Sports
Shaheen admits even he may face ‘exclusion’ in future after Babar-Rizwan snub
SHARJAH: Left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has expressed his views on the absence of senior players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled from September 9 to 28.
Babar and Rizwan, who had featured in every multi-nation tournament for Pakistan since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE, have been sidelined from the shortest format following the three-match away series against South Africa in December last year.
The duo ultimately failed to make it to the Pakistan squad for the upcoming Asia Cup as the former champions shift their focus to grooming youngsters ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
Their snub from the continental tournament drew severe backlash from fans and former cricketers, but their teammate Shaheen emphasised backing the youngsters while acknowledging them as ‘world-class players’.
“I won’t be here either in the future. I believe everyone should get the opportunity,” stated Shaheen.
“Babar and Rizwan are world-class players, and they played pretty good cricket for Pakistan and by the will of Almighty Allah will play again.
“But again, everyone should get the opportunity, and they should grab it with both hands. They are our youngsters as well, so we should back them. They are also our players, and we should take them forward.”
Shaheen’s remarks came on the sidelines of the national men’s team’s training session at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium here for the tri-nation T20I series against Afghanistan and hosts UAE, which will precede the Asia Cup 2025.
The series will get underway on August 29 and will conclude on September 7, just a day before the commencement of the eight-team continental event.
Pakistan squad for Tri-Series and Asia Cup 2025:
Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Ali Agha (C), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Sports
Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair talks fine for pro-Palestinian message on eye tape: ‘It’s bigger than me’
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Houston Texans pass rusher Azeez Al-Shaair spoke out about the fine he received for wearing a pro-Palestinian message across his eye tape during a playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Al-Shaair talked to reporters outside his locker in the wake of the Texans’ loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. He was hit with a fine of $11,593 for having “Stop the genocide” emblazoned across the tape, according to ESPN.
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Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans during the national anthem before the wild-card playoff game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
He told the media he was aware what he did would garner a fine.
“I knew that that was a fine. I understood what I was doing … I was told that if I wore that in the game, I would be pulled out the game,” he said, via ESPN. “I think that was the part that I was confused about because I understood that was a fine but I never seen Stef (Stefon Diggs) get pulled out of a game for having eye tape with writing on it.
“At the end of the day, it’s bigger than me, the things that are going on. If it makes people uncomfortable, imagine how those people feel. I think that’s the biggest thing. I have no affiliation, no connection to these people other than the fact that I’m a human being. If you have a heart and you’re a human being and you see what’s going on in the world, you check yourself real quick. Even when I’m walking off this field, that’s the type of stuff that goes on in my head. I check myself when I’m sitting here crying about football when there’s people who are dying every single day.”
The NFL rulebook states in Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8 what players are allowed and not allowed to wear on game days. The rule states, “Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans exits the field during the playoff game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, mouthpieces, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and non-controversial; must not be worn for more than one football season.”
Al-Shaair has supported Palestinians in the past, including wearing “Free Palestine” cleats for the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” campaign during the 2024 season.
Al-Shaair had “Free” written on one side of his shoes in the colors of the Palestinian flag. On one shoe, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return,” was written. On the side of his other shoe, he included the number of Palestinians reportedly killed and wounded in their war with Israel.
The shoes were for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, which he also supported in 2023.
“I feel like it’s something that’s trying to be almost silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle at the time. “On either side, people losing their life is not right. In no way, shape, or form am I validating anything that happened, but to consistently say that because of [Oct. 7] innocent people [in Gaza] should now die, it’s crazy.
Azeez al-Shaair of the Houston Texans shakes hands with Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers after their playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
“[Other people] try to make a disconnect and dehumanize people over there. And it’s like, they’re human beings. Being a Muslim, we see everybody the same; Black, White, Spanish, whatever you are; you can be orange, like, we’re all human beings.”
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Al-Shaair was also part of the Athletes for Ceasefire organization.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
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The 2024 class of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix have already led their teams to playoff success.
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Napoli head coach Antonio Conte has appeared to aim a dig at former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim, suggesting arrogance from previous coaches has hindered Rasmus Højlund‘s development as a striker.
Højlund joined Conte’s Napoli on a season-long loan last summer in a move that the Serie A club are obligated to make permanent should they qualify for the Champions League.
The Dane joined United in a £64 million ($85.79m) deal from Atalanta in 2023, scoring 26 goals in 95 appearances. He was frequently overlooked by Amorim during his time in charge at Old Trafford and did not feature in any of the club’s four first four Premier League fixtures of the season.
Højlund started well at Napoli, scoring nine goals in his first 20 appearances but he has not found the back of the net since scoring a brace at Cremonese on Dec. 28.
“Some young coaches nowadays are arrogant and don’t want to adapt. They see a young striker struggling, and instead of training him, they blame him,” Conte told a news conference on Friday ahead of the weekend win over Sassuolo.
“They always complain and blame everyone but themselves, because everything is handed to them on a silver platter.”
– Transfer rumours, news: Chelsea open to Fernández exit
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Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna has said he considers Højlund’s permanent transfer from Manchester United a “formality.”
“We did everything we could to sign him,” Manna told Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
“There were more storied clubs interested, but his will was crucial, and we are proud of it. There’s an option to buy and an obligation to buy if we qualify for the Champions League.
“The player considers himself a Napoli player, and the same goes for us. This is extremely important.”
Napoli are third in Serie A, six points behind league leaders Internazionale and face Juventus on Sunday.
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