Sports
Kingsmen chase fairytale title, Zalmi eye second PSL crown
- Kingsmen chase title in debut season.
- Zalmi target second PSL crown since 2017.
- Babar leads with record-breaking run tally.
Marnus Labuschagne’s Hyderabad Kingsmen are set to face Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 on Sunday night at the Gaddafi Stadium, which will mark the culmination of the 44-match season of the league.
For the first time in the history of the PSL, a separate reward has been set for the franchises with the winning franchise getting $500,000, runners up will get $300,000, while the franchise with the best player development efforts will bag $200,000. The tournament-winning prize for players will comprise $500,000.
Hyderabad Kingsmen will be looking to conclude their fairytale season with the PSL title, while Peshawar Zalmi are eyeing their second title after 2017. Zalmi were the runners-up for 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons.
On the back of Babar’s record 588-run tally, Kusal Mendis’ 541 runs and Sufyan Moqim’s 21 wickets, Peshawar Zalmi won eight of their 10 matches in the league stage including a seven-match winning streak.
They outclassed Islamabad United by 70 runs in the Qualifier to secure the ticket for the final.
Express fast bowler Nahid Rana has also rejoined the Peshawar Zalmi squad and will be available for selection.
He picked up seven wickets in four league matches for Zalmi.
Hyderabad Kingsmen began their campaign with three outright losses by 69 runs against Qalandars, by 40 runs versus Gladiators and by six wickets against Sultans.
Their fourth consecutive loss came against Peshawar Zalmi as the two teams played out a last-ball thriller.
Zalmi chased the 146-run target with four wickets in hand.
Kingsmen then won four matches on the trot before falling flat against Islamabad United.
They thumped Rawalpindiz by 108 runs in their last league game to oust defending champions Lahore Qalandars on net run rate.
Kingsmen knocked out Multan Sultans in Eliminator 1 and came from behind to stun Islamabad United by two runs in the Eliminator 2.
At the pre-final captains’ press conference, Babar said: “We have played really good cricket in the tournament. Our focus has been on assessing the conditions first and then executing the plans.”
“The performance of our team this season has been a combined effort of the local and overseas players. We hope to win the trophy by giving our best.”
Labuschagne, the skipper of the Kingsmen said that leading his side has been really exciting and he’s enjoyed every moment.
“There have been certainly ups and downs but I think that’s what makes it so good. [it’s] just another game and we will make sure that we stick to our processes.”
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The Boston Celtics watched as their 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers slipped away this week as they lost Game 7 and were eliminated from the playoffs on Saturday night.
The 76ers won Game 7, 109-100, behind Joel Embiid’s 34 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Embiid made nine of his 11 free-throw attempts, but drew flopping accusations from Celtics star Jaylen Brown after the game.
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Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid celebrates after his team defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the first-round NBA playoffs in Boston on May 2, 2026. (Jim Davis/AP)
“Embiid put a lot of pressure on us, like on all our bigs and our guards,” he said, via Mass Live. “We didn’t really have an answer for him. We tried a bunch of different things and he just, he’s a big body, and also he was flopping around, he got some extra calls and stuff like that, and they rewarded him for that. That’s the league that we’re in. So, that’s all I got to say.”
Tyrese Maxey added 30 points and VJ Edgecombe added 23 in the win.
One of the key difference-makers in Game 7 were Philadelphia’s 3-point shooting. The 76ers were 39% from long range while Boston shot 27%. The Celtics were 13-of-49.
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Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown plays during the final minutes of Game 7 in a first-round NBA playoff series in Boston on May 2, 2026. (Jim Davis/AP)
Brown said after the game that he didn’t feel as though Philadelphia was a “traditional” No. 7 seed. He gave credit to Maxey, Embiid and Paul George’s effectiveness.
“Like we just didn’t really have an answer for Embiid in the games that he played. He just was a problem for us,” Brown added. “Obviously, we didn’t know if he was going to be able to play because of his appendicitis, or whatever you call it, but I think that made the difference. But give credit to (76ers head coach) Nick Nurse. Give credit to Philadelphia. They got better.”
Boston also lost Jayson Tatum to an injury in the middle of Game 6 and he exited Game 7, while trying to play through an injury.
Boston Celtics’ Jayson Baylor Scheierman defends Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid during the first half of Game 7 in a first-round NBA playoff series in Boston on May 2, 2026. (Jim Davis/AP)
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Philadelphia will play the New York Knicks in the next round.
Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara successfully summited Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, on Saturday, marking another major achievement in his high-altitude climbing career.
According to details, Sajid reached the summit of Mount Makalu at around 5am. The mountain, located in Nepal, stands at a height of 8,485 metres above sea level.
The successful ascent marked Sajid’s 10th mountain above 8,000 metres, further strengthening his record among Pakistan’s prominent high-altitude mountaineers.
Makalu is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 km southeast of Mount Everest, on the China–Nepal border. It is considered one of the world’s most challenging peaks because of its steep ridges, difficult terrain and extreme weather conditions faced by climbers during expeditions.
Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) congratulated Sajid on his remarkable and successful summit of Mount Makalu (8,485 metres), the fifth-highest mountain in the world.
In a statement, ACP President Maj Gen (retd) Irfan Arshad along with all members of the club, extended heartfelt felicitations to Sajid on achieving the feat, terming it a moment of great pride for the nation.
The statement noted that summiting one of the world’s most technically challenging peaks reflects Sajid’s courage, determination, and exceptional mountaineering skills.
“This outstanding achievement is not only a personal milestone but also a proud moment for the entire Pakistani mountaineering community,” it added.
The ACP President lauded his perseverance and dedication, saying his accomplishment would inspire young climbers across the country and further strengthen Pakistan’s presence on the global mountaineering stage.
ACP Vice President Karrar Haidri also congratulated Sajid on the successful ascent and wished him a safe descent and continued success in his future mountaineering pursuits.
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Clutch doesn’t even begin to describe Toronto Raptors star RJ Barrett’s season-saving shot.
The Raptors, down 3-2 in the series, were trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-109 with 10.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter at the Scotiabank Arena on Friday night.
Barrett inbounded the ball to Scottie Barnes, with the Raptors needing a basket to save their season. Barnes dribbled to the free-throw line and then kicked the ball back to Barrett, who was waiting at the top of the key.
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Toronto Raptors’ RJ Barrett celebrates with fans after a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the first-round NBA playoffs in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on May 1, 2026. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
Barrett launched a 3-pointer, a shot that needed to find the back of the net if the Raptors were to force a Game 7 and extend their season. Instead, Barrett found the back of the rim and the ball bounced nearly seven feet off it.
The ball then came down and fell through the net, giving the Raptors a 112-110 lead with 1.2 seconds left. Evan Mobley had a chance to win it for the Cavaliers, but his 3-pointer bounced off the front of the rim as time expired.
Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said he felt like Barrett’s shot was in the air for an eternity.
“It was only half a second, but it felt like an eternity,” Rajakovic said. “I was happy for him, for this team, for this city, that the shot went down.”
Barrett said he knew it had a chance to fall because of where the ball landed on the rim.
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Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett scored the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during overtime in game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on May 1, 2026. (Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)
“I thought it was still good because it went straight up,” Barrett said. “When it goes straight up, you have a chance.”
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson had a more succinct reaction to Barrett’s season-saving shot.
“Sometimes the basketball gods aren’t with you,” Atkinson said.
The Cavaliers are now looking to turn the page and win Game 7 at home.
“This is why you fight so hard to get home-court advantage,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We knew this wasn’t going to be easy. This is the playoffs, this is what it’s about. We’ve got to recover and get ready for Sunday’s game.”
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Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett reacts after scoring the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, on May 1, 2026. (Nick Turchiaro/Imagn Images)
“Protect home court,” Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell said. “It doesn’t matter if we lost by 30 or two, protect home court. That’s all you can do.”
For Raptors fans, the friendly bounce was reminiscent of an even bigger playoff basket north of the border: Kawhi Leonard’s four-bounce, buzzer-beating winner against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Raptors fans hope they can get another special memory when the team plays the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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