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Sharjah Warriorz stun defending champions MI Emirates by six wickets, to face Desert Vipers for a spot in DP World ILT20 Season 3 final

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Tim Seifert’s stellar cameo did the trick for the Sharjah Warriorz as they sealed a stunning six-wicket win against defending champions MI Emirates in their winner-takes-it-all, DP World ILT20 Season 3 Eliminator clash at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Thursday evening. Seifert’s 40 off 20, coupled with Tim Southee’s two-wicket haul takes Sharjah Warriorz a step closer to the title as they will next face the Desert Vipers in Qualifier 2 on Friday for a spot in the final. 

By virtue of MI Emirates’ elimination, a new champion will be crowned in Season 3 of the DP World ILT20 as both former champions have been knocked out of the competition. This is also a historic campaign for the Sharjah Warriorz as this is the first time they have reached this stage of the tournament. 

Chasing a modest total of 147, the Sharjah Warriorz were off the blocks in a jiffy as Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles struck five fours in the opening two overs to put up 23/0. Charles went after Alzarri Joseph in the third over as he cut it away for a boundary and then launched a massive six as the Sharjah Warriorz motored on.  

Charles was in sublime form as he slashed away on a ball that was outside the sixth stump for another boundary and put up 27 runs off just 12 deliveries. The Saint Lucian batter didn’t spare any bowler as he next went after Muhammad Rohid and hit him for back-to-back boundaries. The young UAE bowler, though, made a fine comeback as he undid Charles with a short-pitched delivery. He departed for a well-made 36 off 20 and Jason Roy was the next man to come in. 

The Sharjah Warriorz looked well-poised to chase down the target as they amassed 58/1 at the end of the powerplay with Kohler-Cadmore in fine form. Kohler-Cadmore and Roy strung together a fine partnership as they took their side to 87/1 at the halfway mark and they needed exactly 60 runs off 60 deliveries. 

The MI Emirates needed a couple of quick wickets to work their way back into the contest and found their big breakthrough in the 13th over. Rohid was brought back in the attack and turned the tide in the MI Emirates’ favour as he dismantled Roy’s stumps to give his side some breathing room. It only got better for the local lad as he struck again two balls later when Will Jacks took a catch at cover to dismiss Matthew Wade. Rohid, thus picked up two massive wickets in the over and gave the MI Emirates a route back into the game.  

The momentum, though, was still with the Sharjah Warriorz as they were at 101/3 and needed 46 runs from the final seven overs with as many wickets in hand. Tim Seifert played a gem of an innings as he ensured he scored a boundary in each of the next three overs to take his team closer to the target. Kohler-Cadmore’s patient innings was snapped by Fazalhaq Farooqi, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, after the Englishman played it onto his stumps for 40 off 40. 

His dismissal served as a scare among the Sharjah Warriorz faithful, but Seifert took control of the chase and got the job done. He clobbered 16 runs in the 19th over to finish with 40 runs from 20 balls and lead the Sharjah Warriorz to Qualifier 2. This was the first time the Sharjah Warriors had reached this stage of the tournament. 

Earlier, the MI Emirates innings didn’t get off on the best note as Andre Fletcher fell to Adam Milne in the first over. Tom Banton and Will Jacks combined to put up 34 for the second wicket before an inspired bowling change earned the Sharjah Warriorz their second wicket. Ashton Agar was brought on in the sixth over and he repaid his captain’s faith right away as he got Jacks with a quicker one that skidded off the surface. However, Nicholas Pooran came out all guns blazing as he hit 4,4,6 to get things underway and lead the MI Emirates to 48/2 at the end of the powerplay. 

Banton and Pooran looked in sound form and the Englishman kept the scoreboard ticking and overtook Shai Hope to soar ahead in the race for the Green Belt. Banton’s stay came to an end in the 10th over as Rohan Mustafa took a stunning catch to dismiss him for 29. Mustafa bowled a flighted delivery and showed great reflexes to stick his right hand out and grab onto a sharp catch. At the halfway mark, the MI Emirates had 75/3 on the board. 

Pooran spearheaded his side’s scoring duties as he dealt only in boundaries to 42 runs off just 19 deliveries. He played the perfect captain’s innings and became only the third batter to score 1000 runs in the tournament but was undone in the 13th over by Dilshan Madushanka. The Sri Lankan hit the deck hard with a short ball and Pooran was beaten for pace. Bevon Jacobs fell in the next over after failing to dispatch a full toss and the MI Emirates found themselves at 101/5 with six overs to go. Interestingly, the MI Emirates had not lost a single wicket to spin in the six matches they played in Abu Dhabi this season but they lost three wickets in the evening. 

The Sharjah Warriorz swapped spin for pace in the 17th over as Southee came on and struck right away. Kusal Perera hit a six off the first ball but holed out the next delivery as Southee dismissed him for 18 off 12. It went downhill thereon for the Sharjah Warriorz as Romario Shepherd, who was dropped twice, trudged back to the pavilion for seven runs in the 19th over. The Sharjah Warriorz’ brilliant bowling display saw them restrict the MI Emirates to 146/8 in 20 overs. 

Nicholas Pooran, captain of the MI Emirates said: “We were below par, we put ourselves in a hole. It was difficult to defend on this surface where there wasn’t much assistance for the bowlers. Our bowlers tried very hard, credit must be given to them. They (Warriorz) took their chances. We didn’t have an answer for them. Congrats to them. You get what you deserve, we haven’t been consistent. Looking forward to next year.” 

Player of the match, Tim Seifert said: “Always nice to get to that winning position. Our bowlers did a great job. Those first four balls Pooran faced put pressure on us. The bowlers have been unbelievable. The way they use the new ball is outstanding. Big semi-final coming up, hopefully, we can make it to the final.” 

Brief Scores: 

Sharjah Warriorz beat MI Emirates by six wickets 

MI Emirates 146/8 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 42, Tom Banton 29, Kusal Perera 18, Tim Southee 2 for 24) 

Sharjah Warriorz 149/4 in 18.5 overs (Tim Seifert 40 not out, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 40, Johnson Charles 36, Muhammad Rohid 3 for 32) 

Player of the match: Tim Seifert

As a trainee reporter and creative lead, I focus on curating engaging content and managing the social media presence for the company. I aim to connect audiences with relevant, impactful news through multiple digital platforms.

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UAE teen prodigy Rouda Al Serkal ends Norway Chess Open debut on a high

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UAE’s rising chess sensation Rouda Al Serkal wrapped up her debut at the Norway Chess Open in style, clinching three consecutive victories to finish strong in the prestigious General Masters (GM) category in Stavanger.

The 15-year-old, who turns 16 next month, demonstrated resilience and maturity beyond her years as she battled through nine intense rounds, ultimately scoring 4 points in a field stacked with seasoned international players.

Despite a rocky start that included several early losses, Rouda’s final flourish, back-to-back wins over opponents from Norway, Italy, and France, underscored both her talent and fighting spirit.

“It was a learning experience more than anything else,” Rouda said. “I’m proud I stayed with it. Ending with three wins felt special. I feel like I’m leaving stronger than I arrived, even though I know I could have done much better.”

Tough Start, Strong Finish

Coming off a strong showing at the Asian Individual Women’s Championship in Al Ain and a productive training block, Rouda entered the tournament with high hopes. But her opening round on May 26 against Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin – one of the top seeds – ended in a tough 56-move loss.

“That first game hit me hard,” Rouda admitted. “It’s difficult to lose after such a long fight, especially in the very first round. I was disappointed, but I knew I had to regroup quickly.”

A draw with American player Luke Leon Robin Anatol followed, but another frustrating loss in round three to Spain’s Lucia Follana Albelda left the young Emirati visibly deflated. “That one stung. I had her in my grasp after opening with the Caro-Kann advanced variation, but let it slip away,” she said.

Two more challenging rounds followed – a draw against Mexico’s Jan Enrique Zepeda Berlanga and losses to Norwegian players Ask Amundsen and Astor Moe Maurstad – further testing her resolve.

Comeback Kid

But the turning point came in round seven, when Rouda picked up her first win of the tournament against Norway’s Sigur H. Myny while playing white.

“Eventually, I just found my footing,” she said. “I stopped overthinking, focused on the basics, and trusted my training.”

From there, she built momentum, defeating Italian Mauro Pivi on May 30 and France’s Franck Gouanelle in the final round on June 1, sealing her third straight win.

Rouda, the UAE’s first Woman Grandmaster and a former World Youth Champion, finished with three wins, two draws, and four losses. While she narrowly missed her target of gaining 100 rating points, she impressed observers with her adaptability and determination.

“Most of the games I lost, I was either winning or had a clear advantage. That’s what frustrated me the most,” she said.

A Milestone Moment for UAE Chess

As the first Emirati woman to compete in the GM category of the Norway Chess Open, Rouda’s participation was historic in itself. Her gritty comeback only added to the significance.

Tournament founder Kjell Madland praised her spirited performance. “It is exactly this kind of story that reinforces Norway Chess as a truly global platform,” he said. “To have young talents like Rouda travel from the UAE to compete at this level adds richness and reach to what we’re building here in Stavanger.”

Norway Chess Supertournament: Carlsen and Humpy in the Mix

Meanwhile, in the elite Norway Chess supertournament taking place at the SpareBank 1 SR-Bank venue, world number one Magnus Carlsen remains in close contention for the men’s title, while India’s two-time Women’s World Rapid Champion Koneru Humpy is among the frontrunners in the women’s event. Final rounds continue later this week.

Meanwhile, World Champion D. Gukesh from India beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen from Norway for the first time in classical chess with a stunning endgame turnaround to close in on the leaders, and have a genuine chance of winning the tournament with four rounds left to play.

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CHESS STARS TURN COWBOYS FOR A DAY AT NORWAY CHESS GAMES 2025

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In a dramatic twist from the chessboard to the Wild West, the world’s top chess players swapped pawns for pistols, sieves, and lassos in this year’s edition of Norway Chess Games.

Held on a tournament rest day, the tradition of light-hearted competition continued in unforgettable fashion with the “Chess Cowboy Challenge”, a high-spirited showdown in Westernbyen, a Western-themed village in Ålgård, just outside Stavanger.

This year’s participants was -the star-studded lineup from Norway Chess and Norway Chess Women. Sarasadat Khademalsharieh was unfortunately not able to join, and stepping in was Ella Carlsen, wife of Magnus, proving to be quite the sharpshooter in more ways than one.

Adopting their new Western personas, the players embraced the theme wholeheartedly:

Magnus “The Lone GOAT” Carlsen
Caruana “The Sicilian Sniper”
Hikaru “The Blitz Bandit” Nakamura
Arjun “No Slip” Erigaisi
Wei “The Quiet Storm” Yi
Gukesh “The Chennai Sharpshooter” D

Vaishali “The Rising Rider” Rameshbabu
Anna “Ice Veins” Muzychuk
Humpy “The Hammer” Koneru
Lei “The Lockdown” Tingjie
Ju “No-Loss” Wenjun
Ella Carlsen (stepping in as an honorary cowgirl)

With nicknames as fierce as their over-the-board styles, the competitors were more than ready to tackle the cowboy gauntlet ahead.

The Chess Cowboy Challenge took them through a series of wild tasks. They faced the Sheriff’s memory test in a jail escape, sought enlightenment by solving the priest’s riddle in the chapel, mined for gold, and tried their hand at axe throwing beside the church. Air rifles, lasso tosses, cowboy quizzes at the pleasure house, and classic horseshoe throws added to the flavor of the day, with real horses roaming the scene for that authentic atmosphere.

Each team, made up of one male and one female player, competed across all stations as they worked their way through the village.

Final Standings:

1st place: Magnus & Ella Carlsen — crowned Chess Sheriffs

2nd place: Hikaru Nakamura & Anna Muzychuk

3rd place: Fabiano Caruana & Vaishali Rameshbabu

4th place: Gukesh D & Ju Wenjun

5th place: Wei Yi & Lei Tingjie

6th place: Arjun Erigaisi & Humpy Koneru

About Norway Chess Games

Norway Chess Games is an annual tradition held during the tournament’s rest day. It gives the world’s best players a break from intense competition and a chance to connect in creative, unexpected ways. Previous editions have included:

  • Chess Chefs– a culinary battle where players cooked for top chefs
  • Cake Decorating Challenge– full of icing, sprinkles, and strategy
  • Farmer for a Day– featuring hand-milking cows and driving tractors
  • Design Your Own Knit Sweater– where players designed patterns later hand-knitted into real sweaters as unique keepsakes

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Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli invests in Dubai-founded World Bowling League to take the sport global

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India’s cricket superstar Virat Kohli has become an investor in the World Bowling League (WBL), a Dubai-founded initiative set to reinvent bowling as a fast-paced, global spectator sport.

Kohli joins Major League Baseball (MLB) icon Mookie Betts as a high-profile partner in the WBL, which was launched by Dubai-based entrepreneur Adi K. Mishra. The league is reimagining the traditional game with a dynamic format featuring mixed-gender teams, international tournaments, and a modern media-first approach aimed at younger audiences.

With franchises expected in Dubai and other global cities, the WBL plans to host 12 to 15 tournaments annually across the United States, Europe, and Asia, as part of its ambitious five-year growth plan.

“When I discovered Virat is also a bowler, it was exciting to align with this new-age vision for the sport,” said Mishra, founder and CEO of League Sports Co.

Kohli, one of the most followed athletes in the world on social media, revealed a long-standing personal connection to the sport.

“I started bowling when I was 11 years old,” Kohli said. “It’s clear how popular the sport is, yet it remains underappreciated as a business.”

The 36-year-old’s global influence and passion for sport are expected to significantly boost the league’s visibility and credibility as it enters its debut season. The WBL aims to position bowling not just as a recreational activity but as an engaging, competitive, and commercially viable sport with global appeal.

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