I have always had the utmost respect

for my friend Rafa as a person and a

champion. As my greatest rival over

many years, I believe we have pushed

each other to become better players.

Therefore it is a true honour for me to

congratulate him on his 20th Grand

Slam victory. It is especially amazing

that he has won Roland Garros an

incredible 13 times which is one of the

greatest achievements in

sport. I hope the

20 is just

another step on

the continuing

journey for

both of us:

Roger

Federer

FRENCH OPEN: MEN'S SINGLES FINAL - Rafael Nadal (2), Spain, beat Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 at Roland Garros

MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2020

MotoGP: Petrucci wins Le Mans raceUnbelievable! I can’t understand what I’ve just done” beamed the Italian who joins KTM’s Tech 3 team next season. I’ve waited so long for this win. When the rain came I thought ‘it’s not possible’ but I’ve always been good in the wet.

Sport | 11

M

twn

Danilo Petrucci

Sport

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton celebrates with a red helmet,

presented by Mick, son of Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher, after the Briton won yesterday's Eifel grand Prix.

MeMeMeMeMeerccrcrcrcceeeeeecececececececececeleleeleelelellebrbrbbrbbbrbb aaaa

prprp esesenenenteteteddd lelelegege dndnd MM MiicichhahaeleleleleBrBrititonon w wonon y yesestt

FORMULA ONE: EIFEL GRAND PRIX RESULTS (TOP 10)

1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1hr 35min 49.641sec 2. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull-Honda) at 4.470sec 3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Renault) 14.6134. Sergio Perez (MEX/Racing Point-Mercedes) 16.0705. Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP/McLaren-Renault) 21.905

6. Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri-Honda) 22.7667. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 30.814

8. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Racing Point-Mercedes) 32.596

9. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas-Ferrari) 39.08110. Antonio Giovinazzi (ITA/Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari) 40.035CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 230 pts2. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 1613. Max Verstappen (NED) 1474. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 785. Sergio Perez (MEX) 68

Hamilton levels Schumacher’s record with Eifel GP winREUTERS – NÜRBURGRING

Lewis Hamilton equalled Michael Schu-macher's all-time record 91 Formula One wins yesterday with an Eifel Grand Prix victory that catapulted the Mercedes driver closer to a seventh world cham-pionship.

While the Briton triumphed at the Nuerburgring, the German circuit where Ferrari great Schumacher won five times, team mate Valtteri Bottas suffered a huge hit to his title hopes with a first retirement of the season.

Hamilton, celebrating his seventh win of the season, is now 69 points clear of the Finn in the standings with six rounds remaining.

Red Bull's Max Versteppen finished second, and took a bonus point for fastest lap, with Australian Daniel Ric-ciardo third for Renault in his first podium since 2018 when he was at Red Bull.

Schumacher's son Mick, the Formula Two leader who could be racing against Hamilton next season, presented the Briton with one of his father's red

helmets from his second stint in F1 with Mercedes.

"Congratulations and this is on behalf of all of us. A great achievement, really," said Mick, whose father suffered serious head injuries in a 2013 skiing accident and has not been seen in public since.

"Thank you so much, it's such an honour," said Hamilton before stepping

up onto the podium at the circuit closest to Schumacher's boyhood home in Kerpen.

"I don't even know what to say."When you grow up watching

someone you generally idolise them, you know, really just in terms of the quality of the driver they are but what they are able to continuously do, year on year and race on race and week on week," added the Briton.

"Seeing his dominance for so long, I don't think anyone and espe-cially me didn't imagine I'd be any-where near Michael in terms of records. So it's an incredible honour and it's going to take some time to get used to it."

Hamilton said he only realised the significance of what he had done when he came into the pitlane after taking the chequered flag.

QFA and Nike unveil new national team kitTHE PENINSULA – DOHA

Nike and Qatar Football Associ-ation (QFA) yesterday unveiled the new 2020 Qatar National Team collection that will be the official kit for the team in the coming competitions.

The new home and away col-lection fuses traditional colours with the latest Nike innovations to create a sophisticated and modern look.

The customary maroon home kit pulses with national pride, alongside an elegant white away in a collection befitting a nation gripped by football fever.

In two years, Qatar will host the world game’s greatest tour-nament, and their new kits make a timely and powerful expression of the team’s identity.

The home combines maroon jerseys, shorts and socks. The focal point of the design is a cel-ebration of the Qatari flag in the shape of a unique graphic which bristles across the front of the shirt. An enlarged crest bolsters the feeling of national pride, while a strong V-neck collar and tapered cuffs finish off a crisp design.

Qatar’s away kit sees maroon switch to a supporting role, framing and detailing white shirts, shorts and socks. The jersey has a maroon V-neck collar, cuffs and side stripes.

“This 2020 collection is a really nice blend of Qatari foot-balling traditions and cutting edge kit design,” Scott Munson, Vice-Presiden, Nike Football Apparel, said.

“The idea was to take the team’s established identity, those much-loved colours, and put it all through Nike’s modern lens.”

Assim Madibo, Qatari mid-fielder said: “We are happy with this new kit, the design language emphasizes the Qatari flag, a con-stant reminder for us and our supporters of what this team stands for”

The 2020 Qatar national team collection are available from nike.com and at the Nike stores at Mall of Qatar & Doha City center on October 12 for the price of QR429.

Qatar will take on African giants Ghana in a friendly match in Antalya, Turkey, today.

The match will serve as prep-aration for the 2023 Asian Cup/2022 World Cup joint qualifiers.

Spanish star clinches 13th French Open title to equal Federer's record

'Clay King' Nadal routs DjokovicAFP – PARIS

Rafael Nadal demolished Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win his 13th French Open and equal Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles yesterday.

For world number one Djokovic, the defeat ended his hopes of an 18th Slam and of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors twice.

Nadal, 34, claimed his 100th match win at Roland Garros against just two

defeats since his 2005 debut.The Spaniard, the oldest

champion in Paris since Andres Gimeno in 1972, claimed the title without dropping a set.

He finished the one-sided affair with just 14 unforced errors to his opponent’s 52.

“Congrats to Novak for another great tournament. Sorry for today. We’ve played plenty of times together - one day one wins, another the other,” said Nadal.

Nadal said he wasn’t even thinking about matching Federer’s record.

“It’s been a very tough year. Winning here means everything to me so it’s not about equalling Roger on 20, for me today it’s just a Roland Garros victory,” said Nadal who was playing just his second tournament since February.

“Roland Garros means everything to me. I spent most of the most important moments of my tennis career here. Just playing here is a true inspiration. The love story I have with this court and city is unbelievable.”

For Djokovic, it was just his second loss of 2020 following his default at the US Open.

“Today, Rafa showed why you are

the king of clay. I was out-played by a better player,” Djokovic said.

Nadal also used his victory speech to thank organisers for staging the tour-nament, pushed back from its traditional May-June slot due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want to send a message to eve-ryone around the world. We are facing one of the worst moments that we remember in this world, fighting against this virus. Keep going, stay positive. We will get through this and we will beat the virus soon.”

The 56th meeting between the world’s top two started under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier, intensifying the echo of a crowd limited to 1,000 due to the pandemic.

Conventional wisdom suggested that would favour Djokovic but nobody told Nadal who broke three times in the 45-minute opening set.

The Spaniard hit 10 winners and just two unforced errors.

Djokovic’s error count was 13 with the out-of-sorts Serb even squandering three break points of his own in the fourth game.

More worrying for the world number one -- Nadal improved to 111-0 when winning the first set of best-of-five matches on clay in his career.

It was the first opening set ‘bagel’ in a Roland Garros final since 2004 when Gaston Gaudio recovered to defeat Argentine compatriot Guillermo Coria in five sets.

Djokovic finally got on the board with a service hold in the first game of the second set but Nadal maintained his

relentless push, going to a double break for 4-1 as even the Serb’s usual deft touches on the drop shot deserted him.

Nadal wrapped up a two-set lead with his unforced error count at just six to Djokovic’s 30. Nadal broke for the sixth time for a 3-2 lead in the third before Djokovic suddenly restored his repu-tation as the sport’s best returner by carving out his first break of the afternoon for 3-3. However, there was to be no miracle recovery as a double fault handed Nadal a 6-5 lead and he took the title with an ace.

AFP – PARIS

Rafael Nadal demolished Novak Djokovic h h h6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win his 13th French Open

ananddd eqeequauualll RRoRogeger r FeFededererer’r ss lalallll- ititimeme rerecocordrd o o off f 202020 GG Grarandndnd SS Sllalamm tititltleses yy yyesesestetet rddrdayay..

FoForr woworlrlld d nunnnumbbbmbmbm er ooonene D DDjojojojj kokovivic,c,, ttheheh dedefefeatatatt e ee eeenndndndededed h hhisiis hh hhopopppeses oo ooofff ff anan 11 1 118t8t8t8thhh h h SlSlSlSlSlamamamama anananana d dd dd ofofoffofof b bb bececececeecomomomomommininininnnggggg g ththththththeeee eee fiffifififfirsrsrsrsrsssrsrsttt t mamamamamamamann nnnn sisisiisincncncncncnce ee ee RoRoRoRRod d d d LaLaLaaveveverr rr ininin 1 1119696969 99 9 totototo w w wwinininn a aaaallllll ff ffououououurrr r mamamajojoorsrsrs t ttwiwiww ceecce.

NaNaNNNadaddal,l, 3 34,44, c ccccclalalal imimedededddd h h hhhhhhisisississs 1 1100000 hththth mm mm aatatatchchchchccwiwiwwiwiwiw n nn nnnn atatatatatt RR RRRolollo anananaanndd ddd GaGaGGaaGaaarrrrrrrrososososo a a aaagagagagagaininininininstststtsttt j j jusususussstt tt twtwwo o o

dededededed feefefefeatatatata s ss sisissincncncncee eee hihihhis s s 202020022 05050505 d ddddebebebebebutututututt..ThThTThThThTThe e eeee SpSppSSppSpananananananiaiaaaiaiaaardrdrdrdrdrdrdrd,, , , , ,, ththht e e ee e olololololdededededeststststst

chchchchhchcchchhamaamamammaammampipiipipipipipip ononnnnon ii i iiinnnn n n PaPaPaPaPaPaaririririis s sssss sisisisisisisiincncncccncncn e ee eeeeee AnAnAnAnAAnAnAAnA drdrdrddrd esesesesesssss GiGiGGGidrdrdrdrd

jujujju552525252555255

tototototototottotplplplplpllplaaaonononon

ababbabababaababaa

hehehehhhehehheheheheehabababbaabababbbtototototottoosasasassasaassasssesesesesee

mmmmmmmmmmmmplpllppplplp aaaastststststststs ooooununn

lolooUSUSU

achievements in

ope the

step on

nuing

or

s:

WINNERS OF MOST FORMULA ONE

GRANDS PRIX

91: Michael Schumacher, Germany91: Lewis Hamilton, Britain *

53: Sebastian Vettel, Germany *51: Alain Prost, France

41: Ayrton Senna, Brazil32: Fernando Alonso, Spain

31: Nigel Mansell, Britain27: Jackie Stewart, Britain

25: Jim Clark, Britain25: Niki Lauda, Austria

(* - Active)

MOST GRAND SLAM TITLES (MEN)

20: Roger Federer (6 Australian, 1 French, 8 Wimbledon, 5 US)

20: Rafael Nadal (1 Australian, 13 French, 2 Wimbledon, 4 US)

17: Novak Djokovic (8 Australian, 1 French, 5 Wimbledon, 3 US)

14: Pete Sampras (2 Australian, 7 Wimbledon, 5 US)

Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses with the Mousquetaires Cup (The Musketeers) after winning the French Open men’s singles final against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic at the Philippe Chatrier court, yesterday.

Qatar's Salem Al Hajri, Assim Madibo and Bassam Al Rawi sporting the new team kit.

11MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2020 SPORT

Amir Cup: Qatar SC eye hat-trick of titles in Al Sadd finalTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Three-time champions Qatar SC will be looking to complete a hat-trick of Amir Cup Table Tennis tournament titles today when they take on Al Sadd in the final of the popular event.

Walid Samir, coach of Qatar SC, yesterday said his team is keen to bag another title trophy.

The final of the 2019-20 season between Qatar SC and Al Sadd will start at 6:00pm today at the Abdullah bin Suhaim Hall.

Qatar SC is seeking to achieve the title for the third time in a row and the fourth overall after winning the titles in in 2002, 2018 and 2019. Qatar SC has also been the runners-up on four occasions.

Al Sadd, on the other hand, seek to reclaim the title they last won in 2014-2015 season when they beat Al Arabi in the final. Al Sadd also played the final in the 2017-18 season.

“We are ready and have trained hard for this

championship,” Qatar SC coach Samir said at a pre-final press conference, yesterday.

“Despite the hardship of battling the threat of COVID-19, the players did not falter in their mission,” he added.

“We were at full cast during our training sessions,” he said.

Ahmed Muthanna, player of Al Sadd, said his team beat top sides to reach the final.

“We deserved to be in the final as we beat some tough

sides like Al Arabi, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah and Al Shamal. Then we met and won against Al Khor in the semi-finals,” Ahmed said yesterday.

“After losing the league title (in the incomplete season), we

are determined to win the Amir Cup trophy, and I have great confidence in my fellow players and our ability to be able to win,” he said.

“The players are well pre-pared to go to the game and we

have 200 percent confidence that the Cup is ours to win,” he said.

Al Sadd are also looking to achieve the title for the fifth time in its history (1996-1997, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2015). Al Sadd have been runners-up six times.

Chinese Li Sheng, coach of the Al Sadd table tennis team, said yesterday: “We feel ready to start the final against Qatar SC. We want to win one more trophy for Al Sadd trophy cabinet."

"It’s going to be a special match. We will fight until the end. Our players have done really well so far,” he added.

Ali Sultan Al Muftah, Assistant Secretary of the Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA), said the final will witness two giants of the sport in the country.

“These two are the best teams. They are fierce compet-itors and I am sure, we will see an exciting battle,” Al Muftah said.

A Qatar Table Tennis Association official along with Al Sadd and Qatar SC representatives, speaks during a press conference on the eve of Amir Cup Table Tennis tournament final.

Petrucci wins at Le Mans, Quartararo retains leadAFP — LE MANS, FRANCE

Danilo Petrucci sprang an “unbelievable” surprise to hold off rookie Alex Marquez and win the rain-hit French MotoGP at Le Mans yesterday.

Home favourite Fabio Quartararo, supported by 5,000 fans allowed in to the Bugatti circuit under strict Covid-19 protocols, held onto the cham-pionship lead despite struggling from pole to take ninth.

Petrucci, riding for Ducati, won for only the second time from 146 MotoGPs.

The 29-year-old was the seventh different winner of the nine races staged so far in this c o r o n a v i r u s - d i s r u p t e d campaign.

“Unbelievable! I can’t understand what I’ve just done” beamed the Italian who joins KTM’s Tech 3 team next season.

“I’ve waited so long for this win. When the rain came I thought ‘it’s not possible’ but I’ve always been good in the wet.”

Quartararo may have failed in his bid to become the first Frenchman to win in the premier category on home soil since the championship was launched in 1949.

But the 21-year-old Yamaha-SRT rider can take comfort from extending his lead by two points to 10 in the world title battle over Joan Mir, who came in 11th.

The MotoGP crown is there for the taking in the absence of Marc Marquez, the six-time champion who has been hors combat since suffering a frac-tured arm in an opening-race fall.

As rumours swirled around the track that Marquez may return at Aragon next weekend his younger brother Alex was performing heroics to chase home Petrucci for his career first podium and his factory Honda team’s first of the season.

The rain, which hit the

circuit just before the start made life difficult for the riders especially veteran Valentino Rossi, who slithered out of con-tention on turn three on the opening lap.

Others to crash out were Alex Rins, when fighting for the lead, British duo Bradley Smith and Cal Cathlow, and Quar-tararo’s team-mate Franco Morbidelli.

Petrucci mastered the con-ditions perfectly, and apart from a fleeting moment when he was passed by Andrea Dovizioso with nine laps to go, always looked in command.

With five races remaining Quartararo leads the champi-onship on 115 points, with Mir on 110 and Dovizioso three points adrift in third place.

Earlier, Italian teenager Cel-estino Vietti shrugged off a warm-up crash, his third of the weekend, to win the Moto3 race.

The 18-year-old held off his compatriot Tony Arbolino and new championship leader

Albert Arenas on the last lap for his second career win from 33 Moto3 starts.

Splitting Arenas and Vietti in the Moto3 title race is Honda’s Japanese rider Ai Ogura, who led the champi-onship before this 10th leg of the coronavirus-disrupted season, but after his ninth place finish now trails Arenas by six points.

In the Moto2 category which completed the day’s action, Briton Sam Lowes took the honours, beating Australian Remy Gardner with Italian Marco Bezzecchi completing the podium.

Lowes capitalised on his compatriot Jake Dixon’s fall four laps from the end to take the lead and cross the line almost four seconds clear of Gardner, whose father Wayne won the 1987 500cc world championship.

Lowes is placed fourth in the standings on 103 points, 47 behind leader Luca Marini, who trailed in 17th in France.

Danilo Petrucci celebrates with the trophy after winning the race, yesterday.

MotoGP1. Danilo Petrucci (ITA/Ducati) 45min 54.736sec, 2. Alex Marquez (ESP/Honda) at 1.273sec, 3. Pol Es-

pargaro (ESP/KTM) 1.711, 4. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA/Ducati) 3.911, 5. Johann Zarco (FRA/Ducati-Avintia)

4.310, 6. Miguel Oliveira (POR/KTM-Tech3) 4.466, 7. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN-Honda-LCR) 5.921, 8.

Stefan Bradl (GER/Honda) 15.597, 9. Fabio Quartararo (FRA/Yamaha-SRT) 16.687, 10. Maverick Vinales

(ESP/Yamaha) 16.895, 11. Joan Mir (ESP/Suzuki) 16.980

Standings after 9 of 14 races1. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) 115 points, 2. Joan Mir (ESP) 105, 3. Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) 97, 4. Maverick

Vinales (ESP) 96, 5. Takaaki Nakagami (JPN) 81, 6. Franco Morbidelli (ITA) 77, 7. Jack Miller (AUS) 75, 8.

Pol Espargaro (ESP) 73, 9. Miguel Oliveira (POR) 69,10. Danilo Petrucci (ITA) 64

FRENCH GRAND PRIX RESULTS

Spanish co-driver Laura Salvo dies after Portugal crashREUTERS — LISBON

Rally co-driver Laura Salvo died after her car crashed during the Rally Vidreiro in Portugal, despite efforts to resuscitate her, and the event was called off as a result.

The 21-year-old was co-driving for Miguel Socias as part of the Peugeot Rally Cup Iberica.

“Peugeot Sport wishes to express their sincerest

condolences to the family and friends of co-driver Laura Salvo,” Peugeot Sport said.

In a statement, organisers said medics attempted to resus-citate the Spaniard but she died at the scene before she could be taken to hospital.

On Twitter, Spanish Formula One driver Carlos Sainz wrote, “Very shocked by the news... All my support and affection to her family and friends.”

Messi never was for sale, says Barca VPAP — BARCELONA

Hobbled by crises on the field and among its fed-up club members, Barcelona never waivered in its commitment to Lionel Messi despite mounting financial struggles brought on by the pandemic-induced global economic slowdown.

A drop in revenues has forced Barcelona to jettison players for very little in return to lighten a salary burden that had become unsustainable during a recession and amid increasing uncertainty.

But Barcelona’s vice pres-ident of economic affairs says that the club never considered selling Messi when he demanded to leave regardless of the acute financial difficulties the Spanish club is facing.

Messi meant far too much for both fans and the club’s long-term future to contem-plate selling him for some quick cash and savings, said Jordi Moix, Barcelona’s board member charged with handling its finances.

“We never considered what

the impact on the economy of the club would be if he left,” Moix said.

“(Messi) is a player who has been with the club for 20 years and is a central driver of the club, and we have to consider that with our sponsors.”

Barcelona suffered a €97m loss ($115m) last season, adding an economic crunch to the sporting calamity that the club endured when it finished the season without a title and a his-toric 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Messi, now 33, costs Bar-celona €100m ($118m) in wages and salary tax according to media reports that the club will neither confirm nor deny because of confidentiality agreements.

His buyout clause stands at an untouchable €700m ($828m), but he could have likely fetched a hefty price if Barcelona had been willing to listen to offers.

In August, Messi tried to leave the club, demoralised by the defeat to Bayern and con-vinced that his chances of winning were higher elsewhere. Barcelona refused to let him go, and Messi relented after ruling out taking Barcelona to court. He publicly committed to fin-ishing his contract that expires next summer and has been his competitive self in the first three games of the season, earning praise from new coach Ronald Koeman.

The club, also, holds out hope that Messi will end up staying.

“We think it would be good for him to finish his career with the club,” Moix said.

Barcelona had projected record revenues of more than €1bn ($1.18bn) for last season. It fell €203m ($240m) short, according to the club’s annual financial report presented by Moix last week, due to the coronavirus.

Zero ticket sales with its Camp Nou stadium closed since March, lower revenues from TV and merchandising and the closure of i ts popular museum have forced the club t o t a k e d r a s t i c measures.

hink it would be goodo finish his career with” Moix said.lona had projected

venues of more than18bn) for last season. 03m ($240m) short,g to the club’s annual report presented by t week, due to the rus. ticket sales with itss u stadium closed d arch, lower s from TV handising osure of

opularhave

e club a k e i c .

Messi is a player who has

been with the club for 20

years and is a central

driver of the club, and we

have to consider that

with our sponsors.

Jordi Moix

Lionel Messi

QMMF stages the third Round of Qatar National Sprint 2020

Drivers are seen in action during Round Three of the Qatar National Sprint. The third round of the popular series has resumed the 2020 season that was halted in March during the COVID-19 pandemic. The championship is organised by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) at their headquarters situated inside Lusail Sports Complex.

10MONDAY 12 OCTOBER 2020Sport

Al Arabi’s players and officials pose with their medals after clinching third position at the Amir Cup Table Tennis tournament. Al Arabi beat Al Khor 3-0 in third-position match, yesterday.

Amir Cup Table Tennis: Al Arabi clinch third position Broncos-Patriots game postponed indefinitely after another virus caseAP — NEW YORK

The NFL has postponed the Denver-New England game indefinitely due to another positive coronavirus test with the Patriots.

That game, originally scheduled for yesterday, had been moved to tonight.

A person familiar with the situation says the Patriots have closed their facility again after the positive test result, while the Tennessee Titans announced they closed their facility yes-terday after a staff member tested positive.

The latest result also endangers the Titans’ game with Buffalo (4-0) set for tomorrow after it was moved from Sunday. Six games have been moved already as the league is in its fifth week of the schedule.

In addition to the games for Week 5, a person with direct knowledge of the planned changes to the overall NFL schedule said that the Los Angeles Chargers will see the brunt of the alterations due to today’s Broncos-Patriots postponement.

Five of Los Angeles’ next six

scheduled weeks will change.The person spoke on con-

dition of anonymity because the changes have not been made public.

The Chargers will now have a bye after playing at New Orleans tonight instead of facing the Jets next Sunday.

They will then host the Jaguars in Week 7, followed by a road game against the Broncos. Los Angeles then hosts the Raiders on Nov. 8 - the only game remaining in its scheduled spot - followed by a road game against Miami and then hosting the Jets.

Tewatia and Parag shine as Rajasthan down HyderabadAGENCIES — DUBAI

Rahul Tewatia and Riyan Parag played crucial cameos yesterday as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling chase in star player Ben Stokes’ first outing this Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Royals were 78 for five chasing 159 for victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad when Tewatia, who smashed 45, and Parag, hitting 42, put on 85 runs to complete the chase with one ball and five wickets to spare in Abu Dhabi.

The match ended with Parag hitting a six off Khaleel Ahmed and heated words exchanged between Tewatia and the paceman as Hyderabad skipper David Warner stepped in to calm tempers.

Tewatia, a left-hand batsman who starred in Royals’ record IPL chase of 224 last month, once again came good at number seven as he took the attack to the opposition in his 28-ball knock.

Parag, 18, also turned on the heat as he hit two fours and two sixes in his 26-ball blitz after the team lost wickets of their big guns including Stokes (5), Smith (5) and Jos Buttler (16).

Stokes was out early in his first match of the season after finishing his six-day quarantine on Saturday. He reached UAE last week following spending time with his ailing father in New Zealand.

The left-hand batsman was made to open the innings but he was bowled off Ahmed who took two wickets.

Hyderabad’s Rashid Khan claimed two wickets but Tewatia took on the leg-spinner in the 18th over to hit three suc-cessive boundaries of him.

Earlier Warner made 48 and Manish Pandey hit a brisk 54 to guide Hyderabad to 158 for four after electing to bat first.

England paceman Jofra Archer returned figures of 1-25

while Stokes gave away seven runs from his one over of pace bowling.

New Zealand-born Stokes was in Christchurch with his father, who has been battling cancer, since pulling out of the Pakistan Test series in August.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) once again showed why they are a force to reckon with as the Rohit Sharmas team out-classed Delhi Capitals (DC) by five wickets in a top-of-the-table clash, yesterday.

Suryakumar Yadav and opener-cum-stumper Quinton de Kock chipped in with a crucial 53 runs each to help MI, chasing a 163-run target, reg-ister their fourth win on the trot, and fifth overall, from seven games so far.

The win at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium also helped the defending champions leapfrog DC to reclaim the top spot in the points table.

Chasing the target, MI opener Rohit Sharma (5) departed early, thanks to Axar Patel who had him caught by

Kasigo Rabada. The fall of Sharma saw Suryakumar Yadav (53) joining de Kock (53) in the middle and the duo steered MI to the 50-run mark in 6.4 overs.

The partnership, however, didn’t last long as Ravichandran Ashwin sent back de Kock in the 10th over with MI’s scorecard reading 77/2. de Kock’s knock saw four boundaries and three sixes.

Suryakumar and Ishan Kishan (28) then added 53 runs in the next 31 balls as MI recovered from the early damage. Speedster Rabada

finally got rid of Suryakumar in the 15th over before Marcus Stoinis further jolted the defending champions after sending back Hardik Pandya for a duck.

Just after MI managed another 22 runs to their total, Rabada sent Ishan Kishan back to the hut to raise DC hopes.

However, Keiron Pollard (11) and Krunal Pandya (12) dented DC’s expectations as they comfortably drove their side home with two balls to spare. For DC, Rabada picked two wickets for 28 runs while Axar, Ashwin, and Stoinis bagged a wicket each.

Earlier, some economical bowling by MI saw DC man-aging a fighting 162/4 in the allotted 20 overs.

Opting to bat, DC lost in-form opener Prithvi Shaw (4) and Ajinkya Rahane (15) early.

However, Shikhar Dhawan (69 not out) kept on end intact and received good support from skipper Shreyas Iyer (42) in the middle as the pair anchored DC’s innings.

Rahul Tewatia (left) and Riyan Parag during their match-winning partnership, yesterday. PIC: RAJASTHAN ROYALS TWITTER

Mumbai beat Delhi in a top-of-the-table clash

RR 163/5 in 19.5 overs (Rahul Tewatia 45 not out, Riyan Parag 42 not out; Rashid Khan 2/25) beat SRH 158/4 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 54, David Warner 48; Jofra Archer 1/25) by 5 wickets

DC 162/4 wkts in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 69 not out, Shreyas Iyer 42; Krunal Pandya 2/26) lost to MI 166/5 wkts in 19.4 overs (Quinton de Kock 53, Suryakumar Yadav 53, Kagiso Rabada 2/28) by 5 wickets

IPL: BRIEF SCORES

KKR spinner Narine reported for suspect bowling action againREUTERS — NEW DELHI

Kolkata Knight Riders spinner Sunil Narine’s bowling action has been reported again after yester-day’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Kings XI Punjab, the league has said.

“The report was made by the on-field umpires according to the IPL’s sus-pected illegal bowling action policy,” league authorities said in a statement after the match in Abu Dhabi.

The 32-year-old West Indies spinner would be put on a “warning list”, it added.

Narine can continue to bowl in the tournament until he is reported again.

The bowling all-rounder was reported twice during the now-defunct Champions

League T20 in 2014, fol-lowing which Narine remod-elled his action but the problem persisted.

He was subsequently reported again in the 2015 IPL and also after a one-day match against Sri Lanka that year.

He was reported again during the 2018 Pakistan Super League before being cleared to bowl.

The Twenty20 specialist returned 2-28 in Saturday’s thrilling two-run victory, bowling a tight last over to earn praise from captain Dinesh Karthik.

“Sunil Narine stands up for us a lot of time,” Karthik said. “He is calm. He is always looking to find the best way to contribute to the team.”

PCB moves Zimbabwe ODIs to Rawalpindi over logistical reasonsREUTERS — LAHORE

Pakistan’s upcoming three-match one-day international series against Zimbabwe has been shifted to Rawalpindi due to logistical reasons, the country’s cricket board said yesterday.

Multan was scheduled to host the 50-over matches which would now be played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium from October 30, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

The subsequent three-match Twenty20 series between the teams, originally scheduled in Rawalpindi, will be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 7.

“After Multan became unavailable due to logistical

and operational reasons, we took the opportunity to revisit the entire schedule and have come up with an itinerary that is suitable for the teams...” PCB director Zakir Khan said.

The scheduling could be messed up again because of winter smog, conceded Khan.

“We are in regular touch with the meteorological department and seeking their forecast for smog during November,” he said.

“We will continue to liaise with the met office and monitor the situation, and, if required, will make nec-essary changes.”

Zimbabwe last visited Pakistan in 2015 for a lim-ited-overs series.

Guerreiro wins Stage 9, Almedia holds leadAFP — ROCCARASO

Portugal’s Ruben Guerreiro of Education First won yesterday’s 208km ninth stage of the Giro d’Italia from San Salvo to Roccaraso with compatriot Joao Almeida holding the overall leader’s pink jersey.

Guerreiro, 26, claimed his first stage victory after a tight battle in the rain against Spain’s Jonathan Castroviejo of Ineos, who finished eight-seconds behind, with Danish rider Mikkel Bjerg of UAE Team Emirates in third at 58sec.

“Finally, what a great sat-isfaction after so many second places,” said Guer-reiro after narrowly missing out on stage successes of the Tirreno-Adriatico and Vuelta a Espana in the past 13 months.

“The team and I really

deserved this victory. It was very difficult to get into the breakaway this morning and it’s extraordinary to win today.”

It was the second stage win for Education First in this year’s Giro after Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedo won last Monday on the summit at

Mount Etna. Deceuninck-Quick Step’s Almeida faltered on the final 9.6km climb in the mountainous stage in Abruzzo, but holds the overall race leader’s pink jersey going into the first rest day today.

“I’m also happy for my compatriot Guerreiro, he deserves the win!” said Almeida.

Almeida finished the stage in 19th position nearly two minutes behind Guer-reiro. But the pink jersey holder has a 30-second lead on Dutch rider Wilco Kel-derman, with Spaniard Pello Bilbao at 39sec going into tomorrow’s 10th stage, still in Abruzzo, over 177km from Lanciano to Tortoreto Lido.

Two-time race winner Vincenzo Nibali of Italy is sixth overall nearly a minute behind Almeida as looks to add to his titles in

2013 and 2016. The riders had set a speedy early pace hitting 50.6km an hour in the first hour before a breakaway of eight riders formed including Guerreiro and Castroviejo, with Berg joining them later.

Almeida’s team con-trolled the peloton before Nibali’s team took over with 40km to go.

The peloton arrived at the foot of the final 9.6km climb with a 5.7 percent gradient with a four-minute gap on the leading group.

Castroviejo followed by Guerreiro attacked with six kilometres to go without being able to shake off his rival who held on for just the second stage win for a Portuguese rider since Acacio da Silva 31 years ago.

Ruben Guerreiro (centre) in action yesterday.

Giro d’Italia

Britain's Mark Cavendish hints at retirementREUTERS — LONDON

Britain’s Mark Cavendish believes he may have competed in the final race of his career following the conclusion of Gent-Wevelgem yesterday.

The Bahrain-Mclaren sprinter was part of the breakaway during the 232.5 kilo-metres race between Ypres and Wevelgem and went on to finish 74th.

“That’s perhaps the last race of my career now,” he said yesterday.

Cavendish, who has won 30 stages on the Tour de France and is considered one of the best sprinters in the event’s history, was left out of Bahrain McLaren’s squad for this year’s Tour.

The 35-year-old’s contract with the team is set to expire at the end of this year but talks have been ongoing for a one-year extension. Cavendish’s comment hinting at retirement came as a surprise because he is committed to line up at Scheldeprijs on Wednesday.