Cricket

Dubai: Die-hard India and Pakistan cricket fans thronged the stadium in Dubai despite stifling heat on Sunday to watch the high-profile Asia Cup encounter, saying politics must take a back seat. The eagerly-awaited Group A clash in the T20 tournament comes four months after the two countries were engaged in a military conflict sparked after April 22 attacks in Pahalgam on the Indian side of Kashmir. The brief war, stopped after US President Donald Trump intervened, brought the two nations to their lowest point in their bitter relations. But fans said they were there to watch cricket and would leave politics to politicians. "I am here from Japan and I love both India and Pakistan," said Pakistan-born Mohammad Javed, an engineer by profession. India's captain Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 14, 2025. (Photo by Fadel Senna / AFP) "We don't get to see cricket in Japan but we tour a lot to see these matches irrespective of what's going on between the two countries. "I live with Indians and travel with them, and I have no problem with that." Arun Tripathi works in Dubai and mingles with Pakistani families. "It's the politicians who destroy relations," said the 50-year-old accountant. "Why boycott cricket? The politicians do their work and let us enjoy cricket." People watch a live broadcast of the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 International cricket match between Pakistan and India, played at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai, on a big screen in Islamabad on September 14, 2025. (Photo by Aamir Qureshi / AFP) There were calls from hardliners, former cricketers and the public to boycott the match in the wake of the Pahalgam attacks which left 26 people dead. But New Delhi cleared the match in its sports policy, saying the national team will play Pakistan in multinational events and not in bilateral fixtures. Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, blamed on militants based in Pakistan, the two countries have only played a bilateral series in 2012. Khan Nasir, a taxi driver, accused India of hypocrisy. "Look at Indians," he said. "On one hand they want to boycott the match and on the other they have come in large numbers. Their former players wanted the Asia Cup to be called off but they are here as commentators." Pakistan's players celebrate after the dismissal of India's Shubman Gill (left) during the Asia Cup 2025 Twenty20 international cricket match between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on September 14, 2025. (Photo by Fadel Senna / AFP) The ring of fire, as Dubai Stadium is called for its floodlights, promises fire in the stands, with the blue colour of India dominating the green of Pakistan in the 25,000-capacity venue. "We will win on the field as well as in the stands," said Puja Kulkarni, a student in Dubai's college. "We are 40 students from the same college and in the same stand, so we will lift our spirits." But Pakistan's Ahmed Fayyaz said one Pakistani is more powerful than 50 Indians. "We will shout more and we will tell them our strength. We are here to win." West Indian superstar Chris Gayle said he hoped for an electrifying atmosphere. "It's the #IndvsPak game against & it always brings excitement for fans across the globe," Gayle tweeted. "Both teams have moved from their superstars, and it's the new era for the rivalry. "The atmosphere will be great & hope for a cracker of a game." India's greats Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is last year while Pakistan left out star batters Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

Qatar Sport

DOHA, QATAR: beIN SPORTS won gold in the ‘Best Use of Digital in Entertainment and Sports’ category at the MENA Digital Awards 2025. The prestigious prize was in recognition of the network’s comprehensive coverage of last summer’s UEFA European Football Championship (EURO 2024) across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The MENA Digital Awards were first held in 2014 and are designed to promote innovation and media in the MENA region. This year’s ceremony took place in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and highlighted beIN’s month-long, digital-first strategy that saw the region’s leading broadcaster deliver coverage of Europe’s most prestigious international football tournament, from the first match on June 14 to the July 14 final in which Spain beat England. With exclusive rights to all 51 matches, beIN SPORTS, set out to create a fully immersive football experience and cement its position as the region’s leading sports broadcaster. Every match was streamed live and exclusive across beIN SPORTS’ linear channels, supported by a trilingual broadcast approach, expert analysis from football legends, and on-the-ground reporting from 10 cities across the host country, Germany. All content was mirrored on beIN’s OTT platform, beIN CONNECT, ensuring fans could access the tournament anytime, anywhere. Across social and digital channels, engagement reached unprecedented levels, with content generating more than 2.6 billion impressions and more than 1.5 billion video views. A total of more than 6,360 pieces of social content were posted across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Snapchat – all optimised for platform, language, and format. The campaign also drove significant community growth, with 3.7 million new followers gained across beIN SPORTS’ social media platforms during the tournament. On beIN CONNECT, fans spent a combined 14.5 million minutes engaging with live streams, match replays, and editorial content, with a total of 430,000 unique digital viewers accessing the platform throughout the tournament. And with content produced daily throughout the competition, a continuous, high-frequency content roll-out reflected the rhythm of the Championships, adapting in real-time to breaking moments, match outcomes, and audience reactions. beIN’s always-on, digital-first approach ensured every match, moment, and memory was delivered to fans in the region with speed, relevance, and creative flair – bridging the gap between continents and putting MENA viewers near the heart of EURO 2024. Jassim Al-Muftah, Director of Corporate Communications, beIN MENA, said: “We are very proud to receive this accolade in recognition of our digital coverage of EURO 2024. We have consistently said beIN will continue to raise the standards of media and broadcast in this region and in recent years, our coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup has been acknowledged for its excellence. With this latest MENA Digital Award for EURO 2024, we can confidently say we are being true to our word and raising the broadcast bar.” The recognition comes at a time when momentum is building around beIN’s football coverage for 2025-26 on its flagship beIN SPORTS channels. This week saw a host of FIFA World Cup 26 Qualifiers aired live and exclusive across 24 MENA markets. The network is – as is custom – broadcasting all matches across the Premier League, LALIGA, and Ligue 1, before Monday brings with it a new season of AFC Asian Champions League Elite, Champions League Two, and Challenge League.

Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: Lippo De Carrere, a talented 4-year-old Purebred Arabian colt, produced a strong finish to win the Gr.1 (PA) UAE President Cup – UK Arabian Derby over 2000m at Doncaster on St-Leger Day, yesterday. The race, restricted to four-year-olds only, featured a competitive field of eight runners. Trained by Alban De Mieulle, ridden by Mickael Barzalona, and owned by Wathnan Racing, Lippo De Carrere impressed with powerful finishing kick.This victory marks Lippo De Carrere’s first Gr.1 (PA) success, confirming his status among the top generation of four-year-old Purebred Arabians. Lippo De Carrere broke well but was soon restrained, showing early keenness as Lino set a steady pace. Settled in fourth, he tracked his owner-companion Moneer, who raced just behind Hibikinada Du Mazet. Approaching the final straight, the leader remained clear, while Lippo was still some lengths behind but travelling nicely. Calmly handled by Barzalona, he stayed balanced and patient. With 300m to go, the leader began to tire, and Lippo De Carrere was angled out for a clear run. Inside the final 200m, a thrilling three-way battle unfolded between Lippo, Moneer, and the fading leader. Lippo stayed strongest, hitting the front in the closing strides to win by half a length. Moneer finished strongly for second, while Shaihaan stayed on for third. Bred by Eric Dell’Ova, Catherine Dell’Ova & Guy Dell’Ova, Lippo De Carrere is out of Elmanara De Carrere, a dual winner over 2200m and 2300m at four. She is a daughter of Sophie De Carrere (Djouras Tu) and a half-sister to Jouad De Carrere.