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SPL title race blown wide open as Al-Ittihad lose and Al-Hilal win

SPL title race blown wide open as Al-Ittihad lose and Al-Hilal win
Al-Ittihad lost 2-0 at Al-Fateh on a dramatic Thursday as Al-Hilal defeated Al-Khaleej 3-0 to ensure that the Saudi Pro League title race is wide open with just six games to go. (X/@EnFatehclub)
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Updated 18 April 2025
John Duerden

SPL title race blown wide open as Al-Ittihad lose and Al-Hilal win

SPL title race blown wide open as Al-Ittihad lose and Al-Hilal win
  • Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to just four points with six games to play
  • They lost 2-0 at relegation battlers Al-Fateh, while closest rivals Al-Hilal defeated Al-Khaleej 3-0
Updated 18 April 2025
John Duerden

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad lost 2-0 at Al-Fateh on a dramatic day of Saudi Pro League action, while closest rivals Al-Hilal defeated Al-Khaleej 3-0 to blow the title race wide open with just six games left to play.

Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the table has been cut to just four points, and given that Al-Hilal’s goal difference is far superior, there is a lot to play for.

Al-Hilal were the first of the top two to play and made the most of the opportunity to put the league leaders under pressure. Salem Al-Dawsari opened the scoring after 26 minutes. Kaio Cesar twisted and turned in the area and the Brazilian’s pass to the left-hand corner of the six-yard area was swiftly converted by the 2022 Asian Player of the Year.

With six minutes of the game remaining, the Saudi international struck again to seal the win. Aleksandar Mitrovic found Al-Dawsari on the edge of the area, who took a touch and then slotted home. There was still enough time for Mitrovic to remove all doubt about the result.

The victory meant Al-Ittihad had to win to restore their advantage at the top of the league. However it was Amine Sbai who opened the scoring for Al-Fateh after just 10 minutes, shooting high into the net from just inside the area.

Ten minutes before the break Mourad Batna missed a chance to put his team further ahead from the spot. The Moroccan must have felt a bit better about his miss nine minutes later when Al-Ittihad midfielder Fabinho saw his penalty, after a handball in the area, saved by Nawaf Al-Aqidi.

And so the score remained 1-0 (though Karim Benzema had a goal ruled out for offside just after the hour mark) until the 69th minute, when Matias Vargas ran onto to a long ball over the top from deep and slotted past Al-Ittihad goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Mahasneh. That was the end of the scoring and the victory moved Al-Fateh into 13th place in the league, four points clear of the relegation places.

Third-place Al-Nassr have a chance to pile more pressure onto Al-Ittihad on Saturday, as a win at Al-Qadsiah would move them within five points of the leaders.

Topics: SPL Al-Fateh SPL Al-Hilal SPL Al-ittihad

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Aquabike World Championship final set to roll on Doha Bay in Qatar

Aquabike World Championship final set to roll on Doha Bay in Qatar
Updated 27 October 2025
Arab News

Aquabike World Championship final set to roll on Doha Bay in Qatar

Aquabike World Championship final set to roll on Doha Bay in Qatar
  • Qualifying for the Qatar International Cup and a session for non-qualified Runabout GP2 riders opens Saturday morning’s action
Updated 27 October 2025
Arab News

DOHA: Qatar returns to the 2025 sporting calendar to host the final round of the UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship this weekend.

Aquabike Promotion and the Doha Marine Sports Club (DMSC) will host the three-day event at Old Doha Port Grand Prix of Qatar on Doha Bay. The event will act as the final round of the World Championship and the stand-alone Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship.

The provisional entry features 90 riders from 19 nations, with 28 competing in Runabout GP1, 23 in Ski Division GP1, 13 in Ski Ladies GP1 and a staggering 12 in Freestyle. In addition, 14 will compete in the Asian Continental section of the weekend.

François Medori heads to Doha with a maximum 100 points for winning four successive Runabout GP1 Motos. The Corsican will be aiming to defend a 16-point advantage over Jeremy Perez, with current World Champion Samuel Johansson somehow retaining third in the rankings, despite picking up just three points from the second of the recent heats in Sardinia.

 All the major protagonists are among the 28-rider field and they include Pierre-François Savelli, Robin Laforge, György Kasza, Andrzej Wisniewski, Martin Doulik and Linus Lindberg. The host nation will be represented by Khalid Al-Mohannadi and Waleed Al-Sharshani and the Emirati trio of Khalid Al-Maazmi, Khalifa Belsalah and Mohammed Mohsin boost the regional entry.

The Qatar event also sees the dramatic return of five-time world champion Yousef Al-Abdulrazzaq and fellow Kuwaiti riders, Rashed Al-Dawas and Ahmad Al-Khadhari.

Dane Oliver Koch Hansen arrives in Doha with an 11-point lead over Jéremy Poret in the battle for the Ski Division GP1 world title. The leading racers on the planet battled it out in three gripping Motos in Sardinia two weeks ago with a pair of victories for Belgian Quinten Bossche sandwiching a lone win for Mickael Poret.

Reliability issues have plagued defending champion Bossche this season, however, and three Moto wins have been coupled with three non-finishes. That was left the Ostende racer languishing in sixth in the standings behind Koch Hansen, Jéremy Poret, Japan’s Toshi O’Hara, Mickael Poret and young Belgian Yoni Hamelin.

All of the title contenders will be present in Doha where they line up against the likes of former champion Kevin Reiterer, Anthony Beernaut, Morgan Poret, Benjamin Scharff and Axel Courtois. Nizar Abuljadayel represents the Kingdom of and is the only GCC entrant in the field.

The fight for honors in Ski Ladies GP1 promises to be a classic and 13 riders are making the trip to Qatar for the three-Moto finale. Estelle Poret has a seven-point cushion over Benedicte Drange with defending champion Jasmiin Ypraus a further point adrift in third. Naomi Benini and Virginie Morlaes are tied for fourth, albeit 35 points behind the leading French girl.

Drange has taken four wins from six Motos but suffering a costly retirement from the third Moto in Indonesia. Poret has never been off the podium and won one heat, while Ypraus had a win and four podium finishes before engine issues plagued her before the last of the Motos in Sardinia.

The Estonian’s No. 1 ski failed to start and she was forced to turn to her back-up machine which misfired its way around the course to pick up just 10 points. Could that have been the moment when Ypraus lost the world title?

Jessica Chavanne suffered a miserable weekend in Sardinia and the new European champion will be hoping for better fortune on Doha Bay, where she lines up alongside the likes of Sofie and Jonna Borgström, Héloïse Delcluze, River Varner, Joana Graça, Janina Johansson and French newcomer Emy Garcia.

The Freestyle category has attracted  12 entrants, although the defending European champion and current World Championship leader Roberto Mariani tops the field from defending champion and title rival Rashid Al-Mulla from Abu Dhabi. The pair are separated by 10 points heading into the final two Motos of the season with Massimo Accumolo three points further behind in the bronze medal position. Portugal’s Paulo Nuñes is fourth.

There are six Qatari entrants in the provisional field: Abdulaziz Al-Abdullah, Nayef Al-Nama, Salem Al-Kubaisi, Issa Al-Assi, Abdulrahman Al-Sulaiti and Bader Al-Abdullah will be hoping for success in front of home crowds. They will be joined by Kuwait’s Aziz Al-Armeli and ’s Nizar Abuljadayel.

Four of the Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship entrants will represent Qatar, with five from the UAE, four from and one from Kuwait. Mahmoud Abumaali, Khalaf Al-Kuwari, Waleed Al-Ibrahim and Waleed Al-Sharshani will fly the Qatari flag with Abdullah Al-Fadhel lining up for Kuwait.

Registration and scrutineering formalities take place on Wednesday. A hectic Thursday timetable sees the free practice sessions for the Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship fire into life from 09.30hrs and precede nearly two hours of practice for the Ski Ladies GP1, Ski Division GP1, Runabout GP1 and Freestyle competitors. The afternoon is dominated by the various qualifying and pole position sessions.

The first Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Moto kickstarts Friday’s action from 10 a.m. and is followed by opening Motos for Ski Ladies GP1 and Ski Division GP1. The second of the Motos follow in the afternoon before the Runabout GP1 and Freestyle contenders take part in their first heats.

The evening’s action will be rounded off by a Parallel Slalom competition and a Freestyle night show to entertain spectators in the Old Port area on Doha Corniche.

Qualifying for the Qatar International Cup and a session for non-qualified Runabout GP2 riders opens Saturday morning’s action. Further free practice follows before a Moto for the Qatar International Cup to round off the morning.

The third Runabout GP2 Asian Continental Championship Moto is first on the agenda in the afternoon and precedes the final Ski Ladies GP1 and Ski GP1 Motos that will decide the outcome of the World Championship.

Runabout GP1 and Freestyle contenders then take to the water for their second Motos that will draw a curtain on the season’s UIM-ABP Aquabike Circuit Pro World Championship.

Topics: UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship Aquabike World Championship Doha Marine Sports Club MotoGP

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Ohtani has one place he doesn’t want to hear the ‘We don’t need you!’ chant — at home

Ohtani has one place he doesn’t want to hear the ‘We don’t need you!’ chant — at home
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

Ohtani has one place he doesn’t want to hear the ‘We don’t need you!’ chant — at home

Ohtani has one place he doesn’t want to hear the ‘We don’t need you!’ chant — at home
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

LOS ANGELES: Shohei Ohtani said there’s one place he doesn’t want to hear the “We don’t need you!” chant — at home from his family.

A day before the World Series resumes with Game 3 at Dodger Stadium, the two-way Los Angeles superstar smiled and laughed about the derisive chant directed at him late in Toronto’s opening win Friday. Blue Jays fans remain stung he signed with the Dodgers in December 2023 rather than their team.

“It was a really great chant, and my wife really appreciated it,” he said Sunday through a translator following the Dodgers’ workout.

Ohtani is hitting .224 in 12 postseason games with six homers, 11 RBIs and one stolen base and is 2 for 8 with a two-run homer and a single in the Series. He is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his pair of mound starts, striking out 19 and walking four in 12 innings.

“I do feel better at the plate recently,” the 31-year-old three-time MVP said. “I do everything in my power to make sure that I’m prepared as much as possible and being at the plate with the right mentality, but got to give some credit to the other side as well.”

Los Angeles and Toronto are tied at a game apiece in the best-of-seven matchup.

Ohtani will oppose Shane Bieber in Game 4 on Tuesday night with a chance to become the first pitcher to hit a World Series homer in 17 years. He wouldn’t mind if his unprecedented performances will lead to more two-way players.

“I like to encourage kids who are trying the two-way to do it as long as possible, as long as they’re allowed to, as much as their talent level could take them,” he said.

Growing up in Japan, he looked up to Hideki Matsui and Ichiro Suzuki, Japanese stars who had great success in Major League Baseball.

“It’s not like I could watch a lot of the games on TV, and so it was really those two players,”
Ohtani said.

Babe Ruth, the player Ohtani has been compared to, was never a fulltime pitcher and field player at the same time, cutting down his mound appearances in 1918 and ‘19 as he became more of an everyday outfielder and occasional first baseman.

Ruth pitched only five times from 1920 through the end of his career in 1935.

Ruth was 3-0 with a 0.87 ERA in three World Series starts for Boston, pitching 29 2/3 scoreless innings at one stretch and helping win titles in 1916 and ‘18. He was 1 for 10 at the plate in those starts, hitting a tiebreaking two-run triple in Game 4 in 1918 as he allowed two runs over eight innings.

Ohtani entered the Series following a standout performance in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against Milwaukee, when he homered three times, pitched six shutout innings and struck out 10. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred called it “probably the greatest game of all time.”

“He’s kind of like a super human,” fellow Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow said ahead of his Game 3 outing.

Ohtani is 2 for 16 with a double, one RBI and six strikeouts against Bieber, a former Cy Young Award winner.

Topics: world series Shohei Ohtani Game 3 baseball

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Pakistan's Babar has chance to answer coach's questions in South Africa T20 series

Pakistan's Babar has chance to answer coach's questions in South Africa T20 series
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

Pakistan's Babar has chance to answer coach's questions in South Africa T20 series

Pakistan's Babar has chance to answer coach's questions in South Africa T20 series
  • Babar, who needs only 9 runs to break Rohit Sharma’s record of 4,231 runs in T20s, hasn't been selected in the format since December
  • The former Pakistan captain has 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, but coach Mike Hesson had concerns over his strike rate of 129.22
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

RAWALPINDI: Babar Azam has an opportunity to answer all the questions from Pakistan coach Mike Hesson over his technique and skillset in Twenty20 cricket in three matches against South Africa from Tuesday.

Babar, who needs only nine runs to break Rohit Sharma’s all-time record of 4,231 runs in men's T20 internationals, hasn't been selected in the format since December. In that time, Pakistan has played 26 T20s.

Babar has 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, but Hesson had concerns over his strike rate of 129.22. He also wanted improvement in Babar’s technique.

Since taking over in July, Hesson has favored Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman for the top three batting slots.

Without Babar, Pakistan won a home series against Bangladesh before losing 2-1 in Bangladesh. Pakistan also won 2-1 against the West Indies and the tri-series in the United Arab Emirates before losing three times to India in the “no handshake” Asia Cup.

The absence of Zaman for the South Africa series has forced Hesson to “endorse” Babar at No. 3, a batting position where he has 1,166 runs in 35 T20s at an average of 44.84.

According to Hesson, Zaman wanted to play in first-class cricket to gear up for the one-day international series against South Africa in Faisalabad next month, and team management agreed to give the left-hander a break from T20s.

“It’s a great opportunity to get Babar back into the squad," Hesson said. "He’s likely to bat at three so it’s a role that I’m very confident that he’ll be able to do well, and it also gives our squad some options coming into the World Cup.”

POPULAR PICK

Babar has a strong fan base and he drew loud cheers in Lahore and Rawalpindi during the drawn Test series against South Africa. The moment Babar was out, large numbers of spectators left the stadiums.

Babar scored 131 runs in four Test innings against South Africa, falling to spinners three times. His top score of 50 was not enough to save Pakistan from an eight-wicket loss at Rawalpindi in the second test.

UNDERSTRENGTH SOUTH AFRICA

Injury to David Miller forced the Proteas to hand over the T20 captaincy to Donovan Ferreira, who recently endured a shocking four-wicket loss to Namibia in a one-off game. Miller strained his right hamstring during a training camp at home.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee was also ruled out of the white-ball tour to Pakistan because of a pectoral muscle injury he sustained against Namibia, where he was limited to 1.3 overs. Another promising fast bowler, Kwena Maphaka, was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

Matthew Breetzke, who will lead South Africa in the ODIs against Pakistan, and uncapped Tony de Zorzi were drafted into the T20 squad.

The series marks the return of Quinton de Kock in the white-ball format after the left-hander reversed his ODI retirement last month. He hasn’t played in the shortest format last year’s T20 World Cup final loss to India.

 

Topics: Babar Azam

South Africa and Pakistan speed up T20 World Cup preparations

South Africa and Pakistan speed up T20 World Cup preparations
Updated 27 October 2025
AFP

South Africa and Pakistan speed up T20 World Cup preparations

South Africa and Pakistan speed up T20 World Cup preparations
  • South Africa finished runners-up to India in the 2024 Twenty20 World Cup
  • The coming edition will be co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka in February-March
Updated 27 October 2025
AFP

Rawalpindi: South African skipper Donovan Ferreira said his team will speed up preparation for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup, with the series against Pakistan starting in Rawalpindi from Tuesday.

South Africa finished runners-up to India in the 2024 Twenty20 World Cup, and will be among the favorites for the coming edition which India and Sri Lanka co-host in February-March.

Ferreira said on Monday that this week’s three-match series provides an ideal opportunity.

“It is important to build up toward the World Cup,” he said. “I think this is the big stepping stone for us toward the World Cup.”

South Africa will miss David Miller — announced captain for this series but ruled out with injury — as well as Gerald Coetzee and Kwena Maphaka, who are both injured.

They have rested regular T20I skipper Aiden Markram, batters Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton, and spearhead Kagiso Rabada.

Despite less experience in the side and losing to Namibia earlier this month, Ferreira hopes his team will play an aggressive brand of cricket.

“The Namibia game is past now and I think we need to play an explosive brand of cricket with the bat or with the ball, as we have got exciting players in the side.”

Pakistan skipper Salman Agha also sees the series as an opportunity to build toward the World Cup.

“We need to further our preparations and overcome the mistakes we committed in the Asia Cup,” said Agha of the regional event last month where they finished runners-up to India.

Agha said he was excited to see star batter Babar Azam back in the T20I side for the first time since December 2024.

“Azam is a world class player and he will benefit our team with his batting,” said Agha.

“We have good batters and bowlers in the side so we need to build up toward the World Cup.”

The remaining two matches are on Friday and Saturday, both in Lahore.

Babar Azam gets a chance to answer coach’s questions in T20 series against South Africa

Babar Azam gets a chance to answer coach’s questions in T20 series against South Africa
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

Babar Azam gets a chance to answer coach’s questions in T20 series against South Africa

Babar Azam gets a chance to answer coach’s questions in T20 series against South Africa
  • Azam needs only nine runs to break Rohit Sharma’s all-time record of 4,231 runs in T20 Internationals
  • However, he has not been included in Pakistan’s T20I squad since December over poor form, strike rate
Updated 27 October 2025
AP

RAWALPINDI: Babar Azam gets an opportunity to answer all the questions from white-ball coach Mike Hesson over his technique and skillset in Twenty20 cricket when Pakistan takes on South Africa in a three-match series starting Tuesday.

Babar, who needs only nine runs to break Rohit Sharma’s all-time record of 4,231 runs in T20 internationals, hasn’t been selected in the format since December. In that time, Pakistan has played 26 T20s.

Babar has scored 4,223 runs at an average of 39.83, but Hesson had concerns over the premier batter’s strike rate of 129.22. He also wanted improvement in Babar’s technique.

Since taking over in July, Hesson has favored Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman for the top three batting slots.

Without Babar, Pakistan won a bilateral home series against Bangladesh before losing 2-1 in Bangladesh. Pakistan also won 2-1 against West Indies and the tri-series in the United Arab Emirates before losing three times to archrival India in the “no handshake” Asia Cup.

Now the absence of Zaman for the series against South Africa has forced Hesson to “endorse” Babar at No. 3, a batting position where he has scored 1,166 runs in 35 T20s at an average of 44.84.

According to Hesson, Zaman wanted to play in first-class cricket to gear up for the ODI series against South Africa in Faisalabad next month and team management agreed to give the left-hander a break from T20 cricket.

“That’s created an opportunity for another top-order player and it’s a great opportunity to get Babar back into the squad,” Hesson said. “He’s likely to bat at three so it’s a role that I’m very confident that he’ll be able to do well, and it also gives our squad some options coming into the World Cup.”

POPULAR PICK

Babar has a strong fan base, and strong crowds turned out in Lahore and Rawalpindi to cheer for their star player during the recent drawn 1-1 test series against South Africa. They left the stadium in big numbers the moment Babar got out.

Babar scored 131 runs in four test innings against South Africa, falling to spinners three times. His top score of 50 was not enough to save Pakistan from an eight-wicket loss at Rawalpindi in the second test.

UNDERSTRENGTH SOUTH AFRICA

Injury to David Miller forced the Proteas to hand over the T20 captaincy to Donovan Ferreira, who recently endured a shocking four-wicket loss to Namibia in a one-off game. Miller strained his right hamstring during a training camp in South Africa.

Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee was also ruled out of the white-ball tour to Pakistan because of a pectoral muscle injury he sustained against Namibia, when he was limited to 1.3 overs. Another promising fast bowler, Kwena Maphaka, was ruled out with a hamstring strain.

Matthew Breetzke, who will lead South Africa in the ODI series against Pakistan, and uncapped Tony de Zorzi were drafted into the T20 squad.

The series will also mark the return of Quinton de Kock in white-ball format after the left-hander reversed his ODI retirement last month. He hasn’t played in the shortest format since South Africa lost last year’s T20 World Cup final to India.

Topics: Babar Azam Pakistan vs South Africa

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