Excitement and caution as 2025 Pakistan Super League begins

Islamabad United’s players hold the Pakistan Super League (PSL) trophy as they celebrate their victory against Multan Sultans during the award ceremony for PSL Twenty20 cricket final match at the National Stadium in Karachi on March 19, 2024. (File/AFP)
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Updated 10 April 2025
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Excitement and caution as 2025 Pakistan Super League begins

  • Defending champions Islamabad United launch the 10th edition with clash against Lahore Qalandars

DUBAI: The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League is set to open in Rawalpindi on April 11. Islamabad United, defending champions and the most successful franchise in PSL history with three titles, will face-off against the Lahore Qalandars. Sadly, it has been hard to ignore the off-field issues which have overshadowed the anticipatory excitement.

The PSL finds itself at a crossroads. Hosting the ICC Champions Trophy in an already crowded cricket calendar has squeezed it into a direct clash with the Indian Premier League. This scheduling challenge has affected the build-up and player availability.

While Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Salman Naseer has remained optimistic, the situation is acute. The PSL is striving to carve out its identity amid the growing sea of franchise leagues around the world. Once regarded as the second-best franchise tournament, it now faces fierce competition for the status.

Against that background Pakistan’s cricket remains fractured, with political instability and infighting within the board making the headlines. In a recent podcast, Multan Sultans owner Ali Khan Tareen, publicly criticized the PCB and the PSL’s management for “embracing mediocrity,” further highlighting the divisions within the sport. If the PSL is to overcome these hurdles and thrive, it will need everyone to unite for its future.

Another obstacle facing the PSL is player drain. Apart from the concurrently running IPL, the England and Wales Cricket Board has adopted a harder line towards releasing its contracted players for overseas tournaments during the English season. This means many top overseas stars are tied to either the IPL or county contracts, leaving PSL teams with weaker rosters than previously. Nevertheless, the PSL has consistently brought joy to the nation through homegrown stars like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah.

They will need to step up and fresh new talents must make their mark to help prove the PSL can be more than just a domestic competition. There is no doubt it has established itself within the country’s cultural identity.

Aspirations to become a truly global product have been tempered by the growth of other franchise leagues, especially ILT20 and SA20. Given that the PSL franchises are subject to renewal and expansion after this 10th edition, the next few weeks will be crucial in determining whether the PSL can attract continued investment at home, let alone international viewing figures to support any claim to be global. Competing head-on with the IPL for such viewers places pressure on the players to play attractive and meaningful cricket.

The Karachi Kings look able to do this. They are led by David Warner, supported by James Vince, and appear to be a formidable side, with a well-rounded squad that covers the essential aspects of the game. Their pace attack is both potent and varied, offering a range of threats. The spin bowling department is equally strong, providing the perfect balance of options for different match situations. A batting lineup containing Kane Williamson combines power-hitting with finesse and possesses the flexibility to adapt to any challenge.

Adding to the team’s strength is new head coach Ravi Bopara, who brings a wealth of experience and a long-standing connection to the franchise, dating back to the first edition as a player. This new dynamic signals a promising future, with the Karachi Kings looking well-positioned to make a deep run in the tournament.

Peshawar Zalmi have received a timely boost with the news that Saim Ayub has recovered from an injury sustained in South Africa. He is set to open the batting alongside Babar Azam, who will be eager to rediscover his best form after a recent period of struggle. In the bowling department, Zalmi are likely to lean heavily on their spin attack, with the trio of Yaqoob, Mumtaz and Sufyan Muqeem expected to play key roles. While the team has the potential to reach the knockout stages, I do not foresee them having quite enough firepower to mount a serious challenge for the trophy.

Defending champions Islamabad United, true to style, boast a squad brimming with power hitters. I fully expect them to continue playing an aggressive brand of cricket. The addition of Matthew Short will significantly strengthen their batting lineup and their pace attack will be spearheaded by Naseem Shah, a key player who will lead from the front. However, Shadab Khan’s role will be crucial in maintaining the right balance within the team. He has struggled with the ball for a while and must find a way to regain form if Islamabad are to successfully defend their title. I expect them to be strong contenders.

Lahore Qalandars have experienced both ends of the spectrum in the PSL, finishing bottom of the points table a record five times yet securing back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. This season, there is a shift in the coaching setup after Aqib Javed moved on to a national team role. Darren Gough was initially set to take over but pulled out at the last minute, leaving Russell Domingo to step in.

In the early years of the PSL, the Qalandars attracted some of the biggest names but struggled to find consistency. This year’s squad lacks players of that ilk who could propel them to the top. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has faced challenges with his form, adding further pressure. However, there are a few bright spots, such as young Rishad Hosain, who could prove an exciting prospect. Lahore will also be hoping Daryl Mitchell can make a significant impact. Despite these potential positives, I expect the Qalandars to face challenges and run the risk of a bottom two finish.

Multan Sultans seem to have a well-balanced squad, with a solid mix of aggressive batters and touch players. Their all-rounders, particularly Michael Bracewell, have been in excellent form, adding depth to both the batting and bowling departments.

Young Akif, who recently represented Pakistan, comes into the tournament with a keen sense of pace and confidence, while Hasnain will be eager to make a significant mark with his new team.

Having been runners-up for the past three years and champions in 2021, Multan has a proven method, consistently challenging for the top spot. A combination of a well-rounded team and a sound strategic approach should enable them to challenge Karachi Kings for the title once again. Whether it is sufficient to claim the crown remains to be seen.

Quetta Gladiators have struggled to make an impact on the PSL over the past five years. With Sarfaraz Ahmed stepping into the coaching role, replacing Shane Watson, the franchise is hoping for a fresh direction. However, their recruitment strategy over the years has left much to be desired, with the decision to let go of promising young players in favor of loyalty to the seniors.

The early success of the Gladiators was built on familiarity, with many players having come through the ranks in local club cricket. However, as other teams modernized and built strong cultures, Quetta has remained stagnant, failing to evolve in the same way.

This season, they will hope New Zealand’s Mark Chapman can inject some much-needed firepower into the batting lineup, while 42-year-old Shoaib Malik will be relied upon to bring his vast experience to guide the middle order. On the bowling front, Kyle Jamieson’s height and pace should pose problems for opposition batters. However, despite these additions, it is difficult to see Quetta’s fortunes turning around this season.

On the cusp of PSL X 2025, I have a personal note of hope — that agendas and off-field distractions are few and far between, allowing the focus to shift squarely onto the tournament. After the disappointment of the Champions Trophy and the sub-standard national team performances of late, both the country and the PSL need a successful 10th edition. This will raise spirits overall and make the PSL an attractive investment space as it enters a second decade.


Real Madrid signs Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth

Updated 35 sec ago
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Real Madrid signs Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth

MADRID: Real Madrid has signed highly rated Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth in its first reinforcement of the offseason.
The Spanish powerhouse said Saturday that the 20-year-old Huijsen had signed a five-year deal through June 2030. Madrid reportedly agreed to pay the player’s 50-million pound ($66.4 million) clause to sign him from Bournemouth.
Huijsen is a Dutch-born, ball-playing center back who joined the Premier League team from Juventus for a reported 12.5 million pounds (now $16.6 million) in the offseason last year. He was a regular for Bournemouth since breaking into the team in November.
He impressed so much that he earned a call-up by Spain for the Nations League playoffs in March, coming on a substitute in the first leg against the Netherlands and then starting the second leg.
Assured on the ball and a good reader of the game, Huijsen had been linked with some of the biggest teams in the Premier League in recent months, including Liverpool and Arsenal, so it was increasingly inevitable Bournemouth would be losing the tall defender over the summer — but making a big profit in the process.
Madrid needs to rebuild a defense after multiple injuries to its backline during a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.

Olaroiu targets AFC Champions League Two with Sharjah as Singapore’s Lion City Sailors stand in the way

Updated 47 min 12 sec ago
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Olaroiu targets AFC Champions League Two with Sharjah as Singapore’s Lion City Sailors stand in the way

  • The Romanian coach has claimed domestic trophies everywhere he has managed but not yet tasted glory on the continent 

AUSTRALIA: Cosmin Olaroiu has just about won it all during his time as a manager, with success following the Romanian in stints in China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and, of course, the UAE.

It is in the Emirates that he has spent the bulk of his coaching career, and had most of his success, working at Shabab Al-Ahli, Al-Ain and, most recently, at Sharjah; winning four league titles, two President’s Cups, three League Cups and five Super Cups along the way.

Add those to league titles in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal, and China with Jiangsu Suning, and a Qatar Stars Cup with Al-Sadd, and the 55-year-old Bucharest native is one of the most decorated coaches in the history of club football in Asia.

But one thing has eluded the burly Romanian across his almost two decades coaching in Asia — continental silverware. That could finally change against Singapore’s Lion City Sailors on Sunday night.

Olaroiu took Al-Ahli, as Shabab Al-Ahli were then known, to the final of the AFC Champions League in 2015, but came up just short against the now defunct Chinese heavyweights Guangzhou Evergrande, losing 1-0 across the two-legged affair.

Having exacted a modicum of revenge by dethroning Guangzhou when he was coach of Jiangsu Suning, winning the club their first ever league title in 2020, he never got the chance to compete for continental honours after the club went bust just weeks after their title success, as the bubble burst in the Chinese football boom.

But on Sunday night in Singapore, as he prepares to bring his time in club football to a close, having taken on the role of national team coach for the UAE, he has the chance to finally complete the set and add a continental title to his decorated CV.

While it may “only” be the AFC Champions League Two, the second-tier club competition in Asia behind the AFC Champions League Elite, it will still mean the same to a coach that has an insatiable thirst for success.

It has been a season of near misses for Sharjah, who were, until recently, in the running for an unprecedented quadruple. That was when they were still in the hunt for the UAE Pro League title, were in the semifinals of the League Cup, had made the final of the President’s Cup and, of course, the AFC Champions League Two.

But one by one, those titles fell through their grasp. They fell behind Shabab Al-Ahli in the league, with the Dubai-based club ultimately clinching the league title earlier the month.

Shabab Al-Ahli again proved their nemesis in the semifinal of the League Cup, winning 5-3 on aggregate across two legs, while last weekend they let slip a 1-0 lead in the President’s Cup Final to lose 2-1 to, you guessed it, Shabab Al-Ahli.

While the Dubai club has been a thorn in their side for much of the season, Olaroiu and Sharjah exacted some form of revenge in Asia, winning their ACL Two quarterfinal in March in a dramatic penalty shootout, before edging Al-Taawoun in equally dramatic fashion in the semifinal to set up a clash with Singapore’s Lion City Sailors.

With the Saudi side leading 1-0 from the first leg, Sharjah left it late to turn things around in the second leg at home, scoring twice in stoppage-time, in the 94th and 99th minutes, to steal a famous victory.

“This was a special night,” Olaroiu said afterwards with the adrenaline and emotion still coursing through his body.

“I thank the players, the fans, and all the members of the Sharjah club. We deserve to reach this stage.”

Having been confirmed as the next UAE boss, as the nation tries to qualify for its first FIFA World Cup since 1990 — qualification for which, ironically, was sealed in Singapore — a continental title would be a fitting way to bow out, but the announcement of his appointment last month may have proved something of a distraction.

In seven games, across the UAE Pro League and President’s Cup, since his announcement, Sharjah have won just once; a 4-0 win over Ajman. They come into Sunday’s game on the back of four straight defeats, their most recent loss coming at home to Al-Ain earlier this week.

It is far from ideal preparation, but if there is one man that can help turn their fortunes around, it is the veteran Romanian who has proved a master at motivating his players and leading them to success.

Signing off with a continental title would be just reward for someone who has given so much to club football across Asia.


Mahuchikh hopes to show Ukraine’s resilience in Tokyo

Updated 17 May 2025
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Mahuchikh hopes to show Ukraine’s resilience in Tokyo

TOKYO: Olympic high jump champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh said Saturday she wants to “show people that Ukraine continues fighting” as she seeks to lay down a marker in Tokyo ahead of September’s world championships.
The 23-year-old is competing in Sunday’s Golden Grand Prix in the Japanese capital at the same stadium where she will attempt to defend her world title later this year.
Mahuchikh has emerged as one of Ukraine’s top athletes since Russia invaded the country in 2022.
She set a world record of 2.10m last year before winning gold at the Paris Games.
She said: “every competition is important for me because I represent my country.”
“I do my best to show people that Ukraine continues fighting for independence,” she said.
“I’m really proud to represent my country so I’m looking forward to coming back in September to protect my title of world champion.”
Mahuchikh has been outspoken in her support of Ukraine, dedicating her Olympic gold to the hundreds of athletes and coaches who have been killed since the invasion began.
Her country was again in her thoughts as she set her sights on defending her world title.
“Of course, I have a target to win the gold medal,” she said.
“I want to just give my people a happy time because, unfortunately, now is a difficult time — only sport and art can give these memories.”
Mahuchikh is competing in Tokyo for the first time since the pandemic-postponed Olympics in 2021, where she won bronze.
She has since gone from strength to strength, capturing the world title in Budapest in 2023 and Olympic gold a year later.
She said she wanted to savour the atmosphere in Tokyo after fans were locked out four years ago because of pandemic restrictions.
“I want to give the energy to the people, to my fans because I didn’t have time in Covid time to enjoy this atmosphere,” she said.
“Tomorrow it will be an incredible atmosphere for sure. It will be a great preparation before the world championships in September.”
American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who won Olympic silver in Paris, will race for the first time this season in the women’s 100m in Tokyo.
American Christian Coleman headlines the men’s 100m race.


NBA champion Celtics eliminated from playoffs by rampant Knicks

Updated 17 May 2025
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NBA champion Celtics eliminated from playoffs by rampant Knicks

NEW YORK: The New York Knicks thrashed the Boston Celtics 119-81 to send the defending champions crashing out of the NBA playoffs on Friday.
The Knicks booked their first Eastern Conference finals appearance in 25 years with a rampant display to complete a 4-2 series victory.
Six Knicks players finished in double figures, with Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby leading the way with 23 points apiece.
Mikal Bridges drained four three-pointers on his way to 22 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 21. Josh Hart finished with a triple-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
The blowout win sets up a showdown against the Knicks’ arch-rivals the Indiana Pacers next week for a place in the NBA Finals.
New York will head into that best-of-seven series brimming with confidence after an electrifying performance that swept aside a Boston team who had dominated the Knicks in a game five win on Wednesday.
“In game five they got the best of us and we responded tonight,” Brunson told ESPN after Friday’s win. “We just found a way to keep making plays on the defensive side, the offense was just rolling.”
Brunson will spearhead the Knicks challenge 25 years after his father Rick was a member of the New York team that last played in the Eastern Conference finals in 2000.
“This is great. I mean, the fact that we haven’t been here since my dad was on the team — he’s not gonna like that — but it means a lot to this organization and this city.”
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said his team had delivered a complete performance to oust the reigning champions.
“I thought from start to finish we were terrific,” Thibodeau said. “ are a terrific team on both sides of the ball. They play their style no matter what, and so they’re not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it. And I felt we did that.
“But we can’t get carried away. Obviously it’s a great win and we advance. But you also understand that you have to get ready for the next series. We know that Indiana is a terrific team and we’re going to have to be ready.”
A slew of celebrities such as Timothee Chalamet, Lenny Kravitz, Ben Stiller and Spike Lee were courtside at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks romp to victory.
Boston — who were dealt a crushing blow in game four with a season-ending injury to star Jayson Tatum — had given their fans hope of a miraculous comeback after their game five win.
But those hopes were snuffed out in ruthless fashion as the Knicks edged into an early 26-20 first quarter lead before burying Boston in an an avalanche of second quarter scoring.
The Knicks outscored the Celtics 38-17 in the second quarter to take a 64-37 lead at halftime, a 27-point cushion that all but extinguished Boston’s challenge.
New York kept the points flowing in the third quarter, stretching their lead to as many as 41 points at one stage as they surged to victory.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics scoring with 20 points with Al Horford adding 10 points and Payton Pritchard finishing with 11.
Derrick White, who scored 34 points in Boston’s game five win on Wednesday, was kept quiet with just eight points.
“At the end of the day, we set a goal out, and we didn’t achieve that goal,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said afterwards.
“But that shouldn’t take away from the mindset and effort that the players put in...the approach, the process, you can’t ask for anymore from the guys. I thought they gave everything they had throughout the season.
“You have to take your hats off to the Knicks. They played a great series and they’ve been great all year, and Thibs is a great coach — so you have to take your hat off to them.”


Chelsea beat Manchester United to stay on course for Champions League

Updated 17 May 2025
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Chelsea beat Manchester United to stay on course for Champions League

LONDON: Chelsea stayed in the hunt for a Champions League place next season with a nervy 1-0 victory over Manchester United on Friday, courtesy of a second-half goal from Marc Cucurella.
The Spain full back headed home from close range, turning in a cross from captain Reece James, who bamboozled the United defense with a twist and turn in the 71st minute.
“I knew I had space and time. I knew I put the ball in a good area, this guy was always arriving,” James told Sky Sports, standing alongside Cucurella.
James had hit the post in the first half with a stinging shot shortly after United defender Harry Maguire had the ball in the Chelsea net, only for VAR to rule it marginally offside.
United had few other chances, and Chelsea were tense but dominant for most of the match.
The result lifted Chelsea to fourth in the Premier League above Aston Villa, who earlier beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0, with one game left in the season for both sides.
“The Champions League is where the club belongs, competing in the best competitions,” James said.

The top five in the table qualify for the Champions League, which has been Chelsea’s target since Enzo Maresca took over as coach at the start of the season.
Relieved Maresca and his bench as well players and fans celebrated wildly at the final whistle.
It was the last home game of the season for Chelsea whose form has run hot and cold under since the Italian took over, and they circled the ground with a lap of honor before leaving the pitch.

Their last game is away to Nottingham Forest, who lie seventh and are still chasing qualification, next weekend.
United, whose target after a woeful season, is winning the Europa League final against Tottenham next Wednesday, are 16th.