AHMEDABAD: The 10 team captains at the Cricket World Cup took part in a photo shoot at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday on the eve of the tournament, with India’s Rohit Sharma looking forward to seeing the venue “jam packed” with home fans.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday with England playing New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in a rematch of the 2019 World Cup final. While 10 venues across India will host games, this year’s final will also be played at the 134,000-seater in Ahmedabad on Nov. 19.
Sharma is under immense pressure to emulate his countryman MS Dhoni’s achievement in 2011 and lift the trophy in November. It has been a decade since cricket-mad India won an ICC trophy.
“Winning the ODI World Cup is something that I have always dreamt of growing up as a child,” Sharma said. “Indian fans are going to love this tournament here. This stadium is going to be jam packed because people in India love their team, but they love their cricket as well. It is going to be a great tournament.”
The highlight of the tournament, all captains agreed, will undoubtedly be the much-anticipated game between archrivals India and Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Oct. 14, which is sure to draw a massive global audience.
“There aren’t too many events where half the world tunes in to watch, and that is India playing Pakistan in a World Cup for you,” Australia captain Pat Cummins said. “Even if you are personally not involved, you watch and feel the passion around the game. There will be easily over 100,000 people here.”
It is the first time in seven years that a Pakistan team is visiting India, and captain Babar Azam was impressed by the reception his team has received.
“We were not expecting this, but the way Indian people have responded to us, everyone in our team has enjoyed it,” Azam said. “We have been in Hyderabad for a week, but it feels like we are at home. It is a golden opportunity for us to give 100 percent and enjoy this tournament.”
India captain Sharma looks forward to ‘jam packed’ venues when Cricket World Cup starts
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India captain Sharma looks forward to ‘jam packed’ venues when Cricket World Cup starts
- 10 venues across cricket-mad India will host the World Cup matches from Oct. 5 till Nov. 19
- Pakistan and India will lock horns on Oct. 14 for an electrifying clash in Ahmedabad
Mhally lands Saudi Cup start
- 2000 Guineas winner shines in The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup
RIYADH: Last year’s winner of the 2000 Guineas, Mhally (GB), stepped up to the mark 12 months later to earn a place in the 2026 Saudi Cup with victory under in-form Ricardo Ferreira in the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
The success in the $400,000 feature at King Abdulaziz Racecourse was part of a Ferreira four-timer and capped a terrific day for the rider who, along with trainer Thamer Al-Daihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah, also won the 2000 Guineas again, this time with Al-Haram (IRE).
Mhally progressed from his 2000 Guineas success to be third on Saudi Cup night in the Derby in 2025 and will be back again this time in the main $20 million event on Feb. 14 after proving his stamina in the qualifier over 1800m.
There were four in with a chance halfway down the home stretch, but Mhally knows where the winning post is at King Abdulaziz and found more when required to deny last year’s US winning rider, Joel Rosario, aboard Ameerat Al-Zamaan (GB) by three-quarters of a length.
And the owner-trainer-jockey combination could have another superstar on their hands, given Al Haram’s devastating success in the $124,000 2000 Guineas sponsored by J Event.
The 3-year-old had won both of his previous starts over the 1600m trip but took his form to a new level to qualify for the $1.5 million G3 Saudi Derby.
Al-Haram was slightly slow away and found himself at the rear of the field, leaving himself with a huge task ahead, but he found generously for pressure and surged through the field to win in monstrous fashion by seven-and-a-quarter lengths.
Maestro Du Croate (FR) ran well to be third last week and got off the mark at the seventh attempt under Camilo Ospina to take the $44,000 G3 Al-Diriyah Cup sponsored by STC.
Nijinski Al Maury (FR) looked to be going best turning in, but the Bassim Al-Mousa-trained 4-year-old found more under an inspired Ospina, and after an almighty tussle, collected by one length to qualify for the $2 million G1 Obaiya Arabian Classic.
Ospina also took the $44,000 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Qualifier sponsored by Nova as his Min Shan (KSA) led home a one-two for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Sons.
Over three lengths separated Min Shan from the Mickael Barzalona-ridden Jeddah Beach (USA) at the line, with the winner completing a hat-trick over the 1200m trip to land a gate in the $2 million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
One of Ferreira’s other winners came as Thayaf (KSA) maintained his unbeaten record with a fourth career victory in the domestic G1 King Abdulaziz Cup, while Christophe Soumillon landed back-to-back wins aboard Wanaameen (KSA) as they followed up last month’s success in the domestic G1 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
