Abu Dhabi (Sports News): The Dubai Capitals sealed an important six-wicket win over the Gulf Giants courtesy of an impressive all-round display at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Sunday. With this win, the Capitals have moved to second on the points table, while the Giants slid to a fourth consecutive defeat.Mustafizur Rahman took his three wickets in the 14th over but it was enough to turn the tide after James Vince (36 off 34) and Azmatullah Omarzai (43 off 26) looked dangerous in the middle overs. His bowling helped the Capitals bundle out the Giants for 156. Shayan Jahangir’s controlled innings of 48 from 44 balls, set up the Capitals before Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 47 off 31, including a four and three sixes, sealed the win.The Capitals made a calculated start to the chase with Jahangir providing early impetus, with a six and four boundaries to lift them to 33/0 after four overs. The momentum shifted in the fifth over as Omarzai struck twice to remove Sediqullah Atal (9 off 10) and Jordan Cox (0 off 2). At the end of the powerplay they were 42/2, needing 115 more for the win.Despite the sub-par total, the Giants’ spinners applied the pressure, with runs coming mostly in singles. Jahangir held the innings together, ably supported by Leus du Plooy (22 off 15), before Fred Klaassen shattered his stumps just as the partnership of 31 runs in 27 balls was building was building. With Powell initially quiet on arrival, the Capitals reached the halfway stage at 68/3, leaving them needing 89 from the final 10 overs.The key wicket of Jahangir fell in the 15th over just as he looked set to accelerate. His dismissal briefly checked the chase, but Powell ensured momentum did not slip away, providing the late surge. Mohammad Nabi (25* off 14) then ensured that the contest was settled in emphatic fashion in the final over as he first brought scores level with a four before sealing the chase with a six. Earlier in the game, the Giants raced out of the blocks thanks to Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s explosive start, smashing 25 off just 11 balls to power the side to 39/0 after three overs. Haider Ali then struck in the fourth over to remove Gurbaz and added a second scalp to get Lorcan Tucker (1 off 4) in the sixth. Between these two wickets, Nabi chipped in by dismissing Moeen Ali (7 off 6), as the Giants closed the powerplay at 53/3.Vince and Omarzai then stitched together a crucial partnership to stabilise the Giants’ innings. Together, they put up 66 runs in 46 balls in the middle overs as the duo carried the Giants past the halfway mark and kept the scoring rate ticking.The momentum shifted decisively when Mustafizur Rahman returned for a devastating spell in the 14th over. The left-arm pacer removed Vince, Omarzai and Sean Dickson (0 off 1) in quick succession, reducing the Giants from 110/3 to 116/6 and exposing the lower order.Kyle Mayers (24 off 20) and Mark Adair (12 off 12) attempted a late push, adding some urgency with boundaries in the 18th over, but chaos ensued at the death. The final over saw a remarkable hat-trick of run-outs, as panic between the wickets undid the Giants’ late resistance. From 152/7, they were bowled out for 156.Brief ScoresGulf Giants 156 all out in 19.5 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 43, James Vince 36, Mustafizur Rahman 3 for 34, Haider Ali 2 for 24)Dubai Capitals 162/4 in 19.2 overs (Shayan Jahangir 48, Rovman Powell 47 not out, Mohammad Nabi 25 not out, Azmatullah Omarzai 2 for 27)Player of the match: Mustafizur Rahman

Sameer Minhas leads Pakistan U19 to ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup glory Dubai (Sports News): A dominant all-round performance, led by a century from Sameer Minhas and a four-wicket haul by Ali Raza, guided Pakistan U19 to a thumping 191-run win over India U19 in the final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground in Dubai on Sunday. This marked Pakistan’s first outright ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup title, having previously been declared joint winners in the 2012 edition.After being put in to bat, Pakistan posted an imposing 347 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. Sameer Minhas anchored the innings with a magnificent 172 off 113 balls, striking 17 fours and nine sixes. He laid a solid foundation before accelerating through the middle overs, including vital partnerships with Usman Khan (35, 45b, 3x4s, 1x6) and Ahmed Hussain (56, 45b, 3x4s, 1x6) to put Pakistan firmly in command.Left-handed batter Ahmed’s fluent half-century provided further momentum, while skipper Farhan Yousaf (19, 18b, 2x4s, 1x6) and late contributions from Niqab Shafiq (12 not out, 17b, 1x4) and Mohammad Sayyam (13 not out, 8b, 1x6) ensured Pakistan finished strongly.In turn, Pakistan’s bowlers produced a disciplined and clinical display to dismiss India for 156 in 26.2 overs. Right-arm fast bowler Ali spearheaded the attack with four wickets, striking early to derail India’s chase. Mohammad Sayyam and Abdul Subhan claimed two wickets apiece, while spinner Huzaifa Ahsan also struck twice as Pakistan maintained pressure throughout the innings.Sameer Minhas was adjudged player of the match for his match-winning century and was also named player of the tournament after amassing 471 runs from five matches at an average of 157.Pakistan U19 will now travel to Zimbabwe to feature in a tri-series involving Afghanistan and hosts Zimbabwe, starting from Thursday, 25 December. The ICC Men’s U19 World Cup will be played in Zimbabwe and Namibia from 15 January to 6 February 2026.Scores in brief:Pakistan 347-8, 50 overs (Sameer Minhas 172, Ahmed Hussain 56, Usman Khan 35; Deepesh Devendran 3-83)India 156 all out, 26.2 overs (Deepesh Devendran 36, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 26; Ali Raza 4-42, Huzaifa Ahsan 2-12, Abdul Subhan 2-29, Mohammad Sayyam 2-38)Player of the match and tournament – Sameer Minhas (Pakistan)

 Dubai (Sports News): Pakistan U19 booked their place in the final of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 with a commanding eight-wicket win over Bangladesh U19 in the semi-final at the Sevens Stadium in Dubai on Friday. Pakistan will now face India in the final on Sunday, 21 December at the ICC Academy Ground. The first ball of the final will be bowled at 9am local time.The rain-affected contest was reduced to 27 overs per side following overnight showers and a wet outfield, with play getting underway after a delayed start. Pakistan captain Farhan Yousaf won the toss and elected to field, a decision that paid rich dividends as the bowlers combined to restrict Bangladesh to 121 all out in 26.3 overs.Right-arm pacer Abdul Subhan led the charge with an impressive four-wicket haul, applying the brakes through the middle overs. He was well supported by Huzaifa Ahsan, who picked up two wickets, while Ali Raza, Mohammad Sayyam and Ahmed Hussain chipped in with a wicket apiece to keep Bangladesh in check. Samiun Basir top-scored for Bangladesh with 33 runs.In turn, Pakistan achieved the target in just 16.3 overs, losing two wickets in process. Opener Sameer Minhas anchored the run-chase with an unbeaten 69 off 57 balls, striking six fours and two sixes to ensure there were no hiccups.Usman Khan provided brisk support with a 27-run knock which included two fours and as many sixes, while Ahmed remained not out on 11 to see Pakistan home.Scores in brief:Bangladesh 121 all out, 26.3 overs (Samiun Basir 33; Abdul Subhan 4-20, Huzaifa Ahsan 2-10)Pakistan 122-2, 16.3 overs (Sameer Minhas 69 not out, Usman Khan 27)Player of the match – Abdul Subhan (Pakistan U19)

Dubai (Sports News): The Dubai Capitals defeated the Sharjah Warriorz for the first time in DP World ILT20 history, with a resounding 63-run victory at the Dubai International Stadium. A measured half-century from Sediqullah Atal (66 off 44) was complimented by a fiery finish from Mohammad Nabi (38* off 19) as the Capitals set up an unbreachable target of 181.The Warriorz were then halted by a clinical performance from the Capitals’ bowling attack, including three-wicket hauls from Nabi and Waqar Salamkheil. James Rew waged a lone battle, top scoring with 47 runs for the Warriorz.The race for the three remaining playoff berths remains wide open as Dubai Capitals moved to second place with six points. Four teams are level with six points, while the Desert Vipers and the Sharjah Warriorz sit at opposite ends of the points table with 12 and four points respectively.The run chase was rocked early as Mustafizur Rahman made the first incision with the wicket of Johnson Charles before Haider Ali claimed Tom Kohler-Cadmore (15 off 12) and Tom Abell (15 off 13) to leave the Warriorz at 45/3 in six overs.Sikandar Raza (21 off 14) and James Rew (47 off 38) looked to find momentum with a 39-run partnership in 27 balls before Raza fell to Waqar Salamkheil in the 11th over. While Rew managed the odd boundary, the asking rate ballooned to almost 12 an over for the final seven overs.The equation proved too steep, and wickets fell in clusters as Nabi made his presence felt with the ball as well, picking up Ethan D’Souza (5 off 10), Wasim Akram (0 off 2) and Rew, to cap off a miserly spell that only conceded 23 runs. Salamkheil broke through again to snap up the dangerous Dwaine Pretorius (1 off 4) and Harmeet Singh (2 off 2) to finish with 3/22. The Warriorz eventually bundled up for 117 runs in 17 overs.In the first innings, Raza had pushed the Capitals on the back foot with the wicket of the in-form Shayan Jahangir (1 off 3) in the first over. Jordan Cox (28 off 19) departed to Taskin Ahmed but only after he worked five fluent boundaries to power the Capitals to 60/2 by the end of the powerplay.Opener Sediqullah Atal played a vital knock with minimal risk. In the middle overs, he joined Leus du Plooy (18 off 14) for a 33-run stand in 21 balls before Plooy was accounted for by Adil Rashid in the 10th over. Rovman Powell (12 off 11) was the next batter to go, off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana.Atal led a 14-run assault against Wasim Akram in the 15th, bringing up a 35-ball half-century in the process. At the 15-over mark, the Capitals were set up for a big finish at 129/4.Mohammad Nabi opened fire immediately, clubbing three boundaries and three sixes to provide the flourish the Capitals needed. Meanwhile, Taskin Ahmed gave Atal a reprieve in the outfield, when the batter was on 60, but the pacer quickly redeemed himself to remove the opener in the 17th over.Taskin struck again to remove Dasun Shanaka (5 off 9) in the final over, but the Capitals squeezed 12 runs to post a daunting target on a challenging surface.Player of the Match, Mohammad Nabi said:“The top order set a great platform for the middle order. I always try to practice my power hitting since I bat at number six or seven a lot. Sediqullah Atal has been on the bench for a few games, but he came back to bat really well today and Salamkheil is always picking up wickets.”Captain of the Sharjah Warriorz, Sikandar Raza said:“We didn't really field well to start with. We bowled well in patches. On that wicket, the score was chasable; we needed partnerships. After winning two in a row, this loss is a setback, but we need to start peaking now to stay in the competition. Facing the table-topping Desert Vipers tomorrow will be a true test of where this team stands."Brief ScoresDubai Capitals 180/6 in 20 overs (Sediqullah Atal 66, Mohammad Nabi 38 not out, Jordan Cox 28, Taskin Ahmed 3 for 40)Sharjah Warriorz 117/10 in 17 overs (James Rew 47, Sikandar Raza 21, Mohammad Nabi 3 for 23, Waqar Salamkheil 3 for 22, Haider Ali 2 for 19, Mustafizur Rahman 2 for 13)

: Lahore (PCB Report): Farhan Yousaf will continue to captain Pakistan U19 as the 15-member squad has been confirmed for the upcoming tri-series in Zimbabwe and the ICC U19 World Cup.The tri-series, featuring Afghanistan, Pakistan and hosts Zimbabwe, will be played from 25 December to 6 January. It will serve as preparation for the ICC U19 World Cup, which will take place in Namibia and Zimbabwe from 15 January to 6 February. Both tournaments will be contested in the 50-over format.Pakistan U19 are currently competing in the ACC U19 Asia Cup in Dubai and will face Bangladesh in the semi-final on Friday, 19 December. The final of the eight-team tournament is scheduled for Sunday, 21 December in Dubai.The only change to the 15-member squad from the Asia Cup is the inclusion of right-arm fast bowler Umar Zaib, who replaces left-arm spinner Mohammad Huzaifa for the tri-series and the ICC U19 World Cup.Pakistan U19 will play a minimum of four matches in the tri-series, with the top two teams qualifying for the final scheduled on 6 January.15-member squad:Farhan Yousaf (captain), Usman Khan (vice-captain), 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 ZaibNon-traveling reserves:Abdul Qadir, Farhanullah, Hassan Khan, Ibtisam Azhar and Mohammad HuzaifaSupport staff:Sarfaraz Ahmed (manager/mentor), Shahid Anwar (head coach/batting coach), Rao Iftikhar (bowling coach), Mansoor Amjad (fielding coach.), Abrar Ahmed (trainer), Ubaidullah (physio), Ali Hamza (analyst)Tri-series fixtures:25 December - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan, Harare Sports Club27 December - Afghanistan v Pakistan, Harare Sports Club29 December - Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Prince Edward31 December - Zimbabwe v Afghanistan, Sunrise Sports Club2 January - Pakistan v Afghanistan, Sunrise Sports Club4 January - Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Old Hararians Sports Club6 January - Final, Old Hararians Sports ClubPakistan fixtures:16 January – Pakistan v England, Takashinga Sports Club, Harare19 January – Pakistan v Scotland, Takashinga Sports Club, Harare22 January – Zimbabwe v Pakistan, Takashinga Sports Club, Harare24 January to 1 February – Super 6 matches3 February – First semi-final, Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo4 February – Second semi-final, Harare Sports Club, Harare6 February – Final, Harare Sports Club, Harare

Riyadh (Sports News): The EA SPORTS FC™ Italian Supercup returns to Saudi Arabia (Thursday, 18 December) as Serie A champions Napoli take on AC Milan in the first semi-final of the competition at Riyadh's Alawwal Park.The opening fixture raises the curtain on the sixth Italian Supercup to be hosted in Saudi Arabia and sees two of Italy’s most storied clubs compete for a place in the final. Napoli currently sit third in Serie A as they aim to successfully defend last season's title, while AC Milan are second and return to Riyadh having won the previous Italian Supercup in the same stadium in January.Both clubs arrived in the Kingdom earlier this week and Napoli were given a warm welcome by local supporters at their first training session earlier on Wednesday. Speaking later the same day, Napoli head coach Antonio Conte welcomed the support his side had received in Riyadh.“It's a good sensation to find Napoli fans here in Riyadh," said Conte. "It is normal that the more matches the Club plays abroad, the more it becomes known and can attract more and more fans.“We know that fans are drawn to teams through victories, and we try to be attractive from this point of view as well, but we are already happy to have found fans with Napoli shirts here in Riyadh who asked us for autographs and photographs.”AC Milan captain Mike Maignan was the man who lifted the trophy at Alawwal Park in January, when thousands of Rossoneri supporters came together in support of their team.The France goalkeeper expects a stern test against the current Italian champions on Thursday but is excited to once again play in front of a passionate fanbase in Saudi. “We need to be focused on this game," said Maignan. "We need to think about how we play and what the coach wants from us. It will be a great game because the opponent is strong.“Our fans are very passionate here, so we will give 100 percent. It was great last year, but we need to give 100 percent now to repeat ourselves.”Following Napoli vs. Milan is the second semi-final, which takes place the next day (Friday, 19 December). That game pits 2024–25 Coppa Italia winners Bologna against last year's Serie A runners-up Inter Milan.The winners of both semi-finals will advance to the Italian Supercup final on 22 December, also to be played at Alawwal Park.

Karachi (PR): The inter-school cricket tournament organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board and in collaboration with Naya Nazimabad is underway in the city of Quaid. Beacon House School and Five Star School have made it to the semi-finals. According to tournament organizer Rahat Ali Shah In the match played at the National Stadium, Five Star School defeated Beacon House School by ninety runs. Batting first, Five Star scored 226 runs in the allotted 40 overs. Mohammad Yaqoob of the winning team played a brilliant innings of 110 runs. Mohammad Yaqoob hit 17 fours and 4 sixes. Hamza Nadeem took 4 wickets. In reply, Beacon House were bowled out for 136 runs. Furqan Akram scored 46 runs. Shazal Farooqi took 4 wickets and Abdullah Ahmed Butt took 3 wickets.At the TMC Ground, Standard School outclassed Ibrahim Ali Bhai Government School Orange No. 10 by 185 runs. Ashish Malik scored 102 runs and also took three wickets.

 Dubai (Sports News): Pakistan U19 confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup with a comprehensive 70-run win over UAE U19 in the Group ‘A’ match at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai, on Tuesday afternoon.After opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 241 for nine in their allotted 50 overs, built around a solid half-century from Ahmed Hussain and valuable contributions from Sameer Minhas and wicketkeeper-batter Hamza Zahoor.Pakistan lost early wickets, but Sameer steadied the innings with a composed 44 off 63 balls, striking five boundaries. Ahmed anchored the middle order with 65 off 91 balls, which included four fours ensuring Pakistan had a strong platform. Hamza provided impetus in the latter stages with a brisk 42 from 51 balls, hitting four boundaries.For UAE, Yug Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Naseem Khan bagged two wickets.In turn, UAE were dismissed for 171 in 37.5 overs despite half-century by Ayaan Misbah, who top-scored with 77 off 74 balls, including 12 fours.Right-arm pacer Abdul Subhan led the bowling attack, clinching four wickets for 31 runs. He now has seven scalps from two matches in the tournament. Right-arm leg-spinner Ahmed, Mohammad Sayyam and Momin Qamar picked up a wicket each. Pakistan’s sharp fielding resulted in three run-outs, ensured UAE never recovered after losing regular wickets.Today’s win secured Pakistan U19 a place in the semi-finals of the tournament after winning two of their group matches. They will face the top side of Group ‘B’ on Friday, 19 December. The final of the tournament will be played on Sunday, 21 December.Scores in brief:Pakistan beat UAE by 70 runsPakistan 241-9, 50 overs (Ahmed Hussain 65, Sameer Minhas 44, Hamza Zahoor 42; Yug Sharma 3-52, Naseem Khan 2-27)UAE 171 all out, 37.5 overs (Ayaan Misbah 77, Prithvi Madhu 27; Abdul Subhan 4-31)Player of the match – Abdul Subhan (Pakistan U19)

Islamabad (Sports News): Chairman PCB Syed Mohsin Naqvi announced the official window for the 11th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (HBL PSL). The HBL PSL 11 is scheduled to take place from 26 March to 3 May, 2026.The confirmation of the HBL PSL 11 window marks a significant milestone as preparations intensify for the league’s next phase of expansion. The Pakistan Cricket Board will also host the New Teams Auction on 8 January, 2026 at the Islamabad Convention Centre, where the rights for two new HBL PSL franchises will be offered. The auction will be broadcasted, providing transparency and global visibility to prospective investors and cricket fans worldwide.The HBL PSL continues to attract strong international interest, reflecting the league’s growing commercial strength, expanding global footprint and long-term growth potential. Recent engagements with global stakeholders have underlined confidence in the league’s business model and its positioning among the world’s leading T20 competitions.Recognised for its high-quality cricket, competitive balance and role in developing elite international talent, the HBL PSL has firmly established itself as a premier global T20 league.

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.”