The playing control teams for the April 28 qualifier, April 29 eliminator 1 and May 1 eliminator 2 of the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 have been appointed, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.

Member of ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees Sir Richard Richardson will lead the playing control team for the qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.

Earlier, he made his HBL PSL debut as the match official on April 15 and will bow out for this season, having officiated 10 games.

Christopher Gaffaney of New Zealand will be joined by Alexander Wharf of England as an on-field umpire for the qualifier. Both are part of the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires.

Faisal Khan Aafreedi, ICC International Panel Umpire, will serve as the third Umpire, while PCB’s National Elite Panel Umpire Zulfiqar Jan will be the fourth umpire for the all-important 41st HBL PSL 11 match.

Roshan Mahanama of Sri Lanka will lead the playing control team in both eliminators.

He has the honour of officiating in all 11 HBL PSL seasons, and his tally of games as match referee in the league currently stands at 127.

In the Hyderabad Kingsmen v Multan Sultans eliminator 1 in Lahore, ICC Elite Panel Umpire Shahid Saikat from Bangladesh will join ICC Emerging Panel Umpire Asif Yaqoob as on-field Umpire, while Rashid Riaz Waqar of ICC Emerging Panel of Umpires will be the third Umpire.

Nasir Hussain of ICC International Panel of Umpires will perform duties as the fourth Umpire.

The eliminator 2 on May 1 between the winner of eliminator 1 and the losing team of qualifier will be officiated on-field by ICC Elite Panel Umpires Ahsan Raza and Shahid Saikat, while Asif Yaqoob and Rashid Riaz will carry out the duties of third and fourth Umpire, respectively.

The match officials for the highly anticipated May 3 final will be announced in due course.

Manchester United moved within touching distance of qualifying for the Champions League as Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko sealed a 2-1 win against Brentford on Monday.
Casemiro put United ahead in the early stages at Old Trafford and Sesko doubled their lead before the interval.
Mathias Jensen’s late strike couldn’t stop United cementing their grip on third place in the Premier League.
They are 11 points clear of sixth-placed Brighton, with the top five guaranteed to reach next season’s Champions League.
Michael Carrick’s side need just two points from their last four matches to ensure their return to Europe’s elite club competition for the first time since 2023-24.
On Sunday, United host bitter rivals Liverpool, who sit three points behind them in fourth, in a clash that will go a long way to deciding who finishes third.
Interim boss Carrick, who replaced the sacked Ruben Amorim in January, is still waiting to discover if he will land the United job on a permanent basis.
The former United midfielder has made a strong case by steadying the ship after Amorim’s turbulent reign.
Leading United into the Champions League would be another persuasive argument as co-owner Jim Ratcliffe considers his options.
A 1-0 win at Chelsea in their previous match had reinvigorated United’s top-five charge after a home defeat against Leeds and a draw at Bournemouth.
Brentford last won at Old Trafford in 1937 and they paid the price for a slow start on their latest fruitless visit.
 
Casemiro strikes again
Kobbie Mainoo scythed through the Brentford defence with a superb run in the second minute, but Amad Diallo wasted the chance with a close-range shot that was cleared off the line by Sepp van den Berg.
Harry Maguire was inches away from marking his return from suspension with a goal when the United defender’s towering header was clawed off the line by Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
United’s pressure was rewarded in the 11th minute as Casemiro finished off a well-worked corner routine.
Bruno Fernandes whipped the set-piece to Maguire and his looping header evaded a gaggle of Brentford defenders at the far post as Casemiro rose highest to head home from an acute angle.
Casemiro’s fourth goal in his last six games underlined the enduring value of the veteran Brazil midfielder, who is set to leave when his contract expires at the end of this season.
He celebrated by kissing the badge on his shirt as United fans implored him to stay by chanting “one more year”.
Michael Kayode nearly silenced the love-in with a header that United keeper Senne Lammens pushed away at full stretch.
Igor Thiago’s muscular power was a thorn in United’s side but the Brazilian couldn’t finish, scuffing one chance under pressure from Diogo Dalot before Kelleher saved his close-range drive.
Ayden Heaven’s last-ditch attempt to deny Thiago almost ended in an own goal, but Lammens spared the United teenager’s blushes with a fine save.
United took advantage of those misses to double their advantage in the 43rd minute.
Diallo’s determination to win a tackle deep inside his own half started the move before Fernandes drove towards the Brentford area, slipping a pass to Sesko, who lashed home from 10 yards.
Fernandes has 19 assists this season as he chases the Premier League record of 20 in a single campaign set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
United were less dominant in the second half and Jensen whipped an eye-catching curler past Lammens from 20 yards in the 87th minute to set up a tense finale.
Carrick’s men wobbled but just about held firm as Mikkel Damsgaard’s header was clutched by Lammens in stoppage-time.

The most pressure-packed scoring opportunity in soccer might be the one where no one is defending: the penalty kick.

A goal is almost certain, so long as you keep a cool head and beat the goalkeeper. Simple enough, right?

But what exactly is a penalty kick, and how is it awarded? Here’s everything you need to know about the penalty kick ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

What Is A Penalty Kick?

A penalty kick — or “PK” — is a one-on-one duel between a field player and a goalkeeper in which the field player tries to score a direct kick from the penalty spot.

How Is A Penalty Kick Awarded?

A penalty kick is awarded when a player commits a foul — tripping, pushing or a handball — inside the penalty area, which is a large 18-yard box that extends from the goal line into the field of play. The total width of the box is 44 yards.

A penalty can be awarded in the run of play or during a Video Assistant Referee check.

Who Takes The Penalty Kick?

The designated penalty taker is usually predetermined based on a player’s proven ability to score, from the penalty spot or otherwise. For example, Harry Kane, the active leading goalscorer for England, is the designated penalty taker for the Three Lions.

How Far Is The Penalty Spot?

The penalty is 12 yards from the center of the goal line, meaning that there are just 12 yards that separate the penalty taker and the goalkeeper at the time of a penalty kick.

What Are The Rules For The Penalty Taker?

The penalty taker is given freedom to confuse the goalkeeper during their run-up to the kick so long as:

1. The penalty taker doesn’t attempt a fake kick or a “feint” while attempting to strike the ball AND
2. The penalty doesn’t make contact with the ball more than once during their attempt.

If a penalty taker participates in illegal feinting, they will be cautioned and an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team.

If a penalty taker makes contact with the ball more than once during their attempt and the attempt is successful, the penalty kick will be retaken. If it isn’t, it will be recorded as a miss and play will resume.

What Are The Rules For The Goalkeeper?

The goalkeeper must follow three key rules during a penalty kick: face the kicker, stay between the goalposts and keep at least one foot on or over the goal line until the kick. 

If a goalkeeper leaves their line during a penalty attempt and the attempt is unsuccessful, it will be retaken. If the attempt is successful, it will result in a goal.

Additionally, goalkeepers may not touch the goalposts, crossbar or netting as an intimidation tactic. Trash-talking is also not permitted.

How Often Are Penalty Kicks Awarded?

There were 23 penalty kicks awarded at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which was six fewer than in 2018. Argentina led all countries in penalty attempts with five, and its designated penalty taker, Lionel Messi, converted all five attempts.