
Dubai-based veteran Indian coach takes six wickets for just six runs
Dubai-based veteran Indian coach Gopal Jasapara still has what it takes to be a match-winning bowler. The 56-year-old bowled a dream spell, taking six wickets for just six runs from four overs to help Crication beat East Molesey Cricket Club by 155 runs in a friendly T20 match in the UK.
Batting first, Crication made 174 in 20 overs, thanks to fine knocks from Mithun (31), Harshit (29) and Umair (28).
In reply, East Molesey Cricket Club managed only 119 for nine in 20 overs as Jasapara broke the back of their batting with his brilliant spell of spin bowling.
Crication, a team made up of players from England, USA, New Zealand and the UAE, are currently in the UK for a series of friendly matches.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
ILT20, KCB enter strategic partnership for growth of the sport in Kuwait
The DP World International League T20 and the Kuwait Cricket Board have entered an exciting partnership for the growth of the sport in Kuwait. Through the partnership the DP World ILT20 will organise cricket matches in the country which will be aimed at identifying and developing the participating players. The agreement between the Kuwait Cricket Board and DP World ILT20 was inked at a signing ceremony organised recently at the Dubai International Stadium. As per the agreement, a domestic event like the DP World ILT20 UAE Development Tournament, will be conducted annually in Kuwait to provide the players from Kuwait an opportunity to get selected by ILT20 franchises for the main DP World ILT20 event. In the coming years, the league will also aim to host DP World ILT2o matches in Kuwait. 'We are very proud to announce our collaboration with Kuwait Cricket Board as they join our league [DP World ILT20]. It is a great honour for us, and we look forward to many more such collaborations in the future. Kuwait is very important to us; it is a great country and keen on promoting and further developing cricket," said Khalid Al Zarooni, Chairman ILT20 and Vice-Chairman Emirates Cricket Board. 'Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf countries are all one, the [cricket playing] communities are residing throughout the region and our aim with the DP World ILT20 is to grow and develop the game in the entire region. Our endeavour is to provide maximum opportunities to the players and for the fans to join us at this great tournament which we are trying to grow more and more.' President Kuwait Cricket Haider Farman: 'I am honoured to formalise this agreement between Kuwait Cricket and the Emirates Cricket Board to further promote the DP World ILT20 — not only in our two nations but across the entire region. This partnership is a key pillar of the league's broader vision for the growth and globalisation of cricket. We firmly believe that cricket can serve as a powerful bridge between our countries, and we look forward to this collaboration bringing meaningful benefits to our players, coaches, and officials alike. 'It is also a matter of great pride that Kuwait becomes the first country in the world to be officially recognized as a strategic partner of the DP World ILT20. 'Cricket continues to grow in popularity in the State of Kuwait, with Kuwait Cricket making significant strides both on and off the field. This landmark collaboration with the Emirates Cricket Board and the ILT20 will play a critical role in helping us realize our long-term vision — to involve more Kuwaiti nationals in our cricketing ecosystem, especially as players and officials. 'With the Asian Games scheduled to take place in Qatar in 2030 and Saudi Arabia in 2034, the timing couldn't be better. DP World ILT20 can be a transformative force in inspiring the next generation of local talent to embrace the sport across the GCC like never before.' CEO DP World ILT20 David White: 'I would like to congratulate Kuwait Cricket on their vision and foresight that has led to this exciting alliance. The DP World ILT2o's long term vision is to grow the game not only in the UAE but across the Gulf region. 'This partnership provides a great opportunity for Kuwait Cricket and their young players to develop further. We have seen it in the DP World ILT20 how the young UAE players have benefited enormously through this incredible platform under some world-class coaching. 'The UAE team recently won a T20I series against Bangladesh which is indeed a testament to the success of the DP World ILT20 as a lot of the UAE team members had received great exposure at the league in recent years, surely Kuwait and other countries in the region are going to benefit as well.' Sajid Ashraf, Director General Kuwait Cricket. says the partnership will help the sport grow in Kuwait. 'This momentous collaboration with the Emirates Cricket Board — a true leader in regional cricket development and the driving force behind the world-class DP World ILT20 — marks a historic milestone for Kuwait Cricket. It opens the door to a long-awaited dream: enabling our Kuwait players to pursue full-time professional cricket careers on the international franchise stage," Ashraf said. Meanwhile, the DP World International League T20 Season 4 will begin on December 2, UAE National Day (Eid-Al-Etihad). The six-team, 34-match tournament will conclude with the final on January 4, 2026.


Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Alcaraz overcomes Munar marathon to reach Queen's quarters
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz was pushed all the way by fellow-Spaniard Jaume Munar in a thrilling contest before clinching a 6-4 6-7(7) 7-5 win and advanced to the Queen's Club Championships quarterfinals on Thursday. Alcaraz recently came out on top in an epic French Open final against Jannik Sinner, and while this second round clash in London may not have reached those same dizzying heights, the British crowd were served up an enthralling battle. The world number two was a break down in the deciding set but showed his strength once more as Alcaraz stretched his winning run to 15 matches, the longest streak of his career. "It was a really tough battle that we had today," Alcaraz said after more than three hours on court. "He's a great competitor and he showed how difficult it is to beat him." Alcaraz, the 2023 champion, looked well in control as he eased to take the opening set, and after saving four break and set points at 5-4 down in the second he forced Munar to a tiebreaker. The pair traded early breaks with neither player holding serve over the first four points, before a Munar double fault allowed Alcaraz to take a 5-4 lead. He smashed an ace but then hit a double fault of his own on match point. Munar made him pay this time to force a deciding set. After Alcaraz went 2-0 up, the French Open champion was broken in his next two service games and Munar went into a 4-2 lead. Alcaraz, however, was not done yet, and two more breaks of serve sealed a hard-earned victory as he continued his preparations for Wimbledon, where the Spaniard will be aiming to complete a hat-trick of triumphs. "I'm proud of the level I showed today. It's my second match on grass this year," Alcaraz said. "There were moments I struggled a lot mentally and physically. I still don't know how I'm standing here. But I'm really happy I've given myself another chance in the quarter-finals." Alcaraz will face either French lucky loser Arthur Rinderknech or American Reilly Opelka. British number two Jacob Fearnley reached his first ATP Tour quarterfinal with a 6-3 2-6 6-2 win over French qualifier Corentin Moutet. "I'm very happy to be in my first quarter-final, it's even better to do it here in the UK," Fearnley said. "I tried to stick to my game plan and be aggressive. I did that better in the third set and the result speaks for itself." Fearnley raced into a 3-0 lead, and while Moutet broke back, the Briton responded immediately with another break of his own to ease through the first set. Moutet did likewise in the second, sailing 3-0 ahead before breaking for a second time to clinch the set and force the decider, where Fearnley broke twice before holding serve to love to clinch victory in style. The 23-year-old will now face Jiri Lehecka after the Czech beat Canada's Gabriel Diallo 6-4 6-2.


Khaleej Times
7 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
India still dangerous without veteran trio, says Stokes
England expect a tough challenge from India when their five-Test series begins at Headingley on Friday, captain Ben Stokes said, even as the tourists enter a transitional phase following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. The Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy will now be contested in all future test series between England and India. Previously, the series in England was played for the Pataudi Trophy, while the series in India was for the Anthony De Mello Trophy. The contest marks the start of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle and India's first red-ball assignment under new captain Shubman Gill. England, who ended fifth, are also aiming for a reset after an inconsistent campaign. India are looking to rebuild under new leadership after finishing third in the previous WTC cycle, having reached the final in each of the two editions before that. "The pool of talent that Indian cricket has is just ginormous," Stokes told reporters on Thursday. "(Rohit, Kohli and Ashwin are) three massive names, three people who have done wonderful things for their country, but it's not going to be any easier for us because those three big names aren't here." England have won 23 and lost 12 tests under Stokes since he succeeded Joe Root as captain, and now begin a stretch with back-to-back five-test series against India and Australia. England beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 45 runs on day three of the one-off test last month but their earlier defeats have been heavy, including a 423-run loss to New Zealand in December despite a 2-1 win in series. They were defeated by 434 runs and an innings and 64 runs during their last five match series in India 18 months ago (4-1 loss). "We still want to be known as a team who play an exciting style of cricket," Stokes said. "(It's) not that we never wanted to win every game that we played, but it's changing what we say and how we say it. We want to be playing exciting games of cricket because we know that's what brings the best out of individuals and us as a team. But it's about winning." England have retained Ollie Pope over Jacob Bethell for the first test at Headingley, with Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also returning to the squad. "(Pope) scoring 170 in his last test match (against Zimbabwe) has shown how well he's handled that extra scrutiny," Stokes said. "Since me and Baz (England coach Brendon McCullum) have been together, don't think we have lost a game when Chris Woakes played. Good to have him," he added. Meanwhile, Gill said he wants to concentrate on his batting rather than the pressure of captaincy as his side prepares to start a new era following the retirements of Kohli and Rohit. "Honestly, when I want to go out there and bat, I just want to play as a batsman, not really want to think that I'm the captain of the team because I think that sometimes puts too much pressure on you," Gill told reporters on Thursday. "Whenever I'm going out there, I want to play as a batsman and want to dominate the opposition and be the best batsman in the series, and that's what I'm trying to look at." Gill said captaining India to a series win over England would be bigger than triumphing in the IPL, which he won with Gujarat in 2022. "Definitely the test series, in my opinion," he said. "You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England, maybe two; if you are the best of your generation, maybe three. And IPL comes every year, and you get to have a crack at it every year. "So in my opinion, winning a test series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa is bigger."