: 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.”

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.