Rejuvenated Amir back for ‘unfinished work’ at T20 World Cup

Pakistan's Mohammad Amir takes part in a practice session at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on May 4, 2024. (AFP/File)
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Updated 07 May 2024
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Rejuvenated Amir back for ‘unfinished work’ at T20 World Cup

  • Amir was selected at the age of 15 by none other than great left-armer Wasim Akram at a fast-bowling camp
  • He says his short-term goal is to win World Cup, adds it’s hard to describe the feeling of playing for Pakistan

KARACHI: Rejuvenated fast bowler Mohammad Amir said he has “unfinished work” at next month’s T20 World Cup, 15 years after dazzling as a teenager when Pakistan last lifted the trophy.

The 32-year-old, who was jailed for spot-fixing in 2011, came out of retirement last month and is grateful to have another crack at the World Cup.

“It’s a great feeling to be playing for Pakistan again,” Amir told AFP by phone from Lahore this week ahead of the tournament in the United States and the West Indies beginning on June 2.

“I want to complete the unfinished work and, for me, the short-term goal is to win the World Cup.”

The young Amir impressed in all formats after breaking into the Pakistan side in 2009 and playing at the T20 World Cup.

Within a year he was one of the hottest young talents in cricket, but his precocious career then crashed to an infamous halt in 2010.

Amir was one of three Pakistan players banned from cricket for five years for spot-fixing during a Test match in England after being caught in a newspaper sting. He was later jailed in the UK for six months.

Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who was deemed the ringleader, and fellow quick bowler Mohammad Asif were also banned and the pair were jailed for 30 and 12 months respectively.

Amir returned after his ban to play for Pakistan in 2016 but announced a shock retirement in December 2020 after poor form kept him from being selected.

He will form a potent pace bowling attack with spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf that sees Pakistan ranked among the World Cup favorites.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board and the team management have shown trust in me so I have to fulfil that trust,” said Amir.

“I have come back after four years and when you play for your country the feeling cannot be described.”

Amir played three of the four T20 home matches against New Zealand last month, taking three wickets in a 2-2 drawn series, and said he felt part of the attack again.

“To be honest I felt fitter than in 2019 and until you are fit you cannot express yourself, so I am ready to do better and better,” said Amir.

He will be in action when Pakistan travel to Ireland for three T20s in Dublin on May 10, 12 and 14.

Pakistan then move to England to play the defending T20 world champions in Leeds (May 22), Birmingham (May 25), Cardiff (May 28) and London (May 30).

Brought up in Changa Bangial village in Punjab province, some 60 kilometers from the capital Islamabad, Amir was determined to make his name in cricket after his five older brothers introduced him to playing.

He was picked out at the age of 15 by none other than great left-armer Wasim Akram at a fast-bowling camp and within two years grew in height and overcame a stress fracture of the back.

Amir said now he only wanted to remember the good events in his career.

“The 2009 Twenty20 World Cup winning memories are special and excite me to this day,” said Amir, who took six wickets in seven matches in the tournament.

They included the prize dismissal of Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan — the player of the tournament — in Pakistan’s eight-wicket final victory.

“I was selected for the first time and then became part of a champion team.

“When I landed (back) at Rawalpindi airport to go to my village there were so many cars and they were showering flowers on me,” he recalled.

“I am lucky that I am still playing. When I came, I was the youngest in the team, so here I am having another chance to win the World Cup and that is the target for me and my team.”


Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

Updated 22 sec ago
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Portuguese goalkeeper Patricio joins Al-Ain for Club World Cup

“Patricio will arrive to the UAE tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests,” Al-Ain said
Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal

ABU DHABI: Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio will join Al-Ain on a short-term contract for the Club World Cup, the team from the United Arab Emirates said on Saturday.

“Al-Ain has signed Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio to participate with the team in the 2025 Club World Cup,” the club said on X about the 37-year-old Portugal international who is joining them from Atalanta.

“Patricio will arrive to the United Arab Emirates tomorrow evening to undergo medical tests and join the first-team training,” Al-Ain added.

Patricio played 108 matches for Portugal, helping them win Euro 2016, and has had spells with Sporting Lisbon, Wolverhampton Wanderers and AS Roma.

Al-Ain, who won the AFC Champions League title in 2024, reached the final of the 2018 Club World Cup final in front of their home fans.

This year’s revamped 32-team tournament will take place in the United States in June and July.

Al Ain have been drawn in Group G with Juventus, Manchester City and Morocco’s Wydade.

FIFA opened an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10 to allow players to be signed for the tournament.

Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

Updated 15 min 22 sec ago
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Green Falcons hold Alkhobar training session in preparation for World Cup qualifiers

  • French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session
  • Team preparations resume tomorrow night with full training session

KHOBAR: The Saudi national football team held a training session on Saturday in Alkhobar, as they continue preparing for the decisive ninth and 10th rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

French coach Herve Renard supervised the team as they held a light recovery session at the health facilities of the Green Falcons’ base camp, a media statement said.

Injured left back Muteb Al-Harbi continued his rehabilitation program under the medical staff’s supervision, while teammate Mohammed Bakr resumed physical training with the team’s fitness coach.

After the recovery session ended, Renard gave the players some free time, with the squad scheduled to return later this evening at their base.

The Green Falcons’ preparations resume tomorrow night with a full training session at 7 p.m. in Ettifaq Club Stadium.

The first 15 minutes of the session will be open to the media to offer a glimpse into the team’s readiness as the qualifiers draw near.

Saudi Arabia stands at third place in Group C with 10 points from eight matches. Japan tops the group on 20 points, while second-place Australia has 13 points.

The Green Falcons play against Bahrain on June 5 and Australia on June 10.


Oscar Piastri outpaces team-mate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

Updated 36 min 28 sec ago
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Oscar Piastri outpaces team-mate Lando Norris to grab Spanish Grand Prix pole

  • Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell

BARCELONA: Oscar Piastri outpaced title rival and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the final minute of a gripping qualifying session on Saturday to clinch pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The championship leader clocked a near flawless final lap of one minute and 11.546 seconds to beat Norris by 0.209 seconds as McLaren claimed a dominant one-two having also topped all three practice sessions.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes.
Charles Leclerc was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls’ impressive rookie Isack Hadjar and local hero two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin.
It was Piastri’s fourth pole of the season and career as he seeks to extend his three-point lead ahead of Norris in the drivers’ championship.
“Nice work, very nicely done, everyone,” said the cool 24-year-old Australian on team radio. “That’s quite some turnaround from last year. Well done everyone. Let’s have some fun tomorrow!“
He added: “I’m very glad to be on pole here and now I just need a good start. It’s a long run to the first corner!“
Norris said: “Oscar has driven really well and he deserved it. But it is a great result for the team.”
Piastri’s two-second advantage is the biggest this season between pole and second place.
After an early fast lap from Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in Q1, the big guns arrived in torrid heat with a track temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), and the air at 29, punishing conditions for tires on a high-degradation track.
The session was briefly stalled when Alpine’s Franco Colapinto stopped in the pitlane and, after a delay, forced others to undertake him leading to a frantic final two minutes.
Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull was eliminated in 20th and last place along with Colapinto, Williams’ Carlos Sainz — his worst qualifying result at his home event — in 18th, Esteban Ocon of Haas and Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg.
For Tsunoda, it was a major setback as he sought to solve Red Bull’s dilemma in searching for a partner to push Verstappen.
At the front, Piastri topped Verstappen and Norris.
In Q2, McLaren’s duo led the first runs ahead of Verstappen, Russell and a revived Hamilton before choosing not to take a second go as Hadjar shone, taking sixth and splitting the Ferraris.
Out went Alex Albon of Williams, Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto, Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, Stroll and Oliver Bearman in his Haas.
The top 10 shootout began with Piastri lapping in 1:11.836 before Norris overhauled him by 0.017sec for provisional pole on the opening charge.
Russell was third ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton before a late Alonso lap lifted him to fifth amid roaring appreciation.
Cloud cover affected conditions for the second runs as both McLaren men fought for pole with the Australian prevailing.
It was McLaren’s first front row lockout in Spain since 1998.


Real Madrid most valuable soccer team for fourth straight year, say Forbes

Updated 31 May 2025
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Real Madrid most valuable soccer team for fourth straight year, say Forbes

  • Real became the first soccer club to bring in a billion dollars in a single year
  • England’s Manchester United are second in Forbes’ list with a $6.6 billion valuation

MADRID: LaLiga side Real Madrid topped the list of the most valuable soccer teams in the world for the fourth year in a row with a valuation of $6.6 billion, business magazine Forbes has said.

Real became the first soccer club to bring in a billion dollars in a single year after they posted a record $1.13 billion in revenue for the 2023-24 season, the magazine added in a report published on Friday.


The Spanish club, the second sports team in history to hit the 10-figure threshold after National Football League side Dallas Cowboys, are the first soccer team to register one billion euros in revenue in a single season, Deloitte had said earlier this year.

England’s Manchester United are second in Forbes’ list with a $6.6 billion valuation after generating $834 million in revenue in the 2023-24 season despite a forgettable Premier League campaign where they finished eighth.

Real’s LaLiga rivals Barcelona are third, valued at $5.65 billion, while Liverpool and Manchester City are fourth and fifth.

Forbes named six Premier League sides among the top 10 most valuable teams with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea making the list after Bayern Munich and Paris St. Germain.

“Together, the 30 most valuable soccer teams are worth more than $72 billion, or an average of $2.4 billion, up 5 percent from 2024’s record $2.26 billion,” Forbes said.


Ajax appoint Heitinga as new coach

Updated 31 May 2025
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Ajax appoint Heitinga as new coach

  • Former club manager Marcel Keizer will serve as Heitinga’s assistant
  • “John knows the club well,” Technical Director Alex Kroes told the club website

AMSTERDAM: Ajax Amsterdam have named John Heitinga as their new coach, with the former Netherlands defender signing a two-year deal, the Eredivisie club confirmed on Saturday.

Heitinga, who grew up in the club’s youth ranks and was part of Ajax’s senior squad for seven and a half seasons, was one of Arne Slot’s assistants at Liverpool in their Premier League-winning season.


Former club manager Marcel Keizer will serve as Heitinga’s assistant and has signed a contract of the same duration, Ajax added.

“John knows the club well,” Technical Director Alex Kroes told the club website.

“We are convinced that he, together with Marcel, will help improve our players and build on the progress made since last summer in terms of, for example, elite sporting culture and discipline.”

Heitinga replaces Italian Francesco Farioli, who resigned earlier this month after a year in charge.

Record 36-time champions Ajax finished the season second after blowing a nine-point lead as they were pipped to the league title by PSV Eindhoven on the final day.

Ajax last won the league in 2021-22.

“It’s good that it’s decided early on in the summer break that they will be in charge from the end of June. (We) can now continue working with John and the other parties involved on the squad composition for the coming season,” Kroes added.

Former Atletico Madrid and Everton defender Heitinga coached youth and reserve teams at Ajax after he retired from playing, following his return to Ajax, in 2016.

He was also briefly appointed as acting coach of Ajax in 2023 after the firing of Alfred Schreuder.

Heitinga, who won 87 caps for the Netherlands, was then David Moyes’s assistant at West Ham United before taking on the same role at Liverpool.

“I am incredibly excited to start,” Heitinga said.

“The last years in England have done me a lot of good. I’ve been able to develop further alongside David Moyes and Arne Slot, while also getting a behind-the-scenes look at two major clubs.

“I’m ready to continue as a head coach and I’m honored to be given that opportunity at Ajax.”