Howzat! Cricket-lovers in Saudi Arabia follow their favorite game with a passion

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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits. (AN Photo/Rashid Hassan)
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Updated 18 March 2024
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Howzat! Cricket-lovers in Saudi Arabia follow their favorite game with a passion

  • Cricket kit is available at sports shops run by expats
  • Formation of the SACF, in 2020, has seen the game thrive

RIYADH: Cricket is a hugely popular sport, second only to soccer as the most-watched sport on the globe, and has been played in Saudi Arabia for more than five decades, mainly by expatriate workers from Asian countries.

In the late-1970s, cricket associations were formed that began organizing matches on weekends in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The game also gradually became popular with locals, but enthusiasts were still mostly Asian expatriates who were familiar with the game. Cricket is followed like a religion in South Asian countries.

These South Asian expatriates in the Kingdom supported their favorite game with a passion. However, the formation of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, established in 2020, has seen the game thrive and introduced a cricketing culture across the Kingdom by lining up a series of programs focused on promoting the game among locals and expatriates.

Those playing the game told Arab News that it was not easy to pursue their dream of playing cricket in the beginning as kit such as bats, pads, balls, gloves and helmets were not easily available. Previously players would bring equipment from their home countries, but now several shops provide cricket kits.

“Cricket is a game that requires a wealth of equipment in order to stay safe and reach optimum performance levels. This includes protective gear, cricket-training equipment and cricket-ground equipment,” Abdul Waheed, a star player of the Saudi cricket team that has won two successive ACC Men’s Challenger Cups — the inaugural one last year and this year’s one in Bangkok — told Arab News.

“All the cricket equipment is available in Riyadh with shops in Hai Al-Wizarat, Shumaisi and Manfuha districts. You can just visit the shops and buy it. If some equipment is not available or you want a better-quality brand, they take some time to get it for them from Pakistan and India,” Waheed said.  

“At these shops you can get all the good-quality equipment. If you want normal equipment for practice or you want branded quality bats, pads and all the equipment, it’s available. If it is a big order, these shops also offer a discount.

“We the players in the Saudi cricket team also buy equipment from these shops,” he said.

Arab News spoke to some of the shop owners and retailers in Riyadh.

Ikramullah Khan, a shop owner at Sialkot Sports in Hai Al-Wizarat distrcit, one of the oldest outlets providing cricket equipment in Riyadh, told Arab News: “We have been providing cricket equipment for the past 22 years. My father started it and now I run this shop with my brother providing all cricket equipment for hard-ball cricket as well as soft-ball cricket. We sell everything, including trophies.

“Everyone interested in cricket is welcome to our shop and can buy it. We offer all types of equipment, normal as well as branded and high-quality equipment. If a customer wants some brand which is not available in my shop, I take time and provide once the consignment comes from Pakistan, but mostly equipment is available at my shop,” he said.

“If you buy a low-priced bat for soft-ball cricket, the cost ranges between SR90 ($24) to SR240, whereas the cost for a bat to play with the hard-ball ranges from SR350 to SR1,600, which is original-branded such as CA, MB Malik, and Ihsan.”

Khan said: “Like every other business in the market, our business too was badly affected during the pandemic, and even after that as many families left the Kingdom heading back to home. Now things are improving and with cricket popularity growing more than ever after the formation of the Saudi cricket federation, we are very hopeful that our sales will increase as cricket clubs here in Riyadh such as the Riyadh Cricket Association, Riyadh Cricket League and other clubs associated with it, as well as players from clubs in neighboring Al Kharj, Majmaah, Mazahimiyah, they all come to buy equipment from my shop. Sometimes people from as far as Buraidah, Qassim, come to buy equipment.”

Abid Meraj, of AR Sports, another major shop providing equipment at its outlets in different areas in Riyadh, told Arab News: “We welcome our customers to buy cricket-related equipment at our shop in Al-Ghubairah as well as Al-Wizarat.

“People can just visit our shops and buy all types of equipment to play their favorite game with required safety. Protective gears such as gloves, helmets, pads, armguards, are important to play hard-ball cricket, and we provide everything at our shops,” he said.

Khurram Mustafa, a cricket-lover and a Pakistani entrepreneur, in 2021 sought to boost the game in Saudi Arabia by supplying cricket kits to the Saudi Company for Hardware, or SACO, from Pakistan.

However, the initiative faced a setback as the response was not so enthusiastic, primarily attributed to the pandemic and absence of suitable cricket grounds for practice, he said.

Now that the popularity of cricket is growing with the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation at the helm, and there is an abiding enthusiasm for cricket in Saudi Arabia, especially among expatriates from Asian nations already familiar with the game, Mustafa is hopeful about resuming the supply of equipment.

Undeterred by the initial challenges, Mustafa remains resolute in his passion for cricket, and eager to facilitate its accessibility not only within SACO but also in sports shops across the Kingdom.

“My unwavering commitment to promoting the sport shows my determination to overcome obstacles and foster a thriving cricket culture in Saudi Arabia,” he said.


Galatasaray down Spurs to go top in Europa League

Updated 07 November 2024
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Galatasaray down Spurs to go top in Europa League

  • The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while
  • Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100-percent record

PARIS: Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray inflicted a first Europa League defeat of the season on Tottenham to move top of the table with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul on Thursday.
The Turkish champions have 10 points from four games and have all but secured qualification for at least the knock-out play-off round, while Spurs sit in fifth place after losing their 100-percent record.
Galatasaray took an early lead when Yunus Akgun smashed a sensational long-range volley into the top corner in the sixth minute.
But the visitors hit back just 12 minutes later as teenage striker Will Lankshear marked just his second first-team appearance with a goal by tapping in Brennan Johnson’s pass across goal.
Galatasaray took control before half-time, though, as Osimhen scored twice in the space of eight minutes.
The Nigerian star fired them back in front just after the half-hour mark, before cleverly volleying Dries Mertens’ cross past Tottenham goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Osimhen has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.
The home side passed up several opportunities to put the game out of sight for their opponents, but Spurs’ hopes of a comeback were hit when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offenses in quick succession in the second half.
Dominic Solanke pulled one back in the 69th minute, shortly after being brought on by Ange Postecoglou, but Galatasaray held on with relative comfort.
Eintracht Frankfurt are second in the standings, behind Galatasaray on goals scored, after Omar Marmoush’s 13th goal of the season clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague.
The Egyptian clipped a superb free-kick in off the crossbar shortly after the break.
Athletic Bilbao are in third, separated from Eintracht also by goals scored, after coming from behind to grab a 2-1 success at Ludogorets.
Inaki Williams and Nico Serrano both scored in a two-minute burst from the Basque club.
Roma’s disappointing form this season continued as Kevin Mac Allister’s goal 13 minutes from time secured Union Saint-Gilloise their second point of the competition with a 1-1 draw in Belgium.


French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

Updated 07 November 2024
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French minister criticizes PSG fans’ ‘Free Palestine’ banner; club to escape UEFA sanctions

  • European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions
  • Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG“

PARIS: French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on Thursday criticized the unfurling of a giant “Free Palestine” banner at a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) soccer match, saying it was “unacceptable.”
However, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the club would not face sanctions.
Retailleau, asked if he would seek sanctions against PSG, told Sud Radio: “I am not ruling out anything. I will demand explanations from PSG.”
The French federation (FFF) president, Philippe Diallo, was summoned for a meeting at 0900 GMT at the interior ministry on Friday, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, adding it had not yet confirmed its attendance.
The FFF has no power over European club competitions.
French TV channel BFM said PSG director general Victoriano Melero was also summoned. PSG did not respond to a request for comment.
Fans from PSG’s hard-line Auteuil Kop group displayed a huge “Free Palestine” banner before their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, eight days before France play Israel in Paris in a Nations League game.
“In no way was this tifo (banner) intended to convey a message of hatred — quite the contrary,” the group, Collectif Ultras Paris, said in a statement.
“The message that accompanied it is explicit and is a call for peace between peoples,” the group said, adding that the banner was made outside the stadium.
Their action took place as Israel pressed on with a military offensive in Gaza that has killed about 43,400 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza health ministry figures.
The conflict broke out after Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
PSG said after the game they had not been made aware of any plans to display such a message.
“Paris St. Germain recall that the Parc des Princes is — and must remain — a place of communion around a common passion for soccer and firmly opposes any message of a political nature in its stadium,” the club said in a statement.
Minister Retailleau said: “Of course the club president is responsible. I want to know how this tarpaulin arrived, how it was deployed.”
A UEFA spokesperson said that PSG would not face disciplinary proceedings as it only bans political messages deemed insulting or provocative.
Last year, the Scottish club Celtic were fined 17,500 euros ($18,907) for fans’ waving Palestinian flags at a Champions League match.
Questions have been raised about security surrounding the France v Israel Nations League game next Thursday in a country that has the largest Jewish community in Europe as well as its biggest population of Muslims.


Krejcikova beats Gauff to earn last semifinal spot at WTA Finals. Swiatek eliminated despite win

Updated 08 November 2024
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Krejcikova beats Gauff to earn last semifinal spot at WTA Finals. Swiatek eliminated despite win

  • Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic beat American Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-4
  • Swiatek had kept her hopes alive by beating Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0

RIYADH: Barbora Krejcikova grabbed the last semifinal spot at the WTA Finals with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Coco Gauff on Thursday, a result that eliminated second-ranked Iga Swiatek from the season-ending tournament.
Krejcikova completes a last-four lineup that already included top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, Zheng Qinwen and Gauff.
“Well, I was definitely super excited to be here, to come here, to qualify to play against the best ones,” Krejcikova said. “I don’t really know where everything started to come together. Before the tournament, I had a couple of days where we hit lightly and already during those hits, I felt quite good. And I think definitely for me, it’s a big thing that it’s the last tournament of the season.”


Krejcikova, the Wimbledon champion, won the Orange Group and will face Zheng in Friday’s semifinals, while Gauff will take on Purple Group winner Sabalenka.
Swiatek earlier routed alternate Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-0 in less than an hour, but she needed Krejcikova to lose to third-ranked Gauff in order to advance from the Orange Group. Krejcikova, Gauff and Swiatek all finished at 2-1, and Swiatek was eliminated because she has a worse percentage of sets won.
Kasatkina replaced American Jessica Pegula, who withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday because of a left knee injury.
“I’m professional enough to always give 100 percent no matter what the stakes are,” Swiatek said.


Fleetwood goes low to lead Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

Updated 07 November 2024
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Fleetwood goes low to lead Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship

  • The golf tournament is the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs
  • ‘I didn’t feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I actually felt like I started playing better as the round got to the back nine,’ Fleetwood said

ABU DHABI: English golfer Tommy Fleetwood carded course record-equalling 10 under par 62 on Thursday to take the first-round lead at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Championship is the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs and penultimate event of the 2024 Race to Dubai.
Fleetwood, already a two-time winner of this tournament after claiming back-to-back victories in 2017 and 2018, carded eight birdies and an eagle on a low-scoring day at Yas Links to finish one stroke ahead of former Ryder Cup teammate Thorbjorn Olesen and America’s Johannes Veerman.
The 33-year-old, a seven-time DP World Tour winner, was four under after only three holes with a birdie, eagle, birdie start, and he made six further gains as he signed for a bogey-free round, rolling in a final birdie at the last to take the outright lead.
“Just happy to have got off to a great start. I didn’t feel like I swung it perfectly early on and I actually felt like I started playing better as the round got to the back nine,” Fleetwood said.
The wind picked up a little bit, the Englishman said, but overall it was fairly calm. “I think the course, fairways, are playing fast,” he said.
Fleetwood also has an eye on a second Race to Dubai title because he started the week in fifth place on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
A strong performance in Abu Dhabi would give him an outside chance of catching current rankings leader Rory McIlroy at next week’s DP World Tour Championship.
Denmark’s Olesen is seeking a second Rolex Series victory this week to follow from his 2018 Italian Open success. He won his eighth DP World Tour title earlier this year in the UAE, landing the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in January.
Olesen said: “With the conditions of the greens, if you putted really well, you can make a lot of putts. I’m very happy with that. There’s not that much breeze out there, so it definitely feels hot. I think maybe I’m a bit more used to it now after being out here for a couple of years.”
Moreover, Veerman, who won his maiden title at the 2021 D+D REAL Czech Masters, earned his place in the first event of the DP World Tour Play-Offs after finishing T8, T14 and T14 in his previous three starts. He carded eight birdies and an eagle to join Olesen on nine under par.
Veerman said: “It went just about as good as I would have hoped, maybe even better. I got off to a really fast start. The conditions on this course are pure so you’re never going to have a bad lie.”
Four-time Rolex Series winner Tyrrell Hatton shares fourth on eight under with fellow Englishmen Laurie Canter and Paul Waring and Italy’s Francesco Laporta.
McIlroy carded a five under par 67 to finish the day in a share of 18th place. The Northern Irishman will win the Race to Dubai for a sixth time if he finishes more than 2,000 ranking points ahead of his nearest challenger after this event.
“It’s nice to be paired with Thriston (Lawrence) and Rasmus (Hojgaard) because you can sort of keep an eye on what they are doing, as well. It’s been a really good year, very, very consistent,” he said.


Buoyant Inter gunning for leaders Napoli and Serie A summit

Updated 07 November 2024
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Buoyant Inter gunning for leaders Napoli and Serie A summit

  • Wednesday’s win came despite Inzaghi dropping five first-choice players with Napoli
  • The defense of the Serie A title his clear priority in the early months of the season

MILAN: Inter Milan have top spot in Serie A in their sights as they host league leaders Napoli this weekend boosted by a gritty win over Arsenal in the Champions League.
Reigning champions Inter are a point behind Napoli and in buoyant mood ahead of Sunday’s clash at the San Siro after showing huge spirit to beat Arsenal 1-0 and continue their unbeaten start in Europe.
Simone Inzaghi’s team are yet to concede a goal in the Champions League and after four matches are two points behind leaders Liverpool in the new single league phase.
Wednesday’s win came despite Inzaghi dropping five first-choice players with Napoli and the defense of the Serie A title his clear priority in the early months of the season.
And Inter had to hold off wave after wave of Arsenal attacks in the second half after Hakan Calhanoglu’s penalty in stoppage time of the opening period, claiming the win with the sort dogged defending which has been lacking in Serie A where they have conceded 13 times in 11 matches.
“It was a win earned through sacrifice, the only thing that mattered tonight was the result. I needed minutes, now I’m ready for Napoli,” said Calhanoglu who was excellent in his first start since recovering from a thigh injury and will guide Inter’s midfield on Sunday.
Inter will be at full strength after Nicolo Barella, Federico Dimarco, Marcus Thuram, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Francesco Acerbi all started the Arsenal win on the bench.
That is a daunting prospect for Napoli who have however had a week to prepare for Sunday’s clash and won at the San Siro against AC Milan as recently as last week.
Napoli have impressed by leading the league following last season’s disastrous defense of their first Scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona.
But Napoli were thumped 3-0 at home by dark horses Atalanta last weekend and questions remain over whether Antonio Conte’s side are ready to reclaim the title.
Conte, a practicing Catholic, said ahead of his team’s humbling at the hands of third-placed Atalanta that “football miracles can happen but only one person can make them happen.”
“All we can do is work hard and try to create something beautiful which in football terms translates into more points,” said Conte.
Mario Balotelli is set for more minutes with his new club Genoa who face Como at the unusual time of Thursday night, a rearrangement forced by an important rally race being held in the port city over the weekend.
Former Italy striker Balotelli made his Genoa debut off the bench late in last weekend’s 1-0 win at Parma which lifted Alberto Gilardino’s team out of the relegation zone, but his only contribution was getting booked.
In-form Fiorentina and Lazio, who are level on 22 points with Atalanta, face Verona and Monza respectively and have a chance to move level with Napoli before Sunday’s big match at the San Siro.
Juventus, who sit a point behind that trio in sixth, host local rivals Torino after drawing 1-1 at Lille on Tuesday.

Fresh from another stellar performance in Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Stuttgart, Lookman is in the form of his life as Atalanta host Udinese in Sunday’s lunchtime fixture with talk of a title challenge looking increasingly realistic.
Nigeria forward Lookman, the hat-trick hero of last season’s Europa League triumph, has scored eight goals and set up five more in 12 appearances this term.
His stunning performances, which have helped push Atalanta to within three points of Napoli, come after being dropped at the start of the season after pushing for a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
But the way he and attack partners Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere have been playing suggests that Lookman could just as likely scale new heights staying exactly where he is.

Thursday
Genoa v Como (1945)
Friday
Lecce v Empoli (1945)
Saturday
Venezia v Parma (1400), Cagliari v AC Milan (1700), Juventus v Torino (1945)
Sunday
Atalanta v Udinese (1130), Roma v Bologna, Fiorentina v Verona (1400), Monza v Lazio (1700), Inter Milan v Napoli (1945)