Latest news with #GeoNews
News18
a day ago
- Sport
- News18
WCL Semifinals Scenarios: Will India Vs Pakistan Be Cancelled Again?
India Champions are scheduled to face Pakistan Champions on Thursday in the semifinal of the 2025 World Championship of Legends. Amidst the diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, a veterans' T20 tournament is in the spotlight with the cricket teams of the two countries taking part in it. After their meeting earlier in the World Championship of Legends was cancelled with India players withdrawing their names, the two rivals are set to clash again after making it to the semifinals stage. Pakistan Champions qualified after topping the group stage with four wins and one no result from five matches while India Champions finished fourth after one win, one no result and three defeats. WCL 2025 Semifinal Lineups The format of the tournament is such that the top-four teams after the end of the league stage will advance to the semifinals. The team at the top of the points table will take on the fourth-placed side in the first semifinal on Thursday. On the same day, the second and fourth placed teams will square off in the second semifinal. As per the format, India will face Pakistan in the first semifinal while South Africa face Australia in the second semifinal. Will India-Pakistan Semifinal Clash Be Cancelled? Given the outrage over an Indian team comprising yesteryear stars like Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina facing Pakistan, their league stage contest was called off. Dhawan and Raina confirmed their withdrawal via social media following which the match was abandoned with the two teams receiving a point each. Now, the big question: Will the semifinal match be called off too? Given what's riding on the outcome on this contest, it appears unlikely that it will be called off. However, Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan had earlier said that the schedule of the tournament will remain unaffected but a semifinal clash between the two teams will be avoided. 'As for the semifinals and final, we're currently saying that if we make it to the semifinals, there will be four teams, and we will avoid matches between the two teams," Kamil was quoted as saying by GeoNews. Should that happen, India Champions might end up facing either Australia or South Africa in their semifinal clash. What If It's India vs Pakistan in WCL Final? The organisers will have another headache should both India and Pakistan win their respective semifinal matches and end up meeting in the title clash. Will the final go ahead or be called off with both teams declared as joint winners? Or the team finishing the league stage at the top will be picked as the winner? tags : Australia Champions India Champions Pakistan Champions South Africa Champions World Championship of Legends view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 08:46 IST News cricket WCL Semifinals Scenarios: Will India Vs Pakistan Be Cancelled Again? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
4 days ago
- Climate
- News18
Monsoon Exposes Pakistan's Infra, Nearly Half Of 266 Killed During Rains Are Kids
Last Updated: In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and claimed 1,700 lives. Amid ongoing monsoon season in Pakistan, nearly half of the 266 people killed so far were children, many on their national school holidays, Geo News reported. The deadly consequence of the monsoon has once again exposed the Pakistani government's chronic failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens. Since June 26, 126 children have lost their lives due to unusually heavy monsoon rains, with the highest number of casualties reported in Punjab, where rainfall is 70 per cent above last year's levels. Further, school closures left many children unsupervised, increasing their risk of exposure to flash floods, electrocution, drowning, and building collapses. Geo News reported that Mazhar Hussain from the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Agency acknowledged, 'Children are very vulnerable to this situation," but his remarks only highlighted the lack of preventive safety measures. 'They are playing in the water, bathing, and electricity shocks can happen," he told Geo News. Critics argue that these comments underlined Pakistan's failure to implement basic safety infrastructure and emergency protocols, despite facing heavy monsoons every year. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed 266 fatalities nationwide, with hundreds more injured. News agency ANI reported that in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, a landslide swept away vehicles in a popular tourist destination. In another tragic incident in late June, 13 tourists died after flash floods swept through a riverbank shelter. Monsoon rains are critical for Pakistan's agriculture, supplying 70% to 80% of the country's annual precipitation between late June and September. However, they also bring repeated devastation due to the country's reactive disaster response. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and claimed 1,700 lives. Yet, little has changed. As this year's death toll rises, especially among children, the ongoing crisis reflects a stark pattern: ordinary citizens continue to suffer the consequences of systemic neglect. view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 18:27 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India.com
4 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
Shikhar Dhawan opens up on possible return if India face Pakistan in WCL semifinal, says...
Shahid Afridi (L), Shikhar Dhawan (R) Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan stated that questions about a potential India-Pakistan clash in the World Championship of Legends are being raised at the wrong time. However, He said that since he didn't participate in the league-stage match and chose to boycott it, he won't play in the semi finals either. The India Champions where suppose to play against Pakistan Champions in highly-anticipated clash at Edgbaston on Sunday, July 20. It was also a rematch of last season's final, where India clinched the inaugural World Championship of Legends title. However, the match was eventually cancelled following widespread backlash on social media against the Indian team, three months after the Pahalgam attack. Shikhar Dhawan breaks silence on return for IND-PAK WCL semifinal A week after the incident, Dhawan was questioned about the possibility of playing against Pakistan in a potential semifinal clash. 'You're asking this question at the wrong time and place; you shouldn't have asked it. And even if I didn't play earlier, I still won't play now,' Dhawan was quoted as saying by Geo News. Shikhar Dhawan angry reply on If Pakistan reaches the semi-final against you… will you still play, or ask for a day off? 😄🇵🇰🇮🇳 #WCL25 — Ahtasham Riaz (@ahtashamriaz22) July 26, 2025 India might not face Pakistan unless they win their remaining matches against England and the West Indies. India Champions are currently at the bottom India are currently at the bottom of the points table, as they have faced two defeats out of the first three games. India champions are looking for their first victory this WCL season. Meanwhile, Pakistan is currently at the second spot after three consecutive wins. Following the April terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, India initiated a military operation targeting terror infrastructure in both Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Since then, relations between the two nations have deteriorated significantly. Dhawan said that he had earlier informed the World Championship of Legends organisers of his decision.'This is to formally reiterate that Mr Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This discussion was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025,' Dhawan shared a screenshot of his statement.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Shikhar Dhawan sets record straight on playing if India face Pakistan in WCL 2025 semis: 'You shouldn't have asked this'
India Champions batter Shikhar Dhawan opened up about whether he would participate in the match against Pakistan Champions if the two faced each other in the semifinal round of the ongoing second season of World Championship of Legends in Birmingham. Dhawan's comment came exactly a week after India pulled out of their league fixture against Pakistan, leaving the organisers to cancel the game. Shikhar Dhawan is part of India Champions side in WCL 2025 Last Sunday, India Champions were to face Pakistan Champions in a highly anticipated clash at Edgbaston. It was also a repeat of last season's finale, where India won to lift the inaugural WCL title. However, several players pulled out of the match, citing the current geopolitical scenario between the two nations in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 this year. WCL then called off the clash and apologised to the Indian unit for "unintentionally causing discomfort." A week after India's narrow loss to Australia, Shikhar Dhawan was asked if he would play against Pakistan Champions in a potential semifinal. The veteran batter firmly ruled out the possibility. "You're asking this question at the wrong time and place — you shouldn't have asked it. And even if I didn't play earlier, I still won't play now," Dhawan was quoted by Geo News. As it stands, India are less likely to face Pakistan in the knockouts unless they win their remaining two matches—against England and the West Indies. The defending champions currently sit at the bottom of the table with two defeats from three games and have yet to open their accounts this season. Pakistan are placed second after a hat-trick of wins. They will play their final game against Australia. What happened last Sunday in WCL 2025? Earlier last week, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan, and Yusuf Pathan were among the first to pull out of the league game against Pakistan Champions, although there was no official confirmation about it. The first official confirmation of a player withdrawal came in the early hours of Monday, when Dhawan shared a statement on X, making it clear that he had taken the call due to the current "geopolitical" situation between India and Pakistan. "This is to formally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025," read his statement. After as many as six Indian players pulled out of the game, the organisers were left with no choice but to cancel the match. "After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL, just to create some happy memories for people around the globe. "But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions," the WCL statement read.
India.com
4 days ago
- India.com
Pakistani TikToker Sumeera Rajput Found Dead, Daughter Alleges Poisoned For Refusing Marriage: Report
New Delhi: Sumeera Rajput, a TikTok content creator known for her videos on the platform where she had amassed over 58,000 followers and more than one million likes, was found dead under mysterious circumstances at her home in the Bago Wah area of Sindh's Ghotki district, as reported by Geo News. District Police Officer (DPO) Anwar Shaikh told the media that Rajput's 15-year-old daughter alleged her mother had been poisoned. According to the daughter, several individuals had been pressuring Rajput into a forced marriage. She claimed that these individuals gave her mother poisonous tablets, which led to her death, Geo News reported. Rajput's body was moved to a local hospital for a post-mortem examination. Dr. Sarwanand, the medical superintendent, stated that the initial examination showed no signs of physical violence, though samples have been sent to a laboratory to determine the precise cause of death. Police have taken two individuals into custody for questioning. However, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered so far. Authorities said the motive remains unclear and that they are investigating multiple angles to determine if foul play was involved. This incident follows a disturbing trend of violence against female content creators in Pakistan. Just last month, 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf was reportedly shot dead inside her home in Islamabad's Sector G-13/1. Yousaf, who had more than 740,000 followers on the platform, was with her aunt at the time of the shooting. Also Read | Who Was Sana Yousaf? 17-Year-Old Pakistani TikToker Shot Dead In Islamabad: Report Islamabad Police arrested the suspect, Umar Hayat, also known by the nickname 'Kaka,' within 20 hours in Faisalabad. The case, as reported by Geo News, sent shockwaves through the online community and reignited conversations about the increasing risks faced by women in the digital space.
