Desert Vipers back extra opportunities for UAE players in future editions of DP World ILT20

Desert Vipers back extra opportunities for UAE players in future editions of DP World ILT20
Muhammad Amir of Desert Vipers celebrates the wicket of Gulbadin Naib of Dubai Capitals during the final of the DP World ILT20 at Dubai International Stadium. (Deepak Malik/ILT20)
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Updated 13 February 2025

Desert Vipers back extra opportunities for UAE players in future editions of DP World ILT20

Desert Vipers back extra opportunities for UAE players in future editions of DP World ILT20
  • Team’s CEO Phil Oliver says there is enough local talent to have 2 UAE players in the starting 11s and ‘potentially increase it’

DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ CEO Phil Oliver says the franchise would support an increase in the number of UAE players from two to three in the starting 11s of sides in future editions of the DP World ILT20.

Speaking during the Vipers Voices podcast, Oliver reflected on the 2025 tournament that ended on Sunday when the Vipers lost to the Dubai Capitals in a thrilling final in front of a capacity crowd at the Dubai International Stadium.

On the status of UAE players, he said: “I think it is very apparent that the talent is there to sustain two players in the starting 11s and potentially increase it.”

He said there were “some nuances around it in the super-sub rule. My view is that the introduction of the super sub, something that usually happens at the end of the first innings of matches, often means an international-quality player coming in.”

This was “something that often seems to reduce the opportunity to contribute for one of the two UAE players so there is a bigger picture for the franchises and the league to discuss.”

He added: “We could go to three UAE players or perhaps a player from one of the other Associate countries instead, as there is the requirement to have two Associates in the 18-man matchday squad.

“So maybe there is something on that Associate angle too, because we are really developing these Associate players, not only UAE players, through them having this exposure to fantastic coaches and players for the period of the tournament.

“I think options could be looking at the super-sub rule and asking could that be a UAE player who has to come in, or perhaps a third UAE player (in the starting 11).

“We would be supportive of any of these sorts of moves to be discussed and properly looked at because it is very apparent that the quality is there.

“We have had a fantastic group of UAE players throughout the first three years of this tournament. And the fact we had Khuzaima bin Tanveer break through this year and become a genuine frontline bowling option for us, I think, says it all, so the talent is there.

“We need to give the pathway for these players to develop so we very much look forward to introducing more opportunities for UAE players.”

The tournament may be over for this year, but the Vipers’ presence in the UAE will continue with a growing number of initiatives, including the franchise’s schools outreach program that began in the second half of 2023.

The program, which combines coaching and an introduction to the Vipers’ sustainability agenda that references recycling, sustainability and the ongoing climate emergency, has exposed more than 12,000 children to the sport.

Oliver said it would continue over the coming months. “It is great that the schools program has been ticking along in the background,” he said.

“During the tournament the coaches were working hard and we were able to get a group of the players to go in and join a couple of sessions, so that was great for the kids to see the heroes up close and for the players to see what we do behind the scenes.”


Healy wins hilly 6th stage, Van der Poel takes yellow jersey from Pogacar at Tour de France

Healy wins hilly 6th stage, Van der Poel takes yellow jersey from Pogacar at Tour de France
Updated 15 sec ago

Healy wins hilly 6th stage, Van der Poel takes yellow jersey from Pogacar at Tour de France

Healy wins hilly 6th stage, Van der Poel takes yellow jersey from Pogacar at Tour de France
  • The 24-year-old Healy had won a stage on the Giro d’Italia before, but this was his first victory at cycling’s showcase race
  • The Slovenian star accelerated at the end of the stage but could not quite do enough to stop the yellow jersey going to the 30-year-old Dutchman Van der Poel, who is not considered a race contender

VIRE NORMANDIE, France: Irish rider Ben Healy won a hilly sixth stage of the Tour de France after a long solo breakaway on Thursday and Mathieu van der Poel took back the yellow jersey from defending champion Tadej Pogacar by one second.

The 24-year-old Healy had won a stage on the Giro d’Italia before, but this was his first victory at cycling’s showcase race.

“A stage win in the Tour is just unbelievable, it’s what I’ve worked for,” he said. “I grew up watching the Tour and wishing one day I could just be there. Participating in the Tour is already an achievement and to win a stage is just so so amazing.”

American rider Quinn Simmons finished 2 minutes, 44 seconds behind Healy in second place and Australian Michael Storer was 2:51 back in third spot.

Van der Poel finished eighth, and Pogacar was a little further back in ninth.

Stage 6 took riders over 201.5 kilometers (125 miles) from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, featuring six minor climbs before a sharp uphill finish with a 10 percent gradient.

The Slovenian star accelerated at the end of the stage but could not quite do enough to stop the yellow jersey going to the 30-year-old Dutchman Van der Poel, who is not considered a race contender.

“I would have loved to have a bit more than one second but I’m happy to have it again,” said Van der Poel, who struggled with the heat. “I’ll try my best to recover as good as possible and then we’ll see tomorrow, but first I’m going to enjoy the yellow jersey. I will probably only have it for one day.”

Two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard finished 10th, just behind Pogacar, and is fifth overall.

The route favored allrounders and an experienced-looking eight-rider breakaway, including Stage 2 winner Van der Poel and Giro d’Italia champion Simon Yates, pulled away from the yellow jersey group around three-time Tour winner Pogacar.

Riding through rolling countryside they opened up a four-minute lead with 40 kilometers to go, which is when Healy decided to go for the stage win and pulled away from his rivals, who could not follow.

“Today’s stage really suited me, I had circled this day from the start,” Healy said. “I knew I needed to get away from the group, I think I timed it well and I caught them by surprise a little bit. Then I knew what I had to do: just put my head down.”

Friday’s stage is also hilly

Stage 7 is 197 kilometers long, starting from the port city of Saint-Malo and finishing with a climb up Mûr-de-Bretagne in Britanny’s picturesque Côtes-d’Armor department.

“When you see how Tadej is riding,” Van der Poel said, “if he attacks tomorrow, or Jonas as well, it will be very difficult not only for me but for the whole bunch to follow on this climb.”


Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism

Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism
Updated 11 July 2025

Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism

Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism
  • Wenger: Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I don’t share Jurgen Klopp’s view at all. I feel that a Club World Cup, a REAL Club World Cup was needed
  • Wenger also pointed to the unexpectedly high attendance figures as evidence of the competition’s success

NEW YORK: Arsene Wenger has dismissed Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup, calling the tournament a “fantastic competition” and emphasizing the support it has received from participating teams, players, and managers.

Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, described the expanded summer competition as “the worst idea ever invented” in an interview with German newspaper Die Welt two weeks ago. Wenger, now FIFA’s chief of Global Football Development, countered these remarks on Thursday during a FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) briefing in New York.

“Everyone is entitled to an opinion, and I don’t share Jurgen Klopp’s view at all,” Wenger told reporters. “I feel that a Club World Cup, a REAL Club World Cup was needed. If you make an inquiry today with all the clubs who were here at this competition, I’m basically sure that we have 100 percent of answers of people who want to do this again. So that’s basically the best answer.”

Wenger also pointed to the unexpectedly high attendance figures as evidence of the competition’s success. “The decisive question is, do the fans like it? Attendance projections were low, but in reality, they were much higher. The answer is there,” he added.

The tournament has provided FIFA with a testing ground ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across North America. Wenger acknowledged that the summer heat in the US posed challenges but said FIFA has learned valuable lessons to address these issues.

“The heat in some games was a problem,” Wenger admitted. “We tried to combat that with cooling breaks and watering the pitches during breaks. We learned a lot on that front.”

He singled out Orlando as one of the venues where pitch conditions proved difficult, though he praised the quality of natural grass pitches overall. Philadelphia’s surface, he said, would serve as a benchmark for future competitions in the US.

Looking ahead, Wenger said FIFA is considering using covered stadiums in cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Houston to host early matches in next year’s tournaments. He also revealed that FIFA analysts have studied the impact of heat on player performance, finding that temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) affect high-speed running and sprints more than overall distances covered.

“Certainly next year, there will be more roofed stadiums as we have to follow the TV schedule. We are learning to be better equipped to deal with these conditions,” Wenger said.

The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup concludes on Sunday, with Paris St. Germain taking on Chelsea in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.


Tottenham signs forward Mohammed Kudus from West Ham

Tottenham signs forward Mohammed Kudus from West Ham
Updated 11 July 2025

Tottenham signs forward Mohammed Kudus from West Ham

Tottenham signs forward Mohammed Kudus from West Ham

LONDON: Tottenham completed the signing of Ghana forward Mohammed Kudus from West Ham on Thursday and was reportedly close to adding Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White as well.
Tottenham did not disclose details of the deal for Kudus but British media said it was worth 55 million pounds . The 24-year-old Kudus scored 19 goals in 80 appearances for West Ham during a two-year spell after joining from Ajax.
Tottenham is rebuilding under new coach Thomas Frank and Gibbs-White was reportedly set to have a medical at Tottenham ahead of a proposed 60-million  transfer.
Gibbs-White joined Forest in the summer of 2022 following their promotion to the Premier League and was instrumental in delivering European football to the club for the first time since 1996, with seven goals and eight assists in 34 Premier League games this past season.
 


Jorge Jesus set to return to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr: Portuguese media

Jorge Jesus set to return to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr: Portuguese media
Updated 10 July 2025

Jorge Jesus set to return to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr: Portuguese media

Jorge Jesus set to return to Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr: Portuguese media
  • Jesus is expected to arrive in Riyadh on Monday to sign a contract and begin pre-season preparations

RIYADH: Portuguese media have reported that Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have reached an agreement with coach Jorge Jesus to take charge of the club’s first team ahead of the 2025-26 season.

According to A Bola, one of Portugal’s leading sports newspapers, Jesus is expected to arrive in Riyadh on Monday to sign a contract and begin pre-season preparations. 

The deal is reportedly for one year with an option to extend, and is being described as one of the most high-profile managerial moves of the summer considering Jesus’ time with Al-Hilal.

While Al-Nassr has yet to confirm the appointment, the return of Jesus to the Saudi Pro League, this time with Al-Hilal’s fierce rivals, would mark a major development ahead of the new season. 

Reports also suggest that Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo played a key role in endorsing Jesus for the job, owing to their close relationship and Ronaldo’s belief in the coach’s ability to lead Al-Nassr back to silverware.


Desert Vipers launch talent pathway program to develop UAE’s future cricket stars

Desert Vipers launch talent pathway program to develop UAE’s future cricket stars
Updated 10 July 2025

Desert Vipers launch talent pathway program to develop UAE’s future cricket stars

Desert Vipers launch talent pathway program to develop UAE’s future cricket stars

DUBAI: The Dubai-based Desert Vipers cricket franchise have unveiled a talent pathway and development program aimed at identifying and nurturing the UAE’s most promising young players, it was announced on Thursday.

Targeting boys in the U-14, U-16 and U-19 age groups, the initiative will offer a direct route into the Desert Vipers’ International League T20 first-team setup.

Participants will benefit from elite training, mentorship and coaching delivered by a world-class team of international experts.

The program will also welcome talented girls across similar age groups, highlighting the Vipers’ long-term commitment to developing the women’s game in the region.

Trials took place on June 18 at the ICC Academy, with a select group of male and female players chosen to progress into the elite program.

The official launch is set for September 2025, when the selected cohort will begin structured training under the guidance of the Desert Vipers’ high-performance staff.

The official launch is set for September 2025, when the selected cohort will begin structured training under the guidance of the Desert Vipers’ high-performance staff. (Supplied)

“Through this initiative, we’re building a clear and aspirational pathway for talented young cricketers in the UAE,” said Phil Oliver, CEO of the Desert Vipers.

“This is about more than just identifying talent — it’s about developing future professionals in an environment where excellence is the standard.”

The program is made possible through a multi-year partnership with Balqis Capital, whose support reflects a strategic vision for growing both grassroots and professional cricket in the Gulf region, a statement said.

Steven Schofield, founder of the Talent Pathway and director at Balqis Capital, added: “We are proud to be pioneers, launching a first-of-its-kind program that gives talented young boys and girls a clear pathway into professional cricket. At Balqis Capital, we believe in backing ambition — whether in sport, business or life. 

“This initiative reflects our values of discipline, opportunity and long-term vision, and we’re delighted to be working with the fantastic team at the Desert Vipers to deliver it.”