Sports Friday, March 19, 2021 11 Qatar Test: Moto2 and Moto3 are up next at Losail International Circuit MotoGP the weather on their final day Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing of testing, bringing it to a pre- Team), who reminded every- ith only days to go mature end. one what they were capable of before the first lights In Moto2, worth watching in the Portimao season finale Wout of 2021, it’s the would be the journeys of Albert in 2020. Not to forget Aron turn of the intermediate and Arenas (Aspar Team) - Moto3 Canet (Aspar Team), crowned lightweight classes to take to World Champion, his runner- rookie of the year despite hav- the track. up Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly ing missed three races. The Following swiftly in the Intact GP) and the three oth- Valencian could indeed prove wake of MotoGP, it is the ers who followed him making to be a dark horse, his Jerez turn of the Moto2 and Moto3 the step up, namely: Ai Ogura tests indicating he may have a classes to return to the track (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), say in the title race. at Losail, for three test days. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull In Moto3, again there are It will be their only pre-season KTM Ajo) and Celestino Vietti many new faces who join the meeting, or at least officially, (Sky Racing Team VR46). In Grand Prix circuit, Lorenzo as some riders and teams have private practice, Rául Fernán- Fellon (SIC58 Squadra Corse), already had the opportunity to dez and Tony Arbolino looked Adrian Fernandez (Sterilgarda ride through private testing, comfortable, but the question Max Racing Team), Izan Gue- whether it was in Valencia, to be asked is can they contin- vara (Aspar Team Moto3), Portimao or in Jerez. ue that form in Qatar? Xavier Artigas ( Leopard Rac- Those tests allowed teams In addition, seven riders ing) or Pedro Acosta (Red Bull a chance to refamiliarize them- will sport new colours, in- KTM Ajo). selves with their machines, cluding four riding different Seven riders have changed and surely proved beneficial machines from 2020. This is their teams. Among which: to riders who have switched notably the case of Lorenzo Two-time 2020 race winner garages during the offseason. Baldassarri (MV Agusta For- Jaume Masia moves to Red However, now it is time for ward Racing), Hafizh Syahrin Bull KTM Ajo, Sergio Gar- them to get serious, with only (NTS RW Racing GP), Fabio cia to Aspar Team, while the 10 days between the first Test Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil likes Andrea Migno (Rivacold and Round 1 in Qatar. Gresini Moto2) and Stefano Snipers Team), Niccolò An- Not just a chance for final Manzi (Pons HP40), who now tonelli (Reale Avintia Moto3) tune-ups and modifications, will be saddled onto MV Agus- and Darryn Binder (Petronas but also an opportunity to find ta, NTS and Kalex chassis. Sprinta Racing) will all be seen that ever so crucial race pace Elsewhere, the spotlight in new colours in 2021. via race simulations, should will surely be focused on the Following swiftly in the wake of MotoGP, it is the turn of the Moto2 and Moto3 classes to return to the track at Losail International Circuit, for Scotsman John McPhee the conditions allow of course. likes of Sam Lowes (ELF three test days (March 19, Friday, to March 21, Sunday). (Petronas Sprinta Racing), a They’ll be hoping for better Marc VDS Racing) and Marco veteran of the category, will fortunes than their MotoGP Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team Top 5 from 2020 to not make start the season among the ners but they will still have to ponents such as Remy Gard- be looking to get his title chal- counterparts, who fell foul to VR46): the only riders in the the move up. They should intermediate class frontrun- be wary of the threat from op- ner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and lenge off to a strong start. Suryakumar, Pandya stand out as India clinch series-leveller ANI two scalps each. Ahmedabad Earlier, for the first time in international , A blistering half-century from Suryakumar hit a classy 31- Suryakumar Yadav, followed ball 57 to ensure India posted Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium by a brilliant performance a competitive 185/8. from the bowlers, helped In- If Surya showed nerves to host Amir Cup final dia win the fourth T20I of of steel as he hit the first ball the ongoing five-match series he faced – off Archer – for a QFA The details of the match against England here at the six, Rishabh Pant (30) and Doha arrangements will be an- Narendra Modi Stadium on (37) played fear- nounced at a later time, QFA Thursday evening. less cricket as the hosts looked The Qatar Football Asso- said. Details related to obtain- With the eight-run win in complete control with bat ciation (QFA), in cooperation ing tickets and the preventive over England, India have lev- in hand. The score could have with the Supreme Committee and health measures will also elled the series 2-2 with the gone over the 200-run mark, for and Legacy (SC), be announced later. series decider to be played on but Archer’s four- haul has set Friday, 14th of May as It is noteworthy that the Saturday at the same venue. restricted the hosts from run- the date for the final of Amir last edition (48th) of the Amir Chasing 186, Jason Roy ning away with the game. Cup. The match will be played Cup was held last December, and opened the in- Put into bat, at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadi- when Al Sadd beat Al Arabi at nings for the side. smashed the first ball from Adil um, the home turf of Al Sadd. the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Bhuvneshwar Kumar start- Rashid for a six over long-off. The QFA has urged the fans the fourth World Cup 2022 ed with a maiden over just the Suryakumar announced – who wish to attend the final stadium, which was officially way India wanted. From the India’s (2R) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of England’s Jason Roy dur- his arrival in international match – to obtain the COVID-19 launched on the occasion of other end, skipper Virat Kohli ing the fourth International at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera on Thursday. (AFP) cricket with style as he sent vaccine to enjoy the match’s at- the final to be ready for the brought Hardik Pandya into Archer into the stands off the mosphere with all reassurance. 2022 FIFA World Cup. the attack. Pandya also did not sent Roy back to the pavilion. (25). Skipper but the former failed to get go- very first ball. At the end of the concede many runs in his over. The right-handed batsman joined Stokes in the middle. ing and was dismissed by Pan- sixth over, India’s score read Buttler was not able to played a fiery knock of 40 runs Pacer dya in the 18th over. 45/1. The right-hander kept on soak the pressure and got out off 27 balls. After Roy’s dis- brought the hosts back in the In the last over, England attacking from one end, but Ra- against Bhuvneshwar in the missal, England’s score read game as he scalped two crucial needed 23 runs and the visi- hul (14) stayed in his shell and third over after scoring nine 66/3 in 8.5 overs. of Stokes and Morgan tors accumulated 11 of the this brought about his dismissal, runs off six balls. However, on successive balls in the 16th first three balls but Thakur reducing India to 63/2 in the Dawid Malan, who came in and continued over. Thakur picked Stokes came back strong and gave eighth over as the opener looked to bat at number three, along scoring runs at a brisk pace (46) on the first ball and on three runs off the next three to hit out. In the very next over, with Roy kept the scoreboard and kept England in the hunt. the next delivery, he removed balls, including Jordan’s (12) Rashid had Kohli (1) moving and made full use of The duo smashed the ball to Morgan (4) to leave the visi- wicket. remained and the situation asked for the the powerplay overs. The duo all parts of the ground and tors reeling at 140/6. unbeaten on 18 off eight balls hosts to rebuild their innings. added 45 runs for the second added 65 off just 36 balls for Stokes’ knock came off 23 as England reached 177/8 in Scores: India 185/8 (S Yadav wicket stand before Rahul the fourth wicket. balls, studded with three sixes their allotted 20 overs. 57, S Iyer 37; J Archer 4-33); Chahar removed Malan (14) in In the 15th over, much to and four fours. For the hosts, Thakur England 177/8 (B Stokes 46, the eighth over. India’s respite, Washington (3) and Chris bagged three wickets while J Roy 40; S Thakur 3-42, H In the next over, Pandya Sundar removed Bairstow Jordan came to rescue the side Pandya and Chahar claimed Pandya 2-16). Al Annabi leave for Hungary Neda Shahsavari makes a winning start in Doha today for European qualifiers QNA Youssef Abdel Razzaq, Ahmed Doha Suhail, Musab Khader, Mo- ITTF Orawan Paranang was on clear Gerassimenko of Kazakhstan hamed Waad (Al Sadd), Salah Doha display in her second South also moves through to the next Qatar’s national football Zakaria, Bassam Al Rawi, Asim East Asia fixture, making it stage of the competition fol- team coach Felix Sanchez has Madibo, Al Moez Ali, Karim Iran’s Neda Shahsavari back-to-back wins with her lowing his gruelling Group 1 unveiled the final squad, which Boudiaf, Ismail Mohammed, emerged victorious in her crushing performance against affair with Iranian no.4 seed includes 29 players, in prepara- Mohammed Muntari, Abdul- opening group stage match at Philippines’ Jannah Romero Nima Alamian (14-12, 9-11, tion for the first three matches lah Abd Al Salam (Al Duhail), the Asian Olympic Qualifica- (11-8, 11-6, 11-8, 11-4). 3-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11, 11-9). in UEFA’s FIFA World Cup Ahmed Alaa El-Din, Humam tion Tournament in Doha on Singapore’s Clarence Chew Over in Group 2, Alamian’s 2022 qualifying campaign. Al Ameen, Moayad Hassan, Thursday, giving her ambi- has assumed control in Group national colleague Noshad The Qatari team will travel Tamim Al Muhaza (Al Ghara- tions in the women’s singles 2 of the men’s singles South Alamiyan enjoyed his second on Friday to the Hungarian fa) Ahmed Fathi, Mahmoud draw a welcome boost. East Asia event, with his victory success of the day, outclassing city of Debrecen on a special Abu Nada (Al Arabi) Abdulaziz Competing in Group 2 in over Thailand’s Padasak Tan- Uzbekistan’s Zokhid Kenjaev plane in preparation for the Hatim (Al Rayyan) and Khaled the Central Asia region, No.3 viriyavechakul (11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 4-1 (11-5, 11-2, 11-7, 5-11, 11-4) European qualifiers for the Munir (Al Wakra). seed Shahsavari upset the 11-9, 11-7) propelling him to the to swing the tide in his favour. first time in the history of the The national team con- seeding list in her meeting Neda Shahsavari. group summit. Chew’s fellow There was just the one national team. cluded training on Thursday with Kazakhstan’s Zauresh compatriot Pang Yew En Koen match from South Asia with The team’s list includes 29 under coach Sanchez at As- Akasheva, powering past the be said regarding Uzbekistan’s va never lost hope and her de- has negotiated Group 1 with a India’s Sharath Kamal Achan- players: Al Duhail player Sul- pire stadiums. Training began second seed 4-1 (11-8, 13-11, Rimma Gufranova over in termination was rewarded with 100 percent win record, besting ta making amends for his ear- tan Al Braik, Mishaal Barsham, last Saturday during which he 8-11, 11-5, 11-3). Group 1. The no.4 seed played a six-game win over her Kazakh Indonesia’s Rafanael Nikola lier defeat with a commanding Saad Al Sheeb, Pedro Miguel, reassured the selected group Shahsavari is now well- catch-up for the majority of her counterpart (7-11, 11-6, 12-14, Niman in four games (11-6, 11- display against Pakistan’s Mu- Salem Al Hajri, Tariq Salman, of players were fully ready to placed in her pursuit of top encounter with top seed Ana- 11-3, 11-7, 11-3). 7, 11-7, 11-9) to advance. hammad Rameez (11-4, 11-1, Abdulkarim Hassan, Boualem participate in the European spot in the group, the same can stassiya Lavrova, but Gufrano- The class of Thailand’s Central Asia top seed Kirill 11-5, 11-4). Khoukhi, Hassan Al Haydos, qualifiers.