NEW YORK: A top US lawmaker called on FIFA to pay for World Cup public transportation costs on Tuesday following a report that local authorities in New Jersey are planning massive price hikes during the tournament.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said on X that football’s world governing body — which stands to earn $11 billion from the tournament — should foot the bill for transport costs to World Cup venues.

Schumer was responding to a report in The Athletic on Tuesday which said New Jersey Transit is planning to charge fans more than $100 for tickets from Penn Station in Manhattan to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey during the World Cup.

A return ticket for the journey normally costs $12.90.

“FIFA is set to reap nearly $11 billion from this summer’s World Cup, yet New York area commuters and residents are being handed the bill,” Schumer commented.

“The least FIFA can do is ensure New York residents can go to the stadium without being gouged at the turnstile. I am demanding FIFA step up and cover transportation costs for host cities and states. New York commuters and residents should not subsidize an $11 billion windfall.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also took aim at the reported price hike.

“The World Cup should be as affordable and accessible as possible,” Hochul wrote on X. “Charging over $100 for a short train ride sounds awfully high to me.”

NJ Transit did not immediately respond to a request for comment when contacted by AFP.

The Athletic quoted a spokesperson for the agency as saying that no firm decision had been taken on World Cup ticket pricing.

“The ticket prices for match day travel have not been finalised and any reference to cost would be unconfirmed speculation,” the spokesperson said.

The Athletic report cited NJ Transit sources as saying that the cost of laying on services for the eight matches due to be held at MetLife Stadium — including the final on July 19 — would cost around $48 million.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has said the state will not pass on the cost of transportation to local taxpayers.

“We are not going to be paying for moving the people who are viewing the World Cup on the back of New Jersey taxpayers and New Jersey commuters,” Sherrill said on Monday.

The issue of public transport fare hikes affecting World Cup venues also emerged in Boston, where the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority confirmed earlier this month that return tickets from the city to Gillette Stadium would cost $80 — up from the usual price of $20.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026

KARACHI: The National Bank Stadium remained devoid of spectators on Wednesday night, in keeping with the government’s austerity measures that have seen all matches of this HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) season played behind closed doors.

The silence, now a familiar feature of the ongoing tournament, once again framed the contest — and in that stillness, one sound stood out above all: the crisp, assured echo of Babar Azam’s bat striking the ball.

That rhythm accompanied Peshawar Zalmi’s march to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators, as their captain crafted an unbeaten 71 to steer his side to the 156-run target with nine balls to spare.

Zalmi’s sixth successive win kept them unbeaten and virtually assured of a place in the playoffs, while Gladiators’ campaign continued to falter leaving them fifth on the table with just two wins from six outings.

Earlier, Gladiators were bowled out for 154 on the final ball of their innings, never quite managing to impose themselves despite a handful of promising starts, thanks to another incisive spell by Sufiyan Muqeem.

Ahsan Ali departed early for four, caught by Mohammad Haris off Iftikhar Ahmed, before captain Saud Shakeel’s 16 off 13 balls ended in a run-out, leaving Gladiators at 39-2.

Rilee Rossouw briefly countered with a fluent 26 off 18 deliveries, striking four boundaries and briefly shifting momentum. Having taken on Mohammad Basit for three consecutive fours, the South African looked set for more but was undone by left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan, dragging a delivery onto his stumps in the eighth over.

At 62-3, Gladiators required consolidation but instead found themselves slipping further. Shamyl Hussain managed 12 before holing out to Aaron Hardie, while Khawaja Nafay’s brisk 20 off 13 balls — including a six — ended when he was trapped lbw by Sufiyan.

Hasan Nawaz top-scored with 37 off 35 deliveries, though his innings lacked the acceleration needed to lift the total. Attempting to take on Basit, he was undone by a sharp bouncer and edged behind to Kusal Mendis.

Tom Curran’s 15 offered some late resistance, but the lower order could not provide the finishing push. Jahandad Khan and Alzarri Joseph fell in quick succession, while Usman Tariq was run out off the final delivery as Gladiators were dismissed for a pretty moderate total.

Sufiyan was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 3-25, while Basit matched him with three wickets. Iftikhar chipped in with 1-20 to complete a disciplined bowling effort.

In reply, Zalmi approached the chase with calm assurance, their innings unfolding against the now-familiar backdrop of empty stands.

Haris provided early impetus, scoring 35 off 28 balls with five fours and a six, as he and Babar put together a 75-run opening partnership.

Haris fell in the ninth over, caught by Shamyl Hussain off Saud Shakeel, but by then the platform had been firmly laid.

At the other end, Babar’s innings carried a sense of quiet authority. Each stroke — a cover drive threaded through the infield, a cut played late and precisely, a flick off the pads — resonated across the empty arena, the absence of crowd noise only amplifying the quality of his timing.

He reached his third half-century of the season in 37 balls, continuing to anchor the chase with composure.

Mendis contributed 21 off 19 deliveries before falling to Alzarri Joseph, but with the required rate under control, there was little urgency.

Hardie added an unbeaten 18, supporting his captain as Zalmi edged closer to the target.

Fittingly, it was Babar who completed the job, glancing a boundary to seal the victory — the final echo of a night where his bat provided the dominant soundtrack.

For Gladiators, the defeat once again exposed their inability to sustain momentum, both with the bat and the ball. Despite brief contributions, they failed to exert control at crucial stages.

Zalmi, meanwhile, continue to combine discipline with consistency, their captain leading from the front in a campaign that has, so far, unfolded with near-perfect rhythm.

Scoreboard

QUETTA GLADIATORS:

Ahsan Ali c Haris b Iftikhar4

Saud Shakeel run out16

Rilee Rossouw b Sufiyan26

Hasan Nawaz c Haris b Basit37

Shamyl Hussain c Hardie b Sufiyan12

Khawaja Nafay lbw b Sufiyan20

Tom Curran c Farhan b Basit15

Jahandad Khan run out6

Alzarri Joseph c Mendis b Basit6

Abrar Ahmed not out3

Usman Tariq run out1

EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-1, W-2)8

TOTAL (all out, 20 overs)154

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Ahsan), 2-39 (Saud), 3-62 (Rossouw), 4-86 (Shamyl), 5-112 (Hasan), 6-120 (Nafay), 7-136 (Jahandad), 8-143 (Curran), 9-150 (Joseph)

BOWLING: Iftikhar 4-0-20-1 (1w), Basit 4-0-36-3, Bracewell 2-0-23-0, Ali 4-0-28-0 (1w, 1nb), Sufiyan 4-0-25-3, Hardie 2-0-17-0

PESHAWAR ZALMI:

Mohammad Haris c Shamyl b Saud35

Babar Azam not out71

Kusal Mendis c Usman b Joseph21

Aaron Hardie not out18

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, NB-1, W-5)11

TOTAL (for two wickets, 18.3 overs)156

DID NOT BAT: Farhan Yousaf, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Sufiyan Muqeem, Mohammad Basit, Ali Raza

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-75 (Haris), 2-124 (Mendis)

BOWLING: Jahandad 2.3-0-27-0, Curran 1-0-13-0, Abrar 4-0-31-0 (2w), Joseph 4-0-32-1 (1w, 1nb), Saud 3-0-23-1, Usman 4-0-25-0 (1w)

RESULT: Peshsawar Zalmi won by eight wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sufiyan Muqeem

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026

KARACHI: When Sufiyan Muqeem marks his run-up at the bowling crease, the fall of opposition wickets appears almost inevitable. Such has been the pattern the left-arm wrist spinner has established this HBL Pakistan Super League season for Peshawar Zalmi.

Largely introduced into the attack by captain Babar Azam during the crucial middle overs, Sufiyan has made it a habit of striking regularly. In doing so, the 23-year-old has collected 13 wickets in five PSL outings so far — averaging just under 10 and conceding a miserly 6.45 per over — to sit atop the bowling charts.

Sufiyan’s latest masterclass came on Monday night at the National Bank Stadium, where his spell of 3-30 proved decisive in Peshawar Zalmi’s 24-run victory over Multan Sultans. Chasing 197, the Sultans looked comfortable at stages, but Sufiyan’s variations and control turned the tide. He removed key players including Josh Philippe and Ashton Turner, applying the brakes as the asking rate soared.

The southpaw’s resurgence in the PSL has been nothing short of a redemption arc after he was dropped from the Pakistan side despite a promising start to his international career two years ago — four ODIs yielding eight wickets at 22.75 and 19 T20Is producing 27 scalps at 14.74.

However, selectors moved on, leaving the young spinner to reassess and rebuild.

That setback might have dented confidence. Instead, it triggered a professional response. Back with Zalmi, Sufiyan has displayed the composure and hunger that first caught the selectors’ attention.

“Whenever I give him the ball as a captain, I have confidence that he’ll pick up a wicket for me somewhere,” Babar said after the Multan match. “When he goes for the kill, he’s not a bowler who gets hit easily. In my opinion, he’s a big asset for Pakistan, and going forward, he’ll serve Pakistan a lot with the way he’s bowling.”

Babar added that Sufiyan still needed improvement but was progressing steadily.

“He talks to the coaches. After every match, he asks, ‘Where can I do better?’” the Pakistan stalwart noted.

That attitude — humble, inquisitive and relentless — has been evident in Sufiyan’s ability to deliver under pressure, mixing flight, dip and sharp turn on unresponsive surfaces.

Zalmi’s fielding coach Azhar Ali echoed the skipper’s views, highlighting the rarity of left-arm wrist spin and the control Sufiyan has shown.

“Left-arm wrist spin is quite rare and it’s hard to bowl accurately. The way he has bowled with control and temperament is impressive because in T20 cricket the best batters come after you and you have to be brave — and he has been brave,” Azhar said.

Sufiyan’s journey mirrors many Pakistani cricketers — from tape-ball roots in AJK to structured cricket in Rawalpindi, followed by domestic performances that earned him a national call-up.

Early success in T20Is promised much, yet the competitive nature of selection meant even brief lapses could cost a place.

For Zalmi, his role goes beyond numbers. In an attack featuring the pace of Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam, Sufiyan offers control and variety.

Peshawar remain unbeaten so far in the PSL, carrying momentum into the business end of the tournament.

At 23, Muqeem’s story is still unfolding. The national door that closed may yet reopen if he sustains this form. For now, his focus remains clear: executing plans, learning constantly and answering critics one spell at a time.

As Babar observed, persistence brings rewards. In Sufi­y­an’s case, quiet determination is rapidly translating into match-winning performances on the biggest domestic stage.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2026