Sports Friday, February 7, 2020 13 Pakistan target consolidation in first Bangladesh Test AFP Pakistan are currently RAWALPINDI (PAKISTAN) fourth in the championship, which features the top nine SKIPPER Azhar Ali hopes Pa- Test nations and is currently kistan will strengthen their led by world number one In- credentials – both as a team dia (360 points) followed by and as hosts – when they face Australia (296) and England a depleted Bangladesh side in (146). the first Test in Rawalpindi The top two teams will play starting on Friday. the final in June 2021. The match will further “Hosting matches in Paki- Pakistan’s efforts to host Test stan will send a strong mes- (Left) Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad bin Jassim al Thani congratulates rider Tomas Lukasek on guid- cricket, which returned to the sage that we are a safe coun- ing Topsy Turvy to Al Wajba Cup victory at the QREC Racecourse in New Al Rayyan on Thursday. country just two months ago try,” said Azhar. (Above) Winning connections of Topsy Turvy pose for a group picture with QREC official after the after a 10-year gap with a se- Bangladesh will be with- feature event at the 28th Race Meeting. ries against Sri Lanka. out Shakib Al Hasan, who is International cricket was banned for one year in a spot- suspended in Pakistan after fixing case, and Mushfiqur a militant attack on the Sri Rahim, who opted not to tour Lankan team bus in Lahore Pakistan over security fears. in March 2009, forcing them Bangladesh skipper Mo- Al Wajba Cup hat-trick to play home fixtures in the minul Haque admitted Rahim United Arab Emirates. will be missed. With improved security, Also hurting Bangladesh Pakistan hosted limited-overs will be the fact they have not internationals between 2015- won any of 10 Tests against 19 before security confidence Pakistan (nine defeats with by Topsy Turvy improved. one draw), and lost all five Bangladesh, initially reluc- Tests they played last year. tant to make a lengthy stay in Seasoned opener Tamim Four winners for trainer Malki; double 28th Race Meeting Results (dirt) Pakistan, only agreed to tour Iqbal -- fresh from a triple AL WAJBA CUP DAY Won by 3.75, 2.5. Time 1:48.77 1.Succeed and Excel (Meteb Ali al Marri -5kg), 2.Eledeed in three phases, having played hundred in a domestic match each for Sheikh Faisal & Lukasek LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (3 Year Olds) Owner: Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari. Trainer: Mohammed (Luca Maniezzi), 3. Hard Forest (Tomas Lukasek) Twenty20s last month. in Bangladesh -- along with 1,200m Jassim Ghazali Won by 2, 3.5. Time 1:51.06 After this Test they head Haque and Mahmudullah will Prize Money: QR45,000 (1st 25,650 2nd 9,900 3rd Owner: Eng Dhafi Rashid al Marri. Trainer: Mohammed 4,950) THOROUGHBRED NOVICE PLATE (Class 6) 1,200m Hussain Afroz home, before returning to play be Bangladesh’s main hopes TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK up a thrilling double each for 1.Al Hindi (Al Moatasem al Balushi), 2.Al Sareh (Tomas Prize Money: QR45,000 (1st 25,650 2nd 9,900 3rd a one-day international (April against a strong Pakistan DOHA owner Sheikh Faisal and rider Lukasek), 3. Arandas (Anas al Seyabi) 4,950) THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) 1,200m 3) and second Test (April 5-9) bowling attack which includes Lukasek. Won by 1.5, 0.75. Time 1:16.98 1.Cool Exhibit (Leo Salles), 2.Romantic Heart (Theo Prize Money: QR55,000 (1st 31,350 2nd 12,100 3rd – both in Karachi. sensational 16-year-old pacer Owner: Al Majd Stud. Trainer: Osama al Dafea Bachelot), 3.Rex Place (Alexander Reznikov) 6,050) IT was a day of trainer Ibrahim This was the third victory Won by 3, 0.75. Time 1:12.64 1.Zarandi (Carlos Henrique), 2.Lo De Nalane (JP Azhar said the split series Naseem Shah. al Malki and his ward Topsy in four races in the season for LOCAL THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE 1,200m Owner: Al Bida Racing. Trainer: Ibrahim al Malki Guillambert), 3.Bint Saffian (Tomas Lukasek) will give Pakistan further op- Pakistan opener Abid Ali, Turvy, owned by Sheikh Faisal Topsy Turvy, which boosted Prize Money: QR45,000 (1st 25,650 2nd 9,900 3rd Won by 1, 0.75. Time 1:12.33 portunity to establish itself as meanwhile, will target another 4,950) PUREBRED ARABIAN GRADUATION PLATE 1,700m Owner: Hamad al Jehani. Trainer: Hamad al Jehani hundred in this Test to equal al Thani during the 28th Race his winners to 17 in 40 starts. 1.Sea The Light (Anas al Seyabi), 2.Al Shomos (Al Prize Money: QR50,000 (1st 28,500 2nd 11,000 3rd a Test host nation. Meeting on Thursday. Eduardo Pedroza rode him to Moatasem al Balushi), 3.Lehwaila (Mustafa Manav) 5,500) AL WAJBA CUP 1,900m “Credit to the two Boards Indian maestro Mohammad On the Qatar Racing & the victory in the same race Won by 2, 2.25. Time 1:14.23 1.Fuwairat (Tomas Lukasek), 2.Shabih Alreeh (Faleh Prize Money: QR100,000 (1st 57,000 2nd 22,000 for making this series possi- Azharuddin’s record of three Equestrian Club Racecourse’s last year after Saleem Golam Owner: Mohamed Abdulmalki. Trainer: Ibrahim al Malki Bughanaim), 3. Naima (Ivan Rossi) 3rd 11,000 4th 6,000 5th 4,000) ble,” Azhar told reporters. consecutive centuries in his Won by 4, 10. Time 1:58.89 1.Topsy Turvy (Tomas Lukasek), 2.Karraar (Anas al dirt track, the eight-year-old helmed him to the success in THOROUGHBRED MAIDEN PLATE (Class 6) 1,700m Owner: Sheikh Faisal al Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al Malki Seyabi), 3.Shabbab (Pierantonio Convertino), 4.Vitally “Would have been good if first three Tests. bay gelding used his splendid 2018. Prize Money: QR45,000 (1st 25,650 2nd 9,900 3rd Important (Al Moatasem al Balushi), 5.High Commander the series was not split but we Azharuddin achieved the fitness and dashed brilliantly Mohanad Jassim al Yaqout- 4,950) THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 5) 1,700m (JP Guillambert) are focused as this is a World feat against England in 1984- at the command of rider Tomas owned Karrar, ridden by Anas 1.Al Mujahaz (Theo Bachelot), 2. Damon Runyon (Leo Prize Money: QR50,000 (1st 28,500 2nd 11,000 3rd Won by 2.25, head, 2, 0.25. Time 2:03.32 Test Championship match.” 85 in his first three Tests. Lukasek to clinch the Al Wajba al Seyabi, edged Engineer Has- Salles), 3. Gold Fleece (Soufiane Saadi) 5,500) Owner: Sheikh Faisal al Thani. Trainer: Ibrahim al Malki Cup Class 2 1,900m (for Thor- san Alabdulmalik’s Shabbab by oughbreds) for the third year in a head to finish second – his races in his debut season. Hamad al Jehani’s four- Handicap 1,700m (Class 5). a row. best result this season. Vitally Malki’s two other trainees year-old bay colt Zarandi ex- Hard Forest was third, more Initially he was challenged Important, owned by Saeed Cool Exhibit and Sea The Light tended his impressive spell than five lengths off the win- as High Commander moved to al Naimi, was second last year posted their first wins in Qatar. of success. Carlos Henrique ner. the front, followed by Ajjlan. but managed fourth ahead of The former was led to the tri- guided him to a length’s vic- Theo Bachelot rode the Travelling well and powerfully, High Commander, a trainee of umph by Leo Salles when the Al tory against Lo De Nalane in Khalifa bin Sheail al Kuwari’s Topsy Turvy however regained Jassim Ghazali and owned by Bida Racing’s four years old bay the Thoroughbred Handicap Al Mujahaz to an easy win over the initiative and continued to Mansoor al Mahmoud. gelding beat Romantic Heart by 1,200m (Class 4). After settling Damon Runyon in the Thor- push the pace. Earlier, Lukasek com- three lengths in the Thorough- down well in his debut season, ougbhred Maiden Plate 1,700m A little before the final manded Fuwairat, another bred Novice Plate (Class 6) Zarandi posted his third win in (Class 6) and Al Moatasem al bend, Topsy Turvy began click- Sheikh Faisal’s runner, to vic- 1,200m. last four runs. Balushi took Al Hindi past the ing gears and created a gap tory in the Purebred Arabian Owned by Mohamed Abdul- Succeed and Excel won finish line in the first place in that was too wide for other to Graduation Plate 1,700m with malik, Sea The Light, with Anas the first race in 16 starts for the Local Thoroughbred Maid- reduce. He easily won the fea- a four-length margin against al Seyabi astride, outsprinted Al owner Engineer Dhafi Rashid en Plate 1,200m for three years ture race with two and a quarter Shabih Alreeh, ridden by Faleh Shomos by two lengths to win al Marri as the Mohammed olds. The Al Majd Stud’s runner lengths ahead, helping trainer Bughanaim. Naima was third, the Local Thoroughbred Maid- Hussain Afroz’s nine-year- beat Al Sareh by one and a half Pakistan’s Naseem Shah bowls as teammates look on during a Malki to complete a fine quad- finishing 10 lengths behind. en Plate 1,200m. Lehwaila, an- old ward beat Eledeed by two lengths to savour the taste of practice session at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on ruple. The result also wrapped This was the second win in 10 other Malki trainee, was third.