India may miss Davis Cup tennis match hosted by rival Pakistan

In this file photo, taken on March 5, 2022, India's Rohan Bopanna hits a return against Denmark's Mikael Torpegaard and Frederik Nielsen during their men's doubles tennis match in the Davis Cup in New Delhi. (AFP/File)
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Updated 28 December 2023
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India may miss Davis Cup tennis match hosted by rival Pakistan

  • Pakistan says all arrangements are in place, promises to provide ‘best security’ to Indian squad
  • India last hosted Pakistan’s tennis team in 2006 and sent its Davis Cup team to Islamabad in 1964

NEW DELHI: India may be forced to forfeit a Davis Cup play-off hosted by rival Pakistan, with the local tennis association saying Thursday the team was waiting on New Delhi’s approval to travel.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought several wars since winning independence from British rule in 1947, and sporting contests between the two have long been the victim of their enduring animosity.

The All India Tennis Association (AITA) asked the sports ministry for approval to travel to Pakistan after a request to shift the fixture to a third country was rejected by the International Tennis Federation tribunal.

“The proposal is still pending with the ministry and we are awaiting a decision,” AITA secretary-general Anil Dhupar told AFP.

Pakistan Tennis Federation president Salim Saifullah Khan said 18 members of the Indian squad had requested visas for the World Group 1 clash scheduled for February 3-4.

“We have all the arrangements put in place. They will be given the best security and accommodation,” he told AFP. “Let politics be kept away from sports and better sense prevail.”

New Delhi last hosted the Pakistani tennis team in 2006 and the Indian Davis Cup team last travelled to Islamabad in 1964, according to news outlet India Today.

Local media reports said a 2019 match was moved to Kazakhstan, with the AITA citing political tensions as the reason for the request.

Sports matches between India and Pakistan are rare owing to decades of hostility between the two nations.

They share one of the world’s great sporting rivalries in cricket, by far the most popular sport in both countries.

But their teams have not played a bilateral series in more than a decade, and typically only face each other in larger tournaments.

India refused to travel to Pakistan for the 50-over Asia Cup in September, a move that forced its neighbor to partially relinquish hosting duties to Sri Lanka.

Pakistan travelled to India the following month for the Cricket World Cup after its request to stage some matches in a third country was rejected.


South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

Updated 7 sec ago
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South Africa football chief arrested on fraud, theft charges

Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board

JOHANNESBURG: South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan was arrested and charged Wednesday with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000), police said.
Jordaan, who led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup, denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organization’s resources for his personal gain,” a police statement said.
He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorization from the SAFA board, the statement added.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously. He denied the allegations.
He was arrested “following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” police said.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
The court released the three on bail.

Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi reclaims number 1 spot in ODI bowler rankings

Updated 13 November 2024
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Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi reclaims number 1 spot in ODI bowler rankings

  • Shaheen Afridi took eight wickets in three matches against Australia at 12.62 average this month
  • Pacer Haris Rauf rises to career-best number 13 as ex-captain Babar Azam remains top ODI-ranked batter

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s left arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi reclaimed his number one spot in the ICC ODI Bowler Rankings, the cricket governing body announced on Wednesday, after a successful tour against world champions Australia this year. 

Afridi regained his place as the top bowler in the 50-over cricket format after he took eight wickets across three matches against Australia in the ODI series that concluded last week. Afridi, who recorded an impressive average of 12.62 during the three matches, helped Pakistan secure a 2-1 series win against the 2023 world champions. This was Pakistan’s first series win against Australia since 2002. 

The achievement helped Afridi move up three places and take the premier position from South Africa spinner Keshav Maharaj, who was pushed down two spots to number three while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan remains in second place. 

“Pakistan have received a boost just months out from the start of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy with news that pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has re-claimed the No.1 ranking on the latest ICC Men’s ODI Bowler Rankings,” the ICC said in a report. 

Afridi has previously first held the number one bowler ranking midway through last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India.

Meanwhile, fellow Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf improved 14 places to secure the number 13 spot, reaching a new career-high rating. Rauf was awarded Player of the Series against Australia after taking 10 wickets against the 2023 champions. 

“Afridi’s rise to the top means Pakistan now have the top-ranked player in both batting and bowling in ODI cricket, with former skipper Babar Azam increasing his lead at the top of the batter charts following 80 runs against Australia when dismissed just once,” the ICC said.

Pakistan will play their first of three T20I matches against Australia in Brisbane on Thursday. 
 


Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

Updated 13 November 2024
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Saudi midfield duo are embracing life in Belgium at Beerschot

  • Al-Ghamdi and Al-Sahafi, on loan from Ittihad, are part of Herve Renard’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Australia
  • Al-Sahafi scored twice in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September and netted another brace against Club Brugge before the international break

LONDON: While scanning Herve Renard’s first squad list since his return as boss of the Saudi national team, three names stand out immediately. Twenty-four of the 27 players play their club football in the Kingdom; the exceptions are Saud Abdulhamid, who is at Roma, and Faisal Al-Ghamdi and Marwan Al-Sahafi, both currently on loan at Belgian side Beerschot.

Saudi players plying their trade in Europe are not the norm; only a handful have previously made the switch from the Kingdom. And even they — from Sami Al-Jaber at Wolves to Salem Al-Dawsari at Villarreal — only featured sparingly before returning to their homeland.

But at Beerschot, 23-year-old Al-Ghamdi and 20-year-old Al-Sahafi have been thrust immediately into first-team action and have produced influential performances for the team, which is fighting to stay in the Belgian Pro League.

“It was not difficult to make the switch for us,” Al-Ghamdi told Arab News in an exclusive interview from Beerschot’s training ground. “We had goals and dreams of reaching the highest levels in Europe.

“Some things are definitely different from playing in Saudi — like the environment and climate — but we’ve adapted to these differences quite well, and things are going smoothly. It has been a good experience for both of us. Really, we benefited a lot. Every time you move to a different place you learn new things and develop yourself naturally.”

He added: “In terms of the future we hope to get more results, we want to reach higher levels in Europe and develop our skills.”

While both players, who are on loan from Al-Ittihad for the 2024-25 season, have quickly settled into life in Belgium, it is Al-Sahafi who has made the biggest impact so far.

After scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Belgian giants Anderlecht in September, he netted another brace ahead of this week’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The winger’s double salvo helped Beerschot fight back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Club Brugge, who are playing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.

“Against Anderlecht, we had the resolve to win and God blessed me with the two goals,” Al-Sahafi said. “It was superb, and an amazing feeling throughout the game. It was one of my best performances by far and I will remember this for a long, long time. [I think] we’ve acclimated to the different situation well and it wasn’t difficult even though there are not many players from the Kingdom who have played in Europe.”

For Al-Ghamdi, too, seeing Al-Sahafi among Beerschot’s goal scorers has been special.

“I’m extremely proud of him and it is a joy seeing him score,” Al-Ghamdi said. “I have very high hopes for him and I hope we will both [continue] to have better performances in the future, with more goals and more wins.”

The Saudi duo’s coach at Beerschot is former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt. He became a cult hero during his six years at Anfield, aided by scoring a match-winning hat-trick against Manchester United in 2011. With 104 caps for the Netherlands under his belt, Kuyt’s experiences as a player have helped him transition into an effective coach.

“He’s a little bit before our time but we do remember watching clips and videos of him in his career,” Al-Ghamdi said. “As a coach we try to benefit as much as possible from having him, he’s a great influence both on and off the pitch, well-rounded. He’s responsive with the players, he is engaging as a person, very warm. He gets close to the players and offers his best advice — whether in training, in matches, or even off the pitch.”

Al-Sahafi has also felt the benefit of Kuyt’s guidance: “He’s close to us and really tries to facilitate the best conditions and prepare us before the game. He takes care of us and he has a big personality and character — on and off the pitch. He is very impactful.”

At international level, too, Al-Sahafi and Al-Ghamdi are set to play under a hugely popular coach. Herve Renard returned to coach the Green Falcons last month, replacing Roberto Mancini.

It was under Renard that Al-Ghamdi made his international debut against Yemen in January 2023 and, after struggling for game time while Mancini was at the helm, the midfielder is optimistic about the future of the national team.

“He is a huge coach and we had very good results with him,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We are so happy to have him back and we hope to get amazing results with him. Inshallah, we will qualify for the World Cup with him, that is our primary objective.”

Al-Sahafi’s international bow only came in June this year, and he was handed his first start for the Green Falcons in last month’s 0-0 draw with Bahrain in Jeddah — a game that proved to be Mancini’s last.

“This will be my first experience with the new coach and I want to prove myself,” Al-Sahafi told Arab News. “I believe there is a clear reason why he chose me and I want to make him proud. Our goal is to reach the World Cup.”

So by the time the 2026 tournament begins in the United States, Mexico and Canada, could there be more Saudi players making their mark in European football?

“There have definitely been many players in the Saudi national camp who have asked us about playing in Europe,” Al-Ghamdi said. “We explained what has happened and how we have developed. We told them it has been exciting and they were quite curious.”

Al-Sahafi also hopes to convince some of his Green Falcons’ teammates to join the duo in testing themselves on a different continent and in a different football culture.

“A lot of people outside and within the Saudi national team have asked me questions and I told them it has been a tremendously valuable experience. And very fun too,” he said.

“I hope this time in Belgium helps us develop to be the best players for the Kingdom and to improve. We want to give the best we have to offer for Saudi Arabia and I hope soon we will see many players go abroad to improve themselves further.”


Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs

Updated 13 November 2024
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Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs

  • The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player
  • Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks

LOS ANGELES: Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday.

Thompson — a beloved member of four NBA championship-winning Golden State teams before joining Dallas in July — received a rapturous welcome in his first game back in San Francisco since his departure.

The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player who famously used to commute to work in his fishing boat.

But despite delighting the home crowd with six three-pointers in a 22-point haul, Thompson was upstaged by former teammate Curry who produced a stunning fourth-quarter performance to drag the Warriors over the line.

The Mavericks looked poised to snatch victory after battling into a six-point lead at 114-108 with just over three minutes remaining.

But Curry then took over with 10 unanswered points — including one sensational step-back three from 28 feet — to put Golden State into a 118-114 lead, before adding two late free throws to seal the win.

“There was a lot of emotion but both teams wanted to win,” Curry told TNT television. “It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with great players making great plays. That’s why we love the competition.”

Luka Doncic led Dallas’s scorers with 31 points while Kyrie Irving added 21.

In other games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks.

Embiid missed the first six games of the season as the team managed his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, and was suspended for three games after a locker room altercation with a journalist.

Embiid’s lack of game time was apparent in a sluggish performance that saw him finish with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.

“He was a little rusty,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said.

“But I thought he played with some pretty good competitive spirit for what he can do out there.”

With Embiid not firing on all cylinders, the Knicks dominated for long periods, leading for almost the entirety of the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sixers 33-24.

Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while O.G. Anunoby led the scoring with 24 points.

In Boston, the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the shock of the opening round, defeating the in-form Celtics 117-116 despite missing injured talisman Trae Young.

A game which saw the lead change hands 14 times looked to have swung decisively in favor of the home side midway through the third quarter as the Celtics raced into a 15-point lead.

But Dyson Daniels led a late rally which included 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the winning basket with 6.1sec left on the clock to snatch victory.

Daniels led Atlanta’s scorers with 28 points while Larry Nance Jr. added 19 with Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela chipping in with 18 points each.

The victory was sweet for Atlanta, who had suffered a 123-93 mauling by the Celtics at home on Nov. 4.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Atlanta “outplayed us in every facet of the game.”

“They beat us on all the margins and they deserved to win,” Mazzulla said.

Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the Utah Jazz 120-112 while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Toronto 99-85.

The NBA Cup was introduced last season as a way of providing a knockout competition in the early months of the league season.

All 30 league teams are drawn into six groups of five, with eight teams advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds, with the semifinals and final taking place in Las Vegas on Dec. 14-17.


NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid

Updated 13 November 2024
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NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid

  • After 6 successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, the contest will debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit Feb. 14-15

MADRID: NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard finished in the top five at the official pre-season test of the 2024-2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit last week, which is fitting preparation for next month’s Brazil E-Prix.

All 22 drivers and 11 teams — including NEOM McLaren — headed out onto the track for the first and only time before the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix on Dec. 7.

After six successful seasons in Diriyah, Jeddah was announced as the new host city for the race at the iconic Corniche Circuit for the first time on Feb. 14 and 15.

The shift to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom.

The championship’s fastest race car yet — the GEN3 Evo — is capable of 0-100 kph, which is 30 percent faster than the current F1 car.

Barnard — the 20-year-old Brit who secured his first full-time Formula E race seat with NEOM McLaren for this 2024-2025 season — finished the test in 1 minute, 27.780 seconds, just 0.319 seconds off the fastest lap set by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans.

“We have had a great three full days testing, and I feel it was a very positive test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” he said. “I’ve set some strong lap times today and Sam’s (Bird) pace has been very strong throughout the test.

“We have completed all the items we needed to test with no reliability issues, which is very positive. I’m very happy we were able to go testing this week in Madrid, following the terrible tragedy in Valencia.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by this awful disaster. Now, I’m ready to go racing. I’m happy with the settings on the car and the team environment — bring on Sao Paulo.”

His Neom McLaren teammate, Bird, finished further down the grid in P18, with a time of 1:28.529.

“I am very pleased with the work we have done in Madrid. We have finished our program with no major issues, which is a great confidence boost for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” said the British driver.

“My thoughts and prayers go out the people affected by the tragedy in Valencia, and I am very grateful for the work the whole Formula E paddock has put in to enable us to go testing at Jarama this week.

“Going into the first race in Sao Paulo, I feel excited and optimistic about the season ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting out there in a month’s time.”

Evans drove the quickest over the 4,731 total laps and 18,512 km completed in the six three-hour test sessions across four days — with the New Zealander setting a lap time of 1:27.461.

The Jaguar driver set the pace during the final morning’s running on Friday, with the entire field split by a little over a second on the overall timesheet.

Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein was third in the running in the latest factory Porsche 99X Electric. He split the impressive Porsche-powered Kiro Race Co pair of Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann who sat second and fourth, respectively, using the season-10-specification powertrain.

In a strong showing, Zane Maloney, new to Formula E this season and the grid’s only full debutant, found himself mid-pack on the timing screens. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver from Barbados enters the series from FIA Formula 2.