NBA | Page 4 RUGBY | Page 6 Westbrook’s Jones confi dent To Advertise here Thunder Cardiff shadows Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 topple the no longer haunt Cavaliers England Saturday, February 11, 2017 FOOTBALL Jumada I 14, 1438 AH Wenger and GULF TIMES Klopp in search of lost fl ow SPORT Page 2 CONTROVERSY Pakistan suspend Sharjeel, Latif in corruption probe AFP spot-fi xing, an illegal betting practice corrupt activity and as this investiga- Pakistan cricket has been rocked by Dubai rife in Pakistan cricket in recent years. tion proceeds we will not hesitate to fi xing scandals over the past several Sharjeel, 27, was part of the Pakistan take further decisive action as appro- years. team which toured Australia and fea- priate.” Former captain Salim Malik and he Pakistan Cricket Board pro- tured in a Test and all fi ve one-day in- PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said Ataur Rehman were banned for life af- visionally suspended Sharjeel ternationals. players should know the pitfalls of cor- ter an investigation in 2000. Khan and Khalid Latif under He has totalled 25 one-day interna- ruption. Malik was punished for off ering Aus- its anti-corruption code yes- tionals and 15 Twenty20s. “Under no circumstances will the tralian trio Shane Warne, Tim May and Tterday and dumped the pair out of the Latif, 31, was part of Pakistan’s World PCB condone actions of a few individ- Mark Waugh a bribe to underperform Pakistan Super League, only a day after Twenty20 squad in India last year and uals to bring disrepute to the game of during their visit to Pakistan in 1995. the Twenty20 event started. has played fi ve one-day internationals cricket or taint the image of Pakistan,” In 2010 then Test captain Salman “Sharjeel and Latif have been sus- and 13 Twenty20s. he said. Butt, Mohammad Amir and Moham- pended and the rigorous and wide-rang- Najam Sethi, chairman of the Paki- Khan later told media gathered at Ka- mad Asif were jailed and banned for fi ve ing investigation by the PCB supported stan Super League said: “It would not rachi airport that evidence of wrongdo- years for spot-fi xing while leg-spinner by the International Cricket Council be appropriate to comment on the spe- ing exists. Danish Kaneria was banned for life in a will continue as part of collective eff orts cifi cs of the case, however this investi- “We have evidence against the play- spot-fi xing case in 2012. to protect the integrity of the sport,” the gation is a clear demonstration of our ers and we are into further investiga- The suspension may eff ectively end board said in a statement. determination to drive corruption out tion,” Khan said. Sharjeel’s contract with English county No further details were released but of our sport. “Sharjeel was on my fl ight back from side Leicestershire to play the Twen- the pair were thought to be linked to “We will not tolerate any form of Sharjeel Khan (left) has been suspended for his alleged involvement in spot-fixing. Dubai but we did not meet.” ty20 Blast tournament later this year. QATAR STARS LEAGUE Leaders Lekhwiya held by Rayyan in a tense 1-1 draw League leaders Lekhwiya drew 1-1 with Al Rayyan at Al Sadd’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, with the Red Knights extending their lead at the top of the table to six points and taking another decisive step towards the 2016/17 QSL Championship By Sports Reporter trol and fi nish a long looping ball Doha that was delivered into the 18 yard Sadd look to close gap to Lekhwiya box. Rayyan were attempting the off side trap but Youssef evaded it Al Sadd go head to head the solution because they have eague leaders Lekhwiya and managed to bring the long ball against Al Wakrah in round much depth in their squad. I drew 1-1 with Al Rayyan down and drill it into the bottom twenty of the Qatar Stars think we will win this match at Al Sadd’s Jassim Bin right hand corner of the goal with League. The match will take because we are not scared of Hamad Stadium, with the a fi ne right footed fi nish. Just min- place at the Al Sadd stadium them.” RedL Knights extending their lead utes later Lekhwiya should have today. Al Sadd have been at the top of the table to six points been two up but were denied by the knocked out of the AFC Cham- El Jaish keen to bounce and taking another decisive step woodwork. pions league and are second back after AFC Champions towards the 2016/17 QSL Cham- Rayyan levelled the score just in the table. The Wolves will League loss pionship. minutes later when Sergio Garcia be looking to raise their team Al Shahania take on El Jaish in The game promised to be a latched onto the end of a Tabata morale with a win. round twenty of the QSL. The tantalising aff air, with Djamel free kick from 35 yards out. The Jesualdo Ferreira, head coach match will take place at the Al Belmadi’s Lekhwiya still unde- Spaniard managed to get ahead of Al Sadd, said “We prepare Arabi stadium on Saturday. Al feated this season and Rayyan’s of his marker and connect with to win in every match, At the Shahaniya are in the drop zone Michael Laudrup facing his old the ball at the near post to poke moment no one in the club is in twelfth position with sixteen club and coming into the fi xture it home from four yards out to happy because of our exit out points. The Oryxes will be look- on a seven-game winning streak. make it 1-1 and claim his eighth of the AFC Champions league. ing for the win against an out of The fi rst half was somewhat of goal of the season. The game against Al Wakrah form El Jaish. an ill-tempered stalemate, with Both teams continued to press will be just like our other games Igor Stimac, the head coach both Rayyan and Lekhwiya con- for a winner but left with a de- in the league in which we of Al Shahania had this to say ceding more free kicks and gen- served point each. Lekhwiya ex- showed strong performances.” about the upcoming game, “El erating more yellow cards than tend their lead at the top of table Speaking about the exit from Jaish is a great team, they are clear chances on goal. to six points while Rayyan fur- the Champions League, Fer- fourth in the league. They lost a Lekhwiya’s best chance of the ther cement their third position. reira added, “I am very proud couple of games and probably half came on the 26th minute of the performance of my team psychologically shocked after when Youssef El Arabi managed Honours even between in Tehran, this is a team that I losing the AFC Champions to outjump Rayyan’s defence to Umm Salal and Al Khor know, and I salute the players League qualifying game. I am latch onto a fi erce cross from the Umm Salal went head to head on the performance they gave satisfied with my team, every- right wing. Despite connecting against Al Ahli in round twenty of in Tehran.” one is giving their all, they’re well with the ball, it skimmed the the QSL at the Qatar Sports Club Al Wakrah are bottom of the staying for video work after top of the cross bar and went out Stadium yesterday evening. After table with thirteen points from training so that is all that I need for a goal kick. two second-half goals, one from nineteen games. The Waves will from my players.” Rayyan’s only real chance of each side, saw game end 1-1. Umm be looking to get a much-need- “We don’t need to hide that we the half was a controversial one. Salal’s Yannick Sagbo opened the ed win against a diff icult team. are looking forward to winning Rayyan took a quick throw in scoring with a spectacular free Kais Yâakoubi, the head coach the game. I’m very confident despite one of Lekhwiya’s play- kick while Brigadiers’ striker Ali of Al Wakrah, had this to say in my players I can feel the ers asking for play to be stopped Ferydoon retaliated with a goal of about his opponents, “We are mentality of the players. And due to an injury. Rayyan’s Sergio his own to make it 1-1. playing Al Sadd coming out of if we win it can take us out of Garcia instead proceeded to take a Champions League defeat so the danger zone,” added the the ball and run at goal, leaving Late comeback earns their morale might not be very Croatian. Lekhwiya’s defence scrabbling to Muaither a point against Khor high. But strong teams never El Jaish, fresh from being get back. Garcia managed to get a Muaither came back from two give up. We are not scared of knocked out of the AFC Cham- decent shot away but Lekhwiya’s goals down to claim a hard- them and we will fight for the pions League are finding it goalkeeper produced a fi ne save fought point against Al Khor, three points.” diff icult to win matches as they to deny the Spaniard. with the Round 20 QSL fi xture “I think we lost two points are now fourth in the table.