Sports Monday, November 18, 2019 13 Japan get gold, Mexico secure AL ARABI CROWNED ASIAN MEN’S HANDBALL LEAGUE ChamPIONS 2020 Olympic baseball spot AFP out to end the game. TOKYO “Our players were in the field with never-give-up spir- JAPAN defeated South Korea its, so I knew they will take the 5-3 in the final of the WBSC lead,” Japan manager Atsu- Premier 12 baseball tourna- nori Inaba said post game. ment, while Mexico beat the South Korea “is a very US 3-2 to qualify for the Tokyo strong Asian rival, and I’m 2020 Olympics. expecting that we will play an- South Korea opened up the other great game in the Olym- game with two homers by Kim pics next year,” Inaba added. Ha-seong and Kim Hyun-soo Hosts Japan advanced to in the top of the first inning, the final after finishing top in the scoring a total of three runs. six-nation Super Round with But the lead was quickly a 4-1 win-loss record, ahead of taken by Japan in the bottom 2nd -placed South Korea (3-2). of the second inning when Tet- South Korea were the gold suto Yamada smashed a three- medallists of the inaugural run homer to deep left field. Premier 12 competition four In the seventh inning, Hi- years ago while Japan took the deto Asamura singled to right bronze medal in 2015. centre, making the score 5-3. Earlier, Mexico edged the Japan’s closer Yasuaki US 3-2 after 10 innings to take Qatar’s Al Arabi Sports Club were crowned as champions of the 22nd Asian Men’s Club League Handball Championship after they defeated Al Wehda club of Saudi Arabia 21-19 Yamasaki earned two consec- third place and earn a spot at in the final in South Korea on Sunday. Al Arabi’s victory allows the club to retain the trophy following Al Duhail’s win last year. Meanwhile, last year’s runners-up Al Wakrah of Qatar utive groundouts and a strike- next year’s Olympic Games. failed to win their third-place match, leaving them in fourth place losing 21-20 to UAE’s Sharjah SC. Gurbaz blitz helps ‘Qatar provides me the Afghanistan clinch opportunity to train when T20 series vs WI AFP LUCKNOW (INDIA) SCOREBOARD AFGHANISTAN TEENAGE opener Rahman- Hazratullah Zazai c Lewis b Cottrell ........................0 ullah Gurbaz hit an attacking Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Paul b Pollard ................. 79 it snows back home’ Karim Janat c Hope b Cottrell ................................2 half-century to set up Afghani- Ibrahim Zadran run out (Holder) ............................1 stan’s 29-run series-clinching Asghar Afghan c King b Paul ............................... 24 Monster Energy win over West Indies in the Najibullah Zadran c Pollard b Williams ............... 14 Mohammad Nabi c Holder b Paul ...................... 15 third Twenty20 international Rashid Khan c Cottrell b Williams ..........................0 Yamaha MotoGP on Sunday. Gulbadin Naib not out ...........................................4 Gurbaz hit 79 off 52 balls Naveen-ul-Haq not out ...........................................2 Rider Maverick as Afghanistan posted 156 for Extras: (lb4, w11) ............................................... 15 Total: (For 8 wickets, 20 overs) ..................... 156 eight, a total their bowlers de- Did not bat: Mujeeb Ur Rahman Vinales opens up fended by restricting the West Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Hazratullah), 2-12 (Janat), Indies to 127-7 in Lucknow. 3-44 (Ibrahim), 4-94 (Afghan), 5-120 (Gurbaz), on his big move They won the series 2-1 6-142 (Najibullah), 7-149 (Rashid), 8-151 (Nabi). Bowling: Cottrell 4-0-29-2 (2w), Holder 4-0-26-0 to Qatar after losing the opening game (1w), Williams 4-0-31-2 (3w), Pierre 3-0-19-0 (4w), and being swept in the preced- Paul 3-0-26-2, Pollard 2-0-21-1 (1w). ing ODIs 3-0. WEST INDIES (TaRGET 157) L. Simmons b Mujeeb ............................................7 eft impressed with fa- Paceman Naveen-ul-Haq E. Lewis lbw b Janat ............................................ 24 cilites at Qatar Motor- took three wickets to choke B. King b Naveen ....................................................1 sports Academy, Span- the West Indies’ chase despite S. Hope c Afghan b Naib ..................................... 52 L S. Hetmyer c Afghan b Rashid ............................. 11 ish Grand Prix rider Maverick a valiant 52 by wicketkeeper- K. Pollard c Najibullah b Naveen ......................... 11 Vinales, who won the rookie batsman Shai Hope. J. Holder c Nabi b Naveen ......................................6 of the year title in MotoGP “You have to be smart and K. Paul not out .......................................................4 in 2015, and has been a for- cool and calm as a professional K. Pierre not out .....................................................1 mer Moto3 world champion player. Sometimes you are los- Extras: (lb4, w5, nb1) ......................................... 10 Total: (For 7 wickets, 20 overs) ..................... 127 in 2013, decided to train in ing but your energy and mind- Did not bat: K. Williams, S. Cottrell Qatar and also do mental set for upcoming matches is Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Simmons), 2-16 (King), 3-42 training at the Aspire Acad- more important,” said skipper (Lewis), 4-80 (Hetmyer), 5-112 (Pollard), 6-118 emy. Here in an interview, Rashid Khan. (Hope), 7-124 (Holder). Bowling: Mujeeb 3-0-9-1 (w1), Naveen 4-0-24-3 the 24-year-old, opens up on “Yes we lost the first three (w1), Janat 4-0-33-1 (nb1, w1), Naib 4-0-26-1 what made him make up his ODIs and the first T20 but still (w2), Nabi 1-0-13-0, Rashid 4-0-18-1. mind. Excerpts: the focus was that we can still Toss: Afghanistan win two trophies – T20s and Result: Afghanistan won by 29 runs Series: Afghanistan won the three-match series 2-1. You arrived at the last race Spanish Grand Prix rider Maverick Vinales (centre) with Khalid al Remaihi, General Manager and Vice-President Losail Circuit Sports Club Test cricket.” 3rd in the championship, (LCSC), and Luis Cardoso, Head, Qatar Motorsports Academy at the Losail International Circuit. But it was the 17-year-old having won two races and Gurbaz, a wicketkeeper-bats- best of 61. had quite a positive second Qatar Motorsports Academy op the programme for motor- man, who stood out with his He smashed six fours and half of the season. How do and I was impressed. I spoke Looking ahead cycle riders. At this moment second T20I fifty after the Af- five sixes before falling to West you evaluate your year? with the responsible of the cir- I believe that at this point I they are investigating to find ghans were in early trouble at Indies skipper Kieron Pollard. Well, I have to say that I’m cuit and they open the door for the exercises that will help 12 for two. “The guys would have very satisfied. This year is end- me to use these facilities any- have to take a step forward me to be better on the bike. Gurbaz, named man of the taken a lot from this series ing in a very different way than time I wanted. I thought about physically and mentally. This is very important be- match, put on a crucial 50-run and how to adapt and play on the previous two years, when the opportunity of being able During the celebration of the cause there is in not any stand for the fourth wicket slower pitches,” said Pollard. we started the season very to ride bikes normally in win- Qatar GP at the beginning of sport that equals the char- with former captain Asghar The two teams will next good, at a really good level, ter when in Europe we mostly the season, I saw the acteristic of riding a bike. Afghan, who made 24, and play a one-off Test starting and then slowly the level we have to train indoors, so I de- facilities of the Qatar So I think that at Aspire I will surpassed his previous T20I November 27. had decreased as the season cided to move to Doha when have the chance to work in a progressed. But this year is Andorra (Independent Princi- Motorsports Academy and very specific training program totally opposite. After race six pality) is covered in snow. I was impressed. related to what we do when we or seven GPs, we only go up, I have already gotten every- ride a MotoGP bike. go up, and go up. So actually thing organized and I have – Maverick Vinales Where I have already noticed I feel really good with the bike been able to train with the the work we have been doing and inside the team. I’m really Qatar Motorsports Academy other bikes, but it is the same We are also working with As- with Aspire is on the mental calm. Right now I’m working, coaches and I have to say that competitiveness. pire. It’s a highly technologi- side. They are very good in I think, in the best way I can it is unbelievably good. Also cal training academy that has this area. To stay mentality fo- work. I can feel that I’m quite there are very experienced You mean they can teach incredible facilities and world- cused is very important. satisfied about this season. riders who also can help you. you?! top professionals working Most of them are ex-GP riders, We are not perfect. We have to there. I think there I can take In which way have you You have moved to Qatar. which means they go fast, and improve every day. Every day, another of these steps I have mentally improved? Why? I need riders that push me.