Sports
Pakistan ready to shine in tri-nation series says skipper Salman Ali Agha – SUCH TV
The Salman-led team face Afghanistan in a T20 tri-nation series opening match in Sharjah on Friday.
The event, a warm-up for next month’s T20 Asia Cup, also includes hosts UAE.
Besides Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UAE, the Asia Cup will also include defending champions India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and Hong Kong.
Pakistan’s white-ball fortunes are dipping after they crashed out of last year’s T20 World Cup in the group stage before failing to win a match at the ODI Champions Trophy.
This year they lost a T20 series in Bangladesh 2-1 but overcame the West Indies by the same margin.
Pakistan, under Salman, are going through a transition with former skippers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan out of the T20 squad.
Both the veteran players have been unable to impress in recent T20 Internationals.
“We’re not too concerned with our rankings or the opinion of the ex-players and the public,” Salman told reporters at the pre-series media conference.
“As a team, we are not thinking about it. We are here to play good cricket and win matches. We are a new team and we are shaping up well.
“We are trying to build a team and this tri-series and then the Asia Cup will be a good opportunity to achieve that.
We know both these events will be challenging but we are ready.”
The captain continued, “Leading the Pakistan team is not only an honour for me but also a great responsibility.
The team is playing good cricket at the moment and I am hopeful we will continue to deliver strong performances in the matches ahead.”
All three teams in the tri-series will play each other twice, with the top two to face off in a final on Sept 7.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan said his team have no “specific targets” despite producing groundbreaking performances in recent ICC global events.
Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the US and the Caribbean, and narrowly missed out on reaching the last four at the ODI Champions Trophy staged in Pakistan earlier in 2025.
Those performances followed an impressive showing at the 2023 one-day World Cup, when the Afghans produced statement wins over England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“We do not have specific targets, and we do not want to put extra pressure on our players,” Rashid said on Thursday when asked if Afghanistan were targeting the Asia Cup title.
“Our target is to play the brand of cricket we have played over the years. For us the main target is to put in 200 percent effort on the ground.
“I think we have been doing well in the ICC events and although we haven’t played T20I cricket over the last few months, the guys have been playing in T20 leagues around the world and that has helped.”
Afghanistan beat Pakistan 2-1 in a T20I series at the same venue in 2023.
The 16-man Afghan squad for the tri-series includes fast-rising mystery spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar along with fellow spin bowlers Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid.
The Asia Cup gets under way on Sept 9, as teams ramp up their preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, Rashid has asked for “unity” among supporters when Afghanistan play Pakistan.
The last time Afghanistan and Pakistan met at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the 2022 Asia Cup, crowd unrest broke out in the stands after the game.
Special security measures will be in place for the games in Sharjah, including potentially segregating supporters.
Rashid has pleaded with spectators to support their sides, but respect their opposition also.
“It is a message to everyone who ever comes to watch the game in the stadium,” Rashid said.
“This game is something that brings unity, in brings people together, and brings nations together.
It shows the right message, a message of peace.
“Everyone coming to the ground should support their team, support the players, and have fun. This game is all about enjoyment.
“We play this game to enjoy it and give entertainment to the crowd. I feel like it is just a game. There is nothing bigger to it.
“For the crowd to come and support their teams, and the respective players, that is what I request of them, and make sure they have fun and enjoy every moment of the game.”
The UAE team look clear underdogs in the tri-series but their skipper Muhammad Waseem is upbeat they can make a mark in the event.
The UAE have claimed scalps of teams like New Zealand and Afghanistan themselves in recent times, and also beat Bangladesh in a T20I series in Sharjah.
The idea that they have home advantage for the series is debatable: Pakistan and Afghanistan have each played home fixtures in the UAE in recent years.
However, Waseem is quietly confident.
“It is home for all three teams, but the way we have prepared, the way we have played for the past couple of years, and the work we have done over the past one and a half months, I think we are going to play good cricket over here,” the skipper said.
Lionel Messi drew high praise from President Donald Trump as the Argentine superstar and his Inter Miami team were honoured at the White House on Thursday for winning the MLS Cup last year.
The president said: “It’s my distinct privilege to say what no American president has ever had the chance to say before: ‘Welcome to the White House, Lionel Messi.'”
Trump went on to reveal the affection his 19-year-old son Barron has for Messi.
“My son said, ‘Dad, you know who’s going to be there today?’ I said, ‘No, I got a lot of things going on today,'” Trump said. “He said ‘Messi!’ He’s a big fan of yours. He thinks you’re just a great person. And I think you got to meet a little while ago. So he’s a big soccer fan, but he’s a tremendous fan of yours. And a gentleman named Ronaldo. Cristiano is great. You’re great.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi’s longtime rival in European soccer, attended a White House event with Trump last year.
Regarding Messi’s impact on Inter Miami, Trump said: “This guy won. There was tremendous fanfare, and he won. Leo, you came in and won. It’s hard to do. … You came in and won with all that pressure.”
Wading into the area of soccer history, Trump said to Messi, “You may be better than Pele,” and he asked those in attendance, “Who’s better?”
Trump said of the Inter Miami squad: “What a group of people. We could have a lot of fun with these guys. You can imagine how they celebrate.”
The president singled out Rodrigo De Paul, an Argentine midfielder who scored the go-ahead goal in the Herons’ 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup final.
“Where the hell is Rodrigo?” Trump asked, causing De Paul to blush.
The president added: “Do you have any bad-looking players? I like the bad-looking players much better.”
Messi gave Trump a pink signed Inter Miami soccer ball, and club co-owner Jorge Mas and coach Javier Mascherano presented the president with a team jersey and a watch.
Mas said: “It’s our aspiration to continue breaking barriers and putting no limits, to making sure Major League Soccer and Inter Miami are considered among the elite in global football.”
LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has demanded a public apology from a journalist over what it described as “agenda-driven fake news” targeting the character of Pakistan’s national cricketers.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the PCB strongly condemned the broadcast of unverified allegations against a Pakistan player, calling the report baseless and unacceptable.
PCB Warns of Legal Action
The cricket board said the reporter responsible for the news must issue a public apology immediately, warning that failure to do so could lead to strict legal action.
“Agenda-driven fake news targeting the character of our players is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the PCB said.
The board added that it would take all necessary steps to address what it termed malicious reporting if the apology is not issued promptly.
Controversy Over Report
The controversy began after a local media outlet aired a report alleging that a Pakistani cricketer had been involved in inappropriate behaviour at a hotel, claiming that staff had filed a complaint with team management.
The report also suggested that the player had violated the team’s code of conduct and was fined following a preliminary internal review.
Allegations Denied
However, the PCB dismissed the claims as false and misleading, stating that the news lacked verification.
A representative of the player, Mirza, also rejected the allegations in a social media statement and announced plans to pursue legal action against the media outlet.
He criticised the broadcast as “cheap journalism”, stressing that no media organisation should air unverified reports about national athletes.
The PCB reiterated its commitment to protecting the reputation and dignity of Pakistan’s cricketers against what it described as irresponsible reporting.
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Russell Wilson and Sean Payton spent just one NFL season together, but tension lingered after a rocky year.
And it appears the tension that built up from that tumultuous stretch continues to linger.
Wilson’s interview on the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, recorded before last month’s Super Bowl between Seattle and New England, recently resurfaced.
In the interview, Wilson doubled down on his October comment labeling Payton “classless,” saying he felt slighted by his former coach’s remarks.
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Head coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos talks to quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline during an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Aug. 11, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
“[When] you’ve been on the same side or this and that, and I got the same amount of rings as you got, meaning Sean, right?” said Wilson, who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks as Payton did coaching for the New Orleans Saints.
“I got a lot of respect for him as a play-caller, this and that, but to take a shot, I don’t like. I don’t think it’s necessary, you know, I mean, especially when I’m not even on your own team anymore. So, for me, there’s a point in time where you have to, I’ve realized, I’ve stayed quiet for so long. There’s a there’s a time and place where I’m not.
“I know who I am as a competitor, as a warrior, as a champion, too, and, you know, I’ve beaten Sean, too. You know, like we’ve been on the same place and the same thing. And so, it’s not a matter of disrespect. Just don’t disrespect me.”
Sean Payton and Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos during an a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Empower Field at Mile High Nov. 19, 2023, in Denver, Colo. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
After a rocky one-year stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, Wilson joined the New York Giants last offseason. However, he was relegated to a backup role after just three games.
Rookie Jaxson Dart quickly showed promise once he had the chance to start, but his season was briefly derailed by injury. Jameis Winston — not Wilson — stepped in for Dart in a handful of games. Dart threw three touchdowns in a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, nearly pulling off an upset in what was eventually a close loss.
After the game, Payton said Dart provided a “spark” to the Giants’ offense.
“I was talking to [Giants owner] John Mara not too long ago, and I said, ‘We were hoping that that change would have happened long after our game,'” Payton said.
The New York Giants’ Russell Wilson attempts to escape a sack by Dallas Cowboys defensive end James Houston (53) in the first half of a game Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Payton also said the Broncos would have faced less of a challenge had Wilson been under center.
“Classless … but not surprised,” Wilson responded in a social media post. “Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later though the media.”
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Despite last season’s struggles and chatter about his football future, Wilson does not appear ready to call it quits in 2026.
“I wanna play a few more years for sure,” he said. “I think, for me, I’ve always had the vision of getting to 40, at least. I think the game is different. Quarterbacks, we get hit. It’s not, you know, we get hit hard, but … there’s certain rules. I mean, back in the day when I started, bro, it was you just get [clobbered].
“I mean, so I feel like the game allows you to, you know, live a little longer, I guess. I feel healthy. I feel great. But I think, more than anything else is, do you love the game? Do you love studying? Do you love the passion for it all? Do you love the process? Do you love the practice? Do you love — everybody loves the winning part of it, but it’s process. There’s a journey that you got to be obsessed with. And that part I’m obsessed with.”
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