Sport FRIDAY 16 APRIL 2021 15 Xavi: Unhappy with result, we must improve in the next game THE PENINSULA - DOHA “Of course we miss Akram, who is the League 2021 opening group game, best player in Qatar and Asia, but it will despite dropping two points in the 1-1 Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez not be an excuse. We played well and draw. expressed his dissatisfaction after his got many opportunities, but Foolad Speaking after the game, Khoukhi side’s 1-1 draw with Iranian side Foolad defended well.” said: “It’s better to draw than to lose. Khouzestan, in their first round clash Xavi also had some words on the We played well and controlled the in Group D of the 2021 AFC Champions pitch conditions. game against a team that defended League. “The ground condition was not strongly. We tried and got many Speaking during the post-match good and did not help us play in our chances but fortune didn’t favour us press conference, Xavi said on usual way. We faced many difficulties in front of goal.” Wednesday: “I am unhappy with the because of that, and the AFC should He added: “Every match has its own result we got. Our goal was to win. We pay attention to that.” circumstances. Today we played played against a difficult and effective Asked about the unavailability of against a team that defends well and team, and we competed strongly.” the broadcast of the match for Qatari it was our first game in the tournament. The Al Sadd coach added: “We are fans, Xavi said: “This is something I We will work on correcting our mis- playing against the best teams in Asia, cannot understand. I cannot imagine takes in our next game against Al and today we got a point that may be that the fans in Qatar could not watch Nassr.” useful in the future. We must improve the match, this is not logical.” He said: “We will prepare well for in the next match and compete better.” Al Sadd defender Khoukhi Boualem facing Al Nassr and of course, it will be Regarding the impact of Akram said his side put up a good performance tough for both teams. Our goal is to win Xavi Hernandez Afif’s absence from the team, he said: against Foolad in the AFC Champions and get the three points.” Rizwan named IPL: Maxwell lives up to Marquez nervous among Wisden’s big Bangalore price tag about return REUTERS - CHENNAI has probably to action five Cricketers been the most Glenn Maxwell proved Royal satisfying after crash Challengers Bangalore made no thing,” he said mistake in splashing out $1.89 after being REUTERS - MADRID of the Year million for his signature after named man of the explosive all-rounder the match. Marc Marquez is a six-times AGENCIES - ISLAMABAD inspired them to a second It was his MotoGP world champion but successive victory in the Indian first IPL fifty in he admitted he had butter- Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan has been Premier League (IPL) on five years and flies in his stomach ahead of named among Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year’ in the 2021 edition Wednesday. Maxwell said this weekend’s Portuguese of the Wisden Almanack. Maxwell’s batting incon- batting at Grand Prix when he returns The right-hander averaged more than 40 across three Tests sistency had prompted Punjab number four, to the track for the first time for Pakistan during their 1-0 series defeat to England and was Kings to release the Australian ahead of ver- since last year’s season- also lauded for his wicketkeeping skills during the series. in January ahead of the 2021 satile South ending crash. Mohammad Rizwan was an electric presence behind the players auction, clearing a path African AB de Marquez fractured his stumps for Pakistan, pulling off arguably the take of the summer for Bangalore to scoop him up Villiers, upper arm in the season- when he caught Ben Stokes high to his left during the First Test and bolster their bid for a allowed him to opening Spanish Grand Prix at Old Trafford. maiden IPL title. play freely. in July and did not race again He also averaged 40 with the bat, and was later confirmed as The 32-year-old began “Having AB all year. cricketpakistan.com.pk Wis- his country’s new captain,” quoted repaying his huge price tag with behind you in Glenn Maxwell The 28-year-old Repsol den’s editor, Lawrence Booth as saying. a breezy 39 in their tournament the order gives Honda rider also missed the England Test batsmen Dom Sibley and Zak Crawley, West opening win against defending you a bit more opening two races of this Indies’ all-rounder Jason Holder and English County Kent’s all- champions Mumbai Indians freedom to play your shots, Australian David Warner, season in Qatar. rounder Darren Stevens were the other players in the list. and he followed that up against gives me time to get myself in restricted Bangalore to 149-8 “My confidence is not The 28-year-old Rizwan is the 18th Pakistani in history to Sunrisers Hyderabad with 59 and that’s a very similar role I and looked on course to chase high, I have to start step by feature among cricketers of the year by the Wisden. off 41 balls. play for the Australian team -- down the total before even- step. This is my pre-season,” For the second year in a row, England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes, Bangalore top the points so that’s been great,” Maxwell tually finishing on 143-9. Marquez told reporters has been named Wisden’s leading male cricketer. Stokes notched table with two wins from two, said. Warner tipped his hat to yesterday. up 767 runs at an average of 51.13 in 13 matches across all formats, and Maxwell, who has also “It’s my fourth IPL team and Maxwell but said Hyderabad’s “It’s true I’m nervous, I while also bagging 25 wickets at 18.84. played for Mumbai and Delhi, there’s obviously a bit of batsmen had let the side down have butterflies in my Meanwhile, Beth Mooney, who was the player of the tour- was delighted to have made an pressure on me for me, so to as they slumped to a second stomach which is not nament as Australia retained their Women’s T20 World Cup title immediate impact. turn up and make my impact successive defeat. normal... But the Japanese 13 months ago, was crowned as the female cricketer of the year. “To start like this with a new straight away was really key,” “Obviously Maxi batted staff really motivated me and Wisden explained the induction of a Pakistani wicket-keeper franchise has been really nice, he added. well, but our bowlers did well told me, ‘Don’t worry, there’s as his reward for both his splendid work behind the stumps and but to contribute to two wins Hyderabad, led by fellow to restrict them ... It hurts.” no target’. his batting. “It was a difficult decision Late Pakistani test cricketer Fazal Mehmood became the first not to race in Qatar because ever Pakistani to be named by Wisden among cricketers of the I was feeling ready but not year in 1955, according to dailypakistan.com.pk. Morris 100%.” Pakistani legend player and current head coach Misbah ul Marquez may not have Haq and Younis Khan were also featured in the Wisden list of sparkles as ideal conditions on his 2018. return, however, with rain The Wisden Cricketers of the Year were players selected for Royals beat expected this weekend. the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers’ “I won’t want to ride the Almanack, based on their influence on the previous English first time in a long time in season. Capitals in rainy conditions. But if it Some of the other distinguished Pakistani cricketers who rains, we will ride,” Marquez marked this achievement include Asif Iqbal, Hanif Mohammad, tense clash added. Marquez is officially Majid Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Saleem confirmed fit for this week- Malik, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed AGENCIES - DELHI end’s Grande Prémio 888 de Anwar, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Yousaf. Portugal after passing yes- terday’s medical exam at the Star South African all-rounder Algarve International Circuit. Chris Morris produced a timely Yamaha’s Maverick Rajasthan Royals players celebrate the fall of a Delhi Capitals 36-run unbeaten knock as Vinales, who is third in the wicket during an IPL match yesterday. Royals won by 3 wickets. Rajasthan Royals defeated standings, welcomed back PIC: @RAJASTHANROYALS Delhi Capitals by three wickets his Spanish compatriot after in their Indian Premier League nine months on the (IPL) match here yesterday. Morris said after the match: the dew plays a part here. I sidelines. Pacer Jaydev Unadkat took “That happens every now and think they hit the length a lot “As a rider, staying away three wickets upfront to rattle then in the game of cricket, I better than we did and they got for a year is very difficult. DC after RR elected to bowl. thought Delhi played really a lot of guys skying with the Our way of enjoying life is DC skipper Rishabh Pant well. Dave played a great hand extra bounce." riding the bike,” said Vinales, scored a stylish 51. and it went out way. (On that Brief Scores: Delhi Cap- who won the season opener South African batsman refused single last match) I was itals: 147 for 8 in 20 overs in Qatar.