Sports

AL ULA: The Dakar Rally roars into life on Friday in Saudi Arabia with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah seeking a sixth title and third in a row in the mythic motorsport marathon. A 425-strong colourful caravanserai made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks sets out from Al-Ula on a treacherous 4,900-mile odyssey around the Gulf kingdom with a Jan 19 …

SYDNEY: Caroline Garcia guided France into a United Cup semi-final against Iga Swiatek’s Poland on Thursday, winning a tough singles rubber and backing up in the mixed doubles to send Norway packing. After she came through a titanic struggle against unheralded Malene Helgo 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5), a red-hot Casper Ruud swept past Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4 to level …

CAPE TOWN: There should be a review of how pitches are rated with India receiving undue criticism according to Test captain Rohit Sharma in the wake of his side’s seven-wicket win over hosts South Africa on a seaming surface with variable bounce at Newlands. With variable bounce and sideways movement through the four and a half sessions, Rohit described the …

ISLAMABAD: In a significant development, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has started its probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), Dawn has learnt. In this regard, NAB has sought relevant record from the PSB — national sports regulatory body — including development expenditure and funds spent on foreign tours during the last five years. NAB in this …

Josh Hazlewood claimed three wickets in an electrifying over to bowl Australia into a potential winning position over Pakistan in an absorbing third Test in Sydney on Friday. Paceman Hazlewood ripped through to reduce the tourists from 67 for four to go to the close on the third day at 68 for seven, a lead of 82, on a deteriorating …

BRISBANE: Karolina Pliskova gave Naomi Osaka a reality check on her return to tournament tennis by rallying for a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory in a high quality second-round clash here at the Brisbane International on Wednesday. Aryna Sabalenka also reached the last 16, ramping up preparations for her Australian Open title defence with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Lucia Bronzetti. …

PERTH: Novak Djokovic suffered a frustrating fitness saga as a wrist problem led to the Serb’s upset 6-4, 6-4 loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals of the United Cup in Perth on Wednesday. Djokovic, who received multiple massages on court on his troublesome right wrist — hurt in training 24 hours earlier — fell victim to an …

WELLINGTON: Kane Willia­mson was named on Wednesday to return from injury and lead New Zealand in their T20 International home series against Pakistan. World-class batter Willi­a­mson missed last month’s ODI and T20 series against Bangladesh while he rehabilitated a knee injury sustained nine months ago. The 33-year-old recovered to play in the 50-over World Cup and a two-Test series in …

Pakistan captured the key wickets of Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja before rain washed out the second day’s play in the third Test in Sydney on Thursday. Marnus Labuschagne was on 23 and Steve Smith six in their team’s 116 for two before play was ended by bad light and rain before tea. The hosts trailed by 197 …

NICE: Algerian international footballer Youcef Atal was handed an eight-month suspended sentence by a French court Wednesday for inciting religious hatred in a social media post about the conflict in Gaza. The 27-year-old defender, who plays for Ligue 1 side Nice, must also pay a fine of 45,000 euros ($49,000) for sharing a video calling for a “black day for the Jews”, …