Sports
Skipper Salman Ali Agha rules out major changes ahead of T20 World Cup 2026
LAHORE: Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha hinted that no major changes would be made in the national squad ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, saying the team combination has already been settled after “months of preparation.”
Speaking on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, Salman said he does not foresee any big change before the mega event.
“I don’t think there will be any major changes before the World Cup. This is the combination we will continue with,” he said. The T20I captain said that all players have been assigned their roles and will move forward with the same structure.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 — co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka — is scheduled from February 7 to March 8, with Pakistan placed in Group A alongside India, USA, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
Agha also dismissed reports regarding a potential change in captaincy ahead of the upcoming mega event and said, “As of now, the Pakistan team will compete in the T20 World Cup under my leadership.”
He said that Pakistan still have six T20 matches remaining before the tournament, stressing that consistency will be key.
“We cannot make big changes in these six matches. We have played with this group for six months, and the results have started to come,” he said.
Agha said that the T20I series against Sri Lanka before the mega event will benefit both senior and young players. “Senior players understand Sri Lankan conditions, and the new players will also gain valuable experience. The series will be important for us, and we will take it seriously,” he said.
After the Sri Lanka tour, Pakistan are expected to host Australia for a T20I series, which will conclude shortly before the 20-over World Cup.
The T20I captain expressed confidence in Pakistan’s progress but noted that improvement is still required.
“The team is on the right track, but there is still room for improvement. We want Pakistan to reach the level where everyone hopes to see it,” he added.
Agha also shared his ambitions for Pakistan cricket and said that he wants to win the T20 World Cup 2026 and then the ODI World Cup in 2027.
“These (winning T20 and ODI World Cups) are my dreams, and I would be very happy if they come true,” he remarked.
Sports
Betting Texans-Chiefs: Picks, props and DFS plays for ‘Sunday Night Football’
Sunday’s Week 14 slate wraps up with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Houston Texans on “Sunday Night Football.”
Both teams are trying to claw their way into the playoffs. The Texans are right back in the thick of things after winning four straight. At 7-5, they are a game back of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South and -150 to make the playoffs. The 6-6 Chiefs, who were the Super Bowl favorite as recently as Week 11, are now +120 to even reach the playoffs.
The Texans and Chiefs met twice last season, once in the regular season and again in the divisional round, with Kansas City winning both games.
The Chiefs head into Sunday night’s matchup as 3.5-point favorites.
Matt Bowen, Liz Loza, Pamela Maldonado and Eric Moody offer their picks, prop bets, DFS plays and analysis to help you bet the game.
Note: Odds provided by DraftKings and subject to change.
Jump to:
Picks | Props | DFS tips | Trends
Game bet
14:12
Patrick Mahomes, WHAT HAPPENED? ‘It’s STILL hard to bet against him!’ – Peter Schrager
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Texans team total UNDER 19.5 (-120)
Maldonado: Houston is one of the worst red-zone offenses, finishing drives at a bottom-tier rate, exactly the trait that K.C. exploits. C.J. Stroud has struggled in both prior Arrowhead trips, and I expect no difference this time around. The Chiefs defense is top 10 in points per play allowed at home. The Texans can move the ball, but they also consistently stall.
Notable player props, bets
Patrick Mahomes OVER 0.5 interceptions (-102)
Loza: Mahomes has thrown seven picks (T-13) on the season, including two over his last three contests. Meanwhile, the Texans have flourished at creating takeaways, forcing 12 interceptions on the season (tied for the fourth most). Given the significant number of injuries along the Chiefs’ offensive line and Houston’s ability to bring pressure, Mahomes is likely to make a few errant throws. I’m betting on Matt Burke’s unit capitalizing on at least one of those opportunities.
C.J. Stroud OVER 229.5 passing yards (-110)
Moody: The Chiefs’ run defense has stifled opponents in recent weeks, allowing the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game over their last three contests. With Woody Marks dealing with an ankle injury, the Texans will likely need to lean on Stroud and the passing game to move the ball. Stroud has cleared this line in four of his past six games. Kansas City’s defense also ranks near the bottom of the leagues in sacks, which should give Stroud ample time to deliver the football to his playmakers.
1:22
Why Daniel Dopp is apprehensive about starting Woody Marks in Week 14
Daniel Dopp breaks down why Woody Marks is a flex-only option in Week 14.
Jayden Higgins OVER 3.5 receptions (+114)
Bowen: Higgins has four or more receptions in each of his last four games. Using his frame and foot quickness to create separation back to the ball, Higgins can produce from both slot and boundary alignments. I like the over to hit here.
Daily Fantasy tips for DraftKings Captain Showdown
1:13
Daniel Dopp: Rashee Rice has been unbelievable
Daniel Dopp reacts to Rashee Rice’s stellar fantasy performance in Week 13.
Bowen’s recommendations
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Nico Collins ($14,700) has seen 10 or more targets in five of his last six games with at least 90 yards receiving in three. He’s a consistent and dependable option in the Texans route tree. Smart play in any matchup.
Also in my lineup: Travis Kelce ($8,800) has a touchdown reception in three of his last five games, and we know he can uncover late in the down on second-reaction throws from Patrick Mahomes. Find open grass here. And that leads to explosive-play receptions.
Loza’s recommendations
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Patrick Mahomes ($16,200). Houston has an elite defense, but Mahomes still has that magic. He ranks inside of the top five in passing yards and passing scores and averages 29 rushing yards per game (QB13). With the Texans sending pressure, I expect Mahomes to pick up some extra points via the ground.
Also in my lineup: Dalton Schultz ($5,400) is a solid volume play at a reduced cost. He has drawn at least eight looks in four of his last five games, working as an essential safety valve over the middle. C.J. Stroud should look to him frequently with the Chiefs’ pass rush attacking regularly.
Maldonado’s recommendations
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Rashee Rice ($16,500). He is the volume anchor. He avoids Houston’s elite boundary coverage, lives in the slot, owns massive red-zone equity and has the safest path to receptions in a low-scoring game.
Also in my lineup: Nico Collins ($9,800). He is Houston’s entire passing heartbeat, commanding double-digit targets and producing even when the offense is stale. Collins is the last working flashlight in a power outage; everything else around him is fading, but he stays bright because he has to.
Moody’s recommendations
Captain (scores 1.5x fantasy points): Nico Collins ($14,700) enters this game with momentum, surpassing 75 yards in four of his last five games while averaging 9.8 targets per outing. Houston will need him in this high-stakes matchup with the Chiefs. His volume, paired with elite efficiency, makes him an appealing DFS play, even against a tough Kansas City secondary.
Betting trends
Courtesy of ESPN Research
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The Chiefs are 0-4 ATS in their last four games, tied for the longest active ATS losing streak in the NFL.
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The Chiefs are 1-7 ATS against teams with winning records this season.
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Unders are 9-3 in Texans games this season, tied for the highest under rate in the NFL. Unders are 6-1 in the Chiefs’ last seven games.
Sports
Champ Week live: A new No. 1, is Bama out and ACC chaos
We’re just hours from the announcement of the College Football Playoff field. There’s plenty of drama left to play out on the field.
The committee is gathered at its headquarters in the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas, to watch conference championship games that will impact their final ranking on Selection Day. It was only the beginning of conference championship weekend, but how these games unfolded with the committee watching will determine their five highest-ranked conference champions — and how that order will impact the contenders around them.
We’re tracking all the conference title games and the impact on the CFP field as well as the top plays and highlights from No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana.
Jump to: CFP takeaways
Conference title takeaways
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With Duke’s win against Virginia, the five-loss ACC champion Blue Devils will likely be excluded from the field in favor of No. 25 James Madison, which won the Sun Belt. The five highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed spots in the playoff, and this opens the door for two of those five to come from the American and Sun Belt conferences. This became a realistic scenario when the committee ranked JMU — and not Duke — in its fifth ranking. This means Tulane will earn the No. 11 seed and JMU will get the No. 12 seed as the fifth and final conference champion.
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With Indiana’s win against Ohio State, the Hoosiers will earn the committee’s No. 1 spot on Selection Day and the No. 1 overall seed. IU earned the best win in the country, and it also has a double-digit top-five road win against Oregon. Because it was such a close game, and Ohio State’s only loss is to the committee’s No. 2 team, it’s likely to drop only one spot to No. 2.
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With the win against Alabama, Georgia should lock up a top-four seed and a first-round bye, but that position depends in part on how far the loser of the Big Ten championship game falls. It’s possible Ohio State and Indiana just flip — or stay status quo.
The bigger question is how far Alabama drops following its decisive third loss. If Alabama sinks to No. 11, it will open the door for both Notre Dame and Miami to finish in the top 10 — regardless of order. Because of how Alabama lost — and the committee hasn’t forgotten the season-opening loss to Florida State — the Crimson Tide could fall out of the field. The committee also will consider that Alabama has a regular-season road win against the SEC champs, though. If Alabama drops only one spot, it could still be a buffer between Miami and Notre Dame — and it could be the last at-large team in at No. 10.
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Texas Tech’s win against BYU secured a top-four finish and a first-round bye for the Red Raiders. It also helped Notre Dame’s playoff chances tremendously, as the Irish no longer have to be concerned about being leapfrogged by BYU.
This puzzle is far from complete, though.
It doesn’t matter for BYU if the committee keeps it at No. 11 or drops it to No. 12 (or beyond). Either way BYU would be bumped out during the seeding process to include a conference champion. Where BYU lands, though, will impact Miami.
The selection committee is most likely to do one of two things: drop No. 11 BYU to No. 12 behind Miami, or keep it exactly where it is. If BYU falls below the Canes, the committee could reconsider the tiebreaker between Miami and Notre Dame.
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With Tulane’s win against North Texas on Friday, the American champs locked up a spot in the playoff, as they will be the committee’s fourth-highest-ranked conference champion. The Green Wave will earn the No. 11 or No. 12 seed, depending on who wins the ACC championship game. If Tulane gets the No. 11 seed and faces the committee’s No. 6 team on the road in the first round, as things stand now, Tulane will get a rematch against Ole Miss. The Rebels beat Tulane 45-10 on Sept. 20 in Oxford, and they will have home-field advantage again as the higher seed.
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With Friday’s win against Troy, JMU‘s path to the playoff is straightforward: Duke needs to beat Virginia and win the ACC. If that happens, the committee will reward JMU with the No. 12 seed as its fifth and final conference champion — and it would come at the expense of the ACC champion, which would be excluded. The question is if the conference will be excluded entirely, though — or if No. 12 Miami will still sneak in, even without playing this weekend. That could happen if BYU loses to Texas Tech in the Big 12 title game and drops behind Miami — putting the Canes right below No. 10 Notre Dame. In that scenario, the committee could look at Miami’s season-opening win against the Irish as one of several tiebreakers it uses to separate comparable teams.
Sports
Tearful Norris claims ‘amazing’ Formula One world champion | The Express Tribune
The 26-year-old is the first McLaren driver to win title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008
Lando Norris waves to his fans as he contemplates the magnitude of his achievement. Photo: AFP
ABU DHABI:
A tearful Lando Norris claimed his maiden Formula One world drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, ending Max Verstappen’s four-year reign.
The Briton finished third in the season-closer behind race winner Verstappen and the other title challenger, McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, to claim the crown by two points.
After crossing the line his team engineer told him: “That’s it mate, you are world champion, world champion!”
“Thank you guys, you made a kid’s dream come true,” he replied.
“I haven’t cried in awhile, I didn’t think I would cry but I did,” Norris said on the podium in the desert night at the floodlit Yas Marina circuit.
“I want to thank my mum, my dad, they’ve supported me since the beginning.
“It feels amazing, I know now what Max feels like a little bit. I want to congratulate both Max and Oscar, I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been a long year!” he added.
McLaren, headed by team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Brown, secured back-to-back constructors’ titles in Singapore last month.
“That was exciting, a little too exciting, awesome,” said Brown.
“What an effort, Lando and Oscar, what a fantastic season!” added the American.
Norris becomes Britain’s first world champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2020 with this 13th drivers’ crown for McLaren.
The 26-year-old’s success comes over half a century after Emerson Fittipaldi claimed the British marque’s first drivers’ title in 1974.
A galaxy of F1 greats followed – James Hunt (1976), Niki Lauda (1984), Alain Prost (1985, 1986, 1989), Ayrton Senna (1988, 1990, 1991), Mikka Hakkinen (1998, 1999) and Hamilton in 2008.
Assessing his path to glory Norris added: “As we’ve seen many times, anything can happen. So I just kept pushing. I wanted to fight to the end. (Verstappen and Piastri) certainly did not make my life easy this year. But I am happy!
“It has been a long journey with McLaren, I’ve been with them for nine years.
“For me to bring something back to them, I feel like I did my part for the team this year so I’m proud of myself.”
Piastri, who had led the championship for much of the season before being overtaken by Norris in Mexico, finished third in the standings.
Sunday’s season-closer was the first time the title was decided by a contest involving more than two drivers since a four-way scrap at the final race in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
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