Sports
Pakistan skipper sees tri-nation series as ‘opportunity’ for U19 World Cup preparation
Pakistan Under 19 captain Farhan Yousuf sees the upcoming tri-series with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan as an opportunity for preparation for the team ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup, set to start in January in Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The Green Shirts, who won the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup earlier this month by defeating arch-rivals India in the blockbuster final, held their first training session here at the Harare Sports Club, where they will kick-start their tri-series campaign against Afghanistan on Saturday.
Speaking to PCB Digital, the Pakistan captain shared that the national players are confident and excited for the upcoming challenge after a monumental glory at the recently concluded continental tournament.
He further stressed the importance of the tri-series in helping his side acclimatise to the conditions here, as they will be playing all of their group-stage matches of the U19 World Cup in the same city.
“The Asia Cup was a good win for us, and the players showed great morale and intensity. The players are confident and excited as we head into the tri-series,” Farhan told PCB Digital.
“The tri-series is very important for the players and will help us find the right combinations ahead of the ICC Men’s U19 World Cup. The conditions here are similar and will be beneficial for our World Cup preparations,” he added.
The middle-order batter also hailed Afghanistan and Zimbabwe as “strong and competitive” sides, emphasising their mantra of respecting their opposition.
“Both teams in the tournament are strong and competitive, and we respect every opposition as we look forward to a competitive event.”
After their campaign opener against Afghanistan on Saturday, Pakistan will take on Zimbabwe at the Prince Edward School on December 29, while their remaining two fixtures against Afghanistan and the home side are scheduled for January 2 and 4, respectively.
The top two teams in the standings after the league stage will advance into the final, slated to be played at the Old Hararians Sports Club on January 6.
Pakistan squad for tri-series and U19 World Cup
Farhan Yousaf (c), Usman Khan (vc), Abdul Subhan, Ahmed Hussain, Ali Hasan Baloch, Ali Raza, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor (wk), Huzaifa Ahsan, Momin Qamar, Mohammad Sayyam, Mohammad Shayan (wk), Niqab Shafiq, Sameer Minhas, and Umar Zaib.
Non-traveling reserves: Abdul Qadir, Farhanullah, Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar, and Mohammad Huzaifa.
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Brooks Koepka’s decision to leave LIV Golf years after becoming one of the notable faces to join the renegade league sent shock waves through the sport this week.
Koepka played in the LIV Golf series for more than three seasons, winning five events and taking home the PGA Championship in 2023.
Golf commentator Brandel Chamblee on Friday offered his two cents on fans clamoring for Koepka to return to the PGA Tour, writing in a post on X he disagreed with the notion.
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Brooks Koepka of Smash GC plays his shot from the third tee during the quarterfinals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort Aug. 22, 2025. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)
“I certainly disagree with this,” he wrote. “Allowing Brooks Koepka to return to the PGA Tour with no consequence, would undermine the very meritocratic foundations that make the PGA Tour legitimate — not because of who he is, but because of what his return (will) signal.”
Chamblee said there should be a penalty of some kind for Koepka or anyone else who jumped to the league, which is backed by the Saudi Arabian government.
“LIV did not merely offer an alternative league, it fractured fields, diluted competitive meaning, triggered legal warfare, undermined sponsorship stability, and forced structural change across all of professional golf,” he continued. “Koepka was not a passive bystander, he was a marquee legitimizer.
“You don’t punish him for being influential, but you cannot pretend his influence didn’t matter. His credibility made LIV viable, his stature normalized defection and his success (especially after joining LIV) validated the disruption.”
Brooks Koepka acknowledges the crowd on the fifth green during the first round of the British Open at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison, File)
Chamblee suggested a penalty would suffice and being reintegrated into the PGA Tour would be the route that officials should go with.
“A penalty would not so much be a punishment as it would be an acknowledgment of choice and the consequence does not need to be punitive to be meaningful,” he added. “He could be made to re-qualify for the PGA Tour (his 5 year exemption for winning the PGA Championship for majors may stand but not for the PGA Tour).
“He could have limited season eligibility and/or a suspension tied to prior contracted breach. The players who stayed on the PGA Tour paid a price. They had to absorb the uncertainty, play in weaker fields, shoulder reputational risk and take on a greater responsibility of protecting the tour’s continuity.”
Ultimately, Chamblee wrote, the penalty wouldn’t be about punishing anyone but rather the consequences for sending a ripple effect through the sport and protecting the PGA Tour.
“It is about whether the PGA Tour believe commitments mean something. If elite players can destabilize the system, take guaranteed money and then return instantly because they are popular or successful, the message is that rules apply only to the expendable,” Chamblee wrote.
“If excellence alone erases consequences then the PGA Tour ceases to be a meritocracy and becomes a marketplace of convenience. Great players most certainly deserve respect, but institutions deserve protection.”
Brooks Koepka plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the U.S. Open June 13, 2025. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
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LIV Golf said Koepka was leaving the series to prioritize the “needs of his family and staying closer to home.”
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Los Angeles had no answers on an epic holiday on the hardwood, but the Spurs reached new heights and Nikola Jokic bolstered his MVP case.
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The Athletics reportedly gave one of their young stars a very nice Christmas present.
The Athletics and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom agreed to a seven-year, $86 million contract on Thursday, according to multiple reports.
The contract is the largest the team has ever given out. The deal also includes an eighth-year club option and has escalators that bring the maximum value of the contract to $131 million.
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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) reacts after hitting a home run against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 24, 2025. (Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images)
Soderstrom, 24, broke out in 2025. He debuted in 2023 as a catcher and first baseman, and struggled to hit in his first taste of Major League Baseball, hitting .160 with just three home runs and a .472 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) in 45 games.
The Turlock, Calif., native came back up to the big leagues in 2024 and was much better. In 61 games, Soderstrom had a .233 batting average with nine home runs, 26 RBI and a .743 OPS while still primarily playing first base.
EX-MLB STAR TAKES ISSUE WITH DISNEY CRUISE LINE OVER MAN DRESSED AS A WOMAN
Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) reacts after being caught stealing second during the third inning against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 23, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)
In 2025, Soderstrom played primarily left field and thrived at the plate. He started 145 of the 158 games he played this year — 100 of those starts in left field — his first full major league season.
In those 158 games, he batted .276 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI with an OPS of .820, cementing himself as a key piece of the Athletics’ young core.
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Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) scores a run during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California, on Sept. 26, 2025. (Sergio Estrada/Imagn Images)
Soderstrom was on track to become eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 season. Instead, he joins outfielder/designated hitter Brent Rooker (five-year, $60 million contract) and outfielder Lawrence Butler (seven-year, $65.5 million contract) as another part of the young, dynamic lineup that is locked in long term.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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