Hallgrimsson Looking Forward to Amir Cup Challenge ‘Al Arabi Are a Big Club with Big Ambitions
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CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 India pick Karthik and Rahul for World Cup, Pant left out Tuesday, April 16, 2019 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 11, 1440 AH Messi fi t for Barca GULF TIMES as United attempt another comeback SPORT Page 2 FOOTBALL Hallgrimsson looking forward to Amir Cup challenge ‘Al Arabi are a big club with big ambitions... I like the people around the club’ Al Arabi coach Heimir Hallgrimsson. QFA president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani (right) and other off icials during the draw ceremony yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram By Anil John 51-year-old sports a relaxed, ond round match between Al we have also had bad days.” where the top four teams in the the title clash will be Doha if not a fully contented, look. Shamal and Umm Salal on April But he is happy with the QNB Stars league – winners Al staged on May 16. The heat – of the desert as well 20. Both clubs present a tricky vibes he has been receiving in Sadd, runners-up Al Duhail, Al The winners of the fi fth as of the seat he occupies – has challenge, but Hallgrimsson Qatar, more so from the Al Ara- Sailiya and Al Rayyan will start round matches will play eimir Hallgrimsson, yet to get to him, judging by his has no complaints. bi management. their campaign. against each other. Win- the fi rst ever football demeanour and the absence of “I am looking forward to the “Al Arabi are a big club with As for the draw, on April 20, ner of this match will be coach from Iceland to any tan on his skin. Amir Cup. “It’s a nice cup com- big ambitions. They have not Al Shamal will take on Umm crowned champions of ply his trade in Qatar, And yes, he has learned to petition. I am quite satisfi ed won anything for a long time Sala at Thani Bin Jassim Sta- the 47th Emir Cup, the His hoping the prestigious Amir punctuate his quotes with an with the draw but in the end it but I like the people around the dium while Al Wakrah face Al fi nal will be held at Al Cup brings better tidings for Al “Insha Allah”. depends how you play.” club. They are totally commit- Khor at the same venue in a late Wakrah Stadium on 16 Arabi after an underwhelming “I was given a lot of advice by Hallgrimsson was hired in ted and supportive.” fi xture. May 2019. show in the QNB Stars League people when they heard I was December to revive Al Arabi’s The “Dream Team” as they A day later, Al Markhiya take The draw ceremony where they fi nished sixth moving to Qatar. It’s a totally fortunes in the QNB Stars are called, have a great history, on Al Kharaitiyat at Grand Ha- yesterday was also at- among 12 teams. diff erent place to where I come League but even their most op- having won the league seven mad Stadium while Muaither tended by QFA presi- The former Iceland player from,” Hallgrimsson told jour- timistic fans knew it would be times and the Amir Cup on face Qatar SC at the same venue. dent Sheikh Hamad and coach who helped his nalists after the draw ceremony a tough ask for them to mount eight occasions. In the third stage of the tour- bin Khalifa bin Ahmed country qualify for the World for the 47th Amir Cup was held a fi ghtback and salvage a top- But their last league win nament on April 26, Al Arabi, al-Thani, secre- Cup for the first time – in at the Marsa Malaz Kempinski four fi nish. came in 1997 and their last Al Gharafa, Al Shahaniya and tary general Man- Russia last year – didn’t have yesterday. “When I came in, Al Ara- Amir Cup title in 1993 after Al Ahli will take on the winners sour al-Ansari and a clear idea about what to ex- “But it was I who was com- bi’s chances (of a good fi nish) which they have largely strug- of the second round. members of the pect when he took over at Al ing here and it was up to me to were more or less over,” Hall- gled to cope as other teams got In the fourth round on May QFA executive Arabi, a world away from his adjust with Qatar, and not the grimsson, who is also a quali- their act together and began to 2, Al Duhail, Al Sadd, Al Saili- committee, native North Atlantic island other way round.” fi ed dentist, admitted. dominate the domestic scene. yah and Al Rayyan will play the besides club nation. Al Arabi will start off on “In football you have to deal In case Al Arabi are able to winners of the third round. chiefs and But after about fi ve months April 26 in the third round with the good and the bad. We clear the fi rst hurdle, they will The semi-fi nals will be coaches of into his job in Qatar, the against the winners of the sec- have had some good wins, but enter the quarter-fi nals, from played on May 11 and 12 while some teams. CRICKET Smith, Warner recalled for Australia’s World Cup defence AFP in 13 games this year. The deci- As with the batsmen, Austral- Sydney sion to drop him means the team ia’s selectors faced a bowling co- only has one wicketkeeper in nundrum as they target a record Alex Carey. sixth World Cup triumph. teve Smith and David Pat Cummins will spearhead Warner completed their ROCK-SOLID BATTING the attack while Mitchell Starc, remarkable comeback Australia’s recent red-hot form the 2015 World Cup player of the from the ball-tampering has been built on the back of a tournament, has been recalled Sscandal that rocked cricket when rock-solid opening partnership after being sidelined with a mus- they were yesterday selected in between Finch and Usman Kha- cle tear since early February. defending champion Australia’s waja. But Hazlewood, who has been World Cup squad. The decision for Langer now is out of action since January with But there was no room for Josh whether to retain that combina- a back injury, missed out, with Hazlewood or Peter Handscomb tion when the 50-over World Cup chief selector Trevor Hohns at the tournament in England begins at the end of next month saying the focus was on having and Wales. or move one of them down to him ready for the Ashes Test se- It is the fi rst call-up for the make way for Warner, who tradi- ries in England which begins in former captain and his deputy tionally opens the batting. August. since the expiry last month of Shaun Marsh, Smith, Glenn Jhye Richardson, who dislo- year-long bans for their part in Maxwell and all-rounder Marcus cated his shoulder last month, “sandpapergate” in Cape Town Stoinis make up the middle order. makes the grade along with that had wide repercussions for David Warner and Steven Smith (right) are in action in the Indian Premier League for Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals respectively. “There’s so much fl exibility in Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Australian cricket. our order and there will be a lot Behrendorff . Then-coach Darren Leh- Both players were eligible for and have been in good touch, per Aaron Finch, adding that he Justin Langer with a dilemma of options,” said Finch. “There’s Hazlewood and Handscomb mann quit and all the top brass the fi nal two games of Australia’s particularly the bombastic didn’t believe their return would on the back of Australia win- been a couple of hard decisions were instead named in both Aus- from Cricket Australia left after recent limited-overs tour against Warner who has made a blister- be destabilising. ning eight one-day interna- made on the 15, but there’s go- tralia’s one-day A squad, which a scathing review said their “ar- Pakistan, but selectors preferred ing return. “Knowing them both person- tionals on the trot, against India ing to be some even tougher ones will play games in England while rogant and controlling” win- that they eased themselves back “As far as I’m concerned they ally as I do, I don’t think there and Pakistan. with the 11.” the World Cup is on, and their at-all-costs culture was partly at the Twenty20 Indian Premier have done everything that’s will be any issues whatsoever. All the top order have been fi r- Selectors opted for two spin- four-day A squad to face English to blame for players bending the League. been asked of them in the last They are both great, great guys.” ing, and it is Handscomb who is ners in Adam Zampa and Nathan county sides in the build-up to rules. Both grabbed the opportunity 12 months,” said one-day skip- Their return has left coach the fall guy despite averaging 43 Lyon and fi ve quick bowlers. the Ashes. Gulf Times 2 Tuesday, April 16, 2019 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Leeds United become fi rst Generation Amazing partner club eeds United have become bid to host the FIFA World Cup opportunity for Leeds United to ner club and join an expanding the fi rst strategic part- in 2022 and a symbol of Qatar’s deliver some ground breaking global network together with ner club for Generation commitment to football and in- initiatives, ensuring we provide Sheffi eld FC, and we look forward Amazing after agreeing ternational development.