Welcome to Dev's Digest, Sky Sports' flagship column where Dev Trehan shares exclusive scoops and highlights the most significant stories affecting British South Asians in football. This week’s edition celebrates two remarkable milestones: the upcoming recognition of Mal Benning at the Asian Football Awards and the impressive debut of Hamza Choudhury for Sheffield United. Mal Benning is slated to receive the Football Pioneer award at this month’s Asian Football Awards, a detail that Sky Sports News has confirmed exclusively. Benning’s career is a textbook example of perseverance and breakthrough for a British South Asian in the English game.
On Valentine’s Day last season, he marked his 500th professional appearance – a milestone that only a handful of South Asian‑heritage players have ever reached in the English leagues. Benning’s journey began as a teenager under the guidance of Dean Smith at Walsall during the 2012/13 campaign. After a brief loan stint at York City, he secured a permanent move to Mansfield Town in 2015. Fans of the Stags quickly took to him, dubbing him "Sir Mal" for his dedication and leadership on the pitch.
Over the next few seasons he amassed more than 250 appearances for Mansfield, even finding the net against bitter rivals Chesterfield in April 2018. His consistent performances earned him a reputation as a club legend. In the summer of 2021 Benning transferred to Port Vale. Ironically, his most memorable moment in a Vale shirt came against his former side.
In the League Two play‑off final at Wembley, Benning completed a 3‑0 victory over Mansfield, sealing the win with a late goal. The celebration was amplified when he used the post‑match platform to speak about representation.
"I came on Sky Sports News earlier in the week talking about South Asians in football, and that today was a massive step," Benning told Sky Sports after the match. "I don’t care that it’s me – it could have been anyone – but for the Sikh community, as well as South Asians in football, that was a massive step." Co‑commentator Jobi McAnuff echoed Benning’s sentiment, emphasizing the broader cultural impact. "He has certainly been a pioneer and someone who has been flying the flag for many, many years," McAnuff said.
"It’s really great to see him get his day, and against his former club – it always seems to be the way – he pops up with the goal. He was fantastic. He’s come back into the team and he’s taken his opportunity – it’s a big, big credit to Mal Benning." Benning’s accolade arrives alongside a host of other nominations for British South Asian talent at the 2025/26 Asian Football Awards.
Dundee United’s new signing Zidane Iqbal, Chesterfield midfielder Dilan Markanday and midfielder Hamza Choudhury are shortlisted for the Men’s Player award. Young prospects Brandon Khela (Peterborough), Vimal Yoganathan (Barnsley) and Seth Ridgeon (Fulham) feature on the Young Men’s Player list.
The Non‑League category includes Tamworth goalkeeper Jas Singh, Hereford defender Kam Kandola and Boreham Wood winger Tarryn Allarakhia. On the women’s side, Leicester City full‑back Asmita Ale joins Wrexham forward Mariam Mahmood and Burnley midfielder Millie Chandarana for the Women’s Player award.
Riya Mannu (West Brom), Layla Banaras (Lewes), Sareet Kaur Binning (Leicester) and Wales international Safia Middleton‑Patel are contenders for Women’s Young Player of the Year. Turning to the Premier League, Hamza Choudhury enjoyed a dream debut for Sheffield United, helping the Blades to a thrilling 3‑2 victory over Bolton Wanderers on Transfer Deadline Day.
The Bangladesh international was thrust straight into the starting eleven at right‑back and completed the full 90 minutes. The move came just a day after he ended a 21‑year association with Leicester City, signing a permanent deal with United. Choudhury’s Leicester résumé is impressive: 166 senior appearances, a key role in the squad that lifted the FA Cup in 2021, 34 league outings and several captaincies during Leicester’s Sky Bet Championship triumph in 2023/24.
Ironically, his final appearance for Leicester was a 2‑1 defeat to Burton Albion – the club where he made his EFL debut on loan more than a decade earlier. The transfer reunites Choudhury with manager Chris Wilder, under whom he spent a loan spell at Watford in the 2022/23 season. Internationally, Choudhury earned his first cap for Bangladesh in March 2025, adding another layer to his multicultural football identity.
Another historic moment comes from Pakistan forward Mariam Mahmood, who has etched her name on Wrexham’s International Honours Board – the first woman ever to do so. At 22, she joins club legends such as Joey Jones, Dai Davies and Kieffer Moore, becoming only the second British South Asian to be honoured, after former Wales international Neil Taylor, who turned professional at Wrexham in 2007 and earned 43 caps for Wales.
Mahmood debuted for Pakistan during AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying in Indonesia last year, one of nine British‑born players representing the Shaheens. She has already scored three goals in six international outings and most recently featured for Pakistan in the FIFA Series in Ivory Coast in April. In business news, Amit Bhatia attended his first Liverpool match since his consortium secured a 38 percent stake in the club. Bhatia, son‑in‑law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, was invited by Fenway Sports Group principal owner John W.
Henry to watch Liverpool’s 2‑2 draw with Nottingham Forest at Anfield. The investment group, which includes Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co‑founder Eduardo Saverin, will see Bhatia take a seat on Liverpool’s board as vice‑chairman once the deal is ratified.
"It’s the biggest and the greatest football club in the world. So to in any way be associated with it, it is the stuff of dreams," Bhatia told LFC TV.
He added, "But it also comes, we know, with great responsibilities. That responsibility has been shouldered by FSG, we believe, in the most spectacular way over the last 16 years. So, if we as their partners can be involved, help, elevate the club, help the club in any way – and I hope that they see some value in us, which is why they’ve welcomed us to the table – we are ready, willing, champing at the bit and can’t wait to help in any way that we are called upon to help the club." These stories underscore the growing influence of British South Asians across every tier of the beautiful game, from grassroots to the Premier League and even the boardroom.
For more in‑depth features, video interviews and the latest updates, visit Sky Sports’ dedicated South Asians in Football page and join the conversation.