PUNJAB'S SPORTS REVOLUTION: VOLLEYBALL RISING, HOCKEY'S COMEBACK & FIFA 2026 FINAL HYPE

The Punjab Sports Board's motto is to bring youth into playgrounds and raise the province's pool of international sportsmen. There is no paucity of talent in Punjab. This month, we are organizing the CM Punjab Academies Games, and next month, the Sports Board Punjab, in collaboration with the PCB, is launching the CM Punjab Cricket League, to be contested among 12 teams. We have already selected young fast bowlers with phenomenal pace, clocking speeds of over 140 km/h. — Tariq Qureshi Pakistan's volleyball age-group and senior teams are delivering excellent results. Twelve of our volleyball players are currently playing in private leagues in Europe and Iran, earning between fifty thousand and one hundred thousand US dollars per season over a four-to-five-month period. The Pakistan Volleyball Federation is organizing the South and Central Asian Volleyball Championship in Islamabad, running from 12 to 29 July this month. — Ch. Muhammad Yaqoob It was the federal government's advice to send the Pakistan team to participate in the FIH Pro League, but the PHF was hesitant, as we believe it would be a premature decision to take part in this coveted event at this stage. The recent Women's Hockey Championship saw excellent participation from girls across Pakistan. We have honestly assessed our weaknesses in men's field hockey; our team will visit Korea ahead of the FIH World Cup, as we need to improve our world ranking before launching a Pakistan Hockey League. — Samiullah Khan For the FIFA World Cup final, Argentina holds the edge over finalists Spain. Messi remains the most popular footballer in the tournament, with Palmer not far behind. The United States has proven itself among the best sports organizers, and FIFA World Cup 2026 is one of the most successfully run sporting events I have covered so far. — Ashraf Chaudary