Hosts Pakistan outclass Korean 2-0 in final, Hong Kong clinch women’s titleAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Hosts and top seed, Pakistan outplayed Korea 2-0 in the final of the 23rd Asian Team Squash Championship 2026, here at the Mushaf Squash Complex on Saturday. Green Shirts won this title after 10 years, as they had lifted this trophy in 2016. Hong Kong China overcame defending champions Malaysia 2-1 to lift the women’s trophy.In the men’s final, Pakistan’s Noor Zaman defeated South Korea’s Jeongmin Ryu 3-0 with scores of 11-5, 11-7 and 13-11. Mohammad Asim Khan also delivered an impressive performance, beating South Korea’s Seojin Oh in straight games 3-0 to seal Pakistan’s victory. The final score-line was 11-6, 11-5 and 11-4.Earlier, in the women’s final, Hong Kong China defeated defending champions Malaysia 2-1 in a closely contested encounter to claim the championship title. Hong Kong China’s To Lee Man Toby defeated Malaysia’s Lee Eik Sen Ying 3-1, while Chen Sin Yuk also secured a 3-1 victory over Malaysia’s Aina Amani. Malaysia’s Yeshmita Jadish Kumar won the third match against Hong Kong China’s Lee Ka Yee 3-1.In the women’s fourth and fifth-place playoff, South Korea defeated Pakistan 3-0 to secure fourth position. South Korea’s Demi Kim beat Pakistan’s Sehrish Ali 3-0, while Min Gyeon Hyu defeated Sana Bahadur 3-1. In the third match, South Korea’s Hwayoung Eum overcame Pakistan’s Mahnoor Ali 3-0.Hong Kong China won the women’s gold medal, Malaysia claimed silver, while Iran and South Korea shared the bronze medals. Pakistan finished fifth in the women’s competition.At the closing ceremony, Asian Squash Federation Vice President Adel Jassim Al Gharib, the chief guest, distributed prizes among the winning teams and players alongside Pakistan Squash Federation Senior Vice President Air Vice Marshal Sohail Akbar, Vice President Qamar Zaman, Gogi Alauddin, and Jansher Khan.

Pakistan rowers earn 5 gold medals, WAPDA claim 2 gold and 1 silverAbdul Jabbar FaisalRAWALPINDI: The 11th National Indoor Rowing Championship got underway today (November 7, 2026) at the Army Multipurpose Hall, Rawalpindi, as the three-day national event is being organized by Pakistan Rowing Federation (PRF).Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy, WAPDA, Police, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Sindh Rowing Association (SRA), Karachi Boat Club (KBC), and Islamabad Rowing Association are taking part. Elite and emerging athletes, both men and women, displayed outstanding strength, skill and determination. Seven events were held on the opening day.Results (Day-1):Pakistan Army: 5 GoldWAPDA: 2 Gold, 1 SilverPakistan Navy: 3 SilverHEC: 2 Silver, 2 BronzeKBC: 1 Silver, 1 BronzeSindh Rowing Association: 2 BronzePolice: 2 Bronze

Abdullah AsjadRAWALPINDI: The second phase of the National Physical Disability Cricket Championship will commence in Rawalpindi on Sunday at Ayub Park cricket ground, featuring four teams, including hosts Rawalpindi.The participating teams in this phase are Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sialkot, and Faisalabad. The winner of this stage will face Peshawar, the champions of the first phase, in the semi-final.According to the Pakistan Physical Disability Cricket Association, Secretary General Ameer-ud-Din Ansari, all arrangements for the second phase of the championship have been completed. All matches will be played at Ayub Park Cricket Ground in Rawalpindi.A total of six group matches, along with the first semi-final, will be played during this phase. The semi-final is scheduled for November 11. Two matches will be played on the opening day on Sunday. In the first match, Islamabad will take on Faisalabad, while the second match will see Sialkot face hosts Rawalpindi.It is worth mentioning that Peshawar emerged victorious in the first phase of the championship. They will now await the winner of the Rawalpindi phase for the first semi-final.

Rawalpindi (faisal): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) added 4 players including all-rounder Aamir Jamal, rookie pacer Ali Shabbir, batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif and pace bowler Saqib Khan in Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.Tayyab, Ali and Saqib have received maiden Pakistan call-ups. They also featured in the Patron’s XI v Sri Lanka practice match at the Islamabad Club from 4-6 November. Ali Usman and Abdullah Fazal have been released from the Test squad.Aamir, who has played nine Tests, three ODIs and six T20Is for Pakistan, was recently player of the final in President’s Trophy Grade-I, where his bowling figures of seven for 32 and 55 with the bat turned the tables in favour of eventual winners Markhor IT Solutions. He also led Lahore Whites in the opening round of Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold and snapped three wickets while scoring 74 and 23.Right-hand batter Tayyab also impressed in the Departmental first-class tournament where he led Kingsmen Academy and scored 727 runs in seven matches at an average of 66.09 including three centuries in his maiden season. 19-year-old fast bowler Ali has played eight first-class matches and taken 22 wickets. He also picked up three wickets against Sri Lanka.Saqib played an instrumental role in Karachi Blues’ title run in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2025-26 by taking 47 wickets in nine matches at an average of 20.60 with a best of seven for 34. The first Test match will begin on Monday, 9 November at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.Pakistan Test squad (16): Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Ali Shabbir, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper, Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan and Saud Shakeel.

Islamabad (Sports Reporter) Phasin Sinchalong of Thailand and Chiu Kwan Nina Wang of Hong Kong were crowned Boys’ and Girls’ Singles Champions, respectively, at the J-60 Bard Foundation Junior World Tennis Championships Islamabad-2026, following impressive victories in their respective finals at the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Tennis Complex, Garden Avenue, Islamabad on Saturday.In the Boys’ Singles Final, Thailand’s Phasin Sinchalong delivered a dominant performance to defeat China’s Haoxuan Xu in straight sets, 6–2, 6–2, securing the championship title.In the Girls’ Singles Final, Chiu Kwan Nina Wang of Hong Kong displayed remarkable determination to overcome Russia’s Victoria Gruntova in a three-set encounter, winning 2–6, 6–4, 6–1 to claim the Girls’ Singles crown.The championship brought together 58 promising junior players, comprising 36 boys and 22 girls, representing 14 countries: Russia, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Australia, Spain, Canada, Belarus, Sweden and Pakistan.Sunday (Schedule):Girls’ Doubles Final: 11:00 am Boys’ Doubles Final: 02:00 pm 

Islamabad (PR): Mohammad Ali Larosh and Mahoor Shahzad of Pakistan Wapda clinched the Single title. Raja Zulqarnain Haider (Army) and Azeem Sarwar of Wapda won the Men's Doubles title. In the Women doubles Ammarah Ishtiaq & Alja Tariq took the title. In the Mixed Doubles Final Shoaib Riaz and Alja Tariq of Army won the title. Syed's Mehreen Sajid Coordinator to Prime Minister (IPC) was the chief guest of final ceremony and she distributed the trophies and cash prizes amongst the finalists.  Results of finals are as under:Men Singles Final Muhammad Ali Larosh (Wapda) beat Shoaib Riaz (Army) by 15-07, 15-11Women Singles Final Mahoor Shahzad (Wapda) beat AmmarahIshtiaq (Army) by 15-9, 10-15, 15-7Men Doubles Final Azeem Sarwar (Wapda) & Raja Zulqarnain Haider (Army) beat Yasir Ali &Rai Abdul Manan (Army) by 21-5, 15-15, 15-13Women Doubles Final Ammarah Ishtiaq & Alja Tariq (Army) beat Zubaira Islam (Wapda) &Umama Usman (SNGPL) by 15-5, 15-11Mixed Doubles Final Shoaib Riaz & Alja Tariq (Army) beat M Ali Larosh & Zubaira Islam (Wapda) by 15-8, 5-15, 15-10

Islamabad (Sports Reporter): The finalists for the Boys’ and Girls’ Singles events have been confirmed at the J-60 Bard Foundation Junior World Tennis Championships Islamabad-2026, with Haoxuan Xu (China) and Phasin Sinchalong (Thailand) qualified for the Boys’ Singles Final, while Victoria Gruntova (Russia) and Chiu Kwan Nina Wang (Hong Kong) secured their places in the Girls’ Singles Final.Boys’ Singles Semifinals:Haoxuan Xu (CHN) bt Aliaksandr Viarsotski (BLR) 6-4, 7-6(2)Phasin Sinchalong (THA) bt Aahil Kaleel (SRI) 6-3, 6-1Girls’ Singles Semifinals:Victoria Gruntova (RUS) bt Meimei Hu (CHN) 6-4, 6-2Chiu Kwan Nina Wang (HKG) bt Varvara Rubtsova (RUS) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5Schedule – 7th November 2026Boys’ Singles Final: 10:00 AMGirls’ Singles Final: 1:00 PMThe Boys’ and Girls’ Doubles Finals will be played on Sunday, 8th November 2026.

Oman (Sports Report): An unbeaten century by Usman Khan helped Pakistan U19 register a commanding nine-wicket win over United Arab Emirates (UAE) U19 in their opening Group ‘A’ fixture of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman on Friday. The defending champions will next face arch-rivals India U19 in their highly anticipated tournament encounter on Sunday, 8 November.Chasing 225 runs to win, Pakistan U19 achieved the target in 37.3 overs with Usman striking an unbeaten 139 off 120 balls, laced with 21 fours and one six. The left-handed batter brought up his century off 98 balls, hitting 14 boundaries and was named player of the match for his match-winning performance.Usman and Jahangir Bilal provided Pakistan a solid start, stitching together a 153-run opening partnership. Jahangir scored 60 off 87 balls, including six fours before falling to Ahmed Khudadad in the 29th over.Usman then added an unbroken 72-run partnership with Abdul Qadir, who remained unbeaten on 20 off 19 balls, striking one four and a six, as Pakistan completed the chase with 75 balls to spare.Earlier, after being put into bat, UAE U19 were bowled out for 224 on the final ball of their allotted 50 overs.Noorullah Ayobi top-scored with 70 off 55 balls, hitting three fours and six sixes, while Yayin Kiran Rai contributed 47 off 74 balls.For Pakistan, Mohammad Sayyam was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of three for 37 in 10 overs. Ali Raza, Hasnain Abbas Dar and Rizwanullah bagged two wickets each.Scores in brief:Pakistan beat UAE by nine wickets at AI Amerat Cricket Ground, MuscatUAE 224 all out, 50 overs (Noorullah Ayubi 70, Yayin Kiran Rai 47; Mohammad Sayyam 3-37, Hasnain Abbas Dar 2-22, Ali Raza 2-38, Rizwanullah 2-55)Pakistan 225-1, 37.3 overs (Usman Khan 139 not out, Jahangir Bilal 60, Abdul Qadir 20 not out)Player of the match – Usman Khan (Pakistan U19)

Islamabad (Sports News): Japan’s Ryuusei Kawakami completed a golden double at the Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, adding the men’s singles title to the mixed doubles gold he won earlier in the week. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Min-Hsin took the women’s crown to cap a remarkable run, and Colombia’s Emanuel Otalvaro made history with a silver medal that no player from his country had ever come close to.If one thing defined table tennis in Dakar, it was the diversity of the podium. Six different NOCs won medals across the three events. From Japan and Chinese Taipei to Korea Republic, Singapore and Hong Kong, China, and all the way to Colombia, medals were shared across continents, styles and table tennis traditions.For the first time since the inaugural Youth Olympic Games at Singapore 2010, China did not feature on the podium, a reflection of how the depth of the youth game continues to grow around the world, and of a new generation ready to compete with anyone.The men’s singles final brought together two players who had lit up Dakar all week, and it lived up to every expectation.Kawakami edged a tense opening game 15-13, took the second 11-7 and squeezed through the third 13-11 to stand one game from gold. But Otalvaro, who had dropped just two games all tournament, would not go quietly, storming back to take the fourth 11-6 and the fifth 11-2. With the momentum against him, Kawakami reset and closed out the sixth 11-6 to seal the title.For Kawakami, it completes a golden double. Already the mixed doubles champion alongside 13-year-old Miku Matsushima, he leaves Dakar as a two-time Youth Olympic champion.“Winning gold at the Youth Olympics is the greatest of joys for me,” he said. “I thank my family, my coach and my close ones. After my win here, my goal is to make my world ranking go up. I’d like to be in the top 30 at the next world tournament, put my name out there and try to win.”For Otalvaro, silver is a landmark achievement. The first Colombian man to compete in table tennis at the Olympic Games or Youth Olympic Games, the 16-year-old is now also the first player from his country to win a Youth Olympic table tennis medal. An alumnus of the ITTF Hopes programme, he is a shining example of what ITTF’s talent identification and development work is designed to achieve: finding potential early, nurturing it, and helping young players reach the very biggest stages.In the women’s final, Chen came from behind to beat Singapore’s Loy Ming Ying 4-2. Loy struck first, taking the opening game 11-5, but Chen edged the second 12-10 and won the third 11-8 to move ahead. Loy levelled with a 13-11 fourth, before Chen regained control with an 11-7 fifth and held her nerve in a gripping sixth, winning 12-10 to claim gold.“I came here for the gold medal. I knew I stood a chance. I feel quite happy, and I definitely feel like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders. It’s always good to go back with a medal, but a gold is best," Chen said.Both bronze medal matches were packed with drama. Korea Republic’s Lee Seungsoo raced into a 3-0 lead against Hong Kong, China’s Li Ki Ho, and held firm after a fightback to win 4-2, sealing a marathon sixth game 15-13.Hong Kong, China’s Su Tsz Tung came from 3-2 down to beat Japan’s Miku Matsushima 4-3 in the women’s bronze medal match, adding singles bronze to her mixed doubles silver.

Olympic Gold medalist, British Amir Khan becomes chairman of PPBB, father presidentAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Olympic Gold medalist British boxer Amir Khan became the chairman of Pakistan Professional Boxing Body (PPBB), while his father Shajaad Khan and uncle Tahir Khan would act as president and secretary, respectively, of the organization.While unfolding the details of PPBB, Amir Khan said in a press conference here at the National Press Club (NPC) on Thursday. “Our basic aim is to provide maximum opportunities to budding boxers and to train technical officials, which could meet the international standard. We will promote professional boxing in the country, and provide full assistance to talented fighters. PPBB will also introduce a transparent, safe, and professionally managed boxing system in line with global standards. The professional boxing event is expected to be held on February 10 next year, “he revealed.Speaking on the occasion, Amir Khan highlighted the shortage of boxing academies and modern training facilities in Pakistan, saying that the country, particularly areas such as Lyari in Karachi, has immense boxing talent but lacks the necessary infrastructure to develop young fighters. He urged the government to support the establishment of boxing academies by providing unused sports complexes and available government land. “Many talented Pakistani boxers are compelled to leave the country or represent other nations because of financial difficulties and the high costs associated with international competitions, “he lamented.“Pakistani boxers are recognised for their talent in the United Kingdom and other Western countries, but the country still lacks an effective professional boxing structure capable of taking local athletes to the international level. In the past, controversial decisions, poor management, and a lack of transparency had discouraged several promising fighters. PPBB is established through private-sector efforts and will not depend on government funding or public resources. We will provide legal representatives, experienced referees, judges, and technical experts to ensure that competitions are conducted in accordance with international rules and regulations, “he replied a question.He further said that PPBB would develop links and pursue affiliations with leading international boxing organisations, including the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO), and Commonwealth Boxing, aiming to provide Pakistani fighters opportunities to compete for international titles.He emphasised that athletes' health and safety would remain the board's top priority. Mandatory medical examinations, fitness assessments and other necessary health checks would be introduced before competitions. Strict measures would also be taken to prevent unauthorised individuals from entering the ring and to ensure that boxers with significantly different experience levels and professional records are not unfairly matched.On this occasion, President PPBB Shajjad Khan said that the development of professional boxing in Pakistan would begin with improving the technical skills and qualifications of officials. National and international-standard training courses would be organised for referees and judges, while their performance and expertise would be regularly assessed. Only qualified officials would be assigned responsibilities during competitions to ensure fair and transparent decisions. He added that the board would study successful boxing commission models from the United Kingdom and other developed countries to introduce a safe and well-organised professional boxing structure in Pakistan.General Secretary Tahir Khan said that the board's primary objective was to provide international recognition to Pakistani boxers, referees and judges. He noted that Pakistani boxing officials currently lacked the international recognition necessary for the sport's development. “Proper records of registered fighters and officials would be maintained, while cooperation with international boxing organisations would help them gain access to overseas competitions and world-level titles. The body also aims to create opportunities for Pakistani referees and judges to officiate at Asian and international boxing events.Director Legal Affairs Sultan Qamar Afzal said:  “A strong legal and regulatory framework is essential for the future of professional boxing in Pakistan. The body will focus on legal requirements, regulations and the protection of athletes' rights to establish an environment in which fighters could compete with confidence. Talent alone is not enough to succeed in professional boxing, stressing the importance of consistent training, financial support, opportunities and international exposure. The basic objective is to provide athletes with a proper platform to realise their potential. The board is also taking steps to ensure that competition results and professional records of boxers are maintained on recognised international platforms, preventing unauthorised changes and allowing their performances to be verified globally”.