Southgate defends role of international football amid virus cases page 14 WEDNESday, OCTOBEr 14, 2020

Ooredoo Cup 2020-21 Ronaldo “is doing well, without symptoms, and Al Wakrah drub Duhail 3-1 is in isolation”. Tribune News Network Doha Portugal Football Federation in a Al Wakrah gained their sec- statement ond victory in the 2020-21 season Ooredoo Cup when they beat Al Duhail 3-1 in Round 3 (Group A) at the Al Duhail Stadium on Tuesday. Omar Ali (23rd and 68th Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo looks on during the Nations minutes) and Ousmane Couli- League match against France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, baly (64th minute) scored for outside Paris, on Sunday. (AFP) the winners. Abdulrahman Moustafa scored Al Duhail’s goal in the 29th minute. Ronaldo tests Al Wakrah moved on to seven points, while reigning QNB Stars League champions positive, misses Al Duhail have yet to open their account although they have one match in hand. Al Duhail’s game against Sweden match Al Sadd in Round 1 was post- poned owing to both teams’ DPA/AFP force for Serie A says that Ron- campaigns in the 2020 AFC Berlin aldo must self-isolate for 10 days Champions League. The Red and then record a negative test Knights had lost 1-3 to Al Sail- Portugal captain Cristiano before he can resume playing. iya in Round 2. Al Wakrah players celebrate one of their three goals against Al Duhail during their Ooredoo Cup Round 3 Group A match played at the Al Duhail Ronaldo has tested positive for Ronaldo on Monday post- Al Wakrah, who had played Stadium on Tuesday. the coronavirus, the nation’s ed a picture of himself and the out a 1-1 draw with Qatar SC in football federation FPF said other Portugal players, all sit- Round 1, then beat Al Khor 2-1. goals to seal an important win. Cristian Ceballos hit the side- riguez (Dudu) skied the ball in the result. on Tuesday. ting close together, during a Al Duhail dominated the Omar opened the scoring netting the next minute. the 41st minute. Coulibaly headed in a A statement said that Ron- meal, with the caption on the ball in the first half where the by taking advantage of a faulty Al Duhail now took control Earlier, Al Wakrah’s Mo- chipped pass from former aldo “is doing well, without Twitter post translating into: teams were level at 1-1, but clearance by Ahmed Yasser. and drew level through Abdul- hamed Benyettou had come Al Duhail defender Lucas symptoms, and is in isolation,” “United on and off the field!” it was Al Wakrah who had Captain Isaias Sanchez set up rahman Moustafa, who pro- close on a couple of occasions. Mendes to make it 2-1 and without giving further infor- However, social distancing more chances. The Blue Wave Omar with the ball and the latter duced a neat finish off aL uis Al Wakrah were more Omar found the target a sec- mation on him. and face masks are not man- gained much ground after re- calmly volleyed the ball home. Martin through pass. determined in the second ond time off a pass from Ce- He was dropped from the datory within a team bubble. sumption and scored two more A surge by Al Wakrah saw Al Duhail’s Eduardo Rod- session and that reflected on ballos from near the goalline. squad for Wednesday’s Na- Neither Juve nor Ronaldo tions League match against have so far commented on the Sweden for the title holders positive test. and European champions. Ronaldo is not the first The FPF said that all other footballer to contract the Sars- players underwent new coro- CoV-2 virus, but among the Al Sailiya-Al Sadd in dramatic 4-4 draw navirus tests earlier on Tues- most famous ones. day which returned negative. Others include his Juven- As a result, they are avail- tus team-mate Paulo Dybala; Tiago Bezerra able for the game against the Paris Saint-Germain’s Ney- Swedes in Lisbon which is to mar, Kylian Mbappe, Angel di scores hat-trick go ahead as planned. Maria and Marquinhos; Paul for Al Sailiya The Portugal squad gath- Pogba of Manchester United ered last week and drew 0-0 and AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahi- Tribune News Network in a friendly with Spain and in movic. Doha the Nations League at world Ronaldo could also face champions France, with Ron- trouble in Italy because he was Al Sailiya and Al Sadd played aldo featuring in both games. among half a dozen Juventus out a dramatic 4-4 draw in their Portugal and France are joint players who left the team’s Round 3 Group A match at the top on seven points in Group quarantine - after two staffers Al Duhail Stadium on Tuesday. A3. tested positive - for national Striker Tiago Bezerra led Ronaldo, 35, will surely team duty. Al Sailiya’s charge with a hat- also miss upcoming matches Their departures could be trick (58th-min penalty, 74th of his Italian club Juventus af- an infringement of the FIGC and 78th-min-penalty). Mo- Action from the ter the positive test. safety protocol and of state hanad Ali was their other scor- Al Sailiya-Al Sadd Juve visit Crotone in the sanitary laws. er (72nd minute). Ooredoo Cup Round Serie A on Saturday, have their The international break Rami Sohail (13th min- 3 Group A match Champions League opener has been marked by a host ute), Nam Tae-Hee (19th-min played at the Al next week Tuesday at Dynamo of players contracting the vi- penalty), Yousef Abdulrazaq Duhail Stadium Kiev, and then face Barcelona rus as it continues its spread (47th minute) and substitute on Tuesday. with Ronaldo’s long-time ri- worldwide. Rodrigo Tabata (53rd minute) val Lionel Messi the following The Republic of Ireland scored for Al Sadd. week in the elite event. He can had five players ruled out just The total tally of eight only return to action after test- before their Nations League goals included three penalty ing negative again. draw with Wales after one conversions. against Al Duhail in Round dropped points this time too national duty. 0-4 by the 53rd minute. Ronaldo has scored 101 squad member tested positive Al Sailiya now have six 1 was postponed owing to after enjoying a 2-0 lead at the It was a thrilling comeback The sudden splurge in at- goals for Portugal and will be for the virus. points, while Al Sadd opened both teams’ campaigns in end of first half. by Al Sailiya in the second tack by Al Sailiya saw them a huge absence for his team Meanwhile Ukraine had to their account. the 2020 AFC Champions The Wolves, who won the half, which saw six goals being pump in three goals in the against Sweden as they aim draft in 45-year-old assistant Al Sailiya had lost their League, had lost 2-3 to Qatar 2019-20 season Ooredoo Cup scored in all. space of six minutes. to hold on to top spot in their coach Oleksandr Shovkovsky opener 1-5 to Al Khor, but de- SC in Round 2, after leading by beating Al Arabi 4-0 in the The Peregrines fought In the last match of the group. His contracting the dis- for last week’s friendly with feated Al Duhail 3-1 in Round 2. by two goals. final on 10th October, missed back into the game in extraor- day, Al Khor scored a 2-0 win ease is also a big blow for Ju- France as the virus swept Al Sadd, whose game Incidentally, Al Sadd many players owing to dinary fashion as they trailed over Qatar Sports Club. ventus, as the health protocol in through the squad. Liverpool star Keita among a dozen infected African stars

AFP the Gambia scheduled for without naming the players. from the squad after a 2-1 Wakaso from Chinese club Ji- Johannesburg Portugal as positive coronavi- Last week, goalkeeper Ali friendly international loss in angsu Suning. rus tests left them with insuf- Yirango, defenders Aboubacar Kenya last weekend. Ayew is a younger brother Liverpool midfielder Naby ficient players to form a team. Kouyate and Molla Wague and A national association of Andre Ayew from second- Keita is among more than a Apart from the health cri- midfielder Hamidou Traore spokesman said the defender tier English club Swansea, dozen African stars who have sis, players told reporters they were sidelined by Covid-19. had been axed for unspeci- who has been linked with tested positive for corona- had to share hotel rooms with Egypt: Zamalek clinched fied “technical reasons” days several Premier League sides, virus as teams play friendly three team-mates and bonus- 2nd place and relegated Haras after coach Milutin Sredojevic including Brighton and West internationals across Europe es for friendly internationals el Hodoud by winning a Egyp- warned that he would not tol- Bromwich Albion. to prepare for Cup of Nations were ditched without any con- tian Premier League between erate indiscipline. South Africa: The qualifying. sultation. the clubs 2-1 in Alexandria. Chongo returned to his 2020/2021 South African A spokesman for the na- Guinea came from behind The victory gave Zamalek club, Democratic Republic of season kicks off Saturday tional football federation con- last weekend to defeat Cape an unassailable four-point Congo champions TP Mazem- with quarter-final matches in firmed to AFP that Keita had Verde 2-1 in a warm-up for lead over Pyramids with one be, while Zambia travelled to a winners-take-all knockout contracted the virus and was back-to-back Cup of Nations Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita. round to go and doomed 16th- South Africa and pulled off a competition, the MTN 8. self isolating. qualifiers against Chad during place Haras to second division surprise 2-1 victory. While the competition A spate of positive tests November. gras (Giant Antelopes) was not Gabon. football next season. Ghana: Crystal Palace for- winners pocket eight million have forced two internationals Angola: Angola pulled out wasted as they will face Mo- Mali: Mali scrapped a Amr el Halawany gave ward Jordan Ayew has been rand ($485,000/410,000 scheduled for Tuesday – Guin- of a friendly match against zambique in another warm-up friendly against Iran in Turk- Haras an early lead, Mostafa named Ghana Footballer of euros), the other seven con- ea v Gambia and Mali v Iran – Guinea-Bissau in Portugal last fixture. ish Mediterranean resort Mohamed equalised midway the Year by the national sports tenders have to settle for an to be cancelled. weekend because they were Bottom-of-the-table An- Antalya after the number of through the second half and writers’ association. appearance fee. Although Ma- Here, AFP Sport rounds not satisfied with the meas- gola meet neighbours the players who tested positive for Mahmoud Hamdy scored the The 29-year-old son of melodi Sundowns have been up football news from around ures taken by the west Afri- Democratic Republic of Congo the coronavirus rose to six. 75th-minute winner. Ghana football legend Abe- the dominant domestic team Africa: cans to combat Covid-19. at home and away in Group D A Malian football federation Zambia: Mystery sur- di ‘Pele’ Ayew topped a poll for the past five seasons, the Guinea: Guinea had to call However, the journey to of the Cup of Nations, which spokesman said two cases were rounds the dumping of Zam- ahead of new Arsenal signing MTN 8 trophy has eluded the off a friendly match against Europe by the Palancas Ne- also includes the Gambia and detected on the eve of the match, bia captain Kabaso Chongo Thomas Partey and Mubarak star-stacked Pretoria outfit. 14 Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Sports Southgate defends international football amid virus cases

AFP said Southgate. ed an MBE for his work in the London “There is no reason interna- fight against child poverty. tional football should be a high- Rashford helped force a England manager Gareth The reality of the world at er risk. We are in a fortunate government U-turn over food Southgate has defended the the moment is we don’t position that the majority of vouchers for school children continuation of international know what the rules will be. our players are travelling from during the summer holidays football amid the coronavirus In this day and age you within England to get to us. and has joined forces with pandemic, despite a host of have to live form week to “We have Jadon (Sancho) major supermarkets to form positive tests during the cur- and Kieran (Trippier) who a taskforce to tackle the issue. rent international break. week. travel from abroad, but it’s However, the 22-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo became Gareth Southgate easier for us to get the group insists his hard work off the the most high-profile footballer together initially then we try to field is having no impact on yet to contract Covid-19 as the take the right precautions. We his performances for club and Portuguese football federation mark on Wednesday in the always followed the Premier country. “I have a team that announced its superstar captain last of three internationals League guidelines. To this work behind me and we make had tested positive on Tuesday. over the past week and are due point we’ve been fortunate.” sure we are all on the same Scotland and Ireland’s to face New Zealand, Belgium On the field, Southgate’s page,” said Rashford. plans for crucial Euro 2020 and Iceland next month. men have had a good week “At the moment I feel in a playoff matches were also dis- But Southgate is hoping with a 2-1 win over world num- good headspace I feel comfort- rupted by positive tests while the November international ber one-ranked Belgium in able doing both things. I feel others were forced into self- break will not be curtailed un- the Nations League and a 3-0 ready to train every day and isolation after being in close der pressure from clubs. friendly victory over Wales. play the games. If it was taking contact with teammates who “The reality of the world Marcus Rashford scored a toll, I would have to look at went on to test positive. at the moment is we don’t his side’s equaliser against Bel- a different way of doing things England have so far not know what the rules will be. gium to round off a special few and find a way to support the registered any positive cases. In this day and age you have England’s manager Gareth Southgate during the international friendly between England and Wales in days for the Manchester Unit- kids and keep my career going The Three Lions face Den- to live form week to week,” London last Thursday. (AFP) ed forward after he was award- in the right direction.” Nations League Local Organizing Germany fight back to draw 3-3 with Committee holds first Swiss; Spain crash 1-0 in Ukraine meeting in Dalian QNA Dalian (China) DPA Berlin The Local Organizing Com- mittee (LOC) of the AFC Asian Germany came from behind Cup China 2023 has held its twice to salvage a 3-3 draw first meeting in Dalian in Li- against Switzerland in the aoning province. Nations League while group In a special video mes- leaders Spain crashed 1-0 in sage to participants, the Asian Ukraine. Football Confederation (AFC) Poor defending saw the General Secretary, Dato Wind- Germans trail 2-0 from Mario sor John, said: “The last time Gavranovic and Remo Freuler the Peoples Republic of China vate youth interest in football after 26 minutes. Timo Werner hosted the AFC Asian Cup in and expand the youth football in the 29th and Kai Havertz 2004, it was staged in just four population in China PR. In the in the 55th made it 2-2, cities. At the time, Asias top 16 next phase, the local organizing Gavranovic’s second restored teams competed in 32 matches, committee will create opportu- Switzerland’s lead two minutes which is a stark difference to the nities for more young people later but Serge Gnabry’s back- 24 teams who will be competing to have close contact with the heeler on the hour gave the across 51 matches in 2023”. tournament in all host cities hosts a point in Cologne. “Adding to the challenge, through various channels and In Kiev, Spain dominated for the first time in the tourna- activities,” he added. most of the action but Ukraine ments history, we will be host- China PR was awarded the substitute Victor Tsygankov ing the competition across 10 hosting rights of the 2023 AFC fired the winner into the bot- cities so we can expect the AFC Asian Cup at the AFC Extraor- tom right corner for their first Asian Cup China 2023 to be dinary Congress in Paris on victory of the campaign. Spain our most demanding edition to June 4, 2019. Since then, the remained top in Group A4 date,” he added. AFC and LOC have confirmed despite their first defeat, on Meanwhile, LOC Execu- the 10 host cities for the AFC seven points, Germany and tive Chairman, Du Zhaocai, Asian Cup China 2023 which Ukraine have six each and the who is also the Vice Minister include Beijing, Tianjin, Shang- winless Swiss two. of the General Administration hai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Elsewhere, Montenegro of Sport of China and a mem- Xi’an, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen lost 2-1 against Luxembourg, Switzerland’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer fails to save the 3-3 goal during the UEFA Nations League match against Germany in Cologne on Tuesday. (AFP) ber of the FIFA Council, added: and Suzhou. the Faroes beat Andorra 2-0 “Since preparations started in while Liechtenstein and San nated the match but were de- are away to Switzerland on No- Tuesday, bringing the number and five technical staff have January this year, under the Marino drew 0-0. nied by Georgi Bushchan in vember 14 and home to Ger- of infected players and tech- all tested positive. The team guidance of the AFC, we have dpa bag Ukraine stun the Ukraine goal. Against the many three days later. nical staff to nine. “All those is preparing for a Nations achieved great progress despite Options for Spain with late winner in Na- run of play substitute Viktor infected were isolated and League match against Israel the COVID-19 pandemic, as tions League Barcelona (dpa) Tsygankov then raced away to Slovakia coach entered the mandatory ten- on Wednesday in Trnava. “All the design schemes of nine sta- Euro 2020 - Ukraine stunned Spain 1-0 at get the winner on 76 minutes. contracts virus day quarantine,” SFZ said in a members of the team comply diums have been confirmed by the Olympic stadium in Kiev The win leaves Spain on Slovakia’s football team coach statement on its website. with all hygiene measures as the AFC”. finals being on Tuesday night in the Na- seven points in Nations League Pavel Hapal has tested posi- Hapal, players Milan ordered by the Public Health “The AFC Asian Cup is tions League. Group A4 with two games left tive for COVID-19, the Slovak Skriniar and Jaroslav Miha- Office of the SlovakR epublic, the top football event in Asia. considered: Luis Enrique’s side domi- to play. Spain’s final two games Football Association said on lik, the team’s spokesperson but also UEFA,” SFZ said. Its great influence can culti- Ceferin AFP New Paris Saint-Germain Berlin German Cup minnows aim to UEFA president Aleksander kit now available at Villaggio Ceferin says he is optimis- tic that the Euro 2020 finals, postponed until 2021, can be Tribune News Network do better against Bayern played with fans in stadiums Doha across Europe next June, but AFP navirus pandemic. admits several scenarios are The new Paris Saint-Ger- Berlin “If we keep the scores to being explored due to the cor- main Third Kit 2020/21 is zero as long as possible and onavirus pandemic. now available at the PSG Minnows FC Dueren say their Bayern underestimate us a “For the moment, we are Store at Villaggio mall. aim for Thursday’s re-arranged bit...,” said Dueren midfielder planning the Euro exactly The third kit that follows German Cup, first-round clash Adis Omerbasic optimistically. as we want it to be,” Ceferin the first two home and away at Bayern Munich is simply to The 25-year-old played in told German broadcaster jerseys that paid historical do better than Barcelona and the same Schalke youth team ARD when asked about fans homage to the original club Schalke by not conceding eight as Bayern’s Germany winger attending games at 12 host jersey, also highlights the goals or more against the Euro- Leroy Sane. stadiums despite numbers of burgundy color alongside pean champions. However, with his team- Covid-19 positive test cases black and white accents on With the majority of the mates dreaming about one of rising across Europe. the shoulders and sleeves. Bayern squad returning from the biggest upsets in German “Of course, I would have The jersey also features gold international duty, head Bayern Munich’s new Cameroon forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting Cup history, he acknowl- told you in February that accents on the logo, a nod to coach Hansi Flick is set to (centre) greets as he runs with his teammates new French defender edged “Bayern take every the Euro would take place the club’s 50th anniversary and timeless colors that have name essentially a B-team for Bouna Sarr (left), new Spain midfielder Marc Roca (2nd right) and game seriously”. as normal with full stadiums and stripes. proven their worth since the Thursday’s cup match behind Bayern Munich’s new Portuguese midfielder Tiago Dantas during an He scored the winning goal this summer, but everything This new collab between 90s, from basketball courts closed doors. individual trainings session at the club trainings ground. (AFP) in August’s regional Mittelr- changed within a month. Jordan and Paris Saint-Ger- to football pitches and cat- A quartet of new signings hein cup final against former “If you had asked me in main which was such a hit walks in New York, London, - defender Bouna Sarr, striker finals in Lisbon and the 8-0 burg in successive weeks in the Bundesliga club Alemannia February if I was prepared for worldwide, offers a fourth Milan or Paris. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, demolition handed to Schalke Champions League. Aachen, the day after he signed a pandemic that would stop collection that is out now. The new design was tak- midfielderM arc Roca and on the opening day of the Bun- First up is Dueren, founded for Dueren, to qualify for the the world, I would have said The collection includes a en from Jordan Brand’s ar- winger Douglas Costa - are set desliga season. in 2017 following a clubs merg- German Cup. you were crazy. But now we’re complete range of clothing chives and echoes the color of to start against Dueren, who The cup match was post- er, who have hired a luxury Dueren’s head coach Gi- well prepared. We’re smarter for men, women and kids, Air Jordan VII, first worn on play in the fifth tier of the Ger- poned in mid-September to coach - the same model used to useppe Brunetto appreciates and stronger than last year as with different items includ- the court by Michael Jordan man league system. allow Bayern extra time to transfer Bayern’s star-studded this is the club’s “game of our we now know that anything ing the 2020-21 Paris Saint- at the 1992 All Star Game and “We want to be better recover from winning the squad - for the 600km (372mi) lives”, describing the Allianz can happen.” Germain third kit, The Air the brand’s first pair to fea- than Schalke and Barcelona,” Champions League final on journey from North Rhine- Arena as a “football temple”. However as a precaution, Jordan IV, and a variety of ture this historic color, used grinned Dueren’s club manager August 23. Westphalia. “Of course, we have a the Slovenian UEFA chief said lifestyle collection. consistently ever since. Wolfgang Spelthahn. However, it starts a tough The minnows have yielded plan and want to get off to a European football’s govern- The burgundy, black, The collection is now He was referring to the 8-2 run of eight games in 23 days home advantage and opted for good start, but we won’t pre- ing body is “well prepared” to white and gold featured by available for residents of battering Bayern dealt Lionel for Bayern, including facing the chance to run out at the Al- pare like any normal game use different scenarios for the Jordan Brand and Paris Qatar in Villaggio mall at Messi-led Barcelona in the Atletico Madrid, Lokomotiv lianz Arena, albeit in front of and just want to enjoy it,” finals,postponed until June Saint-Germain are warm PSG Store. Champions League quarter- Moscow and Red Bull Salz- empty terraces due to the coro- admitted Brunetto. 11-July 11 2021. Sports Wednesday, October 14, 2020 15 Alonso returns to F1 in run out for Renault AFP lona circuit, at the wheel of a “It felt amazing to be able Paris Benetton, the team based in to drive these cars after two Enstone in England which be- years and feel the speed again, Fernando Alonso drove a It was really very special came Renault in 2000. how everything comes so fast, Formula 1 car for the first time for me to get back into an He scored two of his 32 F1 corner after corner, the perfor- in nearly a year and a half on F1 car. It was a good victories in the Spanish Grand mance under braking and all Tuesday in Barcelona. Prix, in 2006 and 2013, and the things a Formula 1 car has The double F1 champion opportunity for me to feel had five further podium fin- to offer. To feel it once again was at the wheel of a Renault, the car. Getting back to the ishes on the track. felt nice.” the team he won his two titles speed of an F1 car is not “It made it special to be He agreed in July to rejoin with and who he will drive for easy, but I felt that I was back in Barcelona,” he said in Renault next season when the next season. improving lap after lap. a team press release. team will compete as Alpine, He drove the Renault be- “I remember the year the French manufacturer’s ing used this season by the Fernando Alonso in an 2000, I drove the Benetton sports car brand. man he replaces, Australian Instagram live broadcast. here with the Enstone guys. “I’m comfortable here with Daniel Ricciardo, who ended Now, in 2020, it’s with Re- Renault,” he said. “Everything the team’s nine-year podium nault, so it’s a special track is a bit easier when you know drought on Sunday when he car”, he said in an Instagram and I have lots of good the faces and the team”. was third in the Eifel Grand live broadcast. memories here. It’s a track I Since leaving F1, Alonso Prix, and Frenchman Este- “It was a good opportu- know very well, so it’s been a has won the Le Mans 24 Hours ban Ocon. nity for me to feel the car,” good day.” twice as well as the endurance The Spaniard, who won his he said. “Getting back to the Alonso had not been in world championship title, all titles in 2005 and 2006 with speed of an F1 car is not easy, an F1 car since a test ses- with Toyota. Renault, was limited to 100km but I felt that I was improving sion for McLaren in Bahrain This year he competed in under the testing rules in a lap after lap.” in April 2019 and had not the Dakar rally, finishing 13th, session officially being used to Alonso’s return to an F1 raced one since the 2018 and drove for a second time in make a promotional film. racing car came on the 20th Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, also the Indianapolis 500 finish- “It was really very special anniversary of his first laps in with McLaren, at the end of ing 21st. He retired in his first for me to get back into an F1 the class, on the same Barce- his 17th season. Indy appearance in 2017. Double Formula One champion Fernando Alonso after his drive in Barcelona on Tuesday.

IPL Qatar to host 2021 GCC Watson, bowlers propel Chennai Aquatics Championships QNA Muscat to crucial win with new approach The Gulf Cooperation Coun- cil (GCC) Swimming organ- Agencies The bowling led by West izing committee decided to Dubai Indies quick Dwayne Bravo, delay tournaments scheduled who returned figures of 2-25 for 2020 to 2021, as a result Shane Watson’s 42 and dis- from his three overs. the State of Qatar will host the ciplined bowling helped Chen- Three-time IPL winners 28th aquatics championships nai Super Kings bounce back Chennai moved level with next August. from two losses to beat Sun- Hyderabad on six points from The committee indicated risers Hyderabad by 20 runs eight games after their third that the 16th swimming cham- in the Indian Premier League win in a tough first half of the pionship in the short course on Tuesday. Twenty20 tournament in the will be held next February, pro- minutes of the previous meeting Sam Curran’s tone-setting United Arab Emirates. vided that the 18th open water number 65 which was held on 21-ball 31 at the top high- England all-rounder Sam swimming championship will September 7th 2019. The com- lighted the Chennai Super Curran contributed with 31 be held in October 2021. mittee also discussed its pro- Kings’ daring, new approach runs after opening the batting The GCC Swimming or- gram and activities for the year with the bat as they put up and then returned figures of ganizing committee had held 2021, as it was agreed to transfer 167 for 6. 1-18 from his three overs of a meeting through visual com- the tournaments scheduled for After Curran completed left-arm pace bowling. munication headed by Chair- 2020 to be held in 2021. the double duty – taking the Ravindra Jadeja scored man of Oman Swimming As- Furthermore, during the prized scalp of David Warn- 25 not out off 10 balls in a sociation (OSA) and Chairman meeting, letters received by er in the powerplay – the crucial cameo and then re- of the Arab Swimming Taha the committee from the Gen- Super Kings’ slower bowlers turned to take the key wicket bin Sulaiman Al Kashari with eral Secretariat and the mem- took over, smothering the of England’s Jonny Bairstow, the participation of members ber Gulf federations were re- Sunrisers Hyderabad to to bowled for 23, with his left- of the committee, includ- viewed, and Muhammad Al 147 for eight. arm spin. ing Secretary General of the Sahili, in charge of the work Kane Williamson (57 off Swimming Federation Talal of the technical expert at the 39 deliveries) manipulated The Chenni Super Kings players celebrate the fall of a wicket during their match against Sunrisers Hy- Scores: Chennai Super Kings Mubarak Al Darwish. Oman Swimming Association, the field and Rashid Khan derabad in Dubai on Tuesday. 167 for 6 (Watson 42, Ray- The meeting discussed sev- was chosen to be the technical gave the Super Kings a late udu 41, Sandeep 2-19) beat eral topics on the agenda where coordinator for the organizing scare with 14 off eight balls, off the last two overs, sealing Watson, who came in at Ambati Rayudu, who made 41, Sunrisers Hyderabad 147 for the participants ratified the committee. but Shardul Thakur and the Super Kings’ third victory number three, put on a key to guide Mahendra Singh Dho- 8 (Williamson 57, Bravo 2-25, Dwayne Bravo defended 26 in eight games. third-wicket stand of 81 with ni-led Chennai to a good total. Karn 2-37) by 20 runs. In-form Hassan to miss Five things: The surprises & new names world half-marathon AFP Dropped catches: A num- Dubai ber of dropped catches by top championships fielders in this year’s tour- Halfway through the 2020 nament have shocked many AFP Indian Premier League, exiled at the IPL. Virat Kohli and Paris to the United Arab Emirates Ravindra Jedja are among the because of the coronavirus elite to have let routine catch- In-form Dutch runner pandemic, it is already increas- es go to ground. The prob- Sifan Hassan will miss Sat- ingly likely that a new name lem venue has been Dubai’s urday’s World Athletics Half- will go on the winner’s trophy. stadium which has a “ring of Marathon Championships Here AFP takes a look at fire” circular lighting system in Gdynia, Poland, after an- five things that stood out in the instead of the regular tall tow- nouncing that she had ended first half of the world’s richest ers of floodlights. According to her season early. cricket tournament including players, the ball gets lost in the Hassan, who is the world the upstart challenge from the black sky and is misjudged by record holder for both the 5km Delhi Capitals and Royal Chal- fielders. “The players are not road race and the mile, both lengers Bangalore. used to playing under such set in 2019, set another world Kohli’s hunt for first title lights, maybe the trajectory record in this coronavirus- Netherlands’s Sifan Hassan. in search of their first IPL title: comes in the way,” Dhoni said affected season, setting a new India captain Virat Kohli has after one game at the venue. best for the one hour run in cus for next year. led Royal Challengers Banga- Brussels in September. “I want to make sure I will lore to their best start to a cam- Fake noise: Known for “It has been a tough year, be in top shape physically and paign with five wins from sev- its packed stadiums and rau- the uncertainty of competi- mentally next year at the Olym- en games. “King” Kohli found cous crowds, the IPL has been tions going ahead was always pic Games.” Hassan said her form with a half-century in his forced by the coronavirus into part of my training regime,” performances this season had team’s win over Rajasthan on exile in empty stadiums in said the Ethiopian-born Has- given her “good faith that I am October 3. Bottom of the table Virat Kohli (centre) has led Royal Challengers Bangalore to their best start to an IPL campaign with five United Arab Emirates. As with san, who also smashed Paula able to reach my highest po- last year, Bangalore are now wins from seven games. European football leagues, or- Ratcliffe’s long-standing Eu- tential, also in uncertain times. level with leaders Mumbai ganisers have turned to fake ropean record for the women’s Therefore I look forward to next Indians and Delhi Capitals on making a claim for national at- duo of Shivam Mavi, 21, and old Dhoni, once known for crowd chants and video re- 10,000m on Saturday. year with a lot of confidence”. 10 points. South African vet- tention in the IPL. Kohli called Kamlesh Nagarkoti, 20, have finishing off games, has failed cordings of cheerleaders to “To focus and push your- Hassan, one of the world’s eran AB De Villiers, who hit an the 20-year-old Padikkal a also made their presence felt to fire in the middle overs with keep TV viewers happy. Social self every day in training is most gifted athletes over a explosive 73 in Monday’s win “serious talent” before the left- taking nine wickets between Chennai in five of their seven media has been divided over difficult, especially when you wide-range of events, holds over Kolkata Knight Riders, hander hit three half-centuries them. games and they are now in the the canned noise but the tour- don’t know if it will be possi- the European record for the has played a key role. Kohli in seven games. Bishnoi, 20, unfamiliar position of seventh nament is still attracting view- ble to deliver performances in half-marathon, having timed hailed the South African as has caught the eye with his leg Dhoni slump: Mahendra in the eight-team table. ers. The stadium was empty a competition environment.” 1hr 05min 15sec in Copenha- “super-human”. spin for King’s XI Punjab and Singh Dhoni has been one of “IPL commentators are but a record 200 million Hassan, who was coached by gen in 2018. Indian youngsters: New his eight wickets so far have IPL’s most successful skip- maintaining the fiction that people watched on screens the now-banned Alberto Sa- The meeting in Hengelo in Indian player including Ban- included England’s Eoin Mor- pers, leading Chennai Super the wicket of Dhoni is still a at home as reigning cham- lazar, added: “The season was the Netherlands had seen the galore opener Devdutt Padik- gan and Jonny Bairstow, and Kings to three titles. But Dho- huge one,” Wisden Almanack pions Mumbai Indians beat short, but the lead up to it was 27-year-old, who was born in kal and Kings XI Punjab spin- Australian star David Warner. ni and the Super Kings are in a editor Lawrence Booth wrote Chennai Super Kings in the long. Therefore I decided to Ethiopia, win the 10,000m ner Ravi Bishnoi have been Kolkata Knight Riders pace slump this year. The 39-year- on Twitter. opening game. give myself some rest and fo- race in 29:36.67 minutes.