Runners, this one’s for you: Hua Hin race season begins

TAROUBA: Pakistan produced a strong response against the West Indies on the second day of the first Test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. The visitors reached 199 for three at stumps. They still trail the West Indies by 112 runs after the hosts were bowled out for 311. Shan Masood led the recovery with an unbeaten 88. He faced 137 deliveries and struck 11 boundaries. Imam-ul-Haq also played an important innings. He scored 63 from 102 balls and shared a 155-run partnership with Shan. Pakistan suffered an early setback when debutant Azan Awais was dismissed for a duck. Kemar Roach bowled him in the second over. Shan and Imam then took control of the innings. They attacked the West Indies bowlers and kept the scoreboard moving. Shan reached his half-century from only 46 balls. Imam also completed his fifty during the partnership. Imam eventually fell after making 63. Shamar Joseph took his wicket, ending the strong second-wicket stand. Captain Babar Azam then joined Shan at the crease. He scored 23 before edging Jayden Seales to wicketkeeper Shai Hope. Salman Ali Agha was unbeaten on nought when bad light stopped play. Pakistan finished the day with seven wickets still in hand. Earlier, Pakistan’s fast bowlers completed a strong effort to dismiss the West Indies for 311. Mohammad Ali was the leading wicket-taker. He finished with four wickets for 50 runs. Mohammad Abbas also impressed with three wickets. Khurram Shahzad claimed two wickets. Shai Hope was the West Indies’ top scorer. He made 92 runs, falling just eight runs short of a century. Kavem Hodge contributed 84 before being dismissed early in the morning session. Hodge had resumed the day on 83. He added only one run before edging Khurram Shahzad to second slip, where Salman Ali Agha completed the catch. Hope continued to resist after Hodge’s departure. He formed useful partnerships with Justin Greaves, Roston Chase and Shamar Joseph. Pakistan eventually broke through the lower order. Mohammad Ali dismissed Greaves and later removed Hope. Shamar Joseph made a quick 23. His innings included four boundaries and a six. Ali then bowled Jayden Seales to complete the West Indies innings at 311. Pakistan now have a strong opportunity to reduce the deficit and potentially take a first-innings lead. Shan Masood remains at the crease and will resume on 88 when play begins on the third day.

MARSEILLE: Amine Gouiri made a flying start to Marseille’s new Ligue 1 campaign, scoring twice in the second half as his side swept aside Strasbourg 4-0 on Friday in the opening match of the French top-flight season. The Algeria international was at the heart of Marseille’s attacking display, breaking the deadlock shortly after half-time before converting a penalty to put the hosts firmly in control. Gouiri’s performance gave Marseille exactly the kind of opening they wanted in front of their home supporters, while also extending their remarkable unbeaten league run against Strasbourg, which now stretches back to 1997. “It’s a joy,” Gouiri told Ligue 1+, reflecting on a perfect start. “We really wanted to start well in front of our supporters, and it’s job done.” Marseille had to wait until the second half to unlock the visitors’ defence. Gouiri struck just a minute after the restart, meeting the ball with a low first-time finish that finally gave the hosts the breakthrough. Strasbourg’s hopes of recovering quickly suffered another blow shortly before the hour mark when Samir El Mourabet was shown a red card for violent conduct after kicking Marseille midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. With Strasbourg down to 10 men, Marseille seized control. Gouiri stepped up to take the resulting penalty and made no mistake, calmly sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to complete his brace and double Marseille’s advantage. The hosts continued to push forward and eventually turned a comfortable victory into a statement result. Young substitute Keyliane Abdallah added a third before Hojbjerg put the finishing touch on the night, scoring late to complete the 4-0 rout. For coach Bruno Genesio, the result provides an ideal beginning despite Marseille’s limited activity in the summer transfer market. The manager has acknowledged that the club must reduce its wage bill before it can make major additions to the squad. “We have to drop our salary spend,” Genesio said. “Until that’s done, we won’t be able to recruit.” Gouiri, who joined Marseille from Rennes in January 2025, will be encouraged by his explosive start. He also scored once for Algeria during four matches at this year’s World Cup. The opening weekend continues on Saturday, with last season’s runners-up Lens hosting Auxerre, while newly promoted Le Mans face Brest in their first top-flight match since 2010. Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain begin their title defence away to Rennes on Sunday as they chase a record-extending 14th Ligue 1 crown.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning that removing the football chief would be a “terrible mistake” as opposition to Infantino grows within several major football confederations. Trump’s intervention came after UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) jointly criticised Infantino in an unusually strong open letter, accusing him of damaging trust and placing his authority above the wider football community. “If, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump said on Truth Social, “FIFA would be making a terrible mistake.” The US president described Infantino as “fantastic” and praised his leadership of the expanded 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump also argued that the tournament had been the most successful World Cup ever and warned that FIFA could struggle to maintain the same level of success and profitability without Infantino. The public backing is significant because Infantino is facing growing resistance over a controversial proposal to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was eventually withdrawn after fierce opposition from European football authorities. UEFA had threatened to boycott future World Cups if the investment proposal went ahead, describing the arrangement as an opaque and questionable deal. The pressure ultimately played a major role in Infantino abandoning the plan. The FIFA president received renewed support from senior officials during an emergency meeting in Morocco last week. However, UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC dismissed that backing, arguing that the meeting did not address the concerns raised by the confederations. The three bodies accused Infantino of failing to uphold the principles of accountability and collective leadership. They stressed that football’s governing structure should not revolve around one individual. The dispute could have major consequences ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. Infantino, who has led FIFA for a decade, is seeking a fourth and final term. Candidates must declare their intentions by November 18. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is regarded as a potential challenger, although Infantino continues to enjoy support from several influential football bodies. The Confederation of African Football has backed him, while South American governing body CONMEBOL remains broadly supportive. Several individual national associations have also expressed support. However, FIFA’s voting system means individual member associations—not confederations—will ultimately decide the election. Infantino’s position had appeared secure after the successful 48-team World Cup, but the private investment controversy has dramatically changed the political landscape. The latest confrontation has therefore turned the road to the 2027 FIFA election into an increasingly intense power struggle, with Trump now openly backing Infantino while several major football authorities demand greater accountability and collective decision-making.

GILGIT: A rescue mission to recover the body of Pakistani climber Dr Asma Mushtaq from Spantik Peak was halted on Sunday as heavy snowfall made the treacherous mountain too dangerous for the recovery team. Dr Asma Mushtaq, 34, died on Thursday while descending from the 7,027-metre Spantik, also known as Golden Peak, in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Shigar district. She reportedly suffered from high-altitude sickness after reaching the summit. Her body remains at an altitude of around 6,400 metres near Camp 3. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), a recovery team that left on Saturday reached Camp 2 but was forced to suspend the operation because of worsening weather. The team was advised to return to base camp and wait for a safer weather window. Efforts are also under way to obtain approval for a humanitarian helicopter mission with the support of the Pakistan Army. However, officials said helicopters cannot operate at altitudes above 6,000 metres to retrieve the body. The body must therefore first be brought down by a ground rescue team. ACP General Secretary Ayaz Shigri said a six-member local team was working to transport Dr Asma Mushtaq’s body to base camp, from where an army helicopter could potentially airlift it to Skardu. The recovery operation has also raised questions about the responsibilities of the expedition operator. Baltistan Division Commissioner Kamal Khan said the tour operator had violated mountaineering regulations by failing to arrange the required recovery team and helicopter arrangements. He said operators are responsible for arranging ground rescue and helicopter insurance when required. The official also alleged that mandatory briefing and debriefing procedures under the Mountaineering Rules 1999 had not been followed. However, Mr Khan rejected suggestions that negligence had caused the delay, saying local authorities arranged a recovery team soon after the incident on humanitarian grounds. The ACP stressed that it is Pakistan’s national federation for mountaineering and sport climbing, rather than a dedicated rescue organisation. It said Pakistan still lacks a properly established high-altitude rescue system and called for stronger mountaineering infrastructure. Dr Asma Mushtaq, originally from Lahore, was a UK-based obstetrics and gynaecology doctor and an avid traveller, vlogger and mountaineer. She had documented several expeditions online and had completed the winter ascent of Musa ka Musallah. Meanwhile, bad weather has also halted the recovery of US climber Sarah Mallory Geis from Broad Peak. Her body was recovered by three local porters after she went missing in a deadly avalanche on July 30. It remains at Broad Peak base camp awaiting an army helicopter flight to Skardu. The incidents have once again highlighted the extreme dangers of high-altitude mountaineering — and the urgent need for a reliable rescue system in Pakistan’s towering Karakoram.