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QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune leads Pak’s QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune highest successful chase, becomes No. 1 ODI batsman THURSday, APRIL 15, 2021 page 14

AFC Champions League Al Sadd fight back to hold Foolad Khouzestan 1-1 AFC Riyadh

Boualem Khoukhi scored in the 89th minute as Al Sadd SC fought back to hold Foolad Khouzestan FC 1-1 in Group D of the 2021 AFC Champions League at the King Fahd Sta- dium on Wednesday. It was heartbreak at the end for Islamic Republic of Manchester City’s players and coach celebrate with English midfielder Phil Foden (front R) after he scored the second goal against Manchester Iran side Foolad, who looked City during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg against BVB Borussia Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany, on Wednesday.( AFP) to have sealed a famous win against the Qatar champions. Al Sadd started strongly by pressing Foolad into their own half, but the Iranian side were able to hold their ground Man City set up semis as they eventually pushed the Qataris back, setting the stage for an exciting tie. The Qatar Stars League champions made multiple in- roads into the final third with Rodrigo Tabata testing Foolad Al Sadd’s Boualem Khoukhi tackles a Foolad Khouzestan player clash with PSG; Real goalkeeper Mohsen Foroozan during the AFC Champions League Group D match at the King Fahd with a long range strike in the Stadium in Riyadh on Wednesday. 20th minute.

Al Sadd will now take on Madrid to play Chelsea hosts Al Nassr next on Saturday, while Foolad DPA will face Al Wehdat. Berlin

Manchester City beat Foolad did have their mo- Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on ments but Brazilian striker Wednesday to reach the Chimba, who scored twice Champions League semi- against Al Ain in the playoff, finals for the first time under was unable to to have an early manager Pep Guardiola. influence on the proceedings. Hil Foden was on target Foolad came closest in in the 75th minute after Riyad the 38th minute when Zobeir Mahrez’ penalty had cancelled Niknafs let loose a strike from out Dortmund’s first-half lead outside the box but Al Sadd from Jude Bellingham. custodian Meshall Barsham City advanced 4-2 on ag- tipped the ball over the bar. gregate, having also topped the The deadlock continued first quarter-final 2-1 last week well into the second half but from Foden’s late winner. with a noticeable change in They now face last year’s Foolad’s approach, who were finalistsParis Saint-Germain now on the front foot. in the last four which they only Their aggression paid off Al Sadd’s Santi Cazorla vies for the ball against a Foolad Khouzestan reached once previously in in the 61st minute as Mehran player during the AFC Champions League Group D match at the King 2016 before going out in the Derakshan delivered a curl- Fahd Stadium in Riyadh on Wednesday. last 16 and three quarter-finals ing cross into the box which under the reign of Guardiola Boualem Khoukhi cleared but Foolad were reminded not with Baghdad Bounedjah who lifted the trophy with Bar- Liverpool’s Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum (R) misses a chance at goal during the UEFA Champions a prowling Chimba rose high to underestimate Al Sadd’s picking up the assist. celona in 2009 and 2011. League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid at Anfield in Liverpool, England on Wednesday.( AFP) to head home to hand Foolad ability to make a comeback Al Sadd will take on hosts Al PSG, who ousted holders the lead. with Khoukhi testing goal- Nassr next on Saturday, while Bayern Munich the previous Real Madrid are also in the four April 27/28 and May 5/6 condemned the incident, with Al Sadd immediately shift- keeper Foroozan with his Foolad will face Al Wehdat. day, and City badly want to win semis as a 0-0 draw at Anfield are Chelsea who eliminated a spokesperson saying “It is to- ed gears and came close 10 free-kick in the 81st minute, the elite event a first time, and on the day completed a 3-1 ag- Porto 2-1 on Tuesday. tally unacceptable and shameful minutes later when a string but he would not miss seven Scoreline: Al Sadd 1 (Yousuf one of them is assured of a place gregate win over 2019 champi- Earlier, Real Madrid’s team behaviour of a few individuals. of passes led to substitute Ali minutes later when he found Abdurisag 89’) vs Foolad in the May 29 final in Istanbul. ons Liverpool. bus had a window smashed We sincerely apologise to our Asad on goal but the midfield- the back of the net with his Khouzestan 1 (Lusiano Pereira Record 13-time winners Their opponents in the last ahead of the match. Liverpool visitors for any distress caused.” er was caught offside. strike from inside the box, Mendes 61’) Al Duhail, Al Shorta seek early lift in Group C campaign AFC and will be hoping to make an Jeddah impact in the 2021 AFC Cham- pions League after having Al Duhail SC and Al Shorta missed out on the knockout will both be aiming for three stage last year. points when they face off In their ninth successive in their opening 2021 AFC AFC Champions League group Champions League Group stage, the Almoez Ali-powered C match at the King Abdul- Al Duhail’s previous best was lah Sports City in Jeddah making the quarter-finals in at 8.45pm Doha Time on 2013, 2015 and 2018. Thursday. “Our first goal is to ad- With only the group win- vance from the group stage,” ners assured of advancing Lamouchi declared. “We have into the Round of 16, both will been preparing for the last have little margin for error in a three weeks and we had a lot Al Duhail coach Sabri Lamouchi (left) and player Michael Olunga speak at the press conference ahead of pool that also includes Islamic of good matches. their AFC Champions League Group C match against Al Shorta of Iraq on Thursday. Republic of Iran’s Esteghlal “COVID-19 has affected FC and Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli football for more than a year the pace in the Iraqi Premier take them into the Round of tually come. The group is dif- Saudi FC. but now we have adapted and League, a title they won in 2019 16 then and Al Shorta will be ficult and our first match will Al Duhail head into the are ready for everything. and are defending after the last targetting to change that this be against a strong team,” tournament off a domestic “The group is strong and season was cancelled due to time around. said Ilic. season which saw them re- there will be big competition. the COVID-19 pandemic. Al Shorta head coach Alek- “We will try our best to linquishing their tag as Qatar Al Ahli Saudi have good Asian There was, however, cheer sandar Ilic said his team are prepare the players to be Stars League champions, with experience but we want to ad- for them in the 2019 AFC determined to hit the ground ready for the matches which Al Sadd clinching the title in vance from the group and to Champions League with Al running. are going to be played in resounding fashion. do so, we must make a good Shorta recording their first “It is very important to a tight period. The match Sabri Lamouchi’s Al Du- start tomorrow.” win in the tournament since it have good performances in schedule is very heavy and hail finished second, a whop- Iraq’s Al Shorta head into Al Duhail players during a training session at the King Abdullah Sta- was rebranded. all the matches and if we do this means that we should be ping 13 points behind Al Sadd, the tournament 10 points off dium in Jeddah. The win wasn’t enough to so, then the results will even- prepared physically.” Sports Thursday, April 15, 2021 13 Al Rayyan, Goa kick off with a stalemate AFC Goa The draw means Al Rayyan and FC Goa are now third India’s FC Goa kicked off in Group E, two points their AFC Champions League behind Iran’s Persepolis debut with a 0-0 draw against FC, who defeated Al Al Rayyan of Qatar in a Group Wahda of UAE 1-0. E tie at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday. The draw means FC Goa Al Rayyan custodian Fahad and Al Rayyan are third in Younis for a corner. Group E, two points behind The hosts then had to en- Islamic Republic of Iran’s dure some tense moments in Persepolis FC, who defeated the closing stages of the half The Qatar National Sports Day celebrations taking place in Russia in February earlier this year. Al Wahda of UAE 1-0 in their when Dheraj Singh was called match earlier on Wednesday. into action once again to save Al Rayyan started brightly Hadhrami’s angled long- and had their first look at goal range effort before Abdelaziz Qatar and Russia mark on six minutes with Ya- Hatim’s drive from distance cine Brahimi pulling his effort sailed over the crossbar. wide from outside the area. Eager to assert themselves International Day of Sport Two minutes later, FC Goa in the game, FC Goa started goalkeeper Dheraj Singh came aggressively after the restart off his line to block Naif Al with Sanson Pereira and Ivan for Development & Peace Hadhrami’s close-range effort Gonzalez operating deep in Al with the latter then feeding Yo- Rayyan territory but the visitors Tribune News Network Olympic gold medal winners fundamental right, a power- han Boli, who made a in- held firm as the score remained Moscow Nikita Nagorniy and Beslan ful tool to strengthen social side the box before firing wide. goalless at the hour mark. Mudranov alongside with ties and promote sustain- Al Rayyan dominated pro- Al Rayyan were left frus- On the occasion of the UN’s other prominent athletes able development and peace ceedings with Boli in the thick trated two minutes later when International Day Of Sport from across the world partici- as well as solidarity, and re- of action once again just after Brahimi exchanged a neat For Development And Peace, pated in the event. spect. That was the aim of the the half-hour mark but his ef- one-two with Boli on the edge which was recently celebrated The event was designed QNSD event in Russia and we fort from outside the area left of the area but the latter fin- globally during the first week to help the community grow are incredibly proud of the much to be desired. ished wide off the mark. of April, Qatar and Russia in four main areas: mindful- outcome,” said Kirill Lata, FC Goa finally got their Next for FC Goa is stern affirm their commitment to ness, motion, inspiration and Head of QR Sports. shooting boots on five minutes Action from the Al Rayyan vs FC Goa Group E AFC Champions League test against Henk Ten Cate’s bilateral sports engagements nutrition. This is not the first time before the interval when Alex- match played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Goa, on Al Wahda on Saturday, while between the two countries. The five-day event saw Qatar and Russia have part- ander Romario’s attempt from Wednesday. The match ended in a goalless draw with both sides Al Rayyan face last year’s AFC In 2013, the United Na- more than 12,000 total par- nered to bring sport to the distance was parried away by picking up a point each. CL runners-up Persepolis. tions chose this particular ticipants, that could attend forefront of developing bilat- date because the first mod- offline sports such as yoga, eral relations. ern Summer Olympic Games trampolining and ice-skating “There are already strong were opened in Athens on 6 as well follow online training ties between Qatar and Rus- April 1896. The day is de- and educational programs all sia. Through QRCC and QR Pochettino says PSG are Flick leaves future open as signed to raise awareness of through the website. Sports, these ties are being the importance of sport and QR Sports also collabo- more profoundly developed,” spirited Bayern lick wounds physical activity for educa- rated with the Supreme Com- – Lata added. not UEFA CL favourites tion, human development, mittee for and Leg- As consecutive host na- DPA support me and stand behind health and peace. acy alongside football stars tions of the FIFA World Cup, DPA Bayern now in two games too. Berlin me no matter what I do,” Flick The Embassy for The Tim Cahill and Roman Pavly- Qatar and Russia have been Paris “I think we deserved to win said, then adding that work- State of Qatar to the Russian uchenko who discussed play- a part of one of the biggest both ties, but I don’t think PSG Hansi Flick was proud of ing for the German Football Federation with the support ing in the Premier League, sporting events in the world, Paris Saint-Germain head are the main contender to win how his Bayern Munich Federation was a “different of QR Sports, a subsidiary of football knowledge, and the using their platforms to coach Mauricio Pochettino Champions League. There are team took the fight to Paris rhythm”. the Qatari-Russian Centre for upcoming 2022 FIFA World spread the message about the does not believe his team are still rivals in. We have qualified Saint-Germain and won 1-0 Many pundits have taken Cooperation (QRCC), cele- Cup in Qatar. importance of sport in today’s favourites to win the Champi- and Chelsea did today as well. in France, meaning the hold- this to mean he is likely to brated Qatar’s National Sport They also discussed the world in arenas of global har- ons League after eliminating “We will see in the ties Man ers narrowly went out 3-3 on take the Germany job if it is Day (QNSD) in Russia in Feb- importance of sport to the mony and sustainable devel- holders Bayern Munich. City versus Dortmund and away goals in the Champions offered. ruary 2021. The initiative was Qatari and Russian popula- opment. PSG advanced to the semi- Liverpool versus Real Madrid. League last eight. Flick was Joachim Loew’s hosted under the theme Team tions and the positive impact As the host nation of the finals for the second succes- Any team which is in semi- Perhaps his pride at the assistant when Germany won in Motion, which calls for the of the Qatar National Sports 2022 FIFA World Cup, Qa- sive season on away goals after finals has the same options unlucky exit is why he dropped the 2014 World Cup. Loew is community to unite through Day celebrations in Russia. tar gave fans a taste of things the blockbuster tie ended 3-3 to win.” PSG’s elimination of his guard in a television inter- leaving in July. sports despite challenges that Those attending had ac- to come in 2022 during the following Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Bayern is the first instance in view after days of saying he did Flick said he does not yet humankind faces. cess to online classes such 2018 FIFA World Cup held in home to Bayern. Champions League history of not want to discuss his future - have an appointment to meet With the spread of the as Yoga with Olympic silver Russia. Ligue 1 champions PSG the previous season’s losing fi- amid speculation of a rift with future Bayern chief executive COVID-19 pandemic, ac- medalist and three- time With exhibits like Qatar exacted some revenge after nalists eliminating the holders sporting director Hasan Sali- Oliver Kahn. cessing and enjoying sport world champion Nikita Na- Elements, the world’s first moving through to the final in the knockout stages. hamidzic. “If Oliver wants to talk to has become difficult for most gorniy or practice their ice floating multimedia museum four, having lost last season’s SG have reached the semis He openly admitted he is me, he will tell me in time. I around the world. However, skating skills at the Tagans- and Qatar-Russia portals, decider to Bayern. for the second season in a row, considering the Germany job have time, so it’s not an issue QR Sports’ event for QNSD kiy Park ice rink. fans experienced Qatari cul- Pochettino, though, dis- after managing to reach the fi- and whether it might be time for me,” Flick said. allowed the participants to All online classes are cur- ture and life first-hand. missed the idea that PSG are nal four only once in their pre- to leave Bayern, having won Media reports say the rows overcome these challenges rently available to the public Since 2019, some of the the main contender to win the vious 11 campaigns in the com- six trophies in just 18 months with Salihamidzic have been as there is no doubt that via @qnsd.ru on Instagram, biggest Russian football Champions League this season. petition before that - their first in charge. over transfer policy and last sport has always played an where people from around teams have also played the “I don’t think so,” Pochet- in 1994-95. PSG, though, failed “You always wonder week Flick told a news confer- important role in every so- the world can learn the tools Match Premier Cup tourna- tino told reporters when asked to score at home in the Cham- about what’s going to hap- ence that his team last year, ciety, whether in the form of to practice physical and men- ment in Qatar. Zenit St. Pe- if PSG are favourites. “We pions League for the first time pen, what’s going to pan out when winning the Champions competition, physical activ- tal well-being. tersburg’s U-17 team also have beat Barcelona in last 16 in 24 games, since a 0-0 draw next,” he told Sky. League, was better than this ity or play. “Sport has the power participated in the Al Kass in two games, we have beat with Madrid in October 2015. His family would “always season’s version. Renowned athletes like to change the world. It is a International Cup in 2020. Tokyo marks 100 days to go until Olympics

DPA Tokyo

Tokyo marked 100 days to go until the postponed Olympics on Wednesday amid lingering uncertainty over whether the Games can be staged safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Olympic host city has been under a month-long semi-state of emergency over the pandemic since Monday . “During this period, we will put our efforts to prevent the spread of infections and beat letics, Seb Coe, has warned that the coronavirus, and would a generation of athletes could like to be able to hold the miss out on going to the Olym- Games with everyone,” Tokyo pics if the Tokyo Games are can- Governor Yuriko Koike said at celled or postponed again. an event marking the occasion. (L-R) Japan Olympic Committee president Yasuhiro Yamashita, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Tokyo 2020 organ- Coe said the organization of Tokyo confirmed 510 new izing committee Vice-president Toshiaki Endo, Ryoichi Ishikawa, Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly President and Kuni- this year’s Tokyo Olympics is daily infections on Tuesday, hiko Koyama, Chairperson of special committee on measures to promote the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in “incredibly chal- exceeding 500 cases for the of Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly pose with the statues of Miraitowa (C-L) and Someity (C-R), the official mascots lenging times”, but added there first time in three days, while for the Tokyo 2020/2021 Olympics and Paralympics Games, to mark 100 days before the start of the Olympic were several Covid-19 proto- the western prefecture of Games Tokyo 2020 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Tokyo on Wednesday. (AFP) cols in place and the organiz- Osaka reported a record 1,099 ers were working hard to reas- cases amid the rapid spread of vaccinated, according to the the pandemic forced the Inter- pandemic, a survey conducted sure the Japanese locals. new variants of the virus. Ministry of Health, Labour national Olympic Committee by Kyodo News showed on “There would not be a re- Speaking at a lower house and Welfare. and Japanese organizers to Monday. The survey indicat- mote possibility of a postpone- committee, Shigeru Omi, who Despite the pandemic, the delay the Games by one year ed that 39.2 per cent of those ment again,” Coe told British chairs the government’s coro- Olympics “certainly will hap- in an unprecedented move. polled favoured the cancella- broadcaster the BBC. “That navirus advisory panel, con- pen,” John Coates, Tokyo 2020 “I have no hesitation in tion of the Games, while 32.8 would be a cancellation and firmed “the fourth wave” of coordination commission chair saying that the Games will take per cent said the event should the athletes who we are work- coronavirus infections. said in a video message. “They place and they’ll be the safest be postponed once again. ing absolutely flat out from The roll-out of Covid-19 will commence the Games on Games possible,” Coates said. Only around a quarter of around the world to provide vaccines has been extremely the 23rd of July,” Coates said. However, 72 per cent of those polled, 24 per cent, sup- this competition would have slow since its start in mid- He called the Tokyo people in Japan want the To- ported the Olympics and Para- probably, for a generation of The 100 days countdown till the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic February. Only 0.4 per cent of Games “the best-prepared kyo Games cancelled or re- lympics going ahead this year. them, missed the opportunity Games displayed on the illuminated Tokyo Skytree in Japan. (AFP) the population has been fully ever Games.” In March 2020, scheduled due to the ongoing The president of World Ath- to go to a Games.” 14 Thursday, April 15, 2021 Sports Sahran wins Prix Val d’Adour in 1-2 for Sheikh Mohammed Tribune News Network himself in mid-division under a 2-length margin. Doha jockey Valentin Seguy, but Al Shaqab Racing’s home- moved forward when reach- bred Gassab (Dahor De Bru- His Highness Sheikh Mo- ing the turn to sit in second gere x Dixie Darlene) was a hammed bin Khalifa Al Thani just behind colour companion further ¾ length behind in celebrated a homebred 1-2 on Nafe’eh – positions which re- third for the winning trainer Tuesday when the 4-year-old mained unchanged through- and under Jerome Cabre. colt Sahran (Mared Al Sahra out the back straight. This was a first win for the x Alghasa) led home Nafe’eh Sahran moved up to join François Rohaut-trained Sah- (No Risk Al Maury x Manga- Nafe’eh in the final turn and ran, who was placed on three of dore) in the Prix Val d’Adour – both horses were travelling his five starts as a 3-year-old. Wathba Stallions Cup, a con- easily. In the straight, the Bred by His Highness ditions race for 4yo+ Purebred two runners in the blue and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khal- Arabians. white stars battled together. ifa Al Thani, he is by Al Shaha- Running over 2,300m at However once inside the final nia Stud sire Mared Al Sahra, Tarbes, France, Sahran, drawn two hundred meters, Sahran who stands at Haras de Th- on the outside, initially found pulled clear to cross the line by ouars in France. Sahran won the Prix Val d’Adour – Wathba Stallions Cup, a conditions race for 4yo+ Purebred Arabians at Tarbes in France on Tuesday. (Pic: Robert Polin) Babar and Rizwan script Pakistan’s highest successful T20I run chase Visitors overhaul Scoreboard Almajar led home an unprecedented 1-2-3 for Al Shaqab Racing’s South Africa Pakistan 4-year-old homebreds in the Prix Kris II – Wathba Stallions Cup at SA’s score of 203 to J. Malan c b Nawaz 55 Mohammad Rizwan 73 Tarbes in France on Tuesday. (Robert Polin) A. Markram b Mohammad Nawaz 63 Babar Azam c Klaasen b Williams 122 win by nine wkts G. Linde b Faheem Ashraf 22 not out 8 H. van der Dussen not out 34 Extras: (lb1, w1) 2 ANI H. Klaasen b 15 Total: (1 wkt, 18 overs) 205 Centurion A. Phehlukwayo lbw b 11 Fall of : 1-197 (Babar). 1-2-3 for Al Shaqab Extras: (lb2, w1) 3 Did not bat: , Haider Ali, Asif Ali, Total: (5 wkts, 20 overs) 203 Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Babar Azam’s stunning cen- Did not bat: P. van Biljon, S. Magala, B. Hendricks, L. Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf. tury and Mohammad Rizwan’s Williams, T. Shamsi. Racing: Almajar Bowling: Linde 4-0-38-0, Hendricks 4-0-55-0, Williams classy fifty helpedPakistan Fall of : 1-108 (Markram), 2-141 (Linde), 3-143 (Malan), 4-164 (Klaasen), 5-203 (Phehlukwayo) 4-0-34-1, Shamsi 3-0-39-0 (1w), Magala 3-0-38-0 complete their highest suc- Bowling: Shaheen Afridi 4-0-39-1 (1w), Mohammad Result: Pakistan won by nine wickets. wins Prix Kris II cessful T20I run-chase with Nawaz 4-0-38-2, Hasan Ali 4-0-47-1, Haris Rauf 4-0- Man of the Match: Babar Azam. 12 balls to spare against South 40-0, Faheem Ashraf 4-0-37-1. Series: Pakistan lead the four-match series 2-1. Tribune News Network leader Leena. Murjan sat in Africa in the third game here Doha third or fourth on the rail with on Wednesday. third successive half-century, credible Babar and Rizwan as Hazaam just in behind. Pakistan made 205-1 to with Malan going on to re- they attacked throughout. Almajar (Mister Ginoux Almajar was very keen defeat South Africa by nine cord his maiden 50 in the for- They raised the 50 in the x Al Dhabi) led home an un- throughout the race and jock- wickets to take a 2-1 lead in the mat in an opening stand that sixth over and the 100 in the precedented 1-2-3 for Al ey Gary Sanchez let him come four-match T20I series. yielded 108. 10th over, before beating the Shaqab Racing’s 4-year-old to join the leader in the final The visiting captain struck George Linde, promoted to highest partnership total for homebreds in the Prix Kris turn. In the straight, he quick- 122 off just 59 balls (15 fours, bat at three, clubbed 22 off 11 any wicket of 143 between II – Wathba Stallions Cup on ly found himself in front as 4 sixes) and shared a record balls to maintain the momen- and Moham- Tuesday. Leena faded and showed that 197-run opening partnership tum before he and Malan fell mad Hafeez against Zimbabwe The conditions race for he had plenty of quality to re- with vice-captain Rizwan, who Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam (R) celebrates on reaching his century in quick succession. at Harare in 2013. 4-year-old and older Purebred tain his advantage to the line. ended unbeaten on 73 off 47 as Mohammad Rizwan (looks on during the third International That brought two new men Babar then went on to Arabians over 1,500m was run The winning trainer com- balls (5 fours, 2 sixes), as the against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday. (AFP) to the crease in Rassie van der score his maiden ton, before at Tarbes France. mented after the race, “I liked tourists chased down 204 with Dussen and skipper Heinrich taking that to the highest in- Almajar, trained by Elisa- the style of his win, but he re- two overs to spare. course for well beyond 200, ries with just one match to Klaasen. The pair were not as dividual T20I score ever by a beth Bernard, was the 2-length mains a complicated horse, Earlier, half-centuries by before they tailed off slightly come on Friday. free-scoring as the men before Pakistani. winner in front of the Thomas very keen. The more he runs, the in-form Aiden Markram at the end. The Asian side won the them, scoring 34 not out and He finally fell to Lizaad Fourcy-trained pair of Hazzam the more difficult it will be to (63 off 31 balls, 6 fours, 4 six- And Pakistan then made toss and opted to field first, 15 respectively, with Andile Williams (1/34) with sev- (Al Mamun Monlau x Fidwah) hold on to him at the start!” es) and Janneman Malan (55 merry at a venue they have but that looked a wrong call as Phehlukwayo finishing the in- en to get and Rizwan and and Murjan (Dahor de Bru- Almajar ran twice as a off 40 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) not lost at so far on their tour, Markram and Malan both flew nings with 11 off eight balls. Fakhar Zaman (eight) car- gere x Nevadour Al Maury). 3-year-old, finishing 4th on provided South Africa with a securing a key win that meant out of the blocks. The South African bowlers ried their side home with 12 Drawn on the outside of 13 his debut before winning his strong start that put them on they now cannot lose the se- The former scored his were then humbled by the in- balls to spare. runners, Almajar was quickly second start at Pau, France in away coming to sit in second December. Both events were place, just on the flanks of the over 1,400m. Goal is to lead Test rankings: Babar after becoming No.1 ODI batsman ANI tain the number one position the bat in order for me to hold batsman’s calibre, reputa- Djokovic revels in home in the latest update released on to the ranking for an ex- tion and skills. I understand on Wednesday. tended period of time, like Sir to achieve this objective, I After becoming the number “I feel privileged and hon- Vivian Richards from Janu- will not only have to perform comforts as he beats one ranked ODI batsman, Paki- oured to have joined the com- ary 1984 to October 1988 and consistently, but more mpor- stan’s Babar Azam on Wednes- pany of stalwarts like Zaheer for 1,258 days,” tantly, against the top sides,” Sinner in Monte Carlo day said his ultimate dream Abbas, and said Azam in an official PCB he added. remains to be the number one Mohammad Yousuf, who will release. By ending Kohli’s 1,258 DPA Test batsman in the world. always be the shining stars of “I have also previously day-supremacy, Babar has London Azam ended Virat Kohli’s Pakistan . topped the T20I rankings, emulated compatriots Zaheer long reign at the top of the ICC “This is another milestone but the ultimate ambition Abbas (1983-84), Javed Mi- Top seed Novak Djokovic felt Men’s ODI Player Rankings, in my career, which will now Pakistan captain Babar Azam and goal is to lead the Test andad (1988-89), and Mo- right at home as he coasted becoming only the fourth bats- require even more hard work poses with the Man of the Match rankings, which are the real hammad Yousuf (2003) as the past teenager Jannik Sinner in man from his country to at- and absolute consistency with Trophy at Centurion. (AFP) testament and reward to a number one ODI batsman. straight sets to book his place in the third round of the Monte- Carlo Masters on Wednesday. Novak Djokovic celebrates after World No. 1 Djokovic, mak- winning his second round singles ing a first appearance since his match against Italy’s Jannik Sin- Australian Open success two ner in the Monte-Carlo ATP Mas- Ahmed shines in thrilling RCB win over SRH months ago, needed just over ters Series on Wednesday. (AFP) an hour-and-a-half to end the ANI but the side lost the plot in the he smoked a four but Shahbaz hopes of 19-year-old Sinner, Hurkacz in straight sets. Chennai middle overs. SRH collapsed Nadeem got the better of him runner-up at the Miami Open, The Miami Open cham- from 96/1 to 123/6 within 4.4 as RCB lost the second wicket with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. pion looked to be struggling David Warner’s half-century overs and was managed 143/9 just after the completion of “It feels great (to be back with illness as Evans complet- had put Sunrisers Hyderabad in their allotted 20 overs. powerplay. and) also playing in Monaco, ed a 6-4, 6-1 win in just over (SRH) on course of a vic- Shahbaz picked three key The next few overs saw where I reside,” Djokovic said an hour. tory but Shahbaz Ahmed ran wickets and delivered when skipper Virat Kohli and Max- in his post-match interview, Third seed Rafael Nadal, through their middle order to RCB needed him the most. well scoring at a sluggish rate quoted on www.atptour.com. who last played in Melbourne help Royal Challengers Banga- SRH had a bad start to before the Australian all- “I have used this club as on February 17, made quick lore (RCB) register a thrilling their chase as opening batsman rounder whacked two sixes and a training base for almost 15 work of his encounter with win in their Indian Premier Wriddhiman Saha was sent one four in Nadeem’s final over. years, so it feels like playing at qualifier Federico Delbonis, League (IPL) game at the MA back in the hut in the third over But SRH again came back home.” Djokovic is chasing his winning 6-1, 6-2. Chidambaram Stadium here by . But skip- in the game with two quick third title in Monte Carlo. Casper Ruud had earlier on Wednesday evening. per Warner and Manish carried wickets of Kohli and de Villiers. He added: “It was a very caused an upset as the Nor- Earlier, the innings and ensured SRH While Holder dismissed Kohli good encounter. I thought it wegian defeated seventh seed had scored a gutsy half-centu- didn’t lose a wicket as the duo in the 12th over, Rashid sent was a great first match (and) a Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-3, ry to ensure that RCB, despite took their side to 50/1 at the the former Proteas batsman big challenge for me. while Russian world num- losing a flurry of wickets in the end of the powerplay. Shahbaz Ahmed of Royal Challengers Bangalore celebrates the back in the hut in the next over. “Jannik is in form. He ber eight Andrey Rublev dis- second half of their innings, While Manish played a wicket of Abdul Samad of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Vivo Indian In the death overs, Max- played the final (in) Miami patched qualifier Salvatore set up a 150-run target. In re- run-a-ball knock, Warner was Premier League 2021 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai well kept slogging the ball to and has been playing well. I Caruso 6-3, 6-2. sponse, SRH fell seven runs in his prime best as he took on on Wednesday. Shahbaz returned figures of 2-0-7-3.(BCC I/IPL) complete his gutsy fifty (his just hung in there today and Spaniard Roberto Bautista short of the target, thanks to the RCB bowlers and complet- first since 2016 inI PL) as RCB managed to find the right Agut beat American Tommy some brilliant bowling in the ed his fifty in just 31 balls. five batsmen in 4.4 overs. had a decent start before went past the 140-run mark. shots and the right game at the Paul 6-3, 6-4 and number 14 second half by RCB. RCB finally took a sigh of In the end, Rashid Khan Devdutt Padikkal departed in Scores: RCB 149/8 (Virat Kohli right time.” seed Grigor Dimitrov secured SRH was right on track for relief when dis- tried to get SRH over the line the third over. 33, Glenn Maxwell 59; Jason Djokovic will next face Dan a match against Nadal after he a win with Warner and Man- missed Warner in the 14th over. but was run out in an attempt Shahbaz, who was pro- Holder 3-30); SRH 143/9 (Da- Evans after the British number beat Frenchman Jeremy Char- ish Pandey stitching a 83-run Warner’s wicket triggered to take a double. moted up the order, had his vid Warner 54, Manish Pandey one defeated 13th seed Hubert dy 7-6 (7-3), 6-4. stand for the second wicket a major collapse as SRH lost Earlier put in to bat, RCB fair share of chances where 38; Shahbaz Ahmed 3-7).