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The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has taken strong exception to what it termed a “misleading” claim by the Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) that the national youth girls’ team secured first position at the Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025 in South Korea, seeking a written explanation within three days and warning that failure to respond could lead to further action.

In an official letter issued on Sunday, the PSB referred to a communication from the PNF dated July 9, 2025, in which the federation claimed a first-place finish. The PSB stated that the wording of the letter appeared to imply a gold medal victory, potentially creating a misleading impression of the team’s performance.

The Board further noted that PNF Chairman Mudassar Razzaq Arain reinforced this narrative in televised interviews, explicitly referring to a “gold medal” win and thanking senior government officials for their recognition. A viral clip of one such interview was also cited in the notice.

Read More: Pakistan wins Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship by beating Maldives

According to the PSB, the claim was subsequently used by the federation to apply for cash rewards under the 2024 Cash Award Policy, prompting official commendation and recognition at government level.

The PSB has instructed the Netball Federation to submit a detailed written explanation within three days. It warned that failure to comply would result in the matter being escalated to the relevant authorities for further action.

Copies of the notice have been dispatched to the federal ministers concerned, the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, the Secretary of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, and the President of the Pakistan Olympic Association.

In response to the controversy, PNF Chairman Mudassar Razzaq Arain released a video statement in which he said the Sports Board may have misunderstood the situation.

He maintained that the President of Asian Netball personally awarded medals to the Pakistani team for securing first position in their respective category, and clarified that the PSB had not extended any financial support for the team’s participation in the event.

Also Read: Netball victory

Arain suggested that the Board may have been offended by one of his earlier remarks, using it as a pretext to issue the explanatory notice. “We will soon hold a press conference to present all the facts,” he said.

Pakistan capped an unbeaten run last week to win the Asian Youth Girls Netball Championship, defeating the Maldives 60-35 in the Plate Group final.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated the team on their victory, terming it a proud moment for the nation and a significant milestone for women in sports.

It must be mentioned here that the PSB had disbursed sizeable grants to 22 sports federation earlier this month but chose to snub the PNF for reasons best known to it.

England captain Ben Stokes took a wicket with the final ball of day four as the third Test against India hangs in the balance at Lord’s.

With India chasing 193 for victory, Jofra Archer (1-18) gave England a perfect start when he dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) for a duck, while Brydon Carse (2-11) trapped Karun Nair (14) and skipper Shubman Gill (6) leg-before, and Stokes bowled Akash Deep (1) with the final delivery, leaving India 58-4 at stumps with KL Rahul (33no) in the middle.

Earlier, England were bowled out for 192 with no player going past a half-century, and Joe Root’s 40 being the highest score, as the hosts crumbled against India’s spinner Washington Sundar (4-22) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-38).

The fiery emotions of day three bubbled over when Mohammed Siraj (2-31) dismissed Ben Duckett (12) in the sixth over and the pair shared a heated exchange in the middle, before Sundar initiated a collapse that saw England fall from 181-7 to 192 all out in eight overs, with Bumrah wrapping up the tail.

India have comfortably chased scores of more than 250 throughout this series and initially looked all but set for a victory to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, but the final hours of day four produced more chaos, and the Test now hangs in the balance.

England continue to produce magic in finely poised Test

The mood was sombre when the hosts were bowled out for 192, but England’s bowlers turned the Test on its head once more, taking four wickets in the final 18 overs of the day.

Jaiswal top-edged Archer straight behind where Jamie Smith pouched a dolly. Carse then struck Nair on the pads with a delivery that was nipping back, and then trapped Gill in front, the latter given on review.

Rahul made the most of being dropped by Chris Woakes (0-11) in his follow-through on five but was unable to find a set batter to build a partnership with as Stokes fought till the very end to bowl India’s nightwatchman, Deep.

The day five sell-out crowd at Lord’s are now in for a treat as the third Test remains finely poised with England continuing to create late magic.

India’s bowlers stun England

India’s Siraj and Bumrah were right on the money in the first hour after the flat Lord’s track finally offered movement for the bowlers.

Duckett was unable to find his rhythm after tamely lofting the Siraj to mid-on, with the India bowler in his face as the pair exchanged a shoulder nudge, and the umpires got involved too.

Siraj struck again in the 12th over with a wobble seam delivery that caught Ollie Pope’s (4) pad, and after an impassioned plea to Gill for a review, Hawk Eye confirmed it would go on to smash top of middle stump.

Zak Crawley (22) was the next to go, unable to back up his theatrics from day three with a substantial score, after edging Nitish Kumar Reddy (1-20) behind.

Harry Brook (23) was unable to sustain a lengthy counterattack after he hit two boundaries and a six but was bowled by Deep (1-30) after a failed sweep shot, which Sky Sports’ Kumar Sangakkara called “arrogant” on commentary.

That allowed India to head into the lunch with the upper hand as the hosts stuttered on 98-4. Stokes and Root then put on a 67-run partnership, the highest for England in the second innings.

But a revitalised India attack saw England collapse from 154-5 to 185-9 in the space of 15 overs as Sundar bowled Root, Smith, and Stokes.

Root missed a sweep shot, Smith played on to his stumps after going past 1050 Test runs, and Stokes was beaten after trying to play a slog sweep, leaving England precariously on 181-7.

Bumrah followed Sundar in helping India gain momentum when he bowled Carse (1) with a yorker and then flattened Woakes’ (10) leg-stump.

Bashir came out to bat with an injured left finger, and his nine-ball cameo brought England two runs, before he too was bowled by Sundar, a slower ball deceiving him. However, the England spinner will be fit to bowl on day five, batting coach Marcus Trescothick confirmed.

Washington confident of India win

India off-spinner Washington Sundar, speaking to Sky Sports Cricket:

“Definitely India winning tomorrow.

“The way the fast bowlers came out today and kept the pressure on throughout the day was amazing.

“The plan for me and Ravindra Jadeja [the spinners] was not to give away too many runs but the way things went for us was very good.”

Sangakkara baffled by Brook dismissal

Sky Sports’ Kumar Sangakkara, on Harry Brook’s dismissal earlier on:

“I cannot understand for the life of me what Brook did.

“He was batting so well, the counterattack was so good as he batted positively and had Root going well at the other end.

“Without that one crucial moment [when he was bowled on the sweep], England could have been so much further ahead.

“I know it’s Bazball but that is not smart.”

Watch day five of the third Test between England and India at Lord’s, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am Monday (11am first ball) or stream without a contract.

England vs India – results and schedule

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all on Sky Sports

PRESTON, England (AP) — Liverpool players and fans paid tribute to Diogo Jota on Sunday in the Premier League champion’s first game since the forward died in a car accident.

The pre-season friendly against Preston at Deepdale featured a live rendition of Liverpool’s anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and a minute’s silence before kickoff.

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Fans turned up with commemorative flags and sang Jota’s name.

The Portugal international died along with his brother Andre Silva, also a soccer player, near the northwestern city of Zamora, Spain, on July 3.

On Friday Liverpool said it had retired his No. 20 jersey as a mark of respect.

Liverpool beat second-tier Preston 3-1 and forward Darwin Nunez paid tribute to Jota after scoring in the first half. In celebration, he mimicked his former teammate’s iconic celebration by sitting on the grass and playing with an imaginary game controller.

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