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The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) on Wednesday announced a 20-man squad for the 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, which will be held in the Netherlands and Belgium from Augugust 15 to 30. Waqar and Ali Raza were named as the team’s goalkeepers. The squad also includes Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Sufyan, Moeen Shakeel, Abdul Waheed Ashraf Rana, Abdul Hanan Shahid, Zakaria Hayat, Arshad Liaqat, Adeel Latif, Ahmed Nadeem, Ghazanfar Ali, Imad Shakeel Butt, Muhammad Hamaduddin Anjum, Rehman Abdul, Afraz, Umar Mustafa, Abu Bakar Mahmood, Abdul Matan and Muhammad Imad. Dutch coach Bob Johan Veldhof will serve as head coach during the tournament, with Christopher John Bowen and Adnan Zakir appointed as assistant coaches. Muhammad Owais Qarni will be the team manager. The 2026 FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup will be played in the Netherlands and Belgium from Augugust 15 to 30. PHF President Mohiuddin Ahmad Wani expressed confidence in the squad, saying it combined experienced and young player...

Pakistan defeated the West Indies by eight wickets in the second Test to level the two-match series 1-1. The national side comfortably chased down a modest target of 75 runs in the final stages of the match, losing just two wickets. Abdullah Shafique and Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 24 runs each to steer Pakistan home. Earlier, West Indies were bowled out for 117 in their second innings, setting Pakistan a straightforward target after a dominant bowling display by the hosts. The victory marked a strong comeback for Pakistan following their defeat in the opening Test. The hosts controlled key moments throughout the match, with Abdullah Shafique’s brilliant first-innings century and Sajid Khan’s match-winning bowling proving decisive. Sajid Khan was named Player of the Match for his outstanding performance, taking eight wickets across both innings and playing a vital role in restricting West Indies to a low total in their second innings. The result ensured the two-Test series end...

Former South African cricketer Michael Smith has been appointed as the batting coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team for two years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday. According to a press release issued by the PCB, the “46-year-old will work with the team across both red-ball and white-ball formats”. He will join the Pakistan team ahead of the three-match Test series against England, commencing on Aug 19, the press release stated. Elaborating on Smith’s experience, the press release stated that he had featured in 89 first-class matches, 72 List-A matches and 16 T20 matches between 2003 and 2013. “The right-handed batter scored 7,029 runs across the three formats, including nine centuries and 40 half-centuries,” the PCB said. Smith, who holds a Level 4 coaching qualification, has served on the coaching staffs of three HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises — Islamabad United, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans, it added The press release further stated tha...

Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem qualified for the men’s javelin throw final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games after finishing seventh in the qualification round with a best throw of 78.63 metres. No athlete managed to achieve the automatic qualifying standard of 84 metres during the three-throw qualification round. The top 12 competitors based on their best throws advanced to the final. Sri Lanka’s Ramesh Tharanga topped the qualification standings with a throw of 82.84 metres, followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters with 81.29 metres and South Africa’s Douw Smit with 80.64 metres. England’s Ben East was among the top five with a throw of 80.38 metres, while India’s Neeraj Chopra finished fifth with 79.61 metres. Australia’s MacEntyre placed sixth with 78.91 metres, ahead of Arshad Nadeem in seventh. Pakistan’s Yasir Sultan failed to qualify for the final after finishing 14th with a best throw of 74.36 metres. Arshad heads into the final as the defending champion after making history at the 2...

Gold prices in Pakistan recorded a modest increase in both local and international markets. According to the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), the price of gold per tola in the local market increased by Rs300, reaching Rs427,736. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold rose by Rs257 to Rs366,714, the APGJSA said. In the international market, gold prices increased by $3 to $4,053 per ounce. The rise came after a sharp decline in the previous trading session, when the price of gold per tola dropped by Rs4,600 to Rs427,436. Market experts said investors continue to consider gold a safe-haven asset during periods of economic uncertainty, driving demand for the precious metal. They added that gold prices could move higher if global geopolitical tensions and economic concerns persist. However, fluctuations remain possible if the US dollar strengthens or global monetary policies change. Experts advised investors to closely monitor local and international mar...

Pakistan cricket team will tour England next year ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 for a five-match One-Day International (ODI) series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Thursday. The series will begin on May 15 in Southampton, followed by matches in Manchester on May 19, Leeds on May 21, Chester-le-Street on May 23 and Cardiff on May 26. The PCB said that the ODI series will serve as key preparation for both teams ahead of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, scheduled to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 4 October to 21 November 2027. Pakistan are currently ranked fifth in the ICC Men's ODI rankings, while England are seventh. Before the 2027 ODI tour, Pakistan are set to visit England next month for a three-match Test series from 19 August to 13 September. Pakistan last played an ODI series in England in 2021, where Babar Azam finished as the leading run-scorer with 177 runs, including a brilliant 158 in the third ODI. Ser...