Month: January 2025

Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out of the Test squad which lost the second Test in Multan by 120 runs against West Indies on Monday. Shaheen enjoyed the time off before the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 next month with a family dinner with wife Ansha and father-in-law Shahid Afridi and other members of his family.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi treated his son-in-law Shaheen Afridi to some street food in Karachi and posted the video of the meal on his YouTube channel. Shaheen opted for a different food item instead of popular Karachi ‘biryani’.

Since he has to keep physically fit to maintain his central contract with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Shaheen opted to have the ‘gol gappas’ as well as a ‘burger’ or as Karachi people call it ‘bun-kebab’ – basically a bun with kebab stuffed in it. Shahid Afridi opted to have the same.

WATCH Shaheen Afridi on dinner with father-in-law Shahid Afridi and family HERE…

Shahid Afridi was impressed by Shaheen’s discipline to maintain his diet. “These days cricketers have to appear for physical tests regularly and they mostly have to eat grilled food. I am impressed with Shaheen,” Afridi is heard saying the video.

Shaheen had to regularly oblige his young fans for selfie requests during the meal. “It is the first time I have come out for a public dinner with my father-in-law (Shahid Afridi). It would be nice to have some privacy since we are out here with family but I know the public loves us, so this is understandable,” Shaheen said.

Shahid Afridi added that more cricketers should head out for public dinners and post videos on social media to spread a positive image of Pakistan to the world. “This is an era of social media. More cricketers need to share videos on social media which spread a positive image of Pakistan to the world, specially considering that we will be hosting the Champions Trophy next month,” Afridi said.

Pakistan will open their campaign against New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the National Stadium in Karachi on February 19. The Champions Trophy is being organized in a ‘hybrid’ model with Team India’s matches along with possibly one semi-final and the final (if India qualify) set to take place in Dubai.

Rohit Sharma’s Team India will open their campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20 while the all-important India vs Pakistan clash will take place in Dubai on February 23.

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New Delhi: Brazilian footballer Neymar has officially concluded his injury-plagued 18-month period with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. In a statement on social media, Al-Hilal thanked Neymar for his contributions during his tenure and wished him success in his future endeavors. The 32-year-old forward, who has previously played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), made just seven appearances for Al-Hilal after joining the club in August 2023, despite an annual salary of $104 million.

Neymar’s professional journey includes several significant transfers, beginning with his landmark transition from Barcelona to PSG in 2017, which was valued at approximately 220 million euros ($230 million), making it the most expensive transfer in football history. In August 2023, he transferred to Al-Hilal, where he joined other prominent players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in the financially rewarding Saudi Pro League.

Neymar’s stint in Saudi Arabia was troubled by injuries. Shortly after joining, he sustained a serious knee injury while representing Brazil in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023, which kept him out of action for almost a year. He made a short comeback with Al-Hilal in October and November 2023, but a hamstring injury restricted his playing time, and he has not participated in any matches since then.

Jorge Jesus, the head coach of Al-Hilal, recently commented on Neymar’s diminished performance, saying, “He can no longer play at the level we are used to.” Nevertheless, Neymar is resolute in his goal to participate in the 2026 World Cup, recognizing that it may be his final opportunity to compete internationally. “I will do everything I can to play in it,” Neymar expressed in an interview with CNN.

Neymar has attracted attention from Major League Soccer (MLS) teams, but Brazilian sources indicate that he might be contemplating a move back to Santos, the team where he started his professional journey. If he returns to Brazil, it could signify the concluding phase of Neymar’s distinguished career, during which he has become Brazil’s top scorer with 79 goals in 127 matches.

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South African legendary cricketer AB de Villiers called time on his international career in March 2018 with 8765 runs in Tests and 9577 runs in ODI cricket. A few years later in 2021, De Villiers walked away from Indian Premier League (IPL) as well, announcing his retirement in 2021.

The former Royal Challengers Bangalore star managed 5162 runs in IPL with 3 hundreds and 40 fifties at a strike-rate of over 151. But Cricket fans worldwide are in for a treat as AB de Villiers announced his long-awaited return to the game after nearly four years away from professional cricket.

Widely regarded as one of the most innovative and electrifying cricketers of all time, de Villiers will captain the Game Changers South Africa Champions in the second edition of the ‘World Championship of Legends (WCL)’. This premier T20 tournament, which features retired and non-contracted cricket legends, promises to be a thrilling spectacle of nostalgia and excitement for fans across the globe.

Reflecting on his decision to return, AB de Villiers said, “Four years ago, I retired from all cricket because I just didn’t feel the urge to play anymore. Well, time has passed, and my young sons have started playing the game. We’ve been playing more and more often in the garden, and it feels as though some kind of flame has been lit again.”

“So, I am heading back to the gym and the nets, and I’ll be ready for the WCL in July,” he added.

Renowned for his unmatched versatility and fearless batting, De Villiers’ comeback has reignited enthusiasm among the cricketing community. The Game Changers squad, which included iconic names like Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Dale Steyn, and Imran Tahir in its inaugural season, now boasts an even brighter outlook with De Villiers at the helm.

Amandeep Singh, the co-owner of South Africa Champions and Founder of Game Changers, expressed his excitement: “We are honoured to compete in the World Championship of Legends and showcase the incredible talent of our cricketing greats. AB de Villiers’ return as our captain is a monumental boost for our team, and his leadership will undoubtedly inspire us to new heights.”

De Villiers’ return not only elevates the stature of the WCL but also rekindles the love of cricket fans eager to watch one of the greatest players in action once again. The countdown to July has officially begun!

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