TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 15

Raikkonen ready for F1 season India’s Ishant Sharma says as Alfa Romeo launch new car 100 Tests just a number India’s fast bowler Ishant Sharma is set to play his 100th Test match tomorrow

Sharma will lead India’s• in the third Test against It’s like how I played my 99th match, with England in Ahmedabad the same feeling, same intensity and Alfa Romeo’s Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen (R) takes a walk (file photo) | New AFP same aggressiveness, AFP | London I will go into my eteran fast bowler Ishant 100th match. And I ormer Formula One cham- Sharma says pulling In- will continue until Fpion Kimi Raikkonen was Vdia out of a tough spot I see the intent and full of enthusiasm yesterday as remains his motivation as he aggressiveness in my the veteran racer’s Alfa Romeo goes into his 100th Test tomor- team unveiled their new car 1 row. bowling for the coming season. Formula One World Sharma, 32, is set to become ISHANT SHARMA The 41-year-old said the championship have been India’s second quick bowler next campaign was a leap in won by Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 with Ferrari -- after the legendary Kapil India’s Ishant Sharma during nets his body. the dark, but that the Italian Dev -- to play a century of Test “I just go one game at a time, team would make the most matches. “It’s like how I played my 99th that is only my focus.” I just don’t think too far ahead of it. With the four-Test series tied match, with the same feeling, Sharma reached 300 Test because you never know what “First of all it’s nice to see one month’s time in the first at 1-1, Sharma will lead India’s same intensity and same aggres- in his team’s opening comes next,” said Sharma, who the new car,” Raikkonen said race we’ll really know where bowling in the third Test against siveness, I will go into my 100th loss to enter India’s exclusive made his Test debut in 2007 in at the launch in Warsaw. we are. England at the world’s biggest match. And I will continue until 300- club, which includes Dhaka. “We are in an area of un - The Finnish driver, the stadium in Ahmedabad. I see the intent and aggressive- pace greats Dev (434) and Za- “I understand my body, what known, there’s some rule 2007 F1 champion with Fer- Last week in Chennai, he ness in my bowling.” heer Khan (311). kind of training I need to do. As changes and how’s that go - rari, would not speculate on claimed two wickets in his 99th He added, “I don’t play for you grow older and you have to ing to impact everybody and results but promised top per- Test with India thrashing Eng- numbers, I play to win. How can ‘One game at a time’ bowl long spells, you need to where we are going to be,” add- formances. land by 317 runs, and says he I make the team win, how can From a lanky quick bowler, look after yourself.” ed the veteran of well over 300 “We’ll do our best wherever will play his 100th game with I become an impactful player? struggling with injuries, to a Sharma played a one-day in- Grands Prix. we end up,” he said. the same intent. “How can I pull out the team warhorse, who has averaged ternational in 2016 and a Twen- “Hopefully we are better Raikkonen and his 27-year- “Hundred is just a number from tough situations, that is around 19 since 2018, Sharma ty20 match for India in 2013 off than we were last year and old stablemate Antonio Gio- for me,” Sharma told reporters the only motivation. If there is has come a long way and credits before he fell out of favour in the we’ll get some idea in testing vinazzi came 16th and 17th last ahead of the pink-ball Test. a partnership, how to break it, the progress to understanding limited-overs format. in a couple of weeks, and in season with four points each.

Dy braces for Brave title eliminator bout TDT | Manila

ilipino warrior Rolando F“Dy Incredible” Dy is set to plunge back into action next month against Kyrgyzstan’s Abdisalam Kubanychbek in a Brave Combat Federation (CF) lightweight title eliminator. The Dy-Kubanychbek fight will topbill Brave CF 47 on March 11, which kicks off the promotion’s “Kombat Kingdom” offering, the Bah- rain-based organization an- Leading the way in nounced. The 29-year-old Dy is the reigning Brave Fighter of the Bariatric and Surgical Year and son of Filipino boxing legend Rolando Navarette. Excellence He decided to stay with Brave Dy determined to stay on top as he sealed a fresh and exclu- sive three-year contract that and has staged events in differ- also guarantees him five bouts ent parts of the world, including EXPERTISE: under the promotion. the Philippines. Surgical Weight Loss Treatments Dy is seeking to build on his 2020 was, indeed, an incredi- good showing last year and con- ble year for Dy capped by BRAVE Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy tinue his push to the summit of Combat Federation bestowing Laparoscopic Gastric Banding KNOW WHAT the division and get a shot at the upon him the prestigious 2020 Mini-Gastric Bypass & Classic Gastric Bypass title currently held by French- Fighter of the Year award. man Amin Ayoub. Dy’s 2020 was sent into over- Corrective & reversal operations for previous failed or The Philippines’ pride has drive when the promotion of- complicated Bariatric Problems DR. AMER ALDERAZI thrust himself to the fore after Dy decided to stay fered him to step in for an in- Consultant - General, Laparoscopic a fruitful season in 2020 not- with Brave as he jured Sam Patterson in a light- Non Surgical Weight Loss Treatments & Bariatric Surgeon withstanding the limitations sealed a fresh and weight title eliminator versus Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (Accordion) Procedure presented by the coronavirus John Brewin at BRAVE CF 44 last exclusive three-year Installation of swallowable Gastric Pill Balloons, pandemic. contract that also November. SPECIAL OFFER! The veteran mixed martial guarantees him five On just 14 days’ notice, Dy Endoscopic Gas or Liquid Gastric Balloons arts fighter defeated Maciej bouts under the pro- accepted the match and flew Treating Overweight & Obesity with medications Gierszewski and John Brewin to Bahrain to duke it out with BARIATRIC LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY within a two-month span and motion Brewin. Advance Laparoscopic Surgeries had Brave impressed to make It was a unanimous decision BD 2,300/- General Surgery Operations him the top fighter for last year. gir Saidjamolov in the second win against the 2019 Breakout Kubanychbek arrived at round. Fighter of the Year who was a Brave in 2019 and has steadily The full slate of fights for natural lightweight and in pole FOR APPOINTMENTS 1736 2233 become one of the most promi- Brave CF 47 will be announced position for a championship nent lightweight fighters in the in the days ahead. crack. promotion. Kombat Kingdom happens “Let this be a reminder to all He earned back-to-back within a 21-day span and will to never give up in the face of knockouts, against João Paulo feature a series of fight nights adversity. Challenges are made Rodrigues and Vagif Askerov, until April 1, when Brave hosts to make us grow and strong. SEGAYA 1736 2233 HIDD 1746 4848 SALMABAD 1721 6056 CF and recently, at Brave 46, its 50th event. Just hang in there and keep on www.membh.com | www.mehospital.com | mehospitalbh mehgroup | A Venture of VKL & Al Namal Group last January, submitted Jahon- Brave was founded in 2016 fighting,” said Dy.