SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021 11 Fernando, Rajapaksa propel Sri Lanka to consolation win over India Bahrain wait extended for FIBA Asia Cup Continent’s leading basketball competition postponed to July 2022 after originally being set to be held next month in Indonesia Sri Lanka’s Avishka Fernando plays a shot Competition BETTER AFP | Colombo rescheduled• to give window for FIBA KNOW vishka Fernando (76) and If we had done well Basketball World ABhanuka Rajapaksa (65) Cup Asia Qualifiers smashed respective fifties to in the second match, ensure Sri Lanka did not lose we would have won Bahrain secured their the third and final ODI against the series. After the TDT | Manama berth in the FIBA Asia India despite a late wobble England tour I worked Cup after winning four yesterday.. on my batting and ahrain’s senior men’s of their six qualifying With this win, Sri Lanka that helped in scoring national basketball team games, which wrapped opened their account in the se- runs here. We have Bwill have to wait an ad- up earlier this year ries. India won the ODI series ditional year to compete in the 2-1 after failing to secure a win a very young side continent’s biggest basketball in the dead rubber yesterday. and going forward, tournament following the post- hammed Ameer, Yousef Al Mur- The hosts defeated India by I believe this young ponement of the FIBA Asia Cup bati, Mohammed Buallay, Bader three wickets on the back of side will do well 2021. Abdulla Jassim, Mohammed some stunning performances. AVISHKA FERNANDO This year’s competition was Kuwayed, Mohammed Juma’a, Chasing 225, Sri Lanka got originally scheduled to be held Ali Rabea, Hussain Jan, Hussain off to a steady start scoring half-century to aid the hosts’ from August 16 to 28 in Indo- Salman, Abdulrahman Ghali, Al 35 runs in the first five overs. chase. nesia, but FIBA Asia announced Watheq Ali, CJ Giles, Ali Jaber, Krishnappa Gowtham claimed India bounced back with yesterday that it has been put off Hassan Abbas and Nasser Al- his maiden international wick- Bhanuka Rajapaksa and to July 2022. mosawi. et when he dismissed Minod Dhananjaya de Silva’s wicket “The FIBA Asia Cup 2021 will Next year’s FIBA Asia Cup will Bhanuka in the sixth over. but that didn’t dent Sri Lanka’s be played as planned in Jakarta, mark the 30th edition of the However, Sri Lanka ensured hopes. However, the visitors Indonesia, but is rescheduled Bahrain national basketball team player Hesham Sarhan in action during the continent’s leading basketball a solid start as they raced to again wobbled when they lost to July 2022, right after the qualifiers earlier this year (File photo) championship. It will feature 16 55/1 in 10 overs. Avishka Fer- Charith Asalanka and skipper window of the FIBA Basketball national teams. nando and Bhanuka Rajapak- Dasun Shanaka in successive World Cup Asia Qualifiers,” wood will be in November for the tournament several weeks Bahrain have appeared in the sa held the ground as they overs. FIBA Asia said in a statement. the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. ago. They included Maytham Cup, originally known as the stitched a 109-run stand for In the last ten overs, Sri Lan- In light of this, the Bahrain Bahrain secured their berth Jameel, Ahmed Hassan Al De- Asian Basketball Championship, the second wicket. ka needed just 10 runs but Ra- Basketball Association’s nation- in the FIBA Asia Cup after win- razi, Hesham Sarhan, Moham- eight times in the past, including Fernando smashed his fifth hul Chahar struck to give vis- al teams committee said that it ning four of their six qualifying med Qurban, Subah Hussain, in 1977, 1979, 1987, 1991, 1997, half-century to put Sri Lanka itors another blow. However, will be meeting to revise the na- games, which wrapped up ear- Mustafa Hussain, Ahmed Sal- 1999, 2011 and 2013. in control of the chase in Co- Akila Dananjaya and Ramesh tional team’s programme in the lier this year. man Ramadhan, Mohammed The Bahrainis’ best finish was lombo. Meanwhile, Rajapaksa Mendis ensured the hosts get coming months, as the next time A training squad of 26 play- Hussain, Hasan Nowrooz, Mu- 10th in the 1999 competition also registered his maiden ODI over the line in the 39th over. they will be taking to the hard- ers had begun practising for zamil Ameer, Ahmad Najaf, Mo- hosted by Saudi Arabia. Manchester United sign Sancho Bahrain Olympic team bow to Kuwaiti counterparts on five-year deal from Dortmund AFP | London hind local rivals Manchester City, in last season’s Premier anchester United have The chance to join League but Red Devils manager Msigned England winger Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expects Jadon Sancho from Borussia Manchester United is a his side to benefit from San - Dortmund on a five-year con- dream come true and cho’s “untapped talent”, even tract, the Premier League club I just cannot wait to though the forward scored 50 announced yesterday. perform in the Premier goals and recorded 57 assists in No fee was disclosed but Brit- League. This is a young 137 appearances for Bundesliga ish media reports said Sancho and exciting squad club Dortmund. had moved from Germany in and I know, together, “Jadon epitomises the type a deal worth £73 million (100 of player I want to bring to the million dollars) -- which would we can develop into club, he is a forward player in make him the second-most ex- something special to the best traditions of Manches- pensive English player of all bring the success that ter United,” said Solskjaer. time behind new United team- the fans deserve “He will form an integral part mate Harry Maguire. JADON SANCHO of my squad for years to come Sancho is set to stay at United and we look forward to seeing until June 2026, with the option former Manchester City youth him blossom,” the United man- of a further year. team player. ager added. Bahrain’s Olympic football team prior to their Kuwait friendly “I’ll always be grateful to The deal was announced just “His goals and assists records Dortmund for giving me the weeks after Sancho, speak for themselves and he TDT | Manama The two teams meet once again opportunity to play first team together with new will also bring tremendous on Monday. football, although I always United team-mate pace, flair and creativity to ahrain’s under-23 Olym- Bahrain’s under-23s are cur- knew that I would return to Marcus Rashford the team. Bpic football team bowed to BETTER rently training with 28 play- England one day,” Sancho told and Bukayo Saka, “Old Trafford will give him their counterparts from Kuwait ers in Istanbul. Aside from Al manutd.com. received rac- the platform he needs to 2-4 in an international friendly Sherooqi and Al Sayed, the oth- “The chance to join Manches- ist abuse release his untapped match played in Turkey. KNOW ers are Ali Muftah, Ebrahim Al ter United is a dream come true following talent and perform The Bahrainis’ goal scorers Khattal, Faisal Abdulla, Faisal and I just cannot wait to per- the trio’s at the highest level. included Ahmed Al Sherooqi Hassan Habib, Ammar Moham- form in the Premier League,” penalty “For a player of and Abdulrahman Al Sayed, med, Omar Abdulbasit, Younis the 21-year-old added. shoot- his age, Jadon but they could not match their The friendly was part Mousa, Adnan Fawaz, Abdulla “This is a young and excit- out has already Gulf rivals. of the Bahrainis’ on- Al Haiki, Ali Khalifa, Hussain Al ing squad and I know, together, misses achieved a The friendly was part of the going training camp at Attar, Hussain Abdulkarim, Ab- we can develop into something in Eng- great deal Bahrainis’ ongoing training the Istanbul capital, dulla Freah, Ebrahim Shareeda, special to bring the success that land’s and showed camp at the Istanbul capital, where they are pre- Mohammed Marhoon, Hamza the fans deserve.” Euro 2020 fi- t h e where they are preparing main- Abdulla, Ali Al Dosari, Sayed Jadon paring mainly for the His move to Old Trafford nal loss to Italy courage ly for the AFC U23 Asian Cup AFC U23 Asian Cup Mohammed Amin, Hassan follows a year-long pursuit by at Wembley. Sancho to go and Qualifiers, which takes place Issa, Fahad Jassim, Mohammed United, who were reported- United fin- prove in October. Qualifiers, which takes Ahmed, Ziyad Basil, Hussain ly put by Dortmund’s initial ished second, himself It was the first of two warm- place in October Tawfiq, Hamad Fouad, Hamza £100m valuation of Sancho, a 12 points be- abroad.” up games against the Kuwaitis. Al Jabne and Abdulla Nimer..