Thailand’s Poom Saksansin wins Indonesian Masters for a second time MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018 Compact schedule, weather will make for perfect 2022 India’s PV Sindhu with her trophy after winning the women’s singles final of the 2018 BWF World Tour Finals in Guangzhou, World Cup, feel football stars China, on Sunday. (AFP) Gold at last for IKOLI VICTOR shuttler Sindhu; DOHA THE launch of the Lusail Sta- China’s Shi dium’s (venue for the open- ing and closing ceremony of stuns Momota 2022 World Cup) design on Saturday has been described AFP as a significant milestone by SHANGHAI Hassan al Thawadi, Secretary- General of the Supreme Com- AN emotional P.V. Sindhu fi- mittee for Delivery & Legacy. nally got her hands on gold at The 80, 000 capacity sta- badminton’s season-ending dium has been designed by World Tour Finals on Sunday British firm Foster + Partners while in the men’s decider and embodies Qatar’s ambi- China’s Shi Yuqi exacted stun- tion and its passion for sharing ning revenge over number one Arab culture with the world. Kento Momota. The elaborate ceremony The 23-year-old Indian was attended by the Amir Sindhu has suffered a series HH Sheikh Tamim bin Ham- of near-misses in recent years, ad al Thani and other digni- winning silver at the 2016 Rio taries, including the United Olympics, and again at the Nations’ Secretary-General Asian Games and Common- Antonio Guterres and Presi- wealth Games this year. dent of Ecuador Lenin Bol- The World No. 6, re- taire Moreno Garces. nowned for her never-say-die Speaking to the media in a attitude, has also twice lost in fan zone arranged area, Tha- the final of the World Cham- wadi said: “Every milestone pionships and was runner-up for us is always important, the in last year’s season finale. But announcement of the design of she put all that heartbreak be- the stadium is very important hind her in the Chinese city of because it is the last stadium. Guangzhou, beating the fifth- “Having the honour of HH ranked Nozomi Okuhara of the Amir attending the launch Japan 21-19, 21-17 in the wom- in itself is absolutely fantastic (From L-R) Barcelona’s French defender Samuel Umtiti, former Dutch player Ronald de Boer, former Barcelona and Qatar’s Al Sadd Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez, Al Ahli’s en’s final in just over an hour. with the UN Secretary-General, Dutch midfielder Nigel De Jong and Former Dutch football player Ruud Gullit at the Lusail Stadium’s design unveiling ceremony on Saturday. (SC/AFP) Sindhu sealed the champi- President of Ecuador and such onship with a forehand smash, high-level delegation attending Haydos. or three games a day if you football, and it is an opportu- before collapsing to the court on the event is a moment of pride.” On the challenge Qatar as A dream awaited want to. The temperature will nity to show the world what her hands and knees, physically Soaking in the atmosphere a football face at the tourna- I am confident we would host one of the be like 24 degrees and it will they are capable of. I think it and emotionally exhausted. at the unveiling ceremony ment, he said, “As a team, I best World Cup ever. As a team, I don’t be a great opportunity for the is very important considering “I’m really proud, the was Hassan al Haydos, the don’t think we would be under think we (Qatar) would be under pressure; fans to see more games espe- the ongoing misunderstand- year has ended on a beautiful captain of Qatar’s national pressure; we would represent cially for us as journalists.” ing in the region. note,” said Sindhu. “People football team, who expressed our country well. It is a dream we would represent our country well. It is a Another Dutch star Ron- “I don’t see any problem have been asking me the same his delight and said it will be come true for us as players. dream come true for us as players. ald De Boer, who concluded with the weather. Right now question, I think the question a dream to be part of the his- For me, it will be a big chal- his club career in Qatar before outside it is 18-25 degrees won’t come again – asking torical team that will repre- lenge to continue as captain Hassan al Haydos, captain, Qatar taking a job with the U-23 (Celsius), which is perfect for why I always lose in the final. sent Qatar at the World Cup until 2022, but as I said it will team, said the weather con- playing football. So I am not “It was good that people on home soil. be dream come true,” the Al tional team and country both who was also present on the ditions will be perfect for the worried about it. The most were asking me about losing “Looking at the stadium Sadd midfielder added. are ready. You can see such occasion, said, “This World World Cup in 2022. beautiful thing is, it is so com- so many finals because I had design, I am really happy and Spanish legend Xavi Her- amazing stadiums. Everybody Cup will be the best ever for “My thoughts are only pact. You can see three games to ask myself why I was losing. proud that my country will nandez, now SC Ambassador, is surprised by the way Qatar the simple reasons: You do positive. I have lived here for in one day. The most impor- “Finally I got the answer.” host the World Cup. I am con- said: “I am the ambassador is organising everything.” not need to travel a lot; You seven years and I know a bit of tant thing is that you can feel The men’s final, a mouth- fident we would host one of of Supreme Committee and I Dutch legend and beIN can go to any stadium within the Arab world. They and the that there is a World Cup going watering showdown between the best World Cup ever,” said think they are ready. Qatar na- Sports pundit Ruud Gullit, 20 minutes; You can see two surrounding countries love on,” the Dutch great added. the two top-ranked players in the world, was a re-run of the world championship decider in August. On that occasion, the 22-year-old Shi – the new Upbeat Australia build lead of 175 star of Chinese men’s bad- Latham ton minton – was well beaten by Momota. But roared on by over India after Kohli hits century the crowd in Guangzhou, Shi puts NZ on got revenge in emphatic fash- ion, beating the tournament AFP their spots in the side. SCOREBOARD top at Basin favourite 21-12, 21-11 in a sur- PERTH Marsh played a loose shot Australia (1st innings): 326 prisingly one-sided encounter. to a short ball from Mohammed India (1st innings; Overnight Reserve Significantly, it was the first AUSTRALIA were confident Shami (2-23) and was caught 172-3): V. Kohli c Handscomb b time Shi has beaten Momota, on Sunday that they can over- behind, while Handscomb’s Cummins 123, A. Rahane c Paine 24, the outstanding player this come a deteriorating pitch to shaky defence was highlighted b Lyon 51, H. Vihari c Paine b New Zealand’s Tom Latham celebrates his century at the Basin year. “I’m thrilled as I’d never build a match-winning lead in when he was trapped lbw by Is- Hazlewood 20, R. Pant c Starc Reserve in Wellington on Sunday. (AFP) beaten Momota and to do it on the second Test in Perth. hant Sharma (1-33). b Lyon 36, M. Shami c Paine b this stage is very special,” said At stumps on the third The struggles of the Austral- Lyon 0, I. Sharma c & b Lyon 1, WELLINGTON: Opener night 275-9): N. Dickwella not out Shi, who has overtaken Olym- day, Australia were 132 for ian batsmen were a far cry from U. Yadav not out 4, J. Bumrah Tom Latham’s unbeaten 80, L. Kumara c de Grandhomme pic champions Chen Long and four, with Usman Khawaja on the command of Kohli as he an- c Khawaja b Lyon 4; Extras (b4, century put New Zealand in b Southee 0; Extras: (lb7, nb2) Lin Dan to become China’s 41 and Tim Paine on eight, an chored his team’s first innings lb7, nb2, w5) 18; Total: (All out, charge of the first Test against 9; Total: (All out, 90 overs) leading male player. overall advantage of 175 after until a contentious dismissal. 105.5 overs) 283 ; Fall of wkts: Sri Lanka in Wellington on 282; Bowling: Boult 27-6-83-1, leading by 43 runs on the first In reply to Australia’s 326 4-173), 5-223, 6-251, 7-252, Sunday, as the Black Caps Southee 27-7-68-8, de Grand- innings despite a stellar Virat after winning the toss and bat- 8-254, 9-279, 10-283; Bowling: raced past the tourists’ first- homme 13-2-35-1 (nb1), Wagner Malaysian Olympic Kohli century. India captain Virat Kohli (left) ting, India were bowled out for Starc 24-4-79-2 (2nb), Hazlewood innings total and looked to 20-2-75-2 (nb1), Patel 3-0-14-0; Although they still had six reacts after a missed opportunity 283 despite Kohli’s 123. 21-8-66-2, Cummins 26-4-60-1 build an imposing lead.