Pakistani bowler Usman Tariq reported for suspect bowling action in PSL
ISLAMABAD: Quetta Gladiators’ off-spinner Usman Tariq of Pakistan was reported for a suspect bowling action during the Pakistan Super League T20 tournament.
Dubai Sport News
FIA meeting on future F1 engines ends without a commitment to bringing back V10s
A meeting between Formula 1 governing body the FIA and engine manufacturers has ended without a clear commitment to any future return to fan-favorite V10 engines. Amid concerns over the cost and sound of the current V6 turbo hybrids — there will be a new generation of those from next year — FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem suggested in February that there could be a return to “the roaring sound of the V10.” The FIA statement on the meeting, held ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, said “all parties are committed to the 2026 regulations” but they also “agreed to continue discussions on the future technical direction of the sport.” There was no mention of V10 engines specifically in the FIA account of the meeting, though it said: “Besides the 2026 regulations, a range of options and timelines for the future were discussed. One of the topics under discussion was the adoption of normally aspirated engines with sustainable fuel.” The FIA added there was an understanding that “a level of electrification will always be part of any future considerations,” which signals a continuing place for hybrid technology.
Inconsistent Al-Hilal drop more points with time running out for title hopes
DAMMAM: Second-place Al-Hilal fell further behind in the Saudi Pro League title race on Friday as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Ettifaq.
SEF arena inauguration heralds exciting new era for Saudi esports
RIYADH: Esports in Saudi Arabia is set for an exciting new era following the official opening of the new SEF Arena.
Norris turns on the heat at sweltering Bahrain practice
SAKHIR: World championship leader Lando Norris topped the timesheets in a baking hot opening practice ahead of Alpine’s Pierre Gasly at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday. It was hunt-some-shade time on a sweltering afternoon in the Gulf kingdom — 35 degrees celsius and track temperature nudging 50 degrees. As a consequence the relevance of the opening session on the rest of the weekend will be minimal, with second practice later Friday, Saturday’s qualifying and the race itself all staged at sunset and in cooler temperatures. That was one main factor in teams using ‘FP1’ to give a half dozen rookies a shot as a ‘Friday driver’ as per the governing body’s guidelines. As a result, four-time world champion Max Verstappen, one point adrift of Norris in the driver’s standings after his win in Japan last weekend, had some down time with Ayumua Iwasa taking the wheel of his Red Bull. Dino Beganovic was handed the keys to Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Other new faces were Fred Vesti (in for Mercedes’ George Russell), Luke Browning (Williams/Carlos Sainz), Felipe Drugovich (Aston Martin/Fernando Alonso) and Ryo Hirakawa, in for Ollie Bearman at Haas. Williams team principal James Vowles explained the reasoning behind running Browning rather than Sainz, third to Verstappen in last year’s race for Ferrari. “It’s much, much warmer than it will be so it is unrepresentative, and (Sainz) has done many hundreds of kilometers around here.
Dubai World Cup 2025 sets new attendance record
DUBAI: The 29th edition of the Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse last weekend attracted a crowd of more than 65,000 racing enthusiasts to set a new record for the venue.
Meet Ali Al-Shabeeb, the Geordie Saudi who scored at Wembley and dreams of SPL move
LONDON: When Ali Al-Shabeeb starts talking, his Geordie accent is unmistakable. Although he was born in Dammam, Al-Shabeeb left Saudi Arabia when he was 8 years old to move with his family to Newcastle. He went to school there, stayed in the northeast of England to go to Northumbria University, and now plays football there too, for FC Darlington.
Esports World Cup to feature record $70m prize pool in return to Riyadh
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation announced on Thursday a record-breaking prize pool of more than $70 million for the 2025 edition of the Esports World Cup, which returns to Riyadh from July 7 to Aug. 24. The pot is the largest in esports history, solidifying the EWC’s reputation as the ultimate global stage for competitive gaming and a key driver of long-term industry sustainability. The massive increase in prize money, which is up $10 million from last year’s inaugural event, is driven by the foundation’s ambition to provide life-changing opportunities for players and clubs, while fostering stable and scalable careers across the esports ecosystem, organizers said. “The record-breaking $70+ million prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “While more than $70 million is an incredible, life-changing sum, it’s always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact.