches Commission

Syed Muhammad Ali Murtaza – ITF Juniors Committee

Pakistani Officials in ATF Committees

Several Pakistani representatives have also been appointed to committees of the Asian Tennis Federation:

Salim Saifullah Khan – Finance Committee, Development Advisory Group, Legal, Constitution & Ethics Committee

Ziauddin Tufail – Junior and Coaches Development Committee

Rashid Malik – Marketing and Sponsorship Committee

Shehzad Akhtar Alvi – Tournament Officiating Committee

Sara Mansoor – ATF Advantage All Committee

Muhammad Khalid Rehmani – Senior, Wheelchair and Beach Tennis Committee

Recognition for Pakistan Tennis

Speaking on the occasion, Salim Saifullah Khan said the appointments demonstrate the trust of international tennis bodies in Pakistani officials to contribute to the global development of the sport.

PTF President Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi also described the development as a proud moment for Pakistan, saying it will strengthen the country’s role in international tennis and open new opportunities for the sport’s growth in the region.

PTF Secretary General Ziauddin Tufail congratulated the appointed officials and expressed confidence that they would represent Pakistan effectively at the international level.

AHMEDABAD: New Zealand will “not mind breaking a few hearts” in the T20 World Cup final against defending champions and hosts India, captain Mitchell Santner said on Saturday.

Santner’s side will face India on Sunday in Ahmedabad with over 100,000 home fans expected to fill the Narendra Modi Stadium.

New Zealand reached the 2021 final, losing to Australia, and has never won a white-ball World Cup.

“I wouldn’t mind winning a trophy,” Santner said.

He added: “It’s going to be obviously a challenge where everyone knows we’re probably not the favourites.

“But yeah, I wouldn’t mind breaking a few hearts to lift the trophy for once.”

New Zealand have blown hot and cold.

They hammered South Africa — unbeaten until then — by nine wickets in the semi-finals after Finn Allen blasted the fastest-ever century at the tournament.

But they also lost to South Africa and England earlier in the competition.

They face an India side on a roll with three straight wins.

In 2023, Australia, led by Pat Cummins, silenced the home crowd in Ahmedabad in the final of the ODI World Cup.

“I guess that’s the goal, is to silence the crowd,” said Santner.

“T20 cricket is fickle at times. We’ve seen South Africa playing very good cricket all the way through and then had a little hiccup against us and out.

“So I think for us, it’s taking confidence from that, and if we go about our business the same way, we can upset another big team.”

Top-ranked India are attempting to become the first team to win back-to-back T20 World Cups and the first to lift the trophy on home soil.

They would also be the first to win the title three times.

But they will have to withstand the expectations of a packed house plus hundreds of millions more watching on TV.

Santner feels that the level of expectation could weigh heavily on them.

“So I think that comes with a lot of added pressure as well,” said Santner. “So if we can go out there and try and put, I guess, that added pressure on them and see what happens.”

Aaron Judge wasted no time clubbing his first World Baseball Classic homer. 

Judge, the Team USA captain, hit a first-inning two-run home run, while Brice Turang had three hits and four RBI to lead Team USA to a whopping win over Brazil in its World Baseball Classic opener Friday night.

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There was one out and one on in the first when Judge, the first player to commit to the team last April, connected off Bo Takahashi at Houston’s Daikin Park.

Lucas Ramirez homered twice for Brazil with his father, 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez, in attendance. He cut the lead to 2-1 with his leadoff homer, and his solo shot in the eighth got Brazil within 8-5.

Aaron Judge #99 of the United States celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning against Brazil during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game between the United States and Brazil at Daikin Park on March 6, 2026, in Houston, Texas.  (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

At 20 years, 49 days, he became the youngest player in WBC history with a multi-homer game.

Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch in the fifth to push the Americans’ lead to 4-1. Turang cleared the bases with his double to left field two pitches later to make it 7-1.

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Brice Turang #13 of Team USA hits a three-run double in the fifth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game presented by Capital One between Team USA and Team Brazil at Daikin Park on Friday, March 6, 2026 in Houston, Texas.  (Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Brazil is in the WBC for just the second time and first since 2013. The team fell to 0-4 all-time in the tournament after losing to Japan, Cuba and China in 2013.

Another highlight for Brazil came when 17-year-old high school senior Joseph Contreras got Judge to ground into a bases-loaded double play to end the second inning. Contreras, the youngest player in the WBC this year, is the son of pitcher José Contreras, who played 11 MLB seasons.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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