Stories by Ahmed Ali

Pakistan's Manesha Ali wins IMMAF World Cup gold in Angola

Manesha caught her opponent in a standing guillotine and wrapped up the win with 15 seconds to go in the second round.

Published 20 Sep, 2026 11:33pm

Pakistan name squad for FIFA ASEAN Cup, Solano to join in Indonesia

KARACHI: Pakistan announced a 23-member squad on Saturday for the FIFA ASEAN Cup in Indonesia, with head coach...

Published 20 Sep, 2026 04:50am

Pakistan name 23-man squad for FIFA ASEAN Cup, Solano to join in Indonesia after visa delay

The squad will be led by captain Abdullah Iqbal while veteran forward Kaleemullah makes a comeback to the national side.

Published 19 Sep, 2026 09:06pm

Noor Zaman carries Pakistan flag and squash’s lost glory into Asian Games

“I want to bring Pakistan on top in squash, make my country champions again,” he says.

Updated 18 Sep, 2026 09:18am

Pakistan's Asian Games boxing medal hopes rest on two men and two women

The squad heading to the 20th edition of the Asiad is among Pakistan's smallest boxing contingents at a major Games in recent memory.

Updated 10 Sep, 2026 03:45pm

Sprinter Faiqa Riaz reflects on the miss, the record and choosing happiness

“I am really glad to achieve the goal that I set up for myself despite many obstacles,” she says.

Updated 28 Jul, 2026 09:29am

Faiqa focused on clock, not CWG podium

Her target will be 12.49 seconds, the personal best she ran at the Paris Olympics on a universality wildcard.

Updated 22 Jul, 2026 05:05pm

Underdogs, upsets, politics: The story of a World Cup that comes down to Argentina vs Spain

A month of shocks, controversy, and record chases ends with Argentina and Spain fighting for the trophy in New Jersey.

Published 19 Jul, 2026 12:37pm

England's pattern of World Cup knockout elimination against top sides repeats — and wait for glory continues

If a tournament could be won on paper, England would have a cabinet full of trophies. But football isn't played on paper, and England keep finding new ways to come up short.

Published 16 Jul, 2026 12:03pm

Lionel Scaloni — the quiet man behind Argentina's football dynasty

Scaloni’s record speaks for itself: four major trophies. 75 wins, 18 draws and only nine losses recorded in a little over 100 matches.

Published 15 Jul, 2026 09:56am

Grey area at the heart of VAR technology

Football has quietly decided which kind of certainty it wants to sell to which audience, and Egypt’s early exit sat on the wrong side of that ledger.

Updated 12 Jul, 2026 12:56pm

‘The gap is still huge’: Abdullah on Pakistan’s World Cup dream

“The things that I want my country to achieve, it might not happen in my career," says Abdullah Iqbal.

Updated 10 Jul, 2026 08:20am

Ronaldo — the GOAT who never won the FIFA World Cup

Before Ronaldo, Portugal had never won a major trophy.

Published 07 Jul, 2026 09:38am

INTERVIEW: Pakistan’s teenage hero Umar on the goal, the trophy and the dream

The boy from Peshawar who ran into history: Umar Nawaz on survival, sacrifice and a 74-year dream.

Updated 05 Jul, 2026 03:41pm

For new PFF technical director Adeel, success is not defined by history

KARACHI: Cape Verde, a nation of just over 500,000 people, reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. For...

Updated 04 Jul, 2026 02:18pm

Outgoing SBBA officials reject PBF-supervised elections as void

KARACHI: The Pakistan Basketball Federation (PBF) supervised elections for the Sindh Basketball Association (SBBA) ...

Published 01 Jul, 2026 06:59am

Asia's FIFA World Cup debacle: Record numbers, record failures and a continent in crisis

After Japan’s elimination at the hands of Brazil, all Asian teams are out of the FIFA World Cup.

Published 30 Jun, 2026 10:19am

FIFA 2026: A World Cup group stage unlike any other

This World Cup has already given us shock, spectacle, and a reminder that football is never predictable. The beautiful chaos continues.

Published 28 Jun, 2026 11:22am

From qualifying without conceding a single goal to total collapse: Tunisia's FIFA World Cup nightmare

The man who oversaw qualifying, Sami Trabelsi, was dismissed in January after a disappointing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Published 27 Jun, 2026 09:27am

'I always arrive': Cristiano Ronaldo silences critics with record-breaking brace during FIFA World Cup

When the pressure is highest, Ronaldo shines brightest. That’s what he’s done his whole career. Time and time again.

Published 24 Jun, 2026 09:53am