England's stand-in skipper Jos Buttler top-scored with 59 before their spinners ripped through the Pakistan batting unit to seal a 45-run win in the second Twenty20 International and level the series at 1-1 on Sunday.
Chasing 201 runs to win at Headingley, Pakistan's openers made a bright start with the bat but lost their way after England fast bowler Saqib Mahmood dismissed captain Babar Azam (22) in the sixth over.
England tightened their grip in the middle overs as leg-spinner Adil Rashid removed Mohammad Rizwan and Sohaib Maqsood in his second spell.
Off-spinner Moeen Ali removed Mohammad Hafeez and Fakhar Zaman cheaply as Pakistan were left tottering at 95-5.
Azam Khan was stumped off Matt Parkinson's leg-break, before Mahmood returned to rip through the lower order and restrict the tourists to 155-9 in 20 overs.
Earlier, Buttler marked his return to the national team with his 14th T20I fifty as England were bowled out for 200 with a ball to spare.
Buttler was declared fit after a calf injury and took the captaincy as Eoin Morgan chose to rest himself in a bid to rotate his squad ahead of this year's T20 World Cup.
After the hosts lost Jason Roy and Dawid Malan in the opening three overs, Buttler and Ali restored order with a brisk 67-run partnership.
Ali eventually fell for 36, scooping fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain to mid-off, but Buttler accelerated the England run rate alongside the hero of the last match Liam Livingstone.
Buttler picked out mid-off for Hasnain's second wicket of the innings, but Livingstone, fresh from scoring England's fastest ever hundred, went on to produce another entertaining innings for the home supporters.
Livingstone managed the biggest hit of the day, tonking Haris Rauf's delivery straight over the newly built Football Stand.
The right-handed batsman was run out for 38 off 23 balls before the lower order added another 35 off the last four overs to take England's score to 200 for the second consecutive game - this time to secure victory.
Both teams now head to Manchester for the series decider on Tuesday.
RELIANCE Industries plans to take its telecom and digital arm, Jio Platforms, public by mid-2026, chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Friday. The announcement sets a new timeline for the long-awaited IPO of a business analysts value at over $100 billion.
At its annual general meeting (AGM), Reliance also announced the launch of an artificial intelligence unit in partnership with Google and Meta.
Ambani had first indicated plans in 2019 to list Jio within five years. On Friday, he told shareholders the company is preparing to file for an IPO next year.
Reuters reported in July that Jio decided against launching an IPO in 2025. Analysts at the time valued the company at over $100 billion.
Jio Platforms includes India’s largest telecom operator, Reliance Jio Infocomm, with more than 500 million users. Backed by investors such as Meta, Google and KKR, the business is central to Ambani’s move to diversify Reliance beyond oil and chemicals into retail, consumer and technology. AI and international expansion are now key areas of growth.
Reliance is also investing $8.8 billion in its chemicals business. It expects retail to grow sales by nearly 10 per cent a year on a like-for-like basis and plans to add 2,000–3,000 new stores annually.
“Jio is not being fully valued within Reliance's broader petrochemicals and retail portfolio, and a separate listing would help unlock higher value for the telecom and digital unit,” said Saurabh Parikh, senior analyst at ICRA Ltd.
AI Unit with Meta and Google
Reliance and Meta announced a new AI joint venture with an initial investment of around $100 million. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told the AGM the venture will provide Meta’s open-source AI models to Indian businesses.
Google will partner with Reliance to deploy AI across energy, retail, telecom and financial services. It will also set up a Jamnagar Cloud region dedicated to Reliance, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said at the meeting.
The partnerships come as India-US relations face tensions following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports in response to India’s purchase of Russian oil.
Reliance runs the world’s largest refining complex in Gujarat and is India’s biggest buyer of Russian oil.
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Agha scored 53 not out from 36 balls, hitting three sixes and three boundaries, as Pakistan posted 182-7 in their 20 overs. (Photo: Getty Images)
SALMAN AGHA’s unbeaten half century and Haris Rauf’s four wickets guided Pakistan to a 39-run win over Afghanistan in the opening T20 match of the tri-series in Sharjah on Friday.
Agha scored 53 not out from 36 balls, hitting three sixes and three boundaries, as Pakistan posted 182-7 in their 20 overs.
Rauf took 4-31 while Shaheen Afridi (2-21), Mohammad Nawaz (2-23) and Sufiyan Muqeem (2-25) combined to dismiss Afghanistan for 143 in 19.5 overs in front of a 16,000-strong crowd.
Afghanistan’s chase was led by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who made 38 off 27 balls with a six and three boundaries, adding 51 runs for the second wicket with Sediqullah Atal (23).
Rauf shifted the momentum in the 12th over, dismissing Atal and Karim Janat without conceding a run.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan kept his side in the game with 39 off 16 balls, including five sixes and a four, but was eventually removed by Rauf to seal Pakistan’s win.
Earlier, Pakistan’s innings was steadied by Agha after Sahibzada Farhan struck 21 off 10 balls at the top of the order, with two sixes and a boundary.
Agha added 53 for the fifth wicket with Nawaz, who scored 21 off 11 balls with two sixes and a boundary, helping Pakistan collect 51 runs in the last five overs.
Pakistan face hosts United Arab Emirates on Saturday. Each team will play the others twice, with the top two qualifying for the final on September 7.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Fans call Lokah Chapter 1 better than Kalki 2898 AD and Brahmastra
Lokah Chapter 1 has beaten big titles like Hrithik Roshan’s War 2 and Rajinikanth’s Coolie.
The Malayalam superhero film opened strongly and showed 40% growth on day two.
Fans have hailed it as better than big-budget spectacles like Kalki 2898 AD and Brahmastra.
Produced by Dulquer Salmaan, it marks the start of the Wayfarer Cinematic Universe.
The Malayalam film Lokah Chapter 1 has taken the box office by storm, with its opening weekend figures outpacing Bollywood and Tamil heavyweights. The superhero drama, directed by Dominic Arun, combines mythology, fantasy and science fiction, and has quickly found both commercial success and critical praise. Early numbers suggest that Lokah Chapter 1 box office earnings have already eclipsed Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR’s War 2 and Rajinikanth’s Coolie, while sparking comparisons with Kalki 2898 AD and Brahmastra.
Kalyani Priyadarshan as Chandra in Lokah Chapter 1, Mollywood’s first female superheroInstagram/lokahofficial
How much did Lokah Chapter 1 earn at the box office?
According to early trade reports, Lokah Chapter 1 opened with collections of £250,000 (₹2.7 crore) on Thursday. By Friday, the film saw a 40% jump, collecting £345,000 (₹3.75 crore). This put it ahead of both War 2, which managed just £60,000 (₹65 lakh]) on the same day, and Rajinikanth’s Coolie, which brought in £160,000 (₹1.75 crore).
Even Mohanlal’s Hridayapoorvam could not keep pace, standing at £250,000 (₹2.7 crore). The only film to surpass Lokah that weekend was Param Sundari, a Bollywood release that grossed over £645,000 (₹7 crore) with a wider distribution.
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Why are fans praising Lokah Chapter 1 ?
Audiences have praised the film’s unique use of folklore in a modern setting, with many pointing out that its execution was stronger than recent mega-productions. Social media reactions have called it “Avengers meets The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo with a Bangalore energy.”
Kalyani Priyadarshan, who plays the central role of Chandra, has particularly impressed viewers with her action sequences and commanding screen presence. One fan wrote online: “Everything that could’ve gone wrong in a low-budget superhero film went right here. This is how you build a cinematic universe.”
What makes Lokah Chapter 1 significant for Malayalam cinema?
Lokah Chapter 1 marks the first female-led superhero film in Mollywood. Kalyani’s Chandra, a mysterious figure in gothic style who moves to Bangalore, is at the heart of the narrative. Her dynamic with two directionless bachelors, Sunny and Venu, forms a key storyline, with her supernatural presence driving the suspense.
The film also launches the Wayfarer Cinematic Universe, produced by Dulquer Salmaan’s Wayfarer Films. This ambitious project could be a shift in Malayalam cinema towards bigger, franchise-style filmmaking, while still retaining its cultural roots.
Will Lokah Chapter 1 cross ₹15 crore in its first weekend?
Industry experts suggest that word-of-mouth could push the film’s opening weekend collection beyond £1.4 million (₹15 crore). By Saturday, worldwide collections were reported at around £1.1 million (₹12 crore), bringing the total tally close to £1.65 million (₹18 crore).
Significantly, the UK and Ireland have turned into one of Lokah Chapter 1’s strongest overseas markets. Following brisk advance sales, exhibitors expanded screen counts from around 100 to nearly 150 within the first two days. Trade figures show the film grossed about £40,728 (₹43 lakh) on day one in the UK, a striking start for a Malayalam release. The response underlines the film’s dominance over other South Asian titles in release and signals wider international pull for Kalyani Priyadarshan’s breakout hit.
The film stars Kalyani Priyadarshan alongside Naslen, Sandy, Arun Kurian, Chandu Salimkumar, Nishanth Sagar, Raghunath Paleri, Vijayaraghavan, Sarath Sabha and Nithya Shri. Directed by Dominic Arun, it was released on 28 August.
Lokah Chapter 1 box office collections surpassed Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan’s War 2Instagram/lokahofficial
Kalyani admitted in an interview that she initially questioned whether she was right for the part. “I thought, ‘Why have they come to me for this?’ But I could not resist the opportunity to play such a layered character,” she said.
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The top model could match the PS5 Pro at around £699.99
Reports suggest Sony is planning three versions of its next console
One model, codenamed Canis, could function as both a handheld and a docked console, similar to Nintendo Switch
The flagship version, Orion, is expected to be the main high-spec console
Pricing speculation indicates the top model could match the PS5 Pro at around £699.99
Fresh rumours claim Sony is preparing a dockable handheld version of its next-generation console, the PlayStation 6. The device, reportedly codenamed Canis, is said to target the same hybrid market as Nintendo’s Switch and the expected Switch 2.
Details of the rumour
The information comes from YouTube channel Moore’s Law is Dead (via Push Square), which suggests Sony will release three versions of the PS6:
orion – the flagship high-powered console
canis (handheld) – a portable system that can be docked to play on a television
canis (console) / ps6 s – a smaller console variant sharing much of the handheld’s specifications
Both canis models are rumoured to be closer in performance to the PS5 and PS5 Pro, with incremental improvements rather than a major leap in hardware power.
Strategy and market positioning
If accurate, the move would signal a shift in Sony’s approach, focusing less on raw power and more on flexibility between console and handheld play. Analysts suggest this could help Sony compete directly with Nintendo’s hybrid systems, while also offering lower-cost alternatives alongside the premium model.
Price speculation
According to reports, the flagship orion may be priced similarly to the PS5 Pro, at around £699.99. If so, cheaper handheld and compact versions could be critical in attracting wider consumer interest.
Still early days
It remains early in development, and no official details have been confirmed by Sony. Industry insiders caution that such rumours should be treated carefully until the company announces concrete plans.
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Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro
Eli Lilly had announced a steep price rise of up to 170% for Mounjaro.
A new discount deal with UK suppliers will limit the increase for patients.
Pharmacies will still apply a mark-up, but consumer costs are expected to rise less than initially feared.
NHS pricing remains unaffected due to separate arrangements.
Eli Lilly has agreed a discounted supply deal for its weight-loss drug Mounjaro, easing fears of a sharp rise in costs for UK patients. The new arrangement means that, from September, pharmacies and private services will face smaller wholesale increases than first expected, limiting the impact on consumers.
Why the price rise was announced
Earlier this month, Eli Lilly said it would raise Mounjaro’s list price by as much as 170%, which could have pushed the highest monthly dose from £122 to £330. The company argued that UK pricing needed to align more closely with higher costs in Europe and the United States.
Discount deal for UK suppliers
The revised agreement will see the top-dose price set at £247.50 for suppliers. While pharmacies and private providers will still add their own margins, the increase for patients is now likely to remain under 50% for higher doses, and even lower for smaller doses.
Eli Lilly confirmed:
“We are working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients when the change is effective on 1 September.”
Impact on consumers
Around 1.5 million people in the UK are currently on weight-loss drugs, with more than half using Mounjaro. Most of these patients—around 90%—pay privately through online services or high street pharmacies.
Prices vary between providers, depending on the level of lifestyle and dietary support offered alongside the injections.
Olivier Picard of the National Pharmacy Association said:
“This rebate will mitigate some of the impact of the increase, but patients should still anticipate seeing a rise in prices from 1 September.”
NHS pricing unchanged
The deal does not affect the NHS, which has secured its own heavily-discounted price for patients prescribed the weekly injection.
Mounjaro works by helping patients feel fuller for longer, reducing food intake and supporting weight loss of up to 20% of body weight.