Author: The Team PK

PARIS: The fightback is alive for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur as both clubs secured crucial first-leg victories in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday night. These wins not only revived hopes of silverware but also reopened the door to Champions League qualification — a lifeline for two teams enduring forgettable Premier League campaigns. Manchester United silenced a vibrant San Mames crowd by cruising to a 3-0 win over 10-man Athletic Bilbao. Bruno Fernandes led the way with two goals, including a penalty, while Casemiro opened the scoring in a blistering first-half performance. Spurs, meanwhile, outplayed Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt 3-1…

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi breathed life into their HBL PSL 2025 campaign with a commanding six-wicket win over Islamabad United at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night. The spotlight was firmly on young debutant Maaz Sadaqat, who impressed with a fearless half-century, and skipper Babar Azam, whose composed knock guided the chase. Set a modest target of 144, Zalmi overcame early pressure thanks to a brilliant 100-run stand between Maaz and Babar. The team was struggling at 40-3 in the powerplay, having lost Mitch Owen, Saim Ayub, and Mohammad Haris cheaply. However, the pair’s calm and calculated partnership turned the tide.…

BARCELONA: In a pulsating Champions League semi-final first leg, Barcelona and Inter Milan drew 3-3 — but it was 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal who stole the spotlight despite Denzel Dumfries being named Man of the Match for his two goals and one assist. The tie at Camp Nou was a rollercoaster, with Inter racing into a 2-0 lead thanks to early brilliance from Marcus Thuram and Dumfries. But the hosts, powered by teenage energy and belief, clawed back through a stunning solo goal by Yamal and a Ferran Torres strike before halftime. The second half saw both teams score again,…

Coco Gauff delivered a commanding performance to shock defending champion Iga Swiatek in the Madrid Open semi-finals on Thursday, cruising to a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory. The 21-year-old American broke Swiatek five times and didn’t face a single break point in the match, sealing the win in just 64 minutes. Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion and a powerhouse on clay, struggled throughout her title defense. After dropping sets earlier to Alexandra Eala and Diana Shnaider, she also suffered a bagel against Madison Keys in just 24 minutes during her quarter-final match—though she did bounce back to win that encounter.…

CHITTAGONG – Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam struck a brilliant century to put the hosts in a commanding position on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe. At stumps on Day 2, Bangladesh reached 291-7, leading Zimbabwe by 64 runs, with Mehidy Hasan Miraz (16)* and Taijul Islam (5)* unbeaten at the crease. Shadman anchored Bangladesh’s innings with a career-best 120 runs, forming a solid 118-run opening stand with Anamul Haque, marking only the 10th instance in Test history where Bangladesh’s openers crossed the 100-run mark. This impressive partnership laid the foundation for Bangladesh’s strong reply to Zimbabwe’s first…

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has officially confirmed that the Bangladesh men’s cricket team will tour Pakistan in May 2025 for a five-match T20I series, a key fixture ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The series will run from May 25 to June 3, with matches scheduled in Faisalabad and Lahore. Series Update: ODIs Replaced with T20Is Originally set to include three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20Is under the Future Tour Programme (FTP), the format has now been revised. With the upcoming T20 World Cup, both boards mutually agreed to replace the ODIs with two extra T20Is…

CHATTOGRAM: Bangladesh spin maestro Taijul Islam was in top form on Monday, bagging his 16th five-wicket haul in Test cricket to put the hosts in control at the end of Day 1 of the second Test against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, choosing to bat first after winning the toss, ended the day on 227-9 — a total that would’ve looked much worse if not for gritty half-centuries from Nick Welch and Sean Williams, and some late resistance from the tail. Debutant Tanzim Hasan Sakib opened the account for Bangladesh, dismissing Brian Bennett with an outside edge caught behind. It didn’t take long…

ISLAMABAD: Former Dutch hockey icon Floris Jan Bovelander has voiced strong hope for Pakistan’s hockey revival, asserting that with the right training environment and international exposure, the country can once again dominate the global stage. Currently in Pakistan, Bovelander is leading a series of training clinics aimed at nurturing young hockey talent in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with a follow-up session planned in Lahore. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Khawaja Junaid Hockey Academy (KJHA), in partnership with the Embassy of the Netherlands and the Pakistan Sports Board, marking Dutch King’s Day with sports diplomacy. Renowned for his role in…

LONDON – Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia made history at the 45th London Marathon on Sunday, shattering the women’s-only world record with an incredible performance, while Sebastian Sawe of Kenya made a brilliant tactical move to claim victory in the men’s race. The 28-year-old Assefa, who had earned a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, pulled ahead of Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in the final couple of kilometres after a scorching early pace. Assefa crossed the finish line in 2:15:50, smashing the previous record of 2:16:16, set last year by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir. Assefa attributed her success to the warm London…

JEREZ – In an unforgettable performance at the Spanish Grand Prix, Alex Marquez of Gresini Racing claimed his first-ever MotoGP victory, snatching the championship lead from his elder brother Marc Marquez who suffered an early crash and finished 12th. With over 100,000 fans cheering him on, Alex Marquez delivered a career-defining ride in front of his home crowd, finally securing his maiden victory after a series of second-place finishes. The 29-year-old Spaniard, who had been waiting for this moment all season, described it as “the best birthday present,” having celebrated his birthday just earlier in the week. The race began…