Sports

The International Padel Federation (FIP) yesterday announced the launch of an inaugural new inter-continental cup competition – the equivalent of tennis’ Laver Cup and golf’s Ryder Cup – which will take place biennially, seeing top and emerging players from the Amercias compete against Europe in some of the most compelling venues of sport, starting with the first competition in 2025.Following the record-breaking success of the 2024 FIP World Championship earlier this month, the new inter-continental cup – yet to be formally named – will showcase the best global talent and provide new opportunities for players from emerging padel nations to join the elite level of the world’s fastest growing sport. The new competition also signals padel’s readiness for inclusion in the Olympics, as the sport’s rapid democratisation and professionalisation under FIP aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s values and support for globally diverse and modern sports that help develop the pyramid. The new format will also be organised with the support of FIP’s continental federations Padel Europe and Padel America. A men’s and women’s competition will be run simultaneously – with a record-breaking prize purse of €700,000 and equal prize money distributed across the winning men’s and women’s teams. These unprecedented winnings reflect a continued commitment by the FIP to grow and develop the sport internationally, continually raising the profile of professional padel.Hosting will rotate between venues across the Americas and Europe, bringing padel to both established and emerging fan bases in incredible locations across the globe. Tenders for locations, branding, promoters and partnerships starting shortly. Commenting on new competition, the President of the International Padel Federation, Luigi Carraro, who was unanimously re-elected for a new Presidential mandate in October 2024, stated:“The new inter-continental cup competition responds to the incredible worldwide popularity of padel and an unprecedented demand for new competition formats from both established and emerging padel fanbases, players and partners.The overwhelming success of the FIP Padel World Championships 2024 and the Premier Padel professional tour demonstrate how padel has rapidly become a major international sport and innovations such as the new inter-continental competition are key to continually driving the development of padel – especially in new regions of the world. We cannot wait to realise this competition next year, and already know of enormous demand to host and partner in padel’s equivalent of the Laver and Ryder Cup, which will continue the globalisation of padel as we aspire to form part of the Olympic Movement as soon as possible.”

India’s singular focus over the next two months is on winning the five-match series in Australia and the players will not be distracted by the race to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final, head coach Gautam Gambhir said yesterday.India were in pole position to make next year’s WTC final until a 3-0 whitewash by New Zealand earlier this month allowed Australia to leapfrog them.Captain Rohit Sharma must now guide his side to a 4-0 win in Australia to guarantee a spot in the final, though their path could become easier depending on the results of other series.“We are not looking at what’s going to happen in the World Test Championship, whether we are going to qualify (for the final),” Gambhir said in a pre-departure press conference.“Every series is important, as simple as that, when you are playing for your country ...“For us, it’s two good teams playing each other and we are absolutely keen to go out there and perform and try and win the series.”India prevailed in their last two Australia tours but their batting looks less than formidable this time as they look to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.The skipper is likely to miss the opening Test in Perth beginning on November 22 to attend the birth of his second child while stalwart Virat Kohli has been out of form.The absence of the injured Mohammed Shami will also increase the workload on pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who will captain India should Rohit miss the match.Rohit’s absence would also mean Yashasvi Jaiswal would need a new opening partner and Gambhir was happy with his back-up options even though both Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul struggled in two unofficial Tests against Australia A.Former India opener Gambhir hinted that Rahul’s 53-Test experience and his ability to bat practically anywhere in the order could tilt the decision in his favour ahead of the uncapped Easwaran.“There are times when you go with the experienced players,” Gambhir said of Rahul.“That is the quality of the man, that he can bat at the top of the order, he can bat at number three and he can actually bat at number six as well,” he added. Gambhir also backed ‘incredibly tough men’ Rohit and Kohli to prove their critics wrong and find form in Australia. Skipper Rohit and superstar batsman Kohli came under fire after India crashed to a humiliating 3-0 Test series home defeat to New Zealand. Rohit scored 91 runs in three matches. Kohli made just 93. Speaking just before India flew off to Australia for a blockbuster five-match Test series, Gambhir said he had “no concerns for Virat and Rohit”.“They are incredibly tough men,” he said.“They’ve achieved a lot for Indian cricket and they will continue to achieve a lot in the future as well.”Gambhir hit out at Ricky Ponting after the former Australia captain questioned the longer-term form of the two senior batsmen. “What does Ponting have to do with Indian cricket?” Gambhir said.Gambhir said the Indian team as a whole were eager to prove themselves after the New Zealand defeat, only their second Test series whitewash at home.“I feel there is a lot of hunger, especially after what has happened in the last series,” he said.Gambhir believes the biggest challenge in Australia will be the quicker pitches compared to India, where conditions are traditionally spin-friendly.But Gambhir said his under-the-cosh side were ready to “fire from ball one” in a series that starts in Perth on November 22.“We’ve been to Australia many times, so that experience will be crucial,” said the coach, who has also faced some flak.“If we play to our potential, we play our best cricket, we can beat anyone on any wicket.”

Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s electrifying century and Azmatullah Omarzai’s all-around performance crushed Bangladesh in Sharjah as Afghanistan claimed a thrilling five-wicket win yesterday to secure a 2-1 victory in the one-day series.Chasing 245, Afghanistan opener Gurbaz and Omarzai stitched a 100-run partnership after the top-order failed to sustain Bangladesh’s pace attack led by Mustafizur Rahman.Gurbaz laid the foundation of Afghanistan’s win with 101 off 120 including seven sixes and five fours in the series decider.Omarzai (70 not out) mixed caution with aggression and led the side to the victory rope along with Mohammad Nabi.Bangladesh, who won the toss, started well as their openers Tanzid Hasan and Soumya Sarkar added 53 inside the first powerplay but Afghanistan rebounded with four quick wickets and left Mehidy Hasan Miraz-led side reeling at 72/4.Skipper Mehidy and Mahmudullah took charge, sharing a 145-run partnership off 188 balls, and took Bangladesh to 244-8.Mahmudullah missed out on his century but was Bangladesh’s top-scorer with a run-a-ball 98 while Mehidy, who was playing his 100th ODI, batted slowly but notched a half-century (66).With win over Bangladesh, Afghanistan have now bagged their third consecutive ODI series win of the year.BRIEF SCORES:Afghanistan 246 for 5 (Gurbaz 101, Omarzai 70*, Rana 2-40) beat Bangladesh 244 for 8 (Mahmudullah 98, Mehidy 66, Omarzai 4-37) by five wickets.

The first day of the Spread Your Wings Football Cup launched Aspire Academy’s 20th anniversary celebrations. The tournament kicked off yesterday on Aspire Academy’s indoor football pitch and will be held on November 12 and 20, with the finals set for next April.The tournament is for 7- to 8-year-olds, and yesterday’s event featured more than 100 boys from five local public schools and five private ones. For tomorrow’s competition and the one set for November 20, 260 boys from 10 public schools and 16 private ones have been invited to each event.The academy is organising a series of community events to underline its role in promoting a healthy lifestyle and encouraging youngsters to get involved in sports. Future events include student-led sports activities, seminars, dialogues with alumni, and gatherings to foster connections within Qatar’s sports community. Saeed Ali al-Marri, Football Administration Director at Aspire Academy, explained that the tournament, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, consists of three stages.The first stage involves qualifiers, with a total of four schools advancing from each competition day in November.April’s finals will feature six public and six private schools competing for the championship. He emphasised that the event also offers an opportunity for Aspire Academy to identify young talent who could eventually be invited to join the Academy’s programmes to nurture their potential.Founded in 2004, Aspire Academy has rapidly established itself as a beacon of sports excellence both locally and internationally. “Spread Your Wings Football Cup” is part of a series of activities demonstrating its commitment to developing Qatari sports champions and celebrating its 20-year legacy of nurturing outstanding athletes.

Arsenal and Chelsea are nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after their 1-1 draw yesterday, while Ipswich stunned Tottenham 2-1 for their first Premier League victory in 22 years.Manchester United signed off Ruud van Nistelrooy’s temporary stint in charge with a 3-0 win over Leicester and Nottingham Forest dropped out of the top four after a 3-1 home defeat to Newcastle. Arsenal are now winless in four Premier League games as their bid for a first title since 2004 is at risk of unravelling.The Gunners welcomed captain Martin Odegaard back to the starting line-up for the first time in two months and were much improved at Stamford Bridge, but still could not come away with a vital three points. Odegaard teed up Gabriel Martinelli to open the scoring with a near-post shot on the hour mark.Chelsea responded through Pedro Neto’s brilliant long-range effort for his first league goal since a £51mn move from Wolves. A share of the spoils sees the Blues remain ahead of Arsenal on goal difference as both sides move into the top four. Ruben Amorim will be in charge for the first time when Manchester United return from the international break.But Van Nistelrooy was able to hand over the reins with a four-game unbeaten run since stepping up to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.“I really enjoyed it, it’s been a short but amazing period,” said Van Nistelrooy. “We are in an uncertain position but we tried to do our jobs and help the club which is important.”Bruno Fernandes marked his 250th United appearance in style by smashing in his fourth goal in four games after a neat interchange of passes with Amad Diallo. Fernandes’ burst into the box also created the second goal as his glancing touch deflected off Leicester defender Victor Kristiansen and in for an own goal. Diallo’s two-goal showing in a 2-0 Europa League win over PAOK on Thursday earned the Ivorian a start over Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentine, though, came off the bench to show what he is capable of with a stunning strike into the top corner to round off the scoring.United remain down in 13th but are now just four points off the top four in a congested table.Ipswich will play host to Amorim’s first match in two weeks and go into that game buoyed by their first win since ending a two-decade wait to return to the top flight. “It’s a massive moment, one to cherish,” said Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna. Sammie Szmodics took advantage of statuesque Tottenham defending to open the scoring with an overhead kick on 31 minutes. Liam Delap doubled the visitors’ lead in far less spectacular fashion as he lashed in from point-blank range after Radu Dragusin directed a cross towards his own goal.Spurs had come back to win in eight of the previous 12 league matches they conceded first at home this year but this time left themselves with too much to do. Rodrigo Bentancur reduced the arrears with a powerful header from Pedro Porro’s corner but they fell to a fifth league defeat in 11 games. Ipswich move out of the relegation zone at Crystal Palace’s expense, while Spurs slip to 10th.Forest had won three games in a row to sit just behind Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table and their dream run looked set to continue at the City Ground.Murillo’s towering header from Anthony Elanga’s free-kick opened the scoring. But Newcastle hit back strongly after half-time through goals from Alexander Isak, Joelinton and Harvey Barnes to climb up to eighth.

Al Ahli edged Al Rayyan 3-2 yesterday to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the QSL Cup. The crucial fifth round Group A win at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, saw Al Ahli emerge as one of the top four teams from the group.Al Ahli and Al Rayyan both finished the group stage with 7 points apiece. Leaders Al Duhail and second-placed Al Arabi ended with 10 points each while Qatar SC (3) and Al Shahania (3) missed the bus.Erik Exposito (11th minute-penalty), Mohamed Abdelkader (66th minute), and Matej Mitrovic (75th minute) scored the goals for Al Ahli, while for Al Rayyan - Tameem al-Abdulla (24th minute) and Abdulrahman al-Harazi (37th minute) were on target.Al Ahli hit back soon after Tabata’s first attempt and when on charge Expositio was felled just inside the box by a back leg tangle of Al Rayyan’s Hussain Ali Bahzad. The referee immediately called for a penalty and Exposito struck coolly with his left-footed shot finding the left corner. Al Rayyan soon equalised with Tameem al-Abdulla seizing on a rebound off Al Ahli’s goalkeeper Yazan Naim’s chest after Tameem Al Abdulla had sized up a long drive.The Lions then went up the lead as Al Harazi made the most of a golden pass from Khaled Ali Binsabaa as he broke past a parallel defence line to score (2-1).In the second session, Al Ahli kept attacking and the young Younes Hussein Abdelrahman was the pivot creating some fine opening inside the rival danger zone.Their efforts bore fruits a little after an hour when an Expositio strike was punched away by Al Rayyan goalkeeper Samy Beldi but the ball went to Mohamed Abdelkader who did the needful to make the scores 2-2.Nine minutes later, Al Ahli got their most important winning goal as Mitrovic deflected in a fine corner kick from Younes Hussein (3-2).In the 80th minute, Al Rayyan had another shy at the rival goal as Tabata made a strike which was pushed out by the goalkeeper but the ball was still in play and alert defenders of The Brigadiers cleared it away.In the other matches, table toppers Al Duhail were held 1-1 by Al Shahania at the Grand Hamad Stadium while Qatar SC and Al Arabi played out a goalless draw at the Al Khor Stadium. Ahmed El Sayed has put the Red Knights in front in the 26th minute but Pelle van Amersfoort got the equalizer for Al Shahania in 90+6 minute.

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth, honoured Qatar forward Akram Afif, who recently won his second Asian Player of the Year award.

Julian Alvarez earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at Mallorca yesterday to take his side third in La Liga. Diego Simeone’s side secured their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions in a tight clash at Mallorca’s Son Moix stadium.Alvarez netted his fourth league goal since joining Atletico from Manchester City in the summer in the 61st minute after being set up unselfishly by Diego Simeone’s son Giuliano Simeone.“We knew it would be a tough game, we got better in the second half, the goal came and we took three important points,” said Argentina international Alvarez. “You can always improve, (but) I feel very good, my teammates and the staff have helped me to adapt as quickly as possible... but I’m always looking to improve day to day.”An even first half was barren of excitement until Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak tipped over Cyle Larin’s header shortly before the break. The second half improved after Giuliano Simeone ran onto Oblak’s long ball and squared for Alvarez to finish.Rodrigo Riquelme might have doubled Atletico’s lead but fired too close to Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif after cutting in from the left, leaving his coach making gestures of frustration on the sideline. Mallorca struggled to carve out more clear chances of their own until substitute Abdon Prats broke through but Oblak denied him by racing out quickly and blocking his prodded effort. “It was an even game, I think we deserved a bit more, a draw would have been fairer,” said Mallorca defender Martin Valjent.Late last night, leaders Barcelona were visiting Real Sociedad. Champions Real Madrid, second, cut the gap on the Catalans to six points with a thumping 4-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday. Atletico’s win took them two points above fourth-place Villarreal a day after they beat Alaves 3-0, although the Yellow Submarine have played one fewer match.

Julian Alvarez earned Atletico Madrid a 1-0 win at Mallorca yesterday to take his side third in La Liga. Diego Simeone’s side secured their fourth consecutive victory across all competitions in a tight clash at Mallorca’s Son Moix stadium.Alvarez netted his fourth league goal since joining Atletico from Manchester City in the summer in the 61st minute after being set up unselfishly by Diego Simeone’s son Giuliano Simeone.“We knew it would be a tough game, we got better in the second half, the goal came and we took three important points,” said Argentina international Alvarez. “You can always improve, (but) I feel very good, my teammates and the staff have helped me to adapt as quickly as possible... but I’m always looking to improve day to day.”An even first half was barren of excitement until Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak tipped over Cyle Larin’s header shortly before the break. The second half improved after Giuliano Simeone ran onto Oblak’s long ball and squared for Alvarez to finish.Rodrigo Riquelme might have doubled Atletico’s lead but fired too close to Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif after cutting in from the left, leaving his coach making gestures of frustration on the sideline. Mallorca struggled to carve out more clear chances of their own until substitute Abdon Prats broke through but Oblak denied him by racing out quickly and blocking his prodded effort. “It was an even game, I think we deserved a bit more, a draw would have been fairer,” said Mallorca defender Martin Valjent.Late last night, leaders Barcelona were visiting Real Sociedad. Champions Real Madrid, second, cut the gap on the Catalans to six points with a thumping 4-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday. Atletico’s win took them two points above fourth-place Villarreal a day after they beat Alaves 3-0, although the Yellow Submarine have played one fewer match.

Kuwait’s Salem al-Sarraf and Qatar’s Ali al-Jabsheh emerged champions in the second round of the Qatar Drift Championship 2024-2025 held at the drift track of the Qatar Racing Club over the course of two days last week.In the local category, this was al-Jabsheh’s the second consecutive win in as many rounds, with Yasser Mustafa finished second and Ahmad Abu Rshaid came third.The round event was held under the gracious patronage of HE Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad al-Thani, the club’s chairman, and attended by Sheikh Jabor bin Khalid al-Thani, the club’s general manager.The round also saw participation from elite drift champions from across the Gulf and the region, along with an official delegation from Kuwait’s Basil Salem al-Sabah Motor Sports Club, represented by club director Saif Awadh al-Mutairi, Secretary Fahad al-Elaaj, Khaled al-Ajeel, head of the drag racing committee, and Nawaf al-Safi, head of the drift committee.Thursday’s test sessions were topped by Ali Makhseed, the previous round’s champion, while Mohammed Khourshid finished second, followed by Ali al-Jabsheh in third place. In the local category, Ali al-Jabsheh claimed the top position ahead of Qatari driver Saud al-Atiyah, with Yasser Mustafa and Abdullah al-Muhtasib finishing in third and fourth, respectively. Salem al-Sarraf, who suffered a severe accident just before the qualifying sessions during the tests and made a dramatic comeback, secured 13th place.Following the qualifying trials, Friday’s first round featured intense matchups which saw qualifying leader Ali Makhseed, Mesyer Abu Shaibah, Salem al-Sarraf and Ahmad Abu Rshaid advance. On the other side of the bracket, Mohammed Khourshid, newcomer Yasser Mustafa, Yazan al-Jabsheh and Ihab Falah also secured spots in the second round.Al-Jabsheh was crowned champion of the local category for the second consecutive round, with Mustafa finishing in second place and Ahmad Abu Rshaid taking the third spot on the podium.The second round saw Mesyer Abu Shaibah, al-Sarraf, Mohammed Khourshid and Ihab Falah advancing to the semi-finals. In the first semi-final, al-Sarraf went head-to-head with Mesyer Abu Shaibah, securing his spot in the final for the second round in a row. Ihab Falah, who defeated qualifying runner-up Mohammed Khourshid in the other semi-final, also advanced. Khourshid claimed victory over Abu Shaibah, securing the third podium position.Unfortunately Falah encountered car issues that prevented him from competing in the final, leaving him in second place, while al-Sarraf claimed the title, marking his second podium finish of the season after placing second in the opening round.QRC General Manager Sheikh Jabor and Basil Salem al-Sabah Motor Sports Club Director al-Mutairi, along with the accompanying delegation, presented trophies to the winners.

Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory yesterday in the Tour de France Singapore Criterium with a signature surge to the line in his final race.“I really wanted that so bad,” the 39-year-old cycling great from Britain said after the 166th victory of his glorious career.“I’m terribly emotional.“I realised in the last five laps that this was the last 15 kilometres of my career and I felt that, but I was so much on the limit.”Coming out of the last bend, Cavendish, who holds the record for most stage wins on the Tour de France, briefly latched onto the wheel of defending champion Jasper Philipsen before pulling away.Cavendish had time to glance back before raising his arms in triumph one last time, to deafening cheers from the crowd who had gathered for the race. Philipsen took second place with his Belgian compatriot Arnaud De Lie finishing third.The criterium, organised by the Tour de France, covered 25 laps of a street circuit in hot and humid Singapore.“I was nervous about crashing, or something like that,” said Cavendish, after the final act in a career spanning 19 years. “Not that there is anything wrong with that but I really wanted to finish.“But I was lucky and I gained the wheel and I went past him. “I couldn’t have wished for a better send-off.”Cavendish ended speculation about his cycling future when he announced his retirement from the sport on Saturday. He made Tour de France history last July when he won a stage for the 35th time to eclipse Eddy Merckx’s record which had stood since 1975.Cavendish made his Tour de France debut in 2008 before becoming world road race champion three years later. He won an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Olympics. Since turning professional in 2005 he had won 165 races before Sunday, including 17 stages in the Giro d’Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana.He won the points classification in the Tour in 2011 and 2021, in the Giro in 2013 and in the Vuelta in 2010. The ‘Manx Missile’ is just 5-foot-9 (1.75m) tall but showed a pure sprinter’s ferocious acceleration, courage and aggression and developed a knack for reading how a sprint was unfolding and positioning himself for the final surge.He intends to stay involved with cycling. “I love this sport. I’ve always loved it,” he said.“The Tour de France isn’t just a bike race, it’s the biggest annual sports event in the world.“It’s what children dream of. It’s what adults dream of.”

Englishman Paul Waring birdied the last two holes yesterday for a bogey-free six-under-par 66 to win the Abu Dhabi Championship by two shots.The 39-year-old, a resident of Dubai, delivered the hammer blow to the chasing pack with a 41-feet birdie putt on the par-3 17th hole at Yas Links Golf Club.He then hit a brilliant three-wood second shot to set up a birdie on the last to clinch the 9 million dollar (8.4 million euro) tournament. At 24-under par total, Waring was two shots ahead of English compatriot Tyrrell Hatton (64). World No,3 Rory McIlroy (64) finished in a three-way tie for third place at 21-under alongside Matt Wallace (63) and Thorbjoern Olesen (66).Waring, who shot a course-record 61 on Friday en route to a new European tour 36-hole scoring record of 19-under par, began Sunday one ahead of Dane Niklas Norgaard Molle, and birdied the first two holes.As the pursuers made plenty of birdies, Waring, the world No. 229 kept making steady pars and he raced ahead on the closing stretch.It was Waring’s second win on the tour, coming nearly six years and three months after the 2018 Nordea Masters. He pocketed $1.53m and should rise move to 101 in the world rankings today.Leading scores264 - Paul Waring 64-61-73-66266 - Tyrrell Hatton 64-68-70-64267 - Rory McIlroy 67-67-69-64, Thorbjoern Olesen (DEN) 63-67-71-66, Matt Wallace 67-65-72-63268 - Tommy Fleetwood 62-68-71-67, Ugo Coussaud (FRA) 68-64-70-66.

An unbeaten 47 from Tristan Stubbs, and a 42-run partnership with Gerald Coetzee, saw South Africa haul themselves over the line for a three-wicket win over India in their Twenty20 international at St George’s Park yesterday.South Africa scored 128-7 in 19 overs in reply to India’s 124-6 to level the four-match series at 1-1 in a dramatic finish after their top order were undone by India spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who took a career-best 5-17.Stubbs and Coetzee chased down a 40-run target in three overs of swashbuckling hitting at the death to rescue the result when it looked as if India would pull off an unlikely victory.The visitors had been put into bat and struggled to deal with South Africa’s seam attack, losing wickets cheaply before Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 39 gave them a total to try to defend.India opener Sanju Samson, who scored a sparkling century as the tourists beat South Africa by 61 runs in Durban on Friday, was bowled by Marco Jansen three balls into Sunday’s contest, while Abhishek Sharma and captain Suryakumar Yadav also departed early.Tilak Varma (20) and Axar Patel (27) made contributions to India’s total although South Africa would have been confident of chasing down the target when they came out to bat in reply.But their top order were undone by a masterful display of bowling from Varun, whose googly bamboozled the home batsmen and gave India the upper hand.He castled Aiden Markram (3), Reeza Hendricks (24) and Marco Jansen (7) before having the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen, who sliced a full delivery, caught by Rinku Singh at long-off. His next ball saw Varun deceive David Miller, bowled first ball, to reduce South Africa to 66-6.With Stubbs still at the crease, home hopes were still alive and when Coetzee joined him at the crease at 86-7, they set about pulling the hosts out of a desperate situation.“Fortunately the run rate never got away from us,” said Stubbs.“I had 30 in mind to get off the last three, and the dew came in to help us also. He came in and said ‘We can win this’. We were always two hits away, the crowd was behind us and it was amazing.”Fast bowler Coetzee showed the way with 19 runs off nine balls in a display of lusty hitting that turned the momentum of the contest while Stubbs saw South Africa to victory with successive fours to finish with 47 off 41 balls.“Of course in a T20 game you don’t want to get 120, but I was proud of the way we bowled,” said Yadav. The next meeting will be in Pretoria on Wednesday.BRIEF SCORES: South Africa 128 for 7 (Stubbs 47*, Varun 5-17) beat India 124 for 6 (Hardik 39*, Peter 1-20, Simelane 1-20) by three wickets.

Saim Ayub hit 42 and Abdullah Shafique 37 as Pakistan raced to a commanding eight-wicket victory and their first one-day series win in Australia for 22 years yesterday.After bowling out the woeful world champions for a miserly 140 at Perth Stadium, Mohammad Rizwan’s team reached their target in the 27th over.The impressive performance, aided by high-quality bowling from Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, ensured a first ODI series win in Australia since 2002.They lost a tense opening match in Melbourne by two wickets, but bounced back with an emphatic nine-wicket victory in Adelaide.“It’s a special moment for me and the fans,” said captain Rizwan.“I’ll give all the credit to the bowlers. Australia in Australia is not easy. But Saim and Abdullah have given us a couple of great starts, too,” he added.“The fans love us regardless of whether we win or lose and I really appreciate that.”The hosts rested Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc in Perth ahead of the Test series starting this month against India, and they were missed.Shafique and Ayub began aggressively and rode their luck, with little spark from the bowlers.Ayub, who smashed 82 in Adelaide, survived two dropped catches, by Lance Morris and Spencer Johnson, as he swung the bat. Shafique was also put down on 28, by Adam Zampa, as they reached the halfway point in the chase without loss in the 14th over.Australia finally got a reward when Morris caught and bowled Shafique and then bowled Ayub five balls later. But Rizwan (30) and Babar Azam (28) kept calm to steer them home.Rizwan won the toss and sent in Australia, who were no match for Afridi (3-32), Shah (3-54) and Rauf (2-24). Sean Abbott top-scored with 30 before they were bundled out in the 32nd over. “It’s pretty disappointing, to be honest,” said skipper Josh Inglis. “I think after probably the first three-quarters of the first game (in Melbourne) we were totally outplayed.“Not enough runs on the board in games two and three.”Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short again opened, desperate for runs after failing to make an impact at Melbourne and Adelaide.But on a pitch suited to the quick bowlers Fraser-McGurk once more flopped, nicking a swinging Shah delivery to wicketkeeper Rizwan on seven. Aaron Hardie, at three in place of Smith, lasted 13 balls for his 12 before being caught at slip off the dangerous Afridi.That brought Inglis to the crease, but he too departed cheaply for seven, skying a Shah bouncer that Rizwan collected to leave Australia on 56-3 in the 11th over.Rauf then accounted for Short (22) before youngster Cooper Connolly, in only his second ODI, was forced to retire hurt on seven after a blow to his hand.Out-of-form Glenn Maxwell only survived two balls with Rauf bagging him for the third time this series, caught at point by Ayub, while Marcus Stoinis added just eight to the score as Australia stumbled to 88-6. Abbott and Adam Zampa (13) shared a handy 30-run partnership before the tail was mopped up.BRIEF SCORESPakistan 143 for 2 (Ayub 42, Shafique 37, Morris 2-24) beat Australia 140 (Abbott 30, Afridi 3-32, Naseem 3-54, Rauf 2-24) by eight wickets.

Lockie Ferguson unleashed a blistering spell of fast bowling, claiming a hat-trick to power New Zealand to a nail-biting five-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second T20 at Dambulla yesterday.The win levelled the two-match series at 1-1, as New Zealand managed to defend a modest target in thrilling fashion.On a pitch where spinners were expected to thrive, Ferguson defied convention with sheer pace and precision, leaving the Sri Lankan batters helpless.His fiery spell silenced the packed crowd in Dambulla, who watched in dismay as the hosts struggled to counter his lethal deliveries. Wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay had an exceptional outing, completing six dismissals – a record in T20I cricket.Having missed the series opener due to calf stiffness, Ferguson returned to the lineup with a vengeance, bowling with impeccable control. His first breakthrough came when he had Kusal Perera caught behind, and he followed up with a searing yorker that trapped Kamindu Mendis plumb in front.With the hat-trick ball, Ferguson faced captain Charith Asalanka, who attempted to flick but was caught by the keeper down the leg side. “It was a case of good bowling and good fielding by New Zealand,” Asalanka said. “We struggled against the pace of Ferguson.”After just two overs of destruction, Ferguson left the field with a calf injury and didn’t return, but he had already done the damage, setting up New Zealand’s triumph.Ferguson shrugged off the praise, saying the win was “a full team effort”.“It spun a lot and, as quicks, we were trying to hold things up from one end – and glad it all worked for us,” he said. Ferguson’s reputation as a T20 specialist continues to grow. In his previous outing at the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean, he bowled four consecutive maidens, capturing three wickets without conceding a single run.His heroics in Dambulla will undoubtedly make him a coveted player in the upcoming IPL auction. “Lockie is a world class bowler,” said team-mate Mitchell Santner. “When he bowls thunderbolts like that it is not easy to bat.”For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka fought a lone battle.Ranked eighth among T20 batters in the ICC rankings, he scored his 13th half-century, almost guiding Sri Lanka to victory.With just eight runs needed off the final over, Nissanka took on Glenn Phillips, but his shot failed to clear the long-on fielder, ending his valiant 52 off 51 balls, studded with six boundaries.Earlier, Sri Lanka’s bowlers had restricted New Zealand to 108 runs in 19.3 overs. Nuwan Thushara provided a sensational start, claiming two wickets in his opening two overs, while Wanindu Hasaranga wreaked havoc in the middle order, picking up four scalps. Matheesha Pathirana then mopped up the tail, finishing with three wickets.However, Sri Lanka’s fielding let them down, conceding 19 extras, including 11 byes. That ultimately proved decisive. Sri Lanka had won the first game on Saturday by four wickets. The two teams will now shift focus to a three-match ODI series, beginning with the first game at Dambulla on Wednesday, before moving to Pallekele.BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand 108 all out (Robinson 30, Hasaranga 4-17) beat Sri Lanka 103 all out (Nissanka 52, Ferguson 3-7) by five runs.

As excitement ahead of this month’s Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024 reaches fever pitch, organisers at Lusail International Circuit (LIC) have announced that iconic Lebanese singer, performer and songwriter, Myriam Fares, will headline the circuit’s main stage on Friday, November29, set to be a vibrant showcase of Arabic music. Dubbed as ‘Queen of Stage’, Fares is set to bring the first day of racing to an electrifying close, delighting audiences with her unique art form which effortlessly fuses Arabian heritage with that of fresh, modern beats. Myriam’s artistic vision, spanning a career of over two decades and boasting one of the largest fan bases in the Middle East, is centered around uniting the Arab world and spreading its culture and music to the West through her art. She shot to global prominence in 2022 when she recorded the official FIFA Fan Festival anthem “Tukoh Taka” of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and her song "Goumi” which took the world by storm with over 10.3 billion views.In 2021, Netflix chose Myriam to be the first Arab star and public figure to have a documentary about her life titled "Myriam Fares - The Journey". Upon its release, this documentary topped the charts for both Arabic and international films, and remained within the top ten for two full months on Netflix.In 2024, Krafton Inc., the company behind the world's most famous electronic game "PUBG Mobile", chose Myriam as the first playable Arab star worldwide, with an exclusive voice pack in both Arabic and English. Fans attending the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024 can catch Myriam Fares live on Friday night with either a single-day Friday ticket or a three-day event ticket. For those enjoying the racing through LIC's hospitality packages, VIP access to the concert is included on the same basis, offering an exclusive concert experience.The weekend’s musical programme will come to a stunning finale on Sunday night when global pop rock icons Maroon 5 take to stage bringing the penultimate date in this year’s Formula 1 calendar to a close.A world-class hub for motorsport and entertainment, LIC continues to attract racing fans from all over the globe and whilst tickets are selling fast, fans can still be a part of all the racing and concert action by heading to https://tickets.lcsc.qa.

Regional and international content creators took to the track on Sunday at Lusail International Circuit for an exclusive Fast Lap Challenge, building excitement for the upcoming Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024.The Lusail Stars welcomed prominent influencers from across the globe to test their skills on one of Formula 1’s most challenging circuits, ahead of the highly anticipated race weekend from November 29 to December 1. From the United Kingdom, entertainment creator WillNE (@willne) and Formula 1 specialist Aarav Amin (@_aarava) of Team Quadrant brought their racing enthusiasm to Lusail. The Middle East was strongly represented by award-winning Saudi race car driver Abdulaziz Alfudhaily (@saudistig), automotive expert Ahmed Mansour (@ahmed.amwell), Qatari TV presenter Asma Alhamadi (@asmaal7amadi), Qatar-based travel creator Anas Abouqamer (@tripleofqatar), automotive specialist Khaled al-Remithi (@thekhaledtr), and Kuwaiti travel and photography creator Yousef Alseddeeqi (@yalseddeeqi)."It is a pleasure to welcome these talented creators to the home of motorsport in Qatar. Their excitement and diversity help us showcase the unique features of our world-class facility," said Fatima al-Qaedi, Marketing and Communications Manager at Lusail International Circuit. "This activation perfectly captures the spirit of our 'Where Hearts are Racing' campaign as we count down to the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024. The enthusiasm shown by our guests today reflects the growing passion for motorsport in Qatar and the region as a whole.”The Fast Lap Challenge is made possible through Q Auto’s support by providing three Audi sports cars, as they are the event supporter for Formula 1 Qatar Airways Qatar Grand Prix 2024.

Aspire Academy, a global leader in sports development and innovation, will be hosting a special edition of its annual Global Summit tomorrow and on Tuesday in Qatar. The Aspire Academy Global Summit 2024 marks the 10th edition of the gathering and coincides with Aspire Academy marking its landmark 20th anniversary.To mark this historical edition, the event will be held in the stunning surroundings of the Qatari desert at the Sealine Regency Camp.The Summit provides a valuable platform for the Aspire in the World Fellows — comprising clubs, federations, and leagues worldwide — to connect and exchange ideas on advancing football development. This double milestone highlights Aspire’s two decades of commitment to sports excellence and groundbreaking advancements in football development not only in Qatar but around the globe.Ali Salem Afifa, Chairman of the Aspire Academy Global Summit, pointed out: “Qatar’s stature in global football took another step forward this year as the national team was crowned Asian football champions on home soil in February. Just like the team that won in 2019, the majority of the squad consisted of Aspire Academy graduates, which highlights the incredible work we do at Aspire. Developing global football and taking the sport to new levels is exactly why we brought together the Aspire in the World Fellows community, which is so we can all share new strategies and innovations.”Professor Valter Di Salvo, the Executive Director of the Aspire Academy Global Summit, added: “We are celebrating more than just a milestone; we are honouring a decade-long legacy of a community that has consistently pushed the boundaries of football performance and science. This year, we commemorate this anniversary in a truly special way, inviting our members to experience the summit amidst the stunning desert landscapes and sandy beaches of Qatar, a setting that reflects both the beauty and tradition of this land.”Alanoud Saeed al-Mesnad, Director of Marketing and Communications at Aspire Academy and a member of the organising committee for the Aspire Academy Global Summit on Football Performance and Science, expressed her gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the organising committee to all partners and sponsors supporting the summit during a press conference held today at the Rixos Hotel - Qetaifan Islands.She thanked them for their continued support and partnership, adding that the committee is pleased with this collaboration and looks forward to further co-operation in future editions and events. She also noted that, given the summit’s global nature and connection to the football community, it presents a valuable opportunity for partners and sponsors to expand their reach and showcase their brands to a broader audience worldwide.This year’s agenda was revealed at the press conference held at the Rixos Premium Qetaifan Island North yesterday. As always, the Global Summit features an exciting lineup of special guests which will draw on their expertise and contribute valuable insights into football performance and science.This year’s masterclass will be delivered by former Aspire Academy coach Francesco Farioli, who is now in charge of Dutch footballing giants Ajax Amsterdam.There will also be Star Chats with former Argentina and Fiorentina striker Gabriel Batistuta, as well as French coaches Rudi Garcia and Christophe Galtier, who is currently with Qatar Stars League side Al Duhail.Tomorrow evening’s Gala Dinner at The Outpost Al Barari will hear from Italian basketball coach Sergio Scariolo, who has led Spain to the World Cup title and four European Basketball Championships (EuroBasket).The delegates will also enjoy engaging workshops and round-table discussions as the event promises to honour Aspire Academy’s goals of setting new horizons for the sport’s continued growth and innovation.This year’s topics are: Mind the gap: The evolution of football performance and science over the last decade; The technical-tactical (r)evolution of the last ten years in football; future of football performance: what’s next?A Platform for Innovation and CollaborationThe annual Aspire Academy Global Summit is a vital platform for participants to exchange knowledge, gain insights, and explore new directions for growth in football.The event facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, applied practice, and research in football performance and science. Unlike conventional conferences, the Summit’s unique format encourages open dialogue through a series of round-table discussions and workshops, promoting the exchange of diverse methodologies employed by Aspire Fellows worldwide in developing elite football players. This approach also strengthens the relationships among representatives of clubs, federations, and leagues.

Qatar were placed in Group A along with hosts Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Oman for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, the draw for which was held yesterday. The tournament to be hosted by Kuwait from December 21-January 3, 2025, will feature eight national teams from across the region. The Group B includes defending champions Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and YemenHE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani, Minister of Sports and Youth and President of the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation, attended the draw ceremony in Kuwait yesterday.“Both the groups are challenging and every match will be exciting,” Qatar Football Association (QFA) Head of Communications Ali al-Salat said on the sidelines of the draw.“Currently the teams are focused on the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers but definitely strong matches await them in the Arabian Gulf Cup. It’s a very popular tournament in the region and we look forward to thrilling matches. I hope all the teams come well prepared and Qatar reach far in the tournament,” he added before praising the organisation of the draw ceremony.The top two teams from each group qualify for the semi-finals. Kuwait has won the Gulf Cup 10 times, while defending champions Iraq have won it four times. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have lifted the trophy thrice each, while UAE and Oman have won it twice with Bahraini claiming it once.

The fourth edition of the Qatar Masters Chess will be held from December 2-13 at Aspire Zone, the Qatar Chess Federation (QCF) announced yesterday. The championship made a return last year after the first two editions were held in 2014 and 2015,Mohammed al-Mudahka, President of the QCF, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that this year’s edition of Qatar Masters has attracted participation of more than 200 male and female players, representing 25 countries. The total prize pool for the event is $108,000 and the last day for registration is today.Al-Mudahka said World no 6 Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdustarov of Uzbekistan will be the top rated player in the tournament. Abdustarov had finished runner-up last year.Defending champion Nodirbek Yaqubaev has also confirmed his participation, as well as Iran’s world GM Parham Maghsoodloo, who is ranked World No 7.International Grandmaster Hussein Aziz will represent Qatar, while the Emirati champion Salem Abdulrahman, who won the award for the best Arab player in the previous edition, will also take part in the tournament for the fourth time. Egypt’s Adham Fawzy has also announced his participation.In the women’s, India’s Olympiad winning stars Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal will be the star attraction.Al-Mudahka said five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, who competed in the last three editions, will not be participating this time due to his busy schedule. QCA chief emphasised that the tournament has gained a wide global reputation thanks to its outstanding organization and the high level of trust from the International Chess Federation (FIDE), especially as last year’s edition received extensive praise from all participants.Al-Mudhahka, who is also the Director of International Relations at FIDE, revealed that the organising committee will also host the international ‘B’ tournament, which will see significant participation from Qatari players.This second consecutive edition aims to provide opportunities for players who were unable to participate in the Qatar Masters due to their rankings.“After hosting the tournament in 2014, 2015, and again last year in 2023, our goal has been to maintain its continuity and organise it annually, as we aim to hold a major global tournament. We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Sports and Youth for their tremendous support for the federation and its activities, as well as for ensuring the continuity of the tournament for the second consecutive year,” al-Mudahka said.“Undoubtedly, this tournament will contribute to the development of chess in Qatar. Over the past period, we have established partnerships with various state institutions, schools and universities, and we will continue our efforts to elevate Qatari chess to the level we aspire to,” he added.