Category: 6. Sports

BBC

BULAWAYO: South Africa bagged a convincing win 328-run win in the first Test against Zimbabwe after debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored a record-breaking century with Corbin Bosch’s also pitching in via his all-round performance in the first fixture of the two match series.

Chasing a daunting 537-run target, the home side’s batting unit unfolded on a meagre 208 runs.

Zimbabwe resumed their pursuit from 32-1 through opener Prince Masvaure and Nick Welch (0) and got off to a worst possible start as Bosch dismissed the number three batter on the first delivery of the day.

First-innings centurion Sean Williams then joined Masvaure for a brief 32-run partnership after the early blow.

Williams dominated the stand by scoring a quickfire 26 off 18 deliveries before Bosch got him caught behind.

Zimbabwe then lost three more wickets in quick succession and consequently slipped to 82-6, needing a further 455 runs.

Following the slump, skipper Craig Ervine and Wellington Masakadza attempted to launch a recovery by putting together 83 runs for the sixth wicket.

Momentum-filled Bosch broke the crucial partnership by getting rid of Ervine, who scored 49 off 77 deliveries, laced with seven boundaries.

Masakadza, on the other hand, was involved in a meagre eight-run partnership with Vincent Masekesa (3) before being ultimately removed by Codi Yusuf.

He remained the top scorer for Zimbabwe in the run chase with 57 off 92 deliveries, featuring nine boundaries.

Zimbabwe’s number 10 Blessing Muzarabani was the other notable run-getter as he remained unbeaten with a gutsy 32 off 29 deliveries, comprising four fours and two sixes.

Bosch was the standout bowler for South Africa in the second innings, taking five wickets for 43 runs in 12 overs, followed by Yusuf with three, while Keshav Maharaj and Dewald Brevis made one scalp apiece.

For the unversed, debutant wicketkeeper batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius was adjudged the Player of the Match for his monumental 153 in the first innings, which helped South Africa pile 418-9.

In response, Zimbabwe could muster 251 despite a valiant century from Williams as Wiaan Mulder’s four-wicket haul dismantled their batting unit.

Mulder then showcased his batting prowess in the second innings and scored an anchoring century at number three, which was pivotal in helping South Africa to set a mammoth total.

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From playing on the pitch to analysing it from the press box, Satish has spent over three decades living and breathing sport. A cricketer-turned-journalist, he has covered three Cricket World Cups, the 2025 Champions Trophy, countless IPL seasons, F1 races, horse racing classics, and tennis in Dubai.

Cricket is his home ground, but he sees himself as an all-rounder – breaking stories, building pages, going live on podcasts, and interviewing legends across every corner of the sporting world.

Satish started on the back pages, and earned his way to the front, now leading the sports team at Gulf News, where he has spent 25 years navigating the fast-evolving game of journalism.

Whether it’s a Super-Over thriller or a behind-the-scenes story, he aims to bring insight, energy, and a fan’s heart to every piece. Because like sport, journalism is about showing up, learning every day, and giving it everything.

LAHORE:

Pakistan Shaheens will return to Darwin for the third successive year to take part in the Top End T20 Series, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed today.

This year’s edition of Top End T20 Series will take place in Darwin from 14 to 24 August with Pakistan Shaheens taking on Bangladesh ‘A’ in the opening match of the tournament on 14 August at the TIO Stadium in Darwin.

The event will feature 11 teams with 36 T20 fixtures to be played across five venues including DXC Arena, TIO Stadium, Gardens Oval, Cazaly’s Arena and Freds Pass. More details will be announced by the tournament organisers in due course.

In 2023 edition, Pakistan Shaheens qualified for the final, while in last year’s event, they featured in the first semi-final.

Sumair Ahmed Syed, PCB Chief Operating Officer: “We are pleased to confirm Pakistan Shaheens’ participation in the Top End T20 Series for the third consecutive year. This tournament continues to serve as a platform for our emerging cricketers to gain valuable exposure and experience in competitive conditions. “We are grateful to Northern Territory Cricket for their continued collaboration and for providing a professional and high-quality tournament that contributes significantly to the growth of our emerging talent.”

Gavin Dovey, NT Cricket CEO: “We are once again delighted to welcome our good friends the PCB and BCB to Darwin where it is an honour and privilege to host two genuine giants of the game. “The Top End T20 Series was created as a vehicle to market and promote the Northern Territory as a destination to visit, live, work or study, and I don’t think there is a sport in the Territory that can connect with a bigger audience.”

The debriefing sessions on the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are scheduled to take place on July 2 and 3, local media confirmed.

These sessions will be led by PSL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salman Naseer and his team. Franchise owners and other key stakeholders are expected to attend. The discussions will focus on reviewing the conduct and performance of previous PSL editions, while also exploring the league’s future direction.

The PSL recently went through a major structural change after being turned into a separate entity, with Salman Naseer appointed as its first CEO. However, many important positions within the league’s setup are still vacant.

With ten successful seasons completed, franchise valuations are currently being reviewed. A 25% increase in franchise fees is also being considered. All six existing franchises had confirmed their intent to retain ownership as of December last year. However, Multan Sultans’ owner, Ali Tareen — who had previously voiced concerns about the league’s financial model — has remained silent. Multan continues to be the most expensive franchise, paying over PKR 1 billion annually.

Plans to expand the league to eight teams for PSL 11 have stalled, with no progress reported so far. According to sources, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet opened discussions with the franchises about the proposed expansion or changes in the financial model for new teams.

In addition to these concerns, several major commercial agreements — including those for title sponsorship, broadcasting rights, ground rights, and live streaming — are up for renewal. Currently, the PCB earns around PKR 900 million per year from title sponsorships, while local broadcast rights have brought in approximately PKR 6.3 billion, and international media rights earned $4.6 million.

If the league expands to eight teams, the number of matches could rise from 34 to 54, potentially boosting revenue by nearly 30%. However, franchise owners say they have not yet received any official communication about such plans.

Akmal unhappy 
Former cricketer Kamran Akmal on Monday criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for appointing Azhar Mahmood as the interim head coach of the national Test team, calling the decision illogical and reflective of poor management.

Speaking on the YouTube show, Akmal expressed confusion over the rationale behind Mahmood’s temporary appointment, comparing it to PCB’s earlier controversial move of naming Mickey Arthur as director of cricket while he continued his commitments with county cricket.
“I just don’t understand the logic behind this decision,” Akmal said.  “It’s exactly like the time PCB made Mickey Arthur director of cricket while allowing him to continue working with a county team. I couldn’t understand it then, and I can’t understand it now.” Akmal held such inconsistent decisions responsible for the ongoing decline in Pakistan cricket, saying these appointments have created long-term problems. “That role [Arthur’s] has continued, and it has brought many issues into Pakistan cricket,” he added.  “The same thing is now happening with the interim coaching setup. Before this, it was Aaqib Javed, then Mohammad Hafeez and now Azhar.”

The former wicketkeeper-batter advised PCB to adopt a professional approach and make clear, long-term decisions rather than appeasing everyone. “These decisions reflect a lack of seriousness. When the PCB starts thinking seriously and acting professionally, it won’t have to make such compromises or temporary appointments,” Akmal said.

He also criticised the board for what he termed a ‘please-all’ strategy, saying that Azhar’s appointment appeared to be more about rewarding loyalty than building a robust coaching system.
“Everyone has been appeased, and now Azhar has also been rewarded. If you’ve made him head coach, then give him the full time and responsibility. Otherwise, what’s the point?” he concluded.

Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr. will require surgery to repair a turf toe injury in his right foot sustained playing basketball offsite, the team announced Tuesday.

An update and preliminary recovery timeline will be provided after the surgical procedure.

Jackson, 25, averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks last season to earn his second All-Star appearance. He has reportedly agreed to a five-year, $240-million extension with the Grizzlies.

 

 

The University of Pennsylvania has agreed to block transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports after a federal civil rights investigation stemming from swimmer Lia Thomas.

The US Department of Education announced the agreement and said the Ivy League university would apologise and restore titles and records to female athletes in events that were “misappropriated by male athletes”.

The university said it would update its records set during Ms Thomas’ season to “indicate who would now hold the records under current eligibility guidelines”, but it did not say whether her records would be erased.

Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win the highest US national college title in March 2022.