Pakistan's Agha Kaleem wins silver at IFMA World Muaythai Championship
Pakistani kickboxer Agha Kaleem secured a silver medal in the 51kg category at the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA) World Muaythai Championship on Tuesday.
Kaleem delivered strong performances throughout the tournament but fell short in the final against a Russian opponent. Following the match, he posted on social media, thanking Shahid Afridi foundation.
He also stated that winning the silver medal was just the start.
The IFMA World Muaythai Championship featured competitors from 40 countries and is considered one of the highest levels of competition in the sport. Despite the loss, Kaleem expressed gratitude for bringing home a medal for Pakistan.
Originally from Quetta and now residing in Baldia Town, Karachi, Kaleem supports himself by selling tea. Despite his achievements in kickboxing and MMA, financial struggles forced him to work at a local food stall.
However, he later received support from singer Ali Zafar and former cricket captain Shahid Afridi, which helped him compete at the international level.
Kaleem previously won the International MMA Championship in 2023. After his victory, he shared his gratitude on social media, tagging Ali Zafar, who responded, 'Amazing! Believed in you all the way. So proud.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Artist goes to prison 'willingly' at LA museum
The Russian artist was jailed in 2012 for protesting against Putin. PHOTO: File Nadya Tolokonnikova, the co-founder of the feminist art collective Pussy Riot, is back in a prison cell – but this time, she has gone willingly, as reported by AFP. At the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Russian activist is staging Police State – a two-week piece of performance art aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of authoritarianism and oppression. Tolokonnikova – who spent nearly two years in a Russian penal colony for performing a protest song against Vladimir Putin in a Moscow church in 2012 – knows a bit about the topic. Through the installation, which opened Thursday and runs through June 14, she says she hopes to teach visitors about what she believes to be the advent of a new means of control – technology. While she is in the mock cell, during all museum opening hours, she will eat, use the toilet, sew clothes as she once did in her real cell and create "soundscapes". Visitors can observe her through holes in the cell or on security camera footage. "People don't treat authoritarianism seriously," Tolokonnikova told AFP. Seated in a makeshift Russian prison cell, wearing a green tracksuit, the 35-year-old activist says in several countries, the concept of a "police state" is expanding. "As someone who lived under authoritarian rule for over 25 years, I know how real it is and how it starts, step by step, on the arrest of one person. You think, 'Well, it's not about me'," she explained. "And then next thing we know, the entire country is under the military boot." For Tolokonnikova, US President Donald Trump's return to the White House in January has sparked an "erosion of the system of checks and balances," which she deemed "very dangerous." She says the artistic community, and society in general, should do more to counter governmental abuses of power, wherever they may occur, and stop "outsourcing politics and political action." "I feel like it's as if there is someone else who's going to save us from everything. That's not what works really. We all have to contribute." Some who visited the installation said they agreed with Tolokonnikova that society had become too passive. For Alex Sloane, the museum's associate curator, the installation shows how "increased surveillance and government overreach" are becoming more and more widespread, and "freedoms are at risk."
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Sana Mir becomes first Pakistani woman to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Former Pakistan women's cricket captain Sana Mir has become the first female cricketer from Pakistan to be inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame. The historic announcement was made on Monday during a ceremony ahead of the World Test Championship final. West Indies legend Ian Bishop unveiled the 2025 inductees, which include cricketing greats from around the world. Revolutionising the sport for young girls around the globe, both on and off the field 👏 Sana Mir becomes the first Pakistan women's cricketer to enter the ICC Hall of Fame 🥇 More ➡️ — ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2025 Sana was honoured alongside India's MS Dhoni, England's Sarah Taylor, South Africa's Hashim Amla and Graeme Smith, Australia's Matthew Hayden, and New Zealand's Daniel Vettori. A trailblazer for women's cricket in Pakistan, Sana represented the national team from 2005 to 2019. She becomes the eighth Pakistani overall and just the 15th woman globally to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. She holds the record for the most wickets by a Pakistani woman in ODIs with 151 and was the first Asian woman to feature in 100 T20 internationals. In 2018, she made history by becoming the first Pakistani woman to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings. Sana captained the national side for eight years, leading Pakistan to two Asian Games gold medals in 2010 and 2014. She also guided the team in five T20 World Cups and two ODI World Cups. Under her leadership, Pakistan secured its first ODI win over South Africa and qualified for the Super Sixes of the 2017 World Cup, where her 5 for 14 against Scotland was a match-winning performance. "From playing street cricket in Pakistan to this moment today, it's been an incredible journey," Sana said during the ceremony. "This is a very emotional moment for me." The seven new inductees for the ICC Hall of Fame have been confirmed 🙌 Details 👇 — ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2025 Sana Mir retired in 2019 as one of Pakistan's most accomplished athletes. She has also been a prominent voice for women's empowerment and mental health awareness in sports. She joins a prestigious list of Pakistani Hall of Famers, including Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Hanif Mohammad, and Zaheer Abbas.
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Sana Mir inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
A veteran in over 100 matches in both formats of white-ball cricket, Sana Mir becomes the first Pakistan woman cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, the ICC said in press release. The highest wicket-taker in ODIs and the second-highest in T20Is among Pakistan women, Mir was also the first being the first Pakistan woman cricketer to pick up 100 ODI wickets. On top of on-field exploits, the off-spinner has also been a champions off the field, amplifying a strong stance on body shaming, prioritising mental health and helping people affected by the COVID pandemic. Constantly advocating for women's rights within Pakistan cricket, Mir has consistently created an impact in not just her home country but is also an ambassador in world cricket. From proving a point in every street of Pakistan that she could play the sport to having a stand named after her in the Bugti Stadium, Quetta, Sana Mir's success story is nothing short of inspirational. Cricket legend Wasim Akram formally inducted into the PCB Hall of Fame A flurry of firsts In a career spanning 15 years, where she captained for eight years, Mir picked up 150 wickets in 121 ODIs and 89 wickets in 106 T20Is, scoring 1630 and 820 runs respectively. Her best year was 2014 where she collected 21 wickets in 11 ODIs, while leading the team to an Asian Games gold medal, a feat she had achieved in 2010 as well, one year after being appointed as captain. In 2018, Mir became the first Pakistani woman to reach the top of the ICC ODI Player Rankings. It wouldn't be the only first for Mir, who was also the first Asian woman cricketer to play 100 T20Is, along with being the first Pakistan woman cricketer to play 100 ODIs. She was also the first Pakistan woman cricketer to win the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Cricketer of the Year award and now is the first Pakistan woman to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Pakistan's captain cool Mir took over the captaincy in 2009 when she was 23 and from then on, she was consistently amongst the top 20 ODI bowlers, achieving the coveted No.1 ranking in 2018. She achieved this feat after picking up seven wickets in a three-match ODI series against the top-ranked Australian side, being the highest wicket-taker in the series. Her best figures in ODI cricket - 5/32 against Netherlands in ICC Women's Cricket Challenge - also came under her own captaincy where she led her team to a win. Her 5/14 in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2017 helped Pakistan qualify for the Super Sixes phase of the tournament beating Scotland by six wickets. Mir's T20I career best of 4/13 came against Ireland in the RSA T20 Cup, which Pakistan won, under Mir's captaincy. Apart from winning two Asian golds as a captain, Mir has also led Pakistan in five ICC Women's T20 World Cups and two ICC Women's Cricket World Cup tournaments. Under her captaincy, a multitude of teammates saw a rise in their rankings, as she continued to inspire girls in Pakistan to take up the sport. She also ensured her team earned more prominence in world cricket while achieving individual success as well. Pakistan tasted their first ODI victory against South Africa under Mir's captaincy, with Mir winning 26 matches in both ODI and T20I formats as captain of Pakistan, in 72 ODIs and 65 T20I matches. After stepping down as the captain, she continued to contribute to the team, the most notable performance being a four-wicket haul against South Africa. Her figures of 4-11 derailed the South Africa batting line up, bowling them out for 63, their second lowest total in ODIs. This also helped Pakistan register their biggest victory in ODIs, in terms of balls remaining. Mir was not just a consistent bowler for Pakistan, but also quite handy with the bat, scoring 1630 ODI runs and including three half-centuries, including a half century that she hit in her 100th ODI match, joining an esteemed list of women who have hit 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets in ODIs.
