Iran will play their first match on 15 June against Morocco at Saint Petersburg Stadium Nine days ahead of the opening match of FIFA World Cup Russia, Iran became the first team to arrive in Russia as they touched down today at 20:26 local time at Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport. “Being in Russia is a dream come true for Iranian ...

KARACHI: A brilliant contribution of 37 from  Kashif Iqbal and equally excellent bowling by Yasir Hussain  and Touheed Khan enabled Agha Steel seal a 21-run victory over Soni Associates in the 31st Aga Khan Ramazan T20 Cricket Tournament tie at the Aga Khan Gymkhana Ground here on Monday .  Agha Steel’s second success win in Group ‘C’ with 4 points ...

Ten-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal moved into the 2018 quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-2 7-6 (7-4) victory over Germany’s Maximilian Marterer. Nadal, 32, lost his opening service game and trailed 2-0 in the first set in Paris before recovering well. He broke Marterer’s serve early in the second set and fought back from 3-1 down in the third for ...

Pakistan will have some tough discussions after their crushing defeat by England in the second test at Headingley on Sunday, head coach Mickey Arthur has said. Pakistan started the two-match test series with a commanding win over England at Lord’s but the hosts dismantled Arthur’s side in the second test, winning by an innings and 55 runs. Despite the rout, ...

BARCELONA: Brazil talisman Neymar returned in style with a dazzling goal in a 2-0 World Cup warm-up win over Croatia and Spain goalkeeper David de Gea made a rare error in his team’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland on Sunday. Peru captain Paolo Guerrero celebrated his reprieve from a doping ban by scoring twice in a 3-0 victory over Saudi Arabia ...

Pakistan’s women team lost their second match of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup Tournament by a margin of seven wickets against Bangladesh on Monday at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur. Bangladesh first restricted Pakistan to 95 for 5 after electing to bowl. Mir, who walked out at No. 7, was the only batsman to cross 20, while Javeria Khan scored 18 ...

Pakistan have announced the T20 squad for the two-match series against Scotland, to be played on June 12 and 13. Haris Sohail will replace Babar Azam who was injured during the Lord’s Test. During their ongoing tour of the United Kingdom, Pakistan won the one-off Test against Ireland and drew the Test series (1-1) against England. Squad for Scotland series: ...

Elite footballers face ever-increasing physical and mental demands, with a faster-paced game and long, gruelling seasons. In a World Cup year, how does a player make it to June fit and fired up? It is actually quite difficult, the experts say, and requires an army of dedicated specialists tracking and carefully engineering each athlete´s mental and physical condition. Research shows ...

CAIRO: Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah was included Monday in Egypt’s 2018 World Cup squad despite still underdoing treatment for a shoulder injury he suffered in the Champions League final, the Egyptian Football Association said. Salah, who hit a stunning 44 goals for Liverpool last season in all competitions, was forced out of the final in tears last month clutching his ...

PARIS: American Serena Williams withdrew from the French Open on Monday, shortly before she was due on court to face Maria Sharapova in a much-anticipated fourth round showdown. The 36-year-old 23-times Grand Slam champion, making a comeback after a maternity break, told a news conference she had a pectoral muscle injury. “Unfortunately I´m having some issues with my pec muscle. ...