DUBAI: Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan smashed unbeaten half-centuries as Pakistan crushed India by 10 wickets on Sunday to register their first win over their arch-rivals in a Twenty20 World Cup.
Chasing 152 for victory, Babar (68) and Rizwan (79) took apart the Indian bowling as they steered their team home with 13 balls to spare in Dubai.
Left-arm quick Shaheen Shah Afridi set up victory — their first over their neighbors in six attempts in the tournament — with figures of 3-31 that restricted India to 151-7 despite a valiant 57 from skipper Virat Kohli.
“This is the first time we’ve beaten India and I feel proud,” said Afridi.
“I knew it would be good for us if I got early wickets and that worked out. My idea was to get as much swing as possible.
“You don’t get a lot here, but I wanted to get those breakthroughs and gave it 100 percent. In my opinion the new ball was difficult to play, so credit goes to Babar and Rizwan.”
In the immediate aftermath of the victory, celebratory gunfire erupted in the Pakistani cities of Islamabad and Karachi.
Babar and Riwan went on the attack from the start with boundaries inside the powerplay — the first six overs when only two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle — to set the tone for their chase.
The dew did not help the Indian bowlers who regularly wiped the moisture off the ball with their towels while the openers kept the score ticking and got the occasional fours and sixes.
The batting pair kept up the charge as Babar reached his fifty with a six off spinner Varun Chakravarthy to get the Pakistan supporters dancing with joy.
Rizwan raised his fifty with a boundary off pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah and then raced past his captain, hitting six fours and three sixes in his 55-ball knock.
Babar hit the winning runs to turn a new page in Pakistan-India rivalry.
“We did not execute the things that we wanted to but credit is certainly due — they outplayed us today,” admitted Kohli.
“They were very professional with the bat as well but we’re certainly not a team that presses the panic button, it’s the start of the tournament, not the end.”
Earlier Afridi returned figures of 3-31 after a lethal first spell to hurt India who elected to field first in the Super 12s encounter watched by 20,000 in the stadium and a global TV audience of hundreds of millions of fans.
Kohli scored his 29th T20 fifty to help the team rebuild before being caught behind off Afridi as Pakistan dismissed the star batsman for the first time in a T20 World Cup game.
Afridi struck the first blow with an express delivery that swung in to trap Rohit Sharma lbw for a first ball duck.
Kohli walked in amid raucous applause from the Indian fans who were soon silenced by another ripper from Afridi in his second over.
The 1.98 meter bowler got KL Rahul with a delivery that came in sharply to take the batsman’s thigh pad and rattle the stumps.
Kohli and new batter, Suryakumar Yadav attempted to hit back with some positive shots as they smashed Afridi for a six each.
Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan then pulled off a superb diving catch to cut short Yadav’s stay at the wicket with quick bowler Hasan Ali striking in his first over. Yadav made 11.
Rishabh Pant joined Kohli in the middle and the left-right batting pair rebuilt the innings and took India to 60-3 at the end of 10 overs.
Pant, a wicketkeeper-batsman who survived a close caught behind call off one of his attempted reverse sweeps, kept up the charge with adventurous strokeplay.
He hit Ali for two successive sixes but finally fell to Shadab Khan’s leg spin in the next over, top-edging a ball that went high and into the hands of the bowler.
Pant made 39 off 30 balls. Kohli stood firm to soak up the pressure to get to his 50 in 45 balls.
Babar, Rizwan star as Pakistan break India jinx with rout
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Babar, Rizwan star as Pakistan break India jinx with rout
- Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan take apart the Indian bowling
Dubai Basketball end historic first season with knockout in Belgrade
- Despite a 114-97 defeat to Partizan, the season has been one of major milestones for the team
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball ended their inaugural ABA League season after a 114-97 defeat in the final leg of the semifinal against Serbian powerhouse Partizan.
The team officially set out on their journey in the Adriatic League in September, competing against some of the most prolific sides in Europe. From beating reigning champions Red Star in their opening game to being one of the only teams in the league to beat Partizan twice at their home court, the 2024-25 season was packed with milestones.
The third and final game of the semifinals took place on Sunday night at Belgrade Arena, the home of Partizan, with Dubai determined to capitalize on squaring the series in the previous game.
Dubai opened the game with intensity, taking an early lead as Davis Bertans, Klemen Prepelic, and Nate Mason each sank three-pointers within the first four minutes. By the end of the first quarter, Dubai had stormed ahead with a commanding nine-point lead.
However, the momentum began to shift in the second quarter. With the backing of a packed home crowd, Partizan tightened their defence and gradually closed the gap, reducing Dubai’s lead to just a single point by the end of the third quarter.
As the game progressed into the third and fourth quarters, Partizan demonstrated why they are seven-time ABA League champions. Although they surged ahead, Dubai refused to go down without a fight, repeatedly equalising the score and keeping the contest wide open.
In the final quarter, Partizan pulled away, scoring an impressive 28 points that widened the gap to 17 and ultimately secured their place in the finals. Dubai, however, walked away with their heads held high, having challenged one of Europe’s top basketball teams to the very end.
Reflecting on the season, Dubai Basketball’s head coach, Jurica Golemac, said: “We must be satisfied. This was our first season, with 13 new players in total. We were fortunate to have selected not only top-quality athletes but also exceptional people who made this journey smoother.
“Throughout the season, we played good basketball. We claimed major wins — including victories over some of the league’s giants — and today, we pushed Partizan into a serious battle for a place in the finals. Plans for the future are already underway. In fact, they’ve been in motion throughout the season. Analysis, planning — it all continues.
“As they say, the off-season begins tomorrow, and so does our preparation for what comes next.”
Rory McIlroy set for Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
- McIlroy is first European to win the career grand slam
- Yas Links hosts the Abu Dhabi championship Nov. 6-9
ABU DHABI: Grand slam winner and five-time Major champion Rory McIlroy will return to Yas Links for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship from Nov. 6 to 9 as he bids to win a seventh Race to Dubai Rankings crown.
The Masters champion leads the Race to Dubai having already secured his place in the field for the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs.
This is thanks to that thrilling victory at Augusta National, in addition to a fourth-place finish at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series event of the season.
Staged by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the DP World Tour, the championship is the first event of the tour’s end of season showpiece. This leads straight into the DP World Tour Championship where the Race to Dubai champion will be crowned.
The top 70 available players at the conclusion of the Back 9 events will gather in Abu Dhabi for the fourth Rolex Series event of the year as the season comes to a close.
McIlroy became the first European to win the career grand slam earlier this year when he added a Green Jacket to his four previous Major victories at the 2011 US Open, the US PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, and The Open in 2014.
And he will look to clinch a fourth successive Race to Dubai title when he returns to the Middle East in November.
Aref Hamad Al-Awani, general secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said the UAE capital has established itself as a world-class golfing destination, and was “proud” to host McIlroy.
“Since its inception, the championship has played a pivotal role in supporting sports tourism and generating tangible economic benefits for the region.
“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the DP World Tour in delivering another outstanding event befitting the prestige of the Rolex Series.
McIlroy said: “I love ending the season in the Middle East and I’m excited to return to Abu Dhabi again for the first of two big events later this year.
“I’ve started the year well and I’ve got a good record at Yas Links so hopefully I can continue doing what I’m doing and give myself a chance of finishing the season strongly, and having a shot of getting another Race to Dubai under my belt.”
Saudi eLeague concludes first phase of 2025 season
- More than 40 clubs involved as Twisted Minds, Team Falcons, Al-Qadsiah lead charge
RIYADH: The Saudi eLeague, the Kingdom’s premier esports competition, has seen over 40 clubs take part in the 2025 season.
Organized by the Saudi Esports Federation and hosted at the SEF Arena in Boulevard Riyadh City, the league showcases the Kingdom’s top clubs as they battle across multiple titles and divisions.
Participating clubs have so far battled across 10 high-stakes contests, six in the elite category and four in the women category, with valuable points up for grabs at the top of the cross-game leaderboard.
The final standings will determine the qualifiers for the championship, the league’s most prominent event in which top clubs compete for the ultimate title and a major share of a prize pool worth almost $1.9 million.
Twisted Minds lead the pack after the latest round, with Team Falcons second. Al-Qadsiah Esports sit in third, the breakout team of the season, surging up the ranks with wins in both the men’s and women’s contests.
The first phase of the Saudi eLeague season has now concluded, and Abdullah Al-Nasser, head of esports products at the Saudi Esports Federation, said: “The strong start to this year’s Saudi eLeague says a lot about how far the scene has come.
“Compared to previous seasons … we’re seeing real progress, more clubs, stronger competition, new talents and growing excitement from the community.
“What matters most is how competitive and intense every match has become. (It is) a platform where Saudi talents and clubs can grow, compete, and shine on bigger stages.”
Fans can follow the action live at the SEF Arena or via Saudi eLeague channels on Twitch, YouTube, and social platforms.
England coach Tuchel expects players to suffer in World Cup heat
- “It is important to see matches now in America, and in Miami at three in the afternoon,” Tuchel said as he prepared his team for their World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona
LONDON: England coach Thomas Tuchel will attend FIFA’s Club World Cup starting this month to observe how players cope with the expected hot and humid weather conditions.
Next year’s World Cup, taking place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, could be one of the hottest in the tournament’s history.
“It is important to see matches now in America, and in Miami at three in the afternoon,” Tuchel said as he prepared his team for their World Cup qualifier against Andorra in Barcelona.
“I will see that. How it looks, and we need to understand how to cool the players down, to drink. What our options are.”
England are top of qualifying Group K and almost certain to qualify for next year’s tournament where they will be among the favorites for the title.
But Tuchel says the conditions will be harsh.
“Let’s see because it is after the season, so it will be very similar. The actual experience is for the players, but I have done pre-season there in Orlando and I will be very surprised if we do not suffer,” he said.
“Suffering is one of the headlines for this World Cup.”
England are preparing for the Andorra game in the Spanish city of Girona and are using heat tents to test the players reaction and recovery to training in heat and humidity.
Sixteen stadiums will be used at next year’s World Cup with predictions of potentially extreme temperatures.
In Dallas, one of the host cities, in an average year more than 80 percent of June and July days exceed 28 degrees Celsius.
A study led by Brunel University found that, according to analysis of 20 years of weather data, 14 of the 16 host stadiums would top 28 degrees Celsius on a daily basis in June and July with four likely to hit 32 degrees in a hotter than summer.
FIFPRO, the world players union, recommends that if there is Wet Bulb Globe Temperature of between 28-32 degree, cooling breaks should take place around the 30th and 75th minutes.
It says that if there is a WBGT of more than 32 degrees, training and matches should be rescheduled.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG combines vision with victory on World Bicycle Day
- The UAE Team Emirates-XRG Academy has already reached over 700 schoolchildren through more than 80 hours of in-school coaching
ABU DHABI: UAE Team Emirates-XRG celebrated more than just race wins on World Bicycle Day on Tuesday.
The Emirati squad, a dominant force in the professional peloton, continues to make waves away from competitive events with major strides in community engagement and sustainability — efforts which are earning global recognition.
This week, the team received two prestigious nominations from the Union Cycliste Internationale — the Cycling for All Award for their youth-focused UAE Team Emirates-XRG Academy and the Climate Action Award for their ongoing “Road to Net-Zero” initiative. Both will be presented later this month at the UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum in Copenhagen.
“As we celebrate World Bicycle Day, we’re incredibly proud to see our work recognized on the global stage with nominations for both the UCI Cycling for All Award and the UCI Climate Action Award,” said Mauro Gianetti, team principal and CEO.
“These honors reflect our deep commitment to growing the sport at a grassroots level and ensuring sustainability remains at the heart of everything we do.”
Launched in 2025, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG Academy has already reached over 700 schoolchildren through more than 80 hours of in-school coaching. The program is set to expand to an additional 1,300 students by the end of the year, underlining the team’s aim of nurturing cycling talent across Abu Dhabi and beyond.
“The UAE Team Emirates-XRG Academy, Powered by ADNOC, is central to this vision, helping us inspire the next generation of cyclists and create meaningful change in our communities,” Gianetti added. “I’d like to sincerely thank ADNOC for their unwavering support. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. The opportunities ahead are endless — for our team, for young riders and for the continued development of cycling across the region.”
While their community work garners headlines, the team’s racing form in 2025 has been just as impressive. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has already captured landmark victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liege–Bastogne–Liege, alongside podium finishes at Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, and the Giro d’Italia. The run continues a dominant stretch that began last season, reinforcing their status as one of the sport’s elite outfits.
“The growth of the team over the past eight years has been extraordinary,” Gianetti said. “Our success is driven by the talent and dedication of our riders, the expertise of our staff, and the incredible support from the leadership of the country, our partners, and fans. Cycling is continuing to grow rapidly in the UAE, and that momentum is something we are proud to contribute to every day.”
