The Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 has officially kicked off, but the fireworks began well before the first ball was bowled. This 11th edition of the league, known as HBL PSL 11, has expanded to an eight-team format, introducing new franchises like the Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz. While the tournament is being held under tight regulations across two primary hubs in Lahore and Karachi, the pre-season energy reached a boiling point during the traditional captains’ press conference. What was meant to be a standard media interaction quickly turned into a viral sensation, thanks to a sharp and witty intervention by Karachi Kings’ skipper, David Warner.

David Warner slams distracted Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan in PSL 2026 press conference

During the high-profile media event, the stage was set with the captains of all eight franchises. However, as the veteran Australian opener was fielding questions regarding his team’s strategy and new signings, a segment of the panel seemed to lose focus. Specifically, Pakistan stars Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan, along with Marnus Labuschagne, were caught in a private conversation, sharing whispers and laughs while Warner was mid-sentence.

In a moment that has since taken social media by storm, Warner didn’t just ignore the chatter—he addressed it with his signature Bull grit. Pausing his response to a reporter, Warner turned to his fellow captains and quipped:

“What’s wrong, gentlemen? Oh, sorry, we got some school kids here.”

The room erupted in laughter, effectively schooling the distracted players and shifting the spotlight back to the official proceedings. While some online rumours jokingly suggested the distraction was caused by a stray sound from Rizwan, the viral footage confirms it was the light-hearted murmuring that drew Warner’s ire. The Aussie veteran, who led Karachi Kings to a strong third-place finish last season with 368 runs, clearly isn’t in Pakistan just for the vibes, he’s there for the business of cricket.

Here’s the video:

Rizwan farted during the PSL captains
press conference, and all the captains started laughing.

David Warner then said, Whats wrong, gentlemen ? Do we have some school kids here ?pic.twitter.com/QMzoKKjDRw

— Shah (@Shahhoon1) March 25, 2026

Also READ: From Carlos Brathwaite to Wasim Akram: Star-studded commentary panel announced for PSL 2026

Warner’s PSL preparations and warning to other competitors

Once the school kids were settled, Warner pivoted back to the serious nature of Karachi Kings’ campaign. He expressed immense confidence in the squad’s evolution, particularly praising the strategic moves made during the first-ever PSL auction. The addition of world-class leg-spinner Adam Zampa and the stability of Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha have transformed the Kings into a balanced powerhouse.

Warner highlighted that with the tournament restricted to fewer venues this year, there is no excuse for teams not to adapt quickly. He noted that the squad’s familiarity with the conditions in Karachi and Lahore would be a massive advantage.

“We’ve got a good group of players, and I think we did well at the auction as well,” Warner stated firmly.

His closing remark served as a chilling warning to the other seven franchises: the Kings are not just looking to emulate last year’s performance, but to “compete against these guys and smash them all.” With a fortified middle order featuring Azam Khan and the experience of Moeen Ali, Warner’s Karachi Kings are signalling that they are the team to beat in 2026.

Also READ: PSL 2026 to be held behind closed doors amid Pakistan’s oil crisis

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounted for more than 91 per cent of all donations declared by national parties in 2024-25, as overall political funding above Rs 20,000 shot up 161 per cent from the previous fiscal, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).The report, released on Thursday, said total donations above Rs 20,000 declared by the national parties stood at Rs 6,648.563 crore from 11,343 contributions in FY25.Of this, the BJP alone received Rs 6,074.015 crore from 5,522 donations, followed by the Congress with Rs 517.394 crore from 2,501 donations.The BJP’s declared donations exceeded the combined total of the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the National People’s Party (NPEP) for the same period by more than tenfold, the report pointed out, as cited by PTI.Overall donations to national parties rose by Rs 4,104.285 crore in 2024-25 as compared to 2023-24. The BJP’s collections alone jumped 171 per cent from Rs 2,243.947 crore in the previous fiscal. Donations to the Congress increased by 84 per cent, from Rs 281.48 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 517.394 crore in 2024-25.Among other parties, the AAP received Rs 27.044 crore — a 244 per cent increase — while the NPEP got Rs 1.943 crore, an increase of 1,313 per cent, the report said.The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), meanwhile, declared that it did not receive any donations above Rs 20,000, as it has been doing so for the last 19 years.Corporate donations dominated political funding, accounting for Rs 6128.787 crore, or 92.18 per cent of the total contributions, across 3,244 donations. Individual donors contributed Rs 505.66 crore through 7,900 donations, making up 7.61 per cent of the total.The BJP received Rs 5,717.167 crore from 2,794 corporate donations, more than 13 times the combined contributions received by all other national parties, which stood at Rs 411.62 crore. It also received Rs 345.94 crore from 2,627 individual donors.The Congress received Rs 383.86 crore through 112 corporate donations and Rs 132.39 crore from 2,357 individual contributors during the fiscal year.Among the top donors, Prudent Electoral Trust donated a total of Rs 2413.465 crore to the BJP, the Congress and the AAP combined. Of this, Rs 2180.7119 crore went to the BJP (35.90 per cent of total funds received by party), Rs 216.335 crore to the Congress (41.81 per cent of total funds received by party) and Rs 16.4178 crore to the AAP (43.08 per cent of total funds received by party).Progressive Electoral Trust donated Rs 834.97 crore through two donations, AB General Electoral Trust donated Rs 621 crore through 16 donations, and New Democratic Electoral Trust donated Rs 155 crore through seven donations to the BJP and the Congress.Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd donated Rs 100 crore through three donations, and Rungta Sons Private Limited donated Rs 95 crore through four donations to the BJP in 2024-25.

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NEW DELHI: India’s largest private fuel retailer Nayara Energy on Thursday raised its prices by Rs 5 per litre and diesel by Rs 3 a litre amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. Nayara Energy, which operates 6,967 of India’s 102,075 petrol pumps, has decided to pass on part of the increase in input costs to consumers, said PTI sources.The majority-owned by Russia’s Rosneft, has raised the prices but the actual increase varies across states due to differences in local levies such as VAT, with petrol prices in certain regions rising by as much as Rs 5.30 per litre.Fuel marketing companies in India are under increasing financial pressure, as retail petrol and diesel prices have been kept unchanged even though global oil prices have climbed nearly 50 per cent since February 28, when US–Israel strikes on Iran sparked a wider conflict and retaliation from Tehran.Private and state-run fuel retailers in India are taking divergent approaches as pressure mounts from elevated global crude prices and a prolonged freeze in retail rates.Jio-bp, the fuel retail joint venture between Reliance Industries and BP Plc, which operates over 2,100 outlets nationwide, has so far held petrol and diesel prices steady despite absorbing significant losses. In contrast, state-owned oil marketing companies—dominating roughly 90 per cent of the market—have also maintained a price freeze on standard fuels, continuing a strategy in place since April 2022.State-run companies—Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)—have been absorbing losses during periods of high crude prices and recovering margins when prices soften. While retail prices for regular petrol and diesel remain unchanged, these companies recently increased the price of premium-grade petrol by Rs 2 per litre and sharply raised bulk diesel rates sold to industrial consumers by about Rs 22 per litre.In Delhi, the price of premium 95-octane petrol now stands at Rs 101.89 per litre, up from Rs 99.89, while bulk diesel rates have jumped to Rs 109.59 per litre from Rs 87.67. Meanwhile, standard petrol and diesel prices remain frozen at Rs 94.77 and Rs 87.67 per litre, respectively.The divergence reflects differences in fuel grades: regular petrol, typically rated at 91–92 octane, caters to standard engines, whereas premium petrol with higher octane levels (95–98) is designed for high-performance vehicles.Globally, crude oil prices surged to as high as $119 per barrel earlier this month amid escalating tensions involving Iran, before easing to around $100 per barrel. India, which imports nearly 88 per cent of its crude oil and about half of its natural gas requirements, remains highly exposed to such volatility—particularly as a significant portion of supplies passes through the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz. Recent threats from Iran following US and Israeli strikes, coupled with insurance withdrawals, have disrupted tanker movements through the route.The government has reiterated that petrol and diesel pricing is deregulated and determined by oil marketing companies.Historically, oil firms have navigated sharp price cycles. Crude had previously touched $119 per barrel in June 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While that year saw limited profitability, state-run companies posted record profits of Rs 81,000 crore in FY24, offsetting earlier margin pressures. In the current financial year, the three firms together reported profits of Rs 23,743 crore in the December quarter alone.