Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi does find it hard to leave out India and the Indian cricket team from his conversations with journalists. When questioned over Pakistan’s harrowing performance on the England tour, which saw them lose the first two Tests, Naqvi played down the debacle, saying that even the Indian team lost to Ireland recently. Naqvi, who brought sweeping changes to the Pakistan senior team after the Babar Azam-led side lost the first couple of Tests, has been at the centre of severe criticism for playing musical chairs at almost every position in the team, as well as in the support staff. 

Speaking to the media in London, Naqvi cited other teams’ losses to weaker opponents to assert that a few setbacks do not define an outfit. Clearly irritated by the criticism from all quarters, Naqvi, who is also Pakistan’s Interior Minister, said it was unfair to claim that the country’s cricket is at its worst right now.

“Let me ask you one thing: South Africa lost to Namibia, and India lost to Ireland. Has cricket ended there as well?” Naqvi said over questions around the Pakistan team’s credentials 

“You used to be ranked eighth in ODIs, which has now gone up to fifth. You have had six ODI series, out of which you have won four, but still, our cricket is finished?” he said.

“Our success rate has gone up from 24 per cent to 73 per cent, and I’m not talking about just one or the other specific match, but still, our cricket is finished?”

Naqvi, however, admitted that the Pakistan team doesn’t have the star power that they once used to have. Hence, he said that the task of taking the current team to the highs of the old times, is going to take time.

The Pakistani team has drawn criticism from former stars such as Shahid Afridi, Mohammed Yousuf and Rashid Latif among others 

“Those players who have never achieved anything in their lives, when they talk along these lines, that’s unreasonable,” he said, adding that he sought opinions from ex-players constantly.

“Sometimes there are mistakes made in selection as well. I am answerable for that, and we need to work on it,” he said, adding that sometimes it was necessary to remove players if they do not perform.

“Yes, one thing is important: whoever we need here, we will definitely bring in. If someone is not clicking or not performing, then what can we do? Every match and every series is important for us,” he added. 

With PTI Inputs

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Hugh Jackman wants to join his fellow Hollywood star and friend Ryan Reynolds in owning part of a soccer club in the English leagues.

Jackman has long been a fan of Norwich, his mother’s home city in the east of England. The Wolverine star was asked in an interview broadcast on Thursday if he would like to “buy a bit” of the club which is majority owned by Mark Attanasio, the Milwaukee Brewers principal owner.

“I’m very, very interested in talking about it right now,” he told British broadcaster TalkSport while promoting his new movie, “The Death of Robin Hood.”

“You’re the first one to know that. There’s a little exclusive,” Jackman said when asked if he would “follow suit” with Reynolds, who put Wrexham on the global soccer and culture map after buying the club with Rob Mac in 2021.

Norwich and Wrexham are now rivals in the English second-tier Championship, though Jackman’s team has the more illustrious history. Norwich last played in the Premier League four years ago, and had perhaps its finest moment in 1993, eliminating German power Bayern Munich in the old UEFA Cup.

“Good on Ryan, you do your thing, I’m all about the Canaries,” Jackman said, citing Norwich’s nickname linked to the team’s distinctive yellow and green uniform.

Norwich and Wrexham both are expected to be contenders this season to earn promotion to the Premier League, the world’s most valuable club soccer competition.

“I think it’s an exciting team and it’s going to be an exciting year,” Jackman said, praising Norwich’s turnaround since hiring Belgian coach Philippe Clement last November.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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(4:30) – Boone advice #1: Draft RBs early

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Barry-Murphy took the reins at Cardiff during a difficult period for the club after their first relegation to the third tier in 22 years.

The former Rochdale manager exceeded the average 277-day tenure of his predecessors by March of this year, when the Bluebirds were second in League One.

And like Warnock he delivered a promotion, although his came in the first season, to get Cardiff back into the Championship at the first attempt.

By winning 34 of his 62 games in charge of the Bluebirds thus far, Barry-Murphy has achieved that goal more often than not.

Average attendances for home games increased in League One – despite relegation the previous season – and will likely do so again this campaign.

The emergence of several talented youngsters and the style of play adopted during his spell has rejuvenated the feeling among Cardiff fans.

And after three draws and a defeat to start the campaign, the question now is whether he can maintain the positive feeling in the Championship.

Barry-Murphy is confident of it, even after a quiet transfer deadline day, during which Cardiff were unable to sign the targets their head coach wanted.

Many fans have voiced their concern about a lack of squad depth, with only four players recruited at the Cardiff City Stadium this summer.

But Barry-Murphy feels he has been backed in the transfer window and is pleased with the players at his disposal for a gruelling Championship season.

There would be no better way for the Irishman to mark his latest Bluebirds achievement than to claim his first Championship win on Saturday.

Andy Ruiz Jr has underlined the seriousness of his latest comeback by weighing in at his lightest for eight years ahead of Friday night’s fight with Damian Knyba.

The former unified heavyweight world champion tipped the scales at 254.3lbs in Newark, New Jersey, ahead of his first fight since drawing with Jarrell Miller in August 2024, during which the Mexican-American broke his hand.

It is the leanest Ruiz has been on the scales since his July 2018 win over Kevin Johnson, when he weighed 252lbs.

MAIN EVENT WEIGH-IN RESULTS

⚖️ @Andy_destroyer1 – 254.3lbs
⚖️ Damian Knyba- 255.5lbs#RuizKnyba live on @DAZNBoxing & @TNTSportsUS tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/z5k8ohCSkU

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) September 3, 2026

‘The Destroyer’ weighed 268lbs when he shocked Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in June 2019 to capture the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles, before coming in considerably heavier at 283.7lbs for the rematch six months later.

Joshua regained the belts on points in Saudi Arabia, with Ruiz later admitting he had come into the contest too heavy after not taking his preparations seriously enough.

Ruiz has fought only three times since that defeat, beating Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz before his majority draw with Miller.

He has now reunited with Manny Robles, the trainer who guided him to the career-defining first victory over Joshua.

Knyba weighed 255.5lbs, leaving barely a pound between the heavyweights despite the Pole boasting a considerable advantage in height and reach. The 30-year-old stands 6ft 7in and enters the contest looking to claim by far the biggest victory of his career.

The fight takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark on Friday, September 4, with Ruiz returning to the venue where he last fought more than a decade ago.

For the 36-year-old in his first fight under Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing banner, the aim is to prove that another run towards the top of the heavyweight division remains possible.

Whatever follows, arriving at 254.3lbs gives Ruiz a notably different look from the fighter who contested the two defining bouts of his career against Joshua in 2019.

Soccer teams across Argentina will pay tribute to Lionel Messi with a mid-game minute of applause during their next match following his decision to retire from international duty.

Referees will pause play at the 10-minute mark of every match in the upcoming round of the Clausura tournament, as well as in other men’s and women’s leagues in Argentina, in appreciation of Messi’s career with the national team, the Argentine Football Association said late Wednesday.

The 39-year-old Messi, who wore the No. 10 jersey for Argentina, announced on Monday he will no longer play for the national team after 21 years of service. He led Argentina to the World Cup title in 2022 as well as two other World Cup finals, and made 207 appearances and scored 125 goals — both national records.

Messi, who is idolized in Argentina, has never played professionally in his home country. He moved to Barcelona at the age of 13 to began a once-in-a-generation career and is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time.

Messi is continuing to play at club level with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

“Showtime!”

Week 1 of the 2026 college football season commences on Thursday night, kicking off a five-day slate where at least one game is played across the sport.

FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst, Joel Klatt, shared his picks for the biggest games of the week on the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Podcast.” 

Klatt’s Thoughts: “This [LSU] defense really should be able to shut down Clemson in this matchup. You’ve got [defensive coordinator] Blake Baker back. Princewill Umanmielen transfers with Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss. This guy’s an excellent defensive end. They’re talented out there. You got [linebacker] Whit Weeks. This is a good team. You got Sam Leavitt, an experienced quarterback. … Lane always has a good offense. This team should be good. They should be ready to go, and it comes down to execution. How quickly can they learn this system and execute?

“Baker has been there before, so it shouldn’t take that long for these guys to really get acquainted with this defense, and that’s where I think that they dominate this game.”

Klatt’s Pick: “In that environment, with that type of energy, I like LSU, 31-14.”

Klatt’s Thoughts: “It could look sloppy at times, and we’ll see if Louisville can take advantage. Louisville has been a team that has constantly defeated really good opponents like Miami and JMU. When [head coach] Jeff Brohm was at Purdue, he was really the “Spoilermaker.” They know how to do this, but I do think Ole Miss, in the end, is going to have too much because I think Trinidad Chambliss is the most unique quarterback in the country in that he’s the most threatening both outside of the pocket and inside the pocket.

“That’s going to be very difficult for Louisville and its new defensive coordinator [Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis are co-coordinators] to deal with. He’s [Chambliss] so dynamic.”

Klatt’s Pick: “I think Ole Miss wins the game, 30-21.”

Klatt’s Thoughts: “I think Oregon is further along in its build under Dan Lanning than Boise State. They’ve got more purpose and more urgency with these guys coming back. They’ve got an experienced quarterback in Dante Moore. I believe they can be explosive on offense, and I think they’re going to be absolutely suffocating on defense. The one question I have for Oregon is at offensive coordinator. Drew Mehringer comes in as a promotion from within to replace Will Stein [at offensive coordinator]. We’ll see how he does. I want to see the offense and how it works, very similarly to Ole Miss.

“Boise State had a great pass defense a year ago, but it lost four of its five defensive backs from a year ago. Oregon should really control this game. If they can’t control the game with their offense, they should be able to control the game with their defense, and, more specifically, its defensive line. … think about purpose, think about urgency, think about what this team is actually there to do, and it’s not just go out there and struggle against Boise State.”

Klatt’s Pick: “I like Oregon in this one, 42-13.”

Extragalactic’s pursuit of Group 1 success is set to commence this Saturday in the $750,000 Moir Stakes at Sandown.

Pakenham-based trainer Trent Edmonds will present the four-year-old mare for her initial outing since a narrow second-place finish behind Desert Lightning in The Goodwood, a 1000-metre weight-for-age event.

The outcome of The Goodwood was a hard lesson for Edmonds, but it has only strengthened his resolve to see the Deep Field filly achieve a breakthrough at the highest level.

Edmonds is convinced that Extragalactic has improved significantly during her spell between campaigns.

“I think she’s going better and I couldn’t have her any better for a first-up effort – she’s really on song and she’s right in the spot,” he stated.

“I’m really confident that I’ve got the right horse going there and she’s in the right space.

“She’s filling me with confidence, she’s really well and I can’t have any better.”

The Moir Stakes will be only the eighth appearance in Extragalactic’s career, where she has secured three wins and three second placings.

She is aiming to secure Edmonds’ first solo Black Type win since concluding his partnership with his father Toby, with whom he claimed the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap with Tyzone in 2020.

The Queenslander established his base at Pakenham midway through the 2023/24 season, which was approximately when he acquired Extragalactic for $160,000 at the Magic Millions’ Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

She was the only yearling Edmonds purchased at the 2024 edition of the renowned sale.

As the second foal from the Al Maher mare Alliterate, Extragalactic’s immediate family members do not boast extensive Black Type records, though significant names appear further down her lineage.

Her fourth dam, What Price Glory, is a half-sister to Steam Heat, who serves as the granddam of The Everest victor Yes Yes Yes and the dual Group 1 winner In Her Time (Black Caviar Lightning and The Galaxy).

These established bloodlines, combined with her physical presentation, made Extragalactic a highly sought-after prospect for Edmonds.

“She just looked sharp,” he recalled of his initial observation.

“She wasn’t overly big, but she was a good athlete that had a really good, long, fluent walk and great hind quarter.

“I thought, ‘alright, you’re obviously a pretty good sort and you’re well put-together, even though you’re not overly big, so I’ll have a crack’.”

Extragalactic, born in August 2022, is effectively part of the final progeny group from the sire Deep Field.

He stood for one final season at Newgate Farm in the year Extragalactic was born, producing only seven live foals, with five of those subsequently being named.

“They’re really good, versatile, tough stock and, basically, that was one of the reasons I wanted to buy her,” Edmonds mentioned.

“I liked the sire, I knew that he wasn’t serving anymore, or that her crop was going to be one of his last full teams, and she was in my price range.”

It was not Edmonds’ initial intention to target the Moir Stakes first-up for Extragalactic, but she enters the race without a lead-up run after being scratched from the Group 3 Carlyon Stakes (1000m) on August 22 due to the Heavy track conditions.

The decision was not based on an inability to handle a wet track, which she has a chance to encounter this weekend, but rather a strategic choice to avoid a heavy surface for her preparatory run.

“I scratched her from the Carlyon purely because I didn’t want to rip the guts out of her first-up at 1000, knowing that my first big target for the preparation was in two weeks’ time,” Edmonds explained.

“I wasn’t running away from the Heavy, I was trying to protect her and have her cherry ripe this week rather than trying to patch her back up after a Heavy track run.”

Extragalactic has finished second in both her starts on Soft tracks, including The Goodwood which was run on a Soft 6. Deep Field is recognised as a sire of strong wet-track performers, with a 34.2 percent winners-to-runners ratio and a 16 percent winning strike-rate on Heavy tracks.

Considering a punt? Discover the best racing odds for the Moir Stakes.