Sports

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

Published

2 years ago

September 2, 2023

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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.

Staff Reporter

Sports

From Messi to Mbappe: World champions set to clash in FIFA Club World Cup 2025

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2 days ago

June 12, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Get ready for one of the biggest club football tournaments in the world. The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 is taking place from June 14 to July 13 across 11 cities in the United States, bringing together 32 of the world’s top men’s football clubs in a revamped and supersized format.

The month-long tournament will culminate in a blockbuster final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where one club will lift the title of world champions.

FIFA has confirmed the 32 teams that will compete in the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup 2025 —and it’s loaded with legends.

From Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to Sergio Ramos and Thomas Müller, a total of 26 FIFA World Cup winners will be in action, giving fans across the globe, and especially in the UAE, a reason to tune in.

A Truly Global Tournament

The tournament will bring together 32 of the world’s top club teams, playing 63 matches across 12 venues in 11 host cities, including Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Seattle.

In what FIFA is calling the first true “world championship” for clubs, players from 81 countries will take the field, including representatives from all six football confederations and 22 nations that have never before appeared in a FIFA World Cup.

Star Power: World Cup Winners to Watch

The player list reads like a who’s who of modern football:

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF) – Likely to feature in the tournament’s opening game vs. Al Ahly on June 14
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Sergio Ramos (CF Monterrey)
Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami CF)
Thomas Müller & Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern Munich)
Antoine Griezmann, Hugo Lloris, Angel Di María, and many more

In fact, Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad is heavily represented, with 13 players taking part. French fans will spot nine stars from their 2018 triumph.

Clubs With the Most Champions

Atletico de Madrid leads the way with six World Cup winners
CA River Plate follow with four
Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain also boast multiple international icons

Why UAE Fans Should Watch

Messi’s first game is on June 14, expect major regional TV coverage and streaming
Multiple Arab clubs are taking part, including Al Ahly (Egypt) and Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
A chance to see club giants like Man City, Chelsea, Palmeiras, and Urawa Red Diamonds battle for global supremacy

Squad Rules and Transfers

Clubs submitted 26–35 player squads, and FIFA allowed a special transfer window from June 1 to 10 to reinforce line-ups.

There’s also an in-competition registration period (June 27 – July 3), meaning late squad tweaks are possible.

FIFA President on the Tournament

“This will be the most competitive and inclusive club football tournament ever,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We’ll see some of the best players from every continent fight to become the first club to win both the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.”

Key Games

Opening match: Saturday, June 14, 2025
Final: Expected in mid-July 2025
Venues: 11 host cities across the US
Broadcasters: UAE TV rights expected to be announced closer to the date

Sports

Kyrgyz Republic stun UAE with last-minute equaliser in AFC Asian Qualifiers

Published

3 days ago

June 11, 2025

Michael Gomes

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The Kyrgyz Republic snatched a dramatic stoppage-time goal to hold the UAE to a 1-1 draw in their final Group A clash of the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 on Tuesday night.

Playing at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, the hosts showed relentless spirit as Kai Merk struck in the 95th minute, cancelling out an earlier goal by the UAE’s Harib Abdullah in the 30th minute.

While Kyrgyzstan finishes their campaign with 8 points, the UAE, under newly appointed head coach Cosmin Olaroiu, closes the group stage with 15 points. Olaroiu is still chasing his first win with the national side.

Despite the late setback, the UAE has secured qualification to the next round of AFC play-offs, keeping their hopes alive for a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to take place in October.

In the group’s other fixture, Uzbekistan delivered a statement performance, defeating Qatar 3-0 at home. The result saw Uzbekistan top the group with 21 points, while Qatar remained in fourth place on 13 points, also advancing to the play-offs.

Later today, Group A action continues with Iran (20 points) taking on North Korea, who sit at the bottom of the table with just 3 points.

Sports

Ronaldo weeps with joy as Portugal beat Spain in dramatic penalty shootout to lift Nations League trophy

Published

5 days ago

June 9, 2025

Michael Gomes

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Cristiano Ronaldo broke down in tears of joy after scoring his 138th international goal and helping Portugal lift the UEFA Nations League title in a nail-biting final against Spain in Munich.

The epic showdown between the Iberian rivals ended 2-2 after extra time before Portugal edged out Spain 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shootout, with Alvaro Morata’s miss proving costly and Ruben Neves calmly slotting the winner to send Portuguese fans into raptures.

“Winning for Portugal is always special,” a visibly emotional Ronaldo told the media. “I have many titles with clubs, but nothing is better than winning for Portugal. It’s tears. It’s duty done. And a lot of joy.”

The final was billed as a clash of generations: 40-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo vs. Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. And while Yamal struggled to shine, the veteran stepped up when it mattered most.

Spain looked set for another title after Martin Zubimendi opened the scoring in the 21st minute. But Portugal hit back just eight minutes later, with Nuno Mendes levelling things up after some slick interplay involving Ronaldo.

Spain regained the lead thanks to a pinpoint pass from Pedri and a composed finish by Mikel Oyarzabal — the same man who netted the winner in last year’s Euro final against England.

But Ronaldo wasn’t done. The Portuguese captain struck again just past the hour mark, pouncing from close range to level the score at 2-2 and send the match into extra time.

Both sides had chances, but the deadlock remained, forcing a penalty shootout. Spain blinked first, with Morata missing his spot-kick, before Ruben Neves sealed it for Portugal.

“Details do make the difference,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. “We were doing enough to avoid penalties, but on the night, they were just slightly more effective.”

Ronaldo, who limped off injured late in extra time, watched the shootout from the sidelines — his face etched with nerves. But when Neves struck the winning penalty, tears streamed down his face in one of the most emotional moments of his glittering career.

Portugal are now champions once again, with their legendary No. 7 right at the heart of it all.