Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz set for DP World ILT20 playoffs 

MI Emirates’ Fazalhaq Farooqi with the White Belt for the Highest Wicket Taker after the DP World ILT20 match against the Dubai Capitals at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. (Deepak Malik/ILT20)
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Updated 04 February 2025
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Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz set for DP World ILT20 playoffs 

  • Desert Vipers face the Capitals in qualifier 1, while MI Emirates take on the Warriorz in the eliminator
  • Vipers have emerged as the standout team of the season, securing their playoff berth early with a dominant run that included four consecutive victories

DUBAI: The DP World ILT20 Season 3 enters a decisive phase with the Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz securing their places in the playoffs.

The tournament, boasting a total prize pool of more than $1 million, will see the Desert Vipers and Dubai Capitals face off in qualifier 1, with the winner advancing directly to the final. Meanwhile, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriorz will meet in the eliminator, following which, the winner will take on the loser of qualifier 1 for the remaining spot in the final. 

The Desert Vipers have emerged as the standout team of the season, securing their playoff berth early with a dominant run that included four consecutive victories. Their campaign has been powered by strong performances from Alex Hales (286 runs) and Sam Curran (267 runs), who have been instrumental with the bat. On the bowling front, Wanindu Hasaranga and Mohammad Amir have been equally impactful, claiming 11 wickets each.

Hasaranga’s economy rate of 5.33 across 30 overs remains the best in the tournament. However, the Vipers have shown slight vulnerability in their recent matches, suffering two losses in their past three games. They will aim to restore their authority against a resurgent Dubai Capitals side who have beaten them on both occasions earlier this season. 

Reflecting on the season so far and looking ahead to the playoffs, Tom Moody, director of cricket, Desert Vipers, said: “There’s been a lot of positive things to reflect on in the seven wins that we’ve had, a lot of great team performances, a lot of good individual performances as well. For us our focus is on just bringing our best game come Wednesday night.” 

After enduring three consecutive losses early in the season, last season’s runners-up, Dubai Capitals, found their momentum, registering five victories in six matches to finish second on the points table. Shai Hope currently holds the green belt (most runs) with 467 runs in ten innings at an average of 66.71, including three half centuries and a century.

Meanwhile, Dushmantha Chameera has led the team’s endeavours with the ball, claiming 12 wickets in eight matches. The Capitals have also been bolstered by the performances of Gulbadin Naib, who has also struck three half centuries for his 314 runs in 10 innings, along with nine wickets as well. 

With the Dubai Capitals heading into a third consecutive playoff in the DP World ILT20, Sikandar Raza said: “The extra cushion of being in the top two helps, but hopefully we can make it straight to the final and not have to play the eliminator. Regardless, our goal is to win the final this year.” 

Reigning champions, MI Emirates, were the second team to book a slot in the playoffs. Their season has ebbed and flowed with five victories in 10 matches. Tom Banton has been their standout performer, amassing 464 runs, including two centuries — a first in the DP World ILT20. Captain Nicholas Pooran has also contributed significantly with three half-centuries. 

MI Emirates’ Fazalhaq Farooqi comfortably leads the race for the white belt (most wickets) with 20 wickets in 10 matches, including figures of 5 for 16 against the Dubai Capitals, a league record. 

The Sharjah Warriorz snapped out of a four-match losing streak to secure three victories on the trot and finish fourth on the points table, with 10 points in just as many games. Their top order has done much of the heavy lifting, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles each scoring three half-centuries with 347 and 305 runs respectively. Adam Milne and captain Tim Southee have spearheaded the bowling attack, accounting for 11 and eight wickets respectively. 

The Sharjah Warriorz head into the eliminator following a comprehensive eight-wicket triumph against the MI Emirates in their final group-stage match. Earlier in the season, the Warriorz losing streak had begun with a nine-wicket loss to the MI Emirates. 

The DP World ILT20 offers a total prize pool of $1.3 million, with the champions set to receive $700,000 and the runners-up $300,000.

Individual excellence will also be recognized through the tournament’s signature belts; the green belt for the highest run-scorer, the white belt for the leading wicket-taker, the red belt for the most valuable player, and the blue belt for the best UAE player. Each belt winner will be awarded $15,000, along with the DP world dispatch of the season. Additionally, the player of the match and DP world dispatch of the day during the playoffs and final will receive $6,000. 

In the previous edition, James Vince claimed the green belt, Waqar Salamkheil secured the white belt, Sikandar Raza earned the red belt, and Muhammad Waseem won the blue belt for the second consecutive year. 

Qualifier 1 will see the Desert Vipers take on the Dubai Capitals on Feb. 5 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, while MI Emirates will face Sharjah Warriorz in the eliminator on Feb. 6 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The winner of the eliminator will then meet the loser of qualifier 1 in qualifier 2 on Feb. 7 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The action will return to the Dubai International Cricket Stadium for the final on Feb. 9. 


F1 and local organizations hold media briefing ahead of Saudi Grand Prix 2025

Updated 15 sec ago
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F1 and local organizations hold media briefing ahead of Saudi Grand Prix 2025

  • Workshop reviewed the latest preparations, updated organizational measures, and media rules and regulations for 2025 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Formula One race
  • Workshop also reviewed history of F1 races, acquainting participants with modus operandi of Grand Prix, points scoring in races etc.

JEDDAH: Formula One (F1) in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports, the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, and Saudi Motorsports Company, organized a workshop, Thursday, for local media representatives participating in media coverage of the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025.

The workshop reviewed the latest preparations, updated organizational measures, and media rules and regulations for the STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Formula One 2025 race, scheduled to take place from April 18-20.

The workshop, which was held at Media Island, addressed several aspects, including the mechanism of accrediting media outlets and how to conduct media interviews with racers, in addition to explaining laws of communication with participating teams and racers and ways to conduct remote interviews and the top media sources specialized in F1 races.

It also reviewed the history of F1 races, acquainting participations with the modus operandi of Grand Prix, explaining the points system, and an account on the teams and racers participating in the current edition and top safety measures followed in organizing the event.


Courtois questions Real Madrid’s ‘individual’ attack after lopsided loss to Arsenal

Updated 30 min 48 sec ago
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Courtois questions Real Madrid’s ‘individual’ attack after lopsided loss to Arsenal

  • “Sometimes you have to be self-critical and have a good look at everything,” the Belgian goalkeeper said
  • “Maybe we need to make more team moves and not so many individual ones”

BARCELONA: Thibaut Courtois watched from the other end of the pitch as Real Madrid’s forward took turns crashing against the Arsenal defense.
Courtois had done his part by stopping a penalty. But Kylian Mbappé’s best shot sailed high and wide. Rodrygo’s dribbles got him nowhere, and Vinícius needed a defensive blunder to take Madrid’s sole goal of a 5-1 aggregate defeat in the Champions League quarterfinals.
“Sometimes you have to be self-critical and have a good look at everything,” the Belgian goalkeeper said after the 2-1 home loss to Arsenal midweek.
“Maybe we need to make more team moves and not so many individual ones, because if they double-mark Vini or Mbappé they can break it once, but not three, four or five times,” Courtois said. “We can’t always rely on one of our four attacking players dribbling past three defenders and scoring a great goal, we have to attack and defend better as a team.”
Exiting from the competition they have won five times in the last decade was not what Madrid expected when they added Mbappé to a squad that was coming off a record 15th European Cup and Spanish league title last season.
The France captain has scored a glut of goals in his first season with Madrid but failed to come up big in the biggest games, including two lopsided losses to Barcelona. Jeers were heard for Mbappé when he limped off the field on Wednesday with a hurt right ankle.
The hard truth is that the team have played worse with him on board. Madrid have had injuries in defense and they lost midfielder Toni Kroos to retirement but their attack has failed to click, with Mbappé having to adapt to a central striker role as Vinícius’ production dropped.
Courtois even called into question the range of attacking options for a squad that also counted on Endrick and Brahim Díaz as sparks off the bench. The goalie said Madrid were missing the tall, big striker who could win balls in the box like Joselu Mato, who scored critical goals in last season’s Champions League.
“It was difficult to find openings and we had little success. We were also unlucky with balls into the box. This year we don’t have a Joselu who can win those duels,” Courtois said. “Now we have to analyze what we can do better because we still have the (Spanish) league, the final of the Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup, and we want to get everything right.”
Athletic Bilbao up next in La Liga
There will be little let up for Madrid with a strong Athletic Bilbao arriving on Sunday aiming to dig into the wound left by Arsenal.
Madrid must try to overhaul a four-point deficit to Barcelona in La Liga as they try to salvage the season by defending their domestic title.
Madrid could be facing a seven-point gap with Barcelona by kickoff, if the front-runner beat Celta Vigo at home on Saturday.
Madrid will also face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final next week, but coach Carlo Ancelotti will likely also need his team to retain the league crown to keep his job. The Italian manager admitted his future was in doubt after his team was outplayed by Arsenal, while also attempting to dampen speculation.
“I’m only thinking about preparing for the next game to stay in the fight for the league title and try to win the Copa del Rey,” he said.


Van Dijk signs new Liverpool contract

Updated 17 April 2025
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Van Dijk signs new Liverpool contract

  • The announcement comes with Liverpool potentially just days away from winning the EPL
  • “I’m very happy, very proud,” said Van Dijk, whose existing deal, like Salah’s, had been set to expire at the end of the season

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk on Thursday signed a new two-year contract with the club, ending months of fevered speculation over his future just a week after Mohamed Salah extended his stay.
The announcement comes with Liverpool potentially just days away from winning the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
“I’m very happy, very proud,” said Van Dijk, whose existing deal, like Salah’s, had been set to expire at the end of the season.
“There are so many emotions obviously that go through my head right now speaking about it.


“It’s a proud feeling, it’s a feeling of joy. It’s just incredible. The journey I’ve had so far in my career, to be able to extend it with another two years at this club is amazing and I’m so happy.”
With new deals confirmed for Salah and Van Dijk, the future of defender Trent Alexander-Arnold remains unresolved.
The England international, who returned to training on Wednesday after a month out because of injury, is out of contract at the end of the season and has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Van Dijk, 33, has made 314 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 27 goals.
He has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, all under former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Last month Van Dijk said he had “no idea” if he would remain at Anfield but on Sunday hinted that he was set to extend his stay.
The imposing center-back had been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain but said his heart was set on Liverpool.
“It was always Liverpool,” he said. “That was the case. It was always in my head, it was always the plan and it was always Liverpool.
“There wasn’t any doubt in my head that this is the place to be for me and my family. I’m one of Liverpool. Someone called me the other day an adopted Scouser — I’m really proud to hear these things, it gives me a great feeling.”
Van Dijk arrived from Southampton in January 2018 for £75 million ($99 million), then a world record fee for a defender, and has been instrumental in Liverpool’s rise back to the top of the English and European game.
He won the Champions League in 2019 and a year later helped deliver the club’s first league title for 30 years.
He also came second in the 2019 Ballon d’Or vote, losing out to Argentina star Lionel Messi, who has won the award eight times.
Van Dijk, who played for Celtic before joining Southampton, took over the club captaincy in 2023 following the departure of Jordan Henderson.
Now he is on the brink of adding to his collection of silverware with Liverpool, who are set to equal Manchester United’s record of 20 English titles.
The Reds are 13 points clear of Arsenal with just six games remaining and could wrap up the title this weekend if the Gunners lose.


Heat scorch Bulls to advance, Mavericks upset Kings

Updated 17 April 2025
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Heat scorch Bulls to advance, Mavericks upset Kings

  • Miami point guard Herro led from the front in a wire-to-wire victory that eliminated Chicago and sends the Heat into a winner-take-all clash against Atlanta Hawks on Friday
  • Dallas will now play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday with the winner advancing to a first-round playoff series against top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder

LOS ANGELES: Tyler Herro scored 38 points as the Miami Heat cruised past the Chicago Bulls 109-90 to keep their NBA playoff hopes alive on Wednesday.

Miami point guard Herro led from the front in a wire-to-wire victory that eliminated Chicago from postseason contention and sends the Heat into a winner-take-all clash against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

The winner of Friday’s Miami-Atlanta game will advance to the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they will face No.1 seed Cleveland.

“We just came out in attack mode,” Herro told ESPN after Wednesday’s win.

“We had a couple of days off since the last game — myself, my teammates and the coaching staff put in a lot of work and it paid off.

“We’ve got one more to go. The job is not done yet, just to get in the playoffs. So we’ve got a long way to go.

“We have a bunch of guys who come in every day, put their hard hats on and they work. The season hasn’t exactly gone how we wanted it to, but we continue to get better. There’s a lot to look forward to.”

Herro was backed by 20 points from Andrew Wiggins, while Bam Adebayo and Davion Mitchell scored 15 points apiece.

Australian international Josh Giddey led Chicago’s scorers with 25 points.

Wednesday’s win marked the third season in a row that Chicago have been eliminated from the play-in tournament by Miami.

Miami, who finished 10th in the Eastern Conference regular season standings, were always in control after making a fast start against a surprisingly lackluster Chicago line-up.

Herro did most of the early damage, scoring from his first eight attempts to pour in 16 points in a 39-28 first quarter that left Miami in control at Chicago’s United Center.

A dominant second quarter — Miami outscoring Chicago 32-19 — left the Heat leading 71-47 with the Bulls seemingly powerless to halt the flow of Heat scoring.

Although Chicago rallied in the third quarter, outscoring Miami 27-17, it was too little too late and the Heat closed out a comfortable win in the fourth.

In Wednesday’s other play-in game, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson combined for 50 points as the Dallas Mavericks brought the Sacramento Kings’ season to a juddering halt with a 120-106 blowout on the road in California.

The Mavericks, who scraped into the play-in tournament after finishing in 10th place in the West, seized control of the game in an explosive second quarter, outscoring Sacramento 44-19 to build a hefty double-digit advantage which they held for the remainder of the game.

Former Golden State star Thompson rattled in 23 points while Davis, who joined Dallas in February from the Los Angeles Lakers following his former team’s trade for Luka Doncic, finished with 27 points and nine rebounds.

“We’re so desperate to keep the postseason alive,” Thompson said afterwards.

“It’s a privilege to play basketball at this time of year. I told the guys before the game ‘We have nothing to lose. Go out there with a free swing, play for each other and play free-minded.’ Because that’s when we’re at our best.”

Dallas will now play the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday with the winner advancing to a first-round playoff series against top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.


Ben Sulayem: Saudi Arabia providing Arab world a major long-term F1 future

Updated 17 April 2025
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Ben Sulayem: Saudi Arabia providing Arab world a major long-term F1 future

  • FIA president says surge in F1 popularity particularly strong among young people, females, especially in the Kingdom

DUBAI: Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, has hailed Saudi Arabia’s role in cementing a long-term future for Formula 1 in the Middle East.

Looking forward to attending Sunday’s Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2025 championship at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Ben Sulayem said the Kingdom has made a major impact since its introduction in 2021.

“The race, and its spectacular venue in Jeddah, have added their own distinctive character and fascination to the sport’s global appeal, and reinforced the country’s status as a world-class location for motorsport,” he said.

“In recent years, the region’s engagement with Formula 1 has evolved from hosting races to fostering a passionate fan base and promoting inclusivity within the sport, something which is central to the FIA’s strategy for motorsport growth and development.

“The surge in F1 popularity in the Arab world has been particularly strong among younger demographics and female fans, especially in Saudi Arabia, where we see strong efforts to encourage the active involvement of young Saudis at all levels of motorsport.

“This is a process which is vital to ensure motorsport sustainability, and a long-term F1 future, in Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East as a whole.”

Ben Sulayem added: “We have not seen an F1 driver emerge from the region yet, but that may be a matter of time as more young candidates take to the track and the Arab world looks to play an increasingly influential role in F1, and the overall global motorsport landscape.”

In his fourth year since being elected as president of the FIA, the governing body for world motorsport and the federation for mobility organizations globally, Ben Sulayem has analyzed progress during his tenure, as well as the work that remains.

“The first three years were both busy and successful,” he said.

“Over 2,000 hours of consultation with clubs and members shaped the development of my 2021 manifesto, creating a clear vision and action plan for the future, which we are still working towards today.

“I remain committed to placing our members at the heart of the FIA and ensuring the federation is on the right track. Last year, we celebrated the FIA’s 120th anniversary, marked by hard work and key achievements.”

He added that financial reforms and “a sustainable model” led to a forecasted operational result of 2.2 million euros ($2.5 million), a “significant improvement” from the 24-million-euro deficit he inherited in 2021.

“Our ongoing efforts to enhance our operational and commercial strategies will see this trend continue.”

He added: “We have taken a knowledge-driven approach within the federation, promoting education and the sharing of information to create more career opportunities in motorsport.

“Last year, 13,500 individual courses were completed through the FIA University, and we delivered 70 motorsport safety research projects. By continuing to work together, we can ensure further success for the next century.”