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Change of opponent for Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani after PFL MENA weigh-ins

Saudi's Abdullah Al-Qahtani will face Jordan’s Yazeed Hasanain as PFL MENA launches in Riyadh. (Supplied/PFL)
Saudi's Abdullah Al-Qahtani will face Jordan’s Yazeed Hasanain as PFL MENA launches in Riyadh. (Supplied/PFL)
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Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News
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Change of opponent for Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani after PFL MENA weigh-ins

Change of opponent for Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani after PFL MENA weigh-ins
  • Abdullah Al-Qahtani meets Jordan’s Yazeed Hasanain in the featherweight main event
  • Ali Taleb faces Nawras Abzakh in the bantamweight co-main event
Updated 09 May 2024
Arab News
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RIYADH: The Professional Fighters League begins the historic inaugural season of PFL MENA (Middle East and North Africa) on Saturday at the Green Halls in Riyadh, with bantamweight and featherweight fighters from the region going head to head.

In the main event, Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al-Qahtani is now set to meet Jordan’s Yazeed Hasanain after Taha Bendaoud did not make the contracted weight. Al-Qahtani weighed in at 66 kg, while Hasanain weighed 66.4 kg.

In the co-main event, Iraq’s Ali Taleb faces Jordan’s Nawras Abzakh in a bantamweight contest. Taleb weighed in at 60.5 kg with Abzakh tipping the scales at 61.4 kg.

Maraoune Bellagouit weighed in at 66.1 kg and now faces Mido Mohamed, who weighed in at 65.8 kg. Bellagouit’s original opponent Motaz Askar was not medically cleared by the commission to compete.

Hattan Alsaif, the first female from Saudi Arabia to sign with a major Mixed Martial Arts promotion, makes her highly anticipated PFL SmartCage debut against Egypt’s Nada Faheem. Alsaif weighed in at 47.1 kg while Faheem was 47.9 kg.

PFL MENA fight card:

Featherweight bout: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Yazeed Hasanain

Bantamweight bout: Ali Taleb vs. Nawras Abzakh

Bantamweight bout: Xavier Alaoui  vs. Rachid El Hazoume

Featherweight bout: Islam Reda vs. Adam Meskini

Bantamweight bout: Tariq Ismail vs. Jalal Al Daaja

Bantamweight bout: Elias Boudegzdame vs. Hassan Mandour

Women’s atomweight bout, amateur: Hattan Alsaif vs. Nada Faheem

Featherweight bout: Maraoune Bellagouit vs. Mido Mohamed

Featherweight bout: Ahmed Tarek vs. Abdelrahman Alhyasat

Flyweight bout, amateur: Malik Basahel vs. Harsh Pandya

Topics: MMA PFL Saudi Arabia Abdullah Al-Qahtani

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Ball, Bridges shine as Hornets sting Lakers

Ball, Bridges shine as Hornets sting Lakers
Updated 20 February 2025
AFP
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Ball, Bridges shine as Hornets sting Lakers

Ball, Bridges shine as Hornets sting Lakers
  • Point guard Ball finished with 27 points, including five three-pointers, to help the Hornets complete only their fifth road win of the season
  • The defeat leaves the Lakers in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 32-21 record
Updated 20 February 2025
AFP

LOS ANGELES: LaMelo Ball sparked a second-half fightback as the struggling Charlotte Hornets upset the Los Angeles Lakers 100-97 on Wednesday.

Point guard Ball finished with 27 points, including five three-pointers, to help the Hornets complete only their fifth road win of the season. Miles Bridges led Charlotte’s scoring with 29 points.

The Lakers, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic both starting, looked poised for a routine victory after opening up a 13-point cushion with a 65-52 lead late in the third quarter.

But some inspired shooting by Ball — and the ejection of Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves — swung the game back in favor of the Hornets.

From trailing by 13, the Hornets went off on a 17-1 run and Seth Curry nailed a 26-foot three-pointer to put the visitors 69-66 up heading into the fourth quarter.

Two three-pointers from Ball saw the Hornets race into a nine-point lead at 75-66 early in the fourth as the Lakers scrambled to regroup.

The Lakers did finally hit back offensively to get within two, and a running layup by James saw them regain the lead at 78-77.

But the Hornets always managed to stay in touch and a 30-foot three-pointer from Bridges put them 93-90 ahead with just under two minutes remaining.

The Lakers regained the lead with a Doncic layup soon afterwards, but Nick Smith’s three-pointer wrenched back the lead for Charlotte, and Ball closed out the win with four more points. James missed two attempted three-pointers to tie the game as the clock ran out.

James led the Lakers scoring with 26 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Doncic finished with 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists but coughed up six turnovers.

Lakers coach J.J. Redick admitted his team struggled after Reaves’ ejection, but said the Lakers’ problems were down to a shoddy offensive display as the team returned from the mid-season NBA All-Star break.

“I think we played 39 to 44 minutes of pretty poor offense,” Redick said. “Some of that’s to be expected. Some of it was sloppiness, some of it was poor execution.

“I’m not going to read too much into that because I think our guys competed tonight and they played extremely hard.

“That’s not to make an excuse. That’s just the reality of having six days off as a group and trying to integrate new pieces. That happens sometimes.

“I thought our competitive spirit was good enough to win — we were just really poor offensively for 90 percent of the game.”

The defeat leaves the Lakers in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 32-21 record.

Topics: LA Lakers

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‘Our tournament is over,’ say Pakistan fans after New Zealand loss at Champions Trophy

‘Our tournament is over,’ say Pakistan fans after New Zealand loss at Champions Trophy
Updated 20 February 2025
Reuters
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‘Our tournament is over,’ say Pakistan fans after New Zealand loss at Champions Trophy

‘Our tournament is over,’ say Pakistan fans after New Zealand loss at Champions Trophy
  • New Zealand posted a commanding 320-5 after Pakistan won the toss and put the visiting team to bat
  • Pakistan’s defeat has left fans disappointed, with some saying they are not optimistic about India match
Updated 20 February 2025
Reuters

KARACHI: Disappointed Pakistan fans lamented their side’s slow start to the Champions Trophy on Wednesday, saying their tournament is already over after falling to a 60-run loss to New Zealand in Karachi.
Will Young struck 107 and Tom Latham smashed an unbeaten 118 to help New Zealand overcome a sluggish start and post a commanding 320-5 after being put into bat.
Glenn Phillips chipped in with a brisk 61 as New Zealand breached the 300-mark, which had looked like a distant dream after their wobbly start.
Pakistan were all out for 260 in 47.2 overs with Babar Azam (64) and Khushdil Shah (69) scoring half-centuries but the hosts never looked in the hunt.
The opening defeat left the home fans disappointed and frustrated after they packed into the National Bank Stadium.
“The do-or-die situation was today and I think our tournament is over,” Pakistan cricket fan Muhammad Umer said after the match. “If we’re struggling to score 300 runs at home, what will happen when we face tougher challenges? Scoring 300 runs is the norm these days, but unfortunately, our team’s potential is limited to around 250 runs.”

Ground staff waves a New Zealand support banner during the ICC Men's Champions Trophy Pakistan v New Zealand match at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan, on February 19, 2025 (REUTERS)

The eight-team tournament will continue till March 9. Pakistan entered the contest as the defending champions, having beaten India in the final of the 2017 edition.
The eight participating teams have been divided into two groups with hosts Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and New Zealand pooled in Group A while Group B comprises Afghanistan, current ODI World Cup champions Australia, England and South Africa.
Following their opening encounter against New Zealand, Pakistan will now play their next two group matches on February 23 against India in Dubai and on 27 February against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi.
However, Umer said he was not optimistic about the team’s next match with India either. His sentiment was also echoed by Maaz Hassan, another fan.
“It’s extremely disappointing that we’ve virtually been eliminated from the tournament after just one match,” he said. “With India next, it’s unrealistic to expect a win against them.”
Hassan said even if Pakistan beat Bangladesh, the team’s chances of survival in the tournament were slim.
“Today’s loss was a huge opportunity wasted, and it’s clear that we’ve not only lost this match, but the tournament as well,” he said.

Topics: Champions Trophy 2025 Pakistan v New Zealand Cricket Karachi

Depleted Australia face uphill battle at Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan

Depleted Australia face uphill battle at Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan
Updated 20 February 2025
AFP
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Depleted Australia face uphill battle at Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan

Depleted Australia face uphill battle at Champions Trophy hosted by Pakistan
  • Australia’s ‘Big Three’ pacemen are not participating in the tournament for injuries and personal reasons
  • The team will be playing opening match against rivals England on Saturday as they face each other in Lahore
Updated 20 February 2025
AFP

SYDNEY: An Australia team struggling for confidence and missing the wealth of experience that has long been the backbone of their success face a daunting task to win a first Champions Trophy title since 2009.
The World Cup holders are without their “Big Three” pacemen — Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip) and Mitchell Starc, who has opted out for personal reasons.
It is a giant hole to fill with the trio sharing 525 ODI wickets across a combined 308 games.
Add in the absence of all-rounders Mitchell Marsh (back) and Marcus Stoinis (retired), and half of their regular team is missing.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is the only frontline bowler still standing for the tournament in Pakistan and Dubai.
The depleted side suffered a heavy 2-0 ODI series defeat last week in Sri Lanka, who failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy, and have now gone four 50-over games without a win.
Their death bowling is looming as a major concern.
The seamers Australia have selected — Spencer Johnson, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis and all-rounder Aaron Hardie — have just 52 ODIs in total, for a sum of 56 wickets.
Ahead of their opening Champions Trophy match against old rivals England on Saturday in Lahore, chief selector George Bailey is adamant they have enough ammunition to do the job.
“We have a range of options to shape the playing XI within the tournament depending on the opposition and conditions we face,” he said.
Drawn in Group B, they also face South Africa and Afghanistan.
Johnson will likely fill Starc’s new-ball strike role, tasked with making the early breakthroughs that have become a hallmark of the veteran quick.
“It’s obviously something I’ve pictured in my mind, to come in and play a similar role to him (Starc),” Johnson said.
“Hopefully I can replicate some of the stuff he’s done.”
Australia have twice lifted the Champions Trophy, in 2006 and 2009, and Steve Smith has been tasked with replicating the feat with regular skipper Cummins missing.
Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis join him in a potentially explosive batting order.
But Marnus Labuschagne is badly out of form and Australia are still struggling to fill the shoes of David Warner at the top of the order.
Jake Fraser-McGurk and Matt Short have so far been underwhelming, but one will be given another crack to open alongside Head.
Smith said the sobering Sri Lanka series was “another learning curve” while admitting Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc would “certainly be missed.”
“But it gives some guys an opportunity and I thought some of the guys who had an opportunity in the last two games (against Sri Lanka) bowled really nicely,” he said.
Despite his distinguished career Smith has never before played ODI cricket in Pakistan, and is unsure exactly what conditions they will encounter.
But he is confident the batters will rise to the occasion.
“The ball skids on probably a little bit more (in Pakistan),” he said. “So it’s potentially better for batting, but you’ve got to rock up and assess it and play to the conditions on the day.
“We’ve got a 15-man squad, quite a few batters in that squad we can choose from and we’ll pick whatever we feel is best for each scenario we face.”
 

Topics: Champions Trophy 2025 Australia

Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points

Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points
Updated 20 February 2025
AP
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Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points

Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points
  • Liverpool have now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, who appear to be the only other realistic challenger for the title
  • Liverpool are seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United
Updated 20 February 2025
AP

LONDON: Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up the equalizer by Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa that stretched their lead in the Premier League to eight points on Wednesday.

Salah tucked away with his league-leading 24th goal of the campaign to put Liverpool ahead at Villa Park in the 29th minute, only for the leaders to fall behind by halftime following a volley by Youri Tielemans and a header from Ollie Watkins.

Alexander-Arnold ran onto an inside pass from Salah and drove in a shot that deflected past Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez in the 61st as Liverpool salvaged a point from an end-to-end game, avoiding what would have been just a second league defeat of the season.

It remains to be seen whether this was a good point for Liverpool in one of the toughest away fixtures in the league or two more dropped points, a week after a 2-2 draw at local rival Everton.

“We desired more,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, “and that is the only thing we can blame ourselves for a few times now — we did not get what we deserved. We must not make a habit of that.”

Liverpool have now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, who appear to be the only other realistic challenger for the title, and have another tough away game on Sunday at Manchester City.

Arsenal play first out of the top two at the weekend — at home to West Ham on Saturday — and have the chance to trim the lead to five points before Liverpool meet City.

Liverpool are seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United.

Salah is spearheading Liverpool’s title charge. Not only is the Egypt forward the league’s top scorer, with five more than nearest challenger Erling Haaland of Manchester City, he has more assists than anyone else with 15.

Should Arsenal wind up reeling in Liverpool, the Reds may regret a big miss from Darwin Nunez after the Uruguay striker came on as a substitute. Dominik Szoboszlai ran through a squared the ball to Nunez, who had an open goal at which to aim with a left-footed shot.

Nunez blazed the finish high and wide, with Slot on the touchline barely believing what he had seen.

Villa then had chances to win it, with Morgan Rogers shooting over when well-placed and substitute Donyell Malen driving a low shot just wide with one of the last kicks of the game.

“We had some good chances to make it 3-2 and then we could even have lost it,” Slot said. “It was a great game but I am not happy with the result.”

Villa, who have lost just once at home all season in the league, stayed in ninth place and are four points off fifth. A fifth-place finish looks set to be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Topics: english Premier League Liverpool Mohamed Salah Aston Villa

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Alcaraz needs three sets to oust Luca Nardi at Qatar Open

Alcaraz needs three sets to oust Luca Nardi at Qatar Open
Updated 20 February 2025
AP
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Alcaraz needs three sets to oust Luca Nardi at Qatar Open

Alcaraz needs three sets to oust Luca Nardi at Qatar Open
  • Second-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev
  • Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev beat Zizou Bergs 6-2, 6-1 and will meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final eight
Updated 20 February 2025
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DOHA: Top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open by beating Luca Nardi 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Spaniard let his guard down in the second set, when his Italian opponent fought back from trailing 1-4 to force a decider.

“My energy levels probably went down a little bit, but credit to him,” said the third-ranked Alcaraz, who will next face Jiri Lehecka.

Also Wednesday, second-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal match against fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev.

Fourth-seeded Daniil Medvedev beat Zizou Bergs 6-2, 6-1 and will meet Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final eight.

Jack Draper eliminated Christopher O’Connell 6-2, 6-1. He will next play either Matteo Berrettini, who knocked out Novak Djokovic, or Tallon Griekspoor.

Topics: Qatar Open Carlos Alcaraz Luca Nardi

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