14 MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2018 sports

Abu Dhabi Sports to cover Brave 20 from India Latham ton puts NZ in charge TDT | Manama

rave Combat Federa- Tom Latham and New Zealand 1st Btion has confirmed that • J. Raval c Dickwella b Kumara 43 Brave 20 marks the first grind T. Latham 121 Mixed Martial Arts event Sri Lanka on day K. Williamson c Rajitha b de Silva 91 taking place in India that is R. Taylor not out 50 covered by the UAE based New Zealand lead by Extras (lb4, nb1, w1) 6 premium broadcast net- 29• runs with 8 Total (2 wickets; 84 overs) 311 work. Sri Lanka Abu Dhabi Sports will remaining in the innings 1st innings (275-9 overnight) cover the event taking place M. Gunathilaka lbw Southee 1 in India providing the high- AFP | Wellington F. Karunaratne c Watling b Wagner 79 est global exposure to an D. de Silva c Watling b Southee 1 event taking place in In - pener Tom Latham’s K. Mendis c Patel b Southee 2 dia. The initiative to host unbeaten put A. Mathews c Watling b Southee 83 an event in India under the ONew Zealand in charge D. Chandimal c Patel b Southee 6 patronage of HH Shaikh of the first Test against Sri Lan- N. Dickwella not out 80 Khalid bin Hamad Al Khal- ka in Wellington yesterday, as D. Perera c Watling b de Grandhomme 16 ifa was praised for giving the Black Caps raced past the S. Lakmal c Nicholls b Wagner 3 Indian athletes a platform tourists’ first-innings total and K. Rajitha c Watling b Boult 2 to compete and showcase looked to build an imposing L. Kumara c de Grandhomme b Southee 0 their skills globally. lead. Extras (lb7, nb2) 9 Abu Dhabi Sports will Latham was 121 not out at Total (all out, 90 overs) 282 broadcast the event live in stumps on day two with New the Middle East and North Zealand cruising at 311 for two in not out after he led a rearguard Africa. The event marks the reply to Sri Lanka’s modest 282. Tom Latham of New Zealand plays a shot action for Sri Lanka. second time the Bahrain It was a frustrating day for Angelo Mathews and Dimuth based global mixed martial Sri Lanka’s bowlers on a Basin the of rash shots from screws on day three. Lanka, with three centuries in Karunaratne were the only oth- arts organization is hosting Reserve pitch that transformed Raval and Williamson. “Hopefully we can bat for a seven Tests against them. er batsmen to offer any mean- an event in India. Earlier into a batters’ paradise after That was not an issue for big chunk of tomorrow and we’ll That includes an unbeaten ingful resistance, notching 83 the fifth edition of the pro- wreaking havoc during the tour- Latham, who meticulously just bat once in the game, that’s 242 at Wellington’s Basin Re- and 79 respectively and forging motion took place on 23rd ists’ innings on day one. crafted his seventh Test century the plan,” he said. serve in 2015. a 133- partnership. April 2017 at the Dome Are- Black Caps skipper Kane Wil- from 219 balls and never looked “We’ll try and make the most Sri Lanka will be hoping for Sri Lanka, ranked sixth in the na in Mumbai, India. The liamson narrowly missed out on rattled at the crease. of these conditions as long as a dramatic New Zealand col- world, have lost their last five initiative will give the op- his own century, falling for 91, He combined with Wil - we can, then we’ll see where lapse on day three to salvage any Tests against New Zealand and portunity for eight Indian and all New Zealand’s batsmen liamson for a 162-run part - we get to tomorrow afternoon hopes of a win. suffered a 3-0 home Test series fighters to compete glob- got good starts, with nership, laying the foundation and maybe have a wee bowl at Earlier, they added just seven whitewash against England last ally for the first time. Two making 43 and not for a huge total from a line-up them. to their overnight total before month. Indian fighters, Kantaraj out on 50. that has eight wickets in hand “There’s a lot of game to be coaxed an inside They have faced upheaval in Agasa, and Nelson Paes will While the Sri Lanka attack and has plenty of batting to played before then.” edge off Kumara to claim a their coaching and selection compete in a global Mixed worked hard, they could not come. Despite failing to reach triple six- innings haul. ranks in recent weeks and ar- Martial Arts promotion for build pressure and the two New Coach New Zea- figures, Williamson still has a Kumara’s departure for a duck rived in New Zealand low on the first time. Zealand wickets that fell were land would look to turn the remarkable record against Sri left Dickwella stranded on 80 confidence.

Ali Qaisi predicts a victory at Brave 20 Badminton gold at last for ‘proud’ TDT | Manama Sindhu, Shi stuns Momota li Qaisi is the latest ath - AFP | Shanghai, China Alete signed with the Brave Combat Federation from Jor- I don’t find much dan. Qaisi joined the ranks value in fight n emotional PV Sindhu fi- of Jordanian superstars in - records. So many Anally got her hands on gold cluding the reigning welter- fighters train at badminton’s season-ending weight world champion, Jar- hard but don’t World Tour Finals yesterday rah Al Selawe, Jalal Al Daaja, while in the men’s decider Chi- Nawras Abzakh and Hashem have a chance at na’s Shi Yuqi exacted stunning Arkagha at the Bahrain based getting a fight, or revenge over number one Ken- global Mixed Martial Arts some choose easy to Momota. organization. opponents to boost The 23-year-old Indian Qaisi signed to compete at their record. Sindhu has suffered a series Brave 20 taking place on 22nd Ali Qaisi ALI QAISI of near-misses in recent years, December at the Gachibowli winning silver at the 2016 Rio Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, dia. I am always eager to per- motions, Desert Force and Olympics, and again at the India. Initially, Qaisi was set to form in a new place in front of Phoenix Fighting Champi- Asian Games and Common- face the Indian featherweight a new audience. I’m sure they onship. Qaisi pointed out the wealth Games this year. fighter, Abdul Muneer. How- will all be shocked to see how heavily buffed up fight re - The world number six, re- ever, Muneer withdrew from I finish the win, just like be - cords to be among major hin- nowned for her never-say-die the fight card due to a shoulder fore”, said Qaisi who is set to drances for MMA fighters in attitude, has also twice lost in injury contacted during wres- compete in India for the first India. the final of the World Champi- Sindhu Pusarla of India hits a return against Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand tling sessions. Hence Nelson time. Not only this ends up as a onships and was runner-up in Paes stepped in to challenge the Qaisi has made a name for disadvantage when the fighters last year’s season finale. finals because I had to ask my- Jordanian. himself in the Middle East are set to compete globally, but But she put all that heart - self why I was losing. “I’m so excited to fight in In- competing in two local pro - this also forces matchmakers break behind her in the Chinese “Finally I got the answer.” to pitch the fighters against city of Guangzhou, beating the The men’s final, a mouth - experienced veterans at a time fifth-ranked Nozomi Okuhara watering showdown between the fighters requires global of Japan 21-19, 21-17 in the wom- KNOW WHAT the two top-ranked players in experience and take it to the en’s final in just over an hour. the world, was a re-run of the top. Sindhu, who was always in world championship decider “Personally, I don’t find control of the match, sealed the PV Sindhu has twice lost in August. much value in fight records. championship with a forehand in the final of the World On that occasion, the 22-year- So many fighters train hard smash, before collapsing to the old Shi -- the new star of Chi- but don’t have a chance at get- court floor on her hands and Championships and was nese men’s badminton -- was at Seef District too ting a fight, or some choose knees, physically and emotion- runner-up in last year’s well beaten by Momota. easy opponents to boost their ally exhausted. season finale But roared on by the crowd record. Yeah, it’s important, “I’m really proud, the year in Guangzhou, Shi got revenge but it’s not everything. We will has ended on a beautiful note,” in emphatic fashion, beating see on December 22 what gets said Sindhu. asking why I always lose in the the tournament favourite 21-12, the win— a good record, or “People have been asking me final. 21-11 in a surprisingly one-sided training hard for the fight”, the same question, I think the “It was good that people were encounter for the biggest win of Um al Hassan +973 17728699 Seef District +973 17364999 commented Qaisi. question won’t come again -– asking me about losing so many his young career.