Pakistan fails, Kohli roars and Smith retires: Champions Trophy highlights

India's Virat Kohli, right, and captain Rohit Sharma celebrate with the winners trophy on the podium after defeating New Zealand in the final cricket match of the ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 9, 2025. (AP)
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Updated 10 March 2025
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Pakistan fails, Kohli roars and Smith retires: Champions Trophy highlights

  • Virat Kohli silenced critics over poor form in Test cricket by scoring century against arch-rivals Pakistan 
  • Veteran batter Steve Smith called time on his ODI career a day after Australia lost semifinal to India 

DUBAI: India beat New Zealand by four wickets in the final of the Champions Trophy on Sunday in Dubai.

AFP Sport looks at five storylines from the 50-over tournament.

Virat Kohli silenced the critics over his poor form in Test cricket with an unbeaten 100 against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Kohli took time to get into the groove on a sluggish Dubai pitch to anchor India’s chase of 242 with key stands.

His mastery of the conditions, combined with his ability to rotate the strike, took India to victory with six wickets and 45 balls to spare.

Kohli was also India’s savior in the semifinal against Australia when his 84 steered another successful chase.

Opposition skipper Steve Smith called the 36-year-old “arguably the best chaser the game has seen.”




Indian players celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the ICC Men's Champions Trophy against New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 9, 2025. (REUTERS)

Pakistan hosted a major cricket event for the first time in three decades and excitement there was sky-high, despite India’s refusal to tour and instead play all their matches in Dubai.

But the Pakistan team’s poor showing on the field deflated the spirits of the cricket-crazy nation with successive losses to New Zealand and India.

That signalled the end of Pakistan’s title defense, and to add insult to injury, their dead-rubber final group match against Bangladesh was washed out.




An auto-rickshaw drives past a billboard depicting portraits of the captains of participating cricket teams in ICC Champions Trophy 2025, installed at a roadside, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Feb. 16, 2025. (AP)

One disappointed fan called the tournament a “wedding where you don’t know the bride or groom.”

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips lit up the tournament with his fielding heroics, notably against India in the group phase for the key wicket of Kohli.

Phillips dived full stretch to his right at backward point and somehow held on to the ball to send Kohli back for 11 off fast bowler Matt Henry.

Kohli stood in disbelief for a few seconds before trudging back to the pavilion as the fans in Dubai fell silent.




New Zealand's players celebrate after dismissing India's Virat Kohli during the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between New Zealand and India at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on March 2, 2025. (AFP)

Social media was abuzz with reactions to the catch, with one fan on X calling Phillips “the Superman of the tournament.”

Jos Buttler’s England came into the competition off the back of a 3-0 ODI whitewash in India, but piled on a mammoth 351 in their opener against Ashes rivals Australia.

England still managed to lose as Australia chased down the target to leave Buttler’s side on the brink.

Defeat to Afghanistan put England out of the tournament after just two matches.




Afghanistan's players celebrate after winning the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between England and Afghanistan at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 26, 2025. (AFP)

Two days later Buttler quit as England’s white-ball captain after three successive flops in ICC events, including their failed T20 and 50-over World Cup title defenses.




England's captain Jos Buttler (L) talks to the media at the start of the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) cricket match between England and South Africa at National Stadium in Karachi on March 1, 2025. (AFP)

Veteran batsman Steve Smith, 35, called time on his ODI career a day after Australia lost in the semifinals to India.

Smith top-scored for Australia with 73, but his knock was in vain after India overhauled Australia’s 264 and the captain’s innings turned out to be his last in the format.

Another retirement seemed highly likely after the final with intense speculation that India skipper Rohit Sharma would end his one-day career if they won.




India's captain Rohit Sharma poses with the winners trophy after defeating New Zealand in the final cricket match of the ICC Champions Trophy at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 9, 2025. (AP)

Opener Rohit top-scored with 76 in the final and declared afterwards that he was not going anywhere, leaving Indian media stumped and fans relieved.


Pakistan inaugurates pavilion at GETEX Dubai 2025 to showcase educational potential 

Updated 30 April 2025
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Pakistan inaugurates pavilion at GETEX Dubai 2025 to showcase educational potential 

  • GETEX is considered region’s most established student recruitment platform
  • This year annual event is taking place in Dubai from April 30 to May 2 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Consul General in Dubai Hussain Muhammad inaugurated the country’s first-ever pavilion at the Global Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) 2025 in Dubai on Wednesday to showcase the country’s educational potential, Pakistan’s Consulate General in Dubai said. 

GETEX is considered the region’s most established student recruitment platform. This year it is taking place from April 30 to May 2 at the Dubai World Trade Center.

The pavilion was formally inaugurated by Muhammad alongside Dr. Chaudhry Abdul Rehman, the chairman of the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP). 

“The Global Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX) 2025 is currently underway in Dubai, where, for the first time, a dedicated Pakistan Pavilion has been established, marking a significant milestone in the country’s academic outreach on the global stage,” the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai said. 

The statement said Dr. Rehman is leading a 35-member delegation of vice chancellors and senior academic leaders from across Pakistan at the event. 

Muhammad commended the participation of Pakistan’s private universities at GETEX, noting that their presence reflects the country’s growing academic excellence and innovation. 

“He lauded APSUP’s leadership in bringing together a strong delegation and highlighted the importance of showcasing Pakistan’s educational potential in international forums,” the statement said. 

During the exhibition, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan also visited the Pakistan Pavilion. 

“He was warmly received and briefed by Prof. Dr. Rehman and praised the initiative as a valuable step forward in strengthening academic cooperation between the UAE and Pakistan, assuring full support for future engagements,” the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai said. 

Pakistan and the UAE enjoy cordial ties rooted in shared faith and culture. The UAE is home to over a million Pakistani expatriates — the second-largest overseas Pakistani community globally — and a major source of remittance inflows to Pakistan.

Policymakers in Islamabad view the UAE as an ideal export destination due to its geographic proximity, which lowers freight costs and facilitates smoother trade.

In recent months, the two countries have signed a series of agreements to boost economic ties.


Pakistan urges US to ask India to ‘act responsibly’ amid threat of war

Updated 30 April 2025
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Pakistan urges US to ask India to ‘act responsibly’ amid threat of war

  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss tensions with India
  • Sharif says India’s “deeply worrisome” behavior will distract Pakistan from battling militants based in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impress upon New Delhi to “act responsibly” amid fears of a military confrontation breaking out between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. 

Tensions have surged between the two countries following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on Apr. 22 that New Delhi has said Pakistan was involved in. Islamabad denies the charges and has said it will participate in any credible and transparent investigation of the assault. 

Several countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UK, US and others have called upon both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid a military confrontation. Pakistan has vowed to give a “strong” response to any aggression after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the military freedom to respond to the Kashmir attack during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. 

Sharif received a call from Rubio during which he offered the American official Pakistan’s perspective on the recent developments after the Apr. 22 attack, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. 

“He [Sharif] categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident and pointed to his call for a transparent, credible, and neutral investigation to bring out the facts,” the PMO said. 

“He urged the US to impress upon India to dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly.”

Sharif condemned “terrorism” in all its forms and manifestations and underscored Pakistan’s leading role in the “war against terror,” the statement said. 

He described India’s recent behavior as “deeply disappointing and worrisome,” saying it would only serve to distract Pakistan from its ongoing efforts to defeat militants, particularly those based in Afghanistan. 

India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars since 1947 over the issue of the disputed Himalayan territory of Kashmir. Both countries claim Kashmir in full but administer only parts of it. 

“The Prime Minister emphasized that peaceful resolution of the Jammu & Kashmir dispute was the only way to ensure lasting peace in South Asia,” the PMO said. 

On bilateral cooperation, Sharif told Rubio there were several areas where both sides could cooperate. He cited counterterrorism and enhanced economic cooperation, “particularly the minerals sector.”

“Secretary of State Rubio thanked the Prime Minister for the detailed conversation and emphasized the need for both sides to continue working together for peace and stability in South Asia,” the statement said. 

Earlier on Wednesday, fears of a military conflict were reignited when the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) reported India had carried out “unprovoked” firing in the Kayani and Mandal sectors of the Line of Control on Tuesday night. 
The LoC runs 742km (460 miles) dividing the parts of Kashmir governed by India and Pakistan, and acts as part of the de facto border between the two countries.
Small arms were used by the Indian forces, prompting Pakistan to respond, PTV said.
“There are also reports that multiple enemy posts were destroyed by the Pakistan Army’s effective response,” PTV said, naming one of them as the Chakpathra post.
Earlier on Wednesday, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported that a “timely” response by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had “forced” four Indian Rafale jets to retreat after payrolling near the two nations’ de facto border. 
“On the night of April 29/30, four Indian Rafale jets conducted patrolling within Indian geographical boundaries” near the LoC, APP reported, saying PAF “immediately” detected the jets. 
“A timely and swift response by the Pakistan Air Force forced four Indian Rafale jets to retreat … The Pakistani armed forces remain fully prepared and alert to give a befitting response to any aggression from India.”


Pakistan says alert armed forces will respond ‘very strongly’ to any Indian escalation

Updated 30 April 2025
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Pakistan says alert armed forces will respond ‘very strongly’ to any Indian escalation

  • Nation will respond to India in a “decisive manner” at time and place of its choosing, says Pakistan deputy premier
  • Fears of military conflict have increased after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for attack in Indian-administered Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar warned India on Wednesday that the country’s armed forces are alert and would respond “very strongly” to any escalation by New Delhi, amid fears of an all-out war breaking out between the nuclear-armed neighbors. 
Tensions have surged between India and Pakistan following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on Apr. 22 that New Delhi has said Islamabad was involved in. Pakistan denies the charges and has said it will participate in any credible and transparent investigation of the assault. 
Fears have risen since that India may retaliate by conducting limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the Line of Control (LoC), which runs 742km (460 miles) dividing the parts of Kashmir governed by India and Pakistan and acts as part of the de facto border between the two countries. 
Speaking to reporters at a news conference with Pakistan’s military spokesperson by his side, Dar said the world leaders he has spoken to in the past few days have urged Islamabad to exercise restraint. 
“I have been making it very clear on behalf of our government, on behalf of the nation, Pakistan will not be the first one to resort to any escalatory move,” the deputy prime minister said.
“However, in case of any escalatory move by the Indian side, we will respond very strongly.”

He said Pakistan’s government and armed forces are alert to the possibility of any Indian military aggression.
“We are vigilant, our armed forces are vigilant and the nation will thwart any misadventure responding in a befitting and decisive manner at the time and place of our choosing,” he said. 
Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry agreed with Dar. He said the military is monitoring the situation carefully and that its countermeasures and responses “in all domains are ready.”
“We are ready, do not test it,” Chaudhry warned. 


PAKISTAN SAYS DESTROYED INDIAN POSTS
Fears of a military confrontation between the two sides heightened further after Pakistan’s state media reported on Wednesday that Pakistan army troops responded to “unprovoked” Indian shelling on Tuesday night across the de facto border that divides the disputed Kashmir region between the two nations. 
PTV said India had carried out “unprovoked” firing in the Kayani and Mandal sectors of the Line of Control on Tuesday night. Small arms were used by the Indian forces, prompting Pakistan to respond.
“There are also reports that multiple enemy posts were destroyed by the Pakistan Army’s effective response,” PTV said, naming one of them as the Chakpathra post.

Earlier, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) had “forced” four Indian Rafale jets to retreat after patrolling near the two nations’ de facto border. 
“On the night of April 29/30, four Indian Rafale jets conducted patrolling within Indian geographical boundaries” near the LoC, APP reported, saying PAF “immediately” detected the jets. 
“A timely and swift response by the Pakistan Air Force forced four Indian Rafale jets to retreat … The Pakistani armed forces remain fully prepared and alert to give a befitting response to any aggression from India.”
Since last Tuesday’s attack, in addition to shooting over the Line of Control frontier, India and Pakistan have announced tit-for-tat diplomatic measures that included the cancelation of visas and a recall of diplomats. 
New Delhi also suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
Late on Tuesday night, Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said Pakistan had “credible intelligence” India was planning military action against it in the “next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.”

 


Pakistan among top five nations with most people living in poverty — UN report

Updated 30 April 2025
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Pakistan among top five nations with most people living in poverty — UN report

  • Around 38.3 percent of Pakistanis live in multidimensional poverty, says United Nations’ annual report on Pakistan
  • Pakistan ranks 142 out of 146 on Global Gender Gap Index, highlighting disparities in women’s and girls’ economic participation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan ranks among the top five countries with the highest number of people living in poverty, the United Nations Development Programme said in its annual report recently, stating that 38.3 percent of the nation’s population experiences multidimensional poverty.
Poverty in Pakistan remains a complex challenge, exacerbated by a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that Islamabad is desperately trying to escape. Poor people in Pakistan have to face challenges in the form of lack of social protection and economic benefits, especially in informal jobs.
“According to the latest Multidimensional Poverty Index, Pakistan is among the five countries with the highest number of people living in poverty,” the UNDP said in its 2024 report on Pakistan, released on March 14.
“Around 38.3 percent of the population lives in multidimensional poverty, while 12.9 percent are vulnerable to falling into this category.”
Multidimensional poverty is a way of measuring poverty beyond income alone. It recognizes that people can experience multiple, overlapping deprivations that affect their well-being and quality of life.
These deprivations can include limited access to basic services such as access to clean water, electricity, health and sanitation facilities. 
Separately, the report ranked Pakistan 142 out of 146 on the Global Gender Gap Index, highlighting significant disparities in economic participation, political representation, and access to opportunities for women and girls.
“Ahead of Pakistan’s general elections, UNDP’s voter education campaign reached 85 million people, including 31 million women,” it added.
“This effort contributed to the registration of over 100,000 new voters, primarily women, raising women’s voter turnout to 43 percent in 2024, up from 39.7 percent in 2018.”
The Index is a benchmark tool developed by the World Economic Forum to measure gender-based disparities across countries. It evaluates how equitably resources and opportunities are distributed between men and women, regardless of overall income levels or development.
Gender disparity is a significant issue in Pakistan, characterized by unequal opportunities, wage gaps and underrepresentation of women in leadership and decision-making roles. 
Cultural norms and traditional gender roles often limit women’s participation in various sectors mostly dominated by men.


Temperatures in Pakistan may hit 50°C this week, a global record — report 

Updated 30 April 2025
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Temperatures in Pakistan may hit 50°C this week, a global record — report 

  • Wednesday and Thursday might be the hottest April days for Pakistan, says report
  • Says Pakistan recorded temperatures over 4 degrees above average so far this month

ISLAMABAD: Temperatures in central and southern Pakistan may surge to 50°C this week, nearing the global record for the highest temperature ever recorded in April, as per a report by American newspaper The Washington Post. 

The warning comes amid increasingly unpredictable climate patterns across South Asia, with several cities in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province such as Karachi experiencing more frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years— a trend that climate experts attribute to broader shifts caused by global warming.

The situation underscores rising concerns over Pakistan’s preparedness for extreme weather events amid growing calls for stronger climate adaptation policies, increased tree cover in urban areas and more effective public awareness campaigns.

“Temperatures in central and southern Pakistan rose to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (47.8°C) last weekend and are forecast to climb through Wednesday, possibly nearing the global April record of 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50°C),” The Washington Post said in a report.

“Heat will build across the Middle East and South Asia through the week, with Wednesday and Thursday looking like the hottest days for Pakistan.”

It added that Sindh’s Nawabshah city had reached the 50°C mark back in April 2018 and could repeat the same this week. Nawabshah recorded a temperature of 50.2°C back then and set a new global record for the highest temperature ever observed in April. 

The report said “a sprawling dome of high pressure like a heavy lid trapping heat in a pot” was causing the current heat wave, stretching from the Middle East to South Asia. It noted that this area experiences the Earth’s most unusually warm temperatures during April.

It quoted the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts as predicting the maximum temperature to remain around 50°C in central Pakistan on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Temperatures have been more than 4 degrees above average in Pakistan so far this April, even before the arrival of this week’s potentially record-breaking heat,” it added.

Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change, grappling with increasingly frequent extreme weather events from deadly heatwaves to devastating floods. 

The 2015 heatwave claimed over 2,000 lives in Karachi alone while the 2022 floods left more than 1,700 dead and over 33 million displaced nationwide.