Hasan takes 6-55 as Bangladesh claim opening day of Australia Test
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP/Reuters
Australia score lowest Test total against Bangladesh since 2017
Hasan Mahmud took a career-best 6-55 as Bangladesh bundled Australia out for 198 on the opening day of the first Test in Darwin on Thursday.
Mahmud led an impressive display by the visitors’ seamers as Australia slumped to their lowest Test score against Bangladesh, their previous worst being 217 in Mirpur in 2017.
Hasan was the pick of the attack, but he was ably supported by fellow quicks Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, who took two wickets apiece.
Steve Smith was the only Australian to offer any resistance, scoring 71, while the rest of the batsmen looked out of sorts against the disciplined attack.
After skipper Pat Cummins chose to bat on a perfect Darwin day, a full-strength Australia were expected to dominate a Bangladesh side who were well beaten by a Cricket Australia XI in their only warm-up match.
Hasan, who troubled openers Travis Head and Jake Weatherald in his opening spell, made the initial breakthrough in the 12th over with the score on 45.
Weatherald, on 23, had a huge swipe at a ball outside off stump and only managed a thick edge to wicketkeeper Litton Das.
Hasan struck again soon after, Head chopping on for 22 to leave Australia 52-2.
Bangladesh then saw a huge opportunity go begging when Smith, on two, edged Ebadot to third slip where Tanzid Hasan spilt the chance.
Smith had a second escape next over when he got a thick edge off Taskin only for the ball to fly through a vacant third slip.
Marnus Labuschagne, on one, wasn´t so fortunate.
He poked at an Ebadot ball outside off stump and edged to Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto at second slip, leaving Australia 61-3.
Cameron Green came in and played some big shots before chipping Taskin to short midwicket, where Mushfiqur Rahim took an easy catch.
Wicketkeeper Alex Carey looked in good touch after lunch and cruised to 19 until he played on to Ebadot with the score on 129.
Taskin then produced the ball of the day to beat Beau Webster´s bat and clip the top of off stump to leave the home side struggling on 152-6.
Cummins tried to steer the hosts to tea without further loss; however, Shanto brought Hasan back into the attack with immediate success, the Australian skipper getting a big edge to Litton.
Hasan got his fourth in the same fashion, Mitchell Starc getting a thin edge to the keeper with the score on 172.
Smith threw his wicket away going for a big hit before Nathan Lyon was last man out in similar fashion.
1- Header image: Australia’s Steve Smith in action before losing his wicket, caught out by England’s Jamie Smith off the bowling of Josh Tongue. — Reuters
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP/Reuters Australia score lowest Test total against Bangladesh since 2017 Hasan Mahmud took a career-best 6-55 as Bangladesh bundled Australia out for 198 on the opening day of the first Test in Darwin on Thursday. Mahmud led an impressive display by the visitors’ seamers as Australia slumped to their lowest Test score against Bangladesh, their previous worst being 217 in Mirpur in 2017. Hasan was the pick of the attack, but he was ably supported by fellow quicks Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain, who took two wickets apiece. Steve Smith was the only Australian to offer any resistance, scoring 71, while the rest of the batsmen looked out of sorts against the disciplined attack. After skipper Pat Cummins chose to bat on
Arshad Nadeem fails to retain Commonwealth Games javelin title
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP
Nadeem’s first attempt did not count while his best throw was 77.41 metres, recorded on his second attempt
Arshad Nadeem finishes ninth in men’s javelin final.
Nadeem’s best throw was 77.41m, recorded on his second attempt.
His third throw measured 75.39 metres.
GLASGOW: Defending Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem failed to defend his men’s javelin title after finishing ninth in the final at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, with a best throw of 77.41 metres.
Nadeem, the defending champion, produced a best throw of 77.41 metres on his second attempt. His opening throw was below his best effort, while his third throw measured 75.39 metres, leaving him outside the top eight and out of medal contention.
After two rounds of throws, Nadeem was placed fifth among the 12 finalists with his 77.41-metre effort. However, he was unable to improve on that mark and slipped to ninth in the final standings.
Sri Lanka’s Ramesh Tharanga led the competition after four rounds with a best throw of 89.75 metres, while India’s Neeraj Chopra occupied second place with 85.83 metres. Chopra had topped the standings after the opening two rounds before being overtaken by the Sri Lankan athlete.
Nadeem entered the competition as the defending Commonwealth champion, having won gold at the 2022 Games with a record-breaking throw of 90.18 metres, which set both the national and Commonwealth Games records.
The result brought an end to Nadeem’s title defence, with Pakistan finishing without a medal in the men’s javelin event.
The Pakistani athlete qualified for the final after finishing seventh in the qualification round with a best throw of 78.63 metres.
No athlete met the automatic qualifying standard of 84 metres during the three-throw qualification event. Instead, the 12 competitors with the best throws progressed to the final.
Sri Lanka’s Ramesh Tharanga led the qualification standings with a throw of 82.84 metres, followed by Grenada’s Anderson Peters (81.29m) and South Africa’s Douw Smit (80.64m).
England’s Ben East finished fourth with 80.38 metres, while India’s Neeraj Chopra was fifth with 79.61 metres. Australia’s Cameron McEntyre qualified sixth with 78.91 metres, one place ahead of Nadeem.
Pakistan’s Yasir Sultan failed to reach the final after placing 14th with a best throw of 74.36 metres.
1- Header image: Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem competes in the men’s javelin throw final during the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 27, 2023. — AFP
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP Nadeem’s first attempt did not count while his best throw was 77.41 metres, recorded on his second attempt Arshad Nadeem finishes ninth in men’s javelin final. Nadeem’s best throw was 77.41m, recorded on his second attempt. His third throw measured 75.39 metres. GLASGOW: Defending Commonwealth Games champion Arshad Nadeem failed to defend his men’s javelin title after finishing ninth in the final at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday, with a best throw of 77.41 metres. Nadeem, the defending champion, produced a best throw of 77.41 metres on his second attempt. His opening throw was below his best effort, while his third throw measured 75.39 metres, leaving him outside the top eight and out of medal contention. After two rounds of throws, Nadeem
West Indies beat Pakistan by 90 runs to take 1-0 series lead
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Abbas’s five-wicket haul helped Pakistan dismiss West Indies for modest total of 181 in their second innings
Abbas’s five-wicket haul helped Pakistan dismiss WI for 181.
Pakistan make shaky start to 211-run chase against West Indies.
At lunch on Day 4, Green Shirts reeling at 28/3.
TAROUBA: West Indies wrapped up a commanding 90-run victory over Pakistan in the opening Test on Tuesday, bowling out the visitors for 120 while defending a target of 211 to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Resuming their chase after Tea at 114/9, with captain Babar Azam and No. 11 Mohammad Abbas unbeaten on 53 and 22, respectively, Pakistan could add only six more runs before Seales trapped Abbas lbw in the second over after the interval.
Babar remained Pakistan’s top scorer with an unbeaten 58 from 107 deliveries, while Abbas made a defiant 23 from 33 balls. Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was the only other Pakistan batter to reach double figures, scoring 11 during a 21-run fourth-wicket partnership with Babar.
Seales spearheaded West Indies’ bowling attack in the second innings with outstanding figures of 5/20 from 14.2 overs. Kemar Roach and Justin Greaves claimed two wickets apiece, while Shamar Joseph picked up one.
Earlier, Babar and Rizwan resumed cautiously after Tea and added 21 runs for the fourth wicket before Justin Greaves bowled Rizwan in the sixth over of the session.
Following Rizwan’s dismissal, Pakistan lost five wickets for the addition of just 25 runs and slumped to 71/9.
Babar was then joined by Abbas, and the pair shared an unbroken 49-run stand for the final wicket, during which the Pakistan captain brought up his 32nd Test half-century and guided his side past the 100-run mark.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan made a disappointing start to their chase as Kemar Roach had experienced opener Imam-ul-Haq (3) caught behind in the third over with just five runs on the board.
Emerging opener Azan Awais (3) briefly resisted alongside Babar in a 16-run partnership for the second wicket before Jayden Seales had him caught behind in the sixth over.
Seales struck again in his next over, trapping Salman Ali Agha lbw for a duck to leave Pakistan struggling at 25/3.
At the start of the fourth and final day, West Indies resumed their second innings on 126/7 and added a valuable 55 runs for their remaining three wickets.
Having secured a slender 29-run first-innings lead after posting 311 and dismissing Pakistan for 282, the hosts set the visitors a target of 211 to win the series opener.
Lower-order batters Shamar Joseph and Kemar Roach, who resumed the innings overnight, continued to frustrate Pakistan’s bowlers by extending their partnership to 61 runs.
Right-arm pacer Mohammad Ali finally made the breakthrough in the fifth over of the day, deceiving Joseph with a slower delivery. The left-hander top-scored for West Indies with a brisk 38 from 27 deliveries, including four sixes and a four.
Roach eventually fell to Abbas in the 53rd over after lobbing a simple catch to Babar Azam at short cover. He scored a patient 18 from 63 deliveries.
No. 10 batter Jomel Warrican added to Pakistan’s frustration with a quickfire 14 from 20 balls before Abbas bowled him to finish with outstanding figures of 5/22 from 15.5 overs.
Abbas was well supported by fellow pacers Mohammad Ali and Khurram Shahzad, who claimed two wickets each, while Aamir Jamal chipped in with one.
1- Header image: Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas (third from left) celebrates taking a wicket with teammates during the third day of their first Test against West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on July 27, 2026. — AFP
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP Abbas’s five-wicket haul helped Pakistan dismiss West Indies for modest total of 181 in their second innings Abbas’s five-wicket haul helped Pakistan dismiss WI for 181. Pakistan make shaky start to 211-run chase against West Indies. At lunch on Day 4, Green Shirts reeling at 28/3. TAROUBA: West Indies wrapped up a commanding 90-run victory over Pakistan in the opening Test on Tuesday, bowling out the visitors for 120 while defending a target of 211 to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Resuming their chase after Tea at 114/9, with captain Babar Azam and No. 11 Mohammad Abbas unbeaten on 53 and 22, respectively, Pakistan could add only six more runs before Seales trapped
FIFA World Cup heroes Spain return home ahead of victory parade
Courtesy: Dawn News/Reuters
Spain’s newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions on Monday arrived back in Madrid, where a million fans are expected to greet them after a night of raucous celebrations across the country.
Spain captain Rodri held the World Cup trophy aloft at the top of the stairs as he descended from the Iberia plane that flew the team home from the United States after clinching their second star.
Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday, secured by a Ferran Torres strike in extra-time, has sparked an outpouring of national pride in the football-mad country, whose only other World Cup triumph came in 2010.
Many younger supporters were not yet born when Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal against the Netherlands secured Spain’s first World Cup in South Africa 16 years ago.
On Monday morning, the Castellana, Madrid’s main avenue, bore the marks of a boozy evening — the tarmac strewn with trash, beer cans and shards of glass.
Among the last remaining supporters, some slept with grins on their faces on the pavement or on benches, while others were still staggering home as cleaning crews worked from the early hours to prepare the route for tonight’s party.
“I didn’t sleep much, because… (of) the celebration and then the tension of the match — I think it was a little more difficult for all of us to fall asleep,” Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida told RNE radio.
After landing, the players will be received by King Felipe VI at Zarzuela Palace, on the outskirts of Madrid, according to the mayor.
The team will then be met by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez at the government headquarters, La Moncloa.
Spain’s World Cup winners will enjoy an open-top bus parade, starting at Moncloa and heading to Cibeles square, the central government’s representative in Madrid, Francisco Martin, told Spanish public television.
A ceremony involving the players will then be held at the square, the traditional gathering point for celebrations by the Spanish national team and its supporters.
Around one million people are expected to line the parade route, with additional security and transport measures planned to handle the crowds, Martin said.
Some supporters, who already had only a short night’s sleep, are planning to celebrate again, like Bruno Gonzalez del Yerro, a 32-year-old financier.
“We’ll have to celebrate it one way or another, given that it only happens every four years and that Spain hadn’t won it for about [16] years now — it definitely deserves a party,” he said.
Spain’s women’s side won the World Cup in 2023, meaning for the first time a country has both trophies at the same time.
In 2030, Spain will defend their crown on home soil, as one of the World Cup hosts along with Portugal and Morocco.
Spain’s World Cup celebrations were not just heard across the country – they were felt underground.
Spanish World Cup celebrations detected by seismic sensors
Seismometers dotted around Spain detected vibrations caused by fans erupting in joy after Ferran Torres’ goal in Sunday’s final secured the national team’s second World Cup title, scientists said on Monday.
Researchers from the Geosciences Barcelona centre analysed data from the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and the Catalan Geological and Cartographic Institute (ICGC), which showed unusual signals linked to the celebrations in cities including Algeciras, Barcelona, Cadiz and Granada, they said in a statement.
The sensors picked up three clear bursts of activity during the match: after Torres’ goal, a later strike that was ruled out by VAR and the strongest vibration recorded after the final whistle.
Scientists said the movements were an example of “induced seismicity” caused by human activity — in this case, thousands of fans jumping, shouting and celebrating at once.
Sensors detected comparable vibrations during Spain’s Euro 2024 final victory over England, when goals by Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal triggered measurable ground movements in Madrid and Barcelona.
‘All-time’ kings
The Spanish press was running out of superlatives to describe its heroes after they overcame favourites France in the semi-finals before downing Argentina.
“The kings of all-time!” wrote Marca, celebrating a “second star that will now be stitched onto the Spanish jersey after yet another masterclass in collective play”.
On a tragic note, a 13-year-old boy was killed around midnight in the town of Ciudad Rodrigo in the west, after a fountain crumbled under the weight of supporters who had climbed onto it to celebrate.
In Buenos Aires, the initial silence after defeat was striking, and then the tears came once the reality sank in, their hopes of a fourth World Cup were dashed, but hundreds of thousands of people are expected to greet the team on their return at 5pm local time (1am PKT Tuesday).
After more than five weeks of competition with the expanded format and 48 teams, only Spain and Argentina were left standing by the 104th and final match.
The 2022 champions, despite the presence of all-time great Lionel Messi, failed to create clear chances against Spain’s well-organised and more positive side.
Enzo Fernandez’s red card left Argentina with their backs pinned to the wall and Barcelona forward Torres slammed home after fellow substitute Nico Williams teed him up.
“It’s not my goal, it’s the goal of 47 million people,” said Spain’s match-winner.
Messi had a sensational World Cup but drifted through the final like a ghost, shedding tears at the end. In Madrid, tears will also flow on Monday night, but tears of joy.
1- Header image:
Courtesy: Dawn News/Reuters Spain’s newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions on Monday arrived back in Madrid, where a million fans are expected to greet them after a night of raucous celebrations across the country. Spain captain Rodri held the World Cup trophy aloft at the top of the stairs as he descended from the Iberia plane that flew the team home from the United States after clinching their second star. Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in New Jersey on Sunday, secured by a Ferran Torres strike in extra-time, has sparked an outpouring of national pride in the football-mad country, whose only other World Cup triumph came in 2010. Many younger supporters were not yet born when Andres Iniesta’s extra-time goal against the Netherlands secured Spain’s first World Cup
Messi not done yet after inspiring Argentina to World Cup final
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP
“Once again we managed to do the job when things were looking bad. We never stopped believing,” says Messi
ATLANTA: Lionel Messi has already won the World Cup, but the Argentina captain added another chapter to his astonishing career on Wednesday, inspiring his team to victory in their semi-final against England.
The defending champions were up against it, trailing to Anthony Gordon’s goal until the 85th minute in Atlanta before Messi worked his magic.
This time the tournament’s all-time leading marksman did not score. But he teed up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser and delivered the cross for Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner, sealing a 2-1 victory.
“These are special feelings. I think the squad could feel it and this was a game the Argentine people really wanted to win, and so did we,” Messi, 39, said after facing England for the first time in his career.
“This is still a special fixture.”
He was not quite able to emulate Diego Maradona, who scored two iconic goals in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup quarter-final win over England.
But he will settle for the two assists, and he has already emulated his legendary predecessor by winning the trophy four years ago in Qatar.
Now, after Argentina maintained their incredible record of never having lost a World Cup semi-final, Messi will appear in a second straight final, and a third overall.
The South Americans are aiming to become the first team to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, and Messi, the sole survivor from the side that lost to Germany in 2014, will become just the second player after Brazilian great Cafu to appear in three finals.
“It is crazy to be playing in back-to-back finals,” he said.
Argentina had already staged a stunning late comeback to beat Egypt 3-2 in the same Atlanta stadium in the last 16, and they smelled blood as England sat deeper and deeper after going ahead.
“Once again we managed to do the job when things were looking bad. We never stopped believing,” said Messi, who has now played a record 33 World Cup games across six different tournaments.
For long spells on Wednesday his influence was limited, but that has often been the way with Messi and he was still able to drag his team to victory.
“I felt like for large parts of the game, we dealt with him really well. But as always with the most dangerous players in the world, when they have the ball in the final third, they can create something,” said England captain Harry Kane.
“He’s done that again today. He’s obviously one of the best players ever for a reason.”
Spanish reunion
Messi is arguably the greatest of all, and there may no longer be an argument if Argentina successfully defend their title in Sunday’s final against Spain.
Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. — AFP
Pele and Maradona only played in two World Cup finals while Maradona won the trophy just once.
Messi is also the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, although Kylian Mbappe is just one behind and plays Saturday against England in the third-place play-off.
He could easily have bowed out of international football after 2022, when Argentina defeated France in the final.
But he appears to have been saving himself for this World Cup in recent years, removing himself from the intensity of European football and acclimatising to American conditions with Inter Miami.
While Cristiano Ronaldo’s ongoing presence in the Portugal team may have held them back, Messi remains almost as influential as ever.
“He is just the leader and key player in any team in which he plays,” said England coach Thomas Tuchel.
Now he gets his chance to play Spain in a competitive game for the first time, and the identity of the opposition makes the occasion even more special.
Messi moved to Barcelona with his family at the age of 13 and stayed for two decades, before leaving in 2021 for Paris Saint-Germain.
He has a Spanish passport and may one day settle down again in Castelldefels, just down the coast from Barcelona.
But before Messi thinks about that, he wants to douse Spain’s dreams.
1- Header image: Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates his team’s second goal scored by Argentina’s forward #22 Lautaro Martinez (out of frame) during the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. — AFP
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP “Once again we managed to do the job when things were looking bad. We never stopped believing,” says Messi ATLANTA: Lionel Messi has already won the World Cup, but the Argentina captain added another chapter to his astonishing career on Wednesday, inspiring his team to victory in their semi-final against England. The defending champions were up against it, trailing to Anthony Gordon’s goal until the 85th minute in Atlanta before Messi worked his magic. This time the tournament’s all-time leading marksman did not score. But he teed up Enzo Fernandez for the equaliser and delivered the cross for Lautaro Martinez to head in the winner, sealing a 2-1 victory. “These are special feelings. I think the squad could feel it and
Mohammad Nawaz sanctioned for breaching ICC Anti-Doping Code
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Three-month sanction to be reduced to one month if all-rounder completes ICC rehabilitation programme
Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been handed a three-month period of ineligibility by the International Cricket Council for breaching the Anti-Doping Code, with the suspension backdated to May 1, 2026.
However, the sanction will be reduced to one month if he completes a substance-of-abuse rehabilitation programme approved by the ICC, allowing him to make an earlier return to cricket.
According to a press statement issued by the ICC, the 32-year-old had tested positive for a Substance of Abuse (Carboxy-THC) under the ICC Anti-Doping Code following a doping test carried out after Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on February 7 this year.
The ICC clarified that the case involved a Substance of Abuse and that the substance was not taken for sporting advantage. Nawaz’s eligibility to return to cricket will depend on the successful completion of the required rehabilitation process.
“Nawaz has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility,” the ICC said and added that the suspension period “will be reduced to one month on completion of a substance of abuse treatment programme for breaching the ICC Anti-Doping Code”.
The ICC confirmed that Nawaz admitted to the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition, in a manner unrelated to sport performance.
Under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, the violation resulted in a three-month suspension, which has been backdated to May 1, 2026, the date he began a voluntary provisional suspension.
However, the suspension can be reduced to one month if Nawaz successfully completes a substance-of-abuse rehabilitation programme to the ICC’s satisfaction. Having already served around two and a half months of provisional suspension, Nawaz’s ban effectively allows him to return once the rehabilitation requirement is fulfilled.
If he does not complete the programme, the full three-month ineligibility period would run until August 1, 2026.
As part of the sanction, Nawaz’s records from Pakistan’s match against the Netherlands on February 7, 2026, along with his performances in subsequent matches until May 1, have been disqualified in accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
1- Header image: Mohammad Nawaz reacts during ICC T20 World Cup match against India in Colombo, Sri Lanka on February 15, 2026. — AFP
Courtesy: Geo News/AFP Three-month sanction to be reduced to one month if all-rounder completes ICC rehabilitation programme Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been handed a three-month period of ineligibility by the International Cricket Council for breaching the Anti-Doping Code, with the suspension backdated to May 1, 2026. However, the sanction will be reduced to one month if he completes a substance-of-abuse rehabilitation programme approved by the ICC, allowing him to make an earlier return to cricket. According to a press statement issued by the ICC, the 32-year-old had tested positive for a Substance of Abuse (Carboxy-THC) under the ICC Anti-Doping Code following a doping test carried out after Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka,
Argentina’s forward #10 Lionel Messi celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup football tournament semi-final match between England and Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on July 15, 2026. — AFP
