Misbah, The Savior - A Fan's view

Misbah has been the savior of Pakistan Cricket Team for years now © Getty Images

He smiled, he half shrugged and started to walk off. Misbah-ul-Haq just thought he was sold the dummy by his partner and was run out. The replays showed that he wasn’t. But it did not matter. Misbah had done his job. Had it not been for Misbah’s knock of 61, Lahore would have battered Islamabad a couple of weeks ago on Saturday and nobody would have complained.

Champions League : Playoffs

The first leg of the Champions League playoffs has been played, and some teams are looking quite comfortable before the second leg that will be played in three of weeks from now.

The only big surprise so far has been Barcelona`s terrible form in Paris. Cavani, Di Maria, and Draxler were in top form and made breaking up Barcelona`s defensive lines look very easy. Losing 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona has the worst possible starting point for the second match played on Camp Nou the 8th of March. Even if Barcelona is known to dominate the pitch in their home games, it is hard to believe that PSG would give up four goals against them, especially if they keep pressing Barcelona high like last week in Paris. Discussion about whether or not PSG has what it takes to be a successful club in Europe has been going on for years now, and winning against Barcelona with four goals proves that they are capable of advancing far in this competition, perhaps even all the way to the final. Barcelona has to improve their game a lot for the second leg if they want to fight for the Champions League title this year.

PSG have been the dark horse of this season (Source:Reuters)

UEFA Champions League - The favorites

The most prestigious competition in club football, the UEFA Champions League is down to the last 16 teams, and the playoffs stage starts this evening. The defending title holders and one of the favorites to win the cup, Real Madrid, holds the record of most titles, winning the competition 11 times,  Los Blancos did not play very convincingly in the group stage, winning only three of their six games, but with a squad including Christiano Ronaldo, you can expect this team to advance all the way to the final again if they can knock out their opponent Napoli from the competition. Napoli lost just one game in the group stage, and are well equipped to challenge Real Madrid. Last year's runners-up tea, Atletico Madrid will face Bayer 04 Leverkusen, and should most likely advance to the next stage from this match. Winning five of their six games in the group stage, Atletico should find it easy to get to the quarter-finals.

Real Madrid would be looking to win the title for record twelfth time (AFP)

NHL: Stars of tomorrow

This season NHL has presented some sensational rookies on the ice. Already one year before the 2016 NHL-draft the speculations about who will be selected first overall was heavily pointing towards the young American center Auston Matthews. Due to his date of birth, he was not eligible in the 2015-draft, being two days too young. Ever since he has been topping charts and scout reports, making it no surprise at all that he got picked first overall in the 2016-draft by Toronto Maple Leafs. Matthews became the first U.S.-born player drafted first since Patrick Kane in 2007. Winning two U-18 World Junior Championship gold medals playing for the USA, the expectations for Matthews were high for his first NHL season, and so far he has delivered with his incredible play reading and raw skill. In the first game of the season, Auston Matthews showed everyone he was ready for the big league by scoring all of Toronto's four goals in their 4-3 win against Ottawa Senators, making history by being the only player who has managed to score four goals in his NHL debut match. 

Nylander (L) and Matthews (R) are two of the many brilliant rookie players around (AP)

PSL fixing: Irfan, Babar and Hasan interrogated

The inquiry on Mohammad Irfan will continue by PCB's ACU © AFP

A day after Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were suspended by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit, 3 more players - Islamabad United left arm seamer Mohammad Irfan, Quetta Gladiators spinner Zulfiqar Babar and Karachi Kings opening batsman Shahzaib Hasan were questioned by Anit-Corruption Unit of Pakistan Cricket Board.