KARACHI: Karachi Kings suffered their third consecutive defeat in the HBL Pakistan Super League on Thursday night as Islamabad United chased down a modest 151-run target with eight wickets and four overs to spare here at the National Bank Stadium.

The victory propelled United to second place in the PSL standings, while the home side’s campaign continued to unravel, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Put in to bat first on a tricky surface that offered grip for spinners, Kings could only post 150-6. Reeza Hendricks played the anchor’s role with an unbeaten 51 off 44 balls (four fours), but regular wickets at the other end prevented any momentum from building.

Saad Baig fell early for six, flicking Richard Gleeson to deep square. Fellow opener Jason Roy provided a brisk start, smashing 39 off 27 balls with three fours and two sixes, including a flat sweep off Imad Wasim over backward square and a gorgeous cut past cover. He timed the ball sweetly until Shadab Khan deceived him with a quicker leg-break, inducing a straightforward catch at long-off in the ninth over.

Hendricks held the innings together amid the collapse. Salman Ali Agha (four) and Azam Khan (34 off 29, three fours and a six) tried to accelerate but found the United bowlers in excellent rhythm.

Azam fell to a superb diving catch by Sameer Minhas off Gleeson, while Khushdil Shah and Moeen Ali (8) departed in quick succession. Gleeson was the pick of the attack with 2-22, mixing yorkers and cutters effectively. Shadab claimed 2-28, intelligently using flight and variations to push batters out of their comfort zones. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain also kept things tight with variations.

The surface appeared two-paced at times, and Kings’ middle order struggled to find boundaries consistently. Their powerplay score of 45-1 looked promising, but the inability to capitalise later proved costly.

In reply, United made light work of the chase. Devon Conway and debutant sensation Sameer Minhas forged a blistering 93-run opening stand in just 10 overs that effectively sealed the contest.

Sameer, the rising star, lit up the stadium with a sparkling 36-ball 58 laced with 10 boundaries. He punished anything short or wide with authority — an attractive square drive off Mir Hamza, back-to-back fours off Salman (including a swivel pull to deep midwicket), and a regal inside-out drive through covers off Khushdil Shah.

He stepped down the track to loft Khushdil over the bowler’s head and brought up his fifty with a flicked single. His aggressive yet composed approach, blending classical drives with innovative shots like the reverse flick off Adam Zampa.

Conway complemented him perfectly with a measured yet fluent 53 not out off 36 (six fours and a six). He opened his account with a square drive and kept the scoreboard ticking with clever placement. His standout moments included powerful back-foot punches and a thunderous pull off Khushdil to deep midwicket.

The pair milked singles intelligently while pouncing on loose deliveries, putting Kings’ bowlers under immense pressure. Sameer fell just short of a bigger score, stumped off Moeen Ali for 58, but by then the asking rate was under control.

Shadab then took over. He provided the finishing flourish, smashing an inside-out six over long-off off Zampa and two more maximums off Hasan Ali — one a lofted six over long-on and another backed by a fierce four over third man. He remained unbeaten on 31 off 16 balls. Conway brought up his fifty with a whippy pull off Abbas Afridi that raced to the deep square boundary, sealing victory in style.

Kings’ bowling lacked penetration. Hamza, Hasan Ali and Zampa went for plenty, while the spinners were unable to stem the flow of boundaries. The Moeen-led side looked passive, failing to take the game on despite a long batting line-up.

SCOREBOARD

KARACHI KINGS:

Saad Baig c Haider b Gleeson 6

Jason Roy c Chapman b Shadab 39

Reeza Hendricks not out 51

Salman Ali Agha c (sub) b Shadab 4

Azam Khan c Sameer b Gleeson 34

Khushdil Shah c Chapman b Faheem 2

Moeen Ali c Chapman b Hasnain 8

Abbas Afridi not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-4) 6

TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs) 150

DID NOT BAT: Hasan Ali, Adam Zampa, Mir Hamza

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Saad), 2-69 (Roy), 3-77 (Salman), 4-131 (Azam), 5-138 (Khushdil), 6-150 (Ali)

BOWLING: Imad 4-0-36-0 (1w), Gleeson 4-0-22-2, Faheem 4-0-28-1 (2w), Hasnain 4-0-34-1, Shadab 4-0-28-2 (1w)

ISLAMABAD UNITED:

Devon Conway not out 53

Sameer Minhas st Saad b Ali 58

Mohammad Faiq c Khushdil b Hasan 5

Shadab Khan not out 31

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-4) 6

TOTAL (for two wickets, 16 overs) 153

DID NOT BAT: Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Mohammad Hasnain

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-93 (Sameer), 2-110 (Faiq)

BOWLING: Hamza 3-0-24-0 (2w), Hasan 3-0-29-1 (2w), Salman 1-0-14-0, Khushdil 1-0-17-0, Zampa 4-0-36-0, Abbas 2-0-17-0, Ali 2-0-14-1

RESULT: Islamabad United won by eight wickets.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sameer Minhas

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2026

NEW DELHI: A crackdown on India’s performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) production — the biggest globally — is key to tackling the doping menace and protect the athletes, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Witold Banka told AFP on Thursday.

Banka and his team have been in New Delhi as part of their push to build stronger ties with national law and order agencies including cyber crime cells to help uphold the credibility of professional sport.

WADA has sought help from India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) — federal police — to curtail the initial supply chain of racketeers and agents who peddle drugs.

“We see the problem of production of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), India is the biggest producer of those illegal substances,” said Banka.

“That’s why we collaborate with the CBI, with law enforcement, to try to destroy this market and to really protect the lives of athletes and the health of society,” added the 41-year-old Pole.

WADA has been aggressive in curbing the doping crisis with their Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) initiative since 2022.

An INTERPOL-backed “operation upstream” has been a success for WADA with 250 raids around the world, 88 illicit labs dismantled and almost 90 tons of PEDs seized.

“We are here because India is the biggest population (1.4 billion) and we see how important it is for the Indian authorities, and we see the need to strengthen the system here — it’s a common interest,” Gunter Younger, head of investigations for WADA, told AFP.

“For now I see the appetite and willingness from the public authority side (in India) to work with us closely to address this issue. We know it’s not only about the doping of the athletes.”

Younger, a former head of the Bavarian Police’s Cybercrime Division, said to strike a blow against the doping menace the focus should be shifted from athletes to the supplier of the PEDs.

“We always focus on testing, and the whole infrastructure in the last 25 years the anti-doping community was focusing on testing, and it was okay in the beginning. But the criminal networks, they adjust, and they adjust quite quickly. The fact that we have, let’s say, under 1 per cent hits with testing shows for me we can do better in this way.

“Therefore what we want to do with them is to strengthen their intelligence and investigations, working with the CBI, adopt a top-down strategy.

“Go for the criminal networks, and look for the clients, and target the coaches, the doctors that are responsible for providing the PEDs to the athletes, and not do a bottom-up strategy.”

Not only is India the leader in manufacturing PEDs it also has the unwanted tag of topping the list of global sports drug cheats for three years in a row, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said in 2025.

India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) collected 7,113 urine and blood samples out of which 260 tested positive in 2024, according to a WADA report published in December 2025.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2026

MADRID: Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reached the final four with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite Tuesday’s 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, Ousmane Dembele struck twice to confirm Paris St-Germain’s place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool, sealing a 4-0 aggregate win in their quarter-final tie at a rain-soaked Anfield.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres fired visitors Barca ahead inside 24 minutes but Ademola Lookman’s strike gave Atletico the edge in the gripping all-Spanish tie once again after their 2-0 win in the first leg.

Diego Simeone’s side returned to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017 by holding on against the La Liga champions in a compelling and bloody battle.

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth as he ran in on goal in the final stages, hampering their chances of finding a third goal to force extra-time.

Atletico have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals against rivals Real Madrid with Simeone at the helm.

Atletico’s talisman Antoine Griezmann, who will leave at the end of the season to join MLS side Orlando City, is daring to dream of a fairytale finale.

“I’m very happy,” Griezmann told reporters. “It doesn’t matter who we face, as long as we’re still in it and as long as we’re on top form right until the end.

“It’s been a brilliant but tough tie against a top-class side who play really well in Barcelona. It’s been a struggle, but we’re still in it.”

In Spain glory could come as soon as Saturday with the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad in Seville, Griezmann’s boyhood club, with Atletico chasing their first domestic cup since 2013 and an end to a four-season wait for any title.

“It’s going to be a great match, a tough one, so we’ll need to get some rest. Now it’s time to start thinking about Saturday. What a great feeling,” Griezmann said. “I hope I can help my team mates to do something beautiful this season, something historical. Our fans deserve it.”Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said he believes his eliminated team deserved to progress.

“We played a fantastic first half, (but) we have to score more goals. It was really possible, (but) we conceded the goal we didn’t expect at this moment,” Flick told reporters.

“When you see both matches we deserved to get to the semi-final. The mentality, the attitude they showed on the pitch — I’m really proud about that.”

Barcelona forward Raphinha, who was sidelined through injury for both matches, accused referees Clement Turpin, who officiated the second game, and Istvan Kovacs, from the first, of “robbing” his team.

“As far as I’m concerned, it was a robbery, not just this match but the other one (the first leg) as well,” Raphinha told reporters.

“I think the refereeing is going really badly; the decisions he (Turpin) makes are unbelievable … I really want to understand why they’re so afraid that Barcelona will come and win.” Flick benched forwards Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski for workhorses Torres and Gavi, looking to press Atletico relentlessly in the sixth match between these sides this season.

The tactic seemed to pay off as Barca came roaring out of the blocks in a fiery atmosphere at the Metropolitano and raced to a two-goal lead to level the score on aggregate.

It could’ve been even worse for Atletico but goalkeeper Juan Musso kept the home side alive in the tie. Musso denied Yamal in the very first minute before saving a goal-bound effort from Dani Olmo as Barca continued to dominate.

The goalkeeper also clawed out a header by Fermin Lopez and left the midfielder bleeding after his boot caught the Spaniard in the face.

Atletico pulled their way back into the game in the 31st minute after Barca switched off defensively for the first time.

Flick sent on Rashford and Lewandowski with around 20 minutes remaining but the Catalans comeback hopes were all but evaporated when Garcia was sent off. Atletico gritted their teeth through eight minutes of stoppage time before the celebrations could begin.

PSG cruise

PSG showed why they are the reigning champions of Europe, coach Luis Enrique said, as Dembele scored at Anfield for a second successive campaign.

The game, played in a torrential downpour, was overshadowed by a worrying first-half injury to Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike, who was carried off after going down unchallenged and pointing to his Achilles tendon, leaving the pitch in tears.

The visitors dominated the first half, and Dembele’s brace came after he squandered a couple of earlier chances, including a close-range shot that he fired well over the bar and another that Mamardashvili, racing back toward his net, punched clear.

It was virtually all Liverpool early in the second half as Ryan Gravenberch, Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez and Mac Allister all missed decent chances.

Milos Kerkez looked poised to score after latching onto a brilliant ball from Mohamed Salah, who was making his final Champions League appearance for the home side. But the Hungarian sent the ball wide.

“It’s difficult to defend the Champions League, we know that,” Enrique said. “But we’re here again and we need to make the most of these opportunities.”

Asked whether PSG carry an “aura” as holders, Enrique pointed instead to the confidence and belief within the squad.

“I don’t know, it’s difficult to judge that,” he said. “But it’s a real pleasure for me to know my team is at that level and can play at that level no matter who they’re playing against.

“You can see what sort of team we are, we’ve got a lot of belief and a lot of confidence, and the supporters express that belief as well.”

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said his side’s Champions League exit again laid bare a season-long struggle to turn chances into goals.

“Unfortunately, it’s one of the many examples of this season where we weren’t able to score from the many chances we had,” Slot said.

“Again, we were so far underperforming in terms of xG (expected goals of 1.94), and that is just an ongoing thing with us throughout the whole season.”

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026