FIFA pays tribute to Shaheen Shah Afridi among footballing greats
The FIFA World Cup Instagram account posted an image on Tuesday highlighting Afridi with three of football's biggest stars—Messi, Neymar and Modrić—under the caption, 'The iconic.'
While Afridi is known for his performances on the cricket field, his inclusion in the tribute signifies a crossover of global sporting recognition.
There is speculation online from fans that the gesture was part of a wider effort to increase fan engagement in Pakistan ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, set to take place in the US.
Localised campaigns are reportedly in development to connect with sports fans across different regions.
The recognition comes during a high point in Afridi's cricketing career.
The 25-year-old fast bowler led Lahore Qalandars to a third HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) title, making him the most successful captain in the league's history.
Afridi's Qalandars chased down 202 to defeat Quetta Gladiators in the final at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium. Sikandar Raza secured the win with a six and a four in the final over, finishing the match with one ball to spare.
Already the only captain to claim consecutive HBL PSL titles in 2022 and 2023, Afridi now holds the distinction of lifting the trophy three times—more than any other captain in the competition.
Captains with most HBL PSL titles:
Shaheen Afridi (Lahore Qalandars) – 3
Misbah-ul-Haq (Islamabad United) – 1
Darren Sammy (Peshawar Zalmi) – 1
JP Duminy (Islamabad United) – 1
Sarfaraz Ahmed (Quetta Gladiators) – 1
Imad Wasim (Karachi Kings) – 1
Mohammad Rizwan (Multan Sultans) – 1
Shadab Khan (Islamabad United) – 1
FIFA's post places Afridi in elite company, furthering his rise as a globally recognised athlete across sporting codes.
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Literature often arrives before theory finds a name for it. Long before Pakistani writing in English was granted the dignity of critical attention, poets and novelists were already grappling with the dilemmas of belonging, the dislocations of Partition, and the uneven legacies of empire. What was once regarded with suspicion or condescension has become an essential register of Pakistan's modern literary imagination — a way to reflect on the unfinished stories that history leaves behind. In the New Century: An Anthology of Pakistani Literature in English stands as both an affirmation and an inquiry into that transformation. Edited by Muneeza Shamsie, this anthology follows her earlier collection, A Dragonfly in the Sun, which first attempted to chart the contours of Pakistani English literature. Where the earlier volume sought to establish the field's existence and seriousness, this sequel arrives in a changed landscape. Over the two decades it covers — from 1997 to 2017 — Pakistani Anglophone writing has achieved international prominence, developed new idioms, and begun to address audiences both within and beyond the country's borders. The anthology assembles the work of 86 writers, reflecting a remarkable breadth of forms. It comprises poetry, short stories, novel excerpts, memoirs, life writings, essays, and drama. This diversity is not merely a matter of genre. Still, of sensibility: it suggests that Pakistani English literature has evolved into a domain capacious enough to hold multiple, sometimes conflicting, conceptions of identity and cultural legitimacy. The first contributor in the volume is Taufiq Rafat, a poet often credited with pioneering an indigenous voice in English. His inclusion underscores the lineage of literary experiment that has shaped Pakistani writing since decades after independence. 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Yet she also emphasises a different dimension: the charge that English writing belonged to a social elite, disconnected from vernacular traditions and ordinary lives. While this association with privilege has persisted, the anthology demonstrates how, over time, English has also become a medium for serious engagement with Pakistani histories and sensibilities. What once seemed alien could be reclaimed, transformed by literary imagination, and reshaped into a language capable of expressing indigenous experience with authenticity. The anthology reveals how this process has matured. The poetry section, which occupies a substantial part of the collection, includes figures such as Adrian A. Hussain, Waqas Khwaja, Moniza Alvi, Imtiaz Dharker, and Kaleem Omar. Their inclusion illustrates the range of poetic practice: from reflections on Partition and displacement to meditations on language, faith, and intimacy. 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In the New Century ultimately stands as both an archive and a provocation — a testament to the enduring conviction that literature, even when contested, remains one of the most powerful ways a society can imagine itself anew. In the New Century: An Anthology of Pakistani Literature in English Compiled and Edited by Muneeza Shamsie Published by Oxford University Press Pakistan, 2025 Pages: 600 Price PKR 2495/- ISBN: 978-0-19-906091-7 The writer is a Pakistan-born and Austria-based poet in Urdu and English. He teaches South Asian literature and culture at Vienna All facts and information are the sole repsonsibility of the writer
Express Tribune
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'Footballers afraid to speak out against hectic schedule'
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Urdu version of lauded play comes to capital
The Chand Nagar Cultural Centre is proud to announce the first-ever Pakistani adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play, "Doubt: A Parable", which is being performed on July 26 and 27 at the Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai Auditorium in Islamabad. This production is the Urdu translation of the play by John Patrick Shanley, translated by the director and theatre educator Imran Iftikhar and Adil Yousaf. Iftikhar expressed his excitement and gratitude, for being granted permission to adapt and stage this masterpiece. "I'm sharing this news with immense pride and gratitude that I've been formally granted permission by John Patrick Shanley — the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Academy Award-winning screenwriter — to translate, adapt and stage his masterpiece theatre play, Doubt: A Parable, for the Islamabad audience in Urdu," he shared. The play, "Doubt: A Parable", was written by American playwright John Patrick Shanley in 2004. It was adapted into a mystery thriller film titled "Doubt" in 2008, starring Hollywood's renowned actress Meryl Streep. The film received critical acclaim and showcased the powerful story and themes of the play. "Doubt: A Parable" explores the complexities of human nature, delving into themes of faith, doubt, power and morality. Set in a small-town school in Punjab, the play raises questions about truth, silence and the grey areas in between. With its suspenseful plot and impactful characters, this production promises to be a thought-provoking experience for the audience. Imran Iftikhar further added, "This is not just a milestone for me as a director and translator but a historic moment for Pakistani theatre. To my knowledge, this is the first time a Pulitzer Prize-winning play is being officially produced in Pakistan. Bringing this globally acclaimed work to our local stage is a huge responsibility — and an opportunity to elevate the standards of theatre productions in the region." He hopes that "this production will open new doors for international theatre in Pakistan and spark critical conversations about ethics, education and truth." Chand Nagar Cultural Centre is dedicated to telling bold, thought-provoking, and relevant stories through theatre and arts in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The play is translated into Urdu by Adil Yousaf, directed by Imran Iftikhar and features a cast of young theatre actors from the twin cities. "Doubt: A Parable" is being brought to life by Chand Nagar Cultural Centre, with the aim of creating a platform for meaningful storytelling and cultural exchange.
