Cricket
Feb 23—ICC Men’s Champions Trophy (India Vs Pakistan)—Pakistan suffered a crushing defeat as Virat Kohli sealed India’s victory with his 51st ODI century, securing a six-wicket win in their Champions Trophy clash in Dubai.
After opting to bat first, Pakistan collapsed for 241, failing to play out their full quota of overs, with two balls remaining unused. Despite Saud Shakeel’s 62 and Mohammad Rizwan’s 46, the innings lacked momentum, and India’s Kuldeep Yadav dismantled their lineup with figures of 3-40.
In response, Pakistan’s bowlers failed to defend their total as Kohli masterfully guided India’s chase, reaching his unbeaten 100 with a stylish cover drive. Shreyas Iyer’s 56 provided further support as India comfortably cruised to victory with 7.3 overs to spare, handing Pakistan a demoralizing loss.
Squash
Feb 16—Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell to Wales’ Joel Makin in a gripping 75-minute battle for the 2025 Pittsburgh Open title at Steel City Squash in Pennsylvania.
The match kicked off with a gruelling 27-minute first game characterised by long, punishing rallies as both players aimed to control the back of the court. The intense exchanges went neck and neck to a tie at 9-9, but a well-placed forehand drop from Ibrahim, combined with an uncharacteristic error from Makin, allowed the Egyptian to take the early lead.
Despite winning the first game, the exertion seemed to take its toll on Ibrahim, and Makin capitalised on the fatigue. The world number five maintained a steady tempo, while Ibrahim, eager to finish rallies quickly, began to make a series of errors that shifted momentum back to Makin, who leveled the match.
In the third game, Ibrahim surged ahead with an 8-4 lead, showcasing his shot-making skills and pinpoint accuracy. However, Makin fought back, demonstrating impressive resilience and tactical awareness to level the game at 9-9 before ultimately winning 11-9 and taking the lead in the match.
From that point on, Makin took control. Although Ibrahim continued to deliver stunning winners, the Welshman maintained his advantage, moving from an early 5-1 lead to win the final game 11-7, sealing the victory and the title.
“It was a tough week. Youssef was playing some great stuff,” Makin remarked after the match. “If he’s beating Diego 3-0, then that’s a very high level, so I was well aware of that today. I was happy with my lines and my quality. At 1-1 after 45 minutes, I thought it had been a good-quality match. Nothing needed to change, just a few things tidied up, and I was happy to pull away in the end.”
Tennis
Feb 17—Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur suffered a tough first-round exit at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships, falling to American Peyton Stearns 7-6(6), 6-4 on Centre Court.
Jabeur, the former world number two and top-ranked Arab player in tennis history, started strong, serving for the first set at 5-4. However, she was unable to convert, surrendering her lead after a series of errors. Stearns capitalised, taking the set in a tiebreak after a costly Jabeur double fault at 6-5.
Jabeur’s struggles continued in the second set as she required multiple medical time-outs for an apparent left leg issue. Despite battling through pain, she found herself trailing early after being broken at 2-1. The Tunisian fought back, nearly reclaiming the break in a gruelling eight-deuce game, but Stearns held firm.
Serving to stay in the match at 4-5, Jabeur had one final chance to break back, but Stearns fended off the challenge and sealed the win with a powerful forehand.
“It was pretty tough today; I wasn’t 100 percent,” Jabeur admitted post-match. “But yeah, been there, trying my best. I just didn’t want to retire. I [wanted] to try more and see how it goes.”
The loss marks another disappointing result for Jabeur, who has struggled with injuries in recent months. Meanwhile, Stearns advances to the second round in Dubai for the second consecutive year and will face No. 7 seed and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen next.
UFC
Feb 22—Mansur Abdul-Malik kept his undefeated streak alive with a thrilling TKO win over Nick Klein at UFC Seattle. The fight wasn’t smooth sailing—Klein rocked him with a spinning back elbow in the first round, but Abdul-Malik recovered and took control in the second. As Klein started to fade, Abdul-Malik turned up the heat, landing heavy punches and knees until the referee stopped the fight at 3:24 of Round 2.
Afterward, Abdul-Malik was brutally honest, calling his performance “not good” but still grateful for the win. He even showed respect for Klein, suggesting he get a shot at Antonio Trocoli next. With this victory, Abdul-Malik keeps climbing the UFC ranks, ready for even bigger challenges ahead.
Feb 16—Youssef Zalal made a statement at UFC Vegas 102, dismantling No. 10-ranked Calvin Kattar via unanimous decision to secure his biggest career victory and a place among the featherweight division’s elite.
From the opening bell, Zalal showcased his speed, footwork, and precision striking, overwhelming Kattar with a relentless pace. The Moroccan standout controlled the exchanges, slipping in and out of danger while landing crisp combinations. Even as Kattar attempted a late rally, Zalal remained composed, sealing a decisive win and extending his red-hot streak to seven consecutive victories.
But the victory was about more than rankings—it was personal. Kattar’s camp dismissed Zalal as “light work” at the weigh-ins, a slight that fueled the rising contender’s fire inside the Octagon.
“They said it was light work? Light work, my ass,” Zalal fired back in his post-fight interview. “They might as well call me Heavyweight now.”
With this dominant performance, Zalal is set to break into the Top 10 for the first time in his career. Now riding unstoppable momentum, he has emerged as a legitimate contender in the stacked featherweight division.
Photo: Ons Jabeur (Credit: Carine06/WikiCommons)
