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Rasikh Salam Dar took a four-wicket haul to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru set up a five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL match on Wednesday.Virat Kohli top scored with 49 runs as RCB
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The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) has unveiled the new design of the HH the Amir Cup basketball shield for the 2025-2026 season, alongside enhanced financial rewards to boost competition.At a press conference in Doha, QBF Secretary-General Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari said the redesign reflects efforts to raise the tournament's profile and increase competitiveness among clubs. He also announced improved prize money, with QAR 1.5 million for the winners and QAR 900,000 for the runners-up.The tournament begins with Qatar SC facing Al Khor in the preliminary round, followed by quarterfinal matches featuring top clubs including Al Sadd, Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, and others. The semifinals will take place on May 4, and the final is scheduled for May 6. Related Story
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Al Rayyan player celebrate after winning the QSL Cup at Stadium 974 Wednesday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Favourites Al Rayyan prevailed over Second Division rivals Muaither 2-0 in the final to lift the QSL Cup at Stadium 974 Wednesday. The triumph also meant The Lions claimed their first trophy since winning the Sheikh Jassim Cup in 2018, delivering immediate success under new coach Vicente Moreno. Roger Guedes struck in first-half stoppage time (45+1 minute) before Aleksandar Mitrovic added a second in the 53rd minute to seal victory for the champions. Muaither, who enjoyed an impressive tournament run, made strong early efforts to find a breakthrough but were held back by a resolute Al Rayyan defence. Their inexperience showed at a crucial moment when they squandered a promising chance inside the box. Al Rayyan were also tested by Muaither’s disciplined backline despite creating several opportunities. The deadlock was eventually broken when Brazilian forward Guedes capitalised on a clever assist from Khaled Ali Binsabaa, breaking into the box before beating both defender and goalkeeper to slot the ball into the right corner of the net. Al Rayyan doubled their lead early in the second half when Mitrovic headed home a long free kick that bounced into the net. The assistant referee initially raised the flag, but the goal was awarded following a VAR review. Moreno has been in charge for just two weeks after replacing Artur Jorge, and the victory provides a timely boost as The Lions continue their pursuit of further silverware. Al Rayyan remain in contention in both the Amir Cup and the Gulf Club Champions League. Al Rayyan centre-back Jassim Jaber expressed his delight at securing the title. “We performed well in the final against Muaither and crowned our efforts by winning this championship, which we hope will be an important motivation for us in the future,” he said. “Winning this title will give us confidence ahead of the semi-finals of the Gulf Champions League next Sunday. We thank Al Rayyan fans for their support, as they always have a great impact on raising the morale of the players,” Jaber added. Related Story
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Lauren Hemp fired England to a 1-0 win over Spain on Tuesday as the Lionesses moved closer to qualifying for the Women’s World Cup.Hemp’s goal early in the first half at Wembley sealed England’s third
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Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Wednesday from the Barcelona Open because of a wrist injury that troubled him in his first-round match, potentially casting doubt over his Roland Garros defence.“I won’t be able to continue in
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Ousmane Dembele struck twice to confirm Paris St Germain’s place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool on Tuesday, sealing a 4-0 aggregate win in their quarter-final tie at a rain-soaked
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Nasser al-Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain, praised his side’s collective approach after they secured a place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool FC at Anfield on Tuesday evening, sealing a 4-0 aggregate victory. PSG are the defending champions and have strong hopes of winning the title again this year.“We tried everything in the past 13-15 years. Three years ago, with Luis Enrique and the new project, we are trying to build something with a very young team. That is what we tried,” al-Khelaïfi said in a post-match interview.“We tried everything in the past 13-15 years. Three years ago, with Luis Enrique and the new project, we are trying to build something with a very young team. That is what we tried,” he added, reflecting on the club’s long-term direction under head coach Luis Enrique.“Of course, results are really important, but the most important for us was how we played football, to have a team, not players only. The star is the team, there are no stars in our team. Even today, we have the Ballon d’Or [winner], our players are huge, but the biggest star is the team.“They work for each other, the team, the club, the logo. We can probably have the best players in the world last year and this year but they work together as a team. Your fault is my fault, they run together, that is the mentality we want to have. We have the best coach in the world, he is an amazing coach, person and motivator.”PSG president’s first reaction after the win also included a tribute to the 97 Liverpool fans who lost their lives in the Hillsborough disaster.“We really think about the 97 people who lost their lives for football, and that's something much bigger than any football, any sport. So, our thoughts are with them and their family,” he said.He also showed support for Hugo Ekitike, who picked up an injury during the match, saying he hopes the injury is not too serious.Al-Khelaïfi said the team would stay grounded despite the result.“We are here, of course, very proud, very happy with both the result and qualifying for the semi-final. To come here and show respect for the amazing fans, and to beat them 2-0 again, that’s an amazing achievement.”“But we need to be humble, we need to stay grounded and think about the next step, the next match. We shouldn’t go over the moon, but we’re very, very happy.” Related Story
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World number two Carlos Alcaraz eased to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen on Tuesday to begin his push for a third Barcelona Open title.The Spaniard, who lost the Monte Carlo Masters
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Shabab Al Ahli booked their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite 2026 on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over 10-man Tractor FC from Iran to set up a clash with Japan’s
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Nigel Mansell said he had "total sympathy" with Red Bull's four-times world champion Max Verstappen in slamming Formula One's new rules era but expected the governing FIA to make changes to get back to "proper
