Straight drive: Afridi says ‘no chance’ of India-Pakistan cricket while Modi leads

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Shahid Afridi during an exclusive interview with Arab News on Wednesday in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
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Updated 27 September 2020
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Straight drive: Afridi says ‘no chance’ of India-Pakistan cricket while Modi leads

  • Former skipper tells Arab News Pakistan players ‘missing out’ over IPL ban

KARACHI: Pakistani all-rounder and former skipper Shahid Khan Afridi says there is “no chance” of cricketing ties being revived with India as long as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power. 
Strained relations between the two nations and a decades-long dispute over the Himalayan valley of Kashmir have laid the foundations for one of the most intense sporting rivalries in the world. 
Ties have been especially strained in the past year after Modi’s government stripped Kashmir’s autonomy, which both nations rule in part but claim in full.
Pakistan and India have not played a bilateral Test series since 2008 when already brittle ties were shattered by the Mumbai terror attacks.
“The government of Pakistan is always ready, but with the present regime (in India) there are no such chances of resuming cricket relations, or of a Pakistan-India series,” Afridi told Arab News in a wide-ranging interview at his home in Karachi this week.
“With Modi in power, I don’t see it’s going to happen.”
Cricket is especially popular in both India and Pakistan, and emotions run high whenever the two sides play each other, usually in packed stadiums resounding with nationalist slogans.




Shahid Afridi during an exclusive interview with Arab News on Wednesday in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)

In the past New Delhi and Islamabad used cricket matches to try to make progress on issues that have dogged relations, especially the fate of the Kashmir region.
In 1987, then-Pakistan President Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq visited India to watch a cricket match, but the event was also used to defuse a crisis over troop build-ups on one of the world’s most militarised borders, and the Pakistani leader met Indian prime minister of the day, Rajiv Gandhi.
In 2005, Pakistan’s then-military ruler Pervez Musharraf visited India for a cricket match, but the trip also became a summit with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the two leaders agreed to open up the Kashmir border.
Afridi agreed that sports could play an important role in improving relations between the two countries, especially since cricket was like a “religion” for the people of India and Pakistan. “So, I think that sports are a thing which can help improve ties,” he said.
Commenting on the 2020 Indian Premier League, which was initially scheduled to begin in March in India, but is being held in the United Arab Emirates due to the coronavirus pandemic, Afridi said Pakistani players were missing a “big opportunity” by not being part of the tournament. 
“I know that IPL is a big brand in the world of cricket and it is an excellent opportunity for Babar Azam or any other Pakistani players to go there, play under pressure and share dressing rooms,” the Pakistani cricketer said. “So, in my opinion, Pakistani players are missing a big opportunity.”
Asked if he stood by an earlier statement that he was more loved in India than in his homeland, Afridi said: “If their love is true, no one can take it away, no matter whose government it is.
“No doubt, the way I have enjoyed cricket in India, I have always appreciated the love and respect I receive from the people of India. And now when I speak on social media, I get many messages from India and reply to many people. I believe that my overall experience in India has been excellent.”
Speaking about the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Afridi said the Pakistan prime minister had been an exemplary cricketer who led the country to World Cup victory in 1992, but one should not expect him to change decades of problems in a few years. 




Shahid Afridi during an exclusive interview with Arab News on Wednesday in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)

“It’s time to fulfil the promises he made before the elections,” Afridi said. “This is a great opportunity; the army is with you, judiciary is there. All are on one page.”
Khan has a favorable “ground and pitch” to achieve success, Afridi said, adding that the PM needed a stronger team to help him win. 
“Imran Khan will have to play with a strong team; he will have to take honest and clean people along with him,” he said. “The people who we see around Imran should work for this country, so the time doesn’t arrive when Imran is all alone.”
Speaking about punishing culprits in the recent case of a woman who was attacked and raped on a major highway in front of her children, Afridi said: “Don’t hang them publicly. But do hang them and set an example — and do it immediately.”
The 40-year-old cricketer is also known for his philanthropic work across Pakistan, and has formerly worked with UNICEF and several national organizations.
He said his parents were his “inspiration” for starting charity work and setting up the Shahid Afridi Foundation, which provides education, health care, access to water and sports rehabilitation in Pakistan’s underprivileged communities. 
Afridi has established hospitals in his hometown of Tirah in Khyber district as well as Kohat. His foundation has distributed rations to 40,000 families across Pakistan and offers free education to deserving students in 14 schools across the country. It also gives scholarships to 10 students from the tribal areas each year. 
Afridi has launched 200 water projects in the tribal districts and the arid Tharparkar region in Sindh, and also helped repatriate over 250 Pakistanis who were stranded in the Middle East due to the coronavirus pandemic. 
“We will have to educate these children,” he said, referring to Pakistan’s tribal areas. “I hope cricket academies will reach these areas.”


Zico says Ancelotti just the man to take Brazil back to the top

Updated 7 sec ago
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Zico says Ancelotti just the man to take Brazil back to the top

KASHIMA, Japan: Carlo Ancelotti’s track record of getting the most out of Brazilian players makes him the best man to take the national team back to the top, football legend Zico told AFP.
The Italian Ancelotti has vowed to make five-time World Cup winners Brazil champions again next year after becoming the first non-Brazilian to coach the side in six decades.
He nurtured Brazilians such as Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid, helping to turn the 24-year-old from a figure of fun because of his inconsistent end product into one of the Spanish league’s biggest stars.
Zico is one of the best players ever to pull on Brazil’s iconic yellow shirt and believes Ancelotti’s understanding and experience make him the ideal man for the job.
“Ancelotti played with Brazilian players, he has been a champion coach with Brazilian players at several teams and he’s always praised Brazilian players and put them in a position to help him,” Zico told AFP in Japan, where the 72-year-old is an adviser to J. League club Kashima Antlers.
“He has a great understanding, he loves football and his approach to football is very much in line with Brazilian thinking.
“So I think he can be successful for this reason, he can help Brazilian players thrive with his knowledge, his ability and his expertise.”
At 65, Ancelotti has five Champions League titles under his belt and has managed the cream of Europe’s clubs including Juventus, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
He is taking the reins of a national team for the first time and becomes Brazil’s first foreign-born manager since 1965.
Zico says Brazilian coaches are no longer in vogue around the world, pointing to declining numbers of his compatriots in former hotspots like Africa, Saudi Arabia and Japan.
Zico, who has coached in several countries including Uzbekistan, Iraq and India, believes the Brazilian federation had little choice but to look overseas.
“Now is not a good time for Brazilian coaches, not just in Brazil but all over the world,” he said.
“Now, when it comes to the Brazil team, if you’re going to bring someone in, bring the best. As I see it, Brazil brought the best.
“For me he’s the best, so I don’t see anything to complain about.”
Brazil have yet to clinch their place at next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and are currently fourth in the South American qualifying table.
Ancelotti is their fourth coach since Tite stepped down following the quarter-final loss to Croatia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Italian faces some tricky fixtures in World Cup qualifying, with games at Ecuador and Bolivia still to come.
But Zico believes Brazil can be one of the main contenders for the trophy if they avoid the unthinkable and book their place in the tournament.
“I think Brazil have a chance if Ancelotti manages to do a good job in the short time he has,” he said.
“I think Brazil could become one of the contenders for the title. Why not? I don’t see any team in the world today as favorites.”


Oilers bounce Stars, clinch finals rematch vs. Panthers

Updated 13 min 23 sec ago
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Oilers bounce Stars, clinch finals rematch vs. Panthers

  • The Oilers now get another rematch, against defending Stanley Cup champion Florida after a seven-game series last June

The Edmonton Oilers get their shot at revenge in the Stanley Cup Final after claiming a 6-3 road victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday to close out the Western Conference finals.
Connor McDavid collected one goal and one assist as the Oilers dispatched the Stars in five games in the best-of-seven series and set up a rematch of last year’s finals against the Panthers, won by Florida in seven games.
Game 1 will be Wednesday at Edmonton.
Corey Perry, Mattias Janmark, Jeff Skinner, Evander Kane and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for the Oilers, who have won 12 of their last 14 playoff games and eliminated the Stars in the conference finals for the second consecutive year.
Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner made 14 saves.
Jason Robertson scored twice and Roope Hintz tallied once for Dallas, which has lost out in the Stanley Cup chase in the third round three straight years. Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley each recorded two assists.
Starting Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger was pulled after surrendering goals on the first two shots he faced. Casey DeSmith made 17 saves in relief.
Sensing their chance to close out the series, the Oilers staked an early 3-0 lead. Perry opened the scoring at 2:31 when he redirected McDavid’s centering pass for the power-play marker.
On Perry’s goal, McDavid collected his 100th career playoff assist in his 90th game, the second fastest player to hit the century mark for postseason helpers, behind only Wayne Gretzky (70 games).
Janmark doubled the lead at 7:09 by sliding home a breakaway chance. Jeff Skinner — playing his first game since the playoff opener — made it a 3-0 affair by banging home a rebound tally 58 seconds later for his first career playoff goal.
The Stars pushed back but could not draw even. Robertson scored for the third consecutive game when he gained a loose puck in the slot and rang a shot off the post and in at 11:40 of the opening frame.
Hintz made it a one-goal game with a power-play one-timer from the slot at 12:27 of the second period.
However, McDavid restored Edmonton’s two-goal lead two minutes later with a breakaway tally.
Robertson’s second of the game, a five-hole shot off the rush, again brought the Stars within one goal 38 seconds into the third period.
Kane responded at 3:21 of the period when his pass attempt banked off a defender and into the net to make it 5-3. Kapanen’s empty-net goal in the last minute rounded out the scoring.
Dallas failed to record a shot on goal in the final 16:17 of the game.


Saudi national football team prepare for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Updated 30 May 2025
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Saudi national football team prepare for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

  • Herve Renard supervised the training, which was held at Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium
  • Defender Ali Majrashi returned to full training with the squad after recovering from injury

RIYADH: The Saudi national football team trained on Thursday evening at their preparatory camp in Al-Khobar, as part of the build-up for their crucial ninth and tenth rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

French coach Herve Renard supervised the training, which was held at Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium, a media statement said.

The training session began with warm-up training followed by tactical exercises and a half-field game, before it concluded with stretching routines aimed at muscle recovery and injury prevention.

In a positive development, defender Ali Majrashi returned to full training with the squad after recovering from a recent injury. Muteb Al-Harbi and Mohammed Bakr continued their individual rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the medical team.

The Green Falcons will resume their preparation on Friday afternoon with a closed-door training match against the Jordanian national team, also scheduled to take place at Al-Ettifaq Club Stadium.


Argentine court declares a mistrial in the case over the death of soccer star Maradona

Updated 29 May 2025
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Argentine court declares a mistrial in the case over the death of soccer star Maradona

  • The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down
  • The judges turned the clock back on all proceedings

BUENOS AIRES: An Argentine court on Thursday declared a mistrial in the case of seven health professionals accused of negligence in the death of soccer legend Diego Maradona, the latest dramatic twist in a trial that has captivated the nation and the soccer world for more than two months.

The whiplash decision comes after one of the three judges overseeing the trial stepped down over criticism surrounding her participation in a forthcoming documentary about the case.

Her withdrawal compelled the court to either appoint a new judge in her place or to retry the entire case from scratch.

On Thursday, the judges decided the latter, effectively turning the clock back on all proceedings in the case that accuses Maradona’s medical team of failing to provide adequate care for the soccer star in his final days.


‘Al-Ittihad fans will be influential against Al-Qadsiah’ in King Cup final, says Laurent Blanc

Updated 29 May 2025
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‘Al-Ittihad fans will be influential against Al-Qadsiah’ in King Cup final, says Laurent Blanc

  • ‘Al-Qadsiah are a strong rival, and I know how dangerous they are,’ says French coach
  • Michel Gonzalez expresses happiness to play in King Cup final against Al-Ittihad on Friday

JEDDAH: Al-Ittihad head coach Laurent Blanc confirmed the team’s full readiness, predicting that Al-Ittihad fans will be influential against Al-Qadsiah when they meet on Friday in the King Cup final at Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah.

Blanc spoke to the press on Thursday ahead of the King Cup final, saying: “Al-Qadsiah are a strong rival, and I know how dangerous they are. Of course, they have ambitions to win the title. They have distinguished players, and they have speed, but my team are fully prepared for this match and will be ready to fight, enjoy and win.

“Al-Ittihad fans in Jeddah are important for the team. We must focus mentally.

“I am proud of the players after they had an exceptional season, and tomorrow our team will be ready to fight for victory. I have 22 players ready for the match, I know my team well, and I am happy with the players’ readiness.”

His countryman Karim Benzema, the captain of Al-Ittihad, explained that Al-Qadsiah have good players and a good coach, but playing the match in Jeddah will be in their favor.

He said: “Al-Qadsiah have a good coach and players, but we have full confidence in tomorrow’s match. As everyone knows, finals are won, not played. Today, we have a final training session in preparation for the final. This season, we were able to win against all teams, and tomorrow we have the home advantage and the fans.

“So, it’s job done in the Saudi Pro League, fantastic, and we’re happy to win the title. But tomorrow is a different game, a final, and we want to win at any cost.”

On the other side, Al-Qadsiah’s head coach, Michel Gonzalez, expressed his happiness to play in the King Cup final against Al-Ittihad, on Friday, at the end of the sports season.

“I am very happy with what we have achieved by reaching this great final, thanks to the players’ efforts,” Gonzalez said on Thursday during a press conference in Jeddah.

“We were able to secure an advanced position in the Saudi Pro League, in addition to qualifying for the final match of the King Cup.

“We had a real and strong desire to perform well since the beginning of the season, and all the club’s fans are happy with what the team have achieved. Everyone knows that we have performed at a high level this season … On the final night, we will face a very strong team, which recently won the Saudi Pro League.

“I promise the fans to do everything we can to beat Al-Ittihad for the first time this season and win the Cup title.”

Al-Qadsiah’s defender Nacho Fernandez expressed his confidence in his team’s ability to win the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup title against Al-Ittihad in the final match.
He said: “We are happy to be here after the great effort we put in this season. We came to compete and give our best. I like the quality of these matches because they are finals and we have respect for the opponent, the league champions.”