Category Archives: sports

Mohsin Naqvi to receive honor amid Asia Cup trophy row

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**Mohsin Naqvi to Receive Honor Amid Asia Cup Trophy Row**
*By Gaurav Tripathi | Oct 04, 2025, 10:32 AM*

Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and chief of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is set to be honored with the Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Excellence Gold Medal, according to a report by The President. This prestigious award acknowledges Naqvi’s principled stance during the controversial Asia Cup final trophy handover, where he retained the trophy after Indian players refused to accept it.

### Award Justification: Restoring National Pride

Advocate Ghulam Abbas Jamal, announcing the decision on behalf of the Sindh and Karachi Basketball Associations, emphasized that Naqvi’s actions had “restored national pride” amid heightened political and sporting tensions between Pakistan and India. The move to honor Naqvi has garnered widespread support across Pakistan’s political and sports communities.

Organizers view this award not only as a gesture of respect but also as a symbolic message affirming national dignity.

### Upcoming Award Ceremony

A formal ceremony to present the award is being planned in Karachi, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expected to attend as the chief guest. The exact date will be finalized once Bhutto confirms his availability.

To oversee the event, a special committee has been formed, led by Sindh Basketball Association Chairman Khalid Jameel Shamsi, with Director Sports Commissioner Karachi Ghulam Muhammad Khan acting as secretary.

### Naqvi’s Response to the Trophy Controversy

Following the incident, Mohsin Naqvi retained the Asia Cup trophy and took to social media to state that the Indian team was “welcome” to collect it from the ACC headquarters if they wished.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Naqvi asserted, “I did nothing wrong, and I did not—and will not—apologize to BCCI,” responding to reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took offense at his actions.

### Context of the Asia Cup Final Controversy

The Asia Cup final was overshadowed by political tensions, with India enforcing a strict “no handshake” policy with Pakistani players. Despite winning the match, the Indian team refused to accept the trophy from Naqvi, igniting a diplomatic stir.

The BCCI has raised the matter at the ACC’s annual meeting and is expected to escalate the issue further at the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) session scheduled for November.

—

This development highlights the ongoing complex relationship between cricket and politics in the region, drawing attention to how sporting events often reflect broader diplomatic challenges.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/mohsin-naqvi-to-receive-top-national-honor-for-this-reason/story

Cony football steamrolls Fryeburg, moves atop Class B North

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**AUGUSTA — Cony Rams Dominate Fryeburg Academy in Pine Tree Conference Showdown**

A highly anticipated battle between the No. 1 and No. 2 unbeaten teams in the Pine Tree Conference turned into a one-sided affair Friday at Fuller Field. The Cony Rams sent a clear message that they are the team to beat in the league, dominating every aspect of the game, especially with their prolific passing attack.

Cony rolled to a commanding 53-7 victory over Fryeburg Academy in a matchup of the top Class B North teams. Led by a stellar first-half performance from quarterback Parker Morin, who completed 13 of 19 passes for 281 yards and four touchdowns, the Rams surged to a 47-7 halftime lead.

“Fryeburg is obviously a good program and a well-coached team, so to come out and play like we did in that first half was a really big statement,” said Cony coach B.L. Lippert. “Our offense just really clicked all game, and we played pretty well defensively for the most part.”

### How It Happened

Cony (5-0) was unstoppable through the air in the first half. Morin connected on eight completions of 20 yards or more, finding receivers Anderson Noyes, Landen Perry, Ethan Demmons, and Cooper Clark for touchdown receptions of 11, 25, 45, and 25 yards respectively. Remarkably, the Rams scored on every drive of the first half.

“Our chemistry is unbelievable,” Morin said. “It’s the little stuff like going to a buddy’s house and playing a little cornhole with them or coming on a Monday night and throwing the ball around in the summer that really builds that and helps you out in the fall.”

Defensively, the Rams completely shut down Fryeburg’s (4-1) running game, limiting the Raiders to just 24 yards on 17 carries. While Benny Arnason made occasional big plays through the air, Cony’s defense sacked him four times and forced two interceptions.

“It all just starts on Monday with film and doing a little install,” said Austin Bucknam, who recorded two sacks on Arnason in the first half. “You just work at it all week, watch the guy in front of you; when he moves, you move. Just find the ball and hit the ball.”

### What It Means

With the win, Cony stands alone atop Class B North. The Rams and Raiders had been the clear leaders in the region entering the week, with no other team better than 1-3. This victory cements Cony as runaway favorites in the league.

Coach Lippert also reached a major milestone, becoming the winningest coach in Cony history with 58 wins, surpassing Dana Dogherty’s record (1942-52). Now in his 10th season, Lippert has guided the Rams to consistent contention and has assured them of an eighth consecutive winning season.

“Watching this program as a kid, I always saw him as a coach, and I’m like, ‘Man, he’s been here for a while,’” Morin said. “To finally see him do that, it’s awesome; I couldn’t be more happy for him.”

For Fryeburg, the loss marked their first in almost a calendar year. The Raiders had won eight straight games since a narrow 21-20 defeat to Wells on Oct. 18, 2024, and captured a Class C state title along the way.

### They Said It

“Trying to shut (Fryeburg star player) Ty Boone down is a full-time job. He got us once on a fade ball, but I thought we mostly did pretty well against him,” Lippert said. “They did move it on us a little bit, but we did well enough to keep them out, and our offense just really got going.”

### Stat Leaders

**Fryeburg:**
– Benny Arnason: 8 of 19 passing, 170 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
– Ty Boone: 2 receptions, 88 yards
– Ted Carter: 3 receptions, 52 yards

**Cony:**
– Parker Morin: 13 of 19 passing, 281 yards, 4 touchdowns
– Anderson Noyes: 6 carries, 27 yards, 1 touchdown; 4 receptions, 65 yards, 1 touchdown
– Ethan Demmons: 3 catches, 57 yards, 1 touchdown; blocked punt for touchdown
– Austin Bucknam: 2 sacks

### Up Next

– **Fryeburg:** vs. Lawrence, 6:30 p.m. Friday
– **Cony:** at Skowhegan, 7 p.m. Friday
https://www.centralmaine.com/2025/10/03/cony-football-steamrolls-fryeburg-moves-atop-class-b-north/

Tommy Fleetwood gets honest about his son taking up ‘too much of the spotlight’

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Tommy Fleetwood recently opened up about his son, Frankie, who has been stepping into the spotlight.

During his post-round interview, Fleetwood shared his thoughts on Frankie’s rising presence and the attention he has been receiving.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/golf/news-tommy-fleetwood-gets-honest-son-taking-too-much-spotlight

“Typical terrible Sean McVay 4th & 1 call”: Bill Simmons goes off on Rams HC over questionable play calling in upset loss to 49ers

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Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay has come under scrutiny for his decision on a crucial play in the 26-23 overtime loss against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday.

The Rams had an underwhelming first half against the 49ers but came back roaring in the second half to take the game into overtime. However, McVay called a run into the line on fourth-and-1 instead of kicking a field goal on the drive. The 49ers read the play and stopped it for no gain.

Bill Simmons sounded off on the Rams coach for his decision that played a huge role in the loss.

“Rams went for it on a typical fourth-and-1 call, typical terrible Sean McVay fourth-and-1 call,” Simmons said. “For what a genius he is as an offensive mind and I think he is one of the best five or six coaches, it’s stunning how bad some of his big fourth-and-1 or season on the line or game on the line calls are.”

Following the loss, McVay acknowledged that he had made a mistake with his decision in the post-game conference.

“Bad call by me,” McVay said. “Thought about maybe trying to draw them offsides, I took one [timeout], they took the other and it was a poor decision by me right there.”

### Sean McVay Felt “Sick” for Putting His Players in a Tough Spot

McVay admitted that it’s his job to put his players in the best positions, something he failed to do against the 49ers. He also talked about thinking about kicking a field goal on the play.

“In hindsight, I wish I would’ve,” McVay said. “We came in here to try to win the football game. It didn’t go down for us, that wasn’t even a thought. But the play selection was very poor, I’m sick right now because I put our players in a shitty spot and I got to live with that.”

McVay is looking to bounce back from the loss and expects a strong performance from his players against the Baltimore Ravens in the Week 6 game on Sunday.

—

**About the author**
*Chaitanya Prakash* is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game. Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya’s curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America’s favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya’s favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuña Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista’s iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players’ self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

—

**LA Rams Nation!**
Check out the latest [Rams Schedule](#) and dive into the [LA Rams Depth Chart](#) for NFL Season 2024-25.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-typical-terrible-sean-mcvay-4th-1-call-bill-simmons-goes-rams-hc-questionable-play-calling-upset-loss-49ers

F1: Lewis Hamilton thanks ‘overwhelming’ response to Roscoe’s death

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Lewis Hamilton on Thursday thanked people within the tight-knit Formula One family and beyond for their messages of support following the death of his beloved dog. He described the response as “quite overwhelming.”

The seven-time Formula One world champion revealed that it had been the “hardest decision” of his life to put his 12-year-old bulldog, Roscoe, down.
https://sports.inquirer.net/642808/f1-lewis-hamilton-thanks-overwhelming-response-to-roscoes-death

KL Rahul becomes fourth Indian opener with 10 Test tons

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Veteran Indian opener KL Rahul achieved a significant milestone on Day 2 of the opening Test against the West Indies.

Playing at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, Rahul scored his 11th Test century.

His performance was instrumental in setting a strong foundation for the Indian team in the match.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/kl-rahul-attains-this-record-with-hundred-in-ahmedabad-test/story

Alyssa Thomas vs A’ja Wilson: Closer look at battles between MVP rivals ahead of 2025 WNBA Finals duel

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The 2025 WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces showcases a thrilling duel between two of the league’s best players — Alyssa Thomas and MVP A’ja Wilson.

Thomas, who placed third in MVP voting, delivered arguably the finest season of her career, averaging 15.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game. She guided Phoenix to a 27-17 record and the No. 4 seed, then led them past the defending champion New York Liberty and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the postseason.

Wilson, meanwhile, closed the season on a tear, powering the Aces to a 16-game win streak that pushed them into second place. She put up 23.4 points per game, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, along with 1.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per contest. Las Vegas finished 30-14 and defeated the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever to book their ticket to the Finals.

Here’s a breakdown of how the two stars have fared against each other.

### Alyssa Thomas vs. A’ja Wilson: Head-to-Head

In regular-season matchups, Wilson holds an 11-6 career edge over Thomas. This season, the Mercury won their first meeting 76-70, with Thomas tallying 14 points and 13 assists, while Wilson sat out.

In the second clash, Wilson erupted for 26 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists to lift the Aces to an 84-81 win. Thomas posted 16 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in that game.

The next two contests went to Las Vegas as part of their season-ending streak. In an 86-83 victory on August 15, Wilson dropped 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Thomas logged 15 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

Their final regular-season matchup ended in an 83-61 blowout for the Aces, with Wilson contributing 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Thomas countered with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

For the season, Thomas averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in three games against Wilson, while Wilson put up 25.0 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.

### Alyssa Thomas vs. A’ja Wilson: Playoff History

Their rivalry stretches back to Thomas’s Connecticut Sun days. In the 2020 playoffs, Wilson’s Aces edged Thomas’s Sun 3-2 before falling to the Seattle Storm in the Finals.

In 2022, the two met again on the Finals stage, with Las Vegas winning the championship in four games.

Across nine playoff games head-to-head, Wilson has averaged 21.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game, while Thomas has posted 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.

As the 2025 WNBA Finals tip off, the battle between these two stars will be a key storyline to watch.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/wnba/alyssa-thomas-vs-a-ja-wilson-closer-look-battles-mvp-rivals-ahead-2025-wnba-finals-duel

Alyssa Thomas vs A’ja Wilson: Closer look at battles between MVP rivals ahead of 2025 WNBA Finals duel

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The 2025 WNBA Finals between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces showcases a thrilling duel between two of the league’s best players — Alyssa Thomas and MVP A’ja Wilson.

Thomas, who placed third in MVP voting, delivered arguably the finest season of her career, averaging 15.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game. She guided Phoenix to a 27-17 record and the No. 4 seed, then led the Mercury past the defending champion New York Liberty and top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the postseason.

Wilson, meanwhile, closed the season on a tear, powering the Aces to a 16-game win streak that pushed them into second place. She put up 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, along with 1.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per contest. Las Vegas finished with a 30-14 record and defeated the Seattle Storm and Indiana Fever to book their ticket to the Finals.

Here’s a breakdown of how the two stars have fared against each other.

### Alyssa Thomas vs. A’ja Wilson: Head-to-Head

In regular-season matchups, Wilson holds an 11-6 career edge over Thomas. This season, the Mercury won their first meeting 76-70, with Thomas tallying 14 points and 13 assists, while Wilson sat out.

In the second clash, Wilson erupted for 26 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists to lift the Aces to an 84-81 win. Thomas posted 16 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds in that game.

The next two contests went to Las Vegas as part of their season-ending streak. In an 86-83 victory on August 15, Wilson dropped 30 points and 16 rebounds, while Thomas logged 15 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

Their final regular-season matchup ended in an 83-61 blowout for the Aces, with Wilson contributing 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Thomas countered with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists.

For the season, Thomas averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in three games against Wilson. Wilson, on the other hand, put up 25.0 points, 15.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in those matchups.

### Alyssa Thomas vs. A’ja Wilson: Playoff History

Their rivalry stretches back to Thomas’ Connecticut Sun days. In the 2020 playoffs, Wilson’s Aces edged Thomas’ Sun 3-2 before falling to the Seattle Storm in the Finals.

In 2022, the two met again on the Finals stage, with Las Vegas winning the championship in four games.

Across nine playoff games head-to-head, Wilson has averaged 21.0 points per game, 10.1 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks, while Thomas has posted 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.

As these two stars face off once more in the 2025 WNBA Finals, fans can expect an intense and memorable showdown between Alyssa Thomas and A’ja Wilson.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/wnba/alyssa-thomas-vs-a-ja-wilson-closer-look-battles-mvp-rivals-ahead-2025-wnba-finals-duel

“Hutson is gonna cost 12M”: NHL fans react as Jackson LaCombe becomes Ducks’ highest-paid player ever following $72M contract extension

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Jackson LaCombe has made history with the Anaheim Ducks by becoming the highest-paid player in the franchise’s history.

The defenseman recently signed an impressive eight-year contract valued at $72 million.

Fans have reacted enthusiastically to the news, celebrating this significant milestone for both LaCombe and the Ducks organization.

This landmark deal reflects the team’s confidence in LaCombe’s talent and potential as a key player moving forward.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-hutson-gonna-cost-12m-nhl-fans-react-jackson-lacombe-becomes-ducks-highest-paid-player-ever-following-72m-contract-extension

“Hutson is gonna cost 12M”: NHL fans react as Jackson LaCombe becomes Ducks’ highest-paid player ever following $72M contract extension

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Fans have been abuzz with excitement following a landmark moment in Anaheim Ducks history. Jackson LaCombe has officially become the highest-paid player in the franchise’s history.

The defenseman signed an impressive eight-year contract valued at $72 million. This deal not only reflects his exceptional talent but also the Ducks’ commitment to building a strong future around him.

Supporters took to social media to share their reactions, celebrating LaCombe’s achievement and what it means for the team moving forward. With this significant investment, the Anaheim Ducks are clearly placing their trust in LaCombe as a cornerstone of their lineup for years to come.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-hutson-gonna-cost-12m-nhl-fans-react-jackson-lacombe-becomes-ducks-highest-paid-player-ever-following-72m-contract-extension