MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2016
C3
SPORTS MOTOR SPORTS
History for Afghanistan but Windies still on top West Indies had already qualified
ON PODIUM: Al Wahaibi Motorsports’ Khalid Al Wahaibi, centre, and Shihab Al Habsi, left, stand on the podium at the end of UAE X30 Challenge fifth round in Ras Al Khaimah. – Supplied photo
for the semifinals before the game and still finished top
Khalid, Shihab lead WMS to one-two finish in Ras Al Khaimah MUSCAT: Young Omani talents Khalid Al Wahaibi and Shihab Al Habsi excelled at the fifth round of Emirates X30 Challenge organised at the Ras Al Khaimah Track in Ras Al Khaimah recently. Accoding to information received here, Al Wahaibi Motorsports (WMS) drivers Khalid and Shihab completed a one-two finish in the Junior category. The Omani boys, however, came into their own after not so impressive outings in the practice and qualifying races. In the practice round, Khalid finished seventh while Shihab finished last in the nine strong field. In the qualifying, Khalid had a slightly improved performance to complete the race in the fourth place behind Hamda Al Qubaisi, Amna Al Qubaisi and Liam Crystal. After a disappointing Heat,
Khalid and Shihab drove exceptionally well to top the charts in the pre-final. Khalid clocked 11 minutes and 18.406 seconds to complete the 16 laps to finish in first place while Shihab timed 11:19.253 to finish in second place ahead of Tehmur Chohan (11:19.817). In the final, Khalid Al Wahaibi completed the 18-lap race in 12:30.783 to emege the winner. Shihab timed 12:39.353 to clinch the second place. The third place went to Enco Fontanella who completed the race in 12:39.639. Meanwhile, in the Rookie/ Cadet category, another Omani talent Mohammed Al Habsi finished sixth completing the 15lap race in 11:54.593. The event was won by Ahmed Al Saadi in 11:45.148.
of the group ahead of England with a superior net run rate despite the defeat
NAGPUR: West Indies will face India in the World Twenty20 last four after losing to Afghanistan by six runs in their final Super 10 stage match on Sunday, while England will play New Zealand in the other semi-final. Afghanistan, who lost the toss and were sent in to bat, rode an unbeaten 48 off 40 balls by Najibullah Zadran to post 123-7 in Nagpur and held their nerve to register their first win in Group One and ruin their opponents’ 100 percent record. West Indies had already qualified for the semifinals before the game and still finished top of the group ahead of England with a superior net run rate despite the defeat. “Obviously we are disappointed, but there’s no doubt we are not
LORENZO EMERGES CHAMPION, AZZAN RUNNER-UP Spaniard Lorenzo B overcame a stiff competition to emerge the champion at the Oman LNG 41st National Golf Championship at the Ghala Golf Club during the last weekend. Azzan Al Rumhy finished second ahead of veteran golfer Ali Hameed. In the women’s competition, Sanjoli Singh won the top honours and Jacky Franssen won the second place. In the junior category, Fahad Al Kitani won the title while Rashad Al Harthy took the second place. — Supplied photos
going to let this dampen our spirits,” Windies’ Darren Sammy told reporters. Leg-spinner Samuel Badree decimated Afghanistan’s top order, taking three wickets for 14 runs to leave them struggling on 52 for four in the 10th over, but man-of-the-match Zadran got four fours and a six at No. 6 to guide them to a competitive total. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan were the pick of Afghanistan’s bowlers, taking two wickets apiece after left-arm spinner Amir Hamza got the early breakthrough. Leg-spinner Khan caught Evin Lewis — in for the rested Chris Gayle — off a Hamza delivery for a duck in the third over to leave the Windies at 17-1, while off-spinner Nabi got top-scorer Dwayne Bravo lbw on 28. Andre Fletcher retired hurt with a hamstring problem, but was forced to return at the death as Afghanistan’s spinners kept picking off the Windies’ batsmen. Khan bowled Marlon Samuels on five and got Denesh Ramdin stumped on 18 to keep the pressure on and combined with wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad to run-out Andre Russell at the nonstriker’s end on seven after a mixup with Sammy. Nabi then struck again to see off the big-hitting Carlos Brathwaite, who smashed two sixes in the penultimate over to leave his team needing 10 runs off the last six balls. Zadran played a major part in Brathwaite’s demise, taking a brilliant running catch to send the danger man back to the pavilion for 13 as the Windies ran out of steam. - Reuters
CELEBRATION: Afghanistan’s players celebrate after winning the World T20 cricket tournament match against West Indies at The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. – AFP SCOREBOARD
AFGHANISTAN M. Shahzad c Benn b Badree 24 U. Ghani b Badree 4 A. Stanikzai c Bravo b Badree 16 G. Naib c Bravo b Sammy 8 S. Shenwari c Sammy b Benn 1 N. Zadran not out 48 M. Nabi c Samuels b Russell 9 Shafiqullah c Fletcher b Russell 4 R. Khan not out 6 Extras (lb-2, w-1) 3 Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 123 Did not bat: Amir Hamza, Hamid Hassan Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-33, 3-50, 4-52, 5-56, 6-90, 7-103 Bowling: A. Russell 4-0-23-2; S. Badree 4-014-3; C. Brathwaite 2-0-21-0; S. Benn 4-0-181; D. Bravo 4-0-28-0; D. Sammy 2-0-17-1 WEST INDIES J. Charles b H. Hassan 22 E. Lewis c R. Khan b A. Hamza 0 A. Fletcher not out 11 M. Samuels b R. Khan 5
D. Ramdin st M. Shahzad b R. Khan 18 D. Bravo lbw b M. Nabi 28 A. Russell run out (R. Khan/M. Shahzad) 7 D. Sammy c S. Shenwari b G. Naib 6 C. Brathwaite c N. Zadran b M. Nabi 13 S. Badree not out 2 Extras (lb-1, w-2, nb-2) 5 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 117 Did not bat: S. Benn Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-33, 2-34, 3-38, 4-79, 5-89, 6-98, 7-107, 8-114 Bowling: Amir Hamza 4-0-9-1; Mohammed Nabi 4-0-26-2; Hamid Hassan 2.4-0-19-1; Rashid Khan 4-0-26-2; Samiullah Shenwari 4-0-22-0; Gulbadin Naib 1.2-0-14-1 T20I debut: E Lewis (West Indies) Man of the match: Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan) Umpires: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and BNJ Oxenford (Australia) TV umpire: RA Kettleborough (England) Match referee: BC Broad (England) Reserve umpire : IJ Gould (England)