DP World International League T20 is nurturing talent, say Shoaib Akhtar and Virender Sehwag

DP World International League T20 is nurturing talent, say Shoaib Akhtar and Virender Sehwag
Season 3 of the DP World International League T20 kicks off on Jan 11, 2025. (Supplied)
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Updated 22 October 2024
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DP World International League T20 is nurturing talent, say Shoaib Akhtar and Virender Sehwag

DP World International League T20 is nurturing talent, say Shoaib Akhtar and Virender Sehwag
  • Cricket icons praised the platform for elevating emerging players and bringing the excitement of cricket to the region

DUBAI: As the DP World International League T20 gears up for its third edition, starting Jan. 11, 2025, cricket icons Virender Sehwag and Shoaib Akhtar praised the competition for developing the region’s talent and providing players with invaluable experience.

Sehwag, the explosive Indian batter, said the league has had a positive impact since its inception.

“When we look back at the past two seasons of the DP World ILT20, we can see that many players, whether they are from the UAE or other countries like Afghanistan, have significantly improved their performances in ICC (International Cricket Council) tournaments.”

He added: “For the UAE team, when players play alongside nine international stars, they get the chance to learn from these experienced players.

“Not only during matches but also in how the international players practice, prepare, and handle pressure situations. They won’t find this kind of exposure anywhere else.”

Sehwag also spoke about how his own experiences with global stars shaped his career.

“When I had the opportunity to play with stars like Glenn McGrath, AB de Villiers, and Tillakaratne Dilshan, it helped me tremendously as they shared their experiences with me,” he said.

“I went on to have very good seasons after that exposure. The DP World ILT20 is providing similar opportunities for cricketers from the UAE.”

Akhtar, known as “The Rawalpindi Express,” and who has been associated with the competition from season two, echoed Sehwag’s sentiments.

“As I’ve always said, it’s a breeding ground of talent for GCC countries, not just the UAE. It is only going to help cricket, and it is a great initiative. I am blessed to be part of it and help the game grow.”

“The effort being put in by DP World, the organizers, the broadcasters, and the Emirates Cricket Board is tremendous. They have made it easy to collaborate with them,” he said.

Akhtar added: “The DP ILT20 has created the magic of bringing together entertainment and cricket. In particular, they have brought a high quality of cricket to the region, which we have not seen since the India-Pakistan days in Sharjah.”

Season three of the DP ILT20 begins on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. The 34-match tournament will run for a month, with the final on Sunday, Feb. 9.  


Pakistan’s Rizwan admits Champions Trophy dream ‘ended’ by India

Pakistan’s Rizwan admits Champions Trophy dream ‘ended’ by India
Updated 24 February 2025
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Pakistan’s Rizwan admits Champions Trophy dream ‘ended’ by India

Pakistan’s Rizwan admits Champions Trophy dream ‘ended’ by India
  • Hosts Pakistan went down by six wickets in Dubai for second consecutive defeat in Champions Trophy tournament 
  • Pakistan’s fate in Champions Trophy tournament will be sealed if New Zealand beat Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday 

DUBAI: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan admitted Sunday that his team’s Champions Trophy dreams had “ended” after a shattering loss to bitter rivals India.

Hosts Pakistan went down by six wickets in Dubai for their second defeat in the 50-over tournament to all but bow out of the semifinal race.

If New Zealand beat Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Monday, then Pakistan’s fate will be sealed.

“Yes, I would say it has ended, that’s the truth,” Rizwan told reporters when asked if his side had reached the end of the road.

“The next match, what Bangladesh does with New Zealand and what New Zealand does with India. What we do? It’s a long journey. Our Champions Trophy depends on others and I as a captain I don’t like this.”

“If we could have done something on our own then it would have been different. We admit to our losses against New Zealand and India but don’t want to sit eyeing other results.”

Pakistan is hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in nearly three decades since the 1996 ODI World Cup, which they co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka.

India, however, refused to tour Pakistan due to political reasons and are playing all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium.

Pakistan elected to bat first in the crunch game but were bowled out for 241 in 49.4 overs despite a 104-run partnership between Saud Shakeel and Rizwan.

India rode on Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 100 to chase down the target with 45 balls to spare on a sluggish pitch where stroke-making was difficult.

Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed returned figures of 1-28 from his 10 overs but other bowlers leaked runs.

“We are disappointed, yes, because a defeat brings a tough day, facing difficult things and lots of questions,” said Rizwan. “Abrar Ahmed’s bowling was a positive but we made mistakes in all three departments.”

After Saud, who hit 62, and Rizwan, who made 46, departed the middle-order stuttered with only Khushdil Shah hitting a late cameo with his 38.

“Our middle-order has performed before and 270-280 would have been good on this pitch,” said Rizwan.

“I tried to build a partnership and took some time as well, we lost wickets and our shot selection was poor. In turn our middle-order crumbled.”

Pakistan lost the tournament opener to New Zealand and Rizwan said mistakes are being repeated.

“Honestly we made the same mistakes that we have been doing since the last three-four matches,” the wicketkeeper-batsman said.

“We are working on them but we are mortals and falling short. India probably worked harder than us and were brave. We lacked being brave and fell short in the field.”

Pakistan, who won the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2017 after beating India in the final, next play Bangladesh in Rawalpindi on Thursday.


Didn’t see Pakistan making any effort against India in crucial Champions Trophy match, Azeem Rafiq says

Didn’t see Pakistan making any effort against India in crucial Champions Trophy match, Azeem Rafiq says
Updated 24 February 2025
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Didn’t see Pakistan making any effort against India in crucial Champions Trophy match, Azeem Rafiq says

Didn’t see Pakistan making any effort against India in crucial Champions Trophy match, Azeem Rafiq says
  • Pakistan suffered an embarrassing six-wicket loss to India in Dubai on Sunday, which has pushed the Mohammad Rizwan’s side to the Champions Trophy exit
  • Pakistan have lost two matches and will need Bangladesh to beat New Zealand on Monday to have any chance of staying in contention for a last-four spot 

ISLAMABAD: Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq has said that he did not see Pakistan making any effort against India in their crucial Champions Trophy match in Dubai on Sunday.

India secured a six-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan and pushed the title-holders to the brink of elimination from the tournament, with Virat Kohli hitting an unbeaten 100 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan have lost both their matches and will need Bangladesh to beat New Zealand on Monday to have any chance of staying in contention for a spot among last four teams in the tournament.

Pakistan-born Rafiq, who went public with allegations of racism and bullying against Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2020, said Pakistan had long been disappointing fans with their dismal performances, particularly in significant matches.

“I don’t say this lightly. I didn’t see an effort [by Pakistan]. I didn’t see the, you know, the wanting to be out there and putting themselves in the fire line, you know, I didn’t see that,” he said in Arab News-hosted Instagram live after Sunday’s match.

“And it’s been too long now, you know, it’s been, it’s been far too long.”

Pakistan chased down a record 353 against South Africa this month in a tri-nation tournament at home but crashed in the final to 242 all out in a defeat to New Zealand.

Pakistan hammered India in the final of the previous Champions Trophy in 2017. That was India’s last defeat to Pakistan in a one-day international (ODI) match and Rohit Sharma’s men have since won five of the last six games against their greatest rivals, with one rained off.

Pakistan have been knocked out in the group stage at the last two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups and suffered the same fate at last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after losing to co-hosts USA.

Rafiq said the consistent poor performances had been embarrassing for Pakistani cricket fans, and someone needs to take responsibility to fix things.

“You know, you can’t keep expecting your fans to just forget what’s going on. That was embarrassing, and I don’t think there’s any other words for it,” he said.

“I think the coaching staff, I don’t even know who is the selector [of Pakistani team] because there’s been so many. Someone, somewhere needs to really fix up.”

He pointed out that Dubai stadium was not filled to its 25000-seat capacity despite the India-Pakistan contest, which was not a good omen for the world cricket.

“I think that today should be a warning [to] not just Pakistan cricket, but to world cricket, you know, that ground [Dubai stadium] was not full. Honestly, that ground was not full. And, and at different times people were, it was pretty empty. But Pakistani fans were hardly there,” he said.

“This is you take advantage of this game, which is what world cricket does and expects that this is going to commercialize always. Be very, very careful... there were people that didn’t want to go and watch [the match].”


Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead
Updated 23 February 2025
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Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead

Salah-inspired Liverpool beat Man City to open up 11-point Premier League lead
  • Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: Liverpool took a giant stride toward the Premier League title on Sunday as a 2-0 win over Manchester City opened up an 11-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table.
Mohamed Salah was again Liverpool’s star performer as he opened the scoring with his 30th goal of the season before setting up Dominik Szoboszlai to double the lead before half-time.
“It is special. Especially when you are in the title race, it is incredible,” said Salah after Liverpool’s first league win at the Etihad for a decade.
“Me and the big guys in the team, we need another title.”
Just days after exiting the Champions League to Real Madrid, this was another sobering defeat for the dethroned English champions, who are now 20 points adrift of the leaders.
So often during Pep Guardiola’s glorious reign, Liverpool have come up just short in English football’s great rivalry of recent years.
However, their time to match Manchester United’s record of 20 English top-flight titles now appears just months away in Arne Slot’s first season in charge.
“We work every single day to achieve this and it is three months of very hard work (ahead) to maintain this,” said Slot.
“It is important to understand why we are where we are.”
Arsenal’s shock 1-0 home defeat to West Ham on Saturday had eased the pressure on Liverpool, that had built after dropping points in two of their last three games at Everton and Aston Villa.
A trip to the Etihad has for so long been the stiffest test of all, but City’s defensive frailties were easily exposed and they also badly missed the presence of the injured Erling Haaland in attack.
Liverpool, by contrast, had their talisman fit and firing as Salah took his staggering tally this season to 25 goals and 16 assists in 27 Premier League appearances.
The Egyptian fired the visitors in front on 14 minutes thanks to a brilliantly executed set-piece routine.
Alexis Mac Allister’s corner was flicked by Szoboszlai into Salah’s path and his shot deflected off Nathan Ake past the despairing dive of Ederson.
At the other end, City’s own Egyptian international showed his ability to finish, but Omar Marmoush had strayed offside before being played in by Phil Foden.
City winger Jeremy Doku was skipping past Trent Alexander-Arnold at will, yet the Belgian consistently failed to deliver a telling cross or shot.
Salah was not so forgiving as he raced onto a long ball over the top and teed up Szoboszlai to wrong-foot Ederson.
The final outcome could have been much more humiliating for City had Liverpool had been as accurate on the counter-attack after the break.
Curtis Jones had a third goal ruled out by a VAR review for offside after Szoboszlai just failed to time his run through the heart of the City defense.
Ederson was forced into a stunning save from Luis Diaz and only a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov denied Szoboszlai a second.
Marmoush scored a hat-trick in last weekend’s 4-0 win over Newcastle and remained a lively threat as he flashed another effort across the front of Alisson Becker’s goal.
But City lacked the end product to make nearly 70 percent possession count.
Despite an eighth league defeat of the season, Guardiola’s men remain in fourth and will be confident of securing their place in the Champions League next season with a top-five finish likely to be enough.
However, after an unprecedented run of four consecutive titles, City look like yesterday’s team with Liverpool now champions in waiting.


Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga
Updated 23 February 2025
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Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

Impressive Bayern beats Frankfurt 4-0 to stay eight points clear of Leverkusen in Bundesliga

BERLIN: Bayern Munich substitute Serge Gnabry grabbed a late goal to cap a 4-0 win over third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt that consolidated the Bavarian powerhouse’s Bundesliga lead on Sunday.
Gnabry fired the ball through Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp’s legs in the second minute of stoppage time, almost 10 minutes after Jamal Musiala ran past a host of defenders and got a fortunate bounce of the ball before firing it past Trapp for Bayern’s third goal.
Without top scorer Harry Kane, who only played the final half hour or so, Bayern stayed eight points clear of defending champion Bayer Leverkusen with 11 rounds remaining.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany opted against starting Kane, who sustained a facial injury in the draw against Leverkusen last weekend. Altogether he made six changes to the team that drew with Celtic 1-1 in the Champions League playoffs on Tuesday, with Bayern veteran Thomas Müller leading the attack.
Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitiké had the best chance early on after a mistake from Hiroki Ito, before Musiala had Bayern’s first opportunity cleared off the line.
The home team dominated proceedings and duly took the lead through Michael Olize before the break.
Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich had to go off injured just before the goal, after clutching the back of his left thigh.
Ito was left free at a corner to score the second goal in the 61st. It was the Japan defender’s first goal for Bayern.
Leipzig’s Champions League qualification hopes were dealt a blow earlier Sunday in a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Heidenheim.
It left Freiburg fourth in the last place for Champions League qualification, followed by Mainz, ahead of Leipzig on goal difference.
Stuttgart had the chance to move above Leipzig with a win at Hoffenheim in the late game Sunday.


Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash

Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash
Updated 23 February 2025
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Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash

Every game ‘pressure’ as Bangladesh face make-or-break Champions Trophy clash
  • Bangladesh must beat New Zealand or they will be eliminated from semifinal contention
  • New Zealand, winners of 2000 Champions Trophy, opened their campaign with Pakistan win

RAWALPINDI: Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons admits every game in the Champions Trophy “is hard and full of pressure” as the Tigers face a make-or-break clash with formidable New Zealand in Rawalpindi on Monday.
After India defeated Pakistan on Sunday, Bangladesh must beat the Black Caps or they will be eliminated from semifinal contention.
New Zealand, winners of the Champions Trophy in 2000, opened their campaign with victory over hosts Pakistan while Bangladesh lost to India.
If New Zealand win on Monday they qualify for the semifinals from Group A alongside India.
“It’s the top eight in the world and you expect every game to be hard and full of pressure,” said Simmons, a former West Indian all-rounder.
“New Zealand have been playing well but tomorrow is a new day so we will try and make sure that they don’t play as well as they have been.”
Bangladesh are sweating on the fitness of 39-year-old batsman Mahmudullah who missed the India game with a calf injury.
“He (Mahmudullah) has to do a fitness test and then we’ll know after practice today whether he’s fit enough. He is important for us,” said Simmons of a player who has made 5,685 runs from 238 matches since his ODI debut in 2007.