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India v Pakistan winner at Asia Cup: Akram, Sharma give their picks

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This is the year of the ICC Cricket World Cup in the 50-over format, which will be held in India. The Asia Cup 2023 is a great dress rehearsal especially for the regional powerhouses, India and Pakistan, and more so it is being held in the subcontinental conditions of the latter for a bit as original hosts and replacement venue Sri Lanka.

The two neighbours India and Pakistan meet on Saturday in an ODI for the first time since 2019, a long way, and adds to the euphoria building around it despite experts in Dubai trying to play it down.

Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram has tried to mask his gut feeling by pointing to the previous edition of the Asia Cup, held in the UAE, while appearing as a brand ambassador for the title sponsors Super 11 Fantasy League. India beat Pakistan, but the latter eventually reached the final (against Sri Lanka) while India did not in a shock result for the Men in Blue.

At another event, veteran commentator Charu Sharma, said “the brain says Pakistan, but the heart beats for India”, but both tried to subdue their enthusiasm in addressing other teams in the same breath. And latest word coming from Pallekele in Sri Lanka is that the rain clouds will also be out to dampen the length of cricket, if not a dreaded washout.

New personal feat for Charu Sharma

Charu Sharma and Ajay Sethi, owner of Fun Asia Network. Picture supplied

Among the pioneering voices behind Indian cricket, Sharma has been commentating since the early 1980s in a career which he admitted “was all about being at the right place at the right time.” And now he was excited and yet observed the irony of it that in his four decades of commentary, he has not checked off radio from his checklist. That has now changed with him being the star name behind Fun Asia Network and its Talk and Big 106.2 FM channels.

Speaking to Headline.ae, Sharma dipped into his years of experience to state how he is going to handle the new radio chapter in the era of TV and its rapid introduction of technology. “People still want to know the story of every ball in radio. So I think the focus still remains on every single ball … the backstories, statistics, etc are all secondary. Accuracy and action is the key.”

Sharma rubbished the notion that teams are fielding second-string sides to protect the main players before the all-important CWC next month. “The World Cup is a different tournament. And the minute you go into any one event or tournament, you want to win that. No one is using the Asia Cup as a tool for preparation for the World Cup. It has a lot of prominence. It’s not a junk tournament.

“We talked about the favurites, but the tournament standard is very high. If you put together India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and to some extent Afghanistan, you’re talking about a set of nations who can beat anyone on any given day.”

Wasim Akram at the unveiling of the title sponsors for the Asia Cup in Dubai.

Akram’s vote goes to …

Meanwhile, Wasim Akram was adept at masking where his money is when asked to choose a winner between India and Pakistan.

“Though the Pakistani team is top in ranking nowadays, I want to remind you that Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last time, while India couldn’t even qualify for the finals. The India-Pakistan game is very important, but you can’t rule out other teams like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh; even Afghanistan has a surprise element,” Akram said.

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Jannik Sinner triumphs over adversity to win first Wimbledon Title

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Jannik Sinner made history on Sunday by defeating Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to claim his first Wimbledon title, becoming Italy’s first-ever singles champion at the All England Club. The 23-year-old world No. 1 overcame months of personal and professional challenges to lift his fourth Grand Slam trophy and his first since returning from a doping-related ban.

Sinner’s victory marks a remarkable comeback after a turbulent start to the year. Though he won the Australian Open in January, his career was briefly clouded by controversy when he tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol. Tennis authorities later cleared Sinner of fault, stating the substance entered his system via a massage cream applied by a member of his support team. Despite the ruling, he served a voluntary three-month suspension imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), returning to competition in May.

“Very emotional, even if I don’t cry,” Sinner told reporters after his win. “Only me and the people who are close to me know what we have been through on and off the court. It has been everything except easy.”

Sunday’s victory was especially sweet as it came just weeks after Sinner lost a heart-wrenching French Open final to Alcaraz, where he had three match points. The Wimbledon win also snapped a five-match losing streak against the Spaniard.

Sinner credited his team, including Australian coach Darren Cahill, for helping him regain focus and confidence.

“We’ve tried to push every practice session, even if I was struggling at times mentally,” he said. “I feel like when I play the match, I can switch off and just play. That helped me a lot.”

Cahill praised Sinner’s resilience, noting the Italian’s mental strength in overcoming the Roland Garros disappointment.

“You could see from his first match here that he wasn’t carrying any baggage from Paris. That’s not easy to do,” said Cahill. “For him to wipe that away and bring this mentality is 100% credit to him.”

Sinner himself reflected on the lessons learned in Paris, saying the loss made him more determined.

“I always tried to be honest with myself and to accept it,” he said. “If you lose a Grand Slam final that way, it’s much better than when someone just outplays you.”

With his Wimbledon win, Sinner cements his place among tennis’s elite, proving that mental fortitude can be just as crucial as physical talent in the journey to greatness.

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Italy poised for historic T20 World Cup debut after victory over Scotland

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For decades, the blue of Italy has been synonymous with soccer. But as the once-mighty Azzurri football team teeters on the brink of missing a third successive FIFA World Cup, it is another, far less storied national side that is offering the country a shot at global glory.

Italy’s cricketers are now within touching distance of a historic first appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, following a 12-run victory over Scotland on Wednesday in the European regional qualifiers.

The win, achieved in Voorburg, propels Italy to the summit of the standings with one crucial fixture remaining. Victory over the Netherlands on Friday would see them qualify automatically for the 2026 tournament. Even a narrow loss may suffice, should Jersey and Scotland fail to produce the kind of crushing wins required to overhaul Italy’s superior net run rate (1.722, compared to Jersey’s 0.430 and Scotland’s -0.150).

At the centre of this unlikely charge is Joe Burns, the former Australian Test opener who has found new purpose, and a new passport, in leading the Italian side. “It’s a very surreal feeling,” said Burns, whose 23 Tests for Australia included Ashes appearances. 

“To come and beat Scotland, who are an exceptional team, is a wonderful reward for the sacrifices made by our players, our staff and the federation.

“This is hopefully the beginning of something special for Italian cricket. The group is very emotional right now, we know what’s at stake.”

With their final fixture scheduled after Scotland and Jersey conclude their clash earlier on Friday, Italy will take the field knowing precisely what is required.

Scotland, long considered Europe’s most capable challengers outside England, were left to rue a stuttering display with both bat and ball. Captain Richie Berrington admitted his side had been outmanoeuvred. “We stayed in the fight but couldn’t quite execute at the end,” he said. 

“Full credit to Italy, they out-skilled us with the ball in those conditions.

All eyes will now turn to Voorburg, where Italy’s date with destiny awaits, and history is within their reach.

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UFC returns to Abu Dhabi with high-stakes middleweight showdown on July 26

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is set to make a thrilling return to the UAE capital on Saturday, July 26, with a blockbuster middleweight clash headlining the action at Etihad Arena.

Top-ranked contender and fan favourite Robert Whittaker, currently No.5 in the middleweight division, will square off against rising star Reinier de Ridder in what promises to be an electrifying battle.

In a poetic twist, Whittaker returns to Abu Dhabi exactly five years after his victory at the final Fight Island event on July 26, 2020. That win over Darren Till, played out in a silent, pandemic-era arena, became a defining chapter in Whittaker’s storied career. This time, the stage is set for redemption and roar, as he steps back into the Octagon in front of a packed house.

Will the former champion recreate history, or will de Ridder seize his moment on the big stage?

Also on the fight card is a high-intensity light heavyweight bout featuring Türkiye’s Ibo Aslan taking on the USA’s Billy Elekana, a showdown guaranteed to keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its global reputation as a world-class destination for combat sports, and this event is shaping up to be another unmissable chapter in the UFC legacy.

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