Saudi Arabia beat hosts by 7 wickets to top table at Malaysia Quadrangular

Saudi Arabia will face Malaysia in the final of the Malaysia Quadrangular in Kuala Lumpur on Friday after beating the hosts by seven wickets. (@cricketsaudi)
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Updated 30 April 2025
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Saudi Arabia beat hosts by 7 wickets to top table at Malaysia Quadrangular

  • Final on Friday is against Malaysia, who finished second in the standings

KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia will face Malaysia in the final of the Malaysia Quadrangular in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, May 2, after beating the hosts by seven wickets.

Openers Faisal Khan and Abdul Waheed set up the victory in posting an opening stand of 100 in just nine overs.

Earlier in the week Saudi Arabia had repeated their victories over Thailand and Singapore in the second round of the tournament to set up a match against Malaysia that would decide first and second in the league table.

Saudi Arabia had recovered from 90 for four against Thailand thanks to a partnership of 80 in 5.2 overs from Waji Ul-Hassan and Manan Ali. Ul-Hassan then became the third Saudi Arabian to take five wickets in T20I cricket with five for nine as the Kingdom won by 39 runs.

Against Singapore, three wickets apiece for Ishtiaq Ahmed and Zain Ul-Abidin, restricted the opponents to 112 for seven. Although Khan suffered his second duck in two matches, Waheed made 42 from 28 deliveries, with Saudi Arabia winning by seven wickets inside 15 overs.

The Saudi team had won four matches out of five to stand on eight points, just one point behind Malaysia, who had a no-result against Singapore because of rain.

Hence, the winner of the second encounter between the two teams would determine the group winner. Malaysia had chased down Saudi Arabia’s score in their previous match, so the Saudis chose to bowl first.

Virandeep Singh had carried Malaysia to victory with four wickets and a brilliant unbeaten 93 in the previous match, so it was an important breakthrough when Ul-Hassan dismissed him, caught behind for 21 from 21 balls.

Syed Aziz reached his 50 from 38 balls on the way to 67 from 49 balls but Malaysia only made 160 for six, despite Sharvin Muniady hitting the last two balls of the innings for six.

Saudi Arabia’s opening partnership was likely to be key as Khan and Waheed had often provided an exciting launch pad for the innings.

Khan played out two dot balls and then was away with a six over mid-wicket, racing to 30 from 12 balls out of the 50-run partnership in 3.3 overs. He made 50 inside the first six overs, needing only 20 balls to reach the landmark, hitting six sixes and three fours.

Saudi Arabia’s score stood on 80 for no wicket after six overs. Then Singh was introduced in the attack and the field spread out, allowing singles to be easily taken as the openers changed gear. Khan did hit another six before 100 was posted in just nine overs.

He was dismissed for 66 from 32 balls and his partnership with Waheed was exactly 100 in 9.1 overs when he was caught by Singh, off the bowling of Pavandeep Singh. In the tournament he maintained a strike rate close to 200 and hit a total of 14 sixes.

Pavandeep claimed a second wicket, but the required rate was down to five runs an over. Waheed completed his 50 from 39 balls with five fours and had played a fine supporting role to the explosive Khan.

He was third out with 27 runs needed, captain Ul-Hassan guiding his side to victory with an unbeaten 22 from 18 balls, and Saudi Arabia winning by seven wickets with 2.1 overs to spare.

The two sides will meet again in the final on May 2, while Singapore will play Thailand in the third-place playoff.


Nottingham Forest boss Nuno signs new three-year contract

Updated 10 sec ago
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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno signs new three-year contract

The 51-year-old led Forest to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season
A late slump in form saw them settle for a place in the Europa Conference League

LONDON: Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was rewarded for guiding his side into Europe by signing a new three-year contract on Saturday.

The 51-year-old led Forest to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season, securing European qualification for the first time since the 1995/96 season.

After battling relegation for much of their first two campaigns back in the Premier League after a 23-year absence, Forest were on course to qualify for the Champions League last season.

A late slump in form saw them settle for a place in the Europa Conference League instead and included a flashpoint when owner Evangelos Marinakis confronted Nuno on the pitch after a 2-2 draw against relegated Leicester.

Former Manchester United captain and leading pundit Gary Neville said the Portuguese coach should have resigned in protest at that incident.

However, the former Wolves and Tottenham boss has committed his future to the City Ground and thanked Marinakis for his support since he was appointed in December 2023.

“I am delighted to be able to continue our journey at this fantastic football club,” Nuno said in a club statement.

“Since we arrived at Forest, we have worked extremely hard to create a special bond between the players, the fans and everyone at the club, which helped us achieve great things last season.

“I would like to thank our owner, Mr.Marinakis, for his constant support and backing. It is important to me to share a strong relationship with our ownership and we have thoroughly enjoyed working together ever since I arrived at Forest.”

Marinakis paid tribute to the impact made by Nuno and reiterated his desire for the two-time European champions to be contenders for major trophies once more.

“We enjoy a strong and solid relationship together,” said the Greek shipping magnate.

“Above all, we share the same dream and ambition of writing a new history for Nottingham Forest, competing in the Premier League and in Europe and winning trophies for our great club.”

Ill Mbappe out of second Real Madrid Club World Cup clash

Updated 21 June 2025
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Ill Mbappe out of second Real Madrid Club World Cup clash

  • The French superstar was taken to hospital on Thursday for tests and treatment
  • Mbappe is improving “bit by bit” said the club source

FLORIDA: Ill Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe will not travel to Charlotte for the team’s Club World Cup match against Pachuca, a club source told AFP Saturday.

The French superstar was taken to hospital on Thursday for tests and treatment after suffering gastroenteritis, before later being released.

Mbappe is improving “bit by bit” said the club source, but he will not fly with his team-mates for Sunday’s match against Mexican side Pachuca.

The 26-year-old missed the opening game with the same illness as Madrid were held 1-1 by Al-Hilal in Xabi Alonso’s debut as coach.

Madrid B-team player Gonzalo Garcia, 21, started in Mbappe’s stead and opened the scoring for Real Madrid against their Saudi Arabian opponents.

Mbappe finished as the European Golden Shoe winner in his first season at Real Madrid with 31 goals in La Liga and 43 across all competitions, but Los Blancos finished the season without a major trophy.


Vondrousova surprises Sabalenka to reach Berlin final

Updated 21 June 2025
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Vondrousova surprises Sabalenka to reach Berlin final

  • The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2. 6-4,
  • “I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova

BERLIN: Marketa Vondrousova brushed aside world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Berlin on Saturday to reach her first final since lifting the Wimbledon title two years ago.

The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2. 6-4, to set up a Sunday title clash with the winner of the other semifinal on the grass in Berlin between Wang Xinyu and Liudmila Samsonova.

Vondrousova plummeted down the rankings from sixth after missing several months with a left shoulder injury for which she underwent surgery last year.

“I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova, who was appearing in her first WTA semifinal since April last year.

“I’m just happy to be back healthy, and so grateful to play these matches.

“When I saw the field here, I was like, ‘OK, let’s just try to win the first round,’ and then, you
know, now this is happening.”

Sabalenka’s first serve let her down in the opening set, but the Belarusian fought back to start the second with a break.

Two games down Vondrousova levelled at 2-2, then broke to lead 5-4, wrapping up the win — her first ever over a world number one — but not before saving three consecutive break points, with an ace after one hour five minutes of play.

Sabalenka, 27, was losing only her first semifinal in eight last four appearances in 2025.

China’s Wang beat French Open champion Coco Gauff on Thursday then reached the semis after Spanish opponent Paula Badosa retired having lost 6-1 in the first set.

Her opponent, Samsonova, continued her excellent form on the grass after seeing off defending champion Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and last weekend’s Queen’s finalist Amanda Anisimova this week.


ES Tunis claim 1-0 win, eliminating LAFC from Club World Cup

Updated 21 June 2025
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ES Tunis claim 1-0 win, eliminating LAFC from Club World Cup

  • The victory takes ES Tunis (1-1-0, 3 points) level with Chelsea in Group D
  • The winner of ES Tunis’ meeting with Chelsea on Tuesday in Philadelphia will move on to the knockout phase

LOS ANGELES: Youcef Belaïli scored in the 70th minute, goalkeeper Ben Said saved a penalty deep in second-half stoppage time and Esperance Sportive de Tunis defeated Los Angeles FC 1-0 to keep their FIFA Club World Cup hopes alive in a dramatic contest Friday in Nashville, Tennessee

The victory takes ES Tunis (1-1-0, 3 points) level with Chelsea in Group D, after the English side lost 3-1 to Brazil’s Flamengo earlier on Friday.

Referee Espen Eskas awarded a very late spot kick following a video review, ruling Khalil Guenichi had felled Marlon in the area.

But Denis Bouanga drove his ensuing penalty kick into the dive of Ben Said, the final salvo in a result that eliminated LAFC (0-2-0, 0 points) from tournament contention.

The winner of ES Tunis’ meeting with Chelsea on Tuesday in Philadelphia will move on to the knockout phase, with Chelsea advancing on a draw based on superior goal differential.

The Tunisians also had an earlier penalty decision go against them 20 minutes before Belailis opener, when the Algerian attacker believed he had earned a spot kick after driving past Bouanga on the dribble.

But Eskas was summoned to the monitor, and after consulting replays, ruled Bouanga wasn’t guilty of a foul, and booked Belaili for simulation.

That failed to halt the match momentum for Tunis, however, who were superior for most of the encounter and didn’t allow LAFC to record a shot on target until second-half stoppage time.

They were eventually rewarded when Amine Ben Hamida made a marauding run from the left flank near the midfield stripe into the penalty area.

He was halted by an LAFC defender’s challenge. But Belaili was first to the loose ball, and he drove his finish low and hard through LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

It appeared LAFC’s fading tournament hopes would be given a lifeline after Eskas’ second pivotal penalty decision, with the Gabon international Bouanga stepping forward.

But Said dove to his left, and with Bouanga’s placement very poor, the Tunisian ‘keeper kicked the ball wide of danger with his trailing leg.


Kenyan referee suspended over protest violence allegation

Updated 21 June 2025
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Kenyan referee suspended over protest violence allegation

  • Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) county sub-branch chairman Bernard Omondi confirmed they had “launched an investigation” against a referee
  • “He will not be allowed to referee,” Omondi said

NAIROBI: Kenya’s football association confirmed Saturday it had suspended one of its referees over social media clips appearing to show the official harassing protesters in the capital.

Tensions have risen in the east African country ahead of the anniversary of last year’s massive Gen Z-led demonstrations, with small rallies breaking out in Nairobi this week.

Demonstrators were attacked by armed thugs known as “goons” during anti-police brutality protests in the city on Tuesday. The scenes, widely recorded and shared on social media, have provoked fury in Kenya.

Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) county sub-branch chairman Bernard Omondi confirmed to AFP they had “launched an investigation” against one of their Nairobi-based referees.

The individual, who AFP is not naming but who adjudicates lower league matches, was investigated “after video footage, which was widely circulated on social media, identified his participation in the aggression against the protesting youth and the police on Tuesday,” Omondi said.

“He will not be allowed to referee any matches,” Omondi said, adding that he would appear before the body’s disciplinary committee.

“Further action will be taken against him after a hearing,” he added.

Kenyan football has long been mired in corruption and match-fixing scandals, with players and officials suspended over the years.

In 2021, the government disbanded the national football federation over corruption allegations and sought to prosecute its officials.