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Akmal, 30, was suspended in February of last year for breaching Pakistan's anti-corruption code; the batsman was initially suspended for three years but that was cut to 18 months and now one year; PCB says Akmal can return subject to paying fine and attending rehabilitation programme Umar Akmal's 18-month ban for breaching Pakistan's anti-corruption code has been cut by six months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) making him eligible to return to cricket. Akmal was suspended in February 2020, hours

In the Qatar Cup final today, defending champions Al Sadd and QNB Stars League (QSL) winners Al Duhail will square off, predicting exciting action in a series of arch-rivals looking for the very first silverware of the ongoing football season. An enthralling competition at Al Duhail Stadium is expected to generate the match of the heavyweights, with kick-off set for 4:45 pm. Although seven-time champions Al Sadd, who dethroned Al Duhail in the final of last year with a 4-0 thumping, are favorites

With a one-under-par 74 in the Qatar Open Amateur Championship on Thursday, South African Ruan Jordaan played beautifully on a windy day to rise as the first-round leader. Jordaan endured the difficult gusty weather at the Doha Golf Club to finish on top of the 108 golfers who took part in the event. Qatar national team member Ali al-Shahrani placed second on the second day, while Mike Elliott, who has been based in Qatar for the past ten years and a Qatar Golf

PARIS: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice including a late winner as Arsenal qualified for the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday (Feb 25) with a 3-2 victory over Benfica in Greece, while Manchester United and Rangers cruised through to the next round. The Gabon striker put Arsenal ahead at the Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus in their home leg of a tie relocated due to Covid-19 travel restrictions between Portugal and the United Kingdom. Diogo Goncalves levelled the contest with a magnificent free-kick

LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has not recovered from a thigh injury and will remain sidelined for a few more weeks, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said. Pogba was injured in United's 3-3 draw with Everton on Feb 6 and has since missed five games in all competitions. United will also be without Daniel James for Sunday's (Feb 28) Premier League trip to Chelsea after the midfielder picked up an injury in Thursday's 0-0 draw with Real Sociedad in the second leg of

LONDON: Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said he hopes to remain at the Premier League club for "as long as possible" and wants to see the team play in their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock from the 2024-25 season. Everton's planning application for a new 52,888-capacity stadium was unanimously approved by Liverpool City Council on Tuesday (Feb 23). "The time I spent here is one year and I have felt really good so I would like to stay as long as possible," said Ancelotti,

Qatar's Rashid Hamad won the bronze skeet trophy at Thursday's ISSF Egypt World Shotgun Cup. Rashid ended the final round with a score of 41, behind first-placed Mikola Milchev of Ukraine with 53 and second-placed Jesper Hansen of Denmark with 52. After 50 rounds, 53-year-old former Olympic champions Milchev and Hansen ended with 45 and 43 hits both to send proceedings to a shoot-off where the former prevailed. The 24-year-old Rashid, who medaled at the Rabat Grand Prix shotgun event earlier this month,

A former US Olympics gymnastics coach has killed himself hours after he was charged with sexual assault and human trafficking, officials say. The office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed the death of John Geddert on Thursday afternoon. In the morning, Ms Nessel had outlined 24 felony charges facing Geddert. Geddert was head of the women's gymnastics team in 2012 and worked closely with team doctor Larry Nassar who abused hundreds of athletes. Geddert, 63, had owned the training facility in Michigan

Al-Duhail club supporter Ahmed Yasser confirmed that he was afflicted with the Coronavirus, he will not participate in the Qatar Cup final match on Friday at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, which incorporates Al-Duhail and Al-Sadd. Yasser will remain absent for a span of two weeks, coming from the Flood due to being committed to quarantine as per the procedure adopted, and during the remaining rounds of the Star League, the Flood will lose him in more than one game. Yasser is known to

Former Arsenal star Thierry Henry is stepping down as head coach of Major League Soccer (MLS) side CF Montreal due to family reasons. Henry made the announcement on Twitter, saying: "It is with a heavy heart that I'm writing this message. The last year has been an extremely difficult one for me personally. Due to the worldwide pandemic, I was unable to see my children. "Unfortunately, due to the ongoing restrictions and the fact that we will have to relocate to the US

In a match that was largely low on quality, it was a standout moment of brilliance that eventually gave Real Madrid a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Atalanta in the Champions League round of 16. Full back Ferland Mendy broke the deadlock with only four minutes remaining with a delightful goal from outside the area, after Real had put Atalanta under relentless pressure following Remo Freuler's early sending off. Atalanta defended resolutely after going down to 10 men with only 17 minutes on

The world's largest cricket stadium hosted its first Test match on Wednesday. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, hosted the third in a four-match series between India and England, the first Test match it has hosted since its refurbishment. Originally constructed in 1982 with a capacity on 42,000, an impressive renovation plan was announced in October 2015, in which the capacity was increased to 110,000 spectators. The reconstruction plan, which was completed in February 2020, meant that the stadium surpassed the Melbourne

MELBOURNE: Athletes are being encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics but it will not be compulsory, IOC Vice President John Coates said on Thursday (Feb 25). "Not compulsory, we can't do that," Coates, head of the IOC's Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games, told reporters in Brisbane. "But it is certainly being encouraged and the IOC has an agreement with COVAX where it's helping to facilitate the distribution of vaccines." COVAX is the World Health Organization's global vaccine-sharing

Raft of new signings announced during The Hundred Takeover on Tuesday, with Manchester Originals swooping for Nicholas Pooran and Shadab Khan and Kieron Pollard joining Welsh Fire; Australia Women captain Meg Lanning also joins Fire, along with compatriots Jess Jonassen and Beth Mooney Kagiso Rabada, Nicholas Pooran, David Warner and Sophie Ecclestone were among the star players drafted as the teams in The Hundred boosted their squads ahead of the inaugural tournament in 2021. South Africa bowler Rabada, West Indies batsman Pooran and

Report as Pep Guardiola's men record their 19th straight win; Bernardo Silva and Gabriel Jesus punish Bundesliga side as City take command of Champions League last-16 tie Manchester City sent out a message to their Champions League rivals with a dominant 2-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach. Although storming towards the Premier League title, City are missing the Champions League from their trophy cabinet as Pep Guardiola has yet to take them past the semi-finals, but his side are on course for a genuine

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers explains how his side has needed to be tactically flexible to succeed this season. Possession was once Brendan Rodgers’ mantra. This is the coach whose first season in the Premier League with Swansea saw the newly-promoted side dominate the ball like no competition newcomer ever had. Only Manchester City completed more passes. His commitment to this passing game resulted in Swansea being applauded from the pitch at Anfield that season. He

Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West has been the symbol of the league since 1969 Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving isn’t afraid to speak his mind. And like many others across the league, Irving wants to see change when it comes to the NBA logo. Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West has been the symbol of the league since 1969, but Irving believes that the league should do whatever it takes to make the late Kobe Bryant the new logo. "Gotta Happen," Irving wrote on his Instagram. "Idc what anyone

As part of arrangements and preparations for the 2021 Qatar Cup final, to be played between Al Duhail and Al Sadd on Friday, Feb. 26, at the Al Duhail Stadium, the Qatar Stars League (QSL) held a Co-ordination Meeting at its Headquarters in Al Bidda Tower in the presence of the Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Communication at the QSL Hassan Rabiah Al Kuwari, Director of Media and Communication at the QSL Abdullah Saleh Al Sulaiti, and the Head of Football Operations

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has named Brisbane, Australia as the preferred bidder to host the 2032 Olympic Games. The IOC's future host commission recommended the body enters "targeted dialogue" with Brisbane bid organisers and the Australian Olympic Committee. Several cities and countries had expressed an interest in hosting the Games, including Indonesia, Budapest, China, Doha and Germany's Ruhr Valley. Sydney hosted the 2000 Olympic Games. The state of Queensland hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Brisbane was praised for its high percentage

MADRID: Lionel Messi soared past Luis Suarez to become La Liga's top scorer on Wednesday (Feb 24) by adding his 17th and 18th goals of the season in a much-needed 3-0 victory for Barcelona over Elche. Barca had followed up last week's crushing Champions League loss to Paris Saint-Germain by drawing at home to Cadiz on Sunday but eased the strain with a comfortable win at the Camp Nou. Messi's double owed much to a pair of superb assists, with a supreme dribble