WEB DESK, July 27(ABC): Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and young pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up in the Test rankings as the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued fresh rankings Wednesday. Azam is one step closer in his quest to become the number 1 batter in all three formats of the game after the Pakistan captain moved closer to the top …

LAHORE, July 27(ABC): Australia’s World Cup winning former captain Ricky Ponting said he thinks Pakistan Captain Babar Azam is the key towards Pakistan’s success in the upcoming T20I World Cup, scheduled in Australia. “If Babar doesn’t have a great tournament, I don’t think they can win,” Ponting said while talking to ICC Review. In the latest episode of the ICC …

LONDON, July 26(ABC):  Cristiano Ronaldo arrived back at Manchester United’s training ground on Tuesday ahead of talks with new manager Erik ten Hag over his Old Trafford future. The 37-year-old, who missed the club’s pre-season tour to Thailand and Australia for personal reasons, wants to leave the club he rejoined last year. He arrived at United’s Carrington training base with …

OSAKA, July 26(ABC): Paris Saint-Germain s new coach Christophe Galtier said his side conceded “two goals too many” despite Lionel Messi and Neymar combining to deadly effect in a 6-2 thrashing of Gamba Osaka on Monday. Neymar scored a brace and Messi bagged one in Osaka as a rampant PSG rounded off their pre-season trip to Japan with a third …

PARIS, July 25(ABC): Carlos Alcaraz was confirmed on Monday as the youngest player to break into the ATP top five since Rafael Nadal after the teenager reached the Hamburg final over the weekend. The 19-year-old Spaniard is the youngest man to achieve the feat since his illustrious compatriot first climbed into the top five in 2005 while still 18. Alcaraz …

WEB DESK, July 25(ABC): In a proud moment for Pakistan,  the vice president of the Pakistan Body Building Federation, Armughan Muqeem, has been appointed as the youngest judge in the Asian bodybuilding championship held in the Maldives. Muqeem, 33, will now perform his duties as a judge in Asian bodybuilding championship competitions after receiving a license in recognition of his …

WELLINGTON, July 25(ABC): Kane Williamson will captain New Zealand s 15-man squad for Twenty20 and one-day international matches in the West Indies next month on the Black Caps  first tour of the Caribbean since 2014, it was announced Monday. Alongside Williamson, New Zealand Cricket selectors included bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee, who make up an experienced core while Finn …

LEEDS, July 24(ABC): South Africa opener Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 92 turned out to be in vain as rain scuppered hopes of a result in Sunday’s third and final one-day international against England, with the series ending all square at 1-1. The Proteas were 159-2 in the 28th over, with De Kock having struck 92 off just 76 balls, including …

LONDON, July 24(ABC): The board of the Scottish cricket federation resigned en masse on Sunday following accusations of institutional racism in a damning independent review which is due to be published on Monday. “The Board of Cricket Scotland has resigned. We will work in partnership with @sportscotland with immediate effect to ensure appropriate governance, leadership & support is in place …

WEB DESK, July 24(ABC): After more than a month of illness, cricketer legend Zaheer Abbas’s condition has improved, his wife Sameena Zaheer Abbas has confirmed. Sameena said: “Zaheer Abbas has improved a lot. He is no more on oxygen support, his recovery has been well and he responded well to the treatment.” She added that the former cricketer was “getting …