Peshawar and Faisalabad would host HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches for the first time, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the schedule for the 11th season of the country’s premier T20 tournament on Tuesday.

In a press release, the PCB said, “The 44-match PSL will take place across six venues from 26 March to 3 May.”

“Among the six venues – Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi – Faisalabad and Peshawar will host PSL matches for the first time,” it added.

As per the schedule, each team would play 10 matches, with the top four sides qualifying for the knock-out stage comprising qualifier 1, eliminator, qualifier 2 and the final, scheduled from 28 April to 3 May, it said.

It added that the final would take place at the PCB headquarters, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, May 3. The final would also have a reserve day, which is Monday, May 4.

As per the press release, Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium would host 15 out of 44 matches, including the final, and Rawalpindi would host 11 matches.

Karachi’s National Bank Stadium would hold six matches, Multan Cricket Stadium four, Faisalabad’s Iqbal Stadium seven; meanwhile, Peshawar’s Imran Khan Stadium would only get to witness a single fixture.

With the addition of two teams – Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindi Pindiz — the 11th season of PSL is set to kick off with eight teams for the first time from March 26, with a clash between defending champions Lahore Qalanders and debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen in Lahore.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO: Russia won its first Winter Paralympic gold medal under its own flag since 2014 as skier Varvara Voronchikhina was crowned women’s super-G standing champion on Monday in Cortina.

Despite Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine, the Intern­ational Paralympic Commi­ttee (IPC) has allowed six Russian athletes and four from their allies Belarus to rep­r­esent their countries, accompanied by their nati­onal flags, rather than competing as neutrals.

“It’s so special for me bec­ause it’s my first Paralympic Games and it’s my dream since I was a child,” Voron­chikhina told reporters after collecting her medal. “And when I see my flag, it’s so special and amazing.”

The 23-year-old dedicated the win to “our whole country, which was rooting for us… To my family and loved ones”.

Already a bronze medallist last weekend, when she clai­med Russia’s first podium appearance at a Winter Ga­mes in 12 years, Voronc­hikhina beat French silver medallist Aurelie Richard by 1.96sec on the Olympia delle Tofane piste on Monday to claim top spot. Sweden’s Ebba Aarsjoe was third.

“Congratulations to Varv­ara Voronchikhina on Russ­ia’s first gold medal in the super-G at the Milan-Cortina Paralympics,” Russia’s sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev posted on Telegram.

“The Russian anthem is playing,” he added of the podium ceremony, which took place at the end of Monday’s super-G events.

Voronchikhina received a polite smattering of applause as the gold medal was placed around her neck, before the playing of the national anthem and raising of the Russian flag were greeted with a respectful silence.

During Friday’s opening ceremony in Verona, representatives of the Russian team were booed by some spectators as they paraded behind the country’s flag.

Russia was banned from the 2018 Games due to a doping scandal, although some ath­letes were permitted to com­pete under neutral colours.

“I dedicate my medal to my (deceased) grandfather,” Voronchikhina added. “Who, unfortunately, was unable to wait and see my victory.

“Because it should have happened earlier, when we won our medals, because we came to Beijing in 2022 and we were kicked out from there.”

Voronchikhina’s exploits have brought her to the attention of foreign media at the Games.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026

PARIS: Liverpool go to Istanbul for the second time this season and Newcastle United prepare to host Barcelona again as the Champions League last-16 roll into action on Tuesday.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence collapsed during a horrific run of results from late September, and they face a battle even to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Now Arne Slot’s side head back to Istanbul, where they lost 1-0 to Turkish champions Galatasaray during the league phase.

A deep run in the Champions League would be a major boost for Slot, who has come under fire from frustrated fans during Liverpool’s slump.

Significantly, German playmaker Florian Wirtz made his return from a back injury as a late substitute in Friday’s FA Cup win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Slot played down concerns over Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the World Cup winner limped off.

Galatasaray held off Juventus in the play-off round, after winning 5-2 at home in the first leg and then losing 3-2 after extra time in the return.

They lead the Turkish Super Lig and won 1-0 at Istanbul rivals Besiktas on Saturday, with Victor Osimhen scoring the goal — that was his 18th of the season, with seven coming in Europe.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will be confident when heading to Tyneside as the Catalans have already defeated Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park in the league phase thanks to a Marcus Rashford brace and without teenage star Lamine Yamal.

Hansi Flick’s entertaining side still have their flaws though, particularly the exploitable high defensive line which makes them vulnerable to pace in behind, with Anthony Gordon likely to cause the La Liga leaders trouble.

Newcastle have found the going tougher in the Premier League this season after several years of sustained progress under Eddie Howe. They beat Manchester United last week before crumbling in the FA Cup against a Manchester City team that had made 10 changes.

Nick Woltemade started against City after a brief illness while Tino Livramento was on the bench. Howe said Lewis Miley will not be ready to face Barcelona

BAYERN TAKE ON ATALANTA

Bayern probably deserve to be considered among the leading three or four contenders to win the Champions League, as the German giants chase what would be a seventh title in Europe’s elite club competition.

Vincent Kompany’s team head to Italy with an 11-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and having won seven of eight games in the Champions League so far.

With the Bundesliga title all but wrapped up, Bayern gave Harry Kane a rest and left Michael Olise on the bench in Friday’s 4-1 win against Borussia Moenchengladbach.

With 45 goals in 37 games in all competitions this campaign, Kane is in ominous form, reaching his best ever mark in a season by February.

In leaving the England captain out for the first time this season, Kompany said Kane had a knock on his calf and would be back to his best in a couple of days.

Atalanta knocked out Borussia Dortm­und in the last round and have also beaten Eintracht Frankfurt this season, so will be relishing another test against German opposition. Gianluca Scamacca scored twice as they came from behind to draw 2-2 with Udinese in Serie A on Saturday.

TOTTENHAM RETURN TO MADRID

Tottenham Hotspur go back to the Metropolitano, where they lost to Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. The current Spurs side is a shadow of Mauricio Pochettino’s exciting team, however, and they find themselves in the strange position of still being involved in Europe and locked in a relegation battle in the Premier League at the same time.

A long way off the pace in La Liga, Diego Simeone’s Atletico are fully focused on cup goals for the remainder of the season. The Argentine coach led them to the Champions League final in 2014 and 2016 but came up short against rivals Real Madrid both times, and Atletico are desperate to win the competition for the first time in their history.

Hosting a crumbling Spurs, they will aim to build a strong first-leg lead and try to capitalise on being in the theoretically weaker side of the draw.

Simeone highlighted the speed of Premier League sides’ play on Monday ahead of the tie.

“(English teams) have a faster pace. I don’t know why, I can’t quite put my finger on it,” Simeone told reporters. “Some say the referees let the game flow more, I don’t know if it’s the tactics or the pre-game preparation, but it’s true that the speed is faster.

“When you watch it on television, you can see that the speed is faster than in Spain, Italy, Germany… it’s the fastest league.”

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026