ISLAMABAD: The 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) began on Friday with a vibrant opening ceremony in Rawalpindi, as fans packed the stadium for a night of music and cricket ahead of the tournament opener between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars.
The glitzy launch featured performances by major Pakistani artists including Abida Parveen, Ali Zafar, Abrar-ul-Haq, Natasha Baig and the Young Stunners, marking the first time the PSL’s opening event was held at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
“The stage is set — now we’re just waiting for you!” the official PSL account posted on X, calling the event “a celebration of cricket” as the season got underway.
Islamabad United, three-time champions, won the toss and opted to field against defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the first match of the 34-game tournament.
The six-team competition will continue through May 18, with matches scheduled in Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore and Multan.
In a move to broaden accessibility, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to provide full-match Urdu commentary on various streaming platforms, aiming to reach more than 75 million users nationwide.
PCB CEO Salman Naseer said the initiative would help extend the PSL’s reach to a wider audience, describing the 10th season as a milestone in the league’s journey.
Launched in 2016, the PSL has grown into Pakistan’s premier domestic T20 competition.
The league is expected to expand from six to eight teams after the 2025 edition, as part of its long-term development plan.
Pakistan’s T20 league kicks off in Rawalpindi with a glittering opening ceremony
https://arab.news/bf4ue
Pakistan’s T20 league kicks off in Rawalpindi with a glittering opening ceremony
- Fans filled the stadium for musical performances ahead of Islamabad-Lahore opener
- PCB begins offering Urdu commentary on streaming platforms to expand outreach
Bondi Beach suspect father arrived in Philippines as ‘Indian national’ — immigration
- Philippine authorities said the pair spent nearly a month in Mindanao, a region long plagued by militancy
- Australia’s PM Anthony Albanese said investigators believe the suspects were radicalized by Daesh ideology
MANILA: The father and son allegedly behind one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings spent nearly the entire month of November in the Philippines, authorities in Manila confirmed Tuesday, with the father entering as an “Indian national.”
Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, who allegedly killed 15 people and wounded dozens of others at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, entered the country on November 1 with the southern province of Davao listed as their final destination.
“Sajid Akram, 50, Indian national, and Naveed Akram, 24, Australian national, arrived in the Philippines together last November 1, 2025 from Sydney, Australia,” immigration spokeswoman Dana Sandoval told AFP.
“Both reported Davao as their final destination. They left the country on November 28, 2025 on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.”
Police and military sources had earlier told reporters they were still in the process of confirming the duo’s presence in the country.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that the two men had likely been radicalized by “Islamic State ideology,” referring to the militant group also known as Daesh.
The Philippines’ southern island of Mindanao, home to Davao province, has a long history of Islamist insurgencies against central government rule.
Pro-Daesh Maute and Abu Sayyaf militants — including foreign and local fighters — held Mindanao’s Marawi under siege in 2017.
The Philippine military wrested back the ruined city after a five-month battle that claimed more than 1,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
While insurgent activity in Mindanao has significantly abated in the years since, the Philippine army continues to hunt leaders of groups deemed to be “terrorists.”
