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India earn Sheikh Salman is re-elected top FIFA seat, eye 2026 World Cup unopposed as AFC president AFP Kuala Lumpur

DPA/AFC India set their sights on quali- Berlin fying for the 2026 World Cup as became their Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim first representative on the pow- al Khalifa of Bahrain was re- erful FIFA Council on Saturday. confirmed as president of the Patel, one of six Asian del- Asian Football Confederation egates elected to the Council at (AFC) on a four-year term to the Asian Football Confedera- 2023 on Saturday. tion Congress, said the World Sheikh Salman, who is a Cup was the next big step vice-president of global govern- for India after making great ing body FIFA, was re-elected strides in recent years. unopposed at the 29th AFC India’s confidence has congress in Kuala Lumpur. grown after a positive Asian The 52-year-old has pre- Cup in January, where they re- sided over the AFC since 2013. turned to the tournament after The Sheikh was unable to eight years and were unlucky travel to Malaysia for the con- not to reach the second round. gress following the death of “I personally feel that his mother, the AFC said, and among all the countries in passed on comments through Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain was unable to Asia there is a tremendous Praful Patel, newly elected travel to Malaysia for the congress following the death of his mother, goodwill for India, and (also) member of the FIFA council. the AFC said. China should be much more Through Patel Sheikh Sal- involved in the game and also man said he was “extremely Election Results FIFA president receives pennant from AFC senior vice-president Praful Patel during the the AFC and FIFA,” Patel said honoured at the level of sup- Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress 2019 in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. (AFP) in Kuala Lumpur. port and trust that you have AFC President and FIFA Senior Vice President: Hachem Haider (Lebanon), Salem Said Salem al invested in me to lead the Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa (Bahrain) Wahaibi (Oman), Dr Hamid Mohammed Ali al Shaibani Asian football family again in FIFA Council: Saoud A Aziz M A al Mohannadi (Qatar), (Yemen) Du Zhaocai (China), Praful Patel (India), Kohzo Tashima Central Zone: Sayed Ali Reza Aghazada (Afghanistan) the next four years. South Zone: Dasho Ugen Tsechup Dorji (Bhutan) Revamped Club World Cup important for Asia: Infantino (Japan), Mariano V. Araneta, Jr. (Philippines) ASEAN Zone: Chris Nikou (Australia), Dato’ Haji “I am sure that with your Female member: Kiron (Bangladesh) Hamidin Bin Haji Mohd Amin (Malaysia), Dr. Tran Quoc continued support and soli- AFC Vice Presidents: West Zone: Saoud A Aziz M A reuters gress on Saturday that the the possibility to shine on the two clubs from the continent Tuan (Vietnam) al Mohannadi (Qatar) darity, we can all take Asian East Zone: Fok Kai Shan Eric (Hong Kong) KUALA LUMPUR expansion can help further world stage. - Kashima Antlers from Japan Central Zone: Mehdi Taj (Iran) football to even greater Female representatives on AFC Executive improve the club game in the “That’s why it’s impor- in 2016 and Al Ain of the Unit- South Zone: Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat Committee heights.” (Pakistan) FIFA President Gianni Infan- 47-member regional body. tant to continue to develop ed Arab Emirates last year - West Zone: Susan R. A. Alshalabi (Palestine) “I also am grateful for all ASEAN Zone: Zaw Zaw (Myanmar) tino has said his controversial “We have been speaking our competitions, for exam- reaching the final. Both lost to Central Zone: (To be contested at a later date) East Zone: Ganbaatar Amgalanbaatar (Mongolia) your declarations of support South Zone: Mahfuza Akhter Kiron (Bangladesh) plan to expand the FIFA Club again about how we can im- ple, with the new Club World Spanish giants Real Madrid. AFC Executive Committee and your endorsements in re- ASEAN Zone: Kanya Keomany (Laos) World Cup can play a key role prove them and make them Cup.” The reconfigured Club Infantino also reiterated West Zone: Abed-Alkhaliq Masoud Ahmed (Iraq), cent weeks. East Zone: Han Un Gyong (DPR Korea) in further developing the club better and we have been decid- World Cup, which would be his desire to further inves- “And to all those elected game in Asia despite Europe- ing at the last FIFA Council to played once every four years, tigate expanding the 2022 for the various roles – FIFA through commitment. Qatar, World Cup hosts in an opposition. give birth to a new FIFA Club would feature eight clubs World Cup finals to 48 teams Council, AFC Vice President, “In Asia and, particularly 2022, had its confederation Infantino’s desire to ex- World Cup with 24 teams, in- from Europe, six from South and asking current hosts Qa- Female representatives and here at the AFC, we have built vice-president Saoud al Mo- pand the tournament from cluding three Asian teams,” America as well as three each tar to share the tournament AFC Executive Committee – a positive reputation and im- hannadi elected to the FIFA seven teams to 24 when it is Infantino said in his address from Asia, Africa and Con- with neighbouring nations. congratulations.” age in the last six years. It has council. relaunched in 2021 has been to delegates. cacaf - which covers North and “We are very happy with “The hard work begins been an honour to serve as The elections for the AFC opposed by the European Club “I witnessed the final of the Central America nations plus the preparations in Qatar and, now. We have great founda- your President for the last six Female Executive Commit- Association (ECA), which has Asian Champions League in those in the Caribbean – and of course, we have an addi- tions on which to build the fu- years and now I am looking to tee member (Central Zone), issued a boycott threat. Tehran and there are clubs of one from Oceania. tional topic on the table that ture of our game in Asia, but continue our work together. which were not contested dur- But the Swiss administra- great tradition in Asia and it’s Asian clubs have featured we will bring, maybe, to the the last four years have shown “As I have said many times ing the 29th AFC Congress, tor told the Asian Football important we foster them and in the tournament since it FIFA congress as well on June that success will only come – this is Asia’s time.” will be held at a later date. Confederation’s annual con- it’s important we give them was created in 2000, with 5 in Paris,” he said.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE Viktoriia Terina wins first Asian U-21 dressage

Joseph’s record haul Terina collects a cumulative total of of 6-12 routs SRH 63.036 in the second

26 balls, Joseph produced one round for a winning of the great IPL bowling per- total of 122.440 formances at the Raajiv Gan- dhi Stadium on Saturday. The medium-pacer from Tribune News Network West Indies claimed 6 for 12, Doha consistently rushing batsmen with his deceptive pace. Kyrgyzstan’s Viktoriia Teri- His figures broke anI PL na, who was placed sixth at the record that had stood since the end of the first round, sprang a very first season in 2008, bet- surprise swinging her way to the tering ’s 6 for 14. top with an impressive show in The win was Mumbai Indi- sync with her horse on the sec- ans’ third this season. ond and final competition day In earlier home match, of the Asian Equestrian Fed- Chennai Super Kings held eration (AEF) U-21 Dressage their nerves to outclass Kings Championship at the Qatar XI Punjab by 22 runs as K.L. Equestrian Federation on Sat- Kyrgyzstan’s Viktoriia Terina in action during the second round of the First Asian U-21 A Qatari rider receives his prize at the Qatar Eques- Rahul (55 off 47) and Sarfaraz urday. Dressage Championship final at the QEF indoor arena on Saturday. trian Federation on Saturday. ’ Alzarri Joseph in Khan’s (67 off 59) laborious ef- Terina tallied a cumulative action in the IPL match against forts went in vain. total of 63.036 in the second Despite getting off to a round for a winning total of RESULTs on Saturday. (AFP) horrible start in their chase of 122.440. Terina’s horse ex- Rank Rider NAT round 1 round 2 total 161, Punjab opener Rahul and celled with expression and poise 1 Viktoriia Terina KGZ 59.405 63.036 122.440 Agencies Sarfaraz stitched a 110-run to emerge ahead of Thailand’s 2 Pawarisa Thongpradup THA 57.083 64.940 122.024 Hyderabad stand for the third . Pawarisa Thongpradup, who 3 Rosad Febrisamina INA 62.560 58.452 121.012 Brief Scores: Chennai Super finished with a total of 122.024 4 Raunaq Anand IND 59.821 60.417 120.238 In his first IPL match ever, Kings: 160/3 (Faf du Plessis points. 5 Sudipti Hajela IND 61.786 58.214 120.000 22-years-old Alzarri Joseph 54, M.S. Dhoni 37*; R. Ashwin Indonesia’s Rosad steamed in and bowled the 3/23) beat Kings XI Punjab Febrisamina, who was also 6 Maryam al Boinin QAT 64.583 55.179 119.762 tournament’s top run-scorer 138/5 (Sarfaraz Khan 67, K.L. third in the opening round, 7 Tara Yen Wee SGP 55.655 64.048 119.702 David Warner – off an inside Rahul 55; Harbhajan Singh stayed steady to secure the third 8 Jassim Mohammad al Kuwari QAT 55.595 62.857 118.452 edge – with his first , 2/17) by 22 runs. podium spot with a total of 9 Yu-Chen Lin TPE 59.643 58.274 117.917 and went on to have a debut Mumbai 136/7 (K Pollard 46 121.012 points. 10 Ekaterina Akhtimirova KGZ 57.917 59.286 117.202 beyond all fantasies. n.o., I Kishan 17; S Kaul 2-34) Indians Raunaq Anand and In defence of Mumbai In- bt Sunrisers Hyderabad 96 all Sudipti Hajela finished fifth and sixth position. and 11th positions respectively. The winner and runners-up on the podium. dians’ 136 for 7, which had out in 17.4 overs (DJ Hoods sixth respectively while Qatar’s Other Qatari riders Jas- The first U-21 champion- only been made respectable by 20, J Bairstow 16; Alzarri Jo- Maryam al Boinin, who was on sim Mohammad al Kuwari and ship organied by AEF saw 22 Malaysia, China, Chinese Tai- Malaysia, besides Qatar make it ’s 46 off seph 3.4-1-12-6) by 40 runs. top in the first round, slipped to Sauod al Boinin ended up at 8th riders from Singapore, India, pei, Thailand, Indonesia and to the final in Doha.