Game On: Sports News, Highlights & Commentary
- Mal Benning and Kam Kandola publicly stood by Zidane Iqbal after verbal and online abuse targeting his British-Pakistani heritage.
- Zidane Iqbal was unable to accept his Men's Player award at the Asian Football Awards amid the abuse.
- Farhaan Ali Wahid made his international debut, coming off the bench to score for Bangladesh on his second appearance.
- Dilan Markanday hit a late solo stunner for Chesterfield, saying it revived his fearless youth at Tottenham Hotspur.
- Mariam Mahmood, Layla Banaras, Mal Benning and Brandon Khela were recognised at the Asian Football Awards for their achievements.
Welcome to Dev’s Digest, the agenda-setting Sky Sports column where Dev Trehan delivers exclusive news and reflects on some of the key developments for British South Asians in Football.
Hamza Choudhury’s shirt from Leicester City’s 2021 FA Cup final win against Chelsea will be auctioned for charity later this month, Sky Sports News can exclusively reveal.
The framed shirt will be auctioned at a fundraiser for the Children Not Numbers charity, in aid of children affected by the conflict in Gaza, organised by Muslim athlete representation body Nujum Sports.
Choudhury, who ended his 21-year association with Leicester to join Sheffield United over the summer, will be speaking at the event in London on October 25.
Choudhury has been in action at the ASEAN Cup where Fulham youngster Farhaan Ali Wahid followed in his footsteps and made his international debut, becoming only the second Premier League footballer in history to play for the Bangladesh national team.
Ali Wahid, who is currently on loan at National League leaders Boreham Wood, came off the bench and scored on his second Bangladesh appearance in Thursday’s defeat to Indonesia.
Elsewhere, Oxford City winger Dillon De Silva was on target for Sri Lanka in a 3-0 victory against Seychelles, before scoring again in a 2-0 win against the same opposition in the international double-header between the two sides on Mahe Island.
Benning and Kandola: Players stand with ‘great example’ Iqbal
Zidane Iqbal played in all three of Iraq’s matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Mal Benning and Kam Kandola say Britain’s South Asian heritage footballers stand with Zidane Iqbal after the Dundee United midfielder was targeted while on international duty with Iraq.
Manchester-born Iqbal bravely spoke out, telling reporters last weekend he had been subjected to verbal and online abuse because his father is British-Pakistani.
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Zidane Iqbal spoke of his pride at his diverse heritage and upbringing in this interview with MUTV five years ago
Iqbal was unable to accept his Men’s Player award at the Asian Football Awards – where Benning was also being recognised with the Football Pioneer award as exclusively revealed in last month’s edition of Dev’s Digest.
Ahead of the ceremony, Benning, who has made four consecutive appearances in the South Asians in Football Team of the Season, told Sky Sports News: “For him to experience that abuse is saddening.
“I’m saddened by it, because Zidane Iqbal is a great example for South Asians playing football – he’s played at the World Cup.
“Hopefully, this is a one-off for Zidane and it doesn’t put a dampener on any South Asian looking up and trying to be a professional footballer.
“All we can do as a community is stick together and make sure we’re there for Zidane. I know the young lad, he’s done well for himself.
“Hopefully, he’ll have a great career. I’m saddened, but we’re all here for him, definitely.”
Hereford’s Kam Kandola, who picked up the Non-League Player award, said he was proud of Iqbal for taking a stand for South Asians in the game.
“We all stand by him and it’s important that he is proud of his heritage,” Kandola told Sky Sports News.
Mal Benning, Kam Kandola, Zidane Iqbal and Mariam Mahmood are among the players selected in the 2025/26 British South Asians in Football Team of the Season
“I’m proud of him if anything. It’s a difficult situation. Some people shy away from it but he stood up to it – and for himself and his heritage.
“I’m quite impressed [by how he handled it]. We all stand by him.”
Wrexham and Pakistan forward Mariam Mahmood won the Women’s Player accolade at the Asian Football Awards.
Her international team-mate, Lewes midfielder Layla Banaras, landed the Women’s Young Player award.
Khela excited about potential Savage appointment
Brandon Khela has made almost 60 appearances for Peterborough since joining last year
Brandon Khela has admitted the prospect of Robbie Savage becoming the next Peterborough United manager is an exciting one.
Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince said in a statement this week that Savage has been offered the Peterborough job, with the two clubs negotiating terms.
Robbie Savage managed Macclesfield prior to taking charge at Forest Green Rovers
Ex-Birmingham City midfielder Khela, who scooped the Men’s Young Player accolade at the Asian Football Awards, thinks he could learn a lot from Savage who was once a cult figure at St Andrew’s himself as a player.
“He has played in the Premier League, the highest level, which I aspire to get to,” Khela told Sky Sports News.
“I could definitely learn a lot from him, if it is him. Whatever manager comes in, it doesn’t matter who it is, I’m just looking forward to whoever is coming in. I’m really excited for that.
“I’ve still got loads to improve on in my game, and if it is him, I hope to learn a lot from him.”
Former England youth international Khela was also full of praise for Luke Williams following his dismissal as Peterborough manager a fortnight ago.
“I have a lot of good things to say about Luke,” Khela said.
“I learnt a lot from him, but that’s football I guess and I hope our paths cross again in the future.”
Markanday: My eyes lit up when I got 1v1
Trailblazer Dilan Markanday said his solo stunner for Chesterfield earlier this month made him feel like the fearless kid who was once arguably Tottenham’s best academy prospect.
Markanday, who became the first British South Asian to play for Tottenham Hotspur in 140 years of club history when he featured in a European game under Nuno Espirito Santo five years ago, rounded off the scoring in style in a recent 2-0 win for the Spireites against York City.
Ahead of Chesterfield’s early-season six-pointer against Tranmere, live on Sky Sports Football at lunchtime on Saturday, Markanday explained how the goal was the kind he would score for fun when he was coming through at Spurs.
“I think it was in the 96th, 97th minute, it was late in the game, and I still had the fuel and the energy to keep going” Markanday told Sky Sports News.
“When that ball came to me on the halfway line, I think a lot of fans and even the gaffer was saying go down the line and just hold it in the corner, because we were up 1-0.
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“I disregarded that, which ended up paying off, and my eyes lit up as soon as I got one-vs-one with the defender – that’s the situation I want to be in. I managed to get past him, and took on another player and hit it into the bottom corner. I was absolutely ecstatic when it went in.
“I actually felt like that sort of little kid again back at Tottenham, you know taking on players – and that’s what has allowed me to have the career I’ve had. I felt really good in that moment.
“I just want to keep continuing to score goals, different types of goals and just enjoy my football with that ‘childlike kid in a playground’ sort of feeling where there’s no fear, there’s nothing to prove to anyone, just going out there and enjoying your football.
“I’ve just got to remember that and play with no fear. I was just happy with the goal and hopefully they keep coming.”
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