Nasser al Attiyah to participate in 43rd Dakar Rally page 13 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Juve squeeze past Milan to reach cup final as football returns to Italy

AFP Rome

Juventus reached the Ital- ian Cup final on Friday after a goalless draw with 10-man AC Milan in the semi-final, second leg in Turin on the day football returned to Italy after three Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez and Al Rayyan player Rodrigo months away. Tabata (below) undergo swab tests at the Ali Bin Hamad Al champions Juve Attiyah Stadium on Saturday. advanced on away goals to Wednesday’s final in Rome thanks to February’s 1-1 first-leg draw at the , despite an Coronavirus tests under-par display against a Mi- lan side who played 74 minutes for QNB Stars with a man less and which fea- tured a missed Cristiano Ron- aldo penalty. League players, At the capital’s Stadio Ol- impico, Maurizio Sarri’s side will face either Napoli or In- staff continue ter Milan, the last side Juve faced before football entered Tribune News Network into its coronavirus-enforced Doha hiatus in March. Napoli were to take on An- Aligning with the arrangements for teams’ training ahead tonio Conte’s Inter at Naples’ of the resumption of 2019-20 season QNB Stars League and Stadio San Paolo late on Sat- according to the general plan and protocol developed by the urday with a 1-0 lead from the Qatar Stars League in co-operation with the Ministry of Public first leg, in another match set Health and Aspetar hospital, the novel coronavirus tests for for an eery atmosphere with- Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) semi-final second leg football match against players as well as technical and administrative staff contin- out supporters. AC Milan at the Allianz Stadium in Turin on Friday. (AFP) ued at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Stadium on Saturday. “It was odd and difficult at who lost their lives to the virus Tests were scheduled for Al Sadd, Al Gharafa, Al Khor, Al the start, playing in an empty before breaking out into ap- Rayyan, Qatar SC and Al Wakrah clubs. After completion of stadium after 90 days away,” plause for healthcare workers, tests, they would return to their homes under self-quarantine said Leonardo Bonucci to public three of whom were stood in the until the test results come, taking into account the health broadcaster RAI 1. More than 8 million Italians tune in centre circle. and safety of everyone. “We’ve shaken off a dark AFP football, Italian Sports Minister Vincenzo Juventus players warmed In the event of a positive case (God forbid), the person moment for the whole world. I Rome Spadafora welcomed the fact the first up before the match in T-shirts will undergo the procedures of Ministry of Public Health. If hope being back will offer the matches would be in the Italian Cup, as they with the message “No Rac- the test result is negative, he will join the team at their hotel fans at home a bit of hope and The return of Italian football was a hit with are broadcast free-to-air on national network ism”, while Milan wore tops on as per schedule. joy. We want to give them some- television viewers in the country as more RAI and are thus accessible to everyone. with “Black Lives Matter” writ- thing more on Wednesday.” than eight million tuned in to watch the cup On Friday, the match attracted almost ten on them, in solidarity with A feisty start belied the two semi-final second leg between Juventus and 8.3 million viewers on RAI 1, with a 34 per global protests over the death of teams’ long absence from the AC Milan on Friday. cent market share. George Floyd. pitch, with Juve -- missing the The match was the first to be played in The biggest audience before the The few fans hanging likes of Giorgio Chiellini and Italy since the coronavirus pandemic halted lockdown was for the first leg of the semi- around the Allianz Stadium told Gonzalo Higuain -- roaring out the season on March 9. final which ended 1-1 attracted 8.09 million AFP that they were happy to see of the blocks and Milan putting The 0-0 stalemate, which was enough to viewers. football come back as the coun- in some questionable challeng- send Juventus to the final, drew the biggest The national team, whose matches are try edges towards normality. es to try to stop themselves from TV audience for a football match this term, also broadcast free-to-air on RAI, attracted However they were sad being overrun. Italian media reported on Saturday. 7.4 million viewers for their Euro 2020 that matches had to take place Juve should have been When he authorised the resumption of qualifier against Bosnia last June. without the passionate sup- ahead in with just 15 minutes port that accompanies most on the clock when Andrea Conti matches in Italy. clipped the ball in the penalty suspended, ’s side utes from the end. off Euro 2020 in Rome had “It’s hard for a team not to area with his elbow and conced- were missing some firepower However Juve also had their the tournament not been post- be able to count on the presence ed a penalty after a VAR check. going forward, but managed chances, with Milan stopper poned for a year. of the cheering fans,” said Mas- Ronaldo hit the woodwork to create problems for Juve doing More than 34,000 peo- similiano Balduzzi, 47, from with the resulting spot-kick, but despite spending most of the well to keep out Blaise Matuidi’s ple on the peninsula have Bergamo, one of the country’s while that should have been a match on the back foot. thumping close range effort on died because of the coronavi- worst-hit areas. reprieve for the away side, they Hakan Calhanoglu had Mi- the half-hour mark, and two rus with the vast majority in “I believe that there should found themselves a man down lan’s best chance two minutes great efforts from Paulo Dybala northern regions like Pied- always be cheering at the sta- seconds later when Ante Rebic after the restart, flashing a and Alex Sandro late in the sec- mont and Lombardy which dium. Unfortunately, with what kicked Danilo in the head. free header wide, while Simon ond half. host Juve and Milan. happened, we can only keep on With Zlatan Ibrahimovic Kjaer should have done better The match was played on Both teams held a minute’s waiting and hope that every- out injured and Samu Castillejo with another header 10 min- the day Italy would have kicked silence before kick-off for those thing will go well.” Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi contracts virus AFP ternationals, hitting 351 in 398 you are, sending all the prayers Karachi matches. possible, wish you a speedy recov- Since retiring from interna- ery and good health.” Pakistan’s well-loved former tional cricket two years ago, Afri- Another former team-mate cricket captain Shahid Afrid said di has been active in charity work Mohammad Hafeez described Af- on Saturday he had tested positive through his own foundation. ridi as a “fighter by nature” in a for coronavirus, as the pandemic He has been providing food message of support. accelerates across the country. donations to people in remote Meanwhile Pakistan head The 40-year-old all-rounder, areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkh- coach Misbah-ul-Haq wished Af- known for towering sixes and dis- wa and Balochistan provinces hit ridi a speedy recovery during a tinctive celebrations after taking by the impact of the virus and the conference call ahead of a tour of a wicket as a bowler, revealed his lockdown. England set to start in August. illness on Twitter. “I am happy to serve my peo- “My prayers are with him, all “I’ve been feeling unwell since ple but I am doing all precautions well wishes with him that he gets Thursday; my body had been ach- with mask and disinfection so it’s out of this soon,” he said. ing badly. I’ve been tested and a risk worth taking,” he told AFP “I think he was doing a lot of unfortunately I’m covid positive,” last week. work in the area of Balochistan Afridi said. “These are very hard times on and the northern areas just to “Need prayers for a speedy re- humanity across the world...” help the people. Throughout the covery, Inshallah (God willing),” The Pakistan Cricket Board COVID situation he was helping added Afridi, who still has a huge and fellow former players were the poor, doing a very good job.” global fan base. quick to offer their support to Supporters have also rallied His 22-year Pakistan career Afridi. round Afridi on social media. took off when he smashed a 37- “Brother your services to our “You have faced many chal- ball hundred in only his second homeland especially in the last lenges in cricket and we have one-day international, against Sri few months are forever etched seen you come out on top and Lanka in Nairobi in 1996. in our hearts,” tweeted long time this virus is no different, smash it Afridi still holds the record team-mate Shoaib Malik. out of the park & get well soon,” for the most sixes in one-day in- “We all know the fighter that tweeted one fan. Shahid Afridi, who distributed food during Pakistan’s coronavirus lockdown, has got infected. (AFP) 12 Sunday, June 14, 2020 Sports Late wins for Munich, Dortmund as Bundesliga title race not over yet

DPA Serge Gnabry before in-form Goretzka Berlin clinched victory with his sixth goal of the season which set of big celebrations Leon Goretzka scored a late winner after the final whistle. as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moe- “If you win tight games you are a nchengladbach 2-1 on Saturday, after little more happier. We are a little clos- Borussia Dortmund made sure earlier er to the title,” Munich captain Manuel that Munich’s latest title celebration is Neuer told Sky TV. on hold for at least three more days. Dortmund should have taken Goretzka slid in to convert Benja- the lead in the 18th when Achraf min Pavard’s cross from the right wing Hakimi ran unmarked towards goal in the 86th minute. but failed to beat goalkeeper Florian Teenager Joshua Zirkzee had put Kastenmeier; and they had a goal Bayern in front in the 26th and Glad- from Raphael Guerreiro diallowed bach - the last team to beat Munich because he was ruled to have han- in the league back in December - lev- dled the ball before scoring. elled 11 minutes later from an own Dusseldorf almost stole victory goal by Pavard. when substitute Steven Skrzybski hit Bayern retained their seven-point the left post from 20 metres in the lead over Borussia Dortmund with 82nd, and volleyed against the right three rounds left and will wrap up a Dortmund’s Norwegian teen forward Erling Braut Haaland celebrates scoring the one shortly after. 30th national title with victory at sec- 95th-minute winner at Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday. (AFP) But Haaland, who returned in the ond-last Werder Bremen on Tuesday. second half from knee problems, then Had Dortmund lost Saturday Mu- Wolfsburg blew a two-goal lead in a and team-mate Breel Embolo should had the last laugh when he rose to meet nich would have already clinched an 2-2 draw with fellow Europa League have scored as well in a lively affair Manuel Akanji’s cross from the left for eighth straight title but Dortmund contenders Freiburg; Eintracht while Lucas Hernandez failed to beat his 11th Bundesliga goal. prevailed 1-0 at lowly Fortuna Dus- Frankfurt won 4-1 at 10-man Hertha Yann Sommer at the other end. “It was very, very difficult. We bad- seldorf from Erling Haaland’s stop- Berlin; and Union Berlin prevailed But Sommer then blundered in the ly wanted to win. We took big risks. It page time header. 2-1 at Cologne for their first win since 26th when he played a bad pass which was a tragedy for Dusseldorf and a little Gladbach are fourth but risk los- the league restart. Leipzig won 2-0 in fell straight Zirkzee who fired home luck for us,” said Dortmund coach Lu- ing the final Champions League slot Hoffenheim on Friday. from outside the area for 1-0. cien Favre who also fumed that Guer- to Bayer Leverkuse, who are at ailing In Munich, Dutch teenager Zirkzee Gladbach were however level nine reiro’s “clear goal” was disallowed. Schalke Sunday. and ex-Gladbach player Mickael Cui- minutes later, Pavard trying to clear a The best goal of the day however Elsewhere, Werder Bremen tri- sance replaced suspended Robert Le- low cross which Hofmann lurking be- came in Berlin from Frankfurt’s Andre Moenchengladbach’s Algeria’s defender Ramy Bensebaini (left) and umphed 5-1 at all but doomed bot- wandowski and Thomas Mueller. hind him, and hitting his own net. Silva who back-heeled into the net af- Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka vie for the ball in Munich tom side Paderborn to draw level on Gladbach had an early goal from After the break, Neuer saved well ter Daichi Kamada had run past three on Saturday. (AFP) points with third-last Dusseldorf; Jonas Hofmann disallowed for offside from Herrmann and Sommer from Hertha defenders. Ultimate Tennis Showdown Out of contract pair Thiago Silva postponed due to rain

AFP and Cavani to leave PSG Biot (France) The tournament held at Frenchman Mouratoglou’s AFP arrived from AC Milan in 2012. estimated they stand to lose Rain postponed the start of academy will be played Paris Silva’s contract is due more than €200 million ($225 the innovative Ultimate Ten- to expire at the end of this million), increasing the need to nis Showdown on the French behind closed doors Paris Saint-Germain sport- month, as is that of Uruguay- trim their enormous wage bill. Riviera on Saturday. across five straight week- ing director Leonardo has an striker Cavani. “Maybe we are making a The UTS is an idea by ends and has given the confirmed that veteran duo Now 33, Cavani joined PSG mistake, I don’t know, there is Patrick Mouratoglou, who players nicknames. Thiago Silva and Edinson from Napoli for 64 million eu- never a perfect moment,” add- coaches Serena Williams and Cavani will not stay with the ros in 2013 and has gone on to ed the Brazilian Leonardo, who mentors Coco Gauff and Ste- French champions with their become the club’s all-time top does nevertheless hope to ex- ‘Black Lives Matter’ to fanos Tsitsipas, intended to scoring and it’s deliberate,” contracts due to expire at the scorer with 200 goals. tend the contracts of both play- make the sport more attrac- according to Mouratoglou, end of this month. However, his place in the ers to allow them to take part tive to new audiences. who said last week the exist- “Yes, we are coming to the side came under threat follow- in the latter stages of the inter- replace player names on Mouratoglou says the ing system “is a big problem” end,” Leonardo said in an in- ing the arrival of Mauro Icardi rupted Champions League. event is revolutionary. It in attracting a young fanbase. terview with newspaper Le on loan from Inter Milan at the “The idea is that they stay Premier League shirts changes the points scoring The ATP, which runs Journal du Dimanche. start of the season. with us until the end of Au- system, uses cards for players men’s professional tennis, is “It has been a very diffi- Silva and Cavani have gust, but how we do that is DPA wherever it exists to bring to gain an advantage or dis- supportive but wary, telling cult decision to reach. These played a major role in estab- not clear yet.” London about a global society of inclu- advantage and will be broad- AFP players are free to take are players who have marked lishing PSG as the unrivalled Paris are through to the sion, respect, and equal op- cast for a fee online. part in “private exhibitions” the history of the club and force in French football, but quarter-finals of Europe’s elite A Premier League player state- portunities for all, regardless The tournament held at but warning them “to protect you wonder if you should car- their time at the club will also club competition, which is set ment announced on Friday of their colour or creed.” Frenchman Mouratoglou’s their health and safety”and ry on a little longer together be remembered for disappoint- to be played to a finish in Au- that all player names on shirts In addition, the Premier academy will be played be- “to comply with the guide- or if it’s best to avoid staying ing results in Europe. gust. will be replaced with “Black League said it would support hind closed doors across five lines of the anti-corruption a year too long. PSG recently made Icardi’s They must also still play Lives Matter” for the first 12 any player choosing to “take a straight weekends and has programme.” “We needed to make the move permanent but the fi- the finals this summer of the matches of the resumed cam- knee before or during matches.” given the players nicknames. The International Fed- right decision, including in nancial position of the Qatar- French Cup, against Saint- paign. Black Lives Matter is a A Black Lives Matter logo World number three eration said its “priority” is economic terms and in terms owned club has been seriously Etienne, and the League Cup, movement which has saw anti- will feature on shirts alongside Dominic Thiem is ‘The Domi- to continue its work with the of the next generation of play- weakened by the decision to against Lyon. racism marches across Britain a heart-shaped badge in trib- nator’, while Stefanos Tsitsi- ATP, the WTA and the Grand ers coming through.” end the Ligue 1 season early, Several other PSG players following the death of Ameri- ute to National Health Service pas is ‘The Greek God’. Slam tournaments “to follow It was widely reported with 10 rounds of matches un- out of contract this summer, can George Floyd while in the workers for their fight against The familiar scoring sys- the evolution of the world- earlier this week that Brazil- played, because of the corona- including full-backs Thomas custody of police. coronavirus. tem is abandoned in favour wide impact of Covid-19 and ian centre-back Silva, the PSG virus pandemic. Meunier and Layvin Kur- The statement read: “We, The Premier League re- of collecting the most points prepare the restart of the captain who turns 36 later this PSG were declared cham- zawa, and striker Eric Maxim the players, stand together sumes on June 17 following an in a ten-minute quarter. professional tours in the best year, would not be kept on at pions for the third year run- Choupo-Moting, are also set to with the singular objective of absence of 100 days due to the This format “removes the possible conditions.” the Parc des Princes, where he ning but within the club it is leave the club. eradicating racial prejudice coronavirus pandemic. Nobody’s wearing masks - rugby, fans return in New Zealand AFP Dunedin The fast-paced encounter was marred by a high count More than 20,000 fans wit- of 30 penalties, 17 against the nessed the Otago Highlanders Highlanders, with referee Paul edge a 28-27 thriller against Williams putting a special focus the Waikato Chiefs on Satur- on breakdown infringements. day as New Zealand welcomed In a see-sawing first half, the return of live sport after the Highlanders took an early the coronavirus. lead from a Mitch Hunt penalty The highest profile sports and after falling behind to a pair fixture worldwide since the pan- of McKenzie penalties, they hit demic, and one of the first with the front again with Hunt con- an unrestricted crowd, did not verting tries by Ash Dixon and disappoint, as Bryn Gatland’s Sio Tomkinson. last-gasp drop goal settled a The Chiefs, finding space nail-biter in Dunedin. out wide, struck back with a Gatland drilled the win- gates there was no sign of face thing I didn’t think I would see Sean Wainui try and another ning points in the 79th minute, masks or sanitiser -- or the anytime soon. I’m bloody hap- McKenzie penalty, before Ma- denying the Chiefs -- who are cardboard cut-outs used to fill py. I’m sure rugby fans all over rino Mikaele-Tu’u scored on the coached by his father, ex-Wales empty stadiums in other coun- the world have the same feeling stroke of half-time for the High- boss Warren -- after they had tries where crowds are still right now.” landers to turn with a 22-16 ad- snatched the lead with their barred. - High penalty count -The vantage while down to 14-men own drop goal just a minute ear- “I don’t really have any Highlanders had only one win with Vili Koroi in the sin-bin. lier. The Super Rugby Aotearoa health concerns,” said one fan, from six games compared to the After McKenzie and game was played in a festival Fans attend the Super Rugby match between the Otago Highlanders and Waikato Chiefs at Forsyth Barr who gave his name as Peter. Chiefs’ four when the 15-team, Hunt traded penalties in the atmosphere at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday. (AFP) Another spectator, Wendy, five-nation Super Rugby was third quarter the Chiefs re- Stadium just six days after New said she feared New Zealand suspended in March because of gained the lead with an Anton Zealand declared itself free of named Jordan told AFP. McKenzie’s drop goal put the “It wasn’t perfect but we would have stayed locked down the coronavirus. Lienert-Brown try and Mc- COVID-19 and lifted restric- Gatland was only brought Chiefs ahead, only for Gatland gutsed it out and playing a qual- longer “but I’m happy that we’re But they looked a sharper Kenzie’s drop goal before Gat- tions on mass gatherings. on to the bench for the High- to settle the contest with his ity side like the Chiefs we just not. Nobody’s wearing masks, unit, despite two yellow cards land sealed the match. “Actually being able to landers after Josh Ioane pulled long-distance reply from nearly kept trying to compete as much it’s good”. and problems at the breakdown New Zealand recorded watch a rugby game after quar- out with a groin strain, and 40 metres. as we could and managed to just South Africa broadcast- in the opening game of Super 1,154 confirmed coronavirus antine, we’ve come a long way came on for his game-winning “I never imagined it would be on the right side of the ledger er Kaunda Ntunja tweeted: Rugby Aotearoa, an interim cases, including 22 deaths, but since COVID. I think New Zea- cameo near the end. be like that,” Highlanders cap- at the end.” “Watching live rugby with a domestic replacement for the has now gone 22 days without land’s doing pretty good,” a fan In a tense finish, Damian tain Ash Dixon said. As fans flowed through the crowd at the stadium is some- wider championship. any new cases. Sports Sunday, June 14, 2020 13 Best of WRC 8 to wage new battle

the Rally Argentina and dis- The qualifiers: Change in cars adds twist to semis as played he was getting into a Group A: Adel Hussein Abdulla, 12 compete for six slots in finals shape good enough to resist the Misfer Al Hajri, Patrick Roux Nasser Al Attiyah fastest drivers in the pool. Group B: Mansour Dbeissy, The Group A features two of Ahmed El Khouly, Nasser Al Attiyah to Tribune News Network Auto winner), Hamad Al Sulaiti the top three drivers in the com- Saadoun Al Kuwari DOHA (QTCC M240 and QORC Auto petition - Al Aufi and Dbeissy. Group C: Zakariya Al Aufi O( man), compete in 2021 runner-up), Kuwait’s Meshari Both faced some spirited resist- Hamad Al Sulaiti, Ahmed Al The rough gravel terrains of Al Thefiri and his co-driver ence in Sweden but thereafter, Kuwari Dakar Rally Chile will test the 12 qualifiers Nasser Saadoun Al Kuwari, the they went on to regain their su- Group D: Ammar Al Balushi to limits as they battle it out in MERC 2 champions. Mansour Dbiessy: Rising through perb rhythm and speed, posting (Oman), Khalid Al Maraghi, Me- the WRC 8 semi-finals for six Abdulla has indeed been the ranks. wins in 18 stages. shari Al Thefiri (Kuwait) QNA slots on Sunday. driver to beat after three qualify- Al Aufi said he was prepar- Doha The drivers have been split ing rallies (Sweden, France and ing hard for the semi-finals. Groupings for semi-finals into two pools with six each Argentina). He has not only set Adel Hussein Abdulla: On the top “I’m looking forward for tomor- Group A @ 5 pm Qatari’s star car rally ace and the Group A will take to the fastest times in all the three of his game. row’s race. I’m expecting tough Zakariya Al Aufi O( man), Mansour and three-time champion the starting line at 5 pm, while rallies, he has claimed all the competition but I’m trying to Dbeissy, Misfer Al Hajri, Khalid Nasser Al Attiyah announced the Group B begins the quest 22 stages so far and beaten the get as much training as pos- Al Maraghi, Ahmed Al Kuwari, that he will participate in the one and a half hours later. closest challengers by over three sible. Pressure is always there. Patrick Roux 43rd Dakar Rally in 2021. There will be three rounds minutes. This shows clearly Usually in real races, I fear Al Attiyah has won the in all to spot the fastest three how hot pace he has set in this about mechanical failures and Group B @ 6:30 pm most prestigious rally three from each group on the basis digital challenge. On the basis not other competitors. Adel Hussein Abdulla, Ammar times and finished runner-up of the maximum points col- of his envious peformance, he “In SIM racing, it is however Al Balushi (Oman), Ahmed Al in the 42nd rally in January lected. Three top drivers each is clearly tipped to get into the slightly different. You can see Khouly, Hamad Al Sulaiti, Me- this year in Saudi Arabia. from the two groups will figure finals from his group. results of others on the screen shari Al Thefairi (Kuwait), Nasser Road books will now be in the one race shootout to de- “I hope I can something very while driving and this can put Saadon Al Kuwari handed out in the morning cide the champion. good in this stage and qualify pressure on you to push more right before the start of each The races will have Qatar for the finals.T he competition Oman’s Zakariya Al Aufi: Showing either to run away from others Second round rallies special. Some categories will Online Racing Champion- is certaintly going to get difficult strong pace. Oman’s Ammar Al Balushi. or catch up quickly if you are be- schedule have digital road books. The ship Observer Omar Aswat with the best drivers left in the hind. I’m ready, anways,” added Sunday - Chile (gravel terrain) goal is to shift the focus of the and Timekeeping Officer fray. I’ll try my best to win the be high. I will try my best so that Even other drivers are also quite the Omani national champion. Tuesday - Spain (asphalt + gravel race more on navigation. The Aaron Limbago. race tomorrow. The WRC cars I can grab a podium position. competitive. I’m setting goal af- Dbeissy is also excited with terrain) rules have been amended to The Group A consists of (in the semi-finals) are much “Zakariya and I are very ter goal for me. Now the aim for his level and hopes to do well in Thursday - Germany (asphalt slow down the vehicles and, Omani rally champion Zaka- faster than the R5 that we used happy about the results in me is to get into the finals.I ’ll WRC car. “By the grace of God, terrain) in general, to make the race riya Al Aufi, Mansour Dbeissy in the qualifying, requiring a the qualifying stage. We’ll try try my best but it is going to be I qualified for the semi-finals.I n even safer. (eighth in QORC Auto finals), great deal of concentration. to take the championship to very tough and interesting. Let my group, there are several ex- Misfer Al Hajri, Khalid Al Also we need to be quite sharp Oman,” Al Balushi added. us see what happens.” perienced players, but my train- two rallies were good for me Maraghi (QORC Moto third- on turns. I wish good luck to all QORC Auto winner and Al Sulaiti said he is thrilled ing is in full swing to ensure that and quite fair to my level. Then place winner), Ahmed Al Ku- and may the deserving driver runner-up Al Khouly and Al Su- to be racing against the best of there is no mistake in the next in the final qualifying rally, World’s oldest wari and Patrick Roux. win and advance to the finals,” laiti, who have bagged four stag- the lot. “I’m happy to reach the stage. The car has changed now I was really fast and I didn’t The Group B features for- Abdulla added. es each, are also in the fray and semi-finals round with the best - it is much stronger and con- expect to compete the fastest first-class cricketer mer FIA World Cup for Cross- But Abdulla’s pool may not capable of big upsets. El Khouly drivers. I hope that I get a bit trolling it has become difficult driver Ammar. But at the end, Country Rallies T2 winner Adel be easy for him. Al Balushi, with won all his stages in Sweden, lucky and can achieve the de- but we;ll see on Sunday how I all I can say that I’m lucky to Raiji dies at 100 Hussein Abdulla, who has been 16 stage wins, is surely going to while Al Sulaiti also performed sired results - the finals.” will deal with it.” be with the professional driv- unbeaten in all 22 stages that lead the challenge. He said: “Of well in that rally in his group MERC 2 regional winners Al Maraghi was pleased ers in the semi-finals and will AFP he has contested so far, Ammar course the drivers who qualified and clinched three of his stages. Al Thefiri and NasserS aadon with his pace in the final stag- try to do my best in the next New Delhi Al Balushi, the co-driver of Al to the finals are very skilled and El Khouly said: “My group Al Kuwari are also in the pool. es of the Rally Argentina. He rounds. I wish very best to to Aufi, Ahmed El Khouly (QORC I feel the competition level will is very difficult. Abdulla is there. Al Thefiri grabbed a stage in said, “To be honest, the first all the competitors.” Vasant Raiji, the world’s oldest first-class cricketer, died aged 100 in Mumbai on Saturday, his son-in-law Su- darsahan Nanavata told In- Windies coach Simmons dian media. Raiji, a right-handed bats- Misbah says no strings has faith in domino theory man, played nine first-class matches between 1938 and AFP Holder would ensure the 1950, scoring 277 runs at an London squad remained in buoyant average of 23.08. He was also attached to England tour mood at a trying time. a cricket historian. Dominoes may be an unu- “There’s always dominoes Indian batting great AFP in Pakistan and also for Pa- sual way to get ready for crick- -- as you can imagine if you’ve Sachin Tendulkar and for- London kistan cricket that countries et but West Indies coach Phil been to the Caribbean that is mer Australia captain Steve start touring Pakistan.” Simmons believes the tradi- a highly explosive form of en- Waugh visited Raiji at his Head coach Misbah-ul- Meanwhile Misbah said tional Caribbean past time will tertainment,” Simmons told a Mumbai home on his 100th Haq is adamant Pakistan’s Pakistan’s experience of play- help his squad’s morale ahead conference call on Saturday. birthday on January 26. upcoming tour of England ing ‘home’ games in the Unit- of their behind-closed-doors “We have a golf simula- “His warmth and pas- amid the coronavirus pan- ed Arab Emirates without the Test series with England. tion centre, we have cards, a sion for playing and watch- demic is not dependent upon “energy” provided by fans The West Indies arrived few things the guys are enjoy- ing Cricket was endearing,” a return visit. would stand them in good in Manchester on Tuesday ing. When you have characters Tendulkar wrote of his meet- Next month international stead for matches in England and will now spend several like Jason Holder everyone is ing with Raiji on Twitter fol- cricket is set to resume for the where there will be no specta- weeks at Old Trafford ahead always laughing and enjoying lowing the announcement of first time since the outbreak as tors on health grounds. of the firstT est at Southamp- themselves.” the death. England host the West Indies “Nobody understands it ton starting on July 8 before According to Indian sports in a three-Test series staged better than us because we returning to Lancashire’s ‘Guys are hungry’ statistician Mohandas Menon, behind closed doors. played much more cricket headquarters for the final two Simmons, himself a for- New Zealand’s Alan Burgess, Pakistan are also meant than any other team in the matches. mer West Indies all-rounder, who was 100 on May 1, is now to play three Tests, as well as world with empty stadiums in The three-Test series will added: “The biggest challenge the world’s oldest living first- three Twenty20s, in a series Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq. the UAE,” he said. mark the return of interna- is boredom, but saying that in class cricketer. scheduled to start on August “Obviously in a bigger pic- tional cricket following the this scenario -- because of do- 5, although the England and hand” from one of the sport’s view something that the ECB ture, if we want to resume in- coronavirus shutdown. ing nothing, no cricket being Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wealthiest major bodies to one has to do for us in return,” he ternational cricket, we have to But with COVID-19 still play for the last however many have still to confirm the dates. of its poorest. said. start it from somewhere.” very much a reality in Brit- months -- that will take a while Major international The Pakistan Cricket “It is important for us to Misbah also wished Sha- ain, where the virus has to come into play. teams stopped touring Paki- Board, who announced on Fri- restart international cricket hid Afridi well after his fel- killed more than 50,000 “The guys are hun- stan after Sri Lanka’s team day a touring squad at a time somewhere, get the players low former Pakistan skipper people, players won’t be gry, they want to play bus was attacked by armed when more than 50,000 peo- back on the ground. That is tweeted on Saturday he had able to go out and about and practise.” militants in Lahore in 2009 ple have died from COVID-19 the most important thing at tested positive for the illness. as they would normal- The West Indies and, although some have re- in Britain, are also a financial the moment.” “My prayers are with him, ly after training or a hold the Wisden turned recently, it is 15 years minnow compared to the ECB. Nevertheless, looking to all well wishes with him that match day. Trophy after beat- since England last visited But Pakistan chief selector the longer term, the former he gets out of this soon,” said Simmons, while ing England in the the country. and head coach Misbah, in a Pakistan captain added: “Ob- Misbah. acknowledging the se- Caribbean last year Cricket West Indies (CWI) conference call on Saturday, viously, in a bigger picture, we “I think he was doing a riousness of the but it is more than three President Ricky Skerritt told rejected talk of a reciprocal ar- are not expecting anything in lot of work in the area of Ba- pandemic, said decades since they ESPN Cricinfo on Friday a $3 rangement. return but overall, we want lochistan and the northern the likes last won a series on million loan to CWI by the not just the ECB but all crick- areas just to help the people. of West English soil. ECB in May, was not contin- ‘Start somewhere’ eting nations to help each Throughout the COVID situa- Indies gent upon his side touring “It is not in our minds that other so this game can grow. tion he was helping the poor, captain West Indies’ coach Vasant Raiji England but rather a “helping we are coming and keeping in It’s important for cricket fans doing a very good job.” Jason Phil Simmons. Varner ahead as McIlroy charges in PGA return at Colonial

AFP pretty eye-opening,” said Var- but there’s obviously no one “If you going to make The leading scores Los Angeles ner, later referring to protests there,” McIlroy said. a triple do it while you Leading scores after Friday’s second round against the death of George The field includes 15 of are playing well,” said Var- of the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwab Harold Varner overcame a Floyd, a black man killed re- the world’s top 20 players, ner, seeking his first PGA Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas (USA unless triple-bogey start to maintain cently as he was detained by but some bigger names from Tour win. noted, par-70): the lead at the halfway stage of white police officers. outside of North America “I got it back in a hurry, so 129 - Harold Varner 63-66 the Charles Schwab Challenge Jordan Spieth and Bryson skipped it because travelling that was nice... The way I fin- 130 - Jordan Spieth 65-65, Bryson on Friday as the hard-charging DeChambeau are tied for sec- to the US would mean two- ished was pretty awesome.” DeChambeau 65-65 Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spi- ond, one stroke back after a weeks quarantine. After a bogey at 18, Var- 131 - Xander Schauffele 65-66, Collin eth appear poised to strike. second consecutive 65s, while ner closed with a flourish that Morikawa 64-67, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 68-63 Varner, one of three black world number one McIlroy Triple bogey started with a 31-foot birdie 132 - Justin Thomas 64-68, Daniel Berger players in the top 200 in the fired a 63 to join Collin Mori- After an opening 63 to putt at the par-three fourth. 65-67, Justin Rose (ENG) 63-69, Gary world rankings, fired a four-un- kawa and Xander Schauffele match Britain’s late-starting He made three more in a row, Woodland 65-67, Branden Grace (RSA) der-par 66 at Colonial Country sharing third on 131. Rose for the first-day lead, Var- the last a 20-footer at seven, 66-66 Club to reach 11-under 129 after England’s Justin Rose and ner took a seven at the par-four and closed with a 10-foot 133 - Corey Conners (CAN) 66-67, Joel 36 holes in the US PGA Tour’s American Justin Thomas are 10th hole to begin his second birdie putt at the ninth. Dahmen 68-65 return event after a three- tied for seventh. round, soaring off the tee and The Tour is also holding 134 - Bubba Watson 68-66, Brian Harman month shutdown due to the This week’s Charles Schwab Harold Varner III of the United States tees off on the ninth hole during finding a bunker and rough be- a moment of silence every 65-69, Peter Uihlein 69-65, JT Poston new coronavirus pandemic. Challenge is full of firsts, the the second round of the Charles Schwab Challenge on Friday. (AFP) fore reaching the green. round at 8:46am, marking the 68-66, Abraham Ancer (MEX) 64-70 “I have learned a lot biggest change being the ab- Varner bounced back with time -- 8 minutes 46 seconds 135 - Im Sung-Jae (KOR) 66-69, Rafael about myself through adver- sence of spectators. COVID-19 testing and practice went in and I didn’t get a clap ... birdies from four feet at 11 and -- George Floyd spent pinned Cabrera (ESP) 68-67, Patrick Rodgers sity. America is going through Players have to undergo social distancing. my hand was trying to go up to 10 feet at the par-three 12th and down by a white police officer 67-68, Mark Hubbard 67-68, Tyler Duncan adversity right now so it is temperature screenings, regular “When that first birdie putt wave to someone in the gallery, par-three 16th holes. kneeling on his neck. 65-70, Harry Higgs 70-65