Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph

Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph
Player of the Match Gulbadin Naib of Dubai Capitals during the the DP World ILT20 win over the Desert Vipers held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. (ILT20)
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Updated 21 January 2025
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Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph

Dubai Capitals snap Desert Vipers’ DP World ILT20 winning streak with 6-wicket triumph
  • Capitals’ Gulbadin Naib led the charge with 78, while Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan claimed 3 wickets each

DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ undefeated streak finally ended on Monday as the Dubai Capitals delivered a stunning six-wicket victory at the Dubai International Stadium.

A dominant bowling performance, spearheaded by Dushmantha Chameera and Zahir Khan’s three-wicket hauls, restricted the Vipers to 139. Gulbadin Naib then led the chase with a fiery 78-run innings off 51 balls, ensuring the Capitals broke a three-match losing streak.

The Desert Vipers still lead the DP World ILT20 table after five matches of the competition’s third season.

Despite the low first innings total, skipper Lockie Ferguson kept the Vipers in the game with a sizzling opening spell. Ferguson picked up Ben Dunk and Khalid Shah in the second over to leave the Capitals in trouble at 17/2.

Though the run rate was on track, opener Shai Hope was run out for eight runs, following a mix-up with Naib in the sixth over.

Naib, who was also dropped for two runs earlier in the innings, redeemed himself in the very next over as he took down Nathan Sowter for three sixes, bringing the required run rate to less than six runs an over.

With Sikandar Raza at one end, Naib blitzed his way to a 31-ball half-century, including two fours and three sixes. The pair brought up a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket in 36 balls.

As a result, at the 14-over mark, the Capitals were in the driver’s seat needing 32 runs in 36 balls.

Raza, who had taken few chances, was caught off Mohammad Amir’s shorter one for 24 runs in 26 balls in the 15th over. Najibullah Zadran joined Naib as the latter continued to dominate the Vipers’ bowling attack. Naib launched two more sixes as the Capitals scaled the target in 17.4 overs.

Batting first, the Vipers made a brisk start, reaching 48/1 at the end of the powerplay. Fakhar Zaman set the tone early, smashing a six and a four before being bowled by Chameera in the second over.

Dan Lawrence, batting at three, matched Zaman’s intent, while Alex Hales anchored the innings from the other end.

However, the Capitals took control in the middle phase despite a 58-run stand between Hales and Lawrence. The Vipers suffered a triple blow in quick succession, losing Hales, Lawrence, and Sam Curran across three overs.

Haider Ali dismissed Hales for 34 in the 10th over, followed by Lawrence’s 24-run effort being curtailed by Naib. Curran was then stumped off Sikandar Raza for three runs, leaving the Vipers struggling at 80/4 in 11.3 overs.

The collapse continued as the Vipers were bowled out for 139 in 20 overs. Brief contributions from Azam Khan (10) and Wanindu Hasaranga (13) ended with both falling to Zahir Khan.

Sherfane Rutherford provided a glimmer of hope, striking three sixes in his 27 runs off 24 balls, but Chameera struck for the third time in the penultimate over to halt his charge.

Player of the Match Naib said: “We were at the bottom of the table, so we were looking for momentum. There’s still a long way to go. It’s not easy facing bowlers of this quality.

“Luckily, I gave myself some time. After the drinks break, the staff told me I was looking good, so I said to Sikandar, ‘I will play to my strengths.’”

The Desert Vipers’ captain, Ferguson, said: “It was a tough one. We were probably a few runs short and had some chances. They bowled well, and the pitch spun. There’s a quick turnaround again, but the boys have been batting beautifully.”

Brief Scores

Dubai Capitals beat Desert Vipers by 6 wickets.

Desert Vipers 139/10 in 19.5 overs (Alex Hales 34, Sherfane Rutherford 27, Dan Lawrence 24, Dushmantha Chameera 3 for 26, Zahir Khan 3 for 34, Haider Ali 1 for 17).

Dubai Capitals 140/4 in 17.4 overs (Gulbadin Naib 78 not out, Sikandar 24, Ben Dunk 13, Lockie Ferguson 2 for 29, Mohammad Amir 1 for 31).

Player of the Match: Gulbadin Naib


Du Plessis batters Strickland to retain UFC middleweight crown

Du Plessis batters Strickland to retain UFC middleweight crown
Updated 11 sec ago
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Du Plessis batters Strickland to retain UFC middleweight crown

Du Plessis batters Strickland to retain UFC middleweight crown
  • South African Dricus du Plessis defended his UFC middleweight belt on Sunday with a unanimous win over bitter rival Sean Strickland, destroying his opponent’s nose in a bloody title fight in Sydney
SYDNEY: South African Dricus du Plessis defended his UFC middleweight belt on Sunday with a unanimous win over bitter rival Sean Strickland, destroying his opponent’s nose in a bloody title fight in Sydney.
The 31-year-old won 50-45, 50-45, 49-46 to boost his win-loss record to 23-2 and cement his status as mixed martial arts’ top 185-pound fighter.
Du Plessis first claimed the belt when he beat Strickland via a close split decision in Toronto in January last year, a bout the polarizing American repeatedly insisted he won.
The South African launched a successful defense against Nigeria-born Israel Adesanya in August, while Strickland rebounded with a tepid defeat of Brazil’s Paulo Costa to set up the re-match.
“To come in here and try to knock this man out it is next to impossible,” said Du Plessis, the first South African to win a UFC championship. “I’d love another round, but that’s not the game.
“I wanted a submission, a knockout or an absolute domination of a five rounder,” he added. “That’s what I gave. I gave it my all.”
The Toronto clash was decided by the smallest of margins, but this time it was all Du Plessis.
In a measured start he utilized his favored head kicks, landing four in round one as Strickland responded with tentative jabs.
The volume of strikes increased in round two with Du Plessis delivering combinations to the face that drew blood as he picked up the pace.
Strickland lacked urgency and Du Plessis rammed home the advantage in a dominant round four.
A huge right hook saw blood come pouring from the American’s nose, and another rocked him onto the cage.
Strickland’s nose was clearly bothering him as Du Plessis went in for the kill in the fifth and last round, targeting it whenever possible without being able to deliver a decisive knockout blow.
In a profanity-laden courtside interview afterwards, the American said his nose was broken.
“I popped it back in place and kept fighting for you,” he said. “He kicked my ass fair and square, props to him.”
Also on the maincard, Chinese strawweight queen Zhang Weili successfully defended her title for a third straight time, dominating previously unbeaten American challenger Tatiana Suarez.
The ferocious Zhang, seen as the best pound-for-pound women’s fighter in the sport, scored a unanimous win in the five-round fight that left Suarez with some nasty cuts.
“I was well prepared for this fight. Tatiana is very strong, but I just focused on myself,” said Zhang, who stretched her record to 26-3.
In the heavyweight non-title bout, Brazil’s Tallison Teixeira scored a knockout win over Justin Tafa after just 35 seconds, with a huge elbow to the nose sending the Australian down.
It stretched Teixeira’s record to 8-0.

New Zealand’s Ravindra suffers sickening head injury in Pakistan ODI

New Zealand’s Ravindra suffers sickening head injury in Pakistan ODI
Updated 55 min 18 sec ago
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New Zealand’s Ravindra suffers sickening head injury in Pakistan ODI

New Zealand’s Ravindra suffers sickening head injury in Pakistan ODI
  • Ravindra was fielding at deep square leg when he seemed to lose sight of ball at Gaddafi Stadium
  • After being treated, the 25-year-old left the field holding a bandage tight to his bloodied forehead

LAHORE: New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra suffered a sickening blow to the head after he appeared to misjudge a catch during his team’s ODI victory over Pakistan on Saturday.
The 25-year-old was fielding at deep square leg when he seemed to lose sight of the ball against the Qaddafi Stadium floodlights as he shaped to take a catch to dismiss Khushdil Shah.
Blood poured from the head of a dazed Ravindra while the crowd looked on with concern.
After being treated, he left the field holding a bandage tight to his bloodied forehead.
“Ravindra was forced from the field after being struck in the forehead by the ball attempting a catch in the 38th over,” a New Zealand Cricket spokesman told cricinfo.
“He sustained a laceration to the forehead which has been addressed and treated at the ground, but is otherwise well. He came through his first HIA (Head Injury Assessment) well and will continue to be monitored under HIA processes.”
Earlier Ravindra had scored 25 from 19 balls at the top of the order as New Zealand piled up 330-6 before his team went on to claim a 78-run win.
The match was part of a tri-nations series which also features South Africa and is a warm-up ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month.
 


Phillips powers New Zealand’s 78-run win over Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy

Phillips powers New Zealand’s 78-run win over Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy
Updated 09 February 2025
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Phillips powers New Zealand’s 78-run win over Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy

Phillips powers New Zealand’s 78-run win over Pakistan ahead of Champions Trophy
  • Glenn Phillips smashes unbeaten 106 off 74 balls in maiden ODI century 
  • Fakhar Zaman scores 84 off 69 balls as Kiwis dismiss Pakistan for 252 runs

LAHORE: Glenn Phillips warmed up for the Champions Trophy with his first one-day international century as New Zealand beat Pakistan by 78 runs in the opening game of the tri-nation cricket series on Saturday.
Phillips smashed an unbeaten 106 off 74 balls, including six boundaries and seven sixes, at a newly renovated Gaddafi Stadium. The No. 6 batter propelled New Zealand to 330-6 in its 50 overs on a flat wicket with Daryl Mitchell (81) and Kane Williamson (58) also getting the feel of the wickets for the upcoming Champions Trophy with half centuries.
In reply, Fakhar Zaman, playing his first international in more than seven months because of illness, made a belligerent 84 off 69 but the rest of the top-order batters struggled against spin.
Pakistan was bowled out for 252 in 47.5 overs.
Phillips capped a perfect day by trapping Zaman leg before wicket with his off-spin and also took a brilliant diving catch to dismiss Babar Azam early in Pakistan’s run chase.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips, right, plays a shot as Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan watches during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)

Babar struggled in his new role as opener in ODIs for the first time since 2015 and scored a painstaking 10 runs off 23 balls.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner (3-41) clipped the top-order with his left-arm spin while Bracewell took 2-41.
New Zealand, which is already sweating on the fitness of fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, had another injury scare when the ball hit Rachin Ravindra in the face as he misjudged a catch of Khushdil Shah in the outfield and had to leave the field.
Fast bowler Matt Henry chipped in with 3-55.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan walks off the field as New Zealand’s players celebrate after his dismissal during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)

No. 10 batter Abrar Ahmed hit an unbeaten 25 that included three successive boundaries off Henry.
Phillips unleashed his power-hitting against Pakistan’s two premier fast bowlers – Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah — in the last five overs that cost the home team 84 runs.
Pakistan, which lost the toss, had kept New Zealand in check at 246-5 before Phillips cut loose against the two pacers.
Williamson, playing his first ODI since November 2023, took his time to settle down. He reached the slowest ODI half century of his career in 82 balls before he edged Afridi after sharing a 95-run stand with Mitchell.
Mitchell survived a close run-out at the non-striker’s end before he had scored when Babar couldn’t hit the stumps from close range, but settled in well to score nearly a run-a-ball before chipping a catch to mid-wicket against a low full toss from Ahmed (2-41).

Pakistan’s Babar Azam (R) and Fakhar Zaman run between the wickets during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)

Pakistan suffered a major blow in the latter half of the innings when Haris Rauf (1-23) had to leave the field due to side strain after he fell in his follow-through during his seventh over. He took no further part in the match.
Phillips switched gears when he smashed three sixes against Agha, who filled in for Rauf, and then hit an audacious reverse scoop against Afridi which went for a flat six over third man.
Phillips reached his hundred in an expensive 25-run last over of Afridi, who ended up with 3-88 in 10 overs. Michael Bracewell hit 31 in 23 balls.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips (R) is congratulated by Mitchel Santner after scoring a century during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 8, 2025. (AP)

Gaddafi Stadium is one of the three venues to be upgraded for the Champions Trophy.
Karachi and Rawalpindi will also host Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan.
Lahore hosts the second game of the tri-nation series between South Africa and New Zealand on Monday. Karachi then hosts the remaining two games, including the final on Feb. 14.


LIV Golf Riyadh: Cleeks’ Meronk, Rahm’s Legion XIII go wire-to-wire under the lights

LIV Golf Riyadh: Cleeks’ Meronk, Rahm’s Legion XIII go wire-to-wire under the lights
Updated 09 February 2025
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LIV Golf Riyadh: Cleeks’ Meronk, Rahm’s Legion XIII go wire-to-wire under the lights

LIV Golf Riyadh: Cleeks’ Meronk, Rahm’s Legion XIII go wire-to-wire under the lights
  • The 31-year-old from Poland won his first individual title since joining LIV Golf prior to last season, shooting a 1-under 71 to finish at 17 under
  • Legion XIII won the LIV Golf season opener for the second consecutive season, having captured the title last year in Mayakoba when making their debut as LIV Golf’s first expansion team

RIYADH: Cleeks GC’s Adrian Meronk faced some tense moments on the back nine Saturday night at LIV Golf Riyadh presented by Ma’aden.

On the other hand, Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII spent the final round mostly in cruise control, their substantial lead never seriously threatened on the team leaderboard.

In the end, both Meronk and Legion XIII emerged as wire-to-wire champions in LIV Golf’s first tournament under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club.

The 31-year-old from Poland won his first individual title since joining LIV Golf prior to last season, shooting a 1-under 71 to finish at 17 under, two strokes ahead of Rahm and Torque GC’s Sebastian Muñoz.

Dean Burmester (Stinger GC) and Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) tied for fourth at 14 under. 

“Super special,” said Meronk, a former DP World Tour Player of the Year.

“I was nervous all day. I played quite good in the beginning, then it was a fight at the end. But super happy that I crossed the line. It was very satisfying, definitely.” 

Legion XIII won the LIV Golf season opener for the second consecutive season, having captured the title last year in Mayakoba when making their debut as LIV Golf’s first expansion team.

They began Saturday’s final round with an 11-shot lead, which ended up as their winning margin. Their winning total of 50 under for the week was just three shots off the record low by any team in a LIV Golf event, with Riyadh being the first tournament in which all four scores counted for every round. 

Legion XIII won the LIV Golf season opener for the second consecutive season, having captured the title last year in Mayakoba when making their debut as LIV Golf’s first expansion team. They won three more times in 2024 and now have five wins in their first 15 LIV Golf tournaments. 

Rahm led his team Saturday with a 5-under 67, with Tyrrell Hatton shooting 70 and Caleb Surratt 71. Tom McKibbin, the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland, shot even par to finish at 10 under and tie for 15th in his LIV Golf debut for Legion XIII. 

“Luckily we had a nice cushion going into today and we could afford to not have our best day as a team,” Rahm said, “But still, it was a decisive win and very happy we got to start the year again like this.” 

The All-Australian Ripper GC, the reigning LIV Golf Team Champions, prepared for their return to Adelaide this week as defending tournament champions by finishing tied for second at 39 under with RangeGoats GC. 

With Legion XIII draining the final round of drama on the team leaderboard, Meronk appeared to be doing the same in the individual competition. Entering the round with a two-shot lead, he extended it to four shots at the turn. 

But then he missed a short par putt at the 10th hole and followed with an errant tee shot at 11 that set up a second consecutive bogey. At the par-5 13th, his short birdie putt circled the cup 360 degrees before lipping out. Muñoz, playing in the same group, made birdie to tie Meronk for the lead. 

“The lip-out at 13, that was just so ugly,” Meronk said. “But it happens.” 

He steadied his nerves and delivered the decisive blow at the par-4 16th when his second shot from 167 yards settled 4 feet from the pin for the go-ahead birdie. He then closed it out with two pars. “The birdie on 16 was really huge,” Meronk said. “...It was probably the biggest shot for me this round.” 

Rahm, the defending LIV Golf individual champion was six shots back to start the day. He produced five birdies in a six-hole stretch early in his round and spent the back nine threatening to join the leaders. But he missed a 3-foot birdie putt at 15 that could’ve moved him to within a shot. 

“I think I played good enough to win,” he said. “Obviously it just maybe wasn’t my week.” It was definitely his team’s week, though. Their dominance under the lights left no doubt.  


Saudi equestrian wins Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla

Saudi equestrian wins Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla
Updated 09 February 2025
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Saudi equestrian wins Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla

Saudi equestrian wins Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla
  • Muhannad Alsalmi completed the race in 13 hours, 8 minutes, and 15 seconds
  • Emirati riders Abdullah Al-Amri and Saif Al Mazrouei won 2nd and 3rd places, respectively

ALULA: Saudi equestrian Muhannad Alsalmi topped the 120-kilometer Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla on Saturday, beating 200 riders from 64 countries around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Alsalmi completed the race in 13 hours, 8 minutes, and 15 seconds, for an average speed of 23.6 kilometers per hour, according to the report.

Taking the second spot was Emirati rider Abdullah Al-Amri, who clocked 13 hours, 8 minutes, and 43 seconds. Another Emirati rider, Saif Al Mazrouei, was third with a time of 13 hours, 9 minutes, and 29 seconds.

Organized by the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and the Royal Commission for AlUla, the endurance race is the largest of its kind. (SPA)

The winners received their prizes from Prince Abdullah bin Fahd bin Abdullah, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation and head of the Sports Sector at the Royal Commission for AlUla, during the award ceremonies.

Held at AlFursan Equestrian Village in AlUla, the event took place amid a fiercely competitive atmosphere. Recognized as one of the premier endurance races globally, the competition boasted a total prize pool of SAR15 million, the largest of its kind in this category.

The championship continues on Sunday, with 100 riders competing in the 160-kilometer Al-Mutadil Endurance race for a SAR5 million prize pool.

Last month, the picturesque ancient city located in Saudi Arabia's western region of Madinah hosted the AlUla Trail Race, with some 1,450 athletes from around the world competing.