Record-setting Breetzke lifts South Africa to 352-5 in tri series
Record-setting Breetzke lifts South Africa to 352-5 in tri series/node/2589921/sport
Record-setting Breetzke lifts South Africa to 352-5 in tri series
South Africa's Temba Bavuma bats during the tri-series ODI cricket match between Pakistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan, on February 12, 2025. (AP)
Record-setting Breetzke lifts South Africa to 352-5 in tri series
Becomes first batter to score hundred and a half-century in opening two ODIs
Winner of this match will play New Zealand in Friday’s tri-series final in Karachi
Updated 12 min 21 sec ago
AFP
KARACHI: Mathew Breetzke became the first batter to score a hundred and a half-century in his opening two one-day internationals as South Africa made 352-5 against Pakistan in Karachi on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old followed his 150 against New Zealand in Lahore on Monday with an attractive 84-ball 83, spiced with a six and 10 boundaries, after South Africa won the toss.
The winner of this match will play New Zealand in Friday’s final in Karachi. The tri-series is a warm-up for the Champions Trophy that starts in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates next week.
Breetzke bettered West Indian batter Desmond Haynes’s aggregate of 195 runs in his first two matches in 1978 before he fell to a brilliant catch off spinner Khushdil Shah.
Pakistan’s vaunted bowling attack failed to stop the tourists from scoring a big total, with skipper Temba Bavuma (82) and Heinrich Klaasen (87) also chipping in.
Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi (22), one of four changes in the South African team, put on 51 for the opening stand. The captain then built a second-wicket stand of 119 with Breetzke.
Bavuma was run out after cracking 13 boundaries in his 96-ball knock.
Klaasen lifted the tempo with a rapid 56-ball knock, smashing three sixes and 11 boundaries as the South Africans added 110 runs in the last 10 overs.
Kyle Verreynne and Corbin Bosch remained not out with 44 and 15 respectively to take South Africa past 350.
Spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi was Pakistan’s best bowler with 2-66.
Inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup set to showcase purebred Arabian racing excellence with over $500,000 prize purse
Transition from the 11th Race Meeting to the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup represents an ambitious step forward in elevating the event’s profile
Updated 12 February 2025
Arab News
ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Turf Club has announced that the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup will take place on Feb. 16, with the transition from the traditional 11th Race Meeting set to showcase the best of purebred Arabian racing.
The 11th Race Meeting has long been a cornerstone of purebred Arabian racing, consistently attracting elite horses from across the UAE. The transition to the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup represents both a continuation of this proud heritage and an ambitious step forward in elevating the event’s profile.
The centerpiece of the event, the Abu Dhabi Gold Cup Group 1, over 2200m, offers a purse of $272,000. This premier race is designed to test both speed and stamina, attracting the finest purebred Arabian horses from leading stables across the UAE. The day’s racing program also features the Group 2 Liwa Oasis over 1400m with a prize of almost $82,000.
Other races include Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic ($27,000, 1400m), Abu Dhabi Colts Classic ($27,000, 1400m), Arabian Triple Crown ($63,000, 1600m), Wathba Stallions Cup ($19,000, 2200m) and Louvre Abu Dhabi ($18,000, 1400m).
Ali Al-Shaiba, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Turf Club, commented: “We are proud to welcome top contenders to Abu Dhabi Turf Club for the inaugural Abu Dhabi Gold Cup Race Meet. As we approach the final stages of the 2024-2025 racing season, we welcome new audiences from around the world and celebrate the excellence, dedication, and commitment of our partners, racegoers, and all those involved in the sport.”
Event schedule
Gates open: 3:00 p.m. (UAE) First race: 4:00 p.m. (UAE) Entertainment program begins: 3:00 p.m. (UAE) Feature race — Abu Dhabi Gold Cup (Group 1): 6:30 p.m. (UAE)
‘You always want to get better, and that’s just golf,’ says Patty Tavatanakit ahead of her Saudi Ladies title defense
Golf Saudi ambassadors Patty Tavatanakit and Carlota Ciganda, both previous winners in Saudi’s capital, are set for the $5 million PIF Saudi Ladies International
Patty Tavatanakit: Being a Golf Saudi ambassador this year, I’m really grateful to be a part of this journey
Updated 12 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Patty Tavatanakit is is ready to defend her title at the PIF Saudi Ladies International from 13-15 February at Riyadh Golf Club.
Reflecting on her off-season, Tavatanakit admitted she had not dwelled much on her three victories last year but instead remained focused on improvement and the road ahead.
The Thai player said: “I feel like, in the off-season, I hadn’t really reflected back on last year and the three wins. But I just kept on working and looking forward to this year already. I don’t know what to think or what to expect.
“Coming into this week, I just really want to play my best. I’m working on some things right now. I just switched to a new coach, so I really want to focus on the process.”
As the defending champion, she acknowledges the pressure but views it as a privilege.
“I feel like there’s always pressure. You're coming back as a defending champion. You’ve done it once. People expect you to do it again. But I could take it as a positive. Pressure is a privilege, and I’m very privileged to have that at the back of my mind.”
Last year was a strong season for Tavatanakit, with victories in Thailand, two additional top-10 finishes, and a third-place finish at The Amundi Evian Championship. However, she believes there’s still room for improvement.
“It was very, very important. A big boost in confidence, for sure. Earlier last year, I felt like my performance was there.
“At the same time though, I didn’t feel like I performed my best or had my form all year round. That’s something I’ve been working on this off-season — just trying to eliminate those big misses, tee to green, and cleaning things up on the putting green a little bit. You always want to get better, and that’s just golf.”
Tavatanakit also praised the efforts of PIF and Golf Saudi in growing the game globally.
“What they’re doing for the game of golf in general is amazing. They’re showing their commitment. They’re here, they’re staying, and they’re trying to grow the game globally. Being a Golf Saudi ambassador this year, I’m really grateful to be a part of this journey.”
Carlota Ciganda also echoed similar sentiments about the event’s significance.
The Spanish Solheim Cup star said: “I think it’s amazing what Golf Saudi are doing. I’ve been with them for the last three years and again this year. Very grateful for all the support and their commitment to women’s golf with all the tournaments on the Ladies European Tour, these team events.
“Tournaments like this one with the same prize fund as the men — I think that’s changing women’s golf. It’s moving towards more equality, so I’m very happy to be a part of it.”
Tavatanakit’s primary goal for the season is clear: “I’d like to win this year. Very clear about that, very passionate about it. I’ll do anything I can to make that happen.”
As she prepares to defend her title, Tavatanakit emphasizes mental toughness. “I feel like the words “comfortable” and “confident” are kind of an illusion for me now. You just have togo out there regardless of how you feel. Just got to make it happen and accept that it’s golf — it’s not always going to look pretty.”
A previous team captain and winner in Riyadh, Ciganda embraces the format change. “I love playing for the team. It’s something I always enjoy. I love playing for my teammates, and I think the best comes out of me when I play for others as well.”
She also had words of encouragement for young players like Mimi Rhodes, who has previously stated Ciganda as a role model whilst growing up.
“Young players nowadays are very ready to play. When they turn pro, they are much more prepared than 15 years ago. But I think it’s important to have fun, enjoy, and have a good team around you. It can be lonely sometimes, so having a coach and a team that supports you through good and bad times is really important. Just enjoy the process. Golf has ups and downs — that’s just how it is.”
The Spaniard’s goal for the season?
“Winning. Winning on the LPGA, winning here, winning majors — that’s what I want. Being European, the AIG Women’s Open is always special, but I’d be happy with any Major.”
It’s all to play for as Tavatankit and Ciganda hope they can kick start their season with an all important win.
ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s national cricket team arrived in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday to play their first Champions Trophy tournament, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said with only days left for the international tournament to kick off.
The eight-nation tournament kicks off in the southern port city of Karachi on Feb. 19. Defending champions Pakistan will take on New Zealand in the city in the tournament opener whereas Afghanistan will kick off the event with their first encounter against South Africa in the same city.
Led by skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan will play their second match of the tournament against England in Lahore on Feb. 21 before meeting Australia on Feb. 28 in the eastern city.
“Afghanistan’s cricket team have arrived in Lahore to take part in the Champions Trophy,” the PCB said in a statement. “This is the first time that Afghanistan are taking part in the Champions Trophy.”
Afghanistan were dealt a blow when teenage spinner AM Ghazanfar was ruled out of the tournament due to a back injury this week.
“Afghanistan’s young spin-bowling sensation, AM Ghazanfar, has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy due to a fracture in the L4 vertebra, specifically in the left pars interarticularis,” the team confirmed via a statement.
“He sustained the injury during Afghanistan’s recently held tour Zimbabwe, and will be sidelined for a minimum of four months and will remain under treatment during this period.”
Afghanistan’s spin department is already missing experienced spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Squad:
Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami
The 27-year-old Iraqi fighter secured the bantamweight title last year and has a record of 12-1
Updated 12 February 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: From regional dominance to the global stage, Ali Taleb is ready to take his career to the next level.
After a commanding performance in PFL MENA 2024, where he won the bantamweight championship, the 27-year-old Iraqi powerhouse will step up to face the best in the world at the inaugural PFL World Tournament.
Taleb’s journey has been nothing short of spectacular. A rising star from UAE Warriors, he burst onto the scene with a flawless 6-0 record, catching the attention of the Professional Fighters League and making his SmartCage debut in 2022. His success earned him a spot in PFL Europe, where he tasted his first professional defeat — but he came back stronger than ever.
In 2024, Taleb proved his resilience and skill by dominating the PFL MENA circuit. With back-to-back victories, he earned his shot at the title and seized it firmly, knocking out Rachid Haz in just 85 seconds to claim the bantamweight title.
Now, with a 12-1 record and 10 finishes to his name (7 KOs, 3 submissions), Taleb faces a new challenge — the PFL World Championship Tournament, where he will compete against seven other elite bantamweights, each fighting for the prestigious title of PFL World Champion and a prize of $500,000.
The 2025 PFL World Tournament will be one of the biggest events in mixed martial arts history, featuring 64 of the world’s top fighters across eight weight divisions. The action kicks off in April at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, with the semifinals in June and the finals in August.
Leveling Up: Abu Dhabi’s video game scene powering the knowledge economy
The Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) – Abu Dhabi shares his views on how the gaming industry is proving to be a powerful catalyst for technological progress and innovation
Updated 12 February 2025
Mohamed Khalifa Al-Mubarak
ABU DHABI: In a dynamic landscape where innovation is paramount, Abu Dhabi is staking its claim. As the emirate navigates the shifting tides of the knowledge economy, the video game industry is emerging as a transformative force, proving to be a powerful catalyst for progress and innovation.
With the potential to redefine entertainment, education, and technology, gaming presents a unique opportunity for Abu Dhabi to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and digitized world.
To put it bluntly, gaming is the future and Abu Dhabi has a major role to play in making this future a reality. By staying ahead of the curve, we will attract global talent to the emirate whilst creating new career paths for aspiring local talent to realize their dreams.
Next phase of the knowledge economy
As the global gaming industry became mainstream, Abu Dhabi was right there beside it. This growth dates to Ubisoft’s arrival in the UAE capital in 2010. As data began to show the speed at which the Middle East’s gaming market was growing, more companies took advantage of this growth by settling in Abu Dhabi.
The industry is now thriving and growing at pace, with highly skilled jobs being created that encompass the latest trends in game development technology such as AI, machine learning and game analytics.
Each year, we push the boundaries of learning and development even further. We have started 2025 strong by hosting Global Game Jam, the world's largest game jam event, which takes place simultaneously around the globe. One of the locations this year was Berklee in Manarat Al Saadiyat hosted by Abu Dhabi Gaming, where game developers and enthusiast had 48 hours to develop and showcase their projects in a safe and welcoming environment.
Mohamed Khalifa Al-Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. (Supplied)
Every initiative matters, as Abu Dhabi leads the way in driving forward the growth of the knowledge-based economy.
With revenues forecast to rise from $455 billion in 2024 to $625 billion by 2028, the global gaming industry continues to grow at a healthy rate, with the UAE and its legions of tech-savvy gamers now accounting for 30 percent of revenue in the MENA region.
Recognizing the creative potential of the gaming industry at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), we’ve actively pursued strategies to leverage its power. This involved adopting a comprehensive approach with three key pillars: developing the local talent pipeline and creating a second home for the global talent pool; bringing a healthy mix of game developers to Abu Dhabi and supporting the local home-grown development studios; engaging with the esports and gaming community across the globe.
We can point to immense progress on all three of the strategy’s pillars.
Talent development
Establishing a robust talent development pipeline stands as one of our top priorities, and we are making significant strides in this regard. Our initial move involved forging more than a decade-long partnership with Unity Technologies to enhance the skill set of our workforce. With its Middle East and Africa headquarters based in Abu Dhabi, San Francisco’s Unity is a leader in the industry, powering 80 percent of mobile games globally. Undertaking Unity training enhances employability prospects significantly and helps keep early-career talent in Abu Dhabi.
Bringing game developers to Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is now home to more than 80 video game companies, the largest such community in the region. These companies and organizations, such as MY.Games, Sperasoft and Ninjas In Pyjamas, are drawn to Abu Dhabi by its reputation for delivering results. Last year, leading esports company NIP Group entered into a five-year term gaming subsidy agreement with DCT Abu Dhabi, with an aim to elevate its presence in the region.
Facilitating this growth is Abu Dhabi Gaming, serving as a vital connector within our community. Through initiatives like internship events, Abu Dhabi Gaming matches students with companies, streamlining the process for founders who can conduct multiple interviews in a single evening.
In the words of the late Steve Jobs, “Real artists ship.”, as in, deliver their products. Innovation has the potential to yield incredible results, but action is essential to realize its full potential – and Abu Dhabi Gaming is our channel for action in gaming.
Esports
Esports events pack arenas and have huge global viewership – over 540 million people worldwide by the latest estimates. At the local level, these big-tent events activate the gaming community by creating occasions that draw gamers together – which then paves the way for the success of further community gatherings such as Gaming4Good and the Yas Gaming Festival.
Increasingly, Abu Dhabi-based esports teams are making their mark on the global stage. Take, for example, Nigma Galaxy, a mainly Arab Dota 2 team that clinched a world championship title ahead of setting up their HQ in Abu Dhabi. With a support team comprising of a psychologist, strategist and analysts, they exemplify the professionalism in esports. Additionally, local talent like Amjad Al Shalabi, also known as AngryBird, emerged victorious at the 2023 EVO (Street Fighter) world championship in Las Vegas. We are also seeing a surge in the number of esports academies across the emirate to bring rising local stars to the forefront of competitive gaming.
Recognizing the growth opportunities the emirate has to offer, more teams are establishing themselves in Abu Dhabi: the emirate is poised to become a leading regional hub for esports, fostering heightened competition levels as teams train local gamers, and a burgeoning fan base as tournaments highlight local venues.
The future is ours
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is for Abu Dhabi Gaming to be a key player on the global stage. We believe it is important to tell more stories about the region through gaming, akin to how Dynasty Warriors presents Chinese imperial history. This is starting to happen. For instance, Ubisoft's team collaborated with multiple museums and historians covering Islamic art, architecture and history to ensure the authenticity of Assassin’s Creed Mirage’s portrayal of medieval Baghdad, highlighting its historical significance as a center of science and mathematics during that period.
In years to come we will witness more local success stories in game development. These energies are bubbling up at companies like Kashkool Games. Founded by three Emirati brothers, they have been working on their game called Sheba: A New Dawn for years and are now under the umbrella of Abu Dhabi Gaming. The game was successfully published last year, and they are already working on their second title with an increased focus in showcasing Emirati culture and preserving heritage.
AI is also an essential consideration as we move forward. AI and machine learning can transform games so that every time you play, the game is different. The monster around the corner this time won’t be the same monster as last time. Speech can be crafted so that every interaction is unique for every player. Developing games using AI technology is a skillset that needs to be leveraged and one for which the demand is only going to grow.
The opportunity in front of us is endless. Here in Abu Dhabi we are harnessing the power of creation, welcoming the dreamers and creating a world class ecosystem for the gaming industry.
