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Home , Angelo Mathews, Arshad Iqbal, Dhananjaya de Silva, Ebadot Hossain, Lahiru Kumara, Lahiru Thirimanne

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SATURDAY 24 APRIL 2021 De Bruyne, Aguero back for City as Guardiola targets fourth League Cup We cannot deny the Champions League is close and the Premier League is not over and they are more important. But we want to win this competition. For Tottenham, it will be their first title in years and their commitment will be incredible and the quality of their players is extraordinary. Manchester City manager Sport | 15 Pep Guardiola IPL: Indians: 131/6 ( 63, M Shami 2/21, R Bishnoi 2/21) vs : 132/1 in 17.4 overs (KL Rahul 60 ) Cazorla and Asad on target as Al Sadd beat Al Wehdat to keep ACL hopes alive AFC- RIYADH Drama in Goa A goal in each half was enough for Al Sadd SC to beat Al Wehdat 2-0 and claim full points in their 2021 as Al Wahda AFC Champions League (ACL) Group D tie yesterday. The win took Qatar champions defeat nine-man Al Sadd to seven points from four matches, one behind Saudi Arabia's Al Rayyan Al Nassr who edged Foolad Khouz- estan FC of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Group D's other tie AFC – GOA yesterday. Similar to their Matchday Three Omar Khribin’s second half penalty earned UAE’s clash, Al Sadd dominated the early Al Wahda FSCC a 1-0 win over nine-man Al Rayyan proceedings with their first look at at Goa’s Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium yesterday goal coming in the sixth minute to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the when won a knockout rounds of the 2021 AFC Champions League free-kick just outside the box, but from Group E. Al Wehdat goalkeeper Abdallah Khibin converted from the spot 19 minutes from Alfakhori safely parried Santi time to give Henk ten Cate’s side victory and move Cazorla’s strike. the club from on to seven points from However, Al Wehdat suffered a their first four games of this year’s campaign. blow six minutes later when The win was Al Wahda’s second in three days defender Yazan Alarab conceded a over the Qatari side and came after Ahmed Abdul penalty for a challenge on Maqsoud and Franck Kom had both been sent off Bounedjah, with Cazorla easily con- for Laurent Blanc’s team before the 2017 AFC Player verting the spot-kick to give the of the Year scored the game’s only goal. Qatar champions the lead. A tame first half was largely devoid of the drama With their AFC Champions that marked the last 30 minutes of the teams’ pre- League hopes on the line, Al Wehdat Al Sadd's vies for the ball with two Al Wehdat players during yesterday's match. PIC: Al Sadd vious encounter on Wednesday when Al Wahda had to shed their defensive scored three times to win that match, although eve- approach and the Jordan side came rything changed during first half injury time when close in the 21st minute with Khaled the match in the 81st minute when points, one ahead of Islamic and it will be an open match Maqsoud was sent off. Assam’s right-footed shot striking Abdurisag intercepted a pass with Republic of Iran’s Esteghlal and this because of their desire for the three Tim Matavz had come closest to opening the the upright, before Abdou Ndiay Bounedjah picking up the through sets the stage for another epic points. I hope that we can avoid scoring when the Slovenian striker unleashed a forced a save out of Al Sadd ‘keeper pass but the Algerian striker’s shot encounter at the King Abdullah mistakes and overcome the chal- volley from outside the area in the 24th minute that four minutes deflected off the post. Sports City Stadium. lenges that we have. Fahad Younis was forced to palm over the bar. later. But it was Ali Asad who stole Kenyan forward Michael “I really liked the spirit of the But the game changed as time ticked towards Al Wehdat upped their tempo the show when he slot home from Olunga was Esteghlal’s chief tor- players in the previous match the interval when Abdulla Anwar attempted to skip and continued pressing but couldn’t close range, courtesy of Abdurisag's mentor on Wednesday with a hat- despite the fatigue. We will go with past Maqsoud, only for the defender to lean on the find the equaliser as Al Sadd were pass into the area, to seal a con- trick but Al Duhail head coach Sabri the best possible formation in the forward as he tried to sprint past and, as a of hardly stretched in the remaining vincing win. Lamouchi will be basking in the match depending on the availability the foul, referee Ahmed Al Ali showed the red card. minutes of the first half. Al Sadd will face Foolad Khouz- knowledge that he has several and readiness of the players.” Al Rayyan survived unscathed until the last 20 In an attempt to bolster his side, estan next on Monday, while Al attacking options at his disposal. Esteghlal would have minutes, but their hopes of holding on for a draw Al Wehdat head coach Abdullah Wehdat play hosts Al Nassr. Lamouchi, however, will also undoubtedly walked away from the ended when Kom was judged to have fouled Jumaa Abu Zema made three substitutions, Elsewhere, in Jeddah, Qatar's Al remind his players that a strong Matchday Three defeat disap- in the area and Al Ali pointed to the spot. sending on Amara Munther Abu, Duhail will be looking to maintain defence will be key against an pointed as Farhad Majidi’s side have After booking the Cameroonian defender for Ahmed Haikal and Ahmad Zreik at top spot in Group C when they seek Esteghlal who will approach the been impressive throughout the his initial foul, the referee pulled out a second yellow the hour mark but it was to no avail points against Esteghlal FC. match with victory as their target. tournament. card for Kom for dissent to send him to the changing as Al Sadd held firm at the back. The two were involved in a “The previous meeting was a Goals have been scored at will, rooms and leave Al Rayyan with nine players on Al Wehdat’s hopes suffered thrilling Matchday Three encounter crazy match that saw a lot of goals,” with Esteghlal the highest scorers the field. another setback when Alarab with Qatar’s Al Duhail claiming a said Lamouchi. “We deserved to with 11 from three matches, but they Khrbin stepped up to confidently strike the received his second yellow card of 4-3 win in one of this season’s best win but today we will be living a will need to be more resilient penalty into the corner of Younis’ goal to give Al the night in the 76th minute for his group stage matches. new story and we hope that we can defensively against an Al Duhail Wahda the win and, in the process, end Al Rayyan’s foul on Yusuf Abdurisag. The result meant Al Duhail win the match. side who hit them four times on hopes of progressing to the next phase of the Al Sadd could have closed off reached the halfway stage on seven “The two teams will go for a win Wednesday. competition. Best thing about Super League is it did not happen: Klopp REUTERSREUTERS – at UEFA for expanding the Champions said neither he nor his players knew about “As a team we have to be concen- League. the plan in advance, added that the focus trated on the things we do such as football. TheThe most positive thing about The ESL proposal collapsed on must now return to playing football. That’s what we do. thethe attempta by 12 elite clubs to Wednesday amid an outpouring of crit- “I know it’s normal that people will “I know the owners, I’ve known them formform a closed European Super icism from fans, players, soccer governing say ‘how can we carry on?’ but that six years. I know there are some moments LeagueLeag (ESL) is that “it did not bodies and government officials. doesn’t get sorted in a week,” the German when they might not have made the right happen”,happe Liverpool manager Liverpool were one of six Premier told a news conference ahead of Liver- decision, this time for sure, but it doesn’t JuergJuergene Klopp (pictured) said League clubs to sign up for the new league pool’s home Premier League game change things for me. I prefer to deal with yesterday,yester while also taking aim before withdrawing, and Klopp, who has against Newcastle United to. problems with people I know.” Nadal into Barcelona semis Cherif, Ahmed win in Cancun AP – BARCELONA

Rafael Nadal brushed aside Cameron Norrie 6-1, 6-4 to ease into the semifinals of the Barcelona Open on Friday and moved closer to a record-extending 12th title at the event. After Nadal breezed throughhrough the first set, Britain’s Norrie won back a break in the secondsecond.. Nadal, however, took the advantage right back and closed it out whwhenen hehe coconvertednverted oonn a second match point by smashingmashing a forehand just inside the line. “I had a good first set, dominatingominating with mmyy drive and movinmovingg the ball around,” Nadal said.id. The top-seeded Nadall needed three sets to gegett papastst Kei Nishikori and Ilya Ivashkaa in the first two rounds in BaBar-r- celona. Nadal is looking to rebound from a quarterfinal exit at Monte Carlo last week. Nadal will next face countrymanuntryman Pablo Carreno after he won a tightly contested quarterfinalrterfinal with DieDiegogo Schwartzman 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Schwartzman was servinging to win the match when Carreno rallied and won tthreehree straightstraight ggamesames ttoo close it out. Second-seeded Stefanosnos TsitsipasTsitsipas beat FelixFelix Qatar’s Cherif Samba (right) scores a Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-33 for the Greek’s eighth point against Canada's Sam Pedlow and straight-set victory in a roww including his title run last Samuel Schachter during their match of week at Monte Carlo. the FIVB World Tour Cancun Hub - 2nd Tsitsipas will next face Jannik Sinner after he defeated event in Mexico yesterday. Cherif and Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-7 (4),), 6-4. his team-mate Ahmed Tijan won 2-0 with a 21-17, 23-21 scoreline. The Barcelona Open wwasas not held last yyearear because of thethe Rafael Nadal coronavirus pandemic. Sport SATURDAY 24 APRIL 2021 15 South African in deep crisis as Minister ‘de-recognises’ CSA

REUTERS – CAPE TOWN been holding out against agreeing a opportunity”, could fall foul of the CSA’s interim board released a would achieve the 75% majority vote new Memorandum of Incorporation International Cricket Council, who statement in response, calling it a “sad in favour of a change to the MOI, but Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa has (MOI) for the organisation that would disapprove of government day” for cricket in the country. instead only six unions were in favour, turned up the heat on Cricket South allow for a greater number of inde- intervention. “Only the Members Council can while three abstained. Africa’s (CSA) embattled Members pendent directors on its board. “I have decided to invoke my retrieve the situation now by Those that voted against said they Council after stripping them of the Mthethwa, as well as the CSA’s powers ... by de-funding and de-rec- resolving to support an expedited did not have enough time review the right to run the game, putting the interim board, see this as a necessary ognising CSA‚“ Mthethwa said in a procedure (for the new MOI),” interim changes, something the interim board country’s participation in future inter- step to ensure good governance after letter to CSA on Friday. board chairman Stavros Nicolaou have denied. national tournaments in doubt. years of graft allegations, which have “I will‚ as soon as possible‚ also said. ’s next international The all-powerful Members bedevilled the organisation. inform the ICC of my decision and A Special General Meeting was series is not until June when they are Council, which is made up of the pres- The move, which Mthethwa said provide them with my reasons for held last Saturday where it was due to tour the West Indies for test idents of the 14 provincial unions, has would come into effect “at the earliest doing so.” expected that the Members Council and limited overs matches. Punjab beat Karunaratne leads ’s fightback Mumbai by after Bangladesh post mammoth total 9 AGENCIES –

AP – PALLEKELE SCOREBOARD Punjab Kings ended a three- plays a drive during the match losing streak and Dimuth Karunaratne led Sri third day of the First Test BANGLADESH, 1st Innings 30-1-130-1, WH de Silva 36-2-111-0, Karunaratne handed defending champions Lanka to 229-3 in its first c Thirimanne b MVT Fernando ...... 90 1-0-6-0 a nine- against Bangladesh in Saif Hassan lbw b MVT Fernando...... 0 SRI LANKA, 1st innings innings at stumps on the third Pallekele yesterday. Najmul Hossain Shanto c & b Kumara ...... 163 Dimuth Karunaratne not out ...... 85 thrashing in the Indian day of the first Test, still 312 runs PIC: Mominul Haque c Thirimanne b DM de Silva ...... 127 lbw b M Miraz ...... 58 Premier League yesterday. behind Bangladesh’s mammoth Mushfiqur Rahim not out ...... 68 c Das b T Ahmed ...... 20 The Punjab battery set it up 541-7. c B Fernando b V Fernando ...... 50 b Islam ...... 25 by limiting Mumbai to 131-6. There was little threat from Mehidy Hasan Miraz c Dickwella b Lakmal ...... 3 not out ...... 26 Lokesh Rahul, 60 Taijul Islam c Dickwella b MVT Fernando ...... 2 Extras (b 4, lb 5, nb 3, w 3) ...... 15 Bangladesh seamers when the not out ...... 6 TOTAL (73 Ov, 3 wkts) ...... 229 not out, , 43 not Sri Lankans started their reply Extras (b 9, lb 6, nb 6, w 11) ...... 32 Yet to bat: Pathum Nissanka, Niroshan Dickwella, out, and , 25, but the two spinners - Taijul TOTAL (173 Ov, 7 wkts decl.) ...... 541 PWH de Silva, , Lahiru Kumara, Vish- knocked off the winning runs Islam and Mehidy Hasan - were Did not bat: Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain wa Fernando with 14 balls to spare. rewarded for some tight Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-152, 3-394, 4-424, 5-511, Fall of wickets: 1-114, 2-157, 3-190 Punjab joined Mumbai in 6-515, 7-524 BOWLING: Abu Jayed 7-1-25-0, Taskin Ahmed 12-3- bowling yesterday. BOWLING: Lakmal 36-14-81-1, Fernando 35-9-96- 35-1, Ebadot Hossain 10-1-44-0, Mehidy Hasan Miraz mid-table with two wins from Karunaratne is Sri Lanka’s 4, Kumara 28-4-88-1, Mathews 7-1-14-0, D de Silva 24-6-60-1, Taijul Islam 20-5-56-1 five matches. best player of spin bowling and Punjab Kings play their the captain countered the threat next game against Kolkata well, but his team needs at least Karunaratne and Kumara is nursing a hamstring Knight Riders on Monday. two more big partnerships. Kar- Dhananjaya de Silva (26 not injury and his availability for Brief scores: unaratne batted for more than out) have added 39 runs for the the rest of the game will be Mumbai Indians 131/6 in five hours for his 85 not out as fourth wicket as Sri Lanka saw known Saturday morning. 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 63, S play was extended on day three off some tense moments Thirimanne felt that the Yadav 33, M Shami 2/21, R to catch up for time lost due to without any further damage. game is heading for a draw. Bishnoi 2/21) vs Punjab Kings bad light on Thursday. Bangladesh went for some “There’s not much hap- 132/1 in 17.4 overs (KL Rahul Karunaratne was given out quick runs in the morning when pening on this wicket. The track 60 not out, C Gayle 43 not out) leg before wicket to Taijul (1-56 play started with its overnight is very slow,” Thirimanne said. off 20 overs) but the decision total on 474-4. Mushfiqur “We need to apply ourselves was overturned after the Rahim finished on 68 not out as and bat through day four ... Per- batsman reviewed with the ball make it 114-1. Despite the dismissal for 25. The experi- the declaration came. sonally, I think this game is Green added missing by some margin. excellent conditions, enced campaigner went on the picked heading for a high-scoring Lahiru Thirimanne (58) was Oshada Fernando was caught back foot to a full from up 4-96 while Suranga Lakmal, draw. ” to Cricket cruising with some cracking down legside to Taskin Ahmed’s Taijul that he should have Lahiru Kumara and But Bangladesh is hoping for strokes before he was dismissed delivery for 20. played on the front foot. The Dhananjaya de Silva gained a more than a draw. in the final ball before tea by Sloppy footwork from ball sneaked past the bat and wicket apiece. “We are definitely playing Hasan (1-60 off 24 overs) to Angelo Mathews resulted in his crashed onto the stumps. Sri Lanka confirmed that for a win,” Taijul said. contracted list

AP – BOURNE Zimbabwe pull off shock T20 win over Allrounder Cameron Green has been given his first full contract with Cricket Australia after REUTERS – SCOREBOARD playing all four tests against ZIMBABWE PAKISTAN and leading the domestic Zimbabwe successfully T. Kamunhukamwe c Azam b Aziz ...... 34 Mohammad Rizwan c Musakanda b Jongwe ...... 13 first-class competition with 922 defended a modest total to pull B. Taylor c Hafeez b Ashraf ...... 5 c Madhevere b Jongwe ...... 41 runs at an average of almost 77 off an upset 19-run win over T. Marumani c Rizwan b Iqbal ...... 13 Fakhar Zaman c Musakanda b Burl ...... 2 and three centuries. W. Madhevere b Aziz ...... 16 c Masakadza b Burl ...... 5 in-form Pakistan and level their R. Burl c Rizwan b Qadir ...... 3 Danish Aziz run out ...... 22 Not so lucky were former international series R. Chakabva lbw b Rauf ...... 18 Asif Ali c sub (Tiripano) b Ngarava...... 1 test vice-captains Travis Head at the T. Musakanda b Hasnain ...... 13 Faheem Ashraf c Burl b Muzarabani ...... 2 and Matthew Wade, opener Joe yesterday. L. Jongwe c Fakhar b Hasnain ...... 7 Usman Qadir run out ...... 0 Burns and allrounders Mitchell Zimbabwe were sent into bat W. Masakadza run out (Hasnain) ...... 0 Haris Rauf c Taylor b Jongwe ...... 6 Marsh and Marcus Stoinis, who first, and despite a feisty 34 from B. Muzarabani not out ...... 1 Mohammad Hasnain not out...... 0 were not among the 17 players R. Ngarava not out ...... 1 Arshad Iqbal c Burl b Jongwe...... 0 Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, made Extras (b4, lb2, w1) ...... 7 Extras (b1, w6) ...... 7 to receive 2021-22 national only a paltry 118-9 as wickets Total (9 wkts, 20 overs) ...... 118 Total (19.5 overs) ...... 99 contracts announced tumbled at regular intervals. Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-47, 3-68, 4-71, 5-83, 6-108, Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-37, 3-56, 4-78, 5-79, 6-87, yesterday. Zimbabwe's Luke Jongwe But Pakistan, who beat 7-116, 8-116, 9-116 7-92 8-99, 9-99, 10-99 Cricket Australia con- South Africa 3-1 in a four-match Bowling: Mohammad Hasnain 4-0-19-2, Faheem Bowling: Muzarabani 4-0-24-1 (1w), Ngarava 3-0- celebrates with team-mates after tracted players for 2021-22: series earlier this month, fell Ashraf 2-0-10-1, Arshad Iqbal 4-0-16-1, Haris Rauf 10-1, Jongwe 3.5-0-18-4 (2w), Madhevere 3-0-16-0 taking a wicket during the second Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat 3-0-10-1 (1w), Usman Qadir 4-0-28-1, Danish Aziz (2w), Burl 4-0-21-2 (1w), Masakadza 2-0-9-0 match short in a laboured chase as they 3-0-29-2 Result: Zimbabwe win by 19 runs Cummins, , were bowled out for 99. Luke against Pakistan, yesterday. Cameron Green, Josh Jongwe emerged the home hero Hazlewood, Marnus as he took the important wickets defended in a T20 international without mistakes to make up for "It was big turn around for confident after our batting, but Labuschagne, , of Mohammad Rizwan (13) and in Harare and a first win for Zim- a poor performance in Wednes- us after the first game,” said we dug deep and managed to , Tim Paine, J captain Babar Azam (41) to finish babwe over Pakistan in 15 past day’s first T20 and set up a stand-in captain squeeze Pakistan and our com- Pattinson, , K with figures of 4-18. T20 internationals. Zimbabwe deciding contest in the last of the afterwards. mitment and determination got Richardson, , M It was the lowest total bowled with accuracy and fielded three-match series tomorrow. “I’d be lying if I said I was us over the line.” Starc, D Warner, A Zampa. Messi double powers Barca De Bruyne, Aguero back for City as to big win over Getafe Guardiola targets fourth League Cup REUTERS – LONDON Tottenham Hotspur players take part in a practice session aheadead of tomorrow's League Cup final match against Manchester City.ty. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero are back from injury and are in contention for tomorrow’s League Cup final, manager Pep Guardiola said yesterday as the club targets a fourth title in a row when they play Tottenham Hotspur. De Bruyne hobbled off during City’s FA Cup semi- final loss to Chelsea with an ankle injury last weekend while Aguero has not played Manchester City since early March due to manager niggles and a muscle problem. “Both (are ready), they Pep Guardiola trained today,” Guardiola told reporters. “(For Aguero) today not a high priority for other this competition,” Guardiola However, Guardiola is also was the first training session in managers who usually play said. keeping one eye on their two weeks. Tomorrow we have second string squads, the “For Tottenham, it will be Champions League semi-final Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring their third goal against the last training session and Spaniard has always taken it their first title in years and trip to Paris St Germain next Getafe during their La Liga match played at Camp Nou in Barcelona, then we are going to decide.” seriously. their commitment will be week. Spain, on Thursday. Messi scored twice as Barcelona crushed Getafe Guardiola’s first trophy “We cannot deny the incredible and the quality of “The Carabao (Cup) is nice, 5-2 to stay in the hunt for the La Liga title. The win took Barca back with City was the League Cup Champions League is close their players is extraordinary.” we play to win the title, but up to third place on 68 points, five behind leaders Atletico Madrid but in 2018 and he has won it and the Premier League is not The League Cup was Spurs’ PSG is there,” he added. with a game in hand. three years in a row since. over and they are more last trophy when the London “We (will) see what Though the competition is important. But we want to win side won it in 2008. happens on Sunday.”