SHARJAH: Pakistan and Australia will focus on spin when they start a three-match one-day series in Sharjah on Tuesday, despite the absence of top bowler Saeed Ajmal, who is suspended over his suspect bowling action.
Pakistan have been hard pressed to compensate for the missing Ajmal, who has single-handedly won them matches in all three formats of the game in the last five years.
He was reported for a suspect bowling action on Pakistan’s August tour of Sri Lanka and was subsequently banned from international cricket after a bio-mechanic analysis found his action illegal.
Skipper Misbah-ul Haq stressed Pakistan must move on.
“It’s really difficult to fill Ajmal’s gap because he has been the number one or two bowler in the one-day rankings, but if Ajmal is not there we must try to fill his gap and move forward,” said Misbah on Monday.
Pakistan have two left-arm spinners in the squad in Raza Hasan, who took 2-17 in Pakistan’s six wicket defeat in the lone Twenty20 in Dubai on Sunday, and the experienced Zulfiqar Babar.
Pakistan will also miss allrounder Mohammad Hafeez, who injured his hand on Saturday and will miss the limited over series.
But Misbah conceded that Pakistan will have to put runs on the board after being restricted to 96-9 in the Twenty20 match, with Australian spinners Glenn Maxwell (3-13) and Cameron Boyce (2-10) causing trouble.
“I think the Australian batsmen have improved against spin by playing in the Indian league. If it’s spinning and the bowler puts it in the right areas, then its difficult for everyone, its tough and at the same time you have to bat well against their spinners,” said Misbah.
Pakistan’s batting will again be tested after their miserable show on the Sri Lankan tour where they lost the one-day series 2-1 and the Tests 2-0.
Australia also are without their regular captain Michael Clarke who is facing a race against time to get fit from a hamstring injury for the two Tests which follow the one-dayers.
Also out are allrounders Shane Watson (ankle) and Mitchell Marsh (hamstring).
Skipper George Bailey said Pakistan will be tough even without Ajmal.
“There’s no doubt he’s been very important to Pakistan,” said Bailey of Ajmal. “But Pakistan will be trying to prove they don’t rely too much on him and it will pose different challenges (for us).”
Bailey accepted it will be a challenge to counter the spin.
“I still think teams are doctoring their wickets when we come and play to produce very large spinning wickets, which says to me that teams still think that we’re vulnerable against spin,” Bailey said.
“The challenge for us is to become good against spin.”
Pakistan have not beaten Australia in a one-day series since winning 2-1 Down Under in 2002. Since then Australia have won three in a row in 2009 (UAE), 2010 (Australia) and 2012 (UAE).
Teams (from):
Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Ahmed Shahzad, Sami Aslam, Umar Akmal, Fawad Alam, Umar Amin, Asad Shafiq, Sohaib Maqsood, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Raza Hasan, Mohammad Irfan, Anwar Ali, Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Zulfiqar Babar.
Australia: George Bailey (capt), David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith, Phil Hughes, Glenn Maxwell, Brad Haddin, James Faulkner, Sean Abbott, Kane Richardson, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon.
Pakistan, Australia focus on spin for ODI series
Pakistan, Australia focus on spin for ODI series
Palestinian soccer team plans to play World Cup qualifiers in the West Bank
- The football association has proposed playing games in the third stage of its Asian qualification campaign in the West Bank
The football association has proposed playing games in the third stage of its Asian qualification campaign in the West Bank and already has support from a number of its opponents, starting against Jordan on Sept. 10.
The Palestinian team progressed through the second round of continental qualifying for the first time in its history in June but, because of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, staged its ‘home’ games in nearby Kuwait and Qatar.
“Playing at a neutral venue isn’t permanent and was never meant to be so,” Susan Shabali, the PFA’s deputy president, told The Associated Press. “Faisal Al-Husseini is ready to host.”
The 12,500 capacity Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium is situated in the West Bank town of Al Ram. In 2019, it hosted the team’s last competitive home game, a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia that ended 0-0.
“We hope that all goes well,” Shalabi said, adding that there’d been “no objections” from FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, or the Asian Football Confederation.
Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza in response to an Oct. 7 Hamas attack into southern Israel in which around 1,200 people were killed and another 250 people were abducted.
The Israeli offensive has killed more than 38,000, according to health officials in Gaza, who don’t say how many were civilians or militants. The war has caused vast destruction across the territory, displaced most of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million — often multiple times — caused widespread hunger and raised fears of famine.
The Palestinian team’s success has been remarkable amid the ongoing war and the fact it has played dozens of games on the road since 2019, and the players have had to move for safety and seek overseas contracts.
While there is little soccer currently being played in the territory, most players in the Palestinian roster belong to clubs in foreign leagues. The most recent roster saw coach Makram Daboub select players based in countries including Sweden, Belgium, Libya, Egypt, Qatar and Jordan.
Mohammed Rashid, who plays club soccer for Bali United in Indonesia, told reporters in Perth last month ahead of the second-round finale against Australia that the hardest part of competing in international competition was not being able to play at home.
On June 27, the Palestinian team, currently ranked No. 95 in the world, was drawn in Group B of the third round which contains South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman and Kuwait.
The top two from each of the three groups of six qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup.
After the opening game in South Korea on Sept. 5, the Palestinians return to West Asia to take on Jordan five days later.
The Jordan Football Association issued a statement this week to “affirm its position in support of the Palestinian Football Association’s right to hold its home matches on its land and among its fans.”
“Jordan is proud to be the first team to face our Palestinian brothers in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Palestinian territory,” the statement said.
The Oman Football Association also said it supported the PFA’s “legitimate right to hold official national team matches in front of its fans on home soil.” Kuwait earlier issued its support.
Pakistan play Thailand today in Asian snooker championship final in Riyadh
- Duo of Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir beat Hongkong in semis, India in quarter-finals
- Asian 15-Red Men’s Team Snooker Championship 2024 taking place in Saudi Arabia
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan snooker team has qualified for the Asian 15-Red Men’s Team Snooker Championship 2024 finals and will play Thailand today, Friday, after the duo of Asjad Iqbal and Awais Munir beat Hong Kong in a match-winning 3-1 semifinal performance in Riyadh.
The Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS), which governs non-professional snooker and English billiards in the Asian region, has organized the international snooker tournament. The ACBS, previously known as the Asian Billiards and Snooker Federation, was officially inaugurated in 1984.
“Pakistan has qualified for the final of Asian 15-Red Men’s Team Snooker Championship 2024 beating Hong Kong in Saudi Arabia,” state-run Radio Pakistan said on Friday. “In the semifinal, the Pakistani team defeated Hong Kong by 3-1 in Riyadh.”
The Pakistani team played arch-rival neighboring India in the quarter-finals, beating India’s Sarav Kothari and Hussain Khan by 3-0 with frame scores of 63-35, 75-22 and 70-06. Earlier, Pakistan also defeated Myanmar 3-0 with frame scores of 87-39, 72-45, and 71-25.
The Pakistani team has already secured the silver medal in the Asian snooker championship by reaching the semifinals. The championship comprises 18 teams divided into six groups, with the top four teams in the round matches qualifying directly for the quarterfinals.
Last year, Pakistani snooker player Mohammad Asif stunned seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry 4-2 in the qualifying round of the British Open.
Argentina reach Copa America semifinals, beating Ecuador 4-2 on penalty kicks after 1-1 draw
- Seeking their third straight major title, Argentina advanced to the semifinals for the fifth straight Copa America and will play Venezuela or Canada on Tuesday
- Under Copa America regulations, the match went straight from the end of regulation to a shootout, without extra time
HOUSTON: Emiliano Martinez saved Argentina’s bid for a second straight Copa America title after the Albiceleste conceded a tying goal to Ecuador in second-half injury time.
Martinez stopped shootout attempts by Angel Mena and Alan Minda, and Argentina advanced to the Copa America semifinals with a 4-2 victory on penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw Thursday night.
“I wasn’t ready to go home,” Martinez said. “This team deserved to advance. They complicated us a lot. They played a great match, very physical. We knew they were one of the top rivals in Copa America.”
Lionel Messi, returning from a leg injury that caused him to miss Argentina’s group-stage finale, put the first Albiceleste penalty kick off the crossbar, but the Albiceleste recovered and Nicolas Otamendi beat Alexander Domínguez with the winning kick.
“Our goalkeeper came up clutch,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said through an interpreter.
Seeking their third straight major title, Argentina advanced to the semifinals for the fifth straight Copa America and will play Venezuela or Canada on Tuesday at East Rutherford, New Jersey. Argentina is looking to win a record 16th Copa America championship.
Playing in front of a pro-Argentinian crowd of 69,456 at NRG Stadium, Lisandro Martinez gave the Albiceleste a 35th-minute lead following Messi’s corner kick.
Ecuador’s Enner Valencia put a penalty kick off a post in the 62nd minute after a hand ball by Rodrigo De Paul, but Kevin Rodríguez tied it in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.
With Argentina going first in the shootout, Messi tried a Panenka and hit the crossbar.
Martínez, the goalkeeper in Argentina’s shootout win over France in the 2022 World Cup final, stopped Mena by diving to his left and batting the ball with his trailing hand. He denied Minda by leaping right, then followed the save with a short dance.
Julian Alvarez and Alexis Mac Allister converted to put Argentina ahead 2-0, and John Yeboah made Ecuador’s third attempt.
Gonzalo Montiel gave Argentina a 3-1 lead, Jordy Caicedo converted to keep Ecuador alive and Otamendi got the winner, tucking the ball inside the post just past the outstretched arm of Dominguez.
Despite the victory, Scaloni said he “did not enjoy the win.”
“We have reached the semis, and given the great level of performance of every national team, I think it’s a great achievement,” he said.
Lisandro Martinez had put Argentina ahead in the 35th minute with a header after Mac Allister headed on Messi’s corner kick. Rodríguez scored when he headed in John Yeboah’s cross.
“The quarterfinals had us playing against the most difficult opponent, and I thought we delivered well,” Ecuador coach Félix Sanchez Bas said through an interpreter. “We showed this team can compete against any opponent.”
Under Copa America regulations, the match went straight from the end of regulation to a shootout, without extra time.
Messi, who sustained the injury on June 25 against Chile, got a loud ovation when he entered the field 45 minutes before kickoff. He remained without a goal in three Copa games this year.
“I think he finished the match well,” Scaloni said. “We asked him how he was feeling for the last time four minutes before the end.”
Friends again: Norris, Verstappen make up after Spielberg drama
- The Red Bull driver said he and Norris had spoken last Monday, following their controversial collision in the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg
- The 64th lap collision came with Norris attempting to pass the three-time world champion and series leader for the race lead and resulted in both cars suffering punctures
SILVERSTONE, United Kingdom: Max Verstappen on Thursday welcomed the restoration of his friendship with Lando Norris after the Briton had said he did not expect any apology from the three-time champion following their crash last Sunday.
The Red Bull driver said he and Norris had spoken last Monday, following their controversial collision in the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg, and had quickly agreed that they should continue to race each other hard in the same way.
“I said after the race that there’s no point in discussing it now because emotions are running high,” said the Dutchman.
“And then I woke up early and immediately because I wanted to talk to Lando, of course, but he had already texted me in the morning on Monday.
“So on the day afterwards, your emotions are a bit lower so actually I respected that a lot — and we are great friends and he’s a very nice guy, honestly.
“So I was really upset and disappointed that we had got together because on the track we race each other hard, but as a friend you are disappointed that this could happen.
“But we very quickly said that we had to race each other hard because that is what we like to do and we have always done that not only in Formula One but also on-line and stuff and that’s what we enjoy with each other — battling hard and that is what we will continue to do.”
The 64th lap collision came with Norris attempting to pass the three-time world champion and series leader for the race lead and resulted in both cars suffering punctures.
Verstappen rejoined after a pit-stop and finished fifth after being given a 10-second penalty for causing the crash while Norris pitted and retired.
McLaren’s Norris, who trails Verstappen by 81 points in the drivers’ title race, had taken the sting out of their argument by admitting he had over-reacted.
But, he said, he still held reservations about the incident and how it was managed by the race stewards.
“Honestly, I don’t think he needed to apologize,” the 24-year-old Briton conceded.
“Some of the things I said in the pen after the race were more because I was frustrated at the time.
“(There was) a lot of adrenaline and emotions and I probably said some things I didn’t necessarily believe, especially later on in the week. It was tough. It was a pretty pathetic incident, in terms of it ended both of our races.
“It wasn’t like a hit. It wasn’t like an obvious bit of contact. It was probably one of the smallest bits of contact you can have, but with a pretty terrible consequence for both of us, especially for myself.”
“I don’t expect an apology from him,” said Norris.
“I don’t think he should apologize. I thought it was, as a review, good racing. At times, maybe, very close to the edge, but like I said, we’ve spoken about it, we’ve talked about it and we’re both happy to go racing again.”
Verstappen, asked by Sky Sports F1 if he was concerned by the reaction to the incident, Verstappen added: “No, the only thing I care about in my life is that I am getting on well with Lando.”
“Naturally, I always said to Lando, when you go for moves up the inside, outside, you can trust me that I’m not there to try and crash you out of the way.
“Same the other way around because we spoke about that as well. There’s always a human reaction when someone dives up the inside or outside that you have a bit of a reaction to it, but I felt everything that I did was nothing massively over the top.
“Like how you design a car, you try to go to the edge of the rules, maybe you find some grey areas here and there as a car — and that’s the same how you race, otherwise you will never be a top driver and you will never succeed in life anyway.”
Asked if he felt it was possible to remain friends with a rival driver, he said: “It depends a bit on your personalities.
“I know Lando. He’s a great guy, a really nice person who loves F1, very passionate about it. You have to realize he’s fighting for his second potential win, I’m fighting for my 62nd.
“I think naturally your emotions are a little bit different. I know that from myself, when I was fighting for these first wins in F1, but that’s fine.”
India cricketers feted in victory parade in Mumbai after winning Twenty20 World Cup
- India defeated South Africa in a tight finish last weekend in Barbados for their first world cricket title in 13 years
- Fans danced, waved India flag, and flashed phone lights after waiting for hours to glimpse Sharma, Kohli and others
NEW DELHI: Tens of thousands of jubilant fans poured onto Mumbai’s Marine Drive to cheer India’s new world cricket champions when they returned home on Thursday.
India beat South Africa in a tight finish in the Twenty20 World Cup final last weekend in Barbados for their first world cricket title in 13 years.
Skipper Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya held the coveted trophy in an open bus convoy to Wankhede stadium, where they were to participate in celebrations organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Fans danced, waved the India flag, and flashed smartphone lights after waiting for hours to glimpse Sharma, Virat Kohli and the other cricket stars.
The victorious squad landed in New Delhi early Thursday on a charter flight from Barbados. They met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence and later left for Mumbai.
Hundreds of supporters were gathered at New Delhi International Airport, many of them chanting “India, India” as the players came out and boarded a bus.
There were hundreds more waiting at the hotel to continue the celebrations, which started on Saturday as soon as the final was won. Some of the players danced to drum beats when they reached their hotel.
The team’s return from the Caribbean was delayed because of a shutdown in Barbados forced by Hurricane Beryl.
“It’s a lifetime experience,” cricket official Arun Dhumal said.
The T20 triumph was India’s first World Cup title since 2011, when it won the 50-over version.
The BCCI has announced a cash bonus of 1.25 billion rupees ($15 million) for the winning squad.
Soon after winning the title, Sharma, Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirement from T20 internationals.
