Sports

Punjab FC Head Coach Dilmperis Aims to Conclude ‘Remarkable First Season’ with a Victory

Published

11 months ago

March 11, 2025

Punjab FC aims to achieve consecutive victories and conclude their season on a high note as they take on Mohammedan SC in their final match of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season on Monday at Kishore Bharati Krirangan.

A win in this match could lift Punjab, currently sitting on 27 points, into eighth place, ensuring they finish no lower than ninth in the standings. Meanwhile, ISL newcomers Mohammedan SC, already confirmed to finish last, will also be eager to conclude their season with a strong performance.

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Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis expressed his sentiments before the match, stating, “This season has been incredibly rewarding for me as a coach. I’m proud to have guided such a young team that has shown great potential. Being young, they may have lacked some experience, which caused us to miss out on a few results that we could have achieved.”

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Punjab FC recorded an impressive 3-1 victory over Hyderabad FC in their second-to-last match, with goals from Luka Majcen and Singamayum Shami, the youngest scorer in league history. Conversely, Mohammedan SC faced a 0-2 defeat to FC Goa in their last game. In their previous encounter in New Delhi, Punjab won comfortably 2-0, courtesy of goals from Luka Majcen and Filip Mrzljak. The Shers have a strong track record against Mohammedan, winning four out of their seven encounters, with the remaining three matches ending in draws.

“We plan to approach our last match strategically, aiming to secure all three points and wrap up the season positively. Mohammedan can be a challenging team at home, despite their struggles to achieve the desired results,” Dilmperis added.

Luka Majcen, who has netted nine goals and provided three assists this season, will be looking to reach double figures, while teammates Ezequeil Vidal, Asmir Suljic, and other forwards aim to increase their goal tally. Eighteen-year-old Muhammad Suhail F., who has had a breakout season, also hopes to maintain his momentum and finish strong.

Punjab has showcased solid defensive statistics this season, with Nikhil Prabhu and Tekcham Abhishek Singh achieving 56 and 46 interceptions, respectively. The Shers have also faced the fewest shots and rank second in limiting opposition touches within their penalty area.

Punjab FC goalkeeper Muheet Shabir remarked, “This debut season in the ISL has been a valuable learning experience. I’ve gained a lot from the coaching staff and feel I have improved. We’re confident heading into tomorrow’s match and are eager to play our best football to secure all three points.”

Despite a season that could have seen better outcomes due to unfortunate results and injuries, Punjab FC looks to close out their season with a complete performance and clinch all three points.

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Sports

Pakistan Sets 3 Conditions to Play against India in T20 World Cup

Published

3 days ago

February 9, 2026

Namma Kudla

Dubai: Pakistan has placed three conditions before the International Cricket Council (ICC) to agree to play against India in the T20 World Cup.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) planned to boycott the match scheduled on February 15 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The ICC warned Pakistan about possible consequences after this decision.

Now, PCB is willing to consider playing the match but has made key demands. It has asked the ICC to increase compensation for Bangladesh, pay participation fees even if Bangladesh is left out of the tournament, and grant Bangladesh hosting rights for a future ICC event.

Some PCB officials support playing against India, but PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has not agreed yet. He is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday before making a final decision.

So far, PCB has not officially confirmed whether Pakistan will play the match.

Sports

T20 World Cup | Pakistan Edge Past Netherlands in a Close Contest

Published

5 days ago

February 7, 2026

Namma Kudla

Colombo: The T20 World Cup began today with an exciting match between Pakistan and the Netherlands. Pakistan secured a narrow three-wicket victory despite a strong bowling performance. However, the top-order batters failed to deliver. With this win, Pakistan made a positive start to the 10th edition of the tournament.

After losing the toss, the Netherlands batted first at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. The team was bowled out for 147 runs in 19.5 overs. Pakistan chased the modest target and scored 148 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 19.3 overs.

Pakistan started aggressively, but the Netherlands slowed their progress. Pakistan lost four wickets for 98 runs. Soon, they were in trouble at 114 for seven. Faheem Ashraf played a crucial role at the end and guided the team to victory.

For Pakistan, Sahibzada Farhan scored 47 runs, while Saim Ayub added 24 runs. Faheem Ashraf contributed an important 29 runs. The rest of the batters failed to score big. Star batter Babar Azam disappointed fans by scoring only 15 runs off 18 balls.

Earlier, Netherlands captain Scott Edwards scored 37 runs. Bas de Leede made 30 runs, Colin Ackermann added 20, and Michael Levitt scored 24 runs. The remaining batters were dismissed for low scores.

Sports

India Clinch Record Sixth Under-19 World Cup Title

Published

5 days ago

February 7, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: India defeated England by 100 runs to win the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 final at the Harare Sports Club. The victory marked India’s sixth title, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.

India batted first and posted a massive total of 411 for 9 in 50 overs. The innings was powered by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who smashed a record-breaking 175 runs off just 80 balls. His knock included 15 fours and 15 sixes and became the highest individual score ever in an Under-19 World Cup final.

Suryavanshi also shared a crucial 142-run partnership with captain Ayush Mhatre, who scored 53 runs. Their strong batting display helped India set a daunting target of 412 for England.

England tried to fight back in the chase, with Caleb Falconer scoring 115 and Ben Dawkins adding 66. However, the team was eventually bowled out for 311, handing India a comfortable victory.

Suryavanshi was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament for his historic performance. The triumph once again highlighted India’s dominance in youth cricket on the global stage.