Green Shirts face humiliating defeat by 1-5 in last game of tourIslamabad (Sports News): The Irish leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League came to a close with tightly contested battles. England and Belgium renewed their rivalry in the men’s competition, while England’s women edged hosts Ireland in a hard-fought encounter played in front of a passionate home crowd.In Argentina, Los Leones delivered a dominant display against Pakistan to underline their growing confidence this season, while the women’s meeting between Argentina and the Netherlands was ultimately decided by the weather, with safety concerns forcing the cancellation of the final match of the series. (Men’s) England 2 – 3 BelgiumA 3–2 win for Belgium over England avenged their earlier penalty shootout loss to the same opponents, in a match where Victor Wegnez celebrated his 200th cap.Belgium enjoyed significant possession and territorial advantage in the opening quarter with Thomas Crols pulling a half chance shot wide and Thibeau Stockbroekx seeing his deflection gloved away brilliantly by Oliver Payne. However, England took the lead from a rare attack in the 10th minute when Nicholas Parks reacted quickest to a blocked shot and slammed the loose ball home. They had another good chance on the hooter but pushed the shot wide. The Belgians kept applying pressure through the second quarter and it finally paid off with drag flicks from Alexander Hendrickx and Tom Boon edging them 2-1 ahead by half time.Will Calnan levelled the score for England with a 34th-minute tap-in, the ball floating to him in open space near the left post after Loic van Doren had saved the first shot. Six minutes later, Boon received a long pass through the centre of the pitch and Payne did very well to come off his line and stop the first shot. But the ball dropped straight back to Boon, who looped it neatly over Payne’s head to restore Belgium’s lead. They then controlled the final quarter with most of the play happening in the middle third of the pitch, and the English had to pull off their goalkeeper to chase a result. They gave themselves a chance from a penalty corner with just seven seconds left on the clock, but the shot went wide to wrap up the Irish leg of the men’s competitionThe player of the match was awarded to Belgium’s Tom Boon, who said: “We really came out here to win. England gave us a pretty hard time. The battle was from a high level, especially physically, but at the end we managed to win. I think it was important for us to end this year on a really good note.”(Men’s) Argentina 5 – 1 PakistanArgentina delivered a commanding 5–1 win over Pakistan, combining penalty-corner efficiency with sharp aerial play to take control early and never look back.Nicolas della Torre opened the scoring with a powerful penalty corner drag flick that deflected in off Pakistan defender Mohammad Abdullah. Los Leones looked in fine form from the outset, controlling the game through midfield and repeatedly stretching Pakistan’s defensive line with long aerials. One such aerial was brought down by Joaquín Toscani, who beat his defender before sending a bouncing ball through the circle for Bautista Capurro to deflect past goalkeeper Muneeb Ur-Rehman, giving Argentina a 2–0 lead after the opening quarter.Maico Casella played a key role in Argentina’s third goal. After delivering the initial ball into the circle to create pressure, Pakistan turned possession over while trying to clear. Casella was the next recipient, found space and delivered a superb pass across goal, allowing Capurro to tap in his second of the match.Pakistan started the third quarter with renewed intent, sparked by a fine individual effort from Waheed Ashraf Rana. Rana drove through the Argentine circle and, found room in his back space before smashing a shot high in to the mesh to reduce the deficit. Argentina responded with their fourth when Tadeo Marcucci sent a precision pass to spring Tomas Domene. Domene’s backhand effort forced a rebound, which Tobias Martins reacted to quickly and finished neatly. Domene then capped a strong performance by earning and converting a penalty corner with a low drag flick to make it 5–1. A scoreless final quarter followed as Argentina comfortably saw out the match and celebrated a convincing three points.After the match, Argentina’s Tomas Domene was named Player of the Match for the second night in a row. He said: “It was a really important win because if we know if we can play easy and connect as a team we will get some chances. Today we showed that and so we are happy with the result tonight and this week. We are happy with where the team is at as we build towards the World Cup.”

LAHORE (PR): The 13th Commander Polo Cup 2025, organised under the auspices of the Jinnah Polo Fields and sponsored by Newage Cables, concluded in grand style with FG/Asean emerging as champions after an exciting final.The chief guest on the occasion was Amer Azam, Director of Newage Cables, whose continued support played a key role in the successful organisation of the tournament. He presented the winning trophy to the winning team and shields among the runners-up and top performers. Also present at the final were Club Secretary Major Adil Sultan Rao (Retd.), along with other officials and distinguished guests. After the closing ceremony, Club Secretary Major Adil Sultan Rao (retd) lauded the winning team and all the participants for making the event remarkable. He also expressed his gratitude to Adnan Jalil Azam and Alman Jalil Azam, Directors of Newage Cables, for sponsoring the tournament and for their valuable contribution to the promotion of polo in Pakistan. In a thrilling and competitive final match, FG/Asean defeated Newage Cables/SQC Gold by 9½–5 goals to lift the prestigious title. The final attracted a large crowd, with polo enthusiasts and families turning out in significant numbers to witness the high-quality contest.The match remained engaging throughout, with FG/Asean maintaining strong control through disciplined teamwork and impressive individual performances. Raja Mikayial Sami led the scoring for the winning side with an outstanding six goals, while Saqib Khan Khakwani added three goals to seal the victory. For the runners-up, Newage Cables/SQ Seagold, Amirreza Behboudi put up a valiant effort, scoring all five goals for his team, but it was not enough to overcome the dominant FG/Asean lineup.Newage Cables/SQ Seagold made a confident start to the final, striking twice in quick succession to surge into an early 2–0 lead. However, FG/Asean responded in emphatic fashion, staging a brilliant comeback by firing a hat-trick of goals to overturn the deficit and take a 3–2 advantage by the end of the opening chukka. The momentum firmly shifted in the second chukka as FG/Asean produced a commanding display, completely dominating proceedings and unleashing five superb goals to build an imposing and seemingly unassailable 8–2 lead.Newage managed to score the lone goal of the third chukka, narrowing the margin to 3–8, but FG/Asean continued to control the contest. The champions began the fourth and final chukka with a clinically converted 60-yard penalty, extending their lead to 9–3. Despite Newage Cables/SQ Seagold’s late push, which yielded two additional goals, the comeback attempt came too late to alter the outcome. FG/Asean comfortably closed out the match, securing a 9–5 victory, which, after factoring in the half-goal handicap advantage, gave them a convincing 9½–5 triumph in the final.

LAHORE: Aahyan Mumtaz delivered a stunning performance to emerge as the surprise champion of the Governor’s Cup Golf Championship, which concluded on a high note after an exciting and closely contested tournament at historic Lahore Gymkhana golf course on Sunday.Defying expectations and outperforming several seasoned golfers, Aahyan Mumtaz showcased remarkable composure and consistency to clinch the prestigious title with an impressive aggregate net score of 209, finishing seven-under-par. His victory came despite a strong challenge from experienced campaigners, most notably Farid Maneka, who displayed fine golfing skills throughout the championship but had to settle for second place.Aayan Mumtaz’s triumph was built on outstanding stroke play, accurate fairway hitting, and excellent course management, allowing him to maintain control under pressure and execute his winning strategy flawlessly. His performance left many spectators and fellow competitors pleasantly surprised as he lifted the gleaming Governor’s Cup trophy with a commanding all-round effort. Farid Maneka finished as the runner-up with an aggregate net score of 212, while Aayan Bashir secured third place with 213, followed closely by Muhamin Maneka, who ended the championship at 214. In the senior category, Taimur Shabbir claimed top honors with a consistent and disciplined display, while the ladies category title was won by Saqiba Batool of Royal Palm, who impressed with her steady performance throughout the event.The prize distribution ceremony was attended by several prominent dignitaries, adding prestige to the occasion. Sikandar Mustafa Khan, Head of the Millat Group, was the chief guest, alongside Salman Siddique, Chairman of Lahore Gymkhana, Kamran Lashari, and Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, who jointly presented trophies and prizes to the winners.(Press Release).

 Dubai (Sports News): Three wickets each by Abdul Subhan and Mohammad Sayyam and a half-century from Huzaifa Ahsan went in vain as India U19 beat Pakistan U19 by 90 runs in the Group ‘A’ match of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Sunday.After being put in to bat, India were bowled out for 240 in 46.1 overs, with Aaron George top-scoring with 85 off 88 balls. Captain Ayush Mhatre was the other notable run-getter, providing an aggressive start with 38 off 25 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes to give India early momentum.Pakistan fought back well through their bowlers, with left-arm pacer Sayyam and right-arm fast bowler Subhan claiming three wickets each. Niqab Shafiq chipped in with two wickets, while Ali Raza and Ahmed Hussain picked up one wicket apiece to prevent India from batting out their full quota of overs.In turn, Pakistan struggled to build partnerships and were dismissed for 150 in 41.2 overs. The innings never gained momentum after early setbacks, with Pakistan losing four wickets for 30 runs in 13.1 overs.Right-handed batter Huzaifa stood out for Pakistan with a fighting knock of 70 off 83 balls, laced with nine fours and two sixes, but he received little support from the other end. Captain Farhan Yousaf contributed 23, while Usman Khan added 16 runs at the top of the order.For India, player of the match Kanishk Chouhan (46, 46b, 2x4s, 3x6s) returned figures of three for 33 in 10 overs, while Deepesh Devendran also bagged three wickets.Pakistan U19 after defeating Malaysia U19 by 297 runs in their opening match on Friday, will now take on the UAE in their final group match at the same venue on Tuesday, 16 December. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 9am local time.Scores in brief:India beat Pakistan by 90 runsIndia 240 all out, 46.1 overs (Aaron George 85, Kanishk Chouhan 46, Ayush Mhatre 38; Abdul Subhan 3-42, Mohammad Sayyam 3-67, Niqab Shafiq 2-38)Pakistan 150 all out, 41.2 overs (Huzaifa Ahsan 70, Farhan Yousaf 23; Deepesh Devendran 3-16, Kanishk Chouhan 3-33, Kishan Singh 2-33)Player of the match - Kanishk Chouhan (India U19) 

Abu Dhabi (Cricket News): The Sharjah Warriorz produced a well-rounded performance to edge past MI Emirates by six runs at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday. It was their first win of the DP World ILT20 Season 4, led by the batting prowess of Johnson Charles, with a lot of credit also going to the bowlers.Charles set the tone for the match with a composed 77 off 53 balls, including seven fours and four sixes as the Warriorz set a target of 175. In reply, MI Emirates were given early impetus by their openers, but the momentum shifted decisively in the middle overs. Sikander Raza and Junaid Siddique’s two wickets each proved crucial for the Warriorz, ensuring that Nicholas Pooran’s late assault of 48 in 35 balls went in vain.Jonny Bairstow (31 off 23) and Mohammad Waseem (44 off 29) set the tone early, with Waseem striking a six off Taskin Ahmed and both batters finding regular boundaries off Maheesh Theekshana. Despite disciplined spells from Taskin, Junaid Siddique and Matheesha Pathirana, the openers brought up a brisk fifty stand inside six overs, powering MI Emirates to 54/0 at the end of the powerplay.The Warriorz hit back through stand-in skipper Raza, who turned the game in the middle overs. He first removed Bairstow in the eighth over, with Pathirana taking a sharp catch, and then dismissed Waseem in the 10th, bringing MI Emirates’ strong start to a halt.The pressure soon told as the collapse gathered pace. Pathirana accounted for Tom Banton (11 off 14) in the 13th over, before Siddique struck twice in the 15th, dismissing Kieron Pollard (1 off 4) and Romario Shepherd (2 off 3) in quick succession to leave MI Emirates reeling.Needing 25 off the final over, Pooran threatened to steal the game with three sixes, but Siddique held his nerve, conceding only 18 runs to seal a tense six-run victory for the Warriorz.Earlier in the match, Farooqi initially kept things tight, but Charles soon broke free, cracking a six and two fours in a 17-run third over to lift the tempo. Allah Ghazanfar then came under pressure as Charles struck a pair of boundaries, while Tom Kohler-Cadmore (30 off 32) played a steady supporting role. The Warriorz made a measured powerplay start, reaching 48 without loss.Charles continued to anchor the innings, bringing up a half-century off Rashid Khan in the tenth over. Kohler-Cadmore rotated strike efficiently at the other end as the pair took the Warriorz to 109/0 after 13 overs, laying a strong platform for a big total.The 112-run stand off 82 balls was finally broken in the 14th over when Ghazanfar removed Charles. Kohler-Cadmore followed soon after, and the Warriorz briefly faced pressure for the first time in the innings.Raza (29 off 22) ensured the momentum was maintained in the death overs, striking cleanly off Farooqi and punishing full tosses and wides, while James Rew (24 off 14) added a brisk cameo. Zahoor Khan then finished strongly, dismissing Raza with a well-directed slower bouncer and conceding no boundaries in the final over as the Warriorz closed on 174/3.

 Dubai (Sports News): Centuries by Ahmed Hussain and Sameer Minhas led Pakistan U19 to a dominant start to their ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 campaign, registering a comprehensive 297-run victory over Malaysia at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Friday. Seven players – Ali Hassan Baloch, Daniyal Ali Khan, Hamza Zahoor, Huzaifa Ahsan, Mohammad Sayyam, Niqab Shafiq and Sameer made their maiden appearance for Pakistan U19, contributing to a memorable all-round performanceAfter being asked to bat first, Pakistan posted a formidable 345 for three, built around an unbeaten 177 from player of the match Sameer. 19-year-old right-hander anchored the innings with 11 fours and eight sixes in his 148-ball knock.Multan-born Sameer knitted a massive 293-run stand with Ahmed Hussain, who scored an impressive 132 off 114 balls, smashing eight fours and two sixes.In turn, Malaysia struggled against Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack, folding for 48 in 19.4 overs. Ali Raza struck early and finished with three for 11, while Peshawar-born left-arm pacer Sayyam also bagged three wickets. Daniyal claimed two for six and Niqab Shafiq wrapped up the innings with one wicket as Pakistan maintained complete control in the match.Pakistan U19 will now face India U19 on Sunday, 14 December at the ICC Academy Ground. The first ball of the match will be bowled at 9am local time.Scores in brief:Pakistan 345-3, 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 177 not out, Ahmed Hussain 132; Nagineswaran Sathnakumaran 2-91)Malaysia 48 all out, 19.4 overs (Ali Raza 3-11, Mohammad Sayyam 3-27, Daniyal Ali Khan 2-6)Player of the match – Sameer Minhas (Pakistan U19)

Abu Dhabi (Sports News): MI Emirates returned to winning ways after securing a seven-wicket win over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Thursday. The win took the side to third on the points table with four points to their name, having won two of their four matches in the DP World ILT20 Season 4.It was a comprehensive performance with both bat and ball by the MI Emirates, who rode of Fazalhaq Farooqi’s 4 for 14 and Kamindu Mendis’ three wickets in the first innings to bowl them out for 122. Chasing a meagre total, Muhammad Waseem’s quickfire 27 runs off 12 balls, and then Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 49 off 38 balls, including seven fours, was enough to take MI Emirates over the line.Waseem opened the chase in style, smashing three sixes off Khary Pierre in the third over. He looked dangerous, but Ajay Kumar removed him with an edge to the wicketkeeper in the fourth over.Nicholas Pooran (3 off 6) fell soon after, nicking to Brandon McMullen off Jason Holder, but Bairstow took control. He blasted Kumar for four fours in a 17-run over, and Tom Banton (29 off 20) added a 16-run surge off Olly Stone, including two fours and a six. Their onslaught reduced the target to just 34 runs needed from 66 balls by the ninth over.Banton and Bairstow’s 64-run stand off 43 balls ended when Pierre had Banton caught by George Garton, but it was only a brief pause. Kamindu Mendis (10* off 7) finished the job with a six off Stone, sealing the win in 13.5 overs.Sent in to bat first, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders started aggressively through Phil Salt (17 off 9) and Alex Hales (6 off 8), but the momentum faded quickly. Romario Shepherd removed Salt, Farooqi dismissed Hales, and ADKR slipped to 37/2 by the end of the Powerplay. McMullen (15 off 19) managed a lone six before being stumped, while Alishan Sharafu (38 off 34) tried to keep the innings steady amid the fall of wickets.Mendis tightened the grip further, removing Liam Livingstone (2 off 6). Sherfane Rutherford (7 off 8) showed brief intent with a four off Mendis but edged behind to Pooran in the same over, piling on the pressure.Sunil Narine (26 off 20) then provided a spark, adding a brisk 36-run stand off 22 balls with Sharafu to revive ADKR’s hopes. But just as momentum returned, Sharafu fell to Rashid Khan, and skipper Jason Holder (2 off 5) soon departed to Farooqi as well.Narine kept fighting, but another attempted big shot off Zahoor Khan went straight to Mendis. Farooqi then delivered the final blows in the 20th over, removing Khary Pierre (1 off 2) and Ajay Kumar (0 off 2), as MI Emirates bowled out ADKR for 122 in 19.3 overs.

Islamabad (PR): Shayan Afridi earned direct entry into the 12&under main draw, while Rashid Ali secured a main-draw wildcard from the Asian Tennis Federation for his outstanding year-round performances.Their journey began with Pakistan’s victory at the Asian 12&under Team Championship (May 2025), followed by a 6th-place finish at the Asian Finals in Singapore and 5th place at the Intercontinental Finals in Kazakhstan-achievements that paved the way to this elite event.In addition, rising Pakistani talent Mikaeel Ali Baig is also in Florida competing in the 16&under category, having earned his place through exceptional results throughout the 2025 season.#pakistantennis #tennis #orangebowl #miami #florida #usa #pakistan #teampakistan #tennistournament @challengercuppk @jobtennis @aisamqureshi @rashid_ali_bachani @muhammadshayanchamp2025 @yasir_champ @bard_foundation @acetennispakistan

Lahore (PR): The Bank of Punjab–sponsored veteran tennis stars, Rashid Malik (60+) and Khurram Imtiaz (55+), captured the singles titles in their respective age categories at the ITF World Masters Tour MT200 Tournament, being played on the hard courts of the Robinson Hotel Khao Lak.In the Men’s Singles 60+ final, Rashid Malik delivered a commanding performance to defeat Switzerland’s Hannes Aeberhard 6-1, 6-1. Despite the straight-set scoreline, Malik was made to work hard as both players engaged in long baseline rallies, with Malik effectively using his serve as a decisive weapon throughout the match.In the Men’s Singles 55+ final, Khurram Imtiaz secured the title after receiving a walkover against Switzerland’s Oliver Marjanovic, who withdrew due to illness. This victory marks Khurram’s second ITF title in the 55+ category.

Abu Dhabi (Sports News): The Desert Vipers were the victors in yet another thrilling clash, beating MI Emirates by one run at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. The win, which went down to the last ball, was the Vipers’ fourth-straight triumph of the DP World ILT20 Season 4. The Vipers consolidated their position as the table-toppers with eight points to their name.  Defending 159, the Vipers initially struggled to take wickets. The game turned in the 19th over, when David Payne — who finished with 4 for 29 — claimed three crucial scalps. UAE’s Khuzaima Tanveer was also impressive with 2 for 34, as the Vipers showed their composure once again.  In the second innings, MI Emirates lost an early wicket when Tanveer dismissed Jonny Bairstow (8 off 7) in the second over. It was Muhammad Waseem (24 0ff 21) and Tom Banton (34 off 29) who steered the MI Emirates through the powerplay with the score at 49/1.They erected a 42-run stand in 31 balls before Tanveer struck again in his second spell of the night to remove Waseem. Banton looked in complete control when Nicholas Pooran (31 off 29) joined him in the middle. The duo looked settled, completing another 42-run partnership, this time in 40 balls. However, Sam Curran sent Pooran back in the 14th over with 62 needed off 36 balls. Banton followed in the next over as Payne bagged his first wicket of the night, bringing the score to 105/4. Tajinder Singh (17 off 7) hit Sam Curran for a couple of sixes that brought MI Emirates ahead of the equation with a 20-run over. Lockie Ferguson then ended Tajinder’s stay at the crease with his first wicket of the match in the 18th over. Another twist in the penultimate over saw Payne turn the match on its head. First, he got Romario Shepherd (1 off 4), followed by the wicket of skipper Kieron Pollard (23 off 13), who looked in good nick. Chris Woakes (0 off 2) followed in the final ball, meaning that MI Emirates needed 16 runs in six balls to secure the victory.  Rashid Khan (13* off 8) could have been the match-winner, hitting a six and a four in the final over, but the MI Emirates couldn’t find the two runs needed on the last ball. Batting first, the Vipers started on a promising note, led by Fakhar Zaman (35 off 31). By the end of the powerplay, the Vipers were 51/0, threatening to make their way to a big score. After Andries Gous (21 off 15) retired-hurt, Zaman combined with Max Holden (42 off 37) for a 51-run stand in 37 balls. Allah Ghazanfar then got the breakthrough when Zaman holed out to Tom Banton. Following his wicket, the bowlers kept the pressure on the Vipers, ensuring that boundaries were scarce. Shimron Hetmyer (15 off 9) entered the fray after Holden retired-out and hit the first six of the innings in the 18th over. Soon after, Sam Curran (19 off 19) hit the ball straight into Tom Banton’s hands to give Ghazanfar his second wicket of the night. Dan Lawrence (15* off 8) also provided a key contribution towards the end while Hetmyer was scalped by Fazalhaq Farooqi in the final over of the innings as the Vipers finished at 159/4.