Pawshe edges past Muddappa to win title in Unrestricted class
Chennai, Dec 28: Mumbai’s Hanuman Pawshe snatched the title in the premier Unrestricted class after defending champion Hemanth Muddappa was penalised for jump start in the final run to provide a dramatic finish to the MMSC fmsci Indian National Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship 2025 at the Madras International Circuit, here on Sunday. Going into the fourth and final round on Sunday, both Pawshe and Bengaluru’s Muddappa were tied on 55 points, with the former’s teammate Alimon Saidalvi two points adrift of the leaders. In the final run today, Muddappa was pulled up for a jump start, which left Pawshe the championship winner in this category ahead of Saidalvi and Muddappa. Muddappa, however, salvaged the concluding round by winning the championship in two other categories to take his National title count to 17. A fourth-place finish in the Super Sport 4-Stroke 1051-1650cc class, which fetched him 14 points, was sufficient for Muddappa to clinch the title from Mujahid Pasha, who finished second overall in the championship. (IANS)
Pakistan recall Shadab for T20I series vs Sri Lanka
Lahore, Dec 28: Pakistan have recalled all-rounder Shadab Khan for next month’s T20I series in Sri Lanka but have not called back top batter Babar Azam or fast bowler Shaheen Afridi from the Big Bash League in Australia for the series. Shadab makes a comeback for the three-match series beginning January 7, 2026 after being sidelined since June this year due to a shoulder surgery. He returned to competitive cricket with a stint in the Big Bash league this month where he has performed better than his other country-mates. Babar, Shaheen, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali and Muhammad Rizwan, the other Pakistan players in the BBL, didn’t get a call-up and will continue to play in the Australian league. All these players had given their consent to the Pakistan Cricket Board to return from Australia if the selectors required their services. But since the PCB had given an assurance to Cricket Australia that all the Pakistan players they sign up for the BBL would be available for the season, the board decided they could manage the Sri Lanka series with the current bench strength. Barring the selection of uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay and the recall of Abdul Samad, there are no other surprises in the 15-member squad led by Salman Ali Agha. The selection of Nafay, not a big performer even in domestic cricket, comes as a surprise, given that this is a crucial series ahead of the T20 World Cup being hosted by India and Sri Lanka early next year. (PTI)
Pak kabbadi player gets indefinite ban for representing Indian team
Karachi, Dec 28: A well-known Pakistan international kabaddi player, Ubaidullah Rajput, has been banned indefinitely by the national federation after he appeared for an Indian team in a private tournament in Bahrain earlier this month. The Pakistan Kabaddi Federation (PKF) imposed the ban following an emergency meeting on Saturday, finding Rajput guilty of travelling abroad to play in the tournament without obtaining a mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the federation or other relevant authorities. PKF secretary Rana Sarwar said Rajput has the right to appeal before a disciplinary committee. Sarwar said the federation took serious note of the fact that Rajput not only travelled overseas without an NOC but also represented a team from India, wore its jersey and, at one point, wrapped the Indian flag around his shoulders after winning a match. “But he (Rajput) has claimed it was a total misunderstanding and he was never told the team he would play for in the private tournament would be an Indian side. But he is still guilty of flouting NOC rules,” Sarwar said. (PTI)
