Welcome to Dev's Digest, Sky Sports' flagship column where Dev Trehan shares exclusive scoops and highlights the most significant moments for British South Asians in football. This edition celebrates two remarkable stories: the honour bestowed on veteran defender Mal Benning and the impressive first appearance of midfielder Hamza Choudhury for Sheffield United.
Mal Benning is slated to receive the Football Pioneer Award at this month’s Asian Football Awards, a detail revealed exclusively by Sky Sports News. Benning’s career milestone came on Valentine’s Day last season when he chalked up his 500th professional appearance – a landmark reached by only a handful of British South Asian players in the English game. The journey began in the 2012/13 campaign when a teenage Benning broke into Dean Smith’s Walsall side. After a brief loan stint at York City, he signed for Mansfield Town in 2015.
Affectionately dubbed "Sir Mal" by the Stags supporters, he quickly became a cult figure, netting a memorable winner against bitter rivals Chesterfield in April 2018 and amassing more than 250 appearances for the club. In the summer of 2021 he transferred to Port Vale, where he added another chapter to his story. Ironically, Benning’s most iconic moment arrived against his former side. In the League Two play‑off final at Wembley, he capped a 3‑0 victory for Port Vale over Mansfield with a decisive goal, sealing the win in dramatic fashion.
What followed cemented his status as a trailblazer for South Asian athletes. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Benning said, "I came on Sky Sports News earlier in the week talking about South Asians in football, and that today was a massive step. 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 the sentiment, noting, "He has certainly been a pioneer and someone who has been flying the flag for many, many years. 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 recognition comes alongside a strong showing from other British South Asian talent. Eight additional players from the 2025/26 British South Asians in Football Team of the Season are also in contention for awards at the Asian Football Awards.
Among the nominees are Dundee United’s new signing Zidane Iqbal, Chesterfield’s Dilan Markanday, and Hamza Choudhury for the Men’s Player prize. Young prospects such as Peterborough’s Brandon Khela, Barnsley’s Vimal Yoganathan and Fulham’s Seth Ridgeon round out the Young Men’s shortlist. The Non‑League category features 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, Wrexham forward Mariam Mahmood and Burnley midfielder Millie Chandarana vie for the Women’s Player award, while Riya Mannu (West Brom), Layla Banaras (Lewes), Sareet Kaur Binning (Leicester) and Wales international Safia Middleton‑Patel (goalkeeper) contend for Women’s Young Player of the Year. Turning to the Premier League, Hamza Choudhury delivered a winning debut for Sheffield United, helping the Blades overturn Bolton Wanderers 3‑2 on Transfer Deadline Day. The Bangladesh international was slotted straight into the starting eleven at right‑back and completed the full 90 minutes, just one day after terminating a 21‑year spell with Leicester City by signing a permanent contract with Sheffield United. Choudhury’s Leicester résumé is impressive: 166 senior appearances, a pivotal role in the club’s historic 2021 FA Cup triumph, and 34 league outings that included several captaincies during Leicester’s 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship title win.
His final appearance for the Foxes came in a 2‑1 defeat to Burton Albion – the very side where he made his EFL debut on loan more than a decade earlier. The move to Bramall Lane reunites Choudhury with former manager Chris Wilder, under whom he spent a loan spell at Watford in the 2022/23 season. Internationally, Choudhury earned his first Bangladesh cap in March 2025, adding another layer to his multicultural football identity. In another historic moment, Pakistan forward Mariam Mahmood became the first female player to be added to Wrexham’s international honours board.
At 22, she joins club legends such as Joey Jones, Dai Davies and Kieffer Moore, and follows in the footsteps of Neil Taylor – the only other British South Asian to be commemorated on the board. Taylor, a former Aston Villa, Swansea and Middlesbrough full‑back, earned 43 caps for Wales after turning professional at Wrexham in 2007. Mahmood debuted for Pakistan during the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers in Indonesia and has since scored three goals in six international outings. She most recently represented Pakistan at the FIFA Series in Ivory Coast in April.
Business news also featured South Asian involvement in English football. Amit Bhatia, son‑in‑law of steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, attended his first Liverpool match since his consortium secured a 38 percent stake in the club. The deal, led by the British‑Indian entrepreneur, includes high‑profile investors such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co‑founder Eduardo Saverin. Bhatia is set to join Liverpool’s board as vice‑chairman once the transaction is ratified.
He told LFC TV, "It’s the biggest and the greatest football club in the world. To be associated with it is the stuff of dreams. It also comes with great responsibilities, and we’re ready, willing, and eager to help the club in any way we can." These stories underscore the growing influence of British South Asians across every tier of the sport, from grassroots to the Premier League and even club ownership.
For more in‑depth coverage, features and video content, visit Sky Sports’ dedicated South Asians in football hub.