Islamabad (Sports Desk): FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026: Gambia beat Pakistan 4-2, as it was a game of two halves for Pakistan as the Shaheens made their historic debut at the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan, racing to a two-goal lead against Gambia before their opponents mounted a second-half comeback.Pakistan made a dream start, scoring the competition’s opening two goals. Ameer Hamza opened the scoring in the fifth minute, collecting the ball on the right near the halfway line and driving at the Gambian defence before unleashing a fierce strike past the goalkeeper.Hamza was involved again in Pakistan’s second goal, winning a tackle that sent the ball towards Baxi Hamal Khan. Driving forward from the left, Baxi fired a superb shot into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance and giving Pakistan a two-goal advantage.Gambia pulled a goal back before half-time, setting the stage for a tense second period. The African side equalised early after the restart when the ball slipped past Pakistan goalkeeper Shayan.Gambia increased the pressure in the second half, forcing Pakistan to defend deep during the early exchanges. However, the Shaheens gradually found their composure, with Kaleemullah testing the Gambian goalkeeper on more than three occasions and forcing a series of saves.Just as Pakistan looked to regain their footing, a swift counter-attack saw the ball fall to a Gambian player, whose ferocious left-footed strike was rifled into the corner of the net to put his side ahead. Gambia added a fourth with a curling effort into the top corner, completing a dramatic turnaround.Despite the result, Pakistan’s opening spell offered plenty of encouragement, with Hamza and Baxi delivering two outstanding goals on the world stage. The match marked a significant milestone for the Shaheens as they began their journey at the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival in Azerbaijan.

Sports Bulletin Report KARACHI: England’s Curtis Malik and Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy advanced into the final of the Venice ABC Open International Squash Championship after winning their respective semifinals on Saturday. Final will be played on Sunday at the same venue at the Defence Authority Creek Club.In the men’s semi-finals, Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy defeated Malaysia’s Yee Xian Siow in straight games (3-0). Karim secured the victory in 53 minutes, winning the games 11-9, 11-9, and 11-6. Meanwhile, the top seed, England’s Curtis Malik, overcame Egypt’s Yassin Shawdy in a thrilling contest that lasted 80 minutes; the final scoreline was 12-10, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, and 11-5.In the women's category, the second seed, Amina El Rihany, defeated Nadine Shahin 3–1 in games. The scoreline for Amina’s victory was 3–11, 12–10, 8–11, and 4–11. Rawan Elaraby secured a win against Habiba Rizk, taking the match with a score of 3–11, 11–4, 7–11, and 4–11. The finals for this event, which carries a prize purse of $82,000, will be played on Sunday.

Lahore (Sports Reporter): The Pakistan Cricket Board has today announced an initial 14-member Test squad for the two-match ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka set to be played in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 9 to 21 November. A 13-member PCB Patron’s squad has also been announced for the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka from 4-6 November at the Islamabad Club. The selectors will add two pacers from the Patron’s squad to the Test squad following the conclusion of the warm-up match on 6 November. Babar Azam is set to continue leading the Test side, while Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, wicketkeepers Mohammad Ghazi Ghori and Saad Baig, along with Razaullah and Saud Shakeel have retained their place in the Test squad. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman and batter Salman Ali Agha are also part of the Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka. Furthermore, a trio of batters including left-handed Mohammad Taha, right-handed Sameer Minhas and Mohammad Suleman have received maiden call-ups to the Pakistan Test squad. 26-old left-handed batter Taha is the leading run-scorer in the President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class, which began in September, with 730 runs across seven matches with the help of three centuries and a best of 225. In the same tournament Mohammad Suleman sits at no.5 position on the batting charts with 652 runs with the help of three centuries as well. Sameer, playing his maiden first-class season, impressed with 405 runs in seven matches, following a highly promising stint with Pakistan U19s. PCB Patron’s squad for three-day warm up match: Wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig is set to lead the PCB Patron’s XI in the three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka’s Test squad. From the Test squad, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha and Sameer Minhas will also be in action in the three-day match. The pace attack for the Patron’s XI consists of Mohammad Salman, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ali Shabbir, Saqib Khan and Ubaid Shah. Batter Mohammad Tayyab Arif will also be part of the squad. Pakistan Test squad: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (wk), Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Taha, Razaullah, Saad Baig (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Sameer Minhas, Saud ShakeePatron’s XI squad for three-day warm-up v Sri Lanka (4-6 November at Islamabad Club): Saad Baig (captain, wk), Abdullah Fazal, Ali Shabbir, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Suleman, Mohammad Tayyab Arif, Mohammad Taha, Saqib Khan, Sameer Minhas, Shoaib Akhtar Jnr, Ubaid ShahSeries schedule: 4-6 November – Three-day match, Islamabad Club9-13 November – First Test at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi17-21 November – Second Test at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Doha, Qatar (PR): The global hockey community celebrated the pinnacle of international hockey tonight at the 50th FIH Statutory Congress in Doha, Qatar, where the game’s finest athletes, visionary coaches, and top officials were presented with the 2026 FIH Hockey Stars Awards.Taking place on the eve of the Congress, the awards honoured exceptional contributions across the 2025–26 international hockey season. Unsurprisingly, World Cup heroics proved decisive across multiple categories, with champions Argentina and Germany leading an illustrious roll of honour.Here is the complete overview of the 2026 FIH Hockey Stars Award winners and their standout achievements:FIH Player of the YearWomen’s Player of the Year: Sofía Cairó (ARG)Las Leonas’ dynamic midfield engine was the driving force behind Argentina’s historic march to the 2026 FIH Women’s World Cup title in Amstelveen. Cairó dictated tempo against the world’s elite midfields throughout the tournament, providing both crucial transitions and ironclad defensive cover. Her calm authority in regular time and clutch leadership during the high-stakes final against the Netherlands cemented her reputation as the premier playmaker in women’s international hockey. Additionally, her decisive shoot-out goal, that put Argentina over the top in the World Cup final and led to the historic celebrations, will be an image burned into the minds of Las Leaonas fans forever. Men’s Player of the Year: Tomás Domene (ARG) Tomás Domene produced an unforgettable individual campaign at the FIH Hockey Pro League and the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s top goalscorer in both premier events with an astonishing 21 and 10 goals respectively. With lethal finishing from penalty corners and open play alike, the Argentine striker delivered decisive multi-goal masterclasses that consistently turned matches in Los Leones’ favor and confirmed his standing as the world's most devastating marksman. His heroics earned him the best player of the World Cup award as well, where his 10 goals helped the Leones win just their second ever medal (bronze) at the Men’s World Cup. FIH Goalkeeper of the YearWomen’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Cristina Cosentino (ARG) Cristina Cosentino etched her name into World Cup folklore with an immortal performance in the 2026 Women’s World Cup final. After frustrating the high-powered Dutch offense through 60 minutes of regulation play, Cosentino became the ultimate shootout hero, affecting three crucial stops to seal a 3–1 shootout triumph and secure Argentina’s third World Cup title. Her composure and shot-stopping under extreme pressure made her the undisputed top goalkeeper of 2026.Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Luis Calzado (ESP) Spain’s historic run to the 2026 Men’s World Cup final was anchored by the brilliance of Luis Calzado. The Spanish custodian delivered game-winning saves throughout the knockout rounds in Wavre and Amstelveen, conceding almost nothing from open play and keeping Spain within striking distance right through their tight 1–0 loss against Germany in the World Cup final—in the end earning a historic first silver medal for Spain at the Men’s Hockey World Cup. FIH Rising Star of the YearWomen’s Rising Star of the Year: Zoë Díaz (ARG) At just 20 years old, Zoë Díaz proved fearless on hockey’s biggest stage. Having become a Las Leonas mainstay during the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024-25 season, Díaz injected explosive pace, aggressive pressing, and creative flair in the final third during Argentina’s gold medal-winning World Cup campaign, playing key minutes in the knockout rounds and demonstrating maturity far beyond her years on the way to lifting the World Cup trophy. This is Diaz’s second time winning the FIH Rising Star Award after first having won it as an 18 year old in 2024! 

Islamabad (Sports Reporter):Pakistan and Iran have qualified for the final of the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group III after securing victories in their respective group ties. The two teams will face each other tomorrow, Saturday, 24 October,2026 at the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Tennis Complex, Garden Avenue, Islamabad.Pakistan secured their place in the final with a 2–1 victory over top seed Maldives in Group A, while Iran booked their spot with a convincing 3–0 win against Qatar in Group B.Pakistan’s experienced players delivered strong performances in the singles matches. Ushna Suhail defeated Keyara Usama 6–2, 6–3, while Mahin Aftab Qureshi produced an impressive display to overcome Aishath Karin Saizan 6–1, 6–0. In the doubles, Romaisa Malik and Hajra Sohail went down fighting against Aishath Karin Saizan and Nayara Usama Ali, losing 4–6, 4–6.Iran, meanwhile, demonstrated their strength against Qatar, winning all three matches. Yasaman Yazdani defeated Dana Khalifa 6–0, 6–0, while Kimia Sagheb Tehrani beat Mubaraka Al Naimi 6–2, 6–1. The Iranian doubles pairing of Meshkatolzahra Safi and Hana Soltani completed the clean sweep with a 6–2, 7–6(2) victory over Hind Almudahka and Khadija Gassama.The stage is now set for an exciting final between Pakistan and Iran, with both teams aiming to finish their campaign on a high note. Pakistan will look to capitalise on home-court advantage and the support of local fans, while Iran will be determined to challenge the hosts for the Group III title.Match ResultsGROUP-APakistan beat Maldives 2–1Ushna Suhail beat Keyara Usama 6-2, 6-3Mahin Aftab Qureshi beat Aishath Karin Saizan 6-1,6-0Romasia Malik / Hajra Sohail lost Aishath Karin Saizan / Nayara Usama Ali 4-6,4-6Bhutan beat Bahrain 2-1Tandin Tsheyang Wangmo lost Hajar Zaidan 1-6,3-6Tenzin Wangsel Lhaden beat Gharam Alkhayat 6-0,6-0Tandin Dorji / Tenzin Wangsel Lhaden beat Eman Alzaimoor / Hajar Zaidan 4-6,7-5 (13-11)GROUP-BIran beat Qatar 3-0Yasaman Yazdani beat Dana Khalifa 6-0,6-0Kimia Sagheb Tehrani beat Mubaraka Al Naimi 6-2,6-1Meshkatolzahra Safi / Hana Soltani beat Hind Almudahka / Khadija Gassama 6-2,7-6(2)Jordan beat Kuwait 2-1Anna Abualhaj beat Huda Aldabbous 6-0,6-0Noor Sayej beat Sumou Aldabbous 6-1,6-1Hajar Al Louzi / Rama Bagaeen lost Huda Aldabbous / Sumou Aldabbous 2-6,3-6

Rawalpindi (Sports Reporter): Sri Lanka made history on Thursday night when they surmounted the 430-run target – the second highest in the history of One-Day International matches – against England with one ball to spare and two wickets in hand here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. A number of records were set and tumbled during a run-fest which produced an aggregate of 859 runs – the second highest in ODIs – while the 430-run chase is also the second highest. Harry Brook brought up his double century off just 114 balls and became the owner of fastest double ton overtaking the milestone from Shubman Gill who took 117 balls. Brook also brought up the first double century on Pakistan soil and the highest individual ODI score in the country as well. England, who have now lost both the matches, will face Pakistan on 25 October at the Gaddafi Stadium as the remaining four matches in the tri-series are set to be played in Lahore. Sri Lanka, who opted to bowl first, were helped to the record chase by centurion Pavan Rathnayake (130, 106b, 15x4s, 3x6s), while Avishka Fernando and Dasun Shanaka struck 97 each. Janith Liyanage, who ended up with 61 not out off 27 balls hitting seven fours and three sixes, finished the game with a six off the penultimate ball. In the chase, Sri Lanka lost Kamindu Mendis early to Josh Tongue and their skipper Kusal Mendis for a diamond duck to slip to 24-2. At this juncture, Avishka Fernando (97, 83b, 11x4s, 2x6s) and player of the match Rathnayake stitched a valuable 166-run stand off 137 balls to lay the foundation for the record chase. Pacer Jamie Overton broke the stand and denied Avishka his fifth ODI century. Sri Lanka promoted Dasun Shanaka to no.5 – a position at which he walked out to bat for the sixth time only in his ODI career. Shanaka provided the much-needed impetus pacing up the scoring rate in the middle overs along with Rathnayake and both managed to add 133 off 79 balls. By the time Rathnayake departed, Sri Lanka needed 107 off 58 balls. Shanaka then threw the gauntlet in the 43rd over, hitting Sam Curran for three sixes before falling for 97 in the subsequent over. Liyanage, who was 16 off nine balls, when Sri Lanka needed 67 off 36 balls, then took apart Overton, taking 14 runs off his over. With 43 needed off 24 balls, Liyanage unleashed a sequence of 4,4,6 against Curran before Sahan Arachchige departed on the last ball of the same over after hitting a four. After Jacks gave away 11 runs in 48th over, Overton controlled the damage and let Sri Lanka score only five in the penultimate. Tongue threatened to defend eight runs off the last over as he gave just two runs off the first four balls and castled two batters on consecutive balls but Liyanage struck a maximum off the fifth to finish the game in style. Earlier, England’s opener Tom Banton (50, 51b, 9x4s) and Ben Duckett (29, 39b, 2x4s) put on 71 runs and both departed in 14th and 16th over bringing Brook and Joe Root to the middle. The duo then gathered 159 runs in tandem off 127 balls as Root contributed 69 off 66 balls. Root brought up the 8000-run mark milestone during his stay at the crease as well, becoming the first England batter to do so. Brook, who fell on the last ball of the innings, struck a total of 21 fours and 10 sixes in his outing. Brook brought up his century off just 75 balls with a four on the first ball of the 40th over, which England finished with 273-3 on the board. That England managed to eke out 156 runs off the last 10 overs was due to Brook’s charge in company of Will Jacks (66 not out, 30b, 8x4s, 3x6s), with whom he shared a breathtaking 185-run stand off 79 balls. From the 40th over onwards, England scored in double digits in each over as they raced past the 400-run mark for the seventh time, while Brook also overtook the highest individual score by an England batter from Ben Stokes, who had scored 182 in 2023. Scores in brief ODI tri-series - Match 3 – Sri Lanka beat England by two wickets at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium England 429-4, 50 overs (Harry Brook 202, Joe Root 69, Will Jacks 66 not out, Tom Banton 50, Ben Duckett 29; Dunith Wellalage 2-56) Sri Lanka 430-8, 49.5 overs (Pavan Rathnayake 130, Dasun Shanaka 97, Avishka Fernando 97, Janith Liyanage 61 not out; Josh Tongue 3-79, Sam Curran 2-103) Player of the match – Pavan Rathnayake (Sri Lanka) ODI tri-series (All matches begin at 1pm; First three matches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium; Last four matches at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore)18 October - Match 1 – Pakistan beat Sri Lanka by 37 runs 20 October - Match 2 – Pakistan beat England by 87 runs 22 October - Match 3 – Sri Lanka beat England by two wickets 25 October - Match 4 – Pakistan v England 27 October - Match 5 – Pakistan v Sri Lanka 29 October - Match 6 – England v Sri Lanka 31 October – Final – Top two teams

15-member UAE squad announced, Rahul Chopra to lead hostsDubai (Sports Reporter): UAE will host Netherlands and Oman in the ICC CWC League 2 Tri-Series which will be played at the ICC Academy Oval 1 from Sunday, 25 October. UAE’s second fixture of the 50-over series is against Oman on Thursday, 29 October followed by matches against Netherlands and Oman on Tuesday (2 November) and Thursday (4 November). Oman and Netherlands will play on Tuesday, 27 October and Tuesday, 2 November. All six matches will begin at 9:30am local time. Rahul Chopra will lead the 15-member UAE squad for the series. UAE squad for ICC CWC League 2 Tri-Series – Dubai: Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Khan, Adeeb Usmani (wicketkeeper-batter), Akshdeep Nath, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper-batter), Awais Ali Khan, Basil Hameed, Junaid Siddique, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Mohammad Arfan, Mohammad Shahdad, Muhammad Rohid Khan, Mohammad Waseem, Sohaib Khan and Tanish Suri (wicketkeeper-batter). Support Staff: Amjad Izzi (manager), Lalchand Rajput (head coach), Stanley Chioza (fielding coach), Azharuddin Qureshi (strength and conditioning coach), Manpreet Sidhu (video analyst) and Manish Pardeshi (physiotherapist). ICC CWC League 2 – UAE, Netherlands and Oman (local timings):*Sunday, 25 October – UAE vs Netherlands, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30am Tuesday, 27 October – Oman vs Netherlands, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30am Thursday, 29 October – UAE vs Oman, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30amSaturday, 31 October – UAE vs Netherlands, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30amTuesday, 2 November – Netherlands vs Oman, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30amThursday, 4 November – UAE vs Oman, ICC Academy Oval 1 – 9:30am 

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD: Over 300 golfers from all over the Pakistan will be in action during the 4-day 19th Naval Staff Amateur Golf Championship 2026 in the different categories, which will tee off at Margalla Greens Golf Club (MGGC), Islamabad on Thursday (October 22).During the media briefing, Rear Admiral Ahmed Hussain, Patron Pakistan Navy Golf (North), highlighted the salient features of the championship and outlined details regarding its format and participation across various categories.The tournament will be held from 22 to 25 October 2026, featuring competitions in Men Amateurs (54 holes), Ladies Amateur (36 holes) Seniors match (36 holes) and Juniors match (18 holes), along with an invitational match for guests and sponsors.Since its inception in 2007, the Chief of the Naval Staff Amateur Golf Cup has evolved into a prominent fixture on Pakistan’s golfing circuit. Beyond fostering competitive excellence, the event underscores Pakistan Navy’s enduring commitment to promoting sportsmanship, projecting a positive image of the country and encouraging healthy recreational activities within society.The opening ceremony was attended by sponsors, golf players and media representatives.

Abdul Jabbar Faisal ISLAMABAD: Hosts players posted a massive victory in their opening fixture of the Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC) Asia/Oceania Group III (B) 2026, after thrashing Bahrain 3–0 at the Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) Tennis Complex, Islamabad on Wednesday.The victory marks a historic milestone for Pakistan as the country hosts the prestigious international women’s team tennis competition for the first time, with the national team securing its first victory in the Billie Jean King Cup on home soil.Pakistan’s top players, Ushna Suhail and Mahin Aftab Qureshi, delivered commanding performances in the singles matches before joining forces to complete a convincing 3–0 victory in the doubles.Results (Day 1):Pakistan defeated Bahrain 3–0Singles: Ushna Suhail defeated Hajar Zaidan 6–0, 6–0.Singles: Mahin Aftab Qureshi defeated Gharam Alkhayat 6–0, 6–0.Doubles: Ushna Suhail / Mahin Aftab Qureshi defeated Eman Alzaimoor / Hajar Zaidan 6–1, 6–0.Maldives defeated Bhutan 3–0Singles: Keyara Usama Ali defeated Tandin Tsheyang Wangmo 6–1, 6–0.Singles: Aishath Karin Saizan defeated Tenzin Wangsel Lhaden 6–0, 6–1.Doubles: Keyara Usama Ali / Aishath Karin Saizan defeated Tandin Dorji / Kinley Yangden 6–1, 6–0.Iran defeated Kuwait 3–0Singles: Hana Soltani defeated Huda Aldabbous 6–2, 6–0.Singles: Kimia Sagheb Tehrani defeated Sumou Aldabbous 6–0, 6–0.Doubles: Meshkatolzahra Safi / Yasaman Yazdani defeated Huda Aldabbous / Sumou Aldabbous 6–0, 6–2.Jordan defeated Qatar 2–1Singles: Ana Abualhaj defeated Dana Khalifa 5–7, 6–4, 6–0.Singles: Noor Sayej defeated Mubaraka Al Naimi 7–5, 6–0.Double: Hinda Al Mudahka / Khadija Gassama bt Ana Abualhaj / Noor Sayej 6-3,6-4

Sukkur (Sports Reporter): Samha Naveed, Roshanay Ihsan, Humna Irshad, and Shukria moved into the semifinals of the U19 Girls’ fixture of the National Junior Badminton Championships after beating their respective opponents here on Tuesday.Results (October 20, 2026):Boys’ Singles (U-15 Quarterfinals):Mohammad Rehan (ISL) beat Mohammad Sudais (KP) by 15-4, 15-12Danyal Khan (PB) beat Faris Shahzad (PB) by 15-9, 15-9Ghayoor Ahmad (KP) beat Mohammad Ahmad Usman (Sindh) by 15-9, 15-7Mohammad Hasnain (KP) beat Fahad Hussaini (PB) by 15-13, 15-9Girls’ Singles (U-15 Quarterfinals):Ayesha Malik (PB) beat Leena Sajid (Sindh) by15-1, 15-8Rameen Adnan (Sindh) beat Zain Ul Zahra (PB) by 15-10, 15-13Mirha Farhan (Sindh) beat Dua Afaq (PB) by 15-11, 15-9Zulekha Fida (ISL) beat Mahnoor Adnan (Sindh) by 15-4, 15-4Boys’ Singles (U-17 Quarterfinals):Abdul Haseeb (Wapda) beat Mohammad Reyan Khan (KP) by 15-12, 16-14Haroon Ahmad (PB) beat Raza (Balo) by 15-12, 15-13Hassan Rashid (PB) beat Majid (PB) by 15-6, 15-6Hassam (Balo) beat M Shahzain Malik (ISL) by 15-11, 15-9Girls’ Singles (U-17 Quarterfinals):Sarwat Fatima (Army) beat Abeera (KP) by 15-6, 15-6Sameen Faisal (PB) beat Mina (Balo) by 15-5, 15-4Zahra Qasim (Sindh) beat Fatima Zaheer (PB) by 15-3, 15-9Romesa Faisal (PB) beat Jia Abid (KP) by 15-6, 12-15, 15-11Men's Singles (U-19 Quarterfinals):Mohammad Umer (SNGPL) beat Mohammad Haseeb (PB) by 15-7, 15-12Mohammad Suleman (PB) beat Khuzaima Shahzad (Wapda) by 15-8, 15-9Najam Ul Saqib (SNGPL) beat Abdullah Naveed (PB) by 11-15, 15-6, 15-5Ibad Khan (Wapda) beat Hussain Shahzad (PB) by 15-12, 15-11Women's Singles (U-19 Quarterfinals):Samha Naveed (PB) beat Alisha Bari (Sindh) by 15-4, 15-1Roshanay Ihsan (PB) beat Muntaha Amir (PB) by 15-2, 15-10Humna Irshad (PB) beat Sania Sohail (PB) by 15-18, 15-6Shukria (Balo) beat Tasmia Uresh (PB) by 15-11, 8-15, 15-8