Babar Azam scores career-best 143* as Pakistan dominate Bangladesh in first Test page 15

SUNday, FEBRUARY 9, 2020 Attiyah makes it super six in oman

Thanks to the Oman Automobile Association for organising the first round of the Middle East Championship. Now I win six times here. I always like what I see here. I love the stages and the people. – Nasser Saleh al Attiyah

2020 Oman The podium finishers of the Oman International Rally, winners Qatar’s Nasser Saleh al Attiyah (C-R) and co-driver Matthieu Baumel (C-L), runners-up Oman’s Abdullah al Rawwahi (2nd-L) and co-driver International Rally Ata al Hmoud (L), and third-placed Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah (2nd-R) and co-driver Giovanni positions after SS13 Bernacchini (R) in Muscat on Saturday. (AFP) 1. Nasser Saleh al Attiyah (QAT)/Matthieu Baumel (FRA) GTI 2hr 04min 32.3sec 2. Abdullah al Rawahi (OMN)/Ata Hmoud (JOR) Ford Jassim al Muqahwi reached Fiesta R5 2hr 09min 36.4sec the finish sixth and seventh 3. Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah (QAT)/Giovanni overall. Bernacchini (ITA) 2hr 18min 47.6sec MERC 2 winner Ofi said: 4. Zakariya al Ofi (OMN)/Ammar Al-Balooshi (OMN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX 2hr 20min 33.8sec “It was a tough race. Yester- 5. Meshari al Thefiri (KWT)/Derek O’Brien (IRL) day we started building up Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 22min 55.2sec the pace. That was our strat- 6. Khalid al Manji (OMN)/Rony Bou Abdo (LEB) egy. We opened the gap to Subaru Impreza STi 2hr 30min 02.4sec 7. Jassim al Muqahwi (KWT)/Thamer al Mutairi two minutes so the strategy (KWT) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X 2hr 32min 56.1sec worked quite well. I thank 8. Henry Kahy (LEB)/Rony Maroun (LEB) Skoda my team from Swab Perfor- Fabia 3hr 27min 46.1sec. mance for all their support this weekend.” The Lebanese duo of Henry Kahy and Rony Maroun re- Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah and co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini in action during the Oman International Rally in Muscat on Saturday. The joined under the Rally 2 regu- Oman Rally is the first of five rounds in this season’s series and part of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC). lation and reached the finish in eighth to claim valuable MERC 3 points. Faisal al Rashdi re- Oman’s Al Rawahi takes second place; Oman’s Al Ofi wins MERC 2 tired his Subaru Impreza STi on the opening stage. Tribune News Network since 2015. secure second position with “We really enjoyed the Ghaith al Qassimi took a MUSCAT (Oman) The success was Attiyah’s Jordanian co-driver Ata Al- stages. Some of them are a bit comfortable advantage of 6in sixth in Oman as he tries to Hmoud in a Ford Fiesta. Raw- tough. After 28 years, coming 23.5sec in the final six stages Nasser Saleh al Attiyah be- break Mohammed Ben Su- ahi said: “It was a really good back to Oman to do the rally, I of the Oman National Rally but gan the defence of his FIA layem’s record of seven wins result for us and we finished, keep my pace and I take third the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo driv- Middle East Rally Champion- in the Sultanate. Baumel has despite a power steering prob- position. I am glad to start the er lost out on the National Rally ship in emphatic style with a now won the eent twice (2015 lem on the last two stages. I season with a good result. We Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa al Attiyah (right) and co-driver Giovanni Bernac- win to Mohammed al Mazrui convincing start-to-finish vic- and 2020). would like to thank the team have time now to plan for the chini celebrate winning the third place in the Oman International Rally after late problems. Hamid al tory in the Oman Internation- Attiyah said: “Thanks to and everyone at the Oman next round in Qatar.” in Muscat on Saturday. (AFP) Qasim and Haitham al Zadjali al Rally on Saturday. the Oman Automobile As- Automobile Association for The Omani pairing of Za- were second and third. The Qatari and French co- sociation for organising the bringing this rally back.” kariya al Ofi and Ammar al Zubair slipping to third waiti setting the fastest time in Yaqhdan al Rashdi and driver Matthieu Baumel won first round of the MiddleE ast Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa al Balooshi held the advantage behind Kuwait’s defending the category. Waheeb al Khamsi both re- each of the 12 special stages Championship. Now I win six Attiyah and Italian co-driver in the MERC 2 category at the regional champion Meshari al Both Zubair and Jarah al tired early on and Zakariya al (SS9 was cancelled) in their times here. I always like what I Giovanni Bernacchini round- start of the day, but were over- Thefiri and his Irish navigator Tauqi retired on the second Amri succumbed to mechani- Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 and see here. I love the stages and ed off the podium places in the hauled by Abdullah al Zubair Derek O’Brien after dropping loop with technical issues and cal issues on stage 10. romped to a winning margin the people.” third of the Ford Fiesta R5s. and Emad Juma on the first 1min 40sec on the special. Al- that paved the way for fourth- The FIA Middle East Rally of 5min 04.1sec on the Sultan- Oman’s Abdullah al Raw- The Qatari said: “The rally stage of the opening loop – the Ofi moved ahead again and placed Ofi to pip Thefiri, fifth, Championship resumes with ate of Oman’s return to the re- ahi delivered a solid perfor- was good, the stages, the parc 21.57km of the Khoud Old Vil- continued to lead from Thefiri to MERC 2 honours. Omani the Manateq Qatar Interna- gional series for the first time mance on his R5 debut to ferme and the service area. lage special. through SS11, despite the Ku- drivers Khalid al Manji and tional Rally on April 9th-11th. Federer, Nadal shatter attendance Upstarts Bangladesh target India record at Cape Town Stadium upset in U19 World Cup final

Sellout crowd of AFP clinching six, powered In- 51,954 watches Potchefstroom (South Africa) dia into a seventh final, and captain Priyam Garg urged the rivals play First-time finalists Bang- his team to stick to what has ladesh will try to deny neigh- proved a successful formula. ‘The Match in bours and cricketing giants “I would want us to fol- Africa’ to raise India a record-extending fifth low the same process as we Under-19 World Cup title in have done,” said Garg. “We money for charity Sunday’s championship match have to approach the final in Potchefstroom. just as another game that we AFP Bangladesh are a win away have to play.” Cape Town from captain Akbar Ali’s bold Bangladesh have gone one pre-tournament prediction step further than their run to Roger Federer and Rafael Spain’s Rafael Nadal (right) reacts after a point against Switzerland’s that they could lift the trophy, the 2016 semi-finals, as Mah- Nadal attracted what organ- Roger Federer (left) and American philanthropist Bill Gates during but standing between them mudul Hasan Joy’s hundred isers said was a world record their double’s tennis match at The Match in Africa at the Cape Town and glory is a formidable India against New Zealand laid the crowd for a tennis match when Stadium, in South Africa, on Friday. (AFP) side that blew away arch-rivals basis for a six-wicket win. they played an exhibition Pakistan by 10 wickets in the “This is the first time that Mohammad Akbar Ali, captain of Bangladesh, and Priyam Garg, event in the Cape Town Sta- of something like that,” said The arena was packed with semi-finals. Bangladesh have got to the fi- captain of India, pictured during a Captains photocall ahead of the ICC dium on Friday. Federer. “It’s not something eager fans who sang, clapped Defending champions nal and we are all very happy,” U19 Cricket World Cup Final 2020 at JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom, The organisers said an you dream about. and did the wave throughout India have won 11 consecu- said Mahmudul, who models South Africa, on Saturday. (ICC) audited attendance of 51,954 Federer, who was accom- the match. “It’s an amazing tive matches at the age-level his batting on Shakib Al Hasan beat the 42,517 who watched panied by his South African crowd, an amazing stadium,” competition since their defeat and Indian great Rahul Dravid. game. We have to do the best rent international captains Federer play Alexander Zverev mother, Lynette, said his first said Nadal, who was making against West Indies in the final Bangladesh’s triumph set in all three departments. Virat Kohli, Eoin Morgan and of Germany in Mexico City appearance in South Africa his first appearance in South of the 2016 edition. up a third all-Asian final in the “Bangladeshi cricket fans Kane Williamson all figured last November. They also an- was a special occasion. Africa since playing in the In opening batsman Ya- U19 World Cup, but this is the are crazy, and I hope we will at the tournament in the past nounced that the ‘Match in “The first time here in Cape country as a junior. shasvi Jaiswal, India boast the first to be played outside the continue to get the same sup- along with some of the greats Africa’ raised $3.5-million for Town, in South Africa, means “It’s an unforgettable even- tournament’s leading runscor- sub-continent. port that we’ve been getting.” of the recent past, players such the Roger Federer Foundation, so much more than just ten- ing. We will probably never er. The attacking left-hander “We will play it as a normal For all the players at this as Brian Lara, Yuvraj Singh, which supports educational nis,” he said. Federer won 6-4 play again in an atmosphere has compiled 312 runs at an game. We can’t take the pres- World Cup, there remains the Chris Gayle and Steve Smith. and athletic programmes for 3-6 6-3 in a match in which such as this one,” said Nadal. astonishing average of 156 – sure of thinking that this is our dream not just of winning but The stage in Potchefstroom children in Africa. the players had to contend “I can’t thank enough the peo- having been dismissed just first final,” said Bangladesh doing enough to start forging a is set to see who if any young “To have 51,954 people in with cool, windy conditions in ple here in Cape Town. They twice in five innings. skipper Akbar. professional career in the game. Indians or Bangladeshis are attendance at a tennis match, the stadium that was built for came here and created an un- His century against Paki- “India is a very good side, Some big names have likely to join this elite band in I never thought I’d be apart the 2010 football World Cup. forgettable atmosphere.” stan, achieved with a match- and we have to play our ‘A’ trodden this path before: cur- the decade ahead.