MADRID: World number one Novak Djokovic said on Wednesday that he wants to end the season by leading Serbia to the Davis Cup in Malaga, Spain. Djokovic flew to Malaga after winning the ATP Finals in Turin and said he was looking for “one last push” before a well-earned rest. “It’s the last week of the season. I’m really looking …

RIYADH: The economic growth of Qatar has normalized after the country’s strong fiscal performance in 2022, driven by the FIFA World Cup, according to the International Monetary Fund. In its consultation report released on Nov. 21, the IMF disclosed that Qatar’s economic outlook in the medium term seems favorable, with output expected to expand by about 1.75 percent per annum …

The International Cricket Council (ICC) issued on Wednesday a new ranking of the players in ODI cricket. According to the development, India opener Shubman Gill has maintained the first spot in the batting in the ODI rankings with 826 points, followed by former Pakistan captain Babar Azam, who is in the second spot with 824 points. India top-order batter Virat …

The DP World International League T20 Season 2 tickets for all 34 matches the biggest cricket league in the Gulf region are now available online as well as on all 14 Virgin Megastore outlets across the UAE.  The tickets start at an affordable 20 dirhams for all General spectator stands at the Zayed Stadium Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Stadium and …

Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal have been appointed as bowling coaches of the Pakistan cricket team. PCB took the decision to appoint former spinner Saeed Ajmal as the interim spin-bowling coach of the Pakistan team after matters were settled in the meeting. Saeed Ajmal will also work with the players in the Pakistan Test camp. He has represented Pakistan in …

LAUSANNE, Switzerland: World Aquatics announced Monday that Shanghai, Singapore and South Korea’s Incheon would jointly host the Swimming World Cup in 2024. The three events, Shanghai on October 18-20, Incheon on October 24-26 and Singapore on October 31-November 2, will also serve as the qualifying tournaments for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) – Budapest in December 2024. Shanghai has …

Pakistan’s Test squad for the upcoming Australia series has been revealed by Chief Selector Wahab Riaz, with Shan Masood at the leading as the newly-appointed captain. Following Babar Azam’s resignation after the disappointing World Cup 2023, Shan takes charge in a crucial three-match Test series. The squad features a blend of experience and emerging talent, including Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, …

In a shocking turn of events following Australia’s triumphant win over India in the ODI World Cup 2023, Australian cricketer Travis Head and his wife have become the target of online abuse and threats from some Indian extremists. The abuse escalated to horrifying levels, with individuals even issuing rape threats against Head’s 1-year-old daughter. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad …

ROME: Novak Djokovic won his record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title in style, beating Jannik Sinner of Italy 6-3, 6-3 in Turin, Italy, on Sunday. Djokovic, 36, surpassed the previous record held by Roger Federer, who won six titles in the tournament, and also notched his 71st “Big Title”, including Grand Slam championships, ATP Finals, and ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. Sinner, …

During the cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad in India, a protester supporting Palestine breached security and briefly halted play to hug Indian batter Virat Kohli. But what happened to him? Wearing a Palestinian flag-coloured face mask and a T-shirt with ‘Stop Bombing Palestine’, the protester conveyed a global message. Security promptly removed him, and the match between unbeaten host …

BEIJING: Germans swept golds in the men’s and women’s skeleton and 2-man bobsleigh, while Zhao Dan clinched China’s first medal in the women’s skeleton at the IBSF World Cup in Yanqing, Beijing on Friday. Zhao topped the ranking after the first run with one minute 1.63 seconds, but last season’s World Cup overall champion Tina Hermann rallied in the second …

CAIRO: China claimed a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the women’s semifinal of the 2023 World ParaVolley (WPV) Sitting Volleyball World Cup here on Friday. China, who had already qualified for the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, notched a narrow 25-23, 25-21, 25-23 victory over their strong opponents. “It was such an exciting game,” said Xu Huimin, head coach of the …

ROME: Carlos Alcaraz avenged his loss in the US Open semifinals as the Spaniard defeated the third seed Daniil Medvedev in straight sets at his maiden ATP Finals in Turin on Friday. “I think the most important thing that I did today was to stay strong mentally,” said Alcaraz following his 6-4, 6-4 victory over the Russian. “There were a …

LAHORE: Amid an ongoing major reshuffle, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed former international cricketer and speedster Wahab Riaz as the new chief selector of the national men’s selection committee. The former left-arm pacer’s appointment as the chief selector comes as the post had been vacant following former skipper Inzamam ul Haq’s resignation on October 30 after “conflict of interest” …

The famous singer Dua Lipa is going to be part of the closing ceremony for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. This ceremony will take place at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium just before the final match. Star Sports, which is the official broadcaster for the World Cup, shared this exciting news on X. They even posted a video where …

BERLIN: UEFA and Adidas unveiled the official match ball for Euro 2024 on Wednesday at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The ball is named “Fussballliebe”, German for “love of football”. Illustrations of each of the tournament’s stadiums appear on the ball alongside the name of each host city. “When designing this official match ball, we were inspired by the energy and diversity of …

BANGKOK: China men’s national football team head coach Aleksandar Jankovic said he was confident ahead of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with China set to visit Thailand in the opening match on Thursday. Having overseen three wins, two draws and three defeats since his appointment in February, Jankovic was not coy on his ambitions for China to reach …

BEIJING: As two major upcoming winter sports events are to be held in Beijing, athletes and coaches have expressed their expectations of a strong showing on home ice and snow. Gao Tingyu, men’s 500m speed skating gold medalist at the Beijing Winter Olympics, will return to the National Speed Skating Oval, known as the Ice Ribbon, after a one-season break …

ABU DHABI: The much awaited 7th edition of Abu Dhabi T10 is just around the corner and cricket frenzy fans in the region will be delighted to know that the tickets for cricket’s fastest format are now available for sale for just AED 10. Tickets can be purchased online. Abu Dhabi T10 is partnering with Q-Tickets as their exclusive ticketing …

Team Director Mickey Arthur is expected to be removed following Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ICC World Cup 2023 According to the sources, besides Arthur, the potential dismissals may also include head coach Grant Bradburn and batting coach Andrew Puttick. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is keen on appointing domestic coaches for the national team to enhance the state of …

Zaka Ashraf, Chairman of the PCB Management Committee, has concluded his consultation meeting with senior cricketers. According to sources, the Chairman sought the views of the Sports Adviser Punjab, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Hafeez, and Sohail Tanveer. The former cricketers provided crucial input during a significant meeting with the Chairman PCB Management Committee, Zaka Ashraf, offering valuable suggestions. Moreover, the selection …

HONG KONG: The first time that “Cun Chao,” or the “village super league” that has become an internet sensation in China, steps out of the mountainous villages in the southwestern province of Guizhou, it has made a splash in one of the country’s most international cities — Hong Kong. On Saturday, in a face-off at the Hong Kong Stadium, the …

CHONGQING, China: Chinese figure skater Peng Cheng highlighted her comeback to the rink with exquisite skating show-off at the Cup of China, the first ISU A-class tournament for the three-time Olympian and her new partner Wang Lei. Teaming up in March, 26-year-old Peng and Wang, already 35, claimed a bronze here on Saturday on their ISU Grand Prix debut, with …

Ben Stokes conceded that England’s World Cup journey concluded with a lack of sustained pressure on their opponents, describing the team’s failure to maintain dominance as a key factor in their disappointing campaign. The defending champions, finishing seventh in the 10-nation tournament, faced setbacks against the likes of the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, managing only three victories out of …

The national cricket team’s fast bowler, Haris Rauf, has reportedly claimed the worst record in the history of the ICC World Cup. Haris Rauf clinched nine wickets against 533 runs in nine matches of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 with 16 wickets at an average of 33.31, which is the most runs given by any bowler in a single …

Naveed Butt, a renowned bodybuilder from Pakistan, secured the coveted gold medal in the Mr. Olympia competition’s Physical Challenge category held in Las Vegas, USA. Overcoming childhood adversity as a polio survivor, Naveed Butt has earned fame in the world of bodybuilding through his fitness. With a notable five medals at Mr. Olympia, Butt stands as a testament to individual …

With the Pakistan cricket team lingering on the verge of elimination from the World Cup 2023, former national side player Mohammad Amir has said that the Babar Azam-led side might score 400 to 450 runs in the hope of improving their net run rate and qualifying for the semis. Speaking on Geo News’ programme “Haarna Mana Hay”, Amir — part …

In a significant development for the upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Islamabad United has appointed Mike Hesson as their head coach. Hesson, a seasoned tactician with extensive coaching experience in various T20 leagues worldwide, including the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), is set to steer the franchise into a new era of …

DUBAI: The International League T20 has launched a schools cricket programme in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah the ILT20 Schools Cup. The programme is aimed at encouraging and promoting the sport of cricket in schools with a long-term vision of identifying talent at a young age and investing in the future of UAE cricket. This programme establishes a …

Bangladesh’s captain, Shakib Al Hasan, suffered a finger injury that forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the World Cup. This decision came on the heels of a controversial incident in cricket involving a “timed-out” dispute. During a match, Shakib broke his left index finger while at the crease. This match was marked by Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews becoming …

BEIJING: The Chinese men’s football team has unveiled a 24-player roster for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, with Zhang Yuning returning to the squad after a long term injury. Chinese team head coach Aleksandar Jankovic has called up a full-strength team including Wu Lei, Wu Xi and Wei Shihao, but naturalized forward Ai Kesen was not listed. …

Cricket’s fastest tournament, Abu Dhabi T10 is set to return for an exciting 7th edition on November 28th, 2023, and this time, cricket lovers will be in for a treat as the defending Champions Deccan Gladiators will open the season against the runners-up from the last season, New York Strikers in the first match of the competition. Gladiators had won …

After a crushing defeat by India in the World Cup, Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has taken the decision to dismiss the national cricket board. This action comes after months of conflict between Ranasinghe and Sri Lanka Cricket, the country’s wealthiest sports organization, over allegations of extensive corruption. The country’s 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has been appointed …

The World Cup 2023 is set to enter the business end with teams vying for the coveted top four spots to secure their place in the semi-finals of the tournament. While every team will be hoping to win the prestigious trophy, a lot of them will also have their eye on the prize money of the mega-event. According to details, …

BEIJING: The exciting 2023 Chinese Super League (CSL) concluded on Saturday after an intense battle spanning just under seven months. The top three finishers were Shanghai Port, Shandong Taishan, and Zhejiang FC, while Dalian Pro and Shenzhen FC faced relegation. The season was characterized by fierce competition for both the title and survival, although there was room for improvement in …

Pakistan national cricket team on Sunday faced a 10 per cent fine from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for their slow-over rate during the 35th match of the ICC World Cup in Bengaluru against New Zealand, which took place on Saturday. Richie Richardson, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, imposed this penalty after Babar Azam’s …

Pakistan captain Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman exchanged views on the triumph against New Zealand in the 35th match of the World Cup in Bengaluru on Saturday. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared a video on social media platforms on Saturday in which Fakhar Zaman and Babar Azam were involved in an interesting conversation. “When Abdullah Shafique got out, I …

Saudi Arabia has expressed a keen interest in acquiring a significant stake in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s most financially lucrative cricketing event. This strategic investment, discussed during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to India in September, is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader effort to make inroads into the world of professional sports, following a pattern set …

India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the ICC World Cup 2023 earlier today due to his inability to recover from an ankle injury he sustained while bowling against Bangladesh. After gaining approval from the ICC’s Event Technical Committee, pacer Prasidh Krishna will step in to replace Pandya in the squad. The International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a …

In the ongoing crucial World Cup game against New Zealand, which is a must-win for the Green Shirts, Fakhar Zaman has achieved a remarkable feat by scoring the fastest hundred for Pakistan in World Cup history. Fakhar Zaman managed to post the century in just 63 balls, and he is currently not out. However, just after achieving this milestone, rain …