Sports

KARACHI: Pakistan coach Siegfried Aikman has cautioned that he has no magic wand and it will take some time to transform the fortunes of the national hockey team with modern dynamics and improve its world ranking. “Pakistan has enormous potential and talent but they lack modern style of game,” the Dutchman told Dawn soon after arriving at the Jinnah International Airport from …

NEW DELHI: India are “hopeful” that injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could still make this month’s T20 World Cup despite his withdrawal from the South Africa series, coach Rahul Dravid said Saturday. Bumrah missed Wednesday’s opening win over the Proteas and is under medical supervision for a stress fracture of the back. Indian media have said the 28-year-old’s withdrawal from …

LONDON: Arsenal underlined their credentials as genuine Premier League title contenders with a 3-1 win over arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur, while Chelsea’s dramatic 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace gave Graham Potter his first success as Blues boss on Saturday. As the Premier League returned with a bang after the international break, Liverpool were rocked by Brighton & Hove Albion forward …

LAUSANNE: The Court of Arbitration for Sport has registered appeals by the Chilean football federation (FFCH) and the the Peruvian football federation (FPF)against FIFA’s decision to allow Ecuador to play at the World Cup despite allegations they fielded an ineligible player, it said on Friday. World football’s governing body FIFA earlier this month dismissed an appeal in the case of …

TEHRAN: Rights group Open Stadiums have called on FIFA to throw Iran out of the World Cup finals in Qatar in November because of the country’s treatment of women. In a letter sent to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday, the organisation said Iranian authorities continued to refuse to allow female fans access to games inside the country despite pressure …

NEW DELHI: India brought in Mohammed Siraj on Friday for the remaining Twenty20 matches against South Africa to replace pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, whose World Cup is in severe doubt because of a back injury. Bumrah missed Wednesday’s opening win over the Proteas and he is under the supervision of a medical team, the Board of Control for Cricket in …

Antonio Inoki, a Japanese professional wrestling star turned politician, widely known for his match with Muhammad Ali and ties to North Korea, has died aged 79, after years of battling a rare disease, the company he founded said on Saturday. “New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened at the passing of our founder, Antonio Inoki,” the company he started in 1972 …

England’s Phil Salt scored a blistering half-century as the visitors raced to an eight-wicket win over Pakistan in their sixth Twenty20 clash in Lahore on Friday to level the seven-match series at 3-3. Salt, who had struggled for runs coming into the game, looked in ominous form from the outset when he opened his innings with two fours before helping …

Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss next month’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, local media reported on Friday, after the Indian bowler was ruled out of the ongoing home series against South Africa with a back injury. The 28-year-old, whose unorthodox action and yorkers make him a valuable limited-overs asset, missed the recent Asia Cup with the injury. He played two 20-overs …

LAHORE: After yet another night of riveting drama on Wednesday, Pakistan and England clash in the sixth Twenty20 International at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday with the hosts eyeing a series-clinching win with a game to spare and the tourists hoping to stay alive till the final match on Sunday. Pakistan edged past England by five runs on Wednesday, successfully defending 145 …