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Pakistan Opens Renovated Gaddafi Stadium Days Ahead Of Champions Trophy

Pakistan opened a renovated stadium for the Champions Trophy in Lahore on Friday, one of three to be used in its first major international cricket event in almost 30 years. The eight-team Champions Trophy will be staged from February 19 to March 9 in Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi, although arch-rival India's matches will be staged in the United Arab Emirates after they refused to play in Pakistan. Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium was reopened after a 117-day renovation during which LED floodlights, larger score screens, new hospitality boxes and upgraded seating were installed.

A warm-up tri-nation series of matches between Pakistan New Zealand and South Africa begins at the stadium on Saturday.

"We are going to show the world that we are good hosts," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the opening ceremony.

Pakistan last held a major tournament in 1996, when it co-hosted the World Cup with India and Sri Lanka, before a forced hiatus over security concerns.

Militants attacked Sri Lanka's team bus in Lahore in 2009, killing eight people, wounding several touring players and extending Pakistan's break from hosting international matches.

The biggest concern for the Champions Trophy, however, has been whether the stadiums would be ready in time.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) first promised Lahore's stadium would be open by the end of January.

Karachi's National Bank Stadium will host the first Champions Trophy match between Pakistan and New Zealand in under two weeks.

Local media reported its renovation had run past three deadlines between December 15 and January 25, before a final pledge to finish by January 31 was settled upon.

However, work was still underway in Karachi on Thursday.

"The sounds of the hammers and the iron rods and drill machines still reverberated across the empty stands," the English-language Dawn newspaper said.

"It's true that the work isn't completed, but it's well in its finishing stages."

President Asif Ali Zardari is due to inaugurate the Karachi stadium on Tuesday.

Work also continued at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium as labourers spray-painted seats the green of Pakistan's flag and erected a scoreboard at the ground in the garrison city near the capital, Islamabad.

The sport has deep links with national pride and domestic politics in cricket-mad Pakistan.

PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi also serves as the interior minister, while former prime minister Imran Khan used his international cricket career as a springboard into politics.

"I want to congratulate everyone, this is a victory for the entire nation," Naqvi told reporters before the Lahore stadium opening.

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La Liga Club Unveil Jersey Made Out Of Algae And Plastic. Reason Is...

Spanish La Liga club Real Betis launched a new kit made out of an invasive algae on Thursday to raise awareness of an ecological crisis on the Andalucian coast. The shirt is made with recycled plastic from the ocean as well as a textile fabric created from the brown algae. Named Rugulopteryx okamurae, the algae has spread rapidly in the Mediterranean impacting biodiversity, fishing and tourism, as well as proving expensive to remove. Betis, who presented the shirt in Tarifa, a town particularly affected by the issue, will wear it on February 16 against Real Sociedad in La Liga.

"The presence of invasive algae on our coasts is destroying our ecosystem," wrote Betis in a post on social media.

"To confront them, the first kit made with fibres created from these algae was born."

Marine biologist Candela Sanchez Atienzar told AFP the algae, native to the North Pacific, most likely arrived in Spanish waters in 2015 "through the ballast waters of merchant ships".

"When it arrived it started to spread out of control, there's no invasion in the history of science described on this scale," she said.

Rafael Muela Pastor, the director of Betis' social foundation, said it was a good opportunity to raise awareness of the problem.

"News was reaching us that the invasive Asian algae was causing many problems in all sectors in the area," he told AFP.

"We wanted to take advantage of this situation in some way to draw attention to the importance of caring for our oceans and seas."

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Para Sport, Swimming And Track Cycling To Offer Highest Medals In CWG 2026

More than 200 gold medals will be up for grabs across 10 days of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, the 23rd edition of the event, with para sport, track cycling and swimming boasting highest medals. The competition will be held from July 23 to August 2 next year and will feature a "10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor of the city". While mixed 4x400m relay has been added to the schedule, Commonwealth Mile will make a comeback for the first time since 1966.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a release, "The mile is the quintessential Commonwealth athletics event whose return to the Games in Glasgow 2026 I very much welcome." "From 1930 through to 1966, the mile was the blue riband event of each Games and the magic of the mile continues to resonate with sports fans," he added.

The para sport program will consist of six of the 10 sports and will have a record 47 medal events.

The Games will be held at the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC), Scotstoun Stadium and Tollcross International Swimming Centre.

The 10 sports on schedule of the CWG 2026 are artistic gymnastics, athletics and para athletics, 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball, boxing, swimming and para swimming, bowls and para bowls (indoor), judo, netball, track and para track cycling, and weightlifting and para powerlifting.

"The track cycling programme will see 26 medal events in total across para and non para disciplines," the organisers said in a release.

"The para track cycling programme has doubled in size from Birmingham 2022, with eight medals available, including the C1-C3 (men) and C4-C5 (women) Time Trials and Individual Pursuits for the first time," it added.

The swimming competition in both para and non para categories will have 56 medal events.

"In a Games' first, the men's 800m Freestyle and women's 1500m Freestyle races will be included," the release said.

The para athletics will also have athletes competing in jumping, throwing and track events for the first time whereas the athletics programme will be held across "all 74 territories".

Chief Executive of Glasgow 2026 Phil Batty said, "The huge track cycling and swimming programmes, alongside the return of the Mile in athletics, a wealth of disciplines introduced across the para athletics, para track cycling and para swimming programmes makes the Glasgow 2026 sporting programme a really exciting prospect for fans and athletes alike."

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"People Will Keep On Talking": India Star Gives Sharp Response After Debut

India pacer Harshit Rana on Thursday expressed he is not bothered by the outside noise and his only focus is to deliver for the country after taking a three-wicket haul on his ODI debut against England here. The 23-year-old right-arm quick made his T20I debut last week with another match-winning performance in Pune, coming on as a concussion substitute for all-rounder Shivam Dube. Rana took 3/33 to swing the game in India's favour after he was approved as a replacement for Dube, a decision which was later criticised by England.

"I believe that people will keep on talking. I just want to play, good or bad. I'm not bothered, I just want to deliver for my country. I don't pay attention to those talks," Rana said at the post match press conference after India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series with a four-wicket win.

Rana, who was named in the squad for this series as a cover for Jasprit Bumrah who remains on a comeback trail, said he was ready for being named in the playing XI.

"You get to know only when you come to the ground. Mentally, I'm always prepared whenever I come to the ground. I know that I can play anytime, anything can happen. So, mentally, I always keep myself prepared." Rana bowled a 26-run over in which his KKR teammate Phil Salt hit him for three sixes and two fours before the pacer turned things around by striking twice in an over to get rid of Ben Duckett and Harry Brook.

"There are always ups and downs in cricket, I only wanted to focus on my length, bowl where I have to and I got the reward for that later. I didn't do anything different in my second spell, just focussed on hitting the right areas," he said.

The Delhi quick feels the 50-over format is "difficult" given it requires a bowler to play different roles.

"This format is a bit difficult because it's a long format, you get (to bowl) 10 overs. You have to play different roles in different phases. But if you practice it (well), it's good."

Salt run-out turning point

England were off to a fiery start with Phil Salt going hammer and tongs against the Indian bowlers. However, a terrible mix up and an accurate throw by Shreyas Iyer brought an end to the opener's innings, which according to the losing skipper Jos Buttler was the turning point of the match.

"It can happen in cricket. We really had the momentum at that point and absolutely once we've got it, we need to continue to keep putting the opposition under pressure for longer," Buttler said.

"I think that's been the story for us so far — how can we keep that momentum going for a bit longer when we've got it? And when we've got it, hold on to it." he added.

The skipper was, however, lavish in his praise for the young Jacob Bethell, who scored a resolute fifty.

"I was watching him bat and saying 'I couldn't remember how to bat at 21', it took me till I was about 28, I think! I'm really pleased for him. He didn't find it easy at the start but he was very mature, measured, soaked up some pressure and came through it. It was a really mature innings from him. He'll learn a lot from this, it's a really good experience," Buttler said.

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Olympic Medallist Shuttler Saina Nehwal Visits Maha Kumbh With Father

Indian badminton star and Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal on Wednesday arrived in Mahakumbh Nagar to take a dip in the sacred waters of the Triveni Sangam during the ongoing Maha Kumbh. Calling Maha Kumbh the world's largest spiritual gathering, she said she felt fortunate to be part of such a grand event. The shuttler said she would be visiting Triveni Sangam with her father in the evening and expressed her wish to return with her mother in the future. Sharing her thoughts on the occasion, Saina said, "Being part of this sacred event is a special experience. I congratulate the Uttar Pradesh government for organising such a magnificent festival. I hope more and more people visit here and make it known worldwide." She said it was a massive celebration and she felt "truly lucky" to be there.

"I am happy to see everyone coming together, showcasing our unity and strength. I take pride in the fact that this festival is happening in our country," she added.

Saina also extended her best wishes to the youth of the country, emphasising the importance of spiritual events in fostering energy and positivity.

Praying for India's progress, she said, "I sincerely hope our nation continues to grow and reach new heights of success." Maha Kumbh has drawn millions of devotees from India and beyond, who are taking part in holy baths and various spiritual rituals.

Before Saina, Olympian boxer and former Rajya Sabha MP Mary Kom, former cricketer Suresh Raina and ICC chairman Jay Shah among others from the sports fraternity have been to the Maha Kumbh, which started on January 13 and will continue till February 26.

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