Sports
Babar Azam trolls Kevin Pietersen over all-time favourite cricketers list
Pakistani batter Babar Azam playfully trolled former captain Kevin Pietersen when asked about whether he was listed in his all-time favourite cricket stars.
“As a youngster, I looked up to AB de Villiers — he’s my all-time favourite,” Babar responded to the query about his cricket idol during a recent appearance on Pietersen’s YouTube channel.
When Pietersen jokingly asked whether he was featured second or third on Babar’s list of favourites. The former Pakistan captain answered with a smile and replied bluntly: “No… sixth or seventh.”
The 31-year-old threw light on his admiration for AB de Villiers, recalling how deeply the South African legend influenced his early years.
“When I was younger, I used to copy him, like his stance and his batting posture, his shots. In 2007, I was a ball picker in the stadium, so the first time there I saw de Villiers, I just froze and said my idol is here,” he said.
“I shook his hand and later on playing in PSL, and then I said to him, I need your time, I have a good relation with AB and I told him that you are my favourite, my hero,” he added.
Recently, Pietersen himself adopted a humorous approach while reacting to Babar ending his international century drought.
Taking to X, the 45-year-old shared a behind-the-scenes picture from a net session with Babar and jokingly took credit for the batter’s return to form.
“My net session with Babar Azam definitely helped him get his flow back and scoring 100s again!” Pietersen posted, adding a laughing emoji.
The picture was from September, when Babar joined Pietersen for his newly launched project, The Switch, featuring conversations and sessions with top current cricketers.
Babar, who previously scored an international century against Nepal in the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023, finally brought up another hundred after 83 innings and an 807-day wait.
His match-winning knock powered Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.
The century was his 20th in ODIs, equaling Saeed Anwar’s record for the most by a Pakistani batter in the format.
He also surpassed AB de Villiers to become the third-fastest player in men’s ODI cricket to reach 20 hundreds, achieving the feat in 39 fewer innings than the Proteas great.
Babar now trails only South Africa’s Hashim Amla (108 innings) and India’s Virat Kohli (133 innings) on the list.
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has identified a host of athletic competitions it classifies as “major sporting events” — aside from soccer’s 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games — that athletes and coaches will be allowed to travel to the U.S. to take part in despite a broad visa ban on nearly 40 countries.
In a cable sent to all U.S. embassies and consulates Wednesday, the State Department said athletes, coaches and support staff for the World Cup, the Olympics and events endorsed or run by a long list of collegiate and professional sporting leagues and associations would not be subject to the full and partial travel bans that apply to citizens of 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority.
However, the cable made clear that foreign spectators, media and corporate sponsors planning to attend the same events would still be banned unless they qualify for another exemption.
“Only a small subset of travelers for the World Cup, Olympics and Paralympics, and other major sporting events will qualify for the exception,” it said.
President Donald Trump’s administration has issued a series of immigration and travel bans as well as other visa restrictions as part of ongoing efforts to tighten U.S. entry standards for foreigners. At the same time, the administration has been looking to ensure that athletes, coaches and fans are able to attend major sporting events in the U.S.
Trump’s Dec. 16 proclamation banning the issuance of visas to the 39 countries and the Palestinian Authority had carved out an exception for athletes and staff competing in the World Cup, the Olympics and other major sporting events. It delegated a decision on which other sporting events would be covered to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Wednesday’s cable lists the events that are covered, including “all competitions and qualifying events” for the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan-American Games, and Para Pan-American Games; events hosted, sanctioned or recognized by a U.S. National Governing Body; all competitions and qualifying events for the Special Olympics; and official events and competitions hosted or endorsed by FIFA, soccer’s governing body, or its confederations.
The exemption also will cover official events and competitions hosted by the International Military Sports Council, the International University Sports Federation and the National Collegiate Athletic Association as well as those hosted or endorsed by U.S. professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and Women’s National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and Little League, National Hockey League, Professional Women’s Hockey League, NASCAR, Formula 1, the Professional Golf Association, Ladies Professional Golf Association, LIV Golf, Major League Rugby, Major League Soccer, World Wrestling Entertainment, Ultimate Fighting Championship and All Elite Wrestling.
The cable said other events and leagues could be added to the list.
Of the 39 countries, a full travel ban applies to Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and people with Palestinian Authority-issued passports.
A partial ban is in place for citizens of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Togo, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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President Donald Trump will return to the sidelines Monday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the College Football Playoff championship in Miami, where the Indiana Hoosiers will face the Miami Hurricanes.
Trump’s expected attendance was first reported by Axios.
President Donald Trump, right, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attend an NFL game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., Nov. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Monday’s appearance at the national championship game marks another high-profile outing for the president, who has attended several major sporting events during his second term.
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In April, Trump sat alongside UFC President Dana White outside the octagon for UFC 314 in Miami and again two months later at UFC 316 in New Jersey. He also attended several events in September, including the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York and a New York Yankees game on Sept. 11, 24 years after the 9/11 attacks.
President Donald Trump waves to the crowd as he arrives on the first hole on the first day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. (Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters via Imagn Images)
TRUMP WARNS COLLEGE SPORTS ARE IN ‘BIG TROUBLE’ IN CRYPTIC POST
President Trump has taken a special interest in sports in his second term.
In December, he warned the current state of name, image and likeness (NIL) was not sustainable and could pose a threat to college athletics, especially sports outside of football. He has also made ensuring the fairness and safety in girls and women’s sports a top priority of his administration.
President Donald Trump attends the 126th Army-Navy Game between the Army Black Knights and the Navy Midshipmen at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore Dec. 13, 2025. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
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Top-seeded Indiana, led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, will take on Miami at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Monday at 7:45 p.m. ET.
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In the latest gambling scandal to rock sports, a federal indictment accuses bettors and athletes of “point-shaving” in NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games.
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U.S. names sporting events athletes exempt from visa ban
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