Sports

Azmatullah stars in Afghanistan win over UAE Afghanistan kept alive their hopes of reaching the Super Eight phase of the Twenty20 World Cup after all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai's heroics guided them to a five-wicket Group D victory over UAE on Monday. The result saw group leaders South Africa (six points, three games) make the Super Eight along with defending champions India and two-time winners West Indies. New Zealand, who are four points ahead with a game in hand against bottom-placed Canada on Tuesday. appear set to snatch

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav expressed his happiness after his side routed arch-rivals Pakistan by 61 runs on Sunday to qualify for the next round of the T20 World Cup in a clash that had been uncertain until a few days back. Suryakumar’s team posted 175 for seven after being given a flying start by Ishan Kishan (77) before bowling out Pakistan for 114 in 18 overs. The loss for Pakistan maintained their appalling World Cup record against India. India have triumphed in eight of nine T20 World

Mumbai: The West Indies stormed into the Super Eights stage of the T20 World Cup with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Nepal on Sunday. Having restricted Nepal to 133-8 in their 20 overs, captain Shai Hope's unbeaten 61 guided his team to a comfortable 134-1 in just 15.2 overs in the Group C game at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium. Hope cruised to his half-century off 38 balls, hitting three sixes and five fours all told. He added an unbroken 91 with Shimron Hetmyer to get to the target

Football loving fans should not miss a perfect thrill of an evening as Al Gharafa SC battles Tractor FC in this most interesting match ever. This encounter, at the lively Thani Bin Jassim Stadium, will be an heated affair with intense battles on the pitch, noisy fans and a real celebration of Asian club football. Match Details Arrive early to enjoy fan activities, find your seats comfortably, and experience the pre-match buzz. Stadium & Seating Guide Thani Bin Jassim Stadium is made for football

Football fans in the Gulf are gearing up for an epic clash when Al Rayyan SC plays against Al Nahda Club. This match, which will take place at the breathtaking Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, is set to deliver end-to-end action and raucous fans in a vibrant stadium ambiance. Match Details Get there early to make the most of pre-match excitement, fan zones and beat last minute queues Stadium & Seating Overview Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is one of Qatar’s new football venues to have organised matches

Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake and Dasun Shanaka struck half-centuries as 2014 champions Sri Lanka forged momentum in the Twenty20 World Cup with a crushing 105-run victory over Oman in Pallekele on Thursday. Mendis (61) and Rathnayake (60) put on a 94-run stand for the third wicket as Sri Lanka were asked to bat and skipper Shanaka added the late spark with a 19-ball 50 as his team posted 225-5 in their 20 overs. “We are really happy with the way we batted today,” Shanaka said in

Sherfane Rutherford blazed to a belligerent half-century and Gudakesh Motie came up with a brilliant exhibition of slower bowling to inspire West Indies to a 30-run win over England in Twenty20 World Cup Group C on Wednesday. Rutherford hit seven sixes in his unbeaten 76 from 42 balls to lay the foundation for his side's imposing score of 196-6. Twice champions West Indies piled on the spin to return and choke England out by dismissing them for 166 in 19 overs as they spent their rivals

Sahibzada Farhan scored a steady half-century and Usman Tariq claimed three wickets as under-23 team of Pakistan prevailed over the United States by 32 runs in the ICC men's T20 World Cup Group A match in Colombo on Tuesday. The 29-year-old struck five sixes and six fours in his 41-ball 73 and received support from Babar Azam's dazzling 32-ball 46 (four fours, one six) as Pakistan posted 190-9 at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground. Their spinners later inflicted a collapse upon the raw USA batting

Sri Lanka's last-minute decision to bring in Kamindu Mendis paid off handsomely as the all-rounder played a match-turning cameo to set up a 20-run victory over Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. Kamindu's fiery 44 off 19 balls provided Sri Lanka the late impetus which was missing when they crawled to 163. The spin trio of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage then ripped through the Irish middle order taking seven wickets between themselves to secure

Cricket’s T20 World Cup starts Saturday under a bitter‑sour build-up marred by political turmoil, Bangladesh flung out and Pakistan refusing to play arch-rivals and co-hosts India. Ultimately, Pakistan will play the first ball of the tournament with a very disorderly lead-in when they take on Netherlands in Colombo in the opener. Holders and pre-tournament favourites India will open the tournament in the night match on day one against the United States in Mumbai with a nation of more than a billion cricket followers looking to them

Football fans from around the region will be treated to a night of drama when Iran’s Tractor SC lock horns with Qatar’s Al Sadd SC in what is expected to be an epic showdown. With two of the heavyweights of Asian football facing off, it's a match that offers intensity, atmosphere and a high level of quality under the lights in Doha. Played at one of Qatar's most famous football stadiums, the game is sure to drum up some heated support for both teams with the

Royal Challengers Bengaluru achieved the largest successful chase in the Women’s Premier League to clinch a second title in the Indian franchise-based Twenty20 league on Thursday and condemned Delhi Capitals to their fourth consecutive loss in finals. Put in to bat, Delhi reached a daunting total of 203-4 but Bengaluru overcame the target at Vadodara thanks to a 165-run second-wicket stand between captain Smriti Mandhana and Georgia Voll. Needing eight off the last four balls, Radha Yadav struck two straight boundaries to finish the chase with

Sports enthusiasts in the Gulf are eagerly waiting to witness what looks set to be a dramatic encounter when Qatar’s Al Duhail SC take on Sharjah FC from UAE. It's at James' Park and some of the region's top teams are competing in what should be a real clash of titans. Against the backdrop of Doha’s world-class football stadium, The upcoming clash is anticipated to attract fervent fans from both sides in what is set to be a must-see tie for local football devotees. Match Details

The Summer Olympics may grab the world’s attention with track and field, but the Olympic Winter Games conjure magic of another sort. There is something viscerally thrilling about athletes testing the boundaries of human performance on ice and snow. From the artistic grace and precision of figure skating to the down-but-dirty speed of downhill skiing, this quadrennial event captivates on a global level. Whether you're a die-hard ice hockey fan or only watch the bobsleigh for the crashes, it's all about to be topped with the

Cricket fans, mark your calendars. The countdown to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is now under way. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka looks set to be a cracker of high-voltage cricket with some of the best cricketers from across the world battling it out at some of the most iconic cricketing venues. From the very first ball to the last over, the 2026 version promises drama, rivalries and lasting memories. Whether you are cheering on the defending champions or an underestimated

Real Madrid basketball icons Rudy Fernández and Felipe Reyes are to make an exclusive visit to Real Madrid World Dubai to meet fans on Wednesday 4 February. Starting at 5pm, supporters will have the opportunity to meet the duo, snap photos and get autographs – as well as engaging in personal Q&As with two of cricket’s best. This exclusive meet-and-greet opportunity offers fans the unique chance to be up close and personal with basketball history in the making, before the momentous EuroLeague match between Real

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said he is determined to see that Russia's four-year suspension from international competitions "is lifted because it has achieved nothing". Russian clubs and the national team were banned from Fifa and Uefa competitions after their invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “This ban has not produced anything positive at all; it has only created more frustration and hatred,” Infantino said. “If we could play football in other parts of Europe with Russian girls and boys, it would probably do a power of good.”

The International Cricket Council has described Pakistan’s stance of playing selected matches at the ICC T20 World Cup as “difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event”. Pakistan on Thursday said its team will not play against India on February 15 in Colombo but will participate in the ICC T20 World Cup. The ICC statement was issued hours after Pakistan made the announcement. “The tournament brings together all qualified teams who are expected to participate and compete on an

Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday that a decision will be held back for up to a week finalising whether the team would pull out of next month's Twenty20 World Cup, paving the way for a potential boycott over Bangladesh backing down. Naqvi was scheduled to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday to seek his advice but a call is expected before then with the cricket board boss posting on X: "The final decision will either be taken Friday or next

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice President Rajeev Shukla said India provided complete security to the Bangladesh and can't re-schedule the entire ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at last moment. The BCCI Vice President had said so after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Scotland replace Bangladesh in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The ICC decision, announced on Saturday, ends weeks of uncertainty about the future of BCB and the global governing body's relations. The withdrawal was precipitated by the Bangladesh