Welcome to Dev's Digest, the forward‑thinking Sky Sports column where Dev Trehan shares breaking stories and offers insight into the most significant moments for British South Asians in the beautiful game. In a charitable twist, the shirt Hamza Choudhury wore when Leicester City lifted the 2021 FA Cup against Chelsea will be placed under the hammer later this month. Sky Sports News has the exclusive scoop on the upcoming auction. The jersey, encased in a protective frame, will be sold at a fundraising gala for the Children Not Numbers charity, an organisation that supports youngsters caught in the Gaza conflict.
The event is being coordinated by Nujum Sports, a body that champions Muslim athletes across the UK. Choudhury, who concluded a 21‑year spell with Leicester before moving to Sheffield United in the summer, is slated to appear as a speaker at the London gathering on 25 October. His presence underscores the link between sport, community, and humanitarian aid. Beyond the auction, Choudhury has been making headlines at the ASEAN Cup.
There, Fulham prospect Farhaan Ali Wahid followed his mentor’s path by earning his first cap for Bangladesh, becoming only the second Premier League‑linked player ever to represent the South Asian nation. Currently on loan at National League leaders Boreham Wood, Wahid entered the match off the bench and found the net on his second appearance for Bangladesh in a narrow loss to Indonesia. Further down the international ladder, Oxford City winger Dillon De Silva proved decisive for Sri Lanka, scoring in a 3‑0 win over Seychelles and adding another goal in the return leg, a 2‑0 victory on Mahe Island.
His performances highlight the growing impact of British‑South‑Asian talent on the global stage. In a separate story, two South Asian‑heritage footballers, Mal Benning and Kam Kandola, voiced their solidarity with Dundee United midfielder Zidane Iqbal after the player endured abuse while representing Iraq. Iqbal, born in Manchester to a British‑Pakistani family, publicly disclosed the verbal and online harassment he faced, describing it as a painful reminder of the prejudice still present in the sport. Benning, who was honoured with the Football Pioneer award at the Asian Football Awards, spoke to Sky Sports News, saying, "It’s heartbreaking to see Zidane targeted.
He is a role model for South Asian players, having already featured at a World Cup. I hope this incident is an isolated one and does not deter any young talent from chasing a professional career.
Our community must rally around him and ensure he feels supported." Kandola, the recipient of the Non‑League Player award, echoed the sentiment, adding, "We stand with Zidane. It takes courage to confront discrimination, especially when it strikes at your heritage.
I’m proud of him for speaking out, and I believe his resilience will inspire others." At the Asian Football Awards, Wrexham and Pakistan forward Mariam Mahmood secured the Women’s Player accolade, while her teammate, Lewes midfielder Layla Banaras, took home the Women’s Young Player trophy, underscoring the rising prominence of South Asian women in football. Meanwhile, former Birmingham City midfielder Brandon Khela expressed excitement over the possibility of Robbie Savage taking the helm at Peterborough United.
Forest Green Rovers chairman Dale Vince confirmed that Savage has been offered the job and that negotiations are underway. Khela, who won the Men’s Young Player award, said, "Robbie has Premier League experience, which is exactly the level I aspire to reach. Learning from someone who has been a cult figure at a club like Birmingham would be invaluable. Whatever the next manager, I’m eager to see the direction the club takes." Khela also praised former Peterborough boss Luke Williams, noting, "I learned a lot from Luke.
Football is a constantly evolving game, and I hope our paths cross again in the future." Trailblazer Dilan Markanday reflected on his recent solo strike for Chesterfield, describing how the goal reminded him of his early days at Tottenham Hotspur. Markanday, who became the first British South Asian to feature for Spurs in 140 years when he appeared in a European fixture under Nuno Espírito Santo, recounted the moment: "It was deep into stoppage time, I still had the energy to push forward. The ball rolled to me on the halfway line, and despite the manager’s instruction to play it safe, I went for the one‑on‑one with the defender. I beat him, took on another, and smashed it into the bottom corner.
I felt like that fearless kid at Tottenham again, just playing for the joy of it." He added, "I want to keep scoring different kinds of goals and retain that childlike wonder on the pitch—no fear, no need to prove anything, just pure enjoyment." The column concludes by inviting readers to explore more stories, features, and video content on Sky Sports' dedicated South Asians in football hub, and encourages the community to share their own perspectives.