DUBAI: The Saudi football team Al-Hilal visited Dubai to celebrate their victory in the 38th Asian Football Confederation Champions League 2019. At the event, hosted by Emaar Properties, some of the team’s fans and the company’s signature Saudi customers were invited to attend and meet the footballers.
During the celebrations, an animation dedicated to Al-Hilal FC was displayed on Burj Khalifa.
Al-Hilal beat Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds 3-0 in a two-leg match. The first match was played at the King Saud University Stadium in Saudi Arabia, and the second was hosted by Urawa Red Diamonds at the Saitama Stadium 2002.
“It was an indescribable feeling [to win the AFC Champions League]. We have tried to win this cup a few times. Thank God, with his blessings we won it this time,” Al-Hilal’s captain and left-winger Mohammad Al-Shalhoub said.
He said that Al-Hilal is preparing for the upcoming matches.
“We still have the League; the competition is tough there and it will not be easy but we will try to win it. The more advanced and important matches of the Kings Cup are going on now, we will do our best there,” Al-Shalhoub added.
Ahmad Thani Rashed Al-Matrooshi, the managing director of Emaar Properties, said they are proud of their partnership with the team and they are “look[ing] forward [to] celebrating Al-Hilal’s continued success in the future.” Emaar, a global property developer and provider of premium lifestyles, signed a 5-year strategic partnership agreement with Al-Hilal in June.
Other high-ranking officials from Al-Hilal and Emaar attending the event included the president of the Al-Hilal FC, Fahad Bin Saad bin Nafal, Al-Hilal board member Sultan bin Saeed, CEO of Al-Hilal Investment Co. Sultan Al-Sheikh, Emaar vice-chairman Jamal Majid bin Theniyah and CEO Amit Jain.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal celebrate AFC Champions League win in Dubai
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Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal celebrate AFC Champions League win in Dubai
Pakistan opt to bat first against England at T20 World Cup
- “It looks like a good pitch. We want to put up an above-par score and defend that,” Ali Agha said
- England have a lot of knowledge about the conditions in Pallekele
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Pakistan won the toss against England and elected to bat first in the Twenty20 World Cup Super Eights game on Tuesday.
“It looks like a good pitch. We want to put up an above-par score and defend that,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said.
England started the second round with a resounding 51-run win over co-host Sri Lanka at the same venue last Sunday while Pakistan’s opening game against New Zealand was washed out in Colombo.
England have a lot of knowledge about the conditions in Pallekele, where they have won all four T20s over the last few weeks, including a 3-0 series win against Sri Lanka before the tournament.
Pakistan batters have been struggling in the tournament and, except for opener Sahibzada Farhan, the World Cup leading run-scorer with 220, no one else has scored more than 100 runs.
Pakistan left out allrounder Faheem Ashraf and brought back fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi while mystery spinner Usman Tariq was preferred over leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed.
England captain Harry Brook hoped the “fresh pitch” would play better for chasing.
England named the same XI for the fifth match in a row in the tournament, staying faithful to struggling opener Jos Buttler.
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Lineups:
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (captain), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
