LONDON: Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan has signed to play for Yorkshire in the Twenty20 Blast, the English county announced Friday.
The 23-year-old leg-spinner will be available for the club's first five and last six fixtures of the domestic T20 competition.
Shadab has represented Pakistan in all three international formats, including 64 Twenty20s where he has taken 73 wickets and boasts a batting strike-rate of 136.81.
Subject to obtaining international clearance, he will now join Pakistan team-mate Haris Rauf at Yorkshire, with the fast bowler available for the first five matches of the Blast.
"Shadab Khan is someone who can bat at the top, bat in the middle order and hits the ball a long way," said Darren Gough, Yorkshire's interim managing director of cricket.
"He is also an unbelievable spinner," the former England fast bowler added.
Shadab said: "I'm really excited to be heading to Yorkshire for the Blast. Ever since I started my cricketing journey it has always been a dream of mine to play county cricket.
"It will be made even more special with me being able to play alongside my good friend, Haris."
But Gary Ballance is set to miss the start of Yorkshire's season by taking a break in order to improve his mental health.
The batsman, who featured in 23 Tests for England between 2014 and 2017, faced fierce scrutiny in November after last November after admitting he had used racist language towards former Yorkshire team-mate Azeem Rafiq.
Pakistan-born spinner Rafiq accused Yorkshire of failing to deal adequately with the abuse he suffered while playing for the county side, saying he had been driven to thoughts of suicide.
His revelations led to a mass clear-out of senior boardroom figures and coaching staff at the club, with former Yorkshire quick Gough called in while new chairman Kamlesh Patel became the face of a fresh regime.
Yorkshire hope Zimbabwe-born Ballance, 32, will return to action later in the season, with the left-hander having come back from a stress-related break in 2020.
"He's still a Yorkshire player," Gough told Britain's Press Association news agency. "He's off with his mental health, he's struggled with that in the past as well.
"We will support him in any way possible to hopefully, sometime this season, represent Yorkshire again."
Gough was speaking just hours after Yorkshire's members approved a reform package at an extraordinary general meeting.
English cricket chiefs were so dismayed by Yorkshire's initial response to Rafiq's revelations they threatened to withdraw lucrative England fixtures from Yorkshire's Headingley headquarters in Leeds.
But Thursday's EGM votes mean that threat has been lifted, with Gough saying: "It was a relief that happened and now we can move forward.
"It's about accepting what's happened in the past, never forgetting it and making sure something like that doesn't happen again."
Pakistan's Shadab Khan signs for Yorkshire as Ballance takes a break
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Pakistan's Shadab Khan signs for Yorkshire as Ballance takes a break
- Shadab has represented Pakistan in all three international formats
- 23-year-old leg-spinner says he is excited to be heading to Yorkshire for the Blast
Nottingham Forest draws at Crystal Palace as Champions League hopes fade
- A win at Selhurst Park would have brought them equal with Chelsea and Newcastle but one point means it stays in sixth
LONDON: Nottingham Forest drew with Crystal Palace 1-1 in the Premier League on Monday and saw its Champions League hopes fade.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s men have spent most of the year in the league top three but a run of one win in four has dropped them behind Chelsea, Newcastle and a resurgent Manchester City.
A win at Selhurst Park would have brought them equal with Chelsea and Newcastle but one point means it stays in sixth, with the top five qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Neither team was able to take control of a sometimes scrappy match that saw eight names go in the referee’s book.
Palace took the lead with a penalty kick after an hour. After a video review, Matz Sels was adjudged to have felled Tyrick Mitchell and Eberechi Eze made no mistake from the spot.
Forest bounced right back within four minutes, Murillo doing enough to deflect a goal-bound shot from Neco Williams away from the keeper.
Eze hitting the woodwork in the dying seconds and Eddie Nketiah having a goal disallowed for offside in stoppage time meant FA Cup finalist Palace has not won any of its last five league games.
Minister of Sport receives 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli
- Prince Abdulaziz congratulated the Al-Ahli players and management on their victory over Japan’s Kawasaki
- Prince Abdulaziz expressed his admiration at the outstanding performances delivered by the team over the course of the tournament
JEDDAH: Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal received the 2025 AFC Elite Champions League winners Al-Ahli at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah and congratulated them on their victory over Japan’s Kawasaki.
The reception was also attended by Assistant Minister of Sport Abdulilah bin Saad Al-Dalak, President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal, and several ministry officials and leaders.
Prince Abdulaziz expressed his admiration at the outstanding performances delivered by the Al-Ahli players over the course of the tournament. He also praised the players’ commitment, competiveness and cohesiveness, which paved the way for ultimate victory.
PFL MENA season 2 opens with world-class talent in Jeddah on Friday
- Reigning lightweight champion, Iran’s Mohsen Mohammadseifi, battles rising contender Ahmed El-Sisy from Egypt
- Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz bin Moammar makes his debut against Morocco’s Fares Hamdani in catchweight bout
JEDDAH: The second season of PFL MENA begins this Friday at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah, featuring world-class talent from the Middle East North Africa region.
Headlining the card is a high-stakes lightweight showdown between reigning champion Mohsen Mohammadseifi from Iran and rising contender Ahmed El-Sisy from Egypt.
The division also features a trio of compelling matchups, with Algeria’s Souhil Tahiri taking on Kuwait’s Abdullah Saleem, and Bahrain’s Abbas Khan squaring off against Moroccan striker Salah Eddine Hamli.
The featherweight division promises equal intensity.
Jordan’s Abdelrahman Alhyasat, riding the momentum of a five-fight win streak, faces a formidable challenge in undefeated Moroccan Taha Bendaoud.
In other featured featherweight contests, Jordan’s Izzeddine Al-Derbani meets Algerian standout Mohamed Amine, while Iraq’s Hussein Salem takes on Egypt’s Assem Ghanem.
Adding to the excitement are several exhibition bouts, including Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz bin Moammar making his debut against Morocco’s Fares Hamdani in a catchweight fight.
The flyweight division will see local favorite Malik Basahel clash with Algeria’s Mountassir Boutouta.
The evening will also spotlight women’s MMA, with undefeated Kuwaiti talent Eman Almudhaf going toe-to-toe with Brazil’s Shamara Braga in a featherweight contest that promises fireworks.
Stacked with world-class talent, the PFL’s return to Jeddah sets the stage for a thrilling 2025 season.
Who is the best? Shai and Jokic in NBA playoffs
- Oklahoma City’s record-breaking season meets Denver’s championship pedigree in Western Conference clash
DUBAI: The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs was nothing short of spectacular, filled with jaw-dropping moments, dramatic finishes, and two thrilling Game 7 matchups.
Now, as the second round tips off, all eyes are on the highly anticipated clash between the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder and the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets, a series headlined by a battle between NBA regular season Most Valuable Player frontrunners Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This matchup is not just about advancing to the Western Conference finals. It also has the potential to answer one of basketball’s most debated questions among media and fans: Who is the best player in the world right now?
Jokic is coming off a historic regular season, becoming just the third player in NBA history after Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook to average a triple-double. He is also the first center to achieve this feat, finishing with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. On the other side, Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game, guiding Oklahoma City to an NBA-best 68-14 record.
At some point during the postseason the NBA will announce the winner of the MVP award and present the Michael Jordan Trophy. The three finalists, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, reflect the elite tier of the league, although Antetokounmpo is widely expected to finish third in the voting.
The MVP race adds an extra layer of intensity to this series. While the award is based solely on regular-season performance and will not be influenced by playoff results, the head-to-head battle offers players an opportunity to strengthen their case in the eyes of fans.
History shows that MVP rivalries often bring out legendary playoff performances. Michael Jordan delivered exactly that when facing MVP winners Charles Barkley in 1993 and Karl Malone in 1997, reaffirming his status as the best player in the world.
Against Barkley’s Suns, Jordan erupted for 55 points in Game 4, one of the highest-scoring games in NBA finals history, and led the Bulls to a third straight title. In 1997, he outshone Malone and hit the game-winning shot in Game 1, setting the tone for another championship run.
This year, Gilgeous-Alexander may have the edge in the MVP conversation. Voters often factor in team success, and with the Thunder finishing first in the league, his leadership and consistency are difficult to ignore. Jokic, despite posting another historic season, could be impacted by voter fatigue after already winning the award three times.
Denver enter the second round fresh from a commanding 120-101 win over the Clippers in Game 7 at Ball Arena, a result that sent a strong message to Oklahoma City that the defending champions are still a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, the Thunder cruised past the Memphis Grizzlies with a first-round sweep, earning a full week of rest. While the break can help players recover, it may also disrupt their rhythm, a factor that has affected playoff teams in the past.
Adding to the storyline, this series marks the first time franchise icon Russell Westbrook has faced the Thunder in a playoff series, and his first postseason return to Oklahoma City in front of fans. The emotional weight of that moment is sure to resonate with both the crowd and the team. Westbrook played a key role in Denver’s Game 7 blowout win over the Clippers, contributing with energy, expertise in defense, and veteran presence off the bench.
The Thunder had a historic 2024–25 NBA season, finishing with a league-best 68–14 record (.829), the top mark in the Western Conference and the best in franchise history. They dominated on both ends of the floor, leading the league with a +12.9 point differential per game and setting a new NBA record with 54 double-digit victories, surpassing the mark held by the legendary 1971–72 Lakers.
This remarkable season positions Oklahoma City as a strong favorite in their matchup against the Denver Nuggets. However, it would be a mistake to count out Nikola Jokic and his battle-tested crew, who won the NBA championship just two seasons ago, and bring valuable playoff-winning experience. With elite talent on both sides and MVP stakes in the spotlight, this series promises to be one of the most thrilling showdowns of the postseason.
Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets tips off at 5:30 a.m. (Gulf Standard Time) on Tuesday, May 6.
‘I want to be the best’: Kuwait’s Eman Almudhaf eyes debut success at PFL MENA in Jeddah
- The 32-year-old faces Brazil’s Shamara Braga in a women’s featherweight showcase bout at Onyx Arena on May 9
JEDDAH: Undefeated Kuwaiti mixed martial arts standout Eman Almudhaf is determined to be victorious in her long-awaited SmartCage debut at PFL MENA 1 on May 9 at the Onyx Arena in Jeddah.
The card for the PFL MENA’s highly-anticipated second season in Jeddah features an exciting crop of newcomers, which includes Almudhaf, who faces fellow PFL debutant Shamara Braga from Brazil in a women’s featherweight showcase bout.
The 32-year-old Almudhaf owns a pristine 4-0 professional MMA record, with all her wins coming by way of stoppage.
Ahead of her maiden appearance, the UAE Warriors veteran has made her goals clear: “I want to be the best.”
While it may sound like a lofty goal, it is one that Almudhaf expects out of herself, especially since she has already made history as the first female fighter from Kuwait to join the PFL.
More than just the distinction of being the first, Almudhaf is proud to be blazing a path for athletes like herself. “Being the first Kuwaiti female fighter in the PFL is great, of course.
“We’re showing that we belong in this sport at the highest level, just as much as anyone,” she said.
Almudhaf relishes the opportunity, especially since she was a witness to PFL MENA’s immensely successful first season.
“I did follow some of the fights, especially when the Kuwaiti fighters were on. I did follow last season’s finals as well,” she revealed. “I’m impressed by the level of talent and how fast the league is growing.”
“I’m very excited to be part of the biggest show in the Middle East right now,” she added.
In her first assignment under the PFL MENA banner, Almudhaf will take on a dangerous and significantly more experienced fighter in Braga, who owns a 5-3 professional record.
While her opponent has had more fights, Almudhaf is unfazed.
“My opponent looks tough and has double the cage experience I have, but technically and tactically, I believe that I’m better in all aspects of the game,” she said.
“I predict a dominant performance.”
Almudhaf will not have the luxury of a full fight camp for her PFL debut, but she is confident that her years of work have prepared her well for this opportunity.
“Though it was a relatively short-notice fight, I have always been training and staying ready for any opportunity that comes,” she explained. “I can’t wait to show all the work I’ve put in, not just for this fight but from all my years of training.”
While Almudhaf hails from Kuwait, she sharpens her skills in the UK, training out of the famed London Fight Factory and Great Britain Top Team stables.
“I’m incredibly proud to represent Kuwait and the MENA region, as well as both my teams in the UK, London Fight Factory and Great Britain Top Team,” she shared.
Almudhaf hopes she can become an inspiration for another generation of Kuwaiti athletes. “If I had any advice, it would be to stay focused, work hard, and don’t let anyone limit you.”
She added: “Yes, of course, there are many challenges, different ones at each stage of my career, but I believe that having the belief in myself, a big passion for the sport, and a strong team around me helps me face any obstacle along the way.”
